Evaluating alternative industrial network organizations and information systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a simulation‐based evaluation method for the comparison of different organizational forms and software support levels in the field of supply chain management (SCM). Design/methodology/approach – Apart from widely known logistic performance indicators, the discrete event simulation model considers explicitly coordination cost as stemming from iterative administration procedures. Findings - The method is applied to an exemplary supply chain configuration considering various parameter settings. Curiously, additional coordination cost does not always result in improved logistic performance. Influence factor variations lead to different organizational recommendations. The results confirm the high importance of (up to now) disregarded dimensions when evaluating SCM concepts and IT tools. Research limitations/implications – The model is based on simplified product and network structures. Future research shall include more complex, real world configurations. Practical implications – The developed method is designed for the identification of improvement potential when SCM software is employed. Coordination schemes based only on ERP systems are valid alternatives in industrial practice because significant investment IT can be avoided. Therefore, the evaluation of these coordination procedures, in particular the cost due to iterations, is of high managerial interest and the method provides a comprehensive tool for strategic IT decision making. Originality/value – Reviewed literature is mostly focused on the benefits of SCM software implementations. However, ERP system based supply chain coordination is still widespread industrial practice but associated coordination cost has not been addressed by researchers.

Commercial and Industrial Network Improvement and Programming Policy, Summary, 1991

The Commercial and Industrial Network improvement and programming policy reflected in this summary report was adopted for use in future highway programming by the Transportation Commission on November 5, 1991. The Iowa Department of Transportation, as directed by the Legislature, has established a 2,331-mile network of commercial and industrial highways and is directing a significant amount of primary construction funding resources toward improvements to this network. This summary outlines the technical needs assessment for improvements on the Commercial and Industrial Network for the next 20-year period. The portions of the network which require four-lane capacity, as well as major improvements to the two-lane sections, are graphically displayed. Detailed improvement needs and costs are listed in tabular form for the first two five-year periods (1992-1996 and 1997-2001). It is essential to note that these improvement needs are the result of a technical assessment and do not imply any funding commitment.

Ambiente de simulação híbrido integrando hysys e rede industrial Foundation Fieldbus aplicado ao controle de uma coluna de destilação

The main purpose of this work is to develop an environment that allows HYSYS R chemical process simulator communication with sensors and actuators from a Foundation Fieldbus industrial network. The environment is considered a hybrid resource since it has a real portion (industrial network) and a simulated one (process) with all measurement and control signals also real. It is possible to reproduce different industrial process dynamics without being required any physical network modification, enabling simulation of some situations that exist in a real industrial environment. This feature testifies the environment flexibility. In this work, a distillation column is simulated through HYSYS R with all its variables measured and controlled by Foundation Fieldbus devices

Projeto de uma rede de ar comprimido industrial

In this study was shown the historical uses of compressed air by humanity, the general scenario of its uses and the most important steps of a project to set up an industrial network of compressed air, from the selection of a suitable compressor to the design of a distribution network, discussing all the possibilities and their characteristics as well as the feasibility of them. A case study was conducted in a food company where was implemented an industrial compressed air network. Information was collected regarding the consumers points of compressed air, as well as the layout of the new facility, necessary for the development of the distribution system. Two methods were used, analytical and nomogram, which complemented each other to the definition of appropriated tubing, both financially and physically

Industrial Networks between China and the Countries of the Asia-Pacific Region

This paper investigates the changes in the structures of industrial networks that have occurred in the Asia-Pacific region in line with the rapid growth of the Chinese economy. Analyses using international input-output tables revealed that during the 1990s, there was a significant increase in the dependence of Asian countries’ manufacturing industries, such as textiles and electronics, on China’s industries, though industries in Japan and the United States remain important as the main suppliers of industries in Asian countries.

Network-based biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease: review and future directions

By 2050 it is estimated that the number of worldwide Alzheimer?s disease (AD) patients will quadruple from the current number of 36 million people. To date, no single test, prior to postmortem examination, can confirm that a person suffers from AD. Therefore, there is a strong need for accurate and sensitive tools for the early diagnoses of AD. The complex etiology and multiple pathogenesis of AD call for a system-level understanding of the currently available biomarkers and the study of new biomarkers via network-based modeling of heterogeneous data types. In this review, we summarize recent research on the study of AD as a connectivity syndrome. We argue that a network-based approach in biomarker discovery will provide key insights to fully understand the network degeneration hypothesis (disease starts in specific network areas and progressively spreads to connected areas of the initial loci-networks) with a potential impact for early diagnosis and disease-modifying treatments. We introduce a new framework for the quantitative study of biomarkers that can help shorten the transition between academic research and clinical diagnosis in AD.

