A Systematic Literature Review on Islamic Values Applied in Quality Management Context

The dominant framing of the political corporate social responsibility (CSR) discussion challenges the traditional economic conception of the firm and aims to produce a paradigm shift in CSR studies wherein the traditional, apolitical view of corporations’ roles in society is replaced by the political conception of CSR. In this paper, we show how the major framing of the political CSR discussion calls for a redirection to take international hard legal and moral regulations, as well as the need for the boundaries between business and politics into account.     

A method for calculating export supply and import demand elasticities

This article has a dual aim. First, it sets out to underline a learning-by-exporting effect in Spanish firms between 1991 and 2002. It further seeks to outline the conditions allowing firms to benefit from these spillover effects. Using a propensity score matching method, a group of firms having entered the export market (treatment group) is compared with a similar group of non-exporting firms (control group), and difference-in-differences regressions are carried out. The results show a cumulative productivity differential of 32% for the first four years of exporting, with continuous improvement in productivity. After three years of exporting, productivity gain is still approximately 10%. This study shows that increases in capacity utilisation and competitive pressure from foreign markets are insufficient to explain this causal link between exporting and total factor productivity (TFP). It is thus possible to deduce the presence of a learning-by-exporting effect, benefiting firms with sufficiently qualified employees and which are already engaged in international relations (due to foreign suppliers and/or foreign equity participation).     

Cost-Benefit Analysis for the Selection,Migration, and Operation of a Campus Management System

An increasing number of students, together with organizational and technological requirements, pose new challenges for universities. For these reasons, Campus Management Systems provide a solution for the necessary IS-support in student administration. In order to ensure cost-effectiveness, an extensive cost-utility analysis of the campus management systems under consideration is required. The process model illustrated here facilitates a ten-step cost-utility analysis for the selection, migration and operation of a campus management System. The process-oriented approach addresses the challenges posed by cost and benefit allocation. The subsequent ten steps, using the case analysis of two large German universities, show that the implementation of an integrated campus management system can lead to significant cost saving effects. The presented process model enables comparative calculations of differences with regard to the alternatives. The approach enables a comprehensive decision-support system for the selection of a university-specific and individually applicable campus management system.     

Managing Institutional Complexity: A Longitudinal Study of Legitimacy Strategies at a Sportswear Brand Company

Multinational corporations are operating in complex business environments. They are confronted with contradictory institutional demands that often represent mutually incompatible expectations of various audiences. Managing these demands poses new organizational challenges for the corporation. Conducting an empirical case study at the sportswear manufacturer Puma, we explore how multinational corporations respond to institutional complexity and what legitimacy strategies they employ to maintain their license to operate. We draw on the literature on institutional theory, contingency theory, and organizational paradoxes. The results of our qualitative longitudinal study show that managing corporate legitimacy is a dynamic process in which corporations adapt organizational capacities, structures, and procedures.     

Impact of IT Service Management Frameworks on the IT Organization

Over 90 percent of companies are estimated to use IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks, yet there is little research on their benefits to the Information Technology (IT) department and the business units. An international survey of 491 firms was conducted to assess the benefits of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), the de-facto ITSM framework, specifically on how these benefits evolve as companies increase their adoption of the ITIL model. Also studied are the perception of challenges of the implementation and the number of ITIL processes implemented in relation to the progress of the adoption of ITIL. Results indicate that as the maturity of implementation increases, the perception of challenges decreases. Findings also show that as the maturity of implementation increases, the number of realized benefits increases, as well as the number of implemented ITIL processes. Implications for practitioners and researchers are also discussed.     

Computer users’ ergonomics and quality of life – evidence from a developing country

This study is aimed at investigating the quality of workplace ergonomics at various Pakistani organizations and quality of life of computer users working in these organizations. Two hundred and thirty-five computer users (only those employees who have to do most of their job tasks on computer or laptop, and at their office) responded by filling the questionnaire covering questions on workplace ergonomics and quality of life. Findings of the study revealed the ergonomics at those organizations was poor and unfavourable. The quality of life (both physical and mental health of the employees) of respondents was poor for employees who had unfavourable ergonomic environment. The findings thus highlight an important issue prevalent at Pakistani work settings.     

Organizational and Technological Options for Business Process Management from the Perspective of Web 2.0

Corporate operative systems are often highly dynamic, a fact which is only insufficiently taken into account by recent process management approaches. In contrast, the perspective of Web 2.0 opens up new options for action in process management. In this contribution, we figure out new organizational and technological options of process management using a design-oriented research approach. The analysis especially considers the aspects of self-organization and collective intelligence in process management. We conceptually develop options for action and illustrate them based on a prototype platform for process management. The paper is complemented by a presentation of real-world application scenarios in the construction industry and results of an evaluation of the design-oriented research approach.     

