Search

Presents the titles of various papers that have been accepted for publication in the 'European Financial Management Journal.' 'Performance and Policy of Foundation-owned Firms in Germany,' by Markus Herrman and Guenter Franke; 'Diversification, Ownership and Control of Swedish Corporations,' by John A. Doukas, Martin Holmen and Nickolaos G. Travlos; 'Competition on the London Stock Exchange,' by Nicholas Taylor.

This In Perspective paper reflects on the use by men and women of entrepreneurship support organisations (ESOs). It arose through an inquiry conducted in partnership by London South Bank University and Shared Enterprise, the latter being an ESO based in London. As part of the inquiry, a small number of other ESOs in London were interviewed, who revealed that the majority of their participants were women, although the gender imbalance is not as extreme as is the case with Shared Enterprise. On the other hand, far more enterprises in Britain are led by men than are led by women. According to the Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS), only 20% of very small businesses (no employees) were led by women, and 60% were led solely by a man. A similar proportion – 19% – of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with employees was defined as led by women. A combination of interviews with Shared Enterprise participants and a desk review leads to a (tentative) solution to this seemingly puzzling paradox: women who aspire to entrepreneurship use ESOs more than men because they need them more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Edwardian era saw the final flowering of the partisan provincial press. In the decade before 1914, most of the major newspapers published outside London still displayed a clear party allegiance and collectively they outsold their London rivals. Some of the most important figures in the provincial press on the Liberal side were the cocoa manufacturer and philanthropist, Joseph Rowntree, and the associated trio, often known as the “Starmer group”, of Arnold Rowntree (Joseph's nephew), John Bowes Morrell (his business partner) and the newspaperman, Charles Starmer. Between them they rescued several important Liberal newspapers like the Northern Echo and Sheffield Independent for the party cause. But one of the group's lesser-known acquisitions, and its last before the First World War, was the Lincolnshire Chronicle in June 1914. This article argues that the Lincolnshire Chronicle 's purchase can best be seen as a purely commercial investment by the “Starmer group” and that this may indicate that the group was starting to become more interested in the press as a business, rather than as a political project. The article also examines how the layout and content of the Lincolnshire Chronicle were changed under its new owners in order to increase its profitability, often using methods pioneered elsewhere in the “Starmer group”, and resulting in a more standardised, “modern” format. In doing so, the article draws attention to the complexities of the interaction between power and profit in the Edwardian press and suggests the Lincolnshire Chronicle can be seen as a harbinger of the commercial, rather than political, future that lay before provincial newspaper groups in the post-First World War era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a case study of two London firms active in the production and distribution of women's ready-to-wear clothing before 1900, H. J. Nicoll and Alfred Stedall. The sources used are registered advertising images from the Records of the Copyright Office, Stationers' Company at The National Archives; Companies House records (also at The National Archives); and newspaper advertisements sourced from the British Newspaper Archive. These three archives have allowed me to evaluate the uses made of advertising images, and to relate this to the companies' development, reflecting on the gaps and omissions between the three sources. This research has uncovered a nationwide chain of women's ready-to-wear retailers, an unexpected development that may require some rethinking of current historiography. It also throws light on the locations and practices of London-based clothing workshops, which have proven resistant to study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the relations between practice, knowledge and context in design consultancies. It uses a case study of design consultancies in London based on in-depth interviews with designers working in design agencies in the city. The paper argues that the relations between design knowledge and context have been conceived in two ways. The first account emphasises the sharing of tacit knowledge in a design community marked by relatively strong and durable social ties. The second approach argues instead that design is a creative collectivity with much weaker social ties and a broader range of types of knowledge. It is argued that while both of these approaches illuminate parts of situated learning and context in design consultancies, these are actually more complex and mixed than either account recognises. Both accounts overlook the crucial importance of what are termed medium-strength ties between designers and their clients that combine market contracts with personal regard and friendship. The paper concludes by suggesting that such medium ties are increasingly important in design-based innovation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to uncover major differences in current opinion concerning the purpose, scope and priorities of facility management (FM), and to indicate which key areas and factors of FM practice should be considered for inclusion in any theoretical framework for positioning FM. A literature review examines the available knowledge, theories and publications concerning linking FM to organisation and its environments from a range of published literatures. The paper identifies gaps in the existing knowledge base, and clarifies the issues for consideration and development framework for positioning FM. This paper is a part of research being undertaken for PhD study at the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London. It has produced a theoretical framework for positioning FM which will be further developed in the next stage of the study. The theoretical framework for positioning FM provides useful ground for developing decision method and tools for positioning FM practice. This paper offers a starting point in aligning FM practice to the particular organisation systematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the conflict over nationalization as an economic policy in London, England. The proposal for nationalization of the British industries is from White Paper titled "The Regeneration of British Industry," by the Labour Party. It is stated that the paper deals mainly with planning agreements of assistance between major companies. The author suggests that the concerned parties should be wise and informed in making decisions about the economy.

