bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of affective conflict on firm performance
Authors: Elbanna Said
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to develop and test an integrative model of the relationship between affective conflict and firm performance considering the control effects of four contextual variables, namely, decision motive, firm size, type of ownership and environmental hostility.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper focuses on empirical data gathered from the Egyptian manufacturing sector. The measures of this study enjoy a significant degree of reliability and validity.

Findings

The results suggest that affective conflict is a significant predictor of firm performance.

Research limitations/implications

The most serious limitation of the study is that data on the study variables are collected from one respondent in each firm. Another important limitation is that different kinds of conflict are not examined in order to explain the different roles which they can play in strategic decision making (SDM).

Originality/value

The paper contributes to knowledge in the area of SDM by developing a richer model of affective conflict in a region, i.e. Africa and the Arab world, where little research can be found.
The study of cooperative relationships and mass customization
Authors: Jitpaiboon Thawatchai , Dangols Ramesh , Walters James
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the interrelationships among cooperative relationships (CRs), mass customization (MC), and organizational performance using structural equation modeling (SEM) methodology.

Design/methodology/approach

The research framework investigates the mediating roles of MC in enhancing organizational performance. The CRs are the drivers in the model. CRs can be measured using two sub‐constructs – customer integration (CI) and supplier integration (SI). The surveyed data are collected from 220 manufacturing firms. The SEM methodology is used to develop valid and reliable instruments to measure these constructs and test the hypothesized relationships described in the framework.

Findings

The results reveal that firms with high levels of CI were more successful at MC compared to those with low levels of integration. Firms that involve customers in the creation of goods and services might have the ability to understand and respond to customer needs quickly, thereby enabling them to reduce the inherent risks of innovation. As a result, they are more likely to include only those product functions that add value to end‐users, thereby enabling them to reduce product costs.

Research limitations/implications

This study does not find a direct link between SI and MC. SI may be moderated by buyers and suppliers core competences and type of business in which they compete. Therefore, a future study examining a moderating relationship between the two might be fruitful. Researchers may be required to include not only the type of business of sample firms, but also the position they occupy in the supply chain.

Practical implications

The firms with higher level of CI would have an ability to understand customer preferences, thereby, enabling them to process customized products at low cost (MC).

Originality/value

The paper measures and validates the measurement for CRs which can be applied to research in supply chain management area.
Outsourcing reverse logistics and remanufacturing functions: a conceptual strategic model
Authors: Ordoobadi Sharon M.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a tool for decision makers to make more informed decisions regarding their outsourcing policies.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study it is assumed that recycling or remanufacturing of these returns will soon be a must for original equipment manufacturers. The paper presents a multi‐phased decision model for strategic analysis of outsourcing such activities.

Findings

The proposed decision model provides a comprehensive tool for effective decision making by considering economic as well as strategic factors.

Practical implications

The procedure proposed here can help practitioners with their outsourcing decisions. The model presented is conceptual. Application and validation is still required.

Originality/value

The paper describes a new decision model that considers both strategic and economic issues of outsourcing reverse logistics activities.
Cross‐channel integration of advertising: does personal involvement matter?
Authors: Wang Alex
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of cross‐channel integration of an advertiser's television spot that invited viewers to play an online game and web site that featured the game on consumers' perceived media engagement and brand attitudes. An important factor, personal involvement is also to be examined.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 185 college students participate in an experimental study on participation and involvement. Participants fill out surveys and personal involvement is determined using various advertisements.

Findings

The results reveal that interaction effects are evident between cross‐channel integration of advertising and personal involvement on media engagement and brand attitudes.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited, investigating only one brand, one product category, and two media that can feature advertising messages regarding cross‐channel integration. Future studies should investigate the cross‐channel integration effect on different segments of target consumers.

Practical implications

Advertisers should consider enhancing their media strategies. In particular, advertisers should manage a media plan that includes specific sets of contacts to enhance the effects of cross‐channel integration of advertising.

Originality/value

The paper helps substantiate the strategic value of cross‐channel integration of advertising on branding by assessing the value of cross‐channel integration of advertising.
Good morning Vietnam: new challenges for HRM
Authors: Bartram Timothy , Stanton Pauline , Thomas Keith
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the policy and structural changes that have influenced human resource practices in state‐owned enterprises (SOEs), private companies and international joint ventures (IJVs) in Vietnam. The challenges facing human resource management (HRM) practitioners in Vietnam are identified and discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of middle and senior managers combined with organisational visits with selected HR managers, CEOs and other senior Vietnamese managers produced the data analysed in this paper.

