bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An investigation of labor assignment rules in a dual‐constrained job shop
Authors: Treleven Mark D. , Elvers Douglas A. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractOne of the management decisions required to operate a dual‐constrained job shop is the labor assignment rule. This study examines the effects of various labor assignment rules on the shop's performance. Eleven different labor assignment rules are simulated. A longest‐queue rule and the traditional counterparts of the first‐in‐system, first‐served, shortest operation time, job due date, critical ratio and shortest processing time dispatching rules are used to determine to which work center available workers should be transferred. Also tested are five new labor assignment rules that use an average of the priority values of all jobs in queue at a particular work center to determine whether that work center should receive the available worker.A SIMSCRIPT simulation program that models nine work centers provided the mechanism by which these rules were tested. Five dispatching rules, the counterparts of the five “traditional counterpart” labor assignment rules mentioned earlier, provided different shop environments. Also, the level of staffing of the work centers was altered to provide additional ship environments. Staffing levels of 50% and 67% were employed.The results show that none of the eleven labor assignment rules had a significant impact on shop performance. This is an important result because it implies that a manager can make the labor assignment decision based on other criteria such as ease or cost of application of the rules. These results were relatively insensitive to the shop environment, as represented by the dispatching rule and the staffing level.
Expert systems in production management: An assessment
Authors: Mertens Peter , Kanet John J. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractOver the last several years expert systems (ES) have gained almost sensational interest. Within business administration, production management might be one of the most fruitful application areas for ES. There already exist a number of interesting pilot systems, and reports of research projects are beginning to appear in the literature.The main goal of this study is to identify systematically those areas in production management where an ES approach might be most promising. This is important to both researchers and practitioners because it helps pinpoint where research and development resources would be best allocated.In this article the authors provide a taxonomy for production management activities. They then combine this taxonomy with a well‐known list of eight “expert tasks” to provide what they call an “applications map” to guide the discussion.After discussing existing research efforts and potential production management applications of expert systems, the authors employ a Likert scoring procedure to quantify their subjective ratings as to problem importance, potential for improved solution, and ease of development, for expert systems development efforts in a given production management decision situation.One conclusion here is that the applicability of expert systems to production management appears to be broadly based. This is particularly true for what the authors have labeled as “technological” activities. An interesting finding is the apparent lack of applicability of expert systems to inventory management. The authors found no existing system or research proposals applying expert systems to inventory management. Finally, systems that combine technological with logistical knowledge seem to be a fertile (but difficult) application area for ES.
Applications of decision support and expert systems in flexible manufacturing systems
Authors: Turban Efraim , Sepehri Mehran 
Published: October 2002

AbstractFlexible manufacturing systems (FMS) increase the efficiency of operations by improving cost, quality, and lead time while decision support and expert systems (DSS&ES) improve the effectiveness of manufacturing by assisting the decision maker in coordinating all the elements and increasing the overall utilization of the factory, particularly in managing a complex system of flexible manufacturing. This article surveys a number of available decision support and expert systems applications in flexible manufacturing after reviewing the features of each one and then proposes additional potential applications.It appears that what is holding back the widespread use of FMS is not the technology, but is some management issues. Application of DSS&ES enables a manager to obtain a full flexibility of equipment in terms of machine flexibility, product flexibility, process flexibility, operation flexibility, routing flexibility, volume flexibility, expansion flexibility, and production flexibility. Many decisions are made in planning and operating FMS that can be categorized into three classes of strategic, tactical, and operational decisions. Each class can be further categorized into structured, semistructured, and unstructured decisions. The article provides examples of FMS decision in each of nine groups and show that use of DSS&ES can be productive.Illustrative cases are categorized into (1) DSS in FMS, (2) DSS in related manufacturing operations, (3) ES in FMS, and (4) ES in related manufacturing operations. The cases described include ICAM, REACT, KEE, PADMS, IMS, FADES, GARI, TOM, ISIS, and GENPLAN.The article finally provides hints for successful DSS and ES implementation. Subjects include getting management involved, choosing a key application, manage vendor involvement, paying attention to maintenance, assigning qualified personnel, paying attention to training, and always reviewing the results.FMS is basically a computer‐based system and so are DSS and ES. There is an increased trend of integrating independent computer‐based systems to take advantage of the possible synergy of such integration. At present, there is only a little evidence of DSS and/or ES applications in FMS. However, there is increasing evidence of applications in related manufacturing areas. Furthermore, the planning and operations of FMS require considerable expertise; DSS and ES techniques are aimed at supporting or even replacing such expertise. Therefore, it seems that there is a considerable potential for further application of DSS and ES in FMS.
Measuring the impact of part‐time workers in service organizations
Authors: Mabert Vincent A. , Showalter Michael J. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractIn the last twenty years we have seen a significant increase in interest by practicing managers and academic researchers in the labor/staff scheduling decision. In particular, service firm managers have focused their attention on improving the productivity of their labor intensive operations by an increased use of part‐time personnel. These actions have been motivated by the presence of significant variations in hourly and daily work loads faced by these firms and the desire to provide flexibility to adequately match staff capacity with customer demand. The past employment practice of using full‐time staff causes significant idle capacity to exist in many firms, reducing productivity. The significant increased use of part‐time staff has allowed today's managers to correct this situation by reducing the amount of idle labor capacity, thus reducing operating cost.Academic researchers have also investigated the labor scheduling problem during the past two decades. They have analyzed and evaluated mathematical algorithms, optimal and heuristic, to efficiently solve the staff tour scheduling problem. Some of this work has eventually found applicability in a number of service firms. However, most of these studies have focused on the scheduling of full‐time staff to meet varying daily and hourly work load shifts and little insight has been attained in understanding a number of trade‐off issues in this area.In this paper we investigate the complex issue of the trade‐off between full‐time and part‐time staff and develop a relative “measure of flexibility” for using part‐time individuals. First, we demonstrate, as might be expected, how greater flexibility reduces idle labor capacity. Second, we define and test what is “scheduling flexibility,” as measured by work‐hours‐per‐day and work‐days‐per‐week. Third, we document the marginal reduction in labor hours scheduled attainable with increased flexibility, using actual operating data from a lockbox department in a large Chicago commercial bank. And fourth, we demonstrate the cost implications of using part‐time staff by employing operating data from the wire transfer department of a New York commercial bank, where we examine the problem using cost data as a basis for comparing the relative impact of various labor scheduling decisions and flexibility. We illustrate the common trade‐offs that must be evaluated due to various labor costs, turnover rates, full and part‐time personnel hours and differing productivity rates among various categories of personnel. Our approach illustrates the type of analysis that should be conducted by practicing managers to adequately evaluate the trade‐offs for the staffing decision when using both full and part‐time personnel.
Operations as marketing: A competitive service strategy
Authors: Roth Aleda V. , Van Der Velde Marjolijn 
Published: October 2002

