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1 – 10 of 258Mahesh Gupta, Lynn Boyd and Frank Kuzmits
This article has two purposes. The first is to synthesize the important current concepts, definitions, and styles of resolving and/or managing workplace conflicts. The second is…
Abstract
Purpose
This article has two purposes. The first is to synthesize the important current concepts, definitions, and styles of resolving and/or managing workplace conflicts. The second is to introduce a systematic approach to resolving workplace conflicts.
Design/methodology/approach
Historical approaches to conflict management are briefly reviewed and Goldratt's evaporating cloud is introduced as a structured approach to achieving win‐win solutions to workplace conflicts. A comprehensive case is used to demonstrate the application of the suggested approach.
Findings
Goldratt's evaporating cloud provides a systematic approach to identifying the conflicting needs or interests of the parties to a conflict, and a process for making explicit the assumptions underlying the conflict and challenging their validity, leading to win‐win solutions to workplace conflicts. The evaporating cloud incorporates well‐accepted principles of achieving win‐win solutions and complements existing approaches.
Research limitations/implications
Although there is a growing community of users of the evaporating cloud, it is still a relatively new approach. Although anecdotal examples of applications of the cloud have been published in trade journals, web sites and conference proceedings, additional empirical research should be done to evaluate the usefulness of the cloud in resolving workplace conflicts once a critical mass of users exists.
Practical implications
The evaporating cloud is a practical and intuitive tool that can be used by employees at all levels of an organization to understand and resolve conflicts.
Originality/value
The paper identifies the shortcomings of existing conflict management approaches and shows how the evaporating cloud complements existing approaches. In addition, the applicability of the cloud to a wide range of workplace conflicts, from intra‐personal to inter‐organizational, is demonstrated.
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Tony Polito, Kevin Watson and Robert J. Vokurka
The aim of the discipline of Operations Management is to gain competitive advantage. Onemore recent and lesser‐known Operations Management technique that is finding greater…
Abstract
The aim of the discipline of Operations Management is to gain competitive advantage. One more recent and lesser‐known Operations Management technique that is finding greater acceptance is the Theory of Constraints (TOC). This paper illustrates the use of a specific TOC technique termed “The Thinking Processes” to solve an airline industry case toward improved competitive outcomes.
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George C. Jackson, Jeffrey J. Stoltman and Audrey Taylor
Logisticians are trained to identify trade‐offs and to devisecompromising solutions which produce the lowest total costs. Forexample, the economic batch size is a compromise…
Abstract
Logisticians are trained to identify trade‐offs and to devise compromising solutions which produce the lowest total costs. For example, the economic batch size is a compromise between setup costs and inventory carrying costs. Presents a problem‐analysis technique which helps the analyst to eliminate the problem so that no compromise is necessary. For example, instead of balancing inventory‐carrying costs and setup costs a solution which produces both lower setup costs and lower inventory‐carrying costs would be sought. Discusses a description of the techniques and several examples of its application to logistical problems.
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Lloyd J. Taylor and Ilene Poyner
This study aims to investigate the problem of trained employee retention in a highly competitive labor market for a manufacturing facility in the oilfields of West Texas.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the problem of trained employee retention in a highly competitive labor market for a manufacturing facility in the oilfields of West Texas.
Design/methodology/approach
This article examines how one manufacturing facility should be able to retain their trained employees by using the logic of Eliyahu M. Goldratt's thinking process.
Findings
The thinking process underscores the importance of a systematic process of problem‐solving by pinpointing the problem, determining a workable solution, and implementing the solution. By using this process, an organization would begin by looking for the underlying cause of the problem which produces undesirable effects (UDE) and develop a current reality tree highlighting these UDEs. Then the organization would develop a future reality tree which produces the desired effects.
Research limitations/implications
The list of publications was not exhaustive and were all US publications, which might have limited its usefulness outside the USA.
Practical implications
This paper is a useful source of ideas for training and retention of employees in a competitive labor market.
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Daniel Pacheco Lacerda, Ricardo Augusto Cassel and Luis Henrique Rodrigues
The paper aims to present a case of integration between process engineering and the thinking process of the theory of constraints (TP‐TOC) through the analysis of an…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to present a case of integration between process engineering and the thinking process of the theory of constraints (TP‐TOC) through the analysis of an organization's processes, pointing out the complementary aspects between the two theories and their benefits for the organization.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper has used an Institution of Higher Education as its case study. The research has started by identifying the processes of the institution and choosing one to model according to the process engineering approach. The process was then analyzed through the elaboration of the current reality tree technique. After the analysis, the evaporating clouds technique was applied in order to breach the assumptions that were avoiding the problems to be solved. Finally, the process has been redesigned based on the results of the previous steps.
