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Article
Publication date: 1 July 1988

Michael J. Showalter and Vincent A. Mabert

With the increasing emphasis on improving service sector staff scheduling, many organisations have turned to employing part‐time staff in greater numbers. Operating managers need…

Abstract

With the increasing emphasis on improving service sector staff scheduling, many organisations have turned to employing part‐time staff in greater numbers. Operating managers need to schedule this staff in an efficient manner to cover the highly variable demand that is commonly present. This study demonstrates a number of important factors that influence how well staff schedules can be matched against variable demand. Four heuristic staff scheduling procedures are examined that provide optimal, or near optimal, staff schedules under different operating conditions. It is shown that variability in demand controls the number of excess staff hours scheduled, and that the smaller the number of daily shift hours and/or the number of days worked per week, the lower will be the level of excess staff hours scheduled.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 8 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 November 2008

Charles A. Watts, Vincent A. Mabert and Nathan Hartman

While past IT investment research has looked at a number of important factors, one issue that needs to be resolved in supply chain IT is the ability of different types of software…

1436

Abstract

Purpose

While past IT investment research has looked at a number of important factors, one issue that needs to be resolved in supply chain IT is the ability of different types of software to improve a firm's productivity or sales. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to investigate which factors influence the number and types of supply chain bolt‐ons systems that are used by companies to improve system functionality.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 2,000 questionnaires and personalized cover letters were mailed to qualified individuals who were selected from APICS's active membership and employed in manufacturing firms in the USA and 187 useful responses (a 9.3 per cent return rate) were obtained.

Findings

The results were encouraging and they indicated the use of bolt‐ons were most common in large firms, firms with defined plans and objectives, firms with existing ERP systems, and firms who believe that the application of best practices is of maximum importance. Most importantly, Bolt‐on usage did not seem to be impacted by recent sales or productivity increases, but was instead a result of a critical need in the supply chain.

Research limitations/implications

This research used a single survey methodology and all measures were collected at single point in time. This may limit its generalizability to all time periods and conditions.

Practical implications

Investment in supply chain IT like all strategic initiatives does not end with its installation and implementation but requires continuous improvement. Bolt‐ons seem to be one way firms customize their systems to optimize performance and develop a competitive advantage.

Originality/value

The paper employed a survey study approach to examine investments in Bolt‐on technologies used to supplement and/or augment ERPs across a wide variety of companies. This is a particular novel research area because much of the existing ERP research has focused almost exclusively on ERP deployment and integration with other systems; while relatively little research has focused on those key Bolt‐on systems that might be needed to enhance ERP systems once they have been installed.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 28 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 1992

William L. Berry and Vincent A. Mabert

Describes an integrative microcomputer‐based exercise, ITEC, usedin teaching manufacturing strategy and manufacturing planning andcontrol courses. The exercise allows students the…

Abstract

Describes an integrative microcomputer‐based exercise, ITEC, used in teaching manufacturing strategy and manufacturing planning and control courses. The exercise allows students the opportunity to gain actual experience in making strategic decisions in manufacturing and in managing the flow of materials in complex operations. It gives students experience in making process choice decisions, and reinforces their understanding of the difference between the planning and execution decisions necessary to manage manufacturing operations using MRPII planning logic under dynamic conditions. It provides experience in managing both batch and line operations and is useful in demonstrating the introduction of Just‐in‐Time manufacturing. The exercise also provides experience in scheduling and co‐ordinating vendor operations to support manufacturing requirements. Because of the uncertainty in customer demand, process yields and vendor deliveries, students gain insight and facility in managing complex operations with imperfect information. Outlines the structure of ITEC, its educational benefits, and its application within undergraduate, masters and executive education classes.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 12 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 May 2010

Tobias Schoenherr, Ditmar Hilpert, Ashok K. Soni, M.A. Venkataramanan and Vincent A. Mabert

The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding about drivers of enterprise systems complexity (ESC), as well as its multi‐faceted conceptualization.

2208

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding about drivers of enterprise systems complexity (ESC), as well as its multi‐faceted conceptualization.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies were conducted among German Mittelstand companies by an international research team. A grounded theory approach was followed, with the first phase of the case studies being exploratory, and the second phase being more focused.

