bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Kathmandu International Study Centre: a model for supporting self‐study
Authors: Mcllhenny Alan J
Published: October 2006

This paper describes the model of internationally supported self‐study developed at the Kathmandu International Study Centre in Nepal. The Centre aims to provide for the varied home country needs of the secondary aged expatriate children resident in Nepal through a balanced programme of group tutorials and self‐study activities. The various facets of the model and their rationale are discussed under the headings of Structure, Physical environment and People. Based upon the experience gained, recommendations for practice are made. The creation of an environment conducive to learning is discussed, with reference to the contribution made to this environment by the physical surroundings, tutors, and the students themselves.
Teacher ratings of social skill by direct observation and through interactive video
Authors: Bain Alan , Houghton Stephen , Farris Howard
Published: October 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between interactive video based teacher ratings and direct classroom observation of social skills. The behaviour of 25 randomly selected grade seven children aged between 11 and 12 years was rated by nine teachers using items from an interactive video social skills rating scale (Bain 1989). A video camera was then placed in each of the teacher's classrooms for one week to sample the actual behaviour of the target children. Measures obtained showed correlations ranging from — 0.39 to 0.77, whilst percentage agreement between rated and actual behaviour varied from 28% to 74% over the course of the study.
School pupils’ reactions to flexible learning
Authors: Moss Dennis
Published: October 2006

The article describes a survey of the attitudes of sixth form students towards an Advanced level course in sociology taught by open learning strategies. The problems of open learning for the 16–19 year age group are highlighted and suggestions made for the use of key questions in performance monitoring which may identify learning difficulties for other open learners in this age group. The findings suggest that younger students entering such open learning programmes may need study methods counselling and additional tutorial support.
A categorisation of models of staff development in higher education
Authors: Smith George
Published: October 2006

The author reviews models of staff development in higher education. Micro models of staff development practice are distinguished and evaluated. He categorises models into product‐orientation, prescription‐orientation, process‐orientation, problem‐orientation and eclecticism and commends the latter model. He identifies three macro models of staff development responsibility: ‘management’, ‘shopfloor’ and ‘partnership’, and a variation of the latter, ‘decentralisation’. Of the various micro‐macro combinations which are possible, eclectic decentralisation is commended to higher education institutions for the advantages that it offers.
Developing language and cognition in young children with Logo
Authors: Bailey Jeff
Published: October 2006

A Logo intervention was implemented to improve the language and problem‐solving skills of four young mainstreamed children with developmental disabilities. To ensure that the children had a clear concept of Logo, a specially designed scope and sequence curriculum, with instructional aids, was developed. The children were tested in language and cognitive processing and gain scores were analysed after the intervention. While there were no statistically supportable conclusions attesting to the benefit of Logo in language and problem‐solving, a qualitative assessment of gains supported the value of the project.
Hypermedia and discovery‐based learning: a historical perspective
Authors: Jacobs Gabriel
Published: October 2006

The history of education shows a long‐standing, comprehensive rejection of teaching based on discovery, exploration and individual experience—the cornerstone of the hypermedia revolution in education which we are told to expect in the near future. By looking at some of the many failed past attempts to change rigid educational practices into malleable, free‐form ways of learning, the author argues that any such revolution in education is probably further away than is supposed by many of those working in the field of interactive technologies.
Collaborative learning through teletutorials
Authors: Idrus Rozhan
Published: October 2006

Audio‐graphic teleconferencing has been fully used in the delivery of teletutorials of all the courses offered via distance education at the Universiti Sains Malaysia. The teleconferencing sessions are delivered as part of an educational strategy of collaborative learning to provide quality educational interaction and an effective teaching‐learning experience—thus enhancing the distanced communication. The elements of collaborative learning appeals to the adult learners and greatly assist in their intellectual growth and development, which in turn will benefit a developing country such as Malaysia.
Managing course design
Authors: Foster Geoff
Published: October 2006

Any complex activity, such as course design, which involves group work must be managed. In universities, where academics are not always familiar with managing, it is often unsystematic. A modest attention to management can help a project, and may pay dividends in the avoidance of waste, conflict, overruns of time or budget or other potential disasters. The author presents a comprehensive framework for the various aspects of managing that may be needed and offers an extended checklist.
Reliability and validity of the Learning Styles Questionnaire
Authors: Fung Y H , Ho Angela S P , Kwan K P
Published: October 2006

The reliability and predictive validity of a short form of Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles Questionnaire were examined. Students' learning preferences were measured by self‐report ratings on their degree of likings for 19 teaching and learning activities commonly used in higher and professional education. Subjects were 381 second‐year undergraduates enrolled in accountancy, engineering and communication programmes at the Hong Kong Polytechnic. The alpha coefficients for the four learning styles scales were quite low, ranging from 0.311 for the Pragmatist scale to 0.421 for the Reflector scale. Factor analysis of the items did not reveal any coherent factor structure congruent with the underlying constructs. However, significant though weak correlations were found between the learning styles scores and the learning preferences of the students as hypothesised.
Maori word‐processing for indigenous New Zealand young children
Authors: Barbour Bob , Cunningham Sally Jo , Ford Greg
Published: October 2006

