bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic equivalent substitute that is new or unfamiliar to the chronic patient may result in medication error
Authors: Gabbay Uri , Yosef Noga , Feder‐Krengel Neta , Meyerovitch Joseph
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The developing generic market has huge advantages of availability and affordability of therapy. The question of whether a therapeutic equivalent substitute under an unfamiliar name may cause confusion that leads to medical errors has not been sufficiently studied. This paper seeks to answer this question.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was triggered following sporadic reports according to which patients mistakenly consider therapeutic equivalents as unrelated medications rather than substitutes. Family physicians and pharmacists in one of eight districts of Clalit, Israel's largest healthcare provider were surveyed. The survey's questions recall episodes of medication uncertainty, confusion, misidentification, and medication mistakes associated with switching from one therapeutic equivalent to another. A total of 66 physicians and 63 pharmacists responded to the surveys (61 percent and 45 percent, respectively).

Findings

The results recall uncertainty, confusion, misidentification, and mainly cases of medication mistakes in which patients consumed both therapeutic equivalents simultaneously as was reported by 81 percent of physicians and 70 percent of pharmacists.

Research limitations/implications

There are two limitations in this work, the first is the study type, which is recall survey; the second is the response rate which is not unusual among health care professionals. However, the high face‐validity and the consistency of the findings in both physicians and pharmacists surveyed indicates high validity of the study conclusions.

Practical implications

A practical implication is unique medication error of consuming both therapeutic equivalents simultaneously. The authors wish to raise awareness of the potential of such error, which may be difficult to disclose as each of the therapeutic equivalents is apparently the intended medication but consuming them simultaneously results practically in doubling the intended dose. Given the forecast for generic market growth, awareness is not enough and worldwide regulatory cooperation should be made otherwise these types of medication errors will inevitably emerge.

Originality/value

The study is original as a literature search revealed no studies evaluating potential medication mistakes attributed to a switch between therapeutic equivalents.
Customer co‐creation in service innovation: a matter of communication?
Authors: Gustafsson Anders , Kristensson Per , Witell Lars
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Customer co‐creation is becoming increasingly popular among companies, and intensive communication with customers is generally seen as a determinant of the success of a new service or product. The purpose of this study is to analyze customer co‐creation based on four dimensions of communication – frequency, direction, modality, and content – in order to understand the value of customer co‐creation in service innovation. One of the key aims of the study is to investigate whether all dimensions of customer co‐creation have an effect on product and market success, and if the effect depends on the degree of innovativeness of a development project.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a study including 334 managers with experience in new service and product development to examine how development projects applied customer co‐creation in terms of communication in order to address future customer needs. Data were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS). The first analysis was performed with a sub‐sample of 207 development projects regarding incremental innovations. A subsequent analysis was performed with a sub‐sample of 77 development projects on radical innovations.

Findings

A total of three of the four dimensions of customer co‐creation (frequency, direction, and content) have a positive and equally significant effect on product success when developing incremental innovations. For radical innovations, frequency has a positive effect and content has a negative significant effect on product success. These findings suggest that co‐creation and innovation can be combined, but that the choice of methods for co‐creation differs depending on whether incremental or radical innovations are developed.

Originality/value

Despite a general consensus that co‐creation with customers is beneficial, there is a lack of agreement regarding how and why. The present article addresses this shortcoming and shows that co‐creation is largely about communicating with customers in order to understand their future needs. On the other hand, a company working on radical innovations may wish to limit customer input that is too concrete or solution based.
Reversing the green backlash in services: credible competitors help large companies go green
Authors: Helen Chun HaeEun , Giebelhausen Michael
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to first demonstrate a “green backlash” effect whereby evaluations of a large service organization decrease after the organization announces a new green practice and second, explore how the presence of green competitors might moderate this effect.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach includes one exploratory in‐depth interview study and three follow‐up experiments.

Findings

The results indicate that consumers percieve large companies to be lacking in credibility and that when a large service organization announces the adoption of a green practice, evaluations of that firm may actually decrease, i.e. a green backlash. Additionally, it is observed that the opposite is true when consumers are aware of a credibly green competitor. In these circumstances, large players are significantly worse off if they do not also adopt green practices. Initially it was hypothesized that the large company would need to imitate the credibly green competitor. However, the results suggest that a reversal of the backlash effect can occur even if the companies are engaged in very different green activities.

