Showing papers in "Benchmarking: An International Journal in 2019"

Key ingredients for evaluating Industry 4.0 readiness for organizations: a literature review

Abstract: Purpose Industry 4.0 is the present trend in automation and data exchange in organizations. However, till today, there is no generic and common understanding in terms of assessing the Industry 4.0 readiness for organizations. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key ingredients for assessing Industry 4.0 readiness for organizations, the interrelationships that exist between these readiness factors and how future research should proceed given the research findings. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) methodology of Tranfield et al. (2003) was employed to ensure the replicability and transparency of the review process. Altogether, 68 articles were identified for the final thematic analysis. Findings The SLR results generated six broad themes of readiness factors. The interrelationship mechanism between these factors was identified. In addition, 17 research propositions were elucidated. Research limitations/implications Being the first literature review on assessing Industry 4.0 readiness for organizations, it finds 17 research propositions which will give the future researchers a guideline for further research in Industry 4.0. Practical implications Although Industry 4.0 is the buzzword, very few organizations understand the concept in detail. This paper will help the organizations to identify the factors which they have to asses critically before implementing Industry 4.0 in an organization. Originality/value Nevertheless, there has been a lot of research on Industry 4.0; this is the first systematic literature to identify the key ingredients for assessing Industry 4.0 readiness for organizations.

Top management commitment, corporate social responsibility and green human resource management: A Malaysian study

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between top management commitment, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green human resource management (GHRM).,A self-administered questionnaire was adopted to perform a systematic collection of data from manufacturing and service organisations in Malaysia. The partial least squares method was used for the conceptual framework of the study.,The observed findings indicate a significant positive relationship between top management commitment and CSR, as well all dimensions of GHRM. However, counterintuitively, the relationship between CSR and GHRM was found not to be as significant as expected (except for CSR and green analysis/job description), which can be explained through the emerging perspective that CSR and HRM should be linked.,The findings provide insights as to the nature of GHRM and how it is affected by CSR and top management commitment in an emerging economy – in this particular study, Malaysia. Moreover, the observed results highlight the crucial importance of top management commitment in implementing GHRM practices and CSR efficiently in order to create positive environmental performance.,The authors believe that, to date, no study has explored the links between top management commitment, CSR and GHRM using empirical data from Malaysia, as well as that this research is an important emerging topic for researchers, academicians and practitioners.

Green human resource management: A systematic literature review from 2007 to 2019

Abstract: Green or environmental human resource management (HRM) has in recent years attracted much attention from academia and practitioners all over the world. However, a thorough analysis of green or environmental HRM has not been made so far. To address this gap, the present study provides a systematic and comprehensive literature review. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to review Green HRM literature of various scopes, approaches and contexts; to identify different focus areas in the Green HRM literature; and to propose areas for future research.,The paper follows a systematic literature review approach. The selected journal articles are categorized on the basis of five focus areas in the Green HRM derived from the extant literature.,Research has grown significantly over the past 12 years that has focused on Green HRM. A total of 70 articles were reviewed and most of these articles employed quantitative method and were carried out in developing countries. Based on the five focus areas identified in this literature review, the performance outcome of Green HRM at both the organizational level and individual level received the greatest attention from the researchers.,This paper is limited to a review of academic articles obtainable from online databases, containing the words “Green human resource management”, “Green HRM”, “Green human resource”, “Environmental HRM”, “Green training” and “Environmental training” in the title. Additionally, only papers from high quality, peer-reviewed journals were evaluated. Other academic sources such as books and conference papers were not included in this study.,The paper presents a structural overview of 70 peer-reviewed articles published in leading academic journals from 2007 until early 2019. This review provides an increased understanding of the existing state of current research, trends and future research directions in the Green HRM discipline.

A study on the influence of factors associated with organizational readiness for change in healthcare organizations using TISM

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to identify, analyze and develop a model to measure the interactions among different factors of organizational readiness for change in service sector specific to healthcare organization. The total interpretive structural modeling (TISM)-based readiness for change is to build a theoretical framework to understand the mutual interactions among the factors and to identify the driving and dependence power of these factors.,TISM is used to identify factors that contribute to analyze the readiness state before starting a change implementation process in healthcare. Matrice d’Impacts croises-multiplication applique´ a classement analysis is used to find the driving and dependent factors of change in healthcare.,This paper identified 12 factors of readiness for change from literature review followed by expert interview to understand the inner connection of factors and study inner relationships. The result says that state of affairs, recent trends in healthcare sector, technology advancement and interdependence among departments are key factors for readiness of change.,This research mainly focused on readiness factors for change in the healthcare sector.,This study will be useful for researcher and practitioners to understand the readiness factors for change.,In this research work, TISM-based readiness for the change framework structural model has been proposed for healthcare organizations which is a new effort in the area of organizational change management in this sector.

Prioritizing the barriers of TQM implementation from the perspective of garment sector in developing countries

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relative importance of different total quality management (TQM) implementation barriers in the context of Readymade Garment (RMG) industries in Bangladesh. Present study has developed a hierarchical framework of several TQM barriers to assess their importance. Expert opinions from RMG industries have been taken to evaluate the importance of one barrier over another.,Methodology adopted in this study to find out the rank of different TQM barriers is fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.,The study shows that, according to order, inappropriate planning of TQM implementation program, lack of financial support, lack of employee training, lack of empowerment of employees, lack of sufficient physical resources, etc. are critical barriers and hampering the successful implementation of TQM program in this sector.,This study has both theoretical and practical implications. It has found out strong and weak contribution of different barriers during TQM implementation. Therefore, this finding will strengthen the knowledge of successful implementation of TQM and will further enrich the existing literature in the context of manufacturing industries in developing countries. Moreover, this finding will also help the decision makers in preparing an effective plan for successful implementation of TQM by utilizing limited resources.,Moreover, our results will aid the managers of RMG sector to find the weight of importance of different barriers. Accordingly, they will make a plan to overcome the major TQM barriers which will increase the success rate of TQM implementation. Every Successful program will bring business excellence. These findings could be a guideline for TQM implementation program in developing countries.,Present study possesses some significant values. First, so far our knowledge go, no other study has developed a hierarchical structure of TQM barrier on the basis of overall change needed within the organization for TQM implementation. Second, this study could be a good guideline for TQM implementation program in RMG sector in developing countries.

Building supply chain risk resilience: Role of big data analytics in supply chain disruption mitigation

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms can develop business risk resilience from supply chain disruption events, by developing big data analytics (BDA) capabilities within their organization. The authors test whether BDA mediates the impact of institutional response to supply chain disruption events, and information technology infrastructure capabilities (ITICs), on firm’s ability to develop risk resilience from supply chain disruption events.,The study is based on survey data collected from 225 firms, spread across several sectors in the USA and Europe. The respondents are primarily senior and middle management professionals who have experience within the information technology (IT) and supply chain domain. Validity and reliability analyses were performed using SPSS and AMOS; and covariance-based structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis.,The analysis reveals two significant findings. First, the authors observe that institutional experience with managing supply chain disruption events has a negative impact on firm’s ability to develop business risk resilience. However, if the organizations adopt BDA capabilities, it enables them to effectively utilize resident firm knowledge and develop supply chain risk resilience capacity. The results further suggest that BDA positively adds to an organization’s existing IT capabilities. The analysis shows that BDA mediates the impact of ITIC on the organization’s ability to develop risk resilience to supply chain disruption events.,This study is one of the few works that empirically validate the important role that BDA capabilities play in enabling firms develop business risk resilience from supply chain disruption events. The study further provides a counterpoint to the existing perspective within the supply chain risk management literature that institutional experience of managing past supply chain disruption events prepares the organization to deal with future disruption events. This paper adds to our understanding of how, by adopting BDA capabilities, firms can develop supply chain risk resilience from disruption events.

The impact of firm size, firm age and environmental management certification on the relationship between green supply chain practices and corporate performance

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore if control variables have any impact on corporate performance when implementing green supply chain management practices. The research in particular examines the impact of firm size, firm age and possession of environmental management system (EMS) certification as control variables on different dimensions of the corporate performance.,The research design consists of a comprehensive literature review, followed by an empirical questionnaire based survey with responses of 117 participant organizations proceeded by a comprehensive statistical analysis to validate the developed theoretical framework and contribute to both practical and methodological approach. This study investigates the impact of each of these three control variables on four dimensions of corporate performance using multiple regression analysis.,The research found that there is positive relationship between firm size and environmental performance, economic performance and social performance but not with operational performance. The study also found that a certified EMS within UAE firms is having a positive impact on all four performance dimensions while firm age does not have any relationship with any of the four performance outcomes.,The research provides guidance for supply chain managers in the UAE and other similar emerging market in order to better understand the relationship between control variables, impact and performance, on corporate outcome. The paper also describes relevant strategies that should be taken into consideration by these managers in order to build their sustainable supply chain. The research contributes to social dimensions of supply chain sustainability on how resilient green strategies are important for supply chain stakeholders during uncertain conditions so that it can respond to uncertain changes in order to contribute to corporate social responsibility. Some of the limitations of this research include the geographic coverage of the study region and other methodological limitation.,This research is the first of its kind in the UAE region to assess the link between firm control variables and its impact on green supply chain management practices; which are less studied in the green supply chain literature. While there might be few other studies that addressed and uncovered the relationship between implementing green supply chain management practices and corporate performance, however, no study has attempted to find out if firm size, firm age and possession of EMS would have any impact on the green supply chain practices and corporate performance relationship. The research was conducted in an emerging economy to understand the relationship better. A series of recommendations are also provided for firms interested in improving their environmental performance while implementing green supply chain practices.

Modelling the readiness factors for agility in healthcare organization: a TISM approach

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the interactions among different readiness factors for implementing agility in healthcare organization. Total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) based readiness framework for agility has been developed to understand the mutual interactions among the factors and to identify the driving and dependence power of these factors.,The identification of factors is done by TISM approach used for analyzing the mutual interactions between factors. Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification analysis is utilized to find the driving and dependent factors of agile readiness in healthcare.,This paper identifies 12 factors of readiness for change in literature review, which is followed by an expert interview to understand the interconnection of factors and to study interrelationships of factors. The study suggests that factors like environmental scanning, resource availability, innovativeness, cost effectiveness, organizational leadership, training and development are important for implementing/improving the readiness of agility in healthcare organizations.,This research focuses mainly on readiness factors for agility in healthcare sector.,Top management must stress on readiness factors that have a strong driving power for efficient implementation of agility in healthcare. This study helps the managers to take quick decisions, and continuous monitoring of readiness factors would be more beneficial to improve the quality of service, which makes the organization more agile.,In this research, TISM-based readiness for agile framework structural model has been proposed for healthcare organizations, which is a new effort for implementation of agility in healthcare.

The influence of service quality, university image on student satisfaction and student loyalty

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of service quality and university image on student satisfaction and student loyalty.,This study employed a set of survey instrument adapted from previous studies. The construct of the service quality consisted of 12 indicators, one of which was originally designed by the researcher, and the rest were adapted from other researchers. For the construct of university image, there were five indicators, while the rest were designed by the researcher. There were six indicators of construct student satisfaction, while the other three were designed by the researcher. Lastly, the construct student loyalty consisted of five indicators, three of which were originally designed by the researcher. All of those constructs used seven-point Likert scale scoring, which ranged from 1= strongly disagree to 7= strongly agree.,The findings of this study are as follows: the result of the data analysis has confirmed the existence of a positive and significant influence of service quality on student satisfaction, there is a positive and significant influence of student satisfaction on student loyalty, there is no positive or significant influence of service quality on student loyalty, and university image has a positive and significant influence on both student satisfaction and student loyalty.,The originality of this study has been confirmed, considering the fact that only few studies on service quality in education field were conducted. In this study, researchers were interested in developing the service quality based on five dimensions. This model have been applied by a number of researchers. Unfortunately, some other researchers showed their disagreements upon the use of only these five dimensions in the research in the field of education, and they suggested that more appropriate dimensions should be applied.

Measuring of job satisfaction: the use of quality of work life factors

Abstract: Banking industry forms a part of financial services that has emerged itself as the most important source for India’s economic growth. Job satisfaction of employees is one of the important pre-requisites to ensure smooth functioning of banks. The purpose of this paper is to explore the association of job satisfaction with the quality of work life factors of bank employees (n=300), followed by the essential influential relationship of these concepts with socio-demographic characteristics, thereby, proving its own distinct contribution to the subsist body of literature.,This study has considered five private sector banks in India and has used the technique of multi-stage sampling to collect primary data. The respondents from different cadres, namely, executive, associate and manager involved in customer-oriented interactions participated in this survey. The analysis has been conducted by applying descriptive statistics, regression analysis (impact of the quality of work life factors on job satisfaction) and χ2 statistics (association of the quality of work life and job satisfaction with socio-demographic variables). The results have been compared with the Herzberg Theory of Job Satisfaction.,The results of the study show the presence of variance (R2 61.40 percent) in job satisfaction as explained by the quality of work life constructs. The unconducive work environment has confirmed negative association with job satisfaction. The study foresees to contribute useful information to the top management level in the organizations to enhance employees’ overall job satisfaction.,The opaqueness with which the Indian banking industry has its roots and existence in India, the present study clearly has limits: the small size of the sample and the study considered only private sector banks.,A planned approach at organizational and individual level is highly recommended. The bank management must realize the importance of their devoted staff by giving them quality work environment. The initiatives like regular exercise routines can be adopted to reduce stress. Some respondents expressed the need for intercity branch associations, which can help them to solve common problems, better learning opportunities with an informal atmosphere along with other training sessions organized formally.,The paper gives a theoretical explanation of the quality of work life and job satisfaction factors in the Indian private banks falling under the umbrella of Indian banking industry with respect to the employees of private sector banks.

The key factors of total quality management in the service sector: a cross-cultural study

Abstract: Purpose Literature refers to the key factors of total quality management (TQM) based on studies carried out in individual countries. However, few studies focus on studying the TQM factors in service companies based on multinational data. The purpose of this paper is to empirically identify the key TQM factors and their impact on internal and external customer performance measures across different countries. Design/methodology/approach The research questions regarding the TQM factors and their effects were examined using a sample of service organisations from three countries (131 from Greece, 70 from Mexico and 151 from Spain). TQM factors and their impact on employee and customer satisfaction were analysed separately for each country. Exploratory factor analyses, coupled with multiple linear regression analyses, were conducted. Findings The key TQM factors identified are common among the three participating countries and can be summarised as follows: quality practices of top management, process management, employee quality management, customer focus, and employee knowledge and education. The adoption level of these five key factors of TQM varies across service organisations in different countries. The results also confirmed that some of the TQM elements are antecedents of customer- and employee-focused performance. Practical implications Multinational service organisations may use such an instrument to evaluate TQM implementation among worldwide operations and then benchmark their performance. In addition, an understanding of similarities and differences among countries would help managers around the world to address difficulties of TQM implementation related to the country culture. Originality/value Previous studies have compared key TQM factors across different countries in manufacturing, but overall, there has been a little attempt in the literature to analyse the adoption of TQM factors among service firms, as well the relationships between quality improvement and performance across different geographical regions.

