bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supply shocks and menu costs
Authors: McGarrity Joseph P.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms respond to adverse supply shocks.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines a supply shock within the framework of Mankiw's Menu Cost Model.

Findings

The analysis in this paper illustrates that the type of adverse shock is important. An immediate increase in the money supply may work well in response to a negative aggregate demand shock, but be counter‐productive in response to a negative supply shock. This paper finds that output will decrease when the Federal Reserve increases the money supply in response to an adverse supply shock.

Practical implications

The implication is that when the Federal Reserve first spots a negative supply shock (such as an increase in oil prices), it should not immediately respond with an increase in the money supply. Doing so might cause a recession.

Originality/value

When there is a negative supply shock, conventional wisdom holds that an increase in money supply can offset the decrease in output that would occur without a policy response. That is, increases in money supply have the exact opposite influence that most economists often suppose.
A review and measurement of capacity utilisation in the Nigerian economy
Authors: Raimi L. , Adeleke I.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the issue of capacity utilisation (CU) in the Nigerian economy over the last 12 years (1991‐2003) with the view to determining if there has been significant improvement in CU despite changes in government policies initiated to boost the productive capacity level.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is basically descriptive and analytical. Planned and systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of secondary data are adopted to explain CU situation in Nigeria.

Findings

The paper shows that CU trends in Nigeria from 1993‐2003 ranges between 30 and 60 per cent.

Practical implications

The government and organised private sector organisations have a monumental role to play for positive changes and sustainable improvement of CU level in Nigeria through boosting aggregate demand, improved employment, low interest rate, improved export drive, cheap fuel and power supply, creation of enabling environment for businesses.

Originality/value

The results of this paper support the finance‐economics view that the relatively low level of CU across the sectors analysed suggests that firms in Nigeria are subject to economic constraints.
After the credit crunch: the future of Shari’ah compliant sustainable investing
Authors: Hassan Abul
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of Shari’ah compliant sustainable investing in the light of the credit crisis and catastrophic climate change.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses that the climate change, natural resource shortages, fuel crisis and global financial crisis, etc. will not go away just because there is a recession. In this regard, Shari’ah compliant finance has a broader responsibility to consider societal goals and should be preparing for the post‐credit crunch world. The paper evaluates the performance of Shari’ah compliant sustainable funds using the traditional measures of performance in relation to risk‐adjusted benchmarks to see if there is any ethical effect.

Findings

The paper advocates that preventing future market meltdowns and avoiding catastrophic climate change requires a new era of longterism in Shari’ah compliant sustainable investing. The study assesses the performance of the Shari’ah compliant sustainable investing. The result shows that Shari’ah compliant funds outperformed the conventional benchmark and therefore, the challenge for Shari’ah compliant sustainable investing is not to become like conventional investing but, rather, to replace.

Research limitations/implications

Shari’ah compliant sustainable finance is a recent phenomena and therefore, rigorous analytical predication of Shari’ah compliant sustainable investing variables are at present not possible using evolutionary and complex system approaches; however, such system can be fruitfully studied in future through simulation methods and certain types of econometric modeling when the long‐term data will be made available.

Originality/value

As the credit crunch has evolved into a full‐blown economic crisis, many have turned to the Shari’ah compliant finance to provide a route map out of recession. With an increasing number of conventional banks and corporations struggling to find funds to support their businesses, Shari’ah compliant financial institutions represent a potential solution to bridge the liquidity gap in the global markets.
Investigating complaints to improve practice and develop policy
Authors: Parry Julianne , Hewage Udul
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to make use of patient complaints as a valuable source of information to enable improvements to the quality of health service delivery.

Design/methodology/approach

Thematic analysis was used to analyse records of de‐identified patient complaints made about medical or nursing staff or medical or nursing services between January 2006 and May 2008 in the Mount Isa Health Service District.

Findings

Three main themes were identified. These themes were labelled: “communication”, “wait times” and “clinical”. The latter related to specific concerns about the care provided to the patient or their relative. There were 101 complaints analysed. The majority (60 per cent) of complaints related to communication. Wait times for appointments (13 per cent), and clinical (28 per cent) were included in the remainder.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this research are not generalisable beyond the Health Service District within which the data were collected. However, the principle of systematically using complaints information to improve practice and develop policy can be applied within all health services.