Presents an assessment of the marketing practices among African and Caribbean small businesses in London. Findings reveal the patchy application of an adapted market orientation framework; also indicates "informal" marketing deliberations taking place and is consistent with Stokes and Blackburn's assertion that marketing in the small business sector seems to be an informal and unplanned activity that relies on the intuition and energy of the owner-manager. The study was undertaken in response to calls for marketing-related research in this sector and the results provide valuable insights into the UK's intercultural dynamics. The study reveals considerable degree of evenness between the ease or difficulty of securing bank loans. The paper concludes by drawing attention to managerial implications and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on research with Vietnamese businesses in London which seeks to challenge some of the traditional views of transnational entrepreneurship. These have focused primarily on entrepreneurs embedded in both home and host countries and the need for regular travel between the two to manage the business. In contrast, this study suggests that transnational entrepreneurship today is more fluid than previous studies have suggested and is often characterised by multi-polar (rather than bipolar) links. Travel is also less relevant in the current age of ‘super-connectivity’. The research explores how Vietnamese entrepreneurs in London draw on various forms of transnational capital to further the development of their business, and develops a framework to measure the degree and extent of the transnational embeddedness and dependency of the business. The results suggest that transnational entrepreneurship amongst ethnic minority entrepreneurs today is better viewed as a continuum rather than a set of discrete business types. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Olympic Games, with its distinctive ethos and reach, offers a valuable opportunity for those able to mobilise it as a platform for their own purposes. This paper focuses on how global social justice groups are pursuing this goal. It is argued that the types of protest utilising the Olympic platform change over time and reflect distinct historical phases of the Games. Contemporary anti-Olympic and Olympic watchdog campaigns are characterised by contestation over the prioritising of corporate interests, so contribute to wider critiques of globalising capitalism. The Play Fair campaign for the rights of workers making official Olympic merchandise and supplies exemplifies this, as it mobilises the Olympic platform to question and influence working practices within transnational supply chains. A case study of the campaign is presented, drawing on documentary analysis, interviews and participant observations undertaken since the launch of PlayFair 2012 in February 2010. It was found that by targeting London 2012 corporate discourses of ‘ethics’ and ‘sustainability’ in its campaign to ensure a ‘sweat free’ Olympics, Play Fair connects the production of major sporting events to wider issues of global inequality, poverty and structural problems in transnational labour markets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Mattie Burkert, Speculative Enterprise: Public Theaters and Financial Markets in London, 1688-1763 (Charlottesville: Univ. of Virginia Press, 2021). According to Burkert, in the years after the South Sea Bubble, several playwrights engaged in a cynical and class-conscious critique of financial elites and the markets they manipulate for their own ends. In the two decades before the South Sea Bubble, many amateur investors saw risky financial investments as a possible path to greater wealth; Centlivre predicted that this is not, in fact, what would come of widespread involvement in financial markets. [Extracted from the article]

Using a unique sample of hand-collected profiles of foreign directors over the period of 2006–2016, I examine whether foreign directors' board representation improves its dual role of monitoring and advising executives. The setting for this study is Russian public companies' boards of directors. I find that foreign directors' board representation is positively associated with the probability of Russian companies' cross-listing on London Stock Exchange's Main Market, alone or in combination with other markets. Non-London stock exchanges that are popular among Russian companies are characterized by less rigorous listing and reporting obligations as compared to London Stock Exchange. Accordingly, foreign directors enhance the boards' advisory role but only in cases in which their expertise is critical. Notably, foreign directors' serving on the audit committee is related to lower