Strategies for Hiring Skilled Furniture Manufacturing Workers

In April 2013, the U.S. unemployment rate was 7.6% and did not drop as quickly in the recent recession as in past recessions. The Unemployment and Job Creation Program study informed readers that many employers could not find qualified workers. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore hiring managers\u27 strategies to locate and hire skilled workers in the furniture manufacturing industry. The target sample included 3 furniture manufacturers located in Huntsville, Alabama who have successfully developed and implemented strategies for hiring skilled workers. The skill shortage theory was the conceptual framework for this study. In the job market, skill was a persistent theme in the discussion of unemployment. The data collected resulted from face-to-face interviews with 3 managers in the furniture manufacturing business, transcribed interview responses, company documentation, and observation notes. Data analysis included an assessment of word frequencies, keyword coding, and theme identification. The findings included 4 themes: strategy, effective strategy, barriers, and mitigation. Implementing these recommendations may increase managers\u27 effectiveness in hiring. Implications for social change include establishing a credible hiring strategy that provides an opportunity for increasing local employment. The benefits of industries implementing an effective hiring strategy are community awareness and less local unemployment. The employment growth strengthens the community with the increase in spending which creates a thriving economy. An increase in pay provides opportunities for higher education and better provisions for employees\u27 families

Business models reinvention: from staffing to management consulting case

Despite the high market demand in the staffing business, the dissatisfaction and volatility of employees is a constant risk and the value proposition for customers brings limited value. Besides being purely transactional, this business model makes the creation and development of assets unfeasible as it lacks regulation and is still perceived as one that can be easily imitated. In order to reverse the situation and considering that the management consulting business model is relatively similar in terms of means and is perceived as having sustainable competitive advantages, the objective of this investigation was to propose the transformation of the business model from staffing to management consulting. A total of 62 professionals from 34 staffing and management consulting companies were interviewed, revealing details regarding the various areas of the value chain. A comparative financial analysis and model validation was also performed. Literature review, as well as the analysis of the interviews was supported by text mining techniques. The conceptual model and the conclusions obtained in parallel are certainly useful for the academy, but also for companies and society, since the transformation of the business model represents a combination of different working conditions and formats in the face of current events. There are several findings, but it should be highlighted that in management consulting the profit per employee is on average 87% higher when compared with a staffing employee. Recommendations are also provided to push the limits of thinking, generate new options and, ultimately, to enhance the competitive advantages of service companies.Apesar da elevada procura de mercado, no negócio de staffing a insatisfação e volatilidade dos colaboradores é um risco atual e a proposta de valor para os clientes aporta valor limitado. Além de puramente transicional, este modelo de negócio inviabiliza a criação e desenvolvimento de ativos, carece de regulamentação, sendo ainda percecionado como facilmente imitável. No sentido de inverter a situação e sendo o modelo de negócio de management consulting relativamente similar em termos de meios e percecionado com vantagens competitivas sustentáveis, foi objetivo desta investigação uma transformação do modelo de negócio de staffing para management consulting. Um total de 62 profissionais de 34 empresas de staffing e management consulting foram entrevistados revelando detalhes relativos às várias dimensões da cadeia de valor. Foi ainda realizada uma análise financeira comparativa e a validação modelo. A revisão de literatura, assim como a análise das entrevistas, foi suportada por técnicas de text mining. O modelo concetual e as conclusões paralelamente obtidas são certamente úteis para o meio académico, mas também para as empresas e para a sociedade, dado que a transformação do modelo de negócio representa igualmente uma combinação de condições e formatos de trabalho diferentes face à atualidade. Existem várias conclusões, mas é de salientar que em management consulting o lucro por colaborador é em média 87% superior a um colaborador de staffing. São ainda fornecidas recomendações para ampliar os limites do pensamento, para gerar novas opções e, em última análise, para potenciar o aumento de vantagens competitivas das empresas de serviços

