279 research outputs found
The Effect of Business Improvement Methods on Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Peripheral Regions
No full textHarris R., McAdam R. and Reid R. The effect of business improvement methods on innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises in peripheral regions, Regional Studies. This paper tests whether commonly used business improvement methods (BIM) foster or inhibit innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in peripheral regions. The findings show that adopting BIM diverts firms away from successful innovation (i.e., in terms of new products/services and new processes in the past three years), and instead is associated with undertaking innovation-related activities while remaining non-innovators. Indeed, reinforcing BIM (through greater ‘depth’ of use) may lead to further exclusion from successful innovation.</p
Curriculum Area Impact Project in Sciences 3-18:Report Launch
No full textIn her role as Development Officer for Sciences 3-18 at Education Scotland, Lauren was involved in development of the Curriculum Area Impact Project Report in Sciences 3-18. The Report was launched at this presentation at the Scottish Learning Festival, by lead author Marie McAdam, HMIE, and Lauren. Both went on to take the next steps in engaging practitioners with the messages of the report, including a blog and a series of 'national conversations' around science learning in Scotland, bringing together practitioners, teachers, pupils, and stakeholders including further and higher education and industry and business representatives to take forward science education in Curriculum for Excellence. The report was subsequently updated in September 2013 to reflect continuing development in practice in Scotland's schools
Curriculum Area Impact Project in Sciences 3-18:Report Launch
No full textIn her role as Development Officer for Sciences 3-18 at Education Scotland, Lauren was involved in development of the Curriculum Area Impact Project Report in Sciences 3-18. The Report was launched at this presentation at the Scottish Learning Festival, by lead author Marie McAdam, HMIE, and Lauren. Both went on to take the next steps in engaging practitioners with the messages of the report, including a blog and a series of 'national conversations' around science learning in Scotland, bringing together practitioners, teachers, pupils, and stakeholders including further and higher education and industry and business representatives to take forward science education in Curriculum for Excellence. The report was subsequently updated in September 2013 to reflect continuing development in practice in Scotland's schools
High tech start-ups in University Science Park incubators: The relationship between the start-up’s lifecycle progression and use of the incubator’s resources
No full textUniversity Science Park incubators (USIs) have emerged as a means by which Government, academia and business can develop high technology business firms (spin out HTBFs) from initial conception through to becoming established small firms, which are ready to move beyond the Science Park confines. Although there is considerable literature on how USIs can be improved and developed there is a paucity of studies, which explore how lifecycle development within HTBFs in USIs can affect how they use the unique resources and opportunities of the USI. Moreover, there is a focus on single point in time studies, which do not adequately investigate the longitudinal dynamics of HTBF lifecycle development within USIs. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the longitudinal use of the unique resources of the USI by HTBFs at different lifecycle stages. The research methodology involved 18 HTBFs within two separate USIs. A series of longitudinal interviews and focus groups were conducted with HTBFs and USI staff over a 36-month period. NUD*IST software was used in developing the coding and analysis of transcripts. The results show that a HTBF's propensity to make effective use of the USI's resources and support increases as the lifecycle stage of the company increases and the small-firm searches for independence and autonomy. Therefore, further research is required to investigate the following two outstanding questions; firstly, which usage pattern is associated with the HTBF's ultimate success or failure in the marketplace? And secondly, are there any services missing from the observed array that the USI could provide to enhance the HTBF's degree of ultimate success? © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
The Networked Incubator
No full text Within the current literature it is generally agreed that university incubator units offer considerable advantages to new, growth-orientated firms in the provision of shared facilities such as offices, administrative staff and access to university research and grant support. Moreover, in recent years the networked incubator has emerged as an effective mechanism that fosters partnerships between high-technology-based firms (spin-out HTBFs) and other external parties such as government support agencies and funders, thus facilitating technology transfer from universities to the economy. However, there is a lack of longitudinal studies exploring how entrepreneurial networking operates and develops and how the entrepreneur uses these networks to support growth ambitions, within USIs. To explore this issue further, this paper presents evidence from an in-depth longitudinal study of the operation of entrepreneurial networking within 12 entrepreneurial firms based in a USI, and with related stakeholders in the Republic of Ireland. The research methodology is based on longitudinal semi-structured interviews. The results show that the incubator environment enhances the development of social networks that act to support the new entrepreneur during the vital stages of firm foundation. Furthermore, the networks have a key role in facilitating the design and implementation of firm growth strategies within the USI. </jats:p
An investigation into manufacturing planning and control systems within Irish engineering sector
No full textManufacturing planning and control (MPC) systems, among a number of sub-systems
in an organisation, are the pivotal infrastructures that support the' organisation’s
strategy in order to create competitive advantage in the market place. It provides
information to efficiently manage the flow of materials, effectively utilize people and
equipment, coordinate internal activities with those of suppliers and communicate
with customers about market requirements.
