Development of a multi-item Operational Excellence scale: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bilal Saeed ◽  
R. Tasmin ◽  
Ayyaz Mahmood ◽  
Aamer Hafeez

PurposeConsidering the relevance of operational excellence as a business strategy, organizations are striving to improve themselves by adopting best practices and universally accepted principles through the process of continuous improvement, and these principles should be embedded in the culture of an organization. Organizations pursue to align themselves by continuously improving their processes by adopting scientifically proven techniques and cultural transformation throughout the organization. However, there is a lack of scientific instruments for the assessment of operational excellence. The objective of this study is to develop a scale for the assessment of practices of operational excellence principles in the organizations. Further reliability and validity of the developed scale are measured by testing the relationship between Human Resource Practices (HRP) and Operational Excellence (OE).Design/methodology/approachThis study comprises quantitative design through exploratory and confirmatory studies and also includes qualitative analysis to develop a scale for the assessment of Operational Excellence (OE). Interviews from industry experts have been conducted to identify the major components for which organizations are striving for OE. Previous literature and excellence models, especially principles of the Shingo Operational Excellence Model (SOEM), have been reviewed and considered to finalize the scale items. Data were collected in two stages from both Telecommunication subsectors (Cellular Mobile Operators and Fixed Local Loop Operators) of Pakistan through the cross-sectional survey. In the first stage, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on the sample of 611 respondents from both Cellular Mobile and Fixed Local Loop operators of Pakistan. In the second stage, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the sample of 423 respondents from the Fixed local loop operators. EFA was conducted by using SPSS version 23 to finalize the OE scale, and for confirmatory factor analysis, PLS-SEM using Smart PLS was used to confirm the reliability and validity of the OE Scale.FindingsThe results of EFA reveal that OE is a multidimensional construct with three dimensions and 23 items. The dimensions of the developed OE Scale explored in this study are cultural enablers (CE), continuous process improvement (CPI) and enterprise alignment (EA). The confirmatory factor analysis of OE confirmed the scale dimensionality, reliability and validity along with the hypothesis testing to measure the impact of antecedent variable HRP on OE.Research limitations/implicationsOrganizations pursue to improve and align their operational processes but usually unable to confirm the implementation of their desired objectives. Based on the developed OE scale, managers may assess the implementation of OE principles in their organizations. This research has been conducted in the telecommunication sector of Pakistan only, and the developed instrument needs to be further tested in other organizations.Practical implicationsThe instrument developed in this study will help both researchers and practitioners to assess the principles of operational excellence in their organizations and enable them to design the strategies for improving organizational performance.Social implicationsThe results of this study will create awareness about the principles of operational excellence. The developed OE instrument will assist in identifying the gaps in organizational norms and values from the perspective of paying respect to every individual inside and outside the organization. OE instrument will be further helpful in the identification and assurance of health, safety, protection of the environment and community issues.Originality/valueThis study provides a reliable and validated scale for the scientific area of operation management and helps managers with the assessment of operational excellence in their organizations. This newly developed scale is also valid to test and use in different studies and industries by researchers and practitioners.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
G.S. Sureshchandar

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.


2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ady Milman ◽  
Anita Zehrer ◽  
Asli D.A. Tasci

Purpose Previous mountain tourism research addressed economic, environmental, social and political impacts. Because limited studies evaluated visitors’ perception of their experience, this study aims to examine the tangible and intangible visitor experience in a Tyrolean alpine tourist attraction. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted Klaus and Maklan’s (2012) customer experience model, suggesting that customers base their experience perception on the quality of product experience, outcome focus, moments of truth and peace-of-mind. Their model was used to validate the impact on overall customer experience quality at the mountain attraction through conducting a structured survey with 207 face-to-face interviews on-site. Findings The results of the confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the four-dimensional structure, probably due to the differences between mountain tourism experience and the mortgage lending experience in the original study. Instead, principal component analysis suggested a different dimensional structure of components that were arbitrarily named as functional, social, comparative and normative aspects of the visitors’ experience. Research limitations/implications The results are based on a sample in a given period of time, using convenience sampling. While the sample size satisfied the data analysis requirements, confirmatory factor analysis would benefit from a larger sample size. Practical implications Consumer experience dimensions while visiting a mountain attraction may not be concrete or objective, and consequently may yield different types of attributes that influence behavior. Social implications The social exchange theory could explain relationships between visitors and service providers and their consequences. Attraction managers should increase benefits for visitors and service providers to enhance their relationships, and thus experience. Originality/value The study explored the applicability of an existing experiential consumption model in a mountain attraction context. The findings introduce a revised model that may be applicable in other tourist attractions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 1019-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashima Chawla ◽  
Shabnam Saxena

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the reliability and validity of the knowledge management assessment instrument (KMAI) developed by Lawson (2003) that consists of 24 items. Design/methodology/approach – The study involved 225 research scholars and 225 faculties’ members from nine higher educational institutions. The respondents were required to respond to a five-point Likert scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The collected data were then analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 software packages. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted earlier than performing a confirmatory factor analysis. Findings – All constructs revealed the acceptable internal consistency reliability. A good model fit was found for the measurement model using several fit index tests like CMINDF, TLI, GFI AGFI, CFI and RMSEA. The findings showed that all fit indices criteria were accomplished. It also showed the acceptable reliability and construct validity. Research limitations/implications – KMAI was examined using confirmatory factor analysis only. A large sample size and sample area can be used. Practical implications – This research paper is an endeavor to explore only the reliability and validity of the KMAI. Thus all the three dimensions, namely, “knowledge application”, “knowledge acquisition and creation” and “knowledge storing and sharing” proved out to be reliable and validate when it will be tested in case of any Indian higher educational institutions. Originality/value – The main contributions of this study is that all the factors have good acceptable reliability value; each factor can be measured individually depending on the nature of the research.