Findings

The findings suggest that the character of HRM appears to be influenced by not only the cultural context but also the organisational type. Broadly, SOEs still largely practice traditional personnel management, IJVs practice cost‐focused HRM and private firms experiment with a range of innovations in HRM.

Research limitations/implications

The paper reveals emerging trends in HRM in Vietnam and identifies the pragmatic use of HR practices, which are influenced by organisational types as well as cultural contexts.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the emerging literature on management practice in developing countries. In particular it makes a contribution to understanding HR practices in Vietnam and highlights the important but often overlooked role of Vietnamese companies in the growing private sector.
Analyzing efficiency in the Chinese life insurance industry
Authors: Hu Xiaoling , Zhang Cuizhen , Hu Jin‐Li , Zhu Nong
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the efficiencies of China's foreign and domestic life insurance providers and to explore the relationship between ownership structure and the efficiencies of insurers while taking into consideration other firm attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

The data envelopment analysis (DEA) method is used to estimate the efficiencies of the insurers based on a panel data between 1999 and 2004.

Findings

The results indicate that the average efficiency scores for all the insurers are cyclical. Both technical and scale efficiency reached their peaks in 1999 and 2000 and gradually reduced for the rest of the period under examination until 2004 when average efficiency were improved again. The Tobit regression results show that the insurers' market power, the distribution channels used and the ownership structures may be attributed to the variation in the efficiencies.

Research limitations/implications

Based on the research findings and the discussion, the study provides several recommendations for policy makers, regulators and senior executives of insurers.

Practical implications

The research results highlight the importance of deregulating the sector to allow a further expansion of each individual insurer or encourage mergers and acquisitions of insurers so more efficient resource utilization can be achieved through economies of scale. It also suggests that it is imperative for insurers to recruit motivated insurance agents and offer them on‐the‐job training as a part of the management strategies for gaining technical efficiency.

Originality/value

The paper reports the development within China's insurance industry and is one of the few studies analyzing the efficiencies of China's insurers.
Logistics performance management in action within a humanitarian organization
Authors: Schulz Sabine F. , Heigh Ian
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share the design and testing procedure of the “Development Indicator Tool” – a tool developed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to guide and monitor the continuous performance improvement of their (regional) logistics unit(s) on a daily basis.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper follows a descriptive approach. It starts with a description of the situational background of the IFRC. In a second step, it briefly portrays the theoretical concepts of continuous improvement and of the Balanced Scorecard and highlights the extension of existing literature on performance measurement in general and humanitarian logistics in particular. Next the paper summarizes the objectives of the tool and describes the four development phases as well as the tool design including the dashboard and the selected indicators. It concludes with indications on key success factors, challenges met along the way, expected impact and the future perspective.

Findings

The process of designing and implementing (tools for) a performance measurement and management system can and should be kept simple. Important for the success of the process is the integration of key stakeholders throughout the entire process as well as the simplicity and user‐friendliness of tools and system.

Practical implications

The provided insights are only a cut‐out of a solution developed for the specific context of one humanitarian organization. But by its simplicity it might encourage other organizations to start or improve their own performance management system.

Originality/value

Since conceptual and empirical research on performance management systems in the context of humanitarian operations in general and disaster relief logistics in particular are still limited, design and testing of a concrete indicator tool might contribute to the further investigation of this topic. The paper aids this process.
Not‐for‐profit supply chains in interrupted environments
Authors: McLachlin Ron , Larson Paul D. , Khan Soaleh
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper primarily aims to address the following research question: Are techniques and practices developed for uninterrupted, for‐profit supply chains adaptable to the not‐for‐profit (NFP), interrupted context? In other words, can the managerial tools of business logistics be used in humanitarian relief logistics?

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of grounded research and case‐based research methods is used. Grounded research methods involve coding interview data to enable constant comparison of the data with emerging categories. Three managerial representatives of a single case organisation, the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), are interviewed.

