bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effects of goal setting and feedback on manufacturing productivity: a field experiment
Authors: Stansfield Timothy C. , Longenecker Clinton O. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo describe the conduct and outcomes of a field experiment in a US manufacturing facility using goal setting and feedback as productivity improvement tools.Design/methodology/approachInitial studies were conducted to determine a baseline of performance. A two‐month field experiment was utilized to test and measure productivity. The field experiment involved the implementation of changes to three manufacturing cells for a six‐week period and the training of supervisors and staff. Researchers performed the collection of data, implementation of changes and training of workers.FindingsFindings suggest that goal setting and timely feedback will lead to improved work performance, greater efficiency, and the establishment of more challenging goals. In addition, findings suggest that information systems which facilitate goal setting and feedback are more effective than traditional supervision systems at improving performance.Research limitations/implicationsSeveral limitations of this study should be noted. First, the time frame for the intervention was limited to two months. A longer data collection period could ensure the longevity of the conclusions of this analysis. Second, all subjects received verbal feedback followed by the addition of graphic feedback. Therefore, sequence effects cannot be ruled out. On an overall basis, though, the findings of this study can clearly be applied to a wide range of manufacturing organizationsPractical implicationsThe study is useful for all managers seeking a competitive advantage through improved productivity. It provides significant insight into ways to improve productivity through the use of goal setting and performance feedback implemented by information systems.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills a need for insight into methods for improving productivity, as well as offering practical aid to managers in the manufacturing industry.
In the constructive tradition of being critical
Authors: Carr Adrian 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe special issue aims to look into what it means to be critical in relation to international business.Design/methodology/approachGives an overview of articles submitted by experts in the field.FindingsFinds that old practices of international trade are out of touch in the modern world and that new practices need to be agreed in order to make international trade work for all.Originality/valueCollectively, these papers provide a response to what it means to be “critical” in relation to international business and in doing so will provide a useful touchstone to those who wish to make contributions to this new journal.
Marketing strategy in the Baltics: standardise or adapt?
Authors: Širaliova Jelena , Angelis Jannis J. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe question of whether a business should pursue a marketing strategy that is standardised across national markets or adapted to individual markets has long troubled practicing managers and academics. The purpose of this study is to examine such marketing mix standardisation in the Baltic states.Design/methodology/approachThis cross‐sectional study employs a survey of management responses from multinational companies active in the Baltic states to capture their marketing strategies. Another survey is used to capture customer perceptions of the degree of marketing mix standardisation.FindingsThis research supports the idea of marketing standardisation across the Baltic countries, but it also points at particular areas for adaptation.Research limitations/implicationsThe three Baltic countries present an interesting case due to close geographical location, shared history and economic development, alongside differences in consumer behaviour caused by independent national development. This makes for unique market conditions when it comes to marketing standardization in the region.Practical implicationsThe research results support multinational firms in their pursuit of the right balance between adaptation and standardisation in their marketing mix.Originality/valueThis study contributes to research in the areas of international marketing strategy and marketing standardisation.
The deposit of collectivism in organizational culture in Russia
Authors: Vadi Maaja , Vereshagin Michael 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe aim of this paper is explore how organizational culture is influenced by collectivism in Russia and draw some recommendations from human resources perspective because Russia differs from most Western countries in several ways, one of the key ones being a much higher tendency to collectivism.Design/methodology/approachThe survey questionnaires were used in order to discover interrelations between characteristically collectivism and organizational culture. Organizational culture was turned into the task and relationship orientations approach and three levels of collectivism were distinguished. A total of 586 employees working for various organizations in Russia participated in this study.FindingsFirst, it was discovered that Russians hold collectivistic attitudes (familism and patriotism) showing correlation with both orientations (task and relationships) of organizational culture. The results show that familism is negatively correlated with task orientation, while Patriotism is positively correlated with task and relationship orientations. These findings make it possible to develop recommendations for human resources management (HRM).Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of the study are related to organizational culture approach and the Russians' multifaceted ethnic and cultural background. Nevertheless, this study illuminates various issues that may influence HRM practices in Russia.Practical implicationsThe Russian organizations have some specific characteristics and this paper explains how those might be better managed. Special attention is paid on the HRM strategy and policy in the Russian context.Originality/valueThe main value of the paper is related to the contribution to the understanding which cultural factors may influence the HRM practices in Russia.
Transition processes and integral cultural space development in Central and Eastern Europe: main problems and priorities
Authors: Melnikas Borisas , Baršauskas Petras , Kvainauskaitė Vaida 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe paper aims to evaluate the problems and theoretical characteristics of integral cultural space development in the context of transition processes in Central and Eastern Europe.Design/methodology/approachThe paper has used the outcomes of the research conducted over recent several years, dedicated to the diagnostics of the problems of transformations as well as economic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe with a special reference to the development of the integral cultural space.FindingsMajor findings show that the creation and development of the integral cultural space in Europe is a very complex and controversial process, and in this course various problems and conflicts arise. Therefore, to encourage the creation of the integral cultural space in Europe appropriate cultural policies need to be implemented in Europe. These policies may embrace many priorities including the preservation of cultural diversity, adaptation and dissemination of integrated European dimensions and elimination of inappropriate factors within humanism and democracy of all European countries.Practical implicationsFor implementation of key priorities of cultural policies the use of a number of pan‐European scale special programmes is suggested.Originality/valueThe new non‐traditional ideas of possible economic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe are discussed.
What happened on the way to postmodern?
Authors: Boje David M. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis paper seeks to address the question: what happened to postmodern?Design/methodology/approachThree trends are reviewed: postmodern fragmentation, late modern appropriations of postmodern moves; and emergent awareness of the dark‐side of postmodern.FindingsOn the way to postmodern theory the revolution to reform modern capitalism fragmented into rhetoric‐strands, while practice became ineffective.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper concludes with possibilities for participatory research in ways that enact more postmodern forms of capitalist praxis.Practical implicationsIt is suggested that qualitative studies of postmodern praxis can be conducted; such as postmodern organizations that enact the dark‐side of biotechnology; consumer organizations, such as Blackspot and No Sweat that contract to non‐sweatshop factories; and autoethnographic examples of how building a Harley‐Davidson chopper is post‐production and post‐consumption.Originality/valueThe paper shows that in the fragmentation of moderns and postmoderns, there is a relentless appropriation of postmodern moves by late modernism. This is one contributing factor to the “dark side of postmodern.” Other contributing factors are naive brands of postmodern (e.g. chaos theory, complexity, new age spirituality) which, sometimes only see the positive potentialities, and blind one to the dark side. What is original is the call for a combination of critical theory and postmodern theory (critical postmodern) that looks at the relation between various ideas of modern and postmodern and how they can be studied in their dialogicality.
The researcher interview: a reflexive perspective
Authors: Bryman Alan , Cassell Catherine 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to highlight some of the issues that emerge in the researcher interview process. It is argued that researcher interviewing is becoming an increasingly used practice yet the researcher interview is under‐critiqued in the literature.Design/methodology/approachThe authors provide an “insider” account of their own experiences of researcher interviewing. Additionally they seek to locate these experiences within two conceptual approaches: that of reflexivity and identity work.FindingsThe paper aims to investigate some of the distinctive concerns that arise when one researcher interviews another.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper outlines the implications for others who may be engaging in the process of interviewing researchers, and highlights further issues for consideration when planning a researcher interview study.Originality/valueThe paper provides an analysis of a little considered, but expanding practice within qualitative research, namely the researcher interview.
An ARIMA supply chain model with a generalized ordering policy
Authors: Gilbert Kenneth C. , Chatpattananan Vuttichai 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis paper aims to present a method for production planning that reduces the bullwhip effect.Design/methodology/approachThe methods are derived using ARIMA models of the supply chain.FindingsThe resulting techniques produced an order policy that uses inventory or backlog to absorb the random variation in demand, but has immediate response to variation in the forecast level of demand.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of the research is that the optimality of the order policy is based on the assumption that the demand can be modeled using ARIMA models. When this is not the case the method can still be used as a heuristic approach to production smoothing.Practical implicationsThis paper offers a practical and easy to implement approach to production planning.Originality/valueThe paper introduces a generalized order policy and derives optimal production smoothing parameters for that order policy.
Corporate responsibility in the global economy: a business case
Authors: Prout Jerry 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo develop the self‐interested, business rationale for the export of socially responsible business behavior by multinational firms to developing economies.Design/methodology/approachReview the rationale for the ascendance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the developed economies, the skepticism that emerged regarding CSR and the proliferation of codes to guide CSR conduct. From this perspective build a parallel case for the development of a business rationale for CSR in the developing economies and how multinational firms can play a transformative role.FindingsCorporations typically have a self‐interested approach to adopting CSR values; either for marketing purposes, or to sustain acceptance among socially conscious investors, consumers, competitors, etc. This same approach should be adopted in the developing world: because consumers and investors transfer these same expectations globally; because businesses in developing countries want acceptance; and because multinationals can test performance‐based rather than regulatory‐based approaches to CSR behaviors.Research limitations/implicationsMeasurements of on the ground progress in implementing CSR standards abroad are limited both by lack of empirical data, and accepted understanding of measurement yardsticks. This should be the subject of additional research and analysis.Originality/valueCorporations and stakeholders might find common ground in developing acceptable codes of conduct for CSR behavior in the developing economies and non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) might serve as credible, third‐party auditors of conduct.
Sino‐foreign joint ventures: from exogamy to endogamy
Authors: Jolly Dominique R. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis research aims to demonstrate that most of the current Sino‐foreign joint ventures are exogamic partnerships and to analyze the resources pooled by allies in Sino‐foreign joint ventures, the objectives pursued by each ally and how this mix has evolved since the first days of the open door policy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on an extensive literature review and data collection into 67 Sino‐foreign joint ventures. Data were collected into joint ventures employing more than 100 employees and primarily based around Shanghai. A semi‐structured questionnaire was administered mostly with Chinese managers. A set of 21 different resources and 15 different objectives were examined.FindingsThree main conclusions emerge: partners of Sino‐foreign joint ventures contribute with differentiated sets of idiosyncratic and non‐substitutable resources that are distinctively under the control of each partner with Chinese bringing locally rooted resources and country‐specific knowledge and foreigners bringing technology, managerial abilities, brand image and financial resources, there is a symmetrical relationship between the objectives of one partner and the resources brought into the alliance by the other with each one trying to gain access to what the other pools into the joint venture, and finally, the more recent the partnership, the less the partners contribute with their idiosyncratic resources.Research limitations/implicationsThe profile of Chinese partners might favor a Shanghainese point of view. More data from other areas such as Beijing and Guangzhou would be needed to test in future research whether cultural differences between different Chinese provinces might create some discrepancies relative to the issues raised. In the same vein, the limited number of foreign managers who answered the questionnaire did not allow for a comparison to be made with Chinese managers. A systematic comparison would offer some interesting areas for future research.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that Sino‐foreign joint ventures will increasingly be transformed into endogamic partnerships in the future. Because of the combination of differentiated resources in Sino‐foreign joint ventures, each partner learns from its counterpart and tends to fill the knowledge gap. Once the learning process is completed, partners' profiles tend to be closer. Partners become able to accumulate similar resources. This produces size or scale advantages – which is precisely the benefit of endogamies.Originality/valueThis is one of the first empirical research studies to use the endogamy/exogamy dichotomy in the field of business. These two archetypes offer new perspectives for the study of joint ventures, and especially for the analysis of Sino‐foreign joint ventures. This research is also probably amongst the first studies to analyze these issues using data collected primarily from Chinese managers. And technology is not treated globally but is analyzed along different lines.
The impact of Sino‐western cultural differences on IT products consumption
Authors: Mingxia Zhu , Quan Rose , Xuan Kuang 
Published: July 2006

PurposeFast‐developed IT products have had a great impact on high technology business. With increases of foreign investments flowing into Chinese IT markets, the impact of national culture and ethnicity on consumer behaviour has become a recognized issue. The main purpose of this paper is to examine how Chinese and western national culture differences significantly influence IT customers' purchasing decisions underlying Chinese IT markets.Design/methodology/approachA structured survey was used for this study. Owing to the difficulties of covering huge geographic areas in China, the two largest and modern cities, Beijing and Shanghai, were chosen as the target cities where the 200 questionnaires were distributed to both Chinese and western customers.FindingsBy sampling US customers as representative of western nations, different choices regarding using text message service, cell phones and personal digital assistant are compared between Chinese and US customers. The results indicate that the Chinese customer tends to be more a follower of his “friends” than to be “myself” compared with western customers.Originality/valueThe significant impact of national culture differences on IT products has not been fully acknowledged yet, particularly vis‐à‐vis of the Chinese markets. This research provides insights into the IT industry and market by comparing consumer behaviours between Chinese and US customers. The results can be a guide for IT products manufacturers who in particular are interested in high technology business in mainland China.
