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The purpose of this paper is to reflect on interactive research as a means to create relevant knowledge in the domain of operations management in general and specifically in the context of production start-up.

The reflection on the use of interactive research in production start-ups was based on a study of two completed interactive research projects. The lens for reflection was a framework including context, quality of relationship, quality of the research process itself and outcomes.

The context was industrial manufacturing companies in Sweden, with different kind of challenges related to production start-ups, such as collaboration between involved functions and suppliers, competence development and work routines. Indicators of the quality of relationship between researchers and practitioners were initiated development activities and new collaboration between functions, within the company, between companies and in supply chains. The reflection of the quality of the research process itself was based on an interactive research process including four iterative steps with regular follow-ups allowing joint practitioner and researcher reflection on the progress. Identified outcomes included increased awareness and competence on how to deal with production start-ups, improvements of communication, work procedures and structures, better use of competences, increased cross-functional dialogue and cultural understanding.

Implications for practitioners are the possibilities for knowledge creation through interactive collaboration in research projects enabling exchange between researchers from complementary fields and other companies dealing with production start-ups.

The interactive research approach enables joint knowledge creation in a fast-changing context such as production start-ups as well as value-adding results both for practitioners in industry and for academia.

This paper aims to detail how a Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process can be designed to support the planning requirements of recently introduced products.

Design science research was conducted to propose and implement an S&OP model for demand fulfillment after the introduction of new products. The results were analyzed using the CIMO (Context, Intervention, Mechanisms and Outcomes) logic, and two sets of design propositions were formulated.

An S&OP process for new products can reduce additional costs for market fulfillment by concentrating the planning efforts on new products, aligning organizational efforts, and increasing the sales and supply chain information’s update frequency.

The outcomes of S&OP new products were analyzed in a single organization and are limited to the contextual factors presented.

This paper describes in detail how to organize an S&OP focused on new products. By considering the contextual factors and design propositions, managers can potentially increase the success of new products introduction (NPI) in their context.

A specific S&OP process focused on new products is a viable solution and could co-exist with a traditional S&OP process. Moreover, we identified six contextual factors that influence the outcomes of the S&OP new products.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by different types of firm innovation on employee downsizing. Drawing on economic and management views, the authors aims to assess the potential positive or negative effect of different types of processes (i.e. new technology via the introduction of new equipment as well as new methods of organizing the workforce) and product (i.e. number of innovations) innovations on employee downsizing.

The empirical setting is a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms over the period 1994‐2006. The authors employ probit models for panel data as an empirical tool.

The results show a negative and significant effect of process innovations associated with acquiring and deploying new production equipment and product‐oriented innovations on the probability of carrying out important reductions in workforce. However, a positive and significant effect is found when process innovations are linked to the adoption of new methods of organizing the workforce.

Managers might play a significant role in employment creation, especially when they carry out process innovations related to the acquisition of complementary production assets (i.e. new equipment) and market highly innovative products. Policy makers might contribute to diminish the potential number of employees affected by firms’ downsizing strategies by designing, for example, public subsidies systems that deliberately prompt both types of innovations.

The authors make an effort to provide alternative explanations about why firms downsize, as they analyze different types of process and product innovations whose effects on employment (and, thus, downsizing) do not seem to be clear. Moreover, the paper furthers one's understanding of the effect of firm innovation by focusing on the potential effect of one type of process innovation which has not been examined until now: the adoption and implementation of new methods of organizing the workforce owing to new technology.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the gap in the literature as well as investigate how the combination of internal marketing or innovation investments with new product introductions influences alliance type choices. Most research on marketing–innovation resource allocation decisions has focused on trade-offs in internal investments such as advertising versus research and development. Absent from this discussion is whether firms offset a weakness internally by reaching outside the boundaries of the firm through alliances. As a result, managers lack a clear understanding of the potential for complementarity using internal–external approaches to a market.

This paper draws on the resource-based view of the firm, using a longitudinal secondary data set and a choice model.

The authors find that firms that internally emphasize either marketing or innovation maintain the same approach externally with respect to alliance type choices. Thus, efforts to complement internal marketing (innovation) resource investments with innovation (marketing) alliances are not seen. However, the interaction of new product introductions with internal resource investments does result in a complementary firm approach.

The authors bridge a gap in the resource investment literature by exploring how the internal decisions impact the external alliance choices. The authors draw on longitudinal data and show that the action of making the choice is important, as it impacts future resource decisions. The authors explore the interaction between new production introductions and internal firm investments on alliance type choice. Given that new product introductions are a key to longer-term firm success, examining these relationships enhances the managerial impact.

