Internal labour flexibility from a resource-based view approach: definition and proposal of a measurement scale

The dynamic nature of current competitive environments has motivated managers to identify sources of flexibility based on the organisation's human resources. In this regard, internal labour flexibility emerges as a valid strategy to counteract environmental changes, based on the adaptability of the organisation's current workforce to face non-routine circumstances and events that require creativity and initiative. However, despite recent interest in the notion of internal labour flexibility, there is no commonly accepted definition of this term. Currently, there are several competing definitions of the construct, along with a variety of operationalisations. Some integration of these approaches is needed to ensure that our knowledge of internal labour flexibility grows cumulatively. In this study, we have sought to address some of these limitations by theoretically conceptualising and empirically validating a scale to measure internal labour flexibility from the resource-based view (RBV). The application of structural equation modelling to a sample of 226 Spanish firms confirmed the suggested dimensionality of the internal labour flexibility scale, which distinguishes between employees' intrinsic flexibility, skill malleability, behavioural malleability and relational flexibility. Tests of reliability and validity confirmed the appropriateness of this measurement scale.     

Gender,careers and flexibility in consultancies in the UK and the USA: a multi-level relational analysis

Management consultants are a core group of knowledge workers, and interest in their work and the organisational environment in which they operate has intensified. However, the role of policies at a national and organisational level in influencing gender regimes in this field of work remains unclear. This paper examines the organisation of careers and flexibility from the perspective of management consultants from the UK and US offices of two case study firms. The findings cast light on the role of macro- and meso-level policies together with the characteristics of the occupation and its client-focus in gendering careers and flexibility. These outcomes point to the need for the structures and policies supporting women and flexible working in these types of firms to be modified accordingly, particularly given that these firms make recommendations to clients nationally and internationally.     

A control rule for recruitment planning in engineering consultancy

The most valuable asset of a professional service firm is its people. Owing to the high labor turnover, staffing decision is very critical in its operations. We take engineering consultancy as a professional service and emphasize the importance of developing knowledge stock of skilled consultants in a planned manner for efficient productivity management. Our focus is management of knowledge-mix, which is the mix of consultants at different productivity levels. Our model is designed to determine the steady-state number of consultant-mix to meet demand at a desired service level. This is done through the use of control theory and chance constrained programming.      

COMPETITIVENESS WITHIN THE EURO AREA: THE PROBLEM THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE SOLVED

Unsustainable public debt, low competitiveness and high current account deficits are major problems for the so‐called PIIGS countries. These countries experienced consumer price and wage inflation above the euro area average in the first decade of the euro, basically fuelled by buoyant capital inflows. The resulting real appreciation against low‐inflation countries led to a deterioration in their competitiveness, but rigid labour markets now prevent a quick market‐based readjustment of real wages to the changed situation. Thus, both public expenditure cuts and structural labour market reforms are urgent to reduce the likelihood of a euro area break‐up.     

A network of options: Evaluating complex interdependent decisions under uncertainty

The present article provides a novel framework for analyzing option network problems, which is a general class of compound real option problems with an arbitrary combination of reversible and irreversible decisions. The present framework represents the interdependent structure of decisions by using a directed graph. In this framework, the option network problem is formulated as a singular stochastic control problem, whose optimality condition is then obtained as a dynamical system of generalized linear complementarity problems (GLCPs). This enables us to develop a systematic and efficient numerical method for evaluating the option value and the optimal decision policy.     

中国上市公司资本结构的全新透视

我国上市公司的资本结构既有与西方经典理论相符的一面,又有其自身独有的中国特色。本文从我国上市公司这种有中国特色的资本结构出发,阐述了其形成的制度与非制度的原因,并针对这种特殊的资本结构在当前转轨经济环境下的存在进行了优劣分析,最后基于分析结论提出相应的改进建议。     

制造物流如何应对定制生产模式

大规模定制生产模式是21世纪制造业主流生产模式之一，个性化定制时代的来临催生了现代物流，同时也给制造物流提出了新的要求。如何改进制造物流系统，提高其运作管理效率对于定制生产模式具有重要意义。     

最佳资本结构的分析

如何选择最佳资本结构一直是我国经济学界探讨的问题。文章分析了资本结构理论,提出了在不同的环境下,应选择相应的资本结构,这样更适合于现代企业,更利于改善经营管理,提高经济效益。     

Ambidexterity and IT competence can improve supply chain flexibility? A resource orchestration approach

Supply chain flexibility (SCF) has become an important competitive weapon for companies in the current dynamic environment. This paper explores the influence of ambidexterity on supply chain flexibility (SCF) and theorizes the moderating effect of information technology (IT) competence on that relationship. Whereas prior research focuses on the positive results of SCF for business performance, little empirical research has studied its facilitators, leaving the gap this study seeks to fill. We draw on resource orchestration theory to develop our research model. According to this theory, a firm can exploit the full potential of its resources and capabilities only when these are deployed in a complementary manner. This study proposes that ambidexterity impacts SCF positively and that its effect is amplified when the firm possesses IT competence. In order to test our hypotheses we have employed a hierarchical regression methodology and put into service data collected from manufacturing enterprises. The study confirms that ambidexterity, as the ability to explore and exploit SC resources, enables their orchestration, making SC resources flexible, and a high IT competence facilitates that orchestration.     

The optimality and overuse of labour in Estonian manufacturing enterprises*

Transition economies need labour market flexibility for successful restructuring and reallocation of the labour force, and for coping with the requirements of the European Monetary Union. In this paper we apply a novel approach to the issue of labour market flexibility in transition countries by studying the optimality and efficiency of labour usage in Estonian manufacturing enterprises. We employ a dynamic model in which both the long‐run optimal level of employment and the speed at which actual employment is adjusted to the optimal are modelled as functions of several variables. Firm‐level panel data of 1995–99 were used. The results showed that in the long run, employment responds most strongly to wages, followed by value added and capital stock. The speed of adjustment, labour use optimality and efficiency all show much greater variations over firms than over time. In the course of time, both labour‐saving technical change and an increase in the efficiency of labour usage occur. On average, there is shortage of labour compared to firms’ own optimal level, along with overuse of labour compared to best‐practice technology. Capital seems to be a binding constraint on the development of employment in the Estonian labour market.