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Introduces a framework for integrating the operations management and marketing approaches within a service operation. Focuses on customer satisfaction with waiting time, with the aim of providing improved satisfaction for a given level of resources. Provides an application of this methodology by presenting an example in the fast food industry. Concludes with suggestions for extending such a framework to other service organizations.

Using a two‐round Delphi process among 92 manufacturing managers from around the world, assesses the appropriateness of a variety of performance measures. The Delphi process used a survey technique that was pioneered by Dixon, Nanni, and Vollmann to highlight gaps (high perceived importance to the company but low weight in the performance measurement system) and false alarms (low perceived importance to the company but high weight in the performance measurement system). Direct cost reduction, machine efficiency, and labour efficiency are almost universally seen as false alarms. On the other hand, new product introduction, customer satisfaction, and employee involvement are frequently revealed to be gaps, although with less consistency. Cross‐industry comparisons are a distinctive feature of this research.

Well over 50 per cent of a manufacturing company′s resources are found in Operations. Long‐ and short‐term success demands deploying these resources – money, time, material and people – on the right problems and their solution. Unfortunately, traditional accounting‐driven performance measurements are not doing enough to facilitate this. Nowadays, the numbers often hinder rather than help execute business strategy effectively. Frontline managers perceive, rightly, that the cognitive overload accumulating in their “in” boxes has little relevance to business success. Differences of opinion occur between various management levels and/or functional areas over what is really important, and whether or not the system measures the strategy. Resolving these differences can get the whole company executing the business strategy as a team.

The manufacturing strategy literature suggests a number of areas in which decisions are of strategic importance. This study uses a survey of manufacturing executives from 213 business units in the United States to explore empirically the concept of strategic decision categories and improvement programmes that are related to each category. The concerns expressed by the 213 manufacturing executives are categorised and are shown to correspond fairly well with the strategic decision categories from the literature. The survey responses to questions about plans for programmes and activities to improve manufacturing over the next 2 years are also categorised. The relationships between planned programme categories and the strategic concerns that underlie them are explored and summarised.

Large manufacturers in Western Europe, North America and Japan show similarities and differences in their manufacturing strategies. A survey of nearly 1,500 large manufacturers in these areas shows that they all place major emphasis on new products, quality and the use of computer power in manufacturing. The differences in the pattern of strategic directions and priorities for manufacturers in each area are observed, and the implementation of manufacturing strategies discussed. Vulnerable elements in the pattern of dominant manufacturing strategies are observed. In the 1990s Japanese manufacturing management is likely to be focused on balancing the need for change with the need to preserve existing capabilities and strengths. The Americans will focus on fundamental approaches to quality control and sophisticated computer‐based information systems. European manufacturers will focus on the need for structural changes in the organisation, workforce and technology. All regions will be faced with a shortage of people with the various skills required to implement new technologies.

Five hundred financial executives from North American companies were surveyed by means of a mailed questionnaire to gain a view from outside the operations functions of the basis on which aggregate inventory decisions are taken. The response indicated that more functions than might have been expected were involved in the process of determining inventory levels and, partly because of this, policy tended to be of a shorter rather than longer term nature.

Outlines the concept of material requirements planning (MRP), showing how the tool offers management the capability to identify the products that were actually going to be produced. Explains how the system formalized and integrated various production and strategic requirements while quantifying usable output in an efficient manner. Considers the development of MRP II and how this encompasses several identifiable variables including reduced inventory, improved customer service, improved direct labour productivity and reduced purchased costs. Provides some practical examples of application.

A theoretical model for MRP implementation is presented. Much has been written about MRP and its introduction into an organisation, but the low overall success rate of implementation shows the poor level of understanding and control of the implementation process itself. The basic MRP system, its derivatives and the need for a model are discussed. The results of successful implementation such as reduced inventory and improved customer service level are discussed. This model could also be applied to other organisation‐wide systems, such as Just‐in‐Time manufacturing, if modified.

A comprehensive review of the literature for the problem of lot‐size scheduling (serial and assembly) considering the uncapacitated problem and complicated capacitated assembly manufacturing structure. Analyses the different solution techniques and findings for each product set.

This article describes the use of mixed methods in the context of e‐business enabled organisational transformation in a strategic business unit of a multinational corporation. It includes a theoretical reasoning as to why mixed methods were used and a description of the role of qualitative research in this research agenda. The article begins by examining the research paradigm, leading to the use of mixed methods and the design process of the actual mixed methods. In giving a roadmap in a contextual setting, the article addresses the need for including studies from the initial conceptual development to its application.