This article provides a descriptive account of the impact of new production methods and the consequences for the internal dependency relationship. The case study examples illustrate the nature of the internal dependency relationship under the new production methods and attempts to assess how this internal dependency relationship interacts with increasing devolved responsibility, problem solving and continuous improvement at source, and the use of increased information at shop floor level. Implications for future management of these dependencies are examined.

The debate about the labour process was, in the second half of the seventies, dominated by the question whether, under all circumstances, management was motivated by the objective of gaining total control over the entire production process and its constituent elements. More specifically the debate centred on whether control was an objective in itself or merely part of the strategy to maintain profits in the long run. Political, economic and technological influences were not sufficiently taken into consideration by the scientists who took part in this debate. Recently, since 1980, precisely the last mentioned elements were emphasised. It was shown that political, economic and technological developments exert a strong influence on managerial strategies. It was suggested that in theorising about the labour process it is necessary to take full account of business cycles, the progress of technology, developments in the labour and product market; and of the interrelationship between all these factors. In addition, researchers also studied managerial behaviour, managers' sub‐cultures and attitudes; managerial decision‐making processes; and workers' opposition.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation and performance benefits of sales and operations planning (S & OP) within organizations in Asia Pacific.

A case study method was used, with two companies selected. The first company had recently commenced S & OP and applied it to facilitate new product introduction, while the second had integrated its supplier into an existing S & OP program. Supply chain performance data were collected and analyzed in the context of an S & OP maturity framework.

Both cases show significant improvements in supply chain performance. In one case, the implementation of a common form of S & OP resulted in a 67 percent reduction in order lead time for newly introduced products. The second case demonstrated a 30 percent reduction in inventory levels and a 52 percent improvement in forecast accuracy through more advanced S & OP processes.

This paper studies just two companies and is not intended to be representative of outcomes at all companies implementing S & OP. Further studies are required for a more generalized picture of S & OP implementations in the Asia Pacific region to emerge.

The findings illustrate the potential quantitative benefits of adopting S & OP and the circumstances under which these benefits may be achieved. The results are also supportive of the notion of a maturity model for S & OP implementations.

This paper strengthens the link between practitioner and academic literature by providing empirical evidence of the benefits of S & OP. Furthermore, the findings are derived from the Asia Pacific region for which there have been few academic studies on S & OP to date.

The importance of responding to time‐based competitive pressures has prompted US manufacturers to emphasize time‐based performance and deploy strategic action programs aimed at cycle time reduction. This study examines time‐based competition among first tier suppliers to the Big Three in North America. A comprehensive set of time‐based performance measures is defined and time‐related action programs associated with world class manufacturing strategies are identified. Relationships between time‐related action programs, time‐based performance, and overall firm performance are examined. The study shows that time‐based performance significantly affects overall firm performance and that manufacturing lead time is especially critical in the automotive industry. The study also identifies strategic action programs that result in improved performance on various dimensions of time‐based performance.

The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of a study designed to understand how management accounting changes when an organization evolves in a more network‐oriented direction, informed by an experiential or integrated approach to learning.

This paper draws on a longitudinal case study initiated by the findings from a previous action research study at a manufacturing plant, the Volvo Floby factory.

By introducing and elaborating on the concept of local management accounting system (LMAS), this paper contributes to the debate about how management accounting reacts to new organizational forms and technologies. Two types of management accounting information are identified: one corresponds to the accountability aspect of accounting – Type 1 information, while Type 2 information refers to problem solving and control. A LMAS is supportive of both local accountability, which draws on valuing skills, and of local problem solving, which relies on decision skills.

One of the research implications of this study is that a LMAS may function as an important mechanism for innovation by explicitly integrating the holistic and the analytic dimensions of experiential learning.

The reported case illustrates how management accounting may facilitate process innovation in a practical setting.

By adopting an experiential learning methodology to develop new knowledge, the production plant studied has succeeded in creating an environment characterized by continuous innovation.

Presents some theoretical principles and empirical evidence relating to the new Swedish production systems for final assembly of motor vehicles. Contends that in these production systems it is possible simultaneously to enhance efficiency and quality of working life. Briefly sketches three production forms as they apply to the final assembly of automobiles and discusses the societal environments in which these different forms of production have evolved. Focuses on Volvo′s Swedish Uddevalla plant as one of the main examples so far of a reflective production system for final assembly of automobiles. Amplifies the analysis of different production flow patterns for final assembly and in particular addresses the issue of semi‐parallel mechanistic production flow and parallel organic production flow as alternatives to serial flow on a conventional line assembly.