This thesis presents an ethnographic account of an investigation into whether productivity is a useful concept in service sectors where quality is subjectively determined, in the context of how training and education can contribute to an organisation’s effectiveness. The ethnographic interest stems principally from the difficulties encountered in pursuing this research question. At an early stage, the researcher decided to identify the sectors of interest through quantitative analysis of economic data. This proved problematic as the analysis became involved and, though eventually published, would have been difficult to justify within the context of a social science thesis. Accordingly, the researcher switched to a means of identification based on the literature. However, the quantitative analysis had led him to take a fairly literal reading of the research question, and in the first interview this proved highly problematic, leading to significant interactional troubles. The interview did not ‘settle out’ in the researcher’s mind; as a result, the researcher used detailed textual analysis, particularly conversation analysis, to understand what in intersubjective terms had occurred during the interview. The impact of the interview on the researcher was sufficiently profound to change his emotional orientation towards the research question, and the researcher has detailed how his subjectivity has developed through the research process. This has led ultimately to the reflection that his approach had been perhaps too literal, too direct; and that a more circuitous approach might perhaps have yielded a less contested, richer and more extensive set of materials which might then have allowed the researcher to address the research question indirectly by using for example discourse analysis. It is perhaps the documentation of the trajectory towards this ultimate reflective realisation, and the conversation analysis (with accompanying self-commentary) of interactional trouble in a qualitative research interview, that form the contribution of this thesis.

In assembly optimisation, Assembly Sequence Planning (ASP) and Assembly Line Balancing (ALB) optimisations currently performed in serial, present an opportunity for integration, allowing benefits such as larger search space leading to better solution quality, reduced error rate in planning and fast time-to-market for a product. The literature survey highlights the research gaps, where the existing integrated ASP and ALB optimisation is limited to a Genetic Algorithm (GA) based approach, while Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) demonstrates better performance in individual ASP and ALB optimisation compared to GA. In addition, the existing works are limited to simple assembly line problems which run a homogeneous model on an assembly line. The aim of this research is to establish a methodology and algorithm for integrating ASP and ALB optimisation using Particle Swarm Optimisation. This research extends the problem type to integrated mixed-model ASP and ALB in order to generalise the problem. This research proposes Multi-Objective Discrete Particle Swarm Optimisation (MODPSO), to optimise integrated ASP and ALB. The MODPSO uses the Pareto-based approach to deal with the multi-objective problem and adopts a discrete procedure instead of standard mathematical operators to update its position and velocity. The MODPSO algorithm is tested with a wide range of problem difficulties for integrated single-model and mixed-model ASP and ALB problems. In order to supply sufficient test problems that cover a range of problem difficulties, a tuneable test problem generator is developed. Statistical tests on the algorithms’ performance indicates that the proposed MODPSO algorithm presents significant improvement in terms of larger non-dominated solution numbers in Pareto optimal, compared to comparable algorithms including GA based algorithms in both single-model and mixed-model ASP and ALB problems. The performance of the MODPSO algorithm is finally validated using artificial problems from the literature and real-world problems from assembly products.

Although much of the manufacturing strategy and business strategy literature emphasizes the importance of alignment, little empirical research has addressed strategic alignment between manufacturing strategy and business strategy. Managers' awareness of concepts discussed in the literature raises the profile of manufacturing within the organization, and highlights its role and importance in achieving corporate objectives. Scholars exploring manufacturing strategy stress the importance for strategy of horizontal integration of manufacturing with other functional strategies, and vertical integration to achieve business and corporate-level strategies.

This EngD portfolio considers two important applications of Life Cycle Thinking to industrial processes. These are the use of Life Cycle Assessment in process selection, and the application of Life Cycle Thinking to process improvement. The portfolio can be broken down into two distinct parts: that associated with the most recent two years spent with The BOC Group and that related to the initial two years with Borax Consolidated. The work at The BOC Group shows how the environmental management tool of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can be used at the process selection stage (specifically in industrial applications). This is demonstrated by applying LCA to the production of liquid carbon dioxide (and its downstream use), and through a comparative LCA of the oxygen-based Vitox technology with alternative mechanical aeration techniques in the activated sludge process for waste water treatment. The work further includes a comparative assessment of alternative production methods for the generation of liquid oxygen. The work carried out at Borax Consolidated focuses on fluidisation as a novel method of dehydrating boric acid, and shows how life cycle thinking can be applied during process improvement and selection. It includes a comparative assessment of the impact associated with fluidisation and current technology

