bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internal marketing in UK banks: conceptual legitimacy or window dressing?
Authors: Papasolomou‐Doukakis Ioanna , Kitchen Philip J.
Published: July 2006

This paper discusses findings from an exploratory study concerning internal marketing in the UK retail bank industry. In order to enhance efficiency and provide motivation to employees many UK banks have adopted internal marketing. The paper adopts the approach of first defining the generic research area, and then describing the research approach. It is concerned with first identifying the rhetoric of internal marketing as employed in UK banks, and second with exploring the practice of reality of internal marketing as practiced within UK banks. The paper is grounded in Mason's view that theoretical positions or data explanations move from the particular context of internal marketing views and expand within banks to the general theoretical contribution to be made. Findings are explored via two extant relationships and three anomalies based on the data analysis. Evidence from the study suggests that internal marketing is being taken seriously but in such a way as to be managerially, not employee, oriented. At best, internal marketing within this industry is regarded as a form of window dressing or part of the trappings of marketing, rather than having any substantive base or rationale insofar as employees are concerned.
The regulatory challenge to relationship marketing in UK banking
Authors: Ashton John K. , Pressey Andrew
Published: July 2006

Within the academic marketing literature the importance of government policy and regulatory judgement receives far less scrutiny than is justified. To illustrate the importance of government regulation broadly and the new UK competition law framework specifically, a single regulatory case is examined: the Competition Commission assessment of the provision of banking services to small and medium‐sized firms. The report aims to promote more “arm's length” or transactional approaches to managing SME bank customers, effectively reducing banks' abilities to build relationships with its SME customers. It is proposed that relationship marketing for banking services to SMEs, a subject of considerable academic attention in recent years, has been severely curtailed in its present form by this recent regulatory judgement. The discussion also provides broader implications for policy analysis and marketing.
A quality management model based on the “deep quality concept”
Authors: Srdoc Alira , Sluga Alojzij , Bratko Ivan
Published: July 2006

Purpose

According to many authors, differences in firm performances are increasingly attributed to tacit knowledge that cannot easily be transmitted or imitated. On the other hand, current quality management models knowledge typically relates only to people. Situations, in which knowledge that is related to people is not available, sufficient, reliable or lucrative for application, are not considered. This paper aims to investigate how to overcome this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the adopted classification, types of knowledge typically present in an organisation are identified, and are discussed. Techniques for acquiring and formalising tacit knowledge are explored, and related criteria are defined. Particular attention is shown to knowledge management and artificial intelligence techniques.

Findings

A new approach to quality management called deep quality concept (DQC) is conceptualised, and mechanisms and concepts needed to acquire and integrate formalised knowledge into quality systems are identified. Other concepts that need to be incorporated are also identified. Finally, a new quality management model based on the DQC is developed.

Research limitations/implications

In further research the main points of the presented theoretical framework need to be validated through real examples from practice, and the resulting quality standard, i.e. award criteria, as well as the related handbooks completed and formalised.

Practical implications

Knowledge‐related and other relevant concepts need to be incorporated into contemporary quality management systems, as systematically and carefully as conventional quality management concepts. Knowledge of methods and tools suitable for that also needs to be assimilated.

Originality/value

In the paper a novel knowledge‐focused approach to quality management is presented. For this reason the paper is of great value for quality management theory and practice.
Strategic value of reliability and maintainability management
Authors: Madu Christian N.
Published: July 2006

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the strategic value of reliability and maintainability management in achieving competitiveness and customer satisfaction. It looks into performance metrics for organizational performance and associates reliability and maintainability with such metrics.

Design/methodology/approach

The design strategy is based on using models for reliability and profitability assessment as well as total quality management models to illustrate how performance metrics for organizational performance can be enhanced.

Findings

It shows there is a need to associate models of profitability assessment to reliability and maintainability management. This will help top management to see the strategic value of reliability and maintainability management and, therefore, adopt necessary organizational transformations to support reliability and maintainability goals.

Research limitations/implications

It is important that the role of reliability and maintainability as important strategic variables be recognized and considered in future research that evaluates organizational performance and successes.

Practical implications

The importance of organizational cultural transformation is noted and a transformation of organizational information system to link reliability management to a central information system such as in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) framework is suggested as a process of improving system availability and reliability.

