| Measurement Issues in Empirical Research: Improving Measures of Operations Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Technology |
| | Pagell, Mark | Kansas State U. | pagellmd@business.cba.ksu.edu | (785) 532-4357 |
| | Boyer, Kenneth K. | DePaul U. | kboyer@wppost.depaul.edu | (312) 362-8113 |
| | Our objective in this paper is to examine measures used in survey based research in operations management. Specifically, we examine measures commonly used to assess operations strategy and advanced manufacturing technology in survey-based research. Looking at two measures gives us room to examine common problems for many of the measures used in operations management research. In addition, the two measures are addressing two different levels of analysis, strategy and a specific infrastructural / structural decision that (should) support the strategy. This should give us a broader understanding of the measurement issues we are facing as a field. We argue that it a critical, yet often neglected, component of good research is the critical assessment and refinement of existing measures. This study addresses the need to critically assess measurement issues and analyzes key existing measures with an eye toward improving their validity. |
| | Keywords: Operations strategy; technology; empirical research methods |
| Mass Customization Approaches: A Typology and Empirical Validation |
| | Duray, Rebecca | U. of Colorado, Colorado Springs | rduray@mail.uccs.edu | (719)-262-3673 |
| | Ward, Peter T. | Ohio State U. | ward.1@osu.edu | (614)-292-5294 |
| | Mass customization is a paradox-breaking manufacturing reality that combines the unique products of craft manufacturing with
the cost efficient manufacturing methods of mass production. Although this phenomenon is known to exist in practice, academic
research has not adequately investigated this new form of competition. In this research we develop a new conceptual model for
classifying mass customizers based on customer involvement in design and product modularity. We validate this model through
an empirical analysis and classification of 126 mass customizers. We also suggest and test manufacturing process and
performance implications of the various mass customization types. |
| | Keywords: Mass Customization; Taxonomies; Operations Management |
| Differentiators Between High and Low Performing Manufacturing Firms: An Empirical Study |
| | Terziovski, Mile | Monash U., Caulfield | Mile.Terziovski@BusEco.monash.edu.au | 61 3 99032674 |
| | Higher requirements for improved quality of products and services have led to two important changes in international business over the last
decade. The first is the growing recognition of the strategic importance of Total Quality Management. The second change is the major
push by organisations worldwide to seek certification to the ISO 9000 quality systems standards. Anecdotal evidence and the limited number
of empirical studies in the literature suggest considerable variability in the performance of TQM and ISO 9000, ranging from unprecedented
successes to abandonment and failure.
This paper is based on a doctoral research study that addresses the above issue by analysing a large database consisting of 962 responses
from Australian and 379 responses from New Zealand manufacturing firms. Multiple Discriminant Analysis is used to test hypotheses and
explore the differences between firms grouped according to their level of organisational performance. The tested hypotheses are further
explained by developing five case studies of Australian 'best practice' firms.
The most significant differentiators between high and low performing firms were found to be the 'softer' practices such as unity of purpose/breaking
down barriers between departments, and continuous improvement.Low performing firms were found to focus on the 'harder' practices such as
ISO 9000 certification and benchmarking. The paper concludes that visionary leadership and a continuous improvement approach are critical
ingredients for organizational success. |
| | Keywords: performance; quality; discriminant |