Modelling and analysis of barriers affecting the implementation of lean green agile manufacturing system (LGAMS)

Abstract: Purpose Many types of research have already investigated the lean, green or agile manufacturing systems in a discrete manner or as combinations of two of them. In today’s competitive scenario, if industry wants to perpetuate its name in the market, then it has to supervene proper thinking and smart approach. Therefore, the combination of lean, green and agile manufacturing systems can provide better and beneficial results. The purpose of this paper is to discern the barriers to the combined lean green agile manufacturing system (LGAMS), understand their interdependence and develop a framework to enhance LGAMS by using total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) and MICMAC (Matriced’ Impacts Croise’s Multiplication Appliquee a UN Classement) Analysis. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses TISM methodology and MICMAC analysis to deduce the interrelationships between the barriers and rank them accordingly. A total of 13 barriers have been identified through extensive literature review and discussion with experts. Findings An integrated LGAMS has been presented that balances the lean, green and agile paradigms and can help supply chains become more efficient, streamlined and sustainable. Barriers are identified while referring to all three strategies to showcase the clear relevance. TISM models the barriers in different levels showcasing direct and important transitive relations. Further, MICMAC analysis distributes the barriers in four clusters in accordance with their driving and dependence power. Research limitations/implications The inferences have been drawn from a model developed on the basis of inputs from a small fraction of the industry and academia and may show variations when considering the whole industry. Practical implications The outcome of this research can contribute to bringing the change to the manufacturing systems used in most developing nations. Also, top managers considering adoption of LGAMS can be cautious of the most influential barriers. Originality/value A TISM-based model of the barriers to an integrated LGAMS has been proposed with evaluation of the influence of the barriers.

Industry 4.0: key findings and analysis from the literature arena

Abstract: In recent years, a new transformation known as Industry 4.0 has drawn much attention throughout the world, and numerous investigations have fundamentally looked into the uprising concept. However, few have concentrated on the literature review. Taking this as motivation, the authors endeavored to assess the different attributes of Industry 4.0. The paper aims to discuss these issues.,This review concentrated on linking the articles from different database and distinguishing the attributes of Industry 4.0. The authors assessed 85 articles from scholarly database and peer-reviewed journals on Industry 4.0 through the selection of the Mayring (2004) procedure. The examination included a four-advance process, in particular, material gathering, engaging investigation, classification of the choice and material assessment.,The study backs experts and readers to comprehend the spread of Industry 4.0 in various ventures. For academicians, this gives an extensive rundown of Industry 4.0 attributes. Besides, the writing review gives a chance to comprehend the idea of Industry 4.0 in detail. Further, the outcome aggregates the success factor, failure factor, business model, potential and difficulties in the context of Industry 4.0.,Many areas such as supply chain, circular economy and healthcare have started exploring Industry 4.0. However, few specific cases have reported about it, and no generic model is found for real-time application.,The study serves as reference material for researchers and practitioners to understand the spread of Industry 4.0 and utilize the concept of Industry 4.0 for real-life application.,The study focuses on reporting the potential, challenges, business model and pre-requites of Industry 4.0.

Development of a benchmarking model for BIM implementation in developing countries

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore building information modeling (BIM) implementation and practices in developed economies by developing a benchmarking model that will enhance BIM adoption and implementation in developing countries.,The research design adopted a qualitative approach which includes the desktop review of the extant literature as well as case study reviews of ten BIM projects using an explanatory case study technique to form the foundation upon which the study proposed the model. The moving basis heuristics technique was adopted to develop the scoring system.,The BIM benchmarking model and assessment template were developed which consisted of three-level concepts modeled to aid project organizations and project team in developing countries to assess and score the level of improvement and implementation of BIM in a project. A desktop review of BIM projects in developed countries demonstrated the significant improvements and benefits possible through the implementation of the established BIM benchmarking model.,The assessment template in conjunction with the benchmarking model is useful for a comparative evaluation of similar BIM projects and benchmarking purposes. The study also discussed how current findings extends and contradicts previous findings.,The findings have provided policymakers, construction stakeholders and professional bodies in the construction industry in developing countries with valuable insights and counter-intuitive perspective that could facilitate the uptake of BIM in construction projects.

Self-efficacy and workplace well-being: moderating role of sustainability practices

Abstract: How psychological variables especially self-efficacy plays significant role to attain workplace well-being is yet to be explained. The extant literature calls for further research works in the field of sustainability practices to bridge the gap between self-efficacy and workplace well-being. The purpose of this paper is to extend the literature of workplace well-being while scientifically examining the moderating role of sustainability practices.,The study collected data from 527 full-time executives of Indian public and private manufacturing industries. The authors performed moderated regression analysis through a series of hierarchical models to test the hypotheses of the study.,The result indicates positive relationship between self-efficacy and workplace well-being. Furthermore, the result suggests that the relationship between self-efficacy and workplace well-being was stronger among executives with high level of sustainability practices and vice versa.,The cross-sectional sample of executives employed in Indian manufacturing organizations limits the generalizability of the findings.,HR functionaries and senior management may benefit by closely examining their sustainability practices along with their employees perceived ability to address workplace well-being.,The study contributes to extend the literature on self-efficacy and workplace well-being. This research work is one of the first few studies to examine the moderating effect of sustainability practices.

