scholarly journals Inside-out and outside-in mental models: a top executive perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 529-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mika Yrjölä ◽  
Hannu Kuusela ◽  
Kari Neilimo ◽  
Hannu Saarijärvi
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Mental Models ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Value Propositions ◽  
Executive Decision Making ◽  
Inside Out

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and characterise executives’ inside-out (firm-oriented) and outside-in (market-oriented) mental models. As these two orientations are vital for strategic decision-making, yet potentially contradictory, it is important to understand the role of inside-out and outside-in thinking in executives’ agendas. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative, semi-structured interviews of 15 senior executives were used to capture insights into executives’ mental models. Data analysis was conducted following the principles of abstraction, theory emerging from data and constant comparison. Findings Four archetypes of executive mental models are identified and characterised along two dimensions (inside-out or outside-in orientation and focus on rational or emotional aspects). Practical implications The study introduces a tentative framework for practitioners to identify and deploy the potential of the mental models that guide executive decision-making. Originality/value The study extends prior research on mental models by combining this approach with inside-out and outside-in orientations and customer value propositions. In addition, it introduces four archetypes that illustrate the distinct potential of different mental models.

Disentangling customer orientation – executive perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 663-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannu Saarijärvi ◽  
Hannu Kuusela ◽  
Kari Neilimo ◽  
Elina Närvänen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Customer Orientation ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Strategic Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Business ◽  
Retail Service ◽  
Practical Tool ◽  
Executive Level

Purpose – Despite the fact that customer orientation is increasingly used as a strategic guideline to ensure companies’ long-term success, it is too often left at conceptual level without any managerial or executive translation. To address this practical gap, the purpose of the paper is to build an executive perspective on customer orientation through the mechanism of customer value dimensions. Design/methodology/approach – An intensive case study from a successful retail service business is used to illustrate how customer orientation is applied in actual strategic decision making at the executive level. The case business is a multi-sector service business that took a strategic turn toward customer orientation in the 2000s. As a result, the company has been able to increase their market share to become the market leader as well as stay ahead of the competition and increase customer loyalty. Findings – The study provides a practical tool of disentangling customer orientation into four customer value dimensions and linking them with appropriate executive level strategic decision making. Practical implications – The study helps executives uncover the inner meaning of customer orientation, move beyond traditional conceptualization of customer orientation, and adopt customer value orientation. This necessitates not only understanding customer value criteria, but also linking the diverse criteria to executive level strategic decision making. Originality/value – The study concretizes and uncovers how customer orientation can be implemented by incorporating both economic, functional, emotional, and symbolic customer value dimensions into executive level strategic decision making.

scholarly journals Sensemaking and financial management in the decision-making process of farmers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Thomas Hayden ◽  
Ruth Mattimoe ◽  
Lisa Jack
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Decision Making ◽  
Farm Type ◽  
Farmer Decision Making ◽  
Financial Decision

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the financial decision-making process of farmers and to highlight the potential role that improved farm financial management (FFM) could play in developing sustainable farm enterprises. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a qualitative approach with 27 semi-structured interviews exploring farmers’ financial decision-making processes. Subsequently, the interview findings were presented to a focus group. Sensemaking theory is adopted as a theoretical lens to develop the empirical findings. Findings The evidence highlights that FFM has a dual role to play in farmer decision-making. Some FFM activities may act as a cue, which triggers a sensebreaking activity, causing the farmer to enter a process of sensemaking whilst some/other FFM activities are drawn upon to provide a sensegiving role in the sensemaking process. The role of FFM in farmer decision-making is strongly influenced by the decision type (strategic or operational) being undertaken and the farm type (dairy, tillage or beef) in operation. Originality/value The literature suggests that the majority of farmers spend little time on financial management. However, there are farmers who have quite a high level of engagement in FFM activities, when undertaking strategic farm expansion decisions. Those FFM activities help them to navigate through operational decision-making and to make sense of their strategic decision-making.

Has Lean improved organizational decision making?

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 536-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Simons ◽  
Jos Benders ◽  
Jochen Bergs ◽  
Wim Marneffe ◽  
Dominique Vandijck
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lean Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Organizational Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
Care Processes ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Sustainable improvement is likely to be hampered by ambiguous objectives and uncertain cause-effect relations in care processes (the organization’s decision-making context). Lean management can improve implementation results because it decreases ambiguity and uncertainties. But does it succeed? Many quality improvement (QI) initiatives are appropriate improvement strategies in organizational contexts characterized by low ambiguity and uncertainty. However, most care settings do not fit this context. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a Lean-inspired change program changed the organization’s decision-making context, making it more amenable for QI initiatives. Design/methodology/approach – In 2014, 12 professionals from a Dutch radiotherapy institute were interviewed regarding their perceptions of a Lean program in their organization and the perceived ambiguous objectives and uncertain cause-effect relations in their clinical processes. A survey (25 questions), addressing the same concepts, was conducted among the interviewees in 2011 and 2014. The structured interviews were analyzed using a deductive approach. Quantitative data were analyzed using appropriate statistics. Findings – Interviewees experienced improved shared visions and the number of uncertain cause-effect relations decreased. Overall, more positive (99) than negative Lean effects (18) were expressed. The surveys revealed enhanced process predictability and standardization, and improved shared visions. Practical implications – Lean implementation has shown to lead to greater transparency and increased shared visions. Originality/value – Lean management decreased ambiguous objectives and reduced uncertainties in clinical process cause-effect relations. Therefore, decision making benefitted from Lean increasing QI’s sustainability.

Understanding how the contextual variables influence political behaviour in strategic decision-making

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Said Elbanna ◽  
Ioannis C. Thanos ◽  
Vassilis M. Papadakis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Strategic Decision Making ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Behaviour ◽  
Practitioner Education ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to enhance the knowledge of the antecedents of political behaviour. Whereas political behaviour in strategic decision-making (SDM) has received sustained interest in the literature, empirical examination of its antecedents has been meagre. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a constructive replication to examine the impact of three layers of context, namely, decision, firm and environment, on political behaviour. In Study 1, Greece, we gathered data on 143 strategic decisions, while in Study 2, Egypt, we collected data on 169 strategic decisions. Findings – The evidence suggests that both decision-specific and firm factors act as antecedents to political behaviour, while environmental factors do not. Practical implications – The findings support enhanced practitioner education regarding political behaviour and provide practitioners with a place from which to start by identifying the factors which might influence the occurrence of political behaviour in SDM. Originality/value – The paper fills important gaps in the existing research on the influence of context on political behaviour and delineates interesting areas for further research.

Information behaviour and decision-making in patients during their cancer journey

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih-Chuan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Alternative Therapy ◽  
Treatment Decision ◽  
Treatment Method ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Treatment Decision Making

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effect of cancer patients’ information behaviour on their decision-making at the diagnosis and treatment stages of their cancer journey. Patients’ information sources and their decision-making approaches were analyzed. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants. Findings The cancer patients sought information from various sources in choosing a hospital, physician, treatment method, diet and alternative therapy. Physicians were the primary information source. The patients’ approaches to treatment decision-making were diverse. An informed approach was adopted by nine patients, a paternalistic approach by four and a shared decision-making approach by only two. Practical implications In practice, the findings may assist hospitals and medical professionals in fostering pertinent interactions with patients. Originality/value The findings can enhance researcher understanding regarding the effect of cancer patients’ information behaviour on their decision-making.

Comparative CSR decision-making in the Middle East: an exploratory study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre El Haddad ◽  
Alexandre Anatolievich Bachkirov ◽  
Olga Grishina
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Managerial Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nodal Model ◽  
Comparative Csr ◽  
High Level ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose This study aims to explore the commonalities and differences of corporate social responsibility (CSR) perceptions among business leaders in Oman and Lebanon, two Middle Eastern countries forming a comparative dyad with a high level of cultural variance within the Arab cluster. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit qualitative data that were analyzed by means of multilevel analysis. Findings The findings provide empirical evidence that CSR is a powerful factor in managerial decision-making in the Middle East with the national cultures of Oman and Lebanon exerting partially differing effects on CSR decision-making. Practical implications The study enlightens practicing managers and policymakers in terms of the salience of multiple actors’ influence on CSR decision-making processes and the responses they may receive when developing and implementing CSR initiatives in the Middle East. Originality/value The study proposes a seven nodal model, which captures the flow of CSR decision-making in the research contexts.

scholarly journals Executive decision-making in fashion retail: a phenomenological exploration of resources and strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Sponder Testa ◽  
Elena E. Karpova
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Business Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Data ◽  
Executive Decision Making ◽  
Fashion Retail

PurposeDecision-makers must be well-informed to successfully impact the future of the business. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of US fashion retail executives when making business decisions to understand what resources and strategies are utilized within the decision-making process. Additionally, the role of academic research within executive decision-making process was explored.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized a phenomenological approach to understand the experiences of fashion retail executives when engaging in business decision-making. Fifteen US fashion retail executives participated in the study. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews and thematically coded to gain a holistic perspective of the decision-making process within the fashion retail industry.FindingsAs the result of the data analysis and interpretation, three topical areas emerged:: “Incredible Amounts of Information,” “Industry Specific Academic Research” and “Have a Clear Road Map.” The findings suggested that while the facts gleaned from internal and external data are of great importance to fashion professionals, insights gathered from social media are equally influential within the decision-making process. The authors identified five major strategies utilized consistently by fashion retail executives regardless of the type of business they represented: collaboration, adaptability, speed, gut instinct and creativity.Research limitations/implicationsThe results are important to fashion retail companies for improving internal decision-making processes. The identified resources and strategies of the decision-making process can be incorporated into fashion program curricula and considered as learning outcomes when preparing future industry professionals.Originality/valueLimited studies have explored the decision-making process specific to the fashion retail environment, an uncertain and ever-changing industry. Further, the study shed light on the opportunity for academic research use in fashion retail decision-making and contributes to the literature by developing a fashion retail decision-making model.

