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21 – 30 of over 26000
Article
Publication date: 1 December 2020

Muhammad Khalid Anser, Zahid Yousaf, Muhammad Yasir, Muhammad Sharif, Muhammad Hamid Nasir, Muhammad Imran Rasheed, Junaid Waheed, Hadi Hussain and Abdul Majid

This study aims to investigate the direct impact of knowledge sharing (KS) and functional flexibility (FF) on innovative work behavior (IWB) of small medium enterprises (SME’s…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the direct impact of knowledge sharing (KS) and functional flexibility (FF) on innovative work behavior (IWB) of small medium enterprises (SME’s) employees. This study also observes the mediating role of FF in the connection between KS and IWB.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adapted a quantitative methodology and used the cross-sectional data. Data were collected from the 751 workers of SMEs to validate the mediation model.

Findings

Results reveal that KS and FF significantly affect IWB in SME’s workers. The findings also reveal that FF acts as a mediator between KS and IWB link.

Originality/value

The live experience of currently working employees shows that IWB is dependent of employees' KS and FF. Moreover, this study contributed to the streams of knowledge management and organizational innovation perspective by emphasizing upon the mediating mechanism of FF.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2005

Pei‐Chun Lai and Tom Baum

Aims to propose possible solutions to the characteristically erratic demand fluctuations in the hotel sector by applying just‐in‐time (JIT) philosophy through the development of…

12224

Abstract

Purpose

Aims to propose possible solutions to the characteristically erratic demand fluctuations in the hotel sector by applying just‐in‐time (JIT) philosophy through the development of relationships with employment agencies.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study data was collected within seven London four‐star or five‐star hotel housekeeping departments and their associated external labour suppliers, the employment agencies, using in‐depth interviews, followed by documentary research and observation.

Findings

Points to a future interest in how to create and maintain good relations between three actors, in terms of the company, the recruitment industry and staff. This triangular relationship requires further empirical study in order to assess more fully the applicability of JIT principles to HRM in the hotel sector.

Originality/value

Identifies a range of human resource strategies which both build on and go beyond the models traditionally associated with the manufacturing context.

Details

Employee Relations, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2015

Dulani Halvitigala and Richard G. Reed

With strategies including flexible work practices, tenants are increasingly seeking flexibility in their physical office space and layouts. The purpose of this paper is to examine…

1680

Abstract

Purpose

With strategies including flexible work practices, tenants are increasingly seeking flexibility in their physical office space and layouts. The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent investors address tenants’ changing demand for office space with reference to layouts in new and existing office buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study comprising in-depth individual interviews with senior portfolio managers of all listed property trusts investing in the office sector in New Zealand was undertaken.

Findings

The findings confirmed property investors incorporate several adaptive and flexible space design and specifications in their modern office buildings to enhance space flexibility and functional efficiency. These include adaptive building structures, efficient floor plates, flexible building services, advanced IT networking, high-quality building amenities and modern building materials. Building structures and layouts are designed to be modified quickly and cost effectively to address tenants’ changing needs. Implications affecting tenant demand for flexible spaces on their lease contracts were also identified.

Research limitations/implications

The findings from this research have implications for management of office space. Although the data were sourced with reference to buildings located in New Zealand only, the findings are applicable to office buildings in other countries.

Practical implications

The study provides an insight into design strategies adopted in modern office buildings to enhance space flexibility and functional efficiency. These findings are of practical application to professionals involved in the design, development, investment and valuation of modern office buildings.

Originality/value

The paper provides in-depth insights into how investors meet tenants’ changing demand for physical space which is linked to delivering improved and stable market-driven returns to investors.

Details

Property Management, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 October 2018

Magdy A. Khalaf and Mohamed Yehia El Mokadem

This paper aims to empirically investigate the triadic relationship between internal integration, internal flexibility and external flexibility.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically investigate the triadic relationship between internal integration, internal flexibility and external flexibility.

Design/methodology/approach

This research hypothesized the mediation effect of internal flexibility on the relationship between internal integration and external flexibility. Survey data were collected and analyzed using simple and mediation regression analysis to test the study hypotheses.

Findings

The research finding reveals that machine, labor and material handling flexibilities; being as internal flexibility dimensions mediate the relationship between internal integration and volume and mix flexibilities; being as external flexibility dimensions. The results provided insufficient evidence on the mediating effect of routing flexibility on the relationship between internal integration and both volume and mix flexibilities.

Research limitations/implications

This research presents a new perspective for research studies to understand the factors that affect manufacturing flexibility. However, the nature of the surveyed sample and using of a single informant might limit the generalizability of the research findings.

Practical implications

This study provides useful insights for firms wishing to enhance their competitiveness through improving their flexibility. The companies should be aware of the importance of developing a suitable platform for coordinating inter-departmental activities to enhance its internal competencies, which, in turn, improve its customer-facing capabilities and boosts its competitiveness.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to knowledge by proposing and empirically testing the mediating effect of internal flexibility on the relationship between internal integration and external flexibility.

Details

International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-669X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 1999

Bob Horstman

This article analyses the recent move from highly centralised and regulated Australian industrial relations processes towards a decentralised and deregulated system which…

3988

Abstract

This article analyses the recent move from highly centralised and regulated Australian industrial relations processes towards a decentralised and deregulated system which emphasises enterprise and individual employee level determination of pay and conditions. The article focuses on the Western Australian Workplace Agreement system designed to take account of the interests of small business. Statistical analysis and case studies are used to identify the extent to which small service sector enterprises have used this more “flexible” framework to implement improved HRM processes. An evaluation of HRM “best practice” literature and case study analyses of successful small, service enterprises are used to analyse the questionable relevance to this sector of existing HRM “best practice” models. The omission of “functional” and “numerical” flexibility from many models is identified as being particularly problematic. The article outlines a research programme to identify the strategic use made of these forms of flexibility in other sectors.

Details

Employee Relations, vol. 21 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1989

Andrew Lockwood and Yvonne Guerrier

Interest in flexible working methods is increasing in thehospitality industry but to date there is little research evidence ofcurrent practice or potential. The range of methods…

2282

Abstract

Interest in flexible working methods is increasing in the hospitality industry but to date there is little research evidence of current practice or potential. The range of methods available to the hospitality manager is reviewed and the major benefits and problems arising from the adoption of particular approaches identified. The findings are reported of a survey into current practice in the hotel industry and the extent of functional flexibility, numerical flexibility, pay flexibility and distancing approaches. Issues affecting the implementation of flexible working are discussed with special reference to the housekeeping area. It is concluded that companies must clarify their objectives in adopting flexible working if they are to make appropriate decisions about the methods they wish to pursue.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Functional Structure and Approximation in Econometrics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-44450-861-4

Article
Publication date: 2 August 2013

Shibashish Chakraborty and Kalyan Sengupta

The study is designed to explore the drivers of customer satisfaction of leading mobile network providers in a high‐growth market like Kolkata a metropolitan city in India.

1807

Abstract

Purpose

The study is designed to explore the drivers of customer satisfaction of leading mobile network providers in a high‐growth market like Kolkata a metropolitan city in India.

Design/methodology

A framework was developed based on earlier study of eminent researchers pertinent to customer satisfaction of mobile network providers in Germany, France, Korea, Canada, the USA and Greece. The construct flexibility was considered as a new determinant for customer satisfaction. For this data were collected from 277 respondents and pertinent analysis were made using multivariate techniques.

Findings

The study finds that generic requirements, price, and flexibility are major drivers of customer satisfaction of mobile network providers and brand wise relevance of these key determinants.

Research limitations/implications

The fixed line telephone directory was the sampling frame, and all the respondents considered in the survey had a fixed line but there are situations where customer subscribes only to mobile phones. It is also necessary to study other metropolitan cities of India to validate the results we have obtained for Kolkata. Originality/value – The current research has taken into account new driver of customer satisfaction in a high‐growth market and this is the first study on drivers of customer satisfaction of leading mobile network providers in the city of Kolkata, India.

Details

Journal of Advances in Management Research, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0972-7981

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 August 2020

Sricharan Chirra and Dinesh Kumar

In today's competitive market subject to various uncertainties, supply chain flexibility (SCF) arose as a potential weapon to enhance the firm's performance. This paper model the…

Abstract

Purpose

In today's competitive market subject to various uncertainties, supply chain flexibility (SCF) arose as a potential weapon to enhance the firm's performance. This paper model the effect of SCF on automobile industry performance during sales promotional schemes (SPS), which has turned out to be one of the most important marketing tools.

Design/methodology/approach

In view of the literature and the expert opinion taken from an automobile OEM, the SCFs and performance measures pertaining to the SPS environment have been identified. For the purpose of ranking the SCFs with respect to the performance measures, the Interpretive Ranking Process (IRP) has been applied using the direct contact method as a means for establishing the contextual relationships between SCFs and performance measures and to draw the interpreting reasons behind them.

Findings

The findings of this study along with the validity and stability of the results assessed through the system graphs and sensitivity analysis demonstrate that flexibility at the procurement end followed by the organizational end has the highest impact on the performance of the company during SPS.

Originality/value

Analysis of SCFs in regard to performance measures during SPS helps improve supply chain performance and offer valuable insights to the practicing managers in decision-making. This study augments the flexibility literature, by clubbing the two independent research streams, SCF and SPS.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 70 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2015

Agnieszka Wojtczuk-Turek and Dariusz Turek

The purpose of this paper is to describe and explain the manner in which HR system’s flexibility, in combination with employees’ individual flexibility (IF) and their positive…

3910

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe and explain the manner in which HR system’s flexibility, in combination with employees’ individual flexibility (IF) and their positive character traits, such as: optimism, hope, resistance or self-efficacy (which comprise psychological capital (PsychCap)), allow to predict employees’ readiness to display innovative behaviors in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research methodology was adopted which resulted in the development of a both self-administered online survey instrument (n=166) and employees students in the postgraduate program at the Warsaw School of Economics (n=70). Using a national database of service companies, a random sample of 700 e-mail addresses was generated and respondents were invited to participate in the online survey. This resulted in the completion of 166 online surveys, representing a response rate of 26 percent. The second group of respondents consisted of 70 employees from different organizations in Poland.

Findings

On the basis of the analyses it was shown that HR flexibility (HRF) and IF are a generally weak predictor of innovative behaviors. However, in a situation when PsychCap is set to be a mediator, these variables allow to predict innovative work behavior.

Originality/value

Research on the relation of HRF to innovative behaviors has not been sufficiently clarified so far. The achieved results shed new light on the relations of these two variables and indicate that HRF does not translate directly into behaviors of the personnel. However, it should be noted that the relationship of these variables are of indirect nature.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 18 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

21 – 30 of over 26000