Interfunctional Coordination at Hi-Tech Firms

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Kanovska ◽  
Eva Tomaskova

The paper is focused on the determination of new knowledge about interfunctional coordination. Interfunctional coordination was defined at the beginning of 90s. It is the coordination of all company activities leading to the increase of business performance. Interfunctional coordination is connected with market orientation. It is one of necessary principle of market orientation. It is not possible to use market orientation without interfunctional coordination. Market orientation is based on marketing conception. The first detailed studies were offered by Kohli and Jaworski (1990) and Narver and Slater (1990). Market orientation is described as a method helping to contribute better managing of a company by many researchers. A lot of papers on this topic were publicized during the last two decades. The earliest papers involved the first definitions of market orientation; offered methods for its measuring; and investigated the impact of market orientation on business performance. The last attitudes towards market orientation agree that market orientation enables managers to focus on external and internal elements and activities, which influence the activity of a company leading to its performance increase (Tomaskova, 2009). At present, we have a lot of methods used for the measuring of market orientation. Using a proper method depends on the branch or economic system. The perception of the implementation of market orientation is changing during the period, as well. However, the main principle is still the same – market orientation has a positive impact on business performance. Nowadays, a lot of authors deal with the implementation of market orientation. Because of this reason, we have prepared research “Research on implementation on market orientation in Hi-Tech Firms” (GA 402/07/1493). The goal of the research was to detect barriers of the implementation of market orientation. We divided the barriers of the implementation into three parts according to managers’ influence in an internal, branch and external environment. State, economy and technologies are named as the main elements of external environment. The main barriers connected with the elements of branch environment are quality and quantity of branch stakeholders. Barriers of internal environment involve the barriers connected with the top management and its personality, skills, knowledge and experiences, all employees of a company and interfunctional coordination. The paper deals with the interfunctional coordination at hi-tech firms. The objective of the paper is to define barriers connected with interfunctional coordination and to detect the perception and importance of interfunctional coordination at hi-tech firms. The theoretical knowledge is noticed in some research studies. The data was acquired by means of a questionnaire. New Method measured market orientation in a company. The questionnaire New Method with 7-point Likert scale constituted by Tomaskova (2005) was used for the research. The complete database was analysed by using standard statistical methods (correlation analysis, Spearman correlation coefficient, chi-square) as well as other sophisticated techniques (Cronbach alpha). The main results of the research show that the level of market orientation at the hi-tech firms in the Czech Republic is high and confirm how important is gaining information and using this information inside the company for market orientation. The main results of the research confirm that interfunctional coordination is the base of market orientation. Hi-tech firms in the Czech Republic perceive interfunctional coordination as very necessary presumption for their future development and prosperity. The highest rate for this part received the following statements confirming positive company attitude for innovation, preference for teamwork and mutual cooperation in firms and also effort to be flexible. On the other hand, the lowest average rate had the statement describing relations between superiors and subordinates and their strictness and formalness.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.23.1.1224

