bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different leadership skills for different innovation strategies
Authors: Deschamps Jean‐Philippe
Published: January 2007

Purpose

CEOs facing the challenge of stimulating innovation must select one or more champions to entrust with that critical mission. Selecting the right manager who will have the leadership skills, charisma and determination to lead a major innovation initiative is one of the most important decisions a CEO has to make. But innovation comes in many different varieties – new product category, new business model, improved customer solution, improved product, process or service offering. So it's appropriate to also ask, “Is a different leadership profile needed for each particular type of innovation?” And also, “How do we choose the best person to lead a particular innovation effort?”

Design/methodology/approach

The question, “What qualities does our innovation initiative leader need?” can be addressed in four steps: define innovation leadership and offer a simple classification of innovation leaders based on the focus of their contribution; suggest a broad typology of innovation that reflects both the strategic objectives pursued and the way innovation occurs; describe a number of broad leadership imperatives implicit in each generic innovation effort; and identify some key leadership skills, qualities and styles required for success in each generic type of innovation effort.

Findings

This article defines four generic innovation strategies with distinct leadership imperatives. Each of these four strategies requires a different emphasis by management in at least four areas: enabling process, organizational mechanism, cultural trait and people profile.

Research limitations/implications

Based chiefly on the author's lengthy experience. Needs analytic study.

Practical implications

Explains why top management plays the vital role of hiring the right people to manage each kind of innovation effort. Shows how to match specific types of innovation projects with executives with specific skill sets. By starting with a classic typology of innovation according to its objectives, scope, intensity and boundaries, it defines four generic innovation strategies with distinct leadership imperatives.

Originality/value

Shows why top management must fully understand the importance of matching the skills of innovation leaders with the specific tasks and roles they will face in specific situations. Ultimately, it is up to top management to ascertain that it has the necessary cadre of innovation leaders with profiles matched to the company's innovation efforts.
Metrics to successfully manage alliances
Authors: Segil Larraine
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To show how the key to successfully managing alliances is developing and implementing alliance metrics.

Design/methodology/approach

The case of “Acme Manufacturing” (a composite of several firms) is used to illustrate the theory and reasoning behind the creation and tracking of alliance metrics appropriate to the life cycle of the partnership. These ideas are then applied to the ongoing Avnet/HP alliance.

Findings

Understanding and applying unique metrics at each stage allows management to anticipate alliance challenges and increase flexibility and adaptability when faced with changing economic and market conditions. Across the life cycle stages the partners must learn to monitor two types of measurements – development metrics, commonly employed in the start‐up and high growth stages, and implementation metrics, engaged throughout the professional, mature, decline, and sustain stages of the life cycle.

Research limitations/implications

This is a case study produced by a consultant specializing in alliance management. It has been peer reviewed but has not been subjected to independent audit.

Practical implications

Proactively managing alliances helps partners ensure value extraction, financial and non‐financial. Development metrics and implementation metrics can help alliance stakeholders understand and plan for the stages of the alliance life cycle while considering their knowledge transfer.

Originality/value

As the cases of Acme Manufacturing and Avnet/HP show, an understanding of alliance life cycles, cultures, and metrics can lead to successful planning, launching, and maintenance of a company's alliances.
Value pioneering – how to discover your own “blue ocean”: interview with W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
Authors: Leavy Brian
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To study blue ocean strategy (value innovation management), which not only reframes the strategic challenge – from competing to making the competition irrelevant – but also provides a series of tools and frameworks to act on this insight in a way that maximizes the opportunity and minimizes the risk.

Design/methodology/approach

This interview with Professors W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne considers the concept of value innovation management and examines the ideas and tools they developed in their book Blue Ocean Strategy (Harvard Business School Press, 2005), the product of a successful twenty‐year research and consultancy partnership.

Findings

Blue ocean strategy is applicable across all types of industries from typical consumer product goods to b2b. It offers an alternative approach to the existing strategic planning process, one that is based not on preparing a spreadsheet document but on drawing a strategy canvas.

Research limitations/implications

The interview gives professors Kim and Mauborgne an opportunity to summarize many of their recent research findings.

Practical implications

As blue ocean strategy represents a significant departure from the status quo, managers typically face four hurdles to execution: first, cognitive: waking employees up to the need for a strategic shift; second, limited resources: the greater the shift in strategy, the greater the resources needed to execute it; third, motivation: inspire key players to move fast and tenaciously to carry out a break from the status quo; and fourth, organizational politics. Leaders must identify and effectively deal with internal opponents to change.

