a b s t r a c tIncreasingly manufacturers implement lean practices to improve operational performance. In addition, manufacturers operate in ever more complex and volatile environments. This research investigates the effects of environmental complexity and dynamism on lean operations and lean purchasing practices. It empirically examines these relationships using archival and survey data from 126 manufacturers. The results show that environmental complexity positively moderates the effects of lean operations and lean purchasing on performance. However, environmental dynamism reduces the benefits of lean operations on performance, but enhances the benefits of lean purchasing on performance. Robustness tests further confirm the contingent effects of complexity and dynamism on lean operations and lean purchasing. This research offers a more nuanced understanding of the effect of external environmental context on lean practices, and suggests that practitioners should carefully consider the external environment when implementing different types of lean practices. (A. Azadegan). systems, integrated inventory management, stable procurement and other supplier related practices (Gunasekaran, 1999). The environmental context may have different effects on lean operations and lean purchasing practices since they have different orientations.Scholars argue that the performance benefits of operations management practices depend on the environmental context (Sousa and Voss, 2008;Jayaram et al., 2010). Anecdotal evidence suggests that lean has a weaker effect on performance in environments with high demand variability (Bruce et al., 2004;Oliver et al., 2007). However, research has not considered how environmental uncertainty affects lean operations and lean purchasing practices. Scholars should study the effects of environmental uncertainty on lean since environmental uncertainty alters the level of information and predictability of external events, which in turn, affects operational activities (Dirsmith and Covaleski, 1983;Cannella et al., 2008). This research investigates the following question: What is the effect of environmental uncertainty on the relationships of lean operations and lean purchasing with performance?This research investigates the effect of environmental complexity and dynamism on lean operations and lean purchasing using survey and archival data from 126 publicly-traded manufacturers in the US. It contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence that environmental complexity and dynamism affect the performance benefits of lean operations and lean purchasing. Understanding the effects of complexity and dynamism becomes 0272-6963/$ -see front matter

Purpose -This paper aims to explore the role of structural-organizational capital (or intelligence) in gathering, producing and transmitting competitive intelligence (CI) to enhance organization competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach -A questionnaire-oriented survey covering 200 Iranian companies as samples was conducted to collect data for the study. Findings -The findings indicate that the information systems (as the structural capital) and the content factors (as the organizational capital) of the structural-organizational intelligence (SOI) are significantly related in attaining CI. The study also provides empirical evidence that attaining CI is positively related to organization competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications -First, the companies chosen for the study were mainly large companies. Thus, the results may not be applicable to smaller companies; second, this survey was limited to one country (Iran); third, 40 percent of the respondents were from state companies, which because of using state budget and being active at the monopolistic markets inside the country might be a negative effect on the amount of using SOI. Practical implications -Future studies might be extended to analyzing the relationship among other factors of intellectual capital and CI and should seek to utilize multiple respondents from multinational companies to enhance the research findings. Originality/value -The paper provides some of the very first insights into development of structural capital concept and its effects on organization. Previous studies were independent of structural-organizational capital (intelligence). This study aims to fill that gap by studying downstream impact of SOI application on both the admission of CI information and organization competitive advantage.

PurposeThe application of fuzzy multiple attribute decision making (FMADM) approach in evaluation of organizations has grown recently, and it is combined with knowledge‐based university evaluation parameters in this study. The paper seeks to propose a FMADM approach for measuring university performance on the four knowledge‐based perspectives of a balanced scorecard.Design/methodology/approachThe approach first summarizes the evaluation indexes extracted from the university performance literature. Then, the relative weights of the chosen evaluation indexes are calculated using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). The fuzzy sets theory was adapted to university performance analysis.FindingsThe results reveal the critical aspects of the evaluation criteria as well as the gaps to improve university performance in order to achieve the aspired/desired level.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper reveals the key issues in the existing performance evaluation method, especially in the university context.Practical implicationsThis research analyses the performance of a university based on the knowledge‐based indexes in the four BSC perspectives, using a FME‐MADM approach. It considers specific knowledge‐based metrics for each perspective.Originality/valueAlthough implementation of the performance measures in universities are now widespread, there is no considerable literature that sufficiently addresses the various issues faced by organizations during university implementation. The paper proposes application of the balanced knowledge‐based scorecard to universities aiming at evaluating performance annually.

PurposeHuman development is the most modern development approach. However, the proposed human development indexes for implementation of Islamic human resource management (HRM) do not suffice to realize the Islamic developed society. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the economic‐managerial indexes of human development based on HRM from the viewpoint of Islam and The Quran.Design/methodology/approachThis paper applies the hermeneutic method and considers the question: “what are the proper human resource (HR) economic‐managerial indexes from the viewpoint of Islam?”.FindingsReferring to the Islamic development basics and goals, it analyzes economic interaction among Muslim activists in an objective situation of the human development from the viewpoint of Islam and finally, it proposes human development economic‐managerial indexes among other required indexes, through planning an acceptable economic quasi‐system.Originality/valueIn the Islamic approach, human development occurs when a person's capacities improve so that he/she becomes able to manage internal and external contradictions and conflicts; and steps forward in the route of the faith and the righteous deed and in the space of the widespread justice to reach the God proximity and to replace the natural life by the Hayat‐e‐Tayyebeh.

Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by 304077 [] For AuthorsIf you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -Public-private partnership (PPP) is mutually beneficial relationships that are formed between the public and private sectors. The private-sector partner typically makes a substantial equity investment, and in return the public sector gains access to new or improved services. When properly vetted and structured, PPP allocate risk to the party best suited to handle it. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the scale and nature of the PPP's contribution as a driver of the economic growth and gross domestic product (GDP). Design/methodology/approach -Using statistics causality modeling and relevant statistical techniques, the dynamic interactions and interdependencies over PPP and economic growth were addressed and quantified. Findings -Although PPP can free up government resources for other public priorities, three key factors enable PPP to stimulate a country's economic growth: the number of PPP projects under way, the value of PPP projects, and the ideal type of PPP contracts in use. Originality/value -The number, value, and type of PPP, combined with supportive policies, power economic growth. Governments with well-established and enforced policies against corruption, combined with low business transaction costs, a transparent legislative system, and exchange rate and monetary stability are far more attractive to the private sector.