We argue that there is an important and as yet unmet need for software that allows each cultural group to express the written word in an indigenous character set. As an example, we present a word‐processing system, Ta Kupu, designed for use in teaching the Maori language to children. The program simplifies the input task by taking advantage of the structural features of the Maori language. The system also includes a data logging, evaluation, and analysis tool, Tirohia, that permits teachers to evaluate a child's familiarity with the word‐processor. The main features of the evaluation software include: the ability to replay a record of a child's interaction in real time; facilities for summarising a child's consistency of use and level of performance; and the capability of examining interaction log files at a fine‐grained level. We also address the application of these data logging and evaluation techniques to the areas of human factors research, interface design and interface evaluation.
Computers in Mathematics Education: A revolution in the making?
Authors: Goulding Maria
Published: October 2006

How do student teachers see computers being used in secondary mathematics lessons, and how do they themselves use them on teaching practice? These questions were prompted by the need to provide appropriate experiences for students on the Postgraduate Certificate of Education course. Information collected over a two year period suggests that although computer use was not widespread, more students used computers, and applications software in particular, than practising teachers. Strategies for course provision are outlined and the examination of assumptions and beliefs is indicated as an important dimension in future work.
A comparison of reading and listening performance: computer‐controlled speech and printed text presentations
Authors: Junor Lloyd , Junor Paul
Published: October 2006

Print‐handicapped people enrolled at any level of the education system are expected to acquire the same information as their peers who are readers of printed text. Research which compares performance rates of reading print with auding of materials read onto tape generally reports substantially higher performance by readers of print. The different strategies employed by readers and listeners are said to be responsible for the variation in performance.

This article describes the development of one method and the associated instrumentation which permits a more exact comparison of reading and listening performance. It ensures that important factors such as word rate, timing, inter‐word pauses, and overall presentation duration are identical for visual or audio presentations. The inclusion of these factors enables a more direct comparison of reading performance with listening performance at a range of presentation speeds, including accelerated presentations from time‐compressed tapes. An investigation which employed this technique for comparing reading and listening performance has provided new findings on how readers and listeners operate. This should provide a more complete understanding of the benefits and limitations of accelerated reading and listening techniques in the educational context.
Initial Experiences of Creating Multimedia Computer Simulations to Replace Pharmacology Practicals
Authors: Stevens Robert , Lewis David , Sewell Robert
Published: October 2006

The replacement of traditional practicals by CAL simulations was prompted by a combination of economic factors, a decreased level of technical support and the requirement for a large capital investment to replace old and broken equipment. In an economic climate which promised only further increases in the number of undergraduates and no assured commensurate increase in resources, CAL appeared to be a possible alternative (Brown et al, 1988). Our only previous attempt to produce our own CAL package had been written in Turbo Basic on a 286 PC. It had involved considerable time and effort and the results were not particularly realistic. The increase in computing power offered by the 486 series of PCs, availability of low cost sound and video capture expansion cards, and the emergence of authoring systems, such as Toolbook, Hypercard and Authorware, appeared to provide an opportunity to produce better simulations (Purcell, 1993; Hartley, 1993).
Four Years of EBEN (The European Business Ethics Network)
Authors: Lillebo Arild
Published: October 2006

Who better than Arild Lillebo, Norwegian writer and Editor of the Newsletter of the European Business Ethics Network, to chronicle the early years of EBEN and identify its aims for the future?
Customer Fraud and Corporate Responsibility
Authors: Clarke Michael J.
Published: October 2006

Increasing frauds in insurance and mortgage‐lending illustrate the dilemma for companies between tackling fraud in the public interest and retaining customer confidence and competitive position.
The Registrar in the John Lewis Partnership: a Lesson in Loyalty
Authors: Graham Pauline
Published: October 2006

The philosophy of the John Lewis Partnership is exemplified by the unique role of the Branch Registrar and her responsibilities to promote partnership. The author has wide international experience of accountancy and general management in the retail trade, and is currently a freelance lecturer on management and marketing. Her latest work is Integrative Management ‐ Creating Unity from Diversity (Blackwell 1991).
Accountancy Ethics in Auditing
Authors: Zünd André
Published: October 2006

To overcome the ‘expectation gap’ the auditor has to encourage the auditee to enter into a dialogue. The author is Professor of Accounting and Auditing at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Vice‐President of the American Accounting Association.
Business Ethics in Belgium
Authors: Verstraeten Johan
Published: October 2006

