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|
xvii | |
About the authors |
|
xix | |
About the book |
|
xxii | |
How to use this book |
|
xxiv | |
How to use the Online Resource Centre |
|
xxvii | |
Acknowledgements |
|
xxix | |
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Introduction: `business' and its `environment' |
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1 | (30) |
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|
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The approach of this book---themes and issues |
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2 | (2) |
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4 | (1) |
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Business and the problem of scarcity |
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4 | (1) |
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The private sector of business |
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5 | (2) |
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The private sector---on closer inspection |
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7 | (3) |
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Free market vs. regulation? |
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7 | (2) |
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Competition vs. market power? |
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9 | (1) |
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Profit vs. social responsibility? |
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9 | (1) |
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Other sectors of business---the public sector and the third sector |
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10 | (3) |
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Differences between the private and public sectors |
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10 | (3) |
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A simple model of business in its environment---transforming inputs into outputs |
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13 | (2) |
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Porter's `five forces' model |
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14 | (1) |
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Conceptualizing the environment of business |
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15 | (2) |
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Spatial level---local to global |
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15 | (1) |
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External and internal environments |
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16 | (1) |
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Immediate and general environments |
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17 | (1) |
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17 | (1) |
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Interaction between business and the environment---responding, influencing and choosing |
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17 | (3) |
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17 | (1) |
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18 | (1) |
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18 | (2) |
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The nature of the internal environment |
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20 | (1) |
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20 | (1) |
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Types of organization structure |
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21 | (3) |
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21 | (1) |
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22 | (1) |
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Divisions and operational units |
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23 | (1) |
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23 | (1) |
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Delayering---flat structure |
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23 | (1) |
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24 | (3) |
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Uncertainty and `bounded rationality' |
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24 | (1) |
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24 | (1) |
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SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) |
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25 | (1) |
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25 | (1) |
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25 | (1) |
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26 | (1) |
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26 | (1) |
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27 | (1) |
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28 | (1) |
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Review and discussion questions |
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29 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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30 | (1) |
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31 | (124) |
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33 | (30) |
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35 | (1) |
|
Describing the economic environment |
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35 | (1) |
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36 | (1) |
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36 | (1) |
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36 | (1) |
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36 | (1) |
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Developing the economic problem |
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36 | (4) |
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36 | (3) |
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39 | (1) |
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39 | (1) |
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Perspectives on the economic environment |
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40 | (3) |
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42 | (1) |
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43 | (1) |
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The case for government intervention |