Findings

MCC is a small NFP organisation operating in interrupted environments. As a matter of strategy, it pursues economic and social objectives. Strategic partnerships with “like‐minded” organisations are critical to achieve these objectives. To assess its achievements, MCC needs a wide range of performance measures.

Research limitations/implications

Since the paper is based on a single case, it is difficult to generalise the results beyond MCC, a small, faith‐based NFP providing humanitarian assistance. There are future research opportunities to study more cases and search for additional themes.

Practical implications

Partnerships and performance measurement are important elements of supply chain management (SCM) in humanitarian relief, characterised by NFP operations in interrupted environments. SCM tools and techniques created in the for‐profit or business context, for partnership formation (e.g. “how to commit”) and performance measurement (e.g. balanced scorecard), should be adapted for the humanitarian context.

Originality/value

There is a growing literature on supply chain interruptions, but very little research on NFP sector supply chains, despite pressing needs for effective SCM within the NFP context. Also, there are relatively few studies on adapting business logistics practices for the humanitarian logistics context. The paper addresses these issues.
Maintenance and spare parts inventories in man‐made humanitarian disasters
Authors: Tysseland Bernt E.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine how a small country's military force and a small country's non‐governmental organization (NGO) plan for and set up equipment maintenance, spare parts inventories in connection with man‐made humanitarian disasters. Additionally, it seeks to determine how the physical context, organizational structure and governance affect the planning and set‐up.

Design/methodology/approach

A research model that combines organizational theory with spare parts inventory theory is developed. Case study research methodology is used and observations and findings are discussed within the research model in order to answer predefined hypotheses.

Findings

Regarding planning procedures, as well as how the maintenance concept and spare parts inventory are set up, the research concludes that the organizational structure and governance of the organization contributing to the humanitarian operation in question are more important than physical context of the operation itself. Further it is concluded that the maturity level, when it comes to inventory control issues, is different for the two cases in question. None of the cases, however, utilize modern optimization methods and tools.

Research limitations/implications

Qualitative data from the two case studies give the possibility for in depth analysis of the case study findings. Lack of quantitative data means that it has not been possible to statistically reject or accept the hypotheses. More research is needed to present a template and/or processes based on the findings in the research.

Practical implications

By applying the research model developed in this study, organizations that contribute to humanitarian disasters could more easily assess their own possibility for effective maintenance and spare parts inventory planning and set up.

Originality/value

The study of the planning and set up of maintenance and spare parts inventories for both military and NGO players in connection with a man‐made humanitarian disaster is new. Further, the development of spare parts inventory theory into organizational theory is relatively new. Limited research is available within this field. The paper should be of interest to both practitioners and researchers within the field of maintenance and spare parts inventories in general, and in connection with humanitarian disasters in particular.
Matching individuals and organizations: evidence from the Greek public sector
Authors: Bellou Victoria
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Realizing the importance of value congruence between employees and organizations, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of person‐organization (P‐O) fit on employee behavior through the exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect typology within the Greek public sector. Furthermore, it tests the mediating role of job satisfaction on these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The study took place in all three public hospitals located in a major Greek city, where 125 usable questionnaires are gathered. The statistical analyses include descriptive statistics and stepwise regression analyses.

Findings

Evidence from the private sector in the field of P‐O is transferable, at least to some extent, to the public sector, as the level of P‐O fit increases loyalty and reduces neglect. However, job satisfaction mediates the relationship only between P‐O fit and loyalty.

Practical implications

In an era that a major goal for both private and public organizations is to maximize performance ensuring a compatible workforce is an imperative. It is thus highly important that human resource management policies and practices are decentralized, to allow public organizations meet economic and social challenges.

Originality/value

The added value of the present paper lies in the fact that the factors related to the setting and the individual are decisive for the impact that P‐O fit has on employee responses.
Human resource management in relation to CEOs in nonprofit organizations
Authors: Matías‐Reche Fernando , Rubio‐López Enrique A. , Rueda‐Manzanares Antonio
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider whether those nonprofit organizations which exhibit more similar characteristics to market organizations regarding the percentage of paid employees with functions similar to the ones in market organizations in relationship with total workers have a different model of human resource management in relation to their CEO than those organizations which exhibit fewer similarities to market organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses proposed in this study have been tested using a sample of 1,999 Spanish nonprofit organizations.

Findings

The results show that the CEOs of nonprofit organizations with most similarity to for‐profit organizations will have a more formalized employment relationship and a higher level of education than the CEOs of nonprofits with least similarity to for‐profit organizations.

Research limitations/implications

This paper has several limitations from the heterogeneity of the sample to the fact that the conducted study is a cross‐sectional study of the current situation.

Practical implications

The practical implications of this paper imply that nonprofit organizations which are evolving, in terms of their workforce, towards a high percentage of paid employees or those who are already in this position will have to adapt to the way in which for‐profit organizations operate if they wish to achieve levels of effectiveness and efficiency to make them competitive in this sector.

Originality/value

One of the reasons for proposing this work is the small number of empirical studies trying to address systematically the relationship between the CEO and the characteristics of nonprofit organizations.
Are we having fun yet? A consideration of workplace fun and engagement
Authors: Bolton Sharon C. , Houlihan Maeve
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This extended editorial to the Special Issue “Are we having fun yet? A consideration of workplace fun and engagement” aims to review the current debates on organised “fun at work” and to suggest a framework for understanding workplace fun and employee engagement. The papers included in the Special Issue are also to be introduced.

Design/methodology/approach

The editorial review asks for an approach that offers a critical appraisal and sets the latest move towards fun at work within the context of the material realties of work.

Findings

A review of contemporary debates on fun at work reveals a predominantly prescriptive focus on attempts to engage employees through fun activities that oversimplifies the human dynamism involved in the employment relationship. The editorial suggests that we need to consider the motivations, processes and outcomes of managed fun at work initiatives and to consider employees' reactions in terms of “shades of engagement” that detail how people variously engage, enjoy, endure, or escape managed fun.

Research limitations/implications

The suggested framework for understanding workplace fun and employee engagement offers opportunities for empirical testing.

Practical implications

Understanding workplace fun and the work that it does, and does not do, offers opportunities to improve relationships between employees and between employees and the organisation.

Originality/value

The editorial and Special Issue overall offers an important contribution to the ongoing fun at work and employee engagement debate and opens up avenues for further exploration and discussion.
“Just be yourself!”
Authors: Fleming Peter , Sturdy Andrew
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The paper seeks to explore the nature and employee experience of an emergent approach to managing employees which emphasises “being yourself” through the expression of fun, individuality and difference.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper utilises interviews and observations in a US‐owned call centre in Australia.

Findings

The management approach outlined is located within the emergence of market rationalism and associated claims of the limitations of normative control. With its emphasis on diversity and identity derived from non‐(paid) work contexts, it is presented as complementary to, but distinct from, the group conformity and organisational identity associated with conventional culture and “fun” management. The seemingly liberal regime is shown to be controlling in its limited scope and by exposing more of the employees' self to the corporation. This raises questions about the nature of workplace control, resistance and the meaning of authenticity at work.

Originality/value

The research provides an insight into an approach to management which has been largely neglected in research and proposes a modified concept of culture and “fun” management – neo‐normative control. It also serves to challenge the liberal claims made by proponents of the new approach and of “fun at work” more generally, that it is liberating for employees, a form of “existential empowerment”.
Workplace fun: the moderating effects of generational differences
Authors: Lamm Eric , Meeks Michael D.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how generational differences moderate the relationship between workplace fun and individual workplace outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review and integrate the literatures on workplace fun and generational theory and empirically test the interaction effects of generation membership and workplace fun with job satisfaction, task performance, and OCB using a sample of 701 workers.

Findings

The findings suggest that not only do members of different generational cohorts respond differently to workplace fun, but cohort membership moderates the relationship between workplace fun and some individual workplace outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

Snowball sampling and cross‐sectional data limit the generalisability of the study's findings.

Practical implications

The authors provide managerial implications for promoting workplace fun.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the workplace fun conversation by addressing the overlooked question of “fun for whom?”.
The spiritual dimension in leadership at Dilmah Tea
Authors: Fernando Mario , Beale Frederick , Geroy Gary D.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is first to report an exploratory study intended to capture the elements of a leader's spirituality; and second to examine these elements against the current discussion of spiritual leadership in general, and the transcendental leadership model in particular.

Design/methodology/approach

Within a single case study scenario, the in‐depth interview method captures the elements of the leader's spirituality. Grounded theory is used to analyze the data.

