Todd A. Boyle

Implementation and management framework for supply chain flexibility

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to develop a conceptual framework for implementing and managing supply chain flexibility in supply chain organizations. The framework suggests that supply chain flexibility should be implemented and managed using a three‐stage approach: required flexibility identification, implementation and shared responsibility, and feedback and control.Design/methodology/approach – The major components of the proposed framework are based on a review of research in the manufacturing flexibility literature as well as the limited research in supply chain flexibility. The strengths and weaknesses of these frameworks, combined with a published empirical study were analyzed to identify the important issues that must be considered when implementing and managing supply chain flexibility, and those components that need to be incorporated into a new integrated framework.Findings – This framework was constructed by synthesizing the strengths of other conceptual frameworks. As a result, th...

Towards best management practices for implementing manufacturing flexibility

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to develop a framework and an initial list of best management practices for implementing manufacturing flexibility.Design/methodology/approach – To identify these practices, recent frameworks (i.e. 1988 and onward) for implementing manufacturing flexibility in organizations are reviewed. Based on this review, the major management practices for implementing flexibility are identified and synthesized into a new framework.Findings – This framework suggests that manufacturing flexibility should be implemented using a three‐stage approach, labeled: identifying required flexibility (i.e. identifying and justifying the flexibility types, measurements and tools needed to achieve the required manufacturing flexibility), achieving required flexibility (i.e. acquiring and implementing the organizational and technological tools needed to achieve the required manufacturing flexibility) and managing required flexibility (i.e. monitoring and changing the required flexibility typ...

Learning to be lean: the influence of external information sources in lean improvements

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of management exposure to external information sources, such as training sessions, plant visits, and conferences, in helping manufacturing organizations achieve lean goals.Design/methodology/approach – A model is proposed highlighting the relationship between various key drivers of lean, external information sources, management commitment to lean, and lean thinking. To empirically test the model, 1,000 surveys were mailed to Canadian manufacturers with 109 usable surveys returned. Analyzing the data using partial least squares, the common sources of management information on lean and their effectiveness for lean improvements are discussed.Findings – The final model confirms that management exposure to external information sources and commitment to lean both influence lean thinking within organizations. However, the direct relationship between external information sources and lean thinking is not supported. Instead, an indirect relationship exists,...

An empirical examination of the best practices to ensure manufacturing flexibility: Lean alignment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the best practices managers use to improve manufacturing flexibility and ensure the tools and techniques selected for flexibility improvement are in line with broader organizational and manufacturing goals, such as lean production.Design/methodology/approach – A number of best practices are identified based on a review and synthesis of the conceptual frameworks for improving manufacturing flexibility and are presented to North American manufacturing managers. Results of analyzing the data from 168 managers indicate the best practices, techniques, and major groups involved in improving flexibility.Findings – Results support these best practices, with the most important practices being: incorporating the role of manufacturing flexibility into the manufacturing strategy; identifying the major potential sources of uncertainty faced by the manufacturing department; and identifying the general capability of the manufacturing department to address these potentia...

Organizational contextual determinants of cross‐functional NPD team support

Purpose – This research aims to identify various organizational‐level factors influencing support for cross‐functional new product development (NPD) teams. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 2,500 questionnaires where mailed in 2003 to managers of product development from Canadian and US manufacturing organizations operating in the machinery, computer, electronic product, electrical equipment, and transportation equipment manufacturing industrial sectors. A total of 269 usable questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 11.1 percent. Findings – Results of performing regression analysis indicate that the quality of communication between the functional disciplines involved in NPD activities, perceived risks and complexity of using cross‐functional NPD teams, and the complexity of the organizations NPD activities all influence organizational support for cross‐functional NPD teams. Based on the qualitative data, additional reasons why cross‐functional NPD teams may not be supported in organizat...

Determinants of Integrated Product Development Diffusion

Integrated product development (IPD) is an approach for developing new products focused on the early and active involvement of design, manufacturing, marketing and other key new product development (NPD) stakeholders in order to achieve cross-functional integration and concurrent execution of various NPD activities. The benefits of IPD are well known in both the academic literature and popular press, including significant reductions in NPD cycle time and costs. However, in spite of these benefits, for the majority of manufacturing organizations, IPD is not used on 100% of NPD projects. This research develops a model of the organizational contextual factors influencing the diffusion of IPD in organizations. Results of surveying 269 NPD managers indicate that the complexity of certain IPD practices and support for IPD directly influence IPD diffusion, while an innovative organizational climate and the complexity of the organizations NPD activities indirectly influence IPD diffusion through IPD support.

