bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing human resources for TQM: possibilities and pitfalls
Authors: Snape Ed , Wilkinson Adrian , Marchington Mick , Redman Tom
Published: July 2002

Examines the implications of total quality management for the
management of people. The implementation of TQM requires the development
of a high commitment employee relations strategy and involves an attempt
to build a culture of continuous improvement among employees. Argues
that employee relations strategies have a key role to play in the
success of TQM initiatives. Cautions against underestimating the
difficulties faced in winning commitment. Emphasizes that the successful
implementation of TQM is likely to require far‐reaching changes, not
only in employee relations policies, but also in management style and
work organization.
Business process redesign: the wheel of Ixion
Authors: Ten Bos René
Published: July 2002

This highly polemical and Dutch‐rooted article is intended as a contribution to the debates in both popular and academic literature about business process redesign and similar change programmes. Describes BPR and its logical successor, the “holonic” organization, as operational and technocratic instruments which endanger the well‐being of employees (and are therefore morally disreputable) and which undermine the organization’s strategic potential.
Performance‐related pay and trade union membership
Authors: Heery Edmund
Published: July 2002

Discusses how an earlier article in this journal (Vol. 19 No. 3) examined the extent to which the spread of individual performance‐related pay (IPRP) and was associated with trade union derecognition. Builds on that analysis and uses the same set of data to examine whether this kind of payment system is associated with trade union disorganization, with the detachment of employees from union membership. Concludes that, while there is some evidence of IPRP leading to a reduced identification with trade unionism among employees, there is countervailing evidence of a fresh demand for union protection where IPRP is introduced. Case studies from local government, however, suggest that local union representatives have been ill‐equipped to meet this demand and have failed to exploit a diffuse sense of grievance about the operation of performance pay among local authority workers.
Flexibility in Norwegian and UK firms: competitive pressure and institutional embeddedness
Authors: Gooderham Paul N. , Nordhaug Odd
Published: July 2002

Discusses critically the concept of numerical flexibility arguing that strategies for numerical flexibility may in part be viewed as “emergent” strategies. Argues further that “emergent” strategies evolve as responses to the national institutional context. This context comprises laws and regulations which constrain firms from introducing numerical flexibility and trade unions which, acting on behalf of their members, will attempt to limit the scope of numerical flexibility. Demonstrates that since the 1980s the institutional contexts in which Norwegian and UK firms operate have diverged significantly, leading to expected differing rates of increased use of numerical flexibility. This is tested through a multivariate analysis of variations in numerical flexibility at the firm level on the basis of data from the 1995 Euronet‐Cranfield Survey.
Internationalization at Honda: transfer and adaptation of management systems
Authors: Mair Andrew
Published: July 2002

This article reviews Honda’s strategy to localize operations, organization and employment relations at Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM). The management literature describes Honda as an unusually un‐bureaucratic company where individual initiative thrives. However, the production system and organization of work at HUM were found to be very tightly controlled, with little variety of work and individual initiative constrained within strict bounds. This may reflect the relative youth of the plant and the company’s strategy to embed its production system thoroughly before permitting change, or it may suggest that production work at Honda does not fit the usual characterization of the company in the literature. Local management has been given freedom to adapt certain aspects of the organization and employment relations framework to fit the British environment, but with no impact on the direct transfer of the production system.
Il a commencé à penser avant d’avoir rien appris
Authors: Collins David
Published: July 2002

Presents a case study concerning the attempts of a particular group of managers to implement an “empowered” system of working within their organization. Rejecting managerialist accounts of empowerment as distorted representations of social processes and social action, the paper investigates the “4Cs” of empowerment: context, construction, cascade and contest, within the processes of empowerment in an attempt to encourage a more reflective approach.
Employers’ discovery of training: self‐development, employability and the rhetoric of partnership
Authors: Hallier Jerry
Published: July 2002

Explores recent expressions of support by employers for the importance of training in creating business success. Argues that this change in posture cannot be explained in terms of a growing recognition of the weaknesses of the labour force in intermediate‐level skills, because the new focus is on personal development, self‐management and “correct” attitudes rather than technical skills. Shows that while the changes in the valuation of training are consistent with Anglo‐Saxon notions of business management, they are more reflective of attempts to reshape the employer‐employee relationship. Observes that competitive pressures on organizations over the last 20 years have undermined traditional expectations of career opportunity and job security. This context has created the conditions under which this emphasis on normative training helps in the development of a new kind of psychological contract based on a rhetoric of partnership. Concludes that employers’ discovery of training is more about finding ways to secure employee commitment in uncertain times than about transforming skill levels.
The “new” European social model: the end of the search for an orthodoxy or another false dawn?
Authors: Sisson Keith
Published: July 2002

