Designing the venue logistics management operations for a World Exposition

World Expositions, due to their size and peculiar features, pose a number of logistics challenges. This paper aims at developing a design framework for the venue logistics management (VLM) operations to replenish food products to the event site, through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches. First, an in-depth interview methodology, combined with the outcomes of a literature review, is adopted for defining the key variables for the tactical and operational set-up of the VLM system. Second, a quantitative approach is developed to define the necessary logistics resources. The framework is then applied to the case of Milan 2015 World Exposition. It is the first time that such a design framework for a World Exposition is presented: the originality of this research lies in the proposal of a systematic approach that adds to the experiential practices constituting the current body of knowledge on event logistics.     

Knowledge management in a community setting using action research: a case study of Lumpaya community,Nakorn Pathom Province,Thailand

This study promoted self-learning and participatory learning processes in the Lumpaya Community of Thailand to facilitate the development of local public policy to reduce the problem of poverty. The process used action research utilizing practice and learning from that practice. This research serves as an example of how a human resource development (HRD) intervention, knowledge management, can be applied in a context that extends beyond individual organizational boundaries to strengthen the community.     

How smart cities transform operations models: a new research agenda for operations management in the digital economy

Abstract

The notion of smart cities is growing in prominence in the digital economy. The integration of urban infrastructures with information and communication technologies enables the development of new operations models. Digitised infrastructures offer opportunities for public and private organisations to design and deliver more customer-centric products or services, particularly for those that require geographical proximity with consumers in the online to offline (O2O) context. A framework is developed and used to analyse three case examples. These cases illustrate the emergence of new operations models and, demonstrate how smart cities are redefining the characteristics of operations models around their scalability, analytical output and connectivity. We also explore the feasibility, vulnerability and acceptability of each new operation. This paper contributes to our understanding of how smart cities can potentially transform operational models, and sets out a research agenda for operations management in smart cities in the digital economy.     

Uncertainty,flexibility and buffers in the management of the firm operating system

The role that buffers can assume in the management of uncertain situations that can occur in industrial firms is demonstrated. An outline is provided of the various types of buffers with regard to different types of uncertainty faced and to the characteristics of the production system. Although the prevalent scholarly trend is to evaluate buffers as factors which uselessly increase the complexity of the firms operating systems, this work tries to analyse the contributions they offer to the management process. Buffers are considered as alternative and complementary factors to technological flexibility. Technological flexibility is often considered the only competitive means able to face both external and internal uncertainties. The choice to use or not use buffers as a complementary resource or as an alternative to technological flexibility, depends on a comparison of the cost-benefits of the two solutions     

Defining the scope of service operations management: an investigation on the factors that affect the span of responsibility of the operations department in service companies

This article deals with the definition of the scope of operations management (OM) in service companies. Operations, in service companies, are often dispersed throughout the organisation and so it is difficult to understand where OM tools and practices can be applied and who should be in charge of their implementation. Starting from the assumption that the actual scope of service operations is influenced by the degree of variety of the offering and of variability of the delivery process, this article analyses three case studies in an attempt to understand whether and why operations, in these companies, include different activities. This article argues that three factors affect the perceived scope of OM, namely: the dominant culture; the existence of industry-specific regulations and the endowment of facilities.     

The knowledge management of micro-firms in the crowd: key challenges for successful operations*

Abstract

Crowdfunding platforms are increasingly being used by small and micro-firms to fund the development and initial promotion of their new products. The transition from a crowdfunding campaign to the subsequent operational phase is critical to successfully fulfil the expectations of the backers who supported the micro-firm and expect to receive the new product. This paper analyzes the main challenges that must be faced by micro-firms during this transition, adopting the perspective of knowledge management theory. Based on an exploratory case study analysis, the paper highlights the particularities of these knowledge management challenges in terms of knowledge diversity, dependence and novelty. Asymmetry, dispersion, synchronization, a lack of a common understanding and backer lock-in are the main knowledge-based challenges for the operations of micro-firms that use crowdfunding. Various theoretical and practical implications of the findings are offered.     

Target setting for indirect processes: a new hybrid method for the continuous improvement management of indirect processes

Indirect processes are increasingly contributing to the total cost of production in highly competitive and technology-intensive industries. Unfortunately, they are less assessable than direct processes due to the complex organisational management structure. Therefore, companies seeking to make improvements in indirect areas need decision support methods to indicate which indirect process needs to be improved and to what extent. To facilitate this task, the target setting for indirect processes (TSIP) method has been developed following the constructive research approach. TSIP is a combination of process modelling, the analytic network process, activity-based management from managerial accounting research and the value control chart from target costing research in a kaizen budgeting framework. This new hybrid method is developed and validated in cooperation with a global first-tier automotive supplier.     

