Modelling in the evaluation of a manufacturing strategy

This thesis describes research that has developed the principles of a modelling tool for the analytical evaluation of a manufacturing strategy. The appropriate process of manufacturing strategy formulation is based on mental synthesis with formal planning processes supporting this role. Inherent to such processes is a stage where the effects of alternative strategies on the performance of a manufacturing system must be evaluated so that a choice of preferred strategy can be made. Invariably this evaluation is carried out by practitioners applying mechanisms of judgement, bargaining and analysis. Ibis thesis makes a significant and original contribution to the provision of analytical support for practitioners in this role. The research programme commences by defining the requirements of analytical strategy evaluation from the perspective of practitioners. A broad taxonomy of models has been used to identify a set of potentially suitable techniques for the strategy evaluation task. Then, where possible, unsuitable modelling techniques have been identified on the basis of evidence in the literature and discarded from this set. The remaining modelling techniques have been critically appraised by testing representative contemporary modelling tools in an industrially based experimentation programme. The results show that individual modelling techniques exhibit various limitations in the strategy evaluation role, though some combinations do appear to provide the necessary functionality. On the basis of this comprehensive and in-depth knowledge a modelling tool ' has been specifically designed for this task. Further experimental testing has then been conducted to verify the principles of this modelling tool. Ibis research has bridged the fields of manufacturing strategy formulation and manufacturing systems modelling and makes two contributions to knowledge. Firstly, a comprehensive and in-depth platform of knowledge has been established about modelling techniques in manufacturing strategy evaluation. Secondly, the principles of a tool that supports this role have been formed and verified.

Quality management and performance:a comparison between the UK and Turkey

Purpose: The aim of this article is to detail the correlation between quality management, specifically its tools and critical success factors, and performance in terms of primary operational and secondary organisational performances. Design/methodology/approach: Survey data from the UK and Turkey were analysed using exploratory factor analyses, structural equation modelling and regression analysis. Findings: The results show that quality management has a significant and positive impact on both primary and secondary performances; that Turkish and UK attitudes to quality management are similar; and that quality management is widely practised in manufacturing and service industries but has more statistical emphasis in the manufacturing sector. The main challenge for making quality management practice more effective lies in an appropriate balanced use of the different sorts of the tools and critical success factors. Originality/value: This study takes a novel approach by: (i) exploring the relationship between primary operational and secondary organisational performances, (ii) using service and manufacturing data and (iii) making a cross-country comparison between the UK (a developed economy) and Turkey (a developing economy). Limitations: Detailed contrast provided between only two countries. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Sensing presence (PreSense) ontology : user modelling in the semantic sensor web

Increasingly, people's digital identities are attached to, and expressed through, their mobile devices. At the same time digital sensors pervade smart environments in which people are immersed. This paper explores different perspectives in which users' modelling features can be expressed through the information obtained by their attached personal sensors. We introduce the PreSense Ontology, which is designed to assign meaning to sensors' observations in terms of user modelling features. We believe that the Sensing Presence ( PreSense ) Ontology is a first step toward the integration of user modelling and "smart environments". In order to motivate our work we present a scenario and demonstrate how the ontology could be applied in order to enable context-sensitive services. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

