...This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier’s archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright Author's personal copy Organizational Dynamics (2010) 39, 353—356 a v a i l a b l e a t w w w. s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/orgdyn Why Nike kicks butt in sustainability Marc J. Epstein, Adriana Rejc Buhovac, Kristi Yuthas Nike Inc. has a unique combination of capabilities and competencies that position the company as a leader in sustainability. Nike is among the world’s most prominent sustainable corporations, and is regularly recognized by organizations that rank sustainable performance. For example, Nike has been named one of 100 most sustainable corporations in the world by Innovest, ranked third in Corporate Responsibility Officers 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, and named one of the World’s Top...
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...objective of assessing the external environment is to determine the timing and significance of the effects of environmental changes and trends on the strategic management of the firm. ____ 3. Early adopters of new technology often achieve higher market shares and higher returns than later adopters of the technology. ____ 4. An attractive industry is one that is characterized by high entry barriers, suppliers and buyers with strong bargaining power, low threats from substitute products, and low rivalry among firms. ____ 5. The process of competitor analysis should examine the competitor’s future objectives, current strategy, assumptions, and capabilities. ____ 6. Firms should seek to continually develop new core competencies because all core competencies have limited life spans. ____ 7. Compared to tangible resources, intangible resources are an inferior source of core competencies. ____ 8. One benefit of outsourcing is that it allows a firm to focus on those few value chain activities where it can produce the greatest value. ____ 9. A business-level strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions designed to exploit core competencies and gain a competitive advantage in specific product markets. ____ 10. To position itself differently from competitors, a firm must decide to either perform activities differently or to perform different activities. ____ 11. Essentially, there are only two basic competitive...
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...jcc23black.qxd 21/11/06 1:01 pm Page 25 Corporate Social Responsibility as Capability The Case of BHP Billiton Leeora D. Black Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility; and Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University Corporate social responsiveness is what companies do in order to be socially responsible. This paper presents a case study of social responsiveness at the global mining firm BHP Billiton to illustrate a model of social responsiveness capabilities. Until now, corporate social responsiveness has described processes of environmental scanning, issues management and stakeholder management. The model presented here suggests that social responsiveness is rather understood as a cluster of five organisation-level capabilities that span an organisation’s culture and structure. The case study explores evidence for social responsiveness capabilities at BHP Billiton and considers management implications for the development of management abilities for social responsibility. Director of the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, Dr Leeora Black is a consultant, researcher and educator focused on integrating social responsibility into business operations and strategies and measuring corporate social responsibility. Her work analyses complex CSR issues and problems and builds organisational CSR capabilities. She works with global firms, government businesses and social-sector organisations on integration of CSR into...
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...Organizations are intent on human recourses as a benefit to their firm so that it can help the organization achieve its competitive advantage. Changes in the environment such as widespread globalization, rapid technology and other such factors have led to organizations realizing the significance of controlling human resources in a firm. Since organizations have also become more dynamic and complex, the need to manage human resources has become more essential. In recent years, many individuals demanded for a more strategic approach to managing people in a firm, rather than the traditional methods, and thus the idea of strategic human resource management (SHRM) was adopted. Strategic human resource management is a branch of human resource management, and it can be defined as ‘ the linking of human resources with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop organizational culture that foster innovation, flexibility and competitive advantage.’ (Sinha, R 2007). This essay is going to focus on how strategic human resource management helps organizations achieve a sustained competitive advantage. Sustainable competitive advantage is the position a firm develops in relation to its competitors that are not duplicable an unsurpassable than its competitors. Recently scholars have come to the basis of HR skills and competences as sources of competitive advantage. Human resource practices as well as competitive strategies are based on the assumption...
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... Assessing whether the company's costs and prices are competitive D. Evaluating whether the company is competitively stronger or weaker than key rivals E. Pinpointing what strategic issues and problems merit front-burner managerial attention The spotlight in analyzing a company's resources, internal circumstances, and competitiveness includes such questions/concerns as Awhether the company's present strategy is better than the strategies of its closest rivals based on such . performance measures as earnings per share, ROE, dividend payout ratio, and average annual increase in the common stock price. B. whether the company's key success factors are more dominant than the key success factors of close rivals. C. whether the company has the industry's most efficient and effective value chain. D. what are the company's resource strengths and weaknesses and its external opportunities and threats. E what new acquisitions the company would be well advised to make in order to strengthen its financial . performance and overall balance sheet position. Which of the following is not...
