Browsing by Author "Harper, M."

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    ASEAN development and multinational corporations : a study of the perception of the senior managers of MNCs on ASEAN development
    (Cranfield University, 1987-03) Chia, Hock Hwa; Harper, M.
    The object of the study was.to investigate the feelings .and reactions of the senior managers of multinational corporations, (mcs), to the development of the Association of South East ~sian Nations, (ASEAN). ASEAN is a regional grouping of six developing nations formed in 1967 primarily to promote economic cooperation among member states, Though the Association is now in its 20th year of existence, the level of ASEAN economic corporation is currently superficial at best. In recent years however, ASEAN governments both individually and collectively are increasingly turning to the private sector for new leadership to speed up the development of ASEAN as a regional economic force. These new governmental initiatives are important to ASEAN. This is because not only is the increased pace of private sector investment critical to the health of the economies of the individual member states but more fundamentally, the successful development of ASEAN as a regional force in international trade would help project ASEAN as a more credible economic grouping. In the private sector, MNCs, because of their access to large investment funds and their international networks, are vital forces for ASEAN development. Besides the traditional strengths of mcs, this study hypothesised that organisations whose senior managements in the region were supportive of ASEAN could make greater contributions to ASEAN development.
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    Economics of government export promotion
    (Cranfield University, 1977-11) Pointon , T; Harper, M.
    Economics of Government Export Promotion The main thrust of this thesis is concerned with finding a new quantitative method for establishing the value or utility of government export promotion. It is set against a general examination of the role and economics of such activities. This is the first academic study in an area which is of increasing interest to governments of both developed and developing economies because there is no satisfactory quantitative measure. To date, such investment has therefore been in the nature of a blind and open-ended commitment. Specific literature On the subject is sparse. Examination of a wideranging literature was therefore necessary. This included: the "conceptual and historical framework; previous qualitative research; societal or public expenditure accounting; international trade and international trade theory; exporters' marketing needs; and, the major disciplines found in government export promotion. The result was the identification of four avenues of evaluation and.also criteria for the possible development of a new measuring technique. Field research was directed to three main areas: (i) the export promotion organisations of eleven overseas governments; (ii) in-depth research into the United Kingdom's export promotion machine; and, (iii) UK exporting firms using the official export services This revealed the evaluation methods employed by government export promotion organisations in some of the major industrialised economies. Further, it enabled a new methodology to be evolved and pilot-tested. A newlevaluative technique is proposed. Relative to other existing techniques, it should permit a quick,.inexpensive and substantially more realistic estimate of the utility of government export promotion services to be made. The approach is based on exporters' turnover and cost-savings effects.
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    Financing small businesses : a comparative study of Pakistani-immigrant businesses and UK-indigenous businesses in the travel trade
    (Cranfield University, 1997-09) Yousuf, Shahzad; Harper, M.; Brewster, Chris
    This research is about financing practices of Pakistani-immigrant and indigenous-owned small travel agents. The study provides an understanding of the capital structures of businesses owned by both groups and compares these to draw similarities and differences between both groups. The research integrates the "ethnic enclave" immigrant theory, the capital structure theory in particular the Pecking Order Hypothesis, the role of "networks" in business financing, and the business life-cycle theories. The research question and the research hypotheses emerged from the literature reviewed. Ten case studies, five Pakistani businesses and five indigenous businesses, confirmed the hypotheses which formed the basis of a survey of a large sample of sixty businesses, thirty in each group. The case study data is considered invaluable since it provided the real evidence of the sensitive nature of financial information in these businesses. The methodology adopted was a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The findings of the study show that there are more similarities than differences among the capital structures of both groups of businesses. The nuclear family plays a crucial role throughout the life-cycle of the business in both groups. The role of family labour is not as prominent as among other industries such as Confectionery, Tobacconists, and Newsagents (CTN's). Informal sources of finance are preferred over formal sources by both groups of businesses due to their availability and lower cost. The Pecking Order Hypothesis theory applies to both groups of businesses. The main sources of formal finance were high street banks, bank overdrafts and loans. Pakistani businesses were not disadvantaged in any way by the formal providers of finance. This research is the first to report on the comparative capital structures among both groups of businesses. However, although considerable contribution has been made by this research to the small business finance literature further research should be conducted into the area.
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    Personal values and identity structures of Malay and Chinese entrepreneurs in Malaysia
    (Cranfield University, 1995-11) Hussin, Habruzah; Harper, M.
