scholarly journals Environmental turbulence and the role of business functions in the manufacturing strategy debate: The case of UK-based SMEs and the Great Recession

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 190-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eustathios Sainidis ◽  
Andrew Robson ◽  
Graeme Heron
Keyword(s):  
Great Recession ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Environmental Turbulence ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Manufacturing Strategy ◽  
Business Functions ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

This study provides an empirical assessment of the United Kingdom (UK) manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) sector, exploring the impact of environmental turbulence specific to the post–Great Recession (2008) era on changes to the way manufacturing strategy is formulated and implemented. The study identifies changes to the frequency, fluidity, formality and focus of manufacturing strategy review and how the various business functions play a changing role in contributing to this strategic process. A mixed-methods research approach is applied, incorporating a survey of 104 UK-based manufacturing SMEs supported by 17 in-depth interviews with senior managers. The research uses a parallel mixed analysis of the two data sources, thereby offering an alternative to the mono-quantitative approaches to manufacturing research that have dominated. The findings show that during, and emerging from, the post–Great Recession environment, the majority of manufacturing SMEs employ a fluid, highly frequent approach to manufacturing strategy review with increasing contributions from their marketing, sales and finance business functions driven predominantly by function-specific response to changes in the external environment, although internal drivers sill influence high-level strategy, finance and human resources. The implications of the study to theory, practice and general management suggest that the MSME sector is dominated by organizations experiencing continual impact from the external environment.

scholarly journals International Student Experience at US Community Colleges at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Whatley
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
International Students ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
International Student ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
College Leaders ◽  
Residency Status ◽  
The Impact

This study’s purpose is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students who were studying at US community colleges at the onset of this public health crisis. While previous work has explored the impact of the pandemic on international students generally, we argue that community college international students deserve focused attention due to their potentially marginalized status on their campuses. Using a mixed-methods research approach, we analyze survey and focus group data provided by 17 randomly-selected community college educators. Our results speak to two overarching themes: the supports provided to students at the onset of the pandemic (and educators reasons for providing these specific supports) and the unique impact of the pandemic on community college international students due to their citizenship or residency status. These findings have important implications for community college leaders and international educators as they work with international students during future times of crisis.

scholarly journals Environmental turbulence: impact on UK SMEs’ manufacturing priorities

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 1239-1264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eustathios Sainidis ◽  
Andrew Robson
Keyword(s):  
Research Strategy ◽  
Environmental Turbulence ◽  
Manufacturing Strategy ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Manufacturing Costs ◽  
Competitive Priorities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Manufacturing Priorities

Purpose This paper aims to assess the impact of 2008 recession (Great Recession)-led environmental turbulence on the manufacturing small and medium enterprise (SME) sector and its related competitive priorities. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods research strategy, consisting of a survey of 104 manufacturing SMEs located in the UK, complemented by 17 in-depth interviews with senior management representatives from this survey group. Findings Senior managers have prompted a realignment of competitive manufacturing priorities accounting for external financial and market conditions. Differing competitive priorities post-recession are given to various areas of manufacturing decision-making, the greatest impact being on manufacturing costs. Manufacturing flexibility, performance in meeting customer deliveries and enhancing supplier selection are merited to increase priority with relatively little change for process technology, quality and environmental practices. Research limitations/implications The sample of survey participants was relatively small, therefore prohibiting an assessment of differences in competitive priorities by sub-sectors of manufacturing SMEs. This was offset by a healthy number of informative, in-depth interviews that provided a richness of examples and insight into the shifting priorities for the sector. Practical implications Clear priorities have emerged around reducing manufacturing costs, being more flexible in manufacturing and improving outward performance relating to customers and suppliers. Originality/value This builds on established manufacturing strategy constructs and points to necessary competitive priority realignment focused on the performance areas listed above.

scholarly journals Gamification as a Strategy for Enhancing Participation in e-Learning Environments

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Khalid Almalhy
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
School Community ◽  
School Principal ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Average Impact ◽  
The Impact

The study aimed to explore the effects of a proposed gamification strategy in eLearning environments through integrating roles of school community members (school principal, educational supervisor, teacher, student, and parent) in order to improve their levels of participation in eLearning. A mixed methods research approach was used: Quantitative data were collected by means of a questionnaire distributed to a sample of 41 faculty members specializing in educational technology in Saudi public universities, while qualitative data were collected through interviews with eight experts in the same field. The results showed that all factors had a medium impact, except for the impact of student performance on teacher performance, which showed the highest average impact, and the impact of student performance on the performance of the school principal, which showed the lowest average impact. Additionally, the results of the interviews were discussed as interpretation of the quantitative data, which confirmed—from the points of view of both the experts and the questionnaire recipients—the effectiveness of the proposed gamification strategy in improving the level of participation of all school community members. Based on the results, the study recommended the use of the proposed gamification strategy.

