Null models of economic networks: the case of the world trade web

In all empirical-network studies, the observed properties of economic networks are informative only if compared with a well-defined null model that can quantitatively predict the behavior of such properties in constrained graphs. However, predictions of the available null-model methods can be derived analytically only under assumptions (e.g., sparseness of the network) that are unrealistic for most economic networks like the world trade web (WTW). In this paper we study the evolution of the WTW using a recently-proposed family of null network models. The method allows to analytically obtain the expected value of any network statistic across the ensemble of networks that preserve on average some local properties, and are otherwise fully random. We compare expected and observed properties of the WTW in the period 1950–2000, when either the expected number of trade partners or total country trade is kept fixed and equal to observed quantities. We show that, in the binary WTW, node-degree sequences are sufficient to explain higher-order network properties such as disassortativity and clustering-degree correlation, especially in the last part of the sample. Conversely, in the weighted WTW, the observed sequence of total country imports and exports are not sufficient to predict higher-order patterns of the WTW. We discuss some important implications of these findings for international-trade models.     

Caught in the web: the dual nature of networks and its consequences

Relations between a firm and organizations in its political and economic environment are increasingly seen as crucial for the successful functioning of that firm, both in the narrow economic sense, and at the broader level of reaching sustainability. However, attention seems to be focused on the positive qualities of such networks of organizations. In this paper it is argued that networks of organizations have a dual nature, and do not just provide possibilities for collective learning and problem solving. At the same time, such networks consist of dependency relations that provoke power strategies, which result in outcomes reflecting the distribution of power rather than leading to an optimal result. By means of a case study, this dual nature is explored. It is shown that the actors involved in the process of developing an alternative to the disposable milk carton in the Netherlands are embedded in dependency relations. Several of these actors attempt to create problem solving networks, and succeed. However, the already existing dependency relations between the actors involved influence the direction, outcome, and timing within these networks. Using criteria for network performance, this dual nature of networks is assessed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

International best practice,quality management anf high performance: inferences from the Australian automotive sector

The adoption of international ‘best practice’ (IBP) has been presented widely as a strategy for organizations to improve productivity and competitiveness. The most prominent best practices include total quality management, continuous improvement programmes and just-in-time (JIT) production. Two key measures of competitiveness are quality and efficiency, and we examine those IBPs that lead to high levels of quality and efficiency in the Australian automotive industry. Our findings are based on a survey of the Australian automotive industry, and they suggest that the successful implementation of JIT and continuous improvement programmes can influence efficiency; this corresponds with recent discussions of IBP. However, our analyses also indicate that certain areas of human resource management, such as performance appraisals, performance-related pay, welfare schemes and testing during selection, can have an important influence on efficiency and quality and should also be considered as important forms of best practice.     

Lean production and supplier relations: a survey of practices in the Aragonese automotive industry

This paper analyzes the main results of a survey to 28 automotive suppliers in the Spanish region of Aragón. It has been found in a regression analysis that the rotation of tasks and teamworking are positively correlated with the training and the use of modular components. Nearly half of the companies cooperate with customers, suppliers, and technological centers to improve their production processes but only two companies cooperate with their customers in component development and design which indicates an underinvolvement of the surveyed companies with the automotive manufacturers. The companies are much more integrated with the automakers in the delivery process, since more than half of the companies have daily deliveries and directly to the assembly line of the automaker.     

On the emergence of scale-free production networks

We propose a simple dynamical model for the formation of production networks among monopolistically competitive firms. The model subsumes the standard general equilibrium approach à la Arrow–Debreu but displays a wide set of potential dynamic behaviors. It robustly reproduces key stylized facts of firms׳ demographics. Our main result is that competition between intermediate good producers generically leads to the emergence of scale-free production networks.     

