Long range planning at continental oil

This paper discusses the process of long range planning in Continental Oil Company. Although this process has been developed to meet the needs of a large privately owned U.S.A. company, much of what is discussed would apply equally well to any large industrial organization. Some modifications would be necessary for smaller companies, but the basic principles of planning, would be unchanged.     

雷纳德：EMC的云转型！ 技术创新与明智的系列并购成就EMC

“我负责EMC公司在亚太区17个国家的业务，不同市场可能会出现各种问题。但遇到问题，我要做的就是尽量保持头脑冷静，根据工作的紧迫性程度做出优先的排序安排。”EMC公司亚太区总裁雷纳德（Steve Leonard）接受《经理人》专访时说，他不会一遇到问题就立马着手制定解决问题的方案，而是会先花些时间来仔细思考这些问题，然后再拟定破解问题的措施。     

Institutional Dynamics in European Industrial Relations

Since the end of the 1970s, all European systems of industrial relations have experienced some common developments. In order to shed some light on this subject we look for common as well as specific changes within some selected systems of industrial relations in Europe. Therefore, we deal with the moving forces behind these tendencies which are, on the whole, global in character. We discuss the institutional responses to these general developments in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. These countries have been chosen because their industrial relations are generally seen as belonging to different types of systems. We conclude that many responses are still national specific and, in line with the distinguished national logics of collective action, to be defined respectively as the logic of contract, the logic of opposition and the logic of cooperation. At the end some reflections about the future of European industrial relations are presented.     

Industrial engineering: a dynamic response to change?

A study of industrial engineering in seven European countries was carried out for the purpose of comparing European organization and practice in that field with the American situation as revealed by an earlier survey. The data obtained relate to organizational variables such as distinctiveness, location, degree of centralization and contact with headquarters; staffing factors such as number of personnel and their education, and the use made of specified techniques. Changes and trends in these terms are then explained. The data suggest that Europe and the U.S. are essentially similar. Finally, the future of industrial engineering is explained in terms of the demands which will be made on industry and the contribution which industrial engineering can make to meeting these.     

It’s all about culture! Institutional context and ownership concentration across Europe

It is widely recognised that the formal institutional context affects firm ownership concentration. However, the impact of the informal institutional context has received less research attention. Drawing from institutional theory, we tested our hypothesis that both the formal and informal (cultural) institutional contexts simultaneously influence firm ownership concentration. Based on a firm-level database of the largest 600 listed companies in 19 European countries for the period 2009–2015, we found that both formal and informal institutional contexts, considered independently from each other, affect the level of firm ownership concentration. However, when these institutional contexts are considered together, the significance of the formal institutional context's effect on ownership concentration disappears while the informal (cultural) institutional context remains significant. Specifically, our findings indicate that high power distance, collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, restraint, and short-term orientation favour firm ownership concentration. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the diversity in European cultures explains firms' different levels of ownership concentration across European firms, signalling that the European Union's efforts towards a common regulatory frame may not necessarily lead to a convergence of European firms' ownership structures and, consequently, of corporate governance practices.     

European cultures and management styles

After the establishment of the Common Market in Europe, many companies from abroad opted for a single European headquarters and searched for European managers. That leads to the question whether one can really speak of a common European management style. The article at hand examines this issue. To do this, the legal framework and Corporate Governance background of individual European countries are assessed. Furthermore, cultural differences in Europe are considered. Referring to studies of cultural dimensions in European countries, the authors propose five different cultural areas in Europe. This leads to a concluding discussion of management styles in these regions.     

Production technology and management in planned and market economies

This paper discusses how technological innovation takes place in manufacturing industry, and especially in the engineering sector, contrasting in particular the effects of the Western market economy, and the East European planned economy. The relative lack of cross-influence between formal scientific research and actual industrial innovation practice in this area is first discussed. Comparative studies of engineering practice in planned and market economies are described which point to the important influence of the economic environment on innovation practice in the factory's design office, and on the shop-floor. The East European Soviet Type Economy is seen to have features which in the light of recent Western empirical studies into industrial innovation, must hamper this process. In particular it is proposed that its relative economic and social rigidity has an important restricting influence on the actual process of innovation in the factory.     

