bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing consumer expectations of low‐margin, high‐volume services
Authors: Clow Kenneth E. , Beisel John L.
Published: July 2002

Service firms operating on low margins per transaction must
generate a high volume of business to survive the competitive
environment of the 1990s. Firms must raise the expectations of consumers
to increase patronage, then successfully meet these expectations.
Examines the antecedents to consumer expectations of low‐margin,
highvolume service firms, and gives managerial implications,
illustrating how to manage a service firm, successfully operating on low
margins successfully.
The relative effects of national stereotype and advertising
information on the selection of a service provider: an empirical study
Authors: Jean Harrison‐Walker L.
Published: July 2002

Asks whether service provider nationality significantly influences
consumer decision making and, if so, whether the influence of national
stereotype is moderated by the presence of additional information, such
as professional credentials or service availability, or by the
consumer′s nationality. Identifies a significant three‐way interaction
effect involving provider nationality, supplemental advertising
information and consumer nationality.
Customers as oral participants in a service setting
Authors: Harris Kim , Baron Steve , Ratcliffe Julie
Published: July 2002

Observable oral participation (OOP) of customers, in the service
delivery system in general and in a store format retail setting in
particular, occurs in many forms and frequencies. Focusses on
customer‐to‐customer observable oral participation (OOP2), studied in
relation to the more frequently researched customer‐employee observable
oral participation (OOP1). From a study of the literature, and through a
controlled customer survey at a retail store, findings clearly
demonstrate customer reliance on person‐to‐person encounters, even in a
predominantly self‐service environment, and identify the characteristics
of customers more likely to engage in OOP2. Service providers devote
little attention to OOP2 (compared to OOP1) in service delivery.
However, OOP2 is a form of word‐of‐mouth which can be observed and,
therefore, measured and managed, and customers are arguably a neglected
human resource for a service organization. With this in mind, discusses
implications for service encounter and human resource management.
(Dis)satisfaction with public services: the case of public
transportation
Authors: Wallin Andreassen Tor
Published: July 2002

Public services are offered to the public based on the principle of
equality. Private services on the other hand are based on
differentiation. These differences raise the question of whether
customer preferences for public services are homogeneous while
preferences for private services are heterogeneous. Builds on an
empirical study of 1,000 customers using either bus, train or tram in
and around the greater area of the capital of Norway. Discusses customer
(dis)satisfaction with public transportation services. Concludes by
claiming that individual customer preferences exist and that high
– and low‐frequency users of public transportation services have
different preferences. As a consequence, the industry has a low overall
customer satisfaction score. Implementing differentiated public services
will improve the satisfaction score, i.e. expected utility, and thereby
reduce the need for privatizing the industry.
Service guarantees and consumers’ evaluation of services
Authors: Tucci Louis A. , Talaga James
Published: July 2002

Investigates consumer perceptions of the utility of service guarantees in a table service restaurant setting. Uses conjoint analysis to determine the utility consumers assign to restaurants that varied along different levels of price, speed of service, quality of food, courtesy of server and service guarantee. The presence of an explicit service guarantee is not uniformly desirable in the selection of a table service restaurant.
Service failure and loyalty: an exploratory empirical study of airline customers
Authors: Bejou David , Palmer Adrian
Published: July 2002

There has been considerable analysis of buyer‐seller relationship development within the services sector. While a lot of attention has been given to the processes by which relationships are developed, the subject of relationship deterioration is less well researched. Examines the impacts of service failure on the quality of relationships between airlines and their customers who have suffered service failure. In particular, the effects on customers’ trust and commitment to the relationship are studied, the latter being assessed in terms of their willingness to recommend the airline they use to others. Reports on a study of airline customers in the south‐eastern USA which suggests that the impact of a given level of service failure is dependent on the duration to date of a customer’s relationship with the airline they use. However, a non‐linear correlation was found, suggesting that customers experience stages of being initially open‐minded about service failure, followed by lower tolerance of failure, which gradually gives way to a closer relationship which is more resistant to service failure
Drivers of market orientation and performance in service firms
Authors: Van Egeren Marsha , O’Connor Stephen
Published: July 2002

