European Business Forum articles from September 2003

European Business Forum archives from September 2003

Can big be beautiful?(entrepreneurship)(Editorial)
September 22, 2003... Entrepreneurship is vital to any economy because a flow of new businesses injects dynamism, flair and competitive zeal, provides a range of goods and services often neglected by larger enterprises and helps create new employment, new ways of...

Must we all be entrepreneurs now?(EBF Debate)(Cover Story)
September 22, 2003... Entrepreneurship is once again fashionable with policymakers, business schools, large corporations and the media. But in the light of the dot-com crash, many wonder whether it can provide the much needed spark to re-ignite growth. What exactly...

EBF debate themes 2004.
September 22, 2003... EBF is currently planning a series of new debates for next year. Our objective in this section is to bring together authoritative and provocative views of a wide range of contributors, notably business executives, academics, business advisers...

Does humour travel?(Cartoon)
September 22, 2003... US "Parker gave an exciting legal presentation followed by spontaneous combustion, I want that kind of commitment from everyone". EDWAR SMITHM [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GERMANY "After years of working as a bedside rug,...

Fighting poverty through entrepreneurship: EBF talks to Bruno Ponson, Director of the Institut de la Francophonie pour l'Entrepreneuriat (IFE) on the Island of Mauritius.(Debate reopened: executive education)(Interview)
September 22, 2003... EXECUTIVE EDUCATION EBF remains keenly interested in exploring the link between executive education and business performance. In this special section a variety of themes is explored. Firstly, Bruno Ponson discusses the impact which the...

Steer clear of B-school 'spin': business schools in Europe appear to be focusing more on managing their reputation and identity than on disputing the rankings. This is a wise strategy.(Debate reopened: executive education)
September 22, 2003... It is a commonly held belief that business schools have a love-hate relationship with business school rankings. While they criticise the methodology and criteria, schools hope for increased student applications associated with positive ranking...

CSR--a religion with too many priests?(executive education)(corporate social responsibility)
September 22, 2003... Michael Porter is perhaps the management 'guru' most listened to and respected by corporate boards and executives worldwide. But his keynote speech on the role of corporate philanthropy at The European Academy of Business in Society's 2nd...

Curriculum change in German-speaking Europe: universities are engaged in a balancing act between national traditions and global pressures.(Debate reopened: executive education)
September 22, 2003... Until recently management education comparable to that provided by the typical Anglo-Saxon MBA course was practically unknown in the German-speaking world. Increasing demands for equivalent qualifications, however, have arisen as a result of...

Misconceptions magnified.(Debate reopened: share options)
September 22, 2003... SHOULD OPTIONS BE EXPENSED? The Summary 2003 edition of EBF, Issue 14, included an article by Dr Rory Knight which argued that the International Accounting Standards Board's proposed standard on share options is flawed. Here three experts...

Where have all the leaders gone? By remaining silent, today's corporate leaders are worsening the bad taste left by corporate governance failures. The missing ingredients are champions of business committed to building organisations with enduring value and values.(Debate reopened: do companies get the leaders they deserve?)
September 22, 2003... DO COMPANIES GET THE LEADERS THEY DESERVE? Loss of faith in corporate leadership was a strong theme running through the Summer 2003 debate in EBF. At the same time, however, many interesting and provocative ideas for restoring trust in...

Beyond leadership taboos: a coaching perspective.
September 22, 2003... The summer issue of the EBF debate (issue 14) had an appealingly provocative title. As an executive coach my first reaction was: "Yes, of course! Companies not only get the leaders they deserve, they also get the clients, the corporate image...

The need for 'tone from the top': if we are to restore the trust destroyed by recent financial scandals, everyone along the reporting supply chain will need to demonstrate they follow a best-practice code of conduct handed down from the top.(Debate reopened: do companies get the leaders they deserve?)
September 22, 2003... In his contribution to the European Business Forum debate--'Do companies get the leaders they deserve?'--Angel Cabrera, Dean of Instituto Empresa, argues that trust cannot be built without the right attitude and profit cannot be made without...

Mirror, mirror on the wall ... instead of seeking to punish organisations who rate poorly on social and environmental indices, key actors can stimulate change by opening a channel of communication between corporations and their stakeholders about the best way ahead.(In depth: sustainable investment)
September 22, 2003... When the first European-based sustainable investment fund was launched in the UK in 1984--by Friends Provident Stewardship--many observers were sceptical. They expected relatively little money to be attracted to this or similar vehicles. ...

