Showing papers in "Journal of Management Studies in 1985"

The interaction between national and organizational value systems[1]

Abstract: 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 elite. 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]

Abstract: 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.

The organization as political arena

Abstract: Politics and conflict sometimes capture an organization in whole or significant part, giving rise to a form we call the Political Arena. After discussing briefly the system of politics in organizations, particularly as a set of ‘political games’, we derive through a series of propositions four basic types of Political Arenas: the complete Political Arena (characterized by conflict that is intensive and pervasive), the confrontation (conflict that is intensive but contained), the shaky alliance (conflict that is moderate and contained), and the politicized organization (conflict that is moderate but pervasive). the interrelationships among these four, as well as the context of each, are then described in terms of a process model of life cycles of Political Arenas. A final section of the paper considers the functional roles of politics in organizations.

Making sense of research into the organizational and social aspects of management accounting: a review of its underlying assumptions [1]

Abstract: A central notion behind this paper is that certain fundamental theoretical and philosophical assumptions underlie any piece of research there is no such thing as a totally objective or value free investigation. Given this initial claim it is thought that the underlying assumptions behind any piece of work should be recognized and assessed by researchers to ensure that they are consistent with their personal beliefs. In other words, researchers into the management sciences should consider their own values and beliefs concerning the nature of society and the social sciences. In order to assist people in this task previous research into the organizational and social aspects of accounting is reviewed and grouped into various schools of thought within a basic sociological framework devised by Burrell and Morgan (1979). This classification of previous accounting literature according to its principal theoretical and philosophical assumptions serves a number of important purposes. First, the framework forms a map that can be used to find one's way through the wealth of research, the aims of which are sometimes confusing and the results conflicting. It will be seen that the multi-disciplinary nature of management accounting, and the consequent variety of theories subsumed under its heading, masks the fact that they tend to stem from similar perspectives towards society and the social sciences. Secondly, a practically oriented subject such as management accounting has often embraced theories from other areas with little concern for their philosophical underpinnings. By making explicit the basic assumptions behind different pieces of work, it is hoped that a greater tolerance and awareness of research from alternative disciplines and perspectives may br

Strategic awareness, personal commitment and the process of planning in the small business

Abstract: 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.

Proprietorial control in family firms: some functions of ‘quasi‐organic’ management systems

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strategies of managerial control which are used by the proprietors of family-owned business enterprises. Interviews with the proprietors and senior managers of businesses in the building industry illustrate the ‘quasi-organic’ nature of management structures. These grant some autonomy to senior managers without threatening proprietorial decision-making prerogatives. Although the family firm has certain distinctive features, similar control strategies designed to ensure that delegated decisions are ‘reliable’ and ‘responsible’ are evident in various types of business enterprise. There is, then, scope for further comparative research within a conceptual framework which does not entirely divorce the family firm from other business organizations.

Obstacles to strategy implementation in a nationalized industry[1]

Abstract: Implementation of policy or strategy in the public sector has attracted a growing interest in the U.S.A. (Bardach, 1977; Derthick, 1972; Pressman and Wildavsky, 1973) and more recently in the U.K. (Dunsire, 1978; Levitt, 1980; S.S.R.C., 1979). the emphasis in this stream of work is on centre-periphery relationships and their respective uses of power and authority and on interorganizational relationships. This emphasis probably stems from the overt independence of local Government and some other public bodies from central Government in their appointment, composition, manner of carrying out their duties and, in resource terms, raising revenue. In large ‘commercial’ organizations, centre-periphery relations have tended to be viewed more in terms of the formal organizational structure and have attracted less research attention. A complementary but distinct stream of research, offering many parallels and useful insights into management science/O.R. implementation, has grown from the early work of Churchman and Scheinblatt (1965) - for example Schultz and Slevin (1975), Doktor et al. (1979). This second stream concentrates more on technical, operational aspects and largely ignores power relations which are assumed to correspond closely to the formal organization structure. A third stream of research has emerged from the strategic management literature (Ansoff, 1979; Anthony, 1965; Lewin, 1981; Steiner and Miner, 1977). Here the emphasis has been on budgeting and control though the scope has broadened to embrace e.g. considerations of power. A fourth related contributor, drawn on mainly by the policy and strategy streams and largely ignored in the public policy literature, is the organizational behaviour literature with its work on the exercise of power in organizations (for example, Cyert and March, 1963; Mumford and Pettigrew, 1975). In the study to be described here, which predates privatization, insights have been drawn from, and relationships established between, each of these streams of work, none of which has yet produced a comprehensive theory of implementation; regretably it remains beyond the scope of this study to do so. Hypotheses have emerged from the study which are offered as a contribution to theory buiding in implementation. It is hoped that they, in combination with findings from other research, will bring nearer the goal of a comprehensive theory of implementation as a guide to planning and action applicable to both the public and private sectors. While there have been some empirical studies of strategy formulation, little field research has been undertaken on implementation (Bardach, 1977; Hofer, 1976; Schultz and Slevin, 1975).

Management control as a bridging concept

Abstract: Despite their often overlapping subject areas, management science and social science reveal only occasional promise of a fruitful interlink. However, recent developments in the study of managerial control suggest that this problematic could well be used as a suitable bridge.

A cross-national study of leadership: participation as a function of problem structure and leader power

Abstract: This study explores the effects of task structure and leader power on participative leadership across Australian, African, Papua-New Guinea and Pacific Island managers. Managers in all national groups are more participative in situations of low structure and low power than for high structure and high power, respectively. Participation in situations of low structure and low power declines in the order: Australia, Africa, Papua-New Guinea, Pacific Islands. It is argued that this effect is an instrumental effect of managerial education, rather than being culturally determined. the Vroom-Yetton leadership methodology is used to measure participation levels. Subjects are a total of 150 middle-level managers attending management education courses.

Failure, uncertainty and control: the role of operators in a computer integrated production system

Abstract: This article presents the findings of a case study which analyzed how new electronics and computing technology affected the role of process operators in a continuous process plant manufacturing pigments in Scotland. the first stage of the research was a participant observation study of the site over two years. Three years later, production managers and operators were interviewed, and an observation study was carried out over one full shift in the plant studied. the results demonstrate that the process operators required considerable skill, knowledge, experience and training to deal with process faults, cope with contingencies, and to control the process effectively. the operators reported that they found interest and challenge in the work. the impact of technical change on the quality of working life was, however, equivocal. the operators’ mobility was constrained, they were isolated from the rest of the plant, some messy manual tasks remained, and they were still dependent on the technical and chemical expertise of management and engineering staff to handle serious problems. Other operators were less enthusiastic about the work. Management expected the new systems to reduce human intervention and control. But the limitations of the computer controls and the high cost of error meant that effective production was more dependent on human presence and ability than in simpler batch production. Advances in computing technology may highlight the conflict between management desires to reduce human operator control and to design effective integrated production systems.

Planners' perceptions of the strategic management process[1]

Abstract: 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.

Organization design and the life‐cycles of products [1]

Abstract: This paper presents a model which elaborates the relationship between organization design and the product life-cycle. Consideration is given to the structural implications of corporations which have multiple products at differing phases in their life-cycles. This involves a theoretical synthesis of work on P.L.C. with that on degree of product diversification.

Committee talk: negotiating ‘personnel development’ at a training college [1]

Abstract: An analysis is made of the interactional styles of a personnel development committee and its chairman. Beneath what is manifestly the negotiation of the meaning of ‘personnel development’ and how it might best be facilitated, transcribed extracts display members engineering a latent shift in the identity of the committee. A psycho-social explanation is offered for the observed patterns. This draws on both the actors’ definitions of the situation implicit in the talk and in their retrospective self-reports, as well as the dynamics of leader-follower relations evidenced in this small group. the case study is significant for the insights provided into the handling of transitional shifts in the developmental career or life-cycle of committees and the tensions inherent in participatory management.

A comparative analysis of research and development managerial jobs across two sectors

Abstract: 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.

