A holonic approach to the integration of automated systems

During several years building and residential automation was thought as a good test bed for integration methods applied to automated systems. A reason for that is the large response time of these systems and the fact that they assemble a set of very well known sub-systems (HVAC, security, elevators, etc.). Even recent innovations in residential environments are based on components based on solid and scalable technology. On the other hand the degree of integration did not improve as much as expected. In this paper we investigate this problem, first from a practical point of view, that is, based on the design and implementation difficulties that designers and vendors face everyday, and second from a technical and methodological point of view, which means finding a new control architecture that could lead to real flexible and integrated systems. Frame architectures could provide a better and modern approach relying on a heterarchic arrangement of sensors and actuators. Some years ago part of the authors proposed a similar architecture based on a generic element called integron. Now we revisit the same point with a new version of the same element focusing on the arrangement of the whole system and on the information flow instead of just distributing the control. We claim that such approach is more efficient. Also it will better fit the requirements in a heterogeneous environment such as residential automation

Emerging business models

Magretta (2002) suggests, using the example of American Express in the nineteenth century, that: " a successful business model represents a better way than the existing alternatives. It may offer more value to a discrete group of customers. Or it may completely replace the old way of doing things and become the standard for the next generation of entrepreneurs to beat". Adding substance with: "… all new business models are variations on the generic value chain underlying all businesses. Broadly speaking, this chain has two parts. Part one includes all the activities associated with making something: designing it purchasing raw materials, manufacturing and so on. Part two includes all the activities associated with selling something: finding and reaching customers, transacting a sale, distributing the product or delivering the service. A new business model's plot may turn on designing a new product for an unmet need … Or it may turn on a process innovation, a better way of making or selling or distributing an already.

The emergence of interactions as strategic entities in value chain networks

Purpose: The article analyses the interactions that are engaged in when specialist organisations collaborate in value chain networks. It aims to bridge the gap between existing theory and emerging practices and identify a conceptual foundation for future research and practical application. Interaction costs are described as including transaction costs plus the costs for exchanging ideas and information. Design/methodology/approach: The paper adopts a conceptual approach, and introduces the basic elements of an interaction theory based on past theory and current practices. Findings: In an increasingly global economy, reducing risks while maximizing returns for emerging business models are a key concern. The article puts forward the view that as interaction costs decrease, potential business partners have greater scope to interlink their business strategies and operations to co-create value. It discusses the nature of interactions and highlights three factors that are either reducing interaction costs or increasing the effectiveness or frequency of interactions, thus increasing their facility for business purposes: the convergence of technologies, the delineation of roles within value chain business networks, and the emergence of innovative interaction strategies among network participants. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of an interactions strategy through an analysis of IKEA’s business model from an interactions perspective. Originality/value: The paper provides the basis of an interactions framework for researchers and practitioners to analyse value adding activities and to develop strategies in value chain networks

Measures from complexity science provide manufacturing companies with insights previously unavailable to them

"Operational effectiveness" is the means by which market leading value propositions are delivered to customers. The contribution of "operational effectiveness" in manufacturing to competitive strategy has been established. The "operational effectiveness" approach has been based on scientific reductionism, defining itself by list of "best practice" tools, techniques and philosophies. This thesis argues that this had led to loss of the "operational effectiveness" whole, causing variegated success in application of these tools. Complex systems SCience, with its origins in communications, control theory and non-linear dynamical systems, has provided previously unavailable insight into real-world systems. The applications to date in manufacturing have been in soft systems appearing either as metaphors or computationally difficult optimisation-type problems. This thesis argues that manufacturing companies are complex systems. As a result measures for complex behaviour and structure in these systems will yield fresh insight currently unavailable through the reductionist worldview of "operational effectiveness". This research proposes a new framework of agents that connects the "operational effective" and complex systems views, without the loss of system richness of the complexity worldview. This framework comprises interrelated sets of input/output Entities, produced through Activities carried out by Resources. Novel measures of flow efficacy and the structure of these set-based relationships are then obtained based on this common framework by the use of Entropy and QanalYSis respectively. A methodology for the creation of the framework, its measurement and validation is then proposed and tested. Three case studies have been carried out in the actual processes of a manufacturing company. The studies have been able to show a consistent benefit from the use of complexity-based measures over and above what would have been available from "operational effectiveness. Correlation and independence have been observed in the concurrent use of both complexity measures on the frameworks, demonstrating their independence and interdependence

Key enabling technologies, methodologies, frameworks, tools and techniques of smart and sustainable systems

