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To propose and test an augmented collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (A‐CPFR) model in a retailer‐supplier context with a view to improving forecasting accuracy and then reducing the “bullwhip effect” in the supply chain.

After a literature review, the paper presents a real case in which the present authors provided assistance. The description of the case includes: case company background; an “as‐is” model analysis; a “to‐be” (CPFR) model analysis; and a description of the results and potential benefits. The paper then proposes an A‐CPFR model for the case and performs a simulation of the new model for comparison with the existing CPFR model.

The results show that the mean absolute deviation of forecasting and the inventory variance are both better in the proposed model than in the existing CPFR model. The proposed model can thus improve the accuracy of sales forecasting, reduce inventory levels, and reduce the “bullwhip effect”.

In addition to information provided by the retailer, a logistics supplier should also obtain competitors' promotional information from the market as another factor for forecasting – thus enabling timely responses to demand fluctuations.

The proposed model is an original and useful development on the existing CPFR model. It could become a reference model for the retail industry in implementing CPFR in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to discover strategic implications and successful factors leading to the development of an attractive model for other firms to follow based on a typical case study.

This paper used a case study methodology to examine the case of a business‐to‐business (B2B) collaborative information system based on the first textile company in Taiwan to implement a RosettaNet‐like for B2B process integration.

The results showed that some key success factors included: support and understanding from the entire team, simple process redesign, standard process development, government support, distinctive operation collaboration model, total support from top management, and an effective and experienced team.

Managerial implications are as follows: employ vertical process integration to quickly exchange data, establish a platform to share information, establish vendor‐managed inventory (VMI) to lower costs, and a cross‐organization centre to effectively operate the platform.

The complete information structure provided in this case, the distinctive collaborative and the proposed implementation models can all serve as a reference for other enterprises whose size, scope and information technology level are similar to the focal firm in this case.

The purposes of this study were to formulate a hierarchical table of factors that influence adoption of an inter-organization system (IOS) by enterprises and to apply multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tools to find the weights of these factors and to objectively identify the critical success factors (CSFs) for the adoption of IOSs by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This study first used a literature review to collect the factors that affect an enterprise’s adoption of an IOS and then constructed a three-level hierarchical table of these factors, based on a technology – organization – environment framework. Fuzzy analytic hierarchy processing was used, based on the returned questionnaires, to determine the weights of the factors. The concept of VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) acceptable advantage was used to objectively identify the CSFs of SMEs that have adopted an IOS.

This study identifies six CSFs of SMEs that have adopted an IOS: industry knowledge and experience, the degree of application of information technology within the industry, system safety, the organizational infrastructure, customer relationships and ease of use. In addition, four findings are proposed.

The work has studied, in depth, the factors that influence the adoption of an IOS by SMEs and identified four practice implications that provide a useful guideline for SMEs when they plan to adopt an IOS.

The identification of CSFs is also an MCDM problem. However, very few previous articles have used MCDM tools to identify the CSFs. This study adopted MCDM tools to objectively identify these CSFs and determine their appropriate weights. The results can help the managers of SMEs allocate their resources, according to the weighting of these CSFs, when they are making plans to adopt an IOS.

Business process reengineering (BPR) has been widely applied in many enterprises. However, most cases have targeted large enterprises. In Taiwan, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for at least 95 per cent of all enterprises, have played an extremely important role in Taiwan’s economic growth. The question of whether those SMEs can successfully implement BPR in order to strengthen their management structure is an important issue. Undertakes a detailed case study of an SME whose profits had fallen dramatically and which successfully implemented organizational restructuring (OR). Discovers that, although the SME in question did not make use of information technology to achieve the goal of organizational restructuring, by adopting use of BPR concepts and methods it achieved its goal of transformation. The model used for the implementation procedure of OR should provide a useful reference for other SMEs in Taiwan seeking to achieve perpetual operation, because most SMEs will eventually encounter similar problems.

The purpose of this study is to comprehensively examine the factors that influence the adoption of radio frequency identification (RFID) in the logistics industry in Taiwan, and to objectively identify the key factors (KFs) for successful adoption.

First, the factors were collected from a review of the literature, and then arranged in a three-layer hierarchical table. The fuzzy analytic hierarchical process (FAHP) was then used to determine the weighting of each factor, based on the opinions of various logistics professionals. The acceptable advantage concept of VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) was then used to identify the KFs.

Nine important factors were identified from the total of eighteen factors, with a total accumulative weight of 64.68 percent, and from these, four KFs were determined: meeting the demands of clients, sharing real-time information, creating advantages in overall delivery, and reducing operational errors.

The results show that the logistics industry in Taiwan should focus on the improvement of four KFs when adopting RFID. Eight practical implications of this study are also discussed in the paper.

