bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genossenschaftsgesinnung in entscheidungslogischer Perspektive
Authors: RIBHEGGE HERMANN
Published: May 2007

Zielsetzung des Artikels ist es, aufzuzeigen, dass viele Verhaltensweisen in Genossenschaften, die als genossenschaftsspezifisch gekennzeichnet und mit dem Schlagwort «homo cooperativus» umschrieben werden, durchaus mit dem Modell des «homo oeconomicus» vereinbar sind. Dazu werden die Präferenzen, die Handlungsrestriktionen sowie die Entscheidungsmaxime eines Genossenschaftsmitglieds analysiert. Es wird nachgewiesen, dass kooperative Verhaltensweisen durchaus rational sein können, da Genossenschaften Organisationen auf Dauer sind, in denen sich besondere Enwartungsstrukturen herausbilden. Durch reziprokes Verhalten, das auf der Erwartung aufbaut, dass Vorleistungen von anderen Mitgliedern später honoriert werden, kann sich ein Gefühl der Solidarität in Genossenschaften etablieren, das die Genossenschaft stabilisiert und Aussenseiterverhalten diskriminiert.
Production, Distribution, and Environmental Quality: Mr. Sraffa Reinterpreted as an Ecologist
Authors: England Richard W.
Published: May 2007

This note demonstrates that PIERO SRAFFA'S wage‐profit frontier can be generalized to take into account the real costs of protecting the environment from waste residuals. As such, it is an exercise in theoretical synthesis which draws upon elements of neo‐Ricardian theory and environmental economics.
On the Efficient Use of Mathematics in Economics: Some Theory, Facts and Results of an Opinion Survey
Authors: GRUBEL HERBERT G. , BOLAND LAWRENCE A.
Published: May 2007

We consider mathematics to be an input into the production of human and knowledge capital in economics. The competitive and the interest group models are analyzed as to their predictions about the efficient use of this input. Many stylized facts are found to be consistent with the interest group model and the implication of an excess use of mathematics. Mathematics in journal articles is shown to have grown significantly during the postwar years. In a survey, 250 economists express the view that there is too much mathematics in professional journals. Only a minority of respondents rejects the view that interest group behaviour is taking place.
An Economic Theory of Political Parties
Authors: GALEOTTI GIANLUIGI , BRETON ALBERT
Published: May 2007

In the SCHUMPETER‐DOWNS economic approach to politics, rational citizens vote to select a government that will supply policies to meet their preferences. There is no place in that logic for the variegated coalitions which are called political parties; voting itself is indeed irrational following JOHN STUART MILL'S view of the relationship between citizens and politicians, we suggest that voting and other political activities are the ‘price’ paid in an exchange relationship in which the quid pro quo is the promise of politicians to represent the opinions of citizens in parliamentary debates in what MILL called the Congress of Opinions. In that view, political parties are organizations that serve to guarantee that the implicit or quasi‐contracts between citizens and representatives are abided by and fulfilled.

In der demokratischen Wirtschaftstheorie von SCHUMPETER und DOWNS wird ange‐nommen, dass der bewusste, rational handelnde Staatsbürger eine Regierung wählt, die seine politischen Interessen unterstützt. In dieser Logik gibt es keinen Platz für die verschiedenen Koalitionen, die als politische Parteien bekannt sind. Der individuelle Akt des Wählens selbst wird als irrational bezeichnet. In diesem Artikel beziehen wir uns auf die Ansicht JOHN STUART MILLS, der das Verhäitnis zwischen Staatsbürgern und politischen Vertretern analysiert, und behaupten, dass der Gebrauch des Stimm‐rechts und alle politischen Tätigkeiten der “Preis” für das Versprechen des Politikers, die Interessen des Staatsbürgers im Parlament (JOHN STUART MILL nennt dasselbe “Kongress der politischen Meinungen”) zu vertreten sei. Unter diesem Gesichtspunkt gesehen, kann man sagen, dass politische Parteien Organisationen sind, die dazu dienen, die Erfüllung dieses impliziten Vertrages oder quasi‐Vertrages zwischen Staatsbürgern und ihren politischen Stellvertretern zu garantieren.

La théorie économique de la démocratic énoncée par SCHUMPETER et DOWNS suppose que les citoyens votent pour désigner un gouvernement qui formulera, à son tour, des choix politiques conformes à leurs préférences. Non seulement une telle façon de concevoir ne laisse aucune place à ces différentes coalitions bigarrées nommées partis politiques, mais le fait même de voter est considéré comme irrationnel. Dans cet article, prenant pretexte de ce que nous suggére JOHN STUART MILL sur les rapports entre citoyens et politiciens, nous interprétons l'expression du suffrage et les autres actes politiques individuels comme le “prix” que les citoyens patent en échange de la promesse que les hommes politiques leur font de les représenter au cours des débats parlementaires qui se déroulent dans ce que MILL définit les “Congrés des Opinions”. Les partis politiques constituent, par conséquent, des organisations qui servent à garantir et à contrôler que ce contrat implicite ou que ce quasi‐contrat entre les citoyens et leurs représentants politiques soit rempli et respecté.
Voting on Social Security: The Family as Decision‐Making Unit
Authors: BREYER FRIEDRICH , SCHULENBURG** J.‐MATTHIAS GRAF V. D.
Published: May 2007

