John E. Timmerman, Serhiy Y. Ponomarov and R. Franklin Morris, Jr
Rick Jamison, as Project Manager for the highly profitable Mega-Yacht division of Thorsby-Wando Marine Refit, Inc., has been assigned the task of revamping the supplier evaluation…
Abstract
Synopsis
Rick Jamison, as Project Manager for the highly profitable Mega-Yacht division of Thorsby-Wando Marine Refit, Inc., has been assigned the task of revamping the supplier evaluation and selection tool used by the company in view of the evolution of the business from a small boat storage and repair facility into a full-service large boat and mega-yacht repair and refit facility. Rick gleans ideas from a colleague at another facility in preparation for re-crafting the current supplier evaluation tool. Rick becomes acquainted with how the Delphi method could be used to achieve consensus among members of the buying center to arrive at key factors and their proportionate weights for use in the supplier evaluation tool.
Research methodology
The case is based upon interviews with the company that is represented by Thorsby-Wando Marine Refit, Inc.
Relevant courses and levels
This case is targeted primarily at undergraduate students in purchasing, materials management and supply chain management courses. The case works best when it is employed in connection with a discussion of the major methods for evaluating vendors.
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John E. Timmerman, Serhiy Y. Ponomarov and Frank Morris
Republic Electric is faced with the need to engage in a systematic process of evaluating vendors for its just-in-time manufacturing. The case gives students the opportunity to…
Abstract
Synopsis
Republic Electric is faced with the need to engage in a systematic process of evaluating vendors for its just-in-time manufacturing. The case gives students the opportunity to think through the process for vendor selection in the context of real-world constraints for a specific organization, to become acquainted with the Delphi technique for developing consensus, to gain hands-on experience with linear averaging, to engage in calculations of value indexes, and to recognize the marketing implications of effectively evaluating vendors. A key takeaway for students is the fact that vendor selection decisions are multifaceted and will vary among organizations depending on each organization’s particular strategic needs, operational constraints, and human judgment.
Research methodology
The case is based upon a consulting assignment with the company that is represented by Republic Electric. The experience was gained first-hand by one of the authors.
Relevant courses and levels
This case is targeted at undergraduate students in marketing, materials management, supply chain management, and purchasing, but can work well in a variety of business courses in which supply chains or the development of evaluation tools is studied, to include graduate classes.
Theoretical bases
The concept of vendor assessment is well developed in the literature and represents a pragmatic, but often neglected, step in the practice of choosing suppliers.
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Franklin R. Morris, John E. Timmerman and Al S. Lovvorn
Dean Adams was given notice to develop an online program with the School of Business Administration as a prototype of online education for the rest of the University. A major task…
Abstract
Case description
Dean Adams was given notice to develop an online program with the School of Business Administration as a prototype of online education for the rest of the University. A major task which faced the Dean involved working with University information technology (IT) staff and faculty to choose a learning management system (LMS) to support the online program. After talking with the Chief Information Officer at Seacoast University and appointing a committee made up of IT staff and faculty, the Dean was presented with the committee's recommendation that focussed on two major decisions: first, choosing the LMS product for the University, and second, choosing to locate the LMS product and server either on-campus or off-campus. In the course of considering whether or not to accept the committee's recommendations, Dean Adams weighed the evaluations and justifications as outlined by the committee in the context of Seacoast University's IT situation.
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John E. Timmerman, Al S. Lovvorn, Michael M. Barth and R. Franklin Morris
Dean Lynn, of Augustine State University's School of Business Administration, has been asked to develop online offerings as a prototype for the rest of the university. The…
Abstract
Dean Lynn, of Augustine State University's School of Business Administration, has been asked to develop online offerings as a prototype for the rest of the university. The decision he faced was whether to (A) take on the project alone or (B) make a ten-year commitment to a specialized vendor. If option B was selected, the further choice was whether to allow the vendor to handle everything short of instruction with a customized program or to handle only the marketing elements of the task. In the course of considering what to do, Dean Lynn was faced with the financial as well as the qualitative dimensions of the choice. The purpose of this case is to provide students a vehicle to explore the myriad considerations inherent in every organization's decision making process… qualitative as well as quantitative.
Richard S. Lytle and John E. Timmerman
With the growing interest in service orientation research, the concept has been demonstrated to be a defining factor in the creation of superior customer service and value. The…
Abstract
Purpose
With the growing interest in service orientation research, the concept has been demonstrated to be a defining factor in the creation of superior customer service and value. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate service orientation as a socially constructed variable, empirically examine its relationship with measures of organization performance, and offer implications for management.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted to conceptualize and measure service orientation as an element of organizational culture, understand the linkage between service orientation as a strategic choice and organizational performance, and measure service orientation utilizing a multi‐informant approach.
Findings
The data indicated that organizational service orientation in banking is positively correlated with employee commitment, longevity, and esprit de corps, consumer products performance, service quality image, and banking profitability.
Research limitations/implications
The study had five principal limitations: the relationships were tested in one industry, the study was cross‐sectional, the researchers were dependent on self‐reported data, the incidence of low job performance may have affected other relationships in the study, and the number of strategic units was relatively small.
Practical implications
Organizational commitment and esprit de corps are important facets of an organization's culture that lead to longevity, higher service quality and profits.
Originality/value
This study is a step forward in investigating the organizational service orientation/organizational performance relationship in the arena of banking.
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John E. Timmerman and Richard S. Lytle
The paper's purpose is to provide background and practical exercises for management to gain a perspective on the nature of true employee empowerment.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper's purpose is to provide background and practical exercises for management to gain a perspective on the nature of true employee empowerment.
Design/methodology/approach
After a brief overview of the nature of empowerment, a series to training exercises offers insight into how employee empowerment in the tourism industry can create deeper investment in the corporate mission and greater customer service. The exercises also examine approaches for management to avoid.
Findings
Employee empowerment results from recognizing the employee's ability to be organization's eyes and ears.
Originality/value
This discussion and set of exercises provides management with the opportunity to test their instincts against realistic situations of employee empowerment in the context of service failure.