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1 – 10 of over 44000Rebecca Clemons, Swathi Reddy Baddam and Raymond M. Henry
How might an organization swiftly resolve supplier problems such that the issue does not reoccur? The purpose of this study seeks to understand the impact of different…
Abstract
Purpose
How might an organization swiftly resolve supplier problems such that the issue does not reoccur? The purpose of this study seeks to understand the impact of different knowledge-sharing routines on measures of effective problem resolution.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected from an automotive manufacturer's (buyer) database. A hierarchical linear model analyzes dyadic data collected from 155 problems across 24 suppliers.
Findings
This study reveals that different ways of communicating have differing impact on measures of effective problem-solving. Communication involving face-to-face interaction slows the process, whereas frequent communication can lead to swift resolution. Furthermore, management teams are more likely to lead to a “better” fix in that these teams are more likely to implement changes in the process or product.
Research limitations/implications
The data are for a tier-one automotive supplier. Hence, the findings are limited by the extent to which other organizations may differ.
Practical implications
The results provide insights for managers experiencing supply issues. Some forms of communication should be encouraged as they enhance the process. Moreover, the findings suggest there are consequences to pressuring a supplier to resolve a complaint quickly.
Originality/value
Very few researchers can claim to have investigated observed collaborative mechanisms that occur between a buyer and its suppliers when resolving a problem. This research adds to the literature on the relational view theory as it applies to supply chain management and problem resolution.
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Wienand Kölle, Matthias Buchholz and Oliver Musshoff
Satellite-based weather index insurance has recently been considered in order to reduce the high basis risk of station-based weather index insurance. However, the use of satellite…
Abstract
Purpose
Satellite-based weather index insurance has recently been considered in order to reduce the high basis risk of station-based weather index insurance. However, the use of satellite data with a relatively low spatial resolution has not yet made it possible to determine the satellite indices free of disturbing landscape elements such as mountains, forests and lakes.
Design/methodology/approach
In this context, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used based on both Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (250 × 250 m) and high-resolution Landsat 5/8 (30 × 30 m) images to investigate the effect of a higher spatial resolution of satellite-based weather index contracts for hedging winter wheat yields. For three farms in north-east Germany, insurance contracts both at field and farm level were designed.
Findings
The results indicate that with an increasing spatial resolution of satellite data, the basis risk of satellite-based weather index insurance contracts can be reduced. However, the results also show that the design of NDVI-based insurance contracts at farm level also reduces the basis risk compared to field level. The study shows that higher-resolution satellite data are advantageous, whereas satellite indices at field level do not reduce the basis risk.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, the effect of increasing spatial resolution of satellite images for satellite-based weather index insurance is investigated for the first time at the field level compared to the farm level.
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Chad R. Allred and R. Bruce Money
Simple transactions are evolving into complex service relationships that require the attention of multiple organizations. When integrated products fail, customers must determine…
Abstract
Purpose
Simple transactions are evolving into complex service relationships that require the attention of multiple organizations. When integrated products fail, customers must determine which organization is responsible and capable of resolving the problem. If the initial firm contacted cannot resolve the problem, it is then passed on to another until resolution. The objective of this paper is to determine how customer satisfaction with one organization may be moderated by the subsequent performance of another organization following the service issue hand‐off.
Design/methodology/approach
Data otherwise unavailable from the market are collected using a unique, longitudinal internet‐based experiment, wherein customer satisfaction is monitored throughout a complex exchange experience. During the exchange, problem ownership transfers from one firm's service organization to that of another.
Findings
Results show three forms of damage resulting from a service hand‐off: a credibility loss; a dissatisfaction compounding effect; and a resolution delivery failure effect. When problem resolution requires the attention of a second service provider, customer perceptions of the initial service provider are influenced by the performance of the second provider.
Practical implications
A service provider can often avoid substantial damage to customer satisfaction by establishing, a priori, formal back‐end partnerships with other service providers.
Originality/value
Organizations typically do not monitor customer satisfaction once a service problem is abandoned or handed‐off to another organization. In this experimental study, customer satisfaction is carefully monitored as service exchange crosses organizational boundaries during a service experience simulated over the period of one week.
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Phuong Minh Khuong, Hasan Ü. Yilmaz, Russell McKenna and Dogan Keles
With the growing deployment of variable renewable energy sources, such as wind and PV and the increasing interconnection of the power grid, multi-regional energy system models…
Abstract
Purpose
With the growing deployment of variable renewable energy sources, such as wind and PV and the increasing interconnection of the power grid, multi-regional energy system models (ESMs) are increasingly challenged by the growth of model complexity. Therefore, the need for developing ESMs, which are realistic but also solvable with acceptable computational resources without losing output accuracy, arises. The purpose of this study is to propose a statistical approach to investigate asynchronous extreme events for different regions and then assess their ability to keep the output accuracy at the level of the full-resolution case.