The process organizational structure

Abstract: The concept of the PROCESS ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE (P.O.S.) represents an attempt to take current systems-oriented organizational theory one step further. The P.O.S. is viewed as an additional type of organizational structure, existing and operating in the organizational space, side by side and integratively with the formal and informal organizational structures. Its characteristics are identified and analyzed, and a multi-dimensional process framework designed to fit all organizations is outlined. The framework's contribution to our understanding of organizational structure and dynamics is indicated, as well as its potential usefulness as a tool for theory and practice.

A systems approach to bank prudential management and supervision: the utilization of feedforward control

Abstract: This paper explores the operational characteristics of a new systems approach for monitoring the prudential strength, or safety, of modern commercial banks. It exploits the principle of feedforward control through the simulated contingency analysis of a bank's planned financial and associated management positions. This approach will be shown to have operational potential for both individual bank managements and the supervisory authorities who monitor the prudential soundness of all banks. Most of the research to date in this field has been concerned with assessing the adequacy of a bank's capital funds, its capital adequacy position. The primary function of bank capital is to act as a kind of internal insurance fund in order to protect a bank against uncertainties.

Organizational structuring: an empirical analysis of the relationships and dimensions of structures in certain finnish companies

Abstract: The relationships of structure and structural factors at a general level are examined on the basis of data from a Finnish sample of mostly small and medium-sized industrial organizations. the sample, which consists of shoe and clothing firms, is homogeneous in terms of basic technology and industrial environment. the structural relationships are analysed from the point of view of size so that the interaction or concurrence of size and specialization is seen as a primary determinant of the systems of structural relationships. Some additional contextual variables are included in the analysis. Further, the factors or dimensions of structure reported are built on the basic variables of coordination and control. the factors are managerial supervision, the administrative component in general, including the clerical component, which is of particular importance, and impersonal mechanisms.

How to solve communication problems on the r and d interface

Abstract: It is now widely recognized that isolation of the R and D department from the rest of the company, influences the rate of innovation in a negative way. An essential condition for the innovation process to proceed smoothly, is cooperation between the various functional departments (e.g. R and D, marketing, production). In this paper some results of an empirical study among R and D managers in medium sized Dutch industrial companies will be presented. The four main hypotheses tested are as follows: (1) R and D managers disagree with actual company policy with respect to importance of short-run vs. long-run goals in setting the R and D budget. (2) The level of influence that the R and D managers allow from non- R and D managers (e.g. on the R and D budget) depends on the level of integration between R and D and the rest of the company. (3) Some identifiable organizational devices have a positive influence on the level of integration (understanding) between functional departments. (4) The level of integration has a positive influence on the performance of the R and D department. Our material can give some useful suggestions to the general manager in deciding how to improve the communication between R and D and the rest of the company.

Managerially perceived influence over intradepartmental decisions

Abstract: The perceived importance of seven power factors to two types of intradepartmental decision are examined: those which a manager takes alone and those which are taken in a group composed of departmental members only. the major findings from this examination are that while formal authority is important in the former situation it is of lesser importance in the latter situation; the reverse is true for personality. We conclude that decision method has a pronounced effect upon the relative importance of power factors. Secondary analysis of the data suggests that group composition also has a marked effect but that issue domain has a negligible effect. Nevertheless, managerial expertise remains dominantly important throughout the whole range of decision-making situations; this finding also concurs with the results from our companion paper (Kenny and Wilson, 1984).

Assessing the samples of prior organizational research

Abstract: The sampling designs used in organizational research have been less than consistent across different reported studies. In this analysis we examine the reported relationships among several key organizational variables in ten separate previously published studies to determine the degree to which major differences in sample designs have influenced findings. We isolate that portion of reported associations due to unique characteristics of the samples and report the association these ‘sample design effects’ have with particular sample designs. Results indicate homogeneous samples of organizations inflate reported relationships yet leave significant sources of variation uncontrolled in sample selection. an alternative to sampling of homogeneous organizations is suggested by the fact that larger and probabilitistically selected samples are also associated with larger reported relationships among organizational variables.

Psychological dimensions of personal responsibility for public management: an object relations approach

Abstract: 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.