摘要:

Current concepts in the field of Total Quality Management (TQM) are largely based upon case studies, anecdotal evidence and the prescriptions of leading “gurus.” Consequently, there is little consensus on which factors are critical to the success of the approach. Few attempts have been made to scientifically synthesise frameworks for measuring quality management practices, and a methodology for examining the issue has yet to be established. This has meant that current TQM models, such as the Malcolm Baldrige Award, have not been constructed or validated by empirical means. This paper presents a research methodology that can be used to improve self‐assessment frameworks, such as the Baldrige Award, to better inform organisations in the development of Total Quality Systems.The research extracts a series of items from the Baldrige model and established literature. These items formed the basis of a questionnaire sent to over 200 managers. Data was examined using several well‐established analytical techniques that identified 10 critical factors of TQM. These factors were shown to be reliable and valid, and offer new insights into our understanding

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00841.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The contemporary quality management (QM) literature prescribes various quality improvement strategies. However, it lacks scientifically developed and tested constructs that represent an integrative QM philosophy. Moreover, an impact of the prescribed QM strategies on a firm's product quality has not been analyzed. Through a detailed analysis of the literature, this research identifies 12 constructs of integrated QM strategies. Using a survey of 371 manufacturing firms, the constructs are then empirically tested and validated. LISREL 7 is used for this purpose. Finally, a framework to examine the effects of integrated QM strategies on a firm's product quality is suggested. Comparisons between this and two other comprehensive scales of TQM are made.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00842.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Current economic conditions are forcing information system departments to focus simultaneously on decreasing costs while increasing software productivity. Improving software productivity is becoming critical because software costs of large in‐house software companies have been increasing rapidly. For many organizations, however, measuring software productivity has been a difficult task. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), this research study investigates the productivity of 78 commercial system projects. The results of this study have practical implications for software project managers undertaking software development. The results showed that the DEA technology can be successfully used to identify efficient and inefficient software projects. Furthermore, within the inefficient group, DEA can also identify factors that affect software productivity in a positive or negative manner, allowing managers to take corrective actions. Based on the findings of this study, the manuscript also provides some practical guidelines for managers to follow in software developmen

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00843.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Automated guided vehicle (AGV) systems provide the flexibility and integration required for flexible manufacturing systems. Previous AGV system studies have attempted to reduce the controlling complexities commonly encountered in these systems. However, this has not been accomplished without additional resources (e.g., automated guided vehicles) and lower system flexibility. The primary objective of this study is to compare the performance of AGV system configurations that reduce controlling and modification complexities (i.e., tandem configurations) to traditional AGV system configuration. Three AGV system configurations were tested under 16 experimental conditions. Performance metrics considered were AGV utilization, mean flowtime, mean tardiness, and percent tardy. The results of this study extend the findings of the previous studies in demonstrating the viability of tandem configurations, in that the tandem configurations match the performance of traditional configuration across all performance metrics, without sacrificing ease of control and system flexibility. Finally, the cost tradeoffs inherent in selecting a particular configuration are discussed.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00844.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This paper explores the role of critical task specialists in strategic decision making and presents a theoretical model relating critical task specialist participation in decision making to the organization's overall strategy and the nature of the decision. This exploratory study examines scope and intensity of physician participation in hospital decision making. Intensity of critical task specialist participation is explained by content of the decision and by the organization's strategy, while scope of participation is explained by decision content. The findings suggest the need for more complex models of participation than are normally used in decision‐making research. The findings also suggest that executives, in managing strategic decision‐making processes, should pay attention to questions of both scope and intensity of participation. The results suggest that critical task specialists play a different role in the decision process, depending on specific decision content and organization strat

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00845.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

In a recent paper inDecision Sciences, Barton proposes the MTPD method for finding a unique solution for the nucleolus. We argue that the basis for the MTPD method is flawed because the nucleolus is always unique. Furthermore, the MTPD method is inconsistent and does not exhibit the properties desirable in a cost allocation method.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00846.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00847.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

ABSTRACTIntense competition in the marketplace is forcing organizations to examine different ways by which they could enhance or retain their competitive edge. Strategic alliance is one such option through which an organization can leverage its resources to emerge as an effective competitor. Such alliances are burgeoning in the information technology industry, which is characterized by rapid change and short innovation cycles. Successful management of alliances has proved to be very elusive for the most part, and there is a lack of theoretical and empirical work in this area. Literature on critical factors was synthesized, and then a parsimonious set of critical factors was identified using a combination of interview and survey methodologies. Our study has implications for both practice and future research.

ISSN:0011-7315    

DOI:10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb00848.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY