Organizational Customer Research Articles

The WCO’s Impact to Date and Lessons Learned: The Road From Columbus to Competency

Customs was one of the six areas highlighted for improvement by the United Nations International Symposium on Trade Efficiency, which was held in Columbus, Ohio, in 1994. A review by the World Customs Organization (WCO) of their training for members led to the start of a Customs Reform and Modernisation program in 1994. In 2005 an informal strategy set the scene for (a) the development of professional standards, (b) the International Network of Customs Universities and (c) the World Customs Journal. In 2008 the WCO published the first Partnerships in Customs Academic Research and Development (PICARD) standards and in 2017 the European Commission published the European Union (EU) Customs Competency Framework for operational and management development in the customs profession. The road from the Columbus Declaration in 1994 has been long and difficult. The perseverance of many has addressed the need for managerial skills, knowledge and capacity to a point where the customs profession is better now than 25 years ago.

Implementing an Innovation Strategy in WCO; Responding to Disruptive Events

Innovation is how organisations develop solutions to meet new challenges. The task involves recombining existing and new elements and capabilities to serve a new objective, frequently in new and evolving contexts. While recognising and acknowledging the work done by the World Customs Organization (WCO) in setting international standards, fostering international cooperation, and delivering capacity building, this article argues that new contexts and new opportunities frequently arise from crisis scenarios. The context for international organisations has been evolving in recent years, and COVID-19 could be an accelerator of these changes. The WCO, like many other international organisations, faces new challenges in an environment of uncertainty, and the way to stay relevant is through innovation. This article proposes a set of practical tools and steps towards implementing innovation processes in the WCO that can result in the creation of value for its Members and the Secretariat.

The World Customs Organization as a Knowledge-Based Organisation

The world of international organisations may soon be different from the one that we now know. Knowledge management is an appropriate driver of such a transition because it provides a process-based method to support a shift towards a knowledge economy. This article explores the nature of the World Customs Organization (WCO) as a knowledge-based organisation. It analyses how the WCO has embraced knowledge management by embedding knowledge fostering, knowledge co-creation and knowledge sharing into its processes, programs and activities. This article then argues that the WCO has paved the way to leverage customs knowledge into action and should extend its tools and practices in a transformation from a knowledge-based organisation towards a knowledge organisation.

Managing Customs Risk and Compliance: An Integrated Approach

This article introduces a contemporary framework for managing compliance in the customs context that fully integrates the principal elements of customs risk and compliance management. In doing so, it explores the manifold resources that have been developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and other parties that may be used by administrations to support implementation of the framework. The integrated model draws together the author’s contribution to the literature over several years and provides practitioners with a logical and inclusive methodology for managing compliance at a strategic or operational level.

Effect of Control Functions on the Financial Performance of Saccos in Meru County

Purpose: To examine the effect of control functions on the financial performance of Saccos in Meru County.Methodology: The study adopted a cross-sectional mixed design method. The study targeted a sample size of 96 respondents arrived by multiplying 4 respondents in the 24 Saccos as a basis of analysis who were operation managers, senior risk managers, internal auditors and accountants in the 24 Saccos selected Saccos in Meru County. Data was collected through use of closed-ended questionnaires and the output presented descriptively by use of mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics such as correlation coefficient β, coefficients of determination R and P-values was used from a multiple regression equation to measure the direction, strength and significance of the relationship between control activities and financial performance of Saccos. ANOVA was utilized to verify the goodness of fit of the model.Results: The study indicated that there was significant relationship between control functions and financial performance of Saccos in Meru County.Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study contributed uniquely that there was a positive effect of control functions on the financial performance of Sacco banks in Meru County. The control functions should be readily available and continually updated by Sacco managers as they are the heart of the Saccos. If the functions are not working then it means the operations will eventually be paralyzed. This can be achieved by ensuring the guiding policies and guidelines are always available at the disposal of the user. Reviews should also be done regularly by Sacco regulators such as SASRA so as to ensure they are not outdated and to match the changing needs of the market and functional requirements. It is also recommended that physical control should always be done by operations heads in Saccos to avoid laxity from the operations. The approach of contingency theory to the study explained how the design and function of organizations are affected by conditional factors such as technology, organization customs, and the external environments. Different organizations have different organizational structure and their effectiveness is determined by a blend of the right type of organizational structure, organization size, environmental volatility, and technology. When the functions are well controlled by Sacco boards, updated performance of the entire system is enhanced.

