Search results

1 – 10 of 24
Article
Publication date: 14 July 2022

Lukas Hellwig, Lisa Preissner, Jan Pawlowski and Wolfgang Deiters

Facilities such as FabLabs and Makerspaces are characterized by the facilities' wide range of digital fabrication technologies as well as facilities' interdisciplinary user base…

Abstract

Purpose

Facilities such as FabLabs and Makerspaces are characterized by the facilities' wide range of digital fabrication technologies as well as facilities' interdisciplinary user base and collaborative problem solving and product development. These possibilities can also hold great potential for people with disabilities who have a specific need for assistive technology. Since there are no established models of such participatory development processes (PDP) within digitalized innovation environments (DIE), this study intends to provide a comprehensive understanding of these processes along with the influencing factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a cooperation with a Thalidomide Association, various PDPs were accompanied within a DIE and interviews were conducted with 16 stakeholders involved. Hereby, the perspective of thalidomide-affected people (5) as well as the supporting makers (6) and experts (5) were taken into account. Through a subsequent structured analysis, various dimensions as well as relevant influencing factors could be identified.

Findings

In total, 33 paraphrases could be formed in 8 categories and four dimensions concerning the PDPs investigated. In addition, 17 paraphrases on potentials and challenges could be extracted through generalization.

Originality/value

Due to findings' holistic approach, the findings form an empirical basis for further research into this still very young research topic and represent a first step toward theory building. By the applicability of the identified influencing factors an important contribution can be made to the supply of aids and the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon 10.1108/JET-01-2022-0013

Details

Journal of Enabling Technologies, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-6263

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 May 2016

Jan-Bert Maas, Paul C. van Fenema and Joseph Soeters

The purpose of this study is to provide more insight in the ways key users act as knowledge managers and boundary spanners during the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system…

2295

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide more insight in the ways key users act as knowledge managers and boundary spanners during the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system usage phase. Despite the recognized importance of key users during the implementation phase of an ERP system, little is known about their role in the ERP usage phase.

Design/methodology/approach

To provide rich insight in the boundary-spanning mechanisms utilized by key users to share knowledge, a qualitative approach was applied. In this study, “abductive” theme coding for 58 interviews with key users, end-users and managers has been used. This paper found six mechanisms and characterized them as “crossing” structural, social or cognitive boundaries.

Findings

Six boundary-spanning mechanisms have been distinguished which have been applied by key users to overcome several knowledge management issues. Subsequently, these mechanisms lead to a model which describes three different roles that key users may fulfill to efficiently share and transfer knowledge during the ERP usage phase.

Research limitations/implications

Knowledge barriers during an ERP implementation and their accompanying six boundary-crossing mechanisms have been distinguished.

Practical implications

The recognition of the essential role that key users can fulfill during the usage phase of an ERP system is an important implication. Management has to take into account that tasks and responsibilities of key users have to be clear from the start and they may cautiously select employees who are suited to become key users.

Originality/value

The main contribution is the importance of the impact of key users on the effectivity of knowledge management during the ERP usage phase.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 June 2016

Victoria Baagøe-Engels and Jan Stentoft

There is increasing research interest in the expansion of the offshore wind energy sector. Recent research shows that operations and maintenance (O&M) account for around 20-35 per…

Abstract

Purpose

There is increasing research interest in the expansion of the offshore wind energy sector. Recent research shows that operations and maintenance (O&M) account for around 20-35 per cent of the total energy costs in this sector. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of O&M issues in the offshore wind energy sector to propose initiatives that can help reduce the cost of energy used by offshore wind farms.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on an in-depth literature review and a Delphi study of a panel of 16 experts on O&M.

Findings

Consisting primarily of conceptual papers and/or modelling papers, the extant literature identifies several challenges for O&M in the offshore wind energy sector. These challenges can be grouped into four categories: issues related with industry immatureness; distance/water depth; weather window; and policy issues. The Delphi study identified three other major issues that lead to increased O&M costs: too many predefined rules that limit development; lack of coordinated planning of the different services offered at the wind farms; and lack of a common approach on how O&M should be managed strategically.

Research limitations/implications

The present study is based only on Danish respondents. Future research needs to include various respondents from different countries to identify country-specific contingencies.

Practical implications

The paper provides an overview of the O&M issues in the offshore wind energy sector to prioritize where future resources should be invested and, thus, reduce O&M costs.

Originality/value

This is the first paper on O&M issues that bridges both literature studies and industry expert opinions.

