Erik J. De Bruijn

An examination of strategies employed for the integration of management systems

Purpose – This paper is an empirical study of the organisational approaches used for integration of management systems (MSs) and the comparative effectiveness of such approaches.Design/methodology/approach – Research employed four case studies. Results are derived from the analysis of triangulated evidence obtained from in‐depth interviews, observations, internal documents analysis, archives, and short questionnaires.Findings – Results identified two archetypes of integration strategies termed “systems approach” and “techno‐centric approach”. Maximum benefits are achieved by using a systems approach to integration of MSs, while using the techno‐centric approach leads to benefits mainly at the operational level.Research limitations/implications – This research is qualitative and, as such, does not investigate the integration of MSs across a large number of organisations. The research does not investigate the causality between strategies employed for integration and their outcomes.Originality/value – There ...

Developing countries and the aircraft industry: match or mismatch?☆

For many industrially developing countries, technology transfer is seen as a road towards technological and economic development. Indonesian experiences with the aircraft industry suggest that the transfer of technology in this sector is extremely difficult, and even if technology is actually transferred it does not necessarily lead to a viable industry. To determine the key elements for a successful transfer of technology, research was undertaken with a focus on the process of technology transfer at the operational level in industrially developing and developed countries. The research revealed that many technology transfer projects do not or, at best, only marginally contribute to technological development. It also showed that the aircraft industry, and possibly other industries as well, might be better suited to specific countries. To avoid making investments in industries that will inevitably not be competitive, industrially developing countries should be careful when deciding which types of industry to foster.

International shopfloor level productivity differences: an exploratory study

Operations managers need to consider where to manufacture, or outsource, their manufacturing activities. A factor in location choice is productivity differences at different locations. This study aims to focus on determining productivity at the shopfloor level since this is the place where the differences in productivity ultimately affect the international competition position.

Technology transfer and catch-up; lessons from the commercial aircraft industry

This paper analyses the technology development and technology transfer strategies in the aircraft manufacturing industry for four industrially developing countries. It is concluded from four case studies that technology catch-up is extremely difficult due to aircraft technology characteristics. Based on this, several propositions are developed concerning technology transfer, catch-up and several aspects of learning.

Exploring knowledge transfer within manufacturing networks and codified information characteristics: the hidden dangers of inaccurate information

Technology transfer is an important aspect of, and takes frequently place in, international manufacturing networks. A key component of a specific technology is the knowledge and information that accompanies it. This study explores the difficulties with transferring technological knowledge and codified, i.e. explicit, information and the causes of these difficulties. Case studies were carried out in the aircraft industry to identify problems that arise with the transfer of information. The aircraft industry is a particularly interesting industry to study because of the emphasis in this sector on codified information. It was found that the accuracy of information has two distinct aspects: a part that is independent of the destination company and a part that is dependent on the destination company. The first aspect, termed reliability, is time dependent. The second aspect, suitability, depends especially on the destination company’s knowledge about the source company’s information formatting methods. Illustrations of the consequences of information inaccuracy are included.

Measuring student learning over time with clickers in an introductory operations management course

This article describes the use of classroom communications systems, otherwise known as clickers, for measuring student learning over time. In an introductory operations management course, they were used to track student learning and progress. Student learning was assessed based upon the three lower levels in Blooms taxonomy: knowledge, understanding and application. This assessment occurred during lectures, small-stakes quizzes and high-stakes tests. This article shows that assessment opportunities are made possible through the use of clickers. This provides a mechanism to measure learning and allows an instructor to adjust instruction and to diagnose individual students in a timely manner so that additional help can be provided to students in need. Since many of the factors involved in the learning process lie outside of the realm of clicker technology, readers are advised to be cautious about reaching conclusions too quickly with regard to student learning and clickers.

Exploring the influence of technology size on the duration of production technology transfer implementation

This study explores the relationship between technology size and installation time in technology transfer projects. A literature study revealed that the installation time has so far not received much attention. Current studies address the effectiveness of technology transfer rather than efficiency. In addition, and as a consequence of the effectiveness approach, technology size had not been particularly identified as a major variable in technology transfer. Case studies carried out in the aircraft industry showed that technology size in fact is a key factor in the installation period. Based on these studies a model for measuring technology size has been developed. A case study methodology was selected for this study in order to obtain in-depth data.

Simulations, assessment and student learning

This paper reports on the use of a simulation in an introductory operations management course. Much of the literature on simulations treats them as a teaching method. In this paper, the simulation is used for student learning assessment. It was found that student performance was not very good and that financial performance in the game was not related to performance on tests. As a result of these findings it is proposed that simulations assess a different type of student learning. This is called the ability to interpret in a largely unfamiliar context. An additional exploratory experiment with an extra simulation round was conducted. Evidence from this additional experiment indicates that simulations might be an excellent method to assess this new indicator.

Exploring the impact of national culture on the outcome of international technology transfer projects

Manufacturing companies worry that producing in high labour-cost countries can not be sustained and are considering moving manufacturing to low labour-cost regions. Manufacturers that are considering this approach should be aware that moving to low-labour cost countries does not always lead to cost reductions. Cost increases may occur as a result of productivity differences. One of the causes for these productivity differences is national culture. This papers analysis leads to the conclusion that national culture affects the method of organising and this in turn affects labour productivity. Countries may have a cultural competitive advantage to conduct specific types of activities.

The use(lessness) of online quizzes for achieving student learning

This paper describes experiences with online quizzes in an operations management course. Online quizzes were introduced to offset larger class sizes. During several quarters, experimentation with online quizzes took place including the number of attempts, the amount of time allowed and the topical coverage in the quizzes. Three research questions are explored: what type of online quiz taking behaviour do students have? Do online quizzes help students improve their grade, that is, Does improvement occur within a course? and, Does the use of online quizzes help a class overall? It was concluded that online quizzes do not significantly improve student learning.