Search results

The study tests the relationships between continuous improvement (CI) and clinical practices (CP) with perceived operational performance in Australian and New Zealand (NZ) emergency departments.

A survey instrument was designed to collect data from Australian and NZ Emergency Department physicians to test a model developed from the literature, the continuous improvement and clinical practice (CICP) model. Hypotheses were developed and tested using bivariate correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis.

ED operational performance is positively impacted by CI culture, reinforced by an established CI governance structure built on employee education of CI tools and methods. The lack of nonclinical time allocation for CI activities has remained a major impediment for the implementation of a sustainable CI culture. The study found physicians experience tension between continuous improvement and clinical practice.

Developing a CI mindset across all levels of emergency departments would encourage staff to embrace change to support the implementation of CI and to improve clinical practices. The study highlights potential implications for national bodies, academics, policymakers and ED physicians. Study insights suggest that continuous improvement and effective clinical practices are crucial for enhancing ED performance results in their day-to-day responsibilities.

The paper is original by applying methodological rigour to identify the best predictors of performance in EDs and how a theoretical causal model can be tested to identify the best predictors of operational performance in EDs.

Innovation is a complex process, one easily identified as being of critical importance for organisational success yet not easily managed. As international competition intensifies and product life cycles shorten, the pressure to innovate heightens. This paper compares the effectiveness of radical, incremental, and integrated innovation strategies on performance excellence. Hypotheses are tested in a cross‐sectional study of Australian and New Zealand manufacturing companies. Quantitative data was gathered from a large sample in a mail survey of manufacturing site managers and analysed using multivariate analysis techniques. Three performance excellence outcomes (customer satisfaction, productivity, and technological competitiveness) were used as dependent variables in the regression models. The major finding of the study is that a “bottom‐up” continuous improvement strategy is the preferred strategy to improve customer satisfaction and productivity in Australian and New Zealand manufacturing firms. On the other hand, a “top‐down” strategy is considered appropriate for increasing relative technological competitiveness. Surprisingly, an integrated strategy had the least explanatory power on performance excellence. This is consistent with the literature perception that firms have not reached a stage of systems integration and networking. The main implication of the study for practicing managers is that a continuous incremental improvement strategy is the major driving force behind any improvement effort, and that radical innovations should be used to “jump start” critical products, services, and processes intermittently. Once these strategies are in place, managers will be well on their way in achieving systems integration.

Reports on a theoretical framework based on Senge’s principles and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) criteria. Qualitative data were gathered from five Australian companies that had established practices in the TQM field. Multiple cross‐case content analysis was undertaken to evaluate the proposition that “TQM and the Learning Organization are mutually dependent”. Our major finding is that TQM principles and concepts underpin the evolution of the learning organization. The implication is that managers that are involved in TQM do not need a new mindset or paradigm called “learning organization”. Organizations need to recognise that their continuous improvement activities as part of the TQM philosophy have created their “learning organization”.

This paper is based on a cross‐sectional study of 550 medium to large Australian service organisations to determine the effect of quality management practices on various dimensions of service quality outcomes (productivity, competitive advantage, customer relationships, and employee morale). These outcomes were used as dependent variables in a series of regression analyses in order to test several hypotheses. The results demonstrate the importance of including quality in the strategic planning process, customer involvement, empowerment of the workforce, and including quality indicators as part of key performance indicators. On the other hand, integrating quality systems and procedures into the organisation had a significantly negative relationship with increases in productivity. Based on the findings of this study, we conclude that the “soft” practices based on empowerment, at all levels of the organisation, strategic planning and customer/supplier involvement are the most significant predictors of high quality service organisations.

Two critical success factors within the retail industry are quality management practices and continuous learning. Presents empirical evidence suggesting a link between a set of retail management practices and potential learning outcomes. Retailers need to focus on developing a market orientation that is linked to structures, processes and systems necessary to build learning organizations. All interactions with customers and other key stakeholders can lead to a potential learning outcome. To develop and maintain competitive advantage, retailers need to share information with their key stakeholders, build long‐term alliances and link market orientation with a learning orientation. It was found that all levels of employees need time to reflect on and review information critical to their action outcomes and the action outcomes of their key stakeholders. Retailers must capitalize on each potential learning experience by reflecting on, documenting and transferring knowledge, and creating a climate which facilitates learning through the effective exchange of knowledge across all sections of the organization.

