Benchmarking strategy deployment practices

Qualitative study of challenges and strategies of Indian IT organizations toward global branding

Purpose

There is a lacuna in research work in terms of understanding how Indian IT organizations can become global brands. Benchmarking has not received much attention in marketing literature due to lack of benchmarking framework, and IT organizations are yet to make progress in benchmarking. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of brand strength on global branding by developing a conceptual benchmarking framework for Indian IT organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured in-depth interviews are conducted with thirty middle-level managers from two Indian IT organizations, two US-based global IT organizations and one UK-based leading bank, which is a customer of these IT organizations.

Findings

Results show a positive relationship between brand strength and global branding, between customer loyalty and global branding, between brand loyalty and competitive advantage and between global branding and competitive advantage. Indian IT organizations can benchmark global IT organizations to improve delivering brand promise, positioning, awareness building and authenticity toward making Indian IT organizations future ready to address the entire breadth of opportunities in the evolving world of cloud and digital.

Practical implications

This research helps managers with a brand strength-based benchmarking framework toward global branding of Indian IT organizations.

Social implications

IT is instrumental for rapid growth of Indian’s economy. India should optimally utilize its greatest wealth, its human potential, with the latent global demand in IT through building global IT brands.

Originality/value

The originality of the study lies in conducting a qualitative study on global branding of Indian IT organizations and also proposing a conceptual benchmarking framework. The study further validates the model using qualitative analysis.

Developing a strategic performance scoring system for healthcare nonprofit organisations

Purpose

Using the BSC as the starting point, the purpose of this paper is to present a theory on nonprofit performance management and describes how an overall performance index (OPI) was empirically developed to assess the strategic performance of a nonprofit organisation (NPO).

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was developed from the literature. This was refined into a testable theoretical model using case studies. Thereafter, the theoretical model and an accompanying measurement model on OPI were validated using quantitative data (n=223) collected from a sample of healthcare NPOs in Australasia.

Findings

The measurement model was found to be a good fit to data. The model parameters (weights) pertaining to the OPI represent six PM dimensions (Mission; Strategy; Organisational Capabilities, Infrastructure and People Development; Financial Health; Processes; and Stakeholder Satisfaction) and 13 sub-dimensions. These parameters provide a tenable scoring system to assess the strategic performance of a NPO.

Research limitations/implications

The parameters (hence the scoring system) were estimated from data collected from a particular sector (healthcare) and a region (Australasia).

Practical implications

The findings can be used for comparative benchmarking (e.g. by managers and major donors) of NPOs, better governance and to initiate major performance improvement initiatives.

Originality/value

This study is the first empirical study that has been undertaken to develop an OPI for NPOs. The findings can be readily used by the practitioners.

Integrated MCDM for Benchmarking Techniques in Indian Service Industries

Industries need to ascend their standards for competitiveness and adopt modern methods with techniques for effectiveness of their system which occurs through convention of benchmarking techniques. The rationale of the study is to review the benchmarking techniques and moreover to rank on the basis of their application in service industries. To rank the benchmarking, analytical network process and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods are used. An integrated model of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is used for prioritizing the best practices in Indian service sector. The study identifies different types of benchmarking techniques among which generic benchmarking, external benchmarking and internal benchmarking occupy the first three ranks, providing basis for several critical success factors (CSFs) like planning, reliability, standardization, time behavior and usability as the more important parts of benchmarking. Thus, an endeavor has been made by authors to give a model for evaluation of benchmarking techniques through MCDM which gives confidence for executives to adopt benchmarking in their industries.

Receiving a national quality award three times

Purpose

– In recent decades, a framework for management performance has proven to be an important management practice for achieving organisational performance excellence. In this sense, the purpose of this paper is to analyse how a specific company manages to achieve performance excellence through the attainment of the Brazilian National Quality Award.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study adopts a case-based approach using a single unit of analysis that might be considered a revealing case. The company studied is one of the largest companies in the information and financial analysis sector in Latin America and is part of a major worldwide corporation. Semi-structured interviews with senior managers and document analysis were used for data collection, with content and inductive analysis performed a posteriori.

