Sandra J. Hartman, Lillian Y. Fok, Jing Li and Wing M. Fok
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between organizational culture, the adoption and extent of use of quality management (QM) programs, as well as extent…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between organizational culture, the adoption and extent of use of quality management (QM) programs, as well as extent of use of traditional information systems (TIS), e‐commerce (E‐C) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems in Jamaica.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 93 Jamaican managers are surveyed from a variety of companies including small businesses, as well as Jamaican‐based operations units of US companies.
Findings
Our results from this exploratory study offer support for several of the relationships we have suggested. There are strong relationships, across organizations, between QM maturity – in terms of traditional QM only – and all three types of information systems (IS)‐CRM effectiveness, IS: traditional effectiveness and extensiveness, and E‐C extensiveness and effectiveness. In terms of relationships to culture, also notable are the unexpected results found in the negative relationship between the Person‐centered culture and E‐C and TIS use.
Originality/value
This research suggests an intriguing series of relationships between IS and QM maturity and, we believe, indicates that further study could lead to an understanding of the impacts which could be helpful to managers seeking competitiveness and researchers hoping to learn more about organizations and quality.
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Wing M. Fok, Jing Li, Sandra J. Hartman and Lillian Y. Fok
Investigates the relationships between organizational adoption and extent of use of quality management (QM) programs and customer relationship management systems (CRM) in…
Abstract
Investigates the relationships between organizational adoption and extent of use of quality management (QM) programs and customer relationship management systems (CRM) in health‐care and non‐health‐care organizational settings. In referring to QM, recognizes that there has been widespread adoption, across organizations generally, of programs aimed at delivering superior quality to the customer. Focuses on this group of programs when considering QM, and looks at how adoption of QM may impact the CRM programs. Specifically, contends that organizations from the two settings may vary considerably in QM maturity. Begins by considering whether there are differences in the paths which health‐care and non‐health‐care organizations have used in approaching and implementing QM. Finds no differences, however, in this research. Instead, finds that there were systematic changes which appeared to accompany higher‐quality QM implementations in both health‐care and non‐health‐care organizations.
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Jing Li, Wing Fok, Lillian Fok and Sandra Hartman
Investigates the relationships between organizational adoption and extent of use of two kinds of programs. Specifically, contends that organizations may vary considerably in QM…
Abstract
Investigates the relationships between organizational adoption and extent of use of two kinds of programs. Specifically, contends that organizations may vary considerably in QM maturity. Argues that QM maturity organizations will be characterized by perceptions that the culture is different in ways which are supportive of QM, and that the organization is performing at higher levels. Moreover, such organizations will be more likely to have moved toward adopting customer relationship management systems to improve their customer services, and have done so in qualitatively better ways. In turn, such adoptions will lead to perceptions by those in the organizations that their customer relationship systems are, in fact, providing better services. Exploratory research provides support for these ideas.
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Tsz Yan Cheung, Lincoln Fok, Chi-Chiu Cheang, Chi Ho Yeung, Wing-Mui Winnie So and Cheuk-Fai Chow
The problem of plastic wastes is serious nowadays worldwide, although plastic wastes recycling is already in practice. To promote sustainability in plastic waste recycling, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The problem of plastic wastes is serious nowadays worldwide, although plastic wastes recycling is already in practice. To promote sustainability in plastic waste recycling, the quality of wastes collected should be maintained well, resulted from a good recycling practice. This paper aims to study a new plastic recycling bin (PRB) and poster interventions on the enhancement of university hall residential students’ proenvironmental knowledge, attitudes and intended behaviours (KAB) and actual recycling behaviours; informative and feedback posters were used as interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a quasi-experimental setting to examine the effects of the new PRB on students’ KAB and actual behaviours in recycling, whereas the quality of the recycled plastic was measured according to the extent of cleanliness (CLE), separation (SEP), compression (COM) and sortedness (SOR).
Findings
Results showed that significant positive enhancements in KAB only happened with the use of blended interventions, which included promotion through the PRB and posters, suggesting that the use of the PRB and posters was useful in achieving better recycling behaviour.
Originality/value
Blended intervention study by using new design plastic recycling bin and poster on the effect of students’ proenvironmental and recycling KAB.
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Scott T. Young, K. Kern Kwong, Cheng Li and Wing Fok
Describes the manufacturing strategy implications of a two‐industrystudy of manufacturing practices. A research team administeredquestionnaires to managers in the machine tools…
Abstract
Describes the manufacturing strategy implications of a two‐industry study of manufacturing practices. A research team administered questionnaires to managers in the machine tools and textiles industries in China, Japan, Korea, the USA and Western Europe. Highlights of the results include the superior Japanese delivery speed and the extensive use of information systems in the USA. An overview of the relative industrial strengths of each country provides a setting to discuss manufacturing strategy. Each national industry is then classified according to the Hayes and Wheelwright stages of manufacturing competitiveness.
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The only similarity between the construction of wind tunnel models and elementary woodwork is the name of the work itself. VFW‐Fokker, for instance, uses computers both for the…
Abstract
The only similarity between the construction of wind tunnel models and elementary woodwork is the name of the work itself. VFW‐Fokker, for instance, uses computers both for the design and the NC production of the models. That is why this sector also fits into the many‐sided structure of an aerospace company. The first wind tunnel model of the Airbus B 10X version with supercritical wing was recently manufactured at the Varel plant. It was developed in the civil component programme (Ziviles Komponenten‐Programm ZKP) carried out by the German aviation industry under the co‐ordination of VFW‐Fokker.
Joshua Jie Feng Lam, Amanda Yun Yee Ng, Emily Shu Ting Ng, Josephine Wei Ting Ng and Teem-Wing Yip
There are over 300,000 male migrant workers in Singapore. Around 600 major workplace injuries are reported in Singapore each year, mainly in the manufacturing and construction…
Abstract
Purpose
There are over 300,000 male migrant workers in Singapore. Around 600 major workplace injuries are reported in Singapore each year, mainly in the manufacturing and construction injuries. Migrant workers who are affected by workplace injuries often face many challenges, including not being able to work and thus may be repatriated to their home countries, which affects their financial status and that of their families, whom they support. This research aims to explore the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of injured migrant workers in Singapore, towards disability and vocational rehabilitation.
Design/methodology/approach
Fifteen male migrant workers, from Bangladesh, China and India, who had acquired disabling injuries in their workplaces in Singapore, were identified through purposive sampling. They were interviewed by a male interviewer, either in Mandarin Chinese or with the assistance of interpreters for Bengali-English and Tamil-English. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated to English, then analysed thematically.
Findings
The interviewees generally had a pessimistic outlook on their disability, which often impacted negatively on their self-worth and familial relationships. Many of them also had little knowledge of vocational rehabilitation and had not yet seriously considered future job prospects.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no similar studies exploring the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of injured migrant workers in Singapore towards disability and vocational rehabilitation.
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Yang Siong Robson Ng and Hamad Rashid
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the aircraft pushback operations to predict and manage human errors, particularly those associated with the complex team work of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the aircraft pushback operations to predict and manage human errors, particularly those associated with the complex team work of carrying out the pushback operation. This should improve air ramp operations reliability.
Design/methodology/approach
The study applied the human reliability assessment “Systematic Human Error Reduction and Prediction Approach” that involved a total of 60 semi-structured interviews with practicing experts. Past ramp accident reports were also reviewed to provide more in-depth insights to the problem.
Findings
Some of the key performance reliability-degrading errors identified relate to some frequent critical technical inabilities within the team of headset operator and tug driver, as well as the vulnerable intra-team communications. Several best practices were similarly identified.
Practical implications
Based on its findings, this study proposes a new technological concept that can help enhancing safety of aircraft pushback operations. This should enhance reliability of aircraft ground handling and improve aircraft availability. It also provided a generic methodological approach to improve safety-critical operations within high-risk industries.
Social implications
This study responses to the increasing trend in ramp accidents worldwide.
Originality/value
The research conducted to date in this area is still quite limited compared to that of flight and aircraft maintenance safety. The relevant existing studies focus more on ramp safety holistically, and do not go into the details of how safety and reliability of a ramp operation can be improved. The current paper aims at filling this gap.
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This is an impression of the Paris Salon de l'Aeronautique drawn from visits during the first three days: a more detailed report on the exhibits and the flying displays, together…
Abstract
This is an impression of the Paris Salon de l'Aeronautique drawn from visits during the first three days: a more detailed report on the exhibits and the flying displays, together with “An Engineer's Impression of the Paris Air Show” will appear in our next issue.
Siu-Kit Yeung, Wing-Mui Winnie So, Nga-Yee Irene Cheng, Tsz-Yan Cheung and Cheuk-Fai Chow
This paper aims to compare the learning outcomes of gaming simulation and guided inquiry in sustainability education on plastic waste management. The current study targets the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to compare the learning outcomes of gaming simulation and guided inquiry in sustainability education on plastic waste management. The current study targets the identification of success factors in these teaching approaches.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a quasi-experimental design with undergraduate participants who were randomly assigned to an eight-hour sustainability education class using either gaming simulation or guided inquiry. Pre- and post-tests on students’ knowledge, attitudes and intended behavior were conducted, followed by individual interviews to provide more detailed reflections on the teaching approach to which they were assigned.
Findings
In terms of knowledge acquisition and behavioral changes, the quantitative results suggested that the pre-/post-test in-group differences were significant in both groups. More importantly, a significant positive attitudinal change was observed in the gaming simulation group only. In the interviews, participants attributed effective knowledge acquisition to active learning element in class, while the characterization of cognitive dissonance triggered in the gaming simulation induced subsequent affective changes.
Practical implications
Activities in this program can be applied or modified to accommodate differences in other similar programs. The findings can also provide indicators to designs of similar programs in the future.
Originality/value
This paper explores plausible factors (ideology and implementation) that contribute to successful sustainability education programs. Through comparison between gaming simulation and guided inquiry, elements for effective education for sustainable development learning in the pedagogical designs are discussed.