Lean Law

Operations management in service industries is receiving an increasing amount of attention from management researchers Harvey (1989). Previous OM research has defined the PSOM as a generic service type with high levels of customer contact/service customization and fluid/flexible processes with low capital/high labour intensity (Schmenner, 1986, 2004; Chase and Apte 2006; Lewis and Brown 2011). However, published research in this field deals rather cursorily with sector specific cases, such as legal and financial sectors: professional service organisations (PSOs) and less so from a resource based view (RBV) (Lockett, Wright, and O'Shea, 2008). Yet, SOM and PSOM deserve more attention

Splitting hybrid Make-To-Order and Make-To-Stock demand profiles

In this paper a demand time series is analysed to support Make-To-Stock (MTS) and Make-To-Order (MTO) production decisions. Using a purely MTS production strategy based on the given demand can lead to unnecessarily high inventory levels thus it is necessary to identify likely MTO episodes. This research proposes a novel outlier detection algorithm based on special density measures. We divide the time series' histogram into three clusters. One with frequent-low volume covers MTS items whilst a second accounts for high volumes which is dedicated to MTO items. The third cluster resides between the previous two with its elements being assigned to either the MTO or MTS class. The algorithm can be applied to a variety of time series such as stationary and non-stationary ones. We use empirical data from manufacturing to study the extent of inventory savings. The percentage of MTO items is reflected in the inventory savings which were shown to be an average of 18.1%.Comment: demand analysis; time series; outlier detection; production strategy; Make-To-Order(MTO); Make-To-Stock(MTS); 15 pages, 9 figure

Digital and Analogue interactions:Process Chain Networks for the Design of Service Processes

Publisher PD

Professional Service Operations: the case for Service Modularity with a Legal Partnership

NoOperations management theory suggests that professional services firms (PSFs) have some distinct operational challenges. The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of professional service operations management (PSOM) thinking within a legal partnership. With the impact of deregulation there is an emerging consensus that legal services is changing, due to the socio-economic and political climates in which they operate. The purpose of this paper is to trace the value-add through the legal profession and examine how PSOM practice can be applied within a legal practice in order to create a leaner thinking. The case study analysis suggests a potential methodological mismatch between the core theoretical frameworks, exploring features of effectiveness and efficiency across legal disciplines. This paper makes a contribution through a reflection of PSOM thinking in law

Uncovering progress of health information management practices: evidence from Kuwait’s public health care system

Background: The burden of chronic non-communicable diseases is a challenge for many countries that provide universal health coverage and is necessitating healthcare reform. Health information technology (IT) solutions can aid healthcare reform efforts. However, without proper information management, these efforts are futile. In this study, we examine Kuwait as a case of a high per-capita GDP country that faces information management challenges to draw insights that can be generalised to other developed countries. Objectives: This study aims to: (i) uncover the status quo of information management practices in public organisations providing secondary and tertiary care through comparing their progress in compliance with the information management standards across the years; and (ii) offer recommendations to improve information management practices. Method: This study analyses qualitative and quantitative accreditation-related data pertaining to compliance with the information management standard at all secondary and tertiary care public hospitals over two accreditation cycles. Results: Overall, public hospitals are making positive progress in their compliance with the information management standard. However, issues exist with (i) effectively and efficiently transmitting data; (ii) developing and implementing an information management plan; (iii) involving the appropriate stakeholders in selecting health IT solutions; and (iv) access to the Internet by staff and patients. Conclusion: The evidence underscores the benefits of complying with predetermined criteria and illustrates the overall improvements in information management practices. Without proper management of information at healthcare facilities, achieving safe and effective patient care is futile. The absence or lack of appropriate management of information can jeopardise patient safety through wrong prescriptions for example. The role of health IT in supporting good quality care and healthcare reform efforts cannot be ignored or sidelined any more in modern healthcare delivery. Implications: With the rapid adoption of digital health systems, the role of health information management leaders should not be undervalued. Embracing health IT solutions with strong information management practices can aid healthcare reform efforts

Curriculum Development on Healthcare Information Systems, Healthcare Supply Chain Management and Healthcare Operations Management

This paper presents the foundation for curriculum amendment in the College of Business at Eastern Michigan University to prepare our students for the tremendous job opportunities that are presently available in the healthcare arena. Specifically, this curriculum change incorporates three major areas in healthcare management: Healthcare Information Systems, Healthcare Supply Chain and Healthcare Operations Management. In order to properly chart the changes in the curriculum, research is presented that defines and discusses these components for suitable curriculum building that will enable graduates to effectively perform in the healthcare industry. Additionally, presented in this paper are the detailed objectives and teaching pedagogy of a special topics graduate course in Healthcare Operations Management that recently has been developed at Eastern Michigan University

Laughter at Last: Playfulness and laughter in interaction

Conversation analysis is used to examine a collection of sequences involving playful turns that are not immediately explicitly framed as laughable through laughter. Rather, laughter by the same speaker occurs after or in overlap with the recipient's response. Elements of the turns contribute to their playfulness, such as using exaggerated, formal and colloquial language. However, they are ambivalent in that they also do serious work. Many are first pair parts such as questions. Sacks (1992, p. 627) pointed out that non-serious first pair parts can be responded to with laughter, and thus not treated as having the sequential implications they might otherwise have. But in this collection responses align with serious sequential implications while sometimes simultaneously acknowledging and contributing to their playfulness. Laughter following or in overlap with the response then explicitly frames first turns (and, to an extent, the pair) as playful. However, its role in aligning with the just prior turn is often ambiguous, raising questions about the relationship of turns in this sequence. In general the analysis supports consideration of how playfulness is constructed and responded to in talk and of a technical understanding of the phenomenon

Profession Service Operations: the case for Service Modularity with a Legal Partnership

The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of ‘service modularity’ through the legal profession. There is a developing consensus that professional work is changing in the socio-economic and political climates in which service professionals operate (Harvey 1990, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to trace the value-add through the legal profession and examine how service modularity can be applied within a legal practice in order to create a theoretical framework for service modularity. The paper contributes to diversity of service modularity within eight UK legal service disciplines from the perspective of facilitating the knowing-doing gap, bridging the gap within the Von Nordenflycht (2010) taxonomy of professional services as characterized as high knowledge intensity, with low capital intensity

International benchmarking of tertiary trauma centers: productivity and throughput approach

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Care process in tertiary trauma centers consists of a chain of care phases in different departments from the emergency department (ED) to post-operative rehabilitation. The historical evolution of healthcare systems and organizations has led to variations in trauma patient processes in different countries. The present study is aimed at revealing differences in the throughput and productivity of trauma patient processes between German (UKB) and Finnish (HUS) tertiary trauma centers. Problems related to the comparison of different healthcare systems were also identified. The share of patients discharged was used as a control measure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The biggest differences between the hospitals were found in the use of resources in the ED and in post-operative care. Despite problems in defining comparable patients and resources, ED productivity was significantly higher in UKB. Post-operative care was, on average, 41% shorter in HUS. However, the share of patients discharged was significantly higher in UKB (96.5% vs. 68.9%). Differences were also found in the pre-operative length of stay of patients with proximal femoral fractures (UKB: 0.97 days, HUS: 1.57 days). The productivity of the operating unit was quite similar in the hospitals. In terms of ED mortality, no statistically significant differences were found.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of the present study showed significant differences in the use of resources and throughput times in trauma patient processes between Finnish and German hospitals. However, due to system-level differences between German and Finnish healthcare, the results cannot be directly transformed into development proposals for the organizations. On the other hand, in spite of certain differences regarding the healthcare systems, the demographic data of the trauma patients and medical procedures are comparable. Based on the present study, the ED process of severe trauma, pre-operative care, and operating unit processes were the most comparable parts of trauma care between the hospitals. The study also showed that the international benchmarking approach could be used to reveal bottlenecks in system-level policies and practices.</p

Professional service operations management: the case for leaner law

This paper examines lean thinking within legal service network (client, solicitors, barristers, external parties, and judiciary) in order to develop a theoretical framework for Leaner Law. Resource Based View (RBV) is used as the core theoretical framework to address leanness in the eight UK legal service disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to trace the value add through the legal profession