Findings

The findings suggest that a spiritually driven leader's high internallocus, a strong passion for giving and caring for his followers, and spirituality epitomize the concept of transcendental leadership.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation concerns generalizability of the findings. While in‐depth studies of larger samples of spiritually driven business leaders are needed, these leaders could be drawn from different cultural settings. Using different assessment tools to measure various aspects of spirituality might provide helpful perspectives in future research aimed at understanding the relationships between spirituality and leadership styles.

Practical implications

The paper provides an alternative way of characterizing spiritually oriented leaders, as they strive to integrate spirituality to all aspects of their life.

Originality/value

The paper assesses the functionality of a spirituality‐driven business leader as early evidence of the viability of the concept of transcendental leadership. It is of value to academic researchers and practitioners.
Transforming with levity: humor, leadership, and follower attitudes
Authors: Hughes Larry W. , Avey James B.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This study seeks to offer an empirical test of a model addressing how a leader's humor use will moderate the effects of a transformational leader style on follower attitudes, such as trust, identification, affective commitment, and job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Working adults (n=369) participated in a two‐phase data collection of self‐reported attitudes and their perceptions of leadership behavior. Perceptions of transformational leadership and humor were collected at Time 1. Trust, identification, affective commitment, and job satisfaction were collected a week later.

Findings

Results demonstrate significant relationships between transformational leadership and trust, identification, affective organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. The moderator effect was only supported in relationships between transformational leadership and both trust and affective commitment, suggesting that transformational leaders who are seen as using more humor rate higher on these outcomes than followers of low humor leaders.

Research limitations/implications

The primary limitation of the study is the potential for single source bias in that both perceptions of leader behavior and self‐reported attitudes were measured from the followers' perspectives.

Practical implications

The findings have several managerial implications. Primarily, a transformational leader who effectively uses humor might expect an effect on the outcomes explored here, but also on more distal results of which the study variables may be theoretically antecedent, such as job performance and turnover.

Originality/value

There has been little research on the influence of a leader's humor use on the relationships between transformational leadership and trust, identification, commitment and job satisfaction. The study augments the extant literature on these relationships.
Motoman markets co‐operative and humanoid industrial robots
Authors: Connolly Christine
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the advantages of two‐arm robots in the industrial environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The innovative thinking behind Motoman's dual arm humanoid robot is presented. Then, its technical design and its industrial applications are studied. The general advantages of co‐ordinating multiple robot arms are given.

Findings

Motoman has designed a two‐arm robot of human size to take over industrial tasks still performed manually, providing an alternative to the practice of outsourcing such operations to low‐cost labour countries. However, its variance from traditional robot design means that its applications are not immediately apparent, and sales so far have been mostly in Japan. The NX100 multiple robot controller allows high‐density layouts and reduced cycle times, and makes programming simpler than for a cluster of individually controlled robots.

Originality/value

Humanoid robots tend to attract hobbyists rather than industrial users. This paper concentrates on a commercially available dual‐arm robot series and its industrial potential.
Developing hardware capability for mobile manipulation by low‐cost humanoid robot (LOCH)
Authors: Xie Ming , Wang Lei , Linbo Xian , Li Jing , Yang Hejin , Song Chengsen , Zhang Li
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Autonomous mobile manipulation depends on a lot of effort at various levels. In general, the hardware design is as important as algorithm (or software) design. In particular, the absence of certain capabilities of hardware can seriously affect the feasibility and performance of algorithms. The purpose of this paper is to present work on developing hardware capability for mobile manipulation by low‐cost humanoids (LOCH) humanoid robot.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents research work on developing the hardware support which enables vision‐guided mobile manipulation realized on top of a biped humanoid robot called LOCH. One important goal which guides the development is to achieve the hardware capability with human‐like dexterity, modularity, functionality, and appearance.

Findings

This paper discusses the detail of solutions leading to the realization of the intended hardware capability, focusing in particular on the issues related to mechanism, actuation, distributed sensing, and distributed control of humanoid head, humanoid hands and humanoid arms. Finally, the paper shows the result of the actual prototype, which can be controlled by a remote control station through wireless connection.

