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The impact of leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation on group performance has been considered ambiguous. The purpose of this paper is to resolve this ambiguity by theorizing and examining a curvilinear relationship between LMX differentiation and group performance, and the moderating effects of group diversity on this relationship.

Data were drawn from 63 work groups (consisting of 322 members and 63 group leaders) selected from 27 technology service companies in South Korea. Group members rated their perceived LMX quality, while the human resource (HR) directors of each company assessed group performance.

The results showed that LMX differentiation had an inverted U-shaped relationship with group performance and that gender diversity and age diversity negatively moderated that relationship. However, the interaction between LMX differentiation and education-level diversity was not significant.

This study extends extant research by addressing the inconsistency among theoretical perspectives on the effects of LMX differentiation. This study transcends earlier research by considering the complex process of LMX differentiation, such as the curvilinear relationship between LMX differentiation and group performance, and the moderating effects of group diversity on that relationship.

The study aims to explore the conditional relationships between product modularization and new product development (NPD) efficiency. It is postulated that R&D outsourcing plays an important mediating role. Furthermore, the level of competency trust is considered an essential factor in moderating the indirect effect of product modularization on NPD efficiency via R&D outsourcing practices.

Drawing on transaction cost economics theory, this study suggests a moderated mediation model that addresses how product modularization effectively promotes NPD efficiency via outsourcing practices. The hierarchical regression and PROCESS macro model were conducted to test the hypotheses based on survey data from 273 manufacturing firms in China.

Product modularization enhances NPD efficiency directly and indirectly through the external collaboration of R&D outsourcing. Furthermore, the role of product modularization in R&D outsourcing practices is more effective when the competency trust in R&D outsourcing partners is high.

By showing the critical role of external collaboration, this study provides valuable insights into how manufacturing firms utilize product modularization to achieve desired NPD performance more effectively.

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for evaluating business‐IT alignment. Specifically, the authors emphasize internal business‐IT alignment between business and IS groups, which is a typical setting in recent boundary‐less, networked business environments.

Based on the previous studies, a socio‐technical approach was developed to explain how the functional integration in the business‐IT alignment process could be accomplished in collaborative environments. The study investigates the relationship among social alignment, technical alignment, IS effectiveness, and business performance.

The results indicated that alignment between business and IS groups increased IS effectiveness and business performance. Business‐IT alignment resulting from socio‐technical arrangements in firms' infrastructure has positive impacts on business performance.

This study is limited by control issues in terms of the impact of the confounding variables on business performance. Future studies need to validate the research model across industries. The study results imply that business‐IT alignment is a multidimensional concept that includes social and technical activities explaining the way people and information technology institutionalize business value.

By establishing a socio‐technical framework of business‐IT alignment, this study proposes a conceptual framework for business‐IT alignment that accounts for not only improved technical performance, but also improved human performance as well. This study emphasizes the importance of addressing internal socio‐technical collaboration in modern business environments.

The present study aims to explore the relationship between manufacturing–research and development (R&D) integration and organizational culture in enhancing quality and product development performance (PDP).

Based on data collected from 931 manufacturing firms around world, the authors examine the proposed hypothesis by using regression analyses. In addition, PROCESS (SPSS macro) is used to test both the mediation and moderated mediation models in this study.

The findings reveal that quality management practices (QMPs) partially mediate the relationship between R&D-manufacturing integration and PDP. Further, it is found that the direct and indirect effects of R&D-manufacturing integration on PDP are stronger when the organization is characterized as participative rather than hierarchical.

This study, by investigating the combined effect of R&D-manufacturing integration and organizational culture on QMPs and PDP, provides practical insights into the ways that manufacturing firms effectively utilize the integration between R&D and manufacturing functions to improve QMPs and enhance PDP.

This study aims to suggest a moderated mediation model addressing how internal integration interacts with information technology (IT) link with external customers to meet customer needs more efficiently and effectively.

This study tests the proposed hypotheses by using 268 data collected from manufacturing firms worldwide.