Service industries are undeniably important in the USA. They account for 72 percent of GNP and 76 percent of employment. In recent years, service firms have been experiencing a changing and increasingly competitive market place. Until now, few top management teams (TMTs) of service businesses have accorded all three aspects of market orientation (customer‐orientation, competitive orientation, and interfunctional
co‐ordination) as much importance as have their colleagues in manufacturing. Using data obtained from a diverse set of service industries, e.g. law firms, accounting firms, automobile glass replacement specialists, medical group practices, and advertising companies, a structural equations model was developed and analyzed. Results revealed: a strong positive relationship between top management team (TMT) cohesiveness and market orientation; a strong positive relationship between both low environmental munificence and high dynamism with market orientation, and most significantly, a strong positive relationship between market orientation and organizational performance. The implications for service firms are clear: cohesive top management teams committed to implementing the marketing concept will have a competitive advantage ‐ no matter how unstable the competitive environment.
Segmenting purchasers of organisational professional services: a risk‐based approach
Authors: Mitchell V.‐W.
Published: July 2002

The high cost and importance of organisational professional services together with the often uncertain outcomes can evoke significant risk in their purchase. Using the appointment of planning consultants by a public organisation as an example, the article explores the potential of a new risk framework for measuring risk perceptions and developing risk‐based segmentation for organisational purchasers of professional services. The approach proved to be effective and identified three distinct risk segments which varied demographically and in their attitudes towards risk. It is suggested that risk‐based segmentation may be useful for purchasers and providers of other organisational professional services and other high‐risk organisational purchasing contexts.
The effect of guarantees on consumers’ evaluation of services
Authors: Ostrom Amy L. , Iacobucci Dawn
Published: July 2002

Recently, several service firms (e.g. Hampton Inn, Delta Dental Plan of Massachusetts) have successfully implemented service guarantees. Little research, however, has been done examining the conditions under which service guarantees are the most effective. The current research examines how the presence of a guarantee affects consumers’ pre‐purchase evaluations. It also investigates interactions between multiple extrinsic cues such as the presence of a guarantee and information about the quality level of firm offering the guarantee. The results suggest that while guarantees can enhance consumers’ perceptions of quality, especially in situations characterized by greater service quality variability, they are less effective in the presence of other quality cues.
Promotion and advertising agency utilization: a nation‐wide study of hospital providers
Authors: Hogan Beth , Oswald Sharon L. , Henthorne Tony L. , Schaninger William
Published: July 2002

A nation‐wide survey of hospital providers was conducted in an effort to determine the type and level of promotion and advertising agency utilization. The study indicated that a majority of the hospitals surveyed are engaging in some form of advertising activity. Survey results further showed agency usage was highly correlated to hospital bed size. Additionally, contrary to previous research, hospital ownership status (for‐profit/not‐for‐profit) was not found to significantly affect agency utilization. Specifics about hospital/agency relationships are presented.
Management behavior and barriers to market orientation in retailing companies
Authors: Harris Lloyd C. , Piercy Nigel F.
Published: July 2002

Marketing writing has long argued the value to services companies of developing “market orientation”. However, the existence of organizational barriers to the development of market orientation in services businesses has been neglected. The findings of research in food retailing companies suggests associations between several important aspects of management behavior and successfully developing market orientation. These findings are of particular interest in enhancing the understanding of the problems faced in developing market orientation in retail businesses, but also of general interest to the services marketing reader. A series of conclusions and implications of this research for services marketing are presented.
The impact of communication effectiveness and service quality on relationship commitment in consumer, professional services
Authors: Sharma Neeru , Patterson Paul G.
Published: July 2002

Most previous research in the domain of relationship marketing has focused on the antecedents of loyalty and commitment in industrial markets, distribution channels or consumer goods. This study, however, models the antecedents of clients’ relationship commitment in the context of a professional service, high in credence qualities (where customers have difficulty in confidently evaluating service quality, even purchase and consumption) ‐ i.e. personal financial planning services. The impact of four key explanatory variables (communication effectiveness, technical quality, functional quality and trust) are examined. The results support the hypothesized model and show communication effectiveness to be a key driver of all antecedent variables, and the single most powerful determinant of relationship commitment.
Closing the gaps: service quality in sport tourism
Authors: Thwaites Des
Published: July 2002

Draws on the extant literature in the areas of services marketing, sport tourism and service quality to present a range of concepts and models that have utility in heightening management’s appreciation of the complexities of achieving service quality in a sport‐tourism context. Emphasis is placed on the multidimensional nature of the issues involved. Generic service and quality concepts and models are tailored to sport tourism through a range of examples. More in‐depth illustrations are provided by case material relating to Club La Santa, which is located on the northern coast of Lanzarote. Marketed as “the world’s leading sport and leisure resort”, La Santa offers all‐year‐round training and leisure facilities for national and international standard sportsmen and women, as well as less competitive visitors who merely seek exercise and relaxation. The managerial implications of the issues are discussed.
Approaching the challenges and costs of the North American industrial classification system (NAICS)
Authors: O’Connor Lisa
Published: July 2002