Research limitations/implications

In designing a machine, it is common to do motor‐sizing and material selection. Since these are standard procedures, these details are omitted because readers with the training in mechanical engineering should be able to work out such details in order to select the appropriate motors and materials. Also, this paper does not delve into the description of the biped system of LOCH humanoid, because such work requires another long paper in order to reveal major details.

Originality/value

This paper presents the major detail of research efforts toward developing hardware capabilities for achieving autonomous mobile manipulation by LOCH humanoid robot, focusing on three important modules, namely: perception head, human‐like hands, and arms. The uniqueness of this work is twofold. First, LOCH humanoid robot's perception head has the most versatile sensing capabilities, which are fully integrated into a compact and human‐like head. Second, each of LOCH humanoid robot's hands has 14 degrees of freedom, which are realized within a mechanism which is of human‐hand size and shape. In addition, the perception head, humanoid hands and humanoid arms are seamlessly integrated together owing to the adoption of a distributed system which supports networked sensing and control through the use of both control area network bus and transmission control protocol/internet protocol internet.
Robotic transtibial prosthesis with biomechanical energy regeneration
Authors: Hitt Joseph , Sugar Thomas , Holgate Matthew , Bellman Ryan , Hollander Kevin
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a project which seeks to develop a new generation of powered prostheses based on lightweight, uniquely tuned, energy‐storing elastic elements in series with optimal actuator systems that will significantly reduce the peak power requirement of the motor and the total system energy requirement while providing the amputee 100 percent of required “push‐off” power and ankle sagittal plane range‐of‐motion comparable to able‐bodied gait.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the design, power, and energy‐efficiency analyses, and the results of a five‐month trial with one trans‐tibial amputee subject as part of the first phase of the Spring Ankle with Regenerative Kinetics project.

Findings

The data show that by leveraging uniquely tuned springs and transmission mechanisms, motor power is easily amplified more than four fold and the electric energy requirement is cut in half compared with traditional approaches.

Originality/value

This paper describes an energy efficient, powered transtibial prosthesis currently unavailable commercially. Motor power and energy requirements are reduced with use of a unique design that employs regenerative kinetics.
Path planning using hybrid grid representation on rough terrain
Authors: Gu Jiajun , Cao Qixin
Published: October 2009

Purpose

Path planning approaches based on conventional occupancy grid maps are problematic in off‐road environment because impossible areas include not only obstacles but also landscapes like ramps and pits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a path planning method in a hybrid grid map, which aims to provide a better solution for outdoor navigation.

Design/methodology/approach

A hybrid vision system which consists of one stereo vision and one omnidirectional vision is adopted to provide environmental information for 2.5D grid and 2D grid mapping, respectively. An improved planning method originated from conventional D*‐based search algorithm is proposed for more efficient navigation in such hybrid grid maps.

Findings

It is confirmed by simulations and experiments that the path planning in the hybrid grid map is more efficient than that in conventional grid maps. Furthermore, it helps to guarantee a safe exploration for field and planetary robots.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a path planning approach in a hybrid grid map representing unstructured environment. The map consists of two different grid representations with diverse resolutions and structures, named 2.5D and 2D grids. The navigation process is expected to become efficient by reducing the replanning times and track length.
Back to Bourgeois? French social policy and the idea of solidarity
Authors: Béland Daniel
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the growing literature on the policy impact of ideas and related cultural and discursive processes by exploring the historical embeddedness of the idea of solidarity in French social policy debates.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a qualitative, historical approach that traces the development of – and the relationship between – policy ideas and social programs over time.

Findings

First, exploring the work of reformer and politician Léon Bourgeois, the paper investigates the emergence of this concept in nineteenth and early twentieth century France. Second, analyzing the work of centrist scholar and intellectual Pierre Rosanvallon, the paper studies the French debate on solidarity and welfare state reform in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Originality/value

At the broadest level, this paper shows that contemporary social policy debates are grounded in long‐term historical as well as cultural processes and repertoires. Policy ideas that acquire the status of culturally resonant “keywords” can have a long history, and tracing their development is necessary to illuminate the role of ideas in contemporary social policy change.
Dialectics in socio‐scientific inquiry: Islam contra Occident
Authors: Alam Choudhury Masudul
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study dialectical methodology as a scientific reasoning process in Islam comparatively with mainstream philosophy of science.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparative discursive method of inquiry using the language of philosophy of science and abstract mathematization (limited use).

