Mark Burridge

Teamworking and Organizational Performance: A Review of Survey-Based Research

This paper presents a review of recent survey-based research looking at the contribution of teamwork to organizational performance. In particular, it focuses on empirical studies in which both teamwork and performance are directly measured in a quantitative way. The paper begins by identifying four interrelated dimensions of teamwork effectiveness: attitudinal, behavioural, operational and financial. The first two represent transmission mechanisms by which organizational performance can be improved. The latter two provide direct measures of organizational outcomes. The review shows that teamworking has a positive impact on all four dimensions of performance. It also reveals that, when teamwork is combined with structural change, performance can be further enhanced. The paper concludes by highlighting some important research gaps that future studies could address.

Development of an electronic-business planning model for small and medium-sized enterprises

Many companies want to conduct more business and improve performance using electronic, computer-based and telecommunication-enabled business processes. However, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have little understanding of, and cannot comprehend, future technological developments. This paper presents the findings of a research project funded by the Centre for Enterprise in 2000–2001 into developing an e-business planning model for SMEs. The model architecture is top-down in the sense of moving from a high-level strategic appraisal of e-business opportunities in level 1 to the selection of particular e-business technologies in level 4; but it is also critical for a company to integrate the different levels of decision-making from the identification of business value to the implementation of relevant technologies in order to facilitate the delivery of products/services to customers. The paper also reports the findings of a case study conducted in a SME in order to illustrate how the e-business planning model proposed is applied in a practical context. This shows how the model can be used to generate an action plan for taking a business from its current position to a strategically desired state. #Editors note: The editor regrets to inform readers of this article that the lead author, Dr. Tang, passed away suddenly on Saturday, 1st November 2003.

Practices of successful small and medium‐sized exporters: the use of market information

This paper investigates the international market research activities of 96 successful small and medium‐sized exporters. The research focuses upon the types of information considered most important for decision making and the various sources that these enterprises use to obtain the information. The empirical work suggests successful firms put much greater emphasis on the information required for long‐term strategic planning rather than the day to day operations of the business. The vast majority of the firms used internal sources for this information. Strong statistical evidence is presented to suggest that the firms under investigation actively use the information they collect for decision making, rather than simply paying lip service to the concept of market research. This work makes an important contribution to the literature, because it represents one of very few empirical studies which provide support for the widely held belief that collection and subsequent use of market information is an important feature of successful exporters’ behaviour.

Scale and efficiency in the provision of local government services

This paper investigates the size of local authority fixed and variable costs and the extent of economies of scale and scope in the provision of local services. A flexible modelling framework is used which combines elements of both short and long run cost behaviour and allows returns to scale to vary over the output range. The empirical work based upon this model suggests that there are significant fixed costs associated with the provision of local services. Local authorities exhibit overall economies of scale over most of the observable output range, with these economies resulting largely from the cost savings associated with multiple outputs.

Dimensions and location of high-involvement management: fresh evidence from the UK Commission's 2011 Employer Skills Survey: High-involvement management

High-involvement management is typically seen as having three components: worker involvement, skill and knowledge acquisition and motivational supports. The prescriptive literature implies the elements should be used together; but using data from the UK Commissions Employer Skills Survey of 2011 we find that these dimensions of high-involvement management are in reality separate. Two types of involvement, role and organisational, are not strongly related, and motivational supports are not strongly correlated with other practices or each other. Size of workplace and the sector in which it operates are associated with the dimensions of high-involvement management. However, there is variety in their other predictors. For example, organisational involvement and skill acquisition are positively related to workplace size while role involvement is negatively associated with it. The research illustrates the value of scaling methods over blanket indexes to measure high involvement management and highlights the independent effects of quality and operational management methods.