There appears to be some doubt about the future direction of both the theory and the practice of employment relations. This article therefore speculates about the prospects of the “new” European social model becoming the orthodoxy in the field. This model, which has strong similarities with the UK’s “partnership” agreements, stands up very well to many of the criticisms levelled at the “HRM” paradigm that was the most recent contender. The plausibility of the “new” model is in doubt, however, given the prevailing economic and political context in the UK and other EU countries. Even so, if people are looking for a dominant focus for analysis and policy, this “new” model has much to recommend. In particular, it is especially relevant to handling the implications of the restructuring likely to be the main concern for the foreseeable future.
Different skills and knowledge for different times: training in an Australian retail bank
Authors: Sappey Richard B. , Sappey Jennifer
Published: July 2002

This article explores the relationship between an Australian financial institution’s training programme and its commercial fortunes, in particular its mix of technical skills and social skills training. In this industry, price and product differentiation are limited, and customer service is the principal determinant of competitive advantage. Social skills training should theoretically be crucial to gaining competitive advantage. This study involved interviews with the bank’s state and national managers, observations of different types of training courses and analysis of training programme documentation. It was found that during periods of intense pressure from the marketplace, managerial perceptions and budgetary constraints placed a higher priority on technical skills training over social skills training. This had significant implications for employees’ personal and career development in internal and external labour markets.
Managing and developing the strategy for Africa’s information in global computerisation
Authors: Gundu Shibanda George , Musisi‐Edebe Isabel
Published: July 2002

Highlights Africa’s historical glory and position in the information and communication sector against the perspective of her previous contribution to the development of the information age. Now as a net importer of information, and having lost the earlier standing, information technology is a key resource that should be maximised by the African nations in order to achieve competitiveness in the current dynamic world economy. Africa is at the crossroads with the rest of the world. It is now economically stagnant and technologically marginalised, having only 1 per cent of the Internet connectivity out of over 50 million intended worldwide users. There is one telephone for every 200 people, only 2 per cent of the world telephone connections. The current situation is analysed by means of a literature review which identifies the fundamental issues and difficulties facing African countries in the age of the information society. The participatory roles Africa needs to play as her contribution to the creation of a global information society are highlighted in the discussion.
Best value in public libraries: the role of research
Authors: Chivers Barbara , Thebridge Stella
Published: July 2002

Public libraries, in common with other local government services, are obliged to obtain best value by striving for customer service of the highest quality and greatest efficiency. This article draws on data gathered from the Developing Research in Public Libraries (DRIPL) project, which shows how an understanding of research methods is increasingly required by public library managers to move services forward in strategic and operational terms. Following a description of the principles of best value, research areas are indicated which contribute to the achievement of best value in public libraries. The article notes areas where research could usefully be incorporated and shared more widely, and suggests publicly available resources which could be used by managers for performance measurement and user consultation.
Integrating local resources
Authors: Cornford James
Published: July 2002

Discusses the questions of not only mixing print and electronic resources, but also local and non‐local resources in the hybrid library. Attention is drawn to the significance of local resources which are important in the day‐to‐day work of people in higher education. Examples are provided and the organisation of the resources is discussed.
The information audit: its contribution to decision making
Authors: Dubois C.P.R.
Published: July 2002

Information audits are a useful information management tool with respect to the identification, costing, development and rationalization of information resources and services. In addition, the results of the audit can be used to make clear the contribution made by information and information services to the work of an organization, which is of particular importance for decision making. Describes a methodology for the various stages of the auditing process. Concludes by presenting a case study of a partial information audit conducted at the International Coffee Organization.
Current practice in training flexible information workers
Authors: Kerslake Evelyn , Goulding Anne
Published: July 2002

Reports findings of research investigating the training needs and opportunities of flexible information workers. Concludes that unless positive action is taken to address the needs of flexible information workers, they have fewer training opportunities than other workers, which has negative implications for overall levels of skill in the information labour market. Draws on quantitative data from a survey of 551 UK library and information services, and qualitative data from focus groups with flexible information workers and interviews with their managers. Argues that there are legislative, quality and workforce planning imperatives urging managers to address the needs of flexible information workers. Illustrates the differentiation in training offered to flexible and permanent full‐time workers using both quantitative and qualitative work. Presents examples from the case study organizations to offer ways to counteract these difficulties.
Book piracy and Nigerian copyright law
Authors: Olujide Ajidahun Clement
Published: July 2002