The transition from the standard industrial classification (SIC) system to the North American industrial classification system (NAICS) will not be rapid, but its effects will be profound for business researchers and information professionals. Most government agencies are already in the midst of this six‐year transition and, although private information producers are not compelled to switch from SIC to NAICS, most are planning to do so. The far‐reaching impact of NAICS on business information will affect libraries of all types. This article describes the challenges and costs associated with this change and makes recommendations for materials and training.
The essentials of financial strength through sound lobbying fundamentals
Authors: Meraz Gloria
Published: July 2002

Successfully managing libraries begins by securing funding and favorable library policies. Whether one reports to a city council, a university board, or a corporate division, securing budget funds – and, for that matter, most other operational resources – is a process of justification, persuasion and commitment. Knowledge of lobbying techniques is useful in promoting library needs to decision makers. Three areas related to lobbying can be of benefit to library managers. These areas are: positioning oneself to be an effective lobbyist; making the most out of the “lobbying meeting”; and the lobbying arena.
Outsourcing in private law libraries since the Baker & McKenzie action
Authors: Miles Kevin
Published: July 2002

Describes how on March 31, 1995, the Chicago office of the law firm of Baker & McKenzie dismissed the entire library staff of three professionals, seven paraprofessionals, and additional 25 support staff. While the publicly stated reasons for this action were to bring the library more into the electronic age and to make it more global, a recent $3,700,000 award for sexual harassment and a bloated staff‐to‐attorney ratio of two staff for every attorney, were the influencing causes. Outsourcing in business, and in academic libraries, is not a new phenomenon. Cataloging departments are most likely to be outsourced because it reallocates resources, produces higher quality of cataloging, and there is a well‐developed infrastructure of vendors who provide cataloging on a contract basis. Private law libraries outsource some of their functions, but not their reference desks. Discusses the literature of outsourcing and presents an outsourcing survey of private law firms.
Information technology monopolies: implications for library managers
Authors: Mercado Marina I.
Published: July 2002

Librarians are asked to downsize, economize and streamline, while they are also, simultaneously, expected to provide the fastest, latest and most expensive hardware and software so as to make the information marketplace accessible to their patrons. What most librarians have not realized, however, is that they are also asked, whether they like it or not, to bet on which of the various technologies will supercede the others. Understanding the corporate environment in which this future is decided is crucial if librarians are to be successful in meeting all these expectations. The author explores library‐related implications of the US Department of Justice’s investigations into the operations of Microsoft and Intel and suggests that developing a broader understanding of information technology marketing is crucial to the short‐ and long‐term future of libraries.
The impact of group selection on student performance and satisfaction
Authors: Mahenthiran Sakthi , Rouse Pamela J.
Published: July 2002

Investigates whether the performance and attitudes of students could be improved by giving them some control over the group selection process. Groups were formed either by randomly combining paired friends or by randomly assigning all students. Students completed a group exercise and a group case. The dependent variables were the project grades and student satisfaction. Student satisfaction was measured using a questionnaire. The results show that attitudes of students were more positive when they were allowed to choose a single friend in the group. The project grades were significantly higher when students were paired, and this result was true regardless of their grade point averages. The interaction between group selection and grade point average is explained, and the paper concludes that the best group selection is to pair friends and then combine them to form groups with high ability rather than randomly assigning students to groups.
Models of self‐governance in schools: Australia and the United Kingdom
Authors: Bush Tony , Gamage David
Published: July 2002

The final decade of the twentieth century saw a major shift to self‐governance for schools in many countries, including the UK and Australia. This trend is underpinned by the assumption that greater autonomy will lead to improved educational outcomes. The impact of self‐management on principals and schools is now well documented but much less attention has been given to the implications for governance, a significant omission as the process of decentralisation transfers responsibilities to governing bodies rather than school principals. Reviews the main issues of governance and illustrates them from the research in England and Wales and in Australia. It joins the debate about the appropriate balance between governance and management for governing bodies and examines the lay/professional interface in school governance. It assesses governors’ role as representatives of school interest groups and concludes by setting out a research agenda for governance in self‐managing schools.
Applying ethical principles to the decision to build the Red Hill Creek Expressway
Authors: McKay Ruth B.
Published: July 2002

When making decisions about budget expenditures, governments often confront stakeholders with dramatically opposing positions. These stakeholders attempt, through lobbying, to impress on politicians a preferred decision. Frequently forgotten in the process are issues of ethics. The bitter divide of a community over a funding decision would be improved if politicians incorporated the ethical principles of differing values, equal consideration, equitable participation, distributive justice and emphasis on non‐quantifiable factors into the decision process. These five principles are examined in this paper through the evaluation of the decision to build the Red Hill Creek Expressway in the region of Hamilton‐Wentworth in Ontario, Canada. The region’s failure to consider these fundamental principles in their decision‐making process is highlighted by examples from this case.
Reaffirming public‐private partnerships in retirement pension provision
Authors: McKinnon Roddy , Charlton Roger
Published: July 2002

Contemporary debates over the future direction of retirement pensions policy have been dominated by a polemic over the scope of, and the future balance between, the respective roles of public and private sectors in the management and delivery of benefit “entitlements”. This debate has negatively judged the institutional capacity of the state sustainably to supply adequate national retirement provision. This development is viewed as problematic as it is contentious in that it seeks to abandon lessons learned from the long, albeit currently underestimated, historical pedigree of public‐private partnership in institutional pensions provision. Against the ascendancy of World Bank‐driven attitudes regarding the limitations of “public”’ pensions provision, it is argued that due recognition be given to the ongoing capacity of state sectors to contribute positively to the management and delivery of old‐age pensions. Argues further that the social welfare‐driven imperatives which led states initially to become increasingly more involved in national pensions provision remain no less salient today and for the future, and are particularly salient for developing economies with poorly developed private financial sectors.
Attaining agreement: a rhetorical analysis of an NHS negotiation
Authors: Hamilton Peter M.
Published: July 2002

The paper is centred through an examination of a short piece of recorded talk between managers and shop stewards within a UK National Health Service (NHS) Trust, relating to the manner in which one of the shop stewards attempted to get the managers to accede to a request he made for changes to the wording of a section of the Trust’s disciplinary procedure. In examining this piece of talk, the paper first contextualises the Trust through the decentralisation process of the early 1990s. The decentralisation process clearly did not introduce formal negotiation into NHS units, but instead increased the scope of formal negotiation encounters. The paper argues that there was an increased importance for persuasion as the need to gain others’ assent on industrial relations matters at the local level was significantly increased. The paper analyses the dynamics of one particular negotiating encounter between two managers and two shop stewards. In analysing this, the paper focuses through rhetoric. In coming through a rhetorical framework, the paper highlights the need for managers, when negotiating, to be alert to the implied elements of the arguments of those across the negotiating table. Concludes by also understanding the rhetoric of the encounter in the light of the marketisation of the NHS during the 1990s.
Making modernisation work
Authors: Maddock Su
Published: July 2002

Although politicians are desperate for innovation, few are brave enough to talk about how difficult it is to shift people away from predictable patterns of behaving and from conforming cultures. There is a tendency in national government to think radical and act conservative. The Labour government, in its modernisation policies, appears to be genuine in its desire for social inclusion and real change, but the thinking about how to persuade people to engage with this process is ill thought out. The conventional modes of delivering legislation, programmes and partnerships too often ignore the need to involve staff and communities. Modernisation and change are dependent on new forms of people‐management. The report draws on MBS Change Centre audit and consultancy within local partnerships including the Health Action Zones and on research funded by the ESRC Management Innovation Programme. Concludes that the improvement process will only succeed if government’s incentives and managerial frameworks sustain people‐relationships in communities and in public sector organisations. Concludes also that there is a lack of leadership and “know‐how” in the public sector about how to achieve transformation and that policy makers need to focus on managing the transformation process.
Qualifying for leadership or control masquerading as enlightenment?
Authors: Milliken John
Published: July 2002

The 1988 Education Reform Act marked a fundamental shift in direction for the education service and represented a radical shift from the past. One of the major areas of change has been on existing relationships and the subsequent challenge to traditional structures and practices. Responsibilities and accountability have been decentralised to the individual institution. Subsequently this has led to pressure from sources, such as the Government and teaching profession, for a more articulate approach to leadership and management development. In 1990 Handy warned that not all staff are equally experienced or capable of leadership roles. Williams suggested that the position of principal/headteacher is not necessarily the most appropriate for some members of the teaching profession. This paper looks at a proposed initiative for the development of a qualification for headship in general and the implications for implementation in Northern Ireland in particular, and considers it against existing management literature and practice.
A Generic Framework for Programme Management
Authors: Ejigiri Damien D.
Published: July 2002

Provides a framework for analysing and accomplishing programme
objectives, both in the public and private sectors. The framework
provokes analysis beginning from what is the business of an agency to
determining the appropriate mix of strategies for accomplishing
programme objectives. The framework consists of seven critical
components: evaluating the business of the agency; ascertaining the
authority inherent in an office; understanding the operating environment
– both the political and the non‐political environment; conducting
inventory of resources to determine what is needed; selecting the
appropriate techniques to accomplish the objectives; and finally
evaluating the outcome. To demonstrate the application, two cases from
the American political system were analysed. In analysing the case
examples, it became apparent that the administrator who understood his
mandate and the operating environment invariably developed the
appropriate mix of strategies needed to accomplish programme objectives.
On the other hand, the administrator who lacked reasonable appreciation
of the operating environment, but seemed to understand only his mandate,
had trouble developing any effective stratagems for accomplishing
programme objectives.
Quality Assurance (BS 5750) in Social Services Departments
Authors: Patel Anoop
Published: July 2002

Quality assurance is concentrated in manufacturing and over the
last three to four years there has been an upsurge of interest in the
public sector. Focuses on local authority social services departments,
but literature and the implementation of quality assurance in the social
services is very limited, particularly in specific areas such as Meals
on Wheels, home care services and children′s homes. Provides an
understanding of the requirements of implementing Quality Assurance
(BS5750) in Social Services, particularly the Meals on Wheels service.
Gives a brief outline of what is quality assurance and BS5750. Aims to
provide social service practitioners with insight and guidance to the
requirements of introducing BS5750 for the Meals on Wheels service.
Managing Public Relief Programmes via the Privatization Paradigm
Authors: Hogan Stephen , Porterfield Rebecca , Robinson Steve
Published: July 2002

Addresses the general issue of the effective management of public
relief programmes. Proposes that in the search for an appropriate
guiding framework, public administrators could overcome some of the
perennial problems stemming from lack of management continuity between
ad hoc programmes by adopting the so‐called “privatization
paradigm”. Develops a comparative analysis based on the Bureau of
Indian Affairs′ (USA) recent effort to assist American Indians start and
maintain viable business ventures. Argues that the substantial
non‐securing management costs of business relief programmes could be
reduced if administrators applied management models provided by
privatization theory to the direction of their programmes.
Reinventing administrative policies for the 1990s
Authors: Paton Richard , Dodge Christiane
Published: July 2002

To meet the management challenges of the 1990s, governments must
fundamentally reexamine their approaches to administrative policy. In
most governments, administrative policies, such as contracting,
procurement, information technology, land and internal government
services, are often dominated by management philosophies inherited from
the 1960s and 1970s. Policies in these areas have often been shaped by a
desire for detailed control, with little regard for the cost of these
controls or their impact on service delivery or innovation. Governments
today cannot afford administrative policies which do not balance the
need for expenditure control with service delivery and innovation. The
good news is that it can be done. Governments and businesses are under
enormous pressures to reduce administrative costs, improve services,
respond to the demands of an information society and to develop more
innovative approaches to conducting business. As part of this
transformation, the Federal Government in Canada found that its
administrative policies were a major impediment to more efficient,
service‐oriented and innovative government. Recounts the story of how
one organization in a central agency of the Government of Canada
recognized the need for a dramatic change in its philosophy and approach
to administrative policies, and accomplished those changes over a
five‐year period of phased implementation between 1988 and 1993.
Public sector reform and the re‐legitimation of public bureaucratic power
Authors: Cheung Anthony B.L.
Published: July 2002

Argues that from the 1980s onwards, the Hong Kong Government has initiated a series of reforms within the civil service which eventually have been subsumed within a programme of public sector reform. The key features of these reforms are not dissimilar from the style of reform espoused within “new public management” (NPM) ideology. Argues that, despite attempts to adopt NPM ideology with regard to public sector reform, Hong Kong’s reforms do not share the same institutional reform logic as those of NPM. Suggests a political discourse of NPM‐based public sector reform which places the re‐legitimation of bureaucratic power as the key to understanding the reform process.
The need to mobilize government learning in the Republic of Slovenia
Authors: Saner Raymond , Yiu Lichia
Published: July 2002

Highlights the unique difficulties of Slovenia’s current public administrative system which has to find ways to change from the previous Yugoslav system to a more modern administrative system. First describes Slovenia’s economic and political make‐up and proceeds with a description and discussion of Slovenia’s current public sector inefficiencies and ineffectiveness. Concludes with a call for continuous reforms of Slovenia’s central government administration and suggests that strengthening of the administration’s internal management development capability should be one of the key prerequisites for embarking on the reform process.
Equal opportunities versus managing diversity
Authors: McDougall Marilyn
Published: July 2002

Highlights the recent growth in the concept of managing diversity as an alternative to equal opportunities, and considers whether the difference between them is simply one of semantics or of material substance. Assesses the nature of these differences and considers their impact on organizations and their relationship to each other. Explores issues through case studies of two comprehensive schools whose structure is typical of many public sector organizations. Presents findings on the conditions and culture in which women’s management careers are successfully progressed in the public sector and the extent to which these reflect equal opportunities or managing diversity approaches to the issue of gender. Concludes by assessing the implications of findings for strategy and policy in the field.
Patterns of governance in local public spending bodies
Authors: Greer Alan , Hoggett Paul
Published: July 2002

Presents initial findings from research undertaken in 1996 for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation into the internal governance of further education corporations, housing associations and training and enterprise councils. Discusses the relationship between board members and senior officers in these organizations by focusing on the distinctions drawn between strategy, policy and operations. Argues that the language of policy has increasingly been replaced by the language of strategy and that this corresponds to the evacuation of policy questions from the local public sphere. Advances four hypotheses to explain this rolling back of the frontiers of politics: a reassertion of the power of chief executives/managers linked to a new generation of social entrepreneurs; the emergence of a new generation of élite volunteers who restrict their activities to vision and strategy; a response to a rapidly changing economy, society, politics and environment in which speed of decision is of the essence; and increasing centralization. Concludes that a combination of internal and external pressures has reinforced the move towards the new governance.
Managing risk and delivering quality services: a case study perspective
Authors: Harrow Jenny
Published: July 2002

Public managers throughout the world work in an unforgiving environment in which to take risks. Managers face varying pressures from a range of informed publics to ensure that risks to them are minimized or eliminated; while many are simultaneously subject to criticism, via private practice models, that they are too risk‐averse. Concurrently, leadership from public managers is sought in drives to ensure quality in public services. Risk and quality appear strongly inter‐linked, although managerial discussion of their interrelationship seems relatively rare, at least within the public domain. Links these two concepts, as they are experienced by public managers, through two pilot case studies of managerial practice in the UK, based in probation and health services. Gives consideration in each study to the contribution of understanding and managing risk as a core element in improving public services quality. The theoretical underpinnings of the research are drawn primarily from the literature on strategic management and risk‐taking in public services.
Trouble in paradise
Authors: McHugh Marie
Published: July 2002

Focusing on one of the “Next Steps” agencies, explores the difficulties which many organizations experience in relation to the process of strategy implementation. States that agentization has created a need for public sector organizations to embark on strategic change. However, adherence to an outmoded set of cultural values and a panic‐crazed obsession with efficiency often lead to a series of ill‐conceived, disjointed initiatives; these may contribute to a disintegrated approach adopted towards strategy formulation. Argues that, to effect successful strategic change, there is a need for organizations to promote integration between the content and the process of strategic management.
Stakeholders views of management development as a cultural change process in the Health Service
Authors: Currie Graeme
Published: July 2002

Illustrates the failure of a competence‐based management development programme in a hospital trust to achieve organisational objectives. The approach and content of the management development programme is resisted by participants despite the facilitators drawing upon management theory to legitimate it. The question posed in this paper, building upon an earlier study by Holman and Hall (1996), is whether the generic approach of competence‐based management development is appropriate in the UK NHS. The theoretical inspiration for the research is what may be termed a “processual” or “contextualist” approach which is clearly influenced by “negotiated order” literature.
The selection of management consultants
Authors: Corcoran Jan , McLean Fiona
Published: July 2002

Although the public sector has become a major employer of management consultants, no research has previously been undertaken to investigate the purchase of management consultants in the public sector context. Outlines an investigation into the purchase of management consultants by government departments, focusing specifically on the selection decision. The UK and Australia were examined to ensure that the findings were not merely local phenomena. Research focused on the public sector decision makers’ guiding procurement principle, value for money, and the criteria and information sources both used and desired to assist the purchase decision. It was found that there was widespread and relatively uniform understanding of the procurement principle, value for money, although there appeared to be a lack of connection between this principle and procurement practice. Public sector decision makers also believed that they had adequate although not satisfactory access to information upon which to base their decisions while, significantly, it was revealed that these decision makers did not believe the selection decision for management consultants was, overall, difficult. Concludes that the implications of this research are twofold. First, it highlights the issues of “corporate memory” and information management, and their impact upon informed decision making, and secondly it questions the applicability of private sector research to public sector practice.
Guiding principles on civil service reform in Africa: an empirical review
Authors: Wescott Clay
Published: July 2002

