Advanced manufacturing systems: supply–demand matching of manufacturing resource based on complex networks and Internet of Things

ABSTRACT

After investigation on the existing advanced manufacturing systems (AMSs), it is found that supply–demand matching of manufacturing resource is one of the common issues to be addressed in all AMSs, and methods for addressing this issue have evolved from P2P (peer-to-peer)-based, to information centre-based, and to platform (or system)-based matching, and are moving towards socialisation and service-based solutions. In order to adapt to this trend, a new method for manufacturing resource supply–demand matching based on complex networks and Internet of Things (IoT) is proposed, and a four-layered architecture for implementing this method is designed. In this method, IoT technology is employed to realise the intelligent perception and accessing of various manufacturing resources and capabilities (MR&C), which enables logical aggregation of various distributed MR&C in the form of services. Then complex networks model and theory are used to realise the efficient manufacturing service management, optimal-allocation, and supply–demand matching. In this article, the specific key technologies for implementing the method are presented, including key technologies for manufacturing service generation and aggregation, manufacturing demand/task management, supply–demand matching of MR&C in the form of services, and value/utility adding based on manufacturing service network (MSN), manufacturing task network (MTN) and manufacturing enterprises collaborative network (ECN).     

The Strategic Effects of Information Technology on Organisational Performance in a Developing Environment

Abstract

The study examines empirically the relationships between information technology, organisational performance, and sectors. The effects of IT on the organisational performance are evaluated with respect to generic strategic opportunities obtained from IT. This relationship and to what extent companies in the two sectors, manufacturing and service sectors, utilise these opportunities are comparatively studied. The findings of the study have shown that the effects of information technology on organisational performance and the relationship between generic strategic opportunities and organisational performance are different in the manufacturing and the service sectors.     

The complementarity of IT and HRM capabilities for competitive performance: a configurational analysis of manufacturing and industrial service SMEs

ABSTRACT

Building on the resource-based view (RBV) perspective, we analyse the combined effects of two highly-valued organizational resources, namely information technology (IT) capabilities and human resource management (HRM) capabilities, on the competitive performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Three resource configurations are derived from data on 227 SMEs (121 from the manufacturing sector and 106 from the industrial services sector) through a cluster analysis. These resource configurations are labelled IT Capabilities-dominant Configuration (ITC), e-Business Capabilities-dominant Configuration (e-BC), and HRM Capabilities-dominant Configuration (HRC). This last configuration is the best-performing, followed by the e-BC, with the ITC as the worst-performing. The results also show that manufacturing and service firms are very unevenly distributed within HRC and ITC configurations, suggesting notable differences between the two sectors regarding their respective IT and non-IT capability-building. The fact that service SMEs are overwhelmingly represented (93%) in the worst-performing configuration and completely absent (0%) in the most effective configuration while displaying the strongest IT infrastructure capabilities confirms that the IT productivity paradox is aggravated in service SMEs and calls for further research on this issue.     

A service governance mechanism based on process mining for cloud-based applications

ABSTRACT

With the widely use of cloud computing in enterprise information systems, service governance becomes critical for an enterprise to adapt to a changing business environment. In order to provide a dynamic strategy for continuous service governance, in this paper a comprehensive service analysis solution is proposed to address both design time and run-time requirements for cloud applications. First, a process-centric Semantic Scene Model is composed to combines static business requirements with dynamic execution information. Then service analysis is conducted referring both to the business process mining results from event logs and the Semantic Scene Model given by business model designers. Service governance strategies are generated from the service analysis results and are performed to qualitatively classify the Quality of Service (QoS) of the services. Finally the approach is verified with a transportation logistics service application in a cloud platform. The result shows that our method can get continuous service governance through combining business processes with run-time service analysis.     

