Structural model for analysis of key performance indicators for sustainable manufacturer–supplier collaboration: A grey-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory-based approach

With growing competition in the market and dire need for sustainability, it has become imperative for companies to build long-term relationship with their supply chain partners through sustainable collaboration. Among these, the supplier–manufacturer relationship is crucial for improved organizational, business and sustainable performance. Sustainable collaboration with suppliers involves crucial decision-making processes such as continuous supplier monitoring and supplier development. Hence, a critical challenge that a company faces is to identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) for assessing the performance of a supplier for sustainable collaboration. In this regard, this study focuses on identification of KPIs for an Indian home appliance company through exhaustive discussions involving multiple decision-makers. Further, a grey-based decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) model is proposed in the study for analysing the importance levels among the fifteen KPIs based on multiple stakeholder perspectives. The results of the grey structural model indicate seven KPIs as influencing KPIs and eight KPIs as influenced KPIs. The KPI ‘Information disclosure’ has been identified as the most influential KPI for the evaluation of suppliers for sustainable collaboration. The implications drawn from the result analysis model can provide meaningful insights to managers for identifying strategies towards strengthening the supplier–manufacturer relationship and achieving organizational and market competence.     

The association between continuing professional education and financial performance of public accounting firms

This study investigates the relationship between continuing professional education (CPE), a mechanism of professional training, and financial performance of public accounting firms. Both training subject (partner and assistant) and training location (internal and external) are included. Public accounting firms are categorized as big, medium, and small-sized ones. Empirical data are obtained from the 1992–1995 Survey Report of Public Accounting Firms in Taiwan, published by the Financial Supervisory Commission, Executive Yuan, Taiwan, ROC. Univariate test and multiple-regression model are employed to examine the financial performance effects of CPE. Main results indicate that both professional training of assistants and external professional training are positively related to financial performance in big-sized firms. Next, we document a significantly positive association between internal training of assistants and financial performance in either big-, medium-, or small-sized firms. Finally, both external professional training of partners in big-sized firms and external professional training of assistants in small-sized firms are positively related to financial performance. Few prior studies investigate professional training of public accounting firms by a regression model due to availability of empirical data. Accordingly, evidences obtained in this study provide useful information to partners for decision-making in public accounting firms under the considerably competitive audit market.     

经济增加值(EVA)在经营决策评估中的应用

EVA是从股东财富最大化出发来衡量公司业绩的指标,国外许多大公司的成功实践证明了它的价值。本文从公司的经营决策评估角度探讨其应用性,试图为提高中小企业的科学决策水平提供一些帮助。     

Comprehensiveness versus Pragmatism: Consensus at the Japanese–Dutch Interface

abstract    By comparing the views of managers working at the interface of two consensus-oriented societies, Japan and the Netherlands, we show important differences between the consensus decision-making processes as seen by Japanese and Dutch managers. These differences relate to how complete the agreement of opinion should be in order to speak of consensus, with the Japanese managers demanding a more complete consensus than the Dutch. The processes and conditions that Japanese and Dutch managers see as leading to consensus also differ. Japanese consensus is based on a more ordered, sequential process than Dutch consensus. Our respondents differed deeply regarding the role of the hierarchy in their own and the others' consensus processes, with both Japanese and Dutch managers seeing their own consensus process as less hierarchical. Our findings show that the concept of consensus is interpreted quite differently by Japanese and Dutch managers. This is an important warning for companies operating at the interface of these two societies. More in general our research illustrates the usefulness for international management research of detailed comparative studies focusing not on stark contrasts but on more subtle differences between management practices.     

