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The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the life of Tony Lowe, Emeritus Professor of Accounting and Financial Management at the University of Sheffield, who died on 5 March 2014. It celebrates Tony Lowe’s considerable direct contributions to accounting knowledge and, possibly more significantly, his indirect contribution through his enabling of a range of those associated with him at Sheffield to become scholars of distinction in their own right.

Publication review, personal reflections and argument.

Apart from providing insight into Tony Lowe's direct contribution to accounting knowledge through an analysis of a range of significant sole authored and joint authored publications, the paper gives rather more attention to his more indirect enabling contribution. In this regard it traces the development of initially the Management Control Association and subsequently the “Sheffield School” to Tony Lowe, clarifying the values that underlie these groups. It also clarifies how some of the key elements that have allowed the now global Interdisciplinary and Critical Perspectives on Accounting (ICPA) Project to exist and flourish are traceable to Tony Lowe and the “Sheffield School” he created.

This paper provides an important historical analysis of the direct and indirect influence of a unique scholar on the beginnings and development of particularly the now global ICPA Project. This history is personal and maybe selective and possibly limited because of this but hopefully will encourage others to investigate the claims further.

The history of the ICPA Project has only partially been told before. This is another part of this history that has not been analysed before on which further work can build.

Organizational effectiveness depends upon a capacity to build and maintain an identity congruent with environmental realities. Much recent literature on leadership insists upon the leader as holder of vision and values. Here, this literature is reviewed and is seen to create problems for the leaders themselves, for other persons in organizations and for the organizations. Argues for a synthesis of values and vision with the need for systemic wisdom, in which leadership is a form of service.

This article has two main parts. First, the aim of the paper is to give a brief overview of the major developments in management control over the past 50 years and attempt to draw out some abiding themes that have arisen from the work that has been conducted. Second, it will examine one of the more recent issues in more detail, namely managing under conditions of uncertainty, and outline the contribution that management control systems research can make.

This is a conceptual paper.

The primary aim is to suggest areas for research that are likely to be both relevant and fruitful in the future. It represents a personal point of view, and is in no sense a comprehensive review of the literature, but rather attempts to draw out some important themes that are worthy of further study and development.

The paper will be of use to those seeking to design research studies in performance management.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the key characteristics of the post‐investment relationship between the venture capital firm and its investee companies.

The research is a case study of a major UK venture capital firm using qualitative research to determine the key characteristics of the post‐investment relationship. The study is based on interviews with parties on both sides of the relationship.

While the results reflect the findings of the entrepreneurship and venture capital literature they also point to the importance of network growth and development for organizational learning in the venture capital industry, professionalization of investee firms and as a context in which the selection of the entrepreneur and the post investment relationship are set.

The research has the limitation of most case studies that the results cannot readily be generalized, in this case to the wider population of venture capital firms. Confidentiality issues also limited the extent to which a longitudinal study could be conducted.

A better understanding of the post‐investment relationship can inform entrepreneurs in their pitch for funds and in their anticipation of the post investment relationship. This understanding can also assist venture capital firms in the management of this relationship.

The case study uses data from rare access to a venture capital firm. It also differs by interviewing both parties to the post‐investment relationship, that is venture capitalist and investee firm.

Describes a weekend workshop on contemporary organizational consultancy, held in April 1992. Themes explored included types and levels of consultation; styles of intervention; consultation as a facilitation, as education, as a political process; changing needs of organizational clients; and competences required of consultants. Highlights the value of time spent in reflective thought rather than in activity. Discusses how The Tavistock Institute in the UK has instituted new courses and seminars designed to cater to practising organizational consultants wanting to enhance their professionalism. Details the content and aims of a new programme which runs from October 1993 to May 1995.

Analyses the current focus on empowerment by tracing the changing contours of involvement and participation, both in organizations and in contemporary debate. Based on the changes in involvement strategies – the move from indirect to direct participation and the move from collective representation to individualized involvement and consultation – argues that the logic underpinning interest in empowerment is disempowering.