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This study examined the differences among 76 American project managers and 36 of their Arab counterparts with regard to their perceptions of factors contributing to effective project management. After reviewing the relevant literature, a conceptual framework was derived. Seven research hypotheses were formulated and tested. The results of this study tended to underscore the significance of cultural differences among these two groups of project managers.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the association between local entrepreneurs’ perception of the city’s decline and their place attachment (measured in terms of commitment to the declining city and sense of how the declining city compares to other cities).

The authors surveyed entrepreneurs in a relatively small sample (N = 105) from a declining city of about 78,000 residents in the USA.

The authors found significant inverse correlations and found that, after controlling for length of residency, the entrepreneur’s perception of the city’s decline predicted lower place attachment. The authors also tested a moderation hypothesis and observed that, whereas professional-service entrepreneurs with both stronger and weaker perceptions of the city’s decline showed similar place attachment, non-professional entrepreneurs showed significantly more variation, displaying both the highest place attachment when weak in perceptions of the city’s decline and the lowest place attachment when strong in perceptions of the city’s decline.

The authors discuss implications for place attachment, place image and place branding research, as well as for the study of place context’s effects on entrepreneurship.

Results hold implications for place branding’s participative development and for reasons to expect some difficulty in place branding when the context is a declining city.

Relative to prior research in place management, the research features a neglected segment of the city’s population, business owners, to study place attachment. Relative to prior entrepreneurship research, the authors advance the study of context’s effects on entrepreneurship by extending it to the place context of declining cities, which are not usually featured in entrepreneurship studies.

The importance of quality and statistical quality control as strategic tools, well established in the manufacturing community, has recently been extended to the service sector. The application of statistical quality control techniques within the banking industry is discussed. Recommendations for establishing a quality control programme within a typical banking service environment are provided.

This study examines computer usage patterns in the U.S. construction industry. One hundred and seven subjects, consisting of managers at different managerial levels and professional support staff, participated in this study. This study shows that the subjects exhibit significant differences with regard to their extent of use, nature of use, and degree of satisfaction with decision support systems. Implications of these findings to decision support systems design and effective utilization are discussed.

The effective implementation of just‐in‐time (JIT) in the US public sector is examined in this empirical study. Specifically, the relationships between organizational modification efforts prior to JIT implementation, problems encountered during implementation and JIT success are investigated using a sample of 86 public sector organizations. The results of this research seem to support the notion that JIT, as a form of “managerialism”, has the potential to increase the operational efficiency, service quality and organizational effectiveness of public sector organizations. However, for this potential to be achieved, public sector organizations, like their private sector counterparts, must be willing to modify their procedures and operations. The potential benefits of JIT to public sector organizations are not in doubt. However, the art of designing the right JIT implementation strategy for such organizations is debatable. Therefore, issues related to these concerns are worthy of future research. This study is a modest contribution toward that end.

The just‐in‐time (JIT) production and inventory philosophy coupled with manufacturing automation in the form of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) and its related facets are considered by many as great competitive weapons. The birth of JIT and its positive influence on the global strategic posture of Japanese firms is well‐documented. In the 1980s many US manufacturers regarded JIT manufacturing as a peculiar Japanese contrivance, suited only to the oriental culture. However, as more companies with ever more diverse manufacturing environments successfully applied its principles, manufacturers recognized its inherent wisdom. Today, most US manufacturers have come to regard JIT as vital to their survival. This study examines the problems associated with the implementation of JIT in manufacturing environments and attempts to identify hindering factors for its success. An implementation strategy is proposed so that the organization will achieve the benefits of JIT and ultimately improve its strategic posture.

Examines the relationship between business strategy, organizational performance and manufacturing techniques and practices among 130 US companies. The research supports the notion that innovative strategies, which stress customer orientation and differentiation through the careful manipulation of the operating systems to achieve higher levels of quality, flexibility and dependability, form the basis for strategic success.

Investigates empirically the impact of the different facets of manufacturing subsystems on just‐in‐time (JIT) success. Uses a sample of 130 large US manufacturing firms to test research hypotheses derived from an extensive literature review and a field study conducted by the authors. Discusses results and implications in the context of a consideration of the role of JIT as a strategic response to the changing manufacturing environment.

Investigates the relationships between just‐in‐time (JIT) success and the extent of company‐supplier partnership development, in the context of geographical proximity, communication/ information linkages and usage of certification programmes, using a multi‐faceted measure of JIT success. Analyses data from 130 businesses to test five research hypotheses. Finds that supplier certification programmes and availability of information exchange systems between the firm and its suppliers are significantly better predictors of JIT success than geographical proximity of suppliers. Discusses the managerial implications of these findings and offers recommendations.

The ability of small businesses to make and adjust to the paradigm shift needed to benefit from the Japanese production theory has been questioned in the literature. Zangwill (1992) questioned the limits of the Japanese Production Theory (JPT) and in a subsequent paper (Zangwill, 1994) held on to his argument about the limits of the Japanese Production Theory. In this paper, the Japanese Production Theory is first discussed, followed by a discussion of the consistency between the traditional EOQ theory and the Japanese production theory, critique of the Zangwill’s argument, and issues related to the relevance of the Japanese production theory to small businesses.