bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovativeness and NPD processes/practices in the Greek food industry
Authors: Chryssochoidis George
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical research evidence on the process innovations and the NPD (new product development) processes/practices adopted by the food industry as well as their interface.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted in the Greek food industry. A total of 44 companies that have developed new products were identified and personal interviews were conducted with company managers. Three different aspects of their innovativeness was investigated, namely the use of new raw ingredients/materials, new machinery and new controls. Questions were asked on the adoption of 33 different processes for the development of these new products and the importance attributed to these NPD processes/practices.

Findings

Firms in the food industry may operate on the basis of a U‐shaped process innovativeness. They employ either the same raw materials/ingredients with new equipment/machinery or new raw ingredients/materials with old equipment/machinery. New controls/procedures go together with new equipment/machinery. Increased process innovativeness is associated with only a small number of NPD processes/practices. These revolve around manufacturing and its preparation.

Research implications/limitations

The small number of identified innovations and the focus sector limit the results to the target sample.

Practical implications

The exact NPD processes used by the food industry and which of these are associated with increased process innovativeness, bear important implications for food industry managers and research.

Originality/value

The paper fills a gap regarding what is the nature of innovativeness in the Greek food industry, what new product development processes/practices are followed and which of these are associated with increased innovativeness. As such it provides further specialised evidence for the food sector across European countries.
Strategy, structure, environment and performance in Spanish firms
Authors: Pertusa‐Ortega Eva M. , Claver‐Cortés Enrique , Molina‐Azorín José F.
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to jointly analyse external adjustment (environment‐strategy) and internal adjustment (strategy‐structure), and their influence on firm performance in a set of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of a European‐Mediterranean region in order to check whether models mainly validated in US firms are applied in this context.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a quantitative methodological approach, a survey was applied to a sample of 91 SMEs of Alicante (Spain) from different industries in order to contrast nine hypotheses. Various statistical procedures were used, such as cluster analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Moreover, external and internal adjustment indices have been created.

Findings

Findings show that traditional theoretical models are not exactly applicable in a context of European‐Mediterranean SMEs. Cost leadership strategy is not associated with a favourable environment, and innovation differentiation strategy is not associated with organic structures. The relationship between adjustment and performance is partially confirmed.

Research limitations/implications

The caveats normally associated with survey methods apply, as do those related to the use of cross‐sectional and managerial perceptions data. Besides, the findings are limited to SMEs.

Practical implications

Implications for SME managers regarding the fit between environment, strategy, structure and its effect on performance are addressed. The results can serve as guidelines that will help managers in the formulation and adoption of their strategies.

Originality/value

The interest of this paper is that two issues often treated separately are now jointly analysed: internal and external adjustments. Moreover, it supplies empirical evidence of these issues in a European‐Mediterranean region, in which no similar studies have been carried out until now.
Immortal firms in mortal markets?
Authors: Dew Nicholas , Sarasvathy Saras D. , Read Stuart , Wiltbank Robert
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The “innovator's dilemma” suggests that by listening to current customers leading firms often lose their markets to upstart newcomers as a result. The purpose of this paper is to understand how entrepreneurs successfully create such upstart firms and new markets, since this ought to have direct implications for theorizing about the innovator's dilemma.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines implications of recent studies in entrepreneurial expertise that show expert entrepreneurs use an effectual logic of non‐predictive control. It then connects these ideas to notions of firms and markets as artifacts of entrepreneurial action. Finally, it describes the implications of these concepts for the innovation strategies of large corporations, and specifically for firms periodically facing the innovator's dilemma.

Findings

The findings suggest that the practical answer to the innovator's dilemma is not to predict technology trajectories more accurately, or otherwise strive to build immortal firms in mortal markets. Instead, innovation managers should focus on building new markets. This will inevitably involve pluralizing decision‐making technologies by including some aspects of effectual decision making (used by expert entrepreneurs) into the decision‐making processes of large firms.

Originality/value

It is the basic contention of this paper that the innovator's dilemma is not the story it is usually portrayed as, i.e. technology commercialization. Instead, the core issue is investing in and building new markets. The paper brings a novel theoretical framework (from entrepreneurship) to bear on this problem.
Organising new business development: open innovation at Degussa
Authors: Bröring Stefanie , Herzog Philipp
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse different organisational tools of business development used in practice. This analysis seeks to address the question of how an organisation can achieve the recurring shift from exploration to exploitation and at the same time manage to balance its open and closed innovation tools.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical basis for analysing the organisational implications of open vs closed innovation is built by Creavis, the business venturing arm of Degussa AG, a specialty chemicals company headquartered in Germany.

Findings

Companies face the ambiguity of creating new business options and exploiting these at a later stage. Since exploitative and explorative units require a different organisational set‐up, it is difficult for a company to shift its exploratory endeavours to exploitative means. The presented case study offers an answer to this dilemma by showing how organisations manage to combine both by a unique organisational set‐up allowing for an evolutionary approach of shifting exploratory work into exploitative results.

Practical implications

The insights derived from the case study clearly present a way of dealing with ambidexterity in new business development. The in‐depth analysis advances the understanding of how organisations may successfully conduct business development and, in particular, which organisational tools they may use.

Originality/value

This paper is based on an original case study by the authors. It integrates management theory with a real life example to foster management research in new business development and the particular question of how to deal with the need of organisations to combine both exploratory and exploitative units and support their interaction as well as employing different approaches to innovation, i.e. open vs closed innovation.
Managing internal technology transfer in complex product development
Authors: Magnusson Thomas , Johansson Glenn
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to illustrate how the characteristics of complex product systems pose specific managerial challenges onto the transfer of new technology from technology development to product development.

Design/methodology/approach

The research relies on comparative case studies involving three cases of internal technology transfer processes in the development of electrical equipment and telecommunication systems.

Findings

The research findings suggest that managerial decisions on internal technology transfer should be guided by a contingency framework rather than general procedures and tools.

Research limitations/implications

Since the research is restricted to a limited number of case studies, additional studies are required to validate the findings.

Practical implications

The study results indicate that in cases of complex product development, there is a need for a more integrated view on technology and product development, than what is commonly described in the literature.

Originality/value

This article complements previous studies of the management of internal technology transfer processes, which primarily have addressed mass producing industries.
Fostering innovation
Authors: Jiménez‐Jimenez Daniel , Sanz Valle Raquel , Hernandez‐Espallardo Miguel
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study empirically the relationships between market orientation, organizational learning, innovation and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper formulates some hypotheses from the literature review. These hypotheses are tested using structural equations modelling with data collected from 744 firms.

Findings

Findings show that, although market orientation and organizational learning foster innovation, the effect of the latter is comparatively higher. Moreover, the impact of market orientation and organizational learning on performance is completely mediated by innovation.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations of this paper are the cross‐sectional design of the research and the use of single informants for collecting the data. Apart from overcoming these limitations, for future research it is suggested that: studying the likely causal relation between market orientation and organizational learning; taking into account information about how radical the innovation is; and including the degree of dynamism of the market as a likely moderator of the relations proposed in the model.

Practical implications

The paper provides evidence, first, that companies should be more innovative in order to increase performance. Second, that both adopting market orientation and improving the organizational learning processes of the company have a positive impact on innovation. And third, that innovation mediates the relation between market orientation and organizational learning, and performance.

Originality/value

This paper jointly examines in the same model the little‐researched links between market orientation, organizational learning, innovation and performance.
The role of technological and organizational innovation in the relation between market orientation and performance in cultural organizations
Authors: Carmen Camarero , María José Garrido
Published: August 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to provide evidence of the mediating effect of technological and administrative innovation on the link between market orientation and the economic and social performance of museums.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on extensive literature, a model of the relationships is developed and empirically tested using survey data collected from 276 museums (135 Spanish and 141 French). Data are analyzed through structural equation modeling and/ or path modeling.

Findings

In the present study, evidence is found to support the positive and significant link between market orientation and the economic and social performance of museums. The paper statistically shows that although the linkage between market orientation and performance is significant, what best accounts for enhanced performance is technological and organizational innovation.

Practical implications

This study has implications for museums aiming to increase their performance and innovativeness. The study suggests that museum managers should include technological and organizational innovation in models of market orientation to enhance the explanations of the economic and social performance. This study suggests the innovation is important mediator.

Originality/value

The paper suggests that museum managers need to consider the impact of technological and administrative innovations on achievement of organizational performance.
Break strategy – the key to breaking out
Authors: Cooke Howard , Woodhead Simon
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at the problem caused by the operation of break clauses contained in commercial leases – a predominantly UK phenomenon, a consequence of longer lease terms.

Design/methodology/approach

The pitfalls that can befall a corporate occupier are numerous and the authors of this paper share some of their recent experiences to highlight issues that can arise and how a Corporate Real Estate Manager or advisor can avoid or minimise those risks.

Findings

For corporate occupiers, the operation of a break clause can be fraught with difficulty and its successful implementation requires a strategy to be put in place well in advance of the break date.

Originality/value

The paper shows how turmoil in the wider financial market could make the flexibility that breaks offer very important to certain businesses.
Sources of net present value gains in the acquisitions of corporate real estate
Authors: Kien Hwa Ting
Published: August 2008

Purpose

Acquisitions of properties are carried out by corporate firms for development, investment and operational uses. Acquisitions of corporate real estate announced by listed non‐property companies are found to have positive stock price reactions. This paper seeks to identify the reasons why acquisitions of corporate real estate are a positive net present value (NPV) investment to the acquiring firms.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws theoretical explanations from real estate and finance literature to identify the reasons for the acquisitions to be positive NPV investments to non‐property listed companies.

Findings

The sources of gains in property acquisitions are worth, marriage value and business synergy. These explanations provide the reasons why the announcement of property acquisitions by listed companies could lead to positive wealth gains in the capital market.

Originality/value

This paper offers the explanations behind the positive stock price reactions upon the announcements of corporate real estate acquisitions.
The exclusion of indirect costs from efficiency benchmarking
Authors: Davide Barretta Antonio
Published: August 2008

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the effects produced by a strategy aimed at neutralising one of the “disturbance factors” that may impede the focalisation on “real (in)efficiency” in relative efficiency assessments within the health‐care sector: the exclusion of indirect costs from these comparative analyses.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis is based on the statistical elaboration of data from a sample group of hospital sub‐units within Italian health‐care trusts. The analysis isolates the effect on efficiency indicator variability (dependent variable) of excluding indirect costs (independent variable).

Findings

The analysis conducted has uncovered the likely manipulation of indirect costs to create the impression of having achieved approximately average levels of efficiency performance. The case analysed in this study shows how a defensive orientation in public organizations may arise even without the application of some form of compulsory benchmarking.

Practical implications

The results observed highlight how the exclusion of indirect costs – potentially allocated to attain cross‐subsidization among cost objects – may help to uncover actual cases of (in)efficiency and thus aid in identifying “true” best practices.

Originality/value

Literature has presented a variety of strategies aimed at neutralising some of the “disturbance factors” that impede the focalisation on “real (in)efficiency” in inter‐trust efficiency comparisons. However, until now no studies have supplied evidence of the efficacy of the strategies in question in isolating “real (in)efficiency”.
Benchmarking and performance measurement: a statistical analysis
Authors: Moffett Sandra , Anderson‐Gillespie Karen , McAdam Rodney
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the theoretical understanding and practical application of lead benchmarking and performance measurement as a way to achieve organisational change.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper combines a theory building/theory testing approach. Based on literary findings a conceptual model has been postulated to identify constructs associated with upstream performance measurement and lead benchmarking. A selection of research questions are posed and tested via empirical study. The survey instrument was distributed to 800 UK organisations which resulted in 157 responses.

Findings

Results from the empirical research indicate that new lead, forward looking, predictive benchmarks need to be developed to support lead benchmarking and performance measurement activities. Furthermore, it was found that currently larger organisations are more likely to adopt these practices, with considerable variation across organisational sectors.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical research achieved a 19.6 per cent response rate. While this is adequate to report statistical representation, further data collection would be beneficial for industry generalisations.

Practical implications

Many organisations struggle to grasp metric measurement for lead benchmarking. This paper may provide insight into key factors to be considered for lead benchmarking uptake.