How multinationals are responding to CSR: MNCs face the most difficult dilemmas because they operate in countries with widely diverging socio-economic and environmental conditions. The lesson from the last decade or so is that regulation and self-regulation are both needed.(In depth: sustainable investment)
September 22, 2003... In recent years the 'Janus face' of globalisation has received much attention, most notably at international meetings such as those of the World Trade Organisation in Seattle and the G7/8 summits, as well as in a number of books. Overall...

China's many futures: communist China is morphing into something that will one day become a pillar of global society. In the meantime, foreign investors need to consider the many possible routes the country may take to get there.(In depth: China)
September 22, 2003... 'How much should we commit to China?' is a question many business people ask at the moment. The thesis of this article is that, if we start by a definition of corporate strategy as shaped in part by the top team's view of what constitutes right...

China's state-owned enterprises: prepare for a turbulent flight; The Communist government needs to keep a steady footing on its plan to sell-off state owned enterprises.(In-depth: China)
September 22, 2003... China's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are facing the most dramatic shake-up in a decade. The establishment of the powerful State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) in March 2003 marks an...

In my opinion ...(In-depth: China: economy)(Column)
September 22, 2003... It would be wrong to underestimate China's ability to surprise on the upside. Many analysts shrink from simply extending the positive slope of China's 20-year growth and development line far into the future: the coarse methodology offends, and...

Navigating the Asian markets: the experience of doing business in Asia has been a sobering one for many MNCs--but companies can learn from the mistakes of others if they understand changing consumer behaviour and its strategic implications.(In depth: business in Asia)
September 22, 2003... Current events in Asia might be seen by many as being yet another instance of the enormous risks of doing business in Asia. The problems of doing business in Asia are routinely chronicled--inadequate infrastructure, skewed income distributions,...

Building out of a downturn: companies are now using more management techniques to rise above tough times, and many are focusing on growth tools.(In depth: management tools)
September 22, 2003... Like homeowners struggling to fix leaky roofs, shore up foundations, refinance loans and order new construction to improve their properties, companies are both economising and innovating to build their way out of today's slow-growth business...

Marketing expenditure trends.(RESEARCHBRIEFS)
September 22, 2003... With the continued global slowdown in advertising, the question of how much companies are prepared to spend on advertising and marketing and whether there is likely to be any significant upturn in spending in 2003 is an important one. A...

Organisational identity.(RESEARCHBRIEFS)
September 22, 2003... Does an organisation's perception of itself and its identity have an impact on strategy? Lin Lerpold and Peter Hagstrom at the Stockholm School of Economics are studying organisational identity among Nordic telecoms firms, looking in particular...

Networks in context.(RESEARCHBRIEFS)(Business networks )
September 22, 2003... The building of internal networks within organisations has always been seen as desirable. Networks are held to strengthen organisational competencies and improve internal co-ordination of activities. They are seen as being particularly valuable...

Leadership through terror.(RESEARCHBRIEFS)
September 22, 2003... How and why despotic leaders maintain control over their subjects are questions which have been with us since the days of Machiavelli. At Insead, Professor Manfred Kets de Vries has looked at how leaders use fear to achieve domination, and how...

The cultural imperative.(RESEARCHBRIEFS)
September 22, 2003... The idea that national and regional culture has an impact on the conduct of management and the structures of business was argued throughout the twentieth century by scholars ranging from Max Weber to Geert Hofstede and Richard Whitley. Yet...

International accounting standards--managing the impact of change: the road to transparent financial reporting will present a number of challenges in resource planning, training and communication, but research suggests that the short-term pain will be worth the long-term strategic benefits.(Sounding board)
September 22, 2003... A change in accounting standards is rarely the stuff of headlines. However, the move to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS, formerly IAS) that comes into effect in the European Union in 2005 is set to make a few front pages. For...

The democratisation of luxury: the Boucicauts and the Bon Marche; After 150 years, the department store concept is still going strong thanks to a husband and wife team who pioneered the 'retail experience'--a philosophy of customer service, quality and fair pricing for all.(EBF HISTORY LESSON)
September 22, 2003... Bon Marche, the world's first department store, was the creation of two remarkable people, Aristide Boucicaut and his wife Marguerite. Founded in 1852 as a large drapery and dry goods outlet, Bon Marche was recreated in 1869-72 as a true...

Sustaining value through people: a new report explores how businesses can develop their approach to their people to generate sustainable value for all stakeholders.(Sounding board)
September 22, 2003... Historically, the interests of business owners and shareholders have often been seen as at odds with those of employees and, in some cases, communities. This was reflected in their approach to the management of their people and attitudes to the...

Passing the citizen test.(book)(Book Review)
September 22, 2003... The Democratic Enterprise by Lynda Gratton. Financial Times Prentice Hall, November 2003, ISBN: 0273675281 272 pages [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Democratic Enterprise is concerned with grasping the organisational...

The original celebrity CEO.(book)(Book Review)
September 22, 2003... The Maverick and his Machine By Kevin Maney. John Wiley & Sons Inc, April 2003, ISBN: 0471414638, 512 pages. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One of the last century's most important business figures, Thomas J. Watson Sr., is brought to...

Boardrooms in chains.(book)(Book Review)
September 22, 2003... The Timid Corporation by Benjamin Hunt. John Wiley & Sons, April 2003, ISBN: 0470843683 264 pages. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Timid, paradoxically, is a pretty brutal, more than faintly damning adjective ('inclined to fear',...

Rediscover your customers: the time is right to revitalise the marketing function at board level and focus on the one stakeholder who really feeds company growth.(Letter from Boston)
September 22, 2003... Customers are the source of all cash flow. But most boards of directors are spending far too little time discussing the health of their number one asset: their customer relationships. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Put a woman on top.(Did you know)(Woman-owned family businesses )(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Woman-owned family businesses are not only a growing segment of the US economy--they're also on average more productive than those run by men, are a decade younger, and are more likely to be a "good corporate citizen." Female owners, moreover,...

Big changes at the top.(Did you know)(Chief executive officers' career profile )(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The career profile of CEOs in large UK companies has changed significantly over the last six years. CEOs are now better educated and have more international experience, while a new fast group of young 'super CEOs' is emerging, according to the...

Entrepreneurs: for richer, for poorer.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... A study of small business owners found them to be incredibly loyal to their working and marriage partners. A survey of over 500 UK small businesses discovered that almost a quarter of respondents had stayed with their business partners for 20...

Tear-away success.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The Michelin Group has won this year's 'European Centre for Employee Ownership' award for the best all-employee share ownership scheme in Europe. Judges were impressed by Michelin's pre-planning and communications programme, especially the way...

German scientists from Goettingen University say they have found the reason we begin to struggle with our memory as we get older.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... * German scientists from Goettingen University say they have found the reason we begin to struggle with our memory as we get older--because we lose the ability to forget insignificant information. Young and middle-aged people use a technique...

Most prosperous purses.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Senior managers in Hong Kong, Switzerland, and Ecuador are the best off in terms of salary purchasing power, according to a study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. In the EU, senior managers in Germany and the UK are the most prosperous,...

Canada calling.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... In an improving global business environment over the next five years, Canada will be the best country in which to conduct business, according to the latest business environment forecasts from the Economist intelligence Unit. The Netherlands had...

Entrepreneurship variables.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Entrepreneurship across the globe fell dramatically during 2002, according to a report by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. The study, based on surveys and interviews with 113,000 individuals in 37 countries, showed that the number of...

Innovating Europe.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... European managers continue to invest in innovation as a way to strengthen their competitive position, according to the 2002 Innobarometer survey. Commissioned by the European Commission's Enterprise Directorate-General, the poll of over 3,000...

Corporate cronyism and the big chill.(Did you know)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The corporate director who asks management tough questions often gets a cold shoulder from the 'in' crowd or shunned by the ruling clique. According to a new study from the University of Texas, a major impediment to better CEO accountability...

The Pruzan Prize 2003.(Did you know)(European Academy of Business in Society)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Each year the European Academy of Business in Society (EABiS) invites all European MBA students to take part in a competition, sponsored by Shell, on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and leadership. The prize is named in honour of...

Innovation integrator: EBF talks to Monica Beltrametti, vice president of Xerox Research Centre Europe.(View from the top)(Interview)
September 22, 2003... Based in Grenoble, Monica Beltrametti was one of the original management team at XRCE when it was founded in 1993, having previously studied astrophysics at the Max Planck Institute and worked for a number of years in Canada. Her first spell...

News from EBF founders.
September 22, 2003... PricewaterhouseCoopers is active in understanding the evolving business environment and its implications. Here are some recent examples: Global Managing IT as a Business: A Survival Guide for CEOs. If information technology is to...

The 2003-2004 CEMS MIM programme--soon to launch with exclusive 'blocked seminars' for its students in Europe.(News from EBF founders)
September 22, 2003... This academically and culturally intensive experience is an ideal introduction into the CEMS Master's in International Management (MIM) programme. Because of the need for optimal group cohesion and concentration, the 'blocked seminars' are...