bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Principles for university curriculum greening ‐ An empirical case study from Tanzania
Authors: Wemmenhove Roos , de Groot Wouter T.
Published: November 2002

As part of their commitment to sustainable development, the “greening” of curricula is a major objective of universities world‐wide. This paper describes the process of identifying principles for the (re)design of courses and programmes towards this aim within the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. These principles were elicited bottom‐up, from staff’s and students’ own visions of the issues involved. In their most condensed form, the principles thus found are: environment for development; in interaction with Tanzanian society; and in a student‐activating style. This contrasts with the usual conceptualisation of environment and development as normatively separate issues, with the trend to globalise the environmental issue, and with the top‐down teaching style that still dominates most universities. Both the study’s methods and its findings may be relevant for many more universities in the developing world.
A regional approach to sustainability in Austria
Authors: Narodoslawsky Michael
Published: November 2002

The political discussion about sustainable development had an early start in the Austrian context. The concept of “eco‐social market economy” was introduced at the end of the 1980s and dominated the Austrian approach towards sustainable development for much of the 1990s. This early start had some consequences especially regarding regional approaches towards the implementation of sustainable development. One major feature was the absence of local or regional LA 21 initiatives and a proliferation of diverse regional approach acts to further sustainable development. One approach put into effect in the Feldbach region in the south‐east of Austria was the concept of Islands of Sustainability. The idea of this concept was the realisation of a regional pathway towards sustainable development via conscious management of flows (of matters, products, capital, etc.) into the region as well as increasing the intra‐regional networking of social actors. This concept called for a long term involvement of research in the process of implementation of sustainable development. The experiences showed that existing research institutions, such as universities as well as consultant companies, were not optimally equipped to support this process. As a consequence, a new approach of “regionalised” research centres was adopted. This approach ensured accessibility of research capacity by the important players in the region, as well as efficient application of scientific knowledge to concrete on‐the‐ground decision making within the region.
Assessment of sustainability ‐ Studies at universities and colleges in Lithuania
Authors: Kliucininkas Linas
Published: November 2002

Presents the intermediate results from the national discussion “Universities for Sustainable Development”, which is going on in the frame of Educational Sector of AGENDA 21 for the Baltic Sea Region in Lithuania. The assessment of the current situation and development of the guidelines for the regional action plan were considered as the main goals of the working group. National working groups have carried out informal discussions and elaborated questionnaires for universities and colleges. The outcomes from the discussions and statistical results of inquests are presented.
Sustainability in knowledge‐centered socio‐scientific systems
Authors: Alam Choudhury Masudul , Korvin Gabor
Published: November 2002

The scientific research program of a knowledge‐centered systems‐oriented approach to socio‐scientific conceptualization is invoked here to develop a broader concept of human sustainability. Knowledge‐induced fields are shown to arise from the process‐oriented methodology of an interactive, integrative and evolutionary (IIE) worldview of continuous learning. Such a process is found to give rise to a unique theory of generalized systems with a universal paradigm and application that are premised on the epistemology of unity of knowledge. We discuss the validity of this model for human development as objectified by the concept of a well‐being criterion function with extensive complementarity among the variables and relations embedded in this criterion. The underlying epistemology of unity of knowledge and a unified worldview is thus shown to yield a substantively new concept of human sustainability, particularly relating to issues and curriculum design in higher education and their socio‐scientific implications.
An overview of the results of the global scan survey
Authors: Kerr Rob
Published: November 2002

The 2001‐1 GlobeScan survey was conducted from February 6 to March 22, 2001 with experts and stakeholders across 31 countries in Western Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe. GlobeScan experts are selected on the basis of their influence, sector balance, and areas of expertise. Outlines some highlights of the recently concluded study, with some of the findings which have a general interest. A full report, including detailed sectoral and regional differences, is available from Environics International.
CrossFire: a structural revolution for chemists
Authors: Meehan Paul , Schofield Helen
Published: November 2002

When the CrossFire databases were released in 1994, chemical information became available in electronic form of a quality and quantity never before accessible to end‐users. Describes the information sources used by chemists before CrossFire and the origins of the CrossFire database. Discusses the content and functionality of CrossFire, and provides examples to illustrate its capabilities. The database allows chemists to search in their own language of structures, reactions and properties, and this has had an impact on the type of chemical information searching possible. Makes particular reference to the CrossFire service provided by MIMAS to the UK and Scandinavian academic communities. Also mentions the position of CrossFire in the chemical information landscape, along with news of expected developments.
Greenstone: open‐source digital library software with end‐user collection building
Authors: Witten Ian H. , Bainbridge David , Boddie Stefan J.
Published: November 2002

The Greenstone digital library software is an open‐source system for the construction and presentation of information collections. Collections built with Greenstone offer effective full‐text searching and metadata‐based browsing facilities that are attractive and easy to use. Moreover, they are easily maintainable and can be augmented and rebuilt entirely automatically. The system is extensible: software “plugins” accommodate different document and metadata types. Greenstone incorporates an interface that makes it easy for people to create their own library collections. Collections may be built and served locally from the user’s own Web server, or (given appropriate permissions) remotely on a shared digital library host. End users can easily build new collections styled after existing ones from material on the Web or from their local files (or both), and collections can be updated and new ones brought online at any time.
A unified access to extract knowledge from heterogeneous Web archives
Authors: Ghiselli Cristina , Padula Marco
Published: November 2002

This paper proposes the integration of tools to provide unified access to remote and heterogeneous archives, the contents of which can be grouped under the same subject, and which have been integrated to allow the user to navigate and conduct thematic searches. The information sources are locally frequently modified, added to, and removed, therefore attention has been paid to the permanence of their references. Source interoperability is supported at language, protocol and schema levels. The architecture is based on a new common schema of the archives which is defined in new representation and query languages on the basis of an ontology to avoid misunderstanding and ambiguity.
Addressing the digital divide
Authors: Cullen Rowena
Published: November 2002

The phrase “digital divide” has been applied to the gap that exists in most countries between those with ready access to the tools of information and communication technologies, and the knowledge that they provide access to, and those without such access or skills. This may be because of socio‐economic factors, geographical factors, educational, attitudinal and generational factors, or it may be through physical disabilities. A further gap between the developed and underdeveloped world in the uptake of technology is evident within the global community, and may be of even greater significance. The paper examines a number of these issues at the national level in the USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand, looking for evidence of the “digital divide”, assessing factors that contribute to it, and evaluating strategies that can help reduce it. The relevance of these strategies to developing countries, and strategies for reducing the international digital divide are also explored.
Is intellectual capital performance and disclosure practices related?
Authors: Mitchell Williams S.
Published: November 2002

Breaks with the prior literature on intellectual capital disclosure practices in two major ways. First, provides a longitudinal examination of intellectual capital disclosure practices in the annual reports of 31 FTSE 100 listed companies from 1996‐2000. Second, investigates the relationship between intellectual capital performance and the extent of intellectual capital disclosure. Between 1996 and 2000 the quantity of intellectual capital disclosure increased. Empirical findings did not indicate a systematic relationship between intellectual capital performance and the quantity of disclosure during the survey period. Results, however, suggest that if intellectual capital performance is too high the amount of disclosure is reduced. This negative association may support the suggestion that firms reduce intellectual capital disclosures when performance reaches a threshold level for fear of competitive advantage being lost. Leverage, industry exposure and listing status was also found to have an influence on the quantity of disclosure.
Weightless wealth: four modifications to standard IC theory
Authors: Andriessen Daniel
Published: November 2002

Standard Intellectual Capital theory contains some key assumptions or practices that limit our view on the weightless wealth of companies. Discusses four of those practices: first, the tendency to limit the discussion about the weightless wealth of companies to intellectual means of production. Second, the use of classification schemas that break down the total capital of a company into its contributing parts. Third, the tendency to treat intangibles the same way we treat tangible assets, by trying to force them into the double‐entry bookkeeping system. Finally, the lack of suitable yardsticks that enable the user to judge whether measurements should be seen as too high or too low. For each of these practices an alternative is provided, based on a practical and fully tested methodology. Shows that it is still possible to enrich existing Intellectual Capital theory and make it more applicable in practice.
Salience of knowledge in a strategic theory of the firm
Authors: SubbaNarasimha P.N.
Published: November 2002

Sustained competitive advantage has become problematic because of turbulent environments. Thus, a strategist’s theory of the firm ought to focus on a theory of sustained competitive advantage. Clarifies the concept of turbulent environment faced by modern organizations. Argues that knowledge serves as an important source of sustained competitive advantage in turbulent environments. Viewing organizations as knowledge stocks poses questions of how to design organizations for knowledge management. Constitutional theories of the nation‐state are useful in this regard. Concludes with some preliminary thoughts on how the central concepts in constitutional theory can facilitate organizational design for knowledge management.
Leveraging intellectual capital at APiON
Authors: Peppard Joe , Rylander Anna
Published: November 2002

Uses the case of telecommunications software company APiON to illustrate how the company developed and implemented a growth strategy that allowed them to realize a dramatic increase in shareholder value through proactively focusing on managing their intellectual capital (IC) resources. While there are many perspectives on value creation, they all share a weakness in identifying specific actions and in mobilizing organizational resources. As it has emerged out of practice, the IC perspective has a distinctive practitioner focus, emphasizing resource accumulation and deployment in the value creation process. Presents the key concepts and language of the IC perspective, illustrating its implementation using the case of APiON. Closes with some conclusions and remarks concerning further development of the IC perspective.
Orphan knowledge: the new challenge for knowledge management
Authors: Caddy Ian
Published: November 2002

To date knowledge management within learning organizations has focussed upon maximizing possibilities to create knowledge while minimizing the chances of losing knowledge. However, knowledge management needs to consider a third option: dealing with orphan knowledge. There are situations where organizations forget things and repeat past mistakes. Do organizations really “unlearn” or just merely forget? In answering in the affirmative to this question, various scenarios are presented which may lead to creating orphan knowledge, knowledge forgotten, separated, or isolated within the organization. Orphan knowledge management needs to consider different knowledge types and their ease or otherwise of becoming orphaned. Orphan knowledge management should begin with a status assessment of the organization’s true “knowledge position”. Processes of orphan knowledge recovery or the development of strategies to minimize orphan knowledge should play a significant part in any organization’s strategic knowledge management plan. Within this context the role of the chief knowledge officer is seen as an important part of this strategic knowledge management plan.
Non‐financial performance measures in the Canadian biotechnology industry
Authors: Cumby Judy , Conrod Joan
Published: November 2002

The limitations of financial metrics in assessing performance in the new economy generate demand for non‐financial measures appropriate for evaluation of shareholder value creation. The suitability of non‐financial measures for external reporting continues to be explored by professional accountants, capital market regulators, and academics. Investigates research developments and their applicability to the biotechnology industry. Examines the externally published information of public Canadian biotechnology companies with a view to the development of measures appropriate for evaluating corporate performance. Represents the findings from the first of a two‐phase research project designed to explore the techniques used to gauge the effectiveness of communication regarding performance in the Canadian biotechnology industry.
Early retirements and the dynamics of social knowledge creation
Authors: Haines Victor Y. , Bédard Jean‐Paul
Published: November 2002

A model of knowledge creation was tested by analyzing the effects of early retirements on social capital, conditions for exchange and combination and social knowledge. The qualitative data obtained from nurses and head nurses from six care units in three hospitals reveal how early retirements shaped various aspects of social capital and the conditions for social capital development. Indications of variations in social knowledge were also evident in much of the data. Further evidence suggests that other management decisions and circumstances compounded the effects of early retirements on the dynamics of social knowledge creation.
Mergers and acquisitions through an intellectual capital perspective
Authors: Gupta Oliver , Roos Göran
Published: November 2002

The acquisition of knowledge and other intangible resources often underlies merger and acquisition strategies. Past streams of research regarding the effect intangible resources have on merger and acquisition performance have been fragmented and remained mutually exclusive of each other. Introduces, in an attempt to integrate these streams of research, the intellectual capital perspective and argues that core intellectual capital has to be at the root of high value synergies. With the help of a case study presents a framework that can be used to identify core intellectual capital. Then discusses the conditions surrounding the trade of intellectual capital and their effect on value creation prospects. Proposes that the value creation potential of synergies involving core intellectual capital is a function of the conditions for trading and leveraging intellectual capital and the transformation inertia associated with the trade.
Encouraging innovation in the public sector
Authors: Borins Sandford
Published: November 2002

The public sector has traditionally been considered inhospitable to innovation, particularly innovations initiated by middle managers and front‐line staff. Unlike the private sector, the public sector is characterized by asymmetric incentives that punish unsuccessful innovations much more severely than they reward successful ones, by the absence of venture capital to seed creative problem solving, and by adverse selection by innovative individuals against public service careers. A growing body of evidence based on applications to innovation awards reveals that, despite this inhospitable environment, frontline public servants and middle managers are responsible for many innovations. In addition, some public sector organizations have consistently produced a large number of innovations. Draws on this evidence to suggest ways of enhancing public sector organizations’ capacity for innovation.
Measuring the mission effect in human intellectual capital
Authors: Bart Christopher K.
Published: November 2002

