Service Operations Research Articles

Development of violence-associated penetrating trauma in the Düsseldorf metropolitan region over a5-year period (GewPen study)

Penetrating injuries are arare but recurring emergency situation in the out-of-hospital and in-hospital emergency settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of injuries associated with penetrating violence across aGerman metropolitan region over a5-year period. In the retrospective study, adatabase query of the control center of the Düsseldorf rescue service area was used to identify and descriptively analyze all rescue service operations with penetrating violence-associated injuries in the years 2015, 2017, and 2019. For those patients who were transferred to the major trauma center, afurther analysis of the in-hospital course was performed. In the 3 years 2015, 2017 and 2019 atotal of 266 patients (age: 33 ± 14years, male: 79%) could be recorded (2015 vs. 2017 vs. 2019: n = 81 vs. n = 93 vs. n = 92, respectively). The most common age group involved had an age range of 15-34years. Aparticularly higher frequency of emergency calls was found for the areas of Old Town, City Center, and one other district (Oberbilk). Ahigh frequency of rescue missions was found in the nights from Saturday to Sunday between 20.00 p.m. and 04.00 a.m. Rescue missions with emergency physicians on board increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 27 vs. 42%, p = 0.04). The primary weapons used were knives (56%), broken glass bottles (18%) and broken glasses (6%). Out of all patients 71 (27%, injury severity score11 ± 14) were admitted to the major trauma center. Among these patients, the proportion of immediate surgical care (2015 vs. 2019: 20% vs. 35%, p < 0.05) and positive alcohol detection increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 10% vs. 43%, p < 0.05). The 30-day mortality in the 3 years studied was 1.1% (n = 3). Penetrating injuries associated with violence are relevant but rare rescue missions. Future care strategies should focus on deployment of rescue resources close to the scene of the incident ("old town guard", central station), and prevention strategies should focus on weapon prohibition zones. A control of alcohol consumption should be discussed.

The organisation and operation of policing on university campuses: A case study

The operation of policing services on university campuses in the United Kingdom is under-researched. Drawing on interviews with university managers, security personnel and residential wardens, this article adds to the limited literature on policing in educational institutions by providing a case study of the organisation and implementation of campus policing at a university in the United Kingdom. We find that the work of the security teams includes routine housekeeping and caretaking tasks across campus, maintaining adherence to university rules and regulations, enhancing student well-being and welfare and preventing and responding to crimes. Further research is needed to understand how university spaces are managed and policed across the United Kingdom and the role of private security in dealing with welfare and mental health issues on campus.

Bridging the Green Gap in Homesharing: How Platforms Can Increase Hosts’ Sustainability Intentions and Behavior

Homesharing platforms are under substantive pressure to become more environmentally sustainable. Key to this challenge is these platforms’ homesharing hosts, who have the opportunity to introduce new sustainability innovations (e.g., water-saving measures). However, knowledge of what drives hosts’ sustainability behavior is currently limited. We address this gap and investigate antecedents for hosts’ sustainability intentions. Our study is based on a survey in Europe (conducted in 12 languages), resulting in a sample of 1,392 hosts. Building on the theory of planned behavior, we perform three analyses: (a) quantitative and theory testing, (b) quantitative and explorative, and (c) qualitative and explorative. Notably, we find that attitude and norms, as well as financial resources and time, are the main drivers of hosts’ sustainability intentions. In addition, the presence of local service offices (i.e., a platform business model that internalizes service operations from hosts) moderates the effects of sustainability antecedents.

