bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Review study of developing an integrated TQM with LM framework model in Malaysian automotive industry
Authors: Azlina Mohd. Salleh Noor , Kasolang Salmiah , Ahmed Jaafar Hj 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the origin and evolution of total quality management (TQM) and lean manufacturing (LM) in the automotive industry globally and specifically in Malaysia; and selective studies on effective performance measurement for future integration of TQM and LM. The paper examines critical success and failure factors of the implementation stage based on established quality criteria, such as in the Deming Prize Award, Malaysian Prime Minister Award, ISO/TS16949, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, SAEJ4001 and Toyota Production System.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the form of a review of the literature on TQM and LM, utilizing journal articles, reports, books and theses.FindingsBased on reviewed papers, it was noted that TQM and LM originate from Japan. TQM started from a Company Wide Quality Control Program initiated by Deming, while LM originated from the Toyota Production System. Both terms were coined by the west for global acceptance in 1985. It was also gathered that the evolution of LM started much earlier than that of TQM. Since then, voluminous studies have been conducted on TQM and LM but mostly independently. It was found that an integrated approach combining both TQM and LM has not been fully explored. This is especially evident in the context of the automotive industry in Malaysia. It is then believed that the need to examine this integrated initiative in the Malaysian scenario is imminent. This review paper is a preliminary work for future study to establish the standing of the automotive industry in Malaysia with respect to implementing integrated TQM and LM practices.Practical implicationsSuitable for implementation by practitioners, especially in the Malaysian or Asian automotive industry.Originality/valueThe paper is the first to study the Malaysian automotive industry, which integrates ISO/TS16949 with four TQM awards and two LM systems.
Karma orientation in boundary spanning sales employees
Authors: Singh Ramendra , Singh Rakesh 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this article, based on the Indian philosophy of Karma that all individual actions have the power to bring joy or sorrow based on the nature of action, is to propose a new construct, salesperson's Karma Orientation, and discuss its antecedents and outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews literature on oriental philosophy of Karma yoga, and on self‐leadership, and self‐control to propose the new construct, its antecedents, and consequences in a sales context.FindingsThe paper puts forward four dimensions of Karma orientation of salespersons: work as selfless action, work as duty towards others, detachment from work‐related rewards, and equanimity under environmental influences. Salesperson's Karma orientation is useful for developing relationship with customers, enhances selling effectiveness, ethical behaviors, and spiritual well‐being, by providing the salespersons with a sense of duty, and ownership towards their work.Practical implicationsThe concept of Karma orientation would be useful for stressful jobs such as sales, and managers would find it useful as a coping strategy, as well as for improving performance of employees.Originality/valueThe paper proposes a new construct of Karma orientation at an individual boundary spanning sales employee's level. The paper also propose its important antecedents and outcomes.
Investor sentiment, risk factors and stock return: evidence from Indian non‐financial companies
Authors: Ranjan Dash Saumya , Mahakud Jitendra 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the pricing implication of aggregate market wide investor sentiment risk for cross sectional return variation in the presence of other market wide risk factors.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs the Fama and French time series regression approach to examine the impact of market risk premium, size, book‐to‐market equity, momentum and liquidity as risk factors on stock return. Given the importance of inherent imperfect rationality or sentiment risk, the paper further investigates the impact of investor sentiment on the cross section of stock return.FindingsThe choice of a five factor model is apparently persuasive for consideration in investment decisions. Stocks are hard to value and difficult to arbitrage with characteristics which are significantly influenced with the sentiment risk. It is naïve to argue for the universal pricing implication of sentiment risk in a multifactor model framework.Research limitations/implicationsThe test assets portfolios are not segregated as per any industry criteria.Practical implicationsInvestment managers can use a contrarian investment strategy, for the stocks that are hard to value and riskier to arbitrage to gain excess return when the market follows a downward trend.Originality/valueThis makes the first attempt towards the investigation of the impact of the sentiment risk on cross sectional return variation from an emerging market perspective on such a diversified and large test asset portfolios. The paper has extended the available literature by investigating the impact of sentiment risk after controlling the liquidity risk factor in a multifactor specification. This measure of market wide irrational sentiment index is more comprehensive.
Terrain based co‐operative UAV mapping of complex obstacles using 2‐D splinegon
Authors: Lazarus Samuel B. , Tsourdos Antonios , White Brian A. , Silson Peter , Savvaris Al , Rabbath Camille‐Alain , Lèchevin Nicolas 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to describe a recently proposed algorithm in terrain‐based cooperative UAV mapping of the unknown complex obstacle in a stationary environment where the complex obstacles are represented as curved in nature. It also aims to use an extended Kalman filter (EKF) to estimate the fused position of the UAVs and to apply the 2‐D splinegon technique to build the map of the complex shaped obstacles. The path of the UAVs are dictated by the Dubins path planning algorithm. The focus is to achieve a guaranteed performance of sensor based mapping of the uncertain environments using multiple UAVs.Design/methodology/approachAn extended Kalman filter is used to estimate the position of the UAVs, and the 2‐D splinegon technique is used to build the map of the complex obstacle where the path of the UAVs are dictated by the Dubins path planning algorithm.FindingsThe guaranteed performance is quantified by explicit bounds of the position estimate of the multiple UAVs for mapping of the complex obstacles using 2‐D splinegon technique. This is a newly proposed algorithm, the most efficient and a robust way in terrain based mapping of the complex obstacles. The proposed method can provide mathematically provable and performance guarantees that are achievable in practice.Originality/valueThe paper describes the main contribution in mapping the complex shaped curvilinear objects using the 2‐D splinegon technique. This is a new approach where the fused EKF estimated positions are used with the limited number of sensors' measurements in building the map of the complex obstacles.
Emerging robot swarm traffic
Authors: Penders Jacques , Alboul Lyuba 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to discuss traffic patterns generated by swarms of robots while commuting to and from a base station.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopts a mathematical evaluation and robot swarm simulation. The swarm approach is bottom‐up: designing individual agents the authors are looking for emerging group behaviour patterns. Examples of group behaviour patterns are human‐driven motorized traffic which is rigidly structured in two lanes, while army ants develop a three‐lane pattern in their traffic. The authors copy army ant characteristics onto their robots and investigate whether the three lane traffic pattern may emerge. They follow a three‐step approach. The authors first investigate the mathematics and geometry of cases occurring when applying the artificial potential field method to three “perfect” robots. Any traffic pattern (two, three or more lanes) appears to be possible. Next, they use the mathematical cases to study the impact of limited visibility by defining models of sensor designs. In the final step the authors implement ant inspired sensor models and a trail following mechanism on the robots in the swarm and explore which traffic patterns do emerge in open space as well as in bounded roads.FindingsThe study finds that traffic lanes emerge in the swarm traffic; however the number of lanes is dependent on the initial situation and environmental conditions. Intrinsically the applied robot models do not determine a specific number of traffic lanes.Originality/valueThe paper presents a method for studying and simulating robot swarms.
Discrete‐time based sliding‐mode control of robot manipulators
Authors: Shoja Majidabad Sajjad , Toosian Shandiz Heydar 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop sliding mode control with linear and nonlinear manifolds in discrete‐time domain for robot manipulators.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a discrete linear sliding mode controller is designed to an n‐link robot based on Gao's reaching law. In the second step, a discrete terminal sliding mode controller is developed to design a finite time and high precision controller. The stability analysis of both controllers is presented in the presence of model uncertainties and external disturbances. Finally, sampling time effects on the continuous‐time system outputs and sliding surfaces are discussed.FindingsComputer simulations on a three‐link SCARA robot show that the proposed controllers are robust against model uncertainties and external disturbance. It was also shown that the sampling time has important effects on the closed loop system stability and convergence.Practical implicationsThe proposed controllers are low cost and easily implemented in practice in comparison with continuous‐time ones.Originality/valueThe novelty associated with this paper is the development of an approach to finite time and robust control of n‐link robot manipulators in discrete‐time domain. Also, obtaining an upper bound for the sampling time is another contribution of this work.
