bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evolution of operations management: past, present and future
Authors: Bayraktar Erkan , Jothishankar M.C. , Tatoglu Ekrem , Wu Teresa 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to analyze the evolution of shift in the area of operations management (OM) and attempts to anticipate potential developments in the relevant areas of OM.Design/methodology/approachA hybrid approach is adopted to understand how the field of OM has evolved over time relying on the perspectives of both academics and business practitioners. This evolution of shift in the area of OM is examined based on a thorough literature review and the authors’ industrial experience.FindingsFrom the days of functional point solutions relying on concepts like reorder point to finite capacity planning, OM research at present deals with a set of important problems facing both private and public sectors at the organizational level. Most prominent of these include e‐business, supply chain management, production planning and scheduling, product development, decision support systems, information‐based strategy, systems development and implementation, risk and environmental management. OM has also embraced several organization‐wide philosophies including lean production, mass customization and agile manufacturing.Practical implicationsWith the advent of Internet and burgeoning of the new economy, this paper provides important insights regarding the evolution of OM in the past, recent developments at present and what the future holds for this field. It is envisaged that a focus on the issues central to OM will soon propel both researchers and industry practitioners beyond existing technologies and also provide the catalyst for developing new ones.Originality/valueThis paper provides useful insights to both researchers and practitioners who are interested in the field of OM.
Prediction of geometrical variations in Airbus wingbox assembly
Authors: Saadat Mozafar , Sim Roy , Najafi Farid 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to present a method for predicting dimensional variation in assembly processes of a wingbox structure concentrating on the assembly of skin panels to rib feet.Design/methodology/approachFinite element modelling and experimental tests are conducted on the rib structure based on the site measurement gathered from the Airbus assembly factory.FindingsThe results have shown that the simulated model has the capability of predicting to an acceptable degree of accuracy the overall geometrical variations of the ribs and skin panels, as well as the positional variations of each individual rib foot.Originality/valueThe authors believe that no previous research has offered a similar prediction method for large aerostructures.
The Bard and the boardroom: Shakespeare's continuing relevance for business
Authors: Simmons John 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThis paper analyses how Shakespeare's plays are relevant to modern business.Design/methodology/approachThe author uses a book called The Bard & Co: Shakespeare's Role in Modern Business for the analysis.FindingsShakespeare's language can help improve the language of business.Originality/valueShakespeare provides an opportunity to think in unexpected ways about familiar subjects.
A marketing paradox
Authors: Hill Mark E. , McGinnis John , Cromartie Jane 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain and discuss a paradoxical tension in the practice of marketing and the consequent dilemmas posed for practitioners in general and planners in particular.Design/methodology/approachA “Viewpoint” contribution, with implicit permission to “think aloud.” Informed opinion and logical argument are in this case founded on but not exclusively derived from the existing research‐based marketing literature, plus selected transfer of principles from other disciplines.FindingsThe paradox is that, by concentrating on the contribution of accepted theory and principles to practice, in fact intellectual and conceptual progress might be hindered. A way out of this dilemma is to shift the focus from marketing‐as‐content (doing) to marketing‐as‐questioning (thinking). A new working definition emphasizes the value of this focus and the benefits of equal participation in the process by both academics and practitioners.Practical implicationsA route map is offered for productive collaboration across the much‐discussed academic‐practitioner gap, which should lead to mitigation of the constraining (hindering) effect of the conventional wisdom and the way it is applied to strategy.Originality/valueThe paper presents a point of view, to stimulate lateral thinking and alternative positions. It shifts the focus from “what” to “how” and “why” and exhorts academics and practitioners to move in the same direction together.
“Everything and nothing”: habits of simulation in marketing
Authors: Brownlie Douglas 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore recent arguments about the nature of the marketing discipline, to state a point of view, and to stimulate debate.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the approach of a response to recent viewpoints, with implicit permission to think aloud.FindingsMarketing's “identity” crisis is alive, well and profitable, and has manifested itself most recently as the “critical” movement within contemporary marketing scholarship. The reasons are firmly embedded in conventionalized scholarly tradition and the silent institutions that support it, whereby marketing scholars mobilise convenient rhetorics to shift goalposts and build declarative statements that often confuse ontology with tautology.Research limitations/implicationsThe integrative work that the discipline requires will be facilitated by a clearer understanding of the evolving institutional horizon, and how it defines acceptable knowledge‐making practices.Practical implicationsAn improved understanding of the functions of institutions in defining admissible knowledge‐making practice will help reform structures by means of which academic practitioners relate to the subjects they research, puncturing over‐inflated and unhelpful debates about relevance, or theory and practice. This will benefit students, consultants, planners, strategists, and everyone in general.Originality/valueThe paper presents a glimpse of oneself, if one is a marketing academic, and how one makes marketing “marketing” in a world of increasing specialization and the canonization of minutiae.
Surf tribal behaviour: a sports marketing application
Authors: Moutinho Luiz , Dionísio Pedro , Leal Carmo 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate “tribal” consumption behaviour and its relationship to branding, in the particular context of the surfing community in Portugal.Design/methodology/approachTwo focus group meetings with “surfers” and “fans” respectively, in April 2006, were enriched by computerised projective techniques and program‐assisted design (PAD) technology, backed by high quality video prompts. Qualitative data analysis was enhanced by quantified data collected in the PAD phase. The design was expressly directed at future quantification and model building.FindingsFour research propositions, derived from an extensive literature review, were mostly confirmed: surfing does exhibit characteristics of a cult. There are three distinct types of adherent, their associative behaviour characterized by affiliation, social recognition, socialization and symbolism. Surfers and fans exhibit strong brand awareness and less strong preferences for surf‐linked brands, in different ways.Research limitations/implicationsInterpretation is limited by the scope of the study: two focus groups in one country. There is some compensation in the richness of the data.Practical implicationsMarketers involved with cult consumers and tribal brands need a body of knowledge on which to base their marketing intelligence gathering and strategic planning.Originality/valueThis paper provides exploratory research findings related to one classic example of the tribal brand‐consumption behaviour that accounts for significant consumer spending around the postmodern world.
Information overload: a cross‐national investigation of influence factors and effects
Authors: Klausegger Claudia , Sinkovics Rudolf R. , “Joy” Zou Huan 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and negative effects of the “information overload” phenomenon, exacerbated in recent years by organizational design issues and rapid advances in information and communication technology, through a multidisciplinary lens.Design/methodology/approachData from a five‐country East‐West published study of information overload in the Reuters organization are used to examine the influences on information overload and to compare the effects on respondents in each country.FindingsResults of the re‐manipulation of the survey data demonstrate significant negative relationships between information overload and the fulfilment of job responsibilities in all five countries surveyed. Information overload was perceived to be most stressful in the USA and UK.Practical implicationsMarketing managers face the dilemma of receiving too much information, but too little that is “right” for their planning responsibilities. The challenge is thus to convert “information” into “intelligence” that can effectively support strategic marketing planning. Suggestions are offered for reducing the duplication of information and adopting appropriate information‐management strategies.Originality/valueInformation overload has serious practical consequences for management and planning in marketing no less than in any other discipline. A clear and comprehensive view of the phenomenon and its effects on everyday job responsibilities is therefore useful in tackling the problem. The cross‐national analysis permits adjustments to local management style and behaviour in the major economies of the East and West.
Characteristics of early adopters in mobile communications markets
Authors: Munnukka Juha 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study consumers' adoption of mobile communications services, and to explore common denominators uniting those most likely to be early adopters; thereby, to help practitioners to predict early adoption and segment the market.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by postal questionnaire from 26 per cent of a sample of 3,000 customers of a telecommunications service provider in Finland, stratified into three sub‐samples according to type of usage. For this paper, the returns from the two sub‐samples with the highest rates of use were analysed.FindingsPrevious experience of related types of communications services significantly and positively influenced adoption of new mobile services. Certain of the respondents' demographic characteristics were also closely associated with early adoption.Research limitations/implicationsFurther studies are required before the findings can be applied beyond Scandinavia. Qualitative research could enhance understanding of the roles of personal innovativeness and income, in particular, in adoption of mobile communications services.Practical implicationsMobile communications service providers in Scandinavia now have a tested basis for identification of early adopters, segmentation of the market, and targeting of marketing campaigns.Originality/valueThe study tested theoretical constructs used widely in other fields, and identified adjustments required for transfer to the mobile communications service context.
Linking quality improvement with patient satisfaction: a study of a health service centre
Authors: Tam Jackie L.M. 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the impact of improvement in service‐delivery quality on customer satisfaction and repeat patronage, in the context of health services.Design/methodology/approachA longitudinal study of patients at a health care centre in Hong Kong assessed the effect of quality improvements made in response to the findings of its first phase, with respect to patient satisfaction and intention to revisit. Data were collected by questionnaire‐based interviews with more than 1,000 patients visiting the centre.FindingsExploratory factor analysis, varimax rotation and t‐tests show that basing a service quality improvement programme on feedback from the patient survey did improve satisfaction and intention to revisit. Conclusions include the importance of management commitment to quality for effective outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsThe results are based on the responses of clients of a single health centre, during surveys conducted outside the premises in real time, and can be generalized to other settings only with due caution.Originality/valueEmpirical evidence is provided of the positive impact of quality improvement on patient satisfaction and revisit intention in a real situation.
The influence of personal character on information communication and activity effect
Authors: Wu Shwu‐Ing 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore information‐processing in response to a specific promotional information campaign in a “social marketing” setting, and to devise a target audience segmentation strategy on the basis of the findings.Design/methodology/approachThe case examples of on‐campus cultural events and activities at three universities in Taiwan are the focus of data collected by questionnaire from 759 students in three personality‐based clusters and subjected to analysis by structural equation modelling and MANOVA.FindingsA model of the information‐processing structure exhibited a good fit to the data. There were clear differences among the clusters with respect to the individual elements of the model.Research limitations/implicationsRestriction of the sampling frame to three universities in one country, chosen specifically for similarities in their on‐campus cultural provision, limits the generalisability of the findings and conclusions to other social marketing situations.Practical implicationsPersonal characteristics were the single most important influence on students' processing of the information and participation in the events and activities. Conclusions are drawn for target audience segmentation in this specific case.Originality/valueThis study has developed an effective measurement index and structural model, which can serve as a point of reference for marketing planners in comparable situations.
A new conceptual framework for business‐consumer relationships
Authors: Vrontis Demetris , Thrassou Alkis 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the complex of factors affecting the present and future of empowered consumer behaviour that has evolved in developed countries, and to apply the outcome to the construction of a conceptual framework for the contemporary business‐consumer relationship.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on a wide literature, a large number of macro‐ and micro‐environmental elements are woven into a unique and personal view of the business‐consumer relationship in developed countries.FindingsThis research examines the gradual formation of a dynamic equilibrium between consumers' rising power and businesses' enhanced ability to affect consumers' perceptions. Furthermore, consumer “needs” are found to be increasingly manifested into “wants” which are intangible, of obscure value, affective in nature and vulnerable to marketing communications.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper maintains an idiosyncratic approach to the subject, aiming to generate scholarly discussion and further research, not to offer definitive answers. Pointers are offered to further studies to test the validity of the proposed framework.Practical implicationsIt is hoped that the new conceptual framework may help marketing strategists and planners to better understand patterns of consumption in developed countries, and their causes. Branding seems to hold strong promise as a means to manage the business‐consumer relationship in the twenty‐first century.Originality/valueThough not quite a “Viewpoint”, this paper contains much food for thought.
Advertising and mutual fund asset flows
Authors: Korkeamaki Timo , Puttonen Vesa , Smythe Tom 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe paper aims to examine the effect of advertising on mutual fund cash flows in the Finnish fund market.Design/methodology/approachThe paper's unique data set allows the observation of the effects of monetary advertising spending and the choice of advertising media.FindingsThe paper finds that neither past year's performance nor advertising alone is sufficient to produce increased cash flows. However, advertising together with past performance is found to significantly affect cash flows. The positive effect of advertising is limited to the use of non‐perishable advertising media. Additionally, it is found that fund families spending proportionately more on advertising receive higher asset flows.Originality/valueThe data are unique in that they can identify fund families that advertise, and also how much they spent on advertising in a given year and the dollar amount spent on five different media types. Obviously, having also fund level data available would enable more thorough analysis.