AbstractThis paper presents a competitive service strategy paradigm which explicitly considers the strategic role of operations as a competitive weapon. This service strategy paradigm draws upon the prevailing manufacturing strategy literature in its definition of strategic operations choices and critical success factors. We show that to make a service delivery system a potential marketing tool, critical success factor criteria must be based upon the explicit service task or mission which coincides with a service operations strategy. We illustrate how critical success factors are the linchpin between operations and marketing in service organizations.Assessing critical success factors is the first step of a process which determines the strategic role that operations can play in a service firm. Using a sample of 117 retail banks, our paper explores industry critical success factors along two dimensions, one is market‐oriented and the other is competitor‐oriented. We derive a framework, which we label the Customer/Account Base (CAB) matrix, to serve as a decision‐aiding tool to evaluate the relative competitive positioning of a service firm. Our analyses show that quadrants on the CAB matrix coincide with four stages of capability development, similar to those found in manufacturing by Hayes and Wheelwright (1984), reflecting the strategic role a service delivery system design plays in meeting the competition.We go on to empirically link the competitive priorities of retail banks with operations strategy contents of structure, infrastructure and integration choices. Using our service strategy paradigm, we empirically show that the pattern of operations choices varies by competitive priority. As anticipated, the pattern of operations choices linked to relationship banking, one of the most difficult capabilities to achieve and one that requires a high degree of customer contact, is characterized by the most holistic and integrative operations strategy. In conclusion, our exploratory findings illustrate how the prevailing manufacturing strategy framework can be adopted in service strategy delivery system design and the moderating role that customer contact exerts in service strategy formation.
Manufacturing and marketing interdependence in the new venture firm: An empirical study
Authors: Deane Richard H. , McDougall Patricia P. , Gargeya Vidyaranya B. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractThis research addresses the interdependent nature of manufacturing and marketing decisions in new venture firms. Based on an empirical study of new venture firms in the communications and computer equipment manufacturing industry, the research first shows that the perception of key aspects of the environment, entry barriers, and hostility does not differ between successful and unsuccessful new venture firms. Such a finding suggests that new venture success is based on much more than an accurate perception of the environment. In contrast, differences in performances are more likely to be attributable to the manner in which the firms constitute and implement their strategies, given their perceptions of the environment.The research also reveals no underlying difference in manufacturing and marketing breadth between successful and unsuccessful new venture firms. The research thus, does not support the proposition that successful new ventures must be limited in scope to a narrow product range, a small market segment, a narrow geographic market, and a limited number of distribution channels. A successful firm in this industry may strategically “focus” on alternative competitive advantages such as customization, delivery speed, product development and innovation. Such a concept of focus is not based on the notion of a narrow product mix for a particular market niche, but on a coherent set of tasks based on market requirements.This research illustrates the importance of the interaction between manufacturing and marketing decisions in predicting new venture firm success. However, the study also suggests that consistency among manufacturing decisions alone may be insufficient to predict firm success. Likewise, consistency among marketing decisions alone is insufficient to predict firm success. As a result, any study that purports to predict new venture firm success based only on an analysis of manufacturing decisions is suspect. The interaction of manufacturing and marketing decisions is only moderately successful in predicting firm success, indicating that the manufacturing and marketing interface is important, but still doesn't provide a complete picture of firm synergy. A more complete model for predicting firm success should likely incorporate other strategic, interdependent relationships with manufacturing and marketing decisions (i.e., the firm's human resource management strategy, financial strategy, R and D posture, etc).
A robust forecasting technique for inventory and leadtime management
Authors: Karmarkar Uday S. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractInventory stocking problems with stochastic demand typically involve an estimate of the location of some fractile of the demand distribution, where the fractile is usually in the 0.8‐0.99 range. This fractile is termed the “service level” and is the probability that demands will be satisfied from stock on hand. An analogous procedure must be followed to set safety times or time buffers for delivery and supply lead times. The conventional approach of using the Normal model to estimate this location can sometimes be misleading since it primarily uses information about the center of the distribution to predict behavior in the tail of the distribution.A new method based on a mixture model is proposed to estimate the location of the appropriate fractile directly. A formal Bayesian approach is derived and heuristic smoothing methods are developed. Simulation is used to evaluate the methods. The estimate obtained is biased in general but robust in the sense that it works well for a variety of distributions. The performance of this method appears to be superior to the conventional Mean ‐ MAD approach. The method is particularly well suited to application in base‐stock inventory systems and for safety time determination in supply management when leadtimes are variable.
Demand chain management in manufacturing and services: web‐based integration, drivers and performance
Authors: Frohlich Markham T , Westbrook Roy 
Published: October 2002

