bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Power and strategic change in a multinational industrial corporation
Authors: Kerttula Kari , Takala Tuomo
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The aim of the study was to analyze the use of power in a strategic change process within a large forest industry company. The organization in question had a total of 7,700 employees, 6‐8 organizational levels, over 30 production units and a widespread international sales network. The study highlighted the organization's internal narration as an important element in the use of power. It started in conjunction with the appointment of the new management group and continued throughout the two‐year monitoring period, so that gradually all organizational layers were involved in interpreting their roles and positions in the new structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data were collected during a period of more than two years through participatory observation and the change narrative was made using the change report method. The use of power was observed from the perspective of the management group. The researcher had a dual role; he served both as a researcher and a member of the management group.

Findings

The first conclusion revealed that the change did not represent a separate process that was taking place outside the normal, established functioning and management process of the organization. The second conclusion was that implementing a transformative change in a large organization is a multi‐stage and challenging learning process, both for the change makers as well as for other members of the organization. The third conclusion was that there were no shortcuts to change. It took place through the thinking and actions of the people starting from the understanding of the measures required for the change.

Research limitations/implications

There are three limitations to the study. First, its findings are based on the viewpoint of the new management group. Second, the role of the researcher and the episodic progress narrative edited by himself defined the change process as a five‐phased process. Third, and closely linked to the previous limitation, the possible narrowness of the researcher in his thinking is also a potential limitation.

Practical implications

The results of the study could pave the way to a more realistic understanding of power and change in large multinational companies.

Originality/value

This article is a genuine research paper with profound fieldwork. It broadens viewpoints considering power, change and the role of top management in a large and global Finnish forest industry corporation.
Work‐family enrichment in Korea: construct validation and status
Authors: Hun Lim Doo , Choi Myungweon , Hoon Song Ji
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The aim of this study is to validate the Korean version of the work‐family enrichment (WFE) scale and identify the current status of work‐family enrichment of workers within the Korean cultural context.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors performed a forward and backward translation procedure to develop the Korean version of the WFE scale, which contains the linguistic equivalence between the two language versions of the WFE scale (English and Korean). Also, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were utilized to test the psychometric fit of the underlying structure of the Korean WFE scale compared with the English version.

Findings

The results indicate that the Korean version of the WFE indicates psychometric properties parallel to the English version of the WFE. The findings also include differences in the WFE mean scores for Korean workers based on demographic and work‐related variables.

Originality/value

As in the USA, improving the work‐family balance is perceived as a social imperative in other cultural settings. Empirical studies conducted in the Korean context can potentially demonstrate how individualist‐based hypotheses regarding work‐family interface fit a collectivist‐based cultural setting.
Servant leadership and paternalistic leadership styles in the Turkish business context
Authors: Hale Öner Zeynep
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to test an adaptation of the servant leadership survey to Turkey for the first time and to explore the relationship between perceptions of servant leadership and paternalistic leadership styles in the Turkish business context to contribute to the complex process of contextual dynamics of leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 305 self‐administered surveys completed by white‐collar mid‐level managers in Istanbul, Turkey. These white collar employees conveyed their perceptions about the leadership styles of their immediate supervisors.

Findings

The results revealed that Turkish employees perceived a high correlation between paternalistic and servant leadership styles, demonstrating that leadership practices held by employees are strongly culture‐specific. In particular, all dimensions of servant leadership construct – i.e. altruism, relationship, empowerment and participation – showed a significant positive correlation with the paternalistic leadership construct. Servant leadership attributes as perceived by Turkish employees reflect a higher degree of “people orientation”.

Research limitations/implications

Although this is a cross‐sectional study, its findings have implications for contemporary leadership research and practice, particularly with regard to understanding of leadership in the cultural context.

Practical implications

The study findings may assist human resources practitioners in multinational corporations and in Eastern and Western countries to unravel the confusion and misunderstandings created when different cultures perceive leadership in disparate ways.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first to establish empirically a possible link between servant leadership and paternalistic leadership perception as shown in the understanding of the Turkish employees. Turkish mid‐level managers did not consider servant leadership and paternalistic leadership styles as inconsistent, while the Western populace thinks of them as mutually exclusive. This study is a step in the complex process of theorizing about the contextual dynamics of leadership.
Compact climbing robot rolling on flexible magnetic rollers, for generator inspection with the rotor still installed
Authors: Fischer Wolfgang , Caprari Gilles , Siegwart Roland , Moser Roland
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and prototype implementation of a compact climbing robot with magnetic adhesion, which is only 8 mm high and allows for moving in any direction on the stators or rotors of power generators.

Design/methodology/approach

After a brief description of the industrial environment where it is supposed to be used (inspection of generator stators with the rotor still installed), this paper describes the basic mechanical concept, pointing to the core innovation and the advantages towards previous designs. The paper concludes with a prototype implementation and some test results; and provides an outlook on future extensions in the final industrial version.

Findings

Thanks to a new locomotion system based on flexible magnetic rollers (= magnetic wheels fixed on motorized flexible shafts; patented technology), the robot is able to span over gaps and non‐magnetic zones, both in axial and circumferential direction, while still being flexible enough for adapting to the large curvature of the rotor/stator (∼0.5 m‐2 m).

Originality/value

With this new design, it is now possible, for the first time, to access all types of large power generators (>100 MW) with only one device – while still keeping the mechanical complexity at a level which allows for realizing the robot in a robust way and at reasonable cost.
Laser scan matching for self‐localization of a walking robot in man‐made environments
Authors: Skrzypczynski Piotr
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel application of the well‐established 2D laser scan‐matching technique for self‐localization of a walking robot. The techniques described in this paper enable a walking robot with a 2D laser scanner to obtain precise maps of man‐made environments, which can be useful in search and reconnaissance missions, e.g. in warehouses, production plants, and other industrial areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The presented system combines two scan‐matching algorithms (PSM and PLICP) to deal with low‐quality range data from a compact laser scanner and to provide robust self‐localization in various types of man‐made environments. Data from proprioceptive sensors and simplifying assumptions holding in man‐made environments are exploited to compensate for the varying attitude of the walking robot, particularly in uneven terrain.

Findings

The experimental results suggest that neglecting either the poor initial pose guess obtained from the legged odometry, or the varying attitude angles of a walking robot's body, may lead to unacceptable results in self‐localization and scan‐based mapping. It is also demonstrated that using the PSM algorithm to compute the initial pose estimate for the more precise PLICP scan‐matching algorithm improves the results of self‐localization.

Research limitations/implications

So far, the presented self‐localization system was tested in limited‐scale indoor experiments. Experiments with more extended and realistic scenarios are scheduled as further work.

Practical implications

Applying techniques described in this paper, the author was able to obtain the robot pose and precise maps of man‐made environments, which can be useful in USAR and reconnaissance missions, also in warehouses, production plants, and other industrial areas.

Originality/value

The scan‐matching algorithms used in the presented research are not new, the contribution lies in combining them in order to overcome issues specific to a small‐size legged platform, using only common affordable hardware.
Intelligent systems for industrial robotics: application in logistic field
Authors: Wang Ting , Ramik Dominik M. , Sabourin Christophe , Madani Kurosh
Published: April 2012

Purpose

Different machines are already present in the human environment, easing human beings' daily life. In the future, this tendency will be accentuated by integration of numerous robots (e.g. wheeled robots, legged robots, humanoid robots, network sensors, etc.) in the human environment. A wide range of applications, such as those dealing with warehouse management, industrial assembling, military applications, daily‐life tasks, can benefit from multi‐robot systems. The purpose of this paper is to propose an intelligent system for industrial robotics in the logistic field, based on collaboration between heterogeneous robots.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed infrastructure for this multi‐robot system is composed of a robots' network including one humanoid robot, wheeled robots, cameras, and remote computer. All devices can communicate between them by using wireless network. The goal of the humanoid robot is to lead the wheeled robots according to the environment and wheeled robots are used to carry a load. The camera allows providing complementary information about the environment; and thanks to machine learning, this control strategy allows complex tasks to be perormed for these logistic applications.

Findings

This concept is implemented on real robots within the frame of a demonstrator including the above‐mentioned kind of robots. The preliminary results, obtained during experimentations, prove the feasibility of the presented strategy for real applications.

Originality/value

The main originalities of this work are, on the one hand, the use of an heterogeneous multi‐robots system for logistic tasks, and on the other hand, the proposed machine learning allows a collaboration task between heterogeneous robots in an autonomous manner.
Obstacle‐responsive navigation scheme of a wheeled mobile robot based on look‐ahead control
Authors: Yu Lwin Yu , Yamamoto Yoshio
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design a mobile robot controller which is able to pursue a given goal with obstacle‐avoiding capability in which the two tasks, i.e. aiming at the goal and avoiding obstacles, are fused together in a coherent framework of look‐ahead control method.

Design/methodology/approach

Navigation toward a goal is typically executed based on global information obtained from GPS. Obstacle avoidance, however, is local in nature, and a higher priority temporarily should be placed on avoiding a collision with the obstacle than taking the shortest path toward the goal. The former is handled by the goal‐aiming mode while the latter is dealt with by the obstacle‐avoiding mode. These two tasks with different natures are treated under so‐called “look‐ahead control” by simply changing coordinate frames and associated elements within the same controller. Therefore, continuity and smoothness of the resulting motion and trajectory is maintained throughout its mission.

Findings

Two different tasks, goal aiming and collision avoiding, can smoothly be switched back and forth within the same controller by replacing its coordinate frame, decoupling matrix and corresponding reference signals to follow. It is found through simulation and real experiments that the proposed scheme can graciously handle obstacles, static or dynamic, regardless of the number of obstacles. Also, the look‐ahead control guarantees smoothness of resulting trajectories.

Originality/value

Mobile robot autonomous navigation in outdoor obstructed areas offers challenging study for robot researchers. The vital aspect is to smartly control the mobile robot to move to the desired location autonomously, without colliding with any obstacles. The proposed method provides a stable and robust navigation framework for any kind of mobile robot, especially for outdoor use.
High‐level robot programming based on CAD: dealing with unpredictable environments
Authors: Neto Pedro , Mendes Nuno , Araújo Ricardo , Norberto Pires J. , Paulo Moreira A.
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a CAD‐based human‐robot interface that allows non‐expert users to teach a robot in a manner similar to that used by human beings to teach each other.

Design/methodology/approach

Intuitive robot programming is achieved by using CAD drawings to generate robot programs off‐line. Sensory feedback allows minimization of the effects of uncertainty, providing information to adjust the robot paths during robot operation.

Findings

It was found that it is possible to generate a robot program from a common CAD drawing and run it without any major concerns about calibration or CAD model accuracy.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of the proposed system has to do with the fact that it was designed to be used for particular technological applications.

Practical implications

Since most manufacturing companies have CAD packages in their facilities today, CAD‐based robot programming may be a good option to program robots without the need for skilled robot programmers.

Originality/value

The paper proposes a new CAD‐based robot programming system. Robot programs are directly generated from a CAD drawing “running” on a commonly available 3D CAD package (Autodesk Inventor) and not from a commercial, computer aided robotics (CAR) software, making it a simple CAD integrated solution. This is a low‐cost and low‐setup time system where no advanced robot programming skills are required to operate it. In summary, robot programs are generated with a high‐level of abstraction from the robot language.
Direct kinematic analysis of a heavy‐payload forging manipulator in the grasping stage
Authors: Xiaobing Chu , Feng Gao , Hao Ge
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the direct kinematic analysis of a heavy‐payload forging manipulator. In the grasping stage, the manipulator is equivalent to a 3‐DOF under‐actuated mechanism. In order to deal with the direct position kinematics of the under‐actuated mechanism, the analysis is performed in two steps.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyzes the direct position kinematics of the 3‐DOF under‐actuated mechanism as follows: first, the authors add a virtual constraint on the mechanism, convert it to a 2‐DOF fully actuated mechanism and calculate the direct kinematics of the constrained mechanism. Then, the constraint is applied to many different positions and the corresponding direct kinematics of the constrained mechanism are calculated, respectively. Finally, the mechanism with lower gravitational potential energy than any other constrained mechanism is chosen, and its direct position is what is needed for the 3‐DOF underactuated mechanism.

Findings

The paper provides a solution for the direct kinematic analysis of a heavy‐payload forging manipulator in the grasping stage. Furthermore, the simulation and experiment results confirm the effectiveness of the solution.

Originality/value

The paper proposes a methodology to deal with the direct position kinematics of the 3‐DOF under‐actuated mechanism in two steps.
Developing diverse teams to improve performance in the organizational setting
Authors: Yeager Katherine L. , Nafukho Fredrick M.
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The use of teams in organizations given the current trend toward globalization, population changes, and an aging workforce, especially in high‐income countries, makes the issue of diverse team building critical. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of team diversity and team performance through the examination of theory and empirical research. Specifically, the paper seeks to answer the question: “How might individuals with diverse characteristics such as culture, age, work experience, educational background, aptitude and values, become successful team members?”.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of theories that are pertinent to individual differences and team formation, including social identity theory, mental models, inter contact theory, social comparison theory, and chaos theory, was conducted. Team formation and diversity literature were reviewed to identify ways of developing diverse and effective teams.

Findings

It is a truism that working together in teams is a smart way of achieving organizational performance goals. This paper discusses the theories, research and practices that underlie the development of efficient and effective teams. It demonstrates that recognizing the underlying individual differences, mental models, and assumptions that team members bring to the organization can help build teams that are able to overcome dysfunctional barriers and ensure performance improvement of the individuals, teams and organizations.

Research limitations/implications

The approach used to review the literature is a limitation of this study as the authors may have missed a discussion surrounding an important concept or theory related to team diversity and performance.

Practical implications

Human resource development interventions that target team building, team work and team learning include modules that raise awareness of the perspectives of team members' individual differences and appropriateness of actions. Training at the team level should focus on the interaction between factors that shape the identity of individuals. Procedures and work design systems should be redesigned to insure that the development of strong and functional teams is supported from a holistic and organizational perspective.

Originality/value

This paper highlights diversity issues related to individual differences that underlie team formation and suggests strategies needed to develop effective teams.
Decision making regarding access to training and development in medium‐sized enterprises
Authors: Coetzer Alan , Redmond Janice , Sharafizad Jalleh
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of factors that impinge on managerial decision‐making processes regarding employee access to structured training and development (T&D) opportunities that are at least partially funded by the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi‐structured interviews incorporating the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) were conducted with 14 managers of medium‐sized enterprises based in Perth, Western Australia. The interviews explored decisions managers have actually made regarding employee access to T&D and yielded 42 useable critical incidents that served as the unit of analysis.

Findings

There were three key findings: first, employee access to T&D was initiated primarily by managers; employees did not exhibit developmental proactivity. Regulatory requirements and performance deficits were the main factors triggering T&D. Second, decisions regarding employee access to T&D were influenced by a wider range of factors than the decision making factors that commonly feature in literature that discusses “barriers” to T&D in SMEs. Third, decision makers tended to neglect the evaluation phase of the decision making process and engaged in post‐decisional justification.

Research limitations/implications

The study holds a number of lessons that are based on an analysis of the authors' experiences of using the CIT. The lessons are potentially important for researchers who will be using the technique to study similar topics in the years ahead.

Originality/value

This study addresses the lack of research into factors that affect managers' decisions when they consider providing employee access to firm‐sponsored structured T&D opportunities. It also assesses the effectiveness of the CIT as a tool for studying managerial decision‐making processes regarding employee access to T&D opportunities.
A composite model for employees' performance appraisal and improvement
Authors: Manoharan T.R. , Muralidharan C. , Deshmukh S.G.
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an innovative method of performance appraisal that will be useful for designing a structured training programme.

Design/methodology/approach

Employees' performance appraisals are conducted using new approaches, namely data envelopment analysis and an integrated fuzzy model. Interpretive structural modelling is used to design a training programme for employees.

Findings

Performance appraisals using data envelopment analysis focus on output enhancement, while an integrated fuzzy model using quality function deployment (QFD) and multi‐attribute decision‐making focuses on input enhancement. For overall and continuous improvement of employees' knowledge, skills and attributes, this composite model provides an in‐depth analysis and also offers a means for designing a structured and effective training programme through interpretive structural modelling.

Research limitations/implications

In data envelopment analysis, the number of employees for performance appraisal should be equal to or greater than three times the selected number of input and output factors. In the integrated fuzzy model, the number of main factors should not exceed seven for pairwise comparison. The size of the QFD matrix should not be more than 30.

Practical implications

The factors selected for appraisal and the method of appraisal should be known by the employees concerned. Consensus among all those concerned is necessary for effective application and utilization of the model.

Social implications

This model provides a means to increase the knowledge, skills and attributes of employees by adopting a structured approach to designing a training programme for employees of various categories. The approaches used are well‐established and can be applied in many other fields.

Originality/value

In this paper, approaches used for appraisals and designing training programmes are new to this field of study, although they have been successfully proven in many other fields. The results obtained using these methods are useful for helping management to make decisions on training needs, bonuses, incentives and promotions. For the employees, a structured training programme design improves their KSA, quality and standards.
Implementing large‐scale quality improvement
Authors: Morrow Elizabeth , Robert Glenn , Maben Jill , Griffiths Peter
Published: April 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on facilitating large‐scale quality improvement in health care, and specifically understanding more about the known challenges associated with implementation of lean innovations: receptivity, the complexity of adoption processes, evidence of the innovation, and embedding change. Lessons are drawn from the implementation of The Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™ programme in English hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

The study upon which the paper draws was a mixed‐method evaluation that aimed to capture the perceptions of three main stakeholder groups: national‐level policymakers (15 semi‐structured interviews); senior hospital managers (a national web‐based survey of 150 staff); and healthcare practitioners (case studies within five hospitals involving 58 members of staff). The views of these stakeholder groups were analysed using a diffusion of innovations theoretical framework to examine aspects of the innovation, the organisation, the wider context and linkages.

Findings

Although The Productive Ward was widely supported, stakeholders at different levels identified varying facilitators and challenges to implementation. Key issues for all stakeholders were staff time to work on the programme and showing evidence of the impact on staff, patients and ward environments.

Research limitations/implications

To support implementation, policymakers should focus on expressing what can be gained locally using success stories and guidance from “early adopters”. Service managers, clinical educators and professional bodies can help to spread good practice and encourage professional leadership and support. Further research could help to secure support for the programme by generating evidence about the innovation, and specifically its clinical effectiveness and broader links to public expectations and experiences of healthcare.

Originality/value

This paper draws lessons from the implementation of The Productive Ward programme in England, which can inform the implementation of other large‐scale programmes of quality improvement in health care.
Linking Six Sigma to simulation: a new roadmap to improve the quality of patient care
Authors: Celano Giovanni , Costa Antonio , Fichera Sergio , Tringali Giuseppe
Published: April 2012

Purpose

Improving the quality of patient care is a challenge that calls for a multidisciplinary approach, embedding a broad spectrum of knowledge and involving healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds. The purpose of this paper is to present an innovative approach that implements discrete‐event simulation (DES) as a decision‐supporting tool in the management of Six Sigma quality improvement projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A roadmap is designed to assist quality practitioners and health care professionals in the design and successful implementation of simulation models within the define‐measure‐analyse‐design‐verify (DMADV) or define‐measure‐analyse‐improve‐control (DMAIC) Six Sigma procedures.

Findings

A case regarding the reorganisation of the flow of emergency patients affected by vertigo symptoms was developed in a large town hospital as a preliminary test of the roadmap. The positive feedback from professionals carrying out the project looks promising and encourages further roadmap testing in other clinical settings.

Practical implications

The roadmap is a structured procedure that people involved in quality improvement can implement to manage projects based on the analysis and comparison of alternative scenarios.

Originality/value

The role of Six Sigma philosophy in improvement of the quality of healthcare services is recognised both by researchers and by quality practitioners; discrete‐event simulation models are commonly used to improve the key performance measures of patient care delivery. The two approaches are seldom referenced and implemented together; however, they could be successfully integrated to carry out quality improvement programs. This paper proposes an innovative approach to bridge the gap and enrich the Six Sigma toolbox of quality improvement procedures with DES.
On the day of surgery: how long does preventable disruption prolong the patient journey?
Authors: Al‐Hakim Latif , Yan Gong Xiao
Published: April 2012

Purpose

Disruption considerably prolongs session times for surgery, affects the quality of patient care, and prolongs waiting lists. In addition, there is a strong relationship between disruption and surgical error. This research aims to provide a platform for healthcare services to identify the sources of preventable disruption affecting operative time within the perioperative process and to effectively reduce it.