Originality/value

This paper builds on current literature and develops a conceptual model which is then tested via empirical research. This is a novel approach in the area of lead benchmarking.
Perceptions about benchmarking best practices among French managers: an exploratory survey
Authors: Huq Faizul , Abbo Marie‐Helene , Huq Ziaul
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a discussion on the most commonly accepted benchmarking norms in the USA, the lessons learned from benchmarking experiences and see how they are translated to benchmarking projects by French managers.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire is developed, based on the ten‐step Xerox benchmarking process, to identify the perceived and/or experienced benchmarking best practices amongst French managers. Large, medium and small companies are surveyed and managers who have participated in or are in the middle of a benchmarking project contributed to the information in developing the conclusions about the perceived best practices, steps and pitfalls for a benchmarking project in French companies.

Findings

The survey result showed uniformity amongst French managers from large companies and their opinion on what is important in bringing a benchmarking project to a successful conclusion. There was however lack of uniformity of opinion when it came to what is important in the benchmarking process amongst French managers from companies of different size.

Research limitations/implications

Caution should be exercised when interpreting these findings since the paper only used data from an exploratory survey of French managers from companies of varying sizes. The limitation of the study is that the conclusions are applicable to French managers only. In order to compare them one would need survey data, using the same questionnaire from managers in other countries.

Practical implications

Indeed, the authors' findings provide a persuasive argument for what French managers consider important in a benchmarking project. It provides valuable insights into the lessons learned from the years of benchmarking experiences and how these experiences have been translated across cultures.

Originality/value

Based on the French experience with the benchmarking process, the critical success factors for benchmarking were identified. Importance of each step in the benchmarking process varies amongst companies, critical issues are company and industry specific. In order to compete successfully in today's global marketplace, the French managers recognize the importance of benchmarking, although their perceptions of the important steps in the process vary depending on company size.
Balanced score for the balanced scorecard: a benchmarking tool
Authors: Punniyamoorthy M. , Murali R.
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to create a model called “Balanced score for the balanced score card” and to provide an objective benchmarking indicator for evaluating the achievement of the strategic goals of the company.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the concepts of “Balanced scorecard” proposed by Robert. S. Kaplan and David P. Norton. This paper also adopts the model given by Brown P.A. and Gibson D.F. and the extension to the model provided by P.V. Raghavan and M. Punniyamoorthy. Preference theory is used to calculate the relative weightage for each factor, using the process of pair wise comparison. The balanced score for balanced scorecard provides a single value by taking into account all the essential objective and subjective factors – be it financial or non‐financial. It also provides a suitable weightages for those parameters. The target performance and the actual performance are compared and the analysis is made.

Findings

Information from a leading organization was obtained and the balanced score for a balance scorecard was calculated for that organization. The variations were analyzed through this model. The depth and objectivity in the analysis is highlighted.

Research limitations/implications

This provides a single bench marking measure to evaluate how far the firm had been successful in achieving the strategies. The paper has adopted the preference theory which limits the weightage to be accorded to the factors concerned. However, further refinement can be provided by the usage of analytic hierarchy process for arriving suitable weightages.

Practical implications

The organization can calculate the balanced score by themselves, by assigning appropriate importance to the activities – as they deem fit. It is a tailor made benchmarking information system created by the firm for itself.

Originality/value

This is of value to the top management to identify the important activities and setting suitable target measures to be achieved in those activities. The variations are arrived by comparing the targeted performance with the actual. This will help the firm to take suitable actions under those parameters where there are significant deviations.
Scales to measure and benchmark service quality in tourism industry
Authors: Narayan Bindu , Rajendran Chandrasekharan , Sai L. Prakash
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate scales to measure and benchmark service quality (SQ) in tourism industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The second‐order confirmatory factor analysis is employed to validate the instrument. SQ dimensions have been modeled which have significant impact on customer satisfaction (CS) separately from those which do not have a significant impact.

Findings

Hospitality, food, logistics, security, and value for money have significant impact on satisfaction, while amenities, core‐tourism experience, hygiene, fairness of price, information centers, culture, distractions, personal information, and pubs do not have a significant impact.

Research limitations/implications

The above pattern may be different in a different destination, and in a different context. However, a major implication of the current findings is that a destination need not have natural cutting edges to be developed as a tourist destination. A destination with good logistics and assurance for security, value for money, impressive hospitality and food, can satisfy a customer.