A hálózati pozíció és a versenyképesség kapcsolata (Business networks: network position and competitiveness in Hungary)

A cikk fókuszában az üzleti hálózatok állnak. Az IMP-csoport (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group) üzleti kapcsolatokkal, üzleti hálózatokkal foglalkozó több évtizedes kutatási eredményeire és fogalomrendszerére építve a szerzők áttekintik a téma alapvető megközelítéseit, majd a Versenyképesség-kutatás 2009. évi felmérésének adatait Felhasználva, megvizsgálják a vállalatvezetők által észlelt hálózati pozíció és a versenyképesség összefüggéseit. A vállalatvezetők értékelése szerint elemzik az iparági hálózatukban központi szerepet játszó, befolyással bíró (domináns hálózati pozícióval rendelkező) vállalatokat, különös tekintettel az üzleti teljesítmény és a versenyképesség jellemzőire. / === / The paper analyses the business network position of Hungarian companies, based on data of the Competitiveness research program. After an overview of the theoretical background of business relationships, business networks and network position – based on the IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group) approach, the authors analyse the performance and competitiveness characteristics of firms with central position in their industrial network.

Üzleti hálózatok – Hálózati pozíció és versenyképesség = Business networks: network position and competitiveness in Hungary

Tanulmányunk fókuszában az üzleti hálózatok állnak. Az IMP csoport (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group) üzleti kapcsolatokkal, üzleti hálózatokkal foglalkozó több évtizedes kutatási eredményeire és fogalomrendszerére alapozva áttekintjük a téma alapmegközelítéseit, majd a Versenyképesség-kutatás 2009. évei felmérése adatainak felhasználásával vizsgáljuk a hálózati kép és a versenyképesség összefüggéseit. Jellemezzük a vállaltvezetők értékelése szerint az iparági hálózatukban központi szerepet játszó, befolyással bíró (domináns hálózati pozícióval rendelkező) vállalatokat, különös tekintettel az üzleti teljesítmény és versenyképesség jellemzőire. ________ The paper analyses the business network position of Hungarian companies, based on data of the Competitiveness research program. After an overview of the theoretical background of business relationships, business networks and network position – based on the IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group) approach, we analyse the performance and competitiveness characteristics of firms with central position in their industrial network.

Adaptation in triadic business relationship settings: A study in corporate travel management

ANNE HOLMA ADAPTATION IN TRIADIC BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP SETTINGS – A STUDY IN CORPORATE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT Business-to-business relationships form complicated networks that function in an increasingly dynamic business environment. This study addresses the complexity of business relationships, both when it comes to the core phenomenon under investigation, adaptation, and the structural context of the research, a triadic relationship setting. In business research, adaptation is generally regarded as a dyadic phenomenon, even though it is well recognised that dyads do not exist isolated from the wider network. The triadic approach to business relationships is especially relevant in cases where an intermediary is involved, and where all three actors are directly connected with each other. However, only a few business studies apply the triadic approach. In this study, the three dyadic relationships in triadic relationship settings are investigated in the context of the other two dyads to which each is connected. The focus is on the triads as such, and on the connections between its actors. Theoretically, the study takes its stand in relationship marketing. The study integrates theories and concepts from two approaches, the industrial network approach by the Industrial marketing and purchasing group, and the Service marketing and management approach by the Nordic School. Sociological theories are used to understand the triadic relationship setting. The empirical context of the study is corporate travel management. The study is a retrospective case study, where the data is collected by in-depth interviews with key informants from an industrial enterprise and its travel agency and service supplier partners. The main theoretical contribution of the study concerns opening a new research area in relationship marketing by investigating adaptation in business relationships with a new perspective, and in a new context. This study provides a comprehensive framework to analyse adaptation in triadic business relationship settings. The analysis framework was created with the help of a systematic combining approach, which is based on abductive logic and continuous iteration between the theory and the case study results. The framework describes how adaptations initiate, and how they progress. The framework also takes into account how adaptations spread in triadic relationship settings, i.e. how adaptations attain all three actors of the triad. Furthermore, the framework helps to investigate the outcomes of the adaptations for individual firms, for dyadic relationships, and for the triads. The study also provides concepts and classification that can be used when evaluating adaptation and relationship development in both dyadic and triadic relationships.

