Search

The supply chain management philosophy has often been used by organisations to achieve a competitive advantage, but it increases the vulnerability of these supply chains (SC) to certain risks. This dialogue between competitive advantage and risk generation has increased the number of studies related to the topic of ‘supply chain risk management’. Aiming to contribute to this field of research, a literature survey was conducted on 16 risk classifications, which included 56 risk types. These risk types were sorted according to existing conceptual similarities and then related to the five management processes intrinsic in a functional SC (plan, source, make, deliver and return), which are mainly advocated by the supply chain operations reference model. This literature review also highlights the lack of consensus among the surveyed authors concerning the risk types that affect a SC, a gap which this paper seeks to close by proposing a supply chain risk classification. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article introduces the relationship between complexities and proactive management practices in supply chain resilience, particularly due to global sourcing (GS) strategies. The main objectives of this paper are as follows: (i) explain the various aspects of GS rather than reporting the trends and implications described in the literature, (ii) view GS in terms of complexity theory and (iii) investigate the resilience of supply chain due to GS complexity and suggest strategies to overcome complexities. We propose a GS resilience framework for future researchers to analyse the impact of GS complexity factors on supply chain resilience with respect to three outcomes: (i) risk and innovation, (ii) benefit in terms of sales promotion and (iii) challenges and responsiveness. Based on the framework, this introductory article summarises the papers appear in this special issue. This article would be useful to researchers and practitioners to further explore the role of complexities, proactive management strategies on GS resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Risk management plays a vital role in effectively operating supply chains in the presence of a variety of uncertainties. Over the years, many researchers have focused on supply chain risk management (SCRM) by contributing in the areas of defining, operationalising and mitigating risks. In this paper, we review and synthesise the extant literature in SCRM in the past decade in a comprehensive manner. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, we present and categorise SCRM research appearing between 2003 and 2013. Second, we undertake a detailed review associated with research developments in supply chain risk definitions, risk types, risk factors and risk management/mitigation strategies. Third, we analyse the SCRM literature in exploring potential gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Economic Lot Scheduling Problem is a classical scheduling problem with the objective of minimising the long-run inventory and set-up costs of a single machine, multi-product inventory system. Demand rates, production rates and set-up times are assumed to be deterministic. The problem has been extensively studied and methods exist to obtain cyclic schedules which minimise total cost. In order to apply a cyclic schedule without a stock-out occurring, certain initial inventory levels are required. This paper considers the scenario where inventory levels are critically low and the cyclic schedule cannot be applied. Analytical methods are developed to determine: if the initial inventory is sufficient to prevent a stock-out from occurring; the maximum time until a stock-out will occur if a stock-out is unavoidable; and the minimum time required to obtain the necessary inventory to resume the cyclic schedule if a stock-out can be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operations management (OM) is a relatively new field of business, having become recognised as a standalone discipline in the mid 1980s. With this in mind, this study analyses the origins, geographical regions, countries, and institutions, of OM research in 11 top level academic journals from 1985 through 2010. Since the field is rather new and is still being developed, an analysis of current and past research constituents offers a unique opportunity to assess how research and education in OM has spread across the globe. We identify those geographic regions and countries that encourage and support OM research and education from the academic institutions within their boundaries. Further, through the research contributions of affiliated authors and PhD graduates, we identify those institutions within each country that are the leaders in terms of OM research and education efforts. We consider the research of faculty affiliated with each institution as well as the research of each institution’s PhD graduates. We find that the early development of the field was centred in the US and UK but, in recent years, much of the research is being published by authors and institutions from many other geographic regions and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While rapid improvement efforts, e.g. Kaizen events, and continuous improvement efforts, i.e. kaizen, remain popular approaches to operational excellence, it is rare that organisations fully sustain change from these initiatives. The impact of both Kaizen events and kaizen may be substantially lower, if not entirely eliminated, after significant time has elapsed from initial implementation of changes. In this paper, we examine how having a continuous improvement culture can support rapid improvement sustainability via an examination of the impact of Kaizen events several months after implementation. Employing a dynamic capabilities perspective and using the institutionalisation of planned change framework, we empirically examine this relationship via a field study of 65 Kaizen events in eight manufacturing organisations. In short, we find that the extent to which work area employees exhibit peer learning, as well as awareness and responsibility both inside and outside of their work area, and the extent to which changes are accepted are significantly related to the perceived impact of Kaizen events several months after implementation. This research adds to current understanding of Kaizen events and kaizen, providing evidence to guide the use of Kaizen events and to inform areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As the barriers to lean production implementation (LPI) are influenced by the context, the search for generalisable barriers, relationships, priorities and control measures is