Practical implications

The scale which has been developed by us will be useful for destination managers to measure the SQ perceptions of tourists and benchmark destinations. The distinction of SQ dimensions with and without the impact on CS could enable a manager to manage these two sets of factors separately.

Originality/value

Unlike previous works, SQ has been modeled in tourism as a second‐order factor, which appears to be a more appropriate approach. The authors have also modeled factors with and without significant impact on satisfaction separately, and the approach does not seem to have precedence in literature. The inclusion of the factor, “Fairness of Price” is also a new contribution to literature.
Supplier selection in pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Kirytopoulos Konstantinos , Leopoulos Vrassidas , Voulgaridou Dimitra
Published: August 2008

Purpose

Evaluating and selecting the best among the offers provided by various suppliers is a complex problem that takes into account both tangible and intangible criteria, which incorporate interdependencies and feedback. The decision making is aggravated by the complexity of supply chain relationships and enterprise strategies especially within enterprise clusters. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive method for the evaluation and selection of suppliers' offers in parapharmaceutical industry clusters.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed approach consists of two parts. The former is the comprehension of the supply chain processes within the parapharmaceutical industry in Greece, and the latter is the use of an analytic network process (ANP)‐based method for the selection of the best offer.

Findings

The proposed approach enables the decision maker to visualize the impact of various criteria on the final outcome and documents the evaluation results in such a way that they can be communicated to various stakeholders. The results indicate that quality‐related issues dominate the decision‐making process in the parapharmaceutical industry.

Research limitations/implications

The outcome of the model depends highly on the inputs provided by the decision maker. Moreover, the ANP method is computational intensive, but this limitation can be alleviated by appropriate software tools.

Originality/value

The proposed framework is considered to be an innovative approach for the parapharmaceutical industry as well as enterprise clusters. The criteria set here may be used for nearly every similar industry consisting of active clusters (for example, the apparel industry).
Listed property trusts and downside systematic risk sensitivity
Authors: Lin Lee Chyi , Robinson Jon , Reed Richard
Published: August 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to identify and examine the determinants of downside systematic risk in Australian listed property trusts (LPTs).

Design/methodology/approach

Capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and lower partial moment‐CAPM (LPM‐CAPM) are employed to compute both systematic risk and downside systematic risk. The methodology of Patel and Olsen and Chaudhry et al. is adopted to examine the determinants of systematic risk and downside systematic risk.

Findings

The results confirm that systematic risk and downside systematic risk can be individually identified. There is little evidence to support the existence of linkages between systematic risk in Australian LPTs and financial/management structure determinants. On the other hand, downside systematic risk is directly related to the leverage/management structure of a LPT. The results are also robust after controlling for the LPTs' investment characteristics and varying target rates of return.

Practical implications

Investors and real estate analysts should conscious with the higher returns from high leverage and internally managed LPTs. Although there is no evidence that these higher returns are related to higher systematic risk, there could be the compensation for higher downside systematic risk.

Originality/value

This study provides invaluable insights into the management of real estate risk in Australian LPTs with implications for REITs in other countries. Unlike previous studies of systematic risk in REITs or LPTs, this is the first study to assess downside systematic risk and explore the determinants of downside systematic risk in LPTs.
Covenant strength in shopping centres: a diversified risk?
Authors: Hutchison Norman , Adair Alastair , McWilliam Julie
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The paper has two aims: to consider the volatility of the covenant strength risk ratings among the top 25 retailers in the UK over the period 2002 to 2006 and to devise a risk scoring model for evaluating covenant strength in shopping centres.

Design/methodology/approach

In a shopping centre the risk of tenant default on rental payments is spread over a number of tenants. It is often imagined that this is well diversified risk, but between shopping centres there are differences in the tenant mix and thus in the overall reliability of the cash flow of the investment. However, often information on the overall covenant strength risk score is not available and important differences between shopping centres ignored. This paper analyses credit risk scores of the top 25 retailers in the UK over the period 2002 to 2006 using data supplied by ICC. In addition, case studies of three shopping centres are used to illustrate the use of a covenant strength risk scoring model.

