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The field of returns management has become an important supply chain management topic. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptualization of returns management orientation (RMO), a topic that has been largely ignored by the academic community.

A series of interviews with experts and a review of the literature were used to develop the construct. Empirical survey data were used to validate the proposed RMO measurement scale.

Statistical results support the validity and reliability of the new RMO construct. Different analyses show that the proposed conceptualization satisfies the criteria of the tests for unidimensionality, construct validity, internal consistency reliability, and nomological validity. Furthermore, the results of this study confirm the positive relationship between a firm’s RMO and returns management performance.

The present study provides a starting-point for further empirical research on returns management from a behavioral perspective.

RMO has a significant impact on returns management performance. The proposed RMO measurement scale provides a useful tool for companies to evaluate their management’s emphasis or recognition of the returns management function.

While the field of returns management has gained increased attention from both academics and practitioners, empirical research efforts on this topic are still limited. In order to address this issue, this study takes a behavioral perspective and follows a well-established approach to operationalize the construct of RMO.

Industrial vending solutions are unique in that they represent a very specific form of vendor-managed inventory (VMI). The purpose of this paper is to investigate performance outcomes associated with industrial vending implementation, a topic that has been largely ignored by the academic community.

A survey instrument was developed from earlier work on VMI success. Structural equation modeling is used to identify relationships between three enablers (information exchange, information quality, and relationship quality), perceived vending system implementation success, and three outcomes (cost benefits, customer service benefits, and inventory benefits).

Statistical outcomes demonstrate support for the benefits arising from successful vending system implementation. This study demonstrates that industrial vending implementation success is strongly tied to the amount and quality of the information shared between the relationship partners.

Successful industrial vending implementation results in improved inventory control, increased levels of customer service, and tighter cost control. This study provides supply chain managers with current findings, which should aid them in evaluating their current and proposed vending solutions.

Although VMI has been studied in the past, little work has been conducted on industrial vending as a specific form of VMI. This is the first study to explore industrial vending from the viewpoint of VMI implementation and performance. Empirically tested study results that are grounded in transaction cost theory confirm a series of performance outcomes of industrial vending from a buyer’s perspective as well as a number of enablers for successful industrial vending implementation.

This study develops and tests a model exploring the relationship between supply chain (SC) counterfeit risk management and performance in the healthcare supply chain (HCSC).

In the proposed theoretical model, HCSC counterfeit risk management is characterized by HCSC counterfeit risk orientation (HCRO), HCSC counterfeit risk mitigation (HCRM) and HCSC risk management integration (HRMI), while performance is represented by healthcare logistics performance (HLP) and healthcare organization overall performance (HOP). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and survey data from 55 HCSC managers are used to test the research hypotheses.

HCRO has a significant positive effect on HCRM, while HCRM has a positive impact on HRMI. With respect to HLP, HCRM has a nonsignificant effect, while HRMI has a significant impact, thus confirming the important mediating role of HRMI. Finally, HLP has a significant positive effect on the overall performance of healthcare organizations.

All study participants were from the United States, limiting the generalizability of the study findings to different countries or regions. The sample size employed in the study did not allow the authors to distinguish among the different types of healthcare organizations.

This study delineates between a healthcare organization's philosophy toward counterfeiting risks vs actions taken to eliminate or reduce the impact of counterfeiting on the HCSC. By offering firm-level guidance for managers, this study informs healthcare organizations about addressing the challenge of counterfeiting in the HCSC.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the mediating effect of supply chain risk management integration (RMI) on the relationship between supply chain logistics performance (LP) and supply chain cost performance (CP), as well as on the relationship between LP and supply chain service performance (SP). The impact of CP and SP on overall firm performance (FP) is also explored. ISO 9001-certified firms and non-certified firms are assessed to determine whether superior risk-based thinking, as required in the latest ISO 9001 standard, has a positive impact on the different relationships.

A theoretical model is developed and tested based on the participation of 140 supply chain managers. The proposed structural equation model positively relates LP, RMI, CP and SP. RMI is positively linked to CP and SP, while CP and SP are positively related to overall FP. Two subsamples (a group of 63 ISO 9001-certified firms and a group of 77 non-certified firms) are used to evaluate the model.

For certified and non-certified firms, LP is positively related to RMI, CP and SP, and SP and CP are positively related to FP. However, for certified firms, RMI partially mediates the relationship of LP with both CP and SP, while for non-certified firms, RMI does not mediate these relationships. The findings suggest that ISO 9001-certified firms are able to leverage RMI efforts to impact positively on supply chain performance, whereas non-certified firms are not.

The study findings are based on the perceptions of managers. Even though the majority of the 63 certified firms included in this study were ISO 9001:2015 certified, the model results do not differentiate between companies certified to the 2008 version of the standard and the 2015 version (which specifically requires demonstration of risk-based thinking).

This study suggests that ISO 9001 provides a framework for risk management processes and collaboration with supply chain partners to positively impact the relationship of LP with cost and SP.

This is one of the first studies to characterize the benefits of using a structured approach for risk-based thinking that is associated with ISO 9001.

The purpose of this paper is to adopt a contingency theory from a quality perspective to develop a model for assessing the impact of counterfeit prevention efforts on supply chain (SC) performance.

