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This paper presents a model for predicting crises in small businesses using early‐warning signals. It summarises the results of two separate studies carried out in Finland (with 72 per cent response) and the UK (26 per cent) on the decision process of corporate analysts (Finland) and bank managers (UK) in predicting the failure of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Both studies consist of seven main headings and over 40 sub‐headings of possible factors leading to failure. Weighted averages were used for both studies to show the importance of these factors. There are significant similarities in the results of the two studies. Management incompetence was regarded as the most important factor, followed by deficiencies in the accounting system and attitude towards customers. However, low accounting staff morale was considered a very important factor in Finland but not in the UK. Unlike Finland, the UK results emphasised the importance of accounting systems and internal control. These two studies differ from previous studies as managerial auditing elements like the importance of internal control departments (UK evidence) and budgetary control systems were included. Similarities in the results of these surveys conducted under two separate EU environments imply that it would be interesting and beneficial to extend these studies to other member states.

Insights from psychoanalytic thinking have been widely applied in the field of consulting, training and facilitation; small group theory has also been influential. Perspectives from median and large group work have been less commonly applied. Explores some of the mechanisms which underlie large group dynamics and shows how they can help to highlight some of the destructive processes which may occur when more than about a dozen people meet together. Insights derived from large group perspectives will be used to help explain the dynamics of an organisational event in which a group of experienced consultants were reduced to feelings of profound incompetence and helplessness. Finally, suggests some ways in which the negative effects of large group dynamics may be ameliorated.

The purchasing function is particularly vulnerable to fraud. Recent research revealed a number of blind spots in the audit process: collusion between buyer and seller, suppliers taking advantage of incompetent purchasing staff and fraudulent activities by the buyer. A check‐list is provided to monitor the effectiveness of the purchasing operation.

This chapter addresses the stage at which entrepreneurs figure out that they have reached their level of incompetence (Peter & Hull, 1969) and how they might overcome it. Recommendations are made to aid entrepreneurs realize when this key moment has arrived, as well as to lay out an action plan to help them either become a professional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or move aside and let a professional CEO run their company. Based on a state of the art review, this chapter identifies the most valued personality traits and skills, as well as leadership styles, for both entrepreneurs and professional CEOs. Those attributes are summarized as ideal job descriptions to help CEOs detect gaps between their current personality profile and the one that best meets company needs at each stage of the business’ lifecycle.

This study aims to develop and test a framework for studying the failure of new women entrepreneurs in the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) sector.

Using a sample of 114 unsuccessful entrepreneurs in Kigali, Rwanda, this study aimed to identify key failure factors of women-owned SMEs. This study used mixed methods where quantitative data were analysed using the principal component approach with Varimax rotation to reduce the variables to only three clusters.

The study findings revealed that the failure of women-owned SMEs results from the entrepreneur’s inability followed by the enterprise incompetence, which are both internally controllable factors and the inauspicious business environment. These findings contribute to the validity of the dynamic capability theory by explaining how well internal and external factors must stay glued together to avoid failure among women-owned SMEs, something that was not yet previously well documented so far.

New SMEs are considered a noteworthy constituent of Rwandan development. Unfortunately, most new SMEs, in general, do not grow; their failure rate is high (70%), which raised many worries for both researchers and policymakers as to why this occurs at this stage of business growth. Therefore, to the best of the authors’ knowledge this paper is the first to analyse the reasons for the failure of Rwandan women-owned SMEs in the service sector. These findings are important because they suggest that policies designed to reduce the incidence of SMEs’ failure should take account of the two main factors influencing failure among women entrepreneurs.

This article aims to explore the factors influencing patients' distrust toward doctors in online health community.

This study leveraged the distrust construct model and socio-technical systems theory to establish a research model. The authors used the survey method to validate the research model by developing and distributing questionnaires to online health community users. 518 valid responses were collected.

The data analysis results showed that patients' distrusting beliefs were significantly related to their distrust toward doctors in online health communities. Meanwhile, social factors included perceived egoism and lack of expertise; whereas technical factors included no structural assurance, and lack of third-party recognition.

This study not only provides a solid and comprehensive theoretical understanding of patient distrust toward doctors in online health communities but also could serve as the basis to relieve the distrust between patients and doctors in online health communities, or even in the offline environment.

This paper seeks to explore the links between well‐established learning theory and organisation change. It aims to encourage organisation leaders to develop a learning strategy for change implementation.

The paper tests out the proposition that the four‐box model based on learning steps is relevant not only to an individual's learning, but also to larger change situations. It tests out an idea proposed by Charles Handy that change is a synonym for learning.

Personal experience and observation suggest that change managers can operate at a strategic level one step removed from change. While this feels more comfortable it has some significant disadvantages when facilitating change. In comparison a learning focus gives the change leader useful insights into leading change. The paper finds strong links and echoes of the stages in the learning steps (unconscious incompetence – conscious incompetence – conscious competence – unconscious competence)

Change leaders will benefit from thinking through and developing a learning strategy to go alongside the change strategy with communication strategy and the physical changes that they are planning. Otherwise they may put too much emphasis on diagnosing and coping with resistance. This is a problem in traditional change methodology.

The paper makes a useful link between learning theory and change theory. It is written to be helpful to any manager who is responsible for a larger change and (ideally) who has not yet started on the change process, but wants to prepare themselves realistically for the task ahead.

Argues that many firms have progressively destroyed the foundations of their competitive advantage by incrementally outsourcing such key competence‐sustaining activities. Distinguishes between ‘brand share’ — the quantity or market share of product sold under the corporation's brand, and the ‘manufacturing share’ — the proportion of the market that is internally produced by the firm. Sums up, that, although users of outsourcing take various steps to keep sensitive market information from outsource suppliers — the component or service provided by the supplier embodies valuable market information.

The national policy Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health (Department of Health, 2005) is in its fifth and final year. Evidence suggests that the changes that were hoped for have not been achieved. This has raised the question as to whether the objectives were unattainable or whether the implementation is yet to see the leadership that is required to bring change in a field fraught with emotion and soured optimism. Drawing on engaging leadership theories and the concept of organisational incompetence this paper highlights key requirements for change, including giving a focus on what has gone well, for example through using appreciative inquiry, and on pursuing possibilities beyond those prescribed through performance management.