Findings

The analysis demonstrates that within the top 25 retailers significant variations in covenant strength present financial risks to investors highlighting the added value that credit reporting can provide for clients. In addition, the case studies emphasise how tenant change and vacancies can impact the overall risk profile of shopping centres, a finding that would have added significance in secondary locations.

Practical implications

The methodology could be applied by investors to give an overall view of the default risk of a multi‐let investment and allow comparison between shopping centres facilitating dynamic analysis on an ongoing basis.

Originality/value

The explicit contribution of risk factors, such as covenant strength, to the initial yield does not have a major coverage in the literature. This analysis has the potential to identify at an early stage areas of potential default and thus enhance the decision‐making process.
Moving towards a global real estate index
Authors: Topintzi Ermina , Chin Henry , Hobbs Peter
Published: August 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the steps that need to be taken in developing a measure of global performance for direct real estate.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts by reviewing the major considerations concerning the available real estate performance series across the world. The paper explains the steps that work through the obstacles of deriving an aggregate performance measure for each of the three regions and then combining them to get a global property returns series. Back‐casting series and weighting assumptions are also covered.

Findings

Based on the preliminary results, the paper explores the correlations in the results between different countries, and the performance of “global” property relative to other major asset classes. The paper concludes by drawing out the research issues and implications, and the steps for further research.

Practical implications

Many challenges are involved in the construction of a global index of direct real estate market performance. On the one hand these are associated with the nature of real estate, which tends to be relatively illiquid and immature as an asset class. On the other, there are significant variations in the quality of data availability across countries. IPD has played a huge role in generating consistent data series across countries, and this increases the ability to move towards a “global index” of direct market performance.

Originality/value

The study examines the increasing need for a global performance benchmark for direct real estate and the way a practitioner approaches the limitations and challenges involved in constructing one.
The role of trust in supply chain governance
Authors: Ghosh Anupam , Fedorowicz Jane
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide and illustrate a framework for the role of governance mechanisms in information sharing among supply chain members. The importance of trust in governing interorganizational relationships is emphasized.

Design/methodology/approach

Trust, bargaining power, and contract are three key constructs supporting the governance of information sharing and material flow coordination in supply chains. A conceptual framework showing how these governance mechanisms affect coordination and ultimately, supply chain performance is presented. Four types of trust – calculative, competence, integrity, and predictability – are thought to play an important role in determining the efficacy of information sharing. Three research questions are posed on the relationships among trust, bargaining power, contracts, and information sharing in supply chain coordination. These governance issues are shown to be key factors in the supply chain business model, as illustrated in a case study from the retail distribution industry in the USA where collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment is used to exchange supply and demand forecasts.

Findings

An example from the retail distribution industry shows that the three constructs of the governance framework are intertwined. Trust as a governance mechanism plays a crucial role in sharing information among business partners.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed framework is illustrated with a single case. It will need to be tested empirically for supply chains across different industries.

Originality/value

The paper presents a governance mechanism framework for supply chain information sharing. Knowledge of the role of governance mechanisms in information sharing coordination will help chain members to realign business relationships and contribute to improved overall operational performance of the chain.
Integration of queuing network and IDEF3 for business process analysis
Authors: Jeong Ki‐Young , Cho Hyunbo , Phillips Don T.
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework and prototype software to use IDEF3 descriptions as a knowledge base from which a queuing network (QN) analysis is performed to compute system performance measures as part of quick response manufacturing. This intends to help domain experts obtain informative quantitative performance measures such as resource utilization, waiting time, and cycle time without relying on a time consuming simulation approach.

Design/methodology/approach

A general open queuing network is used to extract the related resource information from the process knowledge captured by IDEF3 method. The relational database is used to integrate the open QN and IDEF3, which also improves the knowledge reusability. In addition, the performance of the open queuing network analyzer (QNA) is compared to the simulation through case studies.

Findings

The domain experts usually do not own much technical modeling knowledge. However, through this integration, it is found that they could obtain several meaningful system performance measures without simulation. They could also perform the diverse “what if” scenario analyses with this prototype without difficulties. It is another finding that the system performance measures generated by the open QNA are reasonably close to the values obtained from simulation, articularly when the system utilization is low.

