Supply Chain Management: een overzicht

De laatste jaren wordt voor het managen van het netwerk van bedrijven die betrokken zijn bij het tot stand komen van producten of diensten het woord Supply Chain Management, ook wel SCM, gebruikt. SCM wordt als term vooral in grote industrieën gebruikt. Bijna ieder bedrijf heeft echter een toelevernetwerk dat veel partijen kent, zeker als je de laag van “het netwerk achter het netwerk” mee beschouwt en de netwerklagen daar weer achter. Al die lagen in dat netwerk kunnen helpen het verschil te maken, in positieve of negatieve zin. De term SCM kwam op in de late jaren negentig, maar het probleem van het managen van het hele netwerk dat bijdraagt aan het tot stand komen van producten of diensten is natuurlijk veel ouder. Bouwers van VOC schepen hadden een uitgebreid leveranciersnetwerk uit vele landen waarbij bomen speciaal in het juiste model werden gegroeid voor de verschillende spanten. In de literatuur wordt vaak gesteld dat in de jonge auto-industrie voor het eerst moeilijke SCM problematiek ontstond

Explaining stranded diffusion by combining the user-IT-success factors (USIT) and adopter categories:the case of Electronic prescription systems for general practitioners

Although diffusion of new IT in healthcare does not seem to level of, successes are reported frequently. Many of these successful cases experience enthusiastic use of the innovation by a limited group of physicians or other users. This paper explains stranded diffusion by differentiating the match between user and IT s' to adopter categories (the User-IT-match or USIT-model). This match is described by the (sub)- dimensions of affection/resistance, relevance, requirements and resources. Once the sub-dimensions are determined for all adopter groups, it might become clear that different sub-dimensions play a role for every adopter group, and thus in every successive stage of the diffusion process. The diffusion process strands if there is no match with the sub-dimensions that play a role for the adopter category that was to adopt the innovation in that stage. A total of 56-case-studies on the diffusion of an Electronic Prescription System (EPS) for general practitioners in the Netherlands was used to test the explanatory power of these factors. We conclude that USIT is of high value to determine adopter-category specific diffusion problems, and thus to understand stranding diffusion. The relevance-factor has the biggest impact within USIT. The paper includes discussion of the limits of the model and suggestions for elaboration. The paper discusses diffusion problems that are specific for this EPS

The relevance of telehealth across the digital divided the transfer of knowledge over distance

This paper explores the concept of Relevance as an explanatory factor to the diffusion of ITuse, or, in this paper particularly, the use of Telehealth. Relevance is the net value of performance expectancy and effort expectancy and contains both micro-relevance (i.e. here-and-now) and macro-relevance (i.e. actual goals) Following the case-study approach, two Telehealth situations were studied in Rwanda and The Netherlands. In the comparison, two more existing studies in Canada and Tanzania were included. The conclusion is that Relevance is the explanatory factor, whereas particularly micro-relevance is crucial. Without the micro-relevant occasions that initiate use, there will be no use on longer term In the cases studied the micro-relevance of knowledge-transfer was crucial. Furthermore distance determined Telehealth relevance. Practical conclusions to cases were drawn

Continuous improvement in the Netherlands: A survey-based study into the current practices of continuous improvement

Continuous Improvement is a well-known and consolidated concept in literature and practice and is considered vital in today¿s business environment. In 2003 a survey, as part of the international CINet survey, has been performed in the Netherlands in order to gain insight into the current practices and the evolution of continuous improvement over the past 5 years. From a sample of 51 companies, this paper describes the results of the Dutch survey. The main motives for continuous improvement are customer satisfaction, productivity, quality and delivery reliability. Continuous improvement contributed to several performance areas, but the implementation is fraught with a lot of difficulties. It appears to be difficult for companies to design and implement an approach towards continuous improvement that is in line with their own perception

Verspreiding van kennis verloopt moeizaam

Het implementeren van nieuwe technologie en kennis is vaak een moeizame kwestie. Om een succesvolle verspreidingstactiek te kunnen uitstippelen, blijkt degelijke kennis uit de praktijk onontbeerlijk te zijn