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is increasingly becoming important in the construction industry, which is still largely a fragmented industry. Several government sponsored reports have been instrumental in promoting the concept in the UK construction industry. However, previous literature helped identify that construction organisations are in the need of a mechanism that would allow them to measure integration of supply chains. Hence this research aimed to develop a framework for construction organisations to assess and improve integration of their supply chains. In this endeavour a Delphi survey was conducted in the Northern Irish construction industry to 'build' a SCM framework, and thereafter a UK-wide questionnaire survey to test the framework. Firstly, the Delphi method was used to prioritise and validate the inclusion of 13 critical success factors (CSFs) compiled from previous literature. This generated scores for each CSF, which could potentially be included in the developed SCM framework. Secondly, the Delphi method was used to develop the SCM framework based on the 13 CSFs and 4 levels of integration. This is the most significant contribution to knowledge created via this research. Thereafter, an e-survey was undertaken to test the robustness of the SCM framework. This added rigour to this research and utilised a mixed methodologies approach. In addition to testing the propositions and receiving feedback on the SCM framework, the e-survey revealed the current and future levels of integration of construction supply chains in the UK. This is the first quantitative survey that has been conducted among individuals in the UK construction industry regarding integration of construction supply chains. In conclusion, the proposed SCM framework is applicable to all main sectors of the construction industry; namely clients, consultants, main contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. This empirically tested framework is easy to use and helpful in assessing and improving construction supply chains.

The thesis critically appraises the author's published works, whilst also attempting to demonstrate originality, rigour, significance, and coherence throughout. The papers enclosed (both core and supporting) represent a critical evaluation of the authors work over the past eight years. In that time, 14 pieces of work have been published in high quality journals, or disseminated at peer reviewed conferences. Outlined below are the thesis aim and objectives, followed by the research context and key contributions as they unfolded and developed during the authors research . Research Aim and Objectives The overarching aim of this thesis is to summarise the author's contribution to knowledge in the area of inter-organisational relationships through published works, specifically focusing on the influence of organisational culture in achieving and sustaining improved buyer supplier performance outcomes along the supply chain.

In mature markets, successful new product introductions are becoming increasingly important for sustaining profitability and business growth (Cravens et al 2002), but evermore difficult to achieve due to factors such as increased levels of competition, rapidly changing market environments, higher rates of technical obsolescence and shorter product lifecycles (Griffin 1997). There is no lack of academic literature with respect tb New Product Development (NPD) as a whole - why it is important, how it is used and the key success factors therein - yet failure rates and the cost of developing new products remain prohibitively high. Working within the context of the UK grocery retail industry this thesis explores how product innovation is affected by Market Knowledge Dimensions, and Cross-Functional Integration within firms and across the supply chain. The research is supplemented by an exploration of the link between Market Information Gathering Activities and the creation of Market Knowledge and the mediating/moderating impact that Knowledge Integration Mechanisms has on Product Innovation Performance. Structural Equation Modelling is used to test a conceptual model developed through a review of the academic literature and exploratory qualitative research. The results of this research highlight the link between market information gathering activities and market knowledge volume and show the importance of Market Knowledge Volume and Market Knowledge Tacitness (in appropriate contxtual environments) in generating successful new products. The research also makes a significant contribution to the current academic literature by suggesting that quantity of collaboration at both an inter- and intra-firm level is not an antecedent of success unless organisations have the R&D strength to turn collaboration at an inter-firm level into internal competencies and competitive advantage.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have evolved from the Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems and, accordingly, manufacturing companies represent the natural environment for their application. Nevertheless, ERP systems have also been introduced to different environments (e.g. service industries, refineries etc) with considerable success. However, comparatively little research has been conducted in the area of ERP implementation in such contexts of application.

Literature has shown that Business Continuity Management (BCM) has been of particular interest to the researcher since the establishment of BS 25999 in 2006, although the underlying concept was first introduced in the mid 1980s. Previous studies of BCM have tended to focus on individual organisations and do not deal adequately with supply chains which are also at risk. For supply chains, risk management is usually discussed within the Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) topic. BCM and SCRM are therefore related but also differ. Both can be conceptualised as a management innovation which is an emerging topic within innovation research and as such factors affecting the adoption of this type of innovation are under-researched. Information and Communication Technology (lCT) had been argued as a potential source of disruption to business and at the same time ICT might be advantageous in supporting BCM and SCRM. This argument seems relevant to relating BCM, SCRM and ICT in terms of their adoption within the supply chain. Data from a questionnaire survey of 110 organisations across various sectors in the United Kingdom (UK) are used to answer the research question: "what are the key determinants to the adoption and the stages of adoption of BCM, SCRM, and ICT in an organisation within its supply network?" The data collected were analysed quantitatively, from simple analyses such as mean scores, and Spearman correlation coefficients, to more sophisticated analysis such as factor analysis, ANOV A, logistic regression and multiple regression. Adoption level, and a second dependent variable (stages of adoption), are predicted by a model with four categories of independent variables including (i) the characteristics of the innovation (BCM, SCRM, and ICT; including, the relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, and observability), (ii) the internal and external factors of innovation characteristics (managers' support, strategy integration, and stakeholders pressure on the innovation), (iii) the characteristics of the organisation (size, position in supply chain, decentralised organisational structure and organisational performance), and (iv) the external environment (stakeholders pressure, system openness, environmental uncertainties and supply chain complexity).

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