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At the end of the session, learners are expected to be able to evaluate the detrimental impact of stress on blue-collar workers’ well-being in Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; develop effective strategies to improve stressful conditions experienced by blue-collar workers in Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; analyse and select appropriate approaches that can help maintain the motivation levels of blue-collar workers in Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; analyse the impact of Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd’s extensive investment in training new blue-collar workers, alongside the subsequent high turnover rate, on the decline in sales and profit; identify the critical changes that the managing director should have implemented to prioritize employee retention among blue-collar workers at Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; discuss the strategic implementation of mechanization, specifically in the context of automating repetitive processes, as an innovative solution to address the challenges faced by the ship repair and maintenance service industry heavily reliant on blue-collar workers in emerging markets; cultivate thoughtful debates on ways to keep blue-collar workers in the shipping repair and maintenance industry, as well as active learner participation and group interaction; develop learners’ analytical and critical thinking skills by guiding them through the analysis of a real-world case study in the shipping repair and maintenance industry, concentrating on the difficulties and potential solutions for blue-collar worker retention; and equip learners with practical knowledge and insights on implementing effective human resources strategies for retaining blue-collar workers in the shipping repair and maintenance industry, emphasizing the conversion of theoretical concepts into workable solutions.

This teaching case study centres on Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian conglomerate that bestows ship repair and maintenance services. Regrettably, the corporation has been subjected to a decrease in profitability and productivity owing to its high turnover rate of blue-collar workers. The ship repair and maintenance service industry is accountable for delivering comprehensive repair and maintenance services to ships, including their engines, hulls, machinery and other related components. The fundamental aim of this case study is to ascertain the rudimentary factors that contribute to this issue and foster effective strategies to enhance the motivation and retention rate of blue-collar workers in the ship repair and maintenance service corporation, using appropriate management theories, models and concepts. The case study brings to light the importance of discovering the most suitable approaches to retain blue-collar workers in the corporation to improve its profitability and productivity in a highly competitive market. This teaching case study will be beneficial for students and practitioners who want to grasp the disputes associated with retaining blue-collar workers in the ship repair and maintenance service industry and learn how to apply management theories, models and concepts to address these disputes effectively.

This case discussion would be highly suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate university students who are pursuing their studies in management or related fields and are eager to delve into the nuances of the ship repair and maintenance service industry. Furthermore, trainers from both private and public agencies who are keen on gaining a deeper understanding of the issues pertaining to retaining blue-collar workers in this particular industry and devising result-oriented strategies to tackle these concerns would also find this case discussion immensely helpful.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human resource management.

The purpose of this paper is to establish a maturity evaluation model for the application of construction steel structure welding robotics suitable for the actual situation and specific characteristics of engineering projects in China and then to assess the maturity level of the technology in the application of domestic engineering projects more scientifically.

The research follows a qualitative and quantitative analysis method. In the first stage, the structure of the maturity model is constructed and the evaluation index system is designed by using the ideas of the capability maturity model and WSR methodology for reference. In the second stage, the design of the evaluation process and the selection of evaluation methods (analytic hierarchy process method, multi-level gray comprehensive evaluation method). In the third stage, the data are collected and organized (preparation of questionnaires, distribution of questionnaires, questionnaire collection). In the fourth stage, the established maturity evaluation model is used to analyze the data.

The evaluation model established by using multi-level gray theory can effectively transform various complex indicators into an intuitive maturity level or score status. The conclusion shows that the application maturity of building steel structure welding robot technology in this project is at the development level as a whole. The maturity levels of “WuLi – ShiLi – RenLi” are respectively: development level, development level, between starting level and development level. Comparison of maturity evaluation values of five important factors (from high to low): environmental factors, technical factors, management factors, benefit factors, personnel and group factors.

In this paper, based on the existing research related to construction steel structure welding robot technology, a quantitative and holistic evaluation of the application of construction steel structure welding robot technology in domestic engineering projects is conducted for the first time from a project perspective by designing a maturity evaluation index system and establishing a maturity evaluation model. This research will help the project team to evaluate the application level (maturity) of the welding robot in the actual project, identify the shortcomings and defects of the application of this technology, then improve the weak links pertinently, and finally realize the gradual improvement of the overall application level of welding robot technology for building steel structure.

This paper aims to examine dissimilar joints for various applications in chemical, petrochemical, oil, gas, shipbuilding, defense, rail and nuclear industry.

This study examined the effects of cold metal transfer welding on stainless steel welds for 316L austenitic and 430 ferritic dissimilar welds with ER316L, ER309L and without (autogenous) fillers. The microstructural observation was done with an optical microscope. The mechanical test was done to reveal the strength, hardness and toughness of the joint. The electrochemical polarization tests were done to reveal intergranular and pitting corrosion in the dissimilar joints.

