scholarly journals Diffusion of process improvement methods in European SMEs

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 607-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom McGovern ◽  
Adrian Small ◽  
Christian Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Process Improvement ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Intervention Context ◽  
Improvement Interventions ◽  
Field Notes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the European Regions for Innovative Productivity project that established Innovative Productivity Centres (IPCs) to assist SMEs in the North Sea Region of Europe to develop a process improvement capability. A conceptual framework explains how a process improvement methodology developed for large firms was adapted and shaped to meet the needs of SMEs. Design/methodology/approach A comparative case study of 23 SMEs within six European countries. A protocol was developed to collect financial and operational data. This was supplemented by observations, secondary data and field notes. An established research model was used to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the process improvement interventions. Findings The intervention context and structure of the IPCs varied by country which shaped process improvement interventions at two levels: the country and the firm. During diffusion three process improvement variants emerged that were tailored to fit the local context. Developing a process improvement capability depended upon the availability of company resources, establishing KPIs and change agent support. Originality/value The research contributes to knowledge and theory on diffusion and institutionalization by examining how SMEs responded to institutional pressures by implementing process improvement practices in different ways. Heterogeneity of both the IPCs and the external change agents were the drivers in shaping the improvement practices.

Institutional dysmorphia: when the institutions become ill

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jefferson Marlon Monticelli ◽  
Ivan Lapuente Garrido ◽  
Marcelo Curth ◽  
Luciana Marques Vieira ◽  
Fábio Dal-Soto
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
National Development ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Institutional Isomorphism ◽  
Institutional Framework ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
Firm Responses

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of SOEs on institutions. The authors argue that in some cases there are differences in institutional shape between the shape that is actually demanded by an institution’s institutional environment and the shape that the institution itself believes is demanded of its institutional framework. The authors observed a behavior specific to institutions that change their institutional shape in response to demands, irrespective of whether these demands are legitimate, and this behavior was primarily in response to demands from governments and SOEs. The authors call this situation institutional dysmorphia and contrast it with institutional isomorphism. Design/methodology/approach This study is characterized by the qualitative approach and descriptive form. It is also a documentary study employing the systematic review technique and critical appreciation in a research group. The case of the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) is analyzed to examine the different relationships between Brazilian SOEs and BNDES. It used secondary data provided by reports, papers and relevant magazines. The authors compare them with the conceptual purpose originated in the Medicine field. Findings The study is illustrated by the case of the BNDES and the various different relationships between Brazilian SOEs and BNDES are examined. This is a qualitative and descriptive documentary study, employing the systematic review technique. Specific behavior is observed in institutions that change their institutional shape in response to demands, irrespective of whether these demands are legitimate, and these demands mainly come from the government and from SOEs. Research limitations/implications The authors use of secondary data from only one country that was used to present these arguments. The focus was restricted to the institutional framework comprising one institution and SOEs. Private firms were not considered in this institutional framework, but they must be included in a macro-environment. Institutional pressures are dynamic and asymmetric. The dynamism of institutional change was not evaluated, and neither was the evolution of the relationships between government, SOEs and institutions. Finally, researchers need to understand not only top-down models of institutional effects but also the institutional process that incorporates both institutional influence and firm responses. Originality/value The term institutional dysmorphia is proposed through the contrast with concepts such institutional isomorphism, with reference to the institutional logics and institutional complexity of these institutions’ and SOEs’ environment. The situation described institutional dysmorphia happening in emerging countries context and might open new avenues for research.

scholarly journals Implementing infection prevention practices across European hospitals: an in-depth qualitative assessment

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 771-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Clack ◽  
Walter Zingg ◽  
Sanjay Saint ◽  
Alejandra Casillas ◽  
Sylvie Touveneau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Implementation Success ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Multiple Strategies ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Intervention Context

