scholarly journals What shapes industrial relations in foreign affiliates? Comparative case study results from Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Dörrenbächer ◽  
Heinz Tüselmann ◽  
Heinz-Rudolf Meissner ◽  
Qi Cao
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Partnership ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Foreign Affiliates

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an analytical framework to categorize the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates. Using the case of foreign affiliates in Germany, this paper further explores what factors shape the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates. Design/methodology/approach Given the scarcity of research on industrial relations in foreign affiliates, this paper is based on conceptual work as well as on a comparative case investigation of 21 foreign affiliates in Germany, involving informants from both labor and management. Findings Industrial relations in foreign affiliates in Germany can take four different qualities, based on the following: social partnership; conflict partnership; latently adversarial; and adversarial relations. While previous literature focused on country-of-origin effects, the authors’ case-based investigation further revealed that both affiliate effects and multinational corporation (MNC) effects have a strong impact on the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates in Germany. Originality/value This paper provides systematic evidence on the presumption that micro-organizational and MNC-specific factors are necessary to gain a deeper understanding of industrial relations in MNCs. Moreover, this paper contributes to the discussion on the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates in Germany, by placing results from both single-case studies and management surveys into perspective.

The roles of emerging multinational companies’ technology-driven FDIs in their learning processes for innovation

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ju Liu
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Multinational Companies ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Global Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capability Building

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contextually theorise the different patterns of emerging multinational companies’ (EMNCs’) learning processes for innovation and the different influences of their technology-driven FDIs (TFDIs) on the processes. Design/methodology/approach A comparative case study method and process tracing technique are employed to investigate how and why firms’ learning processes for innovation took place, how and why the TFDIs emerged and influenced the firms’ learning processes in different ways. Findings The paper identifies two different patterns of learning process for innovation (Glider model vs Helicopter model) and two different roles of the case firms’ TFDIs (accelerator vs starter) in the different contexts of their learning processes. It is found that the capability building of the domestic wind energy industry has an important influence on the case of EMNCs’ learning processes and thus on the roles of their TFDIs. Research limitations/implications The limitation of the paper lies in its small number of cases in a specific industry of a specific country. The two contextually identified learning models and roles of TFDIs may not be applied to other industries or other countries. Future research should investigate more cases in broader sectoral and geographic scope to test the models and also to identify new models. Practical implications For EMNCs, who wants to use the Helicopter model to rapidly gain production and innovation capability, cross-cultural management and integration management are crucial to practitioners. For emerging countries with ambitions to explore the global knowledge and technology pool, besides of the EMNC’s capability building, the capability building in the domestic industries should not be overlooked by policy makers. Originality/value The paper develops a dynamic and contextual analytical framework which helps to answer the important questions about how and under what context a TFDI emerges and influences firm’s learning process for innovation. It theorises the EMNCs’ learning process and TFDIs in the context of the development of the domestic industry. It strengthens the explanatory power of the learning-based view and adds new knowledge to the current FSA/CSA discourse in the international business literature.

Inter-professional physician-nurse collaboration in Lebanon

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-45
Author(s):  
Hala Ahmadieh ◽  
Ghali H. Majzoub ◽  
Faraj M. Abou Radi ◽  
Areej H. Abou Baraki
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Postgraduate Education ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Nurses And Physicians

PurposeA physician–nurse relationship is a complex, professional and shared-decision-making process, which is an important predictor of high-quality patient care. The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitude of the physician–nurse relationship in Southern Lebanon hospitals.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive institutional cross-sectional study was conducted among different departments of three hospitals in Southern Lebanon using a validated Jefferson Scale of Attitude.FindingsIn sum, 89 physicians and 245 nurses accepted to participate. The nurses’ mean age was 32 and the physicians’ was 44. The mean score was found to be 46 for all participants, with significantly higher scores noted among nurses compared to physicians (48 vs 43, respectively) and higher scores among females compared to males (48 vs 46, respectively). However, the study scored no significant difference in relation to the degrees attained by nurses and the participants’ years of experience. The majority had agreed that the shortage in the nurses’ staff affects proper patient care delivery. One fourth of the physicians disagreed that nurses should be considered as a collaborator and colleague. Therefore, more work is required to improve this collaboration.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a complex relationship normally displayed by physicians and nurses, which cannot be easily interpreted and analyzed. Physicians and nurses may have given socially desirable responses while filling the questionnaire. Even more, this study was conducted in Hospitals in Southern Lebanon, and it would be nice to extend this study to include further hospitals in other regions in Lebanon as well.Practical implicationsNurses had higher scores toward collaboration, with females scoring higher than males. However, overall scores are considered to be lower compared to other countries. Thus, more efforts should be done on improving this communication among nurses and physicians, through promoting inter-professional undergraduate and postgraduate education training toward more effective communication.Social implicationsQuality of patient care would be improved if more work is done on improving the collaboration between physicians and nurses, and this was shown to be required as per study results.Originality/valueThere is a gap in literature assessing this important topic which is the collaboration and attitude of nurses and physicians toward their relationship in Lebanon. It is extremely important that efforts should be taken in order to determine the type of nurse–physician relationship in every local context as this relationship affects quality of patients’ care.

