Organic chicken product authentication: state-of-the-art and future perspectives

Organic food products are highly susceptible to fraud. Currently, administrative controls are conducted to detect fraud, but having an analytical tool able to verify the organic identity of food would be very supportive. The state-of-the-art in food authentication relies on fingerprinting approaches that find characteristic analytical patterns to unequivocally identify authentic products. While wide research on authentication has been conducted for other commodities, the authentication of organic chicken products is still in its infancy. Challenges include finding fingerprints to discriminate organic from conventional products, and recruiting sample sets that cover natural variability. Future research might be oriented towards developing new authentication models for organic feed, eggs and chicken meat, keeping models updated and implementing them into regulations. Meanwhile, these models might be very supportive to the administrative controls directing inspections towards suspicious fraudulent samples.

Competitive flexibility in systems supplier companies in mechanical engineering industry

Systems suppliers are focal actors in mechanical engineering supply chains, in between general contractors and component suppliers. This research concentrates on the systems suppliers’ competitive flexibility, as a competitive advantage that the systems supplier gains from independence from the competitive forces of the market. The aim is to study the roles that power, dependence relations, social capital, and interorganizational learning have on the competitive flexibility. Research on this particular theme is scarce thus far. The research method applied here is the inductive multiple case study. Interviews from four case companies were used as main source of the qualitative data. The literature review presents previous literature on subcontracting, supply chain flexibility, supply chain relationships, social capital and interorganizational learning. The result of this study are seven propositions and consequently a model on the effects that the dominance of sales of few customers, power of competitors, significance of the manufactured system in the end product, professionalism in procurement and the significance of brand products in the business have on the competitive flexibility. These relationships are moderated by either social capital or interorganizational learning. The main results obtained from this study revolve around social capital and interorganizational learning, which have beneficial effects on systems suppliers’ competitive flexibility, by moderating the effects of other constructs of the model. Further research on this topic should include quantitative research to provide the extent to which the results can be reliably generalized. Also each construct of the model gives possible focus for more thorough research.

An Engineering Solution for using Coarse Meshes in the Simulation of Delamination with Cohesive Zone Models

This paper presents a methodology to determine the parameters used in the simulation of delamination in composite materials using decohesion finite elements. A closed-form expression is developed to define the stiffness of the cohesive layer. A novel procedure that allows the use of coarser meshes of decohesion elements in large-scale computations is proposed. The procedure ensures that the energy dissipated by the fracture process is correctly computed. It is shown that coarse-meshed models defined using the approach proposed here yield the same results as the models with finer meshes normally used in the simulation of fracture processes

KITCHIN, Rob (ed.). Mapping worlds: international perspectives on Social and Cultural Geographies

Rob Kitchin, geógrafo muy activo y prolífico, mantiene una intensa actividad editorial, puesto que dirige colecciones de temas geográficos y forma parte de los comités asesores de varias revistas internacionales de primera línea, entre ellas, Social and Cultural Geography, que se publica bimensualmente desde el año 2000 y de la que es director. Precisamente, en esta revista dedicada a temas relacionados con la geografía cultural y social se halla el origen de este libro, uno de cuyos propósitos iniciales fue desafiar la hegemonía anglosajona que domina el panorama geográfico internacional.

