Key Performance Drivers Research Articles

Information sharing's impact on supply chain management, logistics, and organizational performance

This study investigates the relationships between supply chain management (SCM), logistics capability, information sharing, and organisational performance. Data was collected from 120 respondents in [industry/sector] using a quantitative research approach. The results of the analysis indicate that SCM, logistics capability, and information sharing are all positively and significantly related to organisational performance. Effective SCM practices, including integration, collaboration, and strategic planning, are essential for driving organisational success. Logistics capability, including delivery speed, dependability, and flexibility, is crucial in improving customer satisfaction and overall efficiency. Information sharing is a critical enabler of effective SCM and organisational performance, fostering collaboration, decision-making, and innovation. The study also found that demographic factors (gender, age, education) had limited impact on the relationships between the constructs. This suggests that the findings are generally applicable across different demographic segments. Overall, this study's findings highlight the importance of effective SCM, logistics capability, and information sharing as key drivers of organisational performance. Organisations prioritising these factors are more likely to achieve sustainable success in today's competitive business environment.

Exploring the relationship of green HRM practices with sustainable performance: the mediating effect of green innovation

PurposeThis research has presented a paradigm model to explore the interrelationships among green human resource management practices, green innovation and sustainable performance, demonstrating its suitability within Vietnam's hospitality sector.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a mixed-method approach, detailing the collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data. In-depth interviews were carried out to examine various aspects of green human resource management practices. Following this, PLS-SEM statistical techniques were applied to survey responses to test the proposed hypotheses (N = 574).FindingsThis study identified several less common green human resource management practices, such as green job descriptions and analysis, green performance management, green health and safety, green involvement and empowerment and green discipline management that enhance green innovation and sustainable performance. Notably, the study highlighted the significant impact of green discipline management on green innovation and sustainable performance in the Vietnamese context.Practical implicationsThe study emphasizes that hotel managers in Vietnam should recognize the crucial role of green innovation in effectively implementing green initiatives, as it is a key driver of sustainable performance in hotels.Originality/valueThis study developed a unique framework highlighting green innovation's mediating role. It demonstrates the relationships between green HR practices and environmental, economic and social performance, offering practical insights for hotel and business managers.

Evaluating Key Drivers of Green Logistics Performance During Economic Growth in African Countries

Evaluating Key Drivers of Green Logistics Performance During Economic Growth in African Countries

The role of digital orientation and strategic emphasis in creating brand competitiveness

Although Brand Competitiveness (BC) has emerged as a key driver of brand performance, literature offers limited insights on how firms can improve and sustain BC. To uncover important antecedents of BC, we build on the resource-based theory and argue that Digital Orientation (DO), a key strategic orientation of modern businesses in an increasingly digital landscape, enhances BC and that a strategic emphasis on value creation strengthens the relationship between DO and BC. Using a novel database compiled from multiple sources and employing techniques like natural language processing, we find support for both of our predictions.

The Quantitative Relationship Between HRM Practices and Academic Performance in Saudi Public Universities

Objective: This study aims to explore the impact of organizational factors, including employee engagement, selection procedures, training, and work-life balance policies, on academic performance in Saudi Public Universities. It further investigates the mediating role of employee commitment in these relationships. Method: A quantitative methodology was employed, gathering data from 103 academic employees across various Saudi Public Universities through a structured questionnaire. The data was subsequently analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS software to assess the direct and mediating effects of the organizational factors on academic performance. Research Findings and Discussions: The analysis revealed significant direct effects of employee engagement and training on academic performance. Employee engagement also significantly influenced employee commitment. However, employee commitment did not demonstrate a significant mediating effect in the relationship between organizational practices and academic performance. These findings highlight the critical roles of employee engagement and training in enhancing academic outcomes within the context of Saudi Public Universities. Research Implications: The study underscores the importance of focusing on employee engagement and training as key drivers of academic performance. The lack of significant mediation by employee commitment suggests that the direct effects of organizational practices on academic performance are more pronounced and may not necessarily rely on enhanced commitment levels. These insights are crucial for university administrators aiming to optimize organizational strategies for improved academic results. Originality/Value: This research contributes to the existing literature by delineating the direct influences of specific organizational factors on academic performance, particularly within the unique setting of Saudi Public Universities. It challenges the assumed pivotal mediating role of employee commitment, offering a new perspective on optimizing organizational practices for academic enhancement in this region.

