SUMMARY There is recognition that competition is shifting from a “firm versus firm perspective” to a “supply chain versus supply chain perspective.” In response to this shift, firms seeking competitive advantage are participating in cooperative supply chain arrangements, such as strategic alliances, which combine their individual strengths and unique resources. Buyer‐supplier sourcing relationships are a primary focus of alliance improvement efforts. While interest in such arrangements remains strong, it is well accepted that creating, developing, and maintaining a successful alliance is a very daunting task. This research addresses several critical issues regarding that challenge. First, what factors contribute most to long‐term alliance success? Second, what conditions define the presence of those success factors? Third, do buyers and suppliers in an alliance agree on those success factors and defining conditions? The research results demonstrate a remarkably consistent perspective among alliance partners regarding key success factors, despite the acknowledgment that the resultant success is based on a relatively even, but not equal, exchange of benefits and resources. Additionally, within an alliance's intended “win‐win” foundation, suppliers must recognize their innate dependence on customers. Finally, significant opportunities for improvement exist with respect to alliance goal clarification, communication, and performance evaluation.
At a time when there is high demand for logistics/supply-chain education at the undergraduate and master's levels, there is short supply of logistics PhDs to take faculty positions. In this research, the authors used both primary and secondary research to confirm the gap between supply and demand of logistics/supply-chain scholars. Their study draws attention to this salient issue and offers suggestions as to how the discipline can monitor and manage the production of logistics/supply-chain PhDs to bridge the supply and demand gap.
ABSTRACTBased on a conceptual framework provided by Keaveney (1995), the current study explores the reasons service customers switch providers and the related post-switching behaviors in five countries. Specifically, we identify statistically significant differences between the investigated nations in 1) the frequency of the types of reported switching incidents, and 2) the word-of-mouth (private voice and public complaint) behavior. Search strategies for a new service provider were not found to differ substantially across the countries. The paper includes a discussion of the managerial implications of the findings as well as study limitations and potential future research directions.JEL: M300KEYWORDS: Consumer Research, Customer, RelationshipINTRODUCTIONAn important aspect of services marketing involves understanding customer (dis)satisfaction, switching behavior,and ensuing behavioral outcomes. Development of a more thorough understanding of customers' switching behavior can help service managers to better avoid the negative consequences of customer defection and provide an important step towards preserving and improving valuable existing relationships. Unfortunately, most of the studies in the marketing literature examine customer acquisition and retention rather than customer switching behavior (Gupta, Kim and Sharma 2011). As service organizations continue to expand internationally it becomes more important to understand cross-national differences, and similarities, to serve consumer needs successfully in a global environment. Clark, Rajaratnam and Smith (1996) define international services as deeds, performances and efforts conducted across national boundaries in critical contact with foreign cultures (p. 15). Defining relationships among variables that sensitive to cultural influences should be an important part of cross-cultural research.This study utilizes Keaveney's model of customer service switching behavior (1995) to explore service switching incidents. Specifically, we examine how the incidents that trigger switching and related behaviors differ across five different countries. The next section of our paper briefly discusses culture and provides the foundation for the importance of exploring potential cross-national differences in 1) service switching factors, 2) post-switching word-of-mouth (private voice and public complaint), and 3) search activities utilized to obtain a new service provider. We then report the results of an empirical study that sampled customers of services in five countries (i.e., China, Brazil, Poland, Russia, United States) and follow that with a discussion of the managerial implications of the findings. The report concludes with noted study limitations and potential future research directions.LITURATURE REVIEWCulture refers to the set of ideas, beliefs, assumptions, and norms that widely shared among a group of people and that serve to guide their behavior (Goodenough 1973). Hofstede (1991) states that based on relatively similar history, language, political, legal and educational environment, nations are the source of a considerable amount of common mental programming of their citizens (p. 12). is important in understanding behavioral differences as they create predispositions that link directly to the roles that members of a society accept (Kim, Wen and Doh 2010). Culture is to human collectivity what personality is to the individual; it determines the identity of the human group in the same way as personality determines the identity of the individual (Jones and McCleary 2004, p. 429). Particular values can be shared by numerous cultures, but the combination of value orientations within a culture is likely to be unique. A greater understanding of how differences across countries might be associated with switching behaviors may provide services managers insights to better identify appropriate practices when responding to service failure situations. …
Right ventricular infarction can precipitate severe right-to-left shunting and refractory hypoxia from a previously dormant patent foramen ovale. Right ventricle mechanical circulatory support and patent foramen ovale closure can play a crucial role in the treatment of hypoxia and right ventricular recovery. We report a case of successful percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure on right ventricle mechanical circulatory support in a patient with right ventricular shock. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)
Background: Aortic stenosis is a common disease that affects older adults. With an expanded indication, low-risk patients can now be offered the option of TAVR. Hospitals will need to effectively and efficiently accommodate the expected increase in demand for the TAVR procedure without compromising patient outcomes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the development of a post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement protocol to standardize care and progress the patient from the operating room to discharge. Methods: We used a prospective pre-post design to evaluate the effect of education and a technology-supported intervention on length of stay, quality of life (measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire; KCCQ12), and early mobility in TAVR patients between April 2019 and March 2020. Interventions: Two components of the intervention included team-based education and integration of guideline-based orders in the electronic record (EHR). Education regarding expectations for early mobilization and discharge plan was provided to patient and staff to ensure a timely discharge home. Results: Overall and post-procedural length of stay were significantly improved (5.26 days vs 2.45; p<0.001 and 3.05 days vs 2.16 days; p<0.004) respectively. Quality of life improved in both groups from baseline to 30 day follow up (p=0.012) No significant difference was shown in the 5-meter walk test. Conclusion: These findings suggest that implementation of an evidence based EHR-embedded order set is associated with a significant improvement in overall and post-procedure length of stay at 6 moths and a significant improvement in post-procedure quality of life. Future work is needed to examine strategies to ensure safe next day discharge.
From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Submitted for publication December 4, 2007. Accepted for publication May 23, 2008. Address for reprints: Dr. Joel Kravitz, MD, FACEP, FRCPSC, Department of Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, 5501 Old York Road, Korman Bldg B-14, Philadelphia, PA 19141; email: [email protected].
Given today's increasingly competitive environment, firms in every industry are searching for new ways to increase their competitive advantage. Many firms have realized that, due to a variety of different reasons (e.g., fast-paced technological advances), significant performance improvements cannot be achieved alone. As such, the traditional response of performance enhancement through acquisition is no longer the only option. Strategic alliances are a new alternative that enable partnering firms to combine their individual strengths while compensating for their internal resource scarcities without making the investment required for actual ownership. While interest in alliances is growing, firms are often unsure how to build and maintain successful alliances. This research examines alliances between manufacturers and their suppliers in the food and health/personal care industries to determine what factors lead to successful, long term alliances.
Given today's increasingly competitive environment, firms in every industry are searching for new ways to increase their competitive advantage. Many firms have realized that, due to a variety of different reasons (e.g., fast-paced technological advances), significant performance improvements cannot be achieved alone. As such, the traditional response of performance enhancement through acquisition is no longer the only option. Strategic alliances are a new alternative that enable partnering firms to combine their individual strengths while compensating for their internal resource scarcities without making the investment required for actual ownership. While interest in alliances is growing, firms are often unsure how to build and maintain successful alliances. This research examines alliances between manufacturers and their suppliers in the food and health/personal care industries to determine what factors lead to successful, long term alliances.
'%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