工业无线网络化控制系统结构及调度问题研究

无线通信技术在工业网络化控制系统中的应用已成为当今工业领域中的研究热点。然而无线通信技术在恶劣的工业环境中通信质量严重下降，使得现有无线通信技术在工业网络化控制系统中的应用受阻。为此在不断提高和改进无线信号传输性能的同时，更要在控制系统级层面上充分考虑无线通信技术的特点，进行相关系统结构和实时调度机制等方面的改进，以达到使系统产生的通信任务在应用层上得到可靠、实时调度的目的。同时也要从无线网络技术层面上入手，解决上层下达的通信任务在数据链路层中的实时调度问题。要设计适合工业无线网络化控制系统应用特点的MAC协议来有效调度网络所有节点的信息收发，减少高层下达的通信任务在网络中的平均时延，提高吞吐量，进而保证工业无线网络化控制系统的实时性。 因此，本文从工业无线网络化控制系统中的通信任务在数据链路层和应用层上的调度角度出发，以解决、改善工业无线网络化控制系统的实时性和可靠性等性能指标为目的。对工业无线网络化控制系统的结构、应用层调度策略和优化以及数据链路层中的MAC协议进行了系统的研究。主要工作和贡献有以下几点： （1）对工业网络化控制系统的基本问题和引入无线通信技术后产生的问题进行了探讨。在定性分析了工业环境对无线通信的影响及要求的同时，又推导出了无线通信的链路预算模型，并利用Matlab对该预算模型进行了建模，计算出了在工业级噪声指数和工业要求的误码率下，IEEE802.11b和IEEE802.15.4两大主流无线通信技术的链路预算情况及具体的量化数据。 （2）提出了工业无线网络化控制系统的双频二级拓扑结构和多路径传输机制。利用了无线信道特点和路径冗余优势，在系统级上改进了目前无线通信技术在工业网络化控制系统中的应用模式，部分缓解了无线通信技术在工业恶劣环境中的实时性和可靠性问题。为工业无线网络化控制系统结构的设计做了有益的尝试。同时，首次将DS-UWB技术应用于工业网络化控制系统中，设计出了基于该结构的UWB和FF及PROFIBUS的集成方案，为该结构的快速应用提供了有效的途径。 （3）提出了极大容忍无线通信时延的调度算法(GTD)。有效解决了工业无线网络化控制系统中周期性通信任务的实时性问题,部分弥补了因无线网络时延而导致周期性通信任务超时的缺陷。并针对GTD调度算法产生的通信窗口碎片问题进行了优化处理，又提出了面向非周期信息吞吐量最大化的优化调度算法，该算法提高了非周期性通信任务的吞吐量。同时，给出了基于这两种调度算法的非线性规划模型的调度时间表求解方法。 （4）提出了根据通信任务调度时间表进行分配无竞争期的混合CAP和CFP的MAC协议（HAF-MAC）。解决了工业无线网络化控制系统上层下达的周期性通信任务和非周期性通信任务在数据链路层中的实时调度问题，并有效解决了本文提出的应用层调度算法生成的预留时间可能存在浪费的问题。同时，在理论分析了HAF-MAC协议时隙利用率的基础上，提出了基于时隙的HAF-MAC（TSHAF-MAC）协议。TSHAF-MAC协议比HAF-MAC协议提高了时隙利用率，使吞吐量和平均延时得到了进一步改善，进而提高了非周期性通信任务的实时性。最后，对这两个协议进行了仿真建模与验证，进而较系统地解决了工业无线网络化控制系统中的通信任务的实时调度问题。 （5）分别将论文中的第三章和第四章的部分研究成果,在本人博士研究阶段研发的无线智能照明控制系统这一物理实验平台上进行了一定的验证。

基于以太网的工业控制网络

应用传统现场总线的工业控制网络无法实现办公室自动化与工业自动化的无缝结合 .由于以太网在确定性、速度和优先法则等方面性能的提高 ,阻碍以太网应用于实时控制环境的难点已被解决 .以太网早已成为商业管理网络的首要选择 ,那么它应用于企业现场设备控制层是控制网络发展的趋势 ,将极大地促进信息从传感器到管理层的集成

Flavian laws, the railway, the newspaper and Loring’s breads

It is abound the research on the formation, rise and failure of the financial and industrial network undertaken by the Loring-Heredia-Larios triangle, bourgeois families who introduced the Industrial Revolution in the south of Andalusia. On the contrary, there are almost nonexistent studies from the perspective of the mentality that sustained their business, social and ethical model in the algid decades of their action (1850-1860). In this paper we propose some hypotheses about the ideological structures of bourgeois group and point out some keys, clues and signs for a future reconstruction of this kind, which so far has not been incardinated that early and failed malaguenan industrial revolution in streams thinking of that time.

