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This study proposes targeted modernization of the Department of Defense (DoD's) Joint Forces Ammunition Logistics information system by implementing the optimized innovative information technology open architecture design and integrating Radio Frequency Identification Device data technologies and real-time optimization and control mechanisms as the critical technology components of the solution. The innovative information technology, which pursues the focused logistics, will be deployed in 36 months at the estimated cost of $568 million in constant dollars. We estimate that the Systems, Applications, Products (SAP)-based enterprise integration solution that the Army currently pursues will cost another $1.5 billion through the year 2014; however, it is unlikely to deliver the intended technical capabilities.

This paper proposes the adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4) technologies and lean techniques for improving operational performance in the healthcare sector.

The research adopted a systematic literature review and feedback of healthcare professionals to identify the inefficiencies in the current healthcare system. A questionnaire was used to get feedback from the patients and the hospital staff about the current practices and issues, and the expected impact of technology on existing practices. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis.

The results indicate that I4 technologies lead to the improvement of the operational performance, and the perceptions about I4 technologies are made through the pre-medical diagnosis. However, a weak correlation between lean practices and healthcare operational performance compared to that of I4 technologies and operational performance indicate that lean practices are not fully implemented in the Sri Lankan healthcare sector to their full potential.

This study is limited to two government hospitals, with insights from only the doctors and nurses in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the study is limited to only selected aspects of I4 technologies (big data, cloud computing and IoT) and lean concepts (value stream mapping and 5S). Therefore, recommendations on the adoption of I4 technologies in the healthcare sector need to be made within the scope of the study investigation.

The implementation of I4 technologies needs careful consideration of process improvement as part of the overall plan for achieving the maximum benefits of technology adoption.

The findings of the research can be used as a benchmark/guide for other hospitals to explore the adoption of I4 technologies, and how process improvement from lean concepts could influence the overall operational performance.

Crisis response has emerged as a salient concern for firms in the onset of COVID-19. While research suggests that resilience is critical during such disruptions, there remains a need to examine how firms build resilience during evolving situations. This study focuses on resiliency created through operational flexibility and examines how firms developed resiliency to COVID-19 through an adaptation of three technology-based levers of flexibility: change in a firm's product and service offerings, the channel it uses for sales and the location of a firm's workforce.

This study uses a unique cross-sectional dataset generated from a survey administered by a reputable financial institution, from March 20 to June 20, during the inception of COVID crisis. This study uses ordinary least squares to analyze data from 6,076 firms across 20 countries.

Results indicate that flexibility through a combination of a change in a firm's product and service offerings, with movement to selling through a digital channel, had a positive impact on firm sales. However, flexibility through a combination of change in product and service offerings with workforce location changes had negative impacts. Robustness analysis indicates that negative impacts worsen in countries with higher digitization and in manufacturing and retail firms as compared to service firms, indicating the inflexibility of physical goods–based business models. Results highlight dimensions through which technology-based flexibility can take place and the benefits of flexibility on firm performance.

This study provides managerial insights into technology-based operational flexibility mechanisms that can be employed for building performance resilience during unexpected disruptions. Research findings inform firms facing supply chain challenges and inflation pressures of business today.

The purpose of this research is to focus on the most basic of relationships – the impact of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology utilization on operational performance. An RFID‐performance model is theorized and tested with data collected from a sample of manufacturing organizations using a structural equation methodology. The structural model incorporating RFID technology utilization as antecedent to operational performance is assessed.

Survey data from a sample of 122 manufacturing sector organizations were collected and the model was assessed following a structural equation methodology.

The measurement scales assess as unidimensional, reliable, and valid. The theorized structural model fits the data relatively well. RFID technology utilization directly and positively impacts operational performance.

Interpretation of the results should be tempered in light of this early stage of adoption of RFID technology in the manufacturing sector. Also, this study is limited only to the operational level benefits of RFID technology utilization. It does not assess the impact of the technology on business and supply chain level performance.

Manufacturing managers can expect improved operational performance to result from the implementation of RFID technology. RFID utilization should not be seen by the practitioner simply as a cost of doing business but rather as a way to improve efficiency and effectiveness which ultimately will lead to increased profits.

