Jui-Kuei Chen

Innovation capital indicator assessment of Taiwanese Universities: A hybrid fuzzy model application

Intellectual capital today has become an essential concept for assessing firm value. Universities in Taiwan that are emphasizing knowledge more in order to gain a competitive advantage, as is the case with most organizations, are adopting intellectual capital to measure school performance as well. The objective of this study is to analyze the intellectual capital of universities based on indicators of innovation capital. After reviewing related literature and conducting in-depth interviews with experts in the field, the study extracts critical relevant dimensions and indicators of innovation capital that fit the characteristics of universities and then categorizes the main types of universities in Taiwan. The proposed analysis method is in accordance with the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and with VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) methods. FAHP is used in determining the weights of the innovation capital indicators by educational experts; then, the rankings of the types of universities are determined by VIKOR, based on the result of the weights of indicators.

TQM measurement model for the biotechnology industry in Taiwan

Due to the importance of the growth of biotechnology in Taiwan, the question of how the operation performance of the industry can be upgraded to sustain its competitive advantages has become an important question for Taiwanese biotechnology insiders. Recently, a growing number of organizations have implemented TQM in order to give them a competitive advantage [Chan, T. H., & Quazi, H. A. (2002). Overview of quality management practices in selected Asian countries. Quality Management Journal, 9(1), 172-180; Nilsson, L., Johnson, M. D., & Gustafsson, A. (2001). The impact of quality practices on customer satisfaction and business results: Product versus service organizations. Journal of Quality Management, 6, 5-27]. Meanwhile, quality related awards are also appearing for examining and identifying whether or not the overall quality of a firm is high. Each award, however, focuses only on examining certain items. It is impossible for a firm to make each examined item perfect. In addition to this, since the overall quality of the technology and products of some Taiwanese biotechnology corporations has been decreasing, the prestige of the Taiwanese biotechnology industry as a whole has decreased in the global market. Thus, in order to solve the above difficulties, this study attempts to find the most suitable measurement model for the biotechnology industry to enact quality improvement. The study first reviews a substantial body of literature on total quality management and categorizes measurement criteria. The study then proceeds with in-depth interviews with relevant background experts in order to extract and verify the most suitable measurement criteria. In addition to this, a FANP is utilized in order to analyze the weights of different measurement dimensions and criteria. The value of this study is its construction of a TQM measurement model for the Taiwanese biotechnology industry that can be used to improve its quality as well as to regain a higher market share of the global market.

A Pro-performance appraisal system for the university

Due to economic pressures and declining birth rates, universities in Taiwan are seeking ways to evaluate and improve operational performance to acquire a competitive advantage to attract more students. However, current performance evaluation models have been criticized for two reasons. First, the measurement criteria currently used are not completely in accordance with the characteristics of different university types, research-intensive university, teaching-intensive university, and professional-intensive university. Second, the models assume independence of measured criteria. Nonetheless, in the real world, such measured criteria are seldom independent. To address these issues, we first reviewed the literature and interviewed Taiwanese higher education experts to integrate critical measurement criteria and develop an original performance appraisal system (OPAS). Next, we adapted a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to present complex interdependent relationships and to construct a relation structure among measurement criteria for performance appraisal. A fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) was generated to address the dependence and feedback among each of the measurement criteria. Finally, we proposed a Pro-performance appraisal system (PPAS). This study offers a Pro-performance appraisal system (PPAS) to aid in future performance appraisals and improvements for all three university types.

A network hierarchical feedback system for Taiwanese universities based on the integration of total quality management and innovation

An increasing number of Taiwanese universities are improving operational performance through innovation and total quality management (TQM). In addition, the National Quality Award (NQA), which is based on TQM, is now used to evaluate quality performance in various industries in Taiwan. Thus, several models for performance measurement have been proposed in recent years. However, these models do not take into account several features germane to performance within the Taiwanese university system, such as characteristics unique to the integration of TQM and innovation, comprehensive focuses in operational performance improvement across different types of universities, and interrelations among the different variables used to measure performance. Thus, precisely measuring and improving operation performance has proven to be a difficult task. The aim of this paper is to construct a network hierarchical feedback system (NHFS) based on the integration of TQM and innovation to overcome these problems. To that end, we adopted a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to address the complex, interdependent relationships among the variables and thereby construct a relation structure among the measurement criteria for evaluation purposes. A fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) is employed to overcome the problem of dependence and feedback among each of the TQM measurement criteria. A fuzzy analytic hierarchical process (FAHP) is used to evaluate the measurement criteria for innovation performance. Lastly, a gray relational analysis (GRA) is utilized to find optimal alternatives. The value of this study comes from providing all types of universities in Taiwan the most complete evaluation system of operational performance, as well as opportunities to realize improved competitive advantages and enhanced prospects for survival.