Research limitations/implication

The context of the experiments is limited to the food service industry.

Practical implications

The practical implication for large service organizations is that in markets where there is no green competitor, they should consider not promoting their green practices. However, these organizations need to have programs in place when a cedible competitor inevitably arrives. The practical implication for environmentalists is the finding that large companies can be forced to go green simply via the existence of a small credibly green competitor.

Social implications

The social implications of this research is that small green service providers are an important catalyst and necessary ingredient in the transition to a more sustainable service economy.

Originality/value

This article is the first to empirically demonstrate a green backlash effect and identify conditions under which this effect might be reversed.
Transitioning from a goods‐dominant to a service‐dominant logic
Authors: Ng Irene , Parry Glenn , Smith Laura , Maull Roger , Briscoe Gerard
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a visualisation of the firm's offering from a service‐dominant logic (S‐DLogic) perspective. The case of Rolls‐Royce is presented as an avenue through which to explore an alternative view of the firm's value proposition, a visualisation informed by S‐DLogic that could aid organisations in their transition from goods‐dominant logic (G‐DLogic) to S‐DLogic.

Design/methodology/approach

Through integration of an operations management approach in process mapping and design and simulation with choice modelling in business‐to‐business marketing, this paper operationalises some of the key aspects of S‐DLogic, most notably focusing on the constructs of value and resources. This is explored through a single case; Rolls‐Royce which provides access to a rich source of internal and customer data.

Findings

The study finds that the S‐DLogic visualisation of the firm's value proposition in equipment‐based service consists of its contribution to 11 value‐creating activities towards value‐in‐use. The visualisation depicts both the highest possible bundle of benefits for the customer along with the resources and their costs associated with delivering those bundles. When brought together these enable the identification of the optimal bundle of value‐creating activities from both customer and firms' perspective.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical evidence of the difference between a G‐DLogic and S‐DLogic view of the firm's value proposition. In doing so, extending existing literature on S‐DLogic by contributing to a methodological and empirical gap. Notably, it makes abstract concepts of S‐DLogic concrete, providing a pathway for future empirical work and begins the process of systematising a methodology in S‐DLogic.
Bank informational opacity: evidence from the Tunisian stock market
Authors: Mbarek Lassaâd , Mezzez Hmaied Dorra
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the informational opacity of Tunisian banks versus non‐banking firms taking into account information environment changes.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses the synchronicity of stock returns as a proxy of informational opacity. It also examines bank crash risk relying on the skewness of residual returns. Finally, the study addresses the effects of mandatory disclosure requirements on firm opacity and market volatility.

Findings

The results suggest that bank stock prices incorporate less specific information than non‐banks. Moreover, banks are more likely to experience stock price crashes. However, the authors find a significant decrease of informational opacity for both banking and non‐banking firms since 2006 which supports substantial improvements in the corporate disclosure environment.

Practical implications

The findings are interesting for regulators. Banks with high stock returns synchronicity and negative residual returns skewness are more opaque and are significantly exposed to crash risk. Consequently, they deserve greater regulatory scrutiny. Thus, the opacity measures derived from the asset pricing model could be a useful tool for monitoring disclosure policies in the banking sector.

Originality/value

The paper extends the empirical literature on the determinants of bank stock returns synchronicity and skewness for an emerging economy, Tunisia. The information environment offers an empirical opportunity to examine the dynamics of opacity as well as the desirability of mandatory disclosure requirements in the banking system.
Market abuse, fraud and misleading communications
Authors: Haynes Andrew
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the nature and content of the laws relating to market abuse with a view to determining whether they only offer a civil law remedy for the State. The three categories of insider dealing as defined by the Criminal Justice Act 1993 clearly offer a criminal law based response, but as is shown here virtually all cases of market abuse can potentially be a basis for a criminal prosecution.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted is to consider the other relevant areas of law, namely the Fraud Act 2006, the law of conspiracy to defraud and the law relating to misleading communications under s.397 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and then to determine whether between them they cover all the areas of behaviour caught by the definitions of market abuse.

Findings

The consequences of this paper are that the Serious Fraud Office and the Financial Conduct Authority now have the option in almost any case of market abuse of considering whether a criminal or civil law approach is appropriate.