The Guiding Principles on Civil Service Reform were endorsed by the Special Programme of Assistance for Africa (SPA) as a tool for better co‐ordination of donor support. Because of the range of administrative problems, and the economic and political urgency of solving them, African governments need a strategic framework for civil service reform. This should be based on a vision of the role of the state, and take into account leadership, commitment, governance, economic reforms, sequencing, ministerial restructuring, decentralisation, downsizing, pay and incentives, capacity building, service delivery, aid mechanisms, and change management processes. Because of the enormity and political sensitivity of the task, and the severe limitations on capacity to manage reform, such a framework will take 10‐20 years to implement fully in most countries. Civil service reform is an art, not a science. Committed reformers within the concerned government know best what they need, and how to get there. The role of donors should be mainly facilitation: identifying committed reformers (or potentially committed ones), and then empowering them to design and carry out needed changes.
International economic assistance and sustainable development
Authors: Nachmias Nitza
Published: July 2002

Compares Palestine and Cambodia with respect to the involvement of NGOs in generating sustainable development. Both countries have suffered war and both still struggle for a fragile peace; success appears to hinge on the international community’s ability to achieve economic development and real social and political improvements. Results can be achieved through: co‐operation between donor services and local authorities, using assistance to increase local entrepreneurship, economic independence and active participation; making formal agreements between NGO and local authorities as to duties and remit of the aid operations; establishment of a workable accountability system; formation of a structured co‐ordination framework; and using UN agencies more frequently and extensively.
Organisational knowledge and responses of public sector clients towards value management
Authors: Sik‐wah Fong Patrick
Published: July 2002

This paper reports the results of a questionnaire survey of public clients in the construction industry in Hong Kong on their organisational knowledge, responses and use of value management (VM). It concludes that VM is essential to capital projects both to reduce costs and to improve the quality of finished projects. In simple terms, it helps to achieve value for money. Although a fair number of respondents have comprehensive knowledge of VM, lack of practical experience in VM is still a problem frequently encountered in the promotion of VM in Hong Kong. Shortage of VM specialists to facilitate studies presents further problems. The analyzed data indicate that value management is still in its infancy in Hong Kong. More trained VM specialists are needed. VM training for clients and professionals is also important and can be accomplished through different media such as professional institutions, universities and practice guides. Government legislation is regarded as unnecessary at this point in time. An encouraging aspect of the findings is that whenever VM studies are applied in capital projects, clients are satisfied with the results.
Globalisation and Australian universities: policies and impacts
Authors: Pratt Graham , Poole David
Published: July 2002

Explores how globalisation has affected Australian public policy in general and higher education policy in particular. Considers the impacts of globalisation on Australian universities, and examines the ways in which university leaders invoke the rhetoric of globalisation to set the foundations for institutional change, pursue the repositioning of their institutions, and to develop a new discourse for the sector. The effects of globalisation on Australia and its universities are seen to be significant, and to impact in both direct and indirect ways.
Pragmatic institutional design in Botswana ‐‐ Salient features and an assessment
Authors: Adamolekun Ladipo , Morgan Philip
Published: July 2002

Outlines the key developments and institutions of Botswana as it has evolved since independence in 1966; a successful marriage of some of the traditional forms of political organization with those adapted from the West. Looks at the political and legal history of Botswana and presents some of the main problems in governance which need addressing. Work improvement teams and the Botsawana National Productivity Centre have been introduced to address some of the issues. Local governance is discussed. Public sector reform until 2002 will mainly address rationalization of administration, privatization and productivity improvements.
Developing environmental accounting: insights from indigenous cultures
Authors: Gallhofer Sonja , Gibson Kathy , Haslam Jim , McNicholas Patty , Takiari Bella
Published: July 2002

The view is taken that the study of diverse cultures can contribute to the development of environmental accounting and reporting. The focus is upon seeking to articulate insights from three indigenous cultures: the Australian Aboriginal, the Maori and the Native American. These cultures, alive today, provide relevant insights for those concerned with challenging mainstream and Western practices and seeking to develop alternatives. Attention is focused on these insights and it is hoped that further research will be stimulated.
Couples and their money: patterns of accounting and accountability in the domestic economy
Authors: Pahl Jan
Published: July 2002

