Mission Statement
Today's business world is characterized by global competition, rapid response, short product life, increased product variety, and fast information flows. As a result, the interaction of operations (procurement, manufacturing, inventory control, distribution and service) with other functional areas such as R&D, engineering, marketing, finance, accounting, personnel, strategy, and information systems have become increasingly important. To compete successfully in the presence of these interactions, companies face complex problems that require new interdisciplinary approaches for their solution.

The intent of this department is to meet the growing need for research on problems that arise as a result of the interaction between POM with other functional areas. Papers that deal with POM problems that incorporate several functional perspectives, and that deal with new and nontraditional problems are of particular interest here. We actively solicit research that is original, imaginative, and of significant interest to the journal's readership. In particular, we invite manuscripts that consolidate other functional areas of management with POM in ways that lead to better decision-making as well as provide insights into POM practices.

Contributors are encouraged to submit papers that are clear and accessible to a large segment of the journal readership. They should explain the nature of the relationship of POM with other areas and its significance as well as identify the major disciplines on which their work is based.

Empirical Research and Practice:The Empirical Research and Practice stream invites research and case studies that will pave the way for the development of practical solutions, systems and concepts useful to executives and managers responsible for both strategic and tactical operational decisions.

Departmental Editor (Empirical Research and Practice)
Professor Michael A. Lapré
Owen Graduate School of Management
Vanderbilt University
401 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 322-2389
Fax: (615) 343-7177
michael.lapre@owen.vanderbilt.edu

Senior Editors
Vishal Gaur, Cornell University
Robert Huckman, Harvard University
Alan MacCormack, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Suresh Radhakrishnan, University of Texas at Dallas
Jeff Stratman, University of Utah
Nikos Tsikriktsis, IMD
Anita Tucker, Harvard University