Based on the participation of 140 managers across ten industry sectors, a theoretical model is proposed and structural equation modeling is used to examine the relationships among SC risk management integration, SC counterfeit risk orientation (CRO), SC counterfeit risk mitigation (CRM), SC metric consistency (MC) and SC performance (service and cost benefits).

Findings suggest that firms with greater SC risk management integration have a stronger orientation toward counterfeit risk, greater maturity in CRM, more consistent SC metrics and better SC performance outcomes. CRO alone was not found to significantly improve SC MC.

Results are based on managerial perceptions of SC counterfeit risk and performance metrics. Survey respondents were predominantly from the same country (the USA).

The paper represents a potential quality management framework for SC risk management, in the context of counterfeiting that includes a contingency perspective.

The study advances knowledge of how firms may address the challenging issue of counterfeiting in the SC. Empirical findings offer a firm-level quality management framework for managerial decision making in the context of counterfeiting.

This paper aims to explore the intermediary role of marketing dynamic capability (MDC) in the relationship between customer knowledge management (CKM) and product innovation performance (PIP).

A conceptual model is proposed and a survey instrument is developed. The model is tested empirically in an organizational buyer/seller setting using a survey among middle and top management of firms engaged in business-to-business relationships within high-tech industries in China.

Results show that MDC fully mediates the relationship between CKM and PIP. Empirical findings thus demonstrate that CKM is related to improved firm PIP through the deployment of firm-specific MDCs.

The study provides clarification for a unique distinction between organizational learning and dynamic capabilities. Findings suggest that knowledge creation occurs within the scope of CKM, while the analytical and perceptual processes that lead to insights and redeployment of firm resources fall under the umbrella of MDCs.

Dynamic capabilities play an essential role in transforming the firm’s knowledge resources to create new configurations in response to market needs. Hence, this study reinforces the role of marketing decision-makers with appropriate decision-making power who, in an ongoing cooperation with other functional areas, are able to adapt and redeploy resources to reflect environmental changes and implement marketing strategy decisions.

This study contributes to the literature by addressing simultaneously the relationship between CKM, MDC and PIP. Specifically, the study demonstrates the mediating influence of MDCs on the relationship between CKM and firm PIP. The study also clarifies a key distinction between organizational learning and dynamic capabilities, demonstrating that knowledge serves an antecedent role to the deployment of dynamic capabilities.

As the pressure to win and generate revenue and as the allegations of out-of-control spending continue to increase, there exists much interest in intercollegiate athletics. While researchers in the past have investigated specific issues related to athletics success, revenue generation, and graduation rates, no previous studies have attempted to evaluate these factors simultaneously. This chapter discusses the development of a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model aimed at measuring how efficient university athletic departments are in terms of the use of resources to achieve athletics success, generate revenue, and promote academic success and on-time graduation. Data from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) universities are used to evaluate the relative efficiency of the institutions. The model identifies a series of “best-practice” universities which are used to calculate efficient target resource levels for inefficient institutions. The value of the proposed methodology to decision makers is discussed.

To analyze the impact of the adoption of just‐in‐time (JIT) production systems by different equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on the inventory profiles of their suppliers.

The research is designed to examine five financial measures of inventory management performance over the years 1994‐2004. Three specific industry sectors where OEMs have adopted and implemented JIT principles are studied. These sectors include the automotive, electronics, and aircraft industries. A one factor analysis of variance is employed to the five hypotheses and Tukey's post‐hoc test is used to interpret statistical pairwise differences between level means.

Overall, the research finds that OEM suppliers in the automotive, electronics, and aircraft sectors have shown mixed results in the impact JIT implementation has had on inventory performance measures.

The research focuses on three industrial sectors over approximately a ten year time frame that may limit its generalizability.

The processes that influence the reduction in inventory levels may be in fact more complex and strategic in nature than an OEM adopting a JIT inventory policy. In general, strategic changes within the supplier organization would have to drive process improvements that lead to inventory reductions.

The paper provides focused research in an area that has received little attention in the current literature and is very topical to all academics and business professionals interested or involved in the area of JIT systems.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss and to help address the need for quantitative models to support and improve procurement in the context of humanitarian relief efforts.

This research presents a two‐stage stochastic decision model with recourse for procurement in humanitarian relief supply chains, and compares its effectiveness on an illustrative example with respect to a standard solution approach.

Results show the ability of the new model to capture and model both the procurement process and the uncertainty inherent in a disaster relief situation, in support of more efficient and effective procurement plans.

The research focus is on sudden onset disasters and it does not differentiate between local and international suppliers. A number of extensions of the base model could be implemented, however, so as to address the specific needs of a given organization and their procurement process.

Despite the prevalence of procurement expenditures in humanitarian efforts, procurement in humanitarian contexts is a topic that previously has only been discussed in a qualitative manner in the literature. This work provides practitioners with a new approach to quantitatively assess and improve their procurement decision processes.

This study adds to the existing literature by demonstrating the applicability and effectiveness of an analytic modeling technique based on uncertainty, such as stochastic programming with recourse, in the context of humanitarian relief procurement activities.