Here in the quiet hours of my life, I write this short story for which I give much credit to my wife Ying-Lun for this opportunity and for her advice, interpretations and giving me the understanding, time, patience, love and “quiet time” needed to accomplish this writing that I have longed to do for so many years. I dedicate this book to my wife Ying-Lun Ng Fletcher. and To Dr. David C. Wyl…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this research is to empirically develop a service-driven market orientation construct and test its relationships with service quality. Design/methodology/approach – The researcher employs Critical Incident Technique to generate items for the survey instrument. Then, the quantitative-based descriptive research uses structured questionnaires to capture the …
Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to analyse available multimodal transport route variations for iron ore shipments from northwest Australia to northeast China, focusing on a major iron and steel manufacturer. Design/methodology/approach – The research is focused on a case study and uses an established cost model as a framework, for the first time, in the context of heavy bulk cargo ship…
Abstract Purpose – When deploying a frigate to the Gulf of Aden as a part of the Operation Atalanta, the Norwegian Defence outsourced logistics to a TPL provider. The purpose of this paper is to explore the cooperation between the Defence and the TPL provider during the operation. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative design was chosen. Semi-structured interviews were combined with r…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the need for an entity to manage airborne relief when a nation’s civil aviation authorities are overwhelmed or incapacitated due to a major rapid-onset disaster. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines why relief airflow management was so vital during the 2010 Haiti earthquake and how this management was accomplished. …
Abstract The fundamentals of TQM are revisited for providing a relevant perspective on business excellence. Judging from the experience of the Japanese TQM movement, there is a need for a step-by-step approach towards TQ. As a result of exploratory research, a model called TQMEX standing for TQM EXcellence model has been developed based on sound TQM practices. The theoretical background, perso…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue that information security should be regarded as a critical cross-field outcome (CCFO). This could assist in narrowing the evident “information security gap” that currently exists in undergraduate information technology/information systems/computer science (IT/IS/CS) curricula at South African universities. Design/methodology/appro…
Liberia is at the crossroads. Still recovering from a protracted civil war, there is inadequate education, high illiteracy rates particularly for women and where the population is 90 percent food insecure. Libraries are non-existent outside of universities at which libraries are woefully inadequate. Through various initiatives Rutgers University and others are working to help develop a twenty-f…
Abstract Purpose – To carry out a practical experiment into the feasibility of service orientation to achieve a dynamic, late-binding service architecture. Design/methodology/approach – Literature view to provide a foundation in standards and measure anecdotal opinion regarding service orientation. The review informed an architectural design based on real world requirements from a multinat…
Summary Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the broad issues related to business excellence and the application of such programs. Design/methodology/approach – In brief, this study investigated the use of business excellence programs including the use of the ISO 9000:2000 series of standards, by anadian organizations. The results of a national survey on the use of business …
The impact of extreme events on crude oil markets is of great importance in crude oil price analysis due to the fact that those events generally exert strong impact on crude oil markets. For better estimation of the impact of events on crude oil price volatility, this study attempts to use an EMD-based event analysis approach for this task. In the proposed method, the time series to be analyzed…
Abstract Purpose – Can marginalized stakeholders whose issues with the firm are unaddressed because of their resource and legitimacy constraints (low salience) increase their salience by capitalizing on certain inherent properties of their stakeholder environment? The purpose of this paper is to examine this question using a real life case of the Coca-Cola controversy in Kerala, India, where…
Eco-efficiency is an instrument for sustainability analysis, indicating how efficient the economic activity is with regard to nature's goods and services. This paper conducts an ecoefficiency analysis for regional industrial systems in China by developing data envelopment analysis (DEA) based models. Using real data of 30 provinces in China, an empirical study is employed to illustrate the patt…
abstract Block widths ranging from two to fifteen rows in a marine container terminal are evaluated by a fully-integrated, discrete event simulation model. Experiments consider dozens of yard configurations and four container terminal settings that are designed to reproduce the microscopic, stochastic, real-time environment at a multiple-berth facility. Results show that the quay crane rate i…
Abstract Energy-saving target ratios (ESTR) for 17 APEC economies during 1991–2000 are computed in a total-factor framework. All nominal variables are transformed into real variables by the purchasing power parity (PPP) at the 1995 price level. The data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach is used to find the energy-saving target (EST) for APEC economies without reducing their maximum potenti…
abstract Energy use in the production of desirable output often results in the generation of undesirable emission with detrimental impact on the environment, and whose disposal is frequently monitored by public authorities. Previous studies, however, paid little attention to undesirable output and environmental regulation related to its disposal while estimating energy use efficiency. Analysis…
Abstract The article examines the possible implications of climate change for seaport competition and for the local hinterlands of ports of countries that border the Adriatic. The focus is on the effects that further increases in the annual durations over which the Northern Sea Route is navigable will have on costs of shipping between Asian and Europe and, in turn, the effects of this on the v…