European community developments

The drive to construct a European market free of trade barriers by 1992 is now proceeding. The article below discusses some of the challenges and opportunities which this radical opening up of the European market will present to every industrial and commercial organisation, and how to prepare for them. It goes on to outline the establishment by the EEC of new networks of information agencies and consultancy services which are intended to enable firms, particularly small firms, to obtain the fullest information and support to enable them to expand into the new European market and to take advantage of EEC loans and grants for R&D, training and other business activities. In a final section the article discusses the opportunities for managers and higher educational institutions in the COMETT and ERASMUS Programmes as they become fully operational.     

The Cohort Size‐Wage Relationship in Europe

This paper estimates the impact of cohort size on wages using data on young males in European regions covering 2004–10. The effect of cohort size on wages is identified through an instrumental variables strategy which, in contrast to previous analyses of European data, addresses self‐selection into geographical areas as well as into educational groups. The results suggest that cohort size has a significant negative effect on male wages for individuals with secondary education — the largest group — but not for individuals with less than secondary education or tertiary education. This effect is underestimated if self‐selection into geographical areas is not addressed.     

基于能值分析的产业集聚区生态经济绩效评价研究

运用能值分析理论及方法,将产业集聚系统的产业、人口、资源和环境生态等各个子系统统一起来,建立基于系统结构、功能和生态效率和可持续发展指数的综合评价体系,对产业集聚系统的发展现状、动态与动因整合分析,以此来指导和优化产业集聚的可持续发展模式,并以大连七贤岭产业化基地为案例开展了生态经济绩效评价。     

Strategies for Europe proposals for science and technology policies industrial innovation in Europe

Europe's performance with respect to industrial innovation is compared to those of USA and Japan. The reasons for Europe's relatively poor performance are examined and related to institutional, cultural and social factors. An appropriate strategy for innovation in European industry is then defined.     

Vacant Industrial Buildings in Portugal: A Case Study from Four Municipalities

Vacant and abandoned industrial buildings are a symptom of urban decline linked to various problems. To adopt effective regenerating policies, a full understanding of vacancy is required. This paper presents a study where the extent and condition of the vacant industrial buildings located in four Portuguese municipalities were assessed. Results showed that 613 buildings located in urban areas and in industrial parks, occupying an area of 1.4 million square meters, were vacant. The research is helpful for adopting regenerative policies and for understanding general questions of the characteristics of industrial vacancy and policies that are used to address this problem.     

Supply Chain Management: Relationships, Chains and Networks

The term supply chain management is used to represent a variety of different meanings, some related to management processes, others to structural organization of businesses. This paper identifies and discusses various definitions of supply chain management, summarizes the associated bodies of knowledge and connects them using a systems approach. Systems levels of supply chain management are identified as the internal supply chain, the dyadic relationship, the external supply chain and the inter-business network.
Empirical research on behavioural aspects of relationships, chains and networks in the European automotive aftermarket is discussed, identifying gaps in perceptions of requirements and performance held by customers and suppliers in the areas of quality, delivery, service, range and price. A combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis demonstrates substantial differences between approaches to supply chain management, though performance in relationships, chains and networks in the territories examined does not differ significantly.
Customer dissatisfaction in relationships is shown to increase upstream in the supply chains examined, extending the applicability of the industrial dynamics 'Forrester effect' to softer, behavioural aspects of performance. Conclusions are drawn supporting the suggestions of operations strategists that position in the supply chain is an important strategic variable which, to date, have not been comprehensively proven empirically.     

