An examination, planning and control & the management process, to better performance and profitability or: The management process to improve performance for better profitability

Chiu, John (2009) An examination, planning and control & the management process, to better performance and profitability or: The management process to improve performance for better profitability. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Everest and Blanc (E&B) is at a crossroad. It grew from a ‘mom and pop’ operation into a small professional firm and plateaued. Thus, there is a desire to bring about operation efficiency, followed by expansion of the company. In order to be successful, a systematic decision making process is necessary to ensure a high probability of success, and able to pinpoint dysfunctions early for improvement. In addition, implementing processes need careful consideration and progress monitoring. This study was founded on these premises using M2 mode research methodology to establish an optimal structural course of action by surveying paradigms of management theories and concepts.

The study began with an exposition on research methodologies and focused on the M2 research mode. It continued on with considering operations topics (micro concerns), extending to general issues (macro concerns) in conjunction with management theories and concepts. Finally a decision making model was shaped and applied to E&B. During the process, several important decisions were made, grounded on the findings on the research, such as relocating the corporate office anticipating expansion. Overall, the changes introduced, the process of change, the decision-making process, and implementation were all effective.

The decision making model, SOMM, Strato Operation Management Model, is an extension of both Ansoff’s and Anthony’s management models together with the decision-making process. The emphasis is on the relationship of the system structure’s characteristics where it is symbolized by a matryoshka representing the three management modules (Strategic Management, Management Control and Planning and Tactical Operation) nesting within each other. Relating to the overall strategic and management control and planning competency, the workhorse is a combination of defensive and offensive approaches together with evaluation methodologies to capture emerging and unintended strategies and to control performance; whereas the tactical operation process is to bring about efficiency and effectiveness.

These are new knowledge and policies cast into members of E&B. It is, therefore, fundamental that careful interventions are necessary to cause changes by motivation and to align goal congruency. Further, the inquiry had specifically focused on the needs of E&B, it did not preclude application to other organizations. For academics, it may be an engaging topic for further empirical studies advancing knowledge in management and operations. With respect to a wider world application, it was also concluded that the findings for E&B are applicable and adaptable to other professional and business concerns as innovative tools to their problems and issues.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Social science research methodologies, Mode 2 research methodology, M2 research mode, Research process, Management research methodology, Research tools, Decision making, Historical perspective of decision making in management, Academic and economic perspective, Models of decision making, Framework of decision making in management, Critical influencing factors, Culture and value, Risk management, Yin Yang, Wicked problems, SWOT, SMART, Portfolio technique, Porter, Competitive strategy, Competitive advantage, Cost raising strategy, Barrier, Boyd’s cycle, Art of War, Resources based view, RBV, Mintzberg, 10 Schools of thoughts of strategic management, Change management, Knowledge management, Learning organization, Systems theory, System intervention, SI, Organization development intervention, OD, Organization Structure, Matrix organization, Work breakdown structure, Project management, Kaizen, Concept of Lean, The Toyota Way, Continuous improvement, House of Lean, Lean thinking, Kaizen Blitz, Business Process Re-engineering, BPR, Total Quality Management, TQM, Lewin, Covey, Balanced Scorecard, Strategic planning, Strategic management, Planning and control, Management control, Operating activities, Strategic decision management structure, Linking strategy and operation, Strategy formulation, Strategy implementation, Strategy evaluation, Cost leadership, Differentiation, Value chain, Strato-Operation Management Model, SOMM, Process introducing changes, Means ensuring success of change, Systems map, Situation Analysis, Objective tree, Strategy map
• Subjects: T Technology > TS Manufactures; H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management; H Social Sciences > HF Commerce; H Social Sciences > HG Finance; L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education; H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory; U Military Science > U Military Science (General); H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management; H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management; College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School
• Supervisor's Name: Southern, Dr. Geoffrey, Macbeth, Prof. Douglas and Paton, Prof. Robert A.
• Date of Award: 2009
• Depositing User: mr John Chiu
• Unique ID: glathesis:2009-850
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 08 Jun 2009
• Last Modified: 10 Dec 2012 13:27
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/850