Understanding crisis resilience in manufacturing firms in the DACH region during the COVID-19 pandemic

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Gil Fombella ◽  
Shaun West ◽  
Marleen Muehlberger ◽  
Thomas Sautter ◽  
Guenter Zepf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crisis Management ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Italian Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper describes the impact of COVID-19 on manufacturing firms in the DACH region of Europe (DACH is an acronym used to describe Germany, Austria and Switzerland). The purpose of the study was threefold: first to describe crisis resilience empirically through the actions taken by the firms using the elements of resilience; the paper then goes on to compare the DACH region with Northern Italy; finally, based on the findings, an existing crisis management model is expanded.Design/methodology/approachA mixed method of quantitative research based on survey data and qualitative interviews was applied for data collection. The findings are based on 57 survey results and 13 interviews from December 2020 to March 2021. The findings are presented based on the resilience elements and are discussed based on processes, technologies and people. The findings are compared with those from an Italian study made 6–9 months before this study. The comparison provides the basis for the adaptations to the crisis management model.FindingsThe findings describe the actions taken by firms in the DACH region to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19. The findings were, in most cases, very similar to those from the Italian study. The most resilient firms had well-defined processes in place, adaptable employees who were well-led, and had (digital) technologies that could be quickly implemented.Originality/valueThe timing for the crisis was later in the DACH region and firms were able to learn from Italy. The crisis management model based on the Italian study was refined; the resulting model will support managers to face future crises. This model needs testing and extending to link to past and future events.

Evolution of top management’s understanding of product quality in Eastern Europe since the end of communism

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-100
Author(s):  
Svetoslav Georgiev ◽  
Emil Georgiev
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Product Quality ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Doing Business ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the evolution of top management’s understanding of product quality in Bulgaria since the end of communism. The study examines three specific areas: top management’s understanding of the term “quality”; top management’s understanding of the relationship between quality and business performance; and top management’s understanding of the impact of job position on quality. Design/methodology/approach The paper relies on a quantitative research approach by using data from a survey of 186 companies in Bulgaria. Findings The paper suggests that senior managers in Bulgaria continue to base their understanding of “quality” on a single approach (*a characteristic of the communist era), with the product-based and the user-based approaches currently being the two most common ones. At the same time, surprisingly enough, this study claims that senior management in Bulgaria is currently well aware of the importance of quality as a dimension of firm’s competitiveness, and is also highly conscious of its roles’ impact on product quality. Research limitations/implications The results of this study are exclusively based on the case of Bulgaria and must be treated with caution in the case of other former communist states from the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. Practical implications This paper has relevance for both managers and companies doing business in Eastern Europe. Originality/value This is the first paper to provide detailed analysis of the evolution of the understanding of “product quality” in CEE since the end of communism. Moreover, this paper applies, for the first time, Garvin’s five approaches to defining quality within a practical context.

Librarians, step out of the classroom!: how improved faculty-led IL instruction improves student learning

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meagan Lacy ◽  
Alexandra Hamlett
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Actual Application ◽  
Faculty Teaching ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Impact

PurposeIn most higher education institutions, information literacy (IL) instruction is usually considered the purview of librarians, not disciplinary faculty. However, a small but growing body of research indicates that students learn the research process best when these skills are taught in the context of a course or a discipline. For this reason, teaching faculty should share ownership of IL instruction — but how? In this case study, community college librarians explain how they successfully trained faculty to integrate IL into their English Composition courses and teach IL independently.Design/methodology/approachUsing a multimethods approach, the investigators draw on faculty interviews, student surveys, and content analysis of student essays to evaluate the impact of faculty-led IL instruction on student learning after one semester.FindingsFaculty reported that their instruction of IL was improved, and students work better as a result of their collaboration with the librarians. Compared to previous semesters, faculty perceived gains in terms of students’ ability to synthesize and cite evidence in their writing. Student survey results indicate perceived gains in their IL skills, but an assessment of their written work reveals a discrepancy between this perception and the actual application of these skills.Research limitations/implicationsBecause there is no control group, no conclusions can be drawn as to whether faculty-led IL instruction is as effective as librarian-led IL instruction or whether students’ academic performance improves due to faculty teaching IL. However, the purpose of this study is primarily descriptive. It addresses how other libraries may create a culture of shared ownership of IL instruction on their campuses.Practical implicationsThis study offers an alternative model to library instruction and suggests ways instruction librarians can prioritize their outreach and instructional efforts to maximize impact on student learning.Originality/valueWhile much has been written about how librarians can improve IL instruction, few studies mention the role of faculty. This case study starts the conversation.

