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1 – 8 of 8Ruiting Xu, Zhigeng Fang and Jinyu Sun
– The purpose of this paper is to find out a scientific method to evaluate quality of complex products, whose quality is different from general products.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to find out a scientific method to evaluate quality of complex products, whose quality is different from general products.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on interval grey number theory, reliability analysis method and stochastic network theory, authors have established grey success tree analysis-graph evaluation and review technique (GSTA-GERT) model in this paper.
Findings
Comparing complex products and general products, authors have found that complex products have two characters, i.e. quality of manufacture and quality of service. Furthermore, this paper has proved the GSTA-GERT model is a scientific and reasonable approach to estimate quality of complex products from the sight of manufacture-service network.
Originality/value
This paper has established GSTA-GERT model, which surmounts the defect of traditional estimation method, such as lacking logic analysis in the method of analytic hierarchy process.
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Recent studies have shown that customers are more likely to buy a certain product or service from a company they can follow or contact on social media. Moreover, the customers…
Abstract
Purpose
Recent studies have shown that customers are more likely to buy a certain product or service from a company they can follow or contact on social media. Moreover, the customers feel a stronger relationship with the companies they are interacting in the virtual networks. But have the companies succeed in getting everything from this strong relationship? Are their online advertising campaigns getting to the right customers? Is there any connection between the social media engagement and the decisions users are taking? This is going to be shaped in this paper through a grey analysis applied to the selected variables. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
As the nature of the relationships created in the online social networks is characterized by incomplete information, the analysis will make used of the concepts and means offered by the grey systems theory, a theory that have obtained good results over the time when used on uncertain situations.
Findings
By applying a grey relational analysis (GRA) to the considered variables, a strong relationship between the decision easiness and both time spent on social media platforms and number of the accessed websites has been identified. Moreover, it has been determined that the decision happiness is closely related to the companies’ websites and their commercials.
Research limitations/implications
The present paper shapes the relationship between the usage of online social media and consumers’ decision-making process and decision-making happiness. Due to the fact that the online social media includes billions of users worldwide, the study has some limitations due to the users’ number.
Originality/value
The paper uses GRA for drawing the connections between the online social networks reality and its influence to users’ every-day life. Considering the present findings, it can be underlined that the identification of the persons which are influential becomes important in order to get to the proper targeted customers.
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As the grey systems theory has been used over the time in different economic areas, in the following, a short literature review will be put forward, starting from the usage of…
Abstract
Purpose
As the grey systems theory has been used over the time in different economic areas, in the following, a short literature review will be put forward, starting from the usage of these theory in the supply chain management, decision-making process, financial performance evaluation, credit risk, energy consumption, investment efficiency, etc. The purpose of this paper is to identify some key studies from all the economic areas in which the grey systems can be used in order to open and to bring to the researchers new domains in which they can manifest their interest and in which they can successfully use the methods offered by the grey systems theory.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the search engine offered by the Web of Science, a literature review has been performed for the economic grey systems applications developed over the time on both economic diagnosis and system’s forecasting. In addition, some hybrid grey systems theory – artificial intelligence techniques models have also been presented.
Findings
The grey systems theory has brought its contribution to numerous economic application from various fields such as: supply chain management, decision-making process, financial performance evaluation, credit risk, energy consumption, investment efficiency, firms’ bankruptcy, product development, consumer income, monetization ratio, etc.
Research limitations/implications
The present paper identifies the some of the most representative examples in which the grey theory has been used, but, in the same time, there are a lot of studies that have not been mentioned here due to the lack of space.
Originality/value
Unlike other review papers written on the grey systems theory area, the present paper is only focusing on the economic applications in which this theory has been successfully used, bringing to the reader a general overview on this field and, in the same time, enabling new research perspectives.
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Shiwangi Singh and Sanjay Dhir
Business research has highlighted the importance of knowledge transfer and innovation in multinational firms for better performance outcomes. However, the existing body of…
Abstract
Purpose
Business research has highlighted the importance of knowledge transfer and innovation in multinational firms for better performance outcomes. However, the existing body of literature is characterized by differentiated theories, antecedents and outcomes. This study aims to address this gap by adopting a systematic approach to analyze knowledge transfer and innovation literature from the perspective of multinational organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
This study follows “preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses” (PRISMA) guidelines for conducting a systematic literature review. The study adopts a systematic approach for analyzing the literature using School of thought (S), Contexts (C), Methodologies (M), Triggers (T), Barriers (B), Facilitators (F) and Outcomes (O) framework (SCM-TBFO framework) devised for holistic literature review. The study analyzes 75 articles from reputed journals from 2000 to 2022.
