bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of an organization's culture for work and family
Authors: Forret Monica , de Janasz Suzanne
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This study sets out to examine whether protégés have more favorable perceptions of an organization's culture for balancing work and family than non‐protégés.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from 418 employees of a major public accounting firm who completed a survey on mentoring and work‐family issues. Correlation analyses, t‐tests, and regressions were performed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results strongly support the view that protégés had more favorable perceptions than non‐protégés of the organization's work‐family culture – the degree to which integration of employees' work and family lives is supported. Having a mentor was significantly related to each component of work‐family culture (managerial support, time demands, and career consequences) in the predicted direction.

Research limitations/implications

By focusing on respondents in a single firm, it is impossible to determine whether the findings generalize to individuals in other industries or companies.

Practical implications

To attract and retain employees, organizations have become increasingly concerned about their cultures for balancing work and family. By encouraging mentoring, organizations can transmit the message to their employees of resources and support available to help achieve balance.

Originality/value

Despite strong interest in the fields of mentoring and work‐family balance, few research studies have attempted to link these two domains. This research integrates these areas and demonstrates the important role mentors play in developing perceptions of an organization's culture for work‐family balance.
Applying an adult development perspective to developmental networks
Authors: Chandler Dawn E. , Kram Kathy E.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To elaborate how an adult development perspective can further an understanding of mentoring (developmental) networks and their value to focal individuals in terms of the developmental functions provided and outcomes such as personal learning, task performance and development.

Design/methodology/approach

The article utilizes Kegan's developmental stage theory to explore the implications of an adult development lens for individuals' mentoring networks.

Findings

Theoretical propositions suggest varying network structures among individuals at three of Kegan's latter stages of development: interpersonal, institutional, and interindividual, as well as implications for networks and stage on relationship dynamics.

Research limitations/implications

Several propositions are offered for future research that will help to illuminate what mentoring networks may look like at various adult development stages, as well as what organizations should consider as they go about fostering both formal and informal mentoring for their members.

Practical implications

Individuals should consider how their developmental stage may influence the relationships that they have, and those that they should seek to foster for continuous development. Organizations should consider stage of potential mentors and protégés when creating formal mentoring programs, and include opportunities for individuals to reflect on their own developmental stage as part of the self‐assessment and career development process.

Originality/value

The article identifies and describes an individual antecedent – one's developmental stage – that influences developmental relationship qualities and outcomes.
Disentangling the influence of suspects' demeanor and mental disorder on arrest
Authors: Novak Kenneth J. , Engel Robin S.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the factors that influence officer behavior when encountering suspects of crime who are perceived to have a mental disorder.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper utilizes data collected from systematic social observations of street officers during 617 encounters with suspects, including 49 that were perceived to have a mental disorder. Multivariate models are estimated to determine the relative influence mental disorder has on officer decision making.

Findings

The paper finds mentally disordered suspects are more likely to demonstrate disrespectful or hostile behavior. The paper also finds that disrespect and hostility increases the likelihood of arrests. However, results also demonstrate that despite behavioral differences, persons with mental disorders are significantly less likely to be arrested by officers. Results support the contention that officers view mental status as a mitigating factor during encounters, and further calls in to question the criminalization hypothesis.

Research limitations/implications

It is not clear what extent informal actions were taken by officers during encounters with mentally disordered suspects. Future research can also examine the interaction process that occurs between police and citizens who are mentally disordered, and consider evaluating the effectiveness of various responses to mentally disordered suspects.

Originality/value

This paper has value for both practitioners interested in understanding the dynamics of the police‐citizen encounter, as well as academics who are involved with theorizing the nature of social control by police officers.
Police pursuits in Queensland: research, review and reform
Authors: Hoffmann Gabi , Mazerolle Paul
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Police high‐speed pursuits present a difficult area for police managers and policy makers because of the important need to balance public safety with the mandate to enforce laws. The issue of police pursuits has been relatively under‐researched in Australia. The overall purpose of the paper is to provide a descriptive analysis of the characteristics surrounding police pursuits in Queensland, Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Considers recent events involving high speed pursuit‐related fatal accidents and research into police pursuits which has illuminated clearly the significant risks for both community and police organisations associated with pursuits. Uses data collected in Queensland over a five‐year period.

Findings

The results show that approximately 630 pursuits occur per year in Queensland across the study period, and that half of all pursuits are initiated for traffic offences while an additional quarter are initiated for stolen cars. A total of 29 per cent of pursuits involved a collision, 11 per cent resulted in some sort of injury, and 11 people were killed during the five‐year study period. In relation to an issue that appears to justify the initiation of some police pursuits – that fleeing drivers provide opportunities for police to apprehend serious offenders – examination of the charges data against the fleeing driver showed that very few apprehended drivers were charged with crimes more serious than what was known at the time the pursuit was initiated.

Originality/value

The findings in this study illuminate the importance of adopting more restrictive police pursuit policies.
Police (mis)behavior: a cross‐cultural study of corruption seriousness
Authors: Kutnjak Ivković Sanja
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To examine the degree of homogeneity of police officers' evaluations of seriousness of police misconduct across various countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed police officers from Croatia (N=1,649), Finland (N=378), and the USA (3,235). Respondents evaluated ten scenarios describing police corruption and one scenario describing the use of excessive force by indicating how seriously they evaluated each described behavior.

Findings

Line officers' and supervisors' evaluations of seriousness of the 11 scenarios differ substantially across the three countries. The extent of disagreement varies across cases: opinions are the most heterogeneous for the least serious cases and most homogeneous for the most serious ones. By contrast, relative evaluations of seriousness – rankings of cases in each country – are quite similar across the three countries.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could analyze how perceptions of seriousness vary across police agencies' characteristics (e.g. type, geographic location, and size) and respondents' characteristics (e.g. gender, race/ethnicity, age, or education), as well as forms of police misconduct (e.g. perjury, and racial profiling).

Practical implications

Heterogeneity of evaluations of seriousness across the three countries suggests that country‐ and/or agency‐wide environments play a key role in the police officers' views about seriousness of misconduct. Consequently, by controlling agency‐related factors, police administrators may influence the level of seriousness with which police officers view police corruption.

Originality/value

This paper shows that a larger environment plays a crucial role in forming police officers' perceptions of seriousness of police misconduct. The findings also imply that there is shared hierarchy of seriousness of various cases of police misconduct across police officers from three diverse countries.
A confluence of credentialing, career experience, self‐efficacy, emotional intelligence, and motivation on the career commitment of young police in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Oyesoji Aremu A.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Despite much research on police organization generally, little or no research exists on career commitment of young police in Nigeria. This study therefore, aims to investigate the predicting effect of credentialing, career experience, self‐efficacy emotional intelligence (EI), and motivation on the career commitment of young police in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

A field‐based survey approach was adopted to collect a quantitative data through the means of a questionnaire from 200 non‐commissioned officers that were randomly sampled from a police command.

Findings

Multiple regression statistical analysis employed revealed that the independent variables were good predictors (collectively and independently) of career commitment of young police.

Research limitations/implications

These findings were limited to participants from a police command, as well as variables investigated. Thus, efforts should be made in the future to extend the study's scope to other police commands and across the commission in the police.

Originality/value

The findings provide evidence on the need to improve upon the career commitment of Nigerian police. Hence, attention should be paid on the predicting variables investigated in that they provide a significant basis for the current study. These would enrich policing system and culture within the rank and file of Nigeria police.
An exploratory study of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board mediation program
Authors: Bartels Elizabeth C. , Silverman Eli B.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This study seeks to provide an exploratory analysis of the level of satisfaction of citizens and police officers who participated in police complaint mediation. The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board's mediation program served as the case sample.

Design/methodology/approach

A two‐page questionnaire, of multiple choice and open‐ended questions, was sent to the sample population (N=285) of officers and complainants who either had their cases mediated or fully investigated.

Findings

Complainants who participated in mediation were significantly more satisfied with the police complaint procedure, and the NYPD as a whole, than those whose cases were fully investigated. Two major areas of research concern also emerged from the data: a need for an analysis of the cases where complainants wish to avoid face‐to‐face meetings with subject officers, and a clarification of the expectations of mediation participants.

