QoS in the internal supply chain: the next lever of competitive advantage and organisational performance

This article presents a research that examines the relationship of quality of service (QoS) and organisational performance in a manufacturing setting. There are few empirical studies that measure QoS in the manufacturing supply chain. A model linking QoS with organisational performance through intermediate variables of satisfaction, loyalty and competitive advantage is introduced and tested in the internal supply chain of three automotive organisations. The research design for this article includes a combination of literature review, exploratory interviews with scholars and practitioners, and a survey of 156 practitioners in three automotive companies in North India. Structural equation modelling has been used for data analysis. This research comes out with four factor scale for internal service quality and six-factor scale for external service quality. The research revealed that employee-driven QoS is a source of value addition that is positively linked with the organisational performance. This study would be of interest to manufacturing industry practitioners interested in internal and external service quality improvements. Future researchers could validate this scale, and empirically test the proposed model.     

Organizational modifications to support JIT implementation in manufacturing and service operations

This study investigates JIT implementation practices and performance in manufacturing and service organizations in the US. Literature related to JIT usage and performance in both sectors is reviewed. A field study is then conducted to investigate the actual implementation experiences of a selected group of service and manufacturing users of JIT. Our findings from the literature and the field study are used to develop four research hypotheses that are tested using survey data from 130 manufacturing and 61 service firms. Manufacturing and service firms that had engaged in modifications such as operator and management training and improving linkages with suppliers prior to implementing their JIT systems experienced less implementation problems and achieved higher levels of success than firms that placed less emphasis on these modifications. This paper details and discusses these and other results from our study. In addition, managerial implications of our findings are presented.     

制造企业潜在服务价值创造及其流程再造——东方汽轮机厂案例研究

制造企业存在潜在的服务价值流并与显性价值活动是相互交融的,为了实现服务价值制造企业需要进行服务流程再造。首先,在传统管理模式向服务的价值结构转变过程中,制造企业要注意"推"和"拉"流程的结合;其次,制造企业需要设计和构建面向顾客的服务价值链;第三,制造企业必须将各环节"链"起来形成一个有机整体,实现"服务化"。最后,以我国一家国有大型发电设备制造企业——东方汽轮机厂为例,阐述了制造企业服务创新过程,探讨了其如何构建和再造服务价值流程。     

INTRODUCTION: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE OPERATIONS

The challenges and opportunities in production and operations management (POM) are almost unlimited because in the world economy, manufacturing andservice operations account for more than 10 trillion dollars per year and in any single industry, the performance varies widely from country to country and from organization to organization. The goal of Production and Operations Management is to contribute to improving the management of manufacturing and service operations all over the world. The editors and reviewers judge the papers published in the journal for their contribution to improving of business practices and to further closeness between research and practice. The journal will publish high quality papers on a broad range of topics in POM, and it encourages all paradigms, old and new. We also invite managers from around the world to describe specific POM problems that provide challenging opportunities for academic research.     

The Baumol Gap Revisited. An econometric analysis of the productivity differential between U.K. manufacturing and service firms, 1982–1989

The gap in productivity growth between manufacturing and service sectors is analyzed at company level using a panel of 328 British companies. This paper evaluates differences in the rate of growth of technological progresss (“Baumol gap”) in manufacturing and service companies, taking full account of the impact of changes in market competition, union recognition and financial position of firms. The empirical results suggest: (i) the gap in total factor productivity is significant and negative for distribution, lodging and catering sectors, positive but less significant for transport and communication sectors; (ii) the technological gap is higher than the gap in labour productivity; (iii) the gap can be attributed to technological factors, and it is invariant to the use of firm–level variables that capture effects on workers and managers effort; (iv) the estimate of total factor productivity growth in manufacturing and services is slightly influenced by these variables.     

The impact of knowledge properties on international manufacturing transfer performance

Abstract

This paper examines how knowledge properties of a manufacturing activity transfer in international manufacturing network impact performance during the transfer itself and after steady state has been reached. Hierarchical regression was used to test the relationship on survey data from 178 companies. Knowledge properties as a group was significantly affected by both performance measures when controlling for the effects of sender unit experience, sender unit size and receiver unit experience. The activities transferred thus impact the success of the transfer. The control variables of sender unit experience and receiver unit experience have their relatively strongest performance effects after steady state has been reached. Independency was the single knowledge property dimensions with the strongest relative performance effect. This is one of the first survey studies to cover both the performance of the transfer itself and after reaching steady state of manufacturing transfers. Several strands of further research were therefore identified.     

Measuring business performance in the high-tech manufacturing industry: A case study of Taiwan's large-sized TFT-LCD panel companies

The nature of competition in the high-technology manufacturing industry has changed dramatically over the last two decades, and any of the traditional indicators of business performance are insufficient today. We have identified a new set of financial and non-financial performance indicators that can be used by high-tech manufacturing companies and have developed a business performance evaluation model. A data envelopment analysis (DEA), an analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach are used in the model. Data from large-sized thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display panel companies in Taiwan were collected via a field survey and from various published databases and were fed into the model to determine the relative business performance of the companies. We hope that our findings will help high-tech manufacturing executives determine their companies’ strengths and weaknesses and lead to future improvements in business operations.     

