scholarly journals When Wrong Is Right: Leaving Room for Error in Innovation Measurement

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 332
Author(s):  
Ilse Svensson de Jong
Keyword(s):  
Project Managers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exact Science ◽  
Organizational Life ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Sales Organizations ◽  
Organizational Levels ◽  
The Difference

To date, measuring innovation has not been an exact science. As in many areas of organizational life, errors in measuring innovation are a recurring fact. Innovation researchers and practitioners alike have become increasingly interested in understanding the occurrence of organizational errors and how these errors affect innovation and its measurement. This empirical study aims to address this under-explored area by utilizing a qualitative in-depth case study at the innovation department of an organization with production sites and sales organizations worldwide. A total of 28 semi-structured interviews at several organizational levels were conducted, with innovation managers, project managers, senior managers, and staff. Based on the findings in this case study, three explanations are presented on how organizational errors occur when using innovation KPIs (key performance indicators). The first explanation can be connected to the increasing complexity of innovation and its intangible nature. Another explanation can be traced to the difference between innovation strategy and innovation KPIs. Lastly, room for organizational errors can be related to the multitude of individuals and organizational levels involved in innovation and its measurement. The implications for practitioners are that innovation KPIs are not precise metrics but should be seen as estimates with organizational errors. Whether or not these innovation KPIs can be used as tools to turn innovation into competitive advantages largely depends on whether wrong is right. Future research should focus on the metrics that are implemented and actually in use, as this future path would highlight the function and dysfunction that organizational errors in innovation KPIs can have.

scholarly journals The interplay of managerial and non-managerial controls, institutional work, and the coordination of laterally dependent hospital activities

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari Nyland ◽  
Charlotte Morland ◽  
John Burns
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
The Other ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Institutional Work ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Complex Settings

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore two hospital departments, one of which is laterally dependent on the other to function, but which are subject to distinct vertical managerial controls. This complexity in vertical–lateral relations generates tension amongst the hospital’s senior managers and a perception of coordination difficulties. However, this paper shows how the interplay between managerial and non-managerial controls, plus important employee “work”, moderates tension and facilitates day-to-day lateral coordination at the patient-facing level. Design/methodology/approach This is a case-study, relying mostly on the findings of semi-structured interviews. Theoretically, the paper draws from previous insights on inter-organisational relations (but informing the focus on intra-organisational coordination) and an “institutional work” perspective. Findings Consistent with much extant literature, this paper reveals how non-managerial controls help to moderate tensions that could emerge from the coercive use of managerial controls. However, the authors also show a maintained influence and flexibility in the managerial controls at patient-facing levels, as new circumstances unfold. Research limitations/implications The findings of this paper could generalise neither all laterally dependent spaces in hospitals nor patterns across different hospitals. The authors recommend future research into the dynamics and interaction of managerial and non-managerial controls in other complex settings, plus focus on the purposeful work of influential agents. Originality/value The paper has two primary contributions: extending our knowledge of the interplay between managerial and non-managerial controls inside complex organisations, where non-managerial controls reinforce rather than displace managerial controls, and highlighting that it is seldom just controls per se which “matter”, but also agents’ purposeful actions that facilitate coordination in complex organisations.

Empirical behavioral analysis of project contractors' supply‐chain payment terms

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Long Chen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Study Approach

PurposeResearchers in supply chain (SC) payment management have long sought to understand how project contractors, project owners, specialist contractors, and suppliers behave in the context of negotiating payment terms that improve contractors' SC cash flow.Design/methodology/approachUsing a single case study approach, semi‐structured interviews with contract and project managers identify behavioral patterns. An analysis of categorical experiments and Spearman's correlation tests on 118 surveys from Taiwanese project contracting corporations generalizes the case findings.FindingsThe findings suggest that payment terms of project owners, specialists, and suppliers have an important impact on contractors' working capital. The findings also reveal that contractors pass project owners' payment terms down to specialists and suppliers, suggesting that contractors' behavior depends on that of the project owners.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper generalizes the case findings via surveys, but does not assume that the reported behavior patterns apply to all business enterprises. Future research could triangulate the findings.Originality/valueThis study combines qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how the project owner‐contractor‐supplier (or owner‐contractor‐specialist) triad behaves. Particularly, it focuses on an economic sector – real estate and construction – that receives less research interest than processing or manufacturing.

