Society of Earth Scientists Series

Kahraman C., Cebeci U., Ulukan Z.

A supplier selection decision inherently is a multi‐criterion problem. It is a decision of strategic importance to companies. The nature of this decision usually is complex and unstructured. Management science techniques might be helpful tools for these kinds of decision‐making problems. The aim of this paper is to use fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to select the best supplier firm providing the most satisfaction for the criteria determined. The purchasing managers of a white good manufacturer established in Turkey were interviewed and the most important criteria taken into account by the managers while they were selecting their supplier firms were determined by a questionnaire. The fuzzy AHP was used to compare these supplier firms.

Ruan D., Liu J., Carchon R.

A flexible and realistic linguistic assessment approach is developed to provide a mathematical tool for synthesis and evaluation analysis of nuclear safeguards indicator information. This symbolic approach, which acts by the direct computation on linguistic terms, is established based on fuzzy set theory. More specifically, a lattice‐valued linguistic algebra model, which is based on a logical algebraic structure of the lattice implication algebra, is applied to represent imprecise information and to deal with both comparable and incomparable linguistic terms (i.e. non‐ordered linguistic values). Within this framework, some weighted aggregation functions introduced by Yager are analyzed and extended to treat these kinds of lattice‐value linguistic information. The application of these linguistic aggregation operators for managing nuclear safeguards indicator information is successfully demonstrated.

Çebi F., Bayraktar D.

Competitive international business environment has forced many firms to focus on supply chain management to cope with highly increasing competition. Hence, supplier selection process has gained importance recently, since most of the firms have been spending considerable amount of their revenues on purchasing. The supplier selection problem involves conflicting multiple criteria that are tangible and intangible. Hence, the purpose of this study is to propose an integrated model for supplier selection. In order to achieve this purpose, supplier selection problem has been structured as an integrated lexicographic goal programming (LGP) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model including both quantitative and qualitative conflicting factors. The application process has been accomplished in a food company established in Istanbul, Turkey. In this study, the model building, solution and application processes of the proposed integrated model for supplier selection have been presented.

Dogan I., Sahin U.

The relationship between a supplier and a purchaser is one of the most essential issues for viability of both sides. The well‐built relationship is especially related to the healthy selection of suppliers. The changing customer preferences also make this selection process important. Many different selection approaches have been published in the purchasing literature. In these studies, the working conditions of suppliers and purchasers and selection criteria are considered constant and precise at the beginning of the selection process by the purchaser during the relationship period. However, this selection process should be considered dynamically because of the changing working conditions of supplier‐purchaser and lifecycle of the product or a project. Therefore, the relationship between suppliers and purchasers is multi‐period and the factors that affect the selection process are considered as fuzzy parameters in this study. The activity‐based costing (ABC) approach is used for selection method.

Oly Ndubisi N., Jantan M.

The current research investigates the impact of persona‐system characteristics, technical backing, and computing skill on information systems (IS) usage by Malaysian small and medium firms (SMF) using the TAM. The study hypothesizes that persona‐system characteristics (such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) and usage of systems will be greater when there is greater computing skill and strong technical backing. A total of 177 firms responded to the survey and the results show that there is a positive relationship between computing skill and technical backing on one hand and IS usage directly, and indirectly via perceived usefulness and ease of use on the other. Usage is influenced directly by usefulness and indirectly (via usefulness) by ease of use. These findings are particularly crucial to system designers and vendors targeting SMF, as well as, to information systems management in SMF. Important theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Birgün Barla S.

The role of purchasing departments has changed significantly in today's competitive environment. In order to keep the promises to customers; an effective material procurement system becomes necessary beside the improved manufacturing methods and technology. It becomes a necessity to work with the suppliers to provide quality and just in time delivery by supplying raw materials, parts and products. A purchasing department can take on both the active and effective role by applying the lean supply principles as much as possible. Single sourcing provides to easy control of procurement for achieving the lean supply objectives. In this paper, the supplier selection and evaluation for a manufacturing company is studied under lean philosophy. In order to reduce the supplier base, the supplier selection and evaluation study is conducted by multi‐attribute selection model (MSM) in five basic steps. Consequently, the selected two suppliers are proposed to top management.

Jantan M., Oly Ndubisi N., Boon Yean O.

This paper proposes a framework for evaluating the impact of e‐commerce on the roles of distributors in the semiconductor industry for four different types of products, namely differentiated products, architectural products, technological products, and complex products. Questionnaire and the purposive sampling method were used to collect data from respondents in the distribution industry. The results of the study show that the salience of the roles is increasing. In addition, there is strong likelihood of e‐commerce replacing the traditional distributors, more so for less standardized products such as complex, technological, and architectural products.

Fink D., Shoeib A.

The paper examined the nature of information technology (IT) outsourcing decision making and developed a theoretical framework consisting of five phases of decision making. The phases augmented those of Simon and consisted of intelligence, analysis and planning, strategy selection, action, and evaluation and monitoring. Australia's largest organisations and government agencies were surveyed by questionnaire to establish the importance of tasks and subtasks to be performed when completing each of the five phases. Participants possessed high experiences with IT in general and IT outsourcing in particular. When the importance of phases vis‐à‐vis each other were established, the action phase and evaluation and monitoring phase were found to be more significant than the other phases. For the action phase, which was statistically the most significant phase, the tasks of selecting an IT‐outsourcing vendor and determining a suitable IT‐outsourcing contract were dominant and strongly correlated. Findings from the study should help organisations identify and therefore better manage critical decision‐making activities during IT outsourcing particularly those related to vendors and contracts.

Weippert A., Kajewski S.L., Tilley P.A.

In an attempt to bring the unique talents of various construction industry project participants together in a more productive and integrated manner, the Online Remote Construction Management (ORCM) project commenced in July 1999 proposing to test, field trial and/or evaluate the implementation of various Internet‐based construction project management (ICPM) systems and information and communication technologies (ICT) on four case study projects over a two‐year period, aiming, in general, to demonstrate leadership in facilitating the use of online technologies for the design, management and construction of building and civil construction projects. This paper provides the final results and a list of “best practice guidelines” that are critical in helping ensure successful implementation of ICT tools and/or ICPM systems on geographically dispersed (remote) civil and building construction projects..

Kelleher G., El‐Rhalibi A., Arshad F.

A logistics‐based project is described which addresses the need for better intermodal transport, whilst balancing economic and environmental gains through the use of Internet technologies. Pipeline intermodal system to support control, expedition and scheduling (PISCES) provides an integrating platform for using these technologies in processing and sharing commercially sensitive data within transport chains (i.e. road, rail and barge). The paper demonstrates how information from an Internet‐based system can be used to drive a scheduling tool to provide appropriate routes for the transport of goods, using a multimodal transport model.

Shiels H., McIvor R., O'Reilly D.

The phenomenon of the Internet has forced businesses and organisations to examine their existing business practices and adopt new methods of working, both for existing and potential customers. This paper presents an analysis of a pilot study of 24 SMEs, which seeks to elicit the various determinants of employing ICTs and the level of sophistication of use. The paper analyses the approach used to facilitate the introduction and implementation of new technologies, with a view to achieving integration with business processes. The discussion, based on the initial findings, examines the circumstances for ICT success and strategic effects resulting from implementation and use of such technologies. A conceptual model provides a framework for determining the level of sophistication of SMEs in their exploitation of ICTs. The findings highlight that characteristics of the firm and industry sector are contributory factors to the extent of adoption and exploitation of ICTs by SMEs, to support business processes.

Tarn J.M., Razi M.A., Wen H.J., Perez A.A.

An e‐fulfillment system is designed to meet the high order volume and stringent customer service requirements of global business‐to‐consumer e‐commerce. The system converts the traditional warehouse into a multi‐channel e‐fulfillment center. In the e‐commerce environment, some of the toughest decisions must be made on little or no hard information. In this study, the nature of e‐business and the typical fulfillment process are discussed. The authors further examine the strategy and operational requirements for e‐fulfillment. This article is concluded with the implication of a successful e‐fulfillment system, a suggested design of an e‐fulfillment center, and the future research focuses.

Alshawi S., Al‐Karaghouli W.

This paper reflects on experiences when traditional IT approaches were used to design large IT systems and ended in failure. The main reflections focus on the reasons for system failure and how they relate to the diversity of knowledge, managing knowledge, and the understanding gaps that may exist between the business and the system developers. The study reveals that the understanding gaps mainly result from lack of knowledge of business operations on the developer side, matched by lack of technical appreciation and knowledge on the user side. To help address the knowledge‐gap problem, a practical approach employing soft‐systems, diagramming and set mapping techniques is proposed and described.

Wang F., Sharma R., Helian N., Jim Yip Y.

This paper explores the development of a knowledge base within the European Public Health and Environment Network (EPHEN) research group at University College London, which had a pressing need to change the way its work activities were conducted. It is intended to provide some insight to managers, group members within EPHEN, as to how this development can bring about changes to service delivery and practice that empowers service users and involves them in the process. It seeks also to identify possible difficulties that might be anticipated. Also a public Web site will be integrated into the system to promote health awareness, especially as EPHEN’s primary concern is to encourage public health in society.

Pemberton J., Buehring A., Stonehouse G., Simpson L., Purves I.

This paper charts the technological developments that have taken place within primary health care during the last 20 years, drawing upon previous research and presenting new survey findings on the current state of computerisation. The survey reveals that 96 per cent of UK practices use a clinical computer system, with repeat and acute prescribing, the collation of annual data and audits/searches being the most well used applications. The move towards the so‐called “paperless” practice is strongly related to GPs’ computing expertise, with larger practices more likely to have gone in this direction. Over half of GP practices now have access to the Internet. Improvement of computing skills appears a major determinant of successful integration of technology within a practice. There is a need to develop a social architecture and learning environment that allows GPs to provide good quality health care with clinical computer systems at its heart.