bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Strategic, Area‐wide Contingency Planning Model for Oil Spill Cleanup Operations with Application Demonstrated to the Galveston Bay Area*
Authors: Wilhelm W. E. , Srinivasa Anand V.
Published: June 2007

This paper develops a general integer programming model for strategic, area‐wide contingency planning of oil spill cleanup operations. Model inputs include the set of risk points and the likely spill scenarios and response requirements for each, the sites of existing storage locations and the inventory of components at each, and potential sites for new storage locations. The model prescribes a minimum total cost plan to either build new storage locations, expand existing ones, or both, to purchase new components and pre‐position them, and a contingency plan that determines which response systems should be composed to enable an effective time‐phased response for each likely spill scenario. A family of heuristics based on linear programming (LP) is devised to resolve this strategic problem, providing an area‐wide contingency plan. The heuristics are evaluated on a set of 10 test problems that involve 1869 general integer variables and 3264 constraints. Computational tests indicate that four heuristics are quite effective, prescribing solutions for each of 10 test cases within 1.41% of optimum and within a few minutes runtime. This study focused on modeling the Galveston Bay Area, and the test problems represent application in that area. A sensitivity analysis is demonstrated by assessing the impacts of component availability and the degradation of cleanup capability over time. Use of the model as a decision support aid by responsible parties, contractors, governmental organizations and others is described.
Risk, Ambiguity, and Decision Choice: Some Additional Evidence*
Authors: Ghosh Dipankar , Ray Manash R.
Published: June 2007

This paper extends prior research by jointly assessing the roles of risk attitude and tolerance for ambiguity in predicting choice. An experiment examined the effects of these variables on decisions made in four different scenarios. The four scenarios (treatment combinations) were generated by manipulating risk and ambiguity into two levels (high and low). The context was defined in terms of a sample size selection problem. The second issue explored was the effect of attitudes toward risk and ambiguity on decision confidence.

The results indicate that (1) both risk attitude and ambiguity intolerance determined choice behavior, (2) the roles of these individual attitudes depend on the levels of the two treatment variables of risk and ambiguity, (3) the presence of ambiguity accentuates the perception of risk in individual subjects, and (4) decision makers who are less risk averse, and have more tolerance for ambiguity, display greater confidence in their choice. The paper discusses some of the managerial implications of the results.
What to Learn from Near Misses: An Inductive Learning Approach to Credit Risk Assessment
Authors: Tessmer Antoinette Canart
Published: June 2007

This paper presents a new dimension of inductive learning for credit risk analysis based on the specific impact of Type I and Type II credit errors on the accuracy of the learning process. A Dynamic Updating Process is proposed to refine the credit granting decision over time and therefore improve the accuracy of the learning process. The new dimension is tested on credit files of small Belgian businesses. Results indicate an improvement of the learning process in terms of predictive accuracy, stability, and conceptual validity of the final decision tree.
Toward an Understanding of the Behavioral Intention to Use an Information System
Authors: Jackson Cynthia M. , Chow Simeon , Leitch Robert A.
Published: June 2007

Organizational investment in information systems is often large and risky given the variety of information requirements placed on systems today. To make more informed decisions and to meet the challenge of developing systems that satisfy these demands, system developers need to achieve a better understanding of factors that ultimately lead to system usage. To enhance this understanding, we posit a holistic framework to examine several constructs suggested in the literature that lead to the behavioral intention to use an information system. Our framework includes situational involvement, intrinsic involvement, argument for change, perceived usefulness, ease of use, prior usage, and attitude constructs. We extend the Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which is founded on the Theory of Reasoned Action. A diverse sample from industry is used to test our model. Structural equation modeling is used to examine the entire pattern of intercorrelations among the constructs and to test related propositions. A hierarchical structure is used to compare the explanatory ability of TAM with our extension. Our model explains a large portion of the covariance among the constructs that lead to a user's behavioral intention to use an information system and compares favorably with TAM. The results indicate that (1) the direct effect of situational involvement on behavioral intention as well as attitude is significant in the negative direction, (2) attitude seems to play a mediating role, and (3) intrinsic involvement plays a significant role in shaping perceptions. Finally, we conclude that the user involvement construct needs to be separated into its psychological as well as its participative components for developers to understand its impact on the systems development process.
The Effectiveness of Different Representations for Managerial Problem Solving: Comparing Tables and Maps
Authors: Smelcer John B. , Carmel Erran
Published: June 2007

