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Article
Publication date: 6 September 2013

Sara Haji‐Kazemi and Bjørn Andersen

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the concept of early warning signs in projects and explain how a performance measurement system can be utilized as a source…

1771

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the concept of early warning signs in projects and explain how a performance measurement system can be utilized as a source of data for an early warning approach signaling that a project is about to experience problems at some stage in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

Combination of action research and semi‐structured interviews and document analysis supplemented by a post‐mortem analysis after project close‐out.

Findings

Detection of early warning signals in projects can be better enabled through the application of a performance measurement system with properly defined key performance indicators. Utilization of this tool can positively affect the overall success of the project.

Research limitations/implications

The case study involved only one project from the oil and gas industry.

Practical implications

The empirical case study was developed to illustrate the usefulness of exploiting a performance measurement system in a project. A procedure was demonstrated for developing and implementing an early warning system based on performance measurement, and specific performance indicators have been described for other projects to copy.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the gap in the literature concerning the link between early warning and project management and the link between early warning and performance measurement. It offers a new idea on how performance measurement can be used as an effective early warning system and is intended to be primarily of use to project management practitioners and practically‐oriented academics who are interested in developing fresh insights into new approaches for better management of projects.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 18 January 2023

Shane W. Reid, Aaron F. McKenny and Jeremy C. Short

A growing body of research outlines how to best facilitate and ensure methodological rigor when using dictionary-based computerized text analyses (DBCTA) in organizational…

Abstract

A growing body of research outlines how to best facilitate and ensure methodological rigor when using dictionary-based computerized text analyses (DBCTA) in organizational research. However, these best practices are currently scattered across several methodological and empirical manuscripts, making it difficult for scholars new to the technique to implement DBCTA in their own research. To better equip researchers looking to leverage this technique, this methodological report consolidates current best practices for applying DBCTA into a single, practical guide. In doing so, we provide direction regarding how to make key design decisions and identify valuable resources to help researchers from the beginning of the research process through final publication. Consequently, we advance DBCTA methods research by providing a one-stop reference for novices and experts alike concerning current best practices and available resources.

Article
Publication date: 20 June 2020

Alberto Sardi, Enrico Sorano, Valter Cantino and Patrizia Garengo

Current literature recognised big data as a digital revolution affecting all organisational processes. To obtain a competitive advantage from the use of big data, an efficient…

2318

Abstract

Purpose

Current literature recognised big data as a digital revolution affecting all organisational processes. To obtain a competitive advantage from the use of big data, an efficient integration in a performance measurement system (PMS) is needed, but it is still a “great challenge” in performance measurement research. This paper aims to review the big data and performance measurement studies to identify the publications’ trends and future research opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reviewed 873 documents on big data and performance carrying out an extensive bibliometric analysis using two main techniques, i.e. performance analysis and science mapping.

Findings

Results point to a significant increase in the number of publications on big data and performance, highlighting a shortage of studies on business, management and accounting areas, and on how big data can improve performance measurement. Future research opportunities are identified. They regard the development of further research to explain how performance measurement field can effectively integrate big data into a PMS and describe the main themes related to big data in performance measurement literature.

Originality/value

This paper gives a holistic view of big data and performance measurement research through the inclusion of numerous contributions on different research streams. It also encourages further study for developing concrete tools.

Details

Measuring Business Excellence, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-3047

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2010

Krystin Zigan and Dia Zeglat

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the value of intangible resources and, consequently, the importance of their integration into performance measurement systems applied in…

5101

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the value of intangible resources and, consequently, the importance of their integration into performance measurement systems applied in the hotel industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a thorough literature review, arguments draw on relevant theories in performance measurement in the hotel industry and the concept of intangible resources. Merging these two different concepts reveals new research areas.

Findings

The literature review shows that even those integrated performance measurement systems that aim to include non‐financial measures do not necessarily capture intangible resources. Based on this finding, suggestions for extending performance measurement systems are made.

Practical implications

This paper has significant implications for hotel managers, as it will allow them to broaden their perspective and include important performance drivers (i.e. intangible resources such as knowledge, motivation and social capital) in their performance measurement systems.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the need for a comprehensive performance measurement approach that comprises indicators for measuring intangible resources and suggests tools that better capture the contribution of these important performance drivers.

Details

Facilities, vol. 28 no. 13/14
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 October 2007

Marnix Kaart, Jos Vrancken and Wim Vree

The purpose of this paper is to argue that insight into internet topology at various levels of aggregation is necessary for identifying and understanding policy issues in the

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to argue that insight into internet topology at various levels of aggregation is necessary for identifying and understanding policy issues in the areas of fair competition, reliability and performance in the internet.

