DEVELOPING AND MEASURING SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS

To investigate the construct of Supply Chain Management and its antecedent construct of a Supply Chain Orientation, reliable, valid scales of each are needed. In this study, we developed measurement scales for a supply chain orientation (SCO) and supply chain management (SCM). Validity and reliability of the developed scales were established and the relationship between a SCO, SCM, and business performance was also established, providing evidence of nomological validity. The implications of these findings for managers and researchers are discussed.     

Supply Chain Management: Unheard of in the 1970s,core to today's company

Although the Supply Chain Management (SCM) concept was born at the beginning of the 1980s, research in the field was almost non-existent until the mid-1990s. Since then, the growth of SCM research has been exponential. Currently, SCM is making the change from being an emerging research field to becoming a consolidated one. The aim of this paper is to analyse the way SCM has developed from its origins and to determine whether its present development corresponds to the needs that companies are experiencing. This article provides a frame of reference for SCM research, which is essential for the definitive consolidation of a fledgling field such as this. It also allows any possible gap between SCM research and practice to be minimised.     

服务链概念、模型及其应用

对服务链的特点、分类、模型以及服务链与供应链、客户链和需求链之间的关系作了全面和深入 的分析与研究。指出服务链是解决企业为消费者提供全方位、全过程、全时间服务问题的最有效方法。 以汽车消费服务为例,对服务链的应用作了阐述。     

Perceived Product Benefits and the Project Management Performance: The Role of the Perceived Supplier Ranking

The aim of this article is to understand customers’ perceptions regarding the project management performance and the perceived benefits if the customers perceived the supplier to be the best or the second-best systems delivery project supplier. This research investigates 2,191 system delivery projects in the facilities management industry. Exploratory factor analysis was employed on the project management variables. The testing of the hypotheses was done with partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS. The findings show a significant relationship between the commissioning and the perceived benefits, independent of whether the company was perceived to be best or second best in the industry. The proposal stage was perceived to be significantly related to perceived benefits provided by the outcome of the project (the product) when the company was the second-best supplier. Inherent structure in systems delivery projects included three phases, consisting of the proposal, installation, and commissioning. Also, the perceived project management performance in the commissioning stage was significantly related to the perceived benefits provided by the outcome of the project (the product) when the supplier was perceived to be the best and the second best in the industry. Contrary to expectations, this was not the case with all project management phases.     

The Effect of New Product Announcements and Preannouncements on Stock Price

Previous event studies which deal with new products do notdistinguish between preannouncements (made in advance of a new productintroduction into the marketplace) and new product announcements (made closeto the time when the new product is introduced). Methodologically, eventstudies implicitly assume that information is homogeneous; that is, they donot consider the amount of information contained in the news release or thetype (e.g., whether detailed or not). This paper argues that new productevent studies should distinguish between announcements and preannouncementsbecause both types of information release events (IRE) are strategicallydistinct and convey different information signals to the marketplace.Methodologically, event studies should allow for informationalheterogeneity. We analyze a large sample of IREs from the 1980–1989period for firms whose stock is publicly traded, distinguishing betweenpreannouncements and announcements. We use content analysis to classify IREsaccording to the type and amount of information provided. The results showthat it is incorrect to jointly analyze announcements and preannouncements.On average, only preannouncements have a significant positive effect onstock prices. However, the signaling effect of preannouncements on stockprice is industry-specific. In particular, the results support Klein andLefflers theory (1981) that preannouncements in the manufacturing industryare effective strategic tools. We also investigate the impact of IREs onthe market risk (i.e., the risk that stockholders cannot diversify away) ofthe announcing and preannouncing firms. The results show that firm-specificand informational variables do not have any effect on market risk,regardless of the type of IRE (i.e., announcement or preannouncement).     

Point of adoption and beyond. Initial trust and mobile-payment continuation intention

Initial trust represents the trust that develops upon first use of a product. It is built on the basis of the net effect of factors that stimulate as well as inhibit it. Future transactions require less consumer effort after initial-trust formation. Despite being recognized as an important factor affecting the adoption of innovations, initial trust has been not been greatly explored by prior scholars. The present study remedies this gap by invoking the information systems success (ISS) model, transaction cost economics (TCE) theory, and the IT continuance model to propose a two-step framework that includes the antecedents of a pre-adoption factor, such as initial trust, and post-adoption factors, such as confirmation, perceived usefulness, satisfaction, and continuation intention toward mobile-based payments. Cross-sectional data of 954 first-time mobile-wallet users are analyzed to test the framework. The study findings suggest that information and service quality positively influence initial trust, which, in turn, has a positive association with confirmation and perceived usefulness. Results also reveal a positive relationship between perceived usefulness and continuation intention. These results pave the way for making useful recommendations for future researchers. The study also discusses various inferences that can improve managerial efficacy in promoting the use of mobile-based payment methods.     

Investigating the importance and cognitive satisfaction attributes of service quality in restaurant business - a case study of TASTy steakhouse in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

In this research, we proposed an effective approach to investigate the importance and satisfaction attributes of service quality of a restaurant business. For understanding the gaps of service quality cognition between consumers and servers, our work can be used as a reference for helping restaurants improve their service quality and reuse their resources effectively. We applied DINESERV scales and five-point Likert scales as quantitative research tools. The Kano model, customer satisfaction index, regression analysis, improvement effort index, and importance-performance analysis (IPA) were applied as measurement tools to examine the importance of various service attributes. Our approach was implemented in a famous restaurant in Taiwan: TASTy Steakhouse. The relative priority of service quality attributes for improving this chain restaurant and its competitiveness are ranked and discussed.     

