Pervaiz K. Ahmed

Culture and climate for innovation

Notes that many companies pay “lip service” to the idea of innovation and stresses that becoming innovative requires an organisational culture which nurtures innovation and is conducive to creativity. Considers the nature of organisational climate and of organisational culture, focusing on factors which make for an effective organisational culture. Looks at the interplay between various organisational factors and innovation and suggests elements which promote innovation. Concludes that the most innovative companies of the future will be those which have created appropriate cultures and climates.

From product innovation to solutions innovation: a new paradigm for competitive advantage

Organisations have traditionally employed new product development frameworks to increase the effectiveness of their innovation programmes. These strategies have worked in the past but are increasingly being challenged by developments in the marketplace and technologies. This has led firms in some sectors to move to a new paradigm of competitiveness, namely solutions innovation. This paper examines the challenges facing the computer and electronic equipment sector and the movement to a solutions innovation paradigm.

Measurement practice for knowledge management

Knowledge management (KM) has become part of common vocabulary in academic circles as well as in the business world. Whilst an increasing number of companies have embarked upon knowledge management initiatives, a large proportion of these initiatives remain technically focussed. The problem with this type of focus is that it excludes and neglects the true potential benefits that can be derived from knowledge management. In this paper we present a holistic model of KM which dynamically incorporates both tactical as well as strategic elements. Secondly in this paper we address a very important gap in the field of KM, namely how to measure KM by developing a framework which systematically allows for screening and evaluation. The measurement framework proposed enables leveraging knowledge assets effectively and efficiently. Without a holistic perspective which captures all the key elements and dimensions, KM initiatives will create marginal gains at best and failure at worst.

Using the 7Ps as a generic marketing mix

McCarthy′s 4Ps mix has increasingly come under attack with the result that different marketing mixes have been put forward for different marketing contexts. Contends that the numerous and ad hoc conceptualizations undermine the concept of the marketing mix and proposes that Booms and Bitner′s (1981) 7Ps mix for services be extended to other areas of marketing. Shows how the 7Ps framework can be applied to consumer goods and reports the results of a survey of UK and European marketing academics which suggest that there is a high degree of dissatisfaction with 4Ps. Also suggests that the 7Ps framework has already achieved a high degree of acceptance as a generic marketing mix among both groups of respondents. Overall provides fairly strong support for the view that Booms and Bitner′s 7Ps framework should replace McCarthy′s 4Ps framework.

Integrated benchmarking: a holistic examination of select techniques for benchmarking analysis

Notes the fact that benchmarking has become a widely used management tool. Also points out that benchmarking is an evolving concept, giving a brief historical overview of the development of benchmarking and noting the view that it is changing from an art to a science. Gives a detailed breakdown of the various types of benchmarking and looks at the process of benchmarking and various approaches, arguing the need for an integrated approach.

A customer‐oriented framework for empowering service employees

While a great deal has been written on the subject of empowerment of employees in the manufacturing industries, its application in the services area is relatively under‐developed. In fact, the special nature of services, and in particular the simultaneity of production and consumption is one of the major reasons for arguing that contact employees should be allowed a degree of discretion when dealing with customers. However, some authors have argued that service employees should have little or no discretion. This suggests that the approach to participation is a contingent one. That is, empowerment is not suitable for all occasions or all types of employees. Outlines a contingency framework for the empowerment of contact service employees. Argues that the appropriate levels and the types of empowerment given to employees depends on a combination of the complexity or variability of customer needs, and the degree of task complexity or variability involved in delivering the customer needs. It is also argued that, in any empowerment framework it is essential that the degree and the type of empowerment is also included.

Benchmarking innovation best practice

Notes the heightening pressure towards innovation and the current patchy understanding of ideal practices in this area. Considers factors affecting innovation and reports on a study aimed at identifying best practice including firms from a range of sectors. Points to some key characteristics of best practice such as corporate philosophy, clarity of goals and cross‐functional interaction. Identifies the need to excel both in terms of hard and soft innovation, the former relating to structures and the latter relating to the management of such structures.

The role of internal marketing in the implementation of marketing strategies

The field of marketing strategy can be divided into two arbitrary yet pertinent categories, namely strategy formulation and strategy implementation. The strategy field has highlighted the importance of “doing the right things rather than doing things right” (Tregoe/Zimmerman 1980)and thereby placed in centre stage the issue of formulating correct strategy. However, a good strategy incorrectly implemented leads to no real advantages in the market place. Recently this has led to growing concern from business academics, consultants and marketing executives alike to the issue of implementation. A persistent failing it seems is that marketing strategies are only superficially implemented, achieving the trappings of change but not the substance. Yet despite an increasing number of works arguing a case for implementation research (Bourgeois/Brodwin 1984; Nutt 1989; Cespedes 1991; Piercy 1992) the problem that continues to remain is the dearth of conceptual frameworks and analytical tools for the implementation of marketing strategy.

A contingency model for empowering customer‐contact services employees

A great deal has been written on the subject of empowerment of employees in the manufacturing industries, yet its application in the services area is relatively under‐developed. Any rigorous examination of the literature shows that empowerment is not suitable for all occasions or all types of employees as it can have both positive and negative consequences for employees and the organization. This paper outlines a contingency framework for the empowerment of contact service employees. It is argued that the appropriate levels and the types of empowerment given to employees depends on a combination of the complexity or variability of customer needs, and the degree of task complexity or variability involved in delivering the customer needs. It is also argued that in any empowerment framework it is essential for the degree and the type of empowerment to be included. The paper also outlines the implications of empowerment for the type and style of managerial control exercised by managers and the implications for recruitment of customer contact service employees.

Buyer‐supplier management in the aerospace value chain

This paper examines the peculiar nature of buyer‐supplier relations from a value chain perspective in the UK aerospace sector. A detailed examination is made of buyer strategies in terms of acquisition, management and exploitation of supplier product, process and marketing technologies. Porter’s value chain framework was evaluated and subsequently found to be the most useful one for structuring the initial stage of data collection. The discussion is based on a three‐year programme of observation of the aerospace sector. In this paper we present the results of in‐depth research at one large aerospace contractor who is acting as a buyer and three firms who are supplying to it. The research investigation suggests that problems to relationship building can arise from the buyer’s perceptions of the product and the technologies held by the suppliers. These are the tendencies of the buyer to focus their attention inwards, a neglect of external sources of potential core products (technologies) and a desire to resist any disruption to the existing system of supplier management. This research contributes to buyer‐supplier relationship theory by developing a preliminary model, which links value chain integration to the nature and form of supplier relations.