1,721,026 research outputs found
The analytic hierarchy and network processes: Applications to the US presidential election and to the market share of ski equipment in Italy
No full textBeyond serving in complex decision-making, both the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) for the measurement of both tangibles and intangibles can be used in prediction rather effectively. This paper examines the potential of these models to help one discern current states and situations as well as suggest future outcomes. The first example uses the AHP to predict the Democratic Nominee in the 2008 United States presidential election and then uses that information to predict the overall election winner. The second example uses the ANP to predict the market share for ski equipment. The general structure of these models can be applied in many and diverse situations
Fuzzy Overall Equipment Effectiveness (FOEE): capturing performance fluctuations through LR Fuzzy numbers
Full text linkThe paper focuses on the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), a performance indicator that is extensively used in the
industry. The aim is to extend the capabilities of the OEE, so as to capture the day-to-day fluctuations to which manufacturing
performances are subjected. To this aim, manufacturing losses are decomposed into elementary causes and
modelled as LR fuzzy numbers. Next, in order to compute the Fuzzy Overall Equipment Effectiveness (FOEE), single
losses are aggregated using the ‘fuzzy transformation model’. This approach limits the fuzzy overestimation phenomenon
and assures both results’ accuracy and robustness. An industrial application, part of a lean project carried on by an
important Italian manufacturing firm, is finally presented. Results are encouraging, since the FOEE made it possible to
trace back the share of the overall fluctuations that is ascribable to each cause of loss. In this way, it provided the basis
for setting improvement priorities and directed the lean team toward the selection of appropriate corrective actions
A Conceptual Framework for Project Scheduling with Multi-Skilled Resources
Full text linkThe success of a project depends, mostly, on the ability to create multi-skilled teams and to assign them to project's tasks, without creating multi-tasking and over-allocation. In this respect, the Multi-skilled Work Force Scheduling Problem has attracted a great interest, both for academicals and practitioners. Unfortunately, most of the academic works produced so far, has not yet found its way into practice, mainly because of a complex and rigid mathematical formulation, which poses a serious constraint on the precision of the input data. To solve this criticality, we abandon the over optimistic idea of a global optimum and we propose a hierarchical framework that extends the well-known Dynamic Scheduling approach. The focus is on the resource assignment phase, with the objective to allocate multi-skilled resources in a quasi-optimal way, so as to assure project quality and a harmonious development of the workforce
Utilizzo del modulo MRP per la pianificazione della produzione nel caso di forniture in Consignment Stock
No full textIl Consignment Stock è una metodologia di integrazione logistica mirante alla minimizzazione delle scorte in ottica di filiera, basata su una stretta collaborazione e su un regolare scambio informativo fra le aziende coinvolte. Considerando il crescente interesse che il Consignment Stock sta generando in campo industriale, l'obiettivo di questo lavoro consiste nell'individuazione e nella formalizzazione dei fattori che determinano il successo di tale strategia. La parte centrale del lavoro consiste nell'ideazione di una modifica di carattere operativo, da apportare al modulo MRP standard, per consentire un più semplice e performante gestione della produzione nel caso di forniture in Consignment Stock. A chiarimento del metodo proposto, viene infine proposto un esempio numerico a carattere illustrativo
Improving performance in luxury-goods warehouses: a lean based approach
No full textPurpose – Nowadays, the capability to overcome the traditional tradeoffs among costs, quality and time has become a must in «high margins» business too. In this respect, lean principles have emerged as new managerial paradigms capable to boost operational performance and to fulfill customers’ needs in a more thorough way. Unfortunately, howto decline these paradigms into operating processes remains a challenging task: a universal framework does not exist and lean principles must be re-interpreted, dependently on the system under analysis. This paper belongs to this stream of research, as it shows how lean can be effectively tailored to the needs of the luxury fashion industry.
Design/methodology/approach –The analysis was performed through a case study concerning a lean project, carried out in the central warehouse of a famous Italian fashion firm. Aiming to optimize operations, to rationalize flows and to increase flexibility, the adopted methodology followed five well-established steps: (i)analysis of the «As Is Scenario», (ii)critical assessment(iii)solutions generation, (iv)validation,(v) implementation and results assessment.
Findings –The analysis brought to light many critical issues, thus envisaging ample room for improvement. Several solutions concerning packaging, picking, space allocation and deliveries were devised and implemented as pilot projects, with outstanding preliminary results.
