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1 – 10 of 36
Article
Publication date: 8 October 2018

Anna Marie Johnson, Amber Willenborg, Christopher Heckman, Joshua Whitacre, Latisha Reynolds, Elizabeth Alison Sterner, Lindsay Harmon, Syann Lunsford and Sarah Drerup

This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction through an extensive annotated bibliography of publications covering all…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction through an extensive annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2017 in over 200 journals, magazines, books and other sources.

Findings

The paper provides a brief description for all 590 sources.

Originality/value

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 46 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2012

Robert R. Harmon, Haluk Demirkan and David Raffo

This paper aims to explore the strategic dimensions and drivers of sustainable IT and roadmaps its likely development as a disruptive innovative force over the next decade as it

3937

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the strategic dimensions and drivers of sustainable IT and roadmaps its likely development as a disruptive innovative force over the next decade as it moves beyond the datacenter and throughout the IT organization, the firm, markets, and society at large. Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive view of the emerging industry to inform sustainable IT strategy development and stimulate future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a qualitative three‐phase process to develop the technology roadmap for the sustainable IT industry. The phases are domain analysis, which features a comprehensive literature review and expert panel depth interviews; roadmap development, which involved two technology roadmapping brainstorming sessions; and follow‐up activity, to confirm roadmap session results with the expert panel.

Findings

The paper defines the emerging field of sustainable IT and its green IT and sustainable IT services dimensions. It identifies market segments, products and services, technologies, compliance and reporting requirements, organizational changes, and value migration and roadmaps a likely future landscape for the development of sustainable IT strategy.

Practical implications

Developing a sustainable IT strategy is a major issue for most organizations. Managers and researchers can use the results of this study to better understand the dimensions of sustainable IT and its likely future growth paths. Researchers will find the comprehensive approach to the topic useful for planning future technological innovations and determining their disruptive potential. Managers can use the results to benchmark their current situation and develop strategies for the next generation of sustainable IT service solutions.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to apply technology roadmapping to the emerging sustainable IT industry. It provides a strategic planning perspective of the future of the industry as it migrates from green‐IT strategies for reducing the costs and energy use of computing to sustainable IT services that hold the potential for transforming complex environmental and social responsibility problems into business opportunities.

Details

Foresight, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-6689

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 September 2008

Rafael Paim, Heitor Mansur Caulliraux and Rodolfo Cardoso

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to defining the tasks necessary to process management, considering both conceptual and practical views.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to defining the tasks necessary to process management, considering both conceptual and practical views.

Design/methodology/approach

Bibliographic review for tasks mentioned as typically necessary to process management, plus a field survey involving professionals working in process management.

Findings

The bibliographic review yielded a set of tasks that were grouped conceptually into “designing processes”, “managing processes from day to day” and “fostering process‐related learning”. These groups were then validated with practioners as valid constructs. The field survey produced two major findings: the first underlining the practical importance of the tasks identified as necessary to process management and the second demonstrating that most organizations where the study participants work are structured functionally, but have practices for managing cross‐functional processes or “end‐to‐end process”. The conceptual and practical comparison brings to light gaps between authors and professionals.

Research limitations/implications

There is significant variation in the job positions and sectors occupied by the group studied and the sample is not random, given that all are enrolled in postgraduate process management programs and thus share an interest in the subject.

Practical implications

Organizations can identify tasks that are necessary and important to process management and have an instrument (the questionnaire) for deciding how best to manage processes. Where functional management of cross‐functional processes is found, this recommends developing organizational solutions to upgrade the capacity for coordination among activities without necessarily introducing changes in organizational structure.

Originality/value

The paper describes an unprecedented study and helps clarify what needs to be done to manage processes.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 14 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1974

Frances Neel Cheney

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are…

Abstract

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Article
Publication date: 3 February 2012

Jon Iden

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether investment in a quality system leads to process management. Do firms that have invested in documenting their processes in a…

2381

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether investment in a quality system leads to process management. Do firms that have invested in documenting their processes in a quality system also manage their processes?

Design/methodology/approach

The research question is approached by applying four fundamental dimensions of process management: process awareness, process ownership, process measurement and process improvement. A multi‐case study based on interviews and live demonstrations of the quality systems in question is designed, and quality managers in 23 firms are interviewed. Various analyzing techniques such as descriptive and interpretive analysis, meaning condensation, and thematic scoring are applied.

