Usage Of Management Tools Research Articles

MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND SYSTEMS – USAGE IN LOGISTICS COMPANIES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The paper presents the analysis and comparison of management tools and systems usage in companies in Czech Republic as the part of the research that has been done in 2013 and then in 2021 via structured questionnaires. The aim of the paper is to define which management tools and systems are being used by Czech logistics centers, distribution and transport companies and warehouses, what are differences based on the company size (micro, small and medium, large size companies) and what are similarities and new trends across the research sample. The output of the research presents the total and relative frequency of management tools and systems usage comparing 2013 and 2021 outputs and describe current trend of usage, especially with continuous improvement tools (Kaizen, Lean, 6Sigma) that popularity and positive impact on companies’ metrics and results is unarguable. TOP 10 management tools and systems are almost same in 2013 and 2021. Usage of management tools and systems in 2021 is higher than 2013 and the increase is significant. We can see the progress of KPI which total frequency (TF) was 25 and relative frequency (RF) was 5.80% in 2013 and 2021 results presents TF: 292 and RF 76.40%.

What Drives the Usage of Management Tools Supporting Industry 4.0 in Organizations?

The main purpose of this study was to examine how personal and organizational drivers influence the utilization of management tools aimed at supporting organizational working in Industry 4.0 settings. We built our research upon the recognized importance of management tools for organizational working under Industry 4.0 settings and explored the key personal and organizational drivers of management tool usage. Calculations were performed based on the responses of 222 employees working in organizations across Europe. The results revealed that, among personal drivers, a higher level of education leads to significantly higher usage of six sigma, rapid prototyping, outsourcing, customer relationship management, knowledge management, core competencies, and strategic planning. More experienced employees use significantly more six sigma, total quality management, supply chain management, knowledge management, and core competences than their less experienced peers. The impact of organizational drivers is substantially weaker, where only industry shows significant influence, indicating that lean production, six sigma, and supply chain management are used more in manufacturing than in service organizations. Gender, one’s position in the organization, and the organization size do not play a substantial role in management tool usage. Managers should recognize the role of personal and organizational drivers of management tool usage in order to more quickly implement Industry 4.0 principles in organizations.

THE SYSTEM OF PROCESSES AND PROJECTS OF THE AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS MAINTENANCE

The concept of the aviation enterprise as a unified system of processes and projects of the aircraft airworthiness maintenance (AAM) is presented. The relevance of project management tools usage, including the transport branch, is noted; the examples of successful implementation of the development projects at domestic enterprises manufacturing aircraft engines are given. A scheme for the classification of the AAM projects and processes, reflecting their interrelationship, is proposed. The operational activity of the enterprise is a combination of its business processes. The company selects plans and implements the relevant projects for the business processes optimization. At the same time, the projects themselves are the objects of management based on standardized processes. The processes of project management and the main processes of the enterprise are also interrelated and can be objects included in the unified regulations of its units. Increasing the efficiency of operational processes and processes of the aviation enterprise management is the goal of development projects, which are divided into investment projects and organizational changes projects. Limitation of organizational and financial resources of the company requires the identification and systematization of all projects and processes, while the application of project management standards allows to analyze the opportunities and to determine the sequence of their implementation. The importance of accumulating experience of completed projects is shown; the results can become typical methods for planning, organizing the implementation and monitoring of AAM projects. Specific forms of the project management standards implementation for AN-124-100 constructive modification project in LLC Volga-Dnepr Airlines are demonstrated: the control events plan and the project team formation.