Originality/value

Provides a unique overview of value innovation management, its principles, tools, and techniques.
How two Japanese high‐tech companies achieved rapid innovation via strategic community networks
Authors: Kodama Mitsuru
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To produce rapid innovation, Japanese companies have learned to manage strategic communities for new product development. These communities require the merging and integration of different technologies and the coordination of relationships among all levels of management, alliance partners, and customers.

Design/methodology/approach

Through case studies of two Japanese companies, the author examines the successful new product development process practised by these strategic communities and their networks.

Findings

As the cases reveal, strategic teams at each company – consisting mainly of cross‐functional middle managers from a number of business divisions – formed strategic communities inside and outside the companies that included customers, and then formed networks that transcended the strategic communities' boundaries. In record time, strategic community leaders enabled companies to build new business models aimed at customers and then achieve successful new product development.

Research limitations/implications

Two case studies are reported on. The author was directly involved in one of them.

Practical implications

As this research indicates, to successfully innovate, companies may need to form strategic communities that are not tied to existing organizational structures or cultures. Superior core technology in the leading‐edge high‐tech fields of IT and e‐commerce continues to spread throughout the world and undergo dramatic changes. Innovative companies that need to establish competitive advantage in the network economy must not try to retain full control over innovative processes under the conditions of conventional hierarchical mechanisms and closed autonomous systems. In other words, companies will from now on probably increasingly require a management that can use networked strategic communities to synthesize superior knowledge that is open and spread out both inside and outside the organization, including customers.

Originality/value

Companies will from now on probably increasingly require a management that can use networked strategic communities to synthesize superior knowledge that is open and spread out both inside and outside the organization, including customers.
A sourcing strategy for enhancing core capabilities
Authors: Gottfredson Mark , Phillips Stephen
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Most companies focus on using outsourcing to achieve cost cutting. This article urges them instead to consider outsorcings potential for capability enhancement.

Design/methodology/approach

Reports on a handful of companies that place outsourcing – onshore or off – in a strategic context.

Findings

Leading companies start by analyzing not just where they can outsource to lower costs and improve quality, but which capabilities are vital to their core business.

Research limitations/implications

A recent Bain survey of large and medium‐sized companies reports that only 10 percent are highly satisfied with the costs they're saving, and a mere 6 percent are “highly satisfied” with offshore outsourcing overall.

Practical implications

Outsourcing has become so sophisticated that even functions like engineering, R&D, manufacturing, and marketing can be moved outside.

Originality/value

The authors show that it's no longer a company's ownership of capabilities that matters, but rather its ability to control and make the most of critical capabilities. In other words, capability sourcing has become strategic.
Attempts to Improve Accountability in Primary Health Care: Evidence from a GP Practice in Scotland
Authors: Hannah Gwen M. , Dey Colin R. , Power David M.
Published: January 2007

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of government reforms to improve the accountability of primary healthcare providers in Scotland. As a result of the reforms, funding arrangements for GP practices changed and new financing mechanisms were introduced; this paper seeks to investigate the impact of these changes. Design/methodology/approach – The investigation is undertaken using a case study method involving a medical practice in Dundee. Interviews were conducted with staff at the practice and one researcher spent a week on site studying documentation and observing procedures. Findings – The main findings from the case study suggest that as a result of the government reforms, new funding allocation procedures for the practice better resemble a system of financial control rather than demonstrating financial accountability. GPs were more willing to engage in discussions regarding new procedures being introduced to demonstrate clinical accountability; they did not anticipate that practice accreditation or professional revalidation would alter their established practices in any way. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of this research is that it only relates to one case study in Dundee. In addition, further government reforms in this area mean that follow up case studies are needed to see how subsequent changes have addressed the issues raised in the current research; indeed, some longitudinal studies might investigate how cumulative reforms have impacted upon GPs. Orginality/value – Nevertheless, despite these limitations, this paper does build on previous work in this area and provides a platform on which subsequent work can build.
Green marketing: legend, myth, farce or prophesy?
Authors: Peattie Ken , Crane Andrew
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To review the history of “green marketing” since the early 1990s and to provide a critique of both theory and practice in order to understand how the marketing discipline may yet contribute to progress towards greater sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines elements of green marketing theory and practice over the past 15 years by employing the logic of the classic paper from 1985 “Has marketing failed, or was it never really tried” of seeking to identify “false marketings” that have hampered progress.

