Suchergebnisse

Information networks are established by communication links between firms, their business partners, personal friends, authorities, universities etc. The value of the information exchanges, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, depends on the individual position in the information network. The paper discusses existing measures to evaluate network positions and proposes a new one. Extensive case study evidence indicates that the network position of startups and small enterprises is subject to constant changes which the individual firm cannot control completely. The paper develops a dynamic model for the development of network positions over time and indicates what firms can do to improve them. Information management in small and medium-sized enterprises can best be described as the management of dynamic information networks. Calculating position measures and development paths helps start-ups and small businesses to assess their current network position and to increase the efficiency of their information management.

A large number of corporations around the world have changed their organisational structure in the past few years. The aim is to overcome rigid structures and to increase entrepreneurial flexibility. This paper first defines entrepreneurial flexibility and then analyses the forms of flexible organisational structures to determine the essential components of entrepreneurial and flexible organisational designs. The results indicate that, although many different flexible organisational forms have been proposed and implemented, entrepreneurial flexibility requires three organisational characteristics: teamwork, intense information and knowledge transfer between organisational units, and fewer hierarchy levels. Entrepreneurial flexibility does not imply dissoluteness and a lack of structure. Hierarchy and control remain important in every organisation.

The transformation of East Germany from a socialist to a market economy has brought about the need to restructure all East German firms. Managing this transformation process is comparable to the planning and controlling of a large project in a quickly changing economic environment. The main goal for the managers of firms in transition is to ensure the survival of their companies and to reduce the time required for the restructuring processes. The purpose of this study is to assess stochastic activity network analysis as a tool for the management of transformation. Network analysis allows to identify the necessary management activities, to plan the optimal sequence of these activities, and to control ongoing transformation processes. Our experiences so far suggest that the stochastic activity network technique GERT is a well suited technique for the analysis of transformation processes. To illustrate this new application of GERT, the study presents a simulation of a GERT activity network for the transformation process of a firm. The simulation is based on more than 20 in-depth case studies conducted in East Germany.

Die 8. Runde der multilateralen Handelsverhandlungen auf Ministerebene tagte im Rahmen des GATT im September 1986 in Punta del Este/Uruguay. Vorgestellt werden die Ziele der Verhandlungen, die auf 4 Jahre angesetzt sind, und die Themen Protektionismus, Agrarhandel und Handel mit Dienstleistungen. Die Regierungen der teilnehmenden Staaten haben sich verpflichtet, bis zum Abschluß der Verhandlungen alle nationalen Regelungen aufzuheben, die dem GATT widersprechen. Zum Thema Liberalisierung des Agrarhandels werden die Ansätze der USA, der Cairns-Gruppe und der EG skizziert. Beim Thema Handel mit Dienstleistungen werden die unterschiedlichen Interessen der Entwicklungs- und der Industrieländer aufgezeigt. (DGAP-Wtk)