Helga Drummond

University of Liverpool

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Co-Authors

Julia Hodgson

University of Liverpool

Elizabeth Chell

Kingston University

Budi Harsanto

Padjadjaran University

Peter McLaverty

Robert Gordon University

Frank Land

London School of Economics and Political Science

Philip V. Fellman

American Military University

Prodromos Tsiavos

Media Design School

Silas Michaelides

Cyprus University of Technology

Roula Michaelides

Manchester Metropolitan University

Steven Furnell

University of Nottingham

Cooperative Institutions

University of Liverpool

Robert Gordon University

London School of Economics and Political Science

University of Bedfordshire

University of York

York University

University of Manchester

University of Sheffield

Griffith University

University of Bath

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Research Field

Are Good Leaders Decisive?

Management Decision (1991)

Helga Drummond

The traditional image of a good leader is someone who is resolute and decisive. Research, however, indicates that the so‐called “macho manager” approach to decision making is potentially counterproductive because it not only leads to hasty choices but prevents withdrawal when decisions turn out badly. Some suggestions for overcoming the problem are made including skilful use of language.

10.1108/eum0000000000075

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Citations (1)

The Scandal that Never Was

Oxford University Press eBooks (1996)

Helga Drummond

10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198289531.003.0004

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Citations (0)

Are we any closer to the end? Escalation and the case of Taurus

International Journal of Project Management (1999)

Helga Drummond

10.1016/s0263-7863(97)00074-4

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Citations (36)

The Icarus Paradox: An Analysis of a Totally Destructive System

Journal of Information Technology (2007)

Helga Drummond

This paper uses a case study to illustrate and further extend the notion of ‘socially destructive systems’. Baskerville and Land define a destructive information system as either coming apart internally or threatening to take their environment apart. Building upon their insights, this paper suggests that destructive systems emerge from the very attributes that attract organisations to information systems in the first place - a phenomenon encapsulated by the so-called ‘Icarus paradox’. Icarus flew so close to the Sun that his wax wings that had enabled him to fly in the first place melted sending him plunging to his death. The case study of an insurance company shows how a system that increased claims processing productivity in the short run resulted in higher costs and lower customer satisfaction in the long run. The paradox is explained by a disconnect between ‘espoused-theory’ and ‘theory-in-use’. Issues for further research include developing techniques of impact analysis to measure recursive losses arising from ‘destructive systems’ and for gauging the level of complexity at which computer-based automation becomes counterproductive. An important recommendation for practice is that computer-based systems are efficient only to a point. For more complex tasks organisations may need to put more emphasis upon developing people.

Theory of computation

ICARUS

10.1057/palgrave.jit.2000119

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Citations (16)

‘Time, Gentlemen, Please!’

Oxford University Press eBooks (1996)

Helga Drummond

10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198289531.003.0003

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Something fishy: tradition, technology and women’s employment

Work Study (1996)

Helga Drummond Julia Hodgson

Relatively few women are employed in the so‐called “heavy industries” because the technology acts as a barrier to recruitment. Argues that apparently essential working practices may conceal institutionalized discrimination and massive inefficiency and that it is necessary to “think the unthinkable” and challenge accepted ways of working in order to improve both efficiency and employment opportunities for currently disadvantaged groups.

Disadvantaged

10.1108/00438029610125234

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Life’s chances and choices – A study of entrapment in career decisions with reference to Becker’s side bets theory

Personnel Review (2001)

Helga Drummond Elizabeth Chell

This paper explores a phenomenon known as entrapment. Entrapment refers to situations where people become “locked into” decisions through the passage of time as distinct from actively re‐investing in failing projects. The present study examines Becker’s so called “side bets” theory which suggests that entrapment results from extraneous investments made during the course of employment. The exploration is conducted via two contrasting case studies of solicitors, one successful, the other unsuccessful. Analysis suggests some support for Becker’s theme. More importantly the study reveals that post hoc rationalization of events plays an important part in sustaining persistence. This insight raises a question. Do people become trapped by events as Becker suggests, or, do they largely imprison themselves?

rationalization

Entrapment

Phenomenon

Theme (computing)

Post hoc

10.1108/00483480110380343

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Citations (13)

Work, Effort and Performance

Employee Relations (1993)

Peter McLaverty Helga Drummond

Reports interviews with workers and managers in two organizations, concerning the relationship between effort and performance at work. The findings show that a high proportion of those interviewed reported working longer than their contractual weekly hours without receiving extra payment and that respondents had a commitment to completing their work within the deadlines imposed. Effort was seen as coming from imposed job pressures, not conscious decisions by staff to achieve self‐determined goals. Managers tended to be unhappy about the poor relationship between their work effort and their performance outputs. Workers doing routine jobs, however, had difficulty in saying whether their time at work was spent effectively. Discusses implications for quality of service and standards of work.

Service worker

10.1108/01425459310038906

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Citations (2)

Too Little Too Late: A Case Study of Escalation in Decision Making

Organization Studies (1994)

Helga Drummond

This paper examines a city council's persistence with a failing department over a five-year period. The case is an example of escalation of commitment where decision-makers inherit a previously unsuccessful and long established decision as distinct from involvement in an ad hoc venture. It is concluded that the pres sures to escalate in established decisions are different from those previously observed in ad hoc ventures. Escalation in established decisions is cyclical, altern ating between structural and social pressures. Project and psychological factors are secondary. Powerlessness is identified as a new structural variable. It is specu lated that escalation in established decisions may be basically structural. Decision- makers' actions are reminiscent of behaviours observed in previous studies of strategic decision-making.

Escalation of commitment

Post hoc

Persistence (discontinuity)

10.1177/017084069401500405

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Citations (42)

DE‐ESCALATION IN DECISION MAKING: A CASE OF A DISASTROUS PARTNERSHIP*

Journal of Management Studies (1995)

Helga Drummond

ABSTRACT Decisions to persist with losing courses of action known as escalation have been widely studied, albeit mainly in an experimental context. Comparatively little is known about the conditions under which de‐escalation occurs. Utilizing a model of de‐escalation derived from the literature the present study examines, by means of a case study, a decision to withdraw from a losing predicament. It is concluded that while de‐escalation is likely to occur where the opposite conditions thought to be conducive to persistence apply, existing models under‐emphasize the importance of power. Accordingly a modified version of Bowen's two‐factor model is proposed.

Escalation of commitment

De-escalation

Persistence (discontinuity)

10.1111/j.1467-6486.1995.tb00776.x

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Citations (57)