Who is to blame?

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 72-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M. Taplin
Keyword(s):  
Work Conditions ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Labor Management ◽  
Fast Fashion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factory Owner ◽  
Trade Regimes ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Management Issues

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the various actors responsible for the recent tragedy at a clothing factory in Bangladesh. Rather than focusing on the actual factory owner, it evaluates the broader structural and institutional factors, plus a particular Western retailer strategy of fast fashion, that together explain the practical inevitability of such tragedies. Design/methodology/approach – As a case study of a particular incident, it presents data from newspaper accounts and descriptive statistics to evaluate the broader context of an industrial accident. Findings – By examining the full context of the incident, it becomes apparent that there were systemic issues that effectively encouraged many parties to engage in workplace policies that almost inevitably can lead to accidents or at least labor abuses. Finally, blame is apportioned to Western consumers whose insatiable appetite for “fashionable” goods merely feeds a retail system that was set up to resolve earlier supply chain problems and ended up taking advantage of changing international trade regimes. Originality/value – The paper takes a much broader examination and analysis of institutional factors that shape work conditions than studies that focus merely on labor-management issues.

scholarly journals Aligning accreditation and academic program reviews: a Canadian case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Bowker
Keyword(s):  
Professional Associations ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Academic Units ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Program Reviews

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the potential benefits and limitations associated with aligning accreditation and academic program reviews in post-secondary institutions, using a descriptive case study approach. Design/methodology/approach The paper describes two Canadian graduate programs that are subject to both external professional accreditation and institutional cyclical reviews, as they underwent an aligned review. The process was developed as a collaborative effort between the academic units, the professional associations and the university’s graduate-level quality assurance office. For each program, a single self-study was developed, a single review panel was constituted, and a single site visit was conducted. The merits and challenges posed by the alignment process are discussed. Findings Initial feedback from the academic units suggests that the alignment of accreditation and program reviews is perceived as reducing the burden on programs with regard to the time and effort invested by faculty, staff and other stakeholders, as well as in terms of financial expenses. Based on this feedback, along with input from reviewers and program evaluation committee members, 14 recommendations emerged for ways in which an aligned review process can be set up for success. Practical implications The results suggest that aligned reviews are not only resource-efficient but also allow reviewers to provide more holistic feedback that faculty may be more willing to engage with for program enhancement. Originality/value The present study contributes to the existing body of knowledge about conducting aligned reviews in response to external accreditation requirements or institutional needs. It summarizes the potential benefits and limitations and offers recommendations for potential best practices for carrying out aligned reviews for policymakers and practitioners.

scholarly journals The idea of transport independence in the Russian Arctic

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (9) ◽  
pp. 913-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonina Tsvetkova ◽  
Britta Gammelgaard
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Strategy Implementation ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Russian Arctic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Strategy

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how supply chain strategies emerge and evolve in response to contextual influence.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative single-case study presents the journey of a supply chain strategy, conceptualised as the idea of transport independence in the Russian Arctic context. Data from 18 semi-structured interviews, personal observations and archival materials are interpreted through the institutional concepts of translation and editing effects.FindingsThe study reveals how supply chain strategies evolve over time and can affect institutional factors. The case study further reveals how contextual conditions make a company reconsider its core competencies as well as the role of supply chain management practices. The findings show that strategy implementation through purposeful actions can represent a powerful resistance to contextual pressures and constraints, as well as being a facilitator of change in actual supply chains and their context. During the translation of the idea of transport independence into actions, the supply chain strategy transformed itself into a form of strategic collaboration and thereby made supply chains in the Russian Arctic more integrated than before.Research limitations/implicationsMore empirical studies on strategy implementation in interaction with contextual and institutional factors are suggested. An institutional process perspective is applied in this study but the authors suggest that future research should include a human dimension by an exploration of day-to-day routines and challenges that employees face when strategising and the actions they take.Originality/valueThe study provides an understanding of how a new supply chain strategy emerges and how it changes during implementation. In this process-oriented study – merging context, process and strategy content – it is further shown that a supply chain strategy may affect the context by responding to contextual and institutional challenges.

The cooperative-collective sharing arrangement of gated communities in Malaysia

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 330-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainur Zaireen Zainudin ◽  
Khadijah Hussin
Keyword(s):  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Gated Communities ◽  
Gated Community ◽  
Local Policy ◽  
Internal Governance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operational Mechanism ◽  
The Government ◽  
Set Up

