Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University

This is an exploration into how large companies, well placed in the sustainability field, embed sustainability in their corporate practice through the use of management controls. This was investigated empirically based on a case study of Solvay S.A. The framework by Crutzen et al. (2017), with its pattern approach to sustainability management controls, was employed in this study as a theoretical lens and as a tool for the evaluation of data output. Evidence indicates systemic and systematic deployment of formal management controls to direct the sustainability performance within the Group.  Such technocratic institutionalization of sustainability through formal controls is topped by the application of informal cultural controls, concrete signals of which were identified in relation to sustainability. The paper concludes that the researched Group deploys a full package of formal and informal management control mechanisms for sustainability.

A combinação dos fatores externos e internos, intrínsecos ao ambiente empresarial, pode afetar o desempenho de uma empresa, facilitando ou dificultando a sua estabilidade. O objetivo desta pesquisa consistiu em verificar as relações entre as variáveis do ambiente externo, os elementos do modelo de gestão, os controles gerenciais e os desempenhos de empresas de setores de atividade distintos. A partir disso, construíram-se os procedimentos metodológicos. Primeiramente, definiram-se as hipóteses, alicerçadas nos constructos teóricos da pesquisa. Com essa base, desenhou-se o instrumento de pesquisa, que foi aplicado, inicialmente, por meio de um pré-teste em 20 empresas da amostra, para então se dar seqüência ao trabalho de campo. A amostra da pesquisa compôs-se de 69 empresas do setor do comércio, 80 do industrial e 74 do de serviços, totalizando 223 empresas contatadas. Dessas, 118 responderam ao questionário enviado. A coleta dos dados deu-se por meio da aplicação de dois procedimentos: questionário e obtenção dos dados econômicos das empresas. O questionário foi disponibilizado em website para ser respondido pelos gestores do alto escalão da empresa, que pudessem ter a visão sistêmica da empresa presidente, diretor, gestor da área de controladoria, o que dependeu de cada empresa previamente contatada por telefone. Os dados econômicos foram obtidos a partir da Revista Exame Maiores e Melhores empresas do Brasil, para efeito da formação dos indicadores ROI (Return on Investments) e MO (Margem operacional), cujo período abrangeu os anos de 2005, 2006, 2007 e 2008. O período de realização da pesquisa de campo compreendeu os meses entre junho e outubro de 2009, sendo que antes disso, entre fevereiro e abril, foi aplicado o préteste. O tratamento e a análise dos dados coletados foram efetivados por meio da aplicação de estatística descritiva e modelagem de equações estruturais. Como resultado, verificou-se que as associações entre ambiente externo e modelo de gestão dos três setores empresariais observados se revelaram significantes, principalmente em empresas dos setores comercial e industrial. Não se constatou relação significativa entre os elementos do modelo de gestão e os desempenhos das empresas dos três setores. Verificou-se que os elementos do modelo de gestão influenciam, significativamente, os tipos de controles gerenciais adotados pelas empresas de todos os setores investigados, predominantemente aquelas do setor industrial. Os graus de relação entre o ambiente externo e os controles gerenciais mostraram-se baixos, não podendo ser considerados representativos neste estudo. Em se tratando da relação entre controles gerenciais e desempenho das empresas, puderam ser notados resultados expressivos nos setores industrial e de serviços, não ocorrendo o mesmo no comércio. Assim, esta tese atingiu o seu objetivo, demonstrando as relações entre ambiente externo, modelo de gestão, controles gerenciais e desempenho de empresas pertencentes a diferentes setores de mercado. / The combination of external and internal factors, intrinsic to the business environment, can affect a firms performance as well as its management structure. This study xamines the relations of the variables of the external environment (business conditions), lements of the management model, management controls and performance of companies in different sectors. The methodology entailed first defining the hypotheses based on the theoretical constructs found in the literature and then formulating a questionnaire, which was pre-tested in 20 companies before starting the main survey. The full sample consisted of 223 companies (69 engaged mainly in commerce, 80 in industry and 74 in services). The questionnaire was made available at a website for access by the respondents. They consisted of chief executives, other officers or comptrollers, epending on each company, contacted previously by telephone. Of the 223 firms approached, 118 answered the questionnaire. Besides the data from the questionnaires, performance indicators on the companies were obtained from the Maiores e Melhores (Biggest and Best) edition of the Brazilian business magazine Exame. The indicators considered were return on investment (ROI) and operating margin (OM), covering the years from 2005 to 2008. The main survey was carried out between June and ctober 2009, after completing the pre-test between February and April. The data were treated and analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics and modeling with structural equations. The results show that the associations between the external setting and management model in the three business sectors analyzed are significant, mainly in service companies. No significant relationship was found between the management model and performance of the firms in any of the sectors. However, the elements of the management model do significantly affect the types of management controls adopted by the firms in all three sectors, particularly in the industrial sector. The associations were low and cannot be considered as representative in this study. With respect to the relationship between the management controls and performance, the results were salient in the industrial and service sectors but not among commercial firms. On the whole, the thesis attained its objective, demonstrating the relations of the external setting, management model and performance of companies in the commercial, industrial and service sectors.

