Yen‐Chun Jim Wu and Chia‐Wen Lin
The purpose of this study is to perform an international comparison of logistics/port operations with a main focus on India.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to perform an international comparison of logistics/port operations with a main focus on India.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from the transportation and freight service industry during 2000‐2005, this study first conducts revealed comparative advantage (RCA) analysis to investigate India's logistics competitiveness and then uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to analyze the efficiency of India's container port operations.
Findings
The study's findings suggest that in terms of India's logistics competitiveness, its freight industry is relatively competitive while its transportation industry is not. Overall, while the study indicates that India's largest container port (Jawaharlal Nehru) is not very efficient; the RCA analysis shows that India still has a relative comparative advantage over its industrialized counterparts except for Japan and France in the transportation service industry. Interestingly, the DEA results also indicate that the efficiency value of the container port in India is second only to the US port of Los Angeles among the ports examined in industrialized countries.
Research limitations/implications
RCA indicators are only able to examine past and present industry conditions based on export results, and do not provide a detailed explanation of the reasons for changes in levels of competitiveness. As for DEA analysis, this study focused only on land and equipment as input variables primarily because of a lack of data on worker efficiency. It is suggested that there is an urgent need for an overhaul of port equipment if India wants to accommodate the growing volume of imports and exports in the future.
Originality/value
This paper provides a first step toward gaining insights into India's current logistics/port competitiveness position in comparison with other emerging markets and advanced economies. This paper also contributes to providing a better understanding of the competitiveness of emerging economies (BRICs & Next 11), which are viewed as rising stars and have not yet been fully investigated in the existing literature. Several recommendations are also provided.
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Amy Yeo Chu May, Carmen Teoh Chia Wen and Jeffton Low Boon Tiong
This study seeks to find an interactive effect between ethical leadership (EL) and corporate governance (CG) variables and investigate whether they would affect employee…
Abstract
This study seeks to find an interactive effect between ethical leadership (EL) and corporate governance (CG) variables and investigate whether they would affect employee organizational citizenship behavior (EOCB) in a Malaysian organizational setting. The collected data from the 300 accounting/finance department employees were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Partial Least Square–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM; SmartPLS 3.0). Several primary results confirmed a coherent significant relationship between EL and ethical climate (EC), EL and EOCB, EL and CG, and CG and organizational success. Theoretically, it implies a more enhanced EOCB literature on how it can be infused in an organization. It also offers valuable knowledge by providing organizations with several insights concerning the improvement of EOCB, enabling the organization to achieve its desired success and, more importantly, how the findings could contribute directly and indirectly to emerging markets in terms of their industrial and financial performance.
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Heng‐Chiang Huang and Chia‐Wen Chang
Drawing on embeddedness theory, the purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive model that explains the incremental innovation process in the supplier‐manufacturer…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on embeddedness theory, the purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive model that explains the incremental innovation process in the supplier‐manufacturer relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilizing the partial least squared (PLS) technique, this study examines the incremental innovation process through the theoretical lens of the embeddedness perspective.
Findings
The overall picture emerging from this study indicates that establishing an embedded tie between a manufacturer and a primary supplier enables the creation of informal coordination mechanisms, including trust, joint problem‐solving, and commitment. These coordination mechanisms safeguard the transfer of knowledge and lead the partners to joint action. Such joint action provides an interactive forum for developing innovation capabilities that allow firms to enhance their incremental innovation performance.
Research limitations/implications
From an academic perspective, this study is the first to examine the innovation process theoretically through the embeddedness perspective.
Practical implications
The evidence reported here is consistent with the finding that relational embeddedness plays a strong role in predicting better incremental innovation. In addition to engaging in their own trial‐and‐error experimentation to develop innovation capabilities, firms learn about innovation capabilities vicariously through embedded ties with primary exchange partners.
Originality/value
In essence, these results provide valuable insights for managers who wish to draw on knowledge from external sources in their innovation activities. Whereas previous studies have shown how a firm's incremental innovation is influenced by its internal resources, this paper illustrates that relational embeddedness also represents an important source of incremental innovation.