Teaching proactivity in the entrepreneurial classroom

Abstract

This article examines the extent to which a proactive attitude can be considered a component of the entrepreneurial mindset and can be learned in the entrepreneurial classroom. We test the impact on students’ proactive attitude of two different teaching methods: a teacher-directed approach and a self-directed learning approach. We include group potency and emotions as variables that may moderate proactivity learning outcomes. Our sample is composed of 281 Master students in a French business school. Using a mixed methodological approach, the results demonstrate that the proactive attitude can be learned and that collaborative teamwork, a creative team spirit and positive emotions contribute to its development. We offer guidelines for the pedagogical design of EM education, an alternative tool to assess its impact, and a better understanding of emotional factors associated with group potency in student entrepreneurial teams.     

Research on manufacturing grid resource service optimal-selection and composition framework

In order to address the resource service optimal-selection (RSOS) and composition problem in manufacturing grid (MGrid) system and provide high-quality service to users, an MGrid RSOS and composition framework (MGrid-RSOSCF) is investigated in this study. The process of RSOS and composition is divided into the following five steps in MGrid-RSOSCF: (1) decomposing the submitted manufacturing task into several subtasks (i.e. single resource service requested task) if the submitted task is a multiple resource service requested task; (2) searching out the qualified resource service for each decomposed subtask and generating the corresponding candidate resource service set; (3) retrieving, evaluating and comparing the quality of service (QoS) for each candidate resource service, and provide data for service optimal-selection and composition –if the submitted task is a single resource service requested task; (4) evaluating synthetically the overall quality of each candidate resource service and ranking them, and selecting the optimal one for the task – if the submitted manufacturing task is an multiple resource service requested task; (5) selecting one candidate resource service from each candidate resource service set and constructing a new composite resource service according to the submitted task requirements, and collecting all the possible resource service composite execution paths (RSCEP) and selecting the optimal paths to execute the task. The proposed MGrid-RSOSCF consists of five layers and each layer provides the corresponding necessary services and algorithms to address one problem mentioned above. The five layers are: (1) T-layer, responsible for MGrid task decomposition; (2) S-layer, responsible for resource service match and search; (3) Q-layer, responsible for QoS processing; (4) O-layer, responsible for evaluating and ranking the candidate resource service and (5) C-layer is responsible for resource service composition and optimal-selection. The case study and comparison of performances of the algorithms demonstrate that the proposed methods are sound on success rate and executing efficiency.     

Estimation of the precision matrix of multivariate Pearson type II model

In this paper, the problem of estimating the precision matrix of a multivariate Pearson type II-model is considered. A new class of estimators is proposed. Moreover, the risk functions of the usual and the proposed estimators are explicitly derived. It is shown that the proposed estimator dominates the MLE and the unbiased estimator, under the quadratic loss function. A simulation study is carried out and confirms these results. Improved estimator of tr (Σ ⁻¹) is also obtained.     

An assessment of the interruption level of doctors in outpatient appointment scheduling

Interruptions to the server in an outpatient clinic environment have received limited attention in the appointment scheduling literature. However, explicitly modeling interruptions on the part of the doctor may have an impact on the optimal appointment schedule and consequently, on patient waiting times. This is explored with a simulation optimization model that is based on data from time studies and interviews with medical professionals from multiple outpatient clinics. The results show a “plateau-dome” scheduling rule for practical implementation to be robust for low interruption rates and a traditional dome pattern for higher levels of interruptions. In addition, if clinic operations are such that doctors are able to adjust their behavior to complete all work during the session, then the schedule is invariant to changes in the interruption rate.     

生产效率为中介的制造企业内服务与绩效关系研究

由于制造企业对于企业内部服务功能的日益重视,制造企业内服务越来越成为使制造企业获得持续的竞争优势从而促进企业绩效的重要部分.从制造企业内服务的概念入手,通过文献将制造企业内服务分为信息处理、制造过程控制、会计核算和产品质量保障四个部分,并分析了制造企业内服务通过生产效率这个中介变量来提升企业绩效的作用过程,据此提出了理论模型.实证结果显示:(1)制造企业内服务各要素与企业绩效存在着部分的正相关的关系;(2)生产效率在制造企业内服务部分指标与企业绩效之间存在着显著的中介效应.     

