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1 – 10 of over 6000Trade and transport facilitation is a challenging area for international logistics and supply chains. A major problem in the area is the lack of a specific framework to support…
Abstract
Purpose
Trade and transport facilitation is a challenging area for international logistics and supply chains. A major problem in the area is the lack of a specific framework to support measurement and analyses of performance aspects concerning border‐crossing operations. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework for the area comprising strategic performance objectives of operations.
Design/methodology/approach
The framework derived from a theoretical and empirical basis. The empirical method involved a Delphi study with 11 experts with recognised knowledge in the area of international logistics and supply chain. The framework was validated through a substantive validity test conducted in a pilot study with 20 managers from organisations operating in a major international seaport overseas.
Findings
The study developed a framework structured by critical operations performance factors operationalised in terms of trade and transport facilitation aspects.
Research limitations/implications
The framework was pre‐tested in a specific context in Brazil. Its construct validity and reliability require further testing and refinement.
Practical implications
The framework provides reference for the definition of priorities and targeted initiatives in specific areas of trade and transport operations at border‐crossing levels. The initiatives can be aligned with relevant strategic performance objectives of operations in general.
Originality/value
The theoretical, empirical, and practical issues addressed in the research provide an insightful basis for future research and managerial initiatives. The framework defined in the study offers robust measures that allow academics and practitioners to understand and address critical aspects inherent in the operational dimension of trade and transport facilitation.
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Harindranath R.M. and Jayanth Jacob
In pharmaceutical marketing, salespeople require promotional instruments to satisfy and retain their customers (physicians), but companies ignore the need because of the costs…
Abstract
Purpose
In pharmaceutical marketing, salespeople require promotional instruments to satisfy and retain their customers (physicians), but companies ignore the need because of the costs involved. It appears that the importance of promotional support is understood differently by managers and sales representatives. This study aims at developing a new construct called “promotional support”, as a resource support provided to salespeople to help them satisfy customer needs and achieve sales goals.
Design/methodology/approach
A detailed review of literature is followed by in-depth interviews to create items for the construct “promotional support”. Substantive validity is performed for identification of items measuring the construct. To initially validate the measures, a vignette study is performed. Formative index development procedure is followed. Data from a sample of 124 pharmaceutical sales representatives are collected and analyzed.
Findings
A formative construct is developed which possesses convergent (redundancy analysis) and nomological validity. The results of post hoc validation tests like confirmatory tetrad analysis and inter-item correlation are satisfactory and confirm the authors’ conceptualization.
Research limitations/implications
The scale requires external validation by testing it with different samples such as managers of pharmaceutical firms.
Practical implications
This study will help managers of pharmaceutical firms gain insights into the role and importance of promotional inputs given to their sales representatives.
Originality/value
This study uses the formative scale development procedure to develop promotional support. This construct can be used to understand the effect of promotional support given to pharmaceutical sales representatives on other constructs, which in turn helps in theory-building.
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Matthew A. Douglas and Stephen M. Swartz
The purpose of this paper is to develop a measurement scale to assess over‐the‐road commercial motor vehicle operators' attitudes toward safety regulations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a measurement scale to assess over‐the‐road commercial motor vehicle operators' attitudes toward safety regulations.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review of the current USA motor carrier safety literature and general safety literature is conducted to determine the existence of a construct and measurement scale suitable for assessing truck drivers' attitudes toward regulations. As no existing construct is found, a new construct needs to be developed. A rigorous construct development process is conducted to establish the content domain, reliability, and validity of a new construct to measure truck drivers' regulatory attitudes.
Findings
The results of this paper shows a reliable and valid construct to measure truck drivers' perceptions of the general attitude, effectiveness, and enforcement of safety regulations.
Research limitations/implications
This effort is the initial construct development process and use of the construct in theory testing studies is necessary.
Practical implications
The regulatory attitude construct is developed in support of a larger investigation into the behavioral aspects of truck driver safety. The broader study seeks to inform theory and practice as to how the trucking industry's regulatory environment influences truck drivers' safety‐related decisions and behaviors. By identifying the impact of the regulatory environment, safety program managers should be able to direct their educational and training efforts to influence factors that will result in better decisions and safer driving behaviors.
Originality/value
This construct development process marks the first attempt to comprehensively measure truck drivers' attitudes toward safety regulations.
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Chonlada Sajjanit and Nopadol Rompho
The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise customer-oriented product returns service (COPRS) performance, and develop and validate its measure.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise customer-oriented product returns service (COPRS) performance, and develop and validate its measure.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses qualitative consumer interviews and a quantitative survey to conceptualise, operationalise and validate the measure of COPRS performance.
Findings
The findings indicate 12 components with 46 measurable items for COPRS performance, including assurance, compensation, convenience, empathy, employee empowerment, explanation, feedback, information availability, reliability, responsiveness, tangibles and timeliness.
Research limitations/implications
The measure could facilitate future empirical studies in the product returns service area. Future research could apply the COPRS performance measure across industries or in different settings such as cross-cultural or other retailing contexts.
Practical implications
Managers could evaluate their existing returns service performance in different key aspects based on the COPRS performance metrics and then improve their returns offerings accordingly. It also alerts practitioners to pay more attention to functional integration in designing returns service strategies to enhance customer satisfaction.
Originality/value
The study is one of the first to develop a new measure that substantiates the notion of an integrated marketing and reverse logistics interface, which is an underrepresented body of knowledge in the marketing and operations management disciplines.