Originality/value

The approach adopted over the last two years by the prosecuting authorities of using the criminal law to a greater extent in serious cases of insider dealing can now be extended to market abuse generally where it is thought appropriate.
Lampedusa humanitarian emergency in 2011: the case of unaccompanied migrant minors
Authors: Duca Rita
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the situation on the unaccompanied foreign minors in the Italian legal system, paying special attention to the Lampedusa humanitarian emergency in 2011.

Design/methodology/approach

The legal treatment of these subjects is on the borderline between two distinct sets of laws: those for minors, based on principles of protection and support; and those for immigrants based on public security and therefore inspired by principles of control and defense. For this reason the question of the legal treatment of unaccompanied foreign minors is a decidedly complex matter because it requires the assumption of a clear responsibility on the part of the host State that, in accordance with international conventions, must provide for the welfare of a child by ensuring a healthy development and securing their fundamental rights.

Findings

The paper examines the legal measures regulating the status of unaccompanied foreign minors in the Italian legal system, in order to understand if they are efficient in giving protection and offering integration to these minors.

Originality/value

The paper offers insights into the most vulnerable category of illegal immigrants.
Knowledge elicitation techniques in a knowledge management context
Authors: Gavrilova Tatiana , Andreeva Tatiana
Published: July 2012

Purpose

A significant part of knowledge and experience in an organization belongs not to the organization itself, but to the individuals it employs. Therefore, knowledge management (KM) tasks should include eliciting knowledge from knowledgeable individuals. The paper aims to argue that the current palette of methods proposed for this in KM discourse is limited by idealistic assumptions about the behavior of knowledge owners. This paper also aims to enrich the repertoire of methods that can be used in an organization to extract knowledge (both tacit and explicit) from its employees by bridging KM and knowledge engineering and its accomplishments in the knowledge elicitation field.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on extensive literature review and 20 years of experience of one of the authors in applying various knowledge elicitation techniques in multiple companies and contexts.

Findings

The paper proposes that the special agent (analyst) might be needed to elicit knowledge from individuals (experts) in order to allow further knowledge sharing and knowledge creation. Based on this idea, the paper proposes a new classification of the knowledge elicitation techniques that highlights the role of analyst in the knowledge elicitation process.

Practical implications

The paper contributes to managerial practice by describing a systemic variety of knowledge elicitation techniques with direct recommendations of their feasibility in the KM context.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to a wider use of knowledge engineering methodologies and technologies by KM researchers and practitioners in organizations.
Control mechanisms and knowledge integration in exploitative project teams: a case study from the coal fired power plant industry
Authors: Canonico Paolo , De Nito Ernesto , Mangia Gianluigi
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to deal with knowledge integration in projects, focusing on teams that deal with exploitative nature of knowledge work and implement standard solutions with minor refinements developed over time. In the research the authors seek to analyze how the organizational control mechanisms adopted within project teams that deal with exploitative nature of knowledge work influence knowledge integration outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The research unfolded considering a single case study, as this approach was considered useful in gaining in‐depth, holistic understanding of the phenomenon studied. The authors started with a preliminary on‐site observation done with the aim of making subsequent interviews simpler and more productive. They therefore conducted semi‐structured interviews with the head of human resources and with two project managers and four members of two project teams.

Findings

The results show how in coherence with Grant's classification it is possible to argue that in this context the main control mechanism to integrate knowledge is provided by different forms of standardization. In the case of the company under investigation, formal control mechanisms based on a calculative approach are seen as a way to rule out the process of product delivery and enable effective knowledge integration by clarifying tasks and responsibilities.

Originality/value

This paper witnesses that, in exploitative project teams, formal control mechanisms may play the role of administering information exchange in order to achieve projects outcome and the desired level of knowledge integration.
Codification and creativity: knowledge management strategies in KIBS
Authors: Bettiol Marco , Di Maria Eleonora , Grandinetti Roberto
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The paper aims to analyze the relationships between standardization and creativity in the process of service innovation in knowledge‐intensive business services (KIBS), specifically in those specialized in highly creative outputs (KIBS in design and communication). Studies on knowledge management and on service management emphasize the opportunity to gain efficiency through a standardization of services and organizational processes. However, creative activities are characterized by informality and difficulty to be standardized.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a qualitative research approach. Two case studies of medium‐size KIBS specialized in design and communication, localized in Bangalore (India) and in Treviso (Italy) are developed to identify how KIBS approach knowledge management both internally and externally and how firms structure the innovation process.

Findings

KIBS can use a suitable knowledge management strategy to balance creative outputs with standardization based on a working method. Standardization can refer to the way the creative effort is organized and managed internally through appropriate organizational processes, with the approach confirmed empirically.

Research limitations/implications

Main limitations are related to the case study and the industry selected. The authors acknowledge the need to compare firms belonging to other industries to strengthen the results.

Originality/value

From a theoretical point of view the paper enriches the research framework concerning knowledge management in services by exploring the relationship between standardization and creativity. From an empirical point of view, the research is able to deepen understanding on the KIBS knowledge management strategies and their impacts on processes of service provision and innovation.
Exploring the role of structural holes in learning: an empirical study of Swedish pharmacies
Authors: Di Vincenzo Fausto , Hemphälä Jens , Magnusson Mats , Mascia Daniele
Published: July 2012

Purpose

There is a lack of studies investigating the role of the structural configuration of social capital – more specifically, structural holes – for employees' individual learning. The objective of this paper is to address this gap in the literature, ultimately enhancing understanding of the link between the structural configuration of social capital and individual learning.

Design/methodology/approach

An online questionnaire survey was administered to employees affiliated to 22 pharmacies in Sweden to gather attributional and relational data on the individual level. Social network analysis techniques were used to describe salient structural characteristics of individuals' social capital. The impact of social capital on individual learning was explored through ordinal logistic regression models based on maximum likelihood estimations.

Findings

The presence of structural holes initially increases the degree of individual learning, then reaches a maximum and begins to gradually decrease.

Practical implications

The results of the study provide valuable input for the development and management of networks within firms, in order to improve learning and innovation. In addition, given the close proximity between learning, as conceptualized in this study, and other job attitudes, human resource management practices in general could benefit greatly from the results.

Originality/value

In this paper, the authors focus on the structural configuration of social capital, more specifically structural holes, and its inter‐relationship with learning. Although prior literature has analyzed various beneficial effects of social capital, this study is the first of its kind to investigate the role of the structural configuration of the social capital for employees' individual learning.
Knowledge sharing motivational factors of using an intra‐organizational social media platform
Authors: Vuori Vilma , Okkonen Jussi
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the motivational factors affecting the knowledge sharing through an intra‐organizational social media platform and to answer the following research questions: “What motivates employees to share their knowledge through an intra‐organizational social media platform?”; “What impedes them sharing knowledge this way?”; and “Do these factors differ from those motivational factors regarding knowledge sharing in general?”.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper approaches the issue from both theoretical and empirical viewpoints. The motivational factors regarding knowledge sharing in general are summed up from literature. The social media platform perspective to the issue is studied by conducting a survey in two companies.

Findings

The results reveal that the motivation to share knowledge through an intra‐organizational social media platform is the desire to help the organization reach its goals and helping colleagues, while financial rewards and advancing one's career were seen as least motivating. The key issues enabling the success of using a collaborative intra‐organizational social media platform in knowledge sharing are in line with the general knowledge sharing motivational factors, although supplemented with some additional features: reciprocity in knowledge sharing, making every‐day work easier and faster and ease of use are the key factors that make or break the success.

Originality/value

The empirical study reveals what motivates and impedes the employees of the companies to share knowledge via an intra‐organizational social media platform. The results are discussed in the light of those from earlier research about general knowledge sharing motivational factors.
Knowledge creation and inter‐organizational relationships: the development of innovation in the railway industry
Authors: Pezzillo Iacono Mario , Martinez Marcello , Mangia Gianluigi , Galdiero Caterina
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The main purpose of the paper is to explore the relationship between the design of inter‐organizational connections, the processes for knowledge creation and transfer, and innovation. The study aims to focus on the partnership between Firema, a medium‐large Italian company in the rail industry sector, and TEST, a research consortium.

Design/methodology/approach

The coordination model defining the cooperative relationship is interpreted in the temporary project network (TPN) framework. In applying the methodology of case study analysis, a semi‐structured in‐depth interview was used as a tool and, in particular, interviews aimed at privileged observers.