The study offers empirical support for the adoption of RFID technology for the purpose of improving operational performance within the manufacturing sector.

The study explores the alignment of Swiss small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) managers' understanding of digital transformation, with evidence of digital tool adoption in managerial and operative work. This reveals opportunities for more fully realizing the potential of digital transformation for SMEs.

This multiple-case study, with four theoretically sampled cases, analyzes data from the qualitative answers of 1,593 respondents to a survey of Swiss SMEs about digital transformation. The study draws on a convenience sample of Swiss SME managers.

The analysis shows little understanding of digital transformation as related to managerial work. However, there are two clear digital tool adoption patterns for managerial work: (1) workflow and workforce management and (2) work-flow and team management. Understandings of digital transformation and operative work focus on the (1) organization of operational work or (2) a combination of organization and changing the way people work. The digital tool adoption in operational work additionally focuses on the digital skills of operational employees.

The study is only able to identify patters of understanding of digital transformation and digital tool adoption in managerial and operative work. More research is needed to understand why these patterns are observed.

SME managers need to think far more carefully about aligning their vision for digital transformation and the digital tools they adopt in both managerial and operational work, but especially in managerial work.

This is the first empirical study of the digital transformation of Swiss SMEs and their digital tool adoption. Significant potential for alignment is revealed, suggesting potential performance gains are possible.

The objective of this study is to explore the impact of a government-supported initiative for operational security, specifically the establishment of the national security emergency industry demonstration base, on the profitability of local publicly traded companies. Additionally, the study investigates the significance of firms' blockchain strategies and technologies within this framework.

Using the differences-in-differences (DID) approach, this study evaluates the impact of China's national security emergency industry demonstration bases (2015–2022) on the profitability of local firms. Data from the China Research Data Service (CNRDS) platform and investor Q&As informed our analysis of firms' blockchain strategy and technology, underpinned by detailed data collection and a robust DID model.

Emergency industry demonstration bases have notably boosted enterprise profitability in both return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). Companies adopting blockchain strategies and operational technology see a clear rise in profitability over non-blockchain peers. Additionally, the technical operation of blockchain presents a more pronounced advantage than at the strategic level.

We introduced a new perspective, emphasizing the enhancement of corporate operational safety and financial performance through the pathway of emergency industry policies, driven by the collaboration between government and businesses. Furthermore, we delved into the potential application value of blockchain strategies and technologies in enhancing operational security and the emergency industry.

This aim of this paper, from a systems perspective, is to focus on the effects of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology adoption and information sharing within a manufacturing facility on the just-in-time (JIT) and total quality management (TQM) practices and the subsequent impact on operational performance of manufacturing firms.

Data were collected from 104 manufacturing managers, supervisors and quality professionals and analyzed using a path analysis methodology.

RFID technology utilization and supply chain information sharing combine to enhance a manufacturing organization’s JIT and TQM capabilities which lead to improve operational performance.

Although the sample size is large enough to support path analysis, it is not of sufficient size to support structural equation modeling. This limitation precludes assessing the model as a whole. Direct and indirect effects are assessed, however.

Manufacturing managers are provided with a framework for assessing the synergistic impact of combining RFID technology and information sharing on the JIT and TQM capabilities and the subsequent impact on the operational performance of the firm.

A systems approach to assessing the impact of a combination of RFID technology and information sharing on operations programs is developed and tested. The results verify the importance of implementing RFID technology within an information sharing environment and support the proposition that RFID technology enhances both JIT and TQM capabilities.

The food supply chain has faced many challenges due to its complex and complicated nature. Blockchain technology is one of the mechanisms used to improve agri-food supply chain processes by evolving organization capabilities. A study is being conducted to scrutinize the adoption of blockchain technology in the agri-food supply chain through the lens of the operational capability approach. It further makes an attempt to identify the capabilities of blockchain to improve supply chain processes.

The qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews was used to gather information from experts and professionals in the food supply chain and blockchain technology. The authors have adopted a systematic approach of coding using open, axial and selective methods to depict and identify the themes that represent the blockchain-enabled agri-food supply chain. The data were collected from 32 interviews of selected participants.

