PhD, DBA, and MSc by research theses (SoM)

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Open Access
Adoption and implementation of performance measurement system in the Yemeni public sector: challenges and prospects
(2017-06) Al-Akwa, Khalid A.; Bourne, Mike
This thesis is submitted for the Cranfield DBA program. It examines and explores the utilization of Performance Measurement Systems (PMS) in public organizations with a special focus on the culture of developing countries. The research was inspired by the apparent potential of measurement for reform and the limited research on the implementation of performance measurement systems in the public sector. The paper started by conducting a thorough and critical examination of a vast body of literature using a systematic approach in order to identify the key determinants of successful utilization of PMS in public organizations. The review revealed that utilization of performance measurement in the public sector is a work in progress. It showed that, in spite of the growing interest on the field of performance measurement to improve public services, the empirical work remains small and disintegrated, focused only on single issues, and lacks a holistic perspective. The literature indicates that little is known about the needed conditions for an effective utilization of measurement within the public context in general and more so in non-western countries. The thesis, then, report the result of an empirical research based on in-depth interviews and focus group meetings with senior public managers from multiple public organizations in the Republic of Yemen. The empirical project sought to examine the Yemeni public sector organizations’ familiarity with performance measurement and explore the actual and potential role of measurement to support reform and improve performance in the public sector. Findings indicate that consecutive reforms in the Yemeni public sector did not seem to emphasize the need to establish a performance-based culture. It shows that the Yemeni public sector features a traditional administration that is away from a resultbased management, bound to roles and process, and less flexible to change. This study, accordingly, highlights the significant importance of the context and subsequent processes and arrangements that promote or impede the development and use of performance measurement in public organizations in non-western countries. It shows that a one-size-fits-all policy should be avoided by policy makers who should be mindful of possible dissimilarities between public entities and the significance and relevance of the context. The study indicates that failure and success of utilization of PMS in the public sector is influenced by various elements that need to be considered prior and after the adoption of measurement. A new theoretical model has been developed based on findings in order to extend the existing literature in this area. The model provides an extensive description about the main factors affecting adoption and implementation of PMS and promotes understanding about the needed conditions for successful utilization in the public sector. It addressed the need for translating abstract concepts such as adoption and implementation into clearly defined theoretical constructs in order to avoid confusion and create a common vocabulary for researchers.
Open Access
Anticipatory and retrospective sensemaking during unfolding organizational crises.
(2017-11) Runswick, Fionnuala Eilín; Kutsch, Elmar; Denyer, David
Existing research on sensemaking during organizational crises has identified retrospective processes in which actors give meaning to what has happened, thus reducing uncertainty and enabling action. While sensemaking is generally considered to be retrospective, several scholars dispute that sensemaking is exclusively a past-oriented process. Klein, Snowden and Pin (2007, 2011) have recently proposed a future-oriented anticipatory sensemaking process that involves the preparation and enactment of a course of action to avert a predicted threat during an organizational crisis. The topic of future-oriented sensemaking remains an on-going debate in the sensemaking literature. This research attempts to contribute to this debate by offering a deeper understanding of the forms, temporal orientation and interaction of the sensemaking processes during unfolding organizational crises. The research approach involved semi-structured interviews with twenty people from fourteen organizations across nine different industries and three continents. There are three novel contributions from this research. The first contribution is the integrative model of anticipatory and retrospective sensemaking during unfolding crises that was synthesised from the literature and evidenced in the empirical data. The second contribution is the model of anticipatory sensemaking processes during unfolding organizational crises, which was derived from the literature and enhanced based on the findings from the empirical study. In identifying future-oriented anticipatory sensemaking processes during unfolding organizational crises, the findings provide evidence for the counter-argument to the key ontological assumption that sensemaking is exclusively a retrospective process. The third contribution is that the actors created collective organizing structures during the unfolding crises, which enabled them to make sense and take action. The findings and contributions from this research have implications for both theory and practice.