Findings

TEST, acting as a meta‐organizer, has the crucial role of organizing, governing and tuning the network of university departments, in synergy with Firema. The analysis draws attention to the possibility that TPNs are embedded in “latent networks”, in which inter‐organizational ties are routinely activated in order to accomplish a specific project.

Practical implications

The authors provide a pragmatic description of the TPN‐related innovation activities and this may be valuable for managers and/or policy makers who wish to know about best practices in organizing networks directed to innovation. Practical considerations and methods that increase knowledge transfer while minimizing inter‐organizational coordination costs are explored.

Originality/value

This study was able to expand the understanding of TPNs in two respects. First, only a few studies have adopted the TPN framework to investigate the inter‐organizational coordination mechanisms among small or medium organizations. Second, the findings related to the TPN structural properties – time, team, task and context – deviate from how some have framed the ideal type TPN as in most senses unique, solving one‐off tasks between relative strangers.
The entrepreneurial marketing domain: a citation and co‐citation analysis
Authors: Kraus Sascha , Filser Matthias , Eggers Fabian , Hills Gerald E. , Hultman Claes M.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Entrepreneurial marketing (EM) is at the brink of becoming an established discipline. To advance the field further and to better guide research efforts in different sub categories, the purpose of this paper is to examine the field's intellectual structure with the help of citation and co‐citation analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a two‐stage research design. First a citation analysis is carried out through which thematic clusters are identified. In a second step a co‐citation analysis is conducted to determine the intellectual structure of EM research.

Findings

This study exposes the most influential authors and publications and emphasizes conjunctions among scholars and their findings. Results show three streams that are the foundation of EM research: theoretical foundations of management, entrepreneurship, and marketing; the research interface of marketing and entrepreneurship; SME and new venture marketing.

Research limitations/implications

The results of a bibliometric analysis are limited by the publications that have been selected as a starting point. However, through the selection criteria chosen to identify the database for analysis, the authors are confident that the results illustrate the intellectual structure of EM research in its entirety. The authors recommend that future research should be conducted in one of the three sub‐fields identified in this study.

Practical implications

By laying out different research streams within EM it is hoped that future research will be guided in different directions. “Fine‐tuning” of research efforts will benefit small, new, and entrepreneurial firms.

Originality/value

The analyses conducted in this paper draw a picture of the field that is based on a quantitative approach and therefore sets itself apart from other literature reviews that have a qualitative core.
Entrepreneurial marketing in SMEs: the key capabilities of e‐CRM
Authors: Harrigan Paul , Ramsey Elaine , Ibbotson Patrick
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Entrepreneurial marketing in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) is very different to marketing prescribed theoretically for large organisations. The purpose of this paper is to present research evidence on the impact of internet‐based technologies (IBTs) on the customer relationship management (CRM) activities (i.e. e‐CRM) of SMEs in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methods approach incorporating an online questionnaire, qualitative in‐depth interviews and projective techniques was adopted. Factor analysis was carried out on 286 respondents, which led to communication with customers and the management of customer information being distilled as key areas within e‐CRM in SMEs.

Findings

To varying extents, SMEs are adopting relatively simple IBTs to improve customer communication and information management capabilities and to create competitive advantage through e‐CRM. SMEs find the communication aspect of e‐CRM easier, but struggle to integrate customer information into their decision making. In all, e‐CRM tends to be ad hoc rather than strategic in SMEs.

Practical implications

SMEs must use technologies to compete with larger organisations in today's global marketplace. These technologies may be relatively simple, but the focus must always be on how they can impact on the relationship with the customer making it more efficient without losing effectiveness.

Originality/value

This study, by reporting how SMEs innovate in marketing, sheds light on an important theoretical and practical area. Theoretically, the paper breaks down e‐CRM into key capabilities that may apply to larger organisations as well.
Creative industries: aligning entrepreneurial orientation and innovation capacity
Authors: Parkman Ian D. , Holloway Samuel S. , Sebastiao Helder
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, innovation capacity, and firm performance in the creative industries context.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a survey‐based empirical analysis.

Findings

Innovation capacity mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and two different measures of firm performance in the creative industries.

Research limitations/implications

These results suggest that success in the creative industries requires significant alignment between the entrepreneurial management and creative capabilities of the firm. Firms must identify unique opportunities to exploit that will foster and best leverage their creative competencies.

