Vincent Blijleven, Yiwei Gong, Afshin Mehrsai and Kitty Koelemeijer
Following positive results of Lean implementation in manufacturing environments, Lean has become an emerging philosophy for clients and suppliers of information technology (IT…
Abstract
Purpose
Following positive results of Lean implementation in manufacturing environments, Lean has become an emerging philosophy for clients and suppliers of information technology (IT) services. However, how to implement Lean in IT outsourcing relationships has been addressed sparsely in academic literature. The purpose of this paper is to investigate critical success factors (CSFs) for implementing Lean in IT outsourcing relationships. Key findings, implications and avenues for future research are discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
Six IT outsourcing relationships were qualitatively investigated by means of 36 semi-structured interviews. CSFs were identified based on interview transcription analyses, selection techniques and expert reviews.
Findings
In total, 16 CSFs for Lean implementation in IT outsourcing relationships are identified and described.
Practical implications
The CSFs presented in this paper indicate key areas that deserve managerial attention to steer Lean implementation efforts in IT outsourcing relationships in a favorable direction.
Originality/value
This study is the first to describe the phenomenon of “Lean IT outsourcing” and provides researchers and practitioners with a foundation to further examine Lean implementation in IT outsourcing relationships.
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The purpose of this paper is to demystify Lean for service innovation by investigating its benefits and risks. Lean innovation is a relatively new approach which is advocated in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demystify Lean for service innovation by investigating its benefits and risks. Lean innovation is a relatively new approach which is advocated in management literature. Little scientific work about its practice exists in the field. Although the Lean innovation principles are clear, there is limited evidence about their impact on service innovation processes.
Design/methodology/approach
From the knowledge-based view (KBV) of the firm, a framework for understanding Lean innovation is developed. Using this framework, the benefits and risks of Lean innovation are analyzed in a case study.
Findings
The case study not only shows that Lean service innovation can have many advantages, but also draws attention to the risks. The risks might result in the inability to follow Lean principles and might hamper the realization of the benefits. Using the case studies, study mitigation mechanisms are identified.
Originality/value
This research offers a new knowledge perspective and a better understanding of Lean service innovation. There are two main contribution of this paper. First of all, it reports on the impact of Lean innovation on a bank’s innovation processes, both its benefit and risks. This has a contribution to understanding the innovation process in service organizations. Second, this paper extends Lean innovation to a service context and contributes to the knowledge basis of Lean innovation.
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Korhan Arun and Saniye Yildirim Ozmutlu
The purpose of this paper is to examine how the mediating effect of strategic management impacts the relationship between dynamic capabilities and firm performance concerning…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how the mediating effect of strategic management impacts the relationship between dynamic capabilities and firm performance concerning environmental munificence in 3rd party logistics (3PL) firms operating in Turkey.
Design/methodology/approach
Variance-based structural equation modeling algorithm and correlation analysis were applied to survey data obtained from (n = 482) a top manager from 3PL companies.
Findings
Results revealed that dynamic capabilities were a strong predictor for organizational performance, environmental munificence also emerges as a key predictor for dynamic capabilities and strategic management, and strategic management fully mediates the link between dynamic capabilities and organizational performance, suggesting that they function as substitutes in affecting performance outcomes.
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides empirical evidence of the relationship between the dynamic capability adaptation, strategic management, environment and performance of 3PL firms. As a limitation, the results are based on survey research with a limited sample size.
Practical implications
Organizations should manage not only dynamism but also the scarcity of environmental resources found to be significant on both dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Additionally, in the logistics sector, managers should focus on the big picture while they empower and lead capable followers to transform this strategic view into operational-level changes.
Originality/value
Depending on the relationships between constructs, studying environmental munificence is a different topic than the dynamic environment concept in the effectiveness of dynamic capabilities of 3PL firms. As well as dynamic capabilities at the level of individual and strategic management relationship on organization performance are confirmed.
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Su Yong and Gong Wu-Qi
Abnormal vibrations often occur in the liquid oxygen kerosene transmission pipelines of rocket engines, which seriously threaten their safety. Improper handling can result in…
Abstract
Purpose
Abnormal vibrations often occur in the liquid oxygen kerosene transmission pipelines of rocket engines, which seriously threaten their safety. Improper handling can result in failed rocket launches and significant economic losses. Therefore, this paper aims to examine vibrations in transmission pipelines.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, a three-dimensional high-pressure pipeline model composed of corrugated pipes, multi-section bent pipes, and other auxiliary structures was established. The fluid–solid coupling method was used to analyse vibration characteristics of the pipeline under various external excitations. The simulation results were visualised using MATLAB, and their validity was verified via a thermal test.
