Search results

There is little empirical research that demonstrates a link between quality management practice and better project management performance. Some evidence to this effect is presented and analysed. Reviews two studies that examined the relationship between quality management practice and performance in two areas: manufacturing, and logistics. Next, data are analysed from a survey of project managers in the high‐tech and software industries in Israel. Finally, the results of the survey are integrated with those of previous work, and some insights regarding the contribution of quality management practices to project success are offered.

The aim of this paper is to outline how public managers' reflective thinking capacity is developed through integration of education and practice using a real-life organizational problem as the educational starting point. Managers' reflective thinking capacity becomes important due to an increasing organizational complexity and the growing trend of introducing post-new public management paradigms.

Inspired by Brinkmann's (2012) approach to the inquiry on everyday life materials, semi-structured interviews were conducted with public managers taking a public management program. A phenomenologically inspired content analysis was applied in the process of scrutinizing the findings, subsequently informing the discussion on the development of problem solving through public management education.

The analysis indicates that the managers' pre-understanding of continuing education at the university level, managers' personal objectives, along with a growing experience with and insights into problem-based learning (PBL), appear to facilitate managers' integration of theory and practice. As revealed in this paper, an inquiry that integrates daily organizational practice and theoretical models and terms, as the origin of the personal development module, seems to facilitate managers' reflective thinking and self-reflexivity.

This paper illustrates that learning processes facilitated by seminars like the personal development module (PDM) not only facilitates the development of reflective thinking, but managers also seem to develop competencies in self-reflexivity – the latter being an underdeveloped element of Dewey's (1933) notion of reflective thinking. Thus, further theoretical and empirical research is needed to explore the potentials of developing a pragmatically inspired notion that offers an understanding of managers' self-reflexivity. By inquiring about managerial puzzlements through a personal development lens, a self-reflective focus adds to the Dewey-inspired approach to reflective thinking.

Nowadays, a prominent research area is the development of competitive advantages in companies, due to their environmental commitment and orientation. Based on resource-based view (RBV) and institutional theory (InT), this paper aims to investigate the influence of internal and external orientation on businesses' sustainable performance while considering the effect of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices.

Data from 351 manufacturing companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been collected and analysed through structural equation modelling (SEM) using the partial least squares (PLS) method.

The results indicated that both internal and external environmental orientation have important effects on SSCM practices, which in turn have a considerable beneficial effect on environmental, social and economic performance.

Although SSCM is constantly gaining ground in the literature, most SSCM research and models examine its effects, antecedents or motivation, mainly adopting a qualitative approach. Research on the topic adopting a large-scale empirical approach is still limited. In this context, this study contributes to the SSCM management literature by exploring the role of environmental orientation in facilitating the adoption of SSCM practices and improving companies' performance.

This paper aims to examine the influence of records management practices on staff performance among administrative staff in private universities in Uganda.

Using surveys, this study took a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical design. Out of a population of 177, the study targeted a sample size of 123 respondents. Using proportionate random sampling, data were obtained from 104 usable questionnaires. The researchers applied Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) to test all the four hypotheses. The results are presented in terms of hierarchical regression analysis models.

Records creation, records maintenance and records disposal are significant predictors of administrative staff performance in chartered private universities in Uganda.

This study is relevant to heads of private universities, as it will guide them to set up and implement records management policies and practices, which are relevant for improving staff performance at work. They will be able to closely adhere to efforts that imply appropriate management of records to promote decision-making, cost reduction and information processing. Private university owners could appraise university management based on whether they can successfully execute records management-related policies and procedures for staff performance.

This study demonstrates that the application of proper records management practices translates into increased administrative staff performance in terms of efficiency and effectiveness within the workplace.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how managers in Nepalese business organizations and non‐profit non‐government organizations understand and practice strategic management and to what extent such understanding and practices differ from those in western countries.

In‐depth case studies of eight business organizations and non‐government organizations (NGOs) were prepared based on multiple data collection such as interviews and review of reports and the cases were analyzed to identify several themes for discussion of similarities and differences in the views and practices of strategic management.

Managers in Nepal have developed some shared understanding of key aspects of strategic management and practice some important aspects of strategic management; much remains to be done in order for them to develop a clear strategic focus so that they could develop their abilities to compete with global players and to create competitive advantages.

This study suggested several avenues for future research for more systematic and data‐driven studies on the roles of international exposure on managers, international partners, national culture and other macro environmental conditions on strategic management practices in Nepal and South Asia.

The research findings are useful for managers of business organizations and non‐government organizations to develop their strategies for superior performance in South Asian countries characterized by volatile business environment and resource constraints.

NGOs which work for social development need to improve their strategic management practices with more rigorous and resilient strategic implementation in Nepal.

This research is unique in the context of Nepal and will be useful in similar contexts. The findings contribute to understanding the strategic management practices in a unique culture.

This paper explores the issue of transferring western human resource management (HRM) practices to Algeria. Drawing on a case study of a large industrial company, the research identifies the motives for the transfer and examines the selection and implementation process of western HRM practices in Algeria. Evidence generated from the case study reveals that while management justifications for the transfer of western HRM practices capture the economic and technical rationale for western HRM practices, they fail to identify local conditions under which these HRM practices might be transferred. The applicability of western HRM is hindered by the unplanned and haphazard importation of western HRM practices.

This study aims to understand how reporting practices act as drivers of change in situations of conflicting institutional logics in a public sector organisation.

The findings are based on a case study of a German federal authority, where management accounting reports were introduced as part of a “new” managerial logic of control.

In the case organisation, management accounting reports were intended to change the behaviour of executives but were still guided by an “old” logic of justification. Nevertheless, over time, the addressees of the reports used the reports and reconciled different logics. This documents a process from decoupling to compromising and, finally, reconciling different institutional logics.

By examining the practices of management accounting reporting, this study elaborates the tensions placed on individuals by conflicting institutional logics and provides insights into how organisational practices are used to handle and reconcile conflicting logics in a public sector organisation. Therefore, this paper contributes to the discussion on how organisational practices act as drivers of organisational change.

The concept of the market economy is gaining ground in China. So also, with the growth of international business partnerships and collaboration with the West, is the significance of management accounting. The purpose of this paper is to provide some background for the development of management accounting practices in China.

As enterprises gain more autonomy, management accounting techniques such as capital budgeting, cost of capital concept, just‐in‐time inventory, inventory model concept, cost‐volume‐profit analysis, total quality management and others will become more important. This paper examines the development of management accounting practices in China from the perspective of transitional economies.

Evidence suggests that the national culture and values practiced for centuries by Chinese business influence the concerted efforts for information dissemination and developing management accounting practices. Because of the lack of understanding of western management accounting practices, the pace of development of Chinese management accounting practices might be slow for now.

The paper attempts to analyze the development of management accounting practices in Chinese business by looking at the background and contemporary thoughts; however, the value of the paper could be raised if the results were tested empirically, though discussion was aligned to empirics from other research and existing literature.

This paper argues the necessity of recognizing the significance of culture‐based management accounting systems and practices, but also of realizing that, since the Chinese government opened its doors to foreign investment, international standards and practices have a major role to play.

This paper attempts to analyze the challenges that China, a transitional economy, faces and what factors it seriously needs to consider for developing much needed management accounting practices. It also examines the evolution of management accounting systems in China, with their distinctive features, in order to provide a better understanding of their development.

In the mainstream international business literature on multinational corporations (MNCs), an authoritative central headquarter (HQ) that transfers standardised practices to its subsidiaries remains the norm. This study aims to explore how MNCs coordinate their management practices through principles.

The paper draws on empirical findings from a qualitative in-depth single case study based on evidence-rich qualitative data including observations from how a high-tech MNC headquartered in Sweden coordinates its development practices.

An alternative informal coordination approach (i.e. coordination by principles) is identified. Additionally, antecedents and implications of the approach are presented.

Coordination by Principles may facilitate the internalisation of practices and be a feasible compromise between context adaptation and traditional standardisation, particularly for MNCs with highly heterogeneous research and development operations.

This paper highlights the importance of acknowledging that firm practices often are based on management ideas that HQs adopt to prevent loss of legitimacy. As such, this study contributes to the scarce literature that critically questions the assumption that HQs solely transfer practices to subsidiaries to improve subsidiary efficiency and performance.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the HRD practices of multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in Australia to understand the value that MNEs place on investment in their human capital, particularly managerial talent.

Drawing on a representative sample of 211 MNEs operating in Australia, this paper investigates the extent (using frequencies) and determinants (using logistic regression analysis) of training and development expenditure, management development strategies, talent management and succession planning policies.

The findings suggest that less than 20 per cent of MNEs operating in Australia are investing over 4 per cent of their annual pay bill on training and development. Furthermore, almost a quarter of firms invest less than 1 per cent in training and development. However, most MNEs invest in their managers and those with high potential through the use of management development programmes, talent management strategies and succession planning. Interestingly, in comparison to US MNEs, Australian MNEs were less likely to use management development or talent management programmes for senior management or high performing staff.

The current study is cross-sectional and represents a snapshot of MNEs’ HRD practices at one point in time. The study measured the perceptions of the most senior HR manager and did not include the views of other organisational participants. The authors suggest the need for future research studies that incorporate longitudinal research designs and the views of different organisational actors.

HR managers or HRD specialists need to develop a strong understanding of the Australian institutional context, as well as demonstrate the importance/business case for an integrative approach to HRD.

This paper fulfils an identified need to study the HRD practices of MNEs operating in Australia, particularly focusing on the value that MNEs place on their human capital.