Observing Suppliers observing Early Supplier Involvement: An Empirical Research based upon the Social Systems Theory of Niklas Luhmann.

supplier, involvement, Luhmann

Making sense of strategy: A social systems perspective

strategy, social systems perspective

Diagnosing risks in new product development

new product development

The making of strategic realities : an application of the social systems theory of Niklas Luhmann

+hlm.;c

Observing suppliers observing early supplier involvement : an empirical research based upon the social systems theory of Niklas Luhmann

In this empirical study, the focus is on the risks involved with implementing practices of Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) from the perspective of suppliers, which has not been given its due attention. For suppliers, making sense of ESI implies dealing with the following chicken-and-egg problem: the capabilities to be offered depend on the way the business is defined and vice versa. In this paper, a model is presented to describe how suppliers have made sense of this chicken-and-egg problem. This model was used for an empirical exploration of the risks involved with ESI-strategies and draws significantly on theoretical and methodological insights of the social systems theory of the late German sociologist Niklas Luhmann. Until now, social systems theory has not gained much attention within organization studies. As such, this study also aims to illustrate some of the potential of social systems theory

Diagnosing risks in new product development

No abstract

High postoperative risk after pneumonectomy in elderly patients with right-sided lung cancer

The present study investigated postoperative mortality (POM), its predictors and relationship with long-term survival in patients who underwent surgery for lung cancer. The 30-day mortality after thoracotomy in 1,830 patients from the Flemish multicentre hospital-based lung cancer registry was analysed according to patient, tumour, treatment and hospital characteristics and compared with 5-yr survival figures for the same patients. Overall POM was 4.4%. In univariate analysis age, extent of surgery and low hospital volume were associated with a higher POM. In multiple regression analysis age, extent of surgery and side of the pneumonectomy proved to be independent predictors of POM. In patients aged >70 yrs who underwent right-sided pneumonectomy POM was 17.8%. Overall, mortality was comparable to published series from referral centres. Age and extent of resection are the main predictors of postoperative mortality in lung-cancer patients. In the operable elderly patient, age alone does not justify denying the survival benefit experienced by resection of lung cancer. The high mortality after right-sided pneumonectomy in elderly patients warrants caution, as the treatment benefit may become marginal