Knowledge integration via the fusion of the data models used in automotive production systems

ABSTRACT

In this paper a novel information model that can be used in Manufacturing Execution Systems is presented. The model is based on the fusion of ISA95, AML and OPC UA. ISA95 is used to define, unify and describe the details of a product and production technology. It also enables communication with ERP systems. The AML standard allows information about the production facilities to be presented. The OPC UA address space represents different parts of an information model while the OPC communication protocol enables it to be linked to actual production systems. The proposed concept is illustrated using an actual example of a production line for electronic devices.     

应对全球汽车市场竞争的思考

１国内汽车企业参与全球市场竞争是形势的需要随着我国加入WTO，汽车关税的下降将打破世界汽车市场进入我国的限制。国外汽车企业的大量涌入，将使国内市场竞争环境发生巨大的变化，国内汽车企业将直接参与全球性的市场竞争。因此，提高企业质量经营绩效成为国内汽车企业参与全球市场竞争必须解决的重要问题，而提高企业国际竞争能力则是企业实现质量经营绩效的基础。所谓企业国际竞争能力，是指企业目前和未来在国际竞争环境中以比国内外的竞争者具有更有吸引力的价格、质量和服务进行设计、生产、销售的提供能力。显然，企业国际竞争能…     

Many roads to flexibility: how large firms built autarchic regional production systems in France

This article discusses the adjustment of large firms in France, in particular how they regionalized their production structures in the 1980s. Throughout the ‘Golden Age’, large firms had geographically reorganized their activities: strategic planning remained in Paris, while the actual production was decentralized into the provinces, primarily to address cost and labour conflict issues. When the large firms faced a profitability crisis in the 1980s, and the traditional state‐financed way out of the problems was no longer available, they saw in these proto‐regional production systems a chance to become more competitive. They relied on the decentralization policies of the governments in the 1980s, and used the second‐order effects of the new policies as a means to modernize their own operations. L'article examine l'adaptation des grandes entreprises françaises, notamment la régionalisation de leurs structures de production dans les années 1980. Durant ‘l'Age d'Or’, les grosses entreprises avaient réorganisé géographiquement leurs activités: la planification stratégique restait à Paris, tandis que la production réelle se décentralisait en province, principalement pour résoudre des problémes de couûts et de conflits sociaux. Lorsque ces grandes entreprises se heurtèrent à la crise de rentabilité des années 1980, alors que la solution traditionnelle de financement étatique n'existait plus, elles virent dans ces systèmes de production proto‐régionaux une chance d'améliorer leur compétitivité. Elles s'appuyèrent donc sur les politiques de décentralisation des gouvernements de l'époque, profitant des effets secondaires de ces initiatives pour moderniser leur propre fonctionnement.     

The best of both worlds: how rural entrepreneurs use placial embeddedness and strategic networks to create opportunities

Entrepreneurial activities are strongly influenced by the context in which they occur. It is therefore imperative to understand how different contexts enable entrepreneurs to create opportunities. In this paper, we focus on the spatial context of rural entrepreneurs and explore how the rural context impacts on their opportunity creation. Based on a multiple case study, we find that rural entrepreneurs mix what we refer to as placial embeddedness – an intimate knowledge of and concern for the place – with strategically built non-local networks, i.e. the best of two worlds. Notably, the entrepreneurs seek to exhaust the localized resource base before seeking out non-local resources. Our findings thus contribute to our understanding of entrepreneurship in context and challenge future research to explore how different forms of contexts are bridged in different settings to create varieties of entrepreneurial activities.     

Product waste in the automotive industry: Technology and environmental management

In this article the changes in technology and industry structure forced by waste management in the automotive industry are explored. The analysis is based on (1) a characterisation of corporate response to environmental issues, and (2) the management of technology applied to the car manufacturing industry. It is argued that a more elaborate view of company reactions to governmental regulation of environmental issues has developed in recent years. Companies respond with pro-active strategies. Because of this active attitude environmental concerns influence other aspects of company policy, such as the management of technology. New strategies emerge which are not only a response to environmental problems, but might also influence the industrial structure for the future. The analysis is not only relevant for the automotive industry, but for other manufacturing industries as well. Government action puts waste management issues on the agenda of an increasing number of manufacturing firms that have to develop solutions for these in close cooperation with their suppliers and customers.     