Real‐time, decentralized and bio‐inspired topology control for holonomic autonomous vehicles
Authors: Şafak Şahin Cem , Ümit Uyar M. 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to present an approach for a bio‐inspired decentralization topology control mechanism, called force‐based genetic algorithm (FGA), where a genetic algorithm (GA) is run by each holonomic autonomous vehicle (HAV) in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) as software agent to achieve a uniform spread of HAVs and to provide a fully connected network over an unknown geographical terrain. An HAV runs its own FGA to decide its next movement direction and speed based on local neighborhood information, such as obstacles and the number of neighbors, without a centralized control unit or global knowledge.Design/methodology/approachThe objective function used in FGA is inspired by the equilibrium of the molecules in physics where each molecule tries to be in the balanced position to spend minimum energy to maintain its position. In this approach, a virtual force is assumed to be applied by the neighboring HAVs to a given HAV. At equilibrium, the aggregate virtual force applied to an HAV by its neighbors should sum up to zero. If the aggregate virtual force is not zero, it is used as a fitness value for the HAV. The value of this virtual force depends on the number of neighbors within the communication range of Rcom and the distance among them. Each chromosome in our GA‐based framework is composed of speed and movement direction. The FGA is independently run by each HAV as a topology control mechanism and only utilizes information from neighbors and local terrain to make movement and speed decisions to converge towards a uniform distribution of HAVs. The authors developed an analytical model, simulation software and several testbeds to study the convergence properties of the FGA.FindingsThe paper finds that coverage‐centric, bio‐inspired, mobile node deployment algorithm ensures effective sensing coverage for each mobile node after initial deployment. The FGA is also an energy‐aware self‐organization framework since it reduces energy consumption by eliminating unnecessary excessive movements. Fault‐tolerance is another important feature of the GA‐based approach since the FGA is resilient to losses and malfunctions of HAVs. Furthermore, the analytical results show that the authors' bio‐inspired approach is effective in terms of convergence speed and area coverage uniformity. As seen from the experimental results, the FGA delivers promising results for uniform autonomous mobile node distribution over an unknown geographical terrain.Originality/valueThe proposed decentralized and bio‐inspired approach for autonomous mobile nodes can be used as a real‐time topology control mechanism for commercial and military applications since it adapts to local environment rapidly but does not require global network knowledge.
Chinese firms entering Europe
Authors: Zhang Ying , Duysters Geert , Filippov Sergey 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine specific use of strategic alliances and acquisitions for Chinese firms to catch‐up technologically and to enhance their internationalization competence.Design/methodology/approachThe paper offers a conceptual analysis of internationalization through either FDI or strategic alliances. This is a novel approach, as most of the extant literature tends to view internationalization solely through the prism of FDI. The empirical evidence presented in the paper is twofold. First, it analyses empirical data on strategic alliances and acquisitions retrieved from Thomson SDC database, a premium business directory. Second, it also approaches the topic qualitatively, by offering a case study of Chery Automobile Co. Ltd, a Chinese company that has relied heavily on strategic alliances in its internationalization strategy.FindingsFirst, the study finds statistical evidence of a rising trend of formation of outward strategic alliances by Chinese firms. Second, the authors demonstrate the specific benefit of strategic alliances for Chinese firms to technically catch up and enhance internationalization competence. It is found that strategic alliances give Chinese firms opportunities to learn from front‐runners in terms of gaining technological capabilities, and there are advantages in tagging developing and advanced markets. The main findings suggest that the internationalization of Chinese firms is in a process in which they gradually integrate technology and marketing/logistics alliances. This approach allows for sufficient time to learn and absorb new skills and technology. Moreover, Chery's case indicates that a series of successful international strategic alliances could also generate tremendous bargaining power for Chinese firms when undertaking subsequent international activities.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the small but growing body of literature on the internationalization of Chinese companies, their technological catching‐up activities. Unlike previous studies that mainly focus on state‐owned Chinese firms' internationalisation through outward FDI (such as M&A), the paper particularly contributes to the exploration of strategic alliances' effectiveness for private and latecomer firms' internationalization. Empirically, the data analysis and case study reflects the benefits for Chinese firms to enter into strategic alliances with European firms in order to enter into European market and to acquire technological capabilities.
