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1 – 10 of over 25000Geoff Walters and Simon Chadwick
The purpose of this paper is to explain that corporate citizenship refers to the specific activities that an organisation engages in to meet social obligations, and which has…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain that corporate citizenship refers to the specific activities that an organisation engages in to meet social obligations, and which has become an issue of growing importance within the business community. A key area in academic literature concentrates on justifying corporate citizenship initiatives to the corporate sector by illustrating a range of strategic benefits that a firm can achieve. This study is located within this body of work and aims to illustrate the strategic benefits that a football club can gain from the implementation of corporate citizenship activities through the community trust model of governance.
Design/methodology/approach
The study draws from qualitative primary and secondary data gathered from Charlton Athletic and Brentford football clubs.
Findings
Analysis of the data resulted in the identification of six strategic benefits that a football club can realise through the creation of a community trust model of governance. These are the removal of commercial and community tensions; reputation management; brand building; local authority partnerships; commercial partnerships; and player identification.
Research limitations/implications
The paper considers the importance of these findings for a generic business audience, discussing how organisations can also benefit from the creation of partnerships with football clubs focused on the delivery of corporate citizenship initiatives.
Practical implications
The paper provides information regarding the application of management practice evident in football to other forms of business organisation.
Originality/value
The paper is the first to consider how corporate citizenship initiatives in football can assist firms in other sectors to achieve a range of strategic benefits.
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This paper aims to retrace the genesis of private share company in Ancient Rome as one of the greatest innovation in the history of management.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to retrace the genesis of private share company in Ancient Rome as one of the greatest innovation in the history of management.
Design/methodology/approach
Relying on a thorough and systematic analysis of the available historical material, and modern research, the author reconstructs the first known form of private share company and the way it came into being under late Republic and early Empire.
Findings
The scope of commercial partnerships and bounds preventing them from concentration of capitals are shown. The popular myth of private corporations allegedly existing in Ancient Rome is debunked. The author reveals how existing business elements (union of co-owners, the module “slave – peculium – free administration” from individual enterprise, and the principle of inseparability of joint ownership) had been combined to form private share company. Are demonstrated its chief differences from corporation, and the untenability of attempts to deny the real existence of private share companies in Ancient Rome. By way of summing up, the pattern of innovations is brought into relief.
Research limitations/implications
The material opens new vistas for historians and allows them to draw an exacter and more comprehensive picture of Roman private entrepreneurship. Experts in management get an opportunity to retrace the background of modern forms of business organizing. A broader circle of researchers may see what the real path of radical novelties – from the need for them to their implementation – is. And altogether, the author’s conclusions provide scholars with a key to understanding breakthrough phenomena of history.
Practical implications
The results obtained may be used in many courses related to the history of economics, business, management, innovations, etc. Besides, they allow practitioners to discern plainly the origins of new business forms and learn how to make for them or facilitate their growth.
Social implications
The author's conception of viable novelties sheds light on the processes of social development and modernization. It may serve as an effective instrument in planning reforms and managing them.
Originality/value
The framework of Roman private share company and many allied issues are investigated for the first time. This type of enterprise is presented as a response to the functional request from private entrepreneurs. That is why the new organizational form, despite its radical nature, proved to be quite efficient, and caught on in business. The author infers from his findings a generalized pattern of innovations able to get integrated into reality.
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Emma Folmer, Corneel Nederveen and Veronique Schutjens
The purpose of this paper is to understand how important networks are for the emergence and growth of social enterprises as well as how social enterprises use their networks…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand how important networks are for the emergence and growth of social enterprises as well as how social enterprises use their networks throughout the life course of their organisation. A comparative approach is used by contrasting social enterprises with traditional commercial enterprises along the dimensions of obtaining resources and legitimacy through their networks.
Design/methodology/approach
An abductive approach is used starting from existing knowledge on how commercial enterprises use networks during the start-up and growth of their enterprise. Qualitative interviews with 23 entrepreneurs were conducted. Using a matched-pairs design, the network importance and use of social and commercial enterprises is compared.
Findings
It is found that networks are highly important for both commercial and social enterprises throughout their life course. However, they substantially diverge in how they use their networks. Social enterprises tend to access more intangible resources through their networks than do commercial enterprises. Moreover, social enterprises rely more strongly on their networks for legitimacy in both the start-up and growth phase of the enterprise.
Originality/value
This paper takes a novel approach by empirically comparing the networks of social and commercial enterprises. New insights are offered in the resource flows within networks and how entrepreneurs use resources obtained from their networks.
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Reviews the changing roles, needs and responsibilities inhealth‐care facilities management, by examining challenging keyelements, such as contracting out; patient care and quality…
Abstract
Reviews the changing roles, needs and responsibilities in health‐care facilities management, by examining challenging key elements, such as contracting out; patient care and quality management systems. Suggests that a sharper focus is needed on patient care and that the solution lies in the development of a commercial partnership. Offers possible formats for such a partnership to take.
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Daniel Rayne, Heath McDonald and Civilai Leckie
The purpose of this paper is to assess corporate social responsibility (CSR) implemented via social partnerships between professional sports teams and not-for-profit organizations…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess corporate social responsibility (CSR) implemented via social partnerships between professional sports teams and not-for-profit organizations according to current theoretical perspectives. Limited resources and outcomes often mean there is a gap between theory and practice, the implications of which are not well understood.
Design/methodology/approach
Five partnerships in Australian football were analyzed via case study methodology which incorporated interviews, analysis of websites, social media and annual reports.