Aviatic innovation system construction using a hybrid fuzzy MCDM model

Due to the occurrence of several recent threats, such as, from an international perspective, SARS, the 9/11 terrorist attack, increases in the price of oil, depressions in the economy, and, from a domestic perspective, increasing interaction with China, joining the WTO, low railway prices, and high-speed rail development, resulting in passenger rate dropping drastically, an increasing number of Taiwanese airlines have been facing deficits or closing down in recent years. Therefore, long-term strategies for gaining a competitive advantage are now starting to focus on innovation rather than cost reduction. Although attention to the importance of innovation is rising, there are few studies today that provide airlines with a clear and precise way to successfully conduct innovation operations. The aim of this study is to solve this dilemma by constructing a novel aviatic innovation system (AIS). In this paper, a hybrid fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) model based on a fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (FAHP) and a VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) is adopted to complete the construction of the AIS. The value of the AIS is to provide Taiwanese airlines with innovation-oriented techniques for future strategy development. We believe that the AIS can contribute to the survival of Taiwanese airlines in the near future.

A theory of innovation resource synergy

Abstract The current paper aims to develop a new theory to explain the iceberg phenomenon that has emerged in recent years, in which some small firms prosper while large firms decline. In this paper, the construction of a theoretical framework involves the consideration of several concepts and theories, including resource-based theory, resource dependency theory, theories of the diffusion of innovation, dynamic capability theory, and business ecosystem theory. An experimental design is developed to verify four hypotheses. The results support a theory of innovation resource synergy that provides insight into the phenomenon mentioned above. This article provides implications for managers of both large and small firms and suggestions for future research.

An Inno-Qual performance system for higher education

Due to the overall decrease in quality of Taiwanese universities in recent years and the resulting drastic loss of competitive advantage against foreign countries, improving the Taiwanese university system has become an urgent issue requiring immediate attention. Evidence suggests focusing on total quality management (TQM) and that innovation is the key way to effectively upgrade the operation performance and is thus highly advised. Although there are a number of measurement models for TQM and innovation, early models evaluate the performance of each element separately, making evaluation inefficient and inappropriate for practice. There is a new measurement system, the network hierarchical feedback system (NHFS), which integrates the concept and characteristics of both elements; however, the major concern is that the NHFS does not take external organization-oriented improvement into account, such as service quality in higher education, especially in innovation orientation. Additionally, due to the above dilemmas faced by Taiwanese universities, attracting more students has now been a major priority. Thus, we argue that in order to successfully attract potential students, improving TQM and innovation cannot just focus on internal organization-oriented improvement, and we further extend the effectiveness and suitability of the NHFS to a novel and more utilizable performance measurement system, the solid Inno-Qual performance system (IQPS). A hybrid model based on a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory, a fuzzy analytic network process (FANP), an importance–performance analysis along with in-depth interviews; a fuzzy analytic hierarchical process, and a technique for order preference according to similarity to an ideal solution were adopted to complete the construction. The IQPS is the first measurement system with the most effective characteristics of TQM and innovation embedded for both new and traditional universities of different types. It is intended to enhance and evaluate performance on both external and internal organization-oriented levels, generating synergy and performance improvement.

Don’t worry, I’m with you: Can visionary leadership release neurotic employees for more perceived innovative interactions?

Abstract An analysis of 303 faculty members from six universities, two each from northern, central, and southern Taiwan, indicates that a manager’s visionary leadership (VL) moderates the link between employees who are neurotic and those employees’ perceived innovative interaction. As hypothesized, the findings reveal that managers who demonstrate VL can effectively improve neurotic employees’ perceived innovative interactions in the workplace, whereas without such VL, neurotic employees will perceive a reduction in innovative interactions in conjunction with increased anxiety.