Management outsourcing business models: a perspective of sustainability

In a world characterized by intense competition, outsourcing has infiltrated the management world in a major way. Outsourcing services are becoming an increasingly important source to companies focus on their core competencies, reduce costs, and increase efficiency in several organizational functions. Even though outsourcing of business activities has become a prevalent practice amongst organizations, the literature provides only a one-dimensional view of the phenomenon by focusing on the service receivers’ perspectives – buyer. This dissertation overcomes this weakness by investigate and analyze the business models of outsourcing companies – vendor - as a way to understand how they reach a sustainable competitive advantage that differentiates them in a competitive market. Hence, the whole investigation explores the service provider’s perspectives by conducting interviews to 16 top executives from 15 different outsourcing companies in Portugal. The findings suggest that all the organizations presented in the study face the same challenges/pains in the market and each of them manifest an exclusive combination of mechanisms, methods, strategies and approaches within their business models to be differentiated in the market and sustainable in terms of efficiency and competitive advantage.Num mundo caracterizado por forte competição, o outsourcing tem estado presente no mundo da gestão de forma cada vez mais significativa. Serviços de outsourcing representam atualmente uma importante fonte para as empresas se conseguirem focar nas suas competências e capacidades chave, reduzir custos, e aumentar a eficiência em diversas funções organizacionais. Apesar do outsourcing de atividades de negócio ser uma prática cada vez mais relevante e existente nas organizações, a literatura proporciona apenas uma visão dimensional do fenómeno, focando-se na perspetiva dos recetores do serviço – buyer. Esta dissertação transpõe este gap investigando e analisando os modelos de negócio das empresas de outsourcing – vendor – de forma a perceber como estas alcançam uma vantagem competitiva que as torna diferenciadoras num mercado competitivo. Assim, a presente investigação explora a perspetiva dos prestadores do serviço de outsourcing através da realização de entrevistas a 16 executivos de topo pertencentes a 15 distintas empresas de outsourcing em Portugal. Os resultados demonstram que as organizações presentes no estudo enfrentam os mesmos desafios e dores no mercado, e cada uma delas expressa uma combinação exclusiva de mecanismos, métodos, estratégias, e abordagens nos seus modelos de negócio que as torna diferenciadores e sustentáveis no mercado, em termos de eficiência e vantagem competitiva

A framework for evaluating the impact of business process outsourcing (BPO) on the operational performance of the mobile telecommunications industry, South Africa.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Mobile telecommunication service providers in developing countries, particularly southern African mobile telecom operators outsource a range of activities like logistics, assembly operations, manufacturing, and design. The results of such decisions have not been proved empirically. Empirical evidence on whether or not outsourcing is beneficial lacks in the industry. Furthermore, there has been a minimum focus on the effects of outsourcing on the operational performance of firms.In light of the above, the study proposes a CPP framework that can be used to evaluate the impact of business process outsourcing (BPO) on the operational performance of mobile telecommunications industry in developing Southern African countries with particular reference to South Africausing cost, productivity and profitability (CPP) as the underpinning quantitative performance metrics by taking into consideration the drivers, benefits, and risks of the business strategy. The study is informed by the positivism research paradigm using deductive approach. A descriptive research design was adopted for the collection of quantitative data. Chi square test were conducted to establish the statistically significant relationship between business process outsourcing and cost efficiency, productivity and profitability and the operational performance of mobile telecommunication firms. A structured closed- ended questionnaire was used to collect raw data using the drop-off method in which questionnaires were distributed to two hundred and ten employees of the two mobile communication companies. The findings of this current study reflect that majority of the participants alluded that there is an improvement in cost efficiency, increase in productivity and profitability after BPO thereby improving the operational performance of the mobile telecom operators. These results suggest that there is a statistically significant relationship between BPO and cost, productivity and profitability. The results were reflected in the proposed cost, productivity and profitability (CPP) framework as part of the business performance outcome. The results are important to corporate management as this avoid relying on managers’ estimates in place of quantifiable metrics in deciding on whether to outsource or in source and can also assist management, policymakers and supply chain Practitioner in developing BPO policies. Abahlinzeki besevisi yezokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini emazweni asathuthuka, ikakhulukazi opharetha bezingcingo zamaselula e-Afrika eseningizimu banikeza ngaphandle uchungechunge lwemisebenzi efana nokuhlela, ukuhlanganisa, ukukhiqiza, nokuklama. Imiphumela yalezi zinqumo ayizange ifakazelwe ngokwamandla. Ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi ukukhishwa kwemisebenzi kuyazuzisa ukushoda embonini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kube nokugxila okuncane emiphumeleni yokukhishwa kwemisebenzi ekusebenzeni kwamafemu. Ngokwalokhu okungenhla, ucwaningo luphakamisa uhlaka lwe-CPP olungasetshenziswa ukuhlola umthelela wokukhishwa kwezinqubo zebhizinisi (BPO) ekusebenzeni. ukusebenza kwemboni yezokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini ekuthuthukiseni amazwe aseNingizimu ne-Afrika ikakhulukazi iNingizimu Afrika isebenzisa izindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo (CPP) njengesisekelo samamethrikhi okusebenza esilinganisweni ngokucabangela abashayeli, izinzuzo, kanye nobungozi besu lebhizinisi. Ucwaningo lwenziwa yi-positivism research paradigm kusetshenziswa indlela yokudonsela phansi. Kwamukelwa umklamo wocwaningo oluchazayo ukuze kuqoqwe idatha yobuningi. Ukuhlolwa kwe-Chi square kwenziwa ukuze kutholwe ubudlelwano obubalulekile ngokwezibalo phakathi kokukhishwa kwenqubo yebhizinisi kanye nokusebenza kahle kwezindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo kanye nokusebenza kokusebenza kwamafemu ezokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini. Uhlu lwemibuzo oluvaliwe oluhlelekile lwasetshenziswa ukuqoqa idatha eluhlaza kusetshenziswa indlela yokushiya lapho imibuzo yasatshalaliswa kubasebenzi abangamakhulu amabili neshumi bezinkampani ezimbili zokuxhumana ngomakhalekhukhwini. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo lwamanje kukhombisa ukuthi iningi labahlanganyeli likhombe ukuthi kukhona ukuthuthuka ekusebenzeni kahle kwezindleko, ukwanda kokukhiqiza kanye nokwanda kwenzuzo ngemuva kwe-BPO ngaleyo ndlela kuthuthukiswe ukusebenza kokusebenza kwabaqhubi bezingcingo zamaselula. Le miphumela iphakamisa ukuthi kunobudlelwano obubalulekile ngokwezibalo phakathikwe- BPO nezindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo. Imiphumela yabonakala ohlakeni v oluhlongozwayo lwezindleko, ukukhiqiza kanye nenzuzo (CPP) njengengxenye yomphumela wokusebenza kwebhizinisi. Imiphumela ibalulekile ekuphathweni kwebhizinisi njengoba lokhu kwagwema ukuthembela esilinganisweni sabaphathi esikhundleni samamethrikhi angabalulekayo ekunqumeni ukuthi bazonikezwa yini inkampani yangaphandle noma emthonjeni futhi kungasiza futhi abaphathi/ abenzi bezinqubomgomo/ Umsebenzi wochungechunge lokuhlinzeka ekuthuthukiseni izinqubomgomo ze-BPO

