Evaluating the Business Impact of Social Science: a report to the ESRC

This report presents the main findings from a project entitled ‘Evaluating the Business Impact of Social Science', commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and undertaken by a team of researchers from the University of Hull. In brief, the project involved an examination of the processes through which social science research and related activities impact upon business (defined broadly to incorporate large and small private sector businesses as well as social enterprises, but excluding public sector organisations) in relation to three of the UK’s leading business/management schools that have received significant amounts of ESRC funding in recent years: Cardiff Business School, Lancaster University Management School, and Warwick Business School

Development of a knowledge sharing framework for improving the testing processes in global product development

As identified by Griffin (1997) and Kahn (2012), manufacturing organisations typically improve their market position by accelerating their product development (PD) cycles. One method for achieving this is to reduce the time taken to design, test and validate new products, so that they can reach the end customer before competition. This paper adds to existing research on PD testing procedures by reporting on an exploratory investigation carried out in a UK-based manufacturing plant. We explore the organisational and managerial factors that contribute to the time spent on testing of new products during development. The investigation consisted of three sections, viz. observations and process modelling, utilisation metrics and a questionnaire-based investigation, from which a proposed framework to improve and reduce the PD time cycle is presented. This research focuses specifically on the improvement of the utilisation of product testing facilities and the links to its main internal stakeholders - PD engineers.

The Business of Museums and the Engagement of 21st Century Audiences

Within the sub-theme of Collaboration, Partnerships, and Mergers – the author will create an engaging discussion with attendees on how the of business of museums lends itself to building collaborative and viable business partnerships which can be beneficial both in terms of revenue and audience engagement. A second element will examine through case studies how organizations such as the Oxford University Museum Partnership, The Lightbox Museum and Gallery as well as the British Museum and Museum of London retool and refocus their commercial interests to build sustainable partnerships and mergers with non-museum sector organizations to expand their retail and enterprising activities. Attendees and participants will gain an insight into these trends and methods currently being used by both large museum and small independent museums in the UK to grow their audiences through none traditional methods. Similarly, the author will demonstrate how non-traditional enterprising approaches to stewardship and education can demonstrate the public value of museums in an age when limited funding and competition for resources require museums to become more creative and collaborative outside their traditional roles, whilst continuing to engage and capitalize on the growing sophistication of 21st century audiences.

Cooperative or collaborative learning: Is there a difference in university students’ perceptions?

The hypothesis that the same educational objective, raised as cooperative or collaborative learning in university teaching does not affect students’ perceptions of the learning model, leads this study. It analyses the reflections of two students groups of engineering that shared the same educational goals implemented through two different methodological active learning strategies: Simulation as cooperative learning strategy and Problem-based Learning as a collaborative one. The different number of participants per group (eighty-five and sixty-five, respectively) as well as the use of two active learning strategies, either collaborative or cooperative, did not show differences in the results from a qualitative perspective.

Welke 'acteur' neemt de controllerrol als extraverte business partner?

