Management Profession Research Articles

Supply chain management: the elusive concept and definition

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to gather the current definitions of supply chain management in practical and analytical usage, to develop standards for assessing definitions and to apply these standards to the most readily available definitions of the term.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, the authors gathered the current definitions of supply chain management in practical and analytical usage from journals, textbooks, universities, and industry associations and online.FindingsThe research ends with proposed definitions for consideration. Discussion and areas for future research are included.Research limitations/implicationsInvolved organizations, supply chain management programs in higher education, and professional and certifying organizations in the field need to meet and work together to research consensus on the final definition of the field, realizing that definitions can evolve, but also recognizing that a starting point is needed in this rapidly growing area.Practical implicationsThe authors argue, quite simply, that a consensus definition of supply chain management is unlikely as long as we continue offering and accepting definitions that are technically unsound. Many of the current definitions violate several principles of good definitions. For these reasons, they are either empty, too restrictive, or too expansive. Until we come across or develop a definition that overcomes these limitations and agree on it, then we will still search for “the” definition without finding it. The field will become more crowded with definitions, but less certain, and progress will be restricted.Originality/valueTheoreticians, researchers, and practitioners in a discipline require key terms in a field to share a nominal definition and prefer to have a shared real or essential definition. Yet in supply chain management, we find no such shared definition, real or nominal. Even the Council of Supply Chain Management Professional offers its definition with the caveat: “The supply chain management (SCM) profession has continued to change and evolve to fit the needs of the growing global supply chain. With the supply chain covering a broad range of disciplines, the definition of what is a supply chain can be unclear” (CSCMP, 2016).

The identity building process of case management profession in France can be approached trough professionals who early leaving their function

Introduction: Health and social services integration is a recent policy in France (2008-2012 National Alzheimer Plan). One of the core components of this policy was the launching of a new professional field: case In a recent national based study 75% of case managers express a need for recognition of the professional identity of case management. In previous work, the construction of a professional identity was described as a process based on four mechanisms: the individual, the training, the company and the membership of a group. Methods: To study the professional identity of case managers, we supposed that there was a relationship between leaving the case manager function and the identity building process. In the aim to collect information on it, we called for participation in an online-survey via the web-based network of the French Association of Case Managers and a national survey delivered on February 2016. The online-survey included 24 closed and 2 open questions. Firstly, we did a descriptive analysis of the answers. Secondly, in view of studying the identity building process, we regrouped questions around the four previously defined mechanisms. Results: Twenty-seven professionals answered the questionnaire. Of these, 74% were from sanitary work and 26% from social work. A large majority (91%) had a previous professional experience in coordination of care. Concerning the four mechanisms: - Individual: 56% had specifically looked for this particular professional position (case management). That’s mean that the choice of this working position was probably made for “internal” motivation. - Training: 87% were willing to be trained at the beginning of their job. Nevertheless, in 43% of cases the training course has not or just partially met expectations. On contrary, professionals for whose training met their expectations have exercised longer. - Company: 22% reported non-supportive working conditions and 56% were unsatisfied with their relationships with their direct supervisors (less frequently when these relations were frequent). - Membership of a group: 87% adopted new professional practices using specifics tools developed for this work. They judged the utility of the job to be positive in 65% of cases in the current context. In open questions, some “specific” aspects of the professional field were underlined by respondents as important factor to take into account in their difficulties: solitude facing person with complex needs, long distance journey, frustration feeling between expectations and reality. Discussions: For professionals who leaving early their case management function after being hired, factors defining the most this new profession seems to be the use of new professionals practices particularly specifics tools. We find the main mechanisms of identity building process even during the process leading to leave their function. A qualitative study coming after this first step, the interviewed case managers having let their email for being call back. Conclusions: We have studied motivations of professionals leaving early case management after being hired. Our mains results suggest, even if at this step, we can find elements of birth of identity building. A qualitative study is in progress and will be presented.

Nurturing Professional Talent in Records and Archives Management in Kenya

This paper presents findings of a survey done in early 2016 on the preparedness of records and archives management (RAM) undergraduate students in Kenya to take up professional roles in records and archives management profession. The survey was conducted on the understanding that RAM in Kenya today demands well trained and nurtured talent especially in view of growing technological and professional issues in the field. Besides, there is increasing need for more robust and efficient RAM systems to serve needs for transparency and accountability. This requires a relook at the talent development of young RAM enthusiasts to ensure they are adequately repackaged to fit in the RAM world whilst remaining competitive in the global job marketplace.

Job satisfaction of Chilean workers. A model of structural equations

Job satisfaction as a psychosocial phenomenon is associated with a set of attitudes that have an important role in the accomplishment of objectives by organizations in general. In addition, the modernization of managerial practices and the professionalization of both public management and administration, implies the necessity of knowing the attitudes related to work that have a greater influence on workers' job satisfaction. This research seeks to characterize the employees of Chilean public institutions regarding their job satisfaction and six different attitudes that make up this construct. The sample comprised 216 Chilean employees, who answered a survey which had six scales and a reliability coefficient of about 0.8, which defines a valid internal consistency scale. By applying models of structural equations, through a confirmatory factorial analysis, the relationship between the different dimensions that explain the the workers' job satisfaction is studied. Finally, the results reveal that the model of first level structural equations, after a final adjustment, selects four of the six original dimensions, which are: job satisfaction as a whole, satisfaction with the way the work is done, satisfaction with development opportunities and satisfaction with the relationship between the employer and the employee. These dimensions produce positive effects on the overall job satisfaction construct, being “satisfaction with the relationship between the employer and the employee” the best one, as reflected by its indicators, which for this sample correspond to the employer's supervision satisfaction and the proximity and frequency with which they are supervised.

Jewish Day School Wounds and What We Can Do About Them

ABSTRACTThis article is based upon a qualitative research study that examined 95 school stories written by Jewish female teacher candidates in an undergraduate education course. Many candidates wrote inspirational or humorous stories about growth and development or a special teacher. However, over one third of the narratives described painful Jewish day schooling episodes with insensitive teachers, stinging rebukes, or public shaming. The findings argue for the enhancement of Jewish educator preparation with attention to professionalization of classroom management and interrogation of assumptions from schooling biographies. This study challenges teacher educators in the liminal space of educator preparation as teacher candidates shift from personal lived schooling experience into professional practice.

Improving finance and risk management foresight abilities: Growing past the ‘black swan’ mindset through integrative assessment

Most professionals within finance and risk management, as in other professions, have sequentially failed to foresee and forecast large scale, large impact and rare events, as well as many more mundane real-world emergences. Often models and algorithms fail when most needed, as do most expert’s judgements. A common theme is that the world is complex and that therefore change within it is difficult — or as in the black swan mindset, impossible — to foresee and forecast. Either answer is not conducive to maintaining high career status and pay in the long run, especially when, as often happens, someone did ‘get it right’. This paper discusses several aspects of what doing better can look like for the majority of practitioners in finance and risk management professions — those who too often ‘missed it’. Particularly, it discusses what true integrative assessment within an iteratively holistic thinking mindset is. It discusses how integrative thinking differs from mere interdisciplinary or merely more networked thinking, and from modelling and other arithmetic approaches. Better models and arithmetic solutions alone cannot solve real-world foresight performance shortfalls because of a machine–human interface judgement problem. This paper will specifically address: Why are we doing badly? What can the finance and risk management professions do to build better forecasters? How does this apply specifically to financial institutions/risk managers? What should they do better or differently? How can education help develop better forecasters? What exactly is integrative thinking in the context of risk managers within a financial institution?

The long way to professional recognition: project management in Italy

PurposeThe professionalization of project management (PM) profession has developed differently according to the different environments in which it has been introduced. The purpose of this paper is to examine an example of this professional project (Italy) with this research question: “what have been the professionalization strategies of PM professional associations within Italian field?”Design/methodology/approachThe authors develop a qualitative case study made up of semi-structured interviews and archival data.FindingsThe analysis demonstrates how PM in Italy has embarked on a clear upward trajectory in terms of its occupational size, economic significance and institutional development. However, the development of PM in Italy considerably lags behind Anglo-Saxon countries. The authors also identify three main strategies through which this professionalization project is being accomplished (see Section 5). These are corporate engagement, expanding membership and institutional recognition.Research limitations/implicationsThe study reviews the professionalization of PM in Italy. This is not a comparative study, but rather highlights Italian PM professionalization. Moreover, the authors expect significant findings could be reached with a comparable research across different national contexts.Originality/valueThis work constitutes the first detailed and comprehensive study in the field of PM within the Italian context.

