Tobias Mueller, Alexander Segin, Christoph Weigand and Robert H. Schmitt
In the determination of the measurement uncertainty, the GUM procedure requires the building of a measurement model that establishes a functional relationship between the…
Abstract
Purpose
In the determination of the measurement uncertainty, the GUM procedure requires the building of a measurement model that establishes a functional relationship between the measurand and all influencing quantities. Since the effort of modelling as well as quantifying the measurement uncertainties depend on the number of influencing quantities considered, the aim of this study is to determine relevant influencing quantities and to remove irrelevant ones from the dataset.
Design/methodology/approach
In this work, it was investigated whether the effort of modelling for the determination of measurement uncertainty can be reduced by the use of feature selection (FS) methods. For this purpose, 9 different FS methods were tested on 16 artificial test datasets, whose properties (number of data points, number of features, complexity, features with low influence and redundant features) were varied via a design of experiments.
Findings
Based on a success metric, the stability, universality and complexity of the method, two FS methods could be identified that reliably identify relevant and irrelevant influencing quantities for a measurement model.
Originality/value
For the first time, FS methods were applied to datasets with properties of classical measurement processes. The simulation-based results serve as a basis for further research in the field of FS for measurement models. The identified algorithms will be applied to real measurement processes in the future.
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Tobias Mueller, Meike Huber and Robert Schmitt
Measurement uncertainty is present in all measurement processes in the field of production engineering. However, this uncertainty should be minimized to avoid erroneous decisions…
Abstract
Purpose
Measurement uncertainty is present in all measurement processes in the field of production engineering. However, this uncertainty should be minimized to avoid erroneous decisions. Present methods to determine the measurement uncertainty are either only applicable to certain processes and do not lead to valid results in general or require a high effort in their application. To optimize the costs and benefits of the measurement uncertainty determination, a method has to be developed which is valid in general and easy to apply. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a new technique for determining the measurement uncertainty of complex measurement processes. The approximation capability of artificial neural networks with one hidden layer is proven for continuous functions and represents the basis for a method for determining a measurement model for continuous measurement values.
Findings
As this method does not require any previous knowledge or expertise, it is easy to apply to any measurement process with a continuous output. Using the model equation for the measurement values obtained by the neural network, the measurement uncertainty can be derived using common methods, like the Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement. Moreover, a method for evaluating the model performance is presented. By comparing measured values with the output of the neural network, a range in which the model is valid can be established. Combining the evaluation process with the modelling itself, the model can be improved with no further effort.
Originality/value
The developed method simplifies the design of neural networks in general and the modelling for the determination of measurement uncertainty in particular.
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Dominik Hüttemann, Tobias Marc Härtel and Julia Müller
The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the importance of effectively leading a remote workforce in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environments. This study examines…
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the importance of effectively leading a remote workforce in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environments. This study examines the effectiveness of transformational–transactional leadership (Full-Range Leadership Model, FRLM) and its recent extension of instrumental leadership (eFRLM) in remote work contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
We surveyed 529 remote working followers, providing perceptions on (1) their leaders’ manifestation of eFRLM dimensions and factors, (2) their leaders’ leadership effectiveness and (3) their organizational environment as VUCA.
Findings
Results show that instrumental leadership represents a strongly effective leadership dimension in remote work contexts, explaining unique variance beyond transformational–transactional leadership. Moreover, VUCA environments moderated the association between eFRLM leadership behaviors and leadership effectiveness, with instrumental leadership being particularly effective in more pronounced VUCA environments and transformational–transactional leadership being less effective.
Originality/value
Overall, instrumental leadership appears crucial to consider when predicting leadership effectiveness in virtual and uncertain contexts.
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André de Waal, Jennifer Burrell, Sarah Drake, Chilufya Sampa and Tobias Mulimbika
In the past decades, there has been much research into ways organizations can become high-performing. Research into ways organizations can stay high-performing, especially in…
Abstract
Purpose
In the past decades, there has been much research into ways organizations can become high-performing. Research into ways organizations can stay high-performing, especially in challenging times, is much less prevalent. The purpose of this study is to look at ways that high-performance organizations (HPOs) use in practice to stay high-performing.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach of this study consisted of a qualitative matching of the theoretical ways organizations can foster organizational grit – strengthen stamina and resilience of employees to keep achieving results and to persevere in the face of setbacks – with the empirical ways three case organizations in practice used to stay high-performing.
Findings
The literature review yielded 9 ways to foster organizational grit, while the empirical research provided 12 ways HPOs used to stay high-performing. What the literature highlighted was matched in such a way that these practical ways to stay high-performing can be understood as solutions/alternatives with which to foster grit in the organization in a practical manner.
Originality/value
HPOs are quite rare and being able to follow them closely for a prolonged period of time is even more unique. Therefore, this study can be seen as adding a unique piece to the puzzle of how to stay HPO and how organizational grit can be fostered and strengthened.
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Simon Wiersma, Tobias Just and Michael Heinrich
Germany has a polycentric city structure. This paper aims to reduce complexity of this structure and to find a reliable classification scheme of German housing markets at city…
Abstract
Purpose
Germany has a polycentric city structure. This paper aims to reduce complexity of this structure and to find a reliable classification scheme of German housing markets at city level based on 17 relevant market parameters.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a two-step clustering algorithm combining k-means with Ward’s method to develop the classification scheme. The clustering process is preceded by a principal component analysis to merely retain the most important dimensions of the market parameters. The robustness of the results is investigated with a bootstrapping method.
Findings
It is found that German residential markets can best be segmented into four groups. Geographic contiguity plays a specific role, but is not a main factor. Our bootstrapping analysis identifies the majority of pairwise city relations (88.5%) to be non-random.
Research limitations/implications
A deeper discussion concerning the most relevant market parameters is required. The stability of the clusters is to be re-investigated in the future, as the bootstrapping analysis indicates that some clusters are more homogeneous than others.
Practical implications
The developed classification scheme provides insights into opportunities and risks associated with specific city groups. The findings of this study can be used in portfolio management to reduce unsystematic investment risks and to formulate investment strategies.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to offer insights into the German housing markets which applies principal component, cluster and bootstrapping analyses in a sole integrated approach.
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Monica Rolfsen and Tobias Strand Johansen
– The purpose is to provide explanations for why some self-managing teams survive and develop over a long period of time.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose is to provide explanations for why some self-managing teams survive and develop over a long period of time.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design is longitudinal, having worked with several research projects over a period of 20 years. Interviews, observation, field notes have been widely used, and also participative methods while one of the authors has worked on the shop floor for six weeks.
Findings
The authors offer several explanations: the maturity of teams; the process of institutionalization and creation of strong normative values; practices being “infused with meaning” and decoupling of practice from official policy.
Research limitations/implications
The weakness is that the research presented is from one company, and within a Norwegian context which has certain characteristics. The contribution is the emphasis on institutional elements and the methodological implications regarding informal practice where explicit information is incomplete.
Practical implications
By offering an explanation for why self-managing teams can survive, one can also prescribe some important learning. Mutual cooperation and high level of autonomy prove to be important.
Originality/value
The main contribution is the authors' access to unique empirical data, and that they show and explain the social mechanisms for institutionalization of teamwork through participative observation.
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This article deals with how to test for and evaluate interdependence among control practices in a management control system using structural equation modeling. Empirical research…
Abstract
This article deals with how to test for and evaluate interdependence among control practices in a management control system using structural equation modeling. Empirical research on the levers of control (LOC) framework is used as an example. In LOC research, a path model approach to interdependence has been developed. The appropriateness of this approach is evaluated, developed, and compared with the correlation of residuals approach (seemingly unrelated regression) implemented in the wider complementarity literature. Empirical examples of the different models are shown and compared by using a data set on LOC of 120 SBUs in Sweden. The empirical results show that modeling interdependence among control practices in a management control system as non-recursive (bi-directional) paths or as residual correlations evidently affects the conclusions drawn about interdependence in terms of both presence and magnitude. The two models imply different views on how to conceptualize interdependence and are not statistically and empirically comparable. If using non-recursive path models, several model specification issues appear. To be able to identify such models, this needs to be carefully considered in the theory and research design prior to data collection.
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Xi Zhong, Ge Ren and Xiaojie Wu
Economic policy uncertainty has increased around the world since the financial crisis of 2007–2008. While scholars have devoted a lot of time and energy to investigating the…
Abstract
Purpose
Economic policy uncertainty has increased around the world since the financial crisis of 2007–2008. While scholars have devoted a lot of time and energy to investigating the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on firm innovation, they have not reached consistent research conclusions. This study aimed to clarify the above research differences by exploring the impact of EPU on firms' relative exploitative innovation emphasis, so as to provide a more comprehensive and granular understanding of the relationship between EPU and firm innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study obtained 17,165 firm-year data points from 3,107 listed companies in China. It analyzed the above data with a fixed effects model. In addition, this study used an instrumental variables method to solve potential endogeneity problems.
Findings
Based on real options theory and contingency theory, the authors proposed and found that EPU has a significant positive effect on relative exploitative innovation emphasis. In addition, the authors proposed and found that this effect is more pronounced in industries with high technological uncertainty, low competitive intensity, and low state monopolization.
Originality/value
This study is the first to explore why firms prefer exploitative innovation over exploratory innovation from the perspective of EPU. In doing so, this study expands and enriches the EPU literature and the innovation literature. Furthermore, by introducing the moderating role of industry environment, this study deepens the authors' understanding of how complex interactions between industry and institutional environments work together to shape firm strategic choices, and especially firm innovation. Finally, the conclusions of this study have important practical implications for shareholders to take measures to balance exploitative innovation and exploratory innovation to achieve better development.
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In this chapter, my aim is to describe and analyse conceptually and provide direction for the identification, selection and use of assistive technologies (ATs) to support the…
Abstract
In this chapter, my aim is to describe and analyse conceptually and provide direction for the identification, selection and use of assistive technologies (ATs) to support the education and development of young children with disabilities. The chapter discusses the quality of early intervention practices and the pragmatic role of ATs in delivering effective early intervention impacts. In making this case, the chapter draws upon Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory to illuminate how ATs can be selected and used effectively in schools to enable all young children to thrive in their learning and development in inclusive classrooms.
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Konstantinos Pitsakis, Tobias Gössling and Remco Vink
This study investigates what causes businesses to increase their environmental stewardship beyond the governmental standards. This “beyond compliance behavior” is examined by…
Abstract
This study investigates what causes businesses to increase their environmental stewardship beyond the governmental standards. This “beyond compliance behavior” is examined by analyzing the influence of organizational slack and institutional pressures in the European paper and paperboard industry. Beyond compliance behavior is measured as the adoption of a sustainable forestry certificate issued by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The longitudinal (10-year period) dataset consists of adoption events per company, their business characteristics and historic socio-economic data per region in the respective European countries. Examination was done by means of an event history analysis using the program “R.” The results show differences between antecedents of compliance and beyond compliance behavior. The authors discuss the results in the light of institutional and stakeholder theories. Due to institutional shifts in environmental demands, adoption of an FSC certificate has become an off-the-shelf compliance answer to legitimacy issues disguised as a progressive environmental stewardship program.