Bernard Burnes

Risk and supply chain management: creating a research agenda

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to develop a research agenda for risk and supply chain management. This is achieved by reviewing the literature on supply chain risk and locating it within the general literature on risk.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the general literature on risk and the specific literature on supply chain risk was undertaken.Findings – The paper shows that there are a number of key debates in the general literature on risk, especially in terms of qualitative versus quantitative approaches, which need to be recognised by those seeking to apply risk theory and risk management approaches to supply chains. In addition, the paper shows that the application of risk theory to supply chain management is still in its early stages and that the models of supply chain risk which have been proposed need to be tested empirically.Research limitations/implications – This is a literature review and, therefore, is based on secondary rather than primary sources.Practical implications – The pa...

Kurt Lewin and complexity theories: back to the future?

Many writers acknowledge the significance of Kurt Lewins contribution to organizational change. However, over the last 20 years, where the focus has been on rapid, transformational change, Lewins work has increasingly become seen as outmoded and irrelevant to the needs of modern organizations. It might be expected that this tendency would increase as academics and practitioners draw on the work of complexity theorists to portray organizations as complex, dynamic, non-linear self-organizing systems. Though there are some who do take this view, there are others who point to the similarities between Lewins work and that of complexity theorists. In order to examine these conflicting views, the article begins by reviewing Lewins Planned approach for change and arguing that it is a more robust approach than many of its detractors acknowledge. This is followed by a review of the literature on complexity theories which draws out the main implications of these for organizational change. The discussion of the two approaches which follows argues that there is common ground between the two which can fruitfully be built upon. The article concludes by arguing that if the complexity approach is the way forward for organizations, then they may have to return to Lewins work in order to implement it: very much a case of ‘back to the future’.Many writers acknowledge the significance of Kurt Lewins contribution to organizational change. However, over the last 20 years, where the focus has been on rapid, transformational change, Lewins work has increasingly become seen as outmoded and irrelevant to the needs of modern organizations. It might be expected that this tendency would increase as academics and practitioners draw on the work of complexity theorists to portray organizations as complex, dynamic, non-linear self-organizing systems. Though there are some who do take this view, there are others who point to the similarities between Lewins work and that of complexity theorists. In order to examine these conflicting views, the article begins by reviewing Lewins Planned approach for change and arguing that it is a more robust approach than many of its detractors acknowledge. This is followed by a review of the literature on complexity theories which draws out the main implications of these for organizational change. The discussion of the t...

Emergent Change and Planned Change - Competitors or Allies? The Case of XYZ Construction

In a fast‐moving and unpredictable world, there can be little doubt that organizational change is one of the most important issues facing organizations. This is especially so, when it is claimed that over 60 per cent of all change projects are considered to fail. Not surprisingly, therefore, there is also much debate about which approach to change is the best. Over the past 20 years, the emergent approach appears to have superseded the planned approach as the most appropriate. However, as this paper will argue, the idea that planned and emergent changes are competing approaches, rather than complementary, is contestable. This paper looks at the case of XYZ construction which, between 1996 and 2000, used both emergent and planned approaches to transform itself. The paper concludes that organizations need to avoid seeking an “one best way” approach to change and instead seek to identify the approach which is best suited to both type of changes they wish to undertake, according to the organizations context.

The impact of product design on supply chain risk: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the increasingly important issue of the impact of product design on supply chain risk management in an era of global supply arrangements. The need to include product design considerations in the development of global supply chain strategies is highlighted.Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology is based on an in‐depth longitudinal case study of a major UK retailer. Data collection tools included observation of supplier meetings/workshops, semi‐structured interviews and access to key company documentation and archives.Findings – This paper provides a framework for design‐led supply chain risk management and thus presents a case for recognising design as more than a creative function but as a platform to manage risk in supply chains.Research limitations/implications – The empirical research reported in this paper is specific to the clothing manufacturing and fashion retail industry. Though the findings will most likely apply to all industries ...

The transformation of the music industry supply chain: A major label perspective

This article explores the impact of the Internet on the supply chain for music. Music is a massive global industry worth

Culture, cognitive dissonance and the management of change

38 billion annually. The global music industry is dominated by the “big five” major record companies. However, as this article will show, the advent of the Internet is having a significant impact on both the supply chain for music and the dominance of the big record labels. The article begins by describing the background to our research and the methods employed. It then goes on to examine how the Internet is transforming the supply chain for music. This is followed by a discussion of the impact of piracy on the music industry. The article concludes by arguing that while the future may look bleak for the major record labels, it looks much more positive for artists and consumers.

Managing organisational change in the public sector ‐ Lessons from the privatisation of the Property Service Agency

In the 1980s it became increasingly apparent that the management of change is a crucial factor in organizational performance. However, it became equally apparent that many organizations found great difficulty in successfully planning and implementing change. One oft‐quoted reason for this was the lack of involvement of those affected by the change in its planning and implementation. Consequently it now appears to be the received wisdom that employee involvement in change projects is “a good thing”. However, this blanket injunction to “involve” ignores both the context in which particular change projects take place and the varying degrees of involvement which are possible. In an attempt to rectify this, examines how an organization′s culture and the degree of cognitive dissonance generated by proposals for change influence the depth and type of employee involvement required to create a positive climate for change. Concludes by arguing that these factors are crucial not only in identifying the best approach...

Review Article: The past, present and future of organization development: Taking the long view

Whilst organisational change appears to be happening with increasing frequency and magnitude in both the public and private sectors, most of the major studies of change focus on the private sector and tend to derive their approaches to change from that sector. From a review of the literature, it is argued that there is no “one best way” to manage organisational change but that public sector organisations need to adopt an approach to change which matches their needs and situation. The article examines the privatisation of the Property Services Agency (PSA) in order to draw lessons as to how the public sector can and should manage change. It is shown that the privatisation was characterised by a lack of clarity, an over‐emphasis on changes to structures and procedures, and staff resistance. However, underpinning this was an inappropriate approach to change. The article concludes that the main lessons of the PSA’s privatisation are that, in such circumstances, it is necessary to adopt an approach to change which incorporates both the structural and cultural aspects of change, and which recognises the need to appreciate and respond to staff fears and concerns.

The benefits of reverse logistics: the case of the Manchester Royal Infirmary Pharmacy

Organization development has been, and arguably still is, the major approach to organizational change across the Western world, and increasingly globally. Despite this, there appears to be a great deal of confusion as to its origins, nature, purpose and durability. This article reviews the ‘long’ history of organization development from its origins in the work of Kurt Lewin in the late 1930s to its current state and future prospects. It chronicles and analyses the major stages, disjunctures and controversies in its history and allows these to be seen in a wider context. The article closes by arguing that, although organization development remains the dominant approach to organizational change, there are significant issues that it must address if it is to achieve the ambitious and progressive social and organizational aims of its founders.

Organisational learning: the new management paradigm?

Describes a research project carried out within the Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) to evaluate and improve the recycling and disposal of pharmaceutical products. Discusses supply chain management practices in the National Health Service and, in particular, focuses on the concept of reverse logistics (the recycling of pharmaceutical stock for later re‐use). The research involved the analysis of returned stock from 28 hospital units and, from this data, the development and implementation of a revised recycling process within MRI Pharmacy. Concludes by arguing that there are significant financial and operational advantages to the NHS, and other organisations, in developing effective reverse logistics processes.