This study used multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tools to obtain the importance (weighting) of each factor and to identify the KFs that influence the adoption of RFID. The research results can serve as a reference for the logistics industry, enabling firms to better allocate their resources when adopting RFID, and thus, to achieve a good outcome at lower cost and with greater efficiency.

To build assembly machines to best suit the needs of anticipated production, machine builders need to spend much time deciding what type of machine system and control system to select and what kinds of devices to use in material handling. Especially when an expert builder leaves a company, knowledge goes with him and is lost to the company. Therefore, retention of valuable information in the form of a knowledge base is a very desirable resource. The purpose of this paper is to develop a computer‐based expert system that can be used as a consulting system by assembly machine builders to conquer the above difficulties. This expert system collects expert assembly machine knowledge and experience. Then, an evaluation is performed to ensure accuracy and reliability, and performance is evaluated by building a practical product. The expert system is found to be a valuable tool, providing significant information for machine builders.

To present a three‐layer hierarchical structure of the factors involved in adopting an electronic marketplace (EM) model and to examine the relative weightings given to various strategic factors by the securities industry (SI) and the heavy electric machinery industry in Taiwan.

A literature review and a review of nine Taiwanese industries allow the formulation of a three‐layer hierarchical structure of adoption factors. A fuzzy analytic hierarchical process (AHP) is then undertaken to ascertain the relative weightings of factors that affect entry to an EM in two of these industries which are studied in more detail.

The weights of “proactive” factors are found to be greater than those of “defensive” factors. For example, contrary to previous findings in this area, the “risk of adopting new technology” is not found to be the major factor influencing decision making. Various factors are found to have different routes of influence in determining decision making in different industries.

Enterprises that appreciate the weightings of factors to be considered will be able to facilitate the adoption of an EM model with lower costs and greater efficiency.

The study provides novel and reliable information about strategic factors that are involved in corporate decisions about entering an EM.

This study proposes an integrated collaborative web site among government agencies to enhance customer satisfaction with the service quality of government agencies.

The present authors invited all involved public‐sector agencies to integrate their service processes into a model of one‐stop shopping and established collaborative mechanism for providing customized service.

The present study has identified five factors that were critical for success in such an undertaking. These factors included: establishing appropriate regulations for the implementation process; designing a viable collaborative‐service system; establishing a closely connected virtual organization; ensuring the participation of senior managers from all agencies; and obtaining the cooperation of the facilitators from various agencies (including appropriate merit and bonus incentives).

The real challenge for establishing the collaborative‐service web site was managerial – in combining the service processes of a dozen or more agencies to make the model work. Managerial issues that need to be addressed were the design of service processes, the overall organizational structure, the establishment of audit and supervision procedures, and the establishment an operational model for the web site.

This web site serves as a successful “one‐stop‐shopping” model that increases customer satisfaction with the service quality of government agencies. This study provides information for other government agencies that might wish to establish similar collaborative models to enhance service in the public sector.

The national customer satisfaction index (NCSI) shows that these indices compare and estimate the competitiveness and financial benefits for countries and industries. However, general enterprise uses the concepts of NCSI deficiently in the practice of CS activities. This paper will express the latent variables in the NCSI models of different countries in order to highlight all the efforts companies have made in promoting CS activities to win customers’ satisfaction and loyalty. Through the successful experience of a Taiwanese company, the relationship between the NCSI and the various concrete issues within the CS program is compared. Also, this article proposes the concept of a “matching rate” to show how the necessary concrete issues of all CS activities must link with the latent variables of NCSI. Finally, the managerial implications of the matching rate are explained, and it is suggested how an enterprise can use the rate to draw up the strategy of the CS program.

The adoption of automation has been suggested as one source to establish the competitiveness of manufacturing industries. The importance of government's role in promoting the automation adoption has been recognized. The Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan has been promoting the “Manufacturing Automation Promotion Policy (MAPP)” for more than 10 years. From the perspective of the government agent, whether the MAPP was effective is the most concerned issue. However, there is no research on evaluating the performance of MAPP undertaken by the government. This study aims to fill the gap.

This study employed survey method; and a questionnaire was delivered to prospect respondents through the IDB promotion team.

According to the analytical results, it was found that responding department has a significant impact on understanding automation policy and the need for technical personnel; enterprise size significantly affects needs for technical personnel.

The research findings show, by implication, that the MAPP conducted by the Taiwan's IDB has been effective to a certain degree. Several suggestions for further advancing the effectiveness of the MAPP are made.

This study is the first research to examine the performance effectiveness of MAPP conducted by Taiwan's IDB. After a comprehensive literature, this study suggests that the program effectiveness can be evaluated in terms of awareness of MAPP, understanding of MAPP, benefits of MAPP, perceiving automation policy as incentive, needs for policy assistance, and needs for technical personnel.