to some extent elusive. This study introduces a framework for managing barriers to LPI in specific companies, which is comprised of five stages: (i) description of the context; (ii) identification of the barriers; (iii) analysis of the influence of the context on the barriers; (iv) analysis of the relationships among the barriers using interpretive structural modelling – this sets a basis for prioritising the barriers; and (v) a feedback meeting to discuss the results of data collection, which also informs on the development of an action plan to control the barriers. The use of the framework is illustrated by a case study of a manufacturing plant. Data collection involved interviews, observations and document analysis. A follow-up visit to the company was conducted 18 months after the initial data collection, in order to identify changes in the context. The framework is a contribution in terms of prescriptive theory related to LPI, and is also a means for the generation of data for developing descriptive theory related to the barriers to LPI. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Comparing with traditional single-deep single-shuttle automated storage/retrieval systems, double-deep dual-shuttle AS/RS have the advantages of high space utilisation and more efficient, since less number of aisles and less empty travel of S/R machine. This warehousing systems have been developed for use in factories and distribution centres. In this paper, we first develop analytical models of quadruple command cycle to estimate the performance of such system, then taking the single shuttle and dual command cycle as the benchmark model, the potential improvement by dual shuttle has been analyzed, the results show that the efficiency of the system has a significant improvement using dual shuttle S/R machine. In addition, we have extended the proposed travel time to a special case that the double empty storage locations will take place and some management insights are given. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We consider a reverse supply chain comprising two independent companies: the collector and the remanufacturer. The collector is responsible for sorting the collected used products and then transporting the ‘remanufacturable’ items to the remanufacturer. As sorting is not perfectly accurate, the misclassification errors affect the optimal decisions in the reverse supply chain. We focus on the optimal collection quantity for the collector and the optimal order quantity for the remanufacturer using game theory under both deterministic and uncertain demand. We characterise the optimal solution and show that under certain conditions, the remanufacturer should allow the collector to transport more ‘remanufacturables’ than the order quantity. We then examine the case where both the collector and the remanufacturer belong to a single company with centralised decision-making and compare the optimal collection quantities under both structures of the reverse supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim: Recent mediatic recalls of products illustrate the losses in terms of cost and reputation induced by non-conformities reaching end customer. The purpose of this paper is to master the propagation of quality non-conformities in manufacturing processes. Most of the time, the control methods implemented to ensure the quality performance of a production system present weaknesses, inherent to their constitution. They can let non-conformities propagate along the value stream and even to the end customer inducing costly recalls for manufacturer. This paper presents a method to master non-conformities propagation in a production system. Method: In order to calibrate the proposition, two case studies have been issued on non-conformities propagation in a low-volumes industry in the energy field. Results: The proposed method combines two levels of analysis and associated improvement tools. At the event level, it proposes to build the control chart associated with the non-conformities propagation distance. At the system level, it proposes a propagation matrix to analyse the permeability of the global detection system and to identify where improvement effort has to be driven. Conclusion: The empirical results of the case studies indicate that the method is adapted in low-volume contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the association between organisational life cycle (OLC) stages and the use and success of activity-based management (ABM) practices. The results reveal that maturity and revival stage business units use each level of ABM to a greater extent than those in the birth, growth and decline stages. In addition, while the level of ABM success does not differ across OLC stages, ABM success is dependent upon business units using each ABM practice to the greatest extent. The findings provide managers with an insight into the appropriateness of using ABM practices at different OLC stages. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Queueing theory is commonly used to evaluate the performance of production systems. Due to the complexity of practical production lines, choosing correct queueing models under the existence of interruptions can be intricate, but is critical to the evaluation of system performance. This paper gives a review of research in this area, proposes a systematic way to classify different types of interruptions in manufacturing systems and suggests proper queueing models for each category. The operational definition of service time is given and the decomposition properties for the run-based state-induced and time-based preemptive events are explained. The corresponding G/G/1 approximate models are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research into moderators, which support collaborative teams by proactively making team members aware of actions or potential problems which may affect them, began in the 1990s, in the context of supporting collaborations during concurrent engineering projects. This paper provides a background to the evolution of moderators and explores their role in supporting virtual organisations. A collaboration moderator (CM) is an evolution of earlier moderators and is capable of behaving differently for different types of users and therefore caters for the varying requirements of individual users depending on the roles they have in the collaborations. This paper describes the architecture and components of a CM from an implementation perspective. Prototype CMs have been developed during the EU-funded SYNERGY project, and two use cases for which the prototype CMs were implemented as a service (a Pre-Creation use case and an Operational