Findings

That much of what has been commonly referred to as “green marketing” has been underpinned by neither a marketing, nor an environmental, philosophy. Five types of misconceived green marketing are identified and analysed: green spinning, green selling, green harvesting, enviropreneur marketing and compliance marketing.

Practical implications

Provides an alternative viewpoint on a much researched, but still poorly understood area of marketing, and explains why the anticipated “green revolution” in marketing prefaced by market research findings, has not more radically changed products and markets in practice.

Originality/value

Helps readers to understand why progress towards a more sustainable economy has proved so difficult, and outlines some of the more radical changes in thought and practice that marketing will need to adopt before it can make a substantive contribution towards greater sustainability.
Advertising and children: what do the kids think?
Authors: O'Sullivan Terry
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To question the models of childhood implied within contemporary UK debate about advertising to children. The paper identifies a role for qualitative market research in establishing a more fully‐articulated account of childhood, with implications for both policy makers and marketers.

Design/methodology/approach

A brief literature review of contemporary sociological perspectives on childhood informs an account of controversy in the UK about the legitimacy of advertising to children. Adult versions of childhood from this debate are contrasted with children's own accounts of their experience of advertising, drawing on a pilot study using informal qualitative methods.

Findings

Illuminates the assumptions about childhood which divide industry advocates from their critics, and suggests that qualitative understanding of children's experience of advertising should have a greater role in complementing the predominantly positivist research on which the debate draws.

Research limitations/implications

Limited to recent UK discourse on children and advertising (which may restrict its extendability to non‐European cultures), and draws on a very small pilot study. This does, however, point the way to future research using informal methods.

Practical implications

Intended to enrich understanding of debate and policy on advertising and children, and to encourage the informed use of qualitative research in this area.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the predominantly empirical or polemical literature in this area by setting competing arguments in an ontological framework.
Wine marketing: modelling the ethics of the wine industry using qualitative data
Authors: Richardson Oliver
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To propose a model for ethical behaviour based on product, production and marketing methods, and to make use of qualitative data relating to a specific product in order to test its validity. This model is termed the Ethical Cube.

Design/methodology/approach

The model was developed as a result of early examination of ethical practices. It was then tested using publicly available examples of marketing, production and product information concerning the wine industry.

Findings

The model was found to be effective, if basic. Proposals for improvements and extensions are put forward.

Research limitations/implications

The examples used are largely those that are in the public domain. Facets of a product are classed as ethical or unethical according to the number of reported examples in each area of study – with a special emphasis on production and marketing.

Practical implications

This can provide a standard framework for assessing the ethicality of any product.

Originality/value

This paper is of value to researchers and marketing practitioners seeking to evaluate the public impressions of a specific product.
The paradox of project control
Authors: Bourne Lynda , Walker Derek H.T.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to explore a case study example of the decision‐making process that occurs within complex organizations. It exposes a murky “zone” of decision making and action between the strategic vision set by senior management and the work of teams to realise projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study from the experience of one of the authors is used to illustrate the activities in this “zone”. The lessons from the case study are supported by emerging project management and general management literature. The paper is exploratory in nature and the case study used provides a useful vehicle for reflection and sensemaking.

Findings

The “zone” is metaphorically described as a highly complex and dynamic organism. Operating in the “zone” requires agility and an understanding of both the project and the organizational environment to cope with the demands of its chaotic nature. The paper's conclusions indicate that the traditional command‐and‐control management style is counter‐productive in today's organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Key implications include the need for project managers and their teams to be politically astute and sensitive to the needs and pressures of a wide range of project stakeholders. A methodology and tool for visualising the influence of stakeholders can be of considerable use and a flexible style of decision making is necessary to manage within the inherent uncertainty, complexity and chaos found in projects and organizations like the one illustrated by the case study.

Originality/value

Shows that a paradigm shift in management thinking is needed to succeed in managing projects and their teams within the turbulent environment of a modern matrix organization.
Influence of team composition and task complexity on team performance
Authors: Higgs Malcolm , Plewnia Ulrich , Ploch Jorg
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a research study which is designed to explore the interrelationship between team diversity and task complexity in terms of its impact on performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Team diversity was operationalised using the Belbin Team Role model. Task complexity was assessed through a questionnaire completed by team members and performance was assessed by using a questionnaire completed by the manager to whom the team reported. In total, 28 teams participated in the study. The 28 teams encompassed 270 members.

