bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal replacement with minimal repair policy for a system operating over a random time horizon
Authors: Khatab Abdelhakim , Rezg Nidhal , Ait‐Kadi Daoud
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the optimization of the replacement with minimal repair policy for a system which experiences a time horizon of random length. Under such policy system replacement occurs at multiples of some period while minimal repair is performed at system failure between two successive replacements.

Design/methodology/approach

The objective function is the expected total cost composed of minimal repairs and replacements costs. A simple and compact expression is derived for the expected total costs and conditions under which an optimal replacement period exits are given. For sake of illustration, a numerical example is provided.

Findings

The paper finds that by the recent great technological development, the life cycle of present products is seen to be reduced more and more. This has motivated the development of maintenance optimization models for systems which experience an exact finite time horizon.

Originality/value

To ensure the benefits from the improved technologies, the information concerning the technological change must be taken into account. Such information is based on technological forecasting and difficult to obtain and merely rely on uncertainties.
Commentary on “A qualitative exploration of the life experiences of adults diagnosed with mild learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities”
Authors: Raghavan Raghu
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper seeks to provide a commentary on the previous paper in this issue “A qualitative exploration of the life experiences of adults diagnosed with mild learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities”.

Design/methodology/approach

The commentary outlines the Valuing People White Paper and The Health Care Commission report Tackling the Challenge: Promoting Race Equality in the NHS in England, among others, as they relate to the author's research.

Findings

Developing cultural knowledge is of fundamental importance in working towards race equality in mental health services for children and young people with learning disabilities

Originality/value

Cultural competence refers to the ability to work effectively with individuals from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, or in settings where several cultures co‐exist. It includes the ability to understand the language, culture and behaviours of other individuals and groups, and to make appropriate recommendations.
Commentary on “The Confidential Inquiry into the deaths of people with learning disabilities – the story so far”
Authors: Dawkins Beverley
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a commentary on the previous paper in this issue “The Confidential Inquiry (CI) into the deaths of people with learning disabilities – the story so far.”

Design/methodology/approach

The author considers the potential impact of the CI in reducing the health inequalities and premature deaths of people with learning disabilities.

Findings

The author considers how the process of conducting the CI described in the paper will address the fundamental issues of indifference and discrimination documented in the Mencap report, Death by Indifference.

Originality/value

The author suggests that, in conjunction with the findings that the CI will publish in the future, that the political will to change the way health services are delivered to people with learning disabilities in the future will be crucial.
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies for people with learning disabilities
Authors: Leyin Alan
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper considers the applicability of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) initiative in meeting the mental health needs of people with learning disabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The author considers the nature of the IAPT service, the potential benefits, the potential barriers and how local services could be better adapted to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities.

Findings

Although the IAPT service is well established for the mainstream population, for people with learning disabilities there are deficits and barriers at many levels. Increased attention should be given to removing barriers to access; the provision of “reasonable adjustments” in treatment; and to the monitoring of uptake and outcomes. Even with these issues addressed, the service will not meet the mental health needs of all people with learning disabilities.

Originality/value

Whilst acknowledging the potential value of IAPT, without specific consideration being given, mainstream approaches to mental health will not be applicable to all people with learning disabilities: “reasonable adjustments” need to be made not only at the direct clinical level but also throughout the system, from service commissioning to outcomes.
Robots, social networking sites and multi‐user games: using new and existing assistive technologies to promote human flourishing
Authors: Mackenzie Robin , Watts John
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and explore the use of various existing and developing technologies to enable and enhance users' lives.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the current research evidence and explores some policies that have been developed in this area.

Findings

The findings indicate that many technologies in current existence can be adapted to assist people with disabilities. The paper looks to the future and speculates how new and developing technologies could push the boundaries of assistance and enablement. Using clinical examples, some of the ethical and legal implications of the use of such technologies, and how certain conditions may be aided, notably disorders on the neurodiverse spectrum, are discussed.

Originality/value

This paper will be of use to practitioners and researchers in the fields of learning disability and mental health.
Expatriates' developmental networks: network diversity, base, and support functions
Authors: Shen Yan , Kram Kathy E.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine expatriates' developmental networks in terms of their structure and content.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed in‐depth interviews with 64 expatriate professionals and managers in Singapore and China.

Findings

The study highlights the unique characteristics of expatriates' developmental networks in cross‐cultural contexts including the nature of cross‐border and culturally diversified network structures, the dominance of psychosocial support, and the importance of cross‐cultural transition support.

Research limitations/implications

Expatriates' self reports and retrospective sense‐making may suffer from hindsight bias and/or attribution bias. A longitudinal study that follows expatriates over time is necessary to examine relationship dynamics through different relocation stages.

Practical implications

The findings suggest the necessity for companies to recognize the limited role of formal mentoring in expatriates' overseas adjustment and relocation success, and to encourage a wider range of developmental relationships that comprise expatriates' developmental networks.

Originality/value

This paper makes two main contributions to the mentoring, developmental networks, and expatriate literature. First, it highlights the necessity of using “network base” as a new structural dimension of developmental networks to examine expatriation and repatriation adjustment. Second, it points out the importance of psychosocial and cross‐cultural transition support in expatriates' relocation success.
Post‐MBA industry shifts
Authors: Hwang Alvin , Bento Regina , Arbaugh J.B. (Ben)
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine factors that predict industry‐level career change among MBA graduates.

Design/methodology/approach

The study analyzed longitudinal data from the Management Education Research Institute (MERI)'s Global MBA Graduate Survey Dataset and MBA Alumni Perspectives Survey Datasets, using principal component analyses and a three‐stage structural equations model.

Findings

Perceptions about career growth and opportunity for advancement were the strongest predictors of industry shifts. The type of program was also found to have an influence, with part‐time MBA programs positively predicting industry shift, and full‐time programs having an indirect effect through significant associations with each of the intermediate predictors of industry shifts. Women were found to be more likely to change industries. Satisfaction with the MBA degree was not a predictor of industry change behavior: they were found to be related only to the extent that graduates valued the importance of certain career factors, such as the objective career factor of career growth.

Originality/value

This is a first large scale study of industry‐level career change among MBA graduates.
Workplace learning among general practitioners and specialists
Authors: Lundvoll Nilsen Line
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Videoconferencing between general practitioners and hospitals has been developed to provide higher quality health care services in Norway by promoting interaction between levels of care. This article aims to explore the use of videoconferencing for information exchange and consultation throughout the patient trajectory and to investigate how collaboration affects learning and the patient's treatment.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach was interaction analysis supplemented by interviews. Medical discussions concerning the patient were observed for 15 days, creating a trajectory of seven videoconferences. Interviews were conducted to examine the collaboration.

Findings

General practitioners and specialists use a different repertoire of knowledge and experiences to report and consult throughout the course of treatment. Over time, new medical problems arose, and the treatment had to be adjusted. The activity remained continuous and contributed to an integrated knowledge and information exchange. Collaboration using videoconferencing across levels of care created opportunities for workplace learning in health services and can lead to continuity, improved coordination, and a higher quality of care.

Originality/value

In contrast to other studies, which state effects, the need for continuity and cooperation in health care, and the ways in which individual differences make it difficult to achieve seamless health care services, this study offers insight into how continuity and cooperation can be achieved. It includes both observations of interactions and interviews of the participants, providing analysis of collaborative workin situ. This provides insight into the content of the interaction over time as a resource for understanding the outcome of the use of technology and improving health care.
Mentoring first year police constables: police mentors' perspectives
Authors: Tyler Mark A. , McKenzie William E.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Mentoring as a tool for the support and development of novices in many organisations has been considered a putative success. Nevertheless, the literature reveals a paucity of reporting of the mentoring strategies used within the policing profession within Australia. This paper aims to focus on what mentoring is and how it is deployed from the police mentor's perspective. This inquiry intends to shed light into this contextual gap by illuminating the mentoring experiences of 13 police officers from the district headquarters of a regional city in Southeast Queensland.

Design/methodology/approach

These officers, who presented with varying lengths of police service, were interviewed to ascertain their experiences of being a mentor, and to investigate whether they deployed what could be interpreted as a particular model of mentoring. Also considered were their perspectives and impressions of undertaking the role of mentor, their descriptions of how they mentored, and their preparedness for mentoring.

