Search results for "Operations"
showing 10 items of 1692 documents
A strategic needs perspective on operations outsourcing and other inter-firm relationships
2013
Abstract This paper considers two issues: the formation of inter-firm relationships, and the choice of governance form. These have been widely investigated in both the strategic management and operations management fields. This paper contributes to the literature in three ways. First, we address why firms enter inter-firm relationships by hypothesizing that managers enter them to pursue three strategic needs, that is: efficiency/effectiveness, knowledge/learning, and global market access. Our first contribution evidences the relationship between the above strategic needs and a number of operational objectives that managers normally pursue in an inter-firm relationship. Second, we hypothesiz…
Flexible strategic planning of transport systems
2012
Abstract This paper presents a decision support methodology for long-range planning of transport systems that exhibits strategic flexibility and stochastic system parameters. Unlike one-off strategic decisions, flexible decisions should be dynamically reformulated with time. The proposed methodology is based on the construction of a tree structure of multiple interlinked tactical planning problems, each associated with a scenario in the tree, where problems under scenarios at intermediate dates incorporate in their formulation the solution of the corresponding problems associated with past (future) connected scenarios. The resulting tree structure of interconnected planning decisions become…
Long term capacity decisions in uncertain markets for advanced manufacturing systems incorporating scope economies
2002
Abstract By examining the literature in the field of manufacturing flexibility many researchers have located several form of flexibility by distinguishing them into strategic and operational flexibility forms. Furthermore, many measures and design methods have been proposed for flexible manufacturing systems. Surely scope economies are one of the most important strategic form of flexibility in manufacturing systems and their strategic impact has been acknowledged by the very beginning of the flexible manufacturing era. However, despite several researches are available to address scope economies measurement and design methodologies, very few researches investigate their economic convenience …
Pianificazione strategica tra sviluppo locale e policentrismo: alcune evidenze empiriche sul caso siciliano
2009
Strategic planning, local development and policentrism: empirical evidence for Sicily The aim of this paper is the analysis of metropolitan strategic planning in Sicily. Urban areas are becoming important units for territorial cohesion policy and strategic planning represents more and more an important policy instrument. Evidence of a policentric pattern is tested across 30 strategic plans carried out by Sicilian cities in order to derive useful insights for policy implications. Methods and Results This study uses multidimensional scaling and rank-size regressions across Sicilian Functional Urban Areas (FUA) as well as descriptive information drawn from strategic plans in order to identify …
Strategic Planning for Integrated Mobility-on-Demand and Urban Public Bus Networks
2020
App-based services and ridesharing in the field of mobility-on-demand (MoD) create a new mode of transport between motorized individual transport and public transportation whose long-term role in the urban mobility landscape and within public transport systems is not fully understood as of today. For the public transport industry, these new services offer new chances but also risks, making planning models and tools for integrated intermodal network planning indispensable. We develop a strategic network planning optimization model for bus lines that allows for intermodal trips with MoD as a first or last leg. Starting from an existing public transport network, we decide simultaneously on th…
The strategy formation process in the EFQM Excellence Model: a critical review and new perspectives
2011
The adoption of an integrative strategy formation process becomes a way of developing a strategic capability that contributes to generating positive results and sustainable competitive advantages. In today's environments, many companies are also using the EFQM Excellence Model (EEM) to try to develop such a strategic capability. This paper presents an exhaustive review of the literature on the strategic process debate and on the strategic capability of the EEM. As a result, we offer to practitioners a conceptual framework which shows the EEM as a useful driver to facilitate the development of an integrative strategy formation process, and we propose a set of dimensions and variables (the le…
A Multi-parameter Model for Effective Configuration of Supply Chains
2015
In this paper, a mathematical model for the strategic planning and design of supply chains in the globalization context is proposed. A multi-objective function is used to address decisions about capacity sizing, sourcing, and facility location, with the scope of maximizing supply chain profits. The model is dynamic and is applied to a multi-echelon, multi-facility and multi-product supply chain in hypotheses of delocalization. The model is characterized by the specific attention given to cost, revenue and financial factor modelling, which has been obtained by means of an activity-based approach and the inclusion of two drivers that are usually neglected in the literature: energy and labour…
High commitment HR practices, the employment relationship and job performance: A test of a mediation model
2016
Abstract Purpose This study outlines and tests a high commitment model of human resource (HR) practices and its association with outcomes through a path including employee perceptions and attitudes, thereby seeking a new way of opening the so-called ‘black box’ between human resource management (HRM) and performance. Methodology Data were collected through a questionnaire survey with responses from 835 Spanish workers from three sectors (services, education and food manufacture). In order to test hypotheses, we conducted a path analysis. Findings High commitment HR practices were related to employee performance through the mediating effect of perceived organizational support, a fulfilled ps…
Explaining the relationship between socially responsible products and the operations of the firm: The case of equine assisted therapy
2018
Abstract Although there is a growing interest in social responsibility in research as well as in practice, the majority of studies on corporate social responsibility do not explicitly investigate operations management issues when adopting socially responsible practices under the “people” pillar of sustainability. This paper, dealing with the theme of social responsibility in operations management, aims at clarifying the complex relationship between socially responsible product/service and the operations of the company. The empirical context of the study is the sport industry, where the attention to social issues is well established. We used a mixed theoretical-empirical approach to develop …
Analysis of hinterland transport strategies when exporting perishable products
2022
Since a good hinterland connection is considered an important factor in port competitiveness, the objective of this paper is to analyse the impact of the development of hinterland transport strategies on the competitiveness of the port by taking the Port of Cape Town, the Republic of South Africa as an example. The development of transport strategies is reflected in terms of a lower cost and higher frequency of inland transport. To investigate the interplay among export products, transport, and access to a port for exporters, we use a linear programming model. The model considers both the choice of transport modes and the impacts of improved inland transport strategies. The model could easi…