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In the present scenario of global competition and economic recession, most of the organizations are facing tough challenge to survive in the market because of shortening product life cycle and reducing profit margin. Customers are seeking better design, production and delivery, which have made firms to concentrate on flexibility in supply chains. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify major factors and develop a suitable framework for flexibility in supply chains.

Based on literature review, about 14 factors have been identified. To develop relationship among these factors, a team of five experts from industry and academia was formed. Based on inputs from experts, different relationships are developed among factors to form structural self-interaction matrix (SSIM). Based on this matrix, a flexibility framework is developed by interpretive structural modelling approach.

Top management commitment, strategy development for flexible SC, application of advance technology and IT tools, information sharing in SC members, trust development among supply chain members have emerged as major driving factors. Logistics and warehouse management, suppliers flexibility, distribution flexibility and manufacturing flexibility have emerged as dependent factors.

Framework developed in this study is based on interpretive structural modelling. This framework can be further validated with some case analysis and empirical findings.

Findings of the study can be useful for industry professionals to develop strategies for flexible supply chains. It will help them in taking new initiatives for making supply chains more responsive and proactive for customers demand.

Operations management.

Logistics, Warehousing, India.

Joy Banerjee and Gaurav Tripathi have recently joined as Managers in the Planning Department at All India Warehousing Private Limited (AIWPL). Their on-job training is completed. They have met with almost all the officials at the warehouse, have interacted with labour to understand the company and its functions, and are planning to meet Kamlesh Patel, their Managing Director, to discuss the challenges and opportunities and to suggest strategies. Will they be able to make a satisfactory presentation to Kamlesh Patel on the company performance and the parameters that are going to be crucial to AIWPL's continued success? This case study may prove useful to practicing managers and management students on understanding the working of a family run private warehouse, business environment in the warehousing sector, use of technology and organizational capability to manage multi-product, multi-location warehouses.

To illustrate typical organizational responsibility structure at a private warehousing site. To illustrate the planning and administrative control mechanism in implementing strategy at a warehousing site. Offer students opportunity to understand and take view of a typical operational (project) structure. Opportunity for students to speculate adaptations in the wake of ever-changing business and company environment. Opportunity to introduce Logistic Scenario in India, warehousing technology and relate with the case in context.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Illustrate the typical organizational responsibility of a small, medium industry dealing with precision manufacturing products. Introduce a balanced scorecard (BSC) as a concept about the case in the context. Introduce the parameters specific to small and medium enterprise (SME) that could be considered to be part of the key performance indicators. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of using a BSC in SMEs in emerging economies.

Gopika Rani, the recently hired Executive Assistant along with Sanjana M, the Business Development Manager of SEP India Private Ltd. (SEPI), a small medium enterprise, were finalizing a proposal for the forthcoming “India Small Business Excellence Awards 2020.” The proposal was to be considered by the Board of Directors scheduled to meet next week for approvals. Sanjana apprises Gopika on CRISIL’s policy advisory role and its annual awards scheme for SMEs in India. She also details recent modifications announced by the Government of India that had impacted SEPI and was pertinent for filling the application. Gopika understood that SEPI was well-known for the precision and durability of its component, and was poised for growth. The business catered to global suppliers (Tier-1 companies) of the Indian automotive industry that accounted for over 75% and the balance contributed to exports. SEPI’s unique products such as Starter Motor Ignition or the Fuel Vending pump (Automotive) or the non-automotive products such as arrowheads and bowstrings (sports) or the heart-valves (medical) have all the quality certifications. For new product development, customer feedback played a crucial role at all stages of development from prototype to pilot tests. SEPI’s mission “be our customers’ preferred supplier and business partner” drove their personnel and organizational objectives. Also, SEPI could get multiple benefits and be in a strong market position because of this award recognition. Gopika was, however, unclear about SEPI’s business strategies and use of appropriate performance measurement tools. Gopika desired to address the Board of Directors next week on her idea of applying a BSC as a useful “strategic planning and management tool.” The BSC methodology can be used to monitor the performance of SME firms against strategic goals. It can be successfully implemented in smaller organizations because of their simpler set-ups and tendency to arrive at a consensus quickly. However, implementation of BSC within the Indian micro, small and medium enterprises has been scant. Several studies found that the lack of ownership, resistance to change, a scarcity of training and coordination between the departments and lack of funds were among the challenges. The firms also had to make numerous changes to their strategies as business environments evolved. Gopika was convinced that the tool could blend in all the “four perspectives – customer, financial, internal business and learning and growth” and grow. The tool could demonstrate meeting all the prerequisites, “needs to have an exemplary vision, demonstrate outstanding business acumen, use best practices and create a legacy for the others to follow,” that were prerequisites for receipt of this award. Her next project would be to seek approval for the implementation of BSC, a beneficial and apt tool for SEPI. Do you agree with Gopika Rani that BSC is a suitable tool for SEPI? If yes, why? If no, why?

This case study titled leveraging the BSC – a tool for SME advancement is intended for use in the graduate management program (MBA) in subject electives, namely, entrepreneurship, strategy formulation, human resource management or production management.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Operations management.

This case study is intended for MBA, final year industrial engineering and 1st year PhD students, for use in graduate engineering, post graduate and executive level management programs. The case study illustrates operational and participative management control system in a matrix and flexible organization structure.

