Correct accounting for duty drawbacks with outward and inward processing in global production networks

We develop a new model for the correct accounting of customs duties levied on a product. We examine inward and outward processing – that is, processed components can be either imported or produced in a foreign country – in the strategic planning of a global production network. This complex modeling problem is structured with path variables, and the duty drawbacks can be simultaneously and correctly entered for n production stages in m market regions (with corresponding duty regions) for all products with a maximum n-level bill of materials. We present a case study from the automotive industry to examine whether or not the possibility of future duty rate changes or free trade agreements, such as one between the United States and the European Union, could affect the design of a production network and hence should be considered in strategic planning. We show that correctly accounting for duty drawbacks can lead to changes in the global footprint of production. We also demonstrate that intercontinental trade barriers (in the form of duties) diminish working capital and entail longer delivery routes. Eliminating these political trade barriers could increase the returns to capital while reducing both delivery lead times and environmental costs.     

Designing interorganizational networks for innovation: An empirical examination of network configuration, formation and governance

Strategic SME networks have received significant policy attention, yet a review of the current literature reveals limited attention to the factors that contribute to network innovation. This study examines the influence of the number of member firms (network size), the extent to which a network is based on firm incentives (bottom-up formation), and the extent of development of the governance structure (size of administrative function) on a network's innovative performance. Latent growth modeling with longitudinal data from 53 networks reveals that larger networks and bottom-up formed networks achieve greater innovative performance, and that the administrative function partially mediates these effects.     

Redistributing food manufacturing: models for the creation and operation of responsive and agile production networks

Abstract

The food industry is a mature industry where its profit margins are thin and its R&D failure rate for new products is substantial. Both facts indicate that decent return on development investment cannot be provided and that the food industry cannot still rely on its traditional way of thinking and innovating. New product development cycles should involve not only the product itself but also the entire manufacturing and distribution network. Hence, collaborative manufacturing and servitization models are key elements for the rapid transformation of the new food industry. Moreover, recent developments in technology have the potential to shift manufacturing production away from large scale manufacturing plants to a network of distributed, smaller scale localized and customizable manufacturing facilities. Such a network is the crucial enabler for the on-demand manufacture of new or even, existing food products to rapidly respond to the consumers´ demands.     

The management of international manufacturing networks: a missing link towards total management of global networks

Abstract

The purposes of this article are to provide a brief overview of the research on international manufacturing networks (IMNs), identify corresponding gaps and provide background for the papers published in this special issue. First, this article shows the importance of addressing the management of IMNs, especially in times of global turbulence as a result of new economic, political and technological trends. Second, it highlights research into the management of IMNs as a missing link in the Operations Management (OM) discipline, as most of the current OM research neglects the fact that the internal structures and relationships of multi-plant organizations inside firms play a critical role in how a supply chain/network operates and relies mostly on scholars in other fields for insights into high-level and strategic issues in the management of global operations. Finally, this article argues there is still a lot to do in order to develop new theories towards the total management of global networks that can holistically analyze different global (intra- and inter-firm multi-functional) networks and address the complex interdependencies between them.     

Knowledge management in SMEs and MNCs: matching knowledge mobility mechanisms to supply network configuration profiles

Abstract

While ‘knowledge mobility’ presents significantly different challenges for SMEs and MNCs, it is strongly influenced by two common factors: the type of knowledge to be integrated and the configuration of the operations network. Here, SMEs and MNCs are required to make critical decisions about ‘levels’ of collaboration and knowledge sharing with network partners. A Knowledge Mobility Configuration (KMC) framework was developed, tested and refined using five case studies indicative of a growing shift towards information and knowledge-intensive activities. In terms of contribution, there has been limited empirical research to-date into the determinants of successful knowledge transfers in MNC-SME network contexts. The network configuration element of the KMC framework provides insights on how such networks evolve, and how specific knowledge mobility profiles may evolve over time. This more nuanced approach may be used as a basis for a proactive and differentiated approach to knowledge mobility and integration across SME and MNC networks.     

Development of ‘timescapes' to effectively manage global inter-organizational relational communications

The globalization of business has resulted in the emergence of hyper-competition in many industries. Given the geographic, economic, and cultural dispersion of markets, many organizations have developed network structures to increase their strategic flexibility and to preserve idiosyncratic assets. This reliance on inter-organizational relationships has created an increased need to improve coordination and communication among the members of the global network. The problems associated with effective inter-organizational communications are exacerbated by the accelerating rate of change and time …a ‘quickening' of events. Moreover, managers are required to adapt to the eventful differences in time across national and organizational cultures. This paper develops the concept of ‘timescapes' to facilitate effective inter-organizational and inter-cultural communications. A managerial process for decision-making relative to global communications is also presented in the paper.     

产业关联、产业协同与集群竞争优势的关联机理

就产业关联性、产业协同性与集群竞争优势的关联机制进行了分析,并在此基础上构建了一个产业关联度、产业协同度与集群竞争优势关联矩阵分析图,依据产业关联度与产业协同度大小的不同组合形成了8大区域,并对照工业园发展的实际对8大区域的特征、形成原因及对策进行了探讨。     

Offshoring practices of Danish and Swedish SMEs: effects on operations configuration

This paper examines how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) configure their operations on the global scale and how this affects their home bases in terms of operations requirements and priorities. In order to relate SMEs’ offshoring initiatives with their operations configuration attributes, we draw on the operations networks literature and survey responses from 675 Danish and 410 Swedish companies. On the basis of the survey results, we find that although the SMEs are less experienced and less advanced in their offshoring ventures than large companies, they are building dispersed operations networks. Although still in their infancy, these networks are, as expected, creating new demands for their home bases in terms of demands for formalisation of work processes, systems development and managerial capability related to orchestrating operations across national borders, but more fundamentally, it also challenges the strategic foundations of the home base. Based on these observations, we discuss future global operations management challenges, practices and priorities of SMEs.     

Institutional transitions,global mindset,and EMNE internationalization

Recently revised theoretical explanations of the internationalization process have been offered to specifically account for the propensity of Emerging Market Multinationals (EMNEs) to engage in accelerated internationalization. However, this literature stream has yet to consider how the fundamental institutional transitions occurring in emerging markets promote the individual and organizational level global mindset that helps account for this accelerated, proactive international expansion. Our dynamic multi-level conceptual framework examines the influences of both the home country institutions and intra-organizational mindsets on the development of EMNE outward FDI decision making. This framework contributes to extant literature by integrating conceptualizations of national culture with the informal and formal institutions offered by institutional theory, while examining how fundamental shifts in these influence the intra-organizational context. Furthermore, our conceptual framework adopts a multi-level perspective of global mindset as an antecedent of firm decision making and adds to the global mindset literature by arguing that institutional transition is a macro level antecedent of global mindset.     

Multiobjective optimisation of production,distribution and capacity planning of global supply chains in the process industry

The performance of a supply chain should usually be measured by multiple criteria. We address production, distribution and capacity planning of global supply chains considering cost, responsiveness and customer service level simultaneously. A multiobjective mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) approach is developed with total cost, total flow time and total lost sales as key objectives. Also, two strategies to expand the formulation plants’ capacities are considered in the model. The ε-constraint method and lexicographic minimax method are used as solution approaches to tackle the multiobjective problem. Finally, a numerical example is investigated to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model and solution approaches.     

Product architecture,global operations networks,and operational performance: an exploratory study

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationships between product architectures and global operations networks and their impact on operational performance, based on survey data from 82 Swedish manufacturers. We find that modular and integral product architectures are associated with different characteristics of the global operations network, and that global operations network designs are characterised by three dimensions: network, plant and supply chain. The key aspects are network structure (configuration as well as coordination), plant focus (scale or scope) and the locus of supply chain capabilities (internal or external).     

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。     

Linking global value chains and supply chain management: evidence from the electric motors industry

The global value chain (GVC) framework and its central concept of governance are increasingly advocated as powerful tools for interpreting managerial issues with particular reference to global supply chain (SC) management. However, a gap still exists about how the GVC concepts, which have been developed at the industry level, can be applied at the company level. The aim of this work is therefore to investigate how the concepts of GVC structure and governance are related to the way the SC is managed. Several research propositions drawn from the literature are investigated by means of seven case studies in the electric motors industry. The results show that the GVC can be a useful framework for understanding and deploying SC management at the company level. Moreover, the analysis of the governance modes provides an effective tool to explain the existing degree of technological and operational collaboration in the SC. Finally, we show the importance of considering such contextual factors as company size and the competitive priorities of the company to move seamlessly between the GVC, at the industry level, and SC management, at the company level.     

