Decision model for product rollover in manufacturing operations

The purpose of this study is to investigate critical decisions when planning for product rollover at a manufacturing company, and how to organise these decisions. A literature review and a case study are used to develop a decision model. The findings indicate that product rollover can be organised in a five-phase decision model. The research quality is strengthened by a structured literature review, but it can be argued that more empirical research is needed for validation. For researchers, this paper contributes with the identification of critical decisions and a model for product rollover. For practitioners, the study highlights the need to acknowledge the importance of product rollover and its role as a competitive weapon. In earlier studies, product rollover has mainly been investigated from a market perspective, so that this study contributes by investigating the issue from a manufacturing perspective.     

Expert Views on Their Role as Policy Advisor: Pilot Study for the Cases of Electromagnetic Fields,Particulate Matter,and Antimicrobial Resistance

This perspective presents empirical data to demonstrate the existence of different expert views on scientific policy advice on complex environmental health issues. These views are partly research‐field specific. According to scientific literature, experts differ in the way they provide policy advice on complex issues such as electromagnetic fields (EMF), particulate matter (PM), and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Where some experts feel their primary task is to carry out fundamental research, others actively engage in the policy dialogue. Although the literature provides ideas about expert roles, there exists little empirical underpinning. Our aim is to gather empirical evidence about expert roles. The results of an international study indicated that experts on EMF, PM, and AMR differ in the way they view their role in the policy dialogue. For example, experts differed in their views on the need for precaution and their motivation to initiate stakeholder cooperation. Besides, most experts thought that their views on the risks of EMF/PM/AMR did not differ from those of colleagues. Great dissensus was found in views on the best ways of managing risks and uncertainties. In conclusion, the theoretical ideal–typical roles from the literature can be identified to a certain extent.     

Different Roles and Viewpoints of Scientific Experts in Advising on Environmental Health Risks

Environmental health risks are often complex, largescale, and uncertain. The uncertainties inherent in these problems permit differences among experts in the appraisal of risks. This raises the question of whether different expert roles exist and, if so, how this affects the policy advice that is given. Here, we present a pilot study of the different roles and viewpoints that can be discerned among scientific experts in the Netherlands. Q methodology was used to empirically explore existing theoretical treatises on different expert roles. In total, 26 electromag­netic field (EMF) experts and 21 particulate matter (PM) experts participated. The responses were analyzed separately for EMF and PM respondents using Q factor analysis. In both the EMF and PM domain, three different expert roles were identified. This suggests that particular expert roles depend on the specific environmental health risk. The results indicate that different expert roles exist among scientists who provide policy advice on environmental health risks. This empirical study adds new data and insights to the literature on expert roles. The results of this study are relevant for the selection and composition of expert committees and the interpretation of expert advice.     

Industry and the environment: a case study of cleaner technologies in selected European countries

The aim of this case study is to discuss the role of technology in addressing environmental problems. The paper tries to scratch beneath the surface of the increasingly frequent ‘quick-fix’ solutions to the present environmental problems, based on such beguiling catchwords as Cleaner Technologies, Best Available Technologies, and Best Available Technologies Not Exceeding Excessive Costs, etc., in an attempt to discover whether there is any substance in them, or whether they are just full of hot air. Recent data from case studies performed by the author in Germany and Finland as well as a postal questionnaire in Denmark are presented. The paper analyses and discusses the roles and responsibilities of designers, industrialists, and government policy-makers. It is argued that existing regulatory regimes, supranational industrial structures, and market mechanisms do not favour the development of cleaner technologies, nor do they promote a reduction in consumption patterns. Evidence from ongoing empirical research in Northwest Europe suggests that industry is far from developing and/or implementing cleaner technologies. The paper closes with a discussion of some of the policy implications involved and some examples of urgently needed further research.     

Mapping IS failure factors on PRINCE2® stages: an application of Interpretive Ranking Process (IRP)

The social, political and cultural issues faced by organisations and their senior management team in the delivery and adoption of strategic projects, is highly complex and problematic. Despite a mature body of literature, increasing levels of practitioner certification, application of standards and numerous government initiatives, improvements in success have been minimal. In this study, we analyse the key underlying factors surrounding the failure of Information Systems (IS) projects and explore the merits of articulating a narrative that focuses on senior management embracing practical pessimism. Specifically, we develop a hypothesis supported by empirical study that leverages expert’s views on the dominance and interrelationships between failure factors within PRINCE2® project stages using an Interpretive Ranking Process. Our findings establish how the concept of dominance between individual failure factors can necessitate senior management to make key informed and timely decisions that could potentially influence project outcomes based on an empirical derived, interpretive predictive framework.     

