Product universality and design for supply chain management

We describe our experience of developing models in which the principles of design for supply chain management (DFCM) have been implemented for new product development at Hewlett-Packard Company (HP). This experience arises from the development of a new product that is scheduled to be released in 1995. A key design decision faced by the product development team was whether to use a universal module or regionally dedicated modules to satisfy global market requirements. We describe a wide range of factors—including manufacturing and logistics costs—that could be used to support the design decision; these factors associated with product and process design contribute to tolal supply chain costs. We review the analytical model used to evaluate the cost and service implications of the two design alternatives. Finally, we discuss qualitative considerations that might influence the eventual decisions as well as the lessons learned from this real world experience.     

A reference model for collaborative design in mould industry

The mould industry is an indispensable foundation for mass production by manufacturer and influences the time to market of new product. It is difficult to integrate the new product development processes and information systems among the mould companies which are mainly small and medium enterprises. The design chain operations reference-model (DCOR) provides a well-recognised methodology to standardise the management process for a product development project and enables the integration for mould industry. The DCOR focuses on a primary and preliminary product development process and is necessary to extend the detail templates for the industrial requirements. Hence, the purpose of this research is to develop an approach that extends the DCOR to the mould industry. The framework of the developed model, which is called the design chain operations reference-model for the mould industry, is adopted for a case mould company for a feasibility discussion.     

Handling uncertain decisions in whole process design

In recent years, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries have observed a noticeable decline in economic activity. This has resulted in many companies focusing on innovative research and development as they consider this key to business success. In particular, a number of leading industrial organisations have adopted the principles of Whole Process Design (WPD). WPD considers the optimisation of the entire product development process, from raw materials to end product, rather than focusing on each individual unit operation. The complexity involved with the implementation of WPD requires rationalised decision-making, often with limited or uncertain information. This paper presents the outcomes of two questionnaires that examined the requirements of professionals working within the chemistry-using industries with respect to developing a decision-making support tool. From the findings a methodology is proposed, the outcome of which allows a decision-maker to visually interpret their decision results with associated levels of uncertainty. A chemical route selection case study demonstrates and validates the application of the proposed methodology.     

Contextualist-retroductive case study design for strategic asset management research

Abstract

This paper develops a tailored case study design for strategic asset management research. It draws on the notions of ‘contextualist approach’ and ‘retroductive strategy’ used in case study research, and follows the multiple embedded-case design advocated within qualitative research. Using a published asset management research study as a primer, it demonstrates the application of the proposed research design and its methodological rigour. This research design could serve as a reference framework, as well as a research instrument, for guiding asset management research. As such, it facilitates the development of theory that accounts for the multi-faceted nature and current priorities of asset management. Overall, this research design helps determine what activities to be incorporated into an asset management program to enhance an organization’s ability to capture value from its operations system. In so doing, it promotes a holistic perspective on asset management that is currently lacking in the literature.     

Optimal design of a post office

A mathematical model which describes the postal operations is discussed in this paper. This paper is confined to the problems which arise within a post office in mail sorting and classifying operations.     

组合拍卖与议价谈判机制设计研究

设计了一种先组合拍卖再议价谈判的多物品出售两阶段机制.论文分析表明,机制的组合拍卖阶段保持了VCG机制的激励相容性质,在机制的议价谈判阶段,存在4种不同类别的获胜投标者,就拍卖者将采取的不同价格策略,可将其区分为第1类投标者和第2类投标者.据此,找到了拍卖者采取不同价格策略的相应条件.给出了该机制中拍卖者与任意获胜投标者之间的博弈均衡路径.就买卖双方的总估价而言,存在不同相对关系下的不同交易结果.对比该机制和经典VCG机制,该机制改进社会交易福利值为:第1类投标者在议价价格和VCG价格下带给拍卖者利润的变化值.此结果表明,该机制的社会交易福利优于经典VCG机制.     

Social media and Web 2.0 for knowledge sharing in product design

Working collaboratively with internal and external partners (suppliers, customers and internal stakeholders) has been at the epicentre of product design. Knowledge sharing has been well recognised in this context. However, there is limited research that has addressed the role of social media/Web 2.0 in facilitating knowledge sharing for sense- and decision-making within product design. To address this gap, this study draws on the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm and two vignettes that relate to ‘collaborative co-design’ and ‘collaborative design-to-order’. We illustrate the role of social media/Web 2.0 in building knowledge sharing capabilities for sense- and decision-making for internal and external partners during product design. Limitations and further research into the use of social media/Web 2.0 are also discussed.     