In periods of demographic change, pay‐as‐you‐go financed social security systems imply transfers of lifetime income not only among generational cohorts, but also between families of different size and generational composition. Whereas previous models of voting on social security in democratic societies focused on the first type of transfer and assumed homogeneity of interests within each generation, we treat the family as the relevant decision‐making unit. It is then analyzed how the results of majority voting on public pension and sickness funds depend on the rate of time preference, the overall rate of population growth and the distribution of children across families. Not surprisingly, opposition to mandatory social security turns out to be greatest when children are most unevenly distributed.
Industrialisation and Macroeconomic Performance in Developing Countries under Alternative Trade Strategies
Authors: GREENAWAY DAVID , NAM CHONG HYUN
Published: May 2007

The role of international trade in industrialisation and the impact of foreign trade regime on macroeconomic performance has been a source of lasting controversy over the post war period. This paper analyses the experience of 41 less developed countries, some of which have followed inward oriented strategies, others of which have followed outward oriented strategies. Various criterion are used to distinguish between alternative strategies and a variety of indicators of industrialisation and macroeconomic performance examined. The findings suggest that outward oriented economies have generally performed better than inward oriented economies.

Die Rolle des Welthandels in der Industrialisierung und die Einwirkung des Aussenhandels auf makroökonomische Leistung sind während der Nachkriegszeit eine andauernde Streitfrage geblieben. Diese Arbeit untersucht die Erfahrungen von 41 weniger entwickelten Ländern, von denen einige einfuhr‐ und andere ausfuhrorien‐tierte Strategien verfolgt haben. Dabei werden unterschiedliche Massstabe angelegt, um zwischen Alternativstrategien zu unterscheiden und verschiedene Indikatoren der Industrialisierung und der makroökonomischen Leistung untersucht. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass die ausfuhrorientierten Wirtschaftsordnungen im allgemeinen höhere Leistungen erbracht haben als die einfuhrorientierten.

Le ro̧le du commerce international dans l“industrialisation et l'impact du régime de commerce extérieur sur la performance macroéconomique a été source de controverses soutenues pendant la période d'après‐guerre. Cet article analyse l'expérience de 41 pays moins développés, dont certains ont suivi des stratégies orientées vers l'intérieur et d'autres ont suivi des stratégies orientées vers l'extérieur. Divers criterès sont employés pour distinguer entre les stratégies alternatives et divers indicateurs de l'industrialisation et de la performance macroeconomique sont examines. Les conclusions suggerent que les resultats des economies orientees vers l'exterieur sont en general meilleurs que ceux des economies orientees vers l'interieur.
Government Size and Public Choices
Authors: PICHT HARTMUT
Published: May 2007

Building upon recent contributions on government size and growth an attempt is made to quantify the actual opportunity costs of governmental service supplies and patterns of finance. The findings are discussed with respect to their impact on government size. The analysis for the Federal Republic of Germany suggests that public consumption is too high while public investment is too low. Further, public debt finance is too large relative to current taxes. No definite conclusion can be drawn with respect to the overall public sector size since opposing tendencies prevail, but all imbalances add to the problem of unemployment.

Aufbauend auf jüngeren Entwicklungen zum Thema Umfang und Wachstum des Staates wird der Versuch unternommen, die Opportunitätskosten offentlicher Leistungen und Finanzierungsformen abzuschätzen. Die Ergebnisse werden im Hinblick auf ihre Auswirkungen auf den Umfang der Staatstätigkeit diskutiert. Die Analyse für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland zeigt, dass der öffentliche Verbrauch zu hoch und die öffentlichen Investitionen zu gering sind. Überdies ist die öffentliche Neuverschuldung im Vergleich zur laufenden Steuerlast zu hoch. Eine abschliessende Beurteilung im Hinblick auf den Gesamtumfang des öffentlichen Sektors kann nicht vorgenommen werden, da gegenläufige Tendenzen vorliegen. Allerdings tragen alle Verzerrungen zum Problem der Arbeitslosigkeit bei.