Originality/value

In addition to providing initial insight on the relationship between entrepreneurial action, innovative capacity, and performance with the creative industries, the paper also is one of the first on the creative industries to focus on firm‐level strategy.
Exploiting the concept of a manufacturing system part IV
Authors: Parnaby John , Towill Denis R.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe in detail how “process knowledge worker” based task forces can enable effective business process improvement (BPI). This successful methodology involves innovation (I), action learning (AL), and extends throughout the organisation (O). The authors show that the resultant IALO is a repeatable and transferable approach to sustainable business performance enhancement; also that IALO adequately covers “Senge's many faces” as identified by Ortenblad and enables effective change built on “best practice” business process systems engineering.

Design/methodology/approach

IALO has evolved over a significant time span traceable back to, and exploiting the “Concept of a Manufacturing System”. What is described in the paper is the proven working format, best procedures, and evidence of effective change. It has been embedded in appropriate systems epistemology and learning organisation literature to form a comprehensive contribution to knowledge of practical business process improvement.

Findings

This IALO has proven transferability across a wide geographical and market sector. To date the methodology has always had continuity via central engineering expertise available in an advisory capacity (as frequently happens with Toyota Production Systems specialists). This particular IALO has yet to be extensively tested outside such a scenario.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides one proven evolutionary and experiential route to actual implementation of an effective learning organisation capable of delivering substantially improved core business process performance. It thus provides a comprehensive framework against which future alternative approaches may be assessed.

Practical implications

Exploiting task force execution via IALO requires active (not passive) support and resourcing at all levels in the enterprise. To ensure that adequate expertise in business process systems engineering is available, smaller organisations can be grouped together in club‐style configurations.

Originality/value

It has been previously shown in JMTM how a conceptual flow model of a business may be transposed into an integrated process methodology to engineer effective and sustainable business change. What is novel herein is the further transition into an active and effective IALO.
A critical review of empirical research methodology in supply chain management
Authors: Soni Gunjan , Kodali Rambabu
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the extant literature on empirical research in supply chain management (SCM). It provides a comprehensive assessment of research methodology of 619 empirical research articles on SCM published between 1994 and 2009. In total, 21 journals were short listed out of 115 journals for the purpose.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviewed a set of 619 empirical research articles in SCM research with respect to empirical research methodology and its related aspects, using the empirical research approach given by Flynnet al.The paper demonstrates the present status of empirical research in SCM.

Findings

It is concluded from the analysis of the results that empirical research in SCM is increasing at a faster rate than ever, with theory building more in focus than verification. On the other hand, SCM researchers seems to have left several aspects of empirical research unexplored, such as action research, significance of triangulation of data and longitudinal data collection. Other significant findings revealed that SCM research is very scanty in developing countries, the majority of research papers are written at firm level only and several industrial sectors such as construction, retail, and agriculture are still unexamined.

Originality/value

There have been a couple of literature reviews in SCM but none of them focused exclusively on empirical research methodology in SCM. Also the sample size with respect to the number of papers (619 papers), as well as number of journals (21 journals), is larger than ever considered for literature review in SCM. The papers spans a longer time period of 16 years (1994‐2009).
What uncertainty?
Authors: Catulli Maurizio
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to follow a paper by Rexfelt and Hiort af Ornäs published in JMTM in 2009, which dealt with consumer acceptance of product service systems (PSS). This topic is important as it is a sustainable business model. It is proposed that the uncertainty consumers have towards the suitability of PSS to their needs can be further explored using existing management tools such as SERVQUAL, a tool to measure customer satisfaction and perceived quality.

Design/methodology/approach

This study, supported by the British Academy, utilized qualitative research on two types of respondents: businesses that can be classified eco‐efficient PSS providers; and consumers. The providers were administered structured in‐depth interviews, and the respondents are Mr Chas Ball, Director of Policy at Car Plus, a trade association representing car clubs, and Mr Jonathan Hampson, Director of Streetcar, the largest car club company. Car clubs may be considered a type of eco‐efficient PSS. Consumers were involved in four focus groups (20 participants in total). The questioning route used in the two focus groups focused the attention of the participants on two types of eco‐efficient PSS provision: one represented by car‐sharing services, such as the ones provided by City Car Club and Street Car, mentioned in section 2; the other was an hypothetical provision of a bundle of maternity equipment and services, such as baby prams, baby car seats, travel cots and similar. The inclusion of this “hypothetical” provision was inspired by a study conducted in Sweden by Mont et al.