Findings
Despite being used as a CSR tool, findings showed most organizations enter these arrangements to achieve instrumental outcomes. Further, such partnerships mostly operate at a basic stage often described as philanthropic. One partnership was seen as more advanced consisting of a workplace plan to enhance diversity.
Practical implications
It is advocated that managers adopt a more integrated partnership model consisting of formalized objectives, activity implementation, evaluation mechanisms, frequent interaction, top-level leadership involvement and promotion to sufficiently achieve CSR goals.
Originality/value
Addressing calls from past research into an examination of the variation of CSR in sports, this research is one of the first to compare multiple case studies to assess the strategic implementation of social partnerships in a professional sporting context. Accordingly, the study demonstrates how such partnerships can be evaluated against a prominent theoretical model, the Collaboration Continuum, enabling more robust social partnership strategies.
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Kusumaphorn Sompong, Barbara Igel and Helen Lawton Smith
This paper aims to investigate the relationship among alliance motivation (AM), execution of cooperation (EC) and alliance performance of strategic alliance for commercializing…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship among alliance motivation (AM), execution of cooperation (EC) and alliance performance of strategic alliance for commercializing technology and developing products.
Design/methodology/approach
The measurements were constructed and tested empirically through a survey of 320 strategic alliances in the food processing industry in Thailand. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were applied to refine scales for measuring AM, execution and cooperation performance.
Findings
This research found that firms adopted social interaction with alliance partners in order to establish mutual expectations about technology characteristics, access opportunity and organisational management styles, factors that are shown to have positive influences on both commercial and partnership performance. Findings also confirm a significant positive impact of technology characteristics, access opportunity, market potential and financial benefit on the adoption of a formal partnership agreement, but a significant impact only on commercial performance.
Research limitations/implications
Further research should use random samples in different industries in other emerging economies, and other data analysis methods to assess decision-making in strategic technology alliances that may include different types of partnerships.
Practical implications
The findings are also useful for managers who leverage operations with external resources obtained through strategic alliances parameters both in the process of managing relationships and achieving results.
Originality/value
This article contributes to extant literature by developing a practical measurement system of AM, actual EC and resulting performance in an emerging economy country. It also contributes to clarify the decision-making of firms that form strategic alliances for commercializing technology and developing products to facilitate more quality management research in other industries and countries.
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Sohail Inayatullah and Ismahane A. Elouafi
The purpose of this paper is to present findings, based on a report for the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), of the preferred visions, scenarios and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present findings, based on a report for the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), of the preferred visions, scenarios and strategies of stakeholders articulated at a workshop held in Dubai from November 25 to 26, 2012.
Design/methodology/approach
The “six pillars” approach to foresight was used to articulate visions of preferred futures of over 50 international stakeholders, including representatives from the UAE Government, national and international donors, the private sector and leading scientists from universities and international scientific institutions. These visions were then translated into a strategic and business plan for ICBA.
Findings
The research center was successfully able to use foresight methods to develop a long-term strategic plan, continuing its history of innovation in knowledge-based research relating to saline and marginal environments. Novel visions and strategies for water and food futures were developed. A risk assessment of each vision was conducted.
Research limitations/implications
This case study presents visions with scenarios and strategic pathways. It illustrates the utility in setting long-term visions first and then linking with strategic plans. Limitations include that the success of such a venture cannot be judged for at least five to six years. While in the short run, resources – human, partnerships, capital and leadership – have been mobilized, it is too soon to gauge real success of the foresight workshop, project.
Practical implications
The study shows links between visions, scenarios and strategic pathways.
Social implications
The study includes valuable discussions by leading scientists of water and food futures as well as the organizational and leadership capabilities required to deliver alternative futures.
Originality/value
One of the few workshop-oriented interventions in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) region using the anticipatory action learning six pillars framework is included. The study contrasts normal expert-based conferencing in the MENA region.
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This chapter provides an introduction to the world of family companies and family constitutions from a legal perspective. It first studies the legal types of business…
Abstract
This chapter provides an introduction to the world of family companies and family constitutions from a legal perspective. It first studies the legal types of business organizations that family firms have chosen across time and jurisdictions. It then illustrates how early predecessors of family constitutions evolved in the late Middle Ages and what modern family constitutions look like in different countries today. Further considerations are devoted to the governance framework of family firms. The chapter concludes by exploring the potential legal effects of family constitutions under German company and contract law.
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This paper aims to develop a “line of sight” between improved military capability through supply network effectiveness to trust and shared values, and test the proposition that…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop a “line of sight” between improved military capability through supply network effectiveness to trust and shared values, and test the proposition that the effectiveness of the UK's military supply network (SN) will reflect the extent of the shared values within that network.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a three unit case study, the extent of the shared values is tested using a computer aided text analysis technique and an amended version of the Kuhn and McPartland Twenty Statements Test.
Findings
The research was unable to demonstrate alignment between higher levels of shared values and SN effectiveness. This may reflect the marked differences between commercial SNs which incorporate an assumption of near total elasticity of supply and aim at “on time in full” delivery, and their military counterparts which, not least for budgetary constraint reasons, do not have the same drivers of performance.
Research limitations/implications
Further investigation should be undertaken to examine the generalisability of the research findings both within the UK and internationally.
Practical implications
The research underlines the caution that should be exercised when attempting to migrate commercial SN management thinking to a military environment.
Originality/value
Notwithstanding the vast sums expended on the provision of defence logistics, there is only very limited consideration of how best to achieve the appropriate balance between efficiency (low cost – especially in peacetime) and effectiveness (life saving – especially in war). This research offers some early insights using two novel techniques that represent valuable alternative means of understanding the impact of issues such as trust and shared values within SNs.
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