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Purpose: This paper aims to provide a response to the previously published paper on "Gerontocracy". Design/methodology/approach: This paper views care services through the lens of safeguarding, risks and responsibility in contradistinction from the largely economic and cost relevant argument put forward in the original paper. Findings: This paper articulates the contribution of informal carers to integrated care solutions solely from an economic perspective overlooks the wider human and social dimensions of care provision in society. Originality/value: Engaging in the wider debate about the status, contribution of informal carers to care solutions highlights the complexity of the carers' role in society which should evoke a more holistic debate of this important topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper extends the authors' previous research work investigating resilience for municipal infrastructure from an asset management perspective. Therefore, this paper aims to formulate a pavement resilience index while incorporating asset management and the associated resilience indicators from the authors' previous research work. Design/methodology/approach: This paper introduces a set of holistic-based key indicators that reflect municipal infrastructure resiliency. Thenceforth, the indicators were integrated using the weighted sum mean method to form the proposed resilience index. Resilience indicators weights were determined using principal components analysis (PCA) via IBM SPSS®. The developed framework for the PCA was built based on an optimization model output to generate the required weights for the desired resilience index. The output optimization data were adjusted using the standardization method before performing PCA. Findings: This paper offers a mathematical approach to generating a resilience index for municipal infrastructure. The statistical tests conducted throughout the study showed a high significance level. Therefore, using PCA was proper for the resilience indicators data. The proposed framework is beneficial for asset management experts, where introducing the proposed index will provide ease of use to decision-makers regarding pavement network maintenance planning. Research limitations/implications: The resilience indicators used need to be updated beyond what is mentioned in this paper to include asset redundancy and structural asset capacity. Using clustering as a validation tool is an excellent opportunity for other researchers to examine the resilience index for each pavement corridor individually pertaining to the resulting clusters. Originality/value: This paper provides a unique example of integrating resilience and asset management concepts and serves as a vital step toward a comprehensive integration approach between the two concepts. The used PCA framework offers dynamic resilience indicators weights and, therefore, a dynamic resilience index. Resiliency is a dynamic feature for infrastructure systems. It differs during their life cycle with the change in maintenance and rehabilitation plans, systems retrofit and the occurring disruptive events throughout their life cycle. Therefore, the PCA technique was the preferred method used where it is data-based oriented and eliminates the subjectivity while driving indicators weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a personal view of the White Paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, from a service user perspective. The Minister for Care Services, Liam Byrne, has stressed that the philosophy of the White Paper is based on strengthening personal control over support, prevention and the integration of health, social care and other services. This discussion examines the emphasis on health over social care in the presentation of the White Paper. It puts the document in the broader context of social care policy development over the last 20 years, and relates it to the views of service users expressed in consultations leading up to its publication. It considers the White Paper's potential ambiguity, its relation with resource issues and what next steps may be needed to take forward its positive principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - In the literature authors state that there is a positive relation between supply chain integration (SCI) and performance. They claim that this relation is widely discussed and supported empirically. Other authors, however, suggest that integration might be more difficult in practice than in theory, that it should be differentiated and that it is more rhetoric than reality. As integration has been core of logistics and supply chain management since the 1980s, the purpose of this paper is to investigate these somewhat contradictory statements and analyse prior studies regarding definitions and measures of integration and performance as well as the reported empirical evidence on their relation. Design/methodology/approach - Based on an extensive and systematic review of integration articles within four highly ranked academic journals in logistics, supply chain and operations management, this paper presents and discusses the results of prior empirical studies on relations between integration and performance. Findings - The analysis of the relevant articles indicates that empirical evidence cannot permit to clearly conclude and that integration as well as performance is defined, operationalised and measured in different and often limited ways. This might be a problem and the paper concludes with a provoking question of whether SCI might be the Emperors' New Suit of business. Originality/value - The paper's departure point is a controversial hypothesis: the contribution of SCI is not as obvious as logistics and supply chain researchers usually think. The rigorous selection and analysis of previous studies contributes with systematic knowledge within an important question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the development of research into the relationship between business process outsourcing (BPO) and innovation, a bibliometric methodology utilizing quantitative analytical methodologies was used. With the aid of a visualization analysis of scientific publications, this study also assessed the state of BPO and innovation practices. Design/methodology/approach: Using the Web of Science database, articles on BPO and innovation that published between 1992 and 2022 were retrieved. Records that had been extracted were examined in terms of publication year, nation, journal, subject area, authors and affiliations with organizations. The research on acupuncture for pain relief was visualized using the VOSviewer application. Findings: An analysis of 219 original and review papers found that during the past 30 years, the overall number of publications has fluctuated constantly. The London University, the Copenhagen Business School and the London School of Economics were the institutions that produced the most articles in this topic. The three main categories of research that emerged from a network analysis based on the co-occurrence of keywords are innovation, outsourcing and performance. Practical implications: A BP-innovation model must be created, and BPO must go beyond operational duties to incorporate management-wide shared strategic decisions in order to ensure improved performance of the firms. BPO enables a company's management to share knowledge and expertise about the strategic difficulties of outsourcing. A variety of technological and non-technological resources must also be considered when integrating an information technology (IT) infrastructure into BPO decisions in order to achieve greater performance. Originality/value: Validity of the paper can be justified by it contribution to the existing knowledge. First, linking BPO and innovation – by integrating the arguments of various academics, the study unifies the disparate components and contentious discussions in the relationship between BPO and innovation. Second, this study highlights a research trend, significant studies, relevant terms and concepts in the real world. Third, the study provides future researchers with a tip for statistically analyzing BPO, particularly in light of innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the practices of information and communication technology (ICT) in modernizing the courts. In this context, this paper focuses on the usage of ICT in the Nepali judiciary system involving both judicial and court administration to automate judicial activities. Design/methodology/approach: A narrative case study was conducted to identify the current status of technology in the judiciary system concerning court automation and administration. The information was gathered from justice, case registration officer, bench officer and admin personnel. Findings: This study shows that technological intervention is made in the Nepali judiciary to automate judicial activities. The judicial activities, such as case registration, case automation, case hearing, the decision of cases and cause list, are of high priority and are managed through case management software. Furthermore, it demands an innovative learning environment within the judiciary to strengthen the capacity of the employees of the judiciary in the field of ICT. Research limitations/implications: This study anticipates the participant's perception and practical aspects of technology to modernize the courts to provide better and more effective service to its stakeholders. This study carried out the perceptions of the justice, bench officer, case registration officer and admin personnel. The voice of the other stakeholders was not carried out. Practical implications: This paper establishes the practical aspects of ICT in modernizing the courts to provide better services to its stakeholders. It also replicates the status of ICT in the Nepali judiciary. Originality/value: This paper tries to establish the practical implications of ICT along with its importance in the judiciary of Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Integration is a key element of supply chain management (SCM) and a lot of research has been executed within the field of supply chain integration (SCI). The purpose of this paper is to particularly identify the intellectual research front and foundation of SCI and how they developed over time. Design/methodology/approach: The authors examined more than 1,700 peer-reviewed academic papers that were published between 1995 and 2019 in nearly 40 relevant peer-reviewed academic journals (all indexed in Web of Science). The authors analysed the structure of more than 55,000 individual references with the R-package bibliometrix and used VOSviewer for visualization. Findings: The SCI research front is characterized by papers that show the effects of SCI on the firm performance, the consequences of SCI on SCM in general and present the enablers of SCI. The research front is embedded within the resource-based, transaction cost and contingency theory. The intellectual foundation refers to conceptual modelling, definitional clarification and integration dimensions. The research identifies Frohlich and Westbrook's (2001) paper as the central reference for this research area. The dynamic evolution of the intellectual foundation of SCI changed from theorising in Phase 1 (1995–2006) towards empirical testing in Phase 2 (2007–2019). Research limitations/implications: The results refer to the SCI discussion within a preselected number of peer-reviewed academic journals and to the data quality as provided by the Web of Science. Originality/value: The study explored the research front and intellectual foundation of SCI. It reveals the most important papers and journals of this area by using bibliometric tools such as bibliometrix, biblioshiny and VOSviewer. The paper shows trends in research themes, theories and methodological developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore the implementation of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 approach in meat industry for environmental performance and examine a proposed conceptual framework by capturing insights from lean and ISO 14001 experts in New Zealand (NZ). Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with a group of consultants (lean and ISO 14001) to evaluate the suitability of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 approach in the meat industry for environmental performance. A conceptual framework from literature has guided this study leading to its further development based on the empirical evidence collected. Findings: Findings have illustrated a synergistic positive impact of lean and ISO 14001 implementation as an integrated approach for sustaining environmental performance in the meat industry. A joint implementation program provides more clarity in aligning ISO 14001 operational procedures with lean tools and techniques for an enhanced environmental performance outcome. Practical implications: The application of an integrated lean and ISO 14001 framework is proposed in this paper, which can help industry practitioners and academia in developing a joint implementation strategy and conducting future research. Originality/value: To the best of the author's knowledge, this study is the first to assess the effective implementation of lean and ISO 14001 as an integrated approach in the NZ meat industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — This reflective paper aims to identify and discuss key areas for the development of, and research into, supply network performance measurement systems. Design/methodology/approach — The paper traces the broad history of performance measurement before identifying the specific issues that performance measurement has raised in the supply network environment from both local and global managerial perspectives. Having laid this foundation, the paper continues to examine the likely future challenges that managers of supply networks face. Findings — Four outstanding challenges are identified and discussed: the response to the increasing environmental challenges; the effect of the lean/agile debate on the development of supply networks and their measurement systems; the need to develop performance measurement systems to break through the ‘dyadic relationship’ barrier and make management of the supply network a more realistic aspiration; and challenges faced in making performance measurement a multi-cultural phenomenon and through this make management of international supply chains more effective. Originality/value — The paper identifies some of the outstanding issues in current and future network performance measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recent construction literature has been focusing more on integrative contracting approaches such as integrated project delivery (IPD). However, conceptual studies on integration in IPD literature are scattered and fragmented, that is, most of the studies only focused on the segmented dimension of integration. A systemic understanding of the concepts of integration in IPD project-based context is still lacking. To fill this gap, this paper analyzes two aspects of integration (dimensions and directions) in IPD literature and explores their extent in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach: Grounded theory review and focus group discussion approaches were employed to perform a thorough conceptual review of the literature, frame the research into the theory and increase the fundamental understanding of the concept of integration in IPD literature. Findings: In this study, IPD integrating techniques were identified and their integration dimensions and directions were discussed. Results show that integration in the project-based environment of IPD is a multidimensional construct. Based on organizational, contractual and operational characteristics of IPD projects, twenty-four integration mechanisms were identified and framed into seven clusters. The integration directions over project life-cycle were demonstrated in three contexts: (1) an on-site construction project, delivered traditionally, (2) an on-site construction project, delivered with IPD and (3) an off-site construction project, delivered with IPD. Originality/value: This paper gathers the segments of integration into a comprehensive overview, which can help researchers and practitioners explore elements of IPD project success more precisely. A theoretical framework of integration clusters is developed, based on IPD literature. The impact of IPD on on-site versus off-site construction is illustrated from an integration direction perspective. Finally, future areas of studies for researchers and practitioners about the concept of integration in an IPD context are discussed. This paper provides a point of departure for future theoretical and empirical explorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the urgency of better chronic disease management and the importance of making it an integral part of the recovery agenda in Europe. This paper aims to explore the shift towards digital and integrated care systems in Europe. Design/methodology/approach: In this viewpoint paper the Expert Group for Integrated Care and Digital Health Europe (EGIDE) group argues that an orchestrated shift towards integrated care holds the solution to the chronic disease pandemic. Findings: The development of integrated care cannot happen without shifting towards a digitalised healthcare system via large-scale initiatives like the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and the involvement of all stakeholders. Originality/value: The EGIDE group has identified some foundational principles, which can guide the way to realise the full potential of the EHDS for integrated care and can support the involved stakeholders' thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore the transformative impact of AI-augmented tools on design pedagogy. It aims to understand how artificial intelligence technologies are being integrated into educational settings, particularly in creative design courses, and to assess the potential advancements these tools can bring to the field. Design/methodology/approach: The research adopts a case-study approach, examining three distinct courses within a creative technology curriculum. This methodology involves an in-depth investigation of the role and impact of AI in each course, focusing on how these technologies are incorporated into different creative disciplines such as production design, fine arts, and digital artistry. Findings: The research findings highlight that the integration of AI with creative disciplines is not just a passing trend but signals the onset of a new era in technological empowerment in creative education. This amalgamation is found to potentially redefine the boundaries of creative education, enhancing various aspects of the learning process. However, the study also emphasizes the irreplaceable value of human mentorship in cultivating creativity and advancing analytical thinking. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of this research might include the scope of the case studies, which are limited to three courses in a specific curriculum. This limitation could affect the generalizability of the findings. The implications of this research are significant for educational institutions, as it suggests the need for a balanced interaction between AI's computational abilities and the intrinsic qualities of human creativity, ensuring that the core essence of artistry is preserved in the age of AI. Originality/value: The originality of this paper lies in its specific focus on the intersection of AI and creative education, a relatively unexplored area in design pedagogy. The value of this research is in its contribution to understanding how AI can be harmoniously integrated with traditional creative teaching methods. It offers insights for educational institutions preparing for this technological transformation, highlighting the importance of maintaining a balance between technological advancements and humanistic aspects of creative education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to pursue an idea on leadership theory integration which includes two integrative attempts. The first involves three different leadership models (the developmental/transformational leadership model, the authentic leadership model, and the indirect leadership model). The second consists of a suggestion of how this integrated model, in turn, can be integrated into an interactional person-by-situation paradigm including a process-over-time perspective. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative analysis of the three existing leadership models mentioned above was performed. In the second integrative step, the following concepts were added: individual characteristics (general and stable as well as specific, of importance in a given situation); contextual characteristics (general more stable contextual profile as well as specific contextual profile in a given situation); appraisal and sensemaking processes over time; trust; and psychological capital. Findings – An integrated leadership model is proposed which rests on three explicit hypotheses with two addendums. Empirical support for the suggested model is evaluated. Practical implications – The presented idea may be of value in recruitment and selection, leadership development programmes, and organisational design. Originality/value – The theoretical integration of existing models is new and could act as a conceptual bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to present and discuss an innovative maturity model (MM) to assess supply chain quality management (SCQM). The SCQM MM can be used to guide organizations in the development and improvement of quality in their supply chains (SCs). Additionally, this paper intends to better understand that integration and its impacts on organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach: The proposed MM was developed based on an exhaustive literature review of the most relevant MMs developed in the areas of quality management, supply chain management and other relevant domains. Findings: The proposed MM consists of a matrix with 100 criteria organized in five organizational dimensions and five maturity levels, embracing the most relevant SC issues and describing a progressive path towards a state of full maturity. Originality/value: It is an innovative tool useful for both academic experts and practitioners to integrate quality management across the SC, thus promoting and improving organizational performance from an integrated and sustainable perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the