Browsing by Author "Wills, Gordon"

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    Entrepreneurship and corporate strategy
    (1975-03-07) Bruce, R. J. B.; Wills, Gordon
    Entrepreneurship is examined from three major viewpoints, Economic, Sociological and Individual Psychological but no one of these approaches can adequately explain the phenomenon. Entrepreneurship is identified with a changing social process and associated with those individuals called entrepreneurs. Corporate Strategy is an aspect of Business Policy and is seen as a determining process in the growth, survival or demise of the firm . The architect of this strategy is the entrepreneur broadly seen as chief executive and identified by task. The concept of the entrepreneur is refined and redefined leading to a distinction between the Modal and the Independent entrepreneur. Independent Entrepreneurs are categorised as either Ubiquitous or Elite . Modal, Ubiquitous and Elite entrepreneurs .are compared and contrasted on the basis of their motivations, life experiences, social and psychological aspirations, and the burden of the argument to this stage is illustrated by an interview with an Elite entrepreneur, identified as such by individuality and corporate competence. The discussion reverts to the tasks of the Entrepreneur and their relation to Corporate Strategy. The entrepreneur is seen as a straw in the economic wind. An understanding of positive economics is mandatory for successful entrepreneurship practised by Modal and Elite entrepreneurs alike . Guidelines are developed in linking positive with normative economics, showing the importance of economics in the process of Corporate Strategy. Employee motivation is a further mandatory task of the entrepreneur seen as corporate leader and this is related to organisation structure. The fundamental raison d 'etre for organisation structure is seen as control and types of organisation are compared, contrasted and correlated with management style and personal values. "The Lonrho Affair" describes a multinational corporation run by an Elite entrepreneur and illustrates the link between Entrepreneurship and Corporate Strategy, personal values-and organisation structure and the relevance of an exteroceptive management style to corporate success.
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    Market structure and marketing practice of the Libyan food manufacturing industry
    (Cranfield University, 1975-08) Hudanah., B. I. A.; Wills, Gordon
    The basis of this study is an examination of the. market structure and marketing practices of the'Libyan food manufac- turing industry. Although marketing literature about this part of the world is almost non-existent, the researcher nude a considerable effort to obtain relevant information from various sources available in order to form a comprehensive background against which marketing practices of different marketing in- stitutions could be analysed. Certain environmental factors were examined and proved to have major influence in shaping the structure of the Libyan . market. Consequently, marketing practices differed from one sub-market to another, i. e. it was found that the physical structure of the country divided the national market into rela- tively small sub-markets which in turn favoured an industrial structure consisting of small units. Accordingly, the levels of production operations of the Libyan food manufacturers are relatively low and their related marketing practices are less than sophisticated. Despite the fact that Libya became one of the major oil producing countries as from the early 1960s, it was found that the availability of capital is not a single answer to the question of rapid economic and social development. Other factors such as lack of managerial talents, high illiteracy rates, low levels of technological know-how, along with other factors within the socio-psychological set-up of the country, proved to be decisive factors frustrating rapid industrialisation. It was concluded that certain marketing conditions have to be created, some of which within firms and others within the marketing environment. Without such improvements, -the Libyan food manufacturers are heading towards a situation where the marketing sector of the economy will be out of phase with in- dustrialisation.
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    Review of progress to date and outline of plans for developements up to 1977
    (Cranfield School of Management, 1974-02) Henry, Harry; Wills, Gordon
    This report seeks to summarize the ground covered so far by the MCRU since it began work in 1968. In particular, the Report reviews progress in the major investigation sponsored by 22 Companies into the "Methods of Measuring Advertising Effectiveness". Its second purpose is to pose questions and formulate an outline plan of the future development currently envisaged by Cranfield for its MCRU. Sponsor companies on the MCRU's main project, and other associates, are invited to submit their comments and reactions on February 28, 1974. Following discussion then, our formal plan for the next three years will be delineated.
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    Towards an understanding of the effectiveness of advertising
    (Cranfield University, 1976-04) Corkindale, David; Wills, Gordon
    The author has been concerned with a study of "The Measurement of Advertising Effectiveness" since 1972. . During the course of this study, some 11 reports have been produced. In accor- dance with Regulation 14.9 of CIT's Regulations governing the submission of material for higher degrees, these reports are submitted, together with an exposition of the material contained within them. The exposition which is presented here attempts to describe the contents of the reports in the overall context of the study of which they were a part. Hence, -this exposition contains: a description of the study; a description of the overall methodology employed; a summary of the contents of the reports; and, an appraisal of the study's methods and outputs. No precedent exists for such expositions and the author has chosen the form and content which he believes will best. allow the contents of the reports to be appreciated.