The Professionalization of Human Resource Management: Examining Undergraduate Curricula and the Influence of Professional Organizations

This study explores the state of undergraduate human resource management (HRM) curricula worldwide in an effort to understand the extent to which there is an agreed-upon body of knowledge underpinning the field of HRM. We reviewed the undergraduate curricula for all business schools that were accredited by either the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or European Quality Improvement System in 2014-2015. Of the 281 HR programs that we identified, programs require an average of 3.4 HR classes. The most common required courses were Human Resource Management (239 schools), Compensation (or Compensation & Benefits; 123 schools), and Staffing (or Recruitment & Selection; 113 schools). Although we did find similarities between programs, we also find that there are significant differences in the required courses of HRM programs worldwide. We additionally examine institutional pressures from major professional HRM associations, and find evidence that these organizations do influence HRM curricula toward greater similarity. In particular, schools in regions with a major professional HRM organization are more similar than schools in other regions. Additionally, schools in the United States that are aligned with Society for Human Resource Management curriculum guidelines are more similar than schools that are not Society for Human Resource Management aligned.

Health Information Management: Changing with Time

Summary Objective: With the evolution of patient medical records from paper to electronic media and the changes to the way data is sourced, used, and managed, there is an opportunity for health information management (HIM) to learn and facilitate the increasing expanse of available patient data. Methods: This paper discusses the emerging trends and lessons learnt in relation with the following four areas: 1) data and information governance, 2) terminology standards certification, 3) International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition (ICD-11), and 4) data analytics and HIM. Results: The governance of patient data and information increasingly requires the HIM profession to incorporate the roles of data scientists and data stewards into its portfolio to ensure data analytics and digital transformation is appropriately managed. Not only are terminology standards required to facilitate the structure and primary use of this data, developments in Canada in relation with the standards, role descriptions, framework and curricula in the form of certification provide one prime example of ensuring the quality of the secondary use of patient data. The impending introduction of ICD-11 brings with it the need for the HIM profession to manage the transition between ICD versions and country modifications incorporating changes to standards and tools, and the availability and type of patient data available for secondary use. Conclusions: In summary, the health information management profession now requires abilities in leadership, data, and informatics in addition to health information science and coding skills to facilitate the expanding secondary use of patient data.

Recruitment of records management practitioners in Jamaica’s public sector and its implications for professional practice

PurposeThis paper aims to highlight the recruitment practices in the records management (RM) profession in Jamaica’s public sector and their implications for professional practice. This paper is part of a larger doctoral study completed at the University College London that investigated the connection between RM education and national development.Design/methodology/approachThe research is a qualitative mixed methods study, which mainly utilises data from 34 interviews done among RM practitioners and educators, and development administrators and analysts in Kingston and Spanish Town, Jamaica.FindingsThe study found that there is an urgent need for a change in how RM practitioners are recruited for their roles in Jamaica’s public sector. More coherent frameworks and a more coordinated effort are required to support for the recruitment of practitioners.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is specific to the Jamaican case; therefore, it provides little basis for generalisation. Consequently, the study seeks to make no claims that the results in the Jamaican context are generalisable to other societies. Nonetheless, the conclusions and recommendations may be instructive in other environments.Social implicationsThe study evaluated some of the existing practices for the recruitment of RM practitioners. As a result, the findings should enhance the knowledge about the human resources needs in RM in Jamaica.Originality/valueIn addition to providing some directions for future research, the study also gives voice to a diverse group. It brings together an analysis of national discourses around RM recruitment practices. This is done through the multifaceted views of Jamaican RM practitioners, development administrators and RM educators represented in the interviews.

Collaboration between designers and facility managers

PurposeThe aim of this study is to focus on the perspectives of facility managers in each region and the different challenges impacting collaboration in each geographical context. This research analyzed obstacles to collaboration between facility managers and architectural designers in three international regions.Design/methodology/approachA multi-method approach was used, allowing the researchers to triangulate data from in-depth interviews and a widely distributed survey instrument. The participants included a large cross-selection of facility management professionals in each of the regions under study. The interview data were parsed to identify recurring themes, while the survey data were analyzed statistically to test specific hypotheses.FindingsSignificant differences were found in the culture of the facility management profession in each region. These differences created unique challenges for collaboration, especially in the context of a non-local design team. While the facility management profession was perceived as most established and professional in the UK, rates of collaboration between facility managers and designers were actually much higher in the USA. Collaborations between facility managers and designers were almost non-existent in the Middle East.Originality/valueWhile the importance of collaboration between facility managers and designers is increasingly recognized for improving the efficiency of building operations, crucial obstacles continue to limit the scope of this engagement. There has been limited previous research analyzing obstacles to collaboration that are specific to international contexts and non-local design teams. This study helps to fill an important gap in the literature by providing a comparative analysis of collaboration challenges in three international contexts.