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discover the operational character of gated communities in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a small case study conducted in Iskandar Malaysia, an economic development region located in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia. In the case study, 12 housing developers were interviewed, involving 32 gated communities altogether. The investigation covered the identification of the governing document used in operating a gated community, the operational purposes and scopes, the arrangement for collection of maintenance fee, and the internal governance within the gated communities. Findings – From the analysis, it was found that two types of gated communities exist in the case study areas, namely the strata gated community scheme, and the gated community scheme (GACOS). The operational mechanism for the former is through a set of rules enforced by the government. Meanwhile, the latter is based on the arrangement set up either by the developer, where legal agreement is applicable, or through the consensus among homeowners. However, despite these differences, both mechanisms share the same intention, that is to operate the gated community based on cooperative-collective sharing arrangement. Research limitations/implications – Despite the vulnerability of GACOS enclosure components, the case study revealed that the number of GACOS is still bigger than the strata gated community scheme. Since this perspective is lacking in this paper, it is suggested that more studies are conducted to explain the reasons behind the indicated phenomenon. Originality/value – The most important contribution of the paper is to highlight the importance of gating experience that is heavily influenced by the local policy setting to determine the survival of a gated community; thus, demonstrating how different they are from each other.

Kiwanis Pancake Day – a service operations management case study

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Andrew Tiger ◽  
Robert Howard
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Service Operations ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Operations Management ◽  
Management Experience ◽  
Management Case Study ◽  
Management Issues

TitleKiwanis Pancake Day – a service operations management case study.Subject areaOperations management.Study level/applicabilityUndergraduate and MBA OM courses.Case overviewKiwanis International is a global service organization dedicated to improving the world by helping children. The Durant, Oklahoma chapter holds its primary annual fundraiser the first Tuesday of November, which is also Election Day. The chapter sells and serves fresh pancakes throughout the day; therefore, the event is the Kiwanis Pancake Day. While serving in his first Pancake Day, Robert Howard, a new Kiwanian, notices service operations management issues such as long lines, spiky demand, and customers leaving before being served. Based on his management experience in the grocery business and his academic training in queuing systems, Robert performs an analysis of the system with the purpose of improving service operations.Expected learning outcomes Perform queuing analysis., Understand demand management., Explain the psychology of waiting.Supplementary materialsTeaching notes and spreadsheet‐based multiple‐server simulator.

How does the evolution of an organization's multiple-dominant-logic system affect its ambidextrous innovation?

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-569
Author(s):  
Haifen Lin ◽  
Tingchen Qu
Keyword(s):  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Resources ◽  
Dominant Logic ◽  
Influence Mechanism ◽  
Entrepreneurial Bricolage ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Logic System ◽  
The Way

PurposeThis paper aims to address how an organization's multiple-dominant-logic system evolves as it grows and how does this evolution affect the way managers choose to balance ambidextrous innovation.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts an interpretive and exploratory case study on the mechanism of how the multiple-dominant-logic system influences the decision of balanced ambidextrous innovation. Considering that the multiple-dominant-logic system will change with the development of a firm, this paper focuses on exploring how the evolution of multiple-dominant-logic system affects the way managers choose to balance ambidextrous innovation. The authors spent almost two years collecting data from M-grass Ecology and following the evolution and innovation through semi-structured interviews, archival data and observation. Then they set up a framework showing the influence mechanism by analyzing the data through a four-step process.FindingsThis research points out that an organization's multiple-dominant-logic system may change for several times in its growth. It provides a model for the evolution of a multiple-dominant-logic system. It confirms that firms' multiple-dominant-logic system is not immutable, but evolves with the change of the firm's internal resources and external environment. Also, it finds that under the influence of different multiple-dominant-logic architectures, mangers choose different ways to balance ambidextrous innovation. In this process, appropriate entrepreneurial bricolage plays a significant role in balancing ambidextrous innovation.Originality/valueThe findings offer some valuable insights for further research on dominant logics and ambidextrous innovation and hold important implications for managers making a decision.

Improved moth flame optimization algorithm to optimize cost-oriented two-sided assembly line balancing

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 638-663
Author(s):  
Mohd Fadzil Faisae Ab. Rashid ◽  
Ahmad Nasser Mohd Rose ◽  
Nik Mohd Zuki Nik Mohamed ◽  
Fadhlur Rahman Mohd Romlay
Keyword(s):  
Assembly Line ◽  
Assembly Line Balancing ◽  
Line Balancing ◽  
Benchmark Problems ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Power Cost ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Line Design

Purpose This paper aims to propose an improved Moth Flame Optimization (I-MFO) algorithm to optimize the cost-oriented two-sided assembly line balancing (2S-ALB). Prior to the decision to assemble a new product, the manufacturer will carefully study and optimize the related cost to set up and run the assembly line. For the first time in ALB, the power cost is modeled together with the equipment, set up and labor costs. Design/methodology/approach I-MFO was proposed by introducing a global reference flame mechanism to guide the global search direction. A set of benchmark problems was used to test the I-MFO performance. Apart from the benchmark problems, a case study from a body shop assembly was also presented. Findings The computational experiment indicated that the I-MFO obtained promising results compared to comparison algorithms, which included the particle swarm optimization, Cuckoo Search and ant colony optimization. Meanwhile, the results from the case study showed that the proposed cost-oriented 2S-ALB model was able to assist the manufacturer in making better decisions for different planning periods. Originality/value The main contribution of this work is the global reference flame mechanism for MFO algorithm. Furthermore, this research introduced a new cost-oriented model that considered power consumption in the assembly line design.

