Abstract

The operations improvement literature is found to focus on the adoption of relatively stable, monolithic external management ideas, neglecting the processes by which such ideas and associated practices are identified in source organizations and changed before and during adoption. The notion of translation is used to analyze the way SME managers assimilate practices observed in larger firms during a management development programme. A model of the micropractices of operations managers during translation is developed. The five micropractices are: navigating distance; identifying and categorizing ideas; interacting with peers; persevering based on reassurance; re-embedding practices. The findings point to the importance of understanding that managers, especially in SMEs, are active in selecting and adapting parts of systemic improvement approaches such as lean, rather than simply choosing and adopting them wholesale. They also underline the importance of peer networking in the translation process. Senior managers who want to adopt management ideas must take account of translation in their strategies. Policy-makers who advocate and evaluate the use of well-known management ideas must also be aware that translation may mean that many useful practices are adopted, even if the adopting firms no longer explicitly espouse the overarching management idea of which these practices are a part.

摘要

运营改进文献集中于采用相对稳定、单一的外部管理理念，而忽略了在源组织中识别这些理念和相关实践并在采用之前和期间进行更改的过程。翻译的概念用于分析 SME 经理在管理发展计划期间吸收大公司中观察到的实践的方式。开发了一个运营经理在翻译过程中的微观实践模型。五个微实践是：导航距离；识别和分类想法；与同行互动；基于安心的坚持；重新嵌入实践。调查结果指出了理解管理者的重要性，尤其是在中小企业中，积极选择和调整系统改进方法的一部分，例如精益，而不是简单地选择和采用它们。他们还强调了同行网络在翻译过程中的重要性。想要采用管理理念的高级管理人员必须在其战略中考虑翻译。倡导和评估使用知名管理理念的政策制定者也必须意识到，翻译可能意味着采用了许多有用的实践，即使采用的公司不再明确支持这些实践所包含的总体管理理念. 想要采用管理理念的高级管理人员必须在其战略中考虑翻译。倡导和评估使用知名管理理念的政策制定者也必须意识到，翻译可能意味着采用了许多有用的实践，即使采用的公司不再明确支持这些实践所包含的总体管理理念. 想要采用管理理念的高级管理人员必须在其战略中考虑翻译。倡导和评估使用知名管理理念的政策制定者也必须意识到，翻译可能意味着采用了许多有用的实践，即使采用的公司不再明确支持这些实践所包含的总体管理理念.