Maintenance Management Performance of Malaysian Palm Oil Mills

Performance of an organization should be appraised simultaneously, both in terms of its efficiency in resource utilization process and effectiveness in realizing the pre-determined goals. Measuring performance provides the required information to the management for effective decision making and is used by industries to assess progress against set goals and objectives in a quantifiable way. Deficient maintenance management can severely affect competitiveness of an organization by reducing throughput, increasing inventory, and leading to poor performance. Applying Overall Equipment Effectiveness, this research study, has evaluated maintenance management performance in Malaysian palm oil mills, highlighted how it helps to identify the factors causing poor performance and demonstrates how to improve and perpetuate company’s productivity, profits, and sustainability by adopting world class maintenance strategies such as Total Productive Maintenance. This research study supplicated data by mail survey questionnaire sent to all Malaysia palm oil mills, validated data through triangulation, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The research exalts practitioner’s perspective and has determined that Scientific Management Theory axioms and Total Productive Maintenance principles are not being applied to optimize productivity in palm oil mills. The research also identified theory and practice gaps pertinent to maintenance management in palm oil mills and provided shop-level solutions to bridge those gaps. Research findings established how efficient and effective maintenance management offers, besides substantial cost savings, a wide scope of improvements for the palm oil industry. In order to ensure competitiveness and sustainability in the 21st century, it is obligatory for Malaysian palm oil mills to adopt best management practices in processing, manufacturing and maintenance

Supply chain integration in broiler contract farming and business performance: Knowledge based view perspective

This concept paper aims to investigate the relationship between knowledge sharing practices within and between business partners as a framework for integration, and to examine the effect of these practices on business performance. Data will be collected from broiler contract industry in Malaysia.SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Sciences) will be used for data analysis. Three knowledge related constructs (internal knowledge integration, knowledge integration with growers, and knowledge integration with integrators) will be examined towards business performance.Further, these three variables collectively will explain relationship towards business performance.The relationships will be identified to support for the effectiveness of knowledge based collaboration. Managers can use this as a tool to conceptualize how their business can develop internal integration and collaborative relationships with their trading partners

Impelling Innovation at a Canadian Automotive Plant

In industrialized countries manufacturing firms are facing significant change resulting from mass customization, shortening product life cycles, increasing technological change, and the entry of international competitors into their markets as witnessed by the automotive and electronics industries. ‘Process Innovation’ is one of the key areas where innovation is exigent. It pertains to finding better or more efficient ways of producing existing products, or delivering existing services. Making innovation a ubiquitous capability in manufacturing is fundamentally a leadership challenge. It needs a tangible organizational infrastructure that makes managers accountable at all levels for driving, facilitating, and embedding the innovation process into every part of the culture. This paper construes the process of ‘impelling and managing innovation’ at an automotive metal stamping plant in Canada, during the 2007-2009 financial crises in North America. The paper discusses the processes, psychological and physical environment, organisational culture, economic climate, and program content; rationale, significance and denouement. The paper concludes that idea management systems don't replace traditional departments and processes involved in new services, products, or strategies. They serve as an adjunct to them and provide a framework that can help organizations turn innovation into an enterprise-wide discipline-and a sustainable process that drives growth in good times and bad. Auto industry is going to remain important, for local, regional and national economies, as well as for the future of the planet if ecologically sustainable transport systems are to be developed; it will, no doubt, remain an important topic in academia. Key Words: Process Innovation, Suggestion System, Manufacturing, Metal Stamping, Automotive Plan

Dry-Ice Blasting of Auto Robotic Assemblies

Welding robots are extensively applied in the automotive assemblies and Spot Welding is the most common welding application practiced in the auto stamping assembly manufacturing. Though adaptive resistance welding control automatically compensates to keep production and quality up to the levels needed as welding gun tips undergo wear so that the welds remain reliable; the system cannot compensate for deterioration caused by the slag and spatter on the part holding fixtures, sensors, and gun tips. To cleanse welding robots of slag and spatter, dry-ice blasting has proven to be an effective antidote. This paper describes Spot welding process, analyses the slag and spatter formation during robotic welding of stamping assemblies, and concludes that the dry ice blasting processs utility in cleansing of welding robots in auto stamping plant operations is preeminent

Technology parks of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore: A critical discourse

The emergence of global scale competition is leading towards the development of new mechanisms to help countries to become more competitive and technology parks are the vehicle of choice to achieve that.Technology Parks offer modern infrastructure and integrated info-structure to promote research and technology development and commercialization for wealth creation and sustainable economic growth and Global Competitiveness.This paper discusses the position of technology parks in East Asia; elaborates on their role in today’s nation development, analytically examines three selected technology parks in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore using GCI Index 2015 and concludes that Technology parks have contributed to gross domestic product (GDP) growth, infrastructure development, knowledge community expansion, capacity building, and export production and distribution.However, optimum benefits of Technology Parks accrue when they are established and managed professionally in line with the best practices and all transactions are equitable, just, and transparent; the whole process must culminate trust nationally and internationally

