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1 – 10 of 20Eduardo Vaz, José Carlos Vieira De Sá, Gilberto Santos, Florbela Correia and Paulo Ávila
The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a maintenance philosophy, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), on the operational performance of the Portuguese industry…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a maintenance philosophy, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), on the operational performance of the Portuguese industry, identifying how it enables the systematic reduction of waste in maintenance.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was constructed and sent to 472 Portuguese enterprises, having obtained a sample constituted of 84 valid answers. With a five-point Likert scale, it was possible to assess the impact of the TPM on five operational performance dimensions, being them: quality, flexibility, productivity, safety and costs.
Findings
It was found that the planned maintenance, together with education and training are the practices with the highest degree of implementation in the Portuguese industry, exceeding 70% for both. The productivity is the dimension with a higher degree of impact from the implementation of TPM and costs the dimension that suffered a lesser impact.
Practical implications
This paper shows and analyses the current state of TPM implementation in the Portuguese industry and it will be useful for maintenance professionals, researchers and others concerned with maintenance, in order to understand the effects of TPM implementation on the operational performance of the Portuguese industries.
Originality/value
The findings from this paper will be valuable for professionals who desire and are looking forward to implement an effective maintenance approach in the maintenance management system, in order to achieve the excellence in maintenance.
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Keywords
Several political parties, including some aligned with President Jose Mario Vaz, recently organised demonstrations calling for the cancellation of the haphazard voter registration…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB239742
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The Fund suspended support in June after President Jose Mario Vaz's government flouted a key loan condition. Earlier this month, the Guinean and Sierra Leonean presidents brokered…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB213873
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Mauricio Uriona Maldonado, Matheus Eduardo Leusin, Thiago Carrano de Albuquerque Bernardes and Caroline Rodrigues Vaz
Business process management (BPM) and lean management (LM) are both recognized for improving organizational performance through continuous improvement, yet their similarities and…
Abstract
Purpose
Business process management (BPM) and lean management (LM) are both recognized for improving organizational performance through continuous improvement, yet their similarities and differences have been poorly discussed so far. This paper aims to find their main differences and similarities using a systematic method for literature review.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a structured literature review known as SYSMAP (Scientometric and sYStematic yielding MApping Process). The method integrates bibliometrics and content analysis procedures to perform in-depth analysis of the literature at hand.
Findings
Both methodologies seek continuous improvement with focus on the customer and process standardization, but they are divergent mainly in relation to the flow they intend to improve. The impossibility of implementing both methodologies in an effective way was also observed, mainly due to the differences they present in relation to how to achieve the continuous improvement cycle.
Research limitations/implications
As any other literature reviews, the major limitation is to have omitted relevant literature even though all available procedures have been used to avoid this situation.
Practical implications
This paper offers a novel perspective from the practitioner side. LM may be better used in human-intensive process improvement whereas BPM in technology-intensive ones. Such characteristics open up new opportunities for practitioners aiming at integrating both approaches.
Originality/value
This is the first paper that systematically analyses the body of literature of BPM and LM with the means to better understand their similarities and differences.
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Ilse Valenzuela Matus, Jorge Lino Alves, Joaquim Góis, Paulo Vaz-Pires and Augusto Barata da Rocha
The purpose of this paper is to review cases of artificial reefs built through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and analyse their ecological goals, fabrication process…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review cases of artificial reefs built through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and analyse their ecological goals, fabrication process, materials, structural design features and implementation location to determine predominant parameters, environmental impacts, advantages, and limitations.
Design/methodology/approach
The review analysed 16 cases of artificial reefs from both temperate and tropical regions. These were categorised based on the AM process used, the mortar material used (crucial for biological applications), the structural design features and the location of implementation. These parameters are assessed to determine how effectively the designs meet the stipulated ecological goals, how AM technologies demonstrate their potential in comparison to conventional methods and the preference locations of these implementations.
Findings
The overview revealed that the dominant artificial reef implementation occurs in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Seas, both accounting for 24%. The remaining cases were in the Australian Sea (20%), the South Asia Sea (12%), the Persian Gulf and the Pacific Ocean, both with 8%, and the Indian Sea with 4% of all the cases studied. It was concluded that fused filament fabrication, binder jetting and material extrusion represent the main AM processes used to build artificial reefs. Cementitious materials, ceramics, polymers and geopolymer formulations were used, incorporating aggregates from mineral residues, biological wastes and pozzolan materials, to reduce environmental impacts, promote the circular economy and be more beneficial for marine ecosystems. The evaluation ranking assessed how well their design and materials align with their ecological goals, demonstrating that five cases were ranked with high effectiveness, ten projects with moderate effectiveness and one case with low effectiveness.
Originality/value
AM represents an innovative method for marine restoration and management. It offers a rapid prototyping technique for design validation and enables the creation of highly complex shapes for habitat diversification while incorporating a diverse range of materials to benefit environmental and marine species’ habitats.