discretionary accruals and is associated with fewer modified audit opinion instances, thereby constraining managerial opportunistic behavior and enhancing the board's monitoring role Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources cited in the text. JEL Classifications: G30; G34; J15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intersections between technology, mobility and citizenship have been relatively neglected in current geographical enquiry. Through qualitative analysis of user, operator and media accounts of retro-fitted safety technology on HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles), this paper illustrates the ways in which citizenship as a moral accomplishment is dependent upon the socio-technical worlds into which individual actors are folded. In response to the growing incidence of cyclist fatalities under the wheels of HGVs, various safety technologies have been positioned as reliable ‘intermediaries’ by policymakers, manufacturers and operators seeking to mitigate the risks of the HGV. However, we demonstrate that these technologies are more accurately seen as ‘mediators’, because of the ways in which they distort and translate information, producing and reshaping new tasks and roles for HGV drivers. One of the consequences of this is a shift in responsibility towards the drivers, which increases the potential to construct them as negligent if accidents still occur. Accordingly, we indicate how technologies ‘push back’ on mobile subjects, shaping not only their ability for moral conduct, but broader social identities as citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of subsidised workspace for small enterprises has been a public sector concern in many developed economies since the 1960s. In recent years, the focus of economic development initiatives has shifted away from supply side initiatives, such as fiscal incentives and the direct provision of premises, towards a consideration of the collective provision of infrastructure and services, in order to meet demands of businesses and workers in cities where there is already strong demand and growth. As well as this shift from supply- to demand-side initiatives, there has been a change in the political ideological approach to land and property development, away from public sector direct provision and funding, to place greater onus on the private sector to deliver development, infrastructure and services. The introduction of ‘affordable workspace’ planning policies by local authorities in London from the early 2000s is part of this shift – building on more established key worker and affordable housing policies. This paper evaluates the success of affordable workspace planning policies in thirteen mixed use schemes in London, from the perspectives of developers and workspace providers, who are responsible for delivering and managing the affordable workspace. First, it finds that the perspective of the developer, in particular whether it sees affordable workspace policy as (a) an opportunity, (b) a ‘tool’ to secure planning permission or (c) a burden, is mostly influenced by the way in which the affordable workspace emerged within the proposal. Developers’ perspectives and the success of their partnerships with workspace providers are critical to the successful delivery of affordable workspace within the scheme. Second, the findings show that ‘affordable workspace’ is difficult to define and deliver, with different interpretations used by delivery partners and the ability of workspace providers to deliver affordability depends critically on their organisational model. Finally, the research shows that although there are clear benefits of the policy for artists and small, creative industry businesses, it is not benefiting low-value manufacturers or small family-run retail and service businesses, nor is it generally benefiting start-ups. The implications of policy outcomes for economic development are considered; overall the beneficial impacts are limited. The research concludes that the predominant model of affordable workspace policy being promoted in London will fail to meet the aspirations of policy makers, with the limited success of policy further compounded by the global recession of the late-2000s. Alternative or complementary strategies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an initial analysis of a creative digital cluster which emerged in east London in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Drawing on spatial analysis of sector and firm level data, the eastward trajectory of a new wave of digital creative activity, and its particular mix of co-located sectors, is placed within the wider context of the geography of London’s creative and digital economies. The particular dynamics of this