Power-based behaviors in supply chains and their effects on relational satisfaction: A fresh perspective and directions for research

Although the sources of a firm’s power vis-à-vis upstream and downstream relationships in supply chains have been studied extensively, how a firm may act or react to power-based behaviors of its partners has not been sufficiently defined and discussed. To this end, we present three power-based behaviors: dominance, egalitarian, and submissive. From a cross-disciplinary reading of the relevant literature, we conceptualize and discuss the characteristics of these behaviors as manifested by dyads within supply chains. Three power-based behaviors are proposed to describe both initiating and responding behaviors used by partners, with these behaviors affecting relational satisfaction. This results in nine potential descriptors of the state of any supply chain relationship. We then discuss the opportunities to use our approach to better research the dynamics of power in supply chain relationships

Performance management practices within emerging market multinational enterprises: the case of Brazilian multinationals

This study advances our understanding of HRM within EM-MNEs by examining the extent to, and mechanism by, which Brazilian MNEs standardize or localise their performance management (PM) policies and practices, and the factors that influence their design and implementation. We explored these issues through qualitative case studies of three Brazilian MNEs. The analysis of interview data reveals a strong tendency for Brazilian MNEs to centralise and standardise their PM policies and practices. The key finding of this paper is that PM practices within Brazilian MNEs are not based on indigenous Brazilian practices, but rather, are heavily influenced by global best practices. The findings are at odds with previous research, which suggests that EM-MNEs apply different HR practices in developed country subsidiaries and developing country subsidiaries. Also, contrary to expectations, our results indicate that institutional distance does not have a significant influence on the adaptation of PM practices at subsidiary level

Performance management practices within emerging market multinational enterprises: the case of Brazilian multinationals

This study advances our understanding of HRM within EM-MNEs by examining the extent to, and mechanism by, which Brazilian MNEs standardize or localise their performance management (PM) policies and practices, and the factors that influence their design and implementation. We explored these issues through qualitative case studies of three Brazilian MNEs. The analysis of interview data reveals a strong tendency for Brazilian MNEs to centralise and standardise their PM policies and practices. The key finding of this paper is that PM practices within Brazilian MNEs are not based on indigenous Brazilian practices, but rather, are heavily influenced by global best practices. The findings are at odds with previous research, which suggests that EM-MNEs apply different HR practices in developed country subsidiaries and developing country subsidiaries. Also, contrary to expectations, our results indicate that institutional distance does not have a significant influence on the adaptation of PM practices at subsidiary level

Resilient and Proactive Utilization of Opportunities and Uncertainties in Service Business

Kirjoittajat: Takala Josu, Uusitalo Teuvo, Toshev Rayko, Liu Yang, Forss Tepp, Golovko Ivan, Korpi Heli, Hallikainen Heikki, Takala Josu, Pastuhov Antti, Kazmi Asiya,Rajala Antti, Kukkola Antti, Palomäki Katariina, Kupi Eijan, Ahonen Toni, Hietikko Maritafi=vertaisarvioimaton|en=nonPeerReviewed

Essays on Product Acquisition for Value Recovery

This dissertation studies decision problems facing the manufacturer that offers cash incentive to encourage a fraction of its install base to return end-of-use devices. Marketing managers often use such tactics as a promotion tool to motivate sales of new products. Supply chain managers often use such tactics to obtain used products for profitable recovery operations. The first essay, Product Acquisition for Remanufacturing: A Dynamic Analysis, analyzes the performance of buyback and trade-in policies for acquiring products to be remanufactured. A key distinguishing feature of this analysis is the consideration of time dynamics. In particular, both the quantity-condition profile of used products and the market interest in remanufactured products evolve over time, and the manner of evolution is influenced by new product sales. Essay 1 introduces and analyzes a series of models that reflect the dynamics of customer willingness-to-return and willingness-to-pay attitudes, the size and condition of the OEM product install base, the demand for remanufactured product, and the demand for new product. Conventional approaches set trade-in and buyback prices to maximize profits in a single period; however, our analysis show that companies can earn higher profits by adopting a proactive approach. The second essay Final Purchase and End-of-Use Acquisition Decisions in Response to a Component Phase-Out Announcement is motivated by informal talks with supply chain executives from the computer industry. Essay 2 investigates a problem faced by a durable-goods manufacturer of a product that is no longer manufactured but still under warranty. A supplier announces that a component of the product will be phased out and specifies a deadline for the final order. In addition to determining the final order quantity from the supplier, the manufacturer may introduce a trade-in program to generate an alternative supply of the component for the purpose of satisfying warranty claims. We analyze how industry and market characteristics influence the manufactures optimal decisions and profits. The analysis in the second essay lends insight into the determinants of the initial order quantity, the characteristics of a well-designed trade-in program to support component harvesting, and the cost of ignoring a trade-in program for component harvesting. We find that launching a trade-in program and harvesting spare-parts from the returned device is not only a viable response to a supplier\u27s component phase out announcement, under certain conditions, launching a trade-in program is actually profitable

