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The purpose of this paper is to explore two basic research questions: what are the effects of information technology (IT) capability and employee empowerment on the innovativeness of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), and what are the effects of innovativeness and IT capability on firm performance in SMEs?

Data from 109 Polish SMEs were collected. In order to identify empirical dimensions of innovativeness, empowerment and IT capability, a factor analysis was carried out. Multiple regression analysis was employed to examine the effects of IT capability and employee empowerment on innovativeness, and the effects of IT capability and innovativeness on firm performance.

The following results are offered: innovation activity of SMEs is positively related to technological turbulence, climate for innovation, investments in innovation and use of IT in internal communications; innovation activity and IT knowledge have a positive effect on subjective measures of firm performance; and subjective measures of firm performance are significantly correlated with objective ones. The results of this study do not confirm that IT capability has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between innovativeness and firm performance.

The findings identify the factors that are significantly related to innovation activity and the dimensions of the constructs under study that contribute to firm performance in SMEs.

To the knowledge of the authors, no previous studies conducted with regards to SMEs have examined the relationships between innovativeness, empowerment, IT capability and firm performance in an integrated way. The findings suggest some direct and indirect relationships between different dimensions of these constructs.

This paper aims to propose and present a decision-making support method for poorly structured problems in schools, using the example of one of the most important and difficult decisions that principals face: terminating a teacher's employment.

A literature review was conducted, along with observations and interviews with 30 experienced principals, in order to identify decisions made by Polish principals. In order to sort non-programmable decisions according to their importance and difficulty, data were collected from 377 principals. Opinions from two groups, consisting of 22 and 25 experts, respectively, were collected in order to identify and order a set of criteria for making a specified non-programmable decision.

The four following areas of school activities were distinguished: finances, teaching and care, internal processes, and development of organisation. Within these categories, 126 decisions made by principals were identified, 96 of which were non-programmable. One of the most difficult and important non-programmable decisions was related to the termination of a teacher's employment. In order to support decisions regarding a teacher's dismissal, 44 criteria with different importance levels were identified.

Principals can use the method proposed in this paper, as it increases the rationality and objectivity of making a dismissal decision. The method can also be adapted for other difficult non-programmable decisions.

The expert opinion method might be useful for solving poorly structured problems in the management of educational institutions. As far as it can be ascertained, no previous empirical studies have identified and ranked the most important and difficult non-programmable decisions facing principals.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and define dimensions of organizational learning and the way it affects small‐ or medium‐size enterprise (SME) performance.

The empirical research is carried out in Polish SMEs (the sample size is 211 enterprises). In order to test the constructed hypotheses we use factor analysis with varimax rotation, correlation analysis and cluster analysis. The sales and employment growth figures and synthetic McKenzie index are used to evaluate SME performance.

In the empirical study, 11 empirical dimensions of organizational learning are identified and defined. The empirical research shows that sales and employment growth is most dependent on the following dimensions: dialogue and empowerment of the employees, collaboration, team learning, leaders' attitudes. In this research, it is suggested that there is an empirical relationship between organizational learning and organizational performance. In practice it means that organizations reaching a higher level of organizational learning probably achieve higher performance.

This research uses a single‐respondent questionnaire. Further research could include analysis of other SME members and take into consideration subjective measures of SME development.

The research results in some important recommendations for SME leaders, who should make every effort to inspire the employees' confidence in each other and create an atmosphere of honest and frank exchange of information and ideas.

The results of the research fill a gap in the current knowledge of strategic management and can be used by managers, specialists, independent experts.

Pusher configured turbo-prop aircraft receive inadequate ram air cooling due to the lack of propeller slipstream, particularly during ground operations. However, flow entrainment can be exploited to a greater extent by placing the oil-cooler duct close to downstream of the propeller at a suitable radial location. But this method has a detrimental effect on the propeller thrust. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of numerical simulations carried out to simulate the performance of the propeller with and without oil cooler.

In this paper, three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations are carried out to simulate the propeller in a rotating domain using an unstructured grid. A computational fluid dynamics solver is put forward to analyze the effect of thrust loss by solving 3D Navier-Stokes equations using a second-order upwind finite-volume scheme. In this study, the impact of thrust loss incurred in the propeller flow field with and without oil cooler duct for three different locations at various rotational speeds is carried out to assess the propeller performance and to identify the optimum position to get a sufficient mass flow rate.

