The recent emergence of new organizational forms, for which the term demand satisfaction communities (DSC) is proposed, raises the question as to whether supply chain management…
Abstract
The recent emergence of new organizational forms, for which the term demand satisfaction communities (DSC) is proposed, raises the question as to whether supply chain management practices are about to become obsolete. By tracking the history of practices and comparing them with those required to support the newly emerging forms of organizational relationships, it is possible to conclude that we are indeed on the threshold of a major change. Supply chain managers need not be intimidated. They are as well placed as anyone to play significant roles in creating and managing the new communities.
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One criterion by which the relative importance of various business processes may be judged is their potential impact on relationships with external customers. Another criterion is…
Abstract
One criterion by which the relative importance of various business processes may be judged is their potential impact on relationships with external customers. Another criterion is the potential impact that re‐engineering the process might have on business results. It is suggested that on both of these counts “Supply Chain Redesign” should rank near the top of most enterprises' list of re‐engineering initiatives. The concepts of process efficiency and process effectiveness are investigated by reference to the supply chain redesign experiences of a number of major corporations. The conclusion is drawn that process‐oriented supply chain redesign can lead to levels of intra‐enterprise and inter‐enterprise operational efficiency and effectiveness which have previously been unobtainable even in leading edge companies.
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Fred Hewitt and Marlene Clayton
Debate over the extent to which commercially derived concept and practices of quality can be applied to English higher education has continued unresolved for more than a decade…
Abstract
Debate over the extent to which commercially derived concept and practices of quality can be applied to English higher education has continued unresolved for more than a decade. An obstacle to progress is the lack of consensus on the purpose of the higher education system – with views ranging from the utilitarian response to economic needs to the liberal idealist focus on learning for learning’s sake. Likewise, there are divergent opinions on the roles of individual stakeholders within the system. These differences and uncertainties persist and are evident in a detailed empirical “Voice of the Stakeholder” investigation of a specific degree programme. However, there is also some evidence, at both local and national level, that the differences may be reconcilable and that a model of educational quality, different from but capable of being related to commercial models is beginning to emerge. Such a model focuses on education as an interactive process, allows multiplicity of purpose and accepts the possibility of individual actors in the process simultaneously playing multiple roles. As quality theory continues to evolve, there is the interesting prospect that the higher education experience may have advanced that theory rather than proved its limitations.
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Argues that today′s rapidly changing competitive environment, costeffectiveness and consistently high output quality are no longer enoughto ensure corporate success. A company′s…
Abstract
Argues that today′s rapidly changing competitive environment, cost effectiveness and consistently high output quality are no longer enough to ensure corporate success. A company′s business processes must also be more responsive and flexible than those of its competitors. Innovative ways must be sought continuously to provide technology to support motivated, adaptable work groups dedicated to meeting or exceeding customers′ requirements in the shortest possible time. Puts forward the case of the Xerox Corporation, which in responding to the challenge of primarily Japanese competition, has pioneered a number of approaches to business process innovation, particularly in the area of inventory management and logistics. Finds that by simultaneously redesigning information flows, work processes and authority structures, the company has radically improved not only the cost and quality of its delivery system, but also its flexibility. States that the redesign techniques are, in themselves, process independent, and should therefore be of interest to managers and academics involved in process flexibility and process innovation in general.
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A crisis looms, problem rolls in on top of problem, “if I do this then this, then that, then … but what if?”. At this point we often cast around for outside help, if only there…
Abstract
A crisis looms, problem rolls in on top of problem, “if I do this then this, then that, then … but what if?”. At this point we often cast around for outside help, if only there was someone to “bounce ideas off” and talk through the problem. There seems to be too much to think of, all at the same time. Yet in reaching for the phone to call a friend, advisor, operational researcher, systems analyst or whoever, have we overlooked someone?
Valerie Monaghan and Stuart Cumella
Support workers have more day‐to‐day contact with people with a learning disability than any other group of staff, but a high proportion are unqualified and untrained, and there…
Abstract
Support workers have more day‐to‐day contact with people with a learning disability than any other group of staff, but a high proportion are unqualified and untrained, and there are problems in recruitment and retention. This paper uses undisclosed participant observation and life history methods to analyse the experiences of a support worker in six agencies that provide community‐based care for people with learning disabilities. It was found that a lack of training is associated with limited awareness of the needs of people with learning disabilities, and contributes to stress among staff. Some support workers manage stress by disengaging from their clients. Person‐centred approaches had limited impact, and even agencies committed to person‐centred planning can be reluctant to implement it with clients with severely impaired communication. The greatest commitment to staff induction and training and person‐centred approaches was found in small organisations managed by families. It is possible that large residential care providers are more likely than small agencies to have extended lines of management and standardised procedures, and further research is needed to assess whether these factors are associated with disempowerment of staff and clients.
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Some recent work in Artificial Intelligence concerning machine vision, game‐playing and automatic language processing is reviewed and related to Turing's early requirements for an…
Abstract
Some recent work in Artificial Intelligence concerning machine vision, game‐playing and automatic language processing is reviewed and related to Turing's early requirements for an “intelligent machine”. The relationship between computer science and artificial intelligence is discussed from the software angle — programming and programming languages.
Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in the Pacific Northwest of the United States attempt to maintain a sufficient number of African Americans represented in the student…
Abstract
Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in the Pacific Northwest of the United States attempt to maintain a sufficient number of African Americans represented in the student population. This number should reflect the population of the state. African American students at the PWI face and conquer many nonacademic issues daily. This analysis of the African American Student Center (AASC) in the Pacific Northwest will examine the PWI support for Black students. Based on the information gathered from the students participating in the AASC, the PWI's support is limited and should increase. The support is apocryphal, but with time and progressive institutional effort, the AASC will continue to exist.
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Vaughan Reimers, Bryce Magnuson and Fred Chao
Academic research and consumer polls often report strong consumer support for environmentally responsible products (ERPs), and yet the proportion of sales they account for is…
Abstract
Purpose
Academic research and consumer polls often report strong consumer support for environmentally responsible products (ERPs), and yet the proportion of sales they account for is often comparatively small. The purpose of this paper is to address one of the purported reasons behind this “attitude-behaviour gap” by measuring the influence of six relatively untested factors on consumer attitudes towards environmentally responsible clothing (ERC).
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a consumer household sample. It also used a quantitative survey approach to collect its data and structural equation modelling to analyse it.
Findings
Of the six factors, four were found to have a significant influence on consumer attitudes: altruism, status enhancement, perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) and happiness.
Originality/value
Altruism, environmental concern, PCE and self-identity have consistently featured in other environmental contexts, but less so in the specific context of ERC. Happiness and status enhancement have yet to appear in any study relating to the purchase of ERPs.