The role of Lean at the interface with between operations management and applied services within a large aerospace organisation: a boundary spanning perspective

Increased complexity in large design and manufacturing organisations requires improvements at the operations management (OM)–applied service (AS) interface areas to improve project effectiveness. The aim of this paper is explore the role of Lean in improving the longitudinal efficiency of the OM–AS interface within a large aerospace organisation using Lean principles and boundary spanning theory. The methodology was an exploratory longitudinal case approach including exploratory interviews (n = 21), focus groups (n = 2), facilitated action-research workshops (n = 2) and two trials or experiments using longitudinal data involving both OM and AS personnel working at the interface. The findings draw upon Lean principles and boundary spanning theory to guide and interpret the findings. It was found that misinterpretation, and forced implementation, of OM-based Lean terminology and practice in the OM–AS interface space led to delays and misplaced resources. Rather both OM and AS staff were challenged to develop a cross boundary understanding of Lean-based boundary (knowledge) objects in interpreting OM requests. The longitudinal findings from the experiments showed that the development of Lean Performance measurements and lean Value Stream constructs was more successful when these Lean constructs were treated as boundary (knowledge) objects requiring transformation over time to orchestrate improved effectiveness and in leading to consistent terminology and understanding between the OM–AS boundary spanning team.     

Critical success factors of web-based supply-chain management systems: an exploratory study

This paper reports the results of a survey on the critical success factors (CSFs) of web-based supply-chain management systems (WSCMS). An empirical study was conducted and an exploratory factor analysis of the survey data revealed five major dimensions of the CSFs for WSCMS implementation, namely (1) communication, (2) top management commitment, (3) data security, (4) training and education, and (5) hardware and software reliability. The findings of the results provide insights for companies using or planning to use WSCMS.     

Antecedents and consequences of diversity and equality management systems: The importance of gender diversity in the TMT and lower to middle management

Strategic human resource management theory suggests that diversity and equality management (DEM) systems provide a firm with a competitive advantage, leading to superior performance. This study proposes and tests a moderated mediation model focusing on antecedents (i.e. top management team gender diversity) and consequences (i.e. performance) of DEM systems in the context of lower through middle management (LTMM) gender diversity. The model was tested in 248 medium-to large-sized organizations using time-lagged survey and archival data. The findings provide full support for the hypothesis that a gender-diverse top management team is positively associated with DEM systems. The results provide partial support for the following hypotheses: DEM systems are positively associated with performance and this relationship is moderated by LTMM gender diversity; and DEM systems mediate the relationship between TMT gender diversity and performance. We discuss theoretical, research and practical implications.     

A path analytic study of the effect of top management support for information systems performance

Information systems (IS) have become a vital component of an organization's competitive practices. Organizations have tried to differentiate themselves based on their use and adaptation of new information technology. Top management support (TMS) is a significant factor in influencing the effectiveness of the IS function in an organization. The literature has conceptually supported this notion, but empirical evidence has been sparse. This paper develops a two-tiered framework for studying the relationship between top management support, the IS function, and IS performance. This conceptual model was empirically tested using structural equation modeling based on data collected through a survey instrument. The results support the direct and indirect relationships depicted in the model between top management support and IS performance.     

Addressing the Challenge of Modeling for Decision‐Making in Socially Responsible Operations

Companies seek sustainability by combining the quest for profitability with the pursuit of social responsibility. Since socially responsible operations are characterized by the presence of multiple stakeholders with conflicting goals, applying classical optimization models would seem premature; we first need to capture the behavior of the entire system before attempting to optimize sub‐systems to ensure that we focus on the ones driving the behavior of interest. Alternative methodologies are required if we are to gain insight into the most important drivers of socially responsible operations in order to apply traditional operations research (OR)/management science (MS) models correctly. This study presents an umbrella approach which combines different methodologies to tackle the complexity, unfamiliar context, and counter‐intuitive behavior of socially responsible operations at the overall system level.     

The impact of a waiting-time threshold in overflow systems with impatient customers

This paper analyzes the performance of call centers with impatient customers, two levels of support, and an overflow mechanism. Waiting calls from the front-office queue – if not reneging – are sent to the back office if at least one back-office agent is available and if a certain threshold t on the waiting time is reached. We approximate such systems via a continuous-time Markov chain that allows for overflow immediately upon arrival. Two different approaches for the derivation of the respective probability of an overflow are developed. Numerical results compare the reliability of these Markovian performance approximations for different parameter settings. The impact of the threshold t on different performance measures is shown dependent on the impatience of customers.     

HRM系统、竞争战略与企业绩效关系的实证研究

战略人力资源管理理论认为人力资源管理(HRM)系统和企业竞争战略之间的匹配关系会对企业绩效产生影响.通过类型学和分类学两条主线归纳并总结了关于 HRM 系统及其与企业绩效关系的研究,提出了 HRM 系统、竞争战略与企业绩效关系的假说,并以133家样本企业为研究对象,对理论假说进行了检验.研究发现,采取内部型 HRM 形态的企业的绩效高于采取市场型 HRM 形态的企业;环境特征(产业技术变革、劳动力市场竞争)对 HRM 系统形态与企业绩效关系的调节效应仅得到部分支持,而企业规模的调节效用没有得到支持;企业的竞争战略对人力资源战略选择的影响很小;HRM 系统与竞争战略匹配企业的绩效高于没有匹配企业的假说没有得到支持.最后,对研究结论进行了讨论,分析了其局限性和未来研究建议.     

A process model of establishing knowledge management: Insights from a longitudinal field study

This paper contributes to the discussion on how to manage knowledge in organizations. Taking a perspective which acknowledges the importance of, but does not privilege, IT as the decisive element, it reports the results of a study investigating the process of establishing as opposed to conducting knowledge management. Based on a grounded theory approach to the analysis of the empirical data, a model of establishing knowledge management in organizations is developed. The model emphasizes how the organizational members make sense of the action and behavior of management, and how this understanding influences their own perceptions and actions in the process of establishing knowledge management. This leads to an understanding of knowledge management as an autonomous venturing process. The model is then used to suggest an explanation of why establishing knowledge management was not successful in the case which was investigated. Conclusions are provided on how the model can be further exploited for studying and improving the practice of knowledge management.     

Sustainable planning strategies in supply chain systems: proposal and applications with a real case study in fashion

Abstract

Pollution generated by the fashion industry drives people to pay attention to fashion companies’ sustainability practice. This increase in attention has induced vast literature studying the related area. Since the fashion apparel supply chain is complicated which involves a lot of interrelated steps and decisions, how fashion companies can identify the demand in sustainable fashion and make the right decision in resource allocation throughout the supply chain becomes a critical issue. As a result, this paper examines how a fashion company can develop a successful sustainable planning strategy throughout the sustainable fashion supply chain. The sustainability attributes and the sustainable planning strategy mechanism are also discussed. Based on the institutional theory and resource-based theory, we first analyse the external pressure and internal motivations for companies to adopt a sustainable planning strategy in the fashion supply chain. We then identify the core stakeholders related to the sustainable planning strategy and propose how the decision-making theory can help develop the sustainable supply chain management mechanism. Next, we establish a sustainable planning strategy framework. Finally, via a case study with public data on the fashion giant brand Nike, we explore the application of our proposed sustainable planning strategy framework. The finding suggests that the strategic planning of fashion companies on sustainability can improve the performance of the stakeholders throughout the whole sustainable fashion supply chain.     

On the versatility of Little’s Law in operations management: a review and classification using vignettes

Abstract

Despite Little’s Law being considered as one of the ‘laws’ of operations management, evidence of its application in an empirical context is diverse and diffuse. Hence, this paper aims to identify, classify and consolidate published empirical applications of Little’s Law in a systematic manner to better understand its versatility. This paper undertakes a systematic literature review of the databases of the five main publishers of operations management journals and snowball sampling for additional papers. A final sample of 128 empirical journal articles is identified and categorized. Tactical, medium-term decisions relating to capacity dynamics and operations re-engineering are the most popular categories. To give further insights into versatility, vignettes for each category are developed. The review and vignettes confirm Little’s Law as a highly relevant paradigm to operations management decisions due to its empirical versatility across levels, sectors and time domains. The paper suggests four factors to underline the empirical versatility of Little’s Law in operations management: applicability, utility, simplicity and visibility.     

Linking hybrid systems to ACD models: a case study in the fibre-glass industry

This paper is aimed at formalising and testing a model for hybrid systems where the interactions between the continuous process parts and the manufacturing sub-systems are given by minor stoppages. The proposed approach consists in representing the effects of the continuous process dynamics on discrete manufacturing sub-systems by means of autoregressive conditional duration (ACD) models originally conceived to treat high-frequency and irregularly spaced financial transaction data. The model has been applied to a real-life furnace and spooling-bushing department system of a fibre-glass production plant. Results conclude that the ACD-based model proved useful for representing the occurrence of fibre-glass breakage on the spooling-bushing machines and, in more general terms, that the proposed methodology could be really suitable for the logical modelling of the hybrid production systems where the relationships between the continuous and the discrete parts are given by the occurrence of minor stoppages.     

Shortcuts in complex engineering systems: a principal-agent approach to risk management

In this article, we examine the effects of shortcuts in the development of engineered systems through a principal-agent model. We find that occurrences of illicit shortcuts are closely related to the incentive structure and to the level of effort that the agent is willing to expend from the beginning of the project to remain on schedule. Using a probabilistic risk analysis to determine the risks of system failure from these shortcuts, we show how a principal can choose optimal settings (payments, penalties, and inspections) that can deter an agent from cutting corners and maximize the principal's value through increased agent effort. We analyze the problem for an agent with limited liability. We consider first the case where he is risk neutral; we then include the case where he is risk averse.