Research limitations/implications

This study's low response rate (18.2 percent) warrants caution in generalizing the findings of this study. Another limitation to this research was the cross‐sectional survey design; a pre‐post survey design would better determine whether the sample bias existed.

Practical implications

This research helps to inform police and civilian oversight officials of the effectiveness of police complaint mediation. In addition, this study highlights areas which merit future investigation.

Originality/value

This paper is the first examination of the satisfaction of police complaint mediation participants in the United States. This research is helpful for police and civilian oversight administrators considering the establishment of such a program, or those seeking the improvement of an existing one.
“Strangers” in a not‐so‐strange land: a response to Goddard and Jaeger
Authors: Taylor Terrance J. , Winfree L. Thomas
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Aims to responds to Goddard and Jaeger (Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management (PIJPSM), Vol. 28 No. 4) who offered a thorough critique of an article previously published in PIJPSM.

Design/methodology/approach

Welcoming the insights Goddard and Jaeger provide, attempts to address their expressed concerns and elaborate on the rationale behind the various definitions and methods. Additionally, seeks to expand the general discourse about policing in a comparative context.

Findings

Goddard and Jaeger raise concerns about several conceptual and methodological approaches used in the study. While the present authors do not agree with all of Goddard and Jaeger's critique, they do agree on one of the most important points: employing multiple methodologies whenever possible is essential to the advancement of any science.

Originality/value

Provides a response to a thorough critique of an article previously published in PIJPSM.
The nursing shortage crisis: a familiar problem dressed in new clothes: Part II
Authors: Ledgister Merlyn
Published: January 2007

In this second part of a paper examining the problem of nursing shortages in the health profession in Canada, the author draws on nursing reports from three provinces, Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta, to identify how professional associations are dealing with the nursing shortage. Although education is seen as a major key to the nursing dilemma, the author notes that Canadian nurses are already exceedingly well educated. Neither more education nor public relation campaigns have been able to overcome the systemic problems facing the nursing profession today. If there is a solution, it lies in a more integrative approach, where structural issues, value issues, and even legal issues related to statute can be addressed. The author believes that the issue of nursing shortages cannot be resolved without a substantial degree of empowerment and autonomy for the profession.
Multi‐agent model for Indian rural health care
Authors: Syamala Devi M. , Mago Vijay
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to present a model that uses multi‐agent system (MAS) technology to assist doctors based at rural areas to receive timely expert opinions from specialist doctors working in medical institutions like the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Research, Chandigarh or the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

Design/methodology/approach

A MAS is a software entity wherein agent metaphor is used to represent human‐like intelligence and behavior. These agents are distributed over geographical areas and are part of software running at these sites. The foundation for this model lies in the fact that medical intelligence is distributed in nature and, if it is possible to bring this knowledge together, it could prove to be advantageous in providing improved health care to those people in rural areas. A few existing research works are included to demonstrate the usage of MAS in health care.

Findings

It has been observed that the health scenario in India is ranked poor world‐wide by international organizations and, with the increasing population, this will worsen.

Research limitations/implications

Initially, the aim is to concentrate on a few medical departments only. It can be extended into more detailed framework.

Practical implications

Physical computing and networking infrastructure are required for practical implementation along with training for the doctors.

Originality/value

The primary beneficiaries of this system are likely to be those patients in the rural sector requiring expert medical opinion. The government health organizations will be able to provide quality medical facilities comparable with the medical facilities available in the developed nations. Currently this would seem to be a distant dream.
Informational benefits via knowledge networks among farmers
Authors: Sligo F.X. , Massey Claire , Lewis Kate
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This research aimed to obtain insights into how farmers on small and medium‐sized farms perceived the benefits of the information they receive from their interpersonal networks and other sources.

Design/methodology/approach

Farmers' information environments were explored using socio‐spatial knowledge networks, diaries and in‐depth interviews (to draw out participants' interpretations of significance). This enabled the perceived benefits of information to be interpreted within the context of participants' interpersonal networks.

Findings

Both on and off‐farm information sources were important. The benefit most valued was when farmers perceived they were enabled to challenge or reframe their thinking about professional and business issues.

Practical implications

The study of information benefits is still relatively new, but a fuller appreciation of how learners perceive benefits from incoming information may provide insights into how to present information in ways that foster useful outcomes. Possible gaps and limitations in farmers' information supply may also follow the identification of how benefits are perceived.