How despotic leadership jeopardizes employees' performance: the roles of quality of work life and work withdrawal

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shazia Nauman ◽  
Connice Zheng ◽  
Ameer A. Basit
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Quality Of Work Life ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Of Work ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Harmful Effects ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study contributes to the leadership literature by examining how and when despotic leadership jeopardizes employees' performance. Specifically, we examine whether employees' job performance could be harmed by despotic supervision through employees' work withdrawal behaviour. Moreover, we investigate whether the quality of work-life (QWL) helps in toning down the harmful effects of despotic supervision on work withdrawal.Design/methodology/approachWe used a multi-wave research design with data collected from 195 employees and their supervisors working in Pakistan's manufacturing sector. At time 1, we measured the independent variable (i.e. despotic leadership) and moderator (QWL), whereas, at time-2, the mediator (work withdrawal) was tapped by the same respondent with a time interval of three weeks between them. At time 3, the outcome (supervisor-rated job performance) was assessed directly by the supervisors.FindingsThe results support the mediating effect between despotic leadership and employees' performance through an enhanced level of work withdrawal behaviour. The effect of despotic leadership on job performance via work withdrawal behaviour was found to be weaker among employees with a higher level of QWL.Practical implicationsFor individuals, QWL serves as an enhancement of personal resources to deal with despotic leaders at the workplace; for organizations, our study results alert managers and leaders at the workplace to address employees' need for QWL as this positive resource may discourage work withdrawal behaviour and stimulate employees to perform well in their jobs despite facing despotic supervision.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the leadership literature by introducing work withdrawal as an underlying mechanism to explain the despotic leadership – job performance relationship. Further, we examined how the harmful effects of despotic leadership can be toned down through the moderating variable of QWL thus having practical implications for both employers and employees.

Leadership competencies of first-level military leaders

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 953-970
Author(s):  
Artur Meerits ◽  
Kurmet Kivipõld
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Leadership Competencies ◽  
Change Leadership ◽  
Military Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Behaviour ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Task Change

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the quality of the leadership competencies of first-level military leaders according to three behavioural dimensions: task, change and relational competencies.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted in the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) among first-level commanders (N = 89), whose leadership competencies were assessed by their subordinates (N = 1,655). The Leader Reward and Punishment Questionnaire was used to assess task competencies, the Transformational Leadership Behaviour Inventory was used to assess change competencies and the Extended Authentic Leadership Measure was used to assess relational competencies. Cluster analyses were conducted to identify the level of leadership competencies in the sample and to determine the commanders' leadership profile.FindingsThe study reveals that in terms of leadership competencies, only two competencies from task, two from change and none from the relational dimension are sufficient. In addition, the results highlight that the relational competencies of leadership are connected to each other, while task and change leadership competencies are not.Practical implicationsThe study results make it possible to work out the main principles for a leadership development programme for first-level commanders. In addition, the developed methodology makes it possible to assess the leadership competencies of individual commanders using the three-dimensional framework.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates how quality of the leadership competencies and profiles of first-level EDF commanders are determined within three behavioural dimensions: task, change and relational competencies.

