Response strategy to environment context factors using a lean and agile approach: Implications for firm performance

Based on the environment-strategy performance perspective and dynamic capabilities framework, we develop a theoretical model and hypotheses specifying how supply chain collaboration as a response to environment context factors – competitive intensity, supply uncertainty, technological turbulence and market turbulence, using a lean and agile strategy may influence firm performance. We test the model using partial least square structural equation modelling on data collected from a field survey with responses from 152 manufacturing firms representing a variety of industries. Empirical findings generally support the relationship between collaboration and firm performance using a lean and agile strategy. Also, for firms in industries that face environments characterised by high supply uncertainty and competitive intensity with, technological turbulence, the study finds evidence of a direct relationship between these environmental factors and supply chain collaboration. The findings provide an initial strategic response framework for appropriately aligning a lean and agile supply chain strategy through collaboration with environment context factors to achieve firm performance improvements.     

More (new) products,more problems? A systems perspective on increased capability deployment and organizational errors

The capabilities-based view postulates that organizational capabilities are a key driver of competitive advantage. However, while increasing the pace of deploying organizational capabilities, such as new product development (NPD), may enable alignment with changing environments, it may also have unintended consequences. In this study, we advance theory on these unintended consequences by investigating how the increased deployment of NPD capability leads to organizational errors. Borrowing from organizational research employing systems theory, we argue that an increase in NPD deployment may increase the likelihood of routine discoordination and, thus, the incidence of intra-firm and interfirm errors. However, we also proffer that firms can mitigate errors from increases in NPD capability deployment by engaging in distinct internal and external activities that enable the accumulation of knowledge on how to coordinate systemic change. We distinguish between internal and external errors, demonstrating that in the context of increased NPD deployments, internal voluntary investigations ameliorate internal manufacturing errors, while supplier alliances mitigate outsourced component errors. We find support for our predictions using data from new product introductions and recalls in the U.S. automotive industry. This study sheds light on the tension inherent to accelerating the deployment of patterned organizational activities and suggests that the outcomes of deploying an organizational capability are best viewed holistically within the milieu of organizational systems the capability spans.     

Using a capabilities approach to understand poverty and social exclusion of psychiatric survivors

The purpose of this project is to better understand poverty and social exclusion of psychiatric survivors using a capabilities approach to social justice as part of a larger mixed-methods longitudinal study (N=380) in Ontario, Canada. Using thematic coding, four themes emerged: poverty, ‘You just try to survive’; stigma, ‘People treat you like trash’; belonging, ‘You feel like you don’t belong’; and shared concern and advocacy, ‘Everyone deserves housing’. This analysis provides a deeper understanding of poverty and other social determinants of experiences of psychiatric survivors, including the synergism of poverty and social exclusion.     

可行能力与农民工的福利状况评价

基于辽宁省沈阳市农民工调查数据,应用森的可行能力理论和模糊数学方法对农民工的福利状况进行整体评价。结果发现,农民工福利水平的总模糊指数为0.365,处于较低水平。分指标看,健康状况方面的福利状况处于较高水平,居住环境和精神感受方面的福利状况处于中间水平,其它功能性指标的福利水平较低。在影响农民工福利的主要因素中,工作环境和防护性保障的改善对提升农民工福利影响最大。运用OLS回归模型对农民工的福利状况进行扩展分析,发现农民工群体内部存在较强的异质性,并且不同特征的农民工群体福利水平相差很大。     

Interactive profit-planning systems and market turbulence: A dynamic capabilities perspective

This article describes, theorizes and empirically investigates the concept of interactive profit-planning systems (PPS) through the lens of the dynamic capabilities logic. With this conceptualization: interactive PPS capabilities comprise budgeting, forecasting and results-reporting routines, in which top and middle managers interact to create knowledge for sensing, seizing, and business model reconfiguring (to manage strategic business change). Survey data from 331 Australian firms is analyzed employing partial least squares structural equation modeling. The data provides support for two hypotheses: (1) greater market turbulence strengthens the positive effect of interactive PPS capabilities on business unit performance; and (2) greater market turbulence strengthens the positive effect of flexibility values (of organizational culture) on interactive PPS capabilities. Our findings show that interactive PPS capabilities function according to the salient tenets of the dynamic capabilities logic, and clarify the beneficial roles of formal cybernetic control systems and the intertwined involvement of top and middle managers in using dynamic capabilities.     

适合应用型人才培养的结构设计课程教学改革探讨

结合土木工程专业教学实践,围绕当前结构设计课程的特点,以《混凝土结构设计》课程为例就如何提高教学质量,培养学生的工程意识和综合设计能力,从教学方法、教学内容、教学手段等方面对课程的教学改革进行探讨。     

论我国县级政府能力提升的路径选择

县域经济是国民经济的基础,县级政府能力具有举足轻重的地位,提升县级政府能力是紧迫的时代课题.政府能力与行政权力、行政职能、财务行政、行政机构等密切相关.因此,可从行政权力--疏浚县级政府能力的主要渠道、行政职能--匡定县级政府能力的主要内容和发展方向、财务行政--提升县级政府能力的物质保障、行政机构--夯实县级政府能力的载体等角度提升县级政府能力.     

全球化背景下我国企业的自主知识产权能力建构分析

全球化背景下,我国企业尤其是高新技术企业必须提升知识产权能力,以保持可持续竞争优势.本文从企业知识产权能力与动态能力的逻辑关系出发,探讨了知识产权能力的含义,将企业知识产权能力分为负值型、防御型、整合型、利润型四种不同的发展阶段或状态.进一步分析了目前我国企业面临能级低、结构失衡、风险偏大的知识产权能力困境,并从与自身技术研发及市场拓展能力相匹配、建立动态管理机制、组合运用知识产权工具、营造知识产权文化等四个方面探讨企业如何构建自主知识产权能力.     

制造企业物流能力及其对竞争优势和企业绩效的影响研究

利用探索性和验证性因子分析,开发制造企业物流能力量表,得出物流能力的三个维度:物流流程能力、物流柔性能力和物流信息整合能力.利用LISREL对研究假设进行检验,得出制造企业物流能力与竞争优势和企业绩效之间的因果关系,在研究结论基础上,对制造企业提高物流能力提出相应建议.     

企业动态营销能力构成维度及其路径关系——基于扎根理论的探索性研究

运用扎根理论方法,在中国市场环境和营销实践背景下,通过开放编码、主轴编码和选择性编码和模型构建,对于动态营销能力的构成要素及其相互关系进行质性分析.研究结果表明,动态营销能力涵盖市场感知、市场知识吸收、渠道联盟、顾客联结、市场创新、品牌价值提升和响应顾客能力七个维度,构建了动态营销能力结构体系及其路径关系模型,并进一步揭示了各个能力的作用机理,动态营销能力的维度彼此相互关联,通过知识创造、资源联合与整合以及资源释放过程共同影响企业的绩效与可持续竞争优势.