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The purpose of this paper is to determine the efficacy of lean learning as experienced and demonstrated by a group of students who were exposed to a purpose built simulated working environment (SWE). The study expands on previous research aimed at establishing the student views of the new type of training by including the perceptions of the industry mentors.

An SWE was developed to allow students to experience an assembly line environment and practice lean tools. The students’ perceptions of the learning process and the perceptions of their industry mentors were then measured to gauge the success of the programme.

Groups of students indicated that they believed their grasp of the basic lean concepts had been significantly enhanced through exposure to the SWE teaching exercises. The outcome of this initial study was endorsed by the findings of the second study that measured the perceptions of their industry mentors after a six-month experiential learning period.

The research covered in this paper reflects only the findings of these two groups as they progressed from the SWE-type training to industry-based experiential learning. It is acknowledged that expanded research would be beneficial to not only verify initial findings but also to refine the lean learning experienced in the simulated work environment.

The paper describes a lean learning process that is more effective than current processes and could therefore be universally utilised to enhance the lean learning experience in higher education.

Purpose – The chapter reports on a national indigenous games research project and follows the socio-political construction of indigenous games as a sporting code and the post-colonial identity dynamics within South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach – Researchers from 11 tertiary institutions in South Africa collaborated to capture 536 ‘indigenous’ game and sporting activities from 170 communities. An inductive research approach informed an emic typology, with further analysis of the 20 most popular indigenous games (and their variations). This analysis demonstrated hegemonic gender and ethnic layering within the context of participation, as well as in the broader South African society. The institutionalisation of selected indigenous games by Sport and Recreation South Africa and the implementation thereof in the Siyadlala programme (community-based mass participation programme), afforded widespread participation to meet a human rights framework.

Findings – In accordance to the strategic outcomes of the national department, this initiative provided access to sport and recreation, especially for the previously ‘disadvantaged’ communities who experienced high levels of exclusion during the Apartheid years (1948–1994). This politically informed intervention followed a political agenda of national identity association in celebrating the African heritage and ‘unity through diversity’. Standardisation of rules and the re-invention of some games for local, national and international festivals along the line of competitive sport offered contradicting messages and practices.

Originality/value – The underlying discourses of post-colonial resistance, national identity formation and socio-political agendas are interrogated.

The purpose of this paper is to show that third-party quality audits (TPQAs) facilitate performance improvement and give confidence to organisations concerning the process quality of services and products. However, because of inconsistencies and unethical practices often observed in the industry, organisations question the significance of TPQA. A perception exists that its initial purpose as an impartial tool ensuring quality of deliverables is no longer upheld. Hence, the need to determine and explain the influence of the ISO 19011 standard interpretation on the application of the audit guidelines in performing TPQA, to promote consistency in the audit process.

The study employed document analysis of the ISO 19011 standard, followed by semi-structured interviews with certification managers (CBs) to gain insight related to their interpretation and application of the ISO 19011 guidelines.

The CBs interpret the ISO 19011 guidelines differently; hence, their application of the standard to compile their audit documents differ. Adherence to the principles of auditing particularly, integrity and independence were found as the core of the audit process while their disregard reflects failure of the real intent of auditing. The inconsistencies in the audit procedures and documents developed for auditors are ascribed to some CBs’ personal interpretations.

The study explores how the different interpretations of the ISO 19011 standard prevail and are perceived by the CBs and auditors. The findings aim to support standardisation and reduce the variations across and amongst the different CBs and auditors.

The purpose of this study is to investigate, report and interpret the true, original meaning of the Toyota Way Respect for People (RFP) principles as intended by their creators.

The investigation was conducted by means of a systematic literature review, and findings are reported in an RFP framework and interpreted by proposing a conceptual RFP lean implementation framework.

It was found that the literature on the subject is fragmented, though consistent, among various sources. No single framework was found that explained the RFP principles. The difference between and necessity for two value streams were discovered – a traditional product value stream that highlights problems and an additional people value stream that delivers people that can solve these problems. Furthermore, key emerging themes of RFP were found to be teamwork, develop and challenge people, motivation, develop people as problem-solvers, safety, remove waste and display people’s capabilities.

The conceptual RFP lean implementation framework remains untested. Future research should, therefore, focus on gathering empirical data concerning the applicability and validity of the proposed conceptual RFP lean implementation framework in different contexts.

The explanation of the two different value streams allows organisations to shift their focus towards developing employees’ career paths, which will subsequently contribute towards improved organisational performance. The conceptual framework can also assist managers in providing the necessary psychological support during the change process of lean implementation. Thus, the proposed implementation framework suggests how to show RFP during lean implementation by assisting organisations to have a more balanced focus between the lean tools and techniques and the human side of lean management.

A contribution is made to the prevailing lean implementation literature by reporting the true, original meaning of the RFP principles as a single recapitulated framework. Furthermore, a conceptual RFP lean implementation framework is proposed that incorporates these RFP principles, according them the significance they are due. This review offers an understanding of the people aspect of lean implementation and proposes a practical means of addressing this often-neglected factor. The RFP framework and the RFP lean implementation framework could, therefore, possibly assist organisations in achieving more successful lean implementations.

Organizations are finding it more and more difficult to stay in balance with the pace of change. The continuous rise of business opportunities and the increase in global competition demands proactive knowledge management tools, new capabilities and an ability to renew and reconfigure existing capabilities. This paper presents a framework of the scenario process as a management tool for creating and sharing future‐oriented tacit knowledge in knowledge networks and describes how dynamic capabilities can be developed in view of future scenarios. The theoretical framework was tested in an inter‐industrial research project resulting in very promising findings about managing tacit, future‐oriented knowledge.

The purpose of this paper is to explore extant distinctions between plausibility and probability in scenario planning and re-frame the either/or stance in the literature within a broader set of methodological choice possibilities.

The paper surveys the history of both terms in both the English language and more narrowly within scenario planning, critically assessing the confusions that have arisen. The paper questions the distinctions that have been made and offers a richer set of combinations to open up the methodological space available.

The paper suggests that the either/or stances that have been dominant in the literature – and even shaped distinctions between different schools of scenario planning – must be surpassed by a richer set of combinations that open up new methodological approaches and possibilities.

This is a conceptual and exploratory paper. Therefore the findings are propositions and tentative.

The paper opens up new ways of producing scenarios and may dissolve some of the infertile distinctions that have plagued the field to now.

The paper dilutes distinctions that have been accepted for decades and opens up new possibilities in the scenarios field, which is growing and is now producing some 2,200 peer-reviewed articles/year in English alone as per the EBSCO database.

Corporate reputation (CR), the new buzz word has created many waves in the business world and thereby has become a topic of interest of many researchers. CR is often addressed as an intangible asset that brings with itself lots of advantages and benefits that may build the company and push it forward or may bring a company completely down. CR is a multidisciplinary concept generating parallel interpretations, and as a consequence, disagreements arise regarding its definition and its measurement techniques.

This paper attempted to address this issue by bringing in more clarity to the concept and objectivity in its measurement. To address this issue a new comprehensive definition of CR is developed by reviewing the semi-centennial evolution of the construct. By bringing a critical analysis of the currently followed methods of measurement the paper has classified them into the five broad categories on the basis of the guiding definition, methodology and data sources, multiple stakeholders emphasised and the extent of objectivity inherent in the methodology. Establishing linkage between different concepts a model is developed for better understanding of the process of corporate reputation building.

Based on the renewed understanding, a new method has been suggested for measuring corporate reputation from the perspective of multiple stakeholders.

This method is claimed to be superior as it is founded on a comprehensive meaning of the concept and designed to use easily available and accessible objective data.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a critical review of the work of Tom Peters.

Notes a degree of narrative experimentation in the works of Tom Peters. Offers a narrative typology to describe this narrative change, suggests a number of reasons for this narrative experimentation and outlines topics for future research in this area.

The paper suggests that Peters' narrative experimentation reflects twin frustrations. Namely Peters' frustration with the short‐term orientations and innate conservatism of the US business élite and peripheralization in Corporate America.

The paper proposes an original narrative typology for the examination of Peters' work and suggests directions for future research.

The purpose of this paper is to explain the discrepancy between ethnohistorical accounts on north-western Kalahari San of the nineteenth to early twentieth century and recent ethnographic accounts, the former depicting the San as intensely warlike, the latter as basically peaceable.

Review of historical, ethnohistorical and ethnographic source material (reports, journal articles, monographs).

The warlike ways of the nineteenth-century Kalahari San were reactions to settler intrusion, domination and encapsulation. This was met with resistance, a process that led to the rapid politicization and militarization, socially and ideationally, of San groups in the orbit of the intruders (especially the “tribal zone” they created). It culminated in internecine warfare, specifically raiding and feuding, amongst San bands and tribal groupings.

While the nineteenth-century Kalahari San were indeed warlike and aggressive, toward both intruders and one another, this fact does not warrant the conclusion that these “simple” hunter-gatherer people have an agonistic predisposition. Instead, of being integral to their sociality, bellicosity is historically contingent. In the absence of the historical circumstances that fuel San aggression and warfare, as was the case after and before the people's exposure and resistance to hegemonic intruders, San society and ethos, in conformity with the social structure and value orientation of simple, egalitarian band societies, is basically peaceful.

A setting-the-record-straight corrective on current misunderstandings and misinformation on hunter-gatherer warfare.