Business Commons^™

Bridging The Gap Between Academics And Industry, Colm O'Kane

Conference papers

The benefits of close collaboration with industry for undergraduate design students have been repeatedly emphasised in the literature. This paper describes the operation of a design competition as a collaborative project between the DIT School of Manufacturing and Design Engineering and an external company. Small groups of design students were set a design brief and guided through the year by company representatives and by their academic supervisors. Along with giving an example of problem-based learning and showing how academic projects can remain relevant to the commercial design field, this paper gives an example of what approaches can be taken to …

Including The Customer In Efficiency Analysis:Evidence Of A Hybrid Relational-Transactional Approach, Joseph Coughlan, Estelle Shale, Robert Dyson

Articles

Purpose This paper illustrates the effect of including the customer as a resource in efficiency measurement. Variations in counting the customer illustrate the different impacts on efficiency between a transactional and a relational approach to bank branch marketing. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to analyse the efficiency of the branch network under consideration. This technique, while well established in the bank branch efficiency literature, is used here to gain insight into how relationship and transactional paradigms are affecting performance. Findings Although the average profile of the efficiency scores was similar, the scores of the individual branches differed …

An Investigation Into Factors Influencing The Sensory Properties Of Selected Irish Grown Organic And Conventional Vegetables, Clare Gilsenan

Doctoral

Research studies conducted on organic produce have given conflicting results whether they have superior sensory qualities when compared to conventionally cultivated produce. The development and implementation of a reliable testing system is therefore required. In this study Irish grown organic and conventional carrots (cv. Nairobi), potatoes (cv. Orla) and tomatoes (cv. Amoroso) were selected for physicochemical (size, colour, dry matter, texture, sugars, o Brix & pH), volatile emissions and sensory analysis (trained and consumer panels). All vegetables were tested in both a raw and cooked state. Few significant differences were apparent between the organic and conventional vegetables for the physicochemical …

Chain Reactions:Management Opportunities Report, Edward Sweeney

Practitioner Journals

No abstract provided.

Subsidiaries As Learning Engines: Understanding Middle Managers’ Searching For Knowledge As Micro-Foundation, Esther Tippmann, Pamela Sharkey Scott, Vincent Mangematin

Articles

A lot of research on MNC knowledge flows has concentrated on the organizational conditions that promote learning outcomes through a more efficient reuse of existing knowledge (cf. Gupta and Govindarajan 2000). Departing from this predominant research stream and recognising the increasingly important role of middle managers in large, distributed organizations, we investigated how subsidiary middle managers actually search for knowledge when dealing with non-routine problems and evaluated the solution outcomes in terms of generating organizational adaptation. By doing so, we contribute to several calls for more micro-level research of organizational learning processes (Felin and Foss 2005, 2009, Felin and Hesterly …

Logistics Ireland Conference 2010, Edward Sweeney

Practitioner Journals

No abstract provided.

Exploring Sustainability Practices And Reporting At Musgrave Group: A Case Study Of An Irish Private Company., Rebecca Maughan, Brendan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a case study of a large Irish company, Musgrave Group, which has been engaged in sustainability practices and reporting since the late 1990s. In doing so the paper provides an in-depth account firstly of the internal motivations for the company’s engagement with sustainability practices and reporting and secondly of the process through which the sustainability practice gained internal support and began to be integrated into the day to day activities of the company. The case study of the company involved a series of interviews with key participants in the …

Practical Simulation Application: Evaluation Of Process Control Parameters In Twisted-Pair Cables Manufacturing System, Amr Mahfouz, Said Hassan, Amr Arisha

Articles

Intensive competition and rapid technology development of Twisted-Pair Cables (TPC) industry have left no room for competing manufacturers to harbour system inefficiencies. TPC are used in various communication and networks hardware applications; their manufacturing facilities face many challenges including various product configurations with different equipment settings, different product flows and Work in Process (WIP) space limitations. The quest for internal efficiency and external effectiveness forces companies to align their internal settings and resources with external requirements/orders, or in different words, significant factors must be set appropriately and identified prior to manufacturing processes. Integrated definition models (IDEF0, IDEF3) in conjunction with …

The Village Voice: Masculine Identity Construction Within An Interpretive Community, Deirdre Duffy

Conference papers

This paper looks at how young Irish men construct their masculine self/identity/body keeping in mind the mediated world within which they find themselves, and considering their own more immediate social surroundings and influences, that is to say, their interpretive community. The research paper combines Foucault’s later writings on technologies of the self with literary theory, using critics such as Stanley Fish (1980) and his work on ‘Interpretive Communities’ to inform the study.