Design/methodology/approach
To extract the extreme events from the residual demands, the paper focuses on analyzing the tail of the residual demand distributions by using statistical approaches. The extreme events then are implemented in an ESM to assess the effect of them in protecting the accuracy of the output compared with the full-resolution output.
Findings
The results show that extreme-high and fluctuation events are the most important events to be included in data input to maintain the flexibility output of the model when reducing the resolution. By including these events into the reduced data input, the output's accuracy reaches the level of 99.1% compared to full resolution case, while reducing the execution time by 20 times.
Originality/value
Moreover, including extreme-fluctuation along with extreme-high in the reduced data input helps the ESM to avoid misleading investment in conventional and low-efficient generators.
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Central clearing counterparties’ (CCPs) specific loss allocation mechanism is reflected in the specific resolution regime designed at the international level. At the same time…
Abstract
Purpose
Central clearing counterparties’ (CCPs) specific loss allocation mechanism is reflected in the specific resolution regime designed at the international level. At the same time, international guidance texts require equity to bear losses first in resolution. This creates a tension that immediately exposes resolution authorities to potential claims from CCPs’ shareholders. The purpose of this paper is to seek possible options to solve that tension, thereby enabling a workable and credible resolution regime for CCPs.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyses the current tension between the no creditor worse-off (NCWO) counterfactual for CCPs and the “equity bears first losses in resolution” principle. It then considers six different options to solve this tension, ranging from a revision of insolvency law to the modification of the loss-allocation structure.
Findings
The paper concludes that additional layers of capital contribution, adapting the contractual arrangements or articles of incorporation and/or the creation of a specific NCWO counterfactual for shareholders could help in solving the identified tension.
Practical implications
The paper presents options on how to design a workable and credible resolution regime for CCPs that would enable resolution authorities to exercise their powers and have the flexibility to intervene at an early stage in recovery to prevent the exhaustion of available financial resources, without being unduly exposed to claims.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the literature on CCP resolution. It is one of the first to analyse the articulation between the loss-allocation structure of CCPs, the NCWO principle and shareholders’ rights. We hope that this paper will encourage further literature to develop on this important subject.
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Sini Laari, Harri Lorentz, Patrik Jonsson and Roger Lindau
Drawing on information processing theory, the linkage between buffering and bridging and the ability on the part of procurement to resolve demand–supply imbalances is…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on information processing theory, the linkage between buffering and bridging and the ability on the part of procurement to resolve demand–supply imbalances is investigated, as well as contexts in which these strategies may be particularly useful or detrimental. Buffering may be achieved through demand change or redundancy, while bridging may be achieved by the means of collaboration or monitoring.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a hierarchical regression analysis of a survey of 150 Finnish and Swedish procurement and sales and operations planning professionals, each responding from the perspective of their own area of supply responsibility.
Findings
Both the demand change and redundancy varieties of buffering are associated with procurement's ability to resolve demand–supply imbalances without delivery disruptions, but not with cost-efficient resolution. Bridging is associated with the cost-efficient resolution of imbalances: while collaboration offers benefits, monitoring seems to make things worse. Dynamism diminishes, while the co-management of procurement in S&OP improves procurement's ability to resolve demand–supply imbalances. The most potent strategy for tackling problematic contexts appears to be buffering via demand change.
Practical implications
The results highlight the importance of procurement in the S&OP process and suggest tactical measures that can be taken to resolve and reduce the effects of supply and demand imbalances.
Originality/value
The results contribute to the procurement and S&OP literature by increasing knowledge regarding the role and integration of procurement to the crucial process of balancing demand and supply operations.
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Mugdha Shirish Mujumdar and Sandeep G. Prabhu
This study aims to explore the telecom regulations and telecom reforms of different countries in the context of consumer complaints and grievance handling. The telecom dispute…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the telecom regulations and telecom reforms of different countries in the context of consumer complaints and grievance handling. The telecom dispute resolution mechanisms of countries such as Australia, the USA, the UK and India are studied. This qualitative research is carried out for the three major telecom markets: Australia, the USA and India.
Design/methodology/approach
Here, research is conducted in two stages. In the first stage, the telecom policies of the major telecom markets, their ombudsman policies and consumer grievance redressal mechanisms are studied. In the second stage, the qualitative analysis of the three telecom markets, Australia, the USA and India, is conducted through in-depth interviews, the questionnaire method for telecom customers and secondary research.
