N
TB = tuberculosis; PTB = pulmonary tuberculosis; chi square tests used to calculate the p value. Adapted from [ 13 ].
The study showed that it was feasible and safe for the NTP at the district level to implement the package of interventions, and it was effective at reducing mortality. Another real-time implementation research study with a slightly different methodology, conducted in the North of Malawi, produced almost identical results [ 14 ].
Once the studies had been completed, a Ministry of Health meeting was arranged with many stakeholders to discuss the results and the implications, which resulted in a policy of HIV testing and adjunctive cotrimoxazole being recommended for all TB patients in the country [ 15 ]. This policy was implemented and scaled up over several years and provided the framework for treating HIV-positive TB patients with ART once this treatment became available from 2004. The impact was huge. Death during anti-TB treatment in patients with smear-positive PTB decreased from 19% in 2002 to 7.5% in 2008, and this was associated with a striking increase in treatment success, which rose from 72% to 86% [ 15 ].
In 2007 and 2008, two systematic reviews showed that people with diabetes mellitus (DM) had a 2–3 times increased risk of developing TB than the general population [ 16 , 17 ]. Stakeholder meetings and further reviews of the literature led to the WHO and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) launching a Framework for Collaborative Activities to Reduce the Dual Burden of TB and DM [ 18 ]. Integral to this framework was the recommendation to undertake bi-directional screening for the two diseases. At that time, how this was best done and monitored in routine health care settings was unknown. Several real-time operational research studies were therefore set up in China and India [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Overall ethical approval was obtained from The Union Ethics Advisory Group. Formal national ethics approval was deemed to not be necessary in the two countries, as these were judged to be programmatic feasibility studies, although in some cases, local ethics approval at health facility sites was obtained.
One of these studies focused on screening TB patients for DM in eight tertiary care hospitals and 67 peripheral health institutions in India [ 21 ]. After a two-day consultative meeting between the national programme managers, national experts, and representatives from the Union, WHO and the World Diabetes Foundation, the screening methodology, the recording and reporting registers and the necessary training of front-line staff were agreed upon. The human resources and costs needed for screening and supervision were found within the routine health service budget. The screening was as follows: all registered TB patients were asked whether they had DM or were on anti-DM medication. Those saying they had no DM were offered random blood glucose (RBG) testing. If RBG ≥ 110 mg/dl, patients were asked to return a few days later for a fasting blood glucose (FBG). If FBG ≥ 126 mg/dl, the patient was diagnosed as having presumptive DM and referred to diabetes services for a definitive diagnosis and enrolment to care.
Implementation started in January 2012. During the conduct of the study, there was periodic analysis of the data, and a presentation of interim results was made to the India NTP director. Nine months after starting, in September 2012, the final results were collated and analysed. The key findings are shown in Table 3 .
Screening of TB patients for Diabetes Mellitus in selected health facilities in India.
Screening Process for TB Patients | Number | (%) |
---|---|---|
Patients registered with TB | 8269 | |
Known diagnosis of DM | 682 | (8) |
Needing to be screened with RBG | 7587 | |
Screened with RBG | 7467 | (98) |
RBG≥110 mg/dl and needing to be screened with FBG | 2838 | |
Screened with FBG | 2703 | (95) |
FBG≥126 mg/dl and newly diagnosed with DM | 402 | (5) |
Known and newly diagnosed with DM | 1084 | (13) |
Known and newly diagnosed with DM and referred to DM care | 1033 | (95) |
Known and newly diagnosed with DM and reaching DM care | 1020 |
TB = tuberculosis; DM = diabetes mellitus; RBG = random blood glucose; FBG = fasting blood glucose; adapted from [ 21 ].
Of those registered for TB, 8% had a known diagnosis of DM. The screening procedures for those with no known diagnosis of DM worked well, with 95% or more of patients needing the RBG and FBG tests receiving them. Altogether, 13% of the cohort had presumptive DM (8% with a known diagnosis of DM and 5% with a new diagnosis of DM), and most of those were referred to and reached DM care services for further evaluation.
Within a few weeks of the study completion, the findings were discussed at a large national meeting with all the stakeholders present. Following the meeting, there was a rapid national policy decision to screen all TB patients in India for DM routinely. This decision was made about eight months ahead of the scientific publication of the research findings [ 23 ]. The policy has since been translated into practice in various states in India.
