Qing Lu, Lydia Liping Jin, Yurong He and Fangjun Li
Managerial responses to employee voice have garnered significant scholarly attention. However, existing research has primarily focused on the factors leading to such responses…
Abstract
Purpose
Managerial responses to employee voice have garnered significant scholarly attention. However, existing research has primarily focused on the factors leading to such responses while giving limited attention to their outcomes. In this study, we integrated two distinct managerial reactions, voice endorsement and supervisory responsiveness. We framed these reactions as employee voice experiences and adopted a model of proactive motivation to explore how these experiences influence subsequent employee voice and silence behaviors through two alternative pathways: role breadth self-efficacy (i.e. the “can do” motivation) and positive affect (i.e. the “energized to do” affective state).
Design/methodology/approach
Researchers conducted a two-wave field survey involving 215 subordinates and their 42 direct supervisors. A multi-level path analysis was used to examine the hypothesized research model.
Findings
The results indicate that employee experiences of voice endorsement affect role breadth self-efficacy. Role breadth self-efficacy, in turn, influences both voice and silence behaviors. In contrast, employee experiences of voice responsiveness influence voice and silence behaviors only through positive affect.
Originality/value
This study extends the scope of existing literature on employee voice/silence by introducing subordinates’ voice experiences based on managerial reactions as an additional predictor of their subsequent behaviors. Moreover, by incorporating a model of proactive motivation and employing its “can do” and “energized to do” motivations as two intervening mechanisms, this study underscores the distinction between having one’s voice heard and truly adopted.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine how Chinese immigrant businesses in Australia were able to shift from low return start-up businesses and move to more competitive business…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how Chinese immigrant businesses in Australia were able to shift from low return start-up businesses and move to more competitive business models targeting mainstream clientele. The research aims to identify the factors enabling a break-out strategy for these entrepreneurs and whether a horizontal or vertical break-out was achieved.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research method with in-depth interviews is employed. Interviews were conducted with 55 Chinese immigrant business owners in Sydney and Canberra.
Findings
The analysis found that a break-out strategy depended on a range of business activities, including innovation, marketing, networking and personnel strategies. Importantly, the current research found that these resources have varying degrees of importance in the different stages of the transition to the new business model. Accumulating sufficient financial capital was a fundamental enabler for a break-out strategy, followed by the capacity to learn and benefit from the experience of social networks.
Research limitations/implications
The current research highlights the importance of financial capital and capacity to benefit from social networks as fundamental factors in enabling a break-out strategy. The benefit of the qualitative approach in obtaining rich data needs to be offset by potential limitations on generalisability. Future research could incorporate comparison between different size businesses as well as analysing factors underpinning a failure to successfully implement a break-out.
Practical implications
The findings indicate that business support groups and policymakers could review access to financial capital for entrepreneurs seeking break-outs, consider improving opportunities for developing capacity to utilise heterogeneous social networks, and consider pathways for improving skills acquisition amongst immigrant entrepreneurs.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the research literature on break-out strategies used by immigrant entrepreneurs by analysing, in detail, the transition steps undertaken by ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs in the shift to more competitive business models.
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Xiaodan Pan, Martin Dresner and Yurong Xie
Drawing on the resource-based view and resource complementarity theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate two research questions: To what extent are logistics…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the resource-based view and resource complementarity theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate two research questions: To what extent are logistics information system (IS) resources associated with improved operational performance? And to what extent are these relationships contingent on organizational factors?
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model with a nested structure is presented to link logistics IS resources and organizational factors with operational performance. The findings are validated using a cross-sectional sample of secondary data from domestic logistics firms in China.
Findings
This paper extends existing operational-level measures for logistics IS resources into a three-tier tactical-level typology: inside-out resources (operation-focused IS, decision-focused IS and IS development capability); outside-in resources (relation-focused IS and market-focused IS); and spanning resources (IS integration capability and IS management capability). Though logistics IS resources, in general, are positively related to operational performance, inside-out IS resources have the most significant impact. Organizational factors, such as firm size, firm age and firm ownership, may enhance or suppress the effects of logistics IS resources on performance.
Practical implications
The findings are valuable to both logistics firms and buyer firms in an emerging market, as logistics IS resources may affect costs and quality of logistics service. The tactical-level typology allows logistics firms to better plan for and manage emerging IS resources in a competitive environment.
Originality/value
This paper extends prior work regarding the complementary effects of logistics IS resources and organizational factors on operational performance. Logistics firms should carefully manage the three types of tactical-level IS resources according to their organizational environment to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.
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Yurong Xu, David C. Yen, Binshan Lin and David C. Chou
Now customer relationship marketing (CRM) solutions might be the hottest topic in business world. CRM impelled the growth of both B2B and B2C markets. But the issue is how to…
Abstract
Now customer relationship marketing (CRM) solutions might be the hottest topic in business world. CRM impelled the growth of both B2B and B2C markets. But the issue is how to apply the cutting‐edge CRM solutions. Do people really understand what CRM is and why they should install CRM? The mistaken concept of CRM may have disastrous effects on the company. This paper begins with the basic concepts of CRM, elaborates the characteristics, reviews its brief history and addresses the current status of CRM. Then it develops the extended concepts of CRM from micro‐ and macro‐ perspectives. In the “Implementation and tips” section, it concludes the proper steps to approach CRM and how to bear a right attitude towards CRM solutions. Related Government rules are also covered.