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enable decision makers to view tabular data geographically, as maps. This simple yet powerful visual format appears to facilitate problem solving, yet how it does so is not clear, nor do we know the types of problems that benefit from this representation. To begin to understand the contributions of geographic representations over tabular representations, we conducted a three‐factor experiment in problem solving. The experiment contained two different representations (map and table), three different geographic relationships (proximity, adjacency, and containment), and three levels of task difficulty (low, medium, and high). We found that maps generally produced faster problem solving than tables, and that problem‐solving time increased with task difficulty. Most importantly, for the proximity and adjacency geographic relationships we found that maps kept problem‐solving time low, while tables tended to increase time dramatically. However, we found that the number of knowledge states for each task explains performance times quite well and is a useful tool for understanding performance differences and interaction effects. As tasks become more difficult, representing them as maps generally keeps the number of knowledge states small, while for tables, the number of knowledge states increases dramatically. Correspondingly, problem‐solving times increase dramatically with tables, but not with maps.

In sum, as difficulty increases, maps are more effective for problem‐solving tasks. Using maps, the tasks are simplified using visual heuristics that keep problemsolving times and error rates from rising as quickly as they do with tables.
The Effects of Task Information and Outcome Feedback on Individuals' Insight into Their Decision Models
Authors: Tuttle Brad , Stocks Morris H.
Published: June 2007

When making business decisions, people generally receive some form of guidance. Often, this guidance might be in the form of instructions about which inputs to the decision are most important. Alternatively, it might be outcome feedback concerning the appropriateness of their decisions. When people receive guidance in making difficult judgments, it is important that they do not confuse this guidance with insight into their own decision models. This study examined whether people confuse their actual decision model with task information and outcome feedback. Subjects predicted the likelihood that various hypothetical companies would experience financial distress and then reported the decision models they believed they had used. Their reported models were compared with their actual models as estimated by a regression of the subjects' predictions on the inputs to their decisions. In a 2times2 factorial design, some subjects were provided with task information regarding the relative importance of each input to their decisions while others were not. Some subjects were provided with outcome feedback regarding the quality of their decisions while others were not. The subjects tended to confuse the task information and outcome feedback with their actual decision models. Implications for the results are discussed.
Inducement of Nonexistent Order by the Analytic Hierarchy Process*
Authors: Schenkerman Stan
Published: June 2007

An apparently unreported problem facing decision makers who use AHP is described. It is demonstrated that conventional AHP and some of its variants (the ideal mode, and the pairwise aggregated approach, PAHAP) can induce ordering even when no order exists. It is also shown that all three approaches can induce different orderings and that the orderings are sensitive to innocuous changes. Thus, even absent addition or deletion of alternatives, the decision maker relying on AHP or these variants can be seriously misled.
The Use of Computer‐mediated Communication in an Interorganizational Context
Authors: Kettinger William J. , Grover Varun
Published: June 2007

The rapid growth of global telecommunication networks, and in particular the Internet, has placed emphasis on electronic mail's potential as an interorganizational communication medium allowing people from different organizations to communicate, gather information, form teams, and pass knowledge across time and place. An important area of research is to understand those factors affecting interorganizational computer‐mediated communication usage decisions. This study examines how interorganizational electronic mail (email) systems are being used and what factors relate to this use. This was accomplished by electronically surveying a randomly selected sample of interorganizational email users. The 613 Internet‐based respondents were located in 20 different countries and were from education, business, and government. This research examines the characteristics of interorganizational email users, their perceptions of task and channel attributes, and the relationship between these characteristics and interorganizational email use. Three empirically derived patterns of interorganizational email use emerged that showed it was regularly used for broadcast, task, and social communication. Broadcast usage, which reflects an informationgathering communication function, most likely through public bulletin boards, electronic discussion groups, and list servers, was the most frequent use of interorganizational email. Multivariate regression tests showed that the three different usage types were best predicted from different sets of independent variables. Results support past claims that there is a need to differentiate among types of use in explaining computermediated communication usage behavior. Implications and recommendations for both researchers and practitioners are drawn from the results.
Stochastic Judgments in the AHP: The Measurement of Rank Reversal Probabilities
Authors: Stam Antonie , Silva A. Pedro Duarte
Published: June 2007

This paper presents a methodology for analyzing Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) rankings if the pairwise preference judgments are uncertain (stochastic). If the relative preference statements are represented by judgment intervals, rather than single values, then the rankings resulting from a traditional (deterministic) AHP analysis based on single judgment values may be reversed, and therefore incorrect. In the presence of stochastic judgments, the traditional AHP rankings may be stable or unstable, depending on the nature of the uncertainty.

