bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ranking of customer requirements using the fuzzy centroid‐based method
Authors: Mehdizadeh Esmaeil 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present a fuzzy centroid‐based method to ranking customer requirements with competition consideration. The proposed method not only focuses on normal fuzzy numbers, but also considers non‐normal fuzzy numbers to capture the true customer requirements.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposes a new customer requirements ranking method using QFD that not only focuses on the voice of the customer, but also considers the competitive environment. The method uses fuzzy mathematics instead of crisp numbers; this is known as the fuzzy centroid‐based method.FindingsA numerical example demonstrates that if the fuzzy numbers are non‐normal, previous ranking methods were shown to be incorrect and to have led to some misapplications. To avoid possible further misapplications or spread in the future, the correct centroid formula used for fuzzy numbers is derived and their simplified expressions for non‐normal fuzzy numbers are given.Originality/valueVarious methods have been developed to rate and rank customer needs; however, few methods consider the competitive environment. In addition, in real applications, fuzzy mathematics are usually more appropriate than crisp models. Many previous methods are misleading and have led to some misapplications if the fuzzy numbers are non‐normal. The paper contributes to theory and practice by explaining the reasons for using the fuzzy centroid‐based method.
5S use in manufacturing plants: contextual factors and impact on operating performance
Authors: Bayo‐Moriones Alberto , Bello‐Pintado Alejandro , Merino‐Díaz de Cerio Javier 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between 5S use, contextual factors and performance. The contextual factors comprise structural features of the firm, environment, human resources and technology and quality management. The performance measures refer to improvements in productivity, quality, employee satisfaction, lead time and new product design.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was conducted in 203 Spanish manufacturing plants, with personnel interviewees. The hypotheses proposed were verified using correlation analysis and analysis of variance.FindingsThe results show the existence of a positive relationship between the use of 5S and some contextual factors such as size, the integration of the plant in a multinational group, the type of product manufactured, the technology used and the quality programmes in the plant. Moreover, 5S is positively related to some operational performance measures, especially those referring to quality and productivity.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the scarce empirical literature analysing the factors related to the use of 5S and its association with manufacturing performance.
Towards an inter‐organisational perspective for managing quality in virtual organisations
Authors: Sitek Patrick , Seifert Marcus , Thoben Klaus‐Dieter 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the limitations of existing approaches for guaranteeing the quality of a joint output in temporary enterprise networks such as virtual organisations and to identify possibilities for future research on solving this problem.Design/methodology/approachThe paper works towards the analysis of requirements for managing quality in temporary networks such as virtual organisations. Afterwards, it discusses the problem and thus the limitations of existing approaches to guarantee quality of the joint output of such networks.FindingsThe review shows that in temporary networks, individual organisations often do not have the right concepts to control inter‐organisational information exchange within the network. Nevertheless, inter‐organisational information exchange gain is important, because it influences the quality of the network's joint output. Existing approaches to define communication structures to support information exchange on the inter‐organisational level do not seem to be sufficient and represent a risk in guaranteeing the quality of a joint output.Originality/valueThis paper explores new directions in quality management from an inter‐organisational perspective in temporary enterprises networks. The findings contribute to supporting the need for the further development of existing approaches to competence management in order to address quality aspects in temporary enterprise environments. This work contributes to the theoretical demand for interlinking quality management with highly dynamic collaborative relations. This point of view goes beyond the internally focused perspective with the goal of integrating converging quality management processes with an inter‐organisational perspective.
Repetitive testing of multiple products with limited capacity
Authors: Ding Jie , Greenberg Betsy S. , Matsuo Hirofumi 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a model‐based methodology for the repetitive testing of multiple products with limited capacity, when the testing process is imperfect.Design/methodology/approachIn a repetitive testing process, items that are classified as non‐conforming may be conforming, resulting in excessive scrapping of good items. Failed items are commonly retested to reduce scrapping costs. This paper develops a stochastic optimization formulation and its solution to determine the numbers of repetitive tests for multiple products that minimize the sum of the expected scrapping costs and variable testing costs, subject to a testing equipment capacity constraint. It also develops a procedure to estimate the parameter values that are used in the optimization formulation.FindingsComputational experiments are conducted to evaluate the estimation and solution procedure and to understand the effect of testing machine capacity on the optimal total cost. These results demonstrate the viability of the proposed approach and the criticality of accurate parameter estimation.Research limitations/implicationsThis research shows the usefulness of the proposed optimization/statistical estimation approach to a real‐life complex inspection problem. However, the proposed model has to be modified when the characteristics of the testing equipment are changed.Practical implicationsThe authors capture the idiosyncrasies in semiconductor manufacturing such as the high outgoing quality level, the repetitive testing environment, the high coefficient of variation in the number of failure products, and the testing capacity constraint. Conducting extensive computational experiments, the authors demonstrate that the proposed approach is viable.Originality/valueThe paper describes a complex, real‐life inspection management situation, develops a rigorous model‐based solution approach, and carefully demonstrates its viability.