Findings

– The main results outline the approach adopted by the company for each performance excellence award criterion and highlight some of the relevant organisational practices, especially those related to the nature of the company’s businesses. The findings show that the top management has been an essential driving force in transforming the managers at all levels into agents of improvement at the studied company. Additional key points are the deployment of the company’s “shared values” throughout the company and the implementation of a medium- and long-term comprehensive strategic plan focused on the award criteria. The company’s strategic system has been a driving force of its success.

Research limitations/implications

– For a more extensive empirical validation, further replications using other samples are needed to ensure the external validity of these findings.

Originality/value

– This paper is one of the few published studies discussing business excellence in emerging economies, which is not observed very often in developing markets. In addition, the paper focuses on promoting a culture of quality, a less common phenomenon in the economies of developing countries than in those of developed nations. Finally, this paper may be useful for practitioners and academics interested in the subject of quality and performance excellence.

An investigation of lead benchmarking implementation

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore current levels of lead benchmarking implementation and lead performance indicators among Malaysian organizations. Comparing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with large companies, it identifies what benefits and difficulties are present during benchmarking implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

– Descriptive analyses, one-way ANOVAs between and within groups, and parametric and non-parametric tests are used to compare responses obtained from small, medium and large Malaysian manufacturing organizations.

Findings

– Findings suggest that larger organizations have a more progressive approach to lead benchmarking. Strategy and employee development are dominant lead performance indicators of continuous improvement. Large companies experience fewer challenges when implementing benchmarking projects. Perceptions of key benchmarking implementation barriers shift from mere lack of resources toward lack of knowledge and training, information sharing, commitment and trust.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample is specific in nature (Malaysian manufacturing organizations); results should be interpreted accordingly.

Originality/value

– Little is known about lead benchmarking practices in Malaysia, particularly within the contexts of SMEs. The outcomes of this study provide a basis for further improvement and valuable knowledge for top management of manufacturing organizations to refine strategies and advance quality management approaches.

Distribution channel conflict management: a Brazilian experience

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the mechanisms adopted by the distribution channel of a leading Brazilian truck manufacturing company, which generates various conflicts that have a negative impact on the performance of the channel operations, with a focus on the conflict causes. The study aims to expand the domain of distribution channel conflict management as a benchmark activity by exploring the potential sources of conflict occurring in a major Brazilian distribution channel.

Design/methodology/approach

The research method is exploratory, using a case study from a major company of the automotive sector of Serra Gaúcha, Brazil. The distribution processes are analyzed in a real and specific context, implemented by means of individual, in‐depth interviews, with the application of a basic script of questions.

Findings

The findings indicate the existence of seven potential sources of conflict and 23 conflicting issues, considered relevant and of negative impact on the distribution channel performance of the manufacturing company.

Research limitations/implications

The sample cannot be considered as representative but it is, to a certain point, reliable because it refers to one entity only.

Practical implications

The results of this research can serve as indicators for managers of a company to invest time and the necessary resources for the maintenance and consolidation of the relationships with its dealerships.

Originality/value

The present work shows its originality through the study of consumers' preference for determined products and services as a conflict management basis for Brazilian national distribution channels' stakeholders. In this context, a distribution channel conflict case study may constitute an important empirical source of data for a benchmark strategy.

Benchmarking organizational commitment across nonprofit human services organizations in Pennsylvania

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine organizational commitment within nonprofit organizations and demonstrate the effectiveness of benchmarking attitudinal constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

A web based 21 question survey was conducted utilizing a professional organization's membership list. The survey was then analyzed to determine if differences could be found in a local market compared to the larger (geographic) sample. Manova was used to examine mean differences across the variables.

Findings

The results revealed six constructs where attitudinal differences occurred. The differences allow management to determine if they are even with, above or below the average for the larger region and adjust management practices accordingly to increase organizational commitment.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalisability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further with a larger national sample.

Practical implications

Benchmarking organizational commitment allows management to adjust practices to improve and retain employees. Retaining employees saves the cost of training and ensures continued delivery of services.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to demonstrate the utility of benchmarking against a sample of peer organizations in the realm of organizational behavior and human resources constructs. This also extends the literature in the area of nonprofit management.