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1 – 10 of 20Chia-Nan Wang, Tran Thi Bich Chau Vo, Hsien-Pin Hsu, Yu-Chi Chung, Nhut Tien Nguyen and Nhat-Luong Nhieu
Business Process Reengineering (BPR) eliminates non-value-added (NVA) and essential non-value-added (ENVA) waste through radical process redesign to improve organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
Business Process Reengineering (BPR) eliminates non-value-added (NVA) and essential non-value-added (ENVA) waste through radical process redesign to improve organizational operations. Comprehensive research integrating BPR tools is needed to understand their benefits for manufacturing firms. This research presents an integrated BPR-simulation framework tailored to the manufacturing sector to maximize process improvements and operational excellence.
Design/methodology/approach
The BPR design methodology adopts a systematic, multi-stage approach. The first phase involves identifying a specific improvement process aligned with BPR's core objectives. This phase analyses and redesigns workflows to optimize task sequences, roles, and stakeholder interactions while eliminating redundancies and inefficiencies via Workflow Process Reengineering. Visual process mapping tools, including VSM and simulation, pinpoint areas of waste, delay, and potential enhancement. The second phase follows the workflow analysis and aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness by redefining roles, rearranging tasks, and integrating automation and technology solutions. The redesigned process undergoes evaluation against key performance indicators to ensure measurable improvements are achieved. The final phase validates the proposed changes through simulation models, assesses the impact on key performance metrics, and establishes the necessary infrastructure for successful implementation. The proposed model is empirically validated through a case study of a leading apparel company in Vietnam, confirming its effectiveness.
Findings
The findings reveal that NVA activities are being eliminated, and ENVA activities in key departments are significantly reduced. This yielded a substantial improvement, reducing 25 out of 186 combined ENVA and NVA operations in the sewing facility, involving a decrease of 15 ENVA operations and the removal of 10 NVA operations. Consequently, this led to an 8.5% reduction in the proportion of ENVA operations, accompanied by a complete 100% elimination of NVA activities.
Research limitations/implications
The single case study limits generalizability; thus, expanded implementation across diverse manufacturing sub-sectors is required to establish validity and broader applicability of the integrated framework.
Originality/value
The experimental results highlight the proposed model's effectiveness in optimizing resource utilization and its practical implementation potential. This structured BPR methodology enables organizations to validate, evaluate, and establish proposed process changes to enhance operational performance and productivity.
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Chia-Sui Wang, Yu-Lin Jeng and Yong-Ming Huang
The purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of teachers’ continuance intention concerning cloud services.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of teachers’ continuance intention concerning cloud services.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a cloud service, namely, Google Sites, to support teacher collaboration and further develop a research model to explore the determinants of their continued usage intention.
Findings
The findings reveal that continued intention to use the cloud services is primarily determined by their attitude towards using it; attitude towards using is affected by perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness; and perceived ease of use is influenced by facilitating conditions, while perceived usefulness is influenced by social influence.
Practical implications
This study determines that teachers intend to continue using cloud services once training in using such services has been provided and if they hear favourable opinions from others.
Originality/value
The paper enables us to better understand factors affecting teachers' continuance intention toward cloud services.
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Jen Chun Wang, Yi-Chieh Wang and Yang-Fei Tai
The purpose of this paper is to study the components and service standards of delightful service by conducting a comprehensive literature review and applying the Delphi survey…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the components and service standards of delightful service by conducting a comprehensive literature review and applying the Delphi survey method.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a three-round Delphi survey to consolidate the experience of 11 experts in implementing delightful service. To ensure the recruitment of experts who were knowledgeable in delightful service delivery, the panellists were chosen from service- and hospitality-related industries; the respondents were hotel managers, senior frontline service personnel and academic educators who were knowledgeable in both the service industry and service innovation.
Findings
By integrating professional experiences from both academics and hotel practitioners, we conclude that hotel facilities and amenities, environment and ambiance design and service personnel’s service delivery practices are essential elements for creating a unique and unforgettable consumer experience. Distinctive hotel facilities and ambiance provide a unique experience, which can leave memorable impressions on customers. Being able to detect customers’ emotional conditions and hidden needs through attentive and proactive service practice and providing attentive and customized service are pivotal for service personnel. Advanced service performance enables attending to customers’ personal well-being and caring for their unique needs effectively. The proposed standard for service provision exceeds customer expectations.
Research limitations/implications
First, the number of panellists was low, limiting the generalizability of the results. Future studies should increase the number of panellists. Second, this study focused only on the hotel industry in Taiwan. The results may not be generalizable to other hospitality industries or other countries. Future studies can duplicate this study in other hospitality industries and in other countries to broaden the understating of the elements and service standards of delightful service.
Practical implications
The results of this study provide a practical guideline for implementing delightful service. Hotel practitioners are advised to increase the degree of refinement, variety and attentiveness of their facilities and amenities; use sensory elements in their hotel environment and ambiance design; and advance staff members’ service skills to be more proactive, attentive, empathetic and customer-oriented. Carefully designing the core product and advancing the service delivery style can provide hotel guests with an exceptional and unique lodging experience, thus achieving delight.
Originality/value
This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of delightful service.
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Yi-Wen Liao, Yi-Shun Wang and Ching-Hsuan Yeh
The purpose of this paper is to understand what drives customers’ behavioral loyalty and explore the relationship between intentional and behavioral loyalty in the context of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand what drives customers’ behavioral loyalty and explore the relationship between intentional and behavioral loyalty in the context of e-tailing.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the theory of reasoned action and the recency-frequency-monetary value model, this study proposes a research model to explore the relationships among satisfaction, switching cost, intentional loyalty (i.e. word of mouth (WOM) and repurchase intention), and behavioral loyalty (i.e. purchase frequency and monetary value). Data collected from 266 respondents in the context of e-tailing are tested against the research model using a partial least squares (PLS) approach.
Findings
The results indicate that both satisfaction and switching cost are positively related to intentional loyalty (i.e. WOM and repurchase intention), and that the relationship of satisfaction with intentional loyalty outweighs that of switching cost. Additionally, while repurchase intention significantly associates with purchase frequency and monetary value, a relatively small portion of the variance in both purchase frequency and monetary value are explained. More importantly, WOM is unrelated to both purchase frequency and monetary value. The insignificance of WOM and the low predictability of repurchase intention indicate that the relationship between intentional and behavioral loyalty is weak in e-tailing context.
Originality/value
This study provided empirical evidence to support the weak relationship between intentional and behavioral customer loyalty in the context of e-tailing. The findings provide several important theoretical and practical implications for e-tailing customer relationship management.
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Ching-Ching Luo, Yi-Chieh Wang and Yang-Fei Tai
The purpose of this paper is to examine the essential abilities service employees need to deliver an exceptional service that delights customers and to identify effective methods…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the essential abilities service employees need to deliver an exceptional service that delights customers and to identify effective methods to train exceptional service employees.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted in-depth interviews with seven senior butlers and three human resource managers from four of the most renowned five-star hotels in Taiwan. Interviews with the two groups of participants provided good triangulation and allowed us to gain different perspectives and to obtain a more holistic understanding of the research topic.
Findings
This study systematically organized the essential abilities required to deliver delightful service into three hierarchical levels: professionalism, the ability to respond to customers’ emotions and hidden needs and build bonds with them, and the ability to deliver one-stop service. The authors propose that the most effective training method is to develop a customer-oriented service climate. Such an environment will enable service employees to be naturally molded into exceptional service personnel. Several training methods are identified to build a customer-oriented service environment within a company.
Research limitations/implications
This study focused on the staff of five-star hotels. The proposed service standards and abilities may only be applicable to high-end service providers. Furthermore, this study used only a qualitative research method (in-depth interviews) to develop a preliminary training model to foster outstanding service employees. This model can be further verified using a quantitative method and a larger number of participants in a future study.
Originality/value
This research provides contributions to the literature on delightful service and human resources management.
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Yi‐Chieh Wang and Rian Beise‐Zee
The purpose of this paper is to study the service responses of service providers to the affective states of business clients and to test whether they have a positive effect on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the service responses of service providers to the affective states of business clients and to test whether they have a positive effect on the client's job performance, as well as their satisfaction and bonding to the service provider.
Design/methodology/approach
The results are based on a survey of 240 business travellers in Taiwan. Ordinary least square regression is applied to test the relationships.
Findings
Statistical tests confirm that service responses to emotional states have a positive effect on customer satisfaction, job performance and bonding. While service responses aimed at easing customers’ emotional problems increase satisfaction and job performance, true bonding is only facilitated through service responses that are centred on affection and social‐emotional support.
Research limitations/implications
The authors investigate the personal service encounter with business customers who are using the service to perform a task. The findings are applicable to services that deal with customers in a similar way.
Practical implications
The paper shows that appropriate service responses to emotional states of customers, including business customers, can lead to higher satisfaction and bonding to the service provider. Service responses enable business customers to perform better.
Originality/value
The authors apply the concept of pre‐consumption emotions of customers to business clients. While pre‐consumption emotional states of customers have been studied much less that the elicitation of customer emotions, in the business‐to‐business sector emotions are seldom addressed. However, the study demonstrates that emotions are an important input factor that clients bring into the service encounter, which service providers can deal with to their competitive advantage.
