Networked interdependencies and interaction in a biotechnology research project

IMP Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 460-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Janusz ◽  
Agata Bednarek ◽  
Leszek Komarowski ◽  
Pawel Boniecki ◽  
Per Engelseth
Keyword(s):  
Network Structure ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Project Organization ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Marketing ◽  
Biotechnology Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the interdependencies involved and how interaction takes place in the context of a project organization as a network of academic and business actors. Design/methodology/approach This study focuses on relationships between business and academia and applies a single case research strategy. Data are collected through a series of theoretically sampled in-depth interviews including company observations. The single case study provides a rich narrative of the network structure and processes involved in establishing, implementing and completing a research project in Poland. The Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group network approach focusing on resource combinations that emerge in a network structure characterized by interdependency and integration is applied to analyze interaction in this project-organized network. Findings Change in interdependencies, interaction and integration are analyzed individually, and in conclusion in relation to each other. While supply chain management literature postulates that integration is a management goal, a driver of successful business, this study points out that integration is an outcome of interaction in a context of changing interdependencies. This means that managerial focus should rather be driven to understanding the nature of network interdependencies, their path of change and how interaction is carried out in this emergent context. Originality/value The study aims to help better understand the potential for research project cooperation by explaining how businesses and research units can cooperate through an understanding that integration is a complex phenomenon, focusing on how management may better support services production through careful consideration of that integration is developed through considerations of interdependencies as context of interaction in the varied business cultures a project network comprises. Project management is more a learning process than a planning process.

Managing knowledge in a service provider: a network structure-based model

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 611-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Valio Dominguez Gonzalez ◽  
Manoel Fernando Martins ◽  
Jose Carlos Toledo
Keyword(s):  
Network Structure ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Service Organization ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Services ◽  
Center Of Excellence

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze aspects of a network structure that promotes the practice of the knowledge management (KM) process in a service organization. The idea that knowledge is the main organizational resource has established itself in recent years, and knowledge has become more valuable in service organizations. Managing knowledge is therefore a central activity for organizations, and organizational structure must assist in this process. Design/methodology/approach – The research strategy used is the simple case study, applied in a large multinational company in its unit established in Brazil. Findings – The paper points out that the network structure has more flexible characteristics regarding formalization, centralization and integration. In the case study, this structure encourages the flow of knowledge through the interaction between individuals, and also across sectors of the organization, with the aid of a department coordinating the KM process, responsible for the storage and distribution of the best practices for future use in sites of service. Research limitations/implications – The first point that should be highlighted is that the organization selected for the study is highly advanced in terms of KM, producing excessively positive results. Another negative aspect is related to the single case methodology. It does not allow extrapolation of the results to a larger population. Practical implications – Within the context of industrial services highlights the service provider sites. The sites correspond to the service provider company frontline. In the sites occur the process of providing service, contact with the customer, improvement activities and, essentially, where knowledge is put in practice. To facilitate the storage and distribution of knowledge, the network structure presents a sector called Center of Excellence. The Center of Excellence aims to centralize the repository of knowledge, enabling the transfer of knowledge between different sites. Originality/value – The main contribution is aimed at describing the characteristics of a network structure that stimulates the KM process in a service organization. This network of sites facilitates the flow of knowledge and the creative process.

The cooperation-competition interplay in the ICT industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilene Leite ◽  
Cecilia Pahlberg ◽  
Susanne Åberg
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Project Leader ◽  
Business Relationships ◽  
Business Network ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Marketing ◽  
Technology Industry ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Ict Industry

Purpose Building on a business network perspective, the paper addresses the following question: Why do firms move between cooperation and competition in the context of high-tech industry? Hence, the purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the complex cooperation–competition interplay between actors in a business network. Design/methodology/approach A single case study within the information and communication technology industry is undertaken and illustrates the cooperation–competition interplay in projects of technology. Findings The authors discuss the implications of interdependence on relationship dynamics. The main argument is that business relationships survive despite periods of competition if interdependence is high. Thus, firms move between a state of cooperation and a state of competition within business relationships, rather than ending the relationships when starting to compete. Practical implications This study suggests that managers need to pay attention to how different degrees of interdependence lead firms to be embedded in cooperative or competitive forms of relationships. Originality/value The paper contributes to the ongoing debate about cooperation, competition and coopetition within international business and industrial marketing literature. An interesting aspect in the paper is the cooperation–competition interplay, which is associated with positioning. A centrally positioned actor will choose who to bring into the partnership, with positioning concomitantly changing from project to project. The willingness of being a central actor, i.e. a project leader, places traditional buyer–supplier partners in competition. Thus, cooperation and/or competition becomes contextual.

