Arthur Francis

Corporate Goals, Managerial Objectives, and Organizational Structures in British and West German Companies:

Arguments regarding the presence of similarities and differences in management and organization across countries draw attention to the potential relevance of culture, contextual contingencies, and economic-cum-political system. These are examined by reference to comparisons of corporate goals, managerial objectives, and modes of organizational structuring (particularly around the investment decision process) in British and West German companies. The findings reinforce the view that in capitalist systems high profitability and growth are dominant corporate goals. In some respects, the structure adopted by companies in the two countries appeared to match their contingent conditions, although differences in decision making were consistent with a culturalist explanation. Where contrasts emerged in the objectives and opinions held by senior managers it was not always clear whether these were more likely to be a reflection of cultural factors rather than, for example, the generally greater success of the German companies.

The market, technological and industry context of business process re‐engineering in the UK

Attempts to contextualize the current high level of interest in business process re‐engineering (BPR) in UK business and industry. Reviews a number of surveys of UK business involvement with BPR and suggests long‐term secular trends in the business environment of Western firms that seem likely to have encouraged its use. Presents a brief history of the development of BPR to date, examining some of the seminal works on BPR and highlighting the major debates currently found in the literature. Examines the novelty of BPR in relation to other, more established, management approaches, with particular emphasis on the similarities and differences between total quality management and BPR. From case studies reported by UK businesses in the literature and popular press, concludes that: a large number of applications are found in the financial services sector; there is a notable absence of BPR case studies in SMEs; and there is a lack of information available about the failure rates of BPR projects in UK businesses. Identifies several areas where further research is required. Concludes that BPR addresses the need for established enterprises to move to a new organizational paradigm, from one focused on functions to one focused on processes. This need to change has been brought about by the advancing capabilities of information technology, increased levels of competition, the increasing sophistication of consumers and the threats posed by new entrants who have already adopted radically different modes of operation. Since these forces for change appear to be long‐run tendencies in developed economies, BPR cannot be viewed as a passing fad.

A study on MRP practices in Egyptian manufacturing companies

States that a review of the literature on materials requirements planning (MRP) implementation in less developed countries in general, and in Egypt in particular, revealed that no systematic study has attempted to investigate how manufacturing companies have been implementing MRP systems. Thus attempts to investigate the state of the art of MRP implementation in Egypt. States the major mail survey findings of the 93 responses received, of which 52 were MRP companies which operated in quite different business environments within the Egyptian industrial sector. The findings of the current study may permit MRP managers and users to obtain a better understanding of MRP promoters, suggest some ideas for further research and acquaint the reader elsewhere in the world how manufacturing companies in less developed countries such as Egypt are implementing new production management systems like MRP systems. The findings of the study suggest that MRP implementation in Egypt is relatively similar to implementation in manufacturing companies in the newly industrialised countries in the west.

Families, Firms, and Finance Capital: The Development of U.K. Industrial Firms with Particular Reference to Their Ownership and Control

This paper reports findings from the Oxford Growth of Firms project on the ownership and control position of the largest 250 U.K. companies and, in more detail, that of a sample of 21 of these large firms. An analysis is made of the social and economic historical context in which most of todays large firms grew up. A theoretical model is developed of the stages of control through which firms are likely to pass. It is suggested that most firms are unlikely ever to become controlled by their own professional managers and that there is a trend toward firms being controlled by financial institutions. Evidence is then put forward, from an analysis of the current control position of the top 250 U.K. firms and from brief histories of the 21 sample large firms, which supports the previously outlined theory.

Managing new product development: Some alternative ways to organise the work of technical specialists

There is an increasing amount of management literature about how to manage the product development process. By‐and‐large this concentrates on organisational and management techniques to be applied within the enterprise. Based on a piece of empirical work carried out in a number of engineering‐based companies, this paper suggests a range of organisational and managerial options extending beyond the boundaries of the firm. For those firms engaged in product developments which require the expertise of technical specialists choices have to be made about how much occupational control these specialists exert; how much managerial control should be exercised over them; how much of this expertise should be available in‐house and how much bought‐in; and what relations there should be with government in the training and development of these technical experts. This paper explores these options in the context of a study of engineering designers.

