bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Auditor concentration in a joint‐auditing environment: the French market 1997‐2003
Authors: Piot Charles 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe French law uses joint‐auditing as an audit quality device. This regulation also indirectly preserves market competition by reducing the domination of the large audit firms. However, concerns emerge about the effects of recent auditor mergers on the effectiveness of joint‐auditing: the reduced number of audit suppliers may favour the development of too frequent joint‐auditing collaborations, causing routine cross‐reviews and interdependencies between co‐auditors. This study aims to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachThe market shares, individual performance, and joint‐audit interconnections (attraction‐repulsion indices) of the main audit networks in France are investigated for the year 1997 and again for the year 2003.FindingsDespite the concentration of the audit market for listed companies globally, descriptive market analyses suggest that competition in the audit market has not decreased: the PricewaterhouseCoopers merger in 1998 did not produce any gain in market share to the newly‐formed network; the French member of Arthur Andersen suffered an effective erosion of its audit portfolio resulting from the infamous Enron case; and some national audit networks have maintained significant market positions. Contrary to expectations, the increased concentration did not result in abnormally frequent collaborations between the main audit firms.Research limitations/implicationsThe joint‐auditing interconnections are based on the number of common audit clients, and this approach does not take into account the different sizes of the auditees.Originality/valueThis paper is an original approach of auditor concentration in a joint‐auditing environment. To regulators, the results of this study suggest that joint‐auditing can be utilised as a mechanism to preserve market competition and thus potentially maintaining audit quality.
Choice of auditors and earnings management during the Asian financial crisis
Authors: Ming Chia Yew , Lapsley Irvine , Lee Hing‐Wah 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis study sets out to examine the effect of the choice of auditors in constraining earnings management within a rule‐based reporting framework during the Asian financial crisis.Design/methodology/approachUsing the iterative seemingly unrelated regression methodology, 383 firm‐observations of service‐oriented listed companies in Singapore are analysed.FindingsThe results show that service‐oriented companies engage in income decreasing earnings management during the crisis period. More importantly, the results indicate that only the Big‐6 firms are able to significantly constrain the earnings management of managers of such companies.Practical implicationsThe ability of Big‐6 firms to constrain earnings management is perceived to add credibility to the quality of reported earnings, and hence contributes to the competitive advantage of the Big‐6 firms in the market for auditing services.Originality/valueThe evidence contributes to the literature on corporate governance and the competitiveness of the market for audit services in the context of an economy‐wide financial crisis from an Asian perspective.
Fifteen years of reformation – what next?
Authors: Percy J.P. (Ian) 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to look back from the point of view of a non‐executive director on the changes in the auditing profession in the last 15 years and to give reflections on the issues which presented the profession and the public today.Design/methodology/approachReviews the last 15 years vis‐à‐vis changes in the auditing profession and considers matters with which auditors and public are faced today.FindingsThis paper highlights that the concept of having fundamental principles and codes is much more likely to gain support and be practical than having rules laid down in statute. People should “explain” more often than “comply” because it is in their business interest and in the interest of the public. Reward comes from taking risk and it is very important that we do not make UK plc less competitive than the world markets by becoming too risk averse.Originality/valueThe paper questions whether it is time to review the efficacy of the statutory audit. The pendulum has now swung and it is time to address whether it should swing any further or whether in fact it is a time for balance to be brought into the various systems and codes based on the experience of the last few years.
A few heads‐ups
Authors: Marren Patrick 
Published: January 2007

PurposeIn doing scenario planning, one anticipates a wide range of plausible eventualities, some of which will come to pass. But a short list of issues arises again and again, the possible outcomes of which will affect almost every sphere of the economy and of life.FindingsWhat is being (relatively) ignored amid the concern over terrorism is traditional power politics between nation‐states. It is quite likely that these submerged differences will come to the surface at some point in the next two decades. Whether it be over Taiwan, Central Asia, or the Korean peninsula, look for a re‐emergence of traditional “symmetric threat.” A second, related, issue that gets little attention is that of the possibility of a nuclear incident. Third, energy independence is desirable in the USA. for many reasons: economic, ecological, even aesthetic. But there is no reason to believe that it will decrease tensions between the Muslim world and the non‐Muslim world.Practical implicationsEmphasizes the key global issues in scenario planning for the next 20 years.Originality/valueOf particular value to strategic planners, CEOs, futurists, senior managers.