Proposal for Components of Method Design Theories

Gregor and Jones have proposed components for design theories, building on theory concepts from behavioural sciences and prior publications. Their design theory structure addresses IT artefacts in general, not specific to any type, such as constructs, models, methods or instantiations. Their work is an important contribution to the academic discussion of design theories. The authors are building on this and believe that specialised design theory structures for different types of artefacts further increases utility, usability and acceptance of the components for both academia and practise. They have analysed each of the components published by Gregor and Jones and proposed refinements specific to method design artefacts wherever applicable. For each component, they derive evaluation criteria and present examples of method publications fulfilling the criteria. They argue that by presenting method design theories according to this structure the contribution of method design artefacts to the body of knowledge will increase.     

Effect of electromagnetic field accompanying the magnetic resonance imaging on human heart rate variability – a pilot study

The effect of electromagnetic field on cardiovascular system in the literature is defined in ambiguous way. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of electromagnetic field on the heart rate variability (HRV) during the examination with magnetic resonance. Forty-two patients underwent Holter ECG heart monitoring for 30 minutes twice: immediately before and after the examination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). HRV was analysed by assessing a few selected time and spectral parameters. Is has been shown that standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN) and very low frequency rates increased, whereas the low frequency:high frequency parameter significantly decreased following the MRI examination. These results show that MRI may affect the HRV most likely by changing the sympathetic-parasympathetic balance.     

Some Antecedents and Consequences of Ethical Leadership: An Examination Using the Kings of Judah From 931 bc to 586 bc

This study examines some antecedents and consequences of ethical leadership. Using a dataset from the King James Version of the Bible, I argue for and propose that maternal influence will lead to leaders being ethical while paternal influence appears to have no impact on leaders being ethical. I also argue and propose that ethical leaders are more likely to achieve longer tenures and to lead their organizations to better performance. I develop propositions based on the findings from the analysis of my qualitative and quantitative data.     

Economics and Antitrust Enforcement: The Last 25 Years

Abstract

Economics has reshaped antitrust enforcement over the last quarter century. Its impact has been most dramatic in merger analysis, with the shift toward unilateral effects theories and away from market concentration-related theories of collusion. Progress on both the theoretical and empirical fronts has also changed enforcement priors and competitive analyses concerning vertical restraints and monopolization. Economists also have made valuable assessments of the effectiveness of antitrust enforcement, though more work in this area is needed.     

Q＆A

Q：哪一年获得第一桶金？ 第一桶金怎么来的？ A：1986年。承接了一个国有棉纺厂空调设备的技改项目，当年实现利润6．36万元，赚取创业史上第一桶金。     

A Tire City

At the foot of Mount Chengshan, the eastmost end of the Jiaodong Peninsula, the Rongcheng Rubber Factory—a world famous tire city, is rising quickly. Eighteen years ago, it was but a county-owned handicraft shop renewing horse cart tires. But a group of sea-bred people have worked wonders with their own hands for China's tire industry. Output value and pretax profits have increased by 40％ each year, last year hitting 1.35 billion Yuan (RMB) in output value and 186 million Yuan in pretax profit, ranking third in major economic targets in China's tire industry. Now, its     

A公司财务分析

财务分析可以为投资者、债权人、经营者和其他关心企业的组织或个人了解企业的过去、评价企业的现状、预测企业的未来提供准确的信息或依据,以做出正确的决策。 文章基于国内安防行业 A 公司近 4 年(2017~ 2020 年)的财务报表数据,对该公司多项财务指标进行分析、评价,指出 A 公司在财务方面存在的不足,并提出改进建议,希望企业得到更好的发展。     

A Special Slovak

When looking at the map of Europe the advantage of the geographical position of Slovakia can be seen immediately. Slovakia is situated in the heart of Europe in the zone with moderate climate and regular turn of seasons. It has borders with Austria and the Czech Republic in the west, with Poland in the north, Hungary in the south and Ukraine in the east. Due to its favourable geographical position Slovakia provides ideal opportunities for combining visits to several neighbouring countries in Central Europe.     

索尼A39

2005年笔记本新品最大的特点是产品细分。在分析大众需求之后，今年的笔记本针对性越来越强、不同的消费者可以根据需求轻易找到适合自己的产品系列。然后根据个人喜好确定具体型号。在细分产品线中，商务办公型、家用替代型、淑女轻薄型和实惠学生型应该是最具代表性的。本专题中我们选择了四大系列共十六款具有代表性的笔记本进行评测，在寻找每个系列产品共性的同时，本着对读者负责的态度，笔者在评测中尽量对各款机型的优缺点进行客观、直接的评述，而非不疼不痒的“抓挠”。