Core principles of CSR approaches

CSR is increasingly an essential issue for business enterprises. It is a company and multidimensional organizational ...

Do we need to use an accountant? The sales growth and survival benefits to family SMEs

This article explores the relationship between the usage of an external accountant and family firm sales growth and survival. Using a longitudinal panel of Australian small and medium sized family enterprises, we find that external accountants have a positive impact on sales growth and survival. We also find that the degree to which the accountant is acquainted with the family and the firm’s needs, which we term as embeddedness, moderates these positive outcomes. Furthermore, we find that appropriate strategic planning processes are necessary to maximize the sales growth benefit; however, these processes are not necessary to gain the survival benefit.

A methodological evaluation of business process compliance management frameworks

Existing compliance management frameworks (CMFs) offer a multitude of compliance management capabilities that makes difficult for enterprises to decide on the suitability of a framework. Making a decision on the suitability requires a deep understanding of the functionalities of a framework. Gaining such an understanding is a difficult task which, in turn, requires specialised tools and methodologies for evaluation. Current compliance research lacks such tools and methodologies for evaluating CMFs. This paper reports a methodological evaluation of existing CMFs based on a pre-defined evaluation criteria. Our evaluation highlights what existing CMFs offer, and what they cannot. Also, it underpins various open questions and discusses the challenges in this direction.

Nurse-led trials of medical devices: General principles and good practice

Aim To provide an overview of key governance matters relating to medical device trials and practical advice for nurses wishing to initiate or lead them. Background Medical device trials, which are formal research studies that examine the benefits and risks of therapeutic, non-drug treatment medical devices, have traditionally been the purview of physicians and scientists. The role of nurses in medical device trials historically has been as data collectors or co-ordinators rather than as principal investigators. Nurses more recently play an increasing role in initiating and leading medical device trials. Review Methods A review article of nurse-led trials of medical devices. Discussion Central to the quality and safety of all clinical trials is adherence to the International Conference on Harmonization Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice, which is the internationally-agreed standard for the ethically- and scientifically-sound design, conduct and monitoring of a medical device trial, as well as the analysis, reporting and verification of the data derived from that trial. Key considerations include the class of the medical device, type of medical device trial, regulatory status of the device, implementation of standard operating procedures, obligations of the trial sponsor, indemnity of relevant parties, scrutiny of the trial conduct, trial registration, and reporting and publication of the results. Conclusion Nurse-led trials of medical devices are demanding but rewarding research enterprises. As nursing practice and research increasingly embrace technical interventions, it is vital that nurse researchers contemplating such trials understand and implement the principles of Good Clinical Practice to protect both study participants and the research team.

The location of Ti atom in sodium alanate : an ab initio spin-polarised study

In this work, ab initio spin-polarised Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations are performed to study the interaction of a Ti atom with a NaAlH4(001) surface. We confirm that an interstitially located Ti atom in the NaAlH4 subsurface is the most energetically favoured configuration as recently reported (Chem. Comm. (17) 2006, 1822). On the NaAlH4(001) surface, the Ti atom is most stable when adsorbed between two sodium atoms with an AlH4 unit beneath. A Ti atom on top of an Al atom is also found to be an important structure at low temperatures. The diffusion of Ti from the Al-top site to the Na-bridging site has a low activation barrier of 0.20 eV and may be activated at the experimental temperatures (∼323 K). The diffusion of a Ti atom into the energetically favoured subsurface interstitial site occurs via the Na-bridging surface site and is essentially barrierless.

Comparing and complementing methods : traditional market research vs. deep customer insights

Quantitative market data has traditionally been used throughout marketing and business as a tool to inform and direct design decisions. However, in our changing economic climate, businesses need to innovate and create products their customers will love. Deep customer insight methods move beyond just questioning customers and aims to provoke true emotional responses in order to reveal new opportunities that go beyond functional product requirements. This paper explores traditional market research methods and compares them to methods used to gain deep customer insights. This study reports on a collaborative research project with seven small to medium enterprises and four multi-national organisations. Firms were introduced to a design led innovation approach, and were taught the different methods to gain deep customer insights. Interviews were conducted to understand the experience and outcomes of pre-existing research methods and deep customer insight approaches. Findings concluded that deep customer insights were unlikely to be revealed through traditional market research techniques. The theoretical outcome of this study is a complementary methods matrix, providing guidance on appropriate research methods in accordance to a project’s timeline.

Employees' adoption of enterprise web 2.0 : the role of technological attributes

Although the adoption of Enterprise Web 2.0 within organisations is beneficial, it could meet with employees’ resistance and the adoption process can be lengthy. The successful implementation of Enterprise Web 2.0 is based on employee involvement and adoption of such social technology. This paper is part of a larger research project that explored the adoption of Web 2.0 by individuals within enterprises. Using a qualitative study, the findings show that there are number of adoption influences including technological, individual and contextual issues. This paper presents Web 2.0 technological attributes that influence its adoption. The found attributes are: friendliness, reliability, mobility, technical compatibility, discoverability, transparency and Web 2.0 type.

Organized crime in Oceania

Oceania has a relatively low level of crime prevalence yet in the smaller and under-developed PICs we have shown that transnational crime has become increasingly common. A risk contained but potentially dangerous if state failure or fragility undermines law enforcement capacities. We predict that as the pace of globalization quickens and the demand for raw materials and resources grows some parts of the Pacific will be prone to criminal enterprises run by both indigenous and foreign crime groups. Australia and New Zealand will remain attractors of illicit goods notably ATS but will in turn be source countries for diminishing fish stock such as beche de mere and abalone as well forest timber. Finally the role of states such as Australia and New Zealand in helping to maintain law enforcement capacities throughout the region will be crucial if organized crime in Oceania is to be kept in check while demand for illicit resources grow.

