Analysis of cost escalations in pharmaceutical projects

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 433-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jigeesh Nasina ◽  
Sai Nandeswara Rao Nallam
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pharmaceutical Companies ◽  
Capital Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Feedback Data

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine different possible issues that can contribute to cost escalations in pharmaceutical capital projects and identify remedial measures to control them. Design/methodology/approach – The study is supported by a detailed survey performed around some big pharmaceutical companies of Indian sub-continent. Various issues that lead to cost escalations of projects have been identified. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes have been applied to the feedback data. Findings – The study derived and validated four prominent factors leading to cost escalations. The paper discusses these factors along with the remedies identified to control project cost. Convergent and discriminant validity have been well established for the model. Research limitations/implications – The data needful for the study were collected from only four big pharmaceutical companies established in Southern India. Through frequent and elaborate interactions with senior project managers of those companies, it became possible to get a consolidated list of reasons that contribute to cost escalations in pharmaceutical projects. The list and the feedback data may be more exhaustive if some more companies would have been surveyed. Future research is committed to cover some more notable pharmaceutical companies both nationally and internationally and enhance the sample size. This would add more strength to the analysis and derive more consistent and validated results. Practical implications – This study provides necessary support to the project people to analyze different issues that stand as hurdles for project success and enable them to look for remedies to resolve them. The results would help the project managers to enhance their awareness in controlling the project costs. The study stands as a stepping stone and a roadmap to embed further research in this direction. Originality/value – Since several significant issues impact the progress of the projects, this work focussed on analyzing cost-related issues in projects; since there is meager research work done in the area of pharmaceutical project management, as an attempt to fill the research gap, this work carried out detailed analysis of different issues leading to cost escalations in pharmaceutical capital projects; factor analysis, including exploratory and confirmatory, has been applied to the data collected and several important factors derived and the measurement model well validated; the research work was done in close interaction with the project people working in four big Indian pharmaceutical companies and useful information was collected; in addition to generation of important factors from the factor analysis, the study was further extended to collect various remedies to mitigate the issues that lead to cost escalations; the research work has enough strength to act as a role model to motivate researchers and project people to further their research on other issues and also refine the present work.

The Role of Moderators in Linking Job Crafting to Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: A Study on the Indian Hospitality Sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Srivastava ◽  
Deepti Pathak
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Organizational Citizenship ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Job Crafting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Northern India ◽  
Hospitality Sector

The purpose of this article is to test the conceptual model that addresses the association between job crafting (JC) and organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) and also highlights how mindfulness and trust influence the JC and OCB relationship of front-line employees in hospitality sector. The data for the present study was collected from 246 front-line employees of Delhi-NCR regions of northern India. In order to avoid common method variance effect, the data was collected in two phases, namely T1 and T2. Techniques such as exploratory factor analysis (EFA), discriminant validity and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the hypothesized model. The results show that JC strengthens OCB and also found that trust and mindfulness act as moderators for JC and OCB relationship. JC will help employees to manage their resources efficiently and this process of seeking resources and challenges at work is likely to increase OCB. Mindfulness promotes concentration and interest on work which in turn helps employees to explore new and creative ways to improve their work and makes it more meaningful which in turn improves the organization. The authors could not locate any study on JC in the Indian hospitality industry. In hotel industry, satisfaction and engagement of hotel workers is essential for superior customer service. Therefore, the outcomes of this research work could be helpful to the hotel managers in finding the alternative ways to motivate and engage employees in order to generate OCB. As the sample consisted of only 246 respondents belonging to the North Indian region, therefore, the outcomes of the study cannot be generalized. In future research, retesting of the new model can be done on a larger sample and different cultural contexts. Extended work of the current research work is likely to highlight the possible implications of JC in facilitating positive organizational outcomes and increased prosocial behaviour.

Quality 4.0 – a measurement model using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
G.S. Sureshchandar
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Formidable Challenge ◽  
Confirmatory Factor

PurposeThe disruptions caused by new-age technologies of Industry 4.0 are posing a formidable challenge to researchers, academicians and practitioners alike. Quality 4.0 that depicts the role of the quality function in the Industry 4.0 scenario must be comprehended so that the rudiments of Quality 4.0 are understood properly, and interventions can be made to embrace the new normal. As the literature on Quality 4.0 is extremely scarce, empirical studies are mandatory to augment the process of theory building.Design/methodology/approachThe research work identifies 12 axes of the Quality 4.0 revolution based on literature review and insights from experts. Subsequently, a measurement model is formulated and an instrument to measure the level of Quality 4.0 implementation is developed. The measurement model has been checked for model fit, reliability and validity using the confirmatory factor analysis approach.FindingsThe proposed model was found to be adequate, reliable and valid and concludes that though technology plays a significant role in the development of the Quality 4.0 system, aspects of traditional quality are very much apropos to transform to the next frontier of quality.Research limitations/implicationsImplications for future research are provided which would help to further explore the nascent field of Quality 4.0.Practical implicationsThis research would help the practitioners better understand the various requirements and measure the degree of implementation of a Quality 4.0 system.Originality/valueThe present research is perhaps the first of its kind in propounding a measurement model, through empirical analysis, for the betterment of the understanding of Quality 4.0 and its associated constituents.

How project managers can encourage and develop positive emotions in project teams

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Emil Berg ◽  
Jan Terje Karlsen
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Data ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Engineering Industry ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Signature Strengths ◽  
Positive Meaning

Purpose – This study provides insight into how project managers can use leadership tools to encourage and develop positive emotions among the project team members toward greater overall project success. The purpose of this paper is to provide the engineering industry with a closer look at how positive emotions can create good team member relations, reduce stress, develop clearer roles, creativity and joy at the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical data were obtained using in-depth interviews of three experienced project managers. Findings – The empirical data give insight as to how project managers can use their signature strengths. Additionally, the data also show how they can evolve and draw on positive meaning, positive emotions and positive relations. Various examples of positive meaning, positive emotions, positive relations and signature strengths have been identified and discussed. Research limitations/implications – Future research should apply a more comprehensive research design, for example a survey using a larger sample, so that these findings may be generalized. Practical implications – The paper contributes to portray and analyze positive psychology in a project management setting. Additionally, the paper assists understanding the connections among positive meaning, positive emotions, positive relations and signature strengths by presenting and discussing a model. Originality/value – This research extends current understanding of how project managers use their signature strengths to encourage and develop positive emotions in project teams.

Financial inclusion through Kiosk-based banking services: a study with reference to business correspondent models in the state of Kerala

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammed Shafi M.K ◽  
M. Ravindar Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Missing Values ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
The State ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Banking Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Shared Variance ◽  
Validity Tests

PurposeThe paper aims to study the outreach and performance of business correspondent (BC) models, which are implemented as a subsidiary agent of banks to accelerate the financial inclusion (FI) mission in India. In this regard, the study illustrates BC's products and services rendered to customers, forms of delivery channels and BC's view on banking services and Kiosk-based BC programs.Design/methodology/approachThe current paper is an empirical study based on surveying 200 Kiosk-based BCs working in the state of Kerala. After the preliminary screening analysis of the data with outlier deletion, removal of missing values and normality test, both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were executed followed by reliability test, convergent and discriminant validity tests. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CBSEM) was performed for CFA and inferential tests were carried out by using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and analysis of a moment structures (AMOS) and Eviews.FindingsChiefly, eight operational forms of BCs were found from the field survey. Hypothetical tests show the significant impact of the serviceability of banks on BC's profitability. Validity tests such as average variance extracted (AVE), composite reliability (CR), maximum shared variance (MSV) and average shared variance (ASV) were established after the removal of the cross-loaded items of the questionnaire from the rotated component matrix. BCs perform main banking services especially bank account opening facility and Akshaya E-Centers are widely used for this model as Kiosk banking in the surveyed state.Originality/valueSo far, no study has encompassed empirical research on performance analysis and outreach of the BC model in the state of Kerala where this BC model well functions. Since the study is a novel form of banking channelization for FI, the study can contribute to understanding the further feasibility and future dimension of the model based on experimental views of BCs.

Factors affecting the delivery of optimum health and safety on construction projects during the covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benviolent Chigara ◽  
Tirivavi Moyo
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Monitoring And Enforcement