Leadership styles and sustainable performance

Leadership styles play a critical role in influencing sustainable performance and shaping organizational dynamics. A nuanced understanding of different leadership styles may have distinct impacts on the long-term success of performance to ensure organizational sustainability. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the trends of leadership styles and sustainable performance through a bibliometric analysis to provide valuable insights into the scholarly landscape surrounding this critical intersection. Using data from the Scopus scientific database for the period between 2010 and 2024, 106 relevant documents are found and visualized via the Vosviewer software to represent the relationships and patterns within the data. The main results found four thematic clusters: (1) red cluster is focuses on authentic leadership, sustainable leadership, knowledge management, sustainable development, and sustainable performance, (2) green cluster is related to organizational culture, job satisfaction, and innovation, (3) blue cluster is associated with transformational leadership, transactional leadership, organizational commitment, and corporate social responsibility, (4) yellow cluster is connected to servant leadership, organizational citizenship behavior, and employee performance. In all clusters, the bibliometric review indicates a robust connection between leadership styles (i.e., authentic leadership, sustainable leadership, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and servant leadership) and sustainable performance. Comparing to another style of leadership, the finding further highlights the prevalence of transformational leadership as a key driver of sustainable performance.

Unethical Behaviour and Corporate Performance in University System: A study of Nigerian Private Universities

The study investigated whether there exists a relationship between unethical behaviour and corporate performance in the university system, and hence determined the impact of unethical behavior on corporate performance in the Nigerian university system with private universities as reference. A survey design was employed with a questionnaire instrument administered to 250 university staff drawn from four private universities in South-west, Nigeria, using a combination of purposive and random sampling techniques. The response data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential analysis. The descriptive analysis showed that unethical behaviour exists in Nigerian private universities. A multivariate Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was used for the inferential analysis and to specify the relationships among the construct variables in the study. The bootstrapping technique of the PLS-SEM was used to estimate the parameters in the model, with the aid of the Smart-3 software. The result of the factor loadings, reliability test, convergent and discriminant validity revealed that the construct variables are fit for the PLS-SEM. The path analysis revealed that financial malpractices are a major unethical behavior affecting corporate performance adversely. Furthermore, unethical behaviours from university staff and university administration have significant negative influence on corporate performance. The study concludes that unethical behaviour is a key driver of poor corporate performance in the Nigerian university system. Therefore, it is recommended that policy makers in the university should adopt a holistic approach to ethical management that is oriented toward zero tolerance for unethical behavior in the university system

Trust (in)congruence, open innovation, and circular economy performance: Polynomial regression and response surface analyses

Engaging partner firms in open innovation is critical to overcoming internal resource/capability constraints to achieve firm and supply chain circular economy (CE) performance, yet scholars have not examined this link empirically. Further, while researchers have repeatedly emphasized trust as a key driver of open innovation performance, little is known from a dyadic trust perspective (e.g., congruence vs. incongruence, high–high congruence vs. low–low congruence). To fill these gaps, we propose a theoretical model based on the social exchange theory (SET) and test it using a dyadic dataset of listed Chinese manufacturing firms. The results suggest that 1) rather than unilateral trust from the focal firm or its partners, trust congruence is more predictive of successful open process and product innovations, 2) regarding congruence types (low–low vs. high–high), congruence at higher levels of trust facilitates open product innovation more than low–low trust congruence; interestingly, such an effect is not significant for open process innovation, 3) open process innovation has a positive influence on the focal firm's CE performance, but its impact on supply chain CE performance is not statistically significant, and 4) open product innovation has a significantly positive impact on the focal firm and supply chain CE performance. Our findings still hold after analyzing time-lagged models and alternative measurements as robustness checks. Our study provides meaningful theoretical contributions to the literature and useful, practical insights for managing inter-organizational relationships, open innovation, and CE performance.

Executive Compensation and Firms’ Financial Performance: Analytical Approach in Nigeria

This study ascertained the relationship that exists between executive compensation and firms’ financial performance in Nigeria. The data for the study was gathered form the annual reports and accounts of companies quoted on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange for a period of nine years ranging from 2014 to 2022. From the regression result conducted it was found that Executive compensation had a positive relationship with firm performance when proxied using returns on equity and return on asset. It is however negatively related with Tobin’s Q Firm size had a positive relationship with return on asset, Tobin’s and return on equity; Board independence had a negative impact on firm performance (return on asset and return on equity) for the measures of performance but was positively related with Tobin’s Q. Leverage was found to exhibit a negative relationship with firm performance. Leverage had a negative relationship with firm performance (return on equity and Tobin’s Q). Therefore, it is recommended that executive compensation is a vital element that should not be undermined in an organization due to the fact that it has been established from the analysis carried out that this variable is a key driver of financial performance in organizations. Keywords: Executive compensation, firm performance, Firm size, Leverage, and board Independence