Facility management maturity and research

PurposeA look at the progress of facility management and some expectations for future needs is proposed by a senior facility management practitioner turned professor/researcher. Research from other fields informs methodologies for how more mature fields disseminate knowledge into practice, and integration of concepts to simplify and unify facility management competencies for more recognition worldwide.Design/methodology/approachLiterature review of mature industries provides insight into how dissemination of research findings is utilized and taken up by practice. Review of facility management competencies by the large professional associations is also presented to recommend a path forward for integration in a simplified manner with global potential for impacts.FindingsThe maturity of facility management over the past 35 plus years indicates time for more connection between research findings and their adoption into practice. Methodologies from industries as diverse as healthcare and engineering provide insights to how facility management research dissemination may provide more standardized use in practice. Additional synergy from examination of worldwide competencies indicates that focus is a key issue for more advancement and connectivity of research into practice in the facility management realm.Research limitations/implicationsUnderstanding what is needed by industry and delivering research findings that are implementable is accomplished in many industries. Facility management can benefit from understanding how this could be done and adopting similar strategies. Focusing on core competencies rather than detailing minute variations of practice would help the industry overall by providing better understanding of the value facility professionals provide to the senior leadership of organizations. The need for best practice sharing worldwide is highlighted, as well.Originality valueA long-term viewpoint from early development of facility management to current integration and standardization is provided in this paper. Having practiced and then taught and researched facility practices, the author provides recommendations for continuing advancement and professionalization of facility management.

Management profession and culture in transition: A case of Oman

Transition management seeks to guide the gradual, continuous transition process of socio-political practices and steer the outcome of change to reduce the uncertainty as well as produce desirable social outcomes and enhance resilience during the transformation. Omani managers are in the phase of transition as Oman is going through transformation and change in all its sectors which pose many challenges facing those concerned with the management profession. The purpose of this paper is to address such transition by focusing on management development knowledge with special reference to images of managerial professionalism and the tension that may arise due to cultural issues. It also highlights on the importance of planning in the process of transition and change. Twenty managers from various sectors in Oman were interviewed between 2015 and 2016. The outcome revealed how Omani managers are in line with the changes and transition, within the framework of the national and organization's culture that focuses on social and interpersonal aspects in decision-making and relationships at work. What influences management and change process in Oman is the Omani subcultures and their backgrounds but they all agree that change is a vital element that needs to be taken into consideration and culture plays a powerful role in the process.

Don't know, don't care: An exploration of evidence based knowledge and practice in human resource management

Over the past two decades the integrity (alignment of words and deeds) of the Human Resource Management (HRM) profession has been questioned by scholars who have identified a gap between the rhetoric of ‘people are our most important asset’ and the reality of ‘impersonal economic rationalism’. In a more recent, and as yet unconnected, stream of research there has been concern about a research-practice gap in HRM. This article draws on both streams of research to explain why HRM Does not implement evidence based practice. It focuses on research indicating that HRM practitioners are not incentivized to learn about evidence based practice and develops theory proposing that their satisfaction with the status quo reflects a value proposition based on utilitarian instrumentalism. Further to this, it is proposed that management's focus on the short-term drives and obfuscates current approaches. It concludes that neither academia nor HRM practitioners are incentivized to change current practice with negative consequences for employees, organizations, and HRM practitioners. Arguments are supported and illustrated with High Performance Work Practices and solutions are proposed to implement evidence based practice.