cluster – its sector combinations, markets and firm organisation – are creating a localised spike of economic vitality. The relative strength of this new cluster is contrasted with the faltering position of longstanding local craft and arts based creative industries. Analysis of a sample of 261 firms suggests that the current vitality of this cluster emerges from risky experimentation across co-located sectors in which hitherto unrelated knowledges and activities are being combined. A core role for hybrid firms – creative digital agencies – is suggested. These firms show many of characteristics already identified for creative SMEs, including their tendency to agglomerate in and benefit from specialised clusters within urban economies. However, these firms also appear to have internalised the sector and skill diversity commonly identified as the primary positive externalities of urban economies. It is also noted that this self-organising creative digital cluster is producing spatially embedded ‘noisy’ networks with a multitude of weak ties. This cluster arrangement appears therefore to be a mechanism for mediating the high degrees of uncertainty and risk in London’s creative digital sector, currently exacerbated by the recessionary conditions of London’s post 2008 economy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Over the last decade policies framing the enterprise agenda for UK higher education institutions (HEIs) have consistently emphasized the potential impact of successful universities on both regional and national economies. Such policies have been backed by significant public funding to ensure that the UK HEI sector is able to compete globally in the creation and exploitation of cutting-edge science. Collectively, these initiatives have led to the development of a 'third mission' for universities – increasing the pace and impact of knowledge-exchange activities – while simultaneously maintaining and improving their more traditional research and teaching activities. Previous studies have demonstrated the contribution of universities to the growth of high-technology clusters as well as to knowledge exchange activities more generally. However, the extent to which these activities, particularly the formation of new university-related companies, deliver benefits to particular regions and cities is imperfectly understood. As a consequence, the economic and social impact of companies originating in universities in the UK is generally under-reported by official surveys, which frequently fail to capture details of the trajectories of such companies after formation. These considerations form the context for this paper, which presents the results from a detailed study of the impact of science and technology based academic spin-offs from a cross-section of London's HEIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses problems that are associated with IAS 37 and an exposure draft of proposed amendments by the International Accounting Standards Board in London, Great Britain. The article is broken down by product warranty, recognition, identifying the liability with conditional and unconditional obligations, applying the probability recognition criterion, measurement and risks and uncertainties. The article uses an example of product warranty to explain why these amendments came about.

This study was inspired by the observation that foreign financial service firms operating in the City of London do not suffer the liability of foreignness to the extent suggested by theory. To examine the reasons for this departure from theory, the study advances a theoretical framework that distinguishes between three types of advantages that together account for the competitive performance of MNEs relative to that of indigenous firms. Empirical analyses of a sample of 296 foreign financial service firms in the in the City of London show that in this particular context major sources of competitive performance are the firm-specific advantages and the advantages of multinationality, where British firms may not necessarily possess an advantage over foreign firms. An examination of the validity of the findings, in order to assess the extent to which this situation is unique to the City of London or rather signifies a more general trend that requires theoretical modification and extensions, is emphasized as a major task for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several topics discussed at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Age and Employment Network (TAEN) conference in London, England on March 20, 2009 is presented. The topics included flexible working practices among older employees in the economic downturn. The event featured notable speakers including Kathy Kelly, Nicola Brewer, and Chris Ball.

