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1 – 10 of over 13000Jarita Duasa, Suhaimi Mhd Sarif and Nur Arfifah Abdul Sabian
Four main strategies required for firms to be able to achieve their main objectives in organizations under the unified theory of the firm are technological advance, intellectual…
Abstract
Purpose
Four main strategies required for firms to be able to achieve their main objectives in organizations under the unified theory of the firm are technological advance, intellectual development, spirituality conducts and customer satisfaction concern. This study aims to explore the inclination of firms to adopt all these strategies in, factors that contribute to the adoption of all these strategies and significant relationship between these strategies of firms in the context of Malaysian firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Using primary data from the survey on a sample of firms in the financial sector of Malaysia, the study adopts several methods of analysis such as t-test for dependent sample, t-test for independent sample and correlation. Furthermore, ordinary least squares regressions are estimated to determine factors that have an impact on a particular strategy.
Findings
It is found that the strategies of the unified theory of the firm significantly contributed to the education level of managers. Highly educated managers tend to adopt strategies most of the time. It is also found that scores of customer satisfaction concern are highly related to scores of intellectual development and spirituality conduct. The correlation coefficient is also high between spirituality conduct and intellectual development.
Originality/value
The study analyzes the adoption of important strategies of a unified theory of firm among several firms using first-hand data (primary data) collected from the survey.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled the transition in the workplace into the digital era. The purpose of this review paper is to highlight how the pandemic has further exposed the…
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled the transition in the workplace into the digital era. The purpose of this review paper is to highlight how the pandemic has further exposed the digital divide and the structural inequalities in remote workers’ access to home-location technology infrastructure and services. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) is adopted to highlight how the pandemic has forced the workforce to accept and use digital technology from home for work purposes.
Design/methodology/approach
This desktop-based review paper is drawn from the existing literature. Although both benefits and disadvantages are noted, technology plays a critical role in connecting remote workers to the digital world.
Findings
The paper found that remote workers did not necessarily struggle to work remotely from home to undertake their daily work tasks. Still, the critical challenge was the available Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in their respective residential areas.
Practical implications
The paper seeks to highlight that even though the COVID-19 pandemic and related events have fast-tracked the switch of many work activities into the digital era, the uneven distribution of ICT infrastructure accentuates the barriers to effective home workplaces for many in developing communities. The research found a significant role that the advancement and acceptance of technologies play in the efficacy of remote working from home.
Originality/value
The relevance of this paper is in its contribution to the literature in extending knowledge about the UTAUT on remote working during a pandemic. The arguments presented herein may contribute to policy development and the ongoing debate about how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift into the digital era on a global basis.
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John T. Mentzer, Soonhong Min and L. Michelle Bobbitt
Despite the growing importance of logistics in corporate strategy and the global economy, the logistics literature reveals little effort to build a unified theory of logistics…
Abstract
Despite the growing importance of logistics in corporate strategy and the global economy, the logistics literature reveals little effort to build a unified theory of logistics (i.e. a theory of the role of logistics in the firm). Thus, the purpose of this paper is to move toward a unified theory of logistics within the contexts of the strategic role and capabilities of logistics. Considering the importance of logistics in today's corporate strategy, various theories of the firm are adapted to explain the reasons for logistics activities within the firm. The proposed theory should serve as a conceptual reference point for future theory development and empirical research in logistics.
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Subhodeep Mukherjee, Manish Mohan Baral, B. Latha Lavanya, Ramji Nagariya, Bharat Singh Patel and Venkataiah Chittipaka
Blockchain can track the material from the manufacturer to the end customers. Therefore, it can ensure the product's authenticity, transparency and trust in the retail supply…
Abstract
Purpose
Blockchain can track the material from the manufacturer to the end customers. Therefore, it can ensure the product's authenticity, transparency and trust in the retail supply chain (SC). There is a need to trace and track the retail products before it reaches the customers to check the quality of the products so that expired products can be recycled and reused, which in turn will help gain customers' trust. This research aims to investigate retail employees' behavioural intention to adopt blockchain in the retail SC.
Design/methodology/approach
To examine the behavioural intention of employees in the retail SC, the research uses three theories – the technology acceptance model; the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology; and the theory of planned behaviour. The technology acceptance model measures the employee's acceptance of blockchain in the retail SC. The unified theory of acceptance is used in this research to measure how blockchain adoption will improve the performance of the employees. The theory of planned behaviour is used in this research to measure whether the employees intend to adopt blockchain. A survey was carried out in the retail stores of India. Exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used for data analysis.
Findings
This study found that the employees of the retail stores have a positive intention and attitude to adopt blockchain technology. Further, it was found that perceived behavioural control and effort expectancy was not promoting blockchain adoption in the retail sector.
Practical implications
This study will help the retail stores' employees understand the blockchain in their operations and will motivate the top management of the retail companies to adopt this technology. The study is limited to the retail SC in India only.
Originality/value
This study uses three theories technology acceptance model; the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology; and the theory of planned behaviour, which were not used in earlier studies of blockchain adoption in the retail SC.
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There is a need for a unified theory of the strategic management ofmanufacturing. Current theory encourages the strategic management ofmanufacturing by seeking to match the use of…
Abstract
There is a need for a unified theory of the strategic management of manufacturing. Current theory encourages the strategic management of manufacturing by seeking to match the use of production resources with the need to satisfy the order winning criteria of the target markets. Such an approach suggests but one strategic role of manufacturing. The purpose of this article is to use previous research findings on a taxonomy of generic manufacturing strategies, the author′s own research and recently published academic theory to propose a unified theory of strategic manufacturing management. The theory links competitive strategy with four strategic roles of manufacturing. A strategic planning model is proposed to facilitate the preparation of a development plan which will not only enable manufacturing to support the competitive strategy of the firm but also to establish a strategy for manufacturing‐led competitive advantage.
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The equation of unified knowledge says that S = f (A,P) which means that the practical solution to a given problem is a function of the existing, empirical, actual realities and…
Abstract
The equation of unified knowledge says that S = f (A,P) which means that the practical solution to a given problem is a function of the existing, empirical, actual realities and the future, potential, best possible conditions of general stable equilibrium which both pure and practical reason, exhaustive in the Kantian sense, show as being within the realm of potential realities beyond any doubt. The first classical revolution in economic thinking, included in factor “P” of the equation, conceived the economic and financial problems in terms of a model of ideal conditions of stable equilibrium but neglected the full consideration of the existing, actual conditions. That is the main reason why, in the end, it failed. The second modern revolution, included in factor “A” of the equation, conceived the economic and financial problems in terms of the existing, actual conditions, usually in disequilibrium or unstable equilibrium (in case of stagnation) and neglected the sense of right direction expressed in factor “P” or the realization of general, stable equilibrium. That is the main reason why the modern revolution failed in the past and is failing in front of our eyes in the present. The equation of unified knowledge, perceived as a sui generis synthesis between classical and modern thinking has been applied rigorously and systematically in writing the enclosed American‐British economic, monetary, financial and social stabilization plans. In the final analysis, a new economic philosophy, based on a synthesis between classical and modern thinking, called here the new economics of unified knowledge, is applied to solve the malaise of the twentieth century which resulted from a confusion between thinking in terms of stable equilibrium on the one hand and disequilibrium or unstable equilibrium on the other.
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Arni Halldorsson, Herbert Kotzab, Juliana H. Mikkola and Tage Skjøtt‐Larsen
The paper seeks to discuss and develop SCM as a scientific discipline using different theories from non‐logistics areas to explain inter‐organizational phenomena. It also attempts…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to discuss and develop SCM as a scientific discipline using different theories from non‐logistics areas to explain inter‐organizational phenomena. It also attempts to establish a frame of reference that allows us to mitigate the gap between the current SCM research and practice and the theoretical explanations of how to structure and manage supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper introduces three different perspectives that together will contribute to a broader understanding of SCM in practice: an economic perspective; a socio‐economic perspective; and a strategic perspective. The theoretical framework is applied to two important research topics within SCM: third party logistics (TPL); and new product development (NPD).
Findings
There is no such thing as “a unified theory of SCM”. Depending on the concrete situation, one can choose one theory as the dominant explanatory theory, and then complement it with one or several of the other theoretical perspectives.
Research limitations/implications
The way the four theories complement one another is explored on a conceptual basis, but further research into this direction may explore more deeply how these alleged complementarities occur in practice, and how managers mould their decisions by these ideas.
Practical implications
The four theories can provide normative support to important management decisions in supply chains, such as outsourcing, safeguards against opportunism, and alignment of incentives.
Originality/value
The main contribution is that one cannot rely on one theoretical explanation when analyzing phenomena in SCM. It is neccessary to consider several theories and how they may complement one another in order to provide a more comprehensive view of SCM.
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Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some…
Abstract
Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.
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In order to achieve a desirable level of market efficiency, regulators need to identify the strategic groups within an industry and understand the way the constituent groups…
Abstract
Purpose
In order to achieve a desirable level of market efficiency, regulators need to identify the strategic groups within an industry and understand the way the constituent groups relate to one another. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
In the current study, factors that may lead to strategic group formation were developed and used as clustering variables in a k-means cluster statistical analysis to categorize the firms into strategic groups. The factors used are entry costs, timing of entry, technology type and scope of operations. In addition, the number and type of competitive actions employed by the firms in the industry were identified by structured content analysis of a public source. The competitive actions were used to examine the dynamics of the resulting groups within the context of competitive behavior, resource and scope commitments and corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions. In addition, χ2 analysis was employed to ascertain the likelihood that actions of a firm will be responded to by firms from the same group or from outside the group.
Findings
License fees was found to be the most significant clustering variable. The study also showed that groups with significantly higher license fees carried out considerably more competitive actions, had higher resource and scope commitments and executed more CSR actions. In addition, the study revealed significantly more competition within strategic groups than between groups.
Research limitations/implications
The absence of financial records for firms in the sample necessitated the use of CSR activity as a measure of firm performance. Some empirical studies have shown strong links between CSR and firm performance.
Practical implications
The study revealed high mobility barriers which prevent ease of movement of firms in the industry from one strategic group to the other. Therefore regulators who wish to promote competition must do so by identifying the strategic groups with significant market power and permitting entry not by lowering entry barriers but by allowing the entry of firms with proven resources similar to the firms in those groups and to stipulate similar commitments in entry conditions. The results also offer management practitioners an insight into competitive behavior in the industry.
Originality/value
The study utilized a unique data set (competitive actions of firms in the Nigerian Telecommunications industry as reported in the media) in contributing to empirical studies on competitive dynamics and strategic group literature.
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This article is concerned with the role of theory in explaining the inter‐industry variation of vertical integration (VI). Why, for example, is the world aluminium industry highly…
Abstract
This article is concerned with the role of theory in explaining the inter‐industry variation of vertical integration (VI). Why, for example, is the world aluminium industry highly integrated (Stukey, 1983) whereas the tin industry is not (Hennart, 1982)? The article is not concerned with explaining differences in the average level of VI across countries, although these are undoubtedly significant (Chandler and Daeins, 1980).