Findings
The analysis of this case contributes towards understanding and identifying the causes of the current problems in the studied processes, providing a systemic and systematic view through the proposed approach.
Originality/value
The paper proposes an approach that enables a systematic and systemic analysis of organizations' processes through the use of process engineering and the TP‐TOC.
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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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Durba Banerjee and Harshal Lowalekar
This study describes in detail an application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC)-based systems thinking approach towards clear and effective communication in a change management…
Abstract
Purpose
This study describes in detail an application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC)-based systems thinking approach towards clear and effective communication in a change management exercise. The same is achieved through the example of a large defence organization that is struggling with a multitude of problems in its stores and purchase departments.
Design/methodology/approach
It is demonstrated through the case study how five systems thinking tools – Current Reality Tree (CRT), Evaporating Cloud (EC), Future Reality Tree (FRT), Negative Branch Reservation (NBR) and Prerequisite Tree (PRT) – can be applied in overcoming different layers of resistance and for getting the necessary agreement from the stakeholders for a successful change initiative.
Findings
The five logical thinking tools helped answer the three questions – “what to change”, “what to change to” and “how to cause the change” (Goldratt, 1990) – satisfactorily and overcome various layers of resistance to get the desired buy-in from the stakeholders for a successful change management exercise.
Originality/value
The cause-and-effect based method presented in this work is generic enough and can be adopted for getting a buy-in in a variety of change management contexts.
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Victoria J. Mabin, Steve Forgeson and Lawrence Green
Re‐examines traditional views on change management, in particular the resistance to change, and to suggest alternative views and a practical approach for better managing change…
Abstract
Re‐examines traditional views on change management, in particular the resistance to change, and to suggest alternative views and a practical approach for better managing change. The literature on change management contains numerous prerequisites for successful change, with a predominantly negative view on the issue of resistance to change. Some authors have argued for the positive utility of resistance, but have lamented a lack of management theories which support this view. Describes a management methodology called the theory of constraints (TOC) which views resistance as a necessary and positive force, and we demonstrate how it was applied in a case study involving a bank merger. Reviews how TOC handles the various types of resistance identified in the change management literature, and posit that the TOC framework helps lead and manage change by providing practical guidance on, inter alia, situational assessment, assumption surfacing, conflict resolution, planning and implementation of successful change.
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This paper aims to propose a risk identification method which is a synthesis of existing tools and techniques.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a risk identification method which is a synthesis of existing tools and techniques.
Design/methodology/approach
Risks are viewed as a temporal hierarchy of major decisions or events at the highest level, projects at the middle level, and routine operations at the lowest level. Furthermore, risks emerge as organizational activities progress over time. The organizational activities, called movements in this paper, typically follow the phases of routine (operations) > major decision/event > project > adjustment > routine which correspond to the chosen temporal hierarchy. Risks are identified by examining the movements in all applicable phases of their development. The method was applied in a case study of an enterprise in the energy sector.
Findings
Focus on movements bridges company silos. Risk logs make sense only when supplied with visualization tools. The future state of the enterprise's routines should be modelled early in the decision‐making process. Attention should be paid to changes that major decisions, events, and projects impose on organizational routines.
Originality/value
The method belongs to the minority of approaches which explore risk evolution, relationships, and hierarchy rather than risk likelihood and impact. Risk evolution is explored by choosing movements as the basic units of risk identification. Risk relationships are detected on the level of routines where risk relationships are the least obvious but most important. The chosen hierarchy serves an enterprise‐deep view of risks and makes it possible to be alert for periods when the organization's risks change or new ones emerge.
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O. Badr, A. Marafi, F. Amin, A. Rahimi and K. Al‐Muhannadi
The main objective of this paper is the assessment of the environmental impact due to accidental spills of toxic and flammable liquids on land. Different case studies of possible…
Abstract
The main objective of this paper is the assessment of the environmental impact due to accidental spills of toxic and flammable liquids on land. Different case studies of possible accidents in the State of Qatar were considered. An EPA‐based dispersion model was utilized to estimate the size and location of the dangerous clouds generated by such spills at different elapsed times. Three case studies of possible accidents in the State of Qatar involving gasoline were considered. Due to the transient nature of the dispersion processes in the case studies, the results showed clearly the phenomenon of growth and decay of the generated dangerous clouds. An interface between the dynamic results of the dispersion software and the static data of the Qatar geographical information system (GIS) allowed the immediate identification of the major landmarks affected by the considered accidents. These data would be of great help in developing an emergency evacuation plan for such accidents.
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