Lean Thinking For Lead-Time Reduction And Efficient Knowledge Creation In Product Development

There are many distinct differences between manufacturing process and Product Development (PD) process, so lean tools have to be customized to deliver results in the later domain. The main focus of this dissertation is to extend them to manage and improve the PD process in order to develop the product faster while improving or at least maintaining the level of performance and quality. For aforesaid purpose, value stream mapping (VSM) method is used to explore the wastes, inefficiencies, non-valued added steps in a single, definable process out of complete PD process. Besides numerous intangible benefits, VSM framework will help the development team to reduce the lead-time by over 50%. Next, a set of ten lean tools and methods is proposed in order to support and improve efficiency of the knowledge creation (KC) process. The approach establishes a KC framework in PD environment, and systematically demonstrates how these lean tools and methods conceptually fit into and play a significant role in enhancing the performance of KC process. Following this, each of them is analysed and appropriately positioned in a SECI (socialization-externalization-combination-internalization) mode depending on the best fit. Quick and correct KC at the right time aids in further improving the development lead-time and product quality. Such successful innovation is often associated with adoption and execution of all SECI modes within any PD phase. This dissertation attempts to argue with this general notion and to distinguish different PD phases\u27 affinity corresponding to distinct SECI mode. In this regard, an extended Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (EFAHP) approach to determine the ranking in which any PD phase is influenced from SECI modes is proposed. In the EFAHP approach, the complex problem of KC is first itemized into a simple hierarchical structure for pairwise comparisons. Next, a triangular fuzzy number concept is applied to capture the inherent vagueness in linguistic terms of a decision-maker. This dissertation recommends mapping the triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs) with normal distributions about X-axis when the pessimistic value of one TFN is less than the optimistic value of other TFN (t23 ≤ t11). This allows us to develop a mathematical formulation to estimate the degree of possibility of two criteria as opposed to zero resulted by the use of the current technique in the literature. In order to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed EFAHP in ranking the SECI modes, an empirical study of development phase is considered. After stringent analysis, we found that the combination mode was the mode that highly influenced the development phase

Proceso analítico jerárquico difuso extendido para análisis comparativo de metodologías de ciencia de datos

En entornos cambiantes y altamente competitivos, la correcta toma de decisiones es clave en las organizaciones, quienes basan sus decisiones en gran parte a partir de los datos disponibles. El objetivo del presente trabajo presentar un modelo extendido que involucra el Proceso Analítico Jerárquico Difuso y la técnica de Teoría de la Construcción Personal para realizar un análisis comparativo de las metodologías de Ciencia de Datos CRISP-DM, Catalyst y MoProPEI. Siguiendo los pasos del modelo, se definieron los criterios y subcriterios a partir de la pericia de los expertos y estudios previos. Las metodologías fueron evaluadas a partir de dos casos de validación reales según el grado de completitud de los criterios y sub-criterios involucrados; donde se puedo identificar a MoProPEI como la metodología más robusta. Demostrando así la utilidad del modelo propuesto.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Review on recent advances in information mining from big consumer opinion data for product design

In this paper, based on more than ten years' studies on this dedicated research thrust, a comprehensive review concerning information mining from big consumer opinion data in order to assist product design is presented. First, the research background and the essential terminologies regarding online consumer opinion data are introduced. Next, studies concerning information extraction and information utilization of big consumer opinion data for product design are reviewed. Studies on information extraction of big consumer opinion data are explained from various perspectives, including data acquisition, opinion target recognition, feature identification and sentiment analysis, opinion summarization and sampling, etc. Reviews on information utilization of big consumer opinion data for product design are explored in terms of how to extract critical customer needs from big consumer opinion data, how to connect the voice of the customers with product design, how to make effective comparisons and reasonable ranking on similar products, how to identify ever-evolving customer concerns efficiently, and so on. Furthermore, significant and practical aspects of research trends are highlighted for future studies. This survey will facilitate researchers and practitioners to understand the latest development of relevant studies and applications centered on how big consumer opinion data can be processed, analyzed, and exploited in aiding product design

