Business models for sustained ehealth implementation: lessons from two continents

There is general consensus that Computers and Information Technology have the potential to enhance health systems applications, and many good examples of such applications exist all over the world. Unfortunately, with respect to eHealth and telemedicine, there is much disillusionment and scepticism. This paper describes two models that were developed separately, but had the same purpose, namely to facilitate a holistic approach to the development and implementation of eHealth solutions. The roadmap of the Centre for eHealth Research (CeHRes roadmap) was developed in the Netherlands, and the Telemedicine Maturity Model (TMMM) was developed in South Africa. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the commonalities and differences of these approaches, and to explore how they can be used to complement each other. The first part of this paper comprises of a comparison of these models in terms of origin, research domain and design principles. Case comparisons are then presented to illustrate how these models complement one another

Simulation modelling as a tool for performing availability and sensitivity analysis

Simulation modelling is a general purpose tool that may be used to provide decision support in a number of application areas. It may be used to analyze, design or "optimize" manufacturing, materials handling, management, commercial and a wide variety of other systems. This paper will report on the design of a prototype decision support tool, based on a simulation model of a vehicle fleet availability problem. The primary purpose of the model is to serve as a tool for the evaluation of the availability of equipment under different conditions and to perform sensitivity analysis.Simulasiemodellering is 'n algemeendoelige tegniek wat gebruik kan word vir die verskaffing van besluitsteun in 'n aantal toepassingsgebiede. Dit mag gebruik word vir die analise, ontwerp of "optimisering" van vervaardiging-, materiaalhantering-, bestuur-, kommersieIe en 'n wye verskeidenheid ander stelsels. Hierdie referaat doen verslag oor die ontwikkeling van 'n prototipe besluitnemingshulpmiddel wat gebaseer is op 'n simulasiemodel van 'n voertuigvloot beskikbaarheidsprobleem. Die hoofdoelwit van die model is om te dien as 'n hulpmiddel by die evaluasie van die beskikbaarheid van toerusting onder verskillende omstandighede asook vir die uitvoer van sensitiwiteitsanalise.http://sajie.journals.ac.z

Manufacturing simulators

Simulation modelling has been identified as one of the most powerful techniques available for the analysis and design of complex manufacturing systems. A number of manufacturing simulators have been designed in an effort to make it easier to use the simulation approach in the manufacturing environment. This paper will attempt to describe and evaluate the characteristics of some of the available manufacturing simulators as well as possible ways to alleviate some of the inherent disadvantages. This paper will also report on the preliminary design philosophy and specifications of a manufacturing simulation program generator (FACSIM) presently under development.Simulasiemodellering is een van die mees kragtige tegnieke beskikbaar vir die analise en ontwerp van komplekse vervaardigingstelsels. In 'n poging om die gebruik van simulasiemodellering in die vervaardigingsomgewing te vergemaklik is 'n aantal vervaardigingsimulators ontwikkel. Hierdie artjkel sal poog om die eienskappe van sommige van die beskikbare vervaardigingsimulators te bespreek en te evalueer. Tegnieke wat moontlik gebruik kan word om die effekte van die inherente nadele van simulators te verminder sal bespreek word. Die voorlopige ontwerpfilosofie en -spesifikasie van 'n vervaardigingsimulasie programgenerator (FACSIM), wat tans ontwikkel word, sal ook beskryf word.http://sajie.journals.ac.z

A production planning system to continuously integrate the characteristics of reconfigurable manufacturing systems

Operation in a dynamic environment requires companies to constantly adapt their manufacturing systems to stay competitive. One approach to manufacturing is the use of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS). Current production planning approaches cannot model and realize the production-side adaptions available in RMS. In this article a novel planning system for modeling that continuously integrates the key characteristics of RMS in production planning and control (PPC) is presented. First, the challenges for production planning using RMS are defined. A feasible planning system is then presented, based on modeling and specification approaches, followed by a planning method to realize capacity scalability and functionality changes in planning processes. Finally, a prototypical application is outlined and the planning system is evaluated with the help of different production scenarios. The application results demonstrate the feasibility of the planning system as well as the potential improvement of typical key performance indicators in manufacturing

