Managing Multiple Facets of Risk in New Product Alliances*

The trend of forming alliances to develop new products continues; however, many of these new product alliances fail. As such we explore how key risk types intrinsic in new product alliances, performance, relational, and knowledge appropriation risks, influence alliance success. Further, we theorize that different alliance governance mechanisms can reduce the negative impact of risks on alliance success. To disentangle possible heterogeneous factors across firms that may affect the interplay of risk assessments and the use of governance mechanisms, we employ latent class regression analysis on survey data collected from 128 new product alliance firms and find support for a two‐regime solution. Longer alliance relationships and lower technological turbulence are factors for some firms (regime one), while the opposite are factors for other firms (regime two). These two regimes show different patterns in the interplay of risk assessments and governance for alliance success. Our theory and results support viewing risk as a multiple‐factor concept and by understanding the different impacts of the risk types in new product alliances and how governance mechanisms mitigate such effects, we aid managers' decision making regarding the balance of contractual versus normative governance in new product alliances. Understanding the heterogeneous factors inherent in these complex relationships enables managers to understand the conditions in which various governance mechanisms promote new product alliance success.     

An exact method for shrinking pivot tables

Pivot tables are one of the most popular tools for data visualization in both business and research applications. Although they are in general easy to use, their comprehensibility becomes progressively lower when the quantity of cells to be visualized increases (i.e., information flooding problem). Pivot tables are largely adopted in OLAP, the main approach to multidimensional data analysis. To cope with the information flooding problem in OLAP, the shrink operation enables users to balance the size of query results with their approximation, exploiting the presence of multidimensional hierarchies. The only implementation of the shrink operator proposed in the literature is based on a greedy heuristic that, in many cases, is far from reaching a desired level of effectiveness.In this paper we propose a model for optimizing the implementation of the shrink operation which considers two possible problem types. The first type minimizes the loss of precision ensuring that the resulting data do not exceed the maximum allowed size. The second one minimizes the size of the resulting data ensuring that the loss of precision does not exceed a given maximum value. We model both problems as set partitioning problems with a side constraint. To solve the models we propose a dual ascent procedure based on a Lagrangian pricing approach, a Lagrangian heuristic, and an exact method. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approaches, that is compared with both the original greedy heuristic and a commercial general-purpose MIP solver.     

Ambidextrous Organizational Culture,Contextual Ambidexterity and New Product Innovation: A Comparative Study of UK and Chinese High‐tech Firms

Contextual ambidexterity is of paramount importance for new product innovation and organizational success, particularly in high‐tech firms operating in a dynamic environment. Whilst it is recognized that contextual ambidexterity is grounded in organizational culture, existing research has not crystallized what kind of organizational culture enables contextual ambidexterity and consequently new product innovation. In this paper, drawing on data from 150 UK and 242 Chinese high‐tech firms, we conceptualize ambidextrous organizational culture as a higher‐order construct consisting of organizational diversity and shared vision, and examine its impacts on contextual ambidexterity and consequently on new product innovation outcomes. Using structural equation modelling, we find significant relationships between ambidextrous organizational culture, contextual ambidexterity and new product innovation outcomes; contextual ambidexterity mediates the relationship between ambidextrous organizational culture and new product innovation outcomes. Our findings also suggest that the above relationships are robust in the UK–China comparative research context, and that contextual ambidexterity and new product innovation outcomes are dependent on business unit level heterogeneity (i.e. ambidextrous organizational culture and research and development strength) rather than industry or cross‐cultural differences.     

A ‘Rhizomic’ Model of Organizational Change and Transformation: Perspective from a Metaphysics of Change

We are not good at thinking movement. Our instinctive skills favour the fixed and the static, the separate and the self-contained. Taxonomies, hierarchies, systems and structures represent the instinctive vocabulary of institutionalized thought in its determined subordinating of flux, movement, change and transformation. Our dominant models of change in general and organizational change in particular are, therefore, paradoxically couched in the language of stasis and equilibrium. This paper seeks to offer an alternative model of change which, it is claimed, affords a better understanding of the inherent dynamic complexities and intrinsic indeterminacy of organization transformational processes.     

Designing computer models that work

The techniques of financial modelling are becoming more popular and accepted as a useful information processing tool. However, what is ‘financial modelling’ and does the term adequately describe current applications? Why has financial modelling been such a growth area and what are the benefits? Given a desire to build models, where does the manager begin? What type of system and language should be used and by whom? What type of computing facility is most suitable? Which modelling system should be selected and what features are important? As well as an increase in the number of financial modelling applications they are now more complex. What guidelines can one use when designing large and complex models? This article seeks to answer these questions, concentrating on the large and more complex models, particularly for long term planning and budgeting applications. Finally an example is given illustrating how a large modelling system can be constructed and maintained with little technical computer expertise.     

Data‐Driven Classification Using Boundary Observations

Classification is often a critical task for business managers in their decision‐making processes. It is generally more difficult for a classification scheme to produce accurate results when the input domains of the various output classes coincide, to some degree, with one another. In an attempt to address this issue, this article discusses a data‐driven algorithm that identifies the region of coincidence, or overlap, for two‐group classification problems by empirically determining the convex boundary for each group. The results are extendable to multigroup classification. The class membership of a new observation is then determined by its relative position with respect to each of these boundaries. Due to minimal data storage requirements, this boundary‐point classification technique can adapt to changing conditions far more easily than other approaches. Test results demonstrate that the new classification technique has similar performance to a back‐propagation neural network under static conditions and significantly outperforms a back‐propagation neural network under dynamic conditions.     

Organising the business processes of a product servitised supply chain: a value perspective

This paper develops a structured method from the perspective of value to organise and optimise the business processes of a product servitised supply chain (PSSC). This method integrates the modelling tool of e³value with the associated value measurement, evaluation and analysis techniques. It enables visualisation, modelling and optimisation of the business processes of a PSSC. At the same time, the value co-creation and potential contribution to an organisation’s profitability can also be enhanced. The findings not only facilitate organisations that are attempting to adopt servitisation by helping avert any paradox, but also help a servitised organisation to identify the key business processes and clarify their influences to supply chain operations.     

A characterisation of logistics networks for product recovery

Recovery of used products is receiving much attention recently due to growing environmental concern. Efficient implementation requires appropriate logistics structures to be set up for the arising goods flow from users to producers. We investigate the design of such logistics networks. As a basis for our analysis we review recent case studies on logistics network design for product recovery in different industries. We identify general characteristics of product recovery networks and compare them with traditional logistics structures. Moreover, we derive a classification scheme for different types of recovery networks.     

基于SVM的Web日志挖掘及潜在客户发现

潜在的客户资源是商家未来的利润来源,发现了潜在的客户就可以制定相应的商业决策,并进行有针对性的客户关系管理。使用SVM方法对Web日志文件进行挖掘,以发现站点访问者中潜在客户的共同行为模式,并将其分为不同级别的目标客户群。同时,通过试验4种不同比例的训练样本,研究了非对称数据对分类结果的影响,以期获得较优的模型。     

基于顾客分类的生鲜农产品二次补货策略

零售商为弥补生鲜农产品新鲜度降低造成的顾客流失,选择在单销售期内二次补货,将新鲜产品和初始订货的非新鲜产品同时销售。但二次补货的新鲜产品会对初始订货产品形成需求挤兑。将顾客划分为三种类型:只购买新鲜产品、只够买折扣产品和两种产品都愿意购买,引入需求挤兑因子的概念,讨论了不同顾客类型下需求挤兑效应对零售商订货决策和利润的影响,并与单次订货策略做比较。结论表明,随着顾客对产品品质和新鲜度要求不断提高,二次补货策略能有效降低订货总量,提升零售商利润水平;不但优化了经济效益,更具有减少产品损耗和节约社会资源、增加消费者福利水平的社会效益。     

