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1 – 10 of over 23000Hakan Akillioglu, Joao Ferreira and Mauro Onori
Evolvable production systems enable fully reconfiguration capabilities on the shop floor through process‐oriented modularity and multi‐agent‐based distributed control. To be able…
Abstract
Purpose
Evolvable production systems enable fully reconfiguration capabilities on the shop floor through process‐oriented modularity and multi‐agent‐based distributed control. To be able to benefit architectural and operational characteristics of evolvable systems, there is a need of a new planning approach which links shop floor characteristics and planning operations. This paper seeks to address these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Evolvable production system has a structured methodology in itself. Consistent to this, a reference planning architecture is developed aiming to achieve agility on planning activities. Besides a workload control method is proposed and implemented as a part of the planning architecture.
Findings
First applications of evolvable systems have been implemented through European research projects. Shop floor working principles and architectural characteristics are consistent to facilitate more agility on planning activities which are framed at a planning reference architecture called demand responsive planning. As an implementation case, an agent‐based workload control method is proposed and implemented. The characteristics of EPS and proposed planning architecture enable continuous and dynamic workload control of the shop floor to be implemented.
Originality/value
This paper presents a new planning model compatible with evolvable production systems targeting to agility to demand on planning and control activities benefiting shop floor enhancements of a fully reconfigurable system which enables to relax constraints imposed from production systems to planning. In addition, a continuous and dynamic workload control method is proposed and implemented.
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Reports on a comprehensive study of the real estate and facilitiesgroups of 20 US organizations. Reviews character, growth, age, financeand structure for example. Offers…
Abstract
Reports on a comprehensive study of the real estate and facilities groups of 20 US organizations. Reviews character, growth, age, finance and structure for example. Offers facilities issues as critical in affecting investment decisions, operational efficiency and cultural attitudes, which in turn can create a comprehensive view of the corporate condition. Argues that this gives a broad view of the organization and insight for today′s needs and tomorrow′s limitations.
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The pandemic-induced global shift to remote learning calls for rethinking the foundations of design for higher education. This watershed moment in global health and human…
Abstract
Purpose
The pandemic-induced global shift to remote learning calls for rethinking the foundations of design for higher education. This watershed moment in global health and human interaction has accelerated changes in higher education that were long emergent and amplified specific deficiencies and strengths in pedagogical models, causing institutions to reevaluate current structures and operations of learning and campus life as they question their vision and purpose. Since physical space has largely been taken out of the equation of university life, it is evident that fresh design research related to this new normal is required.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative research study speculates on new possibilities for the future of campus, based upon insights and inferences gained from one-on-one interviews with faculty and students in multiple countries about their personal experiences with the sudden shift to the virtual classroom. The longer the mode of physical distancing stretched through Spring 2020, these phone and web-enabled dialogues – first with faculty (teachers) and then with students (learners) – lead to a deeper, more nuanced understanding of how the notion of the campus for higher education was itself morphing in ways expected and unexpected.
Findings
At the heart of this study lies the question – Has COVID-19 killed the campus? This study suggests that it has not. However, campuses are now on a path of uneven evolution, and risk shedding the good with the extraneous without eyes-wide-open rethinking and responsive planning. This two-part qualitative analysis details the experiments and strategies followed by educators and students as the pandemic changed their ways of teaching and learning. It then speculates out-of-the-norm possibilities which campuses could explore as they navigate the uncertainty of future terms and address paradigm shifts questioning what defines a post-secondary education.
Research limitations/implications
This paper draws inferences from discussions limited to the first 100 days of the pandemic. This on-the-ground aspect as the pandemic continues is its strength and its limitation. As Fall 2020 progresses across global campuses, new ideas and perspectives are already reinforcing or upending some of this paper's speculations. This researcher is already engaged in new, currently-ongoing research, following up with interviewees from Spring 2020, as well as bringing in new voices to delve deeper into the possibilities discussed in this paper. This follow-up research is shaping new thinking which is not reflected in this paper.
