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The purpose of this paper is to show a bibliographical review of the applications of the MTS throughout the time and the different fields.

The Mahalanobis-Taguchi system (MTS) is an analytical method used for the diagnosis and/or pattern recognition of multivariate data for quantitative decision making.

Its scope is very broad, ranging from engineering, medicine, education, and manufacturing, among others. This work presents a classification of the literature in the following areas of the MTS: introduction of the method, cases of study/application, comparison with other methods, integration and development of the MTS with other methods, construction of Mahalanobis space, dimensional reduction and threshold establishment. It realized a wide search of the publications in magazines and congresses.

This paper is a summary of the main applications, contributions and changes to MTS.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an unsupervised classification algorithm including feature selection for industrial product classification with the basic philosophy of a supervised Mahalanobis‐Taguchi System (MTS).

Two novel unsupervised classification algorithms called Unsupervised Mahalanobis Distance Classifier (UNMDC) are developed based on Mahalanobis' distance for identifying “abnormals” as individuals (or, groups) including feature selection. The identification of “abnormals” is based on the concept of threshold value in MTS and the distribution property of Mahalanobis‐D².

The performance of this algorithm, in terms of its efficiency and effectiveness, has been studied thoroughly for three different types of steel product on the basis of its composition and processing parameters. Performance in future diagnosis on the basis of useful features by the new scheme is found quite satisfactory.

This new algorithm is able to identify the set of significant features, which appears to be always a larger class than that of MTS. In industrial environment, this algorithm can be implemented for continuous monitoring of “abnormal” situations along with the general concept of screening “abnormals” either as individuals or as groups during sampling.

The concept of determining threshold for diagnostic purpose is algorithm dependent and independent of the domain knowledge, hence much more flexible in large domain. Multi‐class separation and feature selection in case of detection of abnormals are the special merits of this algorithm.

This paper aims to examine how psychological need satisfaction (PNS) relates to the display of servant leadership (SL) behavior through the motivation to serve (MTS) and non-calculative motivation to lead (MTL).

Data were collected using an electronic online questionnaire completed by 125 individuals from various organizations and industries. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and regression analysis.

PNS, MTS and non-calculative MTL were found to relate positively to the display of SL behavior. Moreover, both MTS and non-calculative MTL were found to mediate fully the relationship between PNS and SL.

This study is one of the first to investigate the motivational antecedents of SL. Moreover, it is the first to empirically study PNS as an antecedent of SL. The findings emphasize the importance of a leader's PNS in their motivation to display SL behavior, implying that a positive work environment is conducive to SL.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between internal process improvement investments, applied channel logistics knowledge, and financial performance for make‐to‐order (MTO) and make‐to‐stock (MTS) manufacturers. This study takes the position that knowledge, specifically tacit or applied knowledge, may serve as a key indicator of organizational performance. In this study, the tacit knowledge exhibited in intentional logistics integration activities is captured in the construct applied channel logistics knowledge.

A structural equation model, controlling for firm size and demand uncertainty, is used to examine these relationships. A sampling frame of 1,264 senior manufacturing “executives” provided 222 usable surveys representing 210 firms.

The results show that for MTO firms, higher investments in internal process improvement relate to higher applied channel logistics knowledge, whereas for MTS firms, the relationship does not hold, and this difference is significant. In addition, the results indicate a positive relationship between internal process improvement investment and financial performance for MTO firms, whereas again the relationship does not hold for MTS firms. Both MTO and MTS firms show increased financial performance when applied channel logistics knowledge increases, although the increase in financial performance is significantly greater for MTO firms.

Historically, the success of integration strategies has been postulated to be equally effective for MTO and MTS firms, a “one‐size‐fits‐all” approach to improving system effectiveness. However, given the inherent differences in these manufacturing strategies, this speculation deserves further investigation and serves as the focus of this research. The use of the tacit knowledge construct applied channel logistics knowledge is also unique and of value in understanding supply chain relationships.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight a collaborative effort between academia (University of North Texas, Team Sciences) and practice (Toyota Connected (TC)). This study concentrated on current problems that had been experienced by TC: How to structure and manage multiteam systems (MTSs)?

This research study utilized a realist systematic review to address an existing problem by working collaboratively with TC and academia. This collaboration involved problem identification, the development of research questions and a full systematic review guided by the research questions.

This realist systematic review merged the literature with current practices at TC in an effort to gather evidence to support the best method of structuring and managing MTSs. The findings include a leadership structure that incorporates both shared leadership (bottom-up) and existing hierarchical structures (top-down).

The MTS models presented in this study provide new models for organizations/manufacturers/industries to use as a guide when structuring their MTSs.

This study provides an example of a collaborative research effort between practice and academia using a realist systematic review. The paper also provides some multiteam system models that could be implemented and tested in different organizations. Also, new responsibilities and roles for scrum and MTSs are presented as a new method of achieving Agile.

This inquiry aims to determine the features and mechanisms that specially enable a multiteam system (MTS) to develop ambidexterity that can deal effectively with rapid changes in dynamic environments. The MTS is an emerging organizational unit comprised of tightly integrated networks of teams that may originate from one or more firms. The inquiry also considered how an MTS can engage those features and mechanisms to maximize ambidexterity as dynamic capabilities for increased innovation and long-term adaptation under complex, volatile conditions.

This conceptual inquiry integrates the emerging research on MTSs with theory and studies relating to ambidexterity and dynamic capabilities. This inquiry focuses on the attributes and linkages that specially characterize an MTS. It analyzes these to determine the key mechanisms and interactions enabling and engaging ambidexterity at MTS unit level.