This microstructural study shows the presence of austenitic and ferritic phases with vermicular ferrite for ER309L filler weld, and for ER316L filler weld specimen shows predominately martensitic phase in the weld region, whereas the autogenous weld shows lathy ferrite mixed with martensitic phase. Mechanical test results indicated that filler welded specimen (ER316L and ER309L) has relatively higher strength and hardness than the autogenous weld, whereas ER316L filler weld exhibited the highest impact toughness than ER309L filler weld and lowest in autogenous weld. The electrochemical corrosion results displayed the highest degree of sensitization (DOS) in without filler welded specimen (45.62%) and lower in case of filler welded specimen ER309L (4.95%) and least in case of ER316L filler welded specimen (3.51%). The high DOS in non-filler welded specimen is correlated with the chromium carbide formation. The non-filler welded specimen shows the highest pitting corrosion attack as compared to the ER316L filler weld specimen and relatively better in ER309L filler welded specimen. The highest pitting corrosion resistance is related with the high chromium content in ER309L composition.

This experimental study is original and conducted with 316L and 430 stainless steel with ER316L, ER309 and without fillers, which will help the oil, shipbuilding and chemical industries.

Currently, China’s manufacturing industry chain still faces the danger of chain breakage due to the persistent “lack of technology” issue. The definition and detection of key nodes in the industry chain are significant to the enhancement of the stability of the industry chain. Therefore, detecting the key nodes in the manufacturing industry chain is necessary.

A complex network based on the links amongst listed manufacturing enterprises is built, and the authors analyse the network’s basic characteristics and vulnerability, taking into account the impact of scientific and technological innovation on the stability of the industry chain.

It is found that the high structural characteristic of midstream nodes in the naval architecture and marine engineering equipment industry chain determines their importance to stability, and the key status of upstream nodes is reflected in the weakness of technological innovation. The upstream nodes should focus on improving their independent innovation and R&D capability, whilst the midstream nodes should maintain a close supply–demand cooperation relationship.

The key node detection model for industry chain stability is constructed by considering various factors from the perspective of network and technological innovation. Empirical study is conducted to verify effectiveness of proposed method.

The Arsenale was the largest medieval industrial enterprise, famous for its assembly line. Management faced extreme variations between peace-time and war-time demands. Satisfying these unpredictable and sudden demands for a large, complex product with a multiple years–long production cycle was challenging. The purpose of this study is to analyze the Arsenale’s operations and supply chain arrangements, and to identify and assess their management policies. We also track its development and investigate its influence on other countries.

The research methodology used is archival research with content analysis of text and graphic representations of production processes.

These reveal that Venice’s supply chain management evolved from simply exploiting woodlands as needs arose, to a managed forest with planned planting, cultivation and harvesting, ending with the active modification of growing trees so their natural growth was artificially shaped to satisfy production requirements. Instead of fabricating components in their factory, the Venetians formed them by shaping the trees while they were still growing. These arboriculture techniques then provided a planned and regular supply of high-quality components that purely natural processes provided only randomly.

There may be undiscovered archival documents despite the authors’ best efforts. The development of this historic supply chain reflects modern managerial concerns.

Modern restorations of historic ships and buildings use some of the fabrication methods identified, although the more intensive techniques would require higher volume production.

This reveals historical forestry practices emphasised long-term needs and sustainable use.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a unique long-term investigation of an integrated production system and considers its influence on Iberian, French, British and American forestry and ship building. The close integration of production requirements with forestry practices was a novel finding.

The role of energy or emission intensive firms face contradictory demands from advancing economic development and environmental improvement and protection and thus require appropriate policy interventions to balance the two needs. China's “Green Credit” policy that restricts loans to energy or emission intensive firms provides an example to study the impact of these kinds of policy intervention.

Using the data of all A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, our paper empirically analyzes the impact of the Green Credit Policy on performance of these energy or emission intensive firms.

(1) Using difference-in-difference (DID) and propensity score matching (PSM)-DID method and the dynamic effect method, we found that from 2012 to 2015, the Green Credit Policy had an inhibiting effect on the performance of energy or emission intensive firms. This inhibiting effect was gradually weakened in 2016, and it turned into a positive promoting effect in 2017; (2) The performance's change of these firms around 2015 showed that Green Credit promoted the green transformation and upgrading of these firms; (3) Loans were helpful to the performance of energy or emission intensive firms to some extent, but government subsidies were not significant.

The results suggest that the government, banks and other institutions should dynamically assess the implementation results of the Green Credit Policy on energy or emission intensive firms.

This chapter introduces Marx's theory of the determination of profit rates. It contrasts this theory with what happened in the late nineteenth century to British profit rates with a detailed statistical account. It identifies missing features in the standard presentation and contrasts these with the overaccumulation hypothesis that he presents elsewhere. A formal mathematical model using the overaccumulation hypothesis is then given and tested against modern empirical data.