ObjectiveThe Prevention of Hospital Infections by Intervention and Training (PROHIBIT) project included a cluster-randomised, stepped wedge, controlled study to evaluate multiple strategies to prevent catheter-related bloodstream infection. We report an in-depth investigation of the main barriers, facilitators and contextual factors relevant to successfully implementing these strategies in European acute care hospitals.MethodsQualitative comparative case study in 6 of the 14 European PROHIBIT hospitals. Data were collected through interviews with key stakeholders and ethnographic observations conducted during 2-day site visits, before and 1 year into the PROHIBIT intervention. Qualitative measures of implementation success included intervention fidelity, adaptation to local context and satisfaction with the intervention programme.ResultsThree meta-themes emerged related to implementation success: ‘implementation agendas’, ‘resources’ and ‘boundary-spanning’. Hospitals established unique implementation agendas that, while not always aligned with the project goals, shaped subsequent actions. Successful implementation required having sufficient human and material resources and dedicated change agents who helped make the intervention an institutional priority. The salary provided for a dedicated study nurse was a key facilitator. Personal commitment of influential individuals and boundary spanners helped overcome resource restrictions and intrainstitutional segregation.ConclusionThis qualitative study revealed patterns across cases that were associated with successful implementation. Consideration of the intervention–context relation was indispensable to understanding the observed outcomes.

Criminal state: understanding narcotics trafficking networks in North Korea

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 1014-1026
Author(s):  
Zhongmin Liu
Keyword(s):  
North Korea ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Sovereign State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Production And Distribution ◽  
Narcotics Trafficking ◽  
Korean State

Purpose In North Korea, illicit activities directly or implicitly supported by the North Korean Government are an integral part of the nation’s survival strategies. This study aims to discuss how North Korea directs its national power and resources to facilitate narcotics trafficking activities and how the role of North Korean State in the narcotics trafficking network has changed over time since the 1970s. Design/methodology/approach Analysis of narcotics trafficking in North Korea has primarily involved a review of secondary data, including previous academic research in this field, news articles, circumstantial and forensic evidence, seizure data and defector testimony. Findings This paper argues that prior to 2000, North Korea was systematically and directly engaged in narcotics production and distribution. The nation state could be regarded as a form of “criminal sovereignty”, because the sovereign state is itself criminal. However, in the post-2000s, North Korea’s Government began to gradually withdraw from narcotics trafficking, creating space for various non-state actors – such as criminal syndicates, private traders and local officials – to enter the once-monopolistic network. De-centralisation of narcotics trafficking network in North Korea suggests that the state’s criminal sovereignty may be gradually eroding and the pattern of state criminalisation in North Korea may be transforming. Originality/value This paper draws on theories concerning state criminalisation to understand the changing dynamics of narcotics trafficking network in North Korea.

scholarly journals Nonfamily knowledge during family business succession: a cultural understanding

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jahangir Wasim ◽  
James Cunningham ◽  
Alexander Maxwell-Cole ◽  
James Richard Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Family Businesses ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
Cultural Dynamics ◽  
Knowledge Use ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Succession Process

Purpose Knowledge transfer plays a key role in the succession process. While much attention has been given to the passing of business knowledge form incumbent to successor, less is known about the use of nonfamily knowledge during this most crucial of family business events. The purpose of this paper is to look how knowledge from nonfamily employees is treated at times of succession. Importantly, it considers how the controlling family’s cultural background may influence nonfamily knowledge use, and subsequent implications for the succession process. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory comparative case study design is adopted in order to uncover the complex social and cultural dynamics around knowledge use. Four case studies are presented from family businesses of different, and contrasting, cultural origins. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, observations and formal secondary data from the organisations, all of whom operate in the UK. Findings Findings reveal a complex picture, part influenced by the cultural dynamics of the family and part by business necessity. Specifically, power–distance appears as an informative cultural dimension, influencing how knowledge is used and nonfamily are perceived. While some family businesses privilege the knowledge from family, others see the need to build knowledge relationships more broadly. Originality/value This paper provides further evidence to the heterogeneity of family businesses. It moves beyond a processual explanation of succession to develop a more contextually aware understanding of the dynamics and sensitivities involved.

scholarly journals An institutional perspective on entrepreneurship in a conflict environment

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 698-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noor Muhammad ◽  
Farid Ullah ◽  
Lorraine Warren
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Business Climate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Entrepreneurial Behaviour

Purpose – In this paper, an institutional perspective is used to examine the different kinds of pressures on entrepreneurs manifest in a conflict environment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how they respond to the conflict and establish legitimacy for their entrepreneurship in the challenging context of the north western areas of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, a qualitative approach is taken based on semi-structured interviews from 16 different firms in the Swat valley. Findings – The entrepreneurs undertake different strategies towards dealing with conflict and establishing legitimacy. These strategies are identified and examined in relation to the interactions between entrepreneurial behaviour and institutional pressures. Research limitations/implications – Qualitative research on a small sample inevitably presents a limitation on the generalisability of this work. Further research could employ quantitative methods to address this issue. One particular location is studied, so future research could be carried out in other countries or regions with similar problems. Practical implications – The study may have value for policymakers who need to know more about how to support ongoing businesses in difficult regions. Social implications – Better understanding of the needs of small business may in time contribute to a better business climate in difficult regions. Originality/value – A new dimension is added to institutional theory through its application in the very uncertain environment between all-out war and ongoing violence, identifying the possibility of weak agency for institutional change. Further, the study contributes to the growing body of literature on entrepreneurship in conflict environments.

scholarly journals Microfinance accountability in Cameroon: a cure or a curse for poverty alleviation?

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fidelis Kedju Akanga
Keyword(s):  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
Accountability Practices

Purpose The purpose of this study is to use empirical findings to identify the different forms of accountability practices existing in Cameroon microfinance institutions (MFIs) and explore how such practices have evolved and institutionalised within the microfinance sector in Cameroon through time. Design/methodology/approach This study is designed to investigate if the institutionalised accountability practices within the microfinance sector in Cameroon are a cure or a curse for poverty alleviation. This study is based on the new institutional sociology (NIS) and on a case study approach and combines in-depth interviews and secondary data sources. Findings This study identifies three principal forms of accountability practices common with MFIs in Cameroon: dysfunctional, manipulative and dribbling accountabilities. Originality/value This paper is novel because it extends the NIS into the microfinance sector and explains how conflicting institutional pressures resulting from differences of accountability practices can be resolved and also exposes the unintended consequences of both resistance and passive actions of local actors on microfinance, the poor and poverty alleviation.

The struggles for land rights by rural women in sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Godfrey Massay
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Land Rights ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Private Lands ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide examples of how rural women in Tanzania have addressed land rights challenges, showcasing three interventions implemented by Tanzanian Civil Society Organizations. It demonstrates that women have used both legal and traditional systems to negotiate and mediate their claims to land. Although the interventions featured have been greatly shaped by the work of civil society organizations, they have equally been influenced by rural women movements and individual rural women. The cases selected provide understanding of women’s land rights issues in both privately and communally held property/land. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents literature review of the existing secondary data on the subject coupled with the interviews. Findings Informal and formal approaches have been used by rural women to negotiate their claims on both communal and private lands. CSOs have equally shaped the approaches employed by rural women. Research limitations/implications This research was mainly based on the secondary data and few key interviews. There is a need to conduct further analysis of the issues. Practical implications This paper highlights the role of CSOs in improving the participation of women in decision-making bodies. The wave of large-scale land-based investments has caused insecurity of land tenure for women. The paper shows some ways to address the problem in communal lands. Social implications Socially, the papers shows the power relations involved in the struggles over land, as well as the role of traditional systems and bylaws in protecting the rights of women. Originality/value The paper provides dynamics of gendered approach used by women to negotiate their claims in communally held lands. It also highlights the role and space of local and international CSOs in shaping the local context of resistance on land rights. It is a very useful paper for academics and practitioners working on land rights.

scholarly journals Enacting change through borrowed legitimacy: an institutional perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 637-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Shaunn Mattingly ◽  
Jonathan H. Westover
Keyword(s):  
Social Norms ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Successful Outcome ◽  
Alternative Form ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alternative Future

Purpose – This paper aims to offer borrowed legitimacy through coalitions as an explanation for how an organization might successfully deviate from social norms to enact change, yet still gain sufficient cognitive and sociopolitical legitimacy for survival. This paper explains that borrowing legitimacy through a coalition allows an illegitimate organization to impose an alternative future despite institutional pressures for its convergence to social norms, rules and expectations. Design/methodology/approach – To explore the ability of an organization that lacks legitimacy to borrow legitimacy through a coalition, the authors use a case study and content analysis of interviews, news articles and other publicly available secondary data to examine an environmentalist organization, Sea Shepherds, who openly seek legitimacy and resources, and are engaged in enacting change while using a unique or alternative form. Findings – The case study here shows how a coalition with another organization that already has legitimacy can help the reference organization gain legitimacy themselves by borrowing legitimacy initially. Specifically, because more constituents are aware of the organization with existing legitimacy, the coalition allows the reference organization to borrow that cognitive legitimacy and constituents become aware of the reference organization as well. Research limitations/implications – Although this study provides meaningful insights to the phenomena at hand, it is limited in method and scope. As noted by Zucker, the institutional environment is very important to organization form and likelihood of success (Zucker, 1987); however, this paper does not include a parameter that recognizes the environment specifically. Instead, the model includes a parameter, p, to acknowledge that there are exogenous factors that affect the likelihood of a successful outcome that are not considered individually in the model. Also, this study does not empirically test specific hypotheses using a generalizable sample. Originality/value – This paper contributes to institutional theory by providing a case study of an organization that is enacting change in lieu of the forces that promote institutionalization. The reference organization in the case study demonstrates one form of entrepreneurial organization that successfully deviates from social norms to enact change, yet still gains cognitive and sociopolitical legitimacy. The case study in this paper contributes by providing an example of an organizational form that allows a seemingly illegitimate organization to envision and impose an alternative future despite institutional pressures by forming a coalition with an actor that already has legitimacy.

scholarly journals Determinants of corporate compliance with modern slavery reporting

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Flynn
Keyword(s):  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Compliance ◽  
Risk Profiling ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the determinants of corporate compliance with the transparency in supply chains provision of the UK Modern Slavery Act. While recent scholarship has described what firms are doing to comply with this Act, no attempt has been made to explain their behaviour. Design/methodology/approach A predictive model of corporate compliance with modern slavery reporting is tested using secondary data from Financial Times Stock Exchange 350 firms. The model is informed by institutional theory and, in particular, by Oliver’s (1991) insights into the conditions under, which firms respond to institutional pressures. Findings Compliance with modern slavery reporting is found to be significantly related to firm size, prior social responsibility commitment, network involvement, industry and headquarter base (UK versus non-UK). Other predictors such as media exposure, shareholder concentration and profitability are found to be non-significant. Research limitations/implications The focus is on the 350 largest publicly listed companies in the UK. The stances that firms outside of this cohort are taking on modern slavery reporting still need to be investigated. Practical implications Compliance with the UK Modern Slavery Act varies by industry. Regulators should consider this as a part of risk profiling strategies and follow-up inspection of firms. Originality/value This paper provides the first theoretically grounded examination of the organisational and environmental factors that determine corporate compliance with modern slavery reporting.

Subsidiaries’ behavioural responses to volatile local contexts in emerging African markets: evidence from Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akiebe Humphrey Ahworegba ◽  
Myropi Garri ◽  
Christophe Estay
Keyword(s):  
Informal Institutions ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Context Model ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavioural Responses ◽  
Developed Markets ◽  
Local Contexts ◽  
Contested Terrain

Purpose This paper aims to explore subsidiaries’ behavioural responses to volatile institutional pressures in the local context of the emerging Nigerian market. Design/methodology/approach The authors built on institutional and contingency theory to analyse previous literature on developed markets and apply it to African contexts. The authors used a context-specific volatile local context model to show how porous formal and strong informal institutions constitute international business (IB) as a contested terrain in the host country. The authors also used a qualitative methodology, involving multiple actors, to investigate this phenomenon in practice. Findings The findings indicated different types of institutional pressures shaping volatile local contexts, which together or separately impact subsidiaries, depending on their degree of exposure. Subsidiaries behaviourally respond to cope with these pressures through inclusive negotiations involving their home and host countries’ networks. Originality/value Previous research has imposed developed markets’ norms on emerging African markets, regardless of their volatility. As subsidiaries’ responses to local contexts in emerging African markets are poorly understood, the authors developed a volatile local context model, showing how IB becomes a contested terrain in host countries and the authors proposed a model that differentiates between informal institutions. The authors highlighted the impact of contextual pressures on subsidiaries, according to their levels of exposure to the local context. The authors concluded that committed alignment with a local context is necessary for presenting an effective contingent response to its volatilities.

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