The same process of a national stakeholder’s meeting, followed by implementation, and a second national stakeholder’s meeting took place in China [ 19 ]. Six sites (five hospitals and one TB clinic) were selected. The study was regarded as a pilot project to assess the feasibility of the DM screening approach with a view to learning lessons for national scale-up. As such, upon completion of the project, the national authorities in China recommended further evaluations rather than a policy decision to change practice.
In early January 2020, a new coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was linked to several atypical pneumonia cases in China. The disease caused by this new virus was subsequently named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Spread occurred rapidly worldwide, and on 11 March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. Most countries affected by COVID-19 authorised national lockdowns with restricted movements of the population to curb transmission of infection.
In high TB-burden countries, there was concern that the national lockdowns, combined with community fear of health facilities as places to contract COVID-19, would severely affect TB and HIV programme services. In the capital cities of three African countries (Kenya, Zimbabwe and Malawi), an operational research project was approved in April 2020 to assess whether a real-time monthly surveillance of TB and HIV activities instead of the usual quarterly surveillance might help to counteract the anticipated negative impact on TB and HIV services. It was hypothesised that if there were declines in case numbers or treatment outcomes, then the TB and HIV programmes could act more quickly on monthly information rather than waiting for quarterly information to reverse these trends. It was agreed that data would be collected and collated monthly using an EpiCollect5 application and reports sent monthly to the TB and HIV programme directors and all the other stakeholders included in the project.
The key objectives in each country were to collect, collate and report on specific TB and HIV-related data during the COVID-19 period (March 2020 to February 2021) and compare these data with those collected in the pre-COVID-19 period (March 2019 to February 2020) in which data were collected and collated retrospectively. Overall ethics approval was obtained from the Union Ethics Advisory Group, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and Zimbabwe’s Medical Research Council. The Malawi National Health Science Research Committee waived the need for formal ethics approval on the grounds that this was programmatic work [ 24 , 25 , 26 ].
With respect to TB case detection, the key findings are shown in Table 4 . In all three countries, the overall numbers of people presenting with presumptive PTB for investigation decreased, as did the numbers diagnosed with TB and registered for treatment.
Numbers with presumptive PTB and registered TB in the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods in Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Numbers Recorded with Presumptive PTB | Pre-COVID-19 March 2019–February 2020 | COVID-19 March 2020–February 2021 | Difference % between Pre- COVID-19 and COVID-19 |
---|---|---|---|
Kenya | 28,038 | 19,295 | 31.2% decrease |
Malawi | 11,271 | 6137 | 45.6% decrease |
Zimbabwe | 3270 | 1941 | 40.6% decrease |
Numbers Diagnosed and Registered with TB | Pre-COVID-19 March 2019-February 2020 | COVID-19 March 20-February 2021 | Difference % between pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 |
Kenya | 3716 | 2676 | 28.0% decrease |
Malawi | 1822 | 1474 | 19.1% decrease |
Zimbabwe | 1078 | 715 | 33.7% decrease |
PTB = pulmonary tuberculosis; TB = tuberculosis; adapted from [ 24 , 25 , 26 ].
After the initial lockdown period, which lasted several months in the three countries, measures to improve TB case detection were put in place. Using monthly comparative data with the pre-COVID-19 period, the differences in numbers of patients with presumptive and registered TB in the first 6-months of the COVID-19 period compared with the second 6-months of the COVID-19 period are shown in Table 5 .
Numbers with presumptive PTB and registered TB between first 6-months and second 6-months of COVID-19 in Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Numbers Recorded with Presumptive TB | Percentage Difference Compared with Equivalent Pre-COVID-19 Period | |
---|---|---|
COVID-19: First 6-Months March 2020–August 2020 | COVID-19: Second 6-Months September 2020–February 2021 | |
Kenya | −53% | +5% |
Malawi | −50% | −40% |
Zimbabwe | −36% | −45% |
Numbers Diagnosed and Registered with TB | COVID-19: first 6-months March 2020–August 2020 | COVID-19: second 6-months September 2020–February 2021 |
Kenya | −35% | −20% |
Malawi | −23% | −15% |
Zimbabwe | −30% | −37% |
In Kenya, there were considerable improvements, despite industrial strike action in the health sector, which negatively affected the health services between November 2020 and January 2021. The interventions to improve TB case finding included: (i) integrated screening and fast-tracking of investigations for TB and COVID-19 in patients presenting with respiratory symptoms; (ii) active TB case finding in hot spots in the city; (iii) enhanced TB case finding that included screening of TB through mobile phones using a dedicated Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) dialling code, asking patients to dial into a toll-free TB screening call centre operated by health care workers and use of automated TB screening machines positioned at strategic spots in the community; (iv) active tracing of close contacts of index patients and (v) improved TB screening amongst people living with HIV [ 24 ].
