Cipriano Forza

Survey research in operations management: a process‐based perspective

This paper provides guidelines for the design and execution of survey research in operations management (OM). The specific requirements of survey research aimed at gathering and analysing data for theory testing are contrasted with other types of survey research. The focus is motivated by the need to tackle the various issues which arise in the process of survey research. The paper does not intend to be exhaustive: its aim is to guide the researcher, presenting a systematic picture which synthesises suitable survey practices for research in an OM context. The fundamental aim is to contribute to an increase in the quality of OM research and, as a consequence, to the status of the OM discipline among the scientific community.

Modularity, product variety, production volume, and component sourcing: theorizing beyond generic prescriptions

Abstract Research in operations management suggests that firms can mitigate the negative impact of product variety on operational performance by deliberately pursuing modularity in the design of product family architectures. However, modularity is not a dichotomous property of a product, as different types of modularity can be embedded into a product family architecture. The present paper explores how manufacturing characteristics affect the appropriate type of modularity to be embedded into the product family architecture, and how the types of modularity relate to component sourcing. The study is based on a qualitative research design involving a multiple case study methodology to examine six product families belonging to six European companies. The themes derived through case analyses are synthesized in the form of empirical generalizations. Insights from these empirical generalizations are subsequently developed into two propositions explaining why and under what conditions these empirical generalizations might hold for a product family outside of the original sample. The theoretical results formalize, first of all, a type of modularity (i.e. combinatorial modularity) not currently described in literature. Second, the theoretical propositions suggest that when the desired level of product variety is low (high) relative to total production volume, component swapping modularity (combinatorial modularity) helps to maximize operational performance. Finally, the complexity of component families outsourced to suppliers and the geographical proximity of component family suppliers affect the extent to which the product variety–operational performance trade-off can be mitigated through modularity.

TQM impact on quality conformance and customer satisfaction : A causal model

Total quality management (TQM) has had considerable success in terms of its implementation in companies. It has also been the subject of many studies in recent years. It seems, however, that there are some shortcomings in the research on this subject and in particular the lack of an adequate theoretical formulation suitable for empirical research. This study proposes and elaborates a model which examines TQM practices (orientation towards quality, TQM links with customers, TQM links with suppliers, process control, human resources) in relation to two dimensions of quality performance: quality conformity and customer satisfaction. The model is constructed on the basis of established theory building approaches and on well-known criteria of evaluation of theoretical contribution. The model is empirically tested on data gathered on a stratified random sample of manufacturing plants through the application of valid and reliable measures. The model is tested using structural equation Modelling. The results show the existence of two distinct paths of direct influences which lead, respectively, to customer satisfaction and quality conformance.

Supply‐chain linkages and operational performance

In order to improve performance at the operational level, more and more firms are developing explicit linkages with suppliers and with customers. While the question of “what beneficial impact do linkages with suppliers and with customers have for a firm” has been addressed in numerous studies, the equally important question of “why” this beneficial impact arises deserves further discourse and explication. This paper borrows and applies the Resource‐Based View of the Firm, a theoretical perspective prevalent in the strategic management literature, to develop a conceptual framework to describe, explain, and predict the advantages of a firms linkages with entities in its supply chain on its internal operations. The proposed framework can be used to justify decisions to develop, strengthen, and protect relationships with suppliers on the upstream side and with customers on the downstream side. The framework can also be used to evaluate practices implemented to link a firm to its suppliers and customers and to provide a decision roadmap for firms to better understand how to maximize operational performance benefits from these supply chain linkages.

Work organization in lean production and traditional plants

Proposes a framework (developed from an analysis of the existing literature) which will be useful to research the linkages between work organization and lean production practices. The framework considers two types of work organization practices: type (a) which is directly linked to lean production practices such as JIT/TQM (worker autonomy, multifunctional employees, feedback to workers, etc.) and type (b) which influences the setting up and the maintenance of type (a) practices (training, compensation, etc.). Tests hypotheses concerning the practices which can be said to be directly linked to JIT/TQM on data collected on 43 manufacturing plants through valid and reliable measurement instruments. The results show that lean production plants seem to use more teams for problem solving, to take employees’ suggestions more seriously, to rely more heavily on quality feedback both for workers and supervisors, to document production procedures more carefully and to have employees able to perform a greater variety of tasks including statistical process control. Lean production plants, however, show almost no differences with regard to aspects of work organization which involve hierarchy.

Managing for variety in the order acquisition and fulfilment process: The contribution of product configuration systems

Abstract Flexible production is not enough to offer the customer variety without compromising company profitability. In conditions of product proliferation, in fact, the order acquisition and fulfilment process can turn out to be a serious bottleneck, as the multiplication of the product features induces an exponential growth in the volume of information exchanged between the firm sales organisation and its customer base. Furthermore, this information has to be fed back in appropriate formats to manufacturing, with the risk of errors and delays due to the variability and complexity of product information. This study, through the discussion of a case example, reports the first results from a research on a class of information systems that support the order acquisition and fulfilment process in high product variety environments, called product configuration systems. The research indicates that the implementation of a product configuration system significantly contributed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency with which the studied company translates the customers needs into product documentation. Moreover, the benefits pertaining to product configuration system stretch beyond operational performance, as it offers the company a way to incorporate into organisational memory product knowledge otherwise retained by individual employees. However, the introduction of a product configuration system may require significant and potentially painful changes in the way the order acquisition and fulfilment activities are organised, and necessitate a high initial investment in terms of man-hours.

Survey research in operations management: historical analyses

Abstract Our paper provides a comprehensive assessment of 285 survey research articles in operations management (OM), published between 1980 and 2000. Six OM journals are included in this study; they are, in alphabetical order: Decision Sciences ( DS ), International Journal of Operations & Production Management ( IJOPM ), International Journal of Production Research ( IJPR ), Journal of Operations Management ( JOM ), Management Science ( MS ), and Production and Operations Management ( POM ). In this paper, we reflect upon the state and evolution of survey research in the OM discipline across a 21-year time span and the contribution of OM journals that have published these studies. Major changes have occurred in the last 5 years of our sampling period, and two topics stood out as showing fastest ascendancy to prominence—operations strategy and supply chain management. Furthermore, over the years, the Journal of Operations Management appears to have been publishing more survey research articles and a greater variety of OM topics compared to the other five journals in our study.

A framework for analysing business performance, firm innovation and related contextual factors: perceptions of managers and policy makers in two European regions

The aim of this paper is to propose a novel reference framework that can be used to study how different kinds of innovation can result in better business performance and how external factors can influence both the firm’s capacity to innovate and innovation itself. The value of the framework is demonstrated as it is applied in an exploratory study of the perceptions of public policy makers and managers from two European regions – the Veneto Region in Italy and the East of England in the UK. Amongst other things, the data gathered suggest that managers are generally less convinced than public policy makers, that the innovativeness of a firm is affected by factors over which policy makers have some control. This finding poses the question “what, if any, role can public policy makers play in enhancing a company’s competitiveness by enabling it to become more innovative?”

Supply chain interactions and time‐related performances: An operations management perspective

Many studies claim that when an organization interacts with suppliers and with customers across the supply chain, the organization would achieve improved time performances. This claim, however, has undergone limited theoretical development, as well as subsequent systematic empirical testing. As a result, we still have incomplete understanding of the “why” (i.e. the rationale) and the “how” (i.e. the mechanisms by which) of such interaction’s impact on time performances. This study addresses these issues through both model development and empirical analyses of 164 plants. Our analyses suggest two findings. First, when an organization interacts with suppliers and with customers on quality management issues, the organization would improve its time performances indirectly as a result of complete mediation by internal practices for: quality management; low management; inter‐unit coordination; and vertical coordination. On the other hand, when an organization interacts with suppliers and with customers on materials flow management issues, the impact on time‐related performances can either be completely or partially mediated by internal practices.

Product configuration and inter-firm co-ordination: an innovative solution from a small manufacturing enterprise

In order to survive, a great number of small companies are forced to offer a wide product variety and often to respond to the market with customised solutions. At the same time, fast delivery is often a key to win orders. As a result, a vital challenge for these companies is to overcome the trade-off between product variety and delivery time, without compromising cost. Recent developments in Information Technology made available also for small companies a class of software tools--called product configurators--that promise to reduce this trade-off. This paper reports a case study of the implementation of a product configuration software in a small manufacturing enterprise. The paper highlights that the company enjoyed significant benefits from the implementation of the software, especially in terms of delivery time and customer relationships. Moreover, the case evidences that product configuration software can be proactively used as a tool for improving inter-firm co-ordination.