use case) are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on the author’s experience of three different firms 50 years ago, around the time whenThe International Journal of Production Researchbegan publication. It describes the issues and challenges that these firms faced in planning and managing production or distribution, and the approaches and recommendations that were made at the time for addressing these issues. Next the question is asked: how, 50 years later, would the same situation be addressed? Asking this question enables an assessment of the contribution of production research to understanding issues, developing solution approaches, and helping production managers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We consider a multi-floor facility layout problem in which the overall length and width of the facility, the size and location of each department, the number and the location of elevators and the number of floors in the facility are all modelled as decision variables. We adapt a linear approximation scheme to represent the area of each department. We consider two objective functions in our model, namely minimising material handling and facility building costs, and propose a lexicographic ordering technique to handle multiple objectives. The numerical experiments show that the slack used in the lexicographic ordering approach has a significant impact on the optimal solution. The experiments also show that the material handling cost can be significantly reduced in a multi-floor facility compared with a single-floor facility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As third-party logistics (3PL) plays an increasingly important role in businesses, managing dependences between 3PL providers and users has become critical for business success. Drawing on the resource dependency theory (RDT), we propose that logistics integration and interorganisational relationships are two effective approaches for 3PL users to cope with their dependence on 3PL providers and to achieve better financial performance. The model was empirically tested using data collected from 134 3PL users in China. The results show that both inter-organisational relationships and integration and their interplay effectively carry the positive influence of dependence on financial performance. We also find that while both interorganisational relationships and integration are effective for Chinese-controlled 3PL users to leverage their dependence on 3PL providers for financial performance improvement, foreign-controlled 3PL users rely solely on interorganisational relationships to manage their dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a taxonomy of buyer–supplier relationships (BSRs), based on the supplier’s absorptive capacity (AC). AC encompasses three learning processes: exploration, assimilation, and exploitation. The aim is to develop a taxonomy that can predict a firm’s performance with regard to innovation and operational efficiency. This research complements the literature, which presently focuses on descriptive rather than predictive taxonomies. Data from 153 firms were collected through survey research. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the quality of data and calculate composite scores to be used in the cluster analysis to develop the BSRs patterns. Analysis of variance was used to explore the relationships between BSR type and firm performance. Finally, semi-structured interviews aided interpretation of the proposed taxonomy. Findings support the identification of groups of dyads through different combinations of the learning processes underlying AC. The different combinations are typified through AC strength and AC reinforcement. The results provide evidence of a significant relationship between AC strength and firm performance. Surprisingly, we did not find empirical support for the relationship between AC reinforcement and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an association rule mining based framework for workforce scheduling to assist managers with robust real-time assignment decisions. We assume heterogeneous individual learning and forgetting behaviours, in which worker productivity changes dynamically. We explore a parallel production system that meets a specified production requirement over a fixed time horizon with the minimum workforce resources based on the number of worker-periods assigned. Three managerial policies are considered including: setting a maximum allowable individual cross-training level, balancing workload among workers and an unconstrained policy. We propose the use of several schedule attributes to quantify key aspects of optimised schedules that may, in turn, aid in determining robust assignment rules and the development of better cross-training policies. Current results indicate that the proposed approach is effective at identifying important rules, many of which add to our knowledge of useful workforce scheduling strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Selecting an appropriate supplier can substantially reduce purchasing costs, decrease production lead time, increase customer satisfaction, and strengthen corporate competitiveness. Thus, an effective approach to alleviate the problem of supplier selection is essential. Numerous studies have indicated that quality is the most critical and fundamental factor for supplier selection and evaluation, among various criteria. This study provides several methods for selecting the superior supplier based on the commonly used quality criterion, process yield. Four tests for comparing two yield-measure indices, based on the normal approximation and generalised confidence intervals method, are presented and compared. This paper provides recommendations for selecting efficient methods, based on the simulation results of test size and selection power. An example is also presented to illustrate the applicability of these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It has been reported that radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is applied to manufacturing shop floors for capturing and collecting real-time field data. Real-time information visibility and traceability allows decision makers to make better-informed shop floor decisions. It has been a great challenge to process a huge amount of RFID data into useful information for managerial uses. This paper presents an event-driven shop floor work-in-progress (WIP) management platform for creating a ubiquitous manufacturing (UM) environment. The platform aims to monitor and control dynamic production and material handling through RFID-enabled traceability and visibility of shop floor manufacturing processes. The platform provides facilities to process shop floor real-time RFID events and to aggregate actionable and meaningful operational information to support decision-making activities. An information processing mechanism based on a critical event model is proposed to organise real-time field data in various abstract levels for enterprise decisions. A case study at an air conditioner manufacturing company is used to demonstrate how the proposed platform can benefit its shop floor WIP management by showing how production and logistic operators and their supervisors accomplish their tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Most studies of total quality management (TQM) have focused on the managerial aspects and associated success factors of TQM programmes, whereas relatively few studies have examined the appropriateness and performance of the large number of available tools and techniques that actually implement TQM practices. To assist in determining the best strategy for improving the performance of TQM tools and techniques, the present study integrates a modified importance–performance matrix with elements of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to provide a comprehensive methodology for assessing and improving the performance of TQM tools and techniques in the Taiwanese motor industry. The methodology presented here can be applied in a variety of industries, including the Taiwanese motor industry, to enable efficient utilisation of TQM tools and techniques and thus improve quality, reduce costs and shorten cycle times. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a software solution that puts together a package that allows information flow through various levels and departments of an organisation. Manufacturing enterprises have understood the importance of information systems within their organisations and have begun using them extensively. To achieve the right fit of the ERP system to the business organisation, customisation may be needed. However, customisation is seen as an issue in the application of an ERP. There are many attributes that can be considered for the selection of an ERP system. In this paper, we have applied fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) to a framework to evaluate an ERP for implementation purposes. The framework provides different methods for customisation of ERP. With the use of FAHP, obtained results provide a better match in terms of understanding the problem and giving options that are a closer fit to the requirements rather than providing the ‘correct’ decision to be taken. This paper is aimed at helping managers to understand and select among the various customisation options available. The application of FAHP to the framework is demonstrated with opinions gathered from managers in various companies. These opinions are translated into numerical values and are compared to the problem as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In manufacturing firms, there is a critical need for proper maintenance of manufacturing facilities. The maintenance process enhances customer satisfaction and reliability of the products, and increases the profit of the manufacturer. Therefore, a proper maintenance policy selection is a critical issue for manufacturers, as an inefficient maintenance policy affects not only the direct cost of the firm but also the other aspects. In the present study, maintenance policy selection at the level of the firm rather than the equipment level is shown, and for selection various criteria have been identified. The presented work not only provides the best alternatives but also provides an alternative ranking, which facilitates decision-makers in choosing alternatives according to their constraints. These selection criteria are different in nature, as some give a crisp value, whereas others are defined in linguistic terms. To select the appropriate maintenance policy, a distance-based fuzzy multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approach has been employed. The proposed method provides the means for integrating the economic figure of merit with the strategic performance variables. The MCDM approach is efficient in incorporating data, in the form of linguistic variables, triangular fuzzy numbers, and crisp numbers, into the evaluation process of maintenance policy alternatives. A comprehensive example illustrates the application of the distance-based fuzzy MCDM approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

From the perspective of network analysis, the manufacturing system can be constructed as a stochastic-flow network, since the capacity of each machine is stochastic (i.e. multistate) owing to the failure, partial failure, and maintenance. Considering reworking action and different failure rates of machines, the input flow (raw materials/work in process) processed by each machine might be defective, and therefore the output flow (work in process/products) would be less than the input amount. To evaluate the capability of the manufacturing system, we measure the probability that the manufacturing network can satisfy demand. Such a probability is defined as the system reliability. A decomposition method is first proposed to divide the manufacturing network into one general processing path and one reworking path. Subsequently, two algorithms are utilised for different network models to generate the lower boundary vector of machine capacity to guarantee that the manufacturing network is able to produce sufficient products fulfilling the demand. The system reliability of the manufacturing network can be derived in terms of such a capacity vector afterwards. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In most highly competitive manufacturing industries, the sample sizes of new products are usually very small in pilot runs because the production schedules are very tight. To obtain the expected quality in mass production runs using limited data is, therefore, always a challenging issue for engineers. Although machine learning algorithms are widely applied to this task, the training sample size is a key weakness when determining the manufacturing parameters. In order to extract more robust information for engineers from the small datasets, this research, based on regression analysis and fuzzy techniques, develops an effective procedure for new production pattern constructions. In addition, a case study of TFT-LCD manufacturing in 2009 is taken as an example to illustrate the presented approach. The experimental results show that it is possible to develop a robust forecasting model which can provide more precise manufacturing predictions with the limited data acquired