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1 – 10 of over 1000Alireza Shokri, Teresa Shirley Waring and Farhad Nabhani
The purpose of this paper is to focus on three fundamental human-related behaviour factors associated with Lean Six Sigma (LSS) projects in German manufacturing small-and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on three fundamental human-related behaviour factors associated with Lean Six Sigma (LSS) projects in German manufacturing small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the readiness of people (managers and their staff) to commence LSS projects. These are core personal competence, strategic vision of the people and the organisational culture of the specific organisation.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a thorough review of the academic literature a set of hypotheses were constructed to examine the level of association between people’s competence, vision and culture with LSS readiness within SMEs. This was done using correlation and regression analysis. Data collection were carried out in seven different German manufacturing SMEs involved in aerospace supply and agro-food manufacturing using a survey instrument.
Findings
It was found that there is a strong positive association between the core competence of people and organisational culture with readiness for commencing LSS in the manufacturing SMEs studied. The core values of people, education level and the vision of making continuous quality improvement were identified as key variables in promoting LSS readiness in these manufacturing SMEs. This study indicates that these “softer” variables can be essential to successful LSS implementation and need to be explored further before undertaking the process.
Practical implications
From the perspective of the implementers of LSS the results of this research could be of interest to different manufacturing SMEs intending to embark upon an LSS journey as it highlights the significance of human-related behavioural factors in the process. SME organisations may consider carrying out development or training with their managers and employees around personal and organisational values, addressing core competence and strengthening organisational culture in order to facilitate LSS readiness and enhance the prospect of its success.
Originality/value
It would appear that this LSS research has not been carried out within the German manufacturing SME context before and although discrete in nature has surfaced the “softer” variables of core competence of staff and organisational culture as important readiness issues to address when undertaking LSS. This integrated approach of human behavioural factors, organisational culture, LSS and manufacturing SMEs demonstrates the originality of the research.
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Marco Bettiol, Mauro Capestro, Eleonora Di Maria and Stefano Micelli
The paper refers to the framework of ambidexterity to explain the strategic paths of manufacturing SMEs in turbulent times, by investigating SMEs' strategic reaction to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper refers to the framework of ambidexterity to explain the strategic paths of manufacturing SMEs in turbulent times, by investigating SMEs' strategic reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted an inductive approach methodology. Using a qualitative research method, Italian manufacturing SMEs in different industries were interviewed to outline how they have faced the negative effects of the COVID-19 by considering the strategies implemented during the pandemic.
Findings
The study identifies three ambidextrous strategies for manufacturing SMEs to positively overcome the COVID-19 crisis: (1) playing different roles within the same market (business-to-business and business-to-consumer) simultaneously, (2) simultaneous entrance and management of multiple markets and (3) exploiting manufacturing knowledge for exploring product and business model innovation (simultaneous learning processes).
Research limitations/implications
Results enrich the theoretical discussion on ambidexterity and SMEs, by stressing the strategic dimension of ambidexterity and including a more fine-grained analysis of the different firm’ strategic paths in times of crisis.
Practical implications
The paper provides practical suggestions for manufacturing SMEs on how they can react during turbulent times and crises by implementing ambidextrous strategies also thanks to the use of digital technologies.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to outlining the conditions for SMEs' resilience in the international competitive context by highlighting the perspective of ambidexterity based on the analysis of multiple case studies from manufacturing industries.
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Aris Nur Hermawan, Ilyas Masudin, Fien Zulfikarijah, Dian Palupi Restuputri and S. Sarifah Radiah Shariff
The study aims to determine the impact of sustainable manufacturing on environmental performance through government regulation and eco-innovation in Indonesian small and…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to determine the impact of sustainable manufacturing on environmental performance through government regulation and eco-innovation in Indonesian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Findings
The results indicate sustainable manufacturing plays a significant role in SMEs' environmental performance and regulations, and eco-innovation can moderate it. It also reveals that government regulation has a positive and significant effect on environmental performance. Moreover, eco-innovation has a positive and significant effect on environmental performance.
Practical implications
The findings of this study indicate that SMEs can embrace sustainable manufacturing practices and achieve their long-term sustainability goals by adhering to regulations, collaborating with stakeholders and implementing eco-friendly innovations.
Originality/value
This research uncovers ground-breaking perspectives on the evolution of scientific knowledge about the impact of eco-innovation, regulatory measures and sustainable manufacturing practices on the environmental performance of SMEs.