Findings

Case study findings suggest that ESC is a multi‐dimensional construct consisting of the following dimensions: seamlessness, adoption date, number of integrated subsystems, system type/composition, number of functional areas linked, and number of users. Drivers of ESC identified via the case studies include the multi‐dimensional constructs of competition, complexity of processes, complexity of products, global operations, and the firm's customer base. Grounded theory development is used to conceptualize the measures of these drivers. Founded in these exploratory observations propositions for future research are developed.

Originality/value

The research reports on the experiences of companies with enterprise systems (ES), and explores organizational factors determining system complexity; as a sampling frame Mittelstand companies in Southwest Germany are chosen, making this study one of the few exploring ES within this context. The paper also places ESC within theoretical domains, especially the STS theory. The conceptualization of ESC and its antecedents presented provides a starting point for future academic research into this area.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2001

Rosemary Cravotta and Brian H. Kleiner

Provides a brief history of the ways companies have reduced staffing in the past. Considers the difficulties experienced during these reduction programmes. Discusses the effects…

462

Abstract

Provides a brief history of the ways companies have reduced staffing in the past. Considers the difficulties experienced during these reduction programmes. Discusses the effects that new style company and structures have had with their flatter shapes. Suggests that not all expected benefits of downsizing are realized and asks at what cost to society? Concludes by looking at the effect this procedure has on the remaining workforce and lists the ten common mistakes which companies should avoid.

Details

Management Research News, vol. 24 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0140-9174

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 July 2014

Oguji Nnamdi and Richard Owusu

The purpose of this paper is to explore the scope of sourcing research in Sub-Sahara African (SSA) from scholarly journals published from 1980 to 2013 on sourcing-related issues…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the scope of sourcing research in Sub-Sahara African (SSA) from scholarly journals published from 1980 to 2013 on sourcing-related issues. The study identifies what is known about sourcing from this region and the implications for managers and researchers in supply chain management.

Design/methodology/approach

Totally, 40 scholarly journals (supply chain journals and other journals publishing on diverse business topics) were found relevant and reviewed. Content (all field) search using the names of each SSA countries (e.g. Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, etc.) was carried out in the supply chain journals to filter out articles discussing sourcing-related topics. For other business journals, keyword search was performed (procurement, sourcing, purchasing, outsourcing, supplier relations, supplier selection, supplier development, supply management, offshore, supply chain and logistics).

Findings

The literature review suggests that studies discussing sourcing issues in SSA have focussed mainly on challenges of sourcing from SSA, and they provide some insights on implementation of supply chain tools such as total quality management, negotiating and selecting suppliers from SSA, and just-in time purchasing. However, the authors found that there is an under-representation of this region in supply chain management literature. More so, the articles discussing sourcing issues in Africa are limited in scope empirically and theoretically in comparison with the large amount of contributions in other emerging economies of Asia and developed economies.

Research limitations/implications

The limited amount of publications and contributions does not allow us to provide an integrated framework for sourcing from SSA.

Practical implications

There is a need for future research to explore how the SSA context could enhance theorizing in supply chains. Also, there is need for researchers to extend the sourcing debate from the over emphasis on technology sourcing, knowledge intensive service outsourcing and component sourcing to other lower value-added products such as agricultural products and other raw materials sourced in SSA.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to explore the scope of sourcing in Africa. As the findings suggest, there have been limited amount of papers published about this region. The review provides a perspective for researchers to explore this region and to aid theory development in supply chains. It also provided implications on how to support research publication focussing on this region and how to inform managerial perceptions on sourcing from SSA.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2015

Manojkumar Vithalrao Dalvi and Ravi Kant

Supplier development (SD) is a kind of collaboration among a buyer and a supplier to seek constant improvement in supplier performance and capabilities to provide better quality…

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Abstract

Purpose

Supplier development (SD) is a kind of collaboration among a buyer and a supplier to seek constant improvement in supplier performance and capabilities to provide better quality, on-time delivery of products and services at lower cost. The purpose of this paper is to exhibit and summarize the important aspects of SD benefits, SD criteria and SD activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The review of SD aspects is based on 72 papers published from 1991 to till date in academic databases namely Science Direct, Emerald, Springer-Link Journals and IEEE Xplore with “supplier development” and “vendor development” as keywords.

