Partial least squares (PLS) in Operations Management research: Insights from a systematic literature review

[EN] Purpose: The present paper aims to analyze the Operations Management (OM) research between 2014 and 2018 that has made use of Partial Least Squares (PLS) to determine whether the trends shown in previous literature reviews focused on this topic are maintained and whether the analyzed papers comply with the recommendations for reporting Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review has been carried out of OM articles that use PLS as an analysis tool. A total of 102 references from 45 journals from 2014 to 2018, published in WOS and Scopus, has been analyzed. Bibliometric analysis and a review of the PLS reporting standards applied in the context of OM have been developed. Findings: PLS is gaining importance and is widely adopted in OM as a statistical analysis method of choice. In general, certain aspects of PLS are correctly applied and adequately reported in the publications. However, some shortcomings continue to be observed in terms of their application and the reporting of results. A detailed comparison has been developed between the current research and previous OM research (as well as previous research on other disciplines) on this topic. Research limitations/implications: OM researchers making use of PLS should be aware of the importance of correctly reasoning and justifying their choice and fully reporting the main parameters in order to provide other researchers with useful information and enable them to reproduce the performed analysis. Originality/value: This article builds a study with results based on a greater number of articles and journals than the two previous literature reviews focused on this topic. Therefore, it provides a richer and more up-to-date evaluation of trends in the use and reporting of PLS. Additionally, the present paper assesses whether the studies follow the indications suggested in recent years triggered by significant changes in the standards of reporting results obtained through the use of PLS.This study has been conducted within the frameworks of the following funded competitive projects: PID2019-105001GB-I00 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain); 1381039 (Programa Operativo Feder Andalucia 2014/2020, Junta de Andalucia) and PY20_01209 (PAIDI 2020, Junta de Andalucia).Bayonne, E.; Marin-Garcia, JA.; Alfalla-Luque, R. (2020). Partial least squares (PLS) in Operations Management research: Insights from a systematic literature review. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management. 13(3):565-597. https://doi.org/10.3926/jiem.3416S56559713

Smart cities, smart factories y smart ports en las provincias chinas de Guangdong y Hainan: oportunidades para las empresas extranjeras