The purpose of this study, is to investigate the dynamics of reforms (i.e. why and how) in the delivery of public services and management controls in an Irish local authority, paying particular attention to the role of a newly appointed CEO and austerity measures. The case study method is adopted. Several complementary socio-political theoretical lenses are adopted to give greater emphasis to agency and structure including concepts such as institutional entrepreneurship, institutional contradictions, institutional change, organisational change and power. Such theoretical pluralism illuminates the complex nature of public service reforms in an Irish local authority, as it sought to realise services efficiency targets in times of austerity. This study makes important contributions to research on public service deliveries and management controls. As far as its author is aware, this study is the first of its kind to detail the unfolding journey of reform in the delivery of services and management controls in an Irish local authority that faced the significant challenges of austerity. Hence, for this reason alone the research contributes significantly towards the development of new knowledge in this important area. Furthermore, an in-depth process-oriented account of a purposeful institutional entrepreneur, utilising management accounting information, power and communication, in reforming the delivery of public services and management controls, is provided. Also revealed is how external factors, such as the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent central government funding cuts, enabled rather than constrained, institutional entrepreneurship. In addition, the case findings informed, how in conditions of austerity, the fundamentals of budgetary control became easier to enforce.

A combinação dos fatores externos e internos, intrínsecos ao ambiente empresarial, pode afetar o desempenho de uma empresa, facilitando ou dificultando a sua estabilidade. O objetivo desta pesquisa consistiu em verificar as relações entre as variáveis do ambiente externo, os elementos do modelo de gestão, os controles gerenciais e os desempenhos de empresas de setores de atividade distintos. A partir disso, construíram-se os procedimentos metodológicos. Primeiramente, definiram-se as hipóteses, alicerçadas nos constructos teóricos da pesquisa. Com essa base, desenhou-se o instrumento de pesquisa, que foi aplicado, inicialmente, por meio de um pré-teste em 20 empresas da amostra, para então se dar seqüência ao trabalho de campo. A amostra da pesquisa compôs-se de 69 empresas do setor do comércio, 80 do industrial e 74 do de serviços, totalizando 223 empresas contatadas. Dessas, 118 responderam ao questionário enviado. A coleta dos dados deu-se por meio da aplicação de dois procedimentos: questionário e obtenção dos dados econômicos das empresas. O questionário foi disponibilizado em website para ser respondido pelos gestores do alto escalão da empresa, que pudessem ter a visão sistêmica da empresa presidente, diretor, gestor da área de controladoria, o que dependeu de cada empresa previamente contatada por telefone. Os dados econômicos foram obtidos a partir da Revista Exame Maiores e Melhores empresas do Brasil, para efeito da formação dos indicadores ROI (Return on Investments) e MO (Margem operacional), cujo período abrangeu os anos de 2005, 2006, 2007 e 2008. O período de realização da pesquisa de campo compreendeu os meses entre junho e outubro de 2009, sendo que antes disso, entre fevereiro e abril, foi aplicado o préteste. O tratamento e a análise dos dados coletados foram efetivados por meio da aplicação de estatística descritiva e modelagem de equações estruturais. Como resultado, verificou-se que as associações entre ambiente externo e modelo de gestão dos três setores empresariais observados se revelaram significantes, principalmente em empresas dos setores comercial e industrial. Não se constatou relação significativa entre os elementos do modelo de gestão e os desempenhos das empresas dos três setores. Verificou-se que os elementos do modelo de gestão influenciam, significativamente, os tipos de controles gerenciais adotados pelas empresas de todos os setores investigados, predominantemente aquelas do setor industrial. Os graus de relação entre o ambiente externo e os controles gerenciais mostraram-se baixos, não podendo ser considerados representativos neste estudo. Em se tratando da relação entre controles gerenciais e desempenho das empresas, puderam ser notados resultados expressivos nos setores industrial e de serviços, não ocorrendo o mesmo no comércio. Assim, esta tese atingiu o seu objetivo, demonstrando as relações entre ambiente externo, modelo de gestão, controles gerenciais e desempenho de empresas pertencentes a diferentes setores de mercado. / The combination of external and internal factors, intrinsic to the business environment, can affect a firms performance as well as its management structure. This