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1 – 10 of over 42000David Twigg, Christopher A. Voss and Graham M. Winch
Companies are increasingly adopting technologies that can promoteintegration between functions and tasks. The implementation of thesetechnologies has largely concerned the tasks…
Abstract
Companies are increasingly adopting technologies that can promote integration between functions and tasks. The implementation of these technologies has largely concerned the tasks of installation and the technical integration of the system. However, insufficient attention appears to have been directed towards organizational and managerial integration issues. Argues, based on empirical data from 15 UK engineering companies, that effective implementation of integrating technology requires a better understanding of issues concerning the integration of functions/tasks involved. Focuses on the issues and problems concerning managers involved with improving engineering/production integration, and proposes alternative organizational and technical mechanisms for implementing such integration. Reviews these mechanisms by reference to the engineering case companies.
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Strategic trends towards service operations have been widely reported in the recent literature, but organisational capabilities to support such service-centred strategies are less…
Abstract
Purpose
Strategic trends towards service operations have been widely reported in the recent literature, but organisational capabilities to support such service-centred strategies are less well understood. The purpose of this paper is to identify key organisational issues in managing complex engineering service operations throughout the lifecycle.
Design/methodology/approach
Using instruments developed from the product lifecycle management technologies and the network configuration concept, key organisational issues for engineering service operations were identified through case studies focusing on complex engineering products and services systems across a variety of industrial sectors.
Findings
The case studies demonstrated different organisational features and strategic priorities of engineering service operations along the whole lifecycle. A generic trend has been observed for engineering systems to move from being design, development and manufacturing focused to embracing support and end-of-life recycling matters.
Originality/value
This paper provides an overall framework for integrating key organisational issues in engineering service operations. It contributes to the service literature by highlighting the need of developing appropriate organisational capabilities to support service-centred strategies with engineering cases. It also provides guidance for companies to manage their engineering network operations throughout the whole lifecycle of complex products and services systems.
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This study aims to look at the interaction dynamics among engineering professionals from the lens of status hierarchies and derive on the role of intragroup conflicts prevalent in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to look at the interaction dynamics among engineering professionals from the lens of status hierarchies and derive on the role of intragroup conflicts prevalent in engineering teams. It develops and tests a comprehensive moderated-mediation model combining interpersonal status dynamics (of talent and conflicts prevalent within the team) with team external power dynamics (with other teams) and their resultant effect on team performance through the intragroup conflicts.
Design/methodology/approach
Data at team level from 1,265 members belonging to 218 engineering teams were used for hypothesis testing.
Findings
Process and status conflicts fully explain the negative effect of having more talented members in teams on team performance. High talented teams have lower levels of process and status conflicts and higher levels of performance when they have high power.
Research limitations/implications
This paper contributes to the literature on engineering teams, team status, power and conflicts.
Practical implications
This paper advises manager on where to exactly look for problems in the internal working of talented teams and conditions that could negatively impact their performance.
Originality/value
Research on teams’ internal composition and team performance link remains inconclusive. The established pattern of thinking in both practice and research is that having more talented members in the engineering teams is attached to superior performance. Whereas it is often the case that even after having multiple talented members, teams are not able to perform well. With some exceptions, studies have not paid attention to the dynamics of having more talented members and its flip side on team performance.
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Clarification of the term participation is sought through asking key organisational members, (a) why participation is being introduced in their organisation; (b) what are the…
Abstract
Clarification of the term participation is sought through asking key organisational members, (a) why participation is being introduced in their organisation; (b) what are the conditions seen as necessary for its success; (c) what is the likely process in participative meetings; and (d) what are the likely outcomes of participation. Managers in large companies were found to give reasons for introducing participation in terms of increasing opportunities to communicate to employees and to gain acceptance of decisions. Managers in small companies see the benefits of participation primarily in terms of increased employee morale. Endorsement of participation occurs more often in modern organisations (light engineering, trained younger managers and less entrenched unions), where managers see it as a forum for two‐way communication. In traditional organisations (heavy engineering, traditional managers, entrenched unions) participation is seen as a response to political and union pressure and is endorsed only grudgingly.
