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PurposeDespite increasing attentions to sustainable service supply chain management (SSSCM), a framework for performance evaluation of sustainable service only supply chain management (SSOSCM) is still missing. This paper tries to fill this gap and provides a novel conceptual framework.Design/methodology/approachThe articles related to SSSCM are fetched from the databases of SCOPUS and Web of Science. Analysis of 174 articles identified by the systematic literature review is further carried out.FindingsThis research identifies the sustainable practices for service only supply chain (SOSC) as environmental management, social management, economic management, customer management, health, safety and risk management, technical sustainability, institutional sustainability, information and technology management as well as two performance measurement criteria as operational performance and organizational performance. This paper provides a novel conceptual framework for the performance evaluation of SSOSCM. The results call for future exploration in the following three broad directions-(1) customer's perception, involvement and their behaviour towards sustainability in SOSC context; (2) trade-off, incentive mechanism and multilevel evaluation for achieving sustainability in SOSC and (3) sustainability in SOSC from various point of views.Practical implicationsThe managers can use the framework to assess the performance of the organization while researchers can explore the discussed research gaps.Originality/valueThis is the first paper that provides a novel conceptual framework for the performance evaluation of SSOSCM as well as potential future research directions.

Purpose The organizations need to use strategic drivers such as market orientation (MO) and knowledge management (KM) for the development of product and process innovations, which can become a major source of sustainable competitive advantage (SCA). However, there is a gap in the use of these precepts, specifically in Brazilian companies. The purpose of this paper is to measure the relationship among MO, KM orientation, innovation (product and process), SCA and organizational performance (OP). Design/methodology/approach The research was developed through a survey in 1,072 companies from the industrial manufacturing, commerce and services activity sectors. For the analysis of data, the study used the structural equation modeling method. Findings This study contributes to managerial decisions in the choice of investment in strategic drivers and innovation, to obtain competitive advantages and economic gains. The results highlight that companies that use market information have formal structures to support innovation processes achieving more successful results. Research limitations/implications The framework proposed in this research can be used for different industries and segments. Originality/value The theoretical value of this paper is the contribution to the literature with the provision of a framework to analyze the strategic drivers, which are antecedents of innovation in different sectors of activity and in different sizes of companies. It is highlighted as managerial contributions, that the study identified evidence that organizations seek a superior OP to the competitor, creating competitive differentials that result in SCA.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the skill mapping process in a manufacturing organization and to examine its relationship with the select performance indicators, such as quality and defects. This paper also explores the role of the supervisor in the whole process of skill mapping of the blue-collar employees. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a case-based approach and the company selected is Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Swaraj Division, located in Phase 4, Industrial Area, Mohali (Punjab). The qualitative aspect of the paper is based on ten semi-structured interviews of the senior-level managers. These interviews are conducted in order to understand the role of the supervisor in skill mapping process and its relationship with the organizational performance. The quantitative aspect is based on the regression analysis to find out the impact of skill index on select performance indicators. Findings The results of the study indicate that the role of the supervisor in performance appraisal is very important in the whole process of skill mapping. Swaraj is an example where a robust skill mapping process for blue-collar employees have supported the business in improving the skill of employees and consequently supporting the business to perform well on key deliverables, such as better quality and less defects. The select variables are inter-correlated and variations in the select organizational performance indicators (production and defects) are due to variations in the skill index of the blue-collar employees in the manufacturing organization. The performance indicators of the manufacturing organization in terms of manufacturing defects have declined and also the production has increased, which is a good indicator for the organization. Practical implications The present study is of interest to researchers who are trying to understand the system for skill mapping and utilization of appraisal inputs in improving organizational performance. Originality/value To the authors’ best knowledge, this paper is one of the first to address the skill mapping process in a manufacturing organization especially for the blue-collar employees.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for analyzing the relationships between the antecedent factors, mediators and consequences of sustainable operations (SO), which can be applied for empirical studies in the manufacturing industry. Design/methodology/approach Based on the importance of identifying the determinants of SO, a qualitative and exploratory research was developed through an extensive review of the literature. Findings The main theoretical contribution of this research on organizational studies is the SO analysis proposition framework, which allows the elaboration of scales, based on observable variables of each factor, as well as evaluating the influence intensity of the relations between the constructs. Research limitations/implications The proposed framework of this research was developed to analyze companies of the manufacturing industry. In order to use the proposed framework in other industries (commerce, services), it will be necessary to make adaptations and adjustments on the observable variables and constructs. Originality/value The paper has an important theoretical value in proposing scales for the SO factors and can be useful for future quantitative approach and surveys. Consequently, the researcher will be able to evaluate the scales of the factors and the intensity of the relations between observable variables in the formation of the constructs, as well as the intensity of influence among the constructs.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an eccentric model to examine the factors that influence environmental performance in organizations based on belief–action–outcome framework and natural resource-based view theory. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by employing online survey from respondents in organizations to statistically test the eccentric model and its associated hypotheses. Partial least squares–structural equation modeling and Statistical Package for Social Sciences were utilized to analyze the survey data. Findings The results show that information technology (IT) professionals and IT executives’ behavior positively influences environmental performance. Further results suggest that the belief of IT professionals and IT executives is significantly influenced by the action of IT infrastructure, institutional pressure, organizational strategy and information diffusion. In addition, results reveal that the action of IT infrastructure, institutional pressure, organizational strategy and information diffusion in organizations significantly has an impact on the outcome of environmental performance. Moreover, results indicate that green information systems (IS) for pollution prevention, product stewardship and clean development initiatives adopted positively influence the environmental performance of organizations. Research limitations/implications The developed eccentric model further shows how green IS practice integration can improve environmental performance. However, the selected respondents are from a single country as such findings from this study cannot be generalized to other countries. Practical implications Practically, this paper has implications for the capability of IS to promote environmental performance in organizations. Social implications This study provides a pertinent contribution in developing and validating an eccentric model for green IS adoption. Besides, a survey instrument is developed that can be used by future studies. Originality/value The developed model helps to explore the factors that influence environmental performance and also the outcomes of green IS adoption for environmental performance. Accordingly, IT professionals and IT executives can draw upon the eccentric model in assessing their current environmental-friendly practice for the effective initialization of green IS for corporate value.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of perishable food supply chain quality (PFSCQ) and to suggest a structural model that counts the influence of PFSCQ practices on organizational sustainable performance.Design/methodology/approachOn the basis of comprehensive literature review, PFSCQ highly significant practices were examined and designated. These practices were classified into four dimensions: upstream quality (supplier quality), downstream quality (customer focus), internal quality (process and logistics quality) and support practices (top management leadership and commitment to quality, quality of human resource, quality of information and supply chain integration). The measurement instrument of organizational sustainable performance was also build on, containing three aspects: economic, environmental and social performance.FindingsAn inventive conceptual model that specifies a comprehensive image cover up core dimensions of PFSCQ and various aspects of organizational sustainable performance was suggested. This conceptual model can be used as “a directive” for theory developing and measurement instrument development of PFSCQ practices and organizational sustainable performance. More prominently, on the road to achieving additional insight, an extensive structural model that makes out direct and indirect relationships between PFSCQ practices and organizational sustainable performance was also developed. Practitioners can apply this model as “a path plan” for implementing PFSCQ practices to improve organizational sustainable performance.Originality/valueThe integration of quality and supply chain even now remains inadequate in the literature. Consequently, it is required to have a more focused approach in assessing quality issues inside the upstream, internal and downstream of the supply chain. This study concentrates on the practices which make better quality aspects of the supply chain, known as PFSCQ practices. Suggested research models in this paper contribute to conceptual frameworks for theory building in PFSCQ and sustainable organizational performance. It is also expected that this research can suggest a useful direction for determining and implementing PFSCQ practices as well as make possible further studies in this arena.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of hard total quality management (TQM) practices on operational performance dimensions in manufacturing organizations.Design/methodology/approachThe study was designed in the Jordanian manufacturing sector. Organizations that are familiar with hard TQM practices specifically that had already implemented ISO 9001 certificate were randomly surveyed through structured questionnaire, yielded a sample of 40 responding organizations. Principal component factor analysis was used to analyze hard TQM practices implementation and organizations operational performance dimensions. As a result, specific hard TQM practices and operational performance dimensions were extracted. The hard TQM practices that significantly influence operational performance dimensions were tested using simple and multiple linear regression analysis.FindingsThe research findings showed that hard TQM practices in manufacturing sector include; continuous improvement, statistical process control (SPC), process management and quality tools and techniques. Meanwhile, operational performance dimensions include; quality and inventory management performance. Also, the findings showed that continuous improvement and SPC practices play a major role in obtaining the desired results of operational performance.Research limitations/implicationsThree limitations can be identified in this research, using subjective measures of TQM practices and operational performance, low response rate and using a sample of organizations from various industries. This paper can help Jordanian manufacturing organizations to foster proper practices and make the right decisions related to operational performance.Originality/valueThis study describes a reliable hard TQM model that can be used by manufacturing organizations to improve their operational performance. Also, the results of this study contribute to prior literature and recommend some best practices for manufacturing organizations.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the positive effect of organizational culture on knowledge management (KM) by clarifying the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the banking sector in Jordan. The study was conducted on Jordanian banks to develop the organizational culture concept to be reflected in the bank activities. The population of this study consists of junior and senior customer service and administrative employees working at Jordanian banks in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach The sample of this research is purposive one because the research cannot get a list containing names of customer service employees for privacy reasons. Various statistical tests were employed to test the research hypotheses. The study utilized two statistical packages – Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and SPSS-AMOS – for analyzing the data. Findings The development of organizational culture at banks in Jordan is still not stable and efficient. This may be affected by the management style and teamwork spirit in Jordan and other factors related to bank culture and how it will be reflected in customer service. The creation and application of KM at banks in Jordan is still modest. Knowledge is mainly shared internally within the bank with little efforts dedicated to soliciting knowledge from the external environment including customers. The job satisfaction at banks in Jordan is still modest. Originality/value The purpose of this study is to investigate how the organizational culture can improve job satisfaction for efficient work knowledge. The relationship between organizational culture and KM of organizational members is developed and analyzed herein by proposing a mediating role of job satisfaction. Few research papers have focused on job satisfaction and its mechanism contributing to individual effectiveness in the Jordanian market, and many ignored the benefits of KM and value of culture in many sectors.