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1 – 10 of over 77000Patrik Jonsson and Stig-Arne Mattsson
The purpose of this paper is to examine the inventory performance effect of advanced material planning modes and analyse how internal and external contextual difficulties moderate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the inventory performance effect of advanced material planning modes and analyse how internal and external contextual difficulties moderate this relationship. This study also identifies avenues for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical analysis uses a survey of material planning for purchased items in 292 Swedish manufacturing and wholesaling companies. Three dimensions of inventory performance are dependent variables: material planning performance, inventory turnover rate, and service level.
Findings
Advanced material planning modes are directly associated with material planning performance, but this study could not verify direct associations with inventory turnover rate and service-level performances. External and internal contextual difficulties have direct effects on all inventory performance dimensions and moderate the inventory performance effect of advanced material planning modes. The moderating effect is stronger in non-difficult contexts, for which advanced material planning has significant inventory performance effects. Demand- and human-related contextual dimensions are especially critical.
Practical implications
The study identifies the following guidelines for companies to consider in order to unlock the potential of advanced material planning: consider full implementation of advanced material planning in non-difficult contexts; minimise the plan variability effects of high parameter revision and planning frequencies; minimise the need for, and use of, manual modification of planned orders before release; reduce demand uncertainty and variability; and secure appropriate human skills and working time.
Originality/value
This study somewhat contradicts the literature on material planning by not finding a direct positive effect on any inventory performance dimension from analytical design of order quantities and safety stocks. The research adds to the literature by identifying direct and moderating effects of external and internal contextual difficulties on all three-inventory performance dimensions. The relative importance of managing automatic order release identified in the study motivates future research as the effect has not been previously highlighted in the literature. Accordingly, avenues for future research and an agenda for practice-oriented research are suggested.
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Alberto Portioli‐Staudacher and Marco Tantardini
Maintenance is a key lever for reducing costs in manufacturing companies. Researchers have focused in the past on the importance of integrating maintenance and production planning…
Abstract
Purpose
Maintenance is a key lever for reducing costs in manufacturing companies. Researchers have focused in the past on the importance of integrating maintenance and production planning to obtain total cost savings and have proposed a number of models. Nonetheless, all such contributions take a static perspective and do not consider the dynamics of markets, e.g. when some already committed preventive maintenance (PM) interventions are to be rescheduled. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to suggest a new decision‐making process to manage the rescheduling of PM interventions and to show – through the proposal of an ad hoc planning model – the economical savings from expressly considering rescheduling costs in re‐planning PM interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper the authors used six case studies to infer both the current process of production and maintenance integrated planning and the decision‐making process followed for rescheduling PM interventions. From the current practices the authors derived a new managerial framework for managing rescheduling events and they have built two mathematical models to compare the current and the proposed frameworks by using real data.
Findings
Considering rescheduling costs in the joint production and maintenance planning process leads to significant economical savings under all the scenarios tested. In particular, the use of the proposed model allows significant reductions in maintenance costs while keeping constant production costs. This makes the implementation of the authors' proposal in real companies easier.
Originality/value
This research originates from the wish of a real company to better investigate the issue of rescheduling interventions. To the best of the authors' knowledge this is the first study to face the problem of rescheduling PM interventions and to present a mathematical model to support managers in such a decision‐making process.
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Lisa Hedvall, Helena Forslund and Stig-Arne Mattsson
The purposes of this study were (1) to explore empirical challenges in dimensioning safety buffers and their implications and (2) to organise those challenges into a framework.
Abstract
Purpose
The purposes of this study were (1) to explore empirical challenges in dimensioning safety buffers and their implications and (2) to organise those challenges into a framework.
Design/methodology/approach
In a multiple-case study following an exploratory, qualitative and empirical approach, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted in six cases. Representatives of all cases subsequently participated in an interactive workshop, after which a questionnaire was used to assess the impact and presence of each challenge. A cross-case analysis was performed to situate empirical findings within the literature.
Findings
Ten challenges were identified in four areas of dimensioning safety buffers: decision management, responsibilities, methods for dimensioning safety buffers and input data. All challenges had both direct and indirect negative implications for dimensioning safety buffers and were synthesised into a framework.
Research limitations/implications
This study complements the literature on dimensioning safety buffers with qualitative insights into challenges in dimensioning safety buffers and implications in practice.
Practical implications
Practitioners can use the framework to understand and overcome challenges in dimensioning safety buffers and their negative implications.
Originality/value
This study responds to the scarcity of qualitative and empirical studies on dimensioning safety buffers and the absence of any overview of the challenges therein.
