bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An experimental investigation of the role of face in service failure and recovery encounters
Authors: Du Jiangang , Fan Xiucheng , Feng Tianjun
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The concept of face has been deeply embedded in Chinese culture. This paper aims to examine the role of face in service failure and recovery encounters, and to explore the factors that influence customer emotions, recovery satisfaction and behavioral intention based on a proposed conceptual model.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a scenario role‐play‐based experimental design to examine the proposed conceptual model in service failure and recovery encounters.

Findings

The results show that face plays an important role in service failure and recovery encounters. Specifically, it is found that the utilitarian recovery and symbolic recovery customers receive in the service recovery encounter can both influence customer face restoration, which in turn affects customer emotions, and behavioral intention on service recovery. Customer emotions are significantly correlated to customer recovery satisfaction.

Practical implications

The practical implications of this study are mainly two‐fold. First, service providers should pay attention to customers' perceptions of face during service encounters. They should also train their employees to treat all customers with utmost sincerity, which will help to enhance the positive emotional experience of customers. Second, the recovery offered by service providers should not be limited to utilitarian recovery. It has to take into account symbolic recovery as well.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the role of face in service recovery encounters and suggests that face significantly influences customer emotions and behavioral intention on service recovery, and customer emotions in turn significantly affect customer recovery satisfaction
Moderating effect of cultural values on decision making of gift‐giving from a perspective of self‐congruity theory: an empirical study from Chinese context
Authors: Liu ShiXiong , Lu YanXiong , Liang QiuPing , Wei ErYue
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study undertaken to investigate the effect of Chinese traditional cultural values on the gift‐giving behavior of consumers in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and to check the moderating effects of Chinese traditional cultural values on a consumer's purchase intention and self‐consistency.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a survey among a large sample of people in four cities, gift‐giving behavior, purchase intention and self‐consistency of the consumer in purchasing decisions were measured by the scale. The Chinese traditional cultural values include Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Factor analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

Findings

Results indicates that Chinese traditional cultural values have significant moderating effects on gift‐buying intention accords with gift‐giver's image and purchase intention accords with gift‐receiver's image. Consumers with higher value orientation are more careful about consistency between gifts with self‐image and receiver's image.

Research limitations/implications

Research results should be interpreted with caution as the study was limited to several major cities in the PRC. Also the questionnaire has neglected some people who did not fully understand the questions.

Practical implications

This study points out those Chinese traditional values that play an important role in gift‐buying decisions. Results will provide some professional opinion for some insider engage in gift marketing and add new viewpoints.

Originality/value

The paper develops new scales for measuring constructs such as Chinese traditional cultural values, attitude for gift‐giving and gift‐buying intention.
The failure of transition
Authors: Fotaki Marianna , Böhm Steffen , Hassard John
Published: November 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to link the process of “transition”, which started in the former Soviet system about 20 years ago, to the recent global financial and economic crisis. The paper considers “transition” as a shift from one socio‐economic “dreamworld” to another, rather than as a real change towards freedom and democracy, as most mainstream commentators would have it. The argument is that this “transition” to a capitalist, free market society was bound up with a host of dream‐like imaginations of social and economic progress, which were also found on the imaginary horizon of the Soviet system. It is argued that the two systems, and hence also the recent global capitalist crisis, can be understood as being determined by complementary economies of desires, which, however, cannot be fulfilled.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper combines a critical theory perspective, influenced by Buck‐Morss and Benjamin, with a Lacanian analysis of subjectivity to critically analyze collective fantasies as the key organizational principle behind the workings and eventual demise of the socialist utopia as well as the more recent downfall of the neoliberal discourse.

Findings

The paper demonstrates why both socialism and capitalism can be understood as “real existing” systems where social processes, institutions, ideologies and identities are organized at the interface of political‐agonistic and symbolic‐imaginary dimensions.

Social implications

The paper calls for assuming responsibility for our work as public intellectuals and academics, aiming at the continuous unmasking of illusions, fantasies and ideologies at work in society, which we see as politics proper.

