Quality Management Practices and Internal Knowledge Transfer Relationship: Empirical Study of Manufacturing Companies in Jordan

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between quality management practices (QMP)  and internal knowledge transfer in Jordanian Manufacturing Companies. It surveyed 230 employees by means of a questionnaire. Statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, correlation, multiple regressions, were employed. To confirm the suitability of data collection instrument, a Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test, Cronbach’s Alpha and factor analysis were used. The result of the study showed a positive significant relationship between QMP and IKT. The current study results showed that the main hypothesis was rejected and the alternative was accepted which states that the QMP variables (teamwork, empowering and process control) affect IKT. The results also indicated that involving employees in processes control and using different methods to ensure quality were having highest effect on IKT. Followed by working as a team during performing a task or activity, finally employee empowerment was having the lowest effect on IKT, though it was having positive and significant effect on IKT. The use of one industrial area study design may limit its generalisability to other areas. The data is also limited to Jordanian organizations; therefore, generalizing results of Jordanian setting to other countries may be questionable. Extending the analyses to other settings represent future research opportunities, which can be done by the following ways: Further testing with larger samples within same industry is important, and including other industries will help mitigate the issue of generalizing conclusions on other organizations and industries. Moreover, further empirical researches involving data collection over diverse countries especially Arab countries are needed. The research results might help both academics and practitioners. The data suggest that a similar set of QMP indicators could be developed for other organizations and industries whether government, public or private, profitable or non-profitable organizations. QMP should be taken into serious consideration when formulating the Jordanian Manufacturing Companies strategy. Key Words: Quality Management Practices (QMP), Internal Knowledge Transfer(IKT), Jordanian Manufacturing Companies

The Impact of Structural Capital on Business Performance in Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Companies

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of Structural Capital (SC) on Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (JPM) Companies’ Business Performance (BP). It surveyed 132 managers by means of a questionnaire. Statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, correlation, multiple regressions, stepwise regression, were employed. To confirm the suitability of data collection instrument, a Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test, Cronbach’s Alpha and factor analysis were used. The result of the study showed a positive significant relationship between SC and JMP Companies’ BP. It indicated that SC performance can clearly explain productivity and profitability more than market valuation. Furthermore, the result showed that the respondents believed that S&P and R&D variables positively and directly affect the JPM Companies’ BP, while the IPRs variable does not (negative) affect the JPM Companies’ BP. The use of a single industry study design limits its generalisability to other industries. Extending the analyses to other industries represent future research opportunities. The research results might help both academics and practitioners. The data suggest that a similar set of SC indicators could be developed for other organizations and industries whether government, public or private, profitable or non-profitable organizations. SC should be taken into serious consideration when formulating the JPM Companies’ strategy. The current research may be considered as initiative study that highlights the effect of SC on JPM Companies’ BP in Jordan. It could also be an initiative study that divided SC into three variables and focuses on the role of each variable on Companies’ BP. Keywords: Structural Capital (SC), Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (JPM) Organizations, Business Performance (BP)

The Effect of Supply Chain Responsiveness on Competitive Advantage: A Field Study of Manufacturing Companies in Jordan

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of supply chain responsiveness on competitive advantage in Jordanian Manufacturing Companies. It surveyed 269 responses by means of a questionnaire. Statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, correlation, multiple regressions, were employed. To confirm the suitability of data collection instrument, a Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test, Cronbach’s Alpha and factor analysis were used. The research findings supported the hypotheses that (SCR) positively impacts (CA) of companies.. The current study results showed that the main hypothesis was rejected and the alternative was accepted which states that the supply chain responsiveness variables (Operations System Responsiveness (OSR), Logistics Process Responsiveness (LPR) and Supplier Network Responsiveness (SNR) affect competitive advantage. The results also indicated that higher level of operations system responsiveness creates higher level of competitive advantage for companies, collectively based on low price, high delivery dependability, high product innovation, and low time to market. Also, it was uncovered that higher level of supplier network responsiveness creates higher level of competitive advantage for a company, collectively based low price and high delivery dependability. This study has some important implications for practitioners. This study provides suitable recommendations on the scope for improvement based on current levels of various specific impact supply chain responsiveness and its dimensions. Also the study provides suitable recommendations on the scope for improvement based on current levels of various predominant supply chain responsiveness criteria that directly impact competitive advantage of a company, so as to make the organizations more competitive. Keywords: Supply Chain Responsiveness (SCR), Competitive Advantage (CA), Jordanian Manufacturing Companies (JMC).