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Chia-Wen Chang and Chiu-Ping Hsu
This study aims to provide a conceptual framework for exploring the relationship between online game product engagement and online brand community engagement and how these two…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide a conceptual framework for exploring the relationship between online game product engagement and online brand community engagement and how these two types of customer engagement affect subsequent offline benefit for customers and online and offline benefits for firms. This study also investigates the antecedents of online game product engagement from the virtual experience perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected data from online gamers in Taiwan. Of the 580 responses, 548 were valid. Smart PLS 3 was used to test the measurement model and the hypotheses in the research model.
Findings
The conceptual model is supported. First, the findings show that learning, entertainment, flow and social interaction play key roles in explaining online game product engagement. Second, online game product engagement has a positive effect on online brand community engagement. Finally, online game product engagement and online brand community engagement are crucial drivers of customers’ offline benefit and firms’ online and offline benefits.
Originality/value
Four contributions are made by this study. First, this study explores firms’ online benefit (virtual item purchase intention) and offline benefits, including licensed product and co-branded product purchase intention. Second, this study explores the customer’s offline benefit (offline skill development). Third, it focuses on two types of customer engagement, including online game product engagement and online brand community engagement, and explores the relationship between them. Finally, the concept of virtual experience is used to explore the antecedents of online game product engagement.
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Omar Ahmed, Golareh Jalilvand, Scott Pollard, Chukwudi Okoro and Tengfei Jiang
Glass is a promising interposer substrate for 2.5 D integration; yet detailed analysis of the interfacial reliability of through-glass vias (TGVs) has been lacking. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
Glass is a promising interposer substrate for 2.5 D integration; yet detailed analysis of the interfacial reliability of through-glass vias (TGVs) has been lacking. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the design and material factors responsible for the interfacial delamination in TGVs and identify methods to improve reliability.
Design/methodology/approach
The interfacial reliability of TGVs is studied both analytically and numerically. An analytical solution is presented to show the dependence of the energy release rate (ERR) for interfacial delamination on the via design and the thermal mismatch strain. Then, finite element analysis (FEA) is used to investigate the influence of detailed design and material factors, including the pitch distance, via aspect ratio, via geometry and the glass and via materials, on the susceptibility to interfacial delamination.
Findings
ERR for interfacial delamination is directly proportional to the via diameter and the thermal mismatch strain. Thinner wafers with smaller aspect ratios show larger ERRs. Changing the via geometry from a fully filled via to an annular via leads to lower ERR. FEA results also show that certain material combinations have lower thermal mismatch strains, thus less prone to delamination.
Practical implications
The results and approach presented in this paper can guide the design and development of more reliable 2.5 D glass interposers.
Originality/value
This paper represents the first attempt to comprehensively evaluate the impact of design and material selection on the interfacial reliability of TGVs.
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Muhammad Zia Ul Haq, Minhao Gu and Baofeng Huo
Despite the importance, no study exists which investigates the role of human resource (HR) in supply chain (SC) learning. This study aims to investigate the effects of…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the importance, no study exists which investigates the role of human resource (HR) in supply chain (SC) learning. This study aims to investigate the effects of high-performance human resource management (HRM) practices on different types of the SC learning (i.e. supplier, customer and internal learning) and innovation performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applies structural equation modeling to test the conceptual model based on data collected from 213 manufacturing firms in China.
Findings
The findings indicate that empowerment improves all three dimensions of SC learning, whereas training improves supplier and internal learning and teamwork is not related to any dimension of SC learning. These HRM practices also interactively influence SC learning dimensions. Moreover, customer and internal learning are directly related to innovation performance, while supplier leaning has a complementary effect with internal leaning but a substitutional effect with customer learning to innovation performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study only selects training, teamwork and empowerment to manifest high-performance HRM practices. The impacts of high-performance HRM practices on different dimensions of SC learning and innovation performance are tested empirically with cross sectional-data collected only from manufacturing firms in China.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that managers can promote SC learning through the empowerment and training of their employees. Moreover, managers should place more emphasis on customer and internal learning to improve innovation performance.
Originality/value
Combining HRM and supply chain management (SCM) fields, this study offers a new framework to understand linkages between high-performance HRM practices, SC learning and innovation performance by using an empirical method.