Ownership identity, strategy and performance:business group affiliates versus independent firms in India

We consider whether the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on business performance is moderated by the company affiliation with business groups. Within business groups, we explore the trade-off between inter-firm insurance that enables risk-taking, and inefficient resource allocation. Risk-taking in group affiliated firms leads to higher performance, compared to independent firms, but the impact of proactivity is attenuated. Utilizing Indian data, we show that risk-taking may undermine rather than improve business performance, but this effect is not present in business groups. Proactivity enhances performance, but less so in business groups. Firms can also enhance performance by technological knowledge acquisition, but these effects are not significantly different for various ownership categories.

Teljesítménymérés és döntéstámogatás az üzleti szférában = Performance measurement and decision support in business practice

Tanulmányunkban a hazai vállalatok teljesítménymérési és teljesítménymenedzsment gyakorlatát vizsgáljuk a Versenyben a világgal kutatási program adatainak felhasználásával. Célunk a döntéstámogatás hátterének vizsgálata: a vállalatok teljesítménymérési gyakorlatának jellemzése, konzisztenciájának értékelése, vizsgálva a korábbi kutatásaink során megfigyelt tendenciák további alakulását is. A vállalatvezetők által fontosnak/hasznosnak tartott, illetve rendszeresen használt információforrásokat, teljesítménymutatókat, elemzési eszközöket a korábbi kutatásainkhoz kialakított elemzési keret (orientáció, egyensúly, konzisztencia, támogató szerep) felhasználásával értékeltük. Az információs rendszer különböző tevékenységeket támogató szerepének az értékelése során a különböző területekért felelős vezetők véleményét is összevetettük, s különböző vállalatcsoportok sajátosságait is vizsgáltuk. --------- The paper analyses the performance measurement and performance management practice of Hungarian companies, based on data of the Competitiveness research program. Our goal was to evaluate the practice from the point of view of decision support, based on our previous framework, evaluating the orientation, the balance, the consistency and the supporting role of the performance measurement practice.

Lean termelés és üzleti teljesítmény – nemzetközi empirikus eredmények (Lean production and business performance – international empirical results)

A lean termelés javít a vállalatok operatív teljesítményén. Korábbi kutatásokkal összhangban ezt nemzetközi kérdőíves felmérésből származó eredmények is alátámasztják. Nem mutatható ki azonban egyértelmű kapcsolat a lean termelés és az üzleti teljesítmény között. A szerzők kutatásukban – kifejezetten a több lean eszközt elmélyülten használó és jó operatív eredményekkel rendelkező ún. haladó lean termelők üzleti eredményeire fókuszálva – azonosították az üzleti teljesítményt befolyásoló tényezőket. Bár számos tényező kívül esik a termelésmenedzsment hatáskörén (pl. piaci dinamika, új piacra lépők száma, személyre szabás), de a termék/szolgáltatás arányának befolyásolásán, a beszállítók és a kapacitástartalékok menedzsmentjén keresztül a termelésnek is van lehetősége az üzleti teljesítmény javítására. Végül, bár közvetlen kapcsolat nem mutatható ki a lean termelés és az üzleti teljesítmény között, de a szerzők várakozásai szerint a folyamatosan javuló operatív teljesítmény kiegyensúlyozott és stabil üzleti teljesítmény alapja lehet. A haladó lean vállalatok pedig nagyobb eséllyel kerülhetnek (maradhatnak?) a jó üzleti teljesítménnyel büszkélkedő vállalatok körébe(n). ____________ The lean production has improved the operational performance of companies. However a clear link between lean production and business performance can not be detected. In their research the authors have identified the factors affecting business performance focusing on business results of the advanced lean producers. Although a direct connection is not detected between lean production and business performance, but according to the author expects the continuously improving operational performance shall be a base for the balanced and stable business performance.

The impact of external market factors on operational practices and performance of companies

The links between operational practices and performance are well studied in the literature, both theoretically and empirically. However, mostly internal factors are inspected more closely as the basis of operational performance, even if the impact of external, environmental factors is often emphasized. Our research fills a part of this existing gap in the literature. We examine how two environmental factors, market dynamism and competition impact the use of some operational practices (such as quality improvement, product development, automation, etc.) and the resulting operations and business performance. The method of path analysis is used. Data were acquired through an international survey (IMSS – International Manufacturing Strategy Survey), which was executed in 2005, in 23 participating countries in so called "innovative" industries (ISIC 28-35) with a sample of 711 firms. Results show that both market dynamism and competition have large impact on business performance, but the indirect effects, through operations practices are rather weak compared to direct ones. The most influential practices are from the area of process and control, and quality management.