Which 'actor' takes the management accountant role as an extravert business partner? Does a relation between the personal trait Extraversion and fulfilling a management accountant role as a business partner exist? Open Universiteit Nederland End thesis MSc Management, Accounting & Finance Support 1: Prof. dr. A.C.N. van de Ven RA Support 2: dr. P.C.M. Claes Examinator: dr. P. Kamminga Date of approval: September 3, 2014 student: P.R. van der Wal (studentnumber 839104017 email petervanderwal2003@yahoo.com The main question of this research is: Does a relation between the personal trait Extraversion and fulfilling a management accountant role as a business partner exist? This research is based on the dataset obtained by the controller survey 2013, executed in commission of the 'Open Universiteit' (Bork & van der Wal, 2014). From the literature review it is clear: among other management accountant roles we need business partners. And there is a relation between the personal trait Extraversion and fulfilling the role as business partner. At the same time a lack of necessary personal traits for this role has been noticed, among which is Extraversion. The factor- and cluster analyses reported by Bork & van der Wal (2014) resulted in the identification of two types of management accountant roles. In this extended research TYPE II is identified as a business partner because (s)he practices activity-combinations which are related to strategy, analyzing, supporting management in decision making, advisory, change-agency and representing the organization. 36% of the population of Dutch management accountants with a master degree (or similar) meet with the role of the business partner. Although the fulfillment of the role (TYPE II) is not purely business partnering. E.g. reporting and scorekeeping are still activities executed by TYPE II and it is not clear to what extent. Apart from that, role TYPE I executes change management and risk-management activities, which are (according to the definition) activities that belong to the business partner. The role as business partner is practiced but not that optimal as defined in theory. The logistic regression analyses on the survey-data show that Extraversion among three other triggers is significant for the prediction of the fulfillment of the management accountant role (Bork & van der Wal, 2014). A more extravert personal trait predicts a preference for TYPE II, which relates to the business partner. This 'in depth research' concentrated on the relation between the Big Five personal traits and the six activity-combinations (factors) instead of on the two clusters (I and II). The statistic analyses confirm the predicting influence of Extraversion on the business partner role. Although, except for one factor, no extra significance has been found in this additional research. The essential question can be confirmed positively: the management accountant role business partner exists in practice, some management accountants are more extravert then others, and there is a positive relation between extraversion and fulfilling the business partner role. Some formulated research limitations are related to the statistical weakness of some prediction outcomes and to interpretation differences that might occur. Further research can e.g. concentrate on the other personal traits and the significance for role-differentiation in education programs. The management accountant survey 2013 Management accountant roles in 2013 in the Netherlands Open Universiteit Nederland End thesis MSc Management, Accounting & Finance Support 1: Prof. dr. A.C.N. van de Ven RA Support 2: dr. P.C.M. Claes Examinator: dr. P. Kamminga Date of approval: September 3, 2014 student: P.R. van der Wal and H.J. Bork studentnumber: 839104017 and 838532340) email: petervanderwal2003@yahoo.com and hjbork@hotmail.com This paper describes the conceptual model and results of the 'management accountants survey 2013'. The survey is part of a longitudinal survey, earlier executed in 2004, 2007 and 2010 under responsibility of the 'Open Universiteit Nederland'. Secondly the dataset of this survey will be used by us to do our own analyses on the predicting value of the triggers 'personality factor: extraversion' and 'lever of control: interactive controls' on the management accounting role that comes close to a role defined as 'Business Partner'. Scientific research shows that there are different management accounting roles, and that these roles change and that preferences exist for certain roles (Verstegen B. , Loo, Mol, Slagter, & Geerkens, 2007). The main question that will be answered in this paper is which coherent combinations of activities are being executed by management accountants in 2013 in the Netherlands by master-graduates? And secondly which triggers of management accountants' activities predict to which cluster a management accountant belongs? The conceptual model of this research has been developed in 2004 (Verstegen B. , Loo, Mol, Slagter, & Geerkens, 2007). For this research the same 37 activities as in the former researches are included (appendix 1). In the trigger-set (appendix 1) some adaptations have been made for reasons of restricting the length of the survey and to pinpoint on particular research goals (e.g. personality and levers of control). The coherent combinations of activities were found by a factor-analysis and the groups of controllers by a cluster analysis. A regression analysis shows which trigger-items are most significant. The survey has been sent to 2.353 students that finished a controller-study on a Dutch University. There was a 9% (211) response with a completely filled survey. 137 of which indicated to work in a controller-function at the moment. These controllers have been included in the results. The factor-analysis results in six different coherent combinations of activities (factors). Shortly these factors are: advising top management on strategic level with result-effecting information (1), organizing internal reporting (2) organizing and representing the organization on external reporting (3), advising and managing changes by shortcomings in processes and control systems (4), maintaining and managing administrative organization- , information- and control systems (5) and organizing/executing risk management and internal audit (6). Factors 4, 5 and 6 are clustered in cluster TYPE I (125 controllers) and factors 1, 2 and 3 in cluster TYPE II (69 controllers). TYPE II can be associated with the management accountant role 'Business Partner', although the accountant keeps partly active in a scorekeeper role. The four most significant triggers for predicting being a TYPE II controller are 'Executing a risk-management task in order to meet compliance standards' (1), extraversion (2), company size in terms of fte (3) and gender (4).

Designing Massive Open Online Learning Processes: The importance of the social element

This is a pre-print for personal use only. Please refer to the Springer website for the official, published version http://www.springer.com/978-3-662-52923-2

A Study of Implicit Leadership Theories Among Business & Management Undergraduate Students

This qualitative study explores the subjective experience of being led by investigating the impact of their Implicit Leadership Theories (ILTs) on followers’ cognitive processes, affective responses and behavioural intentions towards leadership-claimants. The study explores how such responses influence the quality of hierarchical work-place relationships using a framework based on Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory. The research uses focus groups to elicit descriptions of ILTs held by forty final year undergraduate Business and Management students. The data was then analysed using an abductive process permitting an interpretative understanding of the meanings participants attach to their past experiences and future expectations. This research addresses a perceived gap by making a theoretical contribution to knowledge and understanding in this field, focusing on how emotional responses affect their behaviour, how this impacts on organisational outcomes, and what the implications are for HRD practitioners. The findings support previous research into the content and structure of ILTs but extend these by examining the impact of affect on workplace behaviour. Findings demonstrate that where follower ILT needs are met then positive outcomes ensued for participants, their superiors, and their organisations. Conversely, where follower ILT needs are not matched, various negative effects emerged ranging from poor performance and impaired well-being, to withdrawal behaviour and outright rebellion. The research findings suggest dynamic reciprocal links amongst outcomes, behaviours, and LMX, and demonstrate an alignment of cognitive, emotional and behavioural responses that correspond to either high-LMX or low-LMX relationships, with major impacts on job satisfaction, commitment and well-being. Copyright

Applying Enterprise: Active Learning Environments for Business Higher National Diploma Students

This article details an approach to teaching entrepreneurship to Higher National Diploma (HND) students that combines lecture-based and experiential learning processes to increase student learning, comprehension, and entrepreneurial skills. A UK university redesigned an entrepreneurship course to have students design and implement business plans for a pop-up shop and an event in the local community, while working closely with instructors and outside stakeholders. The lectures used in the lessons were designed to complement the enterprise activities and be immediately applied in group work settings. Data was collected from student reflections and analyzed against instructor reflections to highlight both the success and challenges of this approach, as well as any areas of dissonance between student and instructor observations. While literature on the benefits of active and experiential learning processes are highlighted in the literature, this article examines these teaching methods specifically in a HND context, an area in which research on the benefits of these teaching methods for developing entrepreneurial students and for developing students prepared for undergraduate education has been limited.

“It’s the People That Drive It”: Motivating and Supporting Collaborative Data Use Practices in Three Teacher Education Programs

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Collaborative Teacher Educator Professional Development in Europe: Different Voices, One Goal

In this paper we present an embedded case study focussed on the learning activities provided for and by us through our involvement in an international forum focused on the professional development of teacher educators. The aim of this research was to get more insights into the complicated processes of professional learning across national borders. Data included personal narratives about learning and documentary analysis of written accounts of the forums’ activities. Following a collaborative self-study approach we utilised an interactive exploration of the data, using coding techniques derived from grounded theory. We conclude that our professional learning can be seen through two inter-related perspectives. The first perspective is the interplay between our own learning and the ways in which we want to support colleagues in their professional development. The second perspective is the reciprocal effect of working in national as well as in transnational contexts. By studying our professional learning processes we developed insights in how a shared communal international forum can be established without losing individual voices and national perspectives. Moreover, by our involvement in an international forum we also continue to develop our own self-understanding as ‘educators of teacher educators’.

Órgãos de governo da família empresária Governing bodies of family business

RESUMO A importância das empresas familiares nas economias modernas exige que sejam melhor conhecidos os processos de tomada de decisão nas mesmas, nomeadamente, aqueles que têm origem no seio das famílias que as detêm ou controlam. A separação do património da família e do património afecto ao negócio é uma condição necessária para um bom relacionamento entre estes dois subsistemas. À semelhança dos órgãos de administração da empresa familiar também a família empresária tem os seus órgãos de governo: reunião de família, assembleia de família, conselho familiar, comissões familiares ad-hoc, protocolo familiar e family office. São estes órgãos que vão ser apresentados. ABSTRACT The importance that family firms have in today’s economy requires that one understands the decision making process in these types of firms, particularly the decision making process that stem from within the family circle that controls the firm. In order to understand these processes and the relationship between the two “subsystems of decision-making” one must separate the family’s resources from the family’s resources that has been engaged in the business. The family businesses, likewise the family firm, also have its own bodies of administration, such as family assemblies, family councils, family commissions and meetings, family’ protocols, as well as family office.

Management of Customer Co-development in Business-to-Business Markets

Management of customer co-development means involving customers in the development of new products and services, and coordinating the process. In business-tobusiness markets, customer co-development enables the development of innovations that better match customer needs and strengthens customer relationships. However, close collaboration with customers can hamper the innovativeness of new products and lead to overly customized solutions. Therefore, the management of co-development is crucial to its success. Yet the existing research on management of co-development has mainly focused on selecting the right collaboration partners, and the field lacks understanding on how to manage the tensions inherent in customer co-development. The purpose of this thesis is to increase understanding on the management of the codevelopment. The thesis is divided into two parts. The first comprises the literature review and conclusions for the whole study, and the second presents four publications. From the methodological perspective, the research papers follow exploratory qualitative research design. The empirical data comprise interviews with 60 persons, representing 25 different organizations, and a group of 11 end users. The study conceptualizes management of customer co-development in three dimensions 1) relational co-development processes, 2) co-development challenges and paradoxes, and 3) internal customer involvement processes. The findings contribute to the customersupplier relationship, innovation, and marketing management literatures by providing a framework on supplier-customer co-development, addressing co-development paradoxes and their management processes, and suggesting practices for customer involvement. For practitioners, the findings provide tools to manage the challenges related to codevelopment with customers.

