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The purpose of this paper is to ascertain and understand the relationship dynamics among the quality-enabled factors (QEFs) affecting the initiation stage of production system life cycle (PSLC). This study presents an approach for refining the decision making in the initiation stage of the production system.

In this paper, ten QEFs have been identified for the initiation stage of PSLC. An interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach has been utilized to cultivate an organizational association among these identified QEFs. The results of ISM approach are used as an input to fuzzy Matriced’ Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée á un Classement (MICMAC) analysis, to identify the driving and dependence power of QEFs.

The key consequences of this paper are to prioritize the strategic QEFs in reducing the risks linked with initiation stage of production system. The integrated model obtained by ISM-fuzzy MICMAC illustrates that there exists two clusters of QEFs, one is having high driving power and low dependency power which requires extreme consideration and of strategic importance (such as honesty and sincerity in collecting and analyzing field data) and other is having high dependence power and low driving power and are resultant effects (such as strategic decision-making ability).

The integrated ISM-fuzzy MICMAC model developed is not statistically corroborated; consequently structural equation modelling (SEM) approach which is also known as linear structural relationship approach could be utilized to examine the validity of developed hypothetical model.

This is first study to identify ten QEFs in initiation stage of production system and further, to deploy integrated ISM-fuzzy MICMAC approach to recognize and categorize the QEFs influencing the initiation stage of production system.

This paper aims to examine the influence of organization factors on the effectiveness of implementing BS7799, an information security management (ISM) standard.

Based on literature review, a research model was formulated by extracting the antecedents of ISM, and an empirical study was conducted to show how the organizational factors influence organizations in carrying out BS7799.

The study result revealed that there were significant impacts of organizational factors, including IT competence of business managers, environment uncertainty, industry type, and organization size, on the effectiveness of implementing ISM.

The sample is limited to the organizational factors in Taiwan. It is suggested to replicate this study in other countries to reconfirm the result before adopting its general implications. Owing to the highly intrusive nature of ISM surveys, a cautious approach with rapport and trust is a key success factor in conducting empirical studies on ISM.

IT competence is conducive to ISM implementation through subjective norms, leadership, belief, and behavior of ISM activities. Environmental uncertainty positively influences the need for greater innovation, which increases the dependence on IT, and therefore makes the effectiveness of ISM more desirable. Companies in an industry sensitive to security threats should pay more attentions to ISM practice. Corporate executives should also realize the size difference for adopting appropriate ISM strategies.

A research model was proposed to study the impacts of organizational factors on ISM, after a broad survey on related researches. The validated model and its corresponding study results can be referenced by enterprise managers and decision makers to make favorable tactics for achieving their goals of ISM.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the supply chain management enablers (SCMEs) and establish relationships among them using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and find out driving and dependence power of enablers, using fuzzy MICMAC (Matriced' Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée á un Classement) analysis.

A group of experts from industries and academics was consulted and ISM is used to develop the contextual relationship among various SCMEs for each dimension of SCM implementation. The results of ISM are used as an input to fuzzy MICMAC analysis, to identify the driving and dependence power of SCMEs.

This paper has identified 24 key SCMEs and developed an integrated model using ISM and the fuzzy MICMAC approach, which is helpful to identify and classify the important SCMEs and reveal the direct and indirect effects of each SCME on the SCM implementation. The integrated approach is developed, since the ISM model provides only binary relationship among SCMEs, while fuzzy MICMAC analysis provides precise analysis related to driving and dependence power of SCMEs.

The weightage for ISM model development and fuzzy MICMAC are obtained through the judgment of academicians and a few industry experts. It is only subjective judgment and any biasing by the person who is judging the SCMEs might influence the final result. A questionnaire survey can be conducted to catch the insight on these SCMEs from more organizations.

This study has strong practical implications, for both practitioners as well as academicians. The practitioners need to concentrate on identified SCMEs more cautiously during SCM implementation in their organizations and the top management could formulate strategy for implementing these enablers obtained through ISM and fuzzy MICMAC analysis.