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...690 29 June 2014 Discussion Question 1.1 (2 parts to this question): 1.1. A strategy is a term used to describe the firm’s “overall efforts to gain and sustain competitive advantage” (Rothaermel, 2013, p. 9). The “translation of the strategy into action takes place in the firm’s business model, which details the firm’s competitive tactics and initiatives” (Rothaermel, p. 11). Basically, a strategy will explain how a firm will make money but the difference between a strategy and the business model is the business model explains how the firm intends to make the money AND puts it into action; the strategy just gives the theory. Business models put strategy into action. A strategy focuses on the company in relation to its competition and the business model focuses on the company in isolation. 1.1a. How they are similar is both business strategies and business models look toward a firm’s future and are both essential in decision-making within a company. A firm’s strategy and business model working hand in hand becomes the nuts and bolts behind how a firm intends to achieve its overall goal, which is to make and increase profit. Discussion Question 1.2 (3 part to this question): 1.2a. Crowdsourcing is defined as “the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people and especially from the online community rather than from traditional employees or suppliers” (Merriam-Webster, 2014). The word is a combination...
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...690 29 June 2014 Discussion Question 1.1 (2 parts to this question): 1.1. A strategy is a term used to describe the firm’s “overall efforts to gain and sustain competitive advantage” (Rothaermel, 2013, p. 9). The “translation of the strategy into action takes place in the firm’s business model, which details the firm’s competitive tactics and initiatives” (Rothaermel, p. 11). Basically, a strategy will explain how a firm will make money but the difference between a strategy and the business model is the business model explains how the firm intends to make the money AND puts it into action; the strategy just gives the theory. Business models put strategy into action. A strategy focuses on the company in relation to its competition and the business model focuses on the company in isolation. 1.1a. How they are similar is both business strategies and business models look toward a firm’s future and are both essential in decision-making within a company. A firm’s strategy and business model working hand in hand becomes the nuts and bolts behind how a firm intends to achieve its overall goal, which is to make and increase profit. Discussion Question 1.2 (3 part to this question): 1.2a. Crowdsourcing is defined as “the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people and especially from the online community rather than from traditional employees or suppliers” (Merriam-Webster, 2014). The word is a combination...
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...Introduction This essay introduces that Human Resource (HR) is the most important asset of an organization. The essay will share with the reader insights on why the human resources, or mostly referred as employees, are the key to successful organizations. This paper will cover on how employees’ contribution will impact companies’ competitive advantage and help achieve their goals and performances; and how employees play a vital role in productivity and improve processes through their skills, expertise and experiences. This in return contributes to the overall organizational success. Employees as a Competitive Advantage Employees are the heartbeat for companies. According to Armstrong and Baron (2002), a company can leverage on their people and their collective skills, abilities, and experience, coupled with their aptitude to implement the interests of the company, thus producing a competitive advantage for the company against its competitors. Each employee contributes differently to the company across the various departments and functions that they are in. Therefore, it is the employer’s responsibility to recognize the value and the quality of each employee, and to be able to see them as valuable and not a liability to the company they are part of (Goessl 2013). As a result, the company will cultivate its effort to ensure that their employees are valued and retained. Retaining a steady pool of employees will contribute greatly to both short-term benefits and long-term...
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...|Authorised: Dean of School |[pic] | |Owner: Dean of School | | |Approved by: SQC | | |Date: 28th June 2004 | | |Revised: 17th July 2006 | | |Ref: UWBS038a | | UWBS038g Assessment Briefing for Students |Academic Year: |Semester 1 | |2013/2014 | | |Module code: |6IB003 |Module title: |Dynamics of Multinational Companies | |Subject Area: |International Business |Module Leader: |Dr...
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...as a contributor to the business technology pressures and secondly as a facilitator of Xerox’s critical responses activities. Identify the multiple business pressures on Xerox and describe some of the company’s response strategies. In the beginning Xerox with its introduction of the Xerox 914 automatic, plain paper copiers) Xerox was empire of the copying industry (Xerox, 2014). With all they had accomplished Xerox had a unique position in the industry. What they did was synonymous with what they performed. In any company to say “I am going to make a Xerox “was a common place. Xerox as time passed new technology and new entrants in the industry began to arise. Between 1995 and 2010 the digital world's challenge for Xerox began to impact the company in a way that they seem to be struggling in with staying vital Domination over Xerox's empire of paper, and paper copiers, seemed inevitable (Scott D. Anthony, 2011). Xerox was stammering with the fierce competition of the Japanese .Xerox was facing extinction and they were in debt. They were in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and they had fallen behind in keeping up with the movement of updating with new technology its copiers. , Xerox failed to create growth in new markets, and found itself on the brink of irrelevance (Fast Company Staff, 2014). It was made clear to the business processing sector that the copier and faxes weren’t enough to sustain them in the digital world. Inevitably, simpler and...