FOREIGN EXPERIENCE IN THE APPLICATION OF CUSTOMS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Purpose. The aim of the article is research of foreign approaches to the formation and functioning of information technology in the field of customs. Methodology of research. The theoretical basis of the study is international regulations, scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists on the functioning of customs information technologies, official websites of customs administrations. The main results of the study are obtained through the use of a dialectical method of cognition of phenomena that have a legal and economic nature and relate to approaches to the use of information technology in the implementation of customs procedures. In addition, such research methods are used as: analysis and synthesis – when reviewing the latest trends in research; abstract and logical – to form conclusions from the study. Findings. The main advantages of the use of customs information technologies in the field of state customs are outlined. The main provisions of international normative legal and instructive acts are analysed. The example of Singapore and the United States reveals the evolution and functioning of IT systems in the activities of customs services. It is concluded that the focus of Singapore's customs information systems on the simplification of foreign economic activity, in contrast to the US Customs and Border Service, where security accents of IT systems prevail. Originality. The study of foreign experience in the formation and functioning of customs information technologies is further developed, in particular, the recommendations of the World Customs Organization in this area are analysed and the main directions of development of customs information technologies are outlined on the example of Singapore and the USA. Practical value. The obtained results of the research can be used in the practical activity of the divisions of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, the competence of which includes the issues of introduction and practical use of customs information technologies. Key words: customs service, information technologies, customs risks, TradeNet system, World Customs Organization, Kyoto Convention, security, customs procedures.

Value Analysis of Work Processes in Complex Care Management

This pilot study sought to understand the safety and health effects of evolving organizational practices, work pressures and demands of serving patients with complex medical and social needs within a Medicaid ACO by healthcare workers assigned to deliver a CCM intervention. Due to the lack of research with community health workers (CHWs), this analysis focuses on work processes employed by CHWs and nurses (RNs) in CCM. The goal of this analysis is to describe and analyze the work processes of healthcare workers within the Medicaid ACO landscape through field observations and coding of qualitative interviews. This analysis draws from the Value Profit Chain (Heskett, Sasser & Schlesinger, 2003) to understand how value-added and non-value-added work processes impact CCM employees and patients. In doing so, this analysis draws theoretical implications to understand value for both internal and external customers of healthcare organizations.

The Impact of Customer Feedback on Organizational Health when Employee Empowerment works as a moderator: Evidence from Pakistani Fast Food Industry

Organizational health is a modern and wide-ranging phenomenon that essential to endure long term achievements of an organization. The main objective of the current research study, to examine the effects of customer feedback on organizational health when employee empowerment works as a moderator. For this significant purpose, data was collected by respondents via using five Point Likert-scale techniques. The current research study has taken 750 total sample size from population to do expose hide phenomenon. We have used Factor Wise Reliability approach to test questions reliability; Descriptive Statistics verified whether data normalized or not; Pearson correlation to check the variables association-ship; Multiple linear regression technique to quantify per-point and overall fraction between dependent and independent variables; and finally linear regression moderation equation also conclude in methodological part for examines the moderation effect. The result indicates that Customer Feedback and organizational health both have been positively associated with each other. Besides, employees empowerment makes more strengthen the relationship of customer feedback and organizational health. In the light of outcome of current study, the manager should be aware about employees empowerment and customer feedback that are an order to sustain old customers and attract new customers for the Fast Food Industry. This research study has released new and different path for empirical investigation among organizational health, customer feedback and employees empowerment.

Linking Social Capital, Knowledge Sharing/Conversion, and Organizational Performance in a Customer Service Organization

This study attempts to examine the importance of social capital in customer service organizations and clarifies how translates into organizational performance through knowledge management activities. A survey was conducted with the customer service employees, and 256 questionnaires were used for an empirical analysis with smart partial least squares (PLS). The analysis found that relational capital had a positive effect on both the knowledge management components of knowledge sharing and knowledge conversion, while structural capital significantly influenced knowledge sharing. In addition, human capital positively affected knowledge conversion. Both knowledge sharing and knowledge conversion significantly influenced organizational performance. This study proposed a conceptual framework of social capital that influences organizational performance mediated by an organization’s knowledge management activities. Based on the results, we suggest practical guidelines for managing social capital and recommend areas of improvement for customer organization’s managers and employees.