    The research involves a cross-cultural exploratory research on personal values and identity structures of Malay and Chinese entrepreneurs as reflected in their cognitive functioning. The general focus of this research is to study personal values through indirect measures, as emerging constructs elicited from cognitive activities. This study adopts a different approach in that it moves away from the search for a single set of entrepreneurial traits. On the other hand, examining the personal values of entrepreneurs can be more fruitful. In this context, it is assumed that entrepreneurs undergo changes in personal values and identity due to changes in their personal and social situations. This research integrates nomothetic' (perspective of the general) and 'idiographic' (perspective of the particular) research methods. The techniques of data collection used are in-depth interviews, demographic data questionnaire, and Identity Structure Analysis. The data gathered were analysed using three different techniques namely quantitative and qualitative account analysis, statistical analysis using SPSS, and Identity Exploration (IDEX- IDIO and IDEX-NOMO) computer programs. The research reveals fifteen personal values common to Malay and Chinese entrepreneurs: 'personal independence, trustworthiness, a comfortable life, frugality, perseverance, hard work utilise and create opportunities, benevolence, versatility, fatalism, risk taking, self discipline, innovativeness, mutual obligation and reciprocity to family and kinship and high achievement'. The single personal value found specific to Malay entrepreneurs is 'religious piety'. On the other hand, the personal values revealed to be specific to Chinese entrepreneurs are 'sustaining growth and continuity as family business' and 'harmonious relationships with others'. The findings from this study show that there are similarities and differences in the identity structures between both groups of entrepreneurs. Most Malay and Chinese entrepreneurs have a high level of 'idealistic identification' with 'admired person', 'successful entrepreneur', and 'most Chinese entrepreneurs'. Chinese entrepreneurs sampled in this study have a 'moderate' level of 'idealistic identification' with Malay entrepreneurs. Malay entrepreneurs have a 'moderate' level of 'idealistic identification' with their 'father' whereas Chinese entrepreneurs' identification can be considered 'high'. Both groups of entrepreneurs have high self-confidence with regard to their roles as 'an entrepreneur', 'as a husband', and 'as a Malay/ Chinese'. This research has made considerable contribution to knowledge specifically in the field of entrepreneurial studies. This empirical research into personal values of entrepreneurs in general and in particular the linkage with entrepreneur's identity and role expectations broadened the psychological perspective of entrepreneurs. It is reasonable to qualify this research as one of the very few studies into personal values and identity structures of entrepreneurs. More specifically this is the first empirical research not only to compare personal values and identity of Malay and Chinese entrepreneurs but also Malay entrepreneurs in general. The study of personal values and identity of entrepreneurs is still in its infancy. Therefore, further research should be conducted to enrich existing knowledge in this area.
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    Petty commodity production and the role of finance: A case study of micro-enterprises in Cato Crest, a squatter community in Durban, South Africa
    (Cranfield University, 1995-10) Reynolds, Richard; Harper, M.
    Finance plays a major role in influencing micro-enterprises and any process of change they undergo. This research provides both a study of such a process and an understanding of how finance and micro-enterprises relate within the context of the wider economv. The thesis is the product of fourteen months field research in the squatter community of Cato Crest. Durban, South Africa. A sample of 138 mainly retail micro-enterprises was studied using a variety of techniques, including semi-structured interviews and occupational biographies. Three categories of enterprise were developed based on current literature; capitalist, petty commodity production (PCP) and survival. The research then sought to operationalise them. It was found that between 18% and 29% of each group either changed into one of the other categories or ceased to operate during the period. The process however is not one of inevitable growth into capitalist enterprises. A dynamic process of growth and decline was observed during the research period and in the occupational biographies. Therefore while there was some growth in capitalist enterprises the main finding was that petty commodity production was conserved through the growth in aggregate numbers of PCP enterprises. Having identified the process of change five types of finance that played a role in Cato Crest were identified; external finance, waged employment, own finance, finance reducing measures (including partnerships) and hire purchase. The influence of each was as follows: • External finance from the banks and suppliers was not available to most micro-enterprises. • Full time waged employment by the owner or another household member was associated with the process of growth in micro-enterprises. In contrast the lack of such employment was associated with the perpetuation of survival enterprises or their cessation. The implication is that those who are marginalised or excluded from full time waged employment are likely to be excluded from owning micro-enterprises that grow. • Own finance through the use of stokvels, bank accounts and the re-investment of profit were all identified as important components in the growth of micro-enterprises. In all three cases they provided both a mechanism to save both directly and indirectly for investment purposes in the enterprise. However savings institutions need to be seen in the context of the wider economy in which they act as a channel for outflows of finance from the micro-enterprise sector to the formal capitalist sector. This is a net outflow since there is no corresponding lending of finance from the banking sector to micro-enterprises. • Finance reducing measures were observed to be important in the process of change. However it would appear that survival enterprises, which were often limited in their access to other financial options, were often perpetuated by the use of such measures. • Finally hire purchase was identified as being associated with the growth of micro-enterprises However its key role was not the provision of finance, but as a means for the capitalist sector to extend the sale of certain of its products into new areas of the economy. In summary the thesis is important in terms of the development and opcrationalisation of the three classifications of retail micro-enterprises, the identification of the role of finance In the process of change and the linkages between finance and the capitalist economy within which retail microenterprises operate.
