Cognition in investigation: The metaphor of detectives' thinking styles and the research process

The literature on research in organizational theory and the social sciences at large is primarily focused on the formal dimensions of the research process and largely ignores the cognitive activities involved in theorizing. We use Dean's (2000) hierarchical typology of the thinking processes of police detectives as an analogical framework to reflect on the cognitive processes of organizational researchers. Graphical depictions of the investigative thinking styles of method, challenge, skill, and risk are presented in a 3-D model. From this we construct a model for the research process that incorporates both the formal dimension related to the management of the research project and the dimension of the cognitive modes activated. We draw implications for theorizing, the conduct of research projects, researchers' self-reflexivity, and the training of research students

The reputation of the corporate social responsibility industry in Australia

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly seen as an imperative for sustainable business and there is a growing literature on the effect of CSR on corporate reputation. Despite this, a pall of ambiguity and uncertainty remains around what CSR means and how it should be practiced. This paper offers a unique addition to the body of literature to date by revealing that CSR is an emerging industry in Australia, which is in the process of developing its own reputation as a set of business practices. The paper is based on exploratory qualitative research using a case study methodology. Interviews were conducted with key actors within the industry to investigate shared understandings of what CSR means, perceptions of CSR practice and of the industry as a whole, and who is involved in shaping these perceptions. The research revealed that the CSR industry in Australia is in its early stages of development and is therefore in need of increased internal cooperation if it is to develop a strong reputation

Vers une conceptualisation cognitive de l’architecture des competences

L’objectif de cette recherche consiste a examiner les conditions d’obtention d’un avantage concurrentiel pour une firme multi-activites. Nous proposons un renouvellement des outils de diagnostic en exploitant les théories emergentes du Modele des Ressources et Competences (MRC) et de l’approche cognitive des organisations. Alors que les theories traditionnelles des determinants de la performance des firmes multi-activites examinent la problematique du point de vue de l’alignement de la strategie et de la structure de la firme avec les circonstances d’un environnement exogene, l’approche cognitive pose l’environnement comme endogene, produit d’une mise en acte par l’entreprise de son univers. Dans une telle perspective, la coherence strategique de la firme se substitue e l’alignement avec l’environnement comme determinant premier de la performance. Le concept d’architecture des competences dont nous proposons une conceptualisation cognitive permet l’articulation entre les deux theories. La validite de notre construction theorique est testee via l’examen de trois cas de groupes industriels diversifies: Alpha, Delta et Gamma. Chaque cas est analyse sous l’angle des trois cadres theoriques (contingence, configurationnisme, architecture des competences). L’objectif de la recherche est d’evaluer la pertinence de notre construction conceptuelle, comparativement aux modeles etablis. L’analyse des cas indique que notre theorie de la cohérence strategique permet un diagnostic plus fin que les autres approches analytiques dans les situations complexes, pour lesquelles les leviers de performance sont causalement ambigus et difficilement reperables par les methodes etablies

The role of human capital and strategic intent in internationalisation scope of new technology-based firms

This paper explores the internationalization scope of new technology based firms (NTBFs) during their early years of operation. Internationalization is considered as a growth strategy in its own right whose successful implementation requires relevant resources and capabilities. We focus on the role of human capital in the form of the international experience of the firm founders, and its interaction with the strategic intent to internationalize from the outset. Our analysis of a sample of 466 cases of UK and German NTBFs shows that human capital is a key success factor for international growth strategies. This human capital is an asset strongly facilitating the penetration of foreign markets, but it also appears that it is much more influential when backed up by a deliberate strategic intent to internationalize from the inception of the new venture. Similar conclusions can be drawn for the scale of entrepreneurial resources dedicated to the start-up: the higher they are, the higher the scope of internationalization, and scale is also leveraged by strategic intent

Public Relations Professional Practice And The Institutionalisation of CSR

Purpose This paper presents the findings of a longitudinal case study into the professionalisation of public relations practices and the institutionalisation of corporate social responsibility as a legitimate social and business arrangement. In doing so, there are implications for the dynamic relationship between practices and the professionalisation of public relations. Methodology A qualitative longitudinal study is used to examine the social construction of social responsibility in the Australian banking industry from 1999-2004 across two levels of analysis – societal expectations as institution, and practices of banking and public relations as action. Findings The study shows that the case organisations shifted their public relations and communication practices during the period of the study. In response to the demands of publics, there was a central shift from a one-way perspective where organisations sought to influence and persuade publics of the appropriateness of thier actions towards a two-way perspective where organisations needed to consult, negotiate and engage with publics. In doing so, this study suggests that there was a shift in the profession of how public relations was practiced, but also highlighted the changes to institutional arrangements about the legitimacy of social responsibilities of large organisations

