The Effects of People- and Technical- Oriented TQM on Productivity: The Mediating Role of Production Performanc

The purpose this study is to examine the importance of incorporating both technical-oriented and people-oriented Total Quality Management (TQM) within the context of the Malaysian manufacturing industry with the aim of improving overall productivity within the industry. The study adopts a quantitative approach usingPearson’s correlation and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the relationships between technical- and people-oriented TQM, production performance and productivity on a sample of 169 senior production or TQM managers. The results demonstrated substantial evidence whereby technical-oriented TQM dimensions, namely ‘benchmarking’, ‘quality measurement’ and ‘process improvement’ exhibited significant impact on production performance and productivity. Furthermore, people-oriented TQM dimensions, namely ‘employee focus’, ‘customer focus’ and ‘supplier relations’ played a significant role in enhancing productivity. As such, the results of the study suggest that both TQM orientations are crucial for a successful adoption of TQM. The findings of the effect of TQM dimensions on production performance and productivity of Malaysian manufacturing organizations have been encouraging. Future studies should exploredeterminants of productivity that is in line with the business landscape of specific industries, in order to meet the growing demands of high-quality outputs.

Patient and Employee Experiences in Healthcare: Research Insights

Experiences drive loyalty, satisfaction, and advocacy, and the experiences that patients, caregivers, and employees in healthcare can be explicitly measured and correlated with important outcomes for the industry and the organizations that deliver care. As the industry strives to embrace patient-centered medicine, especially now in complex times, experiences are being tested and are more important than ever to realize improved patient quality of care and employee focus on patient outcomes. In addition to the findings of our research in patient and employee experience, this paper highlights insights from other industries that can be leveraged in healthcare to set a new bar in experiences that drive the outcomes that matter.

Development and Validation of the Policies, Opportunities, Initiatives and Notable Topics (POINTS) Audit for Campuses and Worksites

Background: Workplace or campus wellness/obesity-prevention policies and initiatives can improve health. Research tools to assess worksite or campus policies/initiatives are scarce. Thus, the aim of this research is to develop and validate the policies, opportunities, initiatives, and notable topics (POINTS) audit. Methods: POINTS was developed and refined via expert review, pilot-testing, and field testing. Trained researchers completed a web-based review from a student-focus or employee-focus regarding 34 health-promoting topics for colleges. Each topic was evaluated on a 0–2 scale: 0 = no policy/initiative, 1 = initiatives, 2 = written policy. When a written policy was detected, additional policy support questions (administered, monitored, reviewed) were completed. Results: Cronbach’s Alpha for the student-focused POINTS audit was α = 0.787 (34 items, possible points = 65), and for the employee-focused POINTS audit was α = 0.807 (26 items, possible points = 50). A total of 115 student-focused and 33 employee-focused audits were completed. Although there was little evidence of policy presence beyond stimulant standards (smoking and alcohol), there were extensive examples of health initiatives. The student-focused POINTS audit was validated using the Healthier Campus Initiative’s survey. Conclusions: POINTS is a web-based audit tool that is valid and useful for pre-assessment, advocacy, benchmarking, and tracking policies for health and well-being for students (campus) and employees (worksite).

The Impact of Quality Control for Profitability in a Car Brake Pad Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study

The Impact of quality control for profitability in a brake pad manufacturing company was evaluated in this work. The extent to which quality control practices are applied by car brake pad manufacturing firms in Nigeria was examined. The impact of quality control on the profitability of the car brake pad manufacturing firms was determined by establishing the relationship between quality control practices and profitability performance of the manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Also, a conceptual model that correlates quality control practices/techniques and profitability in car brake pad manufacturing firms in Nigeria was developed, in accordance with the third objective. The study used structured questionnaires to generate primary data and descriptive statistical tools were used to analyze the data generated. The study established that the quality control practices (commitment of senior management, training, zero defect, benchmarking, supplier relations, employee focus, process improvement, customer focus and Quality management) have been applied to a large extent by the brake pad manufacturing firms in Nigeria. More so, the study found that there is a positive relationship between dependent variable (profitability) and the independent variables (quality control practices). The relevant statistical methods were also employed to analyze the responses obtained from the structured questionnaires sent to the Brake Pads Production firms. The multiple linear regression results revealed that there is a positive relationship between dependent variable (profitability/productivity performance) and independent variables (commitment of senior management, training, employee focus, zero defects, benchmarking, supplier relations, process improvement, customers focus and Quality measurement). The regression coefficient values represented were all < 5% (from 0.06 – 0.37) and only three of them were the predictors used which are significant. Similarly, the sample used Z-statistic represented by t since the sample size is more than 30. Three of the t values were > 1.96 hence only three values are significant (Commitment of senior management, training and supplier relations.) These findings are in agreement with previous research work that describes the relationship between quality control practices and the financial performance of manufacturing firms as well as the effectiveness of the application of quality control practices in engineering production processes. However, conclusion and recommendations were made to improve upon further research that will be conducted on quality control practices, and how it affects the performance of firms in the manufacturing industry.

