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Raising SME Manager Skills
Written by John Berry on 1st May 2017. Revised 25th March 2020.
5 min read
Management is a science. Few managers – accidental or otherwise - would dispute that claim as they struggle to motivate their staff. Management is non-obvious and must be learned. Here's a discussion about approaches.
Technology as a force for change
Written by John Berry on 6th May 2017. Revised 25th March 2020.
10 min read
Technology provides a force for change in all businesses. Technologists innovate and develop new technological knowledge and technological artefacts. That technological knowledge helps us do things differently and to innovate within our businesses. The technological artefacts help us do things, but they also do things for us and replace us in things we did previously.
The key role of the user in computer system specification
Written by John Berry on 4th May 2017. Revised 25th March 2020.
12 min read
Computer systems comprising hardware and software form significant elements in many people’s working lives. In any new system implementation, users are not passive, compliant beings. They have choices. They can react in one of four ways: adoption, compliant acceptance, reluctant acceptance or rejection. As a result, it is critical that users are fully involved in system specification from initial management thoughts to implementation.
Industrial Strategy Boosting Technical Skills
Written by John Berry on 1st May 2017. Revised 25th March 2020.
4 min read
Theresa May has announced that the UK is going to counteract the effects of Brexit by launching an industrial strategy. This strategy is to contain a ‘shake up’ of technical education. But what technical education do we need?
On Business Restructuring
Written by John Berry on 3rd May 2017. Revised 25th March 2020.
7 min read
Business restructuring is the catch-all phrase used to describe the series of actions that a firm or other organisation might take to re-organise its affairs following some management decision to change the course of the business. This article discusses how to go about an incremental business restructure.
The Importance of Employee Commitment
Written by John Berry on 4th May 2017. Revised 25th March 2020.
1 min read
Managers often crave staff engagement. But commitment is a lot more straight forward and potential much easier to use.
This video contrasts employee engagement and commitment, arguing that commitment is fundamental to management. It goes on to suggest that commitment can be achieved though managers giving development opportunities to staff.