from pilot runs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The adoption of an organization-wide system, such as an enterprise system (ES), has often been mandated by organizational management, which may not necessarily motivate users to proactively explore the system's features and subsequently apply pertinent features that best support their job tasks. Anchoring on self-determination theory, this research investigates the antecedents and consequences of users' intrinsic motivation to explore ES features. We propose two organizational levers (i.e., autonomous job design and socialization tactics) that the management could exercise to trigger intrinsic motivation, thereby leading to improved ES feature exploration. Intrinsic motivation is manifested by hedonic motivation and normative motivation, whereas ES feature exploration is conceptualized as a dual-dimensional outcome reflected by cognitive behavior (exploratory usage) and positive affect (exploration satisfaction). Through a two-stage survey of 127 organizational users in China, we find general support for our research model. We further observe significant moderating effects of prevention focus on the association between organizational levers and intrinsic motivations. Beyond demonstrating how organizational users respond to different organizational levers, this research examines a broader, enduring challenge, which is to determine how organizational users can be induced to be intrinsically inspired to innovatively harness implemented information systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of computer networks has led to a proliferation of information security standards. To meet these security standards, some organizations outsource security protection to a managed security service provider (MSSP). However, this may give rise to system interdependency risks. This paper analyzes how such system interdependency risks interact with a mandatory security requirement to affect the equilibrium behaviors of an MSSP and its clients. We show that a mandatory security requirement will increase the MSSP's effort and motivate it to serve more clients. Although more clients can benefit from the MSSP's protection, they are also subjected to greater system interdependency risks. Social welfare will decrease if the mandatory security requirement is high, and imposing verifiability may exacerbate social welfare losses. Our results imply that recent initiatives such as issuing certification to enforce computer security protection, or encouraging auditing of managed security services, may not be advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Originally designed as a tool to alleviate bottlenecks associated with knowledge management, the suitability of wikis for corporate settings has been questioned given the inherent tensions between wiki affordances and the realities of organizational life. Drawing on regulatory focus theory and social cognitive theory, we developed and tested a model of the motivational dynamics underlying corporate wikis. We examined leaders (owners) and users of 187 wiki-based projects within a large multinational firm. Our findings revealed two countervailing motivational forces, one oriented toward accomplishment and achievement (promotion focus) and one oriented toward safety and security (prevention focus), that not only predicted owners' participation but also the overall level of engagement within the wiki groups. Our primary contribution is in showing that, notwithstanding the potential benefits to users, wikis can trigger risk-avoidance motives that potentially impede engagement. Practically, our findings call for an alignment between organizational procedures surrounding wiki deployment and the technology's affordances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies' information security efforts are often threatened by employee negligence and insider breach. To deal with these insider issues, this study draws on the compliance theory and the general deterrence theory to propose a research model in which the relations among coercive control, which has been advocated by scholars and widely practiced by companies; remunerative control, which is generally missing in both research and practice; and certainty of control are studied. A Web-based field experiment involving real-world employees in their natural settings was used to empirically test the model. While lending further support to the general deterrence theory, our findings highlight that reward enforcement, a remunerative control mechanism in the information systems security context, could be an alternative for organizations where sanctions do not successfully prevent violation. The significant interactions between punishment and reward found in the study further indicate a need for a more comprehensive enforcement system that should include a reward enforcement scheme through which the organizational moral standards and values are established or reemphasized. The findings of this study can potentially be used to guide the design of more effective security enforcement systems that encompass remunerative control mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil nuclear reactors are used for the production of electrical energy. In the nuclear industry vendors propose several nuclear reactor designs with a size from 35–45 MWe up to 1600–1700 MWe. The choice of the right design is a multidimensional problem since a utility has to include not only financial factors as levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) and internal rate of return (IRR), but also the so called “external factors” like the required spinning reserve, the impact on local industry and the social acceptability. Therefore it is necessary to balance advantages and disadvantages of each design during the entire life cycle of the plant, usually 40–60 years. In the scientific literature there are several techniques for solving this multidimensional problem. Unfortunately it does not seem possible to apply these methodologies as they are, since the problem is too complex and it is difficult to provide consistent and trustworthy expert judgments. This paper fills the gap, proposing a two-step framework to choosing the best nuclear reactor at the pre-feasibility study phase. The paper shows in detail how to use the methodology, comparing the choice of a small-medium reactor (SMR) with a large reactor (LR), characterised, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (2006), by an electrical output respectively lower and higher than 700 MWe. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper a new approach to assess companies' competitiveness performance in an efficient and reliable way is presented. It introduces a rigorous methodology, based on multi-criteria techniques, which seeks to assist managers of companies within a specific industrial sector in providing information about their relative position in order to define improvement action plans. The approach combines the use of the analytic network process (ANP) method with the balanced scorecard (BSC) to achieve competitiveness indicators. The ANP method allows the aggregation of experts’ judgments on each of the selected indicators used into one company competitiveness index (CCI). To demonstrate the goodness of the methodology, a case study of the plastic sector of Venezuela has been carried out. Three companies have been analysed using the CCI proposed. The participating experts agreed that the methodology is useful and an improvement from current competitiveness measurement techniques. They found the results obtained coherent and the use of resources significantly less than in other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper addresses a cross-dock operations problem in space-constrained industrial logistics distribution hubs. In these hubs, the number of incoming trucks exceeds the number of docks available, and inbound trucks and orders arrive at random. The solution lies in minimising the waiting time of trucks by coordinating the pick up/delivery sequences of inbound and outbound orders in the storage zones. A mathematical model and a meta-heuristics algorithm, which is based on a genetic algorithm, are developed to address the problem. This research is innovative because the proposed algorithm allows the insertion of inbound orders that arrive at random into the schedule, without causing any significant disturbance to the original outbound order schedule. Computational experiments are conducted to examine the performance of the algorithm under heavy and normal cross-dock conditions. Results show that the algorithm reduces the total makespan of storage operations by 10% to 20% under heavy and normal conditions. The research study benefits manufacturers by increasing cross-docking efficiency in industrial logistics systems characterised by limited temporary storage capacity and the random arrival of inbound trucks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many authors consider that production and marketing decisions should be integrated. In this paper, we discuss an aggregate planning problem that includes production, selling price, cash management and flexible capacity (by means of hiring and firing and with the possibility of unlimited production subcontracting). The demand is considered to be a nonlinear function of the product selling price. The problem, which is modelled as a mixed integer linear program, can be solved using standard optimisation software. The results of a computational experiment and a numerical example are shown to illustrate the performance of the proposed model and obtain some managerial insights. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To maintain enterprise competitiveness, enterprises require appropriate initiatives to efficiently manage the product, information and cash flows among different supply chain (SC) partners. Co-operation, postponement, vendor managed inventory, transhipment, logistic consolidation etc., are some of the typical initiatives for performance improvement in SC. In an industrial scenario, two or more of these SC initiatives are undertaken simultaneously for superior enterprise performance on multiple performance dimensions. These factors render the analytical SC models inapt and simulation modelling becomes a suitable methodology to study SC performance that can accommodate the complexities present. The impact studies of these initiatives are difficult because these require exploitation of flexible and dynamic modelling elements which are analytically complex and mathematically intractable. We address these issues in the present research by developing a simulation platform to undertake studies with an industrial SC scenario. The challenges to explore SC performance under multiple initiatives are the major motivations for the present research. The novelty of this research lies in the development of a multi-product, multi-echelon SC simulation platform for realistic and industrial SC scenario encompassing the capability to accommodate multiple SC initiatives simultaneously. It is based on the building block approach using Arena®. We undertake SC performance studies under the application of several important SC initiatives. The results are encouraging and they underline interesting research areas to explore further. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To ensure that knowledge repositories contain high-quality knowledge, knowledge management research recommends that contributions to a repository undergo stringent validation processes. To date, however, no research has studied the impact of such processes on contributors' repository-related perceptions or behaviors. To address this gap, we develop a model based on signaling theory and reinforcement theory to explain how individuals' perceptions of three primary validation process characteristics (duration, transparency, and restrictiveness) impact their perceptions of repository knowledge quality and their contribution behaviors. Our empirical results confirm the importance of implementing review processes that are transparent and developmentally oriented as a way of encouraging knowledge contribution. More broadly, this study underscores the need to develop integrated theoretical models that draw from a variety of reference theories when attempting to explain knowledge-related behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value stream mapping (VSM) technique, developed within the lean production paradigm, was presented as an innovative graphic technique to help practitioners redesign production systems. This paper presents the results of a project whose main purpose is to evaluate the real applicability of VSM to redesign disconnected flow lines based on manufacturing environments with a diversity of logistical problems. The research was developed using multiple case study methodology in six industrial companies. The experiences have served to highlight the following results: (1) the validity of VSM as a redesign tool is confirmed; (2) resources required for the application process are established; and (3) the differences between theoretical concepts proposed by VSM and their real-world practical applications are indicated and analyzed. These results have led to conclusions relating to: (1) communication solutions for practitioners to obtain maximum efficiency when using VSM; and (2) definitions of theoretical development points for VSM to become a reference among redesign techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing globalization and advances in communication technology have fuelled the emergence of global virtual teams (GVTs). There is much potential for conflict in GVTs as members work across cultural, geographical, and time boundaries. This study examines the antecedents of GVT conflict and the circumstances under which conflict affects team performance. An in-depth study of GVT conflict episodes was carried out using interviews, observations, communication logs, and documents. Based on findings from the teams under study interpreted in the light of prior literature, propositions are developed about the antecedents and effects of GVT conflict as stated. Within GVTs, cultural diversity is likely to contribute to both task and relationship conflict while functional diversity may result in task conflict. Large volumes of electronic communication and lack of immediacy of feedback in asynchronous media can contribute to task conflict. Moreover, the relationship between task conflict and team performance is likely to be contingent upon task complexity and conflict resolution approach. The influence of relationship conflict on performance may depend on task interdependence and conflict resolution approach. The conflict resolution approach may in turn be determined by the nature of conflict attribution. These propositions have been synthesized into a model to guide future empirical research and GVT practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of collective efficacy within virtual teams has yet to be studied. This study developed and rigorously validated a domain-specific measure of collective efficacy, entitled virtual team efficacy, within a comprehensive research framework. Over a two-year period we collected field study data from multiple samples of information systems project teams--in all, 52 virtual teams comprising 318 students from the United States, Great Britain, and Hong Kong. As we hypothesized, group potency and computer collective efficacy act as antecedents to virtual team efficacy, and virtual team efficacy is in turn predictive of perceptual and objective measures of performance. Further, consistent with efficacy theory, we also find that virtual team efficacy acts on performance outcomes through specific mediating processes. This paper contributes to the academic and practitioner communities by providing a comprehensive model of virtual team efficacy and performance and by providing validated instrumentation that can be immediately applied during further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the theoretical foundations and the practical reasons for the increasing popularity of the enterprise management perspective. Theoretical foundations are given that discuss vertically integrated, virtual and extended enterprises in terms of endogenous and exogenous factors, and the tensions that these create. An exploratory study in the German automotive industry using inductive grounded theory was conducted, involving data collection via 28 semi-structured interviews with 16 companies and data validation via a questionnaire survey receiving 110 responses from 52 companies. The research delivers a conceptual framework to show how enterprise structures emerge, depending on the prevailing type of core competencies that they use. Furthermore, it proposes contingency-planning recommendations to facilitate managing the change from one structure to another as the demands placed upon the enterprise change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An examination of the extant literature on competitiveness reveals a wide variety of notions and extreme difficulties of measurement and application. Single measures of competitiveness do not capture all the elements of the concept. Useful measures have to specify the level of analysis (national, industry, firm or product) and encompass competitive performance, its sustainability through the generation of competitive potential and the management of the competitive process. The interrelationship between these three key elements are also important in a dynamic context. The effectiveness of management is essential to this analysis and the concept of industrial effectiveness at the management level enables a link to be established between the concept of competitiveness and an empirical investigation of decision making. A framework is derived which is of general use and specific measures are proposed to fill the "empty boxes" suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On signing the Bologna declaration in 1999, European countries committed themselves to addressing the reforms necessary for adapting their university education to the European Higher Education Area. This modification process culminated in 2010, and this research aims to analyse the degree of divergence that currently exists in each course subject taken by European Business Administration (BA) graduates. This analysis is based on the educational curricula from 80 European universities in 15 countries that offer degree programmes with this professional profile. After statistical hypothesis techniques and confidence intervals were applied to the data from different European university curricula, the investigative results demonstrated which subjects European graduates have acquired competences in, showing the divergence in the curricula structure of BA degrees. This situation could have implications for student and teacher mobility, master’s and doctorate courses, international competitiveness of European universities, graduated employability and university–business cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper we explore how small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs) engage in external knowledge sourcing, a form of inbound open innovation. We draw upon a sample of 1,411 SMEs and empirically conceptualize a typology of strategic types of external knowledge sourcing, namely minimal, supply-chain, technology-oriented, application-oriented, and full-scope sourcing. Each strategy reflects the nature of external interactions and is linked to a distinct mixture of four internal practices for managing innovation. Both full-scope and application-oriented sourcing offer performance benefits and are associated with a stronger focus on managing innovation. However, they differ in their managerial focus on strategic and operational aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open innovation ( OI) denotes a company's ability to draw on a range of external sources to meet their needs for innovation. Very few empirical analyses have been conducted on the extent to which this new paradigm is embedded in small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs). Thus, the present study's objective is to identify and characterize different profiles of OI in SMEs, considering the openness of the innovation process phases, variety and breadth of collaborations, determinants, barriers, and motivations. A survey was carried out among Italian SME manufacturing firms, and a database of 105 companies was obtained. With regard to data elaboration, a factorial and cluster analysis was conducted, and three different OI profiles emerged: selective low open, unselective open upstream, and mid-partners integrated open. The different behaviors of the three clusters in terms of determinants, performance, contextual factors, barriers, and motivations were analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By complementing agency theory with behavioral assumptions, we explore the effects of family involvement on small and medium enterprises' ( SMEs) performance. We identify three separate dimensions of family involvement and hypothesize nonlinear, direct, and interaction effects on the performance of an SME. The evidence on 787 SMEs suggests that an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between family ownership and performance, and ownership dispersion among family members negatively affects performance. Balancing family and nonfamily members in the top management team ( TMT) is found to be beneficial to SMEs' performance, but the family ratio in the TMT becomes crucial only at high levels of family ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the interdependence between trade and bank credit among 468 Portuguese small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs). The results show that a single bank relationship is prevalent among Portuguese SMEs, indicating that the proprietary borrower information that banks obtain through their relationship results in an information monopoly that creates a holdup problem and leads to high interest rates. Suppliers that can control their customers' credit risk may provide additional credit and thus help alleviate concerns associated with holdup costs. Trade credit is a viable alternative to short-term debt, especially when firms' main bank is unwilling to increase its exposure to liquidity constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contextualizes the relationship between student's self-efficacy beliefs and entrepreneurial intentions in the content and pedagogy of the entrepreneurship course. Using the logic of regulatory focus theory, we argue that the nature of the entrepreneurship course-whether theoretically or practically oriented-creates a distinct motivational frame for entrepreneurship in promotion or prevention terms. When coupled with students' self-efficacy beliefs, this frame can strengthen or weaken their intentions for future entrepreneurial efforts. We test this hypothesis through a survey of 114 students enrolled in different entrepreneurship courses at a major British university. Our results show that higher self-efficacy is associated with lower entrepreneurial intentions in the theoretically oriented courses and higher entrepreneurial intentions in the practically oriented courses. We draw a number of implications for the theory and practice of entrepreneurship education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an integrative review and critical assessment of theoretical, methodological, and empirical dimensions of 109 environmental business-related articles on small and medium-sized service firms published during the 1992-2012 period in mainstream and specialized journals. Theoretically, more than half the studies lacked a theoretical foundation, with the remainder anchored primarily on stakeholder theory, the resource-based view, and institutional theory. Methodologically, studies were generally exploratory, cross-sectional, and descriptive in nature, as well as characterized by a narrow geographical scope, nonprobability samples, small sample sizes, and simple analytical methods. Empirically scholars focused on many diverse issues, with the most frequent relating to facilitators and inhibitors on green initiatives, stimuli and barriers to corporate environmentalism, and environmental problems and practices. The paper provides recommendations for strengthening these areas and offers directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article makes a distinction between global, organisational, and individual sustainability. It argues that sustainability relates to ethics, and that individuals and organisations are expected to follow different ethical standards. When, in a society of organisations, individuals adopt an organisational kind of ethics, global sustainability is at risk. The article discusses some effects of an organising - rather than an organisational - perspective. It is suggested that global sustainability depends on how individuals define their true interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although entrepreneurial leadership is embraced in the popular press and in classrooms, academic knowledge remains underdeveloped. We develop the construct of entrepreneurial leadership and argue that it involves influencing and directing the performance of group members toward achieving those organizational goals that involve recognizing and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities. We discuss environmental, organizational, and follower-specific contingencies that may influence the success of entrepreneurial leadership, and we test the reliability and validity of an empirical measure for this construct (the ENTRELEAD scale). Using this novel measurement tool, we find that entrepreneurial leadership is more prevalent among founder-leaders than nonfounder leaders, which indicates construct validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that market, entrepreneurial, and learning orientations individually improve firm performance. In this study, we suggest that each of the orientations can enhance company success, but the potential of each orientation should not be viewed in isolation. Instead, we draw on the resource-based view of the firm, looking at these three orientations as capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The analysis was carried out on a sample of 164 SMEs. The results indicate that market, entrepreneurial, and learning orientations jointly give rise to positional advantage, which, in turn, is positively related to the performance of the firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]