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1 – 10 of over 75000Bart Van Looy, Paul Gemmel, Steven Desmet, Roland Van Dierdonck and Steven Serneels
Notes that the nature of the service process makes the measurement of productivity and quality more difficult. In this paper a methodology to delineate relevant indicators of…
Abstract
Notes that the nature of the service process makes the measurement of productivity and quality more difficult. In this paper a methodology to delineate relevant indicators of productivity and quality for services is developed. For both types of indicators, process analysis is a starting point. Insights from activity‐based management are introduced to work out productivity indicators. An approach based on quality function deployment is used to delineate relevant quality indicators. Both approaches are illustrated with case study material. During the process of developing these indicators, it became clear that realizing quality and productivity simultaneously within the service delivery process might imply a trade‐off. Implications and further extensions of this dynamic relationship are discussed within a larger service strategy framework.
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The purpose of this article is to analyze the link‐based web site impact measure known as the web impact factor (WIF). It is a quantitative tool for evaluating and ranking web…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to analyze the link‐based web site impact measure known as the web impact factor (WIF). It is a quantitative tool for evaluating and ranking web sites, top‐level domains and sub‐domains. The paper also aims to discuss the WIF's advantages and disadvantages, data collection problems, and validity and reliability of WIF results.
Design/methodology/approach
A key to webometric studies has been the use of large‐scale search engines, such as Yahoo! and AltaVista that allow measurements to be made of the total number of pages in a web site and the total number of back‐links to the web site. These search engines provide similar possibilities for the investigation of links between web sites/pages to those provided by the academic journals citation databases from the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI). But the content of the web is not of the same nature and quality as the databases maintained by the ISI.
Findings
This paper reviews how the WIF has been developed and applied. It has been suggested that web impact factors can be calculated as a way of comparing the attractiveness of web sites or domains on the web. It is concluded that, while the WIF is arguably useful for quantitative intra‐country comparison, application beyond this (i.e. to inter‐country assessment) has little value.
Originality/value
The paper offers a critical review of literature on the WIF and associated indicators.
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Milé Terziovski and Alison Dean
This paper is based on a cross‐sectional study of 550 medium to large Australian service organisations to determine the effect of quality management practices on various…
Abstract
This paper is based on a cross‐sectional study of 550 medium to large Australian service organisations to determine the effect of quality management practices on various dimensions of service quality outcomes (productivity, competitive advantage, customer relationships, and employee morale). These outcomes were used as dependent variables in a series of regression analyses in order to test several hypotheses. The results demonstrate the importance of including quality in the strategic planning process, customer involvement, empowerment of the workforce, and including quality indicators as part of key performance indicators. On the other hand, integrating quality systems and procedures into the organisation had a significantly negative relationship with increases in productivity. Based on the findings of this study, we conclude that the “soft” practices based on empowerment, at all levels of the organisation, strategic planning and customer/supplier involvement are the most significant predictors of high quality service organisations.
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Efthalia Dimara and Dimitris Skuras
The purpose of this work is to examine the range of information consumers seek on labels of quality products and construct an indicative check‐list of various types of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this work is to examine the range of information consumers seek on labels of quality products and construct an indicative check‐list of various types of informational labeling as well as to examine whether quality of information demanded segregates the market‐creating segments to be targeted by firms.
Design/methodology/approach
An extensive interdisciplinary literature review based on findings in marketing, economics, geography and sociology reveals the often neglected range of factors forcing consumers to place importance on regionally denominated food and drink. The European Union (EU) has responded to growing consumer trends towards regional and traditional food and established special schemes regulating the production of such food and drink. A survey of 640 consumers of quality wine carried out within the framework of an EU‐funded program provides the empirical material of this work.
Findings
The study records the range of informational labeling sought by consumers as well as critical factors influencing their consuming behavior. Informational labeling linking product to place ranks top among a wide set of information sought on labels. A Poisson count data model reveals that consumers’ willingness to acquire information from labels is influenced by various socio‐economic characteristics and, in general, high demand for information is associated with higher expenditures for wine.
Originality/value
Informational labeling is a significant step for place revalorization and cultural relocalization and provides significant prospects to enterprises marketing local culture. Research should be extended to the examination of other products and the comparative assessment of the findings.
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Beatrix Lányi, Miklós Hornyák and Ferenc Kruzslicz
The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of websites and social media platforms to find out how they contribute to the improvement of business performance. A new…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of websites and social media platforms to find out how they contribute to the improvement of business performance. A new automated data collection method is developed to determine the technology maturity level of websites. These website quality indicators are linked to and compared against small and medium enterprise (SME) competitiveness data set to find competency pillars having significant impacts on the online presence, and to identify most important factors for online digital transformation. In this way, periodic analysis of websites can signal early warnings if competitiveness data of an SME is worth to refresh. Continuous maturity monitoring of competitors’ websites provides useful benchmark information for an enterprise as well.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model was developed for the examination of the online presence and its effect on the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized businesses. An innovative, automatically generated WebIX indicator was developed through technical and content analysis of websites of 958 SMEs’ included in the Global Competitiveness Project (GCP) network data set. A series of ANOVA analysis was used for both data sources to determine the relationships between Web quality and competitiveness levels to define the online presence maturity categories.
Findings
Both the existence and the quality of the websites proved to have positive impact on the SME’s competitiveness. Different online presence maturity categories contribute to different competitiveness pillars; therefore, key factors of online digital transformation were identified. According to the findings, company websites are more related to marketing functions than information technology from the point of competitiveness.
Originality/value
Competency relationships were identified between online activity and competitiveness. The foundations of automated competitiveness measures were developed. The traditional survey based subjective data collection was combined with objective data collection methodology in a reproducible way.
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Mosad Zineldin and Torbjörn Bredenlöw
While there are many studies on the relationship between service quality and productivity/efficiency (prodeff), between service quality and image and between services and…
Abstract
While there are many studies on the relationship between service quality and productivity/efficiency (prodeff), between service quality and image and between services and positioning, so far, no work in the literature has examined the triangular relationship between quality, prodeff and positioning. This article aims to develop theoretically and empirically an insight understanding of the strategic relationship between service quality, prodeff and positioning strategies. A case study shows that the choice of positioning strategy is not a simple one: it is not merely a question of quality and prodeff, but concerns the behavior of the entire organization. Some key quality, prodeff and positioning measurement areas identified from the literature and the case study are outlined in the paper. Finally, the paper argues that the quality of PRODSERV and prodeff strategies must be tied to broad business and positioning strategies and should be part of the organization’s mission/vision statements.
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Arthur P. Preston, Richard B. Sappey and Stephen Teo
Both enterprise agreements (EAs) and the implementation of total quality management (TQM) have the goals of improving productivity and performance and distributing the gains of…
Abstract
Both enterprise agreements (EAs) and the implementation of total quality management (TQM) have the goals of improving productivity and performance and distributing the gains of such improvement within workplaces and, in a broader context, making Australian products more competitive in the international marketplace. Despite their common goals, the two approaches are not substantially “married” in action. This paper examines the inclusion of TQM and related clauses (henceforth quality) in EAs in Queensland and concludes that as yet the EA approach adopted by most organisations only incorporates some aspects of a quality approach to improving performance.
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Hafiez Sofyani, Haslida Abu Hasan and Zakiah Saleh
This study investigates internal control implementation contribution to quality management at higher education institutions (HEIs).
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates internal control implementation contribution to quality management at higher education institutions (HEIs).
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a qualitative method by conducting semi-structured interviews. The research respondents (interviewees) consisted of internal auditors, HEI management members and accreditation assessors of Indonesian HEIs. A total of 15 respondents were successfully interviewed to collect the data; 12 were from different HEIs, and 3 were from the HEI accreditation board.
Findings
This study deduced that internal control implementation could contribute to HEI quality management and improvement if integrated with other control policies, such as internal quality assurance, performance measurement systems and performance-based budgeting. By doing so, internal control corroborates total quality management (TQM) implementation within HEIs since it promotes employee empowerment and supervision, reduces budget wastage, increases the achievement of budget targets on output and outcome of programs and activities, enhances strategic and integrated system practices, provides reliable information for better decision-making, and promotes effective communication and coordination and good leadership culture.
Practical implications
The current study presents beneficial suggestions for HEI management on how internal control contributes to quality management at HEIs.
Originality/value
As suggested by Chalmers et al. (2019), most studies related to internal control were conducted in profit-oriented organisation settings, i.e. companies, and focused on their impact on economic aspects, such as profitability, cost efficiency and fraud mitigation. Meanwhile, internal control-related studies in the context of non-profit-oriented organisations, such as HEIs, and their role in non-economic aspects, in this case, the quality management in HEIs, is still lacking.
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Xiaoyu Li, Osamu Yoshie and Daoping Huang
The purpose of this paper is to detect the existence of unknown wireless devices which could result negative means to the privacy. The perceptual layer of internet of things…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to detect the existence of unknown wireless devices which could result negative means to the privacy. The perceptual layer of internet of things (IoTs) suffers the most significant privacy disclosing because of limited hardware resources, huge quantity and wide varieties of sensing equipment. Determining whether there are unknown wireless devices in the communicating environment is an effective method to implement the privacy protection for the perceptual layer of IoTs.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use horizontal hierarchy slicing (HHS) algorithm to extract the morphology feature of signals. Meanwhile, partitioning around medoids algorithm is used to cluster the HHS curves and agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm is utilized to distinguish final results. Link quality indicator (LQI) data are chosen as the network parameters in this research.
Findings
Nowadays data encryption and anonymization are the most common methods to protect private information for the perceptual layer of IoTs. However, these efforts are ineffective to avoid privacy disclosure if the communication environment exists unknown wireless nodes which could be malicious devices. How to detect these unknown wireless devices in the communication environment is a valuable topic in the further research.
Originality/value
The authors derive an innovative and passive unknown wireless devices detection method based on the mathematical morphology and machine learning algorithms to detect the existence of unknown wireless devices which could result negative means to the privacy. The simulation results show their effectiveness in privacy protection.
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The purpose of this paper is to explain the path that the Irish health system has taken towards achieving good clinical governance, exploring the historical influences on its’…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain the path that the Irish health system has taken towards achieving good clinical governance, exploring the historical influences on its’ development, some of the major initiatives that have been implemented and the obstacles that have been encountered.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on the author's experience researching and teaching in health systems and healthcare management.
Findings
The paper offers some explanations for why earlier attempts failed to change the system as well as why recent attempts have met with more success. Greater efforts need to be made to progress clinical governance in the primary care services. In addition it is argued that there is a need to institute systems that enable learning form errors, to involve the public and patient groups and to invest in research that enables answers to the how and why questions that are so often neglected in the reform process.
Originality/value
The paper discusses clinical governance in the Irish Health system and identifies some of the challenges yet to be addressed, many of which are common to clinical governance efforts in other jurisdictions.
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