One of the greatest challenges facing advocates of the intellectual capital movement is finding ways to measure and report on its content and effect. Some consider the measurement of human intellectual capital (HIC) to be a daunting exercise. At the same time, mission statements represent the cornerstone of most organizational strategies. While much research has been conducted on what the HIC construct might contain, none has attempted to understand the link between mission statements and their impact on the HIC construct. The tentative results reported in this study begin to fill the void. They show that mission statements may indeed have a valid place in the measurement and reporting of an organization’s intellectual capital and they demonstrate the need for more research in this regard.
Thought leadership on intellectual capital
Authors: Bontis Nick , Nikitopoulos Danny
Published: November 2002

A synopsis of key topics, issues and findings as presented at the 4th World Congress on Intellectual Capital hosted by McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. There were 536 delegates from 32 countries discussing the growing importance of intellectual capital. This paper highlights the key messages from the keynote speakers of the conference. Includes a summary of the presentations of such luminaries as Shahla Aly, VP Communication Sector at IBM Canada; Stephen Denning, KM director of the World Bank; Don Tapscott, chairman of Digital 4Sight; Ante Pulic and Ursula Schneider, directors of the Austrian Intellectual Capital Research Centre; Tom Jenkins, CEO of OpenText; Leif Edvinsson, VP of Knexa.com Enterprises; Verna Allee, president of Integral Performance Group; and Don Morrison, COO of Research in Motion.
Financial distress and corporate governance: an empirical analysis
Authors: Elloumi Fathi , Gueyié Jean‐Pierre
Published: November 2002

Relationships between corporate governance characteristics and financial distress status are examined for a sample of Canadian firms. Results from logit regression analysis of 46 financially distressed and 46 healthy firms lead us to conclude that the board of director’s composition explains financial distress, beyond an exclusive reliance on financial indicators. Additionally, supplemental results indicate that outside directors’ ownership and directorship affect the likelihood of financial distress. Furthermore, splitting financially distressed firms based on chief executive officer change as a proxy of turnaround strategies provides useful insights on corporate governance characteristics in financial distress.
Governance and organisational controls in public and private banks
Authors: Kangis Peter , Kareklis Peter
Published: November 2002

Managers of a sample of private and public banks in Greece were surveyed through the vehicle of agency theory. It was found that managers in private banks showed greater alignment of interests with those of the bank, their pay related to outcomes and they were more mobile in their jobs. Private banks also used more control mechanisms to align interests of their managers with those of the bank and displayed a different working climate. Given evolving organisation structures resulting from deregulation, the convergence of information technology and communications and the entry of firms from other industries, the implications of the findings for governance are important.
Top team characteristics and the business strategies of japanese firms
Authors: Simeon Roblyn
Published: November 2002

This study is an extension of research which links top management team characteristics and the use of a variety of business strategies. Agency theory and information processing theory provided the framework used to investigate the complex business strategies of 219 Japanese firms in four sectors. Statistical results support our view that top team characteristics reflect important aspects of the corporate governance strategies needed to manage business strategies such as specialization, diversification and internationalization. Although there are substantial institutional differences in the business environments, it appears that there is increasing convergence in the Japanese and American approaches to corporate governance.
Governance and the evaluation of corporate law and regulation in australia
Authors: Tomasic Roman
Published: November 2002

Examines different approaches to the challenge of Australian corporate law enforcement and governance, and discusses success in this area and how it might be determined. Describes barriers to measuring success of regulatory action, and debates what level of law enforcement is appropriate and cost‐effective. Concludes that a more broadly based approach to regulatory action and assessment is of prime importance.
Corporate Governance and the Sons of Cadbury
Authors: Vinten Gerald
Published: November 2002

Corporate governance has emerged from obscurity into being a mainstream topic about which there is a need to know, as well as being incorporated into industrial and commercial training courses. There has been a plethora of reports starting in the USA and spreading to the UK, which has then produced a series of reports whose influence, example and model has spread throughout the world. Some main forces explaining the provenance of corporate governance are provided before discussing the US Treadway and COSO Reports. Concerns with business ethics also are a factor. These reports in turn influenced the Cadbury Report and the “Sons of Cadbury” the most recent and most significant being the recent Turnbull Report. This impacts much more on grass roots practices than the others, and its messages therefore need to be absorbed into training courses.
Fiduciary Responsibility of Board Trustees and Officers in Universities and Colleges
Authors: Payette Dennis L.
Published: November 2002

Examines the use and misuse of the term fiduciary responsibility as it applies to trustees and officers of the corporation in universities and colleges. Through research on published applications of the term, reveals that the term is rarely defined yet frequently used as a justification for action or inaction by trustees and officers. Antagonists of decisions sometimes use the term as a rationalization for suggesting action or decisions that should be made by trustees or officers in higher education. Concludes with a proposed definition of fiduciary responsibility that could be useful for trustees and officers and others interested in the concept of fiduciary responsibility.
Frames of Reference in Financial Corporate Governance and Communications
Authors: Clarke G. , Murray L.W.
Published: November 2002

Empirical research identifies the strategic power of corporate values in influencing the success of organizations. Presents qualitative research which elicits chairmen’s values expressed through value maps. Presents two such maps, both of which were extracted from interview transcripts using an adapted version of means/end chains. The interviews with chairmen of investment trusts was considered to be valuable, as the past experience that these respondents bring to the values debate will enable a comprehensive value mapping exercise to be meaningful and to inform further quantitative studies which can verify the frequency/importance of the corporate values identified. The findings do corroborate some of the values identified in previous research. More importantly, uses the maps to identify corporate value templates based on template themes, constructs, articulation and consensus. Templates are a core component in visualizing frames of reference. Frames of reference are an important consideration in the context of corporate values as they identify the focus of the organization’s leadership.
Public decisions in the Scottish Enlightenment tradition
Authors: Josselin Jean‐Michel , Marciano Alain
Published: November 2002

Provides a discussion of the spontaneous order approach to the making of the future European constitution. We thus investigate the normative content of collective decisions in the Scottish Enlightenment tradition. Conditions of rightness depend on very strong assumptions. They shape a system of natural law as a local public good. When Humean sympathy ensures homogeneous preferences, it prevents free‐riding and rent‐seeking as well. In this quite specific context, spontaneous order would also bridge the gap between the is and the ought. However, attempts to enlarge the size or scope of such societies would require a formal contractual order. But the latter would have to define what rightnessa priorimeans.
Organisation factors in local library network development in India
Authors: Mishra Sanjaya
Published: November 2002

India has seven local library networks and a national library network (INFLIBNET). However, these networks are in differing stages of development. Most are at a preliminary stage although the earliest efforts in this area took place in 1989. This paper presents the results of a survey on factors affecting the development of local library networks. Participating libraries in four networks were administered a structured questionnaire. The study reveals that organisational factors such as planning, governance, funding communication and delivery, and administration are related to each other. Moreover, many factors are highly dependent on each other. Therefore, the library networks should try to raise the levels of awareness among participating libraries to develop the local library networks successfully.
Best English language Web sites in agriculture from an international perspective
Authors: Zhang Geli , Lane David M.
Published: November 2002

A short list of English language Web sites in agriculture from an international perspective is given, together with brief reviews of each site, to assist librarians, agricultural researchers, and other professionals. Sites were selected on the basis of a comparative study of a large number of information resources on the Internet.
Intranet‐based service delivery – making it work
Authors: Peterson Mary
Published: November 2002

Discusses how to deliver a library service via an intranet or the Internet, using our library as an example. The main emphasis is on setting up a service to suit an online environment, designing user‐friendly pages to ensuring acceptance of the new service and training your users to make full use of it
“Glocalization” of business activities: a “glocal strategy” approach
Authors: Svensson Göran
Published: November 2002

The topic of this article provides a discussion on the importance of well‐defined concepts and approaches used by scholars and by practitioners in various contexts. It is troublesome when the use of a concept or an approach is ambiguous and confusing. The discussion focuses on, and is exemplified through, the globalization of business activities and the term “global strategy”. The widespread use of popular jargon cannot cover the fact that a genuine or true global strategy approach appears to be a managerial utopia. The terms “glocal strategy” and the “glocalization” of business activities are introduced to enhance the accuracy of the present usage by scholars and by practitioners of the term global strategy and the phenomenon often described as the globalization of business activities.
A model of the impact of mission statements on firm performance
Authors: Bart Christopher K. , Bontis Nick , Taggar Simon
Published: November 2002

A relationship between mission and organizational performance was modeled by drawing on previous research. The model was tested with data from 83 large Canadian and US organizations. We found that mission statements can affect financial performance, however, not as one might have anticipated initially. Several mediating elements were observed to exist. For instance, “commitment to the mission” and the “degree to which an organization aligns its internal structure, policies and procedures with its mission” were both found to be positively associated with “employee behavior”. It was this latter variable which was observed, in turn, to have the most direct relationship with financial performance.
Corporate environmental strategies and actions
Authors: Bobby Banerjee Subhabrata
Published: November 2002