Sistemes logístics de codificació i identificació, i perspectives de futur

Comptar amb sistemes sofisticats de gestió o programes ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) no és suficient per a les organitzacions. Per a què aquests recursos donin resultats adequats i actualitzats, la informació d’entrada ha de llegir-se de forma automàtica, per aconseguir estalviar en recursos, eliminació d’errors i assegurar el compliment de la qualitat. Per aquest motiu és important comptar amb eines i serveis d’identificació automàtica i col•lecció de dades. Els principals objectius a assolir (a partir de la introducció al lector de la importància dels sistemes logístics d’identificació en un entorn global d’alta competitivitat), són conèixer i comprendre el funcionament de les tres principals tecnologies existents al mercat (codis de barres lineals, codis de barres bidimensionals i sistemes RFID), veure en quin estat d’implantació es troba cadascuna i les seves principals aplicacions. Un cop realitzat aquest primer estudi es pretén comparar les tres tecnologies per o poder obtenir perspectives de futur en l’àmbit de l’autoidentificació. A partir de la situació actual i de les necessitats de les empreses, juntament amb el meravellós món que sembla obrir la tecnologia RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), la principal conclusió a la que s’arribarà és que malgrat les limitacions tècniques dels codis de barres lineals, aquests es troben completament integrats a tota la cadena logística gràcies a l’estandarització i la utilització d’un llenguatge comú, sota el nom de simbologies GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), durant tota la cadena de subministres que garanteixen total traçabilitat dels productes gràcies en part a la gestió de les bases de dades i del flux d’informació. La tecnologia RFUD amb l’EPC (Electronic Product Code) supera aquestes limitacions, convertint-se en el màxim candidat per a substituir els limitats codis de barres. Tot i això, RFID, amb l’EPC, no serà un adequat identificador logístic fins que es superin importants barreres, com són la falta d’estandarització i l’elevat cost d’implantació.

Les perspectives post-crisi

El 29 d'abril el conseller d'Empresa i Ocupació deia que l'objectiu és aconseguir que l'any 2020 el pes dels sectors industrials en el PIB català arribi al 25%. La declaració oficial és que el govern aposta per una indústria més intensiva en innovació, en talent i inserida en l'economia global. Segons el govern es passa d'una declaració d'intencions a accions concretes d'aplicació immediata [...]

Blended learning and student time-use in engineering education

Aiheen laajempi artikkeli on julkaistu konferenssi-CD:llä.

Challenges and Means for the Front End Activities of Software Development

The front end of innovation is regarded as one of the most important steps in building new software products or services, and the most significant benefits in software development can be achieved through improvements in the front end activities. Problems in the front end phase have an impact on customer dissatisfaction with delivered software, and on the effectiveness of the entire software development process. When these processes are improved, the likelihood of delivering high quality software and business success increases. This thesis highlights the challenges and problems related to the early phases of software development, and provides new methods and tools for improving performance in the front end activities of software development. The theoretical framework of this study comprises two fields of research. The first section belongs to the field of innovation management, and especially to the management of the early phases of the innovation process, i.e. the front end of innovation. The second section of the framework is closely linked to the processes of software engineering, especially to the early phases of the software development process, i.e. the practice of requirements engineering. Thus, this study extends the theoretical knowledge and discloses the differences and similarities in these two fields of research. In addition, this study opens up a new strand for academic discussion by connecting these research directions. Several qualitative business research methodologies have been utilized in the individual publications to solve the research questions. The theoretical and managerial contribution of the study can be divided into three areas: 1) processes and concepts, 2) challenges and development needs, and 3) means and methods for the front end activities of software development. First, the study discloses the difference and similarities between the concepts of the front end of innovation and requirements engineering, and proposes a new framework for managing the front end of the software innovation process, bringing business and innovation perspectives into software development. Furthermore, the study discloses managerial perceptions of the similarities and differences in the concept of the front end of innovation between the software industry and the traditional industrial sector. Second, the study highlights the challenges and development needs in the front end phase of software development, especially challenges in communication, such as linguistic problems, ineffective communication channels, a communication gap between users/customers and software developers, and participation of multiple persons in software development. Third, the study proposes new group methods for improving the front end activities of software development, especially customer need assessment, and the elicitation of software requirements.