Anatomy of cluster development in China: the case of Health Biotech Clusters
Authors: Conlé Marcus , Taube Markus 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of China's health biotech clusters from an interregional perspective. By treating clustering as the result of firms' localization choices, the paper examines whether and why different types of firms agglomerate in the various locations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs a demographic approach that is inspired by the 2006 work of Romanelli and Feldman on cluster development in the USA. It categorizes China's clusters based on differences in the degree of policy support and the nature of the science base. Then, it draws a sample of 75 of China's most visible firms and analyses them in terms of entrepreneurial origin, their location and, if applicable, the location of their subsidiaries. By matching types of firms with types of clusters, the paper highlights some characteristics of China's regional development.FindingsStudies on China's high‐tech agglomerations unanimously complain about a lack of “creative buzz” compared to the vibrant clusters of for example, the Bay Area in the USA. The analysis indicates that the lack of a creative culture is associated with the anatomy of cluster development. China's clusters grow to a significant extent by attracting enterprise subsidiaries to their sites. The authors argue that these particular cluster anatomies are founded on China's capital market. As the capital market is not prepared to provide pre‐revenue firms with sufficient funds, firms have to earn revenue quickly in order to ensure their viability. Therefore, they concentrate on building up manufacturing capacity and exploiting given technologies. The main point is that local governments as major providers of financial support are instrumental in this process. The establishment of manufacturing subsidiaries in various locations rests on the rationale of collecting funds. This leads to the conclusion that national capital markets either reinforce or inhibit clustering depending on how much it allows the mobility of financial capital. Local government funds do not travel far. This has an impact on the firms' localization decisions and their business strategies, which, in turn, affects the “culture” inside the clusters.Research limitations/implicationsThis argument is based on a limited number of interviews conducted by the authors or other researchers. In order to corroborate the link between the capital market and local development trajectories, more evidence needs to be collected via interview surveys and other means to extract financial information.Originality/valueUnlike other research on Chinese clusters, this paper offers an interregional perspective based on a demographic approach. The argument is original in linking regional cluster dynamics with the national institutional set‐up.
Research watch: the power of genetic and biological explanations to reduce social inclusion
Authors: Holttum Sue 
Published: August 2012

PurposeThis research watch aims to summarise two recent research papers relating to the use of biological explanations: the first paper highlights how unhelpful it can be to over‐use genetic explanations for various human experiences, and the second paper discusses the unhelpfulness of exclusively biological explanations for mental health conditions.Design/methodology/approachA search was carried out for research papers with a mental health and social inclusion focus published within the past 12 months.FindingsThe first paper explores the many ways in which genetic explanations are over‐used to understand race, ethnicity, the sexes, sexual orientation, crime, mental health and obesity. This over‐use of genetic explanations leads to various negative consequences, among them social exclusion, but may be counteracted by better explanations of both the relatively weak nature of genetic influences and how people's genes and environment interact. The second paper examines evidence about whether it is really helpful to think of mental health conditions as illnesses “like any other”. It seems that it is not.Originality/valueBoth of these papers point to the need for promoting a more holistic understanding of human experience, and against focusing too narrowly on only one kind of cause, namely biological, and mostly on one aspect of biology, namely genes.
How does financial system efficiency affect the growth impact of FDI in China?
Authors: Xu Ying 
Published: August 2012

PurposeIn spite of being the second largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world, China shows limited evidence of considerable FDI benefits on growth (Fan and Hu; Luo; Ran et al.). Motivated by Alfaro et al.'s model, the purpose of this study is to test whether poor financial market development might be responsible for the relatively low benefits of FDI on growth in China.Design/methodology/approachThe author applies Blundell‐Bond system GMM estimators to a panel of Chinese provinces.FindingsThe results indicate that poor financial intermediation does indeed limit the transmission of FDI benefits within the Chinese economy. Moreover, the study reveals preliminary evidence that banks' credits to unproductive state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) constitute poor financial intermediation with negative growth implications. In contrast, credits to small private enterprises are associated with a positive impact of FDI on growth.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is constrained by data availability especially for private credit data across provinces.Practical implicationsTwo policy implications can be drawn from the empirical findings. First, the direct policy implication is that to ensure positive benefits from FDI in China, domestic financial reforms are crucial. This is an important perspective for making FDI policies. The results also reveal some key priorities of financial reforms. More credits to small private enterprises are an indication of good financial intermediation, while more loans extended to unproductive SOEs signal poor financial intermediation. The priority of reform comes down to tackling the difficult problem of credit misallocation.Originality/valueThis paper provides an alternative perspective to address the weak FDI‐growth relationship found in China. Inspired by Alfaro et al.'s model and the understanding of the problem of Chinese financial markets, the study examines the role of the financial system in the FDI‐growth linkage and reveals how financial market conditions could influence FDI benefits in China.