Howard Thomas – författare

This volume provides a collection of papers at the cutting edge of competitive strategy, analyzing and assessing the role and value of strategic moves and groups in industry. Theoretical models are supplemented by empirical studies on the dynamics of competitive moves and the link between strategic groups and performance. Linking commentaries and extensive reviews of research issues make this a comprehensive survey of the subject. The book will be of value to corporate strategists, consultants, senior managers, as well as academics concerned with research into competitive strategy.

The development and marketing of drugs since the Second World War offers an exemplary demonstration of the impact of technology on competitiveness in a major industry. While focusing primarily on the market in the USA, this study examines also the activities of European firms, their contribution to the industry's technological evolution and the impact of their entry into the US market. The main concern of the book, however, is to examine all the elements which go to make up the evolving landscape of competition, and their interaction. Thus, the effects of technological change are viewed in the context of changes in the legal and regulatory environment, and in competitive practice. For both the market as a whole and the individual firm this analysis illustrates how competitive positions actually emerge as a result of such interactions. Consistent with this wider view, both the technological and the non-technological competencies of firms are discussed, and the concept of core competence is used extensively to show how individual firms developed and maintained their competitive strengths, as the industry moved from deep-tank fermentation through to the first decade of biotechnology. The final chapter highlights the key role of biotechnology in shaping the future of the industry, at a time of increased regulation and accelerating market driven change.

Based on in-depth study of the electronics giant Philips, "Corporate Strategy, Public Policy and New Technologies" examines the key factors which have determined the success or failure of new technologies and the global competitiveness of firms within a major European consumer industry. Drawing on the insights gained from intensive empirical research into the company's growth, structure and competitive strategy, the book traces the reciprocal influences of Philips and of European Community policymaking on each other and on the development of the industry since the 1970s. The core of the book focuses on detailed case studies of three major technological initiatives, and analyses the reasons for their success or failure: the European VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) industry and Philips' VCR 2000 format; Philips and the development of the European HDTV (High Definition Television) system; and Philips' CD-i (Compact Disc-interactive) project. All three studies raise important issues of competition, collaboration, technology and the role of public policy, with a firm theoretical grounding in the most relevant and up-to-date academic research. In addition to providing an instructive analysis of the performance of an industry at the levels of the firm, the state and the European Community, the book emphasises that the strategies and policies discussed were adopted largely in response to the global challenge from the USA and, above all, Japan.

This book focuses on the challenges faced by defense-related industries and by the US Department of Defense in the post-Cold War era: by the former in enhancing their financial well-being, and by the latter in maintaining affordable national security. It explores the conditions they face, both currently and in the future they envision, as well as the corporate strategies and public policies that each develops in response to these conditions and visions. The contributors to this book describe these corporate strategies and public policies, assess their respective strengths and weaknesses, and where appropriate, endorse them or recommend alternatives. Finally, senior executives from ten small and large defense-related firms recount their experiences in diversifying successfully into commercial markets and the challenges they met or still face in planning and implementing their strategies effectively.

The fields of entrepreneurship and strategic management deal with the fundamental processes and forces that affect the start-up, prosperity, and survival of organizations. In both fields it is argued that a company's potential long-run performance is determined by the degree to which it can develop and maintain a 'fit' between its skills and resources and environmental demands. Through the use of rigorous, in-depth case studies, this book takes a comprehensive look at the process by which leaders, as entrepreneurs and strategists, attempt to build and craft the skill-bases of their firms to best create long-term value for their customers. Part one examines the foundations of resource-based approaches to management and strategic thinking, and presents a detailed process-typology of organizational resources that serves as a basis for understanding how resources can be leveraged into sustainable strategic advantage. Part two presents the case histories of four very different firms, including a high-tech chemicals research company, a custom cabinet manufacturer, a large corporate industrial engineering firm, and a craft-oriented surgical instrument maker. Each case provides a unique setting from which insights into the value creation process are presented. Part three compares and contrasts the insights discussed in the case analysis, and integrates the findings into a 'practitioner-based' model of value creation. This model is then further integrated with current academic theory, and a more formal theory of the value creation process is presented. In part four, issues such as the 'skill life-cycle', the relationship between technology and human skill development, and leadership styles and processes are discussed. The implications of the research are presented with respect to the practice of entrepreneurship and strategic thinking, to future research and theory in those fields, and to policy choices for government and private leaders.