Satish Arora (CEO) and Praveen Arora (Director Finance), a husband and wife team, own and operate Go-Goal Hydro Power Ltd (Go-GoalHPL) as a small medium enterprise (SME). Go-GoalHPL renovates hydro power generating machines up to 250 MW rating. Their current renovation/overhauling projects are located at different sites in India. Go-GoalHPL has grown its business by pursuing new avenues that include execution of major renovation projects and construction of new projects on a turnkey basis. Go-GoalHPL's management, despite their on-going successes, are concerned about severe capacity shortages if immediate actions were not taken. They have identified three capacity expansion options: continue current operating practices and obtain additional production space; undertake a make-versus-buy study and consider outsourcing parts; and implement world-class manufacturing techniques through adoption of focused factories. The first two options represented simple incremental changes while the third presents a radical alternative that required a major reorganization of the company operations and support functions.

These include knowledge about competitiveness, corporate survival, sustainable business, operations management, productivity, performance.

Teaching notes are available for faculty. Please consult your librarian.

The study identifies the challenges of developing the “electric vehicle (EV)” charging infrastructure in India, having an ambitious target of 30% EV adoption by 2030.

First, a systematic literature review determined EV adoption and challenges in the EV charging infrastructure development globally and specifically in India. Secondly, a focussed group study in which 10 domain experts were consulted to identify additional challenges in India's EV adoption involving EV charging infrastructure.

Accordingly, 11 significant challenges of EV charging infrastructure development in India have been identified–seven through the comparative analysis of the literature review and four from the focussed group study. Secondary data provides insight into the situation around developed countries and in developing countries, specifically in India. Finally, the Government of India's measures and priorities to facilitate such a development are emphasised.

The study can help policymakers/researchers understand the gaps and align measures to address the challenges. A focussed group study may have its limitations due to the perception of the experts.

The systematic literature review of 43 articles using comparative analysis and subsequently a focussed group study of experts to verify and add challenges has made the study unique.

Operations and human resourcing.

This case study is intended for use in graduate, executive level management and doctoral programs. The case study illustrates a combined IT and HR driven participative management control system in a flexible organization structure. It is intended for a class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation.

The case describes the situation of managing unskilled workforces (≥14,000 workers) during the construction phase of the 4 × 250MW power plants both for purposes of turnout as well as due compensation, in the event of an accident. The approved labour forces appointed for 45 × 8 h. Man-days after a rigorous fitness test and approvals of the safety officer are allocated housing and other necessary amenities and a commensurate compensation system.

These include: illustrating typical organizational responsibility structure at a construction site of a large power plant; illustrating the planning and administrative control mechanism in implementing strategy at a construction site of a large power plant; offering students the opportunity to understand and view a typical operational (project) structure; allowing students to speculate adaptations in the wake of an ever-changing business and company environment; and providing an opportunity to introduce a power scenario in India, Indian labour laws and radio frequency identification technology and to relate this to the case in context.

Teaching notes are available; please consult your librarian for access.

The purpose of this paper is to report empirical research about the chronological development of the organizational structure, functions (functional groups) and competencies of the corporate communication(/public relation) – CC(/PR) department of the central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) in India. This paper also attempts to identify the specific organizational goals that influence CC(/PR) departmental structure and its effectiveness.

In total, 34 selected CPSEs reflecting most of the salient features of the public sector in India are identified. Key personnel (or designates) in the CC(/PR) departments are contacted to take an online survey that is built after analyzing previously reported instruments appropriate in this context. Analyses are conducted using SPSS 10.0.

Data analysis shows that in many PSUs, the development of full‐fledged CC departments is still at a nascent stage; however, in other PSUs development of CC is already streamlined with company vision and is mature as a division. Key acceptable PR roles include communication for the desired perception among target audience and brand sustainability. In established CC departments, CC is a strategic management tool, synchronizing all intentional forms of internal and external communications, thus helping the PSUs to define its corporate image and improve corporate performance. Through the built‐in measurement systems, PSUs are encouraged to become global players.

The paper empirically measures the efficiency of CC(/PR) departments of 34 operating CPSEs concerned with the development of the engineering industry in India. This paper would be of value to researchers and practitioners seeking to promote, practice or influence the structuring of CC(/PR) departments.

In the ever‐changing world, vendor selection and evaluation are very important in supply chain management. Recently, there has been extensive research in the areas of vendor selection and evaluation under certainty/uncertainty without time axis, but there has been very little research in the selection of vendor with time axis. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the research.

Traditional approaches have been neglecting multi‐period planning horizon for vendor selection, and many decision makers or experts select vendors based on their practice and intuition. To overcome these problems, a dynamic model supporting vendors with time axis has been developed which is not always crisp, rather it involves a high degree of fuzziness and uncertainty. The authors use fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to propose the decision model.

The research provides a mathematical system that captures the uncertainties associated with human cognitive processes in order to select the vendor. The findings of this study provide meaningful and advanced knowledge to decision makers by demonstrating a simple, efficient method to enhance the ability to predict an appropriate vendor period wise.

This research provides detailed step‐by‐step procedures to choose the best vendor selection and evaluation under uncertainty with time axis in a supply chain. It will be of value to other researchers and the department members in any firm who are responsible for selecting the vendor.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges facing corporate communication professionals and researchers, and to introduce the issues presented in the papers from the CCI Conference on Corporate Communication 2008 published in this special issue.

This paper presents a discussion of the issues raised in the special issue papers.

Discussion of the future of the corporate communication profession in the wake of the global fiscal crisis.

This paper implies several areas for further research.

This paper implies strategic knowledge of business processes and practice for effective corporate communication.

This paper articulates complex challenges facing corporate communicators.