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1 – 10 of 391The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influences of total quality management (TQM) and supply chain integration (SCI) practices on firm performance (FP) of container…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influences of total quality management (TQM) and supply chain integration (SCI) practices on firm performance (FP) of container shipping industry in Singapore.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted with 159 container shipping companies in Singapore to examine the interrelationships between SCI and TQM practices and FP. A stepwise multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 14.0 was performed on the data.
Findings
Statistical results suggest that both TQM and SCI practices have positive effects on service quality and FP but at different extents, while TQM also contributes positively to SCI.
Research limitations/implications
The small sample is the main limitation. The findings bear important implications for further research as understanding these dimensions can help to position key changes and industry improvement that will increase revenue and reduce cost to the container shipping companies in Singapore.
Practical implications
This research provides guidelines for shipping managers on how to implement the SCI and TQM practices appropriately to boost their FP to the fullest extent.
Social implications
This study has unique implications for social sustainability especially the container shipping industry, which is hard pressed to combat the challenges within the logistics/transportation sector.
Originality/value
This is perhaps the first study that examines the influence of SCI and TQM practices on the performance of container shipping firms that helps them see beyond the silo mentality and focus on greater value addition in FP.
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Valérie Fernandes, Cemil Kuzey, Ali Uyar and Abdullah S. Karaman
This study aims to examine the roles of board gender and cultural diversities in driving social sustainability practices through the moderating effect of board structure policies…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the roles of board gender and cultural diversities in driving social sustainability practices through the moderating effect of board structure policies in the logistics and transportation sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted fixed-effects regression with 2005–2019 data from Thomson Reuters Eikon.
Findings
The results showed that female directors are significant predictors of social sustainability across the four dimensions of human rights, workforce, product responsibility and community development. Additionally, directors with different cultural backgrounds (but not the workforce) are significant determinants of community development, human rights and product responsibility. Furthermore, although board structure policies positively moderate the relationship between board gender diversity and social sustainability, they fail to moderate the relationship between board cultural diversity and social sustainability.
Originality/value
The findings have crucial implications for the logistics and transportation sector's social sustainability and may help the sector align with employees' and society's expectations. The incorporation of board gender and cultural diversities into the research design was a response to calls by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) to address board configuration and stakeholders' concerns.
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Bishal Dey Sarkar, Ravi Shankar and Arpan Kumar Kar
Presently, Indian sectors are manifesting a higher level of interdependency and making the economy more vulnerable to human-caused and natural disasters. COVID-19 pandemic creates…
Abstract
Purpose
Presently, Indian sectors are manifesting a higher level of interdependency and making the economy more vulnerable to human-caused and natural disasters. COVID-19 pandemic creates a devastating effect on the world economy. The Indian economy was expected to lose around ₹ 32,000 crores every day during the first 21 days of complete lockdown. This motivates to conduct the research on how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the port logistics sector and how the effects of COVID-19 on port logistics propagate to other sectors owing to its interconnectedness and affect the economy of the country.
Design/methodology/approach
The purpose of the study is analyze how perturbation in one sector can affect the system of interdependent sectors and it is done with interdependency analysis. It uses Wassily Leontief’s inoperability input-output model (IIM) and interval programming (IP) to develop a framework. IP is used to address situations where assumptions are not valid because of uncertainties associated with disruptive events.
Findings
The model helps in describing how the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in port logistics can propagate owing to the interconnectedness across other sectors. The model uses the latest five-year data available on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development database. It uses metrics like inoperability and economic loss to study the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on various sectors. This study also presents the ranking of the affected sectors based on their inoperability and economic loss
Research limitations/implications
In the future study, other techniques like dynamic evolution, multiplex network analysis, analytical hierarchy process, pinch analysis, stochastic evolution and pinch graph could be integrated with input-output (I-O) modelling. Integrated stochastic evolution with an I-O model allows capturing the likelihood of the events; it includes probability distributions instead of point estimates for scenario parameters. Methods like dynamic evolution and multiplex network analysis can be introduced in future work to shed lights on interdependency among the sector, which could potentially provide additional insights for transport policy formulations.
Originality/value
This study discusses the theory, methodology and application of the IIM-IP model in the domain of port logistics. The developed IIM-IP model helps decision-makers to manage risk in port logistics. Firstly, it studies how different sectors are interconnected with each other. Secondly, it helps in identifying the most vulnerable sectors based on economic loss and inoperability. Thirdly, it provides the ranking of the sectors based on their economic losses.
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FR. Oswald A. J. Mascarenhas, S.J.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence displayed by machines, in contrast with the natural intelligence (NI) displayed by humans and other animals. It is also known as…
Abstract
Executive Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence displayed by machines, in contrast with the natural intelligence (NI) displayed by humans and other animals. It is also known as machine intelligence (MI) and is used because a machine mimics the cognitive functions that humans associate with human ability, such as logical reasoning, learning, and problem-solving. From Facebook’s automatic tagging suggestions to driverless cars, AI is rapidly progressing, and therefore, the ethical and moral question now is not whether AI should exist or not. AI exists and is already helping in improving various aspects of life such as health, safety, convenience, and overall standard of living. AI can replace or substitute routine mechanical, repetitive, boring jobs to free and unleash human creative and innovative talent to big thinking projects and humanizing work and society. AI can provide digital assistance in routine day-to-day tasks, detect cancer, diagnose rare diseases, and even prevent car crashes. AI can replace jobs, however, but not human work. Work as a duty, self-actualization and destiny will always continue, if not on the shop or office floors or boardrooms, at home, gardens, places of prayer and worship, and labs of creativity and innovation, in society and civilizations. While AI may indirectly free human talent for more meaningful and creative work, it can rarely participate in higher purposes such as creating bonding and belonging groups, in creating forgiving and compassionate communities, in drumming up small business, startups and corporations, and in harmonizing and humanizing this planet and cosmos for bliss or happiness. This chapter on AI, while investigating its market turbulence, will go beyond the legal aspects to ethical, moral, and spiritual dimensions and sacred opportunities of AI.
Livingstone Divine Caesar, Mark Eshun, Frank Mawuyome Kwame Gamadey and Akinyele Okeremi
High failure rates characterise the experience of new entrepreneurial ventures in Nigeria and other emerging economies. Reliance on strategic tools such as entrepreneurial…
Abstract
Purpose
High failure rates characterise the experience of new entrepreneurial ventures in Nigeria and other emerging economies. Reliance on strategic tools such as entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is critical to the growth and survival of new ventures. This empirical study aims to deepen the understanding of the relationship between EO and performance of new venture logistics firms in Nigeria. It further explores the contingent effects of social capital and marketing capabilities on the hypothesised direct relationships from a transport industry perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Managers of 650 new venture logistics service providers in selected Nigerian cities were Web-surveyed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Regression analysis was further performed. Common method variance and other validity checks were assessed.
Findings
The 469 valid responses showed a positive relationship between EO and new venture performance (NVP). Social capital and marketing capabilities positively moderate the direct relationship between EO and NVP. Managerial implications suggest that context-specific dynamics must be considered when making strategic EO decisions to aid firm growth and survival.
Originality/value
This study directly responds to the contingency approach recommendation of past studies (Anwar et al., 2022; Van Stel et al., 2021; Covin and Wales, 2019) using the logistics service and emerging economy context. It also introduces social capital and marketing capabilities as moderators.
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The purpose of this paper is to address the importance of establishing global value chains (GVCs) through the liberalization of trade in services, with the Republic of Korea…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the importance of establishing global value chains (GVCs) through the liberalization of trade in services, with the Republic of Korea comprising part of these value chains.
Design/methodology/approach
The construction of a database has revealed rather disconnected policy arrangements across Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members in terms of service trade liberalization.
Findings
Although the economic benefits arising from harmonized and liberalized policies across APEC members are widely recognized in the business sector, the relevant policy coordination seems to be missing.
Research limitations/implications
With this status quo in mind, APEC could work on establishing its own harmonized “service trade commitment table” centering on simple foreign capital participation criteria. This would surely contribute to forming an APEC-wide GVC surrounding Korea, which actively aims to expand its economic ties in the Asia-Pacific region.
Originality/value
The comparison of WTO-based and free trade agreement-based service trade commitments by APEC members (including Korea) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations ten members is an original research area, with many policy implications for Korea in the Asia-Pacific Region.
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This paper aims to understand how emerging economy firms can use the growing emphasis on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability as an opportunity to drive…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand how emerging economy firms can use the growing emphasis on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability as an opportunity to drive corporate social innovations (CSIs) so as to create shared value and gain competitive advantage.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper applies a case study design. Building on in-depth interviews with company officials, document analysis and secondary sources, the paper presents a model of CSIs.
Findings
The case study presents evidence of how Agarwal Packers and Movers Limited – an Indian family managed business firm operating in the fragmented, unorganized and highly competitive household relocation segment of the Indian logistics industry – used socio-environmental sustainability challenges to drive CSIs. These innovations helped it to differentiate itself from competitors and gain competitive advantage, while creating shared value simultaneously.
Practical implications
Indian firms have been lagging behind on both sustainability/CSR and innovations. Driven by domestic regulatory requirements, as also the need to compete in a globalizing economy, emerging economy firms may strategize to integrate their sustainability agenda with innovations to influence both organizational and societal outcomes.
Originality/value
Firm innovations, even in advanced countries, have been driven by market triggers, with ideas internal to the firm. The paper contributes to the limited research on innovations in emerging economy firms and shows how they may “leapfrog” their growth pathways by systematically integrating their sustainability agenda with innovation activities.
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The case, “Shivani Carriers Pvt. Ltd.: Managing Employee Motivation at the Bottom of the Pyramid”, has been designed to teach students about the basic principles of employee…
Abstract
The case, “Shivani Carriers Pvt. Ltd.: Managing Employee Motivation at the Bottom of the Pyramid”, has been designed to teach students about the basic principles of employee motivation. The case is also a representative example of the problems faced by small and medium-sized businesses in employee acquisition, motivation, and retention, especially at junior levels i.e. entry-level operational and front-line roles. The case documents the history and evolution of the driver management system (DMS) instituted by Vandana and Hemant Laddha at Shivani Carriers Pvt. Ltd. (SCPL). It looks at the constraints faced by the company and the challenges that emerged during the implementation of the new system. After initial success, Vandana Laddha faced a dilemma around the future direction of the DMS. The original incentive scheme had been a success: driver productivity and motivation had improved significantly. Given that the scheme had achieved its desired objectives, the firm had decided to modify it to further improve efficiency. However, employee discontent was brewing since the scheme had been modified. Vandana Laddha had to decide if she should she bring back the original incentive management scheme to quell employee discontent or should she introduce alternate initiatives to manage driver motivation? If she chose to introduce new initiatives, what could these be? What mechanisms would she need to put in place to support the new initiatives? What about the complaints of the drivers? What should she do to address the complaints of the drivers? The case provides students with an opportunity to understand the principles of employee motivation with the help of extant and contemporary research on motivation. It also sheds light on the link between initiatives aimed at increasing motivation and other managerial activities and mechanisms. Importantly, it helps students arrive at an integrated framework that links various aspects of employee motivation such as needs, cognitions, work design factors, organizational support and actions, organizational culture and industry context.
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The objective of this study is to investigate how country risk, different political actions from the government and bureaucratic behavior influence the activities in industry…
Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate how country risk, different political actions from the government and bureaucratic behavior influence the activities in industry supply chains (SCs) in emerging markets. The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of these external stakeholders’ elements to the demand-side and supply-side drivers and barriers for improving competitiveness of Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in the way of analyzing supply chain. Considering the phenomenon of recent change in the RMG business environment and the competitiveness issues this study uses the principles of stakeholder and resource dependence theory and aims to find out some factors which influence to make an efficient supply chain for improving competitiveness. The RMG industry of Bangladesh is the case application of this study. Following a positivist paradigm, this study adopts a two phase sequential mixed-method research design consisting of qualitative and quantitative approaches. A tentative research model is developed first based on extensive literature review. Qualitative field study is then carried out to fine tune the initial research model. Findings from the qualitative method are also used to develop measures and instruments for the next phase of quantitative method. A survey is carried out with sample of top and middle level executives of different garment companies of Dhaka city in Bangladesh and the collected quantitative data are analyzed by partial least square-based structural equation modeling. The findings support eight hypotheses. From the analysis the external stakeholders’ elements like bureaucratic behavior and country risk have significant influence to the barriers. From the internal stakeholders’ point of view the manufacturers’ and buyers’ drivers have significant influence on the competitiveness. Therefore, stakeholders need to take proper action to reduce the barriers and increase the drivers, as the drivers have positive influence to improve competitiveness.
This study has both theoretical and practical contributions. This study represents an important contribution to the theory by integrating two theoretical perceptions to identify factors of the RMG industry’s SC that affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. This research study contributes to the understanding of both external and internal stakeholders of national and international perspectives in the RMG (textile and clothing) business. It combines the insights of stakeholder and resource dependence theories along with the concept of the SC in improving effectiveness. In a practical sense, this study certainly contributes to the Bangladeshi RMG industry. In accordance with the desire of the RMG manufacturers, the research has shown that some influential constructs of the RMG industry’s SC affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. The outcome of the study is useful for various stakeholders of the Bangladeshi RMG industry sector ranging from the government to various private organizations. The applications of this study are extendable through further adaptation in other industries and various geographic contexts.
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After a temporary surge in demand for food in March, monthly retail turnover fell sharply, driven primarily by low sales of durable goods in April-May. Smaller retailers were hit…