Creating and sustaining competitive advantage in collaborative systems: The what and the how

Initially this paper asks two questions: In order to create and sustain competitive advantage through collaborative systems WHAT should be managed? and HOW should it be managed? It introduces the competitive business structure and reviews some of the global trends in manufacturing and business, which leads to focus on manage processes, value propositions and extended business processes. It then goes on to develop a model of the collaborative architecture for extended enterprises and demonstrates the validity of this architecture through a case study. It concludes that, in order to create and sustain competitive advantage, collaborative systems should facilitate the management of: the collaborative architecture of the extended enterprise; the extended business processes and the value proposition for each extended enterprise through a meta level management process. It also identifies areas for further research, such as better understanding of: the exact nature and interaction of multiple strategies within an enterprise; how to manage people/teams working along extended business processes; and the nature and prerequisites of the manage processes     

What Does it Mean to be Enterprising?

The last ten years in the U.K. have witnessed an acceleration of interest in enterprise education. The aims of enterprise education initiatives include helping people to start businesses; promoting awareness of enterprise; and creating the educational conditions for people to become more enterprising (Jamieson, 1984). This diversity of aims implies that enterprise is perceived differently by educationalists involved in enterprise education. This paper seeks to clarify the meaning of enterprise by exploring some key questions:

• 1 Why is enterprise considered important?
• 2 What insights are offered by enterprise education initiatives on the meaning of enterprise?
• 3 How useful is a study of entrepreneurs for a study of enterprise?

These questions dictate a need for further research to explore and clarify the meaning of enterprise. This is crucial for educationalists who wish to educate and assess enterprise as well as decide on the educational value of enterprise education. The relationship between enterprise competencies and small business owner management and employee competencies would be also clarified with an understanding of what it means to be enterprising.     

Evaluating and improving risk formulas for allocating limited budgets to expensive risk-reduction opportunities

Simple risk formulas, such as risk = probability × impact, or risk = exposure × probability × consequence, or risk = threat × vulnerability × consequence, are built into many commercial risk management software products deployed in public and private organizations. These formulas, which we call risk indices, together with risk matrices, “heat maps,” and other displays based on them, are widely used in applications such as enterprise risk management (ERM), terrorism risk analysis, and occupational safety. But, how well do they serve to guide allocation of limited risk management resources? This article evaluates and compares different risk indices under simplifying conditions favorable to their use (statistically independent, uniformly distributed values of their components; and noninteracting risk‐reduction opportunities). Compared to an optimal (nonindex) approach, simple indices produce inferior resource allocations that for a given cost may reduce risk by as little as 60% of what the optimal decisions would provide, at least in our simple simulations. This article suggests a better risk reduction per unit cost index that achieves 98–100% of the maximum possible risk reduction on these problems for all budget levels except the smallest, which allow very few risks to be addressed. Substantial gains in risk reduction achieved for resources spent can be obtained on our test problems by using this improved index instead of simpler ones that focus only on relative sizes of risk (or of components of risk) in informing risk management priorities and allocating limited risk management resources. This work suggests the need for risk management tools to explicitly consider costs in prioritization activities, particularly in situations where budget restrictions make careful allocation of resources essential for achieving close‐to‐maximum risk‐reduction benefits.     

The EO in OBM

Abstract

Olson, Laraway, and Austin (2001) propose an increased emphasis on the establishing operation in organizational behavior management. Their proposal raises interesting questions about theory, science, and practice. (1) What should be the role of theory in behavior analysis? (2) Should we try to find problems that match our solutions or vice versa ? (3) What is the relative importance of the establishing operation and the performance-management contingency in managing organizational behavior? (4) Should theory and basic research be more informed by the issues raised in applied settings?     

On the Need for Rethinking Current Practice that Highlights Goal Achievement Risk in an Enterprise Context

This article addresses the issue of how performance and risk management can complement each other in order to enhance the management of an enterprise. Often, we see that risk management focuses on goal achievements and not the enterprise risk related to its activities in the value chain. The statement “no goal, no risk” is a common misconception. The main aim of the article is to present a normative model for describing the links between performance and risk, and to use this model to give recommendations on how to best structure and plan the management of an enterprise in situations involving risk and uncertainties. The model, which has several novel features, is based on the interaction between different types of risk management (enterprise risk management, task risk management, and personal risk management) and a structure where the enterprise risk management overrules both the task and personal risk management. To illustrate the model we use the metaphor of a ship, where the ship is loaded with cash‐generating activities and has a direction over time determined by the overall strategic objectives. Compared to the current enterprise risk management practice, the model and related analysis are founded on a new perspective on risk, highlighting knowledge and uncertainties beyond probabilities.     

