title
stringlengths 6
301
| keywords
listlengths 0
23
| messages
listlengths 2
2
|
|---|---|---|
Business intelligence serious game participatory development: lessons from ERPsim for big data
|
[
"Participatory design",
"Learning",
"ERP",
"Business analytics",
"Problem-based learning"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Building on new advances in business analytics, forward looking organizations are setting up technological infrastructure to leverage the potential of what is been referred to as big data (vom Brocke et al., 2014). However, there is a shortage of skilled workers who have the expertise necessary to optimize the use of those tools (Wixom et al., 2014). While there has been an important increase in students registering in big data classes at universities and colleges (Davis and Woratschek, 2015), new pedagogical approaches are needed to help develop the skills and attitudes toward business intelligence required of the future workforce (Davenport and Patil, 2012).\n2. The pedagogical challenges of teaching business intelligence: There is an extensive literature on end-user training and training methods in the IS literature, and among the various training approaches, enactive learning has been encouraged in recent years (Gupta et al., 2010). Grounded in social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986), enactive learning builds upon a problem-based approach, in which answers are not to be memorized, but rather in which learners are forced to determine what they need to know in order to find the answers by themselves (Hmelo-Silver et al., 2007). An enactive approach provides the user with the possibility, by trial-and-error, to receive constant feedback in response to their actions, thereby allowing learning by doing through detection and correction of errors (Leger et al., 2014). Optimally, enactive problem-based learning builds on a student-centered approach, where students are in a small group setting and have to collaborate on a very authentic problem (Leger et al., 2012). In the field of information systems, research has shown that enactive training is a very effective approach to acquire skills and competences in using a new business software (Gupta and Bostrom, 2013; Leger et al., 2014).\n3. ERPsim for big data: a PD approach: As of 2015, more than 1,000 instructors have been trained to use ERPsim for teaching in more than 220 universities and colleges worldwide. Several of these instructors have been using the original game in their classroom for many years and are often the source of incremental innovation in the simulation.\n4. Conclusions: By employing a PD workshop and a closely monitored beta test, we gained a better understanding of the needs of the end users as well as benefited from their knowledge and experience in complementary fields of expertise. This allowed the development of this new game to be much faster than otherwise envisioned. It also set the tone for a much more active adoption of the technology, with users quickly informing the designers of any bugs. Finally, by having all the co-designers in the same room at the workshop, their needs were more easily reconciled, leading to less redundant cubes and a more efficient development.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: A major trend in enterprise resource planning software (ERP) is to embed business analytics tools within user-centered roles in enterprise software. This integration allows business users to get better and faster insight to action. As a consequence, it is imperative for business students to learn how to use these new tools to adequately prepare them for new expectations in the industry. The paper aims to discuss these issues.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In this paper, the authors propose a new serious game, called ERPsim for big data, to enable the learner to acquire abilities at each level of the business analytics learning taxonomy. To maximize the pedagogical impact of the game, participatory design (PD) with professors as co-designers was used during game development.\nFindings: This case study presents the PD approach and analyses the efficacy of the proposed new simulation.\nOriginality/value: The authors conclude by providing recommendations and lessons learned from this approach.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Availability allocation through importance measures
|
[
"Mean time between failures",
"Mean time to repair"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The most important performance measures for repairable system designers and operators are system reliability and availability. Improvement of system availability has been the subject of a large volume of research and articles in the area of reliability. Availability and reliability are good evaluations of a system's performance. Their values depend on the system structure as well as the component availability and reliability. These values decrease as the component ages increase; i.e. their serving times are influenced by their interactions with each other, the applied maintenance policy and their environments (Samrout et al., 2005). The main requirements for the operation of complex systems are usually specified in terms of cost and availability and/or reliability, or equivalently in terms of mean time between failure (MTBF) and/or mean time to repair (MTTR) under a cost constraint. These requirements have to be taken into consideration in the system design stage in order to determine the appropriate reliability and availability of each of the system's components (Elegbede and Adjallah, 2003). In a simplistic sense, there are some issues to be resolved during the development of an availability improvement or optimization process in design and operation phases, such as: where it is best to attempt improvements in availability; and how to affect improvements in availability when the areas which merit attention have been identified. Finding appropriate answers to these questions can be quite difficult and the solutions to the many problems which result in loss of availability are frequently not obvious.A number of researchers have investigated the theoretical problem of availability allocation and optimisation using different techniques and methods, e.g. Painton and Campbell (1995); Castro and Cavalca (2002; 2003); Elegbede and Adjallah (2003); Chiang and Chen (2006). The availability allocation problems are mainly dealt with considering the criticality of reliability and maintainability characteristics of the system at component level. Therefore, it is useful to consider reliability and maintainability importance measures for improving the existing availability characteristics. The concept of importance measures came from the perception that in any orderly arrangement of components in a system, some of the components are more important than others in providing certain system characteristics. Component importance analysis is a key part of the system reliability quantification process. It enables the weakest areas of a system to be identified and indicates modifications which will improve the system reliability and maintainability (Beeson and Andrews, 2003). Several component importance measures have been developed in the reliability area, e.g. Aven (1986), Boland and El-Neweihi (1995), Andrews and Beeson (2003), Zio and Podofillini (2003), Cassady et al. (2004); as Birnbaum (1969) first introduced mathematical concept of the importance measures. The main objectives of this study are to define some availability importance measures in order to find the criticality of each component or subsystem form availability point of view, and identify a methodology which aims to allocate resources for the availability optimisation applying the concept of availability importance measures.This paper is organized as follows. Part 2 introduces availability importance measures and application of those importance measures for different types of configurations and a real case study of a crushing plant is presented. Part 3 defines the availability improvement strategy by use of the concept of importance measures for resource allocation and a numerical example of a parallel-series system is applied to demonstrate the proposed approach. In part 4, the conclusions of this paper are provided. In this study we assumed the following:* The system is composed of n s-independent components.* Failure rate and repair rate of components and subsystems are known.* All the components are repairable. The repair of components makes them as good as new.* Each component, subsystem, and system has two states: working or failed.\nAvailability importance measures: When assessing a system, its performance depends upon its components. Some components have major influences on system reliability and availability than others. In order to evaluate the importance of different aspects of a system, a set of importance measurements including Structure Importance, Birnbaum Component Importance, Reliability Criticality Importance, Upgrading Function, Operational Criticality Importance, and Restore Criticality Index (Leemis, 1995, Frickes and Trivedi, 2003, Wang et al. 2004) are widely used in engineering practices. According to Beeson and Andrews (2003), component reliability importance measure is defined as the probability that component i is critical to system failure. One of the most widely used reliability importance indices is Birnbaum's component importance (Frickes and Trivedi, 2003). The reliability importance of a component can be determined based on the failure characteristics of the component and its corresponding positioning in the system. The reliability importance of component i,IRi, in a system of n components is given by: Equation 1 where RS(t) is the system reliability and Ri (t) is the component reliability.By using the same concept in the case of system availability performance, some availability importance measures are defined by Barabady (2005) and can be used as a guideline in developing an improvement strategy. Availability importance measure enables the weakest areas of a system to be identified and indicates modifications which will improve the system availability. Efforts to improve availability can be concentrated on those components whose contributions indicate that by upgrading them, the maximum improvement in system availability can be achieved. Availability importance measure is a function of time, the failure and repair characteristics or MTBF and MTTR parameters, and the system structure. Availability importance measure (IAi) assigns a numerical value between 0 and 1 to each subsystem or component, with the value 1 signifying the highest level of importance. The availability importance of component i in a system of n components is given as follows: Equation 2 where AS is the system availability and Ai is the component availability.Availability importance measure shows the effect of the availability of subsystem or component i on the availability of the whole system. The subsystem or component with the largest value has the greatest effect on the availability of the whole system. It is useful to obtain the value of the availability importance measure of each component in the system prior to deploying resources toward improving the specific components. This is carried out to determine which component needs to be improved in order to achieve the maximum effect from the improvement effort. If the availability of the system needs to improve, then efforts should first be concentrated on improving the subsystem that has the largest effect on the availability of the system. The availability of a system is a function of failure rate and repair rate characteristics or Mean MTBF and MTTR parameters, which mean other sets of importance measures can be defined as:* availability importance measure based on the failure rate or MTBF; and* availability importance measure based on the repair rate or MTTR.Availability importance measure based on the failure rate/MTBF shows the effect of the failure rate/MTTR of component i on the availability of the whole system, and the failure rate/MTBF of the component with the largest value has the greatest effect on the availability of the whole system. It can be calculated by equation (3) or (4). Equation 3 where li represents the failure rate of component i. Equation 4 Availability importance measure based on the repair rate/MTBF shows the effect of the repair rate/MTTR of component i on the availability of the whole system, and the repair rate of the component with the largest value has the greatest effect on the availability of the whole system. It can be calculated by equation (5) or (6). Equation 5 where mi represents the repair rate of component i. Equation 6 Application of availability importance measures to a series system\nAvailability improvement process using importance measures: Availability is an important characteristic of a repairable system. When the availability of a system is low, efforts are needed to improve it. The question of how to meet an availability goal for a system arises when the estimated availability is inadequate. This then becomes a reliability and availability allocation problem at the component level. Reliability and availability engineers are often called upon to make decisions as to whether to improve a certain component or components in order to achieve better results. There are two ways to improve the availability of a repairable system:1. reduce the failure rate of the component in question or, in other words, increase the mean time between failures; and/or2. improve the repair rate of the system, structure or component (SSC), or, in other words, reduce the mean down-time.Figure 1 and Figure 2 show how to maximize the availability of the SSC through decreasing the failure rate and also decreasing the time needed to restore the SSC.Any improvement in the availability of a system is associated with the requirement of additional efforts and cost. Therefore, it is essential to use methods or techniques for availability allocation amongst various components/subsystems of a system with the minimum efforts and cost. As a result, many studies have been performed to improve and optimise the availability of a system through different methods and techniques, e.g. Murty and Naikan (1995), Owens et al. (2006), and Chiang and Chen (2006). Some optimisation methods to redundancy allocation problems are applied by Castro and Cavalca (2002). The genetic algorithm (Holland, 1975) is a search method which is analogous to biological evolution and reproduction that have selected by Painton and Campbell (1995), Castro and Cavalca (2003), Elegbede and Adjallah (2003) to solve availability allocation problems and other reliability optimisation problems. In most cases, the problem of availability allocation and optimisation can be defined as a multi-objective optimisation problem which aims to maximize system availability and minimize system cost. In these studies, specifically in genetic algorithm, complex mathematic expressions for modelling are used. Generally, the availability importance measures of components should be used during the design or evaluation of systems to determine which components or subsystems have the greatest importance for the availability of the system. This part suggests an approach for the allocation of resources and availability optimisation using the concept of importance measures which are mentioned in part 2 and the approach suitability is demonstrated using numerical example. The main motivation for applying the concept of availability importance measures is due to its easiness to understand as it uses the criticality of components for resource allocation and availability optimisation purposes. Furthermore, the model is quantitative approach. With the assistance of importance measures, the components that merit additional research and development to improve their availabilities can be identified; therefore, the greatest gain is achieved in the system availability. Those components with high importance could prove to be candidates for further improvements. In the present research, it is found that the availability improvement process could be implemented by following three steps:1. identification of an ordered list of candidates for the availability improvement process.2. identification of effective changes or remedial actions for each candidate, which will either reduce its failure frequency or reduce its time required to restore a component.3. justification and prioritization of the actions for each candidate on the basis of cost-benefit comparisons.In step one an ordered list of candidates for availability improvement can be identified by using of the availability importance measure, but this measure does not provide more information about those candidates. Therefore, in step two the availability importance measure based on failure rate and the availability importance measures based of repair rate for each component must be calculated. Comparing these two importance measures shows which of the two factors, the failure rate or the repair rate of each component, has more influence on the availability of the whole system. In other words, this comparison will show whether the availability improvement should be based on reducing the failure rate or increasing the repair rate of critical components or subsystems.To find the final strategy for the availability improvement process (step 3) the cost trade-off is essential. When the availability of the system is less, it needs to be improved using the special budget C. The question is how to manage improvement efforts and which component or components, if improved, will give better results. This question can be answered through the following procedure. The cost needed to reduce the failure rate which denoted byDCli and the cost needed to improve the repair rate that denoted byDCmi can be calculated by equations (25) and (26). Equation 25 Equation 26 [?]C/[?]li and [?]C/[?]mi explain the variation of the availability improvement cost with respect to the failure rate and the repair rate of component i, respectively.If budget C is spent on improving the repair rate for the critical components the repair rate will increase asDmi: Equation 27 Therefore, the availability will increase asDAs,miwhich can be calculated by: Equation 28 If the budget is spent on reducing the failure rate of the critical component, the failure rate will be decreased asDli: Equation 29 Therefore, the availability will be increased asDAs,liwhich can be calculated by: Equation 30 By comparing DAs,liand DAs,mi the strategy can be identified. If there are some restrictions, the budget can be spent on both increasing the repair rate and decreasing the failure rate. We then allocate a fraction f of the budget for decreasing the failure rate and the remaining fraction 1-f for increasing the repair rate. And hence the availability improvement can be calculated by: Equation 31 Illustrative numerical example\nConclusions: In this research study some availability importance measures are defined and a method for availability allocation and optimisation of system's availability using the concept of availability importance measures is proposed. In the case of a system's availability performance, availability importance measures could be used as a guideline in developing a strategy for availability improvement. It is useful to obtain the value of the availability importance measure for each component in the system prior to deploying resources toward improving the specific components.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To define availability importance measures in order to calculate the criticality of each component or subsystem from the availability point of view and also to demonstrate the application of such importance measures for achieving optimal resource allocation to arrive at the best possible availability.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - In this study the availability importance measures of a component are defined as a partial derivative of the system availability with respect to the component availability, failure rate, and repair rate. Analyses of these measures for a crushing plant are performed and the results are presented. Furthermore, a methodology aimed at improving the availability of a system using the concept of importance measures is identified and demonstrated by use of a numerical example.\nFindings: - The availability importance measure of a component/subsystem is an index which shows how far an individual component contributes to the overall system availability. The research study indicates that the availability importance measures could be applied in developing a strategy for availability improvement. The subsystem/component with the largest value of importance measure has the greatest effect on the system availability.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The result of availability improvement strategy is demonstrated using only a hypothetical example.\nPractical implications: - Using availability importance measures will help managers and engineers to identify weaknesses and indicate modifications which will improve the system availability.\nOriginality/value: - This paper presents the concept of availability importance measure for a component/subsystem. It also introduces some availability importance measures based on failure rate, mean time between failures (MTBF), and repair rate/mean time to repair (MTTR) of a component /subsystem. The concept of importance measures is used to prioritise the components or subsystems for the availability improvement process.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Rivalry, excludability and positive transport externalities - case study of a private university in Poland
|
[
"Rivalry",
"Campus sustainability",
"Excludability",
"Transport externalities",
"Transport system"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Transport systems are bloodstreams for cities and regions. They are elementary for the functioning of markets and cause different types of positive externalities [occurring when all social benefits resulting from transport systems are higher than private benefits (Platje, 2014, p. 154; Blum, 1998)]. It is essential to discuss positive externalities of transport systems, as much focus in the discourse on sustainable transport is on negative externalities (occurring when all social costs exist the private costs), such as pollution, contribution to climate change and traffic jams (Blum, 1998; Korzhenevych et al., 2014, p. 1). When neglecting positive externalities, focus on reducing negative transport externalities may lead to a reduction in accessibility, which in turn reduces opportunities for economic and social activities, as well as socio-economic development (Banister and Berechman, 2001; Wang et al., 2018). While positive externalities are a kind of non-excludable public good, negative externalities can be considered a kind of non-excludable public bad - no-one can be excluded from positive of negative effects of transport activities (Platje, 2014, p. 153). In general, socio-economic development is usually followed by an increase in transport demand, in particular for individual motorisation and for road freight transportation. As a result, negative transport externalities lead to a loss in the social welfare and harmfully impact the socio-economic life (Paradowska, 2017a). Table I presents key examples of positive and negative transport externalities in economic, social and environmental spheres.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Transport externalities and campus sustainability\n3. Methodology: 3.1 Focus of the study\n4. Results: 4.1 Transport externalities and the functioning of the WSB University in Wroclaw\n5. Discussion: Positive externalities are important for the functioning for WSB, in particular when it concerns commuting students. Hiring reliable employees, including academic teachers, was considered an important positive externality. This is not surprising, as the students most directly benefit from WSB's didactical function.\n6. Conclusion and recommendations: This study focussed on the development of policy recommendations for the WSB University in Wroclaw to stimulate more sustainable transport behaviour among students. The basis for directions of a policy change was the assessment of the impact of rivalry and excludability in transport systems on positive transport externalities important for the functioning of WSB. The findings led to the following answers to the research questions.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of rivalry and excludability in transport systems on the positive external effects important for the functioning of a large private university in Wroclaw (Poland). In the context of campus sustainability, policy implications supporting sustainable transport are discussed.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Four research questions were formulated, which were tested by way of questionnaire research among students of the Bachelor and Engineer Programmes in Logistics and taking part in the course Transport Economics at the WSB University in Wroclaw (Poland).\nFindings: Car use seems to be the most important for the positive transport externalities enabling the functioning of the university. Levels of rivalry and excludability did not have a significant impact on the levels of external transport benefits or the transport behaviour of students. To sustain/enhance the levels of positive external effects of transport and stimulate sustainable commuting, the university should support the development of alternative modes of transport, by improving transport infrastructure on the campus, and develop cooperation with the Wroclaw municipality to develop synergies between their transport policy goals.\nResearch limitations/implications: The research should be interpreted with care, as it is a case study of one large private university in Poland. Further research should be conducted among different private and public universities that are characterised by different levels of accessibility (location, development of infrastructure). The case study is based on students' transport behaviour, not considering transport behaviour of academic and non-academic workers, which could function as a role mode.\nPractical implications: Policy aiming at banning cars is likely to be unsuccessful and/or could lead to a decrease in positive externalities in a short term. For this reason, more attention should be given to marketing and promotion of more sustainable means of transport, including e.g. better information on the possibilities of reaching the campus by train or urban public transport, facilitations for non-motorised students and improvements in cycling and walking infrastructure. To support campus sustainability in the field of transport, stronger cooperation with local administration is needed to undertake joint, consistent actions aimed at sharing and supporting the idea of sustainable commuting among students.\nOriginality/value: While many activities for supporting campus sustainability focus on reducing negative environmental externalities, positive externalities are not so often considered. In this context, the levels of rivalry and excludability can become an indicator of the contribution of transport systems to social and economic sustainability.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Consumer motives and willingness to co-create in professional and generic services
|
[
"Motivation",
"Value",
"Service co-creation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The increased digitalization of services has led to consumer input becoming increasingly critical in the value creation process. The past decade has seen an increase in the use of co-creation as a means of generating value for both consumers and firms (Vargo and Lusch, 2004, 2008). This development is at the root of the emergent service-dominant logic (S-D logic) and the more current service logic (SL)[1], which challenges the view of consumers as mere buyers and instead argues for a more active view of consumers in the form of co-creators. From the SL perspective, consumers need to employ their own resources and competences in order to generate value (Saarijarvi et al., 2013). Value co-creation implies that value is not solely created by the firm and delivered to consumers, but can be created by and for both parties when they interact with each other (Gronroos and Voima, 2013).\n2. Theoretical background: 2.1 Consumer motives to co-create\n3. Research methodology: 3.1 Data collection and sample\n4. Results: 4.1 Outer model evaluation and common method variance\n5. Discussion: Several theoretical studies have highlighted the contextual nature of value co-creation (Chandler and Vargo, 2011; Edvardsson et al., 2011), which has led to empirical research across a variety of service industries (e.g. Auh et al., 2007; Chan et al., 2010; Grissemann and Stokburger-Sauer, 2012; McColl-Kennedy et al., 2012). Consumers perceive different service types that enable them to fulfill different needs or wants, thus influencing their motives to co-create. This process is in line with expectancy theory in that it explains why consumers hold different beliefs about different service contexts, which are reflected in their motives to engage in co-creation activities within these contexts. Understanding how service characteristics influence consumer motives to co-create in different service contexts is paramount to developing successful value co-creation interactions. The study contributes to a growing body of contextual co-creation research and investigates whether the service contexts of professional and generic services have an effect on which consumer motives are most likely to subsequently influence W2C and intended co-creation behaviors.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Consumers' underlying motives to co-create value are important when determining their willingness to engage in co-creation activities. However, the importance of their motives may vary according to different service contexts. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the value co-creation research by investigating how the service contexts shape consumers' motives to co-create.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper is based on a survey of 284 consumers. By focusing on professional vs generic services (context), based on differences in knowledge intensity and workforce professionalism, the paper pinpoints the contextual nature of consumer motives to co-create.\nFindings: The results show that in professional services consumers are positively influenced to co-create by developmental motives, whereas empowerment motives have a negative impact. In turn, the positive effects of individualizing and relating motives are predominant in generic services. Willingness to co-create is a strong determinant of intended co-creation behaviors, regardless of the service type.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study clearly shows the contextual nature of motives to co-create value, thereby questioning the generalizability of single-context studies.\nOriginality/value: This is the first paper to compare consumer motives to co-create across different service contexts.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Study of banking sector in Ghana shows importance of HRD training practices in developing employee effectiveness through the mediating role of employee competencies
|
[
"SEM",
"Organizational effectiveness",
"Banking industry",
"Employee competencies",
"HRD practices"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A study of workers in the Ghana banking industry showed how some HRD practices have an impact on organizational effectiveness through their influence on employee competences. The data, which was collected by questionnaire from 550 employees, further revealed that employee competences mediates the relationship between HRD practices and organizational effectiveness.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose was to examine the mediating role of employee competencies in the relationship between human resource development (HRD) practices and organizational effectiveness.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected through questionnaire from 550 employees of the selected banks. The author tested four hypotheses\nFindings: The results confirmed Hypothesis One, indicating training and development have a big influence on employee competencies. There was also support for Hypothesis Two, revealing employee involvement influences employee competencies. But the results did not support Hypothesis Three, which stated that career development has a significant influence on employee competencies. Finally, there was support for Hypothesis Four, which said HRD practices influence organizational effectiveness through the mediating role of employee competencies.\nOriginality/value: The author chose to focus on the banking sector because of its significance to a country's economy. A further justification was that similar studies have focused on Western banks and there is a paucity of research into HRD practices in the West African banking industry. More broadly, there have been very few studies of the mediating processes through which HR practices impact performance.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Benchmarking of industrial park infrastructures in Germany
|
[
"Performance measurement",
"Benchmarking",
"Maintenance",
"Industrial parks",
"Chemical parks",
"Industrial areas"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Since the 1950s, many communities in the USA have found that turning a local piece of land into an industrial park is an effective method of attracting new companies and thus supporting economic development (Griefen, 1970; Reisdorph, 1991; Peddle, 1993). On a regional and national level, this strategy is applied by policy makers to promote the development of laggard regions or to favour a more decentralised pattern of capacity distribution in a specific sector. In parallel, most industrial and developing countries have allocated considerable resources to industrial and regional policies in order to support key industries, to develop domestic markets and to encourage their foreign trade balance (Markusen, 1996a, b). Depending on the specific alignment and composition of the entities clustered in the location, there are various approaches, like science parks on university campuses, technological incubators and industrial parks, that are all policy devices designed to be part of national industrial policy programmes to enhance economic growth (Eliasson, 2000).\nTheoretical background: Development of industrial parks\nMethodology: Research scope\nResults and discussion: The presentation and discussion of the results is structured along the different investigated areas: buildings, communication infrastructures with data networks and telecommunication networks as well as traffic infrastructures with roads, including street lighting.\nConclusions and recommendations: Assessment of the research methodology\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the operational performance of industrial park infrastructures in Germany to find first indications for cost saving potentials.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Between 2006 and 2007, six chemical parks and chemical related industrial parks in Germany participated in a benchmarking study with focus on operation and maintenance of buildings, communication infrastructures and traffic infrastructures. Based on data analysis in combination with workshops, numerous key performance indicators were defined and calculated.\nFindings: To compare the different complexities of the analysed infrastructures, the most important key performance indicators were adjusted using correction factors defined and verified during the workshops. This made a discussion based on comparable and comprehensible figures possible which increased the acceptance and applicability of the benchmarking methodology. The benchmarking results showed large differences in performance levels, indicating that there are significant cost saving potentials in some industrial parks.\nResearch limitations/implications: The comparability may remain limited due to the partly insufficient availability of data from the participants. Other limitations are due to the small number of investigated industrial parks and the focus of the benchmarking study on Germany.\nOriginality/value: The developed benchmark and best practice methodology is well suited to evaluate best practice in the field of industrial park infrastructures. It is important for industrial parks to understand the individual performance level and to adapt best practice in all areas.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
An analysis of purchase intentions toward organic food on health consciousness and food safety with/under structural equation modeling
|
[
"Structural equation modeling",
"Food safety",
"Purchase intentions",
"Organic food",
"Health consciousness",
"Natural content"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In recent years, the importance of environmental protection and food safety incidents around the world have raised consumers' health awareness and caused organic food to become a focus of public interest. The organic food market is growing fast, and consumer behaviour has spurred many scholars to conduct research. For example, Gil et al. (2000) analysed two Spanish regions and people's willingness to pay a high premium for organic items in Spain. Williams and Hammitt (2001) questioned 700 conventional and organic food buyers on food safety risks in the Boston area. Gifford and Bernard (2011) examined the effect of defining \"organic\" and \"natural\" on people's willingness to pay a premium for organic (vs natural) chicken in Delaware. Thogersen and Zhou (2012) studied Chinese consumers' motivation to buy organic food. Suh et al. (2012) explored the influence of Korean consumers' perceptions and attitudes towards organic food on their willingness to buy it.\nResearch motivation and purpose: The current research on organic food - such as Denver and Christensen (2015), Hasselbach and Roosen (2015), Lockie et al. (2002), Mallory et al. (2015), Paoletti (2014), and Azak and Miran (2015) - is mostly from Europe and America. There is a lack of related research on organic food in Asia; thus, we include a perspective from Asia and Taiwan to determine the influence of consumers' doubts about whether manufacturers provide honest ingredient labels, given the series of global food safety incidents. This paper also explores the effect of consumers' subjective knowledge of organic food on their food choices, which tend to be about food that is healthier and contains natural ingredients.\nLiterature review and hypothesis development: Natural content\nMethodology: Questionnaire design\nData analysis: Sample characteristics\nEmpirical results: Mediation effect analysis\nConclusions: With the development of biotechnology and the advancement of food processing techniques, consumers are conscious of over-processing and additives in food. Furthermore, a series of food safety incidents has raised awareness of the healthy diet concept and health consciousness. Nowadays, pursuing natural content without additives has become mainstream. Based on the results, this study discusses the theoretical and practical implications and provides specific suggestions, as outlined below.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influences of natural content, food safety concern, health consciousness, and subjective knowledge on attitudes towards organic food and purchase intentions.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Samples are collected in Taiwan from April to May 2014 with a total of 252 returned effective questionnaires. The data are analyzed by structural equation modeling.\nFindings: The results show that food safety concern and subjective knowledge have a significantly positive impact on attitudes towards organic food and purchase intentions, and natural content has a significantly positive effect on attitudes towards organic food. Moreover, it also shows that health consciousness and attitudes towards organic food have a significantly positive effect on purchase intentions. This study has found that subjective knowledge of organic food, health consciousness, and food safety concern are important factors impacting organic food purchase intentions.\nPractical implications: This study provides organic industry to understand the consumer's demand from the consumers' perspective and as a basis for the future development of organic food.\nOriginality/value: The study results will provide a reference for the agricultural department of the government and the organic food promotion and education of organic food producers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Decentralization of Indonesia social health insurance
|
[
"Social security",
"Health care",
"Developing countries",
"Social insurance",
"INA-Medicare",
"Aceh province",
"Medical care",
"Regional autonomy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The 1945 Constitution as has been interpreted by the Constitutional Court of Republic of Indonesia (CCRI) guarantees the implementation of decentralization of Indonesia social health insurance (INA-Medicare). Besides the central government, the regional government also has authority in administering INA-Medicare. This is also consistent with the Act of Republic of Indonesia on Regional Autonomy (ARA)[1] in general and Act on Governing of Aceh (AGOA)[2] in specific. The CCRI decision strengthens the implementation of regional autonomy which is important for the regional government development, supporting a better quality of public service in health care, and confirms the recognition and application of specific regional cultural and religious values. However, in practice the rules and the CCRI decision are not implemented. In practice, the authority is still fully under the central government, whereas regional governments, including Aceh Province, do not use the authority. The aim of this study is to argue that Aceh Province, as a regional government in Indonesia, needs to implement the decentralization of INA-Medicare because of several reasons.\n2. The inconsistency of Act on National Social Security System to the 1945 constitution: Similar to many other developing countries, the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia) adopts social health insurance method in providing health care for its people. INA-Medicare is a part of its wider national social security system. Like other types of social security programs, INA-Medicare is guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution, Fourth Amendment, which provides social security as constitutional rights for Indonesian people. However, it is not quite clear in the 1945 Constitution whether it should be provided exclusively by the central government or the regional governments. Regional governments need broader authority in providing social health insurance for their people within the region. In India, for example, social health insurance program has failed in achieving its main purpose to help rural people for accessing quality health-care services and raised the need for decentralization of the program as the solution (Sign, 2008).\n3. Provisions on regional authority in the 1945 constitution, Act on Regional Autonomy and Act on Governing of Aceh: Generally, in a unitary state, wider authority is given to the central government. In other words, different from that in a federal state, the central government in a unitary state has dominant authority. However, this is not the case in Indonesia, because the 1945 Constitution basically provides wider authority for local governments (Ashiddiqie, 2006). This is called the residual theory. Based on residual theory, materially the authority of the regional government is broader than that of the central government. It is more like in a federal state; however, formally, the authority of the regional government is still under the framework of a unitary state. It is a unique character of the unitary state of Indonesia, based on the 1945 Constitution. Even though the 1945 Constitution adopts residual theory, ARA does not fully elaborate on the theory in its norms. This can be seen from the existence of government authority classified into three different categories, absolute, concurrent and general. Here, the degree of the central government control is still high (Yodo, 2013).\n4. Current INA-Medicare law and practice: 4.1 National social security system\n5. Reasons for decentralization of INA-Medicare: 5.1 Implementing broader regional autonomy\n6. Conclusion: Decentralization of INA-Medicare is preferable for Aceh Province. It is consistent with the 1945 Constitution and Pancasila and has been further regulated in ARA and AGOA. AGOA provides broader regional autonomy for Aceh Province compared to that of other Indonesian provinces. AGOA is a product of compromise between two conflicting parties, the Government of Indonesia and the Aceh Free Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka/GAM), which provide \"meaningful autonomy within Indonesian state\" (Miller, 2009). It provides Aceh Province authority in administering its own regional INA-Medicare. The decentralized program is consistent with one of the specific objectives of providing broader regional autonomy for Aceh province, that is, as a part of conflict resolution. Besides, it opens more opportunity for improving quality of health-care services in the region, and it can be a model in implementing sharia social health insurance principles as mandated by AGOA (Manan, 2016). Because it will maintain peace, increase the quality of human resource and maintain cultural and religious identity of the majority of Aceh people, the decentralization program can be part of a larger effort in providing social justice and welfare for the people in the region.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain the need for the implementation of decentralization of Indonesia social health insurance (INA-Medicare), with particular emphasis for Aceh Province. First, it discusses the inconsistency of Act on National Social Security System (ANSSS) to the 1945 Constitution, because certain rules in ANSSS are contrary to the 1945 Constitution. This weakens the practice of broader regional autonomy, lessens the importance of public service quality in health care and ignores specific cultural and religious values of the regional people. Then, it explains provisions on central and regional government authority in the 1945 Constitution, Act on Regional Autonomy and Act on Governing of Aceh. Later, it explores current law and practice of INA-Medicare under the national social security system and the centralized administering body. Finally, it provides reasons for decentralization of INA-Medicare, as the solution.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study uses doctrinal legal research. It relies on both primary and secondary legal authorities. In additions, it also uses sociolegal research by relying on non-legal materials, including empirical data from books, journals and newspapers. Analysis of legal authorities is by legal reasoning process, whereas analysis of non-legal materials is by qualitative approach.\nFindings: This study argues that the decentralization of INA-Medicare is more suitable for Aceh Province because of several reasons, including implementing broader regional autonomy, improving public service quality in health care and implementing the principle of sharia social health insurance.\nOriginality/value: The study is original because it focuses on a specific regional area of Aceh Province, Indonesia. It concentrates on specific legal issues and provides unique reasons for argumentation. Therefore, it provides important specific information for journal readers.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Measuring the effects of quality certification on labour productivity: An analysis of the hospitality sector
|
[
"Quality standards",
"Labour productivity",
"Service quality",
"Productivity",
"Hotel",
"Hospitality"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The importance of the tourism sector to the Spanish economy is undeniable. The popularity of Spain as a tourism destination began to increase in the 1960s and, since then, with few exceptions, tourism has positively contributed to the national economy by levelling the balance of payments and becoming a source of employment. According to data from the Tourism Satellite Account of Spain (Cuenta Satelite del Turismo de Espana, INE, 2013), the tourism sector accounted for 10.8 per cent of the Spanish gross domestic product in 2011 and 12.2 per cent of total employment in Spain. The tourism surplus for 2012 had a coverage rate of 122.5 per cent for the trade deficit and 280.5 per cent for the current account deficit, while the commercial coverage rate of tourism was the highest this century. According to data from the WTO (2013), Spain ranks second in revenues from international tourism, just behind the USA, and it ranks fourth in international traveller arrivals, after France, the USA and China.\n2. Theoretical framework: In recent years, a major concern in the tourism industry has been to improve service quality driven by the need for firms to respond to increasing competition, globalization of the markets and changes in demand (Crick and Spencer, 2011; Ladhari, 2012). As pointed out by Campos-Soria and Sanchez-Ollero (2003), the quality systems implemented by firms have evolved over time in response to the requirements of the various management methods. The two most important systems in the quality management movement are TQM and the standards provided by ISO, especially the ISO 9001 family.\n3. Data description and methodology: 3.1 Data description\n4. Data analysis and results: 4.1 Descriptive analysis\n5. Conclusions: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of quality certification on the apparent labour productivity of hotels in Andalusia and to assess the influence of different quality marks on productivity. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate this issue. In particular, we believe it is the first to analyze different types of quality certifications in relation to the profitability of tourist accommodation businesses.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of quality certifications on apparent labour productivity in a sample of hotels in Spain.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In line with Mairesse and Kremp (1993), the theoretical model was based on a Cobb-Douglas production function readapted to the goals of the study.\nFindings: The descriptive results show that labour productivity increases only when certifications and quality standards specific to the hospitality industry are implemented and the tourist destination is committed to quality. The econometric analysis shows that the hotel category, belonging to a chain, and outsourcing services have a positive impact on labour productivity. In contrast, the location of the establishment in areas other than the coast or the capital city of a province has a negative effect on labour productivity. Of the quality models and certifications studied, only the Spanish Q-Mark certificate significantly improves hotel productivity (an average increase of 23.27 per cent).\nPractical implications: These results provide support for the Spanish Tourism Quality System implemented by the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, which has not only attempted to increase the quality of tourism hotels by increasing their competitiveness and performance but also by providing them with a quality certificate that can be used as a marketing strategy in international markets.\nOriginality/value: The main contribution of this study is to show how the adoption of quality standards and certifications increases or decreases labour productivity in hotels. Given that most of the previous literature has only taken into account quantities, this study adds to the literature by incorporating the concept of quality into productivity issues.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Driving technology innovation through social entrepreneurship at Prezi
|
[
"Social entrepreneurship",
"Prezi",
"Social projects",
"Startups",
"Technology innovation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Could social entrepreneurship be a source of technological innovation? The aim of the paper is to investigate this research question by using the example of Prezi, a Budapest, Hungary-based technology company that offers a presentation software alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint, widely considered as the more traditional tool for the creation of presentations that hold text, images and animations. Officially launched in April 2009, and with offices in Budapest and San Francisco, Prezi currently has more than 18 million users worldwide. In this paper, we describe the various socially driven projects at Prezi and discuss their contributions toward the company's mission-driven purpose as well as its technological innovativeness.\n2. Social entrepreneurship and innovation: Social entrepreneurship has a growing recognition in relation to its potential to address intractable social issues and challenges (Maclean et al., 2013). It has been proposed that social entrepreneurship occurs either through existing institutions or in the absence of existing institutional arrangements (Mair and Marti, 2006; Roberts, 2006; Sarasvathy, 2006). Despite the fact that social entrepreneurship is pursued via different approaches, it can be stated that innovation in achieving social goals is the key ingredient of each approach (Chalmers and Balan-Vnuk, 2012). At the same time, it is evident from the review of the literature that social innovation research is still in a nascent stage and one that cuts across various fields of discipline, and areas of knowledge (Phillips et al., 2015). Social innovation has been characterized as any solution to a social need or problem that is both novel and useful, an improvement to existing methods and approaches, and whose value lies in benefits perceived by society (Phills et al., 2008). The innovation may cover strategies for mobilizing resources, operational models, designed social solutions or value-added components. Researchers have identified phases in the social innovation process that include initial emergence of the social venture idea, developing the social venture, and scaling the social venture, along with associated activities that occur within these stages, including forming strong ties with investors and beneficiaries to access scarce resources and reduce marketing and other costs, respectively (Bhatt and Altinay, 2013).\n3. Methodology: The research approach used for this paper is qualitative in nature. The qualitative method is expected to give us a rich and deep interpretation of the organization being studied (Bryman, 1988, 2012). The inductive approach builds on existing concepts in research on social entrepreneurship while exploring for new strategies, processes and relationships. Qualitative researchers view themselves as the primary instrument for collecting data. They rely partly or entirely on their feelings, impressions and judgments in collecting data (Greene and Caracelli, 2003). In choosing an interpretive paradigm (Burrell and Morgan, 1979; Gioia and Pitre, 1990), we aimed to gain a deeper understanding of a phenomenon through understanding the interpretations of that phenomenon from those experiencing it (Shah and Corley, 2006).\n4. The case of Prezi: Our purpose of existence is to empower people to share ideas. If I could change one thing in Hungary that would be to give more positive examples and stories to people so that they could trust their own future and start shaping their own life due to their own positive promise. We hope that Prezi could be a good example (Peter Halacsy, CTO and Co-Founder of Prezi).\n5. Socially driven projects: At Prezi, problems are solved by small autonomous groups of employees with diverse backgrounds. The management at Prezi believes that clear communication on the various projects is a key to fulfilling its mission-driven vision:\n6. Discussion and conclusions: Social entrepreneurs are able to direct their efforts to creating new value by introducing technology innovations that solve problems and bring new opportunities to organizations and communities (Corner and Ho, 2010; Martin and Osberg, 2015). Based on our research, it is clear that a big part of Prezi's success is due to their openness to new ideas and innovative solutions that have impact in their local community. It is apparent that the founders of Prezi do not see their company as just a profit-making entity, but more as an empowering tool to actively influence their immediate environment. Their organic and bottom-up approach in enlisting participation and support for their projects is impressive. By helping create and position Budapest as a world class technology hub, Prezi has nurtured a strong sense of enthusiasm and optimism in their employees, who are in turn even more motivated to contribute their skills and participate in the company's core mission and product offering. Successful innovation performance in entrepreneurial firms relies on building greater employee involvement in small firms' innovation activities (Klaas et al., 2010; Andries and Czarnitzki, 2014), and innovation is often recognized as an act of creative collaboration (Akehurst et al., 2009). From a technology perspective, it is possible that new technologies such as Prezi's zooming presentation tool will open up new avenues for communicating information and ideas in both research and educational settings. Having a strong social purpose tied to their work provides an impetus for the employees to continuously innovate and improve their problem-solving skills.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: There has been a profound neglect in most of the literature dealing with social entrepreneurship on the relationship between social entrepreneurship and technological innovation. The purpose of this paper is to provide new insights into that relationship by using the case of Prezi, a Budapest, Hungary-based mission-driven software company.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research approach used for this paper is qualitative in nature and uses the case study methodology. Evidence was based on interpretative/qualitative interviews and direct observations.\nFindings: Using the example of Prezi, the authors show that social entrepreneurial activities and projects could act as an important innovation source for technology-based industries.\nOriginality/value: The authors use the case of Prezi and describe several of Prezi's socially driven projects and show how they influence those involved with the company to continuously innovate and solve problems that have positive impact in the community as well as their core product offering.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The role of uncertainty and sales control in the development of sales manager trust
|
[
"Sales management",
"Trust",
"Sales force",
"Employee relations"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: An executive summary for managers and executive readers can be found at the end of this article.When does a sales manager trust his/her salespeople? The answer to this question is important since a manager's trust has been shown to positively impact salesperson job satisfaction (Boles et al., 2007; Brashear, Boles, and Brooks, 2003; Brashear, Manolis, and Brooks 2003; Dirks and Ferrin, 2002), commitment to the relationship (Morgan and Hunt, 1994), cooperative behavior (Jones and George, 1998), attitudes (Dirks and Ferrin, 2002), retention (Dirks and Ferrin, 2002), and bottom line performance (Atuahene-Gima and Li, 2002; Brashear, Manolis, and Brooks, 2003; Dirks and Ferrin, 2002). Because trust produces such benefits, managers need to develop and implement strategies to build trusting relationships with their salespeople in order to maximize organizational effectiveness and minimize costs. However, managers must be careful when trusting salespeople. This is because trust, by its very nature (Blau, 1964; Ouchi, 1979; Williamson, 1985), involves less dependence on formal controls and as such, exposes the manager (and sales organization) to potential opportunism on the part of the salesperson. For example, by choosing not to require a salesperson to submit a weekly activity report, a manager has no assurance that the salesperson's day will be spent on pursuing new business opportunities rather than developing his/her driving skills at the golf course. This poses the question of how can a manager trust a salesperson while still protecting himself/herself from the perils of opportunism.\nTheory and hypotheses: Sales force governance\nMethod: Sample\nResults: The results of the regression models used to test the impact of our variables of interest on managerial trust are shown in Table III[3]. The model explained 60 per cent of the variance in managerial trust (R-squared=0.60; adjusted R-squared=0.59; model F-value=48.06; p<0.01). Relationship tenure was found to have a positive and significant impact on managerial trust (b=0.09, p<0.05). Thus, our results support H1. Similarly, goal congruence between the manager and salesperson was also found to have a positive and significant impact on managerial trust (b=0.34, p<0.01), which supports H2 as well as McAllister's (1995) assertion that shared goals and length of attachment is a main source of trust development.The moderating impact of sales control on trust was tested by separately computing the interaction effects of sales control * relationship tenure (b=-0.12, p<0.01) and sales control * goal congruence (b=-0.12, p<0.01) on managerial trust. Figure 2 graphically illustrates these effects using a simple slope test (Aiken and West, 1991; Cohen et al., 2003). In the first graph (see Figure 2, the slope of the relationship between relationship tenure on trust at high and low levels of sales control were estimated (i.e. one standard deviation above for high and one standard deviation below for low). The results are plotted using unstandardized estimates. This analysis indicates relationship tenure has a positive impact on trust at low levels of sales control but not at high levels. Thus, sales control will negatively moderate the relationship between salesperson relationship tenure and managerial trust. A similar test showing similar effects using goal congruence illustrates support for both H3a and H3b. The results of our two hypotheses involving the effects on trust of ability to measure performance (b=0.10, p<0.05) and manager's knowledge of the salesperson (b=0.49, p<0.01) were also supported (i.e. H4 and H5).To gain additional insight as to how our results might differ depending on the predominant sales control strategy used by sales managers, we split the sample and examined managerial trust for managers that used more outcome-based sales control (n=51 managers; 151 salespersons) and those that used more behavior-based sales control (n=49; 145 salespersons). The outcome-based model (see Table III - OBSC portion model) explains 60 per cent of the variance in managerial trust (R-squared=0.60; adjusted R-squared=0.57; model F-value=22.54; p<0.01). Here, managerial trust was positively related to goal congruence (b=0.57, p<0.01) and negatively related to the interaction term, relationship tenure * sales control (b=-0.22, p<0.05). The behavior-based model (see Table III - BBSC portion model) explains 65 per cent of the variance in managerial trust (R-squared=0.65; adjusted R-squared=0.62; model F-value=27.95; p<0.01). However, in contrast to the outcome-based model, managerial trust was positively related to goal congruence (b=0.32, p<0.01) and negatively related to the interaction term, goal congruence * sales control (b=-0.19, p<0.05).\nDiscussion: In this study, we develop and test a series of hypotheses linking informational uncertainty to the development of managerial trust in the salesperson. Our results suggest that sales control plays a moderating role by actually reducing managerial trust in the salesperson. Support for each of our hypotheses was found across the entire sample of sales managers. These findings confirm that managerial trust develops when a sales manager can reduce uncertainty through his/her relationship with a particular salesperson (i.e. relationship tenure) and by identifying if the goals of that salesperson match those of the firm (i.e. goal congruence). Furthermore, managerial trust deteriorates if sales controls are used in conjunction with conditions where trust is warranted (e.g. relationship tenure and goal congruence are high).In H1 and H2, we argue that trust develops via a reduction in informational uncertainty. Our results suggest that low levels of relationship tenure are a source of uncertainty to sales managers. In the beginning stages of the manager-salesperson relationship (when relationship tenure is low), the two have had limited interactions. This impedes managerial trust because there is no basis for the manager to establish expectancy, which increases the uncertainty in knowing how the salesperson is likely to react in sales situations. However, as relationship tenure increases, the manager becomes more familiar with the salesperson, (possibly through joint calls and assessment of skill levels) which reduces uncertainty and encourages higher levels of managerial trust. Since in practice a manager has limited control over relationship tenure (i.e. time is the determining factor), support of H1 has more theoretical than managerial relevance.As it becomes apparent to the manager that the salesperson is striving to achieve sales goals that are congruent with their own, it is speculated that information sharing and cooperation are more likely to occur in order to reach mutually desirable goals. This would have the effect of reducing the uncertainty (to the manager) regarding how the salesperson is likely to act since it is in the salesperson's best interest to achieve the sales manager/firm goals. Support of H2 indicates that when this happens, managerial trust increases.To better understand if the moderating effect of sales control differed based on whether control was more outcome-based or behavior-based, we split the sample into two groups (managers using a predominantly outcome-based control and predominantly behavior-based control strategy). We found that the effects differed based on the predominant sales control strategy used. When managers use sales control to govern salespeople whom they have had a longer direct-reporting relationship with (i.e. greater relationship tenure), managerial trust is lower. This effect was confirmed via the interaction between relationship tenure * outcome-based sales control but not for the interaction between relationship tenure * behavior-based sales control. One explanation for this is that relationship tenure may be considered a function of the organizational reporting structure and outcome-based sales control represents a system of controls that are primarily established by the sales organization (i.e. the compensation plan, organizationally developed performance measures, and evaluation format and frequency). For example, while attempting to generate more sales, a manager decides to leverage the compensation plan by increasing the salespersons' percentage of pay from commission to 60 per cent (from 40 per cent). For the salespeople whom he/she has the longest relationship tenure, this can be a signal that he/she has lower levels of trust in those salespeople's ability to generate sales without having to impose added (outcome-based) control mechanisms. The implication of this particular decision is that by signaling lower trust to these (longer tenured) salespeople, a decline in salesperson organizational commitment, satisfaction with the manager, and trust in the manager may result. This explains and illustrates our findings that support H3a.Support for H3b suggests that when a manager acknowledges that he/she and the salesperson share the same goals but still feels the need to utilize sales control, trust is diminished. We confirmed this by showing the negative relationship between trust and the interaction term goal congruence * behavior-based sales control. Because of the relational nature of behavior-based sales control (focus is on supervision, coaching, salesperson development, etc.) more \"hands on\" management is required to ensure that selling activities are executed in pursuit of harder to measure goals such customer satisfaction, high quality proposals, and presentations (to mention a few).For situational factors, the manager's ability to measure performance was found to be an important consideration when determining whether a salesperson can be trusted. Without this ability, managers cannot be certain that salespeople will not behave opportunistically (Anderson and Oliver, 1987; Williamson, 1985). Confirmation of H5 suggests that if ability to measure performance is high, then uncertainty should be reduced leading to higher levels of trust in the salesperson. Furthermore, for trust to flourish some checks and balances need to be in place. By shear nature of its availability, performance measures may act as a deterrent to salespeople acting opportunistically. Knowing this, managers may be more apt to trust salespeople when they can readily measure performance. Second, the manager's general knowledge of the salesperson, which considers the manager's personal relationship (friendship, colleague in a non-direct reporting capacity, etc.) with the salesperson, was also found to have an important impact on trust because it serves to reduce informational uncertainty. Overall, based on the explanatory power of our models, the variables and interaction effects used in our study do a good job in explaining a sales manager's trust in his/her salesforce.Managerial implications\nConclusion: To our knowledge, this is one of a few studies that examine the influence of uncertainty and sales control strategies on managerial trust. To address this void we study trust from the sales manager's perspective and find that a manager's willingness to trust a salesperson (and collectively his/her sales force) results, in part, from his/her ability to manage uncertainty. Furthermore, we show that managers who use sales control under conditions of low informational uncertainty are less likely to trust their sales force. We think this is the case because managers who chose sales control to govern their salespeople when there is a basis for trust, risk creating conflict and salesperson rebellion - both detriments to relationship development.This study has important implications to sales researchers because the literature strongly suggests that trust is critical in the relationship between sales manager and salesperson and so furthering our understanding of trust building strategies is an important advancement of this body of academic research. However, to date, uncertainty has been studied relative to its use in choosing a sales control strategy and has been all but ignored in studies explaining its effect on managerial trust. Our research extends the study of uncertainty to show that (like sales control) managers must assess and mitigate informational uncertainty in order to determine if trust in a salesperson is warranted.While our study may benefit sales research and the practice of sales management, it does have a few methodological limitations that should be pointed out. First, each of the managers used in our study provided information on three of their salespeople to represent their entire sales force. We recognize that this is surrogate sales force measure and may cause some concerns relative to violating the independence assumption of the (regression) analysis method used. We chose this method primarily to keep the survey length reasonable and to be consistent with other studies that used a similar data collection approach (Levin and Cross, 2004). Second, we asked for managers to rank each of the three salespeople to ensure that they are reporting on different salespeople. Based on this, we have no guarantees that the three were not all high (or low) performers. Subsequent studies could ask managers to choose a high, medium, and low sales performer and think of those individuals when responding to the study survey questions. Doing so would provide a more identifiable sample of the manager's salesforce and would also enable further trust studies that compare our hypothesized trust relationships across varying levels of salesperson performance. Finally, based on our method of computing the sales control index using a z-score of our measure (from Krafft, 1999), caution must be used when generalizing our findings for H3a and H3b to a larger population beyond our sample. Other analytical techniques may be considered for future research, which include conducting a path analysis (using PLS or SEM - dependent on the sample size obtained) to test for any mediating effects of sales control between trust and its antecedents. Doing this would help to generalize our findings to a larger population and shed further light on the role that sales control plays in managerial trust of their salespeople.We hope this study will pave the way to more research on managerial trust in the sales force area. Since there are many benefits of trust in the manager-salesperson relationship, both researchers and practicing sales managers stand to gain from incremental knowledge in this area of sales force management.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to extend previous research on trust and sales control to develop and test an argument that links informational uncertainty to the development of managerial trust in the salesperson.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Hypotheses are developed suggesting that shared goals and length of attachment reduces uncertainty, which has the effect of promoting managerial trust in the salesperson. In addition, it is hypothesized that sales control will have a (negative) moderating effect on these uncertainty-trust relationships. Data were collected from 100 sales managers to measure their: sales control strategies, degree of trust, goal congruence, and the relationship tenure with three of their salespeople. An ordinary least squares regression analysis was used to test a model of hypothesized relationships.\nFindings: - The results supported a direct and positive relationship between lower uncertainty (via goal congruence and relationship tenure) and managerial trust in the salesperson. Furthermore, the results confirmed that sales control had a negative moderating effect on these relationships.\nResearch limitations/implications: - These study findings are important to researchers because the literature strongly suggests that trust is critical in the relationship between sales manager and salesperson and so furthering the understanding of trust-building strategies is an important advancement to academic sales research.\nOriginality/value: - Managers can use this study to understand and recognize factors that impact trust development while avoiding the potential risks of salesperson opportunism. Examples are provided as to how practitioners can operationalize these findings to build more productive relationships with their salespeople.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Technology business incubators and industrial development: resource-based view
|
[
"Thailand",
"Business development",
"Science parks",
"Technology business incubators",
"Enabling factors",
"Q‐sort",
"Resource‐based view"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially technology-based firms, have become an integral part of the regional and world economy development (Ni, 2006; Sun et al., 2007). Start-ups (or new ventures) are usually characterized by the paradigms liability of newness and resource poverty (Lendner, 2004, 2007). Start-ups often lack technical and marketing capabilities, besides they also suffer from poor management, inability to find early stage financing, and high overheads (Hackett and Dilts, 2004). Therefore, start-ups are faced with how to access the (technological and) financial resources and commercialization capabilities necessary to bring a product to market (Lin et al., 2011).Technology business incubators (TBIs) are seen as a mechanism that could create supportive and entrepreneurial environments for technology-based start-ups, helping them to increase their survival rates. TBIs are designed to offer start-ups the technological support and services, and a solution in bridging the knowledge gap (Lalkaka, 2006) to help them develop their own viable businesses, by providing a resource-base necessary for supporting their development in early and critical stage.Many TBIs have been established in hoping to promote national economic growth. To promote the success of TBIs in emerging markets, it is therefore important for the incubator management team or policy makers to understand the necessary resources required to support the development of their start-ups in order to help them to become viable businesses.In this paper, the potential enabling factors influencing the success of TBIs are determined based on the literature review. Resource-based view (RBV) is used as a theoretical basis to identify these enabling factors and the Q-sort method is then applied to categorize these factors into four categories. A TBI in the Science Park of National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand called Thailand Science Park Incubator (TSP-I) is then examined to illustrate the applicability of each category of resources.This particular TBI is selected because the TSP-I, first, is a good representative example of the non-profit incubator funded by the government since it demonstrates substantial degrees of complexity both in terms of incubation and performance in the emerging markets. Second, the TSP-I is considered as a well-established incubator in Thailand. Finally, the TSP-I plays an increasing role in contributing to the Thai entrepreneurial, venture capital, and economic and industry development.The results obtained from this study will not only further our understanding of the operational and strategic resource management in TSP-I, but will also lead to recommendations and suggestions for all stakeholders (mainly public policy makers), which will help to enhance the development of business incubation in Thailand.\nLiterature review: Historical development of business incubators\nMethodology: Our research was split in two parts: determining the theoretical categories by reviewing literature and then applying the Q-sort method; and validating the applicability of the findings (theoretical categories) in the case study. Figure 1 shows the research process we carried out.First, to determine the theoretical categories, a comprehensive review of enabling factors influencing the success of business incubators through the lens of the RVB perspective was conducted to explore all theoretical enabling factors. The categories of resources were identified based on the RBV theory. A Q-sort questionnaire consisting of four categories of resources and a \"not applicable\" (N/A) category and 15 enabling factors was developed. The Q-sort data were collected by the questionnaires completed by a selected panel of experts, in which these experts were given detailed category definitions and a list of enabling factors and then they were asked to match each enabling factor with one of the categories. Experts were also permitted to select \"not applicable\" if they felt that an enabling factor did not match to one of the categories.Based on the Q-sort data obtained, the coefficients of agreement for multiple raters and multiple categories, the coefficients of agreement on a particular category, and the percentage agreement among the experts for each item, were calculated. After that the coefficients of agreement were then evaluated; if the coefficients of agreement are lower than 0.65, the experts will need to be re-sorted until the value goes over 0.65.In order to improve the coefficients of agreement, an examination of the off-diagonal entries in the placement matrix was conducted. Items classified in a theoretical construct different from their target construct were identified and then reworded or deleted.After determining the theoretical categories by reviewing literature and applying the Q-sort method, finally, a case of TSP-I was then applied to illustrate the applicability of the findings. A case study approach was used in this study since it was considered that it was possible to achieve a higher depth of understanding from this approach (Kimberley, 1979; Thillai et al., 2010). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with key staff of the case study, TSP-I, and through other sources of evidence including relevant documents and reports. As a consequence, the use of multiple sources of evidence in this case study tends to improve the validity of evidence (Subramanian et al., 2011). Furthermore, to reduce researcher bias, the interview transcripts were shown to an outsider researcher in order to \"bring a different and possibly more objective eye to the evidence\" (Eisenhardt, 1989, p. 538).Q-sort method\nResults: Findings from the expert's opinion: Q-sort analysis\nConclusions and recommendations: Conclusions\nLimitations and future research: This study had a number of limitations that need to be considered for future research. First, a single case study is often limited about its generalization of research findings. Second, the experts' panel selection bias (based on their experiences but not selected randomly) may leave open the possibility in selection-favoring experts. Finally, the limited number of experts participating in the study, the number of experts was selected to keep the expert panel manageable.To strengthen the credibility and validity of enabling factors development, a large-scale of experts should be elaborated and a randomized system of expert selection should be carried out. Even though our study addresses the applicable enabling factors for TSP-I, Thailand, it admittedly suffers from the lack of international comparisons. In short, it should be noted that the research results are sensitive for generalization, because of our research limitations. Therefore, in order to generalize research findings, the international comparisons need to be further investigated from the RBV perspective, with a large-scale of experts and a randomized system of expert selection.Besides, avoiding those research limitations, the results of our study suggest several venues for further research in the field of S&T business incubation. First, a prioritization of the resources and their categories needs further examination. Second, the process of developing the explicit link between the categories and the TBI's performance should be examined in order to increase a better understanding of their relationship and assessing how those resources affect the incubator's performance.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to determine enabling factors influencing the success of technology business incubators (TBIs) with respect to existing and acquired resources, and describe how these enabling factors have been implemented in practice.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The potential enabling factors were identified based on the literature review through the lens of the resource-based view (RBV) perspective. The Q-sort method was then applied to classify those factors according to the experts' opinions, for evoking group consensus on the classifications. Finally, a Thailand science park incubator was taken as a case to illustrate the applicability of the findings.\nFindings: - The strategic resources and their categories which can be considered as TBIs' enabling factors were found through the RBV theory. They are important to TBIs' success and improvement of technology-based SMEs' competitive advantage.\nResearch limitations/implications: - Because of the lack of international comparisons and the experts' panel selection bias, attempts to generalize the findings should be made with caution.\nPractical implications: - The findings have been formulated into a set of comprehensive recommendations for all stakeholders (mainly public policy makers), which will help to enhance the development of business incubation in Thailand.\nOriginality/value: - The paper presents an approach to determine enabling factors influencing the successful TBIs, coming from the RBV perspective.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Typology of contemporary corporate communication channels
|
[
"Corporate communication",
"Corporate communication channels",
"Corporate media",
"Corporate publishing"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In the global information space the corporate communication occupies a special place. On the one hand, they help companies manage the flows of business information necessary for the daily operation of the enterprise, production management, promotion on the market of goods or services. On the other hand, corporate communication plays a significant role in establishing relations with the outside world, shaping the image of the company and its brands. This is important because the business is closely integrated into the system of public relations, into the field of state, social and economic interests. Correctly formed corporate communication provides a symmetrical constructive dialogue with the public both externally and internally, helping to build long-term relationship with partners, and thus provide a stable market position and more efficient business development.\nTheoretical background: Corporate communication\nDevelopment of the corporate media concept: As it sounds paradoxically, the company's own communication channels were separated into an independent scientific and practical concept before the very concept of corporate communication arose. Devitt (2008, p. 95) calls corporate periodicals a \"new genre,\" which became the answer to the philosophy of system management that originated at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The scientist also notes that in changing the position of man in the production system, the corporate edition was responsible for changes in the relationship between managers and their subordinates and also met the needs for re-personalization of the company.\nWhat communication channels do companies use?: As in real life companies pursue specific market goals and objectives, each of them will use its own appropriate set of communication tools to disseminate information and interact with stakeholders. In particular, corporate communication relates to various outbound communication channels deployed by organizations to communicate with customers and other constituencies (Balmer and Greyser, 2003, p. 125).\nTypology of communication channels: Although in our research, we focus on modern corporate communication channels, it is hard to make a clear cut between the technologies of the past and the present. First, according to the theory of Riepl (1913), new and advanced media are not able to completely replace the old ones. Accordingly, new and old communication channels will always exist in parallel reality, meeting the needs of different audiences. Second, not all modern channels can be considered an entirely new phenomenon. They should always be considered through the historical prism of communication development. Some developments, like corporate blogging, are, of course, fairly new: they are made possible by the development of digital communication technologies. Most trends, however, have predecessors in the history of business enterprise (Christensen et al., 2008, p. 14). Friedl and Vercic (2011, p. 85) are called traditional corporate communication channels employee magazines, intranet news, corporate television, e-mail and the \"board-of-directors' newsletter\" as well as face-to-face communication and staff meetings. Also, they claim that the new channels today are related to social media and include channels such as blogs, microblogging, wikis, social networking, podcasting, video and photo sharing and instant messenger as well as discussion forums.\nConclusion: Active development of corporate communication requires a clear understanding of the typology of channels through which such communication takes place. It is important to know, since each channel has its own functional features, audience characteristics, capabilities and content distribution constraints. And this, in turn, is necessary for the creation and efficient management of the mix of corporate communication channels.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to distinguish the corporate communication channels by typology, by the designation of their characteristics and features of application, as well as to institutionalize the concept of corporate media.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In the theoretical part, with the help of general review, critical analysis, systematization and generalization, the main scientific works devoted to corporate communications have been studied. In practical part, the method of typology there has been used and descriptive analysis of types of communication channels has been carried out.\nFindings: The research distinguishes the types of channels used in modern corporate communication. It reveals that corporate communication channels can be divided into two main types according to the criteria of relation to the company: outsiders and insiders. Then the channels can be divided into broad functional subtypes: events, advertising, media and a specific category - social media. The typological separation also can be based on the auditorium and communication technologies indications.\nOriginality/value: This study makes a significant contribution to the development of studies of corporate communication through structuring communication channels. The establishment of types, features and prospects for the development of communication channels, in particular such specific ones as corporate and social media, contribute to a more systematic approach to the methods of their use. From a practical point of view, companies can be guided by the results of this research during the formation of a mix of corporate communication.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Mapping the information-coping trajectory of young people with long term illness: An evidence based approach
|
[
"Information",
"Coping",
"Trajectory",
"Situational analysis",
"Young people",
"Health information",
"Information behaviour",
"Youth"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: This paper presents the findings of a study that re-uses (with permission) 30 interviews gathered by the charity DIPEx (Youthhealthtalk) to explore the relationship between information and coping where young people are coping with long-term illnesses. The study uses the analytical approach Situational Analysis, an elaboration of Grounded Theory developed by Clarke (2005). As the approach is not widely used in Library and Information Science research and will therefore be explained, before illustrating its application in this research context. The findings allow for the relationship between information and coping to be mapped presenting a model of the information-coping trajectory grounded in evidence, and drawing on previous studies.\nBackground literature: Problems have been identified in supporting young people with information in healthcare contexts, with claims that health professionals have a \"routine\" approach to information support not necessarily meeting the needs of teenagers and young adults (Lewis et al., 2010). The period of transition from teenage years to adulthood is \"known to be a particularly challenging time for young people generally\" (DoH, 2006). Support and understanding is needed in helping the young person develop confidence in managing health conditions. Information is one form of social support that can help young people at this time of need. Decker et al. (2004) identify the need to assess adolescents' information needs throughout the course of their treatment in order that healthcare professionals can develop meaningful interventions and help the young people cope. Thorne et al. (2004) identify the criticality of communicating information effectively and appropriately to help people cope with illness, with sensitivity needed in health communications (Buckloh et al., 2008).\nResearch objectives: This study explores the relationship between information and coping in the context of young people with long term health conditions. It analyses the situation holistically, and qualitatively examining the young persons' experiences within the social worlds they inhabit, what Clarke calls, \"the full situation of inquiry\" (Clarke, 2003, p. 556) seen through the lens of the young people. It draws on theories already discussed; coping, information as a resource and as a form of social support, information behaviour, and the idea of trajectory in the information-coping relationship. We consider information and knowledge exchanges, the young persons' social context, communication issues, relationships, and tensions experienced when learning to cope with their conditions. This goal was addressed by the following objectives:\nMethodology: Methodological approach\nFindings: This section discusses the key findings in relation to the two main illustrative maps used in this analysis: the social/worlds arenas map that presents the overall situation of inquiry, the key actors and issues identified in the data; and the positional map presenting the relationship between information and coping in this situation.\nSummary of key findings: A principal finding was that as the young people became more informed about their health conditions, and gained knowledge and understanding both about their illnesses and their own bodies and boundaries, then their confidence and capacity to cope with their conditions increased as illustrated in the information trajectory (Figure 3).\nConclusions and recommendations for further research: This paper has explored the relationship between information and coping for this group of young people coping with long term illness. It has considered the information and knowledge experiences verbalised by the young people in an analysis of 30 interviews, using Situational Analysis. The mapping techniques of Situational Analysis aided the visualisation and modelling of an information-coping trajectory presented in this paper as contribution to the research in information behaviour.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between information and coping from the experiences of young people coping with long term illness.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Situational analysis was used as a methodological approach. It has roots in the Chicago Symbolic Interactionism School. Cartographic approaches enabled the analysis, mapping the complexities emerging from the data.\nFindings: As the young people became more informed about their health conditions, and gained knowledge and understanding both about their illnesses, their own bodies and boundaries, their confidence and capacity to cope increased. Gaining confidence, the young people often wanted to share their knowledge - becoming information providers themselves. From the data, five positions on an information-coping trajectory were identified: information deficiency; feeling ill-informed; needing an injection of information; having information health; and becoming an information donor.\nResearch limitations/implications: The research was limited to an analysis of 30 narratives. The paper contributes to information theory by mapping clearly the relationship between information and coping.\nPractical and social implications: The study establishes a relationship between levels of information and knowledge and the ability to cope with illness.\nOriginality/value: The information theories in this study have originality and multi-disciplinary value in the management of health and illness, and information studies.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Learning from cooperative inter-organizational relationships: the case of international joint venture
|
[
"Learning organizations",
"Channel relationships",
"Joint ventures",
"Knowledge management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Research motivation\nTheoretical model: According to the knowledge management framework in IJVs proposed by Tiemessen et al. (1997), this study developed a theoretical model that explains knowledge management conditions, structure and process, and outcomes in IJV alliances. Tiemessen et al. (1997) integrated a diverse body of literature into their knowledge management framework. The literature was culled from international and cross-cultural management and organizational learning research. Using Tiemessen et al.'s framework, this study adopted the perspective of \"intent-process-outcome\" in order to develop a theoretical model. In the following sections, this study will conceptualize the parent company's learning process in a JV alliance, define the learning outcome, discuss how learning processes influence learning outcome and explore the relationships between the learning processes of the parent. Finally, this study will define learning intent and explore its impact on the learning process.Learning process and learning outcome\nThe theoretical model: The theoretical model of this study is presented in Figure 1. First, this study conceptualizes the learning process of the parent in the JV alliance. This can be divided into three processes:1. knowledge valuation;2. inter-organizational interaction; and3. knowledge integration.This study then proposes that inter-organizational interaction and intra-organizational knowledge integration contribute to a parent's learning outcome from a JV; that is, the knowledge learning and the capabilities enhancement of the parent. This study also argues that there are two relationships within the learning processes, and proposes that knowledge valuation and inter-organizational interaction will result in an increase in the knowledge integration capacity of the parent. Then, this study asserts that a parent's motivations for forming an alliance will affect the learning process of the parent; that is, the parent's learning intent will affect the parent's valuation of the JV's knowledge, the inter-organizational interactions and the intra-organizational knowledge integration.\nResearch method: Research context\nResults: Measurement model, reliability and validity\nDiscussion and implications: How do parent companies learn through JV alliances? From the perspective of \"intent-process-outcome\", this study proposed a theoretical model and used data collected from 64 IJVs involving Taiwanese firms, to empirically test this model. According to the results of the PLS analysis, the nine hypotheses are supported in this study. The following section will discuss the research contributions and the implications for literatures based on this study.The learning model of the parent\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Facing increasing global competition, firms must ceaselessly acquire new knowledge and enhance their capabilities in response to rapidly changing customer requirements. Amidst the varying collaborative relationships that occur between firms, it is particularly important for firms to learn from international joint ventures. However, few existing studies have explored this issue empirically. Rooted in the organizational learning perspective, this study seeks to investigate the learning intent, learning process and learning outcomes of host parent companies taking part in international joint ventures, and to propose and verify a theoretical model of learning for host parent companies.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study used Taiwanese firms as research objects and employed the survey method to collect sample data. In total, 64 international joint ventures involving Taiwanese firms were collected and analyzed. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between latent constructs, such as learning intent, learning process and learning outcome. Thus, the structural equation modeling approach was adopted to test the theoretical model. However, the sample size used in this study was small, so the partial least squares (PLS) method was employed.\nFindings: - The empirical results showed that a parent company's learning outcome is affected by the interaction between the parent company and the joint venture, as well as the internal knowledge integration capacity of the parent company. The interaction between the parent company and the joint venture will simultaneously drive the parent's intra-organisational knowledge integration. Moreover, the parent company's strategic intent to learning from the joint venture will affect the parent company's knowledge integration, along with the interaction between the parent company and the joint venture. Likewise, the parent company's learning intent will affect its evaluation of the joint venture's knowledge, while further influencing its intra-organizational knowledge integration.\nOriginality/value: - The paper combines the perspectives of learning intent, learning process and learning outcomes in order to propose and test empirically a model that explains how the host parents of developing countries enhance their knowledge and capabilities by means of international joint ventures. Thus, the study attends to the deficiency of the literature in addressing the field of learning through international joint ventures. It also provides some insights and suggestions for firms that regard alliance strategy as a learning opportunity for enhancing a firm's knowledge base and organizational capabilities.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Referral pathways of patients with gallstones: A potential source of financial waste in the UK National Health Service?
