Business Commons^™

Missing In Action: Research On Occupational Health And Safety Management In Organizations, Michael Zanko

Michael Zanko

The enormous problem of workplace injuries and deaths continues to beset countries. Reflexive OHS regulation often places primary responsibility on employers’ management of OHS in organizations. This paper seeks to ascertain how OHS management at the organizational level has been treated in the research literature. A review of leading journals (13 in management, 6 in HRM) from 1994 to 2005 showed OHS management to be largely missing as the subject or field of study. Naturally, the OHS literature was more fruitful: 5 main categories were identified. However, there was little in the way nuanced explanation of OHS management at the …

The Association Between Strategic Cost Management And Enterprise Risk Management: A Critical Literature Review, Mohamed Elsayed, Ananda Wickramasinghe, Marwa Razik

Ananda Wickramasinghe

Reviewing literature and application of strategic cost management (SCM) and enterprise risk management (ERM) are critical and significant for corporate management to facilitate top management to employ appropriate SCM and ERM processes and systems especially in occurrence of constant and regular business turn around, crises and turbulence in recent time in world of business. This paper revisits and reviews the association between strategic cost management and enterprise risk management. Based on this review, the following propositions were developed; firm, which adopted SCM, is more likely to adopt ERM approach, there is a positive relationship between audit type and the association …

Linking The Principles Of Supply Chain Management To Aid And Development: A Case Study - Waters Of Ayole', Mark Edwards, Lee Styger

Lee Styger

The current protocols used in humanitarian aid management date back to the 1970's. Since the introduction of these protocols, there is little evidence to suggest that a paradigm improvement in overall efficiency has occurred in humanitarian aid compared for example, to industrial process improvements within the same time frame. Fundamentally, humanitarian aid is an end-to-end process demonstrating similar aspects to any other business organisation (for profit or not). This raises the possibility that the use of supply chain theories, including the Supply Chain Operating Reference (SCOR), are relevant and can play a part in developing initiatives to improve the end-to-end …

Role Of Supply Chain Mapping In Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Lee Styger, Nelson Perera, Pradeepa Jayaratne

Lee Styger

Sustainability as a concept has created enormous pressure on supply chain management. During the last few decades companies from all sectors of industry have not only needed to deliver quality products right on time, but they now also have to comply with environmental, economical, ethical and the social pressures placed on the business. To improve supply chain performance, managers should know exactly what is happening along their supply chain. It is therefore argued that supply chain mapping will deliver insights into the complexity of a supply network and should be the first step in any business if performance or overall …

Management: A Focus On Leaders, Annie Mckee, Travis Kemp, Gordon Spence

Gordon B Spence

A new view of the four functions of Management: through the lens of leadership The pace and scope of change in the world and organisations during the past 10 years is unprecedented. In this environment, staying ahead of the curve and preparing for success in work, management and leadership is challenging.

Amidst the financial crises, catastrophic disasters, and business scandals frequently making headlines, Annie McKee and the Australian authors of this new text Management: a Focus on Leaders, believe there is a unique opportunity to re-focus the way students are prepared for their future in business.

Show future managers how …

Divided Loyalties? The New Public Management Of Community Legal Centres, Mark Rix

Mark Rix

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Research Management In Australian Commerce And Business Faculties: The View From Within, Mark Rix, David Aylward, Rob Macgregor, John Glynn

Mark Rix

No abstract provided.

