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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze more than three decades of theory testing published in leading operations management (OM) journals.Design/methodology/approachThis piece examines the amount of theory testing, the extent to which theories are tested multiple times, and the disciplinary origins of the theories that are tested.FindingsThe analysis revealed that empirical OM researchers have increasingly responded to demands for more theory-driven knowledge over time. OM researchers are developing and using a wide array of domestic theories to understand empirical data. The examination also revealed a substantial focus on theory borrowed from other scientific fields.Originality/valueThe findings here suggest that OM is clearly a maturing discipline. As the discipline matures, it is important to consider to what extent borrowed theories and frameworks can offer value to OM. A preliminary vetting model is advanced in order to critically assess foreign theory. It is hoped that future screening promotes only the most useful non-domestic theory, thereby ensuring sufficient journal space for domestic theory and resulting in effective solutions to the pressing, practical problems of the OM field.

Presents the result of a survey of US firms examining the effect of operations strategies on organizational performance. Seven commonly used operations strategies were considered. Eleven criteria were used to measure organizational performance. The results suggest that companies which are using various operations strategies have higher performance than those which are not using those strategies. While using more than one strategy improves organizational performance, the benefits become marginal after several successive additions. This suggests that for an organization to be competitive, it only has to employ a few appropriate and effective strategies. Also, except for just‐in‐time strategy, large firms are more likely to employ various operations strategies than their smaller counterparts.

Assesses institutional and individual research productivity in the area of international operations management (IOM) by reviewing publications in 21 leading operations management (OM) journals over the 12‐year period from 1986 through 1997. Also assesses the IOM research output of the journals and the relative contributions of academicians and practitioners to IOM research appearing in these journals. Among the journals examined for the 12‐year period of this study, based on annual output and quality of published IOM research, Production and Operations Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, and European Journal of Operational Research served as the leading outlets for IOM research. The 21 journals published a total of 550 IOM articles over the 12‐year period with academicians authoring approximately 86 percent and practitioners 14 percent of this IOM research. The study provides insights on the IOM research productivity and quality of institutions and individuals and offers suggestions for furthering the cause of IOM research.