Organizations can develop and implement a range of strategies to address environmental issues. A wide range of actions can result from these strategies. Describes the environmental strategies of over 250 US firms. In particular, examines company participation in 25 environmental activities and discusses industry differences in environmental activity. Also discusses the range of environmental strategies and managerial perceptions of environmental issues. Concludes with a discussion on policy implications and directions for future research.
The determinants of international pharmaceutical firms’ FDI in China: a comparison between early (pre‐1992) and late (from‐1992) entrants
Authors: Jiang Fuming , Christodoulou Chris , Wei Ho‐Ching
Published: November 2002

Aims to evaluate the determinants of international pharmaceutical firms’ foreign direct investments (FDI) in the Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Focuses on comparing the differences in FDIs between early entrants who started FDI before 1992 and the late entrants whose FDI started after 1992 in China. Field research was mainly conducted in China by personal interview as well as mail questionnaires over a period of three months in 1999 and 44 companies participated in total. The results of index of dissimilarity analysis, t‐test and Wilcoxon test consistently show that both early and late entrants are likely to agree that China’s huge market size played the most important role in motivating international pharmaceutical firms’ FDI in China. The results did not support the traditional FDI theories on domestic market imperfection and firm specific advantages.
Supplying entrepreneurial ventures: lessons from information technology companies
Authors: Bullington Kimball E. , Mullane John V.
Published: November 2002

As market valuation shifts from earnings toward growth potential, entrepreneurial companies have become a more important part of a contract manufacturer’s customer portfolio. As a contract manufacturer emphasizes small, potentially fast‐growing companies, the risk of customer failure increases. However, the opportunity cost of missing a possible star customer justifies exposing the contract manufacturer to considerable risk that the entrepreneurial venture will fail. Explores characteristics of the ideal entrepreneurial supply chain from the viewpoint of contract manufacturers interested in doing business with startups. Emphasis is placed on a customer selection process and on nurturing the high‐risk startup customers. By choosing to do business with startups, but providing nurturing processes, the contract manufacturer simultaneously reduces the risks of missed opportunities and failed startup ventures.
Developing strategic thinking as a core competency
Authors: Bonn Ingrid
Published: November 2002

Lack of strategic thinking by senior managers has been identified as a major shortcoming in organisations. Draws on concepts in management and psychology to present a framework that can be used to remedy this situation. Argues that strategic thinking needs to be addressed at two different, but interrelated levels: the individual level and the organisational level. Organisations that successfully integrate strategic thinking at these two levels will create a critical core competency that forms the basis of an enduring competitive advantage.
Qualitative research and marketing management
Authors: Milliken John
Published: November 2002

In reviewing the management literature, especially marketing management, it is evident that little attention has been paid to qualitative research in the discipline. This is perhaps due to the propensity to apply quantitative approaches in an attempt to establish the credibility of a relatively young subject. However, to neglect qualitative research methods in marketing can stifle innovation, creativity and new ways of thinking that are the very essence of successful marketing. In order to appreciate fully the value of qualitative research it is necessary to consider its historical development.
Investment and decision making in the UK distant water fishing industry: a case study of the Consolidated Steam Fishing and Ice Company 1905‐1980
Authors: Mumby‐Croft Roger
Published: November 2002

Analyses the relationship between concepts of enterprise and hierarchy and what effects both terms mean in the growth and development of companies. The method chosen to examine these issues is that of a case study of a UK trawling company. Attempts to look at the issue of a company management in a lateral way, not so much comparing enterprise and hierarchy to try and prove one or the other is the main reason for company success or failure, but to look at their relationship over a long period of time. Firms need to keep a capacity to be entrepreneurial in order to develop properly but they also need rigour to provide stability. However, as this case study proves, it would appear that a solely hierarchical management structure is more likely to be the norm after the founding entrepreneur has vacated power than the mixed needed to ensure ongoing viability.
Expectations and post‐school choice: some data from India
Authors: Dhesi Autar S.
Published: November 2002

