This study examines the determinants of firm performance for women entrepreneurs in the context of an emerging economy affected by a turbulent political and socio-cultural environment. The study draws from the resource-based and institutional-based views embedded in the genderaware 5M (money, management, market, macro/meso environments, and motherhood) model. A generalized structural equation model is used to analyze data from Egypt, the setting for this study. The study finds a positive relationship between women entrepreneurs' human capital and firm performance. However, no detectable relationship emerges between social capital and firm performance or between women's gender-related personal problems and firm performance. The findings suggest new boundary conditions in the domain of female entrepreneurship in a hostile environment, with important implications for practice and research.

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PurposeThis study aims to develop a standardised instrument to measure the impact of lean thinking on supply chain value. This tool can be used to examine supply chain readiness and thus enhance overall value. It can also observe the potential role of customers, competitors and suppliers in increasing supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey of previous studies is undertaken in the Egyptian industrial sector. The study also uses a questionnaire provided across all managerial levels of Egyptian firms. This questionnaire is divided into two main sections: the first section is considered to be about lean thinking stages for waste elimination, namely muri, mura and muda, while the second section relates to the value creation dimensions.FindingsThe developed instrument accesses and analyses different types of lean thinking for identifying lean degree in supply chains. Consequently, it could lead to enhancing value creation in supply chains. This explorative study also indicates that the Egyptian industrial sector is willing to go lean.Research limitations/implicationsSome limitations exist in this study. First, the survey was conducted on the Egyptian industrial sector. The applicability of the proposed scale should thus be further tested in different countries and service mixtures.Practical implicationsInternal resistance is more of a barrier than external (customers, suppliers or competitors) resistance to lean thinking. Thus, organisations should focus first on internal (functional) integration and then move on to interorganisational integration. Further, people are more critical than technology in implementing lean thinking.Originality/valueThere is little empirical research on the implementation of lean thinking. Practitioners and researchers should find value in this unique instrument.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide guidance for the management of supply chains in order to increase the likelihood of lean thinking being generally adopted for the purposes of value creation, and to examine the potential role of the customer in improving supply chain performance. This study aims to address the impact of lean thinking when it is used in supply chains, then to address the relevant factors needed to enhance the entire process of chain value creation.Design/methodology/approachA survey of extant studies in the Egyptian industrial sector is undertaken here, involving a questionnaire which was distributed to all managerial levels in all departments of a number of companies. This questionnaire is divided to two main sections. The first section considers the question of value creation, while the second is related to lean thinking.FindingsThe model which is presented here is intended to examine the nature of the relationship between lean thinking and value creation in supply chains. Consequently, it could help to enhance customer satisfaction, increase internal‐customer performance and provide innovative products.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on a sample of relatively limited geographical scope (in Egypt) and the duration of the survey is limited to one year. Future research could expand the geographical coverage to other parts of the world over a longer duration.Practical implicationsInternal resistance is more of a barrier than external (customer or supplier) resistance to lean thinking. Thus, organizations should focus first on internal (functional) integration, and then move on to inter‐organizational integration. Furthermore, people are often critical of the role of technology in implementing lean thinking.Originality/valueLittle empirical research has previously been carried out into the implementation of lean thinking. Practitioners and researchers should find value in this unique comparative study.

PurposeThis research aims to provide guidance for management of green service supply chains to improve the likelihood and extent of innovation and joint productivity performance for value creation, with regard to coupling the potential role of the customer to increase supply chains performance. It is the purpose of this study to address the impact of green innovation privileged on service supply chains, then to address the prerequisite factors for enhancing the entire chain value creation.Design/methodology/approachA survey of extant research was undertaken for Egyptian hotels. It involved one type of questionnaire, provided across all managerial levels: top, senior, and executive managers. This questionnaire is divided into four main sections: the first section considers value creation, since the second section is related to trust; the third section is related to sharing knowledge; and the latest section is related to joint productivity.FindingsThe paper finds that it is possible to assist managers in thinking about adding value for supply chains.Research limitations/implicationsThe study period interval in data collection may have influenced the variance in responses and therefore should be considered a limitation.Practical implicationsThe ability to customize the simulator's parameters to represent value creation makes it a powerful tool for managers when deciding to rely on service supply chain.Originality/valueThis paper presents main elements required for enhancing value creation for all supply chain parties.