Stephan Zelewski

Assignment of employees to workplaces under consideration of employee competences and preferences

Purpose – This paper seeks to develop a model for the assignment of employees to workplaces. Assignment methods are of high relevance in practice because employees should be assigned to workplaces according to their competences and preferences to ensure that motivated employees carry out tasks effectively and efficiently.Design/methodology/approach – Two goal programming models are introduced with inputs and valuations using the analytic hierarchy process.Findings – The two goal programming models for the assignment of employees to workplaces, which take into account both employee competences and preferences as well as workplace competence requirements and attributes, seem to be effective in helping to arrive at an optimal assignment decision.Research limitations/implications – In practice, one major problem is that the input data for the goal programming models are not updated regularly. Thus, the documentation of the competence profiles and the preferences of the employees might be out of date or incomp...

Pitfalls in the application of analytic hierarchy process to performance measurement

Purpose – The paper seeks to show pitfalls in the application of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to efficiency analysis and performance measurement as well as ways to steer clear of these pitfalls.Design/methodology/approach – The paper outlines guidelines for avoiding pitfalls in the application of the AHP to efficiency analysis and performance measurement.Findings – The pitfalls discussed in the paper can be understood as a type of critical reflection of best practice, since they stem from the experiences of the application of the AHP in the area of efficiency analysis and performance measurement.Research limitations/implications – The pitfalls discussed are based on a limited number of projects covering only a few industries. Further work may be required to test the general validity of these findings.Practical implications – The ways to steer clear of these pitfalls can guide a decision maker to a proper application of the AHP in the area of efficiency analysis and performance measurement.Originality/...

What in Fact Is the Role of Stylized Facts in Fundamental Research of Business and Information Systems Engineering

In the discussion initiated by Winter on “What in fact is fundamental research in business and information systems engineering?” in issue 2/2009, Zelewski submitted the interesting proposal to use the concept of stylized facts as developed in economics in business and information systems engineering (BISE) in order to promote theory building within our discipline (Winter et al. 2009). Stylized facts constitute elements of knowledge in the form of generalized statements that describe the important characteristics and relationships in the context of a studied phenomenon and are widely supported empirically. For example, the empirically proven relationship between the longterm abstention from changing the employer in Japanese companies and a much larger salary increase compared to U.S. companies is a typical stylized fact in economics. When using stylized facts in the context of BISE, a number of interesting questions arise: What are the typical stylized facts within BISE? How can stylized facts be obtained systematically? What is the importance of stylized facts in design-oriented disciplines? Which role do stylized facts play in practice? What is the difference between technological rules and stylized facts? To what extent can we consider stylized facts to be “technological” knowledge about cause-effect-relationships that can be utilized for the construction of artifacts of information and communication technology? Which role do stylized facts play in empirical research? Which contribution can stylized facts make for building theories in BISE if a multiperspective research approach is assumed? Currently, only scattered experience exists in the application of stylized facts in BISE (Fettke et al. 2010; Houy et al. 2009, 2011). In order to achieve a broad perspective on the issue in the course of this discussion, well-known representatives from the field of business administration, the German-speaking BISE as well as from Information Systems Research were invited to comment on the topic. The following authors accepted our invitation to this discussion (in alphabetical order): Prof. Dr. Ulrich Frank, Chair of Information Systems and Enterprise Modelling, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; Prof. Dr. Armin Heinzl, Chair of General Management and Information Systems, Mannheim University, Germany; Prof. Dr. Juhani Iivari, Department of Information Processing Science, Oulu University, Finland; Prof. Dr. Barbara E. Weisenberger, Chair of Controlling and Business Accounting, Justus-Liebig University of Giesen, Germany; Prof. Dr. Stephan Zelewski, Institute of Production and Industrial Information Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Within their contributions the authors highlight different facets of the generation and application of stylized facts that appear relevant and important for BISE. Barbara E. Weisenberger outlines the concept and the derivation of stylized facts based on a case study in the field of IT-based controlling systems. Thus, several empirical studies have shown that the “increasing flexibility of IT systems in accounting and control has a positive impact on management accounting and control”. The author argues that the concept contributes to aggregate and structure fragmented knowledge in a research area, with particular emphasis on revealing research gaps. At the same time she points out that the derivation of stylized facts is the result of comprehensive research endeavors. The contribution by Stephan Zelewski considers the concept of stylized facts in the tension between the more designoriented German-speaking BISE on the one hand and the more behavioristic Anglo-Saxon Information Systems Research on the other. He argues that stylized facts are not directly but indirectly fruitful for the design-oriented BISE: Accordingly, stylized facts form a “seed of crystallization” for the development and testing of theories with causal explanatory power, making it possible to “explain and verify prognoses regarding alleged effects of the recommended design measures”. Despite the attractiveness of the concept, the author also points to difficulties in the implementation in current science. Armin Heinzl identifies application areas for stylized facts in BISE, especially

