Deborah Allcock

Deborah Allcock

Senior Lecturer in Strategy & Department Lead for Enterprise

Deborah is senior lecturer and departmental lead for enterprise at the University of Huddersfield’s Business School. Her primary research focuses on the development of executive pay and corporate governance at the point of the initial public offering. She also engages with strategic planning and practitioner aspects of strategic management.

Contact Details

Email: [email protected]
Telephone:+44 1484 471015

Research Themes

  • Finance and Governance Research Theme

Biography

Deborah is senior lecturer and departmental lead for enterprise at the University of Huddersfield’s Business School.   Her primary research focuses on the development of executive pay and corporate governance at the point of the initial public offering.  She also engages with strategic planning and practitioner aspects of strategic management.”

Research Paper

Waves of Professionalization Before, During and After Management Buyouts and Buy-ins of Private Family Firms. Research Paper No 37

Published: 22 January 2016

We explore the process of professionalization pre- and post- buyout (MBO) or buyin (MBI) of former private family firms using longitudinal evidence from six UK family firms undergoing an MBO/I in 1998. Professionalization behaviour was monitored up to 2014. Previous studies have conceptualized professionalization as a threshold to be attained. We demonstrate that professionalization is a complex process occurring in waves, triggered by changes in firm ownership and management. Waves of professionalization converge during the MBO/I process. Buyouts provide a funnelling mechanism enabling diverse control
systems to be standardized. Post-MBO/I, divergence in the professionalization process reoccurs contingent on firm-specific contexts. Professionalization focuses on operations when stewardship relationships predominate, but on agency control mechanisms when there is increased potential for agency costs. Buyout organizational form is an important transitory phase facilitating the professionalization process. Professionalization is not a once for all development stage.

Authors
Associated Themes
  • Finance and Governance Research Theme
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