INNOVATION AND MANAGEMENT CONTROL: LABOUR RELATIONS AT BL CARS

This book contributes to our knowledge of the social and economic implications of the adoption of new technology, on the basis of a detailed study of the process by which BL cars, in financial crisis in 1975 and with a history of several industrial relations problems, launched the first of its new model range in 1980. It draws on substantial data from the company itself and describes the emergence of a new management strategy which emphasised the right to manage on the shopfloor, and the consequences of this for trade union organisation, the role of shop stewards, and the organisation of work. It emphasises the importance of labour relations reform in securing the success of the new model, and the relationships between innovation decisions and changes on the shopfloor. It then discusses the wider implications of, and the theoretical and policy conclusions to be drawn from, the development of such labour relations strategies.

Book Reviews : Patrick Kenis: The Social Construction of an Industry: A World of Chemical Fibres: 1992, Frankfurt am Main/Boulder, CO: Campus/Westview. 201 pages

which can be presumed to be identical, and it takes too simplistic a view of recent developments in institutionalist theory within economics. I appreciate that the first, at least, of these ’weaknesses’ may be seen by some others as strengths but, for those of us who do not use this perspective, it obscures rather than clarifies the analysis. The study is a credit to attempts in the early 1980s to stimulate genuinely pan-European research. It was undertaken as a doctoral dissertation at the European University Institute in Florence as part of Schmitter/ Streeck’s Organization of Business Interests Project. It draws upon literature from France, Germany, Britain and the U.S.A. the most significant intellectual parentage being Crozier/Friedberg, Luhmann, and, for methods, Glaser/Strauss. It is, however, highly focused in its theoretical approach. It has little time for American economics. It ignores Offe’s conception of disorganized capitalism and does not look at directorial

Book Reviews : Michael Hechter: Principles of Group Solidarity 1987, Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. 219 pages

The Management School, Imperial College, University of London, U.K. Students of the more macro features of organization, and particularly those seeking to account for the current widespread interest in corporate culture may find much of interest in this book. Its focus is not on small face-to-face groups, though these are considered, but on the general phenomenon of solidarity in groups as varied as political parties or business enterprises. Hechter applies, with a sensitivity born out of his own academic discipline of sociology, rational choice theory to the problem of organizing collective action. He attempts to account for conditions under which collectives are likely to develop solidarity in the production of a collective good. Those who like rigour in their sociological analysis are likely to appreciate this book. Rather than using the terms ’high commitment’ or ’group norms’, the concept of solidarity is employed, and is defined as to the extent to which group members comply with corporate rules in the absence of compensation. Hechter rejects normative explanations for solidaristic behaviour, principally on the grounds that normative theory provides no explanation for how norms are enforced. Structuralist explanations of group solidarity are also found inadequate, principally for their failure to explain why similarly situated groups may have different levels of solidarity. Groups are the focus of the theory but not, as already noted, just face-to-face groups. A rather inclusive definition of group is employed, namely:

New Technology at Work

A discussion of the social and economic impact of new technology on the organization of work. It concentrates on microelectronics, but also takes account of movement in overall occupational structure and level of employment, questions of management control and worker participation, and changes in the organizational structure of business. Introductory courses in work organization in departments of sociology, economics, business, industrial relations and engineering.

Book Reviews : Pradip N. Khandwalla: Design of Organizations 1977, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Jeffrey Pfeffer: Organizational Design 1978, Arlington Heights, Ill.: AHM Publishing Corporation

Department of Social and Economic Studies, Industrial Sociology Unit, Imperial College, London Do we now have enough knowledge to produce student texts on organizational design? Based on the evidence of these two books the answer cannot be an unequivocal yes. The first half of Khandwalla’s book is useful. Chapters 1 to 6 provide a scholarly overview of the major developments in several of the disciplines contributing to the development of organization theory. A virtue of his treat-