Derek Sawbridge, David Bright and Robin Smith
There is little tradition of regional studies in the field of industrial relations. Most of the existing work with a regional flavour is on comparative labour markets. The reason…
Abstract
There is little tradition of regional studies in the field of industrial relations. Most of the existing work with a regional flavour is on comparative labour markets. The reason for the absence of structural or institutional studies is because of the obvious methodological problem of disaggregating purely regional influences from broader national factors—economic, political, social or legislative.
AN incentive is a motive and it has long been accepted as axiomatic in the world of industry that the only motive which will move men to greater effort is a financial one. Wage…
Abstract
AN incentive is a motive and it has long been accepted as axiomatic in the world of industry that the only motive which will move men to greater effort is a financial one. Wage incentive schemes operate in large sections of manufacturing industry today and any increase in a firm's productivity is almost automatically attributed to them.
A systems perspective of waste management allows an integratedapproach not only to the five basic functional elements of wastemanagement itself (generation, reduction, collection…
Abstract
A systems perspective of waste management allows an integrated approach not only to the five basic functional elements of waste management itself (generation, reduction, collection, recycling, disposal), but to the problems arising at the interfaces with the management of energy, nature conservation, environmental protection, economic factors like unemployment and productivity, etc. This monograph separately describes present practices and the problems to be solved in each of the functional areas of waste management and at the important interfaces. Strategies for more efficient control are then proposed from a systems perspective. Systematic and objective means of solving problems become possible leading to optimal management and a positive contribution to economic development, not least through resource conservation. India is the particular context within which waste generation and management are discussed. In considering waste disposal techniques, special attention is given to sewage and radioactive wastes.
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THERE have been two previous James Forrest Lectures dealing with aeronautics. In 1912, Mr. Mallock addressed this Institution on “Aerial Flight,” and in 1914, Dr. Lanchcster took…
Abstract
THERE have been two previous James Forrest Lectures dealing with aeronautics. In 1912, Mr. Mallock addressed this Institution on “Aerial Flight,” and in 1914, Dr. Lanchcster took as his subject “The Flying‐Machine from an Engineering Standpoint.”
The objective of this research is to explore integration and transition activities in large industrial projects. The purpose is to (a) obtain a better understanding of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this research is to explore integration and transition activities in large industrial projects. The purpose is to (a) obtain a better understanding of the integration and transition activities between the project front-end (FE) and project initiation phases (PIPs), (b) explore what, how and when these integrations and transitions occur, and (c) explore what the integration and transition activities mean to project practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research design methodology is followed, based on interviews using open-ended questions. An expert panel is used to provide responses to questions pertaining to the integration and transition between the project FE and PIP. The research is focused on managing large projects in the South African electrical engineering industrial projects industry. A literature review combined with empirical analysis reflects the importance of integrating and transitioning in project business.
Findings
The findings provide guidance to researchers and practitioners on integration and transition mechanisms, how and when these occur. It highlights the benefits of integration and transition activities. Important lessons for researchers and practitioners are provided together with areas for future research.
Originality/value
This is an interpretative analysis of expert opinion. Expert panel members are experienced at senior decision-making level, and their expertise was accessed based on experience, education and knowledge. This extensive experience is shared in this paper providing insights into their opinions, experiences, success and failures. These inputs together with the literature review provide interesting implications for both a theoretical foundation as well as practical implications for practitioners.
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Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to argue that manual geometric modeling is blocking the building information modeling (BIM) promotion to small-size companies. Therefore, it is necessary to study a manner of automated modeling to reduce the dependence of BIM implementation on manpower. This paper aims to make a study into such a system to propose both its theory and prototype.
Design/methodology/approach
This research took a prototyping as the methodology, which consists of three steps: (1) proposing a theoretical framework supporting automated geometric modeling process; (2) developing a prototype system based on the framework; (3) conducting a testing for the prototype system on its performance.
Findings
Previous researches into automated geometric modeling only respectively focused on a specific procedure for a particular engineering domain. No general model was abstracted to support generic geometric modeling. This paper, taking higher level of abstraction, proposed such a model that can describe general geometric modeling process to serve generic automated geometric modeling systems.
Research limitations/implications
This paper focused on only geometric modeling, skipping non-geometric information of BIM. A complete BIM model consists of geometric and non-geometric data. Therefore, the method of combination of them is on the research agenda.
Originality/value
The model proposed by this paper provide a mechanism to translate engineering geometric objects into textual representations, being able to act as the kernel of generic automated geometric modeling systems, which are expected to boost BIM promotion in industry.
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