Design/methodology/approach

Events inside and outside operating rooms that disturb the operative time were recorded for 31 elective surgeries over the period of five months. Disruption events were classified according to the hospital's requirements and the findings were reviewed by the surgical teams. Lean thinking approaches were used to achieve the purpose of this study.

Findings

Preventable disruption caused an increase in surgical time of approximately 25 per cent. Preventable disruption consisted of poor information flow, failure to follow concepts of methods study, lack of communication and lack of coordination. Coordination failures were the main reason for disruption followed by the lack of following the principles of motion economy.

Originality/value

Surgical disruption has substantial financial implications for hospitals. This research indicates that it is possible to reduce operative time considerably by eliminating preventable disruption. Such additional time could be utilised to deal with the pressure of emergency cases, reduce the waiting lists for elective surgery, increase operating room utilisation, and reduce medical errors.
Significant components of service brand equity in healthcare sector
Authors: Chahal Hardeep , Bala Madhu
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine three significant components of service brand equity – i.e. perceived service quality, brand loyalty, and brand image – and analyze relationships among the components of brand equity and also their relationship with brand equity, which is still to be theorized and developed in the healthcare literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Effective responses were received from 206 respondents, selected conveniently from the localities of Jammu city. After scale item analysis, the data were analyzed using factor analysis, correlations, t‐tests, multiple regression analysis and path modeling using SEM.

Findings

The findings of the study support that service brand equity in the healthcare sector is greatly influenced by brand loyalty and perceived quality. However, brand image has an indirect effect on service brand equity through brand loyalty (mediating variable).

Research limitations/implications

The research can be criticized on the ground that data were selected conveniently from respondents residing in the city of Jammu, India. But at the same time the respondents were appropriate for the study as they have adequate knowledge about the hospitals, and were associated with the selected hospital for more than four years. Furthermore, the validity and reliability of the data are strong enough to take care of the limitations of the convenience sampling selection method.

Originality/value

The study has unique value addition to the service marketing vis‐à‐vis healthcare literature, from both theoretical and managerial perspectives. The study establishes a direct and significant relationship between service brand equity and its two components, i.e. perceived service quality and brand loyalty in the healthcare sector. It also provides directions to healthcare service providers in creating, enhancing, and maintaining service brand equity through service quality and brand loyalty, to sustain competitive advantage.
Dark marketing: ghost in the machine or skeleton in the cupboard?
Authors: Brown Stephen , McDonagh Pierre , Shultz Clifford
Published: April 2012

Purpose

Dark marketing is the “the application or adaptation of marketing principles and practices to domains of death, destruction and the ostensibly reprehensible”. This paper examines the nature, character and extent of dark marketing, noting that it is made manifest in manifold shapes and forms.

Design/methodology/approach

Primarily a conceptual paper, this article includes several mini case studies – exemplars, rather – of dark marketing's many and varied expressions.

Findings

The paper considers the scale and scope of dark marketing, and endeavours to classify both. Dark marketing is discernible at micro, meso and macro scales. Its scope consists of four shades or degrees of darkness, entitled light dark marketing, slight dark marketing, quite dark marketing and night dark marketing. An evolutionary trend in the direction of darkness is also noted.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is a think piece, not an empirical analysis. It is, therefore, a first step rather than a definitive statement.

Practical implications

Practitioners and academics are inclined to regard marketing in a positive light, as a force for the good. Crusading journalists and certain social scientists see it as the spawn of the devil. This article argues that the dark and light aspects of marketing are inextricably intertwined.

Originality/value

The paper provides food for thought, a markedly different way of thinking about marketing and its place in the world.
The key to effective organizational development in times of socioeconomic stress
Authors: Darling John R. , Heller Victor L. , Wilson Bennie J.
Published: April 2012

Purpose

Socioeconomic stress has been a major influence on organizational development during the past decade, and will continue for the foreseeable future. This treatise aims to focus on The Key and its importance for effective organizational development via leadership responses to communication challenges during the present era. It is a conceptual paper based on an actual case.

Design/methodology/approach

The Key is a concept that refers to the thoughts and feelings (based on attitudes) that a leader reflects in communications and interactions with his/her universe, a universe that exists both internally within an organization as well as externally to it. The case focuses on communication challenges encountered by Judith Campbell, executive vice president of Creative Innovations, Ltd, and her interaction with Jonathan Bryant, president of Bryant and Associates, Ltd, an organizational development firm. Communication challenges that had arisen primarily due to socioeconomic stress, were seven in number: tendency to rely on only logical thinking; negative responses to external influences; lack of expectations for positive results; tendency toward reliance on sensory input; actions that ignore an inclusive perspective; failure to value and trust in change; and lack of commitment to interactive relations.

