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The purpose of the paper is to develop alternative paths to the transition process as a result of alternative models of transition.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to develop alternative paths to the transition process as a result of alternative models of transition.
Design/methodology/approach
A political economy methodology to the transition process results in alternative transition models. As a result five alternative models of transition come into being.
Findings
Transition models can be distinguished on the basis of economic analysis, speed and the political structure. Each model recommended a set of economic policies to facilitate the transition process. The adoption of gradualist processes of transition – except in the case of shock therapy – requires a sequence by which the reforms should be introduced.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the transition literature by developing a set of economic policies combined with a sequence path for each transition model.
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Thommie Burström and Mattias Jacobsson
The purpose of this paper is to identify and understand challenges related to transition processes that occur between projects and the permanent organisation, as well as the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and understand challenges related to transition processes that occur between projects and the permanent organisation, as well as the outcome of such processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on an explorative, in‐depth case study of a multi‐project setting. The concept phase of three projects was followed by participative observations and ongoing interviews over a 15‐week period at two sites and in two countries. The empirical material was analyzed through a process‐oriented approach focusing on daily project activities.
Findings
Transition processes are characterized by containing operational complexities. These operational complexities demand project stakeholders to perform multiple translational and transformative activities. The outcomes from these activities are, for example, strategic, operational, and functional fine‐tuning, but also attitudinal turnaround.
Research limitations/implications
This research is based on an interorganizational vehicle platform project setting. Therefore, the findings from this study cannot easily be generalized to other settings. However, it is likely that actors in other interorganizational project settings can benefit from the finding, since there probably are a multitude of transition processes in such projects as well.
Practical implications
Managers can learn that it is important to map all related transition processes, analyze the implications that these processes have on the project, and perform a dialog with project members so that the sense of operational complexity and uncertainty can be reduced. This type of action will reduce feelings of frustration and create a sense of readiness to deal with unexpected events.
Originality/value
The paper's value is two‐fold. First, the setting “an interorganizational vehicle platform” is largely under studied; and second, the paper pinpoints three unique transition processes and thereby contributes to the sparsely researched area of transition processes.
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Heiko Gebauer and Thomas Friedli
This paper attempts to provide a better understanding of behavioral processes and their impact on the transition from products to services.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper attempts to provide a better understanding of behavioral processes and their impact on the transition from products to services.
Design/methodology/approach
Case studies are the main tool of theory development. The paper focuses mainly on German and Swiss product manufacturers, whose products require a high level of customer investment.
Findings
The objective was merely to explain behavioral dimension of transition. The paper indicated seven behavioral processes which play a critical role during the transition. Managerial service awareness and role understanding, as well as employee service awareness and role understanding seem to be the right triggers to change the behavioral processes in the desired manner.
Research limitations/implications
The main focus was on the German and Swiss machinery and medical equipment manufacturing industries, and the remarks are limited to these sectors.
Practical implications
The key managerial implications and recommendations can be formulated as follows: establish a “value‐added” managerial service awareness; change managerial role understanding – from traditional customer support to business manager; establish a “value‐added” employee service awareness; and change employee role understanding – from selling products to providing services.
Originality/value
The authors were able to add a complementary perspective to existing literature on the transition process from products to services. For service management theorists, it is suggested that the transition from product manufacturers into service providers is influenced strongly by several behavioral processes. A complete theory of the transition process requires an interdisciplinary theory that integrates service management and human decision making.
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Saartje Sondeijker, Jac Geurts, Jan Rotmans and Arnold Tukker
To address lessons that specify the impact and contribution of current scenario methods when focused on facilitating transition management processes.
Abstract
Purpose
To address lessons that specify the impact and contribution of current scenario methods when focused on facilitating transition management processes.
Design/methodology/approach
Comparative literature review based on transition management and scenario development.
Research limitations/implications
Need of further systemic thought about the required criteria of transition scenarios and the embedding of scenario use in transition management processes.
Practical implications
Processes of transition management are in need of transition specific scenarios.
Originality/value
Because transition management implies a complex and long‐term steering paradigm with which current scenario applications are not familiar, conclusions are drawn on the (changing) requirements of scenario development processes in transition management and on the need to innovate current scenario methods in the context of transition management.
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Multimaterial components possess material boundaries that introduce potential points of failure. Graded material transitions can help mitigate the impact of these abrupt property…
Abstract
Purpose
Multimaterial components possess material boundaries that introduce potential points of failure. Graded material transitions can help mitigate the impact of these abrupt property changes. This approach is becoming increasingly accessible through three-dimensional (3D) printing, but it has yet to be extensively studied for rapid prototyping processes that are limited in resolution or number of material types. This study aims to investigate methods for applying graded transitions when using manufacturing processes with these limitations.
Design/methodology/approach
This study introduces a series of transition types that have graded properties and are produced using a finite number of discrete materials. This study presents a workflow for generating, fabricating and testing these transition types. This study uses this workflow with two different manufacturing processes to characterize the impact of each transition type on the ultimate tensile strength of a component.
Findings
Graded transitions can improve the performance of a component if the proper transition type is used. For high-fidelity processes, the best performing transitions are those closest to a true gradient. For low-fidelity processes, the best performing transitions are those which provide a balance of graded properties and mechanical connection.
Research limitations/implications
The presented performance trends are specific to the studied processes and materials. Future work using different fabrication parameters can use the presented workflow to assess process-specific trends.
Originality/value
This work comprehensively compares different methods of creating graded transitions using discrete materials, including several novel approaches. It also provides a new design workflow that allows the design of graded transitions to be easily integrated into a 3D printing workflow.
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Irina Paladi and Pierre Fenies
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive review of empirical research on performance management (PM) in former communist Central and Eastern European (CEE…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive review of empirical research on performance management (PM) in former communist Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, to evaluate the state of knowledge in this area and suggest possible directions for future research.
Methodology/approach
An examination of the literature was undertaken to review the empirical studies treating on PM in ex-communist countries from CEE. A total of 96 journal articles, PhD thesis, and conference papers were identified, categorized, and analyzed according to research questions, methodology, and theoretical framework. Contributions are classified by countries, according to progress in transition process (post-transition/transition countries) and membership in the Soviet Union (Soviet/non-Soviet countries). The review examines publications in four languages (English, French, Romanian, and Russian).
Findings
The literature review identified various stages of development of PM research and practice in the different groups of CEE countries.
In post-transition CEE countries, PM research follows the trends settled up in the developed countries (quantitative studies examining the extent of usage of different PM tools, influence of contingent factors, relationship PM-strategy, and impact on company’s performance). Also, the findings illustrate the modernization of PM practices: increasing importance of nonfinancial indicators and integrated performance management systems (PMS), although financial indicators are prevailing.
On the contrary, in transition countries PM research and practices are at an early stage, the reviewed literature highlights some specific issues related to transition context: the dynamic aspect of PM, change management, importance of informal systems, cultural aspects, and business traditions.
Research limitations
Because of the large number of CEE countries and the diversity of their national languages, many studies conducted in native languages have not been addressed in this literature review, which is essentially based on publications in English and French. Only for three CEE countries (Russia, Romania, and Moldova) publications in national language were considered.
Practical implications
This literature review may be useful for practitioners, providing insights on the extent of diffusion and usage of different PM tools and identifying difficulties and pitfalls to avoid in their implementation.
Originality/value
The chapter represents one of the first contributions to the knowledge about PM research and practice in former communist CEE countries. The adopted framework for reviewing and classifying the literature allows identifying the differences in PM research and practices between post-transition/transition and Soviet/non-Soviet countries.
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Eleni Georganta, C. Shawn Burke, Stephanie Merk and Franziska Mann
The purpose of this study was to explore the team process-sequences executed within and across performance episodes and their relation to team performance. In doing so, this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the team process-sequences executed within and across performance episodes and their relation to team performance. In doing so, this effort responds to the call for examining the temporal and dynamic aspects of teams.
Design/methodology/approach
Data (i.e. observations and audio recordings) was collected from the stand-up meetings of three high-performing Scrum teams across six points in time during two consecutive performance episodes (i.e. beginning, midpoint, end). After content coding the data, lag sequential analyses was used to examine patterns of executed team processes to determine whether particular process-sequences occurred significantly different from others.
Findings
Teams shifted between transition and action phase processes during performance episodes. During and across performance episodes, process-sequences primarily consisted of transition processes. When teams executed process-sequences consisting solely of action phase processes, their focus was on monitoring processes.
Research limitations/implications
This study hopes that the findings here will serve to spur researchers to more fully investigate the relationship between process-sequences and team performance across various team types. However, limitations (e.g. small sample size, unknown point of teams’ life cycle and focus on explicit team processes) should be taken into account when building on the present findings.
Originality/value
This study contributes to a better understanding of the temporal and dynamic nature of team processes by analyzing how the team process and process-sequences occur across time. In addition, this study moves beyond most studies that assess team processes as static retrospective perceptions and consider their natural ordering.
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Fernando F. Fachin and Eduardo Davel
– The purpose of this paper is to understand the interconnection of identity play and identity work during transitions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the interconnection of identity play and identity work during transitions.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have conducted a 46-year longitudinal and process-based study on film director Denys Arcand. The focus is on his contested career shift from being a political documentary filmmaker to a box-office success and maker of television commercials. Films and media interviews were largely and systematically analyzed.
Findings
In order to explain how to maintain a sense of authenticity in transitioning between contradictory paths, the authors highlight how identity play and identity work appear in self-fuelling interaction through four processes (fragmenting, developing, mixing, and extracting).
Practical implications
The authors suggest new ways to deal with career transitions as well as identity construction in constraining environments.
Originality/value
The authors offer a theoretical framework that makes it possible to combine understandings of identity play and identity work. In particular, the authors develop on how, through play, individuals can create circumstances favourable for performing identity work in the future.
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The objective of this research is to explore integration and transition activities in large industrial projects. The purpose is to (a) obtain a better understanding of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this research is to explore integration and transition activities in large industrial projects. The purpose is to (a) obtain a better understanding of the integration and transition activities between the project front-end (FE) and project initiation phases (PIPs), (b) explore what, how and when these integrations and transitions occur, and (c) explore what the integration and transition activities mean to project practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research design methodology is followed, based on interviews using open-ended questions. An expert panel is used to provide responses to questions pertaining to the integration and transition between the project FE and PIP. The research is focused on managing large projects in the South African electrical engineering industrial projects industry. A literature review combined with empirical analysis reflects the importance of integrating and transitioning in project business.
Findings
The findings provide guidance to researchers and practitioners on integration and transition mechanisms, how and when these occur. It highlights the benefits of integration and transition activities. Important lessons for researchers and practitioners are provided together with areas for future research.
Originality/value
This is an interpretative analysis of expert opinion. Expert panel members are experienced at senior decision-making level, and their expertise was accessed based on experience, education and knowledge. This extensive experience is shared in this paper providing insights into their opinions, experiences, success and failures. These inputs together with the literature review provide interesting implications for both a theoretical foundation as well as practical implications for practitioners.
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