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Article
Publication date: 2 May 2017

Richard Metters

Work that is considered appropriate for only one gender by the indigenous culture is explored. The focus is on the operational issues that accrue due to the combination of what is…

864

Abstract

Purpose

Work that is considered appropriate for only one gender by the indigenous culture is explored. The focus is on the operational issues that accrue due to the combination of what is deemed appropriate treatment to, and activities of, women. Global differences in the operational sub-categories of business location, layout, the implementation of process improvement programs, shift scheduling, operational compliance, the strategic capability of volume flexibility, and other issues are explored. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature from the disparate fields of women’s studies, anthropology, law, developmental economics, and management are synthesized.

Findings

There are extreme differences internationally in the viability of operational practices involving shift work, facility location, and other production issues. Particularly, research involving the implementation of quality management programs may be compromised due to gender effects.

Practical implications

A large number of practical issues are discussed. The viability and wisdom of many operational practices being copied from different cultures is addressed.

Originality/value

This work is a synthesis of the same subjects from widely disparate intellectual domains. The author informs management scholars and managers from unusual sources in medicine, women’s studies, anthropology, developmental economics, and law.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

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Article
Publication date: 18 July 2008

Richard Metters

Prior surveys have shown that national culture is a leading cause of problems in offshoring services. The research question posed in this paper centers on how and through what…

5024

Abstract

Purpose

Prior surveys have shown that national culture is a leading cause of problems in offshoring services. The research question posed in this paper centers on how and through what specific decisions national culture affects operational implementation in offshore facilities.

Design/methodology/approach

A particular US service process offshored to Barbados and the Dominican Republic is studied. Ethnographic worker observations are combined with archival sources and executive interviews.

Findings

A culture clash caused a number of operational dilemmas for a major US airline offshoring the same processes to two Caribbean nations. The offshoring was a success at one site, a failure at another. But, even at the successful site, un‐intuitive operational adaptations had to be made to accommodate cultural differences. Specifically, detailed here are decisions or results seen on country selection, location selection within a country, quality program implementation, and shift work that had strong cultural inputs.

Research limitations/implications

Any case study may be limited to the specific case. However, broader implications are that operations management decisions may be more highly dependent on national culture than previously thought.

Practical implications

Management – especially US management – continue to make service offshoring decisions ignoring or minimizing the inevitable cultural conflict. This work provides tangible examples of decisions affected by culture.

Originality/value

Concrete, specific examples are provided for the difficulties national culture created in a specific case. Methods used to circumvent these difficulties are shown. By this specific example, the general case is posited that culture must be considered in operations decisions that may seem devoid of cultural content.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 28 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Rohit Verma

1875

Abstract

Details

Journal of Service Management, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-5818

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 6 February 2009

2187

Abstract

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

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Article
Publication date: 12 September 2008

Ravi Kathuria, Maheshkumar P. Joshi and Stephanie Dellande

The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences in growth strategies – domestic and international – of manufacturing and service firms. Hardly any literature exists that…

3341

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences in growth strategies – domestic and international – of manufacturing and service firms. Hardly any literature exists that empirically investigates the differences on account of the distinctive characteristics of goods and services, and such studies rarely draw from the operations management field.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple analysis of variance is used to analyze longitudinal data from multiple secondary sources.

Findings

Mixed services, such as banks, focus more on domestic growth and less on international growth. Manufacturers, such as chemical firms, focus more on international activities as compared to domestic activities. Mixed service firms seem to prefer collaborative approaches, whereas goods producers prefer wholly owned ventures.

Research limitations/implications

The data collection methodology applied in this study may be applicable to many other topics of operations management. Future researchers may examine internationalization of services from front and back office perspectives, and compare information‐processing, possession‐processing, and people‐processing services in their choices of mode of entry and resultant performance differences.

Practical implications

The findings are relevant for developing operations strategy, including location alternatives, for both manufacturing and service firms as different nations become a part of the global village. Appropriate modes of entry in an international arena for both service and manufacturing firms are identified.

Originality/value

A cross‐functional study that uses longitudinal data from secondary sources in an innovative way with significant implications for operations managers and researchers.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 28 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

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Case study
Publication date: 17 May 2021

Kalyana C Chejarla and Sandeep Chatterjee

The case provides learning opportunities in strategy, planning and control in a social entrepreneurial setting. Following are the learning objectives of this case discussion…

Abstract

Learning Outcomes

The case provides learning opportunities in strategy, planning and control in a social entrepreneurial setting. Following are the learning objectives of this case discussion: learn to develop a Strategic Service Vision (SSV) framework ; appreciate scalability challenges specific to service organizations; evaluate franchising model as a growth enabler; and understand the approach to internationalization as a growth strategy.

Case Overview/Synopsis

GoUNESCO is a not-for-profit startup formed in January 2012, with an objective of providing platform for laypersons to engage with places of heritage value. Eight years into existence, in February 2019 GoUNESCO was experiencing substantial growth and faced need for pursuing alternate growth models that do not demand a lot of organizational bandwidth. Ajay Reddy, the founder of GoUNESCO was piloting “franchising” as a domestic growth strategy. He was keen on evaluating fitment of “franchising” (both for domestic and international expansion) in his strategic service vision. He wanted to understand what would be changes required in the strategic service vision on account of ‘franchising’, and decide whether those changes were acceptable or not.