Findings
Telecom customer satisfaction is significantly higher in countries with the telecom ombudsman as a system of telecom governance redressal. This study dedicates significant importance to the distinctiveness of the grievance resolution systems in different countries and suggests recommendations for improving the mechanisms. The recommendations given in the research study emerge as the output of interviewing telecom experts, academicians and researchers and court judges.
Research limitations/implications
This study has partial limitations as primary research was carried out only in selected countries with limited participants.
Practical implications
This study is useful for policymakers, regulators and think tanks in the telecommunications sector.
Social implications
The resolution of individual customer grievances is significant to the telecom industry and all participants. A well-oiled grievance redressal system enhances the trust among the service users and aids in the industry’s growth. Further practical assessment of redressal offered by different telecom operators can be used for benchmarking, and it can create an onus on telecom operators for timely and adequate redressal of consumer complaints. In certain countries with a well-developed alternate dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism, the service offerings of telecom operators and the quality of services are deemed to be better than those without such an ADR. The research aims to bring in the positives of ADR systems from specific telecom markets and suggest the effectiveness of such ADR for countries such as India, which has over 1.17billion active subscribers. This research aims to aid responsive communication with telecom consumers in the overall telecom industry, which can bolster telecom consumers’ confidence and help the industry grow sustainably. Discussing perspectives on telecom dispute resolution in various conferences and discussing use-cases of innovative dispute settlements can act as stimuli in this space. As ADR procedures are conducted in the shadow of the law, a dispute resolution framework must have a buy-in from the government, telecom experts, the judiciary and private telecom stakeholders. This can only help achieve a framework that can reap the benefits of various ADR/ODR processes facilitating better access to justice, including cost-effectiveness, swiftness, a broader reach for dispute resolution and improved efficiency of dispute resolution.
Originality/value
Previous studies have focused on the study of telecom reforms and mechanisms in a particular country and there was a limited comparison with other countries’ mechanisms. Also, there has been minimal research in this area in recent years. This paper contributes to analyzing the effectiveness of the telecom ombudsman framework in Australia, the USA, the UK and India. It also studies the reforms and consumer grievance-handling mechanisms in a few other countries. It also gives well-researched recommendations for improving the consumer grievance resolution system.
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Provides an introduction to the field of time‐frequency analysis by reviewing four important and popular used time‐frequency analysis methods with focus on the principles and…
Abstract
Provides an introduction to the field of time‐frequency analysis by reviewing four important and popular used time‐frequency analysis methods with focus on the principles and implementation. The basic idea of time‐frequency analysis is to understand and describe situations where the frequency content of a signal is changing in time. Although time‐frequency analysis had its origin almost 50 years ago, significant advances have occurred in the past 15 years or so. Recently, the time‐frequency representation has received considerable attention as a powerful tool for analysing a variety of signals and systems.
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Gijo E.V., Jiju Antony and Vijaya Sunder M.
Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been accepted globally across the service sector as a management strategy for achieving process excellence. In the past one decade, the application and…
Abstract
Purpose
Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been accepted globally across the service sector as a management strategy for achieving process excellence. In the past one decade, the application and success of LSS in services is remarkable across Information Technology (IT) organisations. However academic research has seldom derived implications from this practitioner’s science of improving processes. The purpose of this paper is to feature the application of LSS in the system maintenance department of a manufacturing firm.
Design/methodology/approach
The research reported in this paper is based on a case study carried out in system maintenance department using the Six Sigma Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control (DMAIC) approach and its application in reducing complaint resolution time.
Findings
The LSS article presented here highlights a real-world case study of how LSS DMAIC methodology help reduce the complaint resolution time from 12.5 to 8.5 h (~30 per cent improvement) and the corresponding standard deviation from 28 to 17.4 days. This study also has resulted in reducing the turn-around-time of all the core processes in the organisation. The indirect financial savings estimated as a result of this overall impact was around INR2.5m.
Research limitations/implications
The research was restricted to studying the impact of LSS in one organisation. The validity of the results can be improved by including more organisations and more case studies from the IT support services.
Originality/value
This could serve as a resource for both practitioners to derive useful implications and to academicians as it contributes to the LSS body of knowledge towards theory testing.
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William P. Osterberg and James B. Thomson
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 included depositor preference legislation intended to reduce Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) resolution costs. However…
Abstract
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 included depositor preference legislation intended to reduce Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) resolution costs. However, depositor preference might induce an offsetting reaction by general creditors and may affect resolution type.
We examine the empirical impact of state-level depositor preference laws on resolution type and costs with call-report data and FDIC data for all operating FDIC-BIF insured commercial banks that were closed or required FDIC financial assistance from January 1986 through December 1992. Our major findings are that depositor preference has: (1) tended to increase resolution costs; and (2) induced the FDIC to choose assisted mergers over liquidations.