Carla A. Vivacqua, Linda Lee Ho and André L.S. Pinho
The purpose of this paper is to show how to properly use the method of replacement to construct mixed two- and four-level minimum setup split-plot type designs to accommodate the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show how to properly use the method of replacement to construct mixed two- and four-level minimum setup split-plot type designs to accommodate the presence of hard-to-assemble parts.
Design/methodology/approach
Split-plot type designs are economical approaches in industrial experimentation. These types of designs are particularly useful for situations involving interchangeable parts with different degrees of assembly difficulties. Methodologies for designing and analyzing such experiments have advanced lately, especially for two-level designs. Practical needs may require the inclusion of factors with more than two levels. Here, the authors consider an experiment to improve the performance of a Baja car including two- and four-level factors.
Findings
The authors find that the direct use of the existing minimum setup maximum aberration (MSMA) catalogs for two-level split-plot type designs may lead to inappropriate designs (e.g. low resolution). The existing method of replacement for searching exclusive sets of the form (α, β, αβ) available in the literature is suitable for completely randomized designs, but it may not provide efficient plans for designs with restricted randomization.
Originality/value
The authors provide a general framework for the practitioners and have extended the algorithm to find out the number of generators and the number of base factor at each stratum, which guide the selection of mixed two-level and four-level MSMA split-plot type designs.
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Ana Maria Saut, Linda Lee Ho and Fernando Tobal Berssaneti
There is evidence that quality improvement projects developed with the participation of patients and family members are more likely to result in a sustainable change. To identify…
Abstract
Purpose
There is evidence that quality improvement projects developed with the participation of patients and family members are more likely to result in a sustainable change. To identify the intervening factors is an important step in promoting and supporting patient and family members’ engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was carried out with 90 hospitals. A total of 35 intervening factors were evaluated by the healthcare professionals from the quality area using a Likert scale. Factor analysis was applied to identify the relationship among the factors and cluster analysis and the standardized scores for each new latent variable were obtained to observe the association between them and hospitals profile. Cluster analysis allowed to group the hospitals with similar responses and to analyze whether there was any association with the profile of the institutions.
Findings
A total of ten intervening factors are identified: two in the financial dimension, five in the structural and three in the personal and cultural. The standardized scores of latent variables suggest that the financial factors could be affected by the hospital capacity. The structural factors could be impacted by the accreditation status, location (region) and administrative control (ownership). And the personal and cultural factors could be by the location and dominant organizational culture. All of factors are influenced by the performed quality management activities. The cluster analysis allowed the identification of three groups in the financial dimension, and four in the other two dimensions. Except for the accreditation status in the personal and cultural dimension, no evidence of association between the groups and the variables raised to characterize the profile of the hospitals was found.
Originality/value
The study contributed to identify the relationship among the intervening factors turning possible to simplify and reduce them more comprehensively than those originally identified in the literature and at the same time maintaining the representativeness of the original variables.
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Silvia Helena Boarin Pinto, Marly Monteiro de Carvalho and Linda Lee Ho
The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships as to complementarities and redundancies of the main quality programs in large Brazilian companies by a comparative and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships as to complementarities and redundancies of the main quality programs in large Brazilian companies by a comparative and critical analysis of their implementation in those companies.
Design/methodology/approach
In the paper the survey methodology was utilized. The data collection was done from “Ranking Valor 1000” list, which comprises the 1,000 largest Brazilian companies; the assumption was that in these companies the embryos of the emerging models in quality management were to be found. The data collected from questionnaires were analyzed through statistical methods.
Findings
The findings showed that the large organizations in Brazil have been investing in quality programs.
Research limitations/implications
This paper presents the limitations which are inherent to the research method applied, that is, the results should not be generalized because the collected data are not originated in a probabilistic sample.
Practical implications
The paper shows that the companies where the Six Sigma program was implemented are those with the strongest tradition in the market; the companies that most invested in quality by adopting these programs were successful according to the quality performance indicators as well as concerning the return on investment; and the main causes of failure in the quality programs analyzed in this study were shortage of financial resources for the proper implementation of the programs and the fragile support given by the company management.
Originality/value
This paper may prove to be significantly helpful to a better and deeper understanding of the factors influencing the quality programs adopted by Brazilian companies.
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Gladys D.C. Barriga, Linda Lee Ho and Vicente G. Cancho
The purpose of this paper is to present designs for an accelerated life test (ALT).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present designs for an accelerated life test (ALT).
Design/methodology/approach
Bayesian methods and simulation Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) methods were used.
Findings
In the paper a Bayesian method based on MCMC for ALT under EW distribution (for life time) and Arrhenius models (relating the stress variable and parameters) was proposed. The paper can conclude that it is a reasonable alternative to the classical statistical methods since the implementation of the proposed method is simple, not requiring advanced computational understanding and inferences on the parameters can be made easily. By the predictive density of a future observation, a procedure was developed to plan ALT and also to verify if the conformance fraction of the manufactured process reaches some desired level of quality. This procedure is useful for statistical process control in many industrial applications.
Research limitations/implications
The results may be applied in a semiconductor manufacturer.
Originality/value
The Exponentiated‐Weibull‐Arrhenius model has never before been used to plan an ALT.
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Jose Vieira, Hugo Yoshizaki and Linda Ho
This paper seeks to identify collaboration elements and evaluate their intensity in the Brazilian supermarket retail chain, especially the manufacturer‐retailer channel.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to identify collaboration elements and evaluate their intensity in the Brazilian supermarket retail chain, especially the manufacturer‐retailer channel.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was elaborated and applied to 125 representatives from suppliers of large supermarket chains. Statistical methods including multivariate analysis were employed. Variables were grouped and composed into five indicators (joint actions, information sharing, interpersonal integration, gains and cost sharing, and strategic integration) to assess the degree of collaboration.
Findings
The analyses showed that the interviewees considered interpersonal integration to be of greater importance to collaboration intensity than the other integration factors, such as gain or cost sharing or even strategic integration.
Research limitations/implications
The research was conducted solely from the point of view of the industries that supply the large retail networks. The interviews were not conducted in pairs; that is, there was no application of one questionnaire to the retail network and another to the partner industry.
Practical implications
Companies should invest in conducting periodic meetings with their partners to increase collaboration intensity, and should carry out technical visits to learn about their partners' logistic reality and thus make better operational decisions.
Originality/value
The paper reveals which indicators produce greater collaboration intensity, and thus those that are more relevant to more efficient logistics management.
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Marta Afonso Freitas, Wagner Borges and Linda Lee Ho
Sensory evaluations to determine the shelf life of food products are routinely conducted in food experimentation as a part of each product development program, whether it includes…
Abstract
Sensory evaluations to determine the shelf life of food products are routinely conducted in food experimentation as a part of each product development program, whether it includes a new product, product improvement or a change in type or specification of an ingredient. In such experiments, trained panelists are asked to judge food attributes by reference to a scale of numbers. The “failure time” associated with a product unit under test is usually defined as the time required to reach a cut‐off point previously defined by the food company. Important issues associated with the planning and execution of this kind of testing are total sampling size, frequency of sample withdrawals, panel design, and statistical analysis of the panel data, to list a few. Different approaches have been proposed for the analysis of this kind of data. In particular, Freitas et al. proposed an alternative model based on a dichotomization of the score data and a Weibull as the underlying distribution for the time to failure. Also, through a simulation study, the bias and mean square error of the estimates obtained for percentiles and fraction defectives were evaluated. These quantities were used to estimate the shelf life. The simulation study used only the same sample plan implemented in the real situation. This paper focuses on the planning issues associated with these experiments. Sample plans are contrasted and compared in a simulation study, through the use of the approach proposed by Freitas et al.. The simulation results showed that, in general, one can get results much more precise and with smaller bias with a shorter follow‐up time, allocating more panelists to each evaluation time.
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Marly Monteiro de Carvalho, Linda Lee Ho and Silvia Helena Boarin Pinto
The purpose of this paper is to assess the status of Six Sigma's status in Brazilian companies and understand the integration of this program with other quality management…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the status of Six Sigma's status in Brazilian companies and understand the integration of this program with other quality management approaches. Additionally, the critical success factors (CSFs) for Six Sigma implementation and primary Six Sigma program characteristics were identified. Finally, the results of the used of Six Sigma were analysed.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive literature review illustrates the primary Six Sigma characteristics and its relationship with other quality approaches. The research methodology encompasses survey development and statistical analyses. Questionnaires are distributed to 1,000 large firms in the manufacturing and service industries in Brazil. Altogether, a total of 198 firms, of which 46 companies adopted the Six Sigma program, participated in this study.
Findings
The results suggest a synergic and incremental pattern of quality model implementation. The study reveals that companies that have adopted Six Sigma have a long history of implementing quality programs, which suggests a certain level of quality maturity. The studied companies perceive in Six Sigma an incremental evolution, which can be combined with earlier initiatives and provides strong synergy with ISO 9000. The findings of this study confirm the distinctive Six Sigma role structure suggested by several authors. However, three possible configurations of the role structure were found that differ in terms of training and the dedication of human resources involved in the Six Sigma program.
Research limitations/implications
This study demonstrates the inherent limits of the research method adopted, the use of a non-probabilistic sample and a reliance on self-reported perceptions, which introduces bias to the analysis.
Practical implications
Important managerial implications of this study are related to the Six Sigma structure adopted. The capillarity of the program in the organisation as a whole can be related to the type of role structure configuration adopted. This structure can have an impact in terms of both numbers and employees’ and managers’ degree of involvement, as well as the type of training and resources provided.
Originality/value
The diffusion of Six Sigma in Brazilian companies is less widespread than in other countries. Three possible configurations of the role structure were found that differ in terms of the training and dedication of human resources entailed by the Six Sigma program. Three CSFs factors were identified: organisation, infrastructure and human resources.
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C.N. LINDA FAN, M.H. CHRISTABEL HO and VINCENT NG
This paper proposes conducting extensive cross‐profession comparison regarding perceptions of various professionals towards professional ethics as the first step in professional…
Abstract
This paper proposes conducting extensive cross‐profession comparison regarding perceptions of various professionals towards professional ethics as the first step in professional ethics inquiry. The authors argue that concepts and perceptions of professional ethics result from the prolonged professional socialization process during both college/university and industry training. Differences in professional ethics conceptions both within and between professions can be ascribed to differences in training. For college/university training these differences may lie in varying professional course contents and arrangements, diverse educational professional development (CPD) courses offered by various professional institutions, codes of conduct drafted by professional institutions and corporations, personal work experience may account for these differences. However, this pluralist explanation of these differences is not the end of the inquiry, but rather explicitly points to the difficulty of resolving the conceptual array in professional ethics inquiry.
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Lukas Parker, Torgeir Aleti Watne, Linda Brennan, Hue Trong Duong and Dang Nguyen
– This paper aims to present the findings of a survey into attitudes towards the environment and the pro-environmental behaviours of young adults in Vietnam.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present the findings of a survey into attitudes towards the environment and the pro-environmental behaviours of young adults in Vietnam.
Design/Methodology/Approach
An online survey was administered to university students in Vietnam’s two most populous cities, Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City (N = 391).
Findings
The results suggest that environmental considerations are not taken into account in young Vietnamese adults’ purchase intentions. This is more evident in expressive purchases, but also, to some degree, in utilitarian purchases.
Practical implications
For the marketers of environmentally friendly products, this represents at least two key challenges: first, to try to shift the attitudes of young adult consumers towards thinking of environmental friendliness as an attractive characteristic and status-filled activity for potential expressive purchases. Second, making environmentally friendly alternatives of expressive goods more visible and more widely available in Vietnam.
Social implications
Non-government organisations and governments seeking to protect the environment need to consider this unique dynamic in social marketing campaigns to increase the desirability of pro-environmental product choices and other pro-environmental behaviours.
Originality/value
This paper examines pro-environmental behaviours and intentions of young adults in Vietnam for the first time. The paper establishes that self-expression is more important than the environment, and it is also evident that these young consumers are still vulnerable to perceived social pressure when it comes to expressing themselves.
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Duong Trong Hue, Linda Brennan, Lukas Parker and Michael Florian
– This paper aims to elucidate perceptions of safe driving and social norms in relation to driving motorbikes in the Vietnamese context.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to elucidate perceptions of safe driving and social norms in relation to driving motorbikes in the Vietnamese context.
Design/methodology/approach
A series of focus groups was undertaken in relation to driving practices from a number of groups: adolescents, families and adult males and females. The discussion centred on how driving behaviours were socialised within the various groups.
Findings
The research highlighted some very interesting social dynamics in relation to how safe driving habits are established and supported within the social context. In particular, the separation of descriptive and injunctive norms and the role such norms play in socialising driving behaviours, safe or otherwise.
Practical implications
The implications for social marketing practice are considerable, especially in the Vietnamese context where injunctive norms are difficult to portray, given the dynamics of the media landscape. Social marketing campaigns will need to have a broader consideration of how to establish descriptive norms, bearing in mind the social milieu in which the behaviours occur.
Originality/value
This research is the first of its kind in the Vietnamese context. While much practice-led innovation is occurring in the region, there is little extant research on the topic of social norms and the socialisation of behaviours within the Southeast Asian region.