Garland Chow, Trevor D. Heaver and Lennart E. Henriksson
Concerns the definition and measurement of performance in logisticsresearch. A review of the literature reveals a variety of constraintswhich make it difficult to draw broad…
Abstract
Concerns the definition and measurement of performance in logistics research. A review of the literature reveals a variety of constraints which make it difficult to draw broad inferences from the literature about the relationship between a given logistics strategy and performance. Discusses low logistics performance has been and could be conceptualized, operationally defined, measured and utilized. The limitations of alternative research designs and performance measures are revealed. Recommendations are made to improve the quality of future research.
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Chris Dubelaar, Garland Chow and Paul D. Larson
Effective inventory management is critical to retailing success. Surprisingly, there is little published empirical research examining relationships between retail inventory, sales…
Abstract
Effective inventory management is critical to retailing success. Surprisingly, there is little published empirical research examining relationships between retail inventory, sales and customer service. Based on a survey of 101 chain store units, this paper develops and tests a series of hypotheses about retail inventory. Seventy‐five percent of the store owners/managers responded to the mail survey. As expected, significant positive relationships were found between inventory, service and sales. Specifically, support was found for the theory that inventory is a function of the square root of sales. Also, greater product variety leads to higher inventory, and service level is an exponential function of inventory. Finally, demand uncertainty was found to have no apparent effect on inventory levels.
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This study empirically explores one of the important channel issues – the relationship between various channel support given to channel partners and the perceived (by managers…
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This study empirically explores one of the important channel issues – the relationship between various channel support given to channel partners and the perceived (by managers) goal‐orientation of a firm. Results from an emerging market, India, indicate that perceived orientation towards both profitability and market share is not associated with any of the channel support considered. Growth orientation however is strongly associated with most of the channel support activities – both business (e.g., business advice, pricing and ordering assistance, and personnel training) as well as marketing (advertising support, sales promotional material, and inventory management assistance) oriented activities. In contrast, perceived sales volume orientation is only associated with advertising support and business advice, however, the relationship is negative. These findings have interesting implications for channel management and channel motivation.
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Presents a series of articles on each of the following topics: digital strategy in the next millennium (Digital strategy – a model for the millennium; Searching for the next…
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Presents a series of articles on each of the following topics: digital strategy in the next millennium (Digital strategy – a model for the millennium; Searching for the next competitive edge; The technology link; Value web management opportunities; clash of the Titans: communications companies battle for new ground; and a guide through the maze); retailing and distribution in the digital era (The business case for electronic commerce; superdistribution spells major changes; VF Corp. sews up software operation; IBM seeks to harness digital revolution; Egghead’s bold move to a Web‐based strategy; achieving successful Internet banking; and enterprising uses for IT); and the changing shape of the aviation industry (boom times ahead for air cargo; United Airlines flies high through employee ownership; Asian practices to West at Cathay Pacific; and Ryannair strips to the bone).
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Explores the segmentation by service marketers of the consumermarket on the basis of service quality expectations. Measures consumerexpectations and various quality dimensions for…
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Explores the segmentation by service marketers of the consumer market on the basis of service quality expectations. Measures consumer expectations and various quality dimensions for three commonly purchased professional and three non‐professional services. Evaluates the effect of various consumers′ demographic characteristics on service quality expectations. Concludes with a discussion of research and managerial implications.
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C. Janie Chang, Joanna L.Y. Ho and Anne Wu
This paper aims to examine resource allocation behaviors of US and Taiwanese managers to help multinational firms understand the potential for divergence in resource allocations…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine resource allocation behaviors of US and Taiwanese managers to help multinational firms understand the potential for divergence in resource allocations under different contextual conditions by managers from different national cultures.
Design/methodology/approach
The experimental design was developed as a 2 (national culture) × 2 (degree of project completion) × 2 (nature of market information) factorial design. The first two were between-subject factors. Because we would investigate subjects’ responses to both favorable and unfavorable conditions, the nature of market information was designed as a within-subject factor. Also, to avoid an order effect, half of the subjects first received favorable information and then unfavorable information, and the other half received the market information in the opposite order. Questionnaires were distributed randomly to subjects.
Findings
The results show that Taiwanese managers are less willing than US managers to continue a project in the presence of favorable information, but that both groups are equally willing to continue the project when receiving unfavorable information. Furthermore, Taiwanese managers allocate more funds than US managers do when the project is near completion. The authors use uncertainty avoidance and individualism to explain the different judgment and decision behaviors of these two cultural groups.
