A Methodology for Identifying Core Technologies Based on Technological Cross-Impact: Association Rule Mining and ANP Approach

There have been attempts to examine technological structure and linkage as technological impact. Cross-impact analysis (CIA) has been mainly employed with cross-impact index to identify core technologies. Cross-impact index, however, cannot successfully capture the overall relationship based on the impacts among technologies. Furthermore, it is a time-consuming task to calculate all cross-impact index especially based on patents without developing computer program. To address this limitation, this study suggests new approach to identify core technologies in technological cross-impact interrelationship. Specially, the approach applied data mining technique and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method to the co-classification information of registered patents. At first, technological cross-impact matrix is constructed with the confidence values by applying association rule mining (ARM) to the co-classification information of patents. Then, Analytic Hierarchical Process (ANP), one of MCDM methods, is employed to the constructed matrix for identifying core technologies from the perspectives of overall cross-impacts. A case study of telecommunication technology is conducted to illustrate the process of executing and utilizing the proposed approach. It is expected that suggested approach could help technology planners to formulate strategy and policy for technological innovation

Design Process Modularization: Concept and Algorithm

Abstract: The product design process is a complex set of integrated efforts, including generating ideas, developing concepts, modifying details, and evaluating proper solutions. The difficulties in designing complex products stem not only from their engineering complexity but also from the managerial complexity. First and foremost, what should be done to deal with the complexity problems is to capture all the constituent design activities and identify inter-dependency among respective activities. Further, once process modeling is done, it is required to structure the design process for better understanding of the process. This study presents a new approach to structuring the design process on the basis of modular synthesis. To do this, the concept of a module is newly proposed in the view point of a process. A module is defined as a group of activities which are divided by split or merge points in a process flow. The design structure matrix (DSM) is used to structure the process because it has a lot of advantages in process modeling and analysis. Two algorithms are developed: the restricted topological sorting (RTS

Evaluation of new service concepts using rough set theory and group analytic hierarchy process

One of the most crucial stages in the new service development (NSD) process is concept selection, which is characterized by newly generated alternatives and vaguely defined concept evaluation criteria. Although a number of factors have been found to be influential, a lacuna remains as to how to make a strategic decision based on influential factors. This study proposes a systematic approach to evaluation of new service concepts (NSCs) by integrating the merit of group analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in modeling multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problems and the strength of rough set theory (RST) in handling subjectivity in concept evaluation. The suggested approach is designed to be executed in four discrete stages. First of all, a hierarchical AHP model for the evaluation of NSCs is constructed in terms of strategy, finance, market, technology, and implementation. Second, pairwise comparisons are made among criteria and sub-criteria, and preferences to NSCs with respect to the sub-criteria are obtained by domain experts. Third, the individual judgments obtained at the preceding stage are aggregated into group judgments. Finally, the NSCs are prioritized based on risk propensity of decision makers. A case study of the video game service is presented to illustrate the suggested approach. We believe that our method can promote consensus building on the promising NSCs.close

Design process modularization: Concept and algorithm

The product design process is a complex set of integrated efforts, including generating ideas, developing concepts, modifying details, and evaluating proper solutions. The difficulties in designing complex products stem not only from their engineering complexity but also from the managerial complexity. First and foremost, what should be done to deal with the complexity problems is to capture all the constituent design activities and identify inter-dependency among respective activities. Further, once process modeling is done, it is required to structure the design process for better understanding of the process. This study presents a new approach to structuring the design process on the basis of modular synthesis. To do this, the concept of a module is newly proposed in the view point of a process. A module is defined as a group of activities which are divided by split or merge points in a process flow. The design structure matrix (DSM) is used to structure the process because it has a lot of advantages in process modeling and analysis. Two algorithms are developed: the restricted topological sorting (RTS) algorithm for ordering activities and the module finding (MF) algorithm for detecting modules in a process. Both of the algorithms are based on the DSM. Structuring the process in terms of a module, which is called as process modularization, allows a process manager to manage and analyze the process effectively. The overall process and detailed procedures of the suggested approach are presented and an illustrative example is addressed to show the practical operation of the approach.open1