Business Ethics has really taken off in Belgium. The author is Professor at the Catholic University of Leuven, and an Associate Editor.
Urban Living and Business Responsibility
Authors: Van Luijk Henk J.L.
Published: October 2006

What are the responsibilities of a business towards the city in which it operates? The Professor of Business Ethics at Nijenrode University, the Netherlands Business School suggests three practical ways of identifying them. This article is the substance of a paper which he delivered as Chairman of the European Business Ethics Network at its 1992 Conference in Paris.
FOCUS: German Banks ‐ What Role do they Really Play?
Authors: Kopper Hilmar
Published: October 2006

The Spokesman of Deutsche Bank's Board of Managing Directors delivered The Gilbart Lecture on Banking last year under the auspices of King's College London at an occasion sponsored by the National Westminster Bank plc and organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers. The text of Herr Kopper's lecture is reproduced here with permission.
FOCUS: The Ethics of HIV/AIDS and the Workplace
Authors: Goss David
Published: October 2006

How should companies handle the issue of HIV/AIDS and cope with the ethical dilemmas which result? Should they adopt a defensive policy or aim for a more humanistic policy? Dr Goss is Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behaviour in the University of Portsmouth Business School.
Ethical Corporate Consultancy
Authors: Van Luijk Henk J. L.
Published: October 2006

As ethical consultancy to business develops what are its principles, its methods and its possible pitfalls? The author is Professor of Business Ethics at the Netherlands School of Business, Nijenrode, and Chairman of the European Business Ethics Network.
Now Read This: Book Review Spelling Out Corporate Responsibility
Authors: L'Etang Jacquie
Published: October 2006

Cannon, Tom, Corporate Responsibility, Financial Times, Pitman Publishing, 1992, pp. 265, Hardback £30.00, ISBN 0‐273‐03727‐7.
FOCUS: Ethical Demands and Requirements in Investment Management
Authors: Joly Carlos
Published: October 2006

Investment Management makes heavy ethical demands which are not an optional add‐on, but part of the job of being a financial agent and fiduciary. The author is founder and President of Skandia Fonds, the Norwegian mutual funds management company affiliated with Skandia Group which pioneered the concept of green mutual funds in Norway. This paper was delivered at the Sixth Annual Conference of the European Business Ethics Network, held in Oslo last month. Its views are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent his company's policy.
FOCUS: Key Issues in Ethical Investment
Authors: Cooper Marc , Schlegelmilch Bodo B.
Published: October 2006

Welcome precision is brought to the idea, history, types and motives of ethical investment in what will become an authoritative review of the subject. Marc Cooper is a postgraduate researcher at the European Business Management School, University of Wales, and Bodo Schlegelmilch, recently British Rail Professor of Marketing there, has recently been appointed Professor of Marketing at the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird), Phoenix, Arizona.
On Being a Consultant in Business Ethics
Authors: van Es Robert
Published: October 2006

What does it take to be a consultant in business ethics? Is the role of the ethical consultant like that of an engineer, a playwright or an interpreter? And where are the women consultants? The author is a scientific researcher in Ethics at Nijenrode, The Netherlands School of Business.
BUSINESS ETHICS IN RUSSIA: Business Ethics in a New Russia
Authors: Ciulla Joanne B.
Published: October 2006

As indicated in the previous article, a Russian‐sponsored conference on business ethics was recently held in Moscow. Another participant from the USA, Professor Joanne B. Ciulla, comments here on what could prove to be a new beginning for business in Russia. Professor Ciulla is an Associate Editor of this Review and occupies the Coston Family Chair in Leadership and Ethics at the University of Richmond, Virginia.
The Role of Directors in the Development of a Corporate Ethos
Authors: Longstaff Simon
Published: October 2006

Australia too is witnessing a growing interest in business ethics. Dr Longstaff, Executive Director of the St James Ethics Centre in Sydney, explores how directors should play an active part in developing ethical business.
Ethics in the Czech Transformation Process
Authors: Bohatá Marie
Published: October 2006

Despite the social, economic and ethical problems facing government in the Czech Republic, there are positive signs of a growing concern for ethical business, including the development of codes of conduct and a striking example of new corporate social responsibility. Dr Bohatá is a member of the Economics Institute of the Academy of Sciences, Politickych Veznu 7, 111 21 Prague 1, and an Associate Editor of this Review.
Fraud and the Politics of Morality
Authors: Clarke Michael J.
Published: October 2006

Most large frauds develop only gradually and incidentally. When things fall apart it is politic to call it anything but fraud. The author is a member of the Department of Sociology, University of Liverpool, POB 147, Liverpool L69 3BX.
European Managers’Views on Corporate Ethics
Authors: Murphy Patrick E.
Published: October 2006