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...individuals; and c) structure of systems to evaluate the performance of both individuals and business units. First, assignment of decision rights involves giving the responsibility of decision-making to top-level executives. It is imperative that an organization is able to delegate the duty of making a decision to a manager who has relevant information and knowledge on the internal and external factors that affects the operations and goals of the organization. The architecture of an organization and its environment will determine who will be the decision-maker for the company. In some organizations, the top-level executive may have them most relevant information and thus, a centralized decision-making process can be adopted. There are instances when the lower-level employees may have the most relevant information, thus, decision-making rights become decentralized. Second, methods of rewarding individuals determine how the organization will provide incentives to its employees. Organizational goals and employee’s productivity play great roles in determining a scheme of remuneration. Some organizations repay their employees through financial rewards such as the monthly wage, and cost of living allowance, and other benefits. Also, some firms offer nonfinancial rewards such as improving the workplace and enhancing the employees’ skills and knowledge through trainings and seminars. Third, structure of systems to evaluate the performance of both individuals and business units. Every company...
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...the case analysis process. What we gather from the initial analysis can then be used to direct functional departments (finance, supply chain, marketing etc.) to gather relevant data, which can be used to do further analysis. The initial analysis should follow the following process: ------------------------------------------------- Part 1 Points assigned: 15 (financial + external+ internal) A) Financial Analysis: Look for both accounting and economic measure of performance in the case. If any such indicators are not given in the case or you can’t calculate these indicators from the data provided in the case (i.e. profit-loss statement, balance sheet, and relevant data associated with WACC calculation etc.), skip this part of the analysis. However, if such data is present please go ahead and calculate relevant financial ratio and economic indicators of performance as instructed in the text and discussed in the class. Competitive advantage is often measured in accounting terms and economic terms. A firm is said to have a competitive advantage if one or more of its accounting measures exceed(s) the industry average for that particular measure. For example, if a firm’s return on sales is 23 percent and the industry average is 15 percent, we would take that as an...
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...Does IT Matter? An essay presented to the Department of Information Systems University of Cape Town in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the course on Information Systems Honours (INF 414W) by ( March 200x Declaration 1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another’s work and pretend that it is one’s own. 2. I have used the APA Convention for citation and referencing. Each contribution to, and quotation in, this essay from the works of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. 3. This essay is my own work. 4. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as his or her own work Signature …………………….. Date ….../….../…...… Full name of student: A Table of contents 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………1 2. Resources: what makes them strategic?.....................................................1 1. Characteristics of Strategic Resources………………………..…………2 3. Strategic value of Information Technology………………………….………..2 4. The evolution of the IT function in business………………………………...4 5. Using IT to gain Sustainable Competitive advantage………...……………7 6. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….8 7. Bibliography………….………………………………………………………….9 ...
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...|School/Portfolio: |The Business School | | | | |Course Code/ID: |BUMKT 5922 | | | | |Course Title: |Competitive Analysis | | | | |Teaching Location: |Insert teaching location | | | | |Program(s): |Master of Business Administration | | | | |Author: |Campbell Jeffery ...
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...Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing Green marketing in B2B organisations: an empirical analysis from the natural‐resource‐based view of the firm Elena Fraj Eva Martínez Jorge Matute Article information: To cite this document: Elena Fraj Eva Martínez Jorge Matute, (2013),"Green marketing in B2B organisations: an empirical analysis from the natural#resource#based view of the firm", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 28 Iss 5 pp. 396 - 410 Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/08858621311330245 Downloaded on: 26 October 2014, At: 19:59 (PT) References: this document contains references to 87 other documents. To copy this document: permissions@emeraldinsight.com The fulltext of this document has been downloaded 1841 times since 2013* Users who downloaded this article also downloaded: Downloaded by UNIVERSITI UTARA MALAYSIA At 19:59 26 October 2014 (PT) (2007),"Environmental management systems "must measure green performance"", Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, Vol. 18 Iss 2 pp. Jerónimo de Burgos#Jiménez, Diego Vázquez#Brust, José A. Plaza#Úbeda, Jeroen Dijkshoorn, (2013),"Environmental protection and financial performance: an empirical analysis in Wales", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 33 Iss 8 pp. 981-1018 Lez Rayman#Bacchus, Sumita Sindhi, Niraj Kumar, (2012),"Corporate environmental responsibility – transitional and evolving", Management of Environmental Quality:...
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