Toyota Kata as a KM solution to the inhibitors of implementing lean service in service companies

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helio Aisenberg Ferenhof ◽  
Andre Henrique Da Cunha ◽  
Andrei Bonamigo ◽  
Fernando Antônio Forcellini
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Universal Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Companies ◽  
Company Culture ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Operational Excellence

PurposeThis paper aims to resolve the inhibitors of lean service using knowledge management (KM) concepts through the use of Toyota Kata. To achieve this, the authors updated the research on lean supportive practices and inhibitors of lean technical practices presented by Hadid and Afshin Mansouri (2014) through a systematic literature review (SLR). The SLR focused on empirical studies/cases from the past 15 years and confirmed the inhibitors of lean technical practices. As a result, Toyota Kata is proposed as a KM solution to the inhibitors of lean service implementation in service companies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out an SLR to identify inhibitors of lean service in real case applications and analyzed the resulting bibliographic portfolio using KM as a lens, along with three theories: universal theory, socio-technical systems theory and contingency theory, which assist in highlighting and clarifying the potential impact of using Toyota Kata as a solution to the inhibitors of lean technical practices.FindingsWhen the authors analyzed the inhibitors of lean technical practices, they discovered that there is a strong relationship between the inhibitors and the individual (staff) personal characteristics regarding commitment, involvement, communication and preparation. These inhibitors and characteristics should work as a system, and Toyota Kata improves people’s skills and process performance by connecting people, processes and technology. Also, the authors noted that the Toyota Kata concept used can provide benefits in the implementation of lean service for companies, such as the internalization of continuous improvement, this becoming part of the company culture. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that Toyota Kata provides an effective way to achieve KM.Research limitations/implicationsThis study may not have enabled a complete coverage of all existing peer-reviewed articles in the field of practices and inhibitors presented by Hadid and Afshin Mansouri (2014). However, it seems reasonable to assume that in this review, a large proportion of the studies available was included.Practical implicationsThis paper opens a new perspective on the use of Toyota Kata by managers as a solution to implement KM, spinning the spiral of knowledge.Originality/valueThis is the first study that seeks empirical evidence of inhibitors of lean technical practices and proposes Toyota Kata as a KM Solution for these issues. As a result, this study advances the facility to overcome these inhibitors, opening a new perspective for management to lead in achieving operational excellence.

The measurement of flow and social flow at work: a 30-year systematic review of the literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 537-570
Author(s):  
Pedro Jácome de Moura Jr ◽  
Carlo Gabriel Porto Bellini
Keyword(s):  
Flow Measurement ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Social Flow ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Flow At Work

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review three decades of the literature on flow measurement and propose issues to advance research on the measurement of social flow at work. Design/methodology/approach In a systematic literature review, the authors analyzed 143 articles published in the first three decades (1983–2013) of scholarly publications on flow measurement, of which 84 articles used scales to measure flow and 16 articles used scales to measure flow at work. Findings The main findings are: flow is frequently measured in association with other constructs or by means of proxies; flow measurement is highly dependent on a study’s purposes and context; flow is mostly studied at the level of the individual and, when studied beyond the individual, the measurement of flow in groups is simplified as an aggregation of individual-level measures; and social flow at work is an underresearched construct that nevertheless impacts organizations in important ways, thus deserving a specific research agenda. Research limitations/implications The first limitation refers to the databases included in the review. There is always the possibility that important works were ignored. Another limitation is that the coding procedure was highly dependent on the authors’ discretion, as it did not include independent coding and formal assessment of agreement among coders. But the greatest limitation may refer to our very perspectives on flow, flow measurement and social flow at work, as they are highly attached to current models instead of seeing the issues with different lenses. This limitation is also present in the literature. Practical implications Reviewing three decades of scholarly publications on how flow has been measured contributes to organizations in their planning for person-job fit. The measurement of flow can reveal if and when flow correlates with personal characteristics and organizational events, thus serving to inform initiatives on personnel development, acculturation and job design. However, considering that flow as a social phenomenon has been conceived in superficial terms, that a vast number of empirical studies were developed with non-professional subjects, and that flow measurement involves significant adaptations to each situation, organizations are thus advised to be careful in adopting extant instruments. Originality/value This study provides a rich account on how flow measurement has been addressed in the scholarly literature, and it calls attention to research opportunities on social flow at work.