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    Small business entrepreneurs in vertical marketing systems
    (Cranfield University, 1986-03) Winarto, Vincentius; Harper, M.
    The objective of this study is to investigate the potential contribution of vertical marketing systems to the development of small business entrepreneurs and in particular to entrepreneurially disadvantaged groups. The following are the two major questions for this study: 1. Do vertical linkage systems serve as a pathway for the entrepreneurially disadvantaged groups, namely those with no entrepreneurial experience, from families without business background, and from indigenous ethnic groups? The modernization process in Third World countries, and in particular Indonesia, may create a widening gap between the modern and the traditional sectors. Vertical relationship systems with their unique characteristics (e. g. a symbiotic relationship between large and small business operation) may contribute towards reducing this gap through developing the entrepreneurially disadvantaged groups into business careers. 2. Do vertical relationships accomodatb, independent entrepreneurs? It is assumed that independent entrepreneurs can perform better entrepreneurial functions than those "entrepreneurs" who are constrained by external power. There are doubts whether the vertical relationship, characterized by a large firm's dominant role, can accomodate independent entrepreneurs. This study reveals that despite many problems and limitations a tight-control type of vertical marketing system can serve as a pathway for individuals from entrepreneurially disadvantaged groups to become successful modern-type entrepreneurs. The performance of these disadvantaged groups is equal to that of other different groups. Also, independent entrepreneurs exist in all the vertical marketing systems studied.
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    The social relevance of postgraduate management education: a case study of India
    (Cranfield University, 1987-12) Vyakarnam, Shailendra; Harper, M.
    The study reported here, consists of three main parts. The first deals with the issue of the importance on management education in a poor country, some of the reported effects and therefore the question of relevance is raised. Proponents of the free market system argue that the only role of a manager is to make a profit for the business. However, in a country like India where the majority of the population is outside the mainstream of modern industrial life, there are arguments that freedom to make a profit should be accompanied by social responsibility because this form of behaviour helps to link modern industry with the wider social goals of a country. The second part of the study considers how to define and measure the social effects of publicly funded education. The outcome is the use of personal construct theory and repertory grid technique, borrowed from clinical psychology. which help to examine the social responsibility of Indian managers. The theory states that man makes choices and decisions based on the way he construes the world around him and the way he anticipates future events. The implication is that managers who construe social responsibility in terms of socio economic development are likely to make decisions which are more beneficial to society than those who have a narrower view of socially responsible behaviour. The third part of the study reports on the findings of the study, which has used five separate instruments with 53 Indian managers who have been trained at one of the three established Indian Institutes of Management. These Institutes (IIMs) train around 500 graduate managers each year and one of their objectives, is to "inculcate" social values in the graduates so that their future decisions as managers will be made in this context and be relevant to India's needs. The graduates are from among India's social elite and the way they construe social responsibility has been compared to a matched group of managers who have not been through the IIMs. Data has been collected, to classify the managers, on the social origins, their place of work and career orientations. The way they construe corporate and managerial social responsibility was elicited through the use of repertory grid technique, in order to examine the question of social responsibility in as many different ways as possible. Interestingly the results indicate insignificant differences between the two groups. These are interesting results as they highlight the possibility that the IIMs have not managed to instill socially responsible constructs which are any different from other Indian managers. Although this study is a snap-shot view of Indian managers, it does point to an area of research which the IIMs might take up, for example the objective of instilling social responsibility might not be achievable given all the other aims of the Institutions, or, if they feel that being of social consequence is important they might review their entry requirements, operational focus and so on. The main contribution of the results, to this issue, is a new approach to evaluating management education, helping to break from the conventional social cost benefit methods. This study has two further contributions of particular interest. First, it has examined social responsibility in a novel way and provided an empirically based definition. Secondly, the method used for this research has extended the application of personal construct theory to new areas of study, particularly by embodying repertory grid technique. There is little literature in construct theory which is of relevance to management education and this study has helped to close this gap.