Browsing by Author "Harrison, Alan"

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    The application of form postponement in manufacturing
    (Cranfield University, 2003-09) Skipworth, Heather; Harrison, Alan
    Postponement is widely recognised as an approach that can lead to superior supply chains, and its application is widely observed as a growing trend in manufacturing. Form postponement (FPp) involves the delay of final manufacturing until a customer order is received and is commonly regarded as an approach to mass customisation. However, while much is written in the literature on the benefits and strategic impact of FPp, little is still known about its application. Thus this research project aims to address how FPp is applied in terms of the operational implications within the manufacturing facility. Here the ‘postponed’ manufacturing processes are performed in the factory where the preceding processes are carried out. An in-depth case study research design was developed and involved case studies at three manufacturing facilities, which provided diverse contexts in which to study FPp applications. Each case study incorporated multiple units of analysis which were based around product groups subject to different inventory management policies – FPp, make to order (MTO) and make to stock (MTS). The same research design was used in each study and involved both qualitative and quantitative evidence. Qualitative evidence was gathered via structured interviews and included the operational changes required to apply FPp in a previously MTO and MTS environment. Eleven quantitative variables, providing a broad based measurement instrument, were compared across the three units of analysis to test the hypotheses. This combination of qualitative and quantitative evidence in the case studies helped to triangulate the research findings. Comparison between the three case studies provided further conclusions regarding operational implications that were context specific and those which were not. The research concludes that the manufacturing planning system presents a major obstacle to the application of FPp in a MTO and MTS environment. In spite of this, and even when the FPp application is flawed, the benefits of FPp still justify its application. The research also contributes two frameworks: one which determines when FPp is a viable alternative to MTO or MTS; and another that illustrates the major operational implications of applying FPp to a product exhibiting component swapping modularity.
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    Characteristics of Supply Relationships and related People Management Issues
    (2003-07-01T00:00:00Z) Koulikoff-Souviron, Marie; Harrison, Alan
    A large body of research exists on inter-organisational relationships and related concepts such as partnerships and strategic alliances. This is sometimes criticised for too much attention paid to the antecedents rather than to the management stage. Thus, Spekman et al. (1998) state: “It would appear that while academics purport to understand the concept of alliance formation, the practice of alliance management continues to pose a significant challenge” (p.7
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    Coordinating supply relationships: rhetoric and reality
    (2007-02-01T00:00:00Z) Harrison, Alan; Koulikoff-Souviron, Marie
    Two reciprocally interdependent, dyadic supply relationships – one inter- organizational, the other intra-organizational - were investigated across a broad front in this study. The focus was on the logistics relationship between supply partners, and on how these relationships were co-ordinated in practice. We probed co-ordination between the partners using four constructs – goal congruence, information sharing, co-ordination mechanisms and joint decision making. Based on these two studies, we propose that the process of mutual adjustment creates a ‘together-separate’ tension that has to be managed in practice. This process may lead to the development of new capabilities that transcend the boundaries of the firm: equally, it is a fragile process that may be thrown into reverse by a variety of factors such as people turnover and failure to maintain established coordination mec
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    Developing Customer Responsive Supply Chain Strategy: An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship between Market Segmentation and Supply Chain Strategy
    (Cranfield University, 2008) Godsell, Janet; Harrison, Alan
    The concept of the ‘supply chain’, rather than a set of independent functions, has been around for more than 25 years. Despite its theoretical longevity, many organisations still struggle to make the supply chain a reality. The supply chain is an integral part of business strategy and is the means by which customer demand is fulfilled. Alignment between marketing and supply chain strategy is critical to fulfilling customer demand in a cost-effective way. This is the primary objective of customer responsive supply chain strategy (CRSC). Over the last 10 years, research into CRSC strategy has primarily been focused on two different academic perspectives: the synthesis of lean and agile thinking, and strategic alignment. The resulting frameworks are prescriptive in their nature and not sensitive to the context-specific nature of supply chain management; a field of study that is hindered by a lack of consensual definition, limited empirical evidence, and studies limited in scope to dyadic relationships. The opportunity therefore exists to carry out empirical research that reaches beyond the dyad, looking at the development of CRSC strategy − the basis for this study being the relationship between market segmentation and supply chain strategy. The research design that was developed to address this opportunity was a multiple case study design. This provides the opportunity to look for theoretical replication of the guiding principles and generative mechanisms that underpin the development of CRSC strategy. The rigour of the research design was improved by the use of a five stage (define research parameters, instrument development, data gathering, data analysis, dissemination & theory development), three phase research design (pilot case, core cases, cross-case comparison). The research was based on the study of three contrasting supply chains, from the perspective of the focal firm. The focal firms included a small UK manufacturer of toiletry and detergent products, a large leading logistics provider (LLP) managing the European supply chain operations for a global electronics manufacturer, and a large UK retailer of health and beauty products. An important aspect of the research design is its boundary spanning nature. It crosses a minimum of two organisational boundaries and includes at least three different organisations within a given supply chain. A process-orientated unit of analysis is used based on the supply chain operations reference (SCOR ® ) model to consider the conversion of demand into supply across the supply chain. The primary research instrument is semi-structured interviews with secondary documentary sources being used for data triangulation where appropriate. The research concluded that traditional methods of segmentation (e.g. by sales value) do not provide a natural link to supply chain strategy and limit customer responsiveness. The challenge for management is to identify the right bases for customer segmentation that enable it to drive supply chain strategy. The primary output of the research was a framework for developing CRSC strategy. Concepts key to developing CRSC strategy and included within the model are: contextual drivers, supply chain strategy drivers and internal mechanisms.
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    Developing Supply Chain Strategy: Balancing Shareholder and Customer Value - A Management Guide
    (Cranfield University, 2007-01) Harrison, Alan; Godsell, Janet; Skipworth, Heather; Wong, Chee Yew; Julien, Denyse; Achimugu, Nemile
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    Development of an ontology for aerospace engine components degradation in service
    (SciTePress - Science and Technology Publications , 2014-12-31) Okoh, Caxton; Roy, Rajkumar; Mehnen, Jorn; Redding, Louis E.; Harrison, Alan
    This paper presents the development of an ontology for component service degradation. In this paper, degradation mechanisms in gas turbine metallic components are used for a case study to explain how a taxonomy within an ontology can be validated. The validation method used in this paper uses an iterative process and sanity checks. Data extracted from on-demand textual information are filtered and grouped into classes of degradation mechanisms. Various concepts are systematically and hierarchically arranged for use in the service maintenance ontology. The allocation of the mechanisms to the AS-IS ontology presents a robust data collection hub. Data integrity is guaranteed when the TO-BE ontology is introduced to analyse processes relative to various failure events. The initial evaluation reveals improvement in the performance of the TO-BE domain ontology based on iterations and updates with recognised mechanisms. The information extracted and collected is required to improve service k nowledge and performance feedback which are important for service engineers. Existing research areas such as natural language processing, knowledge management, and information extraction were also examined.
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    Enablers and inhibitors to manufacturing strategy
    (1998-01-01T00:00:00Z) Harrison, Alan
    Two radically different views of manufacturing strategy are that it should be developedfiom the ‘top down ’ by planned integration with corporate strategy, or alternatively, that it should be developed from the ‘bottom up ’ by focusing on improved performance by the elimination of waste. Using comparative, case-based research, this paper casts some light on these opposing views through quantitative and qualitative studies in two very different organisations. Within each organisation, two units of analysis were used to investigate the nature of the tradeoffs, and the role of best practice in manufacturing strategy development. A third set of proposals is made about the development of manufacturing strategy enablers that are available only in given situations.
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    An explorative study of knowledge transfer processes in new product development in the automotive industry
    (Cranfield University, 2004-11) Engel, Rupert; Harrison, Alan
    This research builds on three projects that aim to investigate how knowledge transfer takes place in new product development in the automotive industry. The study seeks to picture how product development teams frame and shape new product knowledge, how they interpret such knowledge, and how they apply knowledge to the product development process. From that perspective, product development activities can be seen as transactions that are integrated into an overall system of identifying, assessing, collecting and combining knowledge. Results of my research so far reveal that there are many factors that affect the successful management of knowledge transfer in new product development projects. Based on my first two projects, using the case study approach, it is evident that for successful knowledge transfer to occur, there is a need to distinguish between design knowledge that is embedded in the tacit knowledge domain and that embedded in the or explicit design knowledge domain. The results of project three, using a survey questionnaire approach, provide a powerful demonstration, that knowledge integration, combination and creation in product development need intensive interaction and collaboration. The enormous importance of interaction and collaboration to integrate and combine knowledge has its origin in the nature of design knowledge. For example engineers produced in the survey a 82 % rate of agreement with the statement that they use mainly knowledge that comes from their past work experience as product developers, in order to solve complex design tasks. The underlying assumption of this finding is, that engineers are therefore mostly forced to transfer tacit design knowledge to solve complex design tasks. The research showed that a remarkable under-performance exists in knowledge identification and knowledge articulation in new product development in the automotive industry. In vehicle development, non-routine tasks are highly complex. This requires team members to have an understanding of the complete product system architecture. To create such an understanding, engineers need to identify and articulate knowledge. These activities can be seen as a pre-knowledge creation. The result is a shared product knowledge base, which makes it possible for people engaged in the vehicle development process to use different kinds of knowledge to capture and link new technologies into innovative products. This may require a cultural shift by vehicle manufacturers in terms of how they steer and allocate resources to future vehicle development programmes. Building on four years engagement with knowledge transfer research, I conclude that organisations in the automotive sector still rely on methods and processes that were successful in the past and strictly directed at exploiting tangible assets. To integrate preknowledge creation, as a new found discipline in product development projects creates an enormous potential to integrate and combine knowledge in an efficient way for future product development projects.
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    Implications of form postponement to manufacturing: a case study
    (Taylor & Francis, 2004-05-01T00:00:00Z) Skipworth, Heather; Harrison, Alan
    Postponement is an approach that helps to deliver more responsive supply chains. Form postponement involves the delay of final manufacturing until a customer order is received and is commonly regarded as an approach to mass customization. However, while much is written in the literature about the benefits and strategic impact of form postponement, little is still known about its application. This paper addresses how form postponement was applied in terms of its operational implications within a manufacturing facility through a retrospective study that tracked implementation of form postponement in a manufacturer of specialist high-voltage cabling equipment, called here 'ElectriCo'. The operational measures for products selected for form postponement were compared with those for products that continued to be made under make-to-order and make-to-stock regimes. Propositions were tested that addressed the operational implications of form postponement within the manufacturing facility, the impact of form postponement on selected performance metrics, and the demand profile for which form postponement was the preferred regime. Multiple data collection methods were used whereby documentary, archival and database evidence were used to measure operational characteristics across a broad front. The findings show that form postponement improved responsiveness but did not necessarily improve delivery reliability. The extent to which the order lead time can be reduced is dependent not only on the responsiveness of the postponed process, but also crucially on the responsiveness of the planning system. It was found that the problem of adapting the manufacturing planning and production scheduling systems at ElectriCo had been underestimated. This and other problems subsequently undermined the form postponement application and led to its eventual abandonment. The authors are undertaking further research of form postponement applications in different production contexts to provide further evidence for its operational implications.
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    Implications of form postponement to manufacturing: a cross case comparison
    (Taylor & Francis, 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z) Skipworth, Heather; Harrison, Alan
    Postponement is an approach that helps to deliver more responsive supply chains. Form postponement involves the delay of final manufacturing until a customer order is received and is commonly regarded as an approach to mass customization. However, while much is written in the literature about the benefits and strategic impact of form postponement, little is still known about its application. This paper addresses how form postponement was applied in terms of its operational implications within a manufacturing facility through a retrospective study that tracked implementation of form postponement in a manufacturer of specialist high-voltage cabling equipment, called here 'ElectriCo'. The operational measures for products selected for form postponement were compared with those for products that continued to be made under make-to-order and make-to-stock regimes. Propositions were tested that addressed the operational implications of form postponement within the manufacturing facility, the impact of form postponement on selected performance metrics, and the demand profile for which form postponement was the preferred regime. Multiple data collection methods were used whereby documentary, archival and database evidence were used to measure operational characteristics across a broad front. The findings show that form postponement improved responsiveness but did not necessarily improve delivery reliability. The extent to which the order lead time can be reduced is dependent not only on the responsiveness of the postponed process, but also crucially on the responsiveness of the planning system. It was found that the problem of adapting the manufacturing planning and production scheduling systems at ElectriCo had been underestimated. This and other problems subsequently undermined the form postponement application and led to its eventual abandonment. The authors are undertaking further research of form postponement applications in different production contexts to provide further evidence for its operational implications.
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    Inter-organisational costing approaches: the inhibiting factors
    (Mcb, 2010-12-31T00:00:00Z) Bastl, Marko; Grubic, Tonci; Templar, Simon; Harrison, Alan; Fan, Ip-Shing
    Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to highlight the limitations of current accounting practices in an inter-organisational context; introduce contemporary costing approaches used in inter-organisational costing (IOC) programmes; and identify the inhibitors of successful implementation of IOC programmes. Design/ methodology/approach - The paper uses a structured review of empirical and theoretical literature. Findings - Traditional accounting practices do not adequately fulfil their role in the inter-organisational context. Contemporary accounting practices overcome only some limitations of traditional accounting practices. The paper uncovers part of the complexity surrounding the implementation of IOC programmes and suggests that we are dealing with a broad inter-disciplinary phenomenon. Research limitations/implications - Conclusions are drawn on a conceptual level and further empirical investigation is encouraged. Practical implications - The paper raises the awareness of the complexity surrounding the implementation of IOC programmes. The broad set of inhibiting factors could be effectively used by managers to assess the readiness of organisations involved in implementation of IOC programmes. Originality/value - This research is the first that systematically addresses the problem of inhibitors in the implementation of IOC programmes. The broad scope of the paper sets the foundations for more focused research into specific inhibiting factors.
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    Interdependent supply relationships as institutions: The role of HR practices
    (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2008-05-01T00:00:00Z) Koulikoff-Souviron, Marie; Harrison, Alan
    This paper aims to use institutional theory to explore the role of human resource (HR) practices as carriers in the evolution of interdependent supply relationships. Design/methodology/approach – This is a qualitative study of an inter-firm supply relationship where the two partners were interdependent as a result of a “closed loop” supply relationship. The paper explores the perspectives of employees at multiple levels within both partners, and collects pluralist evidence from 36 interviewees from both sides of the dyad. It collects documentary evidence such as minutes, contractual agreements and HR documents. This paper re-analyses the evidence from earlier work using an institutional theory framework. Findings – Using Scott's “three pillars” the paper shows that HR practices can act as carriers of regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive elements in interdependent supply relationships through both formal and informal mechanisms. Regulative elements were less evident, but could be fundamental in shaping the other two. A tension was found between institutional pressures at the inter- and intra-firm levels, an emergence of innovative practices and new routines at inter-organizational level, and an evolution over time that could involve a de-institutionalisation of the relationship as a result of internal priorities competing with the resource requirements of the supply relationship. Originality/value – The paper addresses the interface between OM and organisational theory. Areas are proposed where institutionalisation of a supply relationship can be strengthened or weakened. The findings further challenge the view of supply relationships as a “spectrum” in which progress is unidire
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    Investigation of enablers and inhibitors to the flow of materials in different operations contexts
    (Cranfield University, 1997-03) Harrison, Alan; New, Colin
    The operations management literature presents a burgeoning array of so-called new wave manufacturing' strategies that are aimed at reducing throughput time and waste. Much of the evidence has been practitioner-inspired, and has a tendency to anecdote and promotion at the expense of thoroughness and objectivity. Boundary conditions which define the circumstances under which these new concepts are appropriate or inappropriate as part of a manufacturing strategy are neither well documented nor well understood. Meanwhile, the literature in organisational behaviour has developed separately and independently from the literature in operations management, and the two subjects tend to talk past each other. There is a need better to understand the technical and social aspects of the new concepts, so that the more fragmented claims on the one hand can be distinguished from the over-generalised claims on the other in the context of a operating system. The research design that was developed to address such issues comprised the simultaneous collection of qualitative and quantitative evidence from two units of analysis in two contrasting case study contexts. These were the final assembly process of a automotive manufacturer, and a manufacturer of polypropylene lm. Common research methods were used in each. Qualitative studies addressed the social issues of implementing new wave concepts, using a Japanese-inspired humanware model which addresses the interface between machinery and human relations across six categories. Quantitative studies collected evidence using five instruments to probe technical aspects of implementing the new concepts. In both types of study, the notion of enablers was used to direct attention to phenomena that speeded up or slowed down the flow of materials. By simultaneously applying qualitative and quantitative methods within the same operating contexts, integrated and self-consistent conclusions could be drawn by triangulating the evidence. The Comparison between the two contrasting contexts then provided further conclusions regarding features of the implementations which were particular to context, and features that appeared to be more general in nature. The research concluded that the contribution of the new concepts should be viewed in the light of tradeoff enablers (which create advantage in one area only to cause offsetting disadvantage in another), best practice enablers (which create advantage in any operations situation), and specific enablers (which create advantage only in given operations situations). These enablers can be applied to both technical and social aspects of the new wave, strategies: they also have offsetting negative characteristics which have been referred to as inhibitors.
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    Logistics service innovation management - evidence from two longitudinal case studies at Deutsche Post
    (Cranfield University, 2005) Kohler, Thomas; Harrison, Alan; Bessant, John; Hemmingway, Chris
    This study aims at exploring ways to better manage organisational development and change in practice. For project managers like myself it is important to gain a solid understanding about the drivers or inhibitors in these developments and change processes. I was particularly interested in those development and change processes aimed at the achievement or maintenance of competitive advantage within an industry. One way of achieving or maintaining competitive advantage may be based on serving the customer’s strategic needs through innovation (Chapman et. al., 2003). Various process models propose how service innovation projects in general should be managed. However, large and mature organisations in particular may encounter difficulties in their implementation (Dougherty and Hardy, 1996). From a practitioner’s point of view, this is an especially dire situation as service innovations, particularly those driven by strategic intent, are under great pressure from decision-makers to succeed. Along these lines Dougherty (1996) suggests a shift of focus, to a focus on the fact that innovation activities have inherent ‘tensions’. She defines ‘tensions’ as challenges that have to be dealt with during an innovation project. Drawing on the evidence of three sequential projects conducted at DHL Express, the parcel branch of Deutsche Post, I tried to investigate the nature of service innovations and their inherent tensions. By longitudinally tracking the activities and their inherent tension’s life cycle in an exploratory case study, I tried to get a better understanding of how tensions appear in innovation projects, as well as the dynamics of these tensions. The evidence of this first case study was used to theorise about an optimised sequence of activities, as well as first propositions about how tensions might be managed. The first set of propositions derived from the exploratory case was then given a trial in a second longitudinal case study. The activities of the first logistics service innovation project included a major ‘information engineering’ component. According to Davenport (1993) ‘information engineering’ deals with description of an already conceptualised process in informational terms, such that a system can be rapidly and rigorously constructed to support the new process design. Hence, the set of activities proposed in this study include the capability to include an information system component as a service innovation deliverable; a capability long recognised to be essential for exhorting positive influences on the operation of logistics systems (Kent, 1996). This research was conducted in the context of a number of unusual opportunities. First and foremost, both case studies had similar stakeholders and objectives. Secondly, all stakeholders contributing to the first case study were willing and able to collaboratively contribute to improvements in the management of activities and their inherent tensions. Finally, all inquiry participants then implemented those propositions into the following case study for inspection. Based on the evidence of the second case study, I show how managing activities and tensions with congenerous dedication exploited all four tensions to improve the probability of innovation projects to deliver.
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    Managing variability in ocean shipping
    (Mcb, 2013-07-31T00:00:00Z) Harrison, Alan; Fichtinger, Johannes
    Purpose – The paper aims to explore the relationship between time-related variables in global ocean transportation networks (GOTNs) and the shipper's inventory management performance. The authors modelled fill rates with daily and weekly sailings, and analysed the impact of variability on these on the shipper's inventory management system.Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted simulation modelling of the above variables, and supplemented these by means of interviews with executives in a number of liner operators, 3PLs, freight forwarders and a large automotive shipper.Findings – Improvements in variability have different impacts, depending on the source of the variability and the frequency of the shipments. The highest inventory reduction potential arises from a combination of high reliability and improved frequency.Practical implications – The paper demonstrates the potential advantages of reduced variability and improved frequency of sailings. Port-to port (P2P) has been positioned in the context of door-to-door (D2D) supply chain movements.Originality/value – The paper develops clear quantitative analyses of time-based factors in operating GOTNs.
