Integration of manufacturing and distribution networks in a global car company – network models and numerical simulation

Global supply chain practices and their effects have received considerable attention over the last two decades. In the recent past, the need for integration across supply chains has been identified as a key for effective and efficient operations of supply chains. This is observed with the increasing trend of collaborative partnerships among supply chain partners. This paper presents an integrated approach for manufacturing and distribution networks within the supply chain system of a global car company. The paper shows that the integration of manufacturing and distribution networks creates the environment for effective planning of many components and execution/follow-up of those plans. These components include materials, resources, operations/activities, suppliers and customers. The main features of the integration include component integration at individual networks via use of a central warehouse. This integration reduces various interfacing steps between partners and enables representations of relationships (component precedence, parent-component and component-component). The proposed integrated model is numerically tested using past data from one of Japan's auto-makers, based in the emerging economy of Thailand. The paper concludes that the integrated supply network eliminates the need for interfacing of individual networks and enables simultaneous planning of many components as well as forward planning of supply components in global supply chain operations. It also shows that the integrated approach is capable of providing visibility, flexibility, and maintainability for further improvement in the supply network environment.     

Operational tactics and tenets of a new manufacturing paradigm ‘instant customerisation’

An increasing trend towards a new manufacturing paradigm of ‘instant customerisation’ is occurring due to customers demanding their orders for customised products or services be fulfilled under zero customer lead time and at a price near the price of mass production. By means of the manufacturing paradigm innovation model (MPIM), the operational tactics, operational tenets, and an operational framework of instant customerisation are elicited and described. An important new tactic within all the operational tactics is finalise-to-individual demand forecasting, meaning end products are finalised according to the forecasting of individual customer's needs. The knowledge and information, which is the primary input of individual demand forecasting, is gleaned and understood by total customer participation and value fusion. Total customer participation and value fusion are developed through customer participation and customer relationship management, which have critical distinctions. The operational framework, which is termed manufacturing paradigm tree of instant customerisation, can characterise the operational tenets, the relationships between different operational tactics and the objectives, and the relationships among different operational tactics. With the proposed framework, instant customerisation can be understood more effectively and holistically.     

Production flow line and ‘ collective ’ working: a comparison

The criticism of flow line methods has resulted in the consideration of alternative methods of production—one such method is the ‘ collective ’ method of working. In this research note the operating characteristics of unpaced flow line systems and collective systems are investigated by means of computer simulation and comparisons between the two systems are made.     

Influence of researchers’ international mobilities on publication: a comparison of highly cited and uncited papers

Using curriculum vitae (CVs) or Short Bios in published resources such as the Internet enables us to analyze many issues concerning researchers’ careers. However, analysis of CVs or Short Bios concerning researchers’ life history, such as movement between countries, has rarely been conducted. In this paper, we pursue two purposes: to demonstrate which conditions (citation impact, countries or sectors) are favorable for the analysis, and to show structures of production of highly cited papers. To grasp more obvious tendencies, we compare two “extreme” samples: highly cited and uncited papers. First, we assess the identification rates of researchers’ origin broken down by researchers’ affiliation (countries and sectors). Then, we analyze the influence of these researchers’ international movement based on their origin. The results show the full landscape of the movement’s influence on national publication, the characteristics of each country in terms of researchers’ countries of origin and the research experience of both internationally moved and domestic researchers. Moreover, we analyze the contributions of researchers who returned from abroad to their home countries. Finally, we assess the limitations of our research method and the topic to be addressed concerning this method.     

Inelastic behaviour of collagen networks in cell–matrix interactions and mechanosensation

The mechanical properties of extracellular matrix proteins strongly influence cell-induced tension in the matrix, which in turn influences cell function. Despite progress on the impact of elastic behaviour of matrix proteins on cell–matrix interactions, little is known about the influence of inelastic behaviour, especially at the large and slow deformations that characterize cell-induced matrix remodelling. We found that collagen matrices exhibit deformation rate-dependent behaviour, which leads to a transition from pronounced elastic behaviour at fast deformations to substantially inelastic behaviour at slow deformations (1 μm min⁻¹, similar to cell-mediated deformation). With slow deformations, the inelastic behaviour of floating gels was sensitive to collagen concentration, whereas attached gels exhibited similar inelastic behaviour independent of collagen concentration. The presence of an underlying rigid support had a similar effect on cell–matrix interactions: cell-induced deformation and remodelling were similar on 1 or 3 mg ml⁻¹ attached collagen gels while deformations were two- to fourfold smaller in floating gels of high compared with low collagen concentration. In cross-linked collagen matrices, which did not exhibit inelastic behaviour, cells did not respond to the presence of the underlying rigid foundation. These data indicate that at the slow rates of collagen compaction generated by fibroblasts, the inelastic responses of collagen gels, which are influenced by collagen concentration and the presence of an underlying rigid foundation, are important determinants of cell–matrix interactions and mechanosensation.     

