Large Industrial Organizations Research Articles

It ain't over till it's over: Adjusting the intensity and conformity of championing efforts after initial failure

While past research has shown that championing plays a key role in sheltering and advancing novel ideas towards implementation, relatively little is known about how adversity and failure are dealt with through championing behaviour. The current embedded case study draws from 43 interviews in a large industrial technology organization, examining new product and service development idea pathways. We found four types of championing responses in the 61 instances where initial idea advancement efforts did not bear fruit: lateral shifts, reworking, temporal shifts and moaning. In each of these, the idea was seen as valuable by the developer, but the attribution of initial failure and perceptions of effort‐to‐performance and performance‐to‐outcome expectancies varied in distinct combinations of conforming and nonconforming types of championing with varying intensity. Taken together, the results contribute towards understanding the multidimensional nature and temporal dynamics of championing in persisting under adversity by illuminating factors that contribute to championing response type decisions and opportunities to better support idea development efforts in organizations.

Aesthetics of Indeterminacy: The Architecture of Conglomerates

By the early 1970s, concern about the rise and prominence of large conglomerate corporations had fully saturated economic discourse in the United States. As products of a brief yet powerful merger mania during the 1960s, large industrial organizations began to restructure the economy by aggressively merging with and acquiring firms in disparate industries and geographies in order to obtain what business executives referred to as ‘geopolitical’ power. With hundreds of diverse subsidiaries, many of these military-sponsored conglomerates — from Union Carbide to Litton Industries to Teledyne — demanded new laboratories and office buildings that seemed to defy modernist tendencies of material standardization, reproducibility, and homogeneity, since the rates and directions of their future growth were indeterminable. The buildings produced for conglomerates between the 1960s and 1980s have been described by urban geographers and historians as the aesthetic and material epitomes of postmodernism, since they were often designed with highly reflective, hermetic surfaces that protruded, curved, and folded — simultaneously revealing and concealing the late capitalist logics that undergirded them. This article considers how conglomeration was viewed as a geopolitical act that challenges existing histories and theories of postmodernism, which reduce the aesthetic conditions of these buildings to abstract representations of late capitalist economics. Instead, the article draws on the laboratories designed by architects César Pelli and Anthony Lumsden for conglomerates during the late 1960s in order to reveal how these aesthetic conditions were responses to the particular geopolitical practices and structures of conglomerate business, including the imperialist acts of ‘acquiring’ people, land, and other businesses.

THE ROLE OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

The concept of corporate social responsibility CSR can be explained as it is an application to society that extends beyond its application towards its shareholders or owners. Today CSR is playing an important role in empowering women right from encouraging them to get education till getting a source of income. Through the present study an impact has been made to know about the various CSR activities implemented by the large scale industrial organization for women empowerment. This study also analysed the impacts of CSR activities on women empowerment and focused on the various issues encountered in the implementation of CSR programs.

Korean Management, Corporate Culture, and Systems of Labour Control Between South Korea and North America

This paper is an attempt at synthesizing an empirical and a theoretical critique of the cultural model of industrial organization, by focussing on Korean industrial organization and industrial relations in Korea, and on a large Korean industrial organization that was based in Quebec. As a counter weight to the cultural argument, the paper shows that mechanisms established to socially integrate workers into the organization in Korea are weak, and that management has had to rely instead on authoritarianism and on the State to ensure worker compliance. The paper then presents and discusses the social organization of a Korean industrial transplant; while there was a managerial discourse of participation and diffusion of power, the gap between this discourse and the real diffusion of power was such that a sizable minority of employees did not comply with managerial objectives.

Perception of value delivered in digital servitization

This paper intends to explore the perception of value delivered in digital servitization in a business-to-business context of incumbent manufacturing firms. We investigate how individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) influence and affect the adoption of such digital servitization strategies. The observations are made through a survey and empirical assessment across a couple of large industrial organizations interested in servitization and digitalization. Findings contribute to the existing literature on digital servitization and business model innovation by suggesting that IEO influence perceived value in delivering digital service offers, whereas functional affiliation does not. Further observations suggest that digital capabilities can become a crucial enabler for the perception of value delivered in digital business models by providing swift access to data for affected stakeholders.