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the practice of IT cost benchmarking using IT managerial control ratios. First, numerous reliability and validity issues that this practice is plagued by are discussed. Second, recommendations on addressing some of these reliability and validity issues are also proposed. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper that draws on literature utilizing IT managerial control ratios to discuss various reliability problems associated with these measures and also makes use of IT strategy theory to challenge the validity of common interpretations of IT managerial control ratios. Findings This study explains that IT managerial control ratios are subject to numerous reliability and validity issues. The reliability issues arise from the inherent volatility of some of the variables used in these ratios and difficulties that executives have in providing a reliable estimate of those variables when they are approached by market research firms. The validity issues arise from the fact that high and low values of these ratios are subject to different and, at times, somewhat orthogonal theoretical interpretations. Practical implications IT managerial control ratios are often at the heart of important capital allocation decisions as well as studies which form important stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the business value of IT. These important uses of IT managerial control ratios should not be carried out without understanding the reliability and validity issues discussed in this paper. Originality/value While IT managerial control ratios are used extensively in benchmarking and research, very few researchers and practitioners possess a full understanding of the reliability and validity issues associated with these measures. This can potentially lead to sub-optimal capital allocation decisions and erroneous findings in studies. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of these issues and recommends possible remedies.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify important dimensions which are essential to remain competitive. To generate scores which will be as effective as the original outputs to determine the radial efficiency scores etc. Design/methodology/approach – A non-central principal component analysis (PCA) were used to determine various dimensions for each output. The objective was set to identify those special schools which could minimize certain pre-prescribed scores. Findings – Few schools were trying to concentrate on the students from the rich society and spending less per student. There were other schools which targeted to minimize the social loss by providing education to the poorer section and were funding more for them. Research limitations/implications – Small group was considered. However, the number can be extended. Practical implications – The valuable findings of Hillman and Jenkner (2002), stated that – “Children are entitled to a free, quality basic education. Many children who do attend school receive an inadequate education because of poorly trained, underpaid teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and a lack of basic teaching tools such as textbooks, blackboards, and pens and paper […].” “In an ideal world, primary education would be universal and publicly financed, and all children would be able to attend school regardless of their parents’ ability or willingness to pay. The reason is simple: when any child fails to acquire the basic skills needed to function as a productive, responsible member of society, […] The cost of educating children is far outweighed by the cost of not educating them. Adults who lack basic skills have greater difficulty in finding well-paying jobs and escaping poverty […].” In order to understand which fact has been stressed more the proposed model is very useful. Social implications – It is capable of describing the current standpoint of a group of homogenous schools or firms. Quality and cost cutting principals can be isolated quite easily. Originality/value – Introduces concepts of non-central PCA. Provides alternative scores which are as important as the original output. Detects and analyze various important dimensions.

Purpose – Using the numerical situation analysis (NSA) technique in the development of corporate strategy provides senior managers with a suitable methodology for the creation of alternative strategic options. Subsequently, it may be used to evaluate those options for possible selection and implementation by the company concerned. In addition, the technique provides a graphic temporal point description of an organisation's strategic situation. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to outline the technique of NSA via a hypothetical example and thereby illustrate its use in practice. Design/methodology/approach – By using a paradigm approach, the paper indicates the correct application of the NSA technique as a means of defining and evaluating alternative strategic options within a manufacturing company. As proposed, the methodology also permits several graphic illustrations of the strategic situation to be drawn, along with a scheme for monitoring the effectiveness of an adopted strategy. Findings – The evolution of the suggested NSA technique and its application to the formulation of strategic options for a manufacturing company are outlined in the paper. In practice, its application in four differing industries has resulted in some caveats regarding its use, and to some provisional conclusions being drawn in respect of its usefulness to senior management. These are recorded in the concluding section of the paper. Research limitations/implications – The design, development and application of NSA proposed in this paper together with the experience of its implementation and use, in practice, highlight a potentially useful extension to existing methods of strategy formulation. The methodology offers senior management a technique, whereby alternative strategic options may be defined and evaluated for possible adoption along with diagrammatic illustrations of an organisation's strategic situation. In addition, the approach allows a selected strategy to be monitored over time for effectiveness, thus providing an early warning mechanism in respect of strategic inutility. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the existing knowledge based on strategy development, evaluation and selection. It also provides a mechanism for monitoring a selected strategy for effectiveness over time and a structured framework for senior management to undertake the strategic planning process. It may when used in practice achieve an improved level of strategic understanding on the part of senior management and thereby stimulate improved corporate performance.