Findings

The results of the study demonstrated a clear relationship between team composition (diversity), complexity of task and team performance. Diversity was found to be positively related to performance for complex tasks and negatively related for straightforward tasks.

Research limitations/implications

The findings indicate that there can be benefit in considering the complexity of a task or project before assembling a team. The degree of complexity could inform the mix of individuals to be included in the team in terms of diversity of personal traits. The study took place within a single organisation and therefore care must be taken in generalizing the findings without evidence from further research.

Originality/value

The results of this study provide a potentially useful framework for establishing high performance teams.
Leadership lessons from Canada geese
Authors: Muna Farid A. , Mansour Ned
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to discuss the implications of three lessons that leaders can learn from Canada geese to leadership and teamwork in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Migratory behavior of Canada geese is compared to widespread behavior among leaders and teams in organizations.

Findings

The first lesson is: work as a team: Canada Geese migrate long distances flying in V‐formation. This formation results in lesser wind resistance, which allows the whole flock to add around 70 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. Geese find out quickly that it pays handsomely to be team players. Second, wise leadership: when the leader at the apex of the V gets tired, it is relieved by another goose. Leaders rotate, empower, delegate, and even step down when it's in the best interest of the team. How often do we see this taking place among organizational leaders? Wise leaders ensure that their followers are well trained and developed in order to achieve true empowerment and smooth succession processes. Third, humane behavior: if a goose drops to the ground when it gets hurt or sick, two of its colleagues go down with it to take care of it until it either gets healthier or dies. In this fast‐paced and competitive age, we seldom see managers going out of their way to help colleagues who are in trouble. In organizations, morale, productivity, and loyalty increase when employees are treated humanely.

Originality/value

This paper discusses ways that leaders, teams, and organizations can improve performance by applying three lessons learned from Canada geese.
A discrete‐time order‐replacement model with time discounting and spare part provisioning
Authors: Giri B.C. , Dohi T. , Kaio N.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To determine the optimal spare part order‐replacement policy for any high cost single unit complex system in a discrete‐time circumstance.

Design/methodology/approach

The expected total discounted cost over an infinite planning horizon is taken as a criterion of optimality as it allows us to put emphasis on the present behavior of the system.

Findings

The problem under consideration is a two‐dimensional discrete optimization problem (regular ordering time and inventory time limit for the spare are decision variables) which is difficult to handle, in general. However, it is explored that the problem can be reduced to a simple one‐dimensional one and the optimal ordering time is to be determined under the two extreme situations: no replacement of the spare until the original unit fails and replacement of the spare as soon as it is delivered.

Research limitations/implications

For modeling simplicity, deterministic lead time is considered for both regular and expedited orders. A more appropriate assumption would be to consider randomized lead time for both the orders.

Practical implications

The research provides a useful order‐replacement strategy for a single‐unit system where the failure of the unit is better measured by the number of cycles completed before failure rather than the instant of failure.

Originality/value

The work done in this paper carries certain values as any continuous time model for the problem under consideration can be regarded as only an approximate model.
Evaluating methods for the reliability of a three‐dimensional k‐within system
Authors: Akiba Tomoaki , Yamamoto Hisashi , Tsujimura Yasuhiro
Published: January 2007

Purpose

For the considered system, an enumeration method is applicable to evaluate the exact system reliability only for very small‐sized systems, because, when the size of system is large, it takes huge execution time. Therefore, the paper provides approximate values for the system reliability as useful for calculating the reliability of large systems in a reasonable execution time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides upper and lower bounds of the system reliability, and limit theorem for the reliability of our considered system in i.i.d. case.

Findings

The paper experimentally finds that the proposed upper and lower bounds are effective when component reliabilities close to one or the value of k becomes larger. Next, it concludes approximate values for approximate equation derived from the limit theorem are always smaller than lower bound through numerical experiments.

Research limitations/implications

The upper and lower bounds for the reliability of a system can be calculated by using the reliability of a small system by the same idea as previous study for two‐dimensional system.