Psychological contract and its motivational and health‐enhancing properties
Authors: Parzefall Marjo‐Riitta , Hakanen Jari 
Published: January 2010

PurposeIt has been hypothesized that perceived contract fulfilment is positively associated with affective commitment, leading also to reduced turnover intentions, and with mental health, and that these relationships are fully mediated by work engagement. Employing the job demands resources (JDR) model, the purpose of this study is to examine the motivational and health‐enhancing properties driven by perceived employer psychological contact fulfilment.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were tested in a sample of 178 Finnish employees using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe hypotheses were supported. Perceived psychological contract fulfilment had both motivational (psychological contract → work engagement → affective commitment → reduced turnover intentions) and health‐enhancing (psychological contract → work engagement → mental health) effects.Originality/valueThe findings highlight the centrality of perceived psychological contract fulfilment to employees, and the importance of work engagement as a positive affective‐cognitive state at work.
Perceived acceptance and work standards as predictors of work attitudes and behavior and employee psychological distress following an internal business merger
Authors: Joslin Felicity , Waters Lea , Dudgeon Paul 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThis study aims to test the relationship between two measures of sociocultural adjustment (perceived acceptance and work standard) with work attitudes and behavior and with psychological distress following an internal merger of two previously distinct working groups within the one business.Design/methodology/approachA field study, using a cross‐sectional design, was used to assess the reactions of 250 employees (host employees=170; relocated employees=80) who had undergone an internal merger within a communications company.FindingsPerceived acceptance and work standards following the merger were significantly related to work attitudes and behavior for both the host and the relocated employees. There was no direct relationship between perceived acceptance and work standards with psychological distress. However, work attitudes and behavior were found to mediate the indirect effect of perceived acceptance and work standards on psychological distress.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings must be considered within the limitations of the study which include the use of a cross‐sectional design and testing within one business setting.Practical implicationsThe research suggests that ensuring that employees from both pre‐merger groups are assisted in feeling accepted in the new culture and that both groups are giving support and resources to maintain work standards are important factors in managing post‐merger integration.Originality/valueThe study is the first to empirically test Berry's concepts of sociocultural adjustment, neutrality and asymmetry within an internal business merger.
Improving individual learning for trainees with low conscientiousness
Authors: Cheramie Robin A. , Simmering Marcia J. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of situational factors in improving learning for trainees with low conscientiousness.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 117 employees completed a survey questionnaire in the context of a training intervention. Perceptions of conscientiousness, legitimacy, and accountability were used to predict employee learning in a training context. Moderated multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsResults support interactions of conscientiousness and perceived accountability to predict learning such that learners who are low in conscientiousness showed higher levels of learning when perceived accountability was considered strong than when perceived accountability was considered weak. There was no support for the proposed interaction of conscientiousness and perceived legitimacy to predict learning.Practical implicationsResults support the view that organizations should implement formal controls to increase perceived accountability and improve learning. Trainees with low conscientiousness had higher levels of learning in situations with strong accountability perceptions.Originality/valueThe study is one of the few to evaluate perceived accountability in a field study, whereas most previous research has evaluated this concept in lab experiments. Therefore, the findings support the wide range of perceived accountability that exists in most organizations. The results imply the need for more accountability controls within an organization to increase learning in a training context.
Relationship between work‐family conflict and quality of life
Authors: Md‐Sidin Samsinar , Sambasivan Murali , Ismail Izhairi 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe main purpose of this study is to link work‐family conflict, quality of work and non‐work lives, quality of life and social support (supervisor and spouse supports). Specifically, it seeks to address three different roles of social support that have theoretical and empirical support and the mediating roles of quality of work life and quality of non‐work life.Design/methodology/approachThe SEM‐based approach has been used to study supervisor and spouse supports as moderators between work‐family conflict and quality of life; independent variables of work‐family conflict; independent variables of quality of life. The study has been carried out in Malaysia.FindingsThe main findings are: work‐family conflict has relationship with quality of life; quality of work life and non‐work life are “partial” mediators between work‐family conflict and quality of life; and, among the various roles of social support, its role as an independent variable of quality of life gives the best results.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is based on a cross‐sectional study conducted in Malaysia and addresses only the spouse and supervisor supports as components of social support.Originality/valueThe research has developed a comprehensive model linking work‐family conflict, quality of work and non‐work lives, and quality of life and has studied the role of social support.
Understanding the integrative approach to conflict management
Authors: Rognes Jørn K. , Schei Vidar 
Published: January 2010

PurposeIntegration is an active search for information about facts and interests – motivated by a willingness to find mutually satisfactory agreements – and is usually necessary for creating high quality settlements in conflicts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the integrative approach to conflicts.Design/methodology/approachSurveys, scenario studies, and experiments were used to explore factors relating to an integrative approach. First, how integration affected various outcome qualities (Study 1 and Study 2) was examined. Then Studies 3, 4 and 5, respectively, examined how integration was influenced by demographic (gender and education), individual (achievement motivation, creativity, and cognitive style), and relational (quality of the relationship) factors.FindingsResults demonstrated that an integrative approach is beneficial for various outcome‐dimensions (quality, satisfaction, fairness, and trust). Regarding predictors of an integrative approach, being male business students are negatively related to integration, while having high achievement motivation and a good relationship are positively related.Research limitations/implicationsThe correlational design in some of the studies make conclusions about causality questionable, and future research should examine the dynamic conflict process in more detail.Practical implicationsIt is helpful to know that taking an integrative approach favours all types of outcomes in conflict management processes, and that high achievement motivation and a good relationship stimulate an integrative approach.Originality/valueThe paper shows how different variables relate to an integrative approach and offers insight to those involved in conflict management processes.
Psychological and environmental antecedents of impulse buying tendency in the multichannel shopping context
Authors: Park Jihye , Lennon Sharron J. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of psychological traits and shopping environmental factors on impulse buying tendency via television shopping programs and to reflect the inherent nature of the impulsive television shopping environment in the USA as well as the traditional retail channel.Design/methodology/approachA total of 154 questionnaires were returned from multichannel customers who purchased apparel from television shopping programs and traditional retail stores.FindingsFive causal relationships among impulse buying and interaction tendencies in both television and retail settings and TV shopping program browsing duration proposed in this study were confirmed through structural equation modeling.Research limitations/implicationsThis study adds valuable empirical findings to the literature on the distribution channel relationship by examining buying behavior of multichannel customers as well as some theoretical implications for impulse buying‐related theories.Originality/valueThis study provides insights for customer impulse buying behavior in the multiple shopping environments.
Place‐based marketing and regional branding strategy perspectives in the California wine industry
Authors: Bruwer Johan , Johnson Ray 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore different levels of place‐based marketing in the form of region of origin strategies used by wineries in their branding efforts. The overall aim is to obtain insights into wine consumer dynamics such as product involvement level, consumption frequency and differences between segments on the basis of gender and age from a regional branding perspective.Design/methodology/approachData collection took place by means of a highly‐structured online survey of wine consumers across the USA. The request to participate was directed to legal wine drinking age people of 21 years and older to 9,922 e‐mail boxes that yielded a response rate of 5.7 percent, finally resulting in 570 usable surveys.FindingsConsumers used regional branding cues, information and images in their assessment and valuation of comparative wine labels. Almost without exception, the addition of regional information on a wine label increased consumer confidence in the quality of the product.Research limitations/implicationsAny follow‐on work to the study should also include a broader sampling of consumer types throughout the USA and comparisons made with the study to assess the validity of generalising the results here.Practical implicationsRegional branding efforts should be targeted at high wine product involvement consumers rather than their low involvement counterparts, as high involvement consumers are likely to be more influenced by brand‐based cues.Originality/valueThe paper is of value to academic readers, wine industry practitioners and regional trade and tourism associations and other commercial entities that market their products with regional branding cues.
