bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How successful companies challenge conventional wisdom about the limits to growth
Authors: Kapur Vivek , Ferris Jeffere , Juliano John , Berman Saul J.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Growth is the top priority on the CEO agenda, but the question they confront is “What factors constrain growth?” And, “How do successful companies drive growth?”

Design/methodology/approach

IBM Institute for Business Value conducted a global study that focused on three questions: Who are the successful growers and what patterns are associated with them? What do successful growers do differently? How can other companies apply what they do?

Findings

The major finding were: that limits to growth are often self‐imposed and, as such, can be overcome; firms with the will to be successful growers can break free of perceived constraints related to size, industry boundaries and geographic neighborhood; and despite the widely held belief that mergers and acquisitions inherently destroy value for the acquirer, companies that learn to become successful growers use M&A strategies effectively.

Research limitations/implications

Looking at 1,238 Global S&P 1200 companies, the IBM team analyzed the patterns of revenue growth and shareholder value creation over the decade, segmenting results by four component geographies and 18 industry groups. It selected three industries (consumer products, telecom services and electronics) for detailed assessment, developing cases studies for about 20 companies in each industry, picked to represent a range of successful and unsuccessful results.

Practical implications

Winning the growth game requires companies to excel in three vital areas: course, capability and conviction. Successful growers set the right growth direction – the course – by forming a clear point of view on the future, evolving the product‐market portfolio without being limited by history, building a competitive model to win and pursuing reinforcing initiatives to sustain growth. They truly understand their capabilities – based on realistic assessments of their strengths and limitations – and evolve their operational model to support the growth strategy. Finally, while many companies develop excellent plans, truly successful growers build organization‐wide conviction that translates intent into action for everyone from top leaders to front line managers.

Originality/value

The message is clear: neighborhood is not destiny. Executives have more room to be ambitious than they tend to believe. Winning companies set ambitious growth plans regardless of industry or geographic “limits.” They aim for targets above and beyond what they and their peers typically expect.
Effective leadership response to crisis
Authors: Fred Garcia Helio
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This article offers guidelines for effective crisis response.

Design/methodology/approach

Its thesis is: whether an organization survives a crisis with its reputation, operations, and financial condition intact is determined less by the severity of the crisis than by the timeliness and effectiveness of the response

Findings

Companies with effective crisis response saw their stock price recover quickly, and remain above their pre‐crisis price thereafter, closing an average of seven percent above their pre‐crisis price one year after the crisis.

Practical implications

Offers do and don't prescriptions for managing a crisis.

Originality/value

A consultant recognized as an authority in his field shares his experience in effective crisis management.
Overcoming the barriers to effective innovation
Authors: Loewe Pierre , Dominiquini Jennifer
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This article offers three key pieces of advice for companies that aspire to be successful serial innovators: don't just treat the symptoms. Don't only act on one root cause. Don't blindly copy best practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Explains how to conduct an “innovation diagnostic” to pinpoint your company's specific innovation issues and opportunities and how to build a tailored action plan to address your company's most critical issues.

Findings

The study found that companies that act systemically on all four root causes of innovation blockages have the best chance of success.

Practical implications

Companies that aspire to be successful innovators need to act on the root causes of innovation failure found in four areas: leadership behaviors, management processes, people and skills, and culture and values.

Originality/value

Explains why innovation dysfunctionality is systemic problem, not one that can be quick fixed with a few new techniques such as stage gates and idea generation sessions.
How storytelling can drive strategic change
Authors: Adamson Gary , Pine Joe , Van Steenhoven Tom , Kroupa Jodi
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The authors advocate making storytelling an integral tool of corporate strategy. Stories create the experience that lets strategy be understood at a personal level. In order to be effective, strategy must not just inform, it must. And people are never inspired by reason alone.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study of the development and presentation of a strategic story – one designed to describe the future of San Juan Regional. It became known as “The Raiders of the Lost Art.”

Findings

According the CEO of San Juan Regional: “We learned a whole new way for management and employees to work together to make dramatic new things happen. So we have committed to this type of storytelling and feedback to be done every 18 months.”

Research limitations/implications

Research on the success of companies implementing strategic change using the storytelling tool vs. those that rely on an analytical presentation would be valuable.