Perspectives for the Spanish Intervention in Macao in the 19th Century

The purpose of this paper is to analyse some essential events concerning the relationship between Spain and Macao in the middle of the 19th century. Macao remained as a privileged spot for the commercial activities of Spain in China after the opening of the international ports agreed upon in the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. This encouraged Spanish diplomatic representatives to render special attention to the Portuguese enclave. This became the origin of a shocking proposal for the military conquest of Macao and its surrounding territories by one of these representatives, Sinibaldo de Mas. Although this proposal was never taken under consideration, it helps us to better understand the role Macao played in Spanish strategies in China. Years later, Mas participated as a mediator when the Chinese government attempted to regain sovereignty over Macao by paying an economic compensation to Portugal. The involvement of Sinibaldo de Mas in this project has a strong symbolic meaning, making him a key agent in the relations between Spain and Macao in the 19th century.

Nordic Perspectives on Encountering Foreignness

The foreign can be revered, produced, reproduced, submerged, feared or suppressed, but it has never failed to engage one way or the other. In this volume, a multidisciplinary research network Enfore (Encountering Foreignness – Nordic Perspectives since the Eighteenth Century) focuses on the cultural dynamics of “foreignness”. The authors explore the continuous negotiation between “ours” and “theirs” and the making of “our” place in the context of the wider world. They are using the concept of foreignness as an analytical tool for making visible this heterogeneous, variable and diverse phenomenon. Drawing on the findings within the Nordic context, the group will contribute to an understanding of the general processional and dynamic character of foreignness and of the relationship between metropolitan centers and peripheral areas elsewhere in Europe and in the wider world.

Project owner’s and outside engineering consultant’s role in power plant implementation projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of co-operation between a project owner and an outside engineering consultant in combined heat and power plant implementation projects. Moreover, as another focal subject of the study was to familiarize the purchasing behavior of the energy producer and how an outside engineering consultant participated into different stages of the purchasing process. The study was carried out as a multiple case study including altogether six Finnish power plant implementation projects that had been taken into commercial use during 1995 – 2015. By adjusting the findings of empirical interview data and comparing those to the theoretical framework concerning, among others, Finnish energy production, engineering consulting businesses, delivery methods of construction project and finally the purchasing process, it can be concluded that especially in the power plant implementation projects in the past have a great influence to decisions made during the project. The role of the main engineering consultant is to act as an assistant, who helps to achieve the project goals successfully rather than an advisor who only knows how the project should be conducted. At least in these five project cases this was the case, meaning that the final decision power always remaining with project owner.

Tuotannonsuunnittelu- ja -ohjausprosessin kehittäminen konepajayrityksessä

Tehdyssä kirjallisuus- ja teoriakatsauksessa vuosien 2006 - 2010 välisenä aikana, Keski-Suomessa toimivan konepajateollisuuden järjestelmätoimittajayrityksen toimeksiannosta, pyrittiin muodostamaan kokonaiskuva laajasta tuotannonsuunnittelun ja -ohjauksen aihealueesta. Perustutkimuskysymykset liittyivät ns. MPC-systeemiin, jolla tarkoitetaan sitä, että tuotannonsuunnittelu- ja ohjauskysymyksissä on huomioitava aina henkilöiden, organisaation, teknologioiden ja prosessien muodostama kokonaisuus. Operatiivisen johtamisen tehtävänä on yrityksen tuotteita koskevan kysynnän ja tarjonnan tasapainottaminen niin, että resursseja käytettäisiin ja tarvittaisiin mahdollisimman vähän vastattaessa kysyntään asiakasvaatimukset huomioiden. Tuotantostrategian pohjalta on voitava rakentaa MPC-systeemi, jonka avulla ja jota kehittäen tuotanto saavuttaisi sille asetetut suorituskykytavoitteet mm. kustannusten, laadun, nopeuden, luotettavuuden sekä tuottavuuskehityksen osalta. Työssä tarkasteltiin yleisen kolmitasoisen viitekehyksen kautta ”perinteisistä MPC-systeemien perusratkaisuista” hierarkkisia, suunnittelu- ja laskentaintensiiviä, MRP-pohjaisia sekä yksinkertaistamiseen ja nopeuteen perustuvia JIT/Lean -menetelmiä. Tämä viitekehys käsittää: 1) kysynnän- ja resurssien hallinnan, 2) yksityiskohtaisemman kapasiteetin ja materiaalien hallinnan sekä 3) tarkemman tuotannon ja hankintojen ohjauksen sekä tuotannon lattiatason osa-alueet. Johtamisen ja MPC-systeemien kehittämisen ”uusina aaltoina ja näkökulmina” raportissa käsiteltiin myös johtamisen eri koulukuntia sekä em. viitekehyksen pohjalta tarvittavia tietojärjestelmiä. Olennaisimpana johtopäätöksenä todettiin, että MRP-pohjaisten ratkaisujen lisäksi, etenkin monimutkaisia tuotteita tilausohjautuvasti valmistavien kappaletavarateollisuuden yritysten, on mahdollisesti hyödynnettävä myös kehittyneempiä suunnittelu- ja ohjausjärjestelmiä. Lisäksi huomattiin, että ”perinteisten strategioiden” rinnalle yritysten on nostettava myös tieto- ja viestintäteknologiastrategiat. On tärkeää ymmärtää, että täydellistä MPC-systeemiä ei ole vielä keksitty: jokaisen yrityksen tehtäväksi ja vastuulle jää ”oman totuutensa” muodostaminen ja systeeminsä rakentaminen sen pohjalta.

