Groupthink and Project Performance: The Influence of Personal Traits and Interpersonal Ties

This study explores whether the negative impact of "groupthink concurrence-seeking behavior" (GTB) on business process reengineering (BPR) projects is affected by group members personal traits and interpersonal ties within the group. To this purpose we conduct and present the results of a longitudinal controlled field experiment over 18 BPR projects lasting 3 months and involving 18 teams comprising 71 first-year MBA students. The main contribution of this study is twofold. First, we explicitly consider and measure the core construct of groupthink phenomenon: that is, GTB. Existing organizational behavior literature has, contrarily, considered only its causes, symptoms, and outcomes. Second, we show evidence that GTB does have a negative impact on group performance in BPR project settings. In this regards, results also indicate that while perceived control, conscientiousness and interpersonal evaluation mitigate the negative impact of GTB on group project performance, confidence, and previous relationships amplify this negative impact, even if they have a direct positive effect on performance. Thanks to the findings of this study, we are able to provide valuable suggestions to managers in charge of BPR projects for ensuring effective performance of project teams and controlling for potential obstacles due to GTB

Struktur und Dynamik strategischer Fähigkeiten in der Produktion

Ausgangspunkt der Arbeit ist die Annahme von der strategischen Bedeutung der Produktion und damit deren Wettbewerbsrelevanz. Produktionsstrategie und strategische Fähigkeiten werden definiert und dann der Zusammenhang zwischen unterschiedlichen Fähigkeiten empirisch untersucht. Dabei dient eine internationale Fragebogenuntersuchung von Fertigungsunternehmen als Datenbasis. Anschließend wird – basierend auf der wiederholten Durchführung der Fragebogenuntersuchung – in einer Längsschnittuntersuchung die Entwicklung strategischer Fähigkeiten analysiert. Die Arbeit schließt mit einer simulations-basierten Untersuchung der Interdependenzen strategischer Fähigkeiten mit Hilfe des System-Dynamics-Ansatzes. Als ein wesentliches Ergebnis lässt sich festhalten, dass strategische Fähigkeiten in der Produktion (insbesondere Qualität, Lieferzuverlässigkeit, Kosten und Flexibilität) sinnvoller Weise in einer bestimmten Sequenz entwickelt werden müssen, um sich nicht gegenseitig im Sinne von Trade-offs zu behindern

Improving performance and fostering accountability in the public sector through system dynamics modelling: From an 'external' to an 'internal' perspective

This paper aims to outline the benefits justifying a tailored approach to System Dynamics (SD) modelling in the public sector, to improve performance and foster decision makers' accountability. The need of combining an 'internal' with an 'external' perspective (in respect to decisionmakers) in developing SDmodels is claimed. Different levels of intervention (i.e. macro, micro and meso) are discussed. Two case studies are analysed. The first one demonstrates how a dynamic resource-based view (DRBV) can support an analysis of the impact of back and front office units on a public sector organization's performance drivers. The second case shows how SD modelling based on a DRBV can also be applied to improve performance on a political level. Copyright \ua9 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

'Behavioural System Dynamics': a very tentative and slightly sceptical map of the territory

In this piece, I consider the paper by Stouten et al. (2017) in terms of behavioural science. I first consider what, in broad terms, a ‘behavioural turn’ might offer System Dynamics (SD) and then explore in more detail the scope of the territory within which a behavioural approach to SD might be useful

Cooperating to commercialize technology: A dynamic model of fairness perceptions, experience, and cooperation

Technology entrepreneurship is an important driver of economic growth, although entrepreneurs must maintain cooperative ties with the owners of any technology they hope to bring to market. Existing studies show that fairness perceptions have a great influence on this cooperation, but no research investigates its precise mechanisms or dynamic patterns. This study explores the development of 17 ventures that cooperated with a university-owner of technology and thereby identifies different cooperation patterns in which fairness perceptions influence the degree of cooperation. These perceptions also change over time, partly as a function of accumulated experience and learning. A system dynamics model integrates insights from existing literature with the empirical findings to reveal which cooperation mechanisms relate to venture development over time; the combinations of individual experience, fairness perceptions, and market circumstances lead to four different patterns. This model can explain changes in entrepreneurial cooperation as a result of changes in fairness perceptions, which depend on learning effects and entrepreneurial experience. Each identified cooperation pattern has implications for research and offers insights for practitioners who need to manage relationships in practice

Upstream Supply Chain Visibility and Complexity Effect on Focal Company’s Sustainable Performance: Indian Manufacturers’ Perspective

Understanding supply chain sustainability performance is increasingly important for supply chain researchers and managers. Literature has considered supply chain sustainability and the antecedents of performance from a triple bottom line (economic, social, and environmental) perspective. However, the role of supply chain visibility and product complexity contingency in achieving sustainable supply chain performance has not been explored in depth. To address this gap, this study utilizes a contingent resource-based view theory perspective to understand the role of product complexity in shaping the relationship between upstream supply chain visibility (resources and capabilities) and the social, environmental, and economic performance dimensions. We develop and test a theoretical model using survey data gathered from 312 Indian manufacturing organizations. Our findings indicate that supply chain visibility (SCV) has significant influence on social and environmental performance under the moderation effect of product complexity. Hence, the study makes significant contribution to the extant literature by examining the impact of SCV under moderating effect of product complexity on social performance and environmental performance

Rats, Black Swans, and Personal Careers − an Investigation of “Go with the flow” and “Deviate from common behaviour” Strategies

Contains fulltext : 87062.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)28th International System Dynamics Conferenc

Policies, Politics and Polity: Comment on the Paper by Bianchi

Contains fulltext : 87043.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access) Contains fulltext : 87043-a.pdf (author's version ) (Open Access)5 p