Practical implications

If you want your change message to actually take hold – if you want it to transform how things are done in your world – then weave your message about the new strategy into a compelling and memorable story.

Originality/value

When more leaders immerse their employees in compelling and inspirational strategy stories, more companies will achieve their change goals.
Ten steps to get more business value from knowledge management
Authors: Denning Stephen
Published: January 2007

Purpose

As firms once again come to see knowledge management as central to having an effective, efficient organization, executives should address the problem of how the firm can capture the promise of knowledge management while sidestepping the pitfalls. This article aims to offer steps to overcome this problem.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on his experience and that of other experts, the author offers ten practical steps for an executive to take to exploit the true potential of knowledge management.

Findings

The article suggests that if these ten basic principles are followed, managers should be able to capture much of knowledge management's potential while avoiding its most serious pitfalls.

Practical implications

The article explains how to use metrics, narratives, incentives, goals, and cultural change to support knowledge management.

Originality/value

The article provides an overview of the actions–technological, cultural and procedural–that leaders can take to get greater value out of knowledge. These include finding better ways to identify, gather, share and exploit the knowledge that the firm may possess or can create, access, or develop.
Using tactical intelligence to help inform strategy
Authors: Culver Martha
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to show how operationally specific, “down in the trenches” competitive intelligence can help inform and contribute to a much higher‐level view of the competitive arena that can inform company strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The article presents a practical application based on various tactical intelligence methodologies, such as win/loss analysis, primary intelligence collection, etc.

Findings

By analyzing it at a higher level, CI practitioners and strategists can use tactical intelligence to help support strategy development, not just day‐to‐day company operations.

Practical implications

The article shows managers how to use tactical intelligence to help inform strategy.

Originality/value

This article takes very operationally specific, “down in the trenches” intelligence and shows how it can help inform and contribute to a much higher‐level view of the competitive marketplace. Many people tend to think of tactical intelligence as low‐value data or information. This article shows that if managers connect the dots of tactical intelligence and use this analysis to help inform strategy, they have a better chance of reacting to and anticipating major events without being blindsided.
Interview: the leader's handbook to the future
Authors: Randall Robert M.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Bill Ralston and Ian Wilson have written a unique resource for corporate leaders – The Scenario Planning Handbook: Developing Strategies in Uncertain Times (Thomson/Southwestern, 2006). Strategy & Leadership editor Robert M. Randall interviewed them to ask, for example, Why does scenario planning deserve special top management attention?

Design/methodology/approach

The interview covers such topics as: Do executives really need to get involved with the nuts and bolts of scenario development? Will that really help them with the management of strategy which is clearly their prime responsibility?

Findings

The authors of the Handbook believe that scenario planning is an excellent way to “rehearse the future.” By thinking continuously about the future, and how a business might react to major changes, managers will be better prepared to respond quickly to extraordinary events when they do occur.

Practical implications

Scenario planning can lead to true organizational learning if leaders facilitate four developments: executives, managers and staff must become convinced that long‐term, superior performance of the organization depends on anticipating and responding to future events, discontinuities, innovations and trends better than the competition; information – about internal and external developments –must flow freely so that the seeds of new businesses can grow as existing businesses compete aggressively for market share; the organization must acquire or develop competencies in external‐environment intelligence, technology innovation, planning under uncertainty, experimenting with new products and services, and executing change; and effective processes must be developed for scanning and monitoring, scenario planning, technology innovation, and decision‐making under uncertainty.

Originality/value

This interview taps the experience the two scenario planning consultants have accumulated from working on scenario projects over several decades.
Using scenarios to improve marketing
Authors: Curry Andrew , Ringland Gill , Young Laurie
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The paper explains how scenarios can be used to create alternative models of markets in way that is useful to marketing managers and the product development team.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper outlines the how‐to process for developing and using marketing scenarios.

Findings

The paper finds that marketing scenarios can help leaders improve their understanding of future customer behavior; be used with focus groups to test reactions to different products in varying future contexts; be translated into physical environments that help focus groups to “live” in the future; be useful in developing brand strategy and in testing the sustainability of brands; uncover a wider range of choices than those perceived by competitors, facilitating customer preference and longer‐term relationships and explore uncertainty and can help to anticipate new value propositions.

