School of Management (SoM)

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Open Access
The Agile Supply Chain: Competing in Volatile Markets.
(Elsevier, 2000-01) Christopher, Martin
Turbulent and volatile markets are becoming the norm as life cycles shorten and global economic and competitive forces create additional uncertainty. The risk attached to lengthy and slow-moving logistics “pipelines” has become unsustainable, forcing organizations to look again at how their supply chains are structured and managed. This paper suggests that the key to survival in these changed conditions is through “agility,” in particular by the creation of responsive supply chains. A distinction is drawn between the philosophies of “leanness” and “agility,” and the appropriate application of these ideas is discussed.
Open Access
Aligning Distribution Centre Operations to Supply Chain Strategy.
(Emerald Group Publishing, 2004) Baker, Peter
A major focus of modern day logistics is on achieving a higher level of responsiveness to marketplace demand, but with less inventory. Achieving the dual targets of lower cost and higher service has implications for every stage in the supply chain and in particular for distribution center operations. What is the extent to which organizations are adjusting their distribution center operations to match current supply chain concepts? Using a survey, roles that these facilities play are explored in order to determine the extent to which modern supply chain theory and distribution center operations are aligned.
Open Access
Building the resilient supply chain.
(MCB UP Ltd/Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2004) Christopher, Martin; Peck, Helen
In today’s uncertain and turbulent markets, supply chain vulnerability has become an issue of significance for many companies. As supply chains become more complex as a result of global sourcing and the continued trend to ‘leaning-down’, supply chain risk increases. The challenge to business today is to manage and mitigate that risk through creating more resilient supply chains.
Open Access
Consumer Attitudes Towards Domestic Solar Power Systems
(Elsevier, 2006-09) Faiers, Adam; Neame, Charles
The success of the UK policy to reduce carbon emissions is partly dependent on the ability to persuade householders to become more energy efficient, and to encourage installation of domestic solar systems. Solar power is an innovation in the UK but the current policy of stimulating the market with grants is not resulting in widespread adoption. This case study, using householders in central England, investigates householder attitudes towards characteristics of solar systems and identifies some of the barriers to adoption. The study utilises Diffusion of Innovations theory to identify attitudes towards system attributes, and isolates the characteristics that are preventing a pragmatic ‘early majority’ from adopting the technology. A group of ‘early adopters’, and a group of assumed ‘early majority’ adopters of solar power were surveyed and the results show that overall, although the ‘early majority’ demonstrate a positive perception of the environmental characteristics of solar power, its financial, economic and aesthetic characteristics are limiting adoption. Differences exist between the two groups showing support for the concept of a ‘chasm’ between adopter categories after Moore (Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-tech Products to Mainstream Customers, second ed. Harper Perennial, New York). However, if consumers cannot identify the relative advantage of solar power over their current sources of power, which is supplied readily and cheaply through a mains system, it is unlikely that adoption will follow. Recommendations concerning the marketing and development of solar products are identified.
Open Access
Consumer Savvy: Conceptualisation and Measurement.
(Westburn Publishers, 2007-07) Macdonald, Emma K.; Uncles, Mark D.
The notion of savvy consumers increasingly appears in the e-marketing and e-management literatures, usually in discussions about the importance of consumer-centricity. A synthesis of the literature identifies six broad characteristics of these savvy consumers: they are enabled by competencies in relation to technological sophistication, interpersonal networking, online networking and marketing/advertising literacy, and they are empowered by consumer self-efficacy and by their expectations of firms. This understanding of consumers is formalised by developing a SAVVY scale. Standard scale development procedures are applied using a sample from an online panel of consumers. As part of the process of validating the new scale, comparisons are made with related, established scales -- focusing on measures of consumer advantage (persuasion knowledge and market mavens) and consumer disadvantage (confusion arising from over-choice and vulnerability at the shopping interface). Our findings show the value of formal, empirically-grounded measures of consumer savvy, something that has been absent from many previous commentaries on the characteristics of savvy new consumers.
Open Access
Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains of Global Brands: A Boundaryless Responsibility? Clarifications, exceptions and implications
(2009-03-30T13:51:03Z) Amaeshi, Kenneth; Osuji, Onyeka Kingsley; Nnodim, Paul
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly becoming a popular business concept in developed economies. As typical of other business concepts, it is on its way to globalization through practices and structures of the globalized capitalist world order, typified in Multinational Corporations (MNCs). However, CSR often sits uncomfortably in this capitalist world order, as MNCs are often challenged by the global reach of their supply chains and the possible irresponsible practices inherent along these chains. The possibility of irresponsible practices puts global firms under pressure to protect their brands even if it means assuming responsibilities for the practices of their suppliers. Pressure groups understand this burden on firms and try to take advantage of the situation. This paper seeks to challenge the often taken-for-granted-assumption that firms should be accountable for the practices of their suppliers by espousing the moral (and sometimes legal) underpinnings of the concept of responsibility. Except where corporate control and or corporate grouping exist, it identifies the use of power as a critical factor to be considered in allocating responsibility in firm-supplier relationship; and suggests that the more powerful in this relationship has a responsibility to exert some moral influence on the weaker party. The paper highlights the use of code of conducts, corporate culture, anti-pressure group campaigns, personnel training and value reorientation as possible sources of wielding positive moral influence along supply chains.
