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1 – 10 of over 36000
Article
Publication date: 8 July 2014

Ying Xie, Colin James Allen and Mahmood Ali

Implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a challenging task for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated…

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Abstract

Purpose

Implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a challenging task for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated decision support system (DSS) for ERP implementation (DSS_ERP) to facilitate resource allocations and risk analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

Analytical regression models are developed using data collected through a survey conducted on 400 SMEs that have implemented ERP systems, and are validated by a simulation model. The validated analytical regression models are used to construct a nonlinear programming model that generates solutions for resource allocations, such as time and budget.

Findings

ERP implementation cost increases along the time horizon, while performance level increases up to a point and remains unchanged. To maximise or achieve a certain level of performance within a budget limitation, CSFs are prioritised as: project management (highest), top management, information technology, users and vendor support (lowest). SMEs are recommended to concentrate effort and resources on CSFs that have a greater impact on achieving their desired goals while optimising utilisation of resources.

Research limitations/implications

DSS_ERP proves to be beneficial to SMEs in identifying required resources and allocating resources, but could be further tested in case studies for its practical use and benefits.

Practical implications

DSS_ERP serves as a useful tool for SMEs to predict required resources and allocate them prior to ERP implementation, which maximises the probability of achieving predetermined targets. It also enables SMEs to analyse risk caused by changes to resources during ERP implementation, and helps them to be better prepared for the risks.

Originality/value

The research contributes to the scarce research on ERP implementation using scientific methods. A novel nonlinear programming model is constructed for ERP implementation under time and budget limitations, facilitating resource allocations in an ERP implementation, which has not been reported in any previous research. The research offers a theoretical basis for empirical studies of resource allocations in ERP implementation.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2022

Mamta Mishra, Surya Prakash Singh and M. P. Gupta

The research in competitive facility location (CFL) is quite dynamic, both from a problem formulation and an algorithmic point of view. Research direction has changed immensely…

550

Abstract

Purpose

The research in competitive facility location (CFL) is quite dynamic, both from a problem formulation and an algorithmic point of view. Research direction has changed immensely over the years to address various competitive challenges. This study aims to explore CFL literature to highlight these research trends, important issues and future research opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilises the Scopus database to search for related CFL models and adopts a five-step systematic approach for the review process. The five steps involve (1) Article Identification and keyword selection, (2) Selection criteria, (3) Literature review, (4) Literature analysis and (5) Research studies.

Findings

The paper presents a comprehensive review of CFL modelling efforts from 1981 to 2021 to provide a depth study of the research evolution in this area. The published articles are classified based on multiple characteristics, including the type of problem, type of competition, game-theoretical approaches, customer behaviour, decision space, type of demand, number of facilities, capacity and budget limitations. The review also highlights the popular problem areas and dedicated research in the respective domain. In addition, a second classification is also provided based on solution methods adopted to solve various CFL models and real-world case studies.

Originality/value

The paper covers 40 years of CFL literature from the perspective of the problem area, CFL characteristics and the solution approach. Additionally, it introduces characteristics such as capacity limit and budget constraint for the first time for classification purposes.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 30 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2005

Nico P. Mol and Robert J.M. Beeres

Sets out to stress the need to adjust performance management to the deficiencies inherent in the output controls within The Netherlands defence forces.

3629

Abstract

Purpose

Sets out to stress the need to adjust performance management to the deficiencies inherent in the output controls within The Netherlands defence forces.

Design/methodology/approach

By analysing the management control reforms of the recent past, the paper assesses the scope for a “decision revelation” within the Defence organisation. It develops a framework for disclosure of decentralised decision making focusing on the allocation of labour time within the fixed labour force. Recent developments in the Defence organisation units for officer education and training are used to illustrate the framework.

Findings

Management control systems fail because of weaknesses in the management accounting information underlying them. Management accounting information with respect to defence expense budgets does not grasp the relevant decentralised decision making to be controlled. This decision making is primarily concerned with the opportunity costs of the allocation of time within the labour force of the Dutch Department of Defence.

Practical implications

Variability of costs should be disclosed in terms of labour time information. Budgetary accounting restricted to the department's (fixed) expenses on military personnel will not reveal for which purposes defence money is actually spent.

