Systemic absorptive capacity: creating early-to-market returns through R&D alliances

For most complex emergent technologies, product-market success depends on efficient linkages between changing lead innovators within the R&D process. In this paper, our unit of analysis is a complex high technology product and the system of alliance linkages formed to progress a product through R&D milestones. We present a model and evidence for advancing our understanding of how achieving early-to-market returns depends on systemic absorptive capacity. This systemic absorptive capacity is the cumulative efficiency in the use of absorptive capacity to link changing lead innovators across successive milestones in R&D product development. We advance propositions of how systemic absorptive capacity can explain performance differences between rival product development systems competing for early-to-market returns with similar products through accelerating speed to market, cost and quality advantages. These explanations are contrasted with the conclusions of previous studies that have focused on absorptive capacity of single firms or single alliances in R&D.     

Machine repairing models for production systems

In this paper we consider manufacturing systems of m identical unreliable machines producing one type of product. The operating time of each machine is exponentially distributed. The repairing process of a machine requires more than one phase. In each phase, the repair time is exponentially distributed and more than one operator may be required for fixing a broken machine. Here we consider two models of manufacturing systems. In the first model, there are r operators assigned in one server to repair a broken machine. The repairing rate in each phase depends on the number of operators there. This is a generalized model discussed in Buzacott and Shanthikumar [11]. We then consider a two-phase repairing model. Two groups of operators are assigned in the two phases. Each operator can handle one broken machine in each phase individually. This model is a generalization of Eben–Chaime's model [8]. Average profits are derived for both models and can be optimized by suitable allocation of the number of machines and operators in the systems.     

Exploiting and creating knowledge through customer–supplier relationships: lessons from a case study

Through an in-depth analysis of a customer–supplier relationship in the information technology market, we illustrate the complexities of vertical coordination processes. We focus on the strategic and organizational criteria that suppliers and customers must design in order to favour interaction between their heterogeneous competencies. In the examined case, the supplier provides general purpose knowledge to be utilized and enriched through the contact with, and fertilization by, application abilities available at the customer level.     

Relation‐specific capabilities and barriers to knowledge transfers: creating advantage through network relationships

This study examines the role of network knowledge resources in influencing firm performance. More specifically: Can a firm that uses the identical supplier network as competitors and purchases similar inputs from the same plants achieve a competitive advantage through that network? In a sample of U.S. automotive suppliers selling to both Toyota and U.S. automakers, we found that greater knowledge sharing on the part of Toyota resulted in a faster rate of learning within the suppliers' manufacturing operations devoted to Toyota. Indeed, from 1990 to 1996 suppliers reduced defects by 50 percent for Toyota vs. only 26 percent for their largest U.S. customer. The quality differences were found to persist within suppliers because the inter‐organizational routines and policies at GM, Ford, and Chrysler acted as barriers to knowledge transfers within suppliers' plants. These findings empirically demonstrate that network resources have a significant influence on firm performance. We also show that some firm resources and capabilities are relation‐specific and are not easily transferable (redeployable) to other buyers or networks. This result implies that a firm may be on its production possibility frontier for each customer but the productivity frontier will be different for each customer owing to constraints associated with the customer's network. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic pricing models for ERP systems under network externality

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems vendors face great challenges to enhance their market position and maximize their profits. Being able to simultaneously predict the diffusion of an ERP and to determine the right price to charge to a customer is a complex task. Earlier work has demonstrated evidence of network effect in the diffusion of ERP software in industries. In light of this evidence, we investigate in this paper the benefit of a dynamic pricing strategy for ERP systems vendors in a business network governed by a quantitative diffusion model. Based on a real scenario in the automotive industry, those quantitative models are integrated into a simulation-based optimization approach to tackle the problem. Our findings are promising and establish the foundation of a powerful decision support tool for ERP systems vendors.     

Learning CAD at university through summaries of the rules of design intent

The ease with which 3D CAD models may be modified and reused are two key aspects that improve the design-intent variable and that can significantly shorten the development timelines of a product. A set of rules are gathered from various authors that take different 3D modelling strategies into account. These rules are then applied to CAD strategic-knowledge learning methodology and included in 3D CAD modelling exercises for students following the degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Burgos (Spain). The experiment was conducted in two groups with a total of 75 students. The design-intent rules were introduced in the different exercises that the teacher explained in both the theoretical and the practical classes. In addition, a summary of the different design rules in each of the practical exercises was explained in the practical classes in only one of the groups. The experimental results, reported in this paper, tested the influence of these summaries on overall improvements in 3D modelling and on the design-intent variable, which is subdivided into four sections: skeleton, structures, alterations and constraints. The use of the summaries of the design intent rules led to statistically significant improvements in 3D modelling in the experimental group, in comparison with the group of students to whom those summaries were not explained.     