One Door Mental Health Lived Experience Framework

Purpose Recently, the importance of a lived experience workforce in the delivery of mental health services has been demonstrated. The roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia has generated the need for a significant increase in the disability workforce, including psychosocial disability. The purpose of this paper is to describe the strategies outlined in the One Door Mental Health Lived Experience Framework (LEF), which is the culmination of over 30 years of experience in providing mental health services and the employment of a lived experience workforce. Design/methodology/approach One Door developed and implemented the LEF, a thorough guide to the employment and support of a workforce of people with lived experience of mental illness, through consultation with consumers, carers, stakeholders, practice advisors, management, human resources and employee focus groups. Findings Extensive support structures in the LEF are key to achieving the benefits of a lived experience workforce. The LEF has positioned One Door successfully for the achievement of key organisational goals in mental health support and advocacy. Research limitations/implications Mental health policies and support are critical for productivity outcomes in any workplace regardless of the level of lived experience of the employees. This paper provides organisations, particularly those within the mental health sector, an example to build on in their own employment and support strategies. Originality/value This paper is of particular value in the context of organisations in the mental health sector transitioning to the NDIS.

Focus Groups: How Feedback from Employees Can Impact the Decision-Making Process

The idea for the use of focus groups as a management tool was derived from a planned assessment with student employees. The success of the student employee focus groups led the researchers to expand the use of these groups with the library staff. In the evaluation of the results, the researchers discovered that the feedback from both focus groups could be shared with administration, potentially resulting in the management team making the suggested changes in the work environment. This article addresses the process of using focus groups as assessment tools and potential change agents for managerial decision-making.

Focused Action Research Based Goal Pursuit

Despite the fact that creating employee focus, motivation and improved outcomes through performance review is widely encouraged, such constraining and potentially isolating activity is also equally derided. I argue in this chapter that many obstacles in performance review can be overcome through inclusion of focused goal pursuit which has a simple, collaborative, flexible, personal and organizational learning and improvement, emphasis whilst combining both rigour and responsiveness. I offer an overview cycle for performance review with such an embedded Focused Action Research Goals (FARG) approach. The overview cycle and FARG approach are underpinned by three key principles encouraging: depth of learning; stretch in challenge; and collaboration based on dialogue and openness. The chapter moves beyond outlining processes and principles to drawing links to recent thinking from the neuroscience and neuroleadership fields. Regions of the brain relevant particularly to goal pursuit are discussed alongside the impact of stress and elements considered to enhance this critical organizational function. Some caution about drawing categorical and overly simplistic conclusions is also included.

Hyper-power, the marketing concept and consumer as ‘boss’

This article extends our knowledge of scientific marketing management and the reasons behind the emergence of the marketing concept. In our narrative, the banking community plays an important role in promoting marketing in the early 20th century. We illuminate this argument using the writings of Fred W. Shibley (1864–1944) and the theoretical resources of Michel Foucault. For Shibley, marketing advanced the interests of corporate financiers, shareholders and employees. Their profit focus was enabled through the marketing concept and accounting practices that mediated hyper- and disciplinary power. In this discourse, organizational relations reflected a pyramidal management of information through a ‘principle of omnivisibility’. These processes individualized departments and affected all employees. Importantly, these control mechanisms were seeded through ‘displacement’. This discursive move reveals a new dimension underwriting the promotion of the marketing concept and the pursuit of profit. These ‘progressive’ facets of marketing theory and practice were invoked to redirect employee attention away from their fractious relationships with management and the owners of capital. Redirecting employee focus was attempted by positioning the consumer as the ‘boss’, with increased production and consumption framed as ‘unpolitical socialism’. While the marketing management literature depicts the marketing concept in quasi-humanistic terms, we unearth the roles of hyper- and disciplinary power, combined with a status-quo orientation that underwrote its promotion in this formative period.

ANALYSIS OF ISLAMIC ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN FOSTERING ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION ON RABBANI HOLDING, BANDUNG

This study raised concerns about the Islamic culture on Rabbani Holding, which has been widely known as a company that produces products of Islamic fashion in Bandung and has received awards from various institutions. Nevertheless, Rabbani keep innovating organization driven by company dynamic and its cultural values. Research on islamic culture at a fashion company area is still rare in Bandung due to fashion business itself has been just rapidly growing in recent years. Thus, it becomes very interesting subject to study, especially if associated with organizational innovation. This study used qualitative research methods through extracting information (interviews) in depth, literature, and field observations. Data processed by the coding technique and analyzed descriptively. The results showed that Islamic organizational culture in Rabbani Holding has been implemented consistently and continously evolving. Islamic culture which has been applied in Rabbani is fundamental in driving performance in all its business functions, where its culture consists of consumer focus, employee focus, quality focus and organization focus which includes the core values of Rabbani organizational innovation.

Skills utilisation in Scotland: exploring the views of managers and employees

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore empirically manager and employee views on employees’ skills utilisation in organisations in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires to managers and employees, plus three case studies comprising manager interviews and employee focus groups. Findings – Highly significant differences are found between manager and employee views on: the match of employee skills to their current jobs; the extent of utilisation of employees’ skills; and opportunities for promotion. The main difference in views is on the match of employee skills to their current jobs, with employees opining more than managers that employees’ skills exceed the requirements of their job. Also, for managers and employees alike, the meaning of skills utilisation is obscure despite the language of skills being widely used in organisations. Research limitations/implications – The scale of the empirical research is possibly limited. There is potential for manager and employee bias. A case study of a private sector organisation is not included. Practical implications – It is apparent that there is potential to increase employees’ skills utilisation in organisations in Scotland. Managers are challenged with better utilising the skills within their workforces by using these skills to drive improvements in work processes and practices. Originality/value – Previous commentary and research on skills utilisation mainly centres on policy and employer standpoints. This paper focuses on manager and employee viewpoints on employees’ skills utilisation.