PROJECT BASED ORGANIZATION - AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

As a consequence of globalization, application of new technologies, turbulent economic environment, the uncertainties affecting markets, organizations must cope with ongoing transformational process. In this context, the project-based organization (PBO) emerges as an ideal alternative of organizational structure to deal with the emerging features of the temporary and unique demands, within a complex market. This paper brings a new approach trough integration of general management functions with project management activities. The methodology of the proposed approach covers the whole Deming PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle, involving quality management in project-based organization's success.projects, project management, project-based organization, organizational structure, project teams

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REGULATION IN EMERGING COUNTRIES. CASE OF ROMANIA

Most of the literature on corporate governance emphasizes that firms should be run in the interests of shareholders. This is a suitable objective function when markets are perfect and complete. In many emerging economies this is not the case: markets are imperfect and incomplete. Corporate governance issues are especially important in emerging countries, since these countries do not have the long-established financial institution infrastructure to deal with corporate governance issues. This paper discusses how emerging countries are dealing with corporate governance issues and the extra obstacles they have to overcome due to a lack of regulations. Romanian case study is examined.corporate governance principles, corporate governance key actors, emerging country

Project Risk Management Phases

Risk management is the human activity which integrates recognition of risk, risk assessment, developing strategies to manage it, and mitigation of risk using managerial resources. Notwithstanding the domain of activities where they are conducted, projects often entail risks, and risk management has been widely recognized as a success factor in project management. Following a concept clarification on project risk management, this paper presents a generic list steps in the risk management process. Risk analysis is highlighted. I use expected value analysis for quantitative estimation. I propose to determine risk probability using Fishbone-Ishikawa diagrams and I provide an example that illustrates this theory.risk evaluation, project management, risk management, expected value analysis..

NEW PATTERNS IN SCHEDULING WORKING TIME

Flexible work arrangements should focus on providing employees with more options for when and how they do their work. Organizations can provide a suite of flexible options to enable employees to choose the arrangements that best balance their work with family and lifestyle preferences. In this paper we intended to investigate the flexibilization process of working time determined by the new trends of work organization. For this purpose, the various aspects of working time in a company were analyzed in connection with the employee’s life cycle.flexible work time, time preference, work arrangements

New Approaches of Consumers’ Protection in Terms of Management Systems’ International Standards Evolution

This paper grew out of the central issue addressed in Trading Up: Consumer and Environmental Regulation in a Global Economy by David Vogel, namely the impact of economic globalization on consumers’ protection regulations. Reviewing the extensive matter of consumer protection, with a thorough analysis of European Union last issued data, the paper summarizes and analyzes the contributions of ISO quality management standards to consumers’ protection based on a chain of logically connected concepts and activities. The approach was double-sided, intercrossing the qualitative and quantitative arguments joined with the analysis of the correlation between the efforts and effects in consumers’ protection area. Due to a yet continue divergence regarding the regulatory processes, of a visible movement to the development and implementation of more stringent standards as well as a new means for implementing integrated quality management systems, the paper suggests and develops an implementation model of integrated quality management systems, based on Jorgensen 2006 model and improved through adding the new ISO 26000 standard.consumers' protection, quality, ISO standards, implementation models for ISO integrated systems

TRENDS IN HUMAN RESOURCES STRUCTURE

As a result of economic globalization, technological progress and population growth, changes occur in the structure of human resources, in all worlds’ economies. This paper presents the trends of human resources structure in the European Union and Euro zone. Using the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predictions on GDP, the paper tries to predict the future trends of human resources structure in the European Union. Following research I found there is an increase in services sector employment at the expense of industry and agriculture employment

The Impact of Active Labour Market Policies in Romania

Following the predominance of macroeconomic stabilisation policies and passive policies for alleviate the reform shock in the first phase of transition, active labour market policies (ALMPs) have now come to play a more important role in transition economies. In this paper I present a theoretical and empirical analysis of different types of active labour market policies (ALMPs). In my empirical analysis I use data on Romania covering the time period 2000-2005. I find that subsidized jobs are the most effective program to bring down unemployment. Labour market training and temporary employment in public works in community service have a positive impact. Despite their overall positive impact on unemployment rate, their budgetary cost is high and they are likely to be subject to diminishing returns as employment rates rise

Ways to Reduce Consumer Complaints: The EU Perspective

Organizations are currently concerned with meeting consumers’ demands and needs by creating products that meet their expectations. Addressing wider issues of consumers’ protection and relying on a detailed research of the latest data from the European Union, our paper analyses and synthesizes ways to reduce consumers’ complaints on products and services purchased, based on a series of causal links and interrelated activities. It is a dual approach in order to link quantitative and qualitative arguments as well as the analysis of correlations between efforts and the recorded effects in the domain of the consumer’ protection. Based on data provided by the Flash Eurobarometer 332 there were determined the existing influences in consumers’ protection, calculating correlations among a number of indicators registered in the European Union in the field of consumer protection. Based on the relations established between the indicators that describe the domain of the protection of consumer, a model that centres on complaining in case of problems, indicating the main ways to reduce these complaints was developed and built

Quality in Education - Approaches and Frameworks

Having an essential role in attaining a country's economic development, education is one of the core services delivered by the government. However, the extension of the educational services delivered does not enhance the anticipated outcomes unless a certain quality norm is sustained. That is why it is vital to follow the enhancement of quality in all spheres of education. The notion of quality in education is not new, being a multidimensional concept. The paper analyzes existing approaches and frameworks in the area of quality in education, proposing an integrated model. This model is built on two levels (the quality of the educational system and the quality of educational institutions), it uses the management by objectives method and as the integrating factor the stages of the PDCA cycle

Dynamic capabilities for CSR management: towards identifying common processes

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to address the question whether and how firms can follow a standard management process to cope with emerging corporate social responsibility (CSR) challenges? Both researchers and practitioners have paid increasing attention to the question because of the rapidly evolving CSR expectations of stakeholders and the limited diffusion of CSR standardization. The question was addressed by developing a theoretical framework to explain how dynamic capabilities can contribute to effective CSR management. Design/methodology/approach – Based on 64 world-leading companies’ contemporary CSR reports, we carried out a large-scale content analysis to identify and examine the common organizational processes involved in CSR management and the dynamic capabilities underpinning those management processes. Findings – Drawing on the dynamic capabilities perspective, we demonstrate how the deployment of three dynamic capabilities for CSR management, namely, scanning, sensing and reconfiguration capabilities can help firms to meet emerging CSR requirements by following a set of common management processes. The findings demonstrate that what is more important in CSR standardization is the identification and development of the underlying dynamic capabilities and the related organizational processes and routines, rather than the detailed operational activities. Originality/value – Our study is an early attempt to examine the fundamental organizational capabilities and processes involved in CSR management from the dynamic capabilities perspective. Our research findings contribute to CSR standardization literature by providing a new theoretical perspective to better understand the capabilities enabling common CSR management processes