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This study aims to compare the extent of voluntary strategy disclosure in the annual/integrated reports of listed companies in an emerging market with the extent of strategy disclosure in the annual/integrated reports of listed companies in a developed market.

A developed market sample that was made up of the top 50 companies on the New York Stock Exchange and the Australian Stock Exchange was compared to an emerging market sample that was made up of the top 50 companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange. The comparison was conducted by scoring the amount of strategy disclosure reported in the annual/integrated reports of the companies for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The emerging market companies had average to good strategy disclosures in their annual reports, whereas the annual reports of companies in the developed market showed low strategy disclosure.

This study expanded upon the limited research available on strategy disclosure by comparing the extent of strategy disclosures in two developmental markets (the developed and emerging market).

Because franchising is a popular and important business alternative, we propose that concerted effort be taken by organization scientists to develop and test theoretical perspectives relevant to this business form. Rather than risk “reinventing the wheel”, researchers should first consider findings from outside the franchising arena to assess their generalizability to franchisors. To this end, three common configurations of franchise organization are described and placed within Mintzberg’s (1979) framework, and the logic linking various organization, strategy, and environment features into an harmonious configuration is presented with respect to each. This configuration view is used to describe franchise organization transitions, and propositions to guide future study of franchise organizations are presented. Thus, both franchising and organization theory are extended by showing how the franchising phenomenon fits into a general perspective on organizations.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework that delineates how human resource (HR) practices are differentially configured for exploitative and explorative innovation as well as how the sets of HR practices support these two types of innovation.

Based on the structural ambidexterity approach and a bottom-up process in the multilevel theories, this research derives the need for the differential managerial structures for exploitation and exploration at the unit level. In addition, the Input–Process–Outcome model of team effectiveness and multilevel theories are employed to discuss the internal nature (e.g. resources, work styles) of exploiting and exploring units. Finally, building on strategic HR management literature, this research configures exploitation-targeted and exploration-targeted HR systems and delves into how these differentiated HR systems generate differential inputs of human capital resources and thereby foster exploitative and explorative innovation processes.

This research proposes several factors for exploitation and exploration, including: necessary inputs (i.e. commitment, narrowness, and cohesion for exploitation vs thoughtfulness, breadth, and openness for exploration), idiosyncratic innovation processes (i.e. convergent collective cognition vs divergent collective cognition), and differentiated HR systems comprised of different forms of unit staffing (homogeneity vs heterogeneity), performance appraisal, incentives, and training and development (short-term vs long-term orientation).

The proposed theoretical framework contributes to an improved understanding of the psychological foundation of organizational ambidexterity and systematizing how diverse HR practices work together to elicit exploitative and explorative innovation from employees.

It is the purpose of this paper to analyze drivers of organizational change as well as their inhibitors with a particular focus on the influence of management and the environment.

The question will be addressed with the help of the case study of the New York Stock Exchange's (NYSE) move towards electronic trading. A system dynamical analysis of underlying forces and feedback will help elucidate the strength of mechanisms that drive or impede change.

The stepwise analysis of the model in accordance with different model boundaries reveals that neither the environment nor endogenous pressures from stakeholders and management alone are able to replicate the reference behavior; all three model elements are necessary to simulate the process of the NYSE's radical move. Additionally, with only minor changes in the underlying assumptions, the model is able to show the contrasting behaviors predicted by different streams of literature.

The paper's contribution is limited by the number of but one exemplary case it provides.

The paper contributes to one of the most prominent topics in the organizational change literature and adds a valuable example of representative drivers of change. It opens the black box of organizational change by its focus on the relationship of structure and behavior as well as on the process of change.

A study of the impact of globalisation on the structure and management of multinational enterprises, based upon research into twenty‐four manufacturing MNEs. Three research questions, developed from the literature, were used as the basis for an investigation into structure, control, knowledge transfer and culture in MNEs. The results confirm that there is a widespread move towards global integration, and that this is accompanied by changes in the relationships between managers from corporate and country units, and a tendency to encourage the development of best management practices across national boundaries.

This paper seeks to focus on examining unit trust performance in Malaysia over the period 1991‐2001.

The broad based study covers full economic cycles using 7 different performance measures: raw return, market adjusted return, Jensen's alpha, adjusted Jensen's alpha, Sharpe Index, adjusted Sharpe Index, and Treynor Index.