Engineering of Business Critical Web Applications

Research focus of this thesis is to explore options for building systems for business critical web applications. Business criticality here includes requirements for data protection and system availability. The focus is on open source software. Goals are to identify robust technologies and engineering practices to implement such systems. Research methods include experiments made with sample systems built around chosen software packages that represent certain technologies. The main research focused on finding a good method for database data replication, a key functionality for high-availability, database-driven web applications. Research included also finding engineering best practices from books written by administrators of high traffic web applications. Experiment with database replication showed, that block level synchronous replication offered by DRBD replication software offered considerably more robust data protection and high-availability functionality compared to leading open source database product MySQL, and its built-in asynchronous replication. For master-master database setups, block level replication is more recommended way to build high-availability into the system. Based on thesis research, building high-availability web applications is possible using a combination of open source software and engineering best practices for data protection, availability planning and scaling.

Segmentation of Industrial Customers – Case: Finnish Mechanical Engineering Companies

Segmentointi on perinteisesti ollut erityisesti kuluttajamarkkinoinnin työkalu, mutta siirtymä tuotteista palveluihin on lisännyt segmentointitarvetta myös teollisilla markkinoilla. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoite on löytää selkeästi toisistaan erottuvia asiakasryhmiä suomalaisen liikkeenjohdon konsultointiyritys Synocus Groupin tarjoaman case-materiaalin pohjalta. K-means-klusteroinnin avulla löydetään kolme potentiaalista markkinasegmenttiä perustuen siihen, mitkä tarjoamaelementit 105 valikoitua suomalaisen kone- ja metallituoteteollisuuden asiakasta ovat maininneet tärkeimmiksi. Ensimmäinen klusteri on hintatietoiset asiakkaat, jotka laskevat yksikkökohtaisia hintoja. Toinen klusteri koostuu huolto-orientoituneista asiakkaista, jotka laskevat tuntikustannuksia ja maksimoivat konekannan käyttötunteja. Tälle kohderyhmälle kannattaisi ehkä markkinoida teknisiä palveluja ja huoltosopimuksia. Kolmas klusteri on tuottavuussuuntautuneet asiakkaat, jotka ovat kiinnostuneita suorituskyvyn kehittämisestä ja laskevat tonnikohtaisia kustannuksia. He tavoittelevat alempia kokonaiskustannuksia lisääntyneen suorituskyvyn, pidemmän käyttöiän ja alempien huoltokustannusten kautta.