1,441 research outputs found
Exploring levers for agility and their inter-relations in the German energy industry via neo-configurational theory
Organisational agility describes firmsâ ability to proactively and reactively handle external changes like the COVID and Ukraine crises. This thesis researches how levers
like culture (in this thesis = mindset) or strategy impact agility. Existing research shows
agilityâs outcome but neglects its origin and its leversâ interactions. Since mindsets guide
employees and leaders, research was requested for how organisational culture influences
other leversâ effects. Therefore, this thesis developed a literature-based framework of
levers, tailored it to the studied context, proposing that strategy, technology, linkages, and
structures, filtered through employeesâ and leadersâ mindsets, interact to lead to agility.
Neo-configurational theory (NCT) provided the theoretical underpinning for lever inter-relations, basing this research in wider organisational theory. As critical realist work, the
thesis recognised agilityâs context-specificity and examined the recently turbulent German
energy industry as exemplary context. 36 semi-structured interviews in 15 purposefully
sampled companies were analysed in three steps: All data were thematically analysed.
Fuzzy-values were derived using the Generic Membership Evaluation Template (GMET).
The concluding fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) determined pathways to agility and non-agility, leversâ interdependencies, and mindsetâs role.
The results show that agility presupposes an implemented agile strategy (i.e. strategy
filtering agility) but not necessarily a very agile culture, while non-agility comes with
a very non-agile employee mindset (i.e. culture filtering non-agility). Three strategy-dependent paths to agility exist for energy companies: one builds on internal and external linkages, one on lacking technological capabilities with improvement spirit, and one
couples agile employee mindsets with decentralised structures. Three employee mindset-dependent paths describe non-agility: one builds on lacking linkages and supportive leadership, one on lacking technological capabilities, supportive leadership and strategy, and
one on lacking technology capabilities reflecting in inadequate structures. This thesisâ
major methodological contributions are refining the GMET as new tool to transform qualitative data into fuzzy-values and further establishing fsQCA in management research.
Academics gain a sound theoretical basis for agility in form of NCT and practitioners
and academics a view on agility leversâ role, especially on culture and strategy. Utilitiesâ
managers can use this to prioritise levers facing sudden changes
Current issues of the management of socio-economic systems in terms of globalization challenges
The authors of the scientific monograph have come to the conclusion that the management of socio-economic systems in the terms of global challenges requires the use of mechanisms to ensure security, optimise the use of resource potential, increase competitiveness, and provide state support to economic entities. Basic research focuses on assessment of economic entities in the terms of global challenges, analysis of the financial system, migration flows, logistics and product exports, territorial development. The research results have been implemented in the different decision-making models in the context of global challenges, strategic planning, financial and food security, education management, information technology and innovation. The results of the study can be used in the developing of directions, programmes and strategies for sustainable development of economic entities and regions, increasing the competitiveness of products and services, decision-making at the level of ministries and agencies that regulate the processes of managing socio-economic systems. The results can also be used by students and young scientists in the educational process and conducting scientific research on the management of socio-economic systems in the terms of global challenges
Measuring the impact of COVID-19 on hospital care pathways
Care pathways in hospitals around the world reported significant disruption during the recent COVID-19 pandemic but measuring the actual impact is more problematic. Process mining can be useful for hospital management to measure the conformance of real-life care to what might be considered normal operations. In this study, we aim to demonstrate that process mining can be used to investigate process changes associated with complex disruptive events. We studied perturbations to accident and emergency (A &E) and maternity pathways in a UK public hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-incidentally the hospital had implemented a Command Centre approach for patient-flow management affording an opportunity to study both the planned improvement and the disruption due to the pandemic. Our study proposes and demonstrates a method for measuring and investigating the impact of such planned and unplanned disruptions affecting hospital care pathways. We found that during the pandemic, both A &E and maternity pathways had measurable reductions in the mean length of stay and a measurable drop in the percentage of pathways conforming to normative models. There were no distinctive patterns of monthly mean values of length of stay nor conformance throughout the phases of the installation of the hospitalâs new Command Centre approach. Due to a deficit in the available A &E data, the findings for A &E pathways could not be interpreted
Moving usable security research out of the lab: evaluating the use of VR studies for real-world authentication research
Empirical evaluations of real-world research artefacts that derive results from observations and experiments are a core aspect of usable security research. Expert interviews as part of this thesis revealed that the costs associated with developing and maintaining physical research artefacts often amplify human-centred usability and security research challenges. On top of that, ethical and legal barriers often make usability and security research in the field infeasible. Researchers have begun simulating real-life conditions in the lab to contribute to ecological validity. However, studies of this type are still restricted to what can be replicated in physical laboratory settings. Furthermore, historically, user study subjects were mainly recruited from local areas only when evaluating hardware prototypes. The human-centred research communities have recognised and partially addressed these challenges using online studies such as surveys that allow for the recruitment of large and diverse samples as well as learning about user behaviour. However, human-centred security research involving hardware prototypes is often concerned with human factors and their impact on the prototypesâ usability and security, which cannot be studied using traditional online surveys.
To work towards addressing the current challenges and facilitating research in this space, this thesis explores if â and how â virtual reality (VR) studies can be used for real-world usability and security research. It first validates the feasibility and then demonstrates the use of VR studies for human-centred usability and security research through six empirical studies, including remote and lab VR studies as well as video prototypes as part of online surveys.
It was found that VR-based usability and security evaluations of authentication prototypes, where users provide touch, mid-air, and eye-gaze input, greatly match the findings from the original real-world evaluations. This thesis further investigated the effectiveness of VR studies by exploring three core topics in the authentication domain: First, the challenges around in-the-wild shoulder surfing studies were addressed. Two novel VR shoulder surfing methods were implemented to contribute towards realistic shoulder surfing research and explore the use of VR studies for security evaluations. This was found to allow researchers to provide a bridge over the methodological gap between lab and field studies. Second, the ethical and legal barriers when conducting in situ usability research on authentication systems were addressed. It was found that VR studies can represent plausible authentication environments and that a prototypeâs in situ usability evaluation results deviate from traditional lab evaluations. Finally, this thesis contributes a novel evaluation method to remotely study interactive VR replicas of real-world prototypes, allowing researchers to move experiments that involve hardware prototypes out of physical laboratories and potentially increase a sampleâs diversity and size.
The thesis concludes by discussing the implications of using VR studies for prototype usability and security evaluations. It lays the foundation for establishing VR studies as a powerful, well-evaluated research method and unfolds its methodological advantages and disadvantages
The Impact of Additive Manufacturing on Supply Chains and Business Models: Qualitative Analyses of Supply Chain Design, Governance Structure, and Business Model Change
Recent global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic challenge traditional global supply chains (SCs). Their disaggregated, âfine-slicedâ character comes with a high risk of disruption, and current supply bottlenecks (e.g., the chip shortage in the automotive industry) demonstrate that there is often no quick fix. Firms are increasingly under pressure to react and (re-)design their SCs to increase their resilience. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are acclaimed for their potential to foster the shift from global SCs to shorter, decentralized, and more resilient SCs. The key feature of AM technologies lies in their inherently digital and flexible nature. Their specific characteristics are envisioned to enable location-independent manufacturing close to or even at the point of demand and lead to a commoditization of manufacturing infrastructure for flexible outsourcing to local partners. Moreover, AM technologies are expected to revolutionize the way firms do business and put traditional business models at stake.