Originality/value

The aim is to have top management perceive reliability and maintainability issues as part of their strategic initiatives. While the value of total quality management in achieving organizational success is well accepted, reliability and maintainability issues are often viewed at the operational level. Yet, they are critical to achieving quality and organizational success.
Arthur Andersen and the capital punishment debate
Authors: Amlie Thomas T. , Mitschow Mark C.
Published: July 2006

The paper may provide policy makers with another tool for analyzing the impact of disciplinary actions against public accounting firms. It analyzes the termination of US public accounting firm Arthur Andersen using arguments developed in the capital punishment debate and develops a paradigm for examining future actions against public accounting firms. The authors reviewed major arguments for and against capital punishment and assessed their usefulness as a tool in examining the Andersen case. A paradigm was then developed to assess the propriety of the action against Andersen and possible future cases. Most arguments regarding capital punishment were applicable to the Andersen case, allowing the authors to develop a template for assessing future disciplinary actions against public accounting firms. The “death penalty”, as applied to Arthur Andersen, was justified. While corporations are “legal persons”, they are obviously not human. This weakens (or renders moot) some of the most powerful arguments against capital punishment. Furthermore, this paradigm may be less useful in societies that prohibit capital punishment. Provides a unique way of examining the impact of disciplinary action against public accounting firms.
Bigger than any code of ethics and rules of audit
Authors: Doost Roger K.
Published: July 2006

Humanity is maturing slowly and is soaked in blood, passing through his age of childhood and adolescence. He is now going through the last stages of his adolescence – producing, distributing, and trying to manage weapons of mass destruction; grabbing all he can for his selfish interests while millions starve in other lands and in our own neighborhood; holding also tightly to his ancestor's dogmas, superstitions, and divisive ideals of race, nationalism, and religion. Such mindset has recently manifested itself in huge scandals in the Catholic Church, and previously in Protestant denominations, and embezzlements in billions by the likes of Enron, Worldcom, and Arthur Anderson, and ultimately by the fundamentalist ideologies manifested in the likes of Osama Bin Laden and the Al‐Quaida organization. The democratic systems, while hanging on to old ideas, have necessitated what George Orwell foresaw as the need for “double‐speak” and “correct‐think” to be able to keep the illusion of democracy and at the same time control the passions of the masses. Wars, in the meantime, have continued, have brought devastation to the world and have claimed the lives of some 200 million people in the twentieth century alone. Man is at the brink. The question of business ethics cannot be addressed in a vacuum if he has lost a bigger truth – his humanity. One must either learn to grow up quickly or perhaps, perish.
Does small and mature have to mean dull? Defying the ho‐hum at SMEs
Authors: Blumentritt Tim
Published: July 2006

Even though most SMEs operate in established industries, managers of these firms are not impervious to the fast‐moving changes in today’s business world. The author undertook a survey of SMEs to learn more about how they approached innovation. He found that, for innovation to pay off and become real, it must be nurtured and developed through top management commitment, the attention of smart and dedicated people, and tight integration between innovators and the firm’s strategic management.
Streamlining project management through online solutions
Authors: Perkins‐Munn Tiffany S. , Theodore Chen Y.
Published: July 2006

The ultimate goal of streamlining solutions for project management is to optimize the performance of the team. Automating business processes and integrating customized business solutions can not only increase productivity but also profitability. However, very few project‐ or service‐oriented organizations efficiently manage their processes. The authors describe an easily replicable online process that resulted in improved management and efficiency for one company.
The case for re‐examining IT effectiveness
Authors: Kurien Priya , Rahman Was , Purushottam V.S.
Published: July 2006

As the global economy moves upward, we believe that the lessons learned during the economic downturn to make IT more effective are not only applicable but also critical to ensure that IT continues to deliver greater value to business. Infosys is today a global provider of technology services and solutions and, as part of a two decade transformation to this current state, has learned valuable lessons, described in this paper, on how to improve IT effectiveness. There is a basic need for efficient delivery of software solutions by IT organizations. However, only when IT is aligned to meet the broader business needs and is able to operate in a sufficiently flexible manner, can effectiveness be achieved. We discuss an IT effectiveness framework that we believe is important to help achieve this state. With this basic framework, we then look at four of the key lessons to improving IT effectiveness: managing to balance supply and demand, the need to measure value, the practical lessons from process improvement benchmarks, and active business case management.
Six steps to better crisis management
Authors: Chong John K.S.
Published: July 2006

Crises can threaten the continued existence of an organization. In today’s highly uncertain and turbulent business environment, managers must develop stronger crisis decision‐making skills. This article outlines a practical six‐step approach to improving organizational crisis‐preparedness. It also suggests that crisis management is a critical component of contemporary strategic management. Managers can be expected to do a better job in dealing with crises if they follow the recommended six‐step approach and make a conscientious effort to integrate crisis management into the process of strategic management.
Why managers fail, and how organizations can rewrite the script
Authors: Brightman Baird K.
Published: July 2006

