Service-oriented e-Marketplace: an agent-based model

This paper develops a cooperative distributed systems framework for e-Marketplaces. We propose a business-centric knowledge-oriented architecture (BCKOA) framework. In this framework, we envision the e-Marketplace as a collection of economically motivated software agents that support the trading processes of several e-Business models. It enables and supports common integration and economic services between market participants, such as brokering, pricing and negotiation. The proposed architecture accommodates mechanisms of various market structures. This paper, however, will focus on commodity and Vickrey auction markets. It will briefly discuss the implementation of a prototype for BCKOA-based e-Marketplace using a coordinated, intelligent rational agent model and the Foundation of Intelligent Physical Agent specifications.     

Value assessment of e-procurement projects: a modular methodology

Over the last few years, an increasing number of companies have introduced or plan to adopt some kinds of e-Business solutions. They allow new forms of communication between buyers and sellers and they are expected to provide opportunities to create new marketplaces, whilst firm's productivity and efficiency should benefit. Because of the recent history of such type of projects, it hasn’t been possible yet to identify neither clear guidelines for the implementation process nor evaluation procedures for assessing the validity of a certain e-Business project. Furthermore, it has to be noted that a high number of e-Projects have failed or haven’t led to the expected results. This paper focuses on a particular aspect of this new way of doing business: the transfer of a part of purchasing activities on the net, the so called e-Procurement. The proposed methodology aims to give a structured procedure for both a quantitative and a qualitative evaluation of a certain e-Procurement investment starting from the identification of the main relationships among relevant elements influenced by the e-Procurement introduction (activities, performance indicators and company's features). The analysis also includes some considerations of a strategic nature and should lead to the reduction of a final report which has to support managers during the investment decision by highlighting expected benefits. The application of the proposed methodology to an Italian firm which has introduced the e-Procurement is described.     

Impression management techniques in crowdfunding: An analysis of Kickstarter videos using artificial intelligence

Crowdfunding entrepreneurs increasingly use videos to present their venture and themselves to potential investors. To do this effectively, they consciously or unconsciously use several impression management techniques. Based on human and automated (AI-based analysis) of technology-related videos, we determine which impression management techniques help crowdfunding creators to attract a higher number of backers and meet their financial targets. Our results indicate that self-presentation and exemplification techniques are positively associated with crowdfunding success, while intimidation is negatively related to crowdfunding success. Our findings show that automated analysis of videos using advanced AI can replace human coding since measures based on human coding become insignificant when AI-based measures are included in the analysis. This illustrates the insights companies can create through the large scale automated analysis of video content using AI, including outside of a crowdfunding context.     

Nurturing clients’ trust to encourage engagement success during the customization of ERP systems

Customization is a crucial, lengthy, and costly aspect in the successful implementation of ERP systems, and has, accordingly, become a major specialty of many vendors and consulting companies. This study examines how such companies can increase their clients’ perception of engagement success through increased client trust that is brought about through responsive and dependable customization.Survey data from ERP customization clients show that, as hypothesized, clients’ trust influenced their perception of engagement success with the company. The data also show that clients’ trust in the customization company was increased when the company behaved in accordance with client expectations by being responsive, and decreased when the company behaved in a manner that contradicted these expectations by not being dependable. Responses to an open-ended question addendum attached to the survey corroborated the importance of responsiveness and dependability. Implications for customization companies and research on trust are discussed.     

An Empirical Study of the Alignment Between Manufacturing and Marketing Strategies

It is widely recognised that manufacturing can be a formidable competitive weapon if equipped and managed properly, and that to achieve this success a company must have the correct alignment of manufacturing and marketing strategies. The authors considered there to be a need for empirical research into the effect of such methods within industry today. Their research was based on two questionnaires: the first was sent to 319 companies looking at levels of integration, the second to 20 of the responding companies concentrating on the development process and content of their individual strategies. Known models, internal integration and formal procedures were also investigated, none of which seem to be fully functional within any of the companies contacted. It became evident that the size of the company must be taken into consideration when formulating development plans, and that communication, cross-functional teams and formal product development techniques are essential to the success of any marketing strategy.     

Innovationsberatung: Ansätze für Veränderung und Neues

In this paper we argue that a systematic organizational consulting approach can be supportive in fostering innovation and change processes in companies. We discuss the consulting approach in three steps: First, we present a scientific meta-definition of the term “innovation”, which helps to identify the major challenges for companies in being innovative. Second, we raise urgent questions which companies have to face in order to address these major challenges. Third, we discuss tools from our organizational consulting experience that support companies in answering these questions on their way to innovation success, therefore providing a useful basis for innovation consulting.     