信息不完全确定的区域产品模糊区间聚类方法

区域产品分类与选择是区域经济发展中最重要和最基础的工作.在产品选择与分类时,需要确定指标权系数和分类阈值等参数,这在实际应用中是比较困难的.针对这种情况,提出了一种信息不完全确定的区域产品模糊区间聚类方法.该方法构建了指标权系数信息不完全确定的最优模糊区间聚类模型,利用遗传算法和改进的FCM算法联合求解所得优化模型,得到指标权系数、最优聚类中心和最优划分,进而确定各产品所属类别.最后将该方法应用于某区域的产品分类和主导产品的确定中,实例计算说明该方法的可行性和有效性.     

一种基于改进马田系统的不平衡数据分类方法

在分类问题中,类别不平衡问题将引起分类器训练偏差,导致少数类样本诊断敏感性降低.马田系统是一种多元数据诊断和预测技术,它通过构建一个连续的测量尺度而非直接对训练样本进行学习,该性质有望不受数据分布的影响,克服分类不平衡问题.本文针对马田系统阈值计算缺陷和不平衡数据分类要求,研究一种概率阈值模型计算马田系统阈值;还针对马田系统的若干不足,采用优化模型替代正交表和信噪比筛选关键变量,并使用了一种全方位优化算法求解.通过对8个UCI数据集的实验分析表明,改进的马田系统不仅对不平衡数据有较好的分类效果,且能筛选关键变量,降维效果明显.     

New developments in generative BOM processing systems

Abstract

The principle of generative bill-of-material (BOM) processing systems is that different BOMs belonging to different product variants can be represented by a single, so-called source BOM. The BOM processing systems comprise additional data structures which hold information on the relationships between product characteristics of parent product variants and component product variants, and on the relationships between characteristics of a parent product variant and its BOM data. These relationships allow the automatic generation of the individual BOM of each represented product variant. There are several alternative ways of implementing a generative BOM processing system. The oldest concept known is the variant BOM concept. This concept provides a relatively simple solution to deal with large varieties of final product variants. However the concept has a number of drawbacks such as the representation of product variety at lower levels in the product structure and data redundancy which hampers data maintenance. In this paper an improved concept for generative BOM processing systems is introduced and described: the generic BOM concept. The generic BOM concept does not focus on representing final product variants only, but takes a broader view towards representing any range of product variants at any level in the product structure. This starting point solves a number of draw-backs implied by the variant BOM concept but it also requires new definitions of BOM relationships and the introduction of new data structures to support the generation of individual BOMs.     

Design and implementation methodology based on Petri net formalism of flexible manufacturing systems control

This paper presents an aided design methodology of flexible manufacturing system control with a view to industrial implementation. The approach considered through a modelling phase, the a validation phase by simulation and finally a distributed implementation phase. In the modelling phase, based on the Petri net formalism, we demonstrate the hierarchical aspect which separates the part flow control and the product resource control. In addition, we emphasize generic aspects which allow us to use an object-oriented approach. These aspects and the set of modelled objects are directly used in the simulation and production phases after an automatic translation in an implementation language (ADA in our case). In consequence, the distributed location for those two phases is well facilitated from the viewpoint of the approach used.     

The Effect of Outward and Inward Internationalisation on Different Types of Innovation: Evidence from UK SMEs

This paper empirically examines the effect of outward internationalisation, inward internationalisation activities and outward-inward internationalisation (i.e., exporting and importing) on different types of innovation undertaken by UK SMEs. Specifically, we differentiate between product innovation and process innovation and examine the potential effect that they can generate individually and in combination. The results show that both inward and outward internationalisation support product and process innovation in SMEs. However, such an effect is found to be stronger for the combined outward-inward internationalisation operations than for the single mode undertaken by SMEs. The results are found to be robust across the different types of innovation. However, sub-sample analysis shows that, although innovation responds to different internationalisation operations in micro and small firms, for medium-sized firms, only the combination of outward and inward internationalisation operations increases the probability of undertaking both innovations. Using the organisational learning theory, we argue that engaging in both internationalisation activities simultaneously enables firms to acquire a more diverse and richer set of knowledge and key information — through double loop learning, which is translated into increased levels of innovation. Hence, our results have important theoretical, managerial, and policy implications and stimulate the existing debate in the area.     