Sequential Decision-making in Interdependent Sectors with Multiobjective Inoperability Decision Trees: Application to Biofuel Subsidy Analysis

Decision-making involving large-scale systems often involves considerations for temporal changes, interdependencies in organizational structures, multiple competing objectives, and risk and uncertainty, among others. In this paper we develop a risk-based methodology, the Multiobjective Inoperability Decision Tree (MOIDT). It integrates several dimensions of decision-making processes associated with interconnected systems in terms of: (i) evaluation of sequential policies; (ii) analysis of interdependencies; (iii) treatment of multiple objectives and their tradeoffs; and (iv) characterization of uncertainties. To demonstrate the integration of these four components, we present a case study to analyze the impact of government policies towards mass-scale biofuel production. Using a multi-period decision framework, the analysis utilizes economic input–output data to model the probabilistic demand adjustments for sectors that will likely be affected by biofuel policies.     

探讨台湾中小型家族企业在大陆市场之经营策略

有鉴于家族企业的经营策略形成有别于一般企业的形成模式，本研究探讨台湾中小型家族企业经营策略之形成模式，利用观念性研究架构、专家问卷以及企业问卷的设计，量化并综合性讨论，归纳出台湾中小型家族企业的经营策略成功因素，为台湾家族企业经营策略提供新的思考，以便在市场机能与商业利益的引导下，研拟具体措施协助台湾中小型家族企业，成功融入不同的文化，以达到永续生存与成功获利的目的。本研究透过文献分析与实证分析结果的汇整，得出三个结论：独立自主的家族管理者是家族企业成功生存的关键；良好的内部凝聚力是家族企业经营的必要条件；良好的外部顾客关系是家族企业的成功要素。     

广东中小企业技术创新风险评价

"十二五"规划期间国家提出增强科技创新能力,同时广东省十二五规划也提出提升企业技术创新能力,重点扶植鼓励中小企业创新。面对此重大机遇,广东省中小企业纷纷进行技术创新,那么广东省中小企业在技术创新过程中将遇到哪些风险,如何对这些风险进行量化的测度呢?本文就此问题采用AHP及模糊综合评价法,对广东省中小企业技术创新风险进行评价,从而对其风险有了一个相对量化比较。     

Who Gains from the Demographic Dividend? Forecasting Income by Age

Changes in the population age structure are known to influence the total income per person, but little is known about whether the changes are equally shared across the population or are concentrated on particular age groups and/or birth cohorts. The answer to this question has potentially important implications for income inequality, human capital investment, and fertility decision-making. We propose a new model of intergenerational transfers which distinguishes between the effects of changes in population structure and the effects of changes in family age structure. Using age-specific data from annual income and expenditure surveys of Taiwan between 1978 and 1998, we show that changes in age structure have had a very favorable effect on Taiwan's income growth. The gains are not equally shared by all age groups, however. Children and young adults have benefited the most, while the elderly have benefited the least. The population and family age structures have independent effects on per capita income; the effect of the population age structure is most important. Generational differences in per capita income are closely related to intergenerational differences in earnings, suggesting only a weak form of altruism. Finally, we predict that, on average, population aging will adversely influence the per capita income growth in Taiwan in the coming decades.     

集成化供应链绩效评价的数据包络分析应用

利用数据包络分析（DEA）处理多输入多输出、无需考虑数据量纲影响的非参数统计估计的＂天然＂优势,并利用主成分分析法对参考绩效指标进行筛选,对多条供应链绩效进行横向评价,不但可以区分被评价者绩效水平的优劣,而且还可以得出处于尚未达到最优水平的被考评者应该优化的方向;同时对有效决策单元进行排序,获得所有被测评者绩效水平的总排序,从而体现了该方法在供应链绩效评价当中应用的优越性.     

成本管理绩效评价体系的构建与研究——分层次双渠道综合确定关键绩效指标

成本管理理论的发展和平衡计分卡作为绩效评价和战略管理工具在实践中的逐步完善,推动了成本管理绩效评价的研究。本文提出一种新的业绩评价思路:在成本管理的战略层,使用平衡计分卡寻求成本管理的成功因素(CSF);而在成本管理的作业层,从管理决策导向因素出发确定业绩评价指标,进而综合确定关键绩效指标(KPI)。     

High‐performance work systems and workplace performance in small,medium‐sized and large firms