Practical implications

One of the benefits of shorter‐term scenarios is that rather than pointing marketers towards a range of alternative possible industry futures, they are more likely to steer them towards a range of developing market opportunities. Several of the scenarios are likely to play out at the same time in different parts of the market. This means they can help marketers to identify both the sectors where their offering can be competitive and the sectors where it will flounder.

Originality/value

The paper presents several advantages of using marketing analysis tools to analyze a number of potential futures: for example, to gain a perspective beyond the current ones (timeframe, markets, organizational); and also to provide a framework for a discussion of priorities and assumptions that have all ready been made in the organization's “official future.”
How leaders use Zero‐Gravity Thinkers to stimulate innovation
Authors: Barton Rabe Cynthia
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The paper aims to ask “Why is repeated innovation success so elusive?” The conclusion being that there is ample evidence to suggest that the hard‐won experience and best practices that were the cornerstone of past innovation success can be a hindrance on the next try.

Design/methodology/approach

How does an established organization simultaneously escape from and use its accumulated knowledge? The paper describes a solution which the author implemented at Intel: introducing Zero‐Gravity Thinkers to company teams looking for innovative solutions to challenges.

Findings

The paper finds that although much has been written about the innovation‐enhancing power of “outsiders” and “different thinkers”, the Zero‐Gravity Thinker role that evolved on the Intel teams had very specific traits.

Practical implications

To be effective, Zero‐Gravity Thinkers must be temporary (never permanent) team members with three characteristics – psychological distance from the team, renaissance tendencies (strong intellectual curiosity combined with an inventive/creative streak), and related expertise (knowledge relevant to the particular challenge).

Originality/value

The paper defines three practices leaders can use to make a collaborative effort with a Zero‐Gravity Thinker successful.
Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg on redefining value in health care: an interview
Authors: Davidson Alistair , Randall Robert M.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to discover the views of Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg on redefining value in health care.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is in the form of an interview with Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg with reference to their book Redefining Health Care: Creating Value‐based Competition on Results.

Findings

The paper reveals the subjects of cost, quality and access have reached crisis proportions in health care services and thus a value‐based competition approach would alleviate this.

Originality/value

The interview provides useful information on the redefinition of value in health care
Recruiting and educating a board that can add value to strategy
Authors: Early Stewart
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Most strategists would likely agree with the statement that company boards need to have a good understanding of corporate and business unit strategy in order to contribute to and oversee decision making. Recent McKinsey research suggests, however, that a majority of senior executives do not believe the board members adequately understand company strategy. This paper aims to investigate what is the best way to educate a board so it will be knowledgeable about strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper compares and contrasts two sets of best practices for educating a board so that its members can add greater value to strategy making – advice in the current McKinsey Quarterly and that of David Nadler, author of Building Better Boards.

Findings

The paper concluded that the prescriptions of the McKinsey authors Dennis Carney and Michael Patsalos‐Fox are helpful, but consultant David Nadler offers a more comprehensive explanation in Building Better Boards.

Practical implications

Some key practices worth considering: raise strategy's profile in board work. Surprisingly no US company has a board committee devoted to the formulation and review of strategy; populate the board with at least three to four members who have industry expertise in the core business and market conditions the company faces; and reform board processes. To keep pace with change, CEOs should lead regular strategy updates at least every other board meeting.

Originality/value

By synthesizing the practical suggestions from the two sources, companies can put together a package of best practices.
Periscopic media tour
Authors: Henry Craig
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Over a two‐month period, the editor of this review has searched worldwide for the most interesting and useful media articles on the topic of strategic management.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to his own finds, the editor sorted through suggestions by a team of veteran top managers and senior academics.

Findings

The result is a surprisingly diverse set of media articles about strategy and leadership on such topics as promoting innovation, knowledge bridging, enabling change management, capitalism in failed states, building the no‐brand company, estimating the value of IT and the ignorance of crowds.

Practical implications

URL links and references have been provided for the articles so that managers can easily follow up this quick scan of the media by reading the articles in full.

