Manu S. Madan

Successful implementation of ERP projects: Evidence from two case studies

Abstract This research examines what factors facilitate or inhibit the success of ERP projects and what actions can be taken to bring troubled ERP projects under control. It uses a case study methodology grounded in business process change theory to compare a successful ERP implementation with an unsuccessful one. Data was collected by conducting interviews at various levels of the subject organizations and by examining their archived records when available. The study proposes that a cautious, evolutionary, bureaucratic implementation process backed with careful change management, network relationships, and cultural readiness can lead to a successful ERP project implementation as opposed to a revolutionary project scope mandated autocratically by top management without organizational readiness and proper change management. Some actions are also recommended that can help bring troubled ERP projects under control.

Information technology in managing global supply chains

As organizations strive to become more competitive in today’s challenging business environment, global supply chain management (GSCM) infused by information technology (IT) is being offered as a paradigm to achieve dramatic improvements in cost and time. This study examines the critical role played by IT to improve GSCM practices. The paper starts by classifying all the IT related articles dealing with GSCM into four research streams. Next, a practical IT framework that organizations can use for achieving a true GSCM is presented. This is followed by examples of corporations that provide IT solutions for GSCM and of corporations that have benefited from using IT in their GSCM efforts. Finally, conclusions and implications for IT‐related issues pertaining to GSCM are suggested.

A citation analysis of the technology innovation management journals

This paper is the first citation-analysis-based follow up to the subjective survey conducted in 1993 by the Technology Innovation Management Division (TIMD) of the Academy of Management (see J. Liker, TIM Newslett., vol.7, no.2, p.5-8, 1993). That survey established a hierarchical rating of journals publishing articles in the field of technology innovation management (TIM). For each of the 1204 journals cited in the five highest ranked journals in the TIM specialty group of Likers study (called the base journals) during the (base) period 1990-1993, a citation score is computed using three different methods: the overall score, the normalized score, and the weighted-score method. Rankings of the journals based on each of these three methods are discussed and compared one with the other. Moreover, rankings of the top journals identified by the three methods (modified to adjust for differences in sample size) were compared with Likers survey results ranking. The key finding of the study is that, under all scoring methods, the top six spots were held by the same journals, The variation in ranks, however, became progressively greater at lower ranks. Researchers, metaresearchers, academic administrators, journal editors, and others may find the citation-based trends, ranks, and other results developed in this study helpful in stimulating further scholarly discourse in the field of TIM as it relates to the effectiveness of the journals.

Using information technology to improve downstream supply chain operations: a case study

To succeed in today’s global marketplace, organizations are looking at streamlining their supply chain through the successful deployment of information technology. This paper, by means of a case study, discusses how a manufacturing company implemented a transportation planning and optimization system to enhance their downstream supply chain operations. The application development framework is used to analyze the implementation process. The findings of this case study will benefit companies seeking to create a competitive advantage in the marketplace through advanced physical distribution capabilities.

Designing cellular manufacturing systems by a truncated tree search

SUMMARY The cell formation problem in designing cellular manufacturing systems is formulated as a 0-1 quadratic programming model. The objective of the model is to minimize intercellular moves using distance as a measure. A truncated tree search algorithm to solve the cell formation problem is presented. The performance of the algorithm is tested on several problems obtained from the literature. Comparison of the results of the algorithm with some existing approaches is presented. In addition, this paper extends the truncated tree search approach to deal with multiple machines in the cell formation problem.

QS 9000 registration for lean manufacturing

The QS 9000 quality system was developed in the United States in 1994 by a team consisting of representatives of General Motors, Ford, and Daimler‐Chrysler as well as the US truck manufacturers. The objective of the system is to standardize the quality system requirements and documentation developed and maintained by US auto‐motive suppliers. In this paper we review the philosophy and the structure of QS 9000 automotive quality standards and examine the relationship between ISO 9001, QS 9000 and TQM. We also analyze the costs and benefits from quality system certification and present practical experiences of selected US automotive suppliers related to the development and implementation of ISO 9001 and QS 9000 requirements.

Improving competitiveness of ready‐to‐assemble manufacturers through information technology

Price has traditionally been the order‐winning criterion for ready‐to‐assemble (RTA) products such as furniture, bicycles, kit models, etc. In order to be able to compete in today’s demanding RTA market, manufacturers must increasingly emphasize quality, not price, as the order‐winning criterion. On the other hand, the order winners for external customers are time‐based – speed of delivery and flexibility. In this paper, we discuss the dimensions of RTA products’ quality. In addition, we discuss changes in business processes, information flow and information technology necessary to effectively improve the competitiveness of RTA manufacturers.

An improved heuristic for the Capacitated Lot-Sizing problem

In this research, we present a heuristic for the Capacitated Lot-Sizing (CLS) problem without set-up time considerations and no backordering option. The CLS problem is formulated as a mixed integer-programming problem with an underlying fixed charge transportation problem structure. This formulation is flexible enough to handle different types of production capacity such as regular time capacity, overtime capacity and subcontracting. A heuristic that exploits the fixed charge transportation structure and trade-offs involved in lot-sizing decisions is developed for the problem. We also present a new Lower Bound Procedure for the multi-item CLS problems. We demonstrate the performance of the heuristic over a variety of test problems. The heuristic is evaluated by comparing the solution values to the lower bound values as well as to the solution values from another algorithm for similar problems.

Implementing quality management in the banking services sector

In recent years, banking institutions have been subjected to intense competition and increased customer expectation. Factors that have contributed to the competition include globalization, advances in technology and changes in government regulations. Quality management is a mechanism that can be used by banks to gain competitive advantages. This paper investigates and classifies the research on quality management in the banking industry. A proactive model for implementing quality management programmes and future research directions in the banking sector are discussed.

A heuristic methodology to evaluate price discount structures from the buyer's perspective

Abstract This paper presents an intuitive heuristic method for determining order quantities in an all-unit discount environment with budget constraints. The approach is utility-based and allows the decision maker to incorporate a number of criteria in the objective function. The model is simple to understand and can be easily implemented on a personal computer using a standard spreadsheet. The simplicity of the approach makes it an attractive decision support tool for replenishing inventory in small retail businesses such as automotive parts stores and hardware stores.