Interesting contrasts and parallels on ethical issues emerge from a recent series of in‐depth interviews given by managers in nine companies operating in Europe. The author is Professor of Marketing at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA, on leave during 1993‐94 as Visiting Professor in the Department of Management and Marketing, University College Cork, Ireland. He wishes to acknowledge the financial assistance of the College of Business Administration at the University of Notre Dame in supporting this research.
FOCUS: Ethical Business: Thinking Thoughts and Facilitating Processes
Authors: Binns Peter
Published: October 2006

Doing business ethics and conducting ethical business has to be much more than conducting a rational enquiry. Much also depends on the motivation of individuals and how a positive moral vision of business can unite intellectual and affective approaches to the conduct of business. The author is a lecturer in Philosophy at Warwick University, Coventry CV4 7AL, and a Research Associate at the Local Government Centre at Warwick Business School. He is also an independent organisation development consultant specialising in helping organisations develop their learning processes and value‐based forms of leadership.
FOCUS: A New French Course in Business Ethics
Authors: Brent Michael , Grinsted Susan
Published: October 2006

The Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes has recently introduced a final year group‐taught compulsory course in Business Ethics. Its organisers here describe and discuss their aims, methods and results. Michael Brent is Head of the Human Resources Department at Groupe ESC Rennes, 2 rue Robert‐d’Arbrissel, 35065 Rennes, and has an MA in Philosophy and diplomas in business and marketing, as well as several years European consultancy experience. Susan Grinsted teaches production management and related subjects at Rennes, with a first degree in Metallurgy and a PhD in Engineering as well as several years UK industrial experience and a previous appointment at Warwick University, England.
Business Ethics in Finland:
Authors: Halme Minna , Laine Petri , Laurila Johanna
Published: October 2006

Dramatic economic developments have served to highlight ethical questions and responses within business life in Finland, particularly regarding the crisis of the Finnish banking system. Other issues which have aroused public discussion are maintaining the natural biodiversity in the Northern hemisphere forests, and Finland's trade with Russia. The authors, listed alphabetically, are all research fellows at the School of Business Administration in the University of Tampere, PO Box 607, 33101 Tampere,Finland.
External Ethics Statements: Research Recommendations and the Drip Effect
Authors: Armstrong Katherine , Manina Gabriella
Published: October 2006

Should companies make explicit external statements of their ethical stance? If so, at what point in their ethical development? And, what form might such a statement take? The authors, MBA students at London Business School, researched these questions among the stakeholders of a large financial services organisation in the UK, and recommended what they term “the drip effect” approach. The implications of the project offer insights to other companies which may be deliberating whether and how to produce an external statement of ethics.
FOCUS: Moral Responsibilities to Competitors
Authors: Higginson Richard
Published: October 2006

Are there any moral restraints on how a company should behave towards its competitors, or is all fair in love, war ‐ and business? Dr Higginson is Director of the Ridley Hall Foundation, Cambridge CB3 9HG. The Foundation is concerned with the application of Christian faith and values in business, and conducts research, seminars, publications and speaking engagements to that end. This paper was first presented at a Seminar on Teaching Business Ethics held at London Business School on Friday, 10 March, 1995.
FOCUS: Is it Ethical to Compete on Ethics?
Authors: Stainer Lorice
Published: October 2006

Should ethical performance be a competitive factor in business behaviour? Is this necessarily a cynical view?‘A mature investigation into the use and abuse of ethics in relation to competition is required.’Dr Alan Stainer is Head of Engineering Management at Middlesex University, Bounds Green Rd., London N11 2NQ, Fellow of the World Academy of Productivity Science and Founder Director of the International Society for Productivity & Quality Research. Mrs Lorice Stainer is Senior Lecturer in Business Organisation at the University of Hertfordshire, Hertford Campus, Mangrove Road, Hertford SG13 8QF, responsible for the European Business Studies programme, and Business Ethics consultant. This paper was first presented at a Seminar on Teaching Business Ethics held at London Business School on Friday, 10 March, 1995.
An Ethics Case in Point: MacLine ‐ the commercial value of ethical management
Authors: Baruch Yehuda , Lewis Mark
Published: October 2006

'Small businesses do not have the depth to sustain mistakes and losses in the way that large businesses can. It is the view of the management of MacLine that an ethical approach to business is one of the key factors in ensuring the long term survival of the business.’Dr Yehuda Baruch is Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Organisational Research, London Business School, Sussex Place, Regent's Park, London NW1 4SA; and Mr Mark Lewis is Managing Director of MacLine. Teachers interested in having a package of teaching notes and transparencies relevant to this case may contact Dr Baruch at the above address.
Ethical Dilemmas for Estate Agents
Authors: Clarke Michael J.
Published: October 2006

Research into the work of UK estate agents reveals a love‐hate attitude on the part of the public and profound ethical ambivalences. Dr Clarke is a member of the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Studies, The University of Liverpool, POB 147, Liverpool L69 3BX. This article draws on his study Slippery Customers: Estate Agents, The Public and Regulation, Blackstone Press 1994, co‐authored with D. Smith and M. McConville.
Insider Trading, Investor Protection and an Orderly Capital Market: Lessons for the Czech Republic
Authors: Dedek Oldrich
Published: October 2006

A member of the Institute of Economics of the Czech National Bank reflects on what the developing Czech capital market has to learn, and how it can best protect investors. The views expressed in this paper are those of its author, Dr Dedek, and do not necessarily represent those of the Czech National Bank. This research has been sponsored by a grant awarded under the ACE Programme of the European Community. The paper has benefited from interviews with Professor Colin Mayer and other members of the Economics Department of the University of Warwick.
The Interfaith Declaration. Constructing a Code of Ethics for International Business
Authors: Webley Simon
Published: October 2006

Major adherents of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths, who claim common religious roots, have worked quietly for years on an interfaith declaration which would identify shared ethical values to be applied in the conduct of international business. After a final meeting in Amman, Jordan, in 1993 the Declaration was officially promulgated at St James's Palace in London in 1994, and the author of this introduction was acknowledged as a major figure in its composition. Besides being Director of the British‐North American Research Association, Simon Webley has researched and written extensively on codes of conduct in business. Copies of the Interfaith Declaration, which is reproduced here with permission, are obtainable from The Interfaith Foundation, P.O. Box 4385, London SW1W 9XS.
FOCUS: The Social Role of Business Tomorrow's Company— Inclusively Ethical?
Authors: Evers Sheila M.
Published: October 2006

Britain's Royal Society of Arts has recently produced a report on the conditions of future successful business in Britain, entitled Tomorrow's Company, in which the idea of the “inclusive company” is seen to be central to such success. How, and to what extent, does business ethics figure in this prospect for the future? The author is Vice‐Chairman of the Institute of Management and former Chair of its Professional Practice Committee.
Ethical Approaches to Technology
Authors: van Dijk Paul
Published: October 2006

“Technology is an ambivalent process with promising as well as threatening aspects … it depends on our choices which promises and dangers will become real.” An exploration of this ambivalence is offered by Dr Paul van Dijk, who is a member of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the University of Twente, The Netherlands. This paper was originally delivered at the Eighth Annual Conference of the European Business Ethics Network, held in 1995 at the University of Twente.
Foundations for Corporate Governance — Three Rival Versions of Human Nature
Authors: Longstaff Simon
Published: October 2006

The Executive Director of The St James Ethics Centre, GPO Box 3599, Sydney, Australia, seeks enlightenment from social thinkers Machiavelli, Robespierre and Rousseau to understand how corporate governance is, and might be, conducted today.
FOCUS: Ethics in the Accountancy Profession in Ireland
Authors: Clarke Peter , Hill Nancy , Stevens Kevin
Published: October 2006

Accountants confronted with ethical dilemmas are expected to comply with their ethical guide or seek advice from their professional body. This study of Chartered Accountants in Ireland records their views on the usefulness of a Code of Ethics, the efficacy of their professional Institute and the need for ethics courses in Continuing Professional Development. Peter Clarke is a lecturer in the Department of Accountancy, University College Dublin, Dublin 4; Nancy Hill and Kevin Stevens are members of the School of Accountancy, DePaul University, Chicago.
FOCUS: Can Britain's NHS managers be business‐like and should they adopt the values of business?
Authors: Draper Heather
Published: October 2006

The NHS differs from a private business in not aiming at profits and in being obliged to provide only the single product of health care. How radically does this affect the requirement to be “business‐like” and adopt business values? Dr Draper is Lecturer in Biomedical Ethics at The Medical School, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT. She wishes to thank Tom Sorell for his comments on the first draft of this article.
FOCUS: Not‐for‐profit Health Services and the German Health Care System
Authors: Oberender Peter , Hebborn Ansgar
Published: October 2006

Reforms in the German health care system in the attempt to bring more competition into health care have increased the sovereignty of the insured or patients, who have finally been allowed to make choices. “The start of a reorientation of the statutory health insurance system and hospital care are to be welcomed as first steps towards a supply of health services that reflects individual preferences.” The authors can be contacted care of Prof. Dr. Oberender at Rechts‐ und Wirtschafswissenschaftliche Fakulät, Universität Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany, where Dr Oberender is Professor in the Faculty of Law and Economics, and Ansgar Hebborn is his Assistant. The authors wish to record their gratitude to Jan Hacker for translating this article.
Who's Who in Business Ethics: The Institute of Business Ethics — Ten Years
Authors: Kiaer Stanley
Published: October 2006

