Qualitative productivity analysis: does a non-financial measurement model exist?

2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold Siow Song Teng
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Qualitative Model ◽  
Productivity Analysis ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Productivity Measurement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Financial Measurement

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the fact that a common universal qualitative model of measurement is lacking in global productivity analysis. International quantitative comparisons of country macro-level measurements of productivity have been available in the world for decades. However, there has been no consensus on what exactly constitute the indicators and measures of productivity with a focus on quality. Design/methodology/approach – Through literature review and analysis, a new conceptual qualitative productivity measurement model is being suggested. This model could become the basis for future research undertakings in productivity studies. Findings – This paper finds that there are differences in the definitions of what constitute productivity at the global level and what measurements could be considered to make productivity studies more quantitative as well as qualitative at the same time. Originality/value – This paper aims to bring about further discussions for a general agreement on what factors constitute a more well-balanced qualitative as well as quantitative productivity measurement model.

Quality management in the global brewing industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charisis G. Vrellas ◽  
George Tsiotras
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Brewing Industry ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Quality Tools ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to stimulate interest in the use of quality management methods and tools and to provide a basis and direction for further improvement in the global brewing industry. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology that is followed in the paper is based on the study of quality management tools and best practices in global brewing companies. Findings – From all evidence found by this research, the conclusion is that quality management can dramatically improve certain operations and reduce cost or increase profit as well. All of the global brewing companies examined in this paper have their quality policies and each one of them uses what fits best to its business profile. Research limitations/implications – This study refers to some of the largest brewing companies in the world. Future research could be addressed toward the analysis of other smaller brewing companies, which are characterized by the concepts of quality management. Practical implications – The analysis of quality management in the global brewing industry may cause the interest of other brewing companies and other stakeholders affected by this industry. Quality tools can be very useful for dealing with problems and improving procedures in a brewery. Furthermore, the extension of this work with detailed references to these tools could produce a quality guide for brewing companies. Originality/value – The value of this paper lies in the identification and presentation of tools and quality policies which have been successfully developed by global brewing companies and may as well be implemented by others.

Where do we go from here? Towards a theory in Islamic marketing

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 366-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Sergius Koku ◽  
Osman Jusoh
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Knowledge Development ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to argues for theory development in Islamic marketing and attempts to lay the ground work by drawing on other social sciences. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a critical review of the literature for insights that advance Islamic marketing. Findings – The study suggests that scholars in the area of Islamic marketing should start working towards the development of a theory of Islamic marketing. While this theory will draw on the unique engagement of Muslims with non-Muslims, it will offer an opportunity to explain and predict the world around us. Research limitations/implications – This is purely a theoretical piece that is aimed at knowledge development in the field, and, as such, it does not give much guidance to the practitioner, instead in invites other academics to draw on the world around us as they engage in their scholarly activities towards theory building. Practical implications – The study gives directions for areas of possible future research in Islamic marketing. Social implications – Broadening the research efforts in Islamic marketing as advocated in this paper does have several important social implications. Originality/value – This study is rare in terms of the issues it raises.

Research on Asia: promise and perils

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalie Tung
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Interest ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Brain Circulation ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multicultural Identity ◽  
The World ◽  
Rising Incidence ◽  
Conducting Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the nature and scope of diversity between and within Asian countries. Design/methodology/approach – This paper represents a personal retrospective on the promise and perils of conducting research on Asia. Findings – “Promise” includes the growing research interest and attention on this region. “Perils” include, among others, a failure to recognize the diversity across countries in the region and within a given country. Immigration, rising incidence of bicultural or multicultural identity and brain circulation have all contributed to growing diversity within countries. Future research on this region should take into consideration such intra-national diversity. Originality/value – Although Asia’s “foreignness” may differentiate it from other regions around the world and, in doing so, contribute to the perception of its homogeneity, the region is considerably more diverse than what it appears to be. Thus, it is imperative to consciously recognize – and incorporate – diversity in a region of growing global importance.

scholarly journals Advantages and potential challenges of data management in e-maintenance

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arian Razmi-Farooji ◽  
Hanna Kropsu-Vehkaperä ◽  
Janne Härkönen ◽  
Harri Haapasalo
Keyword(s):  
Data Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Maintenance Systems ◽  
Industry Leader ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to understand data management challenges in e-maintenance systems from a holistically viewpoint through summarizing the earlier scattered research in the field, and second, to present a conceptual approach for addressing these challenges in practice. Design/methodology/approach The study is realized as a combination of a literature review and by the means of analyzing the practices on an industry leader in manufacturing and maintenance services. Findings This research provides a general understanding over data management challenges in e-maintenance and summarizes their associated proposed solutions. In addition, this paper lists and exemplifies different types and sources of data which can be collected in e-maintenance, across different organizational levels. Analyzing the data management practices of an e-maintenance industry leader provides a conceptual approach to address identified challenges in practice. Research limitations/implications Since this paper is based on studying the practices of a single company, it might be limited to generalize the results. Future research topics can focus on each of mentioned data management challenges and also validate the applicability of presented model in other companies and industries. Practical implications Understanding the e-maintenance-related challenges helps maintenance managers and other involved stakeholders in e-maintenance systems to better solve the challenges. Originality/value The so-far literature on e-maintenance has been studied with narrow focus to data and data management in e-maintenance appears as one of the less studied topics in the literature. This research paper contributes to e-maintenance by highlighting the deficiencies of the discussion surrounding the perspectives of data management in e-maintenance by studying all common data management challenges and listing different types of data which need to be acquired in e-maintenance systems.

How Phillips saw the light

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 29-31
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Business World ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Freak Show ◽  
The World ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
The One ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The problem with developing a reputation of being something of an oracle in the business world is that all of a sudden, everyone expects you to pull off the trick of interpreting the future on a daily basis. Like a freak show circus act or one-hit wonder pop singer, people expect you to perform when they see you, and they expect you to perform the thing that made you famous, even if it is the one thing in the world you don’t want to do. And when you fail to deliver on these heightened expectations, you are dismissed as a one trick pony, however good that trick is in the first place. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The 4Cs of mass customization in service industries: a customer lens

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Pallant ◽  
Sean Sands ◽  
Ingo Oswald Karpen
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Mass Customization ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Research Priority

Purpose Increasingly, customers are demanding products that fit their individual needs. Many firms respond by cultivating product individualization via mass customization, often integrating this capability via interactive platforms that connect them with customers. Despite such customization, research to date has lacked cohesion, often taking the organizational, rather than customer, view. The purpose of this paper is to provide inconclusive theorizing in regard to customization from the consumers’ perspective. Design/methodology/approach The review and synthesis of the literature revealed that co-configuration is an underexplored domain of mass customization. Consequently, an initial conceptualization of co-configuration is developed and compared with current customization strategies. Specifically, the definition and boundary conditions of co-configuration are compared with three domains of mass customization, namely, co-production, co-construction and co-design. This led to the development of research priority areas to establish an agenda for future research on mass customization and its role in customer’ firm relationships. Findings This paper provides the delineation of four distinct consumer customization strategies, conceptualized in a matrix, and proposes separate customer journey visualizations. In advancing the theoretical understanding by means of a unifying typology, this paper identifies three existing Cs of mass customization (co-production, co-construction and co-design) and focuses specifically on a fourth (co-configuration), identified as an understudied mass customization strategy. Originality/value This paper extends the previous conceptualizations of mass customization comprising co-production, co-design and co-construction. The proposed typology establishes a foundation for four research priority areas that can improve both academic rigor and practical application.

scholarly journals The concept of neutrality: a new approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 333-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Macdonald ◽  
Briony Birdi
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Normative Framework ◽  
Contextual Awareness

Purpose Neutrality is a much debated value in library and information science (LIS). The “neutrality debate” is characterised by opinionated discussions in contrasting contexts. The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature by bringing these conceptions together holistically, with potential to deepen understanding of LIS neutrality. Design/methodology/approach First, a literature review identified conceptions of neutrality reported in the LIS literature. Second, seven phenomenographic interviews with LIS professionals were conducted across three professional sectors. To maximise variation, each sector comprised at least one interview with a professional of five or fewer years’ experience and one with ten or more years’ experience. Third, conceptions from the literature and interviews were compared for similarities and disparities. Findings In four conceptions, each were found in the literature and interviews. In the literature, these were labelled: “favourable”, “tacit value”, “social institutions” and “value-laden profession”, whilst in interviews they were labelled: “core value”, “subservient”, “ambivalent”, and “hidden values”. The study’s main finding notes the “ambivalent” conception in interviews is not captured by a largely polarised literature, which oversimplifies neutrality’s complexity. To accommodate this complexity, it is suggested that future research should look to reconcile perceptions from either side of the “neutral non-neutral divide” through an inclusive normative framework. Originality/value This study’s value lies in its descriptive methodology, which brings LIS neutrality together in a holistic framework. This framework brings a contextual awareness to LIS neutrality lacking in previous research. This awareness has the potential to change the tone of the LIS neutrality debate.

Haunted by the past: transformations and daily challenges of China's prosthetics

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-124
Author(s):  
Chunchun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Rehabilitation Center ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Daily Experiences ◽  
History Of ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the transformations of prosthetic practices in China, as well as the daily experiences and dilemmas arising from the everchanging practices since 1949. On the basis of materials, this paper explores an everyday perspective to review the history of technology.Design/methodology/approachEthnography was collected with the application of participant observations, informal interviews and in-depth interviews during a 13-months study at a rehabilitation center in Chengdu, China. The literature on prosthetic manufacturing was also reviewed for this paper.FindingsChina's prosthetic technology seems to evolve from traditional to modern. However, this progressive narrative – innovation-based timeline (Edgerton, 2006, xi) – has been challenged by daily practices. Due to institutional pressures, prosthetists are in a dilemma of selectively using their knowledge to create one kind of device for all prosthesis users with a certain kind of disability, thereby regulating the physical and social experiences of prosthesis users. Besides, prosthesis users are accustomed to prostheses made with old techniques, and must correct themselves from old experiences to the daily practices recognized by the selected techniques.Originality/valueThis paper provides a cross-cultural case to reexamine Edgerton's criticism of the progressive and orderly innovation-centric technological narrative. More importantly, it reviews the history and practices of China's prosthetics from daily experiences rather than Edgerton's concentration on technology; therefore, it provides an everyday perspective for future research on technological transformations.

They did not start the fire: reviewing and resolving the issue of physician stress and burnout

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 410-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Christine Babyar
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Organizational Strategies ◽  
Physician Burnout ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Research Accountability ◽  
Physician Stress

Purpose Physician stress and burnout is a serious and common concern in healthcare, with over half of physicians in the USA meeting at least one criterion for burnout. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A review on current state of physician stress and burnout research, from 2008 to 2016, was undertaken. A subsequent perspective paper was shaped around these reviews. Findings Findings reveal research strength in prevalence and incidence with opportunities for stronger intervention studies. While descriptive studies on causes and consequences of physician burnout are available, studies on interventions and prevention of physician burnout are lacking. Future research on physician stress and burnout should incorporate intervention studies and take care to avoid limitations found in current research. Accountability and prevention of physician burnout is the responsibility of the healthcare industry as a whole, and organizational strategies must be emphasized in future research. Originality/value The value of this research comes in the original comprehensive review, international inclusion and succinct summary of physician burnout research and strategies.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of libraries – the role of ISO 16439

2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Creaser
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Standard ◽  
The World ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Library Impact ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Library impact and how to evaluate it has been debated for a number of years. While the activity – the busy-ness – of the library is now routinely measured and described, the difference the library makes is less tangible and harder to measure. Libraries in all sectors and worldwide are grappling with this issue, and the purpose of this paper is to summarise international standards available to support them. Design/methodology/approach The first international standard concerning library impact, ISO 16439 Information and documentation – methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries, was published in 2014 after several years in development. Findings The standard describes a range of methods for assessing library impact which have been used across the world in a variety of libraries in all sectors. Originality/value This paper summarises the key methods described in the standard, and gives references for further reading.

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