Originality/value

The paper uses critical‐theoretic, psychoanalytic and post‐structuralist frames in order to unravel the fantasmatic kernel at work of both socialist and capitalist utopias. These fantasies do not only struggle to uphold their hegemonic grip on the economy but on the very production of subjectivity.
The fantasy of the organizational One
Authors: Beyes Timon , Volkmann Christina
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the politics of and in organizational transformations in the wake of the fall of the Berlin wall and Germany's reunification.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper juxtaposes a political‐philosophical perspective informed by Rancière – what we call a dramaturgy of politics – with the findings of an ethnographic study conducted in the Berlin State Library in 2002/2003.

Findings

The paper outlines a reading of the event of November 9, 1989 and its aftermath as a dissensual event of politics proper, i.e. the emergence of a new political subjectivity, followed by a consensual process of social organization. In the state library, both the consensual “fantasy of the organizational One” as well its disruption are causing struggles over what is visible and sayable. A dramaturgy of politics thus encourages us to add our voices to the specific time‐spaces in which an excess of words, signs and forms alters the configuration of what is visible and expressible.

Research limitations/implications

The usual disclaimers about the limits of ethnographic research apply. The paper calls for further inquiries into the dramaturgy of organizational politics. It also reflects upon the “Western gaze” and the problematic of “speaking for” the presumably dominated.

Originality/value

It is hoped that the paper contributes to the understanding of the politics of organization (theory) by outlining an alternative conceptual approach and confronting it with ethnographic findings.
Post‐socialist gender transformations and women's experiences of employment
Authors: Stoilova Mariya
Published: November 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to demonstrate that gender research is crucial to understanding post‐socialist transformations and wider changes in social life. Focused on employment experiences and gender identities of two generations of Bulgarian women, it aims to highlight the complex intertwining of social structure and individual agency and to point out how processes of continuity and change constitute the post‐socialist transformation and individual life journeys.

Design/methodology/approach

Informed by feminist analyses of gender and citizenship, generation theory and qualitative interviews, the paper employs the notion of gender imaginaries in comparing continuity and change in gender policy and individual experiences.

Findings

The paper argues that significant changes occurred after 1989 in the ways official gender imaginaries were constructed through law, policy, and public discourses. In comparison to this, individual women's gender imaginaries entailed not only change but also sustained attachment to paid work, rejection of domesticity, and continued feelings of gender equality. This suggests that stable and often unquestioned notions of gender had a significant role for individual imaginaries. In addition to this, some of the most considerable changes were manifested in the notions of risk and uncertainty, which have become central aspects of the post‐socialist gender imaginary, particularly in relation to paid work.

Originality/value

The paper engages in a comparison of employment experiences of two generations of women thus directing its enquiry to the combination of individuals' agency in crafting one's life journey and the constraints of social structures and existing gender inequalities. Thus, transformations in individual lived lives of women are seen as interrelated with social change and historic location.
Horizontal cooperation in disaster relief logistics: benefits and impediments
Authors: Schulz Sabine F. , Blecken Alexander
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to further the understanding of opportunities involved in horizontal cooperation in disaster relief logistics. The potential and realized benefits of horizontal cooperation in disaster relief logistics, as well as related impediments are investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study research into three cooperative humanitarian organization initiatives.

Findings

To a large extent, the same potential synergies exist in the humanitarian as in the private sector, but not all of the potential benefits have yet been realized. Humanitarian organizations focus less on cost aspects than on lead‐time and quality improvements. It is apparent that smaller organizations can benefit most from a cooperative approach. Four main impediments to a cooperative approach are identified. These concern: the perception of logistics as one of the organization's own core competences, cultural differences and mutual mistrust, a lack of transparency regarding the potential and existing benefits and inadequate relief capacities.

Research limitations/implications

Research on horizontal cooperation in logistics is strengthened. A service provider model is selected as the mode of horizontal cooperation and the findings are valid only for this model.

Practical implications

The presented benefits may be of assistance to humanitarian organizations assessing participation in a cooperation initiative. The indicated impediments may also serve as a guide for humanitarian organizations in horizontal cooperation considerations.