Originality/value

Provides a snapshot of what managers are reading and a guide to trends and fresh thinking.
Finally, a strategic way to cut unnecessary SKUs
Authors: Byrne Bob
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The article offers a radically different and truly strategic approach to SKU optimization.

Design/methodology/approach

The author has put together an innovative approached base on recycling and reapplying tested methodology – such as customer preferences and customer switching behavior – to achieve the removal of unneeded products from the portfolio.

Findings

This new methodology holds the prospect for a portfolio transformation, brand enhancement and significant cost reduction

Practical implications

Designed to eliminate high‐volume but unnecessary SKUs, this approach is based on three principles: Only products that score well with consumers are keepers; and those that don't score highly can be targeted for elimination. Identify which SKUs serve unique channels. Conduct a failed‐product elimination process.

Originality/value

This is the first truly strategic approach to ending SKU proliferation, a cause of substantial wasted resources.
Reaping value from intellectual property: DuPont's strategic approach achieves global growth
Authors: Sterling John , Murray Charles D.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Explains how companies can learn from the best practices DuPont uses to aggressively manage its intellectual property and grow its licensing revenues.

Design/methodology/approach

This case extracts three key success factors from the DuPont approach and describes how they are applied in practice.

Findings

At a strategic level, companies need to have a corporate level commitment to capturing and growing value from its intellectual assets – a proactive approach, not a passive, opportunistic approach. Companies need to focus resources on facilitating the creation of licensing revenue growth – either centrally, as at DuPont, or within every substantial business unit that “owns” licensable intellectual assets. And, companies need to create incentives for business units to devote attention and resources to its intellectual property portfolio.

Practical implications

Smaller technology companies have a strong motivation to aggressively manage their intellectual property and grow their licensing revenues, because scale and the related networks that scale creates enhance a company's ability to capture future growth and value from its IP portfolio.

Originality/value

All companies with valuable intellectual property can learn from the best practices of the industry leaders.
Preparing for China's next great leap
Authors: Gadiesh Orit , di Paola Paul , Caruso Luca , Chung Leung Oi
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Alert global firms that China plans to become an incubator for top companies rather than simply a low‐cost manufacturing base.

Design/methodology/approach

Outline the strategies for MNCs to penetrate China's expanding market and defend their global position.

Findings

MNCs have figured out the six keys to success: differentiate your products, bring production costs down in line with local cost structures, design offerings for local tastes, create smart partnerships, develop close government relationships and hire strong, “China‐fluent” management, both local and expatriate.

Practical implications

Actions for MNCs to take: Develop Chinese toehold operations into self‐standing and profitable units. Dramatically reset the standards for cost competitiveness. Protect the value segments in your core markets. Treat human resource management as a strategic global function. Accelerate and globalize R&D. Ensure that each business is delivering what it promises to core customers.

Originality/value

Assesses the strategic strengths and weakness of MNCs and potential Chinese rivals.
Othersourcing: technological outsourcing
Authors: Brown Arnold
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Increasingly over the next decade corporate leaders will have to deal with the political and social fallout of othersourcing – the ability to have work done by robots and computer programs.

Design/methodology/approach

Provides examples of this othersourcing trend in every kind of business, and also in government, military, and non‐profit activities as well.

Findings

People will increasingly be on their own, in competition with software, robots, foreigners, newly engineered systems, unexpected competition, do‐it‐yourself customers and other independent contactors.

Practical implications

Employers should have a comprehensive othersourcing strategy that includes dealing with an increase in negative consequences.

Originality/value

Establishes othersourcing – a potentially massive shift of increasingly higher kinds of work to machines and software –as an even more disruptive trend than outsourcing.
Periscopic media tour
Authors: Henry Craig
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Over a two‐month period, the editor of this media review has searched worldwide for the most interesting and useful articles, blogs and books on the topic of strategic management.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to his own finds, the editor sorted through suggestions by a team of veteran top managers and senior academics.

Findings

The result is a surprisingly diverse set of media articles about strategy and leadership on such topics as Home Depot Business Tool Box, “bridging” technologies, a fully formed Web operating system, corporate chameleons, population of competing business plans, Microsoft's portfolio‐of‐experiments, law of small numbers, idiocy of crowds, FedEx Kinko's vision, vigilant leadership, Evidence‐Based Management, customization at Wal‐Mart, constraints that boost creativity.

