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In "Realizing supply chain agility under time pressure: Ad hoc supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic" (Müller et al., [20]), the authors explored the use by 34 German companies of ad hoc supply chains to produce personal protective equipment. The enablers to address demand shock and improve supply chain responsiveness are only mentioned in "Realizing supply chain agility under time pressure: Ad hoc supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic" (Müller et al., [20]). Based on the media reports and literature review, such innovative measures include cross-enterprise cooperation (e.g., I Unilever i and I Terra Drone i ), government-enterprise cooperation (e.g., I Hubei Provincial Government i and I JD Logistics i ), adjustments to manufacturing activities (e.g., I BYD i , I Foxconn i , I Pernod Ricard i , and I Bauer i shifted their production to face masks/shields), as well as the adoption of digital technologies (e.g., I JD Logistics, New HAVI i ). Under this change, firms needed to explore new ways of organizing their supply chains with respect to factors like product diversity and cooperation with more partners in the supply chains. [Extracted from the article]

Volume ramp ups are notoriously difficult in digital services, where market pressures can lead to ramping up too soon and too rapidly which in turn can lead to the need to ramp down. This paper addresses the challenge of taking innovation to scale in an established firm by enhancing our understanding of the nature of service ramp ups and ramp downs. Digital service ramp ups differ substantially from production ramp ups as the speed is much greater, and problems are visible to customers. However there are similarities between service ramp downs and product recalls and an important contribution is exploring the nature of ramp downs their processes and possible causes. Using an engaged research approach, longitudinal data from three consecutive ramp ups in a European telecom operator were collected. Through analyses of cases, qualitative and quantitative case data, and using a system dynamics model, we identified a set of issues that affect service ramp ups and ramp downs. These include the need to ramp up the service supply chain, biases leading to unrealistic assumptions about scalability and problem‐solving, decision biases in various functions, launching digital services in beta form, a lack of transparency of capacity and lack of learning from previous ramp ups. We show that if these problems are not addressed or resolution is delayed, this can lead to cycles of delay, backlogs and productivity problems and the inevitability of a ramp down. We explore reasons and importance for such delays that lead to service ramp downs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While service outsourcing may benefit from the application of performance‐based contracts (PBCs), the implementation of such contracts is usually challenging. Service performance is often not only dependent on supplier effort but also on the behavior of the buying firm. Existing research on performance‐based contracting provides very limited understanding on how this challenge may be overcome. This article describes a design science research project that develops a novel approach to buyer–supplier contracting, using collaborative key performance indicators (KPIs). Collaborative KPIs evaluate and reward not only the supplier contribution to customer performance but also the customer's behavior to enable this. In this way, performance‐based contracting can also be applied to settings where supplier and customer activities are interdependent, while traditional contracting theories suggest that output controls are not effective under such conditions. In the collaborative KPI contracting process, indicators measure both supplier and customer (buying firm) performance and promote collaboration by being defined through a collaborative process and by focusing on end‐of‐process indicators. The article discusses the original case setting of a telecommunication service provider experiencing critical problems in outsourcing IT services. The initial intervention implementing this contracting approach produced substantial improvements, both in performance and in the relationship between buyer and supplier. Subsequently, the approach was tested and evaluated in two other settings, resulting in a set of actionable propositions on the efficacy of collaborative KPI contracting. Our study demonstrates how defining, monitoring, and incentivizing the performance of specific processes at the buying firm can help alleviate the limitations of traditional performance‐based contracting when the supplier's liability for service performance is difficult to verify. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper uses empirical field research to examine whether short-term best practice interventions (BPIs) can lead to improvements that are sustained in the long term. In addition, this research investigates the implied conflict between striving for short-term results and achieving long-term development of capabilities. It also examines the tension between the lack of resources of the typical small and medium sized enterprise (SME) users of BPIs and the time required to develop a critical mass of capability. A longitudinal case-based study of eight SME contexts examined BPI outcomes and factors leading to short- and long-term success and sustaining best practices. The research identifies factors related to the intervention context, implementation and change-agent approach. The data indicate that in resource-limited SMEs BPIs are limited in their ability to develop adequate capability for long-term change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper extends the current literature on peer review journal evaluations by providing a number of insights based on the diversity of Production and Operations Management (POM) research. We provide peer review evaluations for POM research outlets, based on a sampling frame that includes a large number of POM researchers worldwide. More specifically, the paper develops and tests various hypotheses as to whether the perceived quality and relevance of a journal is affected by such factors as: (i) nature of research work (empiricists versus modelers), (ii) society membership, (iii) research productivity, (iv) geographical location, and (v) seniority. Our findings suggest that caution must be exercised when utilizing existing POM journal rankings, as some factors, particularly the difference between empiricists and modelers, may influence journal evaluation. These must be considered when addressing issues such as faculty promotions, tenure, and salary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The debate as to whether public sector organizations should emulate private sector managerial practices in light of contextual differences is long running. This paper reports the result of an empirical study comparing application of service management principles in one public sector area, further education (FE) colleges, with private sector service organizations. Although within our sample marked differences exist between the levels of service drivers and outcomes, our findings suggest that the same management model is applicable to both sectors. Based on a sample of 291 service organizations, we demonstrate that a managerial model, represented by the service profit chain, is valid in both our FE college and private sector sample. Specifically, progressive human resource management practices led to employee satisfaction, which in turn impacted both service quality and customer satisfaction in both the public and private organizations. The results indicate that the performance of FE colleges arose in part from the managerial choices made in adoption of practices, and that it is lack of employee focus that may be holding back performance. Relevant to both public and private sectors is that the research indicates that human resource factors have a stronger impact than quality procedures. on both service quality and customer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring performance is helpful, but it's only part of the story. To learn from our past successes and failures, we need to understand how they came about. To continually improve, we must examine not only our innovation performance, but the processes with which we develop and exploit these innovations. Vittorio Chiesa, Paul Coughlan, and Chris Voss present a framework for auditing technical innovation management. Their auditing methodology goes beyond performance measurement by highlighting problems and needs, and providing information that can be used in developing action plans for improving performance. The foundation of their audit methodology is a process model of technical innovation. The model addresses the managerial processes and the organizational mechanisms through which innovation is performed. Underlying this method is the notion that success in innovation is related to good practice in the relevant management processes. The model identifies four core processes: concept generation, product development, process innovation, and technology acquisition. Supporting these core processes are three enabling processes: the deployment of human and financial resources, the effective use of appropriate systems and tools, and senior management leadership and direction. The outcome from these core and enabling processes is performance in terms of innovation and the resulting competitiveness in the marketplace. This model provides the basis for a detailed audit of current innovation practice and performance. The audit has two dimensions: the process audit assesses whether the processes necessary for innovation are in place and the degree to which best practice is used; and the performance audit focuses on the outcomes of each core and enabling process and of the overall process of technological innovation and its effect on competitiveness. The performance audit helps identify needs and problems, but it doesn't explain why gaps exist between current and required performance and it doesn't provide an action plan for closing these gaps. The process audit meets these needs. The audit methodology uses a two-level approach: a rapid assessment based on innovation scorecards and an in-depth audit. These scorecards provide an overview of the company's strengths and weaknesses with regard to technical innovation management, highlighting those areas that require in-depth examination. The in-depth audit identifies not only the processes, but the areas within each requiring attention. INSET: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In part, cultural differences between Japan and the West have been cited as contributing to fundamentally different manufacturing strategy orientations. One cultural difference is psychological attitudes toward time, which may lead to different emphases on long-term and short-term goals and objectives, i.e., differing strategic time orientations. This paper reports on the analysis of data from an international research study of manufacturing strategy that gathered data from 600 companies in 20 countries. Data on the rates of adoption of strategic manufacturing practices and links between corporate and manufacturing strategy were analysed to test for differences. The results show strong contrasts between Japan and the West and are consistent with a difference in strategic time orientation between the two regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]