The incentive structure, consequent on the institutional structure, significantly influences expectations. However, in this context, differences in individual perceptions of opportunities and capacities to pursue them broadly relate to socio‐economic background, school and community‐related factors. The main finding on the relationship between expectations and post‐school choice is that an overwhelming majority of students expect significant improvement in income, career opportunities, social prestige and marriage prospects, regardless of intended post‐school choice. There is very little variation in response across groups. However, whether an individual actually goes to college will depend on his/her capacity to act on an opportunity.
Evaluating Welfare to Work for young people
Authors: Hyland Terry , Musson Denise
Published: November 2002

After two years of operation on a national scale, the New Deal Welfare to Work (WtW) programme for young people aged 18‐24 (New Deal for Young People, NDYP) – a flagship scheme and key element in New Labour’s general lifelong learning policy for post‐compulsory education and training – has been extensively evaluated both by official government and independent researchers. This research is analysed within the framework of policy analyses of the key aims of the New Deal and associated lifelong learning objectives, and the main findings are examined against the background of a case study of the operation of the NDYP in the West Midlands region. By way of a conclusion, a contrast between the (generally favourable) quantitative outcomes of WtW and the (partly unfavourable) qualitative studies is drawn in terms of short‐ and long‐term aims for unemployment relief and the reform of vocational education and training in the post‐school sector.
National Vocational Qualifications and competence‐based assessment for technicians – from sound principles to dogma
Authors: Purcell Jeanette
Published: November 2002

The development of competence‐based assessment in the UK has been strongly influenced by the introduction, in the 1980s, of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications. The introduction of these qualifications has raised the profile of competence‐based assessment and, arguably, its credibility. But it is responsible for creating some misconceptions. Attempts to centralise and prescribe criteria and processes have stifled innovation and have restricted the wider application of and involvement in competence‐based assessment, particularly at the higher levels. This article describes the background of competence‐based assessment and NVQs and identifies some of the misconceptions which exist in this area. Taking the Association of Accounting Technicians as a case study, the article aims to correct these misconceptions and demonstrate the real potential of competence‐based assessment in vocational and professional contexts.
Making decisions on enterprise‐wide strategic alignment in multinational alliances
Authors: Mockler R.J.
Published: November 2002

The article concerns the decision‐making process involved in determining the strategic need and use of multinational alliances for a specific company. In theory the process is a linear one moving from the situation analysis (company and competitive market) through evaluation of the impact of external and internal situation factors on the alliance entry choice. In practice, however, the process is an emerging one, as is shown in the company experiences described in this paper. In this sense, this study concerns the application of planning decision theory to actual company decision‐making practices.
Corporate reputation management: “living the brand”
Authors: Gotsi Manto , Wilson Alan
Published: November 2002

It is recognised that an organization’s corporate reputation is affected by the actions of every business unit, department and employee that comes into contact with another stakeholder. However, the means by which employees can be directed or encouraged to “live the brand” is an area which has received relatively limited coverage. This article explores the management actions that are required if employees are to support and enhance the organization’s corporate reputation. The study illustrates the pivotal role of staff in the corporate reputation management process and presents ways through which organizations can encourage commitment, enthusiasm and consistent staff behaviour in delivering the brand values.
Interpreting, categorizing and responding to the environment: the role of culture in strategic problem definition
Authors: Mukherji Ananda , Hurtado Pedro
Published: November 2002

The focus of this article is to closely examine the role of cross‐cultural factors on interpreting, categorizing and responding to the environment. To that effect, this article examines two different streams of research. The first is a review of the literature on the environment, and the second is an assessment of certain cross‐cultural factors that may systematically influence strategic problem definition. Based on an examination of the literature on the environment, two frameworks are developed. The first framework addresses issues associated with categorizing the environment and the second framework highlights organizational responses. Hofstede’s dimension of individualism‐collectivism is used to suggest that managers are likely to differ systematically on strategic problem definition on the basis of culture. Conclusions are derived that relate culture, environment, strategic problem definition and organizational responses.
Moving towards a control technique to help small firms monitor and control key marketing parameters: a survival aid
Authors: Reynolds Paul L. , Day John , Lancaster Geoff
Published: November 2002

This article considers that one way to help the small‐ and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) to survive is to offer it a robust but simple monitoring and control technique that would help it manage the business effectively and this, in turn, should help to increase its chances of survival. This technique should also be of interest to all people involved with monitoring or advising a large number of small enterprises or business units within a larger organization. For example, a bank manager or a small business consultant responsible for a portfolio of firms. The authors utilize process control techniques more often used in production and inventory control systems to demonstrate how one might monitor the marketing “health” of small firms.
Integrating internal marketing with participative management
Authors: Davis Tim R.V.
Published: November 2002