Findings
In this study, the vibration mechanism of a complex high-pressure pipeline was examined via a visualisation method. The results showed that the low-frequency vibration of the pipe was caused by fluid self-excited pressure pulsation, whereas the vibration of the engine system caused a high-frequency vibration of the pipeline. The excitation of external pressure pulses did not significantly affect the vibrations of the pipelines. The visualisation results indicated that the severe vibration position of the pipeline thermal test is mainly concentrated between the inlet and outlet and between the two bellows.
Practical implications
The results of this study aid in understanding the causes of abnormal vibrations in rocket engine pipelines.
Originality/value
The causes of different vibration frequencies in the complex pipelines of rocket engines and the propagation characteristics of external vibration excitation were obtained.
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This study aims to examine the latent capability of alternative-responsible tourism and ecotourism management in sustainable tourism and rural communities' livelihoods in Musina…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the latent capability of alternative-responsible tourism and ecotourism management in sustainable tourism and rural communities' livelihoods in Musina Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa, and benchmark the capability with other African countries amid climate change and environmental degradation dilemmas. Hence, the aforementioned objective coordinates with various agrarian locations elsewhere abroad.
Design/methodology/approach
Literature reviews, document reviews, interviews, and focus group discussions were employed to gather data, which was enriched by field observation views. To this end, potential climate change-linked environmental degradation, rural tourism, agricultural, and environmental management issues came to the fore.
Findings
Environmental degradation poses a possible threat to natural resource management, as evidenced by the rural development, ecotourism and agricultural activities within the study region. Thereupon, environmental degradation supplements the probability of adverse effects from climate change and precarious incomes. According to the research, responsible tourism and ecotourism are vital to promoting sustainability in rural localities.
Originality/value
The plenteous biodiversity of the municipality offers a better scenario for sustainable ecotourism in tandem with agritourism efforts to address the identified ongoing and liability issues. These issues have therefore symbolized the need for an adequate and allied tourism strategy to boost the local people in Musina Municipality and, conceivably, throughout the continent.
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Dennis Lai Hang Hui and Ryan Chi Yan Au
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the interplay between police legitimacy and protest policing with reference to the case of Hong Kong.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the interplay between police legitimacy and protest policing with reference to the case of Hong Kong.
Design/methodology/approach
This study will review the concepts of police legitimacy and protest policing and examine the evolving policing practices in Hong Kong since 2010.
Findings
The study argues that the increasing polarisation of society could render policing protest a potential source of problem for sustaining police legitimacy.
Originality/value
This is a pioneering study that looks at the interplay between police legitimacy and protest policing.
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Risk attitude is an elementary attribute of entrepreneurial behaviour. Determinants of risk-taking propensity have been widely investigated in the group of entrepreneurs and…
Abstract
Purpose
Risk attitude is an elementary attribute of entrepreneurial behaviour. Determinants of risk-taking propensity have been widely investigated in the group of entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs so far. There is a lack of evidence on determinants of risk-taking propensity in the farming business, which is considered as risky business because of the ongoing climate change and epidemic outbreaks. Alternatively, the risk of lower European Union budget raised the question, how to implement publicly supported financial instruments for micro and small farmers which have lower credit rating. The purpose of this study is to find socio-demographic determinants of the risk-taking propensity of the Czech micro farms, controlling for the type of farming.
Design/methodology/approach
The survey of 747 micro farmers was processed through ordinal logistic regression. The study is based on the subjective self-assessment of the risk-taking behaviour which is frequently used to measure risk-taking attitude. The results are representative from the type of farming point of view.
Findings
The model provided clear evidence that age, household size, living with the partner/wife/husband and level of education have a significant relationship with risk-taking propensity. The most risk-tolerant farmers are young with less formal education and living in small households. The risk-taking propensity varies by the type of farming. Specialized crop farms have significantly higher risk-taking propensity than farms with a substantial share of livestock production. Alternatively, gender, feeling about household income and religion are not significantly related to the risk-taking propensity of the Czech micro farms.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of the study is the number of explanatory variables and the use of self-assessment of risk-taking attitude. The risk attitude can be explained by other variables which require in-depth qualitative research, such as past risk experience, the structure of decision problems, market orientation and operation under subsistence conditions.
Practical implications
The significant determinants of risk-taking attitude of micro farmers are important for banks, the Czech Support and Guarantee Fund for Farmers and Forestry and for policymakers who design the rules for post-2020 common agricultural policy. The study is original and valuable for the Central and Eastern European countries’ implementation of financial instruments as new rules for investment support are being prepared and research on the risk-taking attitude of the most vulnerable segment of farmers has not been conducted.
Originality/value
The originality of this study is from the perspective of agricultural sector as well as from the micro farms point of view. The results have commercial and political implications. Younger farmers, singles and lower-educated farmers have significantly higher risk-taking propensity and can be potentially risky clients for banks. Such farmers represent the financial gap in the credit market, and their viable development projects could be subject for implementation of financial instruments co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development in the forthcoming programming period past 2020.