Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the increasingly important question of supply chain design for global operations. With the rise of off-shore sourcing and the simultaneous need for improved responsiveness to customer demand, the choice of supply chain strategy is critical. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws its conclusions from case-based research supported b…
The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of supply chain management (SCM) on the HRM practice of suppliers. The paper argues that the performance requirement in an SCM system requires that suppliers develop specific HRM practices.
As supply chain management has become more strategic (rather than transactional) in nature the need for a more integrated perspective of how products, and processes should be aligned with strategic decisions to enhance competitive advantage has been amplified. The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of how this alignment should be done.
Since the Second World War, ports have been going through an evolution which the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) refers to as generations. The generation of a port reflects whether the approach adopted by port authorities/operators in developing their activities is likely to be reactive or proactive. These activities start with the traditional ones (cargo loading and…
Since the Second World War, ports have been going through an evolution which the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) refers to as generations. The generation of a port reflects whether the approach adopted by port authorities/operators in developing their activities is likely to be reactive or proactive. These activities start with the traditional ones (cargo loading and…
The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study on endorsing process improvement in maritime operations by implementing design of experiments on Lean Six Sigma performance responses. It is demonstrated how process efficiency and environmental muda may be dealt with simultaneously in a lean-and-green project driven by hardcore Six Sigma tools
Proposes that, due to the changing market, companies can no longer work with the logistic systems of the past but must develop new logistic concepts, logistic management and control systems to support the new concepts. Discusses the importance of order penetration point (OPP) within the development of time‐based management and control systems. Concludes that creativity in product development,…
The purpose of this paper is to investigate leadership attributes that contribute to or inhibit the successful adaptation of lean techniques.
This paper aims to identify factors that considerably impact business performance of lean manufacturers (companies with extensive use of lean tools and excellent operational performance).
The main thrust of this paper empirically examines the connection between lean production and various aspects of the logistics system. This paper performs a comparison analysis to find whether significant performance/practice differences exist between lean suppliers and non-lean suppliers. The research findings indicate that, even given the same organizational constraints and resources, lean su…
Sets out an alternative approach to designing and managing a logistics system, which is called here lean logistics. Draws on research which has sought to extend the production system logic pioneered by Toyota beyond the factory gate and into industries other than automobiles. Starts by outlining the dilemma facing managers trying to implement new business practices and then proposes an altern…
The sources and consequences of schedule instability at an automotive assembler producing two models on the same assembly track are described. One model was produced under conditions of relatively lengthy stable schedules, the other under more unstable schedule conditions. The two logistics processes were compared, and measures of schedule uncertainty identified. The relative impact on human …
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship among green, lean, and global supply chain strategies as found in the literature, with emphasis on the concurrent implementation of these three strategic initiatives, in order to develop a research agenda to guide theoretically based future research that informs managerial decision making.
Resource-based view proposes that possessing valuable, rare information technology (IT) resources that competitors cannot easily reproduce or replicate provides a competitive advantage, but mere ownership of such resources is no guarantee of competitiveness. There is a need also for a strategy paradigm that embraces the wider concerns of social and environmental sustainability as pressing issue…
Few industries can match aircraft manufacture and carriers for their volatility – there are so many external factors that can affect the bottom line. The last two years have seen a global economic downturn, the war in Iraq and threats of terrorism taking their toll. The SARS virus was another entirely unpredictable factor that has affected the industry adversely and which helps to account f…
Both lean and six sigma are key business process strategies which are employed by companies to enhance their manufacturing performance. However, whilst there is significant research information available on implementing these systems in a sequential manner, there is little information available relating to the integration of these approaches to provide a single and highly effective strategy for…
Much has been written and talked about on the subject of lean manufacturing (LM) since the idea was first defined by Womack, Jones and Roos. This has stimulated academics and practitioners within various sectors of manufacturing industry to assess the viability of applying lean manufacturing principles to their circumstances. Addresses the vexing question asked specifically by many manufacturer…
The impact of schedule stability on supplier responsiveness is investigated by comparing schedule and calloff quantities for two automotive assemblers who both use the same supplier. Components for the two assemblers are manufactured by the supplier in cells which are focused by customer. The world class assembler (a Japanese transplant) operated a stable, long‐term schedule policy whereas th…