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Valerie Anne Hooper

<p>The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of the strategic alignment between information systems (IS) and marketing on business performance. The work of Chan (1992) was used as a point of departure. She had explored the fit between IS and business strategies and had used strategic orientation as a basis for determining the fit (alignment). Although the marketing literature did not reveal any measure for alignment, measures existed for market orientation. This appeared to be the approximate marketing equivalent of strategic orientation. Given the strategic nature of market orientation, it was decided to use it in addition to strategic orientation in order to calculate alignment. It was also decided to use marketing performance as an intermediary dependent variable. A conceptual model was devised which could be applied to the assessment of alignment according to either strategic orientation or market orientation. It consisted of three constructs: alignment, marketing performance and business performance. Implicit in this model was the calculation of alignment based either on strategic orientation or on market orientation. Two versions of the model would thus be tested. A mixed methods approach was adopted for the research. First, a qualitative phase of interviews with 36 respondents (the heads of information technology (IT)/IS and the heads of marketing of 18 companies) was conducted. The purpose was to obtain a deeper understanding of perceptions of alignment between IS and marketing, and to ascertain the different measures used for marketing performance and business performance. The findings served to refine the conceptual model and inform the second phase survey. The second phase was quantitative and consisted of a mail survey of heads of IT and heads of marketing of large New Zealand companies. In total 415 responses were received, 350 of them being pairs from 175 companies.  Pairs of responses were a requirement for the calculation of alignment. A new formula was developed for the calculation. This was used to calculate alignment according to both strategic orientation and market orientation. The data collected in the second phase were used to test the model, using both factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Statistically significant evidence was provided that indicated that the alignment between IS and marketing exerts a positive impact on both business performance and marketing performance, and that marketing performance exerts a positive impact on business performance. This is so, irrespective of whether alignment is calculated according to strategic orientation or market orientation. The value of the research lies in the development of a parsimonious model which measures the alignment between IS and marketing and the impact of that on business performance. It also lies in the development of a robust formula for the calculation of alignment. It further demonstrates the value of a cross-disciplinary approach which could have significant implications for both academic research and for practitioners. The potential impact on companies consists of the breaking down of the silo mentality; an emphasis on cross-functional teamwork, cross-functional training and job rotation; and an impact on organizational structure and culture.</p>


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei Kazakov

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of market orientation on a companyµs business performance in a service industry using one of the emerging markets as a research setting. Design/methodology/approach The examination of two recognized MKTOR and MARCOR market orientation concepts in this paper led to the development of a market orientation model in a service industry that considers the local specifics of doing business. The model was tested in a study of 133 businesses that operate in a Russian service industry. The data analysis was completed to investigate and measure the impact of the market orientation level on a company’s business performance. Findings The data analysis following the field study determines that market orientation delivers a positive impact on the company’s overall business performance. Practical implications Inter-functional coordination should receive broad attention from company management, as this market orientation element is the most vital for business performance – especially in service industries. Accompanying model elements also provide leverage to business performance that should not be overlooked. Synchronized utilization of the market orientation model elements has a very positive impact on the company’s business. Originality/value This research paper contributes to an array of publications dedicated to market orientation in one of the most multifaceted emerging markets, the Russian Federation. It is also the first time that the market orientation concept has been applied by service industry organizations in Russia.


SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402097823
Author(s):  
Michal Plaček ◽  
Milan Křápek ◽  
Jan Čadil ◽  
Bojka Hamerníková

This article examines the impact of excellence-promoting policies on the actual performance of municipalities in the Czech Republic. In this analysis, the performance of municipalities that have received awards for the use of quality management tools is compared with a selected group of municipalities that did not receive awards. Data envelopment analysis (DEA; with constant and variable returns on the scale), free disposal hull (FDH), and Order-M methods were utilized to represent performance. For the actual performance comparison, a quasi-experimental design was used. The analysis of outputs using the difference impact method found that this specific public policy did not have a positive impact on the efficiency of municipalities. If the difference-in-differences method is used, the opposite is achieved. However, the technical efficiency gains are very small. The use of the quasi-experimental design along with the determination of inputs and outputs which are characteristic of the Czech Republic also offers a contribution when this method is being applied to the assessment of institutions in the form of local governments.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-459
Author(s):  
Eva Tomášková ◽  
Lucie Kaňovská ◽  
Josef Bednář

Research background:  Interfunctional coordination (IFC) is a part of market orientation and at the same time an approach which helps to improve cooperation between different departments or functions in a company. Market orientation is an approach aimed at external and internal elements and activities leading to performance increase. Services offered by a manufacturer are activities complementing their products. Manufacturers can benefit from the service differentiation and use it to design alternative marketing strategies. Generally, IFC and services — contributes to higher positive effect on business performance. For this reason, it is interesting to know if synergy of IFC and services have a higher positive effect on business performance. Purpose of the article: This article aims to determine how IFC and services at manufacturing companies in the Czech Republic influence business performance. The research question is as follows: Does the synergy of IFC and services in companies producing electrical equipment and electronic components have a higher positive effect on business performance? Methods: Sixty SME’s filled in a questionnaire to gather information about IFC and services. For measurement of correlation for two variables, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was chosen. Regression analysis was used for measuring the synergy. Findings & Value added: The main finding shows that the synergy of the quantities observed has not been confirmed, although some of the following relations were approved such as a positive relationship between: a) some items of IFC and items of business performance, b) some items of services and items of business performance and c) items of IFC and items of services. The result of the paper shows further consequences of IFC and services in today’s manufacturing companies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Valerie Anne Hooper

<p>The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of the strategic alignment between information systems (IS) and marketing on business performance. The work of Chan (1992) was used as a point of departure. She had explored the fit between IS and business strategies and had used strategic orientation as a basis for determining the fit (alignment). Although the marketing literature did not reveal any measure for alignment, measures existed for market orientation. This appeared to be the approximate marketing equivalent of strategic orientation. Given the strategic nature of market orientation, it was decided to use it in addition to strategic orientation in order to calculate alignment. It was also decided to use marketing performance as an intermediary dependent variable. A conceptual model was devised which could be applied to the assessment of alignment according to either strategic orientation or market orientation. It consisted of three constructs: alignment, marketing performance and business performance. Implicit in this model was the calculation of alignment based either on strategic orientation or on market orientation. Two versions of the model would thus be tested. A mixed methods approach was adopted for the research. First, a qualitative phase of interviews with 36 respondents (the heads of information technology (IT)/IS and the heads of marketing of 18 companies) was conducted. The purpose was to obtain a deeper understanding of perceptions of alignment between IS and marketing, and to ascertain the different measures used for marketing performance and business performance. The findings served to refine the conceptual model and inform the second phase survey. The second phase was quantitative and consisted of a mail survey of heads of IT and heads of marketing of large New Zealand companies. In total 415 responses were received, 350 of them being pairs from 175 companies.  Pairs of responses were a requirement for the calculation of alignment. A new formula was developed for the calculation. This was used to calculate alignment according to both strategic orientation and market orientation. The data collected in the second phase were used to test the model, using both factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Statistically significant evidence was provided that indicated that the alignment between IS and marketing exerts a positive impact on both business performance and marketing performance, and that marketing performance exerts a positive impact on business performance. This is so, irrespective of whether alignment is calculated according to strategic orientation or market orientation. The value of the research lies in the development of a parsimonious model which measures the alignment between IS and marketing and the impact of that on business performance. It also lies in the development of a robust formula for the calculation of alignment. It further demonstrates the value of a cross-disciplinary approach which could have significant implications for both academic research and for practitioners. The potential impact on companies consists of the breaking down of the silo mentality; an emphasis on cross-functional teamwork, cross-functional training and job rotation; and an impact on organizational structure and culture.</p>


2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Sabina Purkrtova ◽  
Dana Savicka ◽  
Jana Kadava ◽  
Hana Sykorova ◽  
Nikola Kovacova ◽  
...  

In this study we investigated the microbial contamination of 126 samples of photographic and cinematographic materials from 10 archival funds in the Czech Republic. Microorganisms were isolated from the light-sensitive layer by swabbing it with a polyurethane sponge. Microbial isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF MS (bacteria) or by phenotype testing and microscopy (fungi). Bacterial contamination was more abundant and more diverse than fungal contamination, and both were significantly associated with archives. The most frequently isolated fungal genera were Cladosporium, Eurotium, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Alternaria. The most frequently isolated bacteria were Gram-positive genera such as Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Kocuria, Streptococcus and Bacillus. This bacterial and fungal diversity suggests that air is the main vehicle of contamination. We also analysed the impact of the type of material used for the carrier (paper, baryta paper, cellulose acetate and nitrate or glass) or the light-sensitive layer (albumen, gelatine, collodion and other) on the level and diversity of microbial contamination. Carriers such as polyester and cellulose nitrate may have a negative impact on bacterial contamination, while paper and baryta paper may have a partially positive impact on both fungal and bacterial contamination.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 105-116
Author(s):  
Lucie Kaňovská

Abstract To overcome the challenges posed by increasing competition, many traditional manufacturing companies are moving from the mere production of manufacturing goods to the integration of services that are more or less integrated into the product, which is also due to the constant development of the industry. Moreover, many manufacturing companies offer products that use smart technologies. This paper focuses on the importance of smart service provision for cooperation and innovation flexibility, innovation performance and business performance in small and medium manufacturing companies. The paper aims to find out if smart service manufacturing providers are different in cooperation and innovation flexibility and innovation and business performance from non-smart service manufacturing providers. To better understand the issue, research was undertaken in 112 small and medium manufacturing companies of the Czech Republic. The problems of smart service provision were investigated in the first empirical research held among the electric engineering companies (CZ-NACE 26 and CZ-NACE 27) in the Czech Republic. The findings show that smart service manufacturing providers are better in internal cooperation flexibility, innovation flexibility related to product and to accompanying services and in business performance than non-smart service manufacturing providers. Theoretical implication contributes in two specific ways: first, in the presentation of the interconnection of smart services and cooperation flexibility, innovation flexibility, innovation performance and business performance; and second, in the identification of the impact of smart services in manufacturing SMEs and in finding out which areas affect the provision of smart services. The findings can have a positive influence in several areas; therefore, they can be important factors for many manufacturing companies which still need some persuasion to offer smart services.


Author(s):  
Martina Čampulová ◽  
Roman Čampula

Car ownership models are essential for forecasting transport demand as well as for addressing the resulting impacts of traffic emissions and appropriate measures. The paper presents the multinomial logit model for the selected regions of the Czech Republic analysing the relationship between household car ownership and household characteristics such as household income, number of household members and number of children. The model was applied to data collected by questionnaire survey conducted in two Czech cities Litoměřice and Písek in the years 2017 and 2019. In total, three car ownership categories were specified: one car, two cars, three and more cars. The results showed that household income and the number of household members owning a driving licence has a positive impact on owning two and more cars. Besides that, it was also found out that the number of cars owned by a household is influenced by the number of retired pensioners and a possibility to use a company car.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brownhilder Ngek Neneh

In today’s business environment characterized by intense competition from globalization and incessantly changing customer needs, market orientation (MO) has been presented as a valuable approach for firms to safeguard themselves against market fluctuations and maintain continuous superior performance. Even though existing literature suggest that MO is a vital driver of business performance, some studies have failed to find its benefits. This is possibly because the MO-performance relationship is has been argued to be context specific and contingent to the business environment. This study thus had as objective to investigate the impact of MO on SME performance, as well as the moderating effects of the external environment on the MO- performance nexus. Using data from South Africa, this study showed that two of the three dimensions of MO (i.e. customer orientation, competitor focus) are significant drivers of business performance and that the MO-performance nexus is moderated by the external environmental factors. Specifically the MO-performance relationship is positively moderated by market turbulence and negative moderated by technological turbulence and competitive intensity. The study culminates with theoretical and practical implications that can be valuable for scholars and businesses operating in South Africa


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 287
Author(s):  
Lukáš Smerek ◽  
Milota Vetráková ◽  
Šárka Čemerková ◽  
Vojtěch Malátek

After 1989, the countries of Eastern and Central Europe began to undergo significant social and economic changes associated with the process of transformation of the economy into a market economy. Transformation is not only associated with the creation of a business environment, with the formation of new legal and institutional mechanisms, but also with a change in the thinking and behavior of people including employees, managers and owners. The paper aims to identify important processes and trends in developing human resource management in companies in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. We conducted the questionnaire survey in 2018 and 2019 in various areas of business. We obtained the opinions of respondents from 1542 companies. In the research, we assume that in the conditions of a market economy compared to a centrally managed economy, employees are the most important source of development and performance of companies. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sampling unit. The other methods used to evaluate data in the paper were the Mann-Whitney test and Spearman Correlation coefficient. The research revealed that despite a long common history, differences in the field of personnel work have arisen in the last 20 years of the independent existence of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. The only exception is employee care. It was also found that in the Czech Republic the strategic orientation predominates, on the contrary, companies in the Slovak Republic focused on operational processes. Differences were also found in the way of adaptation and further training of employees. The results of the findings can be used to design processes with the highest positive impact on business performance.


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