1,721,329 research outputs found
The impact of organizational structures on forecasting practices and performances: evidences on the GMRG database
Full text linkAttention is here paid to the relationship between organizational configurations, forecasting practices and performances. Attention is at first paid on the relationship between the forecaster organizational position and how companies evaluate future demand, and, on a second hand, focus is paid towards the impact of the forecasting organizational structure and companies performances. Empirical evaluations are developed by means of the Global Manufacturing Research Group database concerning practices among 200 international companies by means of ANOVA analyses. This work contributes to current knowledge claiming that when a forecasting approach is developed (mainly in terms of forecasting technique and data collected), attention should also be paid towards who is going to use this approach. From a managerial point of view this work helps companies in better understanding how to structure their forecasting process to gain better performances
La gestione dei progetti
No full textIl volume introduce alla gestione dei progetti. Il tema del project management è nato in tempi antichi, ma oggi esso non è più di interesse solo per chi opera nei settori delle costruzioni o dell’impiantistica, bensì costituisce un pilastro fondamentale per chiunque si occupi di gestione all’interno di un contesto organizzato. Il progetto è oggi diventato un modo nuovo di concepire il lavoro, l’organizzazione, la gestione delle persone. Per tale motivo questo testo affronta il project management lungo diverse prospettive, permettendo a chiunque lavori per progetti o voglia imparare a farlo di selezionare gli aspetti metodologici rilevanti per il proprio caso
Best practices in demand forecasting: Tests of universalistic, contingency and configurational theories
No full textThe paper focuses on best practices in demand forecasting. Literature has addressed the best practice concept under three different perspectives. According to the universalistic perspective, some forecast- ing practices are universally effective regardless of the context in which companies operate. In the contingent perspective, the effectiveness of forecasting practices depends on the specific kind of context each company faces. A third perspective is the configurational one, which asserts that there are synergistic effects among best practices. In this work, we compare these different perspectives by designing and testing different sets of propositions that underline the aforementioned perspectives. Analysis is conducted by collecting data of more than 500 companies in different countries via the 4th edition of the Global Manufacturing Research Group (GMRG IV) questionnaire. The results demonstrate that each perspective has some empirical support
Prendere decisioni
No full textQuesto libro affronta il tema dei processi decisionali all'interno di contesti organizzativi complessi, uno dei pilastri fondamentali di chi svolge o aspira a svolgere il difficile ruolo del manager. Imparare a prendere le decisioni 'corrette' è un percorso difficile e forse interminabile, che richiede alcune competenze di base che difficilmente possono essere apprese solo sul campo. Naturalmente l'esperienza diretta è insostituibile ed è richiesta per diventare un manager completo. Per tali motivi, questo testo si rivolge sia a chi svuole avvicinarsi per la prima volta a questa disciplina, sia a chi da tempo opera in campo manageriale e vuole razionalizzare la propria esperienza
The impact of forecasting on manufacturing performances
Full text linkSeveral operations decisions are based on some kind of forecast of future demand. For this reason, manufacturing companies pay significant attention towards this process and research has devoted attention to this issue. This paper investigates the impact of how forecasting is conducted on accuracy and operational performances. Attention is here paid on three elements that characterize the forecasting process: whether structured techniques are adopted, whether detailed information is used, and the extent to which forecasting is used in decision making processes. Analyses are conducted by means of data provided by the fourth edition of the Global Manufacturing Research Group questionnaire. Data has been collect from 343 Companies belonging to several manufacturing industries from 6 different countries. Empirical analysis shows that the relationship between how forecasting is conducted and operational performances is not fully explained only by taking into consideration forecast accuracy. Results show that companies adopting a structured forecasting process have positive impacts on operational performances (here manufacturing cost and delivery are considered) not only through improved accuracy. The paper highlights the importance of proper design of the forecasting process in manufacturing environments since it can help to better understand the forecasting problem (i.e. demand variability), may reduce bias and coordinates all forecast users
Best practices in demand forecasting: tests of universalistic, contingency and configurational theories
Full text linkWhile the literature on demand forecasting has examined the best practices in the field, the interpretation and definition of best practices can be difficult due to the different perspectives that the literature has adopted. First, a universalistic perspective can be considered because some specific practices are really best regardless of the context, the forecasting problems, etc. Some other contributions have also taken a contingent approach, which states that best practices depend on the specific kind of company considered or the forecasting scenario. A third potential perspective is the configurational one, which asserts that best practices depend on a set of factors. In this work, we plan to study which of these perspectives really holds true and to what extent they do so. Analysis is conducted by collecting data of more than 500 companies in different countries via the GMRG IV questionnaire. The impact of forecasting is studied in terms of operational performance by designing and testing different sets of propositions that underline the three aforementioned perspectives
Exploration and exploitation within supply networks: Examining purchasing ambidexterity and its multiple performance implications
Full text linkPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce and define the concept of purchasing ambidexterity in terms of two dimensions: balance dimension and combined dimension. The study proceeds to empirically examine the multiple performance effects generated for the buying firm and its key suppliers. Design/methodology/approach: Ambidexterity theory informs the authors’ conceptual model. To test the hypotheses, the authors collected survey data from 95 purchasing functions of medium and large European firms and applied various estimation techniques. Findings: This research indicates that ambidexterity substantially varies across purchasing functions. Further, it discovers that a purchasing function’s ability to advance the combined magnitude of exploratory and exploitative activities represents an essential determinant of supplier efficiency, supplier product innovation, and buyer financial performance. Notably, this research also discovers that balancing the magnitudes of exploratory and exploitative activities on a relative basis produces negative effects on the innovativeness of the supply network. Originality/value: Although ambidexterity theory has been applied to supply chain management, limited attention has been dedicated to purchasing ambidexterity. This gap led us to study how purchasing impacts the competitiveness of the buying firm and of its supply network by balancing and combining exploratory and exploitative activities. This research is the first to advance the notion of purchasing ambidexterity, unpack its underlying dimensions, and examine its multiple performance implications. Such a conceptual and empirical development presents new perspectives on how purchasing can help the buying firm and its supply network to strengthen their competitiveness
A model for selecting the appropriate level of aggregation in forecasting processes
No full textDemand forecasting is a major issue in several industrial sectors. A relevant choice for companies is the proper level of forecast aggregation. Forecasters need to properly identify what is the object of the forecasting process, in terms of time bucket (e.g., forecasts are produced on a daily level or on weekly one), set of items the demand refers to (e.g., single item or
group of items), set of locations the demand refers to (e.g., single store or chain of stores). Managers can follow two basic approaches: on the one hand they can adopt a detailed forecasting approach, i.e., they can forecast demand for the item at the store by simply looking at the demand for the specific item/store; on the other hand they can adopt an aggregated forecasting approach.
In this paper, we aim at figuring out what is the balance between the strengths and weaknesses of these two options, and to identify the contingent variables that might lead managers to adopt one approach rather than the other. In this paper we study the aggregation across locations by evaluating the components of forecasting error under the assumption of stationary demand.
Finally, we suggest metrics that one can adopt to support the choice of the appropriate forecasting process, thus providing help to managers in defining the proper level of aggregation for a specific situation
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