Open Access
Are fund managers skilled or lucky? Practitioners’ perspective
(Cranfield University, 2021-06) Monin, Benjamin; Agarwal, Vineet; Poshakwale, Sunil
The market share of the passive fund management industry has increased from 3% in 1995 to 41% in 2020 (Anadu et al., 2020). This study investigates whether fund managers are skilled, and if they are, can investors distinguish between skilled and lucky managers? The empirical research relies on the interviews of 20 fund managers. This sample covers various countries and different strategies and styles. I find that fund managers firmly believe they can beat their benchmark. They have clear rationales behind their investment decisions and believe the ability to go beyond conventional wisdom and to differentiate between short-term noise and long-term trends is the key skill. Hence, they believe they should be assessed over at least a 3-year horizon. My results contrast with the popular belief that the market has a short-term view. The fund managers also argue that the popular measure of their performance, the net alpha, is a poor proxy for measuring their skill for several reasons, the most important being that the management fee is not under their control. Further, skill can only be assessed through an intimate knowledge of their every trade, the degree of conviction, and the investment process. Hence, it is not possible to assess their skill using secondary data. I also show the investors value more than just the financial return from their investment, and fund managers try to build trust with the investors. Finally, I demonstrate that the fund managers are aware of the biases and have developed elaborate systems to reduce their impact and to handle the inherent randomness of their environment. These findings provide academics and practitioners with a framework to understand the complexities and challenges of the fund management industry, and why the performance is much more than simply net alpha. This research explores new topics which are fundamental to align investor and fund manager interest (e.g., relationship to information, portfolio management, etc.).
Open Access
Are markets efficient? The extreme case of corporate bankruptcy - a systematic review
(2005-08) Coelho, Luis; Taffler, Richard
Fama (1970) presents the classical definition of an efficient market: in such a market, prices always reflect all available information. Recently, behavioural finance has emerged as an alternative theoretical framework to the traditional paradigm. This new approach is based on the idea that not all investors are rational and that rational investors face limits to arbitrage. The market's reaction to corporate bankruptcy announcements is a privileged context within which to explore the conflicting predictions of these two competing theoretical frameworks. In fact, existing research does not provide clear guidance on this issue. Some studies suggest that the market is efficient in the event of corporate failure (e.g. Clark and Weinstein, 1983; Morse and Shaw, 1988; Elayan and Maris, 1991) while others conclude that the market is highly inefficient when dealing with extreme bad news (e.g. Katz et al, 1985; Eberhart et al, 1999; Indro et al, 1999). This study resorts to the systematic literature review methodology to organize a survey on the existing literature that analyses the market's reaction to corporate bankruptcy announcements. The purpose of the review is to identify suitable research gaps that can be explored at a PhD level. A brief overview of the thematic under analysis is presented in the first part of the study. Subsequently, a detailed analysis of the systematic literature review methodology is provided, including both the search strategy employed and the different selection criteria used. The last part presents the results. These suggest that the area under analysis has received considerable attention from the finance academic community but some interesting research questions still remain unsettled, providing the context for future research in the field.
Open Access
Barriers and enablers for the adoption of professional management
(Cranfield University, 2018-09) El Gallad, Ahmed; Hussels, Stephanie
The inability to survive across generations is the main challenge facing all family businesses with only 30% of family firms managing to survive to the second generation, and less than 15% last to the third generation. The generational succession process, primarily from the founder to the second generation accentuates managerial transition, making the founder's style of management potentially no longer the ideal way to run the family firm. It has been argued that the inability of family businesses to adapt to the managerial changes after the founder's era is one of the reasons behind the low survival rate. Professional management is the style of management that follows the founder era and is sought to be applied by the subsequent generations. Therefore, this research investigates the barriers and enablers that family- controlled firms face when they attempt to adopt professional management. Based on the systematic literature review and the empirical study using semi- structured interviews in the Egyptian family business context, the research developed a model that clarifies the three processes involved to adopt professional management during generational transition. The first part of the model provides a deeper understanding of family businesses management through providing clearer demarcations between the family, entrepreneurial and founder management. This helps in clarifying some vagueness and confusion existing in literature between these styles of management. The second part of the model deals with the components of the professional management which are divided between practices and norms. The third part, based on the empirical project, is concerned with the barriers and enablers of professional management where obedience vs. disobedience to the father is considered an enabler or a barrier to professional management. This is the first research that highlights the importance of the relationship between professional management and the father and son relationship in certain Middle Eastern context, which the Egyptian family business context.
Open Access
The career agency of indian managerial women: a culture-centred approach.
(2018-06) Prashar, Manjari; Anderson, Deirdre A.; Vinnicombe, Susan
The purpose of this study is to develop a culturally sensitive model of women’s career agency. Adopting a qualitative research method, analyzing semi structured interviews with 36 managerial women in India this study provides a culture' centred model of career agency and a culture' centred framework for the analysis of career agency. The model highlights how managerial women’s career agency interacts with the enabling and constraining aspects of the context in which their careers unfold. This study broadens our understanding of women’s career agency by revealing the dynamic relationship between the context and the individual as emergent ‘agentic bonds’ shifting over time and in relation to each other. Career agency is conceptualized as a process of emergent agentic bonds within a temporal relational context. This study identifies five agentic bonds fusion, communion, divergence, assertion and integration through which individual assert agency in their careers. The study makes three contributions. First, a theoretical contribution introducing a career centred model of career agency. This model identifies the construct of ‘agentic bonds’, to distinguish the ways in which individual’s bond with the collective to develop career intentions and actions. This new construct facilitates a culturally sensitive view of career agency as a contextually dependent process, extending Stage theories of careers beyond Individual agency. In addition, a sub contribution of a culture centred framework for the analysis of agency in women’s careers, operationalizing and is aggregating career agency permits a liminal/hybrid/fluid view of agency and extends the theory of culture centred approach to careers. Second, an empirical contribution reconciling and resolving the struggle to identify the career agency of Indian managerial women. Third, a practical contribution with a culturally sensitive approach to career coaching embedded in a temporal relational view of career agency, facilitated by the concept of ‘agentic bonds’. The study responds to the call for cultural sensitivity in careers research and practice.
Open Access
Collaboration in demand chain: a systematic review from a communication perspective
(2004-09) Qiao, Hong; Wilding, Richard D.
Collaboration is imperative in the demand chain in order to be able to share the seamless transparent information which is one of the key principals of demand chain organisations (Lee and Whang, 2001). It has been a key enabler widely accepted in demand chain literature, but most of the authors do not scientifically justify it. Since demand chain management is an emerging field of interest for academics, how collaboration works in this particular environment understandably remains under-researched. Most research on collaboration between buyer and supplier is not explicitly conducted in the competitive environment. This thesis, using the methodology of systematic review, investigates the literature of dem and chain management and collaboration from a communication perspective. The review of studies on collaboration between buyer and supplier is expected to provide insight for the study on collaboration in demand chain environment. There are 21 works included for the demand chain literature review and 25 for collaboration from a communication perspective. This systematic review of literature on demand chain management and collaboration from a communication perspective identifies seven enablers for demand chain system, among which collaboration and technology-enabled communication are two key enablers together with agility etc. This review also identifies two main themes in collaboration with communication perspective literature: communication in collaboration with buyer-supplier relationships as a communication media, and communication in collaboration with buy-supplier relationships as a social process. A holistic view of communication behaviour within buyer-supplier relationships is recommended and future work in this field is needed.
Open Access
Comparative analysis of military and commercial logistics: present and future possibilities for the transfer of principles and practices
(1999-09) Ostrowski, Silverio Leonard; Christopher, Martin
Throughout time, comparisons have always been made between the management ms V the public and private sectors (nowadays the voluntary sector too, is included in these comparisons). However, the management of the defence element within the public sector, has generally been considered so diverse from private enterprise, that it escaped rigorous academic attention until about the beginning of this century. Considered even less attractive to academic research, has been the comparison of defence logistics to commercial logistics, the latter being very young, when compared to the former. Defence/military logistics has been developing, in its practical sense, ever since one tribe/community had a fracas with a neighbouring tribe/community, through continental conflicts between states/nations, to intercontinental wars. Although serious academic attention has been paid to commercial logistics for about the last 40 years, the theory of it is very much in its infancy and is still being developed. The time has come for the logistics in these two sectors to share their knowledge/‘know how’, so that the learning of each sector is not lost, but transferred, if applicable, to the mutual benefit of each. From an inquiring exploratory comparison of the logistics in both the defence and business sectors, this thesis builds a foundation that branches out to a secondary research, which is the historical evolution of the two, and it discovers that they both followed the same evolutionary stages/patterns in their developments, but at different times, and, in general, they have a pattern of convergence. In 1970, Rider developed a tabulated comparative model of the two logistics from his research question “What is logistics?” Whilst Rider found some differences between military and business logistics, this thesis revisits and re-examines his table in the light of modem day data, and finds that the two logistics have converged further since his research. For the core research of this thesis, two hypotheses were generated: (i) a research null hypothesis of “there is no fundamental difference between military and commercial logistics”; and (ii) from the literature searches/surveys and the historical evolution work, a constructed quadramorphic ‘types of logistics’ model formed the platform for a predictive hypothesis that “the logistics in the two sectors use all the four types contained in the model”. The methodology chosen for the primary research was the analysis of qualitative data collected mainly via case studies (a focus group and a Delphi approach were used too); 17 case studies in all were conducted. The outcome is that the two hypotheses are accepted, the first one with the proviso/caveat of “excluding rules of priority, mobile nodes, lack of electronic connectivity, and some designed-in inefficiencies”, as these were found to be prevalent only within the military. Another finding that proved noteworthy is the fact that both logistics, naturally, have the same variables, but the importance attached to the variables differs for each sector and for within different time periods. Here again, evidence of convergence, significantly in the latter years, was discovered, particularly in association with: reducing costs; time compression; tracking and traceability; availability; relationships; and the provision of service(s). One aspect that distinguished the two sectors was the fact that business uses much more computerisation and electronic data capture/collection and transmission, it functions via its connectivity', whereas the military - having more of a vertical integrated structure working through soldiers and their teamwork - functions via its contactivity. Two principal methodologies were employed in this research: the primary research used mainly live qualitative data collected chiefly by case studies; and the secondary research again used mainly qualitative data gathered from secondary sources via historiography. The outcome of the analyses of the two research types tended to confirm each other with a good degree of compatibility and agreement
