An examination, planning and control & the management process, to better performance and profitability or: The management process to improve performance for better profitability

Everest and Blanc (E&B) is at a crossroad. It grew from a ‘mom and pop’ operation into a small professional firm and plateaued. Thus, there is a desire to bring about operation efficiency, followed by expansion of the company. In order to be successful, a systematic decision making process is necessary to ensure a high probability of success, and able to pinpoint dysfunctions early for improvement. In addition, implementing processes need careful consideration and progress monitoring. This study was founded on these premises using M2 mode research methodology to establish an optimal structural course of action by surveying paradigms of management theories and concepts. The study began with an exposition on research methodologies and focused on the M2 research mode. It continued on with considering operations topics (micro concerns), extending to general issues (macro concerns) in conjunction with management theories and concepts. Finally a decision making model was shaped and applied to E&B. During the process, several important decisions were made, grounded on the findings on the research, such as relocating the corporate office anticipating expansion. Overall, the changes introduced, the process of change, the decision-making process, and implementation were all effective. The decision making model, SOMM, Strato Operation Management Model, is an extension of both Ansoff’s and Anthony’s management models together with the decision-making process. The emphasis is on the relationship of the system structure’s characteristics where it is symbolized by a matryoshka representing the three management modules (Strategic Management, Management Control and Planning and Tactical Operation) nesting within each other. Relating to the overall strategic and management control and planning competency, the workhorse is a combination of defensive and offensive approaches together with evaluation methodologies to capture emerging and unintended strategies and to control performance; whereas the tactical operation process is to bring about efficiency and effectiveness. These are new knowledge and policies cast into members of E&B. It is, therefore, fundamental that careful interventions are necessary to cause changes by motivation and to align goal congruency. Further, the inquiry had specifically focused on the needs of E&B, it did not preclude application to other organizations. For academics, it may be an engaging topic for further empirical studies advancing knowledge in management and operations. With respect to a wider world application, it was also concluded that the findings for E&B are applicable and adaptable to other professional and business concerns as innovative tools to their problems and issues

The strategic development of chinese state-owned cnterprises: the case of a chemical company

JEL: L11, M11This thesis, taking Luzhou North Chemical Industry Co., Ltd as the case company for extensive research, identifies key determinants for strategic choice of diversification based on theories including enterprise development strategy, industry value chain and diversification strategy. Then based on the determinants identified, it conducts a detailed analysis on the value creation capability of the case company’s SBUs and builds an industry value chain-based diversification framework for state-owned military chemical enterprises. Finally, from two perspectives— natural selection mechanism and learning & adaptation mechanism, the thesis sums up the selection mechanism for industry value chain-based diversification of China’s state-owned military chemical enterprises.A presente tese, que tem a empresa Luzhou North Chemical Industry como estudo de caso de investigação, identifica os determinantes chave da escolha estratégica para diversificação com base no quadro teórico que inclui a estratégia de desenvolvimento da empresa, cadeia de valor industrial e estratégia de diversificação. Então, com base nos determinantes identificados, conduz-se à análise detalhada da capacidade de criação de valor da unidade estratégica de negócio da empresa analisada e constrói uma cadeia de valor com base na estrutura de diversificação para a empresa pública de produtos químicos. Finalmente, a partir de duas perspectivas- o mecanisco de selecção natural e o mecaniscmo de aprendizado e adaptação, a tese soma ao mecanismo de selecção para a cadiea de valor com base na diversificação de empresas estatais Chinesas do sector químico

ICT Cluster Formation in China， Model Exploration for Yangtze Delta based on the Oresund experience

This paper aims to analyze the influential factors by parallel analysis of both regions (Yangtze and Oresund) and then explore the possible model for Yangtze ICT cluster based on the experience of Oresund ICT. Through the qualitative and quantitative analysis, we find the result that there is no universal model of cluster that can be applied to any region directly. The model of Chinese ICT cluster needs to be investigated specifically with the consideration of the powerful government and weak collaborative environment. Moreover, we extracted some factors which used to measure the success of cluster, including the overall factors of trust, leadership, and open‐dialogue. Finally our modified triple helix model was developed by combing the lifecycle and triple helix models, which we expect to show the creative idea for cluster modeling

Chinese bank's credit risk assessment

This thesis studies the Chinese banks’ credit risk assessment using the Post Keynesian approach. We argue that bank loans are the major financial sources in emerging economies and it is uncertainty, an unquantifiable risk, rather than asymmetric information about quantifiable risk, as held by the mainstream approach, which is most important for the risk attached to credit loans, and this uncertainty is particularly important in China. With the universal existence of uncertainty, borrowers and lenders have to make decisions based on convention and experience. With regard to the nature of decision-making, this implies the importance of qualitative methods rather than quantitative methods. The current striking problem in Chinese banking is the large amount of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) and this research aims to address the NPLs through improving credit risk management. Rather than the previous literature where Western models are introduced into China directly or with minor modification, this work advocates building on China’s conventional domestic methods to deal with uncertainty. We briefly review the background of the Chinese banking history with an evolutionary view and examine Chinese conventions in the development of the credit market. Based on an overview of this history, it is argued that Soft Budget Constraints (SBC) and the underdeveloped risk-assessing mechanism contributed to the accumulation of NPLs. Informed by Western models and experience, we have made several suggestions about rebuilding the Chinese convention of credit risk assessment, based on an analysis of publications and interviews with Chinese bankers. We also suggest some further development of the Asset Management Companies (AMCs) which are used to dispose of the NPLs

