فصلنامه مطالعات مدیریت (بهبود و تحول)
پیاپی 54 (تابستان 1386)

Decision making by managers of different organizations is not something merely quantitative but it needs synthesizing and processing quantitative data and qualitative knowledge. With regard to the nature of the problem, dynamic behavior of managers, and complexities of strategic decision making, artificial neuron networks may be a good help for decision makers. These networks are helpful since they copy and represent the natural ones. The value of neural network technology lies in its application for recognizing patterns, learning, classification, generalization, summarizing and interpreting incomplete inputs. Neural networks are potential factors for providing some human characteristics which are used in problem solving. Simulation using logical and analytical techniques and decision support systems or even expert systems is difficult. The aim of this paper is, as well as presenting new findings, to describe the application of artificial neural networks in strategic decision making by managers. In this paper, the artificial neural networks are discussed to use a decision model within comparative strategic decision making in management. It describes the way networks are applied and accepted within strategic decision making. In chapter one the literature of artificial neuron networks is reviewed. In the second chapter, the principal idea of strategic decision making framework and, on the third, how to make a decision model based on artificial neuron networks are discussed. On the whole, the main purpose of the paper is to understand the human natural neuron networks and to reconstrnct this function artificially to use it in strategic decision making. In summary, artificial neuron networks learn from experience. They are used for making complex and repetitive decisions. They focus on the known patterns and are able to decide and predict on the basis of the previous instances. In future, decision making techniques of artificial network will be applied for all strategic cases and for every strategic case a unique artificial network will be planned and different decisions will be made.

Business Process Reengineering (BPR) has been introduced as an effective solution for improving radically the performance of organizations. It is recommended that a methodology in the BPR effort should be considered because of its risky and complicated nature. Although, various methodologies are presented, a comprehensive methodology has not been introduced. This research investigates several academic papers and focuses on addressing all necessary aspects for developing a unified BPR methodology and for each aspect, determines needful tasks. These tasks are defined respect to the elements in the unified structure. These elements include BPR plan, supportive environment, improvement approaches, process management, change management, and information and communication technology (ICT) which are extracted by considering presented methodologies. The results propose a unified perspective and structure for BPR methodologies and hence increases the comprehensiveness and reliableness.

In this research, combining of ABC and ABM is used to control and manage organizational resources in the Shahed industrial factories of Shiraz as a case study. For this made products of this factory, by using activity analysis way, activities and resources which participate in the making products, were defined and with regard to activity analysis information, quantity of requisite activities and resources for producing all products were defined and then by using of this information, linear programming model of "assignment of optimal combination of products" were created that after solving model, optimal combination of made products of factory, resources situation, quantity of necessary activities for producing all products and activities with addition value and addition value were defined, moreover, results of solving model defined quantity of surplus capacities and unused resources base on each activity center and bottleneck in production. Considering ABM system affirms on controlling and managing organizational resources and definition and deletion activities without.

Finding proper means to promote productivity is an everlasting quest for managers of today. In many cases globalization, has enhanced competitive forces to the point that no single company can achieve its. Presumed performance by itself thus making strategic alliances as a must in their highly competitive environment. Literature suggest that organizational soft factors, like social capital play key role in the success of the strategic alliances. In the wake of the required mutual trust and commitment among partners, desired outcomes could not materialize. In this paper we provide a conceptual model that indicates how and why social capital can be used to positively affect success of strategic alliances. In this respect A systematic literature review as a recognized evidence based tool has been utilized.

Building a research questionnaire and using assessment tools play a crucial role in social, management and behavioral sciences. Scales and questionnaires are deemed wrongly as the same tools, but in spite of the similarities they are basically and technically different. Although makings research scale or questionnaire may seem quite an easy job for some researchers, gathered results by these tools are normally miles away from.

Some of special specifics of personality of mangers like manager's observation around themselves conforms their behaviors in the organization. According to the attribution theory, a person may attribute his/her behaviors to outside factors like social conditions, existent situation, rules and regulation or internal factors like his/her efforts, abilities and experiences. As manager's observations and behaviors conforms and effect on employee’s behaviors and performance of organization, so recognition of their observation is very important. On the other handsome of studies show that capacities related to internal locus of control is the main factor to differentiate between successful and unsuccessful managers, and manger’s who have internal ventral also have creativity and more capability of risking, and managers who have external control generally act as imitator and make the critical situation in organization. In this article deliberation of locus of control in successful mangers and its cooperation with other mangers is considered and verified in order to study the conformity and inconformity of mangers specifications in Iran with the existent theories. Addition value in the organization, by using results of model of optimal combination of production, activities without addition value were defined to delete these activities and applying them in the other requisite parts. An important point of this research is that demand limitation and production sale is one of basic limitation that create surplus capacities of resources and activities without addition value in the organization that finally this problem result in increasing organizational costs and cost price of products ads capacity costs of unused resources during subject period is I 06 percent of profit of made products of factory.