Research Limitations/implications
In this study, the authors examine only two contextual factors in resource allocation contexts. There are other important contextual factors associated with national culture that should be scrutinized, such as risks involved in each project, incentive plans related to performance evaluation and information asymmetry between central managers and division managers. It would be interesting for future studies to examine these factors in conjunction with different dimensions of national culture.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical evidence of the impact of different aspects of national culture (i.e. uncertainty avoidance and collectivism/individualism) on managerial resource allocation in light of different degrees of project completion and different types of market information. The results of our experiment add to both practice and theory of management. The findings of this study help top-level managers better understand the effects of national culture on division managers’ resource allocations. Hence, it may be possible to design incentive schemes and decision aids to mitigate the divergence in judgments and decision-making that can be attributed to cultural differences. This study also contributes to the management literature by extending our knowledge of complex managerial resource allocation decisions by incorporating the role of national culture with contextual factors.
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Peni Fukofuka, Neil Fargher and Zhe Wang
This purpose of this study is to further the study of escalation of commitment by considering the supportive role of accountants in providing reports that favour continuation of…
Abstract
Purpose
This purpose of this study is to further the study of escalation of commitment by considering the supportive role of accountants in providing reports that favour continuation of unprofitable projects and whether this role is influenced by culture. Research on the escalation of commitment suggests that the decision to commit resources to a failing project is due to several factors that include sunk costs, personal responsibility and culture.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a between-subjects design to examine accountants’ willingness to provide a report that facilitates continuation of an unprofitable project. The manipulated independent variables are sunk cost (present or absent), the level of reporting responsibility (high or low) and culture (Pacific Islands or Australia).
Findings
Our results show that the presence of sunk cost is a motivation for accountants to provide reports that favour continuation of an unprofitable project. The results on cultural difference are also consistent with the contention that culture is influential in decision-making with respect to providing reports that favour continuation of an unprofitable project. We do not, however, find evidence consistent with a personal responsibility affect using the manipulation defined in this study.
Research limitations/implications
Consistent with this type of research, the results must be interpreted with respect to the specific design choices used in the experiment.
Practical implications
Continued research is needed to examine the impact of sunk costs and specific attributes of culture, such as the willingness to follow superiors, on the escalation of commitment to unprofitable projects. The mitigation of such effects through education of accountants to provide reports that do not favour continuation of unprofitable projects would, for example, be of interest to aid agencies and others investing in projects in developing economies in particular.
Originality/value
While previous research generally examines the decision-making role of managers in escalation of commitment to unprofitable projects, this study examines the supportive role that accountants play in facilitating managers’ escalation decisions. This issue is studied within a context examining the potential cultural impact of respect for authority.
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Dennis Fehrenbacher, Peter Gordon Roetzel and Burkhard Pedell
Cultural studies in business and economics research are still limited to particular cultures. Knowledge on cultural differences may help international corporations to adapt…
Abstract
Purpose
Cultural studies in business and economics research are still limited to particular cultures. Knowledge on cultural differences may help international corporations to adapt management practices according to the markets they are operating in. The purpose of this paper is to study the issue of escalation of commitment and framing in a new cultural setting involving Germany and Vietnam. This setting is unique and particularly interesting, for Germany being the biggest European market and Vietnam being one of the fastest growing emerging markets in Asia.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a lab experiment with student participants from Germany and Vietnam.
Findings
In a 2×2 in between-experiment, the authors find strong support that Vietnamese participants have a stronger tendency to invest additional resources and evidence that negatively framed information leads to the higher escalation of commitment. Implications are discussed.
Originality/value
The unique empirical comparison is important because differences between other western and eastern countries do not necessarily generalize to the setting.
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Randy Kurniawan, Dyah Budiastuti, Mohammad Hamsal and Wibowo Kosasih
This study aims to examine the impact of balanced agile project management (balanced APM) on firm performance through the mediating role of market orientation and strategic…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of balanced agile project management (balanced APM) on firm performance through the mediating role of market orientation and strategic agility of medium and large telecommunication technology providers in Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
Research data was collected from the executive management of telecommunication technology providers in Indonesia via a questionnaire survey to obtain 150 valid questionnaires for analysis. This study analyzed the overall model fit through confirmatory factor analysis and causal relationships through structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results indicate that market orientation mediates the link between balanced APM and strategic agility and that strategic agility mediates the link between market orientation and firm performance.
Research limitations/implications
The choice of single telecommunication industry in a single country, Indonesia, provides a limitation on external validity. It is, therefore, suggested to extend the research efforts to other industry sectors in multi-country environments.
Originality/value
This study extends the knowledge about agile project management by embracing balancing control enforcement and tests it empirically. This study also re-conceptualizes strategic agility to embrace business partner switching capability and market orientation to embrace the inter-partner coordination dimension. Finally, the results highlight that agile project management needs to be framed by market orientation to create higher value for customers. However, market orientation alone is not enough and that the organization requires strategic agility to achieve firm performance.