Complexity Academic Level

The case can be positioned in strategy, service and/or operations management introduction courses for both full-time or Executive MBA students. This case is also quite relevant in Entrepreneurship (or Social Entrepreneurship in particular) courses.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 11 no. 2
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 11 January 2016

Fu Jia, Ruihong Gao, Richard Lamming and Richard Wilding

This paper aims to identify problems caused by cultural differences between Japan and China that face supply chain managers by applying Japanese-style supply management practices…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify problems caused by cultural differences between Japan and China that face supply chain managers by applying Japanese-style supply management practices within supply networks in China and present solutions to this problem.

Design/methodology/approach

A single, longitudinal case study conducting two waves of data collection (i.e. interviews and observation) plus the collection of much archival data was performed. It goes beyond the dyad by examining supply management of a Japanese company’s supply chain up to three tiers in China.

Findings

The four supply cultural differences between Japan and China, which caused the cultural clashes between JVCo and some of its suppliers were revealed and a model of adaptation of Japanese supply management to the Chinese business system was developed. Adaptation involves creating new supply management practices out of selective adaptation, innovation and change of existing Japanese and Chinese supply management practices rooted in different Japanese, Chinese and Western cultures. A list of organisational factors affecting the adaptation has also been provided.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the adoption of a single case study method, caution should be given to generalising the findings to all Japanese firms.

Practical implications

The Japanese, Chinese and Western managers were provided with insights on how to mitigate the problems caused by cultural differences within supply relationships in China and some innovative ideas on how managers from all three cultures could blend the elements of the three cultures to form a hybrid culture and reduce cultural clashes.

Originality/value

This is one of the few attempts to study the transfer of Japanese supply management practice to China. Organizational theory (i.e. transfer of organizational practice and hybridization) is applied and provides a robust framework to explain the supply management practice. This study also answers the call for a global supplier relationship management paradigm.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

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Article
Publication date: 1 December 2005

Göran Svensson

This paper seeks to describe a conceptualisation of the multiple facets of the bullwhip effect between stocking levels within and between value chains and value systems.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to describe a conceptualisation of the multiple facets of the bullwhip effect between stocking levels within and between value chains and value systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides a conceptual discussion of the bullwhip effect. It is refined and re‐defined.

Findings

The bullwhip effect has usually been explored between inter‐organisational stocking levels. Recently, it has also been explored within intra‐organisational stocking levels. A broader descriptive framework is introduced, one that positions the bullwhip effect construct in intra‐ and inter‐organisational, as well as intra‐ and inter‐channel, stocking levels in and between value chains and value systems.

Research limitations/implications

A research agenda is provided that goes beyond current definitional boundaries and state‐of‐the‐art research of the bullwhip effect.

Practical implications

The refined and re‐defined bullwhip effect is of interest to practitioners. It considers inter‐organisational and intra‐organisational stocking levels. In addition, it considers intra‐ and inter‐channel stocking levels. It is of great concern to achieve best practices in business.

Originality/value

The principal contributions are – a dynamics model of the bullwhip effect construct; a principle of stocking level variability; a typology of stocking level variability; a framework that describes different levels of analysis of the bullwhip effect; and a re‐definition of the bullwhip effect construct – within or between value chains and value systems.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 35 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 2003

Göran Svensson

This research applies the construct of bullwhip effect in a non‐traditional context. It is explored in intra‐organisational echelons. It is argued that the bullwhip effect in a…

5899

Abstract

This research applies the construct of bullwhip effect in a non‐traditional context. It is explored in intra‐organisational echelons. It is argued that the bullwhip effect in a company's inventory management of inbound and outbound logistics flows depends in part upon the gap between the degree of speculation and postponement of business activities. It is also argued that the bullwhip effect is caused by the value adding of business activities in supply chains. The study shows that there is a potential bullwhip effect between companies’ inbound and outbound logistics flows, i.e. two internal stocking levels. A see‐saw model of the bullwhip effect, and a typology of the bullwhip effect in intra‐organisational echelons, are introduced. The term “reversed bullwhip effect” is also introduced. Finally, a model of the bullwhip effect‐scenarios in a dynamic business environment positions these contributions in a wider theoretical and managerial context.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

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Article
Publication date: 1 September 2000

Hamish McMichael, David Mackay and Graeme Altmann

The principal objective of this study is to understand the impact that the adoption of quick response (QR) has had on manufacturing firms in the retail supply chain. The adoption…

2432

Abstract

The principal objective of this study is to understand the impact that the adoption of quick response (QR) has had on manufacturing firms in the retail supply chain. The adoption of QR by six organisations within the Victorian textile clothing and footwear industry is used to review the impact that QR is having on the retail sector, especially in terms of the use of EDI as a pipeline accelerator to QR. We also investigate the level of systems integration, organisational affects and inter‐organisational impacts. The results of the research showed that while firms are positively affected by the adoption of QR, and may strengthen their relative competitive positions, retailers are taking the opportunity to shift their holding and distribution costs onto the supply chain to the detriment of both manufacturers and suppliers. Additionally, failure to adopt EDI between downstream trading partners limits the benefits received from QR at the organisational and inter‐organisational levels.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 30 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

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