Practical implications

URL links and references have been provided for the articles so that managers can easily follow up this quick scan of the media by reading the articles in full.

Originality/value

Provides a snapshot of what managers are reading and a guide to trends and fresh thinking.
A substantive model of the annual financial reporting exercise in a non‐market corporate
Authors: Hussey Roger , Ong Audra
Published: January 2007

Purpose – Although it is acknowledged that the dissemination of financial information to stakeholders is a communications process, the main focus of prior research has been on the documents themselves rather than the context in which the information is generated, selected and disseminated. This paper remedies this deficiency by drawing on communication theory to construct a substantive model of the annual financial reporting exercise. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal study employing grounded theory was conducted in a non‐market corporate in the U.K. This involved documentary analysis, non‐participant observation and in depth interviews. Findings – The research identified three distinct functions of financial reporting which are formed through the inter‐action of four major determinants: producers' objectives, stakeholders' objectives, the political determinant, the environmental determinant. The level of satisfaction of producers and stakeholders with the perceived function of the annual corporate report leads to an aftermath. This may be either a reinforcement aftermath or it may be a destabilizer aftermath that will necessitate changes in the four determinants. Research limitations/implications – The study was conducted in a non‐market corporate in the UK and caution should be used in attempting to generalize to market corporates. Originality/value – The substantive model offers a diagnostic framework to further explore the nature and dynamics of the annual financial reporting exercise with the evidence of an aftermath being a key finding from the research.
Ethical and social responsibility issues in grocery shopping: a preliminary typology
Authors: Memery Juliet , Megicks Phil , Williams Jasmine
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Despite growing awareness of ethical and social responsibility (E&SR) issues in academia and industry, investigation of their influence on consumers' buying decisions has been limited. To help fill this gap, this paper reports the findings of a preliminary investigation to establish the key E&SR factors affecting grocery shopping behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The study drew upon existing literature in the areas of ethics, social responsibility, shopping and store image to identify the individual elements of E&SR. An exploratory qualitative study of E&SR consumers (E&SRC) was then conducted, using seven focus groups, and a typology of key factors of concern to these consumers was derived from analysis.

Findings

The findings identify seven core categories, containing seventy‐one sub‐categories. These interlink to form three main clusters: food quality and safety, human rights and ethical trading, and environmental (green) issues. Shoppers trade off these E&SR factors against standard retail purchasing factors, in particular convenience, price and merchandise range when deciding which shops to use and what products to buy.

Research limitations/implications

The typology derived from this exploratory research may be used alongside conventional store image factors in future research, to help predict those factors that influence purchasing behaviour. Similarly, it may assist brand and retail managers in profiling, and meeting the needs of, E&SRC.

Originality/value

The research distinguishes differences in how shopper types vary in their behaviour, and proposes a set of implications for managers of the research and areas for further investigation.
A qualitative exploration of a consumer's value‐based e‐trust building process
Authors: Pennanen Kyösti , Tiainen Tarja , Luomala Harri T.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a value‐based framework for the consumer e‐trust building process.

Design/methodology/approach

The data collection procedure consisted of two steps. The first was a brief questionnaire measuring potential informants' personal values. From this pool of potential informants, 30 were recruited for the interviews: five security‐ and five excitement‐minded consumers from three fields of electronic commerce; electronic newspapers, electronic grocery shopping, and electronic healthcare services.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal two value‐based external factors in e‐trust building that consumers perceive as risks in e‐commerce, and three value‐based behavioral patterns in e‐trust building that informants adopt to reduce perceived risks and build trust in e‐commerce. Furthermore, findings of the current study suggest that e‐trust building process is different based on individuals' personal values.

Research limitations/implications

This study takes into account only two consumers' personal values, security and excitement, and ignores others. However, it identifies the role of the consumers' personal values in e‐trust building, and thus opens new perspectives for further e‐trust research. The study also identifies different strategies that consumers can use to build trust in e‐commerce.