Editorial

The 58th issue of 2017 is the product of an open summons of papers carried out within the national and international scientific community, which makes part of the journal’s publishing strategy for the years to come; this an electronic issue and in English that seeks greater divulgation of scientific knowledge in the area. These papers resumes quite relevant discussions Corporate Social Responsibility, patients’ loyalty, the usage of management tools in SMEs, territorial planning or the role of companies in peace-building.
 The first paper of this issue bears the title “Correlational study of the factors that influence in the recommendation and loyalty of patients of aesthetic medicine, Medellin, Colombia 2014”, where with a sample of 391 patients from Medellin´s (Colombia) metropolitan area the authors identify the factors that influence processes of recommendation and loyalty produced within the medic-patient relationship in aesthetic medicine, and seek to find relations within these factors by using statistical methods.
 Forecasting in the industrial SMEs of Ibague: variables that determine their application is the second paper from this issue, where by means of both qualitative and quantitative analysis is proposed a research on variables that determine the practice of forecasting in small and medium-sized industrial companies from Ibague, Tolima, Colombia. The paper presents this research’s results, which determine the relationship among the proposed attributes and the use of this kind of techniques in the managing of said companies.The third paper is “Corporate Social Responsibility and pro-Peace practices in Colombia”, which poses the relationship between the adoption of Corporate Social Responsibility models and implementing Pro-Peace practices in scenarios of conflict and post-conflict. By using qualitative methods it was found that if companies in Colombia wish to promote peace they must become involved in management models based on Corporate Social Responsibility.
 Corporate Social Responsibility and peace-building: analysis of a Colombian multinational is the title borne by the fourth paper, where the authors present the results stemming from a research based on sustainability reports corresponding to the 2010-2015 period issued by a multinational operating in Colombia, and analyzed by means of grounded theory design.The fifth paper is Analysis of construction projects stakeholders from Corporate Social Responsibility, where an analysis of housing construction projects stakeholders is presented from a Corporate Social Responsibility approach, and based on the application of the Stakeholher Circle complimented by some risk management-related matrixes and the usage of the MicMac software from the structural analysis model. Among other conclusions is posed the importance of setting up actions and strategies for these stakeholders, due to them being implicated in optimizing the system from the setting up of permanent challenges given their high motoricity and high dependence.
 New approaches to planning and development: the case of Gramalote, Norte de Santander, Colombia is the sixth research paper from this journal’s 58th issue where the authors analyze the territorial planning from Gramalote, Norte de Santander, Colombia from the development planning or territorial development approaches, and their relationship with the 2010 disaster. From a qualitative and documentary approach were reviewed the municipality’s 2004-2017, 2008-2011 and 2012-2015 development plans. Among the results territorial planning is posed as having been carried out improperly before and after the 2010 disaster, due to the economic orientation thereof.
 Finally, this issue’s last paper is one of review by the name “Approaches and social perspectives of Corporate Responsibility” where the authors present the existing debates from different disciplines and perspectives about the Corporate Social Responsibility concept and its relationship, among others, with conceptual elements determinant of the company.
 As responsible for this publication I thank the authors of these papers for trusting our editorial process, clarifying that they are accountable for the content of each of their papers and the revising of the translations carried out in some cases. We hope this issue’s scientific content contributes to the knowledge from the different areas.

Are similar ones different? Determinant characteristics of management tool usage within companies sharing the same institutional environment

Technical literature describes local productive arrangements (LPAs) as an institution. It also states that existing interaction links within their members foster them to act quite similarly. However, entrepreneurs and their characteristic attributes tend to distinguish their decisions. Therefore, according to such, this research examined if entrepreneur psychological characteristics would be able to influence management practices and the performance of companies sharing the same institutional environment. This study follows such objectives via an epistemologically positivist approach – quantitative view – and data gathering through forms used in 121 firms from clothing industry LPA in Parana Northwest. The research model has been tested through structural equation modelling techniques. Amongst findings, it may be observed management control practices have a 46.42% positive effect on company performance. Characteristics of entrepreneurial orientation have been able to positively influence the usage of management controls in 38.38%, and company performance in 14.90%. However, no statistical inferences regarding the individual's metacognitive ability of predicting the variables of entrepreneurial orientation, management controls and company performance have been carried out.

Espoused versus realized knowledge management tool usage in knowledge intensive organizations

Many knowledge-intensive organizations (KIOs) have invested in tools and policies to enhance knowledge-sharing and application as this is crucial for their growth. The implementation of these tools results in multiple approaches for knowledge-sharing being available. This article reports on an empirical study of five global management consultancies investigating how consultants choose between these knowledge-sharing alternatives and the factors driving this choice. Our findings indicate that consultants base their decisions on both judging the anticipated benefits of the knowledge content and the associated process costs. Importantly, the criteria employed to assess these knowledge-sharing alternatives were different to that of the leadership. The use of different criteria resulted in the leadership championing tools and policies that the consultants did not perceive as valuable. The study contributes to the HRM and knowledge management literature, not only by surfacing criteria, yet to be discussed in the literature, used by the leadership and consultants of KIOs in determining which knowledge-sharing approach to use, but also by highlighting that when considering KM tools it was critical to take a multi-level approach as there may be some differences in rationales as to why some systems are used or not.

