Manufacturing and Supply Chain Flexibility: Building an Integrative Conceptual Model Through Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to establish the current themes on the topic of manufacturing and supply chain flexibility (MSCF), assess their level of maturity in relation to each other, identify the emerging ones and reflect on how they can inform each other, and second, to develop a conceptual model of MSCF that links different themes connect and highlight future research opportunities. The study builds on a sample of 222 articles published from 1996 to 2018 in international, peer-reviewed journals. The analysis of the sample involves two complementary approaches: the co-word technique to identify the thematic clusters as well as their relative standing and a critical reflection on the papers to explain the intellectual content of these thematic clusters. The results of the co-word analysis show that MSCF is a dynamic topic with a rich and complex structure that comprises five thematic clusters. The value chain, capability and volatility clusters showed research topics that were taking a central role in the discussion on MSCF but were not mature yet. The SC purchasing practices and SC planning clusters involved work that was more focused and could be considered more mature. These clusters were then integrated in a framework that built on the competence–capability perspective and identified the major structural and infrastructural elements of MSCF as well as its antecedents and consequences. This paper proposes an integrative framework helping managers keep track the various decisions they need to make to increase flexibility from the viewpoint of the entire value chain

Staff development at a joint Sino-British institute in China

The chapter presents a case study of staff development at NUIST-Reading Academy, a joint education institute in China, in order to explore how it contributes to capacity building and innovative practice in this TNE context. Multiple sources of data were collected, including focus groups with academic developers/teacher trainers from the UK institution, focus groups with staff who have undertaken staff development activities locally in China and at the UK partnership institution, and document analysis (e.g. end course evaluations and reports). The concept of Knowledge Management was used at individual and organisational levels to frame the discussion of the process of knowledge sharing and creation. Results indicate the positive role of the staff development efforts by the UK institution and demonstrate efforts made by teachers to engage in knowledge creation through innovative pedagogical practices as a result of the development programme. Design and organisational challenges that impede the process are also identified and the chapter concludes with recommendations for future developments

Dynamic Business Models: a Proposed Framework to Overcome the Death Valley

The ex ante definition of business model offers the possibility to create a static picture of “how” the company is able to generate value in a given moment. But is this business model able to generate value over time? The time factor of the value proposition life cycle is not usually taken into account. This paper, starting from the lean canvas model (Maurya 2012), proposes a framework able to consider the temporal factor and, coming from Rogers’s innovation diffusion theory (Die Diffusion von Innovationen in der Telekommunikation, 17, 25–38, Rogers 1995), to evolve the business model from a single picture to a set of pictures representing the many phases of the value proposition life cycle. A local context analysis was conducted, interviewing 10 CEOs of University of Salento start-ups, and the framework’s tool kit was developed: application methodology, questionnaire, and glossary. To validate the tools and methodology, a real business case was considered. Using the framework proposed in the business model definition would allow managers of start-ups to identify several marketing strategies, channels, and key metrics dedicated to each customer category

Angelman syndrome (AS, MIM 105830)

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a distinct neurogenetic syndrome, first described in 1965. The phenotype is well known in infancy and adulthood, but the clinical features may change with age. The main clinical characteristics include severe mental retardation, epileptic seizures and EEG abnormalilties, neurological problems and distinct facial dysmorphic features. Behavioural problems such as hyperactivity and sleeping problems are reported, although these patients present mostly a happy personality with periods of inappropriate laughter. Different underlying genetic mechanisms may cause AS, with deletion of chromosome 15 as the most frequent cause. Other genetic mechanisms such as paternal uniparental disomy, imprinting defect and mutation in the UBE3A gene are present in smaller groups of patients with AS. As the recurrence risk can be up to 50%, the clinical diagnosis of AS should be confirmed by laboratory tesing, and genetic counselling should be provided. Treatment of seizures, physical therapy or other intervention strategies are helpful to ameliorate the symptoms