Open Access
A complex systems perspective on innovation, investment and regulation of evolving telecommunications networks
(2017-09) Durmagambetov, Yerlan; Varga, Liz
This thesis is a Doctoral Thesis of the International Executive Doctorate Programme (DBA) at the School of Management, Cranfield University, UK. The purpose of the study is to present the results of the research dedicated to the topic of Infrastructure Sharing, a common method to make use of the limited infrastructure resources of many stakeholders. The research aims to develop a decision support tool for a National Regulating Authority (NRA) on the basis of a software simulation representing infrastructure in use as complex systems consisting of agent and infrastructure networks. By applying a computational Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) approach to policy decisions, i.e. influence of Duct and Pole Access (DPA) to incumbent telecommunication infrastructures, the research investigates regulatory considerations that stimulate the development of alternative networks. The final deliverable of the research is a simulation tool that provides a solid foundation for simulating experiments, which allows analysis of demand for broadband services by different subgroups of users. The results of the study are of value for regulators, practitioners, representatives of telecommunication and other network industries, and scholars who deal with the topic of sustainable infrastructure development and recognise the value of a complex system perspective.
Open Access
The consequences of financial regulation.
(2017-10) Aghanya, Daniel Efe; Poshakwale, Sunil S.; Agarwal, Vineet
Given the importance of the financial services for capital accumulation, financial stability, and global financial intermediaries, the last decade has witnessed widespread calls for vigilant regulation of the sector, especially since 2007 to 2009 financial crisis. This has reinvigorated the debates on the economic benefits and costs of regulating the financial services. In this work, I examine the impact of financial regulation on the financial sector to better understand its influence on compliance costs, quality of financial reporting, and risk-taking, as well as the wider impact on the stock market liquidity and price informativeness. I also examine the impact of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union (BREXIT) on the UK stock market and industry. In the first paper, I review the empirical evidence on the literature on financial regulation published over the past thirty-five years with the aim: (1) to extend my understanding of its impact on the financial sector, (2) evaluate whether the regulation achieves the purpose it was designed, and (3) provide insights and suggestions for future research. I find several useful insights have been generated over the past two decades. Despite this progress, I find that most empirical studies were done in the United States, research on other regulatory context is under-researched. Further, most empirical research on costs of regulation exclude the financial sector, and we know that this sector is highly regulated. There is a need for more empirical research to provide insight on the regulatory cost burden to the financial sector. In the second paper, I examine how the Statutory Audit and Corporate Reporting Directives (SACORD) affect the compliance costs, risk-taking and quality of financial reporting of the EU banks. Using a natural experiment, I find that post SACORD, compliance costs of the EU banks increase by 11 to 26 percent. Further, there is a significant increase in risk-taking and a decline in the reporting quality. I conclude that as far as the EU banks are concerned, these regulations do not appear to have the desired effects of improving the reporting quality and constraining risk-taking. In the third paper, I investigate the impact of the MiFID on stock price informativeness and liquidity in the European Union (EU). Using data from 28 EU countries and the Difference in Differences approach, I find that post-MiFID the stock prices reflect greater firm-specific information and the market becomes more liquid. Consistent with the ‘Hysteresis Hypothesis’ the evidence shows that the impact of MiFID regarding price informativeness is greater for countries that have superior quality of regulation. The results are robust with respect to the choice of price informativeness and liquidity proxies as well as the control variables. Finally, in the fourth paper, I analyse the impact of UK referendum outcome (Brexit) on stock prices, along three key arguments made by proponents. I document that restricting EU labour movement is associated with a decline in market value by 9.64% to 10.35% over a 10-day event window. Further, sectors with a majority of their business operations outside the EU fared better than sectors that requires a lot of workforce from the EU. I find evidence that highly regulated sectors benefit more from expected deregulation of EU-derived laws except for the financial institutions. Additionally, internationally focused companies’ performed better than domestically focused firms. In sum, my evidence shows that the market expectations about labour restrictions, streamlining regulation and trade policies significantly affect firm values.