MTSs can engage powerful mechanisms for ambidexterity functioning as dynamic capabilities at meso-organizational level. The attributes and linkages that distinguish an MTS from other units enable it to deal effectively and efficiently with near-term task demands by simultaneously balancing the essential tasks of exploration and exploitation, and by being able to rapidly adapt by reconfiguring taskwork and reallocating resources as required for sustainable innovation and long-term success within a dynamic environment.

This inquiry provides valuable insights for designing MTSs that are equipped with selected teams, flexible memberships, specialized skills and permeable interfaces. Autonomy for an MTS allows the unit to span internal and external organizational boundaries to gain access to new discoveries and to exchange information and material resources for increased innovation. Ambidexterity as dynamic capabilities facilitates exploitation of current resources by efficiently reconfiguring taskwork and reallocating materials for adaptation and competitive advantage.

This inquiry appears to represent the most integrative effort to examine the underexplored potential of MTSs for developing and engaging ambidexterity functioning as dynamic capabilities. The inquiry appears to be a first effort at articulating a concept of MTS ambidexterity distinct from organizational ambidexterity. The analysis synthesizes a systems model that guides organizational leaders and opens new opportunities for future research.

New product development (NPD) is the cornerstone of manufacturing companies. An engineer‐to‐order (ETO) company can achieve its business objectives by reducing design iterations and rework, recognizing customer’s requirements up‐front and building quality into design and manufacturing. This paper discusses differences between ETO and make‐to‐stock (MTS) companies and justifies the need for a separate framework for ETO in NPD. Four frameworks from published literature were analyzed and it was found that the frameworks were not suitable for ETO companies due to the differences in operations and product design activities. This paper proposes a set of requirements for establishing a design and manufacture framework specifically for ETO companies. The framework can aid design and manufacturing engineers to plan their work to include customers, suppliers, consultants, contractors and manufacturing concern during the design stage. The framework requirements can serve as a foundation of further work to be carried out in this area.

To present the application of a business model for holistic uncertainty management for twenty‐first century manufacturing enterprises.

A questionnaire survey is carried out to UK manufacturing enterprises to collect relevant data, and analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis and cluster analysis are performed to infer the results.

It can be concluded that different manufacturing environments suffer different effects of underlying causes of uncertainty on product tardy delivery. The product tardy delivery performance in make‐to‐order (MTO) manufacturing environment is found significantly affected by a wide range of underlying causes of uncertainty. It is interesting to find that mixed‐mode (MM) manufacturing environment has an opposite outcome. Correlation results provide significant evidence that underlying causes of uncertainty do not have linear association with product tardy delivery. This finding reinforces the proposition that the effects of uncertainty are difficult to quantify due to the compound effect. The cluster analyses of the business environmental factors of the manufacturing enterprises in MM, make‐to‐stock (MTS) and MTO environments found that size of enterprise, product variety, product complexity, number of parts, ratio of buy vs make parts, the use of rough‐cut capacity planning, and the use of buffering or dampening techniques in production, influence the effects of underlying causes of uncertainty on product tardy delivery.

Only UK manufacturing enterprises are investigated. The results will be relevant to MTO, MM and MTS manufacturing environments.

The application of the business model has provided useful knowledge to MM, MTS and MTO manufacturing enterprises on which underlying causes of uncertainty are significantly affecting their product tardy delivery performance.

A holistic approach such as the business model has given a solid foundation for the enterprises to evaluate their performance. Using the knowledge of significant underlying causes of uncertainty, the enterprises could then prioritise the effort and devise suitable buffering or dampening techniques.

The purpose of the paper is to determine the instance of errors made in physician dictation of medical records.

Purposive sampling method was employed to select medical transcriptionists (MTs) as “experts” to identify the frequency and types of medical errors in dictation files. Seventy-nine MTs examined 2,391 dictation files during one standard work day, and used a common template to record errors.

The results demonstrated that on the average, on the order of 315,000 errors in one million dictations were surfaced. This shows that medical errors occur in dictation, and quality assurance measures are needed in dealing with those errors.

There was no potential for inter-coder reliability and confirming the error codes assigned by individual MTs. This study only examined the presence of errors in the dictation-transcription model. Finally, the project was done with the cooperation of MTSOs and transcription industry organizations.

Anecdotal evidence points to the belief that records created directly by physicians alone will have fewer errors and thus be more accurate. This research demonstrates this is not necessarily the case when it comes to physician dictation. As a result, the place of quality assurance in the medical record production workflow needs to be carefully considered before implementing a “once-and-done” (i.e. physician-based) model of record creation.

No other research has been published on the presence of errors or classification of errors in physician dictation. The paper questions the assumption that direct physician creation of medical records in the absence of secondary QA processes will result in higher quality documentation and fewer medical errors.

Quality awards, commonly, have basic criteria and sub-criteria to evaluate applicants based on the quality management principles and philosophies. The purpose of this paper is to examine the method of selecting award winners and its consequences.

Award winners’ and non-award winners’ performances of the Ethiopian Quality Award are the study groups. The criteria and sub-criteria evaluation results of the award were collected and analysed by the Mahalanobis-Taguchi System.

The research assumed that award winners’ performances are exceptionally outstanding. However, the result does not justify the assumption. Hence, the drawback of aggregating multivariate performance measures in a quality award is proven. Mahalanobis distance is proposed as alternative approach to evaluate and select organizations.

The outcome of this research will help award givers, evaluators and participants to understand the real difficulty to select very few organizations among applicants. Furthermore, it helps to consider the possible error when aggregating individual performance.

Aggregating performances is a common practice in quality awards evaluation process but this paper proved its drawback.