An analysis of supply chain issues relating to information flow during the automotive product development

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1158-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Madenas ◽  
Ashutosh Tiwari ◽  
Christopher Turner ◽  
Sophie Peachey
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Information Flow ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Multinational Companies ◽  
Supply Chain Collaboration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inadequate Information ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Number Of Customers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify measure and prioritise the perceived importance of supply chain issues within the automotive industry related to information flow during product development (PD). Design/methodology/approach – This study analyses empirical data captured from semi-structure interviews with 15 multinational companies operating in the automotive sector. Data collected are analysed using a standard methodology identified from the literature. The individual issues captured are classified against 14 clusters that represent the core and the fundamental supply chain issues of information flow. Findings – This study showed that half of the issues captured are related to the inadequate information systems used. The cluster that had the majority of individual issues is related to suppliers that are not directly connected with their customers through an enterprise system. However it was identified that two fundamental clusters justify the decision of not being directly connected. Implementing and maintaining multiple enterprise systems can be a big overhead for multinational companies working with a high number of customers. Originality/value – Although several studies have proved the benefits that can be obtained through supply chain collaboration, there are relatively little empirical studies that seek to explore the understanding of supply chain issues in regards to information flow especially during PD. By identifying, measuring and prioritising the importance of supply chain issues this study provides researchers and practitioners guidance in developing better tools and defining more efficient processes.

Conspicuous consumption of luxury experiences: an experimental investigation of status perceptions on social media

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin Siepmann ◽  
Lisa Carola Holthoff ◽  
Pascal Kowalczuk
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Luxury Goods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Status ◽  
Self Actualization ◽  
The Individual ◽  
High Level

Purpose As luxury goods are losing their importance for demonstrating status, wealth or power to others, individuals are searching for alternative status symbols. Recently, individuals have increasingly used conspicuous consumption and displays of experiences on social media to obtain affirmation. This study aims to analyze the effects of luxury and nonluxury experiences, as well as traditional luxury goods on status- and nonstatus-related dimensions. Design/methodology/approach After presenting the theoretical foundation, the authors conduct a study with 599 participants to compare status perceptions elicited by the conspicuous consumption of luxury goods, luxury experiences and nonluxury experiences. The authors investigate whether experiences that are visibly consumed on Instagram are replacing traditional luxury goods as the most important status symbols. Furthermore, the authors examine the effects of the content shown on nonstatus-related dimensions and analyze whether status perceptions differ between female and male social media communicators. Finally, the authors analyze how personal characteristics (self-esteem, self-actualization and materialism) influence the status perceptions of others on social media. Findings The results show that luxury goods are still the most important means of displaying status. However, especially for women, luxury experiences are also associated with a high level of social status. Thus, the results imply important gender differences in the perceptions of status- and nonstatus-related dimensions. Furthermore, the findings indicate that, in particular, the individual characteristics of self-actualization and materialism affect status perceptions depending on the posted content. Originality/value While the research has already considered some alternative forms of conspicuous consumption, little attention has been given to experiences as status symbols. However, with their growing importance as substitutes for luxury goods and the rise of social media, the desire to conspicuously consume experiences is increasing. The authors address this gap in the literature by focusing on the conspicuous display of luxury and nonluxury experiences on social media.

Under-promising and over-delivering: pleasing the customer or strategic blunder?

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 720-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omer Topaloglu ◽  
David E. Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Practical Implication ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expectation Management ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Service Expectation ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Promise Keeping

Purpose The paper aims to provide a theoretical and empirical examination of the relationship between service expectation management, expectation inducing agent and customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Based on the disconfirmation paradigm in services and the promise-keeping premise in psychology, the hypotheses are developed and empirically tested using three experiments that manipulated expectations, expectation inducing agent and service outcome. Findings The findings provide reconciliation to the previous studies in services and show that effectiveness of expectation management strategy depends on the individual expectation thresholds and the expectation inducing agent. If customers patronize a firm expecting more, then over-delivering on the service promise results in a significant benefit. However, for those customers whose mental expectation threshold is exceeded, keeping promises is as effective as exceeding promises. Practical implications The practical implication of this paper is that services managers should be cognizant of the mental expectation threshold of customers and be wise in utilizing the under-promise, over-deliver strategy. Originality/value Using a threshold approach, this paper introduces a new perspective to service practitioners who are trying to manage expectations in a highly variable business environment. It also benefits service researchers who are trying to enhance the understanding of service expectation management.

Fundamental Islamic perspective of work ethics

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Hameed Aldulaimi
Keyword(s):  
Work Ethic ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Multidimensional Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Ethics ◽  
Islamic Perspective ◽  
Islamic Work Ethic ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Right

Purpose – This paper debates the Islamic perspective on the work ethics employed in an organization. It aims to discuss the issues of assumptions involving the Islamic Work Ethic (IWE). Therefore, this paper addresses the gap in the management literature and suggests a group of dimensions from fundamentals of Islam. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the foundations of IWE and investigates various empirical studies conducted in several countries. Then, briefly presents a short historical and conceptual review of the work ethic construct, suggests a general conceptual definition of work ethic, and offers multidimensional model including a series of constructs which can enable researchers to evaluate and measure work ethic in Islamic societies. Findings – The study reveals that there is an evidence of ethics formulation depending on Islamic literature which constructs Islamic values for work. This paper proposes new perspective about the right ethics of work in Islam. Further, multidimensional model including 18 dimensions has been developed to evaluate work ethic in Islamic societies. Research limitations/implications – This field needs to reconsider the constructs of IWEs where it is far from reflecting Islamic theory. This paper presents new dimensions which can be utilized to enrich this area. Originality/value – This is one of the few attempts to suggest the appropriate constructs of IWE in the management literature. It provides 18 elements responsible and have the promise to strengthen individual transparency and morally which eventually enhance economic progress in Islamic world.

The spatiality of men who go missing on a night out

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-166
Author(s):  
Geoff Newiss ◽  
Ian Greatbatch
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Search Strategies ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Search Heuristics ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to quantify the risk of fatality for men who are reported missing following a night out. Additionally, the paper aimed to develop search heuristics to inform the development of search strategies, through an examination of the key geographical points involved in these cases. Design/methodology/approach Cases were identified, and data collected, from online media sources supplemented with a request to UK police forces and a search of the UK Missing Persons Unit database. In total, 96 cases which occurred over a five-and-a-half-year period in the UK were included. The study compares the profile of fatalities that result from disappearances occurring in different types of geographical area. Location data were georeferenced allowing Euclidean distances between geographical locations to be generated. Findings In total, 60 per cent of disappearances lasting longer than 48 h resulted in fatality, rising to almost all cases after three days missing. In 89 per cent of cases bodies are recovered from water; 11 per cent on land after the individual died from a fall, hypothermia or a drugs overdose. Practical implications Search strategies can be informed by a consideration of the type of area the person was socialising (high night-time economy through to rural areas) and the geography of subsequent sightings. Originality/value In focusing on the specific circumstances of a disappearance rather than an individual’s personal characteristics, the paper offers an innovative approach to understanding risk (i.e. what is the likelihood of a particular outcome occurring) and the development of heuristics for search strategies in missing person cases.

Talent development: a systematic literature review of empirical studies

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 75-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Rezaei ◽  
Michael Beyerlein
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Organizational Development ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Talent Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Individual

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify and examine findings from empirical research regarding organizations’ talent development (TD) strategies, taking into consideration the countries in which the studies were conducted and the TD-approach organizations adopted, and recognize the positive outcomes of TD implementation, as well as potential issues and challenges. Design/methodology/approach This systematic literature review used Garrard’s matrix method to organize the review of publications. It identified 31 empirical articles from the total of 551 publications. Findings The findings indicate that a majority of the studies were conducted in countries other than the USA and that they were all published recently, after 2007. The results show that organizations have mostly applied organizational development interventions at the individual level for developing talented employees, followed by formal training and development. Additionally, managerial issues were identified as the most common issue on the way of implementing TD interventions. Research limitations/implications Trying to define TD as a discrete concept from HRD could be considered as both differentiating the current literature review and a limitation. Originality/value This article is among the first to identify TD interventions through a systematic literature review and provides a model of TD’s intervention antecedents and outcomes for the follow-up empirical works.

CSR practices, identification and corporate reputation

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 361-379
Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Bruno ◽  
Francisco J. Sarabia-Sanchez ◽  
Enrique Carlos Bianchi
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Corporate Reputation ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Consumer Involvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Service Companies ◽  
The Individual

PurposeThis study verifies the influence of the dimensions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and consumer involvement on the identification of the individual with the company and the corporate reputation, moderated by the product category.Design/methodology/approachA covariance-based structural equation modelling is used to test the model, using a sample of 568 Argentine consumers. A multigroup analysis is employed to assess the moderating effect of the product category.FindingsCSR practices have heterogeneous influence based on their dimension, and this influence is moderated by the product category. Accordingly, environmental practices promote consumer identification with the company, whereas those economically oriented have a direct influence on reputation. In contrast, social practices contribute to reputation if they are connected to the business model.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is focussed on Argentina, analysing two product categories (laptops and financial services for final consumers) and using a large, but not strictly random, sample. In order to mainstream the results, it would be relevant to replicate the proposed model in other countries and with other product categories.Originality/valueIt provides information about the perception of consumers regarding the CSR practices from a multi-dimensional perspective, since they have an uneven effect on identification of consumer with the company and corporate reputation due to the moderating effect of the product category. The findings of this study may be relevant for managers of technology and banking service companies.

scholarly journals Improving service quality through customer journey analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 840-867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ragnhild Halvorsrud ◽  
Knut Kvale ◽  
Asbjørn Følstad
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diary Studies ◽  
The Individual

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework based on customer journeys for a structured portrayal of service delivery from the customer’s point of view. The paper also introduces customer journey analysis (CJA) for empirical investigation of individual service experiences in a multichannel environment. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents case studies for onboarding new customers on broadband services. CJA starts with modeling of the service process in terms of touchpoints. The individual customer journeys are reconstructed through methodological triangulation of interviews, diary studies, and process tracking. Findings The paper provides empirical insights into individual customer journeys. Four types of deviations during service delivery are identified: occurrence of ad hoc touchpoints, irregularities in the sequence of logically connected touchpoints, occurrence of failures in touchpoints, and missing touchpoints. CJA seems effective in revealing problematic and incoherent service delivery that may result in unfavorable customer experiences. Practical implications For a service company, the proposed framework may serve as a unifying language to ease cross-departmental communication and approach service quality in a systematic way. CJA discloses the gap between the planned and actual service delivery and can be used as a tool for service improvement. Originality/value The framework provides concepts, definitions, and a visual notation to structure and manage services in terms of customer journeys. CJA is a novel method for empirical studies of the service delivery process and the associated customer experience.

Examining organizations’ continued use of open source technologies

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saggi Nevo ◽  
InduShobha Chengalur-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Business Value ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Continued Use ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Value Of It ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Our knowledge of why organizations continue to use open source software (OSS) infrastructure technologies is relatively limited, and existing models appear inadequate to explain this continuance phenomenon given that they are set at the individual level and also do not take into account the unique characteristics of OSS. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Using an institutional perspective, this paper posits that coercive (business value of IT) and normative (open source ideology (IDEO)) factors may be credited with sustaining the continued use of OSS technologies. The study argues that organizations that subscribe to IDEO are more likely to continue using OSS technologies. Survey data are collected from organizations that have implemented an OSS infrastructure technology and a moderated multiple regression analysis is performed to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings In addition to the business value provided by OSS technologies, adherence to IDEO also impacts decisions to continue using those technologies. The results suggest that once an OSS is implemented in an organization, IDEO can enhance organizations’ intentions to continue using such technologies, directly, as well as indirectly, by amplifying the impact of the perceived business value of the technology. Originality/value Much of extant literature on continued use focuses on end-user technologies. This paper is one of the first to focus on infrastructure technologies and examine organizations’ intentions to continue using those technologies by developing a parsimonious theory-driven model for examining organizations’ continued use intentions toward infrastructure IT. Additionally, much of open source research to date has been inwardly focused, and this paper is one of few empirical studies to focus on the demand or consumption side of OSS technologies.

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