Findings

The interviews revealed a group of police officers that reported a belief in the mentoring process. Further, they considered themselves personally prepared for the role of mentor, and related this preparedness to either past experiences of being mentored, or past experience in the role itself. They placed little emphasis on formal training as a mentor, and more often than not, mentored in isolation. These officers rarely requested any collegial support from fellow mentors.

Originality/value

The data highlighted several implications for mentoring within the Queensland Police Service, one of which includes the effectiveness of the present formal preparation for mentors.
Reflection in a workplace qualification: challenges and benefits
Authors: Hegarty Pauline M. , Kelly Henry A. , Walsh Anita
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges and benefits that arose from the implementation of an innovative example of employer responsive provision, i.e. of a postgraduate programme that is work‐based and designed specifically to meet the needs of the organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is to outline the principles and challenges involved in designing a postgraduate programme that combines both scientific and personal/professional development in a way that is extremely unusual. In order to achieve this, in addition to assessment of technical scientific skills, it was necessary to integrate pedagogy that would support critical reflection on wider professional practice into the programme. The use of reflection on practice adopted an approach which is not familiar to the scientific community.

Findings

Adoption of reflection on practice introduced particular challenges for programme design and delivery that required those involved to review their own practice critically. This provided particular challenges in the context of a scientific community, due to the required change in perspective. However, now the programme is established, it appears that the inclusion of critical reflection has provided the organisation with some additional benefits and unexpected observations.

Originality/value

The originality value of the paper derives from two elements. One is the consideration of a programme that integrates a technical scientific perspective together with reflective practice. The other is in the indication from the outcomes that such a combination may be of demonstrable organisational benefit. Evaluation of the organisational benefits of work‐based learning (as opposed to the individual benefits) has in the past proved challenging.
A proposed framework for managing service parts in automotive and aerospace industries
Authors: de Souza Robert , Wee Kwan Tan Albert , Othman Hafidzaturrafeah , Garg Miti
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the process, network, skills and practices of service parts logistics organizations in the Asia Pacific region. Specifically, it attempts to propose a new framework for service parts logistics management based on interview inputs from several leading automotive and aerospace companies. This paper also seeks to identify the trends and opportunities for service parts logistics in Singapore.

Design/methodology/approach

Companies from aerospace and automotive industries involved in service logistics activities were involved in the study. Data were obtained primarily through interviews with key executives of the company.

Findings

This paper summarizes some of the industry findings on service parts logistics in the Asia Pacific region. To succeed in the service logistics business, companies should not focus on cost factors alone. Instead, companies should adopt the proposed framework and look into other factors.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to companies in the aerospace and automotive industries only.

Practical implications

This framework was drawn from industry inputs and can be easily applied in decision making.

Originality/value

The paper provides a new framework to assist decision makers in deciding where a company should locate its service part logistics hub.
Supply chain collaboration performance metrics: a conceptual framework
Authors: Ramanathan Usha , Gunasekaran Angappa , Subramanian Nachiappan
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Successful implementation of supply chain collaboration (SCC) by Wal‐Mart has encouraged many manufacturing companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Hewlett‐Packard Co, and West Marine Products Inc., to initiate collaboration. Subsequently, collaboration between suppliers and retailers has become a common practice in many recent supply chains. However, measuring the benefits of collaboration is still a big challenge. Based on supply chain literature and practice, this paper aims to propose a conceptual framework and a standard set of metrics to evaluate the performance of SCC.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors discuss two case studies to validate the proposed model. The case study discussions are appropriate to understand the usage of different performance metrics in initial and advanced stages of collaboration.

Findings

From the case study it is recognized that the collaborating members in the supply chain are not able to visualise all possible benefits of collaboration. To surmount this issue, the paper proposes a framework to study the performance of companies involved in initial and advanced stages of collaboration.

Originality/value

The classification suggested in this paper on different stages of collaboration and related metrics can guide researchers and practitioners in manufacturing companies to evaluate the performance of SCC.
Benchmarking green logistics performance with a composite index
Authors: Hung Lau Kwok
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the development and use of a green logistics performance index (GLPI) for easy comparison of performance among industries and countries. It uses the survey data collected from the home electronic appliance industry in China and Japan as an example to demonstrate the index development process and compare the performance of green logistics (GL) practices between the two countries using the proposed index.

