Organizational Culture in the Greek Science and Technology Parks: Implications for Human Resource Management.

Introduction Research and technological poles have been also set up in Greek regions but only in the late '80s, introducing local economy into the modern international competitive environment. These infant cores of innovation have already inspired both academics and entrepreneurs to construct new models of investment planning and production. Although not yet fully developed, some of them, they have already created complex links between universities and industries, giving birth to many spin-off knowledge-based enterprises. Purpose of the Study and Organization of the Study This paper focuses on examining: (a) the four more successful case studies of Greek Science and Technological Parks, and (b) the organisational culture of the spin-off knowledge-based enterprises, within the Greek science and technology parks. It includes firms that have exited the parks but still have a close co-operation with them. Research Method The Organizational Culture Assessment Questionnaire (OCAQ) was developed by Sashkin (1996) to help people identify and understand the nature of the culture in their own organization. Sample and Data Collection The data for the present study were obtained by the OCAQ mailed to a sample of 33 spin-off companies which operate within the Science and Technological Parks of Greece. The mailing consisted of the questionnaire itself, a cover letter, and a stamped pre-addressed return envelope. As response inducement, each respondent was promised a copy of the study results on request. Of the 33 questionnaires mailed, 33 were received , representing a 100% response rate. Table 1 OCAQ Norms ManagingChange Achieving Goals Coordinated Teamwork CustomerOrientation Cultural Strength Total Very High 30 28-30 28-30 25-30 26-30 119 + High 26-29 23-27 24-27 21-24 22-25 108-118 Average 19-25 16-22 18-23 15-20 17-21 87-107 Low 15-18 11-15 14-17 11-14 13-16 76-86 Very Low 6-14 6-10 6-13 6-10 6-12 30-75 Results Table 2 presents a summary of respondents’ mean scores as well as the total score for all companies involved in this study. Regarding Managing Change, the mean score is 15.82 and is considered low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. According to Sashkin (1996), this area of action concerns how well the organization is able to adapt to and deal effectively with changes in its environment. All organizations are open, to some extent, to rapid technological and social change. The mean score for Achieving Goals is 15.03 and is considered low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) stated that having a clear focus on explicit goals as been proven repeatedly to have a very strong relationship to actual success and achievement. Regarding Coordinated Teamwork, the mean score is 13.96, again low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) believes that long term organizational survival depends on how well the efforts of individuals and groups within the organization are tied together, coordinated and sequenced so that people’s work efforts fit together effectively. The mean score for Customer Orientation is 13.51 and is considered low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) argued that no matter how strong the culture and no matter how well the other functions of the organization are performed, if no one wants what the organization produces, then the organization is not likely to survive and prosper. Finally, the mean score for Cultural Strength is 13.67, again low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) stated that a strong culture based on values that support the functions of managing change, organizational achievement, customer orientation, and coordinated teamwork, will provide greater stability of organizational functioning. The total score 71.99 is very low compared to the corresponding one of the table of norms. However, Sashkin (1996) stated that the OCAQ is intended as a diagnostic aid, a first step in building better functioning organizational cultures. Through the OCAQ the company’s management can probably get some feeling for what sort of numbers are “high†and what might be considered “low†from looking at Table 1. Most important is that the items that make up the scales provide concrete directions about what an organization might actually do to improve its culture. Table 2 Results of the Study ManagingChange Achieving Goals Coordinated Teamwork CustomerOrientation Cultural Strength N 33 33 33 33 33 MEAN 15.82 15.03 13.96 13.51 13.67 SD 2.25 2.49 3.35 2.79 3.37 Total Score: 71.99 Conclusions Sashkin (1996) stated that all organizations have a culture based on values and beliefs shared by some, most or all of the organization’s members. However, when the culture is based on values that do not support the functions of managing change, organizational achievement, customer orientation, and coordinated teamwork, then this culture might actually hamper organizational survival and growth. Businesses of the Greek Science and Technological Parks need to adopt new approaches in attempting to change and manage effectively their organizational culture. Williams et al. (1993) suggested the following five methods commonly used by management: (a) Changing Human Resource management policies, management style and work environment. (b) Training employees in new skills and thus influencing their job attitudes. (c) Providing employees with training and role models appropriate to the desired culture, a culture which supports change, organizational achievement, customer orientation, and coordinated teamwork. (d) Greater emphasis on selecting people with the desired attitudes as well as technical skills and experience. This may include the use of more sophisticated selection techniques, for example psychometric testing, assessment centres, and biodata. (e) Moving people into new jobs to break up old sub-cultures. According to Whiteley (1991), the organization may use the following strategies to be customer driven: a. Information from customers is used in designing products/services b. The organization regularly asks customers to give feedback about its performance (satisfaction measures look at the extent to which customers are satisfied with the service they have received) c. Customers' complaints are regularly analyzed in order to identify quality problems d. Internal procedures and systems that do not create value for the customers are eliminated e. Employees are encouraged to go above and beyond to serve customers well f. Employees who work with customers are supported with continuous training and resources that are sufficient for doing the job well g. Employees are empowered to use their judgement when quick action is needed to make things right for a customer. Working as a team is a natural human behaviour. Everyone acts as part of a team, for the good of the entire organization. Dr.Deming also argued that competition is counterproductive inside an organization. The establishment of quality circles is a good example of teamwork. Quality circles consist of small groups of employees who meet to uncover and solve work-related problems. Members get together regularly to learn interpersonal skills and statistical methods associated with problem-solving and to select and solve real problems. Members meet an hour a week both during regular and outside of regular working hours. Meetings are chaired by a group leader. The leader is a discussion moderator who facilitates the problem-solving process. Problems are not restricted to quality, but also include productivity, cost, safety, morale, environment and other topics (Crocker, Charney and Chiu, 1984). Verespej (1990) found that the most important benefits to working in teams are: a) improved involvement and performance, b) positive morale, and c) sense of ownership and commitment to the product/service that teams create.

Politiques économiques et destructuration industrielle dans les pays développés depuis les années quatre-vingt

Cet article analyse, en les évaluant, les politiques économiques en vigueur dans les pays développés du début des années 80 à l’époque actuelle. Il examine en outre les conséquences de ces politiques sur l’industrie et les structures de production de ces pays. Plus précisément, la première partie de l’article présente brièvement les politiques économiques que l’on commence à appliquer dans la presque totalité des pays industriellement développés dès le début des années 80. La deuxième partie opère une confrontation comparative entre les objectifs économiques décidés et les performances des économies dans les années 80 et au début des années 90. La troisième partie étudie les conséquences des recettes monétaristes appliquées sur les structures industrielles (investissements, productivité, profits, formation de capital, flexibilité). On s’attache aussi à montrer ici comment les activités industrielles reculent au profit d’activités lucratives, limitant ainsi l’exploitation productive des possibilités que la technologie de pointe leur offre. On procède à l’analyse des structures industrielles nouvelles qui semblent prévaloir, toujours dans le cadre d’un environnement économique en récession, lequel non seulement persiste, mais paraît s’accompagner d’une rupture inquiétante des toiles sociales cohésives à l’échelle mondiale. Enfin, à la lumière de l’image de l’évolution parallèle des structures économiques et des structures industrielles dans les années qui viennent de s’écouler, universellement dominées par le néolibéralisme et la politique économique monétariste, la conclusion évalue la situation actuelle et les perspectives de l’économie internationale.This paper presents and analyzes the economie policies implemented in the industrially developed nations since the early 80's. It also examines the impact of these policies on the industrial structures of the advanced countries. The first section of the paper briefly presents the economic policies applied in most of the advanced nations since the early 80's. The second section evaluates the results of these policies in the light of the evolution of economic indicators such as public spending and consumption, unemployment, private spending, wages and labour costs, welfare state expenditures, money supply and credits in the economies, interest rates... The third section of the paper deals with the impact of monetarism as economic policy, on the industrial structure of the advanced countries, looking in particular at investment rates, productivity, profits, capital formation, finance and flexibility. The evidence presented and analyzed confirms that the economic targets set by the policy makers when these policies were originally implemented, in the early 80's, are not really met. Low growth rates of GDP, high unemployment, high public debts and deficits, low growth of industrial production and last but not least, social discontent and pessimism characterize the advanced industrial economies nowadays. Finally, the paper ends up with the conclusion that the economic policies implemented during the last fifteen years in the developed nations have deteriorated their economic performance, provoking adverse consequences on social cohesion and stability

"Expensive Living: The Greek Experience under the Euro"

Apart from its widely accepted direct advantages, the introduction of the euro has been accompanied by a surge of inflation in most of the EU member states. At the same time, wages--in part, wages of the unskilled--are relatively losing ground, while the purchasing power of the average European seems also to have weakened since the introduction of the single currency. In this paper we deal with five relevant central issues to interpret "expensiveness" in Greece. First, we examine to what extent recent inflation trends are attributable to the constraints imposed by the monetary unionÐnamely negative demand disturbances in certain Greek regions. Second, we investigate to what extent these patterns are also due to the adoption of the euro--including conversion period effectsÐover product market and other domestic rigidities. Third, we investigate the impact of seasonal effects on inflation, in the context of the Greek so-called traditional "petit-bourgeois capitalism." Fourth, we explore the extent to which unemployment is another factor that drives wages and purchasing power down. Fifth, we apply the Balassa-Samuelson effect to see whether it constitutes the culprit for price hikes in nontradable products in particular. We find that all the aforementioned factors contribute to the Greek expensiveness.

Government regulations come always after big crises. Are bankers next to split following the auditors?