Details

International Journal of Energy Sector Management, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6220

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2013

Theresa Schmiedel, Jan vom Brocke and Jan Recker

Business process management (BPM) requires a holistic perspective that includes managing the culture of an organization to achieve objectives of efficient and effective business…

4297

Abstract

Purpose

Business process management (BPM) requires a holistic perspective that includes managing the culture of an organization to achieve objectives of efficient and effective business processes. Still, the specifics of a BPM‐supportive organizational culture have not been examined so far. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to identify the characteristics of a cultural setting supportive of BPM objectives.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines the constituent values of a BPM‐supportive cultural setting through a global Delphi study with BPM experts from academia and practice and explore these values in a cultural value framework.

Findings

The paper empirically identifies and defines four key cultural values supporting BPM, viz., customer orientation, excellence, responsibility, and teamwork. The paper discusses the relationships between these values and identifies a particular challenge in managing these seemingly competing values.

Research limitations/implications

The identification and definition of these values represents a first step towards the operationalization (and empirical analysis) of what has been identified as the concept of BPM culture, i.e. a culture supportive of achieving BPM objectives.

Practical implications

Identifying these cultural values provides the basis for developing an instrument that can measure how far an existing cultural context is supportive of BPM. This, in turn, is fundamental for identifying measures towards achieving a BPM culture as a necessary, yet not sufficient means to obtain BPM success.

Originality/value

The paper examines which cultural values create an environment receptive for BPM and, thus, specifies the important theoretical construct BPM culture. In addition, the paper raises awareness for realizing these values in a BPM context.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 19 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2016

Monica Anastassiu, Flavia Maria Santoro, Jan Recker and Michael Rosemann

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method for identifying business process-relevant contextual information that is likely to impact on the process goal. The ORGANON method…

1396

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method for identifying business process-relevant contextual information that is likely to impact on the process goal. The ORGANON method describes a semi-structured procedural guide alongside with a set of criteria and a matrix for analyzing ontological transactions, which can be used to identify which context information can be considered relevant to a business process.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors report on an evaluation of the ORGANON method through a case study conducted in an organization that works in the social security domain.

Findings

The results provide evidences of the feasibility of the method application in this scenario.

Originality/value

Our research contributes to the literature on business processes flexibility, specifically through a proposal for context identification that can be extended to current techniques for business process modeling and in turn forms the basis for existing approaches for making business processes more flexible. The work has implications for the strategic management of organizations, by suggesting a method that provides informational support to decision makers about when, where and why business processes need to be adapted.

Article
Publication date: 14 May 2018

Morten Brinch, Jan Stentoft, Jesper Kronborg Jensen and Christopher Rajkumar

Big data poses as a valuable opportunity to further improve decision making in supply chain management (SCM). However, the understanding and application of big data seem rather…

3464

Abstract

Purpose

Big data poses as a valuable opportunity to further improve decision making in supply chain management (SCM). However, the understanding and application of big data seem rather elusive and only partially explored. The purpose of this paper is to create further guidance in understanding big data and to explore applications from a business process perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a sequential mixed-method. First, a Delphi study was designed to gain insights regarding the terminology of big data and to identify and rank applications of big data in SCM using an adjusted supply chain operations reference (SCOR) process framework. This was followed by a questionnaire-survey among supply chain executives to elucidate the Delphi study findings and to assess the practical use of big data.

Findings

First, big data terminology seems to be more about data collection than of data management and data utilization. Second, the application of big data is most applicable for logistics, service and planning processes than of sourcing, manufacturing and return. Third, supply chain executives seem to have a slow adoption of big data.

Research limitations/implications

The Delphi study is explorative by nature and the questionnaire-survey rather small in scale; therefore, findings have limited generalizability.

Practical implications

The findings can help supply chain managers gain a clearer understanding of the domain of big data and guide them in where to deploy big data initiatives.

Originality/value

This study is the first to assess big data in the SCOR process framework and to rank applications of big data as a mean to guide the SCM community to where big data is most beneficial.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 July 2013

Kim Sundtoft Hald and Jan Mouritsen

This research aims to explore the enabling and constraining effects of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and speculate on how these can be linked to the four generic…

7864

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to explore the enabling and constraining effects of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and speculate on how these can be linked to the four generic roles of operations management (OM) proposed by Slack et al.

Design/methodology/approach

This research understands ERP as boundary objects characterised by modularity, abstraction, accommodation, and standardization. An in‐depth cross‐disciplinary literature review and role synthesis is conducted.

Findings

Four enabling and three constraining effects of ERP are deduced from existing literature. ERP and OM are linked conceptually. Based on the identified effects of ERP, the paper speculates on the managerial tasks of the production and operations manager (POM) in an ERP environment and lists a set of central concerns of potential relevance to POM and to future research.

