Improving the procurement activities efficiency of oil companies based on benchmarking

The article presents the results of the authors' scientific work aimed at developing a methodology for internal and external benchmarking of procurement activities for companies in the oil and gas industry. The categorization of the types of benchmarking is carried out and those that are applicable for the development of benchmarking methods in the procurement of oil companies are highlighted. In order to develop a methodology for benchmarking procurement activities, the general concept of benchmarking was transformed for industry conditions and functional features of procurement in an oil company. The process for the implementation of external benchmarking of procurement activities has been developed. The key indicators of operational efficiency and labor productivity are proposed for the stage of selection of industry competitors. At the stage of comparison, it was proposed to compare the elements, tools and indicators of the procurement logistics for oil companies. The internal functional benchmarking is recommended for large oil companies and vertically integrated oil companies. In contrast to the external one, this is partner benchmarking, benchmarking for experience exchange. The process of implementation of internal benchmarking of procurement activities is proposed. For the stage named «Selection of subsidiaries-benchmarks», its own set of indicators is proposed. Unlike external benchmarking, the internal benchmarking is focused on borrowing the experience of improving procurement business processes in reference subsidiaries.

Antibiotics Prescription Over Three Years in a French Benchmarking Network of 23 Level 3 Neonatal Wards

Introduction: Prescribing antibiotics to newborns is challenging, as excess antibiotics are a risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to describe the evolution of antibiotic exposure over three years in a large network of level 3 neonatal wards where each center is informed yearly of its own results and the results of other centers and has full autonomy to improve its performance.Patients and Methods: This is a prospective, observational study of antibiotics prescriptions over the 2017–2019 period in a network of 23 French level 3 neonatal wards. The network relied on an internal benchmarking program based on a computerized prescription ordering system. Among others, antibiotics exposure, treatment duration, and antibiotics spectrum index were analyzed.Results: The population consisted of 39,971 neonates (51.5% preterm), 44.3% of which were treated with antibiotics. Of the treated patients, 78.5% started their first antibiotic treatment in the first three days of life. Antibiotic exposure rate significantly declined from 2017 to 2019 (from 46.8% to 42.8%, p < 0.0001); this decline was significant in groups with gestational age >26 weeks, but not in the group with extremely low gestational age <27 weeks. Gentamicin, cefotaxime, amoxicillin (ampicillin), vancomycin, and amikacin were the antibiotics most prescribed. The lower the gestational age, the higher the exposure for cefotaxime, vancomycin, and amikacin. Compared to 2017, cefotaxime exposure in 2019 declined by 12.6%, but the change was only significant in the gestational age group of 32–36 weeks (17.4%) and at term (20.3%). The triple combination of antibiotics in the first three days decreased by 28.8% from 2017 to 2019, and this was significant in each gestational age group. During the study, the delayed ending of antibiotics in unconfirmed early-onset neonatal infection increased from 9.6% to 11.9%.Conclusion: This study showed that a strategy characterized by the collection of information via a computerized order-entry system, analysis of the results by a steering committee representative of all neonatal wards, and complete autonomy of neonatal wards in the choice of prescription modalities, is associated with a significant reduction in the use of antibiotics in newborns with gestational age greater than 26 weeks.

Performance appraisal and premature sign-offs and underreporting of chargeable time of external auditors – internal benchmarking of experience and gender

PurposeThe research paper investigates auditors' dysfunctional behaviors in relation to performance appraisals. It explores the dysfunctional audit behavior (DAB) differences among experienced/inexperienced and male/female auditors when expecting performance appraisals, how their perception of DAB changes and how their reactive-outcomes vary.Design/methodology/approachThe survey comprises statements pulled from performance appraisal templates used by the Big Four audit firms in the UK. The sample has been tested during two different periods to highlight variations in the perception of DAB.FindingsExperienced auditors become more tolerant of DAB compared to their perception when they were inexperienced. Inexperienced male auditors are generally more accepting of DAB compared to their inexperienced female counterparts. Experienced female respondents continue to be less accepting of DAB.Originality/valueThe study associates performance appraisal procedures with DAB. The analysis examines the perception of dysfunctional behavior according to the level of experience auditors (males and females) accumulate over time.