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    The pervasive human resource picture in interdependent supply relationships
    (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z) Koulikoff-Souviron, Marie; Harrison, Alan
    This paper aims to explore the influence of human resource (HR) practices in shaping inter-organisational supply relationships, and to describe the extent to which supply partners seek to adapt their internal HR practices to the external relationship. Design/methodology/approach - Inter-organisational relationships are known to be multi-dimensional in nature. Using seven dimensions to collect empirical evidence, the focus was on a dyadic supply relationship as the unit of analysis. A total of 48 interviews was undertaken from informants in both organisations. Findings - It is shown that the supply relationship tends to be taken for granted at operational levels, and not subject to the relatively high levels of strategic alignment to be found at senior levels in both organizations. Operational aspects of the relationship are tested primarily in failure mode when poorly prepared to respond, for example, as a result of facility breakdowns and quality problems. Inter-organisational HR practices were relatively weakly prioritised and - despite their acknowledged importance at operator level - were not clearly identified and supported in the way that intra-organisational practices were. Originality/value - An in-depth, operations-based study of HR practices has been undertaken in a reciprocally interdependent supply relationship from the perspectives of both partners.
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    The role of e-procurement in purchasing management
    (Cranfield University, 2010-06) Smart, Alan; Harrison, Alan
    This exposition summarises research published in several academic articles, in order to meet the requirements of PhD by publication. The focus of the work is on the role of electronic procurement in management of the purchasing function. From the late 1990s a number of independent e-procurement mechanisms were launched which offered potential benefits such as increased order accuracy, transaction efficiency and greater integration between trading partners. At the outset of this programme of research, e-procurement was therefore an emerging phenomenon with little academic research and presented an opportunity to investigate a largely unexplored area. Edmondson and McManus (2007) suggest that for nascent, as opposed to mature areas of research, where few formal constructs or measures exist, an exploratory, qualitative approach is required. This research followed such an approach through the use of case studies, involving observation, participation and interviews with key organisational actors. Each paper makes use of several cases in order to compare and contrast results from different organisations and to draw conclusions from multi-case analysis. The published articles focus on the impact of core applications within e-procurement, including online reverse auctions, electronic marketplaces, online catalogue sites, and buying systems covering the ‘requisition to pay’ cycle. The findings from the papers address a number of core themes in purchasing management. In considering buyer-supplier relationships, it was observed that such dyads are driven by traditional buyer negotiation factors such as segmentation, power and price and that use of eprocurement applications tended to enforce such traditional behaviours. In relation to the potential for integration, the study found that integration between firms was barely affected, as the concept of integration was neither an objective nor a business case driver for e-procurement adoption. This situation reflects the finding that procurement managers pursue functional targets rather than supply chain-level objectives. However, other significant effects from e-procurement adoption were noted such as the tendency by buyers to reduce supplier numbers and a move to re-engineer the procurement function in buying firms, through automating transactional processes. The research finds that e-procurement does not have a deterministic impact on purchasing management, and that it acts as an enabler to more effective management of the function though the way its different mechanisms are deployed. The exposition establishes that e-procurement is used in relation to supply conditions which are characterised by both ‘markets’ and ‘hierarchies’, but that it is the predefined purchasing strategy of the firm, rather than available technology solutions, which determines when markets and hierarchies are used. Additionally, an original model is introduced, focusing on developing an e-procurement policy which can support strategic purchasing goals. This model extrapolates findings from stages in the research, and marries together elements from various papers and frameworks therein, to produce some guidelines for adoption of this technology.
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    Supply Chain Management: Putting the end customer first.
    (2003-07-01T00:00:00Z) Harrison, Alan; Godsell, Janet
    This paper explores aspects of alignment in the supply chain by extending the boundaries of operations management theory into the supply chain. Instead of a focus on manufacturing processes in isolation, the paper proposes that a broader, supply-chain view of alignment with product characteristics in the market place needs to be undertaken. Our views are illustrated by a case study that investigated the European 3PL operation involving the supply, sortation and despatch of parts and subassemblies for a manufacturer we have called ElecCo. Flexible capabilities had been developed – unnecessarily in our view – in order to cope with the high variability of demand placed on the supply chain by ElecCo’s desire to provide the stock market with higher priority than the end cus