Search

Purpose: This paper aims to trace the performance consequences of within-lead firm reconfigurations of global value chains with respect to business performance and upgrading. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on two detailed company case studies which are analysed in an organizational design approach. Findings: Lead firms systematically separate and internalize high value-added activities in otherwise low value-added processes leading to constant reconfigurations and reorganizations of the production processes in global value chains. The study finds that similar reconfigurations may trigger different changes and changes and performance consequences may differ considerably according to the level of analysis. The two cases help to understand the specific roles of the outsourcing and offshoring decisions in shaping actual global value chain structures. Originality/value: The consequences of within-lead firm reconfigurations are rarely analysed in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate leadership attributes that contribute to or inhibit the successful adaptation of lean techniques. Design/methodology/approach - Using leadership attributes of the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) project, this paper develops an ideal leadership profile of a production manager who aims to develop a lean production system (based on Liker's seminal work in 2004). Five hypotheses related to contributor and inhibitor leadership behaviors and their associated leadership attributes are analyzed using survey data based on a PLS model. Findings - According to the results, the proposed conceptual leadership profile, in which leadership attributes are divided into two sets (contributors and inhibitors), required modification. The authors identified five distinct leadership behaviors (specific interrelated sets of leadership attributes). Two of the five leadership behaviors (communicative and micromanager) for production managers contributed to lean implementation. None of the leadership behaviors were inhibitors. Surprisingly, a theoretical inhibitor type of leadership behavior, namely micromanager, proved to be a contributor. Practical implications - The results provide direct guidance for Hungarian managers with leadership behaviors that can contribute to the successful adaptation of lean techniques. However, managers must also consider that although these leadership behaviors may result in short-term gains, the micromanager leadership behavior can undermine the long-term sustainability of lean success and can hinder the development of a lean culture. Originality/value - Leaders are frequently considered to be the key drivers of lean management. The empirical paper is unique because it analyzes the relationship among leadership behaviors, leadership attributes, and lean contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical Management Studies (CMS) as a field of organization studies (OS) has become central internationally, and especially in Europe. Yet, its appearance is still very rare in the Hungarian OS literature. In this study first the authors discuss how the nowadays dominant organizational practices along with the mainstream management and organization theories are to be criticized from a Critical Management perspective. In the main section, so as to define CMS, they make important theoretical distinctions, first between CMS and mainstream organization theories (in general), and then among the different critical approaches that nevertheless all fall under the broad CMS umbrella. But, in line with a truly critical attitude, they not only go into theoretical discussions but, at least to their intention, the purpose of this introductory paper is also to addresses important problems both in the theory and the practice of organization and management. Therefore, it could serve as an opening of an important debate or dialogue in the Hungarian academic community (researchers, educators and other professionals), a theoretical discussion that could have real influence on organizational practice too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the conceptual and hypothetical model of capability-based value creation of supplier firms, developed by Möller and Törrönen (2003), is analyzed and elaborated. Möller and Törrönen address the problem of evaluating the value-creation potential of a supplier by discussing the types of customer value dimensions that may be achieved through or with a supplier and by proposing a conceptual framework for the assessment of a supplier's capability-based, value-creating potential. Möller and Törrönen argue that a feasible alternative to an a priori assessment of the supplier's value-creation potential is to examine suppliers' existing organizational capabilities. Although Möller and Törrönen do not create a direct link between specific customer value dimensions and the capabilities needed to create them, the model of capability-based value creation and the developed relational value spectrum denote that such a link may exist. The basic objective of the research exposed in this article was to empirically investigate Möllers' proposed conceptual model, in the case of supplier firms active in Hungarian automotive supply chains, and to test the hypothesis behind it -- that coherent sets of specific customer value dimensions and capabilities responsible for creating them may exist. Based on qualitative research, the paper describes the relevant, specific customer value dimensions for supplier firms active in one of Hungary's automotive supply chains; it also maps those specific capabilities and their sub-capabilities, which are needed to create and supply these value dimensions. The term competence is proposed for linking the two sides of a supplier firm's competitiveness: relevant customer value dimensions and their needed, aligned capabilities. Based on qualitative research findings, the competence portfolios of the analyzed firms are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focal question of this research is how heavy Hungarian business relationships are, and what specific characteristics this relationships have. Business relationship heaviness is one of the most important relationship features because substantially influences the stability of the relationship itself. The authors argue that the level of buyer-supplier relationship heaviness is determined by activity ties, social bonds and resource links (Håkansson - Snehota ed., 1995) and influenced by the complexity of the exchange object relevant for a specific relationship. The paper presents the results of an online survey carried out among Hungarian companies at the Competitive Research Centre of the Corvinus University of Budapest. The authors' analysis examines the effect of the exchanged product and service package on relational ties and relationship heaviness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades scholars have paid a lot of attention to both service operation and supply chain management. There is still limited research on the overlapping field of theses two management areas, on service supply chain specialties. This article gives a structured overview on the latest research results on this topic. Doing so the paper would like to draw attention of the Hungarian researchers to this field and facilitate these empirical researches. As described in the paper traditional service specialties (intangibility, perishability, inseparability, heterogeneity and the importance of human capital) create special management problems concerning (i) the structure of these supply chains, (ii) their relationship management and (iii) the management of supply chain processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]