Originality/value

Research on horizontal cooperation in logistics is scarce in both the private sector and the humanitarian domain. It appears that no other rigorous and systematic empirical study comparing existing logistics cooperation initiatives exists as yet.
Coordination in humanitarian logistics through clusters
Authors: Jahre Marianne , Jensen Leif‐Magnus
Published: November 2010

Purpose

In the field of humanitarianism, cluster thinking has been suggested as a solution to the lack of coordinated disaster response. Clusters for diverse functions, including sheltering, logistics and water and sanitation, can be viewed as an effort to achieve functional coordination. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a greater understanding of the potential of cluster concepts using supply chain coordination and inter‐cluster coordination. The focus is on the conceptual level rather than on specific means of coordination.

Design/methodology/approach

The cluster concept in humanitarian relief, along with some key empirical issues, is based on a case study. The concept is then compared to the literature on clusters and coordination in order to develop a theoretical framework with propositions on the tradeoffs between different types of coordination.

Findings

The results provide important reflections on one of the major trends in contemporary development of humanitarian logistics. This paper shows that there is a tradeoff between different types of coordination, with horizontal coordination inside cluster drawing attention away from important issues of the supply chain as well as the need to coordinate among the clusters.

Research limitations/implications

There is a need for more in‐depth case studies of experiences with clusters in various operations. Various perspectives should be taken into account, including the field, responding agencies, beneficiaries, donors, military and commercial service providers, both during and between disasters.

Practical implications

The paper presents the tradeoffs between different types of coordination, in which basic aims such as standardisation through functional coordination, must be balanced with cross‐functional and vertical coordination in order to more successfully serve the users' composite needs.

Originality/value

The focus on possible trade‐offs between different types of coordination is an important complement to the literature, which often assumes simultaneous high degrees of horizontal and vertical coordination.
Supply chain process modelling for humanitarian organizations
Authors: Blecken Alexander
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a supply chain process modelling method adapted to the requirements of humanitarian organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical research was conducted to identify the state of practice of supply chain management (SCM) in humanitarian organisations. An established procedure was selected, in order to develop a reference task model which forms the basis of the process modelling method. A literature review, expert interviews and other primary sources were used to identify the SCM activities that are required for the reference task model.

Findings

An empirical survey revealed that process modelling and optimisation are in their infancy at humanitarian organisations. A reference task model identifying over 100 SCM tasks is constructed. The applicability and feasibility of the developed process modelling method is exemplified by means of a case study.

Research limitations/implications

The reference task model provides the basis for further research on process modelling and optimisation in humanitarian supply chains.

Practical implications

The process modelling method supports humanitarian organisations in modelling and optimising their supply chain processes. Standardisation of supply chain processes is promoted which can be a key to improving operational effectiveness and efficiency as well as cooperation and coordination in humanitarian operations.

Originality/value

No rigorous supply chain process modelling technique adapted to the requirements of humanitarian organisations has yet been proposed. Likewise, to date, no comprehensive task model, which enables the construction of supply chain processes for humanitarian organisations, has been developed.
Performance implications of transformational supply chain leadership and followership
Authors: Clifford Defee C. , Stank Theodore P. (Ted) , Esper Terry
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop the concepts of supply chain leadership (SCL) and supply chain followership (SCF) from the literature, and propose a theory of leadership in supply chains using a strategy‐structure‐performance theory framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Constructs are defined and valid and reliable scales are developed for SCL, SCF, and three structural elements (information availability, communication, and rewards). Proposed SCL and SCF theoretical relationships are tested using data collected from an interactive simulation and analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Transformational SCL and SCF are inter‐related constructs that can be linked to the creation of the three forms of supply chain structure examined in this research to varying degrees. A finding of significance is that supply chain follower organizations may actually have greater influence over operational performance than the supply chain leader.

Research limitations/implications

This research presents an initial test of supply chain‐related constructs not tested in previous research. These represent significant organizational constructs that may benefit future supply chain research efforts.

Practical implications

Transformational supply chain behaviors of leaders and followers can be perceived and measured. Managers may utilize this knowledge to better understand the type of supply chain relationships their organization should most effectively pursue.

