Organizational Life Cycle Research Articles

Hybrid approach for the evaluation of organizational indirect impacts (AVOID): combining product-related, process-based, and monetary-based methods

Environmental burden caused by an organization occurs both within its boundaries and in its value chain. Organizational life cycle assessment (LCA) was proposed as a method for calculating impacts of an organization throughout its life cycle; nevertheless, companies are still lacking a universal approach to conduct inventory analysis and face challenges in data collection. This paper introduces a hybrid approach for compiling the inventory for the indirect activities on organizational level in an effective manner. Three existing accounting methods (namely product related, process based, and monetary based) are connected within the hybrid approach. The potential to apply each method for an indirect activity is analyzed with regard to the system boundary requirements and availability of activity data and emission factors. The calculation procedures are introduced for selected activities. The advantages and limitations of the hybridization on organizational level are discussed. The developed approach is applied in a case study to the automotive supplier Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co.KG. The framework for application of the hybrid approach including the required activity data and emission factors for every indirect activity and each accounting method is provided. The product-related and process-based methods are recommended as more robust; nevertheless, hybridization with the monetary-based method might be essential for compiling a comprehensive inventory by limited data availability. Such limitations as double counting, truncation error, and insufficient data resolution may influence the results and should be considered when applying the hybrid approach. The case study demonstrated that the proposed approach allowed establishing an inventory for all relevant indirect activities. However, due to missing emission factors, only the impact category climate change was calculated for all activities; acidification and water use were quantified for six activities. The introduced hybrid approach enables selecting the most suitable accounting method for the indirect activities depending on data availability. This promotes application of the organizational life cycle assessment in particular for small and medium enterprises and companies that do not have access to the commercial LCA datasets. Availability of the emission factors for all impact categories in public databases is essential to provide robust results using the hybrid approach.

Social Spacing, Organizational Development and Network Utility of Chinese Business Organizations in Cambodia

Chain migration has been one of the most explanatory paradigms in explaining transnational ethnic population movement while economic push-pull serves as the driving force to run the wheel. Thus geo-spatial kinship has been used to consolidate the trust and altruistic relations in such a system. However, the problem is that, does this neoliberal migration pattern just be formed and performed from very beginning of the migration flow as it assumes? How does it evolve and how does it get to mature into its present dynamic structure? To answer, this paper uses author’s fieldwork data from Cambodia’s ethnic Chinese community as the case to establish an ethnic network system of social spacing, organizational life cycle and ethnic network utility based on the case of Chinese communities in Cambodia. The correlation between ethnic social spaces and social organizations is concluded to explain how various identity variations are utilized in the five different stages of an ethnically organized life cycle. It tracks back how diaspora communities and ethnic networks begin the process of self-organization among members starting at early stage of informal interest groups and transforming into substantialized, normalized, formalized and legalized registered ethnic organizations that have access to government resources, transnational networks, and the local ethnic community.

Company Life Cycle: Different Time, Different Tone

This paper examines how the qualitative characteristics of annual reports vary across different phases of the corporate life cycle. We measure the complexity, tone, and sentiment of 10-Ks, and classify firms into their distinct life cycle phases. Considering a sample of 24,268 firm-year observations from 2000–2014, we find that each of the life cycle indicators is a determinant of different textual characteristics. The results show that firms’ 10-K disclosures become less complex, less ambiguous, and more optimistic as they progress from the introduction to the maturity stage. Clarity and readability peak at the maturity level, prior to firms entering the final decline stage, characterized by the most negative and ambiguous disclosures. This paper provides timely evidence to regulators and investors on the circumstances under which firms provide qualitatively different disclosures and shows that the textual characteristics of firm disclosure are not static over life cycle stages.

THE IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT CONTROL SYSTEMS (MCS) ON ORGANIZATIONS PERFORMANCE A LITERATURE REVIEW

The impact of management control systems (MCS) on organizations performance empirical research has been the subject of numerous studies during the past decade in developed and emerging economies. In the contemporary competitive, complex and changing global business environment, firms are being challenged to adopt business models that enable them to address the strategic uncertainties and risks they face in their business environments. The main issue of this study is that management accounting researchers argue that one of the ways firms can continually rejuvenate themselves to survive and succeed in these complex and uncertain environments is to understand the role of management control systems in Formulating a business strategy in management control systems that yields a sustainable competitive advantage which in turn lead to enhance organizations performance. The purpose of this study is attempting to wading in the literature review related to The impact of management control systems on organizations performance based on 10 articles published in a wide variety of journals. 
 Discuss some methodological issues related to stage in the organizational life cycle and, finally, review the main results related to this topic and provide suggestions for future research Literatures indicate several factors that could possibly influence management control systems and organizations performance. It is worth highlighting the numerous factors as it is possible to conduct the proper orientation of influence of management control systems on performance.

MECHANISM OF FORMATION OF FINANCIAL SECURITY OF AN ENTERPRISE

The article deals with the definition of financial security. Factors of the formation of its mechanism are identified. The objects and subjects of formation of the mechanism of financial security are shown and the principles and functions of the mechanism of financial security are disclosed. The research of existing theoretical approaches for determination of necessary conceptual apparatus is carried out. The analysis of the issue of the mechanism of formation of financial security of an enterprise and the review of the studies of domestic scientists and practitioners have been conducted. Also the analysis of the aspects of the definition of the structure of the category and the issue of structuring are defined. The role of financial security as a component of the economic security of an enterprise has been studied. The review of the methodical tools for evaluating financial component existing on the micro level has been considered. The category of financial security as a level of provision of enterprises with financial resources to meet their own needs and execute existing liabilities as well as the resistance to internal and external negative influences, characterized by the balance and their ability to provide financial stability, effective functioning and economic growth have been considered. The economic content of the notion "mechanism of formation of financial security of an enterprise" is determined. "Financial and economic mechanism" as a combination of methods, and forms and a tool of exertion of influence on the economic and social stabilization of the enterprise through the state system support, which is founded on an institutional basis is considered. The analysis of the whole set of normative and legal acts, methods, measures, due to which the influence of the subject towards the object for creating security and countering threats is carried out. Investigated and taken into account are theoretical and practical processes of cyclic development of enterprises providing an opportunity for managers to make sound management decisions in the future. Models of behavior of the enterprise that determine its readiness for adaptation as well as models in the context of the company's life cycle are considered. Prospects for further research and issues that require consideration and development of real measures to counteract existing threats are highlighted.

The Open Innovation Model of Coaching Interaction in Organisations for Sustainable Performance within the Life Cycle

Organizations need innovation to be competitive and sustainable on their marketplace. Sustainable performance is an important precondition for growth and development. In spite of a body of literature, non-financial factors of sustainable performance remain an open issue. Coaching has gained considerable attention in the business world for its impact on sustainable performance. The current research investigates the use of coaching interaction to facilitate organizational sustainable growth and development in the context of Miller and Friesen’s five stage life-cycle model. The expert opinion survey is chosen as a central method of research. The questionnaire is developed on the literature review that is focused on the drivers for sustainable development throughout the life cycle, and the features of coaching that accelerate these driving forces. Fifteen experts took part in the survey conducted from November 2017 to January 2018. The results are estimated by considering the competence coefficient for each expert. The findings led to creation of an open innovation model, which displays relationships between the appropriate coaching forms and types and the organizational life cycle stages. The developed model enables choosing the optimal way of coaching delivery at any life cycle stage. This model is particularly valuable for the coaching support programs.

Leadership succession and the performance of nonprofit organizations: A fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis

Leadership succession is critical to the performance of nonprofit organizations. Existing research has mostly treated leadership succession as an instantaneous event, and it has examined the independent effects of certain factors on organizational performance. However, little research has focused on the combinations of causally relevant factors. This article integrated organizational life cycle, resource dependence, and institutional theories, as well as the organizational fit literature, to explain how contextual and strategic factors combine to affect postsuccession performance. A fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to analyze 15 succession events in Chinese environmental nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The study identified four pathways to good NGO performance after succession. It also highlighted that it is not succession per se but the succession context (i.e. founders' control, board governance, professionalization, and political environment) and the strategic orientations of the successor that affect postsuccession performance in nonprofit organizations.