Originality/value

Farmers' access to information was mainly shaped by the particularities of the contexts within which they lived and worked. Yet they proactively kept up significant interpersonal connections even at a distance (by means such as by phone contact with former neighbours who now lived elsewhere). Farmers' sources of information were closely aligned to the information they already possessed, so that “what they know” was intimately configured within “who they are” as members of a family, a community, and as farmers.
Learning in complex organizations as practicing and reflecting
Authors: Schulz Klaus‐Peter
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The article seeks to conceptualize learning in practice from a theories of practice view. This paradigmatic shift allows one to overcome problem areas related to traditional conceptions of learning such as the difficulty of knowledge transfer, and related to many situated learning models that neglect the aspect of reification of practice. Therefore the approach being presented in the following study considers learning and development as an interrelation of practicing and reflecting.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study of learning and development in production at a pharmaceutical company shows how these theoretical aspects can be applied in the working context of a complex organization. Results of the application are evaluated through several qualitative research methods.

Findings

The case study suggests that learning through corporate practicing in a process simulation which takes place in the original working context leads to intensive reflection between participants. The reflection brings about change in understandings and can finally lead to development in the organization.

Practical implications

Since the process simulation has been in use for several years now, the paper gives an example how learning and reflecting are brought about through corporate practicing in a context close to operational reality.

Originality/value

The article provides a different perspective on learning in practice. Learning, as practicing and reflecting, is seen not only as an individual process but also as a prerequisite for organizational development. The paper provides, besides the theoretic conceptualization, the example of a successful implementation in process industry.
Reconceptualising the relations between college‐based and workplace learning
Authors: Hodkinson Phil
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to problematize common assumptions in the existing workplace learning literature, to the effect that college‐based and workplace learning are inherently different.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on empirical data from four different research projects, two focusing on the workplace and two on college. The approach is one of arguing that the differences between college‐based and workplace learning are exaggerated by the theoretical and conceptual stances that are often adopted.

Findings

From a rather different theoretical approach, many significant similarities between learning in the two types of location are revealed. The paper advances a way to reconceptualize the relationship between the two, based on this approach. There are two parts to this: changing one's view of the learner progression from one location to another, and studying the nature of the relationship between sites of workplace and educational learning, within their wider field(s).

Practical implications

Differentiating these learning processes has theoretical implications and a practical significance for organizations wanting to focus on competence and learning issues.

Originality/value

Highlights that the tasks of managing learning progression require detailed attention to the specifics of particular situations, which are often more important than generalized principles.
Management of dynamic knowledge
Authors: Haase Peter , Völker Johanna , Sure York
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper presents a framework for ontology evolution tailored to Digital Libraries, which makes use of two different sources for change detection and propagation, the usage of ontologies by users and the changes of available data.

Design/methodology/approach

After presenting the logical architecture of the evolution framework, we first illustrate how to deal with usage‐driven changes, that is changes derived from the actual usage of ontologies. Second, we describe the generation of data‐driven ontology changes based on the constant flow of documents coming into digital libraries.

Findings

The proposed framework for ontology ontology evolution, which is currently applied and evaluated in the case studies, significantly reduces the costs of ontology updates and improves the quality of the ontology with respect to the users' requirements.

Practical implications

The management of dynamic knowledge is crucial for many knowledge management applications. Our approach for usage‐driven and data‐driven change discovery not only assures the consistency of ontologies modeling dynamic knowledge, but also reduces the burden of manual ontology engineering.

Originality/value

This paper presents the first approach towards a common framework for ontology evolution based on usage‐driven and data‐driven change discovery.
Knowledge management and human language: crossing the chasm
Authors: Cunningham Hamish , Bontcheva Kalina , Li Yaoyong
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Seeks to explore the gap that exists between knowledge management (KM) systems and the natural language materials that form almost all corporate data stores.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual discussion and approach are taken using recent scientific results in the fields of the semantic web and ontology‐based information extraction.

