Reference ontologies to support the development of global production network systems

In competitive and time sensitive market places, organisations are tasked with providing product lifecycle management (PLM) approaches to achieve and maintain competitive advantage, react to change and understand the balance of possible options when making decisions on complex multi-faceted problems, global production networks (GPN) is one such domain in which this applies. When designing and configuring GPN to develop, manufacture and deliver product–service provision, information requirements that affect decision making become more complex. The application of reference ontologies to a domain and its related information requirements can enhance and accelerate the development of new product-service systems with a view towards the seamless interchange of information or interoperability between systems and domains. This paper presents (i) preliminary results for the capture and modelling of end-user information, (ii) an initial higher level reference core ontology for the development of reference ontologies and (iii) the formal logical modelling of Level 1 of the FLEXINET reference ontology using a Common Logic based approach

Data Mining to Support Engineering Design Decision

The design and maintenance of an aero-engine generates a significant amount of documentation. When designing new engines, engineers must obtain knowledge gained from maintenance of existing engines to identify possible areas of concern. Firstly, this paper investigate the use of advanced business intelligence tenchniques to solve the problem of knowledge transfer from maintenance to design of aeroengines. Based on data availability and quality, various models were deployed. An association model was used to uncover hidden trends among parts involved in maintenance events. Classification techniques comprising of various algorithms was employed to determine severity of events. Causes of high severity events that lead to major financial loss was traced with the help of summarization techniques. Secondly this paper compares and evaluates the business intelligence approach to solve the problem of knowledge transfer with solutions available from the Semantic Web. The results obtained provide a compelling need to have data mining support on RDF/OWL-based warehoused data

Empowering Local Governments in Making Cities Resilient To Disasters: Case Study as a Research Strategy

The paper intends to elaborate the research methodology adopted for a doctoral research study aimed at developing a framework to empower the local governments to make cities resilient to disasters in the built environment context. Based on the constructionism epistemological undertaking and the theoretical perspective of being interpretivism in nature, the research would fall under the category of qualitative research. Therefore, qualitative strategies are best suited for conducting this study. Various research strategies exist for qualitative research, such as case studies, ethnography, grounded theory and phenomenological research. The research seeks to investigate how local governments can be empowered to make cities resilient to disasters in the built environment context, and out of the available qualitative research strategies, case studies have been identified as the most appropriate research strategy for the research discussed in this paper. The paper compares and contrasts the available research strategies and claims the suitability of the case study research strategy, in achieving the aims and objectives of the research. In doing so, the paper outlines the inherent components of the methodology namely, research philosophy, approach, strategy, choice, time horizon and techniques while justifying the suitability of the selected methodology through various research methodology literature

AIERO: An algorithm for identifying engineering relationships in ontologies

Semantic technologies are playing an increasingly popular role as a means for advancing the capabilities of knowledge management systems. Among these advancements, researchers have successfully leveraged semantic technologies, and their accompanying techniques, to improve the representation and search capabilities of knowledge management systems. This paper introduces a further application of semantic techniques. We explore semantic relatedness as a means of facilitating the development of more “intelligent” engineering knowledge management systems. Using semantic relatedness quantifications to analyze and rank concept pairs, this novel approach exploits semantic relationships to help identify key engineering relationships, similar to those leveraged in change management systems, in product development processes. As part of this work, we review several different semantic relatedness techniques, including a meronomic technique recently introduced by the authors. We introduce an aggregate measure, termed “An Algorithm for Identifying Engineering Relationships in Ontologies,” or AIERO, as a means to purposely quantify semantic relationships within product development frameworks. To assess its consistency and accuracy, AIERO is tested using three separate, independently developed ontologies. The results indicate AIERO is capable of returning consistent rankings of concept pairs across varying knowledge frameworks. A PCB (printed circuit board) case study then highlights AIERO’s unique ability to leverage semantic relationships to systematically narrow where engineering interdependencies are likely to be found between various elements of product development processes

Adaptive tension, self-organization and emergence : A complex system perspective of supply chain disruptions

The purpose of this thesis was to explore how microstate human interactions produce macro level self-organization and emergence in a supply disruption scenario, as well as discover factors and typical human behaviour that bring about disruptions. This study argues that the complex adaptive system’s view of complexity is most suited scholarly foundation for this research enquiry. Drawing on the dissipative structure based explanation of emergence and self-organization in a complex adaptive system, this thesis further argues that an energy gradient between the ongoing and designed system conditions, known as adaptive tension, causes supply chains to self-organize and emerge. This study adopts a critical realist ontology operationalized by a qualitative case research and grounded theory based analysis. The data was collected using repertory grid interviews of 22 supply chain executives from 21 firms. In all 167 cases of supply disruptions were investigated. Findings illustrate that agent behaviours like loss of trust, over ambitious pursuit, use of power and privilege, conspiring against best practices and heedless performance were contributing to disruption. Impacted by these behaviours, supply chains demonstrated impaired disruption management capabilities and increased disruption probability. It was also discovered that some of these system patterns and microstate agent behaviours pushed the supply chains to a zone of emergent complexity where these networks self-organized and emerged into new structures or embraced changes in prevailing processes or goals. A conceptual model was developed to explain the transition from micro agent behaviour to system level self-organization and emergence. The model described alternate pathways of a supply chain under adaptive tension. The research makes three primary research contributions. Firstly, based upon the theoretical model, this research presents a conceptualization of supply chain emergence and self-organization from dissipative structures and adaptive tension based view of complexity. Secondly, it formally introduces and validates the role of behavioural and cognitive element of human actions in a supply chain scenario. Lastly, it affirms the complex adaptive system based conceptualization of supply chain networks. These contributions succeed in providing organizations with an explanation for observed deviations in their operations performance using a behavioural aspect of human agents