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Hui-Chun Chang, Yung-Kai Lin, Chia-Hua Liang, Hsin-Wei Huang, Yung-Hao Lin, Yung-Hsiang Lin, Wei-Chun Hu and Chi Fu Chiang
Population aging was a global trend, and the most obvious thing after aging was the change in skin appearance. Therefore, the active ingredients that delay skin aging were…
Abstract
Purpose
Population aging was a global trend, and the most obvious thing after aging was the change in skin appearance. Therefore, the active ingredients that delay skin aging were particularly noticed. Past studies had pointed out that Chinese herbal extracts can improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles and melanin precipitation. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether combining hydrolyzed collagen with Chinese herbal extracts can improve skin conditions and achieve anti-inflammatory effects.
Design/methodology/approach
Fifty subjects were randomly divided into collagen or placebo groups, and one bottle of collagen or placebo drink was used every day for four weeks, after which skin and inflammatory factors were tested.
Findings
In comparison with the baseline results, the skin parameters were improving after four-week intervention. In addition, the IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a were significantly decreased and tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) was increased after four-week hydrolyzed collagen intervention.
Originality/value
This study showed that hydrolyzed collagen combined with Chinese herbal extracts can improve the condition of the skin, and can also reduce inflammatory associated factors, thereby achieving anti-aging effects.
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Keywords
This study aims to explore the high turnover intention issue in Taiwan’s tourist hotel industry. Due to a lack of empirical research regarding front-line employees’ psychological…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the high turnover intention issue in Taiwan’s tourist hotel industry. Due to a lack of empirical research regarding front-line employees’ psychological contract breach perceptions in tourism literature, this study develops an integrated model to examine the causal relationship among transformational leadership behaviors, leader–member exchange (LMX), psychological contract breach and turnover intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from the 226 frontline employees in Taiwan’s tourist hotel industry were employed to examine the proposed hypotheses by using a series of structural equation modeling analyses.
Findings
Statistic results revealed that transformational leadership behaviors influence LMX and LMX in turn influences psychological contract breach, which consequently leads to lower turnover intention.
Practical implication
The results of this study suggest that hospitality organizations should recruit individuals who have the potential to exhibit transformational leadership skills, along with designing leadership training programs for middle- and high-level managers.
Originality/value
This study provides hospitality organization leaders with the necessary information to formulate a beneficial relationship with their front-line employees, which, in turn, weakens their perception of psychological contract breaches and reduces their willingness to leave the organization.
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Chiao‐Chen Chang, Chia‐Yen Lin, Yu‐Chin Chen and Yang‐Chieh Chin
The purpose of this paper is to examine and predict users' information‐seeking intention regarding academic digital library services, using the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine and predict users' information‐seeking intention regarding academic digital library services, using the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB).
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected from 224 Taiwanese undergraduate and graduate students to assess the influence of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on the intention to seek information in an academic digital library. The results of structural equation model‐fitting analyses show that the TPB is better than the TRA in predicting the information‐seeking intention in an academic digital library.
Findings
Specially, the empirical results indicated that perceived behavioral control is a better predictor of behavioral intention than is attitude or subjective norm.
Research limitations/implications
This paper assessed self‐reported information‐seeking intention as part of the survey and, as a result, could have introduced inaccuracies.
Practical implications
The findings of the paper will help academic digital libraries to address the key factor which influences users' intention to seek information and to intensify their performance to meet user needs.
Originality/value
Although the nature of the user experience in the digital environment appears to be quite different from the experience of looking through archival boxes or folders, research on the use of academic digital library services is scarce – particularly regarding user intention in the process of seeking information. The TRA and TPB are novel and usable in explaining the intention of online users to seek information, and these findings may be generally applicable to academic digital libraries and users.
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Chun-Chi Peng, Kuei-Shu Hsu, Ming-Guo Her, Yen-Chia Peng, Jinn-Feng Jiang and Yi-Jie Chen
The purpose of this paper is to develop an early fire-alarm raising system based on video processing, and combine it with the omnidirectional projecting system. It not only gives…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop an early fire-alarm raising system based on video processing, and combine it with the omnidirectional projecting system. It not only gives alarm immediately in early fire so that people can be able to strive for more time to escape from the spot, but also solves problem of discontinued screen which was presented fire scene.
Design/methodology/approach
The smoke detection system is made by image processing. The flowchart of smoke detection is improved, which the method of background updating can filter out the moving objects that only stay for a short time in the image; and avoids these objects being determined to be the background. Moreover, the authors extract the flickering area to separate the non-smoke and smoke from the candidate of smoke regions. Finally, the image processing is applied in omnidirectional projecting system, then presented the 360-degree fire scene.
Findings
The results show that the smoke detection system can accurately detect the smoke and mark its location, then combining it with the omnidirectional projecting system, although the resolution of omnidirectional projecting system is not enough, it can present a continued screen and location of smoke on the 360-degree cylindrical screen.
Originality/value
This paper develops the smoke detection based on a improved method of image processing, and the control center staff can see the 360-degree fire scene via omnidirectional projecting system, so shorten the time to find the source of smoke.
Details