Benford’s Law and articles of scientific journals: comparison of JCR® and Scopus data

Benford’s Law is a logarithmic probability distribution function used to predict the distribution of the first significant digits in numerical data. This paper presents the results of a study of the distribution of the first significant digits of the number of articles published of journals indexed in the JCR^® Sciences and Social Sciences Editions from 2007 to 2011. The data of these journals were also analyzed by the country of origin and the journal’s category. Results considering the number of articles published informed by Scopus are also presented. Comparing the results we observe that there is a significant difference in the data informed in the two databases.     

Bibliometric study of family business succession between 1939 and 2017: mapping and analyzing authors’ networks

This study maps and analyzes the scientific research networks of family business succession. We examine coauthors’ activities in terms of not only productivity but also their importance to the coauthorship network. The most influential contributors and universities, as well as their research networks and theoretical underpinnings, are discussed. The review examines 661 articles published by 1105 authors in 224 academic journals indexed in the Social Science Citation Index and Scopus between 1939 and 2017. We used a bibliometric approach based on coauthorship analysis to measure cooperation. The results show that family business succession research is characterized by high fragmentation in the authors’ collaboration in general, but the leading scholars are strongly interconnected. We map and analyze the most influential networks by identifying the most important topics studied, the theoretical and methodological approaches employed, the scope of the research conducted, and where it has been published. Most of the identified networks are in North America and Europe, and most are not theoretically or methodologically specialized.     

Calculated NMR chemical shifts of nylon 6: a comparison of the α and γ forms

The ¹³C and ¹⁵N chemical shifts of the and crystal forms of nylon 6 have been estimated using ab initio calculations (GIAO method) with the B3LYP Density Functional and the 6-311G(d) basis set. Calculations were applied on proper model systems and the agreement with experimental data was quite good in all cases. Comparison between the results obtained for isolated chains and hydrogen bonded sheets allowed to elucidate the influence of the conformation and packing forces in the chemical shifts. These results open up new opportunities for the future use of quantum mechanical calculations as a complementary tool in the determination of the crystal structure of polymers.     

An analysis of manufacturers’ supply and demand uncertainty based on the dynamic customisation degree

Diverse demands regarding products are common; however, manufacturers usually cannot respond immediately to meet such changes upon demand, and thus, customer satisfaction tends to be reduced. Notebook computer manufacturers adopt a production mode of mass customisation; hence, a certain degree of dynamic customisation measurements, inherent in different supply chain models, allow manufacturers to evaluate costs and profits in advance. The application of the model, as proposed in this study, indicates that the most important factor of the customisation degree is product price. The dynamic customisation degree is adjusted based on monitoring indicators, which requires less total cost and produces greater accuracy in forecast results regarding the prediction model of customer demands. This study develops a dynamic customisation model for total product profits, inventory cost of semi-manufactured products, shortage costs and buffer inventory costs, which are affected by the degree of dynamic customisation of the products. It also analyses the supply and demand uncertainties of the Direct Shipment of the Manufactured Model, as well as the Door-to-Door Direct Shipment of the End User Model in the notebook computer industry, as the criteria with respect to a firm's customisation degree, costs, and profits in different supply chain mode operations.     

Collaboration networks and collaboration tools: a match for SMEs?

Global patterns of industrial production have resulted in relocation of industrial operations groups in an effort to create new markets for mass and customised mass production. The collaborative effort between these dispersed teams increases the likelihood of combining ideas and knowledge in novel ways. Internet technologies enable these virtual collaboration networks to seamlessly engage in discussions that demonstrate a richness of perspectives when it comes to problem-solving and innovative idea-exchange. Indeed, knowledge creation and harnessing collective knowledge are salient features of collaborative networks (CNs) and this is witnessed by a new interest in these entities. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) display a difficulty in partnering and collaborating in global networks, especially since their technological infrastructure may be lacking. Given the widespread adoption of collaborative technologies in social contexts, this research seeks to examine how such informal interactions are facilitated in SMEs through Web 2.0 tools. Specifically, this paper seeks to contribute to existing literature by examining how Web 2.0 affects the collaborative effort in two SME CNs; this study demonstrated that the collaboration effort is amplified when Web 2.0 tools are available. Other parameters such as trust in other members’ ability; perception of usefulness; and enhancement of collective knowledge are seen as supporting the CN mutuality. In addition, it brings together the three diverse research areas of collaborative networks, internet collaborative tools and psychological barriers and enablers.     

