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The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the unique value that can be created by performing a commodity process, in this case call handling at a call center, as a means of challenging the prevalent assumption that an organization should differentiate between the management of a core competence and a commodity process.

An inductive case study is conducted to examine the strategic planning and management of a call center in one of the largest retailers headquartered in the UK. Semi‐structured interviews, informal dialogue, on‐site observation and documentation were the four data collection methods that we used.

Based on the findings derived from the study, this study proposes the notion of a “differentiated commodity” to illustrate that a commodity process, such as handling customers' complaints and enquiries using standard call center technologies, can be significantly beneficial to the business, if differentiation was embedded into the architecture and management of the business process.

The distinction between core competencies and commodity processes has become one of the key aspects in shaping a manager's decision making. The findings are vital not only in challenging such an assumption, but also in providing an explanation as to how strategic value can be generated by performing commodity processes, which is often under‐estimated.

This paper aims to present an investigation of the problems concerned with delivering a variety of differing change programmes in a logically structured, repeatable and measurable manner.

Case studies were conducted on a selection of significantly different manufacturing facility programmes at GKN Aerospace where the output was a generic model more explicit and illustrative than previous approaches taken at the company.

This paper supports the idea that a strategic and tactical planning process with transferable, common key issues, can be managed in an environment of rapid change. Furthermore, discreet tailoring of the model enables differentiation of each programme type to support a standardized, repeatable and synchronous approach to change management.

This was achieved through the compilation of a single change management process termed the “5 × 5 Model” incorporating a multi‐site working document containing quantifiable, value‐added activities.

The new model presented here has been developed from previous literature and tested in practice, but requires further application to validate its applicability in different industry sectors.

Most Western countries are demonstrating a trend in the public and private sector away from traditional manufacturing operations. This has resulted in customer‐led pressure for Production/Operations Management teachers to give service operations equal time with manufacturing. Service industries have the same operating issues as manufacturing but for effective teaching two aspects must be considered. The first is the context of service operations and the second is those differences that do exist between manufacturing and services. A teaching strategy is proposed. This emphasises the use of service cases and examples to illustrate the application of operations management approaches; an understanding of the key contextual differences in the service environment; and the development of electives focusing on specific service features in operations management. Examples from undergraduate and postgraduate teaching are given.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how resource recombination (RR) may be conceptualized with special reference to the competitiveness of Higher Education Institutions (HEI).

The paper consists of two main studies. Building on pertinent available literature on the subject area, a qualitative investigation was conducted with the help of a semi-structured interview guide. Findings of study one were systematically analysed against a literature derived template. Study two presents a quantitative survey investigation that follows from the codes and themes derived from study one. In study two, findings were validated and analysed with the help of structural equation modelling.

Study one findings identified a total of 64 individual themes representing resources (21 themes), business processes (29 themes) and complementary factors (14 themes), as elements of RR in HEI competitiveness. In study two, the measurement model for RR was found to contain five main factors, namely, asset, research and affiliation processes, automated technology management, financial support for HR and departmental initiatives mainstream staff rewards and retention and institutional brand image appeal.

A significant contribution is made to theory development in the area of RR. Other implications to HEI competitiveness in contribution to national development were offered.

The area of RR remains largely uncovered in strategic management. Conceptualizing RR in the context of HEI competitiveness is new and in the right direction to jumpstart interest in this area by proposing a validated measurement model of HEI.

The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the overarching role of learning capabilities by presenting a framework to describe how learning capability development is captured by combining the three main elements of internal marketing orientation, exploratory capabilities and resource recombination.

This is a conceptual paper building upon the theoretical integration approach of Mayer and Sparrowe (2013) to establish competitive empowerment through learning capability development, effective internal response and resources recombination.

The competitive learning capability model provides a firm’s foundation for theorizing organizational competitive models from an internal perspective, by mastering learning capability development at the centre of the model.

The paper emphasizes the competitive connotation of learning capabilities as a construct in strategic management. It shows the underlying role of learning across organizational processes; hence, its theoretical significance through the learning capabilities model.

This paper argues that learning is at the centre of organizational competitiveness. Firms can achieve more fruitful results by continuously implementing resource integration strategies built on their learned experiences.

The principal significance of this paper lies in the achievement of conceptualizing learning from a strategic management perspective. Insight in this area helps bridge organizational efforts in pursuit of competitive advantage by exploiting key core learning competencies embedded in a firm’s resources and capabilities.