Research limitations/implications

The open QN analysis used in this integration is not as generic as the simulation approach in terms of the modeling scope and capability. Hence, this integration supports only the exclusive OR (XOR) out of three junctions in IDEF3 grammars.

Practical implications

Some system analysis problems do not require a complex simulation modeling approach. Domain experts need a modeling tool to quickly obtain some system dynamics and insights. This integration framework suffices those requirements.

Originality/value

This paper describes the first attempt to generate informative system performance measures from the IDEF3 model using the open QN. It also offers practical help to the domain experts working in the system analysis area.
Assessing readiness for business process reengineering
Authors: Abdolvand Neda , Albadvi Amir , Ferdowsi Zahra
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose how to minimize the risks of implementing business process reengineering (BPR) by measuring readiness. For this purpose, the paper proposes an assessment approach for readiness in BPR efforts based on the critical success and failure factors.

Design/methodology/approach

A relevant literature review, which investigates success and failure indicators in BPR efforts is carried out and a new categorized list of indicators are proposed. This is a base for conducting a survey to measure the BPR readiness, which has been run in two companies and compared based on a diamond model.

Findings

In this research, readiness indicators are determined based on critical success and failure factors. The readiness indicators include six categories. The first five categories, egalitarian leadership, collaborative working environment, top management commitment, supportive management, and use of information technology are positive indicators. The sixth category, resistance to change has a negative role. This paper reports survey results indicating BPR readiness in two Iranian companies. After comparing the position of the two cases, the paper offers several guidelines for amplifying the success points and decreasing failure points and hence, increasing the rate of success.

Originality/value

High‐failure rate of BPR has been introduced as a main barrier in reengineering processes. In addition, it makes a fear, which in turn can be a failure factor. This paper tries to fill the gap in the literature on decreasing risk in BPR projects by introducing a BPR readiness assessment approach. In addition, the proposed questionnaire is generic and can be utilized in a facilitated manner.
Analysis of interactions among the variables of supply chain performance measurement system implementation
Authors: Charan Parikshit , Shankar Ravi , Baisya Rajat K.
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the key supply chain performance measurement system (SCPMS) implementation variables, on which the top management should focus, so as to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of supply chain (SC).

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, an interpretive structural modeling (ISM)‐based approach has been employed to model the SCPMS implementation variables. These variables have been categorized under “enablers” and “results.” The enablers are the variables that help boost the SCPMS implementation variables, while results variables are the outcome of good SCPMS implementation.

Findings

The paper highlights the variables associated with implementation of SCPMS. A key finding of this modeling is that awareness about performance measurement system (PMS) in SC is a very significant enabler. For better results, top management should focus on improving the high‐driving power enablers such as awareness of PMS in SC, commitment by the top management, consistency with strategic goals, funding for PMS implementation, and effective information systems.

Originality/value

In this paper, an interpretation of SCPMS implementation variables in terms of their driving and dependence powers has been carried out. Those variables possessing higher driving power in the ISM need to be taken care of on a priority basis because there are a few other dependent variables being affected by them.
Adoption and risk of ERP systems in manufacturing SMEs: a positivist case study
Authors: Poba‐Nzaou Placide , Raymond Louis , Fabi Bruno
Published: August 2008

Purpose

In order to deepen the knowledge and further advance theory on enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation in small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), this paper seeks to explore the following question: what can be done to minimize the risk of ERP system implementation, from the adoption stage onwards, in a small manufacturing firm?

Design/methodology/approach

The research method is based on a positivist holistic single‐case design in order to perform an initial test of a process model of ERP system adoption by SMEs. The unit of analysis selected by purposeful sampling is a small manufacturing business.

Findings

In attempting to minimize the risk of ERP implementation, the small manufacturing firm applied three principles, eight policies and ten specific practices in adopting ERP.

Research limitations/implications

The research design, based upon a single‐case study, imposes care in generalizing the results of the study. This design, however, allowed the identification and understanding of the risk of ERP from a managerial/practical standpoint, as opposed to a research/theoretical standpoint.

Practical implications

In managerial terms, the results show that highly formalized management is not necessary to minimize ERP implementation risk in the context of SMEs.