An alternative view to assessing antifragility in an organisation: A case study in a manufacutring SME

In complex adaptive systems, antifragility designates the positive sensitivity to volatility, caused by (exceptional or ‘black swan’) external stressors that intervene with the intended functionality of these systems. System Engineers can purposefully employ the concept antifragility to engender better systems. Prerequisite for this is the ability to adequately assess system changes and especially system improvements as the consequence of stressors. Albeit antifragility measurements do exist, their practicality is limited. This publication proposes a novel approach for antifragility measurement. A case study on a manufacturing SME depicts the antifragile spectrum rating of an SME to test the effects of system changes

TRENDS IN A SOUTH AFRICAN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH JOURNAL: A TEXTUAL INFORMATION ANALYSIS PERSPECTIVE

<p>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Industrial engineering (IE) is a multi-disciplinary field, with its research borders broadening into a wide range of sub-disciplines. The South African Journal of Industrial Engineering (SAJIE) has been the official voice of IE research in South Africa for the past 22 years. In the interests of evaluating research scope, it is worth determining how IE fields have been covered by this journal. What are the current topics in IE, and how do they align with IE publication trends in other countries? This article attempts to investigate these issues in an objective way by using a text analytical technique to analyse the SAJIE publication collection. Due to the growth in the quantity of accessible textual information, and the growing importance of this type of information to business people and industrial engineers alike, the relevant text analytical method is also outlined.</p><p>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bedryfsingenieurswese is ’n multidissiplinêre veld, met navorsingsgrense wat strek oor ’n wye reeks sub-dissiplines. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Bedryfsingenieurswese (SAJIE) was oor die afgelope 22 jaar die amptelike mondstuk vir bedryfsingenieurswese-gerigte navorsing in Suid-Afrika. Dit is betekenisvol om te bepaal in watter hoedanigheid bedryfsingenieurswesevelde deur die SAJIE gedek word, ten einde die bestek van navorsing te evalueer. Wat is die huidige temas van bedryfsingenieurswese, en hoe vergelyk dit met bedryfsingenieurswese-publikasieneigings in ander lande? Hierdie artikel poog om die vraagstuk op ’n objektiewe wyse na te vors deur die toepassing van ’n teksanalitiese tegniek om die SAJIE publikasie versameling te ontleed. Weens die toename in die hoeveelheid beskikbare tekstuele inligting, asook die toenemende belang van hierdie tipe inligting vir besigheidspersone asook bedryfsingenieurs, word die betrokke teksanalitiese metode ook bespreek.</p&gt

Simulation modelling as a tool for performing availability and sensitivity analysis

Simulation modelling is a general purpose tool that may be used to provide decision support in a number of application areas. It may be used to analyze, design or "optimize" manufacturing materials handling, management commercial and a wide variety of other systems. This paper will report on the design of a prototype decision support tool based on a simulation model of a vehicle fleet availability problem. The primary purpose of the model is to serve as a tool for the evaluation of the availability of equipment under different conditions and to perform sensitivity analysis

Knowledge creation processes as critical enablers for innovation

Conference PaperKnowledge conversion is a prominent theme within the knowledge management field and the question arises how knowledge creation processes can grow innovation capability maturity. This notion provides the platform for aligning knowledge creation processes to the requirements for innovation capability growth from one maturity level to the next. In order to achieve this alignment, the authors identified a knowledge creation path as a key enabler for maturity growth in each innovation capability area. Knowledge management tools and organisational facilitating conditions that support the specific knowledge processes highlighted in the identified path were identified through a literature study and subsequently synthesised to form a framework. This framework provides guidelines for the use of knowledge creation processes as a vehicle to improve innovation. The amount of time needed to practically test the framework does not allow for the practical implementation of the framework and the impact of the framework was demonstrated by discussing a practical organisational scenario. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved