bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A meta‐analysis of the effect of TQM on competitive advantage
Authors: El Shenawy Eman , Baker Tim , Lemak David J. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to integrate findings of empirical studies regarding the effect of total quality management (TQM) on competitive advantage. This purpose is to support building a theoretical model of TQM and its components. These components are: top management commitment/leadership, teams, culture, training/education, and process efficiency; they are grounded in the work of Deming and deduced from three other models offered by Dean and Bowen and Reed et al.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a meta‐analysis to synthesize results of a sample of 51 studies into, effectively, one database. The meta‐analysis approach is used to establish external validity for the theoretical model of TQM used in the paper. The sample includes studies that were conducted in different countries to provide a comprehensive investigation.FindingsEach individual component of TQM was associated with competitive advantage, that these associations each explain roughly 60 percent of the variability in competitive advantage, and that a 1 point change in an average component score (1‐5 Likert scale) results in at least a 0.1 point change in competitive advantage.Research limitations/implicationsThe strong correlations between the five components, coupled with the limited sample size, made it impossible to fit a competitive advantage explanation model that included all five components with any statistical significance. Thus, it was not possible to determine the relative impacts of the five components on competitive advantage. Moreover, these limitations made the impact of leadership relative to other variables indeterminate, even in two independent variable models.Originality/valueDespite the modest findings, this study provides a link between the theory and practice of TQM efforts and provides direction for future research.
Measuring information quality in the order fulfilment process
Authors: Forslund Helena 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a scale for measuring information quality in the order fulfilment process.Design/methodology/approachMeasurement scales are developed out of the practical information needs and a theory review. A state‐of‐the‐art description and further scale development are based on a survey of the most important suppliers of 136 Swedish companies.FindingsThe paper finds that information quality can be measured with variables as in time, accurate, convenient to access and reliable. The scales were found to possess unidimensionality, validity and reliability.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of this paper are mainly theoretical, providing a foundation for further empirical research.Practical implicationsEven though established customer‐supplier relations were studied, information quality deficiencies were found on all variables. This is an indication of improvement possibilities.Originality/valueThere is a lack of research on measuring the information quality construct, which might be the reason for little empirical research on the impact of information quality on logistics performance.
Modeling and analysing system failure behaviour using RCA, FMEA and NHPPP models
Authors: Sharma Rajiv Kumar , Kumar Dinesh , Kumar Pradeep 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to permit system reliability analysts/managers/practitioners/engineers to analyse system failure behaviour more consistently and plan suitable maintenance actions accordingly.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopted three important tools, namely, root cause analysis (RCA), failure mode effect analysis (FMEA), and non‐homogeneous Poisson point process (NHPPP), to build an integrated and helpful framework, able to facilitate the maintenance managers in decision making. The factors contributing to system unreliability were analysed using RCA and FMEA. The failure data related to the components are modelled using NHPPP models and are used to optimise maintenance decisions (repair or replacements) based on cost dimensions.FindingsThe paper finds that the in‐depth analysis of a system using RCA and FMEA helps to create a knowledge base to deal with problems related to process/product unreliability. From the results it is observed that NHPPP models adequately analyse time‐dependent rate of occurrence of failures. Thus, assisting the maintenance analyst in development of suitable maintenance strategy by properly understanding the mechanism of failure (through modeling of failure data); adopting adequate aging management actions (such as predictive or periodic testing) to predict or detect the degradation of components; and performing cost analysis.Originality/valueThe contemporaneous adoption of the three proposed techniques for failure analysis will help system reliability engineers/managers/practitioners not only to understand the failure behaviour of component(s) in the system, but also to plan/adapt suitable maintenance practices to improve system reliability and availability.
Using a reliability capability maturity model to benchmark electronics companies
Authors: Tiku Sanjay , Azarian Michael , Pecht Michael 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to introduce a set of key practices that can be used to assess whether an organization has the ability to design, develop and manufacture reliable electronic products.Design/methodology/approachThe ability to design, develop and manufacture reliable electronic products is defined in the paper in terms of a reliability capability maturity model, which is a measure of the practices within an organization that contribute to the reliability of the final product, and the effectiveness of these practices in meeting the reliability requirements of customers.FindingsThe paper presents a procedure for evaluating and benchmarking reliability capability. Criteria for assigning different capability maturity levels are presented. The paper also presents a case study corresponding to reliability capability benchmarking of an electronics company.Originality/valueThe paper provides a set of practices for evaluating and benchmarking reliability capability.