2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Orazem ◽  
Claire Hebenstreit ◽  
Daniel King ◽  
Lynda King ◽  
Arieh Shalev ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 51-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subin Sudhir ◽  
Anandakuttan B. Unnithan

Rumors are often shared in the marketplace about products, services, brands or organizations; both in the online as well as in the offline scenarios. These rumors get communicated from consumer to consumer in the form of Word of Mouth (WOM). An exhaustive review of literature identified four motivations for consumers to share rumors in the marketplace; which included anxiety management motivation, information sharing motivation, relationship management motivation and self enhancement motivation. The review was not conclusive in identifying any scales for the measurement of these motivations. The article develops a scale for measuring these four motivations. Structured interviews were initially conducted to identify 33 items that motivate a consumer to share rumors. Based on an exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis four factors were identified and the final scale retained 21 items. The scale displayed good scores of reliability and validity.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xujia Wang ◽  
Billy Sung ◽  
Ian Phau

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate how exclusivity and rarity (natural versus virtual) influence consumers' perceptions of luxury. Further, it examines whether exclusivity and rarity can function as distinct marketing strategies in today's luxury market environment.Design/methodology/approachOnline questionnaires were administered by adapting developed scales from prior research. Research stimuli were chosen from three luxury categories including bags, wine and cruise. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regressions were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results confirmed that exclusivity, natural rarity and virtual rarity were perceived as relatively distinct constructs among our sample. Findings also highlighted that perceived natural rarity (PNR) has consistently emerged as a positive and significant contributor to consumers' perceptions of luxury across all three luxury categories. The influence of perceived exclusivity (PE) on perceptions of luxury has also shown to be significant for two product categories (luxury bag and luxury wine), whereas perceived virtual rarity (PVR) did not show any significant effects across all three categories.Practical implicationsThe results indicate that consumers perceive natural rarity, virtual rarity and exclusivity as relatively distinctive marketing strategies. This suggests that luxury businesses can adopt each strategy independently to achieve desired marketing outcomes.Originality/valueThis study offers theoretical support for the proposition that exclusivity and rarity may have different functions in luxury marketing implementations. It provides empirical evidence showing the distinctiveness of perceived exclusivity and perceived rarity, which have not be done in previous research.


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-157
Author(s):  
Pau García-Grau ◽  
Daniel Ayora Pérez ◽  
Ferran Calabuig Moreno ◽  
Vicente Javier Prado-Gascó

The purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of a brief version of the AF5 questionnaire (García & Musitu, 2001) using exploratory and confirmatory techniques on a preadolescent population in the Valencian community (Spain). The sample was made up of 541 participants between 10 and 12 years old, 55.1% (298) boys and 44.9% (243) girls. After observing the results of different reliability and validity analyses (exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)), it was found that the reduced scale consisting of 20 items showed a similar reliability and validity to the original scale. The factorial structure also fits that of the original model established a priori. According to the results of the study, the use of this diagnostic tool with Spanish children seems justified.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Lithopoulos ◽  
Peter A. Dacin ◽  
Tanya R. Berry ◽  
Guy Faulkner ◽  
Norm O’Reilly ◽  
...  

Purpose The brand equity pyramid is a theory that explains how people develop loyalty and an attachment to a brand. The purpose of this study is to test whether the predictions made by the theory hold when applied to the brand of ParticipACTION, a Canadian non-profit organization that promotes active living. A secondary objective was to test whether this theory predicted intentions to be more physically active. Design/methodology/approach A research agency conducted a cross-sectional, online brand health survey on behalf of ParticipACTION. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis established the factor structure. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model. Findings A nationally representative sample of Canadian adults (N = 1,191) completed the survey. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported a hypothesized five-factor brand equity framework (i.e. brand identity, brand meaning, brand responses, brand resonance and intentions). A series of structural equation models also provided support for the hypothesized relationships between the variables. Practical implications Though preliminary, the results provide a guide for understanding the branding process in the activity-promotion context. The constructs identified as being influential in this process can be targeted by activity-promotion organizations to improve brand strength. A strong organizational brand could augment activity-promotion interventions. A strong brand may also help the organization better compete against other brands promoting messages that are antithetical to their own. Originality/value This is the first study to test the brand equity pyramid using an activity-promotion brand. Results demonstrate that the brand equity pyramid may be useful in this context.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-135
Author(s):  
Patrícia M. Pascoal ◽  
Maria-João Alvarez ◽  
Magda Sofia Roberto

Abstract Objective To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Beliefs About Appearance Scale (BAAS) in terms of its factorial structure and invariance, reliability, and validity when applied to adults from the community. Methods Participants consisted of 810 heterosexual Portuguese individuals in a committed relationship. As a confirmatory factor analysis did not support the original structure of the BAAS, an exploratory factor analysis was performed. Results A 12-item version was extracted comprising two dimensions: one personal and the other social. The factorial model depicting this bidimensional structure revealed an adequate fit following confirmatory factor analysis. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses indicated invariance across gender. Concurrent and discriminant validities and internal consistency were estimated and observed to be adequate. Conclusions This shorter measure of the BAAS can accurately assess body appearance beliefs and may be used in different research settings and contexts.


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