A classification of resources for employee-based value creation and a future research agenda

This conceptual paper aspires to provide a theoretically sound understanding of the value creation process of a specific value network (i.e., firm–employee context). Drawing on service-logic and resource-based frameworks, a classification of four diverse resource types in an organizational context is introduced (i.e., core, augmented, add-on, peripheral resources), based on their exchangeability and their contribution to employees’ value creation and co-creation. This classification enables a better understanding of the nature and the unique features of different firm–employee exchanges in an organizational context, and delineates each type’s distinctive role in employee-based value creation activities. Four propositions derive from this classification; this suggests that not all resource types can be exchanged and that the relative contribution of various firm–employee exchanges to value creation is asymmetrical. A future research agenda is also presented, discussing the potential implications of this classification for contemporary organizations.     

Measuring exposure to bullying at work: The validity and advantages of the latent class cluster approach

Abstract

This paper addresses the construct and predictive validity of two methods for classifying respondents as victims of workplace bullying. Although bullying is conceived as a complex phenomenon, the dominant method used in bullying surveys, the operational classification method, only distinguishes two groups: victims versus non-victims. Hence, the complex nature of workplace bullying may not be accounted for. Therefore a latent class cluster approach is suggested to model the data, which was obtained by using the Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ) administered to employees in Belgium (n=6,175). Latent class modelling is a method of analysis that does not appear to have been used in occupational health psychology before. In this study, six latent classes emerged: “not bullied,” “limited work criticism,” “limited negative encounters,” “sometimes bullied,” “work related bullied,” and “victims.” The results show that compared to the traditional operational classification method, the latent class cluster approach shows higher construct and higher predictive validity with respect to self-assessments and indicators of strain and well-being at work. The consequences of these results for theory, future research, and practice are discussed.     

The functions and dysfunctions of hierarchy

Functionalist accounts of hierarchy, longstanding in the social sciences, have gained recent prominence in studies of leadership, power, and status. This chapter takes a critical look at a core implication of the functionalist perspective – namely, that steeper hierarchies help groups and organizations perform better than do flatter structures. We review previous research relevant to this question, ranging from studies of communication structures in small groups to studies of compensation systems in large corporations. This review finds that in contrast to strong functionalist assertions, the effects of steeper hierarchies are highly mixed. Sometimes steeper hierarchies benefit groups and sometimes they harm groups. We thus propose five conditions that moderate the effects of hierarchy steepness: (1) the kinds of tasks on which the group is working; (2) whether the right individuals have been selected as leaders; (3) how the possession of power modifies leaders’ psychology; (4) whether the hierarchy facilitates or hampers intra-group coordination; and (5) whether the hierarchy affects group members’ motivation in positive or deleterious ways.     

Efficient formation of storage classes for warehouse storage location assignment: A simulated annealing approach

Class-based storage policy distributes products among a number of classes and for each class it reserves a region within the storage area. The procedures reported in the literature for formation of storage classes primarily consider order-picking cost ignoring storage-space cost. Moreover, in these procedures items are ordered on the basis of their cube per order index (COI), and items are then partitioned into classes maintaining this ordering. This excludes many possible product combinations in forming classes which may result in inferior solutions. In this paper, a simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) is developed to solve an integer programming model for class formation and storage assignment that considers all possible product combinations, storage-space cost and order-picking cost. Computational experience on randomly generated data sets and an industrial case shows that SAA gives superior results than the benchmark dynamic programming algorithm for class formation with COI ordering restriction.