Code-Mixing As a Communicative Strategy Among International Passengers and Employees in Hasanuddin International Airport Makassar

The use of English in service operations is very necessary in communicating with service users who not only come from Indonesia but also from abroad. Therefore, the use of English is very important in-service operations at the airport. This research aims to analyze code mixing as a communication strategy among passengers and employees at Hasanuddin International Airport. The design of this research was qualitative research. It is called collaborative qualitative because the research directly involves employees and international passengers as respondents. The research results show that there are three types of code mixing, namely alternation, congruence, and lexicalization. Respondents participated in interviews, which yielded information about the variables that influence the use of code mixing in textual communication regarding code mixing as a communication strategy between employees and international passengers. There are seven factors that cause code mixing, namely (1) lack of mastery, especially mastery of English, (2) intention to increase prestige, (3) wanting to show off one's skills, (4) searching for identity, (5) habits, (6) want to joke (make jokes) and (7) relaxed conversation situation (formality). It can be concluded that this research identifies three forms of code mixing, namely substitution, congruence and lexicalization and this is influenced by several factors in the occurrence of code mixing among employees and international passengers

Frontiers in Operations: Employees vs. Contractors: An Operational Perspective

Problem definition: We consider a platform’s problem of how to staff its operations given the possibilities of hiring employees and setting up a contractor marketplace. We aim to understand the operational difference between these two work arrangement models. Methodology/results: We consider a model where demand is not only stochastic but also evolving over time, which we capture via a state of the world that determines the demand distribution. In the case of employees, the platform controls the number of employee hours it uses for serving demand, whereas in the case of contractors, it sets the wage paid to them per utilized hour. We show that although the employee problem is equivalent to a standard newsvendor, the contractor one corresponds to an unusual version of the newsvendor model where utilization is the control variable. Managerial implications: This distinction makes the contractor model more flexible, allowing us to prove that it performs significantly better, especially if the order of magnitude of demand is unknown. Meanwhile, hybrid solutions that combine both employees and contractors have complex optimal solutions and offer relatively limited benefits relative to a contractor marketplace. History: This paper has been accepted in the Manufacturing &amp; Service Operations Management Frontiers in Operations Initiative. Funding: This research was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71821002]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.0029 .

Future in-orbit servicing operations in the space traffic management context

This paper provides a concise yet informative overview on future operations in near-Earth space including in-orbit servicing, assembly, manufacturing, and the use of space tugs, in the frame of the space traffic management context. After providing a general definition of these activities, the significant impact that they will have in the space domain from an economic perspective is highlighted. Past achievements in terms of orbital demonstrations are then recalled, leading to the identification of the most critical technological challenges which need to be addressed to improve reliability, frequency, and robustness of servicing operations. A summary of the most critical next steps and recommendations is finally provided.

Change-readiness instrument for library managers: development and analysis of a scale

PurposeThis study focuses on developing a scale that encompasses aspects of readiness to change by library management in dealing with the next normal scenario in libraries. It investigates measuring change readiness in terms of library service operations, workflows, administration, programs and spaces, which can give an overview of a library institution's preparedness to meet new roles and expectations.Design/methodology/approachThe descriptive quantitative research was employed using a two-phase approach. It attempts to design an instrument referred to as change-readiness instrument for library managers (CRILM), which was derived from an original self-developed questionnaire consisting of a 20-item readiness-for-change attributes. Validity and reliability of CRILM were tested using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha. Sample size calculation was employed to determine the required number of subjects to participate in the study. Library managers who are head librarians from different types of libraries were the target samples. Content validation of the items was conducted for suitability and context.FindingsCRILM was tested both valid and reliable. The initial results yielded from the respondent sample indicated that CRILM is deemed suitable for measuring change-readiness among library managers and libraries. The factor-analyzed items were grouped into three subscales based on their characteristics, namely, flexibility in work and services, learning support readiness and adaptive to changing service environments.Research limitations/implicationsCRILM covered the major domains and constructs of change readiness in the context of a library setting. However, the scale should be subjected to further testing and use by a wider target group to strengthen its usability and confidence level. Item analysis was not employed.Practical implicationsThe results of the study offer help to library managers in assessing the readiness of their organizations to effectively manage change and be future-ready.Originality/valueThis study attempts to bridge the gap in readiness-for-change instruments by introducing a scale in the library service environment as a potential contribution in the practice of library management.