Open Access
Constructive deviance in the defence context
(Cranfield University, 2022-05) Taylor, Chris; Parry, Emma; Denyer, David
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. (Romans 12:2) This study addresses the question: what motivates and influences constructively deviant behaviour in the UK Defence context? It answers this question by asking interviewees, in semi-structured interviews, to reflect on two occasions when they had the opportunity to constructively deviate. By comparing the enablers and barriers from an episode in which they destructively conformed with those from one in which they constructively deviated, the research focuses on the organisational and contextual factors that affect people’s decisions to constructively deviate or destructively conform. The research suggests that individuals in the Defence context are motivated to constructively deviate to improve their immediate environment or increase operational effectiveness or efficiency. It finds that there are factors in the Defence context which influence constructive deviance that are common to those in less normative environments such as supportive leadership, felt empowerment and a sense of responsibility. It also finds that there are Defence-specific factors that influence constructive deviance such as the relative importance of leaders compared to peers, leader rhetoric, the performance appraisal system and Defence bureaucracy. The research adds to the body of knowledge through its exploration of enablers and barriers to constructive deviance and a deeper understanding of the UK Defence context.
Open Access
The creation of a new product development capability in UK manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)
(2006) Noke, Hannah; Bessant, John; Radnor, Zoe
This is a study of how manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) create a new product development (NPD) capability in the UK. The UK’s innovative and productive performance remains a subject of considerable concern, not least because of its increasing productivity gap, but also because of concerns relating to the manufacturing industry’s reliance on gaining process efficiencies. Indeed it is believed that to remain competitive a move up the value chain is a necessity, through the likes of new product development. This exploratory research has adopted a qualitative approach, through interpretative means, allowing a rich and in-depth understanding to be gained. The study incorporates four detailed case studies on UK based manufacturing SMEs. A number of research methods were employed to aid triangulation of the data, including unstructured and semi-structured interviews, observation and documentation, such as company brochures and website material. The thesis makes two contributions to new knowledge and understanding. Firstly, the strategies that are employed and found to enable the creation of a NPD capability are identified; these include external involvement with other organisations to access resources and skills not possessed by the firms themselves. These outward facing strategies incorporate the use of strategic alliances, licensing of technology and ideas, and outsourcing elements of the NPD process. In addition, an internal, in-house development process was utilised. This offered the firms control of the process and the opportunity to capitalise on their own unique knowledge and skills which provided them with a competitive advantage. Secondly, this study provides a unique insight into the factors that are required for SMEs to create a NPD capability. Interestingly, this research indicates that these factors are not created simultaneously; rather, they occur at different rates and as such were categorised as ‘enablers’, i.e. those factors already enabling the creation of a NPD capability. The second group of factors, ‘qualifiers’, were found to be important to the creation of a NPD capability, but were not fully developed and were not enabling the process. However, the research identified the potential of ‘qualifiers’ to become enablers over time.
Open Access
Customer insights generation at the front end of innovation: an exploration within a medical device company
(Cranfield University, 2023-06) Grant, Stuart Russell; Goffin, Keith; Adams, Richard
It is generally agreed that product innovation happens when innovation teams conduct market research to uncover customer needs. It has also been reported that customer needs and customer insights are essential for radical innovation. Over the last 40 years, research into customer needs has defined needs as either articulated or unarticulated, with associated market research methods to uncover needs and insights, such as surveys, questionnaires, observation, interviews, and a repertory grid. Though customer needs are well-defined, customer insights need an adequate definition. Although definitions exist in the marketing and psychology literature, they are unclear or often conflicting within the product innovation field. For example, customer insights are either a separate concept from a need or a component of needs. As such, how both these concepts relate to radical innovation remains unclear. Furthermore, the process of uncovering customer needs has been well defined; conversely, the process that links the uncovering of customer needs and discovering customer insights requires an improved framework. Nevertheless, does understanding the relationship and process between needs and insights matter and warrant being studied? If, as suggested, finding customer needs leads to incremental innovation and customer insights lead to radical innovation, then understanding this is worthwhile. This is because, firstly, for academics, investigating what innovation teams are doing during the front end of innovation (FEI) will allow them to analyse the data from case studies research more effectively. Secondly, practitioners will better appreciate the FEI process and be able to categorise their findings from market research into needs and insights, which will assist with considering the type of innovation being pursued. Therefore, understanding the relationship between a need and an insight is required. A fuller understanding of the process of discovering insights in the FEI is needed. Through a systematic literature review (SLR) and an exploratory case study, the research attempts to investigate this conceptualisation of customer insight in product innovation and understand the relationship between needs and insights. The SLR reviewed the extant literature on the definitions of, the methods used for finding, and the relationship between needs and insights. The exploratory case study investigated the process of discovering customer insight with innovation teams in a global medical technology company. The research had two strands – retrospective and longitudinal. Five retrospective cases were conducted immediately after the FEI had finished: four interviews per case, totalling 20 interviews. Four longitudinal cases followed the FEI for ten months; an interview was conducted with the participants at 1-, 4-, and 10-month intervals throughout the front end process; this totalled 45 interviews with 15 participants from the four cases. In addition to the interview data, documentation was also collected from all nine cases. The data was collected and analysed based on coding from the literature. The research extends the body of literature on customer needs and insights. From a theoretical perspective, the study provides a clearer understanding of the definition of customer needs and insights. It also suggests the relationship between the concepts of need and insight. The framework proposed that discovering insights produces a better understanding of the front end process. This process is iterative, whereby finer needs are uncovered, and deeper insights are discovered as the team further understands the customer and the market research. From a practice perspective, the study assists innovation in better appreciating the interaction of needs and insights. The research also helps product innovation teams better categorise their market research findings into needs and insights that may drive more radical innovations.