The Nigerian copyright Decree No. 47 of 1988 gives protection to copyright owners with stiff penalties in the event of violations and piracy. This paper considers these provisions of the law in relation to the persistent book famine in the country, and offers suggestions which might help enhance the execution of the law.
Public access to the Internet in public libraries
Authors: Murray Ian
Published: July 2002

The provision of public access to the Internet in UK public libraries is a service that has been gradually introduced by many public library authorities throughout the UK. There remain, however, authorities where the service has either not been implemented or is available only in a few major branches. This paper examines the issues surrounding the provision of public access in public libraries and draws on research conducted in the UK and in the USA. Reference is made to data obtained from a survey conducted at Loughborough Public Library which seeks to understand how the public use an Internet service, and what they require of this service. The conclusion is that library authorities need to plan further ahead than just providing a basic access point to the Internet, and that they need to be thinking of how to develop the service, if libraries are to recoup the not inconsiderable investment required in setting up a service of this kind.
Information provision services in South Africa: a comparative study
Authors: Jantine Mostert Bertha
Published: July 2002

Information provision services to the general public have, since their inception in South Africa, been biased towards the white minority in the community. In reaction to the imbalanced position and in an effort to re‐dress inadequacies experienced through the existing public library system, alternative community‐driven information provision services were introduced. In this study, the three existing information provision services currently operating in South Africa, i.e. the public library services, community libraries and resource centres, will be discussed and compared. The strengths and weaknesses of each system will be examined, and suggestions put forward as to possible adaptations that can be made in order to develop information provision services, servicing all inhabitants of the country on an equal basis.
Conflict and stress in times of change
Authors: Pelzer Hudson Mary
Published: July 2002

In recent years, staff members in many libraries have struggled to adjust to an accelerating rate of change. Researchers and observers have noted increasing levels of stress and conflict in the workplace, probably related to the rapid pace of change. In view of the transformation that is taking place in libraries and library services, it has become essential that library managers assist staff in coping with the resultant stress and conflict. To manage change effectively, it is important to understand the difference between change and transition, and to be aware of the process staff members are experiencing. Developing an inclusive decision‐making style, fostering positive employee attitudes towards change, and utilizing effective communication skills can help make change a more positive experience.
Measuring Workers′ Burnout and Intention to Leave
Authors: Weisberg Jacob
Published: July 2002

Identifies workers′ burnout as an important factor influencing
productivity, commitment, and intentions to leave a job, which disrupt
organizational operation and costs. Examines the relationship between
the burnout of female school teachers and its effect on their intentions
to leave their jobs. Based on a comparative analysis of three measures
of burnout, shows two major findings. First, the best burnout predictor
of intention to leave a job was obtained when 21 items measuring burnout
level were factorily analysed and consolidated into three factors, which
were then employed as independent variables in a regression analysis.
This was superior to the utilization of the mean score of the 21 items
or to a single direct measure. Explained variances were 66.5 per cent,
55.7 per cent, and 44.5 per cent, respectively. Second, a more detailed
identification of types of burnout obtained by the first method showed
that physical and mental burnout components are significant in
explaining workers′ intention to leave, while emotional burnout was not.
Discusses the crucial importance of accurate identification of burnout
components and their dimensions with regard to management strategies to
prevent and/or provide treatment for workers suffering from burnout.
Training and Enterprise in France
Authors: Verdier Eric
Published: July 2002

Describes the unique institutional mechanism in France whereby firms are
required by law to devote a fraction of their wage bills to continuous
training. Indicates that since the Act of 16 July 1971 was passed there
has been a marked increase in expenditure on training and that the
greatest benefits have gone to the most highly skilled employees.
Concludes that the intervention has not allowed sufficiently for the
heterogeneity of firms but notes that recent years have seen a number of
adaptations and innovations which have improved this situation.
Transformations of the HR function in the context of restructuring
Authors: Gutierrez L.H.S.
Published: July 2002

