Journal of Operations Management

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90004-2pmid: N/A

Krajewski, Lee

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90003-0pmid: N/A

Krajewski, Lee J.

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90002-9pmid: N/A

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90001-7pmid: N/A

Buffa, Elwood S.

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90005-4pmid: N/A

The field of Operations Management has evolved from a purely descriptive origin through the Management Science/Operations Research phase, and is now in the process of finding itself as a functional field of management. Emerging with this identity and at last founding the Journal of Operations Management, researchers need to give careful thought concerning the future directions of research. Research during the MS/OR phase made great progress, but is characterized by the development of models of problems of restricted scope, the results of which could be evaluated by a single valued criterion. The most promising future research is felt to be embodied in projects that are of broader managerial scope, reflecting relationships between subsystems and interfunctional effects. Evaluative criteria should reflect the multiple criteria realities of the managerial world. Types of research that appear to be in keeping with the new thrust of Operations Management are suggested.

Chase, Richard B.

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90006-6pmid: N/A

It is important that the first issue of a new journal devoted to research in a given subject area examine the general nature of research in the field at present, and indicate what type of research might be beneficially undertaken in the field in the future. It is also desirable for a new journal to consider the ways in which it will judge the general quality of its articles in the aggregate, relative to established journals in similar disciplines. That is, what criteria can and should be used, say five years hence to determine if the journal is a strong one? It is the purpose of this paper to consider these distinct, but interrelated questions. This will be done by classifying some recent OM research, commenting on what appear to be broad areas where more work might be done, and then suggesting some measures we might want to think about for evaluating papers published by the JOM in the future.

Mabert, Vincent A.; Showalter, Michael J.

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90007-8pmid: N/A

The check‐processing activity represents a major function in a commercial bank. If checks are quickly processed through the bank, then funds will be transferred to appropriate accounts and the bank will experience minimum float. This paper discusses the use of priority rules to maximize the dollar value of checks processed each day. A series of experiments are developed to test a set of priority rules (heuristics) under different operating conditions of check processing capacity, transit dollar levels, and branch characteristics. The results indicate that significant differences in performance are present for different rules. Also, the usefulness of some rules are dependent upon the commercial bank's operating characteristics, which has important implications for operating managers.

Collier, David A.

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90008-Xpmid: N/A

Capacity management is the planning and leveling of resources required (load) against the resources available (capacity). In this study, the lot size models used by Material Requirements Planning (MRP) had a major effect on the work center load profiles generated by Capacity Requirements Planning (CRP). Therefore, the selection of lot size models for MRP systems is an important decision for capacity management as well as materials management.

Haber, Sheldon E.; Sitgreaves, Rosedith

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90009-1pmid: N/A

A model is formulated for computing the optimal stock quantity of an item when resupply is possible but uncertain. The distinguishing feature of the model is that the optimal stock quantity calculation takes into account the cost of resupply and the probability of stock arriving by a specified mode of transport in time for issue to customers. The model is then applied to the problem of determining a preferred mode of transport for an assumed set of parameters.

Van Dierdonck, Roland; Miller, Jeffrey G.

doi: 10.1016/0272-6963(80)90010-8pmid: N/A

This paper presents a contingency model designed to explain aggregate differences in the specifications for production planning and control systems across firms. The specifications for a firm's system, stated broadly in terms of the investment in information processing systems and organizational integrativeness, are related to that firm's competitive strategy and environment. An analysis of data from a limited sample of companies, and a panel of managers, provides insights into the applicability of the concepts used in the model, and its potential usefulness.