Intellectual capital: A key driver of financial performance in the Macedonian banking industry

Research Question: How does intellectual capital, measured by the Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC) and its components, influence the financial performance of banks in North Macedonia? Motivation: In the evolving landscape of the banking sector, understanding the impact of intellectual capital on financial performance is crucial. This study builds upon existing research (Appuhami, 2007; Ozkan et al., 2017; Joshi et al., 2013) to explore this relationship in the specific context of North Macedonia. It addresses the research gap by using the VAIC model to quantify intellectual capital and examines its effect on Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE). Idea: The research employs linear regression models to analyze the effect of intellectual capital, as measured by VAIC and its components, on the financial performance indicators ROA and ROE in Macedonian banks. Data: The study analyzes a decade of data (2012-2021) from ten Macedonian banks, using the VAIC model to measure intellectual capital. Tools: The study utilizes linear regression analyses with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to examine the relationship between intellectual capital and financial performance. Findings: The study finds a significant and positive impact of VAIC and its components on both ROA and ROE. These results underscore the importance of intellectual capital in enhancing financial performance in the banking sector. Notably, the study reveals a high average VAIC value among Macedonian banks, indicating their substantial intellectual capability. Contribution: This research adds to the literature by elucidating the relationship between intellectual capital, measured through VAIC, and financial performance in the banking sector of North Macedonia.

The Impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic on Employee Engagement and Performance: A Case Study of MTN Nigeria Telecommunications Limited

The covid-19 pandemic has brought an unprecedented impact on employee engagement and performance. The changing workplace environment has triggered psychological pressure and uncertainty and caused negative consequences for employees. In light of this unplanned situation that affect employees and the predictive closed relationship between employee engagement and performance, this study was developed to identify the key drivers of staff engagement and performance and its impact on organizational performance in the current context. The literature review showed different ways that researchers, organizations, and scholars perceive employee engagement. Several models and theories explained the concept of Employee engagement and performance and provided a context that directs the impact of COVID-19 on staff engagement and performance. The primary source of data collection was the online questionnaire. A random sampling of 339 staff was selected from a population of 1,700 employees in the different departments in MTN Nigeria out of which 306 respondents provided their feedback and this constituted the sample size while no response from 33 employees. Five hypotheses were formulated, and a conclusion was drawn from them. The calculation and analysis were obtained using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to get the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient while regression analysis was used to analyse the stated hypotheses. The result summary was analyzed considering the key objectives, it was evident that the majority of the employees felt alienated and disengaged due to the prolonged work-from-home, no informal meetings and socializations even though they still felt engaged while working for the organization.

CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCIAL ANALYTICS FOR STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS, FOCUSING ON ASSESSING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND MANAGING RISKS IN SATELLITE PROJECTS

Conceptual development and financial analytics are critical components of strategic decision-making in the telecommunications industry, particularly in assessing investment opportunities and managing risks in satellite projects. This Review provides an overview of the key concepts and approaches used in this context. In the telecommunications sector, especially in satellite projects, conceptual development involves the creation and refinement of strategic plans and objectives. This process includes identifying market opportunities, defining project goals, and developing strategies to achieve them. Financial analytics, on the other hand, involves the use of financial data and models to evaluate the financial viability of investment opportunities and assess the potential risks. One of the key challenges in conceptual development and financial analytics for satellite projects is the complexity and uncertainty inherent in the telecommunications industry. Satellite projects often require significant upfront investment and have long lead times, making it essential to carefully evaluate the financial and strategic implications of such investments. To address these challenges, telecommunications companies use a range of tools and approaches. These include financial modeling, scenario analysis, and risk management techniques. Financial modeling involves creating mathematical models to simulate different investment scenarios and assess their financial impact. Scenario analysis involves evaluating the potential outcomes of different scenarios and identifying key drivers of financial performance. Risk management techniques involve identifying and mitigating potential risks associated with satellite projects, such as regulatory changes, technological obsolescence, and competitive pressures. Overall, conceptual development and financial analytics play a crucial role in strategic decision-making in the telecommunications industry, especially in satellite projects. By using these approaches, companies can assess investment opportunities, manage risks, and make informed decisions that align with their strategic objectives.
 Keywords: Financia Analytics, Strategic, Decision-Making, Telecommunications, Development.