Technical-Oriented Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Body of Knowledge for Information Systems Programs: Content and Implementation

In this article, the author proposes a body of knowledge that the educators can use to incorporate the technical aspects of enterprise resource planning (ERP) into an information systems (IS) program, encapsulated as the ERP technical knowledge framework. To illustrate the application of this framework, the author discusses a course sequence that could be applied in a 4-year undergraduate degree program in ERP. The ERP technical knowledge framework provides an excellent starting point for IS instructors who attempt to expand their ERP courses or create a complete ERP program that will meet the needs of the industry.

A quality management implementation framework for manufacturing‐based R&D environments

This research outlines the practices that managers believe are critical for achieving quality management in applied research and development (e.g. R&D, process development, product development, and engineering) departments of manufacturing companies. Using these practices, comments from R&D managers, and the existing quality in R&D research literature, a model is developed that highlights the need for broad management practices, specific management practices, awareness of the R&D external environment, and a quality culture to achieve quality management in the R&D departments of manufacturing organizations.

Challenges of standardized continuous quality improvement programs in community pharmacies: The case of SafetyNET-Rx

BACKGROUND Research on continuous quality improvement (CQI) in community pharmacies lags in comparison to service, manufacturing, and various health care sectors. As a result, very little is known about the challenges community pharmacies face when implementing CQI programs in general, let alone the challenges of implementing a standardized and technologically sophisticated one. OBJECTIVE This research identifies the initial challenges of implementing a standardized CQI program in community pharmacies and how such challenges were addressed by pharmacy staff. METHODS Through qualitative interviews, a multisite study of the SafetyNET-Rx CQI program involving community pharmacies in Nova Scotia, Canada, was performed to identify such challenges. Interviews were conducted with the CQI facilitator (ie, staff pharmacist or technician) in 55 community pharmacies that adopted the SafetyNET-Rx program. Of these 55 pharmacies, 25 were part of large national corporate chains, 22 were part of banner chains, and 8 were independent pharmacies. A total of 10 different corporate chains and banners were represented among the 55 pharmacies. Thematic content analysis using well-established coding procedures was used to explore the interview data and elicit the key challenges faced. RESULTS Six major challenges were identified, specifically finding time to report, having all pharmacy staff involved in quality-related event (QRE) reporting, reporting apprehensiveness, changing staff relationships, meeting to discuss QREs, and accepting the online technology. Challenges were addressed in a number of ways including developing a manual-online hybrid reporting system, managers paying staff to meet after hours, and pharmacy managers showing visible commitment to QRE reporting and learning. CONCLUSIONS This research identifies key challenges to implementing CQI programs in community pharmacies and also provides a starting point for future research relating to how the challenges of QRE reporting and learning in community pharmacies change over time.

Determinants of medication incident reporting, recovery, and learning in community pharmacies: A conceptual model

BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that the underreporting of medication errors and near misses, collectively referred to as medication incidents (MIs), in the community pharmacy setting, is high. Despite the obvious negative implications, MIs present opportunities for pharmacy staff and regulatory authorities to learn from these mistakes and take steps to reduce the likelihood that they reoccur. However, these activities can only take place if such errors are reported and openly discussed. OBJECTIVES This research proposes a model of factors influencing the reporting, service recovery, and organizational learning resulting from MIs within Canadian community pharmacies. METHODS The conceptual model is based on a synthesis of the literature and findings from a pilot study conducted among pharmacy management, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians from 13 community pharmacies in Nova Scotia, Canada. The purpose of the pilot study was to identify various actions that should be taken to improve MI reporting and included staff perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of their current MI-reporting process, desired characteristics of a new process, and broader external and internal activities that would likely improve reporting. Out of the 109 surveys sent, 72 usable surveys were returned (66.1% response rate). Multivariate analysis of variance found no significant differences among staff type in their perceptions of the current or new desired system but were found for broader initiatives to improve MI reporting. These findings were used for a proposed structural equation model (SEM). RESULTS The SEM proposes that individual-perceived self-efficacy, MI process capability, MI process support, organizational culture, management support, and regulatory authority all influence the completeness of MI reporting, which, in turn, influences MI service recovery and learning. CONCLUSIONS This model may eventually be used to enable pharmacy managers to make better decisions. By identifying risk factors that contribute to low MI reporting, recovery, and learning, it will be possible for regulators to focus their efforts on high-risk sectors and begin to undertake preventative educational interventions rather than relying solely on remedial activities.