Organizations undertake strategic supply chain initiatives through project implementation. However, selecting the right supply chain projects can be difficult due to high levels of organizational risk and technical complexity. Although the literature is rich in quantitative and qualitative...

An important decision problem during the layout phase of a cross dock is related to the arrangement of inbound and outbound operations within a terminal. Either one side of the terminal is exclusively dedicated to inbound and the other to outbound destinations (vis-à-vis policy) or inbound and...

In this paper we propose a model to generate an effective timetable for time definite parcel distribution companies operating a hierarchical hub-and-spoke network. The model, referred to as parcel distribution timetabling problem, provides the departure times from each serviced city and each...

Focus in healthcare has been heralded as the next frontier in improving its efficiency and efficacy (Herzlinger 2004). Focus takes several different forms, ranging from standalone specialty centers to a hospital that places a strategic emphasis on a clinical area. We adopt this latter...

The aim of this paper is to explore whether employees' perceptions towards perceived organisational support and participative decision-making vary by lean duration (i.e., the duration of lean production in operation), and whether managers’ perceptions towards propensity for participative...

An analysis of the development of non-profit organizations highlights critical issues related to the efficiency and strategic capacity of many organizations. To do this, it is necessary to use management models that combine the effectiveness of social solidarity with acceptable levels of...

Hospital operating theatres are a critical but costly resource in healthcare processes. Their efficiency and utilisation impact upon hospital finances, clinical effectiveness and patient outcomes. Operations management techniques have now been applied widely to optimise flow. An important...

This study examines the organization of service business in manufacturing. Earlier literature has emphasized the positive effects of a separate service unit. Our comparative case study indicates that a separate unit as such does not guarantee success in service business. An essential issue is...

Culture plays an increasingly important role in supply chain management as many manufacturing firms have linkages to suppliers and customers from various countries. In this paper we propose treating culture as an explanatory variable to test the assumption that existing theories are universally...

Hurricane Katrina and other recent disasters have underscored the challenges related to disaster-generated debris disposal. During Katrina, extraordinary amounts of debris, far exceeding typical annual amounts of solid waste, were almost instantaneously deposited across a three-state area....