CONTACT INFORMATION
Office:	202 Kalkin  FIND OFFICE
Phone:	656-8276
E-Mail:	mlucas@bsad.uvm.edu
Office Hours:	MW 2- 3 p.m. or by appointment

• BSAD 295 - Advanced Special Topics
  Operations Strategy
  Section A, 325 Kalkin 12:30-1:45 MW - ON-LINE SYLLABUS
  Operations Strategy
  Section Z1, 325 Kalkin 12:30-1:45 MW - ON-LINE SYLLABUS

Publication History

Journal Article, Academic Journal

• Lucas, M. T. - "Understanding Environmental Management Practices: Integrating Views from Strategic Management and Ecological Economics" (Refereed) - Business Strategy and the Environment - 2009 [Show/Hide Abstract]
  Abstract: This paper presents a conceptual framework for evaluating environmental management practices (EMPs) and translating them into sustainable competitive advantage. Starting with Hart???s (1995) expansion of the resource-based view of the firm to include the natural environment, the paper engages the interdisciplinary field of ecological economics to provide insights into the thermodynamic nature of ???joint production??? and the challenges of minimizing externalities in a physically constrained economy. Empirical evidence of EMPs are drawn from the literature, synthesized into a new classificatory scheme, and their impact on sustainable production is discussed. The paper concludes with insights for business practitioners as well as a discussion of implications for future research. We hope that the proposed framework will stimulate debate and lead to a fuller understanding of the role of environmental management in competitive strategy in the 21st century.
  
• Lucas, M. T.; Wilson, M. A. - "Tracking the Relationship between Environmental Management and Financial Performance in the Service Industry" (Refereed) - Service Business - 2008 - v. 2, no. 3, pp. 203-218 [View publication] [Show/Hide Abstract]
  Abstract: Attention to the relationship between environmental management and performance has been growing. Research in this area has, however, tended to focus primarily on manufacturing industries. Our goal in this study is to analyze the relationship between environmental management and financial performance in the context of the service industry. Using a cross-sectional sample of 1228 service organizations spanning a wide range of business activities, we test a series of five hypothesized relationships using both univariate and multivariate analyses. The results are robust across the dataset and show conclusively that the implementation of environmental management is indeed positively associated with improved financial performance in the service sector.
  
• Lucas, M. T.; Chhajed , D. - "Applications of Location Analysis in Agriculture: A Survey" (Refereed) - Journal of Operational Research Society (JORS) - 2004 - v. 55, pp. 561-578 [View publication] [Show/Hide Abstract]
  Abstract: This article presents a survey of applications of OR-based techniques to location problems in agriculture. From the early work in the field to more recent applications, researchers have successfully applied, adapted and improved theoretical location models to fulfil the field's specific needs.
  
  The article discusses earlier work in agricultural location theory starting with the seminal work by von Thunen. It then introduces diverse and innovative applications of location models from the 1950s and 1960s. The authors then identify distinguishing features of location problems in agriculture, and discuss their impact on the analysis. In order to illustrate these features and the variety of OR-based applications to agricultural location, the article turns to six real-world examples. It then considers, in conclusion, some of the directions agricultural location theory may take in the future.
  
• Hess, J. D.; Lucas, M. T. - "Doing the Right Thing or Doing the Thing Right: Allocating Resources between Marketing Research and Production" (Refereed) - Management Science - 2004 - v. 50, no. 4, pp. 521-526 [View publication] [Show/Hide Abstract]
  Abstract: Matching production with sales potential is essential for survival in volatile markets. Manufacturing and marketing managers compete for staff, space, cash, and other assets as they struggle both to determine what and how many products ought to be produced and to actually produce them. We develop an analytical framework to answer one simple question, "How much marketing research should a firm do when it takes resources away from manufacturing the goods that generate revenue?" To understand the costs and benefits of marketing research, we account for the lost opportunities to produce these goods. Some analytical findings are striking: firms without initial knowledge of their potential customers should allocate 1/3 of all the firm's resources to marketing research. The model suggests a host of issues to be more deeply studied by management scientists.
  
• Lucas, M. T.; Nicholson, C. F. - "Subsidized Vehicle Acquisition and Earned Income in the Transition from Welfare to Work" (Refereed) - Transportation - 2003 - v. 30, no. 4, pp. 483-501 [View publication] [Show/Hide Abstract]
  Abstract: Availability and affordability of reliable transportation either through public transportation or individual ownership of automobiles appears necessary to support a successful transition from welfare to work. One approach adopted by state and local governments is to subsidize vehicle acquisition by welfare recipients in transition. To date there are no empirical studies that analyze the impacts or effectiveness of these vehicle subsidy programs. The objective of this study is to examine the extent to which participation in a small-scale vehicle donation-and-sales program in Vermont increases earned income by individuals in transition from welfare to work. Using reduced-form random effects and censored regression models to account for the simultaneity of decisions to work and participate in welfare programs, we examine the impacts of this vehicle acquisition program for a small group of individuals. Our analyses indicate that the program results in a statistically significant increase in both earned income and the probability of employment.
  
• Buescher, M.; Sullivan, P.; Halbrendt, C.; Lucas, M. T. - "The Community-Business Matching Project: New Tools for Rural Development" (Refereed) - Journal of Sustainable Agriculture - 2001 - v. 17, no. 4, pp. 57-74 [View publication] [Show/Hide Abstract]
  Abstract: Sound rural development strategies must consider the delicate tradeoffs necessary between economic, environmental, and social goals or run the risk of unintended long-term effects, such as sprawl at the expense of the environment. This paper introduces Community- Business Matching, a step toward the creation of a more holistic methodology for identifying appropriate economic development opportunities for rural communities and small towns. This paper presents the CBM framework and describes its application in a pilot case, where a small preservation land trust used CBM to identify development opportunities that would help them ensure the long-term preservation of three historic barns. The pilot study found, contrary to the land trust???s expectations, that wood products would be more promising businesses for the site than traditional agricultural firms.
  
• Frendewey, J. O.; Jambekar , A. B.; Lucas, M. T. - "Measuring the Relative Efficiency of the Small Business Development Centers in Michigan using Data Envelopment Analysis" (Refereed) - Midwestern Journal of Business and Economics - 1997 - v. 10, no. 3 (Part I),

Conference Proceeding

• Lucas, M. T.; Nicholson , C. F. - "On the Evaluation of a Small Vehicle Donation-and-Sales Program" (Refereed) - Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Northeast Decision Science Institute - 2003 - pp. 381-383
• Halbrendt, C.; Lucas, M. T.; Sullivan, P.; Zheng, Y. - "A Framework for Matching Communities with Businesses in Planning for Sustainable Economic Development" (Refereed) - Proceedings of the 31 st Annual Meeting of the Midwest Decision Science Institute - 2000 - pp. 7-9
• Franza , R.; Lucas, M. T. - "New Product Development: A Mathematical Model of the Time-to-Market versus Product Performance Trade-off" (Refereed) - Proceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of the Decision Science Institute - 2000 - v. 3, pp. 1019-1021
• Lucas, M. T.; Franza , R. - "Improving Time-to-Market or Product Quality? Impact of Market Environment on the Firm's New Product Development Strategy" (Refereed) - Proceedings of the 30th Annual Meeting of the Decision Science Institute - 1999 - v. 3, pp. 1163-1165
• Lucas, M. T.; Hess, J. D. - "Resource Allocation Issues between Marketing Research and Production" (Refereed) - Proceedings of the International POMS Meeting - 1998 - pp. 186-192

Written Case with Instructional Material

• Lucas, M. T.; Hoffman, A. - "The COGNEX Corporation: Play Hard, Work Hard" - Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization - 2000 - no. 4th edition,

Technical Report

• Lucas, M. T. - "The Impact of Vehicle Acquisition through the Good News Garage on PATH Support Payments and Earned Income - Preliminary Results" - The Good New Garage - 2000