Extending the pursuit of flow (lean) management to encompass sales,general and administrative functions

Abstract

Operations management tends to be treated independent of other business functions—the silo syndrome. In this article, we call for operations management (OM) to broaden its perspective by strengthening linkages with other functions of the business, thereby to realize competitive advantages and strategic integration, as well as to avoid resource misallocation. The issues involved are presented and tested by examining the effects of intermeshing sales, general and administrative (SG&A) expenditures with customer-centred flow manufacturing, the latter being measured by system inventory as surrogate for customer lead time. In doing so, we designate trends in total inventory as the independent variable—representative of a dominant target of flow/lean management—and trends in SG&A expenditures as the output variable. The research tasks are enabled by inventory and SG&A data being widely available in companies’ audited financial statements. Such hard data offers methodological and validation advantages over, say, opinion-based survey research. The research adds bulk to existing flow/lean management theory and can be helpful in inducing primary business functions (e.g. OM, finance, sales and marketing) and sub-functions (such as SG&A and management accounting) to engage in cross-functional efforts in the cause of flow-oriented process improvement and company competitiveness.     

Integrating risk and performance management in quality management systems for the development of complex bespoke systems (CBSs)

Abstract

Risk and performance management are at the core of complex bespoke systems (CBSs). CBSs are developed to customer–specified requirements in terms of structure, functionality and conformance. This article examines how risk and performance management are integrated as essential systems in the successful development of projects across multi-organizational functions in complex bespoke system (CBS) organizations. The article argues for the development of a quality management system that consists of two sub-processes: quality control and quality development. Using three case studies from engineering companies, we provide evidence and insights of the way change control, quality development and quality performance are developed in innovating business solutions.     

Why aren't managers concerned about occupational stress?

Abstract

To explain the rarity of workplace stress management interventions, it is thought that managers are not concerned with the risks of occupational stress to health and job performance. Some writers consider either (1) deficiencies in theory, and/or (2) deficiencies in methodology to be the cause of this apparent lack of concern. The aim of this paper is to illustrate another perspective on this issue; that of risk perception. Two perspectives on risk perception are discussed; the psychometric view and the cultural view. The psychometric view suggests that senior managers may underestimate the risks associated with stress. The cultural view suggests that managers may consider stress management to be inappropriate, since individuals, not organizations, should be responsible for coping with stress. Both perspectives indicate that very few managers may consider stress to be a risk that should be actively managed by the organization. The associated disciplines of risk management and particularly risk communication are discussed to suggest ways to overcome lack of managerial interest in stress management.     

Risk management in plant investment decisions: risk typology,dimensions and process

Abstract

Managing risk associated with plant location decisions is a growing concern as companies seek to reassure investors about the robustness of their strategies. However, little attention has been paid to the systematic evaluation of risk associated with new plants. This paper investigates risk management practices in plant investment decisions through detailed case investigations in a cross section of industrial businesses at different levels of maturity in order to observe current practices, identify common principles and to synthesis systematic approaches to risk management. It identifies key risk categories and dimensions of risk management, building on three key bodies of literature – global manufacturing, investment and risk management     

Implications of selected production planning functions: Impact analysis through simulation

When capacity differences are minimized through an efficient algorithm, and integration of capacity planning with any production planning system is performed, it affects some elements of production planning functions. In the reverse way, some elements of production planning and management techniques also affect the effectiveness of capacity planning. These happen because capacity planning processes, production planning processes and production management techniques are not standalone sub-systems, rather these are totally dependent on each other. This paper aims at determining and formulating the effects of some of the selected elements of capacity and production planning functions on each other. This study is conducted using simulation in object-oriented SIMPLE+ + system.     

On the dynamic use of project performance and schedule risk information during projecttracking

Project scheduling, risk analysis and project tracking are key parameters to a project's success or failure. Research on the relative sensitivity of project activities during the project scheduling phase as well as research on project performance measurement during project progress have been published throughout the academic literature and the popular press. Obviously, the interest in activity sensitivity information and project performance measurement from both the academics and the practitioners lies in the need to focus a project manager's attention on those activities that influence the performance of the project. When management has knowledge about the current project performance and has a certain feeling of the relative sensitivity of the various project activities on the project objective, a better management focus and a more accurate response during project tracking should positively contribute to the overall performance of the project.     

An examination of the ISO 9001:2000 standard and its influence on the integration of management systems

Abstract

Analysis of the literature and examination of the various models of integration and testing in the field, have revealed five key issues relating to management system integration. This paper examines the recently published ISO 9001 : 2000 quality management system standard to see how it addresses these issues, under the headings of compatibility, scope and organizational culture. The examination reveals that while compatibility with the ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards has been improved in some areas, a different approach and model of a management system has been used. The paper suggests that differences in the scope of the standards are also likely to give rise to different sub-cultures which will hinder integration, and scope and culture are more important than compatibility. This leads the authors to conclude that new models of integration should be based on an approach and definitions which can be used in any management system, as well as an integrated one. Models of an integrated management system should also emphasize the need for no significant differences in the scope of the integrated systems, and a strong culture which supports the main requirements of TQM.     

