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The importance of operations management problems in service organizations

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  • Wright, Christine M.
  • Mechling, George

Abstract

This article reports on the research to empirically determine which operations management problems are the most important to small service organizations. The authors asked managers of service organizations to rank a set of operations problems according to their relative importance using Q methodology. In this article, Q method is explained, significant factors are analyzed, and explanations are offered for the ranking of the operations problems. The results indicate that forecasting, quality management, and resource utilization are important operational issues for service organizations. However, the results also indicate that facility location and layout, waiting line systems, and distribution requirements planning were for the most part unimportant to the respondent service organizations. In addition, Schmenner's service typology does not provide an explanatory basis for the variations in the factor results. Lastly, the results are used to suggest operations management techniques that should be taught to students who are expected to work in service organizations upon graduation.

Suggested Citation

  • Wright, Christine M. & Mechling, George, 2002. "The importance of operations management problems in service organizations," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 77-87, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jomega:v:30:y:2002:i:2:p:77-87
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arthur J. Swersey & Lakshman S. Thakur, 1995. "An Integer Programming Model for Locating Vehicle Emissions Testing Stations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(3), pages 496-512, March.
    2. Gabriel R. Bitran & Susana V. Mondschein, 1995. "An Application of Yield Management to the Hotel Industry Considering Multiple Day Stays," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 43(3), pages 427-443, June.
    3. Sheryl E. Kimes & James A. Fitzsimmons, 1990. "Selecting Profitable Hotel Sites at La Quinta Motor Inns," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 20(2), pages 12-20, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Orfila-Sintes, Francina & Mattsson, Jan, 2009. "Innovation behavior in the hotel industry," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 380-394, April.
    2. Tomás F. Espino-Rodríguez, 2016. "How hotels compete on the basis of competitive priorities and their relationship with infrastructural and structural decisions," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 10(4), pages 737-773, December.

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