Rebecca A. Thacker and Kelly B. Holl
The purpose of this paper is to identify behaviorally‐based training for management trainees with a foundation in employees' beliefs about effective managerial behaviors, and the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify behaviorally‐based training for management trainees with a foundation in employees' beliefs about effective managerial behaviors, and the relationship of these behaviors to employees' satisfaction with supervision, company as employer, and job assignments.
Design/methodology/approach
Manufacturing organization and social services agency employees (N=134) were surveyed by questionnaire and asked “How important do you think it is that managers exhibit the following behaviors?” and “How well does your manager exhibit the following behaviors?” Factor analysis produced three factors: Connection with employees, Vision, Autonomy. Employee satisfaction questions were included.
Findings
Vision and Autonomy scales for “How well does your manager exhibit the following behaviors?” showed significant, positive correlations for satisfaction with quality of supervision, and with company/agency as an employer. Connection with employees scale for “How important do you think it is that managers exhibit the following behaviors?” showed significant, positive correlations for employees' satisfaction with job assignments
Research limitations/implications
Future research should include employees' perceptions of what constitutes effective managerial behaviors. Study should be replicated in larger, multicultural organizations to assess the universality of these managerial behaviors.
Practical implications
Specific recommendations for behaviorally‐based manager training of management trainees, based on employee‐identified behaviors, are provided.
Originality/value
The paper is creative in its inclusion of employees in data collection of definition of effective managerial behaviors and is valuable to those interested in management trainee programs linking behaviorally‐based development to employee satisfaction outcomes.
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Gianluca Brunori, Tessa Avermaete, Fabio Bartolini, Natalia Brzezina, Terry Marsden, Erik Mathijs, Ana Moragues-Faus and Roberta Sonnino
This chapter focusses on food systems' vulnerability. In a rapidly and unpredictably changing world, vulnerability of farming and food systems becomes a key issue. The conceptual…
Abstract
This chapter focusses on food systems' vulnerability. In a rapidly and unpredictably changing world, vulnerability of farming and food systems becomes a key issue. The conceptual bases for food vulnerability analysis and food vulnerability assessment are discussed in a systemic perspective with an eye to the transition approach (Geels, 2004) as a perspective capable to analyze how novelties can develop and influence the system capability to fulfil societal functions, and food and nutrition security in particular. A framework for assessing people's food vulnerability is presented together with a simple vulnerability model based on the three dimensions of exposure (the degree to which a system is likely to experience environmental or sociopolitical stress), sensitivity (the degree to which a system is modified or affected by perturbations) and adaptive capacity (the ability to evolve in order to accommodate environmental hazards or change) (Adger, 2006). Then, other sections are dedicated to discuss the general questions that should be answered by a vulnerability assessment exercise, and the specific challenges emerging when the assessment concerns a food system. These elements are then used in the Annex to this chapter as a base for the development of a detailed method based on seven distinct steps for conducting participatory assessments of the vulnerability of food systems.
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The question answered in this paper is: what does the concept of emergence mean in the context of total quality management? The purpose of this paper is to develop a definition…
Abstract
Purpose
The question answered in this paper is: what does the concept of emergence mean in the context of total quality management? The purpose of this paper is to develop a definition for emergence by discovering the structure of the phenomenon and to suggest its implications for total quality management.
Design/methodology/approach
The concept analysis follows the method proposed by Walker and Avant (2014). A first step of the method is a general search on the internet and a literature review executed in scientific databases. Due to the limited search results in the field of quality management a support search has been done in three quality management journals and the method of berry picking was added.
Findings
This concept analysis provides attributes of the concept of emergence as well as antecedents and consequences. Emergence is the phenomenon where out of a network of interacting internal and external elements in the course of time arises a coherent new pattern, that is unpredictable, unexpected, unplanned and irreducible to the separate parts. To make emergence happen an organization needs to react to a complex environment that is in un-order far-from-equilibrium. It needs to be (part of) a complex adaptive system. Emergence might rather lead to a (dynamic) bandwidth wherein the result moves, than to a (static) new order.
Research limitations/implications
In the literature review little is found about the consequences of emergence. A hypothesis is formulated in this area that needs further research.
Practical implications
Only as the authors know and agree upon the definition and meaning of the concept of emergence and the characteristics of the Emergence Paradigm the authors can effectively adjust or develop quality management instruments and tools to support or facilitate emergence in complex organizations.
Originality/value
There is a limited amount of literature on systems theory and complexity theory in quality management. Even less on the phenomenon of emergence. There is no concept analysis on the subject of emergence.
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Afzal Mohammad Khaled and Yong Jin Kim
Logistical facility location decisions can make a crucial difference in the success or failure of a company. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have recently become a very…
Abstract
Logistical facility location decisions can make a crucial difference in the success or failure of a company. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have recently become a very popular decision support system to help deal with facility location problems. However, until recently, GIS methodologies have not been fully embraced as a way to deal with new facility location problems in business logistics. This research makes a framework for categorizing empirical facility location problems based on the intensity of the involvement of GIS methodologies in decision making. This framework was built by analyzing facility location models and GIS methodologies. The research results revealed the depth of the embracement of GIS methodologies in logistics for determining new facility location decisions. In the new facility location decisions, spatial data inputs are almost always coupled with the visualization of the problems and solutions. However, the usage of GIS capability solely (i.e. suitability analysis) for problem solving has not been embraced at the same level. In most cases, the suitability analysis is used together with special optimization models for choosing among the multiple alternatives.
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Ann Scheck McAlearney, Jennifer Hefner, Julie Robbins and Andrew N. Garman
Despite hospitals’ efforts to reduce health care-associated infections (HAIs), success rates vary. We studied how leadership practices might impact these efforts.
Abstract
Purpose
Despite hospitals’ efforts to reduce health care-associated infections (HAIs), success rates vary. We studied how leadership practices might impact these efforts.
Design/methodology/approach
We conducted eight case studies at hospitals pursuing central line-associated blood stream infection (CLABSI)-prevention initiatives. At each hospital, we interviewed senior leaders, clinical leaders, and line clinicians (n=194) using a semi-structured interview protocol. All interviews were transcribed and iteratively analyzed.
Findings
We found that the presence of local clinical champions was perceived across organizations and interviewees as a key factor contributing to HAI-prevention efforts, with champions playing important roles as coordinators, cheerleaders, and advocates for the initiatives. Top-level support was also critical, with elements such as visibility, commitment, and clear expectations valued across interviewees.
Value/orginality
Results suggest that leadership plays an important role in the successful implementation of HAI-prevention interventions. Improving our understanding of nonclinical differences across health systems may contribute to efforts to eliminate HAIs.