The findings from this study are simulated thrust values of an uninstalled five-bladed propeller of light transport aircraft (LTA) match well with original equipment manufacturer propeller thrust data. The tip speed velocities simulated for different operating conditions are in good agreement with the theoretical calculations. The influence of oil-cooler effect on the propeller flow field is less in low velocity to high-velocity operating condition due to flow transition from laminar to turbulent. The presence of the oil cooler, which influences the thrust loss, is studied at propeller upstream and downstream locations in detail for 30%, 40% and 50% of propeller radius cases.

Simulations with finer and structured hexa grids can be applied to this problem to get closer results and save solver time as future work.

The recommended system is installed in the production standard aircraft of LTA. After installation oil cooler performance is better compared to the previous arrangement.

Research work about pusher aircraft is very limited. The problem addressed in this study is unique which resolves the major issue of pusher aircraft. This work highlights the difficulty involved in LTA engine oil cooling, and solution methodologies are also provided. Numerical simulation with oil-cooler assembly is a new area of research that gave the solution for this oil-cooling issue through various oil-cooler case studies.

The “United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal” 9 seeks to “… foster innovation” in all sectors of an economy. Thus, this conceptual piece addresses the indirect effect of innovative behaviour (INB) between total quality management (TQM) and innovation performance (INP). It further explores the context-contingent effect of four external factors [government regulation (GOV), market dynamism (MKD), competitive intensity (CMP) and technological turbulence (TUR)] on the TQM–INB linkage.

By incorporating both theoretical and empirical works in the fields of strategic management, innovation and business performance, this conceptual piece constructs a conceptual model, using a systematic literature review, alongside suppositions that can be tested in further studies.

This conceptual piece puts forward that TQM will be favourably connected to INP, and this favourable association will be mediated by INB. Moreover, GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR will have a favourable context-contingent effect on the favourable direct connection between TQM and INB.

This conceptual piece affords suggestions for both practitioners and researchers alike in the areas of innovative and strategic decision-making in banking establishments for reinforcing INP by introducing TQM, INB, GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR as innovative-strategic tools. It also delivers suggestions for forthcoming academics to examine this conceptual piece, empirically, in diverse banking sites worldwide.

Practical lessons for managers, employees, customers and consultants within the banking sector for the superior advantage of all key stakeholders are deliberated.

This study provides a new model to demonstrate how TQM leads to INP by passing through INB of employees, and how TQM fosters INB under diverse degrees of GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR. It shows how internal factors (7 TQM dimensions) and external factors (GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR) interact to foster employee INB. It also underscores the theoretical authority of three theories utilised, both individually and in combination, by using them to explain new relationships.

The purpose of this paper is to report a research which is carried out to examine the possibility of applying finite element analysis (FEA) and computer‐aided design/computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) concepts in a typical organisational environment to acquire the characteristics of agile manufacturing (AM).

One of the components of a model of electronic switch manufactured by a company was chosen as the candidate of this research. Five new models of this component incorporated with agile characteristics were developed in electronic environment using Moldflow Plastics Insight software.

The experiences of conducting this research being reported in this paper indicate the possibility of adopting FEA‐integrated CAD/CAM concept for achieving agility. However, certain hindrances have to be overcome to pursue deeper journey by the contemporary organisations in this direction.

This research is conducted on one component of a product manufactured by a company. The typical scenario prevailing in the company is similar that is seen in many companies situated in other parts of the worlds. Hence, the contributions of this research, particularly the roadmap would be useful for adopting FEA and CAD/CAM concepts to achieve agility in contemporary organisations.

The research reported in this paper has shown the way of focusing FEA‐integrated CAD/CAM utilities towards enhancing AM capabilities of contemporary organisations.

The literature survey conducted in the beginning of this research indicated that deeper research in the direction of applying FEA‐integrated CAD/CAM concept for acquiring agile characteristics is yet to start. Hence, the research reported in this paper is original and valuable.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated closed loop performance management model for service industries.

The service performance of any organization is measured by considering qualitative and quantitative dimensions. The qualitative dimension includes the service quality factors. In order to measure the service quality precisely, fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) has been employed in this paper. The data pertaining to both qualitative and quantitative dimensions are combined using extended Brown‐Gibson (EBG) model to measure the service performance. As an improvement process, fuzzy quality function deployment (FQFD) has been employed to redesign the existing services. A case study from automobile repair shops illustrates the usability of the model.

The developed model quantifies service performance and ensures the improvement of the service process. The proposed model takes into account the uncertainty that occurs while capturing the subjective assessment from customers and service engineers. The case study shows that the model can be used to gain service process understanding and identify significant factors for redesigning. Detailed results are presented.

The paper describes a novel method for service performance management. Fuzzy assessment of customers' feedback and service managers' feedback is much closer to human thinking than methods based on crisp numbers.