Originality/value

This study opens new perspectives in e‐trust research by exploring the role of consumers' personal values in e‐trust building process. The study also provides new insights for other researchers to develop understanding on mechanisms that consumers use to build e‐trust.
Identification of ambiguity in the case study research typology: what is a unit of analysis?
Authors: Grünbaum Niels N.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

At the moment central concepts relating to the case study strategy are insufficiently understood. This is unfortunate in that the truth value of results inferred from case studies may be questioned. Given the fact that case studies are widely employed in many fields the identified ambiguities represent an imperative dilemma of great consequences to the research community in general. Hence, the objectives are to identify ambiguities, explore further consequences of ambiguities and to propose a rival understanding that will remedy the present inconsistencies.

Design/methodology/approach

An analysis of literature was undertaken. Based on a critical assessment of existing theoretical concepts, modifications and novel conceptual ideas are proposed. The proposed framework is, moreover, thoroughly exemplified by a business‐to‐business research example, thereby enhancing applicability when future case studies are undertaken.

Findings

The outcome was a string of generic case study characteristics, an elaboration of ambiguity and consequences of the identified ambiguity, a modification of Yins' case study design typology, and finally an integrative theoretical framework that illustrates an alternative conception of the unit of analysis and the case. Accepting the criticisms and ideas presented makes it easier to identify and demarcate units of analysis that are comparable with the original analyzed unit of analysis. This will enhance the probability of authenticity and fittingness of inferred case results.

Originality/value

The contributions of this paper will facilitate a higher level of awareness about the assumptions of the paradigmatic posture researchers hold. This will cause researchers to craft more logical coherent designs and conduct better case studies across fields of theories. Moreover, they will to a higher extent be able to understand rival points of view, enabling them to construct more nuanced and astute discussions and novel insights.
Making virtual teams more effective: improving relational links
Authors: Beranek Peggy M. , Martz Ben
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To report on a study testing training methods to improve communications among virtual team members.

Design/methodology/approach

Training methods for improving virtual team communications were developed and administered to 12 virtual teams. Surveys tracking cohesiveness, perceptions of the process and satisfaction with the outcomes were administered before, during and after teams working on a series of projects. These results were compared with similar teams working on the same projects who did not receive training.

Findings

Results indicated that teams receiving training showed more cohesiveness, perceptions of the process and satisfaction. These factors have been shown to increase team members' ability to exchange information and to positively affect the group's performance.

Practical implications

Relational link training seems beneficial for virtual teams as the teams in this study that had relational link training showed higher levels of group cohesiveness, satisfaction with their group's outcome, and had a better impression of the group's virtual meeting process. Relational link training may have a benefit of establishing and managing expectations for how groups work together. This is especially true in its mitigating negative impacts on group cohesiveness. It is important to measure the impact of any training program, relational link or otherwise, over multiple periods, as the true impact may not become evident except over longer periods of time.

Originality/value

Provides information on improving communication among virtual team members.
Concurrent engineering teams I: organizational determinants of usage
Authors: Boyle Todd A. , Kumar Vinod , Kumar Uma
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This article is the first in a two‐part discussion of the determinants and performance consequences of concurrent engineering (CE) team usage in organizations. The purpose of this first article is to develop a model of the organizational factors that influence the extent that CE teams are used when developing new products.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the model, 2,500 questionnaires were mailed to new product development (NPD) managers from the machinery, computer product, electrical equipment, and transportation equipment manufacturing industries, of which 189 usable questionnaires were returned, for a usable response rate of 7.5 percent. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with partial least squares.

Findings

Results indicate that an innovative organizational climate and complex NPD activities both influence the extent that organizations support functional integration on NPD teams, and this support, in turn, influences the extent that organizations use CE teams. Analyzing the qualitative data using content analysis indicates additional factors influencing CE team usage.

Research limitations/implications

To researchers, this study examines in detail the extent of CE team usage, thus addressing a major gap in the research literature. This study also addresses the concerns of researchers by examining organizational contextual factors.

