Xerox Ltd Research Articles

Developing Information Systems Strategy for International Process Oriented Holistic Enterprises: A Case Study at Xerox Ltd

The Process Oriented Holistic Enterprise is an organizational form in which the business process may be perceived as the basic organizational construct. This research examines the information management process in an organization that is totally organized around business processes: Xerox Ltd. This requires process management on an enterprisewide scale that involves a complex integration of business processes. This places heavy demands on a firm’s information management capability which needs to be managed in a way that best supports the process model. The research has found that the information management process is in fact critical in supporting this method of organizing. The research presents findings from an in-depth participant observation study that was conducted at the Xerox Ltd’s headquarters in the UK. Data were also collected from Xerox France and Xerox UK. The main findings are that in order to support process management on an enterprise-wide scale, a particular type of information management is...

Information management in process‐based organizations: a case study at Xerox Ltd

Abstract. The process‐oriented holistic enterprise is a new organizational form in which the business process may be perceived as the basic organizational construct. Process management on an enterprise‐wide scale implies a complex integration of business processes. The increased organizational complexity places heavy demands on a firm’s information management capability, and this needs to be managed in a way that best supports the process model. This research has found that in the case of Xerox Ltd, a company that has adopted a holistic approach to process management, the information management process is key to supporting this method of organizing. The main finding is that, in order to support process management, a particular type of information management is required. This includes a need for enterprise‐wide information systems and the centralization of systems development and maintenance. However, the process management is made possible by this type of information management. This may be referred to as the duality concept of information and process management. The research presents findings from an in‐depth participant observation study conducted at the Xerox Ltd headquarters in the UK, and also includes data collected from Xerox France and Xerox UK.

Environmental performance indicators for integrated supply chains: the case of Xerox Ltd

The Integrated Supply Chain at Xerox Ltd is a large complex organisation which has many potential impacts on the environment. In order to better understand and reduce those impacts, an environmental bias has been introduced into the decision making process which allows more environmentally conscious decisions to be made. This paper details how the environmental bias was developed and how it can be used to provide both a measure of environmental performance for the whole supply chain, each functional element within the chain and for different product delivery scenarios. The environmental decision making tool construction is discussed and preliminary results show that it is the working life of a typical product which causes the biggest environmental impact.

David Theodore Nelson Williamson, 15 February 1923 - 10 May 1992

Theo Williamson was one of the most creative engineers of his generation and was an outstanding example of what able students can make of their engineering education despite earlier setbacks. His first achievements were in the field of radio and sound amplification: he became known all over the world for his ‘Williamson amplifier’ of which hundreds of thousands were built. Working for Ferranti in Edinburgh from 1946-60 he became involved in precision measurement and machine tool control, and was closely involved with the development of the Ferranti grating measurement system which remains unsurpassed as a means of linear measurement down to 1 µm. As a result of contact over a special cam-making machine, Williamson became known to the Molins Machine Company and was invited to become Director of Research and Development at Deptford in 1961. By the application of fundamental engineering principles and the introduction of some skilled designers, he was able to make dramatic improvements in the performance of Molins’ cigarette making machinery and to place his company as world leader in its field. He soon concluded, that for the company’s continued success, major changes would be necessary in their manufacturing methods. This led to his evolution of ‘System 24’ which was the precursor of today’s automated factory running non-stop round the clock. He evolved designs for computer controlled machine tools capable of very high production rates on aluminium alloy components. A special purpose-built building was erected for a demonstration of System 24 with its associated automatic handling equipment. This project, which was enthusiastically supported by the Ministry of Technology, was cancelled within a few months of its completion, owing to changes of management and ownership in the Company. At the time of these critical decisions, Williamson was seriously ill and not able to defend his brain child as he would have done had he been fit. In spite of this great disappointment, Williamson stayed on with Molins until 1974 when he moved to become Group Director of Engineering for Rank Xerox Ltd He retired from this position in 1976 and moved his home to Italy, where he had found a house in Perugia with splendid views over Lake Trasimeno. He maintained his interest in developments in the United Kingdom and contributed important papers to the National Economic Development Office (NEDO) and Science Research Council (SRC) Committees and to the professional institutions. Williamson must rate as one of the major innovators of his generation, and his achievement is particularly notable as he spanned a number of branches of engineering which tend to be compartmentalized.

Contract solutions in software protection: Part II. John Borking, Senior Legal Counsel, Rank Xerox Ltd

Contract solutions in software protection: Part II. John Borking, Senior Legal Counsel, Rank Xerox Ltd