A failed management relationship is a primary cause of poor performance, work dissatisfaction and loss of talent as well as other organizational ills. Dramatic improvement in management quality, with its associated operational and financial benefits, requires an accurate understanding of the core drivers of management failure. This article reviews seven of the prime culprits in this organizational drama, accompanied by prescriptions for improvement.
Not walls, windows: capturing value in the digital age
Authors: Bodily Samuel , Venkataraman Sankaran
Published: July 2006

Much of strategy has been about defense, building the largest castle with the thickest walls to defend position, and tying down the customer with switching costs, standards, and transaction costs. The digital age changed that, making ineffective the usual competitive advantages of size and scope, infrastructure, and the former capabilities. The metaphor has moved from walls to windows: for transparency, fresh air, connection, and some protection from the harsher elements. A proactive windows strategy assembles scale and scope collaboratively, creates relationships that make switching unattractive, develops intangible resources all along the value chain, and builds co‐specialized capabilities. Illustrative examples come from three companies that have thrived in the digital age: eBay (a new company and industry), Lending Tree (new in an old industry), and Charles Schwab (old in an old industry).
A new look for the corporate center: reorganizing to maximize value
Authors: Kontes Peter
Published: July 2006

At most large companies today, the activities and structure of the corporate center are based on a traditional functional support model that is no longer appropriate for maximizing the value of the company. In the modern corporation, thought should be given to organizing the center not around support functions, but around clearly defined value‐creating activities. The resulting structure would look very different from the traditional model, but would give the CEO added leverage for achieving superior performance over time. Most companies actually do recognize the need for change and have attempted, with varying success, to modify or adapt the traditional corporate center structure to contemporary needs. For example, in many companies, some form of a business development function has been added to the center, and IT has been elevated from a narrow technical function to a broader information management role. Some companies have also created corporate‐based centers of excellence, such as marketing and knowledge management, to leverage competitive advantages spanning multiple business units. And in almost all companies, the role of the CFO has been expanded from reporting, treasury, audit and tax to include a more “strategic” scope of responsibilities. In our view, these modifications, while directionally helpful, cannot overcome the inherent shortcomings of the traditional corporate center: it is imperfectly aligned with the objectives, the complexity and the scale of the modern corporation. Consequently, we believe top management should consider redefining the activities and changing the structure of the center to become a powerful enabler of, and not an obstacle to, superior performance. To improve the performance of the corporate center, top management needs to address two challenging tasks: first, how to create a new model of the center and, second, how to replace the old model of the center.
White knight wanted: what to expect from restructuring consultants
Authors: Conklin Bruce C. , Michelin Adam M.
Published: July 2006

Saving a company from bankruptcy may require the help of crisis consultants who have experience stabilizing organizations. Companies have a better chance of survival if they seek outside guidance at the first sign of financial difficulty. While a cash flow crisis may be the most obvious sign of trouble, it is usually not the cause but the effect of earlier difficulties such as pricing issues, lack of market penetration or lack of direction from management. Based on a case study of MicroNet, a high‐technology company, this article shows how turnaround experts can save a company that is on the brink of bankruptcy by applying creativity and problem‐solving skills. In the case of MicroNet, the crisis consultants’ actions included: stabilizing cash flow; reestablishing credibility with the lender; stabilizing product sales; refocusing on product development to affect the immediate operating horizon; organizing unsecured creditors; creating trust between vendors and MicroNet; and locating a strategic buyer. Turnaround requires immediate, aggressive and often painful actions in three areas: turnaround business, value creation and merchant banking. The principles outlined apply to companies of any size and in any industry.
Higher‐order needs drive new growth in mature consumer markets
Authors: Dutra Ana , Frary James , Wise Rick
Published: July 2006

For most of the past decade, it has been tough to find growth in consumer sectors such as packaged goods, media, food, and electronics. The proliferation of new brands and products has made operations more complex and expensive, while consolidation among retailers and the rise in private‐label store brands has shifted pricing power away from suppliers in household and packaged goods. A few consumer companies, however, are prospering or starting down new avenues to growth. These firms have moved beyond product innovation to emphasize demand innovation, which entails understanding the higher‐order needs of consumers, and then creating service and product solutions that directly address those needs. Mercer’s research has documented at least a dozen patterns of demand innovation in consumer markets. Some are relatively simple steps to enhance a product or service and thereby steal market share and expand margins. Others allow companies to leverage their assets in more radical ways, opening up entirely new opportunities. The experiences of Kraft, Procter & Gamble, and Netflix show how consumer companies can improve the consumer experience and find incremental ways to grow in the process.
Think like a sociopath, act like a saint
Authors: Mitroff Ian I.
Published: July 2006

