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Details how to formulate improvement programmes within manufacturing, what is current practice within several companies, and how appropriate current practice is. Presents a model of the manufacturing system together with a morphological representation of the system. Uses this model to assess the configuration of the manufacturing systems of ten companies (divided into three groups) and the efforts they put into improving the performance of the system. Compares these efforts, or action programmes, with the order winning criteria and the internal performance criteria in each group. It appears that the order winning criteria and the improvement programmes are often in line. However observations suggest that the action programmes are not the result of a conscious manufacturing strategy formulation and implementation so we can speak of a strategic neglect. Distinguishes some trends in managing manufacturing which result in an incremental improvement of the performance of manufacturing systems: more quality control process awareness; the decentralization of quality control and planning processes while trying integratively to design a consistent manufacturing system; and the creation of work cells throughout the plant.

Preface The functions of business divide into several areas and the general focus of this book is on one of the most important although least understood of these—DISTRIBUTION. The particular focus is on reviewing current practice in distribution costing and on attempting to push the frontiers back a little by suggesting some new approaches to overcome previously defined shortcomings.

Urban consolidation centres (UCCs) are often conceived to improve services in retail stores and potentially reduce costs. However, few studies have examined how retail stores perceive the services a UCC could provide. The purpose of this paper is to explore retail stores’ potential demands for different services that a UCC could provide in order to foster the development and implementation of UCC solutions aimed towards more economically feasible business models.

Structured interviews were conducted with employees at 72 retail stores. Qualitative, as well as quantitative analyses, were conducted to identify the potential demands of the retail stores.

The authors have provided arguments why retail stores might be interested in UCC services, and thereby potentially pay for them. Improved customer service to stores’ customers might not be a valid argument. The authors point to the cost aspect: stores expend resources that a UCC could provide in a more cost-efficient manner.

The findings contradict previous studies to some extent, as it indicates that a UCC may actually not enhance customer service in retail stores. Instead, the findings point to the importance of considering the potential advantages according to economies of scale that are facilitated by UCC services.

Taking the perspective of the stores is important in order to identify arguments for why they should pay for the services provided by a UCC.

Financially viable UCC solutions are needed in order for the initiatives to be maintained and thereby provide a long-term decrease in the environmental and social footprints caused by urban freight.

This study answers the call for research addressing retailers’ perspective in urban logistics, as it takes a demand-driven perspective of the development of UCC services. Furthermore, by highlighting services requested by retail stores, it can guide the financing of UCC initiatives, an aspect that has been lacking.

The learning outcomes are as follows: to understand and examine the strategies that help platforms fight competition and manage networks; to analyse the role of platform governance in the management of the networks and partners’ trust; and to evaluate the strategic risks of disintermediation and multi-homing firms face while trying to sustain profits and capture value.

The case presents the dilemma faced by Deepinder Goyal, the young founder and CEO of Zomato in formulating the growth strategy for its food delivery platform, struggling to retain its market leadership position amid intensifying competition and other challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zomato has become a public company with an IPO announced in mid of July 2021. Therefore, there is growing expectation for profitability among its shareholders and investors considering tailwinds of COVID-19 crisis, which have given the push towards adoption of food delivery among the customers. This has also resulted in increased competition in the industry. On other hand, there is growing dissatisfaction among its restaurant partners who have been hit hard by COVID-19 and struggling for survival. CEO Deepinder has to find how he will ensure the long-term growth for Zomato to tap the growing food delivery market in India and regain its restaurant partner’s trust.

The case is intended for post-graduate courses (MBA, PGDM) on digital business strategy or strategic management of technology-oriented businesses. The case can be used to understand the nature of competition and different strategies for platform-based businesses in the digital world. The case can also be used to study the role governance can play in efficient value creation and capture on the platform by the partner entities. Finally, the case also highlights how are platform businesses are coping with the Covid challenge. There are no specific prerequisites but knowledge on basic strategy concepts and platform business concepts will be good for better understanding. Level of difficulty is medium.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Results have shown that the actual delivery performance of a company is often significantly worse than management's own assessment of its performance.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate systematically the topic of operations capabilities within the operations strategy area. The output is a framework that will benefit researchers and firms to gain a more complete understanding of critical operations capabilities.