High technology research laboratories are under constant pressure from the governments that support them to generate secondary utilities such as technology transfer and spin-offs. As buyers, such organisations are often used by governments to stimulate innovation by their suppliers, under tight budgetary constraints and within the rigid institutional frameworks applied to public research organisations. This book addresses the design of efficient buyer-supplier contracts within the institutional boundaries faced by the buyer and focuses in particular on vertical buyer-supplier linkages as a source of supplier core competencies in a cost- and technology-driven environment. Based on a study of manufacturing contracts commissioned by the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the book aims to answer two questions. First, what is the most efficient governance structure for organising buyer-supplier relationships, given the presence of specific institutional boundaries, high technological complexity and environmental uncertainty? Secondly, irrespective of the presence of such an efficient governance structure, what type of impact could technology-oriented government contracts have on supplier core competencies?

The Silicon phenomenon was, is, and will be an extremely important phenomenon in the accelerated technological, scientific, and economic development of countries and regions. Silicon Valley North (SVN) is the high tech capital of Canada, the nations most developed and dynamic technology sector, which includes multiple clusters in telecommunications, software, photonics, and life sciences. It gave birth to many well-known companies such as Corel, JDS Uniphase, Mitel, Newbridge Networks, Nortel Networks, Digital Equipment of Canada, just to mention a few. A lot of literature describes Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley in the US, Silicon Islands in Asia, and so on. Despite the quite evident importance of Silicon Valley North for the regional, national, and international technological development (especially when Nortel Networks and JDS Uniphase became global leaders in their fields and expanded in explosive fashion), this phenomenon is far from being well understood.Because of this, a book on the Canadian Silicon Valley is an exceptionally timely endeavor. "Silicon Valley North: A High-Tech Cluster of Innovation and Entrepreneurship" is devoted to the multidimensional and multifaceted nature of SVN, its history, current state and future developments. The book offers a broad and deeply thematic analysis of one particular innovative clusterSilicon Valley North. The reader will obtain expert insight into what SVN is all about by acquiring a comprehensive and "panoramic picture" of SVN within a single book. The reader will develop an accurate sense of what spurs high tech start-up companies in SVN toward their exceptional performances, and how to apply these insights to his or her unique regional context.

During the 1990s, the state of Israel established its global high tech sector. The number of startups rose to almost 3,000, while total venture capital available reached approximately $3bn. This book emphasizes the multilevel nature of this development from a strategic management perspective. The first level focuses at the country global processes emphasizing the entry of foreign multinational corporations and the privatization of state owned enterprises. The second level focuses on the government and its role in establishing the technological incubators and venture capital industries. The third level focuses on the sources of new start ups and the role of veterans of elite technological units of Israel Defense Forces and women entrepreneurs. The fourth level focuses on the emerging organizations and the role of the board of directors and competitive intelligence capabilities and practices. Finally, the fifth level focuses at the industry level, emphasizing the role of the large number of new firms in creating new industrial sectors. The multilevel paradigm describes the sequential effects, starting at the first global level, and the interactive effects, across all five levels.

This book is embedded in practical tools which proposes a fourth field of economics in addition to macro, micro and industrial organisation economics (IO); namely what may be called the economics of diversity. This book asserts that businesses are as individual as people. All have unique identities, what may be called genomes. As such economic diversity is the norm, rather than the economics of commodities. Contemporary economics deals very effectively with commodities in situations of perfect competition. It also makes some useful insights into imperfect competition and monopoly. The first half of the book expands the conceptual underpinnings of the economics of diversity (ecosystems, business models, advantage, rents and valuation of resources); the second half demonstrates how these methods can be practically applied through tools and techniques to deal with questions of business development, corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and start-ups.

