Strategic Technology Management in a Mid-corporate Firm: the Case of Otter Controls

This paper examines strategic technology management in the mid-corporate sector (firms with a turnover between £1 million and £130 million). There is a considerable literature which emphasizes the importance of linking technology and strategy, but this concentrates primarily on the activities of large firms. It is suggested that smaller firms can also benefit from a more strategic approach to technology management and this could help strengthen an area of weakness in the UK economy. The research is based on an in-depth case study of Otter Controls and utilizes a framework developed by Dodgson and Rothwell to analyse the firm's acquisition of new technologies. It is suggested that this model has utility in examining strategic technology management but the addition of a network perspective helps delineate the ways in which external relationships are established and sustained. The data indicate that universities can be useful sources of technology for smaller firms, but successful transfer is dependent on management skill in creating a culture that is open and flexible. Such firms do have considerable problems in assessing the skills and competences of university departments and this adds to the risks of technology alliances. There is also evidence to suggest that even universities with long-standing industrial links lack awareness of the problems associated with management in commercial organizations.     

Exploring the efficacy of healthcare quality practices, employee commitment, and employee control

This exploratory study examines healthcare quality program practices, employee commitment and control initiatives, and perceived results by surveying the directors of hospital quality programs. U.S. hospitals are renowned to be among the highest in quality, but recent studies assert that the majority of error-related deaths per year are preventable. In response, healthcare organizations have adopted quality management programs. Employee commitment and control theories propose that employee initiatives are critical to patient safety. However, little research has focused on the efficacy of employee commitment and control initiatives for quality programs at healthcare organizations. This study examines the responses from Quality and Risk Directors of 372 U.S. hospitals. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrate that perceived quantitative and qualitative quality program results are more highly related to employee commitment and control initiatives than they are related to quality practices.     

Managing human reources for learning and innovation: a comparative study of Brazilian,Japanese and Korean firms

In this paper we develop a comparative study of the processes of organizational change which leading-edge technology firms are experiencing, particularly in terms of human resources management, which favour the learning and development process of employees and of organizations themselves. It focuses on the telecommunication industry in three countries: Japan, Korea and Brazil where qualitative research was conducted in eleven companies. The outcomes of the field research reveal innovative policies and practices in human resouces management, even though these are specific to each country. The specificities are mainly justified by the stage of development of each industry in the scenary of global competition. Nevertheless, all companies considered already show the traces that are required to consider them as learning organizations.     

Translating single project management knowledge to project programs

Over the past decade, the efficient implementation of project programs became of great importance. Many authors are concerned with improving the professionalism of implementing project programs, and most of them identify context‐related factors that are considered the bases of successful implementation. However, little has been written on how to use the project management toolkit in project programs. In mid‐2007, a research program was initiated to highlight the role of the single project management toolkit in implementing programs. During the research, both case‐based and interview‐based research methods were used. The primary question addressed in this article is how to translate single project management knowledge to program management.     

中国会计学博士点培养方案调查与评价

中国会计学博士教育日益面临来自就业市场和国际竞争的压力。文章通过考察国内会计学博士培养方案的状况,运用期刊论文发表数量对会计学博士点进行排名,旨在探索能够培养出更具研究能力的博士生培养方案。研究结果发现,培养出最多具有研究能力博士生的前三名博士点分别来自上海财经大学、中国人民大学和北京大学,从培养方案来看,排名靠前的博士点在公共课部分几乎都开设了计量经济学和微观经济学。结论认为,学习美国的研究范式和哲学思想可能并不完全适合中国,在培养方案的设计上还要更多考虑中国本土的问题。     

产学研合作培养人力资源管理研究生的初步探索

我国高等教育已经迈入大众化阶段,研究生教育规模不断扩大,研究生的就业已成为令人关注的社会问题;为提高研究生的就业竞争力,研究生教育的普通教育取向模式应向职业教育取向模式转变;应建立产学研合作平台,联合教育机构、研究机构和产业机构的力量,整合三方资源优势,共同培养就业竞争力高的人力资源管理研究生。     

浅谈研究生教学秘书之教学管理

院(系)研究生教学秘书是高等院校的基层教学管理人员,研究生教学秘书在教学管理中肩负着重要的职责,起着不可低估的作用。在研究生教学管理中,应努力实现管理和服务的有机统一,加强管理的科学性、规范性和高效率,以促进高校研究生教学管理水平的提高。     

地方院校研究生教育质量内部保障机制研究

随着研究生教育规模的扩大,地方院校在研究生教育过程中暴露出培养模式单一、导师队伍建设滞后、教学体系不合理、学位论文管理松懈、教育质量自我评价简化等问题,严重削弱了研究生教育质量。建立健全的研究生教育质量内部保障机制有助于提高教育质量,本文剖析了教育质量内部保障机制结构,以完善内部保障机制为目标,提出了"创新研究生人才培养模式、建立动态的导师队伍管理机制、优化研究生课程教学体系、推进研究生创新能力的培养、加强学位论文管理、建立健全的研究生教育质量自我评价体系"等建议,供地方院校相关部门和教师参考。     

Analysis of the effect of risk management practices on the performance of new product development programs

Risk management is receiving much attention, as it is seen as a method to improve cost, schedule, and technical performance of new product development programs. However, there is a lack of empirical research that investigates the effective integration of specific risk management practices proposed by various standards with new product development programs and their association with various dimensions of risk management success. Based on a survey of 291 product development programs, this paper investigates the association of risk management practices with five categories of product development program performance: (A) Quality Decision Making; (B) High Program Stability; (C) Open, problem solving organization; (D) Overall new product development project success; and (E) overall product success. The results show that six categories of risk management practices are most effective: (1) Develop risk management skills and resources; (2) Tailor risk management to and integrate it with new product development; (3) Quantify impacts of risks on your main objectives; (4) Support all critical decisions with risk management results; (5) Monitor and review your risks, risk mitigation actions, and risk management process; and (6) Create transparency regarding new product development risks. The data shows that the risk management practices are directly associated with outcome measures in the first three categories (improved decision making, program stability and problem solving). There is also evidence that the risk management practices indirectly associate with the remaining two categories of outcome measures (project and product success). Additional research is needed to describe the exact mechanisms through which risk management practices influence NPD program success.     

Government instruments to support the commercialization of university research: Lessons from Canada

Increased efforts are made in most industrialized countries to promote the commercialization of university research, for instance, through spin-off firm formation. Many studies have investigated the initiatives set up in the university sector that aim to support and facilitate the commercialization of research, such as technology transfer offices (TTO). However, few studies have looked at the increasing number of instruments introduced from the government. This paper reviews the Canadian support structure at federal level that aims to support the commercialization of publicly funded research. Two types of programs can be identified. Firstly, programs made to induce structural reforms within the university sector in order to improve the institutional capabilities to facilitate commercialization projects. Secondly, programs providing support to specific commercialization projects. This paper explores how these types of programs are operated at government level. An example of implementation at university level is also given. The lessons to be learned from the Canadian case are related to how the government initiatives encourage a bottom-up approach. This is accomplished by providing resources for direct use in commercialization projects or to develop professional expertise in technology transfer in the university sector, by experimenting with new initiatives, and finally by facilitating cooperation between commercializing organizations.     

基于新形势下的高校治安管理工作中的信息管理技术思考

新形势下,高校应加大治安管理工作力度,积极引进先进的信息管理技术,创建高校治安信息防控体系,维护校园秩序,有效保证高校教师、学生及相关教职工人员的合法权益,维护人员的生命财产安全。论文简要分析了目前高校治安管理信息化建设的情况,对新形势下的高校治安管理工作中的信息管理技术应用进行深入探究。     

Agricultural Leadership Education: Past History,Present Reality,and Future Directions

The article explores the past, present, and projected future of agricultural leadership education. Beginning with roots in youth leadership development and grounded in land‐grant universities, agricultural leadership education has undergone a shift from working primarily with rural youth to a new focus on also educating undergraduate and graduate students to empower community members and create change. The renewed focus has encouraged recent growth and in the last 10 years, the profession has added three leadership majors, six leadership minors, seven leadership focus areas, seven undergraduate leadership programs, and four graduate leadership programs. Research exploring the student impact of agricultural leadership education revealed that nationwide a total of 7,904 students are exposed to 208 agricultural leadership education courses. As the discipline continues to mature, recommendations are made for continued program development. Discussion highlights prior research examining potential courses to include types of experiences, program objectives, and career connectedness relating to agricultural leadership education. Programs have ample opportunity for future growth and recommendations are made to continue the development of innovative leadership opportunities and consistent pedagogical practices across institutions.     