Managing, tracking and evaluating coaching part 2: where could you be?

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsty Yates
Keyword(s):  
Return On Investment ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Evaluation Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Valuable Data ◽  
Easy Task ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Robust Process ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to offer a number of recommendations that will enable you to get your hands around the coaching that is taking place inside your organisation so that you can manage it better and, moreover, calculate the commercial and cultural returns your organisation is achieving from the coaching in light of research presented in the author's previous article. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on a case study. Findings – Although not an easy task, it is possible to evaluate the impact of coaching and, in turn, calculate the return on investment (ROI). Key to doing this is that each relationship should be set up correctly; the coach should be fully qualified, experienced and in supervision and information regarding the volume, status and expenditure of each coaching contract must be kept up to date and, along with evaluation data for each contract, used to measure the impact of coaching to the organisation and to calculate the ROI. Originality/value – The case study included shows how coaching has been transformed in E.ON UK since outsourcing all aspects of its coaching, resulting in a clear and robust process generating valuable data on the impact of individual contracts and the programme as a whole, as well as an ROI.

Appraising clever people: lessons from introducing performance reviews for academics in a UK University

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hedda Bird
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Review ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Performance Reviews ◽  
Practical Challenge ◽  
Set Up

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to build understanding of how to engage a highly educated workforce with the benefits of performance management through sharing the lessons learned from introducing performance reviews (appraisals) into an academic environment. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a case study of a four-year programme in a UK higher education establishment. The author was closely involved in the last two years of the programme, and completed a detailed evaluation of the programme for the client. Findings – Performance management creates significant value within a highly educated workforce through bringing together individual capability and expertise to focus on delivering the strategy. Obstacles to success such as routine complaints of “time-wasting” and “pointlessness” can be overcome by wide and deep engagement with employees throughout the design and development of the approach. Research limitations/implications – This is a single case study; however, the author has worked on many similar programmes with highly educated work forces with very similar results. Practical implications – The vast majority of staff positively want a high-quality performance review; the practical challenge is to channel this desire into shared ownership and responsibility for the success of performance review in practice. Originality/value – Literature abounds with analysis of what is wrong with performance review, this paper is a rarer piece in that it develops our understanding of how to set up performance management and review for success.

Relational capital and knowledge transfer in universities

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Paoloni ◽  
Francesca Maria Cesaroni ◽  
Paola Demartini
Keyword(s):  
Research Approach ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
Relevant Topic ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Individual ◽  
New Research ◽  
The University

PurposeThe importance of relational capital for the university has grown enormously in recent years. In fact, relational capital allows universities to promote and emphasize the effectiveness of the third mission. The purpose of this paper is to propose a case study involving an Italian university that recently set up a new research observatory, and, thanks to its success, succeeded in enhancing its relational capital.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopted an action research approach to analyze the case study. Consistently, the authors followed the analysis, diagnosis, and intervention phases. First, the authors focused on the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the process through which the university created relational capital, and finally, the authors proposed solutions to improve the process.FindingsThis case study shows that the creation of relation capital for the host university was the result of a process of transfer and transformation of the individual relationships of the observatory’s promoters.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to filling a significant gap in the literature on relational capital and universities and provides useful insights into how these organizations can encourage its creation. It also allows scholars, managers, and politicians involved in higher education to gain a greater understanding of this relevant topic.

Achieving success in the Digital Equalizer Program through project management

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subrat Sarkar ◽  
Sanjay Mohapatra ◽  
Sarmistha Pattanayak
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Total System ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Set Up

Subject area The case deals with project management principles that are required for implementing a social project in India. Study level/applicability The study has been carried out at primary schools in an underdeveloped state, namely, Odisha, in India. Case overview The case illustrates a project management approach for improving primary education in a government set up. The bureaucracy set up in education in a state like Odisha, India, needs to undergo radical changes. To be effective, an education system requires an optimal integration of the three main components, namely, people, infrastructure (this includes technology) and pedagogical processes. Using a public–private partnership model, American India Foundation (AIF) through its Digital Equalizer (DE) Program has been able to make a positive impact in an underdeveloped tribal dominated district like Keonjhar. The case study also illustrates the detailed execution plan predicated on total system planning, required to achieve this amount of success. The case study also explains how to measure success through different metrics where intervention has to be at multiple levels. The learning from the case study can also be adopted for designing an implementation strategy in other states. Expected learning outcomes Expected learning outcomes are as follows: how to approach implementation of technology-based intervention with involvement of all stakeholders; learn project management techniques related to digital learning model implementation; understand the DE methodology; and understand the challenges faced while implementing the DE Program. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 7: Management Science.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document