Leadership in OM research: a social network analysis of European researchers

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 1537-1563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravi S. Behara ◽  
Sunil Babbar ◽  
Philip Andrew Smart
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Production Management ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
The Body ◽  
Centrality Measures ◽  
Network Centrality ◽  
Degree Centrality ◽  
Total Degree ◽  
European Research ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the leadership role of authors, institutions, and countries based on research co-authorship networks in the field of operations management (OM) and ranks European authors, institutions, and countries using network centrality measures. It also identifies the primary research areas of each of the leading European authors and maps the areas that European research in general has focussed most on. Design/methodology/approach – Based on co-authorships in publications appearing in a representative set of three leading OM journals over the 15-year period of 1998-2012, network measures of total degree centrality and betweenness centrality are used to identify influential European agents serving as leaders and bridge builders in OM research. Keyword analysis is used to identify the dominant areas of OM research in Europe as well as the primary areas of research of the leading authors. Findings – With UK, Spain, The Netherlands, and Italy accounting for the dominant share of authorship of papers in the journal set, many authors and institutions from these countries are also found to rank high on network centrality measures. While certain authors, institutions, and countries are found ranking high on total degree centrality based on number of direct connections in the network, others are found to play uniquely important roles as gatekeepers and bridge builders in network relationships. The body of research is found to be focussed most on the area of supply chain management. It is also found to be focussed more on manufacturing than service. Research limitations/implications – The examination of networks in this study based on co-authorships in publications in the set of three leading journals: Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, and Production and Operations Management, is not all encompassing as there are likely other co-authorship relationships of OM researchers that go beyond publications in this set of journals. Practical implications – Co-authorship of papers in the leading academic journals in a discipline provides a window on patterns of collaboration among key researchers within that academic community. The findings of this study inform the community of stakeholders on who the leading European agents in OM research are, what the primary areas of research of the leading European authors are, and areas that European research has focussed most on. Originality/value – This is the first study of its kind that identifies and maps key European authors, institutions, and countries based on the analysis of co-authorship networks of researchers who have published in a set of leading OM journals that are considered to be among the most relevant outlets in the field of OM. It also maps the primary areas of research.

scholarly journals Operations management body of knowledge and its relevance to manufacturing and service organizations

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jurandir Peinado ◽  
Alexandre Reis Graeml ◽  
Fernando Vianna
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Lean Manufacturing ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
The Body ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Companies ◽  
Body Of Knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the differences in importance assigned by manufacturing or service organizations to topics related to operations management and its attendant body of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach The authors did this by cataloguing and analyzing vacancy announcements related to operations management, presented by manufacturing and services companies in major Brazilian human resources websites. Findings The results show that manufacturing companies primarily hire personnel with skills in routine process management, quality management, lean manufacturing, ergonomics and work organization. Service companies generally seek professionals with knowledge and experience in logistics, supply chain management and project management. Research limitations/implications This study presents some limitations that reduce the power of its conclusions. There is some degree of subjectivity in the interpretation of the contents of the analyzed ads. In order to reduce this problem, the authors who did the tabulation of data marked the situations for which there were some doubts about the classification, discussing them with the other author, until they reached a consensus on the best way to classify each one. Originality/value The discussion about the importance assigned by manufacturing and service companies to the topics of operations management is crucial for not only the results obtained, but also to stimulate the debate on topics that comprise or should comprise the body of knowledge of operations management, and the way they are incorporated into business practice. This provides an additional opportunity to reflect on the potential of operations management in supporting business managers now and in the future.

A relational perspective on pure project performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 753-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimmy H.T. Chan ◽  
Anthony C.K. Ko ◽  
Alan K.M. Au ◽  
Matthew C.H. Yeung
Keyword(s):  
Random Effect ◽  
Poisson Model ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Centrality Measures ◽  
Network Centrality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Box Office ◽  
The Social ◽  
Commercial Performance ◽  
Artistic Performance

