Linkages between corporate social responsibility and sustainability in manufacturing organisations: An empirical study

This study aims at exploring the interrelationships between sustainability factors (commitment and motivators) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) factors (commitment and motivators) and how they affect each other in manufacturing organisations. Data were collected using a survey from 47 food manufacturing organisations in Palestine and were analysed using the PLSSEM modeling technique. The results suggest there are strong linkages between CSR factors (commitment and motivators) and sustainability factors (commitment and motivators). The CSR commitment factors have the strongest relationship with CSR motivators and sustainability motivators, which indicate that corporate commitment to CSR positively influences the level of corporate sustainable performance

Green Human Resource Management Bundle Practices And Sustainable Manufacturing Performance: Understanding Potential Relationships

open access articleIn this era of the modern business environment, organizations have to constantly adapt and react to new ecological challenges. Therefore, it is critical for organizations to adopt various eco-friendly practices and processes and involve their employees in such practices; thereby achieving organizations‘ environmental goals. The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of Green Human Resources Management (GHRM) practices as a bundle on environmental, economic, social and operational performance within the manufacturing sector of Palestine. The paper employs a quantitative research methodology. Data collected through surveys from 121 Palestinian manufacturing firms to test hypotheses using partial least square of structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The statistical analysis revealed that GHRM bundle practices have a positive influence on the four dimensions of organizational performance. The findings of this study can help manufacturing firms in identifying efficacious tactics for adopting GHRM practices that take part in sustainable development

Operationalisation of service innovation: a systems thinking approach

This paper initialises an effort to explore the impact of an innovative systems thinking approach for service operations design on creating innovation. A qualitative exploratory case study approach in two of the UK’s service sector departments was conducted, using face-to-face semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and extractions from both observations and documents. The results identify that operationalising service innovation is positively linked with applying the Vanguard Method for service operations design. Twelve micro-determinants for service innovation operationalisation have been identified that reside at three different levels in the service organisation, namely employees level (i.e. Micro), the functional level (i.e. Meso), and corporate level (i.e. Macro). The value of this paper is the introduction of a step-by-step guidance on how to build service operations design to operationalise service innovation, the paper also theorises service innovation with systems thinking methodology that emphasises holistic, multi-disciplinary, and integrative characteristics of the service system

A systems approach for forward and reverse logistics design: maximising value from customer involvement

PURPOSE. There is significant potential for adding value by involving customer in the design process and delivery of logistic services. In order to add value to the overall logistic system, this paper proposes applying an integrated systems approach for the design of forward and reverse logistics services in order to build a self-organising service that can maximise efficiencies and in particular reduce reverse logistics costs. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH. Two exploratory case studies were conducted in the logistics systems of housing repair and maintenance sector in the UK. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, observations, and documented evidence. FINDINGS. The findings of the cross-case analysis suggests that systems approach expressed as the Vanguard Method (Seddon 2008) has a direct impact on enhancing forward logistics performance and reducing reverse product flows by nourishing three dimensions for learning from demand-driven analysis; capturing customer clean information, demand predictability and categorisation, and failure demand analysis. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS. Findings from exploratory case studies cannot be easily generalised. Hence, further case studies are needed to enrich the findings, and to facilitate their industrial applications. Further, the paper explores the utilisation of the Vanguard Method only in the area of housing repairs and maintenance logistics services. It would be valuable for future studies to further investigate the utilisation of the Vanguard Method in other logistics services settings. ORIGINALITY/VALUE. The paper demonstrates an important dynamics of how logistics services can incorporate customer demands into the logistics design process

Operationalising “Double-Loop” learning in service organisations: A systems approach for creating knowledge

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New YorkLearning organisation literature has widely discussed the connections between “double-loop” learning and its significance to organisational performance, but paying little attention to tools and systems that can operationalise “double-loop” learning in organisations. This paper investigates the impact of applying a systems approach for service operations design, expressed as the Vanguard Method (Seddon, Freedom from command and control: a better way to make the work work, 2003), in order to activate “double-loop” learning in service organisations. Two case studies were conducted in the banking mortgage operations and adults’ social care services in the UK, using the dimensions of the learning organisation questionnaire (DLOQ), semi-structured interviews, observations, and documents. The findings of the cross-case analysis support the link of applying the Vanguard Method with operationalising “double-loop” learning through three main factors, namely systematic-operations improvement, organisational capacity development, and outside-in mode of work; that are all embedded into the seven dimensions of the DLOQ. The value of this paper is the introduction of a service operations design tool that can activate “double-loop” learning performance in the fast changing knowledge era. It also provides an impetus for service organisations to creatively influence employees’ competencies to effectively improve internal systems

Lean manufacturing in public services: prospects for value creation

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the utilization of lean manufacturing systems in public service operations for poten- tial added value. A case study of lean manufacturing implementation at a UK city council was carried out using in-depth interviews with key personnel coupled with documents collection. The Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) was administered among front-line employees. Results show that lean manufacturing systems could create signi cant added value to the business and employees. A strong relation- ship was demonstrated between the lean manufacturing implementation and the a ective commitment level of employees. This paper is one of a few studies that demonstrate the applicability of manufacturing systems in other settings and that they can generate significant added value for the service department and its employees

Service organisations resilience through the application of the vanguard method of systems thinking: A case study approach