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43 | (4) |
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Disadvantages of the market system |
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43 | (1) |
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Competing critiques---the need to acknowledge the modern nature of capitalism |
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44 | (3) |
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Markets and how they operate |
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47 | (11) |
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47 | (2) |
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49 | (1) |
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49 | (1) |
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50 | (1) |
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51 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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Analysing market changes: the significance of equilibrium |
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52 | (1) |
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Equilibrium analysis explained |
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53 | (1) |
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Equilibrium analysis---guidelines for use |
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53 | (2) |
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55 | (2) |
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Income elasticity of demand |
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57 | (1) |
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58 | (1) |
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59 | (1) |
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Case study: the food business |
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59 | (1) |
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Review and discussion questions |
|
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60 | (1) |
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61 | (1) |
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61 | (1) |
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62 | (1) |
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The technological environment |
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63 | (27) |
|
|
Introduction: what is technology? |
|
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65 | (2) |
|
How does technology foster business growth and development? |
|
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67 | (3) |
|
Total output/total amount of labour |
|
|
67 | (3) |
|
Technology and national competitive advantage |
|
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70 | (2) |
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Perspectives on creating a national environment to promote technology |
|
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72 | (2) |
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Technology and business competitive advantage |
|
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74 | (3) |
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77 | (7) |
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78 | (1) |
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79 | (1) |
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|
79 | (1) |
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80 | (4) |
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84 | (1) |
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|
84 | (1) |
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|
85 | (1) |
|
Case study: containerization |
|
|
86 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
88 | (1) |
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|
88 | (1) |
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|
88 | (1) |
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|
89 | (1) |
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|
89 | (1) |
|
The political-legal environment |
|
|
90 | (31) |
|
|
Introduction: what is politics? Why is politics necessary? |
|
|
92 | (2) |
|
Free market versus regulation |
|
|
92 | (1) |
|
Constraints and opportunities |
|
|
93 | (1) |
|
|
93 | (1) |
|
Narrow and broad conceptions of politics |
|
|
93 | (1) |
|
What has politics got to do with business? |
|
|
94 | (2) |
|
|
96 | (1) |
|
The interdependence of business and government |
|
|
96 | (3) |
|
|
97 | (1) |
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|
97 | (1) |
|
|
98 | (1) |
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|
98 | (1) |
|
|
98 | (1) |
|
The international dimension |
|
|
99 | (1) |
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|
99 | (10) |
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|
99 | (2) |
|
Liberal democracy and the constitution |
|
|
101 | (6) |
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107 | (2) |
|
Political values and ideologies |
|
|
109 | (3) |
|
|
109 | (3) |
|
Ideology and political parties |
|
|
112 | (1) |
|
The main political parties |
|
|
113 | (3) |
|
|
113 | (2) |
|
|
115 | (1) |
|
|
116 | (1) |
|
|
116 | (1) |
|
|
117 | (1) |
|
Case study: politics after Thatcherism |
|
|
117 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
119 | (1) |
|
|
119 | (1) |
|
|
119 | (1) |
|
|
120 | (1) |
|
|
120 | (1) |
|
The social and cultural environment |
|
|
121 | (34) |
|
|
Introduction: what is the social and cultural environment? |
|
|
123 | (2) |
|
What has it got to do with business? Society, culture and business |
|
|
125 | (3) |
|
Examples of social-cultural impacts on business |
|
|
125 | (2) |
|
Examples of business impacts on culture and society |
|
|
127 | (1) |
|
|
127 | (1) |
|
Demographic trends---an ageing population |
|
|
128 | (4) |
|
|
128 | (1) |
|
Implications of ageing for business |
|
|
129 | (3) |
|
Immigration and multiculturalism |
|
|
132 | (3) |
|
Implications of immigration for business and society |
|
|
133 | (2) |
|
|
135 | (4) |
|
|
135 | (1) |
|
|
135 | (1) |
|
|
136 | (2) |
|
|
138 | (1) |
|
Relevance of the class structure to business |
|
|
139 | (1) |
|
|
139 | (6) |
|
Equality of opportunity versus equality of outcome |
|
|
140 | (1) |
|
|
140 | (1) |
|
|
140 | (1) |
|
The earnings distribution |
|
|
141 | (1) |
|
|
141 | (1) |
|
|
141 | (2) |
|
What has inequality got to do with business? |
|
|
143 | (2) |
|
|
145 | (4) |
|
|
145 | (1) |
|
|
146 | (1) |
|
|
146 | (1) |
|
|
147 | (1) |
|
|
148 | (1) |
|
|
149 | (1) |
|
|
149 | (1) |
|
Case study: decline of the working class? |
|
|