Design/methodology/approach

Two‐sample t‐test and one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the data collected from a questionnaire survey. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to derive the weights from the survey data for the GLPI.

Findings

The findings reveal that the GLPI derived using PCA is robust and gives similar results as obtained through two‐sample t‐test and ANOVA of the dataset in the comparison of performance among firms and between countries in the study.

Research limitations/implications

This study lends insight into the use of an objectively derived composite index to measure and compare GL performance. To serve mainly as a proof of concept and to enhance response rate in the questionnaire survey, the scope of the study is limited to three major logistics functions in an industry in two countries.

Practical implications

Managers can use the GLPI to benchmark their performance in the respective logistics areas and revise their supply chain strategy accordingly. The proposed index may also assist governments in formulating policies on promoting their GL implementation.

Social implications

A comprehensive composite index to benchmark GL performance can facilitate and encourage industries to invest in GL. This will help reduce negative impacts of logistics activities on the environment.

Originality/value

Research in GL to date has largely focused on theory and management approach. This paper fills the gap in the literature by empirically comparing GL performance among firms and countries through the use of a composite index. It also contributes to a better understanding of the association between GL performance and firm size as well as the driving factors behind it.
Does ownership structure affect firm value? Intellectual capital across industries perspective
Authors: Liang Chiung‐Ju , Huang Tzu‐Tsang , Lin Wen‐Cheng
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Previous empirical studies on the nature of the relationship between ownership and corporate value have produced mixed results. Meanwhile, effective management of knowledge‐based intellectual capital has become a key factor to corporate success, both in firm performance and corporate value. Thus, this paper aims to reexamine the link among ownership, proxies for intellectual capital and corporate value in the emerging Taiwan market.

Design/methodology/approach

Using two‐stage least square estimation of panel data in a simultaneous equations framework, the authors focus on: What is the interdependent impact of ownership on corporate value through the mediating role of intellectual capital (IC)? Does ownership directly or indirectly (i.e. via IC) influence corporate value? Does it persist across industries?

Findings

The empirical results suggest that the relationship between ownership and corporate value mainly depends on industry characteristics and the nature of proxies for intellectual capital in the emerging Taiwanese market. Further, the impacts of ownership on corporate value in more traditional industries are even stronger, that is, there exists the direct impact of ownership mechanism on corporate value. Notably, for the high‐tech firms, ownership can indirectly affect corporate value through the moderating role of intellectual capital.

Research limitations/implications

The implication reminds managers and investors not merely focusing on ownership mechanisms as the main value‐creation information, but a thorough review of IC should be made in order to avoid making incorrect decisions. The limitations suggest areas for further research. For instance, it is important to extend the role of intellectual capital (i.e. to employ other variables to proxy for IC) in exploring the interdependent impact of ownership on corporate value.

Originality/value

The paper potentially adds to ongoing research by extending the importance of the concept of IC in assessing the interdependent impact of ownership on corporate value.
The role of board and CEO in managing societal and political intangibles
Authors: Schepers Stefan
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Companies are looking for new ways to embed themselves in the societies in which they operate and for more constructive engagement with public authorities as new sources of competitive advantage and sustainable profitability. This challenges the traditional approach to the roles of the board and CEO and requires additional inputs that go beyond the mere analysis of market opportunities. This article aims to examine the issue in view of doing further research.

Design/methodology/approach

The article combines narrative with argument and analysis.

Findings

The economic crisis and the new wave of regulation on the horizon make a new approach to lobbying more pressing.

Originality/value

The article is based on political and economic writings and on practical experience in the public and private sector.
Joint management‐stakeholder committees – a new path to stakeholder governance?
Authors: Spitzeck Heiko , Hansen Erik G. , Grayson David
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the emerging practice of joint management‐stakeholder‐committees (JMSCs) in which corporate executives take decisions in collaboration with stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

To identify firms involving stakeholders in their governance arrangements, the authors analysed 51 companies regularly participating in Business in the Community's Corporate Responsibility Index in the UK. The data provided by the index as well as corporate reports were then analysed to evaluate the impact of JMSCs on corporate decision‐making.

