Design for Six Sigma: Approach for reliability and low-cost manufacturing (Diseño para Seis Sigma: Enfoque para la fiabilidad y fabricación de bajo costo)

Abstract. The aim of this study is to discuss new product development based on a traditional stage-gate process and to examine how new product development [NPD] tools, such as lean design for Six Sigma, can accelerate the achievement of the main goals of NPD: reliable product quality, cost-effective implementation, and desired time-to-market. These new tools must be incorporated into a new approach to NPD based on the Advanced Product and Quality Planning methodology. Resumen. El objetivo de la presente investigación es la promoción de una discusión teórica y practica sobre el enfoque tradicional de lanzamiento de nuevos productos bajo la metodología por fases. Una revisión a profundidad cómo las nuevas herramientas del desarrollo de nuevos productos en lo particular el diseño para seis sigma puede acelerar el tiempo de respuesta al mercado de forma exitosa y a una relación atractiva de costo – beneficio. Las nuevas herramientas pueden ser incorporadas dentro de la estrategia de desarrollo de nuevos productos bajo el enfoque de planeación avanzada de la calidad de nuevos productos

Design for Six Sigma: Approach for reliability and low-cost manufacturing

Abstract. The aim of this study is to discuss new product development based on a traditional stage-gate process and to examine how new product development [NPD] tools, such as lean design for Six Sigma, can accelerate the achievement of the main goals of NPD: reliable product quality, cost-effective implementation, and desired time-to-market. These new tools must be incorporated into a new approach to NPD based on the Advanced Product and Quality Planning methodology.Keywords: analysis of variance (ANOVA), design for Six Sigma, DMAIC, industrialexperimentation, robust designResumen. El objetivo de la presente investigación es la promoción de una discusión teórica y practica sobre el enfoque tradicional de lanzamiento de nuevos productos bajo la metodología por fases. Una revisión a profundidad cómo las nuevas herramientas del desarrollo de nuevos productos en lo particular el diseño para seis sigma puede acelerar el tiempo de respuesta al mercado de forma exitosa y a una relación atractiva de costo – beneficio. Las nuevas herramientas pueden ser incorporadas dentro de la estrategia dedesarrollo de nuevos productos bajo el enfoque de planeación avanzada de la calidad de nuevos productos.Palabras clave: análisis de varianza, diseño para seis sigma, diseño robusto,experimentación industrial, metodología DMAI

Conhecimento como ativo organizacional: estudo de caso em um programa de pós-graduação

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia e Gestão do Conhecimento, Florianópolis, 2015No contexto atual das organizações, vistas como entes cognitivos, cujo principal ativo é o conhecimento, torna-se fundamental compreendê-lo como recurso e geri-lo de forma sustentável. Logo, é necessário utilizar métodos e estratégias para identificar e compreender o conhecimento de forma sistemática e orientada aos resultados e objetivos organizacionais. Neste cenário, a gestão do conhecimento é vista como uma abordagem integrada por processos de identificação, criação, compartilhamento, armazenamento e aplicação do conhecimento como recurso valioso para as organizações. No que tange a estes aspectos, alguns autores afirmam que para gerenciar é preciso mensurar, da mesma forma que as iniciativas de gestão do conhecimento necessitam ser avaliadas, a fim de certificar quais ações estão em andamento, como são percebidas pelos seus colaboradores e, quando necessário, elaborar redefinições estratégicas relacionadas à gestão do recurso conhecimento. Neste contexto, este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar o recurso conhecimento como ativo organizacional em um Programa de Pós-graduação. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de natureza aplicada, de abordagem quali-quantitativa, que por meio de estudo de caso analisa as dimensões e práticas de GC e a caracterização dos eixos de conhecimento crítico. Para isso, foi proposto um procedimento metodológico adaptado ao estudo de caso, que permitiu analisar de forma transversal o recurso conhecimento e identificar como o mesmo é percebido pelos docentes do Programa. Como resultado da aplicação e análise da correlação dessas dimensões, foi possível inferir sobre o papel da tecnologia da informação como suporte para realizar os processos da gestão do conhecimento. De forma a corroborar esta visão, deve-se potencializar as práticas de GC identificadas de forma a contribuir com os resultados e objetivos do Programa. Neste sentido, faz-se necessária uma liderança voltada para gerir o recurso conhecimento e articular as práticas consideradas informais pela organização, de forma a promover um maior alinhamento transversal entre as diferentes áreas de pesquisa. Quanto à visão estratégica do recurso conhecimento como um processo é suportada pela identificação e caracterização dos eixos críticos de conhecimento, que estão alinhados aos resultados e objetivos do planejamento estratégico do contexto estudado. Abstract : In the current context of organizations, seen as cognitive beings, whose main asset is knowledge, it is essential to understand it as a resource and manage it sustainably. Therefore, it is necessary to use methods and strategies to identify and understand the knowledge systematically and oriented to results and organizational objectives. In this scenario, knowledge management is seen as an integrated approach for identifying processes, creation, sharing, storage, and application of knowledge as a valuable resource for organizations. With respect to these aspects, some authors state that to manage is necessary to measure in the same way that knowledge management initiatives need to be evaluated in order to ensure that actions are underway, as are perceived by their employees and when appropriate, to make strategic redefinition related to knowledge management resource. In this context, this paper aims to analyze the knowledge resource as organizational asset in a Posgraduate Program. It is a applied research, of qualitative and quantitative approach, through case study analyzes the dimensions and KM practices and the characterization of critical knowledge axes. For this, it proposed a methodological approach adapted to the case study, which allowed the analysis of transversal knowledge resource and identify how it is perceived by the Program teachers. As a result of the application and analysis of the correlation of these dimensions, it was possible to infer the role of information technology as support to carry out the processes of knowledge management. Among the identified KM practices, should empower those who contribute to the results and objectives of the Program. In this sense, a focused leadership to manage knowledge resource and articulate the practices considered by the informal organization is necessary in order to promote greater cross-alignment between the different areas of research. As for the strategic vision of the knowledge resource as a process is supported by the identification and characterization of critical axes of knowledge, which are aligned to outcomes and objectives of the strategic planning of the studied context

