Aline Dresch, Douglas Rafael Veit, Pedro Nascimento de Lima, Daniel Pacheco Lacerda and Dalila Cisco Collatto
The purpose of this paper is to present a method for assisting micro and small companies of the industrial sector with the adoption of Lean practices.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a method for assisting micro and small companies of the industrial sector with the adoption of Lean practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper outlines the method construction steps, which used a design science research approach.
Findings
This research led to the structuring of a method for implementing Lean Manufacturing tools in micro and small companies of the industrial sector. The developed method contributed to the knowledge in Lean Manufacturing by systematizing its tools in a heuristic approach that can be applied to an operation using overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) as a guiding indicator.
Practical implications
This method can be used to guide the implementation of Lean tools in SMEs industries.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper lies in the adoption of an operation-focused approach only (rather than an approach that begins with the mapping of an entire process) and the use of OEE as the basis for prioritization of improvements to be performed and operational control.
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Elaine Nolasco, Pedro Henrique Vieira Duraes, Júlia Pereira Gonçalves, Maria Cristina de Oliveira, Lucijane Monteiro de Abreu and Alexandre Nascimento de Almeida
Universities are an example of institutions that aggregate people around work/study who consume water, energy and produce waste daily in their activities, generating an impact on…
Abstract
Purpose
Universities are an example of institutions that aggregate people around work/study who consume water, energy and produce waste daily in their activities, generating an impact on the environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the quantity, composition and recycling potential of waste generated at the Faculdade UnB Planaltina (FUP) campus, of the University of Brasilia in the Federal District, Brazil, to develop a waste management strategy compatible with national legislation and sustainable global practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was based on conducting on-site visits to identify the sources of generation, hazardousness, management and gravimetric characteristics of residual waste from 2015 to 2016. In 2016, a selective collection was implemented on the FUP campus, and since then, actions to raise awareness for the selective disposal and monitoring of waste were conducted with the academic community.
Findings
The results showed that the campus generates 148 kg of waste/day, whereas the per capita generation is 92 g/day. The production of hazardous waste is related to campus laboratories which manage it under a specific program. The campus restaurant is the place that generates the most waste, of which organic waste is the most representative. When categorizing the waste generated on campus, the authors found that the majority are recyclables at 67% of the total. This category includes material composed of cardboard, paper and plastic, all able to be recycled in the Federal District.
Practical implications
The recyclable waste generated at the FUP campus is being diverted from the city’s landfill because they are donated to a recycling cooperative. These actions promote income generation, social inclusion of waste pickers and a circular economy, all in compliance with the National Solid Waste Policy. As a result, the FUP campus is more in line with Brazilian legislation and the global context of adopting sustainable waste management amongst higher education institutions.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on sustainability in higher education by reporting the process of implementation of a waste management strategy in a university campus. Further, it presents tools and methods that can be used to achieve sustainability in waste management. The study also identifies that the crucial factor for the success of such actions is the mobilization and participation of the academic community in the process. It does so by presenting findings demonstrating how the University of Brasilia has been concerned with adopting pro-environmental measures for sustainable development.
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Duarte Pimentel, Juliana Serras Pires and Pedro L. Almeida
The purpose of this paper is to explore differences between non-family employees of family and non-family firms regarding the perceptions of organizational justice and levels of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore differences between non-family employees of family and non-family firms regarding the perceptions of organizational justice and levels of organizational commitment. Moreover, focusing on non-family employees of family firms, the study assesses the relation between the perceptions of organizational justice and levels of organizational commitment. Finally, the study seeks to understand which dimension of organizational commitment (i.e. affective, continuance, or normative) is more associated with the perceptions of organizational justice of non-family employees working in family firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical evidence is provided by a sample of 205 Portuguese employees, 98 non-family employees of family firms, and 107 non-family firms' employees, who responded to a questionnaire that included organizational justice and commitment measures. All firms included in the sample are small-sized privately owned companies.
Findings
Results show that there are no differences between non-family employees of family and non-family firms regarding the perceptions of organizational justice. However, results reveal that there are significant differences regarding the levels of organizational commitment. Furthermore, it was found that, in family firms, non-family employees' perceptions of organizational justice are positively related to the levels of commitment, especially regarding the affective dimension.
Originality/value
This paper aims to contribute to the literature by addressing two classical organizational aspects, which are yet under-researched in the comparison between family and non-family firms, while pursuing to shed some light on the relationship between the perceptions of organizational justice and levels of organizational commitment of non-family employees working in family firms.
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Pedro Senna, Lino Guimarães Marujo, Ana Carla de Souza Gomes dos Santos, Amanda Chousa Ferreira and Luís Alfredo Aragão da Silva
In the last few years, environmental issues have become a matter of survival. In this sense, e-waste management is among the major problems since it may be a way of mitigating…
Abstract
Purpose
In the last few years, environmental issues have become a matter of survival. In this sense, e-waste management is among the major problems since it may be a way of mitigating mineral depletion. In this context, the literature lacks e-waste supply chain studies that systematically map supply chain challenges and risks concerning material recovery.
