Enterprise resource planning survey of Korean manufacturing firms

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are packaged software designed to integrate and optimise the business processes of an enterprise. The ERP systems have been embraced by industry as a de facto solution to integrate their business functions. The adoption of the ERP concept is a truly global phenomenon. This paper reports a recently completed survey study on Korean manufacturing firms. The study used the same survey questionnaires used in two previous surveys done on US and Swedish manufacturing firms. Our objective is to determine the extent of adoption of the ERP system in the Korean manufacturing firms, their motivations, implementation strategies and benefits obtained, and to provide useful data to draw similarities and differences between different countries’ practices

Benchmarking business practices in Swedish manufacturing firms

Regional benchmarking studies were conducted on business practices in manufacturing plants in three regions in Sweden. The studies were designed to determine their use of best practices and thus enable firms to identify areas in which they need to make improvements. The questionnaire contained around 200 questions to which 452 firms responded. In analysing the results, questions and responses were grouped into six categories. Two indices were developed. The studies classified firms scoring high as leaders, and firms scoring low as laggers. The studies showed inter alia that the gap in performance between leaders and laggers is particularly wide in Information & benchmarking and Innovation & technology. Conclusions are that improving benchmarking processes is a strategic step towards improving the firm’s business practices.Benchmarking; business relations; strategy

Defining the markets : an exploration of marketing managers' cognitive frameworks

School of Managemen

Thinking about growth : a cognitive mapping approach to understanding small business development

School of Managemen

High Growth Firms in Scotland

High growth firms (HGFs) are widely thought to be a key force driving economic growth in modern advanced economies (Acs et al, 2008; BERR, 2008; Henrekson and Johansson, 2010). One of the central aims of the current economic strategy of the Scottish Government is to provide responsive and focused enterprise support to increase the number of highly successful, competitive businesses (Scottish Government, 2007). Hence, for the past decade there have been a number of policy initiatives designed to stimulate high growth entrepreneurship in Scotland. Many of these policies have had a strong technology focus. Given the importance these firms have for a region’s economic growth potential and the policy attention they are beginning to receive, it was felt to be important that Scottish Enterprise develops a deeper understanding of these important generators of wealth creation in the Scottish economy. This report examines HGFs in Scotland from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives

Managing service recovery

School of Managemen

Personnel management in East Germany

School of Managemen