组织管理重在创新

企业的组织管理变革与创新,是增强企业活力,提升企业核心竞争力的重要途径。“十五”期间,义马煤业集团有限责任公司不断深化改革,以改革为动力,向管理要效益,实施以煤为主、煤—电—铝—化—建综合发展战略,实现了快速发展。并在此基础上,制定了义煤集团“十一五”发展规划,在义煤集团进入跨越发展的新阶段,企业的组织管理变革与创新面临着新的机遇与挑战。     

Learning technology through a process approach: The implementation of curriculum innovation through the pragmatic interventions of the teacher

The paper focuses on the practice of technology education in eight secondary schools in the north east of England. It illustrates that whilst Technology has been defined in terms of process the attempts to teach technological understanding solely through a similar model may not be the most effective method. In their quest for achievement for their pupils, teachers are adept at circumventing educational ideals by devising strategies and methodologies (in most cases subconsciously) which produce end results that satisfy their pupils, and also examination bodies, but may negate more reflective objectives. These approaches are not merely an attempt at obtaining easily gained acclaim but may be symptomatic of deeper rooted beliefs and ideals. The conclusions are based on a survey of published work as well as on the results of ethnographic research which appraised the practice of a sample of teachers in their handling of key points in this process approach.     

Learning design and technology through social networks for high school students in China

The subject of design and technology was introduced to the curriculum for high schools in China 10 years ago. However, the teaching and learning of this subject have become difficult for both teachers and students because there is a lack of qualified teachers with design background to deliver this subject in a way to stimulate the learning interests of the students. This paper presents a research that is aimed at improving this situation by integrating the teaching and learning of design and technology within a computational environment as part of social networks sites. The purpose is to enable the collaboration among the students and interaction between teachers and students. In this research, a series of investigations were conducted, by following through several taught subjects in design and technology in prominent high schools in China. Based on these investigations, a theoretical framework for web-based design learning and teaching system in the style of social networking is developed, implemented and tested, emphasizing three features of design: innovation, collaboration, and interaction. This framework has been tested among high school students and teachers in a high school in Nanjing. It identified and validated necessary techniques and design features required to make an education-related social networking site effective and affective for the students and teachers. The results of this research indicated that social networking sites have significantly positive values in design education, especially for the collaboration and interaction on the subject of design and technology.     

推进企业信息化建设 促进管理创新

煤炭工业要实现可持续健康发展,就必须走新型工业化道路,企业信息化则是有效途径和重要手段。党的十六大报告指出,“信息化是我国加速实现工业化和现代化的必然选择。坚持以信息化带动工业化,以工业化促进信息化,走出一条科技含量高、经济效益好、资源消耗低、环境污染少、人力     

Learning elemental structures and dynamic processes in technological systems: a cognitive framework

An important objective of science and technology education is the development of pupils’ capacity for systems thinking. While in science education the term system relates mainly to structures and phenomena in the natural world, technology education focuses on systems designed to fulfill people’s needs and desires: examples include systems to control the local environment, or the position or motion of objects. Despite the centrality of the system concept to technology and technology education, issues relating to the teaching and learning of systems within the technology curriculum have been little addressed. This paper explores some elemental structures common to technological feedback control systems, and highlights the relationships between the structural nature and the dynamic behavior of these systems. It is argued that the study of systems and control concepts in technology has the potential to promote higher learning skills such as interdisciplinary thinking and modeling, and an instructional framework for achieving this goal is proposed. Questions and research issues on the fostering of systems thinking in technology education are identified.     

Travel time models in automated storage/retrieval systems: A critical review

This paper presents a brief, critical review and a comparative study of some design aspects of automated storage/retrieval systems with special emphasis on travel time models. These aspects include improving throughput rate, changing retrieval sequencing rules, using order batching algorithms, applying various dwell point strategies and increasing the storage/retrieval machine capacity. Some of the results and discussions used in this paper have been adopted from available sources and the rest have been compiled and/or calculated from the recent literature as mentioned therein. A conclusion is made on the salient issues prevailing in the design of automated storage/retrieval systems.     