Run out of steam? Here's how to create a growth action plan
Authors: Wise Richard 
Published: January 2007

PurposeLooks at why traditional growth tactics have become less effective and why it is necessary to balance short term moves with new business building. Looks at understanding customer priorities.Design/methodology/approachOver the next year, this column will lay out a practical growth program for managers, balancing short‐term moves with new‐business building.FindingsGrowth moves fall along a spectrum of categories ranging from traditional product innovation to longer‐term strategies such as taking core capabilities to new markets. Managing new growth requires an active feedback loop of constantly monitoring the progress of each initiative.Practical implicationsProvides managers with guidelines for growth action plans.Originality/valueOf particular to strategic planners, CEOs, senior executives.
Enter the “chief growth officer”: searching for organic growth
Authors: Meer David 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo explore the challenges associated with organic growth, outline three requirements for growing faster than the competition and evaluate the recent trend toward the establishment of a new executive position: “chief growth officer.”Design/methodology/approachThe article is based on an organic growth study examining the performance of 107 “non‐acquisitive” companies (those with no major acquisitions between 1996 and 2000). It then looked more closely at companies identified as “growth leaders” to isolate the best practices that set them apart from their peers.FindingsResearch into corporate performance over the long term indicates that organic growth is the most important driver of value in the capital markets. Yet sustained organic growth is difficult to achieve. The article identifies common organizational barriers to growth and reveals three best practices of companies that consistently achieve organic growth faster than competitors. These three practices are: a more disciplined approach to growth, better organizational capabilities for driving growth and a more supportive culture. Finally, the article reviews the performance of companies that have appointed chief growth officers as a means to kick‐start growth.Originality/valueThis paper addresses an issue at the top of nearly every corporate agenda – organic growth. It also delivers a key message to companies looking to achieve their growth objectives by creating a new CGO position: strong, value‐enhancing revenue increases require wholesale changes in behaviors, capabilities and culture, not just a new box on the organizational chart.
With all this intelligence, why don't we have better strategies?
Authors: Chussil Mark 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo describe reasons why companies make bad strategy decisions despite having the most capable, motivated, experienced, well‐equipped strategists in history. To recommend practical changes companies can implement to improve strategy decision‐making.Design/methodology/approachWhy do bad strategy decisions get made when so much effort goes into making them well? After all, no one gets up in the morning intending to make bad strategy decisions. This paper draws on the author's experience in scores of business war games and strategy simulations in Fortune 500 firms around the world and on the author's observations in 30 years of designing and implementing quantitative business tools.FindingsHelps strategists uncover sources of bad strategy decisions that might not be recognized in their companies, such as overconfidence, use of inappropriate analytical tools, and excessive emphasis on accountability. Discusses remedies and alternatives such as strategy simulation, business war games, examination of uncertainty, and competitor role‐playing. IncludesPractical implicationsImproving the quality of strategy decision‐making can hugely affect the bottom line and be a potent source of competitive advantage.Originality/valueStrategy decisions are among the highest‐leverage actions management can take. This paper offers new ideas to strategists who want to make better strategy decisions, and identifies conventional solutions to avoid.
Poetry in the boardroom: thinking beyond the facts
Authors: Buswick Ted , Morgan Clare , Lange Kirsten 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo convey the findings of an investigation into the relationship between poetry and business thinking, which began with the hypothesis that regular reading and analysis of poetry and its levels of meaning, subtle verbal and nonverbal contextual nuances, emotional content, and required associative thinking will help people deal with ambiguity, delay closure on decisions, and result in more systemic thinking and in better business decisions.FindingsThe research and workshops indicate that reading poetry can expand thinking space by enhancing associative thinking and access to preconceptual areas.Research limitation/implicationsThe findings are based on extensive interdisciplinary research and a small number of seminars and workshops. No formal studies have yet been conducted.Practical implicationsThis provides a way to open thinking spaces that may be often unused by the business strategist, and that can lead to better decisions. By focusing on how executives can refine their thinking abilities to take them beyond the ordinary limits of cause‐and‐effect approaches, encourages the application of those radical judgments that can help differentiate one organization from another.Originality/valueThe authors believe they are the first to explore this relationship between reading poetry and business thinking.