We develop multivariate statistical techniques to obtain both point estimates and confidence intervals of the rank reversal probabilities, and show how simulation experiments can be used as an effective and accurate tool for analyzing the stability of the preference rankings under uncertainty. If the rank reversal probability is low, then the rankings are stable and the decision maker can be confident that the AHP ranking is correct. However, if the likelihood of rank reversal is high, then the decision maker should interpret the AHP rankings cautiously, as there is a subtantial probability that these rankings are incorrect. High rank reversal probabilities indicate a need for exploring alternative problem formulations and methods of analysis.

The information about the extent to which the ranking of the alternatives is sensitive to the stochastic nature of the pairwise judgments should be valuable information into the decision‐making process, much like variability and confidence intervals are crucial tools for statistical inference. We provide simulation experiments and numerical examples to evaluate our method.

Our analysis of rank reversal due to stochastic judgments is not related to previous research on rank reversal that focuses on mathematical properties inherent to the AHP methodology, for instance, the occurrence of rank reversal if a new alternative is added or an existing one is deleted.
Animation in User Interfaces Designed for Decision Support Systems: The Effects of Image Abstraction, Transition, and Interactivity on Decision Quality*
Authors: González Cleotilde , Kasper George M.
Published: June 2007

This paper develops the idea of animation in user interfaces designed for decision support systems (DSS), proposes a framework to investigate the efficacy of animation in these interfaces, and reports on a study that examined the effects of properties of animation specified by the framework. Based on a review of selected background literature, principal properties affecting the efficacy of animation in user interfaces designed for DSS are identified and the effects on decision quality of three of these properties are hypothesized. To evaluate these hypotheses, data was collected in a laboratory experiment involving two different tasks. The results for both tasks indicate that animation in user interfaces designed for DSS should employ parallel as opposed to sequential navigation interactivity techniques. The decision quality of subjects that used a parallel navigation technique was significantly greater than that of those that used a sequential navigation interactivity technique. The results regarding the efficacy of image abstraction and transition effects varied by task. For one task, decision quality was significantly greater for subjects that used realistic as opposed to abstract images, but decision quality did not vary by transition effect. For the other task, decision quality was significantly greater for subjects that used gradual as compared to abrupt transition, but image abstraction had no effect on decision quality.
An Empirical Investigation into Factors Relating to the Adoption of Executive Information Systems: An Analysis of EIS for Collaboration and Decision Support*
Authors: Rai Arun , Bajwa Deepinder S.
Published: June 2007

This study focuses on the organizational adoption of Executive Information Systems (EIS). A distinction is made between two related, complementary EIS capabilities—EIS for collaboration support (EISc) and EIS for decision support (EISd). EISc is relatively standardized and replicable, while EISd has to be developed in situ given the specific characteristics of the user and task. The adoption process is conceptualized as an initial transition from a state of nonadoption to adoption (adoption status) and subsequent internal propagation of the technology (adoption level). Data collected from a national survey are used to test hypotheses between identified contextual variables and the adoption status and adoption level of EISc and EISd. Adopters and nonadopters of both EISc and EISd do not differ in their organization size, suggesting that the traditional paradigm of “EIS as a technology for large firms” is no longer true. Environmental uncertainty is found to promote the transition from a state of nonadoption to adoption of both EISc and EISd while continuing to catalyze the internal propagation of EISd. While no differences are observed in IS department size between adopters and nonadopters of EISc, our results suggest that larger IS departments provide the resource base to explore the less standardized of the two capabilities, EISd. IS support is also found to be critical for the subsequent internal propagation of EISd. Furthermore, the adoption level of both EISc and EISd are found to be promoted by top management support. Implications of these results are discussed for the organizational adoption of EIS.
Using Davis's Perceived Usefulness and Ease‐of‐use Instruments for Decision Making: A Confirmatory and Multigroup Invariance Analysis
Authors: Doll William J. , Hendrickson Anthony , Deng Xiaodong
Published: June 2007

As key components of Davis's technology acceptance model (TAM), the perceived usefulness and perceived ease‐of‐use instruments are widely accepted among the MIS research community as tools for evaluating information system applications and predicting usage. Despite this wide acceptance, a series of incremental cross‐validation studies have produced conflicting and equivocal results that do not provide guidance for researchers or practitioners who might use the TAM for decision making. Using a sample of 902 “initial exposure” responses, this research conducts: (1) a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the validity and reliability of the original instruments proposed by Davis, and (2) a multigroup invariance analysis to assess the equivalence of these instruments across subgroups based on type of application, experience with computing, and gender.