Üzleti teljesítménymérés a sportban, - avagy miként segítheti a sportszervezetek vezetőit a Balanced Scorecard koncepció a stratégia szerinti működésben = Measuring Business Performance in Sports - How the Balanced Scorecard approach can help sports organisations in operating along strategic objectives

Napjainkban egyre nagyobb figyelem fordul a sporttevékenység társadalmi hasznosságára, ugyanakkor számos sportszervezet a túléléséért küzd. A legtöbb sportszervezetnél a sportteljesítmény mérése dominál, s viszonylag kevés figyelmet fordítanak az üzleti teljesítmény és az ezt befolyásoló tényezők mérésére, annak ellenére, hogy a vezetők tudatában vannak a sportteljesítmény és az üzleti teljesítmény kölcsönös összefüggésével. A sportteljesítményt a fogyasztói elégedettségen keresztül bevételre kell váltani, illetve biztosítani kell a finanszírozási forrásokat (gondolhatunk akár a játékosok fizetésére) a megfelelő sportteljesítmény eléréséhez. A sportszervezetek vezetőinek át kell látniuk a sportteljesítmény és az üzleti teljesítmény összefüggéseit, és azonosítaniuk kell a kritikus értékteremtő tényezőket. Ehhez adhat egy megfelelő gondolkodási keretet a Balanced Scorecard alkalmazása. Tanulmányunkban egy rövid áttekintést adunk a Balanced Scorecard alkalmazásának előnyeiről és kihívásairól a non-profit szervezetek esetében, majd egy magyarországi kézilabda klubnál készített esettanulmány segítségével megvizsgáljuk a BSC alkalmazási lehetőségét a sportkluboknál. _____ While performance measurement in the sport industry has a traditionally strong focus on sports results, commercial success of sports clubs needs to gain more ground. Sports results should generate market revenues, by satisfying customer needs, and allow continued investment in the further improvement of sports success (i.e. more funds for player transfers and wages). Club managers need to understand the complex relationship between on-field and off-the-field success, and identify critical success factors for achieving strategic objectives. The Balanced Scorecard approach provides a plausible framework for such analysis. Our paper explains the challenges of and opportunities for implementing a Balanced Scorecard system in non-profit organisations, and provides insights into its application in professional sport through an in-depth case study of a handball club in Hungary. We conclude by providing a model for managing sports organisations in line with strategic objectives, balancing out stakeholder expectations for both sports results and commercial success.

Facets of operational performance in an emergency room (ER)

This paper, using detailed time measurements of patients complemented by interviews with hospital management and staff, examines three facets of an emergency room's (ER) operational performance: (1) effectiveness of the triage system in rationing patient treatment; (2) factors influencing ER's operational performance in general and the trade-offs in flow times, inventory levels (that is the number of patients waiting in the system), and resource utilization; (3) the impacts of potential process and staffing changes to improve the ER's performance. Specifically, the paper discusses four proposals for streamlining the patient flow: establishing designated tracks (fast track, diagnostic track), creating a holding area for certain type of patients, introducing a protocol that would reduce the load on physicians by allowing a registered nurse to order testing and treatment for some patients, and potentially and in the longer term, moving from non-ER specialist physicians to ER specialists. The paper's findings are based on analyzing the paths and flow times of close to two thousand patients in the emergency room of the Medical Center of Leeuwarden (MCL), The Netherlands. Using exploratory data analysis the paper presents generalizable findings about the impacts of various factors on ER's lead-time performance and shows how the proposals fit with well-documented process improvement theories. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Üzleti teljesítménymérés a sportban = Business performance evaluation in sports associations

A sportszervezetek, sportvállalkozások esetében is kulcsfontosságú a teljesítménymérés. Annak ellenére, hogy a teljesítménymérés sok esetben elsősorban a sportteljesítményre koncentrál, egyre többen foglalkoznak az üzleti teljesítménymérés relevanciájával is. A nyugati társadalmakban a szűkös erőforrások és a növekvő társadalmi kontroll igénye erősíti ezt a folyamatot. A szakirodalom ezen a téren még viszonylag szűk körű. Jelen tanulmány célja, hogy egy olyan szakirodalmi áttekintést adjon, ami elindíthatja a jelenlegi és potenciális jövőbeli vezetők gondolkodását az üzleti teljesítménymérés fontosságának irányába. A tanulmány először áttekinti a pénzügyi teljesítménymérés lehetőségeit, foglalkozik a költségfelosztás problémakörével, kiemelt szerepet szán a stratégiai gondolkodás és a több szempontú megközelítés érvényesítésének. Részletesen összehasonlítja a sportszervezeteknél javasolt kiegyensúlyozott stratégiai mutatószámrendszer (BSC) adaptációkat. A tanulmány kiinduló pontot jelenthet nemcsak a szakirodalom feldolgozásához, de a gyakorlati megvalósításhoz is. _____ Performance measurement is crucial in sports associations. Although sports performance is in the spotlight, more and more researchers and experts deal with the business perspective of performance evaluation. This trend is strengthened by the scarcity of resources and a rising demand for social control in Western societies. The literature in this field is relatively limited. The aim of this study is to provide a literature review, which can motivate experts and managers to shift towards business thinking, and realize the importance of business performance evaluation. The study presents the opportunities of financial performance measurement, deals with the issues of cost allocation, and focuses on the role of strategic thinking and multi-dimension approach. Finally it compares the proposed balanced scorecard adaptations for sports associations. The study can be a starting point for literature review as well as for practical implementation.

