Exploring a holistic perspective on production system improvement

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Stålberg ◽  
Anders Fundin
Keyword(s):  
Production System ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Operational Effectiveness ◽  
Current Case ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Holistic Perspective ◽  
System Improvement

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how holistic improvement work can be organized and what challenges can be observed in the process of adopting a holistic perspective on production system improvement. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study and a questionnaire have been carried out. Data for the case study has been collected through semi-structured interviews, archived documents and participatory observations. The questionnaire was done in order to increase the generalizability of the findings from the case study and further validate the conclusions. Findings – The improvement work at the case company is organized as a continuous improvement approach in a Lean Production system in the form of a company-specific production system (XPS), in which two other improvement approaches are incorporated. Some of the identified challenges are: the establishment of a holistic perspective on improvement opportunities; the development of a process to update the production strategy; the continuous update of the Operational Management System during the XPS implementation; aggregating measures for the improvement work and measuring the effect of improvement work. Research limitations/implications – As the current case study is limited to one case company, future research is interested in expanding to other production systems contexts for further validation. Originality/value – The present study offers an increased understanding of the integration difficulties of improvement work that many production companies face regarding operational effectiveness, and based on the findings, some implications for management are presented.

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.

scholarly journals Tag analysis as a tool for investigating information behaviour: comparing fan-tagging on Tumblr, Archive of Our Own and Etsy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludi Price ◽  
Lyn Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
The Third ◽  
Fan Communities

PurposeThis article describes the third part of a three-stage study investigating the information behaviour of fans and fan communities, the first stage of which is described in the study by Price and Robinson (2017).Design/methodology/approachUsing tag analysis as a method, a comparative case study was undertaken to explore three aspects of fan information behaviour: information gatekeeping; classifying and tagging and entrepreneurship and economic activity. The case studies took place on three sites used by fans–Tumblr, Archive of Our Own (AO3) and Etsy. Supplementary semi-structured interviews with site users were used to augment the findings with qualitative data.FindingsThese showed that fans used tags in a variety of ways quite apart from classification purposes. These included tags being used on Tumblr as meta-commentary and a means of dialogue between users, as well as expressors of emotion and affect towards posts. On AO3 in particular, fans had developed a practice called “tag wrangling” to mitigate the inherent “messiness” of tagging. Evidence was also found of a “hybrid market economy” on Etsy fan stores. From the study findings, a taxonomy of fan-related tags was developed.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are limited to the tagging practices on only three sites used by fans during Spring 2016, and further research on other similar sites are recommended. Longitudinal studies of these sites would be beneficial in understanding how or whether tagging practices change over time. Testing of the fan-tag taxonomy developed in this paper is also recommended.Originality/valueThis research develops a method for using tag analysis to describe information behaviour. It also develops a fan-tag taxonomy, which may be used in future research on the tagging practices of fans, which heretofore have been a little-studied section of serious leisure information users.

Exploring the integration between Lean and the Theory of Constraints in Operations Management

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 718-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Augusto de Jesus Pacheco ◽  
Isaac Pergher ◽  
José Antônio Valle Antunes Junior ◽  
Guilherme Luís Roehe Vaccaro
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Production System ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
The Body ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Theory Of Constraints ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare different models integrating the TOC and Lean approaches. Design/methodology/approach The models of reference were identified through a comprehensive literature review. A qualitative and comparative analysis was carried out by pointing out the strengths, weaknesses and gaps of models integrating the TOC and Lean based on the production system requirements. Findings The findings indicate that these models can be improved by introducing aspects related to the system structure such as main key performance indicators, type of shop layout and performance metrics to evaluate the improvements implemented in the production system. The results provided evidence that the TOC and Lean are complementary approaches, and the individual gaps of each approach seem to be, in the most part, offset by the virtues of the other. Practical implications This study enables decision makers and industrial managers to evaluate the practices adopted in the production environment, as well as the use of the different set of continuous improvement practices. This article also minimizes the literature gap regarding whether and how integrated Lean and TOC approach can be used in the firms. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of literature on Lean by comparing three different models integrating Lean and the TOC. Furthermore, a research agenda is suggested for future research aimed at developing new models integrating both approaches, aiming to increase the competitiveness of the production systems.

