76 research outputs found
Modelling for data management & exchange in Concurrent Engineering - A case study of civil aircraft assembly line
This research aims to improve the dataflow performance of the Concurrent
Engineering (CE) practice in the detail design stage of the aircraft Assembly
Line (AL) in the C919 aircraft project. As the final integrator of the aircraft,
Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Company Ltd. (SAMC) is responsible for
developing the AL with global suppliers. Although CE has been implemented in
AL projects to shorten lead time, reduce development cost and improve design
quality, the lack of experience and insufficient infrastructure may lead to many
challenges in cooperation with distributed suppliers, especially regarding data
management/exchange and workflow control. In this research, the particular CE
environment and activities in SAMC AL projects were investigated. By
assessing the CE performance and benchmarking, the improvement
opportunities are identified, and then an activity-oriented workflow and dataflow
model is established by decomposing the work process to detail levels. Based
on this model, a Product Data Management (PDM) based support platform is
proposed to facilitate data management/exchange in dynamic workflow to
improve work efficiency and interoperability. This solution is mocked-up on the
Siemens Teamcenter 8.1 PLM(Product Lifecycle Management) software and its
feasibility is checked. The mock-up is evaluated by SAMC experts and suppliers.
The feedback shows the acceptance of the model by experts and the urgency
of improving data/work flow design before PLM implementing.
The result of this research is useful for enterprises in similar environments
transiting from pre-PLM to implementing PLM and who wanting to strengthen
CE in the new product development
A Framework for Addressing the Challenges of Business Process Change during Enterprise Systems Integration
Purpose- Enterprise Systems Integration (ESI) is necessary for todayâs business environment to access real-time data and quickly respond to fluctuating market demand. Business Process Change (BPC) as a significant prerequisite of ESI encompasses various challenges that must be tackled by employing success factors, techniques, and approaches. This study focuses on BPC challenges and develops a conceptual framework for addressing BPC challenges in ESI.
Design/Methodology/Approach- BPC challenges and their success factors were firstly identified through a literature analysis. Then, the findings from the literature were thematically analysed and qualitatively validated through 35 unstructured interviews for developing the conceptual framework.
Findings- The findings from the literature suggested 17 BPC challenge along with their success factors. During the validation process, 15 BPC challenges were accepted by all interviewees, while most of the respondents disagreed with the two challenges of âconsolidation of information system reengineering with BPRâ, and âcustomisationâ. Moreover, âriskâ was suggested as a BPC challenge by several interviewees. Thus, the study offered a modified list of BPC challenges that was empirically validated.
Originality/value- The study proposes a conceptual framework for addressing BPC challenges in ESI that enables enterprises to design their systems integration roadmap, based on an understanding of BPC challenges and their success factors; as well as supporting solution providers to develop solutions for effective and efficient BPC. Furthermore, the framework will act as a basis for BPC and developing a similar framework for other related contexts, such as smart cities
BUSINESS PROCESS MODELLING: A FOUNDATION FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Knowledge management (KM) is increasingly recognised as a strategic practice of knowledge-intensive companies, becoming an integral part of an organisation\u27s strategy to improve business performance. This paper provides an overview of business process modelling applications and analyses the relationship between business process modelling and knowledge management projects. It presents the case study of Croatian leading banks and the insurance company, discussing its practical experience in conducting business process modelling projects and investigating the opportunity for integrating business process repository and organisational knowledge as the foundation for knowledge management system development
Designing a Process Mining-Enabled Decision Support System for Business Process Standardization in ERP Implementation Projects
Process standardization allows to optimize ERP systems and is a nec-essary step prior to ERP implementation projects. Traditional approaches to standardizing business processes are based on manually created "de-jure" process models, which are distorted, error-prone, simplistic, and often deviating from process reality. Theoretically embedded in the organizational contingency theory as kernel theory, this paper employs a design science approach to design a process mining-enabled decision support system (DSS) which combines bottom-up process mining models with manually added top-down standardization infor-mation to recommend a suitable standard process specification from a repository. Extended process models of the as-is process are matched against a repository of best-practice standard process model using an attributebased process similarity matching algorithm. Thus, the DSS aims to reduce the overall costs of process standardization, to optimize the degree of fit between the organization and the implemented processes, and to minimize the degree of organizational change re-quired in standardization and ERP implementation projects. This paper imple-ments a working prototype instantiation in the open-source process analytics platform Apromore based on a real-life event log and standardization attributes for the Purchase-to-Pay and Order-to-Cash processes from three SAP R/3 ERP systems at the industry partner