The effects of writing process instruction on the writing and reading performance of students with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a writing process approach for the instruction of language arts with learning disabled elementary students. A nonequivalent control group design was used. The sample included 24 students with learning disabilities who were in second and third grade. All students were instructed in resource room settings for ninety minutes per day in language arts. The students in the treatment group received instruction using the writing process steps to create complete meaningful compositions on self-chosen topics. A literature-based reading program accompanied instruction in writing to provide examples of good writing and to provide a basis for topic selection. The students in the control group received instruction through the use of the county-adopted textbooks and accompanying worksheets. The teacher followed basic textbook and curriculum guide suggestions which consisted mainly of fill in the blank and matching type exercises. The treatment group consisted of 12 students: five second-graders and seven third-graders. The control group consisted of 12 students: four second-graders and eight third-graders. All students were pretested and posttested using the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement-Revised (WJ-R ACH) for writing samples and the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test (WRMT) for reading achievement. T-tests were also done to investigate the gain from pre to post for each reading or writing variable for each group separately. The results showed a highly significant difference from pretest to posttest for all writing and reading variables for both groups. Analysis of Covariance showed that the population mean posttest achievement scores for all variables adjusted for the pretest were higher for the treatment group than those for the control group.

Team diversity and leadership: Tests of model of process and direct effects

A model was tested to examine relationships among leadership behaviors, team diversity, and team process measures with team performance and satisfaction at both the team and leader-member levels of analysis. Relationships between leadership behavior and team demographic and cognitive diversity were hypothesized to have both direct effects on organizational outcomes as well as indirect effects through team processes. Leader member differences were investigated to determine the effects of leader-member diversity leader-member exchange quality, individual effectiveness and satisfaction.^ Leadership had little direct effect on team performance, but several strong positive indirect effects through team processes. Demographic Diversity had no impact on team processes, directly impacted only one performance measure, and moderated the leadership to team process relationship.^ Cognitive Diversity had a number of direct and indirect effects on team performance, the net effects uniformly positive, and did not moderate the leadership to team process relationship.^ In sum, the team model suggests a complex combination of leadership behaviors positively impacting team processes, demographic diversity having little impact on team process or performance, cognitive diversity having a positive net impact impact, and team processes having mixed effects on team outcomes.^ At the leader-member level, leadership behaviors were a strong predictor of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) quality. Leader-member demographic and cognitive dissimilarity were each predictors of LMX quality, but failed to moderate the leader behavior to LMX quality relationship. LMX quality was strongly and positively related to self reported effectiveness and satisfaction.^ The study makes several contributions to the literature. First, it explicitly links leadership and team diversity. Second, demographic and cognitive diversity are conceptualized as distinct and multi-faceted constructs. Third, a methodology for creating an index of categorical demographic and interval cognitive measures is provided so that diversity can be measured in a holistic conjoint fashion. Fourth, the study simultaneously investigates the impact of diversity at the team and leader-member levels of analyses. Fifth, insights into the moderating impact of different forms of team diversity on the leadership to team process relationship are provided. Sixth, this study incorporates a wide range of objective and independent measures to provide a 360$\sp\circ$ assessment of team performance. ^

Consumer (dis)satisfaction response to disconfirmation: An examination of the form and the underlying process

