Journal of Business and Retail Management Research

The minimal availability of scientific literature suggests that managers hardly consider internal organizational consequences as organizational Alignment, implementation effort, and Capacity to change when setting strategic targets. This study bridges this gap in the literature by employing a self-developed algorithm that assists managers by focusing on consequences that would make the target’s implementation nearly impossible. In our study: too little organizational alignment, setting too ambitious targets, and insufficient capacity to change. We first quantified how 3,300 managers in 500+ organizations set targets by themselves in terms of these three consequences. We defined this group as Classical Management (CM). Then, in the second batch of 1,000 managers in 90 organizations, we provided our algorithm that quantified their targets' internal consequences. We defined this group as Computer-Aided Management (CAM). Our finding is that comparing two target-setting approaches (CM versus CAM) indicated that the latter chose targets with a “consequence score” six times better than the former. Our recommendation: in an organizational transformation, ask as many employees and managers as possible and let an algorithm upgrade their input to refine the decision-making process.

The research article provides an insight into the role of knowledge management capabilities in the performance of Botswana Water Utilities Corporation. In this research paper, organizational performance is measured under the following: - (a) Quality of service (b) Employee attraction and retention (c) Customer satisfaction. The researchers used mixed methods in investigating the research problem which revolves around the role of knowledge management capabilities and the performance of the organization. The research findings confirm that the recognition of knowledge management capabilities if well managed and utilized will increase the organizational performance in respect of quality of service, employee attraction and retention, and customer satisfaction. The research went further to discuss current challenges facing the organization and in the same vein offered possible solutions on how to minimize the identified challenges.

At the core of human resource management (HRM) is the way ‘’inter-relationship among the stakeholders in an organisation is managed’’, ‘’objective criteria are applied to goal-setting processes’’ and how ‘’HRM contributes to the creation of tangible value in the form of knowledge-based outputs.’’  Hence, the process of knowledge management of storing and sharing in regard to its processes, techniques and operations is linked to HRM practices of effective management of this inter-relationship. The research enquires into how human resource development focuses on building the entrepreneurial resilience, a key ability of entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and adapt to uncertainties, particularly during this era of Covid-19 pandemic. The efforts of organisational leadership, which needs to appropriate these inter-relationships to a social context either India or Bangladesh, always can be aided by a host of social network theories. Within remit of this discourse, the research would like to pursue the questions such as how the role of gender in the economic development process has been increasingly recognized as crucial, both in terms of potential for success and in the nature of the impact of particular development strategies and programs. Addressing these questions, thus, can help us to arrive at the possible HR interventions in this regard. The direction of the current research emerges from the interpretation of the variants such as knowledge workers, knowledge management templates and tools, expected gender roles of social actors, resource allocation, etc. The research proceeds to enquire how these variants are explained by these social network theories, their limitations and if some of these need to be repurposed in the view of emerging challenges posed by knowledge workers and their belonging industries.  

In this paper we present a practical approach that AB InBev’s Global Capabilities Centre (“GCC or ABI or Ab InBev”) has developed to solve the challenges of Category Management for Retailers. The approach brings technical rigor from the areas of data science, econometrics, and measurement methodologies very close to business context. This has allowed us to create a solution which is highly contextual and relatable to our business stakeholders. The strength of the presented solution lies in it being a semi-automated framework that allows a wide array of disparate data to be modelled and captures the nuances of different markets - such as socio-demographic profiles, consumption behaviours, local preferences towards beer styles. We also present the ABI created 4C framework to arrive at the optimal assortment recommendation for a Retailer.

The input from managers and employees is vital for strategic decision-making. Yet, these people already have enough on their plates if not overwhelmed by their daily to-do lists. We measured how employees in an organizational transformation could save time by stopping to work on non-priorities and stopping to reinvent the wheel by sharing knowledge. First, we designed a new survey scale replacing a Likert survey to ask people for input objectively, reducing interpretation bias. Next, we analyzed survey input from over 32,000 respondents in more than 900 teams in 150 different organization transformations. To free up time, we compared were respondents' planned improvement deviated from their management priorities. To work smarter, we focused on knowledge sharing: how could one employee that already had improved on a specific topic help a colleague that still had to improve? On average, we found a productivity increase of 75 hours, or €2,500.- per respondent. This productivity increase of 75 hours required two things: an average time investment per respondent of max. 15 minutes to answer a questionnaire and an algorithm to indicate 1.) what priorities to focus on and 2.) which colleagues could help with each of these.

Purpose of the research: Innovation is the key to organizational success in the present complex and competitive business environment. Numerous factors are continuously affecting the innovative performances of the organizations. researchers across the globe, have pointed out different factors and, often, several thematic factors that have been proven with strong positive effect on the innovation activities and innovation outcomes. The research attempted to find out the most dominating factors of innovations in the organizations through an extensive systematic literature review that ranges from 1973 to 2021.

Methodology: Resulting on the 102 individual influencing factors of innovation through the literature review, the researchers classified those factors into 10 thematic groups, e.g., culture, HRM functions, top management orientation, external environment, organizational proficiencies, leadership, knowledge management, market pressure and competition, technology adaptation and research and development. Besides, the researchers endeavoured to figure out the interrelationships among the identified dominating factors.

Findings: Finally, through couple of propositions, the research successfully identified 5 dominating factors of innovation, e.g., organizational proficiencies, external environment, culture, market pressure and competition, and HRM functions. Among 5, the factors of organizational proficiencies noticed the most dominating. The interrelationships between organizational proficiencies and external environment, culture, market pressure and competition, and HRM functions examined and delivered through an easy-to-understand diagram.

Originality and implications: This robust research is very valuable, firstly, it has accumulated the factors of innovation from the studies of last 50 years, secondly, it has established 10 thematic factors of innovation, and thirdly, the research has figured out the most crucial thematic factor of innovation which accelerates innovation and can control the threats of other relevant factors of innovation.

This study is aimed to identify the impact of innovative marketing on competitive advantage in the renewable energy sector in Jordan. This study uses descriptive, analytical, and heuristic research methods. The target population consists of all employees in the renewable energy companies in Jordan, which includes 212 companies and 957 employees. A random sampling method was applied for the data collection representing 296 employees. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and several statistical methods were used – particularly multiple linear regression. 

This study shows a statistically significant impact (α≤0.05) of innovative marketing on the competitive advantage of the renewable energy companies in Jordan. The result also indicates that the renewable energy companies in Jordan apply innovative marketing and competitive advantage at high levels.

Finally, this study recommends that these renewable energy companies in Jordan apply innovative marketing strategies, having innovation and creativity being one of the main focuses of these companies. These strategies of innovative marketing would be incredibly beneficial in the fields of production, pricing, distribution, and promotion. Furthermore, this study recommends that renewable energy companies in Jordan continue to develop these concepts. And do not stop at a specific degree of improvement as modern management concepts are continuously evolving and changing for the better. The failure to do so will lead to the companies' global competitive disadvantage while causing a localized ideological stagnation within the ever-changing field of marketing.