Originality/value

Few studies have focused on the adoption process within the ERP implementation cycle. The proposed model, as validated empirically in this study, adds to the understanding of this process in small‐manufacturing firms, especially as regards the minimization of implementation risk from the adoption stage onwards.
Impacts of business vision, top management support, and external expertise on ERP success
Authors: Ifinedo Princely
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of such contingency factors as top management support, business vision, and external expertise, on the one hand, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system success, on the other.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was developed and relevant hypotheses formulated. Surveys were conducted in two Northern European countries and a structural equation modeling technique used to analyze the data.

Findings

It was found that the three contingency factors positively influence ERP system success. More importantly, the relative importance of quality external expertise over the other two factors for ERP initiatives was underscored

Originality/value

It is argued that ERP systems are different from other information technology implementations; as such, there is a need to provide insights as to how the aforementioned factors play out in the context of ERP system success evaluations for adopting organizations. As was predicted, the results showed that the three contingency factors positively influence ERP system success. More importantly, the relative importance of quality external expertise over the other two factors for ERP initiatives was underscored. The implications of the findings for both practitioners and researchers are discussed.
Sustaining academic life
Authors: Hammond Cathryn , Churchman Deborah
Published: August 2008

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the social sustainability of academic work in Australian tertiary institutions, in addition to offering a summary of recent research on social sustainability with a particular emphasis on Barron and Gauntlett's work.

Design/methodology/approach

Barron and Gauntlett's principles of social sustainability are used as a lens to investigate some of the current conditions of the academic profession.

Findings

It appears that Australian universities often fail to perform in a way that complies with the principles of social sustainability. This paper identifies examples in the literature of conditions which inhibit academic staff's ability to work in socially sustainable ways.

Practical implications

The paper proposes that universities incorporate principles of social sustainability into their planning and change management policies and processes.

Originality/value

The paper recognises the importance of social sustainability in contemporary discourses of higher education. It contributes to the debates on both social sustainability and the ways in which corporatising universities impacts academic staff.
Operationalizing sustainability education at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Authors: Cusick John
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to further operationalize sustainability education at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM) through a review of past actions and situate these in the context of Education for Sustainability themes and the UHM mission in the State of Hawai‘i.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes activities that created the conditions for introducing sustainability projects and curriculum at UHM. Through participant observation in meetings and workshops and the review and analysis of materials related to campus sustainability, the paper compiles information to consider the extent to which these inform current initiatives and the direction of sustainability education at UHM.

Findings

This case study is not an exhaustive review of campus activities since UHM has been undergoing administrative restructuring, but it indicates that campus‐wide initiatives are building the critical mass toward fulfilling the objective to become an active participant in higher education for sustainability.

Originality/value

The paper provides information on activities to inform readers interested in trends to establish sustainability research and instruction at institutions of higher education.
An international comparative analysis of sustainability transformation across seven universities
Authors: Ferrer‐Balas D. , Adachi J. , Banas S. , Davidson C.I. , Hoshikoshi A. , Mishra A. , Motodoa Y. , Onga M. , Ostwald M.
Published: August 2008

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the key aspects of transformation of universities towards sustainability, such as the ideal characteristics of the “sustainable university”, and the drivers and barriers in the transformation, by comparing the strategies of seven universities world‐wide.

Design/methodology/approach

A systems transformation analysis of seven case studies has been applied through a self‐evaluation based on the tridimensional Framework‐Level‐Actors (FLA) method.

Findings

The study shows that none of the three dimensions of change is predominant over the others. The main barrier to be overcome is the lack of incentive structure for promoting changes at the individual level. The main drivers for change are the presence of “connectors” with society, the existence of coordination bodies and projects, and the availability of funding, all of which are important for progress. Enhancing interdisciplinarity is a strategic objective at almost all of these universities, while transformative learning is less present. A common characteristic for most of the institutions is establishing and supporting networks of expertise within the universities. These universities show important strategic efforts and initiatives that drive and nucleate change for sustainable development, the result of a combination of drivers.

Practical implications

The FLA‐method has proved useful for being used at the level of comparing case‐studies through a bird's‐eye perspective.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the application of a simple tool that gives a global perspective on transformational strategies used in seven cases world‐wide in the search for commonalities and differences.