On the quantification of operational supply chain resilience

Operational disruptions impact a supply chain’s ability to match supply and demand. To remain competitive, supply chains need to be resilient and thus capable of rapidly and effectively recovering from operational disruptions. Supply chain resilience is inherently multidimensional, as it spans across multiple tiers, and thus is difficult to quantify. Extant research has measured the transient response through a single-dimension or single-organisation as a proxy for operational resilience. Whilst this greatly simplifies the analysis, it is also potentially misleading, as an erroneous selection of metric(s) may lead to an inaccurate evaluation of the transient response. This research extends the understanding of operational resilience via quantitative evaluation of multiple transient response measures across multiple tiers; the objective being to construct a multidimensional, multi-echelon operational supply chain resilience metric. The study utilises disruptions as experimental inputs for a serial supply chain simulation model; results are obtained for individual measurements of the transient response across multiple supply chain tiers. Analysis indicates that individual dimensions of resilience can adequately explain the transient response at the single-firm level, whilst aggregation of multiple resilience dimensions across multiple tiers has greater capacity to holistically capture the performance response to supply chain disruptions.     

Using Discourse Analysis to Study a Cross‐Disciplinary Learning Community: Insights from an IGERT Training Program

A major challenge for fostering integrative cross‐disciplinary collaborations at the graduate level arises from the divergent exposure and training of students from uni‐disciplinary graduate programs. In this report, we present the design and preliminary analysis of an experimental forum to facilitate cross‐disciplinary discourse within a NSF‐sponsored Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (IGERT) at Rutgers. This forum brings together IGERT Graduate Training Fellows and faculty from four diverse graduate programs in the engineering area and four related programs in life sciences and physical sciences for structured seminars and interchanges. Our report offers methodological and analytical tools grounded within a conceptual framework for promoting discourse that integrates content across diverse disciplines as well as across levels of inquiry. Both the theoretical framework and the research tools may be valuable to others seeking to develop integrative training environments for coalescing learning communities between engineers and their collaborators.     

社区地震安全韧性评估系统及应用示范

韧性是指系统在受到外界扰动时抵抗、调整、恢复和适应的能力。北京历史上多次发生重大地震灾害,地震风险非常严峻。提升地震安全(Safety)韧性(Resilience)是北京市防灾减灾工作的重点之一。目前虽然对地震韧性问题已有诸多研究,但是尚缺少可以实操的区域地震韧性评价方法和工具。在北京市地震局的支持下,清华大学团队提出了可操作的社区韧性定量评价方法,并以一个典型社区为研究对象,开展了地震安全韧性评估工作,并开发了相应的系统平台。研究内容主要包括:社区韧性评估体系;建筑系统韧性评估;交通系统韧性评估;生命线系统韧性评估;非实体系统韧性评估;并在此基础上开发了韧性评估系统应用示范软件平台。评估结果表明:该社区整体韧性水平有待提升。其中:交通系统满足需求的能力较其他系统高;建筑系统韧性水平不足,但在不同地震强度下满足需求的能力较为稳定;生命线系统在地震强度较低时韧性水平较高,地震强度较高时韧性水平较低,满足需求的能力与地震强度密切相关。针对上述结果,研究针对建筑系统提出了若干韧性提升措施并进行了讨论。该研究定量评估了包含多个子系统的典型社区地震安全韧性水平,成果可以作为示范为未来北京市范围内的推广应用提供参考。     