Identifying core technologies based on technological cross-impacts: An association rule mining (ARM) and analytic network process (ANP) approach

This study proposes a new approach to identifying core technologies from a perspective of technological cross-impacts based on patent co-classification information with consideration of the overall interrelationships among technologies. The proposed approach is comprised of two methods: association rule mining (ARM) and the analytic network process (ANP). Firstly association rule mining (ARM) is employed to calculate the technological cross-impact indexes. Since the confidence measure in ARM is defined as a conditional probability between two technologies, it is adopted as an index for evaluating technological cross-impacts. The technological cross-impact matrix is then constructed with all calculated cross-impact indexes. Secondly. the ANP, which is a generalization of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), is conducted to produce priorities of technologies with consideration of their direct and indirect impacts. The proposed approach can be utilized for technology monitoring for both technology planning of firms and innovation policy making of governments. A case of telecommunication technology is presented to illustrate the proposed approach.close

Application of fault tree analysis to the service process: service tree analysis approach

Purpose - This study aims to propose a tree-based analytic tool that may be used in analyzing a large-scale and complex service process. The tenet of this tool is based on the Boolean logic and named service tree analysis (STA). The proposed STA aims to reflect the customer participation perspective and to propose how to analyze the service process and deduce useful information. Design/methodology/approach - Fault tree analysis is used as an underlying methodology since it has a Boolean logic to describe the customer''''''''s selection of each element and identifies critical events. Taking these advantages of the fault tree, the proposed STA consists of three main parts; service tree construction, qualitative analysis, and quantitative analysis. First, a service tree is constructed depending on how the service elements are selected by the customer; If the subordinate events are always selected by customers, they are linked with an AND gate, otherwise, with an OR gate. Next, in the qualitative analysis, service elements are characterized as core services, supporting services, and optional services by deducing a minimal service cut set. Last, qualitative analysis deals with deriving the impact of each service element based on the Kano model. Findings - The suggested STA has advantages which help strategic operation and management of the service process. Originality/value - This study is unique and even exploratory in that it first adopts the notion of tree analysis in structuring a large-scale, complex service system. Further, the proposed service tree provides a systematic approach from customer participation perspective, which makes the service process to be managed efficiently.Sampson SE, 2006, PROD OPER MANAG, V15, P329FORMOSA D, 2005, BUSINESS WEEK 0727Fliess S, 2004, J BUS RES, V57, P392, DOI 10.1016/S0148-2963(02)00273-4MAYER KJ, 2003, J SERV MARK, V17, P621SAMPSON SE, 2001, UNDERSTANDING SERVICTAN KC, 2001, MANAG SERV QUAL, V11, P418Tan KC, 2000, TOTAL QUAL MANAGE, V11, P1141ZEITHAML V, 2000, SERVICES MARKETINGKellner MI, 1999, J SYST SOFTWARE, V46, P91Matzler K, 1998, TECHNOVATION, V18, P25CONGRAM C, 1995, INT J SERV IND MANAG, V6, P6KELLOGG DL, 1995, J OPERATIONS MANAGEM, V13, P323ROBERTSHAW W, 1995, T 7 S QUAL FUNCT DEP, P201TINNILA M, 1995, INT J SERV IND MANAG, V6, P57ISHII K, 1995, ME217A COURSE READERKINGMANBRUNDAGE J, 1995, UNDERSTANDING SERVICKINGMANBRUNDAGE J, 1995, INT J SERV IND MANAG, V6, P20ISLAM A, 1995, T 7 S QUAL FUNCT DEP, P61FITZSIMMONS JA, 1994, SERVICE MANAGEMENT CEDVARDSSON B, 1994, QUALITY SERVICECOLQUHOUN GJ, 1993, INT J COMP INTEG M, V6, P252BERGER C, 1993, CTR QUALITY MANAGEME, V2, P3KELLEY SW, 1992, J BUS RES, V25, P197SILVESTRO R, 1992, INT J SERV IND MANAG, V3, P62COLQUHOUN GJ, 1991, INT J PROD RES, V29, P2239LAW AM, 1991, SIMULATION MODELINGLOVELOCK CH, 1991, SERVICES MARKETINGWEMMERLOV U, 1990, INT J SERV IND MANAG, V1, P20BROGOWICZ AA, 1990, INT J SERV IND MANAG, V1, P27GRONROOS C, 1988, INT C SERV MARK ARRSHOSTACK GL, 1987, J MARKETING, V51, P34MORRIS B, 1987, INT J OPER PROD MAN, V7, P13CARLZON J, 1987, MOMENTS TRUTHSCHMENNER RW, 1986, SLOAN MANAGE REV, V27, P21HILL DJ, 1986, ADV CONSUM RES, V13, P311LEE WS, 1985, IEEE T RELIAB, V34, P194BATESON JEG, 1985, SERVICE ENCOUNTER MA, P67KANO N, 1984, J JAPANESE SOC QUALI, V14, P39SHOSTACK GL, 1984, HARVARD BUS REV, V62, P133BOOMS BH, 1981, MARKETING SERVICES, P47*USAF, 1981, DYNAMICS MODELING MA, V6LOVELOCK CH, 1979, HARVARD BUS REV, V57, P168CHASE RB, 1978, HARVARD BUS REV, V56, P137SASSER WEJ, 1978, MANAGEMENT SERVICE OSHOSTACK GL, 1977, J MARKETING, V41, P73HILL TP, 1977, REV INCOME WEALTH, V23, P314BARLOW RE, 1975, RELIABILITY FAULT TR, P7BENNETTS RG, 1975, IEEE T RELIAB, V24, P194LEVITT T, 1972, HARVARD BUS REV, V50, P41BOHL M, 1971, FLOWCHARTING TECHNIQ