Considers the impact on the HR function of the strenuous
restructuring and redeployment of resources brought about by the current
need for organizational change. Argues that the transformation of the HR
function, while interesting in itself as a research concern, is perhaps
more usefully approached from the wider angle of the general
transformation of the business environment. Organizational restructuring
programmes invariably impose strategic decisions on and within the HR
domain. The consequent changes, in turn, require a re‐evaluation of the
current HRM approach, together with modifications to behaviour and
altered activities. Examines the choices facing HR managers through a
study of the strategic decision‐making process and the impact on it of
major organizational restructuring. This approach exposes the options
available for the re‐orientation of HRM after organizational change.
Develops a theoretical framework to address impacts on HRM in
restructuring contexts and applies this contextual framework to evaluate
an empirical study of an industrial company of US origin, based in
Brazil, which has undergone major structural change.
Skilled and unskilled employment in UK manufacturing over the 1980s
Authors: Haskel Jonathan , Jukes Robert
Published: July 2002

Investigates changes in skilled and unskilled employment over the
1980s using UK data skills from the Labour Force Survey and the New
Earnings Survey Panel Data set, matched with industrial data from the
Census of Production. The major findings are: that there was a rise in
non‐manual wage and employment shares over the 1980s but only a slight
rise in that of the skilled; and that in industries where foreign
competition intensified the manual wage share fell, but there was no
significant effect on the unskilled.
Relevance of Canadian labour law to US firms operating in Canada
Authors: Abraham Steven E.
Published: July 2002

As US firms expand into Canada, it becomes necessary for them to be aware of Canadian law governing labour and employment. Unlike what many might think, the laws in the two countries are substantially different. Further, the effects of these differences have been demonstrated empirically. Considers the differences between US and Canadian labour law in seven areas: certification procedures; first contract arbitration; new technologies; strike replacements; successorship; employee participation programmes and union security. Discusses the effects of the laws in these areas.
Gender wage differentials and discrimination among Israeli managers
Authors: Neuman Shoshana , Weisberg Jacob
Published: July 2002

The purpose of this paper is to investigate wage differentials and wage discrimination among 9,035 male and female Israeli managers. In our sample, female managers earn on average 64 per cent of their male counterparts. Using a statistical method originally developed by Ronald Oaxaca, we found that out of 36 per cent wage difference, 7.2 per cent were “legitimate”, stemming from differences in human capital characteristics, while 28.8 per cent were “illegitimate”, due to wage discrimination, in the form of different rates of return to the various characteristics. As wage differentials stem mainly from discrimination, affirmative action and comparable worth can serve as a partial remedy.
The labour market in Switzerland: the end of a special case?
Authors: Flückiger Yves
Published: July 2002

This paper presents a general survey of the Swiss economy. It emphasises the various factors that have been put forward to explain the very low unemployment rate recorded in Switzerland up to the beginning of the 1990s. It also analyses the factors which may be held responsible for the dramatic reversal of the Swiss labour market situation, by considering the modification in the employers’ and workers’ behaviour in Switzerland as well as the changes observed in the structure of the foreign labour force. It comes to the conclusion that the unemployment observed since 1991 is not simply a consequence of a deterioration in the functioning of the Swiss labour market compared with earlier periods, but rather a result of changes in immigration policies and also the reflection in the statistics of a truer picture of the labour market imbalance created by the restructuring of the economy.
From employment to exclusion
Authors: Falter Jean‐Marc , Flückiger Yves , Silber Jacques
Published: July 2002

This study attempts to analyze the various factors which may have led an individual living in 1995 and 1996 in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, from regular employment to reliance on social welfare via a stage where unemployment benefits are received and another one where the individual may have a temporary job financed by local public authorities. The individual characteristics affecting the transition from one status to the other are analyzed using a logit model while the main features of the groups constituting the subpopulations of individuals holding temporary jobs and of those obtaining social assistance are determined on the basis of cluster analysis.
Unemployment rate and working‐hour constraints
Authors: Ramirez José V.
Published: July 2002

In this paper, the nature of working‐hour constraints in the Swiss labour force using a sample of 14,523 observations is analysed. Three theoretical justifications of the existence of hours constraints are tested: the specific‐capital model, the agency model and the efficiency wage model. The first two models make opposite predictions regarding the trade‐off between working‐hour constraints and job tenure. The third model makes a prediction regarding the potential effect of the unemployment rate on the extent of working‐time constraints. Results indicate, first, that neither model of lifetime contracting (specific‐capital and agency) explains the observed extent of working‐hour constraints. Second, it is found that the unemployment rate confronting the worker in his or her labour market constitutes an obvious incentive to work more hours than he or she wants.
Young and old at risk Comparative trends in “non‐standard” patterns of employment in Canada and the United Kingdom
Authors: Felstead Alan , Krahn Harvey , Powell Marcus
Published: July 2002