Open Access
The delivery reliability of UK manufacturing plants: an empirical study
(1999-03) Szwejczewski, Marek Gregory; New, Colin
Delivery reliability is an important factor that customers consider when selecting their suppliers. It is also an important component of manufacturing strategy. With quality consistency now being taken for granted in some market sectors delivery reliability is one of the few variables a manufacturing company can compete on. The operations management literature suggests a number of variables that impact plant delivery reliability, but offers little empirical research evidence to substantiate the claims made, this research re-addresses this imbalance. The research examined the nature of the relationship between delivery reliability and a series of variables. In particular the research examined the relationship between the plant’s delivery reliability and the following variables: part complexity, customisation, supplier delivery reliability, management focus and performance measurement focus. The research made a number of contributions. Firstly, the research found a significant negative relationship existed between the proportion of customised products and delivery reliability. The results indicate that as the proportion of customised products increases so the level of plant delivery reliability declines. Secondly, the research found that plants that supplied mainly demanding customers had high levels of delivery reliability. Whilst those plants that supplied some or no demanding customers had low levels of plant delivery reliability. The research also found that supplier delivery reliability was positively related to plant delivery reliability. The results suggested that as supplier delivery reliability improves so does plant delivery reliability. The research results pointed to the fact that the focus of the management team on delivery reliability was also related to delivery reliability. The plants where the management team was focused on delivery reliability also had high levels of delivery reliability.
Open Access
a design research study of customised management development.
(2017-11) Shepherd, Wendy; Kwiatkowski, Richard; Bowman, Cliff
This Design Research study of customised management development (CMD) develops an explanatory model of how CMD generates organisational level impact. The model makes a contribution to the management development literature by providing a plausible explanation of the connectivity between CMD as an input and performance as an organisational level outcome. The model is consistent with a realist perspective and suggests that CMD does not cause change, but changes the course of change that is already in process within the organisation through, inter alia social interactions and practice based learning. In contrast to prevailing more linear perspectives of the CMD process, the notion of the participant leaving their organisational context to be developed has been replaced with a representation of CMD where the organisation’s context is ever present within the development process. The practical validity of the model and its artefacts has been field tested at Cranfield School of Management. This has resulted in the implementation of a ‘Design for Impact’ process. The process utilises knowledge artefacts in the form of diagrams and design propositions that recommend what to do and what to avoid when designing interventions within specific organisational contexts. The model and knowledge artefacts that form the output of this research have been developed using a Design Research method. The method combines knowledge drawn from a systematic review of the literature with practitioner interviews. The application of the approach to the management development literature progresses the discussion from ‘How do we prove the organisational level impact of management development?’ to ‘How can we improve the organisational level impact of management development?’.
Open Access
Development of nanomip based sensors for drugs of abuse detection.