Family entrepreneurial resilience – an intergenerational learning approach

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Zehrer ◽  
Gabriela Leiß
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Intergenerational Learning ◽  
Leadership Succession ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
Family Leadership

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore leadership succession in families in business. Although there is a vast amount of research on leadership succession, no attempt has been made to understand this phenomenon by using an intergenerational learning approach. By applying the Double ABC–X model, the authors discuss how resilience is developed through intergenerational learning during family leadership succession in business. Design/methodology/approach Based on a single case, the authors define pre- and post-event parameters of the business family under study and use the Double ABC–X Model as an analytical framework. Individual and pair interviews, as well as a family firm workshop, were undertaken following an action research approach using multiple interventions. The qualitative data were collected by reflective journals, field notes and observation protocols. Finally, the authors analyze the data according to a circular deconstruction strategy. Findings The authors find specific pre-event stressor parameters related to mutual mistrust, independent decision making and non-strategic transmission of power, knowledge and responsibility from predecessor to successor. The intervention based on the intergenerational approach during the post-crisis phase focuses on problem solving and coping within the new situation of co-habitation among the two generations. The intergenerational learning approach based on pile-up of demands, adaptive resources and perception is the source of family adaptation. Additionally, the power of the narrative to reflect past events and project the future seems to the point where the family starts developing resilience. Originality/value The way family businesses deal with critical and stressful events during leadership succession may lead to intergenerational learning, which is a source of resilient families. The authors apply the Double ABC–X model to understand family leadership succession in business and further develop it to explain how families develop resilience.

scholarly journals Spatially embedded inequality

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 643-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotte Holck
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Workplace Diversity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Opportunity Structures ◽  
Structure And Agency ◽  
Spatial Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to apply a spatial approach to organizational inequality to explore why unequal opportunity structures persist in an organization despite its commitment to diversity and employing highly skilled ethnic minority employees. Design/methodology/approach – The (re)production of inequality is explored by linking research on organizational space with HRM diversity management. Data from an ethnographic study undertaken in a Danish municipal center illustrates how a substructure of inequality is spatially upheld alongside a formal diversity policy. Archer’s distinction between structure and agency informs the analysis of how minority agency not only reproduces but also challenges organizational opportunity structures. Findings – The analysis demonstrates how substructures of inequality stabilize in spatial routines enacted in an ethnic zoning of the workplace and ethnification of job categories. However, the same spatial structures allows for a variety of opposition and conciliation strategies among minority employees, even though the latter tend to prevail in a reproduction rather than a transformation of the organizational opportunity structures. Research limitations/implications – The reliance on a single case study restricts the generalizability of the findings but highlights fruitful areas for future research. Practical implications – The study sensitizes HRM practitioners to the situated quality of workplace diversity and to develop a broader scope of HRM practices to address the more subtle, spatially embedded forms of inequality. Originality/value – Theoretical and empirical connections between research on organizational space and HRM diversity management have thus far not been systematically studied. This combination might advance knowledge on the persistence of micro-inequality even in organizations formally committed to diversity.

Developing an effective renovation plan: the influence of data collection tools

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edoghogho Ogbeifun ◽  
Charles Mbohwa ◽  
Jan-Harm Christiaan Pretorius
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Condition Index ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
History Of

Purpose All built facility begins to show signs of deterioration immediately after the facility is completed and put to use, thus necessitating routine maintenance. Increase in defects due to age, usage, and other factors, requires extensive maintenance activities known as renovation. The data used for a typical renovation plan can be collected using the condition assessment (CA) tool which depends on physical inspection of the defects or through a facility condition index which hinges on harnessing and analyzing the information in the operational history of the facility. The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of a typical renovation plan using both tools. Design/methodology/approach The single case study of qualitative research was adopted. The data were collected through the principle of semi-structured questionnaire complemented with interviews and document analysis. The documents include periodic operational reports and a CA report used for planned renovation exercise of the Facilities Management (FM) Unit in a higher education institution in South Africa. Findings The findings revealed that although the FM Unit produces periodic reports, but there was no evidence of detailed analysis of the reports. Therefore, the programmed renovation exercises are based purely on the information from a CA. Research limitations/implications This research is a single site case study of qualitative research; the data collected are limited and not sufficient for generalization of the results. Furthermore, the lack of record of the analysis of the operational history in the periodic reports negatively affected the computation of facilities condition index (FCI). Thus it was not possible to demonstrate the strength of FCI over CA from empirical information. Originality/value The quality of a typical renovation plan is influenced by the tool used for data collection. Although the CA tool is commonly used, experience shows that the renovation exercise developed from such records is prone to many execution setbacks, such as frequent scope changes and the associated cost and time overruns. These setbacks can be minimized if the FCI is used as the tool for data collection.