Practical implications

Recommendations to develop policies and improve practice that will address the matters identified in the complaints are made. Changes to complaints data records to assist future research are suggested. The need to facilitate indigenous patients' contribution to suggestions for service delivery improvement is highlighted.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to research that makes use of patient complaints to produce higher standards of patient service delivery.
Reduction in length of hospitalisation for microbial keratitis patients
Authors: Wei Kheong Jimmy Lim , Barkham Timothy , Qian Ming Chen , Lim Lynda , Lin Jia , Lay Hong Goh , Wee Jin Heng
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Prolonged hospital stay in the course of management of microbial keratitis patients has been a burden to the resources of a multi‐disciplinary tertiary hospital. The paper aims to evaluate the impact of streamlining the workflow and increased cross‐disciplinary interactions on the average length of hospitalisation. It also seeks to study secondary outcomes including the average time for initiation of therapy, microbial culture positive rate, patients' satisfaction and resource savings.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed the model of clinical practice improvement (CPI) (New South Wales Health Department) methodology for a systematic approach to improve processes of care and service delivery. A team consisting of ophthalmologist, microbiologist, pharmacist and nursing staff was formed to brainstorm and highlight the problems. A new workflow was formulated and data were prospectively collected to evaluate and to identify areas where improvements could be made.

Findings

The average length of hospitalisation stay was reduced from 7.43 to 5.93 days with a mean difference of 1.50±0.63 days (p<0.05). The microbial keratitis culture positive rate increased from 54.6 to 73.0 per cent (p>0.05). The average time taken to initiate antibiotic eye drops after first contact with the doctor was 26.1 minutes (n=28), and 74.4 per cent of the patients surveyed were satisfied with their length of stay.

Research limitations/implications

Intervention was carried out on the top 20 per cent of areas for improvement after voting by the team members.

Practical implications

The reduction in average length of hospitalisation can be improved by strict adherence to a formulated workflow and coordinated cross‐disciplinary interactions.

Originality/value

The management protocol discussed in the paper for microbial keratitis enables more effective and efficient treatment for the inpatients. Increased cross‐discipline and nursing coordination decreases length of hospitalisation of microbial keratitis patients and achieve better care for these patients.
The impacts of leadership on workplace conflicts
Authors: Doucet Olivier , Poitras Jean , Chênevert Denis
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of managers' leadership styles (transformational, transactional and laissez‐faire) on both the level and the nature of workplace conflicts (cognitive and relational in nature).

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from hospital employees in Canada. A total of 1,031 completed questionnaires are received, representing a response rate of 46 percent. The hypothesis is tested using confirmatory factor analyses and multiple regressions.

Findings

The results indicate that the two conflict dimensions do not derive completely from the same mechanisms, since only two out of the eight leadership dimensions evaluated influence both cognitive and relational conflicts. On the one hand, inspirational motivation has a negative impact on cognitive conflicts while intellectual stimulation and passive management by exception seem to foster it. On the other hand, inspirational motivation and individualized consideration negatively influence relational conflicts whereas management by exception‐active and management by exception‐passive impact it positively.

Research limitations/implications

The sample comprises a single organization and the data are collected at one point in time. Also, the model's variables are assessed by the same source (employees).

Practical implications

The results of this research highlight the importance of a supervisor's ability to introduce a common vision and demonstrate individualized consideration to reduce workplace conflict during periods of organizational change.

Originality/value

Although researchers stress that conflict management represents an important role for leaders, very few empirical studies have examined how leadership influences workplace conflicts.
Cross‐cultural differences in conflict management
Authors: Doucet Lorna , Jehn Karen A. , Weldon Elizabeth , Chen Xiangming , Wang Zhongming
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare conflict management behaviors of American and Chinese managers. Its main aim is to uncover cultural differences in the way Chinese and American managers approach conflict – thereby developing a more thorough understanding of conflict management across cultures.

Design/methodology/approach

Inductive analysis is used to uncover conflict management constructs that are unique to each culture. Structured interviews and multidimensional scaling techniques are used.