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Kassimu Issau, Innocent Senyo Kwasi Acquah, Robert Ipiin Gnankob and Zulaiha Hamidu
The purpose of this paper is to assess the influence of innovation orientation dimensions on the performance of manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the influence of innovation orientation dimensions on the performance of manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
Probability sampling technique, particularly, simple random method, was used for this study. Approximately, 81% response rate was achieved from a total sample size of 346. Furthermore, PLS-SEM technique was used to determine the relationships among the study variables.
Findings
The result showed that market innovation significantly predicted SMEs’ performance. Conversely, non-significant positive nexus was established between process innovation and SMEs’ performance as well as product innovation and SMEs’ performance.
Practical implications
Based on the outcome, the stakeholders in the SME sector should aim at improving their market, products and process innovations.
Originality/value
Despite the importance attached to the employment of innovation in the SME sector by scholars in the extant literature, studies involving dimensions of innovation orientation on SMEs’ performance were not much seen in literature. This study enriched literature by determining the relationships between the innovation orientation dimensions and SMEs’ performance.
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Wilfred H. Knol, Jannes Slomp, Roel L.J. Schouteten and Kristina Lauche
This paper examines whether and when improvement routines are critical for implementing lean practices in small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs). Improvement…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines whether and when improvement routines are critical for implementing lean practices in small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs). Improvement routines such as “employees initiate and carry through improvement activities” are generally seen as an important means to achieve the full benefit of structural lean interventions. Womack and Jones (2003) suggest that these improvement routines should be developed as the company becomes more experienced in lean. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relative importance of individual improvement routines at various degrees of lean practice implementation.
Design/methodology/approach
A Between-Case Comparison Analysis (Dul and Hak, 2012) and a Necessary Condition Analysis (Dul, 2016) were performed on self-assessment data from 241 respondents at 38 Dutch manufacturing SMEs.
Findings
The importance of improvement routines depended on the degree of lean practice implementation. Lean practices could be implemented to some extend without developing specific improvement routines, yet certain routines were necessary for more advanced implementations of lean. These routines relate to employees conducting shared improvement activities and in the most advanced cases to aligning different improvement activities.
Originality/value
These findings question existing lean implementation models that neglect improvement routines and indicate the need to integrate improvement routines into every lean transformation for it to be sustainable.
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Abdullahi Hassan Gorondutse, Gamal Abdualmajed Ali and Haim Hilman
Total quality management (TQM) must include orientation towards quality awareness in the overall organisational processes in a firm. A successful TQM needs a supportive culture…
Abstract
Purpose
Total quality management (TQM) must include orientation towards quality awareness in the overall organisational processes in a firm. A successful TQM needs a supportive culture that can adapt to alterations and strengthen innovation. This study aims to confirm the association between the style of management known as organisational culture (OC) and TQM practices in manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
Data-driven research was drawn from self-assessment inquiries among 772 managers/owners of manufacturing SMEs of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom (KSA). The dominant culture was detected by means of a cross-sectional technique.
Findings
The findings enrich the literature by revealing a positive effect of OC on TQM execution in the manufacturing SMEs of KSA.
Research limitations/implications
Prior to the execution of TQM operations, administrators of manufacturing SMEs should be aware of the culture within organisations so that TQM may be implemented.
Practical implications
The study suggests that organisations, particularly manufacturing SMEs, should constantly strive to enhance the TQM culture.
Social implications
Amid intense competition among manufacturing SMEs, it is crucial to guarantee their high performance. This research assists society in evaluating the strength of a particular SME sector and further enables it to assess which SMEs really have a good OC–TQM relation.
Originality/value
The paper creates and presents various platforms of the OC and TQM as a unified body of knowledge.
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Pittawat Ueasangkomsate and Kamonchanok Suthiwartnarueput
This paper aimed to examine the relationship between green logistics management (GLM) practices and export intensity of Thai SMEs in food and drinks manufacturing. The research…
Abstract
This paper aimed to examine the relationship between green logistics management (GLM) practices and export intensity of Thai SMEs in food and drinks manufacturing. The research involved carrying out in-depth interviews with ten experts to shed light on factors of GLM practices. The authors used a questionnaire to survey the data amongst 89 SME exporters through purposive sampling with valid 52 responses. The managerial issues related to export intensity, GLM practices, with regards to whether firms followed ISO 14001 and whether they had an employee(s) responsible for environmental management. The findings suggest that greater GLM practices being applied lead to higher export intensity in SME. The results indicate that most SMEs apply GLM practices in all dimensions to gain the benefits from the export market. It also emerged that those following ISO 14001 and/or having an employee(s) were associated with having higher export intensity than those who did not engage in these practices.
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Praveen Kulkarni, Arun Kumar, Ganesh Chate and Padma Dandannavar
This study aims to examine factors that determine the adoption of additive manufacturing by small- and medium-sized industries. It provides insights with regard to benefits…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine factors that determine the adoption of additive manufacturing by small- and medium-sized industries. It provides insights with regard to benefits, challenges and business factors that influence small- and medium-sized industries when adopting this technology. The study also aims to expand the domain of additive manufacturing by including a broader range of challenges and benefits of additive manufacturing in literature.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data collected from 175 small- and medium-sized industries, the study has examined through Mann–Whitney test to understand the difference between owners and design engineers on additive manufacturing technology adoption in small- and medium-sized companies.
Findings
This study suggests contribution to academic discussion by providing associated factors that have significant impact on the adoption of additive manufacturing technology. Related advantages of additive manufacturing are reduction in inventory cost, lowering the wastage in production and customization of products. The study also indicates that factors such as cost of machinery, higher level of cost in integrating metal components have a negative impact on the adoption of this technology in small- and medium-sized industries.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further in the field of challenges and growth in other areas of application of additive manufacturing, for instance, medical sciences, fabric and aerospace.
Practical implications
The study provides important implications that are of interest for both research and practitioners, related to technology management in small- and medium-sized industries, e.g. foundry and machining industries.
Social implications
This work/study fulfills an identified need of the small- and medium-sized companies in adopting new technologies and contribute to their growth by understanding the need to accept and implement technology.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to study how small- and medium-scale companies accept new technologies and factors associated with implementation in the manufacturing process of the organization.
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Bartlomiej Gladysz, Davide Matteri, Krzysztof Ejsmont, Donatella Corti, Andrea Bettoni and Rodolfo Haber Guerra
Manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have already noticed the tangible benefits offered by artificial intelligence (AI). Several approaches have been proposed…
Abstract
Purpose
Manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have already noticed the tangible benefits offered by artificial intelligence (AI). Several approaches have been proposed with a view to support them in the processes entailed in this innovation path. These include multisided platforms created to enable the connection between SMEs and AI developers, making it easier for them to network each other. While such platforms are complex, they facilitate simultaneous interaction with several stakeholders and reaching out to new potential users (both SMEs and AI developers), through a collaboration with supporting ecosystems such as digital innovation hubs (DIHs).
Design/methodology/approach
Mixed methods were used. The literature review was performed to identify the existing approaches within and outside the manufacturing domain. Computer-assisted telephonic (in-depth) interviewing , was conducted to include perspectives of AI platform stakeholders and collect primary data from various European countries.
Findings
Several challenges and barriers for AI platform stakeholders were identified alongside the corresponding best practices and guidelines on how to address them.
Originality/value
An effective approach was proposed to provide support to the industrial platform managers in this field, by developing guidelines and best practices on how a platform should build its services to support the ecosystem.
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Denis Samwel Ringo, Amani Gration Tegambwage and Isaac Kazungu
This paper aims to examine the relationship between innovation capabilities (INVC) and export performance (EXPERF) of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Moreover…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the relationship between innovation capabilities (INVC) and export performance (EXPERF) of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Moreover, the paper aims to investigate the moderating effect of risk-taking propensity (RSTP) in the relationship between INVC and the SMEs’ EXPERF.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey design was used and data were collected through structured questionnaires from 250 manufacturing exporting SMEs in Tanzania. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the measurement model. The hypotheses were empirically tested using PROCESS macro test.
Findings
The findings affirm that INVC is a significant predictor of EXPERF. Additionally, RSTP was found to be a significant moderator of the relationship between INVC and EXPERF.
Research limitations/implications
Although the study was able to accomplish its overall objective, it is limited in terms of the context under which the study was conducted. This study covered only manufacturing SMEs in a single country, Tanzania. Hence, the findings should be interpreted with caution since each country has specific institutional environments that support innovation.
Originality/value
The findings of this study expand the application of the resource-based view (RBV) theory in exporting context. The study revealed how INVC as an intangible resource can lead to successful performance. Hence, the findings of this study broaden the applicability of RBV theory. Also, this study contributes to the debate about the innovation-export performance relationship by revealing a moderating role of RSTP in the relationship between INVC and EXPERF.
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