COTTON PRODUCTION AND TRADE IN IGALALAND OF CENTRAL NIGERIA, 1900 – 1986

This study examines the history of cotton production and trade in Igalaland of Central Nigeria, 1900-1986. Cotton was a major crop in Igalaland particularly during the colonial period because of its use as raw material in British textile and allied industries. As a result of this, concerted efforts were made by the colonial state in collaboration with expatriate firms towards its development. These efforts manifested in the forms of enactment of Cotton Marketing Ordinances and establishment of facilitative measures like the construction of road and inland waterway networks to enhance easy transportation of cotton from the hinterland to ginnery for onward shipment to Britain. Furthermore, this study interrogates the historical patterns of transformation that occurred in the local Igala society as a result of the production and marketing of cotton from the early twentieth century upto 1986. The major findings of this study are multilayered. The study demonstrates how the industrial revolution in Britain spurred the quest for raw materials, in this case, cotton in Igala land. The study notes that in the bid to maintain steady supply of cotton, the colonial state established the British Cotton Growing Association (BCGA) in 1902 and by 1906, BCGA established a Ginnery at Lokoja and Igalaland was a major area in which the bulk of the cotton was obtained from. In addition, the BCGA had Licensed Buying Agents who ferreted the nooks and crannies of Igalaland with the bid to buying cotton and propagating the culture of cotton to the natives. Using the Vent for Surplus theory of Hyla Myint, this study further argues that the upsurge in cotton production in this area within the period under study was a result of the creation of institutional, legislative and facilitative measures designed and consolidated by the colonial state and imperial merchants companies coupled with favourable environment which supported the cultivation of cotton. Besides, this study demonstrates the precarious placement of Igala cotton peasant farmers within the gamut of colonial cotton export production. The local farmers were exploited and exposed to the vagaries of incessant price fluctuations in the international market. The imposition of taxation coupled with the manipulation of local agency especially the Native Authority by the expatriate merchants led to the exploitation of the natives. This study traces the tapestry of the transformation of the cotton industry during the turbulent years of First World War, World Economic Depression and the Inter war periods. Methodologically, both primary and secondary sources of historical data were adopted. The study concludes by asserting that enormous potentials and opportunities existed in the Igala cotton industry as a veritable tool for economic diversification and development.Production and trade of cotton in Igalaland

自国民による技術主導産業キャッチアップ戦略の再文脈化: 7か国間の危機意識の違いについて

早大学位記番号:新8583早稲田大

Knowledge Development: Cinema in China prior to WWI

This dissertation delineates cinema in China prior to WWI into five periods and interprets this section of history under references of up-to-date early film theories. The spreading of cinema is treated as a continuation of the lantern tradition, and is contextualized and conventionalized in the late Qing sociopolitical milieu. It synchronizes with the colonial process and Manchu government’s progressive reforms. The central argument here is that early cinema in China shows a developmental pattern, which bears a high similarity to Jean Piaget’s knowledge development, and is characteristic of intermediality and internationality. From a mechanic novelty to a mass medium, to a profitable commodity, although cinema in China begins as an attachment to other existing entertainments, after about two decades’ development its subjectivity has already been secured and an incipient film industry is formed in prewar era, featuring a strong foreign monopoly and regional imbalance

Rejuvenating the Developmental State in Taiwan: the Impacts of the EIA as an Environmental Governance (2006-2011)

Asian Tigers were sometimes referred to "developmental states" for they were capable of designing successful development agendas and implementing these plans with the compliance of private capital instead of simply regulating the market. However, with the fast democratic transition during the 1990s, the developmental state encountered serious challenges from business sectors, opposition parties and civil groups. Some literature suggested that this infiltration of private sector jeopardized the state's autonomy in formulating long-term plans. The chaotic policy process at the early stage of democratic transition revealed Taiwan state's capability in controlling developmental agendas has been weakened. If the developmental state of Taiwan ceased to function, in what way did it evolve? This dissertation aimed to answer this question by examining the role of the Taiwan state in promoting three major investments, the Formosa Steel-making Plant, the Central Taiwan Science Park in Holi-Chixing and Erlin, and the Eighth Petrochemical Plant, from 2006 to 2010. While developmental states were often argued incompatible with democratic regimes, this dissertation demonstrated that the status of Taiwan's developmental state remained firm after democratic transition given that the state was still autonomous in terms of defining and preserving national interests. Furthermore, it WAS the public participation and environmental institutional monitoring brought by democratic transition that reinforced the developmental state in Taiwan by correcting the state's errors in promoting those inefficient projects. Through the interdependent governance in the review mechanisms, these industrial programs based on outdated development agendas were smoothly postponed. Some programs were even called off by the corporations themselves. The democratic transition did not lessen politicians' pursuit of constant national economic development; moreover, it brought in correcting mechanisms and thus further reinforced the capacity of the developmental state in choosing developmental agendas