(2018-02) D'aurelio, Roberta; Tothill, Ibtisam E.; Chianella, Iva
This work presents the development of portable, yet highly sensitive and specific, sensor based on NanoMIPs EIS for the detection of cocaine and morphine at trace levels (sub-ppm). The molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) were synthesised as the sensing elements using solid-phase synthesis approach at the University of Leicester. Cocaine nanoMIPs and morphine nanoMIPs particle size (dH) were measured using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and were found to be 168.80±68.73 nm and 170.09±54.75 nm for cocaine nanoMIP and morphine nanoMIP respectively, thus highlighting a small batch to batch variations. The nanoMIPs were then covalently attached to the conventional screen-printed electrode (SPE), thus yielding a nanoMIP EIS sensor. The Faradic Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was applied to detect the analyte binding events, having 10 mM [Fe (CN) 6]³⁻/⁴⁻ in MOPS (10 mM, pH 7.4) as redox couple solution. The EIS was recorded at a 0.12 V potential over the frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 50 kHz with a modulation voltage of 10 mV. The cocaine nanoMIP EIS sensor, fabricated onto SPE, was optimised and was able to detect cocaine hydrochloride (salt form) dissolved in 10 mM MOPS (pH 7.4) in the linear range of 0.1 – 50 ng mL⁻¹ (R²=0.984) and with a LOD equal to 0.24 ng mL⁻¹ . The optimisation studies on the surface blocking agents guaranteed the absence of cross-reactivity towards other drugs, such as morphine and other cocaine adulterants, such as levamisole, caffeine and, partially, mannitol. The optimised sensor and assay conditions were replicated using interdigitated electrode (IDE), achieving an LOD (2.5 ng mL⁻¹), which will requires further optimisation. Analogously, the morphine nanoMIP EIS sensor, fabricated onto SPE, was optimised and tested against morphine salt dissolved in MOPS (pH 7.4) (0.1 – 50 ng mL⁻¹). The sensor was able to detect morphine in the linear range of 0.1- 10 ng mL⁻¹ (R² = 0.977) and achieving a LOD as low as 0.109 ng mL⁻¹. The optimised sensor was replicated using IDE, placed in a custom-made 3D printed IDE cable holder. The sensor achieved an LOD of 0.114 ng mL⁻¹ in a linear range of 0.01 to 5 ng mL⁻¹. Furthermore, a QCM platform with a fully automated microfluidic system was employed in this work to develop a multiplexing nanoMIPs QCM sensor for cocaine and morphine detection. The morphine nanoMIPs and cocaine nanoMIPs were respectively immobilised on spot 1 and spot 2 of a QCM sensor chip. Due to the required QCM signal enhancement, morphine and cocaine were separately adsorbed onto 40 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Increasing concentration (250 ng mL⁻¹ to 50 µg mL⁻¹) of each drug conjugated AuNPs were prepared in PBS (pH 7.4) and injected onto the nanoMIP QCM sensor. The nanoMIPs QCM sensor was able to detect morphine-AuNPs and cocaine-AuNPs, without any detectable cross-reactivity events, with the respective LOD equal to 0.191 µg mL-¹and 0.360 µg mL⁻¹. The morphine-AuNPs and cocaine-AuNPs detection binding data were fitted to 1:1 Langmuir binding model and the average (±SD) values of the KD were equal to 0.647±0.340 µM and 0.225±0.197 µM respectively, thus providing insight on the affinity binding. All the nanoMIPs sensors developed in this work are cheap, easy-to-use and portable (in the case of EIS) screening methods for drugs of abuse detection, thus being a valuable competitor to the current on-site screening methods.
Open Access
Dilemma theory: towards a conceptual framework for intercultural management teams
(2003-02) Besso-Cowan, Jonathan Michael; Hampden-Turner, Charles; Hope-Hailey, Veronica
The primary contribution of this thesis is to extend the application of dilemma theory from the study of individuals, to the study of what actually happens, at the level of intercultural encounter in small groups of managers. The thesis makes additional conceptual contributions to the domains of culture, small groups and trust. This thesis explores what insights may be gained from applying dilemma theory to intercultural team dynamics. It adopts a phenomenological perspective, specifically drawing on Hampden-Tumer’s dilemma theory and Levinas’ philosophy of ethical hermeneutics. The thesis explores the conceptual derivation of dilemma theory. It explores the concepts of the virtuous circle, spiralling towards resolution (Bateson’s ‘pattern which connects’) and the alternative vicious circle, exhibiting increasing instability until splitting occurs. An alternative derivation of dilemma theory from Halacha (‘The Way’ of Jewish Law) which guides this author, is suggested. The thesis applies primarily qualitative methods of data collection to an intense study of small intercultural group processes over time. Data was obtained from two culturally diverse teams of six people, by hermeneutic analysis of semi-structured interviews, transcripts of audiotaped team discussions and the teams’ collective written descriptions of their progress. Triangulation of these three methods can be considered as a hermeneutic variant of dilemma methodology allowing the patterns of interactions in the teams, arising out of the interactions of values and their resolution or otherwise, to be measured and team process dynamics to be described. The results were supported by the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, which allows for resolution. The more cohesive group showed a tendency to dilemma resolution and embracing diversity. The other group worried about diversity, ignored the concerns of the most obviously ‘other’ team member, was distressed and almost fragmented, showing a lesser ability to resolve dilemmas and a tendency to splitting. This thesis concludes that there is a general ability to resolve dilemmas in cohesive teams which value diversity and a lesser ability in teams, which suffer from considerable disharmony. If a team is considered as a fractal of a larger society, the contribution may have relevance to all forms of diversity.
Open Access
Disruptive risk management: what makes supply chains resilient to low probability/ high impact disruptions to the inbound and outbound aspects of the supply chain? A systematic literature review
(2006-09) Richardson, Delia; Wilding, Richard D.
