Search results

This paper aims to review the levels of management commitment and involvement in four small (fewer than 500 employees) pharmaceutical companies and the nature and extent of structured programs for policy implementation.

In each of the companies, the comparative success of policy implementation was assessed by the extent of management commitment to the process. Assessments were based on the review of 40 attributes of a four‐part implementation cycle. A lack of a structured process, lack of support and involvement of management and the degree to which management was subsequently involved in the overall implementation were commonly observed problems. The degree of management involvement was a prominent factor in the overall success of the policy implementation.

Quality policies play an important role in the understanding of a company's operational principles and practices. The most successful policy implementation in the companies studied relied on policies being drafted internally with the cooperation of not only the nominated quality management but also the supporting non‐quality management functions. The use of a structured and predetermined implementation plan that is shared across all sectors of the company and the development of supporting systems to monitor progress were also observed to benefit employee involvement and effective policies.

The study of these companies and their comparative abilities to follow a structured process for quality system policies provides valuable guidance for quality practitioners facing similar processes of change within their own organizations. A structured process for implementing policies is also provided.

Reward and recognition systems for individual employees remain one of the controversial areas of quality management. Previous discussions on this aspect of quality management, although recognizing their importance, often attribute failure of the system to the method of implementation. This company has made several attempts to develop a process of employee reward and recognition with little success and the various systems lost their prestige among employees. Through the company’s quality committee a new process for employee reward and recognition based on an unbiased assessment by managers, fellow employees and internal customers has been developed. Describes the reward and recognition process developed by the company, including a description of the categories used in the process, overviews of the process in place for acceptance and review of nominations and descriptions of the recognition for awards.

Draws on a consultancy project designed to reduce accident rates in four Danish sugar factories. Presents examples of metaphor use in the project and documents a steady decline in numbers and severity of accidents over time. Hypothesises that the use of metaphors is part of the explanation. Following a multi‐disciplinary review of the literature on metaphors, suggests that they can be harnessed in three ways: as tools for conscious, creative analysis; as ways of creating emotions; and as ways of fostering unconscious learning processes. Suggests that the effect in the sugar project is due to unconscious learning. Explains how this can happen and stresses the most important. Proposes that consultants use images, stories, narratives, and fairy tales to a larger degree and put less weight on formal conceptual learning when change is the issue.

All items listed may be borrowed from the Aslib Library, except those marked, which may be consulted in the Library.

A brief description of the parts of a modern book: The usual order, &c., of the various parts of an average modern book may be enumerated as follows:—

The purpose of this paper is to explore the good practice (GxP) and standardised management system integration within total quality management (TQM) paradigm in pharmaceutical sector in Serbia. Also, the impact of all interested parties on quality management has been assessed.

The cross-sectional study was performed, including different stakeholders within the pharmaceutical sector in Serbia: manufacturers, distributors, big pharma representative offices, as well as national regulatory authority. A survey instrument was developed, consisted of 16 questions, which were organised into four groups: questions in relation to implementation of ISO 9001, implementation of good distribution practice/good manufacturing practice, integration of management systems, and impact on TQM and business excellence. Total number of participants was 121.

Standardised management systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001) support companies to improve business environment and management sustainability, but this survey indicated that it was ranked at the lower level then GxP, for pharmaceutical sector in Serbia. Although pharmaceutical companies has faced many challenges in recent years, the survey revealed high level of confidence in quality management systems, as well as the necessity of various management systems integration.

The perception of TQM by the experts in pharmaceutical companies and regulatory authority is wider than the common TQM definition. From pharmaceutical point of view, TQM is a holistic approach to long-term success of organisation, oriented to all interested parties, with focus on a public health. Risk-based approach in new revision of both ISO and GxP will facilitate integration process towards TQM and business excellence.

This study examines the relationship between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and financial distress in times of uncertainty.

Thomson Reuters ESG database, Compustat and Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) were used to derive a final sample size of 1,572 firms and 11,618 firm-year observations from 2003 to 2022. Fixed-effects regression was used to analyze the data.