When things are good nobody asks why. When things are too good to be true, only a few realise that it is true. When things finally turn bad everybody finds out that the emperor has no clothes on. Then, promising politicians take over the crisis to save the world. Is this process just human nature where the system works always in favour of the ruling class, or well-educated humans is a must for a true democracy? In any case, society would be betteroff when informed, rather than ignorant. In this short note, we offer an explanation for the current persisting mediocre growth rate mainly in the US. At the centre of our analysis and explanation for the above matter lie the persisting structural distortions found in the US banking industry.. We focus on the investment banking system in particular as we are considering it as the absolutely principal factor that circulates and allocates capital in the globe. We show why and how this system malfunctions, we focus on the conflicts of interest and we finally offer both an explanation and a way out of the current Wall Street institutional distortions, which we consider of critical importance for bringing back the US as well as the western economy as a whole, back on track. In addition, our view also offers an indirect explanation about the inability of the Western economies to succeed high growth rates, reducing government debt and unemployment at the same time. It is in fact the inability to substantially reform the banking system, leaving it substantially operating as before, that drags down the economy to inadequate growth rates, despite repetitive programs of Quantitative Easing (QE) by the FED in the US or “backdoor QE” in Europe.peer-reviewe

Organizational Culture in the Greek Science and Technology Parks: Implications for Human Resource Management.

Introduction Research and technological poles have been also set up in Greek regions but only in the late '80s, introducing local economy into the modern international competitive environment. These infant cores of innovation have already inspired both academics and entrepreneurs to construct new models of investment planning and production. Although not yet fully developed, some of them, they have already created complex links between universities and industries, giving birth to many spin-off knowledge-based enterprises. Purpose of the Study and Organization of the Study This paper focuses on examining: (a) the four more successful case studies of Greek Science and Technological Parks, and (b) the organisational culture of the spin-off knowledge-based enterprises, within the Greek science and technology parks. It includes firms that have exited the parks but still have a close co-operation with them. Research Method The Organizational Culture Assessment Questionnaire (OCAQ) was developed by Sashkin (1996) to help people identify and understand the nature of the culture in their own organization. Sample and Data Collection The data for the present study were obtained by the OCAQ mailed to a sample of 33 spin-off companies which operate within the Science and Technological Parks of Greece. The mailing consisted of the questionnaire itself, a cover letter, and a stamped pre-addressed return envelope. As response inducement, each respondent was promised a copy of the study results on request. Of the 33 questionnaires mailed, 33 were received , representing a 100% response rate. Table 1 OCAQ Norms ManagingChange Achieving Goals Coordinated Teamwork CustomerOrientation Cultural Strength Total Very High 30 28-30 28-30 25-30 26-30 119 + High 26-29 23-27 24-27 21-24 22-25 108-118 Average 19-25 16-22 18-23 15-20 17-21 87-107 Low 15-18 11-15 14-17 11-14 13-16 76-86 Very Low 6-14 6-10 6-13 6-10 6-12 30-75 Results Table 2 presents a summary of respondents' mean scores as well as the total score for all companies involved in this study. Regarding Managing Change, the mean score is 15.82 and is considered low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. According to Sashkin (1996), this area of action concerns how well the organization is able to adapt to and deal effectively with changes in its environment. All organizations are open, to some extent, to rapid technological and social change. The mean score for Achieving Goals is 15.03 and is considered low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) stated that having a clear focus on explicit goals as been proven repeatedly to have a very strong relationship to actual success and achievement. Regarding Coordinated Teamwork, the mean score is 13.96, again low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) believes that long term organizational survival depends on how well the efforts of individuals and groups within the organization are tied together, coordinated and sequenced so that people's work efforts fit together effectively. The mean score for Customer Orientation is 13.51 and is considered low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) argued that no matter how strong the culture and no matter how well the other functions of the organization are performed, if no one wants what the organization produces, then the organization is not likely to survive and prosper. Finally, the mean score for Cultural Strength is 13.67, again low compared to the corresponding mean of the table of norms. Sashkin (1996) stated that a strong culture based on values that support the functions of managing change, organizational achievement, customer orientation, and coordinated teamwork, will provide greater stability of organizational functioning. The total score 71.99 is very low compared to the corresponding one of the table of norms. However, Sashkin (1996) stated that the OCAQ is intended as a diagnostic aid, a first step in building better functioning organizational cultures. Through the OCAQ the company's management can probably get some feeling for what sort of numbers are "high" and what might be considered "low" from looking at Table 1. Most important is that the items that make up the scales provide concrete directions about what an organization might actually do to improve its culture. Table 2 Results of the Study ManagingChange Achieving Goals Coordinated Teamwork CustomerOrientation Cultural Strength N 33 33 33 33 33 MEAN 15.82 15.03 13.96 13.51 13.67 SD 2.25 2.49 3.35 2.79 3.37 Total Score: 71.99 Conclusions Sashkin (1996) stated that all organizations have a culture based on values and beliefs shared by some, most or all of the organization's members. However, when the culture is based on values that do not support the functions of managing change, organizational achievement, customer orientation, and coordinated teamwork, then this culture might actually hamper organizational survival and growth. Businesses of the Greek Science and Technological Parks need to adopt new approaches in attempting to change and manage effectively their organizational culture. Williams et al. (1993) suggested the following five methods commonly used by management: (a) Changing Human Resource management policies, management style and work environment. (b) Training employees in new skills and thus influencing their job attitudes. (c) Providing employees with training and role models appropriate to the desired culture, a culture which supports change, organizational achievement, customer orientation, and coordinated teamwork. (d) Greater emphasis on selecting people with the desired attitudes as well as technical skills and experience. This may include the use of more sophisticated selection techniques, for example psychometric testing, assessment centres, and biodata. (e) Moving people into new jobs to break up old sub-cultures. According to Whiteley (1991), the organization may use the following strategies to be customer driven: a. Information from customers is used in designing products/services b. The organization regularly asks customers to give feedback about its performance (satisfaction measures look at the extent to which customers are satisfied with the service they have received) c. Customers' complaints are regularly analyzed in order to identify quality problems d. Internal procedures and systems that do not create value for the customers are eliminated e. Employees are encouraged to go above and beyond to serve customers well f. Employees who work with customers are supported with continuous training and resources that are sufficient for doing the job well g. Employees are empowered to use their judgement when quick action is needed to make things right for a customer. Working as a team is a natural human behaviour. Everyone acts as part of a team, for the good of the entire organization. Dr.Deming also argued that competition is counterproductive inside an organization. The establishment of quality circles is a good example of teamwork. Quality circles consist of small groups of employees who meet to uncover and solve work-related problems. Members get together regularly to learn interpersonal skills and statistical methods associated with problem-solving and to select and solve real problems. Members meet an hour a week both during regular and outside of regular working hours. Meetings are chaired by a group leader. The leader is a discussion moderator who facilitates the problem-solving process. Problems are not restricted to quality, but also include productivity, cost, safety, morale, environment and other topics (Crocker, Charney and Chiu, 1984). Verespej (1990) found that the most important benefits to working in teams are: a) improved involvement and performance, b) positive morale, and c) sense of ownership and commitment to the product/service that teams create

Οικονομική Ανάλυση της Θρησκείας Η Ελληνική περίπτωση και η Σύγκριση με την Ευρώπη

Religiosity plays a very important role both in economic outcomes and in the lives of many people. The economics of religion is a relatively new topic in economics but a fast growing area of academic interest indeed. In Greece, a country of rather much religiosity, the topic is almost com�pletely unknown. This essay introduces the topic of the economics of religion to Greek academic audience. In this context, a review of the relevant literature along with statistical data from the American experience, are initially presented. The paper also reviews the economics of religion literature both from the demand and supply side. It finally focuses on Greece and its comparison with EU member-states’ religiosity in particula

Divergent Real Economies in Europe

In this paper, the well-known convergence programs, implemented by the EU member-states, are closely evaluated. Using descriptive statistical analysis and the changes in the real exchange rates as analytical cornerstone, the paper focuses on the economic performance of the member-states since the accord (Dec. 1991) and the ratification (Febr. 1992) of the Maastricht Treaty. Changes in the trade balance, industrial production, rates of unemployment, inflation and interest rates (short-term and long-term) are used as criteria of success both in real and nominal terms. The statistical outcomes are compared with the ones found in similar research done by R. Gordon. The paper ends with the evaluation of the results and the policy lessons which can be drawn by the different exchange rate policies followed by the member-states

Economic Policies in Greece during 1990-1993: An Assessment

An analysis of the conservative economic policy of the period 1990–1993 in Greece shows that its results were negative. In order to end the economic crisis in Greece, a new policy is needed that will emphasize economic growth, pay attention to public investment in the infrastructure in order to generate an increase of productivity in the private sector, raise the level of business activity, and reduce the risks faced by individual firms. For the crucial field of exchange rate policy, what is needed is a “crawling peg” policy according to market signals

Trade openness and aggregate productive efficiency

We consider whether openness is related to the aggregate technical efficiency in the OECD countries. We obtain efficiency measures using Data Envelopment Analysis and we find that our measure of openness is positively related to the technical efficiency scores.peer-reviewe

La flexibilité du travail dans le secteur du textile et de l' habillement en Grèce du Nord

This paper is based on a case study concerning labour flexibility in the textiles and clothing industry located in the Greater Thessaloniki area of Northern Greece. The paper employs case studies in order to develop a clear view of the characteristics of a particular industrial district and so as to avoid facile generalizations