|
[
"Clinical audit",
"Process efficiency",
"Quality improvement",
"Resource management",
"Cost effectiveness"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Gallstones have a high prevalence (15 per cent) in the westernised world (National Institute of Health, 1992), are more frequent in females and become more common as patients grow older, particularly in men (Bateson, 2000). Although gallstones may be frequently asymptomatic or associated with only minor symptoms, 1-4 per cent of patients with gallstones become symptomatic each year (National Institute of Health, 1992), giving a life-time risk of 25 to 50 per cent, and require referral to secondary care for the consideration of surgery. Symptomatic gallstones frequently give rise to more serious illnesses such as acute cholecystitis and cholangitis, and lead to potentially life-threatening complications including acute pancreatitis, bile duct obstruction and jaundice (Thornton et al., 2004). Uncomplicated gallstone disease can safely be treated by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) during a short hospital stay or even as day-case (Fleisher et al., 1999, Fleming et al., 2000, Leeder et al., 2004, Mjaland et al., 1997, Gurusamy et al., 2008), and early LC for acute cholecystitis is now a feasible treatment option in the hands of experienced surgeons (Gurusamy and Samraj, 2006, Knight et al., 2004). However, the morbidity associated with emergency LC is somewhat higher than in the elective population (Avrutis et al., 2000), and the cost of treating emergency patients may be greater than that of patients with uncomplicated gallstones who undergo elective surgery.The funding system applied within the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has undergone substantial re-organisation during the last six years. A key part of this reform policy was the uncoupling of \"providers\", largely comprising of NHS hospitals, from \"purchasers\" which are based in the primary care sector. Under the \"payment-by-result\" (PbR) scheme, introduced in 2002, hospitals are now receiving money from the purchasers for each condition treated or operation carried out (Department of Health, 2002). Payment is based on a nationally fixed tariff and is determined according to specific \"Healthcare Resource Groups\" (HRG) for individual diagnostic groups and procedures. However, the cost of the required treatment is carried by the secondary care providers, forcing a more business-like approach to achieve a surplus where possible and reduce costs where feasible. The success of PbR therefore depends on the achievement of a sustainable market within the NHS, and furthermore on the cooperation of both primary care purchasers and secondary care providers in patient management to avoid financial waste.It is the aim of this study to evaluate the pattern of elective and emergency referral of patients with gallstone disease from primary into secondary care, which treatment is given and whether patients who are admitted as emergency could have benefited from earlier elective referral. Furthermore, we aim to evaluate the treatment of these patients in the context of PbR to determine the overall cost of their care and determine whether there are areas for potential cost savings.\nPatients and methods: Over a three-month period, all patients with gallstone-related diseases admitted to one surgical unit in a large district general hospital were included. The hospital provides a specialist laparoscopic service with a dedicated team of surgeons operating on patients with gallstones, offering the full range of biliary surgery including laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), intra-operative cholangiography (POC) and laparoscopic bile duct exploration (LCBDE), supported by endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) performed by gastroenterologists and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Cholangiography (MRI-C). For all suitable patients, the unit aims to perform early surgical intervention, both following elective referral and for emergencies.All patients were audited prospectively using the departmental Surgical Information Recording and Interrogation Software SIRIS (Xentec Ltd, Sunderland, UK) to obtain information on their demographic and admission details, co-morbidity score (based on the grading system of the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, ASA), operation and duration of surgery. Furthermore, details were acquired on the radiological imaging from the hospital radiology reporting system (PACS, etc.), and from clinical records where necessary. All patients admitted as emergency were given a questionnaire to obtain information whether they had previous symptoms similar to those precipitating the hospitalisation, whether they had contact with their general practitioner or another hospital doctor for these symptoms, whether they had a diagnosis of gallstones made prior to this admission and whether a referral to a surgeon had been made. Completion of the questionnaire was ensured by a dedicated nurse practitioner who contacted patients either during their hospital stay, or by telephone if a patient was discharged before information could be obtained. The study was approved by the local audit committee and patients were asked to give their consent as part of the completion of the questionnaire.All data were stored and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 11.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA). Univariate associations were analysed with the Chi-square (kh2) test for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney-U test for non-parametric data.Hospital income calculation was based on the respective Healthcare Resource Groups (HRG's) G13 and G14 for patients who underwent surgery, and G18 and G19 for patients who did not undergo surgery during their emergency admission (Table I). Further sources of income, such as out-patient visits and additional bed days for long-stay patients were also taken into consideration. Cost of hospitalisation was estimated based on the hospital's expenditure per bed day, additional radiological imaging, theatre time and the costs of disposable instruments used during surgery.\nResults: Between May and July 2007, 114 patients were admitted for the treatment of confirmed gallstone-related diseases. Of these, 52 (45.6 per cent) were elective admissions, all of which had surgery to remove the gallbladder. Of the 52 elective patients, 40 (76.9 per cent) were admitted following out-patient assessment, while the remaining twelve patients (23.1 per cent) were admitted following previous emergency presentation.A total 62 patients (54.4 per cent) were emergency admissions, of whom 59 (95.1 per cent) underwent surgery during this admission or had elective surgery planned following discharge. Of the 62 emergency patients, 35 (56.5 per cent) were admitted through the local emergency department, 19 (30.6 per cent) through the primary care out-of-hours service, six (9.7 per cent) through their regular primary care provider and two (3.2 per cent) directly through the out-patients clinic. Thus, of the 114 patients included in this three-month study, only 40 patients (35.1 per cent) followed an entirely elective referral and admission pathway.In both groups, there were more females than males (elective: 39 (75.0 per cent) vs 13 (25.0 per cent); emergency: 44 (71.0 per cent) vs 18 (29.0 per cent)); male patients were significantly older than female patients (elective: median 66 vs 56 years, Mann-Whitney-U p = 0.027; emergency: median 72 vs 51 years, Mann-Whitney-U p=0.023).Patient questionnaire (emergency patients)\nDiscussion: This study was conceived on the background of the observation that the proportion of emergency operations for gallstones in our hospital had increased significantly during recent years (2003: 9.5 per cent; 2004: 7.3 per cent; 2005: 23.7 per cent; 2006: 33.6 per cent), and this raised the question about appropriateness of elective and emergency referrals. Whilst there has been a concurrent rise in the total number of cholecystectomies over these years, the experience of the surgical team in acute or emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) had also substantially increased. As almost all patients with acute gallbladder disease will need a cholecystectomy at some point either as an emergency procedure or delayed after initial conservative management, local practice had changed from a largely conservative approach to a strategy of early surgical intervention. This is a worldwide increasing trend not yet commonly practiced in the UK (David et al., 2008). In previous studies (Avrutis et al., 2000, Tsushimi et al., 2007) and in a recent Cochrane review (Gurusamy and Samraj, 2006), early surgery for acute gallstone disease has been shown to be a feasible and safe approach, particularly when performed within 48 hours of admission (Peng et al., 2005) and by surgeons with sufficient experience and expertise (Knight et al., 2004). In our institution, all LC are carried out by a team of surgeons regularly involved with the treatment of biliary problems, both in the elective and emergency setting. If patients with acute gallstone disease are admitted under the care of a non-specialist team, their care is transferred to one of the specialist laparoscopic surgeons at the first opportunity. Within the team of specialists, operating time for patients feasible for acute LC is provided on an elective operating list where possible or, where necessary, on the daily emergency list. This flexible approach to patient management also has shown benefits in the treatment of elective patients, whose waiting times for surgery have substantially reduced in recent years, making the reasons for the recent increase in the number of emergency operations for gallstones interesting.The prevalence of gallstones in westernised countries is high (Bateson, 2000, National Institute of Health, 1992) and the majority of these patients are asymptomatic; for these asymptomatic patients, surgery is not thought to be of benefit, and is not advocated (Sakorafas et al., 2007). In our study, one-third of patients admitted as emergency reported no relevant symptoms prior to their hospitalisation. It is unlikely that these patients would have benefited from earlier referral, and a practice of routine referral of patients with asymptomatic gallstones for consideration of surgery would likely overload NHS resources unnecessarily; we do not advocate such approach. However, we found that a high proportion of patients admitted with gallstone-related diseases had been symptomatic prior to their admission, and may have warranted earlier, and elective, referral. This is of particular importance as it has been shown that more than a quarter of patients with asymptomatic gallstones will develop symptoms within ten years (Attili et al., 1995), and that more than one in 20 patients with symptomatic gallstones awaiting cholecystectomy suffer significant complications from their disease (Thornton et al., 2004). Indeed, our study found that one-third of patients with pre-existing symptoms were admitted with complications from their gallstones such as acute pancreatitis or bile duct obstruction, compared with 20 per cent amongst those who had been asymptomatic. However, this difference was not statistically significant and it may require larger patient numbers to confirm this observation.In addition to the potential increase in the morbidity and the psychological effects of prolonged symptoms relating to gallstones for the individual patient, this study also indicates that the delay in the referral of symptomatic patients has substantial cost implications. More than half of the patients (11/21 (52.4 per cent)) already diagnosed with gallstone-related symptoms in primary care or non-surgical secondary care had not been referred for a surgical opinion. The majority of the savings estimated at PS16,194.00 would have been made by primary care. Although under the rules of the Payment by Results system (PbR) (Department of Health, 2002) the hospital income would have reduced substantially, the overall cost to secondary care due to the longer length of stay and additional, often duplicated investigations, would have reduced to such extent that almost PS2,000.00 could have been saved and a small surplus in line with the underlying principles of PbR been achieved.The findings of this study also confirm the validity of the specific tariffs used under the rules of PbR for the examined patient group: although the cost analysis is crude and only an approximation for the actual costs incurred to secondary care, a balance between hospital income and expenditure appeared to have been achieved including a small surplus in the order of one per cent of the total hospital income. Whilst we acknowledge that, with the variation in expenditure between individual hospital trusts other hospitals may not make a similar surplus or, indeed, make a greater profit, we would suggest that it is possible for hospitals to work within the boundaries of the PbR tariff. It is therefore the responsibility for each individual hospital to develop strategies to adopt working practices that allow the reduction in the expenditure and run efficiently.It has been suggested previously that, with the introduction of PbR, some hospitals would experience a windfall of surpluses whilst others experience financial losses (Dixon, 2004); this may not prove true if all Healthcare Resource Groups (HRG) are determined in such a way that financial gains can be achieved by the majority of hospitals and the stability of the health economy within the NHS maintained. We believe that, as demonstrated in this study on symptomatic gallstone disease, this can be achieved by close monitoring of each individual HRG at a national level and collaboration between purchasers and providers at a local level to build a sustainable economic environment, ultimately leading to the success of PbR.\nConclusion: A substantial proportion of patients admitted as emergency with gallstone-related diseases could have been referred earlier, and electively. Such emergency admissions carry higher cost for the secondary care provider than the care for elective patients, and also increase the expenditure of the primary purchaser. Amongst patients with symptomatic gallstones, payment by results appears to provide an accurate and fair system of hospital funding.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Gallstone-related illnesses are one of the most common reasons for emergency hospital admissions, often with serious complications. Standard treatment of uncomplicated gallstone-disease is by laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which can be safely and cost-effectively performed during a short hospital stay or as day-case. This paper aims to evaluate the referral pattern of patients with gallstones, which treatment is given and whether patients admitted as emergency could have benefited from earlier elective referral. The management of these patients is examined in the context of payment by results to determine cost and potential savings.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The approach takens was prospective clinical audit and patient questionnaire in a district general hospital. Cost comparisons were made using secondary care income (NHS tariff) and estimated cost of hospitalisation, investigations and treatment.\nFindings: - Between May and July 2007, 114 patients were admitted with symptomatic gallstones, 62 (54.4 per cent) were emergencies. Cholecystectomy was performed in all 52 elective patients and performed or planned for 59/62 (95.2 per cent) emergencies. A total 17/62 emergencies (27.4 per cent) presented with complications of gallstones. 38/62 (61.3 per cent) had similar symptoms before, with 21/38 (55.3 per cent) diagnosed in primary care or by another hospital department. 11 (52.4 per cent) of these had not been referred for a surgical opinion; taking account of age, co-morbidity and data acquired for elective admissions, the cost of their treatment could have been reduced by at least PS16,194.\nOriginality/value: - A large proportion of patients admitted with symptomatic biliary disease could have been referred earlier and electively. Such referral practice could improve the quality of care and reduce cost for the NHS both in primary and secondary care.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Improving patient satisfaction: the virtual breakthrough series collaborative
|
[
"Indonesia",
"Continuous improvement",
"Patient satisfaction",
"Virtual breakthrough series"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Patient satisfaction (PS) scores reveal how healthcare services meet or surpass patient expectation (Amin 2016; Hong and Naiji, 2017; Peres-da-Silva et al., 2017). PS is commonly determined by reporting when healthcare exceeds a predetermined goal (Ashton et al., 2017; DeVore et al., 2017; Grayson-Sneed et al., 2016). PS has become an important hospital performance metric and is increasingly associated with quality improvement indicators (Hawthorne et al., 2014; Flott et al., 2017). With increasing hospital numbers, PS should be taken into account when developing business plans (Amin and Zahora Nasharuddin, 2013; Kumari et al., 2009).\nMethods: Study design and satisfaction survey\nResults: Validity and reliability\nDiscussion: The VBSC teams engaged in quarterly video conferences, exchanged achievements and barriers among SHs during quarterly feedback reports, uploaded PS on LaraHIS daily, and uploaded monthly PSI recap on 58 Group Wide Indicators. Despite the starting index, both IP PSI and OPD PSI achieved their target (80 per cent) in six months. The PSI was continuously improving during all VBSC phases.\nLimitations: Our study has three limitations. First, the VBTS collaborative study did not have control groups. Factors other than the VBSC, therefore, may have contributed to an increased PSI. Second, respondents in the baseline survey, action and continuous improvement phases were not the same, although the surveys were done in the same hospitals. Ideally, for repeated measures study, the respondents should be the same people. Third, the forms were completed by respondents; however they were uploaded on the LaraHIS by hospital staff. To minimise human error, respondents themselves should fill in the survey directly on the electronic record system.\nConclusion and recommendations: The VBSC virtual format had more advantages than limitations; i.e. increasing the hospitals that participated in the programme. Attending conventional face-to-face meetings was too costly. Although participating SHs varied in baseline PSI, staff were able to increase their PSI and achieve the target (80 per cent) in six months. Managers in other hospital groups might also appreciate knowing about VBSC to improve their PSI.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve the Siloam Hospitals' (SHs) patient satisfaction index (PSI) and overcome Indonesia's geographical barriers.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The topic was selected for reasons guided by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement virtual breakthrough series collaborative (VBSC). Subject matter experts came from existing global quality development in collaboration with sales and marketing, and talent management agencies/departments. Patient satisfaction (PS) was measured using the SH Customer Feedback Form. Data were analysed using Friedman's test.\nFindings: The in-patient (IP) department PSI repeated measures comparison during VBSC, performed using Friedman's test, showed a statistically significant increase in the PSI, kh2 = 44.00, p<0.001. Post hoc analysis with Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted with a Bonferroni correction applied, which resulted in a significant increase between the baseline and action phases (Z=3.317, p=0.003) between the baseline and continuous improvement phases (Z=6.633, p<0.001), and between the action and continuous improvement phases (Z=3.317, p=0.003), suggesting that IP PSI was continuously increasing during all VBSC phases. Like IP PSI, the out-patient department PSI was also continuously increasing during all VBSC phases.\nResearch limitations/implications: The VBSC was not implemented using a control group. Factors other than the VBSC may have contributed to increased PS.\nPractical implications: The VBSC was conducted using virtual telecommunication. Although conventional breakthrough series might result in better cohesiveness and commitment, Indonesian geographical barriers forced an alternative strategy, which is much more cost-effective.\nOriginality/value: The VBSC, designed to improve PS, has never been implemented in any Indonesian private hospital group. Other hospital groups might also appreciate knowing about the VBSC to improve their PSI.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Lean Six Sigma for higher education institutions (HEIs): Challenges, barriers, success factors, tools/techniques
|
[
"Six sigma",
"Higher education",
"Public sector",
"Business improvement",
"Higher education institutions",
"Quality",
"Lean"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Lean is a powerful business process improvement methodology to minimise or even eliminate different forms of waste or non-value added activities or steps whereas Six Sigma has been proved to be an effective methodology to reduce variation within a business process and thereby achieve process robustness. While Lean production system has been around for few decades, it did not get integrated with Six Sigma until the early 2000s. We have witnessed a number of organisations in Europe embarked initially on Lean management practices to tackle the so-called \"low-hanging\" fruits and then move on to more complex problems using the principles of Six Sigma, especially when variation has been an issue in their business processes. On the other hand, we have seen a number of organisations in the USA embarked initially on Six Sigma and then realised at a later stage that they need to set up standard operating procedures at the workplace and reduce total lead-times of their end-to-end business processes using the principles of Lean thinking. The integration of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies provides organisations with the methods, tools and techniques for superior improvements (Snee, 2010). Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a powerful methodology for achieving process efficiency and effectiveness resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and improved bottom line results.Although a number of manufacturing and service organisations are utilising the power of this integrated methodology, it has been clear through the authors' research that the higher education institutions (HEIs) are far behind in the introduction and development of this process excellence methodology. A number of HEIs have embarked on the Lean initiative for the past six to seven years but not so keen in integrating Six Sigma principles for understanding and analysing variation within the university business processes. In authors' opinion, HEIs can use both methodologies simultaneously depending upon the nature of the problem at hand. Moreover we firmly believe Six Sigma methodology (define-measure-analyse-improve-control) can be very effective in solving various business problems in university processes where the solutions are unknown or root causes are never determined in a true sense. The purpose of the paper is to address the challenges, understand the critical success factors (CSFs) and assess the role of relevant tools and techniques for the successful introduction and deployment of LSS in a higher education setting. The opinions or viewpoints expressed in this paper are based on authors' experience in the use of LSS as a business improvement methodology for fixing inefficiency and ineffectiveness in university business processes.\nChallenges and barriers in the use of LSS in the higher education context: Although LSS has been widely adopted by a number of manufacturing and service organisations, its applications in HEIs have been a great challenge to those who are involved in the implementation. The following are some of the fundamental challenges in the use of LSS in the higher education environment:(1) There has been a problem with the terminologies taken from manufacturing industry to higher education sector and many people are uncomfortable in using a number of tools and techniques which were proved to be effective in manufacturing and service sectors.(2) Quite often we try to improve a process in isolation when problems occur. In fact this approach can sub-optimise the overall performance of our end-to-end process (or system) unless we have a good understanding of the impact of adjusting or improving a sub-process within a process. In other words, processes must be designed from a systems perspective instead of designed in isolation.(3) The strategy of achieving leanness is not clear to many senior executives (Mathaisel and Comm, 2000). This is primarily due to the lack of awareness of the benefits of Lean in non-manufacturing industry.(4) It is absolutely crucial to have uncompromising management commitment and buy-in from the outset of the Lean initiative and without their support and commitment the effort will be absolutely futile. A lack of commitment and support from senior executive team might promote a flavour-of-the-month attitude across the business and makes it difficult to foster a culture of continuous improvement mindset.(5) Lean initiative should not be viewed as something quick-fix as such attempts will be doomed to fail and eventually will be labelled as another passing management fad. Womack and Jones (2005) cautions that if \"Lean is seen as a means of quickly cutting costs to meet budget deficits, organisations fail to achieve the real benefits\".(6) Lack of process thinking and process ownership. Everything is treated as an activity or task or procedure but not processes. Process thinking is not at all prevalent in many HEIs and establishing processes at the workplace requires a change of mindset.(7) Lack of visionary leadership has been widely reported as a fundamental barrier in the successful introduction and deployment of LSS initiative in any industrial setting irrespective of the size and nature of the industry. The range of leadership responsibilities include (Antony and Snee, 2010):*setting a clear vision for establishing the desired culture;*communication the vision to all employees at various levels to gain organisational commitment; and*empowering employees and giving them a sense of ownership.(8) The culture of the higher education sector can be a big challenge in the introduction of LSS. In order for the staff to feel that they are part of the organisation and openly talk about their improvement suggestions, there needs to be culture of openness, trust and acceptance.(9) Lack of understanding about the different types of customers. The challenge is to understand the true voice of different customers and develop strategies to meet customers' requirements.(10) Lack of communication at various levels across the HEI. This leads to the development of \"silo culture\" across various departments in a higher education or university sector. Staff may perceive their involvement to be a waste of time and effort. It is absolutely critical to have an effective communication at all levels and making employees aware of the need for the LSS journey and what is their role in achieving the vision set by the senior management team.(11) Lack of resources (time, budget, etc.) is an immense challenge in many public sector organisations including the HEI. Employees quite often do not get enough time to execute continuous improvement projects which result in improved process performance or increased customer satisfaction. In our experience this is primarily due to lack of strategic and visionary leadership in the organisation.(12) Weak link between the continuous improvement projects and the strategic objectives of the HEIs. It is important to select those projects which are directly aligned with strategic goals of the organisation and this can be achieved by utilising a Hoshin Kanri exercise with key people involved in the organisation with the right skills, knowledge and expertise.\nCSFs for the implementation of LSS in the HEI: The idea of identifying the CSFs as a basis for determining the information needs of managers was popularised by Rockart (1979). CSFs in this context represent the essential ingredients without which any continuous improvement initiative stands little chance of success. Each one must receive constant and careful attention from management as these are the areas that must \"go right\" for the organisation to flourish. If results in these areas are not adequate then the efforts of the organisation will be less than desired. We have identified the following CSFs for the implementation of LSS in any HEI.Uncompromising top management support and commitment\nTools and techniques of LSS: Dale et al. (2007) describe a tool to be a device that has a clearly defined application, it is often narrow in focus and is often, but not always, used on its own. On the other hand, a technique is something with much wider application than a tool. A technique usually requires more skills, training and conceptual thought to be used effectively. A technique can even be viewed as a collection of tools (Dale et al., 2007).Many organisations use some kind of systematic approach when deciding which tool or technique to apply under certain situations, when to apply tools or techniques and how to apply them. This yields significant benefits in the long run. The selection of LSS tools and techniques depends on the needs of the organisation. Our research has shown that the following tools and techniques are most relevant to the HEI.Process mapping/value stream mapping\nConclusion and agenda for future work: Although LSS as a powerful business process improvement strategy has been around for over ten years, its applications in the context of HEIs are still in their embryonic stages. The authors have found that there is a clear misconception across many public sector organisations that LSS is only applied to manufacturing companies and it cannot be transferred to HE sector. In our experience, this is not the case as we firmly believe that both Lean and Six Sigma have a role to play in university processes for improving the efficiency and effectiveness. This paper presents the challenges and barriers, success factors and the most appropriate tools and techniques for the successful introduction and deployment of LSS in the context of HE sector. The next phase of the research will be looking into the development of a Lean Readiness Index Model based on the CSFs for the successful implementation of LSS within an HEI. The authors will also develop a toolkit for LSS for tackling business process problems in HEIs. A number of semi-structured interviews with most relevant people will be carried out across a number of UK universities to understand the current status of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies within such institutions.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate whether Lean Six Sigma (LSS) can be a powerful business improvement methodology for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of higher education institutions (HEIs). The paper will also explore the fundamental challenges, barriers and critical success factors for the introduction and development of LSS in the HE context. The last part of the paper is to understand the role of tools and techniques for the sustainability of this initiative for making the HEIs more efficient and effective.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper discusses whether LSS can be a useful and systematic approach to tackle operational and strategic issues within the HE industry. The authors use secondary data from literature to justify the need for this powerful approach and the benefits of adopting this business process improvement strategy within the HEIs.\nFindings: - The paper presents the challenges and barriers to be encountered during the introduction of LSS in the higher education sector, most useful tools and techniques for process improvement problems, success factors which are essential for the implementation and sustainability of LSS.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This is a very theoretical paper based on the existing literature and authors' experiences in the HE sector. The next stage of the research is to carry out empirical studies in a number of HEIs and develop a practical and useful roadmap for the implementation and sustainability of LSS as a business process improvement methodology.\nOriginality/value: - This paper makes an attempt to remove the myth that LSS is confined to manufacturing. It also demonstrates, through relevant existing literature and authors' experiences, that LSS is equally applicable to public sector organisations and in particular HEIs. Although lean has been adopted by a few HEIs in the UK and abroad, very few HEIs have adopted the integrated LSS approach for waste reduction and variability reduction, which leads to superior performance and enhanced student satisfaction.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Confucius as transformational leader: lessons for ESL leadership
|
[
"Confucius",
"Transformational leadership",
"Leadership",
"English language schools"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: To silently appreciate the truth, to learn continually and to teach other people unceasingly - that is just natural in me (Confucius).\n1. Introduction: In this paper, Confucius' teachings are presented in terms of the four components of transformational leadership theory (Bass, 1985):1. idealized influence;2. inspirational motivation;3. intellectual stimulation; and4. individualized consideration.Using these four components as a basis, practical suggestions for educational leaders in the English as a Second Language (ESL) school context in Asia are put forward. It is argued that ESL school leaders who adopt a Confucian leadership style will invariably provide leadership that is fundamentally transformational in nature, encompassing moral/ethical, socially critical, and democratic dimensions. The paper begins by providing some background information about the life and work of Confucius before exploring the tenets of transformational leadership theory.\n2. Confucius: moral sage and teacher: Confucius has been described as one of the two greatest ethical thinkers in the East alongside Buddha (Liu, 1974). He was the first significant thinker of the independent intellectual class who dominantly molded the Chinese civilization, and is regarded as China's first self-conscious philosopher whose commentary on Chinese literary classics developed into a pragmatic philosophy for daily life (Hinton, 1998). Ideas espoused by Confucius and his main disciples have been developed into a system of philosophy known as \"Confucianism\", which has been central to sociopolitical life for most of Chinese history, traveling beyond its borders to influence Southeast Asia, and now Western civilizations (Chung, 1996). As is argued in this paper, Confucius was an important transformational leader whose leading concepts and practices informed and guided people in the hope that they would exercise compassion and humility in their lives.Confucius is the Latinized name of Kung Zi, or Master Kung. He was born in 551 BC in the state of Lu, in the Southern part of the present Shandong province in Eastern China (Liu, 1974). His ancestors were members of the ducal house of the state of Sung. Due to political circumstances, by the time of his birth his family had lost their noble position and become commoners. As a result of Confucius' strong determination and love for learning, he was able to serve in minor government posts when he was 15. At around 30 years of age, he started his career as a teacher and quickly became a reputed master, followed by an ever-expanding circle of followers (Liu, 1974). In his late 40s and 50s, he served as magistrate and minister in the state of Lu. However, he was not able to apply his ideas to the government of the state due to political intrigues and the opposition of duke's inner circles. At 56, he left Lu to find another state in which he could apply his concepts of government. He traveled from one state to another, always hoping to find an opportunity to realize his ideal of political and social reform. Nowhere did he succeed, and finally he returned to Lu, where he died in 479 BCE (Liu, 1974).Confucius lived during a period of Chinese history called the Warring States. It was a time of political, social and moral chaos (Liu, 1974). There were hundreds of feudal states in conflict with one another. Paradoxically, it was also a period of a great freedom of thought and great demand for scholars. The scholars moved about and switched their allegiance from one state to another. This turbulent situation stimulated thinkers of the time to devise ways to restore peace and stability. Confucius' aim was to bring about social reforms through education - to put forth an ideal social order through the cultivation of ideal ways of life and full development of the individual personality. He edited a collection of classic poetry, music, historical documents and annals that preserved China's ancient cultural tradition (Hinton, 1998). This compilation provided a shared cultural vocabulary for his students and was to become the standard curriculum for the Chinese literati in subsequent centuries (Chung, 1996). The next part of the paper discusses the key elements of transformational leadership theory and the ways in which Confucius can be recognized as a transformational leader.\n3. Transformational leadership theory: The concept of transformational leadership was first introduced by Burns (1978) in his seminal book, Leadership, as a new paradigm for understanding the leadership phenomenon in the study of management and behavioral psychology. According to Burns (1978), transformational leadership is leadership that has the effect of \"transforming\" followers' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. He contrasted transformational leadership with the more commonly occurring transactional leadership, which had previously dominated leadership research and training. The difference between transformational and transactional leadership lies in what leaders and followers offer one another. Furthermore, transformational leadership is more complicated than transactional leadership and is more powerful (Burns). Transforming leadership comes into play when there is a recognized need or demand by potential followers. Burns claims that the transforming leader exploits these needs. Embedded in the notion of fulfilling the needs of followers, transforming leadership has an element of morality. This moral dimension incorporates the followers' needs, wants, aspirations and values and the followers and leaders are transformed to a higher realm of motivation and morality. Burns uses the example of Ghandi as a classic exponent of the transforming leader in that he was able to enrich his own life while trying to fulfill the hopes and demands of millions of Indians.3.1 The components of transformational leadership theory\n4. ESL context: It should be noted that private ESL schools and colleges are essentially businesses and are part of an industry with a billion-dollar a year turnover (Walker, 2000). The primary reason for the private ESL school is the generation of profit. Like all business within a competitive market, the success of the commercial ESL school is dependent on sound business practices (Walker). However, this business aspect of private ESL schools does not detract from the fact that they are schools and, as such, students' livelihoods hang in the balance. For example, English language instruction is a key variable in which to attain self-fulfillment and enjoyment of life for those who undertake it. This is, English, as an international language, functions as the gatekeeper to economic success such as communication in the business world and a prerequisite to Western university systems (see Walker, 2000). In this high stakes environment, we believe that decisions made which effectively have the potential to influence young people's ability to fulfill their lives must come from a deep, moral authority. Therefore, we acknowledge that Confucius thought on moral leadership is particularly pertinent to the private ESL school context.In order to illustrate this point, we present case study of a private ESL college and present some typical challenges for school leaders working within this system. We then make a series of practical suggestions for school leaders drawing heavily on Confucius' thought. While we believe that Confucius' thought on moral leadership is applicable to any school or administrative context, we chose to focus on the ESL private college because of one of the author's prior experiences as an ESL teacher in a number of schools in Asia. It is important to point out that the case study discussed below is not based on any one school, but is a conglomerate of nine schools in which one of the authors worked as a language instructor within the ESL education field over a ten-year period. The idea here is to attempt to depict the context of a \"typical\" private ESL college, one with which ESL language teachers would be familiar and to consider a set of practical implications for leaders in such a context.4.1 Profile of an ESL language school\n5. Conclusion: In recent years, the quest to understand outstanding leadership has focused on the characteristics of transformational leaders. This paper argued that Confucius, whom we have argued embodies all four dimensions of transformational leadership, is an excellent example of a transformational leader. Placing Confucius' leadership concepts and practices within this transformational leadership theoretical framework brings his leadership style into clear focus. Using the context of the ESL school in Asia, we demonstrated how Confucian thought on moral leadership could be translated into practical approaches and behavior for leaders in these schools. Confucius' framework of truth-wisdom-virtue may appear on the surface simple and a little naive, but the transforming power of the moral sage has flowed down through the ages, with real and tangible lessons for school leaders today.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to explore the leadership values and practices of Confucius in the light of transformational leadership theory.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper is literature based.\nFindings: - The paper discusses four key dimensions of transformational leadership theory: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration and uses these as a framework for exploring the values of and teaching approach used by Confucius. The key message of the paper is that educational leaders have much to learn from a Confucian leadership style that is fundamentally transformational in nature and encompasses moral/ethical, socially critical, and democratic dimensions.\nPractical implications: - The paper presents a case study of an English as a second language (ESL) school and identifies several practical suggestions for ESL leaders to consider if they are to follow the tenets of Confucius's teachings.\nOriginality/value: - The paper is original as it links the values and practices of Confucius to transformational leadership theory and considers how this theory might look in practice for leaders within a contemporary ESL school context.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A contingency framework on partnership risk
|
[
"Procurement",
"Accountability",
"Risk management",
"Partnership risk",
"Public-private partnerships",
"Shared ownership"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Beck (1992) and Giddens (1991) have emphasized risk as an embedded component of modern society. In complex societal systems, it has become increasingly important to manage the extent and nature of risk. In this paper, we refer to the risks of public intervention in shared equity public-private partnerships (PPPs) and compare them to the risks of private partner operation and procurement.\nUnderstanding the concept of risk: The most widely known definition of risk distinguishes uncertainty (unknown risk) from risk (known risk) (Knight, 1921). Whereas risk is referring to a state of measurable uncertainty where probabilities of different outcomes are known; true uncertainty is not susceptible to measurement (Knight, 1921, p. 145). Accordingly, uncertainty not only represents absence of information but also information that may not be obtainable in any other way (Rowe, 1994, p. 743). Simon (1957) has mentioned this lack of knowledge in his writings on bounded rationality and the process of coordination (Simon, 1957, p. 109). Over the years, uncertainty research has provided us with a wide variety of typologies. Many typologies refer to data uncertainties, modeling problems or lack of model completeness (Alcamo and Bartnicki, 1987; Morgan et al., 1990). Others include variability of the modeled system (Beck, 1987). Rowe (1994, p. 743) categorizes four dimensions of uncertainty: temporal (uncertainty in future and past states), structural (uncertainty due to complexity), metrical (uncertainty in measurement) and translational (uncertainty in explaining results and communication). He characterizes the origin of uncertainty dimensions as variability when considering underlying variants. Hence, we have to consider randomness of nature, inconsistent human behavior and variation in system behavior. Lastly, origins of uncertainty also derive from peoples value diversity (Rowe, 1994, p. 744-745).\nGovernance risks of public-private partnerships: In the UK, the involvement of the private sector in public service provision was widely promoted by the private finance initiatives (PFI) introduced in 1992. The initiatives paved the way for new models of service provision like PPPs. \"In general terms, PPPs involve formal collaboration between public agencies and private sector businesses with the intention of meeting public goals\" (Waring et al., 2014, p. 314). The overall idea about these partnerships is that they bring together capabilities to share risks and coproduce services (Waring et al., 2014). A review on PPPs shows that there is considerable variation in definition and operationalization of the term PPP (Hodge and Greve, 2007). Sometimes, they serve as a basis for risk sharing in large infrastructural projects, in other instances there is greater cooperation in the form of joint-ventures (Waring et al., 2014).\nPartnership risks under shared ownership: As we have shown, there are some rational reasons to prefer tight, long-term relationships with private sector providers and even, in some cases, majority public ownership. However, we have to consider the specific and sometimes unintended consequences.\nA contingency perspective on partnership risk: the instrumental accountability approach: We will now refer to the specific contingencies of PPP governance. In order to capture the instrumental perspective on risk management, we introduce the notion of financial downside risk: the idea of (measurable) downside risk is mainly based on transactional cost economics and its assumptions (Williamson, 1975). Downside risk arises because of goal incongruence of the partners (Ouchi, 1979) and is \"used to denote negative variations specifically in outcomes of importance\" (Das and Teng, 2001, p. 251). As a synonym for \"value for money,\" downside risk comprises a conformance and a performance dimension termed relational risk and performance risk. On the one hand, there is the risk of a partner not cooperating in good faith (relational risk) - on the other hand there is downside risk of unsatisfactory performance (Das and Teng, 2001).\nA contingency perspective on partnership risk: the relational accountability approach: Hitherto, the hypothesis of transaction cost-related governance has not been proven empirically successful for every type of PPPs (Cristofoli et al., 2010; van Genugten, 2008). Especially majority publicly owned enterprises, jointly owned companies and strategic networks with private and non-profit partners are not primarily characterized by opportunism (Zajac and Olsen, 1993; Zhang et al., 2009). Subramaniam et al. (2013) criticize transaction cost theory for limited ability to explain control structures in organization due to its generic forms of control. TCE also does not offer much information on external/outward accountability systems.\nConclusion: Our objective was to describe and identify the specific contingencies of uncertainty and risk in PPPs. We have learned that the selection of risk management strategies depend on the risk perceptions of managers, the particular case, the political environment and the interrelatedness of formal and informal governance characteristics. We have also discovered specific public sector contingencies to risk management. These are (among others) higher goal and role ambiguities due to political uncertainty, higher strategy risks due to public uncertainty and stronger resource sharing risks due to behavioral uncertainty and value conflicts. In this section, we will apply our risk governance framework to the benefits and costs of two general PPP governance alternatives: loose relationships and tight relationships. Within this application, we will not only consider the downside risks but also the opportunities of these alternatives.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the specific contingencies of partnership risk in shared equity public-private partnerships (PPPs) with the contingencies of privately held, loose related PPPs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Drawing on instrumental and relational accountability perspectives, the author formulates theoretical propositions on partnership risk.\nFindings: The author conclude that loose related PPPs are characterized by high expertise and a higher risk of contract incompleteness by reason of opportunism. Shared ownership PPPs are characterized by lower opportunism but stronger goal ambiguities and role conflicts. These relationships are threatened by political micromanagement, agency capture and bailout problems.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study offers an analytical frame of propositions and provides avenues for further research on partnership risk.\nPractical implications: The author suggest risk mitigation strategies for tight and loose related PPPs.\nOriginality/value: Identifying crucial contingencies from both an instrumental and a relational perspective, the study makes a contribution to cooperation research in PPPs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Supply chain strategy for companies in the luxury-fashion market: Aligning the supply chain towards the critical success factors
|
[
"Fashion luxury",
"Fashion supply chain",
"Luxury critical success factors",
"Luxury supply chain",
"Supply chain strategy"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The luxury goods market, despite a contingent downturn in 2009, grew significantly in the recent years up to 800 B in 2013 (Bain\n2. Theoretical background: 2.1. Preeminence of brand in the luxury market\n3. Research objectives: developing a model for luxury SCs: 3.1. State of the art and gaps to be filled\n4. Research steps and methodology: In order to pursue the research objective the following research steps were executed:\n5. Findings: A large amount of data were collected during the case studies, which allowed achieving several results. The following paragraph focus on the first logical part of the framework presented in paragraph 4, i.e. the alignment of SC choices/practices towards luxury CSF (Section 5.2) and the relationship between luxury CSD and SC objectives (Section 5.3). Further results will be presented in forthcoming papers.\n6. Conclusions: The present paper belongs to a research stream that deals with the link of SC management with the CSF in the luxury market, which still is an under-explored area because the majority of luxury-related literature focuses on the \"brand\" and the intangible values conveyed by the brand to the owner (e.g. Fionda and Moore, 2009). In this context, the research presented hereby represents an additional step forward because it provides:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show how it is possible to take into account the objectives that fashion-luxury companies pursue on the final market (i.e. critical success factors (CSF) - of luxury) and propagate them in the upstream steps of the supply chain (SC) in order to understand how the latter can be aligned to the market.\nDesign/methodology/approach: An extensive literature review allowed the identification of SC objectives. Case studies were used in order to asses choices and practices applied along the SC of luxury companies were assessed through in depth case studies; hence, the relationship between choices/practices, SC objectives and luxury CSF was explored.\nFindings: The paper documents that success in the luxury market not only depends on branding and marketing but also on the choices made along the SC, to the point that it is possible to identify some SC choices and practices that support the achievement of luxury CSF.\nResearch limitations/implications: The results presented represent a useful guideline and offer some methodological suggestions; however, the precise set of SC objectives have to be tailored on each specific brand, according to the uniqueness that characterizes luxury companies.\nPractical implications: The paper suggests which areas of the SC should be mostly targeted in order to achieve success in the luxury market, also indicating some possible concrete choices.\nOriginality/value: The main value of this paper consists in shaping a first explicit connection among the world of luxury as it is perceived by the consumers and the world of the SC.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The surpluses and shortages in business-to-business marketing theory and research
|
[
"Business‐to‐business marketing",
"Research",
"Marketing theory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The discipline of business-to-business marketing has come of age in the last three decades. Three major academic journals are dedicated to business-to-business marketing (Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing) and several other journals are dedicated to sub-areas such as personal selling and sales management (e.g. Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management). There are also numerous books in this area, as indicated by a simple search of Amazon.com that revealed over 500 books with some manner of business-to-business marketing content. Finally, there are a large number of general and industry-specific business-to-business marketing magazines. Reid and Plank (2000) found both extensive (2,194 articles between 1978 and 1997) and excellent research in these publications.Business-to-business marketing as a discipline has realized spectacular growth by borrowing concepts from the behavioral and quantitative sciences, and by broadening its horizons from traditional industrial product marketing to marketing of business services. As the research domain of business-to-business marketing expands, it is imperative that a periodic re-examination of the discipline is conducted (Spekman, 2000) to identify surpluses and shortages in research. Accordingly, the objective of this conceptual paper is to identify neglected or under-researched areas so that we can advance the discipline of business-to-business marketing.Nearly three decades ago, Sheth (1979) published a widely accepted paper on surpluses and shortages in consumer behavior that led to research in many new aspects of consumer behavior, such as excessive consumption and emotionally driven behaviors. We find this approach very useful in examining the field of business-to-business marketing.The paper is divided into four sections. The first section reviews the extant literature in business-to-business marketing. The second section identifies areas that have been the focus of understanding in business-to-business marketing theory and suggests areas that should be the future focus. The third section examines the purpose of research in business-to-business marketing and identifies the future motivation for continued interest in this area. The final section summarizes the paper.\nExtant research in business-to-business marketing: Danneels and Lilien (1998) highlight the paradox that, although the dollar value of business-to-business transactions is double that of consumer transactions (Slater, 1999), the bulk of research and teaching in marketing focuses on consumer markets. This concern is not new. Webster (1978) also stated that:With well over half of America's economic activity accounted by industrial marketing, as distinct from the sale of products and services to consumers, it has been remarkable how little attention, relatively, industrial marketing has received in the professional literature and in academic research.Furthermore, until the early 1970s business-to-business marketing was primarily practice-oriented, with relatively less academic interest. For example, there were more journals specializing in the practice of business buying behavior than in consumer behavior (Sheth, 1977). One of the reasons for the low level of academic attention to business-to-business marketing is the complexity of studying the business buying behavior. The business buying process normally involves many participants who influence the buying decision differently. Studies in this area require organizational cooperation and intimate knowledge of how the organization works, which are not easily attained.Fortunately, the research in business-to-business marketing since Webster's call to action has been extensive and impressive. As mentioned before, Reid and Plank (2000) examined over 2,194 articles that were published on business-to-business marketing research between 1978 and 1997. They provide excellent summary of the literature, and their summary is presented in Table I. We will use Reid and Plank's (2000) study to evaluate the state of business-to-business marketing research.In order to facilitate our analysis, we have reduced the number of areas listed by Reid and Plank (2000) into a more compact list in Table II, based on our own knowledge as well as the wisdom of our colleagues. For example, the \"Organization buying/buyer seller relationships\" category includes articles that address organizational buying and vendor-customer negotiations and relationships. The category of \"Personal selling and sales management\" includes articles that address issues of personal selling, sales training, sales motivation and compensation, and general sales management. Similarly, the category of \"Product management/new product development\" includes articles that address new product development and product management. As expected, articles on organizational buying and buyer-seller relationships are most frequently addressed and constitute about a fifth of the research focus in this area. We believe this is due to the publication of comprehensive models of business buying behavior developed by Webster and Wind (1972), and by Sheth (1973). While Sheth (1973) highlighted the effect of individuals in the buying process, Webster and Wind (1972) emphasized the role of the organization and its environment. Towards the late 1980s and early 1990s, research began to highlight the importance of developing relationships for effective marketing, especially in the business-to-business context. This led to numerous academic publications on testing these conceptual frameworks or in enhancing conceptual foundations. The creation of the Center for Relationship Marketing at Emory University brought the issue of customer relationship management into the mainstream. Scholarly opinion seemed to converge on a pattern of paradigm shift from a transaction-based marketing perspective to a relationship marketing perspective. At the same time, the IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing) Group in Europe developed a research focus of buyer-seller relationships in business markets.The second area of research focus has been personal selling and sales management. This also constitutes about a fifth of all of the articles published in the business-to-business marketing journals. We believe this has been due to three reasons. First, several academic researchers came with sales experience and had a managerial affinity. Second, access to salespeople and sales management data was easier due to the pervasive nature of sales departments. Third, research was predominantly based on a single unit of analysis (e.g. salesperson, sales manager) in comparison to buyer-seller relationships that require dyadic and multiple level data collection.The third largest area of research addresses product management and new product development and it constitutes about 10 percent of the research focus. Product management has been less frequently studied when compared to new product development. The research has examined the development of products, product lines, and product life cycle management. In addition, there have been discussions on organizational adoption and organizational choice frameworks specifically relevant to business marketing firms.The next area of focus has been marketing planning and strategy, which also constitutes about 10 percent of the research focus. The majority of research in this area reflects strategic choices that firms need to make. Although focused toward business markets, the implications are relevant for all firms.Purchasing management is the next largest topic of research, with about 8 percent of research focus. This research has typically taken the perspective of the buying firm. Research has examined organizational structures, the supply management function, partnerships, supplier selection, quality processes, and has detailed effective purchasing processes.Communication research (advertising, sales promotion, and public relations) constitutes about 6 percent of the research focus. Most of the research is empirical, examining details of communication programs with no programmatic basis (Reid and Plank, 2000). All other areas combined constitute less than 5 percent of the research focus in business-to-business marketing.Examining shortages and surpluses\nSurpluses and shortages in the purpose of business-to-business theory and research: The purpose of research in business-to-business theory and research can be divided into two dimensions. The first dimension is basis of knowledge - research that is theoretical in nature versus research that is empirical in nature. Historically, there has been more empirical research than theoretical research. This may reflect the critical stage of growth of the discipline. The second dimension is the type of output - research that is managerial versus research that aids discipline development. Similar to the first dimension, more research has been for managerial output rather than for enhancing the discipline. These two dimensions create a 2x2 matrix as presented in Figure 2 and discussed next. As previously stated, while a large number of areas could be identified, we discuss only three for each cell in the matrix.Surplus: empirical research for managerial benefit\nConclusion: In this paper we have attempted to review the extant research in business-to-business marketing and have suggested directions for future research. The growth of research in this area was slow until the 1980s, as Haass (1986) states:Industrial marketing appears to have come of age in the 1980s. After years of languishing in the background of consumer marketing, there are signs that industrial marketing is taking its rightful place.The research in business-to-business marketing has been impressive since then. New areas have been explored in the business-to-business marketing area. We further aid this processes by identifying surpluses and shortages in business-to-business marketing research. Our view is that we have enough research utilizing decision-making frameworks to understand how organizations make buying decisions as well as how we can sell to them. What we need to research is how individuals in an organization make buying decisions, and how to sell to a person and make him or her an advocate or champion for the company. Similarly, we have enough research on managerial issues utilizing empirical research methods. What we need is programmatic research utilizing large databases similar to PIMS or Computstat.The purpose of identifying new areas of research is to encourage future researchers to appreciate the exciting opportunities offered by business-to-business marketing for academic research.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Business-to-business marketing has come of age in the last three decades and research in this area has been extensive and impressive. This paper examines the extant body of business-to-business marketing research and identifies surpluses and shortages with the goal of stimulating future research.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper focuses on two questions regarding future business-to business marketing. First, what has been the focus of understanding in business-to-business marketing theory and what should be its future focus? Second, what has been the purpose or objective to study business-to-business marketing and what should be the future objective for research?\nFindings: - It is found that research in business-to-business marketing is fundamentally changing and will continue to change. The paper identifies areas of business-to-business marketing research that have received surplus attention and areas that require additional attention.\nPractical implications: - The paper provides guidelines for future exploration of the business-to-business research domain.\nOriginality/value: - The paper is analogous to the widely cited paper by Sheth (1979) that reviewed the state of consumer behavior research and identified areas that had been unexplored or under-explored, and in the process provided an impetus for new research in consumer behavor.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
An ISM approach for the barrier analysis in implementing sustainable practices: The Indian oil and gas sector
|
[
"Sustainability",
"ISM approach",
"Barriers",
"Sustainable practices",
"Indian oil and gas sector"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Energy is an essential component of our daily life, yielding in an inseparable relationship between energy demand and economic progress, driven by the two forces of population growth and the development of economics. The global energy demand will continue to increase as people are interested in pursuing higher standards of living. The demand for world energy is expected to increase 50 percent by 2030 (IEA, 2007a).The conventional fossil fuels are finite; shortage of the same will be permanent and irreversible (Leder and Shapiro, 2008). There is a continuous increase in the prices of crude oil over the years (Exxonmobil, 2007). The depletion of world petroleum production would affect the world food production adversely as the modern agriculture is entirely dependent on oil products (Bartlett, 2012).\n2. Literature review: Sustainability is the intersection between social, environmental, and economic dimensions (Elkington, 1998). A SC integrating these three dimensions is called a sustainable SC (Carter and Rogers, 2008). The term sustainability in oil and gas industry does not refer to the indefinite production of oil and gas. But, delicately weighing social, economic, and environmental assets in a constantly changing world (Arscot, 2004). The sustainable SCs consider three dimensions impact mentioned earlier in this section on the management of raw materials and services offered from the vendors-manufacturers-clients. It includes the flow in the return direction as well (Grzybowska, 2012; Zhu and Sarkis, 2004).\n3. Research methodology: The objective the present research work is to prepare a new structured model of barriers to the implementation of sustainable practices for Indian oil and gas SCs. This is the first research work in this area, and hence, the outcomes of this research will guide the organizations to re-consider their framework toward sustainable programs. The ISM approach is used to establish the interrelationships among the identified barriers and also to determine the barriers having maximum driving and dependence power. The introduction to ISM methodology and steps involved in the same are discussed in the following section.\n4. Case study: The environmental effect of petroleum is frequently negative because it is toxic to almost all forms of life and its extraction has been implicated in climate change. Petroleum, commonly referred to as oil, is thoroughly linked to virtually all aspects of the present society, especially for transportation and heating for homes and for commercial and industrial activities.\n5. Results and discussions: An ISM model of the 14 criteria is shown in Figure 3 indicating their levels. The top three barriers of the structural model, namely, tracking of carbon footprint difficult (B13), lack of green initiatives (B9), and lack of CSR (B14) were found to play the least influential role as compared to the other eleven barriers. These barriers affect less in the process of adoption of sustainability practices in Indian oil and gas industries. Hence, demand the least attention. At the intermediate levels, from third to seventh iteration there were five barriers, namely, supplier's flexibility to change toward sustainability (B10) (at the third level), fear of success (B12) (at the fourth level), acceptance of advanced technology (B4) (at the fifth level), lack of customer's awareness (B11) (at the sixth level), and understanding among SC stakeholders (B6) (at the seventh level).\n6. Conclusion: In the present study, a structural model of 14 critical barriers (Figures 2 and 3) to the implementation of sustainable practices was developed using ISM methodology based on the exhaustive literature survey and opinions of the experts. The critical barriers were iterated in nine levels. The five most influencing barriers having high driving power in the descending order are knowledge and training (B2), management commitment and leadership (B5) both barriers having the same driving power of the magnitude 12. The governmental rules and regulations (B1), financial implications (B3) are also found to have the equal driving power of 11, followed by a barrier, namely, market competition and uncertainty (B7) which has a driving power of 8.\n7. Future scope and limitations of the study: For developing the present case study, only Indian oil and gas industries were considered. In future, the same approach may be extended to other sectors for identifying and modeling the barriers in the implementation of sustainable practices. An integrated ISM methodology along with the ISM approach (total interpretive structural modeling, analytic network process, SEM, interpretive ranking process, TOPSIS, path analysis, concept advanced ISM, AHP, and DEMATEL) may be used as these studies yield better results as compared to the ISM methodology alone (Gardas et al., 2015, 2017; Raut et al., 2017; Sasananan et al., 2016).\n8. Managerial implications: The climate change and its adverse effects on the earth and humankind are gaining momentum, threatening the uprightness, safety of economies, and the quality of survival of exposed populations. The greenhouse gasses play a significant role in the global warming. Their atmospheric concentrations have increased significantly (70 percent) from 1970 to 2004 (On Climate Change, IP, 2007). Also, there is a great tension all over the globe about the sustainability of oil and gas based economy (Greene et al., 2005). The two world oil disasters of the 1970s put energy security at the top of the political agenda. These crises lead to unemployment and inflation (EU Commission, 2003; Commission of the European Communities, 2005).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify and model critical barriers to sustainable practices implementation in Indian oil and gas sectors by the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach.\nDesign/methodology/approach: In this paper, through exhaustive literature survey and experts opinions, 14 critical barriers were identified, and the ISM tool, which is a multi-criteria decision-making approach, was used to establish interrelationship among the identified barriers and to determine the key barriers having high driving power.\nFindings: After analyzing, it was found that six barriers, namely, market competition and uncertainty (B7), shortage of resources (B8), governmental rules and regulations (B1), knowledge and training (B2), financial implications (B3), and management commitment and leadership (B5) were found to have high influencing power. These barriers need the maximum attention and organizations need to overcome these hindrances for the effective implementation of sustainable practices. From the driving and dependence power diagram, two barriers, namely, management commitment and leadership (B5) and knowledge and training (B2) were found to have the highest driving power and two barriers, namely, lack of green initiatives (B9) and lack of corporate social responsibility (B14) were found to have highest dependence power.\nResearch limitations/implications: The presently developed model is based on the experts' opinions, which may be biased, influencing the final output of the structural model. The research implications of the developed model are to help managers of the organization in understanding significance of the barriers, to prioritize or eliminate the same for the practical implementation of sustainability.\nOriginality/value: This is for the first time an attempt has been made to apply the ISM methodology to explore the interdependencies among the critical barriers for Indian oil and gas industries. This paper will guide the managers at various levels of an organization for effective implementation of the sustainable practices.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Examining the role of leadership inspiration, rewards and its relationship with contribution to knowledge sharing: Evidence from the UAE
|
[
"United Arab Emirates (UAE)",
"Knowledge sharing",
"Rewards",
"Leadership inspiration",
"Public organizations"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Leadership is an interactive process that involves influence in which leaders affect and get affected by their followers. Leadership occurs in groups and influences them to achieve a common goal (Northouse, 2017). Leaders who motivate followers through inspiration formulate a clear vision and praise good acts. They are optimistic about the future of the organization and show a high level of enthusiasm for shared values and objectives (Avolio and Bass, 1993; Avolio et al., 1999; Bass, 1984).\n2. Theoretical background: 2.1 Leadership inspiration\n3. Methodology: The proposed Structural Equation Model (SEM) model in this study is different from most of the other models tested in this area because it not only integrates the variables and relationships (Leadership inspiration and rewards) tested by previous studies and derived from them but has also improved upon them by adding the knowledge sharing practices as a mediator.\n4. Data analysis and results: 4.1 Correlation coefficient\n5. Discussion: This research has investigated a model of the factors that may affect knowledge sharing contribution in a law enforcement public organization in the UAE. Despite the fact that there are empirical studies about the effect of leadership inspiration on the promotion of knowledge sharing as well as the effect of rewards on employees toward knowledge sharing, this study contributed to scientific research by combining both factors, namely, the leadership inspiration and rewards, and empirically studied their impact on the knowledge sharing contribution. Second, there are very few studies that were done in the Gulf region in general and in the UAE in particular (Alshamsi et al., 2017; Alshamsi and Ajmal, 2018; Bradshaw et al., 2015; Al-Alawi et al., 2007; Seba et al., 2012a, 2012b). Knowledge sharing is a very important issue inside the organization because the results can be used by the leader(s) to enhance the flow of information sharing. Adopting the SEM model, the researchers examined the influence of leadership inspiration and rewards on the knowledge sharing contribution. The results showed that all except one of the hypotheses have been supported, where it has been found that there are positive significant relationships between leadership inspiration and knowledge sharing contribution, as was shown in the result of the path coefficients for both variables, which are significant and have a p-value of <=0.05. This supported the previous studies in the developed countries such as Turkey and the USA (Han et al., 2016; Tombul, 2011) and the developing countries such as the UAE (Naeem and Azam, 2017). On the other hand, the study findings are in contrast with other researchers (Kouzes and Posner, 2006) who affirmed that there are very few inspiring leaders. The study results affirm that leadership inspiration is a critical factor to enhance knowledge sharing contribution in a law enforcement public organization, an active player in maintaining the safety and security in the UAE.\n6. Implications: This study has several theoretical and practical implications. First, to our knowledge, no previous studies in the Arab world have examined the relationships between leadership inspiration and rewards and knowledge sharing contribution. This study has, therefore, added to our understanding of this area and the relationships between these variables. Second, it provides an insight to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-based researchers to understand the related theories such as transformational leadership theory and SET and its linkage to knowledge sharing in a law enforcement organization based in the context of an emerging Arab country. Third, study results shall help the academics and researchers to get a clear notion of the knowledge sharing practices and their role in enhancing knowledge sharing contribution in an Arab-based law enforcement organization.\n7. Limitations and future research: There are a few limitations of this study that should be taken into account; the data were collected only from selected employees who were receiving a training workshop in the department. Also, this survey raises concerns related to non-response bias and common method bias, which describe the measurement error that is compounded by the sociability of respondents who want to provide positive answers (Chang et al., 2010).\n8. Conclusion: The study examined the influence of leadership inspiration and rewards on knowledge sharing contribution in the UAE-based law enforcement organizations. The study findings revealed that there is a positive relationship between leadership inspiration and knowledge sharing contribution. It was also affirmed that the inspirational leader will succeed in leading the employees and increasing knowledge sharing. The study results contradict the past research works (Kouzes and Posner, 2006; Lee, 2003) that advocated the existence of a handful of inspirational leaders. However, the study results underlined the importance of knowledge sharing encouraged by leaders and the positive effect of transformational leadership style in practice and affirmed other studies in the developed countries (Han et al., 2016) and developing countries (Seba et al., 2012a, 2012b).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of leadership and rewards on the contribution to knowledge sharing in public organizations of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 154 employees from various organizational units of a law enforcement organization in the UAE, and structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses.\nFindings: Leadership inspiration was found to be positively effective in enhancing the contribution of knowledge sharing in terms of solving problems, increasing opportunity and improving the productivity of the workforce. Furthermore, it was found that the reward system had no impact on the contribution to knowledge sharing.\nResearch limitations: The method of data collection focused on the employees who were attending a training workshop in the department. This survey raises concerns related to non-response bias and common method bias, which describes the measurement error that is compounded by the sociability of the respondents who wanted to provide positive answers.\nPractical implications: This research focuses on the implementation of certain practices related to knowledge sharing in public organizations. The model was constructed to assess the impact of leadership and rewards on the contribution to knowledge sharing through knowledge sharing practices as a mediation. The study is a modest attempt to assist the organizational leaders to embark on the right steps to foster knowledge sharing behavior among employees.\nOriginality/value: The study contributes to the literature on knowledge sharing, particularly on the relationship between leadership inspiration, rewards and contribution to knowledge sharing in the law enforcement organizations in the UAE.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Techno-managerial factors related to food safety management system in food businesses
|
[
"Food safety",
"Management",
"Meat",
"Quality assurance",
"Quality management",
"Quantitative methods",
"Greece"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: It has been well documented that the proper application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system has positive results and benefits to food safety (Consuelo et al., 2006; Gillespie et al., 2001; Little et al., 2003; Khatri and Collins, 2007; Mantovanelli et al., 2001; Naugle et al., 2006; Violaris et al., 2008). Furthermore, HACCP system provides a tool for auditing to the regulatory authorities (Eves and Dervisi, 2005). It can also be a useful tool for internal auditing by food industry itself. Therefore, HACCP application at food processing plants could improve food safety and lead to a reduction of food-borne diseases. HACCP evaluation is an important requirement in order to assess the proper application of the system, particularly whether it is accurate, well maintained and efficient (Tompkin, 1994). In this sense, a HACCP evaluation procedure should at least include hazard analysis procedure, implementation of control measures as well as implementation and maintenance of the system itself (Wallace et al., 2005).\n2. Methodology: 2.1 Slaughterhouses\n3. Results and discussion: 3.1 Reliability or item analysis and principal component analysis\n4. Conclusions: From the present study and the questionnaires data processing, including the evaluation of the HACCP systems implemented in 33 Greek slaughterhouses and the influencing factors, it was concluded that the managers of the companies who identified as very important the benefits of HACCP implementation, at the same time, fully understand possible problems, such as emerging costs. Moreover, they have the best results at HACCP evaluation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the food safety management system (HACCP - type system) implemented in Greek food businesses, examine the techno-managerial factors influencing its application according to enterprises' opinion and correlate these answers to the HACCP evaluation results.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study involved 33 slaughterhouses located throughout Greece. Two types of questionnaires were used (IF questionnaire - for the influencing factors and HE questionnaire - for HACCP evaluation). Reliability or item analysis and principal component analysis were applied to the data obtained from the survey.\nFindings: The results showed that the companies identifying the benefits of HACCP implementation as very important have fully understood possible problems and had the best results as regards HACCP evaluation. Companies not identifying the benefits as important had poor score in HACCP evaluation. Businesses with HACCP certification for longer periods and especially those that were certified according to more than one standard had better performance in HACCP evaluation. In addition, slaughterhouses involved in rearing of animals as well, especially those slaughtering only one animal species, and which do not provide services for others, seem to have better performance as regards HACCP evaluation.\nOriginality/value: The findings of this study correlate the results of the HACCP evaluation with the factors that affect the implementation of a food safety management system using the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and canonical correlation analysis (CCA) statistical technique.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Implementing a Monte-Carlo simulation on admission decisions
|
[
"Decision making",
"Hospitals",
"Admissions",
"Accident and emergency",
"Health care",
"Medical decision making",
"Monte‐Carlo simulation",
"Cohort simulation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction and background: A Monte-Carlo simulation is a computational algorithm that uses repeated random sampling to compute a given outcome (Sonnenberg and Beck, 1993). It is designed such that the variables are composed of alternative distributions rather than specific values and value ranges. These distributions are entered into the Monte-Carlo simulation which tests not only how sensitive an additional utility is to changes and how possible changes might affect an additional utility, but also the probability that these changes will occur within a given time period. Over the course of the simulation, the distributions can generate values of the variables in accordance with a previously defined distribution, based on preliminary information. Using a combination of Monte-Carlo simulations with Markov chain models makes it possible to stochastically merge several distributions into one outcome and assess it (Hastings, 1970; Hunink et al., 2001; Berg, 2004).Meta-analyses are useful tools for generating the distributions to enter into such simulations (Hunink et al., 2001). The Markov decision process provides a mathematical framework for modeling and simulating decision making in situations where outcomes are partly random and partly under the control of the decision maker. Markov models are also useful for assessing long-term effects in computer simulations (Sonnenberg and Beck, 1993). In the medical field, Monte-Carlo simulations, Markov chain models, as well as their interaction are all used extensively. Garg et al. (2010) made it clear that policies must be developed to ensure optimal allocation of scarce healthcare resources. They presented a discrete-event simulation for admission scheduling and capacity planning to achieve optimal utilization. Ben-Assuli et al. (2012) showed the importance of making a more accurate admission decision in hospitals, while explaining the crowdedness effect.Below we describe some empirical examples from the medical literature that have used various simulation methods including the abovementioned ones for goals related to admission decisions. Hoffmann et al. (2009) implemented a Markov model in their chest pain experiment, and showed that it enabled them to assess the utility of diagnostic tests from a broader perspective that included potential risks and benefits associated with the tests and a lifelong horizon. Nunes et al. (2009) modeled the control of patient admissions as a Markov decision process, and showed its usefulness for sequential admission decision problems with stochastic characteristics and future states. In another study, Mazier et al. (2010) used the Monte-Carlo simulation to produce an optimal plan for inpatient admission scheduling under the high demands of emergency wards.In medical research, Monte-Carlo simulations are often associated with quality adjusted life year (QALY) units. QALY units are based on the principle that a year of life with poor health is of lower utility than a year of life with good health (from 0 - death to 1 - full health for a whole year). QALY units are also used to measure improvement in health, combining predicted life expectancy with ethical values (Williams, 1995), and are a common choice in decision analysis and cost-effectiveness studies in comparing interventions across various medical domains (Weinstein, 2006; Booth et al., 2009; Kuhr et al., 2011). More specifically, QALY units allow all health interventions to be compared in terms of the health improvements they procure. Kuhr et al. (2011) for instance, implemented a Monte-Carlo simulation on cost-effectiveness of supervised exercise as a therapy in heart failure patients, where effectiveness was evaluated in QALY units over a ten-year time horizon. Mohan et al. (2012) used a Monte-Carlo simulation for a cost-effectiveness analysis, using the QALY measurement, to examine the advantages of improving trauma triage decisions.Monte-Carlo simulations and Markov chains are often used to assess the progression of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) (Sonnenberg and Beck, 1993). By describing a stochastic process that moves through a sequence of health states, they can simulate a virtual patient in a virtual trial, making transitions between states through transition probabilities drawn at random from a given distribution. These distributions can be generated from a wide range of rates collected from CVD event data in the clinical literature. For instance, in a special report by Goodacre et al. (2007), a Markov model evaluated the contribution of chest pain units to the prevention of future re-admissions, using estimations of the lifelong discounted QALYs due to events that patients may experience over the course of their remaining lives.Expected utility theory is a major method of computing decision trees. It is often the only method used in studies dealing with decision trees. In expected utility theory, it is assumed that an individual will choose between alternatives so as to maximize her or his utility. Expected utility is calculated by a weighted average of all possible outcomes, with the weights assigned by the probability that a given event will occur. The expected utility is derived from the expected utility hypothesis, which states that under uncertainty, the weighted average of all possible events with utility will represent the utility at any given point in time. This hypothesis reflects the rationality axioms stated in the Von Neumann-Morgenstern utility theorem (Von Neumann and Morgenstern, 1944). Many medical researchers have integrated expected utility theory into their empirical work (for instance, Meltzer, 2001; Levy and Rizansky, 2012).Although very significant and applicable, there have been no formal justifications for the use of Monte-Carlo models and Markov chains in evaluating admission decisions or concrete data supporting their use. For these reasons, this research was designed to provide a deeper understanding of these models. The aim of this study was thus to examine the usefulness of a computerized Monte-Carlo simulation of admission decisions under the constraints of emergency departments. We focussed on chest pain which according to the NCHS (The National Center for Health Statistics, the US principal health statistics agency) is the most frequent reason given by adult patients for visiting an emergency department, and associated it with a potential diagnosis of CVD. We compare the value of expected utility methods using QALY measurements with and without the Monte-Carlo simulation with a Markov chain. This comparison highlights the advantages of incorporating a Monte-Carlo simulation into data analyses. We then provide an illustration evaluating admission decision implications in CVD diagnosis. Finally we use real cohort simulation data to demonstrate that the integration of a Monte-Carlo simulation outperforms a simple expected utility method without a simulation.\n2. Approach: We begin this section by presenting a simple decision tree using the expected utility method to represent the admission decision (admit/not admit). We then explain the assessment of the payoff by the general expected utility (EU) using a QALY measurement. Finally, we discuss the justifications for using Monte-Carlo simulation with Markov chain in evaluating admission decisions in a cohort simulation.2.1 The use of expected utility and the threshold decision\n3. The admission decision tree: We extended the decision tree model by integrating a Markov chain (as described by Sesso et al., 2003).Figure 3 shows the admission decision tree after integrating the Markov chain. The first decision node represents the primary decision to admit or discharge the patient, which is made on the basis of the probability that the patient has CVD. If the patient does indeed have CVD, the patient may survive (and enter the Markov chain) or die (QALY=0). If the patient survives, the Markov chain describes the probability of developing CVD over time (using the probabilities for secondary events for MI and stroke, see Table I), and the corresponding utility generated by each state. In order to avoid data overload, the calculations are shown in the tree. However, in this simulation of a cohort we calculated the decision tree using \"Tree Age Pro\" (popular software used to analyze and compute decision trees in computer simulations). Below we show and suggest values for the main variables in the decision tree in Figure 3. These values are given partially to provide readers with explanations on the variables in the tree and for purposes of illustration. However, these values will vary according to the specific medical case.3.1 The CVD probabilities\n4. Discussion, contribution, and limitations: This paper examined the advantages of using a Monte-Carlo simulation with a Markov chain in evaluating the implications of admission decisions over other methods such as expected utility. We showed that using the simple expected utility in CVD diagnosis leads to the admission of almost all patients. Thus, as the expected utility approach failed to differentiate between admission and discharge decisions, we expanded it to include a Monte-Carlo simulation with a Markov chain to assess the long-term effects of the clinical decisions. Markov chains have been found to be useful for assessing long-term effects in computer simulations (Sonnenberg and Beck, 1993) and should serve as a complementary evaluation to the expected utility with QALY units. Clearly, the long-term effects have enormous importance for policy making and tracking ongoing demographic changes which impact on limited public resources.4.1 Research contribution\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Although very significant and applicable, there have been no formal justifications for the use of Monte-Carlo models and Markov chains in evaluating hospital admission decisions or concrete data supporting their use. For these reasons, this research was designed to provide a deeper understanding of these models. The purpose of this paper is to examine the usefulness of a computerized Monte-Carlo simulation of admission decisions under the constraints of emergency departments.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The authors construct a simple decision tree using the expected utility method to represent the complex admission decision process terms of quality adjusted life years (QALY) then show the advantages of using a Monte-Carlo simulation in evaluating admission decisions in a cohort simulation, using a decision tree and a Markov chain.\nFindings: - After showing that the Monte-Carlo simulation outperforms an expected utility method without a simulation, the authors develop a decision tree with such a model. real cohort simulation data are used to demonstrate that the integration of a Monte-Carlo simulation shows which patients should be admitted.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This paper may encourage researchers to use Monte-Carlo simulation in evaluating admission decision implications. The authors also propose applying the model when using a computer simulation that deals with various CVD symptoms in clinical cohorts.\nOriginality/value: - Aside from demonstrating the value of a Monte-Carlo simulation as a powerful analysis tool, the paper's findings may prompt researchers to conduct a decision analysis with a Monte-Carlo simulation in the healthcare environment.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The semio-logic of financial accounting: A non-essentialist conceptualisation of the IFRS balance sheet
|
[
"Measurement",
"Semiotics",
"Recognition",
"Articulation",
"Semiology",
"Value constellation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Sociologically and historically informed studies have demonstrated how accounting is not a homogeneous immutable category independent of its socio-historical context, and therefore, as Miller and Napier (1993) begin their Genealogies of Calculation, \"there is no 'essence' to accounting\" (p. 631). Rather than some natural essence or substance[1] to accounting, there are merely contingent accounting \"constellations\" (Burchell et al., 1985), \"ensembles\" (Miller and Napier, 1993), \"complexes\" (Miller and Power, 2013), and \"assemblages\" (Mennicken and Power, 2015) - all being the malleable product of specific social settings in particular historical moments. These studies have also emphasised that, notwithstanding its lack of essence, accounting exerts significant power over those in its social context, in the sense that it is mobilised by various stakeholders to advance their interests and transform their surroundings. In such view, accounting is so significant that it \"has become perhaps the most powerful system of representation of social and economic life that exists today\" (Miller and Power, 2013, p. 563).\n2. Positioning in extant literature: the non-essence of accounting and its social context: 2.1 Accounting's non-essence from a genealogical perspective\n3. Accounting semiology: delineating financial accounting within semiology: The brief review of predominant themes in social studies of accounting has shown that the argument about the non-essence of accounting has been accompanied with insufficient attention to the specificity of accounting technologies. Ezzamel (2012) stressed this concern, with explicit critique of Miller and Napier (1993), arguing that their approach \"runs the risk of losing sight of what may be deemed unique and ubiquitous attributes of accounting as distinct from other methods of calculation\" (p. 413). What then could characterise accounting in a manner that would still keep its sensitivity to social contexts, but also bring out its distinct features and avoid specific ideological assumptions (pp. 413-414)? In answering this question, and based on the earlier work of Ezzamel and Hoskin (2002), he proposes a definition of accounting which is comprised of three elements: the practice of entering a written account of items; the account involves signs of a particular kind, which name and count those items; it results in the construction of financial values (Ezzamel, 2012, p. 414). Phrased differently, the distinctiveness of accounting involves a semiotic dimension: \"all forms of accounting, from the most ancient stewardship records to contemporary systems, exhibit certain attributes: naming, counting, and recording carried on in some form of linguistic-numerical signs of assemblages of entities or networks of activities\" (Ezzamel and Hoskin, 2002, p. 359). Such semiotic formulation has consequences even for those interested in the socio-politics of accounting, because different signifying forms entail different possibilities of social control (Hoskin and Macve, 1986). It is, therefore, both intriguing and consequential, that even in 2012 \"conceptualising accounting as a sign system is at a very early stage of development\" (Ezzamel, 2012, p. 425).\n4. Semiology's offering: a non-substantive theorisation of accounting: Not only is the semiological delineation of financial accounting a meaningful one, but also more specifically, semiology is best positioned to shed light on one particular aspect of accounting's distinct technology: the non-essentialist operation of the financial statement. Going back to Ezzamel and Hoskin's (2002) guiding themes, it is not enough merely to pay attention to the signifying dimension of accounting and its quality as both linguistic and numerical. They also insist on a constructivist perspective: accounting \"constructs a value not feasible before whose precision is embodied in the tokens as signs which both name and count\" (p. 359). Such a non-positivist epistemological assumption is at the core of Saussure's understanding of the operation of social sign systems, and is a crucial component in answering the question: why use semiology in the theorisation of accounting?\n5. The logic of reciprocal articulation illustrated in asset recognition: The previous sections have pointed to the general orientation of semiology as may be applicable also to accounting: the need to pay attention to the internal signifying capacity of the communicative technology under a non-positivist epistemological assumption. But how is this general theme translated to specific operative principles? How are these manifested in contemporary financial accounting practices? And in what manner do they shed a different light on accounting practices when compared to their more traditional conceptualisations? This section and the following one offer an answer to these questions through the investigation of the two main operations in the construction of the statement of financial position: asset recognition and measurement.\n6. The logic of value constellation illustrated in asset measurement: Saussure and Barthes' theorisation of knowledge construction - through reciprocal articulation rather than passive representation - has been illustrated above in the context of IASB's asset recognition prescriptions. The product of such a knowledge construction process is what Saussure calls value. Similarly, in the case of accounting, the product of recognition is an asset with a value measurement. Indeed, recognition and measurement are deeply interrelated in financial accounting (e.g. Napier and Power, 1992), and so are Saussure's articulation and value - they are two sides of the same coin[11]. In the current section, the principles underlying Saussure's valeur will be shown to be underlying IASB's prescriptions for asset measurement.\n7. Discussion and conclusions: the plasticity of value constellation - the power of reciprocal articulation: Building on the intellectual heritage of Saussure and Barthes, this paper has argued that the study of the socio-historical settings of the accounting sign system must be complemented with a theorisation of its signifying procedures. The study of the sociological must be complemented with the study of the epistemological; the genealogical with the archaeological; the \"external\" with the \"internal\". The study of substance must be accompanied with the study of non-substance. As Barthes (1993) argues, \"it is not enough to seek to change contents, we must above all aim at fissuring the meaning-system itself\" (Barthes, 1994, p. 8). These are not mutually exclusive agendas: \"Semiology, once its limits are settled, is not a metaphysical trap: it is a science among others, necessary but not sufficient\" (Barthes, 1993, p. 112)[13]. The benefits of such an additional perspective of accounting are further discussed below with respect to our understanding of the two aspects of the \"accounting - society interpenetration\" (Burchell et al., 1985, p. 385): the malleability of accounting to society, and the power that accounting enables its stakeholders to exert over society.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the discussion on the non-essence of accounting by focusing on financial accounting's distinct technology: financial statements. Complementing the genealogical perspective on accounting's changing socio-historical settings, it proposes a semiotic perspective on the accounting statement.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper takes an interdisciplinary approach in the theoretical framing of IFRS recognition and measurement principles that underlie the statement of financial position. It mobilises Saussure and Barthes' sign theory - semiology, as it provides a meaningful delineation of financial accounting, bringing out its distinct numerical-linguistic knowledge-construction operation.\nFindings: In addition to the justification of employing semiology as a parent discipline for accounting, it is shown how IASB's recognition and measurement procedures manifest the interrelated non-essentialist semiological principles of reciprocal articulation and value constellation. Accounting entries (\"expression\") are not representations of pre-existing economic resources (\"content\"), but rather both are mutually constituted by delimiting the resource/asset from its broader category. Such judgment-based articulation results with value constellations, where asset value is merely a relational product of other values.\nOriginality/value: To the long-established critique that accounting has no essence, the paper adds a formulation of a non-essentialist semiotic logic: the financial statement's semio-logic. It further sheds light on the role of such logic as an epistemological presupposition to the accounting - society reciprocity, where accounting is a malleable product of, and is used to exert power over, its social surroundings.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Requirement engineering elicitation methods: A Kuwaiti empirical study about familiarity, usage and perceived value
