Leaders, loungers, laggards: The strategic-planning-environment- performance relationship re-visited in manufacturing SMEs (2007)
Journal Article

Purpose This paper aims to assess the link between strategic-planning, aspects of the external environment and overall corporate performance in manufacturing SMEs. Design-methodology-approach A self-reported postal survey was used to collect data fro... Read More about Leaders, loungers, laggards: The strategic-planning-environment- performance relationship re-visited in manufacturing SMEs.

Leadership and its impact on the use of process technologies and management practices in the manufacturing sector (2007)
Journal Article

Leadership is widely acknowledged as the key driver of innovation and the achievement of overall organizational performance. In doing so, it draws on both process technologies and the use of management techniques. This paper examines the relationship... Read More about Leadership and its impact on the use of process technologies and management practices in the manufacturing sector.

Public sector performance improvement through private sector management practices: A satisfactory solution? (2007)
Journal Article

This paper examines the assumption that the injection of market discipline and private sector management practices will result in the transformation of public services. The present UK government looks for an opportunity to achieve synergy between the... Read More about Public sector performance improvement through private sector management practices: A satisfactory solution?.

Demystifying data analysis: An alternative approach for managers of manufacturing SMEs (2007)
Journal Article

Purpose - Effective decision making is a crucial activity for manufacturing firms of all sizes. To this end, statistical techniques, such as variance theory, cognitive maps, heuristics and process theory, are widely used. However, such techniques rar... Read More about Demystifying data analysis: An alternative approach for managers of manufacturing SMEs.

Changing Japanese management: Is the trend towards western-style management sustainable? (2007)
Journal Article

The trend towards Western management styles seems unstoppable after the successes achieved by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., since the appointment of a non-Japanese Chief Executive began its changing management ethos. This led to questions such as "What is... Read More about Changing Japanese management: Is the trend towards western-style management sustainable?.

Formal strategic planning: annual raindance or wheel of success? (2007)
Journal Article

The findings from the research presented in this paper indicate that strategic planning is now an established management tool with over half of all small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) engaging in formal strategic planning.
However, some SMEs fa... Read More about Formal strategic planning: annual raindance or wheel of success?.