1. Dr. Robert E. Overstreet Dr. Matthew A. Douglas Dr. Benjamin T. Hazen
Supply Chain Leader/Follower Interaction: Managing Change while Focusing on Enterprise Level Objectives
Dr. Robert E. Overstreet
Dr. Matthew A. Douglas
Dr. Benjamin T. Hazen

2. Overview Background Methodology Phase 1: Case Study
Phase 2: Instrument Development
Phase 3: Collect/Analyze Quantitative Data
Possible Implications
Limitations and Future Research
Conclusion

3. Background
We are studying a $16B/Year enterprise that maintains, repairs, and overhauls military aircraft
The organization employs nearly 40K people who are almost entirely civilian unionized labor
Three Air Logistics Complexes (ALCs)
Ogden, UT
Oklahoma City, OK
Warner-Robins, GA
Each ALC has multiple Aircraft Product Lines

4. Background
$16B Enterprise; 819 Aircraft; 383 Engines; 223,160 Commodity Exchangeables; 2.7M Supply Managed Items; 417 Delivered Software Products

5. Background
Strategy - Maximum aircraft fleet readiness through the competitive priorities of cost, speed, quality, and safety
USAF has reduced manning and budgets
Two choices: “Accept the costs and reduce capability or change the way we do business”
Electing the latter, the leadership instituted and is leading a large-scale supply chain administrative innovation now called “Art of the Possible”

6. Background What is Art of the Possible ?
Phased approach to instituting Art of the Possible
Phase 1: Set the basic foundation
Phase 2: Ensured that the workers had the training, skills, and tools
Phase 3: Disseminated the program “deep and wide” within the organization
Phase 4: Buy-in through all levels

7. Background
Previous study looked at the post-adoption constructs of acceptance, assimilation, and routinization as it contributed to eventual incorporation
We conducted 77 in-depth interviews with all levels of employees at all three ALC with 7 APLs
31 hours of transcripts
571 pages
Published an article in Business Horizons
Recurring themes regarding leadership, empowerment, and performance lead to this study

8. Methodology Exploratory Sequential Mixed Method (Creswell, 2014)
Phase 1: Qualitative data collection and analysis
Phase 2: Instrument development
Phase 3: Quantitative data collection and analysis

9. Phase 1
Pulled a representative sample from the 77 interviews based upon position (evenly matched each APL)
Input into Atlas.ti for qualitative analysis
Having conducted the interviews we had a good idea of the constructs that we would measure
Reanalyzed the data to find qualitative support for the concepts included in Phase 2

10. Phase 1
Empowerment
“…when you empower people that are out there doing the job, they feel like they can make a change, and they look for areas to say this might be better, and a lot of times, it is.”
“… they empower their employees to try to resolve and come up with solutions to their problems or issues or whatever they have.”

11. Phase 2 Phase 2: Instrument Development
Themes from Phase 1 along with literature were used to develop a survey instrument and theoretical model
To the extent possible validated scales will be adapted to make them germane to the current study
We will pre-test and pilot test before data collection
Multi-theoretical lens
Leader-Member Exchange Theory
Organizational Support Theory
Technology-Organization-Environment Theory

12. Phase 2

13. Phase 3 Phase 3: Collect/Analysis Quantitative Data
Plan to visit each of the three APLs to administer hard copy surveys and explain the dyadic component
First line supervisors will answer one survey with the referent being his or her team
Multiple mechanics will answer a survey with the referent being his or her teammates
The research team will code the data with each row representing one dyad
Additional objective data will be added to represent APL and ALC outcomes
Test the theoretical model

14. Possible Implications
Better understanding the importance of leader-member exchange in operations management and the implication on overall performance is important
Dyadic research with an ability to look across APLs and ALCs
May help explain differing levels of maturity and performance

15. Limitations and Future Research
Will only look at one enterprise (aircraft maintenance)
Cross sectional data collection
Future Research
Test in other settings
Test longitudinal effects of the relationships

16. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS