A new scenario confronts Australian chief executives. Many of their workforce may be migrants and, in addition, an increasing number of women have entered the labour market.
Abstract
A new scenario confronts Australian chief executives. Many of their workforce may be migrants and, in addition, an increasing number of women have entered the labour market.
Details
Keywords
Kevin Turner and Geoff Williams
In most countries the distribution system for new cars has remained unchanged for many years, with the main emphasis on supplying customers from stock held at dealers. Despite…
Abstract
Purpose
In most countries the distribution system for new cars has remained unchanged for many years, with the main emphasis on supplying customers from stock held at dealers. Despite high stocks, the performance of the supply chain has failed to meet customer expectations in terms of delivering the exact specification desired within an acceptable timescale. This paper investigates changes to the design of the supply chain which potentially offer significant improvements in performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A simulation of the supply of new cars, from ordering through the assembly plant and finished vehicle stocking to customer delivery, has been used to develop further understanding of the dynamic performance of the supply chain. The application of the simulation model is demonstrated through scenarios drawn from research into the UK car market.
Findings
The findings demonstrate the benefits of central stocking (storing new cars in distribution centres, rather than at dealers) for both manufactures and customers, supported by recent industry data.
Research limitations/implications
The results presented are based on a representative vehicle model manufactured and sold in the UK; a range of alternative scenarios and changes to the supply chain design can be investigated using the simulation model.
Practical implications
For the automotive industry, the research supports the introduction of central stocking, and demonstrates a methodology for assessing future changes to the supply chain.
Originality/value
The research extends the range of applications of simulation to investigating supply chain design, and demonstrates the feasibility of this approach in modelling complex supply chains.
Details
Keywords
Sander de Leeuw, Matthias Holweg and Geoff Williams
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of decentralised control on finished goods inventory levels in a distribution system, and to identify the factors that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of decentralised control on finished goods inventory levels in a distribution system, and to identify the factors that determine the overall inventory level.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors' study is based on a mixed method approach using both a survey and semi‐structured interviews to assess inventory management practices and firm performance.
Findings
It was found that the common assumptions that distribution outlets or dealers are homogenous and that their behaviour is uniform in response to central control, such as the manufacturer's strategy, do not hold in practice. In fact, the authors show that under conditions of decentralised control, the inventories held at outlet level vary greatly around the aggregate inventory at overall manufacturer level and in this sense bear little resemblance to it. Amongst other conclusions, these findings provide a possible explanation for previous studies' inconclusive evidence on inventory reduction.
Research limitations/implications
The authors' research is based on evidence from the automotive industry in the USA; future research may include a wider industry analysis and geographical scope.
Practical implications
The paper identifies how incentives and decision‐making structures at the outlet level need to be considered in order to derive decisions that are optimal at the supply chain level.
Originality/value
The paper extends the current literature on the determinants of inventory levels by using dealer‐level data, as opposed to manufacturer or firm‐level data in previous studies, thereby identifying possible causes for the previously inconclusive evidence on inventory levels in distribution systems.
Details
Keywords
Since the first Volume of this Bibliography there has been an explosion of literature in all the main areas of business. The researcher and librarian have to be able to uncover…
Abstract
Since the first Volume of this Bibliography there has been an explosion of literature in all the main areas of business. The researcher and librarian have to be able to uncover specific articles devoted to certain topics. This Bibliography is designed to help. Volume III, in addition to the annotated list of articles as the two previous volumes, contains further features to help the reader. Each entry within has been indexed according to the Fifth Edition of the SCIMP/SCAMP Thesaurus and thus provides a full subject index to facilitate rapid information retrieval. Each article has its own unique number and this is used in both the subject and author index. The first Volume of the Bibliography covered seven journals published by MCB University Press. This Volume now indexes 25 journals, indicating the greater depth, coverage and expansion of the subject areas concerned.
Details
Keywords
Samenthea Pheko, Geoff Bick and Claire Barnardo
The Toyota Hilux case has been designed to show the complexities associated with managerial decision-making in a highly competitive vehicle market in South Africa. The case…
Abstract
Subject area
The Toyota Hilux case has been designed to show the complexities associated with managerial decision-making in a highly competitive vehicle market in South Africa. The case centres on the challenges the Toyota Hilux faced in sustaining its market leadership position amid intense competition from its rivals and changing customer preferences.
Study level/applicability
The case is suited to marketing and strategy students who are eager to demonstrate their critical thinking and managerial decision-making skills as part of their Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive MBA academic programmes, and delegates on Executive Education programmes.
Case overview
The teaching case focuses on the Toyota Hilux brand and the various business dilemmas that Calvyn Williams, sales and marketing manager, and his team experience prior to the launch of the next Hilux: the fierce competition from other brands and the various marketing strategies used.