How does reverse factoring affect operating performance? An event study of Chinese manufacturing firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyi Shou ◽  
Jinan Shao ◽  
Weijiao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Event Study ◽  
Cost Efficiency ◽  
Operating Performance ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Effect ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Operating Margin ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeAs a popular supply chain finance (SCF) strategy, reverse factoring has been widely adopted by buyer firms. However, the extant literature provides scant empirical evidence on the performance effect of reverse factoring. The purpose of this study is to seek to narrow this gap by empirically examining the relationship between reverse factoring and operating performance and the contingency conditions of this relationship.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of 167 announcements of reverse factoring implementation made by publicly listed Chinese manufacturing firms between 2014 and 2018, this paper employs a long-term event study approach to analyze the operating performance effect of reverse factoring as well as the moderating effects of production and innovation capabilities.FindingsThe event study results indicate that reverse factoring has a positive effect on buyer firms' operating performance in terms of cost efficiency and operating margin. In addition, both production and innovation capabilities positively moderate the relationship between reverse factoring and operating margin. However, neither of them moderates the relationship between reverse factoring and cost efficiency.Originality/valueThis is the first study that empirically examines the impact of reverse factoring on operating performance based on secondary data. Furthermore, it sheds light on the SCF literature by providing insights into the contingency effects of production and innovation capabilities, which also extends our understanding of the application of extended resource-based view in SCF research.

Differences in the impact of AMO bundles of line managers and frontline workers on the performance of manufacturing firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Bayo-Moriones ◽  
Alejandro Bello-Pindado
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Manufacturing Performance ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact on manufacturing performance of human resource management (HRM) practices across two job levels within manufacturing firms in Argentina and Uruguay: that of line managers and frontline workers. HRM practices are categorised into three bundles defined by the AMO theoretical framework: ability, motivation and opportunity.Design/methodology/approachThe article uses data from a survey to 301 manufacturing plants in Uruguay and Argentina. Given the characteristics of the dependent variable, linear regression models have been estimated in order to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that the ability and opportunity bundles for line managers are positively associated with manufacturing performance. However, only the motivation bundle affects manufacturing performance for frontline workers.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitations are the use of cross-sectional data, the focus on two specific countries and the analysis of two employee categories that are not completely homogenous. The paper extends the contingency perspective in HRM by examining the relevance of job level as a contingent factor in the HRM-performance relationship in the manufacturing industry.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that manufacturing companies should target HR investments more towards line managers than to frontline employees. More specifically, they should concentrate efforts on the ability and opportunity bundles.Originality/valueThe article contributes to the very limited empirical evidence on the impact of HRM differentiation on firm performance by analysing sub-dimensions in a context not previously analysed.

Developing trauma-informed care: using psychodynamic concepts to help staff respond to the attachment needs of survivors of trauma

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Rye ◽  
Joanna Anderson ◽  
Max Pickard
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Verbal Ability ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trauma Informed Care ◽  
Adults With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Many referrals to our mental health of learning disability service focus on concerns about behaviours that present risks to the referred person and to those around them, including support workers. If the referred person has good verbal ability, psychological therapy may be requested and offered, but the person may find it too difficult to engage for a number of reasons. Even when they do engage in therapy, the authors recognise the importance of helping staff better understand their attachment needs. This paper aims to demonstrate an innovative approach to helping staff provide Trauma-Informed Care (TIC). Design/methodology/approach The authors developed a training programme for support workers using psychodynamic concepts, such as splitting, transference and counter-transference, to help them develop insight into the processes that get enacted during their work. In this paper the authors have generally used the term “care staff”, recognising that an important aspect of the role of those staff is to provide care within an attachment framework; as well as support to maximise independence. Findings The feedback from staff who have attended has been very positive, both at the time and later. Staff who have attended have talked to multidisciplinary colleagues about the impact their learning has had on their ability to work with service users who present great challenges, in the context of their trauma histories. Originality/value The importance of providing TIC is gaining traction across varied settings. The authors are in the process of developing both qualitative and quantitative research programmes to evaluate this approach to increasing TIC for adults with learning disabilities, reducing staff burn out and placement breakdown.

scholarly journals Paradox and legitimacy in construction: how CSR reports restrict CSR practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Watts ◽  
Scott Fernie ◽  
Andy Dainty
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rhetorical Device ◽  
Csr Reporting ◽  
Public Body ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Communication Methods

PurposeCorporate social responsibility (CSR) is a prominent topic of debate, and yet remains subject to multiple interpretations. Despite this ambiguity, organisations need to communicate their CSR activity effectively in order to meet varied stakeholder demands, increase financial performance and in order to achieve legitimacy in the eyes of clients and various stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to explore how CSR is communicated, and the impact such communication methods have on CSR practice. More specifically, it examines the disconnect between the rhetoric espoused in CSR reports and the actualities of the ways in which CSR is practiced.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative content analysis of 100 CSR reports published by nine construction contractors informed the design of qualitative interviews. In total, 17 interviews were then conducted with contractors and public body clients.FindingsStrategic ambiguity explains how contractors circumvent the problem of attending to conflicting stakeholder CSR needs. However, this results in a paradox where CSR is simultaneously sustained as a corporate metric and driver, whilst being simultaneously undermined in being seen as a rhetorical device. By examining this phenomenon through the lens of legitimacy, the study reveals how both the paradox and subsequent actions of clients that this provokes, act to restrict the development of CSR practice.Originality/valueThis is the first study to use the lens of legitimacy theory to analyse the relationship between CSR reporting and CSR practice in the construction industry. In revealing the CSR paradox and its ramifications the research provides a novel explanation of the lack of common understandings and manifestations of CSR within the construction sector.