An investigation into the relevance of flexibility- and interoperability requirements for implementation processes for workflow-management-applications
Flexibility and Interoperability have become important characteristics for organisations and their business processes. The need to control flexible business processes within an organisationâs boundaries and between organisations imposes major requirements on a companyâs process control capabilities. Workflow Management Systems (WFMS) try to fulfil these requirements by offering respective product features. Evidence suggests that the achievement of flexible business processes and an inter-organisational process control is also influenced by implementation processes for Workflow Management Applications (WFMA). [A WFMA comprises the WFMS and "all WFMS specific data with regard to one or more business processes" [VER01]]. The impact of a WFMA implementation methodology on the fulfilment of these requirements is the research scope of the project. The thesis provides knowledge in the following areas: 1. Review of the relationship between workflow management and the claim for process flexibility respectively -interoperability. 2. Definition of a research-/evaluation framework for workflow projects. This framework is composed of all relevant research variables that have been identified for the thesis. 3. Empirical survey of relevant workflow-project objectives and their priority in the context of process flexibility and âinteroperability. 4. Empirical survey of the objectivesâ achievement. 5. Empirical survey of methodologies / activities that have been applied within workflow projects. 6. Derivation of the project methodologiesâ effectiveness in terms of the impact that applied activities had on project objectives. 7. Evaluation of existing workflow life-cycle models in accordance with the research framework. 8. Identification of basic improvements for workflow implementation processes with respect to the achievement of flexible and interoperable business processes. The first part of the thesis argues the relevance of the subject. Afterwards research variables that constitute the evaluation framework for WFMA implementation processes are stepwise identified and defined. An empirical study then proves the variablesâ effectiveness for the achievement of process flexibility and âinteroperability within the WFMA implementation process. After this the framework is applied to evaluate chosen WFMA implementation methodologies. Identified weaknesses and effective methodological aspects are utilised to develop generic methodological improvements. These improvements are later validated by means of a case study and interviews with workflow experts.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo
An investigation into the relevance of flexibility- and interoperability requirements for implementation processes for workflow-management-applications
Flexibility and Interoperability have become important characteristics for organisations and their business processes. The need to control flexible business processes within an organisationâs boundaries and between organisations imposes major requirements on a companyâs process control capabilities. Workflow Management Systems (WFMS) try to fulfil these requirements by offering respective product features. Evidence suggests that the achievement of flexible business processes and an inter-organisational process control is also influenced by implementation processes for Workflow Management Applications (WFMA). [A WFMA comprises the WFMS and "all WFMS specific data with regard to one or more business processes" [VER01]]. The impact of a WFMA implementation methodology on the fulfilment of these requirements is the research scope of the project. The thesis provides knowledge in the following areas: 1. Review of the relationship between workflow management and the claim for process flexibility respectively -interoperability. 2. Definition of a research-/evaluation framework for workflow projects. This framework is composed of all relevant research variables that have been identified for the thesis. 3. Empirical survey of relevant workflow-project objectives and their priority in the context of process flexibility and âinteroperability. 4. Empirical survey of the objectivesâ achievement. 5. Empirical survey of methodologies / activities that have been applied within workflow projects. 6. Derivation of the project methodologiesâ effectiveness in terms of the impact that applied activities had on project objectives. 7. Evaluation of existing workflow life-cycle models in accordance with the research framework. 8. Identification of basic improvements for workflow implementation processes with respect to the achievement of flexible and interoperable business processes. The first part of the thesis argues the relevance of the subject. Afterwards research variables that constitute the evaluation framework for WFMA implementation processes are stepwise identified and defined. An empirical study then proves the variablesâ effectiveness for the achievement of process flexibility and âinteroperability within the WFMA implementation process. After this the framework is applied to evaluate chosen WFMA implementation methodologies. Identified weaknesses and effective methodological aspects are utilised to develop generic methodological improvements. These improvements are later validated by means of a case study and interviews with workflow experts.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo
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