Benchmarking the triple-A supply chain: orchestrating agility, adaptability, and alignment

Abstract: Limited research examines the triple-A supply chain of agility, adaptability and alignment. The purpose of this paper is to draw on extant literature under the lens of resource orchestration theory to develop a comprehensive framework of antecedents and consequences of triple-A supply chains, allowing both scholars and practitioners to benchmark and prioritize triple-A capabilities.,A systematic literature review focusing on four supply chain journals is conducted to integrate the distinct bodies of knowledge on supply chain agility, adaptability and alignment.,The integration of this literature identifies common and distinct antecedents and consequences of each, developing a comprehensive model of triple-A supply chains as well as proposing opportunities for further study.,Limited studies to date have an integrated agility, adaptability and alignment, thus lacking a comprehensive framework of triple-A supply chains. Managers can use the findings to determine actions needed to deploy triple-A capabilities and better understand the resulting potential benefits.

On the importance of service performance and customer satisfaction in third-party logistics selection: An application of Kano model

Abstract: Developing strategic relationships with third-party logistics (3PL) providers has long been one of the key challenges in automotive supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach for evaluation and indexing 3PL providers using the Kano model.,The statistical population used in this research comprises managers from the Iranian automotive industry. The Kano evaluation approach is used to analyze the data collected and to classify the criteria used in selection of the preferred 3PL providers.,The results suggest that the proposed framework, based on the Kano classification, can be a powerful tool for the automotive industry in evaluating 3PL providers. Moreover, the analyses indicate that 3PL providers need to improve their service offering in aspects that are to be found in the Kano model’s requirements, namely, must-be, one-dimensional and attractive.,This study contributes to the supply chain management literature by being the first to classify selection indices of 3PL providers in the automotive industry using the Kano model.

Green information system integration for environmental performance in organizations: An extension of belief–action–outcome framework and natural resource-based view theory

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an eccentric model to examine the factors that influence environmental performance in organizations based on belief–action–outcome framework and natural resource-based view theory. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by employing online survey from respondents in organizations to statistically test the eccentric model and its associated hypotheses. Partial least squares–structural equation modeling and Statistical Package for Social Sciences were utilized to analyze the survey data. Findings The results show that information technology (IT) professionals and IT executives’ behavior positively influences environmental performance. Further results suggest that the belief of IT professionals and IT executives is significantly influenced by the action of IT infrastructure, institutional pressure, organizational strategy and information diffusion. In addition, results reveal that the action of IT infrastructure, institutional pressure, organizational strategy and information diffusion in organizations significantly has an impact on the outcome of environmental performance. Moreover, results indicate that green information systems (IS) for pollution prevention, product stewardship and clean development initiatives adopted positively influence the environmental performance of organizations. Research limitations/implications The developed eccentric model further shows how green IS practice integration can improve environmental performance. However, the selected respondents are from a single country as such findings from this study cannot be generalized to other countries. Practical implications Practically, this paper has implications for the capability of IS to promote environmental performance in organizations. Social implications This study provides a pertinent contribution in developing and validating an eccentric model for green IS adoption. Besides, a survey instrument is developed that can be used by future studies. Originality/value The developed model helps to explore the factors that influence environmental performance and also the outcomes of green IS adoption for environmental performance. Accordingly, IT professionals and IT executives can draw upon the eccentric model in assessing their current environmental-friendly practice for the effective initialization of green IS for corporate value.

Modified total interpretive structural modelling (TISM) of asymmetric motives and its drivers in Indian bilateral CBJV

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the elements of asymmetric motives, i.e., initial cross-border joint venture (CBJV) conditions and relative partner characteristics in emerging nations. The two main objectives of the present research are to identify the elements affecting asymmetric motives in Indian bilateral CBJV and to construct modified total interpretive structural modelling (TISM) for the identified elements of asymmetric motives. Design/methodology/approach For the current study, the qualitative technique named total interpretive structural modelling was used. The TISM (Sushil, 2012) is a novel extension of interpretive structural modelling (ISM) where ISM helps to understand the “what” and “how” of research (Warfield, 1974) and TISM answers the third question, i.e., “why” in the form of TISM; further checks for the correctness of TISM are given in Sushil (2016). TISM provides a hierarchical model of the elements selected for study and the interpretation of each element by iterative process and also a digraph that systematically depicts the relationship among various elements. TISM is an innovative modelling technique used by researchers in varied fields (Srivastava and Sushil, 2013; Wasuja et al., 2012; Nasim, 2011; Prasad and Suri, 2011). Steps involved in TISM are shown in Figure 1. It uses reachability matrix and partitioning of elements similar to ISM. Also, along with traditional TISM, the modified TISM process was also used where both paired comparisons and transitivity checks were done simultaneously which helped in minimising the redundant comparisons being made in the original process. Furthermore, for identifying the elements of study, SDC Platinum database was used, which was taken from research papers of major journals namely British Journal of Management, Administrative Science Quarterly, Strategic Management Journal, Management Science, Academy of Management Journal and Organization Science (Schilling, 2009). The database included all joint ventures that were formed in India, having India as one of the partner firms during fiscal year April 2000 and March 2010. From these, 361 CBJVs and 76 domestic joint ventures were identified. Although 54 CBJVs were excluded from these, a total number of 307 CBJVs were studied in the current research. Among these 307 CBJVs, 201 were from super-advanced nations (G7), 40 CBJVs from developing nations and 66 CBJVs from other developed nations. As 65 per cent of the CBJVs came from G7 nations (France, Italy, Japan, Canada, Germany, USA and UK), in the current study, we tried to examine Indian CBJVs with G7 partners only for a period of ten years as mentioned above. Findings The results of the study indicate that asymmetric motives are directly affected by critical activity alignment and interdependency. Thus, we can conclude that critical activity alignment of partners in CBJV is an antecedent of CBJV motive and thereby minimises the number of asymmetric motives. Bottom level variables such as culture difference and relative capital structure are considered as strong drivers of asymmetric motives. Diversification, resource heterogeneity and inter-partner conflict are middle level elements. Effect of these elements on asymmetric motives can only be improved and enhanced when improvement in bottom level variables is found. It has been believed that as the relative capital structure among firm increases, CBJVs’ asymmetric motives also increase, the reason being that as the difference in capital structure occurs, gradual change in bargaining power will also occur. Originality/value TISM used in the present study provides valuable insights into the interrelationship between identified elements through a systematic framework. The methodology of TISM used has its implications for researchers, academicians as well for practitioners. Further study also examines driver-dependent relationship among elements of interest, i.e., relative partner characteristics and initial CBJV conditions by using MICMAC analysis, which can be viewed as a significant step in research related to bilateral CBJV.