Supply chain integration and firm performance: an empirical study of Swedish manufacturing firms

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hooshang M. Beheshti ◽  
Pejvak Oghazi ◽  
Rana Mostaghel ◽  
Magnus Hultman
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Survey Instrument ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This article aims to explore the impact of supply chain integration on the financial performance of Swedish manufacturing firms. Design/methodology/approach – The literature review provided the foundation for the development of the survey instrument and hypotheses for the study. In addition, the survey instrument was tested by the experts in the field and modified before it was sent to the managers in the survey group. Findings – The findings show that supply chain integration at any level is beneficial to the financial well being of the firm. Companies with total supply chain integration reported the highest level of financial performance. Research limitations/implications – Data were collected from Swedish manufacturing firms without regard to the size of the firm. The results show that supply chain integration is beneficial at any level. Practical implications – The findings will assist managers with decisions regarding supply chain integration and its role as a critical factor in improving the financial performance of manufacturing companies. Originality/value – Limited empirical studies have been conducted in this area, especially in Sweden. This study provides insight for manufacturing managers with regard to the importance of supply chain management and the competitive nature of business in the global market.

The main trends in the Russian tourism and hospitality market from the point of view of Russian travel agencies

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 412-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandr Gudkov ◽  
Elena Dedkova ◽  
Kristina Dudina
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Information ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to discuss recent developments in the Russian tourism industry and the main reasons for new initiatives in local destination development.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on qualitative research methodology. A summary of key literature is presented alongside the analysis of the survey results.FindingsThis paper sheds light on the challenges and changes that took place in the Russian tourism business between 2014 and 2017. The subject is poorly covered in academic literature. The basic data for analysis presented in official statistics are scarce. Therefore a more effective way of obtaining relevant information was to conduct a survey using a semi-structured questionnaire, with tourism business actors as respondents.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper provides mostly conceptual analysis based on limited empirical data; directions for further empirical research are proposed in the conclusion.Originality/valueThe paper reveals something of the impact of economic and geopolitical factors, both negative and positive ones, on the restructuring of the Russian tourism market and the emergence of promising opportunities for the development of new domestic destinations. As a result, tourism market actors are able to become more diverse.

Land use change and precipitation implication to hydro-meteorological disasters in Central Java: an overview

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Intan Hapsari Surya Putri ◽  
Imam Buchori ◽  
Wiwandari Handayani
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Specific Analysis ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Meteorological Disasters

Purpose This study aims to prove that land-use change plays a role in the occurrence of hydro-meteorological disasters in Central Java, especially in relation to its upstream and downstream. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents empirical findings from quantitative research using a spatial analysis and descriptive analysis. Findings The upstream and downstream area of Central Java is categorized as a rapid development area that results in changes in land use and land cover. The findings showed that there was an increasing number of hydrometeorological disasters such as floods and landslides as the impact of land-use change and rainfall conditions. Research limitations/implications Analysis of the relationship between rainfall and disaster events with more technical and specific analysis could be done in the further research. Originality/value In this study, more analysis in the context of river basin systems including upstream and downstream in different periods to examine the linkage between them have been considered and incorporated.

The impact of exporting on women's employment

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Begum Dikilitas ◽  
Burcu Fazlioglu ◽  
Basak Dalgic
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Female Employment ◽  
Women's Employment ◽  
Employment Rate ◽  
Women’S Employment ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Employment Rates ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effect of exports on women's employment rate for Turkish manufacturing firms over a recent period of 2003–2015.Design/methodology/approachThe authors establish treatment models and use propensity score matching (PSM) techniques together with difference-in-difference methodology.FindingsThe results of the study indicate that starting to export increases women’s employment rate for manufacturing firms. Gains in female employment rates are observed for the firms operating in low and medium low technology intensive sectors, low-wage sectors as well as laborlabor-intensive goods exporting sectors.Originality/valueThe authors complement previous literature by utilizing a rich harmonized firm-level dataset that covers a large number of firms and a recent time period. The authors distinguish between several sub-samples of firms according to technology intensity of the sector in which they operate, wage level and factor intensity of exports and investigate whether or not women gain from trade in terms of employment opportunities.

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