150 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
152 | (1) |
|
|
152 | (1) |
|
|
153 | (1) |
|
|
153 | (1) |
|
|
153 | (2) |
|
|
155 | (312) |
|
Keeping the economy stable |
|
|
157 | (30) |
|
|
|
Introduction: the macroeconomy and macroeconomic policy |
|
|
159 | (1) |
|
The objectives of macroeconomic policy |
|
|
160 | (11) |
|
A stable and satisfactory rate of economic growth |
|
|
161 | (2) |
|
|
163 | (1) |
|
|
164 | (2) |
|
A high and stable level of employment, and a consistently low level of unemployment |
|
|
166 | (3) |
|
A low and stable rate of inflation |
|
|
169 | (2) |
|
The case for stabilizing the economy |
|
|
171 | (5) |
|
Stabilization policy in question |
|
|
176 | (3) |
|
From stabilization policy to controlling inflation |
|
|
179 | (2) |
|
Contemporary macroeconomic policy---an eclectic macroeconomics |
|
|
181 | (1) |
|
|
182 | (1) |
|
|
183 | (1) |
|
Case study: what does an independent central bank do? |
|
|
183 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
185 | (1) |
|
|
185 | (1) |
|
|
186 | (1) |
|
|
186 | (1) |
|
|
186 | (1) |
|
Can the marketplace be ethical? Corporate social responsibility |
|
|
187 | (26) |
|
|
|
189 | (1) |
|
The emergence of the CSR agenda |
|
|
190 | (1) |
|
Key terms in the discussion of corporate responsibility |
|
|
191 | (2) |
|
Corporate social responsibility |
|
|
192 | (1) |
|
|
192 | (1) |
|
|
192 | (1) |
|
|
193 | (5) |
|
The free market view of CSR |
|
|
193 | (2) |
|
Stakeholder theory and CSR |
|
|
195 | (3) |
|
The motivations for pursing a CSR policy |
|
|
198 | (2) |
|
|
198 | (1) |
|
|
199 | (1) |
|
|
199 | (1) |
|
An overview of CSR policy and process using Aviva as a case study |
|
|
200 | (1) |
|
The process and practice of CSR |
|
|
201 | (7) |
|
|
201 | (1) |
|
Value clarification and management |
|
|
201 | (4) |
|
Responsibility negotiation and planning |
|
|
205 | (1) |
|
|
206 | (2) |
|
|
208 | (1) |
|
|
209 | (1) |
|
Case study: Nestle and infant formula |
|
|
209 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
211 | (1) |
|
|
211 | (1) |
|
|
211 | (1) |
|
|
212 | (1) |
|
|
212 | (1) |
|
Achieving a better work--life balance |
|
|
213 | (26) |
|
|
|
|
215 | (3) |
|
What is work--life balance? |
|
|
218 | (1) |
|
Why work--life balance is moving up the agenda |
|
|
218 | (5) |
|
The intensification of work |
|
|
219 | (1) |
|
|
220 | (2) |
|
|
222 | (1) |
|
|
223 | (6) |
|
|
224 | (1) |
|
Part-time workers regulations |
|
|
225 | (1) |
|
Time off for family emergencies |
|
|
226 | (1) |
|
|
226 | (1) |
|
|
226 | (1) |
|
|
226 | (1) |
|
The right to request flexible working |
|
|
227 | (1) |
|
|
227 | (1) |
|
|
228 | (1) |
|
|
229 | (1) |
|
Balancing work and retirement---the `pensions crisis' |
|
|
230 | (4) |
|
The state versus the market |
|
|
232 | (1) |
|
The proposals of the Turner report |
|
|
233 | (1) |
|
|
234 | (1) |
|
|
235 | (1) |
|
Case study: work-life balance in practice |
|
|
235 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
237 | (1) |
|
|
237 | (1) |
|
|
237 | (1) |
|
|
238 | (1) |
|
|
238 | (1) |
|
Europe: an ever-closer union of member states? |
|
|
239 | (34) |
|
|
|
Introduction: the EU and its members |
|
|
241 | (2) |
|
|
241 | (2) |
|
Institutions and decision-making |
|
|
243 | (2) |
|
Council of Ministers of the European Union |
|
|
243 | (1) |
|
|
243 | (1) |
|
|
244 | (1) |
|
Integration, trade and cultural considerations |
|
|
245 | (3) |
|
Restricted free trade: customs union to single market |
|
|
245 | (2) |
|
|
247 | (1) |
|
EU trade in a global business context |
|
|
247 | (1) |
|
Cultural diversity and business implications |
|
|
247 | (1) |
|
|
248 | (5) |
|
Exchange rates and the euro |
|
|
248 | (2) |
|
|
250 | (1) |
|
|
251 | (1) |
|
Euro business strategy and operations |
|
|
252 | (1) |
|
Financing the EU: budget issues and challenges from enlargement |
|
|
253 | (7) |
|
Budget objectives and composition |
|
|
253 | (1) |
|
Key budget issues and challenges |
|
|
254 | (2) |
|
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) |
|
|
256 | (1) |
|
|
256 | (2) |
|
|
258 | (1) |
|
|
258 | (2) |
|
Doing business in the new Europe |
|
|
260 | (5) |
|
|
261 | (2) |
|
|
263 | (2) |
|
Europe and the future: ever-closer union or . . .? |
|
|
265 | (2) |
|
|
265 | (1) |
|
|
265 | (2) |
|
|
267 | (2) |
|
|
269 | (1) |
|
Case study: the knowledge economy: Finland and Nokia |
|
|
269 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
271 | (1) |
|
|
271 | (1) |
|
|
271 | (1) |
|
|
272 | (1) |
|
|
272 | (1) |
|
Business and the changing public sector |
|
|
273 | (27) |
|
|
|
275 | (1) |
|
The public and the private sectors |
|
|
275 | (1) |
|
|
276 | (1) |
|
The political environment and public sector management |
|
|
276 | (5) |
|
Politics and policy-making |
|
|
277 | (1) |
|
Central government and local authorities |
|
|
278 | (1) |
|
|
279 | (1) |
|
Public sector effectiveness |
|
|
280 | (1) |
|
The shift in emphasis since 1979 in Britain and across Europe from the 1980s and 1990s |
|
|
281 | (4) |
|
|
281 | (1) |
|
|
282 | (1) |
|
|
283 | (1) |
|
Approaches to reform in the context of public service management |
|
|
283 | (1) |
|
An outline of the reform strategy and implementation in Great Britain |
|
|
284 | (1) |
|
Public--Private partnerships |
|
|
285 | (6) |
|
`Private finance initiative' (PFI) |
|
|
287 | (1) |
|
|
287 | (2) |
|
Data, measurement, statistics, performance indicators |
|
|
289 | (1) |
|
|
290 | (1) |
|
|
290 | (1) |
|
The political and policy organizations |
|
|
291 | (2) |
|
|
291 | (1) |
|
|
292 | (1) |
|
|
293 | (1) |
|
|
293 | (1) |
|
Case study: fire safety provision |
|
|
294 | (3) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
297 | (1) |
|
|
298 | (1) |
|
|
298 | (1) |
|
|
298 | (1) |
|
|
299 | (1) |
|
Business in the political arena |
|
|
300 | (31) |
|
|
|
302 | (1) |
|
The complexity of the political arena |
|
|
302 | (1) |
|
The play of interests and power in the political process |
|
|
303 | (3) |
|
The representation of business interests |
|
|
306 | (1) |
|
Understanding the influence of business in the political process |
|
|
307 | (1) |
|
|
307 | (1) |
|
|
308 | (10) |
|
The Lessons of Sunday trading |
|
|
311 | (1) |
|
|
312 | (6) |
|
Neocorporatism---the importance of economic interests |
|
|
318 | (2) |
|
The neocorporatist phase in the UK |
|
|
319 | (1) |
|
|
319 | (1) |
|
|
319 | (1) |
|
The privileged position of business |
|
|
320 | (1) |
|
|
320 | (1) |
|
Business as a political actor |
|
|
321 | (1) |
|
The consequences of globalization |
|
|
321 | (1) |
|
The ups and downs of business influence over policy-making |
