Search results

Despite the depletion of natural resources and social costs of industrial production, corporate growth will remain a central objective for managers of American corporations in the coming decade. What must change is how that objective is pursued.

The European Union (EU, formerly the European Community) celebrated, in November 1993, the ratification of the Maastrict Treaty pushing European union another step closer to realization. In the face of growing external forces (the disequilibrium caused by the disintegration of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, the war in Bosnia and global economic recession) that affect the planned progress and strategy the European Union (EU) leaders pursue, the authors of this article use a strategic management framework to analyze the EU. To our knowledge, this has not been attempted before. There is a growing volume of literature on the adaptation of the strategic management model to public sector institutions (Rainey, Backoff & Levine, 1976; Eadie & Steinbacher, 1985; Bryson & Williams, 1983; Nutt & Backoff, 1993). Public enterprises sometimes pursue objectives different from those of private — and third‐sector (non‐profit) enterprises (Jauch & Glueck, 1988). Public managers must be able to deal with more complex internal and external environments than private — and third sector managers. Despite these and other difficulties, a strategic analysis provides clues for effective strategic management in the public sector (Eadie & Steinbacher, 1985; Ring & Perry, 1985; Nutt & Backoff, 1993). A strategic management model is used here to provide a framework of analysis and direction on which critical areas of concern need to be addressed for the EU to continue with their creation of a community wholly open to the free and unimpeded circulation of people, services, capital and goods (Wechsler; Hahn, 1991).

Recently, a great deal of interest has been shown in Britain and elsewhere to recruiting of MBAs and college qualified individuals to the firm. Older methods, such as advertising the positions and word of mouth advertising, have been supplemented by methods something like American recruiting practice. The Editors beleive it is of value to readers of Management Decision to learn of the results of some research which the author has completed on this topic, for if British firms do change to this system they might avoid some of the pitfalls that some U.S. firms have had to overcome.

A full understanding of the economic development processes of the Newly Industrialised Countries (NICs) is important both for the multinational corporations and the developing countries. This paper suggests a theoretical framework based on experience theory to explain how the NICs obtained their strategic comparative advantages in global markets. It is argued that the world social and economic environment of the post‐World War II period was conducive for the realisation of such advantages. Most recent changes, however, have important implications for both the developing countries and the multinational corporations in the selection of global strategies.

This research suggests that strategic thinking can be measured depending on cognitive logic. By developing Jung’s model, we can reach a new model, which consists of five thinking types of human beings. The strategic thinking type stands at the central part of this model. This is due to the fact that this type of thinking, which has become essential to every modern manager, is the function of all other types of thinking. A strategic thinker is the main changing agent in every organization. The cognitive approach applied refers to thinking as a bridge between the environment and observed behavior. Behavior is a direct reflection of thinking. It is not just a reflection of environment and its stimulus, as behaviorists believe. Strategic process matches cognitive logic much more than behavior logic does. Depending on (Z) test, we can statistically define the area of the type of strategic thinking. This area shows that strategic thinking is a unique type of thinking which can be measured through a combination of attitudes measurement and thinking process measurement. The validity of this model is checked by the strategic change attitudes of the respondents. The result shows that the measurement of strategic thinking suggested by our model is valid. Nevertheless, the researchers believe that this result can not be fullproof unless more research tests their claims.

This article concentrates on the application of econometrics in the development of international tourism marketing strategies. In particular it examines how empirical results can be related to a market choice matrix in identifying the most attractive countries for allocating marketing resources and limited promotional funds.

In 1979, Rosemary Pledger became the first female President of the Academy of Management (AOM). AOM, through scholarship and teaching about management and organizations, is well known for its contributions to the development of modern management theory. The purpose of this paper is to understand and analyze the human and social influencers which enabled Pledger’s career success. She climbed to the top of her profession and became a role model for other professional women, especially in the academic field; she successfully cracked the glass ceiling.

The authors used a qualitative methodology as most appropriate to examine the research question of how Pledger used human and social skills to overcome barriers to career success. In addition to her biographical data, the authors analyzed 1,593 pages of documents from the AOM Archives at the Khell Center, Martin P. Catherwood Library, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.

Pledger succeeded because she developed strong human and social capital critical for career success and career mobility. Becoming part of the top management team in three organizations – the AOM, the Southwestern AOM and the University of Houston – Clear Lake City is evidence of her skill in using her capital to crack the glass ceiling.

The limitation of author interpretation of secondary data is recognized.

This work illustrates the appropriateness of qualitative research, specifically, in placing important management figures in context, and it makes clear how human and social capital factors are critical to career success for women.

AOM’s contribution to the development of modern management theory is widely recognized; however, there is a lack of studies related to the career successes of AOM’s female leaders. This paper chronicles the career life of Rosemary Pledger who became the first female president of the AOM and a successful Dean and examines the factors that contributed to her career success despite the presence of a glass ceiling.

Practical and useful guidance is given to those undertaking management research; and advice is given on how to manage the practicalities of the research project. Particular emphasis is placed on applied and action research culminating in implementation of findings within an organisational setting. A description of the aims of management research is followed by advice on the selection of a research subject and the importance of the planning stage. Details of the processes involved in gathering the relevant information; its careful analysis; and the presentation of the findings in a readable, structured and coherent form are presented. Finally, suggestions on how to implement the research findings within an organisation are offered, as well as advice on the publication of results.

The research presented here contributes to our understanding of strategic planning and its relationship to performance in nonprofit organizations. Based on a sample of 303 nonprofit organizations, the study emphasizes individual and diverse elements of the planning process. Multiple measures of performance highlight a nonprofits need to garner resource contributions from several constituencies. Using factor analysis and canonical correlation analysis, we find a positive association between scope of planning and executive satisfaction and a negative association between administrative informality and volunteer involvement. Our results suggest that two critical resource contributors, executive directors and donors, may not value formalized decision-making and planning to the extent previously assumed.