Epistemische Unterbestimmtheit ökonomischer Theorien — eine Analyse des konventionellen Theorienkonzepts aus der Perspektive des „non statement view“

Okonomische Theorien besitzen bei konventioneller Formulierungsweise („statement view“) nur eine rudimentare Struktur. Sie gestattet es nicht, die zum Teil verschiedenartigen epistemischen Rollen zu erkennen, die unterschiedlichen Komponenten einer Theorie zukommen. Aufgrund dieses „Rollen-Defekts“ weisen konventionell formulierte Theorien eine epistemische Unterbestimmtheit ihrer Komponenten auf. Aus der Perspektive des strukturalistischen Theorienkonzepts („non statement view“) wird erlautert, wie dieser Rollen-Defekt konventioneller Theorien zustande kommt und mit welchen „strukturellen“ Hilfsmitteln dieser Defekt uberwunden werden kann.

Information and Process Requirements for Electric Mobility in Last-Mile-Logistics

E-vehicles are expected to become increasingly important in the logistics sector. Global use of delivery vehicles with combustion motors causes a significant percentage of total emissions and is responsible for climate change, shortage of fossil fuels and pollution in urban areas. Simultaneously, cargo volumes are increasing, especially in urban regions due to for example e-commerce developments. The purpose of this research contribution is to investigate the critical information and process requirements that logistics service providers and retailers are facing in their daily operations by using e-vehicles for last mile distribution. The main objectives are to identify these factors for the usage of e-vehicle in the last mile distribution and to analyze different parameters. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to determine the importance and weighting of these criteria. Methodically, the AHP sorts competing factors by assigning percentage points to these factors and helps to sort each factors into a ranking. So getting clear statements the AHP is a very useful tool to indicate the priority and the importance of relevant success factors influencing the use of electric vehicles for last mile distribution. The value of this chapter is to provide guidance for further research as well as a framework and ranked criteria checklist for practitioners who are interested in gaining information in preparation of adding e-vehicles to their existing transport fleet.

Fair Distribution of Added Values in Networks of Autonomous Actors

Most scientific publications on the subject of value chain management only analyse which structures, processes and actions can contribute to value creation. How the distribution of added values that were collectively achieved in a network of autonomous actors can influence the stability of such a network is often disregarded. The distributive justice or the fair distribution of collectively created added values is one of the most important ways to secure the stability of networks. This paper therefore presents a proposal for an operationalization of the fairness term from an economic perspective. This proposal is specific to the distribution of cooperation gains in networks of autonomously acting companies and takes a cooperative game theory approach as its basis. With the aid of the τ-value, it is shown how intuitive and vague associations of fairness can be substantiated to give a concrete distribution proposal that can be perceived and communicated as fair by gradually establishing rational or at least plausible assumptions.