The research methodology is a systematic literature review. The aim of this study is to provide a snapshot of the diversity of studies being conducted in the field of operations capabilities, within the operations strategy area. In total, 157 papers were taken into consideration. Various operations capabilities were identified and synthesized in a conceptual framework.

The output of this paper is a conceptual framework of critical operations capabilities. Different operations capabilities and dimensions were identified in the literature. In total, seven dimensions were identified and included in the framework: cost, quality, delivery, flexibility, service, innovation, and environment.

This research was conducted through a systematic literature review. The framework presented in this paper provides a summary of critical operations capabilities, and in addition theoretical support for managers and firms wishing to formulate an operations strategy.

In general, this research sets the basis for managers and practitioners concerning the formulation of successful operations strategies. In the long term, a deeper understanding and shared knowledge about competitive priorities and operations capabilities can positively influence the success of firms.

This paper extends the theory by providing researchers and managers with updated knowledge on operations capabilities.

Awareness of inconsistencies and variability in the delivery of health services across the UK has heightened in recent years, leading to general acknowledgement that a move away from “health care by post code” is a strategic priority for the National Health Service (NHS). NHS Direct, a call centre service for patients and their carers, is unique in the NHS in that it represents an entirely new service concept, with a rare opportunity to design a single nation‐wide service from scratch, and to manage and co‐ordinate a delivery system consistently throughout the country. Evaluates the strategic alignment of NHS Direct during the first three years of implementation through an analysis of its service concept, its operational objectives, the design of its delivery systems and its volume and variety characteristics. The evaluation reveals an absence of a central design specification which has resulted in wide variation in the call centres’ service portfolios, resource bases, competences, telephony and clinical expert systems. Contends that variation and variability in the design of the call centres has severely compromised NHS Direct's ability to meet its strategic and operational objectives, resulting in strategic misalignment. Also identifies missed opportunities to learn from the growing call centre literature and from service shops in other industries.

The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' post–purchase experience when buying fresh food online. It examines the key dimensions of post–purchase online customer experience (post–purchase OCE) that impact customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. It also explores the role of corporate image as a moderator.

An online survey was conducted in China to capture participants' post–purchase OCE, satisfaction, repurchase intention and perceived corporate image. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to analyse data collected from 317 Chinese fresh food online shoppers. Moderated mediation analysis was conducted to analyse the moderating effect of corporate image.

Four post–purchase OCE dimensions “product-in-hand”, “customer support”, “benefits” and “packaging” significantly drive customers' repurchase intention by enhancing customer satisfaction. “Delivery” is not influential. Additionally, for firms with a good corporate image, customer repurchase intention is more easily affected by post–purchase OCE than firms with a lower level of corporate image.

The findings inform fresh food e-commerce firms of the critical post–purchase OCE dimensions that mostly drive customer satisfaction and help retain customers. Furthermore, it implies that firms with a good corporate image must provide high-quality post–purchase OCE that matches the image because the consequences associated with a poor post–purchase OCE can be severe.

This research is among the first to investigate fresh food post–purchase OCE. It also introduces the previously underexplored moderating role of corporate image.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) views Health Information Technology (HIT) as an essential organizational prerequisite for the delivery of safe, reliable, and cost-effective health services. However, HIT presents the proverbial double-edged sword in generating solutions to improve system performance while facilitating the genesis of novel iatrogenic problems. Incongruent organizational processes give rise to technological iatrogenesis or the unintended consequences to system integrity and the resulting organizational outcomes potentiated by incongruent organizational–technological interfaces. HIT is a disruptive innovation for health services organizations but remains an overlooked organizational development (OD) concern.

Recognizing the technology–organizational misalignments that result from HIT adoption is important for leaders seeking to eliminate sources of system instability. The Health Information Technology Iatrogenesis Model (HITIM) provides leaders with a conceptual framework from which to consider HIT as an instrument for organizational development. Complexity and Diffusion of Innovation theories support the framework that suggests each HIT adoption functions as a technological change agent. As such, leaders need to provide operational oversight to managers undertaking system change via HIT implementation. Traditional risk management tools, such as Failure Mode Effect Analysis and Root Cause Analysis, provide proactive pre- and post-implementation appraisals to verify system stability and to enhance system reliability. Reconsidering the use of these tools within the context of a new framework offers leaders guidance when adopting HIT to achieve performance improvement and better outcomes.