Findings

The research finds that JMSCs strongly influence corporate governance mechanisms such as monitoring and measurement as well as the policy development of firms.

Research limitations/applications

The analysis builds on corporate responses given to the questionnaire sent by the Corporate Responsibility Index as well as corporate reports. Future research is encouraged to triangulate findings with stakeholder opinions on the effectiveness of JMSCs.

Practical implications

JMSCs prove to be an effective tool to involve stakeholders in corporate decision‐making processes. Owing to their effectiveness JMSCs are more likely to create trust between firms and their stakeholders.

Originality/value

The paper is the first empirical investigation into the effectiveness of engaging stakeholders in joint management‐stakeholder committees, demonstrating the impact and effectiveness of such engagement.
In touch boards: reaching out to the value critical stakeholders
Authors: Strebel Paul
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how boards can get in touch with their value critical stakeholders, those who can make or break the company.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper first develops the hypothesis that boards often are out of touch with reality. It then introduces the concept of value critical stakeholders and proposes that boards introduce an outreach program to get in touch with them. For each of the proposed five elements in an outreach program, the paper reviews what boards already are doing to be in touch.

Findings

The review of existing practice shows that for each of the elements in an outreach program, there is enough practice available for boards to develop a comprehensive approach to get in touch with the value critical stakeholders.

Social implications

To prevent a future governance crisis, get in touch and promote long‐term value creation, boards need an explicit program of reaching out beyond the boardroom, not only to the immediate stakeholders, but also the societal stakeholders, who can make or break the company. This paper shows how it can be done.

Originality/value

The paper introduces the new concept of value critical stakeholders and describes how it can be used to help boards get in touch with reality.
Corporate governance: quo vadis?
Authors: Isaac Mostovicz E. , Kakabadse Nada K. , Kakabadse Andrew
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to examine current research trends into corporate governance and to propose a different dynamic, humanistic approach based on individual purpose, values and psychology.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews selected literature to analyse the assumptions behind research into corporate governance and uses a multi‐disciplinary body of literature to present a different theoretical approach based at the level of the individual rather than the organisation.

Findings

The paper shows how the current recommendations of the corporate governance research models could backfire and lead to individual actions that are destructive when implemented in practice. This claim is based on identifying the hidden assumptions behind the principal‐agent model in corporate governance, such as the Hobbesian view and the Homo Economicus approach. It argues against the axiomatic view that shareholders are the owners of the company, and it questions the way in which managers are assessed based either on the corporate share price (the shareholder view) or on a confusing set of measures which include more stakeholders (the stakeholder view), and shows how such a yardstick can be demotivating and put the corporation in danger. The paper proposes a humanistic, psychological approach that uses the individual manager as a unit of analysis instead of the corporation and illustrates how such an approach can help to build better governance.

Research limitations/implications

The paper's limited scope can only outline a conceptual framework, but does not enter into detailed operationalisation.

Practical implications

The paper illustrates the challenges in applying the proposed framework into practice.

Originality/value

The paper calls for the use of an alternative unit of analysis, the manager, and for a dynamic and humanistic approach which encompasses the entirety of a person's cognition, including emotional and spiritual values, and which is as of yet usually not to be found in the corporate governance literature.
The principal role of the board of directors: the duty to say “no”
Authors: Bukhvalov Alexander , Bukhvalova Barbara
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to explain a new idea for the corporate board's main agenda, which should dramatically increase the scale of problems with which the board deals. This agenda also changes the board's interaction with the management providing a new approach to the agency problem.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on the normative method. The authors rely on cases (only a few are presented here) to illustrate uses of the real option analysis in the approach to the board activities. The paper shows that, on one hand, it is impossible to avoid managerial fraud and misconduct by means of the board's (and authorities’) traditional monitoring, even under the maximum possible toughening of the criminal and civil law, but, on the other hand, it is possible to change the content of the board‐management interaction to prevent fateful events.

Findings

The paper shows how “the duty to say no” approach can prevent corporate failure and, at the same time, facilitate growth and innovation. The underlying basic idea is to use the real options analysis (ROA), which gives an approach to designing strategies under uncertainty. The paper illustrates this technique on different real‐life cases.