Design/methodology/approach
Given this context, the authors' paper conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to build a framework to identify the constructs of e-waste supply chain risk management.
Findings
The paper revealed the theoretical relationship between important variables to achieve e-waste supply chain risk management via a circular economy (CE) framework. These variables include reverse logistics (RL), closed-loop supply chains (CLSC), supply chain risk management, supply chain resilience and smart cities.
Originality/value
The literature contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) a complete list of the risks of the e-waste supply chains, (2) the techniques being used to identify, assess and mitigate e-waste supply chain risks and (3) the constructs that form the theoretical framework of e-waste supply chain risk management. In addition, the authors' results address important literature gaps identified by researchers and serve as a guide to implementation.
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Ana Carla de Souza Gomes dos Santos, Augusto da Cunha Reis, Cristina Gomes de Souza, Igor Leão Santos, Letícia Ali Figueiredo Ferreira and Pedro Senna
Lean healthcare (LHC) applies lean philosophy in the healthcare sector to promote a culture of continuous improvement through the elimination of non-value-added activities…
Abstract
Purpose
Lean healthcare (LHC) applies lean philosophy in the healthcare sector to promote a culture of continuous improvement through the elimination of non-value-added activities. Studies on the subject can be classified as conceptual (theoretical) or analytical (applied). Therefore, this research compares bibliometric indicators between conceptual and analytical articles on LHC.
Design/methodology/approach
For data collection, the PRISMA Protocol was employed, and 488 articles published from 2009 to 2021, indexed in the Scopus and WoS databases, were retrieved.
Findings
This study reveals how conceptual and analytical LHC studies are organized in terms of the most relevant journals, articles, institutions, countries, the total number of citations, collaboration networks (co-authorship, international collaboration network and institutional collaboration network) and main co-words.
Originality/value
Only four papers conducting bibliometric analysis on LHC studies were identified in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. In addition, none of these papers compared conceptual and analytical bibliometric indicators to reveal the evolution, organization and trends of each category. Therefore, this work is not only the first to make this comparison but also the first to analyze the collaboration between authors, institutions and countries in relation to studies on LHC. The analyses performed in this work allow one new possible understanding, by researchers and health professionals, of the literature behavior in this field of study.
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Pedro Lucas de Resende Melo, Felipe Mendes Borini, Victor Ragazzi Isaac and Victor Silva Correa
The purpose of this paper is to understand and identify the various characteristics of the institutional environment and the factors that propitiate the attraction of franchise…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand and identify the various characteristics of the institutional environment and the factors that propitiate the attraction of franchise chains to cities in the interior, using Brazil as an analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
Secondary data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics were used. It comprised a sample of 1,683 Brazilian cities with commercial outlets featuring franchise brands. It was limited to cities with populations of up to 100,000 inhabitants that did not constitute metropolitan regions. The statistical technique performed was multiple regression.
Findings
The results of the multiple regression confirm the explanatory power of R² = 36% for the analyzed model. Such presence of franchise chains is based on four institutional dimensions and their environmental characteristics: demographic (demographic density); economic and financial (average monthly salary of formal workers and number of banking agencies); business (number of active companies and presence of shopping centers); and human resources (presence of higher education units).
Research limitations/implications
The main contribution of the study encompasses the call that regional institutional characteristics are part of knowledge guidelines on regional development and institutional environments for entrepreneurship. In this sense, the paper contributes to studies on regional development in particular, by punctuating the characteristics of the institutional environment of cities that are related to the existence of franchise chain brands.
Practical implications
Such contributions are addressed to managers and directors of expanding franchise chains, given the choice of locations that best enable the concept of their franchises. The fact that only 20% of franchises have a presence in these cities, even if it is admitted that for 70% of these chains, their businesses have the capacity to make these locations viable, shows the importance of this contribution.
Social implications
This study is addressed to public managers, represented by secretaries of municipal developments, in view of the construction of an institutional environment conducive to entrepreneurial activity, in this specific case, by franchises. It is an important mechanism for attracting new businesses and creating a virtuous cycle of regional development.
Originality/value
Specifically, knowledge is generated about the insertion of ventures based on the franchise business model in small- and medium-sized regional markets. A second feature involves the understanding of the insertion of enterprises in a large and heterogeneous emerging market.
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Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar, Andrés Navarro Galera, María Deseada López Subirés and Laura Alcaide Muñoz
The purpose of this paper is to obtain new knowledge about the accounting measurement of financial sustainability in local governments, by studying the influence of political…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to obtain new knowledge about the accounting measurement of financial sustainability in local governments, by studying the influence of political factors on the evolution of income statements.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyses income statements of Spanish municipalities from 2006 to 2014, together with mayor profiles and political-institutional factors, using the generalised method of moments system.
Findings
The income statement represents a useful measure to assess financial sustainability, showing the effect of political factors on three dimensions proposed by IFAC (i.e. service, revenue and debt), such as ideological coincidence, political competition, political ideology, and absolute majority or political fragmentation.
Practical implications
The findings can be useful for policymakers and accountants responsible for accountability, supervisory bodies, fiscal authorities, voters, users of public services and other stakeholders interested in governmental income statements.