It was found that increasing ESG involvement leads to an increase in Z score (i.e. lower financial distress), and this impact was more profound during the COVID-19 period and also when firms' innovativeness increased. However, during the COVID-19 period, increases in capital expenditures weaken the positive effect of ESG on financial distress.

This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the impact of ESG performance on financial distress and the nature of this relationship during times of uncertainty such as COVID-19.

This study offers insights to managers and practitioners when developing their corporate financial strategies, particularly financial distress management, showing the potential benefits of innovativeness and capital intensity during turbulent times similar to COVID-19.

Little knowledge exists on how ESG engagement helps weather financial distress during periods of uncertainty due to external shocks (e.g. COVID-19). This paper looks at the effect of ESG engagement on financial distress and how capital intensity and innovativeness could influence this relationship while giving fresh insights into the impact of COVID-19.

The issue of financial abuse is highlighted in the Care Act (2014). One category of financial abuse is consumer fraud or “scams.” Evidence suggests that scams are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, yet how scams impact older adults remains under-researched. The purpose of this paper is to report data from 80 older adults’ written responses to a Mass Observation Archive Directive, commissioned in autumn 2015, which focused on scams.

A qualitative approach was used with data captured via written responses to a set of questions. There was no limit on the length of written accounts, and respondents remained anonymous. Data were analysed thematically, resulting in four key themes.

The data indicated scams impact individuals in terms of health and well-being, irrespective of whether they have experienced financial loss, and trigger implementation of strategies intended to avoid being defrauded. There was also evidence of scam-related stigma with individuals who are defrauded being subject to derision and censure.

Individuals who have been victimised by fraudsters may need access to practical and emotional support. This requires the design of appropriate interventions and the stigma associated with being scammed to be addressed.

This paper adopts an original approach to collecting rich, candid data about an under-researched topic. The authors highlight that anti-scam interventions should equip individuals to identify and avoid scams without inciting fear or anxiety; proposing this may be facilitated by drawing on health and safety risk assessment protocol when designing anti-scam interventions.

I suggest that the search for Adam Smith’s theodicy is likely to be in vain. The paper begins with a brief history of approaches to evil, emphasizing the context in which they arose, and the questions authors were addressing. Approaches most relevant to Adam Smith include those of Augustine and Calvin, and the early modern theodicies of Leibniz, Samuel Clarke and William King, as well as the attacks on them by Bayle and Voltaire. Scottish Enlightenment writers were not terribly interested in theodicy, though Hutcheson and Kames did devote space to their versions of problems of evil. David Hume’s Dialogues on Natural Religion are often taken to be classic statement of the problem of theodicy and argument against religious belief, but his concern was to demolish rationalistic theodicies rather than religious belief or practice. The paper then turns to Smith’s writings, considering similarities and differences to these approaches to evil. Smith emphasizes the wisdom and beneficence of God, and that evils we observe are part of a larger providential plan. He makes no attempt to justify the God in the face of evil, and in this respect Smith shares more with Augustine and Calvin than he does with the early modern theodicists. Smith’s approach to evil is simple and ameliorative. Smith’s approach contrasts with early nineteenth century English political economists, from Malthus onwards, for whom theodicy was important. Whatever view we take of the theodicists project of justifying an all-powerful and good God in the face of evil may, we still struggle to make sense of economic suffering and evil.

This paper examines the growth strategies adopted by fashion design houses which have undergone significant transformation in the past decade from being privately owned, niche market companies to stock‐market‐listed businesses selling fashion and other lifestyle products to a lucrative and international middle retailing market. In order to illustrate this transition, the paper will focus upon the entry of American fashion design houses into central London. The expansion activities of these firms are identified and the resultant impact of their strategies upon central London fashion retailing is considered, providing invaluable insights to the impact of fashion retailer internationalisation and strategic growth at the micro environmental level.