Research limitations/implications

The paper's strategic approach does not ignore such traditional issues as remuneration and executives and board turnover. It just shifts the priorities of the board. Obviously, further research is needed to articulate the appropriate approach for various circumstances.

Originality/value

The paper proposes and justifies a dramatic change in the board's duties. It suggests an approach to finding the most important business problems, which require strategic rather than technical decisions; a substitution of the existing “forensic” approach with a “large‐scale” one, turning the board from a policeman into a leader; a change to the style of the board's interaction with the top management of the company.
Using strengths to drive career success
Authors: Brewerton Paul
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to describe the practical applications around the “strengths” philosophy that was first pioneered in the USA during the late 1990s and early 2000s. It will give an introduction to the strengths approach and will reference two organizations' implementation of the approach.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on the author's experience of working with two organizations that implemented the strengths approach to deliver specific outcomes. In both cases the approach subsequently improved people management processes.

Findings

The strengths approach was found to be successful in delivering specific outcomes and the case studies provide evidence that the approach enables leaders and staff to feel better equipped and confident about their abilities.

Originality/value

This paper adds value to the practitioner community by offering practical examples of applications of the strengths approach and would be a useful guide to any HR professional.
What talent wants: the journey to talent segmentation
Authors: Uren Lesley
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand what talent management might need to look like to meet the future needs of organizations and the requirements of the upcoming generation of talented individuals. The author, from specialist consulting and executive search firm Jackson Samuel, shares findings into how organizations can improve their performance by adopting a more strategic and personalized approach to talent management.

Design/methodology/approach

Jackson Samuel spoke to senior HR people from 44 companies based in the UK and internationally, and also to 110 talented individuals across the length of the talent pipeline – university students, graduate trainees, middle managers and more senior talented executives. Focus groups and in‐depth interviews were conducted and questionnaires were completed. Analysis involved a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods and market segmentation.

Findings

Businesses can significantly improve their bottom‐line performance by using a segmented approach to talent management.

Originality/value

The research shows that organizations that understand what their most talented individuals want from their relationship with their employer, and then segment their talent population and differentiate the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) for them, deliver up to 66 percent higher total shareholder return (over a five‐year period) than those organizations that do not.

Practical implications

Talent segmentation will allow organizations to get a greater degree of differentiation in the following pragmatic and simple ways: it helps an organization choose who to focus on (key value‐generating talent) and to create definitions for these different populations of talent; and it enables organizations to really understand what the talented individuals within each population want from their relationship with the organization.
Integrated care legal review Implications for integrated care of the Law Commission's review of adult social care law
Authors: Mitchell Ed
Published: October 2011

Purpose

In May 2011, the Law Commission proposed wide‐ranging reform to adult social care law for England and Wales. This paper aims to identify and analyse the implications for integrated care and other forms of collaboration in health and social care.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of an analysis of the Law Commission's final report.

Findings

The Law Commission proposes a number of changes designed to facilitate joint working between local authorities and NHS bodies in England and Wales and the Law Commission's approach marks a departure from the current reliance on consensus and soft‐edged rules such as government guidance to bring about more integrated care.

Originality/value

The paper analyses the changes to practice that would result from implementation of the Commission's recommendations.
Will integration help systems deal with health care reform effectively?
Authors: Karakusevic Sasha
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of demographic pressures on health and social care services and provide readers with a simple way of assessing their impact on local organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The major forces affecting health systems are identified and the likely impact discussed.

Findings

It is likely that between 4 and 8 per cent of existing budgets need to be released to deal effectively with increasing demand over the next decade. Systems that work in an integrated way are more likely to achieve this.

Practical implications

By developing a quick numerical model, it is possible to assess the viability and effectiveness of proposed strategies.

Originality/value

The paper provides a quick way to think about the major forces affecting strategy enabling the reader to contribute to the identification of possible solutions.
A decision support system to facilitate warehouse order fulfillment in cross‐border supply chain
Authors: Lam Cathy H.Y. , Choy K.L. , Chung S.H.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a decision support system (DSS) to enhance the performance of cross‐border supply chain, the goal of which is to improve order planning and fulfill customer orders within the warehouse.

