M. Natarajan, V. Senthil, S.R. Devadasan, N. Vijay Mohan and N.M. Sivaram
The purpose of this paper is to contribute a model that would facilitate the infusing of quality and reliability in new products by blending Six Sigma concept and new product…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute a model that would facilitate the infusing of quality and reliability in new products by blending Six Sigma concept and new product development (NPD) process.
Design/methodology/approach
A model called QUARNEWSS (stands for QUA – quality, R – reliability, NEW – new product and SS – Six Sigma) was designed. QUARNEWSS blends four stages of NPD process with Six Sigma's DMAIC improvement methodology and belt-based training infrastructure. After designing, QUARNEWSS was adopted to infuse quality and reliability in a new product being developed at a compressed air treatment products manufacturing company.
Findings
The implementation experience indicated that QUARNEWSS could act as a vehicle for systematically infusing quality and reliability in new products.
Originality/value
The contribution of QUARNEWSS model through this paper is valuable on considering the fact that modern customers demand new products with high degree of quality and reliability.
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TR Sreeram and Asokan Thondiyath
The purpose of this paper is to present a combined framework for system design using Six Sigma and Lean concepts. Systems Engineering has evolved independently and there are…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a combined framework for system design using Six Sigma and Lean concepts. Systems Engineering has evolved independently and there are numerous tools and techniques available to address issues that may arise in the design of systems. In the context of systems design, the application of Six Sigma and Lean concepts results in a flexible and adaptable framework. A combined framework is presented here that allows better visualization of the system-level components and their interactions at parametric level, and it also illuminates gaps that make way for continuous improvement. The Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act is the basis of this framework. Three case studies are presented to evaluate the application of this framework in the context of Systems Engineering design. The paper concludes with a summary of advantages of using a combined framework, its limitations and scope for future work.
Design/methodology/approach
Six Sigma, Lean and Systems Engineering approaches combined into a framework for collaborative product development.
Findings
The present framework is not rigid and does not attempt to force fit any tools or concepts. The framework is generic and allows flexibility through a plug and play type of implementation. This is important, as engineering change needs vary constantly to meet consumer demands. Therefore, it is important to engrain flexibility in the development of a foundational framework for design-encapsulating improvements and innovation. From a sustainability perspective, it is important to develop techniques that drive rationality in the decisions, especially during tradeoffs and conflicts.
Research limitations/implications
Scalability of the approach for large systems where complex interactions exist. Besides, the application of negotiation techniques for more than three persons poses a challenge from a mathematical context. Future research should address these in the context of systems design using Six Sigma and Lean techniques.
Practical implications
This paper provides a flexible framework for combining the three techniques based on Six Sigma, Lean and Systems Engineering.
Social implications
This paper will influence the construction of agent-based systems, particularly the ones using the Habermas’s theory of social action as the basis for product development.
Originality/value
This paper has not been published in any other journal or conference.
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Kanagaraj M., Babu S., Sudhan Raj Jegan Mohan and Christy T.V.
This study aims to compare the friction and wear performance of commercial brake pads for four wheelers among metallic, semimetallic and non-asbestos organic (NAO) formulations to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to compare the friction and wear performance of commercial brake pads for four wheelers among metallic, semimetallic and non-asbestos organic (NAO) formulations to identify one with the right combination of properties for optimal performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Three commercially available brake pads for four-wheeler automotive applications were acquired. Samples were cut from the brake pads to study their physical and mechanical properties. The effects of friction and wear were analyzed using a pin-on-disk tribotester. Surface morphology on the worn-out surface of the brake pads was studied.
Findings
It was observed that the frictional properties remained stable and less fluctuating in the semimetallic and NAO pads, whereas the coefficient of friction of all the pads varied between 0.35 and 0.55. The wear rate of the metallic pads is less than that of NAO and semimetallic pads. The surface morphology studies revealed that the metallic pads contained more primary plateaus and smaller amounts of secondary plateaus compared to semimetallic and NAO pads, resulting in better wear resistance characteristics.
Originality/value
Because the market is flooded with various options for brake pad materials, it is imperative that the vehicle manufacturers choose the right pad material with great care not only to ensure the optimal functioning of the braking system but also passenger safety. Mechanical and tribological properties of brake pads contribute greatly to their effectiveness. There is a requirement to choose the proper material for a certain application that has a consistent friction coefficient and reduced wear.
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Bilwa Deshpande, Debasis Pradhan, Bharadhwaj Sivakumaran and Teidorlang Lyngdoh
The purpose of this paper is to examine the varying impact of advertising appeals on customers’ impulse buying (IB) for vice and virtue products.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the varying impact of advertising appeals on customers’ impulse buying (IB) for vice and virtue products.