For many years, the majority of workers in the industrialised West have shared a similar employment life‐course – one based on full‐time permanent work. However, over the last decade the number of such opportunities have started to decline and many more workers are participating in “non‐standard” forms of employment. Using data from the UK’s Labour Force Survey, and the Canadian General Social Survey, this paper traces the trends in “non‐standard” employment over the 1989 to 1994 period. The findings illustrate that, although the majority of workers are still in full‐time permanent jobs, an increasing proportion are engaged in “non‐standard” employment. The paper suggests that certain groups are more likely to be involved in “non‐standard” employment than others, and that increasingly these tend to be made up of workers at one end or other of the working age spectrum.
Management skills development: a perspective on current issues and setting the future agenda
Authors: Worrall Les , Cooper Cary
Published: July 2002

In recent years managerial work has changed considerably, largely because the organisational, economic and technological context in which it is conducted has changed beyond recognition. Organisations have been delayered; new work organisation concepts have been developed; organisations have been subjected to a host of managerial fads; the scale of IT‐enabled home‐based working has increased; the variety of communication channels that managers have had to cope with has increased; and globalisation has created a more competitive environment where businesses have had to become leaner, more flexible and adaptable. The consequences of this are that the skills and “capabilities” that managers need to be effective have change radically. The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of these changes and to assess the implications of management development and education programmes.
Aligning factors for successful organizational renewal
Authors: Lester Donald L. , Parnell John A.
Published: July 2002

Organizations struggling to compete can do nothing while revenues and profits decline, putting their very survival at risk. Or they can recreate themselves by altering their situation, strategy, structure, or decision‐making style. The second choice, organizational renewal, is the focus of this study of five diverse businesses that renewed themselves through the proactive alteration of one or more of these four factors. Four research questions were explored using extensive qualitative methodology. Results highlight the need for alignment among situation, strategy, structure, and decision‐making style, as well as the importance of timing in the process.
Organisational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, Work Values:
Saudi and Expatriate Managers
Authors: Yavas Ugur , Luqmani Mushtaq , Quraeshi Zahir
Published: July 2002

This article reports the results of a survey which compared Saudi
and expatriate managers on organisational commitment, job satisfaction
and work values. Saudi and expatriate managers were found to be similar
in their commitment to their organisations and in their work values; but
some difference was observed in the job satisfaction levels.
Implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future
research are offered.
Facilitating Empowerment in Organizations
Authors: Nixon Bruce
Published: July 2002

Describes the author′s distinctive approach to facilitating empowerment
in organizations and helping managers enhance their capacity to learn
and respond to change more effectively. Expresses the author′s views on
how the culture of organizations need to change (and the specific
changes in attitude and behaviour this requires) if people are to cope
well with uncertainty, change, complexity and huge pressures. Describes
the methodology used with senior managers and directors in three
different organizations over the past five years; the common and
distinctive issues in those organizations; how the intervention
strategies evolved differently in them; the successes and difficulties
and the learning in these initiatives.
Leadership and developmental interventions for dysfunctional
workers
Authors: McClure Lynne , Werther William B.
Published: July 2002

Specific types of dysfunctional work behaviours form an
identifiable pattern that can be uncovered through a needs analysis and
addressed by a multi‐dimensional, five‐step developmental effort.
Includes a framework for these behaviours, an outline development
intervention, a case study and recommendations for further action.
Quality behaviour for quality organizations
Authors: Sutherland Valerie , Makin Peter , Bright Kevin , Cox Charles
Published: July 2002

Goal setting and feedback techniques have previously been used to
improve safety behaviour. Describes a pilot study of the application of
a behaviour‐based quality improvement process in a continuous process
production plant with a particular focus on certain aspects of the
organizational structure and climate which might be conducive to the
changes necessary to facilitate this approach. Since “quality
improvement”, unlike “safety improvement”, is more
likely to be contingent on interactions with other people, the need to
optimize communication and interpersonal relationships at work are
important. Suggests that an internal customer, linking‐pin model
provides the optimal conditions required, and ensures a high level of
employee participation in the process of continuous quality improvement.
Killing two birds with one stone: achieving quality via total
safety management
Authors: Dominic Cooper M. , Phillips Robin A.
Published: July 2002

Describes how problems associated with total quality management
(TQM) can be overcome by adopting a total safety management (TSM)
approach. Identifies TQM problems of definition, measurement systems,
resourcing, implementation, and measurement of culture. Advocates TSM
strategies to overcome them. These strategies result in increased
quality, reliability and competitiveness, while also satisfying
legislative requirements for safety. Outlines a variant of Bandura′s
model of “reciprocal determinism” to assist in the ongoing
analyses and implementation of a positive safety culture. The model
proposed takes into account the dynamic interrelationships between
safety climate, safety management systems, and motivational strategies
to improve safety behaviour. Supporting evidence suggests that this
model may have considerable utility when applied to other forms of
organizational culture.
Do organizations get the followers they deserve?
Authors: Brown Andrew D. , Thornborrow W.T.
Published: July 2002

While organizations are composed largely of people who follow orders, followers and followership skills are a neglected area of research. Presents the results of a survey of followership types at three UK companies: the Halifax, a regional electricity company and Thorntons. Suggests that an organization’s culture determines the dominant leadership style, and that this in turn has an influence over what types of followers tend to predominate. Recommends that organizations should not only pay due regard to training their followers, but that further action to amend an unhelpful culture and dysfunctional patterns of leadership should also be considered.
The practice of organization and human resource development in the USA’s fastest growing firms
Authors: Church Allan H. , McMahan Gary C.
Published: July 2002

Reports the results of a recent survey that investigated the contemporary practice of organizational development among the USA’s fastest growing firms (as identified by Fortune magazine). States that although the project received a 31 per cent response rate overall, only 18 organizations provided usable results for analysis purposes. After an initial overview of the study, compares and contrasts the data collected from these organizations with results from related survey projects using similar sets of items. Also addresses the implications of these results for the practice of OD/HRD.
Jumping the hurdles: barriers to mentoring for women in organizations
Authors: Rose Ragins Belle
Published: July 2002

There is an explosion of interest in programmes to help women gain mentors in organizations. Despite the haste to jump on the “mentoring bandwagon”, there is little information on the barriers women face in obtaining a mentor. Discusses these barriers and the results of a study addressing this issue. Presents practical implications for organizations.
Enhancing the effectiveness of cross‐functional teams
Authors: Proehl Rebecca A.
Published: July 2002

Organizations are increasingly using cross‐ functional teams to address broad‐scale organizational problems, and the potential of such teams is undeniable. Bringing a cross‐functional perspective to organizational problems help build understanding, problem‐solving capabilities, co‐ordination, communication and, ultimately, improved quality and productivity. While the benefits are many, this study highlights the challenges. Over one‐half of the participants viewed their cross‐functional team’s work as unsuccessful, and these same individuals felt less optimistic about cross‐functional teams than they had before participating in one. While it is apparent that organizational leaders, are enthusiastically embracing team efforts, calls for additional analysis to explore the unique challenges of cross‐functional teams so organizations can consistently benefit from their efforts. Examines those factors that contributed to the success of the teams in this study and offers recommendations for working with cross‐functional teams.
A new approach to leadership
Authors: Lloyd Bruce
Published: July 2002

Presents Bruce Lloyd in discussion with Larry Spears, Executive Director of the Robert Greenleaf Center and editor of several publications which developed the work of Robert Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader. This suggested that we need radically to rethink how we relate to each other in our institutions, and that leadership needs to be based, first and foremost, on meeting the needs of others. Not only is the concept of servant‐leadership now being put forward as a good idea in theory, but it can also be justified on the grounds that it produces superior results in practice. It challenges the traditional hierarchical, power‐driven model and replaces it with a more democratic and learning‐focused approach. Spears believes that the next decade is likely to show how more organizations are successfully operating with servant‐leadership and this will inspire others to follow.
Real change leaders: the key challenge for management today
Authors: Lloyd Bruce , Feigen Marc
Published: July 2002

In discussion with Bruce Lloyd, Marc Feigen, one of the authors of the McKinsey Study, Real Change Leaders, argues that middle management decisions require broad based behavioural changes, which will require them to learn new skills, particularly around the concept of “manager as coach”. In addition, a greater knowledge of a wide range of team roles and development issues will be required in future. Covers the strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese approach and the motivation factors which influence top management. Argues that it is not difficult to understand the basis of effective change management but it requires practice and commitment, combined with the right skill base, to make it happen well in practice.
Approaching the millennium: transforming leadership education for stewardship of the planet’s resources
Authors: Berry Anthony J.
Published: July 2002

