Alfonso J. Gil, Mara Mataveli and Jorge L. Garcia-Alcaraz
The transfer of training has been identified with the effectiveness of training. The purpose of this work is to analyse the impact of training stages (training needs analysis…
Abstract
Purpose
The transfer of training has been identified with the effectiveness of training. The purpose of this work is to analyse the impact of training stages (training needs analysis, application and evaluation) as they relate to training transfer.
Design/methodology/approach
The study participants correspond to a sample of 116 teachers with managerial responsibilities (management teams and department heads) from 17 secondary schools in Spain. This work hypothesises five significant relationships: needs analysis and application of training, application and transfer of training, evaluation and analysis of training needs, evaluation and application of training and evaluation and transfer of training. The hypotheses were tested using structural equations, namely, the partial least squares–structural equation modelling technique and SmartPLS version 3.2.9.
Findings
The relationships between application and transfer of training, between evaluation of training and needs analysis, application and transfer of training are positively contrasted. The relationship between the analysis and application of training is not contrasted.
Originality/value
This work analyses the relationship between the training process’s different phases (analysis, application and evaluation) in the training output (training transfer) and emphasises the role of evaluation in the training process.
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Diego Tlapa, Jorge Limon, Jorge L García-Alcaraz, Yolanda Baez and Cuauhtémoc Sánchez
The purpose of this paper is to extend the understanding of Six Sigma (SS) and the underlying dimensions of its critical success factors (CSF) via an analysis of the effects of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to extend the understanding of Six Sigma (SS) and the underlying dimensions of its critical success factors (CSF) via an analysis of the effects of top management support (TMS), implementation strategy (IS), and collaborative team (CT) on project performance (PP) in Mexican manufacturing companies.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a SS literature review, a survey was conducted to capture practitioners’ viewpoints about CSFs for SS implementation and their impact on performance in manufacturing companies. A factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted in order to identify and analyze causal relationships.
Findings
The results suggest that CSFs grouped in the constructs TMS, IS, and CT have a positive impact on PP as measured by cost reduction, variation reduction, and quality improvement.
Research limitations/implications
Although the empirical data collected supported the proposed model, results might differ among organizations in different countries. In addition, the study did not analyze a unique performance metric; instead, general PP dimensions were used.
Practical implications
Boosting the TMS, IS, and CT enhances positive PP of SS in manufacturing companies.
Originality/value
IS as a construct has not been studied exhaustively; this work contributes to a better understanding of it and its impact on PP. Additionally, studies of SS in Latin America are limited, so this study gives a complementary vision to practitioners and researchers about it.
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Alfonso J. Gil, Jorge L. Garcia-Alcaraz and Mara Mataveli
– The purpose of this paper is to describe the role of training demand in the organisational changes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the role of training demand in the organisational changes.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the demand of training courses in the Rioja wine sector in Spain and its relation with the changes in the sector carried out in recent years. Through a questionnaire, wineries’ managers asked about the training demand in the sector and change processes. It is proposed, first, the relationship between the demand for training and changes made by companies of Rioja wine in entering new markets and innovation in products and, second, that these changes explain the demand of training in marketing and oenology topics. To confirm the hypotheses, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed.
Findings
It was found that the relationship between the demand for training and the processes of change, and that the change processes in companies of Rioja wine sector originate a specific demand for training.
Practical implications
The paper provides a review of the importance of training in changes processes of companies. A critical factor in the change process is the development of workers competencies to cope with the changes in the organisation, but it is also important to develop a culture of change in the organisation.
Originality/value
This paper provides empirical evidence of the relationship between organisational changes and training demands in a key sector from the Rioja Community in Spain.
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José Roberto Díaz-Reza, Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz, Alfonso Jesus Gil-López, Julio Blanco-Fernández and Emilio Jimenez-Macias
The purpose of this paper is to measure the relationships between advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) categories (stand-alone, intermediated and integrated systems…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to measure the relationships between advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) categories (stand-alone, intermediated and integrated systems) implementation and design, process and commercial benefits obtained.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey is designed with benefits gained from AMT implementation as well as its categories, which is applied to the maquiladora industry. A structural equation model with data from 383 responses is used to measure the relationship between AMT categories and benefits gained using nine hypotheses that are tested statistically significant using partial least squares. Also, using conditional probabilities, a sensitivity analysis reports how low and high levels from AMT implementation influence on the obtained benefits.
Findings
Integrated systems are the most important AMT for maquiladoras and have the strongest impact on design, processes and commercial benefits.
Research limitations/implications
Data obtained support the model, but results may be different in another industrial sector and countries with different labor culture and technological level.
Practical implications
Managers in maquiladora industry must focus their attention on integrated manufacturing systems, because high implementation levels guarantee the biggest probability to gain benefits in design, production process and commercial.
Originality/value
The relationship between AMT and their benefits has not been measured in depth, and this paper contributes to understand that problem. In addition, this paper is the first to report a sensitivity analysis that enables managers to acknowledge the probability of obtaining certain benefits.
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Monserrat Perez-Burgoin, Yolanda Baez-Lopez, Jorge Limon-Romero, Diego Tlapa and Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz
The objective of this article is to identify the relationships between the enablers in the implementation of Green Lean Six Sigma (GLSS) in the Mexican manufacturing industry…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this article is to identify the relationships between the enablers in the implementation of Green Lean Six Sigma (GLSS) in the Mexican manufacturing industry (MMI).
Design/methodology/approach
To create the survey instrument, the authors did an extensive literature research, which they then applied in the MMI to find the relationships between enablers and their impact on the positive effects of implementing GLSS projects. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA), the data were empirically and statistically corroborated. Furthermore, the authors validated the hypotheses that support the research using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach in SPSS Amos.
Findings
The findings reveal that leadership has a positive impact on social and economic benefits (EcB), as well as an indirect impact on the environmental benefits (EB) of GLSS projects, with organizational involvement (OI) and performance measurement (PM) functioning as mediators.
Practical implications
This study represents an empirical reference for practitioners and researchers pursuing high-quality, low-cost, environmentally and socially sustainable products or processes through the implementation of GLSS projects in the manufacturing industry.
Originality/value
This study provides a statistically validated model using the SEM technique to represent the relationships between GLSS enablers in the MMI.
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Jorge Limon-Romero, Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz, Carlos Gastelum-Acosta, Jiju Antony, Yolanda Baez-Lopez and Guilherme Tortorella
This paper aims to provide new and valuable insights for organizations that have decided to implement Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as a strategy for continuous improvement in search of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide new and valuable insights for organizations that have decided to implement Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as a strategy for continuous improvement in search of business excellence. This objective is achieved through statistically modeling the causal relationships between the critical success factors (CSFs) of LSS for a successful deployment of this strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
A statistically validated questionnaire was used to collect information from LSS practitioners in manufacturing industries located on Mexico’s northern border. Some hypotheses for relationships between LSS CSFs are developed theoretically first and empirically tested later using the structural equation modeling technique.
Findings
Proposed relationships between LSS CSFs have been demonstrated to be statistically significant, making clear that this implementation should always begin with a strong and decided participation and commitment of top management. Later, other CSFs must be activated and put into operation in a specified order to increase the probability of a successful implementation reflected in well-executed continuous improvement projects and achieving the expected benefits.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a structural model which has been statistically validated with information directly collected from skilled practitioners who have developed continuous improvement projects using the LSS methodology. Further, some relationships between LSS CSFs that, to the best of the author’s knowledge, had not been demonstrated empirically are now explored and verified in our work.
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Carlos Gastelum-Acosta, Jorge Limon-Romero, Yolanda Baez-Lopez, Diego Tlapa, Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz, Cesar Puente and Armando Perez-Sanchez
This paper aims to identify the relationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for lean six sigma (LSS) implementation in higher education institutions (HEIs).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the relationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for lean six sigma (LSS) implementation in higher education institutions (HEIs).
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive literature review was conducted to design the survey instrument, which the authors later administered in Mexican public HEIs to identify the existing relationships among the CSFs and their impact on the benefits obtained from implementing LSS projects. The data were empirically and statistically validated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, the authors applied the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique on SPSS Amos to validate the nine hypotheses supporting the research.
Findings
The results suggest that the success of LSS projects in HEIs is highly bound to a serious commitment from top management and several interrelated factors.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitations of the study are that the research is cross-sectional in nature and regional in focus. Namely, the data used to validate the structural model were gathered from a small representative subset of the study population – i.e. Mexican public HEIs – and at a specific point in time.
Practical implications
The results reported here represent a reference framework for HEIs worldwide that wish to continuously improve their processes through LSS improvement projects.
Originality/value
This study proposes a statistically validated model using the SEM technique that depicts the relationships among LSS CSFs in HEIs.
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Alfonso J. Gil, Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz, Mara Mataveli and Claudia Tobias
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between a supportive organisational climate and training process outcomes; to analyse the mediating effect of job…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between a supportive organisational climate and training process outcomes; to analyse the mediating effect of job satisfaction between a supportive organisational climate and training process outcomes; and to analyse the moderating effect of a proactive attitude on a supportive organisational climate and training process outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The participants consisted of 359 employees recruited from 18 companies in Spain. The hypotheses were tested with structural equations via partial least squares regression.
Findings
The data indicated a positive and statistically significant relationship between a supportive organisational climate and training process outcomes. The proposed moderating and mediating effects are also verified.
Originality/value
This work contributes to the literature on human resource management and the relationship between organisational behaviour and training outcomes. In addition, it shows the role of attitudes between organisational climate and training outcomes.