Fair Distribution of Efficiency Gains in Supply Networks from a Cooperative Game Theory Point of View

In this paper, the authors address the distribution of efficiency gains among partially autonomous supply network actors in a manner they will accept as fair and as an incentive to cooperation. The problem is economically significant because it requires substantiating efficiency gains in an understandable manner. Moreover, supply networks suffer from a conflict potential because the partially autonomous actors seek to maximize their own shares of the efficiency gain. The method applied appropriates a model from cooperative game theory involving the t-value. The special nature of the t-value ensures that it seems rational to the actors to cooperate in the supply network. The proposed method for the distribution problem offers a fair distribution of efficiency gains in the supply network and ensures that the distribution results can be communicated easily.

Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des “Analytic Hierarchy Process” (AHP) als Verfahren zur Wirtschaftlichkeitsanalyse

ZusammenfassungDer Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) kann als multikriterielles Evaluationsverfahren bei der Durchführung von Wirtschaftlichkeitsanalysen eingesetzt werden. Der AHP ist in seiner ursprünglichen Form eher zur Beurteilung von Handlungsalternativen anhand qualitativer als anhand quantitativer Kriterien geeignet. Bei Wirtschaftlichkeitsanalysen finden jedoch regelmäβig quantitative Kriterien Berücksichtigung. Dieser Beitrag erörtert daher Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des AHP, quantitative Kriterien zu berücksichtigen und Wirtschaftlichkeitskennzahlen abzuleiten.AbstractThe Analytic Hierarchy Process as a means to solve multi-criteria decision problems can be utilized for profitability analyses. In its initial form, the AHP is more suitable for the evaluation of action alternatives considering qualitative criteria rather than quantitative ones. However, profitability analyses normally have to take quantitative criteria into account. Therefore, the paper at hand illustrates how to consider quantitative criteria and how to set up profitability ratios applied to the Analytic Hierarchy Process.

Strukturalistische Rekonstruktion einer theoretischen Begründung des Produktivitätsparadoxons der Informationstechnik

Das Produktivitatsparadoxon der Informationstechnik wird seit einigen Jahren in der einschlagigen Fachliteratur aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven diskutiert31 Es geht von der zunachst unreflektierten, lediglich intuitiven Vermutung aus, das Unternehmen ihre Produktivitat durch Investitionen in arbeitsunterstutzende Informationstechnik (im folgenden kurz als IT angesprochen) steigern musten. Also sollte sich in der Realitat feststellen lassen, das eine positive Korrelation zwischen der Unternehmensproduktivitat einerseits und dem Ausmas an informationstechnischen Investitionen andererseits besteht. Tatsachlich existiert aber eine breite Palette empirischer Befunde, die die vorgenannte mutmasliche Korrelation nicht bestatigen. Statt dessen lassen die Studien fur einzelne Realitatsbereiche, die von ihrem jeweiligen Untersuchungsdesign bestimmt werden, entweder keine statistisch signifikante positive Korrelation zwischen Unternehmensproduktivitat und IT-Investitionen erkennen (Produktivitatsparadoxon i.w.S.) oder sie zeigen sogar eine statistisch signifikante negative Korrelation zwischen den beiden vorgenannten Kenngrosen auf (Produktivitatsparadoxon i.e.S.).

Fair Distribution of Cooperation Gains in Supply Chains: A Justification Program from an Economic Point of View

The fair distribution of the gains from cooperation presents a challenge to economic research as well as to business practice. This is based, above all, on two reasons. First, fairness is a very vague term that can be interpreted in very different ways so that this term needs to be operationalized. Second, the term “fairness” cannot be derived from “objective” or “empirical” data, but needs a substantive justification based, ultimately, on subjective judgements about fairness or justice. This twofold challenge is elaborated on in this paper. On the one hand, the term “fairness” is operationalized from the perspective of cooperative game theory. On the other hand, a program for its justification is presented that aims at evaluating game theoretic solution concepts. As a result, we present a program for its justification which consists of six requirements.