Privately-owned Company Research Articles

The Impact of Covid-19 Crisis on a Company’s Internal Communication

The goal of the article is to identify whether the COVID-19 crisis has had an impact on the company's internal communication - both from leader's and organization member's perspective, that is, to compare the leaders' perceptions of their leadership and communication style on one hand, with the organization members' perceptions of the communication model they use with same-level colleagues and the descriptions of their leaders' philosophy on the other hand. 16th March 2020 is the turning point that marks the start of the pandemic - communication before and after this date was analyzed. Two questionnaires (one for leaders and one for organization members) designed by the authors of this case study were administered to these two targeted hierarchical levels in a privately-owned company in North Macedonia. The analysis showed what both groups stated - after the pandemic outbreak face to face meetings were replaced by virtual communication, shorter meetings became more common, leaders were involved by giving feedback, and they led by logos, with the most welcomed difference being in the leadership model: leaders maintained that their leading was by example in both periods, while organization members claimed that after the start of the crisis their leaders' priority was work-life balance.

Agrokor: Political Aspects of the Crisis of Croatia’s Biggest Conglomerate

When the conglomerate Agrokor, the biggest privately-owned company in Croatia and the Balkans, found itself on the verge of bankruptcy in 2017 due to its outstanding debts, the whole Croatian economy was under a threat of collapse. Since Agrokor accounts for 15% of the country’s economy and employs approximately 60000 people, the situation was particularly alarming for the government, which decided to intervene by starting the bailout process. Taking into consideration the fact that Agrokor’s biggest creditors were Russian banks Sberbank and VTB, the crisis also had certain political implications. In the midst of the critical situation, the Croatian leadership had to coordinate the country’s domestic and global policies, attempting to find a common ground with Russia and surmount the crisis.

The Relational Production of Workplace Equality: The Case of Worker-Recuperated Businesses in Argentina

Work organizations are commonly studied as sites that produce and reproduce inequality. But we know much less about how organizations promote equality. This article examines efforts to broaden access to power, opportunity, and resources in Hotel Bauen, a worker-recuperated business that was converted from a privately-owned company into a worker-run cooperative. Drawing on extensive ethnographic and archival research, I analyze efforts to redesign and redefine work through collective decision-making, job rotation, and pay equity. The article concludes by identifying three mechanisms of equality—inclusion, opportunity distribution, and symbolic leveling—to theorize the relational production of workplace equality and complement the near-exclusive focus on inequality and its effects.

'If You Were an Animal, a Plant, a Meal, a Car … What Would You Be?' The Use of Analogy in the Study of Identity Traits

The article presents a new data-collection technique that can be applied in identity studies: analogy. The use of metaphor in identity studies is no novelty, but this particular creative exercise used in sociological research has not been described before in the methodological literature. Three pieces of research in which this technique has been applied are presented here: studies in which participants have been asked to analogise the profession of sociologist, a state-owned company, or a privately-owned company with animals, plants, automobiles musical instruments, or types of meals. The article highlights the special features of the analogy technique, such as the fact that it diminishes the control mechanisms of the participants, making the data that are obtained less sensitive to social desirability. The analogy is presented as an unusual and fun technique that breaks up the routine of the respondent's day-to-day life and is a contrast to the monotonous nature of common tests and questionnaires. Applying this exercise in social research is easy. Analogy obtains meaningful answers from participants and it provides valuable results. Because it is able to access surprising information and a very wide range of identity aspects, analogy can be used in all kinds of social research: sociological, psychological, management, political sciences, communication, social work, public relations, human resources, and others.

'스토리텔링 수학' 관련 언론 보도 내용 분석

교육부가 '스토리텔링 방식을 가미한 수학 교과서'를 언급한 이후, 2009 개정 교육과정에 따른 수학과 교육과정이 적용되기 시작한 2013년 3월을 전후하여 '스토리텔링 수학' 관련 언론 보도가 집중된 시기의 보도 자료를 중심으로 분석을 실시하였다. 연구자는 보도 자료의 외형적 특성과 함께 보도된 기사 내용을 면밀히 조사하기 위하여 보도 프레임을 선행 연구방법에 근거하여 추출한 다음, 추출된 프레임인 이해, 교육방법, 반응, 강조, 상업광고의 5개의 보도프레임을 활용하여 모든 기사의 세부 내용을 두 명의 평가자가 홀스티(Holsti) 방식을 활용하여 분석을 실시하였으며, 그 결과 두 평가자의 분석 결과가 타당한 것으로 판단되었다. 연구자는 언론 보도 내용을 분석하기 위해 이해, 교육방법, 반응, 강조, 상업광고의 5개의 보도 프레임을 추출하여 활용하였다. 분석 결과, 대부분의 사기업에서 상업적 광고를 위한 도구로서 '스토리텔링 수학' 정책을 활용하고 있었다. 언론 보도 내용은 독자 스스로가 판단하는 것이 옳지만, 그 내용에 대해 무조건 신뢰해서는 안 될 것이며, 정책을 추진하는 입장에서는 교육 수요자 및 공급자들에게 새로운 정책의 도입이 어떠한 영향을 미칠 것인지에 대해 충분히 숙고하는 과정이 필요할 것으로 보인다. After National Mathematics Education Advanced Plan represented in 2012, mathematics education fields began to attention to 'Storytelling'. Because the plan contains important topics, reinforcing mathematics education, improving understanding about mathematics, and enhancing self-guided learning. As one of the methods for improving understanding about mathematics, Storytelling in mathematics is emphasizing recently. The purpose of this study is to analyse the articles about 'Storytelling Mathematics' to find how the media report it. Also, we discuss the direction of Storytelling in mathematics education. The conclusion of this study is that most of the privately-owned company is using the Storytelling as a tool for advertising commercially. Readers have to make a decision which articles are true or useful. A policy makers must ponder how the 'Storytelling Mathematics' policy affect the demands and suppliers in education.