RESUME

L'auteur essaie, en suivant les développements récents sur le sujet de la magnitude et de la croissance du secteur public, d'estimer les cou̧ts d'opportunité de la production publique et les différents formes de la financer. Les résultats sont discutés en ce qui concerne leurs effets sur la magnitude du secteur public. L'analyse pour la République Fédérale d'Allemagne montre que la consommation publique est trop élevée et que les investissements publics sont trop bas. En plus, l'endettement de l'état par rapport aux recettes fiscales est trop élevé. Quant à la magnitude totale du secteur public, il est impossible, à cause des tendances contradictoires, d'arriver à une conclusion finale. De toute façon, les distorsions contribuent au probléme du cho̧mage.
Besprechungen—Comptes rendus—Reviews
Authors: Menck Karl Wolfgang
Published: May 2007

BIRD, RICHARD and OLDMANN, OLIVER (eds.): Taxation in Developing Countries. Baltimore/London: Johns Hopkins 1990. x + 530 pp. $ 34.00 (pb), $ 75.00 (hb).
Finite Lives and Social Institutions
Authors: Brennan Geoffrey , Kliemt Hartmut
Published: May 2007

‘The days of our years are threescore yeas and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.’
Determinants of Willingness and Opportunity to Start as an Entrepreneur
Authors: Praag C. Mirjam Van , Ophem Hans Van
Published: May 2007

This paper develops an empirical model to separate the unobserved factors of ‘opportunity' and ‘willingness’ in the decision of labor force participants to become self‐employed or not. The estimation results suggest that the majority of young Americans is willing to switch to self‐employment but that opportunity is a major constraint, especially through finance. Entrepreneurial ability aspects that can compensate for a lack of capital are scarce.

In diesem Aufsatz wird ein empirisches Modell entwickelt, welches die nicht beobachteten Faktoren aus dem Bereich ‘Möglichkeit’ und ‘Bereitschaft’ in der Entscheidung der Arbeitnehmer, selbständigerwerbend zu werden oder nicht, voneinander trennt. Die Schätzresultate deuten darauf hin, dass die Mehrheit der jungen Amerikaner zwar bereit ist selbständig zu werden, dass aber der Faktor ‘Möglichkeit’ eine bedeutende Einschränkung ist, besonders durch die Finanzen. Aspekte unternehmerischer Fähigkeiten, die einen Mangel an Kapital kompensieren könnten, sind selten.

Cet article développe un modèle empirique isolant les facteurs inobservés de ľ‘opportunité’ et du ‘consentement’ dans la décision, pour des salariés, de créer où non leur propre entreprise. Les conclusions de ľestimation suggèrent que la majorité des jeunes américains souhaitent devenir indépendants mais que ľopportunité constitue une contrainte forte, notamment pour les questions financières. Les aspects liés à la capacityé de se mettre à son propre compte et qui peuvent compenser le manque initial de fonds, sont rares.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MANAGERIAL SUCCESS AND PERSONAL VALUES IN SOUTH AFRICA: A RESEARCH NOTE
Authors: Orpen Christopher
Published: May 2007

The relationship between personal values and job success was investigated in a sample of 92 South African managers. The correlation between scores on a specially developed key of the Personal Values Questionnaire and relative salary per age (index of success) was significantly positive (r= 0.36, P < 0.001). More successful managers had dynamic and pragmatic values while less successful managers had more passive and static values. The results offer further cross‐cultural support for the close relationship between personal values and managerial success.
WOODWARD, TECHNOLOGY, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PERFORMANCE — A CRITIQUE OF THE UNIVERSAL GENERALIZATION
Authors: Donaldson Lex
Published: May 2007

This paper critically reviews the recent controversy over the relationship between technology, organizational structure and performance which was stimulated by the work of Woodward. An overview of the discussion is offered and an original evaluation offered on the basis of the latest contributions. This involves a detailed critique of the contribution of Zwerman. The conclusion is that the original Woodward thesis, as stated in the set of propositions for which systematic evidence was presented, should now be viewed as having been disconfirmed by the subsequent research.
THE USE OF THE LORENZ CURVE AND THE PARETO DISTRIBUTION IN INTERNAL PAY STRUCTURING: A RESEARCH NOTE
Authors: Husband T. M. , Schofield A. P.
Published: May 2007

This note presents some findings from the early stages of research into the effectiveness of company pay structures.1 The use of the Lorenz curve as a measure of inequality of distribution of a firm's payroll is described. Values for L, the Lorenz coefficient, are presented for the total payroll of a chemical processing firm and for the earnings of manual workers in a medium‐heavy engineering company. The use of the Pareto distribution for management salary structuring is demonstrated. Values for α, the Pareto coefficient, are presented for two chemical companies and two engineering firms. Some possible practical uses for such Lorenz and Pareto values are suggested.
TOWARDS A CRITICAL MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
Authors: Wood Stephen , Kelly John
Published: May 2007