Assessing impacts of environmental peacebuilding in Caquetá, Colombia: a multistakeholder perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-199
Author(s):  
Héctor Morales-Muñoz ◽  
Katharina Löhr ◽  
Michelle Bonatti ◽  
Luca Eufemia ◽  
Stefan Sieber
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Natural Resource Management ◽  
Natural Resource ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Peace Agreement ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
The Impact

Abstract A major challenge in the field of environmental peacebuilding is showing the impact of its initiatives. Questions emerge, such as what kind of postwar peacebuilding dimensions are more likely to be affected by natural resource management projects? Although quantitative studies assess the relation between natural resource management programmes and conflict, the question remains: what are the mechanisms involved in implementing projects designed for environmental peacebuilding? To answer these questions, a mixed methods research approach is chosen, combining four qualitative and quantitative methods to triangulate results. First, we identify a set of peacebuilding dimensions and mechanisms based in the literature that facilitate assessing the impact of sustainable land-use systems (SLUS) design in the post-peace agreement region of Caquetá, Colombia. Second, not only do we interview experts and practitioners at global, national (Colombia) and local (Department of Caquetá) levels in the fields of peacebuilding, natural resource management and environmental peacebuilding, we also conduct three workshops and a survey in Caquetá to prioritize dimensions and discover explanatory mechanisms. The case of Caquetá, Colombia, shows that peacebuilding dimensions, such as socio-economic inclusion (e.g. sustainable livelihoods), creation of governance scenarios, and building capacities for dialogue and a peace culture, should be addressed to take account of the impacts of SLUS projects in post-conflict peacebuilding.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Irina Dromereschi
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Entrepreneurial Factors

One of the most important factors to explain the sudden relevance of entrepreneurship, was the importance of creativity as a new source of competitiveness. Psychologists argue that being creative means to create something new, original and appropriate reality. Creative is characterized by originality and expressiveness, is imaginative, generative, pathfinder, invention, innovation etc. Increasing effects of globalization leads to the need creative approach in a market with a high level of opportunity and competition. Entrepreneurial factors overlap with many creative features such as curiosity, self-confidence, a high level of energy, responsibility and vision. As a highly complex mental formation, creativity is characterized by a multitude of ways such as productivity, usability, efficiency, value, ingenuity, innovation and originality. The impact of entrepreneurial creativity extends to the whole life of an entrepreneur, and not just during business. Success is stimulated by the use of juxtaposition and combination of different ideas that often but not related to the impact on decision making. Entrepreneurial Creativity should be seen as a competitive force and portfolio of skills. Adopting a creative entrepreneurial approach protects us from uncertainty and ambiguity in decision making in the external environment.

scholarly journals An investigation into management’s reluctance in implementing audit recommendations and its effects to risk

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-70
Author(s):  
Newman Wadesango ◽  
Charity Mhaka ◽  
Tendai Chinamasa ◽  
Ongayi Vongai Wadesango
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Reputational Risk ◽  
Fraud Risk ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Research Population ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Business Functions ◽  
High Level

The purpose of this study was to identify the causes of non-implementation of audit recommendations, with the aim of coming up with strategies and best practices for the effective implementation of audit recommendations. The literature review showed that organizations face high levels of risk. The high level of risk is usually as a result of non-implementation of audit recommendations. It is therefore imperative to identify challenges faced by management in implementing audit recommendations. The research study used a mixed research approach. The research population was drawn from the management and employees of a Zimbabwean based parastatal. A judgmental sampling technique was used. Closed ended questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The research findings showed that non-implementation of audit recommendations exposed the organisation to risks such as credit risk, fraud risk, and reputational risk. This research adds to the current body of knowledge by highlighting some of the problems encountered by companies who outsource their business functions. While this research focused on the case study of a single firm, further research can look into the current trends regarding the implementation of audit recommendations in the same developing country.

Tensions in collaborative innovation projects and higher-level learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 248-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elise Marcandella ◽  
Khoudia Guèye
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Collaborative Innovation ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

PurposeEnsuring collaboration between partners involved in a collaborative innovation project is a challenge for project managers. This paper aims to highlight how taking a high-level learning approach can represent a managerial lever. In addition, it analyzes the impact of learning tensions in a partnership context.Design/methodology/approachThe paper focuses on an explorative, longitudinal and in-depth analysis of the Innovative Solutions in Urban Systems project via a qualitative single-case study. The research is inductive and based on data from the field rather than a deductive application of theory.FindingsCollaborative innovation projects represent a high-level learning case. Activity theory is suited to studying the dynamics of learning in collaborative innovation projects. Tensions can fertilize the front-end of collaborative innovation projects.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach, the research results may be difficult to generalize. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the conceptual framework further.Practical implicationsThis article provides a framework for managing tensions in collaborative innovation projects. The results provide also a process to implement all criteria of sustainable development in these projects.Social implicationsThis article highlights to what extent collaborative relations can be developed between participants through a questionnaire with social responsibility attributes. The questionnaire allows to foster participants’ trust.Originality/valueThis approach is original because the authors consider that situations exist that, by definition, belong to “higher-order learning”. Through a case study, they propose a framework to manage this situation.

scholarly journals Reassessing the Effects of Extending Unemployment Insurance Benefits

2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Pedro Amaral ◽  
Jessica Ice
Keyword(s):  
Unemployment Insurance ◽  
Unemployment Rate ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Job Creation ◽  
Unemployment Benefits ◽  
Insurance Benefits ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

To deal with the high level of unemployment during the Great Recession, lawmakers extended the availability of unemployment benefits—all the way to 99 weeks in the states where unemployment was highest. A recent study has found that the extensions served to increase unemployment significantly by putting upward pressure on wages, leading to less jobs creation by firms. We replicate the methodology of this study with an updated and longer sample and find a much smaller impact. We estimate that the impact of extending benefits on unemployment through wages and job creation can, at its highest, account for only one-fourth of the increase in the unemployment rate; an impact that is much lower than other estimates in the literature.

scholarly journals MORE IS LESS? THE CURVILINEAR EFFECTS OF POLITICAL TIES ON CORPORATE INNOVATION PERFORMANCE

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 1309-1335
Author(s):  
Mingchuan Yu ◽  
Yujie Lu ◽  
Chao Li ◽  
Han Lin ◽  
Philip Shapira
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Interactive Effect ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Corporate Innovation ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

Previous research has explored the impact of political ties on corporate innovation performance, yet with controversial results. This study proposes that political ties has a curvilinear impact on innovation performance, and the resulting curvilinear relationship is moderated by absorptive capacity and external environment. We conduct examination based on a survey among Chinese manufacturing firms, which demonstrates an inverted U-shape relationship between political ties and corporate innovation performance. This inverted U-shape relationship is moderated by the absorptive capacity, which means the positive effect of political ties on corporate innovation performance is strong when the absorptive capacity of a firm is high. Furthermore, political ties, absorptive capacity and external environment (i.e. dynamism, munificence, and complexity) have a three-way interactive effect on corporate innovation, which means firms with strong political ties exhibit the highest innovation performance when their absorptive capacity and external environmental condition (dynamism or munificence or complexity) stand at high level simultaneously. The research findings provide a comprehensive understanding for firms, especially for those with different characteristics and under different external environments, to exploit political ties to facilitate corporate innovation performance.

scholarly journals The Impact of Lean Production and Flexible Manufacturing Strategies on Financial Performance of Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 90-97
Author(s):  
Onyeka Linus Okocha ◽  
Wan Norhayate Wan Daud
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Flexible Manufacturing ◽  
Lean Production ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Manufacturing Strategy ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Statistical Tool ◽  
The Impact

This research aims to investigate the impact of lean production strategy (LPS) and flexible manufacturing strategy (FMS) on financial performance (FP) in the Nigerian manufacturing sector (NMS). A quantitative research approach was applied, and a simple random sampling technique was chosen to identify the samples for this study. For this reason, data were collected from 101 manufacturing companies in Nigeria and a statistical tool; Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26 was used to analyze the data. The result shows a significant relationship among the factors examined. Among the factors, the independent variable (LPS) had shown the most decisive impact compared to (FMS) on the dependent variable (FP) the study suggested. Findings from the study contribute and support Porter’s generic theory on existing literature, and practically to the Nigerian manufacturing companies by providing insights into this research area. 

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