bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigating relationships among quality dimensions in higher education
Authors: Ardi Romadhani , Hidayatno Akhmad , Yuri M. Zagloel Teuku 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis study aims to assess the relationships among quality dimensions in higher education (HE) and to determine the effect of each quality dimension on students' satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was developed and distributed to 270 final year students of an engineering faculty in an Indonesian state university. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the validity of the conceptual model and structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to measure the relationships that lie within the model.FindingsThe study reveals the relationships among quality dimensions in HE in the engineering faculty of this Indonesian state university. The results show that students' satisfaction was positively influenced by commitment of faculty management, the quality of course delivery, and the ease of giving feedback for quality improvement.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has limited scope because it was only conducted based on students' perceptions of an engineering faculty in one institution in Indonesia. However, the methods, models and instruments applied could serve as a basis for developing a measurement for evaluating quality in higher education more generally.Practical implicationsThe instrument in this study will be useful to help policy makers in engineering HE institutions to assess the level of quality dimensions in their institution and the effectiveness of their quality program based on students' satisfaction. Furthermore, the conceptual relationships model can give deeper understanding of the quality dimensions that should be prioritized by top management. Lastly, top management should pay attention to their commitment to quality, course activities, and customer feedback and improvement.Originality/valueThis research promotes a methodology using SEM to assess relationships among quality dimensions in HE that can be helpful for top management when making decisions. The conceptual relationships model can also be easily reproduced to assess other engineering institutions' characteristics.
Dimensions of sustainable value chains: implications for value chain analysis
Authors: Fearne Andrew , Garcia Martinez Marian , Dent Benjamin 
Published: September 2012

PurposeValue chain analysis (VCA) can expose strategic and operational misalignments within chains, and the consequential misallocation of resources, and hence opportunities for improvements which create value and economic sustainability. This paper's purpose is to argue why and how VCA needs to integrate the social and environmental aspects of sustainability in pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachBased on a review of existing methods and case studies, the paper proposes three dimensions of VCA, which illustrate the flaws in narrow tools, and the need to broaden the boundaries of VCA, the interpretation of “value” and relationships along the chain in order to highlight opportunities for creating sustainable value chains.FindingsTo date VCA has largely focused on economic sustainability and paid inadequate attention to social and environment consequences of firm behaviour and the (re) allocation of resources within and between firms in the chain. This risks producing recommendations which either ignore the competitive advantage offered from improving environmental management and social welfare, or have such detrimental external consequences as to render any proposals unsustainable when exposed to government or broader (public) scrutiny.Research limitations/implicationsVCA variants need to be developed which incorporate all three pillars of sustainability. Some initial experiences are presented and ideas for future research and applications proposed.Practical implicationsThe development of sustainable VCA tools should identify business opportunities consistent with Porter and Kramer's imperative for value chains to create shared value between business and society.Originality/valueAdopting the broader dimensions identified will allow VCA to become more widely applicable, and more relevant in business scenarios where there is a growing imperative to include social and environmental impacts into “mainstream” business strategies.
The impact of supply chain integration on company performance: an organizational capability perspective
Authors: Huo Baofeng 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to simultaneously examine the impact of three types of supply chain integration (SCI) on three types of company performance from the perspective of organizational capability.Design/methodology/approachUsing data collected from 617 companies in China and the structural equation modelling method, the research investigates the relationships among internal integration, customer integration, supplier integration, supplier‐oriented performance, customer‐oriented performance, and financial performance from the perspective of organizational capability.FindingsThe results show that internal integration improves external integration and that internal and external integration directly and indirectly enhance company performance. In addition, full or partial mediating effects among SCI and company performance are identified, and therefore explain the inconsistent findings in previous studies regarding the impacts of SCI on performance.Originality/valueThis study contributes to SCI, organizational capability theory literature, and SCI practices.
Effects of geographic dispersion on intra‐firm supply chain performance
Authors: Lorentz Harri , Töyli Juuso , Solakivi Tomi , Hälinen Hanne‐Mari , Ojala Lauri 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis article aims to quantify and analyse empirically how the geographic dispersion of a firm's supply chain impacts on intra‐firm supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approachGeneralised linear modelling is utilised to analyse a sample of 95 large manufacturing companies operating in Finland.FindingsResults indicate that the increased geographic dispersion of the upstream supply chain results in higher costs of warehousing and logistics administration. On the downstream side, inventory costs, inventory days of supply, and cash‐to‐cash cycle time tend to increase due to geographically dispersed sales network. Increased geographic dispersion in the upstream and downstream supply chain results in the decline of perfect orders, and increases order fulfilment cycle time. However, the increased dispersion of the production network reduces order fulfilment cycle time. The results also indicate that the larger the firm, the better it can alleviate the negative implications of dispersion on perfect order fulfilment. Make‐to‐stock companies suffer less from the supply chain dispersion related delays in comparison to companies that utilise more pull‐type production and inventory strategies.Research limitations/implicationsResearch limitations include the cross‐sectional nature of the data, the concentrated geographic origin of the respondents, and the small sample size.Originality/valueBuilding on the multidisciplinary body of prior literature on geographic dispersion, the research provides quantified insights into the general principles of international supply chain design in the presence of a performance related trade‐off between the dispersion and centralisation of operations across the tiers of the supply chain. Contributions are made to the discussions on supply chain complexity, international sales portfolio diversification and international purchasing.
Motivations towards environmental innovation
Authors: Yarahmadi Mohammad , Higgins Peter G. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the green innovation literature using a conceptual framework developed to explain the driving forces behind environmental cooperative activities of firms. The framework links motivations to the different type of partners in the context of environmental innovations.Design/methodology/approachLiterature on innovation, environmental innovation, sustainable development and strategic management is examined in order to build the conceptual framework.FindingsThis paper suggests that firms cooperate with governmental agencies, NGOs, suppliers, customers and industry associations to comply with environmental laws and regulation, obtain legitimacy as well as acquire competency (i.e. access to resources such as funds, knowledge and skills). However, only competency‐oriented motivation stimulates organisations to cooperate with competitors and knowledge leaders.Research limitations/implicationsThe model developed is conceptual and qualitative in nature. More research that is empirical needs to be conducted to test for the validity of the six formulated propositions.Originality/valueThe significance of this paper is twofold. First, it integrates two different strategic management theories: resource‐based and institutional theories in explaining cooperative environmental motivations. Second, it develops a framework that provides a basis for more theoretical and empirical studies.
Impact of regulatory asymmetries in internet value chain
Authors: Soria Bruno , de la Cruz Inmaculada , Campos Isabel 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe main objective of this paper is to assess how the degree of regulation that a company has to comply with affects its profitability. There is great variation within the internet value chain in the profitability of different players. The paper aims to analyse a large sample of companies that are leaders in different internet‐based businesses (network operators, search engines and other ASP, software, electronic retailing, content delivery networks, device manufacturers …). The paper's hypothesis is that regulation plays an important role in the profitability of a company and therefore also in how the market values them.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology used to check the authors' hypothesis includes the following steps: identify leaders in the internet space; identify their core asset and group them according to it; calculate their profitability across a series of dimensions, with focus on return on fixed assets (ROFA); assess the degree of regulation of each group; and assess the statistical relationship between regulation and profitability and look for significant results.FindingsThe paper analyses the degree of regulation of the core asset of these companies and finds that is statistically related to their profitability. Companies with core assets free from regulation yield much higher profits on their investments than those with core assets curtailed by regulation.Originality/valueThis finding can cast light on some policy proposals under debate (net neutrality, access regulation, privacy …), especially how they can increase or decrease the current imbalance in the relative profitability of companies and the internet balance of payments and power between the European Union and the USA.
Clash of cultures – integrating copyright and consumer law
Authors: Helberger Natali , Guibault L. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis article seeks to deal with the fundamental conceptual differences between consumer law and copyright law that render the application of consumer law to copyright‐law related conflicts difficult.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a normative approach to copyright and consumer law based on an analysis of the relevant literature and case law, the article examines in which situations consumers encounter obstacles when trying to rely on consumer law to invoke “privileges” granted to them under copyright law, such as the private copying exception.FindingsResearch shows that most difficulties lie in the fundamental conceptual differences between consumer law and copyright law regarding the objectives and beneficiaries of each regime, as well as diverging conceptions of “property”, “user rights” and “internal market”. Such discrepancies undeniably follow from the fact that each regime traditionally never had to deal with each other's concerns: consumers never played a role in copyright law, whereas copyright protected works were not seen as consumer goods.Originality/valueBy identifying the main conceptual differences between the two legal regimes, the article contributes in an inter‐disciplinary manner to the discussion on the place of the digital consumer under European law.
Prioritizing sustainability strategies for global extractive sector firms
Authors: Walsh Philip R. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper seeks to examine the importance of corporate social and environmental initiatives to extractive sector firms and by measuring the level of social, environmental and economic sustainability in 128 countries around the world and applying these measures to a framework comprised of a sustainability indices matrix, and identifying certain strategic approaches to social and environmental practices.Design/methodology/approachThe matrix contains eight categories of sustainability attainment and a k‐means cluster analysis is employed to identify what countries belong to each of these categories and to what extent these clusters identify countries with similar characteristics that may impact the focus of corporate social and environmental performance practices for extractive sector firms wishing to pursue projects in those countries.FindingsThe study finds that, in those jurisdictions where social and environmental sustainability is well established, extractive sector firms are required to deal with established rules and regulations that require a more reactive strategic approach. The various combinations of sustainability levels amongst the many countries around the globe require various combinations of strategies related to corporate social and environmental performance.Practical implicationsThe realization that, today, extractive sector firms who choose to ignore the need for appropriate corporate social and environmental performance are risking increased costs arising from social and environmental damage created by their projects supports the need to create pro‐active strategies for addressing social and environmental responsibility.Originality/valueThis paper's contribution is the development of a framework for measuring the component levels of sustainable development and clustering a large number of countries into specific categories with recommended approaches to social and environmental sustainability strategies.
Perspectives on corporate responsibility and sustainable development
Authors: Swanson Lee A. , Zhang David D. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to address the difficulty in describing sustainable development at an organizational level caused by the diverse meanings assigned to the term across different organization types.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based on a meta‐narrative analysis of a select set of research literature on sustainability in organizations. Using interpretive synthesis to extract the key perspectives on what sustainable development means across organization types, the resulting categories of organizational sustainability were presented in a taxonomy and represented on Swanson and Zhang's Map of Organizational Forms to help describe their characteristics.FindingsThe findings reveal that sustainable development at an organization level has different meanings for different kinds of organizations. The relative weightings afforded the individual elements of sustainability – economic, environmental, social, and cultural – differ between organization types depending on a range of factors. Four new categories of organizational sustainability are presented and described.Practical implicationsThe findings are expected to help researchers conduct further studies into organizational level sustainable development by providing them with distinct categories within which to focus their work.Originality/valueThis paper presents a taxonomy of organizational level sustainability perspectives and examines some of the factors that define the classifications. The viewpoints offered should deepen understanding as to why some organizations embrace and implement wide‐ranging and complex sustainability principles while others view sustainability in narrow terms – such as focusing almost exclusively on maintaining their own economic viability.
Corporate environmental responsibility – transitional and evolving
Authors: Sindhi Sumita , Kumar Niraj 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to put forward typology of factors for corporate environmental responsibility for easy comprehension and to propose a conceptual framework taking into account factors, barriers and benefits of corporate environmental responsibility. It also aims to suggest how corporate environmentalism is evolving in a developing country context.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper, based on review of literature and the gaps in it. An attempt has been made to incorporate various aspects of corporate environmental responsibility and study the relationship between them.Practical implicationsThe framework suggests parameters for policy makers to facilitate corporations in implementing corporate environmentalism. Managers will realize the barriers and benefits of corporate environmental responsibility and can adapt to implement environmental responsibility.Originality/valueA rational approach is applied which takes into account three basic aspects of environmental responsibility and their inter‐relationship. The paper tries to propose an answer to the ambiguity behind progress of environmental responsibility.