Research limitations/implications

The identified roles of ERP and their implications could be empirically tested using case based and survey research.

Practical implications

The results provide insights into how ERP has multiple and parallel roles, and how these roles are relevant to the function of OM. Such knowledge is valuable for practicing POMs in managing the implementation and design of ERP to support the different domains of OM.

Originality/value

Current studies of the effects of ERP and their link to the practice of OM tend to focus on one or a few roles of the emerging system. Such studies do not properly take into account the modularised and pluralistic nature of ERP. This research provides a platform from where future research on the effects, managerial dilemmas and implications of ERP can be reconciled across research communities.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 33 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2011

Thomas Zschocke and Jan Beniest

The paper seeks to introduce a process for assuring the creation of quality educational metadata based on the ISO/IEC 19796‐1 standard to describe the agricultural learning…

1006

Abstract

Purpose

The paper seeks to introduce a process for assuring the creation of quality educational metadata based on the ISO/IEC 19796‐1 standard to describe the agricultural learning resources in the repository of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the general notion of quality in education and in the creation of educational metadata. It introduces a quality framework based on the ISO/IEC 19796‐1 standard on quality management and quality assurance for learning, education and training. This standard consists of a reference framework for the description of quality approaches (RFDQ) to describe, compare, and analyze quality management and quality assurance approaches, which has been adapted to the creation of educational metadata in the context of the learning object repository of the CGIAR.

Findings

In order to achieve consistency in the description of learning resources in a repository through quality educational metadata, a standardized process for metadata creators is essential. The reference framework of the ISO/IEC 19796‐1 standard provides a flexible approach that allows the optimization of the metadata creation process while assuring quality of the descriptive information.

Practical implications

The paper proposes a standardized process for the creation of learning object metadata based on the ISO/IEC 19796‐1 standard, and makes suggestions on how to use the reference framework when adapting a quality model for educational metadata.

Originality/value

ISO/IEC 19796‐1 is a very recent standard with a flexible reference framework to develop a quality model in education and training. It provides a novel approach for organizations maintaining learning repositories that are interested in standardizing the educational metadata creation process, especially when multiple stakeholders are involved.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2012

Jan de Vries and Albert Boonstra

The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a model that demonstrates the influence of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation on the power and interests of…

1648

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a model that demonstrates the influence of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation on the power and interests of actors at the production‐sales interface, and vice versa.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical in‐depth longitudinal case study examines how a medium‐sized company in the graphics industry implemented an ERP system and how this has affected the interests and power distribution between the manufacturing and sales departments.

Findings

The case study reveals that the power division among key players at the production‐sales interface has been affected by the ERP implementation. These changes influence their attitudes and behaviours as well as the usage of the ERP system.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations are associated with the inherent weaknesses of any research based on a single‐case study: theoretical, but not statistical, generalisations are possible.

Practical implications

The findings imply that those implementing ERP systems in production‐sales environments should, from the outset of the project, identify potential changes in the division of power and seek to reconcile stakeholder interests.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies that has examined in‐depth the potential effects of ERP implementation on power division at the production‐sales interface.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 32 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2014

Kjell Brynjulf Hjertø, Jan Merok Paulsen and Saku Petteri Tihveräinen

The purpose of this paper is to seek to investigate Etienne Wenger's theory of social learning in a community of practice by modeling two simultaneous aspects of teachers’…

1236

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to seek to investigate Etienne Wenger's theory of social learning in a community of practice by modeling two simultaneous aspects of teachers’ collaborative learning: their engagement in close-knit internal groupings and engagement with colleagues that work externally to the core group. These two learning processes are related to two social-cognitive outcomes: teachers’ organizational commitment and their sense of impact.

Design/methodology/approach

The study investigated a field sample of 246 individual teachers from ten Finnish primary schools. Hypotheses were developed and tested by using multiple regression and structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results indicate that local engagement supports teachers’ organizational commitment. However, this form of collaborative learning behavior did not support their sense of impact. Moreover, external engagement with trusted colleagues supported sense of impact but not organizational commitment.

Research limitations/implications

The study reinforces the importance of teachers’ engagement in communities of practice. Specifically, the results suggest two specific social-cognitive outcomes related to two different learning processes situated in teachers’ community of practice. It would be highly valuable to replicate this study in various multi-level settings.

Practical implications

The study highlights teachers’ engagement in communities of practice as a source of their motivational basis and their commitment. Findings recommend school leaders to facilitate internal and external learning communities.

Originality/value

The study provides empirical evidence regarding the partial relationships between teachers’ local and external learning engagement and the social-cognitive outcomes of these forms of learning behaviors.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 52 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

1 – 10 of 24