Findings

Consumers are favourable to PSS provisions in principle; however they have concerns on whether this type of provision will live up to their expectations. These concerns are that the PSS might not perform satisfactorily in terms of its assurance, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and tangible components. The attractive aspect of PSS to consumers is as a “bundle” or products and services where the product can be replaced to accommodate consumers' needs. Business managers and policy makers will need to devise communications to reassure consumers that PSS provision meets the requirements set out by the SERVQUAL scale.

Originality/value

This paper identifies the applicability of a service quality measurement tool, SERVQUAL, to product service systems (PSS) and it extends the knowledge on consumers' acceptance of PSS.
Improving “last mile” delivery performance to retailers in hub and spoke distribution systems
Authors: Greasley Andrew , Assi Anand
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the “last mile” delivery link between a hub and spoke distribution system and its customers. The proportion of retail, as opposed to non‐retail (trade) customers using this type of distribution system has been growing in the UK. The paper shows the applicability of simulation to demonstrate changes in overall delivery policy to these customers.

Design/methodology/approach

A case‐based research method was chosen with the aim to provide an exemplar of practice and test the proposition that simulation can be used as a tool to investigate changes in delivery policy.

Findings

The results indicate the potential improvement in delivery performance, specifically in meeting timed delivery performance, that could be made by having separate retail and non‐retail delivery runs from the spoke terminal to the customer.

Research limitations/implications

The simulation study does not attempt to generate a vehicle routing schedule but demonstrates the effects of a change on delivery performance when comparing delivery policies.

Practical implications

Scheduling and spreadsheet software are widely used and provide useful assistance in the design of delivery runs and the allocation of staff to those delivery runs. This paper demonstrates to managers the usefulness of investigating the efficacy of current design rules and presents simulation as a suitable tool for this analysis.

Originality/value

A simulation model is used in a novel application to test a change in delivery policy in response to a changing delivery profile of increased retail deliveries.
Evaluation of alternative assembly line arrangements with stochastic operation times
Authors: Das Biman , Garcia‐Diaz Alberto , MacDonald Corinne A. , Ghoshal Kalyan K.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a computer simulation model to evaluate increasing versus decreasing mean operation times assembly line arrangement for normal and exponential distributions and the variances equal to 1 and 16.

Design/methodology/approach

The model was developed on the basis of a realistic case problem and applied to a six‐station assembly line. The evaluation criteria were: the minimization of the total elapsed time; the maximization of the average percentage of working time; and the minimization of the average time in the system.

Findings

The increasing mean operation times line arrangement is superior to the decreasing mean operation times line arrangement for the normal and exponential distributions and the variances equal to 1 and 16, in terms of the total elapsed time and the average percentage of the working time evaluation criteria. The decreasing mean operation times lines is marginally superior to the increasing operation times line for the normal distribution for the variances equal to 1 and 16, in terms of the average time in the system evaluation criterion. The above inference can be made for the exponential distribution for the variance 16, but no definitive conclusion can be made for the variance 1. Overall, the increasing mean operation times line arrangement has proven to be superior to the decreasing operation times line arrangement for both the stated distributions and variances, in terms of the important evaluation criteria.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the computer simulation approach to solving assembly line problems that deal with the impact of normally and exponentially distributed operation times, with variances equal to 1 and 16, on the increasing and decreasing mean operation times assembly line arrangements.
Trust in buyer‐supplier relationships
Authors: Ian Stuart F. , Verville Jacques , Taskin Nazim
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Despite the extensive body of research on the relationship between trust and performance in a supply chain environment, the concepts and the relationship between them has not been fully understood. The purpose of this paper is to develop a model that links the antecedents of trust, trust itself and firm outcome success.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather the data for this study. Statistical analysis included factor analysis with reliability and validity tests, and partial least square of structural equation modeling.

Findings

The data suggest that trust is built principally through supplier centric traditional performance metrics such as delivery reliability and product quality conformance. However, contrary to the extant literature, the people oriented trust enablers (e.g. personnel exchange, interpersonal contacts) have no bearing on the establishment of trust.

Research limitations/implications

The research limitation is the relatively small sample size. However, this study can be perceived as a directional one for further research.

Practical implications

The results can be used by the managers to improve their understanding on the relationship with other parties in the supply chain.

Originality/value

The significant value of this research can be retained by buying firm managers. The results are particularly important for them to improve their understanding in how they allocate time and resources in managing their supply chains and partner firms.
The role of management in tackling corruption
Authors: Sööt Mari‐Liis
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of the study reported in this article is to examine the role of management in establishing anti‐corruption organisational culture in law enforcement agencies. The study focuses on organisational perspectives on corruption and on the views of managers regarding the tackling of corruption.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses qualitative data gathered from the Estonian law enforcement agencies. It is based on nine semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with top managers of various Estonian law enforcement agencies.

Findings

The findings of the study show that managers' beliefs may reinforce an organisational culture that systematically downplays the importance of anti‐corruption work. The study outlines major impediments likely to counteract successful implementation of anti‐corruption policies in law enforcement agencies: corruption is seen as a problem of the street level staff, individual staff members' ability to resist corruption is considered to be determined by their knowledge of the relevant legal definitions and sanctions, control methods are considered to be the most effective means of curbing corruption.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses exclusively on the values and role of managers. As noted by early researchers (e.g. Trevino) of the field, managers are not very likely to allow their values to be measured and analysed. The reluctance by most academics directly to approach top managers of law enforcement agencies makes studies such as the one reported below a complex endeavour in most countries. Top managers tend to shun open discussions of corruption – especially in relation to their organisations. Any views they express on the subject tend to be protective of their organisation and are usually intended for the record.

Practical implications

The study helps to understand the reasons that contribute to failure of anti‐corruption policies and points to the relevant general shortcomings in managerial skills. By identifying these reasons and shortcomings, the study paves the way to remedial training and critical self‐assessment.

Originality/value

Besides, the fact that managerial attitudes about corruption have not been studied earlier in Estonia, this study contributes to the overall understanding of managerial attitudes and their relation to corruption in an organisation. This is important for improving our theoretical understanding of corruption in organisations and contributing to the value‐based approach to corruption.
Pay‐for‐performance in Estonian general educational schools: the situation for further development
Authors: Irs Reelika
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the situation of performance management, to be more precise, the usage and attitudes towards pay‐for‐performance on the example of Estonian schools and brings out practical implications for implementing pay‐for‐performance in Estonian general educational schools.

Design/methodology/approach

Altogether 298 headmasters and 2,165 teachers participated in this research. The goal of the research was to map the situation of the usage of pay‐for‐performance in Estonian schools and to find out teachers' and headmasters' opinions about the most effective pay‐for‐performance system.

Findings

Despite the great expectations of performance management and pay‐for‐performance, it is not being used in many Estonian general educational schools. However, the findings of this research show that both headmasters and teachers have quite positive attitudes towards pay‐for‐performance that gives a favourable platform for implementing pay‐for‐performance in the Estonian educational sector.

Research limitations/implications

The study was mainly quantitative with only a few open questions, which raises limitations for finding complete answers and explanations to questions raised. Therefore, case studies need to be done to find answers to some interesting research questions.

Originality/value

With the view to raising the performance of the Estonian educational system and to guarantee its sustainability, a new course concerning schools' and pupils' individual development must be taken. It can be achieved through performance management and pay‐for‐performance, which also helps to raise teachers' motivation. A central feature of the pay‐for‐performance is that pay must be in accord with performance and must provide an incentive to promote the success of the organisation.
Exploring critical factors in China's manufacturing technology innovation
Authors: Su Jingqin , Liu Jing
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore what critical factors influenced the technological innovation of China's manufacturing enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors took CNR Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Company Ltd as a case and used data coding method with ROST CM6.0, including three steps, open coding, axial coding and selective coding.

Findings

The results of the case study suggest that adhering to developing products by themselves is the key factor, huge market demand is the induced factor, technology platform is the supporting factor and technology integration is the strategic factor.

Originality/value

The paper presents four critical factors which influenced technological innovation of China's manufacturing enterprises. In addition, the paper provides Chinese manufacturers with a preliminary framework and some experiences to enable them to practice technological innovation.