Search results

1 – 10 of over 7000
Article
Publication date: 13 April 2015

Beena Kumari, Sangeeta Sahney, Anuradha Madhukar, Indranil Chattoraj and Shipra Sinni

The effect of global integration of businesses and interchange of ideas and technology through internet has many facets. Increase in economic recessions and decrease in research…

2262

Abstract

Purpose

The effect of global integration of businesses and interchange of ideas and technology through internet has many facets. Increase in economic recessions and decrease in research funding has forced both private and public sector research organizations to introduce measures of self-sustainability. Enhancing research and development (R&D) productivity of researchers can be one of those measures. The purpose of this paper is to attempt toward identifying and analyzing those factors of productivity that may be related to the manpower in R&D.

Design/methodology/approach

Based upon the theoretical background and the nature of data available, this empirical study has been carried out as a case study for a public sector research laboratory. The extent of involvement in research projects have been analyzed with respect to the R&D outputs generated by the researchers, which if found to be positively related, may be focussed upon, for increasing productivity of manpower in R&D. Several other determinants of R&D productivity were identified from the literature review and were analyzed in association with the “involvement.” “Robust Regression” technique was used for the statistical analysis.

Findings

It was found that the R&D productivity of researchers has a positive correlation with their extent of involvement in the R&D projects.

Practical implications

The result may help in creation of the policies for enhancing organizational self-sustainability.

Originality/value

Several prior studies have been conducted with different determinants of R&D productivity but hardly any studies were found considering “extent of manpower involvement in research projects.” This study can be useful for public sector research organizations to relate the findings with their endeavors of enhancing R&D productivity.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 64 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 May 2020

Beena Kumari, Anuradha Madhukar and Indranil Chattoraj

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)–National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR–NML) has launched a number of initiatives in different perspectives of e-Government…

1781

Abstract

Purpose

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)–National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR–NML) has launched a number of initiatives in different perspectives of e-Government. The “Mandays-Involvement” website was implemented by the laboratory in Government-to-Employee (G2E) perspective i.e. facilitating its research and development (R&D) manpower by providing data with respect to their own performance parameters through a single window. The development and implementation of the website had two major objectives : (1) to provide a system to the researchers for tracking and improving their own performance with respect to mandays and external cash flow generation and (2) to equip the management with a tool to enhance the organizational performance and enable optimum employee utilization.

Design/methodology/approach

Software Development Life Cycle approach was followed for the web-based system development and iterative model was used. Open source web development tools i.e. Php, My-Sql and CSS were used for the system development.

Findings

The new system helped in detailed profiling of current and future assignment of the researchers so as to have a check over preference-based allocation of work and providing equal opportunities of work to all.

Research limitations/implications

The percentage average mandays utilization was stabilized after the implementation of the website. The percentage under and over engagements of researchers in R&D projects was controlled and reduced.

Practical implications

The system outputs are utilized for R&D Team formation, Project approvals and Annual Performance Evaluations.

Originality/value

This new information system acts as a decision support system that helps the management to align its organizational policies toward the Future Research Projects and R&D manpower.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 70 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 June 2023

Beena Kumari, Anuradha Madhukar and Sangeeta Sahney

The paper develops a model for enhancing R&D productivity for Indian public funded laboratories. The paper utilizes the productivity data of five Council of Scientific and…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper develops a model for enhancing R&D productivity for Indian public funded laboratories. The paper utilizes the productivity data of five Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories for analysis and to form the constructs of the model.

Design/methodology/approach

The weighted average method was employed for analyzing the rankings of survey respondents pertaining to the significant measures enhancing R&D involvement of researchers and significant non-R&D jobs. The authors have proposed a model of productivity. Various individual, organizational and environmental constructs related to the researchers working in the CSIR laboratories have been outlined that can enhance R&D productivity of researchers in Indian R&D laboratories. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to find the predictability of the productivity model.

Findings

The organizational factors have a crucial role in enhancing the R&D outputs of CSIR laboratories. The R&D productivity of researchers can be improved through implementing the constructs of the proposed model of productivity.

Research limitations/implications

The R&D productivity model can be adapted by the R&D laboratories to enhance researchers’ R&D involvement, increased R&D outputs and achieving self-sustenance in long run.

Practical implications

The R&D laboratories can initiate exercises to explore the most relevant factors and measures to enhance R&D productivity of their researchers. The constructs of the model can function as a guideline to introduce the most preferable research policies in the laboratory for overall mutual growth of laboratory and the researchers.

Originality/value

Hardly any studies have been found that have focused on finding the measures of enhancing R&D involvement of researchers and the influence of significant time-intensive jobs on researchers’ productivity.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 73 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 September 2011

Omran Elgrari and Bingunath Ingirige

This paper aims to investigate the current status of manpower capability, and to identify the key factors that influenced the development of manpower capability within private…

2457

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the current status of manpower capability, and to identify the key factors that influenced the development of manpower capability within private house building companies in Libya.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim and the proposition of the research are set out after a literature review and synthesis. Then a multiple case study approach is adopted to conduct exploratory case studies into joint venture housing projects.

Findings

The findings of the study confirm that there should be an interlinked tripartite strategy between the Government, foreign investors and local private house building firms to improve manpower capability so that the Government's housing targets are achieved and sustained. The proposed integrated framework offers a targeted approach to achieve a stepped change in achieving both a quantitative and qualitative growth in housing.

Originality/value

The paper makes an original contribution to the knowledge on joint venture house building in developing countries. The research identifies the current strengths and weaknesses of manpower in professing a stepped change in the area to meet the needs of the Government's housing target, and while the majority of the changes are applicable within the Libyan case study context, opportunities exist to generalise towards other developing countries thereby to gain further value out of this research.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 18 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 1980

Margaret Slater

Possibly the best entry point or initial approach to manpower planning is via term‐definition. Perhaps we should also keep this term‐defining concept in mind whenever we think…

Abstract

Possibly the best entry point or initial approach to manpower planning is via term‐definition. Perhaps we should also keep this term‐defining concept in mind whenever we think, talk, or write about the subject, because the very label manpower planning in itself is ambiguous and capable of multiple interpretation. It attempts an encapsulated description—indicative rather than precise—of a faceted discipline or multi‐disciplinary field. As an activity it has four broad aspects: stocktaking analysis; forecasting; planning and policy making; implementation.

Details

Aslib Proceedings, vol. 32 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0001-253X

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1981

Richard L Davies and Keith Howard

Introduction A number of authors have commented on the failure of manpower planning to realise the high expectations originally held of its value to organisations. This has been…

Abstract

Introduction A number of authors have commented on the failure of manpower planning to realise the high expectations originally held of its value to organisations. This has been generally true in British local government although there are exceptions as shown by the IMS study undertaken at West Sussex County Council. The need for effective utilisation of local government manpower is paramount, since up to 70 per cent of councils' expenditure can be manpower related. Furthermore a high proportion of work is service orientated (teachers, social workers, etc.) with only limited scope for a reduction in staffing levels through productivity schemes or the adoption of new technology.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1989

Nigel Piercy and Neil Morgan

The emerging role of the formal marketing organisation in financialservices companies in the UK is examined here. Using new survey data,the study demonstrates the existence of…

Abstract

The emerging role of the formal marketing organisation in financial services companies in the UK is examined here. Using new survey data, the study demonstrates the existence of several different phototypical forms of marketing organisation in the financial services field and an attempt is made to link the form of marketing organisation to the strategic direction of financial services organisations.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 7 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 January 2020

Hector Martin, Fey Mohammed, Kevin Lal and Shannon Ramoutar

There are limited studies addressing how choosing a maintenance strategy can contribute towards maximising outputs from given inputs, thereby minimising costs and improving a…

Abstract

Purpose

There are limited studies addressing how choosing a maintenance strategy can contribute towards maximising outputs from given inputs, thereby minimising costs and improving a company’s competitiveness. The analytic hierarchy constant sum method (AHCSM) is used to access the appropriateness of maintenance strategies for improving the overall efficiency of a structural steel fabrication construction company.

Design/methodology/approach

A semi-structured interview was formulated with the stakeholders of the quality department to understand the company’s maintenance portfolio and its current functional capability. The information from this case study was then dissected to represent the factors that the company deemed appropriate for evaluating their maintenance strategy. The AHCSM approach provided a framework, which ranked the importance of factors that are sensitive to the construction industry and rank the suitability of maintenance strategies.

Findings

Factors affecting the selection of maintenance strategies to improve business efficiency are productivity, quality, reliability, cost, safety and work environment, morale, inventory and flexibility. Total productive maintenance strategy produces the most desirable outcome; however, the predictive or condition-based maintenance strategy provides an optimum solution for the case study company while considering the equipment usage, frequency of production and the current economic climate.

Originality/value

The approach presented allows practitioners to consider ways to increase the level of production and improve the efficiency of construction businesses without a high increase in investment. The findings can inform gaps in existing maintenance approaches in achieving business objectives.

Article
Publication date: 21 May 2010

Allen H. Hu and Chia‐Wei Hsu

The purpose of this paper is to explore critical factors for implementing green supply chain management (GSCM) practice in the Taiwanese electrical and electronics industries…

6587

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore critical factors for implementing green supply chain management (GSCM) practice in the Taiwanese electrical and electronics industries relative to European Union directives.

Design/methodology/approach

A tentative list of critical factors of GSCM was developed based on a thorough and detailed analysis of the pertinent literature. The survey questionnaire contained 25 items, developed based on the literature and interviews with three industry experts, specifically quality and product assurance representatives. A total of 300 questionnaires were mailed out, and 87 were returned, of which 84 were valid, representing a response rate of 28 percent. Using the data collected, the identified critical factors were performed via factor analysis to establish reliability and validity.

Findings

The results show that 20 critical factors were extracted into four dimensions, which denominated supplier management, product recycling, organization involvement and life cycle management.

Research limitations/implications

This study obtained 84 valid responses from the Taiwanese electrical and electronics industries, the limitation of the study is the insufficient sampling. Future researches need to be performed using a larger sample and studying more countries.

Practical implications

The Taiwanese electrical and electronics industry plays a decisive role in the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry. Consequently, the validated instrument enables decision makers at ICT manufacturers to evaluate the perceptions of GSCM in their organizations. In addition, the critical factors of implementing GSCM practices validated in this work can help enterprises identify those areas of GSCM where acceptance and improvements will be made, and in prioritizing GSCM efforts.

Originality/value

This study presents an empirical investigation of GSCM practices, and fills a gap in the literature on the identification and establishment of critical factors for GSCM implementation in electrical and electronics industries.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 33 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2017

Norazah Mohd. Suki and Norbayah Mohd. Suki

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants that influence students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting, and to investigate the moderating effect on…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants that influence students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting, and to investigate the moderating effect on students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting between students with different levels of trust in the system.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a quantitative method and applied the use of self-administered questionnaires among university students who have at least experienced once in casting votes electronically in the past year during the campus e-voting period. The data were analysed using partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach.

Findings

The PLS-SEM approach revealed that voters’ commitment to vote was the strongest determinant of students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting. Voters’ high satisfaction with campus e-voting was based on the commitment and requirement of students of the university to vote. Compulsory voting was not a hassle for them in order to achieve campus development and sustainability. A moderation analysis revealed that the relative influence of commitment to vote on students’ satisfaction in campus e-voting was higher in the group with medium level of trust than among the group with high level of trust.

Practical implications

The election commission of the university and the university management should increase students’ turnout and commitment to vote during campus e-voting by outlining effective marketing strategies, campaigns and promotions across a number of digital platforms, including mobile SNS. They need to ensure that voters can sense their involvement is warranted and will continue to vote electronically in the next campus election.

Originality/value

The research yielded an exclusive perspective into students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting. It also uncovered the influence of moderating effect of trust in the system in developing countries which is marginally concealed in the literature. The measurements produced can be used as a research tool for more exploratory and explanatory research related to political marketing among young adult voters.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 7000