This doctoral thesis is motivated by the outlined potential of AM and the resulting impact on firmsâ supply chain design (SCD) and business model choices. The extant literature raises high expectations for AM. However, concrete and real-world insights from specific application domains are still scarce. This thesis seeks to fill the gap between high-level literature-based visions and currently emerging realistic business models and SCDs for AM. Thereby, AM is understood as a potential intervention emanating from outside firms and requiring them to react by realigning their business models and SC structures to maintain a fit. This thesis aims to build an in-depth understanding of these mechanisms and, hence, of the inner causal processes involved in the AM SCD and business model choices. This concentration on the rationales and underlying behavioral patterns is formalized with primarily exploratory (how and why) research questions that are addressed with qualitative research methodologies, mainly case study research and grounded theory. These methodological practices are applied in the industrial AM context, entailing an embedding of this thesis in challenging industries where AM applications have already started to create value (i.e., in the aerospace, rail, automotive, and machinery and equipment industries). The selected research approaches are mostly inductive and, hence, strongly driven by the data collected from this context (e.g., in interviews, by reviewing documents, and by analyzing websites). Additionally, this thesis relies on grand theories, namely transaction cost economics, the resource-based view, and configuration theory, to discuss the findings in their light and to interpret and distill nuances of these theories for their application in the industrial AM context.
This thesis is cumulative, consisting of four studies that form its main body. These studies are organized in two parts, part A and part B, since two domains of strategic decisions are targeted jointly, the business model development (part A) and AM SCD choice (part B) for industrial AM. Different perspectives are associated with the two parts. Logistics service providers (LSPs) are in a critical position to develop AM business models. Based on the expected shift to decentralized, shorter SCs, the traditional business models of LSPs are at risk, and their inherent customer orientation puts them under pressure to adjust to their customersâ needs in AM. In part A, study A.1 applies a process-based perspective to build a broad understanding of how LSPs currently respond to AM and consumer-oriented polymer 3D printing with specific AM activities. It proposes six profiles of how LSPs leverage AM, both as users for their in-house operations and as developers of AM-specific services for external customers. A key finding is that the initiated AM activities are oftentimes strongly based on LSPsâ traditional resources. Only a few LSPs are found whose AM activities are detached from their traditional business models to focus on digital platform-based services for AM. In contrast to the process-based perspective and focus on business model dynamics in study A.1, study A.2 takes an output perspective to propose six generic business model configurations for industrial AM. Each configuration emerges from the perspective of LSPs and is reflected by their potential partners/competitors and industrial customers. Study A.2 explores how the six generic configurations fit specific types of LSPs and how they are embedded in a literature-based service SC for industrial AM. In combination, studies A.1 and A.2 provide a comprehensive understanding of how LSPs are currently reacting to AM and an empirically grounded perspective on âfinishedâ AM business models to evaluate and refine literature-based visions.
Part B of this thesis is devoted to the mechanism of (re-)designing SCs for AM, which is investigated from the perspective of focal manufacturing firms based on their dominant position in SCs. Two dimensions are used to characterize AM SCDs, their horizontal scope (geographic dispersion) and vertical scope (governance structure). The combination of both dimensions is ideally suited to capture the literature-based vision of shorter, decentralized AM SCs (horizontal scope) with eased outsourcing to local partners (vertical scope). Study B.1 takes a firm-centric perspective to develop an in-depth understanding for AM make-or-buy decisions of manufacturing firms, the outcomes of which determine the SC governance structure. This study elaborates how the specific (digital and emerging) traits of industrial AM technologies modify arguments of grand theories that explain make-or-buy decisions in the âanalogâ age. In comparison, study B.2 shifts from a firm-centric to a network perspective to rely on both dimensions for investigating cohesive AM SCD configurations. More specifically, study B.2 explores four polar AM SCD configurations and reveals manufacturing firmsâ rationales for selecting them. Thereby, it builds an understanding for why manufacturing firms currently have valid reasons to implement industrial AM in-house or distributed in a secure, firm-owned network. As a result, combining both studies provides an understanding of why manufacturing firms currently select specific governance structures for industrial AM and opt for SCDs that differ from the literature-based vision of decentralized, outsourced AM.
Overall, this thesis positions itself as theory-oriented research that also aims at supporting managers of manufacturing firms and LSPs in making informed decisions when implementing AM in their SCs and developing AM-based business models. The three studies A.1, A.2, and B.2 contribute to initial theory building on how and why specific AM business models and SCDs emerge. With their focus on developing an understanding for the causal processes (how and why) and by assuming a process-based and output perspective, they can draw a line from firmsâ current reactions to sound reflections on future-oriented, high-level expectations for AM. As a result, the studies significantly enrich and refine the current body of knowledge in the AM business model literature on LSPs and the operations and supply chain management literature on AM SCDs, focusing on their geographic dispersion and governance structure. This thesis further contributes with its context-specificity to building domain knowledge for industrial AM, which can serve as one âpuzzle pieceâ for theorizing on how AM and other digitally dominated (manufacturing) technologies will shape the era of digital business models and SCs. In particular, study B.1 stands out by its focus on theory elaboration and the objective of developing contextual middle-range theory. It reveals that emerging digital AM is a setting where the argumentation of grand theories provides contradicting guidance on whether to develop AM in-house or outsource the manufacturing process. Such findings for industrial AM raise multiple opportunities for future research, among them are the comparison with other industry contexts with similar characteristics and the operationalization of the propositions developed in this thesis in follow-up quantitative decision-support models
A strategic turnaround model for distressed properties
The importance of commercial real estate is clearly shown by the role it plays, worldwide, in the sustainability of economic activities, with a substantial global impact when measured in monetary terms. This study responds to an important gap in the built environment and turnaround literature relating to the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. The present research effort addressed the absence of empirical evidence by identifying a number of important factors that influence the likelihood of a successful distressed, commercial property financial recovery. Once the important factors that increase the likelihood of recovery have been determined, the results can be used as a basis for turnaround strategies concerning property investors who invest in distressed opportunities. A theoretical turnaround model concerning properties in distress, would be of interest to âopportunistic investingâ yield-hungry investors targeting real estate transactions involving âturnaroundâ potential. Against this background, the main research problem investigated in the present research effort was as follows: Determine the important factors that would increase the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. A proposed theoretical model was constructed and empirically tested through a questionnaire distributed physically and electronically to a sample of real estate practitioners from across the globe, and who had all been involved, directly or indirectly, with reviving distressed properties. An explanation was provided to respondents of how the questionnaire was developed and how it would be administered. The demographic information pertaining to the 391 respondents was analysed and summarised. The statistical analysis performed to ensure the validity and reliability of the results, was explained to respondents, together with a detailed description of the covariance structural equation modelling method used to verify the proposed theoretical conceptual model. vi The independent variables of the present research effort comprised; Obsolescence Identification, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Tenant Mix, Triple Net Leases, Concessions, Property Management, Contracts, Business Analysis, Debt Renegotiation, Cost-Cutting, Market Analysis, Strategic Planning and Demography, while the dependent variable was The Perceived Likelihood of a Distressed Commercial Property Financial Recovery. After analysis of the findings, a revised model was then proposed and assessed. Both validity and reliability were assessed and resulted in the following factors that potentially influence the dependent variables; Strategy, Concessions, Tenant Mix, Debt Restructuring, Demography, Analyse Alternatives, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Property Management and Net Leases