E.SU: Sistema Electrónico de Interactividade Turístico-Cultural do Sul, Lda.: plano de negócios (early stage plan)

L26, M13As dinâmicas da sociedade da informação/economia da experiência potenciaram alterações nos comportamentos dos consumidores, originando novas necessidades de consumo, no âmbito da co-criação de valor em experiências turístico-culturais. Neste projecto de tese elabora-se uma avaliação de modelo de negócio, concretizada no desenvolvimento do plano de negócios do projecto E.SU, uma plataforma digital promotora de serviços de personalização de experiências turístico-culturais autênticas (actividades de turismo criativo/nicho), via interface web e mobile. A proposta é inovadora em três vertentes: pela criação de uma sub-categoria de mercado; ao responder a uma necessidade do consumidor não satisfeita pelo mercado; e ao desenvolver processos inovadores de cooperação entre agentes locais, potenciando a competitividade de um cluster à escala global. O plano de negócios é integrado numa metodologia de investigação-acção, com uso de técnicas qualitativas de investigação SSM, para a identificação da situação problemática/oportunidade de negócio, e determinação da viabilidade conceptual, técnica e financeira do respectivo modelo de negócio. A estratégia de desenvolvimento supõe a implementação da start-up no cluster turístico do Algarve, cuja análise de mercado se considerou, dando-se relevância à definição de objectivos e estratégia de implementação, com ênfase na prospecção de parcerias, concepção social do marketing-mix e segmentação de mercados-alvo. A análise financeira do negócio perspectiva um crescimento das vendas positivo, com necessidades de financiamento baixas, e uma estrutura de custos fixos leve. As conclusões da análise financeira apontam para uma rentabilidade com um VAL de 38.303€, uma TIR de 88,89%, e um Payback period de 02 anos.The contemporary dynamics of the information society and the experience economy have propelled changes in consumer behaviour and allowed new consumption needs, regarding value co-creation in creative tourism experiences. In this thesis, a business model evaluation was performed, realized in the business plan of E.SU project, a digital platform for the promotion of personal customization of authentic touristic experiences (creative and niche activities), via web and mobile interface. The proposition innovates in three aspects: creating a market subcategory; responding to consumer needs not addressed by the market; and developing an innovative process of cooperation between local agents, promoting competitiveness of a cluster at a global scale. The business plan is bodied by an investigation-action methodology, which uses SSM investigation qualitative instruments, for the identification of problematic situation/business opportunity, and determining the conceptual, technical and financial viability of the business model. The strategy developing assumes the start-up implementation on Algarve’s touristic cluster, of which a market analysis has been made, with relevance being given to the setting of implementation objectives and strategy, and with emphasis on the prospection of partnerships, social conception of the marketing-mix e market segmentation. The financial analysis of the business presumes a positive sales growth, low investment needs, and a light fixed cost structure. The financial analysis conclusions point towards a revenue with a net present value (NPV) of 38.303€, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 88,89% and a 02 year payback period

The effective management of information overload within shipping companies in South Africa.

Doctoral degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.For time immemorial, humans have shared information – from cave wall paintings to modern computing devices. The medium and channels of communication have evolved and improved. The ever-growing number of information sources coupled with the development of the Internet and other electronic communication technologies has resulted in escalating amounts of data and information that users need to process. This has resulted in a situation commonly known as information overload. Information overload can be described as a situation where people are inundated with more information than they are able to usefully use. The overall aim of this study was to establish whether information overload exists in South African shipping companies and if it is being formally managed. Although a growing body of empirical research has assessed the impact of information overload in organisations, little is known about its effect on shipping companies. To fully understand the problem, the impact of information overload was assessed in 12 shipping organisations located in Durban. Quantitative data was gathered using an online questionnaire from a sample of 491 employees in the 12 organisations. Twelve decision makers, one in each organisation, were interviewed by means of semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data showed that employees are overloaded with information and the level of information overload varies across the different organisations. Qualitative data from the interviews showed that the decision makers are overloaded and admit that their staff are also overloaded. Furthermore, none of the companies had specific initiatives in place to help staff who were overloaded with information. Several countermeasures to reduce information overload have been suggested in the literature; however, none of them have been proven to eliminate the problem. By integrating the findings from the literature review, quantitative data and qualitative data, this study suggests some guidelines of good practice for managing information overload which includes information management training, information personal management system, good office ergonomics practices, technology, external service providers, correct communication technologies and monitoring of information