Purpose The understanding of leaders’ network centrality in social networks has been acknowledged as a major topic that can advance the social network field; most studies in this area have either taken firms as the subject by which the network centrality of firms was measured or/and have been conducted for the functional project context. Very little research has been done in the pure project context. This paper aims to revisit the centrality–performance link in the singular specialized project context. Design/methodology/approach The proposed relationships using panel data on 48 movie directors who lead pure projects has been studied. Freeman’s (1979) and Wasserman and Faust’s (1994) procedures have been adopted to compute our three centrality measures and their effects have been examined on box-office and artistic performance. A random effect and a mixed-effects Poisson model have been fit to examine the significance of the centrality–performance relationship. Findings The findings provide empirical evidence to support three out of the six hypotheses. The findings suggested that degree and closeness centrality are positively related to commercial performance and betweenness centrality is negatively related to commercial performance. However, it was found that only the degree centrality is related to artistic performance. Originality/value This study has two features that distinguish it from prior studies that link centrality to performance. First, the focus is on centrality attached to the leaders instead of the centrality attached to functional project teams or firms, as previously investigated. Second, this study is the first attempt of its kind to analyse the proposed relationship for an Asian market.

scholarly journals Future of supply chain planning: closing the gaps between practice and promise

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrik Jonsson ◽  
Jan Holmström
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Production Management ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Practical Relevance ◽  
Materials Management ◽  
Supply Chain Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Closing The Gaps

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a research agenda for supply chain planning (SCP) relevant for practice. Design/methodology/approach – The authors critically evaluate academic literature on SCP in order to understand how problems are addressed in their particular context, what the outcomes are, and the mechanisms producing the observed outcomes. Four categories of SCP are studied: sales and operations planning (S & OP), supply chain master planning, supply chain materials management, and collaborative materials management. The authors introduce the concept of enabling mechanisms to identify specific innovations in materials management and production management that can facilitate the future improvement of SCP. Findings – The critical evaluation of current SCP theory presents very limited results that are of practical relevance. SCP is not presented as an intervention and the results are not in a form that is actionable for practitioners. The body of literature is almost absent in addressing problems according to context, it presents limited evidence of intended outcomes, and it fails to identify unintended outcomes. As a consequence, research is unable to bolster theoretical understandings of how outcomes – both intended and unintended – are achieved. In the forward-looking research agenda the authors leverage the understanding of the enabling mechanisms in order to propose research to make mature S & OP and novel types of SCP implementable. Research limitations/implications – The paper is an example of a structured approach to developing a research agenda that is relevant to practice and can be used more widely in logistics and supply chain management. Practical implications – This paper presents a research agenda to close the gap between practice and promise in SCP. Originality/value – The authors operationalize what constitutes practical relevance for an established field of research.

Exploring the integration between Lean and the Theory of Constraints in Operations Management

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 718-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Augusto de Jesus Pacheco ◽  
Isaac Pergher ◽  
José Antônio Valle Antunes Junior ◽  
Guilherme Luís Roehe Vaccaro
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Production System ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
The Body ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Theory Of Constraints ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare different models integrating the TOC and Lean approaches. Design/methodology/approach The models of reference were identified through a comprehensive literature review. A qualitative and comparative analysis was carried out by pointing out the strengths, weaknesses and gaps of models integrating the TOC and Lean based on the production system requirements. Findings The findings indicate that these models can be improved by introducing aspects related to the system structure such as main key performance indicators, type of shop layout and performance metrics to evaluate the improvements implemented in the production system. The results provided evidence that the TOC and Lean are complementary approaches, and the individual gaps of each approach seem to be, in the most part, offset by the virtues of the other. Practical implications This study enables decision makers and industrial managers to evaluate the practices adopted in the production environment, as well as the use of the different set of continuous improvement practices. This article also minimizes the literature gap regarding whether and how integrated Lean and TOC approach can be used in the firms. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of literature on Lean by comparing three different models integrating Lean and the TOC. Furthermore, a research agenda is suggested for future research aimed at developing new models integrating both approaches, aiming to increase the competitiveness of the production systems.