Determinants of banks selection in USA, Taiwan and Ghana
Authors: Blankson Charles , Ming‐Sung Cheng Julian , Spears Nancy 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to investigate bank choice/selection criteria in a range of cultural and country economic scenarios. More specifically, the purpose of this study is to understand international consumers' selection criteria of banks using the USA, Taiwan, and Ghana as illustrations.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a literature review, the paper adopts the classical multi‐step scale development process which demanded that thorough attention be paid to every step of the process. The study employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the reliability of the results.FindingsThe study reveals three key dimensions/factors/strategies that are consistent across all three economies. The paper concludes that open and liberalized business climate appear to explain consumers' decisions.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is based on the college student cohort and thus the results do not represent the public. This poses generalizability questions without further replications and validations. This study did not examine whether there were consumers' switching behaviors involving banks.Practical implicationsInsights derived from this study will provide bank managers and advertising executives with the building blocks for understanding consumers' choice criteria of banks in industrialized, newly industrialized and liberalized developing economies.Originality/valueA comprehensive validated scale measuring international consumers' selection of banks is proposed. In view of the scarce stream of empirical studies dealing with consumers' selection of banks in liberalized developing nations, this research comes at an opportune time, as several governments in these economies are encouraging bank savings, channeling college students' loans through bank accounts and proactively attracting global banks to establish branches in their countries. This study complements the extant literature dealing with consumers' selection of banks. Finally, a cross‐national and cross‐cultural dataset of consumers' choice criteria of banks have been put forward that would enhance further appreciation of the subject of banks selection in varying economies.
Interaction channel choice in a multichannel environment, an empirical study
Authors: Gené Albesa Jaume 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer channel preferences and the motives that induce consumers to use a particular channel in a context of multichannel contact.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyses some factors that influence consumer behaviour in channel selection through an empirical study in the financial sector. Some hypotheses are presented and tested.FindingsThe paper reveals the influence of some variables (perceived convenience, social relationships, knowledge of channel and privacy) on the channel selected (counter, ATM or internet) for the performance of certain operations with the company.Research limitations/implicationsTo generalise these findings this study needs to be replicated in other geographical areas and companies.Practical implicationsThe multichannel contact centre is one of the fundamental pillars of customer relationship management. It is not enough simply to have the necessary technology (hardware, software and telecommunications). Companies must investigate consumer channel preferences and the motives that induce consumers to use a particular channel.Originality/valueThis study is a reflection on the new environment of the relationship between companies and their clients due to the influence of new information and communication technologies. In this new context, knowledge of the consumer is as necessary as knowledge of the technology.
Managing conflict in collaborative new product development: a supplier perspective
Authors: Kit Lam Ping , Sang Chin Kwai , Fai Pun Kit 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the distribution of conflict over various NPD phases and identify the main sources of conflict and the five conflict handling styles in new product development (NPD) from the context of buyer‐supplier collaboration.Design/methodology/approachA list of the sources of conflict was developed and five conflict handling styles in NPD were identified based on literature review and the opinions of manufacturing experts in Hong Kong. An empirical study comprising a series of personal interviews and a mailed survey was conducted to acquire empirical findings from industry practitioners and suppliers on the conflict issues in collaborative NPD. The relationships between NPD performance and conflict intensity as well as conflict handling styles were analysed. Both reliability and construct validity of the study construct were measured.FindingsThe study identified 16 sources of conflict and demonstrated that conflict has a significant negative relationship with NPD performance in terms of product quality, and meeting of target development costs and delivery schedule. The results also showed that cooperative styles (i.e. integrating and obliging) are effective and uncooperative styles (i.e. dominating and avoiding) are ineffective, whereas compromising is a neutral approach.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was based on four industry sectors including electronics, toys, machinery, and watches and clocks in Hong Kong. Generalisability to other industries or countries may be limited.Practical implicationsThe findings verified that a negative relationship exists between conflict intensity and NPD performance. Both the clients and suppliers should maintain a sustainable level of conflict and should enhance their conflict handling efforts and skills for effective conflict resolutions.Originality/valueFrom a suppliers' viewpoint, this paper provides some insights into how client‐supplier collaboration and conflict resolutions could improve NPD performance.