Thinking critically about critical thinking: Assessing critical thinking of business students using multiple measures

Critical thinking is a skill that potential employers expect all graduates to possess. Hence, most business management programs consider critical thinking as an important student learning goal. Unfortunately, there is ambiguity about how to best assess critical thinking, both as a skill and a learning outcome. The authors empirically demonstrate how they measure the critical thinking ability of their students in different settings, and how their critical thinking ability improves as they progress through the business program.     

Is Supply's Actual Contribution to Sustainable Development Strategic and Operational?

This paper addresses the issue of how sustainable supply practices are actually used as a leverage for sustainable development (SD). In order to assess the level of sustainable supply management within an organization, the authors have reviewed the literature extensively and then developed a five‐step maturity model around five management dimensions. A qualitative exploratory approach based on two detailed case studies of organizations whose reputation for SD is recognized internationally has been used. This methodology allowed us to show (1) how sustainable supply practices could be used as a leverage for an organization's sustainable development approach and (2) that sustainable supply practices still have quite a distance to go with regards to the maturity model for sustainable supply, even in organizations that are often mentioned as leaders in the SD area. In these organizations, managers still emphasize environmental considerations, while neglecting practices that would make it possible to reach the three SD objectives simultaneously. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Subsidiary staffing,cultural friction,and subsidiary performance: Evidence from Korean subsidiaries in 63 countries

Drawing from the notion of cultural friction and based on the agency theory rationalization of multinational enterprise (MNE) headquarter–subsidiary relationship, we examine the impact of cultural friction in foreign subsidiaries on subsidiary performance. We argue that cultural friction, arising due to a high presence of parent country nationals (PCNs) in culturally distant locations, has a detrimental effect on subsidiary performance. This effect is the strongest when the cultural friction is at the top management team (TMT) level and the weakest when friction is at the regular employee level. However, this relationship is contingent on factors that work as drags or lubricants for cultural friction between PCNs and host country nationals (HCNs). We identify governance mode and language differences between home and host countries as drag parameters and host country experience and subsidiary interdependence as lubricants that condition the effect of cultural friction on subsidiary performance. Empirical findings based on a longitudinal sample of 7,495 foreign subsidiary observations of 467 Korean MNEs in 63 countries during 1990–2014 provide robust support for our theoretical predictions.     

Exploring Value‐Based Management Sophistication: The Role of Potential Economic Benefits and Institutional Influence

The complexity of value‐based management (VBM) is often not captured in empirical research. In particular, potential differences in the extent of VBM implementation are not considered. Firms are predominantly classified dichotomously into either VBM “adopters” or “non‐adopters.” In this study, we aim to fill this gap by introducing a framework to assess differences in the extent of VBM implementation (VBM‐sophistication) based on publicly available data. This approach enables us to study determinants of VBM‐sophistication based on a hand‐collected data set comprising 2,683 firm‐year observations from 16 European countries between 2005 and 2014. Specifically, we investigate (i) whether potential economic benefits associated with VBM implementation lead to a higher level of VBM‐sophistication, and (ii) if this relation is influenced by extra‐organizational institutions (e.g., industry norms). Our results indicate that companies exhibit higher VBM‐sophistication if certain firm characteristics that increase the potential economic benefits of VBM are present. Moreover, our study provides evidence that this effect is enhanced by extra‐organizational institutions that pressure and support firms in realizing the potential benefits of higher VBM‐sophistication.     

Frustration-driven process improvement

When employees are empowered to continuously record their employment-related frustrations—doing so on accessible, visually prominent media—process improvement becomes upgraded to operate in a truly continuous mode. Frustrations are a superior target of process improvement in that they get at deep-seated concerns of people who have first-order process awareness and are most directly impacted by process failings. Recording frustrations not only provides a sound basis for pressing on to solutions, but it is also cathartic. The act of recording frustrations prominently on company-sanctioned media provides a positive outlet for the frustrations themselves.     