Design resilience in the fuzzy front end (FFE) context: an empirical examination

This study provides a detailed understanding of the flexibilities that affect performance of innovation projects in the fuzzy front end (FFE) stage. We use the ambidextrous theory approach along with theories on flexibility to propose key drivers of design resilience in innovation projects. A set of six in-depth case studies across a variety of contextual settings is used to investigate important sources of flexibilities that contribute to design resilience. The effects of different design flexibility on the firms’ design resilience are examined. Specifically, an in-depth examination of ‘within case’ trends suggested key design flexibilities to be further examined in the ‘across case’ analyses. Our findings provide valuable insights about the enabling design flexibilities and contextual effects of design resilience in the FFE stage of innovation projects. Based on the findings from the case studies, four sources of design flexibility emerged that vary in terms of their influence on design resilience: (1) iterative learning, (2) modularity, (3) engineering change management and (4) design reuse. Patterns from the ‘across case’ analyses were then used to isolate specific types of design flexibilities that are important for design resilience and organisational resilience. We also provide categorisation of these drivers of design resilience in the context of passive flexibility and active flexibility practices. One of the major contributions of the study is that it provides a detailed categorisation of design resilience in relation to organisational resilience.     

Data mining of resilience indicators

In recent years, the Asia-Pacific region has experienced several financial setbacks, including speculative attacks in 1998 and the SARS outbreak in 2003. Financial stresses of this nature are unanticipated, and not all of the dangers can be predicted by the examination of market information and macroeconomic indicators. The Early Warning System (EWS) that has been adopted by the International Monetary Fund may not be able to predict future financial crises for all possible scenarios, because shocks come in many different forms. To supplement the EWS, this paper proposes a data mining framework to measure the resilience of an economy. The resilience framework does not predict a crisis, but rather assesses the current state of health of an economy and its ability to withstand a financial shock should one occur. The framework is based on a feedback system consisting of two stages. The first stage assigns a resilience score to each economy based on a fuzzy logic scoring scheme that is built on the ambiguous reasoning of experts. The second stage uses the classification tree approach to estimate thresholds for each economic indicator, and examines the quality of the fuzzy score. The result from the second stage is then passed back to the first stage as feedback. The final result is obtained when the feedback system reaches its equilibrium state. The proposed resilience framework is applied to the external-sector and the public-sector economies of several countries to illustrate its applicability.     

基于NSGA-II的城市桥梁系统震后可恢复性分析与优化

城市桥梁是经济和社会发展的重要基础设施,特别是重要桥梁以及由其构成的网络在灾难发生后如何快速恢复,对社会安定和地区发展十分重要。近年来抗震韧性倍受关注,如何考虑结构可恢复性并将韧性纳入桥梁系统抗震性能综合评估和优化,还存在很多问题尚待研究。该文定量分析桥梁震后恢复过程、剩余功能和修复时间与韧性指标间的联系,建立城市桥梁系统性能评估方法。由桥梁不同损伤状态计算不同恢复过程的剩余功能、修复时间、可恢复性和震后经济损失;对震后恢复过程的功能函数模型给出建议,量化不同震后恢复策略的影响;将韧性纳入城市桥梁系统抗震性能框架中,提出城市桥梁系统震后可恢复性评估框架,对风险高低不同采用不同的修复过程;对震后经济损失、可恢复性和震前修/改造成本采用多目标优化算法NSGA-II求解震前提升韧性优化策略,用于抗震加固措施的选取。通过案例给出了方法流程,也为城市桥梁系统地震韧性提升提供了新思路。     

Making aspect-orientation accessible through syntax-based language composition

A generic syntax-based approach is presented by which a fixed set of aspect-oriented features belonging to an aspect language family LA can be applied to a domain-specific language (DSL). The approach centres on the construction of a grammar in which a predefined and fixed set of abstract join points and join point environments are linked with their concrete counterparts within the DSL. This connection enables the behaviour of static weaving to be expressed in a generic manner. The resulting framework is one in which aspect orientation is accessible to non-experts across a wide spectrum of abstractions.     

