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1 – 10 of 282Steven Cox, Virginia Elton, John A. Garside, Apostolos Kotsialos, João Victor Marmo, Lorena Cunha, Grant Lennon and Chris Gill
A process improvement sampling methodology, known as process variation diagnostic tool (PROVADT), was proposed by Cox et al. (2013). The method was designed to support the…
Abstract
Purpose
A process improvement sampling methodology, known as process variation diagnostic tool (PROVADT), was proposed by Cox et al. (2013). The method was designed to support the objectivity of Six Sigma projects performing the measure-analyse phases of the define-measure-analyse-improve-control cycle. An issue in PROVADT is that it is unable to distinguish between measurement and product variation in the presence of a poor Gage repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) result. The purpose of this paper is to improve and address PROVADT’s sampling structure by enabling a true Gage R&R as part of its design.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper derives an enhanced PROVADT method by examining the theoretical sampling constraints required to perform a Gage R&R study. The original PROVADT method is then extended to fulfil these requirements. To test this enhanced approach, it was applied first to a simulated manufacturing process and then in two industry case studies.
Findings
The results in this paper demonstrates that enhanced PROVADT was able to achieve a full Gage R&R result. This required 20 additional measurements when compared to the original method, but saved up to ten additional products and 20 additional measurements being taken in future experiments if the original method failed to obtain a valid Gage R&R. These benefits were highlighted in simulation and industry case studies.
Originality/value
The work into the PROVADT method aims to improve the objectivity of early Six Sigma analyses of quality issues, which has documented issues.
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Lelokwane Mokgalo, Alice Njoroge and Mercy Musikavanhu
Emergency situations call for effective means of providing quality education. Higher education institutions are therefore required to use effective and efficient online approaches…
Abstract
Emergency situations call for effective means of providing quality education. Higher education institutions are therefore required to use effective and efficient online approaches for teaching and learning which necessitate students, academic practitioners and institutions to engage and interact with each other successfully. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the importance of interaction and engagement in the use of blended learning online tools during emergency situations. The theoretical lens that informs the chapter is social constructivism which argues that learning is a social endeavour. The literature findings show that the effective engagement of students contributes to the overall quality of students’ produced experiences as well as pass rates. Furthermore, the importance of student–lecturer engagement and student–content engagement cannot be taken for granted. The right balance of synchronous and asynchronous online learning tools contributes to fruitful interaction and engagement. Online engagement seems to have many benefits as compared to conventional based engagement such as the ability of students to contribute to their teaching and learning. Despite these advantages, challenges associated with online learning such as balancing life commitments, confidence, students’ approach to learning, high investment costs in resources, motivation, competences of lecturers and students, interest of lecturers and students and efficacy of lecturers and students cannot be ignored. The authors therefore recommend that effective and efficient online learning requires the correct blend of online learning tools accompanied by the correct engagement strategies.
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Design for Assembly (DFA) is now a well established technique for cost reduction at the design‐manufacture interface. The method described here is simple, highly visual and team…
Abstract
Design for Assembly (DFA) is now a well established technique for cost reduction at the design‐manufacture interface. The method described here is simple, highly visual and team based and can be learned in a single day of training and experience has shown that a design team can achieve significant savings even during the training process. The method starts with the analysis of an existing product, prototype, or preliminary design by describing the product and assembly process in the form of rows in a design matrix. The row‐based description is then progressively modified by cascading down the matrix through considerations of part count, ease of handling and ease of assembly insertion. The final rows of the matrix represent the improved assembly design and its assembly process, and the body of the matrix contains cells that describe design and process changes in an order that records the evolution of the design process.
Narges Asadi, Mats Jackson and Anders Fundin
The recent shift towards accommodating flexibility in manufacturing companies and the complexity resulting from product variety highlight the significance of flexible assembly…
Abstract
Purpose
The recent shift towards accommodating flexibility in manufacturing companies and the complexity resulting from product variety highlight the significance of flexible assembly systems and designing products for them. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the requirements of a flexible assembly system for product design from the assembly system’s standpoint.
Design/methodology/approach
To fulfil the purpose of the paper, a literature review and a case study were performed. The case study was conducted with an interactive research approach in a global market leader company within the heavy vehicle manufacturing industry.
Findings
The findings indicate that common assembly sequence, similar assembly interfaces, and common parts are the main requirements of a flexible assembly system for product design which reduce complexity and facilitate various flexibility dimensions. Accordingly, a model is proposed to broaden the understanding of these requirements from the assembly system’s standpoint.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the overlapping research area of flexible assembly systems and product design.
Practical implications
The proposed model is largely based on practical data and clarifies the role of product design in facilitating flexibility in an assembly system. It can be used by assembly managers, assembly engineers, and product designers.
Originality/value
The key originality of this paper compared to the previous studies lies in presenting a novel assembly-oriented design model. The model enhances understanding of a flexible assembly system’s requirements for product design with regard to reducing complexity and managing variation in a flexible assembly system. These requirements can be applied to product design across various product families within a company’s product portfolio.
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Marcelo Albuquerque Oliveira and Isabel Lopes
The purpose of this paper is to develop a new maturity model to identify the current state of maintenance area of organizations and drives actions to increase efficiency and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a new maturity model to identify the current state of maintenance area of organizations and drives actions to increase efficiency and effectiveness toward the concept known as world-class.
Design/methodology/approach
The model was developed based on an extensive literature review on maintenance management and maturity assessment, which allowed identifying the relevant factors in maintenance management and the world-class behaviors for each factor. The progressive maturity levels for each of the identified ten factors form the model. To test its effectiveness, it was applied to the maintenance area of three companies.
Findings
The model application showed that, in addition to being a self-assessment tool, it provides knowledge, to those who use it, on behaviors or practices that enable world-class results. For each factor, potential gaps and the desired state were defined focusing on behaviors rather than on indicators values or adopted methodologies, which facilitates the identification of improvement actions that lead to better performance.
Research limitations/implications
Through its use, maturity levels can be identified for all considered maintenance management factors, however, the overall maturity of the maintenance area is not determined. Although this overall evaluation can be done assigning a weight to each factor, it was not considered an added value for the set purpose.
Originality/value
The proposed maturity model contributes to the understanding of the maintenance management process and how to stand out nowadays in an area that has an increasingly important impact on productivity and quality.
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Leadership is key to building a culture of continuous learning within organizations. This study aims to explore the pivotal role of leadership in creating a culture of constant…
Abstract
Purpose
Leadership is key to building a culture of continuous learning within organizations. This study aims to explore the pivotal role of leadership in creating a culture of constant learning within organizations by bibliometric and content analysis. It also introduces propositions and frameworks that emphasize the importance of fostering a growth mindset, encouraging knowledge sharing, promoting learning agility and leveraging technology to support lifelong development.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from the Web of Science Core Collection, the author performed a complete analysis of publication features, collaboration networks and keywords in the field using VOSviewer software. Furthermore, drawing on social cognitive theory, this paper also presents propositions that integrate key concepts and strategies for fostering a culture of learning.
Findings
The data shows a large increase in publications on leadership and organizational learning, particularly since 2000, indicating an increasing interest and importance in this field. The author proposes leaders who demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and invest in learning resources empower their teams to embrace new challenges and explore innovative solutions. By fostering a culture of learning, organizations can enhance employee engagement, foster creativity and innovation and adapt more effectively to changing market dynamics.
Originality/value
This study offers a unique perspective on the role of leadership in driving learning and development initiatives. By implementing the principles, organizations can create a competitive advantage by cultivating a workforce that is agile, resilient and equipped to thrive in an ever-changing world.
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David Pickernell and Julia Hermyt
This article looks at how certain companies within the UK meat, poultry and cheese packaging and processing industries have achieved success within the new market environment…
Abstract
This article looks at how certain companies within the UK meat, poultry and cheese packaging and processing industries have achieved success within the new market environment created in the aftermath of the BSE crisis. The study utilises a postal questionnaire sent to 50 companies in these industries and identified three sets of industry key success factors or strategies: focus on the customer, focus on value added, focus on pursuing improvements. The strategies identified within those areas can provide such organisations with basic policies which can improve the probability of emerging as successful in a changing environment.
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Kristján Vigfússon, Lára Jóhannsdóttir, Snjólfur Ólafsson and Mehmet Ali Köseoğlu
This study focuses on the key success factors (KSFs) for strategy implementation in the fisheries industry in Iceland identified by chief executive officers within the industry…
Abstract
Purpose
This study focuses on the key success factors (KSFs) for strategy implementation in the fisheries industry in Iceland identified by chief executive officers within the industry. The purpose is to provide a comprehensive categorization of KSFs that influence how strategy is mobilized. The secondary aim is to uncover the level of priority that companies place on the dimensions of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology involves qualitative case studies based on in-depth elite interviews with nine chief executive officers of Icelandic fishing companies.
Findings
The research indicates strategy implementation can be improved in four main areas. First, by engaging and involving all employees in the implementation process. Second, by enhancing bottom-up innovation and communication. Third, through alignment of the corporate strategy and the UN SDGs, and fourth, by following rigorous action plans with clear, measurable and prioritized objectives and timeframes for the managers to follow. These improvements have both theoretical and practical implications for the fishing industry. Consequently, a conceptual framework for integrated strategy implementation in the fisheries industry is proposed.
Research limitations/implications
A limited number of in-depth elite interviews were conducted since access to the chief executive officers of the country’s largest fishing companies proved challenging. However, the nine companies collectively hold nearly 50% of the country’s total quota, thereby proving a deep understanding of the topic relevant to the industry. The research uncovered a substantial cross-section of viewpoints, and as such, the results are relevant for both academia and practitioners alike.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the debate on KSFs relevant to strategy implementation within a specific industry but also aligns with the UN SDGs by proposing a dedicated framework for implementing strategies in the fisheries industry. Overall, this study can help managers achieve strategy implementation.
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Enrique Minarro‐Viseras, Tim Baines and Mike Sweeney
This paper reports the study of key success factors (KSFs) in the project management of the implementation of strategic manufacturing initiatives (SMIs).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reports the study of key success factors (KSFs) in the project management of the implementation of strategic manufacturing initiatives (SMIs).
Design/methodology/approach
In order to gather the experience and knowledge of many industries, from different geographic locations, in a broad range of types and sizes of SMIs, a questionnaire‐based survey of practitioners worldwide was selected as the most appropriate research method among those available.
Findings
The identification of those tasks and activities that must be done well in order to succeed in the implementation of a SMI in practice.
Practical implications
Practitioners focusing their attention on the KSFs identified are more likely to succeed. Once these factors have been identified, the value of benchmarking project management methodologies then comes from drawing attention to those tasks that are key to the success of the implementation of SMIs.
Originality/value
The paper presents new thinking by bringing project management into the operations strategy implementation literature as an important mediating factor for success. In this context the factors that are required for successful implementation are identified.
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THAT THE NEWSPAPER industry has gone through a tremendous change has been obvious to all by the horrific scenes of violence shown on television over the past several months.