Crisis‐prepared organizations employ a number of distinct and creative strategies to cope with crises: they conduct internal assassin team exercises where they attempt to destroy their organizations given their privileged inside knowledge; they attempt to think like paranoids in order to come up with unpalatable and unthinkable scenarios; they imagine themselves in totally different industries in order to think about how crises that are not endemic to them can happen nonetheless. While no organization can fully prevent major crises, it can recover faster and with substantially less costs by being prepared.
Project management: key tool for implementing strategy
Authors: Longman Andrew , Mullins James
Published: July 2006

There are several conditions essential for project success that apply to all projects, whether related to top‐level strategic business issues or operational ones: executives must make a compelling business case for project management; make it practical, relevant, and beneficial from day one; make systems and procedures project management‐friendly; make project management a win for team members and managers; make project management an ongoing learning experience, and; make success public. Project management requires deliberate planning and action to create the conditions for success and put in place the strategy, leadership, goals, process, skills, systems, issue resolution, and structure to direct and exploit the dynamic nature of project work. If work today is done through projects, as is surely the case, then working smarter on projects will enable an organization to meet, head‐on, whatever strategic and operational challenges may come its way.
Much ado about IT: a response to “the corrosion of IT advantage” by Nicholas G. Carr
Authors: Vandenbosch Betty , Lyytinen Kalle
Published: July 2006

This article takes issue with Nick Carr’s thesis, developed in his book and in articles for Harvard Business Review and the Journal of Business Strategy, that IT has become a commodity. The thesis, write the authors, draws upon a straw man argument based on analogy and gross simplification of the nature of IT investment. Carr argues that IT has become a commodity, much as railroads and electricity became in the past, and therefore it cannot possibly produce competitive advantage. But IT is different from earlier technologies in two fundamental ways. First, its growth and change potential is unprecedented and still continues, and second, it is the most versatile and flexible technological platform the human race has ever created. Carr also fails to emphasize how much more important IT has become as a consequence of its ubiquity in executing successful business strategies. Telling people that they won’t obtain competitive advantage from IT will lead them to pay less attention to it, leading to worse results, and a self‐fulfilling prophecy. IT will indeed become incapable of contributing to competitive advantage. Yet it is very difficult to find examples of large scale strategic successes and failures in the past decade in which IT was not a contributor to the result.
Corporate reputation: Managing corporate reputation – applying rigorous measures to a key asset
Authors: Resnick Jeffrey T.
Published: July 2006

Author Jeff Resnick explores the vulnerability of firms whose executives fail to manage the perceptions of their company – indeed, their corporate reputation – with as much rigor as they apply to managing financial, operational or technology risk. Mr Resnick offers up a snapshot of current attitudes towards managing corporate reputation, including research underscoring CEOs perception that it has become far more important than it was several years ago, and juxtaposes this with data that indicates US investors remain as distrustful of corporate ethics today as they were in the heated moment of corporate scandals. Mr Resnick then presents a provocative case for better managing reputation – a company’s most critical important intangible asset – in a more strategic manner. Finally, he provides readers with steps for effectively monitoring reputational risk. His monitoring system focuses on a multi‐stakeholder measurement approach that more fully informs executives’ decisions concerning their corporate reputation. Critical to making his case, Mr Resnick uses examples from recently completed reputational research, focusing on the electric power industry and conducted by an independent reputation‐rating agency.
Corporate reputation: Reputational mythraking
Authors: Martin Dick
Published: July 2006

Through good time and bad, few companies have been so prominently and constantly in the public eye as AT&T. As the company’s executive vice president of public relations, Dick Martin was not simply a fly on the wall in the company’s most senior counsels, but a full participant in their deliberations. He draws from his experience to debunk some of the popular wisdom surrounding “big‐time public relations.” Foremost among these myths is the broadly held notion that “perception is reality” followed closely by the advice that “a strong offense is the best defense.” On the contrary, Martin uses examples from AT&T’s recent history to demonstrate that companies are better served by addressing the reality underlying their perceptual problems. Further, he shows how responding to attacks in kind can give criticism greater traction and invite greater scrutiny. Martin dispels popular misconceptions regarding the practice of public relations, arguing it is not word‐smithing, glad‐handing or do‐gooding. It’s not pitching or spinning. It’s a function of general management and, in turbulent times, it’s an especially critical component of the strategic choices CEOs and boards must make.
The impact of alternative styles of policy leadership on the direction of local government reform
Authors: Wallis Joe , Dollery Brian
Published: July 2006