while, after analysis, the dependent variable was replaced by two dependent variables; The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Turnaround and The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Financial Recovery. The results showed that Strategy (comprising of items from Strategic Planning, Business Analysis, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) and Concessions (comprising of items from Concessions and Triple Net Leases) had a positive influence on both the dependent variables. Property Management (comprising of items from Business Analysis, Property Management, Capital Improvements Feasibility and Tenant Mix) had a positive influence on Financial Turnaround variable while Capital Improvements Feasibility (comprising of items from Capital Improvements Feasibility, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) had a negative influence on both. Demography (comprising of items only from Demography) had a negative influence on the Financial Recovery variable. The balance of the relationships were depicted as non-significant. The present research effort presents important actions that can be used to influence the turnaround and recovery of distressed real estate. The literature had indicated reasons to recover distressed properties as having wide-ranging economic consequences for the broader communities and the countries in which they reside. The turnaround of distressed properties will not only present financial rewards for opportunistic investors but will have positive effects on the greater community and economy and, thus, social and economic stability. Vii With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, issues with climate change and sustainability, global demographic shifts, changing user requirements, shifts in technology, the threat of obsolescence, urbanisation, globalisation, geo-political tensions, shifting global order, new trends and different generational expectations, it is becoming more apparent that the threat of distressed, abandoned and derelict properties is here to stay, and which will present future opportunities for turnaround, distressed property owners, as well as future worries for urban authorities and municipalities dealing with urban decay. The study concluded with an examination of the perceived limitations of the study as well as presenting a comprehensive range of suggestions for further research.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, School of the built Environment, 202
Digital Twins of production systems - Automated validation and update of material flow simulation models with real data
Um eine gute Wirtschaftlichkeit und Nachhaltigkeit zu erzielen, mĂŒssen Produktionssysteme ĂŒber lange ZeitrĂ€ume mit einer hohen ProduktivitĂ€t betrieben werden. Dies stellt produzierende Unternehmen insbesondere in Zeiten gesteigerter VolatilitĂ€t, die z.B. durch technologische UmbrĂŒche in der MobilitĂ€t, sowie politischen und gesellschaftlichen Wandel ausgelöst wird, vor groĂe Herausforderungen, da sich die Anforderungen an das Produktionssystem stĂ€ndig verĂ€ndern. Die Frequenz von notwendigen Anpassungsentscheidungen und folgenden OptimierungsmaĂnahmen steigt, sodass der Bedarf nach Bewertungsmöglichkeiten von Szenarien und möglichen Systemkonfigurationen zunimmt. Ein mĂ€chtiges Werkzeug hierzu ist die Materialflusssimulation, deren
Einsatz aktuell jedoch durch ihre aufwĂ€ndige manuelle Erstellung und ihre zeitlich begrenzte, projektbasierte Nutzung eingeschrĂ€nkt wird. Einer lĂ€ngerfristigen, lebenszyklusbegleitenden Nutzung steht momentan die arbeitsintensive Pflege des Simulationsmodells, d.h. die manuelle Anpassung des Modells bei VerĂ€nderungen am Realsystem, im Wege. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Entwicklung und Umsetzung eines Konzeptes inkl. der benötigten Methoden, die Pflege und Anpassung des Simulationsmodells an die RealitĂ€t zu automatisieren. Hierzu werden die zur VerfĂŒgung stehenden Realdaten genutzt, die aufgrund von Trends wie Industrie 4.0 und allgemeiner Digitalisierung verstĂ€rkt vorliegen. Die verfolgte Vision der Arbeit ist ein Digitaler Zwilling des Produktionssystems, der durch den Dateninput zu jedem Zeitpunkt ein realitĂ€tsnahes Abbild des Systems darstellt und zur realistischen Bewertung von Szenarien verwendet werden kann. HierfĂŒr wurde das benötigte Gesamtkonzept entworfen und die Mechanismen zur automatischen Validierung und Aktualisierung des Modells entwickelt. Im Fokus standen dabei unter anderem die Entwicklung von Algorithmen zur Erkennung von VerĂ€nderungen in der Struktur und den AblĂ€ufen im Produktionssystem, sowie die Untersuchung des Einflusses der zur VerfĂŒgung stehenden Daten.