This report focuses on the Chinese province of Guandong, analyzing the business opportunities for foreign companies in the investment areas of smart cities, smart factories and smart ports. When analyzing the opportunities in smart ports, other Chinese provinces with greater potential are explored, concluding the convenience of the province of Hainan specially for promoting projects in smart ports. The introduction includes necessary information on the Chinese concept of smart cities as well as aspects related to its legislation and examples of other European companies that have participated in some of these Chinese projects. The following points study the specific opportunities for smart cities, smart factories and smart ports. In these three areas, the opportunities that exist for this Chinese province mentioned have been analyzed. Our project will focus for Guangdong province on smart cities and smart factories, since opportunities for smart ports are identified in other Chinese provinces such as Hainan. We understand that it is important to detail the capabilities of the Valencian companies interested in that market access. We also analyze their greater chances of success in this market as members of the energy cluster (Irún et al, 2021), in each of these specific areas for a better understanding of the Chinese counterpart, whether Chinese public institutions or private companies, and how they can establish agreements aimed at cooperation and participation in Chinese projects that are already underway or those that are already contemplated to be executed within their 2021- 2025 five-year plan. China is a political economy, therefore foreign companies that know the political plans of the country and know how to understand its priorities will have an advantage, being able to achieve better results in their access to the market. With this objective of knowing better the plans of the Government in these two provinces, this study has been carried out. Thus, companies located in the Valencia Region have as much information as possible about this market before beginning the following phases, where participation in forums will allow some of the companies to make a presentation of their capabilities in order to explain their advantages and reasons for accessing potential Chinese projects for development of smart cities, industry or ports. For European companies seeking access to the Chinese market, either the search for partners for the development of projects and implementation of their technology or the search for partners that are financially involved in the company is key. The Chinese market is highly dynamic, opportunities arise every moment and some that seemed to be so also fall. New opportunities are also opening up for green hydrogen in the energy sector in China. For this reason, it is key to have a permanent presence in the market that allows access to all this information. Another very important trait of Chinese culture is that they highly value relationships and the time they are cultivated. With the participation in these institutional programs led by sectoral associations or clusters, we conclude that we have access to this live and changing information, and also thanks to the technologies that allow us to be in contact with potential Chinese clients, partners or collaborators of our companies located in the Valencia Region (Spain). We are planting crops in such a way that when mobility can be recovered, our companies are in a clear position of advantage over other companies that have neglected the market during this time.Este informe se centra en la provincia china de Guandong, donde se analizan las oportunidades de negocio que existen para las empresas extranjeras en las áreas de inversión de smart cities, smart factories y smart ports. Al analizar las oportunidades en puertos inteligentes se exploran otras provincias chinas con mayor potencial, concluyendo la conveniencia de analizar la provincia de Hainan. La introducción incluye información necesaria sobre el concepto chino de ciudades inteligentes así como aspectos relativos a su legislación y ejemplos de otras empresas europeas que han participado en alguno de estos proyectos chinos. En los puntos siguientes se estudian las oportunidades concretas para smart cities, smart factories y smart ports. En estas tres áreas se han analizado las oportunidades que existen para esta provincia china mencionada. Nuestro proyecto se centrará para la provincia de Guangdong en smart cities y smart factories, ya que las oportunidades para smart ports se identifican en otras provincias chinas como la de Hainan. Elegimos empresas valencianas con importante desarrollo de know-how en el campo de energía o industria 4.0., en concreto aquellas que cumpliendo estos requisitos están agrupadas en el cluster sectorial. Entendemos que es importante detallar las capacidades de estas empresas valencianas con interés en acceder al mercado. Analizamos también sus mayores posibilidades de éxito en este mercado como miembros del cluster de energía, en cada una de estas áreas concretas para la mejor comprensión de la contraparte china, bien instituciones públicas o empresas privadas chinas y como se pueden establecer acuerdos encaminados a la cooperación y participación en los proyectos chinos bien que ya están en marcha o los que tienen ya contemplados para ejecutar dentro de su plan quinquenal 2021-2025 (Irún et al, 2021). China es una economía política, por tanto las empresas extranjeras que conozcan los planes políticos del país y sepan entender sus prioridades tendrán ventaja, pudiendo lograr mejores resultados en su acceso al mercado. La realización de este estudio responde al objetivo de conocer mejor los planes del Gobierno en estas dos provincias. Las empresas valencianas tienen así la máxima información posible de este mercado antes de iniciar las siguientes fases recomendadas para su acceso. Continuarán con la participación en foros bilaterales organizados para que algunas de las empresas puedan realizar una exposición de sus capacidades destacando sus ventajas y razones de acceso a los potenciales proyectos chinos de desarrollo de ciudades, industria o puertos inteligentes. Para las empresas europeas que buscan el acceso al mercado chino resulta clave bien la búsqueda de socios para el desarrollo de proyectos e implementación de su tecnología o la búsqueda de socios que se impliquen financieramente en la empresa. El mercado chino es altamente dinámico, surgen oportunidades cada momento y también se caen algunas que parecían serlo. En el sector de la energía en China se abren nuevas oportunidades también para el hidrógeno verde. Por este motivo es clave tener una presencia permanente en el mercado que permita tener acceso a toda esta información. Otro rasgo muy importante de la cultura china es que valoran altamente las relaciones, y el tiempo que estas se cultivan. Con la participación en estos programas institucionales liderados por asociaciones sectoriales o clusters concluimos que se tiene acceso a esta información viva y cambiante, y además gracias a las tecnologías que nos permiten estar en contacto con los potenciales clientes, socios o colaboradores chinos de nuestras empresas valencianas estamos sembrando para que, en el momento que pueda recuperarse la movilidad, nuestras empresas se encuentren en clara posición de ventaja frente a otras empresas que hayan desatendido el mercado durante este tiempo