Improving risk communication and public participation through mutual understanding

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrij Umansky ◽  
Reinhold Fuhrberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Risk Communication ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Politicians

Purpose Risk communication and public participation are often hampered by conflicts and mistrust between involved actors. The present paper argues that these problems can be addressed through better mutual understanding. This argument is founded on the conceptualisation of risk communication as a social interaction, which is based on mutual understanding. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the relationship between conflict, mistrust and mutual misunderstanding through a case study. Design/methodology/approach The case study explores risk communication in relation to high-voltage grid extension in Germany. Conflicts and mutual understanding between involved actors are analysed with the help of the coorientation approach. In total, 16 semi-structured interviews are conducted with grid providers, local politicians and public authorities. Findings Misunderstandings are exposed between the analysed actors, which are related to mistrust and conflicts. The findings suggest that improved mutual understanding might foster more effective and mutually beneficial risk communication. Originality/value Current research fails to sufficiently explain and improve conflicts and mistrust between actors involved in risk communication and public participation. The present paper offers a novel solution by conceptualising risk communication as a social interaction and placing mutual understanding at the centre of the analysis. The paper also introduces the coorientation approach as an analytical tool. Practitioners are advised how to pursue mutual understanding. Future research is encouraged to advance the comprehension of risk communication.

scholarly journals Lean production in agribusiness organizations: multiple case studies in a developing country

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Guilherme Satolo ◽  
Laiz Eritiemi de Souza Hiraga ◽  
Gustavo Antiqueira Goes ◽  
Wagner Luiz Lourenzani
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Production System ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Lean Production ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
System Use ◽  
Multiple Case

Purpose This paper aims to conduct case studies in companies of different branches of the agribusiness sector to analyze the degree of adherence to lean production system, considering the use of techniques and tools, and how the specificities of the agribusiness system work. Design/methodology/approach By contributing to the refinement of the theory, multiple type case studies were conducted in eight agribusiness units from different branches by applying structured interviews, on-site visits and document analysis. The comparative analysis of the cases occurred focusing on the degree of adherence to lean production system; use of techniques and tools; and influence of the specificities of agribusiness systems. Findings The adoption of lean production system occurs as an improvement mechanism of organizational performance. However, it is necessary to advance in the formalization of the actions, which need to encourage the creation of new leaders who spread the organizational philosophy. When comparing the degree of adherence to lean production with the use of techniques and tools, it was observed that there is no direct relationship, indicating that each organization should select only the techniques and tools that will improve their own organizational performance. At last, the specific characteristics of seasonality of consumption, quality and health surveillance and sociological aspects of the food have high influence on surveyed agribusiness systems, and its effects can be minimized by the techniques and tools associated with lean production system. Research limitations/implications The analysis is valid for the universe investigated due to the specific characteristic of the case study. Originality/value The literature regarding the lean production philosophy is vast; however, the agribusiness segment, one of the major sectors of the global economy, features a large gap in literature. This study is one of the first original papers to report this reality.

scholarly journals Collaborative innovation: catalyst for a destination’s event success

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 2499-2516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Schofield ◽  
Phil Crowther ◽  
Leo Jago ◽  
John Heeley ◽  
Scott Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Success Factors ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collaborative Innovation ◽  
Targeted Marketing

PurposeThis paper aims to contribute to theory concerning collaborative innovation through stakeholder engagement with reference to Glasgow City Marketing Bureau’s (GCMB’s) management strategies, which represent UK best practice in events procurement, leveraging and destination branding.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a case study design to facilitate an in-depth evaluation of the destination marketing organisation’s (DMO’s) critical success factors. Multiple perspectives on GCMB’s collaborative innovation are achieved through semi-structured interviews with senior managers from the bureau, key stakeholders and other DMOs.FindingsGCMB’s success results from long-term, extensive, collaborative engagement, a unique institutional structure and sustained political and financial support through to transformational leadership, strategic event selection and targeted marketing through “earned” distribution channels.Research limitations/implicationsThe study takes a single case study approach and focusses on GCMB’s event-led branding strategy. Given the importance but relative neglect of long-term inter-personal relationships in collaborative innovation, future research should focus on the development of social capital and adopt a longitudinal perspective.Practical implicationsThe paper provides insights into the collaborative innovation process with a range of stakeholders, which underpins GCMB’s events strategy and its leveraging of the city brand. In particular, the study highlights the need for entrepreneurial leadership and the development of long-term relationships for effective engagement with stakeholders.Originality/valuePrevious research has focussed on outcomes and neglected pre-requisites and the process of collaborative innovation between destination stakeholders. This study examines this issue from the perspective of a successful DMO and presents a conceptual framework and new engagement dimensions that address this gap in knowledge.

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.

“Natural allies”

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 804-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex H. Poole ◽  
Deborah A. Garwood
Keyword(s):  
Research Question ◽  
Library Science ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Intensive ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Information Professionals

PurposeIn Digging into Data 3 (DID3) (2014-2016), ten funders from four countries (the USA, Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands) granted $5.1 million to 14 project teams to pursue data-intensive, interdisciplinary, and international digital humanities (DH) research. The purpose of this paper is to employ the DID3 projects as a case study to explore the following research question: what roles do librarians and archivists take on in data-intensive, interdisciplinary, and international DH projects?Design/methodology/approachParticipation was secured from 53 persons representing eleven projects. The study was conducted in the naturalistic paradigm. It is a qualitative case study involving snowball sampling, semi-structured interviews, and grounded analysis.FindingsLibrarians or archivists were involved officially in 3 of the 11 projects (27.3 percent). Perhaps more importantly, information professionals played vital unofficial roles in these projects, namely as consultants and liaisons and also as technical support. Information and library science (ILS) expertise helped DID3 researchers with issues such as visualization, rights management, and user testing. DID3 participants also suggested ways in which librarians and archivists might further support DH projects, concentrating on three key areas: curation, outreach, and ILS education. Finally, six directions for future research are suggested.Originality/valueMuch untapped potential exists for librarians and archivists to collaborate with DH scholars; a gap exists between researcher awareness and information professionals’ capacity.

Empowering Islamic boarding schools by applying the humane entrepreneurship approach: the case of Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grisna Anggadwita ◽  
Leo-Paul Dana ◽  
Veland Ramadani ◽  
Reza Yanuar Ramadan
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Boarding School ◽  
Boarding Schools ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities

PurposeIslamic boarding schools are education institutions that have been developing in Indonesia as places for the Indonesian people to learn and gain knowledge in the perspectives of the Islamic religion and Indonesian nationalism. This study aims to explore the potential of Islamic boarding schools as places to support and to empower the economy and to increase the participation of students in entrepreneurial activities by applying the Humane Entrepreneurship approach. This study identifies the humane entrepreneurship approach by analyzing the humane cycle and the enterprise cycle in the entrepreneurship activities occurring in a single case study of an Islamic boarding school.Design/methodology/approachThis article used a qualitative method with a case study approach through deep exploration and observation. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with the key people in one of the Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia using a purposive sampling technique. Miles and Huberman (1984) technique was used for data analysis by grouping similar text segments into codes and categorizing them for further analysis.FindingsThe findings of this study indicate that the Islamic boarding school has implemented humane entrepreneurship through entrepreneurial-oriented activities as the main aspects of the humane cycle and the enterprise cycle. The implementation of humane entrepreneurship aims to achieve entrepreneurial growth, innovation and independence of the Islamic boarding school, as well as the development of the stakeholder's capabilities, knowledge and commitment. In addition, applying the spiritual approach, which is one of the important components of Islamic boarding schools, has proven to be effective in implementing humane entrepreneurship.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has several limitations. First, this study only focused on one Islamic boarding school in Indonesia. Second, there is still very little research in the field of humane entrepreneurship, so the concept itself is still considered to be relatively new. Therefore, further direction is needed for future research regarding the exploration and identification of any other factors that might influence humane entrepreneurship.Originality/valueThis study provides new insights on the implementation of humane entrepreneurship in Islamic boarding schools. This research covers the gap where the humane entrepreneurial approach can be applied not only in large organizations, but also in religious educational institutions. The spiritual approach and religious values as the principles of Islamic boarding schools have been proven to be effective in implementing humane entrepreneurship.

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.

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