The role of finance in the sales and operations planning process: a multiple case study

PurposeThis paper aims to offer evidence-based findings on the under-researched role of finance in the sales and operations planning (S&OP) process, aiming to guide academics and practitioners towards successful S&OP implementations.Design/methodology/approachThe research builds upon a multiple case study, embracing five Latin American subsidiaries of four global manufacturing corporations from the consumer goods, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Following an exploratory approach, the case study results are analysed in within- and cross-case analyses.FindingsThe research findings are synthesised into a framework, demonstrating relevant benefits from the engagement of finance along the S&OP process and the implications of its interactions with traditional S&OP functions as sales, marketing and operations. The paper shows how finance adds value in supporting the process, enabling decisions on costs, margins, capital expenditures and return on investments. Finance strengthens S&OP when assessing demand- and supply-related risks and facilitates comparing the functional business areas' plans to budget. While finance participation is highlighted as necessary for supporting successful S&OP implementations, it also receives valuable inputs in return, characterising a two-way communication role that benefits the entire organisation.Originality/valueThis is the first research paper focusing on empirically exploring the role of finance within S&OP, going beyond initial insights from practice and academia. It provides practitioners and scholars with an in-depth, evidence-based view of finance's integration along the S&OP process.

Microgrid Operations Planning Based on Improving the Flying Sparrow Search Algorithm

Microgrid operations planning is crucial for emerging energy microgrids to enhance the share of clean energy power generation and ensure a safe symmetry power grid among distributed natural power sources and stable functioning of the entire power system. This paper suggests a new improved version (namely, ESSA) of the sparrow search algorithm (SSA) based on an elite reverse learning strategy and firefly algorithm (FA) mutation strategy for the power microgrid optimal operations planning. Scheduling cycles of the microgrid with a distributed power source’s optimal output and total operation cost is modeled based on variables, e.g., environmental costs, electricity interaction, investment depreciation, and maintenance system, to establish grid multi-objective economic optimization. Compared with other literature methods, such as Genetic algorithm (GA), Particle swarm optimization (PSO), Firefly algorithm (FA), Bat algorithm (BA), Grey wolf optimization (GWO), and SSA show that the proposed plan offers higher performance and feasibility in solving microgrid operations planning issues.

Political-Optimizer-Based Energy-Management System for Microgrids

This paper presents an energy-management strategy based on a recently introduced Political Optimizer (PO) for a microgrid installation at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. The aim of the study is to check the effectiveness of two recently introduced meta-heuristic algorithms at power-system-operations planning. The optimization algorithms were compared with other conventional meta-heuristics wherein performance tests were carried out by minimizing costs in an IEEE 30-bus system. The best performing algorithm was then used to minimize the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) in a microgrid consisting of renewable energy sources such as solar PV panels, a micro-hydro power plant, a fuel cell with a hydrogen storage tank and a Li-ion storage unit.

Omnichannel: A Multi-Purpose Approach

This paper studies how omnichannel is different from other channels and gives it the upper hand over the rest. The paper expands on customer experience or journey in omnichannel and how the backend, i.e., retailing, works. Moreover, it explains how different supply chains are integrated to build a successful omnichannel network. It also elucidates how traditional suppliers have evolved and shifted to omnichannel. Furthermore, it explains the role of inventory optimization & sales and operations planning and how it helps us develop and maintain a stable omnichannel supply chain. In addition, the paper also discusses some points that should be taken into accounts while modeling omnichannel environments.

Q-DEPICT: Qatar Determining Emergency Physician Incidence of COVID-Positive Testing

Despite protective measures such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and a COVID airway management program (CAMP), some emergency physicians will inevitably test positive for COVID. We aim to develop a model predicting weekly numbers of emergency physician COVID converters to aid operations planning. The data were obtained from the electronic medical record (EMR) used throughout the national healthcare system. Hamad Medical Corporation's internal emergency medicine workforce data were used as a source of information on emergency physician COVID conversion and numbers of emergency physicians completing CAMP training. The study period included the spring and summer months of 2020 and started on March 7 and ran for 21 whole weeks through July 31. Data were extracted from the system's EMR database into a spreadsheet (Excel, Microsoft, Redmond, USA). The statistical software used for all analyses and plots was Stata (version 16.1 MP, StataCorp, College Station, USA). All data definitions were made a priori. A total of 35 of 250 emergency physicians (14.0%, 95% CI 9.9%–19.9%) converted to a positive real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) during the study's 21-week period. Of these. only two were hospitalized for having respiratory-only disease, and none required respiratory support. Both were discharged within a week of admission. The weekly number of newly COVID-positive emergency physicians was zero and was seen in eight of 21 (38.1%) weeks. The peak weekly counts of six emergency physicians with new COVID-positive were seen in week 14. The mean weekly number of newly COVID-positive emergency physicians was 1.7 ± 1.9, and the median was 1 (IQR, 0 to 3). This study demonstrates that in the State of Qatar's Emergency Department (ED) system, knowing only four parameters allows the reliable prediction of the number of emergency physicians likely to convert COVID PCR tests within the next week. The results also suggest that attention to the details of minimizing endotracheal intubation (ETI) risk can eliminate the expected finding of the association between ETI numbers and emergency physician COVID numbers.

Global sales and operations planning: A multinational manufacturing company perspective

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the global Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process and investigate the steps to support consolidated business planning in worldwide operations and large-scale supply chains. The paper conducts a case study at a multinational manufacturing company applying an abductive approach. It combines the deductive logic from theory and the inductive logic from field observation in an attempt to elaborate further on theory on global S&OP. The analysis is structured and guided by a novel framework for global S&OP, which is developed based on the theoretical background and the case study findings. The research findings characterise the S&OP process for global operations and identify challenges related to the need to synchronise the subsidiaries’ S&OP efforts worldwide to deal with different contingencies of these subsidiaries, and to manage and analyse a large amount of information gathered. The research reveals how the subsidiaries’ performance is analysed by top executives along the global S&OP process, feeding strategic initiatives in the organisation and identifying business opportunities like benchmarking among subsidiaries, synergies with other management practices, and global gains. This paper offers a novel investigation of the global steps on S&OP in a real-life setting, offering a well-documented characterisation of the process that goes beyond the traditional local approach. Moreover, it is the first study to reveal challenges and expected outcomes of such a global perspective for S&OP. The theoretical advancements of S&OP research offered herein aid scholars, opening avenues for middle-range theorising, highlighting the cross-disciplinary nature of the domain, and discussing the use of concepts from related disciplines like Economics, Psychology, and Information Systems. The research findings can also assist executives, especially from multinational manufacturers, in their efforts to consolidate global planning.