Findings

Results show that the conflict management behaviors suggested by American and Chinese managers are different. For Chinese managers alone, embarrassing the colleague and teaching a moral lesson is an important element. For American managers alone, hostility and vengefulness are important elements. Results suggest that both cultures acknowledge avoidant approaches, but the underlying intentions for Americans alone are associated with a lack of confidence.

Research limitations/implications

Results are based on one conflict scenario and the participants are managers working in mainland China. These factors may limit the generalizability of the results.

Practical implications

The findings of this paper suggest that managers should consider cultural differences in conflict management when diagnosing and intervening in conflict situations in different cultures.

Originality/value

The authors present new concepts for potential inclusion in a comprehensive model of conflict management. The authors illustrate the value of using an inductive approach to improve our understanding of conflict management across cultures.
Humor as a relationship‐building tool in online negotiations
Authors: Kurtzberg Terri R. , Naquin Charles E. , Belkin Liuba Y.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of humor in online negotiations and assess whether humor can act as a bridge for the otherwise relationship‐poor experience of negotiating via e‐mail.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experimental studies are conducted, using 122 executive MBA students and 216 MBA students respectively.

Findings

Study 1 demonstrates that beginning an e‐mail transaction with humor results in: increased trust and satisfaction levels; higher joint gains for the dyad; and higher individual gains for the party who initiated the humorous event. Analyses reveals that it is the exploration of compatible issues (as opposed to effective tradeoffs) – that increased the level of joint gain. Study 2 demonstrates that first offers in a purely distributive negotiation are more likely to be within the bargaining zone when e‐negotiations are initiated with humor, and the resulting final settlements in the humor condition are also more equally distributed between parties (more of an “even split”) than are transactions without a humorous start.

Research limitations/implications

The highly controlled laboratory setting (the classroom) limits the generalizability and encourages future research in a more real‐world setting.

Practical implications

Managers may benefit by making personal connections in the online realm before engaging in professional communications, such as strategically employing humor at the outset of e‐mail negotiations.

Originality/value

This is the first study to empirically explore the direct role of humor in online negotiations a controlled experimental setting, and find its positive effects on the negotiation process.
Knowledge management and organizational performance: an exploratory analysis
Authors: Zack Michael , McKeen James , Singh Satyendra
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of an exploratory investigation of the organizational impact of knowledge management (KM).

Design/methodology/approach

A search of the literature revealed 12 KM practices whose performance impact was assessed via a survey of business organizations.

Findings

KM practices were found to be directly related to organizational performance which, in turn, was directly related to financial performance. There was no direct relationship found between KM practices and financial performance. A different set of KM practices was associated with each value discipline (i.e. customer intimacy, product development and operational excellence). A gap exists between the KM practices that firms believe to be important and those that were directly related to organizational performance.

Research limitations/implications

The majority of the research constructs were formative, thus improving the measurement of KM practices will prove vital for validating and extending these findings. The findings were based solely on organizations from North America and Australia and may not reflect KM practices in other geographic, economic or cultural settings.

Practical implications

This study encourages practitioners to focus their KM initiatives on specific intermediate performance outcomes.

Originality/value

The paper examines the relationship between KM practices and performance outcomes. It was expected that a direct relationship between KM practices and organizational performance would be observed. It was also expected that organizational performance would mediate the relationship between KM practices and financial performance. These expectations were supported. KM practices showed a direct relationship with intermediate measures of organizational performance, and organizational performance showed a significant and direct relationship to financial performance. There was no significant relationship found between KM practices and financial performance.
Usefulness, incentives and knowledge management
Authors: Iyer Govind S. , Ravindran Suryanarayanan
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of “usefulness” and “incentives” on the joint decision to share and use knowledge objects.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an experimental design, the authors explore the effects of different incentive systems, the effect of the usefulness of a knowledge management system on intent to contribute and intent to use knowledge, the effect of personal characteristics, specifically an individual's tolerance of ambiguity, and joint endogeneity of contribution and use along with potential complementarity of usefulness and incentives.

Findings

For ambiguity tolerant individuals, an incentive mechanism that rewards the contributor for shared knowledge used by a knowledge user, and the knowledge user for the act of reuse, is more effective than a simpler incentive scheme that merely rewards knowledge sharing when usefulness level is low. Ambiguity intolerant individuals react equally to both types of incentive schemes regardless of usefulness. Ambiguity tolerant individuals display weakly complementary levels of sharing in response to coordinated increases in incentives and usefulness levels. This has powerful implications for practice as both incentives and usefulness need not be increased in a concerted manner in order to promote use.

Research limitations/implications

This is an experimental study with the use of student subjects and the usual caveats apply.

Originality/value

The contributions of this paper are deriving practitioner implications for the sharing/use of knowledge, the explicit consideration of ambiguity tolerance, and inclusion of both knowledge contribution and use in one comprehensive model.
A systematic framework for analysing the critical success factors of communities of practice
Authors: Scarso Enrico , Bolisani Ettore , Salvador Luigi
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to briefly illustrate the test of an explanatory framework of the factors affecting the success of internal communities of practice (CoPs).

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on a qualitative case study of the formation and management of intentionally created CoPs inside a large division of a multinational oil company.

Findings

The results of the study appear to confirm the utility of the framework as a tool for a sound and systematic investigation of the functioning of a CoP, and for understanding the reasons of its success or failure

Research limitations/implications

Since it if the first attempt to test the framework, further empirical investigation is needed. In particular, it would be particularly useful to apply the scheme to cases of failure.

Practical implications

The suggested framework can be of use for the design and management of intentionally created CoPs. In particular, it can provide insights into “good practices” or “mistakes to be avoided”.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the paper is the application of a comprehensive and coherent model, which can represent the initial step toward the definition of a “check‐list” for the creation and management of CoPs.
Gaining external knowledge – boundaries in managers' knowledge relations
Authors: Werr Andreas , Blomberg Jesper , Löwstedt Jan
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate interorganizational knowledge exchange from the perspective of the individual manager/professional. The paper aims to study the kinds of relationships managers/professionals in SMEs are involved in and the way in which they construct boundaries within and around these interorganizational relationships enabling and hindering knowledge acquisition.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on 31 interviews with managers and professionals in seven SMEs. Interviews focused on the interorganizational relationships they viewed as important sources of knowledge for themselves and their organizations.

Findings

The study shows that managers/professionals gain vital knowledge from far more interorganizational relationships than those formally designed for knowledge acquisition. The most important sources of knowledge were relationships with suppliers and customers. The study also identifies five boundary dimensions – interests, interpretive frameworks, trust, private/organizational and priority – which respondents use in constructing boundaries within and around the relationships. These boundary dimensions represent important conditions for knowledge acquisition through the relationship.

Research limitations/implications

The five boundary dimensions are generated based on a sample of SMEs in Sweden. They must thus be regarded as provisional and need to be validated in further research including larger organizations in different cultural contexts. Future studies should also focus on the dynamics of the boundaries and their interrelations as relationships evolve.

Originality/value

This paper adds to research on interorganizational knowledge acquisition by taking an individual level perspective and identifying boundary dimensions through which the relationships and their knowledge flows are shaped.
Cultural characteristics of knowledge transfer
Authors: Wilkesmann Uwe , Fischer Heike , Wilkesmann Maximiliane
Published: October 2009

Purpose

In most of the literature, knowledge management is treated as a universal practice, which is transferable from one country or company to another. There are some empirical hints that this is not always the case. The main research question, which this paper aims to answer, is: Which cultural characteristics in Germany and Hong Kong influence knowledge transfer?

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative and exploratory approach has been used to answer the research question. A series of 13 in‐depth interviews was conducted during April and May 2008 with experts from a range of various professional backgrounds in Hong Kong and Germany. Approaches of cultural characteristics are discussed and linked with the topic of knowledge transfer.

Findings

The findings show that knowledge transfer depends on national cultural characteristics which are power distance, performance orientation, in‐group collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance.

Research limitations/implications

As the research was conducted in two countries only, the findings cannot be generalized. In addition the sample is limited to only 13 interviewees. Therefore, further and also quantitative research is necessary.

Practical implications

If companies introduce knowledge management systems in order to support worldwide knowledge transfer, national cultural characteristics have to be taken into account; it is not enough to provide only the technology.