Design/methodology/approach

An intelligent DSS, namely order picking planning system (OPPS) with the adoption of case‐based reasoning, is proposed to support managers in making appropriate order fulfilling decisions when an order involves cross‐border activities. Similar cases in the past are retrieved and adapted in reference to the new order. A case study is then conducted to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the system.

Findings

Recommendations are given to replace the objective decision‐making process in cross‐border supply chain with the help of the DSS. The warehouse order planning time has been reduced and useful information from past order records can be applied to solve new problems.

Originality/value

With the increasing demand for material sourcing across different places, cross‐border supply chain has raised the concern for manufacturers to seek lower material and rental costs. The focus on warehouse operations can increase efficiency in order delivery by considering cross‐border requirements.
Quality risk in global supply network
Authors: Kei Tse Ying , Hua Tan Kim , Ho Chung Sai , Kim Lim Ming
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The rise of recent product recalls reveals that manufacturing firms are particularly vulnerable to product quality and safety where goods and materials have been sourced globally. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues of quality and safety problems in global supply networks, and introduce a supply chain risk management (SCRM) framework to reduce the quality risk.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual SCRM framework for mitigating quality risk is developed. In addition, four SCRM treatment practices are proposed by consolidating the empirical literature in the operations management and supply chain management areas. The general feasibility was discussed based on literature.

Findings

The research has identified the root causes of the recent product recalls and a series of product harm scandals ranging from automobiles to unsafe toys. Supply chains are extended by outsourcing and stretched by globalization, which greatly increase the complexity of supply networks and decrease the visibility in risk and operation processes.

Originality/value

The paper identifies four SCRM practices, and proposes two distinct antecedents that can prompt the effectiveness of SCRM.
Dynamic implications of customer order decoupling point positioning
Authors: Hedenstierna Philip , Ng Amos H.C.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The positioning of the customer order decoupling point (CODP) is an important strategic consideration for supply chains. Recently, research has focused only on the static effects of CODP positioning. The purpose of this paper is to expand the body of knowledge by describing the dynamic consequences that arise from shifting the CODP upstream or downstream.

Design/methodology/approach

A generic assembly‐to‐order system dynamics simulation model is developed and used to evaluate the dynamic consequences of shifting the CODP.

Findings

Placing the CODP downstream allows for short‐term fluctuations in demand to be absorbed by the order book, leading to a stable production rate and inventory response. This benefit must, however, be weighed against any additional safety stock a CODP placed far downstream may require.

Research limitations/implications

The paper demonstrates the importance of considering the dynamic aspects of CODP positioning. Further research should investigate the phenomenon for different demand scenarios and supply chain configurations.

Practical implications

Downstream shifting of the CODP has been identified as a powerful way to reduce variability in assembly‐to‐order systems.

Originality/value

This paper introduces the dynamic consequences of CODP location, providing a new perspective that should be considered when positioning the CODP.
Investigating employee career commitment factors in a public sector organisation of a developing country
Authors: Shah Naimatullah
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Understanding employee attitudes and behaviours has made possible the successful of organisation policies and strategies. Managers are often worried about to know the employee related factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships and predictive power of job satisfaction, organisational commitment and job promotion towards the employee career commitment in a developing country.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a theoretical approach to identify the proposed relationships of job satisfaction, organisational commitment and job promotion variables with employee career commitment. This is a cross‐sectional study where the researcher has used a self‐administered survey questionnaire for data collection.

Findings

The proposed approach is applied in a public sector organisation of a developing country. The findings of the paper hold that independent variables such as job satisfaction, organisational commitment and job promotion have positive and significant relationships to dependent variables, i.e. employee career commitment.

Research limitations/implications

This study has methodological limitations, as it only employed quantitative data from a large public sector organisation of a developing country. In addition, only a direct relationship approach, with a limited number of variables is also limited in theoretical approach. However, this study contributes in the literature on organisational behaviour and employee commitment domain, particularly from a developing countries' perspective. This study may support the management and practitioners of human resources management and organisational behaviour in assessing and evaluating employee attitudes and behaviours in the organisation.