Purpose

Alongside public agencies and private firms, non‐profit organizations (NPOs) play a vital role in the delivery of human services in a number of advanced nations. The purpose of this paper is to advance a theory of leadership to try to explain how NPOs can overcome the various forms of voluntary sector failure described by Salamon.

Design/methodology/approach

Examines the conditions under which leadership style is likely to prevail and the influence they are likely to have on the direction of local government reform.

Findings

Advances a theory of leadership to better understand this problem and its implications for public policy.

Originality/value

Adds to existing literature by demonstrating that leadership can ameliorate some kinds of voluntary sector failure.
Alternative paths to the transition process
Authors: Marangos John
Published: July 2006

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to develop alternative paths to the transition process as a result of alternative models of transition.

Design/methodology/approach

A political economy methodology to the transition process results in alternative transition models. As a result five alternative models of transition come into being.

Findings

Transition models can be distinguished on the basis of economic analysis, speed and the political structure. Each model recommended a set of economic policies to facilitate the transition process. The adoption of gradualist processes of transition – except in the case of shock therapy – requires a sequence by which the reforms should be introduced.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the transition literature by developing a set of economic policies combined with a sequence path for each transition model.
Change and innovation in European LIS education
Authors: Virkus Sirje , Wood Lawraine
Published: July 2006

This paper examines current trends and developments in higher education (HE) and the responses of HE institutions to these changes. The contribution of Library and Information science (LIS) institutions to innovation in Europe is examined through three case studies – the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), the Robert Gordon University (RGU) and the Tallinn Pedagogical University (TPU). Technology, globalisation, and competition have caused the ground to shift under HE worldwide. HE institutions have had to rethink their environment in the light of new technologies. During the last five years MMU, RGU and TPU have developed new programmes and courses, new teaching and learning approaches and used information communication technology to support teaching and learning. All staff members have been actively involved in change and the innovation process. In most cases changes have been incremental and the impact of these changes has been rather positive.
Benchmarking business‐to‐business marketing practices in emerging and developed economies: Argentina compared to the USA and New Zealand
Authors: Pels Jaqueline , Brodie Roderick J. , Johnston Wesley J.
Published: July 2006

This paper examines the marketing practices of Argentine business‐to‐business firms and compares them with the marketing practices of US and New Zealand firms. While the results show marked similarities in the practices for a certain proportion of Argentine firms, there are also some differences. Overall, Argentine firms tend to have lower use of information technology in marketing and a greater emphasis on face‐to‐face interaction. There is also a group of Argentine firms that operates in the traditional business environment where less emphasis is placed on marketing activity. Implications of these results for managers and academics are discussed.
Trust and negotiation tactics: perceptions about business‐to‐business negotiations in Mexico
Authors: Elahee Mohammad , Brooks Charles M.
Published: July 2006

Trust plays a significant role in business peoples’ choices of negotiating tactics. This study compares the use of generally accepted negotiating tactics with dubious ones. Findings from a sample of Mexican business people indicate that the type of negotiation (intra‐cultural vs cross‐cultural) is predictive of the level of trust that a negotiator will place in an opponent and of the likelihood of using various negotiation tactics.
The use of category management practices to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage in the fast‐moving‐consumer‐goods industry
Authors: Dupre Kyle , Gruen Thomas W.
Published: July 2006

Despite massive efforts of suppliers and retailers in the fast‐moving‐consumer‐goods (FMCG) channel to adopt the efficient consumer response (ECR) practices, many of the expected benefits have not been realized. This study examines the history and implementation practices of ECR in the USA and in Germany and presents conceptual models that compare the likely outcomes when ECR‐based category management practices are initiated either by the supplier or by the retailer channel partner. Combining the knowledge gained from a series of interviews with industry experts with their own ECR experiences, it is shown how a strategic competitive advantage can be realized through the combination of both supplier and retailer views and expertise in category management practices. The article concludes with an examination of barriers to implementation of category management plans and suggests ways to overcome these barriers.
Industrial recruitment and economic development: a comparative analysis of competing south‐eastern cities using perceptual mapping
Authors: Festervand Troy A.
Published: July 2006