Regional Supply Chains: Modern Challenges

Aim.The presented study aims to analyze practical scientific approaches involving the use of digital technologies concerning the operation of regional supply chains.Tasks.The authors identify the major tendencies and trends associated with digitalization in regional supply chains; assess the impact of the benchmarking of regional supply chains as well as new forms and technologies used for stabilizing the movement of information and commodity flows during the period of quarantine restrictions.Methods.The methodological basis of this study includes the methods of evolutionary institutional theory, systems analysis, theory of industrial and technological balance, and general scientific research methods (analysis, synthesis, graphical methods, induction, deduction).Results.The study substantiates the need to standardize and unify digital systems and platforms for more efficient interaction between the participants of supply chains, including executive authorities. Large industrial and/or commercial organizations can become the driving force in this area due to their ability to invest in next-generation information and communication systems as well as to participate in the activities of industrial unions and associations that have lobbying resources that allow them to be included in regional digital entrepreneurship development programs, thus providing access to the digital infrastructure of the region. As part of the implementation of a follow-the-leader strategy, medium and small enterprises that serve as links in the supply chain will increase the level of digital business infrastructure to accelerate and improve interaction with partners. In turn, this will increase the speed, performance, and efficiency of regional supply chains, thereby enhancing their competitive advantages in the Russian market.Conclusions.The presented practical scientific approaches to analyzing modern challenges in relation to the operation of regional supply chains will make it possible to determine major trends associated primarily with the use of digital technologies. Big data analysis will make it possible to segment stock for each commodity item and monitor it in real time. Being prepared for changes will allow enterprises and organizations to enhance their competitive advantages even under unfavorable economic conditions.

Адаптация крупных предприятий АПК Новосибирской области к рынку и ее экономические результаты в 1990-е гг.

The author analyzes features of inclusion of large enterprises of the agro-industrial complex into the market economy, the role of power structures in this process, and also economic results of agricultural producers. The problem is revealed through the case of the Novosibirsk region mainly on the basis of narrative sources drawn from the regional newspaper «Sovetskaya Sibir». The author also uses normative and statistical materials. It is concluded that the policy of forced formation of new types of commercial farms based on collective and state farms and competitive market relations between them did not achieve predicted results and contributed to the crisis in agricultural production. Operating in unfavorable economic conditions, enterprises resorted to barter deals, created their own processing industries, passed into administrative subordination to large industrial organizations. Activities of processing enterprises were complicated by the reduced purchasing capacity of the population, a lower volume of supplies of high-quality agricultural raw materials to the market, and competition with food producers from other regions.

From enthusiasts to systematic innovation: the journey of building the innovation function in a large industrial organization

Abstract: The creation of a management system to systematically promote innovation is a great challenge for large companies. Some authors argue for the creation of a dedicated organizational function (the Innovation Function – IF) to guide this system. This paper aims to understand how a large company builds an Innovation Function from a longitudinal and retrospective case study. Some aspects regarding the emergence of the IF, its organizational structure evolution, and changes on its team’s scope of action are discussed. The main results highlight the importance of key actors for IF’s recognition by the organization, serving as connecting mediators to other functions and external agents. Besides that, specific competence accumulation, gradual legitimacy acquisition, and project intermediary results enabled the team to deal with radical innovation projects over time.