Findings

This is a theoretical paper of an intellectual category, which presents the arguments within the framework of the principle of universal and pervasive complementarities as the evidential sign of the epistemology of unity of knowledge studied through functional ontological logical formalism.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical nature of an argumentative paper is at best a foundation one rather than an empirical one.

Practical implications

An example of the Islamic dialectical methodology of unity of knowledge is applied to socioeconomic development in Islamic perspective.

Originality/value

There is believed to be no other paper on Islam and its dialectical methodology in scientific reasoning compared to the theory of dialectics in mainstream philosophy of science in the contemporary literature.
Low‐income families: experiences and responses to consumer exclusion
Authors: Hamilton Kathy
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on low‐income families who are excluded from consumer culture. It explores their experiences and responses to material deprivation, social deprivation and stigmatization.

Design/methodology/approach

Given the need for identification and calculation of exclusion thresholds to be supplemented by the voice of the excluded themselves, the study is based on qualitative analysis of 30 in‐depth interviews with low‐income families who encounter consumption constraints in the marketplace.

Findings

While the harsh realities of consumer exclusion cannot be denied, findings also present a more positive outlook as excluded consumers can achieve empowerment through employment of stigma management strategies, creative consumer coping and rejection of the stigmatizing regime.

Research limitations/implications

Research is based only on families with children under the age of 18; future research on older people and exclusion would prove a useful comparison.

Practical implications

The research raises a number of important policy issues in relation to social barriers to inclusion and the role of marketing in contributing to consumer exclusion.

Originality/value

Social policy studies surrounding social exclusion in terms of separation from mainstream society tend to focus on employment. This paper highlights that a social exclusion discourse can also provide a useful perspective to investigate exclusion in relation to consumerism.
A typology of coordination strategy in multi‐organizational product development
Authors: Hong Yunsook , Pearson John N. , Carr Amelia S.
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore a manufacturer's strategy to coordinate efforts of multiple suppliers' involvement in the product development process. The paper also proposes critical factors in determining the appropriate coordination strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the synthesis of the literature and relevant theories, a typology of coordination strategies is developed. Propositions are developed pertaining to the performance implications of the coordination strategies and the key determinants of the effectiveness of the coordination strategies.

Findings

Four ideal types of coordination strategies are: centralized‐programming, centralized‐feedback, decentralized‐programming, and decentralized‐feedback. Prior research and recently reported industry examples indicate that a manufacturer's coordination with multiple suppliers varies in terms of the information‐processing structure and thelocusof control. The effectiveness of a manufacturer's coordination strategies is influenced by the extent of component modularity, product complexity, technology uncertainty, and the technical capability of suppliers.

Practical implications

The four coordination strategies involve trade‐offs on certain performance dimensions. Decentralized‐programming promotes process efficiency, while centralized‐feedback facilitates problem solving. Centralized‐programming favors integrative product design, while decentralized‐feedback favors innovation from supplier's technical expertise.

Originality/value

While research on supplier involvement in product development has primarily focused on a single supplier's integration in the process, this paper extends understanding of multi‐organizational coordination by applying information‐processing decision‐making theories to the product development context.
Performance management and the outsourcing process
Authors: McIvor Ronan , Humphreys Paul , McKittrick Alan , Wall Tony
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the applicability of a number of performance management techniques in the outsourcing process, in a business services context.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a structured outsourcing framework, performance management techniques are applied in a financial services organisation over a three‐year period. A case study approach is employed to undertake the research, which involved the research team engaging directly with the organisation throughout the outsourcing process.

Findings

Applying performance management techniques in the outsourcing process is challenging in a number of areas including comparison difficulties, incomplete information and inadequate performance management systems. However, benchmarking and cost analysis are useful mechanisms for improving performance, and reducing costs via internal process redesign or outsourcing. Performance management techniques can be employed to remove inefficiencies from processes both prior to outsourcing and during the outsourcing relationship.

Research limitations/implications

There are a number of limitations of the research approach including gaining full participation from the company, having access to all relevant company information and time constraints.

Practical implications

The research findings highlight the implications of applying performance management techniques in a practical outsourcing setting. As well as identifying the challenges, the research highlights the value of integrating critical success factors, cost analysis, benchmarking and other performance management techniques into the outsourcing process.