新创企业内部资源与外部关系的战略平衡——中国情境下的经验研究

由于受新创劣势的约束,新创企业的战略行为需平衡内部资源和外部关系.基于创业成长的演化视角,本文将创业导向和创新能力定义为内部资源,外部关系构念区分为支持型和合作型关系,分析其中的战略平衡机制.通过224家上市创业企业的经验研究显示:内部资源与外部关系中的政府支持和金融机构支持形成战略替代效应,演进模型的检验也证实新创企业对这种非市场关系资源形成路径依赖的特征;而在合作型关系中,内部资源与企业联盟之间形成互补效应的平衡机制,但是在演进模型中并没有显著的变化趋势.研究结论为我国创业企业的战略决策提供一定的实践启示,也为战略创业观点提供理论参考.     

新创企业内部资源与外部关系的战略平衡

由于受新创劣势的约束,新创企业的战略行为需平衡内部资源和外部关系． 基于创业成长的演化视角,本文将创业导向和创新能力定义为内部资源,外部关系构念区分为支持型和合作型关系,分析其中的战略平衡机制． 通过224 家上市创业企业的经验研究显示: 内部资源与外部关系中的政府支持和金融机构支持形成战略替代效应,演进模型的检验也证实新创企业对这种非市场关系资源形成路径依赖的特征; 而在合作型关系中,内部资源与企业联盟之间形成互补效应的平衡机制,但是在演进模型中并没有显著的变化趋势． 研究结论为我国创业企业的战略决策提供一定的实践启示,也为战略创业观点提供理论参考．     

产品创新与工艺创新协同发展分析模型与方法研究

本文从理论和实证两方面对产品创新与工艺创新协同发展问题进行了深入研究。系统分析和介绍了有关产品创新与工艺创新协同发展的匹配关系、策略选择等主要模型与方法,对其研究视角和结论进行了总结。在此基础上,运用文献计量法进一步阐述了产品创新与工艺创新协同发展分析方法研究的发展趋势。     

Antecedents and performance outcomes of global competence: An empirical investigation

We examine the role of commitment to supply chain management (CSCM) and information technology (IT) in the achievement of global competence (GC). Through an empirical examination of 667 manufacturing business units in the U.S., we confirm the importance of global competence using two objective measures of firm performance. We investigate the direct effects of CSCM and experience with IT on performance, in addition to their indirect effects through global competence. We show global competence to be linked directly to objective measures of sales, and indirectly to return on assets (ROA). Despite manufacturers’ hefty investments in IT, we find that experience with IT does not drive ROA directly, but only indirectly through global competence and sales.     

A comparison of Japanese failure models: Hybrid neural networks,logit models,and discriminant analysis

This article looks at the ability of a relatively new technique, hybrid artificial neural networks (ANNs), to predict Japanese banking and firm failures. These models are compared with traditional statistical techniques and conventional ANN models. The results suggest that hybrid neural networks outperform all other models in predicting failure for one year prior to the event. This suggests that for researchers, policymakers, and others interested in early warning systems, the hybrid network may be a useful tool for predicting banking and firm failures.     

后发企业如何构建创新网络—基于知识架构的视角

构建创新网络是后发企业快速进行技术追赶的重要路径。那么,针对不同的企业,构筑什么样的创新网络是有效的? 为了深化以往的创新网络研究,从知识架构的视角出发,聚焦于网络层次的合作伙伴配置,构建了以产业特征为情境条件,知识基宽度/深度为焦点企业特征,知识异质性/质量为创新网络节点组成特征,高创新追赶绩效为结果变量的逻辑模型。结论显示,有三种相应的架构类型能够获取高创新追赶绩效。此外,在不同的产业特征情境下,不同的企业分别可以采用相应的架构类型取得更好的绩效。以此,为后发企业构建有效创新网络提供了理论和实践的借鉴。     

社交网络、 投资者关注与股价同步性

随着以微博、微信为代表的社交网络信息平台在中国的崛起,形成了新媒体时代下信息资讯生成与扩散的完整传播链条,深刻地影响着金融市场参与主体的学习认知习惯、投资决策理念、交易行为模式,最终影响不同金融资产的价格波动规律.本文在新媒体时代情景下,以社交网络信息披露与传播平台为切入点,基于信息关注度、信赖度、更新频率等三层维度,构建社交网络微博信息质量指标体系,研究社交网络信息质量与股价同步性的内在关联关系.研究表明:微博信息质量与股价同步性有着显著的高度负向线性关联性,并且呈现出非线性U型关系.即随着社交网络信息质量水平的提升,股价同步性逐渐降低到达最小值,而后又逐渐提高.研究结论为证明上市公司社交网络微博平台对股价同步性有较强影响力,提供了中国金融市场的证据.