Selection of lean manufacturing systems using the PROMETHEE

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Anand ◽  
Rambabu Kodali
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Lean Manufacturing ◽  
Manufacturing Systems ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Computer Integrated Manufacturing ◽  
Preference Ranking ◽  
Manufacturing Strategy ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type

PurposeIn recent years, many manufacturing companies are attempting to implement lean manufacturing systems (LMS) as an effective manufacturing strategy to survive in a highly competitive market. Such a process of selecting a suitable manufacturing system is highly complex and strategic in nature. The paper aims to how companies make a strategic decision of selecting LMS as part of their manufacturing strategy, and on what basis such strategic decisions are made by the managers.Design/methodology/approachA case study of a small‐ and medium‐sized enterprise is presented, in which the managers are contemplating on implementing either computer integrated manufacturing systems (CIMS) or LMS. To supplement the decision‐making process, a multi‐criteria decision making (MCDM) model, namely, the preference ranking organisation method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE) is used to analyse how it will impact the stakeholders of the organisation, and the benefits gained.FindingsAn extensive analysis of PROMETHEE model revealed that LMS was the best for the given circumstances of the case.Research limitations/implicationsThe same problem can be extended by incorporating the constraints (such as financial, technical, social) of the organisation by utilising an extended version of PROMETHEE called the PROMETHEE V. Since, a single case study approach has been utilised, the findings cannot be generalized for any other industry.Practical limitations/implicationsThe methodology of PROMETHEE and its algorithm has been demonstrated in a detailed way and it is believed that it will be useful for managers to apply such MCDM tools to supplement their decision‐making efforts.Originality/valueAccording to the authors’ knowledge there is no paper in the literature, which discusses the application of PROMETHEE in making a strategic decision of implementing LMS as a part of an organisation's manufacturing strategy.

scholarly journals Construction of capital procurement decision making model to optimize supplier selection using Fuzzy Delphi and AHP-DEMATEL

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 1528-1547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anil Kumar ◽  
Amit Pal ◽  
Ashwani Vohra ◽  
Sachin Gupta ◽  
Suryakant Manchanda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Automobile Industry ◽  
Supplier Selection ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fuzzy Delphi ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Decision Making Model

Purpose Supplier selection for capital procurement is a major strategic decision for any automobile company. The decision determines the success of the company and must be taken systematically with the utmost transparency. The purpose of this paper is to construct capital procurement decision-making model to optimize supplier selection in the Indian automobile industry. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the stated objective, a combined approach of fuzzy theory and AHP-DEMATEL is applied. Evaluation parameters are identified through an extensive literature review and criteria validation has been introduced through a Fuzzy Delphi method by using fuzzy linguistic scales to handle the vagueness of information. AHP is employed to find the priority weight of criteria, although an inter-relationship map among criteria is not possible through AHP alone since it considers all criteria as independent. To overcome this, DEMATEL is used to establish cause-effect relationships among criteria. Findings The results show that the total cost of ownership (TOC) is the first weighted criterion in supplier selection for capital procurement, followed by manufacturing flexibility and maintainability, then conformity with requirement. The cause-effect model shows that supplier profile, TOC, service support and conformity with requirement are in the cause group and are considered to be the most critical factors in selecting the supplier. Originality/value The study’s outcome can help the automobile industry to optimize their selection process in selecting their suppliers for capital procurement; the proposed model can provide guidelines and direction in this regard.

A decision-making formula for value engineering applications in the Sri Lankan construction industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayani Karunasena ◽  
Kosala Rajagalgoda Gamage
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Cognitive Mapping ◽  
Value Engineering ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Bodies ◽  
Research Outcome ◽  
Analyse Data

Purpose The construction industry in many developing countries is reluctant to apply value engineering (VE) due to uncertainty of outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing practices of VE techniques and make recommendations to organisations and national construction regulatory bodies, to standardise VE practices. A decision-making formula is introduced to determine profitability of VE applications prior to implementation. Design/methodology/approach A broad literature review and six case study projects that applied VE were selected. Thirty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data within cases. Six expert interviews were conducted as confirmatory interviews to clarify and validate research outcome. Content analysis and cognitive mapping were used to analyse data among case studies. Findings Application, knowledge and experience on VE techniques among construction professionals are unsatisfactory. Recommendations include reducing contractor’s design responsibility, introducing proper VE guidelines and statutory regulations. A framework is introduced to assist authorities to standardise application of VE techniques. A decision-making formula is suggested to determine margins of contractor’s portion due to VE techniques and original profits gained. Originality/value The formula can be used as a decision-making tool by construction industry practitioners to determine successfulness of proposed VE techniques, and the proposed framework can be used to guide construction professional bodies to standardise VE practices.

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