Defects in Modern Organizations: Field Findings and Discovery

This paper brings forth my serendipitous discovery of the relationship between defects and compressed organizational structures. In this paper, I define what a compressed organizational DNA structure is, and discuss organizational studies I have carried out since 2000, with a particular focus on the studies in 2007-2009, 2010, and 2011-2012 in the U.S. Federal Government, a privately-owned manufacturing company, and a large multinational corporation. I identify defects-creating structures in the organizations, and suggest a general framework for detecting organizational systems prone to produce defective products and services. Index Terms—Organizational structure, defects, early detection of defects, corporate DNA, organizational DNA, compressed organizations, general theory of managerial hierarchy, requisite organization theory.

Entry modes of European firms in Vietnam

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to explore the entry modes of EU firms setting up operations in Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach: we use a case study approach on Haymarket, Cadbury, Creative Education, Fairchild, Aventis and Artemisinin and Farming International using interviews from managerial professionals in Vietnam. Findings: Despite the fact that Vietnam has been opening up for more than 20 years, licensing is the preferred entry mode because of the risks involved in venturing with local firms; that preference signals a low level commitment and a high perception of risk and state interference. In line with Vietnam transition to state - rather than private market - capitalism, a foreign company opting for a joint-venture will do so with a state-owned rather than privately-owned company. The choice of a subsidiary can be explained by the lack of trust in partners and institutions, not by improvement in the socio-political environment.Limitations: In determining the entry mode strategy, the paper focuses on the Uppsala school’s “psychic distance” (e.g. cultural distance, lack of trust) rather than on firm-specific advantages (Rugman, 1980; 2006).Key-words: international entry mode; emerging markets; subsidiary; joint-venture; India; Vietnam

Unsystematic Risk In South African Privately-Owned Company Valuations

The purpose of the study is to determine whether advisory firms valuing privately-owned companies in South Africa take unsystematic risk into account and, if they do, how objectively it is done. A literature search was reviewed and used as a foundation in a questionnaire to gather information from the big four audit, advisory and taxation firms (PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloitte & Touch and Ernst & Young). The study found that unsystematic risk is incorporated into privately-owned company valuations, but that the whole subject of valuations, especially privately-owned company valuations, does not entail entire objectivity. The study further concluded that it is possible to use unsystematic risk as a device to bring the final results of a valuation in line with the clients objective. Further research should be done by extending the population to include medium- and large advisory firms and comparing the approaches used by each group.

A Contractual Analysis of State versus Private Ownership

This paper provides a unique contractual analysis of privatization from a state-owned company to a privately-owned company. Using a contractual approach, we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of private ownership versus state ownership under various circumstances. Our analyses focus on three aspects: external risk, internal governance, and relative importance of the owner versus managers. We provide both theoretical and empirical analyses. Our empirical analysis supports our theoretical findings. Our focus on the change in ownership is particularly relevant to the recent debate on nationalizing banks in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis.

Corporate Services Brands: The Intellectual and Emotional Engagement of Employees

This paper considers the role and significance of employees within corporate services brands. Following a review of the literature an important omission is identified concerning the message orientation necessary to help employees engage in the corporate brand development process. The paper explores the employee-targeted communication strategy used by an established UK corporate services organization during its transformation from a public sector to a privatelyowned company. The case considers the role of employees within the new organization and their contribution to brand development. It examines ideas concerning the intellectual and emotional engagement of employees and in particular the way messages and media were targeted at employees in order to maximize effectiveness. The paper concludes with a call for further research in order to develop and refine some of the ideas presented. The intention is to help organizations improve the effectiveness of their internal communications.

Resistance to Change: The Influence of Social Networks on the Conversion of a Privately-Owned Unionized Business to a Worker Cooperative

This study analyses the impact of social networks upon the conversion of a privately-owned construction firm in central Canada to a worker cooperative based on Mondragon by-laws. The conversion was undertaken by the president and co-owner of the privately-owned company, Conco, in 1987, and the study was done four years later. The four construction unions representing the trades-people resisted the conversion. In the beginning the cooperative consisted only of management. Gradually, it has expanded to include the office staff, but only a small minority of trades-people became involved. This phenomenon is analysed in terms of social networking theory. The main findings were: (1) employees at Conco interpreted information and formed attitudes through social networks in which they participated; (2) identification with one's network was accentuated by a lack of trust with those in the opposing network; and (3) given the lack of trust, people turned to key players in their network for information and turned to others within their networks to compare ideas and opinions.

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development made three loans during the period under review. On December 20, 1956, it was announced that a loan equivalent to $20 million had been made to the Indian Iron and Steel Company, Ltd. (IISCO), a privately-owned indian company, to help finance additional rolling capacity. The First National City Bank of New York, the Irving Trust Company and the Philadelphia National Bank were participating in the loan, without the Bank's guarantee, in the total amount of $1,032,000, representing the first maturity falling due in April 1960. The loan was for a term of eleven years and bore interest of 5 percent including the 1 percent commission charged by the Bank. Amortization was to begin April 15, 1960. The loan, the second to the IISCO, was guaranteed by the government of India and was to be secured by a first mortage and charge upon IISCO's assets under a trust deed.