Hong Seng Woo

Characteristics, benefits and shortcomings of four major quality awards

In an increasingly global and competitive environment, an organization’s long‐term survival may depend on improved quality, productivity and customer service. The pressing need to improve competitiveness has resulted in a number of transnational and national quality awards. In broad terms, these awards stress the importance of management process, customer satisfaction, people and total quality to the attainment of superior competitive position. Describes, compares and highlights the key strengths and weaknesses of the following four major national and transnational quality awards: the Deming Application Prize; the European Quality Award (EQA); the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award (Baldrige Award); and the Australian Quality Award (AQA). Discusses the key requirements of each award and their underlying assumptions and impacts. The awards reviewed represent one of the principal devices used to encourage adoption of self‐assessment, total quality concepts, and external focus in four different continents. To spread good total quality practice the awards publicly recognize the achievements of the organizations which have successfully adopted the concepts of total quality management. The winners serve as useful role models for other organizations intent on adopting total quality management practices. The quality awards reviewed are arguably the premier award in their respective continents.

Critical success factors for implementing ERP: the case of a Chinese electronics manufacturer

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation experiences of a leading Chinese enterprise. The objective is to provide Chinese enterprises implementing ERP with knowledge about ERP implementation critical success factors.Design/methodology/approach – Construction of a case study of the company using semi‐structured interviews of the principals involved in the ERP implementation process as well as examination of company documentation supported by literature.Findings – The major findings of this paper are that the critical success factors for the case company for implementing ERP is similar to its Western counterparts, with the addition of an underpinning theme – cultural characteristics. This study found that when an attempt is made to adapt the implementation to the Chinese culture, management and style of the company, implementation is successful.Originality/value – The value of this paper is that it presents companies wishing to implement ERP as ...

Transference of skills between sports and business

This paper presents the findings of a literature review and survey conducted on sport sponsorship in the UK. The paper seeks to establish relevant material published that addresses the issue of the transferability of techniques and skills from sports to business. The findings of the literature review highlighted the close relationship between the two mediums. The results of the sponsorship questionnaire showed evidence of the transference of mutually beneficial skills between the organisations offering the assistance, and the sporting organisation receiving the funding. The survey indicated that a majority of sports sponsoring organisations offered more than just monetary assistance to their beneficiaries. Sponsors also assisted with the management of specific events, and operated the complicated software and computer equipment required for the smooth running of the sporting activity. These organisations supplied the sports with key personnel, and highly skilled staff who were experts in their respective fields in marketing, public relations, corporate hospitality, and management.

Developing internal auditing procedures in UK organizations using a benchmarking approach

As organizations are downsized, re‐engineering and the span of control inflates, the need for self‐regulation and control grows. This need has seen the growth in the provision of internal auditing services in the UK. Demonstrates the linkage between ensuring quality by benchmarking, and the required vehicle for understanding the internal audit development needs of UK organizations. Shows the requirements by the use of nine organizations where internal auditing has been developed to give the organization a competitive advantage. Focuses on the critical success elements that are required by developing internal audit departments.

Gender impact on Chinese negotiation: some key issues for Western negotiators

Utilises findings that relate to Chinese negotiation skills that can be used primarily as a guide for female Western negotiators wishing to do business with the Chinese. Evidence comes from observations and group discussions conducted with 31 female Chinese managers. Results show that there is a lot to consider when negotiating with the Chinese. The eight key characteristics which form an endemic part of Chinese culture are face, trust, friendship, ambiguity, patience, Guanxi networks, status, and Chinese protocols. Examines the gender impact of these characteristics on the negotiation process and assesses the ensuing implications for Western negotiators. Evidence suggests that first six characteristics are gender neutral while the latter two are gender biased. The women enrolled on the management programmes provided a “birds‐eye‐view” into the interactive behaviour and social upbringing of Chinese women, thus giving an insight into Chinese culture and customs. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that being a successful Chinese negotiator requires an “open minded” approach and heightened awareness of cultural differences.

Negotiating in China: some issues for Western women

This article addresses some issues for Western women in negotiating with individuals and organisations in China. To be successful in a Chinese negotiation requires an awareness and understanding of cultural differences, and negotiation characteristics and behaviour to avoid any misunderstanding or tension. Research results show that there are no major hurdles for Western women negotiators in China. There are, in fact, advantages if they follow a few guidelines. These include having a professional and businesslike approach and understanding the cultural characteristics of a Chinese negotiation. The advantages include being easily noticed, remembered and receiving concessions more readily than Western men. As a result, the negotiation receives more attention and consideration, thus facilitating the achievement of the negotiation goals.

Quality and business process synergy: key strategies promoting longevity

Evidence suggests that total quality managements (TQM) implementation process affects the likelihood of its ultimate success. The danger of treating quality and TQM as an additional rather than a core activity is widely recognised. This paper argues that failure of organisations to reap considerable benefits that can be derived from introduction of TQM results from the failure to create an explicit link between the quality improvement efforts and the existing business processes. The paper presents conceptual and empirical evidence in support of the proposition that the longevity and success of the TQM process is dependent on the integration of its underlying concepts with the normal business processes. Furthermore, and more importantly, the paper examines the strategies adopted by leading exponents of TQM to achieve this objective.

Functional matrix structure for project management in China: the case of a state-owned project-driven enterprise

This paper examines the adoption of a functional matrix structure by a project driven enterprise in China to further the knowledge of the practices of managing Chinese project driven enterprises. Using the case study of a project driven enterprise in central China, the study shows that a functional matrix structure, although with weaknesses, is appropriate to the enterprise because it allowed better coordination without creating unnecessary internal conflicts, and compromising on established Chinese management characteristics. The study also shows that a functional matrix structure that takes into account Chinese management characteristics can be beneficial to project driven enterprises in China.

Implementing ERP in China: Lessons from family-owned Chinese enterprises

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems is one of the most popular organisation-wide software packages to emerge in recent years, mainly because of the benefits of successful implementation that a wide range of businesses can experience. This paper adopts a case study approach to examine the ERP implementation experiences of two family-owned Chinese enterprises. Relatively new to Chinese enterprises, and not easily accepted in smaller family-owned businesses, ERP uptake is, in general, on the increase as Chinese enterprises look towards this system to help them modernise their business, and enact change in their management model. The major findings of this paper are that the success factors for ERP implementation in family-owned Chinese enterprises is fundamentally the same as that of other Chinese enterprises provided a key champion is in place. Furthermore, the success factors are fundamentally the same as those found in Western enterprises, as long as Chinese cultural characteristics are considered.