Constrained bayesian inference of project performance models

Project performance models play an important role in the management of project success. When used for monitoring projects, they can offer predictive ability such as indications of possible delivery problems. Approaches for monitoring project performance relies on available project information including restrictions imposed on the project, particularly the constraints of cost, quality, scope and time. We study in this paper a Bayesian inference methodology for project performance modelling in environments where information about project constraints is available and can be exploited for improved project performance. We apply the methodology to probabilistic modelling of project S-curves, a graphical representation of a project’s cumulative progress. We show how the methodology could be used to improve confidence bounds on project performance predictions. We present results of a simulated process improvement project in agile setting to demonstrate our approach

Simulation Based Study of Safety Stocks under Short-Term Demand Volatility in Integrated Device Manufacturing.

© IEOM Society InternationalA problem faced by integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) relates to fluctuating demand and can be reflected in long-term demand, middle-term demand, and short-term demand fluctuations. This paper explores safety stock under short term demand fluctuations in integrated device manufacturing. The manufacturing flow of integrated circuits is conceptualized into front end and back end operations with a die bank in between. Using a model of the back-end operations of integrated circuit manufacturing, simulation experiments were conducted based on three scenarios namely a production environment of low demand volatility and high capacity reliability (Scenario A), an environment with lower capacity reliability than scenario A (Scenario B), and an environment of high demand volatility and low capacity reliability (Scenario C). Results show trade-off relation between inventory levels and delivery performance with varied degree of severity between the different scenarios studied. Generally, higher safety stock levels are required to achieve competitive delivery performance as uncertainty in demand increases and manufacturing capability reliability decreases. Back-end cycle time are also found to have detrimental impact on delivery performance as the cycle time increases. It is suggested that success of finished goods safety stock policy relies significantly on having appropriate capacity amongst others to support fluctuations

A simulation approach to innovation deployment readiness assessment in manufacturing

© Copyright 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Manufacturing companies need to continuously innovate in order to remain competitive. Fostering a successful innovative environment should reflect positively on manufacturing performance, with a premise that companies seek to attain appropriate level of readiness when deploying their innovation. This paper presents an approach to assessing innovation deployment readiness in manufacturing. Deployment is conceptualised as a sequential decision process that involves a deployment plan to be executed sequentially in an uncertain environment. The deployment plan is assessed using simulation to account for risks and uncertainties that may characterise the deployment activities in the target environment and the capabilities put forward in the plan for handling the risks and uncertainties. The approach is illustrated using a simulated manufacturing job shop scenario and the results show that deployment readiness can vary over time. Deployment readiness can be improved by identifying the states in which readiness is weak and taking appropriate actions.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Bread Returns Management in Commercial Plant Bakeries: Case Study

© IEOM Society International.Bread is part of the staple diet to many people around the world and commercial plant bakeries are amongst the key players in the bread market. Amongst the key concerns of commercial plant bakeries is sustainability. This paper focuses on bread returns. Bread returns and associated activities contribute to the costs of operating a commercial plant bakery and can impact on sustainability objectives or the lack thereof. Through a case study of three selected commercial plant bakeries in South Africa, this paper identifies the activities involved in the handling of returns as a means of exploring sustainable practices. The research methodology adopted in this paper uses literature review in combination with primary data collected from the selected commercial plant bakeries. The primary data is from interviews and questionnaire survey. Findings indicate that participating bakeries considered bread returns very significant and material given the characteristics of the industry. They are of the view that bread returns including associated waste is a current concern. The bread returns process flow observed in this study, in relation to reverse logistics, bears some similarities with those previously identified for the Swedish bread industry. Key improvement areas were highlighted including take-back clause and agreement in the context of producer/suppler retailer interface, Route-to-market (Sales Channels) contributions to total bread returns, handling and the disposal of bread waste arising from returns, and oversight role in bread returns management.Final Published versio

Exploring Attractive Quality Requirements for Short Food Supply Chain Digital Platforms

© 2022. This article published as an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and production in any medium, provided the author of the original work and original publication source are properly credited.Perceptions towards unsustainable supply chain practices in global, mainstream food systems are motivating a shift towards short food supply chains. Short food supply chains are developed to remove the physical and social distances between producer and consumer. Advances in digital technologies offer promise for short food supply chains, including platforms that can enable real-time data flow, create visibility, and support sustainable practices. This research aims to prioritise attractive quality requirements of short food supply chain digital platforms. The methodology consists of a literature review and Kano analysis for requirements prioritisation. The results show that the requirements span across the four Kano categories, attractive quality encompassing the largest number of requirements. The attractive quality requirements identified offer increased levels of satisfaction when present and have limited negative impact when missing. Therefore, they are considered exciting for potential users of a system. The limitations of the research and areas of future work are presented.Peer reviewe

Adaptations in SCOR Based Performance Metrics of Airline Catering Supply Chain during COVID-19 Pandemic