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Diffusion of Technologies and Social Behavior

The diffusion of innovations is at the core of the dynamic processes that underlie social, economic, and technological change. Diffusion phenomena are not limited to the spread of new process technologies and the market penetration of new products but extend also to changes in the forms of social organization and transformations in the social fabric and cultural traits. This book is the outcome of the diffusion of the concept of diffusion as a fundamental process in society. Originating from biology, diffusion research is now carried out in many disciplines including economics, geography, history, technological change, sociology, and management science. The book illustrates the progress that has been made in understanding the nature of diffusion processes and their underlying driving forces. The contributions by leading scholars provide a novel interdisciplinary perspective and span a wide range of modeling and empirical research backgrounds

Institutional Culture, Performance, and Learning in a Two-year Technical/Community College

The environments of higher education institutions have undergone significant changes in the past twenty years as a result of concerns expressed in prominent reports. These external concerns and initiatives reflect contemporary criticisms by the public about the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance of institutions. The response from research, legislatures, and the institutions has been to implement practices aimed at improvement and borrowed from business and industry. Research indicates that this performance orientation to change in higher education has largely failed, due in part to the lack of attention given to the culture of the institution. Emerging research indicates a shift from a performance orientation to change to a learning orientation. Researchers cite the ability of an organization to learn as the principle advantage in today\u27s competitive environment. Although studies of organizational learning have been conducted within the context of business, governmental agencies, and healthcare, little is known about organizational learning within the industry where learning is the core mission. The knowledge society we live in makes the actions of organizational learning essential for the survival and growth of the institution. Institutional culture provides the values, beliefs, and assumptions that guide actions of both the individuals and the institution. To that end, campus culture influences the choices of the institution in selecting change strategies. The purpose of this case study was to examine the relationship between the change functions of institutional performance and learning and the values, beliefs, and assumptions we know as institutional culture at a two-year technical/community college. The study attempted to determine whether the actions in institutional performance and learning varied systematically from one culture type to another. The Organizational Learning Systems Model and the Competing Values Framework provided the theoretical foundations for this study. Institutional performance referred to the four systems of exchange, production/service, coordination and reinforcement. Institutional learning referred to the four systems of environmental interfacing, action and reflection, integration, and memory and meaning. Institutional culture referred to the four cultural types: clan, market, hierarchy, and adhocracy. The perceptions of these twelve variables were measured using a cross-sectional survey methodology that combined two existing instruments. The study was conducted at the institution level of analysis. Data were collected from the population of full-time and part-time administrators, faculty, and staff with a total of 188 employees participating. Data analysis procedures using Pearson correlation and multiple regression revealed significant findings for research, leadership, and practice. The findings for this study demonstrated a relationship between perceptions of complex campus culture and institutional performance and learning. For this institution, the clan, adhocracy, and hierarchy cultural types had significant relationships with the eight performance and learning subsystems and were determined to be predictors of institutional performance and learning. The findings from this study were inconsistent with previous research that demonstrated the relationship of a dominant cultural type to institutional effectiveness. Instead, the findings supported the premise of the Competing Values Framework that a complex institutional culture contributed to an increased ability to perform and learn