|
[
"Manufacturing resource planning",
"Kuwait",
"Systems analysis"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: Effective requirements elicitation is essential to the success of software development projects (Kotonya and Sommerville, 1998; Browne and Ramesh, 2002; Hickey and Davis, 2003; Mathiassen et al., 2007). Information system (IS) development is the complex process by which an organization develops and maintains computer-based ISs. This process consists of several interrelated processes: planning, requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, and documentation. There are a variety of system development methodologies including: traditional system development life cycle, structured analysis and design, agile software development, prototyping, object oriented (OO), and joint application design (JAD).1.1 Improving systems development through requirement engineering (RE)\n2 Literature review: In order to address the relevant literature that touches upon some aspects of the research question, several online databases were searched. The online search indicates that empirical studies about RE technique perception are lacking.With regard to the study objectives, our analysis of the current literature review highlights the following several observations.2.1 Failure of ISR determination represents one of the leading causes of system failure\n3 Methodology: In order to shed light on the research questions, an empirical research method is adopted to improve the validity and generalization of the results (Tichy, 1998). This is also the case because of the need to increase the number of empirical papers within the software engineering community (Tichy et al., 1995).This study develops a questionnaire instrument to assess the perception of 19 techniques that support the RE process (gathering, representation, and verification) (see Appendix). Of these, 15 were cited in Mathiassen et al. (2007). These techniques were grouped in seven categories: traditional techniques include a broad class of generic requirement gathering techniques such as surveys, and interviews. Group elicitation techniques aim to foster stakeholder agreement. They include brainstorming and focus groups, as well as JAD workshops. Observation techniques aim to gather requirement by observing stakeholders doing a task. It includes observation and prototyping. Cognitive technique aims to gather knowledge of stakeholders, which are complex to gather. It includes the KJ method (named after its creator Kawakita Jiro) it organizes and categorizes information, beliefs, and/or arguments or requirement through ideas associations flow. Unstructured elicitation techniques aim to transform the investigator/respondent relationship into a participatory relationship. This category includes goal-oriented elicitation, scenarios, and role-playing. Formal analysis techniques are used to gather, represent, and verify system requirement. This category includes DFD, use case, and UML. The last category is called external representation techniques and includes five techniques (Table I). Ishikawa is based on the Japanese professor who developed it and is a graphical representation that helps identify, sort and display possible causes/consequences of a problem or quality characteristic of an IS. Fault tree analysis is a logical, structured process than can help identity potential causes of an IS failure before the failure actually occurs. A decision tree is a graphical representation technique in which decisions situations point (nodes) are connected together by arcs (one for each alternative on a decision) and terminate in ovals (the action that is the result of all the decision made on the path leading to that oval. It is used to increase communication between software stakeholders.A survey was designed, and administrated to Kuwaiti organizations that have an IS department/function. Considerable care was given to work out a balanced design for the questionnaire, an appropriate number of questions. This was done both to ensure simple and quick completion of the questionnaire, and to allow meaningful data for the study. Unrealistic and long-winded questions were avoided; few open-ended questions were used in this study (where comments were appropriate).A questionnaire was developed on three steps. In the first step, the authors and other two faculty members established a list of 33 techniques most of them cited in Mathiassen et al. (2007) that were frequently cited in previous studies. In a second step, the authors examined the feasibility of this list by a pilot study with 15 software stakeholders, from different companies, selected based on their expertise on the SD environment in Kuwait. Those participants were asked whether the 33 techniques are known. Of these techniques, 17 scored less than 10 percent and thus were eliminated. In addition, questions were also included in order to suggest additional techniques. Three techniques \"Fault tree analysis, decision trees, and Ishikawa\" were added to the list, leading to the 19 techniques used in this study (see Appendix). UML was included because it is the main OO tool used in practice.The questionnaire included many items. The questionnaire began with a description of the objectives of the study, and included items related to four categories. The first category measures demographic characteristics of respondents. It includes number of years spent by the respondent at his company, his company sector, type of his company and number of employees. The second category contained a question related to type of system development methodology within the respondent's organization. The third category contained items related to the 19 RE techniques. This category is subdivided into three subcategories: does the respondent know/familiar with the technique (yes/no), does the respondent use the technique (yes/no), and how does the respondent perceive the overall value of this technique (if the user had used it) based on his previous projects. This last question is measured using a five-point Likert scale, ranging from no value to very great value. The fourth category measures perception of respondents with regard to two statements on a five-point Likert: \"obtaining the right requirements is a critical success factor (CSF) for system development\" and \"We experienced problems during past system developments projects because of wrong requirements collection.\"3.1 Data collection, sample, and procedure\n4 Results and discussion: The following sections contain the statistical analyses used in this study. Section 4.1 contains some demographical data regarding the respondents. Section 4.2 contains the results of RE techniques familiarity/usage/perceived value.4.1 IS and demographical data\n5 Conclusions: RE is an important process of system development. Consequently, practitioners need to employ appropriate RE technique to improve these processes. This study presented an initial step/overview toward understanding RE practices. In this study, we identified the most commonly known, used, and valued RE technique as practiced by a sample of Kuwaiti organizations involved in system development.5.1 Contributions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of 19 requirement engineering (RE) techniques in Kuwait in term of three criteria \"awareness,\" \"use,\" and \"perceived value generated over past system development projects.\" Also, this paper aims to examine possible relationships between these RE techniques and two information system development success factors.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This paper develops a questionnaire and tests with a sample of respondents from 175 organizations in Kuwait.\nFindings: - Results show that: Arab culture influence perception of RE techniques; most companies have good knowledge of different techniques; several different techniques for identifying and analyzing customer requirements are used; the most highly valued RE techniques are decision trees, goal oriented, prototyping, data flow diagram (DFD), and interviews; six techniques (tree analysis, role playing, unified modeling language, Kawakita Jiro method, flow charts, and Ishikawa) are found to have the least perceived value; and only two techniques (prototyping and decision tree) are highly correlated with the statement \"Obtaining the right requirements is a critical success factor for system development,\" while other three techniques (quality function deployment, DFD and role playing) are correlated with \"We experienced problems during past system developments projects because of wrong requirements collection.\"\nResearch limitations/implications: - The study sheds light on perceptions on RE techniques perception in Kuwait where less is known about the subject from Western researchers.\nPractical implications: - This paper suggests re-examining university curriculums in order to prepare students for familiarity with techniques that have proven their effectiveness elsewhere and call for more collaboration between academia and practitioners in order to appropriate research outcomes. In addition, this paper is of benefit to foreign consulting companies willing to penetrate the Gulf Cooperative Council.\nOriginality/value: - This is the first Arab study that sheds light on system development practices in the Arab world.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Transforming access: the role of data within service improvement to transform access to services
|
[
"Change management",
"Management science",
"Service improvements",
"Statistical process control",
"National Health Service",
"England"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Waiting times are an issue in many healthcare systems (Siciliani and Hurst, 2003), and the historical challenges for the English health care system are well known. There has been rapid progress in reducing waiting times in recent years, which means the long waits of the 1970s and 1980s are viewed as a historical feature of the NHS (Appleby et al., 2004).The provision of health care services with 18-week referral to treatment pathways by 2008 (Department of Health, 2000) is a transformational goal for the NHS. It will require making improvements across all patient pathways that in total reflect over 8.5 million patient journeys in the NHS in England per annum (authors' own analysis of hospital episode statistics from 2005-2006). One observer commented that \" ... current targets for reductions represent an increasingly difficult task\" (Appleby et al., 2004). To add to this challenge, the waiting times for the total referral to treatment time have only recently been attempted to be collected at a national levelResearch by the King's Fund (Appleby et al., 2004) identified that both the availability and understanding of data were core characteristics of hospitals with demonstrable successful and sustainable management of waiting times. The experience of national service improvement initiatives, such as the Cancer Services Collaborative, also identified the availability of data as being critical to the success of service improvement (Cancer Services Improvement Partnership, 2006, Department of Health, 2006).The need and use of data for service improvement is self-evident. As Goldratt (1990) stated: \"All improvement is change, but not all change is improvement.\" Don Berwick (2003) built on this and said: \"All improvement is change, but not all change is improvement, therefore the model for improvement includes measurement - a way to know which changes help ... \"Therefore not only is measurement a core component of any strategy to improve services, it is also a key characteristic of hospitals with effective waiting list strategies. Given the size and extent of the challenge of 18 weeks, what are the barriers and therefore what would enable effective measurement for improvement?These barriers can be summarised as:*the availability of relevant outcome or process measures such as referral to treatment times;*analysis of available data to provide the right information for service improvement;*enabling the interpretation of the information to support decision making; and*numeracy skills or knowledge of analytical techniques.Barriers: availability of relevant outcome or process measures\nOvercoming some of the barriers: the No Delays Achiever: The NHS Institute developed the No Delays Achiever, a web-based service improvement tool (NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, 2007). Given the size and the challenges for achieving an 18 week patient pathway, this tool has a specific focus on helping NHS Hospital Trusts to develop improvement strategies to achieve 18 weeks from referral to treatment.Find the web based service improvement tool at: www.institute.nhs.uk/NoDelaysAchiever.nhs.ukSome of the features of the tool include:*being online, which enables easy and instant access to information and an easy route to sharing knowledge about retrospective waiting times;*uses data available from national returns, therefore providing a measure of referral to treatment time that does not require additional analytical support;*provides NHS hospital trusts with an opportunity to upload their own data and share via the web;*analysis of the data for service improvement, with a particular focus on displaying variation and helping to focus on the Pareto principle, that a relatively small number of processes will account for a majority of our problems (www.nodelaysachiever.nhs.uk/ServiceImprovement/Tools/IT095_pareto.htm and Juran and Godfrey (1999));*supportive interpretation of these analyses and suggested next steps based on this interpretation to support decision making;*a range of service improvement tools and techniques that focus on developing a greater understanding of processes and systems, providing know-how about systems thinking and the human dimensions of change; and*supporting examples of practice and project management guidance.The following charts illustrate some of these features of the No Delays Achiever.\nThe stacked bar chart: Until recently, national returns in the English NHS focused on timeliness for two stages of a referral to treatment pathway: GP referral to first outpatient appointment and decision to treat to treatment. Data collection and supporting information systems were built around these requirements.The No Delays Achiever bridges the gap; linking two data sets together to provide complete referral to treatment times.Figure 2 illustrates this linkage. Each solid colour represents the mean length of time for a stage of the journey and the \"tails\" represents the variation, calculated by the upper control limits in a statistical process control chart (see the Appendix).Each bar shows the average and expected variation for each stage as well as the total referral to treatment time. At a glance, it is possible to identify which stage takes the longest expected time (the average plus the tail). In other words, identify the stage that provides the greatest opportunity for improvement.In the No Delays Achiever, the chart presents each specialty in order of the volume of activity (see Figure 3) and combines this with an analysis of the number of patients waiting over 18 weeks for each specialty (not shown).Figure 3 shows that trauma and orthopaedics has the second highest volume of activity but longer referral to treatment times than general surgery. Although general medicine has the longest referral to treatment times, its volume of activity is a quarter of that of trauma and orthopaedics. In this example, the analysis suggests the NHS Trust should prioritise trauma and orthopaedics.Although not shown here, it is possible to drill down into sub-specialty, through both Healthcare Resource Groups (HRGs) and Operative Procedure Classification system (OPCS) codes and display similar charts for named consultants.Using this analysis, the authors identified that the highest volume procedure, using the No Delays Achiever, is \"carpel tunnel release\" as defined by the OPCS code. Selecting these, the trust could undertake further analysis to review individual patient referral to treatment times for up to three months of data using an statistical process control chart and comparing stacked bar charts for this procedure between named hospital consultants.For each analysis conducted, next steps were identified both for further analysis in the No Delays Achiever and for known techniques to better understand processes, such as process mapping, to understand the human dimensions, such as clinical engagement and techniques to redesign services.For example, where differences between consultant referral to treatment times were identified, the suggestion was for focused discussion to engage clinicians to understand the differences. Revealing the differences and asking questions to engage clinicians is critical to service improvement as it facilitates their input in identifying the real cause of the difference, deciding whether the suggested interventions are appropriate or not and agreeing potential tests of change. Suggested interventions by the No Delays Achiever include pooling, standardisation of processes and matching capacity with demand.\nIn conclusion: The No Delays Achiever addresses the issue that local improvement attempts are hampered by the lack of timely information and the capacity and capability to interpret data to guide improvement.Measurement is, however, necessary but not sufficient for hospitals to meet 18 week referral to treatment times. More characteristics of successful hospitals than the availability and understanding of data have been identified in the King's Fund report (Appleby et al., 2004). As healthcare systems are \"complex adaptive systems\" (Sweeney and Griffiths, 2002, Plsek and Greenhalgh, 2001) a multi-faceted approach is required to enable services to improve, which requires strong leadership at all levels (Reinertsen et al., 2005). This will ensure the culture of organisations support both major and minor service redesign.In conclusion, the No Delays Achiever forms part of a solution to overcome some of the multifaceted barriers that can hamper an organisation's ability to transform services. As the service improvement tool continues to evolve, it supports increasing numbers of registered users. Early users are demonstrating that it is helping them to make a difference. Access to the necessary data and information and advice about initial steps supports the redesign of services.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Data have a critical role in supporting service improvement and this is particularly the case for service improvement to reduce waiting times. The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the barriers managers face in accessing and using data effectively for 18 weeks and then describes how a service improvement tool developed by the NHS Institute can help to overcome these.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A review of the core function of data to support service improvement processes and the development of a national tool to support the transformation of access with the National Health Service in England.\nFindings: - The review of the core function of data identified a range of barriers: access to data for service improvement; the appropriate use of data to analyse the dynamics of variation and therefore for decision making; and the capacity and capability to use data. The size and immediacy of the 18-week challenge means that a national solution needs to focus on being practical and overcoming some of these barriers.\nOriginality/value: - A perspective of the reality of using data for service improvement and using it to transform access to health services.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Positive leadership yields performance and profitability: Effective organizations develop their strengths
|
[
"Leadership development",
"Organizational change",
"Change management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Want to improve your bowling score? Which might be more helpful, having others tell you what you're doing wrong, or being told what you're doing right?\nThe problem with our focus on problems: deficit-based management: How is this relevant to the workplace? The idea of learning from the positive aspects of performance seems at odds with traditional management techniques found in corporate America. Often, managers see themselves as problem-solvers whose job is to \"fix what's broken\" in the organization, not learn from what is working.This focus on problems in the workplace has unfortunate consequences for both managers and employees. It often creates a work environment where defensiveness and finger pointing are common, creativity and innovation are stifled, resistance to change is high, and employee commitment and motivation are low. Morale, energy and performance dwindle as going to work every day means nothing more than confronting one problem after another.An atmosphere of negativity can adversely impact business outcomes. Recent research examined the communication patterns of business unit management teams engaged in strategic planning (Losada and Heaphy, 2004). Results showed the single most important factor in predicting business unit profitability and customer satisfaction - a factor four times more powerful in predicting team success than any other factor - was the ratio of positive comments to negative comments among team members. Positive comments are those that show support, helpfulness, or appreciation. Negative comments express disapproval, blame or criticism. The researchers concluded, \"we need to have teams within organizations that are able to tap into the liberating and creative power of positivity.\"So how do we create a work environment that produces the outcomes we actually seek - an energized and inspired workforce, open to learning, growth and positive change? We shift the emphasis from the negative to the positive. Like the bowlers who learned more from studying their past successes, we focus on what's working in our organizations, creating a \"strengths-based\" culture.\nStrong organizations need positive leadership: The development of a strengths-based, positive organizational culture begins with strong, positive leadership. Unfortunately, there is little in the popular business literature to guide the manager interested in the development of positive leadership skills. While there are many books (a recent search on Amazon.com using the keyword \"leadership\" returned over 57,000 book titles!), most rely on outdated theories, militaristic role models, or even fictional characters. For example, anyone can easily learn the leadership secrets of Attila the Hun, Santa Claus, Star Trek's Captain Picard, Navy Seals, Army Rangers, or the Knights of the Round Table! What you will learn, however, are skills and techniques based on the traditional, and largely unsuccessful, problem-solving model of management.Positive leaders must move beyond worn out military models or fictional characters, developing new skills and traits that support a strengths-based organizational culture. Many of these skills or traits have typically been overlooked in traditional management and leadership development training. Yet, exciting new research shows their relevance to the workplace. For example, two important traits that leaders can and should develop are optimism and emotional intelligence.Recent studies show that optimism is clearly related to job performance. Optimistic leaders are more likely to see problems as challenges, exert greater effort for longer periods to reach their goals, and seek out and appreciate the positive aspects of difficult situations. Similarly, research shows that successful leaders have high levels of emotional intelligence, or the ability to understand and deal with their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Leaders high in emotional intelligence are more flexible and adaptive in their response to stress and change, and better able to develop strong working relationships that promote trust and fairness.\nLooking for the root causes of success: Overall, \"positive leaders\" must develop the skills necessary to create and support a culture that emphasizes possibilities rather than problems. Outdated change management methodologies that rely on problem-solving techniques should be replaced with approaches that identify and build on the root causes of organizational success. One such approach, called \"appreciative inquiry\", is gaining in popularity and showing tremendous results. Appreciative inquiry is a four-step process that allows the workforce to identify sources of strength and success. Workers at all levels then build on those examples of success to redefine or create new, improved business plans and procedures.Can this emphasis on the positive truly be successful in today's competitive business environment? There is strong evidence to suggest that positive leadership, a strengths-based organizational culture, and appropriate change management practices such as appreciative inquiry can help companies meet their business goals. In a recent discussion of innovative ideas for management, Harvard Business Review editor Bronwyn Fryer noted the difficulties associated with the traditional problem-solving management approaches and the growing interest in creating positive, strengths-based organizational environments. He argued that \"companies where the focus is on amplifying positive attributes such as loyalty, resilience, trustworthiness, humility and compassion - rather than combating the negatives - perform better, financially and otherwise.\" Fryer concluded that \"a positive workplace atmosphere is worth developing ... and it may be the foundation of true organizational success\" (Fryer, 2004).Consider these case examples:*Financially successful Southwest Airlines has an established track record of excellent organizational performance as well as high employee and customer service satisfaction. It remains the envy of the airline industry in large part because of its leadership's commitment to family-style values, sense of community, meaningful work, humor, and team spirit.*Cosmetics mainstay Avon shifted its focus from sexual harassment training to identifying positive examples of men and women successfully working together. Their efforts resulted in greater numbers of qualified women assuming leadership positions, increased profits, and an award for improving gender relationships in the workplace.*Trucking giant Roadway Express took a strengths-based approach to building employee involvement and increasing workflow efficiency. Self-organized employee project teams identified the company's core capabilities and used these to developed ideas resulting in savings of over $10,000 per month.*Lovelace Hospital, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, suffered from short staffing, poor teamwork and skyrocketing recruiting costs for nurses. Rather than bemoan their \"turnover problems\", management took a positive approach, attempting to identify why nurses enjoyed working at the hospital. New policies and procedures were implemented that better reflected the strengths of the hospital and its workforce. As a result, the hospital experienced a 13 percent reduction in turnover the first year, a 30 percent reduction in the overall nurse vacancy rate, improved morale among nurses, and increased patient satisfaction ratings.American workers need new, more effective leadership development training in their organizations. They need a positive, yet realistic approach to leadership that overcomes the economic and psychological uncertainty in today's business environment. Today's leaders must focus on strengths and successes, learning how to identify and amplify what is working in an organization and build on it.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Traditional management techniques and change management interventions are deficit-based. That is, they often focus on \"fixing\" what is wrong in our organizations by solving problems. Maintaining a committed and motivated workforce, open to learning, growth and positive change, is difficult, however, when the daily focus is on what's not working.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Growing evidence suggests that positive leadership and a strengths-based approach to long-term organizational change have a greater impact on performance and profitability.\nFindings: - Positive leaders develop such traits as optimism, self-confidence, compassion, emotional intelligence, loyalty, and trustworthiness. Moreover, they promote a strengths-based organizational culture that emphasizes possibilities rather than problems.\nPractical implications: - We need to develop leaders who can identify the organization's \"root causes of success\", and build on those strengths for future performance.\nOriginality/value: - The article will be of value to all those involved in leadership development.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Public-sector reforms and balanced scorecard adoption: an Ethiopian case study
|
[
"Public sector",
"Balanced scorecard",
"Framing and overflowing",
"Ethiopia",
"Translation",
"Actor-network theory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The increasing adoption of accounting ideas in the contexts of developing countries over the past few decades has attracted considerable research interest to determine how these ideas translate into organisational practices in new contexts (Ezzamel and Xiao, 2011). The literature discusses numerous experiences of adopting private sector management accounting tools in the public sectors of developing countries, resulting from pressure for improved public service delivery (see, e.g. Rahaman et al., 2007; Uddin and Hopper, 2003; Uddin and Tsamenyi, 2005). The wave of new public management reforms since the 1990s (Hood, 1995; Lapsley and Wright, 2004) and associated pressure on public sector organisations to enhance performance (Brignall and Modell, 2000; Hoque and Adams, 2011; Liguori, 2012; Northcott and Ma'amora Taulapapa, 2012; Nyamori and Gekara, 2016) have facilitated balanced scorecard (BSC) adoption in the public sectors of developing countries (Sutheewasinnon et al., 2016). The practical role of the BSC tends to be context dependent (e.g. Dechow, 2012; Modell, 2012); thus, social, political and economic realities may shape the way the BSC is conceptualised and practised in particular ways in developing countries. Nevertheless, this phenomenon remains to be further explored because BSC use in the public sector in general (Northcott and Ma'amora Taulapapa, 2012) and in developing countries in particular remains under-researched (Graham et al., 2009; van Helden and Uddin, 2016). Given the complexity of performance measurement in the public sector (Hoque, 2014), this observation suggests that we know little about how and whether performance management systems such as the BSC translate into trans-organisational practice in such new contexts.\nSocial and political context and health sector and public sector reforms in Ethiopia: Ethiopia is an ancient multi-ethnic country located in East Africa. It has approximately 80 different languages and as many diverse cultures (Ethiopian Government, 2012). Its estimated population was 103.7 million as of March 2017 (Worldometers, 2016). The current government of Ethiopia seized power in 1991 under the leadership of the EPRDF[1], which overthrew a military regime (commonly known as the \"Dergue\", meaning \"committee\") after 17 years of civil war. The EPRDF introduced a federal system of government through a new constitution adopted in 1995 (Ethiopian Government, 2012). The constitution defines the political, fiscal and administrative institutions governing the federal government, nine regional states and two city administrations.\nAnalytical framework and research questions: This study draws on the concept of translation from ANT - particularly Callon's (1998a) notions of (re)framing and overflowing to analyse implementation of the BSC by ALERT as part of a sector-wide performance management system. ANT has multiple streams, with the works of Bruno Latour, Michel Callon and John Law commonly adopted in accounting research (Justesen and Mouritsen, 2011)[2]. The ANT lens is often employed to address some of the limitations of the essentialist approaches to studying adoption of new ideas by organisations (Cooper et al., 2012) because the theory provides conceptual tools to examine how complex social, political and technical factors shape the processes and outcomes of the phenomena. The ANT approach challenges the functionalist assumption that ideas are implemented with essential, unalterable attributes. Instead, it supports the philosophical stance of pragmatism, which maintains that practical applications of ideas cannot be abstracted from their temporal and spatial context. This view challenges logical positivism that ascribes an unalterable essential form to ideas, irrespective of the context of their application (Baker and Schaltegger, 2015; Barnes, 2008). It conceptualises that ideas \"emerge contingently and experimentally in response to the particular needs and practices of actors\" (Barnes, 2008, p. 1544). This is consistent with ANT's view that practices are shaped to suit actors' interests and circumstances (Latour, 1986) in a process that configures actors relationally in actor-networks (Callon et al., 1983). The literature provides evidence of the adaptation of the BSC for specific purposes in particular contexts (Butler et al., 2011; Hansen and Schaltegger, 2016; Nikolaou and Tsalis, 2013). The BSC's tendency to translate to organisational practice in the distinctive contexts of developing economies (see van Helden and Uddin, 2016) suggests that a non-essentialist investigation of BSC adoption in such contexts may offer new insights.\nResearch methods: This paper is based on a case study of BSC adoption by ALERT. As a public sector organisation that runs one of the four largest public hospitals in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia's capital) within the FMH, ALERT derives its strategic priorities from those of the health sector. In view of this institutional context, this paper's use of the case study method enabled incorporation of organisational, political, social (Uddin and Tsamenyi, 2005) and technical factors pertinent to BSC adoption that the ANT framework illuminates. Qualitative research evidence was collected principally through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews at the interview participants' office premises, with follow-up interviews conducted via telephone to clarify any doubts about participants' views expressed during the face-to-face interviews. In total, 13 participants - two from the FMH and 11 from ALERT - were interviewed (details are summarised in Table I). ALERT's BSC adoption project is part of the cascading of the FMH's BSC design to organisations within the public health sector; thus, the data collection commenced at the FMH to gain an initial understanding of the background and origin of BSC adoption at the health sector level. The researchers chose ALERT as the main site of study because the two interviewees from the FMH, who championed the BSC adoption project for the health sector, indicated that ALERT was one of the public health sector organisations considered to have successfully implemented the BSC. Capturing data from both the FMH and ALERT enabled the researchers to unravel the extent to which conceptualisation of the BSC was translated into the circumstances of the various organisational units, or, alternatively, to explain if and how the initially articulated purpose had been altered.\nAnalysis of case study evidence: BSC adoption by ALERT: This section analyses the constitution of the BSC system in Ethiopia's health sector using case study evidence from ALERT. It begins by providing background information about ALERT and an overview of Ethiopia's public sector reforms that served as an antecedent to BSC adoption in Ethiopia. It then presents this study's analysis of the translation process involved in implementing the BSC at ALERT.\nDiscussion of findings: This study has examined how the role of the BSC in the public sector beyond the boundary of individual organisations was constituted, and has explored the extent to which this role translated into practice at the organisation and sector levels. The study conducted an ANT-based analysis of this relatively novel role of the BSC using case study evidence from the Ethiopian public health sector. The findings illustrate that the Ethiopian Government's developmental state ideology was instrumental in advancing BSC adoption with a trans-organisational purpose. Ideologically driven public sector reforms that occurred against the background of a more global institutional framework, within which the Ethiopian Government interacts with international donor agencies, served as an antecedent to the BSC adoption agenda. The role of the BSCI as a knowledge elite that facilitated the translation process was also instrumental in the BSC implementation. This actor played an important role by developing a conceptual basis of BSC implementation at the sector and organisation levels. While the study offers insights into the role of the ideological context in facilitating the constitution of a new trans-organisational role for the BSC, it also highlights the extent to which actors' ambitions to use the BSC in this manner were realised.\nConclusion: The practical role and internal architecture of the BSC cannot be determined a priori. This study shows that, while the politico-ideological context facilitated the emergence of a relatively novel role for the BSC as a trans-organisational system of performance planning and monitoring, the practical role of the BSC is shaped by pragmatic considerations. The findings illustrate the implementation of a trans-organisational use of the BSC as a sector-level planning and performance evaluation system for organisations interlinked through sector-wide strategic goals. The case study evidence shows that BSC adoption can be understood as a process that involves translations that could modify the commonly understood design of the tool and how it is used in practice. The BSC can be conceptualised as having evolving boundaries and internal architecture.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine adoption of the balanced scorecard (BSC) by a large public-sector health organisation in an African country, Ethiopia as part of a programme to implement a unified sector-wide strategic planning and performance monitoring system. The study explains how this trans-organisational role of the BSC is constituted, and explores how it operates in practice at the sector-and organisation-levels.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The study employs the case-study method. Semi-structured interview data and documentary evidence are analysed by drawing on the concept of translation from actor-network theory.\nFindings: The case-study organisation adopted the BSC as a part of broader public-sector reforms driven by political ideology. Through a centralised government decision, the BSC was framed as a sector-wide system aimed at: aligning the health sector's strategic policy goals with strategic priorities and operational objectives of organisations in the sector; and unifying performance-monitoring of the sector's organisations by enabling aggregation of performance information to a sector level in a timely manner to facilitate health sector policy implementation. While the political ideology facilitated BSC adoption for trans-organisational use, it provided little organisational discretion to integrate financial administration and human resource management practices to the BSC framework. Further, inadequate piloting of information system use for the anticipated BSC model, originating from the top-down approach followed in the BSC implementation, inhibited implementation of the BSC with a balanced emphasis between the planning and performance monitoring roles of the BSC. As a result, the BSC underwent a pragmatic shift in emphasis and was reconceptualised as a system of enhancing strategic alignment through integrated planning, compared to the balanced emphasis between the planning and performance monitoring roles initially anticipated.\nOriginality/value: The study provides a theory-based explanation of how politico-ideological contexts might facilitate the framing of novel roles for the BSC and how the roles translate into practice.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Dismantling the public sector bastion: evaluating capital works
|
[
"Procurement",
"Public sector organizations",
"Australia",
"Value analysis",
"Construction works"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The public sector in Western Australia (WA) has used traditional lump sum (TLS) contracts extensively to procure its capital works projects (Love et al., 2008). As a result of the continual use of TLS, the market in WA is perceived to be inherently immature and inexperienced to deal with demands imposed by alternative procurement methods such as public private partnerships (PPPs), construction management and management contracting (Love et al., 2008). Putting this into the context of an unprecedented boom, which has been founded on a demand for natural resources such as iron ore, nickel, oil and gas and tourism (ABS, 2008) there is an urgent need to deliver capital works. Economic growth for WA is forecasted to rise by 6.5 per cent in 2007 to 2008, 6 per cent in 2008 to 2009, and 5.5 per cent in 2010 to 2011 (ABS, 2008). The boom has resulted in an extreme skills shortage throughout all sectors of the economy and an unemployment rate of 2.8 per cent being experienced. As a result of economic prosperity, there has been a dramatic increase in population due to migration, which has placed significant demands on existing infrastructure. In response to the forecasted growth, the State Government has initiated four year capital works plan to expend A$26.1 billion to meet the increased infrastructure demand. With base interest rates at 7.25 per cent, inflation running at 4.2 per cent, and an extreme skills shortage, many contracting organisations are reluctant to undertake public sector works under a fixed priced contract. Recognising these challenges and the need for the State Government of WA to adopt modern procurement methods to deliver \"value for money\" (VfM) and stimulate innovation, an approach for evaluating procurement options for capital works project has been developed. The approach is described and then is validated by a project team and key stakeholders who were in the process of procuring an A$126 million capital works project. The proposed approach challenges decision makers within the public sector to re-examine their so-called \"bastion\", the default TLS, by considering modern forms of procurement.\nCapital works evaluation method: Previous research undertaken by Love et al. (2008) revealed that a public sector agency in WA had no formal process for selecting a procurement method for their capital works projects. Because of an inherent culture of \"uncertainty avoidance\" the TLS was selected without considering in detail other forms of procurement. Love et al. (2008) provided a detailed review of the key procurement criteria and tools and techniques that have been previously developed. Each of the tools and techniques developed attempts to cross-reference project variables with existing procurement systems. As a result, Sidwell et al. (2001, p. 24) state that this \"shoe-horns one-off projects and their particular parameters, priorities and external conditions into off-the-shelf delivery systems\". Many of the procurement selection systems developed are inadequate as they:* ignore an array of factors (e.g., market related);* are limited in their options available for consideration (i.e. only a few procurement options are considered);* are conditional and not widely applicable; and* are simply not user friendly (Alhazmi and McCaffer, 2000).Essentially, the selection of a project strategy for a capital works project has two components (Mortledge et al. 2006):1. Analysis - assessing and establishing priorities for the project objectives and client attitude to risk.2. Choice - considering possible options, evaluating them and selecting the most appropriate.Taking these two important components into account, a pragmatic and reflective approach for evaluating procurement selection methods is presented for the public sector clients.\nSix-step procurement evaluation method: A six-step approach to the selection of a procurement method for capital works is presented in Figure 1. The identification of project objectives and constraints is pivotal to the selection process, and as a result at the end of each step the actions undertaken should be compared with the project objectives and constraints to ensure that they are being considered appropriately. After each step is completed and key decisions are made, the justification for these decisions is carefully documented so as to aid the process of transparency and provide a learning tool for future procurement related decisions.Before the procurement method can be chosen all relevant project information (e.g., the business case, risk analysis) should be reviewed and summarised by the project team members and stakeholders to assist with the choice of a suitable procurement method for a given project. Information derived from these documents should be used to inform the procurement method selection process. There are two stages to the procurement selection process.1. Stage 1 encompasses steps 1 to 4. During these steps the procurement methods are identified and evaluated during a \"Procurement Review Session\" with project team members/stakeholders. Once this session has been completed a number of procurement options will be identified and evaluated using a quantitative weighting approach and a qualitative review process.2. Stage 2 should commence with a review of what has been undertaken and to re-examine the procurement choices made in the context of the project objectives and constraints.Step 1 - identification of project objectives and constraints\nProcurement process validation: Focus group\nDiscussion: The focus group participants were all involved with the procurement of A$126 million \"Greenfield\" capital works project with an anticipated construction period of three years. Because the project is still in its early stages of development only limited information can be presented.The group consisted of 12 people who represented the client, project team and key stakeholders. An independent person was used to facilitate the evaluation process so as not to introduce any form of bias throughout each of the steps. The process commenced with identifying the project objectives and constraints. In this principle this should have been a straightforward process, however, it soon became evident that all participants had different views about what the key project objectives and constraints were. This was surprising, as each participant had a copy of the project's management plan at their disposal. The public sector client stated:We want the project delivered on time, and on budget. We want value for money and the best way of getting this is to use a traditional lump sum contract. We have had a bad experience with design and construct.Two other participants concurred with this viewpoint and then the discussion proceeded to focus on the use of the TLS. However, concerns were raised by several participants about automatically advocating a method prior to evaluating other possible solutions. It was perceived that several participants were reluctant to commence the procurement evaluation process in a systematic way because their lack of knowledge of other forms procurement may come to light. The project manager took control of the meeting explaining the importance of the process. The project manager specifically stated:[...] the process is transparent and we can formally justify to Cabinet and Treasury why we have selected a particular route. We shouldn't go into this thinking we are going to use a lump sum method. At the moment we have a skills shortage and no contractor is going to give us a fixed price at the moment. We have to think about market conditions, and what way is best to deliver this project.The project management plan for the project that was being discussed had been undertaken sometime before the issue of the procurement method had been considered. The introduction of a process where the procurement method was to be evaluated had enabled participants to reflect and re-consider issues that had been identified in the \"business case\". In fact, one participant stated:I think we should have considered the procurement method during the business case. I don't we can consider it in isolation. Perhaps this process should come earlier?There was the potential for project objectives and constraints to change from when the business case had been undertaken, especially within the current economic environment. Thus, it was suggested that an initial process for determining possible procurement options should be commenced when the business case is being established and more detailed evaluation as presented above. Thus, the proposed evaluation process would confirm the initial recommendation made during the business case or suggest an alternative approach based upon any changes project constraints or objectives that may have arisen.During the business case preparation funding and budgets are established and allocated so it was deemed imperative to consider the procurement method at the earlier stage. For example, one participant stated that the proposed approach did not allow for the consideration of PPP options. The proposed approach ignores PPP-related methods because the decision whether to use this approach has been traditionally been related to political and financial reasons and taken by the Department of Treasury. Moreover, there has been very limited use of PPPs in WA and they have not been typically ascribed to the public sector's procurement portfolio like they are in the States of Victoria and New South Wales. Eschewing PPPs is considered to be a major limitation of the approach, though it is an issue that will need to be addressed in the future.The focus group spent more than an hour discussing the project objectives and constraints for their specific project and suggested two possible procurement options: TLS and Design and Construct (D&C). Step 2 focused on the selection criteria and those identified were deemed to be appropriate for purposes of evaluation. However, the criterion of funding, that is, \"Does the State want to fund the project?\", was suggested to be included but this is related to the use of PPPs and so can be addressed in the business case. Additional criteria that address time and cost risk were identified, but these issues had been deliberated upon in the formative stages of a project. The weighting of the procurement criterion was a straightforward process for participants for their project, with emphasis being placed on cost and time.The weighting of the criteria against the procurement methods that were identified, in this case TLS and D&C, was not as straightforward as it was expected. In this section of evaluation the weightings are deemed to be constant and should not change. However, the public sector agency who was procuring the project insisted on giving the TLS scores of 4 (very important) and 5 (extremely important) for each of the criteria and generally lower scores for D&C. Besides the public sector client, all participants agreed that D&C was able to deliver a project quicker due to design and construction processes occurring in parallel. The public sector client however, was insistent that D&C was slower because of the time required to develop a performance specification and tender the works to an appropriate contractor. The public sector client also made a point of stating that cost certainty was unequivocal with the TLS approach. However, the concept of cost certainty is a fallacy in the context of traditional approaches that are based upon full drawings and bills of quantities. In principle this approach should provide a client with a firm, fixed price for construction but in practice very few projects are actually completed within the tendered price (Rowlinson, 1999). Complete drawings and BoQs are generally not available when a project goes to tender. Rowlinson (1999) therefore asks why do clients continue to use this method when it can be argued that it leads to:* a lack of flexibility;* a price to pay in terms of claims-conscious behaviour;* the fallacy of cost certainty; and* a release of control by the client organisation.No consensus regarding the weighting of the criteria against the procurement method could be achieved in light of participants' different experiences with procurement methods. It was agreed among the participants that a third party with an objective view of procurement would be more suited to undertaking this process. The procurement assessment chart was considered to be an invaluable step in the process as it enabled the participants to discuss in detail the merits of various methods against more specific criteria. Participants deemed steps 4 and 5 to be most effective enabling reflection and discourse to take place, something that had not occurred before. Overall the proposed approach was well received by the focus group participants and all were satisfied with the solution that been determined within a three hour period. The process was considered to be transparent and reflective and at no point in the process was the choice of procurement method deemed to be fait accompli.\nConclusions: The determination of the most appropriate procurement system for a capital works project is a challenging task for public sector clients considering the array of assessment criteria that are considered and the procurement methods that are available. The selection of an inappropriate procurement method may lead to cost and time overruns, claims, and disputes. Learning from previous experiences with regard to procurement selection can provide public sector clients with knowledge about how to best deliver their projects. Repeatedly using a traditional lump sum method is not an effective way to obtain value for money and meet the demands being imposed on the State for capital works. A procurement evaluation method that enables decision makers to consider other forms of procurement was developed and tested on a major capital works project. The initial examination of the process identified areas that could be improved, specifically with regarding to PPPs, but with further testing and refinement it is anticipated that it may become an inherent feature of the State Government's Strategic Asset Management Framework.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The determination of the most appropriate procurement system for a capital works project is a challenging task for public sector clients considering the array of assessment criteria that are considered and the procurement methods that are available. This is particularly pertinent to the Western Australian public sector where there has been a propensity to use traditional lump sum as the default procurement solution despite knowing that the selection of an inappropriate procurement method may lead to cost and time overruns, claims, and disputes on projects. This paper aims to present a six-step procurement method evaluation approach that requires public sector agencies to consider in detail an array of options so as to obtain value for money.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - A procurement evaluation approach is developed and is examined using a focus group of 12 participants comprising a public sector client, project team and key stakeholders. The focus group was used to examine the developed approach in the context of a real-life capital works project.\nFindings: - The procurement method evaluation approach was deemed to be pragmatic and enabled decision makers to re-evaluate outcomes from previous steps in the process. All focus group participants stated the six step process enabled a recommendation that was grounded in reflection and detailed evaluation.\nPractical implications: - The developed procurement approach has enabled the public sector client to evaluate the way in which it views procurement method selection and examines how \"value for money\" is obtained.\nOriginality/value: - The six-step procurement approach makes use of quantitative and qualitative techniques and is reliant on discourse and reflection in making a procurement method recommendation. Consequently, the approach enables public sector clients to account for the complexities often associated with procurement selection.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Attitudes towards diversity: Evidence from business school students from Norway, India and the Czech Republic
|
[
"India",
"Norway",
"Czech Republic",
"Diversity attitudes"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: For modern international organizations the diversity of the labour force is a fact, yet knowledge about attitudes towards diversity in different national contexts is limited. The shape and form of the diversity varies from country to country and region to region but diversity in itself is ever present and organizations are increasingly under pressure to manage it successfully. The growing number of women entering the work force, the escalation of migration from the developing to industrialized countries, and the importance of international career mobility all contribute to the diversity of the work force (Mor Barak, 2014). Coinciding with this development are global ethical, regulatory and economic forces which seek to end discrimination and ensure equality at work. Philosophers, such as Nussbaum, argue effectively for global and universal constitutional principles, to guarantee that individuals, regardless of their background, have a right to live their life as an end in itself rather than as a tool for the ends of others (Nussbaum, 2001). International institutions are pushing organizations to focus on managing diversity effectively (UNHDP, 2013; EU, 2013; ILO, 2013) and scholars are arguing for the economic necessity of utilizing all the talent in the labour pool (Mor Barak, 2014). It is apparent from practice and research that managing global diversity is becoming a strategic imperative for many multinational companies (Nishii and Ozbilgin, 2007; Ozbilgin et al., 2013) yet we have limited knowledge about diversity attitudes in different countries.\nWhat do we know about diversity attitudes?: Attitudes towards diversity can have a significant impact on the ability of groups to reach high-quality outcomes (Homan et al., 2007; Lauring and Selmer, 2013) and can contribute to the successful implementation of diversity policies (Harrison et al., 2006; Strauss et al., 2008). Even though there is much discussion about how to define an attitude there is a general consensus that attitudes are \"[...] a categorization of a stimulus along an evaluative dimension, based on cognitive, affective and behavioural information\" (Fiske and Taylor, 1991, p. 463) based on Zanna and Rempel (1988). Attitudinal measures have been extensively used in evaluating diversity training (De Meuse et al., 2007; Kalinoski et al., 2013; Kulik and Roberson, 2008), however, there are few established measures for general diversity attitudes (Chrobot-Mason et al., 2006). In this section we first review the studies investigating diversity attitudes both as an antecedent to behaviour and as an outcome of training. This research establishes the importance of diversity attitudes for organizational processes and outcomes. We then present the research specifically investigating diversity attitudes in different national contexts and lastly, other factors that can affect an individual's diversity attitude.\nLinking diversity attitudes and national contexts: The very concept of diversity can evoke feelings, judgements and beliefs. People are brought up in different cultures with dissimilar value orientations which in turn can lead to variations in attitudes towards diversity (cf. Bloom, 2002; Risberg and Soderberg, 2008). For example, some national cultures might emphasize individual differences while other focus on similarities within groups (Hofstede, 2001). These differences could influence whether negative or positive reactions occur when diversity policies are introduced and directed towards either one's own group or another group. The concept of diversity can also activate thinking about specific different others and depending on an individual's history with these groups different feelings can be aroused (Allport, 1954). The national context and history influences the way that individuals perceive and think about differences (Syed and Ozbilgin, 2009). In a theoretical paper Syed and Ozbilgin (2009) argue that diversity practices cannot be realized without a multi-layered understanding of the national context and its effect on defining and managing diversity. Below we present some examples of how diversity is understood in different national contexts and then argue for the importance of a comparative approach to study diversity attitudes.\nThe national contexts: In this section we briefly-describe three national contexts and use both national-level information about diversity and cultural value orientations. We combine this information in order to predict the effect of these contexts on respondents' general attitude towards diversity. Previous research has combined multiple cultural dimensions and historical descriptions in order to make meaningful groupings of nations (House et al., 2004; Inglehart and Baker, 2000) and to make predictions about country-level effects on individual behaviour (Lunnan and Traavik, 2009).\nHypotheses: Given the differences in values and the national context we propose that attitudes towards diversity will be more positive in countries high on the values of self-expression, and lower on collectivism, masculinity, power distance and traditionalism and who are higher on gender equality and lower on overall inequality. The value dimensions could be argued to be related to openness and equality which have been associated with positive attitudes towards diversity (Strauss et al., 2008). With the existence of high levels of inequality in India along with the strong history of differences between subgroups we propose that diversity attitudes will be less positive in India then in Norway and the Czech Republic:\nMethod: Sample and procedure\nResults: The samples were similar in terms of educational background (business) and full time student status, however, there were also some differences. As seen in Table II, few respondents in the Indian sample had taken a diversity course, the Czech sample had more female respondents and the Norwegian sample was older. Also 73 per cent of the Czech respondents were members of AIESEC the international student organization. We investigated the impact of these differences on our findings. In the Czech Republic sample those who were members of AIESEC did not score significantly higher on diversity attitudes than those who were not members of AIESEC and women did not score higher than men within the sample. The age of the respondents and taking a diversity course were related to attitudes towards diversity and we therefore conducted additional analysis to investigate the impact on our findings. In the next section we present our results.\nDiscussion: In this study we investigated diversity attitudes of business school students in three different national contexts which varied in terms of national values and inequality. We found that respondents from all three very dissimilar countries had positive attitudes towards diversity although there were differences in degree. Our study was not designed to uncover which specific characteristics accounted for the differences in diversity attitudes among the countries, nor to describe diversity attitudes at the country level. Instead, our study is meant to provide important initial information about how context might or might not influence general diversity attitudes. Businesses and institutions can use this data to as a starting point to help them build effective diversity management practices.\nLimitations: This study has several limitations. Convenience samples have been used in all three national settings and the questionnaire was given in English. Our findings are neither generalizable nor representative of the national contexts but merely illustrative of how context might impact attitudes in systematic ways. Finally, the comprehension of the concept of diversity is amenable to an open and subjective interpretation which might have varied between samples. Future research should therefore focus on addressing these limitations and also investigate more closely the link between diversity attitudes and implementation of diversity policies.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate diversity attitudes of business school students across three national contexts Norway; India and the Czech Republic. These three countries are dissimilar from one another in terms of values, such as individualism and collectivism (Hofstede, 2001) self-expression and secular-rationalism (Inglehart and Welzel, 2010) and inequality. The authors wanted to explore similarities and differences in diversity attitudes of respondents from these countries.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Using the diversity attitude scale developed by De Meuse and Hostager (2001) the authors conducted comparative research and collected data from 234 business school graduate students.\nFindings: The authors found that all groups were positive towards diversity, however, there were significant differences in diversity attitudes between the countries. The Czech Republic had the most positive diversity scores and India the least positive.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study used convenient samples of business students which might not be representative of the future management in these countries. However, the findings do suggest that attitudes towards diversity are generally positive across these very different national contexts.\nPractical implications: The findings suggest that in today's international context people are becoming more positive towards diversity - at least on the conceptual level and a bottom up approach from MNC to diversity management might be easier to implement than previously thought. The preliminary evidence from the study suggests that this first step of introducing diversity policies across national borders might not meet as much resistance as previously anticipated.\nSocial implications: The movement towards seeing and accepting different others is moving in the right direction.\nOriginality/value: To use this established diversity attitudes measure across three very different national cultures. In the literature there is a call for more comparative research on diversity management.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The globalization of film business and its effect on the Malaysian film industry
|
[
"Globalization",
"Film",
"Entertainment industry",
"Malaysia"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Background of study\nFindings: Film industry in Malaysia\nCompetition: Theoretically, as in the free market economy, competition is the fundamental principle to market efficiency. Competition leads to optimal use of resources and better choices of goods and services for consumers. Embracing free market also mean free flows of goods and services across border. An early study on global flows of cultural products led to the development of the \"cultural imperialism\" theory (Schiller, 1976). The theory concludes that global film markets are dominated by western products and that it causes negative consequences for cultures of many nations. The study also shows that the early patterns of media technology and television program flows show that the television program market was dominated by western industrialized countries, specifically the US. Further, a study done by Nordenstreng and Varis (1974) on global television program flows found a \"one-way street\" with developed countries, particularly the US, dominating the exportation of television programs. Following the first research, Varis (1985), in a similar attempt, reported that US dominance is pervasive and concluded that \"[...] no major changes have taken place since 1973\" (p. 83). Even a recent report by UNCTAD (2008) shows that developed countries are still dominating the global market for audiovisual products. Data on the importation of film products shows that the Malaysian market for film products is inundated with foreign films as shown in Table I.Table I indicates that the total number of imported films from 2004 to 2009 was 8,723, 11,508, 11,508, 9,282, 6,358 and 6,130 respectively. While Table II shows that in 2004 there were only 528 films produced, 527 in 2005, 615 in 2006, 527 in 2007, 550 and 606 in 2008 and 2009 respectively. In comparison to imported and locally produced films, although the total number of imported films reduced over the years, the quantitative data evidences shows that the number of locally produced films is far behind the imported ones.The data presented above refutes the claim made by IIPA (2008) that Malaysian government imposes import quota on foreign films. IIPA (2008) claimed that Malaysian broadcasting industry is subject to broadcast quota and investment restrictions imposed by the government. Broadcast stations are required to devote 70 to 80 percent of their total airtime to locally made films.According to the respondents, they are fully aware of the effects of competition. However, they suggest that \"competition is good\" as it exposes local players to foreign competition and, in response, local companies are able to learn and develop their own film products and strive to reach international standards. For example, in response to the influx of soap operas from Latin America known as telenovela, the Malaysian film producers began to produce their own telenovela (New Straits Times, 13 December 2003). This assertion supports previous studies by Hoskins and Mirus (1988) and Pool (1977) in that competition from foreign film products could be one of the reasons influencing the increase in locally produced films in developing countries. Although competition is good for the industry to become more efficient, they also argue that government need to support them as Malaysian film industry is small and relatively fragile.\nThe role of government: The globalization of film business has increased competition and for a relatively small film industry like Malaysia, the effect of increased competition is definitely a concern. Since Malaysia is practicing a free-market ideology, erecting barrier for the inflows of foreign film is not a good option. Hence, to mitigate the negative effects of globalization, the government has made considerable effort to assist and promote the development of indigenous film industry. Notwithstanding, government intervention is subject to heated debate, especially among the free-market supporters. Government intervention is criticized as opening the way for the unbecoming behavior of national governments and the abuse of power.However, it has been argued that less developed countries lack the ability to compete in the international arena. Thus, studies claim that globalization increases competition and that indigenous industries in less developed countries are unable to compete with international players (Hartungi, 2006; Stiglitz, 2002; Khor, 2000; Jomo, 2001). Furthermore, advances in digital technology and communications are altering the way the industry works (Wong et al., 2007). These have posed challenges, especially to developing countries in developing their indigenous film industry. Although films were introduced to Malaysia (then was known as Malaya) in the 1930s, it was only in the 1970s that the government realized the importance of nurturing the indigenous film industry. Cultural factor is one of the important factors for a country to maintain a sustainable film industry. As according to UNCTAD (2008) film can be one way of cultural preservation. One could not imagine if you cannot produce your own culture. In addition, by developing indigenous industry is a means of economic diversification. The film industry was rationalized with the establishment of FINAS, a government agency responsible for the development of the industry (Ahmad, 2000). Since then, the government has played an important role in promoting the development of the indigenous film industry. At present, the film industry shows impressive development (by local standards) judging from the increased number of films produced annually. In the case of feature films, the number of cinema admissions has increased remarkably over the years. The number of made-for-TV films is also increasing, consistent with the development in broadcast television stations. Currently, there are two public television stations, four private and one subscription-based television station in Malaysia. The television broadcasting industry is important for domestically produced films.The government's role is instrumental in the development of the indigenous film industry. Recognizing the intensified competition resulting from globalization, the government intervened to spur indigenous film industry development and has identified areas within the film industry to be emphasized and developed:* In the area of film production, the industry is to produce more quality films that could be marketed internationally. In ensuring its objective, the government provides financial and non-financial assistance, which includes subsidies, grants, film-related training and courses to local players.* The government has identified animation as another sector to be developed. Judging from the huge potential global market for animation films, the government through Malaysian Development Corporation (MDEC) is providing infrastructure and other incentives. Other agencies like Malaysian Institute of Microelectronic Systems (MIMOS), an agency under the purview of the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), is actively providing assistance to newly established production houses in the development of animated films.* The government also aims to turn Malaysia into an attractive shooting location. FINAS is currently studying ways to attract international producers to shoot films in Malaysia by studying how to formulate effective policies and incentives.Recognizing the importance of developing creative industries, in the recent Malaysian 2010 Budget, the government allocated RM200 million for the development of this industry, with emphasis given to the development of films and animation production (www.epu.gov.my). The government through FINAS (National Film Development Corporation) is actively promoting the development of the film industry to become an international player.\nNew challenges in developing film industry: The film industry in Malaysia is a small industry in terms of the quantity of films produced annually as well as its contribution to the economy. Currently, annual productions of local drama and serials total about 300-400 programs, not including the in-house production by individual television stations and an average of 30 feature films annually (http://sinemalaysia.com.my). The main challenge faced by the local industry as a result of globalization is mainly from the influx of foreign film products. As a commitment to embracing the open market and globalization, Malaysia does not protect the importation of foreign products. Foreign films are free to enter the local market under minimal requirements:* they have to pass through the Malaysian Film Censorship Board, which is the government authority that is responsible for granting licenses to the film for public viewing; and* they have to provide subtitles in the Malay language.Other than the rules and regulations stipulated under the Film Censorship Act, films from any country are free to enter the Malaysian market. To a certain extent, the local film industry is affected by foreign products that undermine the local films in the local market. Previous studies (Hoskins and McFadyen, 1991; Vogel, 2001) found that in order to penetrate the international market, films should be successful in the local market. In Malaysia's case, the indigenous film industry is striving to compete with foreign films in the local market. In this circumstance, it is obvious that it will be tougher for the industry to compete in the international arena. Furthermore, it is especially difficult for local films to compete with big-budgeted foreign films.One of the main challenges facing the indigenous film industry is the fact that the Malaysian domestic market is small. It was estimated that the total audience for feature films was approximately 5.29 million in 2008 out of a total population of approximately 28 million (www.sinemamalaysia.com.my). While in the programs rating for television broadcast, films that achieve 2 million viewers are already considered a successful film. It is evident that most successful film industries that achieve export potential are those with huge home-based markets like Brazil, Mexico not to mention Hollywood and Bollywood.Animation films are seen as global products and easily directed towards enticing global audiences. The success of an animated film titled Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula is a new phenomenon in the local film industry. With the achievement made by a local production house, Les' Copaque Production Sdn Bhd, the government is optimistic that locally, Malaysians have the capability to benefit from the animation sector. Nevertheless, to compete in the animation sector would mean that the industry is competing with big-budgeted giant global players like Disney. This is a challenge for a relatively small industry. Thus, government support is deemed necessary, as the local producers are definitely not in the same league with other global film players.International producers are taking advantage of the emergence of the new international division of cultural labor by searching for cheaper production costs in foreign countries. As in the case of FDI in Malaysia, which has contributed to economic growth and provided externalities, the government foresees that similar benefits would accrue to the film industry by attracting foreign film producers. However, neighboring countries, including Thailand and Singapore, also have the same strategy. Malaysia should have a competitive advantage in competing with other countries for foreign film projects. This is not easy, as the government has to formulate policies and provide incentive structure that is attractive to foreign producers.\nConclusion and recommendations: This study suggests that the trends in global film business pose inevitable forces on Malaysian film industry. One of the credible threats to indigenous film players is direct competition from the influx of foreign film products. It has been argued that globalization presents challenges to developing countries, particularly through increased competition. For developing countries, the role of the government is instrumental in ensuring that the film industry not only survives but is also able to respond to the benefits brought about by globalization. Other studies confirm that the government is behind the success of the indigenous film industry in many countries (e.g. Lee, 2008; Jin, 2006).In the case of the Malaysian film industry, it is acknowledged that the local market is small and that the market size of a nation dictates the budget for film production. Hence, to compete with big-budgeted foreign films is not a feasible option. Rather, the industry should venture and compete in an area where it has a competitive advantage. One area that local people have shown their capability is the animation sector. Les' Copaque Production was the first private production house that produced 3D animation and was very successful in the local market. Their products have subsequently been marketed internationally. In a recent development, December 2009, their animation series is now available on ASTRO's Disney Channel. This proves that local people are actually capable of developing their own film products. In another area of animation, Malaysia has skilled people that are capable of taking up outsourcing jobs. With the relatively cheap cost of labor, Malaysia should attract global film clusters (like Hollywood) to outsource their production of animation work. Local public and private universities are offering more film and multimedia related courses for students. Each year, quite a number of students graduate from film related courses (Utusan Online, 30 June 2008). Taking advantage of the emergence of the new international division of cultural labor will provide employment opportunities, especially for new graduates.Malaysia is fortunate, having an abundance of beautiful locations suitable for film shooting. This could attract \"runaway productions\" and provide employment for local people, which could lead to knowledge transfer. With strategic planning, Malaysia could benefit from the globalization of the film business. The government plays an important role in nurturing and promoting the development of the indigenous film industry through its policy and regulatory framework. The government, through FINAS, has taken the necessary action to promote the development of the indigenous film industry. Nevertheless, much need to be done to ensure that the government's funds are properly channeled and used in the most efficient way.Films as part of cultural products are deemed as being important for the preservation of culture. In the era of globalization, film products are not only important as a means of cultural preservation but films are now traded as commodities. With the associated stiff competition to attract FDI in the manufacturing sector, developing the indigenous film industry should be seen as the diversification of economic activities to ensure the country is not too dependent on a particular sector to achieve economic development. Similar to the policies directed towards attracting FDI in manufacturing, the government should formulate policies to attract foreign film projects to Malaysia to benefit from knowledge transfer and other externalities associated with foreign operations in the host country. This paper could perhaps helps to unravel the potential of the film industry and serves as a wake-up call for scholars to study the film industry from various perspectives.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The study aims to examine the impact of globalization of film business on the Malaysian film industry.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Interviews were conducted as the primary source of information from film industry players in Malaysia.\nFindings: - Globalization of film business gives an impact on the Malaysian film industry.\nResearch limitations/implications: - This paper focuses on the Malaysian film industry and concentrates only on globalization of film business impact.\nPractical implications: - The results provide insights to the Malaysian film sector and other organizations of similar structure of how they could manage business strategies for improved business performance.\nOriginality/value: - This paper is perhaps one of the first to investigate the impact of globalization on the Malaysian film industry.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Antecedents of knowledge sharing in communities of practice
|
[
"Knowledge sharing",
"Leadership",
"Team management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: In today's knowledge-based economy, an organization's ability to strategically leverage knowledge has become a crucial factor for global competitiveness. As a consequence, a growing number of organizations, especially in knowledge-intensive industries, has introduced knowledge management systems in order to use the resource knowledge more effectively and efficiently (Davenport and Prusak, 1998; Probst et al., 1999). Particularly, the integration of existing knowledge, e.g. captured in the expertise of employees, and the generation of new knowledge are of paramount importance for the success of organizations (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995; Teigland, 2003). In this context, many organization utilize \"communities of practice\" (CoPs), a concept that has recently gained great attention from practitioners and scholars alike (e.g., Pan and Scarbrough, 1998; Thompson, 2005; Wenger et al., 2002). Knowledge networks like CoPs are increasingly seen as central means to foster and enhance learning, knowledge sharing and integration in organizations (e.g. Brown and Duguid, 1991; Lesser and Storck, 2001).The CoP concept has undergone significant changes during the past years. Originally introduced in the context of Lave and Wenger's seminal research towards a \"social theory of learning\", a CoPs was seen as an \"active system about which participants share understandings concerning what they are doing and what that means\" (Lave and Wenger, 1991: 98). The increasing popularity of the concept in corporate practice brought about a managerially oriented interpretation of the term: A CoP can be defined as a group of people in an organization who interact with each other across organizational units or organizational boundaries due to a common interest or field of application in order to learn and support one another, create, spread, retain, and use knowledge relevant to the organization (e.g. Andriessen and Verburg, 2004; Wenger et al., 2002). In general, CoPs are self-emerging and self-organizing networks in which everyone can participate (Wenger, 1998a). However, in the context of knowledge management initiatives many organizations - in particular multinational companies in knowledge-intensive industries - deliberately establish CoPs (APQC, 2000). Further, existing informal networks are strategically supported.As the concept of CoPs has been discussed not until the last decade, research on CoPs has been emphasized as an important, yet underdeveloped field (Hislop, 2003; Teigland, 2003). Prior research is so far mostly based on qualitative case studies (e.g., Gherardi et al., 1998; Gongla and Rizzuto, 2001; Kimble and Hildreth, 2005). Despite the emphasized importance of motivation, management and leadership in the context of knowledge sharing (Mertins et al., 2001), little is known about antecedents of CoP interactions. Therefore, the author addresses following research questions in this paper: Which impact has:* LISTcommunity members' motivation to participate in CoPs;* LISTthe community leader; and* LISTmanagement support on the interaction processes in CoPs?By answering these questions this study contributes to CoP and knowledge management research in several ways. First, the impact of motivational and managerial factors on knowledge sharing processes in CoPs is analyzed conceptually. Second, a large scale empirical analysis of these proposed relationships is provided. Third, based on the results new insights with respect to the management of CoPs, answering questions such as \"What motivates people to participate in CoPs?\" or \"How to lead knowledge workers in CoPs?\" are added. Finally, the author contributes to the knowledge management literature by employing multi-item measures for the constructs of her research model. This approach increases reliability of the results and opens for further empirical research in the context of CoPs.The paper proceeds as follows: In the next section the research framework is derived based on prior literature. After that the research design of the empirical study is outlined before the findings are presented. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings and provides both, research and managerial implications.\nResearch framework: Interaction processes in communities of practice\nResearch design: Sample and data collection procedures\nResults: Sample statistics\nDiscussion: This study intends to enhance our understanding of the characteristics of interaction processes in CoPs and their antecedents. Building on prior research on CoPs, teams, and knowledge management the author develops and tests a research framework capturing to what extent members' motivation, the community leader and management support influence CoP interaction quality. Further, she investigates how interaction frequency mediates the relationship between antecedents and interaction quality. In order to test the proposed hypotheses data from 222 members of 36 communities in one multinational corporation is used.By definition, CoPs are semi-formal entities where individuals participate mainly voluntarily. Thus, the \"carrot-and-stick\" approach can not be used to motivate knowledge workers to participate in CoPs. Motivated above all by intrinsic objectives individuals will only interact with other members of a CoP as long as they profit from it and experience reciprocal rewards (Ellis et al., 2004). As the results of this analysis show, individuals are mainly motivated by benefits regarding their work task and their network in the formal organization, i.e. they participate in order to progress with certain projects, to improve their career prospects, to make their work easier and to improve their contact with colleagues. Interestingly, learning purely \"for the sake of it\" and passing on one's own knowledge are not relevant objectives. As proposed members' motivation influence the frequency of interactions in CoPs. Contrary to the proposed hypothesis the results do not indicate a significant relationship between members' motivation and interaction quality. This can be explained by the fact that trust, cohesion and a positive communication climate exist independently of individual motivation to participate. Or in other words: less motivated members will not actively take part in the exchange and, therefore, will not influence the quality of interactions within a CoP (Wenger, 1998b). Further, the focus on CoPs in the context of corporate practice can be a reason for these findings.Evidently, the community leader plays a central role for the interaction quality in CoPs (Moran and Weimer, 2004; Wenger, 1998a). In particular his/her ability to motivate people to interact with each other as well as his/her competences regarding the topic of the CoP have strong impact on interaction quality. This person can be regarded as a facilitator, i.e. an enabler for trust, cohesion and a positive communication climate within the CoP. Interaction quality is positively, but to a lesser extent influenced by management support. A strong leader seems to be the main predictor of interaction quality, whereas the frequency of interactions between community members is mostly dependent on an active management support. To summarize, knowledge workers in CoPs are motivated by intrinsic objectives, but they will be encouraged to interact with each other:* by an active and supportive leader, who is an expert in the CoP's competence area; and* by an appropriate management support which takes into account that people are motivated but need an encouraging environment and culture promoting knowledge sharing (see Zboralski, 2007 for a detailed discussion).The results of this study have several implications for the management of knowledge workers in CoPs in corporate practice. As CoPs are fertile organizational forms, managers have to learn to cultivate them without destroying them (Wenger et al., 2002). While interfering in interactions of community members will be contra-productive, management should have an awareness of networks of knowledge workers. As this research shows, CoPs profit from an active support in terms of providing required resources, i.e. time for members to participate, technical infrastructure, and establishing the necessary prerequisites in the organization, i.e. awareness of the importance of knowledge sharing. Further, the results indicate that the extent the community leader handles successfully his/her tasks plays a major role for the interaction quality in CoPs. Thus, management should either nominate the \"right\" person (for purposely initiated CoPs) or let community leaders actively improve their leadership skills, e.g. by participation in further development measures (for self-emerging CoPs). In the long term, organizations will only be able to survive and maintain their competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy if they manage the organizational and cultural change necessary (e.g., Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995).With regard to further CoP research, the developed scales allow a rigorous test of the hypotheses and may serve as a basis for future empirical studies. The results emphasize the importance of different antecedents of interaction processes in CoPs. Further, the author is able to present a multi-dimensional measurement of interaction quality in CoPs. In analyzing the frequency and quality of interactions within CoPs she does not control for what is actually transferred between the members. Future research could enhance our understanding of learning and knowledge generation by also considering the type of knowledge handled in the CoP. Furthermore, with respect to leadership issues the impact of existing reward schemes on members' motivation and their actual participation on knowledge sharing processes could be an interesting research area. Additionally, as this analysis is based on community members' perceptions, further studies could include assessments from community leaders.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Communities of practice (CoPs) have gained a great deal of attention from practitioners and scholars alike. However, critical antecedents of knowledge sharing in CoPs have not been fully researched yet. Particularly, empirical results are still scarce. The aim of this paper is to analyse the role of community members' motivation to participate in CoPs, the importance of the community leader and the influence of management support.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - In order to test the proposed hypotheses data from 222 CoP members from different communities of a multinational company gathered in a large sample quantitative survey, using partial least square structural equations modelling.\nFindings: - The research results show that a leading facilitator and an appropriate managerial support influence interaction processes in CoPs positively.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The impact of motivational and managerial factors on knowledge sharing processes in CoPs is conceptualized and tested. With regard to further CoP research, the developed scales may serve as a basis for future empirical studies. Furthermore, the type of knowledge handled in the CoP as well as assessments from community leaders could enhance the understanding of learning and knowledge generation in CoPs.\nPractical implications: - New insights with respect to the management of CoPs in corporate practice, answering questions such as \"What motivates people to participate in CoPs?\" or \"How to lead knowledge workers in CoPs?\" are found.\nOriginality/value: - On the basis of a large sample empirical analysis these research results give evidence for the importance of different antecedents of interaction processes in CoPs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
When the informal is the formal, the implicit is the explicit: Holistic sustainability education at Green Mountain College
|
[
"Student experience",
"Capacities",
"Holistic sustainability education",
"Qualitative inquiry",
