Advances in Production Management Systems


Book Description

This book brings together some of the latest thinking by leading experts from around the world on integrating systems and strategies in production management and related issues that are relevant for making production into a competitive resource for the firm. This book is composed of five parts, each focused on a specific theme: Linking systems and strategies; Strategic operations management; IS/IT applications in the value chain; Modelling and simulation; Improving operations.




Achieving Supply Chain Agility


Book Description

This book identifies factors of information system (IS) integration that influence supply chain agility and illustrates how IS integration can achieve greater supply chain agility. Also considering the consequent operational impacts that arise from IS-enabled supply chain agility, the author presents real-life examples through interviews and surveys to explore how IS integrations affect supply chain agility in the context of the Chinese automotive industry. The ability to swiftly respond to competitive challenges is a key element in industry 4.0 and organisations with agile supply chains are better prepared to respond to uncertainties and changes. This book develops and presents guidelines on the deployment of information system integration in order to achieve efficient agile supply chains.




Surviving Supply Chain Integration


Book Description

The managed flow of goods and information from raw material to final sale also known as a "supply chain" affects everythingâ€"from the U.S. gross domestic product to where you can buy your jeans. The nature of a company's supply chain has a significant effect on its success or failureâ€"as in the success of Dell Computer's make-to-order system and the failure of General Motor's vertical integration during the 1998 United Auto Workers strike. Supply Chain Integration looks at this crucial component of business at a time when product design, manufacture, and delivery are changing radically and globally. This book explores the benefits of continuously improving the relationship between the firm, its suppliers, and its customers to ensure the highest added value. This book identifies the state-of-the-art developments that contribute to the success of vertical tiers of suppliers and relates these developments to the capabilities that small and medium-sized manufacturers must have to be viable participants in this system. Strategies for attaining these capabilities through manufacturing extension centers and other technical assistance providers at the national, state, and local level are suggested. This book identifies action steps for small and medium-sized manufacturersâ€"the "seed corn" of business start-up and developmentâ€"to improve supply chain management. The book examines supply chain models from consultant firms, universities, manufacturers, and associations. Topics include the roles of suppliers and other supply chain participants, the rise of outsourcing, the importance of information management, the natural tension between buyer and seller, sources of assistance to small and medium-sized firms, and a host of other issues. Supply Chain Integration will be of interest to industry policymakers, economists, researchers, business leaders, and forward-thinking executives.







Supply Chain and Logistics Management: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications


Book Description

Business practices are constantly evolving in order to meet growing customer demands. Evaluating the role of logistics and supply chain management skills or applications is necessary for the success of any organization or business. As market competition becomes more aggressive, it is crucial to evaluate ways in which a business can maintain a strategic edge over competitors. Supply Chain and Logistics Management: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a vital reference source that centers on the effective management of risk factors and the implementation of the latest supply management strategies. It also explores the field of digital supply chain optimization and business transformation. Highlighting a range of topics such as inventory management, competitive advantage, and transport management, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for business managers, supply chain managers, business professionals, academicians, researchers, and upper-level students in the field of supply chain management, operations management, logistics, and operations research.




High Performance Logistics


Book Description




The agile supply chain


Book Description

For the guest editor Remko I. van Hoek, in the field of logistics the debate between the 'lean' thinkers and those who advocate 'agility' is still very much alive. This special issue follows the International Conference on Agility in Helsinki, Finland, and is a collection of some of the best of the fifty papers presented there. The papers touch on agility in regards to forecasting, manufacturing, simulation, ERP and Chinese sourcing. The result is that the concept of agility can be considered as a practical path forward, rather than just a topic of academic debate.




Agile Information Systems


Book Description

The Editor, Kevin Desouza, has organized the chapters under three categories: discussion of the concept of agile information systems (i.e. defining agile information management, its attributes, antecedents, consequences, etc.) discussion of information systems within the context of agility (i.e., descriptions of agile information systems and their attributes, how to build agile information systems, etc.) discussion of organizational management issues in the context of agile information systems (i.e., how to prepare the organization for agile information systems, management of agile information systems for improved organizational performance, etc.). This is the first book to address the hot topic of agile information systems. Contributions break new ground and provide concrete applications for practice. Contributors include highly respected academics from around the world




Transforming Field and Service Operations


Book Description

The drive to realise operational efficiencies, improve customer service, develop new markets and accelerate the introduction of new products has substantially increased the complexity of field service operations. To maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of these operations, organisations have embarked on a wide range of transformation programmes that have sought to introduce automation through the use of workforce management technologies. Despite the potential business value that can be provided by such transformation programmes, too often, the automation technologies have not been fully utilised and their expected benefits have as such not been realised. Scholars of organisation change argue that the success of any transformation programme is a function of how well the technical, political, structural and social aspects of a specific project have been managed. The objective of this edited book is to provide insights into how organisations might successfully transform their field service operations with the help of workforce management technologies. Accordingly, the book is organised into four sections: Section A “The Case for Transforming Service and Field Operations” explains the rationale as to why organisations should actively consider transforming their service and field operations, while Section B presents various “Methods, Models and Enabling Technologies for Transforming Service and Field Operations”. In Section C, a number of “Case Studies” illustrate how new technologies can be applied to field and service operations to deliver concrete business benefits. Lastly, Section D considers “Challenges, Outcomes and Future Directions”. Overall, this book provides valuable insights into how to successfully transform field service operations with automated technologies. It draws on years of experience from different industries and from different perspectives on realising change. It is aimed at managers, technologists, change agents and scholars who are interested in field service operations in general and the use of advanced computing technologies in this area in particular.




Strategic Information System Agility


Book Description

Ensuring an efficient and agile information system in organizations is a real challenge. Only an agile IT strategy can underpin this. Strategic Information System Agility offers methodological and practical support to achieve effective IT agility in complex and dynamic environments.