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether the implementation of ERP impacts both business strategy and organizational capabilities which in turn enhance firm performance. Specifically, the paper investigates the mediating effect of business strategy and organizational capabilities on the relationship between ERP implementation and firm performance.Design/methodology/approachUsing secondary data collected from more than 400 firms, this study tests the relationships among these variables.FindingsERP implementation has a positive impact when a firm employs a prospector business strategy. A prospector business strategy enhances the firm's ability to achieve organizational capabilities and enables the firm to achieve higher levels of financial performance.Practical implicationsERP implementation encourages and supports a prospector strategy. ERP not only supports cost control, but also supports new product development and introductions. The prospector firm seeks better information to support decision making, develop new and innovative products that drive revenue growth, and build efficient and effective operations that enhance return on assets.Originality/valueThis paper reports the mediating effect of business strategy and organizational capabilities on the relationship between ERP implementation and firm performance. This study uses cybernetic control, resource‐based view of firm, and dynamic capabilities theories to develop and integrate this research.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine benchmarking leadership theories in order to build a new leadership model for the green economy.Design/methodology/approachThe collection and critical analysis of secondary data from relevant publications were used to evaluate the feasibility of a new leadership model in the green economy. Analysis of organizational and leadership theories has been utilized in order to benchmark future successful efforts.FindingsThe paper found five key issues: there is little research in how the green economy will impact contemporary organizations' strategy, structure, and culture; new theories may need to be developed to assist organizations in developing the right kind of leadership for the green economy; the creation of green jobs may infuse organizations with more emphasis on values and leadership competency; the over dependence on technology to create jobs and sustain society's quality of life carries unintended consequences; and agrarian leadership may offer organizations a better ability to lead workers in the green economy.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper examines benchmarking applications that are exclusively relevant in both private and public organizations.Practical implicationsThere are several implications for researchers and practitioners related to improving the personal and organizational success of leaders guiding their followers in a green economy. Many countries hope that the green economy will be able to improve their financial situation. Yet, organizations are struggling with the issues of ethical behavior by managers and how to motivate their employees toward greater performance. A new leadership based on agrarian values may be a positive step in addressing these matters.Originality/valueThe paper is significant because it presents a theoretical framework for interpreting how agrarian values can work building the quality of life when applied in a green economy.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine organizational commitment within nonprofit organizations and demonstrate the effectiveness of benchmarking attitudinal constructs.Design/methodology/approachA web based 21 question survey was conducted utilizing a professional organization's membership list. The survey was then analyzed to determine if differences could be found in a local market compared to the larger (geographic) sample. Manova was used to examine mean differences across the variables.FindingsThe results revealed six constructs where attitudinal differences occurred. The differences allow management to determine if they are even with, above or below the average for the larger region and adjust management practices accordingly to increase organizational commitment.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalisability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further with a larger national sample.Practical implicationsBenchmarking organizational commitment allows management to adjust practices to improve and retain employees. Retaining employees saves the cost of training and ensures continued delivery of services.Originality/valueThis paper fulfils an identified need to demonstrate the utility of benchmarking against a sample of peer organizations in the realm of organizational behavior and human resources constructs. This also extends the literature in the area of nonprofit management.

This paper examines and compares the total quality management (TQM) practices and organizational performances of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with and without ISO 9000 certification in Malaysia. A quality measurement framework is developed for this paper based on the critical success factors of the TQM program. Empirical research was carried out to determine the difference, if any, in the TQM implementation and organizational performances of SMEs with and without ISO 9000 certification. The quality measurement framework developed for this paper provides a benchmark of TQM practices for SMEs, which are in the early implementation stage of the quality program and this is proposed as a quality checklist for SMEs to improve and focus on specific areas of their respective quality program. Results based on testing the mean differences between firms with and without ISO 9000 certification indicate that there are significant differences in performances between certified and non‐certified firms, supporting the hypothesis that ISO 9000 certification contributes to a higher organizational performance. Other findings based on the impact of length of operation on performance are also reported. The paper discusses the implications of this. Limitations of the study are highlighted and further research directions are suggested.

PurposeThe Indian power sector is dominated by coal. Environmental awareness and advances in techno-economic front have led to a slow but steady shift towards greener alternatives. The distributions of both fossil fuel resources and renewable energy potential are not uniform across the states. Paper attempts to answer how the states are performing in the sector and how the renewable energy and conventional resources are affecting the dynamics.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ a two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) to rank the performance of Indian states in the power sector. Multi-stage analysis opens up the DEA black-box through disaggregating power sector in two logical sub-sectors. The performance is evaluated from the point-of-view of policy formulating and implementing agencies. Further, an econometric analysis using seemingly unrelated regression equations (SURE) is conducted to estimate the determinants of total and industrial per-capita electricity consumption.FindingsEfficiency scores obtained from the first phase of analysis happens to be a significant explanatory variable for power consumption. The growth in electricity consumption, which is necessary for economic wellbeing, is positively affected by both renewable and non-renewable sources; but conventional sources have a larger impact on per-capita consumption. Yet, the share of renewables in the energy mix has positive elasticity. Hence, the findings are encouraging, because development in storage technologies, falling costs and policy interventions are poised to give further impetus to renewable sources.Originality/valueThe study is one of the very few where entire spectrum of the Indian power sector is evaluated from efficiency perspective. Further, the second phase analysis gives additional relevant insights on the sector.