study xamines the relations of the variables of the external environment (business conditions), lements of the management model, management controls and performance of companies in different sectors. The methodology entailed first defining the hypotheses based on the theoretical constructs found in the literature and then formulating a questionnaire, which was pre-tested in 20 companies before starting the main survey. The full sample consisted of 223 companies (69 engaged mainly in commerce, 80 in industry and 74 in services). The questionnaire was made available at a website for access by the respondents. They consisted of chief executives, other officers or comptrollers, epending on each company, contacted previously by telephone. Of the 223 firms approached, 118 answered the questionnaire. Besides the data from the questionnaires, performance indicators on the companies were obtained from the Maiores e Melhores (Biggest and Best) edition of the Brazilian business magazine Exame. The indicators considered were return on investment (ROI) and operating margin (OM), covering the years from 2005 to 2008. The main survey was carried out between June and ctober 2009, after completing the pre-test between February and April. The data were treated and analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics and modeling with structural equations. The results show that the associations between the external setting and management model in the three business sectors analyzed are significant, mainly in service companies. No significant relationship was found between the management model and performance of the firms in any of the sectors. However, the elements of the management model do significantly affect the types of management controls adopted by the firms in all three sectors, particularly in the industrial sector. The associations were low and cannot be considered as representative in this study. With respect to the relationship between the management controls and performance, the results were salient in the industrial and service sectors but not among commercial firms. On the whole, the thesis attained its objective, demonstrating the relations of the external setting, management model and performance of companies in the commercial, industrial and service sectors.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T19:11:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 17 / Nenhuma / Nas últimas décadas, a globalização dos mercados, entre outros fenômenos, tem provocado o acirramento da competição entre as empresas. Vê-se na cooperação e na coopetição modelos que cada vez mais recebem atenção, uma vez que, dificilmente uma empresa atuando isoladamente conseguirá desenvolver, em tempo hábil, todos os recursos, materiais ou não, para adquirir e manter sua competitividade. Assim, diante das exigências de mercado, as empresas têm na formação de alianças estratégicas uma alternativa de agrupar os recursos necessários para atender a esse mercado e criar uma vantagem competitiva sustentável. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo propõe-se a investigar o grau de utilização dessa estratégia pelas empresas, o formato dos controles de gestão utilizados e um futuro provável das alianças estratégicas realizadas por médias e grandes empresas que compõem os Pólos Calçadistas do Vale do Rio dos Sinos-RS e de Franca-SP. A pesquisa é aplicada, quantitativa e descritiva, situando o comportamento e as expectativ / Starting some decades ago, market globalization, among some other phenomena, has increased business competition. It is seen in cooperation and coopetition models receiving more and more attention, once a company, acting isolated, will hardly be able to develop, in time, all resources, material or not, to acquire and maintain its competitiveness. Thus, facing market requirements, companies have in strategic alliances an alternative to group necessary resources to deal with this market and create a sustainable competitive advantage. In this context, this current study has in view to investigate the degree of use of this strategy by the companies; the set of management control used and a probable future for the strategic alliances made by medium and large enterprises that constitute the Shoe Company Nuclei of Vale do Rio dos Sinos-RS and Franca-SP. The research is applied, quantitative and descriptive, showing the behavior and expectations of both shoe companies nuclei part of the research. This study was develo