Practical implications

To NPD managers, this study highlights organizational precursor conditions needed in order for CE teams to be supported in the organizations, specifically complex NPD activities and an innovative organizational climate. By examining these two variables, NPD managers can gauge the likelihood that CE teams will be supported even before they are actually implemented.
Do you know your STUFF? Training collaborative modelers
Authors: Mikel Millward Scott
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This research in the paper seeks to extend the findings of Jeffery et al. by describing and testing two communication processes for improving collaborative modeling and team performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper frames the process of collaborative modeling in terms of developing task independent communication skills that help group members determine how to communicate and what to communicate about. Two training devices, the STUFF architecture and SCRIP reports, are tested using a prisoner rescue simulation.

Findings

In the paper a significant relationship is found between implementation of the training devices and improved shared mental models, including spatial awareness of other team members and homogeneity of perceived time demands. A significant relationship was also found between high degree of mental model overlap and improved performance on the rescue task. Overall, groups who implemented the communication training also felt better about themselves and their performance.

Research limitations/implications

In this paper, the impact of the proposed training has only been tested using the experimental scenario. More training and testing must be completed before generalizations about this method are supportable.

Practical implications

The findings in the paper warrant a shift in focus toward targeted training of communication skills that are most likely to support collaborative modeling across tasks.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical validation to the claims of Jeffery et al. (2005) and provides a step toward a research agenda for improving team performance through the use of task independent communication skills that specifically support the collaborative modeling process in many contexts.
Using intranets to make virtual teams effective
Authors: Denton D. Keith
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to improve the chances of success of a virtual team.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a review of the formation, problems, and opportunities in setting up a virtual team.

Findings

The paper finds that the biggest problem concerns that of getting people to work together using a common language and having common goals. There are also issues with keeping a team on track. Key to solving many of these problems is the appropriate use of the new information and communication technologies.

Practical implications

In this paper, it is shown that installing groupware supplies some of the answers. Alongside this, there is a need for benchmarks, measures, and clear visions of what is expected. Continuous feedback is required, to update and keep all members within the loop.

Originality/value

The paper shows a fresh roundup of making the most of the intranet for successful teams who are in different locations
A process for identifying the skills needed for operating in a self‐directed work team in a manufacturing setting
Authors: Kent Thomas W.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The paper sets out to show that more and more firms are employing employee involvement systems to enhance motivation, employee performance and organizational productivity. Managers often attempt to install teams into a traditional manufacturing process by finding elements that they believe will “work” in that setting. While they typically do a very good job at this cut and paste approach, they often suboptimize the potential of the team structure. They do not take advantage of a “full scale” Self‐Directed Work Team (SDWT) system.

Design/methodology/approach

In the paper it is revealed that this often results from two conditions that exist in organizations that already exist in which managers attempt to insert teams or from one of these two conditions that apply to start‐up situations as well.

Findings

The paper finds that one of these conditions that exists for traditional, existing organizations is the problem of existing systems – accounting, personnel, operating, etc. systems. Managers have to work within or around the existing systems that tend to operate counter to the principles of SDWT formation. The second condition is that managers often cannot see, in their mind's eye, the path or transition from where they are to the full SDWT structure. These give them a sense of loss of control. So, they go only as far as they can control.

Originality/value

This paper describes a process to enable managers to both: describe, from a competency standpoint, the end state SDWT picture; and plan and track the progress of each team toward that end state. Practical examples that come from US and UK manufacturing sites are provided.
Critical thinking in organizations
Authors: Natale Sam , Ricci Frederick
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to review the history of critical thinking as a seminal and foundational skill for small groups. The paper shows that much of the team research focuses on the elementary functions of decision‐making processes, task fulfilment, and project management. Virtual teaming research adds some of the complexities introduced by working in and between cultures, across time zones and related difficulties in coordination and meaning‐making activities for the virtual team.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper seeks to review the definitions of critical thinking, and review the literature relative to small group activities and the impacts and requirements of critical thinking for effective team functioning. The notion of reflective journaling is introduced as a way in which to introduce improved critical thinking into the organization at the level of the individual for performance organizational performance.

Findings

The paper finds that critical thinking within teams will improve organizational performance. It will also enhance any training and development initiatives. The topic is introduced as an information analysis of the field of critical thinking, and its impact on individuals working in teams. Authorial content is presented which can become the elements of a critical thinking checklist for team practitioners in the organization to enhance critical thinking at the individual, organization and societal levels.