|
|
322 | (1) |
|
Business influence---'nothing special' or `unique'? |
|
|
323 | (1) |
|
Pressure on business from CSOs |
|
|
323 | (1) |
|
|
324 | (1) |
|
Is business influence in the political process a good thing? |
|
|
325 | (1) |
|
|
326 | (1) |
|
|
326 | (1) |
|
Case study: the political influence of the car industry |
|
|
327 | (2) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
329 | (1) |
|
|
329 | (1) |
|
|
329 | (1) |
|
|
330 | (1) |
|
|
330 | (1) |
|
Globalization of business |
|
|
331 | (26) |
|
|
Introduction: the impact of globalization on the business environment |
|
|
333 | (3) |
|
Globalization: from local to global? |
|
|
334 | (2) |
|
|
336 | (2) |
|
International trade and the creation of the global marketplace |
|
|
336 | (1) |
|
Globally organized production and investment flows |
|
|
337 | (1) |
|
|
337 | (1) |
|
|
337 | (1) |
|
|
338 | (1) |
|
Rapid technological change |
|
|
338 | (1) |
|
The growth of globalization |
|
|
338 | (1) |
|
Perspectives on globalization |
|
|
339 | (8) |
|
Classical and neoclassical views |
|
|
339 | (1) |
|
Ricardo and comparative advantage |
|
|
340 | (1) |
|
Radical/Marxist views: globalization is bad---the dependency tradition |
|
|
341 | (1) |
|
Structuralist writers---globalization could be good if . . . |
|
|
342 | (4) |
|
|
346 | (1) |
|
The global challenge: international business strategy and the global environment |
|
|
347 | (1) |
|
International business strategy |
|
|
347 | (1) |
|
Global ethics for the global business? |
|
|
348 | (4) |
|
|
349 | (1) |
|
|
349 | (1) |
|
|
350 | (1) |
|
|
351 | (1) |
|
|
351 | (1) |
|
|
351 | (1) |
|
Attitudes to graft and corruption |
|
|
351 | (1) |
|
|
352 | (1) |
|
|
352 | (1) |
|
|
353 | (1) |
|
Review and discussion questions |
|
|
354 | (1) |
|
|
355 | (1) |
|
|
355 | (1) |
|
|
355 | (1) |
|
|
356 | (1) |
|
Balancing business freedom and the authority of the law |
|
|
357 | (29) |
|
|
|
359 | (1) |
|
|
360 | (1) |
|
|
361 | (1) |
|
|
362 | (3) |
|
|
362 | (1) |
|
|
363 | (1) |
|
|
363 | (1) |
|
|
364 | (1) |
|
|
364 | (1) |
|
The European Court of Justice |
|
|
364 | (1) |
|
|
365 | (1) |
|
Alternative dispute resolution |
|
|
365 | (1) |
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365 | (3) |
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366 | (1) |
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366 | (1) |
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Who enforces European law? |
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367 | (1) |
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368 | (9) |
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368 | (1) |
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369 | (1) |
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Limited liability partnerships |
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370 | (1) |
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371 | (5) |
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376 | (1) |
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How far should the law intervene---regulation vs. deregulation |
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377 | (4) |
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377 | (1) |
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378 | (1) |
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379 | (2) |
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381 | (1) |
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|
381 | (1) |
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Case study: the working time directive |
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382 | (1) |
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Review and discussion questions |
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383 | (1) |
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383 | (1) |
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383 | (1) |
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384 | (1) |
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|
384 | (2) |
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Entrepreneurship and enterprise |
|
|
386 | (30) |
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|
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388 | (1) |
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Understanding enterprise and entrepreneurship |
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388 | (7) |
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389 | (1) |
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What is `an enterprise' or SME? |
|
|
389 | (1) |
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Who is the small-business manager? |
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390 | (1) |
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|
390 | (1) |
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Defining the entrepreneur as social, serial, or an intrapreneur |
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390 | (3) |
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What makes an entrepreneur? |
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393 | (2) |
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Key dimensions in the development of small business |
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395 | (7) |
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395 | (3) |
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398 | (2) |
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|
400 | (2) |
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The importance of new businesses and SMEs |
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|
402 | (3) |
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Strengths and weaknesses of small business |
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|
405 | (2) |
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Widening participation in enterprise |
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|
407 | (2) |
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|
407 | (1) |
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Black and minority ethnic (BME) entrepreneurs |
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|
408 | (1) |
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Entrepreneurs from the `baby boom' generation |
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|
409 | (1) |
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|
409 | (1) |
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|
410 | (1) |
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Case study: the female entrepreneur |
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|
411 | (2) |
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Review and discussion questions |
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|
413 | (1) |
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413 | (1) |
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413 | (1) |
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414 | (1) |
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414 | (2) |
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Business and sustainable development |
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416 | (29) |
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Introduction: the impact of sustainable development issues on the business environment |
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418 | (3) |
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418 | (1) |
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Moving from history to the present day |
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|
419 | (2) |
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The current global environmental problem and business, and the international response |
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|
421 | (5) |
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The current global environmental problem |
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|
421 | (3) |
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International responses: the `Earth Summit' and after |
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|
424 | (2) |
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The application of sustainable development frameworks to environmental issues |
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426 | (6) |
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Conventional frameworks for dealing with environmental issues |
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|
426 | (1) |
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The concept of sustainable development (SD) |
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|
427 | (3) |
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Types of approaches for dealing with environmental problems |
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|
430 | (2) |
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Sustainable development and business |
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432 | (7) |
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Defining sustainability in relation to business |
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432 | (6) |
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The significance of sustainable development for business |
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438 | (1) |
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439 | (1) |
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439 | (1) |
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Case study: sustainable transport for a large business |
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|
440 | (2) |
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Review and discussion questions |
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|
442 | (1) |
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443 | (1) |
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443 | (1) |
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443 | (1) |
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444 | (1) |
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Conclusion: themes and issues---looking ahead |
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|
445 | (22) |
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|
447 | (1) |
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Looking back to the future |
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|
448 | (4) |
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The global business environment post-1945 |
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|
449 | (1) |
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Domestic business environment in the first world |
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|
450 | (1) |
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|
451 | (1) |
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Looking ahead: the political environment |
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|
452 | (3) |
|
A new approach to combining the state and the market? |
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|
452 | (1) |
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Challenges for the future political environment |
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|
453 | (2) |
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Looking ahead: the economic environment |
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|
455 | (3) |
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Economic stability and growth |
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|
456 | (1) |
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|
456 | (1) |
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Threats to economic stability and growth |
|
|
457 | (1) |
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Looking ahead: the social environment |
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|
458 | (4) |
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|
458 | (1) |
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458 | (2) |
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|
460 | (2) |
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Looking ahead: the technological environment |
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|
462 | (2) |
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Creating the knowledge economy---opportunities |
|
|
462 | (1) |
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|
463 | (1) |
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|
464 | (1) |
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Case study: the football business |
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|
464 | (2) |
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Review and discussion questions |
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|
466 | (1) |
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|
466 | (1) |
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|
466 | (1) |
Glossary |
|
467 | (10) |
Index |
|
477 | |