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the form of the consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction (CS/D) response to disconfirmation. In addition, the cognitive and affective processes underlying the response were also explored. ^ Respondents were provided with information from a prior market research study about a new brand of printer that was being tested. This market research information helped set prior expectations regarding the print quality. Subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental condition that manipulated prior expectations to be either positive or negative. Respondents were then provided with printouts that had performance quality that was either worse (negative disconfirmation) or better (positive disconfirmation) than the prior expectations. In other words, for each level of expectation, respondents were assigned to either positive or negative disconfirmation condition. Subjects were also randomly assigned to a condition of either a high or low level of outcome involvement. ^ Analyses of variance indicated that positive disconfirmation led to a more intense CS/D response than negative disconfirmation, even though there was no significant difference in the intensity for positive and negative disconfirmation. Intensity of CS/D was measured by the distance of the CS/D rating from the midpoint of the scale. The study also found that although outcome involvement did not influence the polarity of the CS/D response, the more direct measures of processing involvement such as the subjects' concentration, attention and care in evaluating the printout did have a significant positive effect on CS/D intensity. ^ Analyses of covariance also indicated that the relationship between the intensity of the CS/D response and the intensity of the disconfirmation was mediated by the intensity of affective responses. Positive disconfirmation led to more intense affective responses than negative disconfirmation. ^

Assessing the effectiveness of two-year banking and insurance technology programs of junior colleges in Taiwan, R.O.C.: An application of the Context Input Process Product (CIPP) evaluation model

The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the banking and insurance technology curriculum at ten junior colleges in Taiwan. The study focused on curriculum, curriculum materials, instruction, support services, student achievement and job performance. Data was collected from a diverse sample of faculty, students, alumni, and employers. ^ Questionnaires on the evaluation of curriculum at technical junior colleges were developed for use in this specific case. Data were collected from the sample described above and analyzed utilizing ANOVA, T-Tests and crosstabulations. Findings are presented which indicate that there is room for improvement in terms of meeting individual students' needs. ^ Using Stufflebeam's CIPP model for curriculum evaluation it was determined that the curriculum was adequate in terms of the knowledge and skills imparted to students. However, students were dissatisfied with the rigidity of the curriculum and the lack of opportunity to satisfy the individual needs of students. Employers were satisfied with both the academic preparation of students and their on the job performance. ^ In sum, the curriculum of the two-year banking and insurance technology programs of junior college in Taiwan was shown to have served adequately preparing a work force to enter businesses. It is now time to look toward the future and adapt the curriculum and instruction for the future needs of the ever evolving high-tech society. ^

A methodology to measure coordination of business processes

Coordination of business processes is the management of dependencies where dependencies constrain how the tasks are performed. It has been traditionally done in an intuitive fashion, without paying much attention to the coordination load. Coordination load is being defined as the ratio between the time spent on coordination activities and the total task time. Previous efforts to understand and analyze coordination have resulted in mostly qualitative approaches to categorize and recommend coordination strategies. This research seeks to answer two questions: (1) How can we analyze process coordination problems to improve overall performance? (2) What guidance can we provide to reduce the coordination load of the process and consequently improve the organization's performance? Thus, this effort developed a quantitative measure for coordination load of business processes and a methodology to apply such measure. ^ This effort used a management simulation game to have a controlled laboratory environment enabling the manipulation of the task factors variability, analyzability, and interdependence to measure their impact on coordination load. The hypothesis was that the more variable, non-analyzable, and interdependent a process, the higher the coordination load, and that a higher coordination load would have a negative impact on performance. Coordination load was measured via the surrogate coordination time, and performance via profit. ^ A 22 x 31 full factorial design, with two replicates, was run to observe the impact on the variables coordination time and profit. Properly validated spreadsheets and questionnaires were used as data collection instruments for each scenario. The experimental results indicate that lower task analyzability (ρ=0.036) and higher task interdependence (ρ=0.000) lead to higher coordination load, and higher levels of task variability (ρ=0.049) lead to lower performance. However, contrary to the hypotheses postulated by this work, coordination load did not prove to be strong predictor of performance (correlation of -0.086). ^ These findings from the laboratory experiment and other lessons learned were incorporated to develop a quantitative measure, a tool (survey) to use to gather data for the variables in the measures, and a methodology to quantify coordination load of production business processes. The practicality of the methodology is demonstrated with an example.^