Originality/value

In this paper useful ideas for established or “to be established” teams and improving performance are shown.
The impact of ad hoc teams in the automobile industry
Authors: Marín García Juan A. , Pardo del Val Manuela , Bonavia Martin Tomás
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of training on ad hoc teams in an industrial setting.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, data were collected from 11 Spanish automobile manufacturer suppliers and included the assessment of the current situation, the creation and holding of different workshops followed by the collection of the results.

Findings

The paper finds that ad hoc teams are really effective especially in lean companies.

Originality/value

This paper breaks new ground in analysing the effect of training ad hoc teams in an industrial setting.
Cultivating technological innovations in Middle Eastern countries
Authors: Bagherinejad Jafar
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to present the results of a research on technological innovation process with the feature of industries in developing countries including Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

Technological innovation characteristics were re‐conceptualised in the context of developing countries and the extent to which a firm's internal factors, its networking and its environmental factors, including national innovation system, can influence its technology innovation behaviour were examined empirically.

Findings

The results address several policy implications, which, although Iran‐specific, may nevertheless be transferable to other developing countries.

Originality/value

To some extent fills the current gap in the determinants of technological innovation and the essential factors for successful industrial innovation in developing countries in general and Middle Eastern countries in particular.
Optimal preventive maintenance policies for a shock model with given damage level
Authors: Hua Qian Cun , Ito Kodo , Nakagawa Toshio
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper considers and discusses analytically the optimal preventive maintenance (PM) policies of aged plants such as fossil‐fired power plants.

Design/methodology/approach

Shocks are assumed to occur at a nonhomogeneous Poisson process and the total damage due to each shock is additive. The system undergoes the PM at a certain time or the total damage exceeds a managerial level. The expected cost rate until PM is derived and optimal policies which minimizes it are discussed.

Findings

There exists a unique optimal time (T*) or managerial level (k*) which minimizes the expected cost rate. But there does not exist a positive pair (T*, k*), simultaneously.

Research limitations/implications

The damage occurrence distribution is assumed to be nonhomogeneous Poisson one.

Practical implications

Useful methods to consider the optimal PM policies for power plant engineers.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to users of aged power plants economically and practically.
SNEM: a new approach to evaluate terminal pair reliability of communication networks
Authors: Goyal Neeraj Kumar , Babu Misra Ravindra , Chaturvedi Sanjay Kumar
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper proposes a new approach source node exclusion method (SNEM) to evaluate terminal pair reliability of complex communication networks.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed approach breaks a non‐series‐parallel network to obtain its sub‐networks by excluding the source node from rest of the network. The reliabilities of these sub‐networks are thereafter computed by first applying the series‐parallel‐reductions to it and if any sub‐network results into another non‐series‐parallel network then it is solved by the recursive application of SNEM.

Findings

The proposed method has been applied on a variety of network and found to be quite simple, robust, and fast for terminal pair reliability evaluation of large and complex networks.

Practical implications

The proposed approach is quite simple in application and applicable to any general networks, i.e. directed and undirected. The method does not require any prior information such as path (or cut) sets of the network and their pre‐processing thereafter or perform complex tests on networks to match a predefined criterion.

Originality/value

The proposed approach provides an easy to develop and easy to use tool to determine terminal pair reliability of a communication network. The approach is particularly useful for communication network designer and analysts.
Modeling critical failures maintenance: a case study for mining
Authors: Crespo Marquez Adolfo
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to present a case study where computer simulation is used to evaluate maintenance strategies targeted to cope with a critical failure of a repairable system.

Design/methodology/approach

The problem is characterized, modeled and simulated under different conditions and for finite time periods. The different states of the system and the possible transitions among these states are characterized. Transitions are conditioned by the failure dynamics and by the maintenance decision maker. The model is then formalized and the data requirements fulfilled.

Findings

The performance of several maintenance policies based on educated estimations about the equipment behavior, manufacturer recommendations, well‐known previous maintenance practices, etc. benchmarked against the results of certain modeling and optimization tools.

Practical implications

Practical implications of this work have to do with following the entire modeling process and maintenance policy assessment with an engineering team, exploring options and opportunities to support the maintenance managers.

Originality/value

Maintenance policy design exploration using semi‐Markovian process simulation modeling.