The financial arrangements of married and as‐married couples are examined in the light of ideas taken from the field of accounting and accountability. Data on couples and their money are drawn from the Family Expenditure Survey, and from focus groups and interviews. The data were collected in the course of a study on new forms of money, such as credit and debit cards, telephone and Internet banking. The results suggest that the accounting practices of couples are not necessarily consistent, but that they are meaningful. They are not consistent in that different parts of the intra‐household economy are likely to be subject to different types and levels of accountability. They are meaningful in that accounting practices reflect the economic position of the household, the relative incomes of husband and wife and fundamental aspects of their relationship. Banking arrangements, as they record financial history and map past and present relationships, offer a powerful guide to understanding wider issues within marriage and family life.
Home accountants: exploring their practices
Authors: Northcott Deryl , Doolin Bill
Published: July 2002

Little is known of how accounting is used in the home, or about the potential relevance of business‐like techniques in this domain. This paper reports findings from an exploratory study into the practices of home accountants. Ten cases based on interviews with both accountants and lay people were used to investigate four broad areas of accounting practice: budgeting, record‐keeping, decision making and long‐term financial planning. The findings suggest that simple accounting practices are used in the home to serve multiple purposes. Domestic cash budgets, financial records and decision‐making rules of thumb offer a valued sense of financial control and security. Home accounts are also drawn on in rationalising financial choices, and accounting practices reinforce a personal sense of identity. This study revealed little difference between the practices of accountants and those of lay people, suggesting that the “mind‐set” and practices of home accountants may be attributed to factors other than command over technique. Any “theories” of home accounting and prescriptions for practice may have limited relevance, therefore, if they fail to account for the particular characteristics of the home as an accounting domain.
Reforms and Myths – A History of Swedish Municipal
Accounting
Authors: Bergevarn Lars‐Eric , Olson Olov
Published: July 2002

The article deals with the development of Swedish municipal
accounting since the middle of the last century to the present time. The
article focuses on reforms of accounting norms on one hand and on myths
of accounting on the other. The main conclusions are that the accounting
norms will be reformed when the dominating myth of the norms is
threatened or changed, that practice influences norms and that reforms
of norms do not necessarily lead to changes of practice.
Variance Reporting and the Delegation of Blame: A Case
Study
Authors: Armstrong Peter
Published: July 2002

The traditional functionalist analysis of the motivational
properties of budgetary controls and variance reports has identified a
number of dysfunctional features of typical systems, but has failed to
explain why these persist. Through an examination of the case of a
simple labour cost reporting system, it is suggested that part of the
reason is that, for senior managers, accounting control systems serve to
delegate the blame for organisational problems. The features of a system
which enables this to be easily accomplished are, in some respects, the
precise opposite of those which are generally considered ideal from the
motivational point of view.
Comparison of Social Responsibility Information Disclosure
Media Used by Canadian Firms
Authors: Zeghal Daniel , Ahmed Sadrudin A.
Published: July 2002

This study examines the social responsibility information disclosed
through mass media vehicles by Canadian companies operating in the
banking and petroleum industries. The analysis compares disclosures,
made through mass media vehicles such as magazine, radio and television
advertisements and company brochures, with those made through the
company′s annual reports. Results indicated that the mass media vehicles
were used extensively, but that they provided less information in the
quantitative and monetary form than did the annual reports. In addition,
information provided through the mass media vehicles dealt with only a
few information categories. Comparison across the firms by industry
indicated that there was a large interfirm difference in the usage of
these media for making social disclosure. It is, therefore, felt that
annual reports alone perhaps do not adequately represent the information
disclosure activities of a firm or an industry.
Environmental Disclosures: A Note on Reporting Practices in Mainland Europe
Authors: Roberts Clare B.
Published: July 2002

Most extant surveys of mainland European companies′ disclosure of
social and environmental data are now somewhat dated. One hundred and
ten companies across five countries are surveyed, illustrated with
examples of practice, and country differences are explored.
“Negative Political Feedback” – A Postscript
Authors: Smith Peter
Published: July 2002

Reply to comments on the author′s original article (article and
comments in AAAJ, Vol. 5 No. 1, 1992) – a postscript.
Emphasizes that policy makers do seek recourse to statistical methods
when trying to understand the nature of public sector efficiency, and
regression analysis has particular dangers. Misused the technique may
lead to undervaluation of the importance of public sector resource
inputs. Argues that the structure of the “positivist” model
is flawed and doomed to failure; refinement of the data set will not
correct structural defects in the model.