Team Primacy Concept-based employee evaluation and job performance

This qualitative case study explored how employees learn from Team Primacy Concept (TPC)-based employee evaluation and how they apply the knowledge in their job performance. Kolb's experiential learning model (1974) served as a conceptual framework for the study to reveal the process of how employees learn from TPC evaluation, namely, how they experience, reflect, conceptualize and act on performance feedback. TPC based evaluation is a form of multirater evaluation that consists of three components: self-feedback, supervisor's feedback, and peer feedback. The distinctive characteristic of TPC based evaluation is the team evaluation component during which the employee's professional performance is discussed by one's peers in a face-to-face team setting, while other forms of multirater evaluation are usually conducted in a confidential and anonymous manner.^ Case study formed the methodological framework. The case was the Southeastern Virginia (SEVA) region of the Institute for Family Centered Services, and the participants were eight employees of the SEVA region. Findings showed that the evaluation process was anxiety producing for employees, especially the process of peer evaluation in a team setting. Preparation was found to be an important phase of TPC evaluation. Overall, the positive feedback delivered in a team setting made team members feel acknowledged. The study participants felt that honesty in providing feedback and openness to hearing challenges were significant prerequisites to the TPC evaluation process. Further, in the planning phase, employees strove to develop goals for themselves that were meaningful. Also, the catalyst for feedback implementation appeared to stem from one's accountability to self and to the client or community. Generally, the participants identified a number of performance improvement goals that they attained during their employment with IFCS, which were supported by their developmental plans.^ In conclusion, the study identified the process by which employees learned from TPC-based employee evaluation and the ways in which they used the knowledge to improve their job performance. Specifically, the study examined how participants felt and what they thought about TPC-based feedback, in what ways they reflected and made meaning of the feedback, and how they used the feedback to improve their job performance.^

The effect of the business cycle on the performance of socially responsible equity mutual funds

The current study applies a two-state switching regression model to examine the behavior of a hypothetical portfolio of ten socially responsible (SRI) equity mutual funds during the expansion and contraction phases of US business cycles between April 1991 and June 2009, based on the Carhart four-factor model, using monthly data. The model identified a business cycle effect on the performance of SRI equity mutual funds. Fund returns were less volatile during expansion/peaks than during contraction/troughs, as indicated by the standard deviation of returns. During contraction/troughs, fund excess returns were explained by the differential in returns between small and large companies, the difference between the returns on stocks trading at high and low Book-to-Market Value, the market excess return over the risk-free rate, and fund objective. During contraction/troughs, smaller companies offered higher returns than larger companies (ci = 0.26, p = 0.01), undervalued stocks out-performed high growth stocks (h i = 0.39, p <0.0001), and funds with growth objectives out-performed funds with other objectives (oi = 0.01, p = 0.02). The hypothetical SRI portfolio was less risky than the market (bi = 0.74, p <0.0001). During expansion/peaks, fund excess returns were explained by the market excess return over the risk-free rate, and fund objective. Funds with other objectives, such as balanced funds and income funds out-performed funds with growth objectives (oi = −0.01, p = 0.03). The hypothetical SRI portfolio exhibited similar risk as the market (bi = 0.93, p <0.0001). The SRI investor adds a third criterion to the risk and return trade-off of traditional portfolio theory. This constraint is social performance. The research suggests that managers of SRI equity mutual funds may diminish value by using social and ethical criteria to select stocks, but add value by superior stock selection. The result is that the performance of SRI mutual funds is very similar to that of the market. There was no difference in the value added among secular SRI, religious SRI, and vice screens.

Assessing the impact of business group diversification on the internationalization of their affiliates: The case of Latin American firms

This dissertation explored the capacity of business group diversification to generate value to their affiliates in an institutional environment characterized by the adoption of structural pro-market reforms. In particular, the three empirical essays explored the impact of business group diversification on the internationalization process of their affiliates. ^ The first essay examined the direct effect of business group diversification on firm performance and its moderating effect on the multinationality-performance relationship. It further explored whether such moderating effect varies depending upon whether the focal affiliate is a manufacturing or service firm. The findings suggested that the benefits of business group diversification on firm performance have a threshold, that those benefits are significant at earlier stages of internationalization and that these benefits are stronger for service firms. ^ The second essay studied the capacity of business group diversification to ameliorate the negative effects of the added complexity faced by its affiliates when they internationalized. The essay explored this capacity in different dimensions of international complexity. The results indicated that business group diversification effectively ameliorated the effects of the added international complexity. This positive effect is stronger in the institutional voids rather than the societal complexity dimension. In the former dimension, diversified business groups can use both their non-market resources and previous experience to ameliorate the effects of complexity on firm performance. ^ The last essay explored whether the benefits of business group diversification on the scope-performance relationship varies depending on the level of development of the network of subsidiaries and the region of operation of the focal firm. The results suggested that the benefits of business group diversification are location bound within the region but that they are not related to the level of development of the targeted countries. ^ The three essays use longitudinal analyses on a sample of Latin American firms to test the hypotheses. While the first essay used multilevel models and fix effects models, the last two essays used exclusively fix effects models to assess the impact of business group diversification. In conclusion, this dissertation aimed to explain the capacity of business group diversification to generate value under conditions of institutional change.^