Originality/value

The paper uses a quantitative approach in order to examine the employee attitudinal and behavioural variables towards employee career commitment.
Evolutionary paths of performance measurement
Authors: Srimai Suwit , Radford Jack , Wright Chris
Published: October 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the evolutionary paths of performance measurement (PM) from the 1980s to the present.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a narrative review. The sources of literature reviewed are from diverse academic disciplines (e.g. operations management, strategic management, management accounting and organisational behaviour). Three main types of literature were selected, namely scientific literature, professional journals, and books. The authors' approach is illustrative and selective. It is based on the belief that societal and organisational contexts provide the clues for the appropriateness in design and use of a managerial innovation. It describes the transition in performance measurement, incorporating a number of PM innovations as illustrative exemplars.

Findings

Management needs, arriving from the evolving business ecology and focused on creating and sustaining competitive advantage, drive the destiny of PM systems during their evolutionary progression. Performance measurement has evolved from various perspectives. The evolution took place in four major paths, from operations to strategic, measurement to management, static to dynamic and economic‐profit to stakeholder focus.

Practical implications

The evolutions embody trends in development and use of PM systems over the long periods that point the way for future PM to develop and evolve.

Originality/value

The contemporary evolution of PM exhibited in the connection with its evolving contexts that is not explicitly acknowledged in the literature gives the raison d'être to this review.
When is a balanced scorecard a balanced scorecard?
Authors: Soderberg Marvin , Kalagnanam Suresh , Sheehan Norman T. , Vaidyanathan Ganesh
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is widely applied as a performance measurement and strategy implementation tool by organizations. Research has revealed that the term “balanced scorecard” may be understood differently by managers both within as well as across organizations implying that the performance measurement systems implemented in organizations may not be similar to the construct envisioned by Kaplan and Norton. Using Kaplan and Norton's Balanced Scorecard construct as a basis, the paper aims to develop and test a five‐level taxonomy to classify firms' performance measurement systems.

Design/methodology/approach

A Balanced Scorecard taxonomy is validated using a large sample of professional accountants working in Canadian organizations.

Findings

The five‐level taxonomy is used to categorize the performance measurement systems of 149 organizations. It is found that 111 organizations' (74.5 percent) performance measurement systems met the criteria to be classified as a Basic Level 1 BSC, while 61 (40.9 percent) organizations have structurally complete Level 3 BSCs, and 36 (24.2 percent) organizations have fully developed Level 5 BSCs. The paper also discusses differences between Level 1 and Level 5 BSC organizations.

Research limitations/implications

While many researchers assume that organizations' performance measurement systems are similar in implementation level and use, the paper demonstrates that organizations are at different levels of BSC implementation and use, a factor that should be taken into consideration when designing empirical studies to test the efficacy of Kaplan and Norton's BSC.

Practical implications

The five‐level BSC taxonomy scheme provides managers working with Kaplan and Norton's BSC with a tool to plan their implementation steps and then benchmark their progress towards implementing a fully developed Level 5 BSC.

Originality/value

In developing and empirically validating a BSC taxonomy, the paper builds on and extends previous research on BSC implementation and its potential implications.
Efficiency and technological change in health care services in Ontario
Authors: Chowdhury Hedayet , Wodchis Walter , Laporte Audrey
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a productivity measure for hospital services in Ontario.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) to assess the efficiency of hospital services in Ontario, Canada, over the period 2003‐2006. The MPI was decomposed into efficiency change and technological change. Efficiency change was further decomposed into pure efficiency change and scale efficiency change. A bootstrapping technique was also used to obtain confidence intervals for the output oriented MPI and its decompositions.

Findings

By estimating confidence intervals it was found that a large number of hospitals did not achieve significant progress in terms of productivity. By taking geometric means of estimates for all years it was observed that while overall productivity and efficiency of hospitals in Ontario declined during the study period, technological progress increased at a rate of 5.95 percent on average.

Practical implications

The present study helps to understand the productivity and technological change and change in technical efficiency in this vital sector of the economy, which is important for policy making identifying improvement opportunities in resource allocation. It was observed that Ontario hospitals did not improve the efficiency with which they employed their inputs (i.e. staff and supplies) over the study period; they did achieve gains through application of technologies.

Originality/value

The paper provides a thorough study on productivity growth of health care services in Ontario using a non‐parametric framework with bootstrapping. It also provides a robust measurement and analysis of the contributions of technology, size of operation and use of inputs to the performance of hospitals in Ontario.