The results show that on average the performance of Malaysian unit trust falls below market portfolio and risk free returns. However, the variance of unit trust monthly returns is less than the market. Performance by type of funds indicates that bond funds show relatively superior performance, over and above the market and equity unit trusts. This is due to the high interest rate kept during the crisis period. Findings also suggest that there is no persistency in performance as there is no significant inter‐temporal correlation between past and current performance.

The issue of inferior performance needs further investigations to adjust for great importance placed on maintaining consistent dividend distribution. In addition, ill‐managed funds must be separately analysed to see if limited budget, less qualified managers, use of limited information and less sophisticated software could explain the poor performance.

A very useful source of information for potential investors and portfolio management companies looking for opportunities to invest.

The paper contributes to the present body of knowledge by offering broad based performance evidence from an emerging market with strong government back up for unit trusts investment.

This study aims to investigate the effects of organizational culture factors on the selection of software process development models and develops a conceptual model for selecting and adopting process development models with an organizational culture approach, using 12 criteria and their sub-criteria defined in Fey and Denison’s model (12 criteria).

The research hypotheses were investigated using statistical analysis, and then the criteria and sub-criteria were selected based on Fey and Denison’s model and the experts’ viewpoints. Afterward, the organizational culture of the selected company was measured using the data from 2016 and 2017, based on Fey and Denison’s questionnaire. Due to the correlation between the criteria, using the decision-making trial and evaluation technique, the correlation between sub-criteria were determined, and by analytical network process method and using Super-Decision software, the process development model was preferred to the 12 common models in information systems development.

Results indicated a significant and positive effect of organizational culture factors (except the core values factor) on the selection of development models. Also, by changing the value of organizational culture, the selected process development model changed either. Sensitivity analysis performed on the sub-criteria implied that by changing and improving some sub-criteria, the organization will be ready and willing to use the agile or risk-based models such as spiral and win-win models. Concerning units where the mentioned indicators were at moderate and low limits, models such as waterfall, V-shaped and incremental worked more appropriately.

While many studies were performed in comparing development models and investigating their strengths and weaknesses, and the impact of organizational culture on the success of information technology projects, literature indicated that the impact of organizational sub-culture prevailing in the selection of development process models has not been investigated. In this study, new factors and indicators were addressed affecting the selection of development models with a focus on organizational culture. Correlation among the factors and indicators was also investigated and, finally, a conceptual model was proposed for proper adoption of the models and methodologies of system development.

DR WALSHAW'S article on “Crowther and Numeracy” in the October 1960 issue ends by pointing out the difficulty of many engineering students in handling the gravitational acceleration ‘g’ in problems of applied mechanics. Although a great deal of this difficulty can be resolved by Dr Walshaw's methods of handling the units concerned, a contributory factor is that students rarely have placed before them a comparative table of different possible systems of units. Thus the less able students fail to realise the importance of consistency in using units in a particular problem.

This paper aims to compare the implementation of public–private partnership (PPP) in Western and non-Western countries by analyzing several predetermined aspects such as government and political system, PPP’s model of agreement, political commitment and the role of PPP supporting unit.

This study uses comparative case studies to compare the implementation of PPP in seven Western and non-Western countries by using various appropriate data such as frequently used agreements, government systems, political commitments and PPP-supporting units to understand the extent of differences in the success of PPP implementation found in each country.

The results reveal that the implementation of PPPs in Western and non-Western countries do not significantly differ, except for in the instance of political commitments. Political interventions in PPP implementation still frequently occurred in non-Western countries, which consequently disrupted the implementation of PPP itself.

Previous comparison of PPP studies only focused on the implementation of PPP without analyzing the political context in each country. One of the contributions that this paper will bring to the conversations around PPP is that the implementation of PPP will be analyzed with regard to political contexts.

Outlines the nature and content of unit portfolios developed at Sheffield Hallam University, in response to national quality assurance initiatives and the enhanced status accorded to credit‐bearing units of study which constitute the basic building blocks of courses and programmes. Draws on the experience of introducing unit portfolios. Argues that the time and effort involved in compiling and maintaining them need to be justified, with respect to quality assurance, planning, unit management, staff development and the diffusion of innovation. Considers their advantages including ease of access; greater transparency in delivery methods and the responsibilities of unit leaders; and incorporation of best practice. Examines the tensions to which their introduction and potential roles give rise and the arguments of those who are opposed to developments of this kind, such as the opportunity cost of compiling them and the perceived erosion of academic freedom.