How can business education enhance value for students, employers, and the rest of society? How will technology continue to challenge the model of business education? And how can academia and industry collaborate to make sure that students develop important leadership and management competencies? These are just some of the critical questions facing business school leaders, educators, and industry experts today. This book, the first in a two-book series to articulate the rationale and method for developing a series of global conversations through a jam process to address the most pressing issues in business education today, looks specifically at the issue of regional requirements and necessary contextual variation in approaches.With insights from some of the leading business school deans and educators, Global Business Education: An Innovative Dialogue focuses on the discussion and paths taken that led to the creation of the innovative concept of a distributed, regional model of jams. This will include the background on the first jam; the rationale and design of the regional jams; and present the outcomes of the ten global dialogues.This book is important for all business school leaders and educators who wish to gain insight into innovative methods for determining new directions in business education.

How can business education enhance value for students, employers, and the rest of society? How will technology continue to challenge the model of business education? And how can academia and industry collaborate to make sure that students develop important leadership and management competencies? These are just some of the critical questions facing business school leaders, educators, and industry experts today. This book, the first in a two-book series to articulate the rationale and method for developing a series of global conversations through a jam process to address the most pressing issues in business education today, looks specifically at the issue of regional requirements and necessary contextual variation in approaches.With insights from some of the leading business school deans and educators, Global Business Education: An Innovative Dialogue focuses on the discussion and paths taken that led to the creation of the innovative concept of a distributed, regional model of jams. This will include the background on the first jam; the rationale and design of the regional jams; and present the outcomes of the ten global dialogues.This book is important for all business school leaders and educators who wish to gain insight into innovative methods for determining new directions in business education.

This book provides an in-depth exploration of one of the most significant success stories of the development of an entrepreneurial university in recent times as well as its role within society and the economy. Written by leading business school Dean and scholar, Howard Thomas, and Alex Wilson and Michelle Lee, the book tracks the genesis of the idea of a third local university in Singapore to its fruition as Singapore Management University (SMU). It provides important insight and lessons for senior university and business school leaders, as well as regional and national governments. The increasing emphasis on the importance of innovative, entrepreneurial universities for social and economic growth has prompted this review of the strategy and impact of SMU. The book addresses the strategic evolution of SMU itself, from its origins as a single business school, into a multi-school, social science-focused school of management. It examines whether it has fulfilled its promise as an entrepreneurial university and a change agent in the context of Singapore’s strong economic growth and educational strategy. More broadly, it explores how investment in education, and entrepreneurial universities such as SMU, can facilitate and enhance economic growth. University leadership teams, policy analysts, faculty and students of entrepreneurship education, education management and policy in general, and business education in particular, will find this book an invaluable insight into building a genuinely entrepreneurial university.

This book provides an in-depth exploration of one of the most significant success stories of the development of an entrepreneurial university in recent times as well as its role within society and the economy. Written by leading business school Dean and scholar, Howard Thomas, and Alex Wilson and Michelle Lee, the book tracks the genesis of the idea of a third local university in Singapore to its fruition as Singapore Management University (SMU). It provides important insight and lessons for senior university and business school leaders, as well as regional and national governments. The increasing emphasis on the importance of innovative, entrepreneurial universities for social and economic growth has prompted this review of the strategy and impact of SMU. The book addresses the strategic evolution of SMU itself, from its origins as a single business school, into a multi-school, social science-focused school of management. It examines whether it has fulfilled its promise as an entrepreneurial university and a change agent in the context of Singapore’s strong economic growth and educational strategy. More broadly, it explores how investment in education, and entrepreneurial universities such as SMU, can facilitate and enhance economic growth. University leadership teams, policy analysts, faculty and students of entrepreneurship education, education management and policy in general, and business education in particular, will find this book an invaluable insight into building a genuinely entrepreneurial university.