Role Of Supply Chain Mapping In Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Lee Styger, Nelson Perera, Pradeepa Jayaratne

Nelson Perera

Sustainability as a concept has created enormous pressure on supply chain management. During the last few decades companies from all sectors of industry have not only needed to deliver quality products right on time, but they now also have to comply with environmental, economical, ethical and the social pressures placed on the business. To improve supply chain performance, managers should know exactly what is happening along their supply chain. It is therefore argued that supply chain mapping will deliver insights into the complexity of a supply network and should be the first step in any business if performance or overall …

Beach, Sun And Surf Tourism, Neil Lazarow, Michael Raybould, David Anning

Michael Raybould

Beaches are arguably the most valuable of coastal tourism assets. Around beaches, communities develop and tourism markets expand, often resulting in intimate human interaction with diverse environments. This chapter provides an overview of economic research on beach and surf recreation and tourism in existing and expanding markets, including a description of the techniques most commonly used to estimate the economic impact and value of beach recreation and some of the challenges around developing accurate estimates of use and value. Better understanding of the drivers and values for beach and surf tourism is an important consideration for optimal management of coastal …

Gainsharing: A Critical Review And A Future Research Agenda, Theresa Welbourne, Luis Gomez Mejia

Theresa M. Welbourne, PhD

This paper provides a critical review of the extensive literature on gainsharing. It examines the reasons for the fast growth in these programs in recent years and the major prototypes used in the past. Different theoretical formulations making predictions about the behavioral consequences and conditions mediating the success of these programs are discussed and the supporting empirical evidence is examined. The large number of a theoretical case studies and practitioner reports or gainsharing are also summarized and integrated. The article concludes with a suggested research agenda for the future.

Agency Theory Implications For Strategic Human Resource Management: Effects Of Ceo Ownership, Administrative Hrm, And Incentive Alignment On Firm Performance, Theresa M. Welbourne, Linda A. Cyr

Theresa M. Welbourne, PhD

Agency theory is used to expand the research in strategic human resource management (SHRM) by viewing the construct underlying SHRM as control over all employees. We develop hypotheses on the effects of CEO ownership, administrative HRM, and incentive stock ownership on firm performance. The results indicate that administrative HRM has a negative effect on stock price. Incentive alignment via stock ownership has a positive effect on stock price and productivity. CEO ownership has a positive effect on sales but a negative impact on productivity. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Advanced Capacity Cost Management Models: Making Visible The Structural Limits Of Capacity, Ted Watts, C J. Mcnair-Connolly, Vicki Baard, Lidija Polutnik

Ted Watts

Purpose This paper fills the gap between defining and measuring the productive limits of a machine or system, and the impact of various assumptions about the productive potential of the nature and informativeness of capacity cost management systems. The authors focused on the various ways in which multi-dimensional limits (for example, time, space, volume and/or value-creating ability) can be used to define productive capacity. Specifically, this research suggests that the limits used in establishing the capacity cost management system restricts the amount and nature of the information the system is capable of providing to management.Justification Two reasons are identified for …

A Methodology For Integrating Artificial Intelligence Into A Quality Management Teaching Environment, Xuesong Chi, Trevor A. Spedding

Trevor Spedding

Management flight simulators provide a “microworld” in which users control an organization in a realistic environment without the need to disturb the real system. This paper presents a web-based intelligent virtual learning environment to enhance the education of engineering management students in quality management and statistical process control techniques. The paper introduces the structure and methodology for building this online learning environment. The simulated environment is based on an innovative approach which incorporates a Fuzzy Adaptive Resonance Theory Neural Network to enable students to obtain the best response by automatically identifying out of control conditions.

Facilitating Successful Failures, Michelle M. Harner, Jamie Marincic Griffin

Michelle M. Harner

Approximately 80,000 businesses fail each year in the United States. This article presents an original empirical study of over 400 business restructuring professionals focused on a critical, arguably contributing factor to these failures—the conduct of boards of directors and management. Anecdotal evidence suggests that management of distressed companies often bury their heads in the sand until it is too late to remedy the companies’ problems, a phenomenon commonly called “ostrich syndrome.” The data confirm this behavior, show a prevalent use of loss framing, and suggest trends consistent with prospect theory. The article draws on these data and behavioral economics to …

Collective Bargaining In American Industry: A Synthesis, Clifford B. Donn, David B. Lipsky

