Purpose
The paper aims to study the effect of Total Quality Management (TQM) resources on strategic product innovation. It addresses the apparent tension between quality management and innovation ...management and seeks empirical support for the proposition that quality management resources can be used to support strategic innovation. Based on resource-based view, it defines key resources that firms develop during implementation of TQM systems: TQM culture, product design capability and process improvement capability – and assesses the role of these resources in the success of product innovation
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of 112 manufacturing firms was conduced and the resulting data analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) to determine how TQM constructs affect strategic product innovation.
Findings
The main finding suggests that only product design capability contributes to strategic product innovation. TQM culture has a direct influence on process improvement and product design capabilities but not on product innovation. The effect of innovation capability and innovation orientation on product innovation was only supported for innovation capability. The effect of innovation orientation is mediated by the development of innovation capability.
Research limitations/implications
We focus on the level of maturity of capability development without taking into consideration the time since adoption. Also, our measure of product innovation is based on the degree of product newness but does not dichotomize in terms of radical versus incremental. Several arguments supporting a negative relationship between TQM and innovation often refer to radical or breakthrough innovation. It would be interesting to test our model while distinguishing between radical and incremental innovation. The use of cross-sectional data is a methodological limitation.
Practical implications
Our results suggest that managers can leverage their quality management systems to support product innovation. In particular, the ability to design quality into products leads to higher levels of strategic production innovation. The successful deployment of TQM capabilities requires an integrative and well-structured approach, involving top leadership engagement of employees and customer orientation. While TQM culture is critical to the development of quality management capabilities, it does not directly affect the innovativeness of a firm.
Originality/value
The paper explores the relationship between quality management systems and strategic product innovation. Further work is needed to test whether TQM effect on strategic innovation is different for radical and incremental products, and for other innovation outcomes such as process and service innovation.
In isolated microgrids and remote regions, the challenge of developing reliable and self-sufficient renewable energy systems is amplified due to the lack of grid flexibility options. One of the ...leading solutions to increase renewable energy usage in isolated systems is the commission of energy storage. The current study proposes a novel optimization model that sizes the most cost-efficient renewable power capacity mix of an autonomous microgrid supported by storage technologies. The proposed algorithm considers operational, technical and land-use constraints. The problem is formulated using linear programming, is tested and scrutinized with sets of historical weather, load demand and installation prices data, and is modelled hour-by-hour. The method is applied to Corvo, an island in the Azores archipelago, Portugal. The results obtained exhibit that the proposed approach provides the optimal configuration of the renewable-based microgrid with an LCOE (Levelized Cost of electricity) of 0.21 €/kWh, a value lower than a diesel-based alternative, and while ensuring minimum land area occupation. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis is also presented to examine the effect of variables on the LCOE and PC (present cost) of the system. The present study shows that the developed optimal sizing model can improve electricity planning and facilitate energy transition in distributed power systems.
How organizational green practices become routinely embedded in supply chains remains underexplored in the literature. Based on the practice‐based view and normalization process theory, this study ...adopts a novel perspective on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices implementation and suggests that innovation is a crucial mechanism in such process. Specifically, we theorize and test the mediating effect of product and process innovation on the relationship between GSCM practices and sustainability performance. Survey data from 173 manufacturing firms were used to test the model hypotheses. Our findings show that product and process innovation mediate the relationship between GSCM practices and sustainability performance. The findings also suggest that the relevance of different innovation mechanisms depends on the stage of the operational lifecycle within which the practices are implemented. Our study provides insights for managers and scholars seeking to define innovation strategies to ensure the successful implementation of GSCM practices.
Organizations are under increased pressure to improve their sustainable performance through the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have ...lagged behind larger corporations due to a number of factors. Chief among these factors is the lack of resources and capabilities. In this study, we investigate whether entrepreneurial orientation as a distinctive firm‐level resource contributes to the successful implementation of GSCM practices within SMEs. We use primary data obtained from 316 manufacturing SMEs and analyze the data by using a fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Our findings show four equifinal configurations of GSCM practices and the components of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) that lead to high environmental performance. Two practices, “eco‐design” and “internal environmental management”, are present in all configurations, with the latter being the single core condition. The components of EO are present in all the configurations. Three distinct configurations lead to the simultaneous achievement of high environmental performance and high economic performance. Some noticeable differences appear in these configurations: “internal environmental management” is no longer a core condition, instead external practices (“green purchasing,” “cooperation with customers including environmental requirements,” and “investment recovery”) and “risk‐taking” become core conditions. We exptrapolate our findings into a set of propositions that expand theory on the link between entrepreneurial orientation and sustainable performance. Our study provides insights for managers who seek to infuse entrepreneurial thoughts and actions into their green supply chain initiatives.
Organizational sustainability requires production systems improvement and adaptation simultaneously balancing environmental, social and business dimensions. This exploratory study investigates how ...quality management exploitation and exploration may ambidextrously contribute to support environmentally sustainable production development. The study uses data collected through an online survey from ISO 9001 certified manufacturing firms. Drawing upon organizational ambidexterity in management literature, and using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to examine the data, we develop a set of propositions that link quality ambidexterity to environmentally sustainable production. Results reveal alternative equifinal configurations of quality management practices that lead to environmentally sustainable production. All configurations combine quality exploration and exploitation practices. The consideration of multiple goals, and especially the requirement for cost efficiency, reveals tensions between the two quality learning modes. The study provides evidence that quality management ambidexterity, the simultaneous presence of quality exploitation and exploration practices, is an important determinant of environmentally sustainable production. The findings provide insights for managers on how to leverage organizational improvement capabilities to achieve sustainability goals.
