Search results

An overview of knowledge elicitation, representation and prioritisation of key performance indicators (CSFs) necessary for success in direct selling in a dynamic market on a woman‐to‐woman basis is presented. The CSFs were elicited using the Repertory Grid (RepGrid) method. The RepGrid method allows for construct elicitation and the exploration of constructing indices, such as, frame differentiation, frame complexity, frame integration and construct centrality. The CSF constructs are then prioritised using the Analytic Hierarchic Process. The proposed two‐stage methodology offers the benefit of eliciting individual mental constructs about critical knowledge, the representation of those constructs in a meaningful form, and the representation of repositories of knowledge of multiple entities across and within organisations.

The purpose of this paper is to present a new model of organisational learning that can be used to identify the actual and desired behavioural gaps between firms engaged in supply‐chain relationships. Improved learning implementation is expected to improve significantly the competitive dynamics between supplier‐client‐customer relationships.

First, the paper discusses the boundary‐spanning chain that takes information from consumers and uses it to tell manufacturers what products to make. For many, transforming down‐side requirements from thought into action has required major reengineering of existing organisational structures, business processes, and the information technology that supports them. The paper discusses why organisational learning is an inherent part of this process. Next, the paper examines various types of organisational learning processes. Third, the paper discusses various strategies for improving learning. The discussion suggests that supply‐chain processes will improve when organisational competencies are tackled by sophisticated learning strategies.

Based on previous empirical work on the relationship between management competencies and learning behaviour, the paper seeks to make a contribution by recognising the theoretical contributions relevant to the field. The model proposed is a new approach in understanding the relationship between learning and supply chain management.

The exploratory nature of the paper will be of significant interest to practitioners in the field.

The context of this paper is knowledge as applied to organizations and processes which need to generate a financial income stream, whether for‐profit or not‐for‐profit. Such organizations in the past were usually at arm’s length, operating static (not time‐dependent) work processes. Today, such organizations usually work in very close interaction. This creates a single system of linked nodes of organizations, working in a dynamic regime, even though each node may be a separate legal entity. For such a dynamic linked system, one monitors and measures performance by monitoring and analyzing flow rates and accelerations. The paper shows the three major flows of such a system, which are the flows of money, goods and services, and knowledge. Results of research into such linked and dynamic processes over the last decade are presented in a way which sets the stage for detailed quantitative analyses of the flow rates of knowledge and of the impact of the knowledge flow rate on the flow of money into an organization.

The environment in which businesses operate today is uncertain, chaotic, and changing at a more rapid pace than ever before. In this new dynamic world, current approaches to organizational design and processes are not as effective as they have been. Recent research has provided insight into organizational agility as a method to help organizations survive and thrive in these environments. A divergent body of literature is presented that explores agility, learning, and thriving. An exploratory mixed-methods study was conducted at the team level to examine the relationship between these constructs as well as their relationship to performance. Based on the results, we present a series of propositions for future research and provide an illustration of the Components of Agile and Thriving teams to be used as its foundation. The discussion serves to synthesize these initial findings and provide both implications for practice as well as theory.

A finite element mesh generator is described based on a conformal mapping which requires little more than the definition of boundary geometry to generate a mesh. The method is restricted to plane regions which are simply connected. The interior of a region containing a uniform mesh of regularly shaped 8‐node quadrilateral elements is mapped conformally to the physical domain with the result that bandwidth is automatically minimized and that smooth transitions are made between large and small elements. Although the procedure is not satisfactory for general applications, most common geometrical shapes can be modelled with meshes of good quality. The method is based primarily on boundary data but the user can specify a region of high mesh density. Examples are given to illustrate typical results.

Successive governments have called for greater “empowerment” of the patient, reflected in the chief medical officer's call for more patient‐related outcome measures (PROM). This paper aims to bring together three‐linked studies.

First study: in 1999, the neurosurgical patient was seen as “expert” to identify PROM outcomes, based upon a patient and carer‐designed self‐administered postal questionnaire in a regional two‐year retrospective survey of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) patients with a 77 per cent response rate, designated treatment‐as‐usual (TAU) cohort (n=142).Second study: in the same region, following the implementing of the specialist neuro‐vascular nurse (SNVN), the SNVN recommendation was evaluated in a two‐year prospective study (n=184) that provided family‐specific psychosocial support and a continuity of care linking hospital and community; the response rate was 87 per cent. Third study: A re‐analysis of the national SAH study (n=2,380), by projecting the TAU and SNVN results onto clinically matched patients within the National cohort to estimate the potential “savings” if all 34 neurosurgical units had an SNVN type service.

First study: respondents identified many psychosocial and fiscal problems but recommended a SNVN to reduce these difficulties. Second study: the TAU and SNVN patient's were a close clinical match and using the TAU as a control group, it was found that there were major psychosocial and fiscal benefits for SNVN patients and carers, who more speedily re‐established their lives.Third study: it was estimated that this would have produced major financial benefits, e.g. 4,165 fewer bed occupancy days, saving £2.5million; reduced time‐off work for patients and carers, saving £8.1million; and, after deducting cost of a national SNVN service, a combined saving for the service and families of an estimated £9.83 million p.a. Thus, addressing PROM outcomes, through an integrated psychosocial service in neurosurgery was cost‐effective, benefited families, the service, and the wider economy and should be a factor when considering pressurised departmental budgets.

Overall, what the two regional studies and the re‐analysis of the national study showed was that there are benefits from treating the “patient as expert” and taking on board their agendas. There is a need for a more integrated approach to treatment and care that is of value to the service, patients, families and the wider economy.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to understand the effectiveness of national crisis response networks (NCRN) in a broad sense, including the domains of governance, and strategic and tactical management. The chapter thus moves beyond views considering crisis response a reactive, tactical level effort. Specifically, it focuses on the role of military organizations in NCRNs.

Methodology/approach – After building a research framework based on organization and military studies, this case study examines the organizational response to the disaster that was caused by the tropical cyclone “Katrina”; the data used are qualitative.

Findings – The results highlight the ex-ante lack of preparedness of organizations to cooperate in a NCRN. Once Katrina hit in 2005, confusion and tensions permeated interorganizational relationships for a number of days.

Research limitations/implications – Implications for researchers and practitioners center on the NCRN's backbone organizations and communities potentially affected. Through tension management and network-level investments in knowledge and routines they can contribute to effective crisis response. The framework could be applied to other national crises. Case studies can be generalized in a conceptual sense.

Originality/value of paper – Katrina has been studied quite extensively yet from a crisis response perspective. This chapter offers a reflection that broadens the scope of our understanding of NCRNs, with an emphasis on the military.

Veteran managers trained to respect hierarchical systems are daunted by the fundamental changes in thinking and culture that are required to implement the Agile continuous innovation approach to manufacturing. Though widely hailed by software developers it has been slow to catch on in manufacturing. This paper aims to address this issue.

To assuage managers concerns, ten prevalent myths about Agile are addressed along with a description of how the approach really works in practice.

The paper reveals that the Agile outside‐in orientation that maximizes customer value requires a reinvention of management roles, practices, values and communications to implement it.

If research is reported on in the paper this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process.

Agile is a way of forcing either high performance or change because results are apparent so quickly, not years later when the project runs out of money and the product flops in the marketplace.

The article dispels many myths about Agile and shows managers how to overcome resistance to adopting the Agile approach, which addresses the central problem at the very core of a hierarchical bureaucracy, namely, its limited ability to innovate.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the organizational agility components and factors in Iranian’s pension funds as an example of service organizations in the public sector.

This study can be categorized in the realm of developmental studies as to its research purposes, and employed the descriptive survey method to collect data using the combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods (exploratory mixed-method design).

Finally, a three-level model of organizational agility construct (modeled as 6 components, 23 factors, and 83 indicators) was analyzed and confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis by means of the smart PLS software. Overall, this study provided a new method for the analysis, measurement and development of organizational agility construct in public service organizations in Iran.

Through using text content analysis and opinion of experts (interviews and Delphi technique), qualitative data were extracted to design an organizational agility model, whereas quantitative data were obtained through a questionnaire to test the model. To determine the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, expert opinions and Cronbach’s α (0.977) were used, respectively.

In industrial management, the 1980s marked the end of the twentieth century, an epoch dominated by US manufacturers, the alleged masters of mass production. This system has now been outstripped in several dynamic sectors by flexible/agile production. Increases in the pace of technological progress, training and aspirations have made the modern context so dynamic that firms which manage to harness the creativity and initiative of a good part of their workforce have an advantage over those that can only count on the input of their experts and managers. In sectors undergoing relatively broad and rapid change, twenty‐first century firms must adopt a more flexible and innovative type of organization to achieve manufacturing excellence.