Evaluating effective spare-parts inventory management for equipment reliability in manufacturing industries

The spare part management function is critical from an operational perspective especially in asset intensive industries such as refineries, chemical plants, paper mills, automotive manufacturing, and oil mills.Given the determinants like demand, unpredictability, part substitution, and tight control on spare parts inventory coupled with high service level expectations; the exigency of spare parts management in manufacturing operations cannot be underrated.In most organizations, a constant scrimmage persists over the stocking, ordering, and maintaining of products required by maintenance and operations. The Materials Management and Purchasing functions are often vied against Maintenance, Facilities, Engineering, and Operations with respect to; the number and types of stock keeping units, capital and critical spares, obsolete inventory, inventory investment, and turnover and program operation. This paper evaluates best practices in the Maintenance Repairs & Overhauls, discusses the ABC classification scheme, and elaborates on the role of maintenance storeroom as service provider

Prepotence of biowrap model for micro green energy: A case for biodiesel for rural communities

Dwindling fossil resources, such as petroleum oils and coal, and the over dependence on imported fuels has prompted countries to look for internal resources to meet escalating energy demands. Micro energy from biofuels is one of the viable renewable energy options new technologies provide that can transform the remote rural communities.This paper outlines Bio-WRAP model developed by the author and illustrates that the oil obtained from amenity plantings and riparian buffers, including coconut and oil palm, can be a sustainable alternative to diesel fuel.The paper concludes that biofuels are sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and biodiesel is a green energy source for agriculture, transport and power generation at micro level use in rural communities

Broiler industry with emphasis on short supply chain in Malaysia

Poultry is one of the fastest growing an agricultural sectors.The poultry industry provides meat that is preferred by almost all cultures, is affordable and of good quality. In Malaysia, the poultry farming business has been in existence for a long time.The sub sectors of this industry are major buyers, processors and suppliers of processed commodities to the retail sectors and the final consumer markets.These markets are exposed to various risks, including input-commodity price volatility, high capital requirements, the inherent business and climatic risks of the different sub sectors and various other challenges. These factors have a major impact on decision makers, from large to micro role players in the agricultural supply chain, especially in the feed and livestock markets. Restrictive factors currently being faced by broiler industry players in doing business, among others, include issues relating to infrastructure for feed manufacturers (the cost and competitiveness of doing business).A good infrastructure may assist with optimizing the feed industry at higher levels of operation.In recent years there has been a changed interest and a significant growth in alternatives to the conventional food supply chain which allow primary producers and consumers to connect in new and more direct ways through short supply chain.This study enhances the emerging knowledge base on this fast growing sector of the food industry and rural landscape and more specifically, examines how the sector might be encouraged and facilitated to grow further and provides findings on the current situation relating to the broiler industry

The moderating effect of religiosity on the relationship between technology readiness and diffusion of electronic commerce

Developing states, following the theory of “the survival of the fittest”, are severely in need of building up their electronic commerce for their economic survival on the globe.Beside other challenges, developing states are lagging behind in terms of technology readiness (TR).Another leading factor, particularly within the practicing Muslim communities, could be the impact of religiosity that has been unanimously found playing an immense role in buyers’ buying attitude, judgment of product price and quality. Having an immense influence, it affects both intra-personally and interpersonally.Furthermore, religiosity shapes consumers’ mind-set, learning and life style and is also considered as one of the significant factors with regards to hi-tech innovations adoption. This paper puts light on the relevant and valuable perspectives: technology readiness, religiosity and diffusion of electronic commerce, in the perspective of Muslim majority developing countries. While contributing to the field of knowledge, the study highlights the importance of technology readiness and trust in the diffusion process of electronic commerce. Looking into the moderating effect of religiosity in this regard, it underlines the unique features (completeness, universality, ever-greenness and applicability) of Islam including the moderate approach of Islam, toward technologies including e-commerce, thus boosting up electronic commerce trade.While, possessing the practical, educational and theological implications, the study will be helpful to all the stakeholders including; prospective consumers, governmental concerned authorities and e-commerce global community

Diffusion of electronic commerce (B2C) in Oman through education sector -an analysis based on E.M. Rogers' theory of diffusion of innovations (DoI) 1995

Notwithstanding Sultanate of Oman is recently entitled as one of the fastest growing nations over the last 40 years among 135 states in the world and is grouped as the most developed and stable country in the region by the United Nations Development Program me, it ranks low in the list of electronic commerce (EC) practicing countries worldwide.Indeed, it is locals' attitude towards EC that has been resulting in country's lower position in the list states pursuing EC and not technological infrastructure.Addressing important factors effecting persuasion of business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce in Oman, this paper aims to uphold a thorough analysis by using E.M. Rogers's theory of diffusion of innovations (DoI) and come up with a proposed framework and valuable suggestions those will help diffusing EC within the Sultanate.In this regard, it is recommended that intellectuals including; academicians, scholars and students can play a vital role by conducting interpersonal communication across the community