Search results

This exploratory research examines environmental, institutional, and behavioral factors that affect interorganizational knowledge development and transfer between United Kingdom business schools and business. Three theoretical bases—transaction cost economics, extension of transaction cost economics, and power properties—are integrated in order to understand and identify the antecedents and dynamics of the interorganizational interface. Results support the hypothesis that interface collaboration and face‐to‐face communications are important mediators of academic‐business outcomes—learning business practices and cooperative research.

This study demonstrates the value of employing a TQM perspective in institutions of higher education. Using data collected from a Mid‐Atlantic university,Importance‐Performance Analysis and Intra‐Organizational Impact Analysis are introduced. An integration of the results of the two analyses identifies those areas within the university where cooperative arrangements are necessary to achieve improved performance and customer satisfaction.

The push for ISO 9000 certification in Singapore can be viewed as a positive step towards enhancing training and development activities in the certified companies. This exploratory study examined the nature and extent of impact of ISO 9001 certification on training and development activities of organizations operating in Singapore. A survey approach was adopted. The respondents were asked to indicate the nature and extent of human resource development (HRD) activities three years before and three years after ISO certification. They were also asked to indicate whether the changes, if any, were due to the certification only or other reasons. The findings indicated improvements in training needs analysis, training design, training delivery, training evaluation and HRD activities in the sample organizations. The small sample size has constrained the authors’ ability to generalize the findings. Researchers interested in the topic may like to request a copy of the survey instrument that was used in this study and carry out similar studies in other ISO member countries to validate (or disprove) the findings of this study.

The literature reveals that various authors have indicated various sets of requirements for corporate environmental management but no study has yet identified and statistically established the reliability and validity of a set of critical factors. It aims to develop and validate a set of critical factors of environmental management that could be used by the managers in assessing and improving their own environmental management practices.

Using a thorough synthesis of the environmental management literature the authors identified a number of critical factors. Performance measures for each of these factors were developed through literature review and interviews with environmental managers. A survey methodology was used. A pre‐tested questionnaire was mailed to the managing directors or the chief executive officers of 848 electronic and chemical manufacturing companies in Singapore and 186 completed responses were received. Using the data collected, the identified critical factors were subjected to appropriate statistical tests to establish reliability and validity.

Through reliability and validity analyses seven critical factors – top management commitment to environmental management, total involvement of employees, training, green product/process design, supplier management, measurement, and information management – were established.

The study covered only two industries in Singapore but for the purpose of wider generalisability similar studies need to be conducted in other industries and in other parts of the world.

The validated instrument reported here could be used by managers to audit their environmental management practices. Such an audit may help management to prioritise its environmental management efforts. This instrument could also be used by the organizations to assess the level of environmental management practices of their respective suppliers.

This paper fills the gap in the literature on identification, establishment and validation of critical factors of environmental management.

The concept of lean and ISO 14001 as a combined approach is an evolving strategy for streamlining operational processes and attaining environmental sustainability in the manufacturing context. This paper explores the critical success factors (CSFs) for a combined lean and ISO 14001 implementation in the manufacturing industry for achieving the operational and environmental benefits.

A systematic literature review (SLR) based on Scopus and Web of Science databases is conducted to present peer-reviewed articles on the CSFs for lean and ISO 14001 implementation in manufacturing operations. This article applies the CSF theory to classify the CSFs for a joint lean and ISO 14001 adoption.

Numerous CSFs are synthesised from the SLR across seven theoretical contexts of industry, competitive strategy, managerial position, environmental, temporal, internal/external, monitoring and building/adapting factors for a combined lean and ISO14001 implementation.

Numerous CSFs are synthesised from the SLR across seven theoretical contexts of strategic direction, competitive strategy, leadership and management, environmental, temporal, internal/external, monitoring and continuous process improvement factors for a combined lean and ISO 14001 implementation.

This paper contributes to academic scholarship by providing a theoretical perspective through classification of CSFs for a combined lean and ISO 14001 implementation to achieve operational and environmental performance. This paper also contributes to practitioners and policymakers who can use the emergent theoretical framework for application in practice for a more efficient and effective deployment of both strategies in the manufacturing industry.

To the best of author's knowledge, this study is the first to propose a theoretical framework of CSFs for a combined lean and ISO 14001 implementation based on the CSF theory and SLR findings in the manufacturing industry.

This paper proposes a development methodology that uses the assessment criteria of the national quality award as the basis for creating a self‐assessment tool to measure quality performance in organizations. The Singapore Quality Award (SQA) assessment criteria were used as the framework for developing the self‐assessment tool. The SQA award criteria were translated into a multi‐item questionnaire. The self‐assessment tool is used to assess quality performance in various functions of the organization. The scores obtained using the assessment tool was tested against those of the recent SQA applicants. Results showed significant correlation between the assessment score bands and the actual score bands that they received on their SQA application. As of the end of 1998, about 200 business organizations in Singapore had used the self‐assessment tool. Self‐assessment tools using different national quality award criteria could also be developed based on the proposed development methodology described in this paper.

Literature review highlights the importance of TQM for SMEs to improve their current business practices as well as quality of products and services, to ensure long‐term survival. However, there are several barriers to effective implementation of TQM in such organizations, namely, the apparent lack of business experience and knowledge, and limitation of financial as well as human resources. Singaporean SMEs account for a large share of its economy, however, little has been written on how TQM has been applied in these companies in Singapore and the region. This paper reports the results of a pilot study conducted among a sample of local SMEs. The findings are compared to an earlier work done in Singapore. Furthermore, this paper reports the findings of follow‐up interviews with some local SMEs regarding the perceived benefits of and barriers to ISO 9000. Based on the experience in Singapore, ISO 9000 certification has provided significant benefits for SMEs. The journey towards TQM will, however, require not only full commitment of the company management, but also a quality culture created externally by the government which is crucial to the progress beyond ISO 9000.

As we begin the twenty‐first century it appears that for a growing number of industries environmental issues are emerging with increasing frequency as strategic problems. If human economic activity is to be sustainable, then strategic behavior of companies must take account of the structural elements. Researchers in the western societies are trying to understand how the companies integrate the sustainability issues into their strategies. No such study has been reported on companies operating in the ASEAN countries. This paper reports the findings of a case study research on this issue which was conducted on seven global companies operating in Singapore. Two frameworks were applied to analyze the nature and extent of integration of environmental management practices into the organizational strategic planning process. The study reveals that the majority of the sample companies have well‐developed environmental management systems in place which satisfies the requirements of the strategic planning criterion of the (Singapore) business excellence framework. These companies are also found to be actively engaged in at least four of the five best practices of environmental leadership framework suggested by Dechant and Altman.

Highlights the importance of TQM for SMEs to improve their current business practices as well as quality of products and services, to ensure long‐term survival. However, there are several barriers to effective implementation of TQM in such organizations, namely, the apparent lack of business experience and knowledge, and limitation of financial as well as human resources. Singaporean SMEs account for a large share of its economy; however, little has been written on how TQM has been applied in these companies in Singapore and the region. Reports the results of a number of case studies conducted among a sample of seven local SMEs in Singapore.

Examines the issues related to ISO 14001/Environmental Management System (EMS) implementation in Singapore. Using a literature review, the factors that hinder implementation, the possible benefits of such implementation and a list of critical success factors (CSFs) are identified. Seven case studies were conducted with companies which were either ISO 14001 certified, or in the process of certification. The case studies are used to examine the validity of the factors identified in the literature. All the listed CSFs were found to be applicable to all the ISO 14001 certified companies. However, all of these factors were not uniformly applicable to all companies. Similar to the CSFs, all the barriers to implementation that were identified in the literature review section were found to be applicable to the sample companies. However, once again, all of these factors were not uniformly applicable to all companies. The majority of the sample companies reported some form of tangible and intangible benefits from implementation of EMS.