Operations strategy: will it ever realize its potential?

Abstract

Although the last three decades have seen a steady rise in the perceived importance of operations strategy together with its corresponding literature base, one could argue that it has not yet reached its full potential. This paper reviews some of the reasons why this may be. It starts by briefly examining the importance of operations strategy within the broader operations management area and then examines some challenges to the subject under two headings. The first heading concerns whether operations strategy accurately reflects the nature of 'operations' within the economy. The second heading examines some of the challenges in making any operations-based topic into one that has strategic relevance. Finally, a number of prescriptions are put forward that may allow the development of the subject to answer some of the challenges posed.

Motivations for servitization: the impact of product complexity

“…The drive for these advanced services comes from customers focusing on their core operations and outsourcing other business activities (Gebauer et al, 2010;Slack, 2005). Outsourcing allows the performance of these activities to be benchmarked against external providers' offerings, potentially leading to cost savings and improved service quality (Araujo and Spring, 2006).…”

“…Furthermore, sales of services are to some extent counter-cyclical to those of products, helping companies to avoid the peaks and troughs that are often associated with the sale of capital equipment (Gebauer and Fleisch, 2007;Slack, 2005).…”

A Delphi study to explore the adoption of servitization in UK companies

“…: Bowen et al, 1989;Silvestro, 1992;Collier and Meyer, 1998;and Oliver and Kallenberg, 2003). Authors such as Vandermerve and Rada (1988); Galbraith (2002); Brax (2005); Slack (2005); Martinez et al, (2010) and Maull et al, (2013) explore motives, processes, ideas and challenges around changes to business unit structure supporting servitization. In complement, Wise and Baumgartner (1999); Mathieu (2001); Malleret (2006) and Baines et al, (2009b) all describe benefits companies have realised from following a servitization strategy.…”

Perícia criminal: uma abordagem de serviços

“…Em Minas Gerais, o governo estadual tem como plataforma política o "Choque de Gestão" (MINAS GERAIS, 2004), cujas bases preconizam novas filosofias gerenciais, que repercutem nos órgãos de segurança pública. Aproveitando-se destas novas abordagens e corroborando-as, Starr (2005) e Slack (2005) propõem que a engenharia de produção amplie o seu escopo para serviços, incluindo os de saúde e segurança públicas, sob pena de ficar restrita a um "gueto": a manufatura.…”