Findings
In general, knowledge transfer and innovation in multinationals is a relatively new area and is evolving rapidly. There are many opportunities to study the various perspectives that are included in the SCM-TBFO framework. The key schools of thought included the evolutionary theory of innovation, institutional theory and internationalization theory. The studies had differing settings or contexts, including China, Europe, the USA and Taiwan. Further, key methodologies that were used included regression, case studies, structural equation modeling (SEM) and theoretical studies. Knowledge transfer and innovation triggers included competitive advantage, competitive pressure, constant requirements for better products and services, foreign direct investment (FDI) and globalization. Knowledge transfer and innovation facilitators were categorized into strategy-related facilitators, organization culture and orientation-related facilitators, and resource-related facilitators. Knowledge transfer and innovation barriers included autonomy, international knowledge dispersion, risk of knowledge leakage, search breadth, ambiguity and institutional voids. Key outcomes of knowledge transfer and innovation in multinationals included financial performance, innovation performance, knowledge flow, transfer effectiveness, patents and new product development.
Originality/value
By synthesizing the literature, the study aims to provide an overview of the current state of research on knowledge transfer and innovation in multinationals. The study develops a holistic model for fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in multinationals. The proposed novel framework can also be applied to perform a holistic assessment of the current literature in various research domains. Further, the study suggests future theory development and research agendas. The study also provides implications for practitioners using the framework to achieve more desirable outcomes.
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Theophilus Azungah, Snejina Michailova and Kate Hutchings
Despite the growing economic importance of Africa, the region has received scant attention in the international human resource management literature. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the growing economic importance of Africa, the region has received scant attention in the international human resource management literature. The purpose of this paper is to address the gap in examining human resource management (HRM) practices in Western multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) subsidiary operations in Ghana, which is a significant foreign direct investment market in Africa. Focusing on recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, and rewards management viewed through the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) framework, the research emphasizes that effectiveness of the MNEs’ cross-cultural operations has necessitated embracing localization across a range of practices in accordance with the Ghanaian cultural landscape and specificities.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on 37 in-depth interviews with managers and employees in eight subsidiaries of British, European and US MNEs in Ghana. Interviews were conducted in 2015 in three locations – the capital city Accra, Tema (in the south) and Tamale (in the north).
Findings
The research reinforces earlier literature emphasizing the importance of paternalism and family and to a lesser extent patronage, but presents new findings in highlighting the erstwhile unexplored role of local chiefs in influencing HRM practices in Western MNEs in Ghana. Utilizing the AMO framework, this paper highlights practices within each HR area that influences performance through impact on employee AMO.
Practical implications
The research informs MNE managers about the strategic importance of observing local cultural practices and designing appropriate strategies for ensuring both operational effectiveness and successful cross-cultural collaboration with local managers and employees in Ghana. It is suggested that if managers implement practices that foster and enhance employee AMO, subsidiaries may benefit from employee potential and discretionary judgment.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to a dearth of literature on HRM practices of Western MNEs’ subsidiaries in Africa by examining the extent to which MNEs strategically localize their practices to accommodate specificities of the host country cultural context and operate successfully.
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Modeling and system performance analysis play an important role in the planning of air traffic system. In particular, this paper aims to concentrate on the modeling and the…
Abstract
Purpose
Modeling and system performance analysis play an important role in the planning of air traffic system. In particular, this paper aims to concentrate on the modeling and the performance evaluation of air transportation system.
Design/methodology/approach
It has shown that system matrices inherent in the airspace network can be acquired based on the service times of flights. This paper deals with a logical modeling which can avoid temporal synchronization conflict of resources. As a result, a class of queuing system is investigated to obtain a representation of the airspace network dynamics using dioid model.
Findings
The analysis of the air traffic system is conducted by solving the system state model. This indicates that it is feasible to use eigenvalues of system model for acquiring characteristics of the considered air transport systems.
Practical implications
The departure scheduling prototype presented in this paper can offer air traffic controller a decision support tool to build optimal departure sequences for aircraft.
Originality/value
The properties of max-plus algebra described allow us to apply linear algebra concepts like eigenvalue and eigenvectors to obtain a solution to the air traffic system being modeled. By solving and analyzing the dioid model, this paper evaluated some performance measures of airspace network.
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This paper aims to examine the effects of green supply chain management (GSCM) on environmental and operational performances with a perspective of social capital accumulation in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the effects of green supply chain management (GSCM) on environmental and operational performances with a perspective of social capital accumulation in the supply chain. The roles of structural capital and relational social capital in GSCM were empirically explored.
Design/methodology/approach
A research model was developed to investigate the effects of GSCM on a supplier’s environmental and operational performances through structural and relational social capitals. Using an exploratory factor analysis, the study identified the structural and relational dimensions of social capital and the environmental and operational performance dimensions of supplier’s performance. The hypotheses were tested on data of 207 responses collected from supplying firms in South Korea, using structural equation modeling.
Findings
The paper finds that GSCM contributes to the environmental and operational performance improvements of the supply chain through social capital accumulation. Relational capital, in particular, plays a more important pivoting role in the relationships between GSCM and environmental and operational performances.
Practical implications
The findings of this paper provide useful insights about how supply chain members should integrate environmental issues into supply chain management practices that would enhance social capital accumulation to foster stronger operational and environmental performances throughout the entire supply chain.
Originality/value
This research is one of the few studies that explore the effects of GSCM on performance by explicitly considering social capital as an important intervening variable. By applying social capital theory, this study provides theoretical underpinning for furthering the GSCM literature.
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