Originality/value

The paper introduces the concepts of SCL and SCF and empirically tests these concepts and the structural constructs of information availability, communication, and rewards.
Debiasing the supplier selection decision: a taxonomy and conceptualization
Authors: Kaufmann Lutz , Carter Craig R. , Buhrmann Christian
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The authors perform a large‐scale review of debiasing literature with the purpose of deriving a mutually exclusive and exhaustive debiasing taxonomy. This taxonomy is used to conceptualize debiasing activities in the supplier selection process. For each supplier selection‐debiasing construct, scale items are proposed.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic classification approach was used to build a debiasing taxonomy, combined with a Q‐methodology.

Findings

Based on the developed and externally validated debiasing taxonomy, five debiasing activities for the supplier selection context are derived. The conceptual investigation of these supplier selection‐oriented debiasing measures helps both researchers and supply managers to gain a better understanding of debiasing mechanisms and to effectively further improve the supplier selection process by integrating behavioral aspects.

Originality/value

This research extends the taxonomy of decision biases developed by Carter, Kaufmann, and Michel, by systematically analyzing strategies to debias the decision‐making process. The highly fragmented research landscape on debiasing was inventoried and structured. As a result, a debiasing taxonomy was created that extracted five main debiasing categories. These were then conceptualized within the context of the supplier selection process. In doing so, debiasing literature from different research streams such as economics, psychology, and behavioral and strategic decision making was systematically integrated into the field of supply management. Proposed scale items allow for empirical investigation as a next step in the development of the nascent field of behavioral supply management.
Social capital and livelihood recovery: post‐tsunami Sri Lanka as a case
Authors: Minamoto Yuriko
Published: November 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on the relationship between the people's perception of livelihood recovery and micro‐social capital to seek more effective disaster support at the community level.

Design/methodology/approach

The household survey was conducted for a randomly selected total of 190 households in two divisions of the Ampara District of the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. The quantitative analysis design captured the extent to which both cognitive and structural social capital factors prescribe people's overall perceptions of livelihood recovery.

Findings

The factors which best prescribe people's perceptions of livelihood recovery are formal network in the community, and leadership and trustship of community‐based organizations. The negative coefficient for newly established community‐based non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) after the tsunami assumed a serious aspect of “élite capture”, which implies a dark side of collective action with semi‐forced participation. Participatory design process in the organizations was another negative factor for livelihood recovery.

Research limitations/implications

Further research should consider influencing factors related to religious organizations and conflict issues in the area.

Practical implications

Disaster support for livelihood recovery at the community level needs serious consideration about social factors and power structure of the community, and careful design of a participatory approach to reduce the risk of “élite capture”.

Originality/value

The research facilitated a quantitative analysis on social capital and livelihood recovery, which may be quite rare, and highlights the issue of effectiveness of disaster support at the community level.
Understanding the antecedents of emergency response: a proposed framework
Authors: Subramaniam Chandrakantan , Ali Hassan , Mohd Shamsudin Faridahwati
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for understanding the antecedents of emergency response performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Emergency response is vital in cases of emergencies, as prompt and speedy services determine the difference between life and death. Emergency responders normatively work in team and in concert to ensure that mitigation efforts can be accomplished to reduce loss of life and property. As such, it is imperative that emergency responders perform tasks at hand as efficiently as possible as a team.

Findings

The paper discusses possible antecedents that determine an emergency response team's performance and offers a conceptual framework based on Robbin's model of group behavior and the existing literature to explain emergency response team performance.

Originality/value

The paper presents an overview on emergency management, antecedents of an emergency response team's performance, and proposes a framework to investigate the antecedents of an emergency response team's performance.
Institutional Compliance Framework and business continuity management in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore
Authors: Sui Pheng Low , Jun Ying Liu , Kumaraswamy Mohan
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The business environment is fraught with risks and crises. Yet, in spite of the uncertainties faced, many construction companies were not aware of business continuity management (BCM), nor have they implemented BCM within their organizations. The purpose of this study is to understand the reasons behind this observation.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted with large construction companies in China, Hong Kong and Singapore to identify the threats and crises faced by these organizations. The survey findings were aggregated with a view to understanding why BCM is not widely implemented in construction companies.