SUSTAINABILITY OF DEVELOPMENT OF MERCHANT SHIPPING OF UKRAINE IN TERMS OF DIVERSIFICATION OF MARITIME TRADE MARKET

Topicality. Shipping is a global industry, and its prospects are closely linked to the level of economic activity in the world. A higher level of economic growth usually leads to higher output of industrial goods, which in turn stimulates imports and exports. In the conditions of globalization of economic relations, the complicated dynamics of the potential and results of the maritime trade market is formed. In this case, quantitative, qualitative and structural changes both in the industrial infrastructure as a whole, and within the separate subsystems are allocated. The dynamism of this process is becoming the most important factor in the development of maritime transport potential. Therefore, the article deals with the fundamental features of the required response to the set of changes in the global shipping industry.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to clarify the basic laws that determine the competitive directions of the development of commercial shipping in Ukraine in the context of the globalization of international relations, as well as to determine the prospects for the development of the maritime transport subsystem of Ukraine. It is important to identify rigid tendencies and new patterns of balanced and integrated development of the world transport industry and its regional, national and specialized subsystems.Research results. Strengthening and intensification of international integration processes puts a number of issues and problems before the Ukrainian economy. The presented article summarizes and substantiates the actual and important problem of the development of Ukraine's merchant fleet in the conditions of globalization of international relations, proposes a strategy for the formation of production potential for the competitive positioning of the marine transport complex of Ukraine, as well as scientific and practical recommendations for their implementation in the modern conditions of the country's economy.Conclusions. The modern structure of the world market of maritime transport services can be represented as a dynamically developed network of local markets, which intersect and / or do not overlap, whose boundaries form one or another segment of the market. Increasing the role of maritime enterprises in the system of maintaining the efficiency of the international division of labor leads to the emphasis on the national subsystems on the priority development of the fleet and ports. Solving the two-fold task - meeting the needs of the national economy and expanding the export of transport services forms, in the conditions of the availability of investment resources, the direction of development of enterprises of maritime transport. At the same time, the functions of the merchant fleet and ports are expanding and strategies for maintaining competitiveness within the active part of the company's life cycle are implemented, taking into account the uneven economic growth.

Facts and figures from road testing the guidance on organizational life cycle assessment

Organizational life cycle assessment (O-LCA) is an emerging method to analyze the inputs, outputs, and environmental impacts of an organization throughout its value chain. To facilitate the method’s application, the Guidance on Organizational Life Cycle Assessment was published within the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative and applied by 12 “road-testing” organizations. In this paper, different aspects of the road testers’ studies are displayed and analyzed according to the feedback of the road testers. An anonymous survey about the method application was conducted among the road testers. The analysis assessed, among others: (i) which goals the organizations initially pursued and their achievement; (ii) how previous experience with environmental tools contributed to the study design; (iii) which methodological options were chosen (like the scope of the study, data collection approaches, impact assessment methods and tools, and data sources); and (iv) which methodological challenges were faced. The survey showed that analytical goals were of priority for most road testers and obtained a higher achievement level than managerial and societal goals for which either long-term measures or the inclusion of stakeholders are needed. Previous experience with product- or organization-related tools considering the whole life cycle proves useful due to available data and/or organizational models. The categorization of organizational activities, data collection, data quality assessment, and interpretation proved being the most challenging methodological elements. In addition, three cross-cutting issues of method application were identified: aligning the O-LCA study to previous environmental activities, designing the study, and availability of personnel and software resources. The road-testing organizations verified the applicability and usefulness of the O-LCA Guidance and significantly widened the pool of case studies available. On the other hand, additional guidance for methodological challenges particular of the organizational level, the availability of software tools able to support O-LCA application, region-specific LCI databases, and a broadly recognized data quality assessment scheme would facilitate conducting O-LCA case studies.

From the organizational life-cycle to “ecocycle”: a configurational approach to strategic thinking

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to build on the configurational approach to strategic thinking – with the “écocycle” framework – to advance the understanding of the organizational life cycle. This integrative approach brings new insights into the dynamism of organizational life cycle.Design/methodology/approachThis framework builds on analysis of the literature on organizational life cycle and extensive consulting and teaching experience with business executives.FindingsThe framework highlights the complex and dynamic nature of thinking and decision making in organizations. It suggests a spectrum of multiple ways of thinking over time, as strategy changes to accommodate each organization’s challenging environment.Originality/valueThe “ecocycle” framework progresses the understanding of organizational life cycle, by incorporating the diverse factors and features into a more unified, holistic and synthetic approach. The framework challenges the linear sequential view of organizational life cycle, and suggests the process of strategy development is not comprised of independent forms or alternative choices, but rather different business practices of organizations aligned with different stages of the strategic thinking cycle.

Aligning business process maturity level with SMEs growth in Indonesian fashion industry

PurposeThis study aims to develop a business process maturity model, especially on operation processes, based on the characteristics of each organisational growth stage, to increase small and medium enterprises (SMEs) growth. With this information, SMEs can identify their needs and priorities for business process improvement based on the characteristics that are inherent in the organisation.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model was developed by reviewing the literature on previous studies related to the organisational life cycle and its characteristics, as well as a business process maturity model. Furthermore, historical case studies were conducted to validate the proposed model. Case study objects in this research were fashion industry companies that have grown from an SME scale to national level.FindingsThe results of this research indicate that the characteristics of each growth stage are different, which led to increased complexity and maturity of business processes run. Therefore, SMEs should pay attention to their growth stages, as a basis to improve their business process maturity, especially on the critical processes, which are evaluate products performance, design products and services and monitor sales. Through this model, SMEs can determine the business’ current growth stage and use the proposed model as guidance for business process improvement to accelerate organisational growth.Research limitations/implicationsValidation of the proposed model was done by conducting a historical case study. To generalise the model, it is recommended to survey similar industry and test quantitatively using statistical methods. However, further research can be used in other industries that might yield different results. Besides, this research can also be developed in the supporting process categories.Practical implicationsThis study provides a practical guide for SMEs to identify their current growth stage, and implement the measurement of business process maturity level. Maturity level standard at every growth stage can be used in determining the priority of business process improvement to drive organisational growth.Originality/valueThrough this research, the BPMM method was developed to enable SMEs to implement a self-evaluation process without seeking external assistance and assess their needs through a clear and understandable scale allowing for further development of the business. By using this method, SMEs can manage their business processes maturity level to encourage its growth.

