Thesis-1972-Rath.pdf (10.37 MB)
Management innovation through industrial management research in the individual firm and its specific application to market opportunity assessment studies
thesis
posted on 2011-02-07, 10:13 authored by Alex E. RathIn this Thesis the Researcher describes the work done
in the course of an Industrial PhD. program with the
University of Technology, Loughborough, Upon completion
of a period of training, the Researcher joined
an industrial firm with the view of investigating ways
of Management Innovation in the practical environment.
The Industrial PhD. scheme being a new concept, based
on investigation of practical problems within industrial
enterprises and this study being the first of its kind,
greater emphasis has been laid on the description of the
Research Environment, and the actions and reactions of
the Researcher and the Medium. The study was carried
out over a period of four years, one academic year of
post-graduate, post-experience training at the University,
followed by three years of industrial investigation.
During the period of industrial investigation the Researcher
was a full time employee of the "Co-operating
Firm". The Research Environment is described in Part I of the Thesis.
In his initial capacity with the Co-operating Firm, the
Researcher could not put forth his plans on the strength
of his own functional responsibilities, but merely as
proposals from an employee of the Company. The organisational
pattern of the Company did not cater for a
central planning function. The Researcher studied the
firm's requirements and devised a proposed program of
work to provide an input to a Corporate Plan which was
to follow. The Market Plan to be developed was intended
to provide a focal point for the firm's Corporate Plan. Subsequent organisational changes within the firm,
allowed the Researcher to reach a position where
first he was given advisory responsibility for
Market Planning, and finally direct functional
responsibility for implementation.
From the outset, the Researcher provided Management
with specific surveys and investigations in defined
areas of imminent interest to the Organisation, which
were acknowledged as being useful although seldom
implemented. The Researcher succeeded in demonstrating
the need and the feasibility of greater
use of Scientific Management in the firm, and his
own capability in contributing in its implementation.
The organisational changes which occurred, took cognizance
of this development and gradually the
Researcher's programme was incorporated in the
Company's Corporate plan.
The Researcher's work embraced, (a) The formulation
of an overall Market Plan and (b) A specific topic
of research within the overall Plan.
Market Opportunity Assessment studies constituted
the specific topic of research. The method developed
provided a working tool needed in the implementation
of the Market Plan.
The Market Plan required applied research in two
additional specific areas, (a) The development of
a Linear Programme for Product Mix Optimisation and
(b) An Input Output Matrix disaggregation for the
Company's product lines, for Long Term forecasting
purposes. (Continues...).
History
School
- Business and Economics
Department
- Business
Publisher
© Alex Ephraim RathPublication date
1972Notes
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.EThOS Persistent ID
uk.bl.ethos.470024Language
- en