"Sustainability integration"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: I am really anxious about leaving, because I found my place here and going out into a world that's just consumerism, capitalism - it is scary, but that's what we have to do, we can't stay here forever, we have to change the world. (GMC student)\nIntroduction: With the advent of journals, organizations, educational programs and theoretical models all related to sustainability in higher education, there has followed a good deal of discussion about how to make sustainability a natural presence in the curriculum. Specifically, much has been written about the importance and theoretical underpinnings of a holistic approach to sustainability education, such as deep learning and systems theory (Sandri, 2013; Warburton, 2003). While theory making is an important part of reaching the intended educational goals, what is less concrete at this point is how students experience the theoretical tenets implicated in this movement.\nHolistic sustainability education: The dialogue on sustainability education often describes an education process that is holistic, treating the student as more than an intellectual receptacle (Shephard, 2008). They suggest that learning needs to be deep and pull the student into a new way of seeing the world. Defined simply, \"deep learning\" goes beyond simple information transmission to create a transformation (physical, political, social, moral, etc.) (Grauerholz, 2001). This is contrasted with \"surface learning\", where students remain unchanged by what they learn, in part because the motivation to learn is not internal but in response to stimulus such as grades, praise or competitiveness with classmates (Warburton, 2003). While many subjects using surface learning (e.g. facts about the natural world) are relevant to sustainability education, they are also considered insufficient to foster change.\nResearch methods: The purpose of this project is to provide an account of the student experience at a higher education institution known for its holistic approach to sustainability education. As Rickinson et al. (2009) argue, there is a paucity of research on sustainability education, and it is important not to compound the limited nature of the research with a lack of balance between the perspectives of teachers and students or a lack of examination of the curriculum as students experience it. In the current case, understanding the student experience was paramount.\nWhy Green Mountain College?: To identify an appropriate sample of students to interview for the study, the researchers utilized the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), a measurement tool developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. For the purpose of this study, the researchers examined data from the STARS report for 2012 in the sub-categories of Curriculum (formal) and Co-curricular (informal) Education, which fall under the Education and Research category. Within the curriculum category, STARS assesses credits for items such as having sustainability-focused/related courses, sustainability learning outcomes, undergraduate and graduate degree programs in sustainability and incentive programs for developing sustainability courses. Institutions also earn co-curricular credits for activities such as student sustainability campaigns, sustainability content in new student orientation, sustainability themed housing and on-campus sustainability events. A review of the data within the curriculum and co-curricular categories revealed Green Mountain College (GMC) as the only institution to earn 100 per cent of the credits available in both categories. After further investigating the school's website and visiting with faculty members, the researchers considered GMC an ideal site for the study.\nParticipants: A total of 55 undergraduate students living in Poultney, VT, and attending GMC participated in the study. These students represented all classifications from freshman (45 per cent) to seniors, as well as more than 15 academic majors (Table I). Prior to the researchers' arrival on the GMC campus, some key faculty members who taught courses directly related to sustainability themes were contacted to assist with recruiting students for the study. These faculty members made announcements in their classes and referred students to a web page that had been created for the study. Additional student participants were recruited after the researchers arrived on campus, setting up a table in the student cafeteria and making personal visits to classes.\nData collection and analysis: An interview protocol was developed utilizing Elliot Eisner's (1998) framework outlined in the book, The Enlightened Eye, which provides a research structure for evaluating curricula and studying the experiences of learners. Eisner (1998) recommends examining the intentional (goals and aims), the structural (context), the curricular (foci and scaffolding), the pedagogical (teaching practice) and the evaluative (assessment). Guiding interview questions were initially generated around these factors. For example, the researchers asked questions about the most important things students were learning about sustainability and the teaching approaches at GMC that most engaged them in the topic of sustainability as a starting point during the interviews. Notably, students quickly transformed the conversation by providing context about life at GMC, discussing the philosophy that seemed to underpin their learning environment and describing the new capacities that were emerging from this experience. Because the aim was to achieve a holistic understanding of what occurs at GMC from the student perspective, the researchers responded by allowing the students to direct the conversation after initial prompts were provided and only redirected the conversation back to the guiding questions when discussion subsided. This allowed for the emergence of entirely new themes (e.g. the students' vision of their own futures after GMC), which were incorporated into subsequent conversations as new guiding questions. Eight focus group interviews, each lasting for approximately 1.5 h with 5-10 participants per focus group, were conducted. Participants were provided a $10 cash incentive for their time. The interviews were audio recorded and later transcribed by a third party.\nFindings: The following illustration of findings is organized around the emergent gains or new capacities for sustainability that students identified as most valuable, the practices of GMC that were perceived to yield those gains and descriptions related to the process of sustainability education at GMC (Table II and Table III).\nMost valuable gains: new capacities: I thought of it as saving the environment, which now I would hardly call it that [...] I call it saving ourselves. (GMC student)\nPhilosophy of practice at Green Mountain College: [...] We're not really told what to think. We're told to question it all [...]. (GMC student)\nThe process: [...] the naivety kind of gets sucked out of you [...]. (GMC student)\nDiscussion: This study has provided an account of the student experience at a higher education institution known for its holistic approach to sustainability education. Student participants afforded the researchers insight into their most valuable gains that emerged during their experience at GMC and drew attention to a philosophy of practice at GMC that most contributes to these emergent outcomes. The advantage of the current study is that it examined the perceived impact of a university and the local context in which it operates rather than exclusively focusing on learning outcomes or specific teaching strategies from a separate course or program. Here, a holistic approach to inquiry was taken with students from across a broad range of program majors and classifications, which yielded a more realistic illustration of theory in practice in regards to sustainability education, speaking pointedly to the overall quality of the educational experience (UNESCO, 2005).\nConclusion: This study provides a window into the impact on students of one university's central focus on holistic sustainability education. Many universities have a school, majors, minors or courses centered on sustainability involving a limited set of faculty members in building curricula. While not downplaying the experience of students in those types of situations, GMC students are experiencing a holistic approach, created by a dynamic collective of stakeholders who cooperate to create a significant change in learners regardless of major, minor or course selections.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this project is to provide an account of the student experience at a higher education institution known for its holistic approach to sustainability education.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A qualitative study was conducted at Green Mountain College (GMC), an environmental liberal arts school in Poultney, VT; 55 students participated in focus group interviews.\nFindings: Students articulate that the most valuable gains that manifest at GMA are a variety of new capacities for science literacy, anthropological appreciation, the triple bottom line, a sense of place, systems, empathic decision-making and reasoning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and practical techniques supporting self-sufficiency. Prompting these emergent outcomes was a philosophy of practice at Green Mountain College, which included place-based techniques, empowerment, personalization, community ecology and charting polarity. Many students described their seeming metamorphosis as uncomfortable, and some felt isolated from the outside paradigm.\nResearch limitations/implications: A key implication of the study's findings is that in a holistic setting, the line between the informal and formal curriculum are significantly blurred and what is implicitly communicated through university practices and values is what most transforms the students' explicit understanding of sustainability.\nPractical implications: Sustainability education is far more than technique, far more than what a lone instructor can manifest in students. While the persistence of individual faculty members is important, this evidence suggests that the fertile conditions for transformation may be more fruitful when faculty members work together with a collective sense of responsibility and a well-articulated paradigm.\nOriginality/value: The advantage of the present study is that it examines the perceived impact of a focus on sustainability across curricula and school by considering the educational environment as a whole. The experiences of students from many different majors who are involved in a holistic, sustainability-infused curriculum at a university with a history of successful post-graduation job placements in the sustainability field are explored here.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Harmony as means to enhance affective commitment in a Chinese organization
|
[
"China",
"Compliance",
"Commitment",
"Human resource",
"Harmony"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: After seven years working in a large American-invested company of electronics manufacturing service industry in Guangzhou, China, John Chen[1], a male Chinese aged thirty-five, was promoted as a supply chain development manager in charge of several main products' procurement. His former direct supervisor was Sam Wang, a Taiwanese American, who often invited subordinates to hang out together after work, having casual chats about a variety of topics such as dating, kids or personal problems. Having a close and harmonious relationship with his work team, John felt quite happy with his company until his current boss Pietro Trocchi, a French guy, took office eight months ago.\nTheoretical foundations and hypotheses: East-West cultural differences of the notion of harmony: art-based vs science-based views\nMethods: Sample selection\nResults: According to MacKinnon et al. (2002) suggestion, the most commonly cited approach for testing mediation in HRM and relevant fields is the hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) procedure recommended by Baron and Kenny (1986). Despite the popularity of this HMR method, some studies demonstrate that using non-experimental research designs to perform HMR may provide a relatively weak foundation for inferences about causal connections between variables, including those in assumed mediation models (Stone-Romero and Rosopa, 2008). Stone-Romero and Rosopa (2008) illustrate that the model specification problems in non-experimental research result in the researcher's inability to make valid inferences about causality in testing mediation effects. However, considering the extensive usage of this HMR procedure, we used it to examine our assumed mediation model and then conducted a path model-based approach (the Sobel test) (Sobel, 1988; MacKinnon et al., 2002) to confirm our results.\nDiscussion: Overall, the empirical findings provide evidence consistent with our hypotheses. First, results suggest that the degree of harmony is significantly related to individual AC in a Chinese organization. More specifically, in situations where an employee perceives a lower level of harmony at work, his/her desire to become committed to the company may be diminished. In other words, maintaining harmony in the workplace could be seen as a means to foster loyal employees in the Chinese context. Second, individual AC and the degree of harmony are both positively related to compliance behavior. In this sense, the achievement of a higher level of harmony may help not only strengthen employees' emotional attachment to their firms, but also motivate employees to comply with policies, standards, procedures and applicable laws and regulations at work in China. Third, the assumed mediation model that AC positively mediates the relationship between the degree of harmony and employee compliance behavior is examined. This corroborates that AC can serve as an intervening variable through which cultural variables (e.g. Chinese harmony) affect employee behavior, in response to Brooks and Wallace's (2006) suggestion on exploring intervention effect of commitment. Related to this point, implicit in our mediation analysis indicates that if an employee's AC is low, a higher level of harmony may not be effectively translated into an individual's exhibition of compliance behavior.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Identifying the in-built art-based, multi-dimensionally dynamic nature of the Chinese notion of harmony from the philosophical perspective of Yijing, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the mechanisms among the degree of harmony, employee affective commitment (AC) and compliance behavior at workplace in China.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper follows an empirical research design. To reduce extraneous sources of variation and measurement error, this study constrained the sample collection to full-time employees in manufacturing. Regression analysis was used to examine the hypotheses.\nFindings: Results show that the degree of harmony is positively related to AC and compliance behavior. Findings also confirm the mediation effect of AC on the relationship between the degree of harmony and employee compliance behavior.\nPractical implications: The research suggests that firms in China may exploit boosting the degree of harmony in organizations as an effective means to enhance employee AC to and compliance with their employers. It enables non-Chinese managers to gain a better understanding of the importance of creating harmonious environment for Chinese employees.\nOriginality/value: This study demonstrates the East-West cultural differences on the notion of harmony (art-based vs science-based views), investigating HR-related issues in China through a newer and broader lens, namely a revolutionary view of \"East-West\" integrative thinking. Using the model decoded by Yijing's eight trigrams to measure organizational harmony, this paper proposes a novel framework illustrating the relationships between a unique Chinese cultural variable (harmony) and two well-established Western measures (AC and compliance behavior), in response to the recent call for analyzing context-specific implications to develop new context-sensitive theories in HRM.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Diversity management across borders: the role of the national context
|
[
"Ethnicity",
"Diversity management",
"Transition economies",
"Context specificity",
"Transferability"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Diversity management (DM) seems to have become a buzzword of management practice. Thus, many studies have focused on different aspects of diversity in organisations: gender mainstreaming (e.g. Hanappi-Egger, 1996), age diversity (e.g. Simons et al., 1999), or ethnic minorities (e.g. Cui and Choudhury, 2002). Still, little is known about DM in different contexts, particularly if DM as an organisational practice is transferable (Ozbilgin, 2008). Dass and Parker (1999) argue that there is no best way for organisations to manage diversity as the implementation of DM depends on the pressure of the internal and external environment. Accordingly an organisation will more likely integrate DM, if a high pressure and value exists in the organisational environment (see Ozbilgin, 2008). Yang and Konrad (2011) postulate that the implementation of DM differs due to organisational goals, industry needs as well as a complex mix of legislation and national policies.\nDM in different contexts: legal regulations and strategic choices: Syed and Ozbilgin (2009) propose a multilevel relational framework for the international transfer of DM practices that distinguishes three different levels of analysis: macro-level factors such as laws, institutions and culture in national contexts; meso-level factors, such as organisational approaches to DM; and micro-level factors, such as identity linked to behaviour and relationships of individuals. At the macro-level we focus on the legislative framework for equal opportunity and diversity in a national context and show the influence on the transferability of DM practices. At the meso-level we incorporate Thomas and Ely's (1996) three organisational approaches included in the relational framework. In order to identify strategies focused on ethnicity, we further include Ortlieb and Sieben's (2013) model of strategic choices regarding a multi-ethnic workforce. With regard to micro-level factors we deliberately exclude identity from our analysis as our case study is based on the perceptions of management and therefore cannot depict a holistic picture of individual identities and interrelations in the organisation (see also Pringle and Ryan, 2015).\nMethod: This research is part of a larger project that investigates contextual influences on the transfer of HR practices and employment strategies for ethnic minorities. Out of eight companies considered for the whole project, for this paper we chose a financial company as the most \"critical\" case (Yin, 2009). DM is particularly well-developed in the headquarters, especially in terms of ethnicity and respective issues are identified in the subsidiary. This promises insights into the relation between the headquarters and the subsidiary regarding DM.\nEmpirical findings: The company\nDiscussion and conclusions: In this paper we contrast the headquarters of an Austrian financial company with its subsidiary and investigate DM practices regarding context specificity and transferability. Our findings do not indicate a transfer of DM practices, hence implying challenges to transferability due to the specific Bosnian context. In fact, the case study shows a rather high independence of the subsidiary with regard to DM which is reflected in both diverging diversity motives and strategies towards ethnicity applied in practice. We depict that DM practices are highly context specific, e.g. the marked-based driven intention to increase ethnic diversity in Austria vs coping with challenges of ethnicity in a multi-ethnic Bosnia, differences in the legal framework or the attitude towards DM in general. The approach to DM within the subsidiary reflects the national context. Thus, DM practices can vary in the same organisation due to diverging macro-level influences. Whereas DM practices receive little attention in the subsidiary, the headquarters emphasise a strong focus on diversity by abiding to the legal framework, attracting a diverse workforce from SEE and promoting learning and development. The suggested framework allows organisations to analyse their motives and strategies on a meso-level and thereby identify a possible gap in their overall diversity approach. The headquarters pursue all three, the discrimination-and-fairness, access-and-legitimacy, and integration-and-learning perspective, whereas the subsidiary rudimentarily follows the discrimination-and-fairness perspective. Concerning the employment of ethnic minorities the headquarters apply the antidiscrimination as well as adding value to ethnic background strategy; the subsidiary however, follows exclusion implying subtle discrimination.\nLimitations and implications: Although we identify the need to consider the national context of DM, our research will have to overcome the following limitations: First, we use a single case study based on data from only one host country (Lauring, 2013). Although we show that the consideration of national context in DM is important to highlight the effects on other transition economies, further studies are deemed necessary (e.g. Daya, 2014). The strength of our case study lies in its special focus on ethnicity, which allows a deep exploration of how institutional contexts influence the way companies operate; thus giving insight into the practices of a company operating in a very specific context (e.g. Greeff, 2015). Second, we limit our discussion to the views of the corporate management, in particular the company directors' and HR representatives'. However, our data possess strengths especially because it comes from respondents at both, the headquarters and the subsidiary, which allows the comparison of diverging perceptions. Still, we cannot ensure that we clearly picture the management's pretentions or actual execution of a described action (Argyris and Schon, 1974). Our third limitation concerns the problem of researcher bias and an ethnocentric point of view. From a western perspective, our findings in Bosnia might have negative connotations, implying inferiority and inefficiency. However, by critically reflecting on the existing situation we do not intend to describe an example of the \"good\" approach in the west and the \"bad\" in the transition economy, implying a need for the transfer of diversity practices. In fact we minimise a possible researcher's bias by addressing this topic in a bicultural research team.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the question how context-specific diversity management (DM) is and whether it is transferable by organisations.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors explore context specificity and transferability of DM with the example of an Austrian company in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on the relational framework for the transfer of DM practices the authors empirically examine differences between headquarters and subsidiaries.\nFindings: The empirical analysis reveals challenges for the transferability of DM and thus different approaches in the analysed company. The authors do not identify a significant transfer of DM practices. The findings are in line with the relational framework and suggest that headquarters must be treated separately from foreign subsidiaries, which theoretical models should take into account.\nResearch limitations/implications: Future studies would benefit from a more holistic design not only based on the managements' perceptions. A comparison with the situation in other companies in transition economies would further increase generalisability.\nPractical implications: The authors underscore the need for diversity as a strategic approach to management. Organisations benefit from considering context specificity and should be aware that DM practices in headquarters must not be transferable to subsidiaries. Although theoretical models are useful to identify diversity motives and strategies, their application in practice needs consideration of the context.\nOriginality/value: The paper tackles the issue of context specificity and considers motives and strategies for DM. The case study sheds light on the link between headquarters' diversity strategy and practice in a subsidiary and contributes to deficient research for transition economies.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The effect of perceived fairness toward hotel overbooking and compensation practices on customer loyalty
|
[
"Customer loyalty",
"Hotel and catering industry",
"Compensation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: To maximize their revenues, hotels are increasingly utilizing revenue management practices. One such practice is overbooking, which is used to minimize losses from late cancellations and no-shows (Kimes and Chase, 1998). Although hotels are gaining monetary rewards from overbooking, it is unclear how consumers feel about this new practice and whether it affects their long-term behaviors (McGill and Van Ryzin, 1999).In the airline industry, customers who are bumped by an airline have been shown to be less loyal to that airline over time (Wangenheim and Bayon, 2007). Although similar in many respects to the airline industry, overbooking in the hotel industry poses its own unique set of challenges. In addition to no-shows and late cancellations, hotels are subject to early departures as well. Furthermore, when over sale does occur, hotels must fill their rooms on a first-come-first-served basis, rather than on a voluntary basis like in the airline industry, leaving late arrivals more vulnerable to being walked. Although some studies have begun to examine the pricing effects of revenue management principles in the hotel industry (Choi and Mattila, 2004; Kimes, 1994), no study to date has examined the effect of overbooking on hotel customers' behaviors.It has been argued that revenue management practices including overbooking and variable pricing run the risk of alienating customers. Customers, it is argued, perceive such practices as unfair, which lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction, customer goodwill, and, ultimately, lost business (Kahneman et al., 1986a; Kimes, 1994; Wirtz et al., 2002). Thus, revenue gains attained through such practices may be merely short term (Kimes, 2002). This study investigates the effect of customers' perceived fairness toward overbooking on customer loyalty. It also investigates the effects of six factors on customers' perceptions of fairness. Participants' opinions on fair compensation strategies for walked customers are also assessed.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Hotel overbooking\n3. Methodology: 3.1 Study design and method\n4. Results: Of the 291 participants who completed the survey, 167 participants (58.8 percent) were female and 117 participants were male (41.2 percent). Participants ranged in age from 19 to 87, with an average age of 47. On average, participants stayed at a hotel 13.02 times last year, and 20.1 percent reported having been walked at a hotel due to overbooking.Participants' overall perceived fairness toward the hotel's overbooking and compensation policies was coded on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 was \"very unfair\" and 7 was \"very fair.\" Participants' perceived fairness toward overbooking was essentially neutral (mean=4.07, S.D.=1.88). A close look at the frequency distribution reveals that a significant number of participants still consider overbooking as \"somewhat unfair\" to \"very unfair\" (43.8 percent). The detailed descriptive statistics of participants' perceived fairness of overbooking are shown in Table I. Additionally, Table II provides descriptive statistics of participants' perception of fairness toward overbooking and compensation practices and their loyalty level that correspond to each level of the moderating factors.Linear regression was used to test H1 and H2 (Table III). We found that perceived fairness toward hotel overbooking has a substantial positive significant relationship with customer loyalty (r=0.55, p < 0.05). Perceived fairness toward the compensation policy also has a moderate positive significant relationship with loyalty (r = 0.47, p < 0.05). This was true across all moderating variables. Therefore, H1 and H2 were accepted. These findings are consistent with previous literature on customer loyalty and revenue management (Oliver, 1997; Wangenheim and Bayon, 2007).We used correlation to further examine how strong the relationships are between perceived fairness toward the hotel's overbooking and compensation policies and the four individual dimensions of loyalty set out by Butcher et al. (2001). A substantial to moderate positive significant relationship existed between perceived fairness toward overbooking and compensation policies and all individual dimensions of loyalty, with R ranging from 0.34 to 0.58 (Table IV). The strongest correlations were observed between perceived fairness toward overbooking and word-of-mouth (R = 0.58) and between perceived fairness toward compensation and word-of-mouth (R = 0.48).One-way ANOVA was used to measure whether significant differences exist between participants' perceptions of fairness toward the hotel's overbooking and compensation policies and their loyalty under different scenarios (Table V). We found that participants' sex significantly affected perceptions of fairness toward the overbooking (p < 0.1): females were more likely than males to perceive overbooking as unfair. Thus, H3a was accepted. Membership status also was found to significantly affect participants' loyalty levels (p < 0.05), with higher levels of loyalty found among non-members. Surprisingly, no significant differences were found between participants' perception of fairness toward overbooking for any of the other factors. Therefore, H3b to H3f were not supported.The open-ended questions yielded important results. Besides a complementary stay at another hotel and transportation to that hotel (i.e. the most common practices in the industry today), we found that approximately 30 percent of participants also expected a free night or discounted stay at the original hotel at a later time in order to ensure their ongoing patronage (see Table VI). In addition, a complementary meal at the hotel was mentioned by 12 percent of participants. Furthermore, 14 percent of participants pointed to the quality of the hotel they were walked to as important. They expected the hotel to be the same as or nicer than the original hotel and also close to the original hotel. Older participants were more likely than younger participants to express a desire to receive a sincere apology from the hotel. A total 8 percent of participants showed their resistance toward overbooking, in general, by directly stating that \"the hotel should not overbook.\"\n5. Discussion, conclusion, and implications: This study addresses a gap in the literature on revenue management by examining customers' reactions toward hotel overbooking. By addressing the positive relationship between customers' perceptions of fairness toward a hotel's overbooking including its compensation policies and their ongoing loyalty to that hotel following overbooking, this study provides valuable information about the intangible costs of overbooking for the hotel industry. The results also suggest that, when overbooking is inevitable, hotel operators should pay attention as to whom to walk and how to compensate the walked due to overbooking. The findings from this study suggest that women are more likely than men to feel that overbooking is unfair. Other customer variables, including length of stay, membership status, payer source, reservation channel, and reservation time, do not appear to affect customers' perceptions as to the fairness of overbooking. Furthermore, hotels should consider designing compensations that help positively influence customers' perceived fairness toward overbooking and that encourage customers' ongoing patronage and loyalty.This study has significant contributions and implications to both the academic literature and the hotel industry. First of all, it fills in the gap in the revenue management literature on customers' reactions toward overbooking. Numerous studies in the operations research area had been conducted to establish the best overbooking policy with the goal of revenue maximization. Those studies focused more on mathematical modeling. Our study is the first empirical study that elaborates the impact of overbooking on customer relationship management. Through the examination of moderating variables that stem from the service context, the impact was made more manifest and apparent. Thus, our study makes a link between revenue management, service failure, and service recovery from a marketing perspective.An important finding of this study is that the mean score of customers' perceived fairness towards overbooking was about four, or \"neutral\". This suggests that more customers perceive overbooking as a common and acceptable practice. Still, a significant number of participants (43.8 percent) did, as popular belief suggests, consider overbooking in hotels to be unfair. Especially in the open-ended question, without being asked, 8 percent of participants directly expressed resistance to overbooking. Furthermore, speculation and caution should be made in interpretation of the neutrality of fairness perception toward overbooking, which is contributed by thirty percent (30 percent) of the participants who indicated overbooking to be fair or very fair. It is a wide belief and common practice that overbooking occurs with compensation. The notion of compensation could have accounted for the positive perception of fairness, if the participants associated \"overbooking policy\" with the compensation. The entire scenario in which the compensation might be taken into account could have made the overbooking policy seem more fair to the participants. Given that it costs up to five times as much to recruit new customers than it does to keep current customers satisfied (Hart et al., 1990), hotel operators should be cautious when they choose to overbook.Second, this study also provides valuable information about the intangible costs of revenue management principles. The results imply that the fairness theory is very important for predicting customer loyalty; participants' perceived fairness toward the hotel's overbooking and compensation policies were strongly correlated with positive word-of-mouth publicity. Given that one loyal customer is apt to tell an average of twelve people about the hotel toward which he or she feels loyal (Bowen and Shoemaker, 1998), ensuring that customers perceive the hotel's practices to be fair would be an effective strategy for increasing positive word-of-mouth advertisement. Future research is needed to further quantify the relationship between fairness and loyalty.Third, this study answers the question proposed by Noone et al. (2003) in their study of the impact of revenue management on customer relationship management: Which customers should qualify for availability guarantees when demand-based availability revenue management applications are in place? They suggest that room availability guarantees protect against the loss of customer patronage due to lack of inventory availability. Some hotel companies offer this type of service as part of their loyalty programs. For example, under Marriott's loyalty program, Platinum members (customers who stay at Marriott properties 75 or more nights per calendar year) currently qualify for a brand-dependent 48 hour or 72 hour reservation guarantee. However, such elite members represent only a small portion of a hotel company's customer base. The results of this study suggest that hotel operators need to empirically test rules to decide which customers should be protected against walking. Our results show that women are more likely than men to perceive overbooking policies to be unfair and to be less loyal to the hotel engaging in such practices. Overall, our findings suggest that hotel operators may want to avoid walking female guests and members in hopes of minimizing damage to customers' goodwill and future patronage. All other factors, including length of stay, booking channel, time of reservation, membership status, and payer source, do not appear to make any difference on customers' perception of fairness. Thus, with the exception of gender, hotel operators should strive to treat all guests equally.Fourth, the results of this study suggest that, when overbooking is inevitable, hotel operators should offer appropriate compensation to influence customers' perceived fairness toward overbooking and thus secure their ongoing loyalty to the establishment. As indicated from the results, participants' perceived fairness toward the hotel's compensation policy was significantly related to their loyalty. Consequently, it is in hotel operators' best interest to devise compensation policies that secure customer loyalty. Besides a complementary stay at another hotel and transportation to that hotel, hotels may also want to consider offering walked guests a free night stay or a stay at a discounted rate at the original stay at a later time. Hotels also need to be more creative in terms of extra compensation. A free dinner at the hotel, free champagne, free movie/show tickets, or free hotel points could all help produce a service recovery that meets or, better, exceeds customers' expectations. Some demographic group, like adults aged 65 and over, may require a sympathetic, non-monetary recovery effort like a sincerely apology from the general manager. As we compare the expectations from today's customers with the list of walking amenities from McConnell and Rutherford's study in 1990, one significant difference is the reduction in popularity of free long-distance calls. The wide usage of personal cell phones nowadays may account for this change. Additionally, although in 1990, hotels provided complementary room on next stay to elite members or frequent travelers only, today a significant number of base customers expect the same treatment. Hotel operators need to respond to this trend of higher expectations from customers and to improve their policies accordingly.\n6. Limitations and future research: Despite the advantages of using a scenario based research, this study experiences some limitations. First and foremost, participants of this study were grocery shoppers, not actual hotel guests. Though we tried to create a scenario as vivid as possible, the responses were vulnerable to personal biases. A longitudinal field study that collects response from real hotel guests being bumped should be considered for future studies about customers' reactions to the consequence of revenue management. Even though our sample size met the requirement for the statistical analyses, the small sample size might have caused our tests to be weaker in power than they could have been.As an extension of this study, future research can include the investigation of variables that influence perceived fairness (by the customer) when the customer is confronted with a hotel overbooking situation that involves, as part of the resolution, some level of compensation (financial or otherwise) and the effect of such circumstances (and compensation) on customer loyalty toward that particular brand and/or hotel. Such variables can include: price paid, purpose for staying at that hotel (i.e. business vs pleasure), class and location of the hotel, distance traveled that day, and time of day of the customer's check in. For example, a customer traveling to an unfamiliar location might feel more anxious about being \"walked\" than a customer familiar with the area in which the hotel is located. In addition, different check-in times might lead to different responses toward the walks.Moreover, in this study, the only compensation provided was free transportation to the hotel to which the customer had been \"walked\" and a free night's stay (room and taxes) at that hotel. A future study should be conducted with the objective of identifying the best method of compensation as a \"recovery strategy\" which can achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction while maintaining customer loyalty. The future study would require the manipulation of various levels including upgrades and downgrades and types of compensation, which would need to be measured against fairness and retention of customer loyalty.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of hotel overbooking and compensation practices on customers' perceptions of fairness and loyalty and examine the effects of customer gender, reservation time, membership status, length of stay, payer source, and reservation channel on perceived fairness toward overbooking.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study utilized a scenario-based survey on grocery shoppers to identify relationships between overbooking, fairness and loyalty.\nFindings: - The findings show that customers who perceive a hotel's overbooking and compensation practices to be unfair are less likely to be loyal to the hotel in the future. Women were more likely than men to perceive the practice of hotel overbooking as unfair. All other factors had no effect on customers' perceptions of fairness.\nResearch limitations/implications: - A longitudinal field study that collects response from real hotel guests being bumped should be considered for future studies about customers' reactions to the consequence of overbooking.\nPractical implications: - Considering the invisible cost of overbooking, it is important for hotels to consider additional compensation policies to help positively influence walked customers' perception of overbooking and thus their loyalty and ongoing patronage.\nOriginality/value: - This is one of the first research papers looking at the invisible costs of overbooking in terms of customers' long-term behavior by addressing questions of whom to walk and how to compensate the walked.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
When social media met commerce: a model of perceived customer value in group-buying
|
[
"Social commerce",
"Group buying",
"Low price",
"Perceived customer value",
"Social media review"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Social commerce (e.g. GroupOn, Living Social) refers to commercial activities that occur in social networks (Yadav et al., 2013), namely, a combination of social media and internet shopping. According to a Booz & Company survey in 2010 (Booz and Co, 2011), social commerce market in the USA is expected to exceed US$14 bn by 2015. According to Mobile Commerce News (2014), a parallel trend is predicted for the South Korean market that represents over US$2.6 bn in social commerce transactions. Social commerce is rapidly expanding worldwide, and it has various models including flash sales, group buying, social shopping, purchase sharing and personal shoppers (Kim, 2011). Among these models, the most popular type of social commerce is group buying, a method used and popularized by GroupOn. Group-buying sites use a mechanism in which a group discount deal is made upon an aggregated number of buyers agreeing to purchase the product/service and meeting pre-determined conditions set by the seller (e.g. minimum demand, deadline) (Anand and Aron, 2003; Liu and Sutanto, 2012). This mechanism allows buyers to enjoy a group discount, while the suppliers (vendors) trade off the low price for a bigger volume of business.\nTheoretical background and hypotheses: Antecedents of perceived customer value in group-buying\nResearch method: Instrument development\nData analysis and results: PLS analysis was used to estimate the model. PLS is a powerful structural equation model that has been used widely (Chin et al., 1996). We considered indicators as consequences of the latent variables, assuming a reflective measurement model (Jarvis et al., 2003). Valence of experience was modeled as a second-order formative construct based on three dimensions: convenience, Web quality and product accessibility.\nDiscussion and practical implications: Implications for the social commerce vendors\nConclusion: Theoretical contributions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Social commerce using social media has been on the rapid increase. Among various social commerce models, group-buying has become the mainstream. There is a paucity of research related to how customers perceive value in group-buying situations. This paper aims to examine and analyze various factors that influence perceived customer value in group-buying.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected using a survey on customers who had purchased a restaurant service deal on a group-buying site. A partial least squares technique was used to estimate the model.\nFindings: Results show that perceived customer value affects customers' group buying intentions and that all four antecedents of perceived value (low price, valence of experience, trust in social media and reputation of the group-buying site) have a significant influence. Implications and further research directions are discussed at the end of the paper.\nOriginality/value: This study provides valuable strategic implications for social commerce firms.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Supporting new product creation in the Mondragon Valley
|
[
"New products",
"Product development",
"Innovation",
"Spain"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Many NPD, innovation and design models exist which claim to represent industrial reality (Booz et al., 1968; Cooper and Kleinschmidt, 1986; Andreasen and Klein, 1987; Cooper, 1994; Ullrich and Eppinger, 1995; Song and Montoya-Weiss, 1998). Yet few of these models seem to be used in practice (Griffin, 1997) and, within the engineering design community, Eder (1998) and Frost (1999) discuss this research into practice \"gap\". However, there are signs that the academic community are moving closer to the industrial reality. Part of this evolving understanding has been demonstrated by Buijs (2003) and Cunha and Gomes (2003) who demonstrate, among other things, the progression from highly structured linear process models to less structured cyclical and iterative ones. Given this background, the Ikerlan NPC model is presented as a guide for conducting industrial product development, specifically for technology based products.The paper is presented in six sections. First, a brief background section details the operating context and motivation for the model, discussing the Mondragon Valley. Next, the state of the art in product development (PD) processes and models is presented, providing a link (justification) between motivation and presentation of the model contents (Section 3). In Section 4, min-cases from the Mondragon Valley are presented in the context of the early design phase element of the model. Next, a discussion on evaluation and use of the model is presented before a final brief summary and conclusion.\nBackground and motivation: Operating context\nState of the art in new product development process models: The NPD field has a core body of knowledge which has remained the same for many years, with, for example, stage-gate type processes first being published over 40 years ago. Rundquist and Chibba (2003) note some of the major models which have been produced over these past 40 years (Booz et al., 1968, 1982; Andreasen and Klein, 1987; Cooper, 1994; Yasdani and Holmes, 1999) citing that they typically describe a process from an idea and/or need to product launch and include activities such as idea/concept generation, idea screening, business analysis, development, test and validation, and commercialisation. Typical design and development models from both the academic and industrial fields are shown in Table II, together with common elements. Industrial models are shown in italic. It can be seen that many of the terms are similar and that certain process stages could overlap and be used interchangeably. However, certain common elements can be extracted as shown in the table header. A similar approach is taken by Fairlie-Clarke and Muller (2003) - as background and motivation for the presentation of their own model they discuss in detail the models of Wheelwright and Clark (1992), BS 7000 (1997), Cooper and Kleinschmidt (1986), and Song and Montoya-Weiss (1998). Extracted from these are a common set of generic elements shown below:* identify product opportunity;* generate product proposals;* evaluate and approve product proposals;* identify requirements and generate PDS;* develop product business plans;* generate project proposals;* evaluate and approve project proposals and business plans;* fund and schedule projects;* monitor projects;* design product;* specify supply processes;* develop new supply resources;* evaluate and approve supply development;* validate product (technical);* develop product support;* release products into product range; and* execute product launch.Such efforts at \"standardisation\" for the PD process are useful, yet, given the issue of context inherent in the wide array of industrial and academic models presented in Table II, investigation on more than a content level is required for sufficient understanding of NPD practice.Operational characteristics: stage-gate\nThe Ikerlan new product development activity model: Approach\nRepresenting the early design phases: the opportunities-ideas-concepts core: The specific operation of the OIC core is modelled in Figure 11.As shown, work in the OIC is based on the spiral process (discussed above in the state of the art section - Figure 4). Opportunities, ideas and concepts are investigated through planned iterative phases of business development, design conceptualisation and technology specification. The idea is to produce holistic well-designed concepts that are feasible and potentially profitable for the organisation. At the end of each cycle low-level concept screens are used to gauge the readiness of the concept for transfer to core development. This semi-formalised evaluation will either result in the start of focused development or provide the stimulus for the next iteration of OIC progression.These early design phase activities are tackled by a multidisciplinary team, with emphasis on representation from each of the four formal quadrants. As such traditionally high-risk, contentious issues are tackled prior to core development, allowing faster work and less re-design in that area. In a similar fashion to the PACE methodology (McGrath, 1996) the multidisciplinary team is complemented by a review committee who manage the input of information fed to the OIC development team, direct evaluation and provide senior level sponsorship and support.Critical interactions\nEvaluation and use: Re-visiting the state of the art\nSummary and conclusion: In summary, the Ikerlan NPC model has been presented as a guide for companies engaged in PD/creation. Designed in response to emerging needs in the Mondragon Valley it also aims to address existing community concerns, including lack of formal model application, integrating the most appropriate features of existing models in line with key references. The main elements of the model include formal quadrants of product and TS and development, an OIC core which represents typical early design phases, knowledge management best practice and planning and control. These form the basis of the guide which aims to provide more useful knowledge for innovative product development in MCC. Implementation is aided by information on background theory, best practice, and tools and methods to form an overall NPC guide.The OIC element fulfils several critical interactions with other areas of NPC, including preliminary development activities, knowledge interaction and innovation planning. In conclusion, the NPC model is presented as a guide for companies who view the development and release of products as their greatest source of value, with traditional early phase design activities shown to represent a critical concern. Given the experiences in Ikerlan there is no doubt that many of the features in the model are appropriate and potentially valuable for the local operating context. These are the subject on ongoing testing and development, addressing product challenges within case companies in the Mondragon group. It is believed, not least through a completed literature review, that such challenges are mirrored in design and development organisations world-wide.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Within the Mondragon Valley - an industrial heartland in the Basque Country, in the North of Spain - there has been a growing need for a practical model of the new product development (NPD) process which fulfils a variety of needs, notably the integration of strategy and technology considerations.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper is based on a review of the state of the art in the NPD field, focusing on the use and limitations of both established and newer models for guiding product development. This is combined with the experiences of managing real NPD projects for companies in the Mondragon Corporacion Cooperativa over the past several years.\nFindings: - The paper presents the Ikerlan new product creation (NPC) model, designed primarily in response to area needs, which attempts to combine the most useful aspects of existing NPD models.\nResearch limitations/implications: - In the first instance, the model is created for use by companies in the Mondragon Valley - therefore it may not be possible to generalise findings, yet the paper may be instructive in showcasing the real industrial innovation needs of a European region. The model evolved from several notable works in the NPD community which may address these limitations in part.\nPractical implications: - The model may be used as a basic guide for aspects including NPD outsourcing, idea generation and, ultimately, reducing time to market. This is specifically tailored to companies in the Mondragon Valley. However, depending on the operating context certain aspects may be transferable to other European areas.\nOriginality/value: - The paper details the industrial context, introducing the Mondragon cooperative - the largest industrial cooperative in the world with over 100 companies in seven industrial sectors - the academic context, discussing state of the art in NPD processes and models, and concludes with short industrial cases which show the potential use of the developed model. As such, insight is presented into a European area with a tradition of innovation, together with some of the challenges it faces in the years ahead. A new NPD model, combining the most useful aspects of existing models may also be of use to certain members of the academic and industrial communities.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
How budget constraints impact consumers' response to discount presentation formats
|
[
"Budgets",
"Discounts",
"Cash discounts"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Consumers contemplate the feasibility of a purchase in light of their available monetary resources as well as a product's net price. Extensive pricing research has been conducted on how consumers' perception of net price is influenced by discount cues provided by retailers (for a synthesis see Krishna et al., 2002). Less is known, however, about deal evaluation within the context of consumers' own monetary resources and constraints.Although past research states that consumers' monetary resources impact deal evaluation (Lichtenstein and Bearden, 1989; Monroe, 1990; Thaler, 1999), findings also suggest that total or disposable income may be less accurate in explaining spending priorities when compared to money allocated for a specific purchase (Heath and Soll, 1996). Notwithstanding the role of specific allocations, empirical studies have only addressed the role of monetary resources by using random assignment in experiment designs, or by measuring and controlling for the potential effect of a consumer's income rather than studying the role of the operative budget (Grewal et al., 1998; Zeithaml, 1988). A review of the stimuli used in past price perception research reveals the use of a range of product categories - from inexpensive items such as fast food, calculators, and toothpaste to more expensive products such as airline tickets, car payments, vacations, and televisions. It is unclear whether participants evaluated pricing stimuli in past studies within the context of their personal budgets. Because deal evaluation has not been studied in the context of budget information and budget information has not been explicitly manipulated or measured, it remains unclear what role, if any, is played by individual differences in budget when consumers evaluate price information.We examine the simultaneous effect of consumer budget and discount format on consumer willingness to buy. We build on and extend prior price perception studies by explicitly considering the effect that a consumer's budget has on price perception. As stated in past research, if price perception depends on contextual variables, theoretically linking a contextual variable such as consumer budget to price evaluation should enhance our understanding of how consumers interpret pricing information (Lichtenstein and Bearden, 1989). A greater understanding of the interaction between consumer budget and discount presentation format could offer guidance for retailers' selection of discount presentation formats that better match the economic profile of their target market and for designing diverse deal offers to more effectively target consumer segments that are likely to differ in their available budget.\nTheory: Consumer budget and price perception\nStudy 1: Participants\nAnalysis and results: In Kahneman and Tversky's (1984) study, when the calculator was priced at $15 and a discount of $5 was offered, 69 percent of the participants indicated a willingness to drive for the discount. Conversely, when the calculator was priced at $125, 29 percent indicated a willingness to drive to avail a discount of $5. In our study, when the price of the headphone set was $25 and a $10 discount was offered, 70 percent of the participants with a tight budget of $150 indicated a willingness to drive for the discount (n=60). Moreover, when the price of the headphone set was $115, only 32 percent of the participants were willing to avail a $10 discount by driving 15 minutes (n=60). Note that the percentages obtained within the context of a tight budget are remarkably similar to the 69 and 29 percent evoked by the suggested use of a topical account as reported by Kahneman and Tversky. In contrast, when the budget was $500, the percentage of people willing to drive was 44 percent when the price of the headphone was $25 (n=59) and 42 percent when the price was $115 (n=57). Both percentages in the ample budget condition were significantly different than the 70 percent willing to drive in the tight budget and $25 price condition (kh2=11.5, 2 df, p=0.003). Thus, in the tight budget condition, the pattern of results followed the pattern observed in Kahneman and Tversky's study where participants were said to use topical accounts. However, when an ample budget was provided, the results were significantly different compared to those obtained from the use of a topical account. We suggest that the results observed in the ample budget condition support a mental accounting process that is more comprehensive given the participants evaluated the discount relative to an overall budget rather than the object of the discount alone.\nDiscussion: study 1: The results indicate that including budget information evoked a different mental account but the effect was observable only when the budget was ample. There are a few possible reasons for the contrast between tight and ample budget conditions. In the tight budget condition, the ceiling set by the budget closely resembled the overall outlay. Perhaps the sufficient availability of funds did not alter the buying scenario significantly in the tight budget condition. According to past research that applies assimilation-contrast theory to study pricing (Lichtenstein and Bearden, 1989), the results can be explained by considering that when the outlay was close to the budget, the outlay was assimilated into the budget. Due to the close proximity of the budget and the outlay, the scenario came to resemble that of Kahneman and Tversky (1984). Therefore, results closely followed those observed in Kahneman and Tversky's study. However, in the ample budget condition there is sufficient evidence that participants used a comprehensive account. Had participants in the ample budget condition used a topical account, they would have evaluated the discount relative to the base price of the headphone set only. Consistent with topical mental accounting, they should have ignored any budget information and indicated a greater willingness to drive for the discount when the price of the headphone set was $25 than when the price was $115. In contrast, an ample budget diminished the significance of a $10 discount altogether, a contrast effect, leading to a significantly lower interest in availing the discount regardless of the base price. Thus, it can be inferred that not only did the presence of an ample budget lead to the use of a comprehensive mental account, it also led to a violation of the commonly used psychophysical explanation whereby discounts are evaluated in proportion to the price of the discounted item.It is also worth noting that when the base price was $125, in the ample budget condition the percentage of participants who were willing to drive was higher than the percentage willing to drive in the tight budget condition. Although this difference was not statistically significant (kh2=2.2, 2 df, p>0.1), it is likely that this difference is driven by a higher perception of affordability with an ample budget. Perhaps when budget was tight, the limited desire to drive for the discount overlapped with the reluctance to buy a headphone set for $125. This explanation is consistent with Chen et al.'s (1998) and Raghubir's (1998) suggestion that willingness to avail a discount may be low if obtaining a discount involves a higher monetary sacrifice. Therefore, it is important to separate the use of topical accounts from choices made due to lack of affordability of a higher priced item. Overall, results of study 1 point out that, contrary to previous assumption, not all decision contexts lead to the use of topical accounts and that ample versus tight budgets influence whether a comprehensive account is evoked.Study 1 provides initial evidence for the utilization of comprehensive mental accounts, but further insight can be gained into the role played by budget information in deal evaluation by introducing budget into deal evaluation scenarios whose outcomes are well-established by past research. Studying budget as a new contextual variable in scenarios with known outcomes enables us to more confidently attribute any departures from expected results to the manipulated change in contextual information. To set up such a scenario in a context relevant to discount evaluation, we decided to study the role played by budget in the evaluation of percent-off (%-off) and dollar-off ($-off) discount formats.The influence of discount formats on price perception\nStudy 2: Participants\nAnalysis and results: Manipulation checks\nGeneral discussion: This research's primary objective was to increase our understanding of the role consumer budget plays in price perception. Study 1 replicates and extends findings in extant literature. The results suggest that, although it is widely believed that consumers evaluate discounts using topical accounts and thus, focus on the object of the discount, deal evaluation is influenced by budget constraints. Moreover, our research extends previous findings derived from the psychophysics of pricing. It demonstrates that although it is believed that the attractiveness of any absolute discount decreases in inverse proportion to the objective price, such evaluations are also influenced by the presence of budget information. Specifically, consumer budget interacts with discount formats, and therefore it is an important issue retailers should consider when deciding what discount presentation format to use.Theoretical implications\nConclusion: The budget construct has relevance to a number of research streams including social class and product involvement. Consumer behavior researchers have demonstrated that significant differences in spending patterns exist at a macro level across social class categories, where income is one of the indicators of social class. However, the influence of social class at the individual level is less clear and it may be due in part to differences in how individuals choose to allocate their available resources. However, an individual with a high income may allocate his/her discretionary income in a variety of ways depending on lifestyle. For example, he/she may have a disproportionately large budget allocated for a product category in which he/she has high involvement, such as collector cars. Likewise, this consumer may have a tight budget for categories such as personal care items, travel, or entertainment, where we would expect him/her to have significant available spending power. Consumers in lower income brackets also exercise their freedom to allocate their budgets in ways that may enable them to strive for certain personal goals. Consumption under such circumstances may not follow conventionally assumed low-income spending patterns. Therefore, measurement of a consumer's budget may help us better interpret social class effects at the individual level. In any event, it is clear that a consumer's budget for a product category should be included as a situational influence on consumer evaluation of price information. Considering that promotion and pricing cues pervade today's marketplace and consumer budgets appear to exert a powerful influence on purchase behavior, the pricing literature would benefit from more studies that investigate the complex nature of these evaluations and influences.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This research aims to study how buyers' budget constraints influence buyers' perceptions of discounts presented in a dollars-off versus percentage-off format. A comparison of perceptions of discount format under budget constraints is missing from the past literature. The current research aims to fill this gap.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The research is based on two experiments. In the first experiment, a study by Kahneman and Tversky is replicated and extended by including budget constraints. In the second experiment participants are given either a high or a low budget and then asked to compare objectively equivalent discounts that are presented in either dollars-off or percent-off terms. Participants' willingness to buy is recorded and used to gauge the efficacy of the discount formats under budget constraints.\nFindings: - The research extends previous findings derived from the psychophysics of pricing. It demonstrates that, although it is believed that the attractiveness of an absolute discount is inversely proportional to the objective price, such evaluations are also influenced by the presence of budget information. Specifically, consumer budget interacts with discount formats such that the $-off versus percent-off discounts may not be appropriate for expensive or inexpensive products respectively, as shown in past research. Instead, the value of the discount in proportion to the available budget may play a significant role in deal evaluation. Therefore it is an important issue retailers should consider when deciding what discount presentation format to use.\nOriginality/value: - Although past research views price as a constraint, the findings indicate that price in itself may not be a constraint unless viewed within the context of a budget. Consumers implicitly make this comparison, but past research has not specifically tested for the effects of budgets and, instead, has relied on income as a proxy for a consumer's spending power. The results provide evidence that using income instead of budget may be an oversimplification.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Main characteristics of world-first innovation in catching-up countries
|
[
"China",
"Innovation",
"Developing countries"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Late industrialization has largely been regarded as the process of technological catch-up (Amsden, 2001). There are two presently independent streams of technology studies, both of which have contributed significantly to our understanding of technology development in catching-up countries. Table I shows the two streams of research, which borrowed the metaphor of \"organizations as sponges\" from Fiol (1996).The first research stream, called \"technological learning studies\", focuses primarily on the ability of followers to absorb external knowledge (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990) and upgrade their technological capability. The second stream of research, depicted in the right column of Table I, is usually defined as \"technological innovation studies\". Existing technology studies about catching-up countries are imbalanced. On one hand, as Table I shows, most of existing studies have focused on the variables that facilitate a follower's efforts on learning or accumulating technological capabilities. Policies, tools and techniques for managing technological learning in catching-up countries have been heavily studied, and understanding of technological learning in followers has changed dramatically over the past two decades. The growing number of studies in this line has begun to add up to a new approach of capability building. On the other hand, little attention has been paid to factors that are conducive for followers to bringing innovations in the marketplace or launch new products and processes. This literature gap is partly due to the fact that little technological innovation has been generated in catching-up countries, if we define it as being first to the world. As Freeman and Soete (1997, p. 356) point out, \"the vast majority of new technologies will originate primarily from within the technologically most advanced countries\".Lack of innovation studies concerning catching-up countries generates two problems: in the first place, scholars and practicing managers of MOT in catching-up countries have to heavily rely on those theories and managerial principles found in advanced countries, although innovation is country-specific; secondly, innovation and learning studies concerning catching-up countries, to a large extent, have been done in isolation from one another.Consequently, this contribution is based on the observation that some innovation followers have become innovation leaders even before they have caught up with technology-leaders in advanced countries, and attempts to fill the literature gap noted earlier. In China, four such innovations stand out: video compact disc (VCD) players, TD-SCDMA (the third-generation mobile telecommunication standard), Red Flag Linux and the Longxin chip. In this paper, we aim to address the following two issues:1. What are main characteristics of world-first innovation in catching-up countries?2. What are critical success factors for followers to launch world-first products?We will do this by focusing on a single innovation, namely the VCD player, which has been regarded as world-first innovation. \"World-first innovation\" is a first ever commercialization of a technology, in any country, i.e. new to the world (see, e.g. Cozzarin, 2006). This paper presents a single albeit in-depth study: since there is only little innovation still in catching-up countries, conducting a large-scale empirical analysis is impossible. Some previous studies (in Chinese) explore the evolution of the VCD player industry (Ren, 1998; Lu and Mu, 2003), but the present article is different in two aspects. In the first place, this article introduces two previously unmentioned issues; and second, the research time span is much broader previously covered. Importantly, this paper pays special attention to the fact that the world-first innovation emerged from a loosely coupled network, consisting of a variety of players located in different regions of the world. Understanding inter-firm collaborative arrangements is a necessary prerequisite to understanding the process of world-first innovation. In addition to research interviews, newspaper articles and government reports have been used to conduct this case study.The remainder of this article is in four parts. First we examine the birth of VCD players. The second part presents the evolution of China's VCD player industry. Based on these two complementary investigations, the third part proposes general principles relating to world-first innovations. Finally, a conclusion part summarizes the main findings of the study.\n2. The birth of VCD players: The video compact disc (VCD) is a novel digital video distribution medium, using MPEG-1 technology to compress and store full-motion video on a polycarbonate plastic disc coated with aluminum and lacquer. Matsushita, Philips, Sony and JVC invented the method of compressing video and audio signals, i.e. the MPEG I standard, in 1993. While many of the core technologies necessary for VCDs were invented outside China, it was a Chinese company that put the pieces together to innovate a new digital video product. MPEG-1 compression and decompression method is used for VCDs and MPEG-2 is used for DVDs. Since the mid-1990s and into the next decade, VCD players have been used widely in China for home entertainment. They feature interactivity and have relatively acceptable picture quality with MPEG-1 compression technology. While the resolution is better than the VHS system it was meant to replace, it is of lower quality than the DVD system introduced later.The VCD player is the first digital consumer product with the MPEG compression standard. It was specifically designed for playing movies, audio CDs and interactive educational titles (Wang, 1996). By the late 1990s, China was the largest producer and consumer of VCD players (China's Computer Newspaper (Zhong Guo Dian Zhi Bao), 1995).With strategic partnership with C-Cube, Wanyan Electronics Systems, Inc. invented the first VCD player. (C-Cube Microsystems, Inc., was a California-based leader in MPEG-1 compression technology, incorporated in 1988. It went public on NASDAQ in April 1994 and was eventually acquired by LSI Logic Corporation on March 26, 2001.)In July of 1993, Wanyan delivered the first prototype VCD player. It was capable of playing both audio compact discs and MPEG-1 video compacts. On September 7, 1993, a Wanyan VCD player with the C-Cube decoder was demonstrated in a Beijing International Broadcasting and TV show. Wanyan also had a clear vision about the VCD titles to be played, because as complementary products they played an important role in the market penetration of VCD players. Wanyan therefore purchased copyrights from various audio and video publishing firms and produced ten different kinds of VCD titles. In the beginning of 1994, Wanyan VCD players and related software were demonstrated in major department stores of Beijing, such as Xidan and Yansa. As of April 1994, Wanyan VCD players had become widely available in Beijing's major retailers.\n3. The competitive dynamics of China's VCD player industry: In the seven years after the introduction of the first VCD players in 1993, China's VCD player industry experienced fast growth, as shown in Figure 1. China became the largest producer and consumer of VCD players in the world. In describing the competitive dynamics of China's VCD player industry, we present the VCD market's evolution in three stages:1. The foreign brand-dominance stage (from 1993 to the second half of 1995).2. The local brand catching-up stage (from the second half of 1995 to the end of 1997).3. The local brand dominance stage (from the end of 1997 to 2000).These stages relating to the changing market shares of local versus foreign brands. Since 2000, when the prices of DVD players started to match VCD player prices, this market begun to decline (see Figure 2).3.1 The foreign brand-dominance stage (from 1993 to the second half of 1995)\n4. Discussions and propositions: In analysis of the case study of the VCD player industry evolution in China, several principles relating to world-first innovation in catching-up countries can be formulated.4.1. Main characteristics of world-first innovation in catching-up countries\n5. Conclusions: China's VCD player industry provides a vivid example of the dynamics of world-first innovation. The main characteristics of world-first innovation in catching-up countries include:* from the demand side, innovation is mainly pulled by the local market, rather than technology-push;* from the supply side, innovation cannot isolate from the rest of the world - suppliers of key technologies in advanced countries play an important role;* inter-firm alliances are an increasingly important way to generate world-first innovation; and* downstream integration capabilities are required for followers to mix pieces of technologies together at competitive pricing.It is probably impossible for any one company today to capture all value derived from an innovation. The success of followers from developing countries to launch world-first products hinges on the four critical factors:1. strengths of complementary assets;2. figuring out ways to meet local market demand without relying on large R&D spending;3. emphasizing untapped innovation opportunities by multinationals; and4. positioning themselves on the proper points of the globally coordinated network for innovation.Considering the exploratory nature of this study, the conclusions mentioned above need to be tested further by analyzing and comparing case studies of a number of innovations in catching-up countries. Should our propositions hold true, they have important consequences for currently ongoing endeavors on world-first innovations in China and elsewhere. Given the rarity of world-first innovations in developing countries, this will be a challenge for future research.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Through examining the development of the video compact disc player industry in China, this article aims to explore the main characteristics of world-first innovation and identify four success factors for innovation followers to launch world-first products in catching-up countries.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This article takes the form of a case study\nFindings: - The main characteristics of world-first innovation in catching-up countries include: from the demand side, innovation is mainly pulled by the local market, rather than technology-push; from the supply side, innovation cannot isolate itself from the rest of the world - suppliers of key technologies in advanced countries play an important role; inter-firm alliances are an increasingly important way to generate world-first innovation; and downstream integration capabilities are required for followers to mix pieces of technologies together at competitive pricing. The success of followers from catching-up countries to launch world-first products hinges on the four critical factors: strengths of complementary assets; figuring out ways to meet local market demand without relying on large R&D spending; emphasizing untapped innovation opportunities by multinationals; and positioning themselves on the proper points of the globally coordinated network for innovation.\nOriginality/value: - This article identifies the main characteristics of world-first innovation and points out four success factors for innovation followers to launch world-first products, which could be significant to managers in catching-up countries. Findings of this paper are more relevant to large catching-up countries such as India, Brazil, Mexico and Indonesia where a large domestic market could serve as important launch markets for the world-first innovation.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Data governance activities: a comparison between scientific and practice-oriented literature
|
[
"Content analysis",
"Data governance",
"Data governance activities",
"Open coding"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The absence of a data governance programme may cause failure in the running of an organisation, as the worth of an organisation's data cannot be determined precisely. To know what data are worth, an organisation is required to know where the data are, how they are used, and where and when they are integrated. In recent years, the volume of data used within organisations has increased dramatically, playing a critical role in business operations (Tallon et al., 2013). In particular, data influence both operational and strategic decisions. The governance of these data has also become critical, where data are treated as a valuable asset (Khatri and Brown, 2010). Data governance has rapidly gained in popularity (Cheong and Chang, 2007; Khatri and Brown, 2010; Weber et al., 2009) and is considered to be an emerging subject in the information systems (IS) field (Hagmann, 2013; Kamioka et al., 2016; Rasouli et al., 2016). Practitioners also consider data governance as a promising approach for enterprises to improve and maintain the quality and use of their data (Otto, 2011a).\n2. Data governance background: Data governance is defined as \"a companywide framework for assigning decision-related rights and duties in order to be able to adequately handle data as a company asset\" (Otto, 2011b, p. 47). The main driver for data governance is considering data as an asset of the firm (Panian, 2010). Horne (1995) connected governance with optimal uses of assets, then treated data and information as an asset, which drives the importance of the governance of the data within an organisation. The concept of data as an asset was developed in a report by the Hawley Committee in 1994, which defined data assets as \"data that is or should be documented and that has value or potential value\" (Oppenheim et al., 2003. p. 159).\n3. Research approach: Given that the goal of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of data governance activities, as reported in scientific and practice-oriented publications, content analysis was deemed an appropriate analysis approach. Content analysis is a frequently used technique when analysing texts (written or visual sources) especially where the meaning of the text is relatively straightforward and obvious (Myers, 2009). Content analysis requires the researcher to code the texts in a systematic way; therefore, through searching for \"structures and patterned regularities in the text\" (cf. Myers, 2009), the researcher applies a code to a unit of text that seeks to demonstrate the meaning of that text. Once coded, the resulting output can be both quantified and interpreted. Therefore, in effect, content analysis is best understood as \"a quantitative method of analysing the content of qualitative data\" (Myers, 2009, p. 172). Similar to Finney and Corbett (2007), this research adopted eight coding steps in order to conduct content analysis on a selection of scientific and practice-oriented publications. These steps consist of data collection and coding procedures which enable researchers to ensure clarity and transparency in the processes undertaken. These steps and the associated decisions are explained below.\n4. Data governance activities analysis: A total of 156 publications were reviewed, 61 of which explicitly mention data governance activities. The 61 publications were classified by publication type: either scientific publications, including peer-review publications, or practice-oriented publications, including publications by industry associations, software vendors, and analysts. The 61 publications are listed in Table V.\n5. Conclusions and research implications: Research in the data governance domain is growing in IS, as is the need for research in this area as more organisations consider data as a valuable asset. A review of the data governance literature shows that there is a lack of research that explicitly studies activities for governing data. Nevertheless, there is some research that contributes to our understanding of data governance through modelling (Khatri and Brown, 2010; Otto, 2011b; Tallon et al., 2013). These studies reveal some progress in exploring the activities that are required for governing data.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the current literature on data governance in scientific and practice-oriented publications, and to provide a comparative analysis of the activities reported for data governance. Data have become a key organisational asset and data governance both a necessary and critical activity.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A comprehensive literature review is conducted in order to identify the published material that reflects the current state of knowledge. A systematic procedure was followed that identified 61 publications that explicitly mention data governance activities. Open coding techniques were applied to conduct content analysis, resulting in the identification of 591 concepts. A critical analysis also identified gaps in the literature.\nFindings: The analysis identified 120 data governance activities which are understood as: \"action\" plus \"area of governance\" plus \"decision domain\" (e.g. define data policies for data quality). The authors define and present a data governance activities model based on the analysis. The analysis also shows a higher volume of data governance activities reported by practice-oriented publications that are associated with the \"implement\" and \"monitor\" actions of the areas of governance across the decision domains compared with scientific publications, whereas The authors found that the scientific publications focus more on defining activities. The results contribute to identifying research gaps and concerns on which ongoing and future research efforts can be focused.\nResearch limitations/implications: This paper is of interest to both academics and practitioners, as it helps them understand the activities associated with a data governance programme. Current literature fails to provide a comprehensive understanding of the data governance activities that are required when considering a data governance programme. Therefore, the proposed model for data governance activities can be used to give insights into these activities.\nOriginality/value: To the knowledge of the authors, this study is the first to explicitly consider data governance activities from both an academic and practice-oriented perspective.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Multi-objective production-distribution planning based on vendor-managed inventory strategy in a supply chain
|
[
"Supply chain management",
"Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm",
"Production-distribution planning",
"Vendor-managed inventory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In the real world, the production and distribution problems are two critical problems in many industries, in particular, in manufacturing systems and supply chain management processes (Kazemi et al., 2009). In this regard, the importance of optimization in production planning and distribution is studied by Boudia (2008) in supply chain management especially for manufacturing systems. In the first problem, decisions have to be made about regular working time and overtime of the employees, subcontracting production, machine capacity consideration, and firing and hiring of employees for a definite planning horizon that is usually a one year period (Varthanan et al., 2012). In the second problem, on the other hand, distribution planning decisions on which facilities would fulfill the demands of their markets (Fahimnia et al., 2013; Bilgen and Gunther, 2010). However, the existing researches on the production planning only deal with production planning separately, and they did not take into account the interrelated nature of production and distribution systems simultaneously. This gap often leads to inadequate and unreliable results, whereas the aggregate production-distribution (P-D) would allow better planning and scheduling for manufacturers (Aliev et al., 2007; Fahimnia et al., 2013). In real world, the P-D planning is one of the most important problems in manufacturing systems and supply chains (Kazemi et al., 2009) that has received an extensive attention of both practitioners and researchers.\n2. Literature review: Recently, a review of the works on the P-D models is presented by Fahimnia et al. (2013). They classified the published studies into the seven categories based on their degrees of complexity and capability in addressing real-life scenarios (see for more details Fahimnia et al., 2013). In addition, Amorim et al. (2013) presented a review on planning models that considers managing perish-ability issues in the P-D planning. Moreover, some researches related to the operational decisions on the VMI are presented. Interested readers are referred to Govindan (2013) for more literatures on VMI.\n3. Multi-objective optimization: Let us to consider P objective functions (P\n4. Problem definition: Consider a three-level supply chain including several external suppliers at the first level, single manufacturer at the second level, and multiple retailers at the third level. The manufacturer receives the necessary raw materials from the external suppliers to produce the products, produces different products in the planning periods with regard to raw material consumption coefficient and its limited capacity, and then dispatches them to the retailers. As VMI strategy is established between the manufacturer and all retailers, the inventory level of each retailer is determined by the manufacturer considering ordering, storage, and shortage costs of the retailers. As the manufacturer is accountable for inventory levels and the inventory holding costs from the retailers, each retailer should pay z cost to the manufacturer due to inventory management of each product in any planning period. In this regard, each retailer purchases the products with the wholesale price W and then sells them with the retail price P to their markets. It should be mentioned that the retailers are geographically located in different places and act independently. Hence, the retailers can sell the products with different retail prices. On the other hand, the demand rate of each retailer for each product in any planning period is a decreasing and convex function according to the retail price. Hence, demand rate is sensitive to the retail price. The lead-time of the products and raw materials has been assumed negligible. The external suppliers can supply the manufacturer for any type of raw material in any planning period.\n5. Solving methodologies: As mentioned before, the proposed problem is NP-hard. Therefore, two multi-objective meta-heuristic algorithms are designed to find near optimal solutions. It is worthwhile to mention that NSGA-II and NRGA have recently been widely applied to various problems, especially in solving non-linear optimization models (Sakiani et al., 2012; Rahmati et al., 2013; Sadeghi et al., 2013). Moreover, NSGA-II proposed in Deb et al. (2002), is one of the credible multi-objective algorithms developed based on genetic algorithm (Sakiani et al., 2012). Therefore, this paper utilizes these algorithms as solving methodologies for the proposed problem. The framework of these algorithms is described in the following.\n6. Computational results: In order to assess the applicability of proposed model, 30 test problems with different size of the suppliers, retailers, raw materials, and products are evaluated considering 12 planning periods. These test problems are randomly generated based on the information provided by Almehdawe and Mantin (2010) for a single manufacturer and multi-retailer. The values of the model parameters for each problem are obtained from Table V.\n7. Conclusion and future research: P-D planning is one of the most important problems in manufacturing systems and supply chains. Despite the advantages of the P-D planning, there were some gaps and challenges in this field such as the fluctuations of retailers' orders and the bullwhip effects. On the other hand, there had been little discussion about the P-D planning based on VMI. Moreover, the demand had usually been assumed as deterministic, fuzzy, or probabilistic and less attention had been paid to the factors affecting it such as market scales, demand elasticity, and retail prices. To fill these gaps, this paper presented a multi-objective non-linear optimization model for the P-D planning based on VMI in a three-level supply chain where the demand was a decreasing function of the retail price. The aim of this paper was to integrate a P-D planning and VMI as a strong strategy to manage the bullwhip effects in supply chains.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The production-distribution (P-D) problems are two critical problems in many industries, in particular, in manufacturing systems and the supply chain management. In previous researches on P-D planning, the demands of the retailers and their inventory levels have less been controlled. This may lead into huge challenges for a P-D plan such as the bullwhip effects. Therefore, to remove this challenge, the purpose of this paper is to integrate a P-D planning and the vendor-managed inventory (VMI) as a strong strategy to manage the bullwhip effects in supply chains. The proposed P-D-VMI aims to minimize the total cost of the manufacturer, the total cost of the retailers, and the total distribution time simultaneously.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper presents a multi-objective non-linear model for a P-D planning in a three-level supply chain including several external suppliers at the first level, a single manufacturer at the second level, and multi-retailer at the third level. A non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm and a non-dominated ranking genetic algorithm are designed and tuned to solve the proposed problem. Then, their performances are statistically analyzed and ranked by the TOPSIS method.\nFindings: The applicability of the proposed model and solution methodologies are demonstrated under several problems. A sensitivity analysis indicates the market scale and demand elasticity have a substantial impact on the total cost of the manufacturer in the proposed P-D-VMI.\nOriginality/value: Although the P-D planning is a popular approach, there has been little discussion about the P-D planning based on VMI so far. The novelty comes from developing a practical and new approach that integrates the P-D planning and VMI.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The halo effect of C2C interaction quality in prolonged close-proximity service settings
|
[
"Service quality",
"Health services",
"Social networking",
"Co-production",
"Customer participation",
"Customer-to-customer"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Service delivery continues to expand as competitors try to differentiate their offerings by viewing the exchanges as all-inclusive processes. Successful service delivery usually requires diverse actors' collaborative efforts (Pinho et al., 2014). Service providers even recognize that customers help with service delivery. Customer co-production receives broad scholarly attention in the services marketing literature (Kashif et al., 2016; Vargo and Lusch, 2004). During service co-production, other customers often share the same service space ranging from a few minutes waiting for a bank teller to weeks on a cruise vacation. Inevitably, individual customers influence other customers in close proximity (Van Doorn et al., 2010; Verhoef et al., 2009). Customers influence many service aspects and are an indispensable part of the holistic service experience for other customers (Bettencourt, 2010; Van Doorn et al., 2010; Verhoef et al., 2009). Essentially, customers are free agents looking to maximize their service experience. The more prolonged the service setting, the higher the likelihood that customers will interact with other customers. Do these customer-to-customer (C2C) interactions also influence service recipients' perceptions of the service provider?\nTheoretical backgrounds on customer-to-customer interactions: Prior studies examine C2C interactions on immediate customer outcomes, including satisfaction (Huang and Hsu, 2010; Moore et al., 2005; Wu, 2008; Yoo et al., 2012), experience (Osei-Frimpong, 2016), loyalty (Worlu et al., 2016), value co-creation (McColl-Kennedy et al., 2017) and overall well-being (Sweeney et al., 2015). Yet, C2C interaction's effect on customers' quality perceptions receives scant attention in the literature. This lacuna is surprising because the literature supports service quality's influence on customer outcomes (Cronin et al., 2000) and firm performances (Cronin and Taylor, 1994). Service firms strive to improve service quality and their customers' perceptions of service quality (Cronin and Taylor, 1994; Cronin et al., 2000). Studies examining human influence on service quality tend to focus on service employees and customers as the key operant. This study examines the service delivery from a different perspective and proposes \"other customers\" as human influencers and an operant. Specifically, this study proposes that other customers influence customers' perceptions of a service provider's interaction quality. Validating this relationship offers important managerial insights. Specifically, service firms using effective C2C interaction management can improve customer perceptions of the service provider's interaction quality.\nHypotheses development: Customer-to-customer interactions' effect on perceived socio-emotional support\nMethods: Data collection\nResults: Validity test for the customer-to-customer interaction scale\nDiscussion: Findings show that positive C2C interactions increase customer perceptions of socio-emotional support, which increases customer perceptions of the assurance and empathy dimensions of service quality. Although not as strong as direct interactions (getting along with each other), indirect interactions (observing or overhearing) are also significant. This result is consistent with Colm et al.'s (2017) finding that customer service encounters are affected when they observe and overhear other customers' experiences. Results also support Tombs and McColl-Kennedy (2013) by showing that vicariously experiencing the feelings of other customers affect service experiences.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Applying social capital and the social exchange theories to customer-to-customer (C2C) interactions, this study aims to propose that interaction quality perceptions affect the customer-to-service provider's interaction quality perceptions in a prolonged, close-proximity service setting. Examining this exogenous dimension, the study also tests socio-emotional support perception's mediating effect and customer proactiveness' moderating effect.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study adopts and modifies existing general services of C2C interaction dimensions to fit the health-care context. An in-person survey of 192 neurosurgery inpatients and their care-giving companions (both considered health-care customers) provides data to validate the dimensions and test the model. Structural equation modeling and moderated regression test the hypotheses.\nFindings: Results show that affirmative C2C interactions positively affect the customer's perceived socio-emotional support, whereas negative C2C interactions show no significant impact. Greater socio-emotional support acuity improves customers' assurance and empathy quality perceptions about the provider's service. Customer proactiveness moderates C2C interaction dimensions.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study extends the research of the C2C interaction to include their effect on service quality perceptions in a prolonged close-proximity service setting. Study results validate C2C interaction's dimensions specific to an inpatient setting. Finally, this study extends the application of social capital theory and social exchange theory to C2C settings.\nPractical implications: Findings emphasize the importance of managing C2C interactions during prolonged, close-proximity service delivery processes to improve customer perceptions of service quality. Results suggest that managers should monitor customer proactiveness to maximize positive C2C interactions' positive effects while minimizing negative C2C interactions.\nOriginality/value: Prior service quality studies tend to focus on managing internal resources (staff, processes or physical environment); however, this study examines how the interactions among external resources create a halo effect and impact customers' service quality perceptions. Results inform methods to improve their quality perceptions by better managing exogenous factors. The study also responds to calls for research on how C2C interactions affect functional service contexts (vs hedonic service contexts).\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Capability, environment and internationalization fit, and financial and marketing performance of MNEs' foreign subsidiaries: An abductive contingency approach
|
[
"Subsidiary performance",
"Entry modes",
"Establishment modes",
"Fit-outcome relationships"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Ever since the seminal contributions of Burns and Stalker (1961), Thompson (1967), Woodward (1965), and Lawrence and Lorsch (1967) in the 1960s, and the impressive series of so-called Aston studies in the late 1960s and 1970 (Hickson et al., 1969; Inkson et al., 1970; Pugh, Hickson and Hinings, 1969; Pugh et al., 1968; Pugh, Hickson, Hinings and Turner, 1969), contingency logic has been nested in the core of management thinking. At the general level, contingency theory's key claim that an organization's performance critically depends upon the fit of its internal attributes with its external environment, is heavily rooted in many organization theories. For instance, strategy theory is based upon the assumption that an organization should flexibly adapt to changes in the environment to restore fit (e.g. Child, 1972; Johnson et al., 2008), whilst organizational ecology emphasizes environmental selection of those inert organizations that happen to fit with what is required to survive in their environmental niches (e.g. Hannan and Freeman, 1977; Hannan et al., 2007).\nConfigurational abduction: The configurational approach implies a general logic, rather than a specific theory. Traditional contingency thinking implies that different internal components of an organization should not only fit together in a synergetic way, but also have - in isolation as well as in combination - to match with key features of the organization's environment. To develop very specific hypotheses on the basis of configurational theory quickly becomes highly problematic, if not undoable, if the number of contingencies increases. Given the focus on bundle effects in the configurational tradition, the number of possible configurations (and hence hypotheses) is very large - too large to sensibly develop a full series of specific hypotheses. For instance, with two contingencies, we have two main effects and one two-way interaction term (three variables), which already expands to three main effects, three two-way interaction terms, and one three-way interaction with three contingencies (seven variables). Indeed, in the current study, we estimate configurational performance models with 83 coefficients.\nPartial contingency studies in IB: Contingency and configurational work in IB\nThe GIM: Subsidiary performance model\nEmpirical exploration: Fit findings\nDiscussion: The route of abductive reasoning (Magnani, 2001; Douven, 2011) - from general propositions via exploratory empirical analyses to specific hypotheses - is adopted in the current paper, but now applying the novel quantitative empirical methodology GIM (Parker and van Witteloostuijn, 2010). This implies that we introduce a theoretical epistemological methodology novel to the management domain, and that we bring back probabilistic logic to the modern configurational approach. In the first abduction step, element identification, we define four general categories of fit, which together cumulated into a comprehensive conceptual fit framework. In the second abduction step, exploratory analysis, we estimate two complex subsidiary performance models that include 86 parameters, of which 63 were bivariate and three-way product terms that reflect measures of fit, applying Parker and van Witteloostuijn's (2010) GIM tool. This tool provided evidence about whether or not multi-level alignment matters for foreign subsidiary performance - and if so, which sources of fit are the key drivers of performance differences. In this section, we take the third abduction step, theory development, suggesting specific hypotheses that can be further tested in future work. By way of illustration, we formulate two examples of new specific hypotheses that we believe offer the best and simplest explanation (cf. Douven, 2011) for a few rather surprising findings.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Extant work in international business (IB) involves a partial contingency-theoretic perspective: a holistic view of the impact of bundles of contingencies on an outcome variable is missing. The purpose of this paper is to adopt a contingency approach to study multinational enterprise (MNE) subsidiary performance in the appropriate context of European transition economies at the beginning of the current millennium.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Methodologically, the authors introduce abduction as a line of inquiry into IB and management to develop new theoretical insights, and apply the novel empirical general interaction method to estimate bundle effects. In so doing, the authors contribute to the further development of a theoretical and empirical toolkit to revitalize holistic, or configurational, quantitative research in IB and management.\nFindings: The authors find that capability fit is a necessary condition for high MNE subsidiary marketing performance, whilst environment fit is particularly critical for high MNE subsidiary financial performance.\nResearch limitations/implications: A key limitation is that this is a cross-section study.\nPractical implications: This study offers insights as to subsidiary fit into Eastern Europe, indicating fitting entry and establishment modes.\nOriginality/value: This paper offers a novel holistic approach to IB, both in terms of theoretical and empirical methodology.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Why don't UK citizens protest against privacy-invading dragnet surveillance?