The structure and dynamics of 2-dimensional fluids in swelling clays

The interlayer pores of swelling 2:1 clays provide an ideal 2-dimensional environment in which to study confined fluids. In this paper we discuss our understanding of the structure and dynamics of interlayer fluid species in expanded clays, based primarily on the outcome of recent molecular modelling and neutron scattering studies. Counterion solvation is compared with that measured in bulk solutions, and at a local level the cation-oxygen coordination is found to be remarkably similar in these two environments. However, for the monovalent ions the contribution to the first coordination shell from the clay surfaces increases with counterion radius. This gives rise to inner-sphere (surface) complexes in the case of potassium and caesium. In this context, the location of the negative clay surface charge (i.e. arising from octahedral or tetrahedral substitution) is also found to be of major importance. Divalent cations, such as calcium, eagerly solvate to form outer-sphere complexes. These complexes are able to pin adjacent clay layers together, and thereby prevent colloidal swelling. Confined water molecules form hydrogen bonds to each other and to the clays' surfaces. In this way their local environment relaxes to close to the bulk water structure within two molecular layers of the clay surface. Finally, we discuss the way in which the simple organic molecules methane, methanol and ethylene glycol behave in the interlayer region of hydrated clays. Quasi-elastic neutron scattering of isotopically labelled interlayer CH 3OD and (CH2OD)2 in deuterated clay allows us to measure the diffusion of the CH3- and CH2-groups in both clay and liquid environments. We find that in both the one-layer methanol solvates and the two-layer glycol solvates the diffusion of the most mobile organic molecules is close to that in the bulk solution.

Design and designing:a critical introduction

Design and Designing provides a broad and critical understanding of what is essentially a practical subject. Designing today is less a craft and more a part of the knowledge economy. It's all about knowing how to acquire knowledge and how to apply it creatively. Design and Designing covers the design process, modelling and drawing, working with clients, production and consumption, sustainability, professional practice and design futures. Chapters are written by expert teachers and practitioners from around the globe, each presenting an accessible and engaging overview of their field of design. Every chapter is highly illustrated with a combination of images and information boxes, which extend or highlight key material. Each section concludes with a design project, a hands-on activity for the reader. Design and Designing covers the full spectrum of design types, from graphic communication to product design, from fashion to games design, setting every type in its aesthetic, ethical and social contexts. With this essential book, readers will learn from today's best practice and best thinking in design, they will develop a critical sense, and become the designers of tomorrow.

Senior management leadership, social support, job design and stressor-to-strain relationships in hospital practice

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the quality of senior management leadership on social support and job design, whose main effects on strains, and moderating effects on work stressors-to-strains relationships were assessed. Design/methodology/approach: A survey involving distribution of questionnaires was carried out on a random sample of health care employees in acute hospital practice in the UK. The sample comprised 65,142 respondents. The work stressors tested were quantitative overload and hostile environment, whereas strains were measured through job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Structural equation modelling and moderated regression analyses were used in the analysis. Findings: Quality of senior management leadership explained 75 per cent and 94 per cent of the variance of social support and job design respectively, whereas work stressors explained 51 per cent of the variance of strains. Social support and job design predicted job satisfaction and turnover intentions, as well as moderated significantly the relationships between quantitative workload/hostility and job satisfaction/turnover intentions. Research limitations/implications: The findings are useful to management and to health employees working in acute/specialist hospitals. Further research could be done in other counties to take into account cultural differences and variations in health systems. The limitations included self-reported data and percept-percept bias due to same source data collection. Practical implications: The quality of senior management leaders in hospitals has an impact on the social environment, the support given to health employees, their job design, as well as work stressors and strains perceived. Originality/value: The study argues in favour of effective senior management leadership of hospitals, as well as ensuring adequate support structures and job design. The findings may be useful to health policy makers and human resources managers. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Simulation and Evaluation of High-Voltage Power Systems for Civil Aircraft

A status report of the modelling and simulation work that is being undertaken as part of the TIMES (Totally Integrated More Electric Systems) project is presented. Dynamic power quality simulations have been used to asses the performance of the electrical system of a EMA based actuation system for an Airbus A330 size aircraft, for both low voltage 115 V, and high voltage 230 V three-phase AC systems. The high voltage system is shown to have benefits in terms of power quality and reduced size and weight of equipment.