This article examines the work of a number of writers who have attempted critical assessments of management science. Each writer has focused on specific areas that any critical management science would need to consider, viz. the origins of values, relations between organizations and society, the historical development of organizations, and the relationship between management science and developments in the capitalist mode of production. In addition these writers have declined to accept existing modes of organization as given, and have avoided the assumption that management science is inherently, or necessarily, manipulative. Each of the writers, however, has displayed several weaknesses in his analysis: thus Churchman fails to locate the management scientist in the society of which he is a part; Hales has no clear or viable alternative other than to call (in effect) for socialism, and makes the erroneous assumption that managerial strategies are necessarily effective; whilst Whitley too seems to have ‘divested management research of its practical dimension’. In conclusion it is pointed out that the actual effects of managerial strategies must be treated as problematic, since they may be modified by various forms of resistance and class struggle, and that developments in the production process may not necessarily be to the detriment of workers.
COGNITIVE TUNING IN MUNICIPAL PROBLEM SOLVING
Authors: Jönsson Sten
Published: May 2007

This paper presents two case studies of the interactions between politics and problem solving in municipal governments. Problem solving seems to be more efficient and to promote more action when administrative officers have the initiative and politicians tune in cognitively to the officers’presentations. Two main functions of politicians are to take responsibility for solutions, by committing themselves through formal decisions, and to defend solutions externally. Politicians learn about the merits of a solution through their interactions with administrative officers during the problem‐solving process. When politicians feel that a proposed solution is based on sound principles, they are ready to speak as proponents of the solution.
MYTH AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE AMERICAN ACCOUNTING PROFESSION
Authors: Boland Richard J.
Published: May 2007

The American accounting profession attempts to provide the public with efficient and effective financial reports; but to succeed, it must satisfy an environment of diverse, often conflicting, institutions. This article critically interprets the profession's development, arguing that it displays an interplay of myth and technology. This interplay generates structural flaws in the profession as well as a bias against reform.
INNOVATIVE ATTITUDES, VALUES, AND INTENTIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS [1]
Authors: Ettlie John E. , O'Keefe Robert D.
Published: May 2007

In this paper we explore the relationships between some of the various concepts and scales that have been used to characterize innovative attitudes and behaviours. A sample (N = 123) of undergraduate and graduate business students with full‐time jobs or the equivalent provided questionnaire data to test two initial hypotheses. It was found that four attitude‐value scales which have been used to measure change values, innovation orientation, readiness for change, and innovativenesss, are intercorrelated significantly when no distinction is made between the respondents’intentions to be innovative and respondents’actual innovative behaviour. Innovative and change attitudes, as measured by these same four scales, do consistently predict multiple innovative intentions and behaviours but not, as expected, single behaviours or single intentions. The single best predictor in a multiple regression of the combined multiple innovative intention‐behaviour measure was found to be a creative scale (R2= 0.43, p < 0.01). The innovative behaviour scale was tentatively called attitude toward being innovative. A factor analysis of this scale revealed dimensions related to innovative behaviour in organizations: the innovator, the preserver of the status quo, and the unchallenged, dissatisfied person.

Two other hypotheses were also tested. The first was that the perceived organization risk‐taking climate would moderate the relationship between these attitude measures. This hypothesis was not supported by the overall results. However, moderate support was found for the hypothesis that the more formal authority a person has in an organization, the greater the consistency between change attitudes and innovative behaviours as measured by self‐report methods.
GROUP IDEOLOGIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
Authors: WATSON TONY J.
Published: May 2007

Recent developments in organization theory have seen an increase in the amount of attention being paid to competing interests and definitions of situations existing within organizations. Greater emphasis is being put on ‘micropolitics’ and on various non‐rational aspects of behaviour. In line with these developments, the concept of ‘group ideology’ is used to analyze the ways in which various interests were articulated and mobilized around in a case of major organizational change in an engineering company. The relevance of social class factors to the process of organizational change is given particular attention.
STRIKE PRONENESS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SYSTEMS AT THE ORGANIZATION LEVEL: A DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS [1]
Authors: Chermesh Ran
Published: May 2007

Strike proneness is analyzed through the industrial relations system conceptualization. The actors, rules and ideology components of 60 industrial relations systems, of which 15 exhibited a low propensity to strike and 45 a high propensity to strike, are compared via a discriminant analysis procedure. Strike‐vulnerable establishments as compared with harmonious units tend to include more strikers and have a more complicated structure of labour representation. In highly strike‐prone organizations, negotiations are usually handled by representatives equipped with limited authority. These organizations tend to be less prepared rulewise for a strike situation, and their ideology is less critical of promoting union leaders to managerial positions and less favourable of opening recruitment to out‐of‐plant competition. The comparison of the technological, economic and power constraints of the two strike propensity groups indicates that the conflictual units, as compared with organizations with a low strike propensity, tend to be larger units and service organizations; they are mostly budget controlled and publically owned. A comprehensive industrial relations system analysis indicates that the internal components of the industrial relations system take priority in discriminating between the two strike groups. Theoretical and substantive conclusions conclude the analysis.
EXPLORATIONS IN MACRO COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOUR: THE EFFECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL FEEDBACK ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS [1]
Authors: Morrow Paula C.
Published: May 2007

Organizational feedback is identified as an attribute of organizations and as a form of macroscopic communication behaviour. Previous organizational theory is used to generate propositions linking organizational feedback (horizontal and vertical) to organizational effectiveness in order to evaluate the construct validity of feedback. Reliable measures of feedback are devised and the posited relationships are empirically examined using federated nonprofit organizations. Horizontal feedback is observed to be positively related to three forms of organizational effectiveness (goal attainment, superordinate approval and lateral approval). Vertical feedback is found to be positively related only to goal attainment. Organizational feedback is concluded to be a viable concept worthy of further investigation and additional research on communication as a property of organizational collectivities is recommended.
A TYPOLOGY OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING SYSTEMS
Authors: Shrivastava Paul
Published: May 2007

This paper synthesizes research on the organizational learning phenomenon. The concept of organizational learning systems is proposed and developed. Learning systems are the mechanisms by which learning is perpetuated and institutionalized in organizations. Findings from an exploratory study of organizational learning are used as a basis for developing a typology of organizational learning systems.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
Authors: Das T. Hari
Published: May 2007

Qualitative and quantitative approaches to the study of organizations are not mutually exclusive. Yet, over the last several years they have tended to become as such. Also, the interest in qualitative research of organizations seems to be renewing in the recent years. The present paper looks at some of the currently popular qualitative tools of organizational research emphasizing the complementary nature of qualitative and quantitative approaches in most settings.
ORGANIZATIONAL RULES AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF NURSING WORK ON GERIATRIC WARDS
Authors: Fairhurst Eileen
Published: May 2007

The data on which this paper is based come from an ethnography of rehabilitation of the elderly. Two main themes, methodological and substantive, predominate. Some methodological issues surrounding ethnographic techniques are highlighted. These include gaining access, establishing relationships and the researcher having a number of roles rather than just one.

The ethnomethodological perspective on organizations as a constellation of rules informs the substantive theme of the paper. Within this perspective rule use is situated and the meanings of particular rules are discerned from their use in specific contexts. This approach enables attention to be directed to the practical problems with which individuals are confronted in doing organizational work and how actors orient to them in action. The ways in which organizational rules may be defeased, manipulated or suspended are detailed with reference to nurses working on geriatric wards.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND PARADIGMS OF PRACTICE
Authors: Blackler F. H. M. , Brown C. A.
Published: May 2007

This paper is concerned with the appropriateness of qualitative methodologies for the retrospective evaluation of programmes of organizational change. Certain reviews of our re‐evaluation of a new philosophy of management, which was introduced within a major oil refining company in the mid 1960's, indicate that qualitative research is seen as inappropriate by many social scientists. However other reviewers argue that good qualitative evaluation necessarily entails close and continuing involvement with the process of change. Having outlined our methodology we consider the potential of these perspectives as a blueprint for activity in applied social science. We conclude by suggesting that advocates of such differing paradigms of practice should recognize that, unlike some natural science paradigms, competing paradigms should not be thought of as mutually exclusive.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPORT ACTIVITY
Authors: Cavusgil S. Tamer
Published: May 2007

Can various organizational and manager characteristics be empirically related to the level of export activity in the firm? This article attempts to provide an answer to this question using data obtained from a mail‐survey of exporting firms. A comprehensive review of the literature is presented first, in order to identify the relevant organizational characteristics hypothesized to be related to export activity. Then, a set of ten characteristics are statistically related to level of export activity (percent of sales exported) using Multiple Classification Analysis and Automatic Interaction Detector technique. The multiple classification analysis reveals five significant correlates of export activity. The automatic interaction detector analysis produced seven distinct exporter types ranging from least active to most active exporter, as well as generating some insights into the nature of interactions among the correlates of export activity. Implications of the findings for public policy, management, and education are discussed last in the article.
PLATEAUED MANAGERS: THEIR NEED GRATIFICATIONS AND THEIR EFFORT‐PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS [I]
Authors: Evans Martin G. , Gilbert Elizabeth
Published: May 2007

The repeal of mandatory retirement laws will result in new pressures on organizations to motivate and satisfy those managers who have reached their ceiling in the organization. This study compares the satisfaction and motivation (in terms of performance‐reward instrumentalities) of a group of plateaued and non‐plateaued managers. This was done both with and without controlling for the managers age. Age, rather than plateauing, seemed to be implicated in any observed differences. We found that older managers reported lower satisfaction with future organizational rewards and see stronger instrumentalities for mentoring type activities then do their younger colleagues.
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE CUTS AND JOB LOSS: A UNION RESPONSE
Authors: Fatchett Derek , Ogden Stuart G.
Published: May 2007

This article is based upon the findings of a survey which was directed at assessing the response of a public sector union to job loss amongst its members. The study was prompted by the anticipated effects on the union of cuts in public expenditure announced by Mrs. Thatcher's Government in 1979 and 1980. The purpose of the survey was, first, to investigate the processes through which job loss occurred and, secondly, to examine the ways in which the union contested those managerial decisions that affected the job security of its members. The main conclusion of the paper is that union resistance has been relatively sparse and it is suggested that this may be in part explained by the way in which job loss occurred. Of particular importance in this context is the loss of jobs through what we have called ‘job erosion’.
THE INTERACTION BETWEEN NATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUE SYSTEMS[1]
Authors: Hofstede Geert
Published: May 2007

Organizations have prevalent value systems which are part of their organizational cultures. These value systems show a national component according to the nationality of the organization's founder(s) and dominant élite. Research data on national value systems in 53 countries and regions are used to suggest the kind of influence nationality is likely to have on organizational value systems, and what this means for the integration within an organization of persons and groups of different national origins.
CORPORATE BOARD SIZE, COMPOSITION AND CORPORATE FAILURES IN RETAILING INDUSTRY[1]
Authors: Chaganti Rajeswararao S. , Mahajan Vijay , Sharma Subhash
Published: May 2007

In recent years some activists have advanced proposals to reform corporate boards, notably their structure and process, to assure desirable corporate governance. the empirical question, however, is whether such formal board changes would guarantee good governance. This paper examines this issue by studying the differences in the board size and board composition of 21 pairs of failed and non‐failed firms. the results suggest that the non‐failed retailing firms, as compared to failed ones, tend to have bigger boards within the size range suggested by the activists. the differences in the percent of outsider directors and multiple offices held by C.E.O.s between the failed and non‐failed firms were not significant. Implications of the results for the evaluation of board reforms are discussed.
PLANNERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS[1]
Authors: Ginter Peter M. , Rucks Andrew C. , Duncan W. Jack
Published: May 2007

This paper discusses the foundations of the normative model of strategic management and reports the results of empirical research that examined the validity of the model from the perspective of practising planners. It was concluded, on the basis of the responses, that the normative model of strategic management is an accurate representation of what planners believe to be the steps in the process at both the corporate and business‐levels. While the steps were all included, there was significant variation among the relative importance of the various steps.
STRATEGIC AWARENESS, PERSONAL COMMITMENT AND THE PROCESS OF PLANNING IN THE SMALL BUSINESS
Authors: Gibb Allan , Scott Mike
Published: May 2007

This paper is based on detailed study [1], over two years, of sixteen small companies based in the northern region of the U.K. the study was concerned with the way in which the companies pursued different lines of product and market development. the research was characterized by experimental ‘action inputs’ designed to allow observation of the impact of different types of ‘software’(information, counselling, training/education) support on the development process.

On the basis of this observation the paper constructs a model of the development process as a basis for evaluation of ‘assistance support’. This model, derived from theoretical concepts, nevertheless has been used in practice by companies for the evaluation of their own specific business development and has also been used for training small firm advisers. Observation of the development process enables a characterization of methods of planning used and evaluation of their influence. This indicates clearly the absence of formal planning models but underlines the importance of the strategic awareness and personal commitment of the owner manager in pursuing particular objectives. Strategic awareness is defined and its relationships with forms of assistance are explored. Implications are then drawn for those who seek to assist small businesses.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC MANAGEMENT: AN OBJECT RELATIONS APPROACH
Authors: Diamond Michael A.
Published: May 2007

The use of object relations theory is introduced to examine the assumption of personal responsibility by public managers. This orientation to examining administrative behaviour enhances our appreciation of the psychological dimensions of personal experience, and the influence of that experience on the public administrator's ability to take responsibility for the consequences of his actions. This approach provides a set of clear guideposts that will help organizational observers to differentiate responsible administrative tendencies from irresponsible ones. the paper presents two divergent administrative sets of roles to illustrate the psychological and social characteristics of personal responsibility, the ‘as if performer’ and the ‘participant observer’. the ‘as if performer’ is found to be more congruent with bureaucratic organizational demands, while the ‘participant observer’ is more congruent with democratic essentials.
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGERIAL JOBS ACROSS TWO SECTORS
Authors: Pavett Cynthia M. , Lau Alan W.
Published: May 2007

The present study employs Mintzberg's framework of managerial work to compare Research and Development managers to managers in other career fields. Comparisons were made using data gathered from both the public and private sectors. A total of 448 managers responded to a survey assessing: (1) the importance of Mintzberg's roles for successful job performance; (2) the degree to which Mintzberg's managerial work descriptions characterize the manager's job; and (3) the importance of several skills areas for managerial success. The data indicated that R and D managers and managers in other career fields view their roles, work characteristics and required skills in a similar manner. While several differences were found between the two categories of managers, results from both sectors imply that R and D managers do not view their jobs much differently than non‐R and D managers. Implications for management training, promotion and selection are discussed.
EXCELLENT COMPANIES AS SOCIAL MOVEMENTS[1]
Authors: Soeters Joseph L.
Published: May 2007

In this article a theoretical reconstruction is given of parts of the content of In Search of Excellence (Peters and Waterman, 1982). It evolves that the internal dynamics of excellent companies are very similar to those of social movements. Two recent discussion points, with regard to the decline and to the ethical dimension of excellent companies, can be better understood using this analogy. Furthermore, it provides us with avenues for further research.
STRATEGY AND STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT TO REGAIN FIT AND PERFORMANCE: IN DEFENCE OF CONTINGENCY THEORY
Authors: Donaldson Lex
Published: May 2007

Comparative, contingency approaches to organization structure have been criticized as being inherently static. The present article argues that functionalist theories and quantitative methods can explain structural change. This is exemplified by a diachronic enquiry into strategy and structure. Several propositions about organizational dynamics relating diversification, reorganization and performance are supported. However, the notion of contingency adjustment to structure to attain match as a frequent alternative to structural adjustment to contingencies is not borne out. Neither of the two prevailing theories of structural change, ‘contingency determinism’nor ‘strategic choice’, is completely adequate and a third formulation is advanced: that of ‘structural adjustment to regain fit’.

While structural‐functional enquiry into organizations using comparative quantitative methods has yielded information about structural statics, the contribution to knowledge of dynamics seems more problematic. This article seeks to record that structural‐functionalism does inform the analysis of organizational change and to show that quantitative contingency approaches can illuminate change if the theory used in the analysis is formalized properly. This involves the partial abandonment of both of the main prevailing theories of structural change: contingency determinism and strategic choice. In their place this article offers as a potentially more fruitful model the structural adaptation to regain fit formulation. Within this the role of performance is shown to be important. The advantage of this framework is demonstrated empirically by means of an examination of the relationship between strategy and structure.
DETERMINANTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF TASK UNCERTAINTY: A LABORATORY AND FIELD INVESTIGATION
Authors: Victor Bart , Blackburn Richard S.
Published: May 2007

This article presents evidence and argument concerning the utility of the concept of task uncertainty for organization theory and practice. The results from two studies, one field and one laboratory, are reported. The results support the hypotheses that: (1) perceptions of task uncertainty are a simple function of the number and analysability of exceptions encountered, and (2) perceptions of task exceptions and search difficulty have distinct relationships with behaviours of interest (communication and decision‐making). Given these two findings, it is argued that the concept of task uncertainty should be replaced by the two source constructs.
MAPPING MANAGEMENT STYLES IN EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
Authors: Purcell John
Published: May 2007

In an attempt to clarify the meaning of management style in employee relations and go beyond the limitations of the frames of reference debate, two dimensions of style are identified. Individualism refers to the extent to which personnel policies are focused on the rights and capabilities of individual workers. Collectivism concerns the extent to which management policy is directed towards inhibiting or encouraging the development of collective representation by employees and allowing employees a collective voice in management decision‐making. Style is a deliberate choice linked to business policy. Organizations may choose to focus on one or both aspects. Not all firms have a distinctive preferred management style. Survey evidence is analysed and a number of unresolved issues raised which need to be tackled if management style is to become a useful concept in the study of strategic choice in the management of industrial and employee relations.
FORMALIZATION AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE CYCLE[1]
Authors: Walsh James P. , Dewar Robert D.
Published: May 2007

The theoretical importance of formalization has often been obscured in empirical investigation. This article discusses two outcomes of formalization: administrative efficiency, and influence. As formalization contributes to administrative efficiency, it also bestows upon the administrator power and influence. While some theoretical attention has been paid to the efficiency theme, influence has been largely ignored. The article suggests that formalization as code, as channel, and as standard can be best understood in the context of the organizational life cycle. Formalization (as efficiency) is likely to contribute to effectiveness early in an organization's history. Later in the life cycle, however, formalization (as influence) may contribute to organizational ineffectiveness and decline.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE UNDERLYING DYNAMICS OF STRATEGIC DECISIONS SUBJECT TO UPWARD INFLUENCE ACTIVITY
Authors: Schilit Warren Keith , Paine Frank T.
Published: May 2007

This study examines the underlying dynamics of strategic decisions that are subject to upward influence activity. The results suggest that the strategymaking process deviates considerably from typical rational comprehensive approaches in that strategies are affected by: initial sense‐making activity, perceptions of risk and return, and power and negotiation skills. Differences due to functional area of the manager involved in the influence activity are discussed.
LEGAL REGULATION AND THE CONSTRAINT OF CONSTITUENT SATISFACTION[1]
Authors: Wagner John A. , Schneider Benjamin
Published: May 2007

Legal regulations pose both opportunities and constraints that can influence behaviours in and of organizations. This article uses a multiple constituency perspective to examine one such influence. Data from 340 units of a US medical service firm indicate that different legally mandated types of doctor involvement in unit operations are significantly related to variations in the satisfaction reported by manager, employee, and patient constituencies. It is concluded that different forms of legal regulations, which are intended to represent the broad interests of a‘public‐at large’constituency, are differentially related to an organization's satisfaction of other special interest constituencies.
SPORADIC, FLUID AND CONSTRICTED PROCESSES: THREE TYPES OF STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING IN ORGANIZATIONS[1]
Authors: Cray David , Mallory Geoffrey R. , Butler Richard J. , Hickson David J. , Wilson David C.
Published: May 2007