Multi-stakeholders’ assessment of bike sharing service quality based on DEMATEL–VIKOR method

ABSTRACT

Bike sharing is a sustainable mode of urban transportation. Assessing the perceived service quality is essential to improve the development of bike sharing. Most of the existing research evaluates the service quality of bike sharing only from the perspective of its users. This study assesses the perceived quality gap among four different stakeholders including government regulators, platform operators, bike association and users. First, an evaluation criteria system consisting of sixteen criteria obtained from the five dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy is constructed based on a revised service performance model. Thereafter, a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making model that combines Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) with VIsekriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) is proposed. Then, the model is applied to evaluate the service quality of bike sharing in Xi’an City. Finally, some useful suggestions are given to improve the bike sharing service quality from the perspective of multi-stakeholders.     

Sustainability Strategy and Eco‐Innovation: A Moderation Model

This study develops a moderation model to examine the role of a proactive environmental strategy on eco‐innovation. Drawing upon the perspectives of contingency theory, this study argues that the impacts of sustainability strategy on eco‐innovation depend on market demand, innovation intensity and government subsidy. The sample used to test the hypotheses is obtained from the Community Innovation Survey in Taiwan. A total of 2955 manufacturing firms are included in the final sample. A logit moderating regression is adopted to analyze the models. The results reveal that market demand and government subsidy positively moderate the relationship between environmental strategy and eco‐innovation. Specifically, firms are more likely to adopt a proactive environmental strategy to improve eco‐innovation under high levels of market demand and government subsidy. Furthermore, the results indicate that innovation intensity affects the effect of environmental strategy on eco‐innovation, but the direction of the influence varies with different categories of eco‐innovation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

How does a boundaryless mindset enhance expatriate job performance? The mediating role of proactive resource acquisition tactics and the moderating role of behavioural cultural intelligence

Abstract

Drawing on self-determination theory, this study explores how a boundaryless mindset influences expatriate job performance, while incorporating the mediating role of proactive resource acquisition tactics and the moderating role of behavioural cultural intelligence. Analyses of three waves of data totalling 389 expatriate–supervisor dyads collected from 10 large Chinese multinational corporations indicated that a boundaryless mindset has a positive influence on expatriate task and contextual performance through the mediating role of proactive resource acquisition tactics. Furthermore, behavioural cultural intelligence enhanced the effects of proactive resource acquisition tactics on task performance and contextual performance. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

The Fading Attraction of Central Regions: an Empirical Note on Core–Periphery Gradients in Western Europe

Abstract

This paper describes sectoral core–periphery gradients across Western European regions over the period 1975–2000, and it estimates the impact of EU membership on countries’ internal geography. Overall, it is found that the centrality of European regions has been losing importance as a determinant for the location of employment. Central regions have gained employment share in none of the eight broad sectors analysed, whereas peripheral regions have significantly gained employment share in four of these sectors. Accession to the EU has favoured countries’ peripheral regions in terms of manufacturing employment and their central regions in terms of service employment.     

A context-based service matching approach towards functional reliability for industrial systems

ABSTRACT

As service-oriented computing is commonly used in industrial systems to deal with the continually changing business environment, matching processes with existing services becomes one of the most important phases in constructing, integrating and optimizing information systems. The precision of semantic service matching becomes a critical factor in ensuring the correctness of functionalities in system processes. However, the dependability of semantic service matching cannot be warranted in complex contexts. To improve semantic service matching for industrial systems, a context-based semantic service matching approach named ‘Process-Based service MatchMaker’(PBMM) is proposed in this paper. It selects the suitable services for the process from candidate services through taking the dependencies of related services process into consideration.     

A new three-dimensional manufacturing service composition method under various structures using improved Flower Pollination Algorithm

With the growing complexity of customer requirements and the increasing scale of manufacturing services, how to select and combine the single services to meet the complex demand of the customer has become a growing concern. This paper presents a new manufacturing service composition method to solve the multi-objective optimization problem based on quality of service (QoS). The proposed model not only presents different methods for calculating the transportation time and transportation cost under various structures but also solves the three-dimensional composition optimization problem, including service aggregation, service selection, and service scheduling simultaneously. Further, an improved Flower Pollination Algorithm (IFPA) is proposed to solve the three-dimensional composition optimization problem using a matrix-based representation scheme. The mutation operator and crossover operator of the Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm are also used to extend the basic Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) to improve its performance. Compared to Genetic Algorithm, DE, and basic FPA, the experimental results confirm that the proposed method demonstrates superior performance than other meta heuristic algorithms and can obtain better manufacturing service composition solutions.     

