Building integrated workforces across national borders: the case of British and Japanese engineers

Increased competition in the global market and the rapid pace of technological development have led to the proliferation of cross-border partnerships among multinational firms. However, diversity in national backgrounds, management systems and work practices between partner firms can limit the development of robust co-operative relationships and impede the formation of integrated work teams. This study provides a concrete analysis of how the diversity in the technology management systems and work practices between a Japanese and British electronics firm has constrained their collaboration. It examines how the two firms attempt to co-ordinate the work of their engineers and analyses the limitations of their adaptive strategies. The paper argues that mutual adaptation and organizational learning can have only limited effect in accommodating some of the fundamental differences between the partner firms many of which are closely interwoven with diversity in national institutions and societal contexts. It also argues that ‘integration’ and ‘acculturation’ do not really address the full range of the problems. Inter-firm diversity, although conflict-inducing, is also a source of competitive advantage for the partnership. Firms engaged in global collaboration must face the persistent tension between the need to preserve their core strengths and the pressure for global adaptation.     

Extending beyond borders: Multinational companies and the international management of labour

The paper investigates the potential consequences of MNCs' globalizing strategies for the management of labour, drawing on findings from a survey of employee management among MNCs operating in the UK. It finds clear evidence of transnational forms of management organization, including in the personnel sphere. But it also underlines that moves to globalism are uneven. Structures and policies to develop international management teams were found primarily among certain types of MNC. Most striking was the extent to which MNCs are actively engaged in the management of non-managerial employees at international level. Seven out of every ten companies monitored labour performance across sites in different countries. The broader significance of this finding lies in the business decisions which flow from the use of such information. As MNCs develop continental production strategies, pressures on local workforces, keen to attract future investment, for performance improvements are likely to intensify. These developments pose considerable challenges for labour which remains primarily local and national in its organizational focus.     

Looking across borders: A test of spatial policy interdependence using local government efficiency ratings

Spatial patterns in (local) government taxation and spending decisions have received a lot of attention. Still, the focus on taxation or expenditure levels in previous studies may be incomplete. Indeed, (rational) individuals are likely to consider the level of spending on (or taxation for) public goods provision simultaneously with how much public goods they actually receive—thus assessing the ‘price/quantity’ of government policies. Therefore, the present paper argues that incumbents may want their ‘price/quantity’ ratio to be close to that in neighbouring regions. Analysing Flemish local governments' efficiency ratings for the year 2000 (which relate total spending to the quantity of locally provided public goods), we confirm the existence of neighbourhood effects in local government policies.     

An exploratory study of gender in project management: Interrelationships with role,location, technology,and project cost

This study explores whether gender differences in project managers are related to gender differences in their team members. Gender differences are explored in the context of project managers' and team members' location to one another, the project team's use of technology, and the cost and size of the project teams. Using log‐linear analysis of 563 project team members' responses, several significant findings are reported—including the likelihood of same‐gender project manager and team member dyads as well as gender differences in project contextual factors. Implications for organizational and project management researchers and decision makers conclude the article.     

Service learning and integrated,collaborative project management

This article describes the development of an undergraduate course on project management that incorporates experiential learning and service learning as the primary course learning methodology to instill in students the Project Management Institute's nine Knowledge Areas. The discussed instructional method is a dynamic and participative pedagogy. The project management course content is traditionally structured around system needs and analysis identification, functional requirements analysis, project timelines, network analysis, and project progress metrics. Introduction of service‐learning projects and experiential learning pedagogies provides a pragmatic approach for applying project management concepts. This article compares and contrasts the first three offerings of this course and provides lessons learned that may be helpful to others wishing to embrace project management realism in their course work. The purpose of this article is to encourage a hands‐on method for learning the nine Knowledge Areas in the undergraduate classroom.     

浅谈建筑工程施工项目管理与工程质量

文章在论述建筑工程项目管理与施工质量之间关系的基础上,详细探讨了如何在项目管理中实现有效的施工质量控制,为提高项目管理水平、保证施工质量提供启示。     

运用信息技术加强审计项目管理--《现场审计实施系统》和《审计管理系统》对审计项目的管理控制功能

审计项目管理历来是审计管理的一个难题.审计项目管理的无序,既影响审计计划的执行、审计成本的控制,又影响审计质量,从而加大审计风险.在审计项目管理中,审计现场管理又是难中之难.因为在审计现场,经常存在着审计作业个体化和审计作业流程中断化,审计作业人员与审计管理人员之间、审计现场与审计管理部门和领导之间也经常处于相互隔绝化状态.那么,如何才能解决这些问题呢?在被审计环境和审计环境日益信息化的今天,运用信息技术可能是惟一的解决方案.     

高速公路项目成本管理与控制

在竞争激烈的路桥市场中,做好项目成本管理与控制,在合理的范围内最大限度地降低生产成本,实现企业利润最大化是施工企业所面临的问题,已是不可缺失的企业经营理念。文章从施工企业高速公路项目成本的构成出发,着重分析了项目成本管理与控制中存在的问题,并提出了相关建议。