Internet based information and communication technology provides the opportunity for small firms to improve their competitiveness. This paper presents a methodology that responds to the needs of small firms whilst overcoming the constraints to their use of these technologies. Key features of this methodology are: provision of a turnkey package of hardware, software, installation and training for Internet connection and operation; identification of opportunities for integrating Internet ICT into business processes that will deliver performance improvement; ongoing IT and business support for a year. The effectiveness of this methodology was examined during its application in 21 SME automotive component suppliers in the West Midlands region of England. This exercise found that 90 per cent of firms continued to use their Internet based ICT capability after a year.
Purpose -Improving alignment between supply chain and new product development (NPD) can enhance market impact and revenue growth. Additionally, it can remove a lot of frustration for supply chain managers, who currently are often the last to find out about NPD, whereas their contribution is crucial when it comes to getting products to market on time and in the right volumes. Whereas a recent research note published in this journal offered possible avenues for progressing alignment between NPD and the supply chain, this paper seeks to offer insights from industry on how to actually achieve progress. Design/methodology/approach -This paper offers insights from industry in three areas of practice and a report on the outcome of a workshop of supply chain executives. Findings -The experience from case companies shows that companies are making progress in aligning NPD and the supply chain by improving basic alignment, improving supply chain readiness and leveraging supply chain capability to make NPD better. Practical implications -In addition to case examples, a set of screening questions for supply chain managers to bring to alignment meetings with NPD are offered, supporting a growing supply chain contribution to NPD. Originality/value -Following on from a research note published in this journal, this paper offers experiences from companies that have actually made progress with improving alignment as well as results from a focused workshop of senior supply chain executives. Together these findings can assist in making the path forward suggested in the research note a reality in practice.
Purpose -To expand beyond existing research on the integration of supply chain and new product development that has a limited focused on the need to pre-inform supply chain before product launch, the need for new product development to consider the impact of product design on supply chain operations and research has focused on ensuring product availability at the product launch. Design/methodology/approach -This research note suggests avenues forward and areas for practice and research to progress. Findings -The existing and limited focus on involving supply chain in new product development overlooks several central issues and opportunities that companies are beginning to explore and that can be supported by research. In particular the opportunity to focus on leveraging supply chain in new product development, for greater market impact and revenue growth. Practical implications -Addressing the path forward, beyond limited approaches requires greater alignment between new product development and supply chain, it requires a focus that goes beyond just ensuring product availability and it requires alignment much further upstream in the new product development process. Examples of early progress in companies are provided. Originality/value -In addition to summarizing existing research, new avenues for research and practice are offered that can tremendously improve alignment and the contribution of supply chain on new product development, for the good of the company as a whole. Specific research areas are suggest to enable research to support the realization of the path forward in this area.
A strategy for house fly (Musca domestica L.) control in intensive animal units in the United Kingdom was proposed by the Pesticide Safety Directorate (PSD) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1993. An advice leaflet was circulated to farmers, and label recommendations for insecticides used to control house flies were altered to prevent their long-term and frequent use. A study was carried out between 1996 and 1998 to gather data on insecticide use and resistance in house fly populations and compared with results from a study carried out in 1990-1992 to assess the impact of the 1993 label recommendations. As in the 1990-1992 study, resistance to methomyl, azamethiphos and pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide was assessed. Larvicide tests with cyromazine, which had recently been released in the United Kingdom, were also included in this study. Most of the farmers claimed to have received and read the PSD insecticide advice leaflet, and half claimed to have altered insecticide treatments as a result. Comparing results for insecticides used before and after 1993, the proportion of farmers claiming to have used each of the insecticides had decreased. However, there had been no amelioration in resistance to synergised pyrethrins, and the number of house fly populations with reduced response to the insecticide baits had increased between 1990-1992 and 1996-1998. All the house fly populations tested were fully susceptible to cyromazine. There is an urgent need, therefore, to devise new strategies and particularly to minimize the risk of selecting for resistance to cyromazine.
Following the 1984–85 housefly (Musca domestica L.) resistance survey, a similar survey was carried out between January 1990 and April 1992 in order to monitor changes in UK housefly resistance. Samples of fly populations were collected from 35 farms throughout England and Wales. Dose‐response data were obtained by topical application and feeding test methods. For both methods the knockdown (KD) after 48 h was used for all the dose‐response comparisons. The ranges of resistance factors for the topical application method were for methomyl, 1·6–20·0 at KD50 and 4·5–34·4 at KD95; for azamethiphos, 2·5–58·5 at KD50 and 5·0–2604 at KD95; for pyrethrins+piperonyl butoxide, 1·2–9·6 at KD50 and 1·6–14·7 at KD95; and for permethrin, 2·2–118·8 at KD50 and 4·3–200·0 at KD95. The ranges of the resistance factors for the feeding tests were for methomyl, 1·2–56·1 at KD50 and 3·1–80·0 at KD95, and for azamethiphos, 3·9–125·0 at KD50 and 4·4–380·0 at KD95. The means of resistance factors for all of the insecticides showed increases over those obtained in a previous survey carried out in 1984–85. The significance of the results for housefly control in intensive animal units in the UK is discussed.
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