Social implications
In the Eurozone, the crisis of government finance has made the citizens and the policymakers question the size and volume of public services. Likewise, in countries such as Spain, politicians remain one of the main problems for citizens. These circumstances make it very interesting and timely to study the accounting measurement of financial sustainability and its political explanations.
Originality/value
The findings provide new empirical evidence about the accounting measurement of financial sustainability in local governments, and they identify political factors that influence the evolution of income statements.
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João Pedro Barros, João Reis, Nuno Melão and Adriane Cavalieri
The rapid advancement of new technologies necessitates the adaptation of existing resources to address the evolving demands of contemporary conflicts among nations. As exemplified…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid advancement of new technologies necessitates the adaptation of existing resources to address the evolving demands of contemporary conflicts among nations. As exemplified by the emergence of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), these technologies have become indispensable components of military drone operations. This study investigates the role of innovation models in driving Portuguese Innovation and Development, focusing specifically on military drones.
Design/methodology/approach
Through an examination of existing scientific and doctrinal literature, this research establishes a connection between theoretical concepts and the practical deployment of drones within the Portuguese ground forces. Employing a qualitative approach, this study follows a case study, with data collection following the principle of triangulation.
Findings
The findings of this research reveal several attributes crucial to drone utilization, such as optronic capability and drone range. These attributes are vital for ensuring high-quality, real-time imagery transmission and operational effectiveness in military activities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the understanding of the implications of drone attributes for the Command, Control, Communications and Information Systems (C3IS) capabilities of the Portuguese ground forces. It highlights the importance of continued emphasis on drone development and innovation as a key priority for the Portuguese Army.
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Isabel Maldonado, Carlos Pinho, Carla Lobo and Luis Pacheco
This study aims to analyse the relationship between the internationalisation performance of the company and, on the one hand, the factors that determine the internationalisation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyse the relationship between the internationalisation performance of the company and, on the one hand, the factors that determine the internationalisation strategy and, on the other hand, the factors considered as inducers of this internationalisation process. The purpose of this study is to relate the determinants and inducing factors of the internationalisation process with the performance of internationalised companies, trying to assess how these determinants and these factors contribute to better performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors sent out a questionnaire to Portuguese exporting companies, containing questions regarding determinant factors associated with both the characteristics of origin market and target market of the internationalisation process and internationalisation inducing factors. The questionnaire results were subjected to a regression analysis.
Findings
The results indicate a positive relationship with the characteristics of the domestic market, more specifically with the need to reduce and diversify risk and the need to win new markets and consumers. Regarding the characteristics of the foreign market, there is a positive relationship with the determinants: follow customers and favourable perspectives of growth in the new market. In relation to the internationalisation inducing factors, those factors that the entrepreneur recognises as the triggers of the internationalisation strategy, the researchers found the existence of a positive relationship with formal and informal contact networks, as well as specific employee skills, international experience and strong propensity for entrepreneurship and risk-taking.
Research limitations/implications
This study presents some limitations. On the one hand, the fact that the authors used the questionnaires, which seemed to be the most adequate approach, brings as a drawback the reduced number of answers. Further collection is in order to increase the sample under study. On the other hand, the literature presents different approaches that may be tested as well as the possibility of including other types of variables that the researchers will address in future studies.
Originality/value
By analysing the relationship between company performance in the internationalisation process and the factors that determine and induce this internationalisation process, this study seeks to identify which factors entrepreneurs should favour and strengthen to obtain a better performance in the internationalisation process. In addition, the authors use the concept of inducing factors that represent the firm's characteristics that trigger the internationalisation strategy. In a complementary perspective, the authors intend to contribute to the identification of the factors that new Portuguese entrepreneurs should pay more attention to, when starting their internationalisation process and that will improve their performance.
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Pedro Henrique de Oliveira and Ana Cláudia Fernandes Terence
Innovation is a constant attribute in the management processes of technology-based companies (TBCs), mostly small and young, and plays a relevant role in their competitiveness and…
Abstract
Purpose
Innovation is a constant attribute in the management processes of technology-based companies (TBCs), mostly small and young, and plays a relevant role in their competitiveness and survival. However, the authors assumed that the characteristics of innovation practices differ between incubated and post-incubated companies, in such aspects as formality, type, posture and strategy. The purpose of this paper is to report the innovation practices identified in small TBCs in the incubation and post-incubation periods (graduate companies).
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the purpose, the authors carried out a multiple case study with four TBCs, two incubated and two post-incubated (graduate); the study was qualitative and exploratory, and the authors collected data with their managers.
Findings
The results show that these companies have high levels of innovation, which is a determinant factor for their presence in the business market; they create technological innovations in products and services, mostly incremental, such as improvements in existing products or reduction of internal costs of manufacturing. In addition, the results also show important features of the innovations, such as the interaction with other incubated companies and with universities and research centers.
Originality/value
The authors conclude that there were changes in innovation practices, in the transition from incubated to graduate companies, such as the formalization of processes, a shift in focus toward the customer and an increase in resources and in projects’ relevance.