Government-university-industry partnerships in technology development: a case study

State programs in high technology development have expanded rapidly since 1979, when only five states had such programs. Today almost all states have technology development programs. Many of these involve partnerships between the state government, industry and universities. The newness of these programs makes the evaluation of their success problematic. However, analysis of the formation and management of technology development programs is useful to practitioners charged with the implementation of university-industry advanced technology programs. One of the largest programs is the Thomas Edison Program created by the Ohio Legislature in 1983. The program has three components, a Seed Capital Fund, Advanced Technology Centers, and Incubator Program.This paper examines the Edison program through analysis of the Edison Animal Biotechnology Center, one of the seven state Advanced Technology Centers.     

创办“创业管理”专业,探索高职创业教育新路

虽然创业教育在我国高校已开展了10多年,但我国的创业教育水平仍然处于初级阶段,大学生的创业比例与创业成功率还很低。为此本文提出创办"创业管理专业",并从创业管理专业设置的必要性、高职学生创业项目分析以及创业管理专业开设的课程等三个方面进行了研究。     

基于层次分析法的研究生教育质量影响因素研究

研究生教育质量问题是一个受多方面影响因素作用的复杂问题,其中大量的影响因素都难以量化。将德尔菲法与层次分法(AHP)结合,按影响研究生质量的程度进行排序,可确定影响我国研究生教育质量的主要因素。研究发现,研究生的科研创新能力是影响研究生教育质量的首要因素,教学实验设施、生源质量、导师队伍总体水平、专业培养方案、课程设置等是影响研究生教育质量的相对重要因素,建议学校就此建立有效的内部质量保证机制。     

产学研背景下专业学位研究生协同培养机制的理论模型构建

自2009年起教育部决定对专业学位研究生实行全日制培养,为提升专业学位研究生培养质量,各培养单位围绕培养模式和培养机制进行了深入研究和探索。文中基于专业学位研究生产学研协同培养的新视角,运用系统论方法,把企业、科研机构与高校作为专业学位研究生人才培养系统中的主体,构建了以＂组织—过程—资源＂为子系统的专业学位研究生协同培养机制的理论模型。     

ISO 9000 practices and financial performance: A technology coherence perspective

Attention to processes has increased, as thousands of organizations have adopted process-focused programs such as TQM and ISO 9000. Proponents of such programs stress the promise of improved efficiency and profitability. But research has not consistently borne out these prospects. Moreover, the expectation of universal benefits is not consistent with research highlighting the important role of firm-specific capabilities in sustaining competitive advantage. In this paper, we use longitudinal panel data on ISO 9000 practices for firms in the auto supplier industry to study two new issues related to the adoption of process management practices. First, we find that, as the majority of firms within an industry adopt ISO 9000, late adopters no longer gain financial benefits from these practices. Second, we explore how firms’ technological coherence moderates the performance advantages of ISO 9000 practices. We find that firms that have a very narrow or very broad technological focus have fewer opportunities for complementary interactions that arise from process management practices and thus benefit less than those with limited breadth in technologically related activities.     

Sustainable Procurement in Australian and UK Universities

Sustainable procurement is a growing phenomenon and a key component of organizations’ corporate responsibility and sustainability strategy. The focus of this paper is sustainable procurement (SP) at universities in Australia and the United Kingdom. The study identifies a dearth of academic research into SP at universities and presents actionable insights gained from practitioners. Results from qualitative data collected from Australian and UK universities highlight the continued dominance of price in procurement decisions and the practical challenges faced in changing the status quo both internal and external to the university. Implications for theory, research and policy are also presented.     

物联网技术在党校资产管理中的应用研究

物联网技术在各高校的资产管理中有着非常重要的作用,其能在很大程度上使各高校的资产得到更加科学而有效的管理,文中主要以党校固定资产的管理为例展开相关论述,以此为各高校固定资产的管理提供参考。     

基于高校科研经费管理中存在的问题及建议

高校综合科技水平和科技实力的重要标志是科研项目。目前,高校对科研经费的管理重视不够,为了发挥科研经费的资金效益必须加强科研资金管理,本文着重分析了高校科研经费管理存在的问题及解决这些问题的办法和建议。