Originality/value

Findings of cultural studies (e.g. GLOBE) and the approach of knowledge transfer are linked with each other. Moreover, empirical evidence is given for the cases Hong Kong and Germany.
Managing knowledge in international consulting firms
Authors: Ambos Tina C. , Schlegelmilch Bodo B.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

At the pinnacle of the knowledge management hype, international consulting firms were widely viewed as the undisputed champions of the discipline. They were the ones that pioneered the development of innovative knowledge management systems, they were at the forefront of creating knowledge management cultures and they recognized the productive potential of knowledge workers. While knowledge continues to be prominent on the strategic agenda of leading consulting firms, several knowledge management challenges remain unsolved. To shed light on this matter the paper aims to investigate how knowledge management is really embedded in their organizations and with which critical issues these firms still struggle .

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a qualitative empirical study based on 37 in‐depth interviews with representatives from international consulting firms in different locations around the world.

Findings

It is found that the promise of knowledge management can only be realized if people are open to changing business processes and adopt new ways of thinking.

Practical implictions

The study sheds fresh light on the knowledge management practices that have emerged in the consulting industry, and provides insights into the interplay of people and systems, the structuring of knowledge management, the divide between knowledge generalists and specialists, and the knowledge management strategy.

Originality/value

The paper presents a general approach to embedding knowledge management along the dimensions of people, systems and business processes and develops an integrative framework that links knowledge management strategies to a typical consulting project cycle. In addition, it sheds light on individual perceptions on the benefits from knowledge management.
Dispersed knowledge work – implications for knowledge intensive firms
Authors: Assudani Rashmi H.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Despite increase in industry use of dispersed teams, understanding has lagged on how to manage knowledge effectively and efficiently in a dispersed structure. The main purpose of this paper is to map this domain by reviewing two streams of literatures ‐ the knowledge‐based view of the firm and the dispersed work. The aim, also, is to examine the implications of dispersed knowledge work on firms, especially knowledge intensive firms that are increasingly conducting dispersed work.

Design/methodology/approach

The literatures are reviewed and analyzed to examine why accessing and creating knowledge is problematic in dispersed work arrangements.

Findings

The findings raise the issue of understanding the important dynamics of the fit between the structure (dispersed versus face‐to‐face) and the strategy for managing dispersed knowledge (codification versus personalization strategy).

Practical implications

The paper is a useful resource for managers seeking to discern the social and technological interventions needed for conducting knowledge work in different types of knowledge‐intensive firms.

Originality/value

This paper is among the early works to organize the two streams of literatures. The paper shows that virtual work may not necessarily be virtuous for all kinds of dispersed knowledge work. In order to realize the virtues of geographic distance, firms need to consider their competitive strategies and their outcomes of interest.
Knowledge work productivity in distributed teams
Authors: Bosch‐Sijtsema Petra M. , Ruohomäki Virpi , Vartiainen Matti
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Knowledge work (KW) is a well‐researched topic. However, KW is difficult to measure and little consensus has been reached on elements that affect knowledge work productivity on a team level. The current theories neglect teams working in distributed geographical areas. The purpose of the paper is to integrate recent literature on knowledge work productivity (KWP) in distributed teams and give an overview of the elements affecting it.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents an overview of research performed in the field of knowledge work productivity. The authors integrate theories of different fields of management theory (knowledge management, intellectual capital and learning), and work and organizational psychology. This paper answers three questions: What is knowledge work? What is knowledge work productivity? Which elements hinder or enable knowledge work productivity in distributed teams of global technology companies?

Findings

The authors define the crucial elements that either hinder or enable KWP: team tasks, team structure and processes, the physical, virtual and social workspaces as well as organizational context. The paper presents an integrative model of KWP in distributed teams of global technology companies.

Practical implications

Distributed teams are common in global companies. By understanding the elements that affect KWP, companies can stimulate or decrease specific elements in order to improve productivity of their distributed knowledge workers.

Originality/value

This paper integrates theories from different disciplines in order to create an understanding about knowledge work and its productivity for further research.
Knowledge management and effective university governance
Authors: Blackman Deborah , Kennedy Monica
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the relationship between governance and knowledge management in an Australian university, paying attention to the ways in which the notions of knowledge, constructions of the role of governing councils and shared understandings about performance in committee roles, might impact on the university's future success.