Findings

This research finds that investments in quality systems have not resulted in process management. Business executives are not particularly concerned about their firms' business process on a daily basis, process accountability has not been institutionalized, explicit process goals are seldom set and measured, and continuous improvement practices are rarely found. This could be read as if the executives view their quality system as an artifact which is forced upon them, rather than a valuable resource for managing and developing their companies.

Practical implications

First, without process management, firms do not know whether they are satisfying quality requirements and achieving customer satisfaction. Ideas as to what quality managers could do to move toward process management are consequently provided. Second, the findings challenge the present certification arrangement. Although a certain firm is certified, a substantial gap may exist between how the processes are described in the quality system and how they are practiced by the employees. This should be discussed by those who consider a quality system as a written guarantee for managed quality.

Originality/value

Given that the processes in a quality system must be managed, it has not been found that the question of whether investments in quality system leads to process management is empirically investigated in as detailed a manner as one would expect. In this multi‐case study, it was found that a quality system is viewed as something enforced upon the firms. A quality system is a prerequisite for doing business, and the investment is primarily a consequence of external orders, demands and expectations. In the context of quality systems, firms are not concerned about developing better organizational and management practices, i.e. process management; they are concerned about satisfying external requirements in order to stay in business.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 18 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1998

EDIZ ALKOC and FUAT ERBATUR

The present paper reports on the development of SITE EXPERT: a prototype knowledge‐based expert system. It is an advisory system. SITE EXPERT is intended to be used for…

Abstract

The present paper reports on the development of SITE EXPERT: a prototype knowledge‐based expert system. It is an advisory system. SITE EXPERT is intended to be used for productivity improvement in construction and provides advice on: (1) the productivity of three basic operations of construction, i.e. pouring and placing of concrete, erection and removal of formwork, and fixing reinforcement; and (2) human resources and site layout as productivity factors. The system uses information from construction experts, text books, data recorded at construction sites and the engineer's own knowledge, as well as knowledge obtained by running simulation models. In the present paper, the development, operation and evaluation of the prototype system is described. The results of this prototype system development demonstrate that artificial intelligence methodologies provide powerful facilities for capturing information about construction processes and advising the practitioners of construction on productivity improvement within a computer format close to human reasoning.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 September 2011

Axel Winkelmann and Burkhard Weiß

Financial institutions have been engaged in numerous business process reengineering (BPR) projects to make their organizations more efficient. However, the success of BPR projects…

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Abstract

Purpose

Financial institutions have been engaged in numerous business process reengineering (BPR) projects to make their organizations more efficient. However, the success of BPR projects in banks varies significantly and it remains a challenge to systematically discover weaknesses in business process landscapes. Based on the flow chart notation language this paper seeks to argue for the definition of weakness patterns in order to automatically identify potential process weaknesses.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed weakness patterns in the flow chart notation language based on design science principles. To systematically derive process weaknesses that can be formalized, they analyzed each element of the flow chart notation as it was used in a real‐life case. They furthermore tested the identified patterns in reality in order to evaluate their validity.

Findings

The authors identified various potential weakness patterns that helped in automatically identifying weaknesses in process models. To some extent these findings are generalizable and transferable to other process modeling languages.

Research limitations/implications

The pattern‐based approach depends upon how well structural weakness patterns are defined and formalized. Identified problems remain “potential” weaknesses until a manual analysis reveals that the identified potential weaknesses are actually real weaknesses or not, e.g. due to law regulations.

Practical implications

Using weakness patterns allows for automatically identifying potential process weaknesses in existing flow chart models. This way, this research helps in improving the so far manual analysis of process model landscapes.

Originality/value

The approach is a new way of looking for process weaknesses through process weakness patterns.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 November 2016

Maureen Brookes, Levent Altinay, Xuan Lorna Wang and Ruth Yeung

The purpose of this paper is to examine franchisees’ business start-ups from an entrepreneurial perspective, adopting a process representative of entrepreneurship to examine…

1145

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine franchisees’ business start-ups from an entrepreneurial perspective, adopting a process representative of entrepreneurship to examine opportunity identification and evaluation by franchisees and to analyse factors that influence this process.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study was employed and data collected using semi-structured interviews with a sample of service industry franchisees in Macau.

Findings

The study identifies that social networks play a key role in opportunity identification and that franchisees’ goals influence the criteria used and information search activities undertaken while evaluating franchise opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

The study makes two contributions to franchise literature. It identifies that social networks can serve as substitutes for lack of prior knowledge in franchise opportunity identification. It also identifies the interrelated nature of franchisees’ goals based on the activities and criteria used to evaluate franchise opportunities, and the importance of relational criteria when franchisees lack prior industry knowledge. It therefore also contributes to franchise/entrepreneurship literature by identifying the interrelated nature of the factors contributing to the dynamics of franchise chain growth.

Practical implications

Franchisors should explore how to better use franchisees’ social networks and identify the longer term goals of prospective franchisees to support market penetration and franchise chain growth. Franchisees are advised to use independent information sources to evaluate franchise opportunities using goal-informed objectives and demand and relational criteria.

Originality/value

The study presents a more comprehensive understanding of franchisees’ decision-making process when joining franchise chains by identifying the activities undertaken and criteria used to identify and evaluate franchise opportunities.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 26 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2022

Joklan Imelda Camelia Goni and Amy Van Looy

Building process innovation capability (PIC) is becoming increasingly important to keep pace with changing business environments and emerging technological opportunities. However…

Abstract

Purpose

Building process innovation capability (PIC) is becoming increasingly important to keep pace with changing business environments and emerging technological opportunities. However, the literature on process innovation capability (PIC) is still very broad and does not consistently reflect today's reality that is becoming increasingly complicated and knowledge-intensive, leading to more organizational needs for supporting less-structured business processes (LSBP).

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a systematic literature review (SLR), the authors provide evidence for this under-investigated subject by consolidating organizational capabilities for managing PIC in LSBP. The authors screened 1,083 and identified only 26 peer-reviewed articles that simultaneously encompass process innovation and LSBP.

Findings

The authors explain which LSBP types are typically addressed, and in which sectors. The authors categorize research avenues, best practices and a framework that links PIC to performance outcomes by also considering business environments. Three theories (i.e. resource-based view, dynamic capabilities and sociotechnical theory) help to underpin the six empirically observed capabilities along three pillars (i.e. people, process and technology).

Research limitations/implications

Besides a research agenda, the authors offer a conceptual framework for PIC in LSBP as a reference to guide scholars and practitioners.

Practical implications

The authors offer best practices, as derived from the literature.

Originality/value

This is the first SLR for PIC in LSBP, consolidating and categorizing the PIC-LSBP characteristics. Due to few studies on the subject, this work contributes to a deeper understanding of the PICs needed for LSBP to obtain the desired performance outcomes.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 November 2020

Nitin Bisht and Falguni Pattanaik

This study attempts to investigate the interrelationship between choice-based educational achievement and employability prospects across the skill-based occupations amongst the…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study attempts to investigate the interrelationship between choice-based educational achievement and employability prospects across the skill-based occupations amongst the youth in India.

Design/methodology/approach

This study relies on the use of National Sample Survey (NSS) data on employment and unemployment for the 68th round (2011–2012) and the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) (2017–2018). To estimate the relative contributions of choice-based educational attainment affecting the skill-based employment of youth in a different category of occupations ( high/medium/low skilled), the multinomial logistic regression and its marginal effects have been used.

Findings

The study finds educational attainment both as an opportunity (improvising employability in the high and medium skill occupation) and a challenge (highest unemployment amongst the educated) while ensuring skill-based youth employability. Despite the growing enrolment of youth in education, youth from a general education background does not find sustained employability prospects in high-skill occupations.

Research limitations/implications

Vocational education highlights a brighter employability prospect but the acceptability of the same amongst the youth needs a policy intervention.

Practical implications

Educational choices need an intervention based on market-driven apprenticeships and training.

Social implications

The decline of overall employability in the low-skill occupation raises a threat to inclusive development as such youth results to Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET), better identified as the unproductive economic youth.

Originality/value

This study attempts to investigate that “how far the choice of educational attainment (general/technical/vocational) is able to make youth a fit in the world of work?” in the Indian context, where the youth constitute the highest share in the population.

Details

Journal of Economics and Development, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1859-0020

Keywords

1 – 10 of 36