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Midiala Oropesa Vento, Jorge Luis García Alcaraz, Aidé Aracely Maldonado Macías and Valeria Martínez Loya
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of both managerial commitment and the professional development of human resources on the benefits obtained from Kaizen…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of both managerial commitment and the professional development of human resources on the benefits obtained from Kaizen implementation at the planning stage in Mexican maquiladora companies.
Design/methodology/approach
As part of the methodology, a questionnaire is validated and administered to 423 workers in different companies from the states of Tabasco, Baja California, Sinaloa and Chihuahua. Moreover, a structural equation model is proposed to relate four latent variables: two concerning managerial commitment and the professional development of human resources, and two more related to the kinds of benefits obtained (economic and for human resources).
Findings
Results demonstrate that managerial commitment has a direct and positive impact on economic benefits and those for human resources. The major contribution of this study is, however, the determination of dependency measures between these variables.
Practical implications
This research contributes to the improvement and change, since the results of the research can be extended to the sustainability of other improvement activities, presenting additional areas for future research, such understanding will increase the likelihood that the results of application of Kaizen are sustained, eliminating waste and improving support within the organization. Finally, this research makes contributions to the field of industrial engineering and management disciplines of engineering and operations management, as it focusses on the improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy, these systems they are integral to the modeling of this investigation.
Originality/value
This study tests the hypotheses and their relation to the sustainability of Kaizen in time for them to use the analysis technique of structural equations. For the author, this is the first study to determine the causal relationships between the critical success factors and benefits of Kaizen, determining a measure of dependence between them.
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M.A. Inostroza, Jorge Sepúlveda Velásquez and Santiago Ortúzar
This article aims to analyze how gender and decision-making styles of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) impact the financial performance of…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to analyze how gender and decision-making styles of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) impact the financial performance of the firms they manage.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained for 2017 for 185 SMEs in Chile, an emerging economy, including firm information, CEO's sociodemographic characteristics and CEOs' decision-making styles. Generalized Least Squares (GLS) models were estimated to explain the influence of gender and decision-making styles on firm performance, controlling for a series of covariates. To test whether gender moderates the effect of decision-making styles on firm performance, interaction terms were included. Furthermore, models were subject to several robustness procedures, with no significant differences in results.
Findings
The authors find evidence of significant relationships for both gender and the avoidant style. Likewise, the authors find evidence of interaction effects between gender and decision-making styles, particularly between gender and the dependent style.
Originality/value
Findings contribute to prior research by analyzing the relationship between CEO gender and SME performance in the context of a Latin American emerging economy; by providing evidence of the impact of decision-making styles on the financial performance of SMEs; and by examining how a specific decision-making style, namely the dependent style, operates differently according to CEO gender, shedding some light on its ambiguous character as described by prior research. For policymakers and authorities, findings indicate the importance of incorporating women to SMEs and supporting their way towards higher management.
Propósito
Esta investigación analiza cómo el género y los estilos de toma de decisiones de los gerentes generales (CEOs) de las pequeñas y medianas empresas (PYMEs) impactan en el desempeño financiero de las empresas que administran.
Diseño
Se obtuvieron datos del año 2017 para 185 PYMEs ubicadas en Chile, una economía emergente, incluyendo información de la empresa, así como características sociodemográficas y estilos de toma de decisiones de los gerentes generales. Se estimaron modelos de Mínimos Cuadrados Generalizados (GLS) para explicar la influencia del género y los estilos de toma de decisiones en el rendimiento de la empresa, controlando por una serie de covariables. Para determinar si el género modera el efecto de los estilos de toma de decisiones en el rendimiento de la empresa, se incluyeron términos de interacción. Además, los modelos fueron sometidos a varios procedimientos de robustez, sin encontrar diferencias significativas en los resultados.
Hallazgos
Los autores encuentran evidencia de relaciones significativas tanto para el género como para el estilo evitativo. Asimismo, los autores encuentran evidencia de efectos interacción entre el género y estilos de toma de decisiones, particularmente entre el género y el estilo dependiente.
Originalidad
Los hallazgos contribuyen a investigaciones anteriores al analizar la relación entre el género del CEO y el rendimiento de las PYMEs en el contexto de una economía latinoamericana emergente; al proporcionar evidencia del impacto de los estilos de toma de decisiones en el rendimiento financiero de las PYMEs; y al examinar cómo un estilo de toma de decisiones específico, a saber, el estilo dependiente, opera de manera diferente según el género del CEO, esclareciendo su carácter ambiguo tal como ha sido descrito en investigaciones anteriores. Para las autoridades y los responsables de políticas, los hallazgos indican la importancia de incorporar mujeres a las PYMEs y apoyarlas en su ascenso hacia la alta administración.