Originality/value
Design practitioners have long-shaped campuses on the belief that the built “environment is the third teacher” and that architecture fosters learning and shapes collective experience. Educators recognize that a multiplicity of formal and informal interactions occur frequently and naturally across campus, supporting cognitive and social development, collegiality and well-being. Even today's digital-native-students perceive the inherent value of real interpersonal engagement for meaningful experiences. This research study offers new planning and design perspectives as institutional responses to the pandemic continue to evolve, to discover how design can support what lies at the core of the campus experience.
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Patrik Jonsson and Jan Holmström
– The purpose of this paper is to develop a research agenda for supply chain planning (SCP) relevant for practice.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a research agenda for supply chain planning (SCP) relevant for practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors critically evaluate academic literature on SCP in order to understand how problems are addressed in their particular context, what the outcomes are, and the mechanisms producing the observed outcomes. Four categories of SCP are studied: sales and operations planning (S & OP), supply chain master planning, supply chain materials management, and collaborative materials management. The authors introduce the concept of enabling mechanisms to identify specific innovations in materials management and production management that can facilitate the future improvement of SCP.
Findings
The critical evaluation of current SCP theory presents very limited results that are of practical relevance. SCP is not presented as an intervention and the results are not in a form that is actionable for practitioners. The body of literature is almost absent in addressing problems according to context, it presents limited evidence of intended outcomes, and it fails to identify unintended outcomes. As a consequence, research is unable to bolster theoretical understandings of how outcomes – both intended and unintended – are achieved. In the forward-looking research agenda the authors leverage the understanding of the enabling mechanisms in order to propose research to make mature S & OP and novel types of SCP implementable.
Research limitations/implications
The paper is an example of a structured approach to developing a research agenda that is relevant to practice and can be used more widely in logistics and supply chain management.
Practical implications
This paper presents a research agenda to close the gap between practice and promise in SCP.
Originality/value
The authors operationalize what constitutes practical relevance for an established field of research.
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Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi Tilaki and Massoomeh Hedayati
The purpose of this article is to explore the barriers to the implementation of city development strategy (CDS) to achieve the goals in Iranian cities which have experienced rapid…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to explore the barriers to the implementation of city development strategy (CDS) to achieve the goals in Iranian cities which have experienced rapid uncontrolled growth in recent decades. As comprehensive planning method has failed to tackle the challenges facing the cities, various recommendations have been made to employ the CDS as a successful method based on strategic urban planning to develop Iranian cities.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is qualitatively conducted based on the primary and secondary data in which the primary data were obtained from 11 semi-structured interviews, while the secondary data were collected through a review of international theoretical studies, Iranian experimental research and reports.
Findings
The findings of this study indicate five major barriers to the implementation of the Iranian urban planning process based on the CDS. These comprise the centralization of urban planning structure, coordination and relationship of agencies, financial resources, related laws and regulations and public participation.
Originality/value
This study develops a compelling argument that what is missing from research on CDS is an examination of the potential barriers of CDS implementation, particularly in Iranian cities.
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Sergey Kazakov, José L. Ruiz-Alba and María M. Muñoz
The present study examines the concept of internal market orientation (IMO) and its effects on organisational performance comprising job satisfaction and employees' loyalty in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study examines the concept of internal market orientation (IMO) and its effects on organisational performance comprising job satisfaction and employees' loyalty in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) research context. Rooted in administrative theory, human relations theory, conventional theories of IMO and internal marketing, this study develops a novel iIMO theoretical framework that evinces the proliferation of ICTs in SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed concept was empirically investigated by means of surveying 316 SME employees with the application of a multi-stage sampling procedure.
Findings
Research findings confirmed the viability of the ICT-supported iIMO framework, its positive effects on SMEs' organisational performance, and exhibited ample empirical evidence for the proficiency of the iIMO concept and its suitability for operationalisation by SMEs.
Originality/value
This study introduces ICTs as a novel IMO dimension which considers the undergoing holistic digitalisation of businesses. In addition, the present research posits the plausibility and confirms the benefits that arise following iIMO implementation in SMEs.