|
[
"Privacy",
"Protest",
"Confidentiality",
"Mental models"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Privacy is a human right in Europe, and the UK is a signatory of the European Convention of Human Rights. Article 8 of the Convention states (European Convention, 2012): Right to respect for private and family life:\n2. Related work: 2.1 Knowledge\n3. Survey: We conducted a study to find out how well educated students understand privacy and confidentiality. We formulated a number of survey questions to evaluate the mental models of the related concepts. In setting up our survey, we were immediately confronted by the haziness of the definitions. The literature review revealed no one cohesive definition for privacy and confidentiality. Furthermore, security, which we did not ask them to define, is \"the state of being free from danger or threat\". We include this definition here, because we anticipated, based on the literature review, that our respondents might conflate security and privacy, so we want to be clear about what our understanding of security is. Figure 3 depicts privacy and confidentiality and their relationship.\n4. Results - analysis: We coded the definitions and grouped these into themes - first independently then agreeing on one coding after a discussion between the researchers. In this study, 8 of the participants produced two incorrect definitions, whereas 12 produced two correct definitions. There were clear indications of confusion between individual definitions with similar semantics being used to define different terms by the same participant (Table II). In the following sub-sections, we report the themes that emerged from the definitions. Note that we will not be reporting quantitative data with respect to themes, as this is a mental models study, with all themes being equally important. We will, however, give an indication of the percentage of correct definitions overall.\n5. Discussion and protests: Our study reveals a relatively good understanding, by the participants, of what confidentiality and privacy actually mean in a particular context. This suggests that the majority of the participants had correct mental models and could apply those to given scenarios. Laufer and Wolfe (1977) explain that \"Individuals' concepts of privacy are tied to concrete situations in everyday life\" (p.22). So, given a scenario, they can be expected to identify privacy and confidentiality invasions correctly. Hence, according to Klandermans and Oegema's (1987) model, they should be able to sympathise with and understand the implications of wide-scale surveillance and the fact that they themselves could be targeted.\n6. Conclusions and future work: We set out to explore whether the lack of a response to the Snowden revelations could be traced to a lack of understanding of privacy. Most of our informed participants seemed to understand what the term meant and were able to classify scenarios, but it seems that this understanding was largely subconscious or tacit. When asked to verbalise their understanding, they conflated privacy, confidentiality and security, displaying some difficulty in expressing their understanding of the concepts in a coherent definition.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify to identify reasons for the lack of protest against dragnet surveillance in the UK. As part of this investigation, a study was carried out to gauge the understanding of \"privacy\" and \"confidentiality\" by the well-informed.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To perform a best-case study, the authors identified a group of well-informed participants in terms of security. To gain insights into their privacy-related mental models, they were asked first to define the three core terms and then to identify the scenarios. Then, the participants were provided with privacy-related scenarios and were asked to demonstrate their understanding by classifying the scenarios and identifying violations.\nFindings: Although the participants were mostly able to identify privacy and confidentiality scenarios, they experienced difficulties in articulating the actual meaning of the terms privacy, confidentiality and security.\nResearch limitations/implications: There were a limited number of participants, yet the findings are interesting and justify further investigation. The implications, even of this initial study, are significant in that if citizens' privacy rights are being violated and they did not seem to know how to protest this and if indeed they had the desire to do so.\nPractical implications: Had the citizens understood the meaning of privacy, and their ancient right thereto, which is enshrined in law, their response to the Snowden revelations about ongoing wide-scale surveillance might well have been more strident and insistent.\nOriginality/value: People in the UK, where this study was carried out, do not seem to protest the privacy invasion effected by dragnet surveillance with any verve. The authors identify a number of possible reasons for this from the literature. One possible explanation is that people do not understand privacy. Thus, this study posits that privacy is unusual in that understanding does not seem to align with the ability to articulate the rights to privacy and their disapproval of such widespread surveillance. This seems to make protests unlikely.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Acceptance sampling plans based on truncated life tests for Rama distribution
|
[
"Consumer’s risk",
"Producer’s risk",
"Acceptance sampling plans",
"Operating characteristic",
"Rama distribution",
"Truncated life test"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Acceptance sampling plan plays a very important role in statistical quality control about the lot production, whether to reject or accept the lot (Rosaiah et al., 2017; Balamurali and Mahalingam, 2018). This decision is based on a random sample drawn from the lot and then within a period of time a testing process is activated to find out the number of failures items included in the sample before the pre-specified time is expired (Gogah and Al-Nasser, 2018; Al-Omari et al., 2018). The decision is to reject the lot if the defective items obtained in the sample are more than the pre-assigned acceptance number elsewhere the lot is accepted.\n2. Rama distribution and some properties: In statistics there are two parameter lifetimes distribution for modeling lifetime data: exponential and Lindley distributions, but there are many situations where they cannot be used, because of their properties and shape. A new continuous distribution with one lifetime parameter a is suggested by Shanker (2017) called as Rama distribution (Rama(a)) with probability density function defined as:(1)\n3. The suggested acceptance sampling plans: Assume that the lifetime of a product follow a Rama distribution defined in (1). An acceptance sampling plan based on truncated life tests consists of:\n4. Illustrative examples and comparative OCs: In this section, the tabulated values of the minimum sample sizes, operating characteristic values and the minimum ratio of true mean life to specified life for the acceptability of a lot with producer's risk of 0.05 are illustrated.\n5. An application: In this section, we have given a numerical application of the suggested acceptance sampling plan based on Rama distribution for the lifetime (in months) to first failure of 20 electric carts, which was originally given by Lio et al. (2010) ( 0.9, 1.5, 2.3, 3.2, 3.9, 5.0, 6.2, 7.5, 8.3, 10.4, 11.1, 12.6, 15.0, 16.3, 19.3, 2.6, 24.8, 31.5, 38.1, 53.0). Wu and Tsai (2005) consider the data for acceptance sampling for Birnbaum-Saunders distribution.\n6. Conclusions: In this paper, acceptance sampling plan for the Rama life time distribution based on truncated lifetime tests is proposed. To the best of our knowledge, the acceptance sampling plan for the Rama distribution has not been developed in the literature. The necessary tables based on the suggested sampling plan are presented. It turns out that the proposed sampling plan can be easy to operate for practitioners.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Lifetime data are used in many different applied sciences, like biomedicine, engineering, insurance and finance and others. The purpose of this paper is to develop a new acceptance sampling plans for Rama distribution when the mean lifetime test is truncated at a pre-determined time. The minimum sample sizes required to assert the specified life mean is obtained for a given customer's risk. The operating characteristic function values of the sampling plans and producer's risk are calculated.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The results are illustrated using numerical examples and a real data set is considered to illustrate the performance of the suggested acceptance sampling plans and how it can be used for the industry applications.\nFindings: This paper shows a new acceptance sampling plans based on Rama distribution in the particular case when the mean life time test is truncated.\nOriginality/value: The results calculated in this paper demonstrate the differences between OC values for different distributions taken into account. In particular, OC values of Rama distribution are found to be less than the proposed distribution counterparts.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Diagnostic and prescriptive benefits of consumer participation in virtual communities of personal challenge
|
[
"Health services",
"Learning",
"Virtual community",
"Internet marketing",
"Active participation",
"Consumer engagement",
"Diagnostic and prescriptive benefits"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Peer-to-peer virtual communities (VCs) continue to be among the most visited destinations online and are an important influence upon consumer decision-making. With ownership of mobile devices at an all-time high and continuing to rise, individuals are increasingly visiting such social networking sites to interact with others and solve problems that they face. Recent statistics show that one-third of US adults use such sites to find out more about a medical condition, among other things (Anderson, 2015). Virtual health communities like WebMD average nearly 12 million unique visitors per month, competing with mainstream news websites. In these VCs, individuals search for information to diagnose a health condition and actively participate by posting questions and responses to other community members.\nPersonal challenge virtual communities: Within peer-to-peer VCs, individuals with common interests share their experiences and interact with others in the community, often to find solutions to problems and challenges they may face, but often to assist others in solving their problems. These communities are characterised by participation through volitional choice (Bagozzi and Dholakia, 2002; Nambisan and Baron, 2009), where participation typically occurs when individuals are motivated to seek information to solve a problem that exists. Such communities also exhibit a sense of moral responsibility or felt sense of obligation (Muniz and O'Guinn, 2001) where knowledge and experiences are shared to improve the well-being of others. This participation and sense of moral obligation stem from a consciousness of kind exhibited within the community (Gusfield, 1978; Muniz and O'Guinn, 2001), whereby opinions and beliefs are reinforced through members' exchanges. These benefits have been characterised as comprising functional and social components within product-related VCs (Dholakia et al., 2009). Functional benefits are typically learning related and are about helping customers to more effectively use a product or service. These benefits are seen as a mechanism for generating consciousness of kind (Muniz and O'Guinn, 2001). The literature suggests that in-depth discussion within the community allows participants to demonstrate expertise and build a credible reputation, and this enhances member learning and a range of other hedonic benefits realised by members. (Nambisan and Baron, 2009).\nResearch hypotheses: Learning benefits of active participation\nMethod: Procedure and data collection\nResults: Measurement model\nDiscussion: This paper proposes that active participants in VCs of personal challenge derive learning benefits from diagnostic advice and prescriptive advice that results from active participation in personal challenge VCs. These learning benefits translate into increased social support within the VC and greater levels of VC engagement. The findings of this study make four important contributions to the burgeoning literature on VCs, which is predominantly focused on brand communities and other P3 VCs, rather than personal challenge communities.\nManagerial and policy implications: Personal challenge VCs are groups of consumers united by a common interest or challenge and as such represent a highly desirable target for solution providers. This makes our study findings especially insightful to operators of VCs that seek civic engagement. Our research model suggests that managers need to provide adequate diagnostic and prescriptive information that leads to social support and ultimately stickiness and further engagement within the VC. Although our study did not examine the order in which these types of advice are sought by participants, we conjecture the sequence by which VC stickiness is achieved. We surmise that participants are motivated initially by a sense-making need for diagnostic information to understand and provide a context for their experiences. They then go through a consultation process with a professional, during which prescriptive advice becomes more important. Depending on the nature of the problem, social support may be sought. As participants become more experienced, they become inclined to reciprocate by providing social support to others experiencing a similar challenge. Holistically, this sequence may be considered as a methodology for communities of challenge to build community stickiness. Diagnostic advice may be used as a lead-generation tool. Banner advertising and promotional emails can appeal to consumer needs to better understand a problem they are having. When triggered to visit the website by this appeal, they become exposed to a variety of diagnostic types of information, and at the appropriate point, they are prompted to explore prescriptive solutions and socially supportive comments of peers. The idea is to increase community visits and conversion rates by providing diagnostic, prescriptive and supportive information in a manner that matches consumer information needs. This has the potential to increase stickiness as customer needs are met over the learning and decision-making phases of the customer purchase cycle.\nStudy limitations and further research suggestions: Like most studies, this study has limitations that potentially constrain its findings. In developing the measurement scales for the new constructs in this study, actual discussion threads from healthcare VCs were used as an indicator of the relevance of the constructs and to clarify their domain. Conventional approaches to item generation typically involve the use of qualitative techniques such as in-depth interviews or focus groups. Here we used a content analysis of discussion threads because of the ability to observe community participants in a natural setting. To provide more conclusive evidence of face validity, we could have used a multi-method approach which utilised different forms of data. Furthermore, this study is limited by the single source nature of the data collected here, though we utilised procedural techniques to control for CMV and statistical tests to ascertain its existence. However, for greater confidence in the findings here, further research could consider replicating and extending these findings using different data sources and different data collection methods.\nConclusion: This paper examines the relatively unexplored context of people trying to overcome personally challenging situations through engagement in peer-to-peer VCs. We demonstrate that diagnostic and prescriptive benefits are potentially fruitful dimensions of learning benefits consumers gain from using internet-based resources to tackle personal challenges. Given these VCs are among some of the most widely consulted sources online and exhibit different characteristics to more frequently researched brand communities, findings about how to increase engagement in such settings has important implications for marketing managers and researchers.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show how active participants within personal challenge virtual communities (e.g. virtual health communities, online legal forums, etc.) derive learning benefits from their involvement within the community. In doing so, the research conceptualises and tests a model of engagement within such virtual communities.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This research was conducted through the design of a survey administered to an online panel of active participants from several virtual health communities. Structural equation modelling was used to test the conceptual model.\nFindings: Along with well-researched concepts such as social identification, this research identifies diagnostic and prescriptive benefits as key learning benefits associated with active participation within personal challenge communities. These benefits drive social support which individuals attain from these virtual communities, which, in turn, drives engagement within the community. It is also found that anticipated negative emotions from leaving the community mediate social support and engagement.\nOriginality/value: This is one of the first studies to develop a model of consumer engagement with personal challenge virtual communities. The findings make a contribution to the field of online communities by showing how learning benefits (diagnostic and prescriptive) transpire within these communities and how these benefits lead to greater community engagement.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
1958-2008: how access to VET qualifications has changed in Australia
|
[
"Qualifications",
"Apprenticeships",
"Skills",
"Women"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Fifty years ago when Education + Training began under its first title, I was growing up on a council housing estate in the English Midlands. One of my most enduring memories is of the one woman in the street who actually had a job - as a bus conductor. I can still remember seeing her come home from work in her uniform and feeling sorry for her children who had to cope with such an \"unusual\" family background. Then in my teens, unbeknownst to me, at the university that was across the road from my high school, Edith Venables was undertaking her groundbreaking study of apprentices (Venables, 1967) - every one of them a boy!\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to provide a reflection on the growth in qualifications available through work, over the 50 years of Education + Training.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The approach adopted is that of providing a viewpoint, reflecting back on the availability of qualifications today compared with the 1950s.\nFindings: - The growth in the availability of qualifications has meant that a greater proportion of the workforce now hold qualifications, and particularly that people outside traditional trades can gain work-related qualifications. The changes have advantaged those in service industries and jobs previously not regarded as skilled. They have especially assisted women and have paralleled the increased participation of women in the workforce. However the current favourable situation has some fragility.\nOriginality/value: - This paper is one of a series commissioned by the journal on its 50th anniversary. Its originality stems from the discussion of the significance of the growth of qualifications, particularly for women.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Supporting building automation systems in BIM/IFC: reviewing the existing information gap
|
[
"Building automation",
"Building information modeling",
"IFC"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Efficient Facilities Management (FM) is becoming increasingly reliant on Information Technology (IT) tools (Lee et al., 2013; Lilis et al., 2017) such as Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) and Computer-Aided Maintenance Management (CAMM), as well as tools for Building Automation Systems (BAS) and Energy Management Systems (EMS) (Minoli et al., 2017). Ideally, the operation of these tools should be supported by a common representation such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) (Curry et al., 2013; Akcamete et al., 2010; Sporr et al., 2019; Cecconi et al., 2019). Although some progress has been made in operating CAFM and CAMM applications with BIM models (Vanlande et al., 2008; Bogen et al., 2011), BAS and EMS still lack in terms of integration with BIM.The focus of this work is on exploring such a connection, analyzing the possibility of utilizing BIM to express BAS features, thus enabling distinct tools to share details regarding the configuration and setup of the automation dimension of a building. A BAS consists of a network of sensors, actuators, and controllers that collect data and manage the operation of a wide range of electric equipment, such as Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems (HVAC), or lighting, according to a set of control procedures previously configured, among many other functions (Marinakis et al., 2013; Kastner et al., 2005a, 2005b). Due to its complexity and specificity, information regarding structure and implementation of a BAS--network topology, device configuration, control loops--is very difficult to grasp from the documentation delivered to the building manager when the system is installed (Schein, 2007). Typically, only hardware vendors can comprehend the entire BAS installation, making the building owners highly dependent on their contractors whenever they want to modify, commission, or tune the BAS (Runde and Fay, 2008). Ideally, this information should be presented independently, enabling facility managers to easily contract system alteration, hire specialists, and use third-party tools or technologies.BIM focuses on integrating data concerning a building's life cycle in one digital model, across Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation (AEC/O) phases (Eastman et al., 2011, p. 1). However, this approach is still closely connected to the design and construction phases, in sharp contrast with several limitations at the operational phase--especially concerning modeling and sharing information regarding BA elements. This gap between AEC and operation dimensions is mostly due to two factors: the first has to do with the targeting of efforts to the design phases, in which Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software vendors play an important role in influencing research and development (Howard and Bjork, 2008). The second has to do with the automation information itself, which is of a more volatile nature than information regarding design and construction elements (characteristics and arrangement of automation elements are subject to change more quickly than the constructive elements). Although BIM exchange formats, such as Industry Foundation Classes 4 (IFC)[1], already feature constructs for the BA domain, these are only used for delivery of information such as installation instructions or device specification. Efforts are being made to integrate BAS data into BIM's exchange format, but the information supported by the current BIM formats is limited to the system structure, like devices and wiring relations, disregarding the logical and operational aspects, such as control loops, bindings, or configuration management (Bogen et al., 2011). Some authors also identify the need to extend IFC, particularly in other contexts such as those related to structural health monitoring (Theiler and Smarsly, 2018) and the Internet of Things (IoT) integration (Dave et al., 2018), while emphasizing that a considerable amount of work still needs to be done, as most of the solutions lie in IFC external tools (Tang et al., 2019).The convergence of BAS with BIM opens an array of interesting possibilities regarding building efficient operations such as (i) reducing scattering and improving consistency of BAS data, (ii) favoring interoperability between BAS tools, which reduces maintenance costs, and finally, (iii) improving the independence of the representation of BAS data, eventually helping to alleviate customer lock-in. Studies have suggested the development of extensions to BIM (Vanlande et al., 2008; Meadati, 2009; Schlueter and Thesseling, 2009) as well as platforms that integrate information with it for use in applications related to buildings (Bazjanac, 2008; Alahmad et al., 2010; Yan et al., 2013). This underscores the importance of BIM as an interoperable source of data. However, the only tools available for realizing, analyzing, and managing BAS are proprietary and do not support BIM, keeping FM inefficient and locked-in to tool vendors, as stated earlier (Bushby, 1997). Interoperability of BAS with BIM would, therefore, contribute to more efficient building automation.This study analyzes relevant literature regarding BAS modeling standards, systematizing their information requirements and discussing the limitations of each one. Our contribution supports further research toward the development of a BIM-based standard for modeling BAS requirements in a vendor-independent manner. Such an approach will provide the directions for the development of open tools to manage, control, and analyze BAS.We start by presenting the research methodology in Section 2, followed by an overview of the core concepts underlying BAS in Section 3. Section 4 explores and studies research related to the topic of BIM and BA modeling, describing the structure and operation of the most important information models and how they address the various aspects of a BAS. Section 5 makes a comparative analysis of the models studied, exploring the advantages and limitations of each in terms of completeness, flexibility, complexity, and applicability. Section 5.5 presents a set of guidelines that have yet to be addressed by research in order to achieve the objectives stated in this review. Finally, Section 6 presents the conclusions.\n2. Research methodology: This section summarizes the research methodology implemented, providing evidence of the sources of information considered, the comparative analysis conducted, and the factors on which the gap evaluation stands. Particular attention is given to the formulation of the frame of reference, which systematizes the rationale supporting the comparative analysis. See Figure 1. 2.1 Problem definition\n3. BAS concepts mapping: A BAS connects electrical and mechanical components in a facility, enabling them to interact. Typically, a BAS is responsible for managing HVAC and lighting, as well as interacting with other systems, such as access control or fire safety (Kastner et al., 2005a, 2005b). A more in-depth analysis can be found in (Domingues et al., 2016). 3.1 Equipment, device, and controllable device\n4. Information models for BAS: This section analyses the information models of several standards supporting BAS information. The analysis includes the conformity of each model specification concerning the aspects detailed in the previous section. 4.1 Industry foundation classes\n5. Comparative analysis: This section develops a comparative analysis of the information models presented in Section 4 along the dimensions described in Section 2. The discussion closes considering the applicability of the models to specific aspects of the BAS domain. 5.1 Implementation\n6. Conclusions: This work studies the possibility of integrating BAS modeling in BIM. Focusing on the advantages of such a connection, we performed a gap analysis, based on existing literature, toward developing a BIM-based information model for BAS.The study was initiated by systematically presenting a series of key concepts and requirements of BAS information. The most popular BA information models were then studied in detail according to the dimensions of Complexity, Flexibility, and Completeness. From this analysis, this work concludes that no complete model exists for representing all aspects of BAS, although BACnet and IFC stand out as the most complete. Moreover, the simplest models turn out to be oBIX and BACnet and the most flexible ones are IFC, oBIX, and OPC. Building information models such as IFC are fit for modeling the field level aspects of BAS. Models underlying automation protocols such as LonWorks and EIB/KNX are able to represent logical components and some management functionalities. Service frameworks such as BACNet, oBIX, and OPC UA seek to model the management functionality as services, being relatively complete in this regard, despite the complexity of some models such as OPC UA. However, no BA model is able to capture the full gamut of aspects underlying BAS in terms of flexibility.Finally, we make recommendations toward the development of a more comprehensive extension for BIM to support BA aspects, describing the main guidelines for extending IFC specification. Overall, the impacts of such a development are twofold: firstly, it enables automation tools to interoperate, and secondly, it may help to mitigate customer lock-in effects of vendor-specific automation solutions.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Despite the continuous development of Building Information Modeling (BIM) standards, not all of its dimensions are supported to the same extent. This is the case of Building Automation Systems (BAS) in which the features that are limited mostly to physical setup of devices are supported. These are largely insufficient to support modeling automation scenarios. The purpose of this article is to clarify the gap in the state of the art and define the need for further developments.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This article explores the existing gap in the literature and discusses the hypothesis of extending BIM to a wider support of BA concepts. Based on an assessment of scientific and technical literature, this study elicits the information requirements of BA and performs a gap analysis with current BIM standards, such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC).\nFindings: Our findings lead us to conclude that there is a lack of completeness regarding features from BAS automation and management levels. Furthermore, it is shown that IFC is the most adequate data model to cover BAS without losing its purpose, but there is still a considerable work that needs to be addressed in future research.\nOriginality/value: BIM standards such as IFC position themselves as natural candidates for modeling and exchanging information regarding BA. However, the extent to which BIM supports automation features has never been rigorously analyzed. This article explores the existing gap in the literature and discusses the hypothesis of extending BIM to a wider support of BA concepts. Based on an assessment of scientific and technical literature, this study elicits the information requirements of BA and performs a gap analysis with current BIM standards such as IFC.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
First and foremost, physicians: the clinical versus leadership identities of physician leaders
|
[
"Leadership",
"Individual behaviour",
"Professionalism",
"Management",
"Organization behaviour"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Physicians have long assumed leadership roles in hospitals, often as full-time administrators or as full-time clinicians with part-time leadership duties (Reinertsen, 1998; Schwartz and Pogge, 2000). While some have argued that industry challenges demand more physician leadership (Stoller et al., 2006), others have observed that physicians, are often promoted into administrative roles on the basis of clinical expertise but lacking qualities necessary for effective organizational leadership (Lobas, 2006; Stoller, 2008; Taylor et al., 2008; Weston et al., 2008), and many \"have not been great leaders\" (Porter, 2007, p. 1). It is more apparent than ever and now even a topic of public discourse that doctors need to be competent managers and leaders at all stages of their careers (Clark et al., 2008).\nMethods: Methodological approach\nFindings: The data revealed distinctions in the individual, relational and organizational identity of physicians situated at three organizational levels in a typical US urban hospital, illustrating how physicians, physician (part-time) leaders and physician (full-time) administrators internalized their organizational roles, how and the extent to which those roles were recognized and appreciated by others, and how and the degree to which all three sets of physicians identified with the larger organization in which they were situated. The data demonstrated distinct differences in how these professionals self-construed their roles and identities. While the self-concepts of members of all three groups as clinical practitioners were strikingly similar and uniformly robust, the relational and organizational identities of physician (part-time) leaders vs physician (full-time) administrators, contrasted considerably. These findings may have implications for both individual and institutional performance.\nDiscussion: Despite transitioning into part-time management or full-time leadership roles, all of the physicians in our sample retained a strong primary identity as physicians. According to social identity theory, the characteristics of a social category in which one positions oneself (in this case \"physician\"), fundamentally defines the self (Hogg, 1992, 1993; Tajfel and Turner, 1979). Consequently, members of socially constructed social groups often see themselves and co-members in an accentuated or exaggerated way (Hogg et al., 1995), as the interview excerpts in Table I vividly reveal. In self-categorizing as physicians, our respondents identified as members of an exclusive group of professionals - an elite \"tribe\" as aptly described by one physician administrator and primary to this identity is the act of diagnosing and treating patients, as well as a strong professional persona.\nLimitations: Although the physicians in our sample were affiliated with four community hospitals, all of them were part of a single not-for-profit health care system in one geographical locale. Including hospitals with different structures (e.g. for profit, not-for-profit, teaching or specialty) and in different US regions, as well as outside the USA, may have produced different results; unfortunately the available population limited a more robust study of more than one organization. This sample was restricted to part-time physician leaders to those who held department chair or president of staff positions, although other physician leadership jobs exist both in the health care system that supported our research, as well as in other health care organizations. A broader sample may have produced different results. The gender imbalance in the resulting sample seemed to be representative of the actual gender breakdown of physician leaders within the organization. This certainly may be a limitation of the organization from which the sample was obtained; however, it a subsequent quantitative analysis not represented within this paper, no gender differences were found as to role and identity within a physician leader sample, suggesting these results would be the same with a more gender neutral sample. Similarly, the sample included a wide range of years in practice, as well as years in leadership roles. While nothing emerged from this sample that would impact these results, as larger and more diverse sample may have produced different results with regard to the impact of age or tenure. The methodological approach employed required respondents to recall past experiences and events and we recognize the potential effect of time on memory.\nImplications for practice and future research: These results have implications for both practice and future research. For the past two decades, the health care industry has been impacted by economic, legal and structural changes that have altered the relationship between physicians and health care organizations (Zuckerman et al., 1998). Physician leadership is attracting keen interest from both scholars and practitioners and can be expected to be an intensified research domain in the years ahead. Taylor et al. (2009), for example, point to the need for specific research on physician leader training. Our own work points to a broader and more fundamental need - a modified mindset about the nature and value of physician leadership. A better understanding of physician beliefs and attitudes about leadership - as well as institutional impediments to it is wanting. Empirical work on organizational commitment to physician leadership and cultural acceptance of it are recommended. Replication of our study involving a broader selection of hospitals and a wider breadth of physician leadership roles is indicated.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Physicians are commonly promoted into administrative and managerial roles in US hospitals on the basis of clinical expertise and often lack the skills, training or inclination to lead. Several studies have sought to identify factors associated with effective physician leadership, yet we know little about how physician leaders themselves construe their roles. The paper aims to discuss these issues.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Phenomenological interviews were performed with 25 physicians at three organizational levels with physicians affiliated or employed by four hospitals within one health care organization in the USA between August and September 2010. A rigorous comparative methodology of data collection and analysis was employed, including the construction of analytic codes for the data and its categorization based on emergent ideas and themes that are not preconceived and logically deduced hypotheses, which is characteristic of grounded theory.\nFindings: These interviews reveal differences in how part- vs full-time physician leaders understand and value leadership roles vs clinical roles, claim leadership status, and identify as physician leaders on individual, relational and organizational basis.\nResearch limitations/implications: Although the physicians in the sample were affiliated with four community hospitals, all of them were part of a single not-for-profit health care system in one geographical locale.\nPractical implications: These findings may be of interest to hospital administrators and boards seeking deeper commitment and higher performance from physician leaders, as well as assist physicians in transitioning into a leadership role.\nSocial implications: This work points to a broader and more fundamental need - a modified mindset about the nature and value of physician leadership.\nOriginality/value: This study is unique in the exploration of the nature of physician leadership from the perspective of the physician on an individual, peer and organizational level in the creation of their own leadership identity.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Factors influencing attainment of CEO position for women
|
[
"Women executives",
"Glass ceilings",
"Education",
"Children",
"Chief executive officer",
"Glass cliffs"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: There have been some high-profile hiring of female CEOs in recent years, and they included Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin (LMT), and Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors (GM), the first woman to lead an auto company. As pointed out by Egan (2015), these women CEOs are exceptions rather than the rule; in fact, as of 2015, only 24 of the CEOs of Standard and Poor's (S&P) 500 companies are women. This underrepresentation of women at top management-level jobs has been attributed to a number of barriers, ranging from those which prevent them from either moving up the corporate hierarchy (often referred to as glass ceiling phenomenon[1]) or persisting in the top leadership positions even after they have broken through the glass ceiling (referred to as the glass cliff phenomenon[2]). Among the factors which impede progress of women in management include motherhood that results in a career interruption, a lack of a role model or a mentor and a conscious decision to avoid the stress of balancing work and life (The Economist, 2009; Matsa and Miller, 2011). As pointed out by Bjerk (2008, p. 980), these are not necessarily set up for gender discrimination or \"explicit discrimination with respect to promotion to these top jobs\". This paper compares the experience of women versus men in their mobility to the senior leadership team (often referred to as C-suite); more specifically, it examines a combination of individual- and firm-level factors which may influence their climb to the top management and leadership position. Findings of this paper will provide important contributions to the existing body of work on women in management, particularly with regards to the glass cliff phenomenon.\n2. Analysis of ascension of women in management: The share of women in the US labour force has grown at an impressive rate. As shown in Figure 1, the labour force participation rate (LFPR) of women aged 16 and older was recorded at 33.9 per cent in 1950, grew significantly particularly in the 1970s and 1980s and by 2012, it reached 57.7 per cent (USA Department of Labor, 2015)[3]. Yet, as pointed out by Parker et al. (2015, p. 13), \"women have made only modest progress in gaining top leadership positions in the business world\". According to the data published by the Catalyst organization, women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies make up only 5.2 per cent of the total CEOs in 2015. The percentage share of women CEOs remains almost the same when CEOs of Fortune 1000 companies are considered (Parker et al., 2015). Figure 2 shows that the rise of women to the top hierarchy of business leadership has occurred slowly over a period of 20 years. Thus, while women have undoubtedly made strides in climbing the corporate management ladder, the pace is slower than expected.\n3. Data and methodology: To undertake this research investigation, a combined group of 123 CEOs, comprising of 24 female CEOs and 99 male CEOs, were selected from S&P 500 companies, using cross-sectional data published by Dow Jones for February 2015. The selection process for the CEOs involved the identification of female CEOs of the S&P 500 companies, followed by the identification and selection of their male CEO counterparts from the same four-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code as the women CEOs' employers. The S&P 500 company list was downloaded from www.barchart.com on February 17, 2015.\n4. Findings: The summary measures of the CEOs' data which are provided in Appendix 2 reveal that, on average, the 24 women CEOs are running larger and more profitable businesses, as measured in terms of the number of employees and net income, respectively. This finding is contrary to the argument made by researchers on the \"glass cliff\" phenomenon, such as Ryan and Haslam (2005, 2007), Bruckmuller and Branscombe (2012) and Bruckmuller et al. (2013, 2014), that women are appointed to companies that are in a state of crisis, which make them prone to failure, or that women may seek to lead in high-risk context, as they regard these situations as good career opportunities. Many women CEOs in this study lead companies that are well-known, large and stable and represent various industries with many years in the CEO position. Our data reveal that compared with their male counterparts, women CEOs are generally slightly older (average age of 57 years) and have fewer years of education. There was little or no difference in the mean or the median number of children by gender of the CEOs, although the women CEOs in this study spent an average of 18.2 years in senior management roles prior to becoming the CEOs, while the male CEOs' tenure as senior managers was slightly lower at 17 years. The t-test statistic conducted on the mean difference between the male and female CEOs' tenure in senior management role was found to be insignificant.\n5. Conclusion: The LFPR of women in the USA has grown rapidly in the past few decades, but the progress they have made in climbing the corporate ladder has been slower than anticipated. Many explanations have been provided with respect to the barriers women face in their climb to the management position as well as their performance in the leadership positions. This paper examined the experience of women versus men in their mobility to the senior management and leadership team, looking specifically at the role played by a combination of individual- and firm-level factors. Based on the experience of 123 CEOs (23 women and 99 men) from US S&P 500 companies, we found that having children may be a detriment to reaching the CEO position for women. In addition, women's chance of obtaining the CEO position is higher in larger firms (in terms of number of employees), while having more education (as compared to men) does not necessarily aid women in their quest for the top management position. While the results of this paper do not provide evidence of the glass cliff phenomenon, there appears to be some support for arguments that women may possess skills and talents which make them appealing and suited for managing complex and challenging organizations. To ensure that firms continue to benefit from having a diverse set of management skills that women bring to their organization, the findings here highlight the need for greater attention as well as for policies and measures to assist and support women managers as they make their climb to leadership positions. This is critical in the area of support for work-life balance, particularly in handling family and caregiving responsibilities. The conclusions of this paper are limited by the fact the study pertains only to S&P 500 companies in the USA and does not analyse the CEO data of small to mid-size publicly listed companies in the USA, privately listed companies in the USA or any firms outside of USA and governmental or non-for-profit institutions.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to determine possible differences in causes or characteristics between men and women in attaining the CEO position in large publicly listed companies in the USA.\nDesign/methodology/approach: T-test statistic, correlation analyses and logit model were used to determine the role individual factors (tenure in management roles, age of CEOs, number of children, years of education) and the firm-level factor (number of employees, net income) play in determining the likelihood of having a female CEO.\nFindings: The research results show that years of education, the number of children and the number of employees in the business play significant roles in determining the likelihood of having a female CEO. An increase in the number of children and years spent in education lower the probability of the CEO being a woman, while having greater number of employees raises the likelihood of having a woman CEO.\nResearch limitations/implications: The findings are applicable to only the largest publicly traded firms in the USA and are not applicable to mid to small publicly listed, private or non-for-profit companies or institutions. This research is a starting point for future research of women and men CEOs of small and mid-size publicly traded and non-publicly traded firms in the USA.\nOriginality/value: Prior research has shown that having children is detrimental for women in management positions; this research specifically identifies this problem for the CEO position. It also reveals that having more of education does not translate to getting to the CEO position for women.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Key issues and challenges of risk management and insurance in China's construction industry: An empirical study
|
[
"Risk management",
"Insurance",
"Construction industry",
"Team working",
"China"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: The rapid growth of the construction sector in China brings new challenges due to the risks involved in design and production. Chinese construction enterprises are experiencing significant developments and structural reforms. Those companies were state-owned enterprises (SOE) whose risks, losses and profits were undertaken by the governments. The changing business environment in China's construction industry requires Chinese contractors to manage risks by themselves rather than relying on the government.Risk management systems and procedures are not new. Managing risk involves creating awareness of uncertainty, qualifying the risks, managing the controllable risks, and minimizing the impact of uncontrollable risks by risk allocation/apportionment (Liu et al., 2003). The ineffective implementations of risk management are often caused by:* a lack of formalized risk management procedures, including risk identification, analysis and control (Tah and Carr, 2001);* a lack of continuity of risk management in the different stages in the project life cycle, including conceive, design, plan, allocate, execute, deliver, review and support;* poor integration between risk management and other key processes, including design, estimating, planning, production, logistics, cost analysis, manufacturing, quality assurance, reliability, schedule analysis, support (e.g. maintainability), and test and evaluation; and* a lack of interaction among different parties, including clients, contractors, insurers, and suppliers.Different parties involved in a project frequently have different perspectives on risks according to their own background and interests. Clients' needs and expectations define the scope and objectives of projects and the financial resource. Contractors take the major responsibility to deal with risks during construction process. They have to decide if they should retain, reduce, transfer or avoid risks. Contractors usually use three methods to transfer risk: through insurance to insurance companies; through subcontracting to subcontractor; and through modifying the contract conditions to clients or other parties (Chapman and Ward, 2003; Liu and Flanagan, 2005). Insurers not only provide insurance to help contractors to transfer risks, but also expertise to assist the contractors' risk management in recognizing potential risks and reducing the probability of such risks. The willingness of insurer to write an insurance coverage reflects favorably on insured's efforts at risk prevention (Flanagan and Norman, 1993; Williams et al., 1998). The improved understanding and interaction among clients, contractors, and insurers will help in the effective management of risks that will benefit the construction industry (Choy et al., 2006; Liu and Flanagan, 2005).\n2 China's construction industry: China's construction market is complex, growing, and changing. The output of the construction industry has increased by nearly 60 times in the past 25 years (Figure 1). The change involves new patterns of employment, the use of specialist sub-contractors, market competition, selection based upon price, and the need for enterprises to make profits. It requires the industry to manage knowledge and create enterprises that understand risk.China had a centrally planned economy and the government usually assigned construction work to construction enterprises in the past. Since, opening up in 1978, economic reforms have changed the economic and social systems. China's construction industry starts to promote project management and \"responsibilities system\". The state-owned sector still plays an important role in China's economy. The SOE dominate about half of the market and still enjoy the monopolistic environment by regulations and tariffs. This leads to their short-term views on construction management. Many SOEs are not concerned about risk management. In order to become globally competitive, China actively seeks out foreign involvement. After China officially entered the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 11 December 2001, the limitations for foreign enterprises have gradually been lowered. Out of the top 225 international contractors, 140 have started business in China by 2003. The inflow of foreign companies has promoted the reform of China's construction industry. It also helps Chinese construction companies gain a better understanding of international practices especially in the management field. The government uses a new strategy called \"way out\" to encourage Chinese contractors to join the international markets. The SOEs have to be competitive in the international market place; when building overseas they must manage risks and win work based upon price and value for money.Moreover, increased expectations from clients bring new procurement, contract and construction methods to China's construction industry. It brings a large number of risks to Chinese contractors. The complex and dynamic characteristics of construction projects require contractors to use risk management, a proactive approach to deal with risks, instead of traditional negative attitude to risks (Lubitz and Wickramasinghe, 2006). Some of the risks include safety, quality, payments delays, poor estimating and unreasonable contract conditions.\n3 The challenges: Since, the revival of China's construction market from 1990, there has been considerable development in the construction and insurance industries. China's construction industry has been keen to learn from developed countries about knowledge and practice of project management. In the past, the project management system has been applied with the characteristics of Chinese culture and political ideology. However, risk management and construction insurance has not been given enough attention. The application of risk management to China's construction industry (Shen, 1990) was first proposed 15 years ago. But the knowledge and practice of risk management is still very limited.3.1 Knowledge\n4 Research methodology: In order to achieve the objective of analyzing the key issues and challenges facing risk management and the major barriers to risk management and construction insurance in China's construction industry, the survey was designed to investigate the attitude of key participants and the development of the relevant knowledge and service (Dwivedi et al., 2006; Li et al., 2004, 2006). Although there are many probability sampling techniques, there are often occasions when researches find it difficult or undesirable to choose their sample on the basis of probability sampling. Therefore, this research turns to forms of non-probability sampling as the basis for selecting the sample. Surveys sent 150 copies of questionnaire by e-mail:* mail and fax to selected clients, contractors (project director, project managers, contract managers/administrators), insurers, brokers, consultants, claim advisors, and academics; and* to Chinese researchers in construction management field.It mainly targets clients, contractors, insurers, brokers, and researchers, who have direct or relevant experience of risk management and construction insurance in China. A total of 41 responses were received. After excluding four returns, which failed to satisfy the requirements of the survey due to no relevant experience more than three years, 37 questionnaires, comprising of 17 from contractors, 3 from clients, 2 from insurers, 8 from researchers, and 7 from others, were analysed. The respondents come from 6 provinces (Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hebei and Yunnan) and 3 centrally administrated municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin). They cover different geographic areas of operation; the broad range of experience in market; the size of companies, the experience in international market, qualifications, and types of contractors/subcontractors.\n5 Results and discussions: 5.1 Perception\n6 Proposed solutions: The result of the survey indicates that the practice and knowledge of risk management of Chinese contractors is still low. Risk management is not a priority in management strategy. Therefore, organizational learning as a solution is recommended to improve their risk management (Tah and Carr, 2001). The long-term effectiveness of organizations that compete through knowledge depends crucially on their organizational learning.The high degree of fragmentation of industry structure and work processes, adversarial relationships among project participants, and lack of communication are bottlenecks for China's construction industry to achieve further improvement. Therefore, there is an urgent need for collaborative teamwork among government, the construction and insurance industries, and academia to improve the competitiveness of the construction industry (Hsieh et al., 2006; Hung et al., 2005; Martz et al., 2006; Wu et al., 2006). All these parties should work together to build a favourable learning environment for contractors. Mutual co-operation can improve the performance or achievement of all of the participants. The construction industry can learn from best practice of risk management from the insurance industry, expectations and understanding from governments, and knowledge from academia (Lin and Tseng, 2005, 2006). This research firstly brings collaborative teamwork to the organization learning process in the construction industry and may promote the future collaborative working in business.The organizational learning framework of risk management for Chinese contractors is presented in Table I. The process does not end once a program has been implemented. It is a dynamic process, and impacted by internal and external factors (Hyde, 2006). Good governance requires that appropriate tools and regular reviews be put in place to gauge the efficacy of the program. It should bring about organizational culture change, a top-down approach, and can make the change an iterative process.\n7 Conclusion: This study identifies that the biggest barrier to developing risk management is an unsupportive culture in China's construction industry. There is a general reluctance to implement risk management in China's construction industry because of the lack of experience and expertise demonstrated by the results of the survey. Without knowledge and expertise, contractors cannot recognise the importance and benefits of risk management. The low perception of risks can only be improved by changing the enterprise culture. It is necessary that Chinese contractors accept the concept of risk management and implement the techniques of risk management. Practitioners' attitude is the most important factor influencing the development of risk management in China's construction industry. There is a lack of co-operation between the insurance industry and construction industry. Contractors and insurers should improve the understanding of risk and share their expertise in risk management. Organizational learning should be a crucial part of an integrated risk management process. The organizational learning of risk management is a learning framework designed to help Chinese contractors improve their knowledge and performance of risk management. The crucial factor for China's contractors to improve their competitiveness is to convert the advanced knowledge to their own knowledge through organizational learning.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this study is to investigate the key issues and challenges in risk management and insurance in the Chinese construction industry and propose solutions to improve risk management.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study is based on surveys which target people who have direct or relevant experience of risk management and construction insurance in China. Surveys were conducted by e-mail, mail and fax to selected clients, contractors (project director, project managers, and contract managers/administrators), insurers, brokers, consultants, claim advisors, and academics; and e-mails to Chinese researchers in the construction management field. Descriptive analysis is used for data analysis.\nFindings: - It is found that cultural considerations inhibit proper implementation of risk management in China's construction industry. It is also found that the perception and attitude of contractors play an important role in developing risk management. Accordingly, an organizational learning of a risk management model is designed and proposed as an organizational learning process through collaborative teamwork to improve risk management and create a learning organization.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The major limitation is the sample size. A much larger sample size allows comparisons among different groups of contractors, regions, etc.\nOriginality/value: - This empirical research identifies the real challenge of application of risk management in China's construction industry. It proposes a realistic organizational learning model through collaborative teamwork which could help Chinese contractors to improve their risk management.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Past, present and future of contact centers: a literature review
|
[
"Decision making",
"Customer service",
"Customer service management",
"Customer information",
"Database management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Customer relationship management (CRM) is a framework for managing a company's interactions with current and future customers that will assist them in the better management of customer queries (Christen, 2012). In today's highly competitive business world, it is essential that every organization has an efficient and smart CRM system. In the past two decades, providing efficient service has become essential for organizations, especially service delivered through customer contact centers (CCs). CCs, as the organization's touch point, have a considerable effect on customer experience and retention. In a CRM framework, CCs form the main interaction point between a customer and the CSR. It has been shown that 70 percent of all business interactions are handled in CCs (Dhesi et al., 2011). Having a customer-focused CC is thus crucial for any organization. A study by Bain & Company found that, for many companies, an increase of 5 percent in customer retention can increase profit by 25-95 percent (Reichheld, 2001). Another report mentions that \"Every single step needs to be done well - it is not sufficient just to have a wonderful set of people in the call center, you need to sustain that experience at every point of contact and address the total customer experience (TCE)\" (Millard, 2006). In fact, CCs are of prime importance for all types of CRM.\n2. CC: The origins of the modern call center can be found in the 1973 Continental Airlines booking system developed by Rockwell Galaxy. According to Duggirala et al. (2011), a call center may be defined as: \"a centralized, specialized, and dedicated operation for both inbound and outbound communication handling, wherein employees using computers receive inbound or make outbound telephone calls\".\n3. Analytical techniques in the CC: state-of-the-art: Text mining, data mining, and queuing models are three common analytical techniques that have been studied and utilized in the literature on CCs. Queuing modeling applies statistical tools to determine the optimum number of CSRs and servers for a customized CC. Queuing modeling has been extensively researched for call centers (Koole and Mandelbaum, 2002) despite the fact that little research has recently focused on CCs (Jolai et al., 2008; Balakrishnan and Munisamy, 2007; Luo and Zhang, 2013; Whitt, 2006b; Dudin et al., 2013; Greasley et al., 2013; Chromy et al., 2011; Dhesi et al., 2011; Misuth et al., 2009, 2010). These studies are not included here as they do not use customers' communications data and information during their contact. In the following subsection, data mining and text mining techniques are discussed.\n4. Managerial aspects of CCs: state-of-the-art: The managerial aspects of CCs are another important feature that is studied in the literature. We have focused on three managerial aspects of CCs in this study: the performance of CCs, CSRs, and outsourced CCSs. There are other topics that are not discussed in this paper although they are briefly discussed in the aforementioned topics: presence-based open CC (Acharya et al., 2013), e-CCs (Ming and Yi, 2011), inbound CCs (Helber and Henken, 2010; Abdullateef et al., 2011), virtual CCs (Brian, 2003), knowledge management (KM) technologies in CCs (Stieger and Aleksy, 2009a, b; Parikh and Walton, 2012; Hart et al., 2009), contact collector tools (Visweswariah et al., 2010), CC costs (Byrd et al., 2008; Balakrishnan and Munisamy, 2007; Chromy et al., 2012; Kim and Ha, 2012; Nambiar et al., 2011; Smith, 2009; Gilbert et al., 2005), ergonomic issues (Ramesh Babu et al., 2012; Rod and Ashill, 2013), and job quality (van Dun et al., 2012).\n5. Shortcomings and future research in CCs: critical evaluation: Most of the literature on CCs is focused on analytical and managerial aspects, similar to the trend in the CRM literature (Awasthi and Sangle, 2012). In the analytical studies, text mining is predominantly utilized to monitor calls by calculating the customers' satisfaction during the calls, detecting the customers' intent and emotion, segmenting calls and identifying abnormal calls. In studies that focus on the managerial aspects of CCs, researchers have identified the factors that influence a CC's performance. However, there is a lack of practical and empirical studies that describe the process of measuring a CC's performance. In this paper, we focus on the two weaknesses in the current literature from analytical and operational perspectives. First, we present an example to help the reader follow these two shortcomings:\n6. Implications and conclusion: CCs play a pivotal role in organizations and form an important part of CRM operations. In the literature, the importance of CCs has been studied in different domains, but with the changes in technology, their operation and structure has to evolve to meet the ongoing challenges. We presented a review of the state-of-the-art literature and the challenges in identifying the gaps in order to build intelligent CCs. We classified the current literature on CCs into two categories: analytical and managerial studies. From the discussion in Section 5, it is clear that current CCs suffer from two main issues: lack of interactive CCs and high amounts of unstructured data. Given the production of massive amounts of data in CCs, especially unstructured data, we discussed the benefit of using big data in CCs and present it as a new research agenda for CCs. Based on the provided critical literature review on CCs, CCs have the potential to receive more attention in the next decade from data scientists.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Contact centers (CCs) are one of the main touch points of customers in an organization. They form one of the inputs to customer relationship management (CRM) to enable an organization to efficiently resolve customer queries. CCs have an important impact on customer satisfaction and are a strategic asset for CRM systems. The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature on CCs and identify their shortcomings to be addressed in the current digital age.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The current literature on CCs can be classified into the analytical and the managerial aspects of CCs. In the former, data mining, text mining, and voice recognition techniques are discussed, and in the latter, staff training, CC performance, and outsourced CCs are discussed.\nFindings: With the growth of information and communication technologies, the information that CCs must handle both in terms of type and volume, has changed. To deal with such changes, CCs need to evolve in terms of their operation and public relations. The authors present a state-of-the-art review of the challenges in identifying the gaps in order to have the next generation of CCs. Lack of an interactive CC and lack of data integrity for CCs are highlighted as important issues that need to be dealt with properly by CCs.\nOriginality/value: As far as the authors know, this is the first paper that reviews CCs' literature by providing the comprehensive survey, critical evaluation, and future research.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A public goods model of outcomes from online knowledge sharing mediated by mental model processing
|
[
"Public goods",
"Collective level",
"Individual level",
"Mental modelling",
"Online knowledge sharing"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Knowledge sharing is a precondition for creating and effectively using knowledge in organizations (Hislop, 2013; Huysman and De Wit, 2003; Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995). Shared knowledge can empower individuals, improve individual and group decision-making, and increase organizational performance, innovativeness, and the ability to respond to environmental changes (Mirzaee and Ghaffari, 2018). Knowledge sharing is especially critical for knowledge workers and professionals (Singh et al., 2018), and in turbulent and limited-resource environments (Sedighi et al., 2016). Non-market benefits accrue as well, such as employee satisfaction, a sense of organizational or community coherence, challenges to currently held beliefs, and greater awareness of other actors and expertise (Prusak and Cohen, 1998).\n2. Conceptual foundations: 2.1 A public goods approach\n3. Knowledge sharing, outcomes and mental model processing: 3.1 Knowledge sharing\n4. Method: 4.1 Research site\n5. Results: 5.1 Measurement model\n6. Discussion: 6.1 Contributions\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to take a public goods approach to understand relationships between collecting and contributing knowledge to an online knowledge sharing portal (KSP), mental model processing and outcomes at the individual and collective levels.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study reports on a survey (N = 602) among tax professionals, examining the perceived individual and collective benefits and costs associated with collecting and contributing knowledge. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.\nFindings: Collecting and contributing knowledge led to considerable mental model processing of the knowledge. That in turn significantly influenced (primarily) individual and (some) collective costs and benefits. Results varied by the kinds of knowledge sharing. Whether directly from knowledge sharing, or mediated through mental modeling, the perceived costs and benefits may be internalized as an individual good rather than being interpreted at the collective level as a public good.\nResearch limitations/implications: The study is situated in the early stages of a wiki-type online KSP. A focus on the learning potential of the system could serve to draw in new users and contributors, heightening perceptions of the public goods dimension of a KSP.\nPractical implications: A focus on the learning potential of the system could serve to draw in new users, and thus the number of subsequent contributors, heightening perceptions of the collective, public goods dimension of a KSP.\nOriginality/value: This study explores how knowledge sharing and mental model processing are directly and indirectly associated with individual and collective costs and benefits. As online knowledge sharing is both an individual and public good, costs and benefits must be considered from both perspectives.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Cleaning historical maintenance work order data for reliability analysis
|
[
"Mining",
"Maintenance",
"CMMS",
"Data cleansing",
"Data quality",
"Reliability analysis"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Data from maintenance activities are commonly stored in computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS). The CMMS may be a stand-alone system or more commonly nowadays, integrated into an organisation's business management software or enterprise resource planning system. For asset-intensive industries the proportion of operating costs associated with maintenance activities can be significant. The unplanned failure of a critical asset can result in safety, environmental and cost consequences as well as loss of licence to operate. Hence the data stored in an organisation's CMMS about what work was done to an asset, when, where and how, is a valuable resource to organisations. This data is a necessary input to determining failure rates, behaviour of assets and their associated sub-units or components so that improvements can be made. Despite the potential for data in CMMS to be used to help prevent significant unplanned failures, improve production reliability and reduce costs, data is under-used. Those involved in reliability analysis often resort using external industry databases or have to make broad assumptions about the failure behaviour, for example, assuming failure times are exponentially distributed. However, it is possible to clean the data and liberate useful information from CMMS. This paper explores how this can be done in an efficient and transparent way.\n2. Literature review: A variety of explanations have been proposed for poor data quality in CMMS. These reasons span the data life cycle from criticism of what data is collected, to how it is collected, how it is stored and the design of the system (Munoz et al., 1988; Wang and Strong, 1996; Kelly, 2006). One of the challenges with data quality is the number of different groups involved such as data collectors, those responsible for design and storage and data users. All groups involved in the data process need to play a part to ensure data's fitness for purpose (Murphy, 2009; Unsworth et al., 2011; Molina et al., 2013).\n3. Methodology: This research uses a case study approach as a means to explore data collection and management practices (Yin, 1994; Woodside, 2010). In this case we seek to understand both data collection practices and their effect on data fitness for purpose and from this understanding develop a method to liberate useful information from this data.\n4. Results: 4.1. Collect historical data\n5. Discussion: 5.1. Differences to failure analysis with clean and uncleaned data\n6. Conclusion: This paper demonstrates the development and use of a process to clean WO data from CMMS using a rule-based approach. It shows how the data in the CMMS combined with an understanding of maintenance tactics used by the organisations involved can be used to generate appropriate data necessary for failure analysis.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify quality issues with using historical work order (WO) data from computerised maintenance management systems for reliability analysis; and develop an efficient and transparent process to correct these data quality issues to ensure data is fit for purpose in a timely manner.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper develops a rule-based approach to data cleansing and demonstrates the process on data for heavy mobile equipment from a number of organisations.\nFindings: Although historical WO records frequently contain missing or incorrect functional location, failure mode, maintenance action and WO status fields the authors demonstrate it is possible to make these records fit for purpose by using data in the freeform text fields; an understanding of the maintenance tactics and practices at the operation; and knowledge of where the asset is in its life cycle. The authors demonstrate that it is possible to have a repeatable and transparent process to deal with the data cleaning activities.\nOriginality/value: How engineers deal with raw maintenance data and the decisions they make in order to produce a data set for reliability analysis is seldom discussed in detail. Assumptions and actions are often left undocumented. This paper describes typical data cleaning decisions we all have to make as a routine part of the analysis and presents a process to support the data cleaning decisions in a repeatable and transparent fashion.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Dynamics of relationship governance in TPL arrangements - a dyadic perspective
|
[
"Distribution management",
"Buyer‐seller relationships",
"Governance",
"Dynamics",
"Supply chain management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1 Introduction: During the last decade, third party logistics (TPL) has played an important part in the manifestation of \"inter-organizational\" issues within logistics and supply chain management. Much literature on TPL is based on a functional explanation of its existence. A range of surveys confirm the number and type of logistics activities outsourced, the motivation for such actions and/or the positive results, if any, of the arrangements (Virum, 1993; Novick et al., 1993; Lieb and Randall, 1996; Sink and Langley, 1997; Lieb and Maltz, 1995). Quantifiable numeric results play an important role in the conclusions of these studies. However, contributions from Nordic scholars (Anderson, 1997; Dreyer, 1997: Berglund, 2000; Skjoett-Larsen, 2000; Halldorsson, 2002; Pruth, 2002; Lindskog, 2003; Halldorsson and Skjott-Larsen, 2004) seem to have two central features of research. First, they are more oriented towards qualitative research methods such as personal interviews and case studies. Second, their theoretical frameworks build on integrating non-logistics theories into the field of logistics/SCM, e.g. the network approach, the agency theory, transaction cost economics (TCE), the resource-based view of the firm, and the organization theory.1.1 Background and objectives\n2 Research design: The present research project is based on a qualitative research design (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000) and focuses on gaining an in-depth understanding of a particular phenomenon within its context. Several features of our study are contingent to such an understanding.2.1 Research method - a single-case study\n3 Theoretical frame of reference: Stock (1997) suggests that logistics might borrow from the field of economics to solve managerial problems of inter-organizational nature. Halldorsson et al. (2003) reflect upon the theoretical development of SCM demonstrating how the theories of the firm may contribute to TPL with various units and levels of analysis. TCE argues for the existence of TPL together with the logic of \"core competence\" from the resource-based perspective. The network approach provides an insight into development and management of inter-organizational relationships - a central feature of TPL. In developing a typology of interorganizatoinal governance, Heide (1994) draws on cross-disciplinary literature, including the marketing channels perspective, the resource dependence theory and the relational contracting theory.The agency theory focuses on incentives and contract types as a means to reduce the negative impact of goal divergence among the parties in the supply chain. Although the agency theory to some extent draws on the concept of transaction costs, Hoskisson et al. (1999, p. 433) argue that its primary theoretical building blocks are based on Berle and Means' discussion of the separation of ownership and control in 1932 and the work on property rights by Alchian and Demsetz in 1972. The main issues stressed by the theory include the principal's (a buyer of TPL services) and the agent's (a TPL provider) \"conflicting goals\" the existence of asymmetric information, and the principal's and the agent's different attitudes towards risk, i.e. \"risk preferences\" (Jensen and Meckling, 1976; Eisenhardt, 1989). The contract is the basic unit of analysis, and the domain of the theory deals with describing the governance mechanisms and identifying the most efficient incentives to solve the agency problems (Eisenhardt, 1989, p. 58). The incentive structure governs the relationship between the principal and the agent, and the firm itself is viewed as a nexus of contracts (Hoskisson et al., 1999, p. 435). The incentives may be outcome-based or behavior-oriented, depending on a range of theoretical presumptions such as outcome uncertainty, self-interest behavior, goal conflict, bounded rationality, information asymmetry, difference in risk preferences, pre-eminence of efficiency, and whether information is treated as a commodity (Eisenhardt, 1989, p. 63).3.1 Agency in TPL arrangements\n4 Case analysis: 4.1 A dyadic TPL relationship\n5 Conclusions and implications: The previous sections have not focused on the level of governance (market-hybrid-hierarchy), but rather on decisions and incidents in the particular TPL dyad - the hybrid mode - explaining by what means the relationship is governed and why the managerial devices may change over time. The TPL arrangement confronted both parties with new managerial tasks. To P, the arrangement was an important step into the FMCG business segment, and to B, the arrangement implied that a substantial part of their logistics was operated by an external organization. This section reflects upon several issues that have furthered motivation as well as de-motivation in the relationship.The two parties have focused keenly on interpreting the clauses in the contract and discussing prices and service failures instead of concentrating on developing improvements and win-win situations. The reason for this focus on the contract relates to the fundamental idea and intention of the outsourcing project. Both parties acknowledge that is not so much a matter of \"relationship management\". To achieve a better TPL arrangement, both parties must have a clear rationale for entering the arrangement and know how to create logistics synergies among the customers of both parties. Both the strategic consideration about entering the arrangement and the selection process, in which IT capability was a major criterion, seem to have followed the expected path. From the outset, however, the relationship has been subject to both controllable and non-controllable forces of change. This has not always had a positive effect on the logistics performance or the relationship itself.The letter of intent (later replaced by a clause in the contract), which initially served as a safeguard for the provider's investment in dedicated automated cranes and warehouse activities, took on an important role in management of the relationship. The monetary consequences of terminating the relationship were a common point of reflection when the two parties argued on some specific matter. Also, the time and resources invested in changing from one logistics provider to another may be seen as switching costs in a current perspective. Unanticipated increases in volume limited the provider's opportunity to fully utilize the warehousing capacity - a cost that the contract did not consider. As a result of outsourcing, the customer acquired more knowledge about the costs of individual operations, which gave the customer the opportunity to compare the costs with prices of other logistics providers. The mutual search for optimizing their own operations may have the character of what Lowendahl (1997, p. 39) calls the \"double moral hazard problem\"; for both parties there is a hazard involved due to private information.The mechanisms of governance have changed throughout the relationship. The governance of the relationship has been \"dynamic\" in the sense that the letter of intent served as the main device of governance in the beginning and later was replaced by the written contract. However, contrary to what has been termed development of \"trust\" as a common point of reference, this particular relationship decided not to operate with open-book contracts. Also, the buyer made several efforts to control what the provider charged for various services. Seen in a long-term perspective, the basis of the relationship might be more characterized by what Williamson (1993) defines as \"calculative trust\" than by \"personal trust\" and \"reciprocal trust\" introduced by the network approach (Hakansson and Gadde, 1997). Figure 3 shows an overview of how the theoretical logic of the various decisions made by management of the inter-firm relationship may vary over time.From focusing on core competencies as the initial logic of outsourcing, there is evidence of mutual orientation in the initial period of implementation and operation. This is followed by a period characterized by a principal-agent relationship. To ensure further prosperity of the relationship, the two companies must direct their efforts towards the logic of the network approach.The approach developed above is limited in the sense that it fails to reflect on how costs of governance vary with different means. A further test of governance mechanisms and their subsequent dynamic forces should be worked into the current models of TPL arrangements, which mainly view \"ongoing service assessment\" as the primary attribute of dynamics in TPL arrangement. The current case and theoretical evidence prove that this is not the case.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To improve the understanding of the inter-organizational dynamics of the dyadic relationships between a buyer and provider of logistics services (TPL dyads).\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Analyzes the preparation, implementation, and operation of a particular case of third party logistics (TPL) arrangements. Based on a single case study of a dyadic relationship, the paper confronts the static view of the transaction cost approach and the agency theory on \"governance structures\" and \"contracts\" by showing how \"relationship governance\" emerges and develops over time.\nFindings: - TPL dyads are subject to both controllable and non-controllable forces of change, which may not always have a positive effect on the logistics performance or the relationship itself. Inter-organizational dynamics not only relate to learning, competence development, or adaptation, as suggested by other studies, but also to how the dyadic relationships are governed. As the dyad accumulates experience over time, changes will occur in the balance between the two parties in terms of goal congruence and risk preferences, which has a strong influence on the nature of contracts and other safeguards governing the relationship. Similarly, explanatory power of theories applicable to inter-organizational settings may vary as relationships emerge and develop over time. Focus on core competencies as the logic of outsourcing is followed by a period characterized by a principal-agent relationship. To ensure further prosperity of the relationship, the two companies must direct their efforts towards the logic of the network approach.\nOriginality/value: - Contributes to a cross-disciplinary fertilization of the SCM field, in particular inter-organizational relationships.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Determining key drivers of efficient electricity management practices in public universities in Southwestern Nigeria: An empirical study
|
[
"Sustainability",
"Drivers",
"Nigerian public universities",
"Electricity management",
"Stakeholders participation",
"Energy management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Buildings account for up to 40 per cent of global energy consumption (Pout et al., 2002; Asimakopoulos et al., 2012), constituting a huge percentage of energy consumption compared to other sectors of the global economy. The:\n2. Some pertinent literature on drivers of efficient electricity management: In recent years, there is an increasing number of studies about several approaches to managing electricity consumption. However, despite the diverse EM methods, it seems that there are always particular drivers to consider for any EM process to take place successfully. Drivers are those few key areas of activity in which favourable results are absolutely necessary to achieve EM goals. Thollander and Ottosson (2008) considered drivers to be \"different types of factors that stress investments in technologies that are both energy-efficient and cost-effective\". Cagno and Trianni (2013) attempted to explain drivers of energy efficiency more clearly as \"factors facilitating the adoption of both energy-efficient technologies and practices, thus going beyond the view of investments and including the promotion of an energy-efficient culture and awareness\".\n3. Methodology: 3.1 Research approach and instrument adopted for the study\n4. Results: 4.1 Respondents' general information\n5. Findings and discussions: From the result of the analysis, the 23 identified key drivers were categorized into four principal interpretable factors, namely, Factor 1: Raising awareness; Factor 2: Top management support and robust EM team; Factor 3: Risk management; and Factor 4: Stakeholder's participation.\n6. Conclusions: EEM practices have the greatest opportunity to reduce the negative environmental impacts of universities. To encourage the widespread implementation of EEM practices, this study identified the key drivers for implementing EEM practices in public universities. This study contributes to the existing body of literature by focusing on the perspective of university stakeholders in Nigeria. A total number of 23 drivers were identified through a comprehensive literature review and presented in a questionnaire.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: University campuses are one of the major consumers of electricity. Therefore, it is important to investigate factors related to electricity saving. This study aims to examine the key drivers in achieving efficient electricity management (EEM) practices in public universities.\nDesign/methodology/approach: To achieve the objective, 23 drivers of EEM practices were identified through a comprehensive literature review and an empirical questionnaire survey was performed with 1,386 electricity end-users of three public universities having staff and students' halls of residences in Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 21) to identify the number of components that could represent the 23 identified drivers.\nFindings: The relative importance index ranking results indicated that 18 drivers were critical. The top five most critical drivers were understanding of the issues, understanding the vision and goal of an energy management programme, knowledge and skill, risk identification and good and effective communication among relevant stakeholders. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that the underlying grouped drivers were raising awareness, top management support and robust energy management team, risk management and stakeholders' participation. This study also indicates that the most dominant of the four underlying groups was raising awareness, which highlights the role of increasing awareness and public consciousness as a significant catalyst in promoting EEM practices in public universities.\nResearch limitations/implications: Geographically, this study is limited to the opinion of respondents in public university campuses in Nigeria. Although this study could form the basis for future studies, its limitation must be considered carefully when interpreting and generalizing the results.\nPractical implications: This paper has highlighted a few drivers of EEM practices in public universities. The results of this study present scientific evidence that can be used as a basis for formulating public policies that could be incorporated into the energy management regulations of university buildings. It is most important for policymakers to pay adequate attention to the most critical drivers especially those that are related to the \"raising awareness\" factor to promote sustainable campuses.\nOriginality/value: This study provides practical knowledge for university management to develop effective methods to implement the identified drivers of efficient and sustainable electricity management on the campus. This study also contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of energy management.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Quality, productivity and business performance in home based brassware manufacturing units
|
[
"Performance",
"Business",
"Manufacturing",
"Quality",
"Productivity",
"Brassware"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The ability of nations, and organizations within nations, to enhance the standard of living of the world's growing population depends on continued increases in the productivity of the systems that provide goods and services (Harris, 1994; Bahri et al., 2011; Djellal and Gallouj, 2013). This paper intends to understand productivity of systems in home-based brassware units for its linkages with quality and business performance. There is a paucity of comprehensive academic study on brassware industries dealing with quality, productivity and business performance (Mahesha and Kumar, 2012; Bourne et al., 2003; Bititci et al., 2012). Most of the studies relating to home-based brassware units had concentrated on the extent of child labour, conditions of the working children and their families (Burra, 1995; Islam and Shazali, 2011); the numerous processes operative in the households (Raj and Mahapatra, 2009); problems of implementation of the labour laws (Islam and Shazali, 2011); poverty and lack of alternative employment opportunities (Mathur et al., 2012; Sharma and Bhagwat, 2007). These are more of descriptive nature and lacking in analytical depth.\nWhat is the status of home-based brassware manufacturing units in India?: In Indian context, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play a pivotal role in the overall industrial economy for home-based brassware industries (Das and Das, 2011; Djellal and Gallouj, 2013). The major advantage of this sector is its enormous employment potential at significantly low capital involvement (Djellal and Gallouj, 2013). Brassware manufacturing in India is mostly cluster based (Islam and Shazali, 2011). Being a member of an industrial cluster is crucial for firms, especially the MSMEs specializing in home-based brassware manufacturing (Varman and Chakrabarti, 2011), which face higher level of resource constraints in both finance as well as marketing their products.\nWhy study quality, productivity and business performance for home-based brassware manufacturing units?: The dimensions such as quality, productivity and business performance have been the yardstick for measuring the status of a given enterprise, subsector or a country (Tangen, 2005; de Waal and Kourtit, 2013). These dimensions can adequately explain and define the extent of growth of home-based brassware manufacturing in a given situation.\nWhat is quality in home-based brassware manufacturing units?: Quality has been understood as an enhancement to the traditional way of doing business (Foster and Whittle, 1989; Lakhe and Mohanty, 1994). It is a proven technique to guarantee survival in world-class competition. The impact of quality on business performance has been considered by a number of research studies as the primary source of a competitive advantage. The determinants of quality in the context of home-based brassware manufacturing are work place environment, motivational provisions and dependability, whose characteristics are listed below:\nWhat is productivity in home-based brassware manufacturing units?: Brassware manufacturing involves inputs of heterogeneous nature which is very difficult to integrate although it is relatively easier to quantify tangible outputs only. Therefore, productivity in brassware requires unique, thought provoking and practical approach for straightforward conceptualization where data collection are easy and the message on methodology is simple and clear.\nWhat is business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing units?: Business performance has to reflect how an organization has been doing so far relative to the major competitors in the brassware manufacturing industries using scale where \"1\" stands for \"worst in industry\" and \"5\" stands for \"best in industry\" in respect of cost or overhead cost, flexibility, delivery speed and customer satisfaction. In addition, capacity utilization and inventory turnover can also be considered good indicators for reflecting business performance:\nWhat are the linkages of quality, productivity and business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing units?: Many meanings are attached to link and linkage. In its noun and verb forms, link refers to connecting, tying or joining together. Implicit in the definition are the existence and the joining together of two or more objects. In this paper, linkage is a structural phenomenon referring to the joining together of two or more objects. Linkage can be described in terms of multiple dimensions, which can vary in terms of content, say, for example, technological, organizational and social linkages. Linkages can also be described in terms of directionality or organizational space, for example, horizontal, vertical and diagonal linkages for explaining changes in productivity. Linkages can also vary in terms of complexity, that is, the number of links in any organizational context. The degree of interdependence in a linkage condition also varies, for example, an organizational system can be conceptualized in which all the objects are highly interdependent vs one in which objects are more loosely coupled.\nWhat are the issues for evaluating array of studies involving quality, productivity and business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing units?: Over the past ten years or more, many papers have been published in the literature on quality, productivity and business performance. In order to derive the important issues on quality, productivity and business performance, the present study attempts to review following 27 popular research papers in these areas. They are P 01 (Bourne et al., 2003), P 02 (Tangen, 2003), P 03 (Tangen, 2004), P 04 ( Berrah et al., 2004), P 05 (Folan and Browne, 2005), P 06 (Tangen, 2005), P 07 (Muthiah and Huang, 2006), P 08 (Reid, 2006), P 09 (Jha and Kumar, 2006), P 10 (Inklaar and Timmer, 2007), P 11 (Sharma and Bhagwat, 2007), P 12 (Nenadal, 2008), P 13 (Inha et al., 2008), P 14 (Raj and Mahapatra, 2009), P 15 (Kumar et al., 2009), P 16 (Cocca and Alberti, 2010), P 17 (Nudurupati et al., 2010), P 18 (Islam and Shazali, 2011), P 19 (Bahri et al., 2011), P 20 (Maroto, 2012), P 21 (Mathur et al., 2012), P 22 (Bititci et al., 2012), P 23 (Simpson et al., 2012), P 24 (Franceschini et al., 2014), P 25 (de Waal and Kourtit, 2013), P 26 (Djellal and Gallouj, 2013) and P 27 (Harold, 2014) (see Table I).\nHow are quality, productivity and business performance improved innovatively in home-based brassware manufacturing units?: Of a little available literatures on brassware manufacturing, most of them intend to focus on \"what\" aspects relating to quality, productivity and business performance; however, a little explicit coverage have been found on \"how\" aspects relating to quality, productivity and business performance. Notably, the manufacturing industries have a long tradition of design for specification unlike services, which commonly lack concrete specifications for which process documentation and analysis tools have been in use for many years, for example, flowcharts, or \"flow process charts\", date back to at least 1921, when the legendary Frank B. Gilbreth gave a presentation titled \"Process Charts - First Steps in Finding the One Best Way\" at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (Graham, 2004).\nConclusion: We believe that the discussions presented in this paper have significant implications for policy and research relating to home-based brassware units on connecting to the KPAs and levels of management. We have described in this paper the status of home-based brassware manufacturing in India; the meaning of quality, productivity and business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing; and the linkages of quality, productivity and business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing. An array of issues have been discussed for evaluating studies involving quality, productivity and business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing. This paper also presents how to define and improve quality, productivity and business performance for home-based brassware manufacturing.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper examines the ways in which the concepts of \"quality\", \"productivity\" and \"business performance\" are dealt in the literature to exhibit that terms used within these fields are vaguely defined and poorly understood. The purpose of this paper is to define quality, productivity and business performance along with their linkages for home-based brassware manufacturing units.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper reviews related academic literature mostly since past ten years.\nFindings: This paper clarifies meaning and linkages of quality, productivity and business performance in home-based brassware manufacturing units.\nResearch limitations/implications: The meaning and interpretations of quality, productivity and business performance may differ for other manufacturing units.\nPractical implications: This paper highlights determinants of quality, productivity and business performance using key performance areas as applied explicitly for home-based brassware manufacturing units. The systems approach has been applied to understand productivity.\nOriginality/value: This paper creates terminologies that reduce the existing confusion with the field for applications in academia and brassware industry.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Engaging consumers in mobile instant messaging: the role of cute branded emoticons