Design/methodology/approach

Using three areas of social concern in relation to the global information infrastructure as a context, the paper provides some theoretical examples, supported by case examples, which show the importance of gaining insight into internet topology.

Findings

The paper finds that proper detectors for internet policy are lacking and insight into the topology of the internet is needed. The only feasible way of obtaining this insight is by topology measurements, but still some fundamental pathologies in the available measurement tools and techniques need to be overcome. All internet topologies published to date suffer from these limitations and their use for identifying internet policy is limited.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides a general overview of importance and limitations. Future research should be focused on increasing the usability of internet topology by solving fundamental issues in the area of internet topology measurement.

Practical implications

The availability of high‐quality internet topology maps at various levels of aggregation would dramatically improve one's ability to identify and understand certain policy issues in the internet.

Originality/value

In policy analysis it is often ignored that certain policy issues have their base in the internet infrastructure and knowledge of this infrastructure is limited. In internet topology research, focus is mainly on technical and operational issues and limited attention is given to the usability of inferred topology for identifying policy issues. Until now, an approach that addresses both fundamental topology research and internet policy issues in concordance has been lacking.

Details

info, vol. 9 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-6697

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 October 2020

Elisabetta Garagiola, Alessandro Creazza and Emanuele Porazzi

Due to the evolution of the health-care scenario and the growing role of the primary care setting, the distribution processes of health technologies will be more and more in…

Abstract

Purpose

Due to the evolution of the health-care scenario and the growing role of the primary care setting, the distribution processes of health technologies will be more and more in demand in the near future. This paper aims to investigate this theme, analyzing the performance, strengths and weaknesses of the current distribution practices, with the ultimate overarching aim to improve the provision of the primary care services.

Design/methodology/approach

The research framework is twofold. First, a tool to monitor the economic/quantitative performance of the distribution models was designed; second, the tool was applied to measure the performance of distribution models of absorbent devices for incontinence adopted by Local Health Authorities (LHA) in Lombardy Region (Italy). Quantitative data were collected by LHAs (from 2012 to 2016) and compared through data-benchmarking. Qualitative data from interviews and focus groups complemented the outcomes.

Findings

Two main distribution models were investigated: distribution through pharmacies and home delivery. Results show that there is no winning/preferable model in terms of economic/quantitative performance and service quality level, but a counterbalanced combination of strengths and weaknesses exists. Moving from the highlighted weaknesses and building on the strengths, an alternate distribution model is proposed for testing.

Originality/value

The present study approaches the theme of primary care services with a holistic approach, filling a literature gap. It also provides practitioners with a tool of performance analysis and management and real data, applicable also in international contexts. The collected real-world data also gives insights on the area of the quality of care, with particular reference to the patients’ experience. As a lesson learned, policymakers and the National Healthcare Service should re-think their current distribution models/practices in the light of the highlighted criticisms and opportunities for improvement.

Details

Measuring Business Excellence, vol. 25 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-3047

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Marit Støre-Valen and Jardar Lohne

The paper aims to examine assessment tools for strategic performance evaluation of building and Norwegian practice in light of international practise.

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to examine assessment tools for strategic performance evaluation of building and Norwegian practice in light of international practise.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper includes a literature review of literature describing the use of assessment tools suitable for building performance evaluation. In this paper, the authors examine, first, what properties they find most essential when assessing building portfolios. This analysis is outlined in the theoretical framework section. Second, the authors examine what are the propensities of the analytic assessment tools that they perceive as to be found in the forefront of contemporary methodological development for examining building performance. These propensities are presented in the findings chapter. The authors discuss how they measure their applicability and impact of use.

Findings

The authors found several interesting methods for assessing building performance in general. In particular, the feed forward loop from Steinke, developed from BSC, Soft Landings Framework and the Norwegian multiMap method are recommended.

Practical implications

This conceptual paper addresses methodological challenges in a comparative way. This comparative approach permits for an identification of respective strengths and weaknesses. It suggests concrete points of reference enabling an increase in the performance of such methodologies.

Originality/value

The paper is original in its approach of several methodological tools in light of concepts such as viability and adaptability. By doing this, it underlines the necessity to include social and adaptive dimensions of strategic building portfolio assessment tools.

Article
Publication date: 13 January 2014

Avital Bechar and Moshe Eben-Chaime

Labor is the largest single cost contributor in agriculture. Accurate estimation of labor requirements is, thus, a key to cost reduction. Work measurement is the professional…

Abstract

Purpose

Labor is the largest single cost contributor in agriculture. Accurate estimation of labor requirements is, thus, a key to cost reduction. Work measurement is the professional discipline for this type of estimations, in the industrial engineering domain. Horticulture, however, lays a substantial barrier to work and, thus, to work measurement. Till harvesting, its products – fruits/flowers, are in fixed positions, and for all tasks the workers have to arrive at the plant. The purpose of this paper is to develop, test and analyze a system to perform horticultural work study in agricultural environments in order to accurately estimate the required amount of labor for each activity and to improve productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the development of an advanced system for work study on a hand-held computer (HHC) platform for horticultural work measurement is presented and an experimental study was conducted. The methodology consists of characteristics of the system platform including hardware, interface and software, development of a dedicated measuring software, a controlled experiment in agricultural environment and a statistical analysis.

Findings

The study shows that a single surveyor who uses traditional tools is subject to measurement errors, which can be reduced only with the assistance of a second surveyor. The study further shows that the HHC platform enables to avoid this second surveyor – a single surveyor who uses the HHC platform performs as accurate as two surveyors who use traditional tools. Of course, being computers, the HHC platform maintains the advantage of error free data transfer, in practically negligible time.

Originality/value

This paper presents a unique approach to perform work study in agricultural environment and contributes to minimize the errors accumulated in the process and the manpower required to perform the measurements.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 63 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 June 2019

Abteen Ijadi Maghsoodi, Abbas Saghaei and Ashkan Hafezalkotob

The purpose of this paper is to formulate and validate a measurement model to evaluate the service quality of cultural centers. This study aims to expand the domain of service…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to formulate and validate a measurement model to evaluate the service quality of cultural centers. This study aims to expand the domain of service quality measurement models by extending the SERVQUAL model to an alternative measurement tool called the ARTQUAL model based on three different preferences and scenarios including concert halls, theater halls and art galleries.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 15 cultural centers. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized in the current research to study the association between aesthetic environments and service quality. An exploratory factor analysis took place to formulate the fundamentals of the measurement model. The validation process is based on a hybrid framework integrating the covariance-based SEM along with the partial least square technique to present a robust validity of the ARTQUAL model. Ultimately, an extensive managerial analysis has been established to show the practicality of the ARTQUAL model.

Findings

This study provides empirical evidence that the ARTQUAL instrument is proven to be valid, reliable and appropriate to evaluate the service quality of cultural centers. Based on the real-world managerial analysis, the ARTQUAL model showed a significant practicality in quality evaluation of aesthetic environments.

Research limitations/implications

One of the most important limitations of quantitative studies, based on aesthetic features, is the cultural preferences. This limitation is due to the nature of cultural preferences and partialities applied in different countries based on the definition of quality involving aesthetic aspects such as age, sex and culture. Meanwhile, the findings of this study can guide the service management experts to better understand and improve customers’ perceptions and orientations of service quality in aesthetic environments.

Originality/value

This paper presents a novel service quality measurement model in order to evaluate the service quality of cultural centers. The originality of the current study is not merely limited to the suggestion of a new quality measurement model, a hybrid statistical validation framework has been provided as well. Therefore, this study provides valuable guidelines to both practitioners and academics to enhance the quality of service measurements in cultural centers.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 36 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2011

István Latos and Mihály Janóczki

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new method of evaluating the present state of X‐ray machines used in the electronics device manufacturing industry.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new method of evaluating the present state of X‐ray machines used in the electronics device manufacturing industry.

Design/methodology/approach

There are several kinds of failures that can only be detected by means of X‐ray inspection. The capabilities and properties of such machines, however, alter over a period of time. The effects of these changes are rarely published and when they are, the significance and reliability of the results produced depends very much on the state and capabilities of the machines in question.

Findings

The effectiveness and appropriateness of the present methods of calibration have been investigated. The optimization of the prevalence and effectiveness of these calibrations is described. Suggestions are also made as to the necessary adjustments or repairs that are required to reach the ideal optimized state of X‐ray machines. A scientifically substantiated method is also presented that can be efficiently employed in practise during automated X‐ray inspections of electronic devices.

Originality/value

In this paper, a new method of testing automated X‐ray inspection systems is introduced. It is clear that the method currently used by many engineers and inspection system manufacturers is not in itself sufficient, as they do not test grey‐scale and positioning stability in relation to changes that occur over time. Further, there is no evidence that numerical testing of the image quality takes place. Detailed investigations have been carried out to find the best methods to measure these parameters.

Details

Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0954-0911

Keywords

21 – 30 of over 87000