Identification, uniqueness and art consumption among bicultural consumers
Authors: Zolfagharian Mohammad Ali 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how bicultural consumers differ from monocultural consumers in terms of personality traits and identity negotiation.Design/methodology/approachThrough a multidisciplinary literature review, some anecdotally and qualitatively supported differences between biculturals and monoculturals are reviewed and formulated as hypotheses, and a survey is used to collect quantitative data from a mixed random‐purposeful sample.FindingsRelative to monoculturals, biculturals exhibit greater concern about their acceptability within pertinent reference groups and society at large; have comparable levels of need for uniqueness and art enthusiasm; and consume more artwork as a means and in the process of their routine negotiation of (ethnic) identity. Ethnicity, need for social acceptability, need for group identification, and art enthusiasm are predictors of artwork consumption. Ethnicity, in particular, is a key precursor of artwork consumption.Research limitations/implicationsAs a starting‐point for understanding the bicultural consumer, the study is subject to exploratory research limitations.Originality/valueAs partial manifestations of globalization, businesses are challenged today in several ways by the rise and proliferation of the bicultural neotribe. Businesses do not have to fall victim to these challenges; they can turn them around and strategically leverage them as marketplace opportunities. The study provides some early insights that can help businesses to leverage such opportunities.
The importance of product aspects in choice: the influence of demographic characteristics
Authors: Creusen Mariëlle E.H. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeA focus on product aspects that are most important to target consumers helps communicating product advantage to consumers, both in product design and in marketing. In previous studies, relations between the importance of functional and expressive product aspects and gender, age and social class have been indicated. However, knowledge of the relation of demographic variables to more specific product aspects is more informative for product development and marketing purposes. The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the relative importance of product aspects for different consumer groups as important information for product development and marketing. This study seeks to identify relations between gender, age, education and income, and the importance of aesthetic aspects, symbolic aspects, functionalities, ease of use and quality in buying a product.Design/methodology/approachConsumers (n=247) covering a range in age, gender, education and income, indicated the importance of several product aspects in the purchase decision for ten differentiated product categories. Next to relations between demographic variables and product aspect importances, the influence of social significance of the product category on these relations was assessed.FindingsA number of significant relations between age, gender, education and income and the importance of aesthetic and symbolic aspects, functionalities, ease of use and quality in making a purchase decision have been found.Originality/valueRelationships of several demographic variables with more specific product aspects – namely aesthetic, symbolic, functionalities, ease of use and quality – have been identified. Knowledge of these relations will help companies to better adjust their products and marketing efforts to fit consumer preferences.
Attitudes of migrants towards foreign‐made products: an exploratory study of migrants in Australia
Authors: Poon Patrick , Evangelista Felicitas , Albaum Gerald 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the attitudes of Asian and Western migrants and native‐borns in Australia toward foreign‐made products and the impact of consumer ethnocentrism on attitude formation.Design/methodology/approachThe research was designed as a personal interview survey using shopping mall intercepts. A total of 206 consumers were asked to indicate their preferences for foreign‐made versus Australian‐made products for five diverse products. Respondents also responded to a short version of the CETSCALE, a scale measuring consumer ethnocentrism. Respondents were classified as Australian‐born, Asian‐born migrants, or Western‐born migrants.FindingsConsumer ethnocentrism is negatively related to attitudes toward foreign‐made products for both overseas‐born (Asian and Western) migrants and local‐born Australians. Asian‐born migrants reported a significantly lower level of consumer ethnocentrism than both of the other respondent groups. Within the Western migrant group, males had a significantly higher level of ethnocentrism than females; there was no significant difference between genders in the other two respondent groups. For migrants, the number of years living in Australia is positively related to ethnocentrism. Age is related to ethnocentrism for all sample groups.Originality/valueThe study contributes to knowledge about ethnic marketing to migrant groups and consumer ethnocentrism, especially for Australia, in which migrants represent a large share of its population. Thus, it could very well serve as a model of “things to come” in other countries that experience large immigration inflows. This is the first study to look at ethnocentrism and attitudes toward country‐of‐origin of products of migrants and locally‐born people.