How has Japan become a major economic power, a world leader in the automotive and electronics industries? What is the secret of their success? The consensus has been that, though the Japanese are not particularly innovative, they are exceptionally skilful at imitation, at improving products that already exist. But now two leading Japanese business experts, Ikujiro Nonaka and Hiro Takeuchi, turn this conventional wisdom on its head: Japanese firms are successful, they contend, precisely because they are innovative, because they create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies. Examining case studies drawn from such firms as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, 3M, GE, and the U.S. Marines, this book reveals how Japanese companies translate tacit to explicit knowledge and use it to produce new processes, products, and services.

The knowledge-creating company : how Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation

\"What are your assumptions (implicit as well as explicit) about the most effective way to manage people?\" So began Douglas McGregor in this 1960 management classic. It was a seemingly simple question he asked, yet it led to a fundamental revolution in management. Today, with the rise of the global economy, the information revolution, and the growth of knowledge-driven work, McGregor's simple but provocative question continues to resonate-perhaps more powerfully than ever before. Heralded as one of the most important pieces of management literature ever written, a touchstone for scholars and a handbook for practitioners, The Human Side of Enterprise continues to receive the highest accolades nearly half a century after its initial publication. Influencing such major management gurus such as Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis, McGregor's revolutionary Theory Y-which contends that individuals are self-motivated and self-directed-and Theory X-in which employees must be commanded and controlled-has been widely taught in business schools, industrial relations schools, psychology departments, and professional development seminars for over four decades. In this special annotated edition of the worldwide management classic, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Senior Research Scientist in MIT's Sloan School of Management and Engineering Systems Division, shows us how today's leaders have successfully incorporated McGregor's methods into modern management styles and practices. The added quotes and commentary bring the content right into today's debates and business models. Now more than ever, the timeless wisdom of Douglas McGregor can light the path towards a management style that nurtures leadership capability, creates effective teams, ensures internal alignment, achieves high performance, and cultivates an authentic, value-driven workplace--lessons we all need to learn as we make our way in this brave new world of the 21st century.

The Human Side of Enterprise.

Part I: AN INTRODUCTION TO INQUIRY. 1. Human Inquiry and Science. 2. Paradigms, Theory, and Research. 3. The Ethics and Politics of Social Research. Part II: THE STRUCTURING OF INQUIRY: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 4. Research Design. 5. Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement. 6. Indexes, Scales, and Typologies. 7. The Logic of Sampling. Part III: MODES OF OBSERVATION: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 8. Experiments. 9. Survey Research. 10. Qualitative Field Research. 11. Unobtrusive Research. 12. Evaluation Research. Part IV: ANALYSIS OF DATA:QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE . 13. Qualitative Data Analysis. 14. Quantitative Data Analysis. 15. Reading and Writing Social Research. Appendix A. Using the Library. Appendix B. Random Numbers. Appendix C. Distribution of Chi Square. Appendix D. Normal Curve Areas. Appendix E. Estimated Sampling Error.

社会研究方法基础 = The Basics of Social Research

Built environment research consists of cognitive and affective, as well as behavioural, components. Existing built environment research utilises either strong qualitative or, more often, strong quantitative methodologies. Aims to discuss some of the philosophical issues that would be considered when undertaking academic research into the built environment. Considers the available research options or paradigms and suggests ways in which a researcher can make an informed and sensible decision as to how to proceed. The main dimensions of the debate about the relative characteristics and merits of quantitative and qualitative methodology are outlined, developing the argument that the use of a single methodology often fails to explore all of these components. The use of a mixed methods approach is suggested to counteract this weakness and to enhance research into the built environment.

Quantitative and qualitative research in the built environment: application of “mixed” research approach

The purpose and functions of the Highway Research Board's Committee on Conduct of Research are set forth, and papers sponsored by the Committee and presented at the Annual Meetings of the Highway Research Board are mentioned. The Committee, which seeks to improve the quality and effectiveness of research, serves as a forum for the exhange of ideas and the delineation of the problems associated with the various methods of organizing and administering research programs, the consideration of project design and instrumentation, and the application of research findings in the transportation field. The Committee has sponsored Annual Meeting sessions (in 1969, 1973, and 1974) on various aspects (selection, design, and supervision of projects as well as the implementation of results and evaluation of the benefits) of research management. Papers presented at the 1969 sessions were published in Highway Research Record 338. Eight papers presented at the 1973 sessions are included in this publication.

Management of research. introduction

In order for a facilities management (FM) organisation to make effective use of the results of performance measurement it must be able to make the transition from measurement to management. It must also be able to anticipate needed changes in the strategic direction of the organisation and have a methodology in place for effecting strategic change. Successful accomplishment of these two tasks represents the foundation of good performance management. This paper explores baselines for moving from performance measurement to performance management and provides a discussion of how the FM performance assessment can be used to manage the FM function effectively.

Moving from performance measurement to performance management

Uses a research study (involving case study analysis of performance measurement in facilities management organisations) to describes the process of theory building. From this study it draws out lessons about research strategies – from specifying the research questions to reaching closure – and about the strengths and weaknesses of case study method as a research tool.

Case study methodology as a means of theory building: performance measurement in facilities management organisations

One of the hallmarks of leading‐edge organisations – be they public or private – has been the successful application of performance measurement to gain insight into, and make judgements about, the organisation, and the effectiveness and efficiency of its programmes, processes, and people. The balanced scorecard (BSC) is a widely used management framework for the measurement of organisational performance. The BSC concept suggests that the state of processes of an organisation can be best assessed by taking a “balanced” view across a range of performance measures. This article seeks to offer an insight into the BSC, the key features of the concept and issues that must be addressed in its implementation as a process improvement technique. Further, it identifies the BSC methodology as a means of deploying strategic direction, communicating expectations, and measuring progress towards agreed objectives.

Process improvement through performance measurement: the balanced scorecard methodology

Facilities management operates on the premises that the efficiency of any organisation is linked to the physical environment in which it operates and that the environment can be improved to increase its efficiency. This has increasingly become an important function of the built environment. This paper looks at performance measurement of facilities management practices and argues that the future of performance assessment of facilities management will have to shift in emphasis towards a measurement and management system. It further discusses the potential for the application of such a management system, the balanced scorecard, through which facilities management performance assessment may be explored.

David Baldry

Papers

Quantitative and qualitative research in the built environment: application of “mixed” research approach

Moving from performance measurement to performance management

Case study methodology as a means of theory building: performance measurement in facilities management organisations

Process improvement through performance measurement: the balanced scorecard methodology

Assessment of facilities management performance – what next?