房价变动、产业转移与区域协调发展——以京津冀地区为例

构建房价-资本模型，分析房地产行业投资收益对工业再投资的影响，发现：地区间适当的房地产行业投资收益差异有利于工业企业从核心地区向边缘地区转移，差异较大则导致资本流向房价增长过快地区的房地产行业；若地区间房地产行业投资收益差异既定，较大的经济发展差距对产业转移起阻碍作用，激烈的市场竞争则起促进作用。利用京津冀地区13个城市的数据构建面板门限模型，验证了：（1）较低的房价增长率促进了北京市相对低效的资本向外转移，但是北京市与周边地区较大的经济发展差距又阻碍了该趋势。（2）核心区流出的资本优先向次发达地区转移，而落后地区则有被彻底边缘化的风险。为实现京津冀地区协调发展，一方面要加强对京津冀地区房价的宏观调控、防止房价过快增长；另一方面要制定针对边缘地区的优惠政策，引导非首都功能向周边转移。     

New Zealand—a newcomer to planning

The geographic location of New Zealand and the relatively small size of the industrial sector frequently creates a lag in the adoption of what would normally be regarded as standard practice in European and American companies. This paper discusses the results of a survey of executive attitudes towards planning in 138 New Zealand companies. The main objective of the survey was to establish the state of development of Corporate Planning in New Zealand.     

The NFC buy-out—A new form of industrial enterprise

When the Conservative Government's plans for floating the National Freight Company, Britain's biggest road freight business, on the Stock Exchange were delayed by economic factors, senior management in the business put together a scheme to buy NFC. In what became Britain's largest employee buy-out, with over 10,000 employees and pensioners putting up £6·187m of the purchase price, a new form of industrial enterprise was created. In this article Sir Peter Thompson, leader of the buy-out team and now Chairman of the National Freight Consortium plc, describes the background to the buy-out, the complex financial, legal and communications activities involved, and the way in which employee-involvement has become an integral part of the operation of what has proved to be a commercially successful business providing exceptional returns on investment.     

Ownership concentration and market value of European banks

This paper investigates the relationship between ownership concentration and market value of European banks, and the role of the institutional environment in shaping this relationship. Using GMM dynamic estimator on a sample of European banks over a 13-year period (1993–2005) we find on average a negative effect of ownership concentration on bank value, measured by Tobin's Q. However, this effect varies across different institutional settings; while higher ownership concentration results in a lower bank value particularly in the countries belonging to German legal family, the impact of ownership concentration is positive in Scandinavia. We propose that, besides the legal protection of small investors, the differences in the impact of ownership concentration across the countries could be due to the identity of the predominant owners, i.e. financial institutions in Germany and trusts and foundations in Scandinavia. This in turn implies that restrictions of shareholdings in banks could alleviate governance problems in some countries, but lower bank valuation in others.     

Trade Union Action and Collective Bargaining in Europe: Trends and Problems

This paper deals with the transformations that have taken place in European countries over the last ten years— the decade of the 80s— in union action and collective bargaining. For the latter in particular the trend towards greater convergence, or to maintain the traditional differences found between the industrial relations systems of one country and another, emerges clearly. The conclusions, moreover, underline the persistence (and the rise during the past years) of safeguards and negotiational contractual mediation, the greater (at least as compared to the previous decade) adhesion of bargaining action to the economic situation, and the determining influence that the various national economies have had on this action, with a rising importance played by the industrial relations of the major firms.     

Stochastic models of industrial buying behaviour

This paper presents one of the first attempts to develop stochastic models of industrial buying behaviour. The Beta-binomial model, used to model consumer purchase incidence, also works well for industrial consumers. Purchase size is shown to be lognormally distributed suggesting that something like a log random walk process may be operating. However it proved impossible to combine these two stochastic models analytically and a less rich model, the Markov reservoir, was shown to fit the data providing useful insights into the dynamics of industrial markets as well as suggesting areas for further research.     

Does European Union policy making explain accounting choices? An empirical analysis of the effects of investigations by the Directorate General for Competition on accounting choices

The hypothesis that political costs caused by the regulatory process impact upon accounting has been tested extensively and has found considerable empirical support. However, most studies use data from the United States. Whether the conclusions carry over to different institutional settings is an open question. This study exploits the fact that, in the European Union, there exists a policy area—competition policy—in which the European Commission can act in a manner significantly less constrained than in most other policy areas, imposing substantial fines on companies found to be in infringement of European competition regulations. Companies investigated by the Commission’s Directorate General for Competition have strong incentives to deflect attention and keep a low profile. It is conjectured that such companies will use income-decreasing accruals in order not to appear to be making unjustified profits. The results confirm this conjecture.