Exploring Strategies for Capturing Requirements for Developing ICT4D Applications

Some software engineers make decisions using applications designed from poorly captured user requirements. The quality of user requirements is crucial in the requirements engineering process, costing 50 times more to remedy the defects of using poorly captured user requirements. Grounded in the socialization, externalization, combination and internalization model of Nonaka theoretical framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies software engineers in Southern African software houses and IT departments use for capturing information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) requirements. The participants consisted of software 12 engineers who were working in Southern Africa, capturing ICT4D requirements. The data were collected using semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis was used, and four themes emerged: (a) interacting with stakeholders—socialization, (b) transforming interactive knowledge into user requirements—externalization, (c) sharing documented knowledge about user requirements—combination, and (d) applying assimilated knowledge from documented knowledge—internalization. A recommendation is for software engineers to capture their users’ needs and experiences to develop reliable ICT4D software that can assist in delivering interventions to marginalized societies. The implications for positive social change include improving the socioeconomic status of marginalized citizens with ICT4D software applications due to potentially improved requirements engineering practices

Developing Intellectual Capital in Professional Service Firms Using High Performance Work Practices as Toolkit

The role of Professional Service Firms (PSFs) has always been crucial in the development of knowledge economies. The effectiveness of these firms is highly attributed to the knowledge capabilities and skills embedded in its human resources and how effectively these resources are utilized in the optimal benefit of the firm. Owing to the ever-increasing growth of the services sector globally, it’s critical for the PSFs to gain in-depth awareness on the application of High-Performance-Work-Practices (HPWPs) so as to continually maintain quality of their services to the clients. However, the mechanism for systematically managing and implementing these practices in intellectual capital context is still not fully developed. This research, therefore, theoretically investigates and suggests a linkage mechanism on how Strategic HR practices (HPWPs) via (Ability, Motivation and Opportunity)-enhancing bundles stimulate intellectual capital development in professional service firms. By presenting a conceptual framework, this study offers practically meaningful insights to the managers in the service firms on how to implement these practices for effectively meeting client needs and sustaining a competitive advantage

Social media data analytics to improve supply chain management in food industries

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd This paper proposes a big-data analytics-based approach that considers social media (Twitter) data for the identification of supply chain management issues in food industries. In particular, the proposed approach includes text analysis using a support vector machine (SVM) and hierarchical clustering with multiscale bootstrap resampling. The result of this approach included a cluster of words which could inform supply-chain (SC) decision makers about customer feedback and issues in the flow/quality of food products. A case study in the beef supply chain was analysed using the proposed approach, where three weeks of data from Twitter were used

Modelo para la escritura de artículos científicos a distancia mediante tareas colaborativas