Practical implications

Up to now some researchers studied multi‐dimensional consecutive‐k‐out‐of‐n:F systems, and showed promising applications of such multi‐dimensional models, e.g. diagnosis of a disease diagnosed by reading an X‐ray. As another examples, three‐dimensional system can be applied for the mathematical model of a three‐dimensional flash memory cell failure model, and so on.

Originality/value

The paper considers a kind of three‐dimensional k‐within‐consecutive‐r‐out‐of‐n:F system. It proposes upper and lower bounds of the system reliability and limit theorem.
An application of the modulus maxima distribution in machinery condition monitoring
Authors: Miao Qiang , Makis Viliam
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To investigate wavelet modulus maxima distribution (MMD) in machinery condition monitoring and extract a parameter that can give a quantitative description of machinery‐operating status.

Design/methodology/approach

Signal decomposition technique is applied to extract gear motion signal and then wavelet transform modulus maxima are utilized to define fault growth parameter (FGP).

Findings

MMD were proposed and the distribution used to derive an EWMA statistic representing machinery fault growth. A comparison with other research works indicates better performance of this parameter.

Practical implications

This paper presents an innovative scheme for the machinery condition monitoring, on the basis of wavelet modulus maxima representation. The definition of MMD can be utilized to derive a parameter that describes the operating status of machinery. This parameter is load‐independent so that it demonstrates better performance when compared with other research works. Further, the MMD may be treated as input of condition classification system in the future work.

Originality/value

The idea for this paper stems from wavelet modulus maxima representation, whilst the application in vibration signal analysis is new. It was found that, by applying this approach, the occurrence of failure is correctly identified and the proposed EWMA FGP is independent of the load applied, which is a very important property in machinery condition monitoring and fault detection.
Using rapid prototypes for functional evaluation of evolutionary product designs
Authors: Dutson Alan J. , Wood Kristin L.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To illustrate the benefits of using the empirical similitude method when creating scale models with rapid prototyping processes, particularly in the context of evolutionary product design.

Design/methodology/approach

Apply the empirical similitude method in two experimental examples. Utilize rapid prototyping processes to create scale models. Both examples are based on the context of evolutionary product design. For one example, evaluate accuracy of empirical similitude results as compared to traditional similitude.

Findings

The first experimental example showed improved accuracy in the empirical similitude results as compared with traditional similitude. The second experimental example illustrated an effective approach for applying the empirical similitude method to a realistic product evolution.

Research limitations/implications

Limited to two experimental examples. Examples involve a single prototyping process (selective laser sintering). Does not cover limitations of the empirical similitude method.

Practical implications

The approach provides for an effective way of utilizing rapid prototypes to predict the functional behavior of an evolutionary product. Rapid prototypes are readily available, but are rarely used in evaluating product function, due to limitations in part sizes and material properties.

Originality/value

This paper provides a practical way of utilizing rapid prototypes to predict the functional behavior of a product through scale models. It also illustrates the proposed method with two experimental examples.
Optimization of the cross section geometry of laser‐densified dental porcelain bodies for rapid prototyping processes
Authors: Li X. , Wang J. , Shaw L.L.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To investigate the effect of laser densification parameters on the cross section geometry of the laser‐densified single line, and thus provide guidance for selecting the laser processing condition to obtain dense shapes with minimum processing defects.

Design/methodology/approach

A range of dental porcelain powder lines with small cross section areas (in the order of 1 × 1 mm2) were extruded from micro‐extruders and laser densified with the systematically changed peak laser power intensity, laser beam diameter, and ratio of the laser beam diameter to the width of the powder line.

Findings

The peak laser power intensity, laser beam diameter, and ratio of the laser beam diameter to the width of the powder line have substantial influence on the cross section geometry. The effects of these laser processing parameters can be explained in terms of minimization of surface energy in both solid and liquid states, volume shrinkage associated with densification, and temperature gradients present in the powder line during laser densification.

Originality/value

For the first time the cross section geometry of single powder lines in response to laser processing conditions has been systematically investigated, and the result offers guidance for obtaining dense shapes with minimum processing defects.
Study of laser‐sinterability of ferro‐based powders
Authors: Kruth J.P. , Kumar S. , Van Vaerenbergh J.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To find the suitable parameters for selective laser sintering (SLS) of selected ferro‐based powders. These parameters will help to create products having appreciable strength shown by the highest density and good surface property.