Public service motivation and customer service behaviour: testing the mediating role of emotional labour and the moderating role of gender

ABSTRACT

Prior research indicates that public service motivation (PSM) provides a motivational base for effective emotion regulation. This study extends this body of research by investigating how service workers in different gender groups regulate their emotions during service transactions. Analysis of survey data from public service workers in Thailand showed that ‘deep acting’ is the primary emotional labour strategy-linking PSM and customer service behaviour (CSB), whereas ‘surface acting’ does not play a mediating role. The results further revealed that PSM has a stronger association with male workers’ CSB only via deep acting. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed.     

Reforming public services: does service logic have anything to offer?

ABSTRACT

This article discusses what service management and the logic of service (SL) can offer to public service management. There are no real inbuilt differences between public and private service organizations and no reasons why public service organizations (PSOs) would be less efficient and less service-focussed and oriented towards service users than private service organizations. Good service management rather than privatization is required to make a PSO more efficient and effectively outward-oriented. Service-focussed value creation management and how service logic can be applied by PSOs to enable them to transform to outward-focussed service organizations are discussed. A change framework is presented.     

Green process innovation and operational performance: The role of proactive environment strategy,technological capabilities,and organizational learning

With increase in the focus on environmental protection, firms are integrating sustainability issues in process and product innovations. Firms can contribute toward sustainability and also improve operational performance through green innovation practices. However, the adoption of green innovation practices depends on the proactivity of top managers toward environment management. In this paper, we study the relationships between proactive environment strategy, green process innovation (GPRI), and operational performance. Further, we examine the mediating effect of dynamic capabilities (DCs) (technological capabilities and organizational learning) between GPRI and operational performance. The proposed framework is tested by data collected from the Indian manufacturing industries and using partial least squares (PLS) technique. The findings demonstrate proactive environment strategy as an important antecedent for GPRI practices. Second, technological capabilities and organizational learning mediate between GPRI and operational performance. The results of the study are useful for managers in the manufacturing firms, who are interested to implement GPRI practices or who are in the early stage of implementing the GPRI practices.     

The relationship between newcomers’ emotional labor and service performance: the moderating roles of service training and mentoring functions

Abstract

Retaining newcomers and enhancing their service performance are critical issues for the human resource management and hospitality management fields. However, newcomers have just begun to learn the organizational display rules and often encounter more emotional problems than veteran employees. Thus, how organizations help the newcomers to manage their emotions in order to deliver better service is an important issue. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study explores the relationship between newcomers’ emotional labor and service performance, and examines whether human resource practices such as service training and mentoring functions can moderate this association. We collected data from hospitality newcomers and their supervisors from 34 hotels. A total of 244 valid paired questionnaires were collected during two different time phases. The results of hierarchical regression analysis show that newcomers’ deep acting positively relates to service performance and service training can enhance this relationship. In addition, mentoring functions also differentially moderate the relationships between the two emotional labor strategies and service performance.     

Reference subsystems for Smart Manufacturing Collaborative System (SMCS) from multi-processes,multi-intersections and multi-operators

ABSTRACT

In this paper, multi-process collaboration subsystem, multi-intersection collaboration subsystem, and multi-operator collaboration subsystem are deduced through the overall architecture of Smart Manufacturing Collaborative System (SMCS). Furthermore, the detailed implementation steps of SMCS are given, and verified by a case study in an automotive enterprise, which can realize the sharing of information, data and resources between adjacent business links and improve the utilization rate of enterprise's overall information and data resources. It also can improve design efficiency, save manufacturing costs and improve supply response speed. Then, it can save communication costs, and improve the utilization rate of information service resources.