Oral application of L-menthol in the heat: From pleasure to performance

When menthol is applied to the oral cavity it presents with a familiar refreshing sensation and cooling mint flavour. This may be deemed hedonic in some individuals, but may cause irritation in others. This variation in response is likely dependent upon trigeminal sensitivity toward cold stimuli, suggesting a need for a menthol solution that can be easily personalised. Menthol’s characteristics can also be enhanced by matching colour to qualitative outcomes; a factor which can easily be manipulated by practitioners working in athletic or occupational settings to potentially enhance intervention efficacy. This presentation will outline the efficacy of oral menthol application for improving time trial performance to date, either via swilling or via co-ingestion with other cooling strategies, with an emphasis upon how menthol can be applied in ecologically valid scenarios. Situations in which performance is not expected to be enhanced will also be discussed. An updated model by which menthol may prove hedonic, satiate thirst and affect ventilation will also be presented, with the potential performance implications of these findings discussed and modelled. Qualitative reflections from athletes that have implemented menthol mouth swilling in competition, training and maximal exercise will also be included

Developing competitiveness of a company using a new business process engineering concept

Suomessa ja muissa länsimaissa yritysten toimintaympäristössä on tapahtunut 2000-luvulla kaksi laajaa ja merkittävää muutosta. Ensinnäkin länsimaiset yhteiskunnat ovat siirtyneet jälkiteollisesta aikakaudesta kohti informaatioajan aikakautta, ja toiseksi yritysten välinen kilpailu on muuttunut laajempien kokonaisuuksien, verkostojen väliseksi kilpailuksi. Näiden muutosten voidaan nähdä kulkevan rinnakkain toisen suuren yhteiskunnallisen muutoksen, globalisaation kanssa, jossa suuryritykset toimivat maailmanlaajuisesti yli maanosien ja valtioiden rajojen. Tämä tapaustutkimus luo taloudellisesti ja teknisesti kilpailukykyisen liiketoiminnan hallintajärjestelmän tehokkuuden ja laadun suorituskyvyn parantamiseksi keskikokoisessa elektronisia tuotteita valmistavassa yrityksessä. Tutkimus keskittyy yritysten kilpailukyvyn tutkimiseen ja tutkimustulosten pohjalta kehittää kohdeyrityksen kilpailukykyä toteuttamalla prosessijohtamisen lähestymistapaa haastavassa ja dynaamisessa globaalissa liiketoimintaympäristössä. Teoriaosassa käsitellään liiketoimintaprosessien kehittämiseen liittyviä menetelmiä yrityksen strategisesta, asiakkaan kokeman laadun ja asiakkaan saaman lisäarvon näkökulmasta. Teorian pohjalta laaditaan liiketoimintaprosessien kehittämiskonsepti, joka koostuu vaiheittain etenevistä kehitystoimenpiteistä kilpailuedun kehittämiseksi ja ylläpitämiseksi case-yrityksessä. Tutkimus vahvistaa olemassa olevaa teoriaa liiketoimintaprosessien kehittämismenetelmästä (business process reengineering, BPR) ja sen toimivuutta kilpailukyvyn parantamisessa yleisesti. Sen lisäksi tutkimus vahvistaa liiketoimintaprosessien kehittämismenetelmän toimivuutta 2000-luvun kilpailussa dynaamisessa ja verkostoituneessa toimintaympäristössä.In Finland and other Western countries, companies’ operating environments have faced two broad and significant changes in the 2000s. Firstly, Western societies have moved from the postindustrial age towards the information society age and, secondly, for larger entities, competition has changed from that between enterprises to that between networks. These changes can be seen to run in parallel with another major social change, globalization, under which large enterprises operate on a global scale across continents and state borders. This case study involves the creation of an economically and technically competitive operating management system so as to improve efficiency and quality performance in a midsized electronics manufacturing company. The study focuses on enterprise competitiveness and, based on the research findings, develops the case company’s competitiveness by implementing a process management approach to its challenging and dynamic global business environment. The theoretical part of this thesis deals with business process development methodology for the company's strategy, the customer's perception of quality and perspectives on added value creation. On the basis of the theory, a process development concept is drawn up, comprising a number of sequential stages for developing and maintaining the case company’s sustainable competitive advantage. The study confirms the existing theory of business processes development (business process reengineering, BPR) and its functionality for improving competitiveness in general. In addition, the study will strengthen the BPR’s functionality in the competitive, dynamic and networked business environment of the 2000s.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

The development of factory templates for the integrated virtual factory framework

Páginas numeradas: I-XVI, 17-123Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores (Major Automação). Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 201

The development of factory templates for the integrated virtual factory framework

Páginas numeradas: I-XVI, 17-123Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores (Major Automação). Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 201

Proceedings of the Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference (SPARC) 2011

These proceedings bring together a selection of papers from the 2011 Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference(SPARC). It includes papers from PhD students in the arts and social sciences, business, computing, science and engineering, education, environment, built environment and health sciences. Contributions from Salford researchers are published here alongside papers from students at the Universities of Anglia Ruskin, Birmingham City, Chester,De Montfort, Exeter, Leeds, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores and Manchester

Enhancing competitive advantage through successful lean realisation within the Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry

Purpose: Lean is increasingly being applied within the aviation Maintenance and Repair (MRO) Industry to mitigate industry challenges. This Lean application is premised on its success within other industrial contexts particularly the automotive industry. Furthermore, many organisations within automotive industry have attributed their enhanced competitive positioning to the Lean application. Indeed, Toyota (a pioneer of Lean) present Lean as a key proponent to its global success. However, with literature suggesting that there cannot be a direct transference of Lean from one industry to another and with the MRO having distinct characteristics different from the automotive industry, this research seeks to present how competitive advantage can be achieved through successful Lean realisation. Design/Methodology/Approach: The status of MRO Lean engagements presented is first presented based on the syntheses of literature review and empirical study (facilitate by an industry-wide survey). The means through which the MRO realises its value proposition is established and the structural assessment of the MRO industry as it pertains to competitiveness is also defined. The role of Lean in enhancing the value delivery system to enhance competitive positioning is operationalised through a case study. Findings: Using Porter’s forces of competition, this research establishes the competitive MRO landscape revealing the distinct characteristics of the MRO industry and how Lean can be accurately appropriated to enhance competitive advantage. The MRO Value Delivery System (VDS) is also delineated providing the complete system within which Lean is to be deployed (as opposed to the prevalent limited application of Lean in operational context alone). The case exemplar successfully validates and operationalises the approach to Lean application within MRO to enhance competitive advantage. Research Limitations: A case study example was used for this research, and whilst the outcomes were consistent with the research proposal, it still requires wider validation. Practical and Social Implications: This research demystifies and helps MRO organisations in assessing their Lean engagements but also in provide a roadmap and informs their strategy in improving their competitive status through Lean realisation