An action learning project was undertaken to empower small- and medium-sized construction companies to define the agenda for performance improvement and to take a leading role in the process of industry change. Whilst achievement of zero defects was an ultimate aim, smaller construction firms identified the shorter-term need to deal effectively with defects during the post-construction phase. Project activities explored problems and identified ways of improving the management of the defects liability period. Proposed solutions ranged from simple modifications to management procedures, through innovative methods of working with tenants to more fundamental changes in design and construction processes. Construction firms and housing associations recognized the importance of working together to improve procedures. Small- and medium-sized construction firms can address performance issues in practical ways and have a potentially valuable role to play in promoting industry improvement. Action learning can support the process of change being instigated by Egan in 1998 and solutions generated by action learning have the potential for wider dissemination and use
This article examines employee participation in recently‐formed employee share ownership plan organisations (ESOPS) in the UK. the various legal/institutional forms of ESOP are outlined prior to considering the nature and determinants of participative institutions and processes. It is suggested that there are three ‘constellations’ of ESOP in terms of employee participation:‘technical ESOPS’, ‘paternalist ESOPs’ and ‘representative ESOPs’. There are relatively few innovations in participation in the first of these, while in paternalist ESOPs, innovations centre on individualistic forms of participation and communication at the level of the workplace. In representative ESOPs employees gain more of a say in strategic decisions through such innovations as employee representation on company boards. It is argued that these differences in the nature of participation are due neither to differences in legal structure nor to variations in the extent of employee share ownership. Instead, participative systems are viewed as the outcome of the philosophies and objectives of those involved in the conversion to employee ownership.
As global competitive forces begin to impact more and more on smaller enterprises, they may find themselves more limited in the approaches available to them to prepare for fundamental change. In‐depth case studies were analysed for 11 firms in the south‐west of England, of which eight were characterised as small/medium enterprises (SMEs). Each firm had recently undergone a major change, and their managers were found to face considerable practical difficulties in developing and updating their skills in comparison with their counterparts from larger organisations. The need for innovative new approaches to SME managerial skills development is argued, and the potential benefits of a generic “computer‐aided visioning” system is highlighted as a low‐cost option for the smaller enterprise.
Purpose – This article, which is one of the products of an international collaborative research initiative called iTrust, aims to explore these questions and offer suggestions concerning how the issues they raise can be addressed. Design/methodology/approach – The article describes the results of the first stage in a multi-stage research project leading to methods for developing retention and disposition specifications and formal schedules for open data and big data initiatives. A fictitious organization is used to describe the characteristics of open data and big data initiatives, the gap between current approaches to setting retention and disposition specifications and schedules and what is required and how that gap can be closed. The landscape described as a result of this stage in the research will be tested in case studies established in the second stage of the project. Findings – The argument is made that the business processes supporting open data and big data initiatives could serve as the basis for developing enhanced standards and procedures that are relevant to the characteristics of these two kinds of initiatives. The point is also made, however, that addressing the retention and disposition issues requires knowledge and leadership, both of which are in short supply in many organizations. The characteristics, the issues and the approaches will be tested through case studies and consultations with those involved with managing and administering big data and open data initiatives. Originality/value – There is very little, if any, current literature that addresses the impact of big data and open data on the development and application of retention schedules. The outcome of the research will benefit those who are seeking to establish processes leading to formally approved retention and disposition specifications, as well as an instrument – the approved retention and disposal schedule – designed to ensure the ongoing integrity of the records and data associated with big data and open data initiatives.
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