Search results

The purpose of this paper is to outline a model that is conceptually and empirically applicable by practitioners in contexts extending beyond mere core competence identification.

This paper presents a conceptual review of a model.

This paper demonstrates that the associated concepts (competence, capability, and resources) have characteristics that differ both conceptually and empirically. The findings also indicate that competencies are central to core competence matters; it is possible to distinguish them analytically by three criteria. Furthermore, the notions of hierarchy suggested in previous research could not be verified which implies that the associated concepts all reside at the same hierarchy level.

The findings advance core competence theories that better serve the needs of practicing managers and consultants, by initiating a specific research agenda in conceptual and empirical reviews and discussions. By proposing a model, the study provides a point of departure for core competency research that goes beyond matters of identification.

The dissimilar characteristics of the associated concepts offer great opportunities to core competency management, by means of the different influences they have on core competencies. Their influence makes organizational change and rejuvenation not only comprehensible, but also manageable. This is of particular importance to organizations that need ongoing renewal of core competencies, for example, when facing dynamic business environments. Competence improvements manage and change core competencies; capability supports reinforce and create structure before, during, and after a change process; resource utilizations are operative, and need daily attention.

The paper initiates a new research agenda for core competency matters by acknowledging specific features of the concepts associated with core competence. This makes a significant contribution to the existing literature in terms of practical and scholarly applicability.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the construction of a core ontology for food. To construct the core ontology, the authors propose here an approach called, yet another methodology for ontology plus (YAMO+). The goal is to exhibit the construction of a core ontology for a domain, which can be further extended and converted into application ontologies.

To motivate the construction of the core ontology for food, the authors have first articulated a set of application scenarios. The idea is that the constructed core ontology can be used to build application-specific ontologies for those scenarios. As part of the developmental approach to core ontology, the authors have proposed a methodology called YAMO+. It is designed following the theory of analytico-synthetic classification. YAMO+ is generic in nature and can be applied to build core ontologies for any domain.

Construction of a core ontology needs a thorough understanding of the domain and domain requirements. There are various challenges involved in constructing a core ontology as discussed in this paper. The proposed approach has proven to be sturdy enough to face the challenges that the construction of a core ontology poses. It is observed that core ontology is amenable to conversion to an application ontology.

The constructed core ontology for domain food can be readily used for developing application ontologies related to food. The proposed methodology YAMO+ can be applied to build core ontologies for any domain.

As per the knowledge, the proposed approach is the first attempt based on the study of the state of the art literature, in terms of, a formal approach to the design of a core ontology. Also, the constructed core ontology for food is the first one as there is no such ontology available on the web for domain food.

This paper seeks to enhance practical applications, by refining the original core competence concept to better fit dynamic environments.

This paper combines theoretical research streams treating core competence and dynamic capability.

The original core competence concept cannot help managers with today's dynamic business environments. This paper theoretically reviews conceptions of core competence to enhance dynamism and better align theory and practice. The author concludes that a core competence could become more dynamic in three ways, by: balancing itself with the external environment and including external activities and processes; reducing path‐dependency influences; and carefully “orchestrating” resources, by guidance rather than control, to release the inherent potential of project teams.

The author rejuvenates a popular concept by including contemporary, more dynamic considerations; however, his propositions need to be tested empirically.

Three criteria are reformulated to match contemporary dynamism; these are also rephrased to better meet practical applications and take account of the internal sharing and transfer of competencies. This supplements the practitioner's toolbox for managing core competence in a company. For ideal core competence dynamism, managers should selectively incorporate external information and adapt external activities and processes, all to match the existing internal resource base.

This paper incorporates contemporary dynamics in an important strategy concept.

To outline a core competence model by exploring links between core competence and the associated concepts of competencies, capabilities, and resources, and by proposing refinements to the characteristics of these concepts.

A case study based primarily on personal interviews.

The findings suggest that competencies, capabilities, and resources are all linked to core‐competencies; the first two continuously, and the third intermittently; motivate refinement of the competence concept, by adding adaptation competence as governing customer loyalty, and transfer competence as managing transcendental integration; and motivate refinement of the capability concept, by adding capacity as a quality characteristic, and communication as a characteristic that can actively initiate organizational change.

The paper outlines a core competence model and propose refinements of the characteristics and links of the concepts, contributing to both core competence theory and resource‐based theory.

This work informs managers of the details of the core competence concept, of particular interest to managers with a customer‐focused standpoint. An empirical core competence exemplifies the importance of knowing the characteristics of competencies, since they encapsulate the power of organizational development. Managers also need to pay attention to the influences of capabilities, since they not only support organizational processes (if up‐to‐date), but also initiate change.

The development and specification of the core competence concept.

Describes the important contributions of quality gurus like Deming, Juran, Crosby, Feigenbaum, Ishikawa and Garvin which led to the evolutionary development of Strategic Quality Management (SQM). In addition, the core concepts of SQM, namely, customer focus, leadership, strategic quality planning, design quality, speed and prevention, people participation and partnership, fact‐based management and continuous improvement are identified and are compared with Malcolm Baldrige and European Quality Award criteria and ISO 9001 certification requirements. Also a framework for implementing strategies based on these seven core concepts is recommended. Develops a comparative analysis of Malcolm Baldridge and European Quality Awards, and ISO 9001 requirements.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the brand core and its management over time. The aim is to develop a framework for managing the core of a brand for continuity and change.

A longitudinal case study of the Volvo brand’s core and its management serves as the empirical basis for a qualitative analysis of the “brand core” using rhetorical perspectives.

The management of the brand core for both continuity and change is an unsolved paradox in strategic brand management literature and practice. Existing conceptualisations offer little or no guidance regarding managing a brand’s core over time. The Volvo brand has evolved by adding and shifting mindsets, which has kept its core surprisingly stable.

The new framework mitigates a paradox and, by defining the brand core as a point of reference, allows for brand management to address both continuity and change and consider a range of stakeholders while doing so. The integration ofs rhetoric into the framework makes it applicable to product, service and corporate brands, or indeed anything that can be considered a “brand”. The brand core is defined as “an entity of core values and a promise”.

By shifting perspectives on a brand’s core over time, change and development are stimulated while preserving its inner values and promise.

The brand core framework integrating rhetoric theory was supported by a longitudinal case study to resolve a strategic brand management paradox.

Establishing the validity and measurement equivalence of core marketing concepts in the emerging market economies of Africa is a key step in assessing the transferability of modern marketing theory and managerial practice to these countries. However, measurement equivalence issues are rarely addressed in studies of marketing practices in Africa. Accordingly, this study examines the equivalence of core marketing concepts based on interviews of 459 marketing managers from Kenya, Nigeria, Japan and the USA. The results show that optimal scaling analysis of the managers’ evaluations provide more valid and meaningful assessment than that of the raw data. The managers’ evaluations of the concepts revealed amazingly similar or prototypical perceptions of marketing’s core concepts and its applicability in their organizations, despite the profound country environmental differences. It appears that the concepts fall into two cross‐national categories of applicability that permeate the industrialized and developing country categorization. Managerial and research implications are discussed.

With a focus on core concepts such as coming as guest, being present, story, innate dignity and the value of difference, students in a Boys High School spent 6 months volunteering on a hospitality van with the homeless. Over that period the students engaged in varying levels of meaning making linked to their reflection of the experience. While some students remained at a surface level of meaning making, the majority progressed to deeper meaning making and some to the level of existential change. Analysis of the associated case studies would indicate that deepening levels of meaning making are linked to direct engagement with the clients of the service, the active presence of mentors, a longer service engagement, reflection upon experience, critical analysis and the deliberate engagement with the core concepts. This process, along with the development of a supportive inclusive school culture, will provide a platform for the Service-Learning program to enhance inclusivity as a lived and owned value within the participants’ lives.

Restates the case for accounting and management research from a grounded theory perspective, and advocates its informed and more frequent application. Examines the intellectual foundations and key tenets of grounded theory in the context of researchers’ theoretical assumptions and methodological characteristics, discussed in relation to Laughlin’s (1995) classification schema. Pays particular attention to grounded theory assumptions and methods in relation to other interpretive paradigms such as symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology and hermeneutics. Describes the basic principles and methods of grounded theory research, and presents potential applications to the accounting and management research arenas. Argues that rigorous grounded theory research can offer the accounting and management literatures unique understandings that provide additional perspectives to those already being offered by major schools of thought, and discusses implications of grounded theory for informing contemporary professional practice.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of strategic management accounting (SMA) in an English university. It is in search of and investigates SMA practices and processes, and their meaning to participants in an English university context. The higher education (HE) institution under research had gone through a major change a couple of years prior to this study, including implementation of new strategic management and management accounting practices.

The approach taken is an interpretive one and the adopted methodology is grounded theory according to Glaser's evolved approach. Data collection took place largely through interviews and, where possible, participant observation.

The main findings of the research concern the core concept of the strategising mindset, which encapsulates the institutional, divisional and individual stance towards strategy and SMA. The strategising mindset is understood as the belief system that is adopted with regard to SMA, which is divided into a bureaucratic and an entrepreneurial mindset. According to the respective mindset, accounting for strategic management is dealt with and institutional members' perceptions of SMA are shaped. The particular mindset adopted depends on the context members were and are functioning, which reflects Bourdieu's theory of practice.

The main contributions are the emergent theoretical framework on SMA in HE, the concept of the strategising mindset and resulting views and conclusions on what SMA actually means in practice. To the authors' knowledge, no such theoretical framework has been published to date.