Who Holds the Stakes? A Case Study of Stakeholder Identification at Two Nuclear Weapons Production Sites

Traditional risk assessments, including those involving the United States Department of Energy (USDOE), are often criticized for producing useless or noncredible management responses because they did not meaningfully involve the public. The first step to involve the public is to identify appropriate active participants (stakeholders). This study was done to understand the processes used to identify stakeholders to serve on advisory boards established at the two largest remediation sites in the United States: the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The Hanford stakeholder identification process produced an interest-based board whereas the Savannah River Site strategy produced population-based representation. The basic goals of the stakeholder advisory groups were similar. However, different processes were used to identify the participants for the groups in part because of distinctly different social and cultural conditions in the areas affected by the operations of the two facilities, and in part because of the different level of trust of the USDOE and their contractors at Hanford compared with Savannah River. The discussion analyzes their different needs and potential for successful citizen participation.     

What Determines Trust in Information About Food-Related Risks? Underlying Psychological Constructs

Trust in risk information about food related-hazards may be an important determinant of public reactions to risk information. One of the central questions addressed by the risk communication literature is why some individuals and organizations are trusted as sources of risk information and others are not. Industry and government often lack public trust, whereas other sources (for example, consumer organizations, the quality media, medical doctors) are highly trusted. Problematically, previous surveys and questionnaire studies have utilized questions generated by the investigators themselves to assess public perceptions of trust in different sources. Furthermore, no account of the hazard domain was made. In the first study reported here, semistructured interviewing was used to elicit underpinning constructs determining trust and distrust in different sources providing food-related risk information ( n = 35). In the second study, the repertory grid method was used to elicit the terminology that respondents use to distinguish between different potential food-related information sources ( n = 35), the data being submitted to generalised Procrustes analysis. The results of the two studies were combined and validated in survey research ( n = 888) where factor analysis indicated that knowledge in itself does not lead to trust, but that trusted sources are seen to be characterised by multiple positive attributes. Contrary to previous research, complete freedom does not lead to trust—rather sources which possess moderate accountability are seen to be the most trusted.     

An environmental life cycle optimization model for the European pulp and paper industry

Will paper recycling reduce the environmental impact of the European pulp and paper sector? If so, is maximal paper recycling the best policy to optimize the life cycle of the pulp and paper sector? We explore these questions using an approach that combines materials accounting methods and optimization techniques. Environmental impact data are inputs for a linear programming network flow model to find optimal configurations for the sector. These configurations consist of a mix of different pulping technologies, a geographical distribution of pulp and paper production, and a level of recycling consistent with the lowest environmental impacts. We use the model to analyse scenarios with different recycling strategies. Recycling offers a reduction in environmental impact in regions with a high population and a large production of paper and board products. Regions with a large production of graphic products should focus on cleaner virgin pulp production with energy recovery. We conclude that relocation of paper production also offers a reduction in environmental impact. However, the severe effects on the economy make this policy less attractive than a combination of recycling, cleaner pulp production and energy recovery.     

The case of post-acquisition integration design decisions

In a multi-method study that examined post-acquisition integration design decisions, managers were found to have poor insight into the values underlying their decision making. This lack of insight was not found to be moderated by increased levels of experience with acquisition decision making, and its effects were reflected in post-acquisition performance.     

Building an innovative organization

Morton L. Mandel, CEO of Cleveland-based Premier Industrial Corporation, with brothers Jack and Joe, started selling automotive fasteners out of garage 50 years ago. Today, Premier's sales are running at a record $650m clip. The market value of the Mandel brothers' publicly-traded Premier shares earns all three a place on Forbes' list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. The family still holds about 60 per cent of the stock. Mort Mandel believes that gives the company independence and the ability to concentrate on nuts and bolts rather than politics. Mandel's nuts and bolts approach to managing has created stunning success—after-tax margins twice the average of Premier's industry, return on assets of 24 per cent, return on investment above 30 per cent, earnings per share compounded in excess of 17 per cent for the past 5 years, shareholders' equity that has grown close to 10 per cent annually for 20 years, and debt of less than 3 per cent of net worth. Mandel says it's simple: Treat customers as though they have the ‘right’ to superior service. Behave ethically, professionally and personally. Do good. Invest in people. Execute, execute, execute. What he calls Management 101. We suspected it wasn't quite that simple, and we wanted to know how he created a company that repeatedly outperforms its industry and many others, how he sustains a culture that generates 5000 written profit improvement ideas a year from Premier's 5400 employees. So we asked him some questions about his views on management and leadership that produced refreshing insights into the power, purity and timeless applicability of ‘management basics’. This interview was conducted at Premier's unpretentious executive offices, located in the Midtown Corridor of Cleveland, Ohio, a privately-sponsored urban renewal project inspired by Mort Mandel, who practices his preachings about ‘doing good’.     

Knowledge sharing for innovation performance improvement in micro/SMEs: an insight from the creative sector

Abstract

As economies become more reliant on innovative, knowledge-intensive firms, understanding the interaction between knowledge and improving innovation performance is increasingly important. Although most UK businesses are micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (micro/SMEs), knowledge management research has tended to focus on large companies Knowledge sharing can be critical for innovation performance, especially for smaller players with limited resources. Our study presents an insight from micro/SMEs operating in the highly knowledge-intensive and innovative games/entertainment software development sector. Using a mixed method approach, we investigate knowledge sharing and its contribution to firm innovation performance improvements. Our findings suggest that micro/SMEs are at the forefront of the creative sector precisely because of their smaller size. Our study reveals evidence of knowledge donation but limited evidence of knowledge collection in the knowledge sharing process. We develop a model highlighting the importance of industry context, individual knowledge and organizational size in knowledge sharing for innovation performance.     

Technological forecasting as a guide for managerial planning

The author discusses the limitations of statistical forecasting as a guide to managerial planning, with specific reference to technological and market changes in the glass industry. He advocates the use of a Forecast Adjustment Matrix as a framework for identifying marketing and technological factors which might produce significant deviations from established trends. Finally, he suggests that the analysis and adjustment of technological and market trends should be made periodically. The whole technological forecasting operation should be formalized and it should be made the specific responsibility of one organizational unit within the company.     

Planning and health care—The approach in a reorganized NHS

From April 1974, National Health Service authorities have been merged to provide integrated and comprehensive services. The reorganization policies place considerable emphasis on the need for management and planning but planning for health services is not well developed. Ambiguous operational objectives and obscured criteria for effectiveness are not the most promising basis for planning. Nevertheless, a commendable beginning is to be made on planning comprehensively through a systematic annual review of Government health service policies and planning and programming procedures for health authorities. The outlines of the system are described and the prospects for success and further development are considered.     

A methodological strategy for a one-number census in the UK

As a result of lessons learnt from the 1991 census, a research programme was set up to seek improvements in census methodology. Underenumeration has been placed top of the agenda in this programme, and every effort is being made to achieve as high a coverage as possible in the 2001 census. In recognition, however, that 100% coverage will never be achieved, the one-number census (ONC) project was established to measure the degree of underenumeration in the 2001 census and, if possible, to adjust fully the outputs from the census for that undercount. A key component of this adjustment process is a census coverage survey (CCS). This paper presents an overview of the ONC project, focusing on the design and analysis methodology for the CCS. It also presents results that allow the reader to evaluate the robustness of this methodology.