David B Lipsky

The preceding eight chapters deal with the current status of collective bargaining in eight U.S. industries. The differences between collective bargaining for police officers and auto workers or between professional athletes and college professors are obvious and illustrate the richness and variety of contemporary collective bargaining. Despite that diversity, however, the eight industries exhibit important similarities in collective bargaining. The common themes that link most, if not all, of the industries examined in this volume are perhaps less obvious, but a careful reading of the preceding chapters reveals that there have been a number of common factors affecting collective bargaining …

Introduction To [Collective Bargaining In American Industry: Contemporary Perspectives And Future Directions], David B. Lipsky, Clifford B. Donn

David B Lipsky

[Excerpt] Of course, collective bargaining in this country has always been an institution rich in diversity. The nature of each collective bargaining relationship came about through a variety of influences both internal and external to the bargaining process. The internal factors include such things as the ideology of labor and management, the way the unions and employers were organized, and the history of the relationship between the parties. The external factors include the state of the economy and the nature of the laws and court decisions that regulate bargaining practices. Nonetheless, this diversity has never been more in evidence than …

Enhancing The Reusability Of Inter-Organizational Knowledge: An Ontology-Based Collaborative Knowledge Management Network, Joshua P. Fan, Nelson K Y Leung, Sim K. Lau

Joshua P Fan

Researchers have developed various knowledge management approaches that only focus on managing organizational knowledge. These approaches are developed in accordance with organizational KM strategies and business requirements without the concern of system interoperation. The lack of interoperability means that heterogeneous Knowledge Management Systems from different organizations are unable to communicate and integrate with one another, this results in limitation to reuse inter-organizational knowledge. Here, inter-organizational knowledge is defined as a set of explicit knowledge formalized and created by other organizations. In this research, a collaborative inter-organizational KM network is proposed to provide a platform for organizations to access and retrieve …

Reusing The Inter-Organizational Knowledge To Support Organizational Knowledge Management Process: An Ontology-Based Knowledge Network, Nelson Leung, Sim Lau, Joshua Fan

Joshua P Fan

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Applying Rules Based System Modelling Into A Quality Management Framework - Extending The Quality Triangle, Lee Styger

Lee Styger

The construct of quality management has moved on greatly since the "quality policing" concepts of the 1980's. Continual improvement and customer centric business development philosophies have become the norm within a "total" business environment. Typically, organisations exploit a series of matrices, templates and models to monitor and control their operations. It has however been noted that, often, due to minimal formal user centric instructions being available, even simple quality and business models are misused and fail to deliver their potential to impact on the business. This paper discusses the possibilities of applying knowledge based engineering fundamentals into quality and business …

The Case Study Methodology In Place Management Research And Practice, Gregory Kerr, Gary Noble, John Glynn

John J Glynn

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assist those in the relatively new field of place management to undertake sound and appropriate research for which there is a current need. Approach: This paper identifies and provides an interpretation of key terms associated with research in the social and behavioural sciences and then recommends the case study methodology as being appropriate for research in place management. Findings: Based on a review of the literature this paper offers a viewpoint about the meaning and application of the terms ‘methodology’, ‘methods,’ ‘ways’, ‘strategies’ and ‘approaches’ when they are applied to research. Research …

Activity As A Unit Of Analysis For Knowledge Management Frameworks, Leoni Warne, Irena Ali, Helen Hasan

Helen Hasan

The authors of this paper take the view that knowledge management is a set of practices for systematically adding value to the knowlege of individuals, which is generated and shaped through interaction with others. It is therefore appropriate that knowledge management research be conducted in the context of particular organisations, focusing on local activities. To that end two of the authors have conducted a four-year research program investigating the factors in organizations that enhance and enable the assimilation, generation, sharing and building of knowledge that transfonns an organization into a learning organization. Human activities in organisational contexts have been analysed …

Teaching Strategic Thinking In Management Education, Ingrid Bonn

Ingrid Bonn

No abstract provided.

