Search results

Using a matching approach and multivariate logit analysis we determine that management of firms involved in MBOs more frequently chose income increasing accounting policies than did a matched sample of non‐MBO firms. The results provide support for the managerial economic incentives hypothesis as a motivation for accounting policy choices. The results of the study are consistent with a number of earlier studies such as Groff and Wright (1989), Hagerman and Zmijewski (1979) and Zmijewski and Hagerman (1981) that also find support for the managerial economic incentives hypothesis for accounting choices. DeAngelo (1986), Perry and Williams (1994) and Wu (1997) find evidence supporting the hypothesis that, in order to reduce the cost of acquiring shares from current stockholders, managers seeking to take firms private make income decreasing discretionary accruals in the period immediately prior to the MBO. In testing this theory DeAngelo (1986), Perry and Williams (1994) and Wu (1997) focus on the overall effect of a pool of business decisions and accruals made in the year immediately prior to the MBO. We theorize that managements’ self‐serving behavior begins far in advance of the actual MBO. The final terms of the MBO are the culmination of numerous actions and choices by management over a period longer than one year. In testing our hypotheses we focus on three specific accounting policy choices made over a period of three years leading up to an MBO and find significant evidence of self‐serving behavior through the use of income increasing accounting policy choices.

Application of the outputs from new technologies, particularly revolutionary new materials, is changing the concept of “total quality”. As a result there will be new dimensions to customer satisfaction in the twenty‐first century, and providers of goods and services need new management practices to meet these changing requirements. Most of the popular management models for process and product improvement, and their depiction of supplier/producer/user linkages, are now inadequate. They imply simple linear progression of ideas, information and product (from left to right in their diagrams), whereas, in reality, routings are more complex, with continual feedback and feed‐forward. Better models are available, and some of them are described here.

This paper attempts a broad review of the current status and possible future of TQM as a major management concept. It looks at its strengths, in areas such as industrial and product orientated commercial business, in which it has become well established and demonstrably helpful to organizational objectives; and its weaknesses, areas in which it has been less successful than would have been anticipated. The paper then considers the applicability of TQM concepts to product and service organisations and argues that there is evidence of greater ease of adoption, and more apparent success, within product based companies than with service based organisations. Looking to future opportunities, the paper examines what further areas of development might be appropriate for TQM. Two significant but by no means fully explored areas are: small/medium sized enterprises (SMEs); and developing and newly industrialised countries (NICs). Another extension worthy of consideration is the non commercial organisation, in the public sector and the “third sector”.

This study seeks to present a simple assembly line design and its balance for a low‐volume manufacturing company.

The study presents experiences with the design and implementation of a simple assembly line. The implementation concerns three aspects; design and construction of the assembly line, the assembly analysis of the product, and then balancing of the line. It also discusses construction and implementation difficulties of this tactical tool in the case company.

The study presents some outcomes from the design, implementation, and balancing of an assembly line for SMEs.

The study is limited by the case company and its experience.

This study is not pure theoretical study, it has application stages for industry, and it provides some real interface for the people from SMEs.

The approach has an original value in respect of implementation of assembly line for a small manufacturing company which has many limitations.

The resolution of electroencephalography (EEG) forward problem by the finite element method (FEM) involves the modeling of current dipoles with the singularities. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the accuracy issue of the two alternative methods, the direct method and the subtraction method for the modeling of current dipoles.

Finite element modeling of current dipoles using the direct method and the alternative implementations of the subtraction method.

The accuracy and the performance of different methods are compared through a four-layer spherical head model with available analytical solution. Results show that the subtraction method involving only the surface integrals provides the best accuracy.

The subtraction method removes the difficulty of modeling the singularity of current dipoles but the accuracy depends on the implementation.

An objective, two‐tier quantitative model has been developed for assessing the presence of total quality in an organisation, and for determining the effectiveness of a company’s total quality management initiatives. This was based on the hypothesis that, since the necessary and sufficient conditions for just‐in‐time inventory management and total quality management are almost identical, inventory performance should be a good indicator of quality achievement. A stand‐alone inventory rating method was used initially, and was later combined with return on capital and employee value indicators to create a model for more detailed evaluation. The two methods were tested on 48 companies. It was found that the inventory performance rating is a reliable indicator of a total quality organisation, and that the multifactor method is useful in identifying areas of success or failure. Both indicators predicted changes in overall business performance.

This paper expands upon previous work by the authors in which an unique, non‐subjective, quantitative model was developed that could be used to indicate the presence and evaluate the effectiveness of a total quality management programme in manufacturing organisations. That model was proven to be not only an indicator of TQ performance but also a predictor of general business performance. By incorporating an automation component using information technology and DBMS, the enhanced model developed in this paper integrates technology into the prior model. This increases the ease and speed with which the companies can conduct a self‐assessment of their TQ programmes. Accordingly, the finished product provides an improved tool for evaluating TQ, resulting in a more effective strategic decision‐making.

Knight's Industrial Law Reports goes into a new style and format as Managerial Law This issue of KILR is restyled Managerial Law and it now appears on a continuous updating basis rather than as a monthly routine affair.

With an ever-expanding focus on reading and mathematics, many elementary schools have chosen to reduce time previously reserved for social studies. Elementary teachers who understand both the relevance of social studies content and the effectiveness of interdisciplinary teaching regularly incorporate applicable history-based children’s tradebooks in their curricula. Locating developmentally appropriate books is simple. Teaching history using children’s literature can be effective. It can be counterproductive, however, if the selected book is replete with historical misrepresentations. Teaching historical thinking in elementary school is problematic no matter what the teaching tool, and there are few methodological roadmaps for elementary teachers. Here, I first suggest ways for teachers to nurture elementary students’ historical thinking using anecdotes from everyday activities and literature with themes germane to history and multiculturalism. Then, I suggest ways for elementary educators to locate and develop engaging, age-appropriate, and historically accurate curricular supplements. Using literature on Christopher Columbus as a reference point to facilitate young students’ historical thinking, I propose an interdisciplinary approach, discipline-specific historical literacy strategies, and history-themed authentic assessments.