Transnational organized crime in Oceania

Oceania has a relatively low level of crime prevalence yet in the smaller and under-developed PICs we have shown that transnational crime has become increasingly common. A risk contained but potentially dangerous if state failure or fragility undermines law enforcement capacities. We predict that as the pace of globalization quickens and the demand for raw materials and resources grows some parts of the Pacific will be prone to criminal enterprises run by both indigenous and foreign crime groups. Australia and New Zealand will remain attractors of illicit goods notably ATS but will in turn be source countries for diminishing fish stock such as beche de mere and abalone as well forest timber. Finally the role of states such as Australia and New Zealand in helping to maintain law enforcement capacities throughout the region will be crucial if organized crime in Oceania is to be kept in check while demand for illicit resources grow.

An interpretive field study of packaged software selection processes

Packaged software is pre-built with the intention of licensing it to users in domestic settings and work organisations. This thesis focuses upon the work organisation where packaged software has been characterised as one of the latest ‘solutions’ to the problems of information systems. The study investigates the packaged software selection process that has, to date, been largely viewed as objective and rational. In contrast, this interpretive study is based on a 21⁄2 year long field study of organisational experiences with packaged software selection at T.Co, a consultancy organisation based in the United Kingdom. Emerging from the iterative process of case study and action research is an alternative theory of packaged software selection. The research argues that packaged software selection is far from the rationalistic and linear process that previous studies suggest. Instead, the study finds that aspects of the traditional process of selection incorporating the activities of gathering requirements, evaluation and selection based on ‘best fit’ may or may not take place. Furthermore, even where these aspects occur they may not have equal weight or impact upon implementation and usage as may be expected. This is due to the influence of those multiple realities which originate from the organisational and market environments within which packages are created, selected and used, the lack of homogeneity in organisational contexts and the variously interpreted characteristics of the package in question.

International corporate entrepreneurship among SMEs : a test of Stevenson's notion of entrepreneurial management

Geographical market expansion is included in various definitions of entrepreneurship as it entails the opening up of new markets (for example, Davidsson 2003). Expansion into new international markets and launch of new products in international markets are also consistent with definitions of entrepreneurship which center on the pursuit of opportunities {e.g.\Stevenson, 1983 #922;Gartner, 1993 #931}. Accordingly, the decision by managers of small, internationally active businesses to continue to internationalize can be viewed as an entrepreneurial act. In spite of the fact that both start-ups and existing firms can behave entrepreneurially by expanding into new international markets, the attention of entrepreneurship researchers interested in international activities has largely focused on international new ventures (INVs); that is, business organizations that internationalize from inception (Oviatt, and McDougall 1994; Oviatt, and McDougall 1997). Consequently, pursuit of international opportunities by established small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lacks theoretical understanding and empirical investigation through an entrepreneurship lens. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge at the entrepreneurship-internationalization interface by testing whether Stevenson’s opportunity-based conceptualization of entrepreneurial management (Stevenson 1983; Stevenson and Gumpert 1985; Stevenson and Jarillo 1990) can explain the attainment of continued entrepreneurial outcomes by SMEs operating in foreign markets. We choose Stevenson’s conceptualization as it gauges firm-level characteristics that are theorized to facilitate the pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities, which arguably is at the heart of SMEs’ continued venturing into international markets.

Entrepreneurial growth : the role of international knowledge acquisition as moderated by firm age

In line with repeated recent calls for research on specific forms of growth rather than on an undifferentiated notion of “total growth,” our study contributes to the understanding of entrepreneurial growth. By this we mean growth through expansion into new geographic markets and/or via the introduction of new products or services. Building on Penrose's theory of the growth of the firm and on the research streams she has in part inspired, we investigate the impact of knowledge acquisition from international markets on entrepreneurial growth both at home and abroad. We further suggest that the effects of international knowledge acquisition on entrepreneurial growth will vary with firm age. Utilizing longitudinal data on 138 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we find that the acquisition of knowledge from international markets fuels growth through market development, and that this effect is stronger for international expansion than domestic expansion. Our results also show that firm age negatively moderates the relationship between international knowledge acquisition and entrepreneurial growth via the introduction of new products or services. Specifically, international knowledge acquisition has a positive effect on growth via new products/services development in young firms, but a negative effect in mature firms. We assume this reflects changes over time in how international knowledge is managed.

Management issues in developing a sustainable model for supporting entrepreneurs in Africa

Small and micro-enterprises play a significant part in economic growth and poverty alleviation in developing African countries. There are, however, a range of management issues that arise when looking at the support required for local enterprise development, the role and management style of the local support agency and the role and style of the, usually Western, funding body. This paper explores the management philosophy required to establish and resource micro-enterprise development and compares the local management processes with those expected by a Western funding body.

On organisational legitimacy practices in developing economies : a profit and readability based approach

In this study, we investigate whether organisations in developing markets legitimise their use of societal resources. We concur that organisations’ existence in developing markets is also part of a social contract. Within this implied contract, organisations are to leverage resources in an equitable manner, allowing fair distribution of benefits to society and themselves. In this setting, we propose that the level of profit is the best indicator of the outcome of use of resources, and is subject to numerous societal emotions in developing economies. We also propose that readability of narratives relating to a level of profit is the best measure of organisations’ immediate legitimacy activities. Five-year data on profitability and readability of sections of corporate annual reports from 30 organisations reveals that organisations with higher profits present more readable narrative disclosures in their annual reports. This relationship is more evident in larger companies and with the public enterprises. These outcomes imply that organisations communicate their profit-related information in ways to manage an appropriate impression and legitimize a level of profit. The study’s outcomes also imply that authorities need to monitor organisations rights to protected existence continuously, as their legitimacy efforts suggest that higher levels of profit may be an outcome of potential misuse of resources.