Originality Value– Lean in the luxury fashion industry can be certainly considered as the innovative element of the paper. Indeed, lean principles are relatively new to this sector because, as for all «high margins» businesses, the focus on operational costs has been traditionally considered as a marginal issue
Harmony search algorithm for single machine scheduling problem with planned maintenance
No full textThis paper focuses on the single machine scheduling problem, with sequence dependent setup times. Both processing and setup times are deterministic and the objective is to minimize total earliness and tardiness penalties. The novelty of the model can be traced in the fact that the single machine is subjected to breakdowns and that, in order to increase its availability, planned maintenance tasks are also performed. Hence, jobs and maintenance tasks are jointly considered to find the optimal schedule. These features make the problem NP-hard and so, a quasi-optimal solution is searched using a recent metaheuristic, which integrates harmony search and genetic algorithms. In order to validate the proposed metaheuristic, a comprehensive set of scheduling problems was fully investigated. Obtained results, compared with those of exhaustive (for small problems) and standard metaheuristics, confirm both the robustness and the speed of the proposed approach
Governance and evaluation model of a supply chain
No full textThe aim of this work is to present (i) a model for the governance of a generic supply chain network (SCN) and (ii) a structured evaluating framework to measure the integration level between the partners. An analysis of three aspects to define the structure and the contents for the proposed governance and evaluation model has been made. The three aspects are (i) a literature review to determine the main concepts concerning a governance model for SCN, (ii) the practical implications concerning the main known and existing models and (iii) a description of a norm (i.e. Italian government) which encourage the integration among firms in a supply chain network. The main findings are (i) a governance model for a supply chain network composed by five key concepts and (ii) an evaluation model which permits to rank (with a suitable score) the level of strategic and operative integration among the partners of the supply chain. The proposed governance and assessment model could be used for: (i) a guidance to implement a supply management system among the actors of the chain, (ii) developing a standard to manage supply chain and (iii) assessing the effectiveness of the integration level among the partners from a self-evaluation point of view and for a third-part assessment. The models represent an original method to implement and assess a management system to manage supply chain network. The value of the proposed methodology is the easiness of the approach that can be applied to a generic SCN constituted of firms of different typologies with a particular reference to the small and medium enterprises
A governance and assessment model for a supply chain network
No full textPurpose: the aim of this paper is to present (i) a model for the governance of a generic supply
chain network (SCN) and (ii) a structured evaluating framework to measure the integration
level between the partners
Design/methodology/approach: an analysis of three aspects to define the structure and the
contents for the proposed governance and evaluation model has been made. The three aspects
are (i) a literature review to determine the main concepts concerning a governance model for
SCN, (ii) the practical implications concerning the main known and existing models and (iii) a
description of a norm (i.e. Italian government) which encourage the integration among firms
in a supply chain network.
Findings: the main findings of this work are (i) a governance model for a supply chain
network composed by five key concepts and (ii) an evaluation model which permits to rank
(with a suitable score) the level of strategic and operative integration among the partners of
the supply chain.
Practical implications: the proposed governance and assessment model could be used for: (i)
a guidance to implement a supply management system among the actors of the chain, (ii)
developing a standard to manage supply chain and (iii) assessing the effectiveness of the
integration level among the partners from a self-evaluation point of view and for a third-part
assessment
Originality/Value: the proposed governance and evaluation models represent an original
method to implement and assess a management system to manage supply chain network. The
value of the proposed methodology is the easiness of the approach that can be applied to a
generic SCN constituted of firms of different typologies with a particular reference to the
small and medium enterprises
FMECA-based approach for vendor rating: Benefits, limits and future perspectives
No full textOver the last decades, the capability to establish logistic partnerships has proven to be a key element of success and consequently, vendor rating has become a topic of great importance, both from a practical and academic point of view. This paper belongs to this stream of research and rethinks failure mode effect and criticality analysis (FMECA) as a quantitative framework for vendor rating. The rationale behind this choice can be traced in the high reputation of FMECA and in the key role played by 'suppliers' reliability' in the achievement of outstanding management results. Aiming to develop a rigorous, yet easy to use framework, the structure of the standard FMECA has been kept almost unchanged, limiting modifications to the main criticality criteria which have been properly contextualised and redefined. A relevant industrial case is finally presented; obtained results are discussed, both from a managerial and operating point of view
Lean thinking in the luxury-fashion market: Evidences from an extensive industrial project
No full textPurpose – The capability to overcome tradeoffs among costs, quality and time has become a must in high-margin businesses too. Lean thinking may be a solution, but applications in the luxury-fashion market are still rare. In order to shed light on this apparent contradiction, the purpose of this paper is to identify the key features of the luxury-fashion market that may act as barriers for the adoption of lean principles. Next, based on the results of this preliminary analysis, the paper tries to verify, if and how, lean principles can be properly reinterpreted, so as to properly fit the requirements of this market. Design/methodology/approach – Due to the operating nature of lean, an empiric approach was followed. From the evidences gathered during a lean project of a world-wide company, critical elements of the luxury-fashion market were identified and used as criteria to select, among lean tools, the most appropriate ones. Lastly, selected tools were integrated in a structured framework (for lean implementation) that was used to analyze and to improve many logistics and manufacturing processes. Findings – Developed solutions were implemented as pilot projects, with outstanding preliminary result. Results are case specific and trying to infer general considerations may be hazardous. Nonetheless, due to the relevant dimension of the project, they can be considered more than a clue concerning the robustness of the framework and, most of all, concerning the real potentialities of lean in the luxury-fashion market. Practical implications – The framework is extremely operational and, together with the proposed industrial cases, can be used as a guideline to support practitioners during the implementation of similar projects. Originality/value – Lean thinking is relatively new in the luxury-fashion market, where the focus on operational costs has been traditionally considered as a marginal issue. Thus, the application of lean principles in this market is the innovative element of the paper
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