Examining the link between skill shortages,training composition and productivity levels in the construction industry: evidence from Northern Ireland1

One of the key questions in international research addresses the tensions arising from international co-ordination and local adaptation of multinational companies' (MNCs) policies and practices. The German business system encourages MNCs to have a long-term, high-investment orientation, to practise intensive management-labour cooperation and to pursue developmental human resource management (HRM). This study analyses six major German MNCs operating in both Britain and Spain and outlines their reasons for the international co-ordination of HRM. It addresses the issue of central control versus local adaptation by looking at the transfer of German HR policies and practices. The cases show that the MNCs were able to preserve substantial ‘German-ness’ abroad. However, the results of the transfer of German HRM were not always positive due to a variety of endogenous and exogenous causes. Barriers to transfer from institutionally strong to weak environments are discussed and possible internal HR approaches are suggested to counterbalance the national business system effect. Their success will depend on head office-foreign affiliate relations shaped by factors such as cross-border communication, trust and power distribution.     

企业业务流程再造的转变关键

企业要成功实施BPR计划,应该确立组织理论、改造方式、变革范围等3个关键转变的思路,才能有效地规避可能失败的风险。     

民营企业薪酬体系设计策划

改革开放以来,民营企业取得了长足的发展,对我国的社会就业、经济增长和经济体制改革等方面都做出了巨大的贡献。对于民营企业来说,如何留住人才确保自身持续发展,这是一个重要的课题。本文从薪酬体系的角度进行阐述,通过介绍薪酬杠杆的作用和民营企业薪酬体系的现状,同时提出薪酬体系设计思路,进而为民营企业薪酬体系设计提供参考依据。     

基于模块化理论的柔性流程及其影响因素的实证研究

模块化系统理论指出模块化设计能够提高系统的柔性。模块化程度高的业务流程具有“封装”和“即插即拔”的特性,使得业务流程更具有柔性,可快速的相应环境的变化。本文在模块化系统理论和交易成本经济学的基础上提出了模块化业务流程影响因素模型和相关假设,顾客需求的多样性、供应商专业化程度将促成流程的模块化设计,流程的实物资产专用性、人力资产专用性、程序资产专用性将减少流程模块化设计的吸引力。实证结果支持了这些研究假设。     

论两种规模经济：专业规模经济和综合规模经济

当前国际上出现了一种“企业规模无关论”的新观点,与我国目前盛行的“唯规模经济论”截然相反。笔者以为,上述两论都失之片面,正确的理论是在承认的前提下,将规模经济分为两类:专业规模经济和综合规模经济。前者因专业化分工效应而扩大产销规模与市场份额;后者因企业(集团)内部协调成本小于市场交易成本而获得效应。随着市场发育和市场交易成本下降,拥有专业规模经济的企业集团,比之拥有综合规模经济的企业集团更能适应市场的变化与竞争。     

Above and beyond? How businesses can drive sustainable development by promoting lasting pro-environmental behaviour change: An examination of the IKEA Live Lagom project

Current global changes require new business approaches driving sustainable development on all fronts. To date, most business approaches have focused on sustainable marketing and corporate social responsibility initiatives. In this field study, we examine IKEA's Live Lagom project, a 3-year behaviour change initiative that aimed to explore how to go above and beyond conventional approaches demonstrating how businesses could support sustainable development by supporting their customers' attempts to live more sustainable lifestyles. We examined the effectiveness of the project involving multifaceted behaviour change interventions, testing for behavioural changes both during and after the project period. In addition, we explored changes in participants' attitudes towards the company. Findings show that the extensive set of interventions led to changes in pro-environmental behaviours across all three participant groups with potentially positive impacts on the customer–company relationship. The article thus provides a call for further businesses to engage in similar behaviour change projects that would allow citizens to engage in more sustainable lifestyles and behaviours across contexts.     

Systemic circular business model application at the company,supply chain and society levels—A view into circular economy native and adopter companies

This study contributes to the conceptualization of a sustainable circular business model (CBM), the application of the circular economy (CE) by companies. The study utilized a three-level framework adapted from the CE literature with company (micro), supply chain (meso) and society (macro) levels. This multiple-case study in the textile industry included two types of companies operating in the CE: companies founded on the sustainable principles of a CE (natives) and companies transitioning to a CE from the linear economy (adopters). The findings show that the adopters emphasized long-term economic sustainability on a company level and implemented CE elements to varying degrees on all three levels. The natives pursued business decisions from environmental and social sustainability standpoints, and the three levels were integral in their systemic approach to a CE. The study highlights two key claims: established operational structures and economic volition hindered adopters in their systemic CE implementation, and an integral part of the CBM for natives was a proactive approach towards the society level.     

Net-zero emission targets and the role of managerial environmental awareness,customer pressure,and regulatory control toward environmental performance

To avoid the worst effects of global warming, countries agreed to limit warming below 2.0°C and ideally to 1.5°C preindustrial level. This requires countries to drop half of their greenhouse gas emission by 2030 and reach net-zero emission by 2050. In this regard, current study explores the role of green production as a mediator in the impact of managerial environmental awareness, customer pressure, and regulatory control on environmental performance. The data collected from 381 managers was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. Results indicate that customer pressure, regulatory control, and managerial environmental awareness play a pivotal role toward green production, whereas only managerial environmental awareness among them directly influences environmental performance. Green production fully mediates the relationship from customer pressure and regulatory control to environmental performance. However, it partially mediates the relation between managerial environmental awareness and environmental performance. Similarly, the importance of green production for environmental performance is highlighted.     

制造企业的物流业务外包与外包联盟探讨

物流业务外包,即制造企业为集中资源、节省管理费用、增强核心竞争力而将物流业务以合同的方式委托与专业的物流公司运作。外包是一种长期的、战略的、互相渗透的、互惠互利的业务委托和合约执行方式．论文将探讨制造企业物流业务外包的原因、存在的问题以及如何正确外包,还将探讨成功建立外包联盟的因素。     

基于BPR的汽车总装系统实例研究

论文对汽车企业现存总装业务流程和装配工艺进行分析,并采用Worktlow-BPR软件进行建模.以效率,成本和质量为导向进行深入改造,对总装车间业务流程进行再造方案的设计.通过Workflow-BPR软件可以清楚地比较出再造前和再造后在装配时间和成本上的明显变化.对于提高企业的顾客满意度,推进企业管理进步,增强企业竞争力有着深远的意义.