Findings

Provides a high‐level introduction to information extraction (IE) and descriptions of application scenarios for KM tools that exploit IE, a form of natural language analysis to link semantic web models with documents. The paper presents some examples of ontology‐based IE systems, one of which, KIM, is under development in the SEKT Project. KIM offers IE‐based facilities for metadata creation, storage and conceptual search. The system can be used by diverse applications for annotating and querying documents.

Originality/value

Focuses on technologies and facilities that will become an important part of next‐generation KM applications.
Automated knowledge discovery in advanced knowledge management
Authors: Grobelnik Marko , Mladenić Dunja
Published: January 2007

Purpose – To resent approaches and some research results of various research areas contributing to knowledge discovery from different sources, different data forms, on different scale, and for different purpose. Design/methodology/approach – Contribute to knowledge management by applying knowledge discovery approaches to enable computer search for the relevant knowledge whereas the humans give just broad directions. Findings – Knowledge discovery techniques proved to be very appropriate for many problems related to knowledge management. Surprisingly, it is often the case that already relatively simple approaches provide valuable results. Research limitations/implications – Still there are many open problems and scalability issues that arise when dealing with real‐world data and especially in the areas involving text and network analysis. Practical implications – Each problem should be handled with care, taking into account different aspects and selecting/extending the most appropriate available methods or developing some new approaches. Originality/value – This paper provides an interesting collection of selected knowledge discovery methods applied in different context but all contributing in some way to knowledge management. Several of the reported approaches were developed in collaboration with the authors of the paper with especial emphases on their usability for practical problems involving knowledge management.
Creating knowledge networks: lessons from practice
Authors: Schönström Mikael
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of the research is to study the set‐up processes of formal networks in a multinational high‐tech corporation consisting of multiple business units. The aim is to learn more about what management can do in order to support the fragile process of setting up new knowledge networks.

Design/methodology/approach

The research project had a problem‐solving approach, which is why action research was selected as the method.

Findings

Based on the research the following findings are discussed: identify and support knowledge activists, put knowledge networks on the strategic agenda, formal networks being vulnerable to major organizational changes, create an understanding for how formal networks can coexist with the line organization.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of the study relate to the fact that the knowledge networks were set up within the same company. That the knowledge networks were set up during a turbulent time when cost reductions were a top priority may also limit the generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

The findings of the research can help managers to set up a knowledge network successfully. If management is aware of the issues that could be encountered in a knowledge network set‐up, the chances for a successful knowledge network implementation will be enhanced.

Originality/value

Systematic research regarding the actual process of a knowledge network set‐up is lacking. This research fills this gap by the practical characteristics of the research project and its practical implications for management.
Explaining the intentions to share and reuse knowledge in the context of IT service operations
Authors: So Johnny C.F. , Bolloju Narasimha
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Aims to provide an understanding on IS/IT professionals' intentions to share and reuse knowledge in the context of information technology service operations.

Design/methodology/approach

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is applied for examining IS/IT professionals' intention to share and reuse knowledge. The data were collected from working IS/IT professionals using an online survey, and partial least squares was used for analyzing the data.

Findings

The results from this study indicate that the theory of planned behavior is an adequate model for investigating behavioral intentions of knowledge sharing and reuse in the context of information technology service operations. All direct determinants of intention to share knowledge, except subjective norm regarding information technology service operations knowledge sharing, and intention to reuse knowledge were significant.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is one of the first to attempt to study both knowledge sharing and knowledge reuse under the same context. The relatively small sample size has limited statistical power of the implications drawn.

Practical implications

This paper attempts to highlight the importance of information technology service operations in the IS/IT industry, and study knowledge management in that context. To encourage knowledge sharing, top management is advised that they should focus on building up a positive attitude in their employees, through improving relationships and recognition of their contributions.

Originality/value

This paper is the first attempt to combine both knowledge sharing and knowledge reuse in the same context, and initiates research in the area of information technology service operations. This paper offers help to both practitioners and researchers in understanding in that area.
Phenomenology of embodied implicit and narrative knowing
Authors: Küpers Wendelin
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Seeks to argue for a phenomenology of embodied implicit and narrative knowing in organizations and show the significance of experiential dimensions of implicit and narrative knowing and their mutual interrelations in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

For this the advanced phenomenology of Merleau‐Ponty will be used as a framework for clarifying the relational status of tacit, implicit and narrative knowing and their embedment.