In contrast to the mixed results of prior cross‐validation efforts, the results of this confirmatory study provide strong support for the validity and reliability of Davis's sixitem perceived usefulness and six‐item ease‐of‐use instruments. The multigroup invariance analysis suggests the usefulness and ease‐of‐use instruments have invariant true scores across most, but not all, subgroups. With notable exemptions for word processing applications and users with no prior computing experience, this research provides evidence that the item‐factor loadings (true scores) are invariant across spread sheet, database, and graphic applications. The implications of the results for managerial decision making are discussed.
Inductive, Evolutionary, and Neural Computing Techniques for Discrimination: A Comparative Study*
Authors: Bhattacharyya Siddhartha , Pendharkar Parag C.
Published: June 2007

This paper provides a comparative study of machine learning techniques for two‐group discrimination. Simulated data is used to examine how the different learning techniques perform with respect to certain data distribution characteristics. Both linear and nonlinear discrimination methods are considered. The data has been previously used in the comparative evaluation of a number of techniques and helps relate our findings across a range of discrimination techniques.
Customer Order Scheduling in a General Job Shop Environment*
Authors: Blocher James D. , Chhajed Dilip , Leung Mark
Published: June 2007

The primary objective of this study is to examine the performance of order‐based dispatching rules in a general job shop, where the environmental factors are shop utilization and due date tightness. An order is defined as a collection of jobs that are shipped as a group—an order—to the customer, only on completion of the last job of the order. We specifically compare dispatching rules from past job‐based studies to some rules adapted to encompass order characteristics. Standard flow time and tardiness measures are used, but in addition, we introduce measures that combine average performance with variation in an attempt to capture the performance of a majority of the orders processed in the shop. Of the 16 dispatching rules tested, our results show that four of the simple rules dominate the others. We also found that order‐based rules perform better than their job‐based counterparts. The study makes use of multivariate statistical analysis, in addition to the usual univariate tests, which can provide additional insight to managers using multiple criteria in their decision process.
Competitive Priorities in Operations Management
Authors: Ward Peter T. , McCreery John K. , Ritzman Larry P. , Sharma Deven
Published: June 2007

Identifying manufacturers' competitive priorities has long been considered a key element in manufacturing strategy research. However, relatively little effort has been devoted to measurement of these constructs in published research. In this study we develop scales for commonly accepted competitive priorities, cost importance, quality importance, delivery‐time importance, and flexibility importance. We assess how well the scales capture the constructs that they represent using data collected from 114 manufacturing plants in the United States. The findings suggest that the instrument developed can provide reliable data and that the constructs measured are valid. In addition, comparisons between pairs of informants representing the same business indicate that the perceptual measures of competitive priorities are as reliable as point estimates of routine, seemingly objective information.
Optimal Design of a Two‐Level Transportation Network with a Different Unit Cost for Each Secondary Link*
Authors: Singhal Jaya
Published: June 2007

The objective of this paper is to further develop Singhal's (1990) framework for designing a two‐level hierarchical transportation network consisting of a trunk or primary link and several feeder or secondary links. Secondary links are perpendicular lines from each of the given points and the primary link is a straight line or curve connecting the feet of two extreme perpendicular lines. The problem and the associated strategic and operational considerations such as cost, time, feasibility, and preferred regions for the primary link in the context of rural highway planning are discussed. Two‐level networks are also common in electricity transmission, pipelines, and telecommunication design.

The core of the framework is a model for finding the path of a primary link such that a weighted sum of the lengths of the perpendicular lines from each point to a linear primary link and the distance between the feet of the two extreme perpendicular lines is minimized. The analysis shows that for almost every problem there exists a wide range of solutions for which the total cost is only slightly higher than that of the optimal solution. This offers considerable flexibility to the decision maker. These solutions can be evaluated in view of the broader objectives and constraints that are not included in the model. The use of computer graphics and the option of a nonlinear or piecewise linear primary link are also discussed.
Managerial Influences on Intraorganizational Information Technology Use: A Principal‐Agent Model
Authors: Bhattacherjee Anol
Published: June 2007