abstract An unceasing growth of gas consumption in domestic households, industry, and power plants has gradually turned natural gas into a major source of energy. Main drivers in this development are the technical and economic advantages of natural gas. It is a clean, versatile, and easily controllable fuel. On this basis, natural gas is often considered the form of energy that will be the ‘…
Kee-Hung Lai is an Associate Professor with research interest in logistics management in the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has co-authored three books and his research papers have been accepted or published by various journals such as Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Logistics, Omega and others. T.C. Edwin Cheng is Cha…
Abstract Organizations realize that a strong supporting logistics or electronic logistics (e-logistics) function is an important organizational offering from both the commercial and the consumer perspective. The implications of e-logistics models and practices cover the forward and reverse logistics functions of organizations. They also have a direct and profound impact from an environmental …
Abstrack The transition from direct service to management in human service organizations requires newly promoted managers to engage in significant role transformation that calls into question their self-concept and identity. This analysis draws upon the for-profit and nonprofit literature to construct a conceptual model of managerial identity formation. The model is then applied to a case vign…
Abstrack There has been a proliferation of studies on product perceptions based on the country of origin. Most of these studies were conducted in western or developed countries. Studies in the less developed nations are still scarce, especially research conducted in the former Soviet Union. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the former Soviet republics offer vast new market opportu…
The Advanced Management Development Programme (AMDP) was introduced by West Sussex County Council, UK, in 1999. The programme runs in partnership with the University of Chichester, which offer a Post Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management on completion of the programme. Since the commencement of the programme, 134 West Sussex County Council Managers have taken part with a further 14 managers …
Abstract In this paper we use directional technology distance functions to evaluate the impact of environmental regulations on firms’ performance. Following Fa¨re et al. [Fa¨re, R., Grosskopf, S., Lovell, C.A.K., Pasurka, C., 1989. Multilateral productivity comparisons when some outputs are undesirable: a nonparametric approach. The Review of Economics and Statistics 71, 90–98.], we cons…
Introduction Most research on group scheduling in cellular manufacturing has been studied in an environment that permits early shipments. In reality, many customers now forbid early shipments as part of the implementation of the just-in-time (JIT) approach to manufacturing[1-3]. This study compares the performance of group scheduling heuristics in two types of order shipment environments under…
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine a model of corporate and civic communities as it relates to change in rural Atlantic Canada. The aim is to frame questions elevant to what appears tobe a situation of changing paradigms. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is largely conceptual. An exploration of Lyson’s model of corporate and civic communities, review of selected Atl…
Conflicts undermine forest-based livelihoods for the rural poor. Conflict management is key to preventing such conflicts. This article analyzes actor perceptions of forestand tree-related conflicts and conflict management in Ghana’s high forest zone. It also assesses a phased methodology that promotes shared problem definition and ownership of recommendations on conflict resolution strategies…
abstract Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has recently become a popular method in measuring energy efficiency at the macro-economy level. However, previous studies are limited in that they failed to consider the issues of undesirable outputs and minimisation of energy consumption. Thus, this study considers both factors in measuring Chinese industrial energy efficiency and investigates the maxi…
Abstract It is well known that within an economic region, shippers' practice of logistics is shaped significantly by various factors, such as transportation regulation. The precise purpose of this paper is to describe these factors and their influence on logistics practice in the New Zealand context. Discusses the various modes of domestic freight transport, as well as the deregulation and pr…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe in detail how “process knowledge worker” based task forces can enable effective business process improvement (BPI). This successful methodology involves innovation (I), action learning (AL), and extends throughout the organisation (O). The authors show that the resultant IALO is a repeatable and transferable approach to sustaina…
G iven its severity, it’s hardly surprising that the recent worldwide recession continues to be the focal point of much analysis. Financial meltdown, together with the crumbling of asset markets and world trade, ensured that few economies escaped its destructive effects. But many bailouts and fiscal stimulus packages later, it would seem that the recovery is finally under way. That stock mar…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore what critical factors influenced the technological innovation of China’s manufacturing enterprises. Design/methodology/approach – The authors took CNR Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Company Ltd as a case and used data coding method with ROST CM6.0, including three steps, open coding, axial coding and selective coding. Finding…
ver the last half-century, most of the best-recognized global brands have been headquartered in developed countries. In the last dozen years, new brands such as South Korea’s Samsung and Brazil’s Embraer have carved big names for themselves. Here is how the line-up of the world’s power brands will change over the next few decades. Amid the current global slump, many of the world’s blu…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore effective dynamic capabilities for new product development project in complex product systems (CoPS) industries. This paper focuses on developing an exploratory framework for understanding dimensions of dynamic capabilities in CoPS distinguished from mass-produced goods.
Abstract Purpose – The arrival of global manufacturers has brought about new challenges such as environmental concerns and sustainability of supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to identify implementation level, major drivers, various practices and performance of environmentally and socially-conscious supply chain management (SCM) in the context of the automobile industry in India.
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how task- and relation-oriented customers co-create high quality services with frontline employees from the perspective of customer-dominant (C-D) logic. Design/methodology/approach – The authors reviewed the service management literature and identified a number of critical components that help service providers understand the psyc…
Abstract Purpose – This paper presents a method for estimating the macro-economic cost of a firm-level information system disruption within a supply chain. Design/methodology/approach – The authors combine field study estimates with a Leontief-based input-output model to estimate the macro-economic costs of a targeted internet outage that disrupts the supply chain.
Abstract Purpose – Many service providers feel confident about their service quality and thus offer service guarantees to their customers. Yet service failures are inevitable. As guarantees can only be invoked when customers report service failures, firms are given the opportunity to redress the original failure potentially influencing customer outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to prov…
Abstract The decision on which countries will participate in European Monetary Union (EMU) is to take place as early as possible in 1998, with the final run-in, regarding the technicalities of introducing a single currency, starting on 1 January 1999. With this timetable in mind, examines some of the major issues which will have to be confronted by UK retailers. Even if the UK Government decid…
Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to examine the impact of oil prices on trade’s sensitivity to distance. Furthermore, it seeks to investigate if the nature of trade and the type of goods have a mediating role on the oil prices’ impact on trade. Design/methodology/approach – A set of gravity models are estimated on a unique panel dataset from China Customs Statistics that reports tra…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the link between efficiency and profitability in the US specialty retailers and food consumer stores using cross-sectional data for the year 2007. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a non-parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to measure the relative efficiency of 45 retailers in the USA. The study also qu…
Abstract Purpose – Among emerging countries’ foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe, the Chinese and the Indian ones are the more relevant. Therefore, the paper focuses on Chinese and Indian affiliates in Europe, with a twofold purpose: to shed light on their characteristics and behaviour and to analyse some policy issues in the EU stemming from their arrival to Europe. Design/methodol…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the antecedents and consequences of consumer satisfaction with the use of self-service technology (SST) in a retail setting. Design/methodology/approach – In cooperation with a survey firm, a total of 424 respondents were collected from among consumers who had experience of using multimedia kiosks at convenience stores in Tai…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal how the prices, costs, and logistics develop in the case mill and how these variables correlate with profits, and finally to give suggestions for improvements. Design/methodology/approach – A typical Finnish paper mill is selected for the basis of the case study. The complete data for the mill for the years 2001 to 2007 at a monthly…
Abstract Purpose – A program of shipment consolidation (SCL) is the purposeful intervention by management to regularly combine several small shipments so that a larger load may be dispatched on the same vehicle. SCL decisions traditionally have been based upon minimization of total logistics costs (inventory plus transportation). The paper aims to answer the following research question: give…
Abstract Purpose – China and India are pursuing cooperative arrangements while simultaneously maintaining their own independence, especially with respect to foreign policy. Today, decisions about cooperation are made on a case-by-case basis, opting for cooperation when necessary and competition where this strategy is justified. Maintaining a balance in a contradiction-ridden relationship i…
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of a key logistics and distribution variable, case pack quantity, on a consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing firm’s performance. The paper builds theory with respect to case pack quantity’s dichotomous impact on the retail shelf replenishment process and subsequent impact on market share depending on product …
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this manuscript is to quantify exactly how much information and/or predictive content is contained in business sentiment surveys. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses techniques drawn from information theory econometrics, and more specifically the theory of information entropy, to characterize the predictive content of business sentiment surveys. …
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illuminate light on the assessment of operating efficiency of specialty coffee retailers from the perspective of socially responsible global sourcing. This paper evaluates the impact of socially responsible sourcing on the operating efficiencies of specialty coffee retailers before and after implementing fair-trade practices and compares th…
Abstract Purpose – The reader of Alfred Marshall writings confronts a variety of businessmen portraits that coexist along his epoch. The purpose of this paper is to describe Marshall’s understanding of the capitalist-owner concept, the way in which access to capital determined the emerging role played by entrepreneurs, the differences between entrepreneurs and managers in order to expose …