scholarly journals Using a Process Approach to Pandemic Planning: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4121
Author(s):  
Hana Tomaskova ◽  
Erfan Babaee Tirkolaee
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Process Mining ◽  
Process Approach ◽  
Research Topic ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Critical Situation ◽  
Pandemic Planning ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Smart Technologies

The purpose of this article was to demonstrate the difference between a pandemic plan’s textual prescription and its effective processing using graphical notation. Before creating a case study of the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) of the Czech Republic’s pandemic plan, we conducted a systematic review of the process approach in pandemic planning and a document analysis of relevant public documents. The authors emphasized the opacity of hundreds of pages of text records in an explanatory case study and demonstrated the effectiveness of the process approach in reengineering and improving the response to such a critical situation. A potential extension to the automation and involvement of SMART technologies or process optimization through process mining techniques is presented as a future research topic.

Library services enriching community engagement for dementia care: The Tales & Travels Program at a Canadian Public Library as a case study

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110651
Author(s):  
Jiamin Dai ◽  
Joan C. Bartlett ◽  
Karyn Moffatt
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
People With Dementia

Growing dementia-friendly library services are contributing to community-based dementia care. Emerging community programs in libraries and museums provide notable opportunities for promoting engagement and inclusivity, but these programs have yet to receive in-depth assessments and analyses to guide future research and practice. This paper presents a case study examining a social and storytelling program for people with dementia run by a Canadian public library. It investigates two research questions: How can public library programs contribute to community-based dementia care? And what are public libraries’ strengths and challenges in running programs for people with dementia? The study involves participant observations of the program and semi-structured interviews with people with dementia, caregivers, and program facilitators (librarians and Alzheimer Society coordinators). Through thematic analysis of fieldnotes and transcripts, the study reveals how this inclusive platform supports engagement, fosters relationships, helps caregivers, and reaches broader communities. This research further uncovers the librarians’ diversified roles as demonstrated through their collaboration with professionals, preparation and research, and facilitation of the sessions. This paper advances librarianship research on enriching community-based dementia care, including furthering inclusivity and engagement and extending accessible library services. By analyzing library programming for the dementia community and assessing its strengths and challenges, the paper highlights librarians’ awareness of the community’s evolving needs and their collaboration with other professionals. It offers practical insights on useful resources and emerging best practices that will hopefully inspire other initiatives in which information professionals can help improve the well-being of vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals Misfit? The Use of Metrics in Innovation

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 388
Author(s):  
Ilse Svensson de Jong
Keyword(s):  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Strategic Change ◽  
Key Performance Indicators ◽  
Significant Degree ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Actual Use ◽  
Sales Organizations ◽  
Organizational Levels

Measuring innovation is a challenging but essential task to improve business performance. To tackle this task, key performance indicators (KPIs) can be used to measure and monitor innovation. The objective of this study is to explore how KPIs, designed for measuring innovation, are used in practice. To achieve this objective, the author draws upon literature on business performance in accounting and innovation, yet moves away from the functional view. Instead, the author focuses explicitly on how organizational members, through their use of KPIs in innovation, make sense of conflicting interpretations and integrate them into their practices. A qualitative in-depth case study was conducted at the innovation department of an organization in the process industry that operates production sites and sales organizations worldwide. In total, 28 interviews and complementary observations were undertaken at several organizational levels (multi-level). The empirical evidence suggests that strategic change, attributed to commoditization, affects the predetermined KPIs in use. Notably, these KPIs in innovation are used, despite their poor fit to innovation subject to commoditization. From a relational perspective, this study indicates that in innovation, KPIs are usually complemented by or supplemented with other information, as stand-alone KPIs exhibit a significant degree of incompleteness. In contrast to conventional studies in innovation and management accounting, this study explores the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) in innovation from an interpretative perspective. This perspective advances our understanding of the actual use of KPIs and uncovers the complexity of accounting and innovation, which involve numerous angles and organizational levels. Practically, the findings of this study will inform managers in innovation about the use of KPIs in innovation and the challenges individual organizational members face when using them. In innovation, KPIs appear to be subjective and used in unintended ways. Thus, understanding how KPIs are used in innovation is a game of reading between the lines, and these KPIs can be regarded as misfits.

scholarly journals Collect Your Happiness: A Case Study of Using Positive Psychology Principles in Technology Design (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lekai Zhang ◽  
Shouqian Sun ◽  
Kejun Zhang ◽  
Kevin Wolterink ◽  
Baixi Xing
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multimedia Database ◽  
Technology Design ◽  
Interactive Applications ◽  
Future Technology ◽  
Human Happiness ◽  
The Difference

BACKGROUND More and more of our daily activities depend on smartphones and applications. Thus, an increasing number of studies are interested in whether interactive applications can be used to improve happiness of individuals. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to develop and test a digital application designed for happiness. METHODS This paper presents an application called Collect Your Happiness (CYH) that is based on some positive psychology principles. It can not only enhance people’s happiness by collecting their daily happy moments, but provide small tasks to improve their happiness levels. A cross-cultural measurement between the Chinese and Dutch was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this intervention by SHS, SWLS, PGWBI, and MAAS. In addition, collected moments were coded based on Selig- man’s PERMA model to analyze the cultural differences. RESULTS Results show that CYH can help people from both countries improve their happiness. The Chinese tended to find their happiness in relationships (R) with their friends and family, however, the Dutch tended to search for meaning (M) and engagement (E) in their lives. CONCLUSIONS In this paper, we developed an application that provided recording positive things, reminders for the past happy moments and tasks for users to gain happiness. The CYH successfully enhance the happiness of the cross-cultural users for four weeks. We also explored the difference of happiness between the Dutch and the Chinese based on Seligman’s PERMA model, and established a multimedia database of happiness for future research. Despite some limitations, most users found the application helpful to improve their happiness. By directly measuring subjective and multidimensional perspectives of happiness, there is potential to more successfully promote people’s happiness. Overall, our study not only complement existing positive psychological interventions that enhance human happiness, but it also suggests novel ways of applying positive psychology principles in the future technology design.

scholarly journals Motivators of MBWA and Communicational Factors behind Them: A Case Study on a Korean Shipyard

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Yeo Kwon ◽  
Hun Park ◽  
Hyuk Hahn ◽  
Ilhyung Lee ◽  
Taehoon Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Upward Communication ◽  
Organizational Theories ◽  
Management By Walking Around ◽  
Research Analysis

This study was conducted with a team of senior managers at a Korean shipyard in an effort to elicit particular motivators for implementing management by walking around (MBWA). To identify the key motivators and communication issues associated with them, a theoretical framework was produced based on the key tensions of social psychology of communication and upward communication as well as modern organizational theories. For this qualitative research analysis, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with the executives; the data were then supplemented by five field observations during MBWAs at the shipyard. Coding frame was used to organize modal salient themes for thematic analysis. The organizational and individual motivators identified were then analyzed in-depth to elicit communicational factors underlying these motivators. While identifying 10 salient motivators as organizing themes, the research concludes that MBWA is a contingent management strategy intended to promote upward communication within organizations.

scholarly journals Understanding the organizational critical activities of manufacturers in case studies

2018 ◽  
Vol 185 ◽  
pp. 00022
Author(s):  
Wei-Hsi Hung ◽  
Tsung-Yueh Lu ◽  
Mei-Fang Wu ◽  
Yun-Chen Lin
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Internal Operations ◽  
Continuous Activities

Manufacturers tend to carry out certain important and continuous activities with respect to internal operations which could contribute to their success. These activities are termed organization critical activities (OCAs). The main objective of this study is to elicit the OCAs in the manufacturing industry to understand what can cause them to be successful. Through the case study approach including the interviews with the senior managers from three manufacturing companies in Taiwan and a series of prioritizing activities, 12 OCAs have been identified. This study found that Taiwanese manufacturers placed more importance on the activities of quality and cost control while placed relatively less importance on the marketing related activities. More findings and future research suggestions are also provided.

The pop-up store as a foreign operation mode (FOM) for retailers

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 643-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karine Picot-Coupey
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Operation Mode ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Internationalization Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
International Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Operation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is first, to describe the characteristics of a pop-up store in an international context, second, to investigate the motivating factors for its choice and third, to analyze its role in the retail internationalization process. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple-case study was adopted. Research was carried out using secondary data sources, social media observation and semi-structured interviews with senior managers in charge of the international development and management of pop-up stores. A conceptualizing content analysis was conducted both manually and with NVivo software. Findings – The main results cover the following aspects of an international pop-up store and highlight the differences between this choice of FOM and other store formats: key characteristics: location, design and atmosphere, merchandise mix, and store events are very creative in order to attract foreign consumer attention; choice motivations: three motivations were found, which were first, to test and adapt the concept with foreign consumers possibly unfamiliar with such a store concept, second, to raise and sustain the international profile of a retail brand, and third, to develop relationship networks with stakeholders in foreign markets; role in the retail internationalization process: a dynamic approach is adopted as role varies from mode switch at the entry stage to mode combination at the further expansion stage. Research limitations/implications – The results of this research suggest avenues for future research, particularly in relation to how the concept of the international pop-up store will evolve over time. Practical implications – This research provides guidelines for international retail managers wishing to choose a pop-up store as a foreign operation mode (FOM). Originality/value – This research provides a new insight into the characteristics, choice motivations and management of a pop-up store in an international context.

scholarly journals Entrepreneurial preparedness: an exploratory case study of Chinese private enterprises

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine L. Wang ◽  
Mohammed Rafiq ◽  
Xiaoqing Li ◽  
Yu Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Private Enterprises ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exploratory Case Study ◽  
Entrepreneurial Management ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance the conceptualisation of entrepreneurial preparedness (EP), and study how EP occurs in new venture creation and management. Design/methodology/approach – The paper primarily draws evidence from an exploratory case study of two Chinese high-tech private enterprises operating in the healthcare industry in Beijing, following a two-stage sampling process: informal, purposive sampling; and formal, theoretical sampling. Qualitative data collected from multiple semi-structured interviews within each firm were analysed using a thematic analytical framework. Findings – The paper advances the conceptualisation of EP as a cumulative, social and purposeful learning process. Accordingly, the paper highlights the roles of experiential learning, social learning and entrepreneurial goals (both performance and learning goals) as mechanisms that enable EP in entrepreneurial management. Research limitations/implications – The findings reveal idiosyncrasies of EP in a particular context. Future research may investigate different types of entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial firms. Furthermore, this study uses triangulation of retrospective interview data with concurrent interview and secondary data. Future research may pursue concurrent longitudinal case study data to unpack real-time events in entrepreneurial management. Practical implications – The findings have practical implications for entrepreneurs and “would-be” entrepreneurs to better understand their learning needs and how they can prepare themselves for entrepreneurial challenges. Originality/value – EP as an emerging concept within the entrepreneurial learning (EL) literature requires conceptual and empirical development. The paper advances the conceptualisation of EP, supported with empirical evidence. By articulating the cumulative, social and purposeful nature of EP, the paper contributes to the understanding of the human and social dynamics of EL.

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