Despite the considerable attention given to managers and their effectiveness in the last few decades, a great deal of confusion and concern still surrounds the subject. Recently, attention has been drawn to the importance of the role of the public sector to the realisation of the growth and development of the developing world. This paper is based on the findings of a research project which was funded by ESCOR, The Department of International Development, and was carried out in the Ministry of Environment and Science and Technology in Ghana. The study aimed to identify the causal and behavioural influences which determine the managerial effectiveness of senior managers in the public sector. The results point to the presence of factors which constitute “parameters” of effectiveness at work. It concludes that a better understanding of the subject requires attention to the senior managers’ “choice” and “meaningful actions”, within an open system context.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.Abstract Developing a mission statement has been considered a crucial factor in the formulation of business strategy in organisations. The mission statement promotes a sense of shared expectations in employees and, not surprisingly, it has recently been regarded as increasingly important in small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the electronic industry. One major reasons for this is the growing complexity and dynamic competitive environments in which these enterprises have operated and managed to find themselves. Mission statements have become a management tool most commonly used by chief executive officers (CEOs) over the last decade. One exercise that both academics and practitioners have deemed strategically critical to the success of an enterprise is the development of a meaningful mission statement. This article explores the perceptions of CEOs of their mission statement in SMEs. It is based on the findings of recent research in 508 firms in the electrical and electronic industry in the UK. The study, amongst other things, investigated the existence and content of the mission statements and, accordingly, it determines the relationships (if any) between a SME's development of a meaningful mission statement and selected performance outcomes of the firm.

Purpose -This research sets out to examine the role of chief executive officers (CEOs) in the development of the business strategy in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach -The study explores the hypotheses that there is a relationship between: CEOs' age, work experiences, educational background and strategy formulation; and the impact of the strategic awareness on their part upon firm performance, using UK Standard Industrial Classification. The sample consisted of 508 SMEs in the electronics industry using "self-reported rating" survey questionnaire and interviews which resulted in 132 completed responses and 12 in-depth interviews. Findings -Correlation analysis of data showed that: there was no significant correlation between the age of the CEO's and their performance; professionally experienced CEOs placed more emphasis on formal strategy development; CEOs with an educational background are inclined to develop formal strategic plans. Strategic awareness of the CEOs plays a significant part in the formulation of business strategies.Research limitations/implications -The findings are mostly new though limited to the electronics industry. A future comparative industry-wide study is recommended. Practical implications -The research has far reaching implications for selecting, training and developing CEOs, since they play a significant role in formulation of the business strategy and the firm's performance. Originality/value -The original contribution concerns the CEO's awareness of the strategic planning process. It has special value for human resource management (HRM) decision processes towards recruitment, selection and training and management development of the CEOs.

This study formed part of a research thesis which was conducted at Cranfield School of Management, under the supervision of Professor Andrew Kakabadse.

The notion, that people management can be a key source of sustained competitive advantage, calls for the integration of Human Resource Management (HRM) and business strategy. Not surprisingly, the main debate in HRM is nowadays concerned with the relationship between strategic management and employee relations in the firm and therefore strategic HRM focuses on the overall direction of the organisation in pursuit of its stated goals and objectives. This paper explores the above relationship in the electronic manufacturing industry. It is based on empirical evidence and the findings of a survey of senior managers' perception and views on strategic HRM. It is concluded that increasing core competencies of the firm, in particular HR, is one of the key elements to the success of the firm performance and that HR involvement in the development and implementation of business strategy leads to organisational effectiveness in this industry.