RESEARCH TRENDS IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING FIELD: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Software engineering is one of computer science branches, it comprises of building and developing software systems and applications. Software engineering is a discipline that has a constant growth in research in aim to identify new technologies and adopt it in different areas; there is a considerable investment on software engineering trends at the current time due to the availability of mobile technologies. With millions of billions of smart devices that are connected to the internet, all industries around the world are rapidly becoming a technology driven industries. Software engineers are aware of programming languages that are employed to develop software systems, by applying engineering principles to development process; they can design customized software systems for individual or organizational customers. The new trends in software engineering are numerous, Cloud Computing, machine learning, deep learning, big Data, mobile Computing. Nevertheless, there are many more other research trends in software engineering's field that have been intensively explored and implemented in many different industries. In this paper, authors try to summarize the most fields that are integrated with software engineering recently.

RESEARCH TRENDS IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING FIELD: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Software engineering is one of computer science branches, it comprises of building and developing software systems and applications. Software engineering is a discipline that has a constant growth in research in aim to identify new technologies and adopt it in different areas; there is a considerable investment on software engineering trends at the current time due to the availability of mobile technologies. With millions of billions of smart devices that are connected to the internet, all industries around the world are rapidly becoming a technology driven industries.
 Software engineers are aware of programming languages that are employed to develop software systems, by applying engineering principles to development process; they can design customized software systems for individual or organizational customers. The new trends in software engineering are numerous, Cloud Computing, machine learning, deep learning, big Data, mobile Computing. Nevertheless, there are many more other research trends in software engineering's field that have been intensively explored and implemented in many different industries. In this paper, authors try to summarize the most fields that are integrated with software engineering recently.

ПОДГОТОВКА И ПРОВЕДЕНИЕ СПЕЦИАЛЬНОЙ ОЦЕНКИ УСЛОВИЙ ТРУДА: МНЕНИЯ УЧАСТНИКОВ И РЕКОМЕНДАЦИИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯМ-ЗАКАЗЧИКАМ

Special assessment of working conditions (SAWС) is a set of measures to identify harmful and (or) dangerous factors of the production environment and the labor process and assess the level of their impact on the employee. SAWС is regulated by the law of the Russian Federation and is mandatory for employers organizations. The current rules have been applied in practice relatively recently, since 2014. Despite a lot of comments on the legal aspects of SAWС, there is little research on the subjective perception of customers and performers of problems related to special assessment. The article presents some of the results of a survey of experts who conduct SAWС and representatives of customer organizations. The difficulties and reasons for dissatisfaction arising during the SAWС are identified, which relate to the choice of the contractor, the interest and involvement of customers, and compliance with procedures and deadlines by both parties. Based on the results of the survey and regulatory documents, step-by-step recommendations were developed and presented to help customer organizations. Recommendations contain a list of common errors that should be avoided. They will allow you to properly prepare and conduct all the stages of the SAWС, starting from the formation of the Commission to the application of the results.

Perceived organizational customer orientation and frontline employees' innovative behaviors: exploring the role of empowerment and supervisory fairness

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine the indirect effect of perceived organizational customer orientation on frontline employees' (FLE) innovative behaviors (via perceived empowerment) as well as the contextual factor of supervisory fairness, which affects the strength of the indirect effect. Drawing on social exchange theory, the authors propose that FLEs' perceived organizational customer orientation positively affects their empowerment and indirectly affects innovative behaviors, and that effect is stronger in a high supervisory fairness condition.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling of the data collected through a time-lagged survey of 184 employee–supervisor dyads provides support for the hypotheses. From the practitioners' perspective, this study highlights the mechanism through which perceived organizational customer orientation can affect the display of FLEs' innovative behaviors as well as the conditions that strengthen this process.FindingsPerceived organizational customer orientation was positively related to employees' perceived empowerment. Empowerment was positively associated with supervisor-reported innovative behaviors. The indirect effect of perceived organizational customer orientation through employee empowerment on supervisor-reported innovative behaviors was also confirmed. Supervisory fairness significantly moderated the perceived organizational customer orientation and employee empowerment relationship. Finally, the indirect effect of customer orientation on supervisor-reported innovative behaviors through empowerment was significant for both high supervisory fairness and low supervisory fairness; however, the effect was stronger in a high fairness condition.Practical implicationsService managers can benefit from these findings by improving the work environment characteristics.Originality/valueThis study makes an important contribution to existing research on perceived organizational customer orientation and FLEs' innovative behaviors as extant research has only examined the direct unmediated effect of customer orientation on innovative behaviors. Moreover, the authors’ moderated mediation model presents a new insight into how perceived organizational customer orientation influences FLEs' innovative behaviors and when this effect is more pronounced.

