To understand the management of strategic change, organizations must be situated in their broader institutional contexts. This article focuses on 'state-political firms', companies owned or heavily influenced by the state and operating in state-dominated business systems, and explores the...

This research contributes to the literature on resource, knowledge and capability transfer in international joint ventures. In mainstream international business literature, few empirical studies have been undertaken at the micro-organization level on the extent to which, and ways in which...

This paper introduces the concept of a new entrepreneurial role in services that we call the frantrepreneur. This is based on two case studies of the internationalization of two US franchisors, one in temporary services (Sweden) and the other in computer training (Australia). The frantrepreneur...

Changes have been made to systems of publicly funded business advice to implement a 'strategic sounding board' role for business advisers. Previous literature has shown how this role could be modelled in a 'coupole'. The 'coupole' administers a programme but does not deliver it. The shifting of...

This article describes a business transformation exercise conducted in Coats Viyella Clothing Knitwear (a major, UK based knitwear supplier). At the start of the work, Coats Viyella faced difficult business circumstances that threatened the continued success of the company. During the course of...

Time is central to our understanding of entrepreneurship. However, while prior research has shown a general link between decision speed and venture performance, little is known about what factors influence the speed of venture creation. Equally, little research has been conducted on how venture...

This paper is concerned with the image of two large engineering firms,both based in the UK, but with global ambitions rapidly being realized. In both cases, the firm's image had conveyed the impression of a Midland's 'metal-basher', a traditional engineering firm manufacturing a wide range of...

This article brings strategy back to managers and their organizations. It argues and demonstrates empirically that what managers do, and the kind of organization they lead, matter in terms of achieving stated objectives. Managerial action involves a set of activities from assessing the problem...

This paper reports the application of an evidential reasoning (ER) approach, to deal with the evaluation of a contractor, from among different fabrication options of aero-engine equipment. This is followed by a review of current evaluation practices, which begins by highlighting their...

Despite much publicity given to the criticisms relating to product cost measurement and the prevailing costing systems since the mid-1980s, there was a scarcity in surveys relating to this area. In the 1990s, studies on management accounting practices and product-costing, focusing on the...