The Development Of A User Self-Help Knowledge Management System For Help Desk: Deployment Of Knowledge Management Approach And Software Agent Technology, Kar Yin Leung, Sim K. Lau

Dr Sim Kim Lau

Most help desks have admitted their call volume has increased in the past decade while “help unavailable when needed” is the major reason for service delivery failure and user dissatisfaction. The habit of calling help desk for simple problems has prompted the investigation of transferring part of first-level troubleshooting duty from help desk to user. This research proposes the development of user self-help knowledge management system that allows user to solve simple and routine technical enquiries. The proposed approach incorporates software agent to allow autonomous handling of enquiries so that the most appropriate solution and user communication can be facilitated.

Knowledge Management In Information Technology Help Desk: Past, Present And Future, Kar Yin Leung, Sim K. Lau

Dr Sim Kim Lau

Information technology has changed the way organizations function. This resulted in the reliance of help desks to deal with information technology related areas such as hardware, software, and telecommunication. Besides, the adoption of business process reengineering and downsizing have led to the shrinkage of the size of help desk. The shorter information technology product life cycle has worsened the situation by increasing the already sizeable help desk’s user base. Consequently, the help desk has to cover more information technology products and resolute more technical enquiries with less staff. Thus, the outcome is clear that users have to wait comparably longer …

Relieving The Overloaded Help Desk: A Knowledge Management Approach, Kar Yin Leung, Sim Lau

Dr Sim Kim Lau

No abstract provided.

A Multi-Agent Approach Towards Collaborative Supply Chain Management, Xin Li, Sim K. Lau

Dr Sim Kim Lau

Supply chain collaboration has become a critical success factor for supply chain management and effectively improves the performance of organizations in various industries. Supply chain collaboration builds on information sharing, collaborative planning and execution. Information technology is an important enabler of collaborative supply chain management. Many information systems have been developed for supply chain management from legacy systems and enterprise resource planning (ERP) into the newly developed advanced planning and scheduling system (APS) and e-commerce solutions. However, these systems do not provide sufficient support to achieve collaborative supply chain. Recently, intelligent agent technology and multi-agent system (MAS) have received a …

An Ontology-Based Knowledge Management System To Handle Queries In It Help Desk, Kar Yin Leung, Sim Lau

Dr Sim Kim Lau

No abstract provided.

Enhancing The Reusability Of Inter-Organizational Knowledge: An Ontology-Based Collaborative Knowledge Management Network, Joshua P. Fan, Nelson K Y Leung, Sim K. Lau

Dr Sim Kim Lau

Researchers have developed various knowledge management approaches that only focus on managing organizational knowledge. These approaches are developed in accordance with organizational KM strategies and business requirements without the concern of system interoperation. The lack of interoperability means that heterogeneous Knowledge Management Systems from different organizations are unable to communicate and integrate with one another, this results in limitation to reuse inter-organizational knowledge. Here, inter-organizational knowledge is defined as a set of explicit knowledge formalized and created by other organizations. In this research, a collaborative inter-organizational KM network is proposed to provide a platform for organizations to access and retrieve …

Reusing The Inter-Organizational Knowledge To Support Organizational Knowledge Management Process: An Ontology-Based Knowledge Network, Nelson Leung, Sim Lau, Joshua Fan

Dr Sim Kim Lau

No abstract provided.

The Customization Of Knowledge Management Techniques In Information Technology Help Desk, Kar Yin Leung, Sim Lau, Geng Liang

Dr Sim Kim Lau

Information Technology (IT) has converted a majority of organizational activities to automatic and electronicbased. This conversion greatly increases Help Desk (HD)'s coverage on IT related areas. Alternatively, the adoption of business process reengineering and downsizing has led to the shrinkage of the size of HD. This not only leads to the loss of priceless knowledge, but also coerces HD to provide more service with less staff - the outcome is clear that users have to wait comparably longer before HD staff is available. This paper describes how generic Knowledge Management process can be customized to improve support process in HD.