ОПТИМІЗАЦІЯ ПРОЦЕСІВ АВАРІЙНОГО ВІДНОВЛЕННЯ СЕРВІСІВ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНОЇ ІНФРАСТРУКТУРИ

The article describes the optimization of the process of disaster recovery of information infrastructure services by implementing the ability to restore service functionality without requiring a full recovery from backup storage. It outlines the criteria and parameters of the network that have a critical impact on recovery in the event of emergencies, allowing for the assessment of the solution's effectiveness in post-disaster recovery. A modification to the MTTR (Mean Time To Recovery) parameter is proposed for cases involving system element recovery from a backup or through service configuration restoration via infrastructure as code, with data necessary for service operation retrieved from backup storage, thereby accelerating the recovery process of a failed information infrastructure service. The article presents a scheme for infrastructure recovery organization by creating a backup location (Cold Site) for local infrastructure using dedicated cloud providers. The proposed solution utilizes Proxmox Backup Server capabilities for regular backups of critically important data center components. Following the development of a flowchart for the service recovery method from the Cold Site, research findings indicated that, for some services, reinstating configurations from code is more advantageous and speeds up the recovery process more than complete service restoration from backup storage.

Strategizing competitive edge in service operations: a model proposal for determining the unit costs through the activity-based cost accounting and the full-consistency method

Strategizing competitive edge in service operations: a model proposal for determining the unit costs through the activity-based cost accounting and the full-consistency method

Factors influencing user experience in AI chat systems – a satisfaction study based on factor analysis and linear regression

PurposeSince the introduction of the outstanding web AI chat system, ChatGPT, it has caused a significant impact in both academia and the business world. Many studies have started to explore its potential applications in various fields. However, there is a lack of research from the perspective of user experience. To fill this theoretical gap and provide a theoretical basis for the operation and design of related services, this study plans to develop a set of evaluation scales for AI chat system user experience and explore the relationship between various factors and user satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThis study obtained 41 evaluation indicators through literature review and user research. Subsequently, these indicators were used as questionnaire items, combined with satisfaction metrics. A total of 515 questionnaires were distributed, and factor analysis and linear regression were employed to determine the specific elements influencing user experience and the user satisfaction model.FindingsThis study found that the factors influencing user experience are usefulness, accuracy, logical inference, interactivity, growth, anthropomorphism, convenience, credibility, ease of use, creativity, and security. Among these factors, only accuracy, anthropomorphism, creativity, and security indirectly influence satisfaction through usefulness, while the rest of the factors have a direct positive impact on user satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study provides constructive suggestions for the design and operation of related services and serves as a reference for future theoretical research in this area.

Identifying core mental health services required for adult justice-involved populations in Australia: a Delphi study

This study aimed to define required forensic mental health service types in Australia. A staged Delphi process was used, including: (1) reference group consultation to establish a set of core forensic mental health service types; (2) Delphi survey to seek consensus on identified service types and definitions among forensic mental health stakeholders in Australia; and (3) amendment of service definitions in response to survey feedback. Nine forensic mental health service types were identified. Consensus (>80% agreement) was achieved among Delphi respondents that all services were core components of an ideal forensic mental health system. These included forensic bed-based (acute, sub-acute, non-acute, non-acute community), forensic community, outreach, prison and court liaison services. The high levels of agreement on service types are notable considering legislative differences impacting on design and operation of services across jurisdictions. The findings could contribute to the evidence base required for needs-based planning of forensic mental health services.

FOOD DELIVERY TIME PREDICTION USING CNN- LSTM

To tackle the challenge of predicting food delivery times, the study introduces a novel approach crucial for streamlining food delivery service operations. The proposed model combines CNN (Convolution Neural Network)s and (LSTM) Long Short-Term Memory networks, leveraging the unique strengths of each design. The CNN component analyzes delivery data trends on a daily and weekly basis, identifying geographical patterns such as rush hours and seasonal variations. Meanwhile, the LSTM component focuses on recognizing spatiotemporal relationships and retaining data over time to effectively model sequential data. Compared to standard procedure, the model's simultaneous incorporation of spatial and temporal information leads to more precise predictions. This enhanced accuracy holds proven strategy for food delivery services, enabling them to more accurately estimate delivery times, reduce delays, and ultimately improve overall customer satisfaction. Keywords: (LSTM) Long short term memory, Time prediction, CNN (Convolution Neural Networks).