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Harald Rødseth and Per Schjølberg
The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel model for maintenance backlog (MB) of physical assets and structure it in a framework for integrated planning (IPL).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel model for maintenance backlog (MB) of physical assets and structure it in a framework for integrated planning (IPL).
Design/methodology/approach
Reliability theory principles for modelling MB are used. Furthermore, to structure a framework for IPL, literature study combined with earlier case studies is used.
Findings
The framework for IPL facilitates the model of MB. In addition to providing real-time diagnosis indicators, MB is regarded as valuable information for decision support in IPL.
Originality/value
Development of MB applied to IPL.
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Arnab Banerjee and Saroj Kumar Mukhopadhyay
The purpose of this paper is to propose a fresh perspective to effectively adopt leagility in supply chain. The research adopts Theory of Constraints (TOC) methodology and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a fresh perspective to effectively adopt leagility in supply chain. The research adopts Theory of Constraints (TOC) methodology and amalgamates it with design thinking process, people’s opinion and mathematical approach to help achieve supply chain leagility.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed framework is a seven stepped approach to achieve supply chain leagility combination analytical and mathematical procedures. Data enveloping analysis (DEA) is used to identify high level constraint. The new designed thinking process is used to further evaluate the constraints. Nominal group technique (NGT) is used to help build the current reality tree and identify detail level constraints.
Findings
The framework application on a case supply chain improves various parameters of leanness and agility over a period of one year. Improvements include reduced rework, improved cash flow, reduced operating cost, reduced order backlog and better customer interaction.
Research limitations/implications
This research opens up TOC application in a totally new area of leagility adoption in supply chain. The framework needs to be explored with more implementation in various business scenarios.
Practical implications
The proposed framework is extremely intuitive and pragmatic in approach. The case application demonstrates the framework can be easily adopted by supply chain managers to improve leagility.
Social implications
The current study attempts to diversify the TOC application. Using thinking process, DEA and NGT in TOC parlance brings in objectivity and employees together for improvement.
Originality/value
Amalgamating the mathematical approach of DEA, design thinking process and NGT within the TOC framework for supply chain leagility is new and novel.
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Vikas Singla and Sachin Sharma
The study aims to explore the argument of implementing the lean method to part or whole of an operation by examining the moderating impact of varying levels of the extent of…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to explore the argument of implementing the lean method to part or whole of an operation by examining the moderating impact of varying levels of the extent of implementation of four different lean methods, along with their functionalities, in predicting productivity improvement (PI).
Design/methodology/approach
As the focus of understanding the efficacy of lean principles is shifting from process to industry level, this study tried to generalize the approach by gathering data from 132 large Indian auto component manufacturers. This involves an assessing/monitoring approach rather than measurement.
Findings
Results highlighted the interdependence or individuality of the extent of implementation of lean methods and their functionalities. Findings revealed a significant moderating effect in improving productivity to a greater extent of 50%.
Research limitations/implications
Adopting an assessment approach to a measurement study provides a noteworthy contribution to bridging theory and practical consequences. The findings can be appropriately extrapolated to medium and small enterprises forming a critical connection in the entire automobile manufacturing ecosystem.
Practical implications
The study showed that even if a lean method is applied to a certain extent of operations the chances of PI are significant. This is important for decision makers as they confront problems of optimum resource allocation.
Social implications
PI, reduced cost and generalization of results would enable the auto component industry to become more competitive.
Originality/value
The examination of the moderation effect of a lean principle implementation extent, along with that of its functionalities to predict the improvement in productivity from its existing level, is a major outcome of this study.
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Akilu Aliyu Shinkafi and Nor Aini Ali
Purpose – Entrepreneurship development has become a goal of many countries to achieve economic development. Islamic economics is concerned with marketing, trading, business and…
Abstract
Purpose – Entrepreneurship development has become a goal of many countries to achieve economic development. Islamic economics is concerned with marketing, trading, business and entrepreneurship activities. This chapter examines the role of entrepreneurship development in Islamic economics.
Methodology/approach – This chapter is purely theoretical in nature. Thus, the Glorious Qur’an, Hadith and other related documents are its major sources.
Findings – The discussion reveals that entrepreneurship development has the potential to promote economic growth and development, employment, self-reliance and national growth. The discussion identifies a lack of capital and financial support as a principal obstacle to the development of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. This chapter further reveals that the success of entrepreneurship development and other commercial activities requires organisation in terms of coordination, networking and sharing of resources, as well as cooperation between government, public sector, private sector and enterprise.
Originality/value –The chapter is original in its form and arrangement having emerged as a novel attempt and the first of its kind. The chapter has a pearl of value to the Islamic economists, entrepreneurs, academic circle, and all those who may consider it relevant for application in their desirable business and cherish the value of its standing.
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