PurposeThe current industrial revolution is powered by data, which is also referred as Industry 4.0. The Industry 4.0 has attracted significant attention from academia and the industry professionals. The supply chain integration (SCI) has played a significant role in enhancing supply chain performance and organizational performance. This study explores the relationship between Industry 4.0 and SCI via an extensive literature review to understand the various levels of integration with the supply chain processes and to identify missing links, through a framework, and suggest further research directions.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, we have used systematic literature review approach to identify the building blocks of the conceptual framework, which is the main contribution of the present study. We have used Scopus database to search literature using keywords.FindingsThe study offers some interesting insights that may help scholars to advance theoretical debates. Moreover, the study also provides interesting direction to the practitioners engaged in supply chain management in data-driven environment. In this study, we have proposed a conceptual framework for the adoption of Industry 4.0 and SCI.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study we have proposed a conceptual framework. However, the framework is yet to be empirically tested. Hence, we caution readers to evaluate the findings of the present study in context to its limitations. This is an attempt to develop a conceptual framework which may be tested using longitudinal data.Originality/valueThe present work helps in integrating two independent subjects', i.e. Industry 4.0 and SCI. The theoretical framework presented here integrates Industry 4.0 and SCI which can be useful to the practitioners and policymakers engaged in implementing Industry 4.0.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of the characteristics and roles of management accounting systems (MAS) on today’s business organizations and their management, systems, procedures, people, performance and competitive environments.Design/methodology/approachA survey-based methodology was utilized in this research to gather organizational information relevant to the different facets of the MAS and their operational and strategic practices impact on organizations operating under increasingly uncertain and competitive environments. A structural equation modeling approach was utilized to uncover relevant relationships and associations among relevant variables.FindingsThe findings of this exploratory research revealed a direct influence of MAS on the managerial and organizational performance through the managers’ performance. The results also suggest that MAS is directly influenced by users’ training, and satisfaction, task uncertainty and decentralization of decisions. It was also indirectly influenced by top management support. In addition, the findings also revealed a direct influence of the decentralization of decisions on the managers’ and on organizational performance.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this study addressed important issues that have practical management value, it is limited to a sample from one country. Future studies in different businesses and cultural settings are needed to enhance the theoretical and practical contributions of the findings and conclusions of this study.Practical implicationsThe issues explored in this study are very much relevant to the utilization and design of MAS and their increasing tactical and strategic roles in the management of today’s business organizations. The findings of this study have relevant practical value for managers as they attempt to cope with increasingly competitive environments through the deployment of their existing capabilities and best practices. In this context, the accounting management system has practical utilities that facilitate the control and management of the operations and strategies of the organization.Originality/valueThis research offers practicing management an integrated approach, as they aspire to utilize their organizational MAS to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their organizations. Integrating the different aspects of management accounting information systems, given their impact on the different aspects of the organization, is needed for the establishment of theoretical research models aiming at the enhancement of the competitive performance of today’s organizations. This study also offers to executives of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) a new multidimensional instrument for assessing the effectiveness of their management information systems, which can help to improve their benchmarking processes.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to differentiate the empowering influences of critical enablers of supply chain management (SCM) along with their interrelationships. These empowering enablers are significant, as they encourage productive execution to improve organizational performance and stakeholder's satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachFrom the literature review, incidence of a number of SCM enablers were found and they were subjected to critical scrutiny by a considerable number of experts engaged in SCM research and application to identify significant and applicable empowering enablers by grounded interactions. By using Impact Matrix Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification analysis, the driving and dependence power were analyzed and the empowering enablers were ordered. This was pursued by building up a structural model of the empowering enablers using interpretive structure modeling, followed with measuring cause–effect relationship using decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL).FindingsAmong these identified enablers of SCM, operational performance, green SCM, employee empowerment and motivation and strategic association came out to be strategic enablers.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings may help the practicing professionals to develop clarity in understanding of these essential enablers and their contextual as well as cause–effect relationship in SCM. The practicing professionals need to focus on all these enablers during implementation of SCM for enhancing the organizational performance and stake holders' satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study is of practical utility in real-life implementation of SCM. The algorithm used in applying the multi-criteria decision-making approach is very user-friendly, and the application of DEMATEL is an innovation compared to previous research. Further, the findings can be used as a benchmark for improving the performance of SCM by considering the cause–effect relationship.

PurposeManaging environmental consequences while sustaining economic development necessitate strong commitment and participation of all firms across sectors. However, the environment-related role of foreign and local firms is unclear from previous research. With increasing trade liberalization and entry of foreign firms, this question has become particularly relevant. The purpose of this paper is to contrast the roles and contributions of foreign and local firms from an environmental sustainability perspective.Design/methodology/approachUsing data collected through a structured survey (395 responses) and semi-structured interviews (19 numbers) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) construction sector (research setting), the study analyses and understands the hypothesized differences between foreign and local firms on three key environmental sustainability aspects: the extent of environmental practices implementation, the strengths/influences of drivers and barriers affecting the implementation, and the environmental, cost-related, and organizational performance benefits derived.FindingsForeign firms were found to implement environmental practices to a greater extent, have a greater internal drive to implement these practices, and face lower barriers to implementation than local ones. Local firms though were found to be not far behind foreign ones with regards to the environmental, cost-related, and organizational performance benefits derived.Practical implicationsFindings from the study are expected to help policymakers and practitioners develop policies/interventions that ensure all firms irrespective of their nature of ownership contribute equitably to environmental sustainability.Originality/valueThis study is arguably the first comprehensive attempt to understand how various environmental sustainability aspects are perceived and performed by local and foreign firms.

PurposeThis paper presents the concerns in agri-food supply chain. Further the research investigates the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in agri-food supply chain and determines the impact of supply chain management (SCM) practices on firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical framework was proposed for the study on the basis of existing literature. Data for the study was collected with the help of structured questionnaire from 121 executives and officers of the public food distribution agency. Partial least square (PLS)–structured equation modeling was employed to test the framework and hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate that ICT and SCM practices (logistics integration and supplier relationships) have a significant relationship. Furthermore, SCM practices (information sharing, supplier relationship and logistics integration) have a significant and positive impact on performance of the organization.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research could be carried out to test the moderation effect of SCM practices between ICT and organizational performance (OP). Extending the research study to the companies operating in other sectors can enhance the external validity of the study and improve the accuracy of parameters examined.Practical implicationsThis study can be of interest to the agri-food industry as well as other industry practitioners interested in improving the performance of the organization from the view of supply chain.Originality/valueThe outcomes of this study have important implications that translate into a series of recommendations for the management of public food distribution as well as other agri-food-based supply chains.

Purpose Industrial symbiosis (IS) is basically a synergistic association between two or more industries or businesses wherein the waste or by-product of one industry becomes the raw material or immediate material of another industry. IS is believed to bring in significant benefits to the organizations. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the competitiveness attained through IS. Design/methodology/approach Analytic hierarchy process was adopted to analyze the various organizational competitiveness of IS implementation. The conceptual model was developed to understand the interrelationship between 14 outcomes and 5 organizational competitiveness which are identified from the literature review. The attainment of these five organizational competitiveness was evaluated by computing the global priority score of the outcomes. Findings The global priority score suggests that the organizational collaboration (0.19) is the important output. Further, collective learning and growth (44 percent) have been identified as the important competitiveness attained through the implementation of IS. Practical implications The relationship matrix developed can be used by the practicing managers/researchers to understand the various interactions. Thus, systematic decision making and guidance for future implementation studies will be ensured. Originality/value In the past, few authors discussed the conceptualization of IS; however, the impact of IS on the organizational performance was not extensively studied. Therefore, a conceptual model was proposed to analyze the attainment of various competitiveness through the participation of industrial symbiosis network. Further, based on the computed scores, the relationship matrix developed between outcomes and organizational competitiveness is one of the significant contributions of this work.

Purpose Supply chain quality management (SCQM) has gained less attention in the Arab world, and there is a clear dearth in existing research on this topic, particularly in service organizations. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for investigating the impact of SCQM and associated indicators on organizational performance (OP). Design/methodology/approach Empirical data have been collected through a survey distributed to a sample of major telecom companies in United Arab Emirates (UAE). To test the conceptual framework, structural equation modeling (SEM) has been used to analyze the data collected from 248 respondents of telecom companies. Findings The empirical data showed that SCQM practices are significantly correlated with innovation and operations performance. Statistical analysis through SEM also revealed that customer satisfaction has highest direct impact on OP. Research limitations/implications External factors (government regulations, policies and culture) also affect the SCQM practices. Hence, future work should incorporate these parameters as well. Practical implications This is a contribution to the continuing research into SCQM, giving supply chain managers and designers a practical way for measuring and implementing SCQM practices across service supply chains. Originality/value The contribution of this research, through successive stages of data collection, measurement analysis and refinement, is a set of reliable and valid framework that can be subsequently used in conceptualization and measuring quality of service supply chains.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore green supply chain management (GSCM) performance measures and to develop a framework for evaluating the impact of GSCM implementation on organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach This research develops a performance measurement framework by integrating GSCM enabler with GSCM performance measures criteria. These criteria are selected from literature review and expert opinion. This study proposes a fuzzy balanced scorecard – fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution-based methodology to evaluate the overall organizational performance. The empirical case study of an Indian automobile organization is conducted. Further, the proposed framework is tested with three Indian Automobile organizations and their results are compared with the case organization. Findings The integrated methodology offers an effective way to measure and benchmark the impact of the proposed GSCM performance measurement framework. The empirical results show that the output of the proposed model is consistent. Thus, the study contributes to the advancement of knowledge toward GSCM and its management for sustainability. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to the automotive sector; hence the outcomes may not be comprehensively applicable across different sectors. The results cannot be applied to other sectors with other product and process specificities. Practical implications It helps the practitioners to measure and improve the effectiveness of GSCM implementation. Originality/value This study is the generalized performance measurement framework and can be used to measure the performance for any type of organizations to benchmark one organization with the other or the group of organizations.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine how different supply chain attributes as determinants of the openness of supply chain affect organizational performance (OP). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 259 supply chain executives in Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings indicate that organizations may take the selective view of their supply chains resulting in a varying focus on different SC attributes. The results show that though all identified supply chain attributes positively relate to OP, some attributes such as combined agility and cooperation among supply chain partners have a weak correlation coefficient. This indicates that overall the relative openness of supply chain among selected sample of Pakistani organizations is low. Practical implications Supply chain executives may not have a selective focus on some attributes; rather, they may consider to have a broader perspective drawing upon a wider range of supply chain attributes as identified in the current study. In order to remain competitive, Pakistani manufacturing organizations need to learn more about opening up their boundaries and enhance the openness of their supply chain. Originality/value The contribution of the current study is two folds. First, drawing upon the current literature, it proposes the instrument to measure the relative openness of supply chain. Second, it empirically tests the selected conceptual model which highlights the relevance of supply chain attributes and their role in the resulting relative degree of supply chain openness. The empirical examination of the selected conceptual model of supply chain openness tends to make contribution to the wider literature on supply chain management.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between three variables of strategic orientation (market orientation, technology orientation entrepreneurial orientation) and organizational performance in the Jordanian pharmaceutical sector.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a quantitative research design where 252 questionnaires were collected form respondents operating in various pharmaceutical companies in Jordan to obtain necessary data to test the hypotheses developed for the study. Multiple regressions were used to analyze the research data.FindingsThe results of the analysis revealed that strategic orientations were positively and significantly related to organizational performance. The findings also showed that market orientation contributed the most to the enhancement of organizational development followed by technology orientation and finally entrepreneurship orientation.Practical implicationsThese findings contribute to the understanding of the importance of employing multiple strategic orientations in order to enhance organizational performance, particularly in pharmaceutical companiesOriginality/valueThis is the first study which adequately covers the relationship between three variables of strategic orientation (market orientation, technology orientation, entrepreneurial orientation) and organizational performance in the Jordanian pharmaceutical sector.

Purpose One of the most important issues in supply chain (SC) management is the identification and management of the risk involved in it. The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive model of supply chain risk management (SCRM) in the product life cycle (PLC) and the operational process cycle (OPC). To decrease the risks in a fuzzy environment, the model considers the organizational performance factors (OPF) and the risk operational practices (ROP). Design/methodology/approach Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used to determine the weights of the relationships between the PLC, OPC and OPF in the hierarchical structure of the decision problem. In addition, the fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution is employed to recognize the priority of ROPs in dealing with the performance factors. The integrated framework is evaluated using the case study of an automotive company in Iran. Findings The results demonstrated that the proposed model can be used to formulate an appropriate method for prioritizing defined alternatives to decrease risk and improve the organizational performance in SCRM under fuzzy conditions. Research limitations/implications A major limitation of the study is that a few of the selected criteria for risk assessment are focused only on economic factors. Another limitation of the current study is related to the PLC, OPC and OPF being based on the work of Xia and Chen (2011). Practical implications The current study identified the more important stage in the PLC. More significant process in each stage of the PLC and weightier risk factors in each process of the OPC were determined. Some strategies for reducing risk in each stage of the PLC were presented. The best alternatives for reducing risks in SC were indicated. Originality/value It is worth mentioning that previous studies have not applied multiple criteria and alternatives to decrease the risks involved in the PLC and OPC parts of the SC under fuzzy conditions. However, it should be stated that some academics have used these techniques separately, in other specialized areas of the SC.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide valid and reliable constructs for lean manufacturing (LM) for assessing its implementation level in order to target areas of improvement. Design/methodology/approach Based on an extensive review on LM literature and content validity assessment from practitioners and academicians, nine LM constructs were identified. Measurement items for each construct were developed to become a complete questionnaire. The questionnaire booklets were distributed to large and discrete manufacturing companies in Indonesia. Out of 1,000 survey questionnaires sent, 236 usable responses were returned giving response rate of 23.60 percent. Subsequently, an empirical assessment on the constructs was done by using structural equation modeling approach. Findings The study identified the valid and reliable LM constructs, consisting of nine LM constructs and 64 measurement items. The study found that all the constructs are complementary and mutually supportive with each other. Indeed, it suggests the holistic implementation of all the LM practices. Research limitations/implications Owing the time and resource constraint, this study only involved large and discrete process manufacturing industries in Indonesia. Hence, the generalization of the result is slightly limited. More studies in several different contexts are required. Practical implications This study provided a valuable tool for researchers for gaining deeper understanding regarding the LM and its implementation. For practitioners, it is useful to evaluate the degree of LM employment in their companies, to target area of improvement, as well as to take possible actions in attempting to enhance the organizational performance. More importantly, practitioners should adopt all the LM practices in a holistic manner. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to develop LM constructs for evaluating the LM implementation in Indonesia.

Purpose By undertaking a detailed review of the Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) discourse, the purpose of this paper is to uncover and explicate the power differentials embedded in the social structure of organizations and suggests ways to reconcile them. Design/methodology/approach Methods used are thematic review, content analysis, and inductive theorizing, with Foucault’s archaeological and genealogical analysis style as the overarching framework. Findings At the methodological level, the authors demonstrate the application of Foucault’s twin methods: archaeological and genealogical analysis. At the substantive level, the authors have two contributions. First, the authors critique and analyze the various themes of power that emerge from the SHRM discourse as well as the hybridized overlaps of SHRM with other organization studies topics of interest such as organizational learning, network studies, control and postmodernism. Second, the authors propose a “Power” theory based nomothetic, typological synthesis for crafting the business-facing human resource (HR) function. The power lens manifests as the meta-theory to guide a much required streamlining of constructs and “value laden” synthesis of the literature. Research limitations/implications The potential of critical theory in crafting situated and context-sensitive research propositions is demonstrated. Practical implications Organizational strategists and HR managers can utilize the proposed typology to better understand their current ideological positions and decide future aspired images. Originality/value This is a conversation between two paradigms, SHRM and power theory, that are epistemologically at two opposite poles.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the success factors for the assessment of manufacturing system output. Design/methodology/approach Exploratory factor analysis and second-order confirmatory factor analysis were used to analyze data and test hypotheses, respectively. A total of 36 observed variables were transformed into nine success factors, namely role of management (ROM), technical strength, employee strength, organizational strength (OS), resources (RS), production system, market research, effective planning, and research and development (RD). Findings The finding indicates that only four success factors, namely ROM, RS, OS, and RD, are positively related to all four outputs. Moreover, all nine success factors are positively associated with profit. Research limitations/implications The outcomes of the present work provide meaningful implications for researchers and practitioners as well. Originality/value Earlier studies have laid focus on single output only in the manufacturing system. In the present study, an effort has been made to focus on four output dimensions, namely final product, customer relationship, reputation, and profit, which are further strengthened by incorporating the concept of performance in manufacturing systems.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework conceptualizing the relative openness of a supply chain and its impact on organizational performance.Design/methodology/approach– The literature on system theory and the attributes of supply chain management are used to develop a framework describing the relative openness of a supply chain.Findings– Different supply chain terminologies – such as adaptive supply chain network, best value supply chain, and open inter-organizational system – partially draw upon the basic premises of an open system. The relative openness of a supply chain and, consequently, the dynamics of different supply chain attributes remain understudied. This supports the idea that an open system perspective of the supply chain is imperative to improve the understanding of the influence of supply chain openness on organizational performance.Originality/value– The conceptual framework posits that different supply chain attributes affect the openness of supply chain to a varying degree which ultimately influences the organizational performance. The proposed framework and research propositions will serve as a springboard for conducting future empirical studies.

Purpose – The specific problem this research addresses is whether cultural differences, national or organizational, impact how effectively the continuous improvement process is received within the supply chain in order to improve supplier performance. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The research design used a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research. Findings – The research found that Canada was most receptive to continuous improvement, with China being the least receptive. The study found that organizational culture was more influential than national culture. Isomorphism and benchmarking is driving continuous-improvement language and methods to be more universally known within business. Business and management practices appear to take precedence in driving change within organizations. Research limitations/implications – The sample size and countries involved was very small and limited to key medium sized distributed power company (MSDPC) suppliers. This limited diversity and may have introduced supplier selection bias, as well as survey response bias. Practical implications – This research concludes that organizational culture is more dominant over national culture and the influence of leadership within the organization drives the impact of continuous improvement. Originality/value – With isomorphism and the fact that businesses want to be successful, continuous improvement language and methods are becoming more universally known. Business and management practices are now taking precedence in driving change within organizations. Organizational culture is now more influential than national culture.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the mechanisms adopted by the distribution channel of a leading Brazilian truck manufacturing company, which generates various conflicts that have a negative impact on the performance of the channel operations, with a focus on the conflict causes. The study aims to expand the domain of distribution channel conflict management as a benchmark activity by exploring the potential sources of conflict occurring in a major Brazilian distribution channel.Design/methodology/approachThe research method is exploratory, using a case study from a major company of the automotive sector of Serra Gaúcha, Brazil. The distribution processes are analyzed in a real and specific context, implemented by means of individual, in‐depth interviews, with the application of a basic script of questions.FindingsThe findings indicate the existence of seven potential sources of conflict and 23 conflicting issues, considered relevant and of negative impact on the distribution channel performance of the manufacturing company.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample cannot be considered as representative but it is, to a certain point, reliable because it refers to one entity only.Practical implicationsThe results of this research can serve as indicators for managers of a company to invest time and the necessary resources for the maintenance and consolidation of the relationships with its dealerships.Originality/valueThe present work shows its originality through the study of consumers' preference for determined products and services as a conflict management basis for Brazilian national distribution channels' stakeholders. In this context, a distribution channel conflict case study may constitute an important empirical source of data for a benchmark strategy.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of web‐based electronic commerce (WEC) use on organizational benefits (OBE).Design/methodology/approachThe researchers develop a research model based on a literature review. A large‐scale instrument was applied to empirically test the model. MANOVA was first used employing a general linear model. Then, univariate tests were performed to further analyze differences. The model was tested and validated using a sample of 180 firms in the USA.FindingsThe findings empirically tested that there is a significant positive impact of WEC use on OBE. Findings also demonstrated the multi‐dimensional nature of both factors.Practical implicationsThis research develops and validates reliable measures for the WEC use and OBE. It also provides several indicators that can be used to measure the extent of usage of WEC for both transactional and strategic purposes, and OBE that span several dimensions, including information quality, business efficiency, and competitive advantage. These indicators can serve as benchmarks to evaluate the current state of a firm and help in setting future organizational goals, which can also help managers gauge the risks and benefits associated with WEC.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by providing evidence of the positive impact of WEC on OBE. It also develops and validates measures for all the constructs involved in the study that can be used in other empirical studies.

PurposeA large amount of research deals with the identification of management practices related to new product development (NPD) success. To this purpose, assessment tools capable of helping enterprises to set up improvement processes are of extreme importance. The aim of this paper is to build a product development assessment model based upon a normative‐contingent approach.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a literature review of the main approaches and models used in NPD assessment was carried out. Second, the tool was tested in five firms. The case studies allowed the authors to test the tool in its prototypal phase in order to assess both its limits and potential and also to highlight possible improvements.FindingsThe assessment tool developed yields a clear understanding of the current state of product development process in an organization in order to facilitate a shared understanding of the weakness and deficiencies, to enable effective process management, to develop implementation plan to support change initiatives and to support process improvement using metrics.Originality/valueThe product development assessment model is based upon a normative‐contingent approach meaning that the prescriptive requirements are defined according to the logic of coherence: requirements vary in relation to contextual conditions. In particular, there are two important context factors which are considered to have a significant influence on NPD process: the complexity of the product‐market interface and the enterprise's NPD strategic orientations.

PurposeTo show differences in organizational performance, management style and systems, resulting from cultural differences in three organizational types: foreign‐owned, joint ventures, and Chinese‐owned and operated.Design/methodology/approachA survey method was used to assess the management systems, leadership and styles within the cultural contexts of the three types of organizations using Hofstede's four cultural dimensions. Organizational performance was measured using balanced scorecard method and factors suggested by other authors. Performance measures were compared across the three types of organizations.FindingsForeign‐owned and operated companies performed significantly better than their joint venture (JV) and Chinese‐owned and operated organizations as measured by financial perspective, customer perspective, internal business perspective, innovation and learning perspective and technological assessment. There was clear evidence of benchmarking among Chinese‐owned and operated organizations, learning from JVs and FOOs.Research limitations/implicationsThis study used only managers who had a minimum of five years' experience. The study also did not entertain cross‐breeding management styles.Practical implicationsProvides useful information about benchmarking patterns being used by Chinese owned and operated organizations. As the blending of cultures in global organizations continues, learning organizations benchmark not only process technologies but also management systems, leadership and styles.Originality/valueThe paper clearly provides a direct comparison among the three types of organizations operating in the Chinese cultural context. The methodology used is a blend of different approaches to ensure comprehensive assessment of organizational culture and performance.