Nathalie N. Mitev and Anne E. March
Some of the factors contributing to the risks SMEs take when implementing information technology were investigated in a questionnaire survey of 18 small businesses in the Greater…
Abstract
Some of the factors contributing to the risks SMEs take when implementing information technology were investigated in a questionnaire survey of 18 small businesses in the Greater Manchester area, complemented by interviews with the advisers working at the Greater Manchester Business Innovation Centre. New technology can seem a threat to small business owner‐managers and there is a link between business growth and the use of IT. There has been increased adoption of all categories of software, from databases, CAD‐CAM and presentation packages, to spreadsheets and communications software, but respondents expressed dissatisfaction with software, more than with hardware. There is a perceived lack of expertise in the planning process as well as the technology itself. Responses were split over loss of managerial control: SME owner‐managers want to remain in control, IT may be associated with growth, and some may resist growth. A strong need for impartial advice, independent from computer vendors, has been expressed, and a worrying number of respondents did not consider maintenance and training costs when purchasing technology. Organisational factors such as staff skill levels, familiarisation time, and the impact on jobs, were rarely considered prior to purchase. Opinions on training provision were divided. More complex IT‐related business and organisational changes may require integrated technical and managerial training, so that SMEs can become more strategically oriented and benefit better from IT.
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Nancy J. Adler (USA), Sonja A. Sackmann (Switzerland), Sharon Arieli (Israel), Marufa (Mimi) Akter (Bangladesh), Christoph Barmeyer (Germany), Cordula Barzantny (France), Dan V. Caprar (Australia and New Zealand), Yih-teen Lee (Taiwan), Leigh Anne Liu (China), Giovanna Magnani (Italy), Justin Marcus (Turkey), Christof Miska (Austria), Fiona Moore (United Kingdom), Sun Hyun Park (South Korea), B. Sebastian Reiche (Spain), Anne-Marie Søderberg (Denmark and Sweden), Jeremy Solomons (Rwanda) and Zhi-Xue Zhang (China)
The COVID-19 pandemic and its related economic meltdown and social unrest severely challenged most countries, their societies, economies, organizations, and individual citizens…
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The COVID-19 pandemic and its related economic meltdown and social unrest severely challenged most countries, their societies, economies, organizations, and individual citizens. Focusing on both more and less successful country-specific initiatives to fight the pandemic and its multitude of related consequences, this chapter explores implications for leadership and effective action at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. As international management scholars and consultants, the authors document actions taken and their wide-ranging consequences in a diverse set of countries, including countries that have been more or less successful in fighting the pandemic, are geographically larger and smaller, are located in each region of the world, are economically advanced and economically developing, and that chose unique strategies versus strategies more similar to those of their neighbors. Cultural influences on leadership, strategy, and outcomes are described for 19 countries. Informed by a cross-cultural lens, the authors explore such urgent questions as: What is most important for leaders, scholars, and organizations to learn from critical, life-threatening, society-encompassing crises and grand challenges? How do leaders build and maintain trust? What types of communication are most effective at various stages of a crisis? How can we accelerate learning processes globally? How does cultural resilience emerge within rapidly changing environments of fear, shifting cultural norms, and profound challenges to core identity and meaning? This chapter invites readers and authors alike to learn from each other and to begin to discover novel and more successful approaches to tackling grand challenges. It is not definitive; we are all still learning.
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This paper compares and contrasts online searching on DataStar, a major European host now owned by The Dialog Corporation, using the “Classic” command language, with access via…
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This paper compares and contrasts online searching on DataStar, a major European host now owned by The Dialog Corporation, using the “Classic” command language, with access via the more recent Web interface. DataStar, established in 1981, was one of the first online hosts to offer a web interface, in December 1996. DataStar Web was upgraded in December 1997. “Classic” DataStar command line searching requires familiarity with commands, operators, database labels, etc. DataStar Web offers searching via apparently simple steps: eg. selecting a database, entering search terms. The functionality of the two interfaces is considered, looking in turn at entering the system, selecting a database, searching, output and display, terminating the search session, error messages and help pages, and support, training and documentation. The search functionality of the two interfaces is not identical, although both use the same retrieval software and access the same databases. Many of the differences affect retrieval effectiveness and may trip up novice and experienced searchers alike.
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Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and…
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Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and shows that these are in many, differing, areas across management research from: retail finance; precarious jobs and decisions; methodological lessons from feminism; call centre experience and disability discrimination. These and all points east and west are covered and laid out in a simple, abstract style, including, where applicable, references, endnotes and bibliography in an easy‐to‐follow manner. Summarizes each paper and also gives conclusions where needed, in a comfortable modern format.
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In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still…
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In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still be covered by the Act if she were employed on like work in succession to the man? This is the question which had to be solved in Macarthys Ltd v. Smith. Unfortunately it was not. Their Lordships interpreted the relevant section in different ways and since Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome was also subject to different interpretations, the case has been referred to the European Court of Justice.
Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some…
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Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.
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The Equal Pay Act 1970 (which came into operation on 29 December 1975) provides for an “equality clause” to be written into all contracts of employment. S.1(2) (a) of the 1970 Act…
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The Equal Pay Act 1970 (which came into operation on 29 December 1975) provides for an “equality clause” to be written into all contracts of employment. S.1(2) (a) of the 1970 Act (which has been amended by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975) provides:
EVIDENCE of the importance which automation is assuming comes from the Institution of Production Engineers, who announce that they will hold a National Conference in Margate from…
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EVIDENCE of the importance which automation is assuming comes from the Institution of Production Engineers, who announce that they will hold a National Conference in Margate from 16th to 19th June, 1955, when it is proposed to examine the implications of the automatic factory, and to promote discussion on the technical, sociological and managerial problems involved. The impact on smaller factories will be particularly considered.
Production for Plenty. At a time when many established industrial exhibitions are struggling to survive, it is a bold step on the part of the Institution of Production Engineers…
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Production for Plenty. At a time when many established industrial exhibitions are struggling to survive, it is a bold step on the part of the Institution of Production Engineers to launch the first Production Exhibition and Conference which they hope will become an annual event. This will be an exhibition with an entirely new theme—one which the general public, as well as industry, are coming to know and appreciate as a force for the future in both their working and domestic lives.