•Equifinal configurations of QM practices lead to sustainable production.•QM ambidexterity is a determinant of environmentally sustainable production.•Exploitation and exploration occurs at the level of specific QM practices.•The requirement for cost-efficiency requires a shift towards QM exploitation.
Research has demonstrated the presence of viruses in wastewater (WW), which can remain viable for a long period, posing potential health risks. Conventional WW treatment methods involving UV light, ...chlorine and ozone efficiently reduce microbial concentrations, however, they produce hazardous byproducts and microbial resistance that are detrimental to human health and the ecosystem. Hence, there is a need for novel disinfection techniques. Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) emerges as a promising strategy, utilizing photosensitizers (PS), light, and dioxygen to inactivate viruses. This study aims to assess the efficacy of PDI by testing methylene blue (MB) and the cationic porphyrin TMPyP as PSs, along a low energy consuming white light source (LED) at an irradiance of 50 mW/cm2, for the inactivation of bacteriophage Phi6. Phi6 serves as an enveloped RNA-viruses surrogate model in WW. PDI experiments were conducted in a buffer solution (PBS) and real WW matrices (filtered and non-filtered). Considering the environmental release of the treated effluents, this research also evaluated the ecotoxicity of the resulting solution (post-PDI treatment effluent) on the model organism Daphnia magna, following the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) immobilization technical 202 guideline. Daphnids were exposed to WW containing the tested PS at different concentrations and dilutions (accounting for the dilution factor during WW release into receiving waters) over 48 h. The results indicate that PDI with MB efficiently inactivated the model virus in the different aqueous matrices, achieving reductions superior to 8 log10 PFU/mL, after treatments of 5 min in PBS and of ca. 90 min in WW. Daphnids survival increased when subjected to the PDI-treated WW with MB, considering the dilution factor. Overall, the effectiveness of PDI in eliminating viruses in WW, the fading of the toxic effects on daphnids after MB’ irradiation and the rapid dilution effect upon WW release in the environment highlight the possibility of using MB in WW PDI-disinfection.
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•The study proposes PDI as a promising approach to overcome the limitations of the conventional wastewater treatment methods.•The photosensitizers Methylene Blue and cationic porphyrin TMPyP showed efficacy in inactivating the enveloped RNA-virus.•The survival of Daphnia magna increased when exposed to the PDI-treated WW with MB. • The fading of toxic effects are related to the MB irradiation and the dilution effect upon WW release into environment.
Relying on insights from resource dependence and information processing theory, this study analyzes the extent to which an importer's involvement influences product innovation at the industrial ...exporter firm. We consider two modes of involvement, collecting importer's feedback and importer integration in the product development effort. We propose that the relationship between importer involvement and product innovation is contingent upon the level of inter-functional coordination within the development firm, and contextual factors related to the export market. Data were collected from export companies participating in different international business-to-business markets. Results show that firms with high inter-functional coordination achieved higher leverage from importer feedback, but obtain no impact from importer integration in product development (PD). Contextual factors affect the relationship between importer involvement and product innovation: importer feedback affects product innovation in environments with intense competition and low technological turbulence. Importer integration in PD has a significant effect on product innovation in environments with low competitive intensity and high technological turbulence. This study contributes to a better understanding of the conditions that allow an exporter firm to create value through external relationships. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.
•Importer feedback and integration in PD contributes to product innovation at the exporter firm.•Inter-functional coordination enhances the impact of importer feedback on product innovation.•Importer feedback is significant only under intense competition and low technological turbulence.•Importer integration is significant under low competition and high technological turbulence.
To estimate digit circumference and the impact of sex and body mass index (BMI) for the calculation of the Leeds Dactylitis Index (LDI) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with bilateral ...dactylitis.
Digit circumference of the hands and the foot were measured with a dactylometer and were studied according to sex and BMI (divided in 4 weight categories) in healthy Portuguese subjects, using Student's t-test and One-way ANOVA, respectively. The effect size of sex and BMI were calculated using Cohen's d test and Eta squared, respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to calculate the effect of sex and BMI, as well as their interaction, to create a formula to predict digit circumference.
Fifty-nine participants (33 women, 26 men) with a mean BMI of 24.8 were included. Men's mean digit circumferences were statistically higher than those of women (p<0.001), with a large sex effect size in most of the digits. Differences in the mean circumference between the four BMI categories were statistically significant (p<0.05) for all digits, with a large BMI effect size. Sex and BMI were independent variables to predict mean digit circumference (p<0.001). A new tool (based on regression analysis) allowing to estimate the circumference of digits for males and females of different BMIs is presented.
Our data allows the calculation of digit circumference for males and females of different BMIs in the Portuguese population; and shows that BMI influences digital circumference supporting BMI inclusion in LDI references tables.
This study examines the users of digital innovations with covariance-based structural equation modeling (CBSEM) and a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to understand the factors that ...drive their continuance intention. We examine the interplay between the perceptual factors related to the user experience with a digital product and personal factors that characterize late adoption. The findings highlight that perceived radicalness is a core condition to achieve the users’ continuance intention in a digital context. The findings contribute to theory by providing a better understanding of how personal factors in adoption interact with other determinants of the continuance intention. The study also presents practical implications. The results show that in the case of late adopters, firms should invest in both the radicalness and high system quality of their digital innovations.
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