Operations Management

Greening the Manufacturing Function

by Joseph Sarkis

Joseph Sarkis and Abdul Rasheed, Business Horizons, Vol. 38, No. 5, pp. 17-27, 1995

Environmentalism is no longer an issue of reluctant compliance with regulatory requirements. In the last decade, it... more Environmentalism is no longer an issue of reluctant compliance with regulatory requirements. In the last decade, it has increasingly emerged as a potential mechanism for gaining competitive advantage and has become and important aspect of strategic management. In this article we identify and describe the basic elements of an environmentally conscious manufacturing strategy. We then describe some tools and techniques that enable businesses to pursue ECM strategies, and discuss some of the major environmental manufacturing initiatives taking place in the United States, Europe and Japan.

Determining Efficiencies of Hybrid Cellular Manufacturing Systems Using Data Envelopment Analysist

by Joseph Sarkis

Joseph Sarkis and Girish Shambu, Journal of Design and Manufacturing Automation, Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 301-315, 2002.

Hybrid cellular manufacturing (CM) systems are well represented in manufacturing practice and thus constitute a... more Hybrid cellular manufacturing (CM) systems are well represented in manufacturing practice and thus constitute a fertile area of research. This work studies the performance of hybrid CM systems by means of data envelopment analysis (DEA). Since DEA allows for simultaneous analysis of multiple inputs and outputs of a system, it provides for a comprehensive investigation of CM performance under a wide variety of experimental conditions. For the purpose of measuring system efficiency, the number of machines and the degree of set up reduction are used as inputs, and flow time, work-in-progress (WIP) inventory and job tardiness are used as outputs. Results indicate that the hybrid systems in the study perform best at a low to intermediate degree of cellularization

Case study: Total Quality Control at W Graham Hitchins Ltd

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (1978). Case study: Total Quality Control at W Graham Hitchins Ltd. Productivity & Technology, NZ Department of Trade & Industry, 1(78), 8–10.

Graham Hitchins came to Blenheim, New Zealand, from Britain after a successful career in the building trade and... more Graham Hitchins came to Blenheim, New Zealand, from Britain after a successful career in the building trade and manufacture of synthetic resins. Having the import agency for a line of protective coating materials for buildings he began investigating a new formulation. Thus began the Hitchins group of companies. In 1977 W Graham Hitchins Ltd won a New Zealand Export Award. Although employing a staff of under 40 people, exports reached over 40 per cent of its total sales. The article discusses the history of the company, its services to building restoration, and the practical systems of quality control implemented within the company.

Support systems for Telehealth services: Critical operational and ICT complementary assets for large-scale provisioning

by Americo Cunha

CUNHA, A.B., CAPRETZ, M.A.M., RAPTOPOULOS, L.S.C. “Support Systems for Telehealth Services: Critical operational and ICT complementary assets for large-scale provisioning,” in the proceedings of the IEEE Toronto International Conference - Science and Technology for Humanity. Toronto, Canada. 2009.

This paper evaluates the current operational barriers of large-scale Telehealth services provisioning, focusing... more This paper evaluates the current operational barriers of large-scale Telehealth services provisioning, focusing specifically on the challenges of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The complementary assets, besides the core clinical and medical protocols, are required for performing technological innovations in large-scale service operations. The paper ends with a evaluation of two frameworks used by telecom providers during the technological convergence wave of the 1990s. An analysis comparing the Telecommunications Convergence phenomenon of those days and current Telehealth context can provide insights for developing a more consistent Telehealth operational framework.

Incorporating external command signals in the simulation of interdependent infrastructures: The control room concept

by Americo Cunha

CUNHA A.B., PHAM V., ROSS W., WANG X. “Incorporating External and Command Signals in the Simulation of Interdependent Infrastructures: the Control Room Concept”. Proceedings of the IEEE-CCECE 2011, 24th Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Effective coordination is one of the most critical aspects of emergency management. Several scientific articles have... more Effective coordination is one of the most critical aspects of emergency management. Several scientific articles have described how the lack of proper coordination resulting from "limited resources, inadequate communication, misinformation, and damaged infrastructure" has negatively impacted response efforts. Problems involving the lack of consistent data moving from the incident, including the accurate description of the evolving situation, must be addressed to achieve better coordination. This paper investigates how interdependency simulators can be used to support coordination efforts and decision-making during emergency management.

Financial Services: HSBC

by Sam Thompson

ABSTRACT
Financial Services in the UK have been subjected to extreme criticism over the last couple of years... more ABSTRACT
Financial Services in the UK have been subjected to extreme criticism over the last couple of years during and after the 2008 recession.  This report is concerned with student current accounts in the UK. The service sector has been identified and strategy groups evaluated using a perceptual map. Four of the market leaders and their student current account packages were evaluated from their core to augmented product offerings. To further the study the macro environment was evaluated using a DRETS analysis. This has highlighted all the effecting factors of the financial services market sector. The selected services provider HSBC is evaluated using a service blueprint of the opening procedure of a student current account, the weak areas are identified and changes suggested.  Further more the quality of the service is evaluated using the SERVQUAL gaps model and again actions recommended. HSBC has a number of service delivery failures from opening times which relates and consumer availability to supporting service failures were found. In conclusion a 1 and 5 year strategy has been drawn up taking into consideration marketing strategy theory and real situation methods suggested, based on two specific marketing objectives. 

The Brain Drain: Implications for Regional Economic Integration in the Expanding European Union.

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M. (2012). The brain drain: Implications for regional economic integration in the expanding European Union. In B. Chapalet, & M. Le Berre (Eds.), Producing New Knowledge on Innovation Management. Presses Universitaires de Grenoble, 99 – 111.