An Organizational Life Cycle Approach to Exploring the Elite Sport Legacy of Summer Olympic Host Nations: The Cases of China (Beijing 2008) and Australia (Sydney 2000)

This paper investigates the elite sport legacies of hosting the Summer Olympics for China (Beijing 2008) and Australia (Sydney 2000). The classic organizational life cycle approach provides the conceptual framework for this retroductive study. The data for both cases are sourced from official publications, academic research, and documents from various government departments and organizations. Additional data are drawn from three semi-structured interviews with key Chinese stakeholders. The analysis provides clear evidence that governments and their stakeholders use the opportunities afforded by a home Olympics to boost Olympic performance. China and Australia experienced a similar four-phase pattern of elite sport legacy life cycle: start-up, growth, maintenance, and decline. Both countries also shared many similar policy and management factors throughout each stage. An increased awareness of the sequential nature of elite sport legacy can help Olympic host countries make a more informed decision about their long-term strategies for elite sport success.

Study of the relationship between social responsibility and life cycle of companies accepted in Tehran Stock Exchange

Study of the relationship between social responsibility and life cycle of companies accepted in Tehran Stock Exchange

Urban Social Movements and the Right to the City: An Introduction to the Special Issue on Urban Mobilization

This paper introduces the special issue and explains the diversity as well as common features of mobilization practices present in cities around the world. The paper starts with presenting the specificity and history of urban movements worldwide, as well as the development of ‘right to the city’ frame. Drawing on the existing literature, it focuses on presenting different forms of urban activism and interpretations of ‘right to the city’ slogan. This paper strives to fuse the framework of social movements as networks (Diani, in: Diani, McAdam (eds) Social movements and networks, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 299–318, 2003) of challengers (Gamson in The strategy of social protest, Wadsworth Publishing, Belmont, 1990) with the concepts of diffusion and translation of ideas, borrowed from Finnemore and Sikkink (Int Org 52(4):887–917, 1998). It also illustrates the application of the theoretical concepts of incumbents and challengers (Gamson 1990), organizational platform and norm life cycle (Finnemore and Sikkink 1998) as well as the development on movement networks within and between localities (Diani in The cement of civil society: studying networks in localities, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2015). The theoretical model helps to explain the rapid global spread of the notion of the ‘right to the city.’ The paper concludes with a discussion of the urban context, both ‘glocal’ and global, as an arena of social mobilization around different aspects of the ‘right to the city.’

Application Options of the Sustainable Child Development Index (SCDI)-Assessing the Status of Sustainable Development and Establishing Social Impact Pathways.

The needs of children and their vulnerability to diseases, violence and poverty are different from those of adults. The Sustainable Child Development Index (SCDI) was thus developed in previous work to evaluate the status of sustainable development for countries with a focus on children and triple-bottom-line thinking. This study proposes application options to put the SCDI into practice. The SCDI can be performed similarly to existing development indices, for comparing and tracing the performance of sustainable development on different geographic levels and between population groups. In addition, the SCDI can be integrated into existing social sustainability assessment approaches (e.g., Social Life Cycle Assessment and Social Organizational Life Cycle Assessment) and databases (e.g., The Social Hotspots Database) to take children into account and enhance impact assessment of social sustainability assessment approaches. As an exemplification, this study demonstrates the application of the SCDI framework to support the development of social impact pathways. Due to the importance of tertiary education in reducing poverty, a preliminary social impact pathway addressing completion of tertiary education was established. By putting the SCDI into practice, the SCDI can support decision making in child as well as sustainable development policies.

Bangladesh HR professionals’ competencies

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the HR roles of Bangladesh HR professionals in the public and private firms in Bangladesh using Human Resource Competency Study (HRCS) model (2016). The impact of identified HR competencies on firm performance and moderation of this relationship concerning different stages of organisation life cycle (OLC) is also explored.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative study uses the HRCS model (RBL, 2015) as its underpinning analytical framework, and explores the impact of identified HR competencies on firm performance and analyses whether this relationship is moderated by different OLC stages. The sample for this study consisted of 202 HR professionals from both public and private organisations in Bangladesh.FindingsResults confirmed that all the nine competencies of HRCS model were demonstrated by the HR professionals in Bangladesh. The “credible activist” competency achieved the top ranking and “paradox navigator competency” recorded the lowest. Minor variation in terms of levels of competencies was observed in the context of private and public firms. HR competencies positively impacted the firm performance and only the maturity and growth stages of a firm’s life cycle moderated this relationship.Originality/valueThere is a deficit of studies which have tested this relationship in terms of the moderating effects of OLC stages in the Asian developing country context. Focusing on this paucity of research concerning the transference of western human resource management models in developing economies and their resultant impact on firm performance, this is the first study set out to explore whether the most cited western HRCS model (RBL, 2015) is useful in understanding HR competencies in Bangladesh.

DOES POST-IPO M&A ACTIVITY AFFECT FIRMS’ PROFITABILITY AND SURVIVAL?

In this paper, we investigate the post-IPO operating performance of acquiring companies listed in the US in the period 1986–2008. We find that acquiring IPO firms delivers better operating returns when compared to non-acquiring IPO firms in the five years after the listing. This result holds controlling for both IPO and firm-specific characteristics. Furthermore, acquiring targets already listed on the stock exchange and running stock deals are associated with the improved operating performance. Finally, we find that acquisitions also affect the newly listed companies’ survival, reducing both the time to failure and the time to being acquired, which suggest a structural acceleration of the “natural” company lifecycle.

Strategic cost management, contingent factors and performance in services

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between contextual factors identified from contingency-based research, the extent of the use of strategic cost management (SCM) techniques and business performance in services. An empirical survey was conducted on a sample of 88 services in Greece. The analysis of the survey data indicates that the use of strategic cost management techniques in services can be considered quite satisfactory. By drawing on the grounds of contingency theory, five factors were identified as potentially exhibiting an emergent relationship with strategic cost management. The five factors are; (1) Perceived environmental uncertainty, (2) Structure, (3) Organizational life cycle stage, (4) Strategy and (5) Size. The survey revealed that SCM usage is positively affected by these five contingent factors, while SCM usage, in turn, positively affects performance. A significant mediating effect of SCM usage on performance is evident.

Pengaruh Struktur Modal Terhadap Kinerja Perusahaan Berdasarkan Siklus Hidup Perusahaan

This research aims to examine the effect of capital structure to the company's performance based on the life cycle. The population in this study are all manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) in 2011-2015. Sampling by using purposive sampling method, that is by grouping companies into life cycle stages based on the average sales growth. The sample in this study as many as 98 companies. This research uses secondary data that the financial statements of companies manufacturing the years 2011-2015 were obtained in the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The data used include sales, debt, equity, assets and profit after tax.Methods of data analysis using Descriptive Statistics, Clasiccal Assumption Test, Regression Methods, and Hypothesis Test consisted of t Test, F Test and Coefficient of Determinatio (R Square). The results showed that the capital structure at start up, growth, and mature have a significant positive effect on company performance. The capital structure at each stage of the company life cycle is different, the greater the capital structure then the company's performance is increasing. Keywords: Capital Structure, Company Performance, Company Life Cycle, manufactur

The need for requisite variety to support growth: an organizational life cycle perspective

PurposeDrawing on the “Giffoni Experience” case study, the purpose of this paper is to establish a conceptual link between requisite variety and organizational life cycle. The law of requisite variety states that – to be viable – a system should be able to achieve the minimum number of states which are required to deal with environmental uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive case study approach was taken, which allowed a holistic analysis of the subject being investigated. Multiple sources and different techniques were used to collect relevant data, including: document analysis, unstructured interviews with key informants, and participant observation.FindingsThe development of requisite variety is intended to fill the gap between organizational adaptability and increased environmental complexity. The process of requisite variety generation is influenced by the organizational life cycle stages, turning out to be reactive in the early phases of life and proactive in the maturity ones. Ultimately, the development of requisite variety makes the organization able to establish a co-evolving relationship with the environment, which paves the way for greater organizational adaptability and effectiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThe research findings are not generalizable; besides, the exploratory nature of this study did not allow to point out a consistent relationship between requisite variety and the organizational life cycle.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first attempts to examine requisite variety adopting the conceptual lenses of organizational life cycle. Empirical research works dealing with requisite variety are uncommon and generally overlooked by management scholars and practitioners.