Finding and Implementing Energy Efficiency Projects in Industrial Facilities

This study addresses the challenges of finding and implementing profitable energy efficiency (EE) projects, a critical foundation for sustainable operations. We focus on manufacturing enterprises, but many of our findings apply also to the back office of service operations. Our starting point is that, in nearly every industrial enterprise, there are many profitable EE projects that could be implemented but are not. An oft‐cited hindrance to implementation is the lack of an internal management framework in which to find, value, and execute these projects. Using a conceptual approach, we rely on proven sustainable operations tools to develop such a framework. We identify three major value drivers of EE projects: savings intensity, “green” image, and project complexity. We then describe a framework for understanding the context of EE projects in industry, with an underlying analytic foundation in optimal portfolio analysis. A case study of a large manufacturing site is used to illustrate emerging best practices—based on Kaizen management principles—for integrating EE project management with operations, engineering, and strategy.     

Decoupling thinking in service operations: a case in healthcare delivery system design

The notion of decoupling thinking has been well established in the manufacturing operations and supply chain management literature. This paper explores how this decoupling thinking can be applied in service operations and in particular in health care. It first reviews the relevant literature on decoupling fundamentals, the front- and back-office distinction, and new emerging decoupling thinking in service operations. Subsequently, a flow-based framework including content and process is developed for decoupling thinking in service operations. The framework provides an integrated perspective on customer contact, flow driver and flow differentiation (level of customisation). The framework hence, through flow differentiation, introduces the concept of standardisation versus customisation in a service context. This is followed by a health care case example to illustrate how the framework can be applied. The managerial implications are primarily in terms of a modularised approach to system design and management. The framework offers potential for benchmarking with other service systems as well as with manufacturing systems based on the shared foundation in decoupling thinking. Finally, suggestions are provided for further research opportunities derived from this research.     

Design-balanced capacitated multicommodity network design with heterogeneous assets

Management of assets plays an essential role in determination of service plans operated by carriers in the transportation and logistics system. In this paper, we introduce certain issues related to management of heterogeneous assets in the well-known design-balanced capacitated multicommodity network design, where design-balanced requirements are explicitly defined based on heterogeneous assets.Taking vehicles as an example of heterogeneous assets, we first present an arc-based formulation for the proposed problem and discuss two associated subproblems. We then propose a tabu search based metaheuristic for this problem. Over a wide range of network design instances, we respectively compare our approach with CPLEX with one-hour and ten-hour time limits. Computational results demonstrate that the proposed approach performs very well in terms of solution quality and computing time, especially for large instances.     

Consumer response to car fronts: eliciting biological preparedness with product design

Building on assumptions derived from evolutionary theory, we investigated viewers’ reactions to the design of car fronts (i.e., an automobile’s face), which were designed to be threatening using basic principles of anthropomorphism. Previous research suggests two opposite human reactions when presented with threatening stimuli: Initially, threatening objects attract human attention (e.g., when exploring a scene for the first time), but afterwards, people tend to avoid such threatening stimuli (as they are likely to induce discomfort in the viewer). This proposition is tested within a product design context using eye tracking methodology. Results showed that automotive stimuli not only activate affective dimensions of customers, but also lead to specific automatic reactions that can be explained by evolutionary theory. Practical implications for product design and marketing are discussed.     

Action e-learning: An exploratory case study of action learning applied online

Abstract

Web-based instruction, also called e-learning, is currently one of the most talked-about education and training media. To prepare courses for online delivery and to maintain their effectiveness, the designer must have an understanding of e-learning instructional design principles. Action learning is a proven, effective management development process that has not been implemented to date as an e-learning instructional methodology. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine the impact of the action learning process on the effectiveness of management level web-based instruction (WBI). A leader-led, management-level course using face-to-face delivery was converted to web-based instruction where action learning was the delivery methodology. Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation served as the evaluation tool to determine effectiveness of the intervention. It was found that, though challenging to facilitate, the action learning online method is effective and yields changes in participants' knowledge. However, contrary to expectations, online learning communities did not form.     

An analytic approach for planning computerized office systems

The increasing demand for timely business information as well as the need to improve the effectiveness of administrative operations are forcing managements to consider installing automated office systems. These systems provide text word processing capabilities, information management and communication options. Their planning and evaluation process considers decision issues that are, at times, in conflict with each other. This paper presents a decision framework for the planning and evaluation of computerized office systems. Attention is focused, in particular, on the selection and the integration of word processing systems in the broader context of future office developments. It evolved from several real acquisition cases where such systems had to be planned, evaluated and selected.     

Design for the Environment: Life‐Cycle Approach Using a Newsvendor Model

Introducing environmental innovations in product and process design can affect the product's cost and demand, as well as the environmental impact in different stages of its life cycle (such as manufacturing and use stages). In this article, we advance understanding on where such design changes can be most effective economically to the firm and examine their corresponding environmental consequences. We consider a profit maximizing firm (newsvendor) deciding on the production quantity as well as its environmentally focused design efforts. We focus our results along the two dimensions of demand characteristics and life‐cycle environmental impact levels, specifically functional vs. innovative products, and higher manufacturing stage environmental impact vs. higher use stage environmental impact. We also discuss the environmental impact of overproduction and how it relates to the different types of products and their salvage options. We find that although the environmental impact per unit always improves when firms use eco‐efficient or demand‐enhancing innovations, the total environmental impact can either increase or decrease due to increased production quantities. We identify the conditions for such cases by looking at the environmentally focused design efforts needed to compensate for the increase in production. We also show that the environmental impact of overproduction plays an important role in the overall environmental impact of the firm. We conclude by applying our model to different product categories.     

Business models and organization design

Despite a voluminous literature, business model research continues to be plagued with problems. Those problems hinder theory development and make it difficult for managers to use research findings in their decision-making. In our article, we seek to make three contributions. First, we clarify the theoretical foundations of the business model concept and relate them to the five elements of a business model: customers, value propositions, product/service offerings, value creation mechanisms, and value appropriation mechanisms. A clear definition of a business model enables theory to develop systematically and provides coherent guidance to managers. Second, we suggest that value configuration is a contingency variable that should be included in future theorizing and model building. Each of the elements of a business model is affected by a firm's value configuration depending on whether the firm is a value chain, value shop, or value network. Third, we link business models to organization design. We show how organization design is affected by value configuration and how new collaborative organizational forms enable open and agile business models. We derive the implications of our analysis for future research and management practice.     

Managing business portfolios in German companies

This study analyzes the behavior of top managers in managing their firms' business portfolios. A review of the existing literature provides a conceptual framework for a research design combining quantitative and qualitative techniques. Data were collected through interviews with 35 top managers of well-known German business firms and the findings of this study translated into guidelines for managers. The results suggest that successful top managers should be concerned with the social relationships and management processes within the corporate office, as well as with their use of management concepts in managing the business portfolio.     

EXTENDING THE BOUNDARIES OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT: AN INTERNATIONAL FIELD-STUDIES APPROACH INTEGRATING INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Continued globalization, extensive use of information technologies, increasing cross-functional dependencies, and new organizational forms are rapidly changing the learning context of operations management. This paper describes an example of a mba elective course that has been created to address and learn from these new realities. We have taken a process view of the global firm, focusing mainly on the new product/service development, order fulfillment, and supply chain/ after-sales service processes. We have designed our course to contain most of the traditional topics in operations management (om) with information systems (is) woven in to support the key business processes. Our underlying belief is that these two functional areas should be seen as a blend, a seamless merging of the two fields, to obtain a competitive advantage. Besides teaching om and is in this integrated manner, the course engages in face-to-face student consulting projects with multinational companies. This paper describes our rationale for the course design and how it has been implemented over the last 6 years-as well as our plans for the future.     

Assessing the lead market potential of countries for innovation projects

This paper presents an approach to assessing the potential of countries to lead the global adoption of an innovation and to set a global product or process standard. It can be observed that the specific design of an innovation diffuses worldwide after it has been adopted in a single country. We suggest that there are nation-specific characteristics that increase the likelihood that a locally preferred innovation design will become successful in other countries, too. Once users in a market that has lead market characteristics have adopted a specific innovation design, the possibility increases that users in other countries subsequently adopt it as well. We present a lead market concept for the development of global innovation designs. By focusing on the design of the innovation that responds to the preferences within the lead market, a company can leverage the success experienced in the lead market for a global market launch. In order to follow a lead market strategy of new product development, it is necessary to assess the lead market potential of countries before an innovation is developed and tested in the market. We use an indicator-based methodology that approximates the lead market attributes of countries. The assessment methodology is applied to two innovation projects at the truck division of DaimlerChrysler.     

Bringing the design perspective to coworking-spaces: Constitutive entanglement of actors and artifacts

Different forms of coworking spaces have spread worldwide that use various artifacts (e.g., office settings, décor, furniture, equipment) to strengthen autonomy, flexibility, spontaneous interactions, and intrinsic motivation. However, the various manifestations of coworking spaces limit clearly defined boundary conditions for their successful implementation and demand a profound understanding of the interactions that take place among actors and artifacts. Using a flexible pattern matching approach, our study explains that artifacts can contour and create the possibilities for actors and define the borders, e.g., when, where, and with whom to communicate and work in coworking spaces. Our findings indicate that actors and artifacts are constitutively entangled in coworking spaces and play a key role in the community development process by fostering a shared understanding and identity, mutual interdependency, and common practices.     

Making sense of visual management through affordance theory

Visual management is much used within operations management practice, particularly in association with process improvement initiatives in diverse areas such as production and healthcare. The practitioner literature abounds with suggested best practice. However, there is little attempt to theorise about why the design and use of ‘visual’ devices for such process improvement works in practice. Within this paper we describe a novel theory of operation which highlights the role that material and visual artefacts proposed by visual management practitioners play within particular ways of organising work. We develop an innovative way of employing the theory of affordances to explain how first- and second-order affordances, situated around the visual devices at the heart of visual management, connect three domains of action, which we refer to as articulation, communication and coordination. Our analysis of three cases from healthcare, clothing manufacturing and software production help ground the theorisation discussed.