Exploring Antecedents Of Consumer Resistance Towards Microgeneration Technologies In Ireland, Marius Claudy, Aidan O'Driscoll, Rosanna Garcia, Michael Mullen

Conference papers

The diffusion of microgeneration technologies like micro wind turbines provides great potential to reduce CO2 emissions, ease fossil fuel dependency and stabilize energy costs. The uptake of microgeneration technologies among home owners, however, remains low and they are often referred to as resistant innovations. Consumer resistance to innovations is a generally under-researched area and empirical evidence is scarce. The research presented in this study is based on a large scale study around micro wind turbines, which was conducted with home owners in the Republic of Ireland in 2009. The contribution of this study is twofold. Building on recent advances in …

The Analysis Of Rush Orders Risk In Supply Chain: A Simulation Approach, Amr Arisha, Amr Mahfouz

Conference papers

Satisfying customers by delivering demands at agreed time, with competitive prices, and in satisfactory quality level are crucial requirements for supply chain survival. Incident of risks in supply chain often causes sudden disruptions in the processes and consequently leads to customers losing their trust in a company’s competence. Rush orders are considered to be one of the main types of supply chain risks due to their negative impact on the overall performance. Using integrated definition modeling approaches (i.e. IDEF0 & IDEF3) and simulation modeling technique , a comprehensive integrated model has been developed to assess rush order risks and examine …

The Sales Organisation: Influencer Or Mere Implementer Of Business Strategy? Investigating The Evolving Role Of Sales Strategy And Processes In Attaining Overall Business Objectives And Goals In International Markets, Sarah Browne, Katrina Lawlor, Pamela Sharkey Scott, Laura Cuddihy

Conference papers

This research will attempt to empirically examine the evolving nature of the sales organisation from a mere tactical support function of marketing, to a strategic capability in its own right and one that perhaps has a salient role to play in attaining overall objectives and goals pertaining to the business level strategy for international markets. The foundations of this research stem from multiple strands of literature including, strategic marketing, strategic management, selling and sales management and business internationalisation. This proposal attempts to locate this early stage research within these important and growing strands of literature and address the under researched …

The Global Financial Crisis: World Market Or Regional Contagion Effects?, Lucia Morales, Bernadette Andreosso-O'Callaghan

Conference papers

In the last two decades, the world economy has been challenged by different economic and financial crisis. These events have captured researchers’ attention, and in particular the analysis of contagion effects derived from stock market shocks have been a focal point of interesting discussions. However, there is little consensus on how contagion should be defined and indentified. Consequently, this paper contributes to the already settled debate on the area proposing the analysis of contagion effects in a worldwide framework, where three different econometric models to test for contagion are being used. The main results are in line with most of …

Students' Overview: The Impact Of Technology On Learning In Higher Education, Eileen O'Donnell, Mary Sharp

Other resources

This research explores students’ views on the impact and transformations that technology has brought to the learning experience of students in higher education. The students who kindly participated in this study are from: The School of Computer Science and Statistics, Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, Trinity College Dublin and The Faculty of Business, Technological University Dublin, both based in Dublin City, Ireland. The use of technologies in third level education facilitates flexible learning environments. The pedagogic approach employed by e-learning development officers or lecturers when designing e-learning platforms or learning management systems has the capability to transform student learning. …

Ageing In The Right Place, Lorcan Sirr, Conor Skehan

Other Resources

No abstract provided.

Web-Based Supply Chain Simulation: An Integrated Approach, Amr Arisha, Ayman Tobail, John Crowe

Conference papers

This is an era marked by rapid technology development in all different educational arenas. Alongside this growing demand of technology, learning process is getting new forms and hence traditional teaching approaches tend to struggle and lack the requisite qualities to meet new generation expectations. In third level education, this problem is increasing in magnitude and new dimensions, especially when it comes to teaching difficult subjects such as supply chain management. Understanding the complexity of supply chain networks and how to manage them create a considerable level of difficulty for students and professionals. Collaboration between supply chain members is now recognised …

Supply Chain Simulation: Experimentation Without Pain, Amr Arisha, Ayman Tobail, John Crowe

Conference papers

Bridging the gap between theory and practice has always been a key issue for students and graduates. The magnitude and scope of subject areas that students at third level institutions have to learn in theory means that visualising them without any practical experience can be very difficult. Understanding the complexity of supply chain networks and how to manage them create a considerable level of difficulty for students and professionals. Theories and applications included in supply chain management subjects are the key to empathise the real challenges. Nevertheless, teaching these theories needs substantial efforts and new innovative approaches to deliver the …

Customer Management Analysis Of Irish Plumbing & Heating Distribution System: A Simulation Study, Amr Mahfouz, John Crowe, Finbarr Bennett, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

The sudden burst of the property bubble, coupled with current global economic conditions has resulted in a huge decrease in demand for plumbing and heating fixtures in the Irish construction industry. Moreover, inefficient supply chain management policies have imposed further pressures on companies resulting in more system bottlenecks and unnecessary costs. Inventory management is seen as a functional area that can ease such bottlenecks and in turn increase supply chain efficiency, decrease costs and increase customer satisfaction. The challenge is to predict the balance of on-hand inventory and order quantity to optimise customer satisfaction and minimise inventory cost while taking …

The Analysis Of Rush Orders Risk In Supply Chain: A Simulation Approach, Amr Mahfouz, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

Satisfying customers by delivering demands at an agreed time, with competitive prices, and in satisfactory quality level are crucial requirements for supply chain survival. The incident of risks in supply chain often causes sudden disruptions in the processes and consequently leads to customers losing their trust in a company’s competence. Rush orders are considered to be one of the main types of supply chain risks due to their negative impact on the overall performance. Using integrated definition modelling approaches (i.e. IDEF0 & IDEF3) and simulation modelling technique, a comprehensive integrated model has been developed to assess rush order risks and …

The Servicescape And Behavioral Outcomes: Formative Versus Reflective Indicators, Daire Hooper

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Site Value Tax, Tom Dunne

Articles

Tom Dunne discusses some of the issues surrounding property taxation in Ireland

Forming Ireland's Industrial Development Authority, Paul Donnelly

Books/Book Chapters

Tracing the creation and (re)production of Ireland’s Industrial Development Authority (IDA) through the lens of path dependence theory, the story charts the IDA’s creation within protectionism. In parallel with the gradual shift away from protection towards free trade, the story follows the IDA’s emergence as the state’s pre-eminent industrial development agency, its re-creation as a state-sponsored organisation and the growing political, institutional and monetary resources afforded it in return for delivery on objectives, largely in the shape of new job creation. However, the increasing reliance on foreign investment to meet targets, at the expense of indigenous industry, eventually surfaces as …

Supply Chain Perspective, Volume 11, Issue 2, National Institute For Transport And Logistics

Issues

No abstract provided.

Supply Chain Perspective, Volume 11, Issue 1, National Institute For Transport And Logistics

Issues

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Sustainability In Scm: The Case Of The Sustainable Packaging Supply Chain, Edward Sweeney

Practitioner Journals

No abstract provided.

Electronic Tendering: Recognising A More Effective Use Of Information Communications Technology In The Irish Construction Industry, Larry O'Connell

Masters

When undertaking a traditional tender in Ireland, computer applications are heavily relied upon. Documents, from drawings to Bills of Quantities, are created with an array of computer applications. These documents are subsequently exchanged from surveying firms to a number of main contractors and, additionally, from the main contractors to subcontractors. However, even though the documents have originated in an electronic
form, the majority of the documents are communicated in a paper format. Therefore, with each new communication between the parties more paperwork is created. This system of communication is inefficient and process gains can be made through the utilization of …

Westwood Interior Company Limited Brand Identity Project, Peter Dee

Other resources

Westwood Interior Company Limited design and manufacture high quality handmade wood interiors in Ireland. Westwood Interior required a modern logo using natural colours and imagery.

Peter Dee - Strategic Design and Marketing Consultant, was responsible for the design and development of the brand identity for the Westwood Interior Company which was used on business cards, letterhead, signage and e-Commerce website.

Westwood Interior have earned a reputation for a high level of service and attention to detail. An established team of skilled craftsmen pride themselves in creating bespoke wood interiors that combine the very best in modern technology with the highest …

Farrell’S Nursery Company Limited Brand Identity Project, Peter Dee

Other resources

Peter Dee - Strategic Design and Marketing Consultant, was responsible for the design and development of the brand identity for the Farrell’s Nursery Company which was used on business cards, letterhead, signage and website.

Farrell’s unique plant nursery is always full of fresh ideas, inspiring plants and solutions for every garden. You'll find an extensive range of plants and people who provide expert advice and a range of associated services at all times of the year.

Integration, Alignment And Ict In Supply Chains, Edward Sweeney

Other Resources

No abstract provided.

Supply Chain Management, Economic Volatility And Ict, Edward Sweeney

Other Resources

No abstract provided.