This paper critically examines the treatment of the statistical basis for Six Sigma and process capability in popular operations management textbooks. It discusses areas of confusion and suggest ways of treating the topic that make sense to instructors as well as students. Even though Six Sigma was introduced almost 30 years ago, misconceptions…

The authors sought to determine whether topics researched by academicians in the field of operations management were aligned with the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) employers were seeking from potential employees. Twenty-eight research topics were identified in the operations management literature and were compared to the KSAs derived…

Decision making in most universities is taught within the conventional OR/MS (Operations Research/Management Science) paradigm. This paradigm is known to be "hard" since it is consisted of mathematical tools, and normally suitable for solving structured problems. In complex situations the conventional OR/MS paradigm proves to be…

Multidisciplinary research institutes provide universities with an important vehicle to conduct research across traditional disciplines, and this can be an attractive capability for external funding bodies. However, there can be particular challenges, including managing different reporting lines, the need for effective research coordination, and…

An energy management program has resulted in an energy reduction, compared with figures of three years ago, of 28 percent in electricity and 37 percent in natural gas. (Author/MLF)

This review analyzes literaure dealing with applications of management information system (MIS) tools to educational management. Of the three levels of management--operational control, management control, and strategic planning-- the literature suggests that most activity is taking place at the operational control level. Fewest applications have…

Education research experts Eduventures released a report in February 2007 on where U.S. districts are headed with large system management. "Trends in K-12 Enterprise Management: Are Districts Ready to Cross the Chasm?" provides a detailed assessment of the themes and the trends that are driving the market for K-12 enterprise management systems.…

This report is a critical evaluation based on extended field trials and theoretical analysis of the time-span technique of measuring level of work in organizational hierarchies. It is broadly concluded that the technique does possess many of the desirable features claimed by its originator, but that earlier, less highly structured versions based…

Network analysis models provide administrators with an opportunity to describe analytically an orderly process for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling personnel and resources needed for the accomplishment of objectives. (Author/MLF)

Describes Fault Tree Analysis, a tool for systems analysis which attempts to identify possible modes of failure in systems to increase the probability of success. The article defines the technique and presents the steps of FTA construction, focusing on its application to education. (RAO)

Systems analysts help the University of Buffalo prepare to move and store tons of goods and transport 40,000 students daily. (Editor)