Findings

Following Bryant's counsel, Campbell chose to address these communication challenges with a training seminar that focused on a paradigm of seven leadership responses related to The Key. These were: Paradoxical thinking; Controlled reflecting; Intentional focusing; Instinctive responding; Inclusive behaving; Purposeful trusting; and Relational being. The training program, as described herein, proved to be very enlightening to the participants and quite effective for the continued organizational development of the firm.

Originality/value

The paper reveals the results of a training program based on seven communication challenges the results of which can be used to aid in continued organizational development of a firm.
Internationalization modes other than exporting
Authors: Grandinetti Roberto , Mason Michela C.
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically evaluate a model of the firm‐level determinants of export performance that includes the firm's internationalization modes other than exporting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses information gathered on 147 Italian manufacturing small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and applies a structural equation modeling procedure to evaluate determinants included in the model, which are: the firm's commitment to developing an international marketing strategy, the organizational structure for exports, international modes other than exporting (foreign direct investment, international alliances, global sourcing), and some characteristics of the firm already extensively explored in other studies (size, age, international experience).

Findings

The above‐mentioned firm internationalization methods are shown, as a whole, to have a statistically significant, positive and direct influence on export performance. The same can be said of the strategic variable and the organizational variable, whereas the firm characteristics have only an indirect effect on export performance, mediated by the previous three determinants.

Research limitations/implications

The study presents some limitations. In particular, it was limited to manufacturing SMEs in a particular geographical area (North‐East Italy). Replications in other territories are needed to validate the current findings. Moreover, the results of the statistical analysis reveal a moderate support to the research model with regard to some fit indices. These issues could be addressed in future research.

Originality/value

The most important outcome of the study refers to the influence of the internationalization modes other than exporting. Although a great deal of theoretical and empirical literature analyzed the determinants of export performance, this relationship has been largely neglected.
Strategic flexibility and the emergence of virtual global strategies
Authors: Turner Colin
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The aim of this article is to explore the rise of firms making a strategic virtue of virtuality. This trend underlines the increased diversity of internationalisation trajectories within the modern international economy where multinational companies (MNCs) use third parties in a “strategic” manner to support a stated value proposition. To highlight this diversity, the article identifies a particular strategic type: virtual global strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The article uses configural analysis to identify the particular strategic type of virtual global strategy. Based on the identification of this type, the article offers evidence from the corporate telecommunications market where this strategy has emerged.

Findings

The evidence offered suggests there are limits to the strategic value of a virtual global strategy. Not only are the conditions for its existence rare, but also even in those sectors where it is feasible many firms will seek a degree of hybridity as there is still value in some degree of physical presence either at the regional or local level.

Practical implications

The emergence of these innovative strategies challenges the understanding of the form and nature of internationalisation. Not only does it highlight that there is value in virtuality, but also challenges conventional understanding of the nature of commitment within host markets.

Originality/value

The value of the article lies in understanding the increasingly diverse set of trajectories linked to internationalisation and the ability of firms to make a strategic virtue of virtuality within international markets.
Consideration of selflessness and self‐interest in outsourcing decisions
Authors: Zutshi Ambika , Creed Andrew , Sohal Amrik S. , Wood Greg
Published: April 2012

Purpose

The paper aims to discuss the need to balance selflessness and self‐interest issues in outsourcing decisions. This discussion is timely given the tensions that currently exist between those who want off‐shore outsourcing to continue as a means for increasing international trade, and those who only want to conduct business on‐shore.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual approach has been taken in this paper in order to highlight key considerations for ethical decision‐making with respect to off‐shore outsourcing.

Findings

Considerations of selflessness and self‐interest are embedded in outsourcing decisions. It is recommended that a balance between making profits and fulfilling social responsibilities is required, ideally, at each stage of decision‐making. Hence, managers should think critically about the reasons behind off‐shore outsourcing decisions, the process of arriving at decisions, and the impact of their decisions on stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications

This is a conceptual paper and further empirical data to validate the stages of decision‐making framework are required.

Practical implications

Failure to take into account the selflessness and self‐interest outcomes of off‐shore outsourcing could potentially off‐set strategic gains by leading to negative media publicity for a company.

Social implications

Ethical considerations as part of outsourcing decisions should result in a transparent, fair and more humane working environment for both the host and the home country representatives involved in the process.

Originality/value

This paper presents an original framework of selflessness and self‐interest considerations when making off‐shore outsourcing decisions. Both Eastern and Western business perspectives have been incorporated as part of the decision‐making framework.
Client learning for successful architect‐client relationships
Authors: Siva Jessica , London Kerry
Published: April 2012

Purpose

This paper seeks to explain how clients deal effectively with challenges on private single dwelling projects by achieving learning.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight in‐depth interviews were conducted across five case studies of successful architect‐client relationships. The narrative inquiry approach was used to establish the extent to which clients achieved learning and to describe the ways clients effectively dealt with project challenges.

Findings

The findings indicate that clients achieved learning on all five case studies, enabling them to function with increasing competency over the course of projects. Client learning is a characteristic of successful relationships and is demonstrated through the following indicators: learning about the nature of the design/construction process, learning to take enjoyment in the new environment, and learning about the architectural milieu.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to the investigation of the simplified architect‐client relationship on private single dwelling projects. However, the conceptual model developed can be used to investigate relationships associated with other project types as they may offer different circumstances and challenges to the management of project relationships.

Practical implications

A total of 69 per cent of architects in Australia spend some of their work time on residential projects, and therefore improvements in this area can have significant impact on a considerably large portion of the profession.

Social implications

Problematic architect‐client relationships resulting in the marginalisation of the profession can be detrimental to the quality of the environment. An understanding of characteristics underpinning successful architect‐client relationships can thus contribute to the quality of the built environment.

Originality/value

This research identified ways in which clients effectively dealt with difficulties on projects by achieving learning to achieve successful architect‐client relationships.
Trust and the Project Management Body of Knowledge
Authors: Brewer Graham , Strahorn Scott
Published: April 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the extent to which dimensions of trust are reflected in the functional description of the role of a project manager as outlined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).

Design/methodology/approach

The literature is used to identify trust dimensions that have the potential to impact on the conduct of a project. These are then assembled into a theoretical framework, which is then used to drive a thematic analysis of the project manager's role as described in PMBOK. Similarities are confirmed, and absences identified and explained in the context of the literature.

Findings

The fourth edition of PMBOK is the first to make overt reference to the concept of trust. Detailed analysis of the text reveals that although certain trust dimensions are recognised they are dealt with in general terms, as desirable characteristics within the project environment rather than specific facilitators or actions in relation to the conduct of project.

Practical implications

PMBOK is the most widely recognised standard for the conduct of project management, and as such has achieved wide acceptance as defining the project manager's role. It recognises trust as playing a part in the successful management of projects. However, fostering trust is central to the art of project management, and requires greater consideration than indicated by PMBOK.

Originality/value

This is the first critical analysis of PMBOK in relation to trust.
Is incentivisation significant in ensuring successful partnered projects?
Authors: Hughes Deborah , Williams Trefor , Ren Zhaomin
Published: April 2012

Purpose

This research aimed to test the hypothesis “The use of incentivisation with a gain/pain share of about 15 per cent is a precursor to the achievement of successful infrastructure partnering projects in South Wales”. This hypothesis arose from Egan's speech in 2008 discussing the success of partnering.

Design/methodology/approach

Two infrastructure projects in South Wales were chosen for the study. This research demonstrates that partnering is not suitable for all projects. Incentivisation places a focus on cost that can have a detrimental effect on the other aspects that exist within the oft quoted triangle of time, cost and quality.

Findings

Neither of the two case projects can be judged a success from the perspective of both parties. What represents success to one client would not equal success to the other. Overall it must be concluded that the hypothesis was not proven. Egan's view appears to be too simplistic to apply in all situations and is not always the key to success as he suggests.

Originality/value

This paper makes an original contribution by exploring if incentivisation can provide success within infrastructure projects in South Wales. The content of the paper will be of interest to clients, contractors and consultants engaged in formulating partnering contracts.