|
[
"Brand engagement",
"Impression management",
"Perceived playfulness"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The use of mobile instant messaging (MIM) to communicate has become a worldwide phenomenon as smartphones have transformed the way people interact. A unique feature of MIM is that it allows the consumer to communicate with text and with emoticons, which are graphic visuals that help consumers express their emotions more clearly than text messages alone (Hsieh and Tseng, 2017; Kaye et al., 2016). With the massive increase in the number of mobile messaging app users, sending emoticons in mobile messages has also gained tremendous worldwide popularity. These non-verbal graphic cues have been rapidly adopted in online communication to communicate emotions and to support written text content; they may even sometimes replace text (Kaye et al., 2016; Thompson and Filik, 2016). Nearly, 814 million emoticon-containing mobile messages were sent worldwide in 2016, a 461 per cent increase over 2015 (eMarketer, 2016). Emoticons are everywhere and are created in various online platforms; it is estimated that more than 2,700 official emoji were available for usage in 2018 (Das et al., 2019). Emoticons are adopted in almost 50 per cent of communication on Instagram (eMarketer, 2018). To leverage the popularity of emoticons, brands are offering branded emoticons to build brand relationships with consumers (Codina, 2015; Das et al., 2019; Lee, 2017). Brands such as Pepsi, Starbucks and IKEA are making substantial investments in this \"digital language\" in an effort to develop effective engagement (Becker, 2016). Baskin-Robbins uses cute ice cream cone emoticons and Dominos uses pizza emoticons in tweets to engage and interact with consumers (Das et al., 2019). The more that consumers use the branded emoticons provided by brands, the more likely it is that a close interaction will be established between the brands and consumers, which may build more favourable brand attitudes among consumers and ultimately affect their brand purchase decisions (Lee, 2017). As a result, an increasing number of marketers are adopting branded emoticons in their mobile marketing communications (Middlemas and Lonergan, 2015). However, despite the significance of branded emoticons for practitioners and their popularity among vast numbers of consumers, there is only limited academic research to date on branded emoticons (Lee, 2017). Thus, further investigation is necessary.\n2. Theoretical background: 2.1 Branded emoticons\n3. Methods: 3.1 Sampling and data collection\n4. Results: 4.1 Measurement model validation\n5. Discussion: 5.1 Discussion\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: With the rapid surge of mobile marketing, an increasing number of brands have launched branded emoticons in an attempt to build brand relationships with consumers. Despite the apparent promise of branded emoticon usage, there is only limited academic research on branded emoticons. This paper aims to build on impression management theory and the conceptualization of cuteness to investigate how the effect of cuteness in branded emoticon design influences perceived playfulness in mobile instant messaging (MIM) interaction and the creation of brand engagement in self-concept.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Consumers with usage experience of branded emoticons in MIM apps were recruited to complete an online survey. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyze the data.\nFindings: Two facets of cuteness - kindchenschema cuteness and whimsical cuteness - can project a favourable social image to consumers that facilitates playfulness in social interaction and enhances brand engagement in self-concept, which leads to their willingness to purchase the brand and stickiness to the MIM apps.\nOriginality/value: The popularity of branded emoticons represents a new form of social interaction and an innovative way to build brand relationships. The present study is the first to examine the design aspects of branded emoticons and highlights that the cuteness of a branded emoticon may be a crucial factor in engaging consumers in MIM.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Team cognition using collaborative technology: a behavioral analysis
|
[
"Behavioural analysis",
"Shared mental model",
"Task reflexivity",
"Team cognition",
"Team learning",
"Technology‐mediated collaboration",
"Learning",
"Team working"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Advances in collaborative technologies (e.g. videoconferencing systems with shared whiteboards) have lead to the development of a global, socially-networked and knowledge-based society (Huang et al., 2010; Kleinberg, 2008). For example, collaborative technology can be used to link medical personnel across the globe in an effort to bring the best minds together to address complex medical problems and provide treatment in remote areas (Breen and Matusitz, 2010). Collaborative technology has also played a role in providing online instructional delivery and cooperative learning opportunities to students unable to pursue their education in the traditional classroom setting (Sharan, 2010). Despite the increasingly pervasive use of teams, team-based knowledge work has not always been associated with increased effectiveness (Curseu et al., 2008; DeChurch and Mesmer-Magnus, 2010; Kozlowski and Ilgen, 2006). Given the pervasive use of collaborative technology in our daily lives, there is a need to gain a greater understanding about the impact of collaborative technologies on problem solving and social interactions within teams, organizations and social networks.\nConceptual framework and hypotheses: Media synchronicity theory\nMethod: Experimental design\nResults: The multivariate collaboration mode main affect was statistically significant (Wilk's Lambda=0.309, F(3, 8)=5.970, p=0.019, e2=0.691) indicating that that collaboration mode exhibited a consistent simultaneous differential impact on team learning, team reflexivity, and mental model. The e2=0.691 indicates that the collaboration mode accounted for 69 percent of explained variance in the dependent variables. In order to assess individual dependent variable contribution to the overall significant multivariate effect, univariate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) for each dependent variable were conducted as follow-up tests to the MANOVA. Table III shows the means, standard deviations, and the results from each separate univariate MANOVA for the dependent variables used in this study.The ANOVA of team learning was significant, F(1,10)=13.24,p=0.005, e2=0.57, ndicating that collaboration mode did contribute to mean differences in team learning indicating support for H1. Face-to-face settings had a team learning mean score of 123.00 while the technology-mediated teams had a team learning mean score of 82.33 (see Table III). The impact of collaboration mode on team reflexivity was also significant - F(1,10)=5.12, p=0.047, e2=0.34 thus providing support for H2. Team reflexivity was higher for face-to-face settings (mean score of 119.50) than in technology-mediated settings (mean score of 101.66). In support of H3, collaboration mode has a significant impact on team mental model development (F(1,10)=11.76, p=0.006, e2=0.54). Team mental model rating was higher for face-to-face settings (mean score of 79.00) than in technology-mediated settings (mean score of 54.00). The eta2 (e2) values of 0.57 for team learning, 0.34 for team reflexivity and 0.54 for team mental model indicate relatively strong effect sizes thereby indicating a strong relationship between the outcome variables and collaboration mode (Tabachnick and Fidell, 2000).Discrminant analysis is another method for examining multivariate differences among groups and addresses questions such as: the number of dimensions represented by the multivariate differences between groups; interpretation of these dimensions; andrelative importance of the underlying dimensions in distinguishing group membership (Huberty and Olejnik, 2006). Discriminant factor structure coefficients (team learning=0.769, team reflexivity=0.478, and team mental model=0.725) represent correlations (or factor loadings) between the multivariate outcome variables and the associated overall discriminant function. These correlations provide assessments of relative importance to and interpretation of meaning to the discriminant function. In regards to collaboration mode, team learning contributes most to group differentiation followed by team mental model and then team reflexivity. Finally, team learning, team mental model, and team reflexivity can be collectively interpreted as team cognition in that they respectively represent the creation, use, and maintenance of cognition.\nDiscussion: Key findings\nConclusion: Understanding the nature of teams and cognition during team-based problem solving has been an ongoing undertaking in several different disciplines over the past years. In most of these efforts, team cognition was assessed via outcomes attributed to the act of cognition (DeChurch and Mesmer-Magnus, 2010) with minimal consideration of the process and behaviors of team cognition. An overall finding of the study is that collaboration involves a collection information exchange patterns, grounding behaviors and collaborative effort behaviors that collectively facilitate team-based problem solving. As such, behavior analysis offers the promise of improving our understanding of team cognition and subsequently organizational contexts in which it takes place. This study addresses a gap in the technology-mediated collaboration literature as it confirms the viability of alternate theories and research approaches that help extend the current body of knowledge on this topic. Technology-mediated collaboration is clearly different than face-to-face teamwork and requires additional collaborative effort to mitigate the factors found to impact team cognition. Hertel(2011) noted that findings from basic psychology that can be very valuable in identifying process gains and losses in teams related to selection of experts for task and team processes, use of multiple perspectives and information, and team learning have been largely neglected in the managerial literature. Hopefully this study will stimulate more theoretical discussion and empirical research aimed at understanding the cognitive mechanisms (e.g. team learning, team reflexivity, team mental model) underlying team-based problem solving in both collocated and non-collated collaboration in organizational settings.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of collaboration mode (face-to-face versus non-collocated using collaborative technology) on team-based problem solving behaviors associated with team learning, team reflexivity (i.e. reflectiveness) and team mental model development.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The study used a single factor (collaboration mode) between subjects randomized experimental design. The experimental manipulations of collaboration mode were face-to-face versus technology-mediated collaboration. Observer ratings of problem solving behaviors were used to generate data analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance.\nFindings: - Multivariate analysis of variance results indicated that face-to-face collaboration is superior to technology-mediated collaboration in facilitating team level cognitive functions such as team learning, team reflexivity, and shared mental model development.\nPractical implications: - To better manage the psychological/cognitive aspects of teamwork, managers must detect and accurately interpret the behavioral indicators that evidence the extent of team learning, reflexivity and shared mental model construction of task requirements and execution.\nOriginality/value: - This paper represents one of the first to investigate the impact of technology-mediated collaboration on team cognition and to conceptualize team cognition as a set of mental processes and intra-team communication exchanges that facilitate team learning, reflection, and shared understanding.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Exploring the forced closure of a brand community that is also a participatory culture
|
[
"Branding",
"Qualitative research",
"Brand community",
"Consumer brand engagement",
"Video games",
"Participatory culture",
"Narrative brands"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Video games for mobile phones, consoles and personal computers are a fast-growing product group with the global video game industry generating $137.9bn in 2018 (an 8.8 per cent year-on-year growth), of which Europe, the Middle East and Africa contributed $28.7bn (Newzoo, 2018). Therefore, engaging in effective brand management should be a priority for the industry to ensure its long-term success. A particularly important brand management approach in the video game industry is the management of brand communities because consumers of video games, which are narrative brands (Russell and Schau, 2014), participate in extensive consumer brand engagement behaviours (Alpert, 2007; Butcher et al., 2017); moreover, a brand community focused on a narrative brand can encompass a participatory culture (Burgess and Jones, 2018). Examples of these behaviours include producing content based on the games they play, mods, walkthroughs and theories about the lore of the games' worlds (Newman, 2013; Postigo, 2007). The marketing literature has long recognised the importance and benefits of brand communities (Muniz and O'Guinn, 2001; Wang and Ding, 2017), as have video game companies, which have an established history of encouraging their consumers to join them, and create and share content because of the financial benefits for their brands. For example, The Sims series, developed by Electronic Arts, has databases of freely available content created by players that other players can add to their games, and the Assassin's Creed series, developed by Ubisoft, encourages and assists consumers to share images and content (Zimmerman, 2017). The creations and productivity of video game players and their communities are among their most defining features (Newman, 2013) and are widely accepted and used by the video game industry (Postigo, 2007; Zimmerman, 2017).\nLiterature review: The importance of Brand communities for successful brands\nMethodology: Research design and data collection\nResults: The analysis identified several relevant themes and sub-themes, which are presented in Table I.\nDiscussion: BioWare social network members' emotional reactions and responses to the closure\nConclusions and implications: The results of this research into the closure of the BSN have both theoretical and practical implications for marketers and brand managers. Although certain BSN members felt compelled to post messages of support and appreciation for BioWare, the majority were angry or distressed about the closure. Members felt they had built genuine relationships with each other and mourned their impending loss and the social network they had formed within the BSN. In general, this should be of concern to brand managers because brand communities are hubs for relationships between consumers and angering them can cause them to become commercial risks for brands.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate members' reactions to the forced closure of a narrative video game brand community and its participatory culture.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The BioWare Social Network forums closure was announced in a thread, which attracted 8,891 posts. These were analysed using thematic analysis, facilitated by the software program Leximancer and non-participatory netnography.\nFindings: The brand community and participatory culture members were predominantly distressed because they would lose their relationships with each other and access to the participatory culture's creative output.\nResearch limitations/implications: Previous research suggested that video game players cannot be fans and that player-generated content is exploitative. However, members, self-identified as fans, encouraged BioWare's use of their player-created content for financial gain and articulated the community's marketing benefits, all of which have implications for Fan and Game Studies' researchers. Research using primary data could identify brand communities and participatory cultures' specific benefits and their members' attitudes about brands' commercial use of their outputs. Further research is required to identify other products and brands not suitable for establishing brand communities on social media to determine the best ways to manage them.\nPractical implications: Addressing narrative brand communities' complaints quickly can prevent negative financial outcomes and using social media sites for brand communities may not be suitable structurally or because of members' privacy concerns. Furthermore, consumers often have intense emotional bonds with narrative brands, their communities and participatory cultures, which marketers may underestimate or misunderstand.\nOriginality/value: This study of the unique phenomenon of the forced closure of a narrative brand community and its participatory culture increased understandings about them.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Examining desorptive capacity in supply chains: the role of organizational ambidexterity
|
[
"Desorptive capacity",
"Balanced ambidexterity",
"Combined ambidexterity",
"Supply chain competence",
"Supply network"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Recent literature complements the traditional concept of absorptive capacity with the term desorptive capacity (Lichtenthaler and Lichtenthaler, 2009, 2010), which highlights the importance of external knowledge exploitation or outward knowledge transfer. Knowledge desorption is composed of two steps: proper identification of the knowledge transfer opportunity and the transfer process itself, which supports application of the knowledge at the recipient, i.e., the members of the supply chain (Meinlschmidt et al., 2016).\n2. Theoretical background and hypotheses: This study develops from the theory of dynamic capabilities (based on desorptive capacity and organizational ambidexterity), an extension of the resourced-based view (Wernerfelt, 1984). Dynamic capabilities can be defined as \"a firm's behavioral orientation to constantly integrate, reconfigure, renew and recreate its resources and capabilities and, most importantly, upgrade and reconstruct its core capabilities in response to the changing environment to attain and sustain competitive advantage\" (Wang and Ahmed, 2007, p. 35). The literature on knowledge transfer between companies highlights the importance of two dynamic capabilities, absorptive capacity and desorptive capacity (Meinlschmidt et al., 2016). The idea that organizations can reap non-economic benefits from desorptive capacity by exploiting their knowledge has practical appeal, and, from an operations management perspective, potential for further theoretical development. The following sections develop the theoretical building blocks of the study with specific focus on the relationship between desorptive capacity and supply chain competence in the presence of organizational ambidexterity, based, as noted above, on dynamic capabilities theory.\n3. Methodology: 3.1 Sampling and data collection\n4. Results: To contrast the hypotheses, we used hierarchical regression analysis (Table III). First, we performed regression analysis among the dependent and control variables. Second, we performed regression analysis among the dependent and moderating variables. The third phase included the independent variable. Finally, we added two terms representing the interactions between the independent variable and each of the moderators. To avoid problems of multicollinearity, we centered the interaction terms relative to the mean before calculating their product. The tolerance values and variance inflation factors of the independent variables were within the accepted limits for rejecting multicollinearity.\n5. Discussion, implications, limitations, and future research directions: This study hypothesized a model relating desorptive capacity and supply chain competence, and theorized the potential moderator effects of the balanced and combined dimensions of organizational ambidexterity.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain how a buying organization's desorptive capacity relative to its supply network enhances the organization's supply chain competence. The research also analyzes the contingent role of the balanced and combined dimensions of ambidexterity in this relationship.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Empirical results are obtained through analysis of survey data from a sample of 270 European firms. Hierarchical regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses.\nFindings: The results confirm, first, the positive and significant relationship between the buying organization's desorptive capacity and supply chain competence; and, second, the key moderating role of organizational ambidexterity, especially in its combined dimension, in this relationship.\nPractical implications: The study suggests that desorptive capacity is key to the organization's contribution to supply chain competitiveness. The authors also provide practitioners with better understanding of the extent to which they should attempt to balance exploration and exploitation or/and to maximize both simultaneously when seeking greater benefit from desorptive capacity.\nOriginality/value: This study extends desorptive capacity research to supply chain management. It responds to calls in the desorptive capacity literature for deeper understanding of the benefits of desorptive capacity and of the role organizational ambidexterity plays in the success of desorptive capacity. By analyzing the independent effects of the combined and balanced dimensions of ambidexterity, the authors advance conceptual and operational understanding of the role of ambidexterity needed in the literature.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Resettled refugee community perspectives to the Canterbury earthquakes: Implications for organizational response
|
[
"Diversity",
"Earthquake",
"Disaster",
"Refugee",
"Resettlement"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The Canterbury earthquakes have resulted in New Zealand's largest disaster associated with a natural hazard in recent memory. On 4 September 2010 there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter scale that caused serious damage to property and infrastructure, but amazingly, no fatalities occurred. Thousands of aftershocks followed and culminated with the 22 February 2011 earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3. This earthquake was extremely destructive and resulted in 186 fatalities, the collapse of multiple buildings and has become the second-most deadly disaster in New Zealand history.\nRefugee resettlement and disaster contexts: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, 2013) estimates that there are 35.8 million people forcibly displaced worldwide and 10.5 million of these people are recognised as refugees. Over the past five years, nearly half a million refugees have been offered the opportunity to live in a third country of resettlement that offers citizenship or permanent residency in places such as the USA, Australia, Canada, UK, Scandinavia and New Zealand (UNHCR, 2012). These significant figures (though relatively small in relation to the numbers of people who are still living in untenable and unsafe circumstances worldwide) point to the need to understand what it might mean to resettle in a place that may have very different cultural norms and social realities from a person's country of origin (Marlowe, 2012). Whilst Mercer et al. (2012) rightly recognise the importance of acknowledging cultural diversity for any disaster risk reduction strategy, the refugee experience of forced migration and resettlement can create additional considerations for effective disaster preparedness, response and recovery initiatives.\nStudy design: Through the use of focus group discussions, participants from the Ethiopian, Bhutanese and Afghan communities spoke about their perspectives on the recent earthquakes and how they had responded to these events. Included in this discussion was their experience of receiving support from social service organisations.\nParticipant voices and community experiences: Before introducing the participant voices, brief background information is provided about the Afghan, Ethiopian and Bhutanese communities in terms of their size and the approximate date that these groups were resettled:\nDiscussion: Though the Canterbury earthquakes have ruptured the land and altered Christchurch and the Canterbury region in immeasurable ways, many relationships have stayed intact and the process of refugee background communities being together has been one of the most helpful ways of responding to, and preparing for, disasters. It highlights the need to identify and work alongside community leaders (again, note the plural) to inform what might constitute effective disaster risk reduction strategies in the future. These community leaders in disaster contexts may be different from the daily community leaders as several participants noted that one leader can easily become overwhelmed and possibly unavailable. It is also crucial to acknowledge that, whilst the participants emphasised the need for local responses to adverse circumstances, there is still a particular need to develop relationships with diverse groupings of people across a given society. These extended relationships can result in greater social capital and access to vital resources (see Marlowe, 2011) and represent an important role that community-based organisations can help collaboratively facilitate.\nConclusion: As Desai (2007) notes, a belief in people's capacities to grow and change is critical and represents a paramount principle for empowering disaster initiatives. There are growing needs to consider (and celebrate) the diversity that refugee background communities carry along with them to inform effective disaster response and preparedness in countries of resettlement. Overall, the participant comments highlight the diversity of their experiences and the need to consider proactive community plans that are community driven and agency supported. This means engaging with communities before a disaster occurs and creating collaborative contingency plans to ensure that there are multiple ways of responding as it is impossible to fully predict how a future disaster scenario may play out. Recognising the diversity across these communities with respect to the time they had lived in Christchurch, linguistic competencies and cultural backgrounds - the participant comments highlight the importance of localised proactive community plans that are tailored to each refugee background community' demographics, cultural traditions, existing vulnerabilities and current/potential capacities.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This research project examined resettled refugees' perspectives on the Canterbury Earthquakes to better understand the organisational implications for disaster preparedness and response with culturally and linguistically diverse groups.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The method of data collection for this exploratory pilot study involved conducting semi-structured focus group discussions during January 2012 with the Bhutanese, Afghani and Ethiopian communities. The project was conducted in partnership with Refugee Services Aotearoa which is New Zealand's primary refugee resettlement organisation.\nFindings: The participant comments identify the importance of local ethnic community responses to a natural disaster. The need for a pre-established meeting centre(s) and community liaisons with key support organisations was highlighted as vital. Central to recovery is how organisations can work alongside refugee communities in disaster preparedness and response opportunities.\nOriginality/value: The paper offers insight into the additional considerations of disaster risk reduction strategies with refugee background communities - a group that is relatively under-researched in disaster contexts.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Impact of initial trust, involvement, and mood on trusting belief: Evidence from the financial industry in Taiwan
|
[
"Trust",
"Involvement",
"New product development"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Effective development of consumer trust is essential for firms that wish to work collaboratively with customers and thereby provide increased value through new product development (NPD) within the rapidly evolving financial services industry. Trust refers to the depth and assurance of feelings based on inconclusive evidence, and represents a central element of the exchange relationship (McKnight and Chervany, 2001; Morgan and Hunt, 1994; Ennew et al., 2011); it is also a cultivated outcome of repeated customer experiences (Koufaris and Hampton-Sosa, 2004). While trust is developed over time, initial trust is necessary in situations where there is a lack of interaction history or firsthand knowledge of the trustee (McKnight et al., 2002; Koufaris and Hampton-Sosa, 2004). This study uses initial trust to assess the level of trust a customer has after the initial contact by a new financial institution (Koufaris and Hampton-Sosa, 2004).\n2. Literature review and research hypotheses: This study integrates prior studies on trust and social exchange theory (SET) to model the trust development process within the NPD context. SET is used to explain how exchange relationships evolve and change over time; trust serves as the core of SET. The following subsections begin by focussing on the connections between trust and NPD, and then list the specific hypotheses that are believed to increase the level of trust associated with NPD in financial institutions.\n3. Research method: 3.1. Sample and data collection\n4. Data analysis: 4.1. Descriptive statistics\n5. Discussion: The purpose of this study is to obtain a better understanding of the underlying factors leading to the success of NPD in the financial services industry. By applying the SET, we test the impact of initial trust, customer involvement, and positive moods on trusting belief of new products providers. In particular, we demonstrate the mediating effect of positive moods on trusting beliefs.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to incorporate social exchange theory to elaborate on the antecedents that underlie consumers' trust of innovative financial product providers. In particular, this study investigates the mediating role of positive moods in stimulating customer trust.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The research model was tested using data collected from 440 elite customers from top-ten financial holding companies in Taiwan. Structure equation modeling was employed to verify and validate the research model.\nFindings: The findings suggest that initial trust and customer involvement significantly and positively impact customer moods. In addition, customer initial trust, involvement, and positive moods significantly influence customers' trusting belief of service providers.\nResearch limitations/implications: This study focussed on the financial services industry only. While this industry represents an ideal new product development context, future research is needed to test the theory in different industries.\nPractical implications: The research findings advance the understanding of how to successfully build customer trust for innovative products.\nOriginality/value: Current research unfolds the impact of customer involvement on trust development and supplements existing trust study findings by examining the mediating effect of positive mood on trust development through quantitative research. The research findings increase the understanding of how customers develop trust with service provider.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Determining improvement needs in higher education benchmarking
|
[
"Benchmarking",
"Continuous improvement"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The growing need for performance excellence in higher education institutions (HEIs) requires continual improvement. Sharing good practices and learning from others - also called benchmarking - is an essential part of continual improvement. Benchmarking is generally defined as the search for best practices that will lead to superior performance. It is a continuous process of comparing an organization's processes against best practices anywhere in the world to gain information which will help an organization to improve its processes (Lema and Price, 1995). Since the purpose of benchmarking is continual improvement, it is conceptually very close to quality management and business excellence. While the informal sharing of good practices and learning from each other has been in practice since long in HEIs, interest is growing in the formalization and developing systematic approaches to the use of benchmarking.\nAn overview of the literature: Benchmarking is defined as \"a continuous, systematic process for evaluating the products, services, and work processes of organizations that are recognized as representing best practices, for the purpose of organizational improvement\" (Spendolini, 1992, p. 9). Several other definitions have also been provided in the literature, see for example, Besterfield et al. (1999), Bhutta and Huq (1999), Camp (1989), Jackson and Lund (2000), Lema and Price (1995), and CHEMS (1998). The common elements in these definitions are \"search for best practices,\" \"collecting information about best pr actices,\" \"improving performance,\" and \"benchmarking as a continuous process\" (Anand and Kodali, 2008; Dattakumar and Jagadeesh, 2003). The initial work on benchmarking was carried out at Xerox Corporation to compare its operating costs, product features, and operating capabilities against its competitors. Benchmarking is now well established and a large number of organizations benchmark their processes, products, and performance on a regular basis (Lema and Price, 1995).\nMethodologies for benchmarking: A number of models for benchmarking have been discussed in the literature. Anand and Kodali (2008), Dattakumar and Jagadeesh (2003), and Yasin (2002) carried out a review of literature on the various aspects of benchmarking and benchmarking models. The review shows the existence of more than 60 benchmarking models (Anand and Kodali, 2008). Some representative examples of these approaches include Xerox seven-step approach (Camp, 1989), Spendolini (1992) five-step process, Alcoa's six-step process (Bemowski, 1991), Drew's five-step process (Drew, 1997), and Bhutta and Huq (1999) five-step model, among many others. These approaches are similar to each other but have been tailored to incorporate the unique experiences of their authors (Partovi, 1994). Central to all these approaches are \"determining benchmarking needs,\" \"identification of benchmarking partner,\" \"data collection,\" and \"process improvement\" (Dattakumar and Jagadeesh, 2003; Yasin, 2002). Some illustrative examples of benchmarking approaches are provided in Table I.\nIdentification of improvement areas: Identification of priority improvement areas is critical to the success of a benchmarking project (Carpinetti and De Melo, 2002; Partovi, 1994). Recognizing the strategic importance of benchmarking, a number of researchers and practitioners have developed guidelines for identifying improvement needs. These guidelines - which are experience based and are qualitative statements - do not offer much help to decision makers in choosing alternatives on a scientific basis (Partovi, 1994). For example, Carpinetti and De Melo (2002) developed a five-step procedure to determine what to benchmark: analyze product and market, gather information on critical dimensions, map out critical processes, conduct an assessment of the critical processes and activities, and based on the assessment of processes and activities determine improvement needs. Although this model outlines the general steps for determining what to benchmark but does not elaborate on tools and techniques to be used for assessment, and how to carry out assessment.\nA framework for determining improvement needs: A structured approach to determining improvement needs starts from defining the key areas in a HEI. As noted earlier, benchmarking could be carried out for core academic processes as well as support processes. In addition to processes, HEIs may also choose to benchmark organizational structures required for performance excellence, for example, research-infrastructure, system for feedback collection and analysis, and management information system (MIS). In any case, HEIs need to determine the processes that are important in their unique context. These processes are, then, evaluated against certain evaluation criteria. Some examples of evaluation criteria include: knowledge-creation - that is the main function of HEIs, operational-excellence - during key processes such as projects execution, program design and delivery, student admission, and cost reduction, and stakeholder-satisfaction - stakeholders include students, faculty, accreditation and professional bodies, funders, industry, government, and community, etc.\nA case study: The purpose of this research was to develop a framework for the prioritization of improvement needs in benchmarking. This required data collection from those who are actually involved in the benchmarking process. Case study research (Yin, 2003) was employed because it allowed greater interaction with the respondents and, thus, making it possible to explain to them: multi-level problem hierarchy consisting of objective, criteria, and alternatives; the process of AHP; the concept of (in)consistency in responses measured through the CR; and the method of data collection through pairwise comparisons for criteria and alternatives. Further, data collection may be needed again if responses are inconsistent. This requires discussing inconsistencies with respondents. All these features of AHP are possible only through case research. That is why case research is most popular in the use of AHP (Asif and Searcy, 2014; Hafeez et al., 2007; Partovi, 1994; Sarmiento and Thomas, 2010).\nStructuring the problem: In the AHP a problem is structured along a hierarchy consisting of different levels (Saaty, 1977). The objective of this research is to determine priority improvement needs of the college. This makes the level-1 of the hierarchy. As noted earlier, the criteria used for the evaluation of processes to be benchmarked was \"knowledge-creation,\" \"operational-excellence,\" and \"stakeholder-satisfaction.\" The criteria used for the evaluation of alternatives make the second level of the hierarchy. The third level of the hierarchy consists of alternatives, i.e., processes and structures to be benchmarked. In the nutshell, the level-1 consists of objective, and level-2 consists of criteria against which processes and structures to be benchmarked (level-3) are evaluated. Data about potential processes and structures to be benchmarked was collected from three experienced faculty members actively involved in the continual improvement initiatives of the college and AACSB International accreditation. Respondents were asked to name the processes and/or structures that need to be benchmarked for improving performance of the college. The resulting list of processes and structures are shown in the hierarchy in Figure 3.\nDetermining priority improvement needs: Figure 3 shows 11 areas, needing improvement, identified by the respondents. In order to determine priority improvement needs using AHP, respondents were asked to compare the elements at each level of the hierarchy with respect to the elements at the upper levels of the hierarchy. For example one question at level-2 was \"with respect to the objective, which criterion is more important: 'knowledge-creation' or 'operational-excellence', and by what scale (1-9)?\" Similarly data were collected for all levels of the hierarchy.\nDiscussion: The emergence of the alternatives with respect to their criteria is quite intuitive. For instance, knowledge creation in a HEI hinges upon research arrangements and collaboration with the industry. Therefore, when \"knowledge-creation\" is main criterion, the emergence of \"research-infrastructure,\" \"innovation-related best practices,\" and \"industry-academia collaboration\" is quite logical. On the other hand, if the HEI wants to focus more on \"operational-excellence\" then more relevant options would be \"effective program-delivery,\" \"MIS,\" and \"system of performance indicators.\" Effective program-delivery - e.g., lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and case studies, etc. - are the cornerstone of effective teaching. The use of MIS - e.g., student registration, learning systems, student portals, corporate liaising, and online exams - can make the processes more efficient. Similarly the use of PIs is helpful in tracking and improving performance of the HEI. These areas are, therefore, essentially required for performance excellence.\nConclusion: Continual improvement is an essential requirement for managing quality and performance excellence in HE. Benchmarking provides a means for continual improvement. While the methodologies for benchmarking are discussed in the literature, the need arises for a structured approach to determine improvement needs, i.e., \"what to benchmark.\" Since continual improvement and performance excellence require collective effort, the required approach for determining improvement needs should allow consensus-based decision making and integration of diverse viewpoints. The AHP provides the required approach. The framework presented in this paper is based on the AHP. The framework consists of: identifying potential processes and structures to be benchmarked (also called alternatives); developing evaluation criteria; mutual comparison of different alternatives with respect to the objective; and prioritization of the alternatives. The application of the framework was demonstrated through a case study.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: A critical step in all benchmarking methodologies is \"to determine what to benchmark.\" Although benchmarking methodologies have been noted in the literature, the need has arisen for the development of structured approaches to determine priority improvement needs. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for determining improvement needs in higher education benchmarking.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The paper makes use of the analytic hierarchy process to develop a framework. The application of the framework is demonstrated through a case study.\nFindings: The framework discussed in this paper is consensus-based, allows different viewpoints to be integrated, and promotes input to and ownership of the decision making process and its outcomes. The feedback of the participants confirmed the usefulness of the approach.\nPractical implications: The previous research has established that determining improvement needs in benchmarking was mostly unsystematic and ad hoc based. And failures in precisely determining improvement needs can result in a lack of alignment between processes to be benchmarked and strategic priorities of higher education institutions (HEIs). The developed framework can help determine priority improvement needs aligned with the strategic priorities of the HEI.\nOriginality/value: Since continual improvement is an essential element of all quality initiatives, the framework provides a starting point for benchmarking as well as other improvement initiatives such as total quality management.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Improving quality of maintenance through Simplified Technical English
|
[
"Maintenance errors",
"Maintenance documentation",
"Mirce Mechanics",
"Quality of maintenance",
"Simplified Technical English"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The human constituents of a maintenance process, either as a decision maker or as a task executor, bear the ultimate responsibility for recognising, interpreting, compensating for, and correcting or mitigating the consequences of deficiencies and faults of a maintenance process. Hence, the quality of maintenance, or the lack of it, is closely related to \"human error\" and \"judgement error\", terms found frequently in reports on the malfunctioning of technical systems. For example, according to a Pratt\n2. The maintenance documentation: The most frequently used documentation for the technical communication between design community and in-service community are:\n3. English as the global language of technical communication: With the development of \"computerised\" global communication, English became the international language mostly used by communities, organisations and industries. However, English is not the native language of the majority of the people involved in global communication. Consequently, there are endless potentials for misunderstandings and miscommunications among communicators.\n4. Language barriers and quality of maintenance: The study was performed by University of Buffalo (Drury et al., 2005), originated by the Federal Aviation Administration, to determine whether language barriers impact the quality of maintenance, especially in the area of contract maintenance for major airlines. In the last decade, this was the fastest growing segment of the worldwide maintenance, repair and overhaul, MRO, market that is outside the USA, where English is certainly not the native language. Thus, inadequate levels of quality of maintenance, resulting from language errors, may well arise in the maintenance of the US civil fleet due to non-native English speakers interacting with maintenance materials in English.\n5. STE for aerospace and defence: To assure, other than the correct understanding of the procedures, the flight safety and the human life, the former European Association of Aerospace Industries, AECMA (now, ASD - AeroSpace and Defence Industries of Europe), understood that having a common language for operation, maintenance and logistics support was essential. Hence, a standard was created to regulate written technical communication, known as the ASD Simplified Technical English, ASD-STE100 (STE) specification (ASD - Aerospace and Defence Industries Associations of Europe, 1986/2013).\n6. The mechanics of STE: The STE specification provides a set of writing rules and a dictionary of controlled vocabulary. The writing rules (65 in total) cover aspects of grammar and style; the dictionary (approximately 860 approved words) specifies the general words that can be used. These words were chosen for their simplicity and ease of recognition. In general, there is only one word for one meaning, and one part of speech for one word.\n7. Authoring tools for STE: The primary objective of STE is the creation of simplified texts for the readers. However, STE is not a simplified version of English for the writers. Writing correctly in STE is not an easy task as it requires a good command of the English language together with a good knowledge of the matter of the writing. This combination is without a doubt the key to writing successfully in STE. Authors who would like to write proficiently and correctly in STE must have as the only point of reference the STE specification itself. There is nothing that can replace it. A partial use of the specification or deviations from its writing rules and vocabulary will diminish the accuracy of STE and create confusion among its users.\n8. Impact of STE on the quality of maintenance: For effective maintenance communication, as one of the main drivers of the quality of maintenance, sharing a common language is essential. In the present global and complex scenario, standards and specifications are playing a key role for that purpose. In the same way that XML regulates the formatting of texts for electronic release, there is a strong need to regulate the writing itself. The controlled languages, as internationally recognised standards, can serve the scope in certain instances. The use of controlled languages in writing and translation is not diminishing the everyday languages, but makes the messages and texts easily understandable to everyone, which, in turn, increases the quality of outcome. STE should be seen as a mechanism for improving clarity and reliability of effective communication between maintenance related professions, and more globally in general technical communication. Without standards, there will be a serious risk of an uncontrolled communication process that certainly will lead to the reduction of the quality of the execution of maintenance tasks, which in turn will affect in-service performance of maintainable systems, from a safety and economics point of view.\n9. Conclusions: Analysis of maintenance tasks required during the in-service life of maintainable systems, preformed under the auspices of Mirce Mechanics, clearly showed that ineffective communication between system designers and maintenance personnel, through maintenance documentation, is well-recognised contributor to the occurrence of a faulty maintenance task, which in turn could have a significant impact on the quality of maintenance.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address the maintenance errors caused by the lack of understanding of maintenance manuals. English is the official language of civil aviation and all relevant maintenance manuals are written in it, but - for 80 per cent of the global maintenance personnel who are using such manuals - English is not their native language. The majority of these users have knowledge of English that is rather limited and they are easily confused by complex sentences and by the number of meanings and synonyms that English words may have.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Scientific analysis of the faulty maintenance tasks to determine the impact of the inability of maintenance personnel to correctly understand maintenance manual written in English.\nFindings: Analysis of the maintenance processes clearly shows that ineffective communication between system designers and maintenance personnel, through maintenance documentation, is a well-recognised contributor to the occurrence of a faulty maintenance task.\nPractical implications: Significant improvements in the direction of effective communication and improvement in a quality of maintenance could be achieved by applying Simplified Technical English (ASD-STE100), the benefit of which on the quality of maintenance is presented in this paper.\nOriginality/value: Unique consideration of the quality of maintenance, which is to see it as a function of the comprehension of maintenance manuals written in English.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Implementation of the overall equipment cost loss (OECL) methodology for comparison with overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
|
[
"Total productive maintenance",
"Overall equipment effectiveness",
"Performance measurement",
"Overall equipment cost loss"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Intensive business competition pushes commercial companies to enhance their performance effectiveness and efficiency. However, these improvements cannot be achieved if the companies do not evaluate their current performance. If they are not aware of their performance, they can neither manage it nor improve it. Hence performance measures are critical management tools that enhance the competitiveness and profitability of a company (Tangen, 2003). Performance measures are also tools for quantifying efficiency and effectiveness (Neely et al., 1995). Performance measures can be used in various areas such as finance, productivity, quality, management and so on. How performance measures are applied depends on the objectives of the user.\nLiterature review: OEE is a major performance indicator used in TPM activity. It has the distinctive feature of measuring a machine's effectiveness in terms of its usefulness and simplicity. The OEE is an effective measure of the effectiveness of both a single machine and a continuous manufacturing line (Ljungberg, 1998). Because of its distinctive character, several studies have been conducted to apply OEE and OEE's elements to evaluation of the performance of equipment. For example, Steege (1996) used OEE's elements to prioritise machines' performance. Pomorski (1997) monitored OEE outcomes to measure the improvement of equipment. Dal et al. (2000) documented the potential benefits of developing OEE as an operational measure. Santos et al. (2007) followed an OEE approach in evaluating improvements to a manufacturing line. OEE has also been applied to ranking different machines and comparing production methods (e.g. Wudhikarn, 2012).\nMethodology: OECL\nOECL application and results: In this study, the OECL model was implemented in a real case study over a longer period of time (12 months) and for more machines (ten machines) than in a previous study. This implementation was carried out in a fibre cement ceiling manufacturing plant. To use the OECL model, production data and financial data, such as processed products, good products, loading times, operating times, material costs, labour costs, facility costs, maintenance costs, etc., must be collected. Fortunately, the company had already established a system for collecting the desired data. OEE ratings for several of the company's machines, based on data collected between January 2010 and December 2010, are shown in Table II.\nDiscussion and analysis: The main difference between OEE and OECL is the final output. In Figure 1, the OEE results are represented in percentage form, whereas the OECL results are shown in monetary form. As Figure 1 and Table III show, the machine with the highest OECL did not have the lowest OEE, even though that should theoretically be true. This outcome is not surprising, however, because the same type of outcome has been reported in several previous studies. Normally, OEE is not directly correlated to OECL because the relationship between the two depends on several factors related to machine capacity, the prices of product and production costs (Wudhikarn et al., 2009). Therefore, OEE and OECL results can differ. The rankings of problematic machines in terms of OECL and OEE can be different, as illustrated in Table IV.\nConclusions: Reliable performance measurement is important to motivating and sustaining organisations to increase the competitiveness and profitability of their manufacturing operations. To characterise current performance, managers normally choose a reliable measurement method depending on their requirements. The accuracy and precision of performance measurement is essential to reaching business goals. OEE, one of the most important and widely used manufacturing performance metrics especially in manufacturer-implemented TPM systems, is a performance evaluation methodology established for calculating machine performance and for ranking problematic machines to prioritise them for improvement. However, the original OEE method does not always accurately prioritise problematic machines. It is unreliable when used to compare the performance of pieces of equipment that vary in capacity, type of product, production cost, etc. The OECL methodology was proposed to eliminate some of the weaknesses of the OEE methodology. In a previous study, the OECL methodology was implemented for a short time period and a small number of machines. This paper describes a case study of an implementation of OECL over a longer time period and for a greater number of machines than in the previous study. For this case study, the results obtained using OECL were quite different from those obtained using the original OEE. These differences are consistent with the findings of the previous OECL implementation study: both studies demonstrate that the machine with the highest OEE is not necessarily the one responsible for the highest losses. An attempt was also made in this study to identify the factors that most strongly influence OECL outcomes. In the example considered, not all of the elements affected OECL equally, but the results for this example are not necessarily applicable to all scenarios.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the overall equipment cost loss (OECL) methodology and an implementation of this methodology, to compare the outcomes of OECL with those of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and finally to identify the benefits offered by this new methodology.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The proposed methodology, OECL, combines six large loss models and a financial model in the performance evaluation of equipment. The six large losses are converted into monetary units. OECL is a new way of evaluating equipment performance that differs from the original OEE methodology and overcomes some of the limitations of OEE. This new methodology can be used to rank problematic machines by accounting for production elements together with finance elements.\nFindings: The OECL and OEE methodologies rank problematic machines differently.\nResearch limitations/implications: Efforts were made in this research to identify factors affecting OECL outcomes, but it was found that it was not possible to apply OECL to all scenarios.\nPractical implications: The OECL model can be implemented in a real manufacturing company to help decision-makers better determine the magnitudes of equipment problems and rank problematic pieces of equipment appropriately.\nOriginality/value: This OECL method is able to overcome some of OEE's weaknesses. It can properly prioritise problematic machines by considering both cost and losses.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A less-developed country perspective of consumer ethnocentrism and "country of origin" effects: Indonesian evidence
|
[
"Consumers",
"Ethnocentrism",
"Country of origin",
"Indonesia",
"Statistical analysis"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nCountry of origin effects: From its birth in the 1960s (Schooler, 1965), the country-of-origin (COO) effect has become probably the most extensively researched topic in international marketing. By now, the existence of measurable COO effects is widely accepted within international marketing research and literature. Samiee (1994) defined the country stereotyping effect or COO effects as any influence, positive or negative, that the country-of-manufacture might have on the consumer's choice processes or subsequent behaviour. It may be created from consumer experience when they are visiting the country, knowledge regarding the country, political beliefs, or more general ethnocentric tendencies. It (the COO effect) is generally understood to stand for the impact that generalisations and perceptions about a country have on a person's evaluations of the country's products and/or brands (Nebenzahl et al., 1997 p. 28). The generalisation of beliefs and perceptions about specific products from a country on a set of attributes is known as country image (Bilkey and Nes, 1982). The image of countries as the origin of products is one of the extrinsic cues that may become part of a product's total image. This image is known variously as the \"COO\" or \"made in\" phenomenon, issue, effect, or cue in different literature. As a potential surrogate indicator, COO can be used to stereotype products or countries.The focus of the vast bulk of the extant COO research hitherto has been from the perspective of more developed countries, (MDC's) notably US and Europe. The common finding of these studies is that consumers rate products produced in their own country, or in MDC's, more highly than those produced in foreign and/or less developed countries (LDC's) (Samiee, 1994; Bilkey and Nes, 1982). From the perspective of consumers from LDC's, the evidence suggests that consumers from countries such as Mexico (Bailey and Gutierrez De Pineres, 1997; Almonte et al., 1995), Philippines (Hulland et al., 1996), Jordan (Hussein, 1997), and Nigeria (Okechuku and Onyemah, 1999) have been shown to evaluate imported product from MDC's more favourably than domestically-made products.\nConsumer ethnocentrism: Beyond the generalised preference for products manufactured in MDC's, there is also evidence that, regardless of their COO, and out of a sense of loyalty or patriotism, or because of the perceived superiority of the home country, some consumers, particularly those from MDC's, will always prefer to purchase products manufactured in their home country. This generalised preference has been referred to as \"consumer ethnocentrism\" (CE) (Shimp and Sharma, 1987). Shimp and Sharma (1987) found that some consumers generally believe that buying products that are locally manufactured is morally appropriate in a normative sense. This expression of consumer ethnocentrism can serve as an essential stimulus for the decision to purchase domestic or local products.There is thus growing evidence for the view that it is necessary for LDC's to be more aware of the issues of COO and the related concept of CE. When considering the combined effects of COO and CE, a number of possibilities arise. For consumers from MDC's, it seems likely that the COO effect and CE will both lead them to a preference for their domestically-made products. For consumers from LDC's, however, the weight of previous research on the COO effect and consumer CE point to contrary expectations. The COO effect will typically lead to a preference for foreign-made products from MDC's. In contrast, CE points to a preference for locally-made products. Thus, for consumers from LDC's, the COO effect and CE provide mixed signals and, thus, consumer preferences and choices seem likely to be more difficult to predict. The resolution of these competing imperatives is thus a focal question of the current study.\nThe current study: Against this background, the current study was designed to investigate the effects of COO and CE on consumers' perceptions of quality, price, and value and, ultimately, the consumers' choice of tangible goods or intangible services from the perspective of consumers in an LDC, such as Indonesia.Using the consumer ethnocentric tendency scale (CETSCALE) measurement (Shimp and Sharma, 1987), this study will indicate the degree of ethnocentric sentiment among Indonesian consumers. Shimp and Sharma (1987) devised the CETSCALE instrument and conducted a series of nomological validity tests of CE in the USA. They found that CETSCALE is predictive of consumers' beliefs, attitudes, purchase intentions, and consumer choice. They suggested that the higher consumers were on their scale, the more likely they would be to choose the domestic product and the less likely they would be to choose foreign-made products. Conversely, later research (Acharya and Elliott, 2003) has demonstrated that consumers with a low CE score are more likely to prefer foreign-made products. Hence, it is of further relevance to the study of CE to look at country image and the choice of foreign vs. domestic products among consumers from an LDC, such as Indonesia. In particular, the current study investigates, from the perspective of an LDC, how strong is the link between the generalised sentiment of CE and the consumers' particular product preferences and their ultimate purchase behaviour.The objectives of the current study can therefore be stated as follows:* To measure the level of CE in a LDC (Indonesia) and to compare it with known levels in other countries;* Using Conjoint Analysis, to study the relative importance of COO, compared with other product attributes, across high and low CE groups.\nResearch approach: The survey involved interviewing a representative sample of Indonesian consumers who had previously purchased the products in question, namely colour television and who had travelled by international airlines. A total of 547 useable questionnaires were completed in face-to-face interviews in Indonesia. The actual sample was heavily biased to upper socio-economic groups because of its focus on international airlines as one of the subject products. This will inevitably distort the average CETSCALE score, but was felt to be unavoidable. Other services such as international hotels and banks were also considered, but were expected to display the same socio-economic profile as international airlines. Data were analysed using standard statistical packages (SPSS). Respondents were asked a range of questions covering their demographic characteristics, the CETSCALE questions together with questions concerning their perceptions and purchasing intentions towards colour television and airline travel.\nResults: CE in Indonesia\nDiscussion of results: Importance of COO attributes\nSummary: There are a number of important implications which flow from these findings. Firstly, the high level of CE for Indonesia, an LDC, is contrary to earlier theory which suggests that consumers in LDC's will evaluate products from MDC's more highly. These results show that consumers in Indonesia are, if anything, more concerned with COO and are potentially more receptive to \"Buy Local\" promotional campaigns and messages. For governments in LDC's, the results provide some encouragement for \"Buy Local\" campaigns, as they show there is a measurable preference for local products, especially within the high CE group. This group would be the logical target audience for such campaigns. Consumers, particularly the high CE group, would appear to support the \"Buy Local\" message, at least in terms of their expressed quality perceptions and purchase intentions. Such favourable perceptions can be expected to be translated into actual purchases among the high CE group, especially when the locally-made product is acceptably priced. Secondly, notwithstanding their high CE scores, Indonesian respondents rated COA and COD of tangible goods behind brand in importance (but before price). This suggests that the impact of brand will probably overpower COD and COA when consumers choose tangible goods. These results also suggest that strong brands and local COA will be very attractive to high CE consumers although low CE consumers will prefer the foreign COD. Thirdly, although these results are somewhat speculative, they suggest that COO might serve as a powerful defacto brand for intangible services. If so, those with high CE will choose the locally-owned service provider while those with low CE will prefer the foreign provider. Fourthly, these results also suggest that the COO effect for services may be more important than for tangible goods. This is certainly a worthy topic for COO researchers in future. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated the theoretical and practical relevance of CE and COO in the decision-making of consumers from LDC's such as Indonesia.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper seeks to examine the concept of \"consumer ethnocentrism\" (CE) and its impact on product evaluation and preferences among Indonesian consumers.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The survey involved interviewing a representative sample of Indonesian consumers who had previously purchased the products in question, namely colour television and who had travelled by international airlines. A total of 547 usable questionnaires were completed in face-to-face interviews in Indonesia. Conjoint analysis was employed to study the relative importance and part-worth estimates of country-of-origin (COO) effects across high and low CE groups.\nFindings: - Results of a sample survey of Indonesian consumers are discussed. They show, firstly, that the overall level of CE of Indonesian consumers, compared with published results for a range of countries, is notably high. Secondly, results of conjoint analysis showing the relationship between CE and consumer evaluations of \"COO\", product quality perceptions, and purchase intentions, for both tangible goods and intangible services, are discussed.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The actual sample was heavily biased to upper socio-economic groups because of its focus on international airlines as one of the subject products. This will inevitably distort the average Consumer ethnocentric tendency scale score, but was felt to be unavoidable.\nOriginality/value: - In the past, research on country-of-origin effects has been carried out mostly in more developed countries considering products made in less developed countries (LDC's). In the present research, attention has been given to understand the effects of consumer CE on perceptions of product quality, price, perceived value, and product choice from the point of view of consumers from LDC's. In addition, the study of COO effects in relation to intangible services is noteworthy.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Re-tweeting the Ayatollah
|
[
"Social media",
"Twitter",
"Instagram",
"Consumer intent modeling",
"Government leaders",
"Network mapping"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: \"Have you ever received the message of Islam from any sources other than the media?\" tweeted Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khameini in a recent letter to the youth of Europe and North America over the hashtag #Letter4U on January 22, 2015 (Khameini, 2015). On the very same day, the Prime Minister of Yemen announced his resignation and that of his cabinet on his Facebook page, explaining the act by saying \"so that we are not made party to what is going on and what will happen\" (Almosawa and Nordland, 2015). While the replication of official communications in social media has been taking place for a number of years, we believe that these two pronouncements in early 2015 represent a new level of social media engagement by government entities that needs to be examined more closely. In the case of the Ayatollah, the tweets in question were apparently re-posts from his Web site and not from any other official communique.\nMonitoring: What is immediately clear from these developments is that organizations will need to significantly expand the range of official entities they are monitoring in social media. On one level, it will be important to include governmental social media content in our monitoring in a much more systematic way to track what they are saying about regulatory issues, public policy and pending legislation.\nAnalysis: Even more significantly, we will be able to use social media metrics to gauge the level of public, national or international interest in an issue. Whether it is followership, \"like\" stats or re-Tweets/re-posts, all of the public interactions with the official narratives gives us a window on how engaged the public is.\nNetwork mapping: Another critical dimension that opens up to us as official entities migrate more \"first notice\" content to social media is the flip side of the previous coin. To the extent that they themselves repost, re-Tweet and share content from others, we are able to build up a picture of the voices they are listening to and of the conversations that they are tracking. Over the long term, public affairs professionals can build up a rich picture of the networks of influence of the government entities and individuals that are of most compelling interest to them. Once these portraits or \"influencer maps\" have been created, a number of different engagement strategies can be put into practice.\nConsumer intent modeling: For better and worse, the marketplace of ideas is also now largely driven by the marketplace of keywords and hashtags. Consumer intent modeling is the research and analysis process used to ascertain what keywords people use most when looking for information on Google, Bing and other search engines. Its corollary in the social sphere is the word cloud which surfaces the most used hashtags and keywords on social tied to issues, topics or other inputs.\nCensorship: Ironically, the increase in social media usage by leaders around the world has been accompanied in a number of countries by a tightening of the governmental grip on citizen access to the Internet. In addition to the paradoxical case of Iran, where the Supreme Leader's Tweets are inaccessible to Iranians, both China and Turkey have taken new steps to control free social media speech. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Turkey's leadership has long been active in Internet censorship, cutting off access to Twitter and Facebook at various times during 2014. In the wake of the terrorist attack on France's Charlie Hebdo, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu vowed harsh restrictions on any depictions of the prophet deemed sacrilegious (Galperin, 2015).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how the sudden emergence of official government voices using social media as their first platform for communication creates new opportunities to understand how those voices are influenced and by whom.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The article examines some recent examples of social media use by government entities from around the world, particularly the Middle East.\nFindings: This examination of social media use by government entities suggests that this usage provides significant clues about what government leaders are paying attention to. The social media outputs from these sources creates for the first time a unique signature of what these leaders react to and also how the various publics to whom they speak react to their utterances.\nResearch limitations/implications: By virtue of the small sample size of the examples reviewed, the findings are of necessity subjective opinion.\nPractical implications: If in fact, this social media \"exhaust\" from governmental sources continue to grow, companies and organizations for whom the evolution of government opinion is important will be able to gather fresher and powerful insights into public policy and views.\nOriginality/value: Cyberspace continues to offer an ever expanding set of data tracking both the opinions and behaviors of various community stakeholders. To the best of authors' knowledge, the viewpoint presented in this article is among the first to examine the ramifications of the shift to social media by government leaders from around the world.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Academic leaders' double bind: challenges from an Indonesian perspective
|
[
"Gender",
"Indonesia"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A major challenge for higher education (HE) academic leaders (ALs) in developing nations is to create a shared ownership of reforms and change with stakeholders (Gano-Phillips et al., 2011). However, tensions occur in the process of resource allocation, aligning teaching and research, and supporting reforms in the areas of rewarding and recognising academic excellence - areas that ensure successful enactment of ALs' roles (Devlin, 2013). Scant research has been undertaken into complex Asian societies' conceptions of academic leadership roles and their responses to change (Hallinger and Chen, 2015) or the desired leadership practices needed to implement a country's education development blueprint (Bush et al., 2018), even though some of these countries have globally significant economies and rapidly developing HE sectors. In Indonesia, the limited research on Indonesian ALs (e.g. Hariri, 2011; Ngo, 2013) is telling as they have substantial impact on the long-term sustainability of legislated HE policies (DGHE, 2003).\nStudy setting: Indonesia has an expanding HE sector which poses challenges to its ALs (Ngo, 2013; Moeliodihardjo et al., 2012). Leadership perceptions are shaped by the premises of a monotheistic religious system that is the foundation of a socially-constructed belief system, and as such may create similar ideas and expectations (Pekerti and Sendjaya, 2010; Koh et al., 2011). ALs are expected to cultivate stewardship of their roles as an expression of amanah - the altruistic service to God and country (Handoyo, 2010) - despite facing pressures due to financial resource deficiencies.\nAcademic leadership and ALs' roles: Hallinger (2011) argue there is only a small number of cross-cultural studies that employ indigenous conceptions of academic leadership in non-Western cultures, especially in the Asian region (Hallinger and Chen, 2015). The majority of the leadership models have been developed and honed in Western settings, raising questions about their suitability for Asian contexts (Bush et al., 2018, p. 2). Furthermore, Jones (2011) argues that the way ALs promote shared values and identity is very context-specific. This means that constraints and opportunities extant in the local educational ecosystem would likely affect leadership practices.\nMethodology: Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted in the local language, Bahasa Indonesia, with 35 ALs (14 women and 21 men) at four state universities and two private universities in three Indonesian cities. Criterion sampling strategy (Creswell, 2013) identified the universities using three criteria: a university's long history, national ranking and growth in student population. The universities selected were all located in Indonesia's three major cities where top universities are located (Hill and Thee, 2012). For participants, the criteria were age, gender, number of years prior to leadership experience, and number of years of experience in current ALs' role. E-mail and postal invitations were sent to the Faculty Dean for nominations to participate voluntarily in this project as long as they meet the criteria; thereafter follow-up correspondence was sent to these nominees. The participants who voluntarily responded to our e-mail and postal invitations were mostly Muslim women, while there was a mix of religion among the male participants.\nFindings: Roles and amanah\nDiscussion: The study found that ALs in Indonesia display specific roles based on their inherent values which are foundational to the Indonesian cultural experience. ALs' internalised conformity to their roles is guided by amanah such as having a high sense of commitment, dedication to duty, and readiness to serve institution and country. In this study, amanah is a religious value principle helping ALs construct a leadership self-view unique to the context where leadership is practiced. These findings on ALs' self-views extend knowledge on the role that prevailing social and religious discourses play in shaping an AL's self-perception of leadership in complex contexts (e.g. see Brooks, 2017), and in particular, academic leadership behaviour in Indonesia (e.g. Ngo, 2013).\nImplications for research and practice: Findings in this study pose important implications. First, university leaders need to be aware of the labyrinths, or the barriers facing female ALs in taking multiple routes to the top (Eagly and Carli, 2007). More research in this area is needed, since documentation of these barriers facing ALs is limited in Indonesia (see Kull, 2009; Murniati, 2012). It is also important for institutions to create \"gender congenial contexts\" (Yoder, 2001) that equalise gender composition in leadership positions and emphasise equal power distribution where no one gender is dominant over the other, and when there is imbalance, empowerment efforts are in place to redress or create the balance.\nConclusion: This study has identified that ALs perform contextually-based leaders' roles mirroring their unique context, and a socio-religious philosophy called amanah underpins ALs' roles and leadership practice. The study also identified the various institutional, socio-cultural, personal and power-related issues confronting ALs' attempts at applying their roles. Other stumbling blocks are the absence of a responsive bureaucracy, experiences of the double bind for female ALs, and imbalances in managing and teaching, and role conflicts due to social status and positions decrease ALs' leadership salience. With these complexities, Indonesian ALs are greatly burdened and pressured by the responsibilities attached to their mandates. They are required to do more with much less support, causing feelings of despair as leaders. Finally, the study examined gender differences in in-role behaviours of ALs. Female ALs' high level of motivation to rise above the gender stereotypes and become capable ALs despite all the obstacles was given a voice.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanisms that explain the complexities Indonesian higher education (HE) academic leaders (ALs) experience in performing leadership roles. The research addresses the questions: How do Indonesian ALs perceive their roles in HE? What are the challenges facing Indonesian ALs in their roles in the Indonesian HE context? To what extent does gender impact how ALs act and are perceived?\nDesign/methodology/approach: In sum, 35 ALs from six Indonesian universities representing top executive positions were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically using a retroductive process followed by a series of on-site member-checking activities to establish credibility and authenticity of the findings.\nFindings: The religious principles of amanah (the \"altruistic calling\" of their functions needing dedication, commitment, and passion) unique to the Indonesian cultural experience influence ALs views of leadership. ALs face role constraints due to resource limitations, experiencing a double bind, while harmonising differences due to ascribed social status and position.\nResearch limitations/implications: Supportive structures effective for academic leadership practice must be created, further studies on male ALs' roles in promoting the leadership ascent of female ALs and promoting work-life balance will improve ALs' visibility and salience in steering institutional growth.\nOriginality/value: This is the first study to focus a critical lens on the complexities of context-based leadership practice as it is influenced by amanah. Layers of constraints confronting female ALs were documented due to exigencies of gender role expectations and resource limitations, yet they exhibited paternal navigational skills beyond the maternal and pastoral calling of their roles.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Lean production integration adaptable to dynamic conditions
|
[
"Competitiveness",
"Continuous improvement",
"Lean manufacturing",
"Adaptability",
"Implementation",
"Process innovation"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The business environment in many sectors of the economy, including all of those open to international trade and investment, is becoming more uncertain (Teece and Leih, 2016), meaning that many industries that usually have acted in more stable settings will in the future act in more dynamic markets (Boer and Gertsen, 2003; Steiber and Alange, 2013; Eriksson et al., 2016). This involves needs for the organisation to be able to deliver effectively in the old world and simultaneously continue further development of the company and business models that are needed in order to adapt to gain advantage of opportunities in the future caused by external changes (Steiber, 2014). Research on adaptability in companies is not new; among others, Steiber and Alange (2016) introduce the so-called Silicon Valley model as a means to increase adaptability in an organisation. The research shows interesting new perspectives based on observations from Tesla Motors, Google, Apigee, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (Steiber and Alange, 2016). Important principles in the model are dynamic capabilities, a continually changing organisation, a people-centric approach, an ambidextrous organisation, an open organisation networking with its surroundings and a systems approach.\n2. Theory: The section focuses on integration of LP/XPS in order to understand how LP/XPS integrations usually come about; it also covers how the related adaptability is developed.\n3. Research methodology: This qualitative study is a part of a longitudinal case study, exploring the improvement capability of a manufacturing plant and related organisational adaptability over time. These phenomena are explored by investigating the process of developing CI towards continuous innovation under dynamic conditions during an XPS integration. Based on this long-term change process occurring over time in real time, this is a suitable approach to investigate these phenomena (Ahlstrom and Karlsson, 2009; Yin, 2014) and also fits well with the LP/XPS integration theories used for analysing; abstracting and theorising the empirical findings. Since this specific field of research also lacks longitudinal studies, the arguments to select this research approach are further strengthened (Ambrosini and Bowman, 2009; Ahlstrom and Karlsson, 2009; Langley et al., 2013).\n4. Empirical findings and analysis: The categories are the challenges in the ongoing XPS integration between 2014 and 2015 when the XPS level flattens out and starts to decrease (see Figure 2). The challenges are compiled in Table III.\n5. Discussion: This section discusses the analysis in relation to the objective, which is to understand how a CI approach such as an LP/XPS integration is affected by dynamic conditions and how an LP/XPS integration can be adaptable to dynamic conditions. Based on the discussion, some managerial and theoretical implications are suggested.\n6. Conclusions: There are many difficulties when integrating LP/XPS in an organisation, especially under dynamic conditions when some parts of the LP/XPS concept become less attractive, such as the just-in-time part. However, since LP/XPS integration largely contributes towards increasing efficiency in other ways, such as elimination of waste, it also creates learning and experimentation, and consequently there are many advantages in continuing the integration. However, being aware of the challenges occurring and how to deal with these to avoid that the LP/XPS integration itself becomes a hindrance is important for organisational adaptability. This paper contributes by describing challenges that have an impact on LP/XPS integration and organisational adaptability and analysing them from the perspective of developing key behavioural routines and CI abilities, thereafter suggesting how to overcome the challenges and to continue an LP/XPS integration adaptable to dynamic conditions. The most important findings are that the adaptability is related to the maturity level of the LP/XPS integration since a more mature organisation in terms of LP/XPS integration is better equipped to deal with the challenges occurring due to its learning and experimentation capabilities. The main problem is that the LP/XPS concept needs to be adapted to actual circumstances, such as compromising with just-in-time, which seems to require double-loop learning. This creates challenges to more immature organisations which seem to run a great risk of not being able to adapt the LP/XPS concept since the skills are lacking, and then there is a risk that the LP/XPS concept is perceived not to be working, and the integration might fail. However, in order to avoid failure it is suggested that the management team needs to be united and also keep the focus on the continued LP/XPS integration to continue building CI capability and that there is a need to adapt changes to the LP/XPS concept or adapt the LP/XPS concept itself, which includes assessing whether or not the suggested changes and the LP/XPS consistently support and reinforce each other. This involves creating guidelines regarding the adaptation of LP/XPS concepts, which can probably be inspired by the Arrow core concept and facilitate a transition from mainly single-loop learning to double-loop learning in order to make the necessary adaptations.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand how a continuous improvement (CI) approach like lean production (LP) integration is affected by dynamic conditions and to propose how LP integration can be adaptable to dynamic conditions.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A longitudinal case study has been conducted in which data were collected through participative observations, observations, documents and an in-depth semi-structured interview.\nFindings: The adaptability is related to the maturity level of the LP integration, where more mature organisations are better equipped to deal with the challenges occurring due to their learning and experimentation capabilities. The main problem is that the LP integration needs to be adapted, like compromising with just-in-time. This creates challenges to more immature organisations; they do not seem to be able to adapt the LP integration since the skills are lacking.\nResearch limitations/implications: The research limitations are associated with the research design and therefore might limit generalisation of the context studied.\nPractical implications: The management needs to stay focused on the LP integration to continue building CI capability. There is a need to adapt the LP concept, which includes assessing how proposed changes and the LP concept interact in order to make them reinforce each other. This involves creating guidelines concerning adaptation and facilitating a transition from mainly single-loop learning to double-loop learning.\nOriginality/value: This paper contributes by describing challenges that have an impact on LP integration and related organisational adaptability under dynamic conditions.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Mediation and time-lag analyses of e-alignment and e-collaboration capabilities
|
[
"E-Alignment",
"E-Collaboration capabilities",
"Mediators",
"Time-lag"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: For decades, chief information officers have treated business-IT alignment as the top issue in their business activities (Luftman and Zadeh, 2011; Siurdyban, 2014). Because of this industry concern, much research has been conducted on whether and how IT strategic alignment can generate value for firms (Chan et al., 2006; Tallon and Pinsonneault, 2011; Wu et al., 2015). These studies mainly focus on firm performance such as financial performance, market growth, cost reductions, and improved operational efficiency(Tallon and Pinsonneault, 2011; Gerow et al., 2014).\n2. Theory development: IT strategic alignment is a hot issue among practitioners and researchers. Prior research features two streams regarding IT strategic alignment (Chan and Reich, 2007). The first stream treats IT strategic alignment as an ongoing process, which requires specific IT management capabilities, encompasses specific actions and reactions and has discernable patterns over time (Kearns and Sabherwal, 2006; Wanger et al., 2014). These papers help us understand how business-IT alignment works. The second stream treats IT strategic alignment as an end state, which focusses on the antecedents, measures, and outcomes of IT alignment (Chan et al., 2006; Raymond and Bergeron, 2008; Karahanna and Preston, 2013). For instance, Karahanna and Preston (2013) indicate that cognitive and relational social capital influence information systems strategic alignment but that structural social capital exerts its influence through its effects on cognitive social capital. In this paper, we treat e-alignment as an end state, so we can focus on its operational and financial outcomes.\n3. Research methodology: 3.1. Context and procedure\n4. Model estimation and results: To establish the nomological validity of constructs, we used partial least squares (PLS), because of the relatively small sample size, and because it allows use of both formative and reflective constructs (Lowry and Gaskin, 2014; Peng and Lai, 2012).The psychometric properties of all scales were assessed within the context of the structural model through assessment of discriminant validity and reliability.\n5. Discussion: The objective of this research was to extend our understanding of IT strategic alignment and its implications, principally in resolving the issue of whether there exist any mediators and time-lag effects between e-alignment and firm performance. We examined this by embedding e-alignment and e-collaboration capabilities in a nomological network leading to firm performance. Further, we investigated the time-lag effect of e-alignment and e-collaboration capabilities by using three-year firm performance[4].\n6. Implications and future research: 6.1. Implications for research and practice\n7. Conclusion: At a time when firms need to collaborate, collaboration capability is seen as a key competitive imperative. Much research focussing on the operational level found that collaboration capability enhanced operational and financial performance in firms. Arguments abound that IT plays a role in providing collaboration capability. In this paper, we found that e-alignment can integrate and fit a firm's business processes, thus enhancing e-collaboration capability with partners and promoting firm performance.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Based on the literature of IT strategic alignment and e-collaboration, the purpose of this paper is to specify how e-business strategic alignment (e-alignment) influences e-collaboration capabilities and improves firm performance, and whether the time-lag effect existed in this relationship.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors tested the research hypotheses using a field survey of 145 Chinese corporations. The research model was validated using SmartPLS 2.0 with both subjective and objective data collected from the survey and Oriana database.\nFindings: The results support the notion of a positive and significant link between e-alignment and e-collaboration capabilities and between e-collaboration capabilities and firm performance. The authors also show that the effect of e-alignment on performance is fully mediated by e-collaboration capabilities and that e-collaboration with suppliers has a one-year time-lag effect on firm performance.\nResearch limitations/implications: This research extends and integrates the literature on IT strategic alignment and e-collaboration, and explains why and how e-alignment generates firm performance.\nPractical implications: This paper includes two implications for managers. First, when formulating e-business strategies, managers should focus on establishing e-collaboration capabilities with partners. Second, the downstream process is the direct sources of business value. Managers should take the establishment of e-selling process as a critical business strategy.\nOriginality/value: By focussed on intermediate factors and time-lag effects, this study provides significant implications for IT strategic alignment and e-collaboration literature.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Four facets of learning in performance measurement
|
[
"Performance measurement",
"Control",
"Improvement",
"Workplace learning",
"Adaptive learning",
"Developmental learning"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A number of challenges caused by globalisation, digitalisation and the changing nature of work have influenced how most organisations operate and improve their performance. There is widespread agreement that performance measurement is one way to handle these challenges, and is therefore a core element of modern management in any business (Bititci et al., 2012; Neely, 1999; Pollitt, 2013). This broad interest emanates from the central management problem of increasing efficiency as well as effectiveness (Neely et al., 2005).\nPrevious research: A recurring theme within performance measurement literature is to define and understand the different purposes and roles of performance measurement in organisations (cf. Bond, 1999; Elg, 2007; Neely, 1999; Franco-Santos et al., 2007; Pidd, 2012; Serrat, 2017). Behn (2003) described eight main purposes of performance measurement: evaluate, control, budget, motivate, promote, celebrate, learn and improve. Although the studied literature offers an array of different performance measurement purposes, two overarching and governing \"meta-purposes\" that can be readily identified and control and improvement. A central problem in the use of performance measurement is that it \"just keeps the score\" (Bourne, 2008, p. 68), instead of facilitating change. Therefore, we stress a need to explore learning purposes and improvement in performance measurement practice.\nTheoretical framework: To open up the \"black box\" of learning, we will employ a workplace learning perspective (Billet, 2001; Engestrom and Kerosuo, 2007; Ellstrom, 2011; Tynjala, 2013) to discuss learning in relation to performance measurement. The field of workplace learning research has grown extensively and a large number of interdisciplinary studies have been carried out in this area (Manuti et al., 2015). Rapid economic, social and cultural changes have led organisations to realise the importance of issues concerning workplace learning and employee development (Tynjala, 2013). Therefore, the workplace is no longer only seen as a site for production, but also as an environment for facilitating learning (Ellstrom, 2001).\nTowards a tentative framework for performance measurement as a driver for learning: Based on our theoretical perspective on learning, we propose a tentative framework as a first attempt to build a theory of various forms of learning in contexts of performance measurement (see Figure 1). The elements of the proposed framework are based on four components: the purpose of performance measurement, the learning type, the learning facets and the level of agent discretion. The framework is intended to be used in associating learning with performance measurement.\nResearch method: The data reported in this paper were collected in a research project based on case study methodology (Eisenhardt, 1989; Voss et al., 2002). Our case was an orthopaedic and rheumatologic department located in southeast Sweden, a context in which performance measurement is widely used. The department has about 150 employees in nine sections, treating both planned and acute patients. Each year, approximately 30,000 patients visit the department and approximately 3,000 surgeries are performed. The department is considered to be best-in-class when it comes to utilisation of performance measurement in both production and developmental work.\nResults: Critical incidents\nDiscussion: The present study sheds light on learning processes that occur over a wide range of workplace situations in which performance measurement are being used. In line with this, the purpose of this study was to contribute to a better understanding of the opportunities for learning found in the practice of performance measurement. In utilising the established workplace learning theory, we proposed a tentative framework for learning as a driver for performance measurement. Four facets of learning were identified: reproductive, rule-oriented, goal-oriented and creative learning.\nLimitations: We used a single case situated in a healthcare context, which arguably contains a positivist and evidence-focussed paradigm, governing performance measurement and learning. However, an underlying rationale in the sample choice was its richness and variety in performance measurement methods and practices, which make the case fill illustrative purposes. We have tried to follow the notions of Walker et al. (2015) in a modest effort to make a conceptual advance by incorporating and integrating behavioural science theory in in an operations management perspective. As such, our sampling strategy could be described as \"critical case\" and \"typical case\" (Miles and Huberman, 1994) in an effort to support analytical generalisation (Firestone, 1993). The present study can be seen as an evolved theoretical perspective on learning processes in relation to performance measurement and addressing a perceived gap in traditional production and operations management research. However, in order to conceptually validate and pave the way for further analytical generalisation, additional cases will have to be studied (Miles and Huberman, 1994; Firestone, 1993).\nManagerial implications: We argue that all managers must consider what kind of learning environment and what kind of learning outcomes best serve the interests of their organisation. Purposeful and carefully designed organisational arrangements and learning environments are more likely to induce intended learning outcomes. This has a great impact on the design and implementation of necessary performance measurement. Managers who empower employees and entrust them with the capabilities and means that enable them to manage the tasks, methods and results of performance measurement are more likely to drive successful organisational improvement efforts. Balancing adaptive and developmental learning (Ellstrom, 2010) with exploitation and exploration (March, 1991) is necessary for modern organisations, which must include an analysis of the required facets of learning. Therefore, managers on every level need to consider what metrics are integrated into management meetings, professional meetings, workplace meetings, in development programmes and even in daily work. These arenas can be seen as learning resources that can potentially increase opportunities to critically question the prevailing conditions and to find new solutions to problems that arise. The arenas create opportunities to integrate measurements in the workplace activities and, ultimately, facilitate performance measurement as a driver for increasing knowledge in organisations.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the role of learning in performance measurement.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors develop a theoretical framework combining workplace learning theory with purposes of performance measurement. The authors elaborate this framework empirically by identifying critical incidents from a case set within a context containing a broad range of different performance measurement activities. Finally, the authors discuss the results and the possible implications for using the theoretical framework in order to better understand facets of learning regarding the design of performance measurement.\nFindings: Workplace learning theory provides a deeper understanding of how the mechanisms of performance measurements support control or improvement purposes. The authors propose a tentative framework for learning as a driver for performance measurement and four facets of learning are identified: reproductive, rule-oriented, goal-oriented and creative learning.\nResearch limitations/implications: The empirical material is limited to the healthcare context and further studies are needed in order to validate the findings in other settings.\nPractical implications: The authors argue that all managers must consider what kind of learning environment and what kind of learning outcomes best serve the interests of their organisation. Purposeful and carefully designed organisational arrangements and learning environments are more likely to induce intended learning outcomes.\nOriginality/value: Previous connections between the fields of \"performance measurement\" and \"workplace learning\" often lack any deeper conceptualisations or problematisations of the concept of learning. In this paper, the authors provide a more nuanced discussion about the process of learning in performance measurement, which may provide a basis for further research and scholarly attention.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Strong structuration theory and accounting information: an empirical study
