An object oriented approach towards the specification of simulation models

To manage problems, is to try and cope with a flux of interacting events and ideas which unrolls through time - with the manager trying to improve situations seen as problematical, or at least as less than perfect. The ability of managing or solving these problems depends on the skills of the problem solver to analyse problems. This article introduces and discusses a proposed methodology for analysing real world problems in order to construct valid simulation models.Bestuurders probeer probleemsituasies bestuur, of verbeter deur 'n vloed van dinamiese interaktiewe gebeurtenisses te verstaan en te hanteer. Die sukses van die bestuur of oplos van die probleme hang af van die kundigheid van die probleemoplosser om die probleme te kan analiseer. Die artikel bespreek 'n voorgestelde benadering tot die analise van probleme om sodoende daaruit, simulasiemodelle te kan opstel.http://sajie.journals.ac.z

The design of a simulation generator

Successful simulation studies depend on a variety of expertise such as statistics, computer programming, systems analysis and design techniques. Unfortunately these requirements limit the availability of competent simulation analysts, while simulation applications are in demand. This paper presents a possible solution to the shortage of expert simulation knowledge through the design of a simulation generator, a software tool that translates conceptual simulation models into computer code. The design process for the expert system and simulation components of the simulation generator uses an adapted software lifecycle methodology.Suksesvolle simulasiestudies hang van verskeie kundigheidsonderwerpe af, soos byvoorbeeld statistiek, programmering, stelselanalise en ontwerptegnieke. Die vereistes beperk die beskikbaarheid van geskikte simulasiekundiges, ten spyte dat simulasietoepassings in aanvraag is. Die artikel bied ''n moontlike oplossing aan vir die tekort aan simulasiekundigheid, deur die ontwikkelling van simulasiegenerators te bespreek, wat rekenaarprogrammatuur is wat konseptuele simulasiemodelle in rekenaarkode omskryf. Die ontwerp van die simulasiegenerator se ekspertstelsel- en simulasiekomponent is gebaseer op 'n aangepaste rekenaarprogrammatuurlewenssiklus metodologie.http://sajie.journals.ac.z

Can complexity analysis support business performance insight?

Most people intuitively understand complexity, but being able to analyse it scientifically is not a common practice. For business executives, ‘complexity’ must be one of the most important concepts to understand, as it directly impacts business performance. From a business improvement perspective it is critical to quantify complexity, as engineering optimisation models require some level of clarity and understanding for decision making. Excess complexity prevents a proper understanding of the business system, which makes accurate forecasting impossible, and so increases the risk of failure. This paper uses Shannon’s entropy to measure and gain insight into complexity, and shows how it can be used to gain better insight into the performance of a business system – especially when dealing with non-linear relationships between business components.Alhoewel die meeste mense kompleksiteit verstaan, is die ontleding daarvan op ’n wetenskaplike manier nie algemene praktyk nie. Vir die uitvoerende direkteure van maatskappye is ‘kompleksiteit’ een van die belangrikste faktore omrede dit die prestasie van die onderneming direk beïnvloed. Gesien vanuit die perspektief van besigheidsoptimisering, raak dit krities dat kompleksiteit kwantitatief uitgedruk moet word sodat die nodige ingenieursmodelle ingespan kan word vir besluitnemingsdoeleindes. Indien die besigheidstelsel te veel kompleksiteit ervaar, maak dit die verstaan van die stelsel onnodig moeilik, wat op sy beurt weer veroorsaak dat voorspellingsmodelle onbruikbaar raak. Dit verhoog die kans op mislukking van die onderneming. In hierdie artikel word ‘Shannon’s entropy’ gebruik om kompleksiteit te meet om sodoende beter insig in besigheidsprestasie te verkry – veral wanneer daar nie-lineêre verwantskappe bestaan tussen die verskillende komponente.This article is an extended version of a paper presented at the 2011 ISEM conference.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_indeng.htm

The open solution methodology approach to problem solving

The Open Solution Methodology is a generic problem solving methodology which is used to solve system related problems through the application of problem solving techniques. The focus of the application of this methodology is aimed at modelling organisations, or areas within organisations. The application ofthe Open Solution Methodology provides the benefit of having the ability to comprehend and integrate all aspects of the system, while having a formal and structured approach for problem solving. Together with the reduction in system analysis time, problem solving techniques such as simulation modelling are focused through the Open Solution Methodology models to enhance the quality Ofsolutions.Die "Open Solution Methodology" is 'n generiese probleemoplossingsmetodologie wat gebruik word om stelselverwante probleme op te los deur die toepassing van problemoplossingstegnieke. Die fokus van hierdie metodologie toepassing is gernik op die modellering van organisasies, of gedeeltes van organisasies. Die "Open Solution Methodology" toepassing verskaf die voordeel om aile aspekte van die stelsel te verstaan en te integreer, terwyl daarvan 'n formele en gestruktureerde benadering tot probleemoplossing gebruik gemaak word. Tesame met die gepaardgaande verkorting van stelselanalisetyd, word die "Open Solution Methodology" modelle gebruik om die toepassing van probleemoplossingstegnieke te fokus omsodoende kwaliteit van die oplossings te verhoog

What leadership principles can we learn from commodity trading?

This document focuses on business development, defining in particular a number of key principles for leading a business through business cycles in the market place.3 page

Business process modelling - a business fractal approach

The role and position of operations management in an organization depends on the value it contributes to the sustainability of the organization. Tactical operations management ensures that business strategy is appropriately translated into operational policies and objectives. This is done through the planning and control of resource capacity and operational events. One of the key contributing success factors is the appropriate design and optimization of business processes to do so.Fifteen pages lecture delivered on 6th August 2001

Industrial engineering support for emerging business models

Engineering is concerned with the economical use of limited resources for the benefit of mankind. Business engineering is a systems approach to the analysis, design, development, construction and implementation of holistic business systems (people, processes and resources). Business engineering adds economic value to organisations through productivity improvement, market expansion or new market creation activities. Key focus areas of business engineering are people, business processes, change and knowledge.Presentation of 12 slides delivered by Prof Antonie van Rensburg at the South African Institute for Industrial Engineering's 14th National Conference, 21st September 1999

The art and science of business architectures

The presentation addresses sytems thinking and business fractals, the enterprise architecture context and discusses the four process groupings of the Business process model.Presentation of 35 slides

The value chain as an operations reference model

The concept of the value chain was made popular by Harvard University's Professor Michael Porter. The Porter value chain has been widely adopted by the business community as a mechanism to understand and comprehend complexity in business evironments, with the ultimate goal of structuring the business to maximise its competitive advantage. Implementing the value chain is not easy: a number of organizations can testify to their failure to derive any benefits at all from this concept. Contributing to this is the fact that the value chain requires certain real-world abstractions that do not come logically to the organization in its definition of the value chain. This is made worse when the organization tries to implement these concepts in real-world situations without "decoding" abstractions back to reality. To overcome this problem, an approach is presented to assist the organization in creating a value chain reference model within the broader context of the organization's enterprise architecture.10 page unpublished article

IE in the public services: contributing towards the ASGISA objectives

Presentation on contributing towards the accelerated and shared growth initiative for South Africa.Presentation delivered at the South African Institute for Industrial Engineers