Improving customer satisfaction of a healthcare facility: reading the customers’ needs

Abstract: Purpose Customer satisfaction refers to the extent to which customers are happy and satisfied with the products and services provided by a business. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to integrate lean tools in the analysis of customer satisfaction and, second, to examine its implications for research and practice. Design/methodology/approach The author proposes the combination of three lean tools in order to design a service quality system that has customer expectations (CEs) as the first input. These tools are quality function deployment (QFD), Hoshin Kanri planning process (HKPP) and benchmarking. The author uses a case study to show the functionality of these tools and the final design of a service quality system for a medical center. Findings Interaction between the service provider and the customer is the primary core activity for service-oriented businesses of different natures. A key relationship between trust in service quality and customer satisfaction cannot be ignored in interpersonal-based service encounters. However, there is a gap in the literature in terms of standardized lean-based procedures or methodologies that lead to improved customer satisfaction that are based directly on CEs. Research limitations/implications Given the variety of the population, the authors developed several methodologies to standardize the customer responses. Using several total quality management tools, the standardization allows the authors to separate the different CEs. The gathering of customers’ expectations (voice of the customers) allows the companies to focus on the real problems expressed by the users of the service, increasing their loyalty and, most importantly in the field under study, the customer’s satisfaction with the service received. Practical implications For practitioners, this study helps with the use of lean tools such as QFD, benchmarking and HKPP and attempts to bridge such a gap with an evidence-based real case. Social implications With the incorporation of all the customer needs, additional elements must be considered in the design of new services. Availability for all and sustainability play an important part of the CEs. Originality/value This paper presents a real application of QFD and Hoshin Kanri and how they may help the service organizations with future development.

To investigate the determinants of cloud computing adoption in the manufacturing micro, small and medium enterprises: A DEMATEL-based approach

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical factors influencing the cloud computing adoption (CCA) in the manufacturing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by employing a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology.,Through literature review and expert opinions, 30 significant factors were identified, and then a DEMATEL approach was applied for exploring the cause–effect relationship between the factors.,The results of study highlighted that five factors, namely, “hardware scalability and standardisation”, “cost (subscription fees, maintenance cost and implementation cost (CS1)”, “innovation”, “installation and up gradation (CS28)”, and “quality of service” were the most significant factors influencing the CCA in the case sector.,The DEMATEL model was developed by considering expert inputs, and these inputs could be biased which can influence the reliability of the model. This study guides the organisational managers, cloud service providers and governmental organisations in formulating the new policies/strategies or modifying the existing ones for the effective CCA in the case sector.,For the first time. interdependency between the critical factors influencing CCA was discussed by employing the DEMATEL approach in the Indian manufacturing MSMEs context.

Inter-partner dynamics and joint venture competitiveness: a fuzzy TISM approach

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to identify the inter-partner dynamics-based enablers of joint venture (JV) competitiveness. In addition, this paper models the interactions among identified enablers/factors to project the strength of their relationship with JV competitiveness.,ISM- and total interpretive structural modeling (TISM)-based fuzzy TISM approach has been used to examine the interactions and strength of interactions among identified enablers of JV competitiveness.,The analysis concludes that inter-partner dynamics-based enablers, such as partner fit, power symmetry and trust, have strong driving power and low dependence power and are at the lowest level of hierarchy in fuzzy TISM model. Variables like collaborative communication, organizational learning and absorptive capacity are linkage variables and they have high dependence as well as driving power and they lie in the second level of fuzzy TISM hierarchy. Strategic flexibility is found to have high dependence power and has weak driving power. The outcome variable JV competitiveness found to have zero driving power and highest dependence power.,The findings have implications for practitioners and policy makers. JVs may achieve competitiveness by managing identified enablers (inter-partner dynamics).,Present paper is one among the few efforts that address the issue of JV competitiveness (post-formation of JV). Methodologically also, this study is one among few initial efforts of using modified fuzzy TISM to explore and understand the linkage among enablers and outcome variables. Modified fuzzy TISM process carries out transitivity checks along with the successive pair-wise comparisons and simplifies the fuzzy TISM approach.

Sustainable business models: a literature review

Abstract: The demand for resources for development also increased corporate pressures for sustainability. Consequently, it is necessary for organizations to adopt measures addressing the need to implement a new business model, which allows a management team concerned about the economy and the optimization of resources to make sustainable business models a strategic interest of the organization. The purpose of this paper is to analyze sustainable business models and the applied practices to operationalize them.,This study was conducted through a systematic review of the literature to identify the sustainable business models addressed in the literature, and what practices are applied to operationalize these models.,The data show that sustainable business models have an approach centered on the direct participation of stakeholders, especially the user, in the process of creating sustainable value. Overall, they offer a high level of technology-based business models that prioritize the use of clean energy, material maximization and energy efficiency, with an emphasis on repair and maintenance rather than on disposal and scheduled obsolescence, as well as an emphasis on natural and renewable processes, the reuse of waste, environmental stewardship, product transformation into technological artefacts for users, and products for services and results.,The study’s contributions provide a more detailed understanding of sustainable business models and what practices can be adopted by companies to make the business truly sustainable. This paper contributed to the discussion of the research on sustainable business models and their operational practices.,The analysis promotes insights into new opportunities for companies to integrate their traditional business models with sustainability, contributing to the application of sustainable practices within the managerial scope. Companies that operate sustainable business models need to be aware that collaborative, sharing and networking models can deliver positive results for sustainable business models.

Assessing the impact of organizational culture on achieving business excellence with a moderating role of ICT: An SEM approach

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to discover the impact of different dimensions of organizational culture (mission culture, adaptability culture, involvement culture and consistency culture) on business excellence results criteria (customer results, people results, society results and business results) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and explore the moderating role of information and communication technology (ICT) use in both service and manufacturing industries.,Data were collected by questionnaire from 448 managers in nine companies that have won the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award in the last three years. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the data.,Organizational culture is significantly related to business excellence. However, these effects varied for different business excellence criteria. Three organizational culture types had a significant positive role in achieving excellent customer-related results. All four types of organizational culture had a positive role in achieving excellent people-related results. Only two culture types had significant role in achieving excellent society-related results. Business results were positively related to a balance between the four types of organizational culture. ICT use moderated the relationship between organizational culture and results related to customers, people and business, but not society.,This study had some conceptual limitations. In particular, it considered the organizational culture as four types in the research model, but without structuring the indices under each type. It also had some methodological limitations. It was cross-sectional and used a self-administered questionnaire, which means that no causal relationships can be implied, and there may have been some bias in responding.,This is one of the first studies that investigate the relationship between organizational culture and business excellence in UAE excellence award-winning companies.

Lean in healthcare organization: an opportunity for environmental sustainability

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide insights toward the potential of lean healthcare organization for environment sustainability and develop propositions for future studies.,This is a conceptual paper to study the inbuilt capacity of lean healthcare organization to mitigate environmental footprint. As a result, lean compatibility with environmental sustainability (ES) has been explored in areas like manufacturing, supply chain, aviation, construction, etc. The lean philosophy, lean culture and lean tools were analyzed to identify their contribution to ES in the context of healthcare organizations.,Based on the analysis of lean philosophy, culture and tool, this paper theorizes that lean healthcare organizations have huge potential to mitigate environmental footprints. Lean healthcare organizations need not to do any extra effort for ES albeit it is inbuilt in it. Lean philosophy provides a vision to the healthcare organization for ES whereas lean culture bestow healthcare with an epistemology for the same.,This paper provides insight that ES is embedded in lean healthcare organizations. Lean healthcare organizational culture is ideal for application for constructivism theory where employees construct a new knowledge from their experiences to minimize the waste that eventually help in ES.,Major contributions of the study include a new approach for mitigating the environmental footprints by adopting lean in healthcare organization.

Lean management practices in healthcare sector: a literature review

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to synthesise the extent to which lean implementation in healthcare has been studied in the literature since its inception a decade ago.,This paper is based upon a literature review of mostly academic articles published mainly in the fields of operations management and medicine.,The current state of the literature on lean healthcare implementation is primarily evaluative (benefits-oriented), descriptive (process-oriented) and rarely holistic (interaction of lean implementation and clinical practice).,This paper identifies further research directions for academics, and provides an overview of findings relevant to healthcare stakeholders interested in lean implementation.