|
[
"Theory",
"Accounting",
"Case",
"Strong",
"Structuration",
"Study"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: This paper uses Strong Structuration Theory to explore the role of accounting information in new product development (NPD). NPD is a complex social action involving a wide range of different actors and clusters of actors, all acting together, though in different ways. A detailed examination of the social interactions surrounding accounting information use during NPD has the potential to enhance our understanding of Strong Structuration Theory, particularly the interactive and overlapping nature of structures, both internal and external.\n2. Accounting and NDP: A firm's innovativeness is executed through its NPD process; this is a systematic way of pushing a new product along from idea to launch (Cooper, 1990; O'Connor, 1994; Veryzer, 1998). A well-executed NPD process is believed to be truly cross-functional, with multiple participants all having varying perspectives and conflicting interests (Saad and Erickson, 1991; Katzenbach and Smith, 1993; Bowen et al., 1994; Cooper, 1996). It is speculated that accounting information provides an integrating vernacular allowing cross-functional managers to make sense of and discuss issues throughout the NPD process (Nixon, 1997, 1998). More recent literature suggests that accounting practices have the potential to enable innovation by adapting and evolving in response to the unpredictability of the innovative environment (Davila et al., 2009) and mediating between internal and external parties with regard to expectations and deliverables (Carlsson-Wall and Kraus, 2015). However, discussions surrounding the role of accounting information in NPD are largely normative and the validity of their benefit claims have not yet been firmly established in the literature.\n3. The evolution of structuration theory: Structuration Theory has been subject to decades of challenge and debate which in itself has provided the key building blocks of the theory.\n4. Case study: Stones' Strong Structuration model is considered particularly well-suited to case study research in accounting, organisation and management (Jack and Kholeif, 2007; Coad and Herbert, 2009). It allows us to take a broad view over the NPD process and the managers involved in a particular organisational setting. Examining how these managers draw upon their conjuncturally specific structures of signification, legitimation and domination, and how these are affected by their external structural conditions and their general dispositional frames of meaning, will facilitate the development of an in-depth understanding of managers' behaviour during NPD.\n5. Data analysis: In the interests of providing methodological guidance to researchers in the field Stones accompanied his quadripartite cycle of structuration with a composite research strategy. This is a series of steps which when applied to a particular agent can provide an insight into that agent's own processes of structuration. These steps can be applied over and over again to a number of agents differently situated within a given conjuncture. In the context of this study this involved analysing the case data several times, each time using a different manager, or agent-in-focus, as the lens of analysis. This is an acknowledgement of the web-like interdependencies between different processes of structuration and recognises that one agent can be first and third person depending on whom the lens of structuration is focused on at any one time. This composite strategy is particularly suited to investigations which seek to explore a particular phenomenon over a given time period (Stones, 2005, p. 126). This essentially involves analysing the case data several times, each time using a different agent-in-focus, in other words, each time using a different manager as the lens of analysis.\n6. Findings: This section provides an overview of the results of this process of data analysis. It presents key insights into each element of the quadripartite cycle of structuration at play during NPD in Magma.\n7. Discussion: To date, Strong Structuration Theory has been used primarily as a means of overcoming the perceived limitations of Giddens' original construct. Some early studies have been particularly useful in demonstrating its applicability to management accounting research as well as its potential to guide future empirical work (Jack and Kholeif, 2007, 2008; Coad and Herbert, 2009) but these studies have referred to the necessity to enhance our understanding of Strong Structuration Theory and build knowledge. This paper drills into the quadripartite cycle of structuration in the context of accounting information use during NPD. It explores the complex and dynamic nature of internal and external structures. By focusing on structural outcomes the findings enhance our understanding of the \"connecting tissue\" between the different elements of the quadripartite as well as the web-like interactions between different processes of structuration.\n8. Conclusions: This study's exploration of accounting information as a social phenomenon reveals it to have a complex relationship with the managers who use it. Using Structuration Theory as a theoretical lens, the findings demonstrate how an individual manager's use of accounting information is an outcome of structuration and depends on the interaction of that manager with their conditions of action. External structures provide an agent with his conditions of action. Internal structures are those aspects of an agent himself which influences his behaviour. An understanding of these external and internal structures gives meaning to individual action, specifically how the interactions between these external and internal structures are implicated in the role of accounting information in NPD. The duality of structure is evident in the modified structures, both external and internal, which result from this action. For many years, contingency theory has been used to understand the relationship between aspects of the contextual environment and the design and use of accounting information systems. Contingency theory stems from the proposition that most events and the outcomes of those events are likely to depend on conditional circumstances and it has been heavily relied upon in the literature to establish the link between accounting information and those conditional circumstances (Chenhall, 2003). Structuration Theory goes beyond contingency theory by establishing the link between accounting information and the individuals using it, helping us to understand how and why those individuals are affected by their conditional circumstances.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of accounting information in new product development (NPD) using Strong Structuration Theory. NPD is a complex social action involving a wide range of different actors and clusters of actors. Strong Structuration Theory allows the authors to take a broad view of this social system in order to develop a complete picture of the clusters of actors involved, to comprehensively examine the relevant structures, both internal and external, and to understand how these are formed, reformed or modified through the actions of agents.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A field study of the manufacturing division of a large group was conducted which explored how managers use accounting information during NPD. Examining how these managers draw upon their conjuncturally specific structures of signification, legitimation and domination, and how these are affected by their external structural conditions and their general dispositional frames of meaning, allowed the authors to develop an in-depth understanding of the managers' behaviour during NPD.\nFindings: These findings suggest that the managers' use of accounting information is determined as much by the subjective nature of the managers themselves as it is by the objective characteristics of the structures with which they interact. By using Stones' composite research strategy, which encourages the authors to conceive of internal structures as always looking outwards and external structures as always looking inwards, the findings help the authors to understand the \"connecting tissue\" between the different elements of the quadripartite of structuration which has been lacking in previous research in the area. This understanding of the connecting tissue between structures was facilitated by the micro-analysis of six managers within a given conjuncture. Using the concept of the agent-in-focus as a tool with which to switch lenses from manager to manager acknowledged the web-like interdependencies between different processes of structuration. This allowed an exploration of the relationships between the various agents and structures.\nOriginality/value: This study contributes to the understanding of Stones' Strong Structuration Theory at both an ontological and methodological level by operationalising Stones' model in a case study setting.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Recognizing ragas of Carnatic genre using advanced intelligence: a classification system for Indian music
|
[
"Raga identification",
"Swara identification",
"NN",
"GWO",
"Learning algorithm"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: In general, Indian Classical Music (ICM) is classified into two: Carnatic and Hindustani. Even though, both the music formats have a similar foundation, the way of presentation is varied in many manners. The fundamental components of ICM are raga and taala. Taala basically represents the rhythmic patterns or beats (Dandawate et al., 2015; Kirthika and Chattamvelli, 2012). Raga is determined from the flow of swaras (notes), which is denoted as the wider terminology. The raga is defined based on some vital factors such as swaras, aarohana-avarohna and typical phrases. Technically, the fundamental frequency is swara, which is definite through duration (Upadhyaya et al., 2015). In ICM, there are seven basic swaras including Shadja (S), Rishaba (R), Gandhara (G), Madhyama (M), Panchama (P), Daivata (D) and Nishada (N), which are again classified into 16 varied notes. Shadja is also known as tonic or base note since the frequency of the remaining notes is purely dependent on shadja's frequency. Further, aarohana-avarohana pattern states ascending as well as descending progression of notes, respectively. This gives the transition detail among the notes, which occur in the respective raga (Sharma et al., 2015). The condensed version of the characteristics note organization is referred as the characteristic phrase, which is weird to every raga when it is repeated in recital, it assists a listener to recognize the raga actually played.Raga recognition is a manner of listening a piece of music, synthesizing the music into a series of notes and analyzing the series for raga identification (Barbari et al., 2013). The ragas that segment same set of notes might be distinguished with the series of notes, which appears in the raga (Sheba and Revathy, 2014; Pradeep et al., 2015). Generally, the noises that are present in the signals are removed, with the help of data mining tasks (Jayshri, 2015; Shareef and Rao, 2018; Waghmare and Sonkamble, 2017). The ICM comprises complicated grammars, which makes the accurate identification of series of notes more tedious process. Some of the real-time applications of raga detection are: expansion of music recommendation methods, instinctive note transcript, music indexing, online learning as well as teaching of music and so on. (Ponticorvo et al., 2018; Remmiya and Abisha, 2018; Wagh and Gomathi, 2019). This is considered as the initial logical step in the progress of computational model creation and recommendation models of ICM (Dighe et al., 2013; Krishna et al., 2011; Nawasalkar et al., 2015; Phong and Quyen, 2017).For humans, raga identification is a tedious problem, and it takes years to attain identification skill for a vast corpus. They are extremely distracted from the actual melodic series that identify in performances. It proceeds with the performer's long practice to completely adopt the raga and capable to breed it (Priyadarshini and Chakraborty, 2015; Sharma et al., 2014). Despite the human facts in the pattern recognition, they have a small problem in recognizing the pitch, which is in both harmonically and timbrally dense settings (Hsu et al., 2012; Hu and Wang, 2010). Moreover, there are many other problems for automatic raga recognition model. Thus, in this work, raga is recognized without utilizing explicit note series information and necessary to adopt an efficient classification model (Correa and Rodrigues, 2016; Costa et al., 2016; Goulart et al., 2012; Huang et al., 2014; Meng et al., 2007; Oramas et al., 2016; Sanchez-Moreno et al., 2016) as in music classification, which is not dealt by further assistants.This paper contributes Neural network (NN) classifier for classifying the ragas, and Grey wolf optimization (GWO) optimization algorithm is utilized to train the network model. The proposed recognition model is compared to the conventional methods such as NN with Levenberg-Marquardt (LM), NN with Gradient descent (GD), NN with Particle swarm optimization (PSO) and NN with Firefly (FF) for showing the superiority of the developed model.The rest of the paper is structured as follows: Section 2 reviews the literature. Section 3 gives the analysis of raga audio signal. Section 4 describes the developed raga recognition model. Section 5 explains the GWO-based weight optimization process. Section 6 discusses the obtained results, and Section 7 concludes the paper.\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Related works\n3. Analysis of raga audio signal: 3.1 STFT feature\n4. Proposed raga recognition model: The proposed raga recognition model is illustrated in Figure 1. In this model, the initial process is feature extraction, which results in features such as STFT feature STFTf'(n), NMF feature NMFf'(n) and SWIPE feature Pitchf'(n). Here, Principal component analysis (PCA) is used for reducing the dimensions of the acquired features. The resultant dimensional reduced features are given as the input to the classification process. Further with the input features, an optimized weight is multiplied. By this, the relation among the features gets increased so that accurate recognition can be exhibited.The objective model of the proposed method is represented in Eq. (21), where (D'-D'i) is the distance between a particular feature and the residual features.(21)OF=[?]i=1o(D'-D'i) 4.1 Feature extraction\n5. GWO-based weight optimization: In this model, the optimal weight W is multiplied to the combined feature to increase the relation among the features. The weight must be in the range of [-1 to 1]. Here, a heuristic optimization algorithm named GWO (Mirjalili et al., 2014) is used to identify the optimal weight. The algorithm consists of four levels: the chief level is named alpha a, which acts as the leader of the troop. The second level is beta b that helps a in taking decisions. The third level is delta d termed as subordinate. The forth or lowest level is omega o, which is considered as the scapegoat in the group.Here, a is considered as the fittest solution and the second and third positions go for b and d, respectively. Hence the hunting is directed by a, b and d. The pseudo code of the GWO algorithm is given as Algorithm 1.Algorithm 1. GWO-based weight optimizationThe mathematical model for encircling is defined in Eqs. (33) and (34), where u specifies the current iteration, Q and V are coefficient vectors, Y(P) refers to the position vector.(33)Z'=|V[?]Y(P)(u)-Y(u)|(34)Y(u+1)=Y(P)(u)-QxZ'The vectors Q and V are formulated as given in Eqs. (35) and (36), where rv1 and rv2 are the random vectors in [0, 1].(35)Q=2a[?]rv1-a(36)V=2.rv2The mathematical model of the hunting behaviour of wolves is as follows: the first three best solutions are saved and the positions are updated based on the position of best search agent, which is defined in Eq. (37), Eq. (38) and Eq. (39).(37)Z'a=|V1[?]Y(a)-Y|Z'b=|V2[?]Y(b)-Y|Z'd=|V3[?]Y(d)-Y|(38)Y1=Y(a)-Q1[?](Z'a)Y2=Y(b)-Q2[?](Z'b)Y3=Y(d)-Q3[?](Z'd)(39)Y(u+1)=Y1+Y2+Y33The vector Q is a random value in interval [-2a,2a], where the component of a is diminished from 2 to 0 over the progress of iterations. Hence, Eq. (34) gives the updated solution, which is optimal weight W that should be given to NN model for optimal recognition of raga.\n6. Result and discussion: 6.1 Simulation procedure\n7. Conclusion: In this paper, a raga identification model was established for recognizing the raga in a precise manner, by which the Carnatic genre of the music was also optimally recognized. Further in this paper, an adaptive NN classifier was accomplished, in which the renowned GWO algorithm was utilized to train the network model. The proposed model has achieved its uniqueness by adding optimal weight with the input feature set of NN model. The developed system was compared with the conventional methods and from the results it was observed that the accuracy of the proposed model was 11.9% superior to both NN with LM and NN with GD, respectively, and it is 13.6% better than both NN with FF and NN with PSO, respectively. For specificity measure, the proposed model is 16.1, 9.7, 14.2 and 12.5% superior to NN with LM, NN with GD, NN with FF and NN with PSO respectively. Further, while analyzing the learning performance of the proposed model, it was observed that at parameter a = 0.2, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision and NPV of the proposed model were 0.77, 0.5, 0.8, 0.217391 and 0.8, respectively. Thus, the overall analysis has proven the betterments of proposed method in recognizing appropriate raga.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: In general, Indian Classical Music (ICM) is classified into two: Carnatic and Hindustani. Even though, both the music formats have a similar foundation, the way of presentation is varied in many manners. The fundamental components of ICM are raga and taala. Taala basically represents the rhythmic patterns or beats (Dandawate et al., 2015; Kirthika and Chattamvelli, 2012). Raga is determined from the flow of swaras (notes), which is denoted as the wider terminology. The raga is defined based on some vital factors such as swaras, aarohana-avarohna and typical phrases. Technically, the fundamental frequency is swara, which is definite through duration. Moreover, there are many other problems for automatic raga recognition model. Thus, in this work, raga is recognized without utilizing explicit note series information and necessary to adopt an efficient classification model.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This paper proposes an efficient raga identification system through which music of Carnatic genre can be effectively recognized. This paper also proposes an adaptive classifier based on NN in which the feature set is used for learning. The adaptive classifier exploits advanced metaheuristic-based learning algorithm to get the knowledge of the extracted feature set. Since the learning algorithm plays a crucial role in defining the precision of the raga recognition, this model prefers to use the GWO.\nFindings: Through the performance analysis, it is witnessed that the accuracy of proposed model is 16.6% better than NN with LM, NN with GD and NN with FF respectively, 14.7% better than NN with PSO. Specificity measure of the proposed model is 19.6, 24.0, 13.5 and 17.5% superior to NN with LM, NN with GD, NN with FF and NN with PSO, respectively. NPV of the proposed model is 19.6, 24, 13.5 and 17.5% better than NN with LM, NN with GD, NN with FF and NN with PSO, respectively. Thus it has proven that the proposed model has provided the best result than other conventional classification methods.\nOriginality/value: This paper intends to propose an efficient raga identification system through which music of Carnatic genre can be effectively recognized. This paper also proposes an adaptive classifier based on NN.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Corporate entrepreneurship and innovation part 2: a role- and process-based approach
|
[
"Entrepreneurs",
"Innovation",
"Communication processes",
"Visual perception",
"Social psychology"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: As illustrated in part 1, earlier frameworks have tended to focus on either entrepreneurship or innovation as independent processes, thereby limiting their application and utility (Baum et al., 2001; Chesbrough, 2003; Cunningham and Lischeron, 1991; Dooley and O'Sullivan, 2001; Jin, 2000). The model presented here conforms with Rothwell's (1992) fifth-generation model development, illustrating the links between the two concepts and highlights the different elements of corporate entrepreneurship that influence the innovation capability of an organization.The paper briefly reviews the concept of corporate entrepreneurial innovation (CEI) and culminates in the development of the corporate entrepreneurship and innovation model, which is presented in two stages; the macro and micro views, and then concludes by presenting implications for researchers and managers.\nCorporate entrepreneurial innovation: In part 1, the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship and innovation (CE&I) was clearly established, and a new definition was constructed linking the two components together:Corporate entrepreneurship can be defined as the effort of promoting innovation in an uncertain environment. Innovation is the process that provides added value and novelty to the organization and its suppliers and customers through the development of new procedures, solutions, products and services as well as new methods of commercialization. Within this process the principal roles of the corporate entrepreneur are to challenge bureaucracy, to assess new opportunities, to align and exploit resources and to move the innovation process forward. The corporate entrepreneur's management of the innovation process will lead to greater benefits for the organization.In the following sections a new model of CE&I is constructed which complies with Rothwell's (1992) fifth-generation model construction namely that the model includes strategic integration with suppliers and strong links with customers; co-development with stakeholders; emphasis on corporate flexibility and development speed; use of computer-aided systems and manufacturing; collaborative research and marketing arrangements; increased focus on quality; with innovation placed at leading edge of corporate strategy.\nDevelopment of a new model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation: A multilevel framework has been adopted. First, a macro-model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation is developed and explained, and then the micro-model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation is presented, which synthesizes the key factors and aligning themes from the literature.The macro-model of entrepreneurship and innovation\nImplications and future research: Implications for managers\nSummary: This article presents a theoretical framework and related variables linking entrepreneurial orientation to innovation. It focuses on examining how an entrepreneurial orientation within the corporate arena can facilitate the innovation capability of an organization. The relationship and the interdependencies between corporate entrepreneurship and innovation have been examined and captured with the development of two new conceptual frameworks - a macro-level and a micro-level model - which explicitly link these two concepts.The model is a multi-stage, multi-individual, complex process (Roberts, 1988), which helps to provide the insight for altering the organizational dynamics. It indicates that an entrepreneurial philosophy, which stimulates change, and the provision of a supportive environment, is most likely to foster innovation. Miller (1983) notes that entrepreneurial organizations are often the most proactive when it comes to innovation, which in turn provides the potential for competitive advantage.As this is purely a conceptual paper the model needs to be tested and evaluated. Future application of empirical methodologies, such as the use of longitudinal research, will lead to further improvement in the understanding of the corporate entrepreneurship and innovation relationship, which is needed to further assist in advancing the field of study. From a practical perspective, the model also gives managers further insight into how to introduce entrepreneurial activity into their organizations and the management of innovation.There is also an issue of model sequencing, and whether corporate entrepreneurs follow a set pattern for the exploitation of innovation, or whether the sequence might differ every time (Rickards, 1999). Longitudinal research needs to be conducted to establish whether such sequencing is correct, and if not what exclusions or inclusions are necessary to make the model more robust. In addition, the question of whether the sequencing holds true for both corporate entrepreneurs and new venture entrepreneurs clearly requires further investigation.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To extend the discussion held in part 1, and develop a two-tier fifth-generation model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The components that have been synthesized from a review of the literature in Part 1 are extended using evidence from the literature. These components are used to construct a two-tier model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation; a macro model which presents the high-level environmental drivers of innovation and a micro model that discusses the contextual factors that underpin the corporate entrepreneurship and innovation process.\nFindings: - From the analysis conducted in part 1 it is evident that there is a strong relationship between the role of the corporate entrepreneur and the innovation process. It is suggested that by separating the corporate entrepreneur from the innovation process previous models have been overly reductionist in their construction, and their utility has, as a consequence, been severely constrained. The study therefore combines the role and activities of the entrepreneur with the innovation process into a unified framework. In doing so the paper develops a two-tier fifth-generation model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation. The final sections of the paper present the model's implications for management and suggestions for further research.\nOriginality/value: - This paper fulfils an identified gap in the literature, namely the development of a new holistic model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation, which illustrates the environmental and contextual relationships between the corporate entrepreneur and the innovation process.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Strategic design: origins and contributions to intellectual capital in organizations
|
[
"Structural capital",
"Intellectual capital"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The study of human design activities, in a broad sense, is the field that examines the world of objects or ideas, material or otherwise, as created by humans (Simon, 1996). In Manzini's (2015) words, all individuals possess natural abilities for design, through the combination of three skills: critical thinking, creativity and practical thinking. Therefore, design is recognized as a form of thought and behavior, which may be applicable to many professions and situations. For Krippendorff (2005), the professional design practice differs from design in daily life, as it is sustained by expertise, methods and an organized form of language or design discourse.Buchanan (1992) suggested the existence of four extensive areas in which design is explored by both professional and amateur designers: the design of symbolic and visual communication, material objects, complex systems for living, working, recreational and learning environments and activities and services. The latter area, particularly, includes communication, construction and systematic or strategic integration designs. In this article, we investigate how strategic design provides value to organizations arguing that design is business intellectual capital.In business, the combination of natural design and professional abilities seeks to generate superior organizational results. Boland, Collopy, Lyytinen and Yoo (2008), Buchanan (2015) and Friedman (2016) have studied the application of design in organizations developing themes such as design management, design and business and design and strategy. This investigative trend has demonstrated that the appropriate incorporation of design in business generates benefits for both of these disciplines and the society in general. Junginger (2015) stated that design is part of the business DNA because there are three design legacies that have organizational components: traditions or practices (applied design methods), approaches (focused on individuals, oriented toward processes, problem resolution or cost minimization) and organizational purposes (visions, missions and strategic objectives). She argues that these design legacies may, in certain cases, be defective or inadequate, as they must be coordinated, visualized and dedicated in order to achieve real organizational change. Essentially, the elements of a business design legacy refer to what, how or why design matters to the organization. Similarly, it refers to the ability and willingness of the organization to adopt and utilize design capacities to solve organizational challenges.The business approach to design initially focused on tangible products; however, innovation and service design management were included soon thereafter (Zurlo and Cautela, 2013). Design was addressed as a strategic element or factor that could be applied to business management processes; it is related to corporate strategy formulation (Cooper et al., 2009). Wolff and Amaral (2016) explained that when design is understood as a strategic factor or element, it becomes an adequate generator of competitive advantages for companies, which integrates the following elements. (1) Design processes to better monitor the external environment in which companies operate. This facilitates improved market orientation, organizational learning, value creation process evaluation by clients and business performance. (2) Competencies that require an understanding of ways to combine and mobilize knowledge, abilities and business design attitudes. And (3) goals or the intention of design use, in function of an appropriate strategic perspective, in accordance with a given business' competitive environment.Despite the evolution of the concept of design and its organizational application, the present document seeks to bridge one remaining gap in the literature: the absence of studies that explore the contributions of strategic design as intellectual capital. This emphasizes design's intangible assets, which include: knowledge, methods, processes and approaches applied to the resolution of strategic organizational problems (Reed et al., 2006). As a result, strategic design is the application of design in organizations, specifically in strategic levels for the management of business, which goes beyond the creation of physical artifacts.The objective of this article is to demonstrate, based on the literature, the contribution that strategic design makes to business intellectual capital, in accordance with the following goals: facing and resolving complex problems, generating value for businesses and society in general and enhancing the use of design in internal organizational processes, transcending the classic line of research.\nThe origins and perspectives of strategic design: a literature review: From product design to design management\nStrategic design as intellectual capital: an approach to a proposal: In the previous section, the evolution of the concept of strategic design within organizations was presented highlighting its potential role in the solution of complex strategic problems. In this section, the value for competitiveness of strategic design for organizations is discussed based on its potential contributions to intellectual capital. First, we introduce the theory of intellectual capital. Then, we argue that there is a potential contribution of strategic design to intellectual capital. Then, we discuss the specific contributions of strategic design to the components of intellectual capital (human, structural and relational).Research into strategic design and its organizational contributions has been performed by a number of theoretical approaches, which include game theory (Zurlo and Cautela, 2013), complexity theory (Meroni, 2008) and ecosystemic theory (Freire et al., 2017), among others. Exceptionally, this research has been addressed from the perspective of intellectual capital (Acedo et al., 2006; Reed et al., 2006). Intellectual capital theory may offer support to management and design researchers to address this as a resource capable of generating competitive advantages.The resource-based view (RBV) theory analyzes and values businesses more for their resources and capacities than their products and services (Penronse, 1995; Rumelt, 1974). Further, it relates the development and deployment of intangible assets, which produce a competitive advantage to organizational performance (Barney, 1991; Bueno et al., 2008; Grant, 1999). This permits businesses to achieve higher profits in the long term, by way of concern for dynamic processes and organizational behavior (Amit and Schoemaker, 1993).Additionally, the firm view, when based on resources, evolves toward the firm view based on knowledge (Grant, 1999) and knowledge management supports the creation and maintenance of competitive advantages (Barney, 1991; Grant, 1999). On a theoretical level, Meso and Smith (2000) propose that knowledge management processes are strategic when they apply their abilities to competition in the market. These practices, in addition to knowledge, are rare, inimitable, valuable and irreplaceable resources; key conditions that organizations must acquire for the generation of competitive advantages.Intellectual capital, in contemporary management literature, refers to two elements: (a) the group of intangible assets (resources and abilities) that businesses have, and (b) the contribution that this kind of capital produces in the value creation processes, in competitive improvements and the generation of competitive advantages (cost, quality, time/speed and innovation) (Arabiyat, 2018).In accordance with the literature, there is consensus among scholars that intellectual capital is conformed of human, structural and relational capital (Sveiby, 1997; Wiig, 1997), which are broadly used in academic work (Bayraktaroglu et al., 2019; Cenciarelli et al., 2018; Choong, 2008; Ginesti et al., 2018; Macerinskiene et al., 2019; McDowell et al., 2018; Mukherjee and Sen, 2019; Tseng and Goo, 2005). The components of intellectual capital function interdependently to increase the financial performance of organizations (Reed et al., 2006). Shedden et al. (2010) proposed to distinguish three types of knowledge associated to each component: human capital is associated to tacit knowledge owned by individuals, structural capital is associated to explicit knowledge owned by organizations and relational capital is associated to distributed knowledge or produced collectively in the interaction among stakeholders.Strategic design, from this perspective, is considered to be intellectual capital, which is comprised of: organizational members' design competencies (human capital), design processes (structural capital) and the participative design approach (relational capital), as represented in Figure 1.Design competences as human capital\nDiscussion: The present article has shown, through the specialized literature, the significant influence of design on organizational development and strategic objective achievement (Borja de Mozota, 2003; Lee and Joo, 2015). Although design, in its beginnings, was considered a useful tool in tangible asset development, specifically in new product design, it was promptly applied to design management. This approach offers novel alternatives for the resolution of additional general difficulties, which relate to organizational management. With the development of strategic design, the field broadened to a group of concepts and tools, which may be put at the service of organizational strategic processes. As such, design is projected as a support mechanism for innovation, strategy formulation and implementation and organizational competitiveness (Wolff and Amaral, 2016). Although the strategic design potential in business appears to be unquestionable, developing an organizational culture with a strategic design approach is real challenge for businesses.This article outlines possibilities that practitioners can use as reference to incorporate strategic design in organization as means to develop intellectual capital. For this, a model of strategic design for intellectual capital is proposed based on the identification of diverse design components and building on the theory of intellectual capital. A strategic design approach to business innovation has the potential to contribute to the three types of intellectual capital. In human capital, strategic design can provide three characteristics or developed human competencies: abductive thinking, creativity and empathy. The design process can add to the structural capital, which operationalizes \"design thought.\" And the participatory processes of design practices can extend the relational capital.Theoretical implications\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This article proposes a conceptual basis upon which to address strategic design as business intellectual capital.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A literature review was carried out on the subjects of strategic design and intellectual capital.\nFindings: A conceptual basis is derived from the theoretical proposal that strategic design is an intangible, critical factor, which favors organizational competitiveness, when it impacts the betterment of organizational and intellectual capital processes.\nPractical implications: On the level of business practice, this article submits a broadened view of design, which may be applied to organizational strategic processes and which transcends its emphasis in the production of goods or services.\nOriginality/value: In previous literature, strategic design has not been addressed as intellectual capital, which supports the resolution of strategic problems.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The effect of board gender diversity on firm performance: evidence from Turkey
|
[
"Corporate governance",
"Board of directors",
"Financial performance",
"Gender diversity",
"Board diversity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The board of directors, an important mechanism in a company, holds the responsibility for leading and directing a firm, as well as protecting the interests of the company's shareholders (Abdullah, 2004). More specifically, the board of directors performs several functions, such as deciding the appropriateness of the company's strategies (Abdullah, 2004; He and Huang, 2011); monitoring and controlling managers (Abdullah, 2004; O'Connell and Cramer, 2010); appointing, supervising and remunerating senior managers (Campbell and Minguez-Vera, 2008); linking the corporation to the external environment; and providing information to managers. These functions make the board of directors one of the important internal corporate governance control mechanisms in an entity (Campbell and Minguez-Vera, 2008). Conversely, boards of directors have been criticized for corporate failures and the decline of shareholder value (Abidin et al., 2009). Some of the reasons stated for these corporate failures have been ineffective monitoring by the board, lack of control by corporate managers who pursue their own self-interests and lack of accountability by the board to their stakeholders (Abidin et al., 2009). Hence, when managers are properly monitored and disciplined, the performance and value of the entities are enhanced accordingly (Abdullah, 2004).\nTheoretical framework: Resource dependence theory\nLiterature review and hypotheses: Financial scandals and the high failure rate of companies over the past decade, as well as the 2008 financial crisis, have increased concerns about improving board effectiveness (Reguera-Alvarado et al., 2015). In this regard, board diversity has been considered to be a mechanism to increase such effectiveness. Diversity can be categorized into two groups: demographic (i.e. gender, age, ethnicity and race) and cognitive (i.e. knowledge, education, values and perception) (Erhardt et al., 2003). A majority of the research has focused on demographic or observable diversity, with gender being one of the observable characteristics of boards of directors.\nResearch design and data: Data collection\nAnalysis: Descriptive statistics\nDiscussion: The board of directors is one of the key governance mechanisms that helps align the interests of both managers and shareholders (Reguera-Alvarado et al., 2015). The composition of the board of directors may impact the effectiveness of board decisions, which, in turn, affect firm performance. One characteristic of board composition is gender. The percentage of females in the labor force has been increasing on a daily basis. As the number of female directors increases, discussions regarding the possible impact of gender-diverse boards on firm financial performances also increase. This study investigates the link between board gender diversity and firm financial performance. It has been hypothesized that companies with more gender-diverse boards outperform other companies.\nConclusion and implications: In recent years, many corporate scandals and failures have occurred, because of weak and ineffective corporate governance mechanisms. The gender composition of boards of directors has attracted significant attention by many parties including policymakers, regulatory bodies, governments, companies, managers and shareholders, because of its impact on corporate governance. The political debate is largely shaped by anti-discriminatory arguments regarding female representation in powerful positions (Mensi-Klarbach, 2014). Conversely, doubts remain regarding the economic impact of board gender diversity because of inconclusive and sometimes contradictory findings in prior literature. Therefore, the economic argument as to whether female directors can improve firm financial performance is a tremendous research area.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This study aims to include two primary goals. First to determine the board characteristics of listed companies in Turkey and second to investigate the effect of board gender diversity on the performance of these companies.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This study uses an instrumental variables regression analysis to investigate the relationship between board gender diversity and firm performance using the data from 2008-2012 of the entities listed on the Borsa Istanbul.\nFindings: The results indicate that the boards of these companies in Turkey are male-dominated. Moreover, this study shows that the inclusion of female directors is positively related to the financial performance of firms, as measured by the return on assets, the return on equity and the return on sales.\nOriginality/value: Limited empirical studies have been conducted on the relationship between board gender diversity and firm performance in emerging economies. Therefore, there is still no consensus regarding the link between board gender diversity and firm financial performance based upon the mixed and sometimes contradictory results in prior research. Therefore, this study extends the current literature in the context of Turkey, showing that a female member on the board can enhance the financial performance of a company.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Risk and protective factors for the course of post-traumatic stress disorder in frontline workers after the Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake
|
[
"Risk",
"Earthquake",
"Risk assessment",
"First responders",
"Post-traumatic stress disorder"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The setting for the study was the September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes experienced in Christchurch, New Zealand. The former caused damage but no loss of life, the latter widespread damage and 185 fatalities. Liquefaction of sediments, and landslides caused by the seismic activity, generated severe infrastructure damage throughout the Christchurch metropolitan area. A majority of the casualties were due to injuries sustained from building collapses. Frontline workers undertaking emergency operations were exposed to potential trauma-inducing events as rescue efforts continued for over a week and the population at large was subjected to more than 361 aftershocks occurring in the first week after the earthquake.\n2. Methods: The method chosen was a longitudinal design, the sampling frame those providing emergency, infrastructure and social support services in the Christchurch city area after the earthquake. The North Island city of Hamilton was selected as a referent area because of its distance from Christchurch, with fewer workers likely to have been involved in relief work in Christchurch, similar terrain, similar demographic composition and comparable socio-economic diversity.\n3. Results: The baseline demographics of the sample are shown by PTSD status in Table I.\n4. Conclusions: 4.1 Main findings\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe risk and protective factors for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced over a 1.5-year period among both frontline and \"non-traditional\" responders to the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A longitudinal survey administered to Christchurch workers with referents from the city of Hamilton at 6, 12 and 18 months after the 2011 earthquake. Potential risk and protective determinants were assessed by questionnaire items at baseline and over time, the outcome being PTSD as assessed by the PTSD Checklist-Civilian version. A longitudinal latent class analysis identified groups with similar trajectories of PTSD.\nFindings: A total of 226 individuals, 140 (26 per cent) from Christchurch and 86 (16 per cent) from Hamilton, participated at baseline, 180 at 12 and 123 at 18 months, non-traditional responders forming the largest single group. Two latent classes emerged, with PTSD (21 per cent) and without PTSD (79 per cent), with little change over the 18-month period. Class membership was predicted by high scores in the Social Support and Impact of Events scale items, Health-related Quality of Life scores being protective. PTSD scores indicative of distress were found in females, and predicted by burnout risk, behavioural disengagement and venting.\nPractical implications: Non-traditional responders should be screened for PTSD. Social support should be considered with the promotion of adaptive coping mechanisms.\nOriginality/value: The strength was longitudinal follow-up over an 18-month period, with demonstration of how the potential determinants influenced the course of PTSD over time.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Determinants of service quality and impact of service quality and consumer characteristics on channel selection
|
[
"Service quality",
"Channel",
"Structural equation modeling",
"Beverage industry",
"Consumer characteristics"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Over the past few years the living standard and environment of people have been tremendously improved with the amelioration of global economy. This is reflected in the consumption patterns of people and their consciousness of quality of product and service. Nowadays, most of the people prefer eating outside due to their bustling life and have accustomed to it. They even neglect the balance in diet while eating outside. In the context of Bangladesh, substantial changes have been found after independence. The incidence of poverty has reduced to some extent with stability in the distribution of income and expenditure (Khudri and Chowdhury, 2013). Nutrition level has been augmented with a more diversified food consumption basket. In accordance with the report of HIES, monthly food expenditure was raised by 87.9 percent in 2010 compared to 2005 (HIES, 2010). The report also states that 54.81 percent of the total consumption expenditure was accounted to food and beverage at the national level in 2010. It is evident that people of this country spend bulk of their consumption expenditures on food and beverage. Abreast of our traditional food consumers of Bangladesh also like to have western food after 1980s. As a consequence of global marketing this was not too hard nut to crack for the consumers. One of the most promising industries in Bangladesh is the beverage industry which is burgeoning progressively. As per the quantam index of industrial production by industrial groups of Bangladesh, the growth in beverage industry is 115.19 percent in the 23 year (1988-1989: 2011-2012) period (BBS, 2013). This study has taken the beverage industry as target area.\n2. Literature review: Measuring the service quality and customer satisfaction are the utmost critical factors in service marketing as the service sector has been flourishing since the past few decades. Researchers and marketers are placing their firm endeavor and discovering the service quality of different industries by comparing the customer expectation and customer perception about a particular service.\n3. Conceptual framework of service quality and marketing channel: Service quality is a multi-dimensional concept and byzantine phenomenon as well. Many dimensions of it have been empirically tested in the literature. Among the existing service quality models in the literature, the retail service quality model proposed by Dabholkar et al. (1996) was chosen in this study. Considering the flaws and inapplicability of other models to assess service quality accurately in a retailing environment, they developed a hierarchical model and validated it empirically to measure retail service quality distinctively. This model has been probed in a number of empirical investigations (Christo and Terblanche, 1997; Mehta et al., 2000; Siu and Cheung, 2001; Kim and Jin, 2002; Meng and Elliott, 2009) and the most critical parts of which involve the verification of dimensions on which service quality is based. The model comprises five dimensions including physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving, and policy and three of these have two sub-dimensions each. In accordance with this model, the physical aspects have two sub-dimensions, including convenience and appearance; reliability includes correctness and commitment; and personal interaction involves confidence and courtesy. The scale is consisted of 28 items, 17 of which originated from the SERVQUAL scale and rest of the items was new and applicable to the retail industry. In the context of Bangladesh, the sales channels have been classified into five categories. The possible channel alternatives are direct selling/marketing, general food store, super shop, distributor and others. The conceptual framework of service quality and sales channel is depicted in Figure 1.\n4. Hypotheses: The customer satisfaction regarding the service contact can affect the perceived service quality, and hence, the perceived service quality has received recognition as having a potential influence on repurchase intention, word of mouth, switching channels or stores, and customer loyalty (Bitner, 1990). Parasuraman et al. (1996) stated that consumer's perception and evaluation of service quality could lead to many changes in behavior intentions and have positive or negative effect on channels. \"Recommendation to others,\" \"increase customer loyalty,\" and \"repurchase intention\" are deemed as the positive effect. On the contrary, the negative effect includes \"customer complaint\" and \"customer switches to other channel or brand consumption.\"\n5. Methodology: A research framework was devised to test the aforementioned hypothesized relationships. Beverage market in Bangladesh was taken as the evidence for this purpose.\n6. Results: 6.1. Frequency distribution of demographic characteristics\n7. Discussions: Service quality is receiving continuous attention from academic researchers, practitioners and managers. Taking this into account this study emphasized on identifying the key determinants of service quality and measuring its impact on selecting sales channel in the context of beverage industry in Bangladesh. Furthermore, this study sought to measure the impact of consumers' characteristics on channel selection. Several interesting findings emerged from the study and based on these findings, suggestions are proposed as a reference for beverage food suppliers as well as consumers.\n8. Managerial implications: Beverage food suppliers and marketing managers should pay more heed to factors affecting service quality which, if increased, will contribute significantly to their organization's reputation and brand loyalty. Service quality is strategically important for several reasons, such as creating brand loyalty, strengthening brand and creating threat to rivals, gaining high market share and new customers. Our research model has the potential to help managers and suppliers understand better how consumers assess the quality of services. The inter-correlations between the dimensions of service quality should also be considered.\n9. Limitations of study: Several limitations were associated with this study. The study considered the specific region instead of whole country owing to money and time constraints. Therefore, it was not feasible to delineate the scenario of whole country. Additional research may be required with diverse consumer groups. The study was carried out on Bangladeshi customers. Since the questionnaire was designed in English, there was a likelihood of misinterpreting the meaning of some statements by the customers. Hence, they may provide wrong answer unwittingly.\n10. Conclusions: Since service quality is rudimentary marketing tool to create competitive advantage, beverage food providers should monitor on continual measurement basis and identify areas of activity that may be responsible for assuring standards of service quality. They may hire professionals at sales centers to give on-site explanation and consulting service as well. It will result in improving their business performance directly or indirectly and they will be capable of competing with efficacy in marketplace thereby. All the suggestions provided in this study will not only help getting insights of service quality and consumers' characteristics but also propel suppliers, marketing managers and owners of the stores towards the success.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to seek the determinants of service quality and evaluate the impact of service quality and consumers' characteristics on channel selection in the context of beverage industry in Bangladesh.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Data were collected using convenience sampling method. Initially exploratory factor analysis was performed to extract the key dimensions of service quality and then structural equation modeling was employed to verify the causal relationships between the dimensions of service quality and service quality itself. kh2 test was used to determine whether any association exists between service quality or demographic variables and choice of channel types. Cramer's V was performed to measure the strength of association. One-way ANOVA was carried out to identify significant impact of demographic variables on perception of service quality.\nFindings: The research findings indicated that personal interaction, appearance, reliability, policy, and problem solving are the key determinants of service quality in terms of beverage industry in Bangladesh. It is observed that customers preferring factors like personal interaction and problem solving intend to purchase beverage items from super shop. Customers who are deemed socioeconomically high taking profession and monthly income into account prefer shopping at super shop. Customers who are female or married with no kid or service holders showed better satisfaction with service quality.\nResearch limitations/implications: Due to money and time constraints the study could not cover up the whole country. Conclusions and predictions to be applied to consumers in general may not be appropriate entirely since specific age group was deemed, given that the subject was beverage products.\nPractical implications: The model proposed in this study will help managers and suppliers understand how consumers assess the quality of services. In order to strengthen brand and create brand loyalty, marketing planners, managers, and suppliers must be aware of the dimensions of service quality, and consumers' characteristics. Selecting an optimal sales channel is imperative for suppliers in order to make their products reach to target consumers.\nOriginality/value: Service quality plays crucial role in ameliorating customer satisfaction and creating competitive advantage whereas sales channels have impact on sustaining the long-term profitability of the company. This paper has contributed significantly to these issues and sought consumers' characteristics and preference as well.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The effect of employee ability, hospital's ethic and leadership on job satisfaction through employee commitment: A study on an Indonesian Type A government hospital
|
[
"Service quality",
"Leadership",
"Employee commitment",
"Employee ability",
"Hospital’s ethic"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Nobody wants to fall sick. However, to maintain one's health condition is not an easy thing. In addition, illness is caused by uncertain events (unpredictable) that are irregular and may rarely occur. It also puts pressure on someone who has little financial resources and increases economic burden on him or her. The incidence of illness is often seen as a \"disaster\" (e.g., catastrophic illness) that results in economic burden on patients or their family. The situation is unpleasant to most people because they pay for medical services directly from their bag (out-of-pocket).\n2. Literature review: 2.1 Theoretical background\n3. Methodology: The sample was drawn from nurses, doctors and patients in health care, by using a cross-sectional and explanatory research design. A questionnaire was conducted on 320 respondents (including internal (160 respondent) and external (160 respondent) stakeholders of the hospital) using 24 indicators. The survey included questions on employee ability, implementations of perceived ethics, leadership style, as well as commitment and satisfaction due to their services. The structural equation modelling was also used by the researchers to test the hypothesis.\n4. Analysis result: After an appropriate measurement model has been established, the next step is to test the full structural model. Structural equation modelling is a tool for testing the causal relationship among the latent variables, explaining the causal effects and assigning the explained and unexplained variance. The relationships hypothesised were tested using AMOS to complete the standardized parameter estimates and t-values. The structural equation modelling confirms this conceptual model perfectly because of causal relationships among these variables. The result is summarised in Table I.\n5. Discussion: This study analysed the direct and indirect effects of variables, i.e. work ability, ethics hospitals and hospital leadership behaviour, on service quality through employee commitment. The results obtained proved that the variables have a significant effect on service quality through employee commitment (Table II).\n6. Limitation of the research: The comparison of customer expectations regarding health services with the reality of the services received makes this study a one time sequence of study, with a cross-sectional design. The assessment of service quality is based on the paradigm of service performance received by the customer.\n7. Conclusion: In general, the study found that there was a significant direct and indirect effect of the variables, i.e. work ability of employees, perceived ethics, hospital leadership behaviour, on employee commitment and service quality based on the assessments and perceptions of internal stakeholders, i.e. paramedic (doctors), frontliners (nurses), and external stakeholders, in Type A government hospital in Indonesia.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to confirm the direct and indirect effect of employee ability, perceived ethic, and leadership and leadership to service quality through employee commitment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A survey instrument is using to collect the data and to measure the effect of employee ability, perceived ethic, and leadership directly to the quality of inpatient health care services was developed. This study also used the self-perception, leadership evaluation and customer evaluation questionnaires. The effects among variables were also analysed by using the structural equation modelling method.\nFindings: The results of the analysis show that the survey instrument was reliable and valid; the implementation of hospital ethic was more emphasised on the nurses (as a front liners); the study proved that there is a direct and indirect effect among variables of employee ability, hospital's ethic, and leadership to the service quality through the employee commitment; the direct effect of employee commitment variables against the service quality was significantly negative.\nResearch limitations/implications: Analyses are developed within the context of a government single hospital of Type A. According to the time sequence of study, this field of study research considered for purpose only (one time study), and was not conducted for experimental study.\nOriginality/value: This paper's main contribution is to propose and empirically test a set of constructs that complement the effect of employee ability, hospital's perceived ethic, leadership on the service quality of inpatient health care through the employee commitment direct and indirectly in the Type A hospital.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Performance measurement systems in the Finnish public sector
|
[
"Public sector organizations",
"Performance measures",
"Performance management systems",
"Finland"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: 1.1 Introducing the research issue\n2. Design and implementation of a performance measurement system: 2.1 Performance measurement in companies\n3. Case studies in three public organizations: 3.1 Research method\n4. Analysis of the findings: 4.1 Summary of key observations\n5. Conclusions and discussion: This paper has discussed the design and implementation of a PMS in Finnish public sector organizations. The study was composed of a literature review and information gained during PMS development processes in three Finnish public organizations. The main result of this paper is a framework of challenges in public sector performance measurement (presented in Table II), combining the process view and the practical problems experienced. Even though the framework is based on the specific challenges of the case organizations, it is believed that the results can also be utilized in other public sector organizations.The findings of this paper raise an important question for further research: how can the factors affecting the design and implementation of a PMS in public sector organizations be overcome or at least taken into account better in order to be able to create an effective PMS in practice? As a basis for further research and development we suggest that the following means for overcoming the potential problems in public sector PMSs might be considered:* The factors related to the nature of public sector organizations that affect the design of the PMS may be influenced by increasing the use of outsourcing, public-private-partnerships and privatization, which all enhance the potential for control in the operations in question and transform the running of activities towards the style used in companies.* The factors related to the management of public sector organizations that affect the implementation of the PMS may be influenced by increasing personnel education and recruitment from the private sector, as well as changing the manager selection criteria. These means could improve the managerial competencies and thus create better possibilities for using management tools including a PMS.If the separation of the funding of operations from the management of the operations continues as it seems to do in the Western societies, it is very important to get the public sector organizations to be known as well-managed. While the funding for using certain services may in the future (healthcare etc.) come from the public or the private sector, the operations as such must be managed efficiently anyway. If the current public sector organizations are willing to survive in any form, their need to improve their performance measurement skills seems huge.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - This paper aims to identify the specific problems faced by the Finnish public sector organizations in designing and implementing performance measurement systems (PMS).\nDesign/methodology/approach: - An understanding of the problems is obtained by examining three case organizations in practice. In order to support the analysis of the empirical findings, a review of prior literature on the private and public sector PMSs is carried out.\nFindings: - The design and implementation processes in the Finnish public sector organizations differ significantly from the way they are realized in industrial private sector companies. The four underlying reasons for problems in public sector organizations are the following: there are many stakeholders with conflicting needs; the end products and goals are undefined; there is a lack of property ownership and lacking management skills.\nPractical implications: - By utilizing the results of the study, PMS design and implementation in the public sector can be carried out by taking into account and avoiding the evident pitfalls introduced in the study.\nOriginality/value: - A large portion of the prior research on public sector PMSs consists of surveys and conceptual studies. This paper describes three case studies and reveals new insights into the specific challenges faced by public sector organizations, especially in designing and implementing PMSs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Moving beyond teaching excellence: Developing a different narrative for England's higher education sector
|
[
"Sustainability",
"Higher education",
"Teaching excellence",
"Dialogic change",
"Pedagogic practice",
"Teaching excellence framework"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The higher education (HE) system in England has seen a great deal of change in recent years, most notably with the introduction of student tuition fees, the ongoing development of the research excellence framework (REF) and more recently the creation of the teaching excellence framework (TEF). It is the latter of these developments that we are concerned within this paper, as the TEF is already having a growing influence on organisational strategy and policy making across HE providers in the two years since its introduction in 2016. Conceptions of teaching excellence in the HE system in England have been in constant flux over the last three decades as a result of policy reform and the TEF arguably represents another reincarnation. But what underlies these shifts? What is the meaning of teaching excellence? And does it still remain a concept with pedagogic focus and validity or has it been appropriated as an accountability imperative?\nConsidering the changing conceptualisation of teaching excellence in England's HE sector: In England, teaching has long been an established and important element of academic life. In the 1850s, Newman suggested that research was best carried out beyond the university, the main role of HE being to help students pursue knowledge for its own sake through discussion and reading, a view of academic and pedagogic work which remained central to university life until well into the twentieth century. By the 1960s, research had been re-established as a core element of HE work and on which teaching should be based in the pursuit of truth through a bringing together of research insights and pedagogy as set out by the Robbins Committee in 1963 (Committee on Higher Education, 1963, p. 7):But the search for truth is an essential function of institutions of higher education and the process of education is itself most vital when it partakes of the nature of discovery.\nThe rise of the TEF: HE in England has seen a continual development of accountability systems since the 1990s. This has happened as part of the continued marketisation of the sector, with institutions needing to compete across a range metrics to gain funding for research and income from teaching. The new Office for Students (OfS) has been created with the publicly stated aim of looking after the interests of students through four objectives: first, the right to access HE where they have the ability; second, to experience a high quality education whilst at university; third, to progress to further study or high quality employment; and fourth, to ensure value for money (OfS, 2018). These objectives put teaching quality at the centre of university activity given that tuition fees are the largest income generator for universities. As French (2017, p. 6) explained in her account of the development of the TEF:The focus on teaching excellence in Higher Edcuation and Research Bill (HERB) is not entirely unexpected, political interest in the quality of teaching standards, as a way of helping parents and students to make informed \"choices\" about which school to choose for their children, has after all, been a mainstay of governmental interventions in compulsory education for several decades.\nMoving beyond teaching excellence - developing a different organisational model as a basis for developing teaching: As the previous two sections have highlighted, the official meaning of teaching excellence within an English context has shifted over time. From its origins in interests concerning teaching approaches, it has been progressively appropriated by quality frameworks, accountability structures and national policies focusing on market development. At the same time, academics and students may continue to have views about teaching excellence which are more closely aligned to a process orientated approach, focused on teaching processes and learning environments. This makes the use of teaching excellence as a concept problematic and unclear. In this section, we consider how we might move beyond colonised frameworks of teaching excellence with a view to developing a different conceptualisation. In doing this, we suggest that we need to re-establish a link between the organisational level of pedagogic leadership and change, and that championed by academics focusing on developing their practice.\nCreating a sustainable, emergent model for pedagogic practice and innovation: An emergent model for pedagogic practice and innovation uses dialogue as a core process for developing better teaching. Whilst dialogue has always been a feature of local practice development amongst practitioners, it has not become a common process at organisational level. However, there is an increasing interest in its organisational potential as stated by Wals and Schwarzin (2012, p. 16):Dialogue is seen as a catalyst for new understanding, insight and action (Martin, 2005), and for bringing about individual and collective shifts in mindset, behaviour and organisation.\nFinal thoughts: The above discussion is an attempt to consider how we can re-establish a strong symbiosis between institution and practitioner-level processes for generating critical, challenging and contextually relevant pedagogies. Such an approach needs to be sustainable, allowing for continued dialogue as a basis for constructing change, being driven from the bottom-up rather than top-down. But we also need to accept that due to the complexity of the contexts in which pedagogies are generated and developed, there can be no single, \"correct\" approach which can be introduced and replicated across an organisation or the sector. Flexibility is required, driven by the particular needs of academics and students in localised contexts. At a broader level, however, there are core requirements if the organisation is to move forward. There need to be regular fora for sharing of practice insights gained through both professional work and research, there needs to be internal funding for pedagogic work to drive change and there needs to be a recognition of the parity between pedagogic work and research work carried out in academic disciplines. Dialogic change of this form could then lead to emergent institutional foci and plans so that the organisation as a whole has an understanding of some of the major strands of development. These ideas to account of the fact that teaching and learning are socially situated, intellectual activities. How we understand them in an HE context requires the creation of knowledge and meaning to be grounded in these complex contexts. Lave's work (Lave, 1988; Lave and Chaiklin, 1993) demonstrates that meaning has a relational character, and thus in the context of teaching and so-called \"excellence\", new practice is generated in dialogic interactions between peers, i.e., academics and their students, in the context of the courses they are teaching/studying. Such situated activities might naturally lead to the emergence of communities of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) occurring both within and across disciplines, informed not only by pedagogic research, but also from cognitive science, computer science and anthropology to name but a few. The academic practice and e-learning units which currently exist in most HE providers would have an important part to play in this model of pedagogic development. But rather than being accountable for disseminating central plans, they would instead help to build networks, support research and practitioner inquiry and help establish institution-wide networks, all in an environment of unhasty exploration and development. In a complex system of pedagogic development, they would help ensure that there is constant opportunity to move beyond local networks, thereby minimising the danger of \"group-think\". Here, the focus would not be on teaching excellence, identified in externally sanctioned centres, or individuals capable of proving they have moved beyond a set of self-referential threshold statements. Instead the focus would be to align the organisational structures of the institution to the complex, sometimes contradictory, views and expertise of those in the organisation. In this sense, we would not be advocating a return to \"teaching excellence\" so much as encouraging \"emergent pedagogies\" to support the ongoing communal drive towards providing students with a critical and challenging experience worthy of studying at HE level.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Teaching excellence remains a contested term in English higher education (HE). This paper begins by reflecting on its complex and sometimes blurred meaning, charting the divergence between academic interests in the complexity and contextual questions relating to practice development and organisational and sectoral shifts which have been driven by managerialism, accountability and \"top-down\" ideas of change. The authors argue that this divergence, epitomised in the development of the teaching excellence framework, has led to a confused, if ubiquitous, use of excellence to identify organisational and sector-led ideas of what it means to deliver quality teaching. However, these frameworks have become progressively detached from the complexity of practice investigated by those interested in pedagogy. The paper aims to discuss this issue.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This is a conceptual paper which brings together literature from teaching excellence, organisational science, time and HE to develop an alternative approach to pedagogic development.\nFindings: Based on a critique of the current, confused conceptualisation of teaching excellence, the authors offer a different narrative which demonstrates how a reconsideration of the factors is important in developing critical and challenging teaching opportunities. Based on a \"bottom-up\" system focusing on dialogue, sustainability and \"unhasty\" time, the authors argue for a re-establishing of a holistic approach in HE providers based on emergent pedagogies as opposed to teaching excellence.\nOriginality/value: This paper demonstrates why teaching excellence has become conceptually fractured in an English context, and why a new approach to pedagogic development needs to be considered to establish a more positive and critical approach at both the institutional and sectoral levels. This paper outlines a possible approach to developing such renewal.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
The segmentation potential of non-standard employment: A four-country comparison of mobility patterns
|
[
"Employment",
"Unemployment",
"Data analysis",
"Comparative tests",
"Europe"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The incidence of part-time employment and temporary employment (fixed-term, casual work and temporary agency work) in Western European countries increased from the 1980s with the growing labour market participation of women and continuing mass unemployment. Such forms of non-standard employment have often been promoted deliberately in order to fight chronic unemployment and underemployment and also as a means of facilitating the reconciliation of work and family life.A number of studies have pointed out negative side effects of non-standard employment, such as higher volatility and less employment and social security. Following this line of research this paper compares patterns of downward mobility of part-time and temporary workers in a number of European countries with those of full-time workers and workers with permanent contracts. The aim is to assess whether non-standard employment carries the same negative implications on mobility in different institutional contexts or whether some countries are doing better at avoiding the segmentation caused by non-standard employment. In order to capture mobility patterns over longer periods of time, the European Community Household Panel data (ECHP) is used, as this allows the tracing of non-standard workers over several years and their comparison with workers employed on regular contracts and displaying similar individual, household and job characteristics.While both part-time and temporary employment create flexibility for employers, the former also serves employees' needs for flexibility. On the demand side, part-time employment is thus used to meet organisational or economic needs (peaks in service requirements or regular variations of workload); on the other hand, it often also caters to (female) employees' needs insofar as they wish, or are obliged to, combine wage-employment with care activities. Temporary employment meets the employers' demands for a more flexible workforce that can be hired and fired according to need and at low cost (employment protection legislation (EPL) is usually lower than for workers with permanent contracts). Temporary employment contracts are typically used either for specific activities of limited duration, or to replace workers who are temporarily absent, or, finally, to screen potential employees before they are \"permanently\" recruited.This paper tests the hypothesis that non-standard workers are more likely than standard workers to experience transitions out of employment, and that non-standard employment therefore strengthens segmentation. Especially among workers employed on temporary contracts, as compared with permanent ones, more changes between employment and unemployment are to be expected. Part-time workers, meanwhile, are thought to make more frequent transitions out of employment into household and care activities. It is expected that countries will differ in this regard because they vary with respect to the regulation of non-standard employment and also the reasons for resorting to part-time and temporary employment. The four countries considered here are Denmark, Germany, the UK and Spain. The first three of these countries have high part-time employment rates (above 20 per cent of total employment) coupled with medium or low (UK) temporary employment rates. Spain, on the other hand, has by far the highest share of temporary employment in Europe - amounting to more than 30 per cent of total employment - while part-time employment remains comparatively low.Section 2 discusses segmentation theory, reviews the empirical literature, discusses the institutional background and formulates hypotheses for the different countries. Section 3 describes the data, variables and method. Section 4 first compares the risk of employment exit for standard and non-standard workers in the four countries by making use of hazard rates. The subsequent multivariate models allow comparison of standard and non-standard workers while looking at competing risks (unemployment, inactivity, household/care and education/training) and taking into account individual, household and job characteristics as well as censoring and the timing of events. Sideways transitions into education and training measures - which can potentially increase employability and in the long run support upward transitions - will receive special attention here. The empirical results will be discussed taking into account country differences and possible theoretical explanations for these differences. The conclusion places the outcomes in a wider context discussing the extent and function of non-standard employment in the four countries.\n2. Segmentation theory, literature review and hypotheses: 2.1 Segmentation theory\n3. Data, variables and method: 3.1 Data\n4. Empirical results: 4.1 Descriptive analysis of risk to exit employment\n5. Conclusion: The use and active promotion of non-standard forms of employment has surely helped some groups to enter or re-enter the labour market and has therefore contributed to improved overall labour market outcomes. On the other hand, these developments have made employment of certain subgroups less stable (higher risk of unemployment and inactivity) and more insecure (risk of lower income and insufficient social insurance coverage). These employment forms thus entail segmentation potential. The analysis showed that part-time workers and employees with fixed-term and especially casual contracts are, in all four countries, more likely than are their counterparts in standard employment to leave employment. A number of previous studies have shown that while, with the exception of Spain, temporary employment also plays an important bridging function to regular permanent employment, part-time employment is persistent, especially in the countries that closely comply with the extended male breadwinner model (male full-time worker and female part-time worker), namely Germany and the UK.How problematic the volatility of non-standard employment is very much depends on the function and on the extent of non-standard employment in the specific countries. Denmark, Germany, and the UK have high shares of part-time workers, especially among women. In Denmark part-time employment is prevalent among young people who combine work and education, while in Germany and the UK, in the absence of sufficient childcare services, it is used mainly by mothers to combine work and care activities. In Spain, part-time employment often goes hand in hand with temporary employment, which further downgrades the situation of the workers concerned. Temporary employment is clearly associated with being young (especially in Spain and Germany) and with low qualification levels, with the UK being an exception. While in Denmark and the UK temporary employment remained relatively stable over the last decades, in Germany and Spain it increased in absolute numbers. The high risk among temporary workers in Spain of exiting employment is especially problematic given the fact that about one third of the Spanish workforce holds a temporary contract.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - While forms of non-standard employment (which include part-time work and temporary employment) have received active promotion in recent years, possible negative effects emerging from these forms of employment have not been high on the agenda. This paper, accordingly, aims to compare workers with non-standard contracts and those with standard contracts in relation to transitions out of employment into unemployment, inactivity, household/care activities and education/training. Country differences in outcome are expected due to varying regulations of standard and non-standard employment and different reasons for resorting to forms of non-standard employment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The comparison covers four countries, namely Denmark, Germany, the UK and Spain. The segmentation theory is tested by analysing mobility patterns on the basis of the European Community Household Panel data. Event history analysis methods are used. Maximum likelihood multinomial regression models are calculated on the event history data in order to assess competing exits (unemployment, inactivity, household/care and education) between non-standard and standard workers.\nFindings: - The risk of temporary workers exiting employment is greatest by far in Spain, but also evident in the other countries: casual employment is even more volatile than fixed-term employment. Concerning part-time workers, downward transitions to inactivity and/or household/care are much more frequent than among full-time workers, and this is true even in Spain and Denmark where part-time employment is not traditionally used to combine work with family activities. The expectation that there would be no differences in exits to unemployment - insofar as employment protection legislation applies to both full-time and regular part-time workers - proves true only for Denmark and Germany.\nOriginality/value: - In contrast to most papers on the segmentation potential of non-standard employment this paper is comparative. Furthermore, it uses event history methods and places a special focus on potentially employability-enhancing \"sideways transitions\" to education/training measures.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Making sense of events in literature and life through collaboration
|
[
"Teaching literature",
"English teaching",
"Curriculum English",
"Literacy teaching"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: English teachers are constantly trying to help their students make sense of the events in texts. And, at the same time, literature also provides an opportunity for teachers to help students make sense of the events of their own lives related to their responses to literature. Whether it is an event in a story or an event in one's own life, sensemaking is an essential aspect of the language arts classroom. As an example, enter Ms Cole's 12th-grade AP Literature classroom. (All teacher and student names are pseudonyms unless indicated otherwise.) Students were grappling with her open-ended questions regarding Othello and Desdemona's relationship: Are they in love? Were they ever in love? Why do the events that lead to their relationship's demise occur?:\nDefining sensemaking in responding to events in texts: In responding to events in literary texts, students experience instances of being puzzled or perplexed about certain events, expressing uncertainty as to what and why often highly unusual, unpredictable things occur in a textual event. Making sense of these events involves:\n\"Eventness\" and sensemaking: One of the challenges in responding to events in texts is that characters' interactions in these events unfold in unpredictable, uncertain, alternative ways (Roth, 2014). This unpredictability and uncertainty creates what Bakhtin (1986) defined as \"eventness\" - the sense of heightened, dramatic suspense given this unpredictability and uncertainty - that anything could happen in characters' interactions, resulting in positive or negative subsequent events.\n\"Languaging\" and sensemaking: In making sense of events in texts, students are responding to \"eventness\" but they are also responding to narrators and characters use of \"languaging\" used as a medium to engage in social actions in interacting with others (Bertau, 2014). As a medium, languaging is dependent on its doingness: as if fish by their swimming \"do\" water, nevertheless not being able to survive without their element. \"Hence, the medium language mediates the living individuals to each other, and by doing this, it offers forms to the relation, forming its specific dynamics, enabling and constraining specific space-times as the between of the subjects\" (Bertau, 2014, p. 528).\nProcesses involved in collaboratively making sense of events in texts: Arguably, students co-construct the meaning of texts through their collaborative transaction with a text. Through this transaction, students apply alternative perspectives drawing on their collaborative sensemaking to respond to events. This sharing of divergent experiences is central to \"comprehension-as-sensemaking pedagogies\" designed to enhance students' learning through collaborative sharing of responses to texts, as distinct from \"comprehension-as-outcome pedagogies\" in which students conform to providing \"correct\" interpretations consistent with a teacher's expectations (Aukerman, 2013).\nMaking sense of events through drawing on lived-world experiences: Making sense of characters' interactions also involves inferring how characters use languaging or gestures to co-create relationships as close, conflicted, supportive, combative, secretive, loving or fragile. Languaging can open up a relationship - \"I want to know more about you\", or close down a relationship - \"You have violated my trust\" (Linell, 2009).\nMaking sense of events through empathy with others: Students also draw upon empathy for the other to make sense of events based on consideration of characters' human needs, concerns and perspectives (Bloome and Beauchemin, 2016). While reading A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning (Snicket, 2007) aloud during the chapter when readers learn about the horrible tasks Count Olaf forces upon the Baudelaire children, a student interrupted the reader by claiming Count Olaf was not \"fair\". The class stopped to discuss this point, which erupted into a whole-class agreement that Count Olaf was, indeed, unfair, as well as creepy, mean, a slave-driver and hateful. This discussion revealed a unity in students' feelings about the novel's antagonist, as well as encouraged a unified event through collaborative sensemaking, as students mirrored each other's feelings about how characters in the book - the Baudelaire children - and people in real life, experience unfair treatment.\nMaking sense through understanding the use of literary techniques: Students may also have difficulty in making sense about how and why authors are using certain literary techniques. Making sense of texts and their techniques involves what Davis et al. (2015, p. 337) describe as a \"moment-to-moment improvisation with text\" involving \"selection and use of eclectic resources\", such as other students' ideas alongside previous knowledge of literary techniques. In responding to Between Shades of Gray (Sepetys, 2012) in Ms Harris' 11th-grade class, students were puzzled by the author's use of scenes written as flashbacks, leading to a collaborative interaction as to whether the flashback events were needed or were relevant to the main Holocaust story:\nMaking sense through understanding events in students' own lives: In addition to making sense of events in texts, students transfer processes of making sense of events in texts to making sense of similar events in their own lives. For example, after Ms Cole's students read Othello, during a focus group discussion, the students revealed the extent to which the reading of the play was eventful to them in thinking about their own lives. When Michelle asked the students what stood out in the unit, they noted that the discussion of absolute versus relative love as defined in an essay they read was eventful, particularly in the personal connections they were able to make, resulting in insights about the relationships in their own lives:\nA teacher's role in facilitating collaborative sensemaking: Teachers play a key role in facilitating these four sensemaking processes by supporting students' open-ended, collaborative \"comprehension-as-sensemaking\" practices (Aukerman, 2013). This idea entails continually attending to how the classroom itself is an unfolding event in which students are comfortable voicing tentative responses based on related experiences and emotions. As Katherine von Duyke notes about her teaching:\nConclusion: This conceptual article provides a framework for thinking about fostering students' collaborative sensemaking of events both in texts and in their' lives. Students learn to make sense of unfolding events in texts through collaboratively entertaining different possibilities or consequences for an event associated with \"eventness\" through responding to and engaging in \"languaging\" as social action. This sensemaking, although not limited to these approaches, can occur through:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this conceptual paper is to make the case for the value of fostering collaborative sensemaking in responding to literature. Drawing on examples of classroom interactions in 6th-, 8th-, 11th- and 12th-grade classrooms, it proposes methods for teachers to foster collaborative sensemaking.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Drawing on theories of \"participatory sensemaking\" (Fuchs and De Jaegher, 2009), transactional literary response (Rosenblatt, 1994) and \"comprehension-as-sensemaking\" pedagogy (Aukerman, 2013), this paper conceptualizes collaborative sensemaking to illustrate how teachers foster making sense of texts through sharing responses based on lived-world experiences, understanding the use of literary techniques and understanding events in students' own lives.\nFindings: Given that this is not an empirical study, there are no findings. The discussion of students' sensemaking practices in responding to classroom texts, suggests the importance of teachers creating open-ended response events in which students collaboratively support each other in making sense of characters' actions and events, as opposed to having to conform to teachers' predetermined agendas.\nPractical implications: Analysis of the classroom discussions suggests the importance of building students' trust in the process of sensemaking itself, fostering adoption of alternative perspectives as central to sensemaking and using activities for students' translating or rewriting events in texts to co-create texts with authors.\nOriginality/value: This paper explores the importance of teachers engaging students in open-ended, sensemaking response events based on attending to \"in-between,\" dialogic meanings through sharing emotions, alternative perspectives and related experiences to enhance students' engagement in responding to literature.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Diversity in goal orientation, team performance, and internal team environment
|
[
"Team working, Team performance",
"Goal orientation",
"Team diversity",
"Information elaboration",
"Team climate",