City Manager: uma proposição de implementação nas prefeituras brasileiras

This study aims to propose a implementation of the City Manager in Brazilian cities, targeting at the professionalization of municipal management and consequently the reduction in corruption rates. For this, as a research methodology, articles and international legislations, related to the City Manager, were analyzed. Among these, a universe of 35 articles were selected, with no publication date limit, which met the criteria selected. In the same way, searches were made on manuals, legislations and organizational charts related to the position of City Manager. The legislations found and the ICMA outline the City Manager as the city's main administrator. Of the thirty-five articles, sixteen mentions that the City Manager brought benefits in the fight against corruption and / or increased efficiency in management, in counterpoint none of the selected articles mentions another form of government, without the use of City Manager, able to bring results better or equivalent in these matters. It was evidenced that the City Manager presented successful results in several prefectures in the United States and in other countries, with this comes the study bringing as a proposal of a federal law with the general guidelines of implementation, powers and duties of the City Manager in Brazilian municipalities.

La profesión de gestor cultural. Apuntes sobre la situación actual

<p>La profesión de gestor cultural se desarrolló en España a finales de los años 80 y durante la década de los años 90 del siglo pasado como consecuencia de proliferación de servicios y equipamientos culturales de las administraciones públicas, principalmente locales. Durante estas décadas los gestores culturales han configurado, a través de asociaciones, un marco de referencia profesional que les permite desarrollar su trabajo con criterios comunes. Este artículo analiza hasta qué punto está consolidado este marco profesional en la actualidad y la situación profesional de los gestores que contribuyeron a configurarlos, en comparación con las generaciones de gestores incorporados en décadas posteriores. Por último se presenta de forma breve algunos apuntes para desarrollar la profesión en los próximos años.</p>

2311 これからのPMプロフェッションに求められるコンピテンシーとは何か(一般セッション)

2311 これからのPMプロフェッションに求められるコンピテンシーとは何か(一般セッション)

Conceptualising the lessons-learned process in project management: Towards a triple-loop learning framework

In order to improve success rates of project management, this conceptual paper proposes the inclusion of knowledge management and organisational learning through projects as core aspects of the process, from both individual and organisational perspectives. The lessons-learned process within the project management profession is scrutinised in an attempt to provide new models to overcome the difficulties that inhibit success. Empirical research data from 66 practitioners in an online qualitative survey have influenced the development of our conceptual model. We review single- and double-loop learning systems within the organisation environment, and develop a triple-loop of learning for projects that forms the basis of a new framework. This research will enable future development of processes for utilising the lessons-learned throughout the project life-cycle and the organisation.

Controversial alternative diets in the light of current dietary recommendations for overweight and obesity treatment

Abstract The objective of the study is a critical analysis of the selected alternative diets used in the treatment of obesity inconsistent with the recommended standards, from the perspective of clinical dieticians, based on up-to-date guidelines for dietary management of obesity. Attention was paid to the assumptions of the selected alternative diets, some physiological mechanisms related with their use, as well as the deficit of data pertaining their distant effectiveness and safety. In the context of the current epidemiological situation concerning the prevalence of obesity, it is justifiable to undertake actions aimed at the professionalization of dietary management in obesity, consisting in the application of the treatment methods based on data generated in the EBM paradigm, with a simultaneous indication and criticism of dietary pseudo-therapies with unconfirmed curative value which, in addition, do not guarantee the reduction of the risk of metabolic complications of obesity.

El gobierno interno de las mayores cooperativas agroalimentarias españolas y su relación con el rendimiento

El presente estudio pretende analizar la relación existente entre las estructuras de gobierno de las mayores cooperativas agroalimentarias españolas y sus resultados empresariales, para comprobar -si al igual que se ha demostrado en estudios recientes sobre cooperativas agroalimentarias europeas-, las cooperativas que muestran una mayor innovación en sus estructuras de gobierno (en aspectos tales como la profesionalización de la gestión, inclusión de voto proporcional o presencia de expertos externos en los Consejos Rectores o Supervisores), presentan mejores resultados que las cooperativas que no poseen dichos atributos. Los resultados obtenidos corroboran que el rendimiento (medido en facturación por socio) de las cooperativas agroalimentarias españolas analizadas se ve afectado positivamente por la introducción de algunas innovaciones en sus sistemas de gobierno interno, como es el caso de la inclusión de expertos externos en el Consejo Rector y en el Consejo Supervisor. Además, el estudio arroja otras conclusiones vinculadas con la envergadura o dimensión de la cooperativa, constatándose que las cooperativas de mayor dimensión (medida en este caso por el volumen de activos) son capaces de proporcionar un mayor y significativo rendimiento; a diferencia de lo que ocurre con el número de socios, cuyo efecto en el rendimiento es significativo y negativo.