Pär Åhlström

Purpose This study addresses the inconsistent evidence on whether environmental, social, and governance (ESG) hinders or enhances performance. Drawing on the practice-based view (PBV) and the competitive progression theory (CPT), we argue that this inconsistency stems from how firms approach sustainability, prioritizing ESG reporting over the operational foundation for ESG integration. We conceptualize this foundation as Operational Excellence (OE), a firm-wide commitment to excellence through the persistent adoption of multiple practices and theorize that OE results in ESG adoption and effectiveness. We also hypothesize about the mediating effect of OE-driven ESG adoption on performance. Design/methodology/approach. Using a longitudinal panel of 3,394 U.S. manufacturing firm-year observations (2010-2023), we apply System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to test the role of OE in ESG adoption and effectiveness. To capture the key elements of our OE conceptualization, we consider the breadth (number of practices) and persistence (the consistency of adoption over time). Several robustness tests are conducted to ascertain the findings. Findings OE facilitates sustainability engagement and the adoption of a broad range of ESG practices. It also enhances ESG effectiveness, as performance gains occur when ESG practices are grounded in prior OE. Results reveal a sequential pattern: firms first adopt OE practices, then ESG practices, leading to improved performance. This reflects temporal mediation, where OE influences performance through ESG practices. Originality/value We conceptualize OE as a firm-wide commitment to excellence that underpins ESG effectiveness-enabling ESG to improve performance by being fully integrated into core operations and aligned with other practices.

Drawing on the 'dynamic capabilities' perspective, this study empirically investigates whether, or not, and how agile manufacturing contributes to sustainable business performance, including economic, environmental, and social performance. Building on the notion that dynamic capabilities indirectly improve organisational performance through modifying a firm's resources/processes, we argue that agile manufacturing treated as a dynamic capability requires transformation to result in sustainable business performance. Therefore, we hypothesise the mediating effects of two transformational capabilities, namely internal learning, and reconfiguration capabilities, on the agile manufacturing-sustainable business performance relationship. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to explore the validity of the conceptual model and examine the hypotheses using survey data from 99 Italian manufacturers firms. The results show that internal learning fully mediates the relationship between agile manufacturing and economic performance and partially mediates the relationship between agile manufacturing and social performance. Also, the empirical findings indicate that reconfiguration fully mediates the relationship between agile manufacturing and economic/environmental performance and partially mediates the agile manufacturing-social performance relationship. Overall, both transformational capabilities are necessary to maximise the effects of agile manufacturing on sustainable performance.

PurposeLean remains popular in a wide range of private and public sectors and continues to attract a significant amount of research. However, most of this research is not grounded in theory. This paper presents and discusses different expert viewpoints on the role of theory in lean research and practice and provides guidelines for future research. Design/methodology/approach Seven experienced lean authors independently provide their views to the question "is Lean a theory?" before Rachna Shah summarizes the viewpoints and provides a holistic outlook for lean research. FindingsAuthors agree, disagree and sometimes agree to disagree. However, a close look reveals agreement on several key points. The paper concludes that Lean is not a theory but has plenty of theoretical underpinnings. Many lean-related theories provide promising opportunities for future research. Originality/value As researchers, we are asked to justify our research drawing on "theory," but what does that mean for a practice-driven phenomenon such as lean? This paper provides answers and directions for future research.

The practice of innovation management is developing fast. As new concepts emerge, exploratory studies are needed and case study research is often appropriate. To investigate the usage and quality of case study research in innovation management, all of the articles published in five top journals over 20 years (1997–2016) were reviewed. Case study research accounted for 818 of the published articles in this period (12%) and an evaluation template (termed case study evaluation template: CASET) was developed to objectively assess these articles against 10 quality criteria. It was found that the quality of case study research has often been low, although it has improved over time. Similarly, quality was found to fluctuate both within and between the different innovation journals. This indicates that the peer review process for case study research is not as robust as it should be. The assessment of individual articles using the evaluation template found significant deficiencies. Many articles: did not justify why case study research was appropriate; did not apply theoretical sampling criteria; were not transparent on how conclusions were drawn from the data; did not consider validity and reliability adequately; and did not go beyond description in their interpretation. However, the evaluation template also identified 23 “exemplary studies,” which clearly addressed nearly every criterion. Such exemplary studies provide innovation management researchers with “benchmark” reading, which can help shape their own research. This article makes four contributions to the innovation management discipline. First, the evaluation template and exemplary studies can help innovation researchers improve the quality of their case study research. Second, clear recommendations are given for how reviewers can use the template to make the peer review process more consistent and robust. Third, journal editors are encouraged to consider the implications of the findings for their particular journal. Fourth, the article should stimulate a long overdue debate on methodology in innovation management research, including the use of case study research. 

Purpose Doctoral education (DE) is central to the development and application of operations management (OM) thinking. The European Doctoral Educational Network (EDEN) seminar on research methodology in OM is a structured initiative developed in 1999 by European Operations Management Association (EurOMA) and European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management (EIASM). This intensive five-day seminar has run annually since and, to date, has engaged 486 students. The purpose of this paper is to ask: what role has the OM EDEN seminar played in the formation and academic career development of doctoral researchers, and how has it contributed to the development of EurOMA as a community of practice? Design/methodology/approach The authors developed a retrospective case on the design, launch and growth of the OM EDEN seminar employing two data gathering methods (collecting secondary and archival data, and a survey of four selected seminar participants) and a social network analysis. Findings The EDEN seminar is an effective educational intervention in developing doctoral researchers and their subsequent academic careers. The seminar has also contributed to EurOMA as a community of practice, bringing faculty together to teach, write and publish leading edge contributions in research methods for OM. Research limitations/implications The case is focused on the OM EDEN seminar only, within which the survey is limited to four of the early participants. While another set of participants might respond differently in detail, the authors' expectation is that participant perception of the role of the seminar would not change. The paper provides an exemplar for European academic associations to guide how they might explore the formation and academic career development of doctoral candidates within a community of practice. Practical implications The seminar merits the ongoing support of EurOMA and EIASM, not just in educating doctoral students but also in bringing faculty together to publish leading edge contributions to the OM domain. Social implications The paper draws on the areas of student formation, academic career development and communities of practice to illustrate the role played by the OM EDEN seminar. Originality/value This paper is the first description, analysis and reflection on the role played by the OM EDEN seminar.

During new product development (NPD), functional areas such as marketing, R&D, and manufacturing work together to understand customer needs, create product concepts, and solve technical issues. NPD is dependent on the creation of new knowledge and the interplay between tacit knowledge (knowledge that is difficult to articulate and codify) and explicit knowledge (knowledge that can be codified and documented). Knowledge creation requires time and resources, and the dichotomy facing senior management is how much spare capacity in NPD teams - so-called organizational slack-is appropriate. Too much organizational slack and precious development resources will be wasted; but when slack is eliminated, there is a danger that knowledge creation will be severely hindered. There have been very few studies of organizational slack at the project level, and so the aim of our research was to examine the impact of changes in organizational slack on knowledge creation in NPD projects. Six projects were studied at two companies, over a two-year period. Multiple sources of data were used to determine how changes in organizational slack impacted knowledge creation, which was operationalized using Nonaka's socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization (SECI) model. It was found that the creation of knowledge in NPD projects is susceptible to changes in organizational slack. A significant finding was that every time there were changes in organizational slack, there was always some impact on knowledge creation. Increased slack enabled knowledge creation; but, importantly, the impacts of decreasing organizational slack were often very negative and disrupted the work of NPD teams, particularly at the end of projects. Managers who feel that "squeezing R&D" is important should think again - their action might disrupt knowledge creation and compromise innovation.

Our concern is with how interaction with customers affects knowledge creation in product development projects. Customers have a crucial role in stimulating innovation, but previous research has not identified what effects the interaction has on knowledge creation nor at what point in time interaction with customers should be sought. Through case research in high velocity industries we
identify the effect customer interaction has on knowledge creation processes inside new product development projects and therefore ultimately innovation. In particular we highlight the effects the interaction has on tacit and explicit knowledge, and the need to acknowledge the difference between the two.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically validate an instrument containing operational measures of lean service. The instrument is intended for use by both researchers and practitioners. Design/methodology/approach: The instrument was developed and validated in an iterative process between theoretical and empirical insights. Drawing on a wide selection of frequently cited papers on lean service, a preliminary list of items was generated. These items were then vetted through four steps in order to achieve high validity. Empirical refinement and validation included workshops and semi-structured interviews with expert practitioners, as well as testing the instrument's ability to discriminate between high and low adoption of lean and portray changes during lean service adoption. Findings: The instrument contains 34 items that assess enablers of lean adoption, lean practices, and operational performance. Empirical validation suggested the instrument was able to discriminate between high and low adoption of lean service, as well as portray changes over time during lean adoption. Practical implications: Practicing managers will be able to use the instrument in order to track progress during lean service adoption, thereby identifying and acting upon deviations from planned progress. Originality/value: The paper represents the first comprehensive attempt to develop an instrument for assessing lean service adoption. Through this instrument, operational definitions of lean service will allow researchers to measure the level of lean service adoption, and using this information, to develop knowledge of for instance the contingencies to lean service adoption, the problems and pitfalls in lean service adoption and the feasibility of transferring practices to various service settings.

Purpose: Against the background of the often politicized debate on the advantages and disadvantages of production models based on sociotechnical systems (STS) theory and lean production (LP), this paper develops a notion of a hybrid model consisting of elements of both STS and LP and tests its validity by empirical examination. Design/methodology/approach: A representative sample of manufacturing plants in Sweden was surveyed. The questionnaire measured the hybrid model in three specific constructs: STS in terms of an integrated work organizational design featuring multifunctional teams, decentralized responsibilities and integrated functions; LP in terms of adoption of lean practices such as just-in-time; and plant performance in terms of productivity, quality, delivery and speed. The obtained data were subjected to multiple regression analysis to test our convergence argument while controlling for plant size, order fulfilment practice and production process type. Findings: A relationship between the elements of STS and LP is found. Implementing elements of both production models together leads to better plant performance than implementing either one in isolation. Furthermore, plants having an integrated work organization are possibly more successful in adopting the principles of LP, which in turn leads to improved plant performance. Originality/value: In contrast to earlier research, the paper argues based on empirical findings that there is no inherent conflict between STS and LP. Rather, these production models have evolved over time and converged into a hybrid. The strong relationship between work organization design and LP practices suggests a need for a broad and parallel change effort for high performance impact.