Alternative scenarios for assembly manufacturing: automation and outsourcing in the garment industry

The objective of this research was to investigate the assembly manufacturing strategy for the future European garment industry. Outsourcing and automation were the strategic selections to assembly manufacturing for alternative scenarios. An ultimate goal was to find out whether outsourcing could be replaced by automation as a manufacturing strategy of garment assembly in the future. The research was carried out by literature reviews and scenario approach to examine the future of garment assembly. First, the two strategic alternatives: outsourcing and automation were reviewed in addition to the theory of manufacturing strategy. Besides, the driving forces and consequences were studied in respect of the two strategic alternatives. The contradictions between them were further analysed in accordance with the manufacturing objectives: cost, quality, delivery and flexibility in the garment industry aspect. Subsequently, the scenarios were developed based on the uncertainties derived from the similarity and relationship of the two strategic alternatives for assembly manufacturing. The future scenarios of garment industry were then illustrated with the two uncertainties: availability of labour and technology. With different level of labour supply and technology, the four scenarios were generated with the GBN matrix technique. Four strategies: other options, outsourcing focus, automation focus and combination strategies were recommended for the scenarios. The final conclusion to the research question was that for garment manufacturing in the future, the combination of outsourcing and automation is a more viable strategy than completely substituting outsourcing by automation

A Case Analysis to Improve the Application Maintenance and Support Outsourcing of a National Airline

The reliance on outsourcing as a means of providing IT services has been growing steadily over the past decade. There have been numerous academic articles dedicated to IT outsourcing in general. This research seeks to fill the gap by providing insights to a less explored scope of IT activity outsourced - application maintenance and support (AMS); specifically, the post-contract management of AMS outsourcing. It is during this building block of management that success is ultimately determined. This study takes the perspective of the client and provides management insights into a framework for successful AMS outsourcing. Report has revealed that several outsourcing clients are reviewing their contracts to improve efficiency and costs to weather the recent global economic storm. The “AMS outsourcing framework for success” constructed in this study is applied on a case study of an Asian airline which has adopted AMS outsourcing for nine years and has not performed any review on this outsourcing. The objective is to help the airline identify the problems and shortcomings of its AMS outsourcing and provide recommendations to address them so as to attain a successful AMS outsourcing