Findings

Through the literature review, this paper brings up the analysis of aforementioned aspect of SD in detail and put forth 43 SD benefits, 23 SD criteria and 9 SD activities. This paper also presents the important SD benefits, SD criteria and SD activities based on the occurrence in literature.

Research limitations/implications

The literature on practical difficulties for implementation of SD activities, and trade-off between benefits and risk associated with SD activities are seldom available.

Originality/value

This paper presents a literature review on three crucial aspects namely SD benefits, SD criteria and SD activities. The SD benefits, SD criteria and SD activities are identified according to their level of importance. The main contribution of this paper is to draw together three above mentioned important aspects of SD.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 June 2022

David Dreyfus and Anand Nair

Drawing on normal accident and high-reliability organizational theories, this study examines the impact of magnitude and likelihood of disruptions on surgical procedure…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on normal accident and high-reliability organizational theories, this study examines the impact of magnitude and likelihood of disruptions on surgical procedure performance. More importantly, the authors investigate the moderating role played by information exchange and risk management infrastructure in mitigating the negative effect of disruption on performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A nationwide multi-respondent survey was administered to operating room personnel to collect information on their experiences with disruptions experienced in surgeries. The survey data are analyzed to examine the relationship between operational disruptions and procedure performance. Additionally, the moderating roles of risk management infrastructure and information exchange on the relationship between disruptions and performance are investigated. The results obtained from the empirical analysis are validated using data from an ethnographic investigation of surgeries at a major hospital.

Findings

The results show that both the magnitude and the likelihood of a disruption adversely impact procedure performance. Interestingly, the authors find that risk management infrastructure and information exchange play different roles in mitigating the effect of disruptions on performance. The authors find that while risk management infrastructure helps mitigate the effect of magnitude of service disruptions, information exchange helps reduce the effects of likelihood of disruptions. The findings lend strong support to the theoretical assertions. By means of the participant–observer data collected from over 100 surgeries as part of the ethnographic investigation, the authors validate the key findings. The findings suggest that disruptions are common occurrences in surgical settings, but their performance impact may be lessened or altogether avoided with the proper information and risk management mechanisms in place.

Originality/value

This survey research extends the understanding of risk management by considering a context that is highly prone to disruptions. The authors adopt existing constructs pertaining to supply chain disruptions within this context and find new insights. The findings of the study show differential roles played by information exchange and risk management infrastructure in mitigating disruptions. This nuanced understanding provides directions for aligning efforts towards risk mitigation in surgical settings in a more focused way. This study supplements findings from survey data analysis with an examination of data collected by means of ethnographic investigation.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 42 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2010

Kannan Govindan, Devika Kannan and A. Noorul Haq

The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to identify and rank the criteria used for the supplier development using interpretative structural modeling (ISM).

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to identify and rank the criteria used for the supplier development using interpretative structural modeling (ISM).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a framework to analyze the interactions among the criteria such as competitive pressure, evaluation and certification system, incentives, supplier development programs, inter‐organizational communication, buyer‐supplier relationship, supplier commitment, supplier performance, asset specificity, joint action, trust, long‐term strategic goals, top management support, purchasing performance, and supplier strategic objective for the supplier development using ISM. The developed framework is illustrated using a case study taken in an automobile firm.

Findings

The paper contributes to research in supply chain management (SCM) and particularly in supplier development. Research in the area of SCM has intensified in recent years for a number of reasons. Managers have now realized that actions taken by one member of the chain can influence the responsiveness, efficiency and profitability of the complete supply chain. Firms are increasingly thinking in terms of competing as part of a supply chain against other supply chains, rather than as a single firm against other individual firms.

Research limitations/implications

Since the proposed framework is applied for only a single company, further studies can be done using the same framework for several companies in India. This will provide a better understanding of how the variables that influence supplier development are affected in different types of industry.

Practical implications

Managers can use the proposed framework to develop better relationships with suppliers and to create management responses that influence and improve their relationships with them.

Originality/value

This paper uses 15 criteria to propose a framework for the supplier development and also finds the interactions between the criteria which influence the most and the least to improve the relationship with the suppliers.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 110 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

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