A Little Creativity Goes a Long Way: An Examination of Teams’ Engagement in Creative Processes

Using surveys and interview data this research examines teams’ engagement in creative processes. Results of cluster analysis indicated that the more creative teams were those that perceived that their tasks required high levels of creativity, were working on jobs with high task interdependence, were high on shared goals, valued participative problem-solving, and had a climate supportive of creativity. In addition, members of the more creative teams spent more time socializing with each other and had moderate amounts of organizational tenure. Implications for management are discussed.     

Scheduling in a Management Context: Uncertain Processing Times and Non-Regular Performance Measures*

Decision makers often face scheduling problems in which processing times are not known with certainty. Non-regular performance measures, in which both earliness and tardiness are penalized, are also becoming more common in both manufacturing and service operations. We model a managerial environment with task processing times (which include sequenceindependent set-up times) prescribed by three-parameter lognormal distributions. Upon completion, each task derives a reward given by a particular piecewise-linear reward function. The objective is to select a sequence of tasks maximizing the expected total reward. The relative generality of the problem renders many enumerative methods inapplicable or computationally intractable. To overcome such difficulties we develop efficient priorityinduced construction (PIC) heuristics which build up a complete schedule by inserting tasks (singly from a list) into a partial sequence of tasks. In each partial and complete sequence a period of idle time is permitted prior to the first task. Performance on realistic-sized problems is very encouraging, with cost penalties averaging less than one percent.     

中国情境下高绩效工作系统与企业绩效关系的元分析

用传统的定性综述方法对中国情境下高绩效工作系统与企业绩效的关系强度的研究,至今尚未得出一致结论.本文运用定量综述研究最重要的统计学方法——元分析,对中国情境下高绩效工作系统与企业绩效关系的53篇实证研究文献进行了合并,共获得8788个独立样本、316个效应值,总样本量达58946个.元分析结果发现:(1)高绩效工作系统对企业绩效存在显著正向影响(rz=0.419.p＜0.001),并且它对非财务类绩效(创新绩效、人力资源管理绩效、组织运作绩效)的影响大于对财务类绩效(财务会计绩效、资本市场绩效)的影响;(2)高绩效工作系统与企业绩效的相关性在中国情境下比在西方情境下更大,并且高绩效工作系统对企业绩效影响程度大于单个实践对企业绩效影响程度的简单加总;(3)信息分享与沟通、绩效考核与管理两项高绩效工作实践在中国情境下与企业绩效高度相关,而在西方文化中与企业绩效的相关性并不显著,之前国内的定性综述结论中也认为信息分享与沟通对企业绩效的贡献不大.本文的研究结果可让中国情境下高绩效工作系统与企业绩效的关系研究得出定论,并为未来的高绩效工作系统相关研究指明方向.     

Contextualization and Context Theorizing in Teams Research: A Look Back and a Path Forward

In this paper we review recent field research on teams in the workplace with the objective to help advance research about teams and their external context. We investigate contextualization by reviewing the research settings in which teams have been studied, and we investigate context theorizing by reviewing work where external context variables have been explicitly modeled. We propose guidelines to improve contextualization and avenues to explore context theorizing.     

The Relationship Between the Board of Directors and the Performance/Value Creation in a Context of Privatization: The Case of French Companies

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the cognitive as well as the disciplinary role of one important governance mechanism that is the board of directors in a privatization context. Using a sample of privatized French companies, we examine the relationship between the size, component and structure of this mechanism to the performance and value creation on the post privatization period. Thus, the majority of our findings have support on the theory of cognitive governance, one aspect of governance that was ignored in previous research.     

Key Issues in the Senior Female International Career Move: A Qualitative Study in a European Context

Research investigating the position of women in management has, largely, been confined within national boundaries. Over the last 15 years, empirical studies of women in international management have been undertaken, predominantly in North America. Overall, however, in this research field, many questions remain unanswered or have been only partially addressed. The particular focus of this study is on the senior female international managerial career move in Europe – a relatively unexplored area. Fifty senior female expatriate managers were interviewed, representing a wide range of industry and service sectors. The aims of the study were to develop an understanding of the senior female international career move in a European context in order to more fully understand both the covert and overt barriers that may limit women's international career opportunities. The results of the study show that the senior international career move has largely been developed along a linear male model of career progression, a development which, taken together with gender disparity both in organizations and family responsibilities, frequently prevents women employees from reaching senior managerial positions. The findings suggest that organizations which adopt a proactive approach to female expatriate managers should have a competitive advantage in the international environment.     

Performance measurement systems in SMEs: A review for a research agenda

In recent years, literature has identified the increasing complexity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and highlighted their sensitivity to differences in managerial culture and management systems. Research has shown that performance measurement systems (PMSs) could play an important role in supporting managerial development in these companies. In this paper, the literature on performance measurement in manufacturing SMEs is reviewed and the diffusion, characteristics and determinants of performance measurement in SMEs are analysed. Shortcomings in the performance measurement systems are highlighted and the many factors that seem to constrain PMSs in manufacturing SMEs are defined, e.g. lack of financial and human resources, wrong perception of the benefits of PMS implementation, short-term strategic planning. Moreover, using dimensions defined according to the information found in the literature, two PMS models specifically developed for SMEs are compared with generic PMS models. The comparison points out an evolution in PMS models over time; in particular, the models developed in the last 20 years are more horizontal, process-oriented and focus on stakeholder needs. However, it is not clear whether these changes are due to the evolution of the generic models or an attempt to introduce models suited to the needs of SMEs. To clarify this matter and better to understand PMSs in SMEs, further theoretical and empirical studies are necessary. The main issues still requiring investigation are listed in a research agenda at the end of the paper.     

Performance Appraisal,Performance Management,and Firm-Level Performance: A Review,a Proposed Model,and New Directions for Future Research

Abstract

There has been a long history in management and industrial/organizational psychology of studying methods to improve performance at work. These efforts have traditionally been concerned with individual-level performance (with some attention paid to team performance as well); even when research began to more broadly consider the topic of performance management instead of just performance appraisal. However, the often unstated assumption was that, if an organization could effectively improve the performance of individual employees, this would accrue to improvements in firm-level performance as well. A review of the literature suggested that this link had never really been established in a direct way. Instead, we found considerable support for relating “bundles” of human resource (HR) practices to firm-level performance, and several models for how these practices could create the transformation from individual-level to firm-level performance. We drew upon several of these models, from somewhat diverse literatures, to propose a model whereby bundles of HR practices, when aligned with the strategic goals of the organization, can be used to create a climate for performance that could transform generic knowledges, skills, and abilities (KSAs) into specific KSAs needed to improve firm-level performance.     

A Book Review Essay: Varieties of Civil Society: Citizenship,Identity and Global Regimes of Governance in a European Context

Public Organization Review -     

A Model for Evaluating Organizational Competencies: An Application in the Context of a Quality Management Initiative*

Despite the important contributions made by the Competency‐Based Perspective (CBP) to strategic thought, certain issues on the operational definition of the theoretical concepts that characterize this approach remain unresolved, thus limiting its empirical application. In addressing this issue, the present study puts forward a procedure for measuring the competencies that can be developed in association with a Quality Management (QM) initiative and analyzes the reliability and validity of the resulting scale. This procedure could be transferred to studies that aim to carry out an empirical analysis based on the theoretical position of the CBP.     

A Long Cycle in Industrial Relations,or: Regulation Theory and Political Economy

ABSTRACT: The main purpose of this paper is to test the Regulation Theory (la Théorie de la Régulation) ‘ on a subject — the long cycle of rigidity/flexibility in labour markets and industrial relations we have experienced between the late sixties and now — that should be one of the central concerns of such a theory, being linked to one of its basic concepts: the Rapport Salarial. Does the theory of regulation help us (more than rival theoretical frameworks do) in explaining why we underwent a rigidity/flexibility cycle? And in explaining why this cycle took such different forms in different countries? In order to achieve this purpose, the author first distinguishes several meanings, or dimensions, or rigidity/flexibility (money and real wage, numerical, functional, intensive, dualistic, geographical) and goes to some length in analysing why comparisons in this field between national industrial relations systems and labour market arrangements are rather difficult to perform. Having done that, the author argues that regulation theory is of little help in understanding our diachronic question — why we went through a flexibility cycle — because such a theory does not make any strong bet on the causes of change in the institutional arrangements of labour markets and industrial relations. On the synchronic question — why the forms of the cycle have been so different cross-nationally — the conclusion is that Regulation Theory can be useful as a focusing device, as an ideal-type, but that a lot of nationally-specific materials have to be added in order to obtain adequate answers. The paper ends up with a methodological discussion on the statute of regulation theory. It is argued that it is neither theory nor history: it is a series of ideal-types of system-integration, connected by ex-post, historical linkages.     

On the versatility of Little’s Law in operations management: a review and classification using vignettes

Abstract

Despite Little’s Law being considered as one of the ‘laws’ of operations management, evidence of its application in an empirical context is diverse and diffuse. Hence, this paper aims to identify, classify and consolidate published empirical applications of Little’s Law in a systematic manner to better understand its versatility. This paper undertakes a systematic literature review of the databases of the five main publishers of operations management journals and snowball sampling for additional papers. A final sample of 128 empirical journal articles is identified and categorized. Tactical, medium-term decisions relating to capacity dynamics and operations re-engineering are the most popular categories. To give further insights into versatility, vignettes for each category are developed. The review and vignettes confirm Little’s Law as a highly relevant paradigm to operations management decisions due to its empirical versatility across levels, sectors and time domains. The paper suggests four factors to underline the empirical versatility of Little’s Law in operations management: applicability, utility, simplicity and visibility.     

Changing Business Models and Employee Representation in the Airline Industry: A Comparison of British Airways and Deutsche Lufthansa

In recent years, the notion of business models has gained momentum in management research. Scholars have discussed several barriers to changing business models in established firms. However, the national institutions of market economies have not yet been discussed as barriers, even though they can constrain the latitude of action of a firm's management. Based on interviews and a longitudinal content analysis, we analyse the extent to which full service carriers in two countries (British Airways in the UK and Deutsche Lufthansa in Germany) have adopted elements of a low cost model over time. Furthermore, we investigate how this process has been influenced by the differences in each national institutional context. We particularly focus on the role of the rights of employee representatives in changes in business models. Our results show that British Airways has moved its business model more in the direction of low cost carriers than Deutsche Lufthansa, although the business model of the former airline still differs significantly from that of a typical low cost carrier. We identify national institutions that potentially strengthen the position of employee representatives as a factor that can influence, and also act as a barrier to, business model change.     

Performance Evaluation of Foreign Subsidiaries: A Review of the Literature and a Contingency Framework

During recent years, the literature on the international dimension of business has grown. In particular, the literature on headquarters–subsidiary relationships has expanded. This paper aims to review the literature on performance evaluation and elaborate an integrative contingency framework. This contingency framework helps to clarify the concept of performance evaluation and to classify existing contributions. Furthermore, the framework serves as a tool to identify potential influencing factors on performance evaluation at corporate and at subsidiary level. By reviewing existing studies, the paper analyses the impact of these influencing factors on performance evaluation and reveals mostly contradictory results or no significant impact at all. Based on the findings, more research outside the classical tradition of contingency approaches is suggested.     

Flexible Working and Performance: A Systematic Review of the Evidence for a Business Case

Interest in the outcomes of flexible working arrangements (FWAs) dates from the mid‐1970s, when researchers attempted to assess the impact of flexitime on worker performance. This paper reviews the literature on the link between FWAs and performance‐related outcomes. Taken together, the evidence fails to demonstrate a business case for the use of FWAs. This paper attempts to explain the findings by analysing the theoretical and methodological perspectives adopted, as well as the measurements and designs used. In doing so, gaps in this vast and disparate literature are identified, and a research agenda is developed.     

品牌价值共创的关键维度及其对顾客认知与品牌绩效的影响:产业服务情境的实证研究

近期品牌文献开始将研究边界从消费市场转向组织市场,但仍缺乏对产业服务品牌的足够关注.此外,文献遵循传统的品牌价值链模型,将品牌价值的产生聚焦于企业单方面的营销策略,并未考虑多重利益相关者的互动和价值共同创造活动.本研究将服务主导逻辑的思维范式整合到品牌研究领域,首先根据三家产业服务企业的定性访谈识别了品牌价值共创活动的关键维度,并确立研究框架,进而通过258对产业服务提供商与客户企业的问卷调查对品牌价值共创的维度及其对品牌绩效的影响进行验证.研究提取了四组利益相关者界面上八个维度的品牌价值共创活动,这些活动直接或间接影响品牌价值的顾客认知以及最终的品牌绩效.论文是首个基于服务主导逻辑的视角对产业品牌价值的形成机理进行的实证探索,研究结论具有启发产业服务企业关注多重利益相关者构建的社会网络中的互动性价值共创活动,以此提升品牌管理绩效.     

Knowledge Representation and Reasoning in a Real-Time Operational Control System: The Shipboard Piloting Expert System (SPES)*

This paper describes a knowledge representation approach and reasoning implementation in a real-time knowledge-based control system (KBCS) for navigating ships in restricted waters. This shipboard piloting expert system (SPES) is being developed as an intelligent node in Sperry Marine's ExxBridge integrated ship's bridge system (IBS) for Exxon Shipping Company tankers. The SPES is intended to provide decision support to ships' navigation officers while piloting large vessels in restricted waters, and to reduce the information overload under which they labor, by incorporating local, transit-specific, and shiphandling knowledge, and by providing requisite decision support in a timely fashion. As such, the system provides decision support to (1) senior ships' pilots training junior pilots; (2) ships' masters training junior deck officers in the essentials of good piloting and shiphandling; and (3) watchstanding deck officers utilizing the system's on-line reminder and assist capabilities, or off-line simulation and contingency planning functionality.