Internal marketing has been proposed as a way of increasing lower level commitment to corporate strategies and improving organizational integration. Most previous discussions of the topic have focused on methods of internal promotion, persuasion and influence. Limited attention has been given to differences in management styles which affect internal marketing. This article examines the impact of consultative and participative styles of management on internal marketing. It shows how general managers, department managers and individuals can use internal marketing to increase employee involvement in reaching decisions, making commitments and taking action.
Challenging the predictive ability of accounting techniques in modelling organizational futures
Authors: Cooper Stuart , Crowther David , Carter Chris
Published: November 2002

This article considers the role of accounting in organisational decision making. It challenges the rational nature of decisions made in organisations through the use of accounting models and the problems of predicting the future through the use of such models. The use of accounting in this manner is evaluated from an epochal postmodern stance. Issues raised by chaos theory and the uncertainty principle are used to demonstrate problems with the predictive ability of accounting models. The authors argue that any consideration of the predictive value of accounting needs to change to incorporate a recognition of the turbulent external environment, if it is to be of use for organisational decision making. Thus it is argued that the role of accounting as a mechanism for knowledge creation regarding the future is fundamentally flawed. We take this as a starting‐point to argue for the real purpose of the use of the predictive techniques of accounting, using its ritualistic role in the context of myth creation to argue for the cultural benefits of the use of such flawed techniques.
A meta review of game theory publications in the flagship US‐based OR/MS journals
Authors: Reisman Arnold , Kumar Ashok , Motwani Jaideep G.
Published: November 2002

This article reviews all Game Theory (GT) articles published in the three leading US‐based OR/MS journals. The articles were first subdivided into Theory or Applications categories. The Applications papers were subclassified on a five‐point scale ranging from logico‐deductive to bona fide applications. Second, the articles were classified in terms of seven types of research processes used by authors. Next, statistical analyses were performed relating to data from the above two classifications. The findings show that the OR/MS literature on GT is dominated by articles classified as Theory with no direct real world underpinnings and is based on the Ripple process (incrementalism) as a basic research strategy. The accumulation of theory vs. applications papers has been growing exponentially over time and this is also true of the marginal contributions, e.g. those based on the Ripple process. Nevertheless, GT has been found to have a higher percentage of true applications than some other OR/MS subdisciplines. Yet, this percentage is lower for GT than for the total coverage in the above journals.
Perceptions of competence in public relations students’ writing
Authors: Tench Ralph
Published: November 2002

Competence in written communication has been described as a fundamental underpinning of contemporary undergraduate education by both educational advisors and agencies. This article focuses on students’ perceptions of their own writing styles and skills. These opinions have been considered in the context of the desires and expectations of practitioners in public relations for high standards of grammar, variety in copywriting style and a high degree of accuracy in writing. Students’ perceptions of the learning environment for this vocational academic discipline also suggest a receptiveness to the integration of alternative pedagogues in the form of information technology.
The growing importance of research at academic colleges of education in Israel
Authors: Katz Eva , Coleman Marianne
Published: November 2002

Since 1979 colleges of education in Israel have been re‐conceptualized as academic institutions. The reform includes professional advancement of teacher educators through the creation of four academic ranks. One of the criteria for moving up the hierarchy from one position to the next is engagement in research activity. What benefits can be derived from the growing involvement in research and how can it impact on the individual and the institution? Responses to a questionnaire administered in one college of education indicate that there is agreement among teacher educators that research work can contribute to their need for professional growth and self‐actualization and can contribute to their teaching. However, they agree that research work does not contribute to the development of leadership skills and, although teacher educators are partially ranked for promotion through their research activity, there does not seem to be any increased involvement in the decision‐making processes at the college.
The concept of common sense in workplace learning and experience
Authors: Gerber Rod
Published: November 2002

Anecdotal evidence abounds of people in workplaces who use common sense in their work practices. Until now, the idea of common sense being a key concept in workplace learning and practice has not been valued too highly. Attempts have been made in psychological and philosophical literature to understand how common sense knowledge differs from theoretical knowledge. This study represents an initial attempt to use people’s experience in workplaces to understand how they see common sense as an important element of workplace learning. Using a phenomenographic research approach, it was revealed that people held seven different understandings of common sense in workplace experiences. For them, common sense was experienced as: a gut feeling, an innate ability, knowing how, learning, using others, demonstrable cognitive abilities, and personal attributes. These variations offer a broader approach to thinking about common sense in work practices.