摘要:

AbstractSince Skinner's [40] landmark article depicting the manufacturing function as the “missing link” in corporate strategic processes, a portion of the blame for inferior performance in many firms has been attributed to the subordinate strategic position of manufacturing. It has been argued that part of the solution to misalignments between the capabilities possessed by manufacturing and the requirements dictated by customers is for manufacturing to take a more proactive stance. However, little research has been reported which examines manufacturing proactiveness empirically. In this paper, we address this gap by developing an operational definition of manufacturing proactiveness and testing empirically whether a link exists between proactiveness and performance based on data collected from a sample of manufacturers.Based on the manufacturing strategy literature, we identify two major dimensions of manufacturing proactiveness: (1) the degree of manufacturing's involvement in the strategic processes of the business unit; and (2) the degree of commitment to a long‐term program of investments in manufacturing structure and infrastructure aimed at building capabilities in anticipation of their need. We develop reliable scales for measuring each of the dimensions of proactiveness and use the data to provide evidence of a clear link between manufacturing proactiveness and business performance. We show that investments in structural programs coupled with either high levels of manufacturing involvement in strategic processes or planned investments in infrastructural programs correlate with higher than average perfor

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00808.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractWe develop a category management model to aid retailers in the space constrained decisions of which products to stock (assortment) and how much shelf space to allocate to those products. The model is formulated as a constrained optimization problem with two basic decision variables: assortment and allocation of space to the items in the assortment. The non‐linearities in the objective function and the zero‐one decision variables disallow a closed form solution. We develop a heuristic solution procedure based on simulated annealing and test it on a problem with a known optimum. We also apply the technique to a larger problem without a known optimum. Finally, the solution found by simulated annealing is compared against a solution produced using a shelf allocation rule based on share of sa

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00809.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractWhat effect does positive and negative feedback about past risk taking have on the future risk taking of decision makers? The results of an experimental study show that subjects who are led to believe they are very competent at decision making see more opportunities in a risky choice and take more risks. Those who are led to believe they are not very competent see more threats and take fewer risks. The feelings of self‐competence and self‐confidence on one task did not generalize to a similar task. Perception of opportunities was unexpectedly not related to the perception of threats. As executives bring their personal perceptual biases to firm decision making, our results identify a serious built‐in bias in SWOT analysis (the analysis of firms' strengths and weaknesses as related to potential opportunities and threats). Executives who believe that they and their firm are very competent will take more risks and vice versa. Our results also provide evidence that the perceived likelihood of an event depends on whether the event is a loss or a gain. Human decision making is subject to the general bias that outcome expectations are not independent of outcome valua

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00810.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractHindsight bias refers to the tendency of individuals with outcome knowledge (hindsight) to alter their perception of an event such that, ex‐post, one's assumed ability to predict an event is greater than one's ex‐ante ability. Auditors must make decisions without knowledge of an eventual outcome, but auditor liability is determined from a perspective that includes outcome knowledge. A behavioral experiment was conducted with 92 prospective jurors. Jurors were presented with a case in which auditors performed an audit of a client company and subsequently issued the standard, favorable audit report. Outcome knowledge was manipulated as: (1) no outcome (control group), (2) negative outcome (bankruptcy and subsequent lawsuit), and (3) negative outcome with a debiasing strategy. Results indicate that outcome knowledge biased jurors' evaluations of the auditor's judgment. Additional analysis revealed that the results are consistent with a cognitive interpretation of hindsight bias. The debiasing strategy was found to be effective in mitigating hindsight b

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00811.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThis paper describes the properties of nonlinear dynamical systems in demand data and assesses the implications for inventory management. A test from Brock, Dechert, and Scheinkman (BDS) [6] for detecting nonlinearities is presented. This test assists inventory managers with two issues. First, it can be used to detect departures from the independence and stationarity assumptions of particular inventory models, thereby identifying the need for more suitable models. Second, the BDS test can determine whether forecasting model improvements are possible, and can measure improvements in the forecasting model process. The corresponding reductions in forecast errors improve inventory management and lead to reduced inventory costs. Using actual weekly demand for oil filters, this paper demonstrates the use of the BDS test and the effects of nonlinearities in demand data on inventory model performance.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00812.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractAn experiment that examines the use of expert systems to enhance student learning in an introductory Production and Operations Management (POM) class is discussed. An experimental expert system, SCHEDULER, was built within the domain of scheduling. It provided students with the opportunity to experience working with and integrating scheduling heuristics, constraints, and management requirements. The experiment also exposed students to using, rather than having to build, computerized decision aids, and expert systems in particular. Measurements of student learning and assessments of student perception regarding use of expert systems indicate expert systems can provide a valuable enhancement to the learning environment.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00813.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractPrevious research examining alternative ways of dealing with schedule instability has shown that freezing a portion of the master production schedule (MPS) is a cost effective way to reduce instability. While it is often argued that MPS freezing limits the firm's ability to react to changing customer needs, the impact of freezing on customer service is not well understood. We examined the impact of freezing a specified portion of the MPS on the average fill rate under a wide variety of conditions using controlled simulation experiments. The results show that freezing can be implemented without causing a severe reduction in customer service.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00814.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractWest and Courtney [18] rely on industrial organization economics in general, and the economics of uncertainty in particular, for insights into the benefits of overcoming information constraints through information systems (IS) and improved information technologies (IT). This Comment argues that the IS researcher who looks to the economics of uncertainty to make a case for improved IT will only find support from a selective reading of a constantly expanding literature whose aims and inferences are easily misunderstood.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00815.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThe preceding critique [1] of the paper “The Information Problems in Organizations: A Research Model for the Value of Information and Information Systems” [3], reaches general conclusions with respect to the original paper and the applicability of economics to MIS research. These conclusions are based on arguments developed at a different level of analysis than that used in the original paper, and without considering the goals and intent of the original paper. The differences between the critique and the original paper are highligh

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1994.tb00816.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY