S.R. Devadasan, S. Muthu, R. Neil Samson and R.A. Sankaran
Failure prevention is recognised as one of the major enablers of attaining continuous quality improvement in total quality management (TQM) projects. Theoreticians have been…
Abstract
Failure prevention is recognised as one of the major enablers of attaining continuous quality improvement in total quality management (TQM) projects. Theoreticians have been propagating the employability of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as the technique for identifying and rectifying failures in achieving continuous quality improvement. However, FMEA does not facilitate holistic failure prevention and suffers from certain deficiencies. Hence a modified and improved technique named as total failure mode and effects analysis (TFMEA) has been proposed in this paper. Its design details, implementation procedure and practicality are presented in the paper. The article is concluded by suggesting that future researchers can work towards developing change management strategies for successfully implementing TFMEA in organisations.
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The following bibliography focuses mainly on programs which can run on IBM microcomputers and compatibles under the operating system PC DOS/MS DOS, and which can be used in online…
Abstract
The following bibliography focuses mainly on programs which can run on IBM microcomputers and compatibles under the operating system PC DOS/MS DOS, and which can be used in online information and documentation work. They fall into the following categories:
Looks at the attitudes of children, parents and marketers to gender‐specific products, and relates this to the efforts of the political correctness lobby to render them obsolete…
Abstract
Looks at the attitudes of children, parents and marketers to gender‐specific products, and relates this to the efforts of the political correctness lobby to render them obsolete. Finds that marketers have tended to respond to adults rather than the children themselves, and that the 1980s and 1990s were a period when it was thought that gender equality required that young children be treated as though there was no difference between the preferences of boys and girls. Argues instead that gender differences are an important identifying factor for children and that young boys and girls do prefer toys that reflect gender, for instance dolls for girls and guns for boys. Concludes that there are considerable opportunities for marketers and product developers to exploit the demand for gender‐specific products for children under eight.
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Neil Govender, Samuel Laryea and Ron Watermeyer
Several researchers in the construction industry have mentioned that quality of tender documents is declining without tangibly assessing quality. Similarly, in practice, no…
Abstract
Purpose
Several researchers in the construction industry have mentioned that quality of tender documents is declining without tangibly assessing quality. Similarly, in practice, no standardised instrument exists to assess tender document quality. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to develop a framework to assess the quality of tender documents produced by built environment professionals in the construction industry. A framework was chosen to address the gaps in theory and practice as it provides a flexible but structured mechanism to assess tender document quality.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology contained three stages, namely: multi-investigator triangulation, a workshop with infrastructure experts and framework development and validation. A consolidated list of key quality indicators was developed following the literature review and multi-investigator triangulation. The indicators were discussed with ten experts in the South African construction industry, who were responsible for validating and providing insight on whether additional indicators were required. This informed development of the framework.
Findings
This paper proposes a framework to assess tender document quality by evaluating six key quality indicators namely: accuracy, clarity, completeness, standardisation, relevance and certainty.
Research limitations/implications
The framework is limited to the assessment of tender document quality in the construction industry and is suited to the “Design by Employer” contracting strategy. From an academic perspective, this paper provides researchers with a framework to measure and benchmark quality of tender documents in future studies.
Practical implications
This framework can be used by clients to continuously assess and benchmark quality of tender documents produced by professionals.
Originality/value
A comprehensive and standardised approach to assess tender document quality was not available in the construction literature or the construction industry. Therefore, this paper addressed this gap in knowledge, by providing consumers (clients and contractors) of tender documents and researchers a mechanism to assess quality.
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Emotion regulation is an ongoing multiprocess phenomenon and is a challenging developmental task to acquire in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have different…
Abstract
Purpose
Emotion regulation is an ongoing multiprocess phenomenon and is a challenging developmental task to acquire in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have different neurobiological profiles and emotion regulation problems. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature to understand the neurobiological and psychological perspective of emotion regulation in ASD, while converging themes of psychosocial interventions and existing best practices on emotion regulation within this heterogeneous population are reviewed and discussed in consideration of intellectual disability (ID).
Design/methodology/approach
Review of recent literature and common empirically supported interventions addressing emotional regulation implemented in individuals with and without ASD, and with and without ID were included in the electronic database search through PubMed, EBSChost, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, GALE and SAGE. Search terms used included autism, ID, cognitive control, executive function, sensory processing/intervention, emotion regulation, cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness, social stories, positive behavior support and behavior therapy.
Findings
Neural systems governing emotion regulation can be divided into “top-down” and “bottom-up” processing. Prefrontal cortex, cognitive and attentional control are critical for effective emotion regulation. Individuals with ASD, and with ID show impairments in these areas have problems with emotion regulation. Targeted psychosocial intervention need to consider bottom-up and top-down processes of emotion regulation, and that standardized interventions require adaptations.
Originality/value
There are limited studies looking into understanding the neurobiological and psychological perspective of emotion regulation in ASD and linking them to interventions. This review highlights psychosocial interventions that are important for further research, investigation and development as treatment in this population is limited.
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In 1899 the medical practitioners of Dublin were confronted with an outbreak of a peculiar and obscure illness, characterised by symptoms which were very unusual. For want of a…
Abstract
In 1899 the medical practitioners of Dublin were confronted with an outbreak of a peculiar and obscure illness, characterised by symptoms which were very unusual. For want of a better explanation, the disorder, which seemed to be epidemic, was explained by the simple expedient of finding a name for it. It was labelled as “beri‐beri,” a tropical disease with very much the same clinical and pathological features as those observed at Dublin. Papers were read before certain societies, and then as the cases gradually diminished in number, the subject lost interest and was dropped.
A crucial contemporary public health issue is the construction and contestation of the relevance of the natural world to human health.
Abstract
Purpose
A crucial contemporary public health issue is the construction and contestation of the relevance of the natural world to human health.
Approach
Taking a critical approach, this chapter examines how the natural environment as a health determinant is positioned in relation to the ‘social’ within social theory generally and social epidemiological studies of health, illness and disease specifically.
Findings
– This study shows how current constructions of social and natural environmental health drivers contour social approaches to the study of health and proposes an integrated social-ecological approach for generating new contributions of social epidemiology to research on environmentally driven health injuries.
Originality
– The research breaks ground for further social scientific studies of health and the environment and in particular substantiates the call for an extended notion of the ‘environment’ using ecological principles. Methodologically, the interdisciplinary reach of this research draws attention to the tensions that arise when working across the medical, natural and social sciences.
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A.Z. Keller and A. Kazazi
Examines Just‐in‐Time (JIT) from its evolution as a Japaneseconcept through to a review of its philosophy and implementation. Citesseveral techniques of implementation. Includes a…
Abstract
Examines Just‐in‐Time (JIT) from its evolution as a Japanese concept through to a review of its philosophy and implementation. Cites several techniques of implementation. Includes a review of the early work of various researchers and practitioners. Concludes that JIT is a very effective manufacturing philosophy which is universal in nature encompassing all aspects of manufacturing. Suggests a few deficiencies in current literature.
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Manoj Hudnurkar, Suhas Ambekar, Sonali Bhattacharya and Pratima Amol Sheorey
This study attempts to find the structural relationship between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Corporate Sustainability (CS) by analyzing the role of Innovation Capability…
Abstract
Purpose
This study attempts to find the structural relationship between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Corporate Sustainability (CS) by analyzing the role of Innovation Capability (IC).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted the study in the context of manufacturing industries in the Indian Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. In the process, The authors attempt to throw light on the significance of TQM and IC in bringing out sustainable practices in organizations. The authors used Structural Equation Modeling with AMOS to study the relationship between TQM and CS.
Findings
The authors measured TQM through product control management, process control, vendor quality management and customer relationship improvement. We did find a direct relationship between TQM and CS, along with its three dimensions: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and social sustainability. TQM was found to be antecedent to IC. IC, measured through product innovation, process innovation and managerial innovation, did not mediate the relation between TQM and CS. However, the link between TQM and social and environmental sustainability partially mediates through IC at the dimension level.
Practical implications
TQM can provide a holistic means of nurturing participation and satisfaction of stakeholders for achieving corporate sustainability and in the process, can create an innovative culture for stimulating a circular social economy.
Originality/value
This study fills the gap in the literature by providing a structural model that explains the relationship between TQM and corporate sustainability and highlights the role of innovation capability in achieving it.