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Management of Soft Information in Sales and Operations Planning

With a Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process, a company aims to manage the demand and supply by planning and forecasting. The studied company uses an integrated S&OP process to improve the company's operations. The aim of this thesis is to develop this business process by finding the best possible way to manage the soft information in S&OP, whilst also understanding the importance and types (assumptions, risks and opportunities) of soft information in S&OP. The soft information in S&OP helps to refine future S&OP planning, taking into account the uncertainties that affect the balance of the long-term demand and supply (typically 12-18 months). The literature review was used to create a framework for soft information management process in S&OP. There were not found a concrete way how to manage soft information in the existing literature. In consequence of the poor literature available the Knowledge Management literature was used as the base for the framework creation, which was seen in the very same type of information management like the soft information management is. The framework created a four-stage process to manage soft information in S&OP that included also the required support systems. First phase is collecting and acquiring soft information in S&OP, which include also categorization. The categorization was the cornerstone to identify different requirements that needs to be taken into consideration when managing soft information in S&OP process. The next phase focus on storing data, which purpose is to ensure the soft information is managed in a common system (support system) in a way that the following phase makes it available to users in S&OP who need by help of sharing and applications process. The last phase target is to use the soft information to understand assumptions and thoughts of users behind the numbers in S&OP plans. With this soft management process the support system will have a key role. The support system, like S&OP tool, ensures that soft information is stored in the right places, kept up-to-date and relevancy. The soft information management process in S&OP strives to improve the relevant soft information documenting behind the S&OP plans into the S&OP support system. The process offers an opportunity to individuals to review, comment and evaluate soft information in S&OP made by their own or others. In the case company it was noticed that without a properly documented and distributed soft information in S&OP it was seen to cause mistrust towards the planning.

Short-lasting systemic and regional benefits of early crystalloid infusion after intravenous inoculation of dogs with live Escherichia coli

We investigated the systemic and regional hemodynamic effects of early crystalloid infusion in an experimental model of septic shock induced by intravenous inoculation with live Escherichia coli. Anesthetized dogs received an intravenous infusion of 1.2 x 10(10) cfu/kg live E. coli in 30 min. After 30 min of observation, they were randomized to controls (no fluids; N = 7), or fluid resuscitation with lactated Ringer's solution, 16 ml/kg (N = 7) or 32 ml/kg (N = 7) over 30 min and followed for 120 min. Cardiac index, portal blood flow, mean arterial pressure, systemic and regional oxygen-derived variables, blood lactate, and gastric PCO2 were assessed. Rapid and progressive cardiovascular deterioration with reduction in cardiac output, mean arterial pressure and portal blood flow (~50, ~25 and ~70%, respectively) was induced by the live bacteria challenge. Systemic and regional territories showed significant increases in oxygen extraction and in lactate levels. Significant increases in venous-arterial (~9.6 mmHg), portal-arterial (~12.1 mmHg) and gastric mucosal-arterial (~18.4 mmHg) PCO2 gradients were also observed. Early fluid replacement, especially with 32 ml/kg volumes of crystalloids, promoted only partial and transient benefits such as increases of ~76% in cardiac index, of ~50% in portal vein blood flow and decreases in venous-arterial, portal-arterial, gastric mucosal-arterial PCO2 gradients (7.2 ± 1.0, 7.2 ± 1.3 and 9.7 ± 2.5 mmHg, respectively). The fluid infusion promoted only modest and transient benefits, unable to restore the systemic and regional perfusional and metabolic changes in this hypodynamic septic shock model.

Systemic and regional hemodynamic effects of enalaprilat infusion in experimental normotensive sepsis

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have been shown to improve splanchnic perfusion in distinct shock states. We hypothesized that enalaprilat potentiates the benefits of early fluid resuscitation in severe experimental sepsis, particularly in the splanchnic region. Anesthetized and mechanically ventilated mongrel dogs received an intravenous infusion of live Escherichia coli over a period of 30 min. Thereafter, two interventions were performed: fluid infusion (normal saline, 32 mL/kg over 30 min) and enalaprilat infusion (0.02 mg kg-1 min-1 for 60 min) in randomized groups. The following groups were studied: controls (fluid infusion, N = 4), E1 (enalaprilat infusion followed by fluid infusion, N = 5) and E2 (fluid infusion followed by enalaprilat infusion, N = 5). All animals were observed for a 120 min after bacterial infusion. Mean arterial pressure, cardiac output (CO), portal vein blood flow (PVBF), systemic and regional oxygen-derived variables, and lactate levels were measured. Rapid and progressive reductions in CO and PVBF were induced by the infusion of live bacteria, while minor changes were observed in mean arterial pressure. Systemic and regional territories showed a significant increase in oxygen extraction and lactate levels. Widening venous-arterial and portal-arterial pCO2 gradients were also detected. Fluid replacement promoted transient benefits in CO and PVBF. Enalaprilat after fluid resuscitation did not affect systemic or regional hemodynamic variables. We conclude that in this model of normotensive sepsis inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme did not interfere with the course of systemic or regional hemodynamic and oxygen-derived variables.