Lean Six Sigma education in manufacturing companies: the case of transitioning markets

Purpose In the global economy, managers are constantly innovating with their use of available Lean Six Sigma (LSS) tools. Some factors, such as training and the right educational goals, have gained strong global acceptance. The purpose of this paper is to focus on contributions to organizational factors that predict organizations usage of LSS management tools to investigate expectations of project managers prior to LSS education and the extent of fulfilment of those expectations following LSS education in Slovenia, an East European country. Design/methodology/approach This research provides an empirical analysis of LSS as a learning structure and the characteristics of LSS project managers, followed by the results of an analysis of LSS usage in manufacturing companies in Slovenia following comparative surveys carried out in 2008 and 2013. Findings The top four essential characteristics for LSS organizations in 2013 include: being an innovative LSS project manager; being an effective communicator; having networking ability; and being a positive thinker. Results from 2008 to 2013 have shown differences in the stages of LSS implementation in Slovenia in these years. Differences were also seen in the level of participants’ LSS training in the studies performed. Originality/value This paper presents the first ever comparison study regarding the status of LSS education in transition countries, such as in Slovenian manufacturing companies. The study shows the expectations of participants before LSS education and their fulfilment following it. The research is original in many aspects: it includes aspects of external and internal LSS training in companies, it focusses on the manufacturing companies in the transition country of Slovenia and it provides a comparison of results in 2008 and in 2013 and an overview of the progress of LSS education. The paper will be of great value to academics, consultants, researchers, practitioners of LSS, current and future management and owners of companies in Slovenia and other similar East European transition countries. The findings will be useful in business practice for understanding the influences of education and training factors on LSS management tool usage.

Modern management tools usage: Empirical analysis in select companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The main purpose of this paper is to present the finding of a research into modern management tools usage in companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the climate of economic downturn. In trying to reduce uncertainty of business conditions in recession, and to create a sustainable competitive advantage, the necessity of an adequate response to changes and challenges for companies through the usage of management tools is gaining momentum. In this paper, we have presented research results of modern management tools usage and the level of satisfaction for companies that are operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the context of financial crisis and economic downturn, and against the backdrop of the set targets of these companies. Results stem from a survey conducted among 46 executives in companies of all sizes, sectors, forms of organization and ownership. Regarding practical implications, the paper points to the usage of modern management tools in companies, following the global trends of tried-and-true management tools, positively correlated with the satisfaction coming from their implementation. We must emphasize that companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina are focusing more on usage of management tools that are promoting improved customer relationship management and customer segmentation, in the climate of persistent economic downturn. We believe that building stronger management capacities is under way for companies doing business in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the implementation of some new data management tools. In this process of implementing new tools, additional managerial training of the staff is needed, which is supported by our survey findings.

Exploring the use of 25 leading business practices in transitioning market supply chains

Purpose – In the global economy, managers of organizations are constantly innovating with their use of available supply chain management tools. Some tools, like strategic planning and customer segmentation, have gained strong global acceptance while others are less universal. The paper aims to focus the contribution on the organizational factors that predict firm usage of supply chain management tools in two Eastern Europe countries, Slovenia and Croatia, while also comparing them to the global use of similar management tools. Design/methodology/approach – This research provides an empirical analysis of supply chain management tool usage from a survey of 155 firms in Slovenia and 185 firms in Croatia while also comparing these findings to results from a global Bain & Company survey. Findings – The 25 most commonly used supply chain management tools in the Eastern European survey were found to be relatively similar to those used across Europe and North America. However, further analysis of five selected tools reveals important differences. Evidence is found to support that particular organizational factors have a significant influence on supply chain management tool usage, of specific importance is the education level of the organization manager. Originality/value – The findings are useful for business practice in understanding the influences of organizational factors on supply chain management tool usage. Also, the research is original as previous management literature has not provided a similar approach to researching management tools and their usage.