Open Access
Creating agile supply chains in the fashion industry.
(Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, 2004) Christopher, Martin; Lowson, Robert; Peck, Helen
Fashion markets are synonymous with rapid change and, as a result, commercial success or failure in those markets is largely determined by the organisation’s flexibility and responsiveness. Responsiveness is characterised by short time-to-market, the ability to scale up (or down) quickly and the rapid incorporation of consumer preferences into the design process. In this paper it is argued that conventional organisational structures and forecast-driven supply chains are not adequate to meet the challenges of volatile and turbulent demand which typify fashion markets today. Instead, the requirement is for the creation of an agile organisation embedded within an agile supply chain.
Open Access
Deconstructing Scholarship: An Analysis of Research Methods Citations in the Organizational Sciences.
(Sage Publications, 2007) Partington, David; Jenkins, Mark
Understanding the variety of different ways in which citations contribute to scholarly writing is an important part of the tacit knowledge possessed by experienced researchers. There is, however, little published work to help novice researchers develop this aspect of their craft. To address this issue, we present a framework of citation usage derived from inductive analysis of a selection of published articles and emphasize its relevance for research methods topics. This framework provides a template for structuring citation usage in academic research and a useful developmental tool for novice researchers.
Open Access
The design and operation of distribution centres within agile supply chains.
(Elsevier, 2008-01) Baker, Peter
Although the need to respond to volatile market places has been addressed in recent years by the concept of agility, the precise role of distribution centres within agile supply chains has only been partially explored. This paper examines this particular area by means of nine case studies into how individual business units design and operate distribution centres to provide a rapid response to their markets. The solutions used by these companies are categorised to form a framework for addressing this subject and as a basis for further research into the practical application of agility at the distribution centre level.
Open Access
Designing distribution centres for agile supply chains
(Taylor and Francis, 2006-09) Baker, Peter
Increasing globalisation and market volatility represent major challenges for many supply chains, and particularly for the distribution centres within them. This paper examines how distribution centres are being designed to be agile even though they are, by their nature, long-term fixed assets. The research is based on semi-structured interviews with warehouse design companies to identify the range of agility types that were regarded as necessary during the design phase, and how these were addressed. The research also explores the cost, time and service level implications, whilst handling variances in demand or supply. The interviewee responses are expressed in terms of qualitative measures on Likert scales. The results indicate that there is generally a slightly or moderately higher cost to design for agility. Based on the literature and the case study responses, a methodology is developed of how to address agility within warehouse design, and areas of further research are identified.
Open Access
Developing Market Specific Supply Chain Strategies.
(MCB UP Ltd/Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2002) Christopher, Martin; Towill, Denis R.
The issues underlying the appropriate matching of pipelines to marketplace needs under conditions of demand volatility and price pressure are examined. The authors describe a scenario where the philosophy of “one size fits all” does not apply to pipeline design, implementation, and control. Research conducted by the authors and others is used to show how appropriate global supply chain strategies can be developed contingent upon market characteristics and which seek simultaneously to achieve higher levels of customer responsiveness at less total cost to the supply chain as a whole. The selection of the right strategy within a supply chain lends itself to a taxonomic approach. We find that three dimensions (leading to eight possible configurations) are adequate for this purpose. These key dimensions are product characteristics, demand characteristics and replenishment lead-time.
Open Access
Do not lean too far – evidence from the first decade.
(Inderscience, 2007) Towill, Denis R.; Christopher, Martin
Recent years have seen an increasing focus, both in business and academia, on the totality of supply chains. There is a recognition that supply chain management can have a significant impact on both costs and revenues and that there is a direct correlation between the way that supply chains are designed and shareholder value. Our paper explores one of the major themes that has attracted considerable discussion over the last decade. This is the debate on the appropriateness of the so-called 'lean' and 'agile' paradigms in different business and market environments. It concludes that for most companies, the requirement is for the design and management of multiple pipelines to reflect the diversity of the markets that they serve
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An evaluation of styles of IT support for marketing planning
(Emerald, 2001-08) Wilson, Hugh N.; McDonald, Malcolm
IT support for marketing planning can aid in the use of marketing tools, facilitate group planning, and support moves towards continuous planning based on a live marketing model of the business. But, amongst other factors, achieving these benefits depends on the style of support provided by the system. After a review of relevant decision support system (DSS) literature, describes here the findings relating to support style from a qualitative evaluation of a system named EXMAR. The findings support Little’s classic rules of “decision calculus”, such as the importance of ensuring that managers understand and can control the system, rather than the objective influenced by management science of prescribing an optimal recommendation. Also emphasises the role of systems in enhancing mutual understanding in a cross-functional planning team, and hence in building commitment to the resulting plan.
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An exploration of warehouse automation implementations: cost, service and flexibility issues.
(Emerald Group Publishing, 2007) Baker, Peter; Halim, Zaheed
Automated warehouse equipment is often regarded as being inflexible, and yet its use continues to rise even though markets are becoming increasingly volatile. The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for, and nature of, warehouse automation implementations in order to further this understanding.
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An Exploratory Framework of the Role of Inventory and Warehousing in International Supply Chains.
(Emerald Group Publishing, 2007) Baker, Peter
The aim of this paper is to explore the role of inventory and warehousing within international supply chains and, from this, to develop an exploratory framework that assists understanding in the area.
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Financial Instruments.
(National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, 2000-07) Moir, Lance
Company financing, in its simplest form, can be debt or equity. In this article, we explore some of the rich variety of financial instruments that lie on the risk–return continuum between these two extremes, and consider when their use might be appropriate. Various kinds of debt and equity are reviewed, together with hybrid instruments and other types of financing, such as securitisation and leasing.
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Galvanising shareholder activism: a prerequisite for effective corporate governance and accountability in Nigeria
(2009-03-30T13:56:14Z) Amao, Olufemi; Amaeshi, Kenneth
Shareholder activism has been largely neglected in the few available studies on corporate governance in sub Saharan Africa. Following the recent challenges posed by the Cadbury Nigeria Plc, this paper examines shareholder activism in an evolving corporate governance institutional context and identifies strategic opportunities associated with shareholders‟ empowerment through changes in code of corporate governance and recent developments in information and communications technologies in Nigeria; especially in relation to corporate social responsibility in Nigeria. It is expected that the paper would contribute to the scarce literature on corporate governance and accountability in Africa.
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The Impact of Mergers and Acquisitions on Executive Pay in the United Kingdom
(Blackwell Publishing, 2009-02) Guest, Paul M.
This paper examines the impact of acquisitions by UK acquirers on executive pay. The overall sample shows a significant transitory pay increase. Pay changes are not affected by target nationality or organizational form, although initial cross-border acquisitions result in higher pay. Pay increases are higher following acquisitions of targets with high pay, but not high-pay countries. CEOs are rewarded equally for bad and good acquisitions, and those well rewarded are more likely to re-acquire. However, bad acquisitions do not increase CEO wealth because CEO shareholding value declines. Pay impacts are not affected by the acquiring firms’ strength of corporate governance.
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Impact of performance management reviews: evidence from an energy supplier.
(Emerald, 2007-06) Martinez, Veronica; Kennerley, Mike
Organisational researchers and managers alike have long held the view that performance reviews, based on performance measurement systems, have a positive impact on business performance. Nevertheless, there is relatively little research to support this hypothesis. This study sets out to tackle this gap by testing the effect of performance reviews on business performance in a UK energy supplier using agency theories. Our evidence shows thirty-three positive effects of performance reviews; twelve of them are identified as the most cited by our interviewees. Seven factors that moderate the firm’s results are identified; the ‘local leadership’ on performance reviews, which is a contribution to knowledge from this research, stood out as one of the most powerful factors that moderate performance reviews. Two negative effects of performance reviews are highlighted by this research. Finally, this research discusses the implications to the body of knowledge and practice.
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Improving productivity - Opening the black box.
(Oxford University Press, 2006) Mayhew, Ken; Neely, Andrew
Hourly productivity levels in the UK still remain behind those in some competitor countries. The government devotes much policy attention to enhancing productivity and continues to emphasise its five drivers—investment, innovation, skills, enterprise, and competition. This article argues that it is investment broadly defined that is the key to sustained productivity improvement. The emphasis should be on improving productivity simultaneously with improving the quality of production. Only thus will the gains be widely shared. In achieving these aims there are two prerequisites for policy-makers. The first is to ensure better coordination of policy than appears to be currently achieved by the present departmental structures in Whitehall. The second is to recognize fully the long and complex chain of causation that can be triggered by pulling on one policy lever. Such complexity can only be fully understood by more research on what actually goes on inside the black box of the organization.