The Wiley Strategic Management Series aims to illustrate the best in global strategic management for academics, business practitioners and consultants. This book addresses some of the most significant issues currently facing business strategists, including restructuring and reorganization, global competition, strategic change, and organizational learning. These issues are, of course, currently relevant but as thoughts and approaches to management issues they are timeless in their nature and importance. Strategic Renaissance and Business Transformation addresses one of the Strategic Management Society s primary concerns building and maintaining bridges between management theory and business practice.

The Wiley Strategic Management Series aims to illustrate the best in global strategic management for academics, business practitioners and consultants. This book addresses some of the most significant issues currently facing business strategists, including restructuring and reorganization, global competition, strategic change, and organizational learning. These issues are, of course, currently relevant but as thoughts and approaches to management issues they are timeless in their nature and importance. Strategic Integration addresses another of the concerns and missions of the Strategic Management Society interdisciplinary approaches to strategic management. The book examines the historical roots, current issues and future challenges relating to the distinctiveness of strategic management set against a specialized functional area or a specific academic discipline.

Although it is impossible to include in one volume the full breadth of ideas under discussion in the area of strategic management, the editors have selected contributions that offer interesting food for thought in three currently crucial strategic conversations: Strategy - demonstrates the diversity of research topics in strategy. Structure - addresses how organizational structure can help/hinder corporate strategy. Style - management or corporate--is not often discussed directly in strategic management literature, though its presence and effects are pervasive. Strategy, Structure and Style addresses another of the Strategic Management Society's primary concerns--how to build and maintain bridges between management theory and business practice.

Published in association with the Strategic Management Society, The Wiley Strategic Management Series aims to illustrate the best in global strategic management for academics, business practitioners and consultants. This book expands the understanding of strategic opportunities presented by the far reaching developments unfolding in the rapidly changing world economy, and in particular how they are impacting the North and South American continents. This wide-ranging collection of papers comprises a rich body of research and experience, spanning academics, business executives and consultants. Key emphasis is placed on competition and core competence, joint ventures and strategic alliances, and corporate performance. Writings included in this volume were selected as being representative of some of the most significant issues currently facing business strategists.

Published in association with the Strategic Management Society, this books illustrates the best in global strategic management. In particular, the theme of "strategic flexibility"--i.e., the ability to manage effectively in a world of ever-growing change--is introduced.

Business schools have come under fire in recent years with criticisms centring on their academic rigour and the relevance of business education to the 'real' world of management. Alongside this ongoing debate, increasing international competition and media rankings have led to a fierce struggle between business schools for positioning and differentiation. These are among the challenges that are faced by the Dean of the modern-day business school. In this book, Fernando Fragueiro and Howard Thomas show how Deans of business schools can meet such challenges in terms of strategic direction setting and the execution of their leadership role. Drawing on their invaluable experience as Deans of highly successful business schools, they present a series of case studies to show how leaders of five leading business schools (IMD, LBS, INSEAD, IAE and Warwick) have built effective strategies in the context of internal and external political pressures.

Process and Experience in the Language Classroom argues the case for communicative language teaching as an experiential and task driven learning process.

New in Paperback: Publishing February 2006!

`If you had to read only one book to understand the roots and branches of the study of strategy & organization, this would be it. Pettigrew, Thomas and Whittington have gathered an impressive array of contributions, which provide a comprehensive guide to the current state of the art. It's a book that reflects a maturing field, offering thought-provoking discussions of the major issues in strategy, reflections on how they have been tackled in the last three decades, and identifying the themes, promises and challenges that lie ahead. Useful for a novice and an accomplished scholar alike, this is a remarkable effort that shows how far the Strategy field has come' - Michael G. Jacobides, London Business School

`This is an interesting, insightful and thought provoking collection. It not only comprehensively maps the field of strategic management but also offers a critical reflection on past and present work. The rich mix of contributors criticize, entice and provoke, while also scoping a future research agenda. The authors have accomplished a major and important contribution to our understanding of the history and development of strategy and research in strategy' - David Asch, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University.

