Zhigang Shou, Yu Gong and Qiyuan Zhang
Interorganizational dependence is considered as a liability for each firm and needs to be managed properly. Rather than exploring the opportunistic outcome of dependence, the…
Abstract
Purpose
Interorganizational dependence is considered as a liability for each firm and needs to be managed properly. Rather than exploring the opportunistic outcome of dependence, the authors focus on the moderating role of supply chain boundary spanners' guanxi. This study tends to uncover the way and the conditions under which boundary spanners' guanxi influences dependence-opportunism relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a survey of 380 buyer–supplier exchanges in China, this study first examines the relationship between dependence and opportunism, then assesses the contingent role of boundary spanners' guanxi and further tests how unfairness perception and legal inefficiency alter the role of guanxi in managing dependence.
Findings
This study finds that buyer dependence increases supplier opportunism while supplier dependence lowers supplier opportunism. Boundary spanners' guanxi weakens the opportunism-facilitating impact of buyer dependence and mitigates the opportunism-restricting effect of supplier dependence. However, unfairness perception would attenuate the value of guanxi in restricting depended sides' opportunism but strengthen the value of guanxi in motivating depending sides' opportunism; legal inefficiency would amplify the value of guanxi in facilitating depending suppliers' opportunism.
Originality/value
First, the study enriches supply chain dependence studies by incorporating interpersonal guanxi into the investigation of dependence-opportunism relationships. Second, the study adds to the supply chain management literature by uncovering a contrasting role of guanxi in influencing the dependence-opportunism relationship. Third, the study incorporates an agency view to uncover two boundary conditions under which guanxi is mobilized for personal interest seeking or for organizational purposes.
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Maite Tapia, Manfred Elfström and Denisse Roca-Servat
In this paper, we draw from our own empirical data on worker organizing and identify important concepts that bridge social movement (SM) and industrial relations (IR) theory. In a…
Abstract
In this paper, we draw from our own empirical data on worker organizing and identify important concepts that bridge social movement (SM) and industrial relations (IR) theory. In a context of traditional union decline and a surge of alternative types of worker mobilization, we apply SM and IR concepts related to the mobilizing structures and culture to cases of labor organizing via worker centers and community–labor alliances in the United States and China. From an analytical perspective, we argue that the field of SMs and IR can both benefit from this type of cross-discipline theorization.
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Changli Feng, Lin Jiang, Ruize Ma and Chao Bai
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the available literature on the relationship between servitization strategy and firm performance, which identifies the main streams and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the available literature on the relationship between servitization strategy and firm performance, which identifies the main streams and theoretical foundations of research and provides guidelines for future research in this area.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper discusses the relationship between servitization strategy and manufacturing firm performance by gathering and analyzing existing research published between 1988 and 2019 through bibliometric analysis and content analysis, and then unpacking the processes and impacts servitization has on firm performance.
Findings
This paper analyzes the evolution of the concept and servitization strategy of manufacturing organizations, and the relationship between servitization strategy and manufacturing company performance. Then, the authors establish an integrated theoretical framework aimed at conveying the factors and providing a practical reference.
Practical implications
The paper establishes an integrated theoretical framework on servitization and firm performance. The results of the systematic analysis of the literature can be used to inform managers about implementing servitization. Managers need to measure the benefits of servitization from two aspects: financial performance and non-financial performance. And managers need to consider some internal and external influencing factors to achieve a strategic–environmental–organizational fit that will bring better benefits to the firm.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the existing research in three different ways. First, the study perfects the gap of research on the range of all of the factors within the relationship between servitization strategy and manufacturing company performance. Second, the study demonstrates a clear indication of how existing studies’ differences influence the research outcomes. Third, this paper proposes research problems and future research directions.
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Shailja Agnihotri and K.R. Ramkumar
The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into various swarm intelligence-based routing protocols for Internet of Things (IoT), which are currently available for the Mobile…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into various swarm intelligence-based routing protocols for Internet of Things (IoT), which are currently available for the Mobile Ad-hoc networks (MANETs) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs). There are several issues which are limiting the growth of IoT. These include privacy, security, reliability, link failures, routing, heterogeneity, etc. The routing issues of MANETs and WSNs impose almost the same requirements for IoT routing mechanism. The recent work of worldwide researchers is focused on this area.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides the literature review for various standard routing protocols. The different comparative analysis of the routing protocols is done. The paper surveys various routing protocols available for the seamless connectivity of things in IoT. Various features, advantages and challenges of the said protocols are discussed. The protocols are based on the principles of swarm intelligence. Swarm intelligence is applied to achieve optimality and efficiency in solving the complex, multi-hop and dynamic requirements of the wireless networks. The application of the ant colony optimization technique tries to provide answers to many routing issues.
Findings
Using the swarm intelligence and ant colony optimization principles, it has been seen that the protocols’ efficiency definitely increases and also provides more scope for the development of more robust, reliable and efficient routing protocols for the IoT.
Research limitations/implications
The existing protocols do not solve all reliability issues and efficient routing is still not achieved completely. As of now no techniques or protocols are efficient enough to cover all the issues and provide the solution. There is a need to develop new protocols for the communication which will cater to all these needs. Efficient and scalable routing protocols adaptable to different scenarios and network size variation capable to find optimal routes are required.
Practical implications
The various routing protocols are discussed and there is also an introduction to new parameters which can strengthen the protocols. This can lead to encouragement of readers, as well as researchers, to analyze and develop new routing algorithms.
Social implications
The paper provides better understanding of the various routing protocols and provides better comparative analysis for the use of swarm-based research methodology in the development of routing algorithms exclusively for the IoT.
Originality/value
This is a review paper which discusses the various routing protocols available for MANETs and WSNs and provides the groundwork for the development of new intelligent routing protocols for IoT.