Statistical Analyses and Modeling of the Implementation of Agile Manufacturing Tactics in Industrial Firms

This paper provides a review and introduction on agile manufacturing. Tactics of agile manufacturing are mapped into different production areas (eight-construct latent): manufacturing equipment and technology, processes technology and know-how, quality and productivity improvement, production planning and control, shop floor management, product design and development, supplier relationship management, and customer relationship management. The implementation level of agile manufacturing tactics is investigated in each area. A structural equation model is proposed. Hypotheses are formulated. Feedback from 456 firms is collected using five-point-Likert-scale questionnaire. Statistical analysis is carried out using IBM SPSS and AMOS. Multicollinearity, content validity, consistency, construct validity, ANOVA analysis, and relationships between agile components are tested. The results of this study prove that the agile manufacturing tactics have positive effect on the overall agility level. This conclusion can be used by manufacturing firms to manage challenges when trying to be agile

Lean-Based Design and Analysis of a Continuous Improvement Engineering Approach for Jordanian Land Transport Industry

For an open, competitive, and lean economy, especially in industrialized development nations like Jordan, competitiveness, efficiency, and low global transportation costs are crucial. It is vital to address these concerns to sustain lean transportation services. This paper intends to present a lean-based analysis of a continuous improvement approach for Jordanian land transport industry, the aim behind that is to improve the overall effectiveness of the Jordanian land transportation sector. The research uses the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) as a lean tool to fill the knowledge gap between theory and practice and to shed light on the continual improvements of Jordan's land transportation sector. Five of the largest land transportation companies have provided data, which has been gathered using primary and secondary data sources. Managers, drivers, and operations officers are polled using a 65-question Five-Point-Likert survey. The research looks at how the cost of transportation, customer satisfaction, safety, management emphasis, travel time, and driving abilities affect overall effectiveness. Operations, technical, and managerial efficiency are the metrics used to evaluate efficiency. Eight hypotheses between three efficiency measures and six independent variables are brought up. Correlations, tolerance tests, and Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) multicollinearity tests validate and confirm the findings. The research identifies significant barriers impeding the effectiveness of Jordan's land transportation industry and seeks to close the gap between theory and practice. Future research plans to investigate how other Jordanian service sectors measure their efficiency because the developed approach is useful and applicable

Improving Process Efficiency at Pediatric Hospital Emergency Department Using an Integrated Six-Sigma Simulation Methodology

Inadequate staffing and long waiting times in hospital emergency rooms are key concerns that can have a negative impact on patient safety and health, as well as the hospital’s overall performance. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the scope of combining the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) methodology with discrete event simulation and to explore its successful deployment in the Jordanian healthcare sector. The study discussed in this paper is based on a case study conducted utilizing the DMAIC and simulation technique and its application in reducing waiting time and enhancing overall system efficiency in Jordan’s Princess Rahma hospital’s pediatric emergency department. The study shows improvements in the performance of the process and thus productivity in the emergency department through adapting the combined Six Sigma DES methodology. The cycle time of the process was reduced by 73% of the present value, while simultaneously enhancing the total performance of the emergency department by 83%