Verification of the Job Performance Model based on Employees’ Dynamic Capabilities in organisations under the COVID-19 pandemic crisis

The paper aims to verify the Job Performance Model based on Employees’ Dynamic Capabilities (EDC) and explain the mechanisms shaping job performance based on EDC in an initial phase of the crisis in an organisation due to the Black Swan phenomena, on the example of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Empirical research on Italian organisations affected by the crisis shows that the Model is significantly distorted under such conditions. To verify the internal structure of the Job Performance Model based on EDC under critical conditions, the statistical correlation analysis, linear regression analysis and path analysis were executed using SPSS and SPSS AMOS. The research result of the statistical analysis confirmed that the new version of the Model for organisations under the Black Swan phenomenon was statistically significant without work motivation and job satisfaction. It was also proven that P–J fit still linked EDC and job performance through strengthening work engagement. The research confirmed that the Job Performance Model based on EDC, which has so far been verified under normal working conditions, radically changed its structure during the COVID-19 crisis. This means that factors previously considered important in the Job Performance Model based on EDC have become insignificant in shaping job performance. Therefore, this is an inspiration for further research to verify the Job Performance Model based on EDC in different phases of the crisis.

Gerontechnology — new opportunities in the service of older adults

The increasingly more visible trend of population ageing necessitates creating technologies supporting the functioning of older adults. Consequently, more gerontechnologies emerge designed to help the older adults in their daily functioning, from devices monitoring the health to special trolleys improving the mobility or Virtual Reality devices for active learning. This article aimed to determine the most desired group of gerontechnologies among current and future users. It focused on individual assessments of the most desirable group of gerontechnologies based on various criteria. The investigation aimed to find the criterion rated the highest in the selected group of gerontechnologies. The gerontechnology group was assessed against seven groups of criteria distinguished by the authors, i.e., Technology Innovation, Technology Demand, Social and Ethical Criteria, Technology Usability, Technology Functionality, Technology Ease of Use and Technology Use Risk. The survey was conducted in the form of a questionnaire, using CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) and CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview) methods, with the research sample comprised of 1 152 residents of Poland. Thus far, no studies have been conducted to evaluate this group of technologies based on the above-mentioned criteria.

Optimisation of structural parameters of the industry by the criterion of product innovation

The industrial sector of the Polish economy plays an important role in ensuring the socio-economic development of the country. The Polish industry accounts for 24.1 % of the country’s employed population and 25.1 % of the GVA. The article aims to model the structural parameters of the Polish industrial sector according to the criterion of increasing product innovation level based on a comprehensive assessment of the Polish industry performance in the regional context. The offered method focuses on estimating the industrial sector at the macro and meso levels using a set of indicators for investment, innovation, labour activity, and profitability. Correlation-regression analysis methods were used to prove hypotheses about the impact of product innovation on employment and wages in the industry. To optimise the structure of the Polish industrial sector, an economic-mathematical model was developed, which was solved using the linear programming method. The target functionality of this model is the level of product innovation, at which the gross average monthly wage of Polish industry workers will double (to the EU average). The simulation results, which was based on data from the Central Statistical Office of Poland, provide an analytical basis for selecting industrial policy benchmarks for Poland.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on logistics firms and their resilience: case studies in Thailand

The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that is currently causing challenges and opportunities in all sectors worldwide. The logistic industry plays an enormous role in keeping the countries functional, and it accounts for 13.4 % of the total GDP in Thailand. This article aims to identify and justify critical success factors for the Logistic Industries experiencing success and failure during the pandemic. The research was conducted using semi-structured interviews with top managers of three companies from March to September 2021, which is phase 4 of the pandemic. The findings we analysed using thematic analysis to understand the critical factors within the industry. Logistics companies of different sizes were selected for this purpose as case studies aimed to identify the resemblance of the effects and find the relationship with company resilience. Five key supporting factors were identified for the logistics firms to be resilient during the pandemic, including flexibility, Business Continuity Plan, market diversification, IT systems, and leadership.

Factors influencing the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the South African Construction and Built Environment (CBE) from a quantity surveying perspective

The construction industry has often been described as stagnant and out-of-date due to the lack of innovation and innovative work methods to improve the industry (WEF, 2016; Ostravik, 2015). The adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) within the construction industry has been relatively slow (Cao et al., 2017), particularly in the South African Construction and Built Environment (CBE) (Allen, Smallwood & Emuze, 2012). The purpose of this study was to determine the critical factors influencing the adoption of BIM in the South African CBE, specifically from a quantity surveyor’s perspective, including the practical implications. The study used a qualitative research approach grounded in a theoretical framework. A survey questionnaire was applied to correlate the interpretation of the theory with the data collected (Naoum, 2007). The study was limited to professionals within the South African CBE. The study highlighted that the slow adoption of BIM within the South African CBE was mainly due to a lack of incentives and subsequent lack of investment towards the BIM adoption. The study concluded that the South African CBE operated mainly in silos without centralised coordination. The BIM adoption was only organic. Project teams were mostly project orientated, seeking immediate solutions, and adopted the most appropriate technologies for the team’s composition. The study implies that the South African CBE, particularly the Quantity Surveying profession, still depends heavily on other role-players in producing information-rich 3D models. Without a centralised effort, the South African Quantity Surveying professionals will continue to adopt BIM technology linearly to the demand-risk ratio as BIM maturity is realised in the South African CBE.