This article draws on the Organisational Growth and Development (OGD) life cycle model to explore the relationship between high‐performance work systems (HPWS) and performance in firms of different size, thereby extending understanding of congruence or ‘best fit’ theory within strategic HRM debates. With reference to management control theory, economies of scale and the availability of specialist managerial skills, the article hypothesises that while an HPWS–performance relationship might exist in small, medium‐sized and large firms, the relationship will be stronger in large firms than in both small and medium‐sized firms, and stronger in medium‐sized firms than in small firms. Analysis of data from the British Workplace Employment Relations Survey demonstrates, however, that there is no association between HPWS and workplace performance in medium‐sized firms, in contrast to the positive relationship between HPWS and performance found in large firms and between HPWS and labour productivity in small firms.     

Identifying “best” applicants in recruiting using data envelopment analysis

Selecting the most promising candidates to fill an open position can be a difficult task when there are many applicants. Each applicant achieves certain performance levels in various categories and the resulting information can be overwhelming. We demonstrate how data envelopment analysis (DEA) can be used as a fair screening and sorting tool to support the candidate selection and decision-making process. Each applicant is viewed as an entity with multiple achievements. Without any a priori preference or information on the multiple achievements, DEA identifies the non-dominated solutions, which, in our case, represent the “best” candidates. A DEA-aided recruiting process was developed that (1) determines the performance levels of the “best” candidates relative to other applicants; (2) evaluates the degree of excellence of “best” candidates’ performance; (3) forms consistent tradeoff information on multiple recruiting criteria among search committee members, and, then, (4) clusters the applicants.     

The Extent of Divergence in Human Resource Practice Across Three Chinese National Cultures: Hong Kong,Taiwan and Singapore

This study examines the extent of divergence versus convergence impact on the design of performance appraisal schemes across three Chinese culture-based newly industrialised countries: Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. This survey research, which assessed respondents’ perceptions of their country's predominant behavioural characteristics of management practice pertinent to performance appraisals, demonstrated significant differences among the countries under study. the results suggest that, contrary to past cross-cultural cluster research, homogeneity should not automatically be assumed in guiding important management practices such as performance appraisal.     

Hybrid MADM-based study of key risk factors in house-for-pension reverse mortgage lending in Taiwan's banking industry

The issue of financial problems among the elderly has garnered the attention of multiple generations. In 2018, Taiwan formally attained an ageing society status. In order to address the financial difficulties elderly people face, an annuity system reform was launched by the Taiwanese government. Reverse mortgage lending, which is performed on the basis of house-for-pension, is an alternate method for enhancing their standard of living and sustaining their financial stability. The elderly applicants often mortgage their properties to financial institutions in order to maintain a steady cash flow for the fulfilment of their daily needs and live their remaining years in the mortgaged properties without vacating. Prior studies on house-for-pension in the Taiwanese context primarily concentrated on institutional implementation analysis but limitedly explored the uncertainty risks banks face when implementing the house-for-pension scheme. First, a literature review on the risks associated with house-for-pension reverse mortgage financing and comprehensive interviews with banking industry professionals were conducted. Subsequently, in the Taiwanese banking sector, assessment criteria for important risk factors in house-for-pension reverse mortgage financing were devised. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) was utilised to assess the interdependence of the assessment criteria. Next, the DEMATEL-based analytic network process (ANP) or DANP were used to calculate the weights of evaluation criteria. By employing modified VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR), a gap analysis was undertaken on the assessment criteria and sub-criteria. The study's findings serve as a guideline for the Taiwanese banking industry in formulating, improving, or amending the risk exposure mitigation measures for reverse mortgage lending.     

Institutional Logics in Police Performance Indicator Development: A Comparative Case Study of Spain and Finland

Police performance is not easily measurable and the organization and circumstances of police work vary among European countries. Further, police work is surrounded by multiple pressures to make it both economical and effective. Consequently, there are multiple institutional logics in decision-making which may affect the selection and the use of police key performance indicators (KPIs). The KPI selection and use processes reflect the institutional logics, though KPI use may also sometimes influence the institutional logics of police work. In this study, we analyze the KPIs and institutional logics in police work in Finland and Spain. A comparative case research approach is used in order to highlight the differences in institutional logic emphases and in circumstances. Data from semi-structured interviews, internet reports, project work, and discussions are used. Both similarities and differences in the KPIs and in the institutional logic emphasis are found between the Finnish and Spanish police. Understanding the partly general and partly locally constructed nature of institutional logics may facilitate the development of police work performance measurement. We also suggest ways of coping with multiple institutional logics. For example, risk analyses and selecting KPIs against the current institutional logic may facilitate organizational developments.     

Combining PCA With DEA to Improve the Evaluation of Project Performance Data: A Taiwanese Bureau of Energy Case Study

This article proposes a new method of project performance evaluation, by which project performance data can be better understood. This article combines principal component analysis (PCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) to enhance the efficiency of decision‐making units more accurately. The data used was based on energy projects promoted by the Bureau of Energy at the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan. The results of this article show that by combining PCA and DEA in evaluating the performance of energy projects, there was an improved evaluation of projects over simply using DEA data alone.     

Quality management effectiveness in Asia: The influence of culture

Globalization forces managers to utilize manufacturing capabilities from countries with different cultures than their own, particularly from Asia. Yet quality problems in China have raised concerns among managers and researchers as to how to assure product quality from Asian facilities. Implementing quality management practices may accomplish this, but such practices assume specific cultural values exist in certain Asian cultures. Using global manufacturing and cultural data, this study examines if cultural values in Asian and non-Asian countries moderate how effective quality management practices are at improving quality performance. Through the use of multilevel modeling, differences in quality management effectiveness are found among the East Asian cultures of China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Moreover, this study finds that specific cultural dimensions are statistically related to quality management effectiveness. The results of this study will assist managers in devising plans to assure higher quality from East Asian facilities and in predicting where problems may occur in other countries around the world.     

Sustainable environmental practices and financial performance: Evidence from listed small and medium‐sized enterprise in the United Kingdom

In this article, we investigate the financial implication of sustainable environmental practices on UK small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs)–traded firms. Existing literature indicates that there is a direct relationship between sustainable environmental practices and financial performance. However, studies looking at this relationship have focused mainly on large firms with little attention paid to SMEs. Further, those looking at environmental and financial performance relationships have often used a single measure of performance in their studies. This study bridges these research gaps by focusing on listed SMEs in the United Kingdom using multiple measures of sustainable environmental policy indices on a panel of 201 SMEs on the Alternative Investment Market from 2011 to 2016. Evidence from our panel data analysis suggests significant and a nonlinear (concave) relationship between sustainable environmental practices and firms' financial performance. Specifically, energy efficiency practices, greenhouse gases, material, and resource efficiency revealed an inverted U‐shaped relationship with financial performance. The results will offer guidance to management in terms of allocating resources to sustainable environmental practices investment.     

The relationship between human resource management practices,business strategy and firm performance: evidence from steel industry in Taiwan

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices, business strategy and firm performance. We examined the following HRM practices: training and development; teamwork; compensation/incentives; HR planning; performance appraisal; and employment security. We surveyed 236 managers working at steel firms in Taiwan to explore their perceptions on the impact of HRM practices and business strategy on firm performance. The results of this study are summarized as follows: (1) HRM practices will be positively related to firm performance; (2) there is a close linkage between HRM practices and business strategy; (3) business strategies will be positively related to firm performance; (4) integrating HRM practices with business strategies will be positively related to firm performance.     

Gender difference and job replacement for mutual fund

This paper develops parametric shared-frailty models to analyze the likelihood of the spell time of job replacement. This empirical study identifies the importance of window dressing, herding behavior, and fund manager’s characteristics from the viewpoints of gender and performance differences. Finally, it considers how gender difference contributes to managerial turnover, while it finds that performance difference is not quite different among fund managers in Taiwan.