Originality/value

There are few studies in the literature of applying performance management techniques in the outsourcing process at an operation's level. The findings have identified the challenges and benefits of performance management techniques in the outsourcing process. The findings have highlighted the importance of operations management concepts such as performance management, operations strategy, business improvement and process re‐design to services outsourcing, and the need for further research in this area by operations management scholars.
Operations management associations in Europe – a history
Authors: Karlsson Christer , Voss Chris
Published: October 2009

Purpose

In 2009, the European Operations Management Association (EurOMA) celebrates its 15th anniversary and its precursor, the UK OMA, its 25th anniversary. The purpose of this paper is to review the origins and foundations of today's EurOMA and how it has progressed to being a vibrant and successful organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The review draws on archived documents, especially newsletters and board minutes, as well as memories of all of those involved.

Findings

The review shows an important evolution from two groups of like minded individuals, through building annual conferences and brings these together as one. It then shows how it has evolved both through formalisation of its activities, building international links and, most importantly, developing a portfolio of activities to develop and support young researchers.

Research limitations/implications

Where records are not available, the paper draws on individual memories of events from a long time ago.

Originality/value

As well as providing an invaluable record, it can provide a model for the development of similar organisations.
Patterns of vendor‐managed inventory: findings from a multiple‐case study
Authors: Kauremaa Jouni , Småros Johanna , Holmström Jan
Published: October 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to address two questions: what kinds of benefits are realized from a vendor‐managed inventory (VMI) program (operational, i.e. efficiency related, vs strategic, i.e. sales related) and how the benefits are shared at the dyad level (suppliers vs buyers).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses an exploratory multiple case study with data from five operational VMI dyads, evaluating both buyer and supplier perspectives.

Findings

Three empirically grounded patterns of VMI are proposed. Five contextual inhibitors of VMI impacts are suggested.

Research limitations/implications

The framework presented has been generated from a relatively small number of cases. Threats to external validity have been mitigated with case selection from multiple operational contexts and grounding findings in prior literature.

Practical implications

Using the conceptualization, potential VMI adopters can set more realistic and explicit implementation targets. The suggested contextual factors will help to design more appropriate VMI systems.

Originality/value

Past research on VMI can be mainly characterized by modeling/simulation approaches, focus on operational efficiency implications, and concern with impacts to buyers. In contrast, empirical studies on the actual impacts and dyad‐level reasons considering also the strategic (sales related) motivations for implementing VMI are few. This study contributes by suggesting how VMI is in some instances motivated not by bilateral interests to develop a supply chain, but by unilateral interests, with buyers searching for effortless purchasing, and suppliers for a means to lock in and secure sales.
Critical success factors for B2B e‐commerce use within the UK NHS pharmaceutical supply chain
Authors: Cullen Andrea J. , Taylor Margaret
Published: October 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine those factors perceived by users to influence the successful on‐going use of e‐commerce systems in business‐to‐business (B2B) buying and selling transactions through examination of the views of individuals acting in both purchasing and selling roles within the UK National Health Service (NHS) pharmaceutical supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature from the fields of operations and supply chain management (SCM) and information systems (IS) is used to determine candidate factors that might influence the success of the use of e‐commerce. A questionnaire based on these is used for primary data collection in the UK NHS pharmaceutical supply chain. Factor analysis is used to analyse the data.

Findings

The paper yields five composite factors that are perceived by users to influence successful e‐commerce use. “System quality,” “information quality,” “management and use,” “world wide web – assurance and empathy,” and “trust” are proposed as potential critical success factors. Of these, all respondents ranked information quality, system quality, and trust as being of most importance, but differences in the rankings between purchasing and selling respondents are evident.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical study is limited to a single supply network, and although the findings seem intuitively to be of relevance to other sectors and supply contexts, there remains an opportunity to test this through further research. There is also an opportunity to extend the survey research, particularly into the wholesaler organisations that operate in the sector of study.

Practical implications

The managerial implications that result from this research provide practical guidance to organisations in this sector on how to ensure that e‐commerce systems for B2B buying and selling are used successfully.

Originality/value

This paper furthers knowledge and understanding in the fields of operations management, IS, and SCM, by suggesting potential determinants of successful e‐commerce use in both buying and selling organisations within supply networks.