Decision Supporting Methodology and System Based on Theory of Constraints for Making an Optimal Product Portfolio Strategy in Shipbuilding Industry

Shipbuilding is a typical ‘build to order’ industry. It has a business model that generates revenues from building various ships and offshore products in accordance with owner’s requirements at each production stage. Under uncertainty in shipping market, it is very essential for the shipbuilder to prepare the fast and competitive decision for product portfolio strategy in order to maximize contribution margin by exploiting production facilities and constraints. TOC(theory of constrains) proposed by Dr. goldratt in 1979 has been evolved into a management philosophy with practices and principles spanning a multitude of operations management sub-disciplines.[1] In this study, we introduce the unique decision supporting methodology for the optimal product portfolio sets based on TOC. This methodology is established by adopting the concept of Drum Buffer Rope (DBR)[2] in constraints planning and Throughput Account (TA)[3][4][5] in management accounting of TOC. In addition, Decision Supporting System (DSS)[6] is implemented by applying this methodology. This DSS system provides a throughput estimator with reflecting the cost structure of shipbuilding industry and a resource simulator built on heuristic algorithms to operate major constraint-resources in shipyard such as dock, quay and pre-erection area etc. Several examples are presented to show that the proposed methodology and system can effectively support the strategic decision-making process of a global shipbuilding company

Mid-Holocene Northern Hemisphere warming driven by Arctic amplification.

The Holocene thermal maximum was characterized by strong summer solar heating that substantially increased the summertime temperature relative to preindustrial climate. However, the summer warming was compensated by weaker winter insolation, and the annual mean temperature of the Holocene thermal maximum remains ambiguous. Using multimodel mid-Holocene simulations, we show that the annual mean Northern Hemisphere temperature is strongly correlated with the degree of Arctic amplification and sea ice loss. Additional model experiments show that the summer Arctic sea ice loss persists into winter and increases the mid- and high-latitude temperatures. These results are evaluated against four proxy datasets to verify that the annual mean northern high-latitude temperature during the mid-Holocene was warmer than the preindustrial climate, because of the seasonally rectified temperature increase driven by the Arctic amplification. This study offers a resolution to the "Holocene temperature conundrum", a well-known discrepancy between paleo-proxies and climate model simulations of Holocene thermal maximum

An Archive-Based Analysis of the East-Berlin Affair (June 1967 to 1970): Political and Diplomatic Relations between South Korea and West Germany

2005This paper discusses the so-called East-Berlin Affair in the late 1960s which is considered the single most important political and diplomatic affair between South Korea and West Germany. In this research we aim to present an overview of the related archival materials available at the political archives of the Getman Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin. The German. documents from the political archives reveal that South Korean nationals suspected of espionage activities against South Korea were forced to leave for Seoul suddenly and that the intelligence officials from South Korea were deeply involved in the German territory for this unlawful operation. The West German government became very upset with this diplomatic affair. Korean government eventually released all the accused who were later found guilty of espionage against South Korea. However, we notice some differences in diplomatic strategies between the two countries for solving the case at issue