Systemic justice and burnout: A multilevel model

With the aim of extending organisational justice research to embrace significant and enduring aspects of the workplace context, this study examines organisational culture and human resource management (HRM) as constitutive dimensions of systemic justice and relates them to employee health. Bridging organisational justice, HRM, organisational culture, and occupational health research, we advance and test a multilevel model relating systemic justice to burnout. Data collected from 60 organisations; 89 employee groups; and 1,976 employees provide support for the hypothesised relationships between justice‐oriented culture, in terms of organisational values and group culture, and justice‐oriented HRM. In turn, justice‐oriented HRM related directly to employee burnout and indirectly through employee perceived job control and supervisor social support.     

Modelo de gestión logística para pequeñas y medianas empresas en México

The market opening and the globalization of supply chains, demand a structural changes in which logistics has a strategic role. Nowadays, clients evaluate product quality, its value added and its availability in time and form, which implies a need to make the process efficient. Several experts have proposed some logistics management models to increase competitiveness in the market, but some of these models are too ambitious for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) due to their informal structure and their lack of technical knowledge; other models make indirect reference to the internal information flows, which include whole system disintegration because of the weak interrelation among the different areas. In Mexico, SMEs represent 4.2%, they generate 31.5% of employment and provide 37% of the gross domestic product; that is why it is important to reinforce their competitive position in the market. This research presents the design of a conceptual model of logistic management for SMEs which could provide comprehensive solution through control of the variables involved in the logistics process; to verify that the variables considered in each identified dimension are correct factor analysis was used.     

Using quantitative influence diagrams to map natural resource managers’ mental models of invasive species management

Despite the significant effect that invasive species have on natural values, the number and extent of invasions continue to rise globally. At least three dominant reasons explain why policy development and implementation can fail: differences in managers’ mental models of invasive species management; cross-agency responsibility; and poor planning and management (i.e., planning–implementation gap). We used a case study of cross-agency management of gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus) in Australia to explore the differences in organizational staffs’ mental models of management. The gamba grass invasion in northern Australia is continuing to expand and associated effects are increasing; coordinated action across agencies is needed to manage the expansion. Our aim was to examine how staff would represent their mental models as a diagram that we could compare between individuals and groups. We used cognitive mapping techniques to elicit models of 15 individuals from across 5 organizations, represented as an influence diagram, which shows the interrelationships that define a system. We compiled the individual influence diagrams to create a team model of management that captures the common connections across participants’ diagrams. The team model revealed that education, science, legislation, enforcement and property management plans were perceived to be the most important management tools to control or eradicate gamba grass. The Weed Management Branch was perceived to have the most central role in gamba grass management, while other organizations were perceived to have specific roles according to their core business. Significant positive correlations (i.e., shared perceptions) were observed across half of the participants, indicating that the some participants have shared models that could be used as a starting point for discussing the team model, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and potentially building consensus around a shared model. Dominant opportunities for improvement identified by participants were better use of management tools, namely education and enforcement, better coordination and collaboration between agencies and increased resourcing. Our research demonstrates the value and validity of using influence diagrams to explore managers’ mental models and to create a team model that could serve as a starting point for improved cross-agency natural resource management.     

实体界面管理在房建群体工程施工中的应用分析

本文结合作者实际工作经验,并参考大量的文献资料,通过实体界面管理在房建群体工程施工应用中得到的显著成效,以期为同类项目管理实践提供方法和支持,并完善界面管理在项目管理的理论体系中的应用。     

高职院校老年服务与管理专业晨练模式改革探析——以老年福祉学院为例

晨练作为高职院校体育工作的重要内容,是学生日常行为规范养成、良好道德品质与纪律规范形成的重要措施之一。本文通过对现有晨练项目的问卷调查,分析老年服务与管理专业学生对晨练项目的态度,试图探索符合专业发展、灵活多样的晨练形式,以满足学生发展需求。