A study of measures to improve constructability
Authors: Wong Franky W.H. , Lam Patrick T.I. , Chan Edwin H.W. , Shen L.Y. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper is aimed at identifying the common approaches for improving constructability and evaluating their effectiveness of implementation.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive survey has been carried out on contemporary literature, i.e. from 1990 onwards, to trace the development of the buildability and constructability concepts and the common approaches of improvement.FindingsResults show that buildability is mainly concerned with design, quality of built products, ease of construction, as well as efficient and economical construction. Constructability emphasises integration of construction knowledge and experience at various project stages; optimisation of different project requirements to achieve overall goals; and ease of construction. Therefore, “constructability” embraces the concept of “buildability”. The implementation of Quantified Assessment, Constructability Review and Constructability Programmes are the three commonly adopted approaches.Practical implicationsImprovement measures should be implemented at the design stage, whereas improved constructability would eventually bring about tangible benefits in terms of time, cost, quality and safety. The Quantified Assessment approach appears to be the most practicable way of improving constructability.Originality/valueUp till now, there have been very limited studies providing an evaluation of different approaches for improving constructability. The study has offered an insight into the commonly adopted improvement measures, highlighting proven success cases, hence enabling effective strategies to be developed for enhancing constructability.
Project social capital, leadership and trust
Authors: Tansley Carole , Newell Sue 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to consider how project leadership knowledge and behaviour influence project team trust and social capital development and use in the context of a global HR information systems project.Design/methodology/approachA comparative interpretive case study approach was used, including interviews (n=45) and participant observation with members at all levels of the two examined projects. Interpretive patterns from situated activities enabled inferences to be drawn about different types of project leader (PL) knowledge and behaviours and trust and the bridging and bonding aspects of social capital.FindingsPLs need to apply knowledge in three areas in order for trust to develop within the project team (external leadership, internal leadership and hybrid leadership), which in turn is a necessary pre‐condition for the development and exploitation of social capital, a significant influence on project success.Research limitations/implicationsThe choice of two extreme cases (one where trust did not develop and one where trust did) means that further research is needed to corroborate the findings in order to make generalisations.Practical implicationsThe study highlights ways in which a PL can foster the development of trust in the context of complex cross‐cultural, cross‐functional IS project teams. The study identifies how there are different types of trust that need to be generated and how this depends on good internal, external and hybrid PL leadership.Originality/valueThe study highlights the importance of different types of trust for being able to exploit social capital at the project level that has not been studied explicitly in the literature.
(Re)viewing problem‐based learning
Authors: Yeo Roland K. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThe paper seeks to explore the role of problem‐based learning (PBL) in the workplace context. Its aim is to explain the relationship between PBL and workplace learning by examining PBL as an approach to continuous learning in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachThrough an exploratory orientation, data were collected at two stages. Stage 1 involved convergent interviewing with ten international PBL trainers. The data gathered here partly formed a questionnaire to be tested in the next stage. Stage 2 involved an Ideas Unlimited™ qualitative survey with 50 Singapore working professionals through face‐to‐face and online means. Follow‐up telephone interviews were also conducted to minimize lost data. In addition, a second questionnaire, developed through literature review, was given out in both stages.FindingsFindings reveal that there is a significant relationship between PBL and workplace learning. For instance, PBL systematizes learning in a way that informal learning patterns are transformed into specific structures to facilitate workplace learning. Skills such as critical thinking, reflective inquiry and team learning were identified as essential for workplace PBL. In order to implement PBL programs successfully, strong leadership, an appropriate reward and recognition system together with a realistic timeframe should be considered.Research implications/implicationsThe study suggests a coherent relationship between experiential learning, team learning, single and double‐loop learning, and triple‐loop learning. A key theoretical contribution is that the complexity of learning embedded in the systemic process of PBL ultimately leads to the generation of competitive organizational knowledge. Future lines of study could focus on in‐depth analyses of intra‐organizational processes to explore the wider relationship and application of PBL and workplace learning.Originality/valueThe applicability of PBL is evaluated in the context of workplace rather than an educational setting. Owing to the limited research in this area, the development of new organizational perspectives and concepts from two rather different disciplines – PBL and workplace learning – contributes to the paper's originality.