The result shows five critical areas where blockchain can come up to enhance the agri-food supply chain performance by providing traceability, transparency, information security, transactions, and trust and quality. Further, the study reveals that blockchain will provide safety, lower the cost of transactions and can create trust among users to communicate within the whole supply chain without the intervention of a third party. This study demonstrated that the capabilities need to be considered when introducing technology into the practice.

The study implies thought-provoking implications for bridging the theory-practice gap by examining the empirical data to demonstrate how the operational capabilities of blockchain technology further strengthen the agri-food supply chain. Additionally, this study provides some suggestions for utilizing the results and proposes a framework to understand more about blockchain use cases in the agri-food supply chain as well as extend the application of blockchain using an operational capability approach for future academic researchers in this area.

This study presented some more important managerial implications which reveal that the majority of organisations were in the initial stages of adoption process of blockchain technology. Further, the positive influence of managers and IT experts can help the information technology companies (IT) and stakeholders for developing and promoting blockchain solutions in the agri-food supply chain. The important implication of blockchain enabled agri-food supply chain is to maintain information security and incresae supply chain performance.

The study shows the operational capabilities of agri-food supply chain using blockchain technology. Blockchain can contribute in enhancing the agri-food supply chain to increase traceability and transparency and helps to reduce the risk of disruptions.

Routine dynamics provide a robust theoretical framework to explore a wide range of organizational phenomena. However, the study of routines and the effect of technology on its performativity in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) still lack attention by researchers. This paper aims to analyze how the balance between process technology and human cognition affects routines' performativity in SMEs.

It was conducted a multicase study composed of Brazilian SMEs in the bakery industry. Data collection took place through interviews with managers and employees, observation of operational processes and document analysis. Thematic content analysis was adopted for categorization and data analysis.

The authors’ findings allow inferring there is no primacy of a more automated or artisanal production process to achieve competitiveness, which breaks the paradigm of the superior performance of automated production over the artisanal process that haunts SMEs. Though technology increases production efficiency, the artisanal approach can be valuable at promoting a company by commercially using this know-how to explore other business models appreciated by the public.

The authors’ proposals became relevant in a practical perspective once it works as a parameter for SME managers' decision-making about new investments in production resources and to foster public policies and other actions developed by support services for small businesses.

This study expands the frontiers in routines literature on SMEs, which lacks deepening. From this, SME managers can intensify actions to optimize process routines performativity through technologies or human cognition to keep the routines on track.

In this research, collaboration attributes related to the firm's intrinsic and extrinsic facets at pertinent levels (i.e. enterprise, strategic, operational, and tactical levels) for construction equipment OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) operating in India have been quantified and modeled.

For modeling the intra-firm collaboration at respective organizational levels, relevant attributes have been populated employing literature review followed by subsequent validation from pertinent focus groups. The focus groups comprising professionals working in the construction and mining equipment industry in India aided us in estimating the extent of interdependencies and influences within/amongst collaboration attributes. The collaboration attributes and respective interdependencies/influences are modeled employing the concept of graph theory wherein the individual attributes are represented using vertices and influences/interdependencies are represented using edges. The collaboration indices resulting from the variable permanent matrix have been derived as well.

Scenario and subsequent sensitivity analysis are performed. This research discusses the significance and aspects related to various collaborative attributes and the interrelations amongst them. Further, the research also evolves quantitative measures of collaboration indices at enterprise, strategic, tactical and operational levels by employing a graph-theoretic approach (GTA). The authors have also extricated and discussed a number of meaningful implications from both the perspectives of interorganizational relationships (IORs) and the normative theory of organizations using a cross-case analysis of five firms having operations in India.

The research would aid organizations (particularly those belonging to the construction equipment sector) measure the efficacy of collaboration in respective value-chains at strategic, tactical and operational levels. From the theoretical perspective, the integration of the IORs and normative theory of organizations enables looking at the intra-firm collaboration problem from a multi-dimensional standpoint involving activities, performance measures, action initiation, communication, shades of top management, level of activity, etc.