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International Journal of Business Excellence

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ISSN (Print) 1756-0047 - ISSN (Online) 1756-0055
Published by Inderscience Publishers

[367 journals]

Integrating the Baltic States and Europe - Rail Baltica
- Authors: Milla Laisi|Juha Saranen
  Pages: 251 - 269
  Abstract: Railway transport has gained foothold as safe and environmentally friendly transport mode, and its progression has been a success story in Central Europe. However, European peripheral areas such as the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) are lagging behind, as railway infrastructure does not fulfil the requirements of competent network. Rail Baltica has been offered as prospective option, and it has been widely studied during the last decade. This paper fulfils the existing research gap by unfolding the Baltic States public actors' viewpoints. Based on the results, in all three Baltic States the public sector is strongly supporting Rail Baltica, because it could provide economic growth by introducing improved connection to Europe as well as to Russia. However, countries should pay special attention to national as well as international cooperation, as lack of collaboration is impeding the process.
  Keywords: Estonia|Europe|Latvia|Lithuania|public actors|Rail Baltica|railway infrastructure|Baltic States|railways|rail transport|public sector|economic growth|cooperation|collaboration
  Citation: International Journal of Business Excellence, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013) pp. 251 - 269
  PubDate: 2013-05-03T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053609
  Issue No: Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013)
Developing green supply chain system for Indian enterprises
- Authors: Sanjeev Kumar|Somnath Chattopadhyaya|Vinay Sharma
  Pages: 270 - 292
  Abstract: This research paper aims at assessing the supply chain management (SCM) in the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in India on an empirical basis. The assessments presented are based on parts of the data and information collected through the execution of the Competitive Strategies and Best Practices Benchmarking Questionnaire from small and medium size enterprises. The study contributes to the literature on empirical examination of the construct of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices implementation and to the practices of managers/supervisors with a validated measurement scale to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses in different facets of implementing GSCM practices in their organisations. Data's are collected from 119 Indian enterprises; measurement models of GSCM practices implementation are tested and compared by factor analysis. In this paper, these issues are analysed through the survey results and conclusions are drawn.
  Keywords: green supply chains|supply chain management|GSCM|green SCM|case study research|manufacturing industry|small and medium-sized enterprises|SMEs|factor analysis|India
  Citation: International Journal of Business Excellence, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013) pp. 270 - 292
  PubDate: 2013-05-03T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053610
  Issue No: Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013)
Review of the competitiveness of Russian manufacturing industry
- Authors: Pekka Torvinen|Juha VÃ¤Ã¤tÃ¤nen
  Pages: 293 - 309
  Abstract: This article examines the competitiveness of the Russian manufacturing industry. The study uses secondary data and follows the development of selected indicators in the Russian manufacturing industry. The selection of indicators is based on a literature review of measuring competitiveness. The main indicators are production, productivity, unit labour costs, and exports to European Union markets. The main data source is the industrial database of The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW). This data has been used to make calculations to identify the effects of selected indicators on the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry. The results of the study show that the Russian manufacturing industry is in a difficult situation. Most Russian industries face problems in improving their competitiveness and competing in domestic and international markets.
  Keywords: Russia|competitiveness|manufacturing industry|production|productivity|unit labour costs|exports
  Citation: International Journal of Business Excellence, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013) pp. 293 - 309
  PubDate: 2013-05-03T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053611
  Issue No: Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013)
Environmental influences on open innovation: evidence from Russia
- Authors: Irina Savitskaya|Daria Podmetina
  Pages: 310 - 330
  Abstract: The environmental impact on the adoption of open innovation is analysed in the paper. When examining the implementation of open innovation in a regional context, it is important to notice that economic systems and institutions in different regions and countries differ in their support for open innovation practices. We focus on analysing the influences imposed by the operation environment on open innovation in Russia, using data collected with a recent international survey of open innovation practices. Our findings show that economic systems and institutions (in particular the intellectual property protection mechanisms) may have substantial effects on the behaviour of firms with respect to their involvement in open innovation practices. Additionally, the decisions on whether to buy or sell technology and intellectual property are influenced by market dynamics, and we also demonstrate the impact of national culture on the adoption of certain elements of an open innovation model.
  Keywords: open innovation|environmental impact|intellectual property rights|IPR|market dynamics|Russia
  Citation: International Journal of Business Excellence, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013) pp. 310 - 330
  PubDate: 2013-05-03T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053612
  Issue No: Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013)
Benchmarking: success producer or failure preventer?
- Authors: Dana M. Johnson|Nada R. Sanders
  Pages: 331 - 347
  Abstract: Research on benchmarking has been extensive. It has not addressed the issue of how benchmarking impacts the capabilities or performance of firms. Benchmarking efforts may lead to either failure preventing or success producing capabilities. As firm capabilities evolve over time, it is critical to understand when benchmarking discoveries and eventual process changes, become success producers. A failure preventer may result from a firm using benchmarking practises to 'stay in the game' or status quo, merely maintaining their existence and resulting in efficiency as opposed to effectiveness. In this study, we relate research on operational strategy, capabilities, and firm performance to extend Varadarajan's research in the context of benchmarking in order to specifically identify when benchmarking is a success producer, leading to capabilities that result in a sustainable, competitive advantage. We develop a conceptual framework to demonstrate these linkages.
  Keywords: benchmarking|conceptual modelling|operations strategy|capability|performance measurement|success producers|failure preventers|firm performance
  Citation: International Journal of Business Excellence, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013) pp. 331 - 347
  PubDate: 2013-05-03T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053617
  Issue No: Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013)
Using cluster analysis and DEA-discriminant analysis to predict group membership of new customers
- Authors: Dana M. Johnson|Nada R. Sanders
  Pages: 348 - 360
  Abstract: To understand the value of customers and target the most profitable customers, this paper uses cluster analysis to classify customers into four groups as platinum, gold, iron, and lead. Then, to predict group membership of new customers, data envelopment analysis-discriminant analysis (DEA-DA) model is applied. This paper operationalises the concept proposed by Zeithaml et al. (2001), ('The customer pyramid: creating and serving profitable customers', California Management Review, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp.118-142) on forming the customer pyramid. A case study demonstrates the application of the proposed approach.
  Keywords: data envelopment analysis|DEA|discriminant analysis|DEA-DA|cluster analysis|customer pyramid|group membership|new customers|customer value
  Citation: International Journal of Business Excellence, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013) pp. 348 - 360
  PubDate: 2013-05-03T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053618
  Issue No: Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013)
Application of statistical techniques for improving yield of a manufacturing process
- Authors: E.V. Gijo|Johny Scaria
  Pages: 361 - 375
  Abstract: This article discusses a case study on yield improvement of a manufacturing process through the application of various statistical techniques. The process was having very high rejection and rework, as the process capability was only 0.10. Various statistical techniques like measurement system analysis, design of experiments with Taguchi method, analysis of variance, dot plot, etc., were used to analyse the data and conclusions were made about the process. As a result of the study, process capability index, Ppk, was improved from 0.10 to 1.05. This has reduced the rejection and rework of the process significantly, which intern helped the organisation to cater to the needs of the customers on time.
  Keywords: process capability index|design of experiments|DOE|orthogonal arrays|Taguchi methods|signal to noise ratio|SNR|analysis of variance|ANOVA|main effect plot|yield improvement|manufacturing processes|rejection|rework
  Citation: International Journal of Business Excellence, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013) pp. 361 - 375
  PubDate: 2013-05-03T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053616
  Issue No: Vol. 6, No. 3 (2013)