Originality/value

Outlines a framework for decision revelation as a base for management contracting between central management and lower level organisation units.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 54 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2021

Mohammadali Zarjou and Mohammad Khalilzadeh

This study aims to develop a model for project portfolio selection considering organizational goals such as budgets, sustainability cash flow and reinvestment strategy under an…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a model for project portfolio selection considering organizational goals such as budgets, sustainability cash flow and reinvestment strategy under an uncertain environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi-objective mathematical programming model is proposed for project selection, which takes the social, environmental and financial aspects into account as the objectives of the project portfolio selection problem. The project evaluation and selection process in one of the large capitals in the Middle East with numerous urban construction projects was considered as a real case study, in which the subjects of environmental and social sustainability are of great importance. Then, the most significant criteria for project evaluation and selection based on sustainability were identified and ranked using the fuzzy best-worst method (BWM).

Findings

The criterion of “defining clear and real objectives” was ranked first, “project investment return period” was ranked second, “minimum changes in the predicted range” was ranked third, and the other ten sustainability indicators were ranked as well. Next, the presented mathematical programming model was solved using the augmented e-constraint method. The sensitivity analysis indicated that increasing the amount of investments in projects would increase their net present value. Also, increased investment had no effect on sustainability, while decreased investment caused sustainability to not being optimal.

Originality/value

This study focuses on the impact of the amount of investments on projects, and the associated costs of sustainable projects. Further to the authors' knowledge, there has been no relevant study taking uncertainty into account. Also, very few studies proposed a mathematical programming model for the project portfolio selection problem. Moreover, this research uses the brainstorming and Delphi method to identify the sustainability indicators influencing the organization and screens the evaluation indicators. Furthermore, the weights of the evaluation indicators are determined using the fuzzy BWM based on the consistency of opinions.

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2020

Navarani Vejaratnam, Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad and Santha Chenayah

Government green procurement (GGP) is becoming a popular environmental policy instrument to spur the economy whilst protecting the environment. However, the implementation of GGP…

1686

Abstract

Purpose

Government green procurement (GGP) is becoming a popular environmental policy instrument to spur the economy whilst protecting the environment. However, the implementation of GGP is impeded by various barriers. This paper aims to analyse the existing literature on barriers impeding GGP.

Design/methodology/approach

This systematic literature review was guided by the PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) review method. A total of 29 articles from the Scopus and Web of Science databases were selected for the review.

Findings

Five themes, i.e. finance, legal, people, knowledge and organisation, emerged from this review, which further produced 16 sub-themes. Lack of knowledge and awareness were the major barriers for GGP, while financial constraint was not the major barrier for GGP, as previously perceived. Barriers related to organisation were the most complex. Certain barriers were found more in developed or developing countries.

Research limitations/implications

Only article journals with empirical data were selected. Review articles, book series, books, chapters in books and conference proceedings were excluded.

Practical implications

Public managers should place highest priority to enhance knowledge and awareness of procurers on GGP. Other important initiatives to be undertaken include emulating best practices, implementing change management and incentivising suppliers to tackle the prevalent barriers of GGP. Finally, with increasing evidences on barriers related to GGP, public managers should consider mapping and analysing specific barriers hindering GGP in their organisation/country.

Social implications

A less challenging and efficient implementation of GGP contributes to a cleaner environment.

Originality/value

This article will be the first to systematically review the barriers of GGP.

Details

Journal of Public Procurement, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1535-0118

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 27 March 2007

Paul C. Nutt

A framework is offered that predicts when public organizations are susceptible to change. Many researchers interested in change focus on leadership. Such an approach overlooks…

Abstract

A framework is offered that predicts when public organizations are susceptible to change. Many researchers interested in change focus on leadership. Such an approach overlooks structural factors that inhibit change and what leaders seeking to realize change can realistically hope to accomplish. The framework identifies organizational capacity, responsiveness, and constituencies as key structural factors that govern change feasibility. Capacity, responsiveness, and constituencies are knitted together in the framework to identify types of public organizations that are ready for change and those apt to resist change. Types of change are considered that range from strategic repositioning to transformation. Also discussed are guidelines for leaders seeking to strategically reposition or to transform a public organization. To realize a transformation requires a new kind of leader, called a Mutualist. The skills required by Mutualist leadership and Mutualist leaders are identified and compared to those identified in the transformational leadership literature. Research questions are formulated and a research program proposed to deal with research issues identified by the framework.