Performance analysis of Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta to development medium entropy alloys by powder metallurgy

The field of biomedical high entropy alloys has become a vital area because they can make human life easier. The most alloys used in biomedical application are Ti6Al4V due to the titanium element. Pure titanium (CP-Ti) has excellent corrosion resistance but the titanium and its alloys have high price [1, 2]. High Entropy Alloys (HEAs) are defined as alloys that consist of five main elements or more mixed in an equiatomic, near-equiatomic and equimasic fraction [3]. The behavior is being investigated for high entropy alloying elements and the design methods. Powder metallurgical techniques can be used to obtain HEA based on compatible alloy for biomedical applications with uncomplicated and inexpensive way to process. The demanded alloys for biomedical applications are excellent in plasticity, low in Young modulus, and high in strength; the alloy components are low-toxicity and are completely free from them. Many HEAs have superior mechanical properties, microstructure and good biocompatibility [4-7], in contrast to Ti6Al4V when used for bone implants; it has been shown that there is significant bone wear. Besides, aluminum and vanadium can have adverse effects on the human body [8]. In this work, a medium entropy alloys (MEA) base on Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta system (Ti25Nb25Zr25Ta25) has been studied using conventional powder metallurgy techniques. Their microstructure, mechanical properties and chemical properties have also been studied. The results obtained demonstrate the influence and performance of equiatomic and equimasic of these alloys and their ability to work successfully for possible use as biomedical implants

Effect of the Ti/Ta ratio on the feasibility of porous Ti25+x-Nb25-Zr25-Ta25-x (X= 0, 5, and 10) alloys for biomedical applications

Non-toxic biomedical HEAs by powder metallurgy methods have been scarcely studied despite their promising mechanical and biological behaviors. This work studied the microstructural, mechanical, electrochemical, and ion release effects of the Ti/Ta ratio on three porous Ti–Nb–Zr–Ta (TNZT) alloys. The microstructure of the TNZT alloys consisted of semi-equiaxed and micrometric BCC-phases (matrix) with lower contents of HCP phase. Elastic moduli (82–91 GPa), hardness (373–430 HVN), ultimate bending (225–475 MPa), and tensile (119–256 MPa) strength, electrochemical corrosion (4.5–9.6 μm year−1), and ion release (toxicity, 0.9–1.1 μm year−1) were within acceptable limits for implant biomaterials. Increasing the Ti content (and decreasing Ta) was advantageous for improving mechanical strengthening and reducing the elastic modulus. The medium value of elastic modulus may be beneficial to reduce the mechanical mismatch between the implant and the organic tissue. However, the corrosion rate and metallic ion release increased as a function of the Ti content. Besides, the alloy with the lowest Ti content (highest Ta content) showed local corrosion. Based on the above, the porous TNZT alloys with medium and highest Ti contents (30 and 35 wt%) were demonstrated as promising candidates for biomedical implant applications

The Effect of Ti/Ta Ratio and Processing Routes on the Hardness and Elastic Modulus of Porous TiNbZrTa Alloys

TiNbZrTa alloys are promising for multidisciplinary applications, such as refractory and biomedical purposes, due to their high thermal stability and non-toxicity. Hardness and elastic modulus are among the key features for their adequate industrial applications. The influence of porosity and Ti/Ta ratio were investigated on TiNbZrTa alloys produced by three different processing routes, i.e., (i) blend element and posterior press and sintering (BE + P&S); (ii) mechanical alloying with press and sintering (MA + P&S); and (iii) arc melting and casting. Porosity decreased in the following order: casting < MA + P&S < BE + P&S. The total porosity of alloys increased with increasing Ta contents, i.e., by lowering the Ti/Ta ratio. However, the Ti/Ta ratio did not considerably affect the bonding energy or the elastic modulus. Hardness was increased significantly in dense alloys compared to porous ones. However, porosity and Ti/Ta ratio did not show a clear trend in hardness among the porous alloys

Towards agile approach for better user satisfaction

User satisfaction is a cornerstone indicator of any successful software project. Software projects are classified as successful only if the users are satisfied with the delivered software project result. Reducing the gap between users' expectations and the actual delivered software is one of the ultimate objectives of software project management. Therefore, it is essential to manage user expectations during the project, which is basically achieved by managing the user opinions related to the final performance of the software. However, this cannot be isolated from the adopted testing methodology, which is the way to guarantee the optimal user satisfaction. Furthermore, the stakeholder occupies a significant position in agile principles aligned with development teams. Flexibility to adapt stakeholders' late changes is also another gain in agility. Agility additionally focuses on the decentralized management approach to exploit any managing skills of the software project individuals. In this paper, we describe how these factors are relevant to the agile project management strategy. Our findings explain the hidden reasons behind the success of the agile strategy in software development projects.Scopu