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Yones Romiani, Maryam Sadat Ghoraishi Khorasgani and Saeid Norollahee
Nowadays, universities increasingly consider reputation as a key component for improving quality and rankings. A positive reputation opens doors to added value and diverse…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, universities increasingly consider reputation as a key component for improving quality and rankings. A positive reputation opens doors to added value and diverse opportunities. This paper aims to explore Middle Eastern higher education managers' perceptions of university reputation components.
Design/methodology/approach
Given the significance of this concept in Middle Eastern universities, a descriptive phenomenological qualitative approach is adopted to identify these key components. The study includes interviews with university managers, and data are collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically.
Findings
The findings reveal that, from the perspective of higher education managers, university reputation is influenced by four main components: university management and leadership, quality and performance, identity and image and social responsibility. These components are tailored to the context of Middle Eastern countries.
Practical implications
Practical implications are clearly laid out in the form of four key themes for higher education managers in Middle Eastern countries to manage reputation.
Originality/value
The study’s outcomes can be used as a guide for university managers in developing countries to change the situation in their favor and achieve great success in the competitive condition of universities by planning and making policies in this direction. Also, the managers of higher education in the Middle Eastern countries can take advantage of the components of this study to improve the quality and quantity of their universities and take an important step towards increasing the university’s reputation at the international level.
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Jessica Tunney and Amy Hanreddy
For teachers to fully enact pedagogy rooted in equity and inclusion, they must have access to purposeful systems and tools supporting proactive and collaborative planning built…
Abstract
For teachers to fully enact pedagogy rooted in equity and inclusion, they must have access to purposeful systems and tools supporting proactive and collaborative planning built explicitly to center the needs of those historically denied full access to learning. This chapter takes on the historical injustices that have been perpetuated within public education in the United States since its inception and presents practical tools and systems (rooted in research and refined in the field) that can promote more equitable day-to-day teaching and learning in classrooms.
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David J. Aldridge and James Betts
Seeks to document a responsive strategy to manufacturing planningwith Cussons (UK) Limited, a company operating in the fast movingconsumer goods (FMCG) industry. In the FMCG…
Abstract
Seeks to document a responsive strategy to manufacturing planning with Cussons (UK) Limited, a company operating in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. In the FMCG environment products are manufactured to a sales forecast, and customers demand 100 per cent service levels within lead‐times, sometimes in the order of hours rather than days. It is essential that a company′s stock replenishment procedures should reflect this situation rather than inhibit its ability to respond. Manufacturing resource planning (MRPII), the standard for planning and procurement used comprehensively within manufacturing industry, is a tool that has been generally accepted and used within the FMCG sector. It was not, however, either designed or developed to cope with the specific demands imposed by this type of business. Suggests that MRPII, rather than facilitating responsive planning, may actually form a barrier to change.
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Riikka Kaipia and Jan Holmström
The purpose of this research paper is to offer a solution to differentiate supply chain planning for products with different demand features and in different life‐cycle phases.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research paper is to offer a solution to differentiate supply chain planning for products with different demand features and in different life‐cycle phases.
Design/methodology/approach
A normative framework for selecting a planning approach was developed based on a literature review of supply chain differentiation and supply chain planning. Explorative mini‐cases from three companies – Vaisala, Mattel, Inc. and Zara – were investigated to identify the features of their innovative planning solutions. The selection framework was applied to the case company's new business unit dealing with a product portfolio of highly innovative products as well as commodity items.
Findings
The need for planning differentiation is essential for companies with large product portfolios operating in volatile markets. The complexity of market, channel and supply networks makes supply chain planning more intricate. The case company provides an example of using the framework for rough segmentation to differentiate planning.
Research limitations/implications
The paper widens Fisher's supply chain selection framework to consider the aspects of planning.
Practical implications
Despite substantial resources being used, planning results are often not reliable or consistent enough to ensure cost efficiency and adequate customer service. Therefore there is a need for management to critically consider current planning solutions.
Originality/value
The procedure outlined in this paper is a first illustrative example of the type of processes needed to monitor and select the right planning approach.
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