scholarly journals Six Sigma for dynamic capabilities development: becoming more flexible organizations

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leopoldo Gutierrez-Gutierrez ◽  
Vanesa Barrales-Molina ◽  
Marisel Fernandez-Giordano ◽  
Beatriz López-Morales

Purpose Once the operational benefits of Six Sigma are well-recognized in the literature, this research advances the strategic advantages of this initiative. Thus, this paper aims to analyze how dynamic capabilities (DCs) mediates the relationship between Six Sigma implementation and organizational flexibility, not discussed in the literature yet. Design/methodology/approach Data from 66 Six Sigma European firms are used for a structural equation modeling and additional tests –Baron and Kenny’s test and Preacher and Hayes’s test – to analyze the mediating role of DCs. Following the scholars’ recommendations, the authors have created a second-order factor explained by knowledge absorption, organizational learning and knowledge integration to measure DCs. Flexibility, understood as the capacity for organizational adaptation, is measured through its operational and strategic dimensions. Findings The results show a significant relationship between Six Sigma practices – team management and statistical metrics – and DCs. In addition, the authors find support for a significant relationship between DCs and the operational and strategic dimensions of flexibility. Finally, the results confirm that DCs act as a mediating variable in the relationship between Six Sigma practices and flexibility. Practical implications The study contributes to literature that supports the decision to implement Six Sigma. In particular, key Six Sigma practices are identified for those managers who wish to foster DCs generation and organizational flexibility inside their companies. Originality/value This research analyzes the relationship between Six Sigma and strategic variables, answering the call for research about Six Sigma influence on long-term organizational success.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Dharma Tuah Putra Nasution ◽  
Ahmad Rafiki ◽  
Adelina Lubis ◽  
Yossie Rossanty

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO), knowledge management process (KMP) and dynamic capability (DC) toward the adoption of electronic commerce (e-commerce) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in North Sumatera. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative methodology using Smart PLS of structural equation model. A survey is done by distributing the questionnaires to the respondents (owner-managers) of SMEs across sectors. Using a convenient sampling technique, 131 respondents were selected. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 11 hypotheses were tested. Findings It is found that both innovativeness and proactiveness of EO have a significant relationship with e-commerce adoption (EA), while the risk-taking of EO is found as insignificant. Both risk-taking and proactiveness of EO are significantly related to KMP, but innovation of EO is found to be insignificant. Moreover, KMP significantly mediates the relationship between risk-taking and proactiveness of EO and EA, while KMP insignificantly mediates the relationship between innovativeness of EO and EA. Finally, it is found that DC has a significant relationship in EA. Originality/value By using the resource based-theory, the study on the decision of EA by SMEs is conducted which focuses on a number of internal and external factors influencing the adoption decision. This differs from other studies using theories of the technological, organizational and environmental, theory of acceptance and use of technology, theory of planned behavior, theory of reasoned action and others which emphasized on the implementation and usage of EA.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Okki Trinanda ◽  
Astri Yuza Sari ◽  
Efni Cerya ◽  
Tri Rachmat Riski

Purpose Selfie tourism is a fast-growing phenomenon. Given the convenience of photo-snapping and photo-sharing on social media, selfie tourism is seen as an emerging trend among travelers. This phenomenon gave consequence toward travelers’ behavior, especially on how it can affect their memorable tourism experience and place attachment. This paper aims to examine the relationship between selfie tourism, memorable tourism experience, hedonic well-being and travelers’ place attachment. Design/methodology/approach A self-administered survey method is used. This research was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, consequently, the data were collected via Google Form (online). The respondents are tourists who have visited various tourism destinations in West Sumatera, Indonesia. To test the hypotheses of this study, questionnaires are distributed to 450 respondents. The proposed model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The results of this study shows that selfie tourism has a positive and significant relationship toward both memorable tourism experience and hedonic well-being. In addition, memorable tourism experience and hedonic well-being also have a significant relationship with place attachment. Research limitations/implications The limitation of this study lies in the limited reference to the relationship between selfie tourism and memorable tourism experience and hedonic well-being, because this is the first study to examine the relationship of these variables. This study also has not tested the direct relationship between selfie tourism and place attachment and has not considered eudaemonic well-being as an antecedent of place attachment. Further research will discuss the direct effect of selfie tourism and eudaemonic experience on place attachment, as well as the moderating effect of memorable tourism and hedonic well-being. Practical implications This study shows the benefits obtained by tourism managers in preparing selfie facilities, as well as the ability to create meaningful experiences. It provides tourism practitioners with an understanding that tourist place attachment can be improved by both memorable tourism experience and hedonic well-being. Furthermore, both memorable tourism experience and hedonic well-being can be affected by selfie tourism. This understanding can enhance the tourism providers’ strategy to improve services that fit the characteristics of today’s tourists. Therefore, selfie tourism, memorable tourism experience and hedonic well-being can support tourism sustainability, especially in creating place attachments. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies that investigated the relationship between selfie tourism, memorable tourism experience and place attachment. From a market-specific context, this is also the first study that investigated the antecedents of place attachment on West Sumatera’s tourism.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aamir Saeed ◽  
Yuanyuan Jiao ◽  
Muhammad Mohsin Zahid ◽  
Humaira Tabassum ◽  
Shazia Nauman

PurposeThe aim of the current study is to empirically assess the effects of organizational flexibility on project portfolio (PP) performance, with the mediating role of innovation and moderating effects of environmental dynamism (ED) and absorptive capability (AC).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 173 manufacturing firms and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with the help of a partial least squares (PLS) approach.FindingsResults show that innovation partially mediates the relationship between organizational flexibility and PP performance. Furthermore, the moderating effect of ED between organizational flexibility and innovation was analyzed. Additionally, AC also observed as a moderator between innovation and PP performance.Originality/valueBased on the resource-based view, this study contributes to the literature by addressing the roles of innovation, ED and AC in the relationship between organizational flexibility and PP performance. Implications for managers also discussed in the end; for example, to be more competitive, they should incorporate flexibility into the firm to encourage innovation. It also emphasizes to select new innovative opportunities that correspondingly have effects on the PP performance.


Kybernetes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Babak Ziyae ◽  
Majid Vagharmousavi

Purpose Strategic entrepreneurship (SE) is effective in the formation of business strategies that involve simultaneous opportunity-seeking and advantage-seeking behaviors. SE revitalizes firms to achieve competitive advantage in the current turbulent markets. The purpose of this paper is to understand in more detail how SE influences business growth (BG) through the lens of dynamic capabilities (DC) theory. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative research method and structural equation modeling technique, the measurement and structural models were developed to test the research hypotheses. For this purpose, a survey was conducted among 159 internet of thing (IoT)-based companies in Iran. Findings The findings show that DC theory provides the theoretical underpinning to describe the effect of SE and its dimensions on entrepreneurial opportunity recognition (EOR). Results also reveal that EOR mediates the relationship between SE and BG. Furthermore, this research empirically verifies that organizational entrepreneurship and value creation moderate the relationship between EOR and BG. Originality/value IoT identifies a pathway for continuous change that helps to improve firms’ competitiveness and innovation. This paper provides a new insight into how Iranian IoT-based companies can enhance their SE to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities and gain competitive advantage. Mainly, this study singles out and discusses the variegated features that characterize the implementation of SE by Iranian IoT-based companies having different characteristics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 1058-1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivy S.N. Chen ◽  
Patrick K.O. Fung ◽  
Simon S.M. Yuen

Purpose Dynamic capabilities (DC) have been linked to firm competitive advantage, but the ways in which firms can create and build these DC are still not clear. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model with organizational learning (OL) and supply chain orientation (SCO) as antecedents of dynamic logistics capabilities and firm performance as the outcome. The study tests this model on a sample of logistics service firms. Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data collected from 103 logistics firms drawn from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation of Hong Kong. Findings Results show that OL directly enhances DC and indirectly through SCO. The relationship between OL and SCO is stronger than the relationship between OL and DC. DC are positively related to logistics firm performance. Research limitations/implications The study relied on perceptual and self-reported data from senior management. Relationships among variables may also be inflated by common method variance but efforts were taken to reduce this threat. Practical implications Logistics firms should promote a learning culture in the organization. Organization learning enhances a firm’s willingness to change and innovate. It also helps employees to gain a better understanding of clients’ supply chains and possibilities. SCO helps the firm to direct its reconfiguration and renewal efforts where the returns are the highest. Originality/value There is scant empirical research on the antecedents of DC outside of manufacturing and knowledge-intensive services. The study focused on the logistics services industry. SCO, a necessary strategic orientation for firms in the supply chain, has not been empirically investigated in the previous research. This study addressed these gaps in the literature and contributes to the understanding of the factors giving rise to DC.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyun Tian ◽  
Shuja Iqbal ◽  
Farooq Anwar ◽  
Shamim Akhtar ◽  
Muhammad Aamir Shafique Khan ◽  
...  

PurposeThis study examines the impact of network embeddedness (NE) on innovation performance in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and analyses absorptive capacity as mediator and openness as moderator.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 209 employees of SMEs using a convenient sampling technique. Partial least squares structural equation modeling in SmartPLS was used to analyze the various constructs.FindingsThe results exhibit a positive and significant relationship in NE and absorptive capacity. Also, this study found a positive and significant relationship in absorptive capacity and innovation performance. Moreover, absorptive capacity has a positive and significant mediation role in the relationship between NE and innovation performance. Also, openness positively moderated the relationship of NE and absorptive capacity.Practical implicationsSMEs should try to implement the functions of NE, such as interaction with other firms in higher frequency, developing trust among all parties, clear alliance among the partners to enhance innovation performance. Similarly, SMEs should focus on absorptive capacity and openness to enrich innovation performance.Originality/valueThis study adds in the current literature of the chosen constructs and empirically contributes the effects in the manufacturing industry of Jiangsu Province, China.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Korhan Arun ◽  
Saniye Yildirim Ozmutlu

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how the mediating effect of strategic management impacts the relationship between dynamic capabilities and firm performance concerning environmental munificence in 3rd party logistics (3PL) firms operating in Turkey.Design/methodology/approachVariance-based structural equation modeling algorithm and correlation analysis were applied to survey data obtained from (n = 482) a top manager from 3PL companies.FindingsResults revealed that dynamic capabilities were a strong predictor for organizational performance, environmental munificence also emerges as a key predictor for dynamic capabilities and strategic management, and strategic management fully mediates the link between dynamic capabilities and organizational performance, suggesting that they function as substitutes in affecting performance outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper provides empirical evidence of the relationship between the dynamic capability adaptation, strategic management, environment and performance of 3PL firms. As a limitation, the results are based on survey research with a limited sample size.Practical implicationsOrganizations should manage not only dynamism but also the scarcity of environmental resources found to be significant on both dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Additionally, in the logistics sector, managers should focus on the big picture while they empower and lead capable followers to transform this strategic view into operational-level changes.Originality/valueDepending on the relationships between constructs, studying environmental munificence is a different topic than the dynamic environment concept in the effectiveness of dynamic capabilities of 3PL firms. As well as dynamic capabilities at the level of individual and strategic management relationship on organization performance are confirmed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1185-1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haris Aslam ◽  
Abdul Qadeer Khan ◽  
Kamran Rashid ◽  
Saif-ur Rehman

PurposeThis study analyzes the role of supply chain ambidexterity (SC-Ambidexterity) in developing supply chain resilience (SC-Resilience). We describe SC-Ambidexterity as a simultaneous application of supply chain adaptability (SC-Adaptability) and supply chain alignment (SC-Alignment) capabilities. We also consider the role of supply chain agility (SC-Agility) in the relationship between SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Resilience. We further suggest that the relationship between SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Resilience may be stronger in case of higher market uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachBased on the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) of the firm, we develop a set of hypotheses that are tested through a survey of manufacturing firms in Pakistan. The hypothesized model is tested through structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe results of this study show a positive effect of SC-Ambidexterity on SC-Resilience. SC-Agility positively mediates the relationship between SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Resilience. However, our results show that this relationship does not vary at different levels of environmental uncertainty.Originality/valueThis study provides the seminal operationalization of SC-Ambidexterity in the supply chain context. It further shows the importance of SC-Ambidexterity and SC-Agility in contributing toward SC-Resilience.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 356-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Sadegh Sangari ◽  
Jafar Razmi

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the role of business intelligence (BI) in achieving agility in supply chain context by examining the relationship between BI competence, agile capabilities, and agile performance of the supply chain. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework is developed drawing on the resource-based view, the dynamic capabilities perspective, and the competence-capability relationship paradigm, as well as an extensive review of the literature. Structural equation modeling is employed to analyze the data collected from Iranian manufacturers in the automotive industry. Findings – The empirical results support the conceptualization of supply chain BI competence as a multi-dimensional construct comprising managerial, technical, and cultural competence, and confirm that it is a key enabler of supply chain agility in terms of both agile capabilities and agile performance. The results also provide support for partial mediation of agile capabilities on the relationship between BI competence and agile performance of the supply chain. Originality/value – This paper provides a response to the identified need for empirical evidence on the benefits derived from BI, especially in the supply chain context. It also contributes to the existing supply chain agility literature by providing insight into the value and role of BI in enhancing agile capabilities and performance in the inter-organizational supply chain.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 823-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirza Tabrani ◽  
Muslim Amin ◽  
Ahmad Nizam

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of trust in enhancing customer loyalty, and to test the mediation role of commitment and customer intimacy in the relationship between trust and customer loyalty.Design/methodology/approachA total of 500 questionnaires were distributed and 200 were returned (40 percent response rate), and a structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results of this study show that trust has a significant relationship with commitment and customer intimacy but no significant relationship was found with customer loyalty. Commitment and customer intimacy have a significant relationship with customer loyalty. The mediation analysis reveals that commitment and customer intimacy play a mediation role in the relationship between trust and customer loyalty.Practical implicationsThis study indicates that commitment and customer intimacy affect customer loyalty. The role of commitment and customer intimacy as a mediator between trust and customer loyalty indicates that customers are committed to continuing and maintaining the relationships with Islamic banks.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence on interrelationships between trust, commitment, customer intimacy and customer loyalty in banking relationships.


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