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Manufacturers have begun to develop and implement strategies that focus on strengthening the operations/marketing interface with customers. Claycomb et al. originally identified and described one such strategy, just‐in‐time (JIT)‐with‐customers, and assessed its impact on organizational structure. Generally, this study seeks to replicate their original work with two primary differences: marketing, rather than logistics executives, are surveyed and structural equation modeling, rather than regression analysis, is used to analyze the data.

Data collected from 180 marketing executives are analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach to assess the impact of JIT‐with‐customers on the organizational structure dimensions of integration, performance control, specialization and decentralization.

Results of this study indicate that JIT‐with‐customers impacts integration, performance control and specialization but is not related to decentralization.

The findings generally support the proposition that adoption of a JIT‐with‐customers strategy will result in changes in organizational structure.

Manufacturing managers working to strengthen relationships with customers through a JIT‐with‐customers approach should prepare for organizational change in terms of increased integration, performance control, and specialization.

JIT strategies focusing on the operations/marketing interface are being implemented within the manufacturing sector. This study assesses the impact of one such strategy, JIT‐with‐customers, for only the second time. The results verify the earlier work of Claycomb et al. and expand the operations/marketing interface literature.

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that can help managers to overcome barriers to alignment of operations strategy at the interface with marketing.

This objective required the application of a procedure based on strategic consensus and a deeper analysis, such that the delimitation of the study in a single case was mandatory. The strategic processes of interfacing involve managerial attributes that are subject to the influence of human aspects and, therefore, the research method used a qualitative approach. The protocol design included the following data sources: interviews, document reviews and researcher observations. The categorisation was made based on the theoretical references, the frequency of observations, common responses and information from documents.

The balance between intra‐functional trade‐offs, joint research on the competitive context, reflections on the understanding of customer needs and operational performance, and understanding of inter‐functional trade‐offs were the main factors verified. They effectively support decisions associated with interface processes and promotes the integration of these processes. They can generate inputs that enable managers to achieve an appropriate balance among alternatives in light of various trade‐offs.

These factors make possible new connections between strategic processes in the context of operations and marketing functions. The formations of these strategies are aligned through a better understanding of both threats and opportunities by means of a joint analysis of the competitive context. The presented findings can be used to develop a clear definition of strategic objectives of operations and a more appropriate treatment of market needs.

The findings from the research can be considered as new elements for promoting alignment in the formation process of the operations strategy. Little research to date has examined the operations‐marketing strategic interface of companies in the context of strategic consensus.

This study aims to assess the impact of a JIT‐selling strategy on organizational structure by generally replicating the previous work of Germain et al.

In contrast to the sample population of logistics managers surveyed by Germain et al. this research draws on data from manufacturing executives with marketing responsibilities. More importantly, a major limitation of the earlier research, use of a single‐item scale measurement of the JIT‐selling construct, is overcome. A structural equation modeling approach was used to assess the impact of JIT‐selling on the organizational structure dimensions of integration, performance control, specialization, and decentralization.

Germain et al. found that JIT‐selling impacts performance control, specialization, and scheduling decentralization but not integration. While the results of this study support earlier findings that JIT‐selling impacts performance control and specialization, the results alternately find support for a relationship between JIT‐selling and integration and refute the previous finding that JIT‐selling is related to decentralization.

The findings generally support the proposition that adoption of a JIT‐selling strategy will result in changes in organizational structure.

Manufacturing managers working to strengthen relationships with customers through a JIT‐selling approach should prepare for organizational change in terms of increased integration, performance control, and specialization.

JIT strategies are being used to strengthen the operations/marketing interface within the manufacturing sector. Specifically, this study assesses the impact of the JIT‐selling strategy on organizational structure in an effort to verify the work of Germain et al.

Previous studies have rarely integrated the financing modes of a capital-constrained manufacturer with the choices of online sales strategies. To address this gap, the authors study how a manufacturer selects optimal financing modes under different sales strategies in three dual-channel supply chains.

This paper considers three sales strategies, namely, combining a traditional retailer channel with one of the direct selling, reselling and agency selling channels, and two common financing modes, namely, bank financing and retailer financing. The authors obtain equilibrium outcomes of the manufacturer and traditional retailer and then provide the conditions for them to select optimal financing modes under three sales strategies.

The results indicate that the manufacturer’s financing decisions rely on the initial capital and interest rates, and the manufacturer selects retailer financing only if the initial capital is relatively larger. In terms of financing mode options, the retailer financing mode is more beneficial for the manufacturer under the three sales strategies. From the perspective of sales strategies, the direct selling model is more beneficial. In addition, the higher the consumer acceptance of the online channel, the more profits the manufacturer obtains.

This paper provides suggestions on how the capital-constrained manufacturer chooses financing modes and sales strategies.

This paper integrates the financing mode and different sales strategies to investigate the manufacturer’s optimal operational decisions. These sales strategies allow us to investigate the manufacturer’s optimal financing modes in the presence of both different financing modes and sales strategies.

