This paper exploits a quasi-experimental setting to estimate the impact that a multi-dimensional group incentive scheme had on branch performance in a large distribution firm. The scheme, which is based on the Balanced Scorecard, was implemented in all branches in one division, but not in another...

Business schools face significant challenges in terms of faculty recruitment, retention and development, with datasuggesting that there are worrying shortfalls in terms of numbers of PhD students graduating and taking up facultypositions in UK business schools (Francis, 2005). Add to this...

This paper considers the impact that information and communicationtechnology (ICT) has on firms’ choices over organisational form. In particular,the decision over whether to produce in-house or outsource services,and the decision over the location of activity. ICT reduces the transactionand...

We investigate the empirical usefulness of a new measure of the degree of competition in a market, proposed by Boone (2000). This measure is based on the reduction in profits that firms experience as a result of cost inefficiencies. We compare this with measurescommonly used by policy makers and...

We examine whether discretionary government grants influence thelocation of new plants. Grants have a small effect in attracting plants to specificgeographic areas, but their effectiveness increases with agglomeration externalities,measured by the number of other plants in that location in the...

Business schools, both in the UK and internationally, face serious challenges as to their future role and legitimacy.Questions have been raised about the value of the MBA degree, and its role as a preparation for management. Thegrowth of business schools as sites for knowledge production has...

This Briefing Note considers recent trends in specialisation, outsourcing and offshoring of businessservices.Specialisation within a firm happens when a firm organises an activity in a specialised unit, for example,when a firm moves payroll activities out of the back office of a factory, and...

The UK’s poor productivity performance relative to the US has been a focus for government policy and analysis in recent Budgets and Pre-Budget Reports. Figure 1, where the UK business sector is scaled to 100, shows that US business sector labour productivity (value-added per worker) was just...

The ability to create a competitive and thriving economy is partly dependent onknowledge production and innovation. So how well is the UK performing in theseimportant areas? To assess the UK’s comparative performance, and gauge how itmight perform in the future, it is a useful exercise to...

UK business schools have grown rapidly over the last forty years1. Despite a tentativestart, when many commentators (including some vice-chancellors) appeared toquestion the status of management as an academic discipline, business schools havenow come of age. They account for a substantial...