Findings

Implicit and narrative processes of knowing are inherently linked. Moreover, both forms of knowing in organizations and its implications can be integrated in a Con‐+‐Text.

Practical implications

Some limitations and practical implications will be discussed critically. In conclusion some perspectives of further phenomenological research on embodied implicit and narrative knowing in organizations are presented.

Originality/value

This approach contributes to a processual, non‐reductionist and relational understanding of knowing and offers critical and practical perspectives for creative and transformative processes in organizations, bridging the gap between theory and practice. It provides innovative perspectives with regard to the interrelation of embodied and narrative knowing in organizations.
Knowledge governance
Authors: Ju Choi Chong , Cheng Philip , Hilton Brian , Russell Edward
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To provide a typology of governance mechanisms for the analysis of knowledge exchange.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is to integrate various research in the social sciences and knowledge management and to provide a coherent and generic framework for the better understanding of knowledge transfer and exchange.

Findings

The existing literature on knowledge management could benefit more from incorporating more of the research methodologies of social anthropology.

Research limitations/implications

There is a need to undertake empirical work and in‐depth case studies of the typology of knowledge exchange frameworks.

Practical implications

The intangibility of knowledge as a resource and asset requires the use of multiple frameworks of knowledge transfer and exchange in organizations as part of a knowledge management strategy.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is to knowledge management researchers on how to broaden the scope of existing knowledge management research through a greater integration with social science methodologies, especially social anthropology.
Designing sustainable development indicators: analysis for a case utility
Authors: Searcy Cory , Karapetrovic Stanislav , McCartney Daryl
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present and analyze a case study on the design of a system of sustainable development indicators for an electric utility.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study is based on collaboration with an electric utility and consultation with external experts. A six‐step process was used to create the indicators: conduct a needs assessment; conduct process planning; develop a draft set of indicators; test and adjust the indicators; implement the indicators; and review and improve the indicators.

Findings

The case study demonstrates how existing projects impact the process of developing indicators. It highlights that any system of indicators must be linked to the business planning process. It shows how this may be accomplished through a design based on a hierarchical approach that also illustrates linkages between the indicators and incorporates existing measures.

Research limitations/implications

The first three steps of the indicator design process have been completed. Research on the remaining three steps is ongoing.

Practical implications

Applying the principles of sustainable development has become an essential part of doing business. This paper illustrates how sustainable development indicators may be developed and integrated with existing business infrastructure at an electric utility.

Originality/value

Even in companies with strong corporate responsibility programs, a key challenge is to construct meaningful indicators that are integrated with mainstream business systems. Although it is recognized that each situation is unique, this paper provides insight into the development of indicators within existing corporate infrastructures.
Turning intentions into outcomes: a quick scorecard to guide implementation
Authors: Faull N. , Fleming P.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Companies often fail to take effective action even when they know what to do. Surprisingly, recent research shows that this situation is common. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to ask the question “How can we improve the track record of companies in achieving the outcomes targeted by manufacturing strategy?”

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on case study examples of successful change implementations from the Manufacturing Roundtable which identified implementation as a critical area of research concern.

Findings

The paper identifies eight principles of implementation success and summarises how organisations which successfully implement change comply with these principles.

Practical implications

Strategy execution is becoming much more of a concern than formulation. These examples from manufacturing provide guidance for improving implementation of performance improvements across organisational operations.

Originality/value

The paper provides a scorecard against which to assess your own implementation processes and summarises the practices of more successful implementers.
The development of a model to support synchronous change
Authors: Counsell Redvers , Tennant Charles , Neailey Kevin
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to present an investigation of the problems concerned with delivering a variety of differing change programmes in a logically structured, repeatable and measurable manner.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies were conducted on a selection of significantly different manufacturing facility programmes at GKN Aerospace where the output was a generic model more explicit and illustrative than previous approaches taken at the company.

Findings

This paper supports the idea that a strategic and tactical planning process with transferable, common key issues, can be managed in an environment of rapid change. Furthermore, discreet tailoring of the model enables differentiation of each programme type to support a standardized, repeatable and synchronous approach to change management.