"Decision making"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The majority of the literature suggests that diversity is a challenging issue for team interpersonal dynamics, decision-making processes, and performance (Jackson and Joshi, 2010). Diversity refers to the presence of individual differences within a team in terms of age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, values, personality, goal orientation, mental models, etc. (Harrison and Klein, 2007). In particular, existing research distinguishes between surface and deep-level attributes of team diversity (Jackson and Joshi, 2010; Milliken and Martins, 1996). Surface-level attributes of diversity refer to the demographic characteristics such as gender, age or ethnicity that are easily detectable and might elicit discrimination, stereotypes, or prejudices in a team (Tajfel and Turner, 1986). Deep-level attributes refer to characteristics such as personality, values, beliefs, attitudes, mental models, or goal orientation that are less visible and might be unnoticed in a team (Bell, 2007). In virtue of these characteristics, deep-level attributes have been considered as less influential in comparison with surface-level attributes, and, as a consequence, they have systematically received less attention in the literature (van Dijk et al., 2009). This is a serious shortcoming since deep-level attributes have been shown to influence team interaction and outcomes in the long term (e.g. Antill, 1983; McGrath, 1984; Schilpzand et al., 2011; van Emmerik and Brenninkmeijer, 2009). Indeed, deep-level attributes are a relevant basis for the development of accurate, permanent, and non-stereotyped images of each team members (Harrison et al., 1998, 2002). Hence, van Dijk et al. (2009, p. 42) suggested not \"jumping to this conclusion [deep-level attributes are irrelevant] and discard the potential influence of deep-level diversity\". They argued that it would be beneficial for team diversity research to conduct additional research on deep-level attributes that are more closely related to team performance or task achievement, such as goal orientation or mental models.In this study, I decided to focus on diversity in goal orientation since it has received lower attention in comparison with team mental models (see Mohammed et al., 2010 for a review on this concept). To date, in fact, only few studies have specifically focused on the effects of diversity (or low similarity) in goal orientation on teams (e.g. Kristof-Brown and Stevens, 2001; Nederveen-Pieterse et al., 2011). In particular, Nederveen-Pieterse et al.' (2011) study is the first research that conceptualized goal orientation in terms of diversity. Even though this paper is a seminal contribution for the analysis of diversity in goal orientation in teams, it presents some shortcomings that need to be addressed. First, it relies on a bidimensional conceptualization of goal orientation that does not account for recent developments of goal orientation theory, which considers a third dimension of goal orientation (e.g. performance-avoid orientation (VandeWalle, 1997)). In addition, it makes use of a laboratory setting with the participation of students in a role-playing exercise. Although previous studies have shown that findings in the laboratory are not different from field studies (e.g. Brown and Lord, 1999), there is the need to investigate the role of diversity in goal orientations in real organizational settings, with participation of teams engaged in real work activities.In the current paper, I attempt to extend Nederveen-Pieterse et al.' (2011) research, by proposing and testing a mediator model in which diversity in learning, performance-prove and performance-avoid orientation are related to decreased team performance by virtue of the lower group information elaboration. In addition, using data collected from Italian teams in audit and consulting companies, this study aims to investigate wheatear internal team environment is an organizational feature that might moderate the relationships between diversity in goal orientation and group information elaboration.\nThe theoretical framework: Diversity in goal orientation refers to the presence of differences in individuals' mental framework that might influence how teams approach tasks, goals, and achievement situations (Nederveen-Pieterse et al., 2011). The concept of diversity in goal orientation is grounded on the goal orientation theory, which posits that individuals might exhibit a learning, performance-prove, or performance-avoid goal orientation[1] (Dweck, 1986; Dweck and Leggett, 1988; VandeWalle, 1997, 2001). Roughly speaking, individuals who exhibit a learning orientation tend to set difficult goals and undertake challenging tasks through which they can develop new knowledge and abilities. Individuals who exhibit a performance goal orientation tend to set basic goals and undertake easy tasks that might be successfully achieved. More specifically, individuals who exhibit a performance-prove orientation tend to prefer visible tasks through which they can demonstrate favorable abilities to influential people in the workplace. Instead, individuals who exhibit a performance-avoid orientation tend to prefer tasks on which they have rehearsed extensively in order to avoid demonstrating unfavorable abilities or failures.Research on diversity in goal orientation is still at an early-stage. The studies conducted on this topic show that diversity in goal orientation is likely to induce a disagreement within a team with regard to goals, tasks, strategies or procedures performed, which, in turn, might have negative consequences on team processes and performance (Kristof-Brown and Stevens, 2001; Nederveen-Pieterse et al., 2011). Nederveen-Pieterse et al. (2011), for instance, have found that diversity in goal orientation is likely to inhibit processing of information within the team, and prevent agreement with strategies for task achievement, which, in turn, reduce team performance.In the current paper, building on similarity-attraction theory (Byrne, 1971), I hypothesize that diversity in learning, performance-prove, and performance-avoid goal orientations are negatively related to team performance. The similarity-attraction theory has been frequently used to elucidate the negative effects of diversity in teams (Williams and O'Reilly, 1998). It posits that individuals are more attracted to people similar to self in terms of values, attitudes, goals, personality and other personal characteristics. As a consequence, they tend to communicate, interact, and cooperate more frequently only with those people because they perceive this interaction as safe, easy, and satisfying (Byrne, 1971). Relying on these arguments, I assume that diversity in learning, performance-prove and performance-avoid orientation is associated with decreased team performance. Diversity in goal orientation nurtures the perception of low similarity between self and other members' goal orientation (e.g. Kristof-Brown and Stevens, 2001). It is possible that team member with a dominant goal orientation (i.e. learning orientation) might be less likely to initiate an interaction with people having a different orientation (i.e. performance orientation), thereby reducing team discussion and interaction (van Knippenberg et al., 2004). The presence of differences in goal orientations might also induce a strong disagreement among team members with regard to the nature of goals pursued, the tasks performed, and the strategies adopted, which might impede task accomplishment (Nederveen-Pieterse et al., 2011). Taken together these arguments are supportive of the idea that diversity in goal orientation might negatively relate to team performance. Accordingly:H1a. Diversity in learning orientation is negatively related to team performance.H1b. Diversity in performance-prove orientation is negatively related to team performance.H1c. Diversity in performance-avoid orientation is negatively related to team performance.The mediating role of group information elaboration\nMethod: Sample\nDiscussion: The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of diversity in goal orientation on team processes and performance, especially considering how the presence of a supportive internal team environment might influence these relationships. The results of this study indicate that:* the three dimensions of diversity in goal orientation are related to decreased team performance;* group information elaboration mediates the relationship between diversity in learning, performance-prove, performance-avoid goal orientation and team performance; and* internal team environment reduces the negative effects of diversity in learning orientation on group information elaboration.This study contributes to team literature in several ways. First, this study contributes to emphasize the importance to consider and directly measure deep-level attributes of diversity, in addition to surface-level attributes, to favor a better understanding of team dynamics (van Dijk et al., 2009). So doing, it challenges the approach traditionally used by scholars who are likely to measure surface level attributes as a proxy for theoretical speculation on actual differences in deep-level attributes (e.g. Chatman et al., 1998).Second, this study expands Nederveen-Pieterse et al.'s (2011) seminal contribution on diversity in goal orientation in at least two ways. First, the current research uses an empirical study with a professional sample. Nederveen-Pieterse et al.' (2011) research made use of a laboratory setting with a student sample. Although they highlighted the validity of this approach, they claimed for further field studies that might address the issue of generalizability. Hence, the current research contributes to the literature by strengthen the reliability of these findings, and corroborating the importance to consider goal orientation as a relevant deep-level attribute of diversity in teams. Second, this study expands Nederveen-Pieterse et al.'s study since it considers a three-dimensional model of goal orientation in teams. Nederveen-Pieterse et al. (2011), in fact, focused on a two-dimensional model of goal orientation, considering the effects of diversity in learning and performance orientation only. This study considers the consequences for team processes and performance associated with diversity in performance-avoid orientation. So doing, it also challenges prior research that did not found a significant relationship between performance-avoid goal orientation and team performance (e.g. Mehta et al., 2009).Finally, this study makes a constructive contribution to team management literature, since it shows that the presence of a supportive internal environment might attenuate the negative consequences of diversity in goal orientation on group information elaboration. So doing, it illustrates a fruitful intervention that might allow managers to leverage the benefits of diversity in goal orientation, while at the same time minimizing the coordination problems associated with higher levels of diversity (Bunderson and Sutcliffe, 2003; Hirst et al., 2009; Nederveen-Pieterse et al., 2011; Porter et al., 2010; Roberge and van Dick, 2010).A possible explanation for these findings might be found in the following arguments. First of all, diversity in goal orientation might induce in the team a strong disagreement with regard to goals pursued, tasks performed, and strategies adopted. For example, individuals with a learning orientation might exhort the team to raise the level of goals, even suggesting the adoption of unexplored procedures to achieve them. Instead, individuals with a performance-prove or a performance-avoid orientation may exhort the team to set a lower level of goals, mostly suggesting the adoption of traditional and well-know procedures that reduce the likelihood of errors. Internal disagreement might generate interpersonal animosity, and immobility in task accomplishment, which negatively relate to team performance.Additionally, diversity in goal orientations might lead to interaction problems, and reduced group information elaboration. Team members might decide to intentionally reduce the communication with members having a different goal orientation, and to not share with them relevant information (Nederveen-Pieterse et al., 2011). This situation might depend on two reasons. First, human beings have a natural tendency to initiate interaction with people that share a common background, common memories, and a common goal orientation (Williams and O'Reilly, 1998). For example, members with a learning or performance orientation will be more likely to initiate an interaction with individuals having a similar goal orientation because such interaction is perceived as relaxed, understandable, and satisfying. Second, a state of anxiety is usually associated with interaction with people different from self because of potential misunderstanding, negative judgments, derision, and even insults (Berscheid and Walster, 1969; Byrne and Nelson, 1965; Singh and Ho, 2000; Singh and Tan, 1992). For example, individuals with a performance-avoid goal orientation might perceive a state of anxiety when interacting with colleagues learning oriented since they are concerned with not showing a lack of expertise, and avoiding possible negative judgments.Finally, an explanation for the moderating role of the internal team environment might lie in the positive consequences associated with the perception of a supportive team environment. The presence of a supportive team environment can stimulate a higher participation of all members in the decision-making process. It nurtures a higher involvement in teamwork, and induces among team members a positive mood that leads them to cooperate with others, regardless of different goal orientation. Indeed, the presence of a supportive internal environment might contribute to reduce the salience of individual differences by nurturing the perception that the achievement of common goals and high levels of performance are more important than individual differences (Carson et al., 2007).Managerial implications\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - The purpose of this paper is to test a model in which diversity in goal orientation is associated with decreased team performance by virtue of reduced group information elaboration. In addition, the model considers the moderating role of internal team environment.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The paper takes the form of an empirical research in which the hypothesized relationships are investigated using hierarchical multiple-regression analyses.\nFindings: - The findings show that teams high in diversity in goal orientation report lower levels of performance because of the lower group information elaboration. However, in the presence of a supportive team environment the negative relationship of diversity in goal orientation on group information elaboration are reduced.\nResearch limitations/implications: - The paper is based on a cross-sectional design.\nPractical implications: - The paper suggests management should consider goal orientation in team building, and provide interventions to improve team environment.\nSocial implications: - Diversity has relevant consequences on interpersonal relations, decision-making processes, and team performance. The results of the present study suggest ways in which teams might leverage the benefits of diversity and reduce coordination problems associated with it.\nOriginality/value: - This study contributes to the diversity team literature by expanding Nederveen-Pieterse and colleagues' research on diversity in goal orientation by emphasizing the role of internal team environment as moderator in the relationship between diversity in goal orientation and group information elaboration.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Supply chains under resource pressure: Strategies for improving resource efficiency and competitive advantage
|
[
"Supply chain management",
"Competitive advantage",
"Resource efficiency",
"Natural resource scarcity"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The scarcity of natural resources (e.g. water, oil and metals) can have a serious impact on supply chains and particularly on manufacturing companies (Blunck and Werthmann, 2017). According to Cleveland and Stern (1988, p. 1), scarcity refers to \"the reduction in economic well-being that results from a decline in the quality, availability, or productivity of natural resources\". For many years, the progress of technology mitigated the challenges posed by resource constraints (Neumayer, 2000); however, there are growing concerns that technology-based substitutes alone will not prevent a resource crisis (Neill, 2005) as natural resource scarcity stems from multiple dimensions including physical, geopolitical and economic ones (de Winter, 2014).\n2. Literature review and theoretical underpinnings: In the following sub-sections, studies that have explored the issue of natural resource scarcity on manufacturing companies are discussed, then the main elements of Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) and studies that applied this theory in the field of supply chain management are reviewed.\n3. Research model and hypotheses development: In examining manufacturing companies' response to the environmental uncertainty that derives from natural resource scarcity, a RDT perspective is utilised and the buffering and bridging supply chain strategies outlined by Kalaitzi et al. (2018) are adopted. Both strategies have previously been examined in the context of scarce resources.\n4. Research methodology: 4.1 Measures and survey development\n5. Data analysis and results: This model includes seven first order factors, namely, product and process (re-) design, supply chain (re-) design, transactional mechanisms, relational mechanisms, hierarchy mechanism, resource efficiency and competitive advantage. The measurement model results such as composite reliability (CR) and convergent validity were measured and are presented in the sub-sections below.\n6. Discussion: This research set out to fill some existing gaps in the literature and provide empirical validations of the links among supply chain strategies, resource efficiency and competitive advantage. Previous studies, e.g. Bell et al. (2012), Kalaitzi et al. (2018) have mainly investigated the antecedents and relevant strategies to minimise the risk of natural resource scarcity. The present research contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence into the implications of those strategies (buffering strategies and bridging strategies) on organisational performance, namely, resource efficiency and competitive advantage. Specifically, buffering strategies were found to have a positive impact on resource efficiency but these strategies do not lead to competitive advantage. However, Bell et al. (2013) supported that closed-loop supply chains will be utilised when natural resources are scarce leading to a competitive advantage; nevertheless, this argument was not empirically tested.\n7. Conclusions and future research: This research shows that, in the presence of natural resource scarcity, the implementation of certain supply chain strategies helps achieve resource efficiency and competitive advantage. More specifically, our research shows that both buffering and bridging strategies have a positive impact on resource efficiency; however, the analysis indicates that only bridging strategies have a positive impact on competitive advantage.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implications of supply chain strategies that manufacturing companies can use to minimise or overcome natural resource scarcity, and ultimately improve resource efficiency and achieve competitive advantage. The relationship between resource efficiency and competitive advantage is also explored.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The proposed research model draws on resource dependence theory. Data were collected from 183 logistics, purchasing, sustainability and supply chain managers from various manufacturing companies and analysed by applying the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique.\nFindings: The results indicate that both buffering and bridging strategies improve resource efficiency; however, only bridging strategies seem to lead to firm's competitive advantage in terms of ownership and accessibility to resources. The relationship between resource efficiency and competitive advantage is not supported.\nResearch limitations/implications: Future research could confirm the robustness of these findings by using a larger sample size and taking into account other supply chain members.\nPractical implications: This research provides guidance to managers faced with the growing risk of resource scarcity to achieve a resource efficient supply chain and an advantage over competitors.\nOriginality/value: Studies have explored the appropriate strategies for minimising dependencies caused by the scarcity of natural resources in the field of supply chain management; however, there is limited empirical work on investigating the impact of these strategies on resource efficiency and competitive advantage.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Catching the chameleon: understanding the elusive term "knowledge"
|
[
"Epistemology",
"Process analysis",
"Resource management",
"Knowledge management"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nKnowledge, knowing and organizations: an introduction: \"Knowledge\" is increasingly recognized as being of central importance to organizations in the contemporary knowledge society. Changes in the workings of capitalism, the advent of advanced communication technologies, the complexity of social and cultural changes, the shrinking of the world due to increasing globalization, intensifying competition - all these factors and more point towards an increasing need for placing \"knowledge\" at the center of the philosophy of the contemporary knowledge society (Blackler et al., 1993; Badaracco, 1991).Indeed, \"knowledge\" has been the focus of inquiry within the rubric of philosophical and epistemological literature for a long time and has intrigued the world's greatest thinkers from Plato to Popper. But its importance within the management domain has only been realized in the contemporary \"post-industrial\" society (Bell, 1973; Drucker, 1993). The rapid proliferation of this term across journals, conferences, managers' and governments' agendas points towards the increasing interest of academics, practitioners, and policy makers in \"knowledge\" as a source of economic rent and as a source of sustained development.Considered as both, a cause and a cure for competition, the management literature sans doute has seen a recent surge of academic writings to explore and unpack \"knowledge\" as a construct. This construct has been probed by scholars with perspectives as varied as - symbolic interactionism, post-modernism, economics, resource-based theory, evolutionary theory, innovation and organizational learning, and sociology. \"Knowledge\", thus, means different things when viewed from different perspectives. Even within management literature, alternative thoughts exist as to what knowledge means - is it a process of leveraging resources for organizational learning or innovation; is it a resource - a form of capital (other forms of capital being land, labor, and financial); or is it both - a process and a resource? If it is a resource, then is it an input resource (human capital, information technology, know-how, etc.); is it an output resource (new knowledge created as intellectual capital, new learning, product and/or process innovations, etc); or is it both? Many such questions abound with the term itself, and the different ways te different scholars have conceptualized it[1].This paper reviews the literature on \"knowledge\" in an attempt to understand the various discourses on \"knowledge\". This paper seeks to build a framework that integrates the disparate ways in which \"knowledge\" has been conceptualized in the management literature. The framework recognizes both attributes of knowledge - knowledge as a process and knowledge as a resource. Further, the paper establishes linkages between these two attributes. The central idea of this research paper is that \"knowledge\" can be viewed as an input resource, an output resource and/or as a process. Knowledge as an input resource may exist at the individual level, at the collective level, at the physical artifact level, at the firm level, and at the inter-organizational level. In other words, I call this knowledge \"knowledge of\" the firm. Knowledge as an output resource is exemplified by the new knowledge created in the form of innovations and organizational learning. In other words, I call this knowledge \"knowledge from\" the firm. And knowledge as a process is seen as a process of leveraging the firm resources for generating economic rents and for innovations, or in other words it is the process of leveraging \"knowledge of\" to generate \"knowledge from\" the firm. Knowledge management, thus, is the management of this process from \"knowledge of\" to \"knowledge from\".\nTheoretical reflections: To understand this term, it is necessary to explore and analyze the debates that have centered around this term called as \"knowledge\". For example, post-modernists have challenged knowledge as a \"fundamental truth\". They argue that narratives and story-telling, for example, are the chief means for sustaining, transferring and creating organizational knowledge, and knowledge (of the organization) is revealed through such mechanisms. Narratives, as organizational stories, thus constitute a critical unit of analysis for organizational scholars.Cognitive anthropologists, ethnomethodologists, symbolic interactionists and structuralists have demonstrated the significance of situated skills and pragmatic knowledge. Following Strauss, these scholars propose that the organization is a negotiated order - an order that is negotiated both temporally and locally. This stream of research views learning as social construction and thus puts knowledge back into contexts in which it has meaning (Lave and Wenger, 1990; Brown and Duguid, 1991; and Tyre and von Hippel, 1997). From this perspective, learning or knowledge creation is physically and socially situated in practice. Indeed these scholars reject the transfer models transmitting explicit, abstract knowledge from the head of someone to another who is in a completely different setting. Thus, for these scholars what is learned:* is profoundly connected to the conditions (social and physical) in which it is learned; and* is connected to the practice (not to the abstract, cranial process alone).In a similar vein to the situated theorists, pragmatist philosophers (Dewey, 1938) have also argued that truth and knowledge are contingent, multiple and all representations of truth and knowledge are incomplete and self-referential. All representations are endowed with the viewpoint of subject/author, who in turn is situated within her/his personal experience, which is a temporal intersection of historical, institutional, national, and international actions and events. Different perspectives are born of different experiences. Thus, truth and knowledge claims are relative matters, are malleable and dynamic and are realized in their consequences. The pragmatist perspective suggests a concern not with \"knowledge\" itself (which is seen as abstract and static), but with the activity of knowing (which is understood as concrete and dynamic). Thus, if we wish to know what an engineer knows, we as pragmatist philosophers need to look at what the engineer does and how he does his or her work. Knowing, as Dewey suggests, is literally something that we do and not something that we possess.Sociologists of science (e.g Latour, 1987) have challenged the prominence and the privileged status of explicit, abstract, objectified knowledge by studying knowledge creation as a cultural process and by de-emphasizing conventional distinctions between humans and non-humans (technology, physical artifacts, etc). This stream of research argues that humans and non-humans (because technologies themselves are human constructions) interactively (re) construct the social and the natural world.Economists have viewed knowledge as commodified in patents or industrial secrets. In 1988, Winter proposed that knowledge and competence are strategic assets for the success of the organization. Viewing knowledge as commodified in products, systems or services, Winter proposed that protection against involuntary knowledge transfer may be achieved by developing process knowledge (i.e. by compartmentalizing knowledge), by controlling observability and reverse engineering, and by patenting. By drawing taxonomic dimensions of knowledge, the paper clarifies some conceptual issues confronting the complexities in the usage of the term \"knowledge\". Economists have also analyzed the role that knowledge plays in economic processes. Romer (1986) has analyzed the interrelations between knowledge and traditional economic variables His work presents a fully specified model of long run growth in which knowledge is assumed to be an input in production that has increasing marginal productivity. Thus from Romer's perspective, knowledge has increasing returns, it renders limitless services, and it follows the path contrary to the law of diminishing marginal utility.Within the corporate strategy and organizational theory literature, knowledge-based perspectives conceptualize the firm as a heterogeneous, knowledge-bearing entity (Grant, 1996a; Kogut and Zander, 1992; Conner and Prahalad, 1996). Key words within this perspective are \"resources\", \"capabilities\", \"competencies\", \"learning\", \"social knowledge\", \"tacit knowledge\", and \"intangible assets\". The central theme emerging in this literature is that knowledge is a key source of rent for organizations to achieve competitive advantage. Thus, it is not only the tangible resources that the firm possesses, but also how these resources are leveraged that is of central managerial importance. In this sense, the knowledge-based perspective is complementary to the resource based theory (Wernerfelt, 1984; Barney, 1991) of the firm The focus on the amplifying effects of the intangible firm-specific knowledge that the firm members apply to the tangible production factors parallels the Penrosian view. Penrose (1959) distinguished the firm's tangible resources from the services these resources provide. She argued that while the former are finite, the latter are mediated by the infinite and endlessly extensible body of managerial knowledge. The theme on knowledge-based perspective entails a focus on both these questions: \"what is the source of competitive advantage\" and \"how to build and sustain competitive advantage\". It is thus argued that the presence of knowledge itself and the process of utilization of knowledge to create knowledge in organizations may be the key inimitable resource to generate sustainable rents. Thus, this perspective enlightens us not only on why some firms realize competitive advantage while others do not, it also helps address issues concerning innovation, organizational learning, and inter-organizational arrangements (Grant and Baden-Fuller, 1995). In fact, some scholars (Kogut and Zander, 1996; Conner and Prahalad, 1996) have proposed \"knowledge\" as the basis for the existence of the firm and have thus offered the knowledge-based view of the firm as an alternate to the transaction-cost view to explain the firm's existence.Given the multiplicity of these scholarly advancements, the question that arises is \"what exactly constitutes knowledge within the firm\". Drucker (1993) contended that in the current knowledge economy, knowledge is being applied to knowledge itself for generating knowledge. Such a simplistic characterization indicates that just about everything that describes a firm becomes an aspect of its knowledge. Indeed, as Blackler (1995) argues, any discussion of knowledge within organizations must address all individuals in the organization, and must indicate that all individuals and all organizations are knowledgeable. The theoretical challenge then is \"to understand the knowledge base of the firm as leading to a set of capabilities that enhances the chances for growth and survival\" (Kogut and Zander, 1992 p. 384). A simple look at the various definitions of \"knowledge\" indicates the multiple discourses on firm \"knowledge\". For example:Knowledge of the firm is \"what the firm knows how to organize social relationships/principles\". It is embedded in the organizing of the social relationships and is relatively observable as opposed to organizational learning (Kogut and Zander, 1992, 1996).Knowledge resides in the head of the individuals ... knowledge is that which is known ... (Grant, 1996a).Knowledge is defined as information whose validity has been established through the tests of proof ... (Liebeskind, 1996).Knowledge is justified true belief ... (Nonaka, 1994).Knowledge is what the firm knows in term of best practices ... (Szulanski, 1996).What we know=knowledge we possess + knowledge in action ... (Cook and Brown, 1999; Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998).Knowledge is emergent, is partial, tentative, distributed ... (Tsoukas, 1996; Blackler, 1995; Blackler et al., 1993).\"Knowledge\" clearly means different things to different scholars. Simply defining knowledge is not sufficient to understand the complex, multi-faceted and multi-dimensional aspects of \"knowledge\".\nDeveloping a framework for knowledge management: A review of the literature along the epistemological dimensions[2] does however permit one to discern two broad perspectives[3] into which most writing can be classed. In the first perspective, knowledge is viewed as a resource that can be possessed or even created by actors and/or the networks in which they participate. In the second, knowledge is viewed as a process of doing - of knowing how to leverage and how to mediate the relationship between the possession and the creation dimension.1. Epistemology of possession: i.e. knowledge as something that is possessed by the firm. Firm knowledge (as possessed) by the firm is demonstrated by both:* something that the firm has (resource/asset) or in other words, as knowledge \"of\" the firm; and* something that the firm generates (new knowledge created) and possesses thereafter as learning or innovation, or in other words, as knowledge \"from\" the firm.1. Epistemology of action/process: i.e. knowledge as a dynamic process (see Figures 1 and 2).The possession/creation perspective: epistemology of possession\nImplications for managerial practice: Based on the review of the literature, the following discussion outlines some implications for managerial practice.Globalization and knowledge\nConcluding note: Although \"knowledge\" has emerged as a central theme in strategy and organizational research, there seems to be a lack of consensus as to what constitutes knowledge, where it resides, how it is, or should be, created. This is unsurprising: questions related to the essence of knowledge have intrigued and occupied most of those individuals currently heralded as the world's greatest thinkers, from Plato to Popper. It is difficult to imagine how the efforts of organizational scientists, as earnest and informed as they may be, could have quickly settled such long-standing debates. Thus, despite advances in scholarly work, alternative thoughts exist as to what knowledge means.The central purpose of this paper was thus to review the literature on \"firm knowledge\", to capture the different conceptualizations of firm knowledge and to present these in a coherent framework. The review generated two perspectives into which most writing on \"knowledge\" can be classed, thus acknowledging the resource (\"knowledge of\" and \"knowledge from\") and the process attributes of knowledge. The sharing and exchange of knowledge are integral for leveraging the \"knowledge of\" the firm in order to generate the \"knowledge from\" the firm. Firms need not only to recognize their knowledge base, but they also need to leverage this knowledge base for continual growth through innovation and learning.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To examine the various discourses on \"knowledge\" and to understand what knowledge means - is it a process of leveraging resources, is it a resource, or is it both - a process and a resource? Further, the purpose of the paper is to propose a framework for knowledge management.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - The literature on \"knowledge\" is reviewed and \"knowledge\" is analyzed along the epistemological dimensions. The synthesis seeks to integrate the disparate ways in which \"knowledge\" has been conceptualized in the management literature.\nFindings: - The framework on knowledge management recognizes and establishes linkages between both attributes of knowledge - knowledge as a process and as a resource. It recognizes knowledge as an input resource (\"knowledge of\"), knowledge as an output resource (\"knowledge from\"), and knowledge as a process linking the \"knowledge of\" to the \"knowledge from\".\nPractical implications: - A very useful source for practitioners and students interested in the field of knowledge management.\nOriginality/value: - This paper is among the early works to organize the literature and to clarify the alternative thoughts that exist towards defining knowledge. The framework offers the literature in a very understandable and usable form for all those who are centrally or peripherally related to knowledge management.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Use of prone position restraint within a mental health trust: A clinical audit of psychiatric practice and methods for improvement
|
[
"Mental health",
"De-escalation",
"Challenging behaviour",
"Human factors",
"Quality improvement",
"Prone position restraint"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Prone position restraint can be described as \"pinning and holding someone face down for a period of time\" (Mind, 2016a). Its use is increasingly controversial and has been on the national and international agenda for several years, with many charities and organisations calling for its complete cessation (Mind, 2016b), highlighting the psychological and physical harm that it can cause. A report by the mental health charity Mind \"Mental health crisis care: physical restraint in crisis\" (Mind, 2016a) details how the use of prone position restraint for 20-30 minutes was highlighted as a contributing factor to the death of an inpatient. Following on from Mind's report, as well as other sources of evidence, in 2014 the Government published the policy paper \"Helping health and care services manage difficult patient behaviour\" (Department of Health, 2014) and the document \"Positive and Proactive Care: reducing the need for restrictive interventions\" (Department of Health, 2016). One of the key actions from the latter document can be found in paragraph 70: \"Staff must not deliberately restrain people in a way that impacts on their airway, breathing or circulation, such as face down restraint on any surface, not just on the floor\". Other actions include the development of plans for service change and monitoring within trusts, the use of debriefs and post-incident reviews, and the development and audit of behavioural support plans for patients.\nMethodology: A retrospective audit of all episodes of restraint, between April and December 2014 inclusive, was undertaken across 17 inpatient wards in CWP to understand compliance with the organisational policy \"The management of challenging behaviour, violence and aggression, issue 10\" (Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, 2016). The policy set the standards and parameters that were measured, these are detailed in the results section of this paper. The episodes of restraint were identified via the incident reporting system we use in the Trust. Once this data were gathered, only those episodes reported as prone position restraints were included in the sample for further scrutiny. A stratified sample was then taken from this population (stratifying forward size and event frequency per ward) to make efficient use of the limited sample size. In addition, where a patient had been restrained in the prone position more than once during a ward stay episode, only the first episode was included in the audit. The resulting population was further scrutinised using an audit tool to capture compliance with the standards set. This information was gathered from the electronic patient records system we use in the Trust. Paper notes were not consulted. The data were analysed by a single individual to promote consistency, particularly the more subjective elements of data collection (e.g. \"description of the incident that led to the use of prone restraint\"). Such subjective data will be discussed in more detail later in this paper. Once gathered, the data were analysed using spreadsheet packages and standard statistical methodologies where applicable. The results were then used to inform the use of a number of quality improvement methodologies, which we have detailed in the conclusion.\nResults: Of the total number of 615 restraint episodes, 240 were reported as prone position, with a sample of 88 episodes identified for further analysis as part of this audit. As detailed previously, the sample was stratified by number of reported incidents per ward, and ward size (number of beds). Of note, three of the episodes did not demonstrate evidence of prone position restraint being used despite being recorded as such; these episodes were still included for further analysis, as misrecording is an important factor to consider.\nDiscussion: Results from a review of some of the demographic data (detailed at Appendix) demonstrates an even gender distribution and broad age range of patients involved in a prone position restraint event, suggesting that staff do not use this intervention based on physical appearance or perceived strength of an individual, although more detailed data would be required to definitively comment on this observation (such as weight and height). The most common primary diagnoses of patients restrained in the prone position were paranoid schizophrenia (n=15) and emotionally unstable personality disorder, borderline type (n=10). Audit limitations are that secondary and other diagnoses were not collected, and the current primary ICD-10 code was recorded rather than the code which was present at the time of the incident (whilst the code may remain stable for many patients, a significant proportion of mental health patients have an evolving formulation and hence diagnosis throughout their time with mental health services - this may be particularly true of those patients experiencing their first symptoms/admission, or those with a concurrent drug or alcohol problem). We suggest that patients with paranoid schizophrenia, during periods of relapse (as likely to be seen during inpatient admission), are likely to be experiencing psychotic symptoms which may include paranoid and persecutory delusions as well as auditory hallucinations. Such individuals may be more likely to feel threatened or confused in a ward environment. Patients with emotionally unstable personality disorder, borderline type, are likely to suffer from fluctuating and unpredictable episodes of self-harming behaviour, as well as a tendency to act impulsively. They may find it hard to control outbursts of emotion as well as control their behaviours during periods of distress. It is therefore consistent that these two diagnoses would display a higher rate of prone position restraint incidences than other conditions. It would be useful to know if they also display a higher rate of other physical restraint events, however, this data were not available for this audit.\nConclusion: Our results suggested variable compliance with the standards set out in Trust policy, highlighting issues that needed to be addressed in order to enable staff to deliver the best care possible in this safety critical area. In response to the initial insight provided by the audit, we established a quality improvement project, sponsored by the Medical Director, to accelerate reduction in the use of restraint and support staff in delivering more effective care in the management of challenging behaviour. We took an \"accelerated\" approach to increase impact. A task and finish group was formed and led by the Medical Director, and involving the \"Safe Services\" Department, Safety and Security lead, and Matrons. This ensured the project was owned clinically and locally, as we recognise that self-directed quality improvement promotes sustainability. The project processes undertaken were:\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve the quality of care of patients presenting with challenging behaviour.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Current guidelines are described, and adherence to the standards is audited, with a particular emphasis on physical restraint.\nFindings: The results of the clinical audit revealed that in the substantial majority of episodes of challenging behaviour, non-physical techniques were used prior to the need to intervene with physical restraint; however, when physical restraint was used, there was limited use of staff debriefs to facilitate reflection- and work-based learning. A potential diagnostic link to the likelihood of use of prone position restraint was also a finding. The results of a quality improvement project undertaken in response to the findings of the clinical audit demonstrated significant and sustained improvements in adherence to most standards.\nPractical implications: Continuous improvements to the safety of both patients and staff when managing acute challenging behaviour requires ongoing quality improvement interventions underpinned by the application of human factors principles.\nOriginality/value: The completion of this audit cycle suggests that it is useful to measure specific points of care processes, however, continuous improvement interventions are indicated to lead to sustained improvement - in this paper this is demonstrated by the safer management of challenging behaviour.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Women CEOs: Why they remain a rare phenomenon
|
[
"Education",
"Children",
"Chief executive officer",
"Female executives"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Recent decades have witnessed substantial growth in the number of female workers in the USA. At the mid-point of the twentieth century, 33.9 per cent of women participated in the labor force. Records confirm that this figure had risen to 57.7 per cent by 2012.\nKey leadership qualities of women: Such statistics are undeniably surprising. Evidence suggests that women:\nBarriers to the top: Much evidence points to females in the USA and elsewhere encountering more obstacles than their male counterparts in their quest to reach the top. Among them are:\nThe family-work conflict: Having children represents the biggest barrier to women with sights on the CEO role. Each offspring reduces the likelihood considerably. Four or more children and their prospects are virtually nil. In most homes, women continue to have greater responsibility for child caring and domestic chores. This largely prevails even when their career demands are similar to those of their male partner. Time out of the labor market seriously hampers career mobility. And powerful stereotypes work to further ensure that this remains the case. Organizations assume that parenting and other home responsibilities places serious question marks against the commitment of women to their workplace role. The result? In most cases, men are much likelier to be hired.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.\nDesign/methodology/approach: This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.\nFindings: Recent decades have witnessed substantial growth in the number of female workers in the USA. At the mid-point of the twentieth century, 33.9 per cent of women participated in the labor force. Records confirm that this figure had risen to 57.7 per cent by 2012. A similar picture prevails where education is concerned. Take graduate degrees, for example. Women presently account for well over one-third of all the MBAs awarded in the USA. Back in the 1970s, this figure was just 5 per cent. On the basis of such trends, one might reasonably expect to see a considerable number of females leading business organizations. Not so.\nPractical implications: The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.\nOriginality/value: The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
What keeps mobile banking customers loyal?
|
[
"Trust",
"Customer satisfaction",
"Customer loyalty",
"Mobile banking"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: Banks operate in a competitive environment facing challenges in high customer acquisition and service costs especially in the retail segment. In such an environment, the understanding and prediction of factors affecting customer usage of self-service channels is becoming an important subject. The banks' intention is to shift customers to technology enabled self-service channels like ATMs, internet banking and more recently onto mobile banking (m-banking) services. Customers, these days are more and more pressed for time and they seek a channel that offers them convenience of anytime, anywhere banking and m-banking services fits the bill very well. The world of mobile telephony and secure mobile transactions brings opportunities to transform the manner in which people manage and move money in future. In India, m-banking services seem to be high on priority for banks and are being promoted by the banking regulator as well.\n2. Literature review: A model explaining the antecedents of loyalty in m-banking services has to incorporate factors which take into account the characteristics of the industry as well as those of the medium. In this section, we review the relevant literature on the concept of customer loyalty and its antecedents (customer service, satisfaction and trust), and one of its main antecedents in the online/mobile context: usability.\n3. Hypotheses formulation: The modelling of loyalty has a long tradition in academic literature research (Jacoby and Kyner, 1973). The majority of early studies define loyalty as the repeat purchasing of a particular service or product (Homburg and Annette Giering, 2001). The structural definition of a construct describes the way in which it is linked to other variables (Bagozzi, 1984). Our model, which describes loyalty as the endogenous variable, includes one exogenous (usability) and three mediating variables (customer service, customer satisfaction, trust) and can be seen in Figure 1. In the following sections all influencing variables will be described briefly.\n4. Methodology: Measurement instruments\n5. Data analysis and results: The proposed research model was tested by partial least squares (PLS) regression. PLS is a structural equation modelling technique that simultaneously assesses the reliability and validity of the measures of theoretical constructs and estimates the relationships among these constructs. This approach allows researchers to assess measurement model parameters and structural path coefficients, and is widely used in information science research (Bock et al., 2005). The advantages of PLS include minimal restrictions on measurement scales, sample size and residual distributions (Chin et al., 2003). Further, PLS-SEM is a more appropriate technique for this study as compared to covariance-based SEM as this research is exploratory and the proposed model is complex with many constructs and indicators (Hair et al., 2011). This study used SmartPLS software for data analysis.\n6. Discussion, implications and conclusions: Our results confirm that loyalty of m-banking customers is directly affected by satisfaction from the m-banking services. Results also confirmed direct and positive impact of usability and customer service in customer satisfaction, however, these constructs were not found to have significant impact on trust. Further, direct impact of trust on loyalty was found to be insignificant. These results have several implications for those banks which want to increase loyalty on the m-banking channel.\n7. Limitations and further research: This study investigated interrelationships among factors related to the continuance intention to use m-banking. The proposed model improves current understanding of m-banking loyalty. From a practical perspective, insights provided by the study can help m-banking service providers understand buyers' concerns and eliminate sources of uncertainty.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Customer satisfaction and loyalty have been traditionally two main goals aimed at by managers. Focusing on the mobile banking (m-banking), the importance of these concepts is even greater due to the increasing focus of banks on mobile phones in order to reach out to a larger set of customers. The purpose of this paper is to characterize both these concepts in the m-banking context.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The influence of satisfaction and trust and their antecedents in developing customer loyalty in the m-banking were measured. The proposed model was tested through PLS-SEM.\nFindings: This research showed that satisfaction from m-banking based on previous interactions had a positive effect on customer loyalty. In addition, mobile interface usability and service were found to have a positive effect on customer satisfaction.\nPractical implications: In order to develop customer loyalty in m-banking, banks should prioritize user friendly interface and provide services valued by m-banking customers.\nOriginality/value: Although the increasing competitiveness in m-banking is motivating banks to offer the same to customers, there is lack of studies that analyze the formation of satisfaction, trust and loyalty concepts in this context. This study therefore represents an initial contribution to the field of m-banking, which is gradually acquiring popularity in recent years especially in developing countries.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Understanding the document selection rationale of Library and Information Science students
|
[
"Collection development",
"Acquisition",
"Academic libraries",
"Book selection",
"Selection rationale",
"Reading preferences"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: A multitude of academic literature is available in the field of library and information science (LIS) which may serve as theoretical foundations for new intellectual paradigms and helps the professionals in developing their knowledge base. This knowledge base eventually helps in providing quality services to the library users. Academic literature is of great help to the students of library and information science in grasping the nuances of the profession to provide better and innovative services. Having mentioned that, it becomes necessary to analyse whether this literature is of real help to the students.\nObjectives: The primary objective of this study is to assess the reading preferences of LIS students taking all the LIS students from two state universities of Uttar Pradesh, India, as cases. The study attempts to:\nLiterature review: Most of the studies related to the reading preferences of the LIS students are based on themes like assessing the library use patterns (Basu and Das, 2012; Collins and Stone, 2014; Franklin and Plum, 2004), the frequency of library visits (Pareek and Rana, 2013; Rani, 2009), gender variability (Shafi and Loan, 2010), time spent in the library (Mishra, 2014; Thanuskodi, 2011), preferred place of reading(Mishra and Yadav, 2013), the purpose of reading (Vellaichamy and Jeyshankar, 2014), reading interest (Akanda et al., 2013) and preferred language (Lone, 2011). It was observed that there were no studies assessing the importance of the geographical location of the author and publisher, authors' institutional affiliation in the chances of selection of reading materials.\nPutting value to reading: Shafi and Loan (2010) conducted a gender-based study and pointed out that most students (66.86 per cent of the sample) enjoy reading; out of them, females (74.20 per cent) enjoy more than males (61.71 per cent). In a similar study based on gender, McKenna et al. (1995) and Clark and Foster (2005) reported similar results that female respondents enjoy reading more than their male counterparts.\nPurpose of reading: Shafi and Loan (2010) analysed gender-wise behaviour based on the purpose of reading and revealed that males mostly read for information (42.57 per cent) and females for education (47.67 per cent). Further, the male students read more for recreation (12.09 per cent) as compared to females (10.39 per cent). On the contrary, Vellaichamy and Jeyshankar (2014) reported entirely opposite findings that male users read more than female users for education (male = 35.71 per cent vs female = 35.01 per cent), whereas the female users read more than male users for the purpose of getting information (male = 27.14 per cent vs female = 38.13 per cent). Further, considering the recreation purpose, the findings are in line with Shafi and Loan (2010).\nKind of materials: Another study delving into the realm of the genre of materials being read by LIS students found that they mostly read newspapers and other general interest magazines followed by materials covering technology. A little below average respondents affirmed that they mostly read library and information science literature. The study further reported inclination towards print textbooks than the e-books (Onuoha et al., 2013).\nDevelopment of reading habits: Shafi and Loan (2010) in their study examined that students develop reading habits through self-efforts and interest (36.24 per cent) followed by instruction or assistance of parents (28.48 per cent) and teachers (13.17 per cent).\nSignificant factors in decision-making for selection of reading material: A significant number of studies have been reported studying the factors in the decision-making process of students while selecting reading materials. Burton and Chadwik (2000) surveyed 543 college students to identify their preferred criteria when evaluating internet-based and library-based sources and types of instruction students typically receive in evaluating those sources. They reported that 63 per cent of research students ranked most highly sources that were easy to use and easy to find. Stieve and Schoen (2006) conducted a study in Niagara University Library and reported that navigation factors were most important to the undergraduate students in selecting the books presented to them. Kim and Sin (2007) on the basis of a survey of undergraduate students examined how students' beliefs about their problem-solving styles and abilities (including avoidant style, confidence and personal control in problem-solving) influenced their perception and selection of sources for academic use. They reported that students with high confidence tend to trust their ability to identify and evaluate high-quality information sources; and subsequently they might be more willing to use accessible resources (such as the Web) in spite of the risk of encountering low-quality information.\nMethodology: For this study, a survey was conducted in the month of April 2015 on all the students registered in the Dr Ranganathan Institute of Library and Information Science (DRILIS), Bundelkhand University (BU), Jhansi, and Department of Library and Information Science (DLIS), Chatrapati Sahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU), Kanpur. The students were contacted in their respective departments and they were appraised about the objectives of the study.\nData analysis: The data were tabulated using MS Excel and the analysis was done using frequency distribution, tables with percentages and graphical charts, and they were used as and when required for analysis and interpretation of data.\nFindings: The study attempted to understand the rationale behind the document selection by LIS students. The findings of the study reveal the preferences of LIS students and hints what kind of LIS literature they prefer. The study revealed that the LIS students of both the universities are fully aware of the collections and services of their libraries as they regularly visit their respective libraries.\nSuggestions: Based on the various observations made and findings of the study, following suggestions are made to improvise the collection development policy of libraries and to inform the student selection rationale to the faculty members of LIS schools.\nConclusion: The dynamic nature of libraries in different parts of world results in a range of best practices being used for providing services to the patrons. The budding LIS professionals need to be groomed to adopt the best practices being followed all over the world. Students restricting choice of resources to a nation or a language-based literature will lead to a limited view of the profession.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The study aims to investigate the document selection rationale of library and information science students to satisfy their academic needs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The descriptive survey design was used for the study using questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The collected data are analysed by frequency distribution and presented using charts and tables.\nFindings: The results of the study reveal the preferences of Library and Information Science (LIS) students and hints what they want from LIS literature. A majority of students prefer books in comparison to journal articles as reading material. The survey revealed a high preference towards books written by authors from national origin than international authors. Similarly, students prefer books published by the national publishers than the international publishers. The findings further suggest that the affiliation of the author is a major factor, as the students prefer books written by authors from central universities more than those written by authors belonging to state universities or authors from industry. Further, students seem to be more impressed with the books written by LIS academics than the books written by practising librarians.\nResearch limitations/implications: One limitation of the study is that it was conducted in India, taking the case of LIS students from only two universities. To generalise the impact, similar studies should be replicated by taking a larger sample to gain a complete perspective of LIS students.\nPractical implications: The findings of the study have both theoretical and practical implications. The theoretical understanding of the behaviour of LIS students will help faculty members to understand the selection rationale of students. The practical aspect of this study is that the findings will help the acquisition librarians to take informed decisions in collection building for LIS collection in their libraries.\nOriginality/value: Most of the studies available in LIS literature related to reading preferences, study the general aspects such as frequency of library visit, the favourite place of reading, the purpose of library visit, gender-wise distribution of library visit, and time spent in the library. There are very few studies investigating the document selection rationale of LIS students.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Freedom and control: a state of balance in public space
|
[
"Freedom",
"Ethics",
"Policy",
"Control",
"Environmental management",
"Public space"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: The issue of mainland Chinese visitors eating in Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) train compartments has recently aroused heated dispute between locals and non-locals. While locals consider the behaviour of non-locals unethical and impolite, non-locals have claimed ignorance of the policy or do not consider it reasonable. Many questions have arisen. Should freedom to behave in this manner be forbidden in public spaces? What kind of behaviour should be encouraged and forbidden? Why do locals and non-locals have different attitudes towards the same policy? What are the deeper implications hidden in these different attitudes? Can we create a good balance between freedom and control in public space? In sum, a key question: How should we balance freedom and control?\nLiterature review: Definition of public space, freedom and control\nResearch method: Qualitative researchers aim to form an in-depth understanding of human behaviour and the reasons that govern such behaviour. Qualitative research is an umbrella term that covers several forms of inquiry that help us to understand and explain the meaning of social phenomenon with as little disruption to the natural setting as possible (Denscombe, 1998). This research uses the qualitative methods of case study and field observation.\nIs there a balance between freedom and control?: Showing his preference for the concept of \"open space\" over \"public space\", Lynch (1990/1965) provides a brief definition of the former in an urban area:\nWhat constitutes control?: In public space, control takes the form of social ethics and policies or laws. Many scholars have emphasised the importance of ethics and policy in restricting people's behaviour (Greenawalt, 1987; Pentz et al., 1997; Giudice, 2008; Schmitz-Luhn et al., 2012). Giudice (2008) states that justice is assessed in terms of legal justification and moral justification. In Where Law and Morality Meet, Kramer (2004) notes that moral correctness is a sufficient condition for legal validity. These two forms - ethics and policies - overlap with each other to constitute control in public space.\nHow does control act on public space?: Controls acting on a space lead to a diversification of that space. Each control type corresponds with a different situation, and the sum of the controls reveals the nature of the space. This issue can be described by the black box shown in Figure 4.\nInterpretation of the MTR case study: After obtaining the classification of control and the relationship between control and space through observation and analysis, we try to interpret the MTR issue. According to the above analysis, we first analyse how this policy (forbidding eating in MTR) changed with time dimension, and then we discuss the difference of the same policy in the two places.\nHow to balance freedom and control in public space?: The foregoing discussion shows that \"my freedom space\", \"others' freedom space\" and the \"authority's space\" together constitute the public space. Although they may overlap, public space is divided into these three elements. Public space can be considered as a constant. Equation 1 is a description of this analysis:\nConclusion: Freedom and control are the two main factors affecting quality of life. This paper attempts to respond to several questions about freedom and control as they relate to public space. In doing so, it provides recommendations for policymakers, professionals and the public to establish a balance between the two.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine how to achieve a balance between freedom and control in public space. It analyses the relationship between freedom and control to identify phenomena and offer users and policymakers instructions for achieving that balance. Public space, including privately owned public space, is important to urban living. People have both the right to use public space and the responsibility to protect it. Both freedom and control should exist in public space in an appropriate combination. It is impossible and inappropriate for us to ask for absolute freedom or endure unreasonable control.\nDesign/methodology/approach: A case study of Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) reveals typical freedom/control relationships. Quantitative descriptions are given based on field observations.\nFindings: Freedom and control are primary factors affecting the quality of urban life and management of city space. They depend on and conflict with each other. The balance between freedom and control is a balance between diverse spaces. The \"freedom space\" belonging to both citizens and authorities determines whether freedom and control are balanced. Ethics and strategies constitute control. Only when each authority and user obtains a proper freedom space can freedom and control achieve balance in public space.\nResearch limitations/implications: Freedom and control differ across cities because they are both affected by culture, history and tradition. As each city has its own characteristics, the freedom and control in each open space are distinctive. Balancing freedom and control requires an understanding of a city's background and the era. While this paper does not attempt to achieve this understanding, further studies could devote more attention to dimensions of time and location.\nPractical implications: The findings provide recommendations for users, policymakers and construction and management companies that will allow the management of harmonious and high-quality open spaces.\nSocial implications: Freedom and control are two main factors affecting quality of life. The balance between freedom and control may bring a harmony and stable society environment. It would benefit both the authority and the people a lot.\nOriginality/value: This study provides a systematic analysis of freedom and control in public space and makes a valuable contribution to quality urban space policy, design and management.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
A reexamination of welfare states from an institutional perspective
|
[
"Economics",
"Social welfare",
"Japan",
"Economic theory"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: the scope and the purpose: Today most governments in the developed countries cannot maintain their approval without paying attention to social security. However, the performances of the welfare states vary widely with respect to the ratio of social expenditure to GDP, the ratio of social expenditure to total public expenditure, the coverage of social security, etc. in spite of the fact that there are constitutions or laws in which governments should protect social security in these countries. In particular, some fiscal institutions that are important for welfare policies seem to have lost their original purpose and function in different ways in Japan. Because of these differences between the institutions and the fiscal reality, it is necessary to reexamine the development of neo-institutional economics, which has produced much work to explain the emergence of economic institutions and organizations so far.In varying welfare states section, after a brief introduction of recent discussion about the welfare states, we explain a few fiscal conditions for a state to carry out a welfare policy and show the special Japanese fiscal character with concrete data. In The view of new institutional economics on modern states section, applications of neo-institutional economics to a role of governments are surveyed. We examine works of D. C. North and \"comparative institutional analysis\" by M. Aoki in particular and discuss the logical structures and problems of them. In The relationship between states and social structures in fiscal sociologist's view section, reexamining several thoughts of fiscal sociology, it is confirmed that welfare policy in modern states has been based on relative autonomy of state from society. In conclusion, our perspective of the study on the welfare states are discussed.\nVarying welfare states: Definition and classification of welfare states\nThe view of new institutional economics on modern states: Application of neo-institutional economics to a state theory\nThe relationship between states and social structures in fiscal sociologist's view: In this section, we will consider the change of thoughts on the relationship between a state and a society, and reexamine the thoughts of social policy in German literature during the period from the latter half of nineteenth century to the former half of twentieth century. In this reexamination of the literature, we will also pay attention to the role of institutions made by a state.Although Schaffle (1896, p. 427) was well known as one of the most famous proponents of an \"organic state theory\"[17], in which a state has its own will and purpose independently from the individual, his work was also regarded as one kind of fiscal sociology[18]. In the last achievement of his study, Bau und Leben des socialen Korpers, he explained the role of state in detail in a chapter. Throughout this chapter, he recognized that a special system of laws must accompany with an activity of the state and the relating public sector. He wrote:To the common will and the act for the particular organic system of material and ideal life of people, the special organizations or institutions of the public law contribute.In this way, he pointed out that new institutions or organizations should be needed independently from the private rules for the purpose of the state.In addition, he regarded the \"Wohlfahrt\" (welfare) as one of the special fields of the activity of a state. That is to say, using the term \"subsidiar\" (subsidiary), he listed several private activities that need public support, e.g. education, art, church and transportation, and argued that these activities should more or less be nationalized[19]. If we think of the condition of his time when modern economics had not been developed fully and the efficiency of market had not been recognized well among the then economists, it seems natural that he extended the activity of a state so far that it is difficult to distinguish it from private activity.After World War I, an approach of fiscal sociology, which attempted to account the relationship in which a state and a society regulate each other, was explicitly proposed for the first time. Regarding public finance theory at that time as a fiction, Goldscheid (1926, 1976), the creator of the name \"fiscal sociology\" argued that the economic relationship between state and society could be most exactly understood through fiscal phenomena. Afterwards Schumpeter (1976) analyzed the concrete historical formation of modern states and pointed out that the most important distinction between the feudal and the modern state is the existence of the institution as taxation.Meanwhile Jecht (1928) regarded the history as a result of the spiritual activity of mankind, opposing to the method of studying fiscal history taken by the historical school, which attempted to find out a historical character of public finance in each time by collecting the facts. Although Jecht's statement has been criticized of being too philosophical and difficult to understand, it seems to me that he made an effort to find a general tendency in the historical change of the interaction of the state and the society not in a reductive but a deductive way, which seems to be more scientific.Reforming the time division by Ritschl (1925, pp. 121-2), he set two basic types of fiscal system in his representative work, Wesen und Formen der Finanzwissenschaft, \"traditional fiscal economy\" and \"rational fiscal economy\". He argued that in the former the fiscal character was identical to a household of a ruler and this household behaved within the same rules as other private companies. In the latter, he discussed the new relationship between the state and the society:When the individually organized society appeared with the victory of the market-economic relationship, the state exists as something foreign and unconnected and a giant opposite. (...) New relationship between the state and the society, between public and private area appears rightly in it.In this way, he mentioned the autonomy of a state from a society.However, the role of a state in the industrialized society is different from the one in former times even in the same modern society. H. Sultan pointed out the change of the role of states, that is to say, from the \"Anteilsystem\" (sharing system), in which a state can only claim a part of the product of economy by taxation, to \"Kontrollsystem\" (control system), in which a state not only imposes tax, but also regulates considerable part of the whole economy[20]. Furthermore, he pointed out that this increase of interventions of the state was exactly caused by the needs of economic policies against the economic problems, e.g. monopoly, long-term depression, etc. However, if we look the changes of fiscal character at that time, it seems that these economic policies regarded the solution of social problems as an ultimate purpose.In the examination on the thoughts of fiscal sociologists about the role of the modern state so far, we should pay attention to two important points. First, the authors of the literature precisely recognized a special character of the modern state. According to them, it has relative autonomy from society: on the one hand it complements and accelerates the activity of the private sector, on the other hand it intervenes and regulates the private economy. Second, concerning the aspect of social problems, the term \"Sozialstaat\" (social state) is a more comprehensive concept than the \"welfare state\" in the sense that the former has not only redistributive but also allocative meaning. In addition, the former had a continual meaning since the beginning of the modern states because it emphasized the interventional character of a state in the social policy[21]. Exactly, the efficiency of the market economy and the equity of the policy of redistribution, both of which are the premise of discussion on \"welfare economics\" today, were not clearly distinguished by economists of the nineteenth century. However, if we recognize on the one hand that the difference between the \"old\" social and \"new\" social policy depends on the possibility whether the policy can be reduced into the individual right to receive welfare based on the personal needs[22], and on the other hand the difficulty of inducing institutions only from the specificity of individuals, the concept \"Sozialstaat\" can be applicable to Asian welfare states.\nConclusion: towards further analysis of the welfare states: In these days we can see many branches of welfare programs, e.g. medicine, public pension, long-term care, social assistance and relief of unemployment. These welfare programs did not exist in the days when most households were occupied with agriculture or small self-employed workshops. That is to say, the historical extension of the role of governments, from the maintainer of social order to the largest supplier of the social services, seems to be a continual substitution of the function that households themselves performed in the pre-industrial society. It is evident from the analysis of The view of new institutional economics on modern states section, that the substitution of the function of one type of organizations by another type of organizations and the expansion of one type of organizations in contrast to the dissolution of another type of organizations cannot be explained by the approach that regards a state as only a subsidiary organization to private economy. The autonomous aspect of governments in the decision-making of the welfare policy, which can be observed in Japanese case typically, was confirmed by reexamining the literature of fiscal sociology, which dealt with historical changes of the role of modern states with respect to fiscal characters.How can these characters of modern welfare states be explained theoretically? It seems to me that the historical process, in which the state and the society developed with an independent relationship, can better be analyzed in a context of evolutionary economics. Recent developments of the evolutionary economics, e.g. irreversibility, spontaneous order, pass-dependence and institutional inertia seem to be suitable for an analysis of the large variation of the modern welfare states[23]. These concepts are still in a step of modeling and have not been examined in real analysis[24]. However, it can be said with no doubt that the dynamic change of the relationship between a state and a society, which we discussed in this paper, is one of the most attractive and desirable theme in both institutional and evolutionary economics.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - To explain a fiscal rule that functions in a different way from a constitutional ideal of a welfare state, as Japan's case, and to give a literary examination of that kind of thoughts in modern economics and theory of public finance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - Compares neo-institutional economics and fiscal sociology about the role of a government, using recent fiscal data of developed countries.\nFindings: - For neo-institutional economics it is difficult to explain \"welfare state\" that substitutes the role of a family because the approach can only explain a complementary relationship of organizations in higher levels with lower organizations.\nPractical implications: - Points out that neo-institutional economics should be examined by a historical formation of each rule and a real legal system in each country.\nOriginality/value: - Discusses institutional economics and fiscal sociology from an aspect of possibility of applying to the field of public finance and social welfare.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Using the technology acceptance model to predict patient attitude toward personal health records in regional communities
|
[
"E-health",
"Usability",
"Adoption",
"Technology acceptance model (TAM)",
"Perceived usefulness",
"Technology acceptance",
"E-health applications",
"Perceived ease of use"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n1. Introduction: The Canadian Government has invested $2.1 billion in e-health applications since 2001, spawning a new era in the management of healthcare information (Webster, 2016) that will make it easier for patients, physicians, and other health professionals to exchange healthcare information. The ultimate result will be reduced healthcare-system costs combined with better care and better quality of life for Canadians (Alvarez, 2004; Chaudhry et al., 2006; Gagnon et al., 2009; Morgan, 2004; Romanow, 2002). Generally, e-health applications break down into two types: electronic health records (EHRs), managed by physicians (Alvarez, 2004; Gagnon et al., 2009), and personal health records (PHRs), a subsystem of EHRs that enable patients to access and manage their own health information (Delpierre et al., 2004; Lewis et al., 2013). After 15 years of Canadian Government support for the adoption of a Canada-wide EHR system, a scale has been used to rate Canadian hospitals from 0 (indicating a hospital with no EHR functionality installed) to 7 (indicating a hospital with a fully functional, paperless system). By 2016, only 0.02 percent of the 641 hospitals across the country had fully converted to EHRs (HIMSS Analytics, 2016).\n2. Background: 2.1 Physicians' perceptions of their patients' ability to manage electronic health information\n3. Methods: 3.1 Research sample and data collection\n4. Data analysis and results: 4.1 Descriptive analysis\n5. Discussion and implications: The findings of this study have led us to focus on three main areas of discussion, namely, the vast contrast between physicians' and patients' responses about the self-management of personal health information, the technology \"generations,\" and the technology drivers and barriers as exhibited in our model.\n6. Conclusion: The TAM has been used many times to study diverse types of e-health applications and contexts (Dunnebeil et al., 2012; Ketikidis et al., 2012; Or and Karsh, 2009; Tavares and Oliveira, 2016). In this study, we focused on PHRs and hypothesized that if people have a positive attitude in terms of usefulness, usability, and compatibility with their values, as well as the desire to communicate online, their acceptance, and intention to use PHRs will increase (Davis, 1989; Ozok et al., 2014).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to statistically measure (quantify) how a sample of Canadians perceives the usability of electronic personal health records (PHRs) and, in the process, to increase Canadian patients' awareness of PHRs and improve physicians' confidence in their patients' ability to manage their own health information through PHRs.\nDesign/methodology/approach: The authors surveyed 325 Canadian patients living in Northern Ontario to assess a research model consisting of seven perceptions of PHR systems used to manage personal health information electronically, and to assess their perceived ability to use PHR systems. The survey questions were adapted from the 2014 National Physician Survey in Canada. The authors compared the patients' results with physicians' own perceptions of their patients' ability to use PHR systems.\nFindings: First, there was a positive relationship between surveyed patients' prior experiences, needs, values, and their attitude toward adopting the PHR system. Second, how patients saw a PHR system's user-friendliness was the strongest predictor of how useful they considered it would be. Finally, of the 243 physician respondents, 90.3 percent believed their patients would not be able to manage their own e-health information via a PHR system, but 54.8 percent of the 325 patient respondents indicated they would be able to do so.\nOriginality/value: This study is unique in that the authors know of no other Canadian study that purports to predict, using the technology acceptance model factors, people's attitudes toward adopting a PHR system. As well, this is the first Canadian study to compare the perspectives of healthcare providers and their patients on e-health applications.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Misconstrued tolerance: issues for multicultural and diversity training
|
[
"Multicultural societies",
"Diversity management",
"Tolerance",
"Valuing diversity",
"Multiculturalism",
"Civility"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\n__NO_TITLE__: Discrimination in the workplace exists and has serious effects on both employee and organizational well-being. To address such concerns, many firms have undertaken multicultural training programs that attempt to improve interpersonal relationships among workers by asking participants to become more tolerant of others.\nTwo diverse views of tolerance: In Western democratic societies, tolerance is highly valued as a self-ascribed property and oftentimes conceived of as a virtue. Questions about tolerance rarely surface for fear that one be perceived as intolerant - not a label people would want today. Historically, tolerance was seen as a permissive practice of allowing a person, practice, or thing of which one disapproved (Weissberg, 2008); tolerant individuals were expected to \"put up with\" and endure what they found to be disgusting in order to coexist with those who were different. Such an interpretation has become objectionable today, leading contemporary understandings of tolerance to incorporate the idea of approval and acceptance. This reinterpretation of tolerance gained ground when the UN defined it as \"respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human [...]\" (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 1995). In line with this interpretation, Schwartz (1996, p. 24, italics in original) observed, \"I think that most of the time what we have in mind when we speak of tolerance is something closer to 'acceptance,' or even 'celebration.' Acceptance implies approval, and celebration implies enthusiastic approval\" of differences. Tolerance, it appears, has changed its definition from suffering the loathsome to an almost blank-check endorsement of countless differences.Such tolerance is widely regarded today as an indispensable, commonly shared value for assuring the cohesion of plural societies and has been adopted by many multicultural trainers who want to promote inclusion by encouraging workshop participants to affirm and approve others' practices, opinions, and beliefs (Oberdiek, 2001). Yet, this modern interpretation of tolerance poses a dilemma: how can individuals be asked to accept all people's values and practices when they may believe some of those ideas and behaviors are wrong, perhaps even abhorrent? How, for example, can one ask supporters on opposite sides of the abortion and same-sex marriage debates to value or regard highly the validity of each other's perspectives? Are people obligated in the name of tolerance to endorse such practices as child sacrifice, female genital mutilation and cannibalism because a minority retain such customs?Interestingly, the graciousness implied in this \"appreciate differences\" brand of tolerance may not extend to all. For example, while gay and civil rights groups are generally applauded, one might typically find silence when it comes to fundamentalist Christians or the military. Such a one-sided interpretation of tolerance as acceptance often engenders the very divisiveness it proposes to eliminate. This understanding of tolerance may have led numerous Western leaders including French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and British Prime Minister (PM) David Cameron to note multiculturalism's failure. PM Cameron in a 2011 speech indicated that \"[...] Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism [...] A passively tolerant society [...] stands neutral between different values. A genuinely liberal country does much more. It believes in certain values and actively promotes them\" (Cameron, 2011, p. 10, italics in original).\nDiversity and multicultural training today: It is extremely important to preserve a notion of tolerance that is neither \"putting up with,\" which demands too little of us, nor \"acceptance,\" which demands too much. Tolerance is not a surrender of conviction. Tolerance does not require one to sacrifice personal ideals or temper beliefs to a toothless least common denominator. One does not have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.To help trainees move past such circumstances and for multicultural training to do its good work, tolerance as civility is offered. This view of tolerance occupies a middle ground which lies somewhere between traditional and contemporary interpretations of the term and involves treating people with whom we differ, neither with forbearance or endurance nor approval or acceptance, but with civility that includes courtesy, politeness, manners, good citizenship, and concern for the well-being of our communities even as we recognize that some conflict and tension is inevitable (see Figure 1).Researchers have surveyed the civility literature and suggested three elements that together constitute the term. The first element is respect for others. The second element is civility, defined as public behavior towards strangers in which we must neither love them nor hate them in order to be civil towards them. The third element is self-regulation in the sense that it requires empathy by putting one's own immediate self-interests in the context of the larger common good and acting accordingly.Note that respect is accorded to the person. Whether his or her ideas or behavior should be accepted and appreciated, as suggested by modern interpretations of tolerance, is a different issue. This perspective is borrowed from the counseling literature of Ellis (2004) who declared that one is not required to \"[...] tolerate the antisocial and sabotaging actions of other people [...] But you always accept them, their personhood, and you never damn their total selves. You tolerate their humanity while disagreeing with some of their actions\" (Ellis, 2004, p. 212, italics in original). Ellis' position is similar to Immanuel Kant's view that moral law entails treating persons always as ends in themselves and never simply as means. A Kantian perspective requires that human beings be regarded as worthy of respect as human beings, regardless of how their values differ and whether or not we disapprove of what they do.Tolerance as advocated here incorporates civility which involves treating others with respect without necessarily accepting their values, beliefs, practices, or the importance of these practices to others' way of life. Good people will sincerely disagree and the issues that divide them by their very nature impassion them. Individuals can, however, disagree without demonizing those with whom they differ; all points-of-view can be heard without venomous attacks.\nManagerial implications: Civility, a seemingly central social value as well as an important interpersonal value in the workplace, is also a meaningful predictor of organizational effectiveness with research showing that firms can improve performance by creating and maintaining norms of civility (King et al., 2011). Subtle mistreatment characteristics of incivility have been shown to negatively impact job satisfaction, job withdrawal, career salience, psychological distress (Cortina et al., 2001), and self-reported physical health problems (Lim et al., 2008).Diversity training activities might help employees overcome their (often unconscious) behavioral tendencies to disfavor out-group members by encouraging tolerance understood as civility in all interactions, and rejecting the contemporary definition of tolerance which seems to mandate acceptance, appreciation, and approval of all beliefs, values, conduct, and ways of life. \"Given the resistance and backlash that sometimes emerge in response to the terms 'diversity' and 'discrimination,' it is possible that focusing on 'civility' instead could improve the efficacy of existing diversity management programs\" (King et al., 2011, p. 1113) and that \"Ultimately, organizations may be most successful when the challenges that arise from diverse interactions are overcome through civility\" (King et al., 2011, p. 1114). Far from a minor inconvenience, workplace incivility is one of today's most substantial economic drains on business (Porath and Pearson, 2010) and reframing tolerance as civility in multicultural training may be one small step in attacking the workplace poisons of both discrimination and incivility.The reinterpretation of tolerance offered here means treating people with respect and without malice but does not require persons to dissolve social norms or to weaken commitment to ancient and honorable beliefs. Such an understanding of tolerance incorporating civility can be invaluable when addressing multicultural issues. Tolerating people, however, must never be confused with accepting all their ideas and practices.\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: - Valuing diversity emphasizes the awareness, recognition, and appreciation of human differences and revolves around creating an inclusive environment in which everyone feels esteemed. This generally takes place through a series of training programs that attempt to improve interpersonal relationships among workers by asking participants to become more tolerant--generally understood today as an approval and acceptance of others' practices and beliefs. Because tolerance is such a highly desirable quality in many Western societies, and seemingly one of its few non-controversial values, rarely is its significance questioned. Nevertheless, contemporary interpretations of tolerance can be problematic for multicultural programs, and tolerance understood as respect and civility toward others may be a more appropriate tool to easing hostile tensions between individuals and groups and to helping communities move past intractable conflict. The purpose of this paper is to offer a reinterpretation of tolerance.\nDesign/methodology/approach: - This literature review suggests that contemporary interpretations of tolerance often used in multicultural workshops as the recognition, appreciation, acceptance, and celebration of differences may be problematic.\nFindings: - An understanding of tolerance involving civility and respect for others, not their beliefs or conduct, may lead to greater effectiveness of diversity training efforts. This new interpretation of tolerance may also help counter the belief among a number of leaders, particularly in Europe, that multiculturalism has failed.\nOriginality/value: - Given the resistance and backlash that sometimes emerge in response to terms such as \"diversity,\" \"inclusion,\" and \"discrimination,\" it is possible that focusing on civility instead could improve the efficacy of existing multicultural training programs.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Technical issues and energy efficient adaptive reuse of heritage listed city halls in Queensland Australia
|
[
"Adaptive reuse",
"Energy efficiency",
"Climate change",
"Heritage city halls",
"Technical issues"
] |
[
{
"content": "Summarize the following paper into structured abstract.\n\nIntroduction: Heritage conservation contributes to creating a sustainable built environment and resilient communities.(MTBA, 2016)A sustainable built environment and resilient communities are essential to the continuing well-being of humankind and the liveability of the planet. Climate change plays an important role in environmental degradation and needs to be mitigated to reduce its negative effects on the natural and built environment. Collectively, buildings are responsible for the largest consumption of energy in use and construction through embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions, and are a source of environmental waste (Kelly, 2009). Whilst we can influence environmental attributes in new building stock through energy efficiency in regulations, new construction consumes high levels of energy and with only 1 per cent typically added each year to the total stock of buildings, it follows we should look at the potential to retrofit or adapt existing buildings in order to make them more energy efficient and take the opportunity to retain their embodied energy (Kelly, 2009). Enhancing and upgrading the performance of existing buildings is significant in mitigating climate change (MTBA, 2016).\nImportance of city halls: City halls have changed as a result of the growth of cities, towns, municipalities and shires. Regardless of architectural style, size and location, these buildings share one aspect, which is the building is, or was, the seat of political power, symbolising initial settlement and establishment of local governance in an area (Chattopadhyay and White, 2014). City halls serve local government and the community, thus possessing distinctive psycho-social features through their strong associative memories among the community.\nTechnical adaptation of heritage buildings: Technical lifespan is an important indicator of a building's age and its continuous lifecycle. The technical lifecycle is a period of time in which a building can not only meet the required physical and technical needs of the users, but also provide and protect health and safety of the occupants. With technical obsolescence, a building may lose its value and usability, and; is likely to become partially or fully vacant (Wilkinson et al., 2014). Technical obsolescence and the additional operational costs associated with poor energy efficiency can make retention unappealing, thus risking demolition (Langston, 2008). Technical factors play an important role in making decisions related to adapting or redeveloping a building. The reason being, is that some technical issues are hidden, difficult to access, expensive to fix, or may have a negative effect on the appearance of heritage buildings (Douglas, 2006). Therefore, a building has to be able to accommodate users' new technical requirements to be a successful case for adaptive reuse (Wilkinson et al., 2014).\nResearch methodology: Case study is a qualitative research method which allows in-depth study and enables the researcher to study a subject in detail through a specific context (Zainal, 2007); here adaptation of heritage city halls in Queensland for energy efficiency. Case study is a preferable method to answer \"how\" or \"why\" questions, especially when the emphasis is on current actual practices. Therefore, case study methodology provides a complete understanding of events in reality (Yin, 2017). With adaptive reuse research, many authors adopt a case study methodology to achieve detailed and in-depth analysis of cases (Conejos, 2013; Langston, 2012; Wilkinson, 2011; Wilkinson et al., 2014). Therefore, to achieve a holistic understanding of technical issues in adaptive reuse, three heritage listed city halls were selected for this research.\nThe case study buildings: Rockhampton City Hall\nAnalysis of technical issues: Many heritage buildings were constructed when energy costs were low and there was no concern about climate change. Enhancing energy efficiency in old buildings is considered one important opportunity to mitigate climate change (Abdullah and Will, 2015; MTBA, 2016). The different case studies with different uses, different owner preferences and different characteristics provide a detailed analysis of the technical upgrades and their respective challenges.\nConclusion: Old buildings have often many inherent sustainability features in terms of embodied energy, embodied carbon, durable materials, and even design and construction techniques. However, user expectations change over time in terms of technical standards and comfort levels. Under such circumstances, old buildings need to undergo modification and modernisation to meet the current expectations. Retrofitting existing buildings is a way of addressing the climate change Miller and Buys (2008). Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is important to mitigate global warming and climate change and, it is a responsibility of stakeholders to find ways to reduce emissions from existing buildings (Jagarajan et al., 2017).\n",
"role": "user"
},
{
"content": "Purpose: Adaptive reuse of heritage stock has several advantages: retention of culturally and socially significant buildings, as well as the opportunity to consider embodied energy, energy efficiency retrofit measures and other environmental upgrades. The purpose of this paper is to identify the technical issues faced in the adaptive reuse of Australian heritage listed city halls and discuss sustainable strategies to enable further adaptations to be more energy efficient.\nDesign/methodology/approach: Adaptive reuse of a heritage building provides an opportunity to retain embodied energy, improve energy efficiency and enhance durability, which are important aspects of the technical lifecycle of a building. Using a case study methodology and a qualitative approach, this paper evaluates adaptations and the technical issues faced in three heritage city halls in Queensland, Australia.\nFindings: The analysis shows that enhancing energy efficiency enables heritage buildings to reduce their climate change impacts. However, the installation of equipment for energy efficiency can pose technical issues for heritage buildings. The ownership of heritage building and interest of the local community affects the solutions that are viable. Solutions and further sustainable strategies are proposed through analysis of case studies.\nOriginality/value: City halls globally adopt different and varied architectural designs, features and scales. They are often heritage listed and locally significant landmarks that have undergone various adaptations; however, they have been overlooked in much adaptive reuse research, particularly in Australia. City halls differ from other heritage buildings in their collective sense of ownership which is important in regard to proposed changes, as citizens have an interest and hold opinions which may affect measures adopted. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge related to energy efficient technical adaptive reuse of city halls.\n",
"role": "assistant"
}
] |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.