Several studies emphasized the need for alignment between the manufacturing
planning and control methods and the manufacturing environment, in order to
improve companies’ performance. Matching the MPC systems dimensions with the
manufacturing environment is problematic.
Throughout the literature there is a lack of empirical- studies that match specific
manufacturing environment and planning methods. This thesis provides a practical
knowledge investigating the MPC system used within the Irish engineering sector and
examines the effect on performance, of linking those systems to' the business
environment. The underlying hypothesis is that good performance is the result of
matching the MPC system with the manufacturing environment and good use of the
MPC system employed. A conceptual framework, based on the literature review has
been developed. Further it examines how the use of those systems influences the
companies’ performance. The thesis concludes that the performance of Irish
companies improves when they can match the MPC system with the manufacturing
environment and they use it efficiently
Three leafed clover?: TQM, organisational excellence and business improvement
No full textThis paper seeks to categorise the terminology currently in use within the quality management discourse. Aspirational definitions are studiously avoided, rather a critical perspective of the existing discourse is analysed. Three main terms are found to be most prominent in the current discourse, namely TQM, organisational excellence and business improvement. These terms are critiqued, compared and contrasted using a critical perspective and five point analysis framework. It is concluded that TQM has an established theoretical base on which enabling practice can be established. Dilution of this term could lead to yet more faddishness within the quality movement. Organisational excellence (OE) is currently a key stage on the TQM journey and is composed of contributions from various management discourses. There appears to be an emerging dynamic to develop OE beyond that of an aspirational stage point. Business improvement is considered to be a synonym for TQM, where omission of the word quality, especially in manufacturing circles, can be advantageous in that quality assurance connotations are avoided.</jats:p
Quality models in an SME context
No full textThis paper adopts a critical perspective in seeking to inquire how TQM‐related models, developed initially in large organisations, are applied in the SME context. Using a grounded inductive approach, a study is made of 20 SME cases, where a quality model, the balanced scorecard, has been applied. A grounded model is derived which shows the critical factors in regard to the principles of TQM, when quality models are applied in an SME context. The findings indicate TQM, when a quality model is applied in an SME context. The findings indicate that SMEs can be compromised by the mechanistic and formalised nature of such models, which the SMEs consider as adding bureaucracy, while needing to remain flexible and innovative in a very dynamic environment over which they have little control.</jats:p
Jane McAdam, Climate Change, Forced Migration, and International Law (Book review)
No full textThis book explores the issue of environmentally-induced migrations from the point of view of international human rights law, international humanitarian law, international refugee law and international law of statelessness. Last few years have become a period of unprecedented growth in the number of studies devoted to the forced migration caused by climate change. The book by professor Jane McAdam, published by Oxford University Press, differs significantly from previous studies in this area. The focus of the author became a state responsibility for the situation of climate-change induced displaced people with a particular focus on legal aspects of this problem. The basis of the author`s considerations are four particular areas of public international law: international human rights law, international humanitarian law, international refugee law and international law of statelessness. The issue of climate change-induced displacement is now becoming a growing challenge for public international law. The growing number of climate change migrants becomes a challenge for the international istitutions dealing with humanitarian assistance. Sea level rise become a factor of specific legal problems, such as climatic deterritorialization of the state, state succession on the new territory, the status of people forced to leave their country submerged under the waters of ocean (forced migrants?, refugees?, stateless people?, citizens of the former country continuing its status within a new territory?)
- …