Supplier's position in project marketing networks

The present study explores relationships between project marketers and their customers in project marketing context. The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding on supplier’s position in project marketing networks. Project marketing is representing a high volume in the international business, and the industrial network approach and the project marketing research cannot fully explain a supplier’s position in project marketing networks. Increased knowledge on project networks can also contribute to industrial marketing research more generally. Data for the present study was collected firstly during the pilot case study from project buyers in the paper and the steel industry in interviews. Secondly an entire project marketing case concerning a steel industry case was used as a data source. The data included interviews, correspondence between the supplier and the buyer, and project documents. The data of the pilot case was analysed with contents analysis, and in the case a deeper analysis based on the developed Stage Dimension framework was used. Supplier’s position in project marketing networks is a hierarchical and dynamic concept including a supplier’s position on the highest level. The dimensions of the position concept are the intermediate level, and the dimensions are based on the underlying components. Supplier’s position is composed from four organization related dimensions, and two individual actor related dimensions. The composition of the supplier’s position varies during the project marketing process, and consequently the relative importance of the dimensions is changing over the process. Supplier’s position in project marketing networks is shaped by incremental and radical changes. Radical changes are initiated by critical events. The study contributes to the research of industrial networks and project marketing. The theoretical contribution of the study is threefold: firstly it proposes a structure of the position concept in project marketing networks, secondly it proposes the Position Stage Dimension Component (PSDC) model for the development of supplier’s position during the project marketing process, and thirdly the study widens the critical event concept to cover the project marketing process both on the organizational and individual level. In addition to the theoretical contributions there are several managerial implications for planning and implementing marketing strategies in the project context.

Offshore Sourcing in Software Development: Case Studies of Finnish-Russian Cooperation

The study examines international cooperation in product development in software development organisations. The software industry is known for its global nature and knowledge-intensity, which makes it an interesting setting to examine international cooperation in. Software development processes are increasingly distributed worldwide, but for small or even medium-sized enterprises, typical for the software industry, such distribution of operations is often possible only in association with crossing the company’s boundaries. The strategic decision-making of companies is likely to be affected by the characteristics of the industry, and this includes decisions about cooperation or sourcing. The objective of this thesis is to provide a holistic view on factors affecting decisions about offshore sourcing in software development. Offshore sourcing refers to a cooperative mode of offshoring, where a firm does not establish its own presence in a foreign country, but utilises a local supplier. The study examines product development activities that are distributed across organisational and geographical boundaries. The objective can be divided into two subtopics: general reasons for international cooperation in product development and particular reasons for cooperation between Finnish and Russian companies. The focus is on the strategic rationale at the company level, in particular in small and medium-sized enterprises. The theoretical discourse of the study builds upon the literature on international cooperation and networking, with particular focus on cooperation with foreign suppliers and within product development activities. The resource-based view is also discussed, as heterogeneity and interdependency of the resources possessed by different firms are seen as factors motivating international cooperation. Strategically, sourcing can be used to access resources possessed by an industrial network, to enhance the product development of a firm, or to optimise its cost structure. In order to investigate the issues raised by the theoretical review, two empirical studies on international cooperation in software product development have been conducted. The emphasis of the empirical part of the study is on cooperation between Finnish and Russian companies. The data has been gathered through four case studies on Finnish software development organisations and four case studies on Russian offshore suppliers. Based on the material from the case studies, a framework clarifying and grouping the factors that influence offshore sourcing decisions has been built. The findings indicate that decisions regarding offshore sourcing in software development are far more complex than generally assumed. The framework provides a holistic view on factors affecting decisions about offshore sourcing in software development, capturing the multidimensionality of motives for entering offshore cooperation. Four groups of factors emerged from the data: A) strategy-related aspects, B) aspects related to resources and capabilities, C) organisation-related aspects, and D) aspects related to the entrepreneur or management. By developing a holistic framework of decision factors, the research offers in-depth theoreticalunderstanding of offshore sourcing rationale in product development. From the managerial point of view, the proposed framework sums up the issues that a firm should pay attention to when contemplating product development cooperation with foreign suppliers. Understanding different components of sourcing decisions can lead to improved preconditions for strategising and engaging in offshore cooperation. A thorough decisionmaking process should consider all the possible benefits and risks of product development cooperation carefully.

Networks 3: Social Structures

A brief look at the post-industrial, network society, freed from manual labour and liberated from place.