Transformation towards Sustainable Business Models in Production: A Case Study of a 3D Printer Manufacturer

A global transformation from Industry 4.0 towards Industry 5.0 will soon take place. Such transformations are intrinsic to human and sustainable value creation. An increasing number of companies, recognising this imminent trend, will need to transform their current classical, solely profit-oriented business models into sustainable business models that also target human, social, and environmental aspects. Various frameworks already exist that support the design of sustainable business models. Practical applications of these frameworks and research on the transformation process in the production domain, which places a special focus on small and medium enterprises, is still scarce. This paper presents the first results from a sustainable business model transformation project on a European SME, which produces 3D printers. The research method applies a single case study design. The study was based on publicly available information and qualitative data, obtained through interviews and workshops carried out on an executive management level

Learning from past Disasters to Improve Crisis Management

In the event of a disaster the coordinated response of emergency services is crucial for saving lives and protecting critical infrastructure. Efficient communication and access to relevant information are essential elements in the immediate aftermath and all phases of the crisis management cycle to maintain public safety. As part of the European Commission funded FP7 project EPISECC (Establish Pan-European Information Space to Enhance Security of Citizens), an inventory of past disasters and critical events was developed. Information was obtained by systematic interviews with experts active in the field of crisis and disaster management on both national and international level. They represent organisations such as first responders, emergency services and civil protection offices from 15 EU (European Union) countries. The paper will outline several aspects such as the quality of information exchange between crisis managers and the analysis of key recommendations for improvement identified during the management of past disasters

Towards a More Socially Sustainable Advanced Pilot Training by IntegratingWearable Augmented Reality Devices

For flying all types of turbine-engine airplanes, a pilot must undergo an intense type rating (TR) course. This study investigated the learning conditions and TR course content, and specifies the most difficult course elements that could be tackled by augmented reality (AR) applications. Because women are underrepresented in the worldwide pilot population, it is important to address gender-specific preferences and needs in the development of AR-based wearable technologies for advanced pilot training. A gender-sensitive survey of the learning conditions and course contents was conducted with 31 pilots and 22 instructors. Despite many similarities, the results confirm that there are gender-specific needs and preferences for the development of future AR-based applications for TR training. In addition, the views of both pilots’ and instructors’ are required to obtain a comprehensive assessment of the learning contents and conditions related to TR. The results also show that time pressure increased the perceived difficulty of the course for some trainees. These results are important because they indicate the directions to be taken in developing future AR-based training applications for a more learner-centered and inclusive TR training. Future directions to foster a socially sustainable development of AR-based training means for TR with special focus on gender diversity are presented

Novel Mixed Reality Use Cases for Pilot Training

This study explored novel mixed reality (MR) use cases for pilot training using a mix of methods rooted in the general innovation theory of dynamic capabilities. The aim was to identify areas of improvement for various aspects of the flight training based on MR, in a socially and economically sustainable manner. Multiple surveys and workshops have been conducted with flight instructors, administrative staff, pilots and student pilots. The main result of this study is a systematic identification of the three most promising MR use cases: interactive theory training, cockpit procedure, and outside check training. These results are important because they inform the development of technical didactic tools for pilot training. The applicability of MR technologies to accommodate diverse user needs and preferences is addressed, while also considering aspects of economical sustainability

Towards a Pan-European Information Space

ABSTRACT When disasters occur, key factors for minimizing damages and loss of lives are access to necessary information and effective communication between emergency services. In cross-border disaster management, further challenges arise: language barriers, uneven know-how, organisational and technical differences in particular concerning communication and data or information exchange. To address those challenges, the FP7-Project EPISECC (Establish Pan-European Information Space to Enhance Security of Citizens) is working on the concept of a common information space to improve interoperability and efficiency while managing cross-border disasters. This involves researching on a common taxonomy and ontology as well as on interoperability functionalities and tools. A first step on this direction is the analysis of how disasters have been and are being managed. This paper reports on an inventory of disasters designed to consolidate such knowledge and aimed at being the basis for this information space. First gaps identified in communication/information management are also presented