The dilemma of employee productivity measures and managerialism practices: an empirical exploration in financial institutions

PurposeThis empirical study aims to explore how actors in specific human resource practices (HRPs) such as line managers (LMs) impact employee productivity measures in the context of financial institutions (FI) banks.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-country study adopted a qualitative methodology. It employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from purposefully selected 12 business facing directors (BFDs) working in the top 10 banks in Nigeria and the UK. The data collected were analysed with the help of the trans-positional cognition approach (TPCA) phenomenological method.FindingsThe findings of a TPCA analytical process imply that in the UK and Nigeria’s FIs, the BFDs line managers’ human resources practices (LMHRPs) resulted in a highly regulated workplace, knowledge gap, service operations challenges and subjective quantitatively driven key performance indicators, considered service productivity paradoxical elements. Although the practices in the UK and Nigerian FIs had similar labels, their aggregates were underpinned by different contextual issues.Practical implicationsTo support LMs in better understanding and managing FIs BFDs productivity measures and outcomes, we propose the Managerial Employee Productivity Operational Definition framework as part of their toolkit. This study will be helpful for banking sectors, their regulators, policymakers, other FIs’ industry stakeholders and future researchers in the field.Originality/valueWithin the context of the UK and Nigeria’s FIs, this study is the first attempt to understand how LMHRPs impact BFDs productivity in this manner. It confirms that LMHRPs result in service productivity paradoxical elements with perceived or lost productivity implications.

2023 M&amp;SOM Meritorious Service Award

The continued success of Manufacturing &amp; Service Operations Management (M&amp;SOM) depends on the volunteer work of many professionals who take their precious time to provide careful and constructive reviews of the manuscripts submitted to the journal in a timely manner. On behalf of M&amp;SOM, editor-in-chief Georgia Perakis expresses her deepest gratitude to all those who served as reviewers for the journal in 2023. Among all reviewers, some individuals have distinguished themselves by reviewing several manuscripts and, with each manuscript, by writing a fair, critical, and constructive review in a timely fashion. In recognition of their outstanding service provided to support the journal’s scholarly mission, M&amp;SOM grants the 2023 Meritorious Service Award to…

Determination of Service Areas and Operating Numbers for Free-floating Personal Mobility Sharing Services

Determination of Service Areas and Operating Numbers for Free-floating Personal Mobility Sharing Services

A Methodology for Designing One-Way Station-Based Carsharing Services in a GIS Environment: A Case Study in Palermo

One-way carsharing is recognized as one of the most popular transportation services in urban areas, being an alternative option to private cars. Over the last decades, a vast amount of literature on the design of specific aspects of this service (fleet size, stations’ locations, fare, balancing operations) has formed. However, a holistic approach for designing carsharing services seems not to be developed. This paper proposes a new approach for designing one-way station-based carsharing services, presenting a five-step method, entirely developed in a GIS environment. The first three steps (suitability analysis, site selection analysis, and walkability analysis) allow finding the candidate locations for carsharing stations. After the assessment of the capacity of the potential stations, a location-allocation analysis allows for assessing the fleet size, the number of stations that maximize the coverage of carsharing demand, and their optimal locations. This paper presents a case study: a new one-way carsharing service was designed in Palermo (Italy) and compared to the existing carsharing service operating in the city. The results highlight that the current carsharing supply is undersized, having about 45% fewer stations and about half the cars compared to those resulting from the model, leaving some POIs unserved.