Effect of Generic Competitive Strategies on the Performance of National Social Security Fund in Nairobi County, Kenya

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) was established in 1965 by an Act of Parliament under cap 258 Laws of Kenya and serves as the first pillar of social security for Kenyan workers. The Kenyan social security sector has recently been growing at a high rate due to the inclusion of new players in social security services, which was previously solely managed by NSSF. Organizations have realized the importance of a strategic plan for shaping the vision and mission, selecting strategies to be executed and allocating resources to facilitate achieving corporate goals. A strategic plan is instrumental in ensuring that strategic goals are aligned with organizational activities with its environment, thereby providing for its continued survival, effectiveness, and improved performance. This study established the influence of strategic planning practices on the performance of the National Social Security Fund in Kenya. Every organization incorporates different strategies to gain a competitive advantage and sustain profitability. Firm performance is a major building block in strategic management. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of generic competitive strategies on the performance of NSSF in Kenya. The study used secondary data from published financial statements of NSSF with a target population of 60 employees drawn from the 7 divisions and departments – top, middle & low-level management. The quantitative method was utilized in the analysis and interpretation of data in accordance with the research objectives and research questions. The data collected was summarized, tabulated, and analyzed quantitatively, then presented using tables, pie charts and percentages. According to the findings of the study, cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy, focus strategy, Innovation Strategy have significant positive influence on the performance of NSSF. All the p-values were 0.05, denoting that the relationship therefore were significant. the study findings show that the four generic strategies have a positive relationship with the organizational performance. Product differentiation strategy and innovation strategy were established to be the key measures or drivers of financial performance. This was based on the strength of association, which was established by the study. Cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy were also found to be other measures though they should not be used in isolation. The study recommended that National Social Security Fund should embrace and invest in cost leadership strategies most especially forming linkages with service providers, suppliers and other supplementary institutions since it will enable them achieve competitive advantage as compared to other organizations that are not investing in these strategies and that universities should first understand and know their motive and capability before adopting a certain competitive strategy for example market focus.

Are Law Schools Cream-Skimming to Bolster Their Bar Exam Pass Rates? A Multilevel Regression Approach to Estimate How Attrition and Transfer Rates Affect Bar Passage

Law schools are held accountable on many fronts to achieve and maintain high bar passage rates. While the course of legal education itself, along with various interventions, is a key driver of bar exam performance, Bahadur et al. (2021) suggests that obscure institutional practices might be inflating institutional bar passage performance. Such practices could include recruitment and admission of transfer students and academic attrition. We examine this hypothesis to assess the influence of both attrition and transfer on law schools’ bar passage differential using fixed-effects and between-within models. We also utilize Poisson regression to explore the effect of geographical proximity to other law schools on transfer rates. We find that, on average, neither attrition nor transfer activity substantively affect bar passage performance, and that although geographic proximity to other schools is related to transfer rates, this relationship does not result in notable differences in bar passage.

Green knowledge management: A key driver of green technology innovation and sustainable performance in the construction organizations

The primary objective of this research is to examine the effects of green knowledge management (GKM) on green technological innovation (GTI) and sustainable performance in construction firms. The study also investigates the role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a moderator of the relationship between GKM and green human capital (GHC). A survey questionnaire was used to obtain data from 309 construction firms in Pakistan, and the AMOS-24 and SPSS PROCESS macro software packages were used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that GKM had significant positive impacts on GTI and long-term performance. Aspects of GIC (e.g., green structural capital, green relational capital, and green human capital) were found to be significant mediators of GKM and GTI interactions and correlations between GKM and sustainable performance. Furthermore, the study showed that AI significantly influenced the relationship between GKM and GHC. The study's findings have important theoretical and practical implications for organizations and governments. The study theoretically contributes to the knowledge-based view of the firm by providing empirical evidence of the role of various GIC characteristics as mediators in the interactions between GKM, GTI, and sustainable performance. In practice, the findings suggest that firms can improve GTI and sustainable performance by investing in GKM and GIC.

Cash Management: A Key Driver of Performance for Conventional Banks in Pakistan

This research examines the critical influence of cash management on the financial efficacy of the conventional banking sector in Pakistan. This study represents the initial attempt to assess the influence of liquidity, debt ratio, and bank size on return on assets among five conventional banks in Pakistan. Information was obtained from audited annual reports from publicly traded banks that span from 2017 to 2021. The results indicate a significant positive correlation between liquidity and return on assets (ROA). Additionally, a significant negative association between debt ratio and ROA is examined. Furthermore, the study reveals that the size of banks exhibits a significant negative relationship with ROA. The study will provide valuable insights for financial managers, portfolio analysts, treasurers, and controllers on the practical implementation of contemporary cash management strategies.