Linking Perceived Quality and Customer Satisfaction to Store Traffic and Revenue Growth*

Effects of perceived merchandise and service quality, relative to competition, on retail store performance are investigated using store traffic and revenue growth as outcome variables. A model is proposed and tested using aggregate customer data and store performance outcomes from a group of stores owned by a national retail organization. Results suggest that both service and merchandise quality exert significant influence on store performance, measured by sales growth and customer growth, and their impact is mediated by customer satisfaction. Implications of the results and future research directions are discussed.     

基于服务化的制造企业与服务提供商的演化博弈分析

制造企业从传统制造向服务型制造转变是其转型升级、提升竞争力的重要路径之一。而企业在转型过程中受自身资源约束,往往需要服务提供商的配合。本文在构建制造企业与服务企业的收益函数基础上,建立两方非对称演化博弈模型,探究制造企业与服务提供商合作实施服务化策略的规律,并运用MATLAB仿真,深入研究相关因素对制造企业与服务提供商合作实施服务化策略的影响作用。研究表明,制造企业对服务提供商所提供服务的依赖度、服务化制造企业与未服务化制造企业间的差异化竞争度、双方合作前后的收益和成本、合作不成功造成的损失、收益的分配等因素是合作意愿的重要影响因素,且差异化竞争度比服务依赖度对合作意愿的影响作用更强烈、与收益相比博弈主体对成本的变化更敏感、服务提供商更易动摇合作的意愿、存在最优的收益分配系数使制造企业与服务提供商采取合作策略的意愿最强。     

Design of Stockless Production Systems

In make‐to‐stock production systems finished goods are produced in anticipation of demand. By contrast, in stockless production systems finished goods are not produced until demand is observed. In this study we investigate the problem of designing a multi‐item manufacturing system, where there is both demand‐ and production‐related uncertainty, so that stockless operation will be optimal for all items. For the problem of interest, we focus on gaining an understanding of the effect of two design variables: (i) manufacturing speed—measured by the average manufacturing rate or, equivalently, the average unit manufacturing time, and (ii) manufacturing consistency—measured by the variation in unit manufacturing times. We establish conditions on these two variables that decision makers can use to design stockless production systems. Managerial implications of the conditions are also discussed.     

A new method for order release

A new method for determining when to release jobs into a probabilistic manufacturing line is described. This new heuristic releases jobs only if their predicted waiting times are sufficiently estimated using simulation. Moreover, we use simulation to examine the performance of this heuristic and others CONWIP, Starvation Avoidance for a manufacturing flow line with exponential machine processing, failure, and repair times. The reasons why it is appropriate to compare order release mechanisms using tradeoff curves of lead time versus customer service are described. The simulation experiments show that the new 'waiting time heuristic' is superior to other order release mechanisms in situations where low lead time is required. small. Waiting times are     

On Inventory Abatement via Manufacturing Randomness Reductions*

Under a continuous improvement framework, the policy of abating inventory via reductions in manufacturing randomness is considered. To explore this policy, a model of a real-world production-inventory system is developed, tested, and studied. The results suggest that manufacturing randomness reductions, even substantial ones, may not necessarily lead to inventory abatement, and paradoxically may lead sometimes to an inventory increase. In these cases, however, manufacturing randomness reductions will translate into higher customer service levels.     

云制造创新生态系统知识共享激励的演化博弈分析

为了有效解决云制造创新生态系统知识共享不通畅的问题,分析不同情况下,关键因素对创新主体策略选择的影响及演化路径。基于有限理性和利益最大化原则,运用演化博弈理论,分析云制造服务集成商与供应商在知识共享激励过程中的策略选择,得出不同参数限制条件下的演化均衡策略,并对知识共享激励这一动态合作过程进行演化稳定性分析。研究表明：①云制造服务集成商的知识存量转化的收益、知识共享意愿、对供应商的信任程度、激励成本越大,云制造服务供应商的知识吸收能力越大,系统越倾向于向(不激励,参与)的路径演化;②云制造服务供应商的知识共享成本越大,系统越倾向于向(激励,不参与)的路径演化;③云制造服务供应商缴纳的罚金越大,系统越倾向于向(激励,参与)的路径演化。依据以上研究结论,提出了一些提升云制造创新生态系统知识共享绩效的对策建议,为云制造创新生态系统成员间的知识共享提供了理论指导。     

The impact of service R&D on the performance of Korean information communication technology small and medium enterprises

In recent years, research and development (R&D) in the service industry has attracted a great deal of attention from both academia and industrial firms. However, compared to the manufacturing sector, little research exists on the implications of R&D for the financial and/or non-financial performance of firms in the service industry. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of service R&D on the performance of information communication technology (ICT) firms. We identify five categories of R&D activities and investigate their impact on the financial and non-financial performance of 100 ICT firms, with a focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea. We postulate positive relationships between R&D efforts and a firm's performance. However, the findings only partially support our hypotheses; unexpected results demonstrate that the presence of R&D management negatively influences a firm's performance. We present detailed statistical results and discuss the implications of the study.     