Defining Sales and Operations Planning Process in an Environmental Management Company

Sales and operations research publications have increased significantly in the last decades. The concept of sales and operations planning (S&OP) has gained increased recognition and has been put forward as the area within Supply Chain Management (SCM). Development of S&OP is based on the need for determining future actions, both for sales and operations, since off-shoring, outsourcing, complex supply chains and extended lead times make challenges for responding to changes in the marketplace when they occur. Order intake of the case company has grown rapidly during the last years. Along with the growth, new challenges considering data management and information flow have arisen due to increasing customer orders. To manage these challenges, case company has implemented S&OP process, though initial process is in early stage and due to this, the process is not managing the increased customer orders adequately. Thesis objective is to explore extensively the S&OP process content of the case company and give further recommendations. Objectives are categorized into six different groups, to clarify the purpose of this thesis. Qualitative research methods used are active participant observation, qualitative interviews, enquiry, education, and a workshop. It is notable that demand planning was felt as cumbersome, so it is typically the biggest challenge in S&OP process. More proactive the sales forecasting can be, more expanded the time horizon of operational planning will turn out. S&OP process is 60 percent change management, 30 percent process development and 10 percent technology. The change management and continuous improvement can sometimes be arduous and set as secondary. It is important that different people are required to improve the process and the process is constantly evaluated. As well as, process governance is substantially in a central role and it has to be managed consciously. Generally, S&OP process was seen important and all the stakeholders were committed to the process. Particular sections were experienced more important than others, depending on the stakeholders’ point of views. Recommendations to objective groups are evaluated by the achievable benefit and resource requirement. The urgent and easily implemented improvement recommendations should be executed firstly. Next steps are to develop more coherent process structure and refine cost awareness. Afterwards demand planning, supply planning, and reporting should be developed more profoundly. For last, information technology system should be implemented to support the process phases.

Systemic and regional hemodynamics in pigs with acute liver failure and the effect of albumin dialysis.

OBJECTIVE: Acute liver failure (ALF) is haemodynamically characterized by a hyperdynamic circulation. The aims of this study were to investigate the systemic and regional haemodynamics in ALF, to measure changes in nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) and to evaluate whether these haemodynamic disturbances could be attenuated with albumin dialysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Norwegian Landrace pigs (23-30 kg) were randomly allocated to groups as controls (sham-operation, n = 8), ALF (hepatic devascularization, n = 8) and ALF + albumin dialysis (n = 8). Albumin dialysis was started 2 h after ALF induction and continued for 4 h. Systemic and regional haemodynamics were monitored. Creatinine clearance, nitrite/nitrate and catecholamines were measured. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: In the ALF group, the cardiac index increased (PGT < 0.0001), while mean arterial pressure (PG = 0.02) and systemic vascular resistance decreased (PGT < 0.0001). Renal resistance (PG = 0.04) and hind-leg resistance (PGT = 0.003) decreased in ALF. There was no difference in jejunal blood flow between the groups. ALF pigs developed renal dysfunction with increased serum creatinine (PGT = 0.002) and decreased creatinine clearance (P = 0.02). Catecholamines were significantly higher in ALF, but NOx levels were not different. Albumin dialysis did not attenuate these haemodynamic or renal disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: The haemodynamic disturbances during the early phase of ALF are characterized by progressive systemic vasodilatation with no associated changes in metabolites of NO. Renal vascular resistance decreased and renal dysfunction developed independently of changes in renal blood flow. After 4 h of albumin dialysis there was no attenuation of the haemodynamic or renal disturbances.

Learning, Teaching and Lesson Planning

This resource was designed for use with MSc Web Scientists as an introduction to a coursework that requires them to produce some teaching materials.