One of the challenges of supply-chain management is developing ways to effectively integrate activities across organizations on the supply chain. Hyundai Motor Company developed mechanisms to coordinate production planning and scheduling activities among supply-chain members. Hyundai Motor's production-and-sales-control (P/SC) department uses regularly scheduled cross-functional meetings and scheduling policies to coordinate supply-chain activities. When implementing this process, the P/SC department overcame structural, environmental, and behavioral problems. Although Hyundai management concedes that the process is not perfect, communication among supply-chain members has improved, and the P/SC group has successfully promoted mutual understanding and respect among functional areas. The primary benefit, ultimately, is improved customer satisfaction through better integration of functional activities.

Purpose -To understand the differences in perceived barriers to e-auctions both in US buying organizations that have adopted e-auctions and in both those that have not. Design/methodology/approach -Four propositions were developed based on the literature and case studies in eight companies that used e-auctions for sourcing. Measures were developed for lack of e-auction knowledge, lack of supplier participation, information security concerns and importance of supplier relationships. Survey data were gathered from 163 US National Association of Purchasing Management members. GLM-MANOVA was used to test the propositions.Findings -E-auction adopters perceive information security to be less of a concern than non-adopters. No significant differences were found between adopters and non-adopters on the buyer's e-auction knowledge, lack of supplier participation, and the importance of supplier relationships.Research limitations/implications -The small sample size limits statistical power, so small differences may not have been detected. The results may not generalize beyond the sample. Practical implications -Supply managers should focus on reducing information security concerns within their organizations to facilitate adoption. Originality/value -No published studies have explored the differences between adopters and non-adopters of e-auctions to identify barriers.

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Fairness is a critical issue in the educational setting, and the research is unified in the view that professors need to be fair in setting course policies and procedures. However, many unanswered questions still remain as to which specific classroom policies and procedures students find fair or unfair. This study explores student perceptions of which course policies provide the fairest treatment for all students in a college class. In addition, we also investigate the presence of a relationship between students' locus of control and their perceptions of the fairest course policies. Data were provided by 254 undergraduate students enrolled in sections of an introductory operations management course or an introductory management information systems course. As an initial, exploratory study in this specific area, eight common classroom policy situations were investigated. Although, not surprisingly, all students did not agree on which policy was the fairest for any given classroom situation, we were able to identify those policies considered fairest by the most students. The results can help professors develop course policies that improve students' perceptions of fairness in the college classroom.