In this study of industrial recruitment and economic development, perceptual mapping was used to identify the collective and individual positions of ten competing south‐eastern cities. The perceived position of the “ideal” city also was captured by the study's findings. Industrial real estate executives who were surveyed indicated that some cities have positioned themselves strategically in terms of quality of life, whereas others are recognized because of their resources and markets or pro‐business environment. Some cities appear better able to take advantage of their position, whereas others face economic development obstacles.
Examining service experiences and post‐consumption evaluations
Authors: Grace Debra , O'Cass Aron
Published: July 2006

The impact of the service experience on consumers' feelings, satisfaction and service brand attitudes are of vital importance to service marketers. In an attempt to understand how consumers evaluate service performances this study seeks to explore the dimensions of the service brand that influence consumers at time of service consumption. In addition, the study also examines post‐consumption evaluations. A study of 254 bank consumers revealed that the core service, employee service and servicescape make a significant contribution to the service consumption experience. Furthermore, the service experience was found to significantly effect feelings, satisfaction and brand attitudes.
Budgets and budgeting in selected Nigerian university libraries
Authors: Emojorho Daniel
Published: July 2006

In Nigerian university libraries, government allocations are the main source of revenue supporting library operations. However, the level of government support differs between federal and state institutions. This is despite the reality that all universities provide similar levels of education and graduates who competitively compete with one another for employment. This inequality prompted a study to identify the various sources of funds supporting academic libraries and to determine which were the most useful. Among the discoveries was that the budget is used as a long‐term development plan, helping the librarians prioritize their needs. The results of this survey suggested several courses of action, ranging from lobbying from more government support to increasing philanthropic outreach.
Use of scenarios in strategic and political risk analyses
Authors: Milburn Franc
Published: July 2006

Over the next 10 to 15 years, the international system (and corporations) will have to adjust to changing power relationships in key regions. These have the potential to provide discontinuities greater in impact than the end of the Cold War. Numerous crises have already surprised economists, ratings agencies, governments and strategic planners alike. Use of scenario analysis is particularly useful in circumstances where it is necessary to take a long‐term view of strategy, and where there is a high level of uncertainty about external influences. One of the principal problems however, is that not enough attention is paid to potential political risk discontinuities with the organization deprived of critical intelligence about the external environment. Building in the flexibility to strategic thinking to understand the possibilities and risks offered by a range of futures is the key to success, if the modern corporate is to be in the best possible state of preparedness for the years ahead. A China case study demonstrates that opposite scenarios for the future are equally plausible, while the history of hegemonic predictions is deeply flawed. Part of the problem being that decision making, whether in the State or strategy department may not be “rational.” The Saudi Arabia case study offers scenarios with global implications. There is no crystal ball that enables analysts to predict future aspects of international relations with certainty, but the aim of scenario analysis is not to be occasionally right about the future, as never to be wrong.
How to protect your assets against acts of nature and terrorism
Authors: Poland Chris
Published: July 2006

Millions of earthquakes occur each year throughout the world, according to The National Earthquake Information Center in the USA and its cooperators around the globe. Fortunately, most of them happen far away from highly industrialized population centers and cause little damage or disruption. But when they do occur in densely populated areas, the loss of human lives, destroyed buildings and infrastructures, and the interruption of normal life and commerce can be devastating to individuals, families, communities, businesses and governments. Companies now also need to consider, and plan for, the risk of damage to employees and property that may be caused by non‐natural causes, such as terrorist bombs. While there has been much talk about bio‐ and chemical‐terrorism, the fact remains that bombs are still the most commonly used weapon of terror worldwide. According to a US government report, entitled “Protecting Buildings from Bomb Damage,” nearly half of all international terrorist attacks are bombings. Few corporations are without risk these days just as few countries are free from random acts of terrorists’ violence. The threat of bombings is one more concern for corporations and building owners to factor into their analysis, assessment and planning for protecting their investment and building occupants. While designing a terrorist‐proof building is impossible, designing a building that will not progressively collapse when attacked, and will allow emergency workers quick access to survivors, is not. It’s a matter of designing and constructing buildings that will display predictable performance. The article discusses how building owners, corporate project teams and architects and engineers all can take measures to improve safety of occupants and contents of a building against potential blasts or explosions. There are three broad categories of countermeasures: deterrence, set back, and hardening.
Reputational management: ignore at your own peril
Authors: Money Kevin , Gardiner Louise
Published: July 2006

Of a company’s most valuable assets, its reputation is among the hardest to build and the easiest to lose. Reputation is also no longer merely a question of brand image and visibility, or “looking good” while dealing with major corporate crises. The other side of reputation is about protecting against the loss of the valuable intangible assets that companies build up over time, such as trust, loyalty and good relationships with stakeholders. Leading global companies are coming to realize that they will be in a much better position to manage change and challenges – financial as well as social and environmental – if they have invested in their relationships with their stakeholders. This means building trust, loyalty, commitment to values, and transparency. However, companies should also reflect on why a good reputation is important to them, who the reputation is aimed at (which stakeholders) and for what purpose (how do they aim to influence stakeholder behavior). Wasting time on the “wrong” stakeholders, such as the media and isolated high‐profile campaign groups, can be as bad as making no effort at all. Consequently, this article focuses not only on the drivers behind the increasing importance of reputation management in our global society, but will also address how companies should take up this challenge.
Strategy in the context of uncertainty
Authors: Snowden Dave
Published: July 2006

This paper challenges the assumption of discoverable order inherent in most approaches to strategy. A false dichotomy between order and chaos is removed by the introduction of a third system type, namely a complex system. It is argued that different types of systems require different ways of knowing and acting, and a set of rules for decision making. Organizational structure is identified for each domain or system type. Understanding boundary movements between domains allows us to gain new insight into a variety of subjects such as crisis management and innovation. The use of complexity thinking to provide theoretical rooting for the common‐sense actions of strategists is then summarized. For some years the Cynefin Centre has been engaged in an emergent, action research program around strategic and operational decision making. Originating in knowledge management, the applications have now extended to various application areas including organizational change, market intelligence, innovation and strategy. The subjects (and funding) have come principally from the defense and pharmaceutical sectors, but more recently we have seen the involvement of finance, manufacturing and health; indicating a wider acceptance of the ideas and concepts involved. The work has been fundamentally influenced by a variety of sources, but principally complexity theory, narrative and recent thinking about the nature of human decision theory. This paper describes the basic assumptions behind the research, the Cynefin Sense Making framework that has emerged and the implications for strategy in organizations.
Strategic resilience: staying ahead of a crisis
Authors: Välikangas Liisa , Merlyn Paul
Published: July 2006

Imagine a world without turnarounds – just well‐managed companies. Strategic exploration is the means to achieving strategic resilience. But how can senior managers build organizations where strategic exploration is the rule rather than the exception? First, by exhibiting the courage to explore, and second, by confronting the uncomfortable truths that such exploration might uncover. The article presents a simple but powerful framework, conceived by the Woodside Institute, for strategic exploration. The framework identifies which discoveries merit most attention (“strategic breakthroughs”), which deserve further consideration (“self‐discoveries” and “windows of opportunity”), and which will lead to the back of beyond (“duds”). Examples are drawn from IBM, AT&T, Intel, Sony, Cisco, Hewlett‐Packard, Nokia, Sun Microsystems, and the Coca‐Cola Company.
Achieving marketing ROI – finally
Authors: Munoz Tim
Published: July 2006

An age‐old conundrum with which marketers and, increasingly, their CEOs grapple is justifying the black hole of marketing expense. Finding a rational and reliable means of correlating marketing inputs to outputs has become even more urgent given current business economics and the decreasing effectiveness of such traditional marketing tools as advertising, promotion, and sponsorships. This article proposes two approaches that help accelerate the business impact of marketing efforts while also creating a more central role for marketing in the organization: Reorienting the marketing function around the customer experience, not the A&P mix; and breaking down the traditional annual budgeting cycle in favor of the more dynamic model of “activity‐based” budgeting. The former move reflects the expansion of customer touchpoints (interactions) as marketing tactics have expanded, and speaks to the value of mapping the customer experience to ensure related investments are aligned with value creation. Activity‐based budgeting establishes rolling, long‐term forecasts that are refined on a quarterly basis, integrating planning, allocation, and measurement and fostering a culture of measurement and continuous improvement. Moving in this direction requires forward‐thinking businesses to not only shift mindsets as to where dollars are directed, but also to shift organizationally so that budget ownership and influence are linked directly to those who know what needs to happen in the marketplace to drive measurable results – and can make it happen.
Getting to market faster by putting it all together
Authors: Nisbet John
Published: July 2006