scholarly journals Lean implementation within SMEs: a literature review

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 980-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Hu ◽  
Robert Mason ◽  
Sharon J. Williams ◽  
Pauline Found
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Systematic Review Methodology ◽  
Lean Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Road Map ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Lean business ideology has been one of the recent dominant research areas in operations management. However, there is a dearth of research focusing on Lean in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by systematically reviewing the literature in relation to the implementation of Lean in SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – Tranfield et al.’s (2003) systematic review methodology was employed covering three stages: planning, conducting and reporting/dissemination. Findings – A descriptive analysis of the papers reviewed is provided. From the thematic analysis of the literature four main themes are identified: the scope/type of Lean being adopted by SMEs, how Lean is used in SMEs, the impact of Lean implementation on SMEs and the critical success factors for Lean implementation in SMEs. Key inhibitors and enablers related to firm size when implementing Lean are also identified in the concluding discussion. Research limitations/implications – Nine recommendations for future research are developed associated with Lean implementation in SMEs. Practical implications – The authors suggest SMEs to integrate organisational factors such as employee empowerment and the development of a supportive strategy into their Lean implementation plans. A preliminary “Staircase Road Map” to guide SMEs in implementing Lean is also developed. Originality/value – This paper goes beyond previous literature reviews of Lean by systematically and critically evaluating key themes of Lean implementation within an SME environment. It not only provides a road map for SME owners/managers who intend to implement Lean, but also provides the academic community with an agenda for future research.

scholarly journals Pre-paradigmatic status of industrial sustainability: a systematic review

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 1425-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Palie Smart ◽  
Stefan Hemel ◽  
Fiona Lettice ◽  
Richard Adams ◽  
Stephen Evans
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Research Field ◽  
The Body ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economic Resilience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Sustainability ◽  
Scientific Status

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to progress operations management theory and practice by organising contributions to knowledge production, in industrial sustainability, from disparate researcher communities. It addresses the principal question “What scholarly dialogues can be explicated in the emerging research field of industrial sustainability?” and sub-questions: what are the descriptive characteristics of the evidence base? and what thematic lines of scientific inquiry underpin the body of knowledge? Design/methodology/approach Using an evidenced-based approach, a systematic review (SR) of 574 articles from 62 peer-reviewed scientific journals associated with industrial sustainability is conducted. Findings This paper distinguishes three prevailing dialogues in the field of industrial sustainability, and uses Kuhn’s theory of paradigms to propose its pre-paradigmatic scientific status. The three dialogues: “productivity and innovation”, “corporate citizenship” and “economic resilience” are conjectured to privilege efficiency strategies as a mode of incremental reductionism. Industrial sustainability espouses the grand vision of a generative, restorative and net positive economy, and calls for a future research trajectory to address institutional and systemic issues regarding scaling-up and transition, through transformative strategies. Research limitations/implications The review is limited by the nature of the inquiries addressed in the literatures by specific researcher communities between 1992 and 2014. Originality/value This study performs the first SR in the field of industrial sustainability, synthesises prevailing scholarly dialogues and provides an evaluation of the scientific status of the field.

Relevance of humanitarian logistics research: best practices and way forward

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 1585-1599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Kunz ◽  
Luk N. Van Wassenhove ◽  
Maria Besiou ◽  
Christophe Hambye ◽  
Gyöngyi Kovács
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Panel Discussion ◽  
Humanitarian Logistics ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Knowledge ◽  
Access To Data

Purpose This paper is based on a panel discussion at EurOMA 2015. The purpose of this paper is to identify a number of barriers to relevant research in humanitarian logistics. The authors propose a charter of ten rules for conducting relevant humanitarian research. Design/methodology/approach The authors use operations management literature to identify best practices for doing research with practice. The authors compile, condense and interpret opinions expressed by three academics and one practitioner at the panel discussion, and illustrate them through quotes. Findings The increasing volume of papers published in the humanitarian logistics literature has not led to a proportional impact on practice. The authors identify a number of reasons for this, such as poor problem definition, difficult access to data or lack of contextualization. The authors propose a charter of ten rules that have the potential to make humanitarian logistics research more relevant for practice. Practical implications By developing best practices for doing relevant research in humanitarian logistics, this paper enables the academic community and practice to better work together on relevant and impactful research projects. Academic knowledge combined with practice-inspired problems has the potential to generate significant improvements to humanitarian practice. Originality/value This paper is the first to address the problem of relevance of humanitarian logistics research. It is also one of the few papers involving a practitioner to discuss practical relevance of research. Through this unique approach, it is hoped that this paper provides a set of particularly helpful recommendations for researchers studying humanitarian logistics.

ProdVal – production challenges!