The use of Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) in a mid-air collision to understand some characteristics of the air traffic management system resilience

The Functional Resonance Analysis Model (FRAM) defines a systemic framework to model complex systems for accident analysis purposes. We use FRAM in the mid-air collision between flight GLO1907, a commercial aircraft Boeing 737-800, and flight N600XL, an executive jet EMBRAER E-145, to investigate key resilience characteristics of the Air Traffic Management System (ATM). This ATM system related accident occurred at 16:56 Brazilian time on September 29, 2006 in the Amazonian sky. FRAM analysis of flight monitoring functions showed system constraints (equipment, training, time, and supervision) that produce variability in system behavior, creating demand resources mismatches in an attempt to perceive and control the developing situation. This variability also included control and coordination breakdowns and automation surprises (TCAS functioning). The analysis showed that under normal variability conditions (without catastrophic failures) the ATM system (pilots, controllers, supervisors, and equipment) was not able to close the control loops of the flight monitoring functions using feedback or feedforward strategies to achieve an adequate control of an aircraft flying in the controlled air space. Our findings shed some light on the resilience of Brazilian ATM system operation and indicated that there is a need of a deeper understanding on how the system is actually functioning.     

Service organisations resilience through the application of the vanguard method of systems thinking: a case study approach

The construct of organisational resilience is embedded in a set of individual level attributes and organisational level processes; however, there seems to be scarcity in the current literature of resilient models of operation that can amalgamate these two interlinked levels. This paper is an attempt to empirically explore the relationship of applying the vanguard method of systems thinking in service organisations with enhancing organisational resilience. Two case studies were conducted in two service organisations in the UK. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, observations, and archival documents, followed by the use of the nine-item Organisational Commitment Questionnaire. Cross-case analysis of the results shows that the employment of the vanguard method in service organisations operationalized two-dimensional determinants for improving organisational resilience; an organically structured organisation (i.e. organisational level), and highly affectively committed core employees (i.e. individual level).The value of this paper is the identification of two-level service organisations capabilities that can support organisational resilience and how these capabilities emerge as a result of employing the vanguard method.     

Large-scale systems resilience: A survey and unifying framework

A unifying framework in defining and measuring resilience has been an intense research topic. In this paper, resilience is measured as a function of intrinsic capacities of a system, the effectiveness of recovery, and the extrinsic random shock process. Some existing resilience measures are analyzed as special cases of the proposed unifying measure. Then, we develop a framework in which the key constituents in achieving resilience are identified. Resilience is represented by four key dimensions: reliability, robustness, recovery, and reconfigurability. Finally, some practical and specific strategies are proposed to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure systems under the proposed framework.     

损伤方钢管混凝土框架加固后滞回性能试验与理论研究

为了研究损伤方钢管混凝土结构加固后的抗震性能,基于一榀三层两跨的损伤方钢管混凝土框架加固后的拟静力试验,分析了反复水平荷载作用下框架的滞回性能,并根据滞回曲线进一步得出了框架顶层骨架曲线及相应的恢复力模型,研究了钢管混凝土框架的延性、强度与刚度的退化等性能。采用非线性有限元分析方法,将恢复力模型应用到混凝土弹性模量退化方程中,并对试验进行了数值模拟。结果表明:理论分析结果与试验结果吻合较好。     

The open innovation research landscape: established perspectives and emerging themes across different levels of analysis

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the main perspectives and themes emerging in research on open innovation (OI). The paper is the result of a collaborative process among several OI scholars – having a common basis in the recurrent Professional Development Workshop on ‘Researching Open Innovation’ at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. In this paper, we present opportunities for future research on OI, organised at different levels of analysis. We discuss some of the contingencies at these different levels, and argue that future research needs to study OI – originally an organisational-level phenomenon – across multiple levels of analysis. While our integrative framework allows comparing, contrasting and integrating various perspectives at different levels of analysis, further theorising will be needed to advance OI research. On this basis, we propose some new research categories as well as questions for future research – particularly those that span across research domains that have so far developed in isolation.     

Injury causation in the great outdoors: A systems analysis of led outdoor activity injury incidents

Despite calls for a systems approach to assessing and preventing injurious incidents within the led outdoor activity domain, applications of systems analysis frameworks to the analysis of incident data have been sparse. This article presents an analysis of 1014 led outdoor activity injury and near miss incidents whereby a systems-based risk management framework was used to classify the contributing factors involved across six levels of the led outdoor activity ‘system’. The analysis identified causal factors across all levels of the led outdoor activity system, demonstrating the framework's utility for accident analysis efforts in the led outdoor activity injury domain. In addition, issues associated with the current data collection framework that potentially limited the identification of contributing factors outside of the individuals, equipment, and environment involved were identified. In closing, the requirement for new and improved data systems to be underpinned by the systems philosophy and new models of led outdoor activity accident causation is discussed.     

A qualitative analysis of medication use variance reports

BACKGROUND: This report of a process change utilized a qualitative approach to data analysis to improve medication use safety in a large hospital. The two goals were to design a strategy to analyze the qualitative data and to use that strategy to uncover previously unclassified medication use variance patterns that could be prevented. A multidisciplinary team performed the analysis in an effort to improve the quality and yield of the approach. METHODS: All medication use variance, incident, and event reports from Yale-New Haven Hospital during April-June 2000 were collected (N = 264). A 20% random sample of the reports was distributed to a five-member evaluation group (a pharmacist, two nurses, and two physicians) for independent qualitative analysis and coding. An initial coding framework was produced using a consensus process. This coding framework was applied to another sample, and the consensus and coding processes were repeated until no new domains were identified. RESULTS: Ten general medication use variance domains were determined. In addition, 21 subdomains among the various general domains were determined. DISCUSSION: Utilizing a multidisciplinary team and a qualitative strategy of analysis improved patient safety efforts. This combination led to the discovery of new variance domains, causes, and opportunities to intervene and ultimately prevent medication use variances. This analytic approach is widely applicable, adaptable, and dynamic. The design and results of this report improve on a strictly quantitative approach to medication use variance analysis. The approach employed by this report will be used to improve medication use safety within the Yale-New Haven Health System.     

Micropatterned substrates: approach to probing intercellular communication pathways

Intercellular signaling is critical for the normal development and physiology of the central nervous system (CNS). To study such signaling, it is vital to control where and when the cells make contact with one another. It is also important to determine whether the process used for cell localization has an impact on signaling. This paper describes a technique that controls the location for cell growth in vitro and demonstrates that the technique has minimal (if any) impact on intercellular signaling. By using photolithographic methods, poly(dimethylsiloxane) molds were fabricated to function as templates for micrometer-level patterning of a nonadhesive agar (agarose) onto glass coverslips coated with a cell adhesive film (poly(L-lysine)). This process yields a surface composed of well-defined adhesive and nonadhesive microdomains. When endothelia or astrocytes are plated onto these substrates, confluent domains of endothelia or astrocytes grow on the poly(L-lysine) domains. Cocultures of astrocytes and neurons can also successfully be used to form interwoven networks on the adhesive domains. Moreover, studies of calcium signaling revealed that astrocytes grown on such patterns retain their native physiological activity. This conclusion is based on the observed propagation rate for calcium waves within individual astrocyte domains and across neighboring, but spatially disconnected, astrocyte domains. The potential to apply these micropatterned substrates as platforms for interrogating communication pathways in key components of the CNS is discussed.     

Influence of corrosion rate on the mechanical interaction of reinforcing steel,oxide and concrete

This study offers an experimental and numerical analysis of the influence of the current density on oxide formation and the resulting cracking of reinforced concrete subjected to accelerated corrosion. The specimens were idealized reinforced concrete prisms in which a calibrated steel tube replaced the standard ribbed bar reported in most published works. This allowed the evolution of the inner diameter and volume of the tube to be recorded, providing relevant information on the mechanical interactions of the steel–oxide–concrete system. In addition, the information recorded during the tests also included the evolution of the corrosion depth and width of the main crack that grew across the concrete cover. Furthermore, the crack pattern after the corrosion process was analyzed by using slices of the specimens impregnated with fluorescent resin. Experiments were conducted for several current densities. The results show that decreasing the corrosion current density results in an increase in the corrosion depth necessary for crack initiation, a smaller effective volumetric expansion and a more irregular crack pattern. When combined with finite-element simulations carried out by using a model that reproduces the expansive behavior of the oxide and the cohesive fracture of concrete, the results show that the effective expansion factor of the oxide becomes smaller as the density of current is reduced. This would suggest that the corrosion rate affects both the pressure build-up in the growing oxide layer and, closely linked to this, the diffusion of oxide within the pores and cracks in the surrounding concrete.     