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Tasks in today’s global marketplace are becoming increasingly reliant on the work of teams. As creativity and innovation are frequently required for organizational success, work…
Abstract
Purpose
Tasks in today’s global marketplace are becoming increasingly reliant on the work of teams. As creativity and innovation are frequently required for organizational success, work teams are becoming more and more prominent within all types of organizations. With the rise of organizational teams, the purpose of this paper is to develop appropriate tools to measure how well these teams work together and how well they perform required tasks.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper outlines a measure of teamwork, a transactive memory system (TMS), and proposes new methods for using TMSs to measure team structures, processes, and performance. These new methods include dispersion models and social network analysis.
Findings
Dispersion models and social network analysis hold promise for the future evaluation of TMS and other team constructs.
Originality/value
This paper provides a summary of two novel approaches to the measurement of TMS and other team constructs.
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Samsinar Md‐Sidin, Murali Sambasivan and Izhairi Ismail
The main purpose of this study is to link work‐family conflict, quality of work and non‐work lives, quality of life and social support (supervisor and spouse supports)…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this study is to link work‐family conflict, quality of work and non‐work lives, quality of life and social support (supervisor and spouse supports). Specifically, it seeks to address three different roles of social support that have theoretical and empirical support and the mediating roles of quality of work life and quality of non‐work life.
Design/methodology/approach
The SEM‐based approach has been used to study supervisor and spouse supports as moderators between work‐family conflict and quality of life; independent variables of work‐family conflict; independent variables of quality of life. The study has been carried out in Malaysia.
Findings
The main findings are: work‐family conflict has relationship with quality of life; quality of work life and non‐work life are “partial” mediators between work‐family conflict and quality of life; and, among the various roles of social support, its role as an independent variable of quality of life gives the best results.
Research limitations/implications
The research is based on a cross‐sectional study conducted in Malaysia and addresses only the spouse and supervisor supports as components of social support.
Originality/value
The research has developed a comprehensive model linking work‐family conflict, quality of work and non‐work lives, and quality of life and has studied the role of social support.
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Prior research has primarily examined interorganizational relationships from the supplier or customer side or using dyadic pairs. The study aims to offer a comparison of carrier…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior research has primarily examined interorganizational relationships from the supplier or customer side or using dyadic pairs. The study aims to offer a comparison of carrier and shipper relationship views using a hybrid research method examining the relationship from both points of view by sampling both populations independently with identical surveys.
Design/methodology/approach
Mail surveys were used to collect data from the two samples. Invariance tests were conducted, and the model was analyzed using structural equation modeling (AMOS 5.0).
Findings
Invariance tests of the measurement instrument and comparisons of specific results show that, in the context of shippers and carriers, relationships – specifically trust and commitment and the contribution of dependence to relationship strength – are perceived differently.
Research limitations/implications
Empirically supporting significant differences in theoretical relationship constructs between the two participants in an interorganizational relationship is important for understanding and advancing knowledge on supply chain relationships.
Practical implications
Successful supply chain management can only be achieved when firms successfully develop and manage relationships with other firms in their supply chain; therefore, it is important to recognize and understand any differences in these relationships so that they will be better equipped to manage them. Knowing that the other firm perceives differences in levels of trust and commitment and the contribution of dependence to relationship strength can provide indications of behaviors that are important to a firm in reaching their relationship goals.
Originality/value
The paper applies a method to compare supplier and customer relationship views that has not been used in supply chain management literature to uncover and support relationship differences between carriers and shippers.
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Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way…
Abstract
Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way of using the law in specific circumstances, and shows the variations therein. Sums up that arbitration is much the better way to gok as it avoids delays and expenses, plus the vexation/frustration of normal litigation. Concludes that the US and Greek constitutions and common law tradition in England appear to allow involved parties to choose their own judge, who can thus be an arbitrator. Discusses e‐commerce and speculates on this for the future.
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Martin C. Euwema, Evert Van de Vliert and Arnold B. Bakker
In this observation study the theory of conglomerated conflict behavior is tested. The impact of seven conflict behaviors on substantive and relational conflict outcomes is…
Abstract
In this observation study the theory of conglomerated conflict behavior is tested. The impact of seven conflict behaviors on substantive and relational conflict outcomes is examined through multiple independent observations of 103 Dutch nurse managers handling a standardized conflict. Results show that process controlling is most important for achieving substantive outcomes, whereas problem solving, confronting, and forcing are most important for relational outcomes. In addition, substantive and relational outcomes are positively related. Implications for managerial practice and training are discussed.
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This paper aims to conceptualise and measure the technical aspects of the division of labour (DoL) with a new survey indicator of technical complexity (ITC) at work.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to conceptualise and measure the technical aspects of the division of labour (DoL) with a new survey indicator of technical complexity (ITC) at work.
Design/methodology/approach
Two technical criteria skills and functions are used to distinguish positions in the DoL and to cluster and rank them into a 28‐category ordinal survey ITC. The indicator's construct‐validity is tested by assessing the correlation between these criteria and occupational activities' levels of substantive and organizational complexity, as uncovered by categorical principal component analysis. Criterion‐validity is assessed by testing the indicator's ability to predict occupational prestige, absolutely and relatively to other indicators.
Findings
The indicator shows high levels of construct and criterion‐validity.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to a better understanding and measurement of technical constraints in the DoL, facilitating a future evaluation of their impact on class inequalities.
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