Abstract
This paper shows the details of how I adopted a qualitative research methodology to study the role of management control practices in global production networks (GPNs). The case study is of an Egyptian garment factory that acts as a supplier for a French retailer of sports clothes. The methodology adopted enabled me to trace the supplier-customer relationship, the customer’s requirements in terms of the product specification, quality and time of delivery, and the development of the factory along the production network as well as improving the visibility of the factory’s operations to achieve instant and continuous control. The paper highlights my reflections on the experience through which I realised an intellectual value of doing a case study.
Highlights
In his seminal work, Anthony (1965,p 17) defined management controls as “the process by which managers assure that resources are obtained and used effectively and efficiently in the accomplishment of the organization’s objectives”
In order to study the management control practices in this factory, I am using the work of Hardt and Negri (2000), Empire, which provides an analysis of the contemporary phase of global capitalism, the transformation from an industrial to an informational economy, and the influence on the geographical distribution of the production process and the constitution of production networks
The engagement of this case study readdressed my thinking about research
Summary
In his seminal work, Anthony (1965,p 17) defined management controls as “the process by which managers assure that resources are obtained and used effectively and efficiently in the accomplishment of the organization’s objectives”. The Egyptian government policies supported opening the country’s boundaries to the access of foreign buyers to interact with the Egyptian manufacturers These factors combined have made Egypt a suitable context for understanding the influence of the global forces (represented in the GPN requirements) on the management control practices of the supplier side of the network. In order to study the management control practices in this factory, I am using the work of Hardt and Negri (2000), Empire, which provides an analysis of the contemporary phase of global capitalism, the transformation from an industrial to an informational economy, and the influence on the geographical distribution of the production process and the constitution of production networks. I believe that for the reader to be able to release the anonymity of the case, and be able to exactly identify it, would be a very difficult task
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