A framework for optimizing managerial decision

There have been numerous attempts to analyze and formulate management problems within the general framework of Management Science and Operations Research, so as to help managers in their decision making problems. This paper focuses on the fundamental aspects of management decision making and introduces a conceptual framework in which problems of management and its different levels of functioning are systematically identified. Management problems are considered within two major categories: Enterprise and Operations problems. In spite of the difficulties in defining a clear-cut boundary between Enterprise and Operations problems, such a broad classification leads to three basic levels of management functioning, namely: Policy making, coordinating and implementation. The universal relationship among these three basic levels of functioning provides a basic functional element called the Management Triad. In contrast to classical higherarchial structure, triad structure provides a methodology to analyze relationships among different levels of management functions in terms of a given decision problem. It is demonstrated that for different decision making problems individuals can shift from one end of the triad to another and perform a different management function.A quantitative approach has been introduced for operations management decision making by adapting Shewhart's control chart philosophy which in turn provides for quasi-automated decisions for corrective action and also for filtering significant signals of change to appropriate management functioning levels.     

Strategic management step by step

This paper summarizes the application of Strategic Decision Making Process in a small company. The project described is an example taken from in-company projects conducted by the CAPITB Management Advisory Unit across the industry sectors and was part of the Strategic Decision Making Process Research and Project Work Programme.It describes the stages and work involved in the development and implementation of the Company's strategy and also identifies some of the benefits and problems which stemmed from the work.     

Auctions within E‐Sourcing Events

The paper presents a survey of current industry practices in designing and running auctions as part of e‐sourcing events. We report our findings from numerous interviews with auction makers in leading e‐sourcing application vendors. The differences between auction theory and auction practice pose a number of interesting and important research questions for the Operations Management community; we conclude with a discussion of lessons learned and open research questions.     

Production/operations management—A key discipline and area for research

This paper reports the results of a stocktaking and review of research in Production/Operations Management, carried out for the Social Science Research Council. The paper describes the scope and importance of the management of production/operations. Areas of importance for future directions for research are explored and a number of issues concerned with research in the area are examined.     

Measuring user attitudes in MIS research: a review

Management information system (MIS) user attitude measurement and research has been motivated by two distinct perspectives, termed the implementation perspective and the information perspective. A survey of the most significant work based on these perspectives is presented. The consensus of this work is that MIS attitudes are related to MIS use, broadly speaking. However, the usage-relevant components of user attitudes are as yet not well understood. More refined attitude concepts and measures are needed. One such concept, that of a user's channel disposition, is advanced as part of a suggested research direction.     

Management science in the United States and Europe: A decade of change in the literature

This paper focuses upon the investigation of change in the management science literature from 1965 to 1974. Both subject areas and reported areas of implementation are investigated. The study classifies the content of each article published during the past decade in the following set of European and American journals: United States—Management Science; British—Operational Research Quarterly; and German—Zeitscrift für Operations Research. A comparison of the results along both inter and intra country dimensions is presented.     

Spatial Planning in Ghana: Exploring the Contradictions

The purpose of this research is twofold: to explore the complexity of spatial plan preparation and implementation in Ghana using Kumasi as a case study; and second, to examine the contradictions of spatial plans and ‘actual development’ occurring in Kumasi. Using social science research methods (semi-structured interviews) and physical survey (land use plans), findings indicate that spatial planning in Kumasi is a bureaucratic process hijacked by urban planning agencies with limited involvement of urban residents. As a result, urban development is considerably influenced by spontaneous informal development patterns (i.e. self-organization). This phenomenon of self-organization is expressed in a context of uncertainty created by weak spatial planning system which encourages haphazard development. Regrettably, in Kumasi, self-organization is often overlooked by spatial planning agencies as they focused on rigid and exclusionary spatial plans. This paper advocates consideration and integration of self-organization processes in spatial planning efforts to respond adequately to the urban development challenges confronting Kumasi.     