Findings

The survey findings were mapped against the Institutional Compliance Framework to explain the behavior of construction companies pertaining to BCM implementation. The study suggests that rational choice theory, normative theory and cultural‐cognitive theory provide useful pointers to understanding the decisions made and the actions that should be taken to encourage more construction companies to adopt, develop and implement BCM in their organizations.

Originality/value

Through a three‐country survey, the study presents the threats and crises that construction companies have identified in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. More significantly, the study provides, for the first time, a theoretical underpinning to explain how construction companies may receive BCM and the measures that decision makers can take to encourage these organizations to pay more attention strategically to BCM in their operations.
Performance assessment of Indian software professionals
Authors: Shiva Prasad H.C. , Suar Damodar
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate an instrument/scale to assess the performance of Indian software professionals (SPs).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 441 software and senior software engineers from eight Indian software firms. The team leaders assessed the performance of software and senior software engineers on 16 items. The software engineers self‐reported their experience, need for achievement, and need for social power. The financial performance (FP) of the software firms where the software engineers were working was procured from secondary sources.

Findings

The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of scores on 16 items of the instrument suggest six dimensions of performance. They are work‐efficiency, personal resourcefulness, inter‐ and intra‐personal sensitivity, productivity orientation, timeliness, and business intelligence. The dimensions have reliability and high convergent validity. SPs having more years of experience, higher need for achievement, and higher need for social power are high performers. The (low) high performing SPs are from firms that have (lower) higher FP.

Practical implications

Human resource managers can evaluate the performance of SPs holistically on six dimensions for training, reward administration, job rotation, and promotion decisions.

Originality/value

This paper develops a behavioural instrument to assess the performance of Indian SPs.
Productivity growth and efficiency change in Indian banking
Authors: Kumar Lakshmi , Malathy D. , Ganesh L.S.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the influence of technology change in the banking sector by employing data envelopment analysis (DEA) and also to determine the change in total factor productivity (TFP) and its components, namely technical change and technical efficiency change.

Design/methodology/approach

The DEA method has been used to assess the efficiency of the entire banking sector and the bank groups. The purpose has been to investigate TFP change and its components' (obtained using Malmquist index) influence on the growth in the banking sector as well as in the four bank groups. In doing so, for each bank group the levels of technical efficiency, technical efficiency change, efficiency change and TFP change have been estimated. Further investigation has been done to determine if significant differences in these exist between the different bank groups in terms of size, time period and ownership. The determinants of productivity have been assessed.

Findings

The TFP growth over the entire period (1995‐2006) was driven by technical change as compared to efficiency change, showing that technology and innovation had a greater impact than efficiency change, or the catch‐up effect. The fixed effects estimates of the determinants of TFP change and its components show that size, ownership and time period exert significant effect on technical change.

Practical implications

The results of the analysis presented in this paper suggest that policies that result in efficiency change are likely to have little impact on the future prospects of the banking sector relative to policies that foster the adoption of the latest technologies. This has exactly been the focus of Reserve Bank of India and though some banks may consider it as an imposition of technology, the result of this requirement appears to be positive as is apparent from this paper's analysis.

Originality/value

The value of this paper comes from the empirical testing that in the Indian banking sector growth in the more recent period came from technology change or frontier shifts as compared to efficiency change. Also, growth is larger due to frontier shifts than due to efficiency change. This endorses Lucas' findings regarding the focus on the positive impacts of deregulation and competition in the Indian banking sector.
A model for optimal maintenance interval incorporating the cost of rejections in manufacturing
Authors: Pandey Divya , Kulkarni Makarand S. , Vrat Prem
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a model that incorporates the effect of rejection cost on optimal maintenance planning decisions. Such a model will help in further modelling the interrelationships between preventive maintenance and quality control policy.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper a model is developed for obtaining optimal preventive maintenance interval based on block replacement policy to incorporate the effect of rejection cost. An illustrative example is presented to compare economic performance of the proposed model (M2) and the conventional model (M1). Model M1 stands for optimal preventive maintenance interval without considering the rejection cost and model M2 stands for optimal preventive maintenance interval considering the rejection cost. The comparison is done for different production rates, costs of rejection and cost of lost production. The impact of control chart parameters on preventive maintenance decision is also studied.

