Using soft systems methodology to address supply chain management problems

This paper reports an investigation of if, and how, Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) might.be used to facilitate better management of industry supply chains. In two workshops involving supply chain managers from the Textile Clothing and Footwear (TCP) industry and industry facilitators, ways in which SSM techniques might supplement existing Supply Chain Management (SCM) workshop approaches have been explored. Specifically, the placement of SSM techniques within a workshop setting, reactions to the techniques, perceived reasons for using SSM, together with strengths and difficulties encountered, have been examined.

The application of soft systems methodology to supply chain management

This chapter reflects upon techniques that might facilitate improved strategic decision making in a supply chain management (SCM) environment. In particular, it presents the integration of a selection of techniques adapted from an approach to systems-based problem solving that has emerged primarily in the UK over the last 20-30 years—the soft systems methodology (SSM). The results reported indicate that SSM techniques can complement existing SCM decision-making tools. In particular, this chapter outlines a framework for integrating some SSM techniques with approaches based upon the supply-chain operations reference-model (SCOR) .

The soft systems approach to understanding trust in alliances in Australia

Alliances are complex projects with high levels of risk and uncertainty. Despite the pain share and gain share commercial arrangement in alliances, Trust is still an issue between the Alliancing Leadership Team (ALT) and Alliancing Management Team relationship (AMT). Although the concept and components of trust have been discussed by various researchers, the characteristic of trust under different situations has not been tested within the procurement research domain. Based on semi-structured interviews with the members of the ALT and AMT of an alliance project in Australia the underlying trust based relationships between the AMT and ALT were investigated using the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). Results demonstrate that cognitive, affect, system and cognitive-affect based trust are mediated by common good, needs, sharing, breach temptation and mishap situations. This research demonstrates that the adversarial culture of the Australian construction industry cannot be changed by the implementation of trust principles alone. The culture of suspicion dominating the ideological view of the construction industry requires organizational learning between alliance parties to execute appropriate behaviours, aligned with the alliancing philosophy, to effectively achieve ideal collaboration.

Analysing online teaching and learning systems using MEAD

The review of literature pertaining to systems analysis and design and the design of systems for online teaching and learning has identified some “gaps” and has shown the need for a more specialised and specific method for the design of such systems. This paper presents research that was conducted to collect information to assist in the filling of the gaps of the systems analysis and design knowledge within Australia and also presents a method for the development of online teaching and learning systems. Currently design is done in an ad-hoc fashion with little formal input from the student users; this research aims to rectify this. The paper puts forwards an educational design approach based upon Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). The outcome of the research is a practical method – the Method for Educational Analysis and Design (MEAD).

Analysing online teaching and learning systems using MEAD

The review of literature pertaining to systems analysis and design and the design of systems for online teaching and learning has identified some “gaps” and has shown the need for a more specialised and specific method for the design of such systems. This paper presents research that was conducted to collect information to assist in the filling of the gaps of the systems analysis and design knowledge within Australia and also presents a method for the development of online teaching and learning systems. Currently design is done in an ad-hoc fashion with little formal input from the student users; this research aims to rectify this. The paper puts forwards an educational design approach based upon Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). The outcome of the research is a practical method – the Method for Educational Analysis and Design (MEAD).

Improve construction knowledge management system by using the soft system methodology

The construction industry has a poor record in the management of its knowledge and results into huge wastage of resources and detrimental effect to quality. Research has shown that data and information management system plus knowledge management are a critical part of today's project management practice for construction projects. Few people will deny that 'quality information' and 'useful knowledge' are extremely important to any decision-making. However, the current processes of handling information and knowledge in the construction industry and increasingly costly. One of the major reasons is the nature of this industry is not conducive to good knowledge management and the traditional data/information systems used in the industry has long been critisized. It is very common that information is often duplicated, inconsistent and not current. In turn, making knowledge becomes difficult to manage properly. Project managers have in the past found it very difficult to source and analyse data in order to make sound decisions. This paper is part of a doctoral research project which summarizes three exploratory surveys; namely ERP system, Partnering strategy and Leadership impact of a knowledge management system in a construction company. Those findings are described by using the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) which later becomes the basis for actions research. SSM is useful to reveal complexities of the knowledge management situations that occur in construction industry. The first stage was to conduct interviews of the different practices in knowledge and reporting process. Then, the SSM rich picture was developed to present the problematic areas including difficulties in inputting data to enable the knowledge platform in place. The research then develops root definition and CATWOE, and a conceptual model was formed. Interviewees were conducted with structured questions to identify prioritized actions and activities that can be undertaken to improve and manage the knowledge platform.