ЭКЗЕМПЛЯР АНАЛИТИЧЕСКОЙ МОДЕЛИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ПОТОКОВ ПРОЕКТНЫХ РАБОТ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЦИФРОВОГО ПРОИЗВОДСТВА

This paper describes an instance of the analytical model of project workflows on the example of the project approval procedure in the design and technological preparation of production, developed on the basis of data from a large radio engineering industrial organization. This instance helps a system analyst, including a design engineer, process engineer, and designer, in the field of business process management to identify system errors (for example, the location of deadlocks, bottlenecks, etc.) when analyzing the existing (synthesizing new) project work flows in the basis of graphic languages, for example, UMLlanguage, BPML-language, IDEF0-language, etc. This article is one of the follow-ups works on the methodology for processing design workflows in the basis of graphic languages.

Temperature Monitoring for Electrical Substations Using Infrared Thermography: Architecture for Industrial Internet of Things

Large corporations require smart interconnected cyber-physical systems that can interact and cooperate to reach common goals. The design of complex monitoring and fault detection systems based on this approach, usually referred to as Industrial Internet of Things, creates interconnected physical systems that generate value by providing more efficient manufacturing opportunities. However, this approach also creates important challenges, as the large number of sensors and devices provokes difficulties for configuration, application deployment, and service generation. This paper presents solutions for this advanced automation model, proposing an architecture for temperature monitoring and fault detection in electrical substations using infrared thermography. In this paper, systematic methods to apply flexible configurations and deployments are presented, including robust procedures to measure and monitor the temperature of electrical components. Architectural abstractions are also identified for this particular scenario. The proposed methodology and architecture are validated in a real-life case study in a large industrial organization.

When empowering leadership fosters creative performance: The role of problem-solving demands and creative personality

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the circumstances under which empowering leadership fosters creative performance. Arguments were developed for a three-way interaction of empowering leadership, problem-solving demands and creative personality in this linkage. These arguments resulted in competing hypotheses from a fit and a compensation perspective. The results from a survey of 213 employees of a Flemish large industrial organization were used. We found that less creative employees in jobs with high problem-solving demands particularly benefit from empowering leadership. This paper adds to a more complex understanding of the effectiveness of empowering leadership by highlighting the relevance of the simultaneous interplay of contextual and personal factors.

Формирование и управление системами тактически независимых предпринимательских подразделений промышленных организаций

The article deals with the problems and the concept of forming and management systems of tactically independent enterprise units of medium and large industrial organizations.
 The authors provide the definition of "system of tactically independent enterprise units". System tactically independent enterprise units - it is ,firstly, a certain type of industrial organization of the management structure, consisting of a tactically independent units with a common basic strategic component; secondly, it is a management style aimed at the decentralization of business activities within the organization in order to optimize corporate synergy. 
 The ways to of divide industrial organizations in tactically independent enterprise units are offered. 
 Within the specified concept the authors describe the principles, conditions and possible ways of creating and managing an organization with a system of tactically independent enterprise units and define the stages of the process and the choice of governance forms for these units.
 The article shows the need to allocate tactically independent enterprise units when the implementing concept of focus of power at the industrial enterprises. 
 The authors note that simultaneous achieving maximum efficiency in all major manufacturing indicators is almost impossible and inadvisable. Every industrial organization should carry out a limited number of specific tasks aimed at implementation of its corporate objectives.
 The authors prove that the system of tactically independent enterprise units can also be considered as one of the most effective methods of organizational changes in industrial organization.

Current practices and challenges in industrial control organizations regarding information security incident management – Does size matter? Information security incident management in large and small industrial control organizations

This paper reports on the results of an interview study that surveyed current practices regarding information security incident management in small and large distribution system operators (DSOs) in the Norwegian electric power industry. The findings indicate that current risk perception and preparedness are low, especially among small electricity distribution system operators. Further, small distribution system operators rely heavily on their suppliers should incidents occur. At the same time, small distribution system operators are confident that they can handle the worst-case scenarios. This paper documents current perceptions and discusses the extent to which they are likely to hold given the transition towards smart electric grids. Several recommendations are provided based on the findings and the accompanying discussion. In particular, small distribution system operators should strengthen the collaboration with their information technology (IT) suppliers and other small distribution system operators. Furthermore, distribution system operators in general should establish written documentation of procedures, perform preparedness exercises and improve detection capabilities in control systems.