Benchmarking financial inclusion for women entrepreneurship – a study of Uttarakhand state of India

Abstract: Benchmarking is a very important tool to know the gap in your performance and best performance. It is possible to apply benchmarking in a wide variety of area. This paper uses benchmarking for assessing women entrepreneurship. Women entrepreneurship is a symbol of the balanced growth of the society. Financial inclusion schemes offered by the government are aimed to encourage a large number of women of the country to entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of financial inclusion and others factor like family circumstances, benchmarking, entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial intention of women on their decision to take up entrepreneurship as a career choice.,This research study is undertaken to understand the relation of financial inclusion schemes on women entrepreneurship and also to develop a cause–effect relationship. Here, financial inclusion effort is an independent variable, whereas women entrepreneurship is a dependent variable. A sample size of 250 women entrepreneur was taken. The sample was selected on the basis of convenience. Out of the total sample, 125 women belonged to the self-help group and 125 women were registered under the RSETI program of lead banks of Haridwar and Dehradun districts of the Uttarakhand state of India.,The results of the present study indicate that there is a statistically significant impact of financial inclusion on women entrepreneurship. It provides the platform to the women that help them in establishing a new business.,Data for present study were collected from two districts of Uttarakhand. In future, data can be collected from different geographical areas of India for generalizing the findings of the study.,The results of present study indicate that there is a statistically significant impact of financial inclusion on women entrepreneurship. It provides the platform to the women that help them in establishing a new business. For promoting women toward entrepreneurship, the government has launched many schemes.,After the study, the author found that the society will accept the fact that women entrepreneurship is emerging as a dire need for the country.,The author followed all the guidelines that were concerned about the originality of the paper. This paper is not under review of any journal.

Quality management practices in SMEs: a comparative study between India and Namibia

Abstract: Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have now become an important part of economy for not only developed nations but also for emerging economies. Irrespective of the benefits that can be derived, SMEs in emerging economies still lack the will to implement quality management (QM) practices. Using a comparative study, the purpose of this paper is to understand the status of QM practices in SMEs of emerging economies.,A survey-based approach was adopted to understand the established QM practices in the SMEs. A survey instrument was designed by reviewing the literature on QM initiatives in SMEs. A sample of 270 SMEs across Southern India and 189 SMEs in Namibia was selected through stratified random sampling technique.,The overall response rate was 19.52 percent for India and 26.46 percent for Namibia, respectively. There were similarities and differences in responses from SMEs in both countries. Similarities are in terms of limited implementation of QM practices, and also less use of tools and techniques. Reasons for not implementing include unknown to the authors, and the high cost of training. Differences emerged in the type of market (Indian SMEs catering to one major customer), CSFs and business performance indicators. It was interesting to find that management commitment and involvement do not have a major influence as CSF for SMEs in both the countries.,The research is the first attempt in bringing a comparative study about QM practices in SMEs from developing countries. The insights will help emerging economies to develop policies for education and training, and thus facilitate implementation of QM practices in SMEs.

Service innovation, corporate reputation and word-of-mouth in the banking sector: A test on multigroup-moderated mediation effect

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to establish the link between three constructs, namely, service innovation, corporate reputation (CR), and word-of-mouth (hereinafter WOM). Primarily, the aim is to understand whether innovation in a service firm drives its reputation, thereby resulting in positive WOM where the direct effect of service innovation of a firm on WOM is mediated by reputation. Furthermore, the study also seeks to understand whether the type of service firm has an effect on determining the level of the mediation effect.,This study adopts an integrated approach where the measure for the construct service innovation is explored through a qualitative approach, and the conceptual model is estimated through path analysis. The service industry taken for this study is banking, and the through non-probability criterion sampling technique, 252 customers responded to their level of agreement. The PLS-SEM technique was used to estimate the path coefficient by following the two-stage approach. The multigroup moderation analysis is performed to determine whether the type of the bank plays a major role in determining the direct effects and the mediation effect of CR between service innovation and WOM.,The result of this study indicates that there is a strong positive association between the three constructs. Further, the direct relationship between service innovation and WOM is partially mediated by reputation. The result of the multigroup moderation indicates that the type of the bank plays a major role in determining the mediation effect of reputation.,The study helps the decision makers and the managers of the bank to understand that frequent innovation within the firm would help to gain reputation, and thereby customers would tend to give a positive WOM. Further, non-reputable firms can still gain a positive WOM if they continuously innovate new services. In the Indian context, it is noted that there is a difference between private and public banks in determining the mediation effect of reputation between service innovation and WOM.,The originality of the study is based on the following: development of a unique scale to measure service innovation in the banking industry overcoming the existing scales which are based on goods-dominant logic; estimating empirically the combined effect of service innovation and CR on WOM; the process of evaluating the moderated mediation effect; how the mediating effect of CR varies from private sector banks to public sector banks.

Flexibility in service operations: review, synthesis and research agenda

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of flexibility, to identify the gaps in theory and to propose a future research agenda.,This paper combines a systematic review and thematic analysis of scholarly articles of flexibility. The articles are analyzed to explicate the dynamics of flexibility in service operations. Thematic analysis was done using NVIVO 10.0 to identify key approaches, trends and future research agenda.,The review reveals ten different themes that highlight the future research avenues and points out that an integrative framework to assess the field of flexibility, particularly in developing countries, is largely missing in the literature. The study also provides a set of research questions to enhance its explanatory power.,Articles that explicitly mention “flexibility” were only included, however, there may be several unexploited areas regarding the influence of different variables on flexibility. The study is based on the inductive analysis of 650 published articles on flexibility retrieved from the electronic database. The framework proposed in the study is conceptual and requires empirical testing in future research.,The study synthesizes the flexibility literature and contributes to a set of ten distinct themes that extricate the dynamics of flexibility. The study provides a comprehensive review of the relevant articles and identifies the theoretical gaps in the research area of service operations flexibility that can be used by academia and industry for promoting flexibility.