Knowledge sharing and the psychological contract
Authors: O'Neill Bonnie S. , Adya Monica 
Published: June 2007

PurposeAn employee's willingness to share knowledge may be contingent on whether the organization equitably fulfills its reward obligations. This paper seeks to examine how managers and organizations can be vehicles for managing psychological contract perceptions favoring knowledge sharing among current employees, newcomers, and applicants.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose an integrative model to discuss psychological contract issues within each stage of employment and HRM initiatives that can encourage knowledge‐sharing behaviors.FindingsThe implicit psychological contracts that often influence knowledge worker attitudes for sharing knowledge are easy to overlook and challenging to manage. Managers must properly assess the nature of psychological contracts maintained by such workers so that knowledge‐sharing messages address employees' key motivators. Different psychological contracts exist at various stages of employment. Several prescriptions for effectively managing each type of psychological contract and reducing perceptions of PC breach were offered.Research limitations/implicationsEmpirical studies should seek to investigate whether different psychological contracts actually exist within a field setting. In addition, how workers move between transitional, transactional, balanced and relational psychological contracts should be empirically examined.Originality/valueThe authors sought to better understand the different psychological contract perceptions of knowledge workers at various stages of employment, which has not been done to date. Such workers are keenly aware of the impact of their knowledge and effective management for sharing rather than hoarding becomes a critical success factor for knowledge‐intensive organizations.
Organizational‐professional conflict and cultural differences among auditors in emerging markets
Authors: El‐Rajabi Mohamad T.A. 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to investigate the relationships between organizational‐professional conflict (OPC), organizational commitment (OC), professional commitment (PC), job satisfaction (JS), and job resignation intention (JR) in the Jordanian and Kuwaiti auditing firms. In addition, the paper examines the impacts of demographic and nationality variables on the previous variables.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a survey questionnaire for a sample of 308 auditors from Jordan and Kuwait.FindingsThe study finds that there is a significant impact of OC and PC on OPC and negative correlation between OC and PC. Additionally, the results show a negative correlation between OPC and JS and positive correlation between JS and OC. The nationality variable that dichotomizes Jordan and Kuwait sub samples has a significant effect on OPC and JR.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample is limited to auditing firms that have five or more auditors. Thus, the results are not generalizable to all audit firms working in these two countries.Practical implicationsOPC in large audit firms is more than that in small audit firms and the OC in large audit firms is less than that in small audit firms. This finding suggests that large auditing firms would do well when managing these factors.Originality/valuePrior research is not extensive in this area, specifically that which compares the attitudes of the auditors in Jordan and Kuwait.
The “economic paradigm” in management accounting
Authors: Frezatti Fábio 
Published: June 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to examine the profile of artifacts with superior returns in order to identify the usage of management accounting in a Brazilian context.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is part of an empirical research project based on a probabilistic sample (119 entities) from medium and large Brazilian companies, selected according to economic sector and revenues. The management accounting artifacts were identified according to the five stages of International Management Accounting Practice 1 (IMAP 1, International Federation of Accountants (IFA), 1998). Logistic regression was applied to identify the artifacts most adherent to companies with the outstanding profile.FindingsIn the analysis of the five stages of IMAP 1, only the fifth stage, value management, provided the significance level to accept the hypothesis. In this stage, the artifacts that were accepted with a significance level of 90 percent were return on equity and balanced scorecard.Research limitations/implicationsThe field research was applied only in the Brazilian market.Practical implicationsEspecially for researchers, this paper raises some important questions, and aims to stimulate future studies in management accounting.Originality/valueThis paper contributes by presenting research from outside the Anglo‐Saxon world, and by analyzing the artifacts' profile with approaches balanced between positive and qualitative accounting.
