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Growth strategies exist, specifically for business divisions with a poor competitive position, by “orchestrating” value chains in external networks. The theory of competence development provides a basis for successfully developing new value architectures, since massive changes in a business division can take place only if they are based on durable competences. Four steps to orchestrating value chains can be deduced: (1) identifying changes in the value architecture as a possible growth strategy, (2) creating the organizational prerequisites for the deconstruction of value chains, (3) selling nonspecific value-added and (4) building networks around the core business that link (nonspecific) noncore activities to the firm.

One of the major functions of marketing strategy is the proper positioning of the company in the sectorial value‐added chain, in order to create the best possible competitive advantage. This process is extremely important, especially for small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), since any wrong decision can literally eliminate the company from the market. This paper attempts to analyse and present the strategic positioning process specific to small and medium‐sized biopharmaceutical firms in the UK. After discussing the specific characteristics of the value chain in the biopharmaceuticals sector, the paper presents the research methodology used to collect primary and secondary data. Data analysis leads towards a theoretical model that describes the stages and the factors influencing the strategic positioning of SMEs in the value‐added chain of the biopharmaceuticals sector.

This paper analyzes the measurement of effective protective rates when there is joint production. It shows that special attention is required when tradables are jointly produced with non‐tradables, and especially when there are significant changes in the prices of non‐tradables. Input‐output formulas for the Balassa and Corden methods are provided.

This paper explores the applications of lean thinking in re-evaluating the business school curriculum, syllabus and intended learning objectives to enhance the employability of graduates through identifying and eliminating non–value-added activities.

The research employed multilevel qualitative methodology, where 55 semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from academics, students and graduates from several private and public universities in Jordan.

The study finds that the application of lean thinking in the business school is twofold – it helps the developer of the school curriculum to get rid of many superfluous and non–value-added activities and also emphasises and reinforces the value-added activities. Value stream mapping, with a consideration for internal and external outputs, has been found to be a useful tool for developing an employability-focussed curriculum that equips business school students with the required competences and skills in the labour market.

The study is based on a qualitative research approach. The generalisability of the findings is difficult to assess, and future research would benefit from the insights obtained from the quantitative data

In practice, this study has identified different types of non–value-added and unnecessary activities in business school curriculum and has made suggestions for the development of a more employability-focussed curriculum.

This paper investigates the non–value-added activities of the business school curriculum, syllabus and the intended learning objectives to enhance the employability of graduates in Jordan.

This study aims to investigate the mediating role of lean management on the relationship between workforce management and value-added time in private hospitals. This study also investigates the direct influences of workforce management and lean management on the value-added time of the hospitals.

This study applied a quantitative approach to obtain data from the private hospitals’ staff in Peninsular Malaysia. A self-administered survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 287 hospital staff using a stratified random sampling method. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was used to determine the internal consistency, reliability, validity of the constructs. The PLS-SEM method was also used to test the hypothesised research model via SmartPLS 3.3.4 version.

The findings of the study indicate that lean management has a direct and significant effect on the value-added time of private hospitals. The findings also revealed that lean management significantly mediates the relationship between workforce management and value-added time in private hospitals. The analysis of the results indicates that both workforce and lean management have a significant impact on the value-added time of the hospitals.

This study provides empirical contributions to enhance the quality of workforce management, lean management and value-added time. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into how effectively managing the workforce and providing guidelines to augment the lean management practices can ensure value-added time in Malaysian hospitals and the overall health-care industry. The lean management framework provides useful insights for the policymakers to understand the significance of workforce management, lean management on ensuring value-added time through reducing waiting times, unnecessary delays, generating a higher degree of patient safety, satisfaction and loyalty.

The research findings provide some essential indications for the health-care service providers to understand how the lean management approach can be implemented to enhance value-added time and how lean management can play a mediating role in creating a link between workforce management and value-added time in hospitals. This study also contributes to the theoretical and practical perspectives. The present study contributes to a better understanding of workforce management and lean management in health-care sectors from theoretical and practical perspectives.

As markets become increasingly competitive, it is important for multinational corporations to generate value. Both headquarters and subsidiaries are responsible for contributing to value generation, albeit they may do so in different ways. This builds on the notion from the literature that it is possible to discern two separate concepts that relate to the generation of value, namely, value creation and value added. These concepts are often used interchangeably, without a clear distinction what they de facto reflect or what the underlying mechanisms of value creation and value added are.

Based on a set of assumptions regarding headquarters–subsidiary relations conceptual arguments related to value generation are developed.

Teasing out the differences between the concepts becomes important as it leads to a fuller understanding of what a headquarters do in different situations and of what a headquarters–subsidiary relationship entails for value generation.

In this chapter, it is argued that value-adding activities tend to be conducted by a headquarters, but are dependent on varying knowledge situations of headquarters, while the value creation process tends to take place at the subsidiary level.

The purpose of this study is to propose a framework for the evaluation of the perceived value internal audit functions add to their organisations. The framework is based on service quality measurement principles, specifically SERVPERF, which is applied to internal auditing.

Insights obtained from the literature on internal auditing and service quality disciplines were synthesised to identify and structure value-adding attributes of internal auditing. A thematic analysis of published profiles (by Protiviti) of various organisations’ internal audit functions were analysed and evaluated against those attributes identified in the literature to formulate an evaluation framework based on service quality measurement principles.

The identified value-adding attributes were categorised according to the dimensions of the SERVPERF service quality measurement instrument to formulate a framework for evaluation of the value added by internal audit functions. It was found that the SERVPERF dimensions appear to be relevant to internal auditing. The SERVPERF instrument was therefore adapted to evaluate the value added by internal auditing as a service.