A Networked Analysis and Engineering Framework for New Business Models

New technological possibilities and paradigm shifts from product-centered to service-centered offerings are one of the main drivers of business models. Business ventures today are more and more networked. Often, various partners are needed to deliver a service or product to frequently cross-linked customers with sometimes bi- or even multi-variant roles. Furthermore, business models are embedded in socio-technical systems where different kinds of needs and values of all actors, including social, ecological, technical and economic values, have to be balanced. The resulting complex network of actors, needs and values requires continuous management in order to create and operate viable and sustainable business models. This paper proposes a multi-layer framework to analyze existing business models as well as to shape new business ventures in a networked and values-based way and to support the identification of tacit network effects within business ecosystems. Based on an existing multi-layered analysis toolkit, focusing on legal and business dynamics aspects, an enhanced visualization and analysis tool is proposed that focuses especially on ethical, social and environmental aspects to foster the creation of (strongly) sustainable business models. The research process to create the presented approach followed the Design Science Research paradigm by applying argumentative-deductive analysis (ADA) and first applications in real-world case studies. A practical case from an international Open Source Software (OSS) project serves as an example to illustrate this values-based visualization and analysis layer and its benefits for managers and decision makers in the area of business model and information system management

Towards a Pan-European Information Space

When disasters occur, key factors for minimizing damages and loss of lives are access to necessary information and effective communication between emergency services. In cross-border disaster management, further challenges arise: language barriers, uneven know-how, organisational and technical differences in particular concerning communication and data or information exchange. To address those challenges, the FP7-Project EPISECC (Establish Pan-European Information Space to Enhance Security of Citizens) is working on the concept of a common information space to improve interoperability and efficiency while managing cross-border disasters. This involves researching on a common taxonomy and ontology as well as on interoperability functionalities and tools. A first step on this direction is the analysis of how disasters have been and are being managed. This paper reports on an inventory of disasters designed to consolidate such knowledge and aimed at being the basis for this information space. First gaps identified in communication/information management are also presented

Multimodal Augmented Reality Applications for Training of Traffic Procedures in Aviation

Mid-air collision is one of the top safety risks in general aviation. This study addresses the description and experimental assessment of multimodal Augmented Reality (AR) applications for training of traffic procedures in accordance with Visual Flight Rules (VFR). AR has the potential to complement the conventional flight instruction by bridging the gap between theory and practice, and by releasing students’ time and performance pressure associated with a limited simulator time. However, it is critical to assess the impact of AR in the specific domain and to identify any potential negative learning transfer. Multimodal AR applications were developed to address various areas of training: guidance and feedback for the correct scanning pattern, estimation if an encountering traffic is on collision course and application of the relevant rules. The AR applications also provided performance feedback for collision detection, avoidance and priority decisions. The experimental assessment was conducted with 59 trainees (28 women, 31 men) assigned to an experimental group (AR training) and a control group (simulator training). The results of tests without AR in the flight simulator show that the group that trained with AR obtained similar levels of performance like the control group. There was no negative training effect of AR on trainees’ performance, workload, situational awareness, emotion nor motivation. After training the tasks were perceived as less challenging, the accuracy of collision detection has improved, and the trainees reported less intense negative emotions and fear of failure. Furthermore, a scanning pattern test in AR showed that the AR training group performed the scanning pattern significantly better than the control group. In addition, there was a significant gender effect on emotion, motivation and preferences for AR features, but not on performance. Women liked the voice interaction with AR and the compass hologram more than men. Men liked the traffic holograms and the AR projection field more than women. These results are important because they provide experimental evidence for the benefits of multimodal AR applications that could be used complementary to the flight simulator training

UCTM—An Ambidextrous Service Innovation Framework—A Bottom-Up Approach to Combine Human- and Technology-Centered Service Design

Digital innovation is a key success factor for business enterprises and organizations concerned with public safety. Increasingly shorter technology cycles produce a stream of highly promising gadgets and smart devices and this innovative provision opens a gap between what is currently in use for the value-creation processes of an organization and what could potentially be used. The presented framework provides guidance on how to implement dynamic capabilities needed for business model and service innovation within a complex socio-technical system. A way to combine technology and use-case sensing with the ultimate aim of creating innovative artifacts for organizations is presented. While Business Model Innovation (BMI) literature mainly focuses on a strategic top-down process, we propose a bottom-up process-driven approach to complement business frameworks. Based on these insights, new service artifacts can be designed and analyzed in a systemic way. The applied research methodology is based on the design science research concept. A qualitative approach with focus groups was used to gather user requirements and facilitate participatory and user-centered design of information systems. In this paper, we provide a framework that supports business executives as well as IT experts on how to cope with and integrate new technologies into organizations, their processes, and their business models. In addition to a comprehensive theoretical overview of the proposed framework, we also provide practical results, since this framework was applied in the course of a service design and engineering research project. A use case of alpine rescue missions serves as an example to demonstrate the practical application of the proposed framework