Rapid System Development (RSD) Methodologies: Proposing a Selection Framework

Abstract:

The current global customer trend requires companies across domains to reduce their product development lifecycle. As a result the exploration of methodologies that will support rapid system development has been gaining importance. The primary focus of this article is to provide a framework for comparative analysis of rapid system development methodologies. The purpose of this framework is to help the project managers and systems engineers choose and tailor an appropriate rapid development methodology to suit their development context and environment. Toward this, the framework identifies and defines a set of critical rapid development attributes. The article redefines rapid system development as adopting methodologies, tools, and techniques that can introduce rapidity into the system development processes while optimizing the success factors of development. The success factors are specific to the system under development and they depend on the system, product line, organization, and customers. Some of the common success factors are return-on-investment (ROI), cost of ownership, other performance factors, and customer satisfaction. The article provides a fundamental discussion on the current rapid system development methodologies, metrics, tools, and techniques.     

Incorporating sustainability in decision-making for medical device development

The development and commercialization of contemporary medical devices are inherently multidisciplinary. Consequently, they have to undergo a stringent regulatory compliance procedure in conformity with an ever increasingly fierce and competitive business environment. Throughout the product life cycle, medical devices would significantly consume renewable as well as non-renewable resources and as a result exert a substantial social, economic and environmental impact(s). Sustainability from an overall perspective in terms of social, economic and environmental domains is crucial for decision-making during product development; nevertheless they have rarely been incorporated simultaneously. Both public and private institutions only focused towards economic and environmental sustainability without acknowledging the critical role of social sustainability that needs to be addressed concurrently so as to uphold the other two. Accordingly, it is imperative to consider the criteria of the aforementioned domains of sustainability in the initial phases of product development. The proposed conceptual multifaceted framework comprehensively explores a broader scope of sustainable product development, mainly from the pragmatic standpoint of systems engineering in comparison to the contemporary evaluation and development approaches. The underpinnings of the proposed framework encompass the critical role of a MultiCriteria Hierarchical Model (MCHM), which is in fact an extensive revision of the analytical hierarchy process decision making model. The MCHM mainly functions across the idea screening phase (Stage 2) up to the business and feasibility analysis phase (Stage 4). Moreover, unlike its predecessors, the MultiCriteria Hierarchical Model is less dependent upon numerical scores allotted by expert opinion and apparently broader in its scope of application. Furthermore, the proposed framework elucidates the active participation of the MCHM in product design and development by conjoining with an artificial intelligence based computer system known as expert systems. The principal objective of the proposed conceptual framework is to deliver a thorough assessment and a feasible roadmap for the development of sustainable medical devices.     

The next generation of macroergonomics: Integrating safety climate

To date little research has examined safety climate in relation to macroergonomics and how the two distinct sub-disciplines can be integrated to affect safety outcomes. The purpose of macroergonomics is to design a fully “harmonized” work system that improves numerous aspects of organizational performance and effectiveness, and this is accomplished by incorporating the foundational theoretical framework of sociotechnical systems theory (STS). Two broad subsystems within such a system are the personnel subsystem, the ways individuals perform tasks, and the technological subsystem, the tasks to be performed. Management is an important aspect of the personnel subsystem, and there is a growing body of research regarding supervisors’ influence over employee safety. One such area of research is safety climate, which is based on the perception of workers regarding safety and organizational practices. Two major factors of safety climate are management commitment to safety and communication pertaining to safety as a true priority from both top management and direct supervisors. This article describes the conceptual overlaps of macroergonomics and safety climate in order to present a conceptual model that integrates these domains using the framework of mesoergonomics. In conclusion, we discuss how this model can serve as a framework to guide the analysis and design of work systems and subsequent organizational interventions.