Claire Moxham

Innovationinnovation and Skills

Maglio and Spohrer (2008) state that a work force that is capable of adaptation and problem solving requires people with capability and unique skills across many areas. While this cannot be disputed, it is clear that we still lack understanding of key skill areas within the service economy and of the relationship between skills requirements and education provision. This chapter describes the range and diversity of service and presents a forecast of the demand for higher level skills and knowledge. It examines education provision in terms of context, content and constructs and discusses the challenge for higher education in meeting the demands of a complex service economy.

Lessons for Lean in Healthcare from Using Six Sigma in the NHS

In the UK the National Health Service (NHS) has applied a number of quality improvement approaches from manufacturing, often in a piecemeal fashion; most notably Six Sigma and, more recently, Lean. This article reports on an evaluation of a programme used in the NHS to consider what can be learned about the application of such approaches—including what themes also apply to Lean, and its implementation, particularly in the healthcare context.

Performance measurement: Examining the applicability of the existing body of knowledge to nonprofit organisations

Purpose – Nonprofit performance measurement is receiving increasing academic and practitioner attention, but the design of nonprofit measurement systems has received limited consideration. This is in contrast to the well‐established body of knowledge that focuses on performance measurement in private and public sector organisations. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether this body of knowledge can be used to inform the design of nonprofit performance measurement systems. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach was taken to examine the performance measurement practices used in six nonprofit organisations and their associated funders and regulators. A total of 24 managers from 18 organisations took part in the study. Findings – The study found underdeveloped and resource intensive performance measurement systems in the majority of organisations that were examined. The performance measurement literature from the private and public sectors advocates the development of relevant, balanced, integrated, strategic and improvement‐oriented performance measurement systems; concepts that have received limited consideration in the nonprofit literature. This research found that performance measurement system design principles developed for the private and public sectors were applicable to the nonprofit sector. Research limitations/implications – Whilst a range of stakeholders was included in the research, further work is required to validate the applicability of the findings to the diverse nonprofit sector. Nevertheless, given the dearth of operations management focused research on nonprofit performance measurement systems this study makes a useful contribution. Practical implications – The study presents empirical evidence of the myriad criteria and processes that are used to measure nonprofit performance. The paper shows that current measurement practice is detracting from the performance of nonprofit organisations. Originality/value – Despite the perceived uniqueness of the nonprofit sector, this paper shows that learning from the private and public sectors can be used to inform good practice in nonprofits. As relatively little research has been done in this area, the findings make a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge.

The impact of performance measurement in the voluntary sector: Identification of contextual and processual factors.

Purpose – The purpose of this research paper is to identify the impact of contextual and processual factors on the development, use and impact of performance measurement systems in voluntary and community organisations.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the applicability of business and public sector performance measurement frameworks to voluntary organisations. It presents the findings of a study through four case studies and draws conclusions on the impact of measurement systems in the voluntary sector.Findings – The research identifies a low utilisation of performance measurement frameworks and discusses what systems are currently used, how such systems are administered and the impact of measurement on performance.Research limitations/implications – The evidence is based on four micro‐voluntary organisations that receive public sector funding. The findings are based on the perceptions of the organisations delivering the services and illustrate the relationship between the public and volunt...

Charities: how important is performance to donors?

Purpose – This paper seeks to develop insights into the charity selection criteria used by individual donors, and the information that charities provide to individual donors.Design/methodology/approach – Charities are defined as organizations involved in health, international aid, wellbeing, and nature and environment. In this paper the main focus is on one type of charity stakeholder; the individual donor. The research is undertaken through an internet survey among Dutch donors and through interviews at eight case studies of Dutch charities.Findings – Based on the internet survey it can be concluded that effectiveness is seen as important, but not as the major criterion in the selection of a charity. The case studies show that charities do not have standardized reporting systems in order to inform their donors on their performancesPractical implications – Based on this research it can be concluded that there is a need for management of charities to develop both measures of internal efficiency and of exte...

Prerequisites for the implementation of the SMED methodology: A study in a textile processing environment

Discusses the practical application of the single minute exchange of die (SMED) within a textile processing operation. First, the operational environment is presented, and the SMED application is considered against a changing business requirement. The current approaches to SMED are then discussed within the context of traditional textile manufacture. The prerequisite requirements for successful SMED application, defined in this paper as SMED‐ZERO, are then presented and discussed. Concludes by suggesting that all of the SMED‐ZERO attributes must be in place before the traditional SMED techniques can be applied successfully.

Help or Hindrance?: Examining the Role of Performance Measurement in UK Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations are increasingly required to be accountable to their stakeholders. There is, however, limited empirical research that examines how nonprofits are evaluated. This paper considers the emerging issue of performance measurement in nonprofit organizations by focusing on the UK nonprofit sector. The study finds that performance measurement is used primarily, and almost exclusively, to monitor and assess the use of funds. Contrary to the concepts of performance measurement and management, limited attention is given to supporting the continuous improvement of the UK third sector. The study finds that resource-intensive measurement processes, funder-focused measurement criteria, and an inconsistent use of terminology are detracting from the use of performance measurement as an improvement tool for nonprofit organizations. The paper questions the usefulness of current performance measurement practices to a sector that is characterized by scarce resources and relies on the goodwill of volunteering.

Using organisational theories to further our understanding of socially sustainable supply chains: The case of fair trade

Purpose – This paper aims to use organisational theories to frame research questions examining how to embed social sustainability in supply chain management (SCM) by focusing on fair trade. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on previous organisational theory review papers in SCM, institutional theory and the extended resource-based view have been used as theoretical lenses to develop research questions for further studies. Findings – The authors developed seven research questions that enable and encourage the further examination of the factors impacting fair trade supply chains, as well as identify approaches to improve social sustainability in SCM practice. Social implications – As the aim of fair trade is to rebalance inequities inherent in North–South trading relationships, further work in this area has the potential for positive economic, environmental and social impact. Originality/value – The paper discusses two key themes: whether fair trade is changing SCM practices, and whether fair trade is a...

Should we try out for the major leagues? A call for research in sport operations management

Purpose – Research related to operations management (OM) in the sport industry is underdeveloped, despite sport being a continued context of study in other management disciplines. Most studies on the topic are conducted largely in isolation and not linked to the wider OM theory base. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the few studies conducted and develop a detailed research agenda to encourage future research in this interesting, important and topical context. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a comprehensive systematic literature review methodology to synthesize the research on sport OM to date. Gaps within the literature are identified and avenues for future research to drive improved performance in multiple aspects of sport OM are suggested. Findings – Examination of the literature shows sports OM to be underdeveloped, with little cumulative learning between existing studies and weak linkages between sport and OM research. To develop the topic further there is a cl...

Public sector commissioning: Experiences of voluntary organisations delivering health and social services

The perceived benefits to users and beneficiaries of voluntary organizations delivering public sector services have been well documented and include the engagement with parts of society that the state cannot reach, personalized service delivery, and improved services. There is a lack of clarity, however, as to whether these perceived benefits are being realized. This article presents the experiences of voluntary sector organizations involved in public sector commissioning. The research suggests that the public sector is limiting the voluntary sectors engagement in service design and performance monitoring. These findings raise questions about the role of the voluntary sector in public service provision.