Sustainability management : insights from the viable system model

A review of current literature on sustainability standards reveals a significant gap between their adoption and the implementation of sustainability into every level of the organisation. In this paper, it is argued that in order to overcome this challenge, an appropriate model of an organisation is needed. The Viable System Model (VSM) is proposed as such a model and, in order to illustrate this argument, it is used to interpret the ISO 26000 standard on Social Responsibility (SR). First, the VSM theory is introduced and presented by modelling the hypothetical company Widget Co. Then, the clauses of ISO 26000 are mapped on the Widget Co. model, together with detailed descriptions and examples on the organisational and managerial implications of its adopting the standard's guidelines. The result is the identification of generic SR functions that need to be performed by the various organisational governance systems, as well as their dynamic interrelations, thus clarifying implementation issues. Moreover, by identifying different SR management layers, VSM is suggested as a way forward to develop an integration model for SR issues and respective sustainability tools. Finally, a discussion is given on the implications of using this approach to integrate sustainability standards and the way this research contributes to recent developments in sustainability research

Enablers and Constraints in Implementing Lean Manufacturing: evidence from Brazilian SMEs

Lean Manufacturing has revolutionized the global manufacturing environment at an unprecedented rate. In scholarly and managerial literature, many works have reported that Lean Manufacturing is a very efficient approach and a straightforward way towards process improvements, in terms of productivity and value adding activities ratio. However, many studies on Lean Manufacturing have highlighted many problems in its implementation. The analysis carried out within the research project is aimed to the factors enabling or constraining the Lean Transformation of a firm’s production system, along with the most relevant tools or practices to be applied. The research methodology used is the so-called “Normative Delphi” with a panel formed by 32 experts coming from 16 Brazilian SMEs. Our results are partially consistent with what has already been discussed in the literature and we found that the most relevant tools/practices are: value stream mapping, 5S methodology, and Kaizen (Gemba walks); the top three enabling factors are: knowledge and sponsorship of senior management, focus on continuous improvement, and employee development fostered by the company; finally, the main critical constraints are: little support from the top management, resistance to change by middle management, and poor or non-qualified Lean training activities

How relevant are Hofstede’s dimensions for inter-cultural studies? A replication of Hofstede’s research among current international business students

In the present study the cultural dimensions of the well known Dutch researcher Geert Hofstede were tested on a sample of international business students. The sample consisted of 1 033 students from the Netherlands, Germany, China, South Africa and Qatar. The findings of the present research contest many of Hofstede’s original findings. The dimensions power distance and long-term orientation show significant differences with Hofstede’s original country values. The dimensions individualism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance show significant differences for half of the countries. No significant differences were found between male and female students. The results show– if anything – that Hofstede seems to be right with his warning to be careful with relatively small samples. Or, it might be that cultures are less stable after all.Keywords: Hofstede’s cultural dimensions; Dutch, German, Chinese, South African, Qatari business student

A holistic emotions measurement model : using the viable system model to diagnose workforce emotions

Research Purpose: The current study attempted to redress the ‘narrowness’ in the research on the causes of workforce emotional experiences by utilizing the cybernetic Viable System Model (VSM) framework, and developing a reference model to facilitate the integrated view of the related aspects of affective workplace environment.Methods: Based on VSM distinctions, an analytical tool (named as Holistic Emotions Measurement Model – HEMM) was developed for gauging the broad range of the causes of emotional experiences prevailing in the work environment. It facilitated the joined-up functional and the relational view of the entire working environment adequate for holistic diagnosis of the antecedents of emotions within the work settings. HEMM was tested empirically by conducting survey in Pakistan corporate sector. The development and test of the reference model was guided by the constructivism-positivism philosophy respectively.Results: The functional and relational view of the workplace environment captured by the reference model helped in comprehending the causes of emotional experiences holistically. The field testing results confirmed the potential utilization of the tool in diagnosing the antecedents of affective experiences of the employees while at work.Conclusion: The current study provided an empirical account on the effective utilization of organizational cybernetics principles in the field of organizational behaviour which has remained largely unexplored till date. VSM framework has been proposed as a tool for understanding work environment and diagnosing the causes of the workforce emotions generation, which has enhanced the state-of-art theories on emotions management. The application of the reference model on field provided evidence about the convenient use of VSM in conjunction to Affective Events Theory (AET) as emotions measurement tool

Design and implementation of a Sustainability Initiative from the "Institutional Middle": Reflections on the organizational conditions for it to thrive or fail

This paper explores the organizational, structural, conditions for the “institutional middle” to thrive in the implementation of sustainability efforts in a High Education Institution. This work combines participant observation and case study techniques, together with linear analysis concepts from Organizational Cybernetics and literature on campus sustainability to analyze the organizational conditions that affect the institutional middle’s potential for success/failure in the implementation of sustainability initiatives in a private small university. The empowerment and recognition of autonomy of faculty and staff are found to be critical for the successful conception and implementation of sustainability initiatives. However, such effectiveness depends on the provision and emergence of adequate organizational structures to guarantee the resilience and viability initiatives born from the “institutional middle”. The case study provides evidence of how the institutional middle can affect the top-down management for both the management of environmental issues in campus and the development of contextualized academic programs. The case study suggests a cost-effective, efficient and high-impact method to design and implement sustainability initiatives in universities. The case study provides evidence of the impact of adequate organizational structures supporting initiatives from faculty and staff. The organizational cybernetic approach proves to be useful to understand (sustainability) entrepreneurship in the institutional mi

Greening the canned peach production

The paper proposes an approach for measuring the environmental performance of canned peach production based on Lean Thinking techniques. Among the various stages of a typical production line of canned peach, peeling and pasteurizing are the most energy consuming. In these stages specific actions have been suggested and applied. Considering the findings that were observed following the implementation of these actions, the research project provided viable evidence that Lean techniques a positive impact in the production and logistics operations.</jats:p

Investigation of the failure of statistical process control in manufacturing industries in South Africa : case study - Atlantis Diesel Engines

Includes bibliography.This work strives to give an insight into why Statistical Process Control (SPC), a quality management tool, is not yielding desired results in some manufacturing industries such as Atlantis Diesel Engines in the Western Cape. Statistical Process Control is an improvement technique that, when properly used, can improve both the quality and the productivity levels which may subsequently improve the competitiveness of a company. SPC achieves this by highlighting when a process is out of control. This happens at the source and a very early stage. The advantage of this is that in the case of manufacturing, rejects are limited and in some cases prevented depending on the relationship between process capability and specifications. The aim of SPC is to reduce variability of characteristics of a product. Wetherill and Brown (1991) revealed that many organisations regulated the quality of their products with SPC during the Second World War. This gives an idea of how long SPC has been in existence. The widespread use of SPC nearly came to an end in the 1960s. The reason for the abandonment of SPC by leading manufacturing industries in most parts of the world was not clear but the belief was that at that time industries were prospering, with little or no competition. However, in the late 1970s, the Japanese industries took the market by storm by the use of quality management techniques and tools, which were introduced by quality gurus such as Deming, Juran, Crosby and many others. This gave the incentive for organisations that wanted to be world class players in their respective sectors to reconsider exhaustively the use of SPC and its tools. In South Africa, predominantly in the Western Cape, SPC has been reintroduced in many companies over the past eight years. The introduction of SPC in most of the industries has not been a smooth transition as it was based on the misconception that if enough of the "right" improvement activities were carried out, then actual performance improvement would improve. There have been many factors hindering the successful implementation of SPC in manufacturing industries such as ADE. This research aims to identify these factors