The education of future business leaders is centred in the many MBA programmes in the world. Most of these are based on the idea of managers acting as agents of capital whose task is then to be the agents of economic efficiency. This idea, taken from liberal market theory, is limited to a particular ideological stance. Provides a critique of that and other ideological stances from Christian conceptions of love and freedom, ethical and ecological grounds and argues that neither liberal market capitalism nor state centralism is acceptable. Argues that a changing understanding of both social and physical eco‐systems leads to a need to open up leadership education to a wider array of ideologies, including social democracy, democratic socialism and ecological conservationism. Otherwise the next generation of leaders will be less able to cope with the wider array of values in the global economy and unable to acknowledge their role of citizens as of equal importance with their organizational roles.
The evolution of a university research department facilitated by a groupware system ‐ Part 2
Authors: Deakin Anthony , White Barbara , Rada Roy
Published: July 2002

Discusses how, in Part 1 the research group was at a “pioneering crisis” stage with considerable role and task ambiguity. An organizational development process was initiated aiming for greater systemization: a matrix structure was introduced and a groupware tool, the plan‐document (PD1), was implemented, as part of the group’s strategy to develop into a learning organization. States that the plan‐document was designed to enable information sharing and co‐ordination throughout the group, ranging over the short‐ and long‐terms. Usage was, however, low and PD1 was not widely adopted, although usage varied according to timescales and the personal relevance of objectives. A second plan‐document (PD2) was designed, aimed at being more “personal” and accessible, attuned to the new matrix structure and including reporting as well as planning functions. Looks at the introduction of PD2 and evaluates its contribution to the transition of the research group into both a systematized and a learning organization. Posits that groupware can go some way towards helping organizations meet the challenges of an uncertain environment through supporting open access between groups and individuals and fostering the group cohesiveness and interdependence.
Ambiguity and communication in cross‐cultural acquisitions: towards a conceptual framework
Authors: Risberg Anette
Published: July 2002

States that mergers and acquisitions are known to have failures that often are explained by clashing corporate cultures. Previous research has tried to predict better acquisition outcomes by prescribing different kinds of fits between the combining companies. Takes an alternative perspective to look at mergers and acquisitions. Develops a conceptual framework that uses communication throughout the acquisition process to produce and negotiate some meaning out of ambiguities and cultural differences. Suggests that this alternative perspective can give a new insight into explaining the causes of unfulfilled expectations in international mergers and acquisitions.
Downsizing and restructuring: lessons from the firing line for revitalizing organizations
Authors: Burke Ronald J. , Nelson Debra L.
Published: July 2002

Notes that organizations throughout the industrialized world continue to downsize and restructure in response to global competitive pressures. Some firms downsize more than once, and indications are that downsizing and restructuring efforts will continue over the next decade at least. States that, unfortunately, many, perhaps half of these initiatives are unsuccessful. Outlines a three‐stage model designed to improve downsizing and restructuring efforts. The first stage, initiation, involves planning the revitalization efforts. The second stage, implementation, outlines the ways of smoothing the transition. The final stage, institutionalization, comes to grips with healing and refocusing the organization.
Leadership moment by moment!
Authors: Cacioppe Ron
Published: July 2002

Aims to bring together some of the major perspectives and theories of leadership with some of the key practical components of eastern and western philosophy. Suggests that the current leadership theories are good foundations from which to move to a more practical and immediate experience of leadership. The major view put forward is that these concepts of leadership point to the need for “leadership wisdom”. First, covers theories of leadership to provide a summary of current thinking on what is good leadership. Discusses the recent concept of “emotional intelligence” as an appropriate way to extend the way we look at the personality and skills of a leader. Introduces leadership wisdom as a way of describing effective leadership applied to the immediate situation. This wisdom can be found in themes that have existed in western and eastern philosophy for centuries. Explores these themes using stories that have come from philosophical teachings and then relates them to the central points of leadership. Uses a summary figure to portray the integration of previous leadership concepts around leadership wisdom in practice. Makes a number of suggestions that are implemented in leadership development which contribute to the development of leadership wisdom.
Transformation in Russia: insights from the Russian province
Authors: Polonsky Gennady , Edwards Vincent
Published: July 2002

Russia has been undergoing a profound political and economic transformation since the mid 1980s. The article explores various aspects of economic transformation from the viewpoint of an industrial enterprise in the Russian province, focusing on four aspects of the transformation process: ownership and control, mutual indebtedness, social assets and labour restructuring. In doing so, the aim is to compare and contrast the Russian experience of transformation with that predicated by economists at the early stages of transition and with the experience of the other transforming countries in Central and Eastern Europe. What emerges is a distinctive picture of transformation in Russia, as Russian companies have developed at times idiosyncratic responses to the general issues they face. A general conclusion of the article is that the Russian economy is evolving towards a market system with distinctive Russian characteristics.
Manufacturing operations and strategic flexibility: survey and cases
Authors: Beach Roger , Muhlemann Alan P. , Price David H.R. , Paterson Andrew , Sharp John A.
Published: July 2002

The ability of manufacturing companies to adapt to their changing environment is frequently a key to long‐term success. As a consequence the strategic flexibility of manufacturing operations has become an increasingly important issue for organisations. There have been much theoretical work and some case studies in this domain. This paper reports part of a major study in the area. A key stage in this work has been an empirical study of UK manufacturing to investigate a broad range of issues surrounding manufacturing operations and strategic flexibility. In part this has been carried out through a questionnaire survey. This paper summarises some of the principal findings. These include respondents’ descriptions of their business strategies, the part played by manufacturing, the interfaces with customers, and the role of the information system and its contribution to manufacturing. This is complemented by a summary of 32 interviews/case histories which allow these issues to be explored further and which provide the input to the subsequent stages of the overall project.
Strategies in an era of global competition
Authors: Buxey Geoff
Published: July 2002

The Australian government welcomed globalisation and led the way with tariff reductions, claiming that many local manufacturers were inefficient and inward looking as a result of over protection. This paper reports on a series of interviews conducted in companies belonging to the (small) electrical appliances and household kitchenware industries, which both face fierce competition from imported goods. The objectives were to find out what business and manufacturing strategies have sustained them in the new trade environment. Six distinct strategies were identified, although a mix is common. There has been a real push to increase productivity, but it is not enough on its own to enable a firm to defend its domestic market against cheap imports. The main impact of globalisation has been a move to replace local sources of production with others located offshore. Typically, these are independent suppliers in China operating under contract manufacturing agreements.
The implementation process of customer‐supplier partnership: lessons from a clinical perspective
Authors: Spina Gianluca , Zotteri Giulio
Published: July 2002

Explores the implementation process of the customer‐supplier partnership in the machinery industry. Aims to assess the dynamic impacts on performance of various practices that are generally regarded as typical of a customer‐supplier partnership. Also, investigates internal consistency of various practices and possible path dependencies. Shows, in the case of single sourcing, the complementarity and the synergistic effects of co‐design, sharing production plans, dedicating up‐stream capacity and assuring down‐stream demand. Finds the key role of a complete performance control system to monitor delivery, quality and cost performance, even when tight control over suppliers might be regarded as less crucial due to trust and long‐termism. Discusses the issue of dedicated EDI assets and shows that, at least in some cases, delaying investments might significantly reduce risks of sunk cost for both partners. Shows that, while some players on both sides of the relationship perceive the relationship as a “win‐win” situation, others play a “zero sum game”.
Computer‐integrated manufacturing in China
Authors: Zhou Yuejin , Chuah K.B.
Published: July 2002

Computer‐integrated manufacturing (CIM) technology has been used in China for over ten years. Some striking achievements have been obtained, but there still exist a few difficulties or problems. This paper describes the benefits and problems experienced by a number of CIM enterprises in China based on the results of a series of industrial field surveys. The strong common commitment to CIM technology of the top management of these enterprises has been accompanied by great emphasis on education and training of employees, and received financial support from the government and technological support from universities. We noted that many of the problems are the result of management development lagging behind technology advancement, outdated organizational structure being unable to adapt to the needs of technology development and market economic environment, improper and inadequate use of human resources and lack of business‐led CIM strategy. Some strategies and measures are put forward to address Chinese enterprises’ CIM implementation problems.
Organisation designs for teamworking
Authors: Tranfield David , Smith Stuart
Published: July 2002

The paper argues that the widespread changes in manufacturing industry are best conceptualised as paradigmatic, in that they constitute a patterned reconfiguration of ideas, beliefs and values about manufacturing philosophy, strategy, structure, organisation and operations. The widespread adoption of teamworking is part of this patterning and is argued to reflect a new institutional form of manufacturing organisation. In investigating teamworking, the paper uses the concept of organisational archetypes to investigate whether or not teamworking takes a single, or variety of interlocking forms. Empirical studies are introduced to justify the articulation of three teamworking forms: a “‘self‐directed” archetypal form and two other sub‐types, “lean” and “project”, neither of which, it is argued, are truly archetypal. The paper concludes that broad institutional changes toward a teamworked manufacturing organisation impact on the “interpretive schema” of managers operating in specific task environments who prescribe and deploy this new organisational format. This creates the two hybrid sub‐types in practice. The findings of this research have implications for both practitioners involved in designing and introducing teamworking into manufacturing firms, and for academics researching on team based organisational design.