Luis Miguel Fonseca and José Pedro Domingues
ISO 9001:2015 edition, by adopting modern management and quality approaches, can foster the application of continuous improvement (CI) methodologies. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
ISO 9001:2015 edition, by adopting modern management and quality approaches, can foster the application of continuous improvement (CI) methodologies. The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of utilization of Kaizen and other CI methodologies within Portuguese ISO 9001 certified organizations, namely, amid organizations that have already implemented ISO 9001:2015.
Design/methodology/approach
After the literature review, a quantitative research, supported on an online survey, was adopted. The survey yielded 309 valid responses (response rate 18 percent) encompassing 71 organizations already certified against ISO 9001:2015 and the remaining 238 against ISO 9001:2008. The results of the statistical analysis performed were reviewed with a focus group of five quality and organizational excellence managers.
Findings
The results show a mildly use of Kaizen, Lean and Six Sigma (SS) by Portuguese ISO 9001 certified organizations, which is increase when compared to previous studies. The sample of organizations that are already certified by ISO 9001:2015 have mean and median levels of customer improvement methodologies adoption (Lean, Kaizen, SS) higher than those that are still certified against ISO 9001:2008. However, the Kruskal-Wallis test showed that these differences are not statistically significant. Concerning the adoption of these methodologies by activity sector, the sample median values seem to suggest that Lean and SS are more commonly adopted in the industry than in the services, but according to the Kruskal-Wallis test these differences are not statistically significant. Checklists, plan-do-check-act cycle and process diagrams, followed by DMAIC, are the quality tools that are most frequently adopted. A high workload due to the transition process for ISO 9001:2015 and the lack of qualified people were suggested as possible explanations for these results by the Expert Focus Group.
Research limitations/implications
The study is restricted to ISO 9001 certified organizations in Portugal and due to the short time since ISO 9001:2015 implementation it should be considered as having an explanatory nature and subject to future confirmation.
Originality/value
This study on the application of CI methodologies between ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations contributes to the Kaizen and CI body of knowledge and provides inputs to the organizations and professionals that aim to successfully apply it.
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Luis Miguel Fonseca, Maria Cristiana Cardoso and Maria Henriqueta Nóvoa
This paper aims to identify and characterize the motivations for ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) implementation and certification, with a novel, valid and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify and characterize the motivations for ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) implementation and certification, with a novel, valid and business-oriented scale applied to a large sample. Instead of adopting a normative approach focusing on the internal/external nature of the motivation, this investigation aims to emphasize the ISO 9001 driving forces from an instrumental (productivity, market and competitiveness) perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is framed with a quantitative methodology supported by an email survey encompassing a sample of 526 Portuguese ISO 9001 certified organizations. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factorial analysis (EFA), t-tests and correlation analysis were performed according to the proposed research questions.
Findings
Regarding the motivations, three factors were obtained by applying EFA: market, productivity and competitiveness. The respondent organizations consider the productivity factor (mainly related to internal motivations) to be the most important. Concerning the other factors, competitiveness in the sector is ranked second and the reasons related to the market come in third. Additionally, organizations of medium dimension (between 50 and 249 employees), certified up to 1999 or from the private sector, give greater relevance to motivations related to the market and competitiveness.
Research limitations/implications
This investigation suffers from the limitations inherent to the survey methodology (e.g. potential bias) and a Portuguese sample’s restrictions. Moreover, this research does not cover organizations that have been certified after 2015, namely, with an initial ISO 9001:2015 certification. Nevertheless, most of the respondents’ organizations remain ISO 9001 certified today.
Practical implications
The information provided allows managers to know the driving forces and motivations behind seeking ISO 9001 certification. It can assist certification bodies in fine-tuning their marketing strategies to attract new customers and support ISO 9001 stakeholders in the ISO 9001 revision cycles.
Social implications
Policymakers can also adjust policies to foster ISO 9001 certification accordingly. Furthermore, as Wawak et al. (2020) suggested, with ISO starting a new revision cycle for ISO 9001, an increase in the research topic is expected. This study brings additional knowledge that can assist ISO stakeholders in that process.
Originality/value
This study presents a novel, valid and more business-oriented scale to characterize and identify the motivations for ISO 9001 QMS certification and maps the driving forces for ISO 9001 certification in a large sample size of diverse organizations. The instrumental nature of the scale (productivity, market and competitiveness) improves the consistency with recent research on ISO 9001 contributions for organizational performance compared with previous scales that focused on the internal/external nature of the motivation.
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Amílcar Arantes and Luís Miguel D.F. Ferreira
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the theory and practice of project management in the construction industry by identifying the primary causes and extracting the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the theory and practice of project management in the construction industry by identifying the primary causes and extracting the underlying causes of construction delays and providing recommendations on delay mitigation measures.
Design/methodology/approach
AA survey was used to identify the importance of 47 causes of delays. The relative importance index was used to rank them, factor analysis was applied to extract the underlying causes and focus group interviews were used for discussion and development of mitigation measures.
Findings
Six of the ten most important causes are in the top ten universal delays in construction projects. Factor analysis revealed six underlying causes: improper planning, poor consultant performance, inefficient site management, owner influence, bureaucracy and sub-standard contracts.
Practical implications
The owner/sponsor/client must have adequate engineering and project management skills to be able to evaluate proposals and contractors more accurately, economically and technically. The bidding and contract award process should focus on the most economically advantageous proposal and contracts should provide for mechanisms for managing risks while executing projects. Contractors should select reliable, high-quality subcontractors and suppliers and should have competent site managers.
Originality/value
This work expands and improves the understanding of the causes of delays in construction projects by providing an empirical study of the causes of delays and respective mitigation measures in Portugal.
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Luís Miguel Marques, José Alberto Fuinhas and António Cardoso Marques
The purpose of this paper is to focus on global energy consumption using the economic growth nexus, the prevalent energy hypothesis at a global level and the impact of the main…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on global energy consumption using the economic growth nexus, the prevalent energy hypothesis at a global level and the impact of the main historical events assessed for the period from 1965 to 2015.
Design/methodology/approach
Given the confirmed presence of endogeneity and cointegration between energy consumption and economic growth, a vector error correction with structural dummies model was used. Furthermore, the impulse-response functions and variance decomposition were computed to evaluate the variables’ dynamics.
Findings
Bi-directional causality running from energy consumption to economic growth was found, both in the short and long-run, supporting the feedback hypothesis. It is proved that the 2008 crisis impacted on the global energy–growth nexus. Furthermore, there is evidence of the impact of the 1990s oil price shock on the nexus. Innovations in energy consumption have a positive impact on economic growth; however, this impact tends to be null in the long run.
Practical implications
The results suggest that at a global level, any energy policy should be carefully designed in order not to hamper economic growth. Countries should not remain indifferent to the policies that other countries might follow. Very few historical crises impacted on the global energy–growth nexus.
Originality/value
This paper offers a different approach to the study of the energy–growth nexus. The energy–growth nexus is analysed in the major macroeconomic aggregate. Global variables reveal their relevance as a benchmark in the energy–growth nexus. Furthermore, this paper arrives at some conclusions about how historical crises impact on global relationships.
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Cristina Calvo-Porral and Luis-Miguel Otero-Prada
Greater attention should be paid to the emotional aspects of the service experience. In this context, this paper aims to propose that emotions will have a different impact on…
Abstract
Purpose
Greater attention should be paid to the emotional aspects of the service experience. In this context, this paper aims to propose that emotions will have a different impact on customers’ complaint behavior and satisfaction depending on the hedonic or utilitarian nature of the service and for this purpose a valence-based approach is followed.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 809 service users was analyzed through multi-group structural equation modeling, including both hedonic (bars and cafeterias, n = 210) and utilitarian services (bank and public transportation services, n = 599).
Findings
Research findings show the different influence of emotions on customers’ complaint behavior and satisfaction depending on the service nature. Further, the negative affect does not influence behavioral outcomes in hedonic services, whereas positive affect exerts a slight lower influence in utilitarian services. Finally, the service nature plays a moderating role in the emotions–satisfaction and emotions–complaint behavior relationship.
Originality/value
This research shows the important role of the service nature, reporting different results for hedonic and utilitarian services in the influence of emotions in behavioral outcomes.
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Antonio Carrizo Moreira, Luis Miguel D.F. Ferreira and Pedro Silva
The purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability of the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as an effective tool for decreasing failure risk in the early phase of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability of the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as an effective tool for decreasing failure risk in the early phase of the new product development (NPD), which adds to existing literature on the application of FMEA in NPD.
Design/methodology/approach
Through the application of action research (AR) methodology, it was possible to develop a case study examining the use of FMEA to decrease NPD risk in an early phase of NPD execution.
Findings
The importance and immediate gains of identifying NPD failures support FMEA's usefulness for NPD risk decrease. Moreover, its user-friendliness, timeliness and cost advantages facilitate the introduction of FMEA in the early phase of NPD execution.
Originality/value
FMEA is a well-known method used in manufacturing companies to identify and correct failures in products, processes and systems. This article explores the lack of practice-oriented evidence on the use of FMEA in the early phase of NPD execution and provides support to its applicability and effectiveness.
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Liliana Ávila, Luís Miguel D.F. Ferreira and Marlene Amorim
Social enterprises live in the limbo between social and market objectives, posing many operations management challenges. This study extends the discussion of operational…
Abstract
Purpose
Social enterprises live in the limbo between social and market objectives, posing many operations management challenges. This study extends the discussion of operational priorities, which has focused on purely for-profit organisations, to the context of social enterprises by exploring, from a resource-based perspective, which resources and operational priorities are most important to them and how they are used to respond to conflicting demands.
Design/methodology/approach
Multiple case study research was carried out involving five Portuguese social enterprises, representative of the main sectors in which social enterprises operate in Europe. Ten semi-structured interviews with directors and other high-ranking respondents were conducted, and content was analysed to gather evidence on the key resources and operational priorities pursued by social enterprises. Cross-case conclusions were drawn, resulting in theoretical propositions and a conceptual framework.
Findings
Findings suggest that social enterprises rely on intangible resources and combine different operational priorities, which may vary throughout their lifecycle. Community engagement has emerged as a specific operational priority, in addition to those already reported in the manufacturing and services literature. To balance conflicting demands, most social enterprises studied combine innovation with community engagement or customer focus.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the development of knowledge about the operations strategy in the specific context of social enterprises, an organisational model that has not been systematically addressed in the operations management literature, and brings the discussion of operational priorities into the social enterprise field, thus strengthening the link between these two fields.
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Edgar Nave, João Ferreira and Luís Miguel Marques
Entrepreneurship is an activity of recognised economic and social interest, leading scholars to examine contextual factors that justify variations between economies and…
Abstract
Purpose
Entrepreneurship is an activity of recognised economic and social interest, leading scholars to examine contextual factors that justify variations between economies and governments to configure more favourable conditions to entrepreneurial activity. In this sequence, this study aims to analyse the effect of reforms produced in the business environment on entrepreneurial rates of a set of 18 high-income economies.
Design/methodology/approach
A panel data (2010–2019) methodology was adopted using 10 Doing Business indicators from World Bank and Total early-stage Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).
Findings
In the light of institutional theory, the study shows that improving the business environment for entrepreneurs does not ensure an increase in TEA. Specifically, only the indicators Dealing with Construction, Registering Property and Enforcing Contracts positively impacted the TEA.
Originality/value
This is the first study that monitors and provides evidence regarding the effectiveness of business environment reforms towards entrepreneurship. The authors provide considerable theoretical-practical implications for scholars, entrepreneurs and policymakers to restructure public policies to support entrepreneurial activity.
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Cristina Calvo-Porral and Luis-Miguel Otero-Prada
Mobile services are expanding rapidly, and in this tremendously dynamic environment, companies should provide value-added services to meet users’ demand. In this context, the…
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile services are expanding rapidly, and in this tremendously dynamic environment, companies should provide value-added services to meet users’ demand. In this context, the study aims to determine whether different user groups exist in this market and profile them.
Methodology
Based on the information of 568 mobile service users, a research was developed in the context of a mature mobile services market – Spain. A behavior-based cluster analysis is developed by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), followed by two-step clustering. Then, an ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests are conducted to confirm differences among the obtained clusters.
Findings
The study findings show that mobile service users cannot be perceived as a homogenous group, as different users with different behaviors coexist in this market. More specifically, four behavior-based segments emerge in the mobile service sector: “service connoisseurs,” “uninvolved pragmatics,” “potential switchers” and “delighted loyal”; “potential switchers” being the most challenging segment for mobile service companies.
Value
This study reports mobile service users’ heterogeneity; and in turn, mobile service managers should consider customers as four different types, instead of considering them as one single customer.
Propósito
Los servicios móviles se están expandiendo rápidamente y en este entorno tremendamente dinámico, las compañías de servicios móviles deberían de proporcionar servicios de valor añadido para satisfacer la demanda de sus usuarios. En este contexto, esta investigación tiene como objetivo determinar si existen diferentes grupo de usuarios en este mercado y aportar su pefil.
Metodología
Sobre la base de información de 568 usuarios de servicios móviles se lleva a cabo una investigación en el contexto de un mercado de servicios móviles maduro –España-. Se lleva a cabo un análisis clúster basado en el comportamiento de los usuarios, mediante un análisis factorial confirmatorio (CFA), seguido de un análisis clúster bi-etápico. A continuación, se realizan un test Anova y un test pos hoc de Tuckey para confirmar las diferencias entre los grupos obtenidos.