Findings

In this paper it is found that model M2 gives better results as compared to model M1. The improvements are more significant at higher production rate, lower cost of lost production and higher rejection cost. The impact of control chart parameters on preventive maintenance planning decision becomes significant as the cost of rejection increases.

Research limitations/implications

Conventionally only the down time cost and the cost of repair/replacement are considered for optimal maintenance interval determination. However in the case of machine tools, failure may not always bring the system immediately under complete breakdown but may lead to the functioning of system with degraded performance like process shift from in‐control state to out‐of‐control state. It results into poor quality and thus may lead to higher rejection cost. The cost of rejections may be significantly high in some production systems and, if not incorporated properly during maintenance planning decision may adversely affect the effectiveness of the maintenance planning. Hence the approach presented in this paper gives a better way of maintenance planning. Though the work presented here is illustrated through a simple example considering a single component operating as a part of machine, the approach can be extended to multi‐component system.

Originality/value

The outcome is of significant value as it opens up a new perspective into the development of integrated model for maintenance planning and quality control decisions for reducing the operating costs associated with the manufacturing processes.
Dynamic adjustment towards target capital structure: evidence from Indian companies
Authors: Mukherjee Sulagna , Mahakud Jitendra
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the dynamics of capital structure in the context of Indian manufacturing companies in a partial‐adjustment framework during the period 1993‐1994 to 2007‐2008.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper specifies a partial‐adjustment model and uses the generalized method of moments technique to determine the variables which affect the target capital structure and to find out the factors affecting the adjustment speed to target capital structure.

Findings

Firm‐specific variables like size, tangibility, profitability and market‐to‐book ratio were found to be the most important variables which determine the target capital structure across the book and market leverage and the factors like size of the company, growth opportunity and the distance between the target and observed leverage determine the speed of adjustment to target leverage for the Indian manufacturing companies.

Research limitations/implications

The behavioural variables like managers' confidence and attitude towards raising the external finance have not been incorporated in the model to determine the target capital structure due to the data constraint.

Practical implications

This paper has implications for corporate managers in India, for example, to consider the various adjustment costs while altering the financing decisions of the company with other variables like flexibility of the manager, direct cost of debt and equity.

Originality/value

This paper is first of its kind to study both the determination of target capital structure and the speed of adjustment to target capital structure in the context of Indian companies.
A review of Australian PPP governance structures
Authors: Wilson David I. , Pelham Nick , Duffield Colin F.
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to critique specific governance requirements of public‐private partnerships (PPPs) with the objective of understanding what constitutes sound governance of these projects and conceptualises a framework that sets out the structure, resources, communication, reporting and monitoring systems that are essential for PPP governance that is consistent with an organisations corporate or strategic vision.

Design/methodology/approach

General governance requirements are explored through a literature review of corporate, major capital projects and long‐term PPP arrangements. These governance requirements have been cross‐analysed based on the literature, interviews with senior project managers and investigation of different governance arrangements used on Australian PPP projects.

Findings

It is concluded that the governance principles and requirements for PPPs is similar to best governance practice but there are significant differences between how traditional projects and PPPs are governed due in part to the multiple parties responsible for the governance.

Practical implications

The conceptual framework developed provides a succinct summation of how sound governance would sensibly be shared between the government and the private sector for PPPs.

Originality/value

Three distinct PPP governance models are provided and these are a valuable thought starter for the ongoing management of PPPs.
Impact of governance on project delivery of complex NHS PFI/PPP schemes
Authors: Patel Manju , Robinson Herbert
Published: November 2010

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of governance on project delivery in complex private finance initiative (PFI) projects. Governance is crucial in delivering successful projects within budget, time and in accordance with other project objectives.

Design/methodology/approach

A two‐stage approach was used to address the research questions. First, a literature review was carried out and second, a multiple case study approach based on detailed semi‐structured interviews with project directors and senior managers was conducted to provide an in‐depth insight on how two major PFI projects were planned, managed and delivered in the National Health Service (NHS, UK).