أثر تكامل سلسلة التوريد من خلال استجابة سلسلة التوريد في الأداء التشغيلي في الشركات الصناعية الأردنية كبيرة و متوسطة الحجم : دراسة ميدانية = The Impact of Supply Chain Integration through the Supply Chain Response on Operational Performance in Large and Medium Sized Jordanian Industrial Companies : A Field Study

This study aimed at demonstrating the impact of supply chain integration through the Supply chain response in operational performance in large and medium sized Jordanian industrial companies:. The population of the study consisted of medium and large industrial organizations. To test the hypotheses of the study, data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and a statistical software package Amos (v.16). The study concluded that the supply chain integration (strategic integration, internal integration, and external integration) affect the operational Performance and supply chain performance. Another significant result of this study indicated that the supply chain response affects the operational performance. Moreover, results indicated that supply chain response do not mediate the impact between supply chain integration and operational performance. The study recommended working on raising the level of trust, honesty, commitment and attention to the interests of each party of the supply chain, in order to maintain a good level of external integration of the supply chain. In addition it was recommended to work on improving the level of response to the supply chain of markets and any changes that may occur to the market through restructuring and simplification of company’s work procedures.

Leadership and Innovation: The Needed Role for the Engineer and Scientist in Our Society

The proliferation of new technologies, one of the primary keys to modern societal growth, relies on the development of two individual but highly interrelated competencies: leadership and innovation. These two are the basis for the successful development of most of the major technologies in production today and, at their best, they are also the genesis behind most of the large commercial and industrial organizations currently operating in the global marketplace. It is the state of health of these two linked competencies that often determine the longevity and profitability of these organizations. The question should then be what role does, and will, the engineer and scientist play in this leadership driven innovation play and how will we be the architects of our own future. Have we done enough and what will scientist and engineers need to do in the future to continue a growth-based legacy?

The theory of planned behavior, materialism, and aggressive driving

PurposeAggressive driving is a growing problem worldwide. Previous research has provided us with some insights into the characteristics of drivers prone to aggressiveness on the road and into the external conditions triggering such behavior. Little is known, however, about the personality traits of aggressive drivers. The present study proposes planned behavior and materialism as predictors of aggressive driving behavior. Design/methodologyData was gathered using a questionnaire-based survey of 220 individuals from twelve large industrial organizations in Israel. Our hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. FindingsOur results indicate that while planned behavior is a good predictor of the intention to behave aggressively, it has no impact on the tendency to behave aggressively. Materialism, however, was found to be a significant indicator of aggressive driving behavior. Research limitationsOur study is based on a self-reported survey, therefore might suffer from several issues concerning the willingness to answer truthfully. Furthermore, the sampling group might be seen as somewhat biased due to the relatively high income/education levels of the respondents. Originality/valueWhile both issues, aggressive driving and the theory of planned behavior, have been studied previously, the linkage between the two as well as the ability of materialism to predict aggressive behavior received little attention previously. The present study encompasses these constructs providing new insights into the linkage between them.

Institutionalization of Industrial Best Practice of Energy Efficiency: The Case of a Global Manufacturing Organization

This paper discusses an on-going effort of collaboration between the Missouri Industrial Assessment Center of University of Missouri, and a large industrial organization to institutionalize best practices of energy efficiency within the organization’s global network of manufacturing companies. It also outlines a computer-aided framework developed to help such effort, which closely follows the ISO50001 standard, and represents a comprehensive knowledge base and project tool, providing support to the processes, tasks and documentation of the cycle of continuous improvement.

