Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons^™

Image Norms: A Model Of Formation And Operation, Amy E. Hurley-Hanson, Cristina M. Giannantonio

Business Faculty Articles and Research

This paper presents a model describing the formation and operation of image norms. Image norms are discussed from both the individual and the organizational perspective. This is followed by a discussion of the implications of image norms for individuals’ career choice decisions. The implications of image norms for organizations are also presented. Suggestions for future research on image norms are provided.

Organizational Alignment And Performance: Past, Present And Future, Ravi Kathuria, Maheshkumar P. Joshi, Stephen J. Porth

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify and define the types of organizational alignment – vertical and horizontal; to examine the evidence for the alignment‐performance relationship, and propose research questions and practical implications to advance the theory and practice of managing alignment.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is a conceptual examination based on a thorough review of both theoretical and empirical research.

Findings

– The paper finds that vertical alignment has received considerably more attention in the literature. Studies of horizontal alignment within organizations are less common. When horizontal alignment is studied, the focus tends to be dyadic …

Competitive Priorities As Trade-Offs Or Mutually Supportive: Can We Call The Question Yet?, Ravi Kathuria

Business Faculty Articles and Research

As the field of operations strategy matures, we need to refine the theories and abandon weak models through cumulative research. This study contributes to the debate on whether competitive priorities present potential trade-offs or are mutually supportive.

The Role Of Institutional And Market Forces In Divergent Organizational Change, Thomas D'Aunno, Melissa Succi, Jeffrey A. Alexander

Business Faculty Articles and Research

This paper focuses on a radical change, in which organizations abandon an institutionalized template for arranging their core activities, that is likely to occur in organizational fields that have strong, local market forces and strong but heterogeneous institutional forces. We examine the role of market forces and heterogeneous institutional elements in promoting divergent change in core activities among all U.S. rural hospitals from 1984 to 1991. Results support the view that divergent change depends on both market forces (proximity to competitors, disadvantages in service mix) and institutional forces (state regulation, ownership and governance norms, and mimicry of models of divergent …

Selecting It Applications In Manufacturing: A Kbs Approach, Ravi Kathuria, Murugan Anandarajan, Magid Igbaria

Business Faculty Articles and Research

The use of the right type of Information Technology (IT) applications or manufacturing systems is expected to usher in a competitive advantage. Selection of the right type of IT application is, however, a challenging task. When a company, with a given dominant process structure, emphasizes two or more competitive priorities, such as quality, product flexibility, etc., an unaided manager faces a complex decision problem in choosing from alternative IT applications available in the areas of product design through distribution. In this paper, we present a Knowledge Based System (KBS) that would assist managers with the identification of IT applications that …

Quality And Work Force Practices: The Managerial Performance Implication, Ravi Kathuria, Elizabeth B. Davis

Business Faculty Articles and Research

This paper examines the managerial performance impact of work force management practices appropriate for manufacturing environments when quality is highly emphasized. The hypotheses are tested using data from 483 individuals in 99 manufacturing plants in the United States. The results indicate that when the emphasis is high on quality, certain work force management practices seem to play an important role in managerial performance in manufacturing settings.

Managing For Flexibility: A Manufacturing Perspective, Ravi Kathuria

Business Faculty Articles and Research

This paper investigates managerial practices that are conducive to the management of flexibility. Using data from manufacturing plants in the United States, this paper identifies managerial practices that manufacturing managers strongly demonstrate in plants that place a high emphasis on flexibility. The results indicate that managers who pursue flexibility, emphatically engage in team building, employee empowerment, and other relationship oriented practices that generate enthusiasm among employees. These practices seemingly motivate workers to deal with the uncertainty and changes, in the form of product mix, customer delivery schedule, capacity adjustments, etc., that characterize manufacturing flexibility. Furthermore, workers are entrusted with the …

Price Determination In A Competitive Industry With Costly Information And A Production Lag, Reuven Glick, Clas Wihlborg

Business Faculty Articles and Research

We analyze the role of information for price and output adjustment when competitive firms with rational expectations cannot directly distinguish between industrywide and firm-specific cost disturbances. Firms may become informed about industrywide cost conditions by acquiring information at a cost. The sensitivity of price and output to cost disturbances decreases as more firms choose to purchase information. The equilibrium industry share of informed firms increases as the cost of information falls and total cost variability increases. The equilibrium share of informed firms is largest when there is a comparable degree of variability in both industrywide and firm-specific costs.