The impact of project team characteristics and client collaboration on project agility and project success: An empirical study

Although many companies pursue agile projects, extant literature reveals a lack of research on project agility determinants. This study examines the project team characteristics' impact on project agility and success using cross-sectional survey data from 292 agile projects. Using agile principles and complex adaptive systems theory, we find that project team autonomy, team diversity, and client collaboration have significant positive relationships with project agility. Project agility, in turn, has a significant positive relationship to project success. We measure project success by on-time completion, on-budget completion, specifications' attainment, and success rating by the project sponsor, client, and project team members. We find that project team members' adaptive performance partially mediates the relationship between project agility and success. These results guide agile project managers while facilitating team members to independently schedule their work, determine effective work methods, and develop innovative solutions. Moreover, they help agile managers recruit team members with relevant, diverse skill sets, domain knowledge, and expertise. Agile project managers must emphasize client collaboration in requirements gathering, designing, testing, and project reviews.     

Adoption and Outcomes of ISO 14001: A Systematic Review

The objective of this paper is to analyze the adoption and outcomes of the ISO 14001 standard through a systematic review of the main studies on this issue published in peer‐reviewed journals between 1996 and 2015. The 94 papers analyzed make it possible to paint a comprehensive picture of the effectiveness of ISO 14001 in environmental management practices, performance in this area and social aspects such as employee awareness. The systematic review also sheds more light on the main pitfalls and success factors of the standard. Nevertheless, the similarities and even redundancies of the literature in terms of objectives, approaches and methods used tend to produce quite predictable and optimistic results, which do not reflect the complexity of the impact of ISO 14001. The paper highlights the importance of more diverse and critical approaches that might challenge the successful rhetoric of the dominant literature, which tends to focus on positive aspects and be limited to a few countries that are not representative of the wide international distribution of certification. The findings of this systematic review can also help managers in making decisions on the adoption and renewal of certification.     

Drivers and Performance Outcomes of Supplier Innovation Generation in Customer–Supplier Relationships: The Role of Power‐Dependence

While innovations generated by supply channel relationships, as opposed to individual partners, play an increasingly important role in the success of all supply chain partners, there has been a dearth of research in the literature on how supply chain relationships cultivate the process of such innovation generation. We explore supplier market knowledge acquisition, relationship learning, systems collaboration, and technological uncertainty as antecedents of supplier innovation generation, which is in turn hypothesized to positively affect the relationship performance of the supplier. Furthermore, supplier dependence on the buyer is investigated as a moderator of the effects of such antecedents on supplier innovation generation. Empirical tests, which used a sample of 236 Taiwanese executives, supported most of the hypotheses, and some implications of the results are discussed.     

The impact of environmental characteristics on TQM principles and organizational performance

One recurrent theme within the literature on total quality management (TQM) is the study of its effect on organizational performance. Nonetheless, most research has focused on analyzing the relationships between the implementation of different elements and several types of performance. This paper incorporates the effect of organizational environment as a variable for explaining the impact of TQM on business results. The model is tested using structural equations, employing a survey of quality managers in 273 Spanish firms. The causal analysis results show that dynamism, munificence and complexity influence the degree of implementation of the main TQM principles. The most relevant effects emerge as a result of the environmental dynamism, and the least effects are due to munificence. Similarly, the dimensions of TQM have an impact on different types of performance. The model can be used by organizations to assess their level of TQM success depending on specific environmental characteristics.     

边界人员角色模糊及其结果:管理控制及其与角色导向匹配的作用

不同于以往研究的企业内部视角,本文聚焦于渠道关系中边界人员的角色模糊问题,实证检验了不同管理控制方式及其与边界人员角色导向的匹配对边界人员角色模糊感知的影响,同时检验了边界人员角色模糊对工作绩效和关系满意的影响。研究发现,结果控制与行为控制都会减少边界人员角色模糊。管理者的结果控制与朋友角色导向的边界人员相匹配,有利于减少角色模糊。角色模糊不利于提升边界人员的工作绩效和关系满意。在此基础上,对研究结果及理论意义进行了讨论,并给出相应的管理建议和未来研究方向。     

基于TAM的移动内容服务采纳分析

3G时代,提供能被消费者接受的移动内容服务是移动运营商和内容提供商实现利润的重要前提,其关键是明晰影响用户采纳移动内容服务的主要因素和影响途径。本文以技术接受模型为理论基础,在移动商务的环境下对其进行扩展,建立了整合用户创新性、外部影响和感知财务费用的移动内容服务采纳模型,并在此基础上提出了相应的假设,并通过结构方程模型的方法对假设模型进行了验证。实证研究发现,技术接受模型在移动商务环境下依然有效,而且用户自身的创新性、外部的影响和使用成本也影响消费者的采纳意图。     

Decision Making,Risk and Gender: Are Managers Different?

This paper explores differences in the nature of decisions taken by males and females. Women are playing an increasingly important role in business management and managers are ultimately tested and evaluated in terms of their success in making decisions. Consequently any difference in the character and quality of decisions taken by male and female managers will have important implications for organizations. This paper reviews the literature, and reports two pieces of empirical work which investigate the connections between gender and decision making. The decision-making characteristics of males and females in a ‘non-managerial’ population in which the majority of individuals have not undergone formal management education are contrasted with a ‘managerial’ population of potential and actual managers who have undertaken such education. It is argued that women are often excluded from managerial positions of authority and leadership due to stereotypes, which have been constructed by observing ‘non-managerial’ populations at large. The paper concludes, however, that these stereotypes may not apply to managers as in the ‘managerial’ sub-population males and females display similar risk propensity and make decisions of equal quality.     

The Management of Workplace Conflict: Contrasting Pathways in the HRM Literature

This paper reviews the human resource management literature on the management of workplace conflict. It suggests that workplace conflict is commonly viewed in the literature as a symptom of management failure: the notion that conflict may be intrinsic to the nature of work because employees and managers have hard‐to‐reconcile competing interests is given short‐shrift. At the same time, the paper identifies important differences in the literature, which the authors call ‘pathways’, about the best methods to manage problems at the workplace. It is argued that four contrasting pathways can be detected in the literature with regard to how organizations approach workplace conflict management practices. Each pathway is examined fully and their respective strengths and weaknesses are assessed.     

Empirical research opportunities in reverse supply chains

This study reviews the literature in reverse supply chains (RSCs) and develops 10 research propositions to be studied using empirical research methods. Businesses increasingly have to cope with product returns, mandated environmental regulations and increasing costs associated with product disposal. Through effective management of the RSC, managers can improve process efficiencies, customer service, supply chain design, product design, after-market product sales and after-sales service. Most research in RSCs has relied on case studies and optimization models. Opportunities exist to use survey-based research methods to explain current practices, predominant and critical issues, and managerial techniques used to manage the RSC.     

The Cultural Specificity of Management Constructs: An Empirical Examination

The management literature reports on numerous studies examining relationships among the variables of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and more recently organizational character, organizational citizenship behavior, and propensity for participative decision making. The present study empirically examines relationships among these constructs among Egyptian managers. Although general support was demonstrated for the previously validated scales, the evidence suggests that these constructs are culturally specific and must be redefined, especially in emerging countries. Further, findings support some, but not all of the conclusions typically reached in existing studies of Western managers. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Critical success factors and green supply chain management proactivity: shedding light on the human aspects of this relationship based on cases from the Brazilian industry

Abstract

By applying the resources-based view (RBV) theory to green management, this study aims to analyse the relationship between critical success factors (CSFs) and the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices for some Brazil-based manufacturers of automotive batteries considered focal in their supply chains. It also analyses how human issues, known as green human resource management (GHRM) aspects, can help to increase the effectiveness of CSFs for GSCM strategies that are still not totally well-managed, justifying a RBV perspective. This research assumes that firms tend to be in different stages of GSCM development (more strategic or less strategic) and tests four research propositions to determine whether more proactive GSCM is related to higher levels of effectively managed CSFs. Three focal companies that operate in the Brazilian automotive battery industry were studied. Research results suggest that more proactive GSCM practices correlate to more effectively managed CSFs and to a greater support from GHRM. We argue that managers with a clear GHRM strategy will have more success in GSCM adoption, using more green training, green recruitment and selection, green performance evaluation and employee rewards.     

个体企业家导向视角的管理创新引进机理研究

为揭示作为组织创新与变革直接负责人和承担者的企业核心管理者在引进新管理实践或方法的决策过程中的具体作用机制,揭开管理决策黑箱,尝试从核心管理者个人层面的企业家导向视角出发,在回顾相关文献的基础上,构建企业家导向的3个维度(技术创新性、先动性、风险倾向性)通过创新意愿的中介作用影响管理创新引进水平的研究框架,并对浙江、四川、广东和辽宁等地的237份有效问卷进行四阶段多元回归分析,验证相关假设。研究结果表明,管理者个人层面企业家导向的3个维度均显著影响管理创新引进水平;企业家导向通过创新意愿影响管理创新决策,3个维度之间符合行为理论从态度到意愿到行为的实现过程;创新意愿部分中介企业家导向与管理创新引进水平之间的关系。     

“The adoption and implementation of performance measurement process in Italian public organisations: the influence of political,cultural and rational factors”

One of the main challenges in the field of performance measurement and management in public organisations is about how to use and manage performance measures effectively. This study aims to examine the stages involved in the process of utilisation of performance measures, i.e. adoption and implementation, and to investigate the political, cultural and rational factors that affect this process. For this purpose, a theoretical model from the literature has been extended and tested by using the data gathered through a survey involving the managers of several departments of Italian regions and municipal districts. The final sample has included 201 usable observations. The data analysis has been conducted using structural equation modelling. A significant cause-and-effect relationship was found between the stages of adoption and implementation. Moreover, it was found that adoption is driven significantly by rational factors. Otherwise actual implementation is influenced by factors addressed both by political considerations, such as external interest groups and by rational evaluations such as resources. The effects of other rational and cultural factors on implementation stage are mediated by adoption.     

A Study of the Financial Reporting Dichotomy of Managers' Perceived Usefulness of the Value Added Statement

The value added statements' (VAS) literature has been overwhelmingly normative and generally strongly suggested companies should produce a VAS, as did the Nigerian Accounting Standards Board in its Statement of Accounting Standards (NASB, 1984). This study investigated whether the perceived usefulness of the Nigerian VAS conformed to what the managers, as preparers, had envisioned the VAS to accomplish. Using methods pioneered in the empirical literature about the effects of information provision on managers, senior managers in two companies were interviewed about their past, current, and future views concerning the VAS. One company produced a VAS while the other did not produce one even when the Nigerian government made it mandatory. Empirical research about VAS is rare, especially the reasons for nonproduction of a VAS. The collection of interview data at the individual manager level enabled the findings to be compared with various aspects of the VAS literature, including emerging economies, finance studies in the United States, and normative literature in South Africa and UK studies. The non‐VAS company respondents strongly considered the government to be the main user, compared with the employees as main users in UK studies. Our findings had some strong support for shareholders as did the United Kingdom. The majority of the VAS‐producing respondents noted that a VAS might not be useful to employees, but could be used to measure productivity, demonstrating the function of VAS as a complementary performance indicator. The non‐VAS company respondents did not know if a VAS measured productivity, as it was merely a rearrangement of the Income Statement and thus similar to UK views. The paper also provides suggestions for further research with both VAS and other financial representatives.     

Intra-firm Adoption Decisions:: Role of Inter-firm and Intra-firm Variables

The subject of this paper is intra-firm adoption decisions, a relatively unexplored research area in the marketing literature. We develop a conceptual model in which two sets of independent variables are hypothesized to influence the intra-firm adoption decisions, i.e. (1) variables known from the inter-firm diffusion literature, (2) variables specifically relevant for intra-firm analyses of innovation acceptance. Hypotheses are developed and tested in an application in the domain of finance: the intra-firm adoption decisions regarding the common European currency by the treasury, purchasing and sales departments of European companies. Data were obtained from treasury, purchasing and sales managers (441 respondents in total) from companies located in five different European countries. The results of logistic regression show that the proposed intra-firm variables are indeed important explanatory variables that should be included in intra-firm analyses. Moreover, for the inter-firm variables we found differences in the effects between departments, which demonstrates the very need for an intra-firm analysis.     

The Impact of Alliance Management Capabilities on Alliance Attributes and Performance: A Literature Review

The literature on alliances has identified a variety of inter‐firm antecedents of performance, including information and knowledge sharing between partners, shared partner understanding, and a focus on collective objectives. Recent studies have focused on alliance management capabilities (AMC) – firms' abilities to capture, share, store and apply alliance management knowledge – as an important antecedent of performance. This paper reviews 90 studies on AMC and makes two important contributions to the literature. First, the review provides an overview of and classification scheme for the different types of AMC to better organise the diverse empirical findings that have been presented in the literature. The novel classification distinguishes between general and partner‐specific AMC and between AMC stored within the firm and within the alliance. Second, consistent with the dynamic capabilities perspective, this paper offers a more detailed understanding of why AMC improve performance, by highlighting the intermediate impact of AMC on alliance attributes. In particular, the review demonstrates how the different categories of AMC influence alliances in terms of information and knowledge‐sharing between partners, shared partner understanding and the pursuit of collective goals. The review also demonstrates that these attributes improve performance. The authors note promising avenues for future empirical research that involve combining the classification scheme with research on the impact of AMC on alliance attributes and performance.     

Assessing the effectiveness of a performance evaluation system in the public health care sector: some novel evidence from the Tuscany region experience

Since 80’s the introduction of New Public Management principles has promoted the use of performance measurement to drive a more efficient, effective and accountable public sector. The adoption of a sophisticated and comprehensive multidimensional performance measurement system, which looks beyond traditional financial measures, based on organization strategies, such as the balanced scorecard, has thus been suggested. This revolution in the public management came together with the devolution processes that involved most European public health systems. Set within this context, in the last decade, each of the twenty Italian regions developed its own management tools. Among others, the Tuscan performance evaluation system (PES) has been valued as a particularly innovative and comprehensive system. This paper reports the novel experience of the Tuscan PES; in particular, it measures PES effectiveness and discusses the critical factors that could have led to the PES success. Five are the critical success factors identified by researchers: the visual reporting system, the linkage between PES and CEO’s reward system, the public disclosure of data, the high level of employees and managers involvement into the entire process and the strong political commitment. All those factors run together to achieve better results; however, the process of development of the system plays a pivotal role. Scholars suggest the use of a constructive approach in order to gain effective changes in human organization. According to this stream of literature, this paper contributes by the novel experience of the Tuscan PES in addressing as a further fruitful application of the constructivist approach in healthcare.