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Eduardo Manuel de Almeida Leite and Ana Miguel Ramos Leite
For several decades, universities have been trying to implement new technologies in their teaching methods, intending to create skills for the twenty-first century. In the…
Abstract
For several decades, universities have been trying to implement new technologies in their teaching methods, intending to create skills for the twenty-first century. In the literature, this process is called digital transformation. This chapter is based on an integrative revision and solid work of the authors in their university, providing students with technological devices, such as laptops, tablets, and other gadgets to invest in digital education skills. Concluding that investing in digital education is crucial for improving the student experience and preparing students for the future workforce.
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Teresa Cunha Ferreira, David Ordóñez-Castañón and Rui Fernandes Póvoas
This research seeks to provide methodological bases for the identification, documentation and critical reflection of good practices of architectural design in built heritage…
Abstract
Purpose
This research seeks to provide methodological bases for the identification, documentation and critical reflection of good practices of architectural design in built heritage. These are applied explicitly to the School of Porto architects, which express a high sense of pedagogy and community practice in this field. The methodological approach defines the selection criteria for a georeferenced inventory and the procedures for in-depth analysis of adaptive reuse strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The works included in the inventory were selected according to geographical, chronological, typological, qualitative and quantitative criteria. The cases chosen for in-depth analysis have been studied along four thematic axes to dissect all the intervention processes (previous state, design/construction and final state). This approach is supported by a cross-analysis of different sources (oral, written, graphic) and using drawing as a fundamental research tool.
Findings
The research has collected and disseminated up to 150 works by 44 architects, providing a comprehensive portrait of heritage intervention by the School of Porto over the past decades. The selection of 22 buildings for in-depth documentation reveals a particular sensibility toward the cultural values through a case-by-case approach based in deep knowledge of the preexisting context and the introduction of contemporary additions in continuity and harmonious relation with the environmental and sociocultural context.
Originality/value
This work provides a novel methodology suitable for further extension and adaptation to other case studies, as a first contribution to a more comprehensive “Atlas of Architectural Design in Built Heritage” with European case studies. The research aims to introduce new and deeper perspectives on reference works that may constitute pedagogy for the future practice of architects within contextual, inclusive and sustainable approaches.
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Bassiro Só, Eduardo Ferreira Franco, Hamilton Coimbra Carvalho, Joaquim Rocha dos Santos and Stefano Armenia
This paper aims to understand and explore the causal relationship of elements responsible for the macro vicious cycle of poverty in Guinea-Bissau, and discuss policies to break it.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand and explore the causal relationship of elements responsible for the macro vicious cycle of poverty in Guinea-Bissau, and discuss policies to break it.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology used in this study is based on the system dynamics simulation paradigm.
Findings
Breaking the Guinean poverty cycle requires a multifaceted approach involving more resources and the building of several national capabilities. Traditional approaches tend to fail.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations come from the level of abstraction used in the model, which does not detail the processes for building specific capabilities and their interrelationships, and the necessary exclusion of variables that may have an impact in the process. Considering implications, the study models the evolution of human development index (HDI) in Guinea-Bissau, linking it to the economy and political sectors and allowing the simulation of different scenarios.
Practical implications
The study presents a critical stance towards common recommendations from international agencies, and it provides a blueprint for development of more effective public policies.
Social implications
Overcoming the poverty trap in sub-Saharan countries remains a challenge for the international community. The study aims at helping in the process of integrating different frameworks into a compact and manageable model.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the system dynamics and economic development literatures by presenting an integrative model of human development in Guinea-Bissau. There is no study in the system dynamics literature modelling the relationship of HDI to economy and political sectors while different and contradictory points of view characterize the economics literature, leaving well-meaning public officials in Guinea-Bissau at a loss of mental models to tackle the poverty trap in the country.
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Maria Da Graça Benedito Jonas, Luis Artur, Siri Ellen Hallstrøm Eriksen and Synne Movik
Disaster management practices depend on societies' knowledge. As climate change rapidly reshapes knowledge, questions arise about how knowledge for disaster management is produced…
Abstract
Purpose
Disaster management practices depend on societies' knowledge. As climate change rapidly reshapes knowledge, questions arise about how knowledge for disaster management is produced and (re)shaped in modern world and how effective it is to withstand the ever-growing frequency and magnitude of disasters. This paper discusses the dynamics of knowledge creation and its use for disaster management in Chokwe district, southern Mozambique.
Design/methodology/approach
The study reviews historical archives to identify how disaster management knowledge has changed from pre-colonization to the present.
Findings
Before colonization, local knowledge associated with traditions of asking gods and ancestors for rain and blessings in life prevailed. With colonization, around the 1500s, Portuguese rulers attempted to eliminate these local practices through an inflow of European settlers who disseminated scientific knowledge, built dams and irrigation schemes, which changed the region’s knowledge base and regimes of flooding and drought. After independence in 1975, the new government nationalized all the private property, expelled the settlers and imposed a socialist order. All knowledge on disaster management was dictated by the new government; those against this new order were sent to re-education centers implanted nationwide. Centralization of knowledge and power was, therefore, implanted. Socialism collapsed by the 1990s, and over time, there has been an amalgam of different knowledge bases and attempts to recognize local disaster management practices.
Originality/value
The Chokwe case shows that knowledge for disaster management evolves with local socioeconomic, political and environmental changes.
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