This paper contributes to both the theory and practice of internal auditing by proposing formal dimensions of a value-adding internal audit service which can then serve as a reference point from which to evaluate the value added to an organisation. The framework can serve as a starting point for internal audit functions to develop their service offering and/or form the foundation of stakeholder satisfaction surveys.

The study contributes to the literature by applying service quality principles to internal auditing. A holistic framework that can be used for the evaluation of the value added by internal audit functions based on stakeholder perceptions is proposed. The framework juxtaposes attributes of value-adding internal auditing with recognised service quality performance measures. The notion of value added is investigated to better understand the concept in the context of internal auditing services.

The calculation of quotations has been proven to be an extremely challenging matter in customized manufacturing requirements. There are significant wastages, which are attributed to activities related to the quotation preparation process (QPP) and their influence on an offer of delivery time to a customer. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to develop a tailor-made value stream mapping (VSM) approach, combined with a set of performance indicators for QPP performance measurement and management, to decrease the lead time of QPP.

Current and future state value stream maps have been developed to measure the performance of QPP. To minimize the weaknesses of the cycle efficiency indicator, additional indicators, assessing improvements to value- and non-value-added activities, external interested parties’ influence on lead time, etc., have been developed for QPP performance management. To illustrate the usefulness of the proposed indicators, a case study has been performed.

Only when all appropriate indicators are calculated than we have the whole overview of the current and future state in a QPP.

The proposed indicators were used only in one case study. If they are used in different case studies from different companies and operating in different industries, it will be possible to discover whether the presented indicators are enough to fully understand the analyzed process.

The proposed methodology is ready to be used in industry practice.

The presented VSM methodology, combined with a set of performance indicators for QPP, provides the originality of the work.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the antecedents of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) internationalization for a small set of Mexican ICT entrepreneurial firms, connected with subsectoral positions in a smile-shaped curve. Such antecedents constitute exploratory patterns related to simplified internationalization characteristics in terms of market choice, founder background and aspatial affiliations, providing a complementary technique to identify elements that shape SME internationalization in Latin America.

A value-added “smiling” curve is sketched according to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry classification, mapping a non-probabilistic purposive sample of Mexican SMEs. The csQCA has been applied to the sample based on secondary data. Mexico’s ICT export behavior is also analyzed.

Internationalized SMEs in the sample tend to group in patterns that approach higher value-added positions in the “smiling” curve, exemplifying a type of non-geographic clustering. Particular groups seem to precede market selection (North America vs Latin America). The founder’s background does not determine internationalization choices. The sample included counterexamples (new entrants, limited cases involving research and development activities), which when analyzed suggest relevant literature validations.

This research contextualizes sectoral SME internationalization from a Latin American perspective, identifying simple patterns around particular ICT subsectors. It focuses on a type of international entrepreneurship that becomes exceptional in developing regions: technology-oriented. csQCA is presented as a preliminary (exploratory) technique to draw alternative theoretical frameworks for SME internationalization, specifically, market selection and aspatial cluster behavior around value-added chains, leading to new theoretical perspectives in SME internationalization.

Esta investigación persigue un entendimiento de los antecedentes en la internacionalización de la PyME para un pequeño conjunto de negocios mexicanos de TIC emprendedores, en conexión con posiciones subsectoriales en una curva con forma de sonrisa. Dichos antecedentes constituyen patrones exploratorios relacionados con características de internacionalización simplificadas, en función de la selección del mercado, los antecedentes del fundador, y las afiliaciones no espaciales, ofreciendo una técnica complementaria para la identificación de elementos que moldean la internacionalización de la PyME en América Latina.

Una curva de valor añadido en forma de “sonrisa” es delineada de acuerdo con la clasificación industrial SCIAN, mapeando una muestra deliberada no probabilística de PyMEs mexicanas. csQCA ha sido aplicado a la muestra con base en datos secundarios. El comportamiento exportador de México en TIC es analizado también.

Las PyMEs internacionalizadas en la muestra tienden a agruparse en patrones que se aproximan a las posiciones de mayor valor añadido dentro de la curva de la “sonrisa,” ejemplificando un tipo de conglomerado no geográfico. Ciertos agrupamientos parecen prevalecer respecto a la selección del mercado (América del norte vs. Latinoamérica). Los antecedentes del fundador no determinan las opciones de internacionalización. La muestra incluyó contraejemplos (nuevos participantes, casos limitados que involucran actividades de I+D), los cuales sugieren validaciones relevantes de la literatura una vez analizados.

Esta investigación contextualiza la internacionalización sectorial de la PyME desde una perspectiva latinoamericana, identificando patrones simples alrededor de subsectores particulares de TIC. Se enfoca en un tipo de emprendimiento internacional que llega a ser excepcional en regiones en desarrollo: orientado a la tecnología. csQCA se presenta como una técnica preliminar (exploratoria) para delinear marcos teóricos alternativos para la internacionalización de la PyME, específicamente, selección del mercado y comportamiento de conglomerados no espaciales alrededor de cadenas de valor añadido, llevando a nuevas perspectivas teóricas en la internacionalización de la PyME.

A number of literature contributions have underlined the importance of developing value-added logistics activities or VALS in order to help improve customers’ satisfaction. However, there is usually very little attention given regarding where to perform these VALS. This study aims to: (1) identify a comprehensive set of factors which may influence the location of VALS, (2) to analyze to what extent those factors influence location decisions, and (3) to distinguish the determinants behind the location choices for distribution centers and for the kind of VALS that will be developed in these distribution centers.

In this paper, we will present a conceptual framework on the locations of VALS in view of the identifying determinants for assigning VALS to logistical centers. We argue that the optimal location of VALS is determined by complex interactions between the determinants at the level of the choice of a distribution system, distribution center location factors, and different logistical characteristics regarding products.