Managing IT outsourcing relationships to enhance outcomes: cases in a cross-cultural context

Information Technology (IT) outsourcing is a serious option available to modern managers. An emerging trend is the focus on relationship management in IT outsourcing, imploring organisations to look past tactical objectives and concentrate on strategic outcomes. In a global economy business sponsors are connecting with overseas vendors in IT outsourcing in an attempt to accelerate realisation of benefits. This complicates outsourcing arrangements, because cross-cultural differences may add to the complexity of fostering relationships. This study examines how to manage IT outsourcing relationships in a cross-cultural context to enhance IT outsourcing success. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, interpretivist case studies were adopted. The researcher investigated three IT outsourcing cases within one Chinese organisation. One case has a vendor with a western cultural background and the other two with a Chinese cultural background. The main data were collected through interviews with key managers in the case organisation, complemented by secondary data (such as published reports, internal documents). Some additional data concerning the cross-cultural differences were also collected from the two Chinese vendors and another western vendor who provided corporate strategy consulting services to the case organisation. Analysis of data showed that a good contract implementation, the established trust and the acknowledgement of vendor's high value were recognised as the three distinguishing characteristics of a satisfactory IT outsourcing relationship. In managing relationships the outsourcing company emphasised not only contract implementation but even more importantly communication with vendors, recognition of mutual interests, establishment of social/personal bonds, and appropriate allocation of project resources. It was shown that the relationship management practices influenced the dynamics of a relationship as well as the outcome of an IT outsourcing project. Furthermore, the relationship management in IT outsourcing was found to be culture-sensitive. By demonstrating that companies with different cultural background held different perceptions of relationship management practices and had different understandings of the nature and dynamics of the relationships, this study contributes to the understanding of relationship management in IT outsourcing, especially when cultural differences among the parties are involved. These findings also have practical implications for IT outsourcing involving global and partner-based alliances

Challenges of Information TechnologyOutsourcing in Developing Countries - An ExploratoryInterpretive Case Study in Malaysia Suppliers' Perspective

Information technology outsourcing (ITO) practices in developing countries have come with numerous problems ranging from organisational setup, absence of mutual trust between IT suppliers and clients, inconsistent policies and lack of deployable ITO model. Malaysia is not an exception in these problems. Therefore, this research took an in-depth look into various challenges facing Malaysia's ITO industry especially from suppliers' perspective and presents a theoretical model that could be a possible solution to the identified problems. The research looked at problems facing ITO practices in the light of; mutual trust, government policy, cost of service and ITO model. This qualitative research used interpretive and exploratory approach for it analysis and suggested a modified performance and result/outcome-based pricing model based on industrial and academic alignment of the findings. This is a multiple case studies research with five different ITbased organisations; four IT suppliers and one government agency for IT development all within Malaysia. MAXQDA data analysis tool and constant comparative analysis (CCA) method were used to analyze the data. This research contributes to the IS/IT research on ITO from qualitative research paradigm and at the same time succeeded in developing a theoretical model for ITO success in Malaysia through four phases

A Case Analysis to Improve the Application Maintenance and Support Outsourcing of a National Airline

The reliance on outsourcing as a means of providing IT services has been growing steadily over the past decade. There have been numerous academic articles dedicated to IT outsourcing in general. This research seeks to fill the gap by providing insights to a less explored scope of IT activity outsourced - application maintenance and support (AMS); specifically, the post-contract management of AMS outsourcing. It is during this building block of management that success is ultimately determined. This study takes the perspective of the client and provides management insights into a framework for successful AMS outsourcing. Report has revealed that several outsourcing clients are reviewing their contracts to improve efficiency and costs to weather the recent global economic storm. The “AMS outsourcing framework for success” constructed in this study is applied on a case study of an Asian airline which has adopted AMS outsourcing for nine years and has not performed any review on this outsourcing. The objective is to help the airline identify the problems and shortcomings of its AMS outsourcing and provide recommendations to address them so as to attain a successful AMS outsourcing