Design/methodology/approach

Earl's taxonomy of knowledge is extended to reflect more recent literature and used as the framework of analysis for a qualitative case study which is based on observations and interview data garnered from key governance committees.

Findings

The paper illustrates that effective governance and strategic success are dependent on appropriate knowledge manipulation activities. The authors conclude that in the case example, the types of knowledge targeted are narrow and committee members are focused on processes that do not effectively enable the creation or transfer of knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

This is a single case study and further research would be required in order to confirm the exploratory findings.

Practical implications

An important shift in improving effective knowledge strategies in the organisation will involve the reconceptualisation of the role of knowledge in the university.

Originality/value

This paper makes two major contributions to the literature; the extension of Earl's typology to reflect current knowledge management literature, and the identification of a lack of knowledge management as a major weakness in university governance. The paper begins to unravel the practical issues that constrain strategic decision making.
The family as a developmental issue in expatriate assignments
Authors: Chiotis‐Leskowich Irene
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to highlight the central role of family adjustment in expatiate effectiveness, and presents it as a developmental issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature reviews were used to create this article.

Findings

Though family adjustment appears among the top reasons for expatriate assignment failure, the family as an interdependent system is regularly overlooked in expatriate preparation. This paper offers a family systems perspective and developmental techniques for expatriate family preparation.

Practical implications

More focused attention to the family system in expatriate assignments – as learning and development issue, rather than a “managed” corporate issue – may well address much of the cause of expatriate failure.

Originality/value

While existing literature concerning expatriate failure is increasingly extensive, very little of it attends to family system concerns and issues. Moreover, none of the literature treats family adjustment as a phenomenon for developmental activity.
A world in crisis? Does learning help to create future opportunities?
Authors: Csath Magdolna
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to see how companies from different fields try to cope with the consequences of the economic crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Managerial approaches were analyzed. Members of the top management teams in 15 enterprizes were interviewed.

Findings

The macro and micro environments of these firms were found to be very similar, but the decisions they were making were very different. It was found that the differences in strategic approaches could be explained mostly by the attitudes and values of the top management team.

Originality/value

The author uses her experience in research on relationships among organisational learning, innovation, managerial values and business to describe the key differences of the two companies, who are both Hungarian owned.
Are redundancies a possibility in your organization?
Authors: Kilkelly Eddie
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to look at how the learning and development (L&D) teams can enable businesses to handle redundancies efficiently and effectively, in order to ensure the best possible outcome for all parties.

Design/methodology/value

This article is based on the authors own knowledge and views.

Findings

Redundancy is unpalatable at the best of times and managing the process is never going to be easy. However, the L&D department has a critical role to play in mitigating the long‐term negative effects through timely intervention, excellent communication, compassion, and appropriate support and assistance.

Originality/value

This paper provides a redundancy management plan.
Learning through action
Authors: Walker Esther
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to provide L&D Managers with an informative overview of how drama works in the context of learning and development, the key methodologies involved and their benefits to the organization.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is a case study providing information on how drama has been applied for learning and development purposes in a number of UK organizations.

Findings

One of the key points of this article, and central reasons for Drama's ongoing success as an L&D tool, is its ability to evoke an emotional response to the learning process. Through emotion, we can engage staff and inspire them to learn, in a way that transcends other training methodologies.

Originality/value

This paper introduces L&D managers to a new approach to learning. It offers a brief overview of what drama‐based learning can add to the mix, and explains how these methods are helpful both to staff and the organisation as a whole. The article includes a series of case study examples from the public and private sectors to illustrate key points and methods.
Exploiting the concept of a manufacturing system part II
Authors: Parnaby John , Towill Denis R.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish the influence and discipline of process control and systems engineering theory plus engineering practices in the chemical process industry on current operations management development. Part I has laid the requisite groundwork for this paper; Part II covering the concept of a manufacturing system, its evolution into the managing‐by‐projects (MBP) methodology, and application to the extended enterprise. Later, Part III will concentrate on the usage of MBP within individual manufacturing and other businesses. Hence, the concentration will then be on cellular operations and the “natural grouping” task force genré.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on experiential case study outputs from a large number of European and international organisations. Benchmarking of total business performance is shown to be a driver of change. Via the systems approach, it is shown how a set of interlinking programmes are planned and executed to enable comprehensive improvements in business performance. The core characteristics of MBP are detailed plus how systems engineering principles can enable effective BPI.