Customer‐centered moves can yield quick gains
Authors: Wise Rick , Rothschild Phyllis 
Published: January 2007

PurposeLooks at why traditional growth tactics have become less effective and why it is necessary to balance short term moves with new business building. Looks at understanding customer priorities.FindingsManagers can take three distinct actions to generate quick gains in revenue and profits: de‐average and re‐segment the customer base, replicate the best customer relationships, and evolve the product offer into a system or value‐added solutions offer.Practical implicationsProvides managers with guidelines for growth action plans.Originality/valueOf particular interest to strategic planners, CEOs, senior executives.
Brand‐building: finding the touchpoints that count
Authors: Hogan Suzanne , Almquist Eric , Glynn Simon E. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis paper examines how leading companies are building brands through comprehensive analysis and judicious improvement of the customer experience.FindingsIn the bid to build a world‐class brand, it's tempting for managers to invest everywhere that the brand touches customers. The “do everything’ approach rarely works well, however, because resources are spread too thinly to be cost‐effective. Our research shows that leading brand‐builders such as Citibank and Coach take a more selective, deliberate approach, adhering to several management principles that we have identified: they focus on the most important customers to their business enterprise; they concentrate investments on the customer touchpoints that will do most to increase brand equity and raise profitable demand; they set realistic goals for implementation and focus on changes that are easier to implement; they revisit their performance on a regular basis and make their brand program self‐sustaining and adaptive.Practical implicationsBy using the right customer data and analytical tools, companies can identify and support the brand touchpoints with the highest ROI.Originality/valueOf particular value to brand managers, marketing managers and financial strategists.
Nurturing the new: patterns for innovation
Authors: von Oetinger Bolko 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo blend the wide business experience of Bolko von Oetinger with the interdisciplinary expertise in the articles and interviews in A Passion for Ideas, a book coedited by Dr von Oetinger. Oetinger developed five guidelines for behavior that have been discussed serially through three journal articles. The goal is to increase creativity and innovation among businesspeople and beyond.FindingsThe five guidelines are: finding something new is not the problem; getting rid of the old presents the real challenge; since innovation creates anxiety, you have to open up your organization; since our rules limit our actions, we have to break our own rules; the new needs the right context in order to blossom; and never stop asking “why?” and “for what?”Research limitation/implicationsWe intentionally limited the scope of the research to Oetinger's experience and the selections in the book. The interdisciplinary nature of the research recognizes that important processes can be found outside one's sphere of familiarity.Practical implicationsReaders who conscientiously consider our ideas should influenced by processes for creating the new that that they have not previously encountered.Originality/valueOetinger is a highly respected international consultant who has not previously organized his thoughts about creativity and innovation for the public.
Traps in diagnosing organization failure
Authors: Barker Vincent L. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo provide practicing managers and consultants with advice about common pitfalls encountered in diagnosing the causes of organizational decline. Hopefully, the paper will help managers and their advisors avoid these pitfalls.Design/methodology/approachReviews common problems that the author and other researchers have documented in their research examining how firms and organizations respond to poor performance.FindingsShows how managers naturally have “blind spots” in perceiving and interpreting the sources of organizational problems.Originality/valueProvides managers with explanations for why they may have a difficult time spotting organizational problems. Also, gives practical tips for avoiding the pitfalls encountered in diagnosing decline.
The forgivable sin
Authors: Marren Patrick 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo provide the author's opinions about key issues in strategy and the future to the readership.Design/methodology/approachOpinion column.FindingsDiscussion of the difficulty of getting organizations to prepare for catastrophic events.Research limitations/implicationsSpeculative, and based not on rigorous research but on the author's experience of planning engagements across a wide variety of private and public enterprises.Practical implicationsWarns strategists about the difficulties inherent in planning for catastrophes.Originality/valueExpresses several opinions that the author believes have not been expressed (or adequately appreciated) elsewhere.
