Stephanie G. Adams

Improving operational and business performance in the petroleum industry through quality management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the effects of quality management practices on operational and business performance.Design/methodology/approach – A reliable and valid survey instrument was used for data gathering from managers in the petroleum industry. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the effect of quality management practices on operational and business performance.Findings – The results indicate that top management support, employee training, and employee involvement are significant variables explaining the variability of operational performance. Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis on business performance indicated the significance of top management support on business performance. The study also shows that customer orientation is not a significant predictor of business performance in the petroleum industry. In addition, focus on practices associated with human resource management (employee training and employee involvement) is critical...

Can team effectiveness be predicted

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose and support a model to predict the effectiveness of teams.Design/methodology/approach – The literature provides a wide variety of variables or constructs to measure the effectiveness of a team. The article proposes a mathematical model to predict the effectiveness of a team. A priori comparisons are used to develop a mathematical model of the optimum team.Findings – The study expands on the theory of team effectiveness and demonstrates that a theoretically developed empirical model can predict team effectiveness quantitatively. A mathematical model was developed as an empirical function of performance, behavior, attitude, team member style and corporate culture.Research limitations/implications – There has been little effort to standardize the measurable variables of team effectiveness. Additionally, the means to evaluate the individuals influence on team effectiveness has not been documented in relation to the effectiveness of the team. This paper uses a...

Six Sigma implementation: a qualitative case study using grounded theory

Many organisations have implemented Six Sigma, but successful Six Sigma implementation has not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study is to explore the process of implementing Six Sigma in a manufacturing plant using qualitative case study methodology. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analysed using grounded theory to identify the main factors that emerged from the interview data and the relationships between them. Consistent with previous studies, the findings emphasise the role of executive commitment, Six Sigma Champions, and training in successful implementation of Six Sigma projects. Furthermore, the study underlines the role of effective project selection and the coexistence of other management initiatives (e.g. lean manufacturing and continuous improvement) on successful implementations of Six Sigma projects. Our findings also suggest that Six Sigma implementation leads to higher levels of customer focus. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge in effective implementation of Six Sigma. The results include a coding paradigm for the implementation process and implications for managers and practitioners.

Developing an instrument for measuring Six Sigma implementation

The purpose of this paper is to develop an instrument for measuring Six Sigma implementation. We develop eight constructs for measuring Six Sigma implementation utilising the PDCA cycle (plan-do-check-act). The instrument captures different aspects of Six Sigma implementation in organisations such as the role of black belts, financial responsibility and executive support. In addition, we show that there is significant difference in Six Sigma implementation among organisations, where those employing PDCA cycle for their Six Sigma initiatives achieve higher level of performance. We believe the proposed instrument can be used for measuring Six Sigma implementation in organisations. Implications for managers and future research have been provided.

An investigation of the attributes contributing to team effectiveness of engineering and science faculty

This study examined the effectiveness of engineering and science faculty when working in teams. Engineering and science faculty members participating in the Foundation Coalition, a National Science Foundation educational reform initiative, were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward teamwork. In addition to examining faculty members attitudes, this study sought to identify the strengths and weaknesses of faculty work teams, to prioritize parameters affecting team effectiveness and to determine if there is a difference in perceived team success based on team functionality or concentration.

Measuring leadership in self-managed teams using the competing values framework

This study demonstrates how the application of the CompetingValues Framework (CVF) to self-managed teams (SMTs) assistengineering educators to understand how to measure leadershipwithin this context and facilitate an increased awareness of thestudents in a team, which will consequently increase effective-ness. Specifically, we analyzed data from the ManagerialBehavior Instrument, completed by 81 engineering students whoparticipated in self-managed teams for one semester. The instru-ment measured the use of the four leadership profiles of theCompeting Values Framework which then allowed theresearcher to determine the presence of high or low behavioralcomplexity. Behavioral complexity determines the team’s abilityto utilize multiple leadership roles and subsequent effectiveness.The findings indicate that behavioral complexity does have a sig-nificant effect on performance but does not have a significanteffect on the attitudes of team members. Overall, teams withhigh behavioral complexity earned a higher grade on their finalteam project than teams with low behavioral complexity. Thisstudy is significant for engineering education because it providesa theory and framework for understanding leadership in teams.By exploring the relationship between leadership in SMTs andeffectiveness, educators and industry can better understand thetype of leadership roles necessary for achieving a highly effectiveteam. As a result, instructors can design their teamwork curriculaand teamwork training based on the leadership strengths andskills of students which will then prepare students for industryupon graduation.Keywords: leadership, teams, team effectiveness

Effect of learning style diversity on engineering student teams

Modern demands of industry and ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 have resulted in a dramatically increased emphasis on team based learning in the engineering curriculum. Nevertheless, very little attention has been given to the development of practical guidelines for the implementation of teams in the engineering classroom environment. The authors have proposed a comprehensive curriculum to implement a student training for engineering team effectiveness. The curriculum includes training to develop personal effectiveness in teams, as well as training on interpersonal effectiveness and project management.

K-12 STEM Education: Bringing the engineering maker space, student-centered learning, curriculum, and teacher training to middle schools

Encouraging our youth to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has become critically important to meeting needs for adequate and clean water, less pollution and an adequate food supply, along with needs for housing, communications, and sustained technology leadership. According to the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, the future of STEM fields is dependent on a steady workforce of talented and diverse individuals. Without a growing pool of STEM talent with emphasis upon the “E”, the Bureau of Statistics projects that the U.S. will have a difficult time filling the demands for STEM professionals as near as the year 2018. In response to the need to develop a STEM proficient workforce with emphasis upon the “E”, an industry leading high-tech corporation on the west coast developed a hands-on engineering maker space that exposes middle school students to an exciting one-day authentic learning experience. Announced January 2016, Virginia Tech and the high-tech corporation entered into a multi-year, multi-phase partnership agreement to develop programmatic curricula, teacher credentialing and professional development, hands-on engineering practices, activities for long-term student engagement, and ongoing research. The purpose of this work-in-progress article is to report on the first phase of the partnership agreement and its innovative practices of interest to stakeholders invested in the K-12 engineering footprint.

Employee’s perception of the effect of Six Sigma projects on customer satisfaction

The paper investigates employee’s perception on the effect of Six Sigma process improvement projects on customer satisfaction. Five constructs have been developed to measure customer satisfaction: reliability, availability, completeness, responsiveness, and professionalism. This research attempts to examine the relationship between customer satisfaction and the five constructs as well as the perceptions of the organisations which employed Six Sigma and how Six Sigma implementation affects customer satisfaction. The results show that all constructs are significantly related to customer satisfaction. In addition, it is shown that implementation of Six Sigma projects improves customer satisfaction.

Creating Comprehensive Educational Experiences for the 21st Century Ph.D.

What does having a Ph.D. say about you or about your accomplishments? The current process for obtaining a Ph.D. confirms that you can follow directions and complete a task, can pass courses and a comprehensive and/or qualifying exam, can conduct independent research, and can one´s research findings. But what else does it say? Does having a Ph.D. mean you are a good teacher, advisor, mentor, grant writer, or independent thinker? Does it mean you are ready to guide the next generation of Ph.D.´s? Upon graduation, there is variability in the skills demonstrated by new Ph.D.s? Whose responsibility is it to train Ph.D. recipients in areas in which they are weak? Does this responsibility rest on the major professor, the dissertation committee, the department, or the institution?