Influence of Organizational Factors on Management Tools Usage in Slovenian Organizations

Purpose – In the global competitive environment, managers of organizations must permanently rethink and renew their work, especially about the use of different managerial tools. A selection of suitable management tools for organization requires consideration of characteristics of the known tools, comparison of different tools, and consideration of demands and conditions of the organizations. But direct comparison of different management tools is not possible because of their content-related and methodological differences. In management theory, various authors tried to consider the use of management tools more deeply. The main purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of important organizational factors on usage of single management tools in Slovenian organizations. Thus, we consider: 1) usage patterns of management tools in different areas worldwide, 2) the influence of single organizational factors – i.e. education, position, and working years, on the usage of management tools in Slovenian organizations, and 3) the influence of a linear combination of selected factors on usage of management tools in Slovenian organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative analysis is applied on the basis of the selected cognitions from Management, and Organization. The quantitative analysis includes desk research about the management tools, and analysis of the results from a survey about management tools in Slovenian organizations in 2010. In examining the impact of the considered organizational factors (separately and in combination) on management tools we use linear regression analysis to predict the influence of single factors and linear combination of the selected factors on the use of selected management tools. AMOS 17.0 was used for analysis. Findings – Intensity of management tools usage in Slovenian organizations is similar to the global patterns, while patterns of their usage are rather different. Examination of factors influencing usage of the top five management tools in Slovenian organizations reveal: education has the strongest impact on the usage of management tools, the impact of employees’ position in organization is weaker, and the impact of working years is very weak. When we take into consideration all three predictors simultaneously, the impact of education and position becomes weaker, while the impact of working years becomes insignificant. We apply a deeper approach to gauge the influence of organizational factors on usage of the selected management tools. The impact of other considered factors, we find, is not significant. Research limitations/implications – Research is limited to a hypothesis, broader qualitative aspects encountered during desk research, and some quantitative analysis of results from our survey. We test our hypotheses and the chosen model on the top five management tools most used by employees in Slovenian organizations. Practical implications – Authors try to overcome the prevailing practice of very general consideration of management tools usage, especially regarding organizational factors, which influence the usage of management tools. Authors suggest a new approach, hardly known in the main-stream literature. They propose a more specific and target-oriented approach to consideration of management tools usage in business. Originality/value – Available management literature does not provide a similar solution for considering and researching the usage of management tools in business. This is useful for business practice in organizations, for advancing the usage of management tools, since the most important organizational factors on management tools usage are outlined. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.23.3.1933

The impact of national culture traits on the usage of web 2.0 technologies

PurposeWeb 2.0 technologies are becoming popular and are being used not only for social networking but also to facilitate communication and increase knowledge sharing in the work environment. Extensive research has been conducted in the past to understand the factors affecting the adoption and use of IT systems but few have studied the influence of national culture on such adoption models. When it comes to web 2.0 usage, the literature is only emerging and the role of national culture has not been addressed. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approachIn order to better understand the factors that affect the use of web 2.0 technologies and the influence of national culture on it, data were collected from 376 young adults in the age range of 18‐29 from the USA, Thailand and Bahrain. A model was developed and statistically tested to understand the influence of national culture traits, social grooming aspects, efficiency, online privacy, perceived usefulness, subjective norms and gender.FindingsBased on the type of web 2.0 usage (expressive or instrumental) different variables were demonstrated to be significant predictors. For expressive usage, uncertainty avoidance, maintaining relationships, online privacy and perceived usefulness were significant. For instrumental usage, long‐term orientation and perceived usefulness were significant. A ranking of various types of web 2.0 usage was also created, showing very few differences among countries.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is the first step in a series of research activities that should be conducted to better understand the influence of culture in the adoption and usage of web 2.0 technologies. The sample was composed only of “Millennial” generation students and should be extended to other generations and to other countries with markedly different cultural profiles.Practical implicationsThe findings of the paper help to better understand the usage of web 2.0 technologies by young adults who are about to enter the labor market and are likely to use Enterprise 2.0 applications in their work environment. Since web 2.0 technologies are centered on the concepts of communication, collaboration and information sharing, they will influence the behavior of future knowledge workers in terms of knowledge sharing. Accordingly, better understanding of web 2.0 use will help to improve the understanding of Enterprise 2.0 and knowledge management tools usage in a global environment.Originality/valueThis paper's original contribution stems from the fact that the influence of national culture on the use of web 2.0 has not yet been addressed in the literature.

Strategic management tool usage: a comparative study

• This exploratory, empirical study of tool usage by strategic management practitioners in the United Kingdom and New Zealand found striking similarities in tool usage patterns for a series of core strategic tasks. • The diversity of approaches used and some country-specific differences are outlined. • Further research is proposed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.