Electronic Data Interchange: Research Review and Future Directions*

For nearly two decades, electronic data interchange (EDI) has been widely viewed as a technology pivotal to supply chain management that has also provided benefits to firms on multiple levels. Despite a substantial body of literature, there are a number of conflicting and inconclusive research results in this field. In this study, we synthesize the diverse body of research in EDI by organizing the literature into an initial theoretical framework. Based on a meta‐analysis of results from the empirical literature, we seek to clarify conflicting results from the literature in order to develop a more unified theoretical framework of contextual variables associated with EDI adoption factors and outcomes. From a managerial standpoint, our literature‐based framework offers a set of guidelines for making successful EDI adoption and implementation decisions.     

Performance information use in public administration: an exploratory study of determinants and effects

The public sector performance movement has intensified during the past three decades, increasing formalized planning, control and reporting across all OECD countries. Notwithstanding the extant literature on performance management, empirical evidence on how and why performance information is used in day-to-day practice is still rare. Such research is relevant not only to advance theory but also to inform decision makers in designing the conditions that effectively contribute to performance and accountability improvements. We aim to contribute to a better understanding of the effects and determinants of use by considering the characteristics of performance management systems, the characteristics of users and context features. We selected two central government case studies from Italy, a country that has adopted several reforms on performance management since the early 1990s. In order to gain insights from both supply and demand side, for each ministry we interviewed people responsible for the design and functioning of the performance management system and top managers that are supposed to use performance information when taking decisions. Results show the prevalence of passive rather than purposeful use. Motivations and obstacles to the use of performance information are identified, drawing relevant practical and policy implications.     

经济增长和环境质量相容性政策条件——环境技术进步方向视角下的政策偏向效应检验

现有文献关注政策规制的经济与环境绩效,却并未重视不同类型政策的技术偏向,以及技术偏态情境中经济增长和环境质量相容发展的政策条件。本文扩展Acemoglu等(2012)的环境技术进步方向模型,数理演绎不同性质政策的技术偏向,以及技术进步方向转变时经济增长和环境质量的动态演化过程,再结合我国经济数据进行政策效果评价。研究结果发现:(1)环境技术进步方向是技术研发效率和环境政策累积作用的结果,环境政策会通过影响不同类型技术创新激励的方式,改变环境技术进步方向。(2)异质性政策转变技术进步方向,影响经济增长和环境质量,其作用存在不同的着力点和偏向性。其中,研发补贴政策的清洁技术偏向和产出激励效果明显,而规制类政策的环境质量效应优于研发补贴,但其对经济增长的作用表现出非线性U型特征。(3)单一政策干预往往难以破除经济增长和环境质量的两难困境,而政策组合的效果明显优于单一政策,特别是在碳排放权交易试点地区实施研发补贴政策,以及在碳排放权交易试点地区同时实行环境税与研发补贴,效果明显优于实施单一政策。但最优的政策组合并非固定不变,而往往处于动态变化过程中。     

When is it time to revise your SKU classification: setting and resetting the decoupling point in a dairy company

Classification of stock-keeping units (SKUs) is a much used approach to determine inventory strategy, production strategy or location of the decoupling point for different SKU categories. However, the literature mainly provides approaches for determining categories at a certain moment in time without addressing the need and factors that urge revision of a determined classification. This paper addresses that gap. The empirical part relies on an extensive case study of a dairy company and uses a large longitudinal data-set from the case company. Our study demonstrates that periodic reclassification is needed to either increase the competitive strength of the company or to reduce risks. Still, classification and reclassification are much more a subtle process that balances customer wishes, operational decisions and commercial motives than a straightforward calculation.     