One of the best known business ethics resources in Britain is the Institute of Business Ethics, which this month celebrates its tenth anniversary. In wishing the Institute many more years of valuable service to the UK business community, we are indebted to its Director, Stanley Kiaer, for this chronicle of its first decade of activity. The Institute is situated at 12 Palace Street, London SW1E 5JA; tel (44) (0) 171 931 0495; fax (44) (0) 171 821 5819.
Henry Mintzberg: A profile
Authors: Turner Charles Hampden
Published: October 2006

Henry Mintzberg is one of the leading scholars of organizational theory. In this review of his work, Charles Hampden Turner explains his concept of emergent strategy, which he contrasts to the grand designs characteristic of much strategic thinking. For Mintzberg, the adhocracy—a configuration which substitutes project groups and matrix structures for bureaucracy—is the only organizational structure genuinely responsive to changing industrial environments.
Are companies for sale? The Japanese say “iie” (no)
Authors: Odagiri Hiroyuki
Published: October 2006

Mergers and acquisitions are a major fact of corporate life in Britain and the US: not so in Japan. The reason is a very different approach to human resource management. Businesses, to the British, are something to be bought and sold like commodities. To the Japanese they are places for people to work together. As a result hostile takeovers are virtually unknown in Japan. Mergers and acquisitions are however, used when internal expansion is found to be inefficient, in particular to diversify into new areas of business. The threat of hostile takeover—the so‐called “market for corporate control”—is often regarded as an important spur to corporate efficiency in Britain and the US. The Japanese management system provides incentives of a different nature. Thus the Japanese emphasise a long term view of companies’ growth. They value internal expansion through innovation and capital investment. And they undertake extensive training as part of a long term company worker relationship.
Will ERM entry make British companies more competitive?
Authors: Currie David , Williamson Peter
Published: October 2006

In the wake of Britain's entry into the ERM, this article looks at the consequences for British exporters' competitiveness. Outlining the changing macroeconomic pressures which will ensue and the policies of exporters in the past, we suggest the practical steps companies will need to take to gain advantage from the new environment as well as to mitigate the impact of a less forgiving exchange rate regime.
Managing Relationships With Customers And Suppliers: Law, Economics And Strategy
Authors: Kay J A
Published: October 2006

Vertical relationships – contracts or ownership and control, enable firms to exercise extensive control and influence over a supplier or retailer. Such vertical links can increase firms’competitiveness in a whole range of ways. Some of these – reducing costs through integrating processes or ensuring effective product retailing also serve the consumer interest. Others, preventing retailers from offering competing products, for example, don't; and this explains the suspicion with which such links are often viewed by the competition authorities. The consequence is that strategy for vertical relationships must encompass commercial, economic and legal dimensions. It is a key element in corporate strategy in many industries.
Turning Technology Into Competitive Advantage
Authors: Grindley Peter
Published: October 2006

Firms often think that technology is the quick way to business success, allowing them to bypass other business problems and to leap ahead of competitors. Such strategies are rarely successful. Technology can only be effective if it is fully integrated into the firm's business, stressing its commercialization. What appears to be a technological edge usually rests on an organizational structure which either enables the firm to generate successive innovations, or to handle the implementation of technology more effectively than competitors. This is the only way to generate lasting technology‐related competitive advantage.
Marketing Plans or Marketing Planning?
Authors: Cousins Laura
Published: October 2006

The standard textbook model of marketing planning starts with strategic analysis, leading to marketing objectives and strategy formulation, action programmes, implementation, and control. The empirical study reported here suggests that while many practitioners apparently aspire to use this model, few use it as prescribed. In particular, few firms included specific action programmes for the marketing mix or any forecasts of competitors’strategies. At the individual firm level there was also some mismatch between the contents of the plan and the intended benefits of planning. Whether or not they produced an explicit annual marketing plan, most firms’planning behaviour consisted mainly of extensive budgeting combined with limited strategic analysis. The main thesis is that the standard model of marketing planning aims to achieve too much and may even be counter‐productive as well as time‐wasting and energy‐sapping. A simpler and more action orientated model is proposed.
Successful innovation and implementation of new processes
Authors: Voss Chris
Published: October 2006

When we talk of innovation we tend to think of new products, but successful innovation of processes can also lead to a company gaining significant competitive advantage. A good example is to be found in the recent book, The Machine that Changed the World, by Womak et al (1990). The machine in question is process technology and the book's argument is that process innovations which they aggregate as ‘lean production’ are responsible for the level of performance of the Japanese car industry. On the other hand many expensive investments in the latest Flexible Manufacturing Systems have worked, but have sometimes been less flexible than the processes that they replaced! Why is it that one firm can adopt a new production process and gain real benefits, and another can adopt the same new process; invest heavily in equipment and installation, yet not be able to achieve any benefit? This important question has been addressed in a series of recent research programmes undertaken at London Business School. This article examines some of what we and others have learnt about the successful and unsuccessful use of new process technologies. In addition it will argue that management of innovation of processes must cover the whole life cycle of its innovation and adoption, and in particular should include implementation.
Fitting Company Strategy to Industry Structure: A Strategic Audit of The Rise of Benetton and Stefanel
Authors: Rovizzi Laura , Thompson David
Published: October 2006