Tradition and innovation: the China business communication study
Authors: Goodman Michael B. , Wang Jay 
Published: June 2007

PurposeWith China's economic development over the last two decades, the spirit and practice of Chinese companies have been radically transformed from administrative functions in a centrally planned economy toward that of market‐oriented enterprises. As Chinese enterprises restructure, the communication function is also undergoing dramatic changes. Discussion of the CCI Corporate Communication Practices and Trends 2005 Study and the CCI Corporate Communication Practices and Trends: A China Benchmark 2006 allow some insight into the state of the art in China, and help us to infer how best to communicate with the Chinese for a successful business relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe observations in this article are based on the CCI Corporate Communication Practices and Trends: A China Benchmark Study 2006, which was underwritten by Prudential Financial, Inc., and conducted in Beijing, China, in December 2005 and July 2006 through a partnership of the Corporate Communication Institute, Beijing Horizon Market Research Group, and Dr Jian “Jay” Wang of Purdue University.FindingsBusiness communication and relationships are integral to success for Chinese companies and their executives. Five years into its membership of the World Trade Organization, China is the world's fastest growing economy. Its companies are developing global business cultures and corporate communication management functions as they make the transition from government control to market‐driven enterprises. This development is revealing when compared with the corporate communication best practices of multinational corporations in relationships with customers, the media, employees, the community and society, and the government, as well as communication in a crisis. Understanding these contemporary practices can lead to healthy business relationship in China. Like any new venture, communication for Chinese businesses is focused on branding, marketing, and identity building. Their executives are developing global practices for relations with employees, and they are developing media relations practices. Many companies are well on their way to creating socially responsible policies and practices for the environment, energy, and relationships with the community. They are rapidly taking on responsibility, once entirely that of the government, for communication in crises.Research limitations/implicationsBased on the findings of the CCI Corporate Communication Practices and Trends: A China Benchmark Study 2006, the Corporate Communication Institute at Fairleigh Dickinson University will conduct a study of Chinese companies and foreign companies operating in China, using a much larger sample.Practical implicationsThis discussion should provide some insight into the state of the art in China, and help us to infer how best to communicate with the Chinese for a successful business relationship.Originality/valueThis paper discusses the findings of a first‐of‐its‐kind study of corporate communication practices and trends among Chinese companies.
The Chinese are coming, and I'm afraid
Authors: Humphreys John 
Published: June 2007

PurposeIn the popular media there appears to be a growing refrain of the so‐called China threat. This paper offers an alternative perspective, in particular, how emerging Chinese economic prowess could actually prove beneficial to Western societies.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is based upon personal experience within the country, as well as understanding of Chinese history and culture. In addition, the often cited hyperbole surrounding Chinese economic domination is challenged by the available data.FindingsAlthough we often read about Chinese firms, buoyed by low‐cost labor and government subsidies, dominating the global marketplace, reality is often overlooked. Actually, the number of state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) in China is dropping dramatically and foreign firms are the majority in the growing private enterprise sector. In fact, foreign‐funded enterprises account for the majority of Chinese exports.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper offers a contrarian viewpoint. The aim is to present a more balanced inquiry and a broader understanding and discussion of the growing Chinese economy and the substantial global opportunities presented by such historic expansion.Practical implicationsChina, indeed Asia as a whole, is emerging as a significant global economic force. If Western firms and economies are to benefit from such a boon, we must become more engaged. If we refrain, we are allowing others to assemble the personal infrastructure needed to capture the building Chinese market.Originality/valueThis paper offers a rebuttal to many of the myths surrounding Chinese economic development. Moreover, it demonstrates the critical nature of time sensitive engagement and collaboration if Western organizations are to reap the potential benefits of such remarkable economic growth.
Stop competing yourself to death: strategic collaboration among rivals
Authors: Slywotzky Adrian , Hoban Charlie 
Published: June 2007

PurposeVigorous competition among companies for customers, talent, and capital serves everyone well, for the most part. But competition can be harmful as well, when companies fight over things that hold little value to customers or that offer little potential for differentiation.Design/methodology/approachThe article discusses how thinking and changing the compete/collaborate ratio offers a way out that benefits all players. By joining forces to carry out common and largely undifferentiated functions or processes, companies can avoid redundant expenditures and capitalize on economies of scale and shared expertise. Strategic collaboration can take place at any stage of an industry's value chain. It can take many other forms, consistent with antitrust laws, including the sharing of back‐office functions, factory production, R&D efforts, marketing and distribution, and repair or return facilities.FindingsEven bitter rivals have sometimes joined forces to achieve common goals and solve common problems. Notable examples are the Airbus consortium of European aircraft manufacturers, the Sematech consortium of US semiconductor manufacturers, banks working together to launch Visa and Mastercard, and small hardware stores using the TruValue organization for cooperative marketing, purchasing, and loyalty programs.Originality/valueCollaborating on well‐defined activities offers an immediate payoff in reduced costs. And it tends to promote, rather than hamper, constructive competition in the areas most valued by customers.