New product mix selection for a high technology company in a technology innovation network
Authors: Hung Chen Hsing , Lee Amy H.I. , Tong Yunhuan 
Published: July 2006

PurposeOwing to keen challenges in an evolving market, new product development (NPD) is critical for an enterprise to prosper. To increase the likelihood of having a few successful products, NPD mix is usually selected in practice. Since, a firm has difficulty surviving independently in a high technology industry, flexible strategies to collaborate or to compete with firms within a technology innovation network (TIN) are essential. Therefore, finding an appropriate mix which can lead to a more satisfactory performance for an enterprise inside a TIN is an important issue, which this paper aims to discuss.Design/methodology/approachA modified‐analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model is proposed to evaluate the NPD mixes. Since, integrated product development is positively associated with efficiency and negatively with innovation, a suitable NPD operation with a mode of knowledge creation needs to be adopted by evaluating the result of the NPD mix.FindingsThe proposed model leads to a more satisfactory performance for the firm.Originality/valueThe result from the practical case study is in accord with the theoretical model, since this model keeps a firm operating simultaneously efficiently and innovatively, rather than trade‐off and balanced.
Institutional barriers to entrepreneurship in clusters
Authors: Saka‐Helmhout Ayse , Karabulut Elif 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe paper aims to highlight the extent to which the institutional context of a country can inhibit entrepreneurial activity in clusters.Design/methodology/approachCase study method employing exploratory survey questionnaire and interviews administered to 78 firms in the Denizli textile cluster in Turkey.FindingsFindings show that Denizli district firms nurture effectively only some of the features of an industrial district, that is flexibility, participative managerial structure and trust. However, there is limited availability of skilled workers, and limited co‐operation in the form of joint projects and investments for innovation owing to the weak institutional context in which these firms are embedded. Although this might be expected to discourage economic benefits, performance, particularly in terms of efficiency and relations with internal and external customers, is perceived to be high by the cluster firms.Research limitations/implicationsIt is not adequate to argue that policy makers of developing countries should take particular systems of organizing, such as cluster formation, into consideration for their industrialization efforts. One needs to consider the wider institutional context in which entrepreneurial activity is embedded that can limit the degree to which clusters can stimulate economic development. This has implications for the applicability of a cluster approach to foreign contexts, particularly where global value chain governance is of a quasi‐hierarchical form.Practical implicationsAlthough district firms can strategize on the basis of their flexibility, trust relations and managerial structures within the confines of a state‐organized institutional environment and a quasi‐hierarchical global value chain, further improvements such as relocation of production and equity participation are needed to meet the global challenge.Originality/valueThis study shows that the institutional make‐up of a country can discourage actors from changing patterns of organizing for innovation. Although a substantial number of studies have been carried out for more than a decade on the internal structure and formation of clusters, these pertain predominantly to operations in developed nations and, by and large, ignore developing countries. The paper argues that clusters may not generate the same economic benefits when embedded in weak, state‐organized institutional settings as when operating in strong collaborative institutional contexts. The study is of value particularly to policy makers.
Flight control system design for a micro aerial vehicle
Authors: Guglieri Giorgio , Pralio Barbara , Quagliotti Fulvia 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an original design procedure for a flight control system.Design/methodology/approachAn optimization process, based on a genetic algorithm (GA), is used to meet the frequency domain handling qualities requirements in the longitudinal plane for an unconventional platform characterized by nonlinear aerodynamics. The parameters are implemented in the search process as fitness functions related to the expected magnitude of bandwidth and delay for an existing micro aerial vehicle. The bandwidth and the delay of the longitudinal short‐term attitude response are estimated before and after the inclusion of the flight control system in the simulation model, and the parameters are compared with the expected handling qualities levels. A qualitative analysis of handling qualities levels is also performed by implementing the augmented aircraft in a simulator with a realistic visual environment.FindingsThe results show that an optimal search process based on a GA can implement the handling qualities requirements with a computational procedure that is straightforward.Research limitations/implicationsEven if the requisites for bandwidth and delay implemented in the search process are general in use as no specific aircraft response type is taken as a reference for the estimation of handling qualities requirements, only future experimental work will provide insight for the definition of specific Level 1 boundaries for micro aerial vehicles in remotely piloted flight.Originality/valueThe virtual environment is useful to test remote piloting with unconventional onboard visual cues. This is important in applications in which technical limitations may preclude complete real time data link during flight tests in the first development phase of the vehicle.