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Vikrant Apoorva Kulkarni ◽  
Komal Chopra ◽  
Krishnakant Roy ◽  
Raji Vamadevan ◽  
Sajeesh Hamsa
Keyword(s):  
Inventory Management ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Production Management ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Production Capacity ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Good Growth ◽  
List Type ◽  
Content Type

Subject area Operations management. Study level/applicability Management post graduate and corporate executives. Case overview ProdVal Flow Controls Pvt Ltd was company in the SME sector in India. The company focused on quality products and timely delivery. The major challenge for ProdVal was increasing their production capacity. They had no control over their existing suppliers resulting in delay in raw materials delivery. Retention of vendors had an effect on inventory carrying cost. The company had limited production facilities and the workers were outsourced. The company operated with unskilled workers. The case presents the various issues faced by the company based on which strategies to practice and plan the company's future plans could be designed. This is a disguised case and all excerpts from interviews have been anonymized. Expected learning outcomes This case study will give an insight to students to understand how inventory management; impacts production. It even gives an idea about how ProdVal has used the strategy of outsourcing of technology and labour and maintained a good growth rate. Social implications - Production-related outsourcing. Production management in small scale industry. Organization structure of a manufacturing unit. Concept of outsourcing HR and technology in an SME. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available, please consult your librarian to access.

scholarly journals Engagement and exhaustion in healthcare: a network approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-394
Author(s):  
Thomas Kowalewski ◽  
Britta Ruschoff
Keyword(s):  
Job Characteristics ◽  
Network Centrality ◽  
Degree Centrality ◽  
Network Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Social ◽  
Emotional Demands ◽  
Reported Data

Purpose Taking a network approach, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the social antecedents of work-related engagement and exhaustion in a sample of Dutch healthcare workers, examining how employees’ structural position in the team (i.e. their centrality in the network) is associated with their engagement and exhaustion. Distinctions are made between instrumental networks (i.e. structural dependencies) and expressive networks (i.e. emotional connectedness through friendships). Design/methodology/approach Associations between job characteristics (quantitative demands, emotional demands and influence) and employees’ centrality in the instrumental and expressive networks at work with their self-reported engagement and exhaustion were examined. Network centrality was assessed though a sociometric survey by the total number of nominations each employee received (in-degree centrality) or gave (out-degree centrality) and for both networks separately. Findings The results show that whereas job characteristics but not network centrality were associated with exhaustion, network centrality in the expressive network but not job characteristics was associated with engagement. In-degree centrality (being nominated by many co-workers as a friend) was positively associated with engagement, whereas out-degree centrality (nominating many co-workers as a friend) was negatively associated with engagement. Originality/value The results support recent findings concerning more multifaceted antecedents of engagement and exhaustion, and underline the importance considering social network characteristics in investigations of work engagement. On a methodological level, the differing results for in-degree and out-degree centrality underline the importance of not only relying on self-reported social relationships but to also capture other-reported data.

scholarly journals New organizational changes with blockchain: a focus on the supply chain

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Varriale ◽  
Antonello Cammarano ◽  
Francesca Michelino ◽  
Mauro Caputo
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Production Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Order Management ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Business To Business

PurposeThe paper aims to present a systematic literature review (SLR) showing the benefits, challenges and future research of blockchain technology (BT) for the supply chain (SC), also suggesting how the features of BT can change the organizational aspects of the SC.Design/methodology/approachAn SLR has been conducted to detect papers that contained the word “Blockchain” in their titles, keywords or abstracts. Consequently, a second filter to analyze BT papers for the SC was applied.FindingsThis paper shows through 31 variables classified into positive, negative and future directions of technology for the SC. For instance, BT will reduce time consuming of operations management and payments using smart contracts. In addition, integrating BT with other technologies will allow product tracking and sustainable production management.Research limitations/implicationsThe selection of papers is limited to Scopus database and specifically to the Management Journal.Practical implicationsBT creates collaborative peer-to-peer and business-to-business markets. The technology automates several tasks such as order management, payment for goods, waste reduction and process control. Therefore, its use within the SCs will improve the productivity and profits of the participants.Originality/valueThis paper is focused on BT for the SC area with 60 articles analyzed. In addition, 13 variables on benefits, eight variables on challenges and 12 points on future research directions were analyzed. This work will help researchers and entrepreneurs to deepen about the changes that BT offers in SC.

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