Search results
1 – 10 of 168Cheng Lu, Zhencong Sang, Kun Song, Kazuo Kikuchi and Ippei Machida
Based on the theory of social identity mechanism, this study aimed to investigate the associations with millennial consumers' need for uniqueness (NFU), susceptibility to peer…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the theory of social identity mechanism, this study aimed to investigate the associations with millennial consumers' need for uniqueness (NFU), susceptibility to peer influence (SPI) and attitudes towards luxury brands (ALB) under the cross-cultural context. The mediating effect of fashion innovativeness (FI) and the moderating effect of culture were examined.
Design/methodology/approach
The data for this study were collected through a survey from 217 millennials in Shanghai and 268 millennials in Tokyo. Moderation analysis and mediation analysis using Hayes PROCESS macro were applied to test proposed hypotheses.
Findings
Results show that NFU and SPI have a significantly positive effect on millennials' ALB, and fashion innovativeness plays a mediating role in this process. Furthermore, the positive impact of NFU on millennials' ALB for relatively individualistic cities (Shanghai) is stronger than for relatively collectivist cities (Tokyo). The positive impact of susceptibility to informative influence (SII) on millennials' ALB for Tokyo is stronger than for Shanghai.
Practical implications
The research results suggest how different cultures can support marketers in effectively carrying out their business strategy.
Originality/value
Under the cross-cultural background, the social identity mechanism behind the attitudes of millennials towards luxury brands has been widely recognised. However, little is known about how culture could moderate the social identity mechanism behind millennials' ALB. By analysing these mechanisms, this study compares the cultures of Shanghai and Tokyo and expands the previous research achievements.
Details
Keywords
Pekka Valkama, Harald Torsteinsen and Pekka Kettunen
The study examines how introducing joint municipal arm's length bodies (ALBs) into municipal waste management has influenced the preconditions of democratic governance.
Abstract
Purpose
The study examines how introducing joint municipal arm's length bodies (ALBs) into municipal waste management has influenced the preconditions of democratic governance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors describe and explain the democratic implications of joint municipal agencification by reviewing the perspectives of representative and participative democracy. Through this approach, the authors apply the exit–voice framework developed by Albert Hirschman to highlight the potential roles and rights of citizens. This research includes country case studies of Finland and Norway. The authors analyse and systematize Finnish and Norwegian waste and organizational policies by reviewing national regulatory documents, commentaries and guidance materials to identify the fundamental missions and institutional traditions of the alternative organizational forms of joint ALBs.
Findings
The study findings highlight that joint agencification has an adverse effect on the democratic governance of waste management policy and services even though these are public monopoly services. They also demonstrate that all joint municipal ALBs limit the classic elements of representative democracy in general, and that private-law ALBs limit residents' rights to influence and participate.
Originality/value
This study contributes to local public management studies by applying Hirschman's theory to comparative reviews of joint agencification and ALBs. It revealed the similarities and differences between the different organizational forms of joint ALBs applied in Finland and Norway. It also demonstrated how the democratic rights of residents depend on how municipalities collaborate.
Details
Keywords
Lei Xie, Shaoping Qiu and Mary Jo Garcia Biggs
This study aims to examine the relationship between supervisor’s altruistic leadership behavior (ALB) and family-to-work development (FWD) in the context of Chinese small and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationship between supervisor’s altruistic leadership behavior (ALB) and family-to-work development (FWD) in the context of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and test the mediation effect of learning organization culture (LOC) between ALB and FWD.
Design/methodology/approach
A non-experimental, quantitative, cross-sectional survey research approach was applied. A structural equation modeling technique was used to test all hypotheses.
Findings
Results indicated that ALB is positively and significantly correlated with FWD. Additionally, the relationship between ALB and FWD is mediated by LOC.
Practical implications
This study suggests that building and maintaining an effective LOC requires leaders to champion, human resource (HR) professionals to strengthen and employees to support learning as a system. Thus, HR professionals should implement altruistic leadership mentoring and coaching programs. In the case of Chinese SMEs, altruistic leaders are especially instrumental in generating followers’ positive outcomes in both work and family domains.
Originality/value
This study looks into the influence of organizational factors on the direction of FWD. In particular, this study seeks to examine organizational factors that relate to spillover from family to work.
