Strengthening the Empirical Base of Operations Management

Isuggest that the prospering fields of physics, medicine, and finance illustrate the value of a strong empirical dimension to research that is well integrated with theoretical research. I use empirical research in these fields to formulate a framework for classifying empirical research and illustrate that framework with a few selected examples in operations management. I offer some advice on data sources and approaches to conducting empirical research and suggest ways strengthening empirical research in operations management. This is obviously a partial treatment of a large subject and represents my personal point of view. This paper should encourage comments by others to further develop the topic and to offer alternative points of view.

[1]  Gary D. Scudder,et al.  Performance Improvement Paths in the U.S. Airline Industry:Linking Trade‐offs to Asset Frontiers , 2004 .

[2]  Luk N. Van Wassenhove,et al.  Creating and Transferring Knowledge for Productivity Improvement in Factories , 2001, Manag. Sci..

[3]  Hartmut Bossel,et al.  Modeling and simulation , 1994 .

[4]  Kannan Srinivasan,et al.  New product development structures and time-to-market , 1997 .

[5]  Teck-Hua Ho,et al.  An Empirical Analysis of Forecast Sharing in the Semiconductor Equipment Supply Chain , 2005 .

[6]  Taylor Randall,et al.  In Search of the Bullwhip Effect , 2007, Manuf. Serv. Oper. Manag..

[7]  Ananth Raman,et al.  Store Manager Incentive Design and Retail Performance: An Exploratory Investigation , 2007, Manuf. Serv. Oper. Manag..

[8]  K. Eisenhardt.  Building theories from case study research , 1989, STUDI ORGANIZZATIVI.

[9]  Rohit Verma,et al.  Empirical Research Published in Production and Operations Management (1992–2005): Trends and Future Research Directions , 2006 .

[10]  John Paul Macduffie.  Beyond mass production--flexible production systems and manufacturing performance in thw world auto industry , 1991 .

[11]  G. Pisano,et al.  MANUFACTURING STRATEGY: AT THE INTERSECTION OF TWO PARADIGM SHIFTS , 1996 .

[12]  D. Sterman,et al.  Misperceptions of Feedback in a Dynamic Decision Making Experiment , 1989 .

[13]  Steven C. Wheelwright,et al.  Massachusetts General Hospital: CABG Surgery (A) , 1995 .

[14]  S. Ross.  Quality Control under Markovian Deterioration , 1971 .

[15]  William C. Jordan,et al.  Principles on the benefits of manufacturing process flexibility , 1995 .

[16]  Ananth Raman,et al.  Inventory Record Inaccuracy: An Empirical Analysis , 2008, Manag. Sci..

[17]  M. Iansiti,et al.  Firm Asymmetries and Sequential R&D: Theory and Evidence from the Mainframe Computer Industry , 1997 .

[18]  Rick Yan.  SHORT-TERM RESULTS: THE LITMUS TEST FOR SUCCESS IN CHINA , 1998 .

[19]  Marshall L. Fisher,et al.  Optimal Solution of Vehicle Routing Problems Using Minimum K-Trees , 1994, Oper. Res..

[20]  Kevin B. Hendricks,et al.  The effect of supply chain glitches on shareholder wealth , 2003 .

[21]  Marshall L. Fisher,et al.  An Econometric Analysis of Inventory Turnover Performance in Retail Services , 2005, Manag. Sci..

[22]  R. Yin.  Case Study Research: Design and Methods , 1984 .

[23]  C. C. Holt,et al.  A Linear Decision Rule for Production and Employment Scheduling , 1955 .

[24]  R. L. Collins,et al.  A Minimal Technology Routing System for Meals on Wheels , 1983 .

[25]  John Paul Macduffie,et al.  Product variety and manufacturing performance: evidence from the international automotive assembly plant study , 1996 .

[26]  K. B. Hendricks,et al.  Delays in new product introductions and the market value of the firm: the consequences of being late to the market , 1997 .

[27]  E. H. Bowman.  Consistency and Optimality in Managerial Decision Making , 1963 .

[28]  Christopher A. Voss,et al.  Case research in operations management , 2002 .

[29]  M. Porter.  What is strategy , 2000 .

[30]  Gérard P. Cachon,et al.  Decision Bias in the Newsvendor Problem with a Known Demand Distribution: Experimental Evidence.: Experimental Evidence. , 2000 .

[31]  Kim B. Clark,et al.  COMPETING THROUGH MANUFACTURING AND THE NEW MANUFACTURING PARADIGM: IS MANUFACTURING STRATEGY PASSE? , 1996 .

[32]  Charles H. Fine,et al.  Time Versus Market Orientation in Product Concept Development: Empirically-Based Theory Generation , 1997 .

[33]  Karl T. Ulrich,et al.  Component Sharing in the Management of Product Variety: a Study of Automotive Braking Systems , 1999 .

[34]  Karen Donohue,et al.  Special Issue: Experimental Economics in Practice: Experimental Economics and Supply-Chain Management , 2002, Interfaces.

[35]  Karl T. Ulrich,et al.  Assessing the Importance of Design Through Product Archaeology , 1998 .

[36]  Anita L. Tucker.  The impact of operational failures on hospital nurses and their patients , 2004 .

[37]  Gérard P. Cachon,et al.  Contracting to Assure Supply: How to Share Demand Forecasts in a Supply Chain , 2001, Manag. Sci..

[38]  Ken Bowen,et al.  Operational Research and Systems: The Systemic Nature of Operational Research , 2013 .

[39]  J. Bertrand,et al.  Operations management research methodologies using quantitative modeling , 2002 .

[40]  N. Repenning,et al.  Unanticipated side effects of successful quality programs: exploring a paradox of organizational improvement , 1997 .

[41]  Marshall L. Fisher,et al.  Managing Variety for Assembled Products: Modeling Component Systems Sharing , 2003, Manuf. Serv. Oper. Manag..

[42]  John Paul MacDuffie,et al.  The Road to Root Cause: Shop-Floor Problem-Solving at Three Auto Assembly Plants , 1997 .

[43]  Luk N. Van Wassenhove,et al.  Knowledge Driven Quality Improvement , 1998 .

[44]  A. Meyer,et al.  Lasting Improvements in Manufacturing Performance: In Search of a New Theory , 1990 .

[45]  Hau L. Lee,et al.  Information distortion in a supply chain: the bullwhip effect , 1997 .

[46]  Taylor Randall,et al.  Product Variety, Supply Chain Structure, and Firm Performance: Analysis of the U.S. Bicycle Industry , 2001, Manag. Sci..