AbstractThis paper investigated the relationship between Internet‐enabled supply chain integration strategies and performance in manufacturing and services. It summarizes the literature on demand and supply integration and describes four web‐based strategies. A stratified random sample was collected from UK manufacturers and services, and there was strong evidence that demand chain management (DCM) led to the highest performance in manufacturing, but few signs of DCM in services. Manufacturers and services relying on only web‐based demand or supply integration outperformed their low integration counterparts, but lagged DCM in manufacturing. The study also investigated DCM adoption drivers and found that rational efficiency and bandwagon effects drove change. The findings have some important implications for theory as well as for manufacturing and service companies interested in improving their performance.
New aspects in the treatment of heroin dependence with special reference to neurobiological aspects
Authors: Ladewig Dieter , Dürsteler-MacFarland Kenneth M. , Seifritz Erich , Hock Christoph , Stohler Rudolf 
Published: October 2002

SummaryThe Swiss trials on medical prescription of injectable diacetylmorphine (pharmaceutical heroin) for “severe” heroin dependence provoked very controversial commentaries. Despite methodological shortcomings, the evaluation of the Swiss heroin trials yielded some interesting findings. Study participants showed substantial improvements in health and well-being and noticeable declines in illicit drug use and criminal activities. Heroin prescription may thus be helpful for some of those who continue to regularly use illicit heroin while maintained on methadone or who refuse other available treatment options. However, research-based evidence suggests that the intravenous (IV) application of heroin under medical supervision may have untoward side effects. Recent studies have shown that heroin injections produce transient, but significant decreases in systemic and cortical oxygenation most likely secondary to respiratory depression. Among others, these effects are the subject of ongoing studies.
Contribution of F‐Actin to Barrier Properties of the Blood‐Joint Pathway
Authors: POLI A. , COLEMAN P.J. , MASON R.M. , LEVICK J.R. 
Published: October 2002

ABSTRACTObjectives: Because fibroblast filamentous actin (F‐actin) influences cutaneous interstitial matrix swelling pressure (5), we investigated whether F‐actin in fibroblast‐derived synoviocytes influences the hydraulic permeability of the transsynovial interstitial pathway. The study also tested whether F‐actin in fenestrated synovial endothelium contributes to the blood‐joint barrierin vivo.Methods: The clearance of Evans blue‐albumin (EVA) from plasma into the knee joint cavity was determined in joint infused with F‐actin disrupting cytochalasin D (1–200 µM), latrunculin B (100 µM) or vehicle in anesthetized rabbits. The hydraulic permeability of the lining was determined as the slope relating net trans‐synovial flowimageto intra‐articular pressurePj. Synovium was examined histologically after i.v. Monastral blue to assess endothelial leakiness.Results: EVA permeationin vivowas increased up to 25‐fold by cytochalasin (p= 0.0002, ANOVA), with an EC50of 23 µM (95% confidence limits 13–43 µM). Washout quickly reversed the increase. Latrunculin had a similar effect. F‐actin disruption switchedimagefrom drainage (control) to filtration into the cavity at lowPjin vivoand raised the conductanceimageby 2.13 (p= 0.001, ANOVA). Circulatory arrest abolished these effects. Monastral blue revealed numerous endothelial leaks.Conclusions: F‐actin is crucial to the barrier function of fenestrated endotheliumin situ. No significant effect of synoviocyte F‐actin on matrix permeability was detected.
Molecular Characterization of a Heteromeric ATP-Citrate Lyase That Generates Cytosolic Acetyl-Coenzyme A in Arabidopsis,
Authors: Fatland Beth L. , Ke Jinshan , Anderson Marc D. , Mentzen Wieslawa I. , Cui Li Wei , Allred C. Christy , Johnston Jerry L. , Nikolau Basil J. , Wurtele Eve Syrkin 
Published: October 2002

