Denise Rodríguez, Hendrik Van Landeghem, Virginia Lasio and Dirk Buyens
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the situational and dispositional determinants of job satisfaction in environments created by implementing employee-supportive lean.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the situational and dispositional determinants of job satisfaction in environments created by implementing employee-supportive lean.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses a questionnaire to measure the determinants of job satisfaction (perceived job demands, perceived job autonomy and core self-evaluations) and job satisfaction. Afterwards, the paper proposes a conceptual framework and uses hierarchical multiple regression to test the relationships among perceived job demands, perceived job autonomy, core self-evaluations and job satisfaction. Additionally, the study describes the implementation of employee-supportive lean in four small companies using an action research approach.
Findings
The findings reveal that perceived job demands has a negative impact on job satisfaction. In addition, the authors find that perceived job autonomy and core self-evaluations have a positive impact on job satisfaction. Finally, the results show that core self-evaluations buffer the impact of perceived job demands on job satisfaction.
Originality/value
The present research underscores the importance of work and personal characteristics for employees’ job satisfaction in an environment created by implementing employee-supportive lean.
Details
Keywords
Jan Devos, Hendrik Van Landeghem and Dirk Deschoolmeester
The purpose of this paper is to critically rethink the concepts and the theoretical foundations of IT governance in small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically rethink the concepts and the theoretical foundations of IT governance in small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on multiple case studies. In total, eight cases of outsourced information system projects where failures occurred were selected. An outsourced information system failure (OISF) is suggested as a failure of governance of the IT in a SME environment. A structure for stating propositions derived from two competing theories is proposed (Agency Theory and Theory of Trust).
Findings
The results reveal that trust is slightly more important than control issues such as output‐based contracts and structured controls in the governance of IT in SMEs.
Practical implications
The world of SMEs is significantly different from that of large companies, and therefore, the concept of IT governance in SMEs needs reconsideration. For researchers and practitioners, it would be more meaningful to focus on actual, working SMEs instead of on a version of their activities derived from those of large companies.
Originality/value
The paper offers two contributions. First, it elaborates the limited research on IT in SMEs and second, it brings theoretical foundations for their IT governance. The value of IT governance in SMEs is explained.
Details
Keywords
Veronique Limère, Hendrik Van Landeghem and Marc Goetschalckx
The purpose of this paper is to propose a decision model to choose between kitting and line stocking at the level of single parts, while taking into account the variable operator…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a decision model to choose between kitting and line stocking at the level of single parts, while taking into account the variable operator walking distances. Different ways of feeding assembly lines, such as kitting and line stocking not only have an impact on in-plant logistics flows but also determine the amount of stock that is available at the line. This, in turn, has an impact on operator walking distances during assembly.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed integer linear programming model is developed for the assignment of parts to one of both methods, and to be able to extensively test the model, an algorithm is created for the construction of representative datasets.
Findings
Parts are often kitted because of a space constraint at the line, but even without a space constraint, the shorter walking distances might give preference to kitting. An analysis is presented that demonstrates how specific part characteristics influence the chances of a part being kitted.
Research limitations/implications
Our research model can be extended to include, e.g., the study of alternative in-plant logistic designs and the outsourcing of kitting to a third-party logistics provider (3PL) or to the suppliers.
Practical implications
The objective assignment model and the insights obtained from it are valuable for logistics and production engineers that otherwise have to rely solely on intuition. In situations with thousands of components, intuition mostly falls far short.
Originality/value
First, existing models do not consider variable walking distances, which are shown to have a crucial impact on the decision. Second, the data instances created allow for a systematic comparison of future research in the field.