Details

Research in Organizational Change and Development
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-425-6

Article
Publication date: 12 June 2020

Bharat Singh Patel, Cherian Samuel and Goutam Sutar

Agility is the ability of an organization to adjust its supply chain tactics and operations to respond quickly against altering business environments such as fluctuating demand…

Abstract

Purpose

Agility is the ability of an organization to adjust its supply chain tactics and operations to respond quickly against altering business environments such as fluctuating demand pattern, supply chain disruption and global competition. An agile organization must possess a promising capability of swiftly responding to dynamic conditions while being cost-effective without compromising the efficiency. Such high-performance adaptability necessitates the role of supply chain managers to maximize the agility of the supply chain through the efficient use of input resources. Therefore, the purpose of this study to reveal a new decision support tool that would allow the key decision-makers to maximize the agility of the supply chain while deploying the input resources more effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

In present study, an integrated approach of popular analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and goal programming (GP) has been adopted as a potential solution methodology. AHP has been implemented to allocate the local and global weights to decision variables, whereas GP incorporates the AHP weights into the desired model.

Findings

It was found that the proposed decision support tool restricts the value of the decision variables for maximizing the agility and optimizing the usage of input resources. The results obtained from the model validate the objective of achieving targeted agility level within the available resource limitations.

Research limitations/implications

The decision support tool developed in the proposed study offers a systematic and effectively simple approach to supply chain managers with a goal of identifying the degree of focus under each decision variable in the respective manufacturing organizations.

Originality/value

A novel decision support tool has been developed known as an agility control system), which helps the decision-maker to achieve the required agility in the supply chain by controlling the decision variables.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2003

Ekambaram Palaneeswaran, Mohan Kumaraswamy and Thomas Ng

Procuring best value should be one of the key objectives in public sector construction projects. Best value depends upon sound “selection” strategies which ensure that the…

3655

Abstract

Procuring best value should be one of the key objectives in public sector construction projects. Best value depends upon sound “selection” strategies which ensure that the outlined project procurement objectives, including client/user demands are met. Examples of “best value” procurement are presented to demonstrate their usefulness and acceptance in principle. Further conceptualizations of various aspects of best value and the “dominance vectors” influencing the ultimate value definitions are developed, in accordance with basic public sector procurement principles. Presents a structured best value based contractor selection framework to optimize realizable value in public sector construction projects.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 10 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 June 2021

Mohammad B. Hamida and Mohammad A. Hassanain

This paper aims to present a generic lifecycle framework model for guiding architects, engineers, contractors and facilities managers (AEC/FM) practitioners on the effective…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a generic lifecycle framework model for guiding architects, engineers, contractors and facilities managers (AEC/FM) practitioners on the effective implementation of adaptive reuse projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative techniques was followed in the development of the framework model. A literature review was conducted to comprehend the processes involved in adaptive reuse projects. In total, 90 AEC/FM practitioners were surveyed to identify the current practices in these projects. A generic framework model was then developed to standardize the processes involved, using integration definition for function modeling process modeling methodology. Face-to-face interviews with a targeted group of 30 AEC/FM practitioners were conducted, to validate the developed framework model, by assessing the importance and the frequency of implementing each function in the developed framework model.

Findings

The framework model consisted of four sequential processes, namely, assess the feasibility of the adaptive reuse project, design the adaptive reuse project, construct the adaptive reuse project and operate and maintain the adaptive reuse project. The validation confirmed the importance of all the framework functions and the frequency of their implementation.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature and the AEC/FM professions, through developing a lifecycle and knowledge-oriented framework model for building adaptive reuse. The framework presents clear documentation of adaptive reuse processes. Thus, it holds the potential of endeavoring on adaptive reuse projects to be more efficient.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 November 2018

Amir Karbassi Yazdi, Mohamad Amin Kaviani, Amir Homayoun Sarfaraz, Leopoldo Eduardo Cárdenas-Barrón, Hui-Ming Wee and Sunil Tiwari

The purpose of this paper is to develop a multi-item economic production quantity (EPQ) strategy under grey environment and space constraint. Since the “demand” cannot be…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a multi-item economic production quantity (EPQ) strategy under grey environment and space constraint. Since the “demand” cannot be predicted with certainty, it is assumed that data behave under grey environment and compare the proposed inventory model with other studies using crisp or fuzzy environments.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is to optimise the cycle time and total cost of the multi-item EPQ inventory model. For this purpose, the Lagrangian coefficient is used to solve the constrained optimisation problem. The grey relational analysis approach and grey data are applied in developing the EPQ inventory model.

Findings

The results are compared with the analysis using crisp and fuzzy data. Sensitivity analysis is done to illustrate the effect of parameter variations on the optimal solution. The results of the study demonstrate that crisp data outperform the other two data in all scales problems in terms of cycle time and cost; grey data perform better in all scales problems than fuzzy data.

Originality/value

The contribution of this research is the use of grey data in developing the EPQ inventory model with space constraint.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

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