Application of fuzzy cognitive maps to investigate the contributors of maritime collision accidents

Maritime transport has been striving to reduce ship accidents since its origins, which results in loss of lives or properties and damage for the environment. Hence, a continuous effort to enhance safety is a crucial requirement for the maritime sector, for which several approaches have been tried for the past years. This paper presents the first results of a study which aim is to assess the factors affecting collision accidents in order to enhance safety and resilience. This aim is achieved by using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) method, which consider and evaluates importance of these factor by calculating and assigning individual weights to them. Moreover, FCM appears to be a suitable approach since it can take into account both, fuzzy data and past accidents experiences. Hence, in this paper with the help of FCM, past accidents from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) database regarding collision are analysed to identify the contributors of collision accidents and their FCM weightings

Análise dinâmica dos determinantes de conduta ambiental nas PMEs: Uma abordagem sócio-técnica

A crescente preocupação relativa à temática ambiental representa um novo desafio para as empresas, exigindo das mesmas a incorporação da temática da sustentabilidade ambiental na sua estratégia empresarial. No entanto, a falta de uma perspetiva holística de sustentabilidade, bem como de uma perceção de interdependência entre excelência corporativa, económica e ambiental, tem impedido que empresas de menor dimensão – como as pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) – considerem investimentos ambientais para além dos legalmente exigidos. Neste sentido, parece tornar-se relevante, para a sobrevivência a longo prazo e para o incremento das vantagens competitivas das empresas, a exploração de métodos integrados que identifiquem e apresentem uma visão holística dos determinantes de conduta ambiental. Com este intuito, a presente dissertação propõe a utilização de técnicas de mapeamento cognitivo, recorrendo à metodologia Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping e à abordagem System Dynamics. O valor acrescentado desta proposta será suportado pela experiência e pelos conhecimentos de um painel de especialistas com experiência prática na área ambiental em PMEs, que fornecerão os inputs para a concretização do modelo de base. As vantagens e as limitações desta abordagem metodológica serão também objeto de análise, bem como as suas implicações teórico-práticas.The increasing concern about environmental issues represents a new challenge for companies, requiring the topic of environmental sustainability to be incorporated into their business strategies. However, the absence of a holistic perspective of sustainability and the limited perception of the interdependence between corporate, economic and environmental excellence has prevented smaller companies – such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – from considering environmental investments beyond those legally required. In this regard, the adoption of integrated methods that allow for the identification and presentation of a holistic view of the determinants of environmental conduct seems to be extremely relevant for these companies’ long-term survival, as well as to increase their competitive advantages. The present dissertation proposes the use of cognitive mapping techniques, using the Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping methodology and the System Dynamics approach. The added value of the resulting model is supported by the professional experience and practical knowledge of a panel of experts in SME environmental conduct. The advantages and limitations of our proposal, as well as its theoretical and practical implications, are also analyzed

Methodology for assessing the influence of production-related business processes on the production process

Produzierende Unternehmen sind insbesondere an Hochlohnstandorten gefordert, ihre Geschäftsprozesse regelmäßig hinsichtlich deren Effizienz und Effektivität zu überprüfen. In der industriellen Praxis geraten zunehmend auch produktionsnahe Geschäftsprozesse in den Fokus von Verbesserungsinitiativen, auch wenn deren Beitrag zur Wertschöpfung häufig nur unzureichend bewertet werden kann. In dieser Arbeit wird daher eine Methodik beschrieben, die die Bestimmung des Einflusses produktionsnaher Geschäftsprozesse auf den Produktionsprozess und somit eine Priorisierung von zu optimierenden produktionsnahen Geschäftsprozessen ermöglicht.Manufacturing companies, especially at high-wage locations, are required to review their business processes for their efficiency and effectiveness regularly. In industrial practice, production-related business processes are increasingly becoming the focus of improvement initiatives, even though their contribution to value creation can often only be assessed inadequately. In this thesis, a methodology is described, which allows the determination of the influence of production-related business processes on the production process and thus a prioritization of production-related business processes to be optimized