Initial mental representations of design problems: Differences between experts and novices

Defining and structuring wicked design problems has a major influence on subsequent problem solving, and demands a considerable level of skill. Previous research on mental representations in design is scarce, and has been largely based on students or individual experts. This study explored the differences in the initial mental representations of real-life product development problems between advanced product development engineering students and recommended, professional experts. Expert mental representations were found to demonstrate superior extent, depth and level of detail, accommodating more interconnections and being more geared toward action. The results indicate that targeting relevancy perceptions to locate interconnections and promote proactivity can be a key factor in developing product development education to better match the requirements faced by professionals.Peer reviewe

Enhancing creative knowledge-work: challenges and points of leverage

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore critical success factors in knowledge‐intensive creative project work, using product development as an example field. Design/methodology/approach– Critical‐incident based in‐depth interviews of 11 product development experts (chosen based on their recommendations and length of experience) were carried out. The results were categorized into thematic classes of critical factors. Findings– Most challenges are embedded in the context of the product development projects. Collaboration and cognitive‐motivational factors such as trust, attitude, and intrinsic motivation‐related issues formed the most common classes of discovered critical factors behind product development project success, along with the mediating categories of goal and autonomy‐related factors. Furthermore, product development specific skills or knowledge accounted only for a small minority of the identified factors. Practical implications– The most pressing learning objective becomes not updating product development knowledge, but that of increasing motivation, initiative, trust, and collaboration. As the discovered challenges are embedded in the context of work, addressing them ultimately requires project managers to master some of the personnel development aspects traditionally left for human resources management. Training efforts need to be tailored to the project context if they are to have a lasting impact on behavior. Originality/value– In addition to providing further support for the importance of climate factors, this paper suggests that special attention should be directed towards goal setting and autonomy, as they play a significant role in many of the climate and cognitive‐motivational constructs increasing creativity.Peer reviewe

Optimal Control of an Uncertain Linear Networked Control Systems Under Denial of Service Attacks

Controller design based on networked control system (NCS) framework typically relies on the use of computers and communication network systems to automatically monitor and manage the interactions and data exchanges between plant, sensor, controller and actuator elements of the considered closed loop NCS. Such design and implementation scheme are often challenging, particularly due to the requirement of guaranteed reliability and resiliency to possible failure of or malicious cyber attacks on the communication system part. This paper examines the stability of a class of uncertain linear NCS that is subjected to Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks. In essence, a DoS is a failure phenomenon on the communication links which in NCS framework can prevents the execution of ideal control inputs to take place. Specifically, this paper examines the design of an event-triggered resilient controller for an uncertain linear NCS in the face of such a DoS phenomenon and characterizes sufficient conditions under which the closed loop NCS is guaranteed to remain globally asymptotically stable

The central role of exploration in designing business concepts and strategy

Design thinking is described as a combination of thinking and acting that leads to new solution possibilities for design problems. Though traditionally linked to the design of objects and services, it can be applied to organizational processes as well. This paper examines design thinking in developing a new business, focusing on the business concept and strategy formation in the start-up phase of the company. How and what elements of design thinking are manifested in the process of designing a business concept and forming a strategy? What is the importance of these elements in this process? The results reveal the experimental and iterative nature of developing the business concept and strategy. In addition, these organizational processes were strongly influenced by the product offering, stakeholders, and environment that the company operated in. While the results highlighted the importance of emergence, they also illustrated a need for structure and planning, thus reminding of the need of balancing between the two. Overall, the results suggest that many of the fundamental elements of design thinking are found in the development process of a company.Peer reviewe

Perceived Managerial Functions in the Front-End of Innovation

Purpose: Exploring managerial functions and related activities of inexperienced projectmanagers in the front-end of the innovation process (FEI). Design/methodology/approach: Fifteen student project managers were interviewed while they were engaged in the front-end phase of their respective 8-month projects. 757 interview transcript segments on their perceptions of managerial functions were categorized based on thematic similarity of content.Findings: Four major managerial functions emerged: providing structural support, coordinating and acting as a link, empowering the team, and encouraging and providing social support. Out of these, traditional task-oriented managerial functions were emphasized. Research limitations/implications: Although limited by the small amount of participants in a university setting, the results suggest that task-oriented managerial functions are dominant even in the FEI for inexperienced project managers. More research is needed to understand the antecedents and consequences of such task- dominance, and whether it persists as more experience is accrued. On the other hand, domain knowledge seemed to play a smaller role than indicated by previous research. Practical implications: Project managers should pay attention to creating structure in the uncertain front-end phase. Swift familiarization with the capabilities and practices of each team member cannot be overemphasized, as otherwise the heterogeneity of the team might become a limitation rather than asset. On the other hand, domain experience of the manager may not be necessary in the FEI. Originality/value: The study addresses the gap in previous research on managerial functions specifically in the FEI. Task-oriented managerial functions emerged as way of novice project managers attempting to deal with the fluctuating contingencies in order to foster innovation.Peer reviewe