In Malawi, there were modest improvements. The programme aimed to keep services running; healthcare workers were asked to inquire about TB symptoms in those attending out-patient departments proactively, and there was an active tracing of patients needing to be registered [ 25 ].
In Zimbabwe, there was a deterioration in TB case finding services. The interventions put in place included: (i) integrated screening and fast-tracking of investigations for TB and COVID-19 in patients presenting with respiratory symptoms; (ii) improved contact tracing in selected facilities; and (iii) the promotion of strict infection control practices at health facilities to encourage symptomatic patients to attend. Unfortunately, the country had widespread industrial strike action in the health sector between July and September 2020, and between December 2020 and January 2021, there were stock-outs of TB diagnostic reagents, which greatly reduced the ability to diagnose TB [ 26 ].
In all three countries, the data collection was led and monitored by country coordinators engaged explicitly for the study. They worked with a central monitoring and evaluation coordinator at The Union to put together the monthly reports for each country. In brief, two weeks after the end of each month, the TB and HIV data were collated, validated and presented in a monthly report as a series of figures, tables and narrative. These were sent to the TB and HIV programme directors, usually within a week of putting the data together, and shared with the study sites as well as all the other stakeholders involved in the project. The TB programme directors reviewed the monthly surveillance reports, which they received within four weeks of the end of the month and used the data for decision making. Cause and effect are difficult to disentangle from a study like this. Still, it is likely that timely access to data helped the programmes’ efforts to maintain services during this challenging time.
The three studies have helped shed light on additional ways to improve TB case finding. Further innovative approaches that would benefit from real-time implementation research during the COVID-19 pandemic might include: (i) the strengthening of sputum specimen transportation to and from laboratories; (ii) the use of saliva as an alternative to sputum for diagnosing TB and COVID-19; (iii) the use of adequately equipped mobile vans with on-site Xpert MTB/RIF assays and ultraportable chest x-rays to provide diagnostic outreach; (iv) the application of digital platforms and connectivity solutions to maintain contact with patients during the lockdown periods and to ensure rapid delivery of test results for those being investigated; and iv) mobilization of TB survivors to facilitate contact tracing and active screening for TB in high-risk groups [ 27 , 28 ].
Real-time operational research, as discussed earlier, is more labour intensive than research based around the collection of secondary data. There are a number of issues that must be considered, discussed and agreed upon when planning and implementing such studies.
A sound ethics framework must underpin the research studies, with an understanding that informed consent may be required from patients (this was deemed not to be needed in any of the four TB case studies) and the benefits and risks of any intervention may need careful assessment from a human rights perspective and the disease control programme itself [ 29 ]. In the four case studies, ethics approval was always sought, although in some cases, the National Scientific and Research Ethics Committee waived the need for a formal ethics review.
The research must be relevant and a priority for the country and the disease control programme. The operational research studies in the four examples were all priorities for the national TB programmes. Programme directors were kept closely in touch with the data collection and analysis that occurred during the study and were all involved in the stakeholder meetings at the conclusion of the study. As such, the results were influential in shaping policy and practice on the ground and making a difference for the better.
Real-time operational research is beneficial in pandemic and epidemic situations where countries are desperate to maintain routine health services despite numerous challenges. The anticipated negative impact of COVID-19 on TB and HIV services in Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe was a case in point, where monthly instead of quarterly surveillance was welcomed and instituted by the disease control programmes to try and counteract the dramatic decreases in TB case detection and HIV testing. The data were also used to assess new strategies implemented to counteract the adverse effects of COVID-19 [ 24 , 25 , 26 ].
Another example is the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Sierra Leone and Liberia in 2014. Operational research carried out after the EVD outbreak showed the adverse effects of EVD on the ability of the programmes to diagnose TB and provide HIV testing [ 30 , 31 ]. While this research provided useful information about what to do in the event of further EVD outbreaks, real-time operational research at the time of the 2014 EVD outbreak might have helped the programmes better weather the storm, as was shown for example with TB services in neighbouring Guinea [ 32 ].