The results of this study reveal that internal integration plays a very important role in promoting customer satisfaction directly and indirectly by enhancing the ability to meet customers’ flexibility needs. In addition, the results show that IT link with customers strengthens this indirect influencing relationship.

By combining IT connectedness with external customers with internal capability, this study provides valuable insights into how manufacturing firms apply internal integration more effectively to enhance customer satisfaction.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the impacts of supplier‐ and customer‐oriented electronic communication technologies (ECTs) (electronic data interchange (EDI) and internet‐based) on supply chain integration and manufacturing competitive capabilities (flexibility and quality).

The research model is based on resource‐based view of technology use, ECTs, and supply chain management literature. Data from 711 international manufacturing firms International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS IV) are analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to test the proposed relationships.

The results suggest: the importance of applying two specific ECTs (EDI and internet‐based) for both supplier and customer integration; and the direct impact of supplier integration and customer integration on manufacturing competitive capabilities.

Except for perceptual biases inherent to survey methodology, this research provides rich implications on ECTs (particularly, EDI and internet‐based) on supply chain integration and manufacturing competitive capabilities.

The findings of this research provide practical management insights on ECTs investment and deployment practices. Creation and delivery of values require effective integration of technologies for key performance outcomes across suppliers, customers and internal business processes.

This paper fills the research gap by presenting a research model and empirically validates how ECTs impact on quality and flexibility based on rich empirical data of 711 firms of manufacturing firms.

The purpose of this study is to review a major section of the literature on benchmarking practices in order to achieve better perspectives for emerging benchmarking research streams.

The paper examines the benchmarking literature and presents a framework that suggests evolving patterns of firms' benchmarking practices. This paper examines the studies published in Benchmarking: An International Journal and other articles related to benchmarking practices in major Strategic Management, OM/SCM, and Technology Management journals from 2001 to 2010.

Benchmarking remains an important strategic tool of business in turbulent times. Five research dimensions for benchmarking are discussed in terms of the following: strategy‐based benchmarking; operational effectiveness‐based benchmarking; technical efficiency‐based benchmarking; and micro‐macro integrative benchmarking. For sustainable competitive advantage, benchmarking goes beyond the operational level and moves into a wide range of value chain, strategic, operational, and project levels.

The study contributes to the benchmarking literature by identifying key areas of benchmarking. It reflects a qualitative orientation, but future research may achieve a more systematic and quantitative analysis of the benchmarking literature.

This review paper is unique in that it examines the benchmarking literature and summarizes the results in order to gain a proper understanding of benchmarking and provide perspectives for future research.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and analyze the challenges of quality skill development in complex and large economies like India and develop innovative processes of improving employability.

The problem areas and gaps have been identified through literature survey and published reports by governmental agencies on employability and quality skill development in India. The research focuses on prevalent challenges for large-scale skill development and utilizes TRIZ (Russian acronym for “Theory of Inventive Problem Solving”) for finding innovative solutions to the grand challenge of employability.

The applied research methodology in the paper leads to a model for the “Innovation driven ecosystem for quality skill development” and also defines the role and responsibilities of each stakeholders in the ecosystem.

Solutions derived through TRIZ are qualitative in nature. The actual implication of solution needs to be tested after implementation. Further, intangible costs incurred, and harmful and useful effects cannot be easily quantified.

The parameter mapping for the TRIZ matrix was undertaken in this paper and this methodology when applied to other problem statements renders an organized process for improving total quality and innovative process management. The inventive principles were applied to find solution to contradictions and arrive at an integrated ecosystem which binds all stakeholders efficiently, to generate higher employability. The innovative solutions derived through the process are applicable to policy makers, researchers and practitioners.

The process of improving employability through quality skill development, benchmarked by the TRIZ methodology can have far reaching social implications.

The research extends the body of knowledge of TRIZ modeling concepts in areas other than engineering, and depicts a unique total quality methodology which can be easily applied for other problem-solving contexts. The contribution can serve as a reference technique/tool for improving reliability and quality through a methodical process of working out innovative solutions to solve operational problems.