Our current understanding of information technology (IT) usage does not explain why and how managers can influence organizational members to use a new IT. Drawing on principal‐agent research, this paper develops and tests a model of intraorganizational IT usage that addresses this important issue. Managerial incentives and control are examined as important components of managerial influences, which are linked to IT usage via a principal‐agent model (PAM). Seven research hypotheses are generated from this model and empirically tested using a laboratory experiment. Results of the study indicate that managers can promote IT usage within organizations by designing appropriate incentives and control structures such as monitoring and multiple‐period contracts. However, the effectiveness of these structures will depend on potential users' ability to distinguish between various forms of incentives and control.
Simulation Analysis of a Manufacturing Supply Chain*
Authors: Bhaskaran Sita
Published: June 2007

A supply chain is a series of manufacturing plants that transform raw material into finished product. A pipeline within a supply chain refers to the stream of information, material, components, and assemblies that are associated with a particular product. It is typical for manufacturing plants to put considerable effort to optimize the performance of a horizontal slice of a supply chain (such as coordination among parts that share a common resource). The need to optimize the performance of the vertical slice (the supply chain connecting raw material to finished product) by controlling the transmission of schedule instability and the resulting inventory fluctuation is often overlooked. A schedule is stable if actual production requirements for a given period do not change from the forecast production requirements. Stable production schedules are important when managing supply chains as they help control inventory fluctuation and inventory accumulation. Failure to control schedule instability results in high average inventory levels in the system.

In this paper a simulation analysis of supply chain instability and inventory is conducted, and it is shown how supply chains can be analyzed for continuous improvement opportunities using simulation. The focus is on a stamping pipeline in an automobile supply chain based on operating data from General Motors (GM). It is shown that the techniques used in this paper are a useful tool for supply chain analysis.
Interorganizational Determinants of Environmental Purchasing: Initial Evidence from the Consumer Products Industries*
Authors: Carter Craig R. , Carter Joseph R.
Published: June 2007

Environmental purchasing consists of the purchasing function's involvement in activities that include reduction, recycling, reuse, and substitution of materials. Despite the potentially important role that the purchasing function can play in a firm's environmental activities, little research has been performed to date that examines the factors that impact environmental purchasing. The authors develop and empirically test a theoretical model that examines how interorganizational factors both drive and constrain purchasing's involvement in environmental activities. The empirical findings suggest that environmental purchasing activities will be facilitated through increased coordination with suppliers as well as downstream members of the supply chain, including retailers. The results also suggest the need for increased coordination within the firm, particularly between the purchasing function on the inbound side and marketing and distribution functions on the outbound side.
Designing Distribution Systems to Support Vendor Strategies in Supply Chain Management*
Authors: Robinson E. Powell , Satterfield Ronald K.
Published: June 2007

The interactions among a firm's distribution strategy, market share, and distribution costs are an important consideration in the design of supply chain networks. However, these interactions are largely ignored by existing distribution system design methodologies, which assume demand is constant regardless of the firm's distribution strategy. This paper describes a multidisciplinary framework that considers these interactions in the design of “profit maximizing” distribution networks. The framework employs two major decision support methodologies: (1) binary logit models for estimating market share considering various demand‐influencing parameters such as product price and distribution service, and (2) a mixed‐integer programming (MIP) model for finding optimal distribution network designs. We applied the framework to an actual design problem facing a national distributor of industrial chemical products. The test results verify the framework's large‐scale capability and the potential benefit of the integrated solution methodology.
An Efficient Heuristic Procedure for Practical‐Sized Capacitated Warehouse Design and Management*
Authors: Jayaraman Vaidyanathan
Published: June 2007

The purpose of this paper is to refine and test a distribution system design model and evaluate its performance with respect to solution quality, model validation, and algorithm performance. The paper reports on the development of a multiproduct warehouse logistics model. The logistics model is used to predict the performance of distribution companies that typically have to deal with product costs, the cost to distribute the products from a set of warehouses to customer outlets, the level of service provided to its customers, and flexibility for each product group and market segment.
Learning by Objectives for Adaptive Shop‐Floor Scheduling*
Authors: Bhattacharyya Siddhartha , Koehler Gary J.
Published: June 2007

Effective production scheduling requires consideration of the dynamics and unpredictability of the manufacturing environment. An automated learning scheme, utilizing genetic search, is proposed for adaptive control in typical decentralized factory‐floor decision making. A high‐level knowledge representation for modeling production environments is developed, with facilities for genetic learning within this scheme. A multiagent framework is used, with individual agents being responsible for the dispatch decision making at different workstations. Learning is with respect to stated objectives, and given the diversity of scheduling goals, the efficacy of the designed learning scheme is judged through its response under different objectives. The behavior of the genetic learning scheme is analyzed and simulation studies help compare how learning under different objectives impacts certain aggregate measures of system performance.
A Risk‐sharing Approach to Transfer Pricing and Incentive Compensation Problems under Exchange Rate Uncertainty*
Authors: Yahya‐Zadeh Massood
Published: June 2007