There is a high level of competition between companies and the final result is often measured by their financial performance. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the financial performance of a sample of companies from London. Statistical analysis is performed of 293 companies randomly selected from the population of firms resident in London, the economic indicators being registered for 2014. The main results indicated that most of the variation in financial performance is explained by the book-to-market ratio and cash-to-assets ratio. On the other hand, financial performance is also explained by cash flow and leverage. Most of the firms that were placed in the same group had a successful financial performance in 2014. Few companies located in the other cluster encountered some difficulties regarding cash flow and sales. This situation could be explained by the difficulties of facing the economic crisis. Thus the financial performance evaluation is useful in improving a firm's financial indicators in order to achieve a higher profit. The diagnosis will help managers in taking the most suitable decisions to solve the financial problems by selecting the best strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research is making links between diversity and the economic performance of cities and regions. Most of the underlying mechanisms take place within firms, but only a handful of organization-level studies have been conducted. We contribute to this underexplored literature by using a unique sample of 7,600 firms to investigate links among cultural diversity, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sales strategies in London businesses between 2005 and 2007. London is one of the world's major cities, with a rich cultural diversity that is widely seen as a social and economic asset. Our data allowed us to distinguish owner/partner and wider workforce characteristics, identify migrant/minority-headed firms, and differentiate firms along multiple dimensions. The results, which are robust to most challenges, suggest a small but significant 'diversity bonus' for all types of London firms. First, companies with diverse management are more likely to introduce new product innovations than are those with homogeneous 'top teams.' Second, diversity is particularly important for reaching international markets and serving London's cosmopolitan population. Third, migrant status has positive links to entrepreneurship. Overall, the results provide some support for claims that diversity is an economic asset, as well as a social benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jane Clarke (c. 1794-1859) of Regent Street, London, was well-known as a lace merchant and milliner at prestigious addresses and as an exhibitor at major exhibitions, but her means of livelihood has became a cultural interest which has survived the woman herself. After summarising what is known about Jane Clarke's family, this biographical article describes the context and the development of her London business and its expansion into Lancashire. It then focuses on Clarke herself - her awards and honours, her lace and antiques collections and her new suburban home. Comparisons are made between Clarke and other London merchants. Jane Clarke's achievements are of interest to historians considering the careers of Madame Elise, court dressmaker, and Anthony Blackborne, lace merchant, each of whom took over a part of her business in 1859. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors examine the ways in which recruitment and selection processes facilitate the reproduction of elites and elite cultures within City law firms. The research is based upon original research carried out during 2009, consisting of in-depth semistructured interviews, semiotic and content analyses of recruitment materials and websites, and the analysis of publicly available data demonstrating the educational backgrounds of lawyers practising in the City. By deploying Bourdieusian concepts including the field, 'doxa', cultural capital, and habitus, the authors show that, in the firms studied, homologous elite cultures and social groups are maintained and legitimated as part of attempts to reproduce 'normalised' expectations about the identity and practice of a City professional. Maintenance is ensured by assessing the objectified, institutionalised, and embodied cultural capital of applicants in recruitment and selection processes, with only those possessing certain types of capital being recruited. This selection by cultural capital limits social mobility in City professions, which are dominated by the upper-middle classes, and helps explain why, in the face of critique and in the context of programmes designed to widen social diversity, the City legal profession remains socially exclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports that the strength of the financial services industry located in the geographical area defined as London contributes to a set of desirable outcomes for certain persons or firms in that city--although possibly the reference may be specifically to the government of London, and possibly only to that government's fiscal health. But not spelling out the full meaning permits an ellipsis to occur--in the metaphorical use "London" becomes the whole of London, the part is implicitly equated with the whole. The limited colloquial meaning of the sentence is transformed, and "London's success" becomes a success for all the people of London, all of the businesses, the built environment, a whole entity that is "London."

The article discusses the issue of productivity change in the coal trade from the north-east to London over a 220-year period and clarifies one important aspect of that change, the trend in average ship size. There were substantial improvements in technology and business organization over the period. It has been argued here that although these improvements were not reflected in rapidly declining real or nominal freight rates, none the less the achievements were remarkable. Annual shipments to London by sea increased from around 400,000 tons at the beginning of the period to over 9 million tons by the end, and the increased volume of coal was moved at about the same cost per ton. In a recent issue of the journal "Economic History review," economist S. Ville discussed the magnitude and importance of the trade and described the significant technical and organizational improvements which occurred over the period, including the adoption of larger ships, increased annual voyages per ship, reduced manning requirements, port development, the growth of insurance, and the introduction of navigational aids.

Features London, England-based software developer Keystone Software. Company history; Starting years in New Zealand; Receptiveness of British markets to high tech investments; Products offered.