Interfaces current issue

Deux Chemicals Inc. Goes Just-in-Time

Dror, M., Smith, K. R., Yano, C. A. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:36 PST

Deux Chemicals Inc. (a pseudonym) decided to offer its customers reliable just-in-time delivery to reduce the customers' need to hold chemicals that are difficult and expensive to store. Although its manufacturing facilities are reliable, they occasionally require unscheduled repairs that could take up to three weeks to complete. To ensure reliable supply to its customers, Deux Chemicals holds safety stock; however, it needed to determine how much additional storage capacity it would require to support its just-in-time promise. We present a methodology to determine safety-stock levels and storage capacity requirements to achieve high levels of customer service, and a production control policy that helps to minimize safety stock and storage needs. The methodology enabled Deux Chemicals to identify an economical strategy for safety stock and its storage that will allow the company to significantly reduce its risk of shortages.

Business School Research: Measuring Value Contribution Through Citations of Journals in Patents

O'Leary, D. E. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:36 PST

Academic research from business schools should be relevant and rigorous; however, business school research has often been criticized for its lack of value and relevance to business. In addition, business schools have been asked to assess the impact of faculty research. This paper examines citations of journals in patents to assess one dimension of that value, relevance, and impact. In particular, this paper analyzes the number of patents that cite specific journals focusing on eight business disciplines, as an alternative approach for assessing this one dimension: patentable research. In addition, this paper uses citations of journals in patents to assess the leading journals in these eight disciplines.

Location Theory Helps Solve a Double-Vision Problem

Francis, R. L. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

Some basic concepts in location theory prove useful in solving a double-vision problem that involves a time-of-day effect. The p-median, p-center, and covering location models provide various options for solving such a problem.

Editorial: The Eighth Rothkopf Rankings of Universities' Contributions to the INFORMS Practice Literature

Fricker, R. D. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

Continuing and expanding on the original work that Michael H. Rothkopf established in 1996, this paper presents the eighth ranking of universities according to their contributions to the INFORMS practice literature. Fittingly, we have named them the "Rothkopf Rankings" in honor of their originator, a scholar and practitioner with a passion for applied, effective, and influential operations research. The rankings assigned are based on two metrics: one measures visibility (the number of times a university is listed as the primary academic affiliation in the INFORMS practice literature), and the second measures yield (the equivalent number of INFORMS practice papers attributable to each university based on author primary academic affiliation). For US universities, the Naval Postgraduate School earns the top ranking for visibility and the second for yield, and the Colorado School of Mines earns the top ranking for yield and the second for visibility. For non-US universities, the University of Chile earns the top ranking for both visibility and yield.

ASP, The Art and Science of Practice: Tales from the Front: Case Studies Indicate the Potential Pitfalls of Misapplication of Lean Improvement Programs

Gorman, M. F., Hoff, J., Kinion, R. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

In recent years, lean manufacturing concepts have become more popular as an ever-growing number of companies have implemented lean programs. Some companies tout huge savings and benefits; those that do not are evaluated on the factors that led to their failed attempts. We suggest that the failure to implement lean is often because of an excessive and errant focus on inventory reduction as the primary, or sole, form of waste reduction. We describe the academic and popular literature on this topic and explain some sources of confusion and consternation surrounding lean initiatives. We then discuss four case studies in which a company's primary focus was on inventory reduction, but it attained true economic performance enhancements through inventory increases. We provide insights on how managers can identify similar situations in which they can productively implement well-defined and planned business-improvement programs to eliminate other kinds of wastes.

Practice Abstracts

Denton, B. T. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

The goal of "Practice Abstracts" is to present interesting, topical, and novel applications of operations research methodology to a wide range of industrial applications. "Practice Abstracts" are intended to provide Interfaces readers with short (2–4 page) descriptions of the most relevant aspects of operations research-based projects, in a form that is accessible to academics and practitioners in other organizations. Contributions should be sent for evaluation to the editor of "Practice Abstracts," Brian T. Denton, Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 376 Daniels Hall, North Carolina State University, 111 Lampe Drive, Campus Box 7906, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (bdenton@ncsu.edu).

Practice Abstracts

Denton, B. T. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

Book Reviews

Lev, B. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

In Book Reviews, we review an extensive and diverse range of books. They cover theory and applications in operations research, statistics, management science, econometrics, mathematics, computers, and information systems. In addition, we include books in other fields that emphasize technical applications. However, we do not review software. To submit a book for review, please send it to me at the above address. Although we cannot review all books because of space limitations, we do list all books that we receive. We commission all book reviews and do not accept unsolicited reviews. To become a reviewer, please send me your name, address, and specific areas of expertise. We encourage readers to suggest books for review or to ask publishers to send copies of such books.

The authors or editors of books we review in this issue are Bruce Golden, S. Raghavan, Edward Wasil, Stephen G. Powell, Robert J. Batt, and Berend Wierenga.

Contributors

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

No abstract available.

Index of Volume 39

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

No abstract available.

INFORMS MEETING CALENDAR

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

No abstract available.

Call for Papers--Interfaces Special Issue: Analytics in Sports

Fry, M. J., Ohlmann, J. W. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:01:37 PST

No abstract available.