服务与制造的历次大讨论剖析和服务型制造的提出

剖析了过去20多年来对服务和制造发展优先顺序的历次大讨论,并从出现的动因、经济发展背景、讨论的主要问题、结论和事后效果等角度分析了曾经出现的历次讨论热潮.中国服务业之所以没有形成所期望的发展态势,可能是对产业发展的客观规律、产业发展导向和国家实力之间的关系缺乏清晰的认识,以及对中国特殊国情和独特的发展道路认识不清所致.提出并阐述了服务型制造的概念和主要属性.强调在当前阶段中国仍然需要大力发展制造业,并密切关注制造业空心化和制造业大规模对外转移的风险,同时应大力发展以服务为导向的服务型制造模式,推动和实现中国制造的转型.     

基于学习与协同效应的云制造任务动态双边匹模型

云制造环境下的智能服务单元具有自适应学习能力,并通过社会关系与其他服务进行资源传递、信息共享交互,协作完成复杂制造项目。根据云平台上制造任务关联性与服务协同性的新特征,提出考虑学习与协同效应的制造任务双边匹配决策方法。由于云交易的重复性、动态性,服务通过多次参与任务积累知识提升服务质量,构造基于学习效应模型的主体动态能力计算方法,运用期望效用理论聚合双方满意度。同时,应用协同网络刻画服务社会关系,基于社会网络理论计算服务间协同满意度。从而构建以任务、服务满意度、服务间协同满意度最大化的一对一双边匹配多目标模型。通过汽车云制造实例运算得到最优匹配方案,验证本文模型的有效性,并与一般双向匹配、考虑学习、考协同效应的3类模型比较,证明本文模型的优势,更符合实际制造场景要求。     

THE ECONOMICS OF CAPACITY AND MARKETING MEASURES IN A SIMPLE MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT

As manufacturing firms push to achieve shorter lead times and higher levels of customer service, the basic capability of underlying manufacturing processes must be reexamined. The capacity and operational variability of a process dictate a certain set of realistic performance goals. In this paper, we examine this fundamental relationship from an economic perspective using two levels of analysis. At the aggregate level, we model the manufacturing process as a single server queue and compare the traditional roles of marketing and manufacturing in setting performance and process design parameters. Insights gained at this level are incorporated into the analysis of a realistic multiserver, multistation manufacturing line. We develop an interaction decision tool to guide the selection of process and performance parameters in this more complex environment.     

An Entropy Measure of Flow Dominance for Predicting Operations Performance

The flow of jobs within a system is an important operating characteristic that influences system performance. While the majority of previous studies on manufacturing performance consider product flows only as an implicit parameter of the design, we introduce an explicit measure of flow dominance based on entropy and test its efficacy in predicting the performance of manufacturing systems. In computing entropy flow dominance (EFD), we aggregate information embedded in the routings of all products within a system into a single measure. EFD is designed to indicate on a 0–1 scale the level of flow dominance, where 1 represents a pure flow shop and 0 represents a pure job shop. The result is a simple measure that provides managers a way to explain and predict complex phenomena. Our experimental results indicate that EFD is a statistically significant determinant of manufacturing system performance. Furthermore, the model including EFD as an independent variable accurately predicts manufacturing system performance as measured by job flow time, flow time standard deviation, and work in process. We note that the same results can also apply to service systems, such as the “back‐room” low‐contact type systems, that have similar characteristics as manufacturing systems.     

Operator performance and subjective response in control of flexible manufacturing systems

In this study, allocation of functions and system size (number of machines) were manipulated to test their effects on operator performance and subjective response in a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). An experiment was conducted using a cross-over design with three independent variables: number of machines, task allocation, and sequence of task presentation. Operator performance was measured by response time, and subjective response assessed using two questionnaires. Physiological measures were also taken (EKG and respiratory rate). The results revealed that the number of machines in the system did not affect performance or subjective or physiological response while the effect of allocation level was significant for both performance and subjective response.     

Can you have your cake and eat it? Investigating trade-offs in the implementation of green initiatives

Abstract

Is it possible for manufacturing or service businesses that pursue green initiatives to ‘have it both ways’? In the words of some researchers in the corporate sustainability field, the answer is ‘no’. According to those authors, executives who attempt to implement a green agenda in their firms will encounter tensions/trade-offs at various levels and in different forms. Assessment of these trade-offs is a critical issue in the formulation and implementation of corporate sustainability strategies. Similarly, some authors in the operations management field affirm that, due to the limitations of all manufacturing and service systems, trade-offs in their operations are inevitable. In order to provide insights into these important issues, our paper investigates potential trade-offs in the implementation of a green initiative in a SME that manufactures cleaning products. The results show that there is a trade-off between the green initiative pursued by the SME and its overall production costs. Interestingly, once other problems were resolved, this trade-off did not stop the SME from implementing the green initiative. Important implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed, and opportunities for future investigations are outlined.