Sensing presence (PreSense) ontology:user modelling in the semantic sensor web

Increasingly, people's digital identities are attached to, and expressed through, their mobile devices. At the same time digital sensors pervade smart environments in which people are immersed. This paper explores different perspectives in which users' modelling features can be expressed through the information obtained by their attached personal sensors. We introduce the PreSense Ontology, which is designed to assign meaning to sensors' observations in terms of user modelling features. We believe that the Sensing Presence ( PreSense ) Ontology is a first step toward the integration of user modelling and "smart environments". In order to motivate our work we present a scenario and demonstrate how the ontology could be applied in order to enable context-sensitive services. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Integrating OpenMI and Uncertweb:managing uncertainty in OpenMI models

OpenMI is a widely used standard allowing exchange of data between integrated models, which has mostly been applied to dynamic, deterministic models. Within the FP7 UncertWeb project we are developing mechanisms and tools to support the management of uncertainty in environmental models. In this paper we explore the integration of the UncertWeb framework with OpenMI, to assess the issues that arise when propagating uncertainty in OpenMI model compositions, and the degree of integration possible with UncertWeb tools. In particular we develop an uncertainty-enabled model for a simple Lotka-Volterra system with an interface conforming to the OpenMI standard, exploring uncertainty in the initial predator and prey levels, and the parameters of the model equations. We use the Elicitator tool developed within UncertWeb to identify the initial condition uncertainties, and show how these can be integrated, using UncertML, with simple Monte Carlo propagation mechanisms. The mediators we develop for OpenMI models are generic and produce standard Web services that expose the OpenMI models to a Web based framework. We discuss what further work is needed to allow a more complete system to be developed and show how this might be used practically.

Data Assimilation Technique For Flood Monitoring and Prediction

This paper focuses on the development of methods and cascade of models for flood monitoring and forecasting and its implementation in Grid environment. The processing of satellite data for flood extent mapping is done using neural networks. For flood forecasting we use cascade of models: regional numerical weather prediction (NWP) model, hydrological model and hydraulic model. Implementation of developed methods and models in the Grid infrastructure and related projects are discussed.

On the Mathematical Modelling of Microbial Growth: Some Computational Aspects

We propose a new approach to the mathematical modelling of microbial growth. Our approach differs from familiar Monod type models by considering two phases in the physiological states of the microorganisms and makes use of basic relations from enzyme kinetics. Such an approach may be useful in the modelling and control of biotechnological processes, where microorganisms are used for various biodegradation purposes and are often put under extreme inhibitory conditions. Some computational experiments are performed in support of our modelling approach.

Modelling in the evaluation of a manufacturing strategy

This thesis describes research that has developed the principles of a modelling tool for the analytical evaluation of a manufacturing strategy. The appropriate process of manufacturing strategy formulation is based on mental synthesis with formal planning processes supporting this role. Inherent to such processes is a stage where the effects of alternative strategies on the performance of a manufacturing system must be evaluated so that a choice of preferred strategy can be made. Invariably this evaluation is carried out by practitioners applying mechanisms of judgement, bargaining and analysis. Ibis thesis makes a significant and original contribution to the provision of analytical support for practitioners in this role. The research programme commences by defining the requirements of analytical strategy evaluation from the perspective of practitioners. A broad taxonomy of models has been used to identify a set of potentially suitable techniques for the strategy evaluation task. Then, where possible, unsuitable modelling techniques have been identified on the basis of evidence in the literature and discarded from this set. The remaining modelling techniques have been critically appraised by testing representative contemporary modelling tools in an industrially based experimentation programme. The results show that individual modelling techniques exhibit various limitations in the strategy evaluation role, though some combinations do appear to provide the necessary functionality. On the basis of this comprehensive and in-depth knowledge a modelling tool ' has been specifically designed for this task. Further experimental testing has then been conducted to verify the principles of this modelling tool. Ibis research has bridged the fields of manufacturing strategy formulation and manufacturing systems modelling and makes two contributions to knowledge. Firstly, a comprehensive and in-depth platform of knowledge has been established about modelling techniques in manufacturing strategy evaluation. Secondly, the principles of a tool that supports this role have been formed and verified.