ON THE R&D PRIORITY SETTING IN TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT: A DEA AND ANP APPROACH

This paper propose a systematic approach to setting R&D priorities of emerging technologies in the technology foresight context. The proposed approach consists of two stages with two multiple criteria decision making methods. Firstly, socio-economic cost-benefit analysis based on data envelopment analysis with macro-level criteria is conducted to screen initial set of emerging technologies. The second stage deals with the detailed prioritization of the emerging technologies that have been selected at the first stage. Analytic network process is employed here with micro-level criteria. The set of derived R&D priorities of emerging technologies is expected to aid R&D policy-making.Technology foresight, R&D priority, multiple criteria decision making (MCDM), data envelopment analysis (DEA), analytic network process (ANP)

Enhanced Symbiotic Characteristics in Bacterial Genomes with the Disruption of rRNA Operon

Ribosomal RNA is an indispensable molecule in living organisms that plays an essential role in protein synthesis. Especially in bacteria, 16S, 23S, and 5S rRNAs are usually co-transcribed as operons. Despite the positive effects of rRNA co-transcription on growth and reproduction rate, a recent study revealed that bacteria with unlinked rRNA operons are more widespread than expected. However, it is still unclear why the rRNA operon is broken. Here, we explored rRNA operon linkage status in 15,898 bacterial genomes and investigated whether they have common features or lifestyles; 574 genomes were found to have unlinked rRNA operons and tended to be phylogenetically conserved. Most of them were symbionts and showed enhanced symbiotic genomic features such as reduced genome size and high adenine–thymine (AT) content. In an eggNOG-mapper analysis, they were also found to have significantly fewer genes than rRNA operon-linked bacteria in the “transcription” and “energy production and conversion in metabolism” categories. These genomes also tend to decrease RNases related to the synthesis of ribosomes and tRNA processing. Based on these results, the disruption of the rRNA operon seems to be one of the tendencies associated with the characteristics of bacteria requiring a low dynamic range

On the r&d priority setting in technology foresight: A DEA and ANP approach

This paper propose a systematic approach to setting R&D priorities of emerging technologies in the technology foresight context. The proposed approach consists of two stages with two multiple criteria decision making methods. Firstly, socio-economic cost-benefit analysis based on data envelopment analysis with macro-level criteria is conducted to screen initial set of emerging technologies. The second stage deals with the detailed prioritization of the emerging technologies that have been selected at the first stage. Analytic network process is employed here with micro-level criteria. The set of derived R&D priorities of emerging technologies is expected to aid R&D policy-making.open