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of construction professionals relative to factors that affect the delivery of optimum health and safety (H&S) on construction projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative design which entailed the distribution of a web-based questionnaire among construction professionals, namely, architects, construction/project managers, engineers, H&S managers and quantity surveyors working for contractors and construction consultants in Zimbabwe. The data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Factor analysis was used to reveal interrelated significant sets of factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S. Findings Factor analysis revealed nine components/factors: change and innovation-related, monitoring and enforcement-related, production-related, access to information and health service-related, on-site facilities and welfare-related, risk assessment and mitigation-related, job security and funding-related, cost-related and COVID-19 risk perception-related factors as the significant factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. Research limitations/implications The results highlighted the need for social dialogue among construction stakeholders to support initiatives that will enhance the delivery of H&S on construction projects. Construction stakeholders may find the results useful in highlighting the areas that need improvement to protect workers’ H&S during the pandemic. However, the small sample limits the generalisability of the results to construction sectors in other regions. Originality/value The study investigated factors affecting the delivery of optimum H&S during the COVID-19 to inform interventions to enhance H&S.

scholarly journals Scale development of occupational identity and testing model of antecedents and outcome variables of occupational identity

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
HongJoon Yoo ◽  
TaeYong Yoo ◽  
TaeIn Chung ◽  
Seongho Bae ◽  
AReum Jo
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Factor Structure ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Occupational Identity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Workplace Satisfaction ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Intention To Continue ◽  
Three Factor

The first purpose of this study was to define the construct of occupational identity and develop the scale of occupational identity, the second purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of occupational identity using exploratory common factor analysis and test the discriminant validity of occupational identity with workplace satisfaction, and third purpose of this study was to test the model of antecedents and outcome variables of occupational identity using confirmatory factor analysis. For fulfilling these purposes, three studies were conducted. Data were gathered from 390 workers in study 1, 505 workers in study 2, 1,115 workers in study 3. As a result, the three-factor structure of occupational identity was stably replicated, although the sample was changed. The occupational identity had discriminant validity with workplace satisfaction. Except for person-occupation fit(a subfactor of occupational identity) had a high correlation with general, occupational satisfaction(a subfactor of workplace satisfaction), other subfactors of occupational identity generally had low correlations with other subfactors of workplace satisfaction. It was found that the occupational identity was derived from occupational reputation, dedication to the occupation, occupational pride, and mission to the occupation. And the occupational identity resulted in the purpose of the worker’s life and intention to continue the worker’s occupation. Based on these results, We made discussions about implications, limitations, and future research tasks.

scholarly journals Multi‐dimensional nature of service innovation

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1164-1192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renu Agarwal ◽  
Willem Selen
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Telecommunications Industry ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Service Network ◽  
Content Type

PurposeInnovation in services is thought to be multi‐dimensional in nature, and in this context the purpose of this paper is to present and operationalise the concept of “elevated service offerings” (ESO) in collaborating service organisations. ESO stands for new or enhanced service offerings which can only be eventuated as a result of partnering, and which could not be delivered on individual organisational merit. ESO helps us expand our understanding of service innovation to include a service network or service system's dimension.Design/methodology/approachA structural equation model is specified and estimated based on constructs and relationships grounded in the literature, as well as self‐developed constructs, using empirical data from 449 respondents in an Australian telecommunications service provider (SP) and its partnering organisations.FindingsResults show that ESO is a multi‐dimensional construct which was operationalised and validated through an extensive literature review, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling using a holdout sample.Research limitations/implicationsQualitative and empirical data analysis was undertaken with data collected from a single large telecommunications SP organisation, and its partnering organisations. Future research may seek to collect data from the entire telecommunications industry sector and their partnering organisations, across other service sectors, or even any other organisation where collaboration is pivotal to their success.Practical implicationsService organisations today need to understand that innovation in services is not just about process or product innovation, or even performance and productivity improvements, but in fact includes organisational forms of innovation. Indeed, the interactions and complementarities between the three different aspects of ESO – strategic, productivity, and performance – highlight the increasing complex and multi‐dimensional character of innovation and the ongoing iterative process.Originality/valueThis research provides empirical evidence for the existence of a multi‐dimensional innovation in services construct – known as elevated service offerings in a collaborative service network, along with an adapted definition of service and a service innovation model.

Developing a sustainable career through discourse: a qualitative study on a group of Italian project managers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Lo Presti ◽  
Amelia Manuti ◽  
Assunta De Rosa ◽  
Angelo Elia
Keyword(s):  
Social Space ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Constructivist Perspective ◽  
Sustainability Theory

PurposeThe current study makes two main contributions: one theoretical and one methodological. First, it investigated the theoretical prepositions of career sustainability perspective, which appears particularly suitable for examining project managers' careers' dynamics and patterns, featured by explicit and recursive interactions between individual, temporal and contextual factors. Second, the study aimed to adopt a qualitative approach to this topic as to allow a deeper understanding of individual narratives about careers, highlighting underexplored issues and peculiarities that future research could further examine through quantitative methodologies.Design/methodology/approachProject managers' careers are still an under-researched topic, especially through qualitative methods. The study applied career sustainability theory to the realm of project management, moreover, adopting a socio-constructivist perspective. Participants were 50 Italian project managers who were involved through a narrative in-depth interview that focused on career and career success. Their answers were analyzed through thematic analysis of contents and diatextual analysis.FindingsResults showed that project managers' career could be a prototypical example of sustainable career, basically described in terms of four basic constitutive dimensions as follows: time frame, social space, agency and meaning. Implications for both future theoretical expansion of career sustainability theory and project managers' career management interventions were also discussed.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper could be found in the effort to adopt a socio-constructivist perspective to investigate the topic of career sustainability taking the exemplary case of project managers' career.

A review on advancements in applications of fused deposition modelling process

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sathies T. ◽  
Senthil P. ◽  
Anoop M.S.
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Rapid Tooling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Fused Deposition Modelling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fused Deposition ◽  
Low Volume ◽  
Customized Products

Purpose Fabrication of customized products in low volume through conventional manufacturing incurs a high cost, longer processing time and huge material waste. Hence, the concept of additive manufacturing (AM) comes into existence and fused deposition modelling (FDM), is at the forefront of researches related to polymer-based additive manufacturing. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the research works carried on the applications of FDM. Design/methodology/approach In the present paper, an extensive review has been performed related to major application areas (such as a sensor, shielding, scaffolding, drug delivery devices, microfluidic devices, rapid tooling, four-dimensional printing, automotive and aerospace, prosthetics and orthosis, fashion and architecture) where FDM has been tested. Finally, a roadmap for future research work in the FDM application has been discussed. As an example for future research scope, a case study on the usage of FDM printed ABS-carbon black composite for solvent sensing is demonstrated. Findings The printability of composite filament through FDM enhanced its application range. Sensors developed using FDM incurs a low cost and produces a result comparable to those conventional techniques. EMI shielding manufactured by FDM is light and non-oxidative. Biodegradable and biocompatible scaffolds of complex shapes are possible to manufacture by FDM. Further, FDM enables the fabrication of on-demand and customized prosthetics and orthosis. Tooling time and cost involved in the manufacturing of low volume customized products are reduced by FDM based rapid tooling technique. Results of the solvent sensing case study indicate that three-dimensional printed conductive polymer composites can sense different solvents. The sensors with a lower thickness (0.6 mm) exhibit better sensitivity. Originality/value This paper outlines the capabilities of FDM and provides information to the user about the different applications possible with FDM.

The effect of product complexity and communication quality on IOCM and OBA in buyer– supplier relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bakil DhaifAllah ◽  
Sofiah Md-Auzair ◽  
Ruhanita Maelah ◽  
Md Daud Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Cost Management ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Communication Quality ◽  
Product Complexity ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effect of product complexity and communication quality on inter-organizational cost management (IOCM) and open book accounting (OBA) practices in buyer–supplier relationships in Malaysian manufacturing firms. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was administrated to CFOs or accounting managers of Malaysian suppliers. Exploratory factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling procedures were applied to test convergent and discriminant validity of the measurement model and examine the relationships among the latent constructs in the structural model. Findings The results suggest that IOCM and OBA scales show acceptable reliability and validity. The findings also report that both product complexity and communication quality have a positive effect on IOCM and OBA in buyer–supplier relationships. However, the results suggest that IOCM does not influence OBA practice. Research limitations/implications Although IOCM and OBA constructs exhibited satisfactory reliability and validity, future research is required to refine and further validate these constructs. The data were only collected from the supplier’s perspective. Thus, future research is invited to benefit from matched data from both suppliers and buyers to generate additional insights on IOCM and OBA. Practical implications This study may assist suppliers and buyers in relationships by suggesting that complex products require the adoption of IOCM and OBA practices to reduce information asymmetries and manage costs. Furthermore, emphasizing quality of communication may enhance the implementation of these practices. Originality/value Theoretically, this study contributes to the academic stream of management accounting and cost management as it enhances an understanding of contributions introduced in prior literature on IOCM and OBA. It uses a complementary approach of transaction cost theory (TCT) and social exchange theory (SET) to explain the research model. Methodologically, the study validated scales for measuring IOCM and OBA in a new environment.

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