Abstract
Acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) is used in the cytosol of plant cells for the synthesis of a diverse set of phytochemicals including waxes, isoprenoids, stilbenes, and flavonoids. The source of cytosolic acetyl-CoA is unclear. We identified two Arabidopsis cDNAs that encode proteins similar to the amino and carboxy portions of human ATP-citrate lyase (ACL). Coexpression of these cDNAs in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) confers ACL activity, indicating that both the Arabidopsis genes are required for ACL activity. Arabidopsis ACL is a heteromeric enzyme composed of two distinct subunits, ACLA (45 kD) and ACLB (65 kD). The holoprotein has a molecular mass of 500 kD, which corresponds to a heterooctomer with an A4B4 configuration. ACL activity and the ACLA and ACLB polypeptides are located in the cytosol, consistent with the lack of targeting peptides in the ACLA and ACLB sequences. In the Arabidopsis genome, three genes encode for the ACLA subunit (ACLA-1, At1g10670; ACLA-2, At1g60810; and ACLA-3, At1g09430), and two genes encode the ACLB subunit (ACLB-1, At3g06650 and ACLB-2, At5g49460). The ACLA and ACLB mRNAs accumulate in coordinated spatial and temporal patterns during plant development. This complex accumulation pattern is consistent with the predicted physiological needs for cytosolic acetyl-CoA, and is closely coordinated with the accumulation pattern of cytosolic acetyl-CoA carboxylase, an enzyme using cytosolic acetyl-CoA as a substrate. Taken together, these results indicate that ACL, encoded by theACLA and ACLB genes of Arabidopsis, generates cytosolic acetyl-CoA. The heteromeric organization of this enzyme is common to green plants (including Chlorophyceae, Marchantimorpha, Bryopsida, Pinaceae, monocotyledons, and eudicots), species of fungi, Glaucophytes, Chlamydomonas, and prokaryotes. In contrast, all known animal ACL enzymes have a homomeric structure, indicating that a evolutionary fusion of theACLA and ACLB genes probably occurred early in the evolutionary history of this kingdom.
Phase II trial of subcutaneous anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab (Campath-1H) as first-line treatment for patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL)
Authors: Lundin Jeanette , Kimby Eva , Björkholm Magnus , Broliden Per-Anders , Celsing Fredrik , Hjalmar Viktoria , Möllgård Lars , Rebello Peppy , Hale Geoff , Waldmann Herman , Mellstedt Håkan , Österborg Anders 
Published: October 2002

Abstract
This phase II study determined the efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab, a humanized anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody, delivered subcutaneously as first-line therapy, over a prolonged treatment period of 18 weeks in 41 patients with symptomatic B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Injections were administered subcutaneously 3 times per week, from week 2 to 3 onward. An overall response rate (OR) of 87% (95% CI, 76%-98%; complete remission [CR], 19%; partial remission [PR], 68%) was achieved in 38 evaluable patients (81% of intent-to-treat population). CLL cells were cleared from blood in 95% patients in a median time of 21 days. CR or nodular PR in the bone marrow was achieved in 66% of the patients and most patients achieved this after 18 weeks of treatment. An 87% OR (29% CR) was achieved in the lymph nodes. The median time to treatment failure has not yet been reached (18+ months; range, 8-44+ months). Transient injection site skin reactions were seen in 90% of patients. Rigor, rash, nausea, dyspnea, and hypotension were rare or absent. Transient grade IV neutropenia developed in 21% of the patients. Infections were rare, but 10% patients developed cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation. These patients rapidly responded to intravenous ganciclovir. One patient, allergic to cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, developedPneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Alemtuzumab is highly effective as first-line treatment in patients with B-CLL. Prolonged treatment is important for maximal bone marrow response. Subcutaneous administration induced very few “first-dose” flulike symptoms and may reduce health care costs in comparison with the intravenous infusions.