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Operational hedging against adverse circumstances ⋆
Author(s) -
Weiss Dan,
Maher Michael W.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of operations management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.649
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1873-1317
pISSN - 0272-6963
DOI - 10.1016/j.jom.2008.10.003
Subject(s) - hedge , business , standardization , supply chain , operational risk , finance , risk analysis (engineering) , industrial organization , operations management , risk management , economics , computer science , marketing , ecology , biology , operating system
This paper investigates operational hedging against severe disruptions to normal operations. It offers a new method to evaluate the extent that operations policy serves as a hedge against adverse circumstances. We apply the proposed method to explore how supply chain characteristics affect the responses of airlines to the acute demand fall off after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Results indicate that operational hedging vehicles (fleet standardization, high‐fleet utilization, an aircraft ownership policy rather than leasing, and international operations) are more powerful in protecting firms than using financial instruments. The study contributes in guiding managers as to how operations policy can serve as an imperative factor in mitigating exposures to low‐end performance levels.