Suchergebnisse

Employee representatives′ perceptions of job
evaluation are explored and the impact of job
evaluation on the collective bargaining procedure,
pay differentials, motivation and performance is
considered. In conclusion, an assessment of the
advantages and disadvantages of job evaluation is
given.

Abstract

The findings from the research presented in this paper indicate that strategic planning is now an established management tool with over half of all small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) engaging in formal strategic planning.


However, some SMEs fail to consider or include some vital components in their strategic plans, leading to the conclusion that many formal strategic plans are little more than a paper exercise.


From an operational perspective, formal strategic planning firms place a higher emphasis on the attributes of strategic planning. However, there are no significant differences on the barriers to strategy implementation in formal or non‐formal planning firms.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The European Commission (EC) is updating the definition of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) following widespread consultation. The EC is focusing on a redefinition of the financial ceiling criterion rather than the ceilings in relation to the number of persons employed in categorising SMEs as micro, small or medium. The retention of a ceiling of 250 employees as the overall employment criterion for SMEs has a major drawback in that it assumes that all firms from micro to medium have broadly similar organisational and managerial processes. Some researchers contend that organisational size based on employee numbers is an important underpinning factor in the way these processes are emphasised. The analysis presented indicates that while size is important, it does not have a significant impact on the managerial and organisational processes examined. These findings lend some support for the retention of the existing size criterion in the definition of SMEs.

The literature contends that the lack of strategic business planning is a major drawback in the implementation of business process initiatives such as total quality management. In addition, it is evident that strategic planning firms achieve better performance than other firms. However, strategic planning often fails due to problems or barriers encountered at the implementation stage. It is unclear from the limited research carried out to date what actions, if any, firms can take to minimise or eliminate these barriers. This paper examines the concept of strategic planning and identifies the barriers to its implementation. It considers the suitability of formal strategic planning as the key to eliminating or reducing implementation barriers by comparing the extent to which the barriers are experienced in formal and non‐formal planning firms. The paper also examines the extent to which the barriers are experienced by high and low performing firms.

Notes a broad agreement that small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) fulfil a critical role in modern economies, and therefore their ability to survive, remain competitive and produce high quality outputs is of utmost importance at both micro and macro levels. Focuses on total quality management (TQM), a new management paradigm, which is successfully competing with the well‐established paradigms such as scientific management. Argues that implementation of TQM principles can potentially help SMEs to enhance their robustness, as well as improve the quality of their final output. However, observes that, by comparison with the large organizations, SMEs have been slow in implementing TQM. Examines the differences between the characteristics of SMEs and large organizations; the relationship between the size of organization and inherent characteristics of TQM; and the effect of organization size on the implementation of TQM using deductive research. Using the case data, develops a ten‐step methodology for the implementation of TQM in SMEs.

In most industrialized economies the services sector accounts for more
than half the GNP. Moreover, the services sector, unlike other sectors,
has grown steadily over the past two decades. The productivity of the
sector, on the other hand, has remained broadly static over the
comparable period. Thus service productivity improvement is one of the
major challenges facing many managers today. Measurement is an integral
component of any drive to improve productivity. Measurement of service
performance is notoriously difficult but possible. Local authorities
form a significant part of the service sector. Performance measurement
in a local authority is a complex task because: local authorities offer
a wide range of services with both tangible and intangible outputs;
customers rarely pay an economical price for the services; there is no
profit measure; and there is no apparent direct link between services
and cost to electors. Examines the "performance measurement" concepts put
forward by various influential organizations and the "performance
measurement" procedures adopted by three different local authorities.
Case studies demonstrate the difficulties of measuring performance,
particularly effectiveness and the different strategies adopted by
different organizations.

Examines the development of electronic data interchange (EDI) in three
major supermarket chains. Describes case studies which investigate
introduction, implementation, costs, benefits and problems. Concludes
that EDI has brought about a major improvement in the way the businesses
operate.

The concept of corporate responsibility (CR) has moved a long way over the past six decades, since Bowen's book titled Social Responsibilities of the Businessman marked a modern era of business and society research. In this article, we trace the development of business and society literature to provide contextual background to contemporary studies of CR. As well as looking backward, however, we also project forward arguing that fundamental changes in the current business environment are likely to propel CR to new heights in the future. In particular, we explore the mechanisms by which CR affects stakeholder behavior and suggest ways in which scholars and practitioners may want to apply advances from psychology to link CR strategy to human motivation and the notion of balance in organizations and society.