Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management, 1962. / Appendix contains numerous pamphlets. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 245-246). / by Richard Claus Katz. / M.S.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management, 1957. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [61]-67). / by Marlin Paul Nelson. / M.S.

Drawing on the concepts of embeddedness, this study suggests that the forms and contents of network ties are external antecedents of the decision on competitive repertoires made by firms. The forms of network include institutional embeddedness, network centrality, social capital. Information simplicity is the content which has three measures---concentration, dominance, and range. The effects of internal antecedents, namely slack resources, experience and cognitive sunk cost of board of directors, are also examined. Results show that, in general, heterogeneity in competitive repertoire of a firm is positively associated with its forms of network ties. In the case of the content of network, the simpler is the information in concentration and dominance, the greater the heterogeneity. Interestingly, diversity in competitive repertoire of a firm is negatively associated with its institutionally embeddedness and information simplicity in range. / In the competitive dynamics line of research, the investigation of the antecedents of competitive repertoires is less developed. The findings on impacts of competitive actions on performance are not conclusive as well. This study aims to uncover both the internal and external antecedents that affect the firm's decisions on competitive repertoires. Drawing from previous studies in micro-competitive behaviours, a typology of four modes of competitive differentiation---specific action, deviation, diversity, and heterogeneity---is introduced. Then, this study investigates the effectiveness of these four different modes of differentiation in sustaining competitive advantage. The sample analysed in this study consists of firms from both banking and hotel industries. The causes and consequences of firm-level rivalry are examined over a period of six years. / Overall, this study provides new theoretical insight and empirical evidence regarding the relationship between the forms and contents of firm's external embeddedness and its competitive repertoires. In addition, the use of semi-annual time frame adds richness to existing methods of observing and measuring competitive actions in the study of micro-competitive behaviors. The results of this study also suggest that competitive repertoires, rather then single moves, play a key role in firm's ability to sustain competitive advantage. Finally, this study provides valuable guidelines in the appointment of board directors, particularly with respect to links between competitive repertoires and the directors' institutional and network embeddedness, social capital, and information possessed. / The examination of the effects of different modes of competitive differentiation on firm performance reveals that only diversity and heterogeneity in competitive repertoire are essential for superior performance and to outperform competitors. These findings have two implications. First, for superior performance, firm must differentiate itself from its competitors rather than being a follower. Second, such differentiation must have the competitive actions structured in a portfolio mode rather than separate and independent moves. / Yeung Ping Kwong. / "April 2002." / Adviser: Chung-Ming Lau. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 63-05, Section: A, page: 1911. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 171-187). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest dissertations and theses, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

The present research pursues two main interrelated objectives: one the one hand, to derive a unified definition of the concept of supply chain resilience (SCRes) from which a quantitative holistic measure of SCRes that appraises both dynamic and inherent resilience can be developed; on the other, to evaluate the theoretical effectiveness—due to the use of simulated experimental data—of a buffering strategy founded on the use of on-hand inventory buffers or short-term manufacturing capacity to build up SCRes. In this sense, the review of the literature uncovered not only flaws in the existing approaches to measure SCRes, but also opposing standpoints on the theoretical effectiveness of using a buffering strategy to inhibit the frequency/impact of SC disruptions. From the literature it is also unclear in which cases or under what circumstances the unit of analysis for this research should adopt a buffering strategy as mentioned. The unit of analysis selected for these purposes is a real-world military food supply chain (MFSC) operating in a risky environment that provides subsistence items to a medium-size military force (< 280,000 troop members). The research methods to address the two research objectives proposed are, first, a robust model based on discrete simulation; and second, an open-ended questionnaire administered to the staff of the MFSC. The first method—simulation—provides the data required to test the nine ex-ante hypotheses, while the second method—questionnaire—complements the previous ones by increasing their usefulness and empirical validity. The simulation experiment performed consists of subjecting the MFSC under analysis to the stepwise occurrence of three categories of risk—operational risks or R1r; natural disasters and intentional attacks or R2r; and black-swan events or R3—while on-hand inventory buffers or short-term manufacturing capacity—the buffering strategy—are gradually increased following an efficient experimental design. To test the nine hypotheses of the research, it was necessary to apply an approach based on data mining techniques— mining causal association rules—and non-parametric methods—the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum and Binomial distribution tests, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction. In this way, based on a novel perspective related to the application of the concept of tail autotomy effect (TAE) to obtain a measure of SCRes (ReT), the evaluation of the output data of the simulation model indicates that: (1) ceteris paribus, increases in the frequency of occurrence of seven of the nine risk events considered reduce ReT in the MFSC with 99% confidence; (2) increases in on-hand inventory buffers positively moderate the relationship between the frequency of occurrence of risks and ReT, with 99% confidence, regardless of the category of risk—R1r, R2r, or R3—affecting the MFSC; (3) increases in short-term manufacturing capacity positively moderate the relationship between the frequency of occurrence of risks and ReT, with 95% confidence for the categories of risk R1r and R3, and with 99% confidence for R2r; and (4) from the open-ended questionnaire, the staff of the MFSC shows a marked preference for the use of on-hand inventory buffers over short-term manufacturing capacity to avoid the occurrence of disruptions. Despite the theoretical implications of these findings, the assumptions of the simulation model, the non-inclusion of the cost factor, and the utilization of a single MFSC may limit to a certain extent their generalization to other scenarios or unit of analysis. To ameliorate these deficiencies, the construction of the simulation model incorporates nine types of risk, the evaluation of ninety configurations of the MFSC—simulation runs, and the consideration of a lengthy horizon of analysis of up to twenty years, allowing other military-SCs or even commercial-SCs can take advantage of the implications of the results of this research. Thus, from a practical point of view, this research provides (military) logisticians with clear guidelines for making decisions on when and how to use on-hand inventory buffers or short-term manufacturing capacity to create resilience or to inhibit the occurrence of disruptions caused by categories of risk R1r, R2r, and R3. From a theoretical standpoint, this research makes an original contribution to the body of knowledge in SC management by providing a novel conceptual framework mainly applicable to MFSCs, which includes the analysis of three categories of risk; a holistic measure of SCRes (ReT) including dynamic and inherent resilience; and the analysis of the application of a buffering strategy based on on-hand inventory buffers and short-term manufacturing capacity. In doing so, the findings of the research provide sufficient criteria for resolving the controversy concerning the theoretical effectiveness of the aforementioned strategy to create resilience and/or to inhibit the occurrence of disruptions in SCs.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management, 1959. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-128). / by James John Samuel Forese. / M.S.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management, 1963. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 177). / by Gillett Welles, III. / M.S.

Thesis (M.S.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. School of Industrial Management, 1956. / Includes bibliographies. / by Manuel Zymelman. / M.S.

Thesis (B.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management, 1961. / MIT copy bound with: A study of correlation between media which influence consumers and personal characteristics of the consumer / by Leonard Irving Hess [1961] / Includes bibliographical references. / by Arthur A. Katz. / B.S.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management, 1961. / Appendix contains numerous panphlets. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Robert S. Mullaney. / M.S.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management, 1960. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 130). / by Charles H. Olmstead. / M.S.