`The publication of the Handbook of Strategy and Management is a major event. The Handbook not only brings together the World's leading strategy and management scholars; it is also remarkably well-organized and future-oriented, having the right balance between focus and diversity. By critically taking stock of the field and by discussing future paths of strategy, this Handbook will serve as an important stimulus for intellectual development for years to come'- Nicolai Foss, Copenhagen Business School

`Finally! We have a comprehensive, reflective and critical overview of the field of strategy in the new Handbook of Strategy and Management. The strategy literature has come of age with this "mapping of the terrain" by Andrew Pettigrew, Howard Thomas and Richard Whittington. The Handbook provides an useful overview of different streams of thought with contributions by leading scholars and researchers. Equally importantly, this Handbook provides us with reflections on the past and insights into the future of the field. Such a critique is an important aid in understanding and researching strategy for newcomers and experienced scholars alike' - Cynthia Hardy, Head of Department of Management, University of Melbourne

The Handbook presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the strategic management field and will be an important benchmark volume for management scholars worldwide. The Handbook frames, assesses and synthesizes the work in the field and helps to define and shape its current and future development. The editors combine focus with diversity in the material and approaches covered, thus providing a powerful critical analysis and synthesis of diverse disciplinary contributions to this rapidly growing body of knowledge.

Each of the four parts of this book concentrates on a specific area of strategy and management. Within these parts, leading international scholars provide historical overviews of the key strands delineating the `topography' of their particular themes, address the central problems and approaches which have characterized these, critically assess the state and quality of current theory and knowledge, and set out agendas for future theoretical and empirical development.

The resulting volume is a unique overview of the inputs and dynamics that shape the core ideas and practices of strategy and management.

This series of stories explains how the foothills evolved from a wilderness inhabited only by wandering Native Americans to the present prosperous area of dairy farms, busy villages, and excellent schools.

Business schools are critical players in higher education, educating current and future leaders to make a difference in the world. Yet we know surprisingly little about the leaders of business schools. Leading a Business School demystifies this complex and dynamic role, offering international insights into deans’ dilemmas in different contexts and situations. It highlights the importance of deans creating challenging and supportive learning cultures to enhance business and management education, organizations and society more broadly. Written by renowned experts on the role of the dean, Julie Davies, Howard Thomas, Eric Cornuel and Rolf D. Cremer, the book traces the historical evolution of the business school deanship, the current challenges and future sources of disruption. The leadership characteristics and styles of business school deans are presented based on an examination of different dimensions of their roles. These include issues of strategic positioning, such as financial viability, prestige, size, mission, age, location and programme portfolios, as well as the influences of rankings, sector accreditations, governance structures, networks and national policies on strategy implementation. Drawing on international case studies and deans’ development programmes globally, the authors explore constraints on deans’ autonomy, university and external relations, and how business school deans add value over the period of their tenures. This candid and well-researched book is essential reading for aspiring business school leaders, those hiring and working with deans, and other higher education leaders.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license. Funded by EFMD Global.

Business schools are critical players in higher education, educating current and future leaders to make a difference in the world. Yet we know surprisingly little about the leaders of business schools. Leading a Business School demystifies this complex and dynamic role, offering international insights into deans’ dilemmas in different contexts and situations. It highlights the importance of deans creating challenging and supportive learning cultures to enhance business and management education, organizations and society more broadly. Written by renowned experts on the role of the dean, Julie Davies, Howard Thomas, Eric Cornuel and Rolf D. Cremer, the book traces the historical evolution of the business school deanship, the current challenges and future sources of disruption. The leadership characteristics and styles of business school deans are presented based on an examination of different dimensions of their roles. These include issues of strategic positioning, such as financial viability, prestige, size, mission, age, location and programme portfolios, as well as the influences of rankings, sector accreditations, governance structures, networks and national policies on strategy implementation. Drawing on international case studies and deans’ development programmes globally, the authors explore constraints on deans’ autonomy, university and external relations, and how business school deans add value over the period of their tenures. This candid and well-researched book is essential reading for aspiring business school leaders, those hiring and working with deans, and other higher education leaders.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license. Funded by EFMD Global.

Social enterprises of all forms drive inclusive growth by creating social and economic networks, and a stable ecosystem, that enable societies to grow and prosper. This book presents a collection of ten case studies that demonstrate the important role played by social enterprises in driving inclusive growth in Asia’s economies.Unlike the traditional models, such as NGOs and charities, that are donor dependent for funding, a social enterprise is a hybrid business model that includes both social mission and revenue generation goals to ensure sustainability and self-reliance. The ten case studies in the book provide a ringside view of how social enterprises operate and evolve to create, sustain, and scale up their social impact. Readers will gain a practical understanding of how social entrepreneurs struggle to maintain a balance between their two seemingly contradictory goals of creating social value and generating economic returns. The book carries the readers on the journey of each of these ten social enterprises, offering unique and valuable insights into the motivations, tribulations, successes, and even failures of these organisations—critical for continued learning, contribution, and innovation in the domain.The book is appropriate for all readers interested in the role social entrepreneurship plays in stimulating economic growth in Asia, including organisations, government, and universities, as well as individuals.

Social enterprises of all forms drive inclusive growth by creating social and economic networks, and a stable ecosystem, that enable societies to grow and prosper. This book presents a collection of ten case studies that demonstrate the important role played by social enterprises in driving inclusive growth in Asia’s economies.Unlike the traditional models, such as NGOs and charities, that are donor dependent for funding, a social enterprise is a hybrid business model that includes both social mission and revenue generation goals to ensure sustainability and self-reliance. The ten case studies in the book provide a ringside view of how social enterprises operate and evolve to create, sustain, and scale up their social impact. Readers will gain a practical understanding of how social entrepreneurs struggle to maintain a balance between their two seemingly contradictory goals of creating social value and generating economic returns. The book carries the readers on the journey of each of these ten social enterprises, offering unique and valuable insights into the motivations, tribulations, successes, and even failures of these organisations—critical for continued learning, contribution, and innovation in the domain.The book is appropriate for all readers interested in the role social entrepreneurship plays in stimulating economic growth in Asia, including organisations, government, and universities, as well as individuals.

Without a doubt, business schools have been a success story in higher education over the last 50 years (the period of EFMD’s existence). Even so, they have come under scrutiny, and attack, over their academic legitimacy and value proposition for business and society. In this book, drawn from a special issue of Global Focus, the EFMD has selected around 25 of the best, most thoughtful short papers published in Global Focus to examine the role and purpose of EFMD in the evolution of management education.Each of the chapters interpret current strategic debates about the evolution of business schools and their paradigms and also identify possible strategic options for handling uncertain, volatile futures. These papers can be broadly categorized into four consistent themes: the first theme is concerned with the purpose and value proposition of management education; the second theme focuses on a perceived need for new business models and how to design and build them; the third theme addresses the question of the impact of the business school on business and society given the increasingly academic pursuits of business schools and their often weak links to the business community – the so-called rigour/relevance dilemma; and the fourth theme concerns how to ‘map’ and design business school futures in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous crisis-oriented environment.This impressive collection of insights from business management leaders from across the globe is inspiring reading for higher education leaders, policy makers and business leaders seeking insight into the future of management education.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

With contributions from some of the leading thinkers in business school education, this book explores the impact and purpose of the business school, and addresses some of the most important questions facing management education today.The diverse perspectives brought together by the EFMD in this volume examine a number of common questions, themes and challenges. These include: whether business schools should be viewed as schools of management, given the complexity of the business environment; what is the positive impact of business school research, and the balance of relevant, practical impact and academic rigour; the strategic evolution of business schools and how they may evolve in a more purposeful direction; and why business school leaders compete strongly but are reluctant to collaborate, and how collaboration may encourage greater positive societal impact. With insightful commentary and illustrative case studies, this book serves as a landmark publication on the value and impact of business schools.The book will be of particular interest to those working in business schools, higher education leaders, policy makers and business leaders seeking insight into the value, impact and future of business and management education.