1,721,134 research outputs found
What is Quality 4.0? An exploratory sequential mixed methods study of Italian manufacturing companies
Full text linkThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to the scientific debate on Quality 4.0 by exploring the main theoretical themes underpinning the Quality 4.0 model and how the model may be developed. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was employed to study two different samples of Italian manufacturing companies over two phases. For each sample, a different questionnaire was distributed to the companies’ quality managers. As a result, eleven themes were elicited and tested. These themes are related to model development, top management, process mapping, data collection and integration with the enterprise resource planning system, use of artificial intelligence software, machine-to-machine data communication, product identification and traceability, document control and digital skills for quality control staff. A theoretical model for Q4.0 is proposed that encapsulates eleven themes of Q4.0 across three categories- people, process, and technology. Results could be particularly helpful for practitioners who may use them as a guideline for implementing and developing Quality 4.0 in a typical Industry 4.0 environment
Lean six sigma and industry 4.0 integration for operational excellence: evidence from Italian manufacturing companies
Full text linkThis research investigates a possible integration between Lean Six Sigma (LSS) tools and principles and Industry 4.0 technologies. The aim is the development of a new pattern for Operational Excellence through the grounded theory methodology. Data collection involved interviewing Italian manufacturing managers in ten case organisations as well as a direct observation of practices linked to Industry 4.0 and LSS integration at one of the selected case organisations. Results of the study aligns with preliminary literature supporting LSS providing platform to achieve effective outcome from Industry 4.0 application. The integration needs reinvented mapping tools and implies a horizontal integration and a vertical, end-to-end integration. The latter requires the company to reengineer the ERP modules, while in the horizontal integration the real ultimate goal is to reach a complete automatic synchronisation of the processes named Autonomous Process Synchronisation. Moreover, all the data gathered from production processes and offices needs the development of new analytics at all levels. This is amongst first few studies that answers how to achieve integration between LSS and Industry 4.0 technologies and thus have several research and managerial contributions in advancing operational excellence research
A lean healthcare journey:The Scottish experience
No full textFor several years now,public sector organisations (PSOs) across the globe have looked to the manufacturing sector for improvement methodologies to combat the growing challenges in tackling demand, capacity, service provision and issues around the reduction of errors and managing variation in processes (Marshall, 2009).Nowhere is this more apparent than in the provision of healthcare, where the lean methodology has gained popularity in its application (Pedersen and Huniche, 2011;Graban, 2009; Fillingham, 2008; Ben-Tovim et al., 2007). The aim of this chapter is to discuss the development of lean in public sectororganisations with particular reference to healthcare.These insights are explored through the drivers for and the process of how lean is implemented in Trust A (a Scottish Health Board and ‘early adopter’ of lean). It will also be discussed whether this does include a focus on the ‘softer’ critical areas of cultural change, leadership support and people.The outcomes generated and sustained in their lean projects will be evaluated.The format of this chapter is as follows; initially we will discuss the application of lean in PSOs with a focus on healthcare; next the methodology employed is introduced. Following on, the drivers for, the process of implementation and outcomes, including what has been sustained or further developed from lean are discussed inTrustA.The chapter will conclude by discussing the implications of how lean is being implemented and transferrable insights which may apply for other PSOs
Lean and industry 4.0: Mapping determinants and barriers from a social, environmental, and operational perspective
Full text linkManufacturing companies have started to embrace Industry 4.0 and lean principles to stay competitive. However, the real industry implementation of the integrated approach has been challenging. Even separately, both Lean and Industry 4.0 have high failure rates. Understanding these implementations is essential to increase the application's success and build a bridge between academia and industry. This research uses a systematic literature review methodology to identify case studies that integrate the implementation of lean principles with Industry 4.0 technology. The benefits, barriers, and success factors of the integration were investigated, focusing on environmental, social, and operational perspectives. Forty-two case studies that included lean principles and Industry 4.0 technology in the manufacturing context were identified. The integration resulted in various operational benefits regarding lead-time, throughput, and quality. In terms of environmental impact, there is a potential to estimate the use of resources involved in the production and reduce CO2 emissions. Other benefits include improved employee welfare, better communication, employee empowerment. The main barrier is the investment cost followed by technological readiness. It has been concluded that Lean and Industry 4.0 present considerable potential. However, the integration needs proper understanding on how to start, where to aim, what to be aware of
Exploring product–service systems in the digital era: a socio-technical systems perspective
Full text linkPurpose: In the age of Industry 4.0, digital advancement is reshaping manufacturing models towards product–service systems (PSS). The drivers, readiness and challenges to move to a PSS model are not well understood, and the exploitation of the digital era presents the gap of this research. Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted using semi-structured interviews in six manufacturers. Two forum debates were also conducted to supplement and validate the findings. Findings: Social and economic motivations rather than environmental considerations were driving the change to PSS. Digital technologies could be an important driver if manufacturers reached a certain PSS maturity level. A high level of technical readiness was offset by a low level of social investments and the strategic development of human resources. Value co-creation was a main challenge though manufacturers had the advantage of digital connectivity, which indicated new human requirements; the greater the enabling power of digital technologies, the greater the need for advanced human skills. Practical implications: Human resource management has underpinned lean models; yet, the role of employees within PSS is underdeveloped despite the impact of staff in exploiting digitalisation and value co-creation. A “learning organisation” and socio-technical fit are required for the “diffusion of innovation” of PSS. Originality/value: This research attempted to explore drivers, readiness and challenges for PSS from a socio-technical systems (STS) perspective. Three levels of PSS maturity with STS features were derived from the research, providing guidance for manufacturers.</p
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Lean Six Sigma and Industry 4.0 integration for Operational Excellence: evidence from Italian manufacturing companies - doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2020.1784485
No full textThis research investigates a possible integration between Lean Six Sigma (LSS) tools and principles and Industry 4.0 technologies. The aim is the development of a new pattern for Operational Excellence through the grounded theory methodology. Data collection involved interviewing Italian manufacturing managers in ten case organisations as well as a direct observation of practices linked to Industry 4.0 and LSS integration at one of the selected case organisations. Results of the study aligns with preliminary literature supporting LSS providing platform to achieve effective outcome from Industry 4.0 application. The integration needs reinvented mapping tools and implies a horizontal integration and a vertical, end-to-end integration. The latter requires the company to reengineer the ERP modules, while in the horizontal integration the real ultimate goal is to reach a complete automatic synchronisation of the processes named Autonomous Process Synchronisation. Moreover, all the data gathered from production processes and offices needs the development of new analytics at all levels. This is amongst first few studies that answers how to achieve integration between LSS and Industry 4.0 technologies and thus have several research and managerial contributions in advancing operational excellence research
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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