碳税政策下制造商竞争的供应链定价策略和社会福利研究

本文在考虑消费者环境意识下，探讨了制造商竞争情形下基于碳税政策的供应链成员定价策略和社会福利问题。研究表明，碳税政策的实施均会使得普通产品和低碳产品的批发价格和零售价格上升，且普通产品的价格变化总是较低碳产品更加明显；实施碳税政策前后，清洁型制造商面临的产品需求和利润变化总是较普通制造商更具有相对优势；制造商竞争有利于碳税政策引导制造商降低单位产品的碳排放量，实现绿色转型；碳税政策下，不论是清洁型制造商还是普通制造商，他们降低自身产品的单位碳排放量对提升自身产品在需求上的优势或减少自身产品在需求上的劣势都是有益的。当制造商之间的竞争性较小时，实施最优的碳税政策可以显著改善社会福利；特别是当消费者环境意识水平较低时，实施最优的碳税政策更为必要。当制造商之间的竞争强度较大时，不论消费者环境意识高低，直观税率值1可以作为一个近似最优的碳税政策，用以改善社会福利。     

The Quality of Stakeholder-Based Decisions

The increased use of stakeholder processes in environmental decision making has raised concerns about the quality of decisions these processes produce. Some claim that stakeholders make inadequate use of scientific information and analysis and are all too ready to sacrifice technical quality for political expediency. This article looks to the case study record to examine the quality of the decisions from stakeholder-based processes. The data for the analysis come from a "case survey," in which researchers coded information from 239 published case studies of stakeholder involvement in environmental decision making. These cases reflect a diversity of planning, management, and implementation activities carried out by environmental and natural resource agencies at many levels of government. Overall, the case-study record suggests that there should be little concern that stakeholder processes are resulting in low-quality decisions. The majority of cases contain evidence of stakeholders improving decisions over the status quo; adding new information, ideas, and analysis; and having adequate access to technical and scientific resources. Indeed, data suggest that it is the more intensive stakeholder processes--precisely those that have aroused recent concern--that are more likely to result in higher-quality decisions.     

Planning a sustainable reverse logistics system: Balancing costs with environmental and social concerns

The present work aims to support tactical and operational planning decisions of reverse logistics systems while considering economic, environmental and social objectives. In the literature, when addressing such systems economic aspects have been often used, while environmental concerns have emerged only recently. The social component is the one less studied and rarely the combination of the three concerns has been analyzed. This work considers the three objectives and was motivated by the challenge of supporting decision makers when managing a real case study of a recyclable waste collection system, where strategic decisions on the number and location of depots, vehicles and containers were taken beforehand. Tactical and operational decisions are studied involving the establishment of service areas for each depot and the definition and scheduling of collection routes for each vehicle. Such decisions should represent a compromise solution between the three objectives translating a sustainable reverse logistics plan. The problem is modeled as a multi-objective, multi-depot periodic vehicle routing problem with inter-depot routes. A mathematical formulation and a solution approach are proposed. An approximation to the Pareto front is obtained for the case study and the trade-offs between the objectives are discussed. A balanced solution is proposed.     

Adaptive Governance,Uncertainty, and Risk: Policy Framing and Responses to Climate Change,Drought, and Flood

As climate change impacts result in more extreme events (such as droughts and floods), the need to understand which policies facilitate effective climate change adaptation becomes crucial. Hence, this article answers the question: How do governments and policymakers frame policy in relation to climate change, droughts, and floods and what governance structures facilitate adaptation? This research interrogates and analyzes through content analysis, supplemented by semi‐structured qualitative interviews, the policy response to climate change, drought, and flood in relation to agricultural producers in four case studies in river basins in Chile, Argentina, and Canada. First, an epistemological explanation of risk and uncertainty underscores a brief literature review of adaptive governance, followed by policy framing in relation to risk and uncertainty, and an analytical model is developed. Pertinent findings of the four cases are recounted, followed by a comparative analysis. In conclusion, recommendations are made to improve policies and expand adaptive governance to better account for uncertainty and risk. This article is innovative in that it proposes an expanded model of adaptive governance in relation to “risk” that can help bridge the barrier of uncertainty in science and policy.     

