Suzanne Richbell

Owner-managers and Business Planning in the Small Firm:

This article explores the ways in which the characteristics of the owner-managers of small firms influence whether or not those firms have a business plan. The focus is primarily on antecedent influences on owner-managers such as education and prior experience. Data are drawn from a survey of the owner-managers of small metalworking firms in Sheffield, UK. Around half the sample of owner-managers possess a business plan. Antecedent influences on owner-managers showing a significant association with the possession of a business plan include an above average level of education, previous work experience in a large firm immediately before setting up their firm and running firms in sectors outside their previous experience. Not surprisingly, possession of a business plan showed a positive association with those owner-managers with a growth orientation. It is concluded that owner-manager characteristics can be important in explaining the presence/absence of a business plan within the small firm.

Night shoppers in the “open 24 hours” supermarket: a profile

– The paper aims to explore the characteristics of night shoppers at a large, out of centre UK supermarket which is “open 24 hours”., – An exploratory study of one such store based on short interviews with a stratified random sample of shoppers who completed their shopping between 22.00 and 08.00. Data were collected on customer demographics and shopping patterns., – It is shown that shopping is concentrated in the late evening and early morning with only low sales in the midnight to 6 a.m. time period. Shoppers, predominantly car users, are split equally between males and females although the females tend to be younger. Few people over 50 use the night shopping facility. Virtually all shoppers are in employment and many are engaged in shift working. The shoppers can be dichotomised into two groups: the weekly shoppers and the essential shoppers. A further categorisation of these two broad groups is proposed., – Provides retail management with a profile of the night shopper., – One of the first detailed studies of the night shopper in large supermarkets which are open 24 hours.

HRM in the Hungarian SME sector

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an original picture of a selection of human resource management (HRM) activities in the micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hungary and to explore the extent to which these activities can be related to variations in firm size and variations in firm performance.Design/methodology/approach – The study measures the presence or absence of a selection of HRM activities through a questionnaire survey of a large sample of 678 Hungarian SMEs.Findings – Hungarian SMEs, in their working relationships, are closer to the “happy family” model of the SME than the “bleak house” model. Employee morale was perceived as high and only one in ten SMEs felt their employees were opposed to change. Owners were reluctant to seek advice from those outside the firm. They also showed reluctance to discuss future plans with their employees although they did tend to consult employees who would be affected directly by any change. Communication within SMEs was predominantly informal....

Manpower factors and plant closures in multiplant firms

The runaway shop (a plant closure to avoid labour problems) has been seen as a feature of industrial change in the USA. Evidence of the runaway shop has also been noted in the UK. This paper analyses two data sets from the UK. The first, drawn from data relating primarily to the early 1980s, demonstrates that manpower difficulties can affect the closure of plants in multiplant manufacturing firms in particular local labour markets. A second data set, relating to the latter half of the 1980s, presents a contrasting result in that manpower problems had little effect on the closure of plants by British multiplant manufacturing firms. It is suggested these contrasting results may reflect the reduced power of organised labour in the more recent past.

Trends and emerging values in human resource management ‐ The UK scene

Trends in UK human resource management (HRM) are shaped by its cost‐driven and competitiveness‐enhancing nature. The drive for leaner organisations has led to increased use of labour flexibility, downsizing and outsourcing, whilst rewards have become more performance related and benchmarking is seen as a tool for HRM practitioners. Such trends have received strong government support. Since 1997, and the new Labour government, there have been signs of more protective values towards employees. However, it is the influence of EU membership that has become a greater source of initiatives aimed at employee welfare and involvement. This scene must be placed in context, with an ageing population and an uneven distribution of employment, to gain some understanding of the challenges facing HRM in the UK.

Non-standard working time: an international and comparative analysis

This paper uses the large-scale Cranet data to explore the extent of non-standard working time (NSWT) across Europe and to highlight the contrasts and similarities between two different varieties of capitalism (coordinated market economies and liberal market economies). We explore variations in the extent of different forms of NSWT (overtime, shift working and weekend working) within these two different forms of capitalism, controlling for firm size, sector and the extent of employee voice. Overall, there was no strong link between the variety of capitalism and the use of overtime and weekend working though shift working showed a clear distinction between the two varieties of capitalism. Usage of NSWT in some service sectors was particularly high under both forms of capitalism and service sector activities had a particularly marked influence on the use of overtime in liberal market economies. Surprisingly, strong employee voice was associated with greater use of NSWT.

Policing with the Ottawa shift system: a British experience

This paper takes an international perspective and reports the results of a trial of the Canadian (Ottawa) shift system within a UK police force. Primary data were collected via group interviews followed by a questionnaire survey. Secondary data were available from internal reports and performance measures. Officer welfare and morale were investigated and found to be greatly improved. Performance indicators, including arrest rates, also improved although it was not possible to establish a direct causal link with the introduction of Ottawa. A number of operational problems associated with the Ottawa system in the UK are identified and reviewed.

Developing an Analytical Approach to Industrial Relations Policy

A definition of industrial relations policy is proposed and an analytical framework suggested to help towards an understanding of such policy. The framework, draws on three crucial distinctions: that between the “espoused” policy and the “operational” policy; that between the different roles management may play in industrial relations policy as instigators, implementers and facilitators, and, finally, between the “content” and the “features” aspects of policy. These distinctions are illustrated by case‐study material in both ongoing and change situations, and conclusions are drawn from the analysis.

Going green: The impact of workplace travel plans on sickness absence in the public sector

Purpose – There is a growing awareness within organisations of the significance of “green” issues. This paper aims to examine the impact of a public sector organisations sustainable transport policies on the sickness absence levels of its employees. It focuses on those policies (such as workplace travel plans) which include methods of increasing the use of public transport for the journey to work. Design/methodology/approach – This is an exploratory study, using a quantitative methodology, which analyzes data from a survey of a sample of employees within a large public sector organisation. Findings – The key finding is that sickness absence levels are higher among employees who use public transport to travel to work. A profile of public transport user characteristics most associated with higher absence levels is offered. Moves to act “green” by encouraging greater use of public transport may unintentionally have an adverse effect on sickness absence levels. Research limitations/implications – This is a study of a sample of employees within a large public sector organisation. The size and character of the sample were restricted by organisational constraints. The results are indicative of a potential area of concern which needs wider investigation. Practical implications – HR practitioners need to be more closely involved in workplace travel plans and sickness absence variations between different modes of travel to work require careful monitoring. Originality/value – These results suggest a link between the use of public transport for the journey to work and above average sickness absence levels which may have significant implications for the implementation of workplace travel plans.

Shades of green: the greenfield concept in HRM

Reviews the concept of a “greenfield site” within human resource management (HRM) and shows that the ways in which distance is conceptualised or measured in describing greenfield sites needs to be made explicit. This is particularly important when comparing different studies and in attempting generalisations about the introduction of new HRM practices on greenfield sites. The distance factors which may impose a constraint on the introduction of new HRM practices at a greenfield site are the site’s distance from a firm’s existing operations, its distance from geographical concentrations of similar economic activities and its distance from regions with traditional patterns of management‐employee relations. Concludes by arguing that it is inappropriate to treat the greenfield factor as a dichotomous variable and that there are various shades of green.