On the decision to reprice stock options: almost never
Authors: Dalton Dan R. , Dalton Catherine M. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeLooks at the issue of repricing stock options for CEOs and other senior managers when existing option are under water. The board of directors has the option of exchanging existing options (i.e. the underwater options) for new options with a lower exercise price.Design/methodology/approachOpinion piece.FindingsThere is no evidence that repricing reduces CEO or top management turnover. In fact, top executives left a firm at a much higher rate than their counterparts in firms that did not reprice. Moreover, whether relying on accounting returns (ROA) or market returns (returns on common stock), there is no evidence that repricing firms perform better after the repricing.Practical implicationsProvides boards and senior managers with information with information showing that repricing of options is almost never justified except possibly when hiring a new CEO.Originality/valueOf particular value to CEOs and other board members
Strategy maps: a step‐by‐step guide to measuring, managing and communicating the plan
Authors: Scholey Cam 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo demonstrate a step‐by‐step model of strategy mapping for improving strategy communication in today's organization. The work is based on experience gained while consulting in a myriad of organizations adopting strategy mapping as a strategic initiative.Design/methodology/approachOver the past few years since strategy mapping was introduced in literature, the author found that clients in the organizations with which they consulted were often struggling with how to go about implementing a strategy mapping initiative. It became clear that what was needed what a systematic, step‐by‐step framework that was easy to understand and follow. The author developed and refined a six‐step strategy‐mapping framework, which has proven both efficient and effective in practice.FindingsThe recent literature in the area of strategy mapping has proven very useful in terms of explaining what strategy maps are, and why organizations should adopt. The author demonstrates a proven strategy‐mapping model and provides a context through which it can be understood and successfully applied (i.e. how to implement strategy mapping). Validation of the framework is anecdotal and strongly suggests that the framework is both efficient and effective in applying strategy maps in organizations.Practical implicationsThe six‐step strategy‐mapping model provides a clear and dynamic blueprint for all people wanting to implement this very useful tool for communicating strategy. The case study provided in the article provides a clear, hands‐on example that will encourage organizations to undertake their own strategy mapping initiative.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills a need for a sound, step‐by‐step, real‐world, grounded guide for implementing a strategy map in any organization.
Creative errors and heroic failures: capturing their innovative potential
Authors: Kriegesmann Bernd , Kley Thomas , Schwering Markus G. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo highlight an unconventional way out of the “innovation dilemma,” relevant to many business organizations, innovative management and risk friendliness are necessary, but the way in which failure is handled and the resulting fear of making mistakes block the (innovative) efforts of specialists and managers.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on theoretical as well as empirical work: first, the seemingly crystal‐clear concept of “error” is elaborated and the rare category of “creative errors” is introduced. Second, illustrative findings from a case study in the automotive sector are reported.FindingsSuggests that a culturally exacerbated antipathy towards errors leads ultimately to a situation of pronounced innovational incompetence in which creative behavior is avoided. Points out, that not an “absolution of mistakes” is required, but a tolerance for legitimate errors which should only occur under exceptional circumstances. Underlines, that fairness in dealing with errors is considerably more important than a misguided attempt to create or maintain harmony. In addition to the philosophy and potential of this unusual incentive system, possible practical implementation problems are considered.Research limitations/implicationsGeneralization is limited because the findings are based on only one case study. However, because of the vital importance of the so‐called “innovation dilemma,,” the exploratory findings of the study may trigger further empirical research on “creative errors.”Practical implicationsAn initiative like the “Creative Error of the Month” may help to bring about cultural change towards a climate of trust and confidence in which innovative commitment is treated fairly even if it does not in fact succeed.Originality/valueCommon approaches to enhance organizational innovativeness reward “success stories” or praise “zero‐based cultures.” This case study suggests that a sophisticated initiative revolving around the “hidden” innovative potential of “creative errors” and “tragic failures” might prove to be a successful off‐beat attempt at stimulating creativity and innovative behavior in enterprises.
Finding new paths to growth by managing brand portfolios well
Authors: Wise Richard , Pierce Andrew 
Published: January 2007

PurposeLooks at which brands are best positioned for growth and why it is important to actively manage brands as a cohesive portfolio.Design/methodology/approachLists four key principles that the best practitioners of brand portfolio management should follow.FindingsThe best practitioners of brand portfolio management follow four key principles: push sleeper brands to their full potential; launch new brands or acquire strategically; rationalize overlapping brands; shut down the weakest brands.Practical implicationsProvides managers with guidelines for managing brand portfolios.Originality/valueOf particular benefit to strategic planners, CEOs, senior executives, brand managers and marketing managers.