proven link between internal communication and more effective business results, only a few attempts have been made to answer the essential question of who is responsible for managing internal communication in an organisation. This paper aims to examine the presence of internal communication management (ICM) practices in companies in Latvia and launch a new discussion on who should manage internal communication in a modern company to support business strategy and development. Design/methodology/approach: In the first phase of the study, a survey was conducted in three business sectors in Latvia involved in managing and implementing the internal communications function. Using the multiple case study method, the second phase of the study examined in-depth, ICM and the implementation practices in four different Latvian companies. In total, 13 in-depth interviews were conducted within 4 companies, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the material gained from the interviews. Findings: The target companies and relevant professionals from different fields have divergent opinions about who should manage the internal communication function. From the research across four companies, it was concluded that internal communication was implemented in a fragmented manner. There was a weak understanding of the meaning and goal of internal communication. The potential of effective internal communication in reaching strategic goals has not been realised. Responsibility for ICM is often limited to the reactive performance of public relations departments, human resources or marketing specialists. The companies clearly did not have a defined scope of responsibilities for managing internal communication amongst the different parts of their organisations. It can be concluded that company managers should pay attention to how internal communication is conducted, clearly delegate this function to a manager and define the expected results that meet the company's strategic goals. The results of this research can be used to inform recommendations for integrating the ICM function. Originality/value: Only a few research papers have discussed responsibility for internal communication functions. This research particularly fills this gap and emphasises the need to assign responsibility for an organisation's ICM function as it is the core factor in strategic implementation and input related to business goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to demonstrate the benefit of applying crime script analysis at a macro level to expose money laundering as an interconnected series of events that contradict understanding which defines money laundering as a series of typological studies. Design/methodology/approach: Using previously captured data and detailed research studies alongside the professional experience of the author, this study creates a horizontal crime script for three distinct methods of money laundering – to determine characteristic nodes and identify pathways. Findings: Despite significant research into money laundering typologies, this paper demonstrates that the process of money laundering cannot be separated into typological studies. By applying crime script analysis to each method of money laundering prior to analysing the nodes, activities and behaviours, money laundering can be identified as a series of interconnected services, business formalities and management activities. Practical implications: This study is of value to government policymakers, regulators and financial institutions considering future preventative measures. It is also of value to financial investigators and law enforcement agencies intent on investigating money laundering. By applying the method of analysis outlined in this paper to each method of money laundering and then combining them together, it is possible to understand money laundering as a holistic process, in which webs of interconnected criminal events can be identified for investigative and preventative purposes. Originality/value: Interest in crime script analysis is now supporting understanding of different crime types. This study goes beyond the analysis of individual types of money laundering and applies it in a "test format" against three methods of money laundering to create, for the first time, a holistic or macro appreciation of the interconnected series of events, activities and behaviours which exist beyond the characteristics routinely captured in money laundering typology reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to explore how business intelligence (BI), integration and agility influence supply chain performance. Design/methodology/approach: The study was performed by the exploratory sequential mixed method in two phases including meta-synthesis as a qualitative method and survey as a quantitative method. Data were collected through a survey of 369 Iranian companies across various industries. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. Findings: The results show that BI, integration and agility play an important role in achieving better supply chain performance. In the meantime, BI has the greatest impact on supply chain performance. Additionally, BI has a positive and significant effect on the integration and agility of the supply chain. The study also found that integration has a direct effect on supply chain agility. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, the paper theoretically and empirically presents a new conceptual model of the relationship between BI, integration, agility and supply chain performance. The study helps researchers and practitioners to achieve insights into supply chain performance improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Integrated care continues to be a central aim within health and social care policy in England. Personal budgets and personal health budgets aim to place service users at the centre of decision-making and are part of a wider long-term initiative working towards personalised and integrated care. Personal budgets began in social care with the national pilot programme of individual budgets, which aimed to incorporate several funding streams into one budget, but in practice local authorities limited these to social care expenditure. Personal budgets then moved into the health care sector with the introduction of a three-year personal health budgets pilot programme that started in 2009. The purpose of the paper is to explore the post-pilot implementation of personal health budgets and explore their role in facilitating service integration. We examine this through the RE-AIM framework. Design/methodology/approach: During 2015 and 2016, eight organisational representatives, 23 personal health budget holders and three service providers were interviewed, 42 personal health budget support plans were collected and 14 service providers completed an online survey. Findings: Overall, personal health budgets continued to be viewed positively but progress in implementation was slower than expected. Effective leadership, clear communication and longer-term implementation were seen as vital ingredients in ensuring personal health budgets are fully embedded and contribute to wider service integration. Originality/value: The paper highlights the importance of policy implementation over the longer-term, while illustrating how the venture of personal health budgets in England could be a mechanism for implementing service integration. The findings can serve to guide future policy initiatives on person-centred care and service integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine patterns in the research contributions from individuals in the field to detect whether they reflect the evolution of academic discussion concerning integration of Lean and Six Sigma methodology over a fixed time period. Design/methodology/approach: Data was gathered from a keyword search of articles in the SCOBUS data base to determine the most frequent contributors in the areas of Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma research. Searches were carried out over five-yearly intervals from 2000 to 2015 and the twenty-one top contributors in each time period were identified. Findings: The findings show that research contributions have moved away from looking at the single methodologies of Lean and Six Sigma and towards research based on the integrated Lean Six Sigma approach. The analysis also suggested that researchers may be publishing papers using different methodologies in response to different challenges in selecting the most appropriate tools to meet the needs of the specific issues they are addressing rather than advocating a particular approach. Practical implications: For organizations to optimize performance a flexible approach would be beneficial with consideration being given to the specific issue and the correct tools and methodology selected from an integrated system or from Lean or Six Sigma systems alone. Originality/value: This paper has originality in its' consideration of the patterns of research contributions over a fixed time period as a reflection of the shift in debate from exclusive Lean or Six Sigma approaches to a more integrated Lean Six Sigma system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many countries aim to improve public services by use of information and communication technology (ICT) in public service supply chains. However, the literature does not address how inter-organizational ICT is used in redesigning these particular supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to explore this important and under-investigated area. Design/methodology/approach: An explorative multiple-case study was performed based on 36 interviews, 39 documents, extensive field visits and observations providing data on digital transformation in four European criminal justice supply chains. Findings: Two different design approaches to digital transformation were found, which are labelled digitization and digitalization. These approaches are characterized by differences in public service strategies, performance aims, and how specific public characteristics and procedures are dealt with. Despite featuring different roles for ICT, both types show the viable digital transformation of public service supply chains. Additionally, the application of inter-organizational ICT is found not to automatically result in changes in the coordination and management of the chain, in contrast to common assumptions. Originality/value: This paper is one of the first to adopt an inter-organizational perspective on the use of ICT in public service supply chains. The findings have scientific and managerial value because fine-grained insights are provided into how public service supply chains can use ICT in an inter-organizational setting. The study shows the dilemmas faced by and possible options for public organizations when designing digital service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to share the learning concerning how services and the paid carers working in them can support people living with dementia (PLWD) and their unpaid carers to overcome social isolation. This learning comes from the key findings from a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation of a Shared Lives (SL) Day support service, known as TRIO. Design/methodology/approach: SROI is a form of cost-benefit analysis that captures and monetises stakeholder outcomes. The SROI evaluation included a rapid evidence review, an interview study and a questionnaire study. The learning shared is drawn from the interview and questionnaire data that explored the reported outcomes relating to social connection, which included data related to participating in meaningful activities, confidence and independence. Findings: PLWD who accessed the SL Day support service experienced better social connection, a sense of control over their activities (including their social activities) and community presence. A key foundation of these outcomes was the meaningful relationship that developed between the PLWD, their unpaid carer and the paid carer. Research limitations/implications: This evaluation was a pilot study with a small, albeit representative sample size. Practical implications: The learning suggests feasible and effective ways for paid carers to support the social connection of PLWD and their unpaid carers with their wider community. Originality/value: There has been little exploration of how community-based short breaks (like SL Day support) can enhance social connection. The authors drew on a social relational model lens to illustrate how this service type had supported successful outcomes of community and social inclusion for PLWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Big Data is likely to have significant implications for the way in which services are planned, organised or delivered as well as the way in which we evaluate them. The increase in data availability creates particular challenges for evaluators in the field of integrated care and the purpose of this paper is to set out how we may usefully reframe these challenges in the longer term. Design/methodology/approach: Using the characteristics of Big Data as defined in the literature, the paper develops a narrative around the data and research design challenges and how they influence evaluation studies in the field of care integration. Findings: Big Data will have significant implications for how we conduct integrated care evaluations. In particular, dynamic modelling and study designs capable of accommodating new epistemic foundations for the phenomena of social organisations, such as emergence and feedback loops, are likely to be most helpful. Big Data also generates opportunities for exploratory data analysis approaches, as opposed to static model development and testing. Evaluators may find research designs useful that champion realist approaches or single-n designs. Originality/value: This paper reflects on the emerging literature and changing practice of data generation and data use in health care. It draws on organisational theory and outlines implications of Big Data for evaluating care integration initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore leadership in the context of the policy shift to collaborative working and integration currently being pursued in the UK NHS. As ways of integrating care are being explored in other countries it can be argued that this topic may have wider policy significance. This paper is particularly concerned with leadership in Primary Care Networks in the English NHS. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a conceptual paper using literature relating to the antecedents of shared leadership and relevant policy documents pertaining to the English NHS. The paper is informed, theoretically by the conceptual lens of shared leadership. A conceptual framework is developed identifying the antecedents of shared leadership that help to explain how shared leadership may be developed. Findings: The paper identifies the challenges that may be faced by policymakers and those involved in Primary Care Networks in developing shared leadership. It also reveals the implications for policymakers in developing shared leadership. Research limitations/implications: The paper is conceptual. It is acknowledged that this is a preliminary study and further work will be required to test the conceptual framework empirically. Practical implications: The paper discusses the policy implications of developing leadership in primary care networks. This has relevance to both the NHS and other countries. Originality/value: There is limited research on the antecedents of shared leadership. In addition, the conceptual framework is applied to a new policy initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: People experiencing homelessness often have complex needs requiring a range of support. These may include health problems (physical illness, mental health and/or substance misuse) as well as social, financial and housing needs. Addressing these issues requires a high degree of coordination amongst services. It is, thus, an example of a wicked policy issue. The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenge of integrating care in this context using evidence from an evaluation of English hospital discharge services for people experiencing homelessness. Design/methodology/approach: The paper undertakes secondary analysis of qualitative data from a mixed methods evaluation of hospital discharge schemes and uses an established framework for understanding integrated care, the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care (RMIC), to help examine the complexities of integration in this area. Findings: Supporting people experiencing homelessness to have a good discharge from hospital was confirmed as a wicked policy issue. The RMIC provided a strong framework for exploring the concept of integration, demonstrating how intertwined the elements of the framework are and, hence, that solutions need to be holistically organised across the RMIC. Limitations to integration were also highlighted, such as shortages of suitable accommodation and the impacts of policies in aligned areas of the welfare state. Research limitations/implications: The data for this secondary analysis were not specifically focussed on integration which meant the themes in the RMIC could not be explored directly nor in as much depth. However, important issues raised in the data directly related to integration of support, and the RMIC emerged as a helpful organising framework for understanding integration in this wicked policy context. Practical implications: Integration is happening in services directly concerned with the discharge from hospital of people experiencing homelessness. Key challenges to this integration are reported in terms of the RMIC, which would be a helpful framework for planning better integrated care for this area of practice. Social implications: Addressing homelessness not only requires careful planning of integration of services at specific pathway points, such as hospital discharge, but also integration across wider systems. A complex set of challenges are discussed to help with planning the better integration desired, and the RMIC was seen as a helpful framework for thinking about key issues and their interactions. Originality/value: This paper examines an application of integrated care knowledge to a key complex, or wicked policy issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Despite the increase of recent immigrant newcomers (RINs) into the workforce over the past few years, many employers still face the challenge of successfully integrating RINs into the workplace. To this end, the purpose of this paper is to propose customized socialization tactics for RINs and highlight the role of RINs’ adjustment strategies in order to facilitate their workplace adjustment.Design/methodology/approach Drawing on immigrants, socialization, and diversity literatures, the paper develops a conceptual model of the socialization process for RINs and advances propositions to be empirically tested.Findings The paper proposes that customized socialization tactics by organizations and adjustment strategies by RINs would facilitate RINs’ socialization process by increasing their social integration and role performance, the factors which would ultimately help in their workplace adjustment.Research limitations/implications The proposed customized socialization tactics add to the extant socialization literature by highlighting the crucial role firms can play in RINs’ socialization process. Additionally, the paper highlights an important role of RINs in their own socialization process.Practical implications Organizations need to employ new, different socialization tactics to help integrate RINs in the workplace. RINs may find the research outcomes useful in acknowledging their own role for successful workplace integration.Originality/value This paper presents a new way of looking at organizational socialization tactics for RINs while highlighting a role of RINs themselves, and concludes by discussing theoretical, practical, and societal implications for organizations employing RINs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to leverage the importance of the integrated automatic structural design for tall buildings at the early stage. It proposes to use an automatic prototype to perform the structural design, analysis and optimisation in a building information modelling (BIM)-based platform. This process starts with extracting the required information from the architectural model in Revit Autodesk, such as boundary conditions and designs different options of the structural models in Robot Autodesk. In this process, Dynamo for Revit is used to define the mathematical functions to use different variables and generate various structural models. The paper aims to expand the domain of automation in the BIM platform to reduce the iterative process in different areas such as conceptual structural design and collaboration between architects and structural engineers to reduce the time and cost at the early stages. Design/methodology/approach: The paper begins with an exploratory research by adopting a qualitative methodology and using open-ended questions to achieve more information about the phenomenon of automation and interoperability between structural engineers and architects and gain new insight into this area. Furthermore, correlation research is used by adopting quantitative and short questions to compare the proposed prototype with the traditional process of the structural design and optimisation and the interoperability between architects and engineers and consequently, validate the research. Findings: As an outcome of the research, a structural design optimisation (SDO) prototype was developed to semi-automate the structural design process of tall buildings at the early stages. Moreover, the proposed prototype can be used during the early stage of structural design in different areas such as residential buildings, bridges, truss, reinforced concrete detailing, etc. Moreover, comprehensive literature regarding using automation in structural design, optimisation process and interoperability between architects and engineers is conducted that provides a new insight to contribute to future research and development. Research limitations/implications: Due to the time limit, the paper results may lack in a comprehensive automatic structural design process. Therefore, the researchers are encouraged to expand the workability of the prototype for a comprehensive automatic design check such as automatic design for the minimum deflection, displacement of different types of buildings. Practical implications: The prototype includes implications for the development of different automatic designs. Originality/value: The focus of this paper is the optimisation of the structural design in the BIM platform by using automation. This combination is one of the novelties of this paper, and the existing literature has a very limited amount of information and similar work in this area, especially interoperability between architects and engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the moderating effects of the role a plant plays in a manufacturing network on the relationships between its level of integration with other plants in the same manufacturing network (referred as "internal manufacturing network integration" in this paper), its interactions with suppliers/customers (referred as "external supply chain integration" in this paper), and its operational performance. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on the data from the sixth version of International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS VI). Specifically, this paper uses a subset of the IMSS VI data set from the 606 plants that identified themselves as one of the plants in a manufacturing network. Findings: The results demonstrate plant role has a moderating effect on the relationship between internal manufacturing network integration and external supply chain integration, but not on the relationship between external supply chain integration and operational performance. Our research also highlights that plant role moderates the mediating effect of external supply chain integration on the relationship between internal manufacturing network integration and operational performance. More importantly, it indicates that if a plant wants to significantly increase its operational performance, it will have to strengthen its linkages with supply chain partners, no matter which role it plays in manufacturing network. Originality/value: This paper supplements the existing research by developing further understandings on the relationship between internal manufacturing network integration, external supply chain integration and operational performance. Specifically, it examines the influence of plant role on such relationship and reveals the essence about in what context (in terms of plant characteristics) internal manufacturing network integration influences the operational performance of a plant in a manufacturing network through external supply chain integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Materials supply is one of the important elements in construction operation and a major factor affecting the quality of construction projects. Many industries look to manage materials effectively by attempting to integrate logistics processes into logistics chains of suppliers and customers. Logistics processes, being crucial for successful completion of construction projects, but in fact, auxiliary, are often entrusted to external professionals specialised in logistic services, such as logistics centres. However, this tendency is yet to be developed in construction. The purpose of this paper is to develop a simulation framework for the examination of potential improvements of logistics performance using logistics centres. Design/methodology/approach: A case study approach was adopted with computer simulation using Flexsim. Data of vehicle movements were collected during construction on-site from the start of construction to "hand-over" to the building owner. Findings: The ideal location of a logistics centre is identified using vehicle movements data collected on the site. The potential improvements of the planned centre are then evaluated by simulating various scenarios of vehicle movements. The enclosed results from the simulations indicate that using a logistics centre will reduce waste for the construction project considered. Originality/value: The paper emphasises that creating a logistics centre for a project can improve construction logistics performance, by consolidating and optimizing both off-site and on-site logistics, especially when the site condition is prohibitive (small footprint with limited loading bay area). Establishing logistics centres may help find ways of making the overall construction project more effective by improving the management of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this research is to explore integration and transition activities in large industrial projects. The purpose is to (a) obtain a better understanding of the integration and transition activities between the project front-end (FE) and project initiation phases (PIPs), (b) explore what, how and when these integrations and transitions occur, and (c) explore what the integration and transition activities mean to project practitioners. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research design methodology is followed, based on interviews using open-ended questions. An expert panel is used to provide responses to questions pertaining to the integration and transition between the project FE and PIP. The research is focused on managing large projects in the South African electrical engineering industrial projects industry. A literature review combined with empirical analysis reflects the importance of integrating and transitioning in project business. Findings: The findings provide guidance to researchers and practitioners on integration and transition mechanisms, how and when these occur. It highlights the benefits of integration and transition activities. Important lessons for researchers and practitioners are provided together with areas for future research. Originality/value: This is an interpretative analysis of expert opinion. Expert panel members are experienced at senior decision-making level, and their expertise was accessed based on experience, education and knowledge. This extensive experience is shared in this paper providing insights into their opinions, experiences, success and failures. These inputs together with the literature review provide interesting implications for both a theoretical foundation as well as practical implications for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine how Chinese multinational enterprises' (CMNEs) autonomy-style post-merger integration (PMI) modes of managing developed-market targets evolve into actual-form integration through the lens of ambidexterity. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts multi-case comparisons with content analysis. A data set was collected from 37 conversations by in-depth interviewing 29 respondents regarding four cases of Chinese acquisitions in the German market. Findings: This study develops a three-stage framework that theorised CMNEs' autonomy PMIs' evolution to actual-form integration over time and the effect on acquisition value based on structural, temporal and contextual ambidexterity manifestations. The findings divide the evolutionary trajectory into two sub-trajectories, from great autonomy to autonomy-integration balanced or full integration, to illuminate the effect of different degrees of actual-form integration on value creation or value destruction. Originality/value: The existing literature on CMNEs' PMI discovered that CMNEs frequently grant ample autonomy when managing targets acquired from developed markets. However, long-term acquisition benefit is dependent on combining autonomy and actual-form integration; insights into how this can be accomplished are limited. The research is unique in that it reveals the evolutions of CMNEs' PMIs on developed-market targets, from autonomy to actual-form integration through the lens of ambidexterity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Differences in professional values, organisational interests and access to resources are key issues to be addressed when integrating services. They are widely seen by service planners and commissioners to be matters of governance. However, they also inform critical debates in political science. In essence they revolve around the question of distribution, or (how to decide) who gets what. The purpose of this paper is to re-frame the subject of inter-organisational governance in integration by conceptualising it through the lens of three prominent politico-theoretical approaches: the liberal, the authoritarian and the radical-utopian.Design/methodology/approach A discussion paper that proceeds by utilising political science terms of reference and applying it to a public management problem.Findings All three theories provide particular insights into the way in which service planners and commissioners may think about the inescapable plurality of values and interests in integration programmes. Where the liberal perspective places particular emphasis on the purpose and utility of organisational autonomy and self-direction, the authoritarian model highlights the need to produce results within tight timescales. It also accords with the manner in which integration policy is normally implemented, top down. The radical-utopian model is built on the least realistic assumptions but offers researchers a useful framework to assess the rationale and effectiveness of value-based policy in integration programmes wherever robust inter-organisational structures fail to materialise.Originality/value Whilst there has been significant research on how to conceptualise integration programmes, scholars have usually championed a public management approach. The potential insights of political thought have not been explored until now. The paper demonstrates that the wider conceptual framework of political theory has significant purchase in the field of integration studies and can help us understand the benefits and limitations of an interdisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Enterprise resource planning (ERP) offers a streamlined system architecture to feed businesses with beneficial information in the current intense global competition. The primary concern of ERP is how to integrate different functional units to facilitate a unified flow of information. This paper aims at providing a non-trivial practice of integrating the quality control (QC) system into the core ERP processes of a real large-scaled case study. Design/methodology/approach: To satisfy the purpose of the current study, a large-scale steel making holding, inclusive of 27 business units being dispersed over a wide area, has been targeted. In our research methodology, a sample of four business units is selected as the pilot cases to be investigated at first. The output results of such investigations are further extended to the other units. In light of the investigation, the existing QC working conditions of the pilot cases are assessed through the As-Is model. The To-Be models are derived based on the best practices and the integration scope is then bordered. Findings: The findings show that the integrated QC solution has enabled the following features: the smooth interconnection between QC and other functional units like purchase and manufacturing, the ease of generating real-time performance report of QC unit, the sack of tracing the quality of any available item in the system and the root-cause of defects, and the straightforwardness of the qualitative assessment of the suppliers. Research limitations/implications: There is almost no similar practice for designing a large-sized integrated system from scratch in the target region associated with our case study while the off-the-shelf products are prohibitively expensive. Practical implications: This paper includes implications for providing a standard practice on integrating a substantial module of ERP down to the smallest detail. Originality/value: The value of the current paper is associated with fulfilling a critical research gap in the context of studying the QC integration into an enterprise solution. In fact, despite the importance of the QC module and its plethora of interconnection with other functional units, the literature review shows a centric lack of considering such integration in a real case study, particularly the large-scale one. Further, this paper works as a valuable study in the literature owing to not only focusing on the design and development of an integrated QC solution but also considering the deployment facet of such a practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose When a company simultaneously manages several distribution channels, there are important issues regarding the sharing of marketing and logistical resources. This paper aims to discuss the integration of sales staff, communication and logistical operations to improve service delivery to multi-channel consumers.Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a literature review regarding multi-channel strategy to build a conceptual framework. This framework is discussed using three illustrations from the French multi-channel distribution field (King Jouet, Fnac and Darty).Findings The exploratory research underlines the importance of information about how consumers order in different channels. This makes the global management of different channels difficult and threatens marketing and logistical sharing.Practical implications The integration process is becoming increasingly important in service recovery. Companies must therefore facilitate total access to logistical information. This requires an organisational interaction between marketing and the supply chain activities.Originality/value The paper underlines the importance of the integration process in service recovery management, particularly when a defective product must be replaced and a new product be made available to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the time-frequency comovement between wheat futures traded on three US markets (Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBOT) and Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGE)) at different maturities and a global equity index. Design/methodology/approach: As they allow to trace transitional shifts over time and across different frequency bands, this paper relies on continuous wavelet tools to investigate the time-frequency comovement among wheat and global stock markets. Findings: The results show an increase in wheat futures prices at all maturities and a weak integration level within each wheat market during the subprime crisis. Moreover, the wavelet power spectra maps show high wheat and equity price volatility at different time scales and for various subperiods. Furthermore, the continuous wavelet coherence highlights time-frequency-varying comovements between the markets considered, which become particularly high during times of crisis. Practical implications: The results provide market participants with a better understanding of the nature as well as the magnitude of the relationship between the global financial market and different wheat markets at different maturities and during tranquil and crisis periods. Indeed, from investors' perspective it is important to understand how markets are segmented or integrated during tranquil and crisis periods in order to better assess risks, diversify portfolios and implement more effective hedging strategies. As for regulators, a better understanding of the level of integration of different markets would further help refine macroprudential policies, and thus strengthen financial stability and resilience. Originality/value: This paper enriches the existing literature by investigating the time-frequency comovement between wheat and a global equity market. Indeed, the dynamics between stock and wheat markets across different nearest to maturities have not been widely explored by previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to thoroughly identify the forms of integration between Lean, Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and environmental sustainability (ES) by examining the relationships between these three constructs, deepening understanding surrounding the theme and evolving the construction of a framework that can aid managing industrial production processes. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review (SLR) was the method used to identify the relationships for integration in the current literature. The SLR was supported by content and cluster analysis. The analyzes identified relationships at two levels. The first level observed relationships for constructs and variables. The second, at the level of constructs and components, which detail the variables. This study also proposes an integrated conceptual framework showing these relationships at the construct, variable and component levels. Findings: The results show how these three constructs are related and the study concludes by stating that there is stronger integration among I4.0 technologies and Lean practices for reaching ES. The SLR identified the main components that allowed for this integration, i.e. I4.0 technologies, Big Data, the internet of things and Lean practices, like reducing waste and customer needs. Practical implications: From an academic standpoint, this study proposes new lines of research lines that have not been explored thus far, and can be developed via empirical studies, at the strategic and operational levels among different industrial sectors. Also, this study can help managers understand the integrations between Lean practices and I4.0 technologies to achieve better operational and environmental organizational results. Originality/value: To the best of the knowledge, this study is the first of its kind using SLR to integrate Lean approaches, ES and I4.0 and to propose a unified framework to help managers and academics understand these relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to design petroleum products' supply chain management, which includes efficient integration of suppliers, manufacturers, storehouses and retailers. Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposes that a three-level supply chain will be turned into a bi-level supply chain of petroleum products by simultaneous integration of the middle level with the upstream and downstream levels. Also, it is integrally optimized by considering the multiple managerial flows' mutual results at various supply chain levels. Also, it is integrally optimized by considering the multiple managerial flows' mutual results at various supply chain levels. Findings: The concepts of the design, structure and outputs are led by the model's solution. The model also responds to the variations in the market via coordination in the related decisions to the distribution, production and inventory issues, and also coordinating between the demands and production. Research limitations/implications: This paper has limited its analysis to definite values due to the over-expansion of calculations and analysis. Future works can study other aspects of the proposed model for a multi-level petroleum product supply chain in different states of certain parameters and time zones. Practical implications: The designed model can directly and transparently help the oil managers and decision-makers lower the costs of manufacturing, distribution and sales with respect to the determined criteria. Originality/value: This paper establishes that effectiveness of the dynamic petroleum materials supply chain design will increase by considering maintained and increased production costs and coordinate management flows at all levels by supply chain creation's integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to utilise the research patterns of the most prolific contributors to Lean and Six Sigma methodologies over a 15-year period to inform the discussion on whether the methodologies should be or are being integrated.Design/methodology/approach Structured searches using keywords were carried out using a single database (SCOPUS) to identify the most prolific contributors to research articles in the areas of Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma, and thereafter patterns were analysed in five-year periods between 2000 and 2015.Findings This research demonstrates clear changing and evolving patterns of research activity. Not only is there a clear emergence of research focussed on Lean Six Sigma rather than a single methodology, there are also indications that researchers publish work using different methodologies in response to different challenges.Research limitations/implications The research is restricted to a single database and includes only the 21 most prolific contributors in each five-year period. The analysis is based on the focus of each peer-reviewed paper contributed to.Practical implications This research is intended to support and inform organisations which are developing or running business process improvement approaches by demonstrating the flexibility of Lean and Sigma, and evidencing that researchers work across different approaches and combine them when appropriate.Originality/value This paper provides a unique perspective on the debate for the integration of Lean and Six Sigma by looking at the patterns of work of researchers themselves to identify whether the focus of research has in fact moved on from exclusively lean or Six Sigma to more integrated approaches as has been argued in individual pieces of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to explore how the emerging cold spray technology could be integrated within a framework that finally could lead to more efficient aerospace operations. Design/methodology/approach - The paper builds research question and hypotheses and answers them using support from authorities, evidence or logic. Findings - The emerging cold spray process should not be viewed in isolation, but viewed as a component of a broad framework that should include materials, technologies, market, infrastructure and strategies. Originality/value - This paper highlights that, for more efficient cold spray aerospace applications, there is a need for an interdisciplinary approach that crosses traditional disciplines, schools of thought and professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Complexity received increasing attention from researchers in integration and evaluation studies. Complex adaptive systems are the most prominent formulation of complexity used in programme evaluations. However, there remain significant theoretical and conceptual barriers to using complexity as an explanatory model in social sciences, and thus in applying it successfully in integration and evaluation studies. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach Discussion paper outlining the potential uses and risks of complexity theory for studying integration programmes in health and social care and programme evaluations in general. The paper proceeds by synthesising the work of various critics and proponents of complexity theory in the social sciences and evaluation theory.Findings Complexity offers opportunities and risks to social scientists working in programme evaluations and integration studies. The opportunities are defined by additional modelling and verification/falsification of possible cause and effect links in programme settings. The risks, on the other hand, are twofold. Social scientists may use complexity as a shorthand for as yet insufficient understanding of the contexts under examination, or they mistake it for an explanatory device without testing its potential to explain. The second risk emerges as a result of the nature of complexity and its role in natural sciences. Assigning complexity an explanatory role may prevent further investigation of a given setting that may reveal that complexity is insufficient to understand what is going on.Originality/value Researchers should make clear how they have operationalised and measured the various features of the complexity model to allow robust verification of the evidence. Scholars should also assume that complexity as defined by the natural sciences is philosophically and epistemologically problematic when transferred into the realm of social sciences that largely operate with concepts informed by the paradigm of understanding social behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite their high number, most mergers end in failure. Academic studies of how these failures occur have remained rare, first, because of the difficulty of accessing the cases, and second, because of the difficulty of obtaining – for the purposes of qualitative analysis – objective and freely shared perceptions from the stakeholders, who tend to avoid speaking about failure. This is unfortunate, however, as failure can serve as a stimulus for organizational learning and readaptation for the future. Design/methodology/approach: The author investigated how an organization managed failure during the post-merger integration stage. The author described the merger of two listed French companies using longitudinal data. Findings: This in-depth case study provides new insights into failure during post-merger integration. The paper highlights the complexity of post-merger integration processes and the failures that the integration stakeholders had to address. The author underlined how they recognized failures and put into place solutions. They particularly highlighted two failures and how they were managed by the managers who acted as knowledge brokers within the new organization and by stakeholders who deconstructed the organization to ensure its future. Research limitations/implications: The limitations are those concerning a single case study. Practical implications: The paper identified trigger events in the merger process that prompted stakeholders to step in and manage and resolve failures during the integration period. Such triggers can be considered as steps for managers and stakeholders to solve organizational issues in the merger process. The paper highlighted the complexity of post-merger integration processes and the failures faced by integration stakeholders. The analysis thus contributes to an inclusive and integrative view of the challenges in this process. Social implications: Despite their high number, merger and acquisition failures remain surprisingly high. This paper explored how stakeholders deal with failures by identifying which solutions are best adapted to their organization. Originality/value: The case provides a vivid illustration of failure management during a merger process. Theoretical concepts and empirical findings from the literature are combined to present a single consistent picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight the drivers, barriers, benefits and risks affecting the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) into the e-government and to provide a future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach: Existing literature examining the relationships between e-government and IoT is scanned and evaluated by conceptualizing the IoT concept in the e-government perspective. Findings: The study shows that there are drivers to integrate IoT in e-government, such as ensuring the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government operations, which would largely establish a relationship between the government and the citizens. Furthermore, there are barriers to such integration, given the lack of political will, the appropriate information technology infrastructure, the training of the stakeholders with a focus on the employee and the like. Originality/value: The integration of IoT in e-government is a novel and weakly explored concept, particularly in the light of new advances such as blockchain in the e-government, which requires further exploration and conceptualization, thereby achieving a shared/common vision and body of knowledge for its further successful and sustainable adoption – to the best of the authors' knowledge, the current study is one of these initial attempts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This viewpoint paper provides insights and actions as to how destinations and airports need to be aligned in post-COVID-19 resumption. This paper aims to inform those working in airports and tourism boards about how to deal with airlines and support connectivity and route development post-COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: This paper provides a practical viewpoint based on working with airlines and tourism boards as part of consultancy and advisory development. Findings: This paper offers practical suggestions on how airlines, airports and tourism boards can work together to support air connectivity and tourism development. Practical implications: This paper provides those working in aviation and the tourism industry with practical steps to manage route development and connectivity post-COVID-19. Originality/value: The paper suggests new ways of working towards the integration of efforts made by airlines, airports and tourism boards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scaling is an important concern in the management of information systems projects. E-Government projects are no exception to the challenges of scaling. The problem is more severe because of a large and diverse population of target users and more crucial because of the vulnerability of the target population in case of failure of such initiatives (in projects, such as public distribution system of food). In spite of a significant awareness of its importance among implementers, scaling still remains a challenge. This paper aims to examine this important issue. Design/methodology/approach: The case study method has been used to demonstrate the relationship between integration and scaling of e-Government projects. This study uses analytic generalization from field case as a method to theorize a broad framework for the integration of information and communications technology projects. The context of this study is an e-Government project in West Bengal, India. The selection of the case involved theoretical sampling apart from considerations for the possibility of access to the project and its appropriateness with respect to the topic under study. Findings: Five different levels of integration in e-Government projects, namely, interface, data, electronic communication, application, and knowledge, have been identified. Further, it has been demonstrated that each of these integration mechanisms impacts scaling of e-Government projects. Also, the nature of the impact has been identified. Originality/value: This paper demonstrates the impact of integration on the scaling of e-Government projects. It analyzes the phenomenon of integration in terms of five different levels. All the levels of integration impact scaling of e-Government projects in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper investigates the latest achievements of studies on industrial information integration engineering (IIIE). Design/methodology/approach: This paper extends the research by Chen (2016) by reviewing studies from 2016 to 2019 in IEEE Xplore and Web of Science. Altogether, 970 papers related to IIIE are grouped into 27 research categories and reviewed. Findings: The results obtained in this study indicate that the number of research studies on IIIE rose drastically in the past three years compared with the findings in Chen (2016). Particularly, energy, engineering, industrial control, information and communications technologies, instrumentation, manufacturing and transportation are the hot topics. This change proves that the Internet of things (IoT) and IIIE have integrated closely by providing more applications, such as industrial Internet of things (IIoT), cyber-physical system (CPS), smart grids and smart manufacturing. This change also proves the research direction of IIIE identified by Chen (2016). Originality/value: The results present up-to-date development of IIIE and provide directions for future research on IIIE. The review identifies that energy, engineering, industrial control, information and communications technologies, instrumentation, manufacturing and transportation are the main fields that most of the reviewed papers focus on. Applications that integrate IoT and IIIE, including IIoT, CPS, smart grids and smart manufacturing, are attracting scholars' and practitioners' attention. Some new technologies, such as 5G and blockchain, have the potential to be integrated with IoT and IIIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although the UK construction sector has enjoyed a significant rise in the number of women joining the industry, there is undoubtedly more room for improvement. Numerous schemes have been initiated by government and other professional bodies to encourage more women to undertake a career in construction. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the organisational complexities of problems faced by women working in professional roles in construction. It thus initiates a dialogue on the lack of workplace flexibility and discriminatory practices that prevent many more women from joining. Design/methodology/approach: A phenomenological philosophy is adopted. The research critically explores the views of women working in professional roles in six large construction firms in England. Findings: It was widely acknowledged that the industry had improved significantly, however there are still concerns yet to be addressed. It was identified that women face new challenges when they attain senior roles. Furthermore, it is believed that the current glass ceiling theory and leaky pipeline theory are not adequate to study these issues. Research limitations/implications: Sample size and narrow focus on large construction firms are the limitations of the paper. Practical implications: Through academic and industry dissemination, the findings from this research encourage both men and women working in the construction industry to adopt inclusive practices that will help widen the pool of knowledge and expertise. Social implications: This paper sheds light on a problem that is assumed to be eradicated once women progress to senior management roles. Originality/value: This research presents an in-depth critical perspective of challenges faced by women construction professionals occupying decision-making positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Construction project management outcomes in the literature typically portray significant deviations from expected outcomes. Various theories from studies that focus superficially on causes of project cost and time overruns rather than root causes have not addressed this problem. The need is for a better understanding of how procurement strategy provides a fundamental means to address this problem. The purpose of this paper is to examine the procurement strategy used to deliver a new universities project in South Africa within budget and to ascertain its influence on the outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: A case study was designed to provide a comprehensive and intensive methodology to identify and examine the construction procurement strategy and its influence on the project outcomes. Document analyses and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data on the construction procurement strategy and outcomes from the client team. Findings: The evidence brought forward demonstrates that the successful outcome was largely a consequence of the client team, procurement strategy and systems of delivery. However, the collaborative procurement strategy formed the basis of the successful project delivery and outcomes. A general observation from the data is that an appropriate construction procurement strategy developed by an experienced client team and proactively implemented by an integrated delivery team working collaboratively is likely to achieve the intended project outcomes. Practical implications: The findings show three critical keys to achieving intended outcomes – people, procurement strategy and systems of delivery at the governance, portfolio, programme and project management levels. Originality/value: The value of this paper lies in using a comprehensive methodology to study the relationship between procurement strategy and outcomes. The findings can be applied by client teams to achieve better outcomes and value for money in infrastructure projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to propose an integrated framework for digital project-driven supply chains (PDSC) to address multiple objectives in Architecture, Engineering, Construction and, Operations and Maintenance (AECO) value chain. Additionally, the following sub-objectives were also to be addressed: to assess emerging themes of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in AECO and to identify lacunae in existing project supply chains. Design/methodology/approach: The research relies on qualitative approaches and mixed methodologies, for building theories based on domain expert interviews and questionnaire surveys administered on industry professionals. Hypothesis testing has been used to analyze data and identify significant 4IR technology applications and evolve a PDSC framework to address multiple objectives in the AECO context. Findings: 4IR technologies can completely revolutionize AECO supply chains and catapult the discipline into a completely new paradigm. The immense computing power unleashed can contribute to enhancing effectiveness in delivery. Technologies such as the Internet of Things, Internet of Services, Cloud Computing, Big Data, Smart Factory, 3 D-Printing, Cyber-Physical Systems or Embedded Systems, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Robotics hold immense future potential. The study proposes an integrated framework to address the multiple objectives of improved project delivery, increased productivity and cost savings, activity monitoring, reporting and agility, better workflow processes and reduction of wastage. Research limitations/implications: The study offers ideas for complete integration of the AECO supply chain to deliver value to end customers. It, however, relies on opinions, perspectives and recollections of respondents, which is its limitation. Their opinion is expected to be influenced by their domain and project expertise. Practical implications: In today's global environment, information and data management is a meaningful intermediary in 4IR. It can be delivered with the aid of the cloud to collect, appraise and evaluate data efficiently; faster machine operations to manufacture quality goods at a lower cost; boost productivity; and competitiveness in AECO companies. Appropriate exchange of information and knowledge transfer will lead to innovation, effective communication in terms of frequency and quality of information; willingness to share information to improve overall performance; commitment to a common goal and mutual support; and continuous innovative effort. Originality/value: This paper suggests fresh perspectives to integrated digital project-driven supply chains propelled by 4IR technologies, with a purpose to deliver multiple project objectives and end-customer value addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Government imperatives that drive integrated care are challenging corporate executive leadership. Conspicuous by its absence in both government's imperatives and the literature, is any reference to corporate executive leadership in transitioning a hierarchically oriented health system to a laterally integrated health system referred to, in this paper, as an integrated health system. This lack of reference to executive leadership involvement conveys either significant consequences or opportunities for corporate healthcare executives. The purpose of this qualitative, multi-case study is to explore corporate executive leadership in transitioning a hierarchically oriented health system to an integrated health system. Design/methodology/approach: Between December 2017 and February 2018, a qualitative methodology and multi-case study design facilitated one hour telephone interviews with 11 presidents and four senior vice presidents. Critical case sampling was used to select the study sample from a target population of 246 corporate healthcare executives representing Ontario's major acute healthcare organizations/systems. Findings: Corporate healthcare executives possess the requisite skills and knowledge to transition a hierarchically oriented to a laterally integrated the health system but are constrained by an undefined partnership role with government and fear of government changes. Originality/value: This paper provides corporate executive leaders with a systematic leadership approach to organizational readiness, in transitioning to an integrated health system. Features and outcomes of the approach are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the means by which one UK local authority obtained certification of its Bereavement Service against ISO9001, ISO14001, and ISO27001. It aims to explain the processes that were followed, highlight the problems that were encountered, and show how these were overcome. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a case study approach. The case study emerged from a broader grounded theory study which is outside the scope of this paper. Findings – This paper demonstrates that ISO27001 can be fully integrated into a single management system with ISO9001 and ISO14001, and also illustrates that the various standards can be applied more flexibly than is often thought. Practical implications – This study will be of significant benefit to bereavement professionals because it offers advice and guidance on addressing pitfalls that may be encountered when bereavement services wish to seek certification against international standards. It will also benefit quality, environmental, and information security professionals because it shows, in a practical way, how the three standards can be fully integrated. Originality/value – The integration of ISO27001 into a comprehensive management system is an area which has previously been under-researched. Furthermore, this paper takes an original perspective to information security, arguing that ISO27001 can be applied beyond an ICT environment, and this is demonstrated by considering the standard in the context of bereavement services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Integration is policy, practice as well as object of systematic investigation. What we do not know is whether or not integration can be understood as a science. In his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn formulated a notion of (natural) sciences based on the emergence of commitments amongst a community of scientists to a set of logics, model and exemplars. He called this a paradigm. The purpose of this paper is to assess the scientific nature of integration by perceiving it as a paradigm in Kuhn's sense. Design/methodology/approach - The paper proceeds by conceptual reflection through matching existing components, theories and exemplifications of integration to Kuhn's model of a scientific paradigm. Integration is understood broadly, either vertical or horizontal, and located within the practical domains of policy formulation, policy implementation and evaluation research. The nature, scope and depth of group commitments amongst students and practitioners of integration receive particular attention in line with Kuhn's social interactionist approach. Findings - Employing Kuhn's notion of paradigm in the context of integration highlights the fundamental tension between integration efforts and integration outcomes. Whilst integration defines itself in contradistinction to professional boundaries and fragmentation, the paper argues that it fails to develop a strong theoretical and empirical foundation for a robust and stable group commitment. The reason is that the key motivational force that may create a stable group commitment amongst those engaged in integration, the patient perspective, remains outside the integration paradigm. This leaves integration as a practice and policy model underdeveloped, mainly paradigmatically illustrated by singular exemplars and rooted in aspirational policy vocabulary, while clustered around a near dogmatic belief that working together between services must lead to improved quality of care. To become a scientific paradigm the group commitment in integration would have to coalesce around a clear ontology (symbolic generalisations), epistemology (models of knowledge) and manifestations in practice (exemplars). Research limitations/implications - At present both the ontology and epistemological foundations of integration practice and research are insufficiently clear. This hampers the development of integration practice as well as a better understanding of how to evaluate integration outcomes. Future studies should focus on the depth, nature and subject of group commitments to assess whether integration is a viable candidate for scientific paradigm or an assorted construct of policy aspirations. Originality/value - The paper questions the rigour and trajectory of integration practice, policy and research. It identifies a tension at the centre of the field between group commitments to scientific exemplars (case studies) and symbolic generalisations, encapsulated in the desire to improve patient care. The notion of a scientific paradigm thus helps to re-frame the discussion about research and practice in integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]