Use of ontological structures for integrated supply chain management

The integration of the different hierarchical decision making levels involved within a Chemical Supply Chain is essential for its adequate management in dynamic and competitive markets. Any approach encompassing design issues, planning, coordination and responses to customer demands, requires the consideration of huge amounts of data, which are a valuable source of information only if properly managed. But these data could also cause a lack of coordination if not stored and interpreted appropriately, so standardizing information structures and tools to improve the availability and communication of data information between different hierarchical decision levels is essential. Thus, this work addresses the problem of making the best use of the information systems associated to a Supply Chain, in order to improve the knowledge and the information comprehension capabilities in the area of Process Systems Engineering.Postprint (published version

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PRACTICES THROUGH SYSTEMS THINKING: A CASE STUDY IN A NHS HOSPITAL (26)

The paper aims to contribute to the understanding of Knowledge Transfer (KT) through implementing a Knowledge Management System (KMS) as a case study in the field of healthcare, leading to theory extension. The concepts of system thinking were used to explore in what way a hospital practically achieves and implements a KMS. To do so, a case study was conducted as a qualitative approach, and data was collected by in depth semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders, including strategic management, technicians and end users, in addition to reviewing related documents and observation. Template analysis was also used as data analysis method. This case study provides evidence that system thinking provide benefit for KMS at both planning and implementation stages. Moreover, an emphasis on the understanding of KT would be to bring about the integration of care. Also, the findings illustrate that implementing KMS requires not only the theoretical awareness of the concept, but also requires learning through practice for a smoother implementation process. Flexibility, distributed leadership and end-user involvement are important, and communication technologies and strategies should focus strongly on the transparency, including communications tools and methods

A Reaction Database for Small Molecule Pharmaceutical Processes Integrated with Process Information

This article describes the development of a reaction database with the objective to collect data for multiphase reactions involved in small molecule pharmaceutical processes with a search engine to retrieve necessary data in investigations of reaction-separation schemes, such as the role of organic solvents in reaction performance improvement. The focus of this reaction database is to provide a data rich environment with process information available to assist during the early stage synthesis of pharmaceutical products. The database is structured in terms of reaction classification of reaction types; compounds participating in the reaction; use of organic solvents and their function; information for single step and multistep reactions; target products; reaction conditions and reaction data. Information for reactor scale-up together with information for the separation and other relevant information for each reaction and reference are also available in the database. Additionally, the retrieved information obtained from the database can be evaluated in terms of sustainability using well-known “green” metrics published in the scientific literature. The application of the database is illustrated through the synthesis of ibuprofen, for which data on different reaction pathways have been retrieved from the database and compared using “green” chemistry metrics