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License, to view a copy of the license, see: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.Purpose: There is the propensity of airline catering supply chains to adapt their performance measures in order to meet desired service level due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this paper is to develop a set of metrics for airline catering organisations and explore the choices of SCOR based performance metrics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Case study approach involving an airline catering supply chain organisation is adopted in this research. The SCOR framework is applied in the context of the case study supply chain to develop a performance metrics model for the chain. The performance metrics model is analysed and validated by a set of experts in the case study organisation. The experts are formed into a focus group. The performance metrics were prioritised using MoSCoW method based on the experience of the focus group participants on COVID-19 challenges. Findings: A hierarchical performance measure framework is proposed, and a set of 55 metrics from the SCOR framework is identified and validated for airline catering supply chains. MoSCoW based prioritisation of the metrics by the focus group participants results in 7 Level-1 SCOR metrics and 13Levels 2 & 3 SCOR metrics been considered as necessary to better mitigate COVID-19 pandemic challenges. Research limitations/implications: This research is based on a single case study and a small number of participants, which limits the generalisability of the results. Practical implications: With the development of performance metrics and the prioritisation presented in this paper, airline catering organisations can monitor their catering logistics performance and use techniques such as MoSCoW to decide performance measures priorities in situations such as theCOVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value: The work contributes to measuring performance in the airline catering supply chain and the need for considering adapting performance metrics using techniques such as MoSCoW, during challenging periods as in the COVID-19 pandemic.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Supply Chain Management in Airline Catering Service: Characteristics, Challenges and Trends

© IEOM Society International.Supply chain management and logistics play an essential role in the airline catering business. The airlines’ cost reduction strategies have recently shifted the focus from culinary aspects to supply chain management. This research aims to understand the unique characteristics, operational challenges and emerging trends of the airline catering supply chain. This research paper has chosen an exploratory and qualitative method based on an analysis of the current literature within supply chain management in the airline catering service. In addition, the findings from the case study presented in this paper are used to reveal more facts and add to the existing body of knowledge. An analysis was conducted by applying the five forces business analysis model proposed by Michael Porter to demonstrate the industry structure and identify the value of effective supply chain management in the airline catering industry. In addition, an empirical study of the airline catering service strategy of an airline catering organisation in the U.K. has been presented. Furthermore, a representation of the airline catering supply chain characteristics has been demonstrated with the processes of the SCOR model. Also, this paper seeks to understand the operational challenges and examines the emerging trends in the airline catering supply chain. Finally, the study concludes that supply chain management can offer enormous potential to improve service effectiveness and add economic value for airline catering industries.Final Published versio

Key Success Factors for Integration of Blockchain and ERP Systems: A Systematic Literature Review

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Blockchain technology offers immense potential for increasing efficiency by streamlining business operations. However, blockchain implementation is disruptive and requires high capital organizational processes as it fundamentally re-engineers and automates business processes. By integrating blockchain with Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs), organizations can enjoy the benefits of blockchain adoption with minimal disruption to their business model. The resources regarding integration of blockchain systems and ERP are scarce and dispersed as their applications are in different niches. Thus, there is a need for a study of literature that investigates blockchain and ERP integration and find its key success factors. This systematic literature review (SLR) investigates the key success factors of blockchain and ERP integration and finds the context of integration to derive meaningful insights regarding its application in different functional areas. A list of key success factors is identified. They could be broadly classified into three contexts – technological, organizational, and regulatory. Also important is the environment and sustainability of the integration. This study was able to conclude that the integration of ERP systems with blockchain will enhance the capabilities of current ERP systems by providing value propositions of the decentralized ledgers such as increased transparency, trust, and process automation.Peer reviewe

Modelling Causal Factors of Unintentional Electromagnetic Emanations Compromising Information Technology Equipment Security †

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Information technology equipment (ITE) processing sensitive information can have its security compromised by unintentional electromagnetic radiation. Appropriately assessing likelihood of a potential compromise relies on radio frequency (RF) engineering expertise—specifically, requiring knowledge of the associated causal factors and their interrelationships. Several factors that can cause unintentional electromagnetic emanations that can lead to the compromise of ITE have been found in the literature. This paper confirms the list of causal factors reported in previous work, categorizes the factors as belonging to threat, vulnerability, or impact, and develops an interpretive structural model of the vulnerability factors. A participatory modelling approach was used consisting of focus groups of RF engineers. The resulting hierarchical structural model shows the relationships between factors and illustrates their relative significance. The paper concludes that the resulting model can motivate a deeper understanding of the structural relationship of the factors that can be incorporated in the RF engineers’ assessment process. Areas of future work are suggested.Peer reviewe

Lean green practices in Automotive Components Manufacturing

© 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives CC BY-NC-ND licence, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/In response to the global surge in industrial competition, organizations have increasingly embraced lean green practices as an approach to identify and eliminate non-value-added waste in manufacturing processes, while ensuring sustainable practices. This research extends current literature on lean green practices in manufacturing by a) exploring current implementation of lean green practices in the automotive components manufacturing industry and b) examining the challenges encountered within its supply chain processes when implementing the practices. The evaluation utilizes the SCOR model, and a focus group of automotive components manufacturing professionals in the UK. The findings reveal that an average level of implementation of lean green practices, offering benefits such as enhanced productivity, cost reduction, and improved competitive advantage. Implementation challenges were found to be particularly faced in the sourcing and manufacturing (MAKE) processes of the supply chain, due largely to component outsourcing issues, and inefficiencies in the conversion of raw materials into finished products to meet supply chain demands.Peer reviewe