Findings

Project governance influences project delivery in terms of cost, speed of completion, quality and its financial viability as it is critical in providing clear organisational structure, effective decision‐making structures and control processes. The success of one scheme was attributed to an appropriate governance structure enabling necessary reviews and adjustments to be made to render the scheme financially viable and affordable. The failed scheme, subsequently abandoned at a cost of over £15 million to tax payers, was due to an inadequate governance structure creating conflicting priorities of stakeholders, complex decision making with negative impact on project deliverables such as cost and time.

Originality/value

Previous research has not addressed the management aspect of governance which has a significant influence on financial outcomes of NHS PFI schemes. This will enable NHS and other public client organisations to understand the need for adequate governance structure in reducing the risks of projects running over time and incurring increase costs to ensure financial viability and affordability, particularly in large complex schemes.
A strategic partnering framework analysis methodology for public‐private partnerships
Authors: Roumboutsos Athena , Chiara Nicola
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to view and analyse public‐private partnerships (PPPs) under a strategic partnering approach between the key parties involved, i.e. public sector, private sector and lenders, and their business environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A strategic partnering framework analysis methodology has been devised based on existing and well‐known business strategic analysis tools (the political‐economic‐social‐technological (PEST) and strengths‐weaknesses‐opportunities‐threats (SWOT) analysis). The methodology consists of modules and may be used to identify the potential of strategic partnering in a sector and/or country and/or for a particular project in a procurement process. By using appropriate modules of the methodology, public sector partnering requirements or the market potential for PPPs, in general, may be assessed.

Findings

The small‐scale application of a module of the methodology is demonstrated through an international consultation on the influence of the present credit crunch. Findings indicate market changes and trends that may be pursued.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed strategic partnering methodology may be used in all business partnership applications. Its scope is to identify the key elements on which the particular partnership should be based.

Originality/value

PPPs have been viewed through finance‐ and service‐based approaches. The present study introduces the view of a partnership‐based approach. In the effort, the study also presents improvements to the commonly used PEST and SWOT analysis by adding a dynamic dimension to the analysis.
Social infrastructure partnerships: a firm rock in a storm?
Authors: Gilmour Tony , Wiesel Ilan , Pinnegar Simon , Loosemore Martin
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use the example of public housing renewal public‐private partnerships (PPPs) to build knowledge on whether social infrastructure PPPs may appeal to the private sector as a less risky investment in a time of global financial uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on an international literature review and a limited number of semi‐structured interviews with social housing PPP participants in England, the USA and Australia. These interviews were conducted by Dr Gilmour as part of his doctoral research in 2008.

Findings

The familiar distinction between social and other forms of infrastructure PPPs has been found to be unhelpful in the case of public housing renewal. This type of PPPs, through their cross‐subsidisation model, face relatively high revenue risk during a recession. However, the commitment of the public sector to the social goals of such projects suggests contract negotiation rather than default is likely if problems occur. PPP risks need to be understood by studying their detailed contract terms, rather than by broad categorisations.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides a grounded discussion rather than detailed research findings. Only a small number of projects are included and they are not necessarily representative. Cross‐national comparison is challenging because of different housing policies and economic conditions.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the literature by both contrasting approaches to a particular type of social infrastructure PPP in different countries, and by making an early assessment of the likely impact of recent turbulence in financial and property markets.
Accounting for the development of human capital in manufacturing organizations
Authors: Iqbal Chaudhry Naveed , Azam Roomi Muhammad
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the impact of human capital development in organizations. It is based on some conceptual aspects of human resource accounting and considers how investments in the development of human capital can be measured in order to investigate the financial returns for organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is exploratory in nature as this is the first of its kind in the Pakistani manufacturing sector. The technique of convenience sampling was used to collect the data due to time and resource limitations. The sample comprises of 30 leading companies in the Pakistani textile sector. A self‐administered postal questionnaire was designed for the research survey. The results focus on the benefits derived by using the capital investment appraisal techniques of human resource accounting including: return on investment, benefit to cost ratio, weighted average cost of capital, and bottom line evaluations.

Findings

The results provide evidence of an association between investment in the development of human capital and the benefits, which organizations can reap from such investments. It further finds that the organizations investing in training and development programs provide high employee productivity that ultimately contributes towards high‐organizational performance.

Research limitations/implications

Owing to the research design, the results may exhibit a lack of generalizability to other sectors. As the results cannot be applied to other organizations, further research can be done by using the same techniques.

Originality/value

This paper is a groundbreaking work in Pakistan and thereby an addition to the existing global literature on human resource accounting. This research provides new directions for the literature in this area, by encouraging a debate about the importance of investing in the development of human capital.
Workforce health as intellectual capital
Authors: Kahn Howard , Stevenson Joanna E. , Roslender Robin
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report and discuss the principal findings of a recent study of thinking and practice about workforce health and wellbeing among UK accounting and finance and human resource management professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

The data informing the paper were collected using postal questionnaires to two samples of 1,000 UK accounting and finance and human resource directors. The research design incorporated the facility for a full second mailing to respondents.

Findings

The responses received from the sample of human resource directors were generally more supportive of viewing workforce health and wellbeing as a valuable organisational asset. Accounting and finance professionals employed in private sector organisations were the least enthusiastic about such issues.

Research limitations/implications

While the design of the questionnaire afforded the opportunity for commentary on answers by respondents, semi‐structured interviews will allow a more detailed exploration of the issues.

Practical implications

The UK accountancy profession has yet to fully appreciate the significance of the intellectual capital phenomenon. In seeking to engage health and wellbeing issues, it may be desirable to consider collaboration with the human resource management profession.

Originality/value

Health and wellbeing have seldom been recognised as key constituents of human capital. Consequently, this is the first such study to be carried out.
Power and the internet
Authors: Bertola Vittorio
Published: November 2010

Purpose

Starting from the end‐to‐end principle, a founding element of the internet's technical architecture, the paper aims to discuss its extension and effects at the social level. It shows how the internet moves power from governments and private entities to individual citizens, restructuring our societies and creating a new global stakeholder class – individual users of the internet. It connects the advent of this stakeholder class with a traditional principle of internet governance, “rough consensus”. It discusses advantages and risks of this change, suggesting that this shift of power might be beneficial to solve deadlocks in the governance of global phenomena and to ensure that solutions pursue the global public interest. Finally, it discusses how this social evolution can be protected from opposing forces, countering the opinion that the freedom of the internet is intrinsic and not needing regulatory supports.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper builds upon observation of case studies, such as the struggle between the industry and users over peer‐to‐peer music downloads, and upon the author's first‐hand experience in global internet governance processes.

Findings

The paper formalizes a social expression of the end‐to‐end principle and demonstrates the need for such principle to be recognized and protected by regulation, to preserve the social model described in the paper and its benefits.

Originality/value

The paper explores the connections between the technical, economic and social architectures of the global network, providing support for understanding the political dynamics of the internet and other global phenomena, and for designing effective governance processes to address them.
Issues with the modelling of manufacturing performance: the trade‐offs
Authors: Sarmiento Roberto
Published: November 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight issues with current methodologies and rationales used to model the achievement of high business performance in operations management studies, particularly those dealing with the trade‐offs – cumulative capabilities concepts. The paper also attempts to provide solutions to these problems.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual approach and critique of previous methodologies and rationales is utilised. In particular, use is made of a “thought experiment” in order to illustrate the issues that need to be addressed.

Findings

Widely accepted approaches and rationales used to model the achievement of high levels of performance are limited. This is particularly true when more recent theoretical developments in the field are considered. Thus, more comprehensive methodologies, rationales and terminologies that resolve the identified difficulties are necessary. To address this issue, this paper offers a more holistic way to examine the relationships between two or more competitive criteria.

Practical implications

The main implications are related to research methodologies, rationales and approaches.

Originality/value

The paper makes two important and novel contributions to this area of research: it brings the attention to problems that have been largely ignored, and it provides solutions to these issues. The results should be of interest to researchers in the area of strategic/operations management, especially those interested in the modelling of high levels of firm performance, as represented by the trade‐offs and cumulative capabilities concepts.