For manufacturing systems, Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is currently considered a big challenge and is closely related to intelligent manufacturing or production, alongside a more or less wide set of technologies, methodologies, frameworks, tools and techniques. I4.0 encompasses a diversity of approaches to enable the progress of production systems, resulting in shortened production times, production efficiencies, product quality, customization and flexibility of performance. Due to the general awareness about the importance of enabling intelligent manufacturing alongside sustainable production, sustainability is gaining renewed importance. Due to the importance of the theme, there is a need for an updated review of the main enabling approaches of I4.0 for sustainable manufacturing systems. For this purpose, a literature review was conducted considering the research question: Is there increased attention being given to sustainability issues nowadays in Industry 4.0? Through this work, it was possible to verify the main I4.0 and sustainability pillars considered in academia, which for I4.0 are the integration of horizontal and vertical systems, with 94% of the relevant articles mentioning this pillar. The additive manufacturing and 3D printing was refered in 56% of the relevant articles, and for sustainability, the economic pillar was mentioned with 95%, being the main one, with a large difference from other factors.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020

An ontology for strongly sustainable business models: Defining an enterprise framework compatible with natural and social science

Business is increasingly employing sustainability practices, aiming to improve environmental and social responsibility while maintaining and improving profitability. For many organizations, profit-oriented business models are a major constraint impeding progress in sustainability. A formally defined ontology, a model definition, for profit-oriented business models has been employed globally for several years. However, no equivalent ontology is available in research or practice that enables the description of strongly sustainable business models, as validated by ecological economics and derived from natural, social, and system sciences. We present a framework of strongly sustainable business model propositions and principles as findings from a transdisciplinary review of the literature. A comparative analysis was performed between the framework and the Osterwalder profit-oriented ontology for business models. We introduce an ontology that enables the description of successful strongly sustainable business models that resolves weaknesses and includes functionally necessary relationships

Creating value through communication

Communication can play a significant role in the value creation process of the organisation, considering the fact that the value of the capitals produced by the organisation can in crease and decrease depending on what the organisation says and does. Integrating the corporate communication process into the strategic management, governance and value creation processes therefore pose an opportunity for communication professionals to illustrate how communication can contribute to the creation of value for organisations, and as such be of benefit to business and to society. Introducing these communication approaches to value creation in the organisation requires a new responsible, integrative perspective on the role of corporate communication.http://www.journals.elsevier.com/public-relations-reviewhb201

Drivers and barriers of circular economy business models: Where we are now, and where we are heading

Literature on the circular economy business model (CEBM) has witnessed a sharp upsurge in recent years. Although scholars have investigated CEBM from several perspectives, including the green business model, waste management, digital technology, the supply chain, and the financial impact of CEBM, critical analysis of the extant literature has not attracted scholarly attention. The current systematic literature review (SLR) on CEBM is an attempt to critically analyse and appraise the prior findings by following robust research protocols. We analysed a pool of 126 studies to identify the thematic research areas, recognise the research gaps and present future research agendas. Subsequently, we classified the research themes, namely the drivers of and barriers to CEBM. The paper thus provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the art on the drivers and barriers involved in executing CEBM. By identifying existing research gaps and presenting avenues for future research, the SLR illuminates the nuances of CEBM implementation. Moreover, we propose an actor-network theory-based conceptual framework for CEBM implementation for further investigation. We conclude the study by providing the theoretical and practical implications for those attempting to overcome the barriers and address the challenges involved in CEBM implementation.publishedVersio

Drivers and barriers of circular economy business models: Where we are now, and where we are heading

Literature on the circular economy business model (CEBM) has witnessed a sharp upsurge in recent years. Although scholars have investigated CEBM from several perspectives, including the green business model, waste management, digital technology, the supply chain, and the financial impact of CEBM, critical analysis of the extant literature has not attracted scholarly attention. The current systematic literature review (SLR) on CEBM is an attempt to critically analyse and appraise the prior findings by following robust research protocols. We analysed a pool of 126 studies to identify the thematic research areas, recognise the research gaps and present future research agendas. Subsequently, we classified the research themes, namely the drivers of and barriers to CEBM. The paper thus provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the art on the drivers and barriers involved in executing CEBM. By identifying existing research gaps and presenting avenues for future research, the SLR illuminates the nuances of CEBM implementation. Moreover, we propose an actor-network theory-based conceptual framework for CEBM implementation for further investigation. We conclude the study by providing the theoretical and practical implications for those attempting to overcome the barriers and address the challenges involved in CEBM implementation.publishedVersionPaid open acces