IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orijds/v1y2022i2p172-187.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Visualization in Operations Management Research

Author

Listed:
  • Rahul Basole

    (Accenture AI, Atlanta, Georgia 30308)

  • Elliot Bendoly

    (Operations and Business Analytics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210)

  • Aravind Chandrasekaran

    (Operations and Business Analytics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210)

  • Kevin Linderman

    (Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania 16801)

Abstract

The unprecedented availability of data, along with the growing variety of software packages to visualize it, presents both opportunities and challenges for operations management (OM) research. OM researchers typically use data to describe conditions, predict phenomena, or make prescriptions depending on whether they are building, testing, or translating theories to practice. Visualization, when used appropriately, can complement, aid, and augment the researcher’s understanding in the different stages of research (theory building, testing, or translating and conveying results). On the other hand, if used incorrectly or without sufficient consideration, visualization can yield misleading and erroneous claims. This article formally examines the benefits of visualization as a complementary method enhancing each stage of a broader OM research strategy by examining frameworks and cases from extant research in different OM contexts. Our discussion offers guidance with regard to researchers’ use of visual data renderings, particularly toward avoiding misrepresentation, which can arise with the incorrect use of visualization. We close with a consideration of emerging trends and their implications for researchers and practitioners as well as recommendations for both authors and reviewers, regardless of domain, in evaluating the effectiveness of visuals at each stage of research.

Suggested Citation

  • Rahul Basole & Elliot Bendoly & Aravind Chandrasekaran & Kevin Linderman, 2022. "Visualization in Operations Management Research," INFORMS Joural on Data Science, INFORMS, vol. 1(2), pages 172-187, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orijds:v:1:y:2022:i:2:p:172-187
    DOI: 10.1287/ijds.2021.0005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/ijds.2021.0005
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/ijds.2021.0005?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kalyan Singhal & Qi Feng & Ram Ganeshan & Nada R. Sanders & J. George Shanthikumar, 2018. "Introduction to the Special Issue on Perspectives on Big Data," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 27(9), pages 1639-1641, September.
    2. Chih-Hung Peng & Nicholas H. Lurie & Sandra A. Slaughter, 2019. "Using Technology to Persuade: Visual Representation Technologies and Consensus Seeking in Virtual Teams," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(3), pages 948-962, September.
    3. Bin Zhu & Stephanie A. Watts, 2010. "Visualization of Network Concepts: The Impact of Working Memory Capacity Differences," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(2), pages 327-344, June.
    4. Zhwan M. Khalid & Subhi R.M Zeebaree, 2021. "Big Data Analysis for Data Visualization: A Review," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 5(2), pages 64-75.
    5. Stefan Kurpjuweit & Dagmar Reinerth & Christoph G. Schmidt & Stephan M. Wagner, 2019. "Implementing visual management for continuous improvement: barriers, success factors and best practices," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(17), pages 5574-5588, September.
    6. Stylianos Kavadias & Karl T. Ulrich, 2020. "Innovation and New Product Development: Reflections and Insights from the Research Published in the First 20 Years of Manufacturing & Service Operations Management," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 84-92, January.
    7. Franco, L. Alberto & Greiffenhagen, Christian, 2018. "Making OR practice visible: Using ethnomethodology to analyse facilitated modelling workshops," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 265(2), pages 673-684.
    8. Pavlos Delias & Vassilios Zoumpoulidis & Ioannis Kazanidis, 2019. "Visualizing and exploring event databases: a methodology to benefit from process analytics," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 887-908, December.
    9. Matthias Trier, 2008. "Research Note ---Towards Dynamic Visualization for Understanding Evolution of Digital Communication Networks," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 19(3), pages 335-350, September.
    10. Hardcopf, Rick & Gonçalves, Paulo & Linderman, Kevin & Bendoly, Elliot, 2017. "Short-term bias and strategic misalignment in operational solutions: Perceptions, tendencies, and traps," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 258(3), pages 1004-1021.
    11. Sodhi, ManMohan S. & Tang, Christopher S., 2014. "Guiding the next generation of doctoral students in operations management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 28-36.
    12. Pinar Keskinocak & Nicos Savva, 2020. "A Review of the Healthcare-Management (Modeling) Literature Published in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 59-72, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Steffen Heider & Jan Schoenfelder & Thomas Koperna & Jens O. Brunner, 2022. "Balancing control and autonomy in master surgery scheduling: Benefits of ICU quotas for recovery units," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 311-332, June.
    2. Francis Marleau Donais & Irène Abi-Zeid & E. Owen D. Waygood & Roxane Lavoie, 2021. "A Framework for Post-Project Evaluation of Multicriteria Decision Aiding Processes from the Stakeholders’ Perspective: Design and Application," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 30(5), pages 1161-1191, October.
    3. Eva Labro & Mark Lang & Jim Omartian, 2019. "Predictive Analytics and Organizational Architecture: Plant-Level Evidence from Census Data," Working Papers 19-02, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    4. Xiangyu Chang & Yinghui Huang & Mei Li & Xin Bo & Subodha Kumar, 2021. "Efficient Detection of Environmental Violators: A Big Data Approach," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(5), pages 1246-1270, May.
    5. See, Justin & Cuaton, Ginbert Permejo & Placino, Pryor & Vunibola, Suliasi & Thi, Huong Do & Dombroski, Kelly & McKinnon, Katharine, 2024. "From absences to emergences: Foregrounding traditional and Indigenous climate change adaptation knowledges and practices from Fiji, Vietnam and the Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    6. Jónas Oddur Jónasson & Kamalini Ramdas & Alp Sungu, 2022. "Social impact operations at the global base of the pyramid," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(12), pages 4364-4378, December.
    7. Pervin Ersoy & Gülmüş Börühan & Sachin Kumar Mangla & Jorge Hernandez Hormazabal & Yigit Kazancoglu & Çisem Lafcı, 2022. "Impact of information technology and knowledge sharing on circular food supply chains for green business growth," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1875-1904, July.
    8. Xu, Xiaoyan & Choi, Tsan-Ming & Chung, Sai-Ho & Guo, Shu, 2023. "Collaborative-commerce in supply chains: A review and classification of analytical models," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    9. Jeewon Cho & Insu Park, 2022. "Does Information Systems Support for Creativity Enhance Effective Information Systems Use and Job Satisfaction in Virtual Work?," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 1865-1886, December.
    10. Alikhani, Reza & Ranjbar, Amirhossein & Jamali, Amir & Torabi, S. Ali & Zobel, Christopher W., 2023. "Towards increasing synergistic effects of resilience strategies in supply chain network design," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    11. Arun Sundararajan & Foster Provost & Gal Oestreicher-Singer & Sinan Aral, 2013. "Research Commentary ---Information in Digital, Economic, and Social Networks," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(4), pages 883-905, December.
    12. Guihua Wang & Ronghuo Zheng & Tinglong Dai, 2022. "Does Transportation Mean Transplantation? Impact of New Airline Routes on Sharing of Cadaveric Kidneys," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(5), pages 3660-3679, May.
    13. Daniel F. Otero-Leon & Mariel S. Lavieri & Brian T. Denton & Jeremy Sussman & Rodney A. Hayward, 2023. "Monitoring policy in the context of preventive treatment of cardiovascular disease," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 93-116, March.
    14. Lane, David & Husemann, Elke & Holland, Darren & Khaled, Abdul, 2019. "Understanding foodborne transmission mechanisms for Norovirus: A study for the UK's Food Standards Agency," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 275(2), pages 721-736.
    15. Chen-Hao Xue & Yong-Ping Bai, 2023. "Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Factors Influencing Urban Tourism Market Network in Western China: Taking Chengdu as an Example," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-21, May.
    16. Azaizah, Nadeem & Reychav, Iris & Raban, Daphne R. & Simon, Tomer & McHaney, Roger, 2018. "Impact of ESN implementation on communication and knowledge-sharing in a multi-national organization," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 284-294.
    17. Han, Yilong & Li, Yinbo & Li, Yongkui & Yang, Bin & Cao, Lingyan, 2023. "Digital twinning for smart hospital operations: Framework and proof of concept," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Richard John Ormerod, 2023. "The logic of semiotics applied to mathematical and social interaction in operational research consulting practice: Towards a foundational view," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(1), pages 16-42, January.
    19. Fainman, Emily Zhu & Kucukyazici, Beste, 2020. "Design of financial incentives and payment schemes in healthcare systems: A review," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    20. Akbarzadeh, Babak & Maenhout, Broos, 2024. "A study on policy decisions to embed flexibility for reactive recovery in the planning and scheduling process in operating rooms," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orijds:v:1:y:2022:i:2:p:172-187. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.