Modelling in the evaluation of a manufacturing strategy

This thesis describes research that has developed the principles of a modelling tool for the analytical evaluation of a manufacturing strategy. The appropriate process of manufacturing strategy formulation is based on mental synthesis with formal planning processes supporting this role. Inherent to such processes is a stage where the effects of alternative strategies on the performance of a manufacturing system must be evaluated so that a choice of preferred strategy can be made. Invariably this evaluation is carried out by practitioners applying mechanisms of judgement, bargaining and analysis. Ibis thesis makes a significant and original contribution to the provision of analytical support for practitioners in this role. The research programme commences by defining the requirements of analytical strategy evaluation from the perspective of practitioners. A broad taxonomy of models has been used to identify a set of potentially suitable techniques for the strategy evaluation task. Then, where possible, unsuitable modelling techniques have been identified on the basis of evidence in the literature and discarded from this set. The remaining modelling techniques have been critically appraised by testing representative contemporary modelling tools in an industrially based experimentation programme. The results show that individual modelling techniques exhibit various limitations in the strategy evaluation role, though some combinations do appear to provide the necessary functionality. On the basis of this comprehensive and in-depth knowledge a modelling tool ' has been specifically designed for this task. Further experimental testing has then been conducted to verify the principles of this modelling tool. Ibis research has bridged the fields of manufacturing strategy formulation and manufacturing systems modelling and makes two contributions to knowledge. Firstly, a comprehensive and in-depth platform of knowledge has been established about modelling techniques in manufacturing strategy evaluation. Secondly, the principles of a tool that supports this role have been formed and verified.

A simulation conceptual modelling procedure for SCM applications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline a seven-phase simulation conceptual modelling procedure that incorporates existing practice and embeds a process reference model (i.e. SCOR). Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the simulation and SCM literature identifies a set of requirements for a domain-specific conceptual modelling procedure. The associated design issues for each requirement are discussed and the utility of SCOR in the process of conceptual modelling is demonstrated using two development cases. Ten key concepts are synthesised and aligned to a general process for conceptual modelling. Further work is outlined to detail, refine and test the procedure with different process reference models in different industrial contexts. Findings - Simulation conceptual modelling is often regarded as the most important yet least understood aspect of a simulation project (Robinson, 2008a). Even today, there has been little research development into guidelines to aid in the creation of a conceptual model. Design issues are discussed for building an ‘effective’ conceptual model and the domain-specific requirements for modelling supply chains are addressed. The ten key concepts are incorporated to aid in describing the supply chain problem (i.e. components and relationships that need to be included in the model), model content (i.e. rules for determining the simplest model boundary and level of detail to implement the model) and model validation. Originality/value – Paper addresses Robinson (2008a) call for research in defining and developing new approaches for conceptual modelling and Manuj et al., (2009) discussion on improving the rigour of simulation studies in SCM. It is expected that more detailed guidelines will yield benefits to both expert (i.e. avert typical modelling failures) and novice modellers (i.e. guided practice; less reliance on hopeful intuition)

Investigating the role of parent and child characteristics in healthy eating intervention outcomes

While numerous studies have investigated the efficacy of interventions at increasing children's vegetable consumption, little research has examined the effect of individual characteristics on intervention outcomes. In previous research, interventions consisting of modelling and rewards have been shown to increase children's vegetable intake, but differences were identified in terms of how much children respond to such interventions. With this in mind, the current study investigated the role of parental feeding practices, child temperament, and child eating behaviours as predictors of intervention success. Parents (N = 90) of children aged 2-4 years were recruited from toddler groups across Leicestershire, UK. Parents completed measures of feeding practices, child eating behaviours and child temperament, before participating in one of four conditions of a home-based, parent led 14 day intervention aimed at increasing their child's consumption of a disliked vegetable. Correlations and logistic regressions were performed to investigate the role of these factors in predicting intervention success. Parental feeding practices were not significantly associated with intervention success. However, child sociability and food fussiness significantly predicted intervention success, producing a regression model which could predict intervention success in 61% of cases. These findings suggest that future interventions could benefit from being tailored according to child temperament. Furthermore, interventions for children high in food fussiness may be better targeted at reducing fussiness in addition to increasing vegetable consumption.