Findings

MBP is an holistic approach. It can start at the competitive achievement plan level to scheme and implement total business change executed by internal task forces. The procedure is illustrated for an international enterprise via results obtained from re‐organising a multi‐site auto components business. Large gains in key performance indicators are evident.

Research limitations/implications

A key finding is the importance of generating internal experience and competence. Learning has to belong to the organisation, not some external group. There must be careful sequencing of projects, otherwise there will be “indigestion”. Elephants should be eaten in bite‐sized chunks.

Practical implications

This original concept has now evolved after some 30 years and proven routes to implementing MBP have been established. Furthermore, a vast quantity of supporting material is now available. Setting up an effective, and organisationally relevant user‐friendly open‐learning facility is a top priority.

Originality/value

The originality lies in the concept of a manufacturing system. But the innovation manifests itself in the successful transformation into the MBP methodology for engineering effective change in a wide range of organisations.
Enhancing product development through knowledge‐based engineering (KBE)
Authors: Corallo Angelo , Laubacher Robert , Margherita Alessandro , Turrisi Giuseppe
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show with figures the potentialities of knowledge‐based engineering (KBE) methods in new product development (NPD). It estimates the business value generated by a tool which integrates the handoff between engineering groups of a large aerospace company.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on three years of observation and interviews at a leading Italian firm. A process‐based approach is used for assessing business value.

Findings

The KBE application automated the preparation of data transferred to computer‐aided engineering engineers for analysis by computer‐aided design engineers and reduced the time required by more than 90 percent. This allowed time savings which contributed to enhance product quality.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is based on a single case, though its findings are consistent with prior studies. Future research will implement like applications in other contexts at the subject firm and other firms.

Practical implications

The paper helps managers to understand the uses and potential value of KBE applications, enhancing the awareness of NPD practitioners in a field which is still partially untapped.

Originality/value

The paper combines discussion of the technical aspects of implementing a KBE tool with estimates of performance improvement achieved. It can be a useful illustration of a good practice and a proof‐of‐concept for further implementations in complex engineering settings.
Business strategies and the adoption of ERP
Authors: Jang Woan‐yuh , Lin Ching‐i , Pan Ming‐ju
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between business strategies and the adoption of enterprise resource planning (ERP) in Taiwan's communications industry. This sector has experienced astounding growth in production over the past three years.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from 100 organizations through face‐to‐face interviews. A discriminant analysis is used to test the hypotheses pertaining to the ERP adoption decision.

Findings

The results show that a number of identified variables among the key internal and external descriptors of the firm's business strategies are the chief factors that determine whether ERP is adopted or not. Another variable, organization size, is also important, indicating that companies of different size approach the adoption of ERP differently. These variables correctly classify 78 percent of the decisions made with respect to the adoption of ERP.

Originality/value

This is the first empirical research study that examines the relationship between a firm's business strategy and the adoption of ERP in the rapidly expanding communications industry in Taiwan. With an increased understanding and better insight into this relationship, it should be possible for managers to be more proactive in their planning of the future adoption of an ERP system.
Advanced manufacturing technology adoption in developing countries
Authors: Abd Rahman Azmawani , Bennett David
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Developing countries are heavily dependent on the resources and commitment of foreign providers to ensure successful adoption of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT). The purpose of this paper is to describe the important role of buyer‐supplier relationships (BSRs) in the process of technology selection, acquisition and implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 147 Malaysian manufacturing firms is the main instrument used in the research investigations and data analysis is carried out by the structured equation modelling (SEM) technique. In particular, the authors examine the impact on performance of different patterns of relationship between technology buyers and suppliers.

Findings

Although the majority of the firms reported improvements in their performance since the acquisition of AMT, closer investigation reveals that those demonstrating a closer relationship with their suppliers are more likely to achieve higher levels of technology and implementation performance (IP) than those that do not.

Research limitations/implications

The paper only assesses the strength of BSR from the buyers' perspective and they may have limited experience of acquisition, whereas suppliers may have more experience of selling AMT. Also, the research is undertaken in Malaysia and the findings may be different in other countries, especially where the technology being acquired is not imported but sourced locally.