Sustainability assessment of community-based wastewater treatment plant: case study of Semarang District, Indonesia

Current sanitation initiatives in Indonesia focus on community-based sanitation to promotes ownership and understanding of sanitation systems. However, the community has faced numerous challenges in maintaining the socio-economic and technical aspects of the community-based wastewater treatment system (CWWTP) in operation. This study aimed to identify and analyse the sustainability dimensions of CWWTP in Indonesia. In this study, a set of sustainability index (SSI) tools was proposed to evaluate the sustainability of CWWTP, which included environmental, social, economic, technological, and institutional aspects of the sanitation system. Rapid appraisal for fisheries (RAPFISH) method was adapted to evaluate the multidimensional scaling (MDS) approach within the proposed SSI. The applicability of developed SSI was demonstrated by evaluating the implementation of three CWWTP in Semarang district. Data was collected through direct observation, questionnaires, interviews, CWWTP design evaluation, and water quality analysis. Major findings indicated that Tegalsari CWWTP have higher sustainability index, while Pedalangan and Podorejo need to enhance technical efficiency, institutional structure, and community engagement. The leverage analysis identifies key performance drivers in the CWWTP management including operation & maintenance, user acceptance, O&M expenses, community involvement, and effluent water quality. This paper highlights adequate tools for sustainability assessments of CWWTP in Semarang district. Methodology and dissemination of the obtained results can be applied to other rural communities in Indonesia.

A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Causal Configurations Influencing Mutual Fund Performance: The Role of Fund Manager Skill

A mutual fund is a common instrument for households and corporations to invest in the financial markets through diversified portfolios of securities. Investing in managed mutual funds involves relying on a fund manager’s knowledge, expertise, and investment strategy to beat the fund’s benchmark. The purpose of this paper is to help mutual fund investors in their fund selection process. The fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is the methodology applied to identify combinations of factors that facilitate the selection of performing mutual funds. The goal is to determine whether fund manager skill, as measured by Jensen’s Alpha and other qualitative factors, is a key driver of performance. Our research focuses on US-registered equity funds with a global investing scope over a 5-year period (2016–2021), and we combine three mutual fund databases to obtain more complete data while enhancing data accuracy and consistency. The findings reveal that both manager skill and fund size are pervasive factors included in all three successful combinations of sufficiency conditions leading to high-performance funds. In addition, it is verified that manager skill is the only necessary condition to ensure high returns on mutual funds. Investors’ fund selection process is a cumbersome task that can be simplified with the successful recipes provided by the fsQCA model.

Situationally Appropriate Leadership Styles and Team Performance: Is Trust Really Important

This study aims to examine the impact of shared leadership and emergent leadership on team performance, with the moderating role of trust by employing Adaptive theory. To understand this, we conducted a cross-sectional study. Rooted within positivist philosophy, we employed quantitative method. Data was collected via questionnaire from 252 individuals from software and IT sector employees of Pakistan. Sample adequacy tests were applied before conducting multi-variate analysis. Using SPSS, we ran regression analysis and process macro for moderation analysis. The Harman test is applied to enquire about any existence of common method biases. Findings indicate that shared and emergent leadership are the key drivers of agile team performance. When leadership functions as a team process, it instills a sense of collective identity, increasing engagement and yield enhanced levels of team performance. Moreover, trust did not moderate the relationship between leadership styles and team performance. This study enhances our understanding of the differences between the interchangeably used leadership styles and their contribution to team performance in a digital setting

Multi wave absorber platform design, modelling and testing

The subject of this paper is the development of physical and numerical models and a tank test programme to investigate the performance of a multi wave energy absorber platform (MWAP). The platform is inspired by the proposed designs for large scale platforms to be used for floating offshore wind (FOW). The modular design of the physical model enables a variable number of absorbers to be mounted to the platform, with up to 9 absorbers tested simultaneously. The absorbers used are a simplified version of a submerged pressure differential device, with each absorber incorporating a set of mechanical springs to approximate the response of the real internal air spring. Physical model tank tests will be undertaken during 2023, utilizing a range of environmental conditions representative of those at an exposed site on the west coast of Scotland, leased through the ScotWind programme and which has an appropriate water depth and wave resource for large scale wave energy exploitation. Measurements taken during physical model testing will be used to validate numerical models of the MWAP and will allow subsequent investigation of key drivers of annual energy performance, exploring platform configuration options not tested in the wave tank. The motivation for this project, design considerations and balance between tank scale & full-scale design requirements will be given. Discussion will be provided on the implications of the limitations and assumptions made during the physical and numerical modelling work, as well as next steps for utilisation of the tools beyond the scope of this project.