Denna studie har undersökt hur små och stora svenska solcellsföretag budgeterar i osäkra miljöer. Fokus har varit på att jämföra företagen och identifiera likheter och skillnader mellan hur de budgeterar. För att ta fram kunskap i ämnet intervjuades två små solcellsföretag (Solivo AB och Wettersol AB) samt ett stort solcellsföretag (Sesol AB). Resultaten från intervjuerna visar att små solcellsföretag använder en mer informell hantering av budgetering, ofta baserad på magkänsla istället för formella budgetar. Detta på grund av begränsade resurser och tid. De fokuserar på kortfristig planering med täta uppföljningar av kostnader och intäkter, och gör månatliga prognoser för att försäkra att fasta kostnader täcks. Utöver det har de små organisationerna inte samma krav på formella budgetar från ägare och styrelse som stora företag. Stora solcellsföretag, å andra sidan, använder mer avancerade budgetmodeller och styrsystem som faciliterar både långsiktig och kortsiktig planering, med regelbundna månadsvisa uppdateringar. De utnyttjar “Business Intelligence” verktyg för djupgående analys av företaget, vilket ger en bättre förståelse för helheten. Stora företag har också centraliserade kostnadsavdelningar för kostnadskontroll och projektledning. Krav från externa ägare på finansiell rapportering leder till utvecklade ekonomistyrningssystem och mer detaljerade budgetprocesser. På grund av omfattande finansiell planering är stora verksamheter bättre rustade och mer motståndskraftiga mot marknadsfluktuationer vilket kan ge dem en konkurrensfördel.  Trots dessa skillnader påtalar både små och stora företag flera likheter gällande budgetering i en osäker miljö. Båda påvisar vikten av nyckeltal för att mäta prestationer och jämföra med historisk data. Både de små och stora solcellsföretagen använder sig av “top-down-styrning” som styrstruktur, vilket anses effektivt i osäkra miljöer. Dessutom är tät uppföljning och kontinuerliga uppdateringar av budgetarna gemensamma strategier för att anpassa sig till förändringar. / The aim of this study was to examine how two small and one large Swedish solar cell companies use budgeting in uncertain environments. The focus of the study has been on comparing the organisations and to identify their similarities and differences in how they use budgets. In order to do this two small solar cell companies (Solivo AB and Wettersol AB) and one large solar cell company (Sesol AB) were interviewed. The results from the interviews show that small solar cell companies use a more informal budgeting system, often based on gut feeling instead of formal budgets. This is due to a limit of time and resources. Instead they focus on short term planning and regular follow-ups of costs and revenues, and do monthly forecasts to ensure fixed costs are covered. In addition, the small companies do not have the same requirement on formal budgets from owner and board as large companies do. Large solar cell companies, on the other hand, use more advanced budgetary models and control systems that facilitate both long-term and short-term planning, with regular monthly updates. They also use “Business intelligence” tools for thorough analysis of the company, providing a better understanding of the overall picture. Large companies have also centralized cost departments for cost control and project management. External owners’ demands for financial reporting lead to the development of financial management systems and more detailed budget processes. Due to extensive financial planning, large companies are better equipped and more resilient to market fluctuations, potentially giving them a competitive advantage.  Despite these differences, both small and large enterprises highlight multiple similarities regarding budgeting in uncertainty. Both emphasize the importance of key performance indicators to measure performance and compare it with historical data. Both small and large solar cell corporations use top-down management as a governance structure, which is considered beneficial in uncertain environments. Furthermore, close monitoring and continuous updates of budgets are common strategies to adapt to changes.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T18:40:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Marcos Davila.pdf: 726015 bytes, checksum: 98dea650e21db5f9650341ec4c71a493 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-05-17 / Pontificia Universidade de São Paulo / The Brazilian firms growth is the challenge to be considered within the microeconomic agenda in order to include the country in the global competition s context. For such growth to happen, it is necessary to overcome external barriers, such as taxation, financing, regulation and technological policies. Besides, internal barriers should also be overcome, such as organizational culture and management. This work discusses the management of such firms regarding its growth phase, from the use of the COSO Committee of Sponsoring Organizations internal control method. The purpose is to assess the applicability of such method over the brazilian small business, meanly at the moment in which the small firm become a medium sized company, considering that at this point a strict and on going oversight became impossible. Such applicability has been evaluated through analysis of writings describing the brazilian small business features in comparison with the COSO internal control method and also through inquiry to small business experts. The