Rapid benchmarking: the case of a multinational dairy company

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate and document a new approach to best practice benchmarking called rapid benchmarking. Rapid benchmarking is defined by the authors as an approach to dramatically shorten the typical length of time to conduct a successful best practice benchmarking project.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology involved a case study exploration of a multinational dairy company's best practice benchmarking approach using structured interviews and data collection to examine the speed and results achieved through its benchmarking approach and whether it was justified in naming it as rapid benchmarking. A comparison of the speed of the dairy company's approach was undertaken against 24 other organisations that had utilised the same benchmarking methodology (TRADE Best Practice Benchmarking). In addition, a literature review was undertaken to search for other cases of rapid benchmarking and compare rapid benchmarking with other rapid improvement approaches.FindingsThe findings revealed that the approach used by the dairy company was unique, with best practices being identified and action plans signed off for deployment within a five-day period (far quicker than the average time of 211 days reported by other organisations). Key success factors for rapid benchmarking were found to be allocating five dedicated days for the benchmarking team to spend on the project, identifying the right team members for the project, obtaining sponsorship support for the project and providing intensive facilitation support through a benchmarking facilitator.Research limitations/implicationsOnly one company was found to use a rapid benchmarking approach; therefore, the findings are from one case study. The depth of analysis presented was restricted due to commercial sensitivity.Practical implicationsThe rapid benchmarking approach is likely to be of great interest to practitioners, providing them with a new way of finding solutions and best practices to address challenges that need to be solved quickly or with minimal expense. For organisations that have been using benchmarking for many years, the research will enable them to re-evaluate their own benchmarking approach and consider if rapid benchmarking could be used for some projects, particularly for internal benchmarking where it is easier to apply.Originality/valueThis research is the first to identify and document a rapid benchmarking approach and the first to provide a detailed analysis of the length of time it takes to undertake best practice benchmarking projects (and each stage of a benchmarking project).

Call center service level: A customer experience model from benchmarking and multivariate analysis

Objective: This paper aims to study the experience of call center service customers the academic and corporate perspectives; it proposes a management model focused on looking after the customer’s experience during a phone interaction. Methodology: The methodology of this article adopts the internal Benchmarking process as a diagnostic tool and describes the user’s perceptive of internal corporate operations and key performance indicators established in a call center’s balanced scorecard. It uses an exploratory factor analysis to reduce dimensions and a confirmatory analysis to validate the statistical model proposed. Results: The results determine the existence of gaps between the key performance indicators implemented to assess the customer’s experience and satisfaction, they show organizational opportunities characterized for the necessity of transforming production methods into simple processes, aimed to give solutions to the customers within the timeframes specified in just one phone interaction. Limitations: The constructs used are limited by the instrument and metrics implemented by the company under study for evaluating the quality of customer interaction when a customer reaches a customer service’s call center. Practical implications: This study is useful in the marketing, marketing relationships, and customer service areas, since it allows the establishment of an inflection point that proposes an integrated balanced scorecard construction the customer’s experience analysis.

INTERNAL BENCHMARKING IN RETAILING WITH DEA AND GIS: THE CASE OF A LOYALTY-ORIENTED SUPERMARKET CHAIN

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a relative measure of efficiency applied to a set of decision units and is being used more and more frequently in the supermarket sector. Nonetheless, given how strongly the sector’s financials depend on demand, companies need to combine this measurement with trade area information to best manage corporate efficiency. In this paper, the proposal consists of integrating DEA with a clearly articulated, structural typology so that supermarkets, based on their particular characteristics, can determine which variables are most critical for improving their efficiency. This methodology has been validated in the case of one of Spain’s five largest supermarket chains. A principal component analysis and a classification analysis were carried out on a series of internal management variables from 61 locations for which DEA had been used to calculate efficiency and to which multiple trade area variables were added using GIS. Some of them are related to the loyalty scheme membership programme. These latter variables described the implantation of the loyalty scheme member programme and were revealed as key elements for the efficiency of the supermarket. This methodology provides marketing profiles that are more adapted to local circumstances, thus allowing companies to set better internal benchmarking objectives.