Expected learning outcomes
The objective of this teaching case is to afford students a “hands-on” understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced by market leaders in sustaining their dominance and selecting the most appropriate strategies for market leaders to adopt in extremely competitive environments such as the South African vehicle market.
Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Subject code
CSS 8: Marketing.
Details
Keywords
Paul Williams, Geoff Soutar, Nicholas Jeremy Ashill and Earl Naumann
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers of customer value, and their respective relationships with customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions, between two…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers of customer value, and their respective relationships with customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions, between two culturally distinct groups of adventure tourists.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a descriptive design and compared data from 301 Japanese and Western adventure tourists who experienced the same adventure tour. The respondents were split into two groups, and a path modeling approach was used to examine similarities and differences.
Findings
The results indicated that Japanese tourists attached more importance to emotional value and novelty value. Western tourists, however, attached relatively more importance to the utilitarian dimension of price value for money.
Practical implications
The main implication of this study is that tourism operators should account for differences in value perceptions between Japanese and Western tourists when planning tour operations, training tour guides, and managing tour itineraries. Operators should also consider customizing their tour products to fit the specific needs of these different cultural groups. This reinforces the adaptation argument when marketing tourism to international consumers.
Originality/value
This study highlights that different value drivers affect the satisfaction and behavioral intentions of Japanese tourists, relative to Western tourists. The need for adaptation of tourism products toward certain international tourists is thus necessary. The research also reinforces the importance of conceptualizing and measuring customer value as a multidimensional construct in an international adventure tourism context.
Details
Keywords
Asserts that to help convince everyone in the company that quality improvement is worthwhile, a way of linking the improvements with business results is required. Discusses the…
Abstract
Asserts that to help convince everyone in the company that quality improvement is worthwhile, a way of linking the improvements with business results is required. Discusses the waning of commitment which often follows the early days of a quality initiative. Contends motivation is improved if the costs of quality are identified and measured on a regular basis, and that it helps if improvement efforts are linked to the needs of business. Asserts that taking a quality approach to business can benefit the bottom‐line. Discusses business models and their use. Concludes it involves examining costs in minute detail, and tracking back the costs to each customer order.
Details
Keywords
Geoff Plimmer, Jane Bryson and Stephen T.T. Teo
The purpose of this paper is to explore how HIWS may shape organisational capabilities, in particular organisational ambidexterity (OA) – the ability to be both adaptable to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how HIWS may shape organisational capabilities, in particular organisational ambidexterity (OA) – the ability to be both adaptable to the wider world, and internally aligned so that existing resources are used well. Given the demands on public agencies to manage conflicting objectives, and to do more with less in increasingly complex environments, this paper improves our understanding of how HIWS can contribute to public sector performance. The paper sheds light inside the black box of the HIWS/organisational performance link.
Design/methodology/approach
This multi-level quantitative study is based on a survey of 2,123 supervisory staff, and 9,496 non-supervisory employees in 56 government organisations.
Findings
The study identifies two paths to organisational performance. The first is a direct HIWS performance link. The second is a double mediation model from HIWS to organisational systems, to OA and then performance.
Practical implications
A focus on developing HIWS provides an alternative means to public sector performance, than restructuring or other performative activities.
Originality/value
This is one of the few studies that explore how HIWS can develop collective as well as individual capabilities. Studies in the public sector are particularly rare.
Details
Keywords
Theresa Maureen Williams and Geoffrey Paul Smith
The purpose of this paper is to describe the impact of a trauma-informed care (TIC) training programme on practice at the individual and workplace level in mental health and drug…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the impact of a trauma-informed care (TIC) training programme on practice at the individual and workplace level in mental health and drug and alcohol services and to examine the implications of using training alone as a strategy for achieving system-level practice change.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 271 clinicians and managers from public mental health and drug and alcohol services in Western Australia who had undertaken TIC training were invited to complete an on-line survey 12 months after training. Individual survey items were based on a five-point Likert scale with opportunity being provided for additional comments from respondents.
Findings
One year post-training, both clinicians and managers reported that training had increased their awareness and knowledge and had a positive impact on their attitudes towards TIC. Clinicians reported a moderate impact on their individual practice and both groups reported very limited success in bringing about change in their workplaces. Workforce development and organisational factors were identified by both clinicians and managers as being barriers to implementation.
Research limitations/implications
Only 30 per cent of the training participants responded to the survey and it is not possible to determine whether they differed from non-respondents. Findings were based on a self-report survey with no objective measure of behaviour change.
Originality/value
This “naturalistic” study examines the longer-term impact of training, from the perspective of clinicians and managers, on changing practice at the individual clinician and workplace level. It highlights the critical importance of understanding and addressing contextual factors where collective, coordinated behaviour change is needed in order to effect organisational change.