The business community has found itself in the predicament of first understanding and then knowing how to deal with the risk and disruptions to which it is exposed. Risk management is a well informed field in other disciplines. Supply chain risk management however, still needs to be understood and adequately practised, but seemingly, of even more urgency is disruption risk management, which as a new hot topic, is still evolving in both the academic and the practical fields. To compound the problem is the fact that not all practitioners believe that this risk actually exists and that they need to plan for it. If they believe that it exists, they still are unsure as to how to prepare for it and many still need to be convinced that money needs to be put aside to plan for and to mitigate against disruptive events. Disruptive events such as acts of nature, accidents, terrorist and non-terrorist activities can cause a breakdown in the supply chain and thus very quickly cripple the supply chain, possibly causing disruptions to the transportation, communication and information technology systems. This is indeed a critical situation given the fact that many companies have chosen efficiency over effectiveness by employing such strategies of JIT, outsourcing and single sourcing strategies (Norrman, Jansson, 2004; CLSCM 2003, Christopher 2005, Tang 2006). In effect what they have done is exposed their supply chains making them very vulnerable to disruptive events. This report then, seeks to answer what makes a resilient supply chain. To this end the author has used the systematic review process in an attempt to use evidence-based methods of scientific research (Tranfield et al., 2003) to identify, select and critically appraise relevant research. The process is so designed that the information, once discovered and developed can then be discussed and synthesized. The broad fields of literature will include Supply Chain Risk, Vulnerability, Resilience, Risk Management and Disruption Risk Management. Findings thus far indicate that resilient supply chains have seemed to evolve from business continuity planning and supply chain risk management. Additionally, they are hinged on creating a flexible and agile supply chain, having enhanced communication within the network and establishing the right company culture. Firstly, the report seeks to situate the research in the current body of knowledge. It then describes in detail the methodology employed for the research and analysis of the information. The descriptive and thematic findings are presented, followed by their synthesis, discussion and conclusion. One of the main purposes and benefits of the systematic review is that it sets the stage to allow an issue to evolve, which can then be used to frame a PhD question. To this end, the conclusion includes PhD questions that the author has found of interest and considers as good, sound and feasible for further research and analysis.
Open Access
Dividend yields and business confidence as predictors of returns on the London Stock Exchange
(1996-09) Fielding, John Anthony; Broyles, J.
This thesis examines the relationship between future returns and dividend yields on the London Stock Exchange for the period 1966 to 1993. An additional set of explanatory variables is introduced in the form of the Confederation of British Industries, Industrial Trends Survey data. A significant relationship was found between dividend yields and future returns when regression statistics were generated by ordinary least squares. The relationship was shown, however, to be attributable only to the period from 1966 to 1980 and in particular to the turbulent era from 1973 to 1975. When allowance was made for the effect of a lagged regressor by use of the Goetzmann and Jorion (1993) simulation model, no significant relationship between dividend yields and future returns for the entire sample period was found. Ordinary Least Squares estimation of regressions of future returns on the Confederation of British Industries surveys of Business Opinion showed only a modest relationship. This was considerably weakened when the regression coefficients were estimated by randomisation. In common with Dividend Yields the relationship was entirely a feature of the 1966 to 1980 period. The evidence provided by this study does not enable the refutation of the semi-strong form of market efficiency.
Open Access
“Do i have the right to lead?“ identity work of emerging Russian business leaders in a leadership development programme
(Cranfield University, 2022-03) Shapenko, Andrey; Dickmann, Michael; Horwitz, Frank
Through a qualitative study of 30 Russian managers and entrepreneurs who graduated from an 18-month Master of Business Administration Programme (MBA) in Moscow, Russia, the research answers two questions: (1) what does leadership mean in the Russian context as described by emerging Russian business leaders? and (2) how do these leaders develop their leadership identity within a leadership development programme? Key research findings reveal that perceptions about effective leadership in Russia are changing, presumably due to a generational shift, and that the leadership identity work in a leadership development programme is fuelled by participants' efforts to promote their leader efficacy. The thesis contributes to social identity theory, implicit leadership theory, and identity theory. Social identity theory is enriched by proposing specific characteristics of Russian leadership identity and describing the challenges emerging Russian leaders face because of conflicting leadership prototypes for self-to-leader comparison. Implicit leadership theory benefits from the evidence that perceptions about Russian leadership characteristics are changing; emerging business leaders prefer a more participative, humane oriented, transformational approach over a transactional, directive and authoritarian one. Finally, identity theory is strengthened by establishing a link between leader efficacy and leadership identity work and by proposing a process model of leader efficacy development and leadership identity work within an educational programme. The study also indicates avenues for further research.