Design/methodology/approach
This research used two experiments varying humor/scarcity (high/low) and product category (vice versus virtue).
Findings
Humor (scarcity) enhances IB of vice (virtue) products through anticipation of enjoyment (perception of uniqueness).
Research limitations/implications
This research identifies a new antecedent of IB, advertising and additionally, a new moderator, product type (vice/virtue) in the ad appeal–IB relationship.
Practical implications
Practitioners managing vice (virtue) brands may use humor (scarcity) appeals to promote impulse buying.
Originality/value
This paper demonstrates that humor (scarcity) appeals enhance impulse buying of vice (virtue) products and shows the underlying mechanisms behind these effects.
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Arun Vijay Subbarayalu and Ahmed Al Kuwaiti
Higher education institutions understand the importance of the quality of work life (QoWL) since it directly impacts faculty members’ involvement in providing high-quality…
Abstract
Purpose
Higher education institutions understand the importance of the quality of work life (QoWL) since it directly impacts faculty members’ involvement in providing high-quality teaching. The purpose of this paper is to compare the QoWL of faculty members in undergraduate medical and undergraduate engineering programs offered at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory study design was adopted and 100 faculty members from each program were selected. A pretested QoWL questionnaire was distributed among faculty members using the Questionpro online survey portal.
Findings
Results showed that there is no significant difference between the two programs with regard to the overall QoWL (p>0.05). However, a significant difference was observed with respect to dimensions such as “working condition/environment,” “psychosocial factors at work place” and “job satisfaction and job security.” Also, there is a positive relationship observed between all the dimensions of QoWL (p<0.05).
Originality/value
This study will help educational policy planners to understand the differences in QoWL of faculty members in different programs so as to develop appropriate strategies for its improvement.
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Harsimran Singh Sodhi, Doordarshi Singh and Bikram Jit Singh
The purpose of this paper is to examine and evaluate various Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) models proposed by various researchers, which have been implemented in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine and evaluate various Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) models proposed by various researchers, which have been implemented in manufacturing organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study has followed three major steps in methodology. In the first step, pooling of various research articles has been done, followed by development of the primary results. At the final step, analysis and development of the LSS model have been performed.
Findings
This paper evaluated and examined various models of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and LSS and developed an advanced LSS model that can be deployed in any manufacturing organization with the purpose of scrap reduction.
Originality/value
The findings of this study will assist shop floor managers to implement an LSS model in their organizations, which can effectively reduce the waste and enhance the overall productivity and quality of the manufactured products.
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Nidheesh Joseph and Upam Pushpak Makhecha
The case would help students to learn the concept of high involvement innovation activity and how to apply it in large service organizations to increase innovation involvement…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
The case would help students to learn the concept of high involvement innovation activity and how to apply it in large service organizations to increase innovation involvement. The case will help the students to reflect on the significance of organizing structure and culture of an organization for enabling innovation and innovation process models. The case would further help the students to develop the skill to plan and implement simple, innovative innovation process models which will increase the ideation capabilities of the organization. The students will also be able to understand the role of informal learning in innovation and how to facilitate it.
Case overview/synopsis
Cyient – a global services firm – had always focused on innovation as a key strategic capability winning various annual client awards for over a decade. However, in 2012, Cyient missed the innovation awards which led to the introduction of Idea Tree initiative in Aerospace & Defense (AED) business unit of Cyient. Cyient was able to co-create patents and offer cost savings to its clients through the Idea Tree initiative. This cost-effective and unique initiative resulted in re-organizing the structure (from formal to a quasi-formal), culture (open to new ideas, mistakes and failures) and process (stage-gate) inside Cyient AED business unit. However, Idea Tree also suffers from challenges such as lack of a digital format, lack of corporate presence across Cyient and its highly informal nature. In this context, the CEO wants to review the Idea Tree initiative to decide on its future in Cyient.
Complexity academic level
The case is suitable for teaching multiple facets of innovation for MBA and Executive MBA classes in core Strategy, Managing Organizations and Entrepreneurship and for elective courses such as Innovation Management, Organizing for Innovation or HRM for Innovation. The case is suitable for both fresher and experienced participants.
Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS 6: Human Resource Management.
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Mohamad Abu Ghazaleh and Abdelrahim M. Zabadi
Internet of things (IoT) and big data (BD) could change how the societies function. This paper explores the role of IoT and BD and their impact on customer relationship management…
Abstract
Purpose
Internet of things (IoT) and big data (BD) could change how the societies function. This paper explores the role of IoT and BD and their impact on customer relationship management (CRM) investments in modern customer service. The purpose of this paper is to develop an analytic hierarchy planning framework to establish criteria weights and to develop a general self-assessment model for determining the most important factors influencing the IoT and BD investment in CRM. The authors found that most studies have focused on conceptualizing the impact of IoT without BD and with limited empirical studies and analytical models. This paper sheds further light on the topic by presenting both IoT and BD aspects of future CRM.
Design/methodology/approach
The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methodology is used to weight and prioritize the factors influencing the IoT and BD investment in modern CRM in the service industry. The AHP framework resulted in a ranking of 21 sustainability sub-factors based on evaluations by experienced information technology and customer service professionals.
Findings
The paper provides significant insight on the new frontier of CRM, focusing on the use of IoT and BD and the respective solutions to address them were identified. This study primarily contributes in providing the process of effectively managing and implementing IoT and BD in big businesses by identifying the connecting link between firms and customers.
Practical implications
The understanding of new frontier of CRM connective via IoT and BD can solve the dilemmas and challenges linked to the practice of implement IoT and BD in the information systems field. The study provides valuable information and critical analysis of IoT and BD with regard to the integration of CRM. Finally, this study further provides directions for future researchers.
Originality/value
IoT and BD are a growing phenomenon, which business decision-makers and information professionals need to consider seriously to properly ascertain the modern CRM dimensions in the digital economies. They also should embrace the proper CRM innovation, which is powered by IoT and BD, and discover how IoT and BD can bring the next level of maturity to CRM “CRM of everything.”
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Peter Organisciak, Michele Newman, David Eby, Selcuk Acar and Denis Dumas
Most educational assessments tend to be constructed in a close-ended format, which is easier to score consistently and more affordable. However, recent work has leveraged…
Abstract
Purpose
Most educational assessments tend to be constructed in a close-ended format, which is easier to score consistently and more affordable. However, recent work has leveraged computation text methods from the information sciences to make open-ended measurement more effective and reliable for older students. The purpose of this study is to determine whether models used by computational text mining applications need to be adapted when used with samples of elementary-aged children.
Design/methodology/approach
This study introduces domain-adapted semantic models for child-specific text analysis, to allow better elementary-aged educational assessment. A corpus compiled from a multimodal mix of spoken and written child-directed sources is presented, used to train a children’s language model and evaluated against standard non-age-specific semantic models.
Findings
Child-oriented language is found to differ in vocabulary and word sense use from general English, while exhibiting lower gender and race biases. The model is evaluated in an educational application of divergent thinking measurement and shown to improve on generalized English models.
Research limitations/implications
The findings demonstrate the need for age-specific language models in the growing domain of automated divergent thinking and strongly encourage the same for other educational uses of computation text analysis by showing a measurable difference in the language of children.
Social implications
Understanding children’s language more representatively in automated educational assessment allows for more fair and equitable testing. Furthermore, child-specific language models have fewer gender and race biases.
Originality/value
Research in computational measurement of open-ended responses has thus far used models of language trained on general English sources or domain-specific sources such as textbooks. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to study age-specific language models for educational assessment. In addition, while there have been several targeted, high-quality corpora of child-created or child-directed speech, the corpus presented here is the first developed with the breadth and scale required for large-scale text modeling.
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Achint Nigam, Abhishek Behl, Vijay Pereira and Shreya Sangal
The paper explores how consumer behavior for purchasing impulse products changed in the complex and disruptive (emergency) situation of the COVID-19 pandemic when the customer is…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper explores how consumer behavior for purchasing impulse products changed in the complex and disruptive (emergency) situation of the COVID-19 pandemic when the customer is shopping in-home and not visiting the offline stores in an emerging economy context. This paper further explores how digital transformations like the use of blockchain technology can aid offline/omnichannel retailers in reviving sales via permission marketing for impulse products.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors followed a qualitative research design and conducted 24 personal interviews with millennials and 15 interviews with offline/omnichannel retailers from an emerging economy. The data collected were analyzed using the thematic analysis procedure.
Findings
The authors discuss their findings under three themes – customers' conscious impulse buying during the pandemic, customers' unconscious impulse buying during the pandemic, and a viable solution for retailers in response to the pandemic.
Practical implications
The authors suggest that marketers primarily from an offline/omnichannel store should adapt to permission marketing and use technologies like blockchain for the digital transformation of their marketing strategies. Doing so can help offline retailers minimize future damages in the retail sector during emergency situations.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first that explores how impulse – pure, suggestion, planned and reminder – purchases got affected during the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions in an emerging economy. This paper is also one of the first to explore the role of permission marketing and digital transformation by the use of blockchain in helping offline retailers in forming swift trust and practice trust-based marketing.