Partial replacement of cement with rice husk ash in concrete production: an exploratory cost-benefit analysis for low-income communities

Cement is an important construction material in concrete production; however, it is expensive and unaffordable for many low-income and rural communities in developing countries. Rice husk is a by-product from the rice mill process, with an approximate ratio of 200 kg rice husk per one tonne of rice produced. This experimental study aimed to investigate the integrity of concrete produced in Zambia using rice husk ash (RHA) to partially replace cement. The primary goal was to carry out a cost–benefit analysis on the use of RHA in concrete. RHA was used to partially replace cement with ratios of 10 %, 20 % and 30 %. The 20 % cement replacement mix produced the optimum 18 MPa concrete strength results at a 0.5 water/binder ratio. This translated in cost reduction of concrete by 12.5 %, which is particularly significant for higher concrete volumes. The produced concrete is suitable for lightly loaded structures, such as foundation footings, surface beds and walkways to benefit low-income communities. The study further concluded that the RHA based concrete was more cost-efficient in structures that were close to areas of rice production due to reduced RHA transportation costs.

Improvement of production process capability — a case study of two furniture companies

The article aims to assess the improvement of the process capability by implementing the Six Sigma methodology in furniture enterprises with different levels of the quality management system (QMS) and ownership. The implementation of the Six Sigma methodology according to the DMAIC steps, also analysis, evaluation, and comparison of the implementation results were performed to improve the process performance. The implementation of the Six Sigma methodology was carried out in an international enterprise with foreign capital and a certified Quality Management System (QMS) and in a domestic enterprise with purely domestic capital without an established Quality Management System. The implementation results confirmed the positive development in the key indicators of critical processes, namely, in the reduction of DPMO, the increase of efficiency and the level of Sigma Process, and the values of process capability indices. The positive effects were more pronounced in the international enterprise compared to the domestic. The application of the Six Sigma methodology brings better results in manufacturing companies with international management skills and implemented certified QMS. These two aspects can be key success factors by managing and improving process capability. The practical contribution of the paper can be seen in the proposal of suitable methods and tools by implementing Six Sigma conception in furniture manufacturing regardless of the ownership or level of quality management systems.

Critical Evaluation into the practical utility of the Design of Experiments

The research aims to emphasise the relevance of the Design of Experiments (DOE) technique as a reliable method for ensuring efficient use of statistical methods in routine industrial processes. A case study approach with a deductive strategy was used to assess the effectiveness of different DOE methods to achieve the desired objectives. Screening, mid-resolution and high-resolution DOE methods helped identify, characterise, and optimise an experimental variable against the desired output response. A general framework for effective DOE is provided as part of DOE planning, including defining DOE objectives, selection criteria, noise reduction, and application across industries. Overall, various DOE models proved successful in identifying a complicated relationship between experimental variables and output response. However, when ideal DOE models may not be feasible, reducing test run by choosing lower resolution DOE or fewer replicates can still provide important insights into the experimental variables’ impact on output responses.

Resilient manufacturing: case studies in Thai automotive industries during the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic is a crisis that disrupts the global supply chain and slows down the world economy. A significant challenge for the companies in the manufacturing sector is to mitigate risks related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Grounded in the resilience theory, resilience (i.e., prepare, prevent, protect, respond, and recover processes) aims to manage risks and ensure business continuity. This research aims to identify the key factors for the resilient manufacturing management of Thai automotive industries during the COVID-19 outbreak. Three outstanding companies of tier 1 automotive suppliers have been selected as case studies in this work. This qualitative research was completed by using a semi-structured interview. The target interviewers were CEOs or general managers. The data analysis was divided into two phases. Phase one summarised the interview data of each company. Phase two used thematic analysis and cross-case analysis to identify resilience practices’ patterns, themes, and multi-factors. The findings indicate three key factors to enhance resilience: leadership, technology, and the firm’s experience in handling emerging events. Together, these factors help enterprises to prepare for Business Continuity Planning (BCP), improve supply chain management, and increase the firm’s ability to recover from disruption situations. This paper contributes to the literature on the supply chain resilience in the automotive industry by providing a guideline for firms to implement resilience practices, improve business operations, and increase firm’s capabilities, both as human skills and technologies, to deal with a novel crisis. Resilience practices response to the COVID-19 outbreak not only helps the companies minimise business disruption in the short-term but also includes the long-term response strategies for unknown events. For this purpose, the case study research was conducted to investigate the resilience strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the critical success factors of resilience implementation in the Thai automotive industry.

Application of factor analysis in company management – selected examples related to competitiveness and market success

Factor analysis is a standard statistical technique for reducing data dimensionality, which is widely used in sociology, psychology, and demography. Also, financial and insurance institutions commonly use such a technique for marketing research. In recent years, factor analysis has been used, at the beginning rather diffidently, to analyse selected problems of business management, e.g. to troubleshoot consumer and company communication. There are some literature reports about the successful use of factor analysis in managing a company area. Nevertheless, the literature seems to lack examples with successful use of the method with a clear explanation of its rather difficult application in the field of competitiveness or potential company boost. The modest popularity of such a powerful technique in this particular field seems to be attributed mainly to the complexity of the method and its requirements concerning the data quantity. Besides, the factor analysis technique has great potential and can be used as an efficient tool to reduce the complexity of observed phenomenon or verify the accuracy of theoretical models. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to present a vast potential of factor analysis (both exploratory and confirmatory) applied to solve various problems in company management, especially related to competitiveness and market success. Two case studies covering the subject of business management are presented to illustrate the benefits of factor analysis application. The exploratory factor analysis is exemplified by the search of factors related to the commercial success of the company, while the confirmatory technique is illustrated by a case study of the intellectual capital of the company and its factors related to competitiveness. The paper also presents the essence of the factor analysis, types of analysis, subsequent procedures, purposes, and its specific features. Finally, the applicability of the factor analysis to solve management issues and possible gain in management are discussed.