Practical implications

This was achieved through the compilation of a single change management process termed the “5 × 5 Model” incorporating a multi‐site working document containing quantifiable, value‐added activities.

Originality/value

The new model presented here has been developed from previous literature and tested in practice, but requires further application to validate its applicability in different industry sectors.
Total performance scorecard: the way to personal integrity and organizational effectiveness
Authors: Rampersad Hubert K.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

A new blueprint for creating a learning organization is needed in which personal and organizational performance and learning mutually reinforce each other on a sustainable basis. Traditional business management concepts are insufficiently committed to learning and rarely take the specific personal ambitions of employees into account. In consequence there are many superficial improvements, marked by temporary and cosmetic changes, which are coupled with failing projects that lack sufficient buy‐in by personnel and, in some cases, even have an adverse effect. Sets out to examine this situation.

Design/methodology/approach

Building insight from experience.

Findings

This paper introduces a new business management concept, called total performance scorecard (TPS). It stresses the importance of and need for developing an organizational structure and philosophy that combine the goals and aspirations of the individual with those of the company. It is a melding process, which results in a corporate culture that is both individually and organizationally driven.

Practical implications

The concepts embodied in this management concept provide solutions to preserving and utilizing individual rights and capabilities while adjusting the organizational structure and philosophy to this new environment. This has been done by expanding and integrating concepts such as the balanced scorecard, total quality management, performance management and competence management into one overall framework.

Originality/value

The resulting framework, TPS, creates a framework and philosophy that combine the goals and aspirations of the individual with those of the organisation. It is a melding process, which results in a corporate culture that is both individually and organizationally driven.
Operationalizing the strategic net benefit (SNB) of HR
Authors: Burke Lisa A. , Hsieh Chengho
Published: January 2007

Purpose

A pressing research question in human resources (HR) is how to determine the value HR adds to a firm. This article seeks to address this issue

Design/methodology/approach

As summarized here, benchmarking techniques, ROI tools, behavioral analyses and other types of quantitative efforts have attempted to provide answers, but such methods also have downsides. In the present paper, the long‐established finance concept of net present value (NPV) is applied in order to determine the value that HR activities provide to an organization's business strategy.

Findings

A specific example is used to illustrate how NPV can be used to value the HR activities in a firm pursuing an innovation business strategy. An explanation is also given of how NPV can be used in making decisions related to HR outsourcing.

Practical implications

NPV is used to operationalize the strategic net benefit (SNB) of HR's costs and contributions to a firm's business strategy.

Originality/value

The long‐established finance concept of net present value (NPV) is applied in order to determine the value that HR activities provide to an organization's business strategy.
Accountability in local government: a principal‐agent perspective
Authors: Nyman Caroline , Nilsson Fredrik , Rapp Birger
Published: January 2007

Purpose

In Sweden there is an ongoing debate on ways to enhance accountability and transparency in order to avoid future scandals both in private companies and local government. Until now the debate has had clear political overtones, and there are no generally accepted methods for analysis of this issue. The purpose of the article is to survey and analyze the chain of accountability to be reviewed by the auditors and through the use of principal‐agent (PA) theory to identify the problems that may arise in holding persons accountable.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper shows how PA theory can be used to structure and analyse the intricate situation in Swedish local government. The model is particularly suitable in complex systems of accountability. Therefore, the paper explores two cases where the outcomes were discharge from liability. Based on the two case studies, the paper extends the empirical investigation to a list of 63 qualified audit reports in local government for 2002 and 2003.

Findings

PA theory facilitated the understanding and structuring of the complex accountability situation and helped to identify important weaknesses in the system. The analysis underscored that neither better accounting nor better auditing systems alone will resolve the dilemma in improving accountability. The link between auditors and elected officials and civil servants needs to be investigated and clarified. Among other things, this means that the focus of today's debate should shift toward the lack of clear responsibilities within local governments.

Research limitations/implications

This paper explores an area of research where few studies have previously been conducted – therefore, the paper is to some extent exploratory. In the future the number of empirical examples could be increased, and the different problems in the system of accountability in local government could be discussed in more detail.

Practical implications

This research paper is based on an empirical investigation – as far as we know no such study has previously been performed in Sweden The principle of public access to information in Sweden provides unique opportunities for openly studying the work of auditors in the system.