基于SDN和MEC的5G VANET架构及其性能分析

为了在大规模的车载自组织网络（Vehicular Ad-hoc Network,VANET）中提供灵活的网络管理、控制和提高资源利用率,结合软件定义网络（Software Defined Network,SDN）、云无线接入网络（Cloud Radio Access Network,C-RAN）和移动边缘计算（Mobile Edge Computing,MEC）,提出了一种分层的5G VANET架构（5G MEC VANET）,能够支持智能交通系统各种功能和应用的动态特性,同时降低网络管理成本。此外,位于网络边缘的MEC框架避免了车辆与路边基站的频繁交互,减少了数据传播延时。仿真结果表明,与传统VANET和5G VANET架构相比,所提出的架构降低了传播时延,提高了网络带宽吞吐量,同时减少了控制器开销。     

LDPC码在非相干BFSK系统中的性能分析

通过理论分析和计算机仿真研究了LDPC码在非相干BFSK系统中的性能。首先证明单 输入双输出的非相干BFSK系统满足信道对称条件,然后分别利用离散密度进化（DDE）和高 斯近似（GA）算法给出了LDPC码的性能下界,后者与前者相比性能非常接近而且计算量要小 很多。通过仿真得到几种常用LDPC码的性能并与译码门限以及香农极限进行了比较,在相同 码长条件下,度参数为(3,6)的码字具有最优的性能,并且其译码门限距离香农极限只有 约0.67 dB。     

Factors affecting the breadth and depth of e-procurement use in small and medium enterprises

Organizations differ in the range of e-procurement functionalities they use (breadth of use) and in how much they rely on e-procurement (depth of use). Nonetheless, factors affecting the breadth and the depth of e-procurement use have never been studied in a single context. Therefore, it is unclear whether the differences between the effects discovered in past studies are due to the difference between the breadth and the depth of use, or to the difference between contexts. We test the effects of factors potentially affecting the breadth and the depth of e-procurement use in a single context, using data from 151 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector in New Zealand. The results indicate that the breadth and the depth of use of e-procurement in business organizations are influenced by different factors. Perceived relative advantage of using e-procurement, plus external pressure from suppliers and competitors to use e-procurement, result in the use of a broader range of e-procurement functionalities – in a greater breadth of e-procurement use. However, the extent of an organization’s reliance on e-procurement in organizational purchasing (i.e., depth of e-procurement use) is driven by compatibility of e-procurement with organizational values, practices, technology infrastructure, and strategy. Arguing that in order to benefit fully from e-procurement, an organization needs to integrate it deeply into its operations, we conclude that managers evaluating new e-procurement technologies should consider their compatibility with organizational norms and practices.     

Outsourcing of Information Systems Functions in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: A Test of a Multi-Theoretical Model

In this paper determinants of information systems (IS) outsourcing are deduced from transaction cost economic theory, resource-based theory and power theory. They are summarized in a theoretical framework which is tested using a sample of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. The results show that internal performance and know-how deficits vis-à-vis external service providers are key determinants that explain why different IS functions are outsourced to varying degrees in SMEs. Moreover, the determinants of IS functions were found to partially differ between IS functions. Revised reprint of an article from WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK 43(4)2001:339–350.

The impact of service quality and marketing on financial performance in the hospital industry: an empirical examination

Service quality and service marketing have both been studied extensively in relation to service organizations. In this paper we examine these areas simultaneously in terms of their impact on financial performance in the hospital industry. Drawing from the literature in the quality and service marketing areas, the area of service quality is represented in terms of the constructs of quality context and quality outcomes. Quality context (QC) describes the environment related to quality practices within a hospital which generally encourages and enhances service quality while quality outcomes (QO) comprises of specific clinical and patient satisfaction outcomes of the hospital. The area of marketing is represented in terms of the constructs of marketing orientation and market/product development outcomes. Market orientation (MO) is a well accepted, albeit complex, construct within the marketing literature. Generally, market orientation can be thought of as the process of effectively collecting, disseminating, and responding to information in order to enhance the marketing function within the hospital. Such information generally relates to market trends, customers, and competitors. Market/product development outcomes (MPD) refer to specific outcomes in relation to product innovation and market segmentation that are general indicators of the marketing effectiveness of the hospital. Although the evidence in the literature suggests that both service quality and marketing are independently related to organizational performance, the precise nature of the relationships among the variables described above is not clearly understood.Based on theoretical considerations, we propose a framework linking the above-mentioned constructs to the financial performance (FP) of an organization. Since QC and MO are theorized to be multidimensional constructs we use the technique of structural equations modeling (SEM) to test the model. Data were collected for the study from hospitals in a five-state region in the US. The results show that the constructs related to both service quality and marketing impact on financial performance. However, the results do not support the proposed framework of relationships. Instead, the results support a sequential chain of relationships among the constructs where MO mediates the effect of QC on QO, and MPD mediates the effect of QO on FP. Implications of these results for the hospital industry as well as for future research in the area are offered.