Paradoxically, two of Europe's most successful companies have risen out of one of its least successful industrial sectors. This article will argue that the distinctive way in which Benetton and Stefanel organize the manufacture and sale of their products ‐ their “architecture” ‐ is central to achieving the quick responses essential for competitive success in the market for fashion clothing.
Corporate Refocusing
Authors: Markides Constantinos
Published: October 2006

During the 1980s, many conglomerates and other diversified firms reduced their diversification by refocusing on their core businesses. This paper provides an economic explanation for this phenomenon. It is argued that: (a) refocusing represents the natural response of firms to a more volatile external environment and a more competitive capital market; and (b) over‐diversified firms that refocus will achieve improved profitability and a higher market value, and will thus protect themselves from hostile takeover.
The Demise of Ethical Schizophrenia?
Authors: Moore Geoff
Published: October 2006

Business Ethics is a topical issue. The relationship between Business Ethics and Corporate Strategy, however, has been less widely discussed. This article argues that recent developments in society, including a greater awareness of environmental issues, encourage a different way of exploring this relationship.
How Users Help High‐Tech Businesses
Authors: Aston Beverly
Published: October 2006

This article explores the advantages and pitfalls of specialist equipment markets. It argues that very close customer‐manufacturer relations are an important advantage of such markets, and these can become a source of competitive advantage that should be pursued and exploited by the small, ambitious, high‐tech business. The argument is illustrated with reference to three companies, Quantel, Solid State Logic and Oxford Instruments.
Standards and Technological Innovation The Intellectual Challenge of the Nineties
Authors: Fisher George
Published: October 2006

At the final Business Performance Lecture, George Fisher, CEO of Motorola, spoke of the importance of standards and intellectual property rights in the emerging global consumer society. Such standards should not create barriers but must facilitate the free flow of information, goods and services. Without this, wealth creation will slow and social and political problems will increase.
Technology and International Competitiveness 1993 Arthur Andersen Lecture, University of Cambridge
Authors: Sainsbury David
Published: October 2006

Business strategy is driven by the trend to global markets, by the growing strength of the NICs and by technology, which overturns old competitive advantages and enables new ones. To gain advantage, technology must be combined with a sharp understanding of customer needs. Three examples of this are in NC machine tools (Fanuc), red meat improvement (Sainsbury) and running shoe design and production (Nike). Innovation depends on people. There is a role for Government in broadening education. The main job of industry is to combine technical and market knowledge in the same individuals. That combination is more important than all the analytical skills of the traditional MBA.
The Implications of the Home Bias in Equity Portfolios
Authors: Cooper Ian , Kaplanis Evi
Published: October 2006

Although the diversification benefits of international investment are well documented, many large equity portfolios remain heavily concentrated in their domestic stock market. The reason for this is sometimes given as a desire to hedge domestic inflation by holding domestic equities. The evidence is, however, that equities do not hedge inflation in this way for the types of investment horizon relevant to most portfolios. An alternative explanation is that there are costs, such as taxes, which prevent investors taking full advantage of international diversification. The magnitude of these costs necessary to explain the level of “home bias” is above the level of observable costs, such as withholding taxes. The implications of these results are that international capital markets are segmented not only by costs and restrictions, but also by other informational imperfections. They also imply that international corporate investment and financing decisions depend on the location of the investing company.
From Ugly Ducklings to Elegant Swans: Transforming Parochial Firms into World Leaders
Authors: Markides Constantinos , Stopford John M.
Published: October 2006

This article reports the main results of a study which attempted to understand if and how British companies are striving to become world class. Our research suggests some good news and some bad news for companies aspiring to become world class leaders. The good news is that world class status is possible — some of our sample firms have indeed achieved world class performance in their key activities. Furthermore, this group of leaders includes both large and small firms. The bad news is that many others have failed to grasp the opportunities available and have either settled for lesser goals or found the obstacles to progress so severe as to be seemingly insurmountable. The article discusses what we believe are the key ingredients of the journey towards world class competitiveness.
Food Advertising and the Nation's Diet: What are the Real Issues?
Authors: Feldwick Paul
Published: October 2006

Recent calls for tighter restrictions on food advertising to children have provoked a justified response, arguing that advertising has a relatively trivial effect on children's diet. But the need to put this case should not make us forget the evidence that advertising may have some influence on overall eating patterns, nor the responsibility that food manufacturers and retailers have towards the long‐term well‐being of their customers.
Analysing Japanese Financial Statements: Practical adjustment procedures for intercorporate share ownership
Authors: Bradbury Michael E. , Uno Masayasu
Published: October 2006

Prior studies have indicated the problem of ignoring the impact of environmental considerations when undertaking ratio analysis. This paper shows how the intercorporate ownership structure of Japan can influence financial ratios. It also presents two adjustment procedures to increase the comparability between U.S. and Japanese financial statements. The treasury stock method has its roots in Western consolidation principles, but is difficult to calculate for the typical Japanese Keiretsu. The preference share method is based on the stable shareholding structure of Japanese corporate ownership and is relatively easier to implement.
Behind Closed Doors: An Exploratory Examination of Boards of Directors and Director Meetings Among The FORTUNE 500
Authors: Winfrey Frank L.
Published: October 2006

This exploratory study addresses an important knowledge gap identified by Pettigrew, 1992, concerning board dynamics by reporting basic descriptive information on board of director meetings and information flows to board members. The study specifically examines the information amount, format, and source relative to the number of board meetings, the number of board members, and the time directors spend in preparation for board meetings.
Corporate Governance in Japan: Ways to Improve Low Profitability
Authors: Watanabe Shigeru , Yamamoto Isao
Published: October 2006

This article is reproduced from NRI Quarterly Volume 1 No. 3 Winter 1992 and is reprinted by special permission of Nomura Research Institute, Ltd.
The Governance of Inter‐Organisational Networks
Authors: Mathews John
Published: October 2006

Corporate governance structures and processes have in the main concerned themselves with the issues of control and management of corporate entities, since these are seen as the major form in which economic activity takes place. But increasingly it is being recognised that economic activity (e.g. R&D, new product development, marketing, and even production) can be conducted more efficiently through inter‐organisational networks, involving consortia, joint ventures and clusters of various kinds. Study of the governance of such inter‐organisational networks is still at a rudimentary stage, and will have to build on judiciously chosen case studies. In this paper a model of inter‐organisational network governance is constructed using the case of TCG, a successful computer supplies group in Australia. The governance structure is modelled as ten‘rules’ which enable the group to function and grow.
The Nominations Process and Corporate Governance ‐ A Missing Link?
Authors: Main Brian G.M.
Published: October 2006

Using data collected through a series of interviews with top executives at 24 large British companies, this paper examines current practice in the selection and use of non‐executive directors on British boards. The process appears to be dominated by the influence of the chairman. In very few cases are there nomination committees in operation. The typical nonexecutive will serve for around 12 years and some for much longer. There is little scope for shareholder participation in the nominations process. These and other findings are analyzed from the perspective of the recent Cadbury Committee Report.
Audit Committees: Is There a Role for Corporate Senates and/or Stakeholders Councils?
Authors: Guthrie James , Turnbull Shann
Published: October 2006

There is currently increasing pressure for the mandatory establishment of audit committees in both the private and public sectors. Audit committees, as presently conceived, cannot adequately manage the conflicts of interest and loyalty to board colleagues which arise from boards processing information which is used to evaluate their own performance. As a complementary approach, this paper examines the use of binary boards in both the private and public sectors for improving the management of conflicts. The origin, development and use of audit committees in the private and public sectors within the US and Australian context is reviewed. Audit Committees are compared with the use of supervisory boards in Europe, and the development in Australia of a corporate senate in the private sector and client (stakeholder) councils in the public sector.

The paper notes that audit committees were initially created in the US to protect outside directors in a different context than currently exists in either the US or Australia. While they may also serve the interest of management and auditors, Audit Committees may not protect shareholders and operational stakeholders. The paper concludes that the audit expectation gap could be minimised through management becoming accountable to a Corporate Senate in the private sector, and a Stakeholder Council in the public sector, with the auditor being engaged by and reporting to these bodies.
Case Study: Institutional Investors and the Volvo‐Renault Merger: The Evolution of Active Ownership
Authors: Neubauer Fred , Taishoff Marika
Published: October 2006

This article is based on the IMD Case Study of the same name written by Professor Fred Neubauer and Dr. Marika Taishoff.
Corporate Governance Report Surveying the Situation for Women Directors in the UK
Authors: Holton Viki
Published: October 2006

A survey ‘Women on the Board of Britain's Top 200 Companies’ published by Ashridge Management Research Group, 1993.
The Case for Separating the Roles of Chairman and CEO: An Analysis of Stock Market and Accounting Data
Authors: Dahya J. , Lonie A.A. , Power D.M.
Published: October 2006

This UK study investigates whether the stock market prefers companies to award the positions of chairman and chief executive officer to two different people instead of permitting a single individual, the ‘dual CEO', to combine them. The results suggest (a) that the market responds favourably to the separation of the two roles and unfavourably to their fusion and (b) that the accounting performance of companies which adopt a ‘dual CEO’ appears to decline subsequent to this change.