This is first kind of study to identify 24 SCMEs and further, to deploy ISM and fuzzy MICMAC to identify and classify the key SCMEs that influence SCM implementation in the organization.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the application of Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to analyze the barriers in implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). TPM is explained in brief with emphasis on maintenance programs to improve quality of products, reliability of processes and reduction in cost. Barriers in implementation of TPM are also discussed. Concept of ISM and steps in developing ISM are described in detail. The authors then illustrate the research methodology which involves applying ISM to analyze barriers in TPM.

The paper starts off by describing the concepts of TPM and ISM. Barriers in implementation of TPM are discussed. It explains ISM as a methodology to understand the underlying interrelationship among the inhibiting factors. The authors draw up an action plan to carry out research on the usage of ISM to study the TPM inhibitors, to develop an integrated model to establish the relationship among the different TPM inhibiting factors and to suggest action plan to mitigate these factors.

Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) can be used to analyze the driving and dependence power of the variables inhibiting implementation of TPM. The barriers to implement TPM are described with detailed explanation. The complexity of the problem and the degree of interconnection among the variables can be found out. This will help Managers take action on mitigating the barriers.

By analyzing the interrelationships among the barriers and their strengths, management can chalk out the strategy to implement TPM in an organization. Management will become aware of the barriers which have the maximum influence and then can act accordingly to mitigate these barriers. This will help in implementing TPM faster and in an organized manner.

Many authors have used ISM to study various issues. A couple of authors have used ISM to determine barriers in implementation of TPM. The authors feel that most of the papers describe ISM in brief making it slightly difficult for readers to understand. This paper aims to explain elaborately step-by-step on how to develop an ISM making it easier for researchers to understand the ISM concept. Even though there are papers on TPM and difficulties in implementation of TPM, this paper explains the barriers in implementing TPM based on the experience of the corresponding author having worked in the refinery industry.

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether internal social media (ISM) introduces a new kind of participatory communication within organizations that is capable of influencing and moving the organization.

The paper is based on two exploratory studies: a multiple case study in ten Danish organizations, and a single case study in a Danish bank.

The paper finds that different types of communication on ISM develop in different types of organizations. Participatory communication capable of changing the organization only develops when coworkers perceive that they have a license to critique. The paper, therefore, proposes to distinguish between three different types of communication arenas created by ISM: a quiet arena, a knowledge-sharing arena and a participatory communication arena.

The research is exploratory and based on two Danish case studies and the perceptions of coworkers and social media coordinators. A deeper, summative analysis of ISM across more and various organizations in multiple countries has to confirm the findings.

The paper conceptualizes ISM as an interactive and dynamic communication arena, and proposes that the participatory communication on ISM is a co-constructed process among coworkers, middle managers and top managers.

The purpose of this study is to explore and prioritize the barriers that affect weather index-insurance (WII) adoption among customers by utilizing interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and fuzzy-MICMAC.

This paper utilized the combined approach in two phases. In first phase comprehensive literature study and expert mining method have been performed to identify and validate WII adoption barriers. In second phase, ISM has been utilized to examine the direct relationships among WII adoption barriers in order to develop a structural model. Further, fuzzy-MICMAC method has been utilized to analyse indirect relationships among barriers to explore dependence and driver power.

This study has identified 15 key barriers of WII adoption among customers and developed a structural model based on binary direct relationship using ISM. Later, the outcomes of ISM model have been utilized for analysing the dependence and driver power of each WII adoption barriers in cluster form using fuzzy-MICMAC. The customer awareness related WII adoption barrier are mainly at the top level, WII demand related barriers are in the centre and WII supply related barriers at the bottom level in ISM model.

The findings offered important insights for WII insurers to understand mutual relationships amongst WII adoption barriers and assists in developing strategy to eliminate dominant key barriers in order to enhance their customer base.

Based on best of author's knowledge this paper firstly integrates the ISM fuzzy-MICMAC method into identification and prioritization of barriers that affects WII adoption among customers.

This paper aims to demonstrate the impact of interstellar (IS) magnetic field on stellar shocks existence, shape and size in the stellar wind (SW) vs interstellar medium (ISM) numerical models.

Comparison of hydrodynamics (HD) and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models results with or without ISM magnetic field, its intensity and ISM parameters.

ISM magnetic field facilitates formation and stabilises bow shocks around all astrophysical objects. ISM magnetic field may also be one of the reasons for a bow shock existence around the Sun.

ISM magnetic field should be implemented in MHD and future kinetic numerical models of the SW interaction with ISM plasma.

This paper presents the results of HD and MHD models of bow shocks and the importance of ISM magnetic field implementation, according to astronomical bow shock observations. The study also presents a review of the most important papers showing the numerical results of bow shock formation.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges associated with introducing internal social media (ISM) into organizations in order to help them reap the benefits of coworker communication on ISM.

The paper is based on an exploratory study in ten organizations. The data were collected in semi-structured interviews with ISM coordinators in Spring 2014.

According to the ISM coordinators, four challenges were associated with introducing ISM: coworkers could perceive communication on ISM as not work related; coworkers might not understand the informal nature of communication on ISM, and self-censorship might stop them communicating on ISM; ISM was not considered a “natural” part of the daily routines in the organizations; and top managers mainly supported ISM in words, not in action.

The study is based on the perceptions of ISM coordinators. Further research is called for to explore both coworker perceptions and actual communication on ISM.

Practitioners introducing ISM should be aware of these four challenges, and should help coworkers to make sense of communication on ISM as work-related communication among coworkers. ISM coordinators’ perceptions of their own role in relation to coworker communication on ISM make a difference.

The study provides insights into the key challenges associated with introducing ISM, as well as the role of ISM coordinators as community facilitators and sense-givers.

This paper aims to examine the influence of organization culture on the effectiveness of implementing information security management (ISM).

Based on a literature review, a model of the relationship between organizational culture and ISM was formulated, and both organizational culture characteristics and ISM effectiveness were measured empirically to investigate how various organizational culture traits influenced ISM principles, by administrating questionnaires to respondents in organizations with significant use of information systems.

Four regression models were derived to quantify the impacts of organizational culture traits on the effectiveness of implementing ISM. Whilst the control‐oriented organizational culture traits, effectiveness and consistency, have strong effect on the ISM principles of confidentiality, integrity, availability and accountability, the flexibility‐oriented organizational culture traits, cooperativeness and innovativeness, are not significantly associated with the ISM principles with one exception that cooperativeness is negatively related to confidentiality.

The sample is limited to the organizational factors in Taiwan. It is suggested to replicate this study in other countries to reconfirm the result before adopting its general implications. Owing to the highly intrusive nature of ISM surveys, a cautious approach with rapport and trust is a key success factor in conducting empirical studies on ISM.

A culture conducive to information security practice is extremely important for organizations since the human dimension of information security cannot totally be solved by technical and management measures. For understanding and improving the organization behavior with regard to information security, enterprises may look into organizational culture and examine how it affects the effectiveness of implementing ISM.

A research model was proposed to study the impacts of organizational factors on ISM, after a broad survey on related researches. The validated model and its corresponding study results can be referenced by enterprise managers and decision makers to make favorable tactics for achieving their goals of ISM – mitigating information security risks.

This study endeavours to (a) develop a comprehensive interpretive structural modelling (ISM) toolkit containing sufficient details about the suitability and procedural aspects of each ISM approach and offer points of reference for budding researchers, (b) highlight the compatibility of ISM approaches with other qualitative and quantitative approaches, and (c) chalk-out an agenda for future research.

This study is based on an extensive review of 74 studies where researchers have used one or more ISM approaches. These studies span across the different industry sectors.

There exists a huge void in terms of the methodological synthesis of ISM approaches. ISM approaches are frequently used in sync with other qualitative and quantitative approaches. Furthermore, it highlights the need of improving the robustness of the proposed ISM models by sharing the critical details of research process.

Being a review-based work, it could not illustrate the discussed ISM approaches with real data. However, it offers a research agenda for the prospective researchers.

The prerequisites, pitfalls, suitability and the procedural aspects of various ISM approaches contained in this toolkit are equally useful for the academicians as well as practitioners.

In the absence of a synthesized framework, this study contributes a comprehensive ISM toolkit which will help the researchers to choose a suitable ISM approach in a given case.