Design/methodology/approach

Design of experiment (L9 Taguchi design) has been used to obtain the parameters in the minimum possible number of experiments. For finding the range of various parameters selected such as scan speed, scan spacing and layer thickness, some preliminary experiments have been performed. In order to carry out varied characterization for a given type of experiment, a number of samples have been made.

Findings

An attempt has been made to observe the correlation between applied laser energy and the properties of the laser‐sintered parts. Taguchi design has been useful and has given the optimized parameters. It has also been found that the infiltration increases the strength of the part substantially compared with the property of end‐used sintered product.

Research limitations/implications

The present set of experiments was limited by the range of supplied laser energy to the powder system, as the laser power could not be increased.

Originality/value

There is a need to search for alternative powders for manufacturing parts through SLS, which can alleviate the need to depend on customized powders, as these customized powders are limited to be used only with prescribed commercial SLS machines for their best performance. This drawback restricts their general use independent of any particular machine and it is, therefore, required to develop know‐how of powders and related process parameters for SLS. The present work is an effort in this direction in which laser sintering of a specially developed iron‐based powder mixture (Fe, Ni, Cu and Fe3P) has been tested on an SLS machine.
Supply chain software implementations: getting it right
Authors: Favilla Jose , Fearne Andrew
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To highlight key success factors in supply chain projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents insights from a number of supply chain projects in which IT has played an important part in the business solution.

Findings

Successful supply chain projects have four things in common: the right leadership, the right focus, the right approach and effective communication of KPIs to all stakeholders engaged in the project.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of the paper is on supply chain projects with a significant IT component, but the key success factors identified are common to the majority of supply chain projects.

Practical implications

Companies must not assume that investment in IT is, by itself, a solution to their supply chain solutions. A lack of leadership, focus and communication will invariably result in sub‐optimal outcomes which are all too frequently attributed to the complex nature of the project or the inflexibility of the software when in most cases the problems are internal to the businesses involved and the project management process.

Originality/value

This paper provides practical tips for improving the likelihood of getting the most out of IT‐based supply chain projects.
The effect of supplier development initiatives on purchasing performance: a structural model
Authors: Sánchez‐Rodríguez Cristóbal , Hemsworth David , Martínez‐Lorente Ángel R.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Supply chain management is an increasingly important organizational concern, and proper management of supplier relationships constitutes one essential element of supply chain success. However, there is little empirical research that has tested the effect of supplier development on performance. The main objective is to analyze the effect of supplier development practices with different levels of implementation complexity on the firm's purchasing performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Three supplier development constructs were defined: basic supplier development, moderate supplier development, and advanced supplier development. Three structural models were hypothesized and tested using structural equation modeling through field research on a sample of 306 manufacturing companies in Spain.

Findings

Identified important interrelationships among the various supplier development practices, basic, moderate, and advanced. Also indicated that the implementation of supplier development practices significantly contributes to the prediction of purchasing performance.

Research limitations/implications

The use of a single key informant could be seen as a potential limitation of the study. The study was a cross‐sectional and descriptive sample of the manufacturing industry at a given point in time. A more stringent test of the relationships between the different levels of supplier development and performance requires a longitudinal study, or field experiment.

Practical implications

This study focused on supplier development practices and revealed how involving suppliers in supplier development activities is important and may help buyers to increase their purchasing performance. The findings from the structural analysis should provide practicing managers with insights on how these practices and their benefits are related in terms of purchasing performance, thus affecting their ability to make better sourcing decisions.

Originality/value

Fills an important gap in the purchasing literature with respect to the area of supplier development. While there is much written about supplier development based on conceptual and case study research, this study is unique in that it is the first attempt to empirically model the relationships between different levels of supplier development and their impact on purchasing performance using a comprehensive set of practices.
Supply chain management practices in toy supply chains
Authors: Yew Wong Chee , Stentoft Arlbjørn Jan , Johansen John
Published: January 2007

Purpose

Innovative products usually experience highly unpredictable and variable demand. This is especially valid for the volatile and seasonal toy industry, which produces high obsolete inventory, lost sales and markdown. In such a volatile industry, what supply chain management (SCM) practices are applicable and effective? This study seeks to explore SCM practices, and identify practical and theoretical gaps in toy supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

This article includes a longitudinal and in‐depth case study during the past year in an international toy manufacturer, which includes qualitative semi‐structured interviews and questionnaire with 11 main European toy retailers.

