Knowledge Sharing and Incentive Design in Production Environments: Theory and Evidence

This paper presents an approach, based on ant techniques, to effectively address the assembly line balancing problem with the complicating factors of parallel workstations, stochastic task durations, and mixed-models. A methodology was inspired by the behavior of social insects in an attempt to distribute tasks among workers so that strategic performance measures are optimized. This methodology is used to address several assembly line balancing problems from the literature. The assembly line layouts obtained from these solutions are used for simulated production runs so that output performance measures (such as cycle time performance) are obtained. Output performance measures resulting from this approach are compared to output performance measures obtained from several other heuristics, such as simulated annealing. A comparison shows that the ant approach is competitive with the other heuristic methods in terms of these performance measures.

Sensitivity analysis for output performance measures in long-range dependent queueing system

The study was conducted with a view to evaluate the performance of the University of Malawi’s Polytechnic using the Balanced Scorecard model. The research employed a deductive approach and adopted a survey strategy.  A closed questionnaire eliciting demographic characteristics and work related factors was sent to a sample of the Polytechnic stakeholders who were selected using a non-random purposive technique.  The results indicated that the institution’s performance was poor on all the perspectives of the balanced scorecard. However, the performance of the college based on output performance measures was rated as good. The results have also shown that the internal processes and innovation, and learning processes showed a strong correlation to performance measures.   Key words: Balanced scorecard, financial perspective, customer perspective, internal processes, innovation and learning, performance measures.

The time required to execute simulation models of modