Achieving competitive advantage through the integration of disabled architects in architectural design firms in Egypt

The 2030 strategy of sustainable development in Egypt is based on integrated goals, including Human Resource Development. Egypt has ~9,540 disabled architects, who can play an important role in achieving competitive advantage through their integration in Architectural Design Firms (ADFs). By neglecting the benefits of integrating disabled architects, ADFs encounter the risk of losing unique skills and competent personnel. This article investigates the integration of disabled architects in ADFs as an approach for achieving competitive advantage. To achieve this aim, a research methodology consisting of literature review, case studies, and survey questionnaire has been adopted, and it is designed to achieve five objectives. First, literature review is used to investigate the concepts of disabilities and competitive advantage, as well as the relation between integrating disabled architects and the achievement of competitiveness in ADFs. Second, six case studies are presented and analyzed to investigate the role and process of achieving competitive advantage in ADFs through employing disabled architects. Third, the results of a survey questionnaire are analyzed to examine the perception regarding and application of employing disabled architects as an approach for achieving competitive advantage in ADFs in Egypt. Fourth, a framework is developed to facilitate the integration of disabled architects in ADFs with the goal of achieving competitive advantage. Finally, the research findings are summarized and recommendations are put forth. The value of this research stems from the need to address the issue of lack of employment of disabled architects in ADFs and the benefits of making better use of their unique capabilities and skills toward achieving competitiveness. In addition, this research covers a controversial topic that receives scant attention in construction literature, especially in Egypt

Integrated logistics and supply chain management, global sourcing and sustainable competitive advantage

This thesis aims to explore the strategic roles of integrated logistics and supply chain management and global sourcing strategy for firms' performance, and to examine the direct and indirect relationships between integrated logistics and supply chain management, logistics performance, global sourcing performance, and further sustainable competitive advantage. This thesis adopts resource based theory to explore the relationships between a firm's specific capability and its performance and employs structural equation modelling in order to rigorously test the validation of the measurement models and examine the relationships between the construct variables. The data used were collected by postal questionnaire survey from logistics managers of 195 firms from the automobile and electronics industries based in Korea. The empirical research shows that (1) there exists a significant positive relationship between information & planning formality and strategic planning (2) strategic planning has a significant positive influence upon integrated logistics and SCM capability (3) internal integration & customer relationship has a significant effect on logistics performance (4) supplier integration and logistics integration & customer service exert significant impacts upon global sourcing performance (5) supplier integration has a significant effect on the firm's competitive market position (6) a superior logistics capability exerts a significant impact upon global sourcing performance and sustainable competitive advantage (7) global sourcing capability has a significant influence on sustainable competitive advantage and competitive position in the market and (8) competitive position in the market is significantly predicted by sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, this research presents many significant indirect effects between the constructs. Overall, this thesis suggests that a firm should develop an integrated logistics and SCM capability in balance and make efforts to build superior logistics and/or global sourcing capabilities in order to effectively obtain and/or reinforce its competitive market position and long-term survival and success

Strategic Human Resources in Casino Operations: Revealing the Perceptions of Casino Operators and Human Resource Leaders

The casino industry in America continues to grow. As the industry expands, the competition for revenue generation and market share increases. This requires the ability to differentiate from the competition and create competitive advantage, within a highly commoditized industry. In service of this need, capable gaming executives are necessary to design and execute the strategy required. Human resource (HR) leaders are not immune from this requirement. Human resource leaders are in an excellent position to create an HR strategy aligned with organizational strategy to capitalize on an employers’ workforce in support of differentiation and sustained competitive advantage. Six research objectives were established for this study to describe the perceptions of casino HR leaders and casino business-unit leaders relating to the perceived value of the HR function as a viable method to achieving sustained competitive advantage in the Mississippi casino industry. The study employed a cross-sectional, non-experimental, descriptive research design and a 23-question survey to collect descriptive, quantitative, and qualitative data. The researcher used online survey software to distribute the survey and collect data. The population consisted of approximately 294 property-level HR and Business-Unit Leaders employed in the Mississippi casino industry. Study results revealed a majority of respondents were college graduates, between the ages of 30-59 years of age and averaged approximately 18 years of experience in the gaming industry, and approximately 14 years in the Mississippi casino industry. Findings demonstrate a perception gap between HR Leader and Business-Unit Leader Groups in many areas. HR leaders overvalue their contribution to strategy development and business partnership compared to the business-unit group’s perception. HR leaders perceive their understanding of human capital and their ability to add value through talent decisions more than the management group. However, business-unit leaders perceive real value in the HR function more than just as a cost-based center of operation, and perceive the HR leaders to have the business skills necessary to be successful in the Mississippi gaming industry. Both groups report satisfaction with the HR leader’s knowledge and skills, although HR leader rank their satisfaction higher than management. However, management perceives HR leaders spend more time in file maintenance roles and less time in strategic business partnership. Although there were several benefits and barriers of achieving strategic HR alignment, the HR leader’s cross-functional knowledge was both a potential benefit and barrier to achieving alignment. Although HR has some role in strategy in Mississippi casinos, it is not as a full business partner. Results demonstrate HR plays more of a strategy implementation role. Analysis indicates when HR’s perceived role in strategy increases, anticipation of HR budget growth and HR inclusion in strategy formulation increases. Both groups perceive the HR function in Mississippi casinos has the potential to help create a sustained competitive advantage for casino organizations. Additionally, as perception of an integrated HR strategy increases, the perception of HR as a competitive differentiator and source of sustained competitive advantage increases. Recommendations for research include replicating the study in Mississippi during a period of economic growth for Mississippi casinos to account for the financial declines associated with the recession and the BP oil spill. Study replication in other jurisdictions would determine if the results of this study remain constant in other states. Additional research is warranted to understand how other casino departments add value to casinos’ strategic positioning

An empirical study of marketing environment strategy and performance in the property market

By adapting industrial organisation, resource based theories and PIMS database research, the study proposes the organisation-environment-strategy-performance (OESP) framework and a model of property marketing in the Taiwan property market. The thesis proposed and tested an integrative model of business performance incorporating the major determinants of business performance, internal and external environment, and competitive marketing strategy. The thesis proposed and tested hypothesised relationships among four external marketing environment dimensions, four internal marketing environment dimensions, seven marketing strategies dimensions and four performance variables. By focusing on both construct and tests of hypothesised relationships, the study aims to strengthen the empirical foundation of marketing strategy research. The research findings reported are based on a mail survey of 102 property marketing business managers. Separated and integrated models were developed, and the relationships presented in the research questions were tested using two-year panel survey and retrospective longitudinal study (year 2000-2001) of 102 firms in the Taiwan property industry. Pooled cross-sectional time series regression and multiple regress methods were employed to test the research hypotheses and exploratory propositions. In the separated model, internal environment variables (market orientation, product advantage and resource commitment) were not found to be statistically explanations of variance in business performance. Of the external environment variables, demand potential and technological change were found to be key explanatory factors of variance in business unit performance. Marketing strategy variables such as product positioning and sales force expenditures were found to be statistically significant explanatory factors of variance in business performance. Product-market scope strategy is affected by the product advantage and resource commitment while promotion element decision is affected by technical change and resource commitment. Distribution decision is determined by competitive intensity, customer orientation and prior performance. Product positioning is affected by the product advantage while strategic alliance is determined by market attractiveness and technical change pressure. No marketing environment and prior performance factors were found to affect sales force expenditures and pricing decisions. The substitute of competitors factor is found to be statistically significant explanatory power of variance in market orientation and resource commitment