Enhancing business English terminology through concept mapping

Given the need of a growing internationalization of business, to have a good command of English is, most of the times important for the development of technical (specific) competences. It is, thus, critical that professionals use accurate terminology to set grounds for a well-succeeded communication. Furthermore, business communication is increasingly moving to ICT-mediated sets and professionals have to be able to promptly adjust to these needs, resorting to trustworthy online information sources, but also using technologies that better serve their business purposes. In this scenario, the main objective of this study is to find evidence as to the utility of concept mapping as a teaching and learning strategy for the appropriation of business English terminology, enabling students to use English more efficiently as language of communication in business context. This study was based on a case study methodology, mainly of exploratory nature. Participants were students (n= 30) enrolled in the subject English Applied to Management II at Águeda School of Technology and Management – University of Aveiro (2013/14 edition). They were asked to create and peer review two concept maps (cmaps), one individually and another in pairs. The data gathered were treated and analysed resorting qualitative (content analysis) and to quantitative (descriptive statistical analysis) techniques. Results of the data analysis unveil that the use of a collaborative concept mapping tool promotes the development of linguistic competences as to the use of business terminology, but also of communication and collaboration competences. Besides, it was also a very important motivation element in the students’ engagement with the subject content.

Professional service productization and its implications to knowledge transfer in internationalization processes –Case: Company X in Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian markets

As a result of globalization, two thirds of the world’s business takes place nowadays in the service sector. In line, professional service firms are growing their share of the global service production. However, saturation of the professional service sector has forced professional service firms to search for more heuristic ways to conduct business in the international markets. By leveraging effectively the firm’s professionals, a professional service firm can lower its costs to clients and simultaneously generate additional value for the company and thus gain competitive advantage. Even though the academic field has shown growing interest towards services for decades, the fields of service productization and service internationalization are heavily understudied even today. Hence, the objective of this study was to contribute to the research on professional service internationalization and productization. The study concentrated on examining the impact that productization has on knowledge sharing and leveraging in professional service firms operating internationally. The research question focused on examining what implications productization has on knowledge transfer and leveraging during professional service internationalization by leaning on the existing research and on an empirical research. The empirical research was conducted as a single case study within a professional service firm operating in debt-related administrative service business. The case company is one of the leading operators in its field of business and therefore offered a fruitful environment to observe and analyze the topics in question. Additionally, the case company has a strong international presence and a large scale of operations in the selected markets, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Based on the previous literature and on the empirical research, this study found that for professional service firms to efficiently utilize individual, tacit knowledge, in its internationalization processes, it must be shared with the whole organization. By exploiting productization as a knowledge leveraging mechanism, a PSF can apply and transfer knowledge profoundly during its internationalization processes that would otherwise be difficult to tap into. Productization might not be sufficient alone, but by complementing it with a favorable organizational structure and culture, and by encouraging open communication, a PSF may take advantage of the whole potential that productization has to offer.

COLLABORATIVE TESTING ACROSS SHARED SOFTWARE COMPONENTS

Large component-based systems are often built from many of the same components. As individual component-based software systems are developed, tested and maintained, these shared components are repeatedly manipulated. As a result there are often significant overlaps and synergies across and among the different test efforts of different component-based systems. However, in practice, testers of different systems rarely collaborate, taking a test-all-by-yourself approach. As a result, redundant effort is spent testing common components, and important information that could be used to improve testing quality is lost. The goal of this research is to demonstrate that, if done properly, testers of shared software components can save effort by avoiding redundant work, and can improve the test effectiveness for each component as well as for each component-based software system by using information obtained when testing across multiple components. To achieve this goal I have developed collaborative testing techniques and tools for developers and testers of component-based systems with shared components, applied the techniques to subject systems, and evaluated the cost and effectiveness of applying the techniques. The dissertation research is organized in three parts. First, I investigated current testing practices for component-based software systems to find the testing overlap and synergy we conjectured exists. Second, I designed and implemented infrastructure and related tools to facilitate communication and data sharing between testers. Third, I designed two testing processes to implement different collaborative testing algorithms and applied them to large actively developed software systems. This dissertation has shown the benefits of collaborative testing across component developers who share their components. With collaborative testing, researchers can design algorithms and tools to support collaboration processes, achieve better efficiency in testing configurations, and discover inter-component compatibility faults within a minimal time window after they are introduced.