Die entwickelten Komponenten konnten an einem realen Anwendungsfall der Robert Bosch GmbH erfolgreich eingesetzt werden und fĂŒhrten zu einer Steigerung der RealitĂ€tsnĂ€he des Digitalen Zwillings, der erfolgreich zur Produktionsplanung und -optimierung eingesetzt werden konnte. Das Potential von Lokalisierungsdaten fĂŒr die Erstellung von Digitalen Zwillingen von Produktionssystem konnte anhand der Versuchsumgebung der Lernfabrik des wbk Instituts fĂŒr Produktionstechnik demonstriert werden
The Constructivistly-Organised Dimensional-Appraisal (CODA) Model and Evidence for the Role of Goal-directed Processes in Emotional Episodes Induced by Music
The study of affective responses to music is a flourishing field. Advancements in the study of this phenomena have been complemented by the introduction of several music-specific models of emotion, with two of the most well-cited ones being the BRECVEMA and the Multifactorial Process Model. These two models have undoubtedly contributed to the field. However, contemporary developments in the wider affective sciences (broadly described as the ârise of affectivismâ) have yet to be incorporated into the music emotion literature. These developments in the affective sciences may aid in addressing remaining gaps in the music literature, in particular for acknowledging individual and contextual differences.
The first aim of this thesis was to outline contemporary theories from the wider affective sciences and subsequently critique current popular models of musical emotions through the lens of these advancements. The second aim was to propose a new model based on this critique: the Constructivistly-Organised Dimensional-Appraisal (CODA) model. This CODA model draws together multiple competing models into a single framework centralised around goal-directed appraisal mechanisms which are key to the wider affective sciences but are a less commonly acknowledged component of musical affect. The third aim was to empirically test some of the core hypotheses of the CODA model. In particular, examining goal-directed mechanisms, their validity in a musical context, and their ability to address individual and contextual differences in musically induced affect. Across four experiments which include exploratory and lab-based designs through to real- world applications, the results are supportive of the role of goal-directed mechanisms in musically induced emotional episodes. Experiment one presents a first test battery of multiple appraisal dimensions developed for music. The results show that several of the hypothesised appraisal dimensions are valid dimensions is a musical context. Moreover, these mechanisms cluster into goal-directed latent variables. Experiment two develops a new set of stimuli annotations relating to musical goals, showing that music can be more or less appropriate for different musical goals (functions). Experiment three, using the new stimuli set from experiment two, tests the effects of different goals with more or less appropriate music on musically induced affect. These results show that goal-directed mechanisms can change induced core-affect (valence and arousal) and intensity, even for the same piece of music. Experiment four extends the study of goal-directed mechanisms into a real-world context through an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural design. The final experiment demonstrates how goal-directed mechanisms can be manipulated through different algorithms to induce negative affect in a Colombian population.
The main conclusions of this thesis are that the CODA model, more specifically goal-directed mechanisms, provide a valuable, non-reductive, and more eïŹicient approach to addressing individual and contextual differences for musically induced emotional episodes in the new era of affectivism
Basketball, culture and society in a devolved context: a qualitative analysis
This thesis investigates the potential of basketball as a tool for development in Scotland. It provides an original conceptual synthesis of knowledge that offers a critical narrative concerning the evolving relationship between basketball, development, and society alongside the limits and possibilities of basketball in Scotland. The study adopts the interpretivist paradigm alongside qualitative methodology. It consists of an exploratory mixed-methods approach which utilises audio-visuals, documents and reports alongside semi-structured interviews and embeds a case study design. The research comprises four empirical chapters: The Development and History of Basketball in Scotland; Grassroots Basketball in Scotland: basketballscotland; Community Basketball in Scotland: Blaze Basketball Club; and Professional Basketball in Scotland: Caledonia Gladiators Basketball Club. Findings indicate that basketball helps develop people, communities and nations through capability building processes. To generate optimal developmental outcomes through basketball, a collaborative, democratic, intentional, person-first, community-driven, needs-motivated, ground-level led system bound by connections alongside relationships, underpinned by passionate people is required. The earlier people are introduced to basketball and the longer they remain in basketball environments, the greater the potential for developmental outcomes. To maximise results, basketball in Scotland must address its main limitations: funding; lagging opportunities; participatory barriers; Scottish basketballâs disjointed community, nature, positionality, and system; alongside Scotlandâs sporting culture
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