How to Take Advantage of Trade Facilitation in Vietnam: A Case Study of Vietnam’s Logistics Firms

Inspired by the theme of the World Customs Organization and its conclusion that ‘Trade facilitation initiatives and intergovernmental schemes of customs community have been providing logistics enterprises with many opportunities to join effectively and profitably in the integrated supply chains all over the world’, this analysis focuses on Vietnam Customs creation of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status. It aims to enhance global trade security and foster business competitiveness, promoting greater success in international trade and business. However, Vietnam’s logistics companies cannot readily benefit from the AEO program because they cannot meet the AEO criteria of high exports and imports volume (for Vietnamese traders) as well as a huge number of customs declarations (for Vietnamese customs brokers). Obviously, no Vietnamese logistics company has been granted AEO status since the beginning of AEO program. Shining a light on this, we can explore the reality of why Vietnamese logistics companies really have not benefitted from the current AEO program.

Customs Value and Transfer Pricing: WCO and ICC Solutions to Be Adopted by Customs Authorities

Intercompany transactions represent nowadays more than 60% of the total market. Businesses dealing with cross-border trade need to comply with the Transfer Pricing (TP) rules for income tax purposes and are obliged to reconcile transfer pricing adjustment with customs value. Such a reconciliation under the traditional customs approach is really burdensome. Just recently, World Customs Organization (WCO) took note of this issue and invited all customs authorities to apply the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) solutions to ease the customs relation and speed the international trade. The modern approach implies to integrate the TP documentation with a customs dedicated section, establish a transparent discussion with the customs offices and finalize an agreement. It will be the best way to set an effective TP/customs procedure, in any country impacted by the application of the TP policy, to apply the best reconciliation mitigating the administrative costs and neutralizing any risk of sanction in the global marketplace.

항공사 승무원의 교육 훈련 효과성에 대한 메타연구

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationships among variables related to the training and training of airline crews by conducting meta-analysis based on a number of empirical studies related to the effects of training and training for airline crew. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, collection of journal articles published in Korea was conducted by January 2019, and coding was performed with 54 subgroup statistics from 12 domestic journals. Meta-analysis was performed on the coded data through the CMA 3.0 program. The main results revealed in this study are as follows. First, the overall average effect size (Hedge's g) related to education and training of airline crews was 0.413, showing a result between small or medium effect sizes. Second, the effect size among the dependent variables of the study related to education and training of airline crews was in order of customer orientation, personal orientation, and organization orientation. Third, the result of analysis according to the type of training of airline crew showed that safety training was more effective than service training. Based on the results of the meta-analysis, the implications of the study were derived.

Getting closer by increasing distance: the dynamics of value creation spheres in health care logistics

Purpose This paper aims to explore the dynamics of value co-creation in the context of health care logistics by focusing on the change in the value creation spheres of a logistics service provider and its customer organization. Design/methodology/approach The development of value co-creation between the two organizations was researched through a qualitative case study that focuses on a situation wherein the hospital’s central warehouse was moved to a more distant location. Data consist of the interviews and focus group discussions of both nursing staff and logistics managers before and after the change. The empirical results are reflected to service and value co-creation literature as well as to existing knowledge about health care logistics. Findings The new situation compelled the counterparts to plan more structured logistics service procedures, as there was no longer any possibility for nursing staff to pick up urgently needed items from the central warehouse. This strengthened the role of the joint value creation sphere and made it more visible during the change. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to the evolving research on health care logistics and connects it to timely service value discussion. This paper proposes that as the physical distance of service facilities increases, the joint co-creation sphere, interestingly, gets widened during the change. Practical implications Managerially, the study provides implications for how to develop health-care material logistics to provide more value for both the logistics service providers and their customers. Social implications Understanding value co-creation in health care logistics services supports care organizations in developing their processes toward better care for the patients. Thus, health care logistics research facilitates societies and health-care systems to reach their goals in terms of better service and lower costs. Originality/value This study presents an up-to-date example of value co-creation in the scarcely researched context of health care logistics.