Do sustainability practices influence university quality? A Colombian case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1525-1543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula M. Hernandez-Diaz ◽  
Jorge-Andrés Polanco ◽  
Sandra Milena Castaño
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Study Results

Purpose This paper aims to know how university’s strategic managers, from botacademic and administrative systems, perceive the relationship between sustainability and accreditation as sustainability incorporation and the quality of their processes are amongst the actual challenges of universities. Design/methodology/approach This paper opted for an inductive, exploratory study using the case study approach, including 19 in-depth interviews to administrative and academic managers in a private, high-quality certified university in Colombia. The data were assessed using the content analysis methodology. The Colombian accreditation guidelines were the base to analyse the data as accreditation is part of the quality assurance system. Findings This paper provides empirical insights into how the implementation of sustainability in universities relates to the Colombian accreditation factors. The main links found were in the areas of the university’s social impact and organisational responsibility, which are highly relevant to graduates, external stakeholders and sustainability skills. Sustainable campus operation was associated with environmental management and improvement of the quality of the physical plant, with social and economic benefits in the long-term. Additionally, this research found a need for administrative and academic managers to understand and increase their commitment to sustainability. Research limitations/implications Because it was a case study, results are not generalisable. Consequently, further research on similar lines is required to universalise the mentioned observation and results. Practical implications The accreditation factors related to sustainability, inductively defined and exposed in this paper, provide an idea of how sustainability implementation could contribute to higher education quality assurance. Originality/value This paper contributes to filling the knowledge gap about embedding sustainability in Latin-American universities. This paper postulates a starting point considering accreditation standards and the link of the strategic manager’s perceptions of sustainability.

Architectural award schemes

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-341
Author(s):  
Christakis Chatzichristou ◽  
Elias Kranos
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Evaluation Procedure ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bioclimatic Design ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Design Values

PurposeBy promoting certain design values and priorities, institutionalized award schemes are here seen as important agents in the production and management of a more contemporary form of cultural heritage. The research presented compares the claims and actions of the designers and the evaluating committees regarding bioclimatic considerations in the design of award-winning houses in Cyprus. The analysis looks at the way the basic principles of bioclimatic design have indeed influenced the design and classifies each house for each of the principles considered.Design/methodology/approachHighly specialized or quantitative analysis is avoided since what is finally sought after is an evaluation procedure that can be effectively used by a committee composed of practicing architects rather than experts in any field.FindingsThe results suggest that bioclimatic principles do not have a strong impact in the design or in the evaluation by the committee. What this means is that the award systems promote an architectural culture that may use catchy terminology referring to bioclimatic design and sustainability, but they do not give much weight to such criteria when judging the quality of a project.Originality/valueThe originality of the research is twofold: it considers architectural award schemes as agents that currently play a role previously performed by the vernacular in the creation of architectural culture; the analysis tools used are designed in such a way to also be used in the proposal for an improved evaluation procedure.

scholarly journals What constitutes successful African enterprises? A survey of performance variations in 210 African food processors

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1835-1854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Wendelboe Hansen ◽  
Esther K. Ishengoma ◽  
Radha Upadhyaya
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Policy ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Variations

Purpose To understand African small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) performance and its antecedents is essential, both from a strategic management and an industrial development perspective. While a substantial literature on African SMEs has emerged in recent years, studies of their performance specifically are few and inconclusive. The purpose of this paper is to address this lacuna in the literature by examining variations in performance of 210 East African SMEs. Design/methodology/approach The paper employs OLS and logistic regression and Classify k-means test to analyze performance variations in a unique data set of 210 food processing enterprises in Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia. Findings Three generic types of African SMEs are identified based on performance: laggards, followers and gazelles. The gazelles are typically medium-sized, skill-intensive companies selling relatively differentiated products in niche markets. The laggards are typically small, capital-intensive companies involved in grain milling that adopt a cost differentiation strategy. A key driver of variation in performance is found to be the quality of the external business environment (in particular the quality of intermediary markets), and also capability factors such as the strength of management. Strategy factors such as differentiation and political strategies explain performance variations. Practical implications Among the policy implications are that African industrial policy should focus on improving the functioning of intermediary markets, e.g. by reducing the transaction costs of inter-firm collaboration. Moreover, rather than focusing industrial policy on SMEs per se, policymakers should focus on those types of enterprises that are capable of generating high performance, e.g. skill-intensive enterprises with strong managerial capabilities, engaged in differentiation strategies. Originality/value The paper integrates the extant literature on African SME performance, develops an analytical framework for studying it and presents novel empirical insights based on one of the most detailed surveys of SME performance in the continent to date. The findings have important and tangible implications for literature, as well as for industrial policy.

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