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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 30 May 2023

Heidi M. Baumann and Tanya M. Marcum

As a result of COVID-19 and associated stay-at-home orders, the number of employees working remotely reached unprecedented levels during early periods of the pandemic. Since that…

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Abstract

Purpose

As a result of COVID-19 and associated stay-at-home orders, the number of employees working remotely reached unprecedented levels during early periods of the pandemic. Since that time, some employees have returned to the office; yet, there is a lasting impact on employees’ desires for remote work. In response, decision-makers in organizations should be equipped with knowledge regarding what makes remote work beneficial for both employees and the organization and also fair and compliant with the law. This paper aims to take a dual perspective spanning human capital and legal aspects of remote work to offer six practical recommendations to organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews the human resources (HR) scholarly literature on remote work, using principles from evidence-based management to select valid and reliable findings in which to base practical recommendations for organizations. Associated legal risks are identified through a review of the legal literature on remote work and integrated into the recommendations.

Findings

Building on a multilevel model of HR practices, the authors offer the following six practical recommendations to organizations: offer hybrid work and both location and schedule flexibility; ensure fair and compliant work schedules; acknowledge manager perceptions; ensure fair approval and evaluation of remote workers; acknowledge individual workers; and align remote work practices with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Originality/value

The multilevel model of remote work practices discussed in this paper offers an organizing framework for identifying advantages and disadvantages of remote work that future research may build upon. The six recommendations help bridge the research–practice gap by providing organizations with knowledge on how to maximize the benefits of remote work while mitigating potential legal risks.

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2003

G.J. Monkman, S. Egersdörfer, A. Meier, H. Böse, M. Baumann, H. Ermert, W. Kahled and H. Freimuth

Since the 1960s many alphanumeric to tactile data conversion methods have been investigated, mainly with the ultimate aim of assisting the blind. More recently, interest has been…

Abstract

Since the 1960s many alphanumeric to tactile data conversion methods have been investigated, mainly with the ultimate aim of assisting the blind. More recently, interest has been directed toward the display of pictures on haptically explorable surfaces – tactile imaging – for a range of medical, remote sensing and entertainment purposes. This paper examines the technologies which have been utilised for haptically explorable tactile displays over the past three decades, focussing on those which appear commercially viable in the immediate future.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 August 2020

Daniella Fjellstrom and Paul Frick

This study aims to develop the concept of competitive productivity focussing on the interplay between national competitive productivity (NCP) and firm competitive productivity…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop the concept of competitive productivity focussing on the interplay between national competitive productivity (NCP) and firm competitive productivity (FCP) based on the following research question: how does the competitive productivity framework explain the influence that government has on public–private procurement programmes?

Design/methodology/approach

A case study is conducted on the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme. Data were collected using an exploratory, mixed methods design, starting with national level secondary data on five bid windows between 2011 and 2014, followed by eight in-depth qualitative interviews with industry experts.

Findings

The findings indicate that non-financial factors, such as trust (through consistent and transparent government policy) as well as a pragmatic attitude on the part of government, increased competition and ultimately resulted in a productive procurement process.

Social implications

By understanding what moderating factors influence competitiveness in African procurement programmes, using competitive productivity (CP) as a framework, the research contributes to development of government policy and procurement programmes. Incidentally, there is little doubt that improving infrastructure and in turn a greater percentage of access to electricity leads to increased competitiveness of the nation, firms and individuals, thus enabling companies to grow and operate with more stability.

Originality/value

Originality is demonstrated through the interplay of NCP and FCP, where the constructs of culture, benchmarking and performance were found to have the strongest influence of the six constructs of the CP model.

Abstract

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Article
Publication date: 29 September 2020

Susan Hoadley

The paper presents an investigation into the validity and robustness of the concept of competitive productivity (CP) using linguistic analysis and theory to explore the…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper presents an investigation into the validity and robustness of the concept of competitive productivity (CP) using linguistic analysis and theory to explore the foundational CP concepts and the relationships between them.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim of this paper is to make a theoretical contribution to the conceptualisation of CP in order to inform its understanding, measurement and application.

Findings

The investigation indicates the relevance of three dimensions (instantiation, stratification and system) to understand CP as a complex, multidimensional system. Instantiation both clarifies CP as a multilevel system and highlights the need for an additional dimension(s) to understand the relationship between national, firm and individual CP (NCP, FCP and ICP). In combination, the two dimensions of stratification and system model CP as a series of nested strata (theory/models, concepts, constructs, variables and measures) through which marketing and management theory and knowledge is created and demonstrate how the options at each level can be articulated as system networks.

Research limitations/implications

Managing the complexity of CP by mapping different aspects along different dimensions and, in doing so, better understanding the nature of and relationships between different phenomena within the domain can potentially inform future qualitative and quantitative research in business studies and beyond.

Originality/value

The paper uses a novel, interdisciplinary approach to demonstrate the existence of CP as a complex, multidimensional system, where such dimensions inform the understanding, measurement and application of CP, and so is of value to marketing and management researchers and practitioners.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2021

Nikolaos Pappas and Kyriaki Glyptou

This study aims to explore the interface of competitive productivity (CP) levels in times of turbulence.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the interface of competitive productivity (CP) levels in times of turbulence.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from a sample of 507 Athenian holidaymakers, the study uses a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to examine the chaordic systems amongst perceived risks (social; destination; price; quality) in tourism purchasing intentions. It considers three grouping variables (age; monthly income; trip [domestic; overseas]). It further evaluates the effect sizes of those risks upon purchasing intentions by complementary using necessary condition analysis (NCA).

Findings

fsQCA revealed three sufficient configurations: price-quality nexus (micro); generated experience (meso) and perceived destination image (macro). NCA showcased that the effect size of the examined perceived risks is relatively low, while destination risks have the highest impact.

Research limitations/implications

Only a few studies use fsQCA and NCA in the field of tourism and hospitality studies thus, their full potential and implications of exploring the interface of tourism decision-making components with CP levels are still unexplored.

Originality/value

This is the first study examining the nonlinearity of risk-induced decision-making triggers of holidaymakers affected by the recession in line with the principles of CP. Its theoretical contribution lays in the exploration of the interface of CP and its three levels of application (micro [tourist], meso [firm/business], macro [destination]) in times of turbulence. Managerially, it strengthens the assumption that CP and customer loyalty are strongly associated even in times of turbulence when destinations and firms should make a strong point to maintain their competitive edge. Methodologically, the study highlights the value of fsQCA for identifying multiple pathways, a relatively new method in tourism. Furthermore, it introduces NCA, a new complementary method in tourism research.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 33 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2021

Marcello Mariani, Stefano Bresciani and Giovanni Battista Dagnino

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, this study elaborates an integrative conceptual framework of tourism destination competitive productivity (TDCP) by blending…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, this study elaborates an integrative conceptual framework of tourism destination competitive productivity (TDCP) by blending established destination competitiveness frameworks, the competitive productivity (CP) framework and studies pertaining to big data and big data analytics (BDA) within destination management information systems and smart tourism destinations. Second, this study examines the drivers of TDCP in the context of the ongoing 4th industrial revolution by conceptualizing the destination business intelligence unit (DBIU) as a platform able to create sustained destination business intelligence under the guise of BDA, useful to support destination managers to achieve the tourism destination’s economic objectives.

Design/methodology/approach

In this work, the authors leverage both extant literature (under the guise of research on CP, tourism destination competitiveness [TDC] and destination management information systems) and empirical work (in the form of interviews and field work involving destination managers and chief executive officers of destination management organizations and convention bureaus, as well as secondary data) to elaborate, develop and present an integrative conceptual framework of TDCP.

Findings

The integrative conceptual framework of TDCP elaborated has been found helpful by a number of destination managers trying to understand how to effectively and efficiently manage and market a tourism destination in today’s fast-paced, digital and hypercompetitive environment. While DBIUs are at different stages of implementation, often as part of broader smart destination initiatives, it appears that they are increasingly fulfilling the purpose of creating sustained destination business intelligence by means of BDA to help tourism destinations achieve their economic goals.

Research limitations/implications

This work bears several practical implications for tourism policymakers, destination managers and marketers, technology developers, as well as tourism and hospitality firms and practitioners. Tourism policymakers could embed TDCP into tourism and economic policies, and destination managers and marketers might build and make use of platforms such as the proposed DBIU. Technology developers need to understand that designing destination management information systems in general and more specifically DBIUs requires an in-depth analysis of the stakeholders that are going to contribute, share, control and use BDA.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study constitutes the first attempt to integrate the CP, TDC and destination management information systems research streams to elaborate an integrative conceptual framework of TDCP. Second, the authors contribute to the Industry 4.0 research stream by examining the drivers of tourism destination CP in the context of the ongoing 4th industrial revolution. Third, the authors contribute to the destination management information systems research stream by introducing and conceptualizing the DBIU and the related sustained destination business intelligence.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 33 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 May 2021

Meehee Cho, Mark A. Bonn and Hyo Sun Jung

This study identified essential drivers of competitive productivity (CP) within the restaurant context at the meso-micro levels. Following evidence from previous research, this…

Abstract

Purpose

This study identified essential drivers of competitive productivity (CP) within the restaurant context at the meso-micro levels. Following evidence from previous research, this paper aims to discover if the relationships between the proposed drivers and restaurant competitive productivity (RCP) would differ based upon years in operations as a restaurant business (startup vs established).

Design/methodology/approach

Data analysis was conducted using responses obtained from US restaurant managers. Structural equation modeling assessed the hypothesized relationships. Additionally, multi-group analyses were conducted to test the proposed moderating roles of restaurant firm age within the proposed model.

Findings

Results documented that competitive personality, development and motivation were positively associated with employee competitive productivity (ECP) at the micro-level. Also, ECP, employee training, resource rareness, brand image and organizational culture were significantly and positively related to RCP at the meso-level. Additionally, the positive relationships between ECP and organizational culture, and RCP were greater in the established restaurant group compared with the startup group. However, the relationship between brand image and RCP was greater in the restaurant startup group than in the established group.

Practical implications

This study offered empirical evidence regarding a combination of meso and micro level drivers and their roles in improving RCP. Findings can be adopted to develop effective operational strategies to improve RCP.

Originality/value

Although RCP is critical and is proposed to be created by a comprehensive set of drivers considering organizational (meso-) and individual (micro-) situations, no literature has yet to adopt this comprehensive approach to assess RCP. This study focused on firm age and offered new knowledge about the need for developing specific strategies to improve RCP.

Article
Publication date: 15 May 2021

Lenna V. Shulga, James A. Busser and Billy Bai

This study aims to examine how hospitality consumers of different generations appraise competitive service advantage (CSA) of service providers, based on providers’ business…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how hospitality consumers of different generations appraise competitive service advantage (CSA) of service providers, based on providers’ business models and value propositions, particularly, how these perceptions influence consumers’ purchase intention, subjective well-being and trust in service provider.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a 3 × 4 between-within online scenario-based experimental design (business models: traditional, collaborative, shared; value propositions: innovation, marketing, service production, recovery) using equal and randomized assignment to experimental conditions. Following equal quota-based randomized sampling, three generations were examined (n = 180): baby boomers, Generation Xers and millennials. Multivariate analysis of variance and PROCESS macro were used to analyze the data.

Findings

Hospitality consumers perceived value propositions from providers with different business models inversely based on their perceptions of firms’ CSA, subjective well-being and trust. CSA amplified the outcomes and served a mediating role for purchase intention, subjective well-being and trust. Different outcomes were based on generational cohorts.

Practical implications

Customer perceptions of firm’s unique competitive position should be managed holistically by combining business models, value propositions and generational cohorts to ensure customers’ purchase intention, trust and subjective well-being. CSA should be communicated to customers differently based on generational membership.

Originality/value

This study deepens knowledge of CSA, specifically from the consumer level of analysis. The key contribution is the role of CSA as a mediator for hospitality business models and customer-related outcomes of purchase intention, subjective well-being and trust. This study brings forward consumer subjective well-being as a potential goal for hospitality firms.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 33 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2023

Fabian Müller, Paul Baumanns and Kay Hameyer

The calculation of electromagnetic fields can involve many degrees of freedom (DOFs) to achieve accurate results. The DOFs are directly related to the computational effort of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The calculation of electromagnetic fields can involve many degrees of freedom (DOFs) to achieve accurate results. The DOFs are directly related to the computational effort of the simulation. The effort is decreased by using the proper generalized decomposition (PGD) and proper orthogonalized decomposition (POD). The purpose of this study is to combine the advantages of both methods. Therefore, a hybrid enrichment strategy is proposed and applied to different electromagnetic formulations.

Design/methodology/approach

The POD is an a-priori method, which exploits the solution space by decomposing reference solutions of the field problem. The disadvantage of this method is given by the unknown number of solutions necessary to reconstruct an accurate field representation. The PGD is an a-priori approach, which does not rely on reference solutions, but require much more computational effort than the POD. A hybrid enrichment strategy is proposed, based on building a small POD model and using it as a starting point of the PGD enrichment process.

Findings

The hybrid enrichment process is able to accurately approximate the reference system with a smaller computational effort compared to POD and PGD models. The hybrid enrichment process can be combined with the magneto-dynamic T-Ω formulation and the magnetic vector potential formulation to solve eddy current or non-linear problems.

Originality/value

The PGD enrichment process is improved by exploiting a POD. A linear eddy current problem and a non-linear electrical machine simulation are analyzed in terms of accuracy and computational effort. Further the PGD-AV formulation is derived and compared to the PGD-T-Ω reduced order model.

Details

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering , vol. 42 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

Keywords

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