Details
Keywords
Michael Kyei-Frimpong, Obi Berko Obeng Damoah and Majoreen Osafroadu Amankwah
This study aims to examine authentic leadership behavior (ALB) and empowering leadership behavior (ELB) as predictors of innovative work behavior (IWB) while assessing the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine authentic leadership behavior (ALB) and empowering leadership behavior (ELB) as predictors of innovative work behavior (IWB) while assessing the mediating role of work-family enrichment (WFE).
Design/methodology/approach
Through the explanatory research design, data was retrieved from 303 respondents from 16 small-sized hotels in Ghana and analyzed quantitatively using descriptive and inferential statistics (hierarchical component analysis within PLS-SEM).
Findings
The study’s findings revealed that both ALB and ELB positively and significantly relate to IWB. Additionally, our study found that WFE partially mediated the nexus between ALB and IWB as well as ELB and IWB.
Practical implications
The findings of our study imply that in the pursuit of excellence, ALB and ELB in the hospitality industry are crucial, as they not only nurture employee potential but also help employees to thrive both at home and at the workplace.
Originality/value
The hospitality literature lacks a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanism by which ALB and ELB influence IWB. To the best of the authors' knowledge, our study is the first empirical study conducted on ALB, ELB, WFE, and IWB in the hospitality industry.
Details
Keywords
Mohd Fadzil Faisae Ab. Rashid and Ariff Nijay Ramli
This study aims to propose a new multiobjective optimization metaheuristic based on the tiki-taka algorithm (TTA). The proposed multiobjective TTA (MOTTA) was implemented for a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose a new multiobjective optimization metaheuristic based on the tiki-taka algorithm (TTA). The proposed multiobjective TTA (MOTTA) was implemented for a simple assembly line balancing type E (SALB-E), which aimed to minimize the cycle time and workstation number simultaneously.
Design/methodology/approach
TTA is a new metaheuristic inspired by the tiki-taka playing style in a football match. The TTA is previously designed for a single-objective optimization, but this study extends TTA into a multiobjective optimization. The MOTTA mimics the short passing and player movement in tiki-taka to control the game. The algorithm also utilizes unsuccessful ball pass and multiple key players to enhance the exploration. MOTTA was tested against popular CEC09 benchmark functions.
Findings
The computational experiments indicated that MOTTA had better results in 82% of the cases from the CEC09 benchmark functions. In addition, MOTTA successfully found 83.3% of the Pareto optimal solution in the SALB-E optimization and showed tremendous performance in the spread and distribution indicators, which were associated with the multiple key players in the algorithm.
Originality/value
MOTTA exploits the information from all players to move to a new position. The algorithm makes all solution candidates have contributions to the algorithm convergence.
Details
Keywords
Mohd Fadzil Faisae Ab. Rashid, Ahmad Nasser Mohd Rose, Nik Mohd Zuki Nik Mohamed and Fadhlur Rahman Mohd Romlay
This paper aims to propose an improved Moth Flame Optimization (I-MFO) algorithm to optimize the cost-oriented two-sided assembly line balancing (2S-ALB). Prior to the decision to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose an improved Moth Flame Optimization (I-MFO) algorithm to optimize the cost-oriented two-sided assembly line balancing (2S-ALB). Prior to the decision to assemble a new product, the manufacturer will carefully study and optimize the related cost to set up and run the assembly line. For the first time in ALB, the power cost is modeled together with the equipment, set up and labor costs.
Design/methodology/approach
I-MFO was proposed by introducing a global reference flame mechanism to guide the global search direction. A set of benchmark problems was used to test the I-MFO performance. Apart from the benchmark problems, a case study from a body shop assembly was also presented.
Findings
The computational experiment indicated that the I-MFO obtained promising results compared to comparison algorithms, which included the particle swarm optimization, Cuckoo Search and ant colony optimization. Meanwhile, the results from the case study showed that the proposed cost-oriented 2S-ALB model was able to assist the manufacturer in making better decisions for different planning periods.
Originality/value
The main contribution of this work is the global reference flame mechanism for MFO algorithm. Furthermore, this research introduced a new cost-oriented model that considered power consumption in the assembly line design.
Details
Keywords
Dimitris I. Petropoulos and Andreas C. Nearchou
The purpose of this paper is to apply particle swarm optimization (PSO) a known combinatorial optimization algorithm to multi‐objective (MO) balancing of large assembly lines.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply particle swarm optimization (PSO) a known combinatorial optimization algorithm to multi‐objective (MO) balancing of large assembly lines.
Design/methodology/approach
A novel approach based on PSO is developed to tackle the simple assembly line balancing problem (SALBP), a well‐known NP‐hard production and operations management problem. Line balancing is considered for two‐criteria problems utilizing cycle time and workload smoothing as performance criteria, as well as for three‐criteria problems involving the balance delay time of the line together with cycle time and workload smoothing. Emphasis is on seeking a set of diverse Pareto optimal solutions for the bi‐criteria SALBP.
Findings
Experiments carried out on multiple test problems taken from the open literature are reported and discussed. Comparisons between the proposed PSO algorithm and two existing MO population heuristics show a quite promising higher performance for the proposed approach.
Originality/value
Artificial particles (potential solutions “flown” by PSO though hyperspace) are encoded to actual ALB solutions via a novel representation mechanism. A new scheme for generating and maintaining diverse Pareto ALB solutions is proposed. For the case of the two‐criteria ALBPs, the individual objectives are summed to a weighted combination with the weight coefficients being dynamically adapted using a novel weighted aggregation method. This weighted method can be applied on any bi‐criteria optimization problem.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to discuss the sequence-dependent forward setup time (FST) and backward setup time (BST) consideration for the first time in two-sided assembly lines…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to discuss the sequence-dependent forward setup time (FST) and backward setup time (BST) consideration for the first time in two-sided assembly lines. Sequence-dependent FST and BST values must be considered to compute all of the operational times of each station. Thus, more realistic results can be obtained for real-life situations with this new two-sided assembly line balancing (ALB) problem with setups consideration. The goal is to obtain the most suitable solution with the least number of mated stations and total stations.
Design/methodology/approach
The complex structure it possesses has led to the use of certain assumptions in most of the studies in the ALB literature. In many of them, setup times have been neglected or considered superficially. In the real-life assembly process, potential setup configurations may exist between each successive task and between each successive cycle. When two tasks are in the same cycle, the setup time required (forward setup) may be different from the setup time required if the same two tasks are in consecutive cycles (backward setup).
Findings
Algorithm steps have been studied in detail on a sample solution. Using the proposed algorithm, the literature test problems are solved and the algorithm efficiency is revealed. The results of the experiments revealed that the proposed approach finds promising results.
Originality/value
The sequence-dependent FST and BST consideration is applied in a two-sided assembly line approach for the first time. A genetic algorithm (GA)-based algorithm with ten different heuristic rules was used in this proposed model.
Details
Keywords
Hamid Yilmaz and Mustafa Yilmaz
Within team-oriented approaches, tasks are assigned to teams before being assigned to workstations as a reality of industry. So it becomes clear, which workers assemble which…
Abstract
Purpose
Within team-oriented approaches, tasks are assigned to teams before being assigned to workstations as a reality of industry. So it becomes clear, which workers assemble which tasks.
Design/methodology/approach
Team numbers of the assembly line can increase with the number of tasks, but at the same time, due to physical situations of the stations, there will be limitations of maximum working team numbers in a station. For this purpose, heuristic assembly line balancing (ALB) procedure is used and mathematical model is developed for the problem.
Findings
Well-known assembly line test problems widely used in the literature are solved to indicate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed approach in practice.
Originality/value
This paper draws attention to ALB problem in which workers have been assigned to teams in advance due to the need for specialized skills or equipment on the line for the first time.
Details
Keywords
Cycle time fluctuations in assembly lines are one of the important reasons of re‐balancing. As a result of re‐balancing of assembly lines, it will be necessary to change task…
Abstract
Purpose
Cycle time fluctuations in assembly lines are one of the important reasons of re‐balancing. As a result of re‐balancing of assembly lines, it will be necessary to change task sequences or equipment locations. The purpose of this paper is to find the task sequence which enables assembly line balancing (ALB) with minimum number of stations (NS) for different cycle times such that tasks and equipment or fixture locations remain unchanged.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper a heuristic which consist of two stages is proposed to find a common task sequence for different cycle times in assembly lines.
Findings
It is shown that optimal NS for different cycle times can be achieved with a fixed task sequence.
Research limitations/implications
The approach is limited to a single model case. Model variety together with cycle time variety can be investigated in further studies.
Practical implications
Assembly lines which require less time and cost for re‐balancing can be easily designed by the proposed approach.
Originality/value
ALB problem is handled with a new viewpoint. Also, it is observed that the proposed approach serves as a bridge between assembly line design and balancing. In this regard, it is thought to have an important place in the ALB literature.
Details