Most businessmen and managers are now aware that ‘things are not what they used to be’ and they never will be the same again. The reasons for this are many and cover rapid technological development, increased education and training, a greater social awareness, pollution of the environment,...

Whilst industry and business await the revised legislation on industrial relations, employee protection, industrial democracy or the new Companies Act, they could well spend time reviewing one essential feature that will result—the need to disclose information to their employees. The need for...

Amongst one of the most progressive worker participation programmes currently being developed is the one by the Cadbury‐Schweppes group. Much has been written elsewhere about the philosophy and approach being used. ICT were recently able to discuss the training and people development...

In any organisation different groups of people have different information needs. The ‘power’ effect of information lies at the root of some people's needs; some believe that by restricting information they can retain control; others believe that by acquiring information they can gain...

Last month Geoff Smith described how to develop a system of financial reporting which adequately relates to the business activity of a company: How effectively does it use its resources of people and money; how is it growing; how is it providing security for participants? Now he looks at a...

One key to effective information systems is to have a recognised objective which links all the participants in a business. Surely the nation's and a company's current economic problems could be a focal point for developing information systems. Until there is understanding of our economic...

The previous articles have outlined the need for and approaches to presenting information to employees. The questions continually asked are — why do it? — what can we use the information for? — do employees really understand and want to know anyway? In the first article information needs...

The Corporate Report is the title of a discussion paper recently published by the Accountant's Standards Steering Committee. As custodians of our business information systems, the accountants have prepared a most significant report. They have joined us in highlighting the need for better...

Shortly after this series of articles started, we received from Novo Industries in Denmark a copy of their corporate report. Following correspondence with Kare B Dullum, Novo's Financial Executive, we received permission to reproduce part of that report. Management for Profitability and Interest...

Readers of ICT will long have been aware of the growing pressures for developing more effective and open styles of management with employee involvement. During the last three years we have published many articles on practical employee participation: information disclosure, added value systems of...