Despite the current progress in realizing how Big Data Analytics can considerably enhance the Sustainable Manufacturing Supply Chain (SMSC), there is a major gap in the storyline relating factors of Big Data operations in managing information and trust among several operations of SMSC. This study attempts to fill this gap by studying the key enablers of using Big Data in SMSC operations obtained from the internet of Things (IoT) devices, group behavior parameters, social networks and ecosystem framework.

Adaptive Prospects (Improving SC performance, combating counterfeits, Productivity, Transparency, Security and Safety, Asset Management and Communication) are the constructs that this research first conceptualizes, defines and then evaluates in studying Big Data Analytics based operations in SMSC considering best worst method (BWM) technique.

To begin, two situations are explored one with Big Data Analytics and the other without are addressed using empirical studies. Second, Big Data deployment in addressing MSC barriers and synergistic role in achieving the goals of SMSC is analyzed. The study identifies lesser encounters of barriers and higher benefits of big data analytics in the SMSC scenario.

The research outcome revealed that to handle operations efficiently a 360-degree view of suppliers, distributors and logistics providers' information and trust is essential.

In the Post-COVID scenario, the supply chain practitioners may use the supply chain partner's data to develop resiliency and achieve sustainability.

The unique value that this study adds to the research is, it links the data, trust and sustainability aspects of the Manufacturing Supply Chain (MSC).

Under the carbon tax policy, the authors examine the operational decisions of the low-carbon supply chain with the triple bottom line.

This paper uses the Stackelberg game theory to obtain the optimal wholesale prices, retail prices, sales quantities and carbon emissions in different cases, and investigates the effect of the carbon tax policy.

This study’s main results are as follows: (1) the optimal retail price of the centralized supply chain is the lowest, while that of the decentralized supply chain where the manufacturer undertakes the carbon emission reduction (CER) responsibility and the corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the highest under certain conditions. (2) The sales quantity when the retailer undertakes the CER responsibility and the CSR is the largest. (3) The supply chain obtains the highest profits when the retailer undertakes the CER responsibility and the CSR. (4) The environmental performance impact decreases with the carbon tax.

The results of this study can provide decision-making suggestions for low-carbon supply chains. Besides, this paper provides implications for the government to promote the low-carbon market.

Most of the existing studies only consider economic responsibility and social responsibility or only consider economic responsibility and environmental responsibility. This paper is the first study that examines the operational decisions of low-carbon supply chains with the triple bottom line under the carbon tax policy.

This paper aims to examine the relationship between environmental factors, risk perception and decision-making in risk management. Specifically, using attribution theory, the authors study the influence of macro-level logistical capabilities of a host country on a firm’s actual and perceived supply chain risk, and examine if this country-level factor and the firm level perception of risk affect a firm’s decision-making in risk management.

This study uses a combination of primary data from 932 manufacturing firms from 22 countries and secondary data from the logistics performance index (LPI), and empirically tests the conceptual framework using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Key results reveal that a country’s logistical capabilities, measured using LPI, have a significant impact on managers’ risk perception. Firms located in countries with high LPI perceive lower risk in their supply chain both in the upstream and downstream, and therefore do not invest much in external integration, compared to firms in low LPI countries, and hence are exposed to high risk.

This is one of the first empirical studies linking a country’s logistical capabilities with supply chain risk perceptions, objective supply chain risk and supply chain risk management efforts of a firm using the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey database.

In recent years, it has become almost commonplace amongst production and operations management practitioners that the concepts, principles, methodologies and techniques from manufacturing can be applied to service operations. This article attempts a framework for thinking about organisations and a suggestion for research to facilitate the transfer of expertise across the interfaces. It is not simply the application of techniques which is sought but a synergistic growth in the effectiveness of production and operations management.

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise customer-oriented product returns service (COPRS) performance, and develop and validate its measure.

This study uses qualitative consumer interviews and a quantitative survey to conceptualise, operationalise and validate the measure of COPRS performance.

The findings indicate 12 components with 46 measurable items for COPRS performance, including assurance, compensation, convenience, empathy, employee empowerment, explanation, feedback, information availability, reliability, responsiveness, tangibles and timeliness.

The measure could facilitate future empirical studies in the product returns service area. Future research could apply the COPRS performance measure across industries or in different settings such as cross-cultural or other retailing contexts.

Managers could evaluate their existing returns service performance in different key aspects based on the COPRS performance metrics and then improve their returns offerings accordingly. It also alerts practitioners to pay more attention to functional integration in designing returns service strategies to enhance customer satisfaction.

The study is one of the first to develop a new measure that substantiates the notion of an integrated marketing and reverse logistics interface, which is an underrepresented body of knowledge in the marketing and operations management disciplines.

This paper describes the results of a research project where respondents from a variety of disciplines were questioned about how they perceive quality improvement. Structured interviews were held with top managers from the fields of engineering, operations, strategic planning, marketing, planning, and human resources. We asked the following questions: How is quality defined by someone in (your field)? How do you define quality as it relates to your company’s products and services? What are approaches to quality that you view as leading edge? We find that there are differences in how quality is perceived by different functions. In spite of a long history of definition of quality terms, we find that more work is needed to overcome differences in functional perspectives when communicating quality plans and strategies.