Originality/value

The research shows that PA theory may be used to structure complex issues of accountability. In addition, the study recommends a new focus for the debate on accountability.
Corporate entrepreneurship and innovation part 2: a role‐ and process‐based approach
Authors: Shaw Elizabeth , O'Loughlin Andrew , McFadzean Elspeth
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To extend the discussion held in part 1, and develop a two‐tier fifth‐generation model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The components that have been synthesized from a review of the literature in Part 1 are extended using evidence from the literature. These components are used to construct a two‐tier model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation; a macro model which presents the high‐level environmental drivers of innovation and a micro model that discusses the contextual factors that underpin the corporate entrepreneurship and innovation process.

Findings

From the analysis conducted in part 1 it is evident that there is a strong relationship between the role of the corporate entrepreneur and the innovation process. It is suggested that by separating the corporate entrepreneur from the innovation process previous models have been overly reductionist in their construction, and their utility has, as a consequence, been severely constrained. The study therefore combines the role and activities of the entrepreneur with the innovation process into a unified framework. In doing so the paper develops a two‐tier fifth‐generation model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation. The final sections of the paper present the model's implications for management and suggestions for further research.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified gap in the literature, namely the development of a new holistic model of corporate entrepreneurship and innovation, which illustrates the environmental and contextual relationships between the corporate entrepreneur and the innovation process.
Market orientation and innovation: an inter‐relationship analysis
Authors: Aldas‐Manzano Joaquín , Küster Inés , Vila Natalia
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Market orientation analyses have focused on two broad‐ranging approaches: the behavioural and the philosophical. The concepts of innovation and market orientation are gaining ground steadily in the context of an increasingly competitive and highly volatile environment, subject to the pressures of rapid‐changing customer needs and desires. This premise underlies the general aim of this study, which is to determine to what extent companies operating in the same sector and with similar market orientation are similarly concerned about innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The population for this study comprises the leading 465 textile companies operating in Spain, listed in the ARDAN database. Data were gathered from in‐depth personalised interviews with 17 company directors operating within the textile sector. In order to verify the hypotheses, groups with similar market orientation were identified using a combination of two techniques: multidimensional scaling analysis; and cluster analysis. After this, ANOVA was used to characterise each group.

Findings

This study of the textile sector, and more specifically of its leading companies, enables one to conclude that market orientation and innovation are not isolated fields. First, four groups of firms which differ significantly in their commitment to market orientation have been found. Second, although a direct relationship between market orientation and innovation could not be statistically proved, some tools and policies considered in the innovation scale are more heavily used by the firms more orientated to the market. Third, in the context of the traditional debate in the literature about the market orientation‐performance relationship, the results of this study support a positive relationship between these two concepts.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of the sample size should lead one to treat the final results with caution.

Originality/value

The concepts of innovation and market orientation are gaining ground steadily in the context of an increasingly competitive and highly volatile environment, subject to the pressures of rapidly‐changing customer needs and desires. In this sense, through this paper companies can observe how these two concepts are related in a particular industry and obtain some interesting implications.
The validation of a use innovativeness scale
Authors: Girardi Antonia , Soutar Geoffrey N. , Ward Steven
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To validate a measure of use innovativeness, or how existing products are used in a novel and innovative manner. The measure has practical significance for innovation research as it consists of only nine items as opposed to the original 44. The use innovativeness measure derived from research predicts acceptance of new technology (in this case computer technology) and could be adapted to other fields of innovation research.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted and structural equation modelling techniques were used to analyse the data.

Findings

Evidence for a unidimensional measure of use innovativeness is provided by structural equation modelling. The nine‐item measure has fewer items than the original 44‐item measure developed by Price and Ridgway (1983) Price and Ridgway and consists of the items of multiple use and creative reuse. The measure was found to be positively correlated with innovativeness and opinion leadership and the acceptance of new information technology. The construct of use innovativeness is thus a practical measurement for use in innovation research.

Research limitations/implications

Some limitations regarding the nature of the sample are discussed. Implications for future research in the diffusion of innovations are also addressed.

Originality/value

The only paper which validates a measure of use innovativeness, so that it has practical and theoretical use in innovation practice and research.