A Virtual Cellular Manufacturing Approach to Batch Production*

In this paper, Virtual Cellular Manufacturing (VCM), an alternative approach to implementing cellular manufacturing, is investigated. VCM combines the setup efficiency typically obtained by Group Technology (GT) cellular manufacturing (CM) systems with the routing flexibility of a job shop. Unlike traditional CM systems in which the shop is physically designed as a series of cells, family-based scheduling criteria are used to form logical cells within a shop using a process layout. The result is the formation of temporary, virtual cells as opposed to the more traditional, permanent, physical cells present in GT systems. Virtual cells allow the shop to be more responsive to changes in demand and workload patterns. Production using VCM is compared to production using traditional cellular and job shop approaches. Results indicate that VCM yields significantly better flow time and due date performance over a wide range of common operating conditions, as well as being more robust to demand variability.     

Rationality in Strategic Information Technology Decisions: The Impact of Shared Domain Knowledge and IT Unit Structure*

Rationality is a fundamental concept to several models of IT planning and implementation. Though the importance of following rational processes in making strategic IT decisions is well acknowledged, there is not much understanding on why discrepancies occur in the IT decision‐making process and what factors affect rationality. Drawing upon structural and resource‐based perspectives of strategy, this study examines the influence of shared domain knowledge and IT unit structure on rationality in strategic IT decisions. Data were gathered from 223 senior IT executives using a survey to examine the relationships among the research constructs. The results suggest a positive impact of shared domain knowledge and formalization of IT unit structure on rationality in strategic IT decisions. Further, a highly centralized IT unit structure was found to negatively influence shared domain knowledge. On the other hand, formalization of IT structure positively influenced shared domain knowledge. The implications of the findings for research and practice are presented.     

Application Development Using Fault Data

We develop a general model for software development process and propose a policy to manage system coordination using system fault reports (e.g., interface inconsistencies, parameter mismatches, etc.). These reports are used to determine the timing of coordination activities that remove faults. We show that under an optimal policy, coordination should be performed only if a “threshold” fault count has been exceeded. We apply the policy to software development processes and compare the management of those projects under different development conditions. A series of numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate how the fault threshold policy needs to be adjusted to changes in system complexity, team skill, development environment, and project schedule. Moreover, we compare the optimal fault threshold policy to an optimal release‐based policy. The release‐based policy does not take into account fault data and is easier to administer. The comparisons help to define the range of project parameters for which observing fault data can provide significant benefits for managing a software project.     

Optimum number of Kanbans between two adjacent stations

A model and solution strategies are developed for determining the optimum number of Kanbans between two adjacent workstations. The total cost is expressed as a function of the number of Kanbans, and the parameters, shortage cost of materials and holding cost of containers. Since the number of Kanbans obtained has to be an integer, an incremental search procedure is used, which leads to the construction of a strong bound on the optimal number of Kanbans required.     

Exploring the effect of national cultures on organizational commitment of bicultural employees

Many organizations today operate globally and employ a significant number of bicultural employees. Consequently, it is extremely important to conduct research that furthers our understanding of bicultural employees in an organizational context. In addition, research that furthers our understanding of an employee attitude such as the organizational commitment of bicultural employees will have practical significance for organizations seeking to maximize employee commitment. This paper presents two profiles of biculturals based on predominant identification to individualist or collectivist national cultures and offers rationale to support the premise that organizational commitment will differ between collectivist and individualist biculturals. Exploring the national cultural dimensions of organizational commitment of bicultural employees as conceptualized in this paper provides human resource development (HRD) an excellent opportunity to research these two constructs that significantly impact organizational outcomes.     

Colonial hangover? A case of multiple cross-cultural influences on Indian Railways

Employing a reflexive-ethnographic design involving past experiences and analysing qualitative data contained in 73 interviews with senior managers from the Indian Railways (IR), this study argues for the remnants of colonial influence on the management, governance aspects and culture in IR. Findings from the study further ratify and confirm aspects of our four scenarios and indicate that the interaction between colonial culture with both national and organisational culture collides to create a complex and conflicting culture in this extremely large and diverse organisation. Such organisational culture, despite the resilient presence of Indianness, paradoxically retains strong elements of the colonial influences as this is seen at times a legitimate and dominant way of governing the world’s largest commercial employer – The IR.     