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of company size on the strength of the relationship between TQM and organisational performance. Based on a cross‐sectional study of manufacturing firms in Australia and New Zealand, the paper tests two hypotheses involving TQM and organisational performance. The central finding of the study is that TQM has a significant and positive relationship with most of the dimensions of organisational performance. The relationship weakened for defect rates and warranty costs when it was co‐varied for company size. We conclude that company size impedes the implementation of TQM. Larger companies tend to gain greater benefits from TQM than smaller firms. These findings are consistent with some of the literature. Overall, the findings show that a typical manufacturing organisation is more likely to achieve high organisational performance with TQM than without TQM. The findings have implications for managers wishing to formulate a business strategy based on TQM.

There is considerable confusion surrounding the applied role and business value of TQM. Anecdotal evidence and empirical studies in the literature suggest considerable variability in the performance of TQM. The purpose of the paper is to test the strength of the relationship between quality management practice and two key operational performance measures: productivity improvement and customer satisfaction.

A large database consisting of 962 responses from Australian manufacturing firms and 379 responses from New Zealand manufacturing firms is used to test the hypotheses.

The major finding of the paper is that multiple quality management practices when implemented simultaneously have a significant and positive effect on productivity improvement and customer satisfaction.

The results presented in this paper are drawn from one industry at one point in time. Generalising the results to other industries should be done with caution. This study, therefore, aims to motivate further research on the link between quality strategies and organisational performance.

The main implication that emerges from the paper is that managers in manufacturing firms should place more emphasis on “soft” quality management practices (e.g. unity of purpose/elimination of barriers between individuals and departments) and less emphasis on “hard” practices (e.g. process control).

The paper fulfils an identified need on the value of quality practice and offers practical implications to managers and stimulates further research on the relationship between quality practice and operational performance in non‐manufacturing industries.

To test the strength of the relationship between motivation for seeking ISO 9000 certification, quality culture, management responsibility, and the perceived benefits derived from ISO 9000 certification.

The research involved the development and application of a survey instrument applied to a sample of 1500 ISO 9000 certified organisations. The response rate was 27 per cent (400 responses). The data was analysed using SPSS for Windows, multivariate functions.

Amongst the major findings is organisations that seek ISO 9000 certification with a proactive approach driven by a continuous improvement strategy are more likely to derive significant business benefits as a result. We also found that organisations can effectively use ISO certification as a means of promoting and facilitating a quality culture, where the quality auditor is an important player in the process.

The paper reinforces the long held anecdotal view that the development of a strong quality culture should precede ISO certification. Yet results also show that ISO certification can promote this culture. We conclude that the motivation for seeking certification would determine which comes first: the quality culture or ISO 9000 certification. The findings are important evidence for managers to make a decision whether to seek ISO 9000 certification or not. Our research results show that ISO 9000 certification can deliver significant business benefits if it is implemented as part of a continuous improvement strategy.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of operations and maintenance (O&M) practices, individually and collectively, on power plant performance.

Data were collected from more than 100 power plants in Australia and Malaysia. The reliability and validity (content, construct, and criterion) of the practice and performance measures were evaluated.

Committed leadership and maintenance-oriented practices as part of a total productive maintenance (TPM) philosophy were found to be the main differentiators between high and low performing plants.

The research is cross-sectional in nature, therefore, it does not permit us to account for the lag between implementation and performance. Second, the performance measures are subjective and may be subject to response bias.

The implication of the research findings for plant managers is that they need to allocate more “softer” resources to the O&M function if they expect high plant availability.

Apart from capacity and fuel cost, operating costs are an important source of differentiation for power plants. The implication is that reduction in operating costs is directly related to the reduction of consumer power bills.

The reader will learn from this paper that committed leadership and maintenance-oriented practices have greater explanatory power in the regression models than employee involvement, customer focus, strategic planning, and knowledge management. This knowledge is important because it emphasises that in addition to quality management practices, which are focussed on the development of the people aspects of the organization, the plant equipment and physical assets should also be given equal emphasis, in order to improve operational performance of power plants.