20505 research outputs found
Sort by
Balancing the exploitation-exploration paradox during major geopolitical disruptions: the importance of supply chain structural ambidexterity
Get PDFWe answer the question “How do companies develop and deploy supply chain structural ambidexterity to effectively manage geopolitical disruptions?” by investigating three significant geopolitical disruptions: Brexit, the US-China trade war, and the Covid-19 pandemic. We use an inductive theory-elaboration approach to build on Organisational Learning Theory and Dunning’s eclectic paradigm of international production. We conducted 29 elite interviews with senior supply chain executives across 14 multi-national manufacturing firms and validated the analysis by triangulating secondary data sources, including standard operating procedures, annual reports, and organizational protocols. When faced with significant geopolitical disruptions, companies develop and deploy supply chain structural ambidexterity by (1) developing parallel supply chains; (2) significantly reconfiguring their supplier networks, and (3) restructuring their internal sub-units. We contribute to Organisational Learning Theory and Dunning’s eclectic paradigm by empirically examining how companies reconfigure supply chains to pursue exploration and exploitation activities in response to geopolitical disruptions. During significant geopolitical disruptions, managers make decisions in tight timeframes. Therefore, we propose three types of supply chain structural ambidexterity based on the transition time available. We conclude with a managerial framework to assist firms in developing supply chain structural ambidexterity in response to geopolitical disruptions.83rd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2023
Performance Analysis of eXogenous Kalman Filter for INS/GNSS Navigation Solutions
Get PDFThere are several methods of fusing data for navigation solutions using Inertial Navigation System (INS) aided by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The most used solutions are nonlinear observer (NLO) and extended Kalman filter (EKF) of various architectures. EKF based estimation methods guarantees sub-optimal solutions but not stability, on the contrary NLO based estimation guarantees stability but not optimality. These complimentary features of EKF and NLO has been combined to design an eXogenous Kalman filter (XKF) where the estimate from the NLO is used as an exogenous signal to calculate the linearized model of the EKF. The performance of the designed XKF is tested on real flight test data collected using a Slingsby T67C ultra-light aircraft. The results show that during the outage of GNSS, in some cases the divergence of position estimates using XKF is lower compared to EKF and NLO, however no clear benefit is achieved.22nd IFAC World Congress, 2023IFAC-PapersOnLin
Metallic nanocarrier complex targeting neuroendocrine prostate cancel cells.
Get PDFIron oxide nanoparticles were successfully produced by inert gas condensation using the Mantis NanoGen Trio system. The nanoparticles were produced via a novel approach using the Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) method to condense iron oxide nanoparticles of small size and small size distribution of 1-6 nm diameter. The sputtered
nanoparticles were soft-landed on a polyethylene glycol-coated silicon wafer, then dispersed in RNAse free water (PEG-IONPs) to functionalise them for biocompatibility and use in nanocarrier synthesis. The sputtered iron oxide nanoparticles were characterised by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, dynamic light scattering and magnetic resonance imaging. The different techniques demonstrated that whereas the IONPs themselves were less than 10 nm (seen
by TEM) the PEG-IONPs demonstrated a size range slightly different according to the technique used for its evaluation (e.g.47 ± 22.75 nm by DLS and 143 ± 100 nm by NTA) with the variation most likely due to the high concentration of PEG present in solution. In parallel to sputtering IONPs, commercial iron oxide nanoparticles (CIONPs) were used to demonstrate and optimise the attachment of a therapeutic drug (siRNA) to the nanoparticles in 1:1 polyethylene glycol and polyethyleneimine. Then the release profile of the attached siRNA from CIONPs in PBS buffer pH 6.4 and 7.4 was studied. While using a sample of PBS/PEG/PEI, approximately 75% of siRNA was attached to CIONPs and approximately 86% siRNA was released in PBS after 300 minutes of incubation at 37°C. The research findings demonstrate the potential use of the synthesised nanoparticles
and nanocarrier complex in targeted drug deliver to neuroendocrine prostate cells.PhD in Manufacturin
Understanding deepfakes: a comprehensive analysis of creation, generation, and detection
Get PDFThis paper provides a comprehensive analysis of deepfakes, focusing on their creation, generation, and detection. Deepfakes are realistic fabricated videos, images, or audios generated using artificial intelligence algorithms. While initially seen as a source of entertainment and commercial applications, the negative social consequences of deepfakes have become apparent. They are misused for creating adult content, blackmailing individuals, and spreading misinformation, leading to a decline in trust and potential societal implications. The paper also discusses the importance of legislation in regulating the use of deepfakes and explores techniques for their detection, including machine learning and natural language processing. Understanding deepfakes is essential to address their ethical and legal implications in today's digital landscape.14th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2023
Cognitive data imputation: case study in maintenance cost estimation
Get PDFCost estimation is critical for effective decision making in engineering projects. However, it is often hampered by a lack of sufficient data. For this, data imputation techniques can be used to estimate missing costs based on statistical estimates or analogies with historical data. However, these techniques are often limited because they do not consider the existing knowledge of experts. In this paper, a novel cognitive data imputation technique is proposed for cost estimation that uses explanatory interactive machine learning to integrate and improve human knowledge. Through a case study in maintenance cost estimation the effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated.CIRP Annal
Renewable energy, social disruption and formalising the social licence to operate in South Africa
Get PDFA social licence to operate and corporate social responsibility are often applied voluntarily to ensure a positive relationship between businesses and communities. But South Africa's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme makes investment in local socio-economic development a contractual obligation. To assess the implications of this legalised approach to CSR and the social licence to operate, between September 2019 and January 2020 we conducted seven focus group discussions and 24 key informant interviews in two towns in South Africa's Northern Cape province. The data were analysed thematically and triangulated with data on crime, municipal finance and house prices. Our concerns about the legalised approach are that it does not require local consent; it reduces local development to a needs analysis; it does not require local collaborative planning, despite adverse consequences such as social disruption; it bypasses local organisation and accountability; it does not provide cheaper local electricity; and it offers no guidelines for decommissioning.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Managemen
Cosmopolitanism and its aftermath: The rise and fall of Greek and Turkish business in Alexandria
Get PDFThis article explores the rise and fall of Greek and Turkish business and commerce in Alexandria, Egypt. As the existing literature alerts us, shifting forms of colonial rule made for a complex and multifaceted cosmopolitanism, in which each community secured a distinct economic space. In part, this was due to the insertion of Alexandria into the growing world economy of the nineteenth century, which allowed for both the rise of modern businesses in trade and manufacturing, and a resurgence of quasi feudal, yet export orientated, forms of agricultural production; we evaluate this process through recourse to state and private sector archives. It is concluded that neither community was able to survive the rise of Egyptian nationalism and the diminishing space it allotted to ethnic business. We explore the implications of these findings for the study of business, cosmopolitanism and decosmopolitanization.Business Histor
Make sustainable manufacturing the heart of the UK's net zero transformation
No full textThe UK’s net zero future will depend on making things in sustainable ways, with close
attention to the whole cycle: the materials we use, the energy and carbon emissions
involved in processes, and the opportunities for re-use, re-manufacturing and (last of all)
recycling.Science in Parliamen
John N. Sherwood: studies of energetic materials
Get PDFThe studies on the physico-mechanical properties of commonly used energetic materials (EMs) that were pursued by the group led by Professor John Sherwood are reviewed in this paper. The studies ranged from the growth of high quality single crystals and the characterisation of their defect and dislocation structures, mechanical testing, through to the study of polymorphism of EM crystals and fundamental aspects of crystallization processes generally. The work performed lead to the definition of good growth conditions for all the EMs studied and to the full characterization of the defect structure, slip systems and hardness properties of cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). Partial characterization of the defect structures and hardness properties of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) and 2-4-6 trinitrotoluene (TNT) were also achieved. Additionally, fundamental crystal growth and polymorph information was defined, allowing a deeper understanding of the crystallization and crystal structure of TNT. In addition to the general review, some thoughts as to possible future routes for further study that could suitably utilize the complementary nature of established and modern techniques.Original funding of the work was though the European Offices of the US Army and US Navy.Crystal Growth and Desig
Effect of dissolved CO2 on the interaction of stress and corrosion for pipeline carbon steels in simulated marine environments
Get PDFOffshore pipelines are subjected to stresses (e.g., from fluid flow, mechanical vibration, and earth movement). These stresses, combined with corrosive environments and in the presence of trace gases (O2, CO2), can increase the pipeline’s corrosion rate and potentially lead to cracking. As such, the impact of trace gases such as CO2 (linked to enhanced oil recovery and carbon capture and sequestration) on corrosion is key to determining whether pipelines are at increased risk. American Petroleum Institute (API) 5L X70 and X100 were exposed as stressed C-rings (80% or 95% of yield strength). The tests were conducted with either N2 (control) or CO2 bubbled through 3.5% NaCl, at either 5 °C or 25 °C. Linear polarization resistance was used to assess corrosion rate, while morphology and variation were determined using optical microscopy (generating metal loss distributions) and scanning electron microscopy. The control experiment (N2) showed that corrosion rates correlated with temperature and stress. In this low O2 environment, both alloys showed similar trends. Under CO2 exposure, all samples showed accelerated corrosion rates; furthermore, the morphologies generated were different for the two alloys: undercutting corrosion with discontinuous microcracks (X70) or deep, wide ellipses (X100). Understanding these changes in corrosion response is key when selecting materials for specific operational environments.Metal