Findings

The study concludes that there are three main SCM practices for toy retailers in terms of ordering behaviours (one‐off, JIT, and mixed model), and one dominated SCM practice for toy manufacturers (traditional mass‐production or push‐models). These low‐responsive practices in the toy supply chain are not caused only by slow knowledge diffusion. SCM know‐how is not yet capable of managing such levels of volatility and seasonality. Therefore, explanations of these theoretical gaps and what new theories are required for such extreme volatility and seasonality are proposed.

Originality/value

It reveals actual SCM practices in a volatile and seasonal supply chain, such that theoretical and practical gaps are identified. Also, it proposes a model to match manufacturing SCM‐practices with retailer SCM‐practices.
US consumer purchasing decisions and demand for apparel
Authors: Fadiga Mohamadou L. , Misra Sukant K. , Ramirez Octavio A.
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this is study is to identify sources of demand growth for apparel in the US based on consumer demographic profiles, regions, and product characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

A two‐step procedure was utilized to model, estimate, and analyze purchasing decision and consumer demand for nine apparel products (male shirts, shorts, jeans and slacks and female slacks, skirts, shorts, dresses and jeans). This study is based on a survey conducted by the American shoppers' panel, which collects consumption data of various garments, socioeconomic profiles, and product characteristics.

Findings

The results indicate that purchase decisions are determined by garments' own prices, age, female employment, gender, regions, and the presence of children. The study also shows evidence that the effect of product‐specific pricing strategies would be limited to the targeted products and the origin of the product has minimal effect on consumer expenditures on apparel.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few that have used disaggregated apparel products and detailed demographic factors, thus has clear marketing implications and can be useful to the apparel industry.
Age, gender and national factors in fashion consumption
Authors: Rocha Maria Alice V. , Hammond Lynne , Hawkins David
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The research aimed to reveal real behavioural preferences in fashion and clothing consumption, and analyses the similarities and differences between British, Brazilian and Chinese consumers. This approach was selected to consider the distinctions between a mature market, and emerging western and eastern markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The investigation was based around a research methodology using quantitative analysis with appropriate statistical techniques on three random surveys of consumers from the southeast of England (N=265), the northeast of Brazil (N=310) and mainland China (N=226) older than 15 years.

Findings

A new conceptual framework is proposed – the physical, identity and lifestyle (PIL) model, providing a tool for effective and more focused decision‐making techniques for developing better fashion products. British, Brazilian and Chinese consumers have different requirements for fashion and clothing products based upon age and gender. The evidence suggests that the fashion industry needs to be more aware of consumer indicators when targeting mature consumers.

Research limitations/implications

The research was based on samples and not the entire population of target consumers, providing limitations. As an inferential statistical method was chosen, the results were susceptible to inaccuracy.

Originality/value

The survey came from three different continents, thereby providing rich perspectives into global consumption. Companies who own domestic market share and want to enter new global markets could use this data to improve their product design development decisions.
Exploring adolescent girls' identification of beauty types through consumer collages
Authors: Martin Mary C. , Okleshen Peters Cara
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The objective of this study is to explore adolescent girls' knowledge about the types of beauty valued in contemporary American popular and commercial culture.

Design/methodology/approach

Eighty girls ranging from seven to thirteen years old participated in a card sorting and collage construction exercise using 47 advertisements that featured models.

Findings

Differences were found among girls according to age. Preferred beauty types were more complex with age. Furthermore, older girls made more product and brand associations.

Research limitations/implications

The findings indicate that the beauty match‐up hypothesis holds among young girls.

Practical implications

Advertisers may be overlooking the audience of young women by neglecting to use models who represent their desired type(s) of beauty. They may even be alienating young girls by using anti‐ideals such as nudity and sexiness. Furthermore, advertisers must use models who convey the appropriate personality traits to create persuasive ads.

Originality/value

This study is important because it expands upon previous work that has assessed how and why young girls are affected by highly attractive models in ads. However, instead of conceptualizing physical attractiveness as a simple bipolar continuum from “attractive or pretty” to “unattractive or ugly”, this work considers the complex, multidimensional properties of beauty.
Generation X, Baby Boomers, and Swing: marketing fair trade apparel
Authors: Littrell Mary A. , Jin Ma Yoon , Halepete Jaya
Published: January 2007

Purpose

This study focused on two research questions: How do generational cohorts of fair trade consumers differ in their product attitudes and behaviors, retail preferences, shopping orientations, and socio‐political attitudes? How do factors influencing purchase intentions for fair trade apparel differ among generational cohorts?