An addendum on “Three-level designs: Evaluation and comparison for screening purposes”

In our recent paper “Three-Level Designs: Evaluation and Comparison for Screening Purposes”, by the same authors, we investigated and compared the original definitive screening designs and the designs that were constructed from weighing matrices. For this purpose, we used the generalized resolution and minimum aberration criteria as well as the projection estimation capacity criterion from the literature to perform the comparison. After our paper was accepted, it came to our attention that there were four significant papers, published by a number of authors, having related content and these were not mentioned in our paper. With this short addendum, we would like to kindly acknowledge the important contributions from those authors in those newly discovered papers in recent literature and also to include them in the related reference list.     

Nanoscale characterization of gold colloid monolayers: a comparison of four techniques

Atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) have been used to characterize the nanostructure of Au colloid-based surfaces. Because these substrates are composed of particles whose dimensions are known prior to assembly, they are well-suited for a critical comparison of the capabilities and limitations of each nanoscale imaging technique. The three criteria for this comparison, which are relevant to the field of nanoparticle assemblies in general, are (i) accuracy in establishing particle size, particle coverage, and interparticle spacing; (ii) accuracy in delineating surface topography; and (iii) ease of sample preparation, data acquisition, and image analysis. For colloidal Au arrays, TEM gives the most reliable size and spacing information but exhibits the greatest constraints with regard to sample preparation; in contrast, AFM is widely applicable but yields data that are the least straightforward to interpret. For accurate information regarding nanometer-scale architecture of particle-based surfaces, a combination of at least one scanning probe method (AFM, NSOM) and one accelerated-electron method (TEM, FE-SEM) is required.     

Improving users’ product acceptability: an approach based on Bayesian networks and a simulated annealing algorithm

Developing products that are properly suited to users’ needs and preferences in order to be accepted is one of the main challenges designers and engineers face constantly. Evaluating and improving users’ product acceptability has become an important research question. Many approaches leave the acceptability evaluation question for the last phases of the New Product Development process (NPD), when an almost finished prototype is available and when there is no time left for important modifications. In the early phase of the NPD process, the project managers need models and methods to evaluate the potential acceptability of the new concept and if required, to define actions to improve this concept. In this paper, a method with two main goals is proposed to tackle this problem. Its first goal consists in evaluating an index of users’ product acceptability. When this index is too low, the second goal concerns the optimal selection of the most appropriate actions (improvement scenario) to increase this previously assessed index and to optimise the supplementary cost. As information collected from users in the early phase is subject to uncertainty, the proposed method exploits the inference properties of Bayesian networks making it possible to make useful estimations of the acceptability index. Furthermore, the improvement scenarios are composed of actions that make it possible to improve different criteria composing the users’ acceptability index. The improvement problem is formulated as an optimisation problem to be solved by a simulated annealing algorithm. In order to illustrate its interest, the proposed method is applied to a real case concerning the design of a medical-stocking threading device.     

Automobile manufacturers’ strategic choice in applying green practices: joint application of evolutionary game theory and fuzzy rule-based approach

Satisfying the end-of-life vehicle (ELV) legislations is essential for business activities in some markets. However, with the lack of similar regulations for the treatment of ELV, automotive manufacturers follow different green practices. These practices can be a complex task such as an eco-design strategy or issuing a guideline or manual for the end-of-life phase of the product. Each of these practices also has different impacts on the other players in the market. Several factors contribute to manufacturers’ gain as a result of applying green practices. The uncertainties in these features and the absence of data availability raise the difficulty in the manufacturers’ profit estimation. This paper proposes a new approach to analysing automotive manufacturers’ strategic choice in applying ELV practices considering the competitive advantages of performing these practices and the interaction between players. A joint application of evolutionary game theory and fuzzy rule-based approach is proposed to analyse the strategic behaviour of automotive manufacturers. The proposed model provides a simulation environment for testing the interaction of the different market factors and players’ action. The experimental design highlights the validity of the model and its implications. The result reveals that when we have two populations of players including the market leader in recycling initiatives and market reader; the market elements such as ‘elasticity of demand to price’ and ‘loyalty of consumers to market leader’ play an essential role in determining the stable strategy of the game.     