Practical implications

The findings relating to BSR, technology acquisition and IP have important implications both for customers and supplier firms as well as for industrial policy makers in developing countries.

Originality/value

The result of the research provides useful insights that are especially pertinent to an improved understanding of BSRs in the procurement of capital equipment, about which the current research literature is limited.
A methodology for cost‐oriented assembly line balancing problems
Authors: Padrón Mario , de los A. Irizarry María , Resto Pedro , Mejía Heidy P.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The efficiency of assembly lines is a critical factor for the competitiveness of industries in the global market. The purpose of this paper is to present a line balancing methodology consisting of the combination of a heuristic model and an exact algorithm with intelligent task location or line zone constraints. The objective is to find a minimum cost solution in a feasible computational time with a realistic cost function considering short‐term operation costs, task‐related and workstation capital investment costs, and workstation paralleling.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is evaluated using different problem sizes, zone sizes and cycle time scenarios. The quality of results is measured by the closeness to the global optimum and the computational time requirements.

Findings

The proposed methodology is found to be highly effective with an average percentage difference of −0.63 percent from the optimum solution. In the experimentation, results are compared against the global optimum in 24 of the 36 scenarios tested. In 23 of the 24 (95.8 percent) results, the largest percentage difference is 0.55 percent. In eight of the 12 cases in which the global optimum is not found, the algorithm with zone constraints provided a better solution than the upper bound available when the simulation model pursuing the optimum is stopped. These unfinished runs are stopped after a minimum run time of 24 hours.

Originality/value

The originality of the methodology is on the strategy used to consider workstation paralleling with task‐related capital investment costs. It is the only one with an exact algorithm considering task‐related capital investment costs in combination with workstation paralleling.
Sustainability – a new dimension in information systems evaluation
Authors: Piotrowicz Wojciech , Cuthbertson Richard
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce sustainability as a new dimension of information systems (IS) evaluation. Customers, policymakers and business partners increasingly require the monitoring and reporting of the organisational impact on sustainability. However, traditional IS evaluation approaches are not able to capture the impact of information technology (IT)/IS on sustainability, especially in relation to social and environmental dimensions, so the authors want to stimulate discussion and research related to this area.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is conceptual. However, it is based on the results of an existing related research project focussed on supply chain evaluation.

Findings

In order to stimulate discussion and research, the authors propose a framework that was originally developed to evaluate supply chain practices, in which IS often play a major role. The framework is built on three dimensions – economic, social and environmental – which are divided further into three sub‐dimensions. It can be used as a starting point to develop a framework for sustainability‐oriented IS evaluation.

Research limitations/implications

The framework was originally developed for supply chain evaluation; however, it has generic features that can be adjusted or modified in order to be applied to a whole range of IT/IS initiatives

Practical implications

Sustainability and its new dimensions create new challenges for information systems evaluation. Companies require frameworks and tools that can help them to measure and evaluate the impact of IS on sustainability. The researcher's role is to answer such needs and focus on this emerging research topic; this paper aims to stimulate such research.

Originality/value

Sustainability is a new dimension in IT/IS evaluation. Current approaches do not include all sustainability dimensions (environmental aspects are excluded, evaluation of the social impact is limited).
An analysis of the major issues for successful information technology transfer in Arab countries
Authors: Al‐Mabrouk Khalid , Soar Jeffrey
Published: October 2009

Purpose

In the history of technology transfer in Arab countries, it is probably true that there has been more failure and disappointment than satisfaction and success in achieving the expected results from the technology transfer agreements. Many complex issues are involved in the consideration of technology transfer in Arab countries. The purpose of this study is to identify, analyse and discuss the major issues for successful information technology (IT) transfer in Arab countries.

Design/methodology/approach

A three‐round, non‐anonymous, Delphi‐type survey is designed and connected to understand and explicate major issues from the perceptions of stakeholder groups in Arab countries.

Findings

The coding approach and synthesis procedures result in a master set of ten major issues categories for successful IT transfer in Arab countries.

Originality/value

This paper serves to focus discussion and promote constructive interaction for the purpose of developing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the nuances of IT transfer process in Arab countries.