Markus Gottwald, Frank Sowa and Ronald Staples
The purpose of this paper is to present a specific case of at-home ethnography, or insider research: The German Public Employment Service (BA) commissioned its own research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a specific case of at-home ethnography, or insider research: The German Public Employment Service (BA) commissioned its own research institute (Institute for Employment Research (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung)) to evaluate the daily implementation of its core management instruments (target management and controlling). The aim of the paper is to explain the challenges faced by the ethnographers and to reflect on them methodologically.
Design/methodology/approach
At-home ethnography/insider research.
Findings
In the paper, it is argued to what extent conducting at-home ethnography, or insider research, is like “Walking the Line” – to paraphrase Johnny Cash. When examining a management instrument that is highly contested on the micropolitical level, the researchers have to navigate their way through different interests with regard to advice and support, and become micropoliticians in their own interest at the same time in order to maintain scientific autonomy. The ethnographers are deeply enmeshed in the micropolitical dynamics of their field, which gives rise to the question of how they can distance themselves in this situation. To this effect, they develop the argument that distancing is not so much about seeing what is familiar in a new light, as is mostly suggested in the literature, than about alienating a familiar research environment in order to avoid a bureaucratically contingent othering. It is shown what constitutes a bureaucratically contingent othering and how it should be met by an othering of the bureaucracy. Conclusions are drawn from this with regard to the advice and support required for the bureaucracy and concerning the methods debate surrounding insider research in general.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the method debate with regard to at-home ethnography, or insider research, and particularly addresses organisational researchers and practitioners facing similar challenges when conducting ethnographic research in their own organisation.
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This paper is concerned with the concept of reflexive agency through the biography and memoirs of Georg Mayer, a Jewish businessman who immigrated to Turkey before 1945 and lived…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper is concerned with the concept of reflexive agency through the biography and memoirs of Georg Mayer, a Jewish businessman who immigrated to Turkey before 1945 and lived there for almost 40 years. This paper aims to explore reflexive agency using the concepts of structural conditions (socioeconomic background), contextual stimuli (activation of reflexivity) and individual perspectives at different points in life (main concerns, reflection on the past, projects and decision-making).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is developed using qualitative research methods, analyzing a variety of sources including books, papers, biographical materials and personal memoirs. Primary sources are three books written about him and Mayer Stores using the method of oral history. Moreover, Mayer’s memoirs, which provided rich information about his observations of people, acts and culture, were analyzed.
Findings
Several conclusions can be drawn. While there are typologies for reflexive agency, it is found that a person can fit into several modes at different times and/or at the same time. Another finding is that an individual’s social network is an important factor for his/her reflexive agency. When immigrating to another country with a contextual discontinuity and structural change, an established community and economic opportunities are important factors. A strong stimulus such as a life threat can be a force majeure and trigger for individuals to take risks, affecting their abilities of reflexivity.
Originality/value
This paper presents a unique case study that examines immigration from Western countries before 1945. This paper tries to provide detailed information about social context, including critical milestones, bring the concepts of culture, identity, migration and reflexivity together by analyzing an atypical business figure through his biography and personal memoirs, and use narrative analysis to explain how a reflexive person can act in contextual discontinuity, hence showing how structural, cultural and personal emergent properties can be understood together.
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Adult third culture kids (ATCK) have been identified as a potential source for global business because of their experience in expatriation and increased intercultural competence…
Abstract
Purpose
Adult third culture kids (ATCK) have been identified as a potential source for global business because of their experience in expatriation and increased intercultural competence. The purpose of this paper is to build on existing research focused on this population and to highlight crucial areas for further study to gain more comprehensive insight to their potential in working teams.
Design/methodology/approach
This viewpoint design reviews previous literature and research on ATCK and their potential for business expatriation and raises questions for areas of necessary further research to better understand their impact upon assignment.
Findings
There is strong support for ATCK suitability and inclination for expatriate assignment from previous literature. There is much unknown about their performance upon expatriation and a need for further research specific to ATCK performance in teams and organizations.
Originality/value
This study poses questions about translating ATCK experience into team performance; emphasizes the challenges in isolating one trait in personal development and the risks of conflating ATCK experience in professional capabilities.
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Thomas Gulledge and Georg Simon
This paper seeks to describe the evolution of SAP implementation methodologies and tools, in particular, Value SAP, with a focus on the Accelerated SAP (ASAP) implementation…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to describe the evolution of SAP implementation methodologies and tools, in particular, Value SAP, with a focus on the Accelerated SAP (ASAP) implementation methodology and its evolution as a part of SAP's new Solution Manager tool.
Design/methodology/approach
The general approach is more focused on monitoring and managing an ongoing SAP implementation project using an enterprise solution architecture. Three options are explored.
Findings
Finds that one option supports end‐to‐end business process management – other options can be managed, but with cost and risk.
Originality/value
This paper has reviewed the latest developments in SAP implementation methodologies from a management orientation. The issues in this paper are often taken for granted by researchers, so it is hoped that the focus on these issues will elevate interests in pursuing some of the unanswered questions.