There has been a lot of research on improving the process of scientific writing collaboratively, for example, indicators have been elaborated to measure the success of this type of activities, also, computer tools have been developed to facilitate this exercise, among other proposals. These research works have become relevant and pertinent due to the current conditions of pandemic (COVID-19), because, general isolation measures have been established that make it impossible to meet and interact with other people, which are important values to succeed in any collaborative activity. For this reason, the process of scientific research and writing has become extremely difficult in recent times; specifically, the lack of a structured process to organize and systematize scientific research at a distance through virtual means has been identified. Considering the above-mentioned problems, a model based on the contributions of collaborative engineering is presented, which allows the design of joint tasks from virtuality, adding elements of the SECI model, which seeks to manage knowledge and make it uniform among authors. To this end, the abstraction of common tasks when writing scientific articles was carried out and a model was proposed to improve this process. The validation of this was done through a case study where a group of researchers use the proposal and develop the writing of a research paper. Subsequently, promising results were obtained about the proposed model, with high levels of satisfaction among participants. Finally, it was found that this is an area of research in which contributions can be made, where the development of specific tools to evaluate collaborative activities is a latent need.Para mejorar el proceso de escritura científica de forma colaborativa se han realizado múltiples investigaciones, como la elaboración de indicadores para medir el éxito de estas actividades y el desarrollo de herramientas informáticas que faciliten la ejecución de dicho ejercicio. Estos trabajos de investigación han tomado relevancia y pertinencia por las condiciones actuales de pandemia (COVID-19), debido a que las medidas de aislamiento general que se han establecido imposibilitan el encuentro y la interacción con otras personas, lo cual son valores importantes para tener éxito en cualquier actividad colaborativa. Por esta razón, en tiempos recientes, el proceso de investigación y escritura científica se ha dificultado, identificándose la falta de un proceso estructurado para organizar y sistematizar la investigación científica a distancia mediante medios virtuales. Teniendo en cuenta la problemática mencionada, se presenta un modelo basado en los aportes de la ingeniería de la colaboración que permite diseñar tareas conjuntas desde la virtualidad, añadiendo elementos del modelo Socialización, Externalización, Combinación e Internalización (SECI), el cual busca gestionar el conocimiento y hacerlo uniforme entre los autores. Para esto, se realizó una encuesta que permitió la abstracción de tareas comunes al escribir artículos científicos y se planteó un modelo para mejorar este proceso. Su validación se realizó mediante un caso de estudio donde un grupo de investigadores utilizan la propuesta y desarrollan la escritura de un documento de investigación. Posteriormente, se obtuvieron resultados prometedores acerca del modelo propuesto, con niveles altos de satisfacción entre los participantes. Finalmente, se constató que es un área de investigación en la que se pueden hacer aportes significativos al proceso de escritura científica en épocas de aislamiento a causa de la pandemia, donde el desarrollo de herramientas específicas para evaluar actividades colaborativas es una necesidad latente

Knowledge sharing strategies in university libraries in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.

Ph. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.Universities play an important role in knowledge creation, through research, and dissemination of findings. However, knowledge sharing among library staff in university libraries in Africa, generally, and South Africa in particular, is limited. The post-1994 merger of universities in South Africa brought about complex problems in the country’s higher education sector, resulting in the integration of staff with different skills and aptitudes from different universities. This study investigated knowledge sharing strategies in University Libraries in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. The study sought to address the following research questions: (1) What is the extent of knowledge sharing in University Libraries in KwaZulu-Natal Province? (2) What strategies are available for knowledge sharing among library staff in the university? (3) What is the attitude and perception of library staff towards knowledge sharing? (4) What factors affect knowledge sharing among library staff? The study was informed by the Knowledge Sharing Capability Model (KSC) complimented by the Socialization, Externalization, Combination and Internalization (SECI) Model of knowledge creation, also known as the Knowledge Conversion Theory. The study was guided by Post-Positivism paradigm, using the quantitative and/or qualitative approach. A survey research design and a self-administered questionnaire were employed. Interviews, observations and document review were utilized to validate the results from the survey questionnaire. The universities studied were the Durban University of Technology (DUT), the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and University of Zululand (UNIZULU). The population of the study comprised all library staff (paraprofessional and professional) with a LIS qualification working in the public universities. A census was used as a sampling frame. The validity and reliability of the instruments were achieved using triangulation, adapting items in data collection tools from previous studies and pre-testing the questionnaire. Cronbach’s Alpha enhanced and determined the reliability of the survey data collection instrument. The data collected were analysed thematically and SPSS was used to generate frequencies, descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study revealed that the knowledge that was generated and acquired was not subsequently shared; university libraries lacked knowledge management policies and strategies to harness staff expertise for enhanced service delivery. In addition, the organizational culture and organizational structure were not conducive for knowledge sharing. The findings revealed that organizational structure in university libraries is protocol based making it unfavourable for knowledge sharing. The results revealed that staff needed to be trained to engage meaningfully in knowledge management activities, including knowledge sharing. These findings are important to inform the development of a knowledge sharing policy, infrastructure development and capacity building strategies, to facilitate knowledge sharing and skills transfer for enhanced competitiveness. The study recommended formulation of strategies that would encourage knowledge sharing. The strategies should include rewards, new skills development and team work. The study makes proposals to extend KSC Model to accommodate diversity of knowledge sharing variables and to make it more robust in the context of universities in developing countries