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Draws on a range of research into the problems of accommodating technical change in complex organizations to highlight the issue of cultural inter‐operability. Global economic integration is growing rapidly, facilitated in part by information and communication technologies. As an increasing proportion of organizations spans national and regional cultures significant cultural differences become intra‐organizational differences. Greater economic interaction implies a need for appropriate standards for technology and procedures, however; a number of significant new players in the world system are operating in a technical context and to sets of standards, official and de facto, which have been shaped by a predominantly Western model of business information technology. To gain the potential benefits of emerging technologies, the conflict between the needs of developers and users must be dealt with and the technical focus of information technology must be broadened to encompass cultural concerns at both organizational and social levels. Presents some case study material to indicate the key role of the balance between cultural and institutional constraints and technical capability within organizations.

Many companies have developed corporate database systems and/or management information systems, some have established intelligence units. However, the systems often fail to scan the external environment to which the companies are exposed, and fail to yield meaningful intelligence, thus overwhelming managers with internal data. Argues that to address the information needs of top marketing managers, the environmental factors that have immediate effects on the company′s operation should be identified. Computer‐based information systems could play an important role in collecting environmental information from various sources; however, in interpreting data and disseminating intelligence to marketing managers, a human‐computer mixed system is essentially required. The system would be used in conjunction with a corporate database system to present intelligence to marketing managers, so as to keep them instantly informed, reinforce their knowledge learning, and support their decisions. Highlights the critical factors for developing and utilizing such systems. The approach adopted is to examine managers′ working style and decision processing, to develop a framework of environmental scanning, human‐computer‐based data filtering, interpreting, and intelligence reporting system with natural interface.

Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

High profile scandals and the ensuing focus on corporate governance have increased the clamor for board involvement in strategic decision‐making. Such a move makes sound business sense too. Different studies have shown that getting directors involved in strategy can enhance a company's financial performance and boost stock value. Despite this, directors at many organizations still struggle to make any real impact on strategic issues. What makes a board effective? Having the right structure for starters. But what exactly is the right structure? Is a board more effective if its members are mainly insiders or are non‐executive directors a better bet?

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

The Jurassic Park film franchise offers a complex portrayal of gender issues within a long-running science fiction action series, although not one without problematic moments. This chapter examines selected examples from the series to explore this complex picture. These include moments in the series that display female characters such as Ellie Sattler, Sarah Harding and Claire Dearing with power and agency and the top of their respective professions, noting that Jurassic Park is unusual among science fiction films for its presentation of such accomplished female characters. The chapter also addresses the sexualisation of the character Ian Malcolm and the role of the more typical ‘action star’ from later films, Owen Grady. Finally, it considers the question of sex-selection for the non-human characters, namely the dinosaurs, as significant plot points advance upon the premise that the entire dinosaur population in the series consists of non-breeding females, a fact that is later shown to be untrue. The chapter addresses each of these examples through key issues relating to the production, presentation, and violation of the human and non-human living body across the full Jurassic Park series.

The paper seeks to explore the influences of service quality in higher education and the perceptions associated with the implementation of a Singapore tertiary institution. It draws on the underpinnings of SERVQUAL, and discusses the dichotomy and interrelation between customer perception and expectation.

Qualitative methodology was employed and data were collected by means of structured in‐depth interviewing with both internal (18 academics and ten current students) and external samples (ten graduates and five industry representatives). Content analysis was utilized to examine three key aspects of service standards: customer orientation, course design/delivery, and support services.

The way students are perceived, whether as customers or products, will have an influence on the type of learning dynamics that develop both within and outside the classroom. Service quality, therefore, needs to be evaluated based on an integrated experience which occurs in a network of learning spaces created to promote dialogue, inquiry and reflection.

Management of student expectations is fundamental to ensuring appropriate service quality in higher education. Closer working relationship with industry partners should be encouraged to serve as an audit on curricula relevance. Long‐term quality of support services can be achieved by short‐term measures such as training staff to be student‐centered rather than task‐driven.

This paper is based on an actual framework developed by the engineering school as part of their strategic plan in achieving excellence in both quality of courses and learning experiences.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).

In recent years, student-managed investment funds (SMIFs), experiential learning programs at an increasing number of universities, have attracted significant scholarly interest. In this article, we review the academic literature on this pedagogy.

We use the systematic review method to assess a sample of 85 articles published in 30 journals during the period 1975 to 2020.

Our literature review reveals four streams of research: best practices and challenges, investment management, innovation and trends and SMIFs in a research setting. We also propose future research directions, including specific gaps in the literature, a focus on innovations to traditional programs, systematic investment performance and expansion into behavioral finance issues.

We contribute a comprehensive view of the body of scholarship on SMIFs, identifying existing streams of research and future research directions that will help guide the development of SMIF research into a cohesive and productive space.

This research aims to investigate the influence of country culture on the next generation's intention to become managerial leaders of the family business, focussing on institutional and in-group collectivism practices. The authors investigate not only the direct effect of these collectivism practices on next-generation engagement, but also the extent to which institutional and/or in-group collectivism moderate the relationship between parental support and next-generation engagement and the extent to which institutional and/or in-group collectivism moderate the relationship between self-efficacy and next-generation engagement.

Using cross-national data from the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey (GUESSS) and the Global Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE), hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) is employed to test the hypotheses using a sample of 33,390 observations collected in 20 countries.

The main findings show that both institutional and in-group collectivism practices may increase next-generation engagement levels. Furthermore, these cultural practices can amplify the relationship between family business self-efficacy and next-generation engagement. However, institutional collectivism can slightly reduce the positive effect of parental support on family offspring's intention to become leaders of the family business. The results also reveal that parental support has a stronger direct effect on next-generation engagement than family business self-efficacy.

This study examines the influence of cultural practices on next-generation engagement, focussing on collectivism practices. The study distinguishes between institutional collectivism and in-group collectivism. Unlike past research, a direct effect of parental support on next-generation engagement is considered. The study also uses a particular type of self-efficacy: family business self-efficacy. In addition, a multi-level method is employed, which is rarely used in this context.

Index by subjects, compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals: Facilities Volumes 8‐17; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐17; Property Management Volumes 8‐17; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐17.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.