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Thomas Gulledge, Rainer Sommer and Georg Simon
Further data are presented on the efficacy of our SAP process‐oriented research methodology, which focuses on analyzing collaboration across multiple overlapping SAP solutions…
Abstract
Further data are presented on the efficacy of our SAP process‐oriented research methodology, which focuses on analyzing collaboration across multiple overlapping SAP solutions. Looks at three SAP projects currently being implemented in the US Navy. The projects focus on aviation weapon system program management, aviation supply and maintenance, and naval maritime maintenance. Collaboration was complex and difficult to achieve, given the scope of the project but desirable if it was cost‐effective. The research hypothesis was that development and execution of a methodology for analyzing the gaps and overlaps across multiple SAP software instances to assess collaboration or convergence potential were possible. It was concluded that collaboration was not cost‐effective, and that the three projects should be merged into two SAP solutions (both solutions were version 4.6c of the R/3 software). Results did not provide a general approach for merging SAP projects, but an analytical approach that could be used to analyze convergence possibilities for stand‐alone SAP solutions is provided. It is not believed that a general approach is achievable. There are millions of configuration possibilities and many unique project characteristics. Hence the analytical approach is somewhat general but general convergence principles are beyond the scope of this research.
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Mohsen Ali Murshid, Zurina Mohaidin and Goh Yen Nee
The role of patient’s characteristics in the prescribing decision of physicians comprises two major constructs: drug request and expectations. The purpose of this paper was to…
Abstract
Purpose
The role of patient’s characteristics in the prescribing decision of physicians comprises two major constructs: drug request and expectations. The purpose of this paper was to examine the existing literature on patient characteristics and then explore the circumstances that reinforce the connection between patient characteristics (drug requests and expectations) and physician prescribing decision.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of the literature was carried out across online databases from 1994 to 2015, and 25 reviewed articles were identified. The influence of patient factors on physician prescribing decisions was identified in the articles. A conceptual model to investigate the patient characteristics that influence physicians’ prescribing decision was the developed.
Findings
There have been numerous studies on the effect of patient characteristics on physician prescription decision. Some studies discovered patient’s request for drug and expectations strongly influence physicians’ prescribing decision, whereas others found only minor or no relation. To resolve this ambiguity, there is a need to precisely understand how patient factors affect prescribing decisions of physicians, under different contexts and conditions. This review contends that contextual variables – drug characteristics, drug cost/benefits ratio and physician habit persistence – are determining factors in this debate.
Research limitations/implications
The study recommends further studies on the influence of each factor on physician prescribing behaviour and an evaluation of the proposed model and moderating variables.
Originality/value
This paper is the first significant step towards recognizing contextual variables that may moderate the relationship between a patient’s drug request and expectations and prescribing behaviour. This research contributes to resolving the debate on the ways patient factors affect prescribing behaviour.
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Thomas R. Gulledge, Phil Hayes, Alexander Lotterer and Georg Simon
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is engaged in a multi‐year transformation of logistics planning and execution, known as the Future Logistics Enterprise (FLE). It is currently…
Abstract
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is engaged in a multi‐year transformation of logistics planning and execution, known as the Future Logistics Enterprise (FLE). It is currently being defined in policy documents and an implementation plan known as the Future Logistics Architecture (FLA). The systems strategy for the FLE is still emerging, but it is anticipated that commercial standard software will play a significant role in the enablement of the new logistics business processes. A number of products are available for implementation, but this paper focuses on mySAP.com from SAP AG. We show the strategy for aligning the SAP reference hierarchy and the associated reference business process models with the FLA. The result of the mapping and associated analysis is an SAP reference model for the FLE, which can be used as a guide for the software vendor for future product development strategies. This paper reports on the development of the FLA, its alignment with mySAP.com and the development of the SAP reference model.
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Aswini Yadlapalli, Shams Rahman and Helen Rogers
The purpose of this paper is to identify and prioritise social responsible mechanisms in apparel supply chains to extend social responsibility from large retailers in developed…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and prioritise social responsible mechanisms in apparel supply chains to extend social responsibility from large retailers in developed countries to producers in developing nations.
Design/methodology/approach
A framework that consists of supplier qualification and supplier relational mechanisms as two socially responsible mechanisms, with five factors and 18 dimensions is proposed. To prioritise the dimensions, analytic hierarchy process is employed by using a case study methodology of a major Australian retailer sourcing from Bangladesh manufacturers.
Findings
Results indicate that at the mechanism level, both retailer and manufacturers perceive qualification of manufacturer as by far the most critical element compared to the relational mechanism. However, substantial differences exist at the factor level; namely, that the social factor is critical for the retailer, whereas the economic factor is critical for the manufacturer. Within the relational mechanism, evaluation helps retailers to enforce social responsibility, while manufacturers believe collaboration helps.
Research limitations/implications
The major limitation of this study is the generalisation of the findings. The results obtained by focusing on a particular context in the Australian retail sector importing from Bangladesh, may not be applicable to other nations.
Practical implications
By highlighting the difference of opinion, this study assists managers in developing guidelines to better understand the socially responsible mechanisms in the retailer-manufacturer dyadic relationship and to propose strategies to address the differences.
Originality/value
This study advances the literature on inter-organisational relationship to retailer-manufacturer dyad for the implementation of social responsibility by including supplier qualification along with supplier relational mechanism.