Organization-oriented technology opportunities analysis based on predicting patent networks: a case of Alzheimer’s disease

Scientometrics - This study aims to investigate how to test and assess the dichotomy of roles from an organization-oriented perspective for technology opportunity analysis, in context of the...     

‘Assessment of metal matrix composites for innovations’: a thematic network within EU Framework 4

Abstract

The thematic network ‘Assessment of metal matrix composites for innovations’ (acronym MMC-Assess) has been approved within the Framework Program 4 of the European Commission for a 36 months period starting in October 1998. It is focussing on the assessment of this class of heterogeneous materials for applications in all technical fields. An Internet homepage (http: //mmc-assess.tuwien.ac.at/)has been established and will be filled with information on the four MMC categories (particulate, short fibre, continuous fibre, and monofilament reinforced metals) and on the topics of processing, test methods, properties, modelling, specification, application, reliability, and marketing. Twenty-one European partners from universities, research organisations, industry, and national MMC working groups are cooperating with experts outside the consortium and are globally establishing links with MMC activities. The network is open to all interested in MMCs, who are asked to take advantage of the scientific expertise offered and the specific demands of industry.     

Evaluation of physical–chemical properties and biocompatibility of a microrough and smooth bioactive glass particles

The purpose of this study was to evaluate physical-chemical and biocompatibility characteristics of a simple synthesis and low cost experimental bioactive glass. Physical and chemical properties were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive (EDX), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The biomaterials were subcutaneously implanted into rats, according to the following groups: G1, PerioGlastrade mark; G2, Biograntrade mark, G3, Experimental Bioactive Glass U (BGU) and G4, Control (Sham). After 7, 15, 21, 45, and 60 days, 5 animals/group/period were sacrificed and the subcutaneous tissue was dissected for histological and histometric analysis, considering inflammatory reaction and granulation area, presence of polymorphonuclear (PMN), monuclear (MN) and fibroblast (F) cells. SEM analysis of biomaterials showed irregular particles with different surface characteristics. EDX showed calcium, oxygen, sodium, phosphorus and silicon; XRF revealed silica oxide (SiO(2)), sodium oxide (Na(2)O), calcium oxide (CaO) and phosphorus oxide (P(2)O(5)). XRD indicated non crystalline phase. Measurement of tissue reaction showed similar results among the experimental groups at 45 and 60 days. No difference was found for PMN, MN and F cell counts. All biomaterials exhibited partial resorption. In conclusion, the experimental bioactive glass analyzed showed physical and chemical characteristics similar to the commercially available biomaterials, and was considered biocompatible, being partially reabsorbed in the subcutaneous tissue.     

Garfield number: on some characteristics of Eugene Garfield’s first and second order co-authorship networks

In this note we give an overview of the first- and second-order collaboration network reflected by Eugene Garfield’s publications in scientific journals. Although he had only a quite limited number of co-authors and co-publications, his co-authors’ own collaboration networks generate a large world-wide and multidisciplinary coverage. The classical model of co-authorship network is the Erd?s network with the Erd?s Number indicating the shortest co-authorship path through which an author is connected with Paul Erd?s. The two networks, generated by Erd?s and Garfield, respectively, show completely different patterns and characteristics but illustrate the ways how ideas of great scholars and pioneers disseminate and influence the respective scientific communities.     

Extending the product portfolio with ‘devolved manufacturing’: methodology and case studies

Current research by the developers of rapid prototyping systems is generally focused on improvements in cost, speed and materials to create truly economic and practical economic rapid manufacturing (RM) machines. In addition to being potentially smarter/faster/cheaper replacements for existing manufacturing technologies, the next generation of these machines will provide opportunities not only for the design and fabrication of products without traditional constraints but also for organizing manufacturing activities in new, innovative and previously undreamt of ways. This paper outlines a novel devolved manufacturing (DM) ‘factory-less’ approach to e-manufacturing, which integrates mass customization (MC) concepts, RM technologies and the communication opportunities of the Internet/World Wide Web, describes two case studies of different DM implementations and discusses the limitations and appropriateness of each, and, finally, draws some conclusions about the technical, manufacturing and business challenges involved.