DESIGNING A CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAM WEB SERVICE

Currently, bonus programs from various companies are very popular, using which companies increase the loyalty of the company's customers, thereby ultimately increasing profits. The article describes the process of developing a web service of the company's loyalty program. The subject area has been studied, different types of loyalty programs have been considered, and its own loyalty program has been developed, which formed the basis for the model of the web service being developed. Next, an overview and analysis of development tools is performed, the most suitable technology stack for implementation is proposed using the example of the .Net Framework platform for implementing the server side and using open libraries to implement the user interface. Based on the analysis of the subject area and the development tools intended for use, a database model of the system was developed, and a database management system represented by MySQL was selected. The architecture of the system was designed using the MVC architectural pattern, Onion design patterns and Repositories, and a scheme for the implementation of the methods of operation of the web service with client accounting systems was proposed. A cashback service project has been developed, which is a web application that interacts with client programs. A module for integration into accounting systems has been developed, using the example of such software products as Topaz-gas station, Frontol and 1C.

A PROJECT-BASED APPROACH TO MANAGING THE INTERACTION OF DIGITAL UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS

The article is devoted to the issues of managing the interaction of university stakeholders in the modern digital space. Higher education institutions of this day are unique entities, in many ways with dissimilar business processes and management priorities. Therefore, along with the existing general principles of the development, implementation and operation of single window services, the problem of developing a single window with unique services that take into account the specifics of the business processes of an individual university is relevant. To solve it, a comprehensive study was carried out on the phenomenon of groups and features of stakeholders' requirements, as well as issues of the formation of adapted single window university services. This made it possible to create a model that systematizes the interaction of stakeholders within a digital university based on a project approach. The paper reflects the main aspect of the model, which is related to distance learning and the control of learning outcomes.

OYO Hotels USA: Coming to America

This case studies the growth of OYO Hotels (OYO) to illustrate the operational processes necessary to succeed in the service sector. The case allows for a discussion of employee- and customer-management systems, tech-driven solutions, and profit drivers. The material unfolds OYO's growth and its solution for making economy hotels discoverable and bookable online.The case raises a series of questions around OYO's business model, its ability to translate across global markets, and growth potential. It has been successfully taught in a second-year MBA class on the management of service operations.

Frontiers in Operations: Equitable Data-Driven Facility Location and Resource Allocation to Fight the Opioid Epidemic

Problem definition: The opioid epidemic is a crisis that has plagued the United States for decades. One central issue of the epidemic is inequitable access to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), which puts certain populations at a higher risk of opioid overdose. Methodology/results: We integrate a predictive dynamical model and a prescriptive optimization problem to compute high-quality opioid treatment facility and treatment budget allocations for each U.S. state. Our predictive model is a differential equation-based epidemiological model that captures the dynamics of the opioid epidemic. We use a process inspired by neural ordinary differential equations to fit this model to opioid epidemic data for each state and obtain estimates for unknown parameters in the model. We then incorporate this epidemiological model into a corresponding mixed-integer optimization problem (MIP) that aims to minimize the number of opioid overdose deaths and the number of people with OUD. We develop strong relaxations based on McCormick envelopes to efficiently compute approximate solutions to our MIPs that have a mean optimality gap of 3.99%. Our method provides socioeconomically equitable solutions, as it incentivizes investments in areas with higher social vulnerability (from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index) and opioid prescribing rates. On average, when allowing for overbudget solutions, our approach decreases the number of people with OUD by [Formula: see text], increases the number of people in treatment by [Formula: see text], and decreases the number of opioid-related deaths by [Formula: see text] after 2 years compared with the baseline epidemiological model’s predictions. Managerial implications: Our solutions show that policymakers should target adding treatment facilities to counties that have significantly fewer facilities than their population share and are more socially vulnerable. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our optimization approach, guided by epidemiological and socioeconomic factors, should help inform these strategic decisions, as it yields population health benefits in comparison with benchmarks based solely on population and social vulnerability. History: This paper has been accepted in the Manufacturing &amp; Service Operations Management Frontiers in Operations Initiative. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.0042 .