COMPARING PPP WITH TRADITIONAL PROCUREMENT: THE CASE OF SCHOOLS PROCUREMENT IN IRELAND

Advocates of public‐private partnerships (PPPs) argue that they can deliver public infrastructure more efficiently than traditional procurement through timelier completion and superior value for money. Despite these claims comparative analysis of the performance of both procurement methods has received scant attention in the PPP literature to date. This paper addresses this issue by providing an in‐depth, case‐based comparison of PPP versus traditional procurement in the schools sector in Ireland. Through detailed semi‐structured interviews with key stakeholders and an examination of the available documentation, we assess whether the key objectives of using PPP have been achieved. Overall, we find no evidence that PPP leads to faster delivery of infrastructure when the overall procurement process from contract notice to delivery is accounted for. In addition, we find only limited evidence to suggest that PPP results in better value for money.     

Bridging inter- and intra-firm boundaries: management of supplier involvement in automobile product development

Outsourcing has become an important strategy for many firms. Yet, firms need to compete with their competitors who also outsource and may share the same suppliers. This article explores how a firm could outperform others in managing the division of labor with a supplier in product development. Drawing on the empirical data collected from the Japanese auto industry, this paper shows that an automaker needs capabilities to coordinate various activities both externally with a supplier and internally within its own organization, in order to gain better component development performance. Overall, the results imply that outsourcing does not work effectively without extensive internal effort. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Research notes and communications strategic planning as competitive advantage

Since 1970, over forty empirical studies have examined the performance consequences of formal strategic planning. This line of research has drawn heavy criticism from reviewers on methodological grounds, and has produced confusing, apparently contradictory results. This article reevaluates the planning-performance relationship from a resource perspective, arguing that strategic planning does not satisfy the criteria for sustainable competitive advantage– although it may produce economic value, it is easily imitated and may be substitutable. The article suggests that previous studies produced inconsistent results because they did not account for the dissemination of strategic planning over time, or for industry differences in strategic planning factor markets. An empirical test in two industries finds that formal strategic planning and financial performance are unrelated in a ‘planning equilibrium’ industry, but positively related in an industry with strategic planning factor market imperfections.     

图书馆应发挥信息咨询中的优势

本文分析了信息社会图书馆信息咨询,信息服务中的优势,提出了有效发挥图书馆信息咨询优势的若干要求和对策。     

走可持续发展的道路,必须树立科学的“资源优势”观

资源优势不等于经济优势,它不是固定不变的。其在现代经济中的作用已让位于科学技术,利用不当会转化为劣势。所以,走“可持续发展”道路,必须遵循开发资源坚持以科技为先导、以市场为导向、开采与保护并重的原则。     

The persistence of knowledge‐based advantage: an empirical test for product performance and technological knowledge

Resource‐based theory maintains that intrinsic characteristics of resources and capabilities, such as their tacitness, complexity, and specificity, prevent imitation and thereby prolong exceptional performance. There is little direct evidence to verify these claims, yet a substantial literature encourages firms to formulate competitive strategies around resources with these attributes. Further, work outside the resource‐based tradition suggests that these attributes can slow innovation, and it is not clear when this effect outweighs the benefits of inimitability. This paper seeks to clarify whether and how the complexity, tacitness, and specificity of a firm's knowledge affect the persistence of its performance advantages. We find that the complexity and tacitness of technological knowledge are useful for defending a firm's major product improvements from imitation, but not for protecting its minor improvements. The design specificity of technological knowledge delayed imitation of minor improvements in this study. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

What＇s So Special about China＇s Exports？ A Comment

Dani Rodrik argues that China's exports are unusually sophisticated for a country at its income level. He also claims that China's export sophistication reflects the government's successful industrial policy and has been instrumental in the recent acceleration of its economic growth. Although Rodrik's interpretation of China's economic growth is broadly correct, the accuracy of his empirical analysis is questionable. This note identifies several problems regarding the “export sophistication” index used in his empirical work and casts doubt on his analysis.     

论市场经济中的艺术收藏

在我国上市公司的重组与并购活动中 ,地方政府一直扮演着一个非常重要的角色 ,这是有其深刻的经济和历史原因的 ,本文就上述问题进行简单的介绍和分析。     

打造人力资源金三角 获取企业竞争优势

本文从企业核心竞争力的阐释出发，提出了企业未来制胜的金三角，即组织智商(OIQ)、组织情商(OEQ)以及组织心商(OSQ)，并进一步阐释了各自的内涵、表现及意义。并在此基础上，提出了系统构建企业获取竞争优势金三角的路径依赖。     

物流标准化对物流企业竞争力提升的作用分析

物流标准化问题已成为制约我国物流发展的瓶颈问题之一,而物流产业的发展需要产业内的公司的竞争力的持续提升,由产业组织经济学对企业竞争力的解释框架,可得出企业竞争力的市场表现主要有成本优势、差异优势和领先优势三个方面。本文将分别从这三个方面分析物流标准化对物流企业竞争力提升的作用。