Organisation vs. culture: Japanese automotive transplants in the US

It has long been argued that the Japanese production organization is culture-bound and therefore not transferable to other countries. This article examines seven major Japanese automobile assembly plants and over 270 Japanese automotive parts suppliers in the US. The successful transfer of Japanese work and production organization in these ‘transplants’ suggests that Japanese production practices are organizational forms which can be uncoupled from Japanese culture and transferred to other countries.     

Making sustainable sourcing decisions: practical evidence from the automotive industry

Achieving environmental and sustainable performance within an organisation’s supply chain and manufacturing operations will be feasible if upstream supply partners have the same commitments in performing their operations in a sustainable manner. Given the debate above, we propose a comprehensive framework to address the sustainable supplier selection and order allocation (SSS&OA) problem. The framework developed is practical, that starts by using an audition check-list specific for each sustainability dimension (environmental, economic and social), from which the weighted values of its comprised criteria are obtained. The weighted scores of the selected sustainable suppliers are utilised by a proposed bi-objective order allocation model in order to make sourcing decisions. The strength of the proposed framework is its practical applicability to provide a solution for SSS&OA problems which is validated through a real-world application. Finally, research findings, theoretical and managerial insights and also directions for additional research are presented.     

Working capital management in the automotive industry: Financial value chain analysis

Financial value chain analysis is used to examine working capital management by cycle times in the value chain of the automotive industry during 2006–2008. The applied method offers a holistic view of the value chain from raw materials to the end customers. The average cash conversion cycle of the value chain of the automotive industry was 67 days. According to the study, the change of cycle times of working capital followed mainly the change of cycle time of inventories. The position of the stages of the value chain measured by the cash conversion cycle did not change substantially from 2006 to 2008.     

Keeping the family together: Sustainability and modularity in community source development

Community-based open source software development (“community source”) is an approach that leverages selected strengths of both the commercial and open source software development. The community source approach centers on the formation of formal communities among institutions based on principles of shared investment and collaborative action to achieve mutually-desired goals. However, as with ordinary open source projects, sustainability can be a significant challenge as development communities grow and evolve. In the present study, we explore the opportunities and challenges to the community source approach through a longitudinal study of a real world community source project, Kuali. Specifically, we apply the principles of modular systems design and design structure matrix modeling to achieve an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms for sustainability in collaborative systems development. In so doing, we introduce a quantitative measure of architectural modularity within an inter-organizational structure. A number of implications are presented for the conduct of research on community source development as well as the design of collaborative communities more broadly defined.     

Indigenous innovators: the role of web marketing for cultural micro-enterprises

• The Indigenous cultural sector is a dynamic and highly valuable to the Australian economy, returning an estimated $100 million annually. The majority of Indigenous cultural producers are micro-enterprises—businesses consisting of fewer than five employees. Many of these struggle to market their products, some from extremely remote and isolated locations; others with few resources in urban areas.
• This paper initially approaches a conceptual orientation to Web marketing as a potential signifier of innovation and entrepreneurship. The paper draws on previous literature and a current exploratory study of Indigenous Cultural Micro-Enterprises (ICMEs), focussing on two case studies for deeper analysis. The two exemplary cases outlined are Maningrida Arts Centre, and the performing arts organisation Kooemba Jdarra. Specifically, their innovative use of recent technology (multimedia websites) will be assessed to answer the question: What are the attributes of effective ICME Web marketing?

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multilevel marketing: optimizing marketing effectiveness for high-involvement goods in the automotive industry

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - With a surge in communication channels increasing the complexity of today’s media landscape, companies face new challenges concerning...