The research, whether this is designed as a cross-sectional study, a cohort study or a case-control study, must be conducted and reported according to international standard guidelines [ 33 ]. The majority of the operational research studies that focus on quantitative data are observational designs and should follow the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines [ 34 ]. Qualitative research studies should follow the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) [ 35 ] or the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines [ 36 ]. The four case studies on TB followed STROBE guidelines. Adherence to these quantitative and qualitative guidelines ensures that the research is conducted and reported to international standards and adds further credibility to the research study findings.
An important methodological consideration for real-time operational research is whether or not to have a comparison group. In the first case study on the misregistration of recurrent TB, the first published study had no comparison group. However, once guidelines had been developed and disseminated, the first study acted as a comparison for the second study to assess whether misregistration had decreased [ 8 , 10 ].
In the second case study, a package of counselling, HIV testing and adjunctive cotrimoxazole administered to a cohort of TB patients was compared with no package in a cohort of TB patients registered the previous year (defined as a historical control) [ 13 ]. The use of historical controls is acceptable, although it is important that the investigators clearly outline any differences in the cohort composition and/or standards of care of patients before and during the intervention that might affect the primary outcome.
Another way of using a control group is to select a concurrent comparison cohort against which to judge the intervention results. For example, a study was done in Malawi to assess TB treatment outcomes in a cohort of patients offered the package of HIV testing and adjunctive cotrimoxazole in Thyolo district in 2001 and results compared with the neighbouring Mulanje district during the same time where no such interventions were offered to registered TB patients [ 37 ]. There was a significant increase in treatment success and a significant decrease in mortality and other adverse outcomes in Thyolo than in Mulanje district, with findings comparable to those of the original study conducted in Thyolo district [ 13 ]. The use of concurrent controls is also acceptable, although care must be taken to match the situation of the intervention and comparison groups as close as possible.
Not all operational research studies need comparison groups. The third case study on screening TB patients for DM had no such group [ 21 ]. However, if the stakeholder committee had decided on two different screening methods, then a comparison study would have been needed.
Consideration must be given to the timely collection, sharing and validation of data. The first two case studies from Malawi [ 8 , 10 , 13 ] and the third from India [ 21 ] used paper-based questionnaires and data collection forms for the primary data. All the investigators were in the country, and there was no problem with the sharing of data. The fourth case study, however, had investigators from several countries, and there was a need to regularly check and validate the data between the overall monitoring and evaluation coordinator based in India and the country coordinators based in Africa. Doing this with paper-based records was going to be difficult, if not impossible. In the Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe studies [ 24 , 25 , 26 ], an EpiCollect5 application ( https://five.epicollect.net , accessed on 7 June 2021) was therefore used to collect the aggregate data and this was used in real-time to cross-check and validate data for the different variables and ensure that numbers added up. EpiCollect5 is a free application that can be downloaded to smartphones, and it was relatively easy to train all the data collectors in the country about how to use it.
In the four case studies, key implementers carried out the research, but the decision-makers in the Ministry of Health were involved right from the start in terms of conceptualization, methodology, analysis and interpretation of the data and the writing and editing of the final manuscript. Taking a research project from protocol to publication acts as a form of quality control, demonstrating to investigators and key decision and policymakers that the science is of a good standard and the findings reliable for making decisions [ 38 ]. The publication is important and, particularly if Open Access journals are used, allows for the widespread dissemination to national and international audiences.
Dissemination, for example, at a stakeholders’ meeting where decision and policymakers are present, is another essential part of sharing the findings and persuading people to adopt the recommended changes to policy and practice. In the first three case studies, interim stakeholder meetings with programme directors were held as the studies progressed, and importantly they were also held within a few weeks or months of the studies being completed leading to important national decisions being made long before the papers were published [ 10 , 15 , 23 ]. In the fourth case study, the data were put together each month as figures, tables and a narrative and sent as monthly reports to programme directors [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. The monthly deadlines for submission were never missed, which allowed confidence to be built into the system, especially for trying out and monitoring new strategies.
Skill and experience are needed to plan and conduct real-time operational research. Over the last 12 years, we have used the SORT IT (Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative) model to build capacity in programmatic or public health officers in low- and middle-income countries to undertake and publish operational research using routinely collected data [ 39 ]. This has been remarkably successful, resulting in many high-quality observational studies being undertaken and published in open access journals and adhering to STROBE guidelines [ 40 ].
SORT IT courses are structured with three one-week modules over a fixed relatively short period of 9–12 months, and as a result, most studies use routinely collected secondary data. More thought will be needed to adapt the SORT IT model to real-time operational research. This will require longer time periods between modules to ensure that (i) patient-centred ethics approvals are obtained in time, (ii) investigators are properly trained in the collection and validation of data and (iii) sample sizes are adequate to judge whether interventions are effective.
The fourth case example [ 24 , 25 , 26 ] also shows how capacity can be built on the ground in existing staff working on the front-line in health facilities. The Union central monitoring and evaluation coordinator trained all existing staff in Nairobi, Lilongwe and Harare about how to use EpiCollect5, useful knowledge not only for the study but also for future public health work.
Funding is a key consideration. Operational research studies that use routinely collected secondary data are simple and relatively inexpensive to do. Operational research papers published through SORT IT courses, which included the capacity building and the publication charges, cost under 7000 euro per paper when conducted and led by the institutions without additional expertise costs [ 41 ].
Real-time operational research is likely to be more expensive. However, there are opportunities for funding. The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in recent years has promoted the integration of operational research into country programmes during the funding process [ 42 ], and encourages real-time operational research for more effective uptake and use of proven interventions as well as research on the introduction and deployment of new products in the field when they become available. More efficient mechanisms, however, for accessing and deploying these funds are urgently needed.
We have focused this perspective article on real-time operational research around TB. However, this type of research can be utilized for many other different diseases. A review of published papers through the SORT IT model between 2009 and 2018 showed that while 45% of operational research projects were on TB, the remainder were on other communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, trauma and health care emergencies and access to care [ 40 ]. The UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) currently has a large grant from the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to undertake and build capacity in operational research around the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Two SORT IT courses on AMR from Africa and Asia have recently been completed with excellent publication outputs to date [ 43 ].
This perspective article defined the concept of real-time operational research. We selected four examples from the field of TB to show how this type of research can be implemented, with the findings in all four cases leading to important policy and practice changes. Important considerations about how to undertake and publish real-time operational research, build capacity and find the necessary funding are discussed. Disease control programmes, health services and health systems should include operational research as one of their core activities both to improve the delivery of established health interventions and to introduce and deploy new products and interventions as they become available. This is particularly important when health services are threatened by pandemics and epidemics.
Author contributions.
Conceptualization, A.D.H., P.T., A.M.V.K., S.S., S.D.B., I.D.R., M.K., R.Z.; methodology, A.D.H., P.T., R.Z.; resources, I.D.R.; writing—original draft preparation, A.D.H., P.T., R.Z.; writing—review and editing, A.D.H., P.T., I.M., J.M.C., H.T., K.C.T., A.M.V.K., S.S., S.D.B., I.D.R., M.K., R.Z.; funding acquisition, S.D.B., A.D.H.; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
The writing and publication of this perspective article was funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies through a grant (Grant Number 78941) from Vital Strategies and the Resolve to Save Lives Initiative, New York, NY, USA.
This was a perspective paper, and as such, no ethics review was required.
Data availability statement, conflicts of interest.
The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the writing of this paper.
The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and may not necessarily reflect the views of their affiliated institutions.
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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2002, Journal of Operations Management
By: Voss etal.
Journal of Operations Management
Mark Barratt
Manufacturing & Service Operations Management
Alan Scheller-wolf
K. Amoako-gyampah
An agenda for operations management (OM) research was first proposed by Miller et al. in 1981. However, until Hill et al. examined recent Ph.D. dissertations in 1987, no other work on the agenda had been done. We take another look at the status of the OM research ...
Kimberly Bates
Gopesh Anand
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Alexandre Graeml
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Jose A Alfaro
Scandinavian Journal of Management
ManMohan S Sodhi
Kenneth Boyer
Jack Meredith
INFORMS Transactions on Education
daniel frances
Xenophon Koufteros
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Sunderesh Heragu
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
Aris Munandar
Chris Voss , Rui Sousa
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IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
A Review of Case Study Method in Operations Management ...
1. , Narjes Ghasemnia Arabi. 1. and Gholamreza Khoshsima. 2. Abstract. This article reviews the case study research in the operations management field. In this regard, the paper's key objective ...
This article reviews the case study research in the operations management field. In this regard, the paper's key objective is to represent a general framework to design, develop, and conduct case study research for a future operations management research by critically reviewing relevant literature and offering insights into the use of case method in particular settings.
An appendix provides a listing of case studies that have appeared in some OM journals in recent years, classifying the studies by their research purpose. However, regardless of their purposes, case study research need to be conducted in a manner that assures maximum measurement reliability and theory validity.
In areas related to operations management, such as com-puter science, the term 'case study' is often used to refer to the performance of a system 'under' certain conditions. This can be the understanding in the context of simulation or optimisation, 2016 informa uK limited, trading as taylor & Francis group.
The need for the operations management (OM) field to pur-sue more empirical methods, especially the case study method, has been noted in many research types. Recently there have been several ...
A five step case-based research and dissemination process is presented. Guidance is given to future researchers for each step in the process. In addition, areas of weakness are examined and discussed in detail. Future potential research questions in operations management considered to be appropriate for the case-based method are highlighted.
Each chapter of " Case Studies in Operations Research: Applications of Optimal Decision Making" also includes additionaldata provided on the book's website on Springer.com. These files contain a brief description of the area of application, the problem and the required outputs. Also provided are links to access all the data in the problem.
Journal of Operations Management, 11 (1993) 239-256 Eisevier 239 Conducting case study research in operations management David M. McCutcheon and Jack R. Meredith Department of Operations Management and Information Systems, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 4522]-0387, USA (Received 8 October 1990; accepted in revised form 3 March 1993) Abstract Recently, there have been numerous calls ...
PDF | Our study examines the state of qualitative case studies in operations management. Five main operations management journals are included for their... | Find, read and cite all the research ...
Case Study Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for Business ...
This book includes case studies that examine the application of operations research to improve or increase efficiency in industry and operational activities. This collection of "living case studies" is all based on the author's 30-year career of consulting and advisory work. These true-to life industrial applications illustrate the ...
Abstract. Recently, there have been numerous calls for more empirical field-based research to be conducted in operations management (OM). Knowledge of how operations systems work can be enhanced significantly through contact with the "real-world" conditions that OM models seek to describe. Case study research is a primary means of exploring ...
Theory testing Despite its limited use for theory testing, case study research has been used in the operations management field in order to test complicated issues such as strategy implementation (e.g. Pagell and Krause, 1999; Boyer and McDermott, 1999; McLachlin, 1997). When case study research is used for theory testing, it fis typically used ...
INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS RESEARCH
This text, now in the Third Edition, aims to provide students with a clear, well-structured and comprehensive treatment of the theory and applications of operations research. The methodology used is to first introduce the students to the fundamental concepts through numerical illustrations and then explain the underlying theory, wherever required.
Design/methodology/approach: The case study approach is selected as a research methodology because of the need to investigate a current phenomenon in a real environment. Findings: In the case study analysed, the protective capacity of non-bottleneck resources is found to the key factor when subordinating the MTO system to a bottleneck (BN).
The research, whether this is designed as a cross-sectional study, a cohort study or a case-control study, must be conducted and reported according to international standard guidelines . The majority of the operational research studies that focus on quantitative data are observational designs and should follow the Strengthening the Reporting of ...
Case Studies - Operations Research and Management - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. The document presents a case study involving the assignment of five men to five jobs to minimize the total time taken. It provides a matrix with the time each man takes to complete each job. The Hungarian assignment method is applied in six steps to solve the ...
Request PDF | On Jan 1, 2015, C. Bragalli and others published Case Studies in Operations Research | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate
A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research. Undergraduate . Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor's degree in management, business analytics, or finance. ... Operations Management Case Studies. Teaching Resources Library A Background ...
Operations Research Case Study - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document outlines the schedule and requirements for a case study project assignment in an operations research course. It details four stages of the project: researching topics in August-September, submitting a proposal in early October, working on the project October-November, and ...
International Journal of Operations and Production Management 13 (5), 3-11. Meredith, J., 1998. Building operations management theory through case and field research. Journal of Operations Management 16 (4), 441-454. Meredith, J., Samson, D., 2001. Call for papers: special issue of journal of operations management on case study and field ...
Advanced supply management operations ... The research focus of any study provides a clear indication of the specific area or topic that the researchers aim to investigate, analyze, and contribute knowledge. ... A simulation-based analysis on the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) case. Transportation Research. Part E, Logistics and ...