Simulating intertwined design processes that have similar structures: A case study of a small company that creates made-to-order fashion products

The authors use simulation to analyse the resource-driven dependencies between concurrent processes used to create customised products in a company. Such processes are uncertain and unique according to the design changes required. However, they have similar structures. For simulation, a level of abstraction is chosen such that all possible processes are represented by the same activity network. Differences between processes are determined by the customisations that they implement. The approach is illustrated through application to a small business that creates customised fashion products. We suggest that similar techniques could be applied to study intertwined design processes in more complex domains. Copyright © 2011 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

An investigation into the information exchange between a consultant and client company: a case study

This report deals with collaborations of engineering consultants and clients in the automobile industry.

In these relationships three main challenges have been identified which have to be addressed by the consultancies. Therefore, the research takes the viewpoint of the consulting side. The challenges are

(i) the appropriate project goal definition;

(ii) achieving client satisfaction; and

(iii) dealing with international clients.

An investigation of such a relationship carried out on a case study shows that improvements can be achieved through communication support. The ways to do that are proposed.

Proceedings of an international workshop on the value of computer-based engineering tools, held in Cambridge in April 1997

There is increasing adoption of computer-based tools to support the product development process. Tolls include computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacture, systems engineering and product data management systems. The fact that companies choose to invest in tools might be regarded as evidence that tools, in aggregate, are perceived to possess business value through their application to engineering activities. Yet the ways in which value accrues from tool technology are poorly understood.

This report records the proceedings of an international workshop during which some novel approaches to improving our understanding of this problem of tool valuation were presented and debated. The value of methods and processes were also discussed. The workshop brought together British, Dutch, German and Italian researchers. The presenters included speakers from industry and academia (the University of Cambridge, the University of Magdeburg and the Politechnico de Torino)

The work presented showed great variety. Research methods include case studies, questionnaires, statistical analysis, semi-structured interviews, deduction, inductive reasoning, the recording of anecdotes and analogies. The presentations drew on financial investment theory, the industrial experience of workshop participants, discussions with students developing tools, modern economic theories and speculation on the effects of company capabilities.

Spinning off a semiconductor company from University premises -The story of Camsemi

The spinning off of Cambridge Semiconductor Ltd (Camsemi) from the High Voltage Microelectronics Lab at Cambridge University is discussed. The technology originated from Cambridge University and was subsequently developed and commercialized as PowerBrane by Camsemi. The paper also discusses the business model and the enabling financial factors that led to the formation of Camsemi as a fables IC company, including access to seed funding from University and the subsequent investments of venture capital in several rounds. © 2011 IEEE.

Directly and parametrically excited bi-stable vibration energy harvester for broadband operation

Despite many recent advances, the wide-spread adoption of vibrational energy harvesting has been limited by the low levels of generated output power and confined operational frequency band. Recent work by the authors on parametrically excited harvesters has demonstrated over an order of magnitude power improvement. This paper presents an investigation into the simultaneous employment of both direct and parametric resonance, as well as the incorporation of bi-stability, in an attempt to further improve the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency by broadening the output power spectrum. Multiple direct and parametric resonant peaks from a multi-degree-of-freedom system were observed and an accumulative ∼10 Hz half-power bandwidth was recorded for the first 40 Hz. Real vibration data was also employed to analysis the rms power response effectiveness of the proposed system. © 2013 IEEE.

International market selection : Measuring actions instead of intentions

Alexander, N.; Rhodes, M.; and Myers, H. (2007). International market selection: measuring actions instead of intentions. Journal of Services Marketing. 21(6), pp.424-434 RAE2008

International retail divestment activity

Alexander, N.; Quinn, B.; and Cairns, P. (2005). International retail divestment activity. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. 33(1), pp.5-22 RAE2008

Furnishing a Globalized World: Local Distinctiveness in the International Furniture Industry

Advances in technology, communication, and transportation over the past thirty years have led to tighter linkages and enhanced collaboration across traditional borders between nations, institutions, and cultures. This thesis uses the furniture industry as a lens to examine the impacts of globalization on individual countries and companies as they interact on an international scale. Using global value chain analysis and international trade data, I break down the furniture production process and explore how countries have specialized in particular stages of production to differentiate themselves from competitors and maximize the benefits of global involvement. Through interviews with company representatives and evaluation of branding strategies such as advertisements, webpages, and partnerships, I investigate across four country cases how furniture companies construct strong brands in an effort to stand out as unique to consumers with access to products made around the globe. Branding often serves to highlight distinctiveness and associate companies with national identities, thus revealing that in today’s globalized and interconnected society, local differences and diversity are more significant than ever.

A Study of the Development of the Ability of the Archives Department of the Hudson's Bay Company to Carry Out Document Repairs

The objective of this thesis was to determine whether the establishment and operation of an archives services by the Hudson's Bay Company had an effect on the company's ability to carry out document repairs. Data collection methods included reviews of published material, archival records of the Hudson's Bay Company, and semi-structured interviews. The study found that the Hudson's Bay Company's commitment to operating a modern archives service in accordance with accepted archive administration practices had a substantial effect on its ability to carry out document repairs. The principled approach to repair, as practiced by the Public Record Office, was a major influence. A review of secondary sources placed this development squarely within the context of archival developments in 20th century England. Overall, the thesis findings add to the growing conversation about conservation history in England, in particular, archive conservation history as it occurred outside of the Public Record Office in the 20th century, by discussing how some methods of repair that were devised, adopted and extended by the Public Record Office in the 19th and 20th centuries were adopted and applied in the 20th century by a well-established business corporation.

Intellectual Property management in publicly funded R&D centres—A comparison of university-based and company-based research centres

Recent thinking on open innovation and the knowledge-based economy have stressed the importance of external knowledge sources in stimulating innovation. Policy-makers have recognised this, establishing publicly funded Centres of R&D Excellence with the objective of stimulating industry–science links and localised innovation spillovers. Here, we examine the contrasting IP management practices of a group of 18 university- and company-based R&D centres supported by the same regional programme. Our analysis covers all but one of the Centres supported by the programme and suggests marked contrasts between the IP strategies of the university-based and company-based centres. This suggests the potential for very different types of knowledge spillovers from publicly funded R&D centres based in different types of organisations, and a range of alternative policy approaches to the future funding of R&D centres depending on policy-makers’ objectives.

Catalysing open innovation through publicly funded R&D: A Comparison of University and Company-based research centres

Public funding of university and company-based R&D centres of excellence is widespread both in core and more peripheral regions. What is less well-known is whether these R&D centres can catalyse multi-directional, multi-actor and iterative innovation. Based on data from a real-time monitoring study, this article explores the development of 18 R&D centres’ external connections. University-based R&D centres establish more new connections than company-based centres and are more likely to be interacting with small or micro-firms. However, there is a general bias towards links with larger firms; micro, small and medium-sized enterprises also are less likely to be involved in collaborative R&D with research centres than other types of relationships. The results suggest the potential for R&D centres to act as a catalyst for open innovation but emphasise the need to ensure that the focus of the R&D being conducted is relevant to the needs of smaller firms.