Sustainable SME practice
Authors: Howarth Richard , Fredericks John 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThis article aims to consider different interpretation(s) of small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME)‐environment behaviour and the potential implications for intervention and change in theory and practice.Design/methodology/approachThe article is primarily a reflection on a supply‐chain environmental management project and the specific and wider SME literature(s).FindingsThe proposal is that if/when embracing the internal SME dimension and sense‐making processes it is possible to conceive/describe a landscape of SME‐environment intervention and change. Recognition of this landscape is of use to interventionists involved with the facilitation of change(s) and may support improvements in the quality of outcome(s).Research limitations/implicationsThe implication of the work is that there is a need to more effectively and appropriately consider the internal SME dimension and sense‐making processes when investigating and describing SME‐environment behaviour and interventions based on such descriptions.Practical implicationsThe work will be of interest to interventionists, those who sponsor their work or develop policy and intervention(s) in this area.Originality/valueThis article identifies some of the impacts and implications for change that lead from the consideration of the internal SME dimension and related sense‐making processes; a dimension surfaced in the case project work but not fully engaged in that work or the SME‐environment and related literature.
Theoretical modeling of orifice compensated symmetric hole‐entry hybrid journal bearings
Authors: Garg H.C. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present theoretical investigations of the static performance characteristics of orifice compensated symmetric hole‐entry hybrid journal bearing considering the combined influence of rise in temperature and non‐Newtonian behavior of the lubricant.Design/methodology/approachThe thermohydrostatic (THS) rheological solution of a hole‐entry hybrid journal bearing system requires the simultaneous solution of Reynolds equation, energy equation and conduction equation along with appropriate boundary conditions. In the present study an iterative numerical solution scheme is used to establish pressure and temperature fields in the lubricant fluid‐film.FindingsIt is found that there is an increase in the oil requirement for a hybrid journal bearing with the specified operating and geometric parameters, when the viscosity of the lubricant decreases due to the rise in temperature and non‐Newtonian behavior of the lubricant.Originality/valueThe available literature concerning the orifice compensated symmetric hybrid/hydrodynamic journal bearings indicates that the thermal effects together with non‐Newtonian behavior of lubricant due to additives mixed in the lubricants have been ignored in the analysis so as to obviate the mathematical complexity.
Consumer adoption of online collaborative customer co‐design
Authors: Son Jihyeong , Sadachar Amrut , Manchiraju Srikant , Fiore Ann Marie , Niehm Linda S. 
Published: September 2012

Purpose“Collaborative customer co‐design websites” (CCCWs), reflect a combination of co‐design and social networking. While this technology is presently emerging, little research has explored consumer perception of the underlying benefits and impediments of CCCW features. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceived benefits and impediments offered by a CCCW and its influence on consumer acceptance of this technology.Design/methodology/approachThe Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with additional variables (perceived playfulness, perceived social risk, and mass confusion) was employed to examine the effects of CCCW features on consumers' beliefs about the CCCW and their consequent intention to use a CCCW. An online, scenario‐based survey was used to collect responses from college students (n=223). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsResults of structural model testing indicated that perceived playfulness had the largest influence on intentions to use the CCCW. Additionally, perceived social risk associated with the CCCW negatively influenced consumers' intention to use the website. Contrary to expectations, mass confusion positively influenced consumers' intentions to use the CCCW.Originality/valueSuccessful online co‐design retailers have begun to utilize social networking features for customer collaboration. Yet, there is scant research that explores the features leading to consumer acceptance of this technology during the collaborative customer co‐design process. Focusing on this problem, the present paper empirically tested perceived benefits and impediments regarding acceptance of a CCCW. The findings suggest that online retailers who adopt a CCCW as a business strategy may relay the value added benefits to consumers by: promoting how this technology relieves customers' perceived social risk; and underscoring the fun and enjoyment aspects of CCCWs to encourage website use and patronage.