Towards an integrated perspective on fleet asset management: engineering and governance considerations

The traditional engineering perspective on asset management concentrates on the operational performance the assets. This perspective aims at managing assets through their life-cycle, from technical specification, to acquisition, operation including maintenance, and disposal. However, the engineering perspective often takes for granted organizational-level factors. For example, a focus on performance at the asset level may lead to ignore performance measures at the business unit level. The governance perspective on asset management usually concentrates on organizational factors, and measures performance in financial terms. In doing so, the governance perspective tends to ignore the engineering considerations required for optimal asset performance. These two perspectives often take each other for granted. However experience demonstrates that an exclusive focus on one or the other may lead to sub-optimal performance. For example, the two perspectives have different time frames: engineering considers the long term asset life-cycle whereas the organizational time frame is based on a yearly financial calendar. Asset fleets provide a relevant and important context to investigate the interaction between engineering and governance views on asset management as fleets have distributed system characteristics. In this project we investigate how engineering and governance perspectives can be reconciled and integrated to enable optimal asset and organizational performance in the context of asset fleets

Asset management and governance: an analysis of fleet management process issues in an asset-intensive organization

Efficient asset management is a key performance driver for asset-intensive organizations. Achieving high utilization and return on investment on physical assets are central corporate objectives for public and private organisations alike. Current approaches on asset management include the engineering and governance perspectives. Both perspectives offer valuable but incomplete insights on the management of asset performance: experience demonstrates that an exclusive focus on one or the other may lead to sub-optimal asset and organizational performance. In this paper, we investigate how an integrated approach to asset management can be constructed in the context of vehicle fleets. Beginning with an analysis of how the asset management process is operated through the asset lifecycle, we identify key engineering and organizational factors influencing asset performance. The relationships between factors are analyzed to provide an integrated fleet asset management approach

Collaboration and opportunism in megaproject alliance contracts: The interplay between governance, trust and culture

Alliance contracts have been introduced in megaprojects to improve the alignment of objectives, risk and reward between client and contractor. However, the relational norms of alliances are not sufficient on their own to eliminate opportunistic behaviors. This study shows that, investing in mechanisms supportive of governance, culture, and trust provides a platform upon which firms may foster collaboration and limit self-interest oriented behavior amongst alliance partners. Our qualitative case study of a major project-based organization reveals the impact of these mechanisms, and more pointedly, how they interact and often reinforce each other. Governance, culture and trust are interlinked and complementary, and managers need to reflect holistically on their interactions in order to establish collaborative, rather than opportunistic behaviors

Asset Management and Governance – An Analysis of Fleet Management Process Issues in an Asset-Intensive Organization

Efficient asset management is a key performance driver for asset-intensive organizations. Achieving high utilization and return on investment on physical assets are central corporate objectives for public and private organisations alike. Current approaches on asset management include the engineering and governance perspectives. The engineering perspective on asset management concentrates on the technical and operational dimensions of asset performance, including utilization, and operation to technical specifications. However, this perspective often ignores organisational-level factors that potentially affect asset performance. By contrast, from a governance perspective, key factors influencing asset management performance include stewardship, accountability and incentive regimes. Symmetrically, the governance view often takes the operational factors for granted. In sum, both perspectives offer valuable but incomplete insights on the management of asset performance: experience demonstrates that an exclusive focus on one or the other may lead to sub-optimal asset and organizational performance. In this paper, we investigate how an integrated approach to asset management can be constructed in the context of vehicle fleets. Vehicle fleets provide a suitable context to investigate these issues as they constitute significant investments, and are observable across a range of asset-intensive industries. Beginning with an analysis of how the asset management process is operated through the asset lifecycle, we identify key engineering and organizational factors influencing asset performance. The relationships between factors are analyzed to provide an integrated fleet asset management approach

Knowledge in four deformation dimensions

This paper sketches out a complexity conceptualization of knowledge. Building from evolutionary theories, it defines knowledge as rules that reduce environmental uncertainty through connections between ideas and facts. Following, knowledge is conceived as a structure validated through action, a process contextualized in individual experience and a system contextualized in social and cultural experience. Knowledge exhibits four characteristics of of a complex system: it is ensitive to initial conditions, it exhibits multiple feedback loops, it is non-linear, and recursively symmetrical Four inter-dependent deformation dimensions of knowledge are identified (personal, common, tacit, and explicit) and their interactions are discussed. This conceptualization of knowledge as a complex system contributes to the knowledge-based theory of the firm by providing some micro-foundations to organizational knowledge, and it opens the opportunity to re-think theories about communities of practice, entrepreneurship and firm creation, the role of managers, and knowledge management