Using 136 cases of strategic decision‐making described by a number of variables drawn from the literature, three distinct types of decision‐making processes are found. These are termed sporadic, fluid and constricted processes. They are parsimonious characterizations of decision‐making processes which, given the variety of the 30 organizations from which the cases are drawn, should be generalizable to a wide range of contexts.
THE INFLUENCE OF ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE ON THE UTILITY OF AN ENTREPRENEURIAL TOP MANAGEMENT STYLE
Authors: Covin Jeffrey G. , Slevin Dennis P.
Published: May 2007

This study examined the influence of organization structure on the relationship between top management's entrepreneurial orientation and financial performance. Moderated regression analysis was used to analyse data collected from 80 business organizations. the findings suggest that an entrepreneurial top management style has a positive effect on the performance of organically‐structured firms and a negative effect on the performance of mechanistically‐structured firms.
UNDERSTANDING INDUSTRIAL CRISES[1]
Authors: Shrivastava Paul , Mitroff Ian I. , Miller Danny , Miclani Anil
Published: May 2007

This article provides a conceptual framework for understanding industrial crises. These crises are organizationally‐based disasters which cause extensive damage and social disruption, involve multiple stakeholders, and unfold through complex technological, organizational and social processes. The characteristics of industrial crises are illustrated through a comparison of three diverse crises ‐ the Bhopal disaster, the Tylenol poisonings, and the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Relationships among these characteristics are presented in a model of industrial crisis. Some issues for further research are identified.
ENACTED SENSEMAKING IN CRISIS SITUATIONS[1]
Authors: Weick Karl E.
Published: May 2007

Sensemaking in crisis conditions is made more difficult because action that is instrumental to understanding the crisis often intensifies the crisis. This dilemma is interpreted from the perspective that people enact the environments which constrain them. It is argued that commitment, capacity, and expectations affect sensemaking during crisis and the severity of the crisis itself. It is proposed that the core concepts of enactment may comprise an ideology that reduces the likelihood of crisis.
DISASTER CRISIS MANAGEMENT: A SUMMARY OF RESEARCH FINDINGS
Authors: Quarantelli E. L.
Published: May 2007

The crisis management of disasters does not follow automatically from disaster planning. Research has shown that successful disaster management results primarily from the activities of emergency organizations. In particular, there are management problems with respect to the communication process, the exercise of authority, and the development of co‐ordination.

There are at least five different areas of difficulties in the communication process, namely, intra‐ and inter‐organizational behaviours between organizations, from organizations to the public, from the public to organizations, and within systems of organizations. Exercise of authority difficulties stem from losses of higher echelon personnel because of over‐work, conflict regarding authority over new disaster tasks, and clashes over organizational jurisdictional differences. Co‐ordination difficulties come from lack of consensus among organizations, working on common but new disaster‐related tasks, and difficulties in achieving overall co‐ordination in any community disaster that is of any magnitude. Prior planning can limit these management difficulties but cannot completely eliminate all of them.
RESEARCH ON STRATEGIC GROUPS: PROGRESS AND PROGNOSIS[1]
Authors: Thomas Howard , Venkatraman N.
Published: May 2007

The progress made in strategic groups research is evaluated by identifying its relevance and importance to the field of strategic management. A classificatory scheme is developed using two dimensions: the operationalization of strategy; and the approach to group development. A review framework incorporating key analytical dimensions is drawn up to (a) develop a taxonomy for classifying the available empirical research on strategic groups; (b) assess the research and identify important summary patterns and (c) develop specific research directions from a stategic management perspective.
MANAGERIAL THINKING: AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Jones Merrick
Published: May 2007

Cross‐cultural studies of managerial attitudes, beliefs and values have produced evidence to support both the view that industrialization is a force for convergence, and for the notion that national cultural realities continue to support divergence. Data from an investigation of Malawian managers are considered in relation to those from comparable previous studies in other countries, and more specifically in terms of the African context. Some tentative hypotheses are advanced, to account for distinctive aspects of managerial thinking in Malawi.
STUDIES OF MANAGERIAL JOBS AND BEHAVIOUR: THE WAYS FORWARD
Authors: Stewart Rosemary
Published: May 2007

ABSTRATC

The main achievements and limitations of studies of managerial jobs and behaviour are summarized drawing upon the review articles of Martinko and Gardner (1985) and Hales (1986). Ways forward are explored by developing a map of the field for future studies, which is shown in figure 1. The figure has three aims: to show different areas for research; to help in identifying neglected areas that could be fruitful ways forward; and to show the interrelationship between different aspects of the study and thus to act as a guide for data collection. The main purpose of the article is to be a guide to what can, and what might most fruitfully, be studied, but some suggestions are also made about methods.