Dynamic capabilities, organizational learning and ambidexterity in a higher education institution

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 397-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Patricia da Silva Souza ◽  
Adriana Roseli Wünsch Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to analyse how dynamic capabilities (DC) affect organizational learning (OL) in a Brazilian higher education institution (HEI) and how this relationship affects organisational ambidexterity (OA). Design/methodology/approach The research strategy involves a qualitative, single case study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, documentary research over a 15-year period and nonparticipant observation. Data were analysed using narrative analysis. Findings The results show that founders and managers influence the activities related to sensing, seizing and reconfiguring DC. They interpreted the new opportunities and shared them with other individuals. Gradually, a collective sense about the new ideas was constructed. New academic and administrative routines were created and an OL process took place at the HEI, which resulted in a valuable balance between exploration and exploitation (OA) for the organisation. Originality/value The study offers insight into how DC, OL and OA can be related. Although each construct has its own independent definition, there are similarities between them. The case study demonstrates how these theories were affected, and the research, therefore, makes a new methodological contribution regarding how to study DC, OL and OA as an integrative phenomenon.

Applying the KANO model to analyse the value of green FM

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eeva Määttänen ◽  
Tuuli Jylhä ◽  
Seppo Junnila
Keyword(s):  
Process Development ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Facility Management ◽  
Office Buildings ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Kano Model ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Concept

Purpose – This research project studies office tenants’ perceived value of green service attributes, with the focus being on facility services and management. The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of what kind of green attributes tenants value in their office buildings. Design/methodology/approach – The research project was conducted using a single case study methodology. A green facilities management concept was tested in a pilot building. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire based on the Kano model of attractive quality. In addition, open-ended questions were asked to further understand the tenants’ views on the matter. Findings – The findings of the research project indicate that tenants have begun to value green attributes in their office buildings. While environmental efficiency is not yet a strategic guideline for small tenants, it would increase their satisfaction with facility management and services. Practical implications – Facility management and service organisations can utilise the results of this study in their own service scopes and process development. Originality/value – This study provides insight into the value of green facilities and user services for small office tenants.

scholarly journals Developing an academic library assessment plan: a case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Arnold Smith ◽  
Howard Dale Tryon ◽  
Lori Beth Snyder
Keyword(s):  
Planning Process ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Survey Analysis ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Assessment ◽  
Culture Of Assessment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the process of developing an academic library assessment plan and its relation to the furtherance of a culture of assessment. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative study of a university library’s assessment planning process; findings based on documentary evidence as well as an employee survey; analysis framed in relationship to relevant literature. Findings – Planning for the future of assessment offered the Jerry Falwell Library a significant opportunity for organizational change. Evaluations of the planning process were mixed, but generally revealed evidence of conditions associated with the development of a culture of assessment. Participants saw planning as the product of both external and internal factors. The plan’s orientation toward value and impact, though clearly understood, was not universally appreciated. Implementation of the plan remains a substantial challenge. Research limitations/implications – Reliability is subject to the limitations inherent to qualitative methods. Single case study design limits generalizability to different contexts. Practical implications – The goal of developing a culture of assessment is not to be achieved easily or quickly. Library employees may be most inclined to support an assessment agenda when it is driven by internal factors such as quality improvement and the pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness. Originality/value – The study emphasizes the process of developing an assessment plan at a university with a strong teaching mission. Additionally, it provides insight into the relationship between assessment planning and a culture of assessment.

Product wheels to achieve mix flexibility in process industries

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shellyanne Wilson ◽  
Nazma Ali
Keyword(s):  
Lean Manufacturing ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Optimization Technique ◽  
Mathematical Optimization ◽  
Coordination Mechanism ◽  
Production Schedule ◽  
Shared Resources ◽  
Process Industries ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – Mix flexibility is a critical manufacturing flexibility type needed to produce a company's range of products. Oftentimes, multiple products are produced on shared resources which require coordination mechanisms to ensure their effective utilization. This paper aims to explore the applicability of the product wheel concept as a coordination mechanism that can be used to manage shared resources in operational mix flexibility achievement in process industries. Design/methodology/approach – The product wheel concept is a construct from the theory of lean manufacturing adoption in process industries. This construct is applied as a sequencing coordination mechanism, where similar products are grouped together to run consecutively in a production schedule. A single case study is used to illustrate the development and evaluation of a product wheel design. Findings – The results show that the product wheel concept does achieve the aim of grouping similar products in the production schedule, and, as such, can be used to improve the production planning process through the reduction of the number of time-intensive changeovers without sacrificing product availability to meet customer demand. The product wheel, however, is not a mathematical optimization technique; but is instead a heuristic technique which requires the use of judgment and experience to achieve an optimal design. Originality/value – A theoretical contribution to the study of mix flexibility has been made, where the application of the product wheel construct presents a novel approach to the study of operational mix flexibility achievement, via the sequencing of products on shared manufacturing resources.

scholarly journals Infusing strategic planning with psychoanalytic insight: an exploratory case study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Gerard ◽  
Seth Allcorn
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Employee Morale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Planning Process ◽  
Exploratory Case Study ◽  
Psychoanalytic Approach

PurposeThis paper aims to demonstrate the value of combining the strategic planning process with psychoanalytically informed interpretation through an exploratory case study.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present their experiences and findings from a consulting engagement that began as a strategic planning assignment and soon evolved into an opportunity to explore unconscious forces inhibiting organizational change. The authors, trained in both areas, chose to infuse the two into a combined process that ultimately benefited the organization and suggested novel ways to think about the common process of strategic planning going forward.FindingsThe organization's strategic planning process was considerably enhanced, and its outcomes sustained, by illuminating the unconscious forces at work, particularly as they pertain to issues of power and authority in a male organizational culture found to have a profound negative influence upon the quality of the work environment and employee morale. Findings suggest that without a psychoanalytically informed approach, strategic planning would have failed to produce sustainable change.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the findings reported are from a single case study, the themes explored are likely shared across multiple organizations. There is, therefore, significant potential in combining strategic planning with a psychoanalytic approach to improve organizational effectiveness and employee morale.Originality/valueAlthough common in organizations, strategic planning is rarely augmented with psychoanalytic insights. This case study is the first of its kind to show how the two interventions may complement each other.

scholarly journals Interdependency in coordinating networked maintenance and modification operations

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Engelseth ◽  
Jan-Åke Törnroos ◽  
Yufeng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Network Structure ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Continuous Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Norwegian Sea ◽  
Exchange Processes ◽  
Service Production ◽  
Engineering Services

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to detect, through applying a process-based view, how to manage economisation of the maintenance and modification operations in offshore petroleum logistics operations.Design/methodology/approachA single case study of engineering services, more specifically, maintenance and modification service operations, on a Norwegian Sea oil platform reveals the dynamics of building network capabilities in a consistent network structure. Two layers of coordination are studied: the engineering process and its context, represented by its network of interconnected firms. This case study empirically grounds how engineering service involves managing reciprocally interdependent exchange processes in the network structure.FindingsPooled interdependencies are vital in understanding the nature of service provision and use, and sequential interdependencies are vital in narrating the timing of processes to reveal the nature of process emergence to coordinate strings of production events. Furthermore, the network structure, when characterised by multiple interdependent projects, is also dynamic but at a slower pace.Originality/valueThrough the case study, operations management is revealed to be associated with project emergence at two levels: the core process level regarding daily continuous change, including the changing interaction of multiple different and interdependent projects, and the contextual level, where features of interdependency and integration change, affecting engineering service production. This provides guidance as to the economisation of engineering services. They change not only interactions in the flow of production but also its context.

scholarly journals How B2B marketers interact with customers and develop knowledge to produce a co-owned marketing strategy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter R.J. Trim ◽  
Yang-Im Lee
Keyword(s):  
Marketing Strategy ◽  
Explicit Knowledge ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Knowledge Development ◽  
Governance Mechanism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
B2b Marketing ◽  
Marketing Managers ◽  
Cooperative Marketing

Purpose This paper aims to explore how senior business to business (B2B) marketing managers within a collectivist culture, contribute to knowledge development by interacting with staff in customer organizations to produce a co-owned marketing strategy. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research strategy incorporating an open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data from 15 senior B2B marketing managers in three Korean companies that deployed the customer-centred approach. The grounded theory technique (Strauss and Corbin, 1998) and the mind map method (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010) were used to show how senior Korean marketing managers’ thoughts are processed and knowledge transfer occurs. Findings The findings show that a governance mechanism is instrumental in guiding interactive communication that results in knowledge being used that benefits the members of a partnership arrangement. The knowledge development process is enhanced by mutual trust and emotional bonds that are established through socialization. Cyclical interaction through socialization and frequent (in)formal meetings facilitates the process of turning explicit knowledge into tacit knowledge and vice versa, and encourages new knowledge to be developed. Socialization also helps to reduce learning myopia and contributes to the innovatory processes that result in customer needs being met. Originality/value The paper provides insights into the importance of boundary setting that facilitates cooperative marketing action, which results in a B2B integrated marketing intelligence and planning process.

An exploration of supply chain integration in the retail product returns process

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 586-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bernon ◽  
John Upperton ◽  
Marko Bastl ◽  
John Cullen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Reverse Supply Chain ◽  
Product Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chain Processes ◽  
Process Context

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore supply chain integration (SCI) enabling practices, their benefits and barriers in a retail product returns process context. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case study research strategy. It draws on a single case, comprised of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and its two retailers. It utilizes an in-depth semi structured interviewing approach, combined with walk-through observations. Findings – The study finds that management of retail product returns can significantly benefit both an OEM and its customers when appropriate SCI enabling practices are deployed. While these practices are similar to those in forward supply chain processes, barriers are driven by the characteristics of product returns processes. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of this study stem primarily from its methodological design. A single case research strategy provides a limited opportunity for external generalization of the research findings. Practical implications – This study illustrates the value of SCI initiatives in product returns processes and informs managers ' decision making in the planning and execution of similar SCI implementations in product returns processes. Originality/value – This research claims to be one of the first works that systematically and empirically explores SCI in reverse supply chain processes, as opposed to forward supply chain processes.

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