Strategic planning for MIS

This article report on a study of the strategic decision to develop computerized management information systems (MIS) in 32 business organizations. THe findings suggest that this decision is a complex policy decision which involves protracted environmental negotiations, a high and escalating commitment of organizational resources, and extensive organizational preparation. Eleven organizational and environmental factors which influence the decision are identified through a literature review. The influence of these factors on the success of the decision is examined and recommendations are made for managing the decision-making process to insure improved decision outcomes.     

基于系统动力学的生态文明建设政策模拟与仿真研究

生态文明建设涉及生态环境保护、资源集约节约、环境治理改善等诸多问题，是一个复杂的动态过程。为探究不同政策对该过程的影响，本文从经济、人口、教育、科技、环境治理等要素出发，构建生态文明建设系统的动力学模型，设计3类共11种仿真情景，模拟不同政策及组合政策作用下中国生态文明的建设情况。结果表明：（1）延续当前发展模式中国生态文明建设水平将进一步提高，资源节约领域的进步最为显著；（2）单一政策情景下科技政策对于生态文明建设的整体推动作用最大，生育政策对于生态文明建设的促进作用优于基准情景，但弱于教育政策与环境治理政策的作用效果；（3）组合政策情景下，科技与环境治理政策组合对于生态保护领域的推动作用最大，教育与科技政策组合能够实现最高的资源利用效率，提高生态文明建设水平的政策组合选择还应结合环境治理领域长短期目标的实现进行，前一组合能够较快实现目标，而后一组合能够实现更稳定的进步；（4）科技政策在单一政策情景与组合政策情景中均成为重要的政策因子，印证了科技创新在生态文明建设中的重要作用。     

Nuclear Safety in Ontario: A Critical Review of Quantitative Analyses

In this article quantitative analyses of CANDU nuclear generating stations are evaluated using an explicit set of criteria derived from a decision-analytic framework. A systematic search was made for relevant analyses, including both risk assessments and economic analyses. Only a small number of scientifically sound quantitative analyses that are being used to make decisions about specific safety measures or projects were located. The availability of scientifically sound quantitative data for making major energy policy decisions is even more limited, and what is available has major shortcomings. The province of Ontario is now heavily dependent on nuclear energy. Given the uncertainties surrounding the health, environmental, economic, and social consequences of nuclear energy, there is a need to assemble the information that is available within a comprehensive decision-making framework, and to decide future energy policies for the province in a public forum from a societal perspective.     

政府基金政策对WEEE回收处理的引导作用及效果分析

为了规范废弃电器电子产品（WEEE）的回收处理，2012年开始政府通过向生产企业征收基金、同时给予回收处理企业定额补贴的措施引导回收行业的有序开展，但现行基金政策在实施过程中面临着资金缺口的挑战，因此有必要探讨更加创新的激励约束机制。本文主要分析现行基金政策、资金平衡政策、以及基金减免政策对生产企业和回收处理企业的影响，通过比较企业利润、消费者剩余、环境收益、社会福利和政府资金投入等指标，综合评估三类政策的效果。研究结果表明，现行基金政策下生产企业缺少动力在生态设计、绿色生产等方面付诸环保努力，因此限制了废弃产品资源化的效率和效益。相对于现行基金政策，资金平衡政策的优势和劣势均较为突出，优势在于避免了政府财政负担，但劣势在于对生产企业的冲击过大，导致消费者剩余和社会福利下降。比较而言，基金减免政策在向生产企业征收处理基金的同时，还将根据废弃产品的处理数量给予生产企业相应的减免额度，这种压力与动力并举的措施能够更好地调动生产企业履行环境责任的积极性，激励生产企业与回收处理企业的共同努力。从评估指标来看，基金减免政策在提升WEEE的回收处理数量，改善回收处理企业的盈利状况，以及提高环境收益，降低政府开支方面具有显著的优越性。     

Empirical research opportunities in reverse supply chains

This study reviews the literature in reverse supply chains (RSCs) and develops 10 research propositions to be studied using empirical research methods. Businesses increasingly have to cope with product returns, mandated environmental regulations and increasing costs associated with product disposal. Through effective management of the RSC, managers can improve process efficiencies, customer service, supply chain design, product design, after-market product sales and after-sales service. Most research in RSCs has relied on case studies and optimization models. Opportunities exist to use survey-based research methods to explain current practices, predominant and critical issues, and managerial techniques used to manage the RSC.