Adapting to the changing needs of managing innovative projects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the changes in managerial activities and challengesat different phases of innovative projects. Design/methodology/approach – Six NPD project managers were interviewed in three differentproject phases in a qualitative, longitudinal design. The resulting 18 semi-structured face-to-faceinterviews were content analyzed and categorized according to thematic similarity. Findings – Altogether 19 categories describing managerial concerns in managing innovative projectswere recognized. Task-oriented, rather than people-oriented, approaches were dominant throughoutthe projects, although the reported concerns clearly varied at each phase. The early development phaseemerged as a transition point, where managers had to transform their roles, reported activitiesdecreased, and reported challenges increased. Research limitations/implications – Although based on a small number of participants in a singlesetting, the results highlight the need for longitudinal studies and differentiating between the variousphases of the innovation process, as there was great variance in the concerns of each phase.Furthermore, domain expertise seemed to have a large impact on how the managers reformulated theirrole in transitioning from the front-end to the development phases. Practical implications – The present study emphasizes the need to support managers intransitioning between different innovation phases and to recognize the need to adjust managerial roles.Further, it seemed crucial to establish the practices supporting successful teamwork in the front-endphase before the first phase transition. Originality/value – The study is a rare example of a longitudinal research design examining theimplications and transition between different phases of the innovation process within the sameprojects for project managers.Peer reviewe

Generating resources through co-evolution of entrepreneurs and ecosystems

Purpose – The emerging perspectives of entrepreneurial ecosystems, bricolage and effectuationhighlight the interaction between the entrepreneur and the surrounding community, and its potentialfor creative resource acquisition and utilization. However, empirical work on how this process actuallyunfolds remains scarce. This paper aims to study the interaction between the opportunity constructionprocess and the development of resources in the surrounding ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a qualitative analysis of the extreme case of AaltoEntrepreneurship Society (Aaltoes), a newly founded organization successfully promotingentrepreneurship within a university merger with virtually no resources, based on interviews of six keycontributors and four stakeholder organisations. Findings – The opportunity construction process both supported and was supported by two keyresource generating mechanisms. Formulating and opportunistically reformulating the agenda forincreasing potential synergy laid the groundwork for mutual benefit. Proactive concretization enhancedboth initial resource allocation and sustaining input to the process through offering tangible instancesof specific opportunities and feedback. Research limitations/implications – Although based on a single case study in a university setting,proactive concretization emerges as a promising direction for further investigations of the benefits anddynamics of entrepreneur– ecosystem interaction in the opportunity construction process. Practical implications – Intentionally creating beneficial entrepreneur– ecosystem interaction andteaching proactive concretization becomes a key goal for educators of entrepreneurship. Originality/value – The paper extends an understanding of creative resource generation and utilizationin the opportunity construction process. The role of proactive concretization was emphasized in theinteraction of the entrepreneur and the ecosystem, creating virtuous spirals of entrepreneurial activity.Peer reviewe

Framing activities and the co-evolvement of products and operations in new ventures

New ventures need to simultaneously develop both their first offering and the operations of the venture itself. This paper extends the notion of problem-solution co-evolvement from product design to venture design, presenting results from four new Finnish ventures in the midst of creating their first offering market-ready. Based on qualitative analysis of interviews of the entrepreneur teams of these ventures, it is suggested that differences in how the venture idea is initially approached translates into different types of co-evolvement between the offering and the operations of the new ventures. In two of the companies, the product frame had been collaboratively created and remained relatively stable. Development activities within product, business model and working practices did not require large changes in the other arenas. In contrast, the product frame was shifting in the two other ventures, and the co- evolvement of the product problem and solutions had major implications for the business model and operations, and vice versa. The entrepreneurs in these companies would have seemingly benefited from having more structured systematic micro-level working practices to balance the variance in the offering and operations. By conceptually linking venture formation to co-evolvement resulting from the initial frame of development efforts, the study serves to strengthen the link between product development and entrepreneurship research.Peer reviewe

Kinerja Pegawai Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah Bengkalis (Studi Kasus Pelayanan Pasien yang Dirujuk ke RSUD Arifin Ahmad Pekanbaru)

The research present describe about quality of staff in Bengkalis Hospital (study case service of patient to Arifin Ahmad Hospital Pekanabru). Hospital are public place for in healthy. Hospital in Bengkalis have a B type and now service of patient in Bengkalis Hospital cannot optimally because the increase of disease in society. The hospital that have a type A in Pekanbaru are Arifin Ahmad Hospital.The research use the methode are qualitative methodes that analyze problem research by describe the subject and object conditions based on real fact. This research use location in Bengkalis Regency and researcher collect data from books, government regulation, jurnal, mass media, website and deep interview with informan likes docter specialist, docter, patient and nurse in Bengkalis Hospital.The conclusion of this research are the quality of staff in Hospital (study case service of patient to Arifin Ahmad Hospital Pekanabru) are held base on standart operational procedure likes quality of staff, time services, and the paid for patient. And factors that influence the quality of staff in Bengkalis Hospital are communication between staff, human resources and medical tools that the Bengkalis Hospital mines.Keywords: quality, staff, hospital and service