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Flexibility is a main mean to create resilient supply chains. The most flexible resources are often human resources but creating high, homogenous skill levels is not cost efficient. Heterogenous labour provides an alternative. The literature on Dual Resource Constrained (DRC) shops modelled heterogeneous labour with multi-functionality and efficiency matrices that indicate if a worker can perform at a station and according to which level of efficiency. However, this literature typically considered these matrices as a given environmental factor rather than a factor under firm control. Consequently, it typically neglected literature that can be used to guide matrix design. In response, this study draws on the literature on unbalanced lines to test eight different matrices to guide worker training. Discrete event simulation is then used to evaluate their performance in a DRC pure flow shop with high variability in demand and processing times. Results demonstrate that the matrix design impacts performance and that an unbalanced design has the potential to improve performance compared to a balanced design and full multi-functionality. Specifically, the bowl configuration shows much promise, which further confirms the "bowl phenomenon". However, performance gains are dependent on the combination of When, Where and Who rules used to guide the worker assignment decision. So, the decision on worker training is also contingent on the decision which worker assignment rule to use. Findings have important implications for research and practice, providing guidance on how to design more resilient shops and supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A system of standard indices is formulated for the labor intensity of research and development activities. A methodology of labor-intensity determination is proposed for the effective organization of research and development, with specific risk factors. This methodology permits optimization of budget expenditures on research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the evaluation of potential benefits of mass production automation where a specified set of automation tools is used. Automata operation efficiency, their cost and lifetime are allowed for. The algorithm developed enables the selection of automata set ensuring minimum product cost. The estimate of minimum attainable manufacturing cost is calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a parametric decomposition framework of labor productivity growth relaxing the assumption of labor-specific efficiency. The decomposition analysis is applied to a sample of 121 developed and developing countries during the 1970-2007 period drawn from the recently updated Penn World Tables and Barro and Lee (A new data set of educational attainment in the world 1950-2010. NBER Working Paper No. 15902, ) educational databases. A generalized Cobb-Douglas functional specification is used taking into account differences in technological structures across groups of countries to approximate aggregate production technology using Jorgenson and Nishimizu (Econ J 88:707-726, ) bilateral model of production. The measurement of labor efficiency is based on Kopp's (Quart J Econ 96:477-503, ) orthogonal non-radial index of factor-specific efficiency modified in a parametric frontier framework. The empirical results indicate that the weighted average annual rate of labor productivity growth was 1.239 % over the period analyzed. Technical change was found to be the driving force of labor productivity, while improvements in human capital and factor intensities account for the 19.5 and 12.4 % of that productivity growth, respectively. Finally, labor efficiency improvements contributed by 9.8 % to measured labor productivity growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staff scheduling is one of the most relevant issues among production planning managers. The problem is to set up an appropriate schedule for various employees to maximize the performance measurement. There are different conflicting criteria with any scheduling problem such as cost minimization, efficiency maximization, etc. The proposed model of this paper develops a new multiobjective decision-making scheduling problem, and the resulted problem is solved using two different techniques of goal programming and augmented epsilon constraint. The implementation of the new proposed model is demonstrated with a real-world case study, and they are analyzed. The preliminary results indicate that the epsilon-constraint method somewhat performs better than goal programming technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assumed benefits from improved reputation are often used as motives to drive corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Are improved cost efficiencies among these reputation benefits? Cost efficiencies and cost management have become more relevant as revenue streams dry up in these tough economic times. Can a good reputation aid these efforts to develop cost efficiencies specifically when managing labor costs? Prior research hypothesizes that good reputation can create labor productivity and efficiency benefits. The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate reputation's relationship with labor efficiency, labor productivity, and labor cost. Using a sample of highly reputable firms from Fortune's America's Most Admired Companies list and a corresponding matched sample of firms, we find that reputation is associated with improved labor efficiency and labor productivity. However, we do not find a significant association between reputation and reduced labor costs. Our study contributes to current research hypothesizing and finding efficiency benefits associated with good reputation. Documenting these potential reputation benefits has important implications for CSR activities and initiatives. It supports recent work that incorporates reputation into a more developed model of the relationship between CSR and performance (Vilanova et al.: , Journal of Business Ethics 87, 57-69). This work is useful to businesses and supports strategies focused on 'doing well by doing good' and maintaining healthy reputations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In large hospitals, collaborative clinical practice is currently emphasized, with members of various departments expected to work as a team. The importance of accurate communication among the team members is of utmost importance. To improve such communication, the introduction of mobile voice communication systems has received much attention in Japan. Shimane University Hospital also introduced a Personal Handy-phone System (PHS) for doctors. In the traditional setting, much time was wasted searching for doctors through multiple calls on fixed-line telephones. In order to measure the effectiveness of our system, the change in the number of calls made on fixed-line telephones before and after PHS installation was compared. The total number of calls was reduced by more than 35%, and the number of calls to the wards on weekdays was reduced by half. Mobile telecommunication systems with small output power, such as PHS, are known to cause little interference with medical devices which makes it possible to use mobile voice communication safely in hospitals. The improvement in communication by this systems resulted in an improvement in labor efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]