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 1,055 current customers of four North American fair trade businesses were collected via mail survey and store‐intercept. Respondents included generation X (ages 29‐40,n=200), baby boomer (ages 41‐59,n=589), and swing (ages 60‐75,n=266) generations.

Findings

Results revealed that baby boomers and swing respondents differed from Generation X participants in their greater focus on qualities of apparel comfort, value, and quality; preference for authentic products and ethnic attire; and local activism behavior. In contrast, they exhibited more limited interest in wearing fashionable attire. All respondents placed high importance on fair trade philosophy centered on wages, workplace, and the environment. For all generational cohorts, their propensity toward wearing ethnic attire was the strongest influence on future intentions to purchase fair trade clothing.

Research limitations/implications

For fair trade researchers, taking generational cohorts into consideration is recommended for assisting fair trade business persons in reaching their goal of market expansion to younger consumers.

Practical limitations/implications

Coupling significantly expanded information on ethnicity of designs, colors, production methods, or garments styles, along with current promotion of fair trade practices, was suggested for expanding purchases among consumers in both the generation X and swing cohorts. Baby boomer participants also valued pragmatic clothing details related to comfort, value, and quality.

Originality/value

This research provided support for use of generational cohorts in understanding consumer behavior. Regression analysis across the total sample led to different results as compared to when each generational cohort was examined individually.
Grey consumers are all the same, they even dress the same – myth or reality?
Authors: Mumel Damijan , Prodnik Jadranka
Published: January 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to test the statement. “All older people are the same” and answer the question if professional and social activity play an important role in dividing the respondents into different segments in the field of apparel shopping. We examined seven aspects of apparel consumer behaviour: where do our respondents buy apparel and how often in each retail place, do they like shopping, how often they buy apparel, how much they spend, who/what influence them to buy, who/how influence on their clothing style and other statements about consumer behaviour related with apparel.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the results of 271 older consumers of apparel through multiplicity sample were collected. Then an a priori segmentation based on social and professional activity was conducted.

Findings

Based on the survey, it can be concluded that it is not true that “all older people are the same”, as far, as the apparel business is concerned. The population observed is not homogeneous, although the differences are not so obvious and numerous as one could expect.

Research limitations/implications

This paper demonstrates a simple a priori segmentation based on professional and social activities of respondents. In further research it is inevitably to compare results with a posteriori segmentation based on cluster analysis or discriminant analysis.

Practical implications

The results are useful for product, place, price, and promotion management and through this for planning differential marketing mixes for separate older consumer segments.

Originality/value

The value of this article is to extend our knowledge in the field of apparel behaviour of older consumers, and to demonstrate how useful could be just two simple questions (about professional and social activities) in differentiating older consumers regarding apparel behaviour.
“There's magic in the web”: e‐mentoring for women's career development
Authors: Headlam‐Wells Jenny , Gosland Julian , Craig Jane
Published: January 2007

Purpose– This paper aims to advance the argument for the transformative potential of e‐mentoring for professional women.Design/methodology/approach– Existing mentoring and e‐mentoring models are evaluated as the context for the development of an innovative e‐mentoring programme for professional women in the UK (Empathy‐Edge). The European Union‐funded programme consisted of 122 participants who were matched by a combination of psychological profiling and analytical processing of these data to produce optimal matches. The e‐mentoring system employed a comprehensive range of resources and communication media which are often not included in similar systems.Findings– Initial evaluation data are presented. The benefits and challenges of e‐mentoring are analysed, together with initial recommendations for implementing effective schemes.Practical implications– The paper argues that e‐mentoring is a valuable tool for the career and management development of both returners and employed women who wish to break through the “glass ceiling”. It also indirectly improves their information and communications technologies (ICT) skills. Additionally, the paper demonstrates the strategic importance of psychological profiling for matching mentoring participants.Originality/value– The field of e‐mentoring is relatively new and is under‐researched, particularly from a European perspective. Combining insights from the fields of mentoring, gender in management, and computer‐mediated communication, Empathy‐Edge offers a new approach to career development for professional women.