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Yamaya Ekanayaka, Wendy L. Currie and Philip Seltsikas
Discusses the application service provider (ASP) model, which is emerging as a new form of application outsourcing. At present, the ASP marketplace is largely vendor driven with…
Abstract
Discusses the application service provider (ASP) model, which is emerging as a new form of application outsourcing. At present, the ASP marketplace is largely vendor driven with huge numbers of vendors offering a variety of applications to the customer. These offerings may belong to software applications such as enterprise resource planning, collaborative and vertical industry. Even though there are many benefits attributed to this model suggests that, in order to reap these benefits, customers should evaluate the offerings of the ASPs. Addressing this purpose develops a taxonomy to identify the various ASP offerings and a framework to evaluate the ASP offerings on categories such as security, pricing, integration, service level agreement, and reliability, availability and scalability. Even though this framework is in an early stage of development it intends to present existing customers with performance criteria for evaluating ASP offerings. Concludes that further empirical research needs to be carried out to refine this framework and also to find the relevance of traditional outsourcing literature to this new form of outsourcing.
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Peyman Akhavan, Behin Elahi and Mostafa Jafari
This paper aims to empirically explore the effects of intellectual capital (IC) on supplier selection (SS) and, consequently, investigates the consecutive impacts on an Asian…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to empirically explore the effects of intellectual capital (IC) on supplier selection (SS) and, consequently, investigates the consecutive impacts on an Asian automotive supply chain performance (SCP).
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire-oriented survey obtained from top managers and expert employees from three different Asian automotive industries, all of which exist in the same supply chain, was utilized for factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM).
Findings
The findings indicate that some dimensions of IC containing human capital, relational capital and structural capital sufficiently influence evaluation and selection of optimal suppliers which lead to more efficient performance of the supply chain.
Research limitations/implications
First, as the research analyzes the findings extracted from three important Asian automotive companies which exist in the same supply chain, the results may not be applicable to other industries in different countries. Second, gathering data from other elements of the supply chain like wholesalers and retailers could enrich the research conducted. Besides, more advanced statistical methods could be utilized to evaluate the regression equations and SEM.
Practical implications
With a comprehensive view on IC that takes into account its creation, protection and utilization, IC plays an essential role in selecting and assessing optimal suppliers which enhance competitive advantage, especially in knowledge-based organizations. IC will also increase the SCP efficiently and effectively.
Originality/value
This study develops an integrated knowledge model for a SS issue based on IC, and focuses on the effects of its various elements. It offers assistance to managers who tend to select optimal suppliers effectively.
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The advent of the Internet and electronic communication has enabled companies to be more responsive to their customers. However, the uses of the same technological advancements in…
Abstract
The advent of the Internet and electronic communication has enabled companies to be more responsive to their customers. However, the uses of the same technological advancements in business‐to‐business supply chain management are changing the marketplace itself. Successful supply chain management requires a change from managing individual functions to integrating activities into the key supply chain process. The advantages are far more than the efforts involved in accessing the final product, a seamless chain that operates fluidly and benefits the entire value chain by speeding up communication between customers and their suppliers, improving service quality, and reducing costs. In this article, the author discusses how the Internet is being used in the management of various areas of supply chain by Indian companies.
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This paper aims to explore the extent of adequacy and confidence that can be enjoyed by minority shareholders in the supervisory controls on Boards in listed companies in China.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the extent of adequacy and confidence that can be enjoyed by minority shareholders in the supervisory controls on Boards in listed companies in China.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws upon the legislative controls and case‐studies in China.
Findings
Being the cornerstone of the development of capital markets, listed companies are in complementary relationship with the latter, which in turn serves as the financing tool for the former. Recently, the financial markets all over the world have been thrown into deep crisis and the financing functions of the domestic capital markets have almost been paralyzed. In this context, it is high time for us to exert more efforts to improve the institutional arrangements of the supervisory functions in the governance of listed companies in China, to strengthen corporate governance, to restrain the actions and behaviors of major shareholders, directors and the executives, to strengthen their concerned responsibilities, to put greater attention and more protection on the promotion of minor shareholders' confidence on capital markets, and to maintain the steady and sustainable development of capital markets in the long run.
Originality/value
This study and findings should be of interest to those seeking to assess the adequacy of minority protection in China.
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S.V. Lee, A.N. Hadi, Z.H.Z. Zainal Abidin, N.A. Mazni, N.A. Halim, R. Usop, H.C. Hassan, S.R. Majid and A.K. Arof
The purpose of this paper is to observe the colour and thermal stability of natural red dye consisting of anthocyanin with addition of different aqueous acids and applied as…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to observe the colour and thermal stability of natural red dye consisting of anthocyanin with addition of different aqueous acids and applied as coating films.
Design/methodology/approach
The natural red dye was extracted from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (roselle) flowers and mixed with 1 per cent hydrochloric acid, 5 per cent acetic acid, 5 per cent citric acid and 5 per cent oxalic acid. All the dye samples were exposed to heat and UV-B to observe the colour stability by calculating the half-life and rate of reaction. In coating film application, each of the dye samples was mixed with 25 wt% of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and applied on to a glass substrate. The coating samples’ colour stability was observed by using CIE L*a*b* colour space coordinates. The coating films’ weight loss stability against temperature was observed by using thermogravimetric analysis.
Findings
Addition of hydrochloric acid enhances the thermal and UV stability of the anthocyanin natural dye. This can be observed from the calculation of the half-life of the dye. The half-life values for the thermal and UV stability studies were 1,155 hours and 210 hours, respectively. In coating films, the sample with addition of acetic acid showed the highest colour stability with colour difference (ΔE*) value 8.95.
Research limitations/implications
The coating films developed in this work are not suitable to be applied on metal substrates due to the presence of water, which can contribute to the corrosion formation.
Practical implications
The coating films developed in this work are suitable for washable coating application. In other words, they are non-permanent coatings applied on a glass substrate.
Originality/value
Development of water-based coatings from PVA binder with anthocyanin colourant is introduced in this study.