Planning for a future of asset-based welfare? New Labour, financialized economic agency and the housing market

This article focuses on core aspects of the political economy of New Labour and surveys the strategic priorities to which it is likely the planning process will have to adapt. As with other policy areas, the effects of enhanced Treasury micro-management of the Government's reform agenda has begun to impact upon the field of planning. The prime example in this respect is the Treasury's preference for replacing state provision of welfare-enhancing services with the move towards an individualized system of asset-based welfare. The article begins with an analysis of this shift, showing how it is dependent on creating financialized economic agents who think instinctively as active saver-investors in their quest to accumulate assets to fund future consumption of welfare. In contemporary Britain the housing market dominates the accumulation of assets amongst everyday saver-investors. The article concludes by analysing the possible tension that will be introduced into the planning process because of New Labour's twin goals: (1) to defend the current value of asset wealth even as the mortgage lending market has stalled and confidence in the stability of house prices has temporarily evaporated; and (2) to restrict exclusion from private ownership in the housing market so that broadening access can be used to propel a universal move towards an individualized system of asset-based welfare. The fallout from the world credit crunch, which began in autumn 2007 and remains ongoing at the time of writing in January 2009, looks likely to exacerbate what was always a tension-prone combination of objectives

Knowledge representation within information systems in manufacturing environments

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Representing knowledge as information content alone is insufficient in providing us with an understanding of the world around us. A combination of context as well as reasoning of the information content is fundamental to representing knowledge in an information system. Knowledge Representation is typically concerned with providing structures and theories that are used as a basis for intelligent reasoning. For this research however, the author defines an alternative meaning, which is related to how knowledge is used in a given context. Thus, this dissertation provides a contribution to the field of knowledge within information systems, in terms of the development of a frame-of-reference that will support the reader in navigating through the different forms of explicit and tacit knowledge use within the manufacturing industry. In doing so, the dissertation also presents the generation of a novel classification of three forms of knowledge (Structural, Interpretive and Evaluative forms); the development of a conceptual framework which highlights the drivers for knowledge transformation; and the development of a conceptual model which seeks to envelop both the content as well as the context of knowledge (Semiotic as well as Symbiotic factors). This is established through the use of an Empirical, Quantitative case study approach, that seeks to explore an interpretivist view of knowledge representation within two information systems contexts, within two UK manufacturing organisations. The first case study presents how a-priori knowledge assumptions are used in a computer aided engineering decision-making task within a high technology manufacturing company. The second case study shows how knowledge is used within the IT/IS investment evaluation decision making process, within a manufacturing SME. In doing so, both case studies attempt to elucidate the inherent, underlying relationship between explicit and tacit knowledge, via a frame-of-reference developed by the author which defines key drivers for knowledge transformation

A review of approaches to supply chain communications: from manufacturing to construction

With the increasing importance of computer-based communication technologies, communication networks are becoming crucial in supply chain management. Given the objectives of the supply chain: to have the right products in the right quantities, at the right place, at the right moment and at minimal cost, supply chain management is situated at the intersection of different professional sectors. This is particularly the case in construction, since building needs for its fabrication the incorporation of a number of industrial products. This paper provides a review of the main approaches to supply chain communications as used mainly in manufacturing industries. The paper analyses the extent to which these have been applied to construction. It also reviews the on-going developments and research activities in this domain

A complexity perspective on mergers, acquisitions, and international joint ventures

This research represents the application of complexity theories to the study of strategic alliances in an emerging market context. The people, culture and communication issues of strategic alliances such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and international joint ventures (IJV) are a topic of concern for academics and practitioners. Much published research acknowledges the high failure rate of M&A and IJV and admits challenges in managing these changes. M&A and IJV are inherently complex changes but often managed using linear simplistic approaches. Therefore, it seems logical to view these complex changes using complexity approach. But little has been done to link M&A and IJV management with complexity theories. This research draws on work in complexity theories to better understand the emergence of M&A and IJV in their post-integration phase. Taking a case study approach, conditions of emergence posited by a dissipative structures model of complex systems – disequilibrium conditions, amplifying actions, recombination dynamics and stabilizing feedback; along with the legitimate and shadow system view of organizations – are used to explain M&A and IJV activity in an Indian pharmaceutical engineering firm. The findings suggest a match between the theories employed and what the empirical research discovered, empirically validating the theories to study M&A and IJV phenomena. The findings complement the theoretical perspectives on people, culture and communication issues of M&A and IJV and demonstrate that the complexity lens provides a comprehensive understanding of these changes

Requirements for an ontology of digital twins

Digital twin connects concrete systems to digital representations, encoding the real world using software systems, tools and models. Therefore, digital twins should comprise abstractions, formal namings and definitions of categories, properties and relations between concepts, data and entities substantiating one, many or every element of some domain of interest. Considering the possible synergies between digital twins and ontology, and the growing demand for connecting the physical and the virtual world through explicit ontological grounding, our work proposes preliminary discussions about requirements to build an ontology of digital twins. We outline some relevant topics both in the field of digital twins and ontology that are important for the proposal of core reference ontology in the field. We also explore these requirements in detail, from the conception and creation of the virtual environment and the digital twins, to the synchronization between digital world and real world, in addition to computational services, including visualization, prediction, and prescription. Finally, we present topics for future work.</p