中国管理实践导向的管理科学与工程理论与方法

本文通过文献评述、专家调查和典型案例分析,试图解释中国管理实践导向的管理科学与工程学科学术研究的基本特点和发展趋势。结果表明,近年来基于中国数据、中国案例和中国经验的管理学术研究成果越来越多。这些研究考虑了中国国情、国家战略、制度和文化等因素,也反映出中国情景下管理科学与工程研究的复杂性和学科交叉性等特点。同时,针对“基于我国领跑工程的管理科学与工程研究”、“面向‘卡脖子’技术的管理科学与工程研究”两个领域的关键科学问题和未来发展进行了初步探讨。     

Ascertaining the effect of planned organizational change on the work environment

In a dynamic environment, organizations often are required to effect major changes in operations. The success of such changes invariably depends upon numerous factors one of which is how the change affects the work environment. Therefore, in planning organizational change it is important to consider the work environment and to objectively evaluate changes in the work environment in a timely fashion so that corrective actions may be formulated if needed. Such framing and monitoring of the organizational change facilitates successful implementation of the organizational change. This paper suggests a measure which may be used in evaluating an organization's work environment. A case is discussed.     

A contingency view on the impact of supplier development on design and conformance quality performance

This study extends contingency theory’s account of organisational size and culture by exploring the relationship between supplier development and internal quality performance. Drawing on supplier development research, the study aims to examine the moderating impact of organisational size and culture on the relationship between supplier development and design and conformance quality dimensions. Using survey data of 518 UK manufacturing organisations, we found that larger organisations with greater access to resources and a strong supply chain orientation culture tend to place the most weight on supplier development programmes which in turn yield higher internal quality performance. These findings contribute to ‘Operations Management Practice Contingency Research (OM PCR)’ and will raise awareness among operations managers of their future sourcing decisions.     

Innovative Approaches for Managing Public-Private Academic Partnerships in Big Science and Engineering

Analyses of public-private academic partnerships (PPAPs) in terms of management, organization, funding, and partner relationships are presented with three case studies, selected to display a range of governance models. The increasing challenges of Big Science seem to demand the merging of the public, private, and academic sectors into a single collaboration. Three conclusions are drawn: (1) complex PPAPs can be successful if partner’s roles are clearly defined; (2) Big Science needs PPAPs to achieve results; and (3) the management style for CLEANER, a Collaborative Large-Scale Engineering Analysis Network for Environmental Research, should make use of a hierarchical PPAP organizational style.     

Advancing Theory in Entrepreneurship from the Lens of Operations Management

Early writings in economics describe the entrepreneur's role in terms of bearing the uncertainty inherent in new undertakings. Much of the research published in the pages of Production and Operations Management deals with management under uncertainty. The shared concerns over the impacts of multiple types of uncertainty suggest that research on Operations Management (OM) can play a role in the development of theory in entrepreneurship. We discuss aspects of such a role from two perspectives. First, we consider several topics in the OM literature that have clear applications or parallels in entrepreneurship. These topics include innovation, the management of technology, new product development, flexibility, and hedging strategies. Understanding these topical connections should aid in the development of tools and applications central to the practice of entrepreneurship. On another level, when we consider how the approaches to many of these topics in OM are grounded in theory adapted from Operations Research and Economics we argue that these same roots can be used as starting points for the development of theory in entrepreneurship. As examples, we will argue that the theoretical bases supporting robust optimization, stochastic dynamic programming, and even Total Quality Management can also serve as foundations of theories about the roles, practice, and behaviors of entrepreneurs.     

Testing Klein and Sorra’s innovation implementation model: An empirical examination

Despite a substantial volume of research activities on innovation implementation [Holahan, P.J., Aronson, Z.H., Jurkat, M.P., Schoorman, F.D., 2004. Implementing computer technology: a multiorganizational test of Klein and Sorra’s model. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management 21 (1), 31–50; Klein, K.J., Sorra, J.S., 1996. The challenge of innovation implementation. Academy of Management Review 21 (4), 1055–1080; Kwon, T.H., Zmud, R.W., 1987. Unifying the fragmented models of information systems implementation. In: Hirschheim, B.R. (Ed.), Critical Issues in Information Systems Research. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., New York, pp. 227–252], implementation outcomes continue to disappoint—particularly those related to large-scale information systems (ISs) implementation projects [Aiman-Smith, L., Green, S.G., 2002. Implementing new manufacturing technology: the related effects of technology characteristics and user learning activities. Academy of Management Journal 45 (2), 421–430; The Standish Group International Inc., 1995. Chaos (Application Project Failure and Success). Access http://www.standishgroup.com/chaos.html; Whittaker, B., 1999. What went wrong? Unsuccessful information technology projects. Information Management & Computer Security 7 (1), 23–29]. In 1996, Klein and Sorra introduced a promising model that posited key determinants of implementation effectiveness. In this paper we present new validated construct measures, and then test the Klein and Sorra model using a survey of 209 employees in seven organizations. Our results demonstrate that IS implementation effectiveness is influenced directly and indirectly by innovation-values fit, and indirectly by implementation climate.     

Early experiences of mentoring: Design and use of multimedia materials for teaching OR/MS

The MENTOR project, based at the University of Strathclyde, is producing multimedia computer based learning materials with the aim of improving both the effectiveness and the efficiency of teaching Operational Research/Management Science in higher education. The process of development has been carefully designed to encourage ownership of and commitment to the materials amongst lecturing staff in Universities, with the aim of ensuring widespread use. The paper outlines this process of development and design of materials. Experiences in introducing students to the use of these materials as an integrated part of a Management Science class are reported. Feedback from students has been very positive but also indicates the need for ongoing support and direction.     

The function of management development in the process of organisational change

Management development should produce changes in managerial behavior which are consonant with and contributive to the organization's goals and strategies. This paper outlines appropriate training strategy and identifies likely sources of resistance.     

The measurement of merchant power: A case history

The use of economic models to decide on the choice of channels of distribution is often abandoned due to the difficulty of isolating where the effective power to control customer's loyalties resides. This paper describes an actual case where it was possible to develop an instrument to measure changing power relationships between merchants to assist in the strategic overhaul of a firm's distribution system.     

How organizational cognitive frames affect organizational capabilities: The context of corporate sustainability

We draw on the emerging literature on the micro-foundation of capability development to investigate the effects of the relative importance of corporate sustainability in a firm's organizational cognitive frame on the development of distinct organizational capabilities. Based on survey data from 124 Danish manufacturing firms and seven interviews, we find that the relative importance of corporate sustainability in a firm's organizational cognitive frame positively encourages the development of three organizational capabilities, namely, stakeholder integration, market sensing, and organizational learning. However, contrary to our expectation and reasoning, we find that the development of the strategic planning capability is negatively affected. Our findings provide novel empirical evidence and contribute to an improved understanding of the effect of a firm's organizational cognitive frame on the development of organizational capabilities.     

Boas Shamir: The person,his impact and legacy

This article is divided into three parts. In the first part, Galit, Boas's spouse, chronologically reviews the five periods of Boas's professional life—describing what is special to each period and what connects them—while relating to the centrality of values and the secret of charisma according to Boas Shamir. In the second part, Ronit, Boas's colleague, and his first doctoral student, relates to his role as mentor and presents the unique and novel theoretical perspectives that Boas developed concerning the identities of leaders and followers, and how they interact within the charismatic relationship. In the third part, Micha, Boas's friend and colleague, analyzes the relationship between Boas's personal history, the psycho-historical background in which he grew up, and the origins and uniqueness of his oeuvre.     

Is your information system mature enough for computerized planning?

This paper presents the results of a study of computerized planning models in 235 firms throughout the world. The authors argue that organizational climate can be a serious pitfall to the inplementation of long-range planning systems. However, their view of climate extends beyond the traditional behavioral domain to include the sophistication of the organization's information system. The paper addresses itself to one of the key questions affecting the implementation of long-range planning systems. Why do some organizations develop computerized planning models and others do not?