Entrepreneurial Firms and Downstream Alliance Partnerships: Impact of Portfolio Depth and Scope on Technology Innovation and Commercialization Success

To achieve technology innovation and commercialization (TIC) success under complex, protracted, and uncertain product development cycles, entrepreneurial firms engage in downstream alliance partnerships with mainstream industry players. In this study, we examine two specific characteristics of the entrepreneurial firm's downstream alliance portfolio (depth and scope) and their impact on TIC success. Employing a sample of 728 biotech firms and their partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, we find that while portfolio depth and scope separately have positive impact on success, the relationship between portfolio scope and success is additionally moderated by portfolio depth. Further, insights from post hoc interviews also suggest that though it is challenging for entrepreneurial firms to incorporate both depth and scope in alliance partnerships, those that optimally combine both can achieve higher TIC success.     

Applying stage-gate processes to technology development—Experience from six hardware-oriented companies

The stage gate model has been proposed for application to uncertain technology development. Reports on industrial experience from such implementations are quite limited, however. This led us to explore in six companies what adaptations have been made to facilitate the model's usefulness for technology development and the companies’ experiences from their practical application of the model. Our results indicate that aspects proven important for the operational success, or failure, of the model include the level of adaptation to the characteristics of technology development and a more flexible use than that normally found in product development.     

Different degrees of informational asymmetry on job markets and its impact on companies’ recruiting success

Based on a large survey of German companies, we investigate the influence of job characteristics on the recruiting success on labor markets with different degrees of informational asymmetry. We cluster companies’ recruiting channels in those with low (internal job markets and employee referrals) and high (job advertisements, the Federal Employment Agency and headhunters) degrees of informational asymmetry. We provide evidence that monetary aspects are important when quality aspects of the job and the company are not directly observable by job applicants. However, if recruiting channels are used where the level of asymmetric information is lower because applicants have more reliable information about job and company characteristics, the quality attributes of a workplace, such as flexible work times or a high job responsibility, become influential on the recruiting success. Finally, our results show that applicants with access to more information about the quality aspects of a job also seem to be in a better position to evaluate the information given with regard to their credibility.     

Quality circles—Are they working in British factories?

A survey of Quality Circle programmes in British manufacturing companies reveals that Circles introduced and used properly with full management and trade union support can and do work and have many benefits. The findings suggest that current management attitudes and actions are more detrimental to the establishment and success of a circle programme than that of the trade unions. Based on the findings, indications are made of the factors which will assist companies who are considering the introduction of a Quality Circle programme and also help those companies currently using Circles to make and keep them effective.     

跨国经营海外子公司业务发展中企业的战略选择——辉瑞制药中国公司在华生产范围发展路径(1993~2002年)的启示

经济全球化给更多企业带来了跨国经营的机会与动力。本文着重分析在跨国经营中海外子公司在当地的业务范围如何演化、其发展路径通常受哪些因素的影响,而企业又可以通过做出哪些战略选择来更好地调节其发展路径。通过对辉瑞制药中国公司在1993￣2002年期间在华生产范围发展路径的描述和分析,本文提出两个观点。一是在跨国经营中企业通常面临保持公司在全球的业务整合以及适应当地市场具体条件的双重压力,当两者之间存在较大差异时,由于决策者的认知受有限理性的制约,海外子公司的业务并不会按现有文献中所提出的按母公司已有业务从强到弱顺序发展,而是呈现迂回发展的路径。二是企业可以通过对战略变量的参数的选择来调节其海外子公司的业务发展,而这样的参数调节过程有助于企业通过试探逐渐积累关于当地市场的知识,从而在跨国经营的双重压力中获取平衡。通过上述分析,本文希冀对中国企业开展国际化经营提供的启示是当企业在海外扩张中面临陌生的环境时,对当地市场的特性给予足够的关注并保持战略上的灵活性是取得成功的关键。     

Productivity: Lessons from Japan

The purpose of this article is to compare Japanese productivity on an industry basis with the U.S. and European companies, and then to examine the factors and methods that underline the Japanese success to determine what, if any, lessons Western companies can draw from the Japanese approach.     

天津企业市场导向的探索性研究

天津企业表现出两种形式的市场导向:全面市场导向(ComprehensiveMarketOrientation)和竞争与顾客导向(CompetitorandCustomerFocusedOrientation)。这两种导向产生于五个关键的市场导向(MO)因素和一个市场环境(ME)因素。其中市场导向因素包括:“企业各部门协调一致来满足目标市场的需要”、“企业十分重视售后服务工作”、“企业凭借自身的竞争优势招徕顾客”、“‘为顾客创造价值’的信念是企业制定竞争战略的动力”和“达到顾客满意是企业制定各种经营目标的动力”;市场环境因素则为“与企业核心产品/服务相关的技术变化程度”。研究表明,实行全面市场导向的企业在新产品的相对成功率和相对投资回报率(ROI)上都取得了明显高的绩效,但在组织特征上无独特性。     

Integrated Management Systems — Opportunities and Risks for Corporate Environmental Protection

Environmental protection in companies is increasingly carried out using Integrated Management Systems (IMS). Based on empirical results, this article examines how IMS can be designed and how the integration affects corporate environmental protection. In particular, we discuss the findings of four empirical studies, which surveyed experiences of German and European companies.Our work shows, that the success of corporate environmental protection does not depend on whether the company has implemented a separate environmental management system or an IMS. What is crucial is the rank of environmental protection within the company's system of objectives. In case of goal conflicts, decision criteria in agreement with the company's system of objectives have to be formulated. Furthermore, the IMS model can have an effect on this issue. The results of a pilot project in the automobile sector are discussed to illustrate how to implement such an IMS on the basis of ISO 14001.Compared to isolated environmental management systems, IMS can even improve environmental protection, because ecological criteria can be considered from the beginning when designing customer-oriented products and processes.     

Wirksamkeitsforschung im Führungskräfte-Coaching

Research on the outcomes of executive coachingThe author presents a review comparing 22 research papers published in German or English on the outcomes and factors influencing the outcomes of executive coaching. The variety of methods applied, factors leading to success, criteria of success as well as the perspectives that were established makes it difficult to carry out a comparison of these studies especially considering the small number of the studies. Moreover, many of the studies suffer from methodological flaws and miss depth of theoretical background. Overall, a positive picture emerges: Coaching seems to have a considerable effect. Clients report feelings of a burden being taken away from them. They develop a capacity to look at things differently, they improve their skills of reflection, communication and of carrying out executive tasks. Their interventions become more efficient and help their companies to increase their profit. Factors leading to this success seem to be the working relationship, the elaborate formulation of aims, the way of reaching these aims, the qualification, the commitment and the authenticity of the coach as well as the coach’s appropriate use of different techniques.     

Coordination of supply chain investments and the advantage of revenue sharing

As examples of the practice show, revenue-sharing agreements between independent companies are arranged to coordinate a supply chain. Using an incomplete contracting model this article identifies conditions under which revenue-sharing agreements as well as pricing agreements are favorable for the involved companies. The main results show that revenue sharing increases the investment tendency of the upstream company to make revenue affecting specific investments and, under certain circumstances, increases the expected profit of both companies. Therefore, revenue sharing should be used if the success of the supply chain depends on a supply chain-crossing differentiation strategy.     

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.     

International adjustment of Brazilian expatriates in the United States of America

The adjustment of expatriates to host countries has been identified as a determinant of their success in international assignments. The literature on expatriates is largely based on cases of expatriates from developed economies; however, given the current global market scenario, companies from developing countries are also assigning expatriates to international assignments. The purpose of this study was to understand the international adjustment of Brazilian expatriates working for Brazilian multinational subsidiaries in the United States of America (USA). The study used an exploratory approach of in-depth interviews with open-ended questions conducted with 11 Brazilian expatriates working for 11 different Brazilian multinationals in the USA. The contributions of this study are twofold: (1) exploration of the adjustment perspectives of expatriates of Brazilian multinational companies, and (2) exploration of the effects of variables from the USA context, as host country, on the international adjustment of expatriates. Findings show that Brazilian expatriates perceived that rules and laws of the USA had a great effect on their international adjustment, while cross-cultural differences influenced leadership styles and interpersonal relationship.     

跨国公司在华投资的物流策略与中国物流业的发展

自80年代中期以来中国经济的持续、快速增长创造了一个经济奇迹,但是物流业正逐渐成为中国经济发展的重要制约因素。对于如何发展我国物流业,那些在中国市场上取得成功的世界顶级跨国公司为我们提供了有价值的案例。如果我们能够从它们的成功中吸取经验并应用于实践,对我国物流业的发展将是有益的。     

Achieving total quality through intelligence

American firms want 'total quality'. The time and money spent by U.S. companies attempting to qualify for the coveted Baldrige Award exemplifies corporate America's desire to achieve new quality standards. Corporate intelligence and 'total quality' are inextricably linked. In this article, the authors demonstrate how shared and properly-used information can be a powerful tool for elevating quality standards, and how corporate intelligence programmes can provide the information links vital for success in attaining the highest standards of quality.