conclusions obtained indicates that the COSO internal control method is applicable for the brazilian small business if changes are carried out. Required changes includes a replacement of the focus on disclosure of financial statements to a new focus on management accounting, pointed out as a need by the experts, and also a higher degree of details and examples of practical cases, meanly about the identification of a set of usual risks for small business / O crescimento do porte das empresas brasileiras é o desafio que se impõe na agenda microeconômica para inserir o Brasil no contexto da competição globalizada. Para que este crescimento ocorra, é necessário que barreiras externas à empresa sejam superadas: os aspectos da tributação, o acesso a financiamentos, regulamentação e políticas tecnológicas. Além disso, barreiras internas também precisam ser vencidas, como os aspectos de gerenciamento e de cultura organizacional. Este trabalho aborda a questão do gerenciamento dessas empresas em relação à sua fase de crescimento, a partir da utilização do método de controles internos do COSO Committee of Sponsoring Organizations. Propõe avaliar a aplicabilidade deste método em relação às empresas brasileiras de pequeno porte, principalmente no momento em que a pequena empresa se torna uma empresa de médio porte, momento este em que a supervisão direta e contínua do proprietário sobre as operações se torna impraticável. Tal aplicabilidade é avaliada através de análises de textos que descrevem as características dos pequenos negócios no Brasil em comparação com o método de controles do COSO, e também através de consulta a especialistas sobre pequenos negócios no Brasil. As conclusões obtidas indicam que o método de controles do COSO pode ser aplicado para empresas brasileiras de pequeno porte mediante adaptações. Dentre as adaptações necessárias, deve-se alterar o foco na divulgação externa de demonstrações financeiras pelo foco em uma boa contabilidade gerencial, apontado como uma carência pelos especialistas consultados, além de haver maior detalhamento e exemplificações, principalmente sobre a identificação de um conjunto de riscos que sejam comuns aos pequenos negócios

Bakgrund och problem: Gasellföretag klassas som de företagen med högst tillväxt i Sverige och utgör en viktig del av den nationella ekonomin. I takt med att de växer ställs nya krav på sammansättningen av gasellföretagens styrteknologier för fortsatt tillväxt.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka gasellföretag för att skapa en djupare förståelse och samla kunskap kring hur sammansättningen av olika styrteknologier påverkas av tillväxten. Vi kommer undersöka vilka styrteknologier tillväxtföretagen arbetar med och hur de har påverkats under tillväxtfasen. Metod: För att undersöka studiens syfte valdes en kvalitativ flerfallstudie som forskningsdesign. Studiens empiri bygger på semistrukturerade intervjuer med tre gasellföretag som blivit selekterade genom ett kriteriestyrt urval. Slutsats: Studiens slutsats tyder på att sammansättningen av gasellföretags styrteknologier påverkas av den höga tillväxten. Vi ser förändringar i både de formella- och informella styrteknologierna och att förändringarna är nödvändiga för att hantera tillväxten. Vi finner många samband hur gasellföretag väljer att förändra och implementera styrteknologier för att hantera tillväxten.

Public organisations account for their performance by making annual reports available to the public. While such increased emphasis on performance leads to a greater awareness of annual reports, it also raises the question of whether performance information is relevant and effective for accountability purposes. This qualitative study uses the Critical Realism approach to assess the contribution of performance reports in making municipalities more responsible; and their managers accountable for achieved and failed service delivery targets. Content and thematic analyses are applied to the collected data following case studies on the metropolitan cities of Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, and Tshwane in Gauteng, South Africa. The findings are that despite poor quality issues in reports, there is no link between performance and accountability. In other words, while performance reports have the capacity to correctly provide actual performance data, they are not used to hold public managers to account. Generally, politicians from underdeveloped countries are elected based on popularity rather than ability, hence they are reluctant to utilise performance reports, instead they tend to keep those public managers who look after their interest despite failures. Therefore, lack of consequences, complex governance systems, and passive citizenry, create a safe zone for both councillors and public managers to remain unaccountable. Further studies are recommended on empowering communities and accountability of councillors to citizens. / Business Management / M. Phil (Accounting Sciences)