Facilitating multimodal logistics and enabling information systems connectivity through wireless vehicular networks

The adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) has made it possible to experience high levels of visibility, control and connectivity across the entire supply chain. However, in road transport logistics, wireless ICT applications like cellular networks, Wi-Fi, UMTS, 4G and WiMax have not entirely solved reliability and connectivity problems due to difficulties associated with limited range, scalability and security. This paper examines the feasibility of using a vehicular network technology, dedicated short range communication (DSRC), in a multimodal logistics environment as means of providing enhanced visibility and connectivity using a secure access architecture. The secure access architecture is necessary to provide a high degree of security to the detailed visibility involving road haulage feeding port operations using a centralised port service.     

Integrating livestock feeds and production systems into agricultural multi-market models: The example of IMPACT

The various ways in which livestock production systems can be incorporated into economic, partial-equilibrium, multi-market models are presented, and the challenges outlined. A particular focus and illustrative case is livestock feed. Foremost among the challenges is the reconciliation of scientific understanding of livestock feed requirements and production characteristics with the available national data. Another challenge is in estimating herd structures. An economic, multi-market modeling approach is presented which has been widely used in policy analysis and advocacy, and an account is given of the necessary recent enhancements for addressing livestock.     

对煤炭企业思想政治工作创新的几点认识

新形势下．如何教育引导职工树立和落实全面、协调、可持续的科学发展观．充分调动职工的积极性、主动性和创造性，形成深化改革、加快发展的整体合力．是各级党组织和广大思想政治工作者面临的一个新课题。要解决这一问题．就必须了解职工群众的迫切需求．在传统做法的基础上不断创新。发挥思想政治工作应有的作用．为全面建设小康矿区提供强大的精神动力和思想保证。     

Cost and performance analysis of a robotic rework cell

Printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) rework is an acceptable process step in PCBA manufacturing and widely performed using manual and semi-automated tools. Until recently, there has been a lack of international effort for the development of a fully automated rework system mostly due to the predicted high capital cost of such system. Since robots are used in PCBA manufacturing, PCBA robots are equipped and have been developed with multi-functional capabilities to assemble and inspect PCBAs. If the same equipment is used for rework, the high cost of the robot, on account of vision and other sensory needs can be eliminated and this can justify the investment. A robot-based rework system thus becomes an alternative technology to manual or semi-automated rework. Because there is no information on which technology is most appropriate, a model has been developed to predict the cost of reworking PCBAs using semi-automated and automated-robotic rework technologies. These two alternative rework technologies are analysed and compared to give an indication of how appropriate is a robotic rework cell.     

创新煤矿安全文化建设的『七大观念』

强化煤矿的安全文化建设,是树立科学的发展观,促进煤炭企业可持续发展的基础和关键。近年来,大屯能源股份有限公司徐庄煤矿在安全文化建设方面,努力创新了“七大观念”。有了安全作保证,2004年,设计年产90万吨的徐庄煤矿创出了采煤145万吨的记录,并荣获全国文明煤矿等荣誉称号。徐庄煤矿的主要做法是:1.加强安全基础设施建设,确保设备的完好和安全运行,努力创造一个良好、稳定的安全作业环境,这是安全文化建设的根本。煤矿所有设备设施都要按照2005年1月1日施行的《煤矿安全规程》的要求安装、维护、运行,并且要定期编制详细的安全技术措施…     

转变用水观念创新发展模式

明天我们将迎来第十四届“世界水日”和第十九届“中国水周”.联合国确定今年“世界水日”的主题是“水与文化”.我国纪念“世界水日”和开展“中国水周”活动的宣传主题为“转变用水观念,创新发展模式”,旨在深入贯彻落实科学发展观,积极推进经济结构调整和经济增长方式转变,建设资源节约型和环境友好型社会,以水资源的可持续利用保障经济社会的可持续发展.     

劳资和谐,重在“钱”程创新

一个合理适用的收入分配机制(薪酬管理系统),事关每一位职工的切身利益乃至企业的长远发展。近年来,淮北矿业集团机电装备公司从实际出发,不断探索收入科学分配的途径,创新薪酬管理制度,为企业发展奠定了坚实的基础。