Notwendigkeit und Instrumente eines ganzheitlichen Risikomanagements für Mittelständler, Gewerbe-treibende und Freiberufler

Zusammenfassung  Bei inhabergeführten Unternehmen besteht eine enge Verknüpfung zwischen privaten und gesch?ftlichen Finanzen. Die isolierte Betrachtung eines der beiden Bereiche führt notwendigerweise zu Fehlsteuerungen. Als Gegenma?nahme muss das Risikomanagement das Zusammenspiel der gesch?ftlichen und privaten Seite des Unternehmens vollst?ndig abbilden. Neben dem Eigenkapital als verm?gensbildender Substanz ist dabei vor allem die private und gesch?ftliche Risikosituation des Unternehmers von zentraler Bedeutung. Die zwischen beiden Bereichen auftretenden Interdependenzen begründen die Notwendigkeit eines ganzheitlichen Risikomanagements. Es zeigt sich, dass neben dem Schutz des Privatverm?gens die integrierte Beratung durch Finanzinstitute von entscheidender Bedeutung bei der Schlie?ung der Lücke in der Eigenkapitalausstattung von Mittelst?ndlern ist.

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Integrated risk management for owner-managed companies — Necessity and instruments

Summary  In owner-managed companies, there usually is a strong connection between private finances and those relating to business. Consequently risk management has to take into full consideration the interaction of private and business matters. Therefore not only equity in its function as risk capital but also the private and business risk situation of the entrepreneur become subjects of major importance. The interdependencies between both problem sets establish the necessity of an integrated risk management. Apart from the protection of private capital the integrated consultation by financial institutions is of crucial importance when it comes to closing the existing gap in the equity endowment of medium-sized businesses.

     

Interdisciplinary and Interorganizational Research: Establishing the Science of Enterprise Networks

We review and discuss the evolution of interdisciplinary and interorganizational research in operations management and suggest directions for future investigations. The proposed operations management research focus is one that embraces a more holistic view of an “extended enterprise” which involves working with a new business model—the organization as a network. This methodology starts by treating the organization as a system that is enabled by information technology and is characterized by ubiquitous information sharing across traditional enterprise. Proper integration of technology, business processes and people factors needs to be developed to create higher value from networked enterprises. Operations management research future lies in establishing this science from an interdisciplinary perspective. We analyze this perspective in the context of papers published in the first 50 issues of Production and Operations Management and the related literature.     

管理控制中管理者的行为特征分类及管理业绩的关系研究

以心理学、组织行为学、管理学为理论基础,以价值观、态度、动机为行为特征的划分变量,对企业管理控制中管理者不同群体的行为特征进行了实证研究。通过聚类分析将控制对象划分为集体主义倾向型、规则顺从型、自我价值实现型和环境认知型4类人群,研究显示每一类群体都呈现出差异化的人口统计特征。然后,进一步考察了这4类群体的管理业绩与"目标难度适度性"、"信息反馈及时性"及"业绩考核公平性"等控制环节的关系。     

Kann denn Coaching Führung sein?

May coaching be leadership? An analysis of literature on the term coaching. An analysis of the German-speaking literature about coaching shows for what the term Coaching or rather the title coach is used in actual publications dealing with the leading manager as a coach. It becomes apparent, that coaching is not seen as a specialized advisory profession. Instead the term is used as an alternative expression for leadership vocabulary as management style or managerial functions. The elaboration of terms and concepts concludes, that semantically it is meant leadership when it comes to the concept of the coaching manager. To be an exception, the management by systemic approach forms a brand-new perspective about organizations. However, to give respects to the German-speaking coaching community there should be a difference between leadership and coaching as well as notions and titles should be used more accurate among professional management coaches.     

供应链集成的新思路:管理界面集成

管理界面作为管理集成的基本问题,可以表示供应链中结点企业间具体的联系方式。通过管理界面集成原理分析,提出了供应链管理界面集成的三种模式,不仅为供应链集成研究提供了新的思路,还为供应链管理的整体哲学思想增添了新的内涵。     

基于因子分析法的民营企业“两级三维”绩效指标矩阵模型构建与应用研究

民营企业的绩效问题一直倍受业界和学者的关注,但实践中依然存在许多难点.本文基于民营企业部门绩效考核管理实践,提出了民营企业绩效考核的关键问题;在此基础上,针对部门绩效考核指标提取难、执行难等问题,创新性地提出了"公司--部门(中层)"、"管理--执行"间左右互动、层层分解的两级三维指标矩阵模型,并利用因子分析法构建模型对部门二级(B类)绩效指标的提炼进行了实证分析.本文所提出的两级三维指标矩阵模型已经在实证中得到了检验,充分证明了其应用价值.