This study examines the transfer pricing and incentive compensation problems in a multinational enterprise facing currency risk. It is shown that, in the presence of diverse risk preferences among managers, the Hirshleifer (1956) transfer pricing rule results in inefficient resource allocation decisions by division managers. Following the approach developed by Kanodia (1979), two transfer pricing and compensation systems are proposed. The proposed systems enable central management to achieve efficient resource allocation and partial or global risk sharing. It is also argued that the proposed plans can be implemented in conjunction with existing transfer pricing systems that primarily serve tax and tariff concerns.
The Value of Using Scheduling Information in Planning Material Requirements*
Authors: Kanet John J. , Sridharan V.
Published: June 2007

Current research and practice in the field of production and inventory planning is dominated by hierarchical, material requirements planning‐based methods. The objective of this research is to determine the merits of a major redirection for the design of manufacturing planning systems—a direction that more directly exploits the capabilities of modern computer technology. We test the relative performance of two fundamentally different classes of manufacturing planning systems: (1) those that make no use of sequencing and scheduling information in the planning of material deliveries (for example, traditional MRP‐based systems), and (2) those that use sequencing and scheduling information to plan delivery of materials. We first derive an analytical expression for the expected benefit (in terms of flow time reduction) of using scheduling information for a single machine system. We then describe and test a simple heuristic for predicting the improvement that could be realized in more complicated multimachine systems, under certain conditions. Results from controlled simulation experiments, over a wide range of operating environments, suggest that although the value of scheduling information is influenced by the operating environment, it could be substantial.
Computer Simulation Success: On the Use of the End‐User Computing Satisfaction Instrument: A Comment
Authors: McHaney Roger , Cronan Timothy Paul
Published: June 2007

This comment is part of a comprehensive study to develop a contingency model of simulation success. The current study focuses on the psychometric stability of the end‐user computing satisfaction (EUCS) instrument by Doll and Torkzadeh (1988) when applied to users of computer simulation. Using a survey of 411 users, the researchers provide evidence that the EUCS instrument is a valid and reliable measure of computer simulation success. Given this evidence, managers and simulation software product developers can confidently apply the instrument in the investigation of competing tools, features, and technologies.
Replanning the Master Production Schedule for a Capacity‐Constrained Job Shop
Authors: Yang Kum Khiong , Jacobs F. Robert
Published: June 2007

This research examines the use of both frozen and replanning intervals for planning the master production schedule (MPS) for a capacity‐constrained job shop. The results show that forecast error, demand lumpiness, setup time, planned lead time, and order size have a greater impact on the mean total backlog, total inventory, and number of setups than the frozen and replanning intervals. The study also shows that a repetitive lot dispatching rule reduces the importance of lot sizing, and a combination of repetitive lot dispatching rule and single‐period order size consistently produces the lowest mean total backlog and total inventory. The results also indicate that rescheduling the open orders every period produces a lower mean total backlog and total inventory when the forecast errors are large relative to the order sizes. This result suggests that the due date of an open order should be updated only when a significant portion of the order is actually needed on the new due date.
Product Positioning and Pricing Under Production Cost Considerations*
Authors: Hadjinicola George C.
Published: June 2007

A framework in a competitive environment is proposed that incorporates production cost and economies of scale in the problem of positioning a product for a market segment. The model facilitates the existence of a Nash equilibrium in prices and product positions. As such, firms can simultaneously choose prices and product positions for the segment. This result improves the traditional theory on equilibria points in prices and product positions where firms choose their product positions first and then set their prices. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates the effects of changes in the unit savings derived from economies of scale or the cost of furnishing a product with its attributes by one firm on the product positions, prices, and profits of all competing firms. More important, the paper examines the effect on prices and profits of competing firms when one of the firms repositions its product closer to the segment's ideal point. It is shown that under certain conditions, the profit of a firm may actually decrease as it redesigns its product closer to the segment's ideal point. These conditions assist management to identify the product design beyond which enhancements of the product would lead to lower profits because of increasing production costs. It is also shown that the price of this firm increases. Past research supports the idea that positioning a brand closer to the ideal point, given fixed product positions of competing firms, would lead to greater buyer preferences and eventually higher profits. The price and profits of the competing firm may increase or decrease. Conditions are derived under which a movement towards the segment's ideal point by one firm would lead to higher profits by the competing firm.
Replication of Measures in Information Systems Research: The Case of IS SERVQUAL*
Authors: Kettinger William J. , Lee Choong C.
Published: June 2007

The Information Systems (IS) discipline should recognize potential pitfalls in replication of research studies. This response to a note appearing in this issue by Van Dyke, Prybutok, and Kappelman (1999) aims to serve two purposes. First, this note will address the problems we have with the Van Dyke et al. (1999) attempted replication of our own previous work. Second, we hope it serves to establish more generally an awareness in the IS field for the potential to create and accept the “illusion of replicability” when this has not really been established.
Intermediate Performance Impacts of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Systems: An Empirical Investigation*
Authors: Brandyberry Alan , Rai Arun , White Gregory P.
Published: June 2007

A large‐scale random sample is used to empirically examine the relationships between implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and three organization‐level measures that have historically been attributed to AMT, but not fully tested along the AMT spectrum: market‐oriented flexibility of the production process, organizational integration of production processes, and administrative intensity of the organization. Results indicate that as an organization moves along the technology scale from stand‐alone AMT (e.g., CNC machines) through functionally oriented AMT (FMS and CAM) toward CIM, not only do its production processes become more integrated with each other, but those processes become more integrated with other functional systems of the organization, and the quality and timeliness of production information increase. Furthermore, this relationship becomes stronger as companies increase their level of implementation for the latter two technologies. Conversely, market‐oriented flexibility decreases and administrative intensity is not observed to change as companies move along the technology spectrum. Future research should examine how organizational redesign and implementation strategies that accompany AMT implementation can concomitantly enhance organizational integration of the production process and market‐oriented flexibility.
Selecting a Portfolio of Technologies: An Application of Decision Analysis
Authors: Jackson Jack A. , Kloeber Jack M. , Ralston Brian E. , Deckro Richard F.
Published: June 2007

The Department of Energy is faced with the critical and complex decision of selecting technologies for waste site remediation. This research focuses on developing a decision support tool which assists the decision maker to find an optimal portfolio. A portfolio consists of selecting the appropriate processes for a remediation site and, subsequently, selecting a technology for each process so that the decision maker's objectives are achieved. The measures supporting the objectives are risk, life‐cycle cost, and time required for remediation. The model uses exponential attribute utility functions with an additive objective function. The model provides the decision maker with estimates of the cost and time distributions, and their associated utility. Cumulative frequency distributions illustrate the dominance of technology choices and the variance in the results. The model permits sensitivity analysis in the form of rainbow and tornado diagrams to display the effects of changes in the values of the input variables. Overall, the model provides a generic technology selection tool that can be used to make better informed decisions and may be easily manipulated to reflect changes in the remediation process.
Are Individual Differences Germane to the Acceptance of New Information Technologies?
Authors: Agarwal Ritu , Prasad Jayesh
Published: June 2007

Persuading users to adopt new information technologies persists as an important problem confronting those responsible for implementing new information systems. In order to better understand and manage the process of new technology adoption, several theoretical models have been proposed, of which the technology acceptance model (TAM) has gained considerable support. Beliefs and attitudes represent significant constructs in TAM. A parallel research stream suggests that individual difference factors are important in information technology acceptance but does not explicate the process by which acceptance is influenced. The objective of this paper is to clarify this process by proposing a theoretical model wherein the relationship between individual differences and IT acceptance is hypothesized to be mediated by the constructs of the technology acceptance model. In essence then, these factors are viewed as influencing an individual's beliefs about an information technology innovation; this relationship is further supported by drawing upon extensive research in learning. The theoretical model was tested in an empirical study of 230 users of an information technology innovation. Results confirm the basic structure of the model, including the mediating role of beliefs. Results also identify several individual difference variables that have significant effects on TAM's beliefs. Theoretical contributions and practical implications that follow are discussed.
Axiomatic Justification for a Geometric Quality Aggregation Function
Authors: Sampson Scott E.
Published: June 2007

A central issue in many decision‐making situations is the need to consider multiple factors. A special case of multifactor modeling is the quality aggregation problem, which is to derive an overall quality measurement from a set of component quality measurements. Although much research has been published regarding the components of a quality construct, alternative methods for aggregating quality components have been largely ignored. The function generally used for this aggregation is an arithmetic weighted average. This article proposes four axioms that are intuitively desirable in a quality aggregation function. Concepts are drawn from related disciplines such as utility theory, decision theory, and microeconomics. Empirical evidence is presented to support the axioms. The arithmetic weighted average function is found to be inconsistent with all four axioms. A geometric, or multiplicative, function form is presented as a superior alternative, consistent with the four axioms. Model specification issues and other implications are discussed.
A DEA Framework to Assess the Efficiency of the Software Requirements Capture and Analysis Process*
Authors: Chatzoglou Prodromos D. , Soteriou Andreas C.
Published: June 2007

In this paper a theoretical framework to assess the efficiency of the Requirements Capture and Analysis (RCA) process in software development is introduced. Although it is widely recognized that successful implementation of the first stages of the software development process is critical for the overall development process, RCA efficiency assessments have not been given much attention. The presented theoretical framework to assess RCA efficiency follows a production approach to model the early stages of a software project. An approach based on Data Envelopment Analysis that utilizes the proposed framework to isolate the effects of exogenous factors, such as the environment or the type of project, on the project's RCA efficiency is also presented. Finally, the applicability of the methodology through an exploratory empirical study is demonstrated, and managerial implications are discussed.
A Comparison between Basic Cyclic Scheduling and Variable Cyclic Scheduling in a Two‐stage Hybrid Flow Shop
Authors: Tsubone Hitoshi , Suzuki Masahiko , Uetake Toshifumi , Ohba Masaaki
Published: June 2007

In this paper the impacts of two types of repetitive scheduling systems on the makespan in a two‐stage hybrid flow shop, which consists of one machine in the first stage and multiple process lines in the second stage, are compared. First, we analyzed, through a simulation, how the makespan is affected by the setup frequency and sequencing rules for products under two types of scheduling systems: One is repetitive scheduling with only one batch per product family per scheduling cycle (basic cyclic scheduling system). The other is repetitive cyclic scheduling with various batches per product family per scheduling cycle (variable cyclic scheduling system). Second, we compared which scheduling system is superior under various manufacturing situations. The following points were noted. (1) The superior scheduling system can be shown by a two‐dimensional diagram of the setup frequency and the imbalance in workload for processing among process lines in the second stage. (2) Variable cyclic scheduling is superior in comparison with basic cyclic scheduling when there is a large imbalance in the workload to be processed among process lines in the second stage, or the workload in the second stage is larger than that in the first stage. The result of this research provides guidelines for selecting which scheduling system should be adopted.
A Reexamination of ‘Measuring the Congruence Between Market Requirements and Manufacturing: A Methodology and Illustration'*
Authors: Narasimhan Ram , Wang Xinyan
Published: June 2007

This paper reexamines the idea of developing an index of manufacturing fit with market requirements. Bozarth and Berry's (1997) recent work provides a starting point. Several conceptual and methodological issues relating to the Bozarth and Berry approach are raised. It is argued that the indifference profile concept suggested by the authors bears reexamination.
A Contingent View of Quality Management‐The Impact of International Competition on Quality
Authors: Das Ajay , Handfield Robert B. , Calantone Roger J. , Ghosh Soumen
Published: June 2007

Much of the research on quality practices and performance reflects a resource‐based perspective of the firm, dealing primarily with internal issues of managerial and technological competence in developing and executing an effective TQM strategy. The neoclassical perspective on the influence of the competitive environment on quality practices and performance remains conspicuously absent in the empirical quality literature. Our study aims to address this gap by examining the contingent role of international competition on quality management and performance.

We develop and test an integrative framework of quality management, consisting of high involvement work practices, quality practices, quality performance, and firm performance. We then examine the contingent effects of international competition on the constructs and relationships of the framework. International competition was found to moderate the relationship between quality practices and customer satisfaction performance, as well as the relationship between high involvement work practices and firm performance. The moderator effects suggest interesting implications for quality theory and practice.
The Joint Effects of Effort and Quality on Decision Strategy Choice with Computerized Decision Aids*
Authors: Chu P. C. , Spires Eric E.
Published: June 2007

Research has recently focused on the effort‐reduction or minimization role of computerized decision aids, and how users may employ aids to manage their effort, which in turn affects their choice of decision strategies. In this paper, it is argued that consideration of effort reduction or minimization by itself is not sufficient for inducing changes in decision strategy. Instead, decision aid effects on effort must be considered jointly with the decision quality associated with the various decision strategies. This is true even if the decision aid has no effect on decision quality. We adapt and extend a theoretical framework that can be used to evaluate the joint effects of effort and quality on decision strategy choice. In addition, we reinterpret past research results in light of the framework and present new experimental evidence on the descriptive validity of the framework.