This is the fourth comprehensive register of current research in marketing to appear in this Journal. It is hoped that it will prove useful as a source of information to all those with interests in the subject. The projects listed do not include research work undertaken by commercial organisations or studies conducted in educational institutions where the results are not intended to be generally available. Otherwise, every effort has been made to obtain basic information from research workers willing to discuss their efforts with other interested individuals.

As a pioneering and influential journal in the field of library and information science (LIS), the Journal of Documentation (JDoc) needs to be evaluated from a bibliometric perspective. This study aimed at conducting a bibliometric overview and visualization of the scientific output of JDoc from its inception in 1945–2018.

In this bibliometric study, 2056 papers published in JDoc were analyzed. All needed data were extracted from Scopus in 9 July 2019 in CSV format. Bibliometric analyses were done in Microsoft Excel. Visualization was done by Vosviewer software and applying techniques such as co-citation, co-authorship and co-occurrence. As a limited altmetric study, JDoc highly mentioned papers and the rate of their presence in social media were extracted from Altmetric LLP, too.

There was an increasing trend in published papers and received citations. Highly cited and most influential authors in JDoc are well-known in the field. However, the contributions of developing countries and their affiliated institutions to the journal were relatively low. This is true in case of author, country and institute co-authorship patterns. Highly frequent keywords and keyword co-occurrence patterns showed that the journal considered most topics related to LIS, including newly emerged ones. The authors and sources (generally journals) cited by JDoc are all prolific and influential ones.

The results of this study can be beneficial to JDoc editorial team for decision making on its further development as well as helpful for researchers and practitioners interesting in LIS field to have better contact with and contributions to the journal.

Hoshin Kanri has been described as one of the core aspects of Japan’s management system, for integrating the principles of total quality management (TQM) within the organisation’s business strategy. Although most of the published case studies have involved large multinational manufacturers, the authors believe that Hoshin Kanri can be applied in any type or size of organisation. This paper describes how the quality and reliability (Q&R) team of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick has applied Hoshin Kanri to create a deeper understanding of customer requirements, a team vision and strategic goals. Deployment has led to achievement of team consensus and commitment to delivering and reviewing the plan, and has demonstrated that the technique works well in a small team within the service sector.

Objective and study design: to assess quality of a quick and early diagnosis route (QED) by determining effectiveness and cost‐ effectiveness of five clinics compared with three conventional outpatient clinics. Prospective economic evaluation. Six‐month cohort of all referrals (November 1996‐April 1997). Subjects: all referrals for suspected cancers of: upper gastro‐intestinal tract; urinary tract, prostate and testis; skin. Effectiveness: median days saved between GP referral and date of: diagnostic appointment; consultant decision; intervention. Results: GP referral to diagnostic appointment: QED was effective (median days) for all clinics. Diagnostic appointment to consultant decision: QED was effective for testicular and haematuria clinics. Consultant decision to intervention: QED was effective for haematuria, testicular and melanoma clinics. Cost‐effectiveness: extra (incremental) NHS cost per patient diagnosed. Results: Less than £5 per day saved between GP referral and diagnostic appointment for: endoscopy; haematuria; prostate; testicular; melanoma. Less than £3 per day saved between GP referral and consultant decision for: testicular; haematuria. Less than £3 per day saved between GP referral and intervention for: endoscopy; haematuria; testicular; melanoma. Conclusion: A “quick and early” diagnostic route provides a higher quality service through improved effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness compared to conventional outpatients.

This paper aims to demonstrate the improved functionality of additive manufacturing technology provided by combining multiple processes for the fabrication of packaged electronics.

This research is focused on the improvement in resolution of conductor deposition methods through experimentation with build parameters. Material dispensing with two different low temperature curing isotropic conductive adhesive materials was characterised for their application in printing each of three different conductor designs, traces, z-axis connections and fine pitch flip chip interconnects. Once optimised, demonstrator size can be minimised within the limitations of the chosen processes and materials.

The proposed method of printing z-axis through layer connections was successful with pillars 2 mm in height and 550 µm in width produced. Dispensing characterisation also resulted in tracks 134 µm in width and 38 µm in height allowing surface mount assembly of 0603 components and thin-shrink small outline packaged integrated circuits. Small 149-µm flip chip interconnects deposited at a 457-µm pitch have also been used for packaging silicon bare die.

This paper presents an improved multifunctional additive manufacturing method to produce fully packaged multilayer electronic systems. It discusses the development of new 3D printed, through layer z-axis connections and the use of a single electrically conductive adhesive material to produce all conductors. This facilitates the surface mount assembly of components directly onto these conductors before stereolithography is used to fully package multiple layers of circuitry in a photopolymer.