Search results for " operations"

2016

Increasing offensive or defensive efficiency? An analysis of Italian and Spanish football☆

2009

This paper analyses technical efficiency of Italian and Spanish football during three recent seasons, to shed light on the sport performance of professional football clubs. To achieve this we have used mathematical optimisation methods, particularly DEA models, which enable the calculation of the frontiers of efficient production. Some of the most interesting results are the following. Firstly, the Spanish league is clearly more homogeneous and competitive than the Italian league. Secondly, to obtain a better classification in the Italian league, it is much more important to improve defensive, rather than offensive, efficiency. The popular maxim holds in Italy: the best attack begins with a…

On the Bullwhip Avoidance Phase: The Synchronised Supply Chain

2012

Abstract The aim of this paper is to analyse the operational response of a Synchronised Supply Chain (SSC). To do so, first a new mathematical model of a SSC is presented. An exhaustive Latin Square design of experiments is adopted in order to perform a boundary variation analysis of the main three parameters of the periodic review smoothing ( S ,  R ) order-up-to policy: i.e., lead time, demand smoothing forecasting factor, and proportional controller of the replenishment rule. The model is then evaluated under a variety of performance measures based on internal process benefits and customer benefits. The main results of the analysis are: (I) SSC responds to violent changes in demand by re…

The impact of training andad hocteams in industrial settings

2006

This paper aims to reflect the use of training via ad hoc teams to adopt lean production practices. In our research, eleven automobile manufacturer suppliers implement training interventions to achieve better results through lean production, concluding that training helps companies to develop lean production systems and to improve performance indicators.

The use of employee participation in the USA and Spanish companies

2008

Abstract This article presents a description of employee participation in Spain. The number of published papers in English about Spain regarding this subject is very low, and even lower by Spanish authors. In short, we can say that there is hardly any knowledge regarding employee participation in Spain in both the European and American settings. This paper summarized the results of a research project we carried out whose objective was to compare employee participation using samples from large American and Spanish companies following the works of Edward E. Lawler and his team. Our aim is to have professionals and researchers throughout the world better understand the actual situation in our …

The determinants affecting the internationalisation of the Italian SMEs producing sparkling wines: An empirical study on the RBV of the firms

2014

In the last few years, wine industry has been characterised by profound changes that have determined an intensification of competition on a global scale. The aim of this study is to identify the firms’ internal factors that most influence the export intensity and the ability to fit into the international market of the Italian wineries producing sparkling wines through a resource-based view (RBV) approach. Results of our study supporting the findings of previous empirical researches presented in this paper. In particular, the main factors affecting export intensity are: innovation degree and intensity of investment in advertising and promotion, among firms’ characteristics, and abroad experi…

Using store level scanner data to improve category management decisions: Developing positioning maps

2009

This paper provides evidence of the usefulness of aggregated point-of-sale scanner data to infer the positioning of competing brands, providing valuable information for category management and hence facilitating decision making. Specifically, the authors propose a methodology to study the internal market structure based on market share models with latent heterogeneity when only macro-level time series data (not individual choices) are available. The proposed approach assumes a multidimensional decomposition, latent in the preference structure that is implicit to these types of models. By empirically applying this approach, the authors (1) simultaneously identify both latent dimensions of co…

The effect of inventory record inaccuracy in information exchange supply chains

2015

Abstract The goal of this paper is to quantify the impact of Inventory Record Inaccuracy on the dynamics of collaborative supply chains, both in terms of operational performance (i.e. order and inventory stability), and customer service level. To do so, we model an Information Exchange Supply Chain under shrinkage errors in the inventory item recording activity of their nodes, present the mathematical formulation of such supply chain model, and conduct a numerical simulation assuming different levels of errors. Results clearly show that Inventory Record Inaccuracy strongly compromises supply chain stability, particularly when moving upwards in the supply chain. Important managerial insights…

Variable Neighborhood Search for the Vertex Separation Problem

2012

The vertex separation problem belongs to a family of optimization problems in which the objective is to nd the best separator of vertices or edges in a generic graph. This optimization problem is strongly related to other well-known graph problems; such as the Path-Width, the Node Search Number or the Interval Thickness, among others. All of these optimization problems are NP-hard and have practical applications in VLSI, computer language compiler design or graph drawing. Up to know, they have been generally tackled with exact approaches, presenting polynomial-time algorithms to obtain the optimal solution for speci c types of graphs. However, in spite of their practical applications, these…

From the crowd to the market: The role of reward-based crowdfunding performance in attracting professional investors

2017

Abstract We focus on new technology-based entrepreneurial ventures engaging in reward-based crowdfunding and examine the effect of their performance in such funding channel on the likelihood of securing subsequent funding from professional investors. We also study how this effect is influenced by the presence of patents granted for the new product idea and the entrepreneur social capital. Results from a sample of technology projects launched on Kickstarter demonstrate that pledging a higher amount of money in crowdfunding can ignite professional investors’ interest and thus help secure subsequent funding. However, this positive evidence is effective only when complemented by the presence of…