Rene Cordero, Steven T. Walsh and Bruce A. Kirchhoff
The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which firms staffing with competent workers (CW), in addition to adopting organization technologies (OT) (which include total…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which firms staffing with competent workers (CW), in addition to adopting organization technologies (OT) (which include total quality management and just‐in‐time techniques) and advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) change manufacturing performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature is reviewed to hypothesize relationships. The data are obtained with a questionnaire from 89 manufacturing managers in the micro electro‐mechanical systems industry. Factor analysis of indicators of manufacturing performance reveals two broad dimensions: manufacturing effectiveness and manufacturing flexibility. To test the hypotheses, these dimensions of manufacturing performance are regressed on measures of OT, AMT, CW and their pair‐wise interactions in a hierarchical fashion. The analyses are then repeated for the indicators of the two dimensions of manufacturing performance.
Findings
Staffing with CW fully increases both manufacturing effectiveness and manufacturing flexibility. The adoption of AMT partially increases manufacturing effectiveness, and partially increases manufacturing flexibility in the presence of CW. The adoption of OT fully increases manufacturing effectiveness, but partially decreases manufacturing flexibility in the presence of CW.
Originality/value
The paper provides a valuable study of the extent to which firms adopting OT and AMT, and staffing with CW change two broad dimensions of manufacturing performance and their indicators through both additive and synergistic effects.
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Corinne Post, George F. Farris and Rene Cordero
Past research has found that married men have advantages in the labor market. In this paper we examine the extent to which the advantage of married men is evident in research and…
Abstract
Past research has found that married men have advantages in the labor market. In this paper we examine the extent to which the advantage of married men is evident in research and development organizations with different characteristics. Specifically, we examine the extent to which each of the following organizational characteristics enhance or limit the advantages that married men enjoy both in access to favorable work experiences on the job and in the evaluation of their performance: the extent of involvement in basic research, the proportion of funding from corporate sources, the extent of external contracting, the tightness of work schedules, and the use cross-functional teams. Using information from managers to measure organizational characteristics, we find that married men are advantaged in all types of R&D organizations.
Corinne Post, Nancy DiTomaso, Sarah R. Lowe, George F. Farris and Rene Cordero
This paper aims to evaluate alternative theories about how perceived innovativeness and perceived relational skills interact with gender to explain evaluations by managers of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to evaluate alternative theories about how perceived innovativeness and perceived relational skills interact with gender to explain evaluations by managers of scientists and engineers' promotability into management.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross‐sectional design is used. The sample (n=2,278) is drawn from 24 large US corporations. Separate surveys are administered in each corporation to scientists and engineers and to managers evaluating them.
Findings
Managers rate men and women equally promotable. Furthermore, women whom managers perceived to be especially innovative receive higher evaluations of promotability than similarly accomplished men. And, among those perceived to have low relational skills, women and men are evaluated similarly.
Research limitations/implications
More research is needed to evaluate how ambivalent stereotypes and pressures from organizations to suppress categorical thinking might combine to affect evaluation and selection processes in diverse work settings.
Practical implications
Companies should be concerned about the potential tendency for managers to reward a few individuals when they exceed stereotypical expectations. Employees should be aware of and actively manage the impressions that managers have of them with regard to innovativeness and relational skills.
Originality/value
This paper calls attention to the role of ambivalence and legitimacy theories that predict that women will receive higher evaluations when they exceed stereotypical expectations of innovativeness and that when women do not meet stereotypical expectations of relational skills, managers will temper their harshness in evaluating them. In developing this analysis, it seeks to contribute to the understanding of evaluation processes by considering the context in which evaluations take place.
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Christian Zabel and Daniel O’Brien
The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the role of dynamic capabilities, specifically the sequence of sensing, seizing, and transforming capabilities, in highly…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the role of dynamic capabilities, specifically the sequence of sensing, seizing, and transforming capabilities, in highly uncertain, emerging technology environments. Focusing on the extended reality industry, the study aims to understand the antecedents to these dynamic capabilities, their sequential nature, and their subsequent impact on innovation and company performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a survey of 130 German companies in the extended reality sector, we built a structural equation model that explores the relationship between dynamic capabilities, their antecedents, and their effect on innovation and company performance.
Findings
The analysis suggests that sensing capabilities positively influence seizing and transforming capabilities, while seizing directly contributes to transforming. Transforming capabilities are linked to improved innovation performance, which in turn boosts company performance. Organizational ambidexterity, market orientation, and technology orientation are found to be crucial antecedents, accounting for 33.1% of the variance in sensing capabilities.
Originality/value
This research illuminates the interdependence of dynamic capabilities in highly uncertain business environments, such as emerging technology markets. It contributes original insights by elucidating the sequential nature of dynamic capabilities and identifying their vital antecedents. It also enlarges the understanding of how dynamic capabilities impact firms’ innovation performance.
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Pedro Moncada Jiménez and Jean Rene Nogueras Deminieux
In 2010, as a response to global mega trends, the Best Western International central office requested all of its offices worldwide to implement environmental programs. The Mexico…
Abstract
In 2010, as a response to global mega trends, the Best Western International central office requested all of its offices worldwide to implement environmental programs. The Mexico, Central America, and Ecuador offices consulted with Universidad del Caribe about the best way to fulfill this request and as a result a collaborative project began. A few months later, a Best Environmental Practices Manual (according to the Best Western operational practices and international environmental standards) was developed, together with the Best Green (BG) award and the implementation and external evaluation process. The corporate office evaluated the award and selected it together with the eight recognized international ecolabels, including it as part of its operation. They also promoted and sold awarded hotels as green products. After more than three years of working with the program in the regopm, 49 hotels have obtained the award and 13 have revalidated this certification. Unfortunately, for many external reasons, the program was suspended in 2014. However, this experience offers many valuable lessons in the collaboration among sectors and helps close the gap between theory and praxis and to make more effective collaboration process to increase tourism competitiveness.
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Sam Mosallaeipour, Seyed Mahdi Shavarani, Charlotte Steens and Adrienn Eros
This paper aims to introduce a practical expert decision support system (EDSS) for performing location analysis and making real estate location decisions in the organization’s…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to introduce a practical expert decision support system (EDSS) for performing location analysis and making real estate location decisions in the organization’s facility and real estate management (FREM) department in presence of several decision criteria, under risk and uncertainty. This tool is particularly useful for making strategic decisions in facility planning, portfolio management, investment appraisal, development project evaluations and deciding on usage possibilities in an unbiased, objective manner.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed EDSS uses fuzzy logic and uncertainty theory as two of the most useful tools to deal with uncertainties involved in the problem environment. The system performs an unbiased mathematical analysis on the input data provided by the decision-maker, using a combination of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Global Criterion Method; determines a suitable compromise level between the objectives; and delivers a set of locations that complies best with the outlined desires of the management as the final solution. The application of the system is tested on a real case and has delivered satisfactory results.
Findings
The proposed EDSS took the defined objectives, the list of alternative locations, and their attributes as the required input for problem-solving, and used a combination of AHP, Possibilistic approach, and global criterion method to solve the problem. The delivered outcome was a set of proper locations with the right attributes to meet all objectives of the organization at a satisfactory level, confirmed by the problem owners.
Originality/value
The application of such a system with such a degree of preciseness and complexity has been very limited in the literature. The system designed in this study is an Industry 4.0 decision making tool. For designing this system several body of knowledge are used. The present study is particularly useful for making strategic decisions in the domains of portfolio management, investment appraisal, project development evaluations and deciding on property usage possibilities. The proposed EDSS takes the information provided by the experts in the field (through qualitative and quantitative data collecting) as the inputs and operates as an objective decision-making tool using several bodies of knowledge considering the trends and developments in the world of FREM. The strong scientific method used in the core of the proposed EDSS guarantees a highly accurate result.
Details
Keywords
- AHP
- Strategic decision-making
- Asset management
- Investment efficiency
- Investment appraisal
- Expert decision support systems
- Facility and real estate management (FREM)
- Location analysis
- Multi-criteria decision-making
- Technological decision-making tools
- Real estate location decisions
- Real estate strategy
- Real estate projects
- Investment efficiency