항공사 승무원의 내재적·외재적 직업선택 동기가 조직애착 및 고객지향성에 미치는 영향

본 연구는 항공사 승무원의 직업선택의 동기, 조직애착 및 고객지향성에 대한 실증적인 연구로써 승무원의 내재적·외재적 직업선택의 동기가 조직애착 및 고객지향성에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 분석하고 조직애착과 고객지향성간의 인과관계에 대해 살펴보았다. 직업선택의 동기로는 내재적 동기와 외재적 동기로 나누었다. 그리고 조직애착과 고객지향성 인과관계를 분석하기 위해 조절변수로 전공과 지원횟수에 대한 속성을 도출하고 가설을 설정하였다. 2019년 7월부터 10월까지 국내항공사에서 6개월 이상 근무하는 객실승무원 227명을 대상으로 실시하였고, 202명을 선정하였다. 통계 프로그램으로는 SPSS 21.0과 AMOS 21.0을 이용하여 집단의 특성을 정리하였다. 분석 결과, 외재적 동기 요소인 급여를 제외하고 적성, 자아실현 및 자기 성장, 복지, 해외경험, 외부의 인정은 조직 애착을 통해서 고객지향성을 높였고 자아실현 및 자기성장, 해외경험은 고객지향성에 직접적인 영향을 주었다. 또한 직업선택 동기와 조직애착 간의 인과관계에서 조절변수로 사용된 전공과 지원횟수에 따른 차이를 분석한 결과, 항공 관련 전공자들이 비전공자에 비해 적성에 유의한 결과를 나타냈다. 이 연구는 항공사 승무원의 직업선택 동기를 내재적 · 외재적 동기를 구분하여 구체적 동기요인을 규명하였고 이를 바탕으로 조직애착과 고객지향성의 인과관계에 대해 검증하였다. 따라서 본 연구는 향후 항공사가 선별된 우수한 인재를 채용함으로써 효율적인 조직운영과 기업의 이익을 위한 경영성과의 방향성을 제시할 것으로 기대한다.

Customs control organization: european experience

The article presents the result of theoretical substantiation of the importance of customs control of foreign economic activity and the development of practical recommendations on its improvement and efficiency improvement in Ukraine. It has been determined that in the EU countries for the identification and development of risk factors in the customs sphere, the basic role is played by electronic systems and services, which should improve the quality of the customs authorities in the EU, in particular, ensure the effectiveness of customs control and its preventive component. It is established that the modern imperative for the implementation of customs control is the development of a new customs IT infrastructure, without which its effectiveness in modern conditions is significantly reduced. The state of institutional support for the development of customs control in Ukraine is analyzed, the main problems and ways of increasing the effectiveness of customs control in the system of public administration of foreign economic activity are outlined. For the first time, a step-by-step adaptation model of the Customs Blueprints implementation of the Customs Blueprints has been formed on the basis of the systematization of foreign and domestic experience in the institutional support of customs control of the FEA subjects. baselines, mandatory steps and urgent measures to be implemented in customs control practice in Ukraine to form a favorable institutional environment in legal, organizational and information technology areas through the introduction of the practice of customs rules and procedures of the riskbased customs audit in conditions of complete digitalization of customs formalities It was established that the system of customs security of Ukraine should be determined taking into account the international experience of the leading countries of the world. It was stated that the basic imperative of the implementation of customs control in the world fiscal practice is the maximum simplification of customs control procedures. This is due to the desire of governments to accelerate international trade, which will have a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the state.

Abusive supervision and frontline employees’ attitudinal outcomes

PurposeThis study aims to examine a moderated mediation model that explains how abusive supervision influences employees’ capacity to satisfy customers (via their silence behavior) and how a customer-oriented work climate moderates the indirect influence of abusive supervision on frontline employees’ (FLEs) capacity to satisfy customers.Design/methodology/approachA time-lagged design was used to collect data from 335 FLEs of 57 hospitality organizations. A multilevel analysis was performed to test the hypotheses underpinning the study.FindingsThe findings revealed that employees are more likely to remain silent when they experience abusive supervision and this silence directly affects their ability to serve customers. The effect that abusive supervision has on silence behaviors is stronger when organizational customer orientation is low.Practical implicationsThe study findings can provide hospitality managers with a better understanding of the complex relationship between supervisory behaviors and the organizational environment and how these factors influence employees’ discretionary behaviors (e.g. decision to intentionally withhold information) and capacity to serve customers.Originality/valueThe findings provide a novel contribution by explaining how abusive supervision affects hospitality employees’ capacity to serve customers and when this effect is more pronounced. These findings highlight that hospitality organizations need to understand that when leader behavior does not align with what is prescribed for a customer-oriented service climate, the benefits of a favorable work climate do not exist.