The construct of organisational resilience is embedded in a set of individual level attributes and organisational level processes; however, there seems to be scarcity in the current literature of resilient models of operation that can amalgamate these two interlinked levels. This paper is an attempt to empirically explore the relationship of applying the vanguard method of systems thinking in service organisations with enhancing organisational resilience. Two case studies were conducted in two service organisations in the UK. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, observations, and archival documents, followed by the use of the nine-item Organisational Commitment Questionnaire. Cross-case analysis of the results shows that the employment of the vanguard method in service organisations operationalized two-dimensional determinants for improving organisational resilience; an organically structured organisation (i.e. organisational level), and highly affectively committed core employees (i.e. individual level).The value of this paper is the identification of two-level service organisations capabilities that can support organisational resilience and how these capabilities emerge as a result of employing the vanguard method. © 2013 Taylor & Francis

Organic structures for manufacturing support services : the role of affective commitment

Manufacturing support services, operating as call centres, are one of the fastest growing and preferred means of service delivery in today's ever-changing manufacturing environment. The call centre has a significant potential to provide support to manufacturing organizations with business intelligence captured during contacts with customers. Research has shown that affective commitment is of particular significance in the workplace since this has been found to have the greatest impact on individuals performance, on-work behaviour and ultimately organisational effectiveness (Porter, Steers ;Boulian 1974, Sung 2007, Shum 2008, Herscovitch 2002, Gong 2009). Meyer and Allen (1991) define affective commitment as a measure of the employee's emotional attachment to the organisation, the strength of identification with the goals of the organisation and strength of commitment to its success and continuous improvement. However, call centres are mechanistic structure models represented by close monitoring of words, stressful working loads, emotional exhaustion and burnout, and minor empowerment of employees. As a result employees lack affective commitment which detrimentally influences the service quality and has consequences such as high employee turnover and low customer satisfaction. Mechanistic structures are inward oriented structures that must be shielded from the environment but call centres are outward-facing entities. This firmly implies that call centres must be given a certain form of organic structure that will stimulate affective commitment building among employees and improve work conditions. This study aims to identify that by the implementation of an organic structure, through a systems engineering approach, to the design of manufacturing support services, the affective commitment of front-line employees will significantly increase, and due to that significant, but often counter-intuitive, benefits can be created. Conducted on a multiple-case design, three organisations were selected in this research study to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Results were analysed for each case individually before it was analysed on inter-case basis. This has been done to show differences and similarities in patterns of data across the case studies. Results from the research show that structuring call centres around the principles of systems thinking will produce an organically structured support services department that will improve employees working conditions, and will formally institute the integration of call centre with other business units in the manufacturing organisation. The cross-case comparison revealed significant improvement in employees affective commitment level using organic structure when contrasted with employees working under mechanistic structure designs. It was revealed that by leveraging employee s affective commitment that significant benefits can be created at different levels in the organisation; an employee s level, managerial level, customer level, and the overall business level. A novel methodology for organic structures implementation, as a value creating model, was formulated. The emerged methodology consists of six major tasks and a decision making criteria. Results from this research indicate that there is a need for manufacturing organisations to structure their support services departments following organic structures that could provide a rewarding working experience for their employees while achieving organisational goals. The study makes an explicit practical contribution for manufacturing organisations in the selection of proper support service design and contribute substantially to the theory about manufacturing support services structures and management.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The influence of cost of quality on the performance of food manufacturing companies: an empirical study

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Purpose: Due to the ever-increasing competitive and complex business environments, food manufacturing companies have to maintain high-quality products while simultaneously minimizing customers' costs. Cost of quality (COQ) plays a crucial role in enhancing companies' efficiency and reducing expenditures that can contribute to companies' competitive performance. This paper investigates the underlying relationship between the level of COQ practices adoption (prevention, appraisal, internal, and external failure costs) and organizational performance in Palestinian Food Manufacturing Companies (PFMC). Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative research methodology using a structured questionnaire collected data from 119 PFMC. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze collected data. Findings: Results indicated that COQ adoption has a significant positive effect on the organizational performance of PFMC. Besides, prevention, external, and internal failure costs were all associated with a positive impact on organizational performance of PFMC, whereas appraisal cost did not affect organizational performance. Originality: This study is considered one of the first studies to investigate COQ practices' effect on organizational performance in food manufacturing companies in a developing country context. Thus, it adds significant value to literature responding to calls to tackle competitiveness issues in current complex business environments. Keywords: Cost of quality, quality costing system, TQM, food manufacturing, developing country, organizational performance, Palestine

The Impact of Green Human Resource Management Practices with Sustainable and Operational Performance: A Conceptual Model

Although wide ranges of studies are available on manufacturing sustainable performance issues, literature on Green Human Resources Management (GHRM) practices and their impact on manufacturers’ sustainable and operational performances is scare. This study aims at identifying GHRM practices and to assess their impact on sustainable and operational performance. This current study adopted systematic literature and content analysis approach for the development of a conceptual model. It has been found that most influencing GHRM practices are green recruitment and selection, green training, green performance evaluation, and a green reward system. The uniqueness of this study is the evaluation of the GHRM practices with sustainable and operational performance in a single study. Moreover, the paper highlights that manufacturing organizations must focus on GHRM practices to deliver enhanced sustainable performance besides operational performance to achieve competitive advantage. For future studies, there is a need to empirically verify the proposed conceptual model presented in this paper