Resultados
Los resultados de la investigación muestran que los usuarios de servicios móviles no pueden ser percibidos como un grupo homogéneo, ya que en este mercado coexisten diferentes usuarios con diferentes comportamientos. Más específicamente, cuatro segmentos de usuarios surgen en el sector de los servicios móviles basados en su comportamiento: “conocedores del servicio”, “pragmáticos no involucrados”, “potenciales cambiadores de servicio” y “leales encantados”, siendo “potenciales cambiadores de servicio” los que presentan un mayor desafío las empresas de servicios móviles.
Valor
Este estudio muestra la heterogeneidad de los usuarios de servicios móviles, y por tanto, los gestores de los servicios móviles deben considerar a sus clientes como cuatro tipos diferentes, en lugar de considerarlos como un único tipo de cliente.
研究目的
移动服务正在迅速扩张,在这个巨大的动态环境中,企业应该提供增值服务来满足用户的需求。在此背景下,本研究旨在确定该市场是否存在不同的用户群体,并对其进行分析。
研究方法
基于568名移动服务用户的信息,在一个成熟的移动服务市场(西班牙)的背景下开展了本次研究。通过确认性因子分析(CFA)进行基于行为的聚类分析,然后进行两步聚类。最后,方差分析和事后Tukey检验被用于确认获得的聚类之间的差异。
研究结果
研究结果表明,移动服务用户不能被看作是一个同质的群体,因为在这个市场上共存着不同的用户,他们具有不同的行为。具体来说,移动服务领域可以划分为基于用户行为的四个细分市场:"服务行家"、"不参与的实用主义者"、"潜在的转换者 "和 "愉悦的忠诚者";其中,"潜在的转换者 "是对移动服务企业来说最具挑战性的细分市场。
研究价值
本研究报告了移动服务用户的异质性;反过来,移动服务管理者应该考虑把客户划分为四种不同的类型,而不是将他们视为一个单一的整体。
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Luis Miguel Rodrigo, Gianni Romaní and Emilio Ricci
The purpose of this paper is to characterize the immigrant entrepreneurs of the Region of Antofagasta and identify their contribution to local development.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to characterize the immigrant entrepreneurs of the Region of Antofagasta and identify their contribution to local development.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach. Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire were carried out with a sample of 314 immigrant entrepreneurs in the city of Antofagasta. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and mean difference.
Findings
The results show a new type of entrepreneur that cannot be fully described by the theories developed for South–North immigrant entrepreneurs. The concept of the South–South entrepreneur is therefore proposed, in order to categorise these entrepreneurs and explain their behaviour, with the conclusion that this group makes a significant contribution to the local economy, both in terms of job and wealth creation and by broadening the availability of goods and services.
Practical implications
Given that immigrant entrepreneurs are a valuable socio-economic asset to the city in terms of job and wealth creation and service diversification, public administrations should endeavour to support these individuals and attract them to the city.
Social implications
Knowledge of the contribution of this group will lead to a greater acceptance of immigrants who have recently been rejected by certain sectors of the population.
Originality/value
This study reveals the existence of a group of immigrant entrepreneurs whose characteristics and contribution to local development were previously not known.
Propósito
El objetivo de este artículo es caracterizar a los inmigrantes emprendedores/as de la región de Antofagasta e identificar de su aporte al desarrollo local.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
Es un estudio descriptivo, con un enfoque cuantitativo. Se realizaron entrevistas cara a cara con cuestionario estructurado a una muestra de 314 inmigrantes emprendedores de la ciudad de Antofagasta. Los datos fueron analizados utilizando estadística descriptiva y diferencia de medias.
Resultados
Los resultados muestran un nuevo tipo de emprendedor que no pueden ser explicados a cabalidad por las teorías desarrolladas para inmigrantes emprendedores Sur-Norte. Por ello, se propone el concepto de emprendedores Sur-Sur, para categorizarles y explicar su comportamiento, concluyendo que realizan un aporte significativo a la economía local, tanto en generación de empleo y riqueza como en el incremento en la oferta.
Implicaciones prácticas
Puesto que los inmigrantes emprendedores son un valioso activo socioeconómico para la ciudad en términos de generación de empleo, riqueza y diversidad en la oferta de servicios, las administraciones públicas deberían de tratar de apoyarlos, cuidarlos y atraer a la ciudad.
Implicaciones sociales
El conocimiento del aporte de este colectivo contribuirá a una mejor aceptación de los inmigrantes, que en los últimos años han sido rechazados por algunos sectores de la población.
Originalidad/valor
Este estudio devela la realidad de un grupo de inmigrantes emprendedores del cual no se tenía conocimiento sobre sus características y su aporte al desarrollo local.