The Integration of Information Technologies in Contemporary Business Supply Chains - Article Example

Ngai, E., Cheng, T. & Ho, S., “Critical success factors of web-based supply-chain management systems: an exploratory study,” Production Planning & Control 15(6) (September 2004): 622-630. Eric Ngai is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management and Marketing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at Kowloon1. Eric Ngai holds his doctorate’s degree and has published works in many business-related journals, including Decision Support Systems and the European Journal of Operational Research.2Date of birth information on the author could not be located. T.C. Edwin Cheng holds a PhD from Cambridge, achieving a bachelor’s and master’s degree from The University of Hong Kong and Birmingham3. This author’s research interests are Operations Management and Operations Research. Dr.Cheng was awarded as one of the most cited authors in Engineering between 1994-2004 by the ISI Web of Knowledge. Date of birth information on the author could not be located. Selina S.M. Ho currently holds a master’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Southern Queensland and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (respectively) and is currently the director of Pacific Industrial Limited4. This author’s research areas include decision support systems and supply-chain information systems. Date of birth information on the author could not be located. The topic of this article is an exploration into the integration of information technologies in contemporary business supply chains. The goal of the research project was to identify whether a series of critical success factors exist during the implementation of sophisticated supply chain software. The topic suggests that, historically, problems with advanced IT integration have caused significant problems for contemporary businesses thus a new model of best practice must be identified through research. The article specifically highlights the implementation processes of WSCMS software of a firm anonymously labeled ABC Company, though this firm is listed in the Dow Jones Industrial index, suggesting a company of large-scale proportions. The scope of the article is a blend of secondary and primary research, with the primary research targeting 350 potential respondents to return a series of questionnaires, which were delivered via e-mail systems over a two week period. The company highlighted in this project operated within the United States. The authors suggest a thesis which states that implementation of WSCMS software is a much more complicated process than other supply-chain-related software, thus identifying the critical success factors necessary to ease software integration must be identified. This thesis acts as a competent discussion and justification for this particular research project. Bias issues are specifically mentioned by the authors, as they describe attempts to minimise bias in the research instruments. The only detectable bias stemming from the authors is their full-fledged support given for the value which can be added by SCM, which suggests the researchers maintained some level of pre-conceived bias regarding the viability and importance of the WSCMS software implementation. Such bias may be reflected in the data discussion sections which continue to herald the importance of WSCMS software as knowledgeable IT professionals. Unbiased researchers, if not performing an exploratory study but rather justifying a proposed theoretical model, might approach the topic of research without analysing the proven merits of WSCMS. Non-biased approaches might discover less-than-functional elements of WSCMS during the course of research. When justifying the research intention, the authors use a series of secondary-only sources to fulfill their project. No primary sources are used in this article. These articles included citations from Bauer (2000), which proposed a secondary theorist’s series of proposed critical success factors (CSF’s) in the review of literature as a means of substantiating the research intention. The authors further cite Emmelhainz (1988) from The Journal of Business Logistics which suggests briefly that management commitment is vital to the success of implementing supply-chain software. This particular citation does not add any real substance to the research project. The authors further cite Garcia-Dastugue & Lambert (2003) using an article from Industrial Marketing Management mentioning that a series of internet-enabled systems exist, which does not apply relevance to the construction of research instruments. In addition, the authors cite Nath (1989), another journal article, for the sake of highlighting the importance of end-user training in similar software programs. This citation is highly relevant as it illustrates one of the fundamental elements of discussion in section four. The article essentially describes a series of previously-identified (through research) factors which assist in the integration of electronic supply-chain systems. These factors build the template for the research methodology which is used to compare theoretical viewpoints with a series of modern business activities associated with enhancing the entire supply chain process. The literature review merely proposes the complications and struggles of EDI and WCSMS integration, leading forward into how an exploratory factor analysis was undertaken to provide additional support for existing research. After providing quantitative results from the study’s questionnaires, statistical results are compared with theory so as to propose a new set of CSFs for other businesses wishing to incorporate this WSCMS software system. From internal communications to training and education, this research project supports the work of other authors on this topic and offers its own unique contribution to the body of literature regarding supply-chain software implementation and its effects on the business and its leaders. This particular article was not particularly enjoyable nor did it appear to have extremely reliable research results. The rationale for the methodology did not appear to be completely congruent with the review of literature, which generally serves as the basis for constructing research instruments. In addition, this article’s review of literature was quite incomplete, as it only offered vague recognition that other theories of software implementation existed without mentioning what these factors actually were. The final data produced a series of competent statistics on the nature of ABC Company during implementation, however the brief discussion sections provided did not do justice to what appeared to be a rather time-invested research project. Henslin (2003) suggests that analysis of data is one of the primary elements to justifying the entire purpose of the research project. This is supported by Glasner & Cross (1999) who further suggest that the literature review should consist of vital information which is used as a template or foundation for a quality methodological design. This article provided neither. Bibliography: Ngai, E., Cheng, T. & Ho, S., “Critical success factors of web-based supply-chain management systems: an exploratory study,” Production Planning & Control 15(6) (September 2004): 622-630. Baker, P. & Halim, Z. “An exploration of warehouse automation implementations: cost, service and flexibility issues,” Supply Chain Management 12(2) (2007): 129-138. Informatik.uni-trier.de. “Decision Support Systems, Vol. 3,” Retrieved 22 Dec 2007 from http://www.informatik.uni-trier.de/~ley/db/journals/dss/dss43.html Henslin, James M. Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach, A & B Publishing: 105-118. Glasner, A. & Cross, V. Toward a Structured, Versatile Methodology, Thomson South- Western, Australia: 142-145. YOUR NAME HERE CLASS # and UNI NAME Critical Review of Research Article: “An exploration of warehouse automation implementations: cost, service and flexibility issues” This article represents an exploratory approach to research, designed to uncover whether automated warehouse systems are tangibly inflexible. The authors suggest that many distribution companies are routinely upgrading their systems to include new automated warehouse equipment, thus this project serves to uncover the rationale for these upgrades. The introduction merely highlights the costs of logistics and the necessity of automation in the distribution industry. The authors further identify that little empirical literature exists which highlights this particular element of business automation, thus their rationale for the study is clearly identified: To understand the specific reasoning for why automation in warehousing continues to be adopted and to highlight specific factors which may be considered vital to this implementation process. The review of literature is a full-bodied representation of the challenges of the warehouse environment as well as identifying how automation can be considered value-added or important components of distribution and warehousing. For the layperson, this review of literature discusses the specific devices which are adopted in the automation process, highlighting the successes and failures which automation provides for modern business. This section identifies the costs associated with automated warehousing equipment as well as the flexibility they theoretically provide. The purpose of the review of literature was to get the reader knowledgeable about automated warehousing systems as a lead-in to the rationale for the primary study. In addition, this section performs a comparison review of different business theorists, highlighting conflicting viewpoints regarding the topic so as to offer a broad range of research theories. The authors identify gaps in available research initially in the introductory section of the research article. The research conducted was largely exploratory, as it did not seek to validate or offer their own theory, rather to uncover a series of data results which can contribute to the body of literature (however small) regarding automated warehousing systems. Hence, the authors use an exploratory approach without first proposing a unique hypothesis seeking validation or support through research. This research was cross-sectional, rather than longitudinal, as it compared (through interviews) the reactions of diverse company officials in several different industries. The project was conducted singularly, meaning that evaluation of responses from the research participants did not occur over an extended period of time. The methodology is clearly explained in the article, with the researchers creating a semi-structured interview and then further using the results of the interview (and secondary research materials) to create a template by which to identify automation practices in each diverse industry. The authors do not highlight issues of reliability in their chosen method, which suggests that the researchers are confident that their research approach will open a new perspective on automation in warehousing based solely on the credentials of the sample population. The sampling strategy consisted of eight semi-structured interviews which were conducted with eight different company officials. The candidates were selected to identify the viewpoints of consultancy firms, physical stock handlers, and end user companies, offering a broad sampling to offer substance to the research project. Candidates were selected for participation in the survey questionnaire by targeting only members of a renowned organization called the Warehouse and Materials Handling Forum of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK). This may offer emphasis as to why issues of validity identification are not discussed as the chosen sample represented qualified professionals in these industries. The project experienced a 60 percent response rate, out of the original 32 questionnaires which were delivered via post mail. The researchers identify that this might be considered, by the reader, to be an insignificant sample, however by identifying that gaps in this type of literature exist they justify the sample’s inclusion in the study. The quantitative aspects of this methodology reflects several statistical analyses which were returned by the questionnaire portion of the study, which labels a series of critically-important elements which drive warehouse automation efforts. The data results indicate that the chosen methodology was sound for the project’s research intentions. The research did not leave a highly-generalisable series of conclusions, as the statistics indicated the study’s overall objectives: Identify the rationale for adopting automation in warehousing. There is no mention of addressing potential ethical concerns in this article, which may have to do with the fact that the research did not seek to explore any causal relationships occurring in this warehousing environment. Thus, no inappropriate or what might be perceived as politically-incorrect terminology (subjective assessments) are suggested through the data analysis portion. In the case of this article, the quantitative approach to research sought to uncover only a series of statistics and best practice highlights, thus no subjective assessments pertaining to personal character were offered. Hence, the best conclusion may be to suggest that the authors did not consider the scope or nature of their project to infringe on the rights or ethical violations of any chosen participants, companies, or the reader. Read More