Aligning multiple knowledge perspectives in a health services system : a case study

This chapter reports the results of a feasibility study into electronic collection of service data at “point of delivery” for disability programs. The investigation revealed that while the proposed system would have produced more fine-grained data, it would not have improved any actor’s knowledge of service delivery. The study illustrated the importance of context in the transition from data to knowledge; the diffused and fragmented organisational structure of social service administration was shown to be a major barrier to effective building and sharing of knowledge. There was some value in the collection of detailed service data but this would have damaged the web of relationships which underpinned the system of service delivery and on which the smooth functioning of that system depended. The study recommended an approach to managing the informal and tacit knowledge distributed among many stakeholders, which was not especially technologically advanced but which supported, in a highly situated manner, the various stakeholders in this multi-organisational context.

Distributional overlap rather than habitat differentiation characterizes co-occurrence of bivalves in intertidal soft sediment systems

Diverse species assemblages are often associated with a diversity of habitat structures. Sedimentary systems seem to be no exception, as within sedimentary systems benthic species diversity within a sample point appears to correlate with sediment grain size complexity. However, it remains to be shown whether total benthic species diversity relates to a system’s sediment heterogeneity across multiple systems. In the present paper we examined whether bivalve diversity is associated with: (1) sediment heterogeneity across systems and (2) sediment grain size complexity within systems, at 9 temperate and tropical tidal flat systems. Although bivalve life-history strategies, like post-settlement habitat selection, might suggest that sediment heterogeneity should be important for bivalve species, bivalve diversity and sediment heterogeneity were not associated across systems. Interestingly, the association between total benthic diversity and sediment heterogeneity was also not significant, suggesting that changing species composition across systems does not account for the lack of a correlation between bivalve diversity and sediment heterogeneity. Instead of habitat differentiation, bivalve diversity within a sample point was highest in ‘complex’ fine-grained sediments and bivalve distributions showed a large degree of distributional overlap in all systems. The results of this study at both smaller and larger spatial scales suggest that coexistence between bivalve species in diverse tidal flats is not associated with increased sediment heterogeneity.

Soft tissue characterisation using a force feedback-enabled instrument for robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery systems

An automated laparoscopic instrument capable of non-invasivemeasurement of tip/tissue interaction forces for direct application in robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery systems is introduced in this chapter. It has the capability to measure normal grasping forces as well as lateral interaction forces without any sensor mounted on the tip jaws. Further to non-invasive actuation of the tip, the proposed instrument is also able to change the grasping direction during surgical operation. Modular design of the instrument allows conversion between surgical modalities (e.g., grasping, cutting, and dissecting). The main focus of thispaper is on evaluation of the grasping force capability of the proposed instrument. The mathematical formulation of fenestrated insert is presented and its non-linear behaviour is studied. In order to measure the stiffness of soft tissues, a device was developed that is also described in this chapter. Tissue characterisation experiments were conducted and results are presented and analysed here. The experimental results verify the capability of the proposed instrument in accurately measuring grasping forces and in characterising artificial tissue samples of varying stiffness.

Agent-Based Hybrid Intelligent Systems: An Agent-Based Framework for Complex Problem Solving

Pt. I. Fundamentals of hybrid intelligent systems and agents -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Basics of hybrid intelligent systems -- 3. Basics of agents and multi-agent systems -- Pt. II. Methodology and framework -- 4. Agent-oriented methodologies -- 5. Agent-based framework for hybrid intelligent systems --6. Matchmaking in middle agents -- Pt. III. Application systems -- 7. Agent-based hybrid intelligent system for financial investment
planning -- 8. Agent-based hybrid intelligent system for data mining -- Pt. IV. Concluding remarks -- 9. The less the more -- App. Sample source codes of the agent-based financial planning system

Functional group conflict in information systems development

This paper discusses how interpersonal conflict between IS developers and clients can disrupt IS projects.  It is suggested how potential problems can be avoided by getting the 'soft' factors right which can lead to improvements in information systems development (ISD) processes.  However little is being done in most organisations to review success from this perspective.  Measurement of ISD quality tends to favour the product rather than the human drivers that influence the development of the product.  Several ideas are put forward that can be used to resolve conflict and tp better involve stakeholders in the ISD process.

Feedback credibility issues in trust management systems

The following topics are dealt with: soft computing in intelligent multimedia; grid and pervasive computing security; interactive multimedia & intelligent services in mobile and ubiquitous computing; data management in ubiquitous computing; smart living space; software effectiveness and efficiency.