This paper provides a review and conceptual analysis of issues surrounding regional economic integration and the... more This paper provides a review and conceptual analysis of issues surrounding regional economic integration and the potential for inter-country brain drain within the expanding European Union (EU). As the EU expands eastward, it absorbs millions of highly skilled knowledge workers and opens opportunities for western European organisations to capitalise on this workforce. The migration of these skilled workers is a macro-exercise in eastern European knowledge management, and could have far-reaching implications at the regional, industry and organisational levels. This paper explores the context and implications of knowledge worker movement across fading borders.

Five steps towards exploring the future of operations management (guest editorial)

by Georges Romme

Published in Operations Management Research, 2012 (co-authored by Jan Holmström)

A Model Assessment Tool for the Incident Command System: A Case Study of the San Antonio Fire Department

by Brian O'Neill

Cultural perspectives on knowledge management in central and eastern Europe: The SECI model of knowledge conversion and ‘ba’

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2010). Cultural perspectives on knowledge management in central and eastern Europe: The SECI model of knowledge conversion and ‘ba’. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 9(2), 161 – 169.

This research discusses the SECI Model of Knowledge Conversion as it relates to the 10 Central and Eastern European... more This research discusses the SECI Model of Knowledge Conversion as it relates to the 10 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) that are now part of the European Union (EU). The socio-economic conversion from socialism to capitalism of these societies is unique in historical precedence, whereby utilising the contextual models in knowledge conversion are applicable for understanding the implications of such a phenomenon. The results indicate that there is a unique set of variables that need to be considered within this context and for future similar situations.

Keywords: SECI; knowledge conversion; national culture; Ba; central and eastern Europe.

Globalization, Knowledge Workers and the Expanding European Union: A Lesson for North America?

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2010). Globalization, knowledge workers and the expanding European Union: A lesson for North America? Canadian Manager, 35(1), 26 – 27.

Social Network Mapping and Analysis in the Global Aerospace Community

by Matthew Jelavic

Ogilvie, K., & Jelavic, M. (2010). Social network mapping and analysis in the global aerospace community. Canadian Manager, 35(2), 20 – 21.

Management Consulting: Understanding the Process Using Concepts in Neuroscience

by Matthew Jelavic

Vincenti, M., & Jelavic, M. (2011). Management consulting: Understanding the process using concepts in neuroscience. Canadian Manager, 35(4), 22 – 23.

Tacit Knowledge and Personal Competitive Advantage: An Autopoietic Framework for Knowledge Management in Human Resources

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M. (2011). Tacit knowledge and personal competitive advantage: An autopoietic framework for knowledge management in human resources. Canadian Manager, 36(3), 22 – 23.

The Neurobiology of Experience: Memory-Prediction and Its Role in the Management Decision-Making Process

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Vincenti, M. (2012). The Neurobiology of Experience: Memory-Prediction and Its Role in the Management Decision-Making Process. Canadian Manager, 36(4), 26 – 27.

Maslow and Management: Universally Applicable or Idiosyncratic?

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2010). Maslow and management: Universally applicable or idiosyncratic? Canadian Manager, 34(4), 16 – 17.

Interorganizational Macrocultures in the North American Automotive Manufacturing Industry

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2009). Interorganizational macrocultures in the North American automotive manufacturing industry. Canadian Manager, 34(2), 20 – 21.

Multidisciplinary Technical Teams: A Case Study

by Matthew Jelavic

Ogilvie, K., & Jelavic, M. (2009). Multidisciplinary technical teams: A case study. Canadian Manager, 33(3), 18 – 19.

Socio-Technical Knowledge Management and Epistemological Paradigms: Theoretical Connections at the Individual and Organisational Level

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M. (2011). Socio-technical knowledge management and epistemological paradigms: Theoretical connections at the individual and organisational level. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management, 6(1), 1 – 16.

This paper provides an evaluation of the literature pertaining to the autopoietic, connectionist, and cognitivist... more This paper provides an evaluation of the literature pertaining to the autopoietic, connectionist, and cognitivist epistemological paradigms. These paradigms exist at the individual and organisational level through diametrically opposed functionalist versus interpretive and integrative socio-technical knowledge management perspectives. The alignments of individual and organisational epistemologies are essential to the effectiveness of a knowledge management system. Knowl-edge management should consider the roots of knowledge theoretically in order to share or man-age knowledge dissemination successfully in organisations. The term ‘knowledge sharing’ has been emphasised and discussed comprehensively through its epistemological influential factors. This paper concludes the development of a Knowledge Management Epistemological Synthesis Model (KM-ES Model) and a comprehensive discussion and conclusion section focussing on the implications of epistemological influences on the knowledge management system of an organisa-tion. The results from this study provide both researchers and academicians with a clear under-standing of the interplay between epistemologies and a foundation for establishing an effective organisational knowledge management system.

Keywords: socio-technical, knowledge management, knowledge sharing, epistemology, cognitiv-ist, connectionist, autopoietic, functionalist, interpretive, KM-ES Model

Knowledge Management Views in Eastern and Western Cultures: An Integrative Analysis

by Matthew Jelavic

Jelavic, M., & Ogilvie, K. (2010). Knowledge management views in eastern and western cultures: An integrative analysis. Journal of Knowledge Globalization, 3(2), 51 – 69.

Traditional eastern and western views of knowledge continue to influence the knowledge management practices in today’s... more Traditional eastern and western views of knowledge continue to influence the knowledge management practices in today’s global workplace. Based on these views, several dominant theories have emerged on how to best manage in the international work environment. This research illustrates contradictions in these theories and extracts a new perspective from the dynamic literature stream. This innovative perspective provides an opportunity to leverage cultures and relationships holistically for effective knowledge transfer and cross-cultural understanding, and hence for effective management

Keywords: Knowledge, Culture, International Management, Knowledge Management, Hofstede Framework