Everyone pays lip service to integrating a company’s essential functions in order to maximize productive capacity and market success. But how many companies actually achieve it? The ramifications for integrating IT with business processes and quality systems can be huge, such as when collecting reliable clinical data. This article explores why and how this goal is worth striving for, including: why timely establishment of enterprise applications is essential. How to integrate post‐sale activities, e.g. product tracking and support, and make them part (as they must be!) of an organic whole. This article will show readers how to take steps to maximize their chances of getting to market faster via ensuring the effective integration of essential functions.
Making site selection decisions in the worldwide economy
Authors: Bergeron Carol
Published: July 2006

This article provides a practical approach for making site selection decisions driven by organizational business needs. New site selection decisions are best made when: business needs and opportunities drive new site exploration, vision and goals to be achieved are clear, the site selection team possesses the right skill set and works to a plan. Using a practical approach fosters rapid decisionmaking. The approach is appropriate for small, medium and large companies. The practical process positions leaders to apply it quickly and help their organizations realize the benefits of new site selection as outsourcing and globalization continues at an unprecedented rate.
Become a “thought leader” and move ahead of your competition
Authors: Lizotte Ken
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the high competitive advantages of using thought leadership as a marketing strategy. The design of the paper is to draw conclusions from both anecdotal and research sources and focus on examples of how thought leadership is advantageous as well as a practical guide for taking steps to implement this approach. It was found that thought leadership is an approach available to everyone, though little known or little used nonetheless. The reader will learn the value of this approach and also attain clarity on how to employ it to benefit his/her company’s bottom line.
The five pillars of organizational excellence
Authors: Harrington H. James
Published: July 2006

Good is no longer good enough. To survive in today’s competitive environment, you need to excel. To excel, an organization needs to focus on all parts of the organization, optimizing the use and effectiveness of all of its resources. After years of working with all types of organizations using many different approaches to improving performance, we have come to realize that there are only five things that need to be managed in order for an organization to excel. We call these five key elements “The five pillars of organizational excellence”. Organizational excellence is designed to permanently change the organization by focusing on managing the five key pillars of the organization. Each of these five organizational pillars is not new by itself. The key to organizational excellence is combining and managing them together. The five pillars are: Pillar I – Process management; Pillar II – Project management; Pillar III – Change management; Pillar IV – Knowledge management; Pillar V – Resource management. All five must be managed simultaneously. Top management’s job is to keep all of them moving ahead at the same time. To concentrate on one or two of them and let the others slide, is a surefire formula for failure.
Successful strategies for new venture development
Authors: Tamer Joey
Published: July 2006

Presents a detailed overview of the challenges of creating new ventures within established corporations, and offers success strategies for overcoming these challenges. The author outlines her experience from more than 25 years of consulting to new ventures, independent of and within corporate structures, including many within Fortune 500 companies. Several case studies of successful and unsuccessful ventures are described, including successful ventures that were later closed down by the corporation. Tamer offers explanations for the outcome of each venture. Findings include strategies to ensure the success of a new venture within a corporation: defining capital strategies (including start‐up and exit strategies that create profitable new divisions, and/or create spin‐off companies that bring a return on investment to the corporation); aligning the new venture with corporate goals; maintaining corporate commitment to the new venture; engaging outside experts; and creating strategic alliances inside and outside of the corporation. The strategies presented will help corporations build successful in‐house ventures which can extend the corporation’s market reach, leverage existing assets for increased profitability, or create new companies with a high return on investment. Top management, corporate strategic planners, and heads of newly‐formed divisions will find a blueprint for avoiding classic errors, anticipating obstacles to success, and applying strategies that create profitable new corporate ventures.
Why success formulas fail
Authors: Stokely Craig R.
Published: July 2006

Most businesses concentrate on refining their business model to enhance results. We see examples everyday of market leaders such as United Airlines, McDonald’s and Blockbuster who have built their reputation on a sound, predictable and consistent success formula. Today each is in serious trouble because of it. This article offers a method of recognizing when such success formulas are losing their effectiveness as well as an approach to reinvent them. The article presents examples of leading companies which have stayed with their success formula for too long, as well as examples of firms which have successfully reinvented their business model. It is possible to successfully anticipate the need for change and enhance a firm’s business model to maintain and strengthen a market leadership position. A strong focus on the changing requirements of a firm’s customers can be achieved through active listening programs in conjunction with a proactive commitment to deliver improved value to them everyday. Understanding that success formulas can fail is important for all business managers to recognize. This represents a significant change from a more traditional approach where businesses concentrate on refining their current business model to improve results. Change in how customers perceive value is the key driver. Anticipating and actively responding to this changing value driver requires a willingness and dedication to reinvent the firm’s success formula as appropriate.