The impact of bystanding to workplace bullying on symptoms of depression among women and men in industry in Sweden: an empirical and theoretical longitudinal study

BackgroundProspective studies on bystanding to workplace bullying and the health outcomes are scarce.AimTo investigate the work environmental risk factors of depressive symptoms among bystanders to bullying in both women and men in four large industrial organizations in Sweden.MethodThe number of respondents at four large industrial enterprises with more than one year at the workplace at T1: n = 2,563 (Women: n = 342; Men: n = 2,227). Bystanders to bullying at T1: n = 305 (Women: n = 30; Men: n = 275). The total number of those with symptoms of depression at T2: Women: n = 30; Men: n = 161. Two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven employees answered the questionnaire on T1 and T2 with an 18-month interval. “To have depressive symptoms” was defined as not having depressive symptoms at T1 but having depressive symptoms at T2.ResultsThe number of men who were bystanders to bullying was larger compared to women. However, the proportion of women who were bystanders to bullying and developed depressive symptoms 18 months later was higher in comparison with men (33.3 and 16.4 %, respectively). Further, “Being a bystander to bullying” 1.69 (1.13–2.53), “Rumors of changes in the workplace” 1.53 (1.10–2.14), “Reduced role clarity” 2.30 (1.21–4.32), “Lack of appreciation of being in the group” 1.76 (1.22–2.53) increased the risk of future symptoms of depression. “Job Strain” was not an adjusted risk factor for depression.ConclusionOur results support previous findings that bystanding to workplace bullying is related to future depressive symptoms.

Ways of seeing organisational death: a critical semiotic analysis of organisational memorialisation

This article explores the role of the visual in the social construction of organisational memory. Using critical visual analysis I explore how employees of a large industrial organisation made sense of the impending closure of a productive site of symbolic significance. The power of images in this case arises from their role in enabling employees and community members to challenge the dominant visual narrative of the life of the organisation and construct an alternative narrative of death, to express the loss of an important site of organisational memory. This draws attention to the importance of sites of memorialisation and objects of remembrance in the social construction of organisational memory, and highlights the role of visual images in dramatising organisational death.

Environmental Pressures and Adoption of Training and Development Practices: Understanding the Moderator and Mediator Role of Organizational Values

In this paper, we endeavor to contribute to the theoretical framework of institutionalism concerning the organizational processes of adoption of practices. We chose to investigate, under the conditioning of organizational values, the influence of environmental pressures on the adoption of practices for training and development of industries in the city of Curitiba and its Metropolitan Region. The choice of this type of practice is justified by its instrumental nature within organizations so that their design and implementation can mirror both technical pressures for effectiveness and institutional ones related to social adequacy of the implemented practices. Confronted with this, under the framework of organizational institutionalism, we assume that environmental pressures, usually treated as isomorphic, offer a limited clarification for the phenomenon in question, given the tendency of being seen in the literature as demands for conformity taken for granted while acting on organizational forms and practices. In contrast, we believe that pressures for uniformity do not wipe out the space for organizational action. If, on the one hand, environmental circumstances push towards homogenization, on the other hand, the performance of the isomorphic mechanisms does not eliminate the system of interpretation of each organization, making room for different reference contexts in compliance with the contextual situation in relation to preferences and organizational values. As a result, we assume an ontological attitude based on intersubjectivity, supported by the interpretive capacity of social actors who, under the concept of bounded rationality, add meaning to contextual stimuli. The survey was performed with 54 medium and large industrial organizations located in the city of Curitiba and its Metropolitan Region. The results indicate that both institutional and technical pressures positively influence the adoption of organizational practices. In addition, we can see that competitive and professional values also have an effect on the adoption of such practices, and mediate the impact of pressures on the adoption practices of training and development. This means that companies incorporate as values environment elements, reducing its influence. Finally, we assess the moderating effect of organizational values, comparing the effect of pressures on groups of greater and lesser presence of these values. We can see that in groups of companies whose valuation is high, the influence of institutional pressures is lower than in groups with lower valuation. In the case of technical pressures, they have already shown inconsequential for the highest valuation group, while the group with lesser emphasis on values, they tend to slow down the adoption of practices of training and development. We conclude this article by pointing out some implications of the results shown here for the organizational institutionalism.