Economic Cost of Human Capital Loss from Fiji: Implications for Sustainable Development1

Small island nations in the South Pacific are facing a serious problem of loss of human capital. The loss of skilled and qualified personnel from the small pool is causing a major setback in terms of providing the technical expertise to forge ahead with reform programs that these economies are undertaking. Fiji's policymakers are increasingly confronting this issue, because the nation has experienced a massive outflow of skilled labor following the political instability in 1987. While there is an outflow of skilled labor, the country is also losing a large amount of financial capital. The extent of the outflow has yet to be measured due to lack of a methodology. This study advances a methodology to measure the loss to the economy arising out of human capital loss in a small island economy.     

基于生态系统的管理如何融入城市环境政策——以西华盛顿为例

全球范围内城市聚落的增长影响着人类对自然资源的管理,从而促使自然科学和社会科学的学者们提倡以基于生态系统的途径来管理人类聚落。尽管过往有不少探讨基于生态系统管理(ecosystem-based management,以下简称EBM)的文献,但在制定环境政策时,却极少有城市和区域规划师将EBM因素考虑在内。本文对西华盛顿州的城市规划师在审视关于环境政策的科研数据时,在多大程度上运用EBM原则进行评估。笔者采用了现成文献中对EBM的定义,采访了42位在西华盛顿工作的环境规划师,询问其在审视有关科研数据时会考虑哪些EBM因素,并对访谈数据进行内容分析。结果显示,规划师们在审视与制定环境政策相关的科学文献时,会考虑监测、机构间合作、生态边界、价值取向乃至适应性管理等因素,但对于尺度、生态完整性和机构改革等因素,则会遇到阻碍或者说不会明确考虑。本文还阐述了为何有些EBM因素得到重视而另一些却被忽略,最后对通过应用EBM原则来改良城市环境政策的制定提出了建议。     

Making sense and identifying aspects of Indian culture(s) in organisations: Demystifying through empirical evidence

The abstract, multifaceted and multidisciplinary nature of the concept of culture has for long led to scholars researching aspects of culture in organisations in India and Indian organisations globally, but in the current context more is needed. Further, India being a diverse, complex and economically re-emerging nation, the aspects of studying culture in organisations in the Indian context becomes more significant and timely. In this editorial piece, we argue that there is a need to acknowledge and appreciate pluralist ideas and conceptualisations of culture, as it will be a good starting point in understanding and demystifying this important and much-less understood concept. We begin by highlighting the importance of studying culture in organisations and provide a historical background of the social and economic changes that have influenced culture in an Indian context. Based on the four contributions in this special issue, we argue that by revisiting some of the existing (and popular) conceptualisations of culture and considering alternate approaches and concepts will help guide future research and scholarship in this vital and highly researched topic. We conclude by stressing that alternate explanations are warranted for overcoming problems of simplistic understandings of this inherently complex concept.     

Knowing What Your Customer Wants: Improving Inventory Allocation Decisions in Online Movie Rental Systems

In Online Movie Rental Systems, customer desire to rent can often be observed before the actual consumption occurs. Desire represents uncensored (or true) demand information. Hence, the impact of inventory decisions (numbers of physical copies of different movies) can be accurately traced to the creation of desire (via Word‐of‐mouth), and then to rental. Word‐of‐Mouth (WOM) has been recognized as one of the most influential sources of information transmission, especially for experience goods. Poor inventory decisions may result in lost rentals in two ways: One is the loss of rentals because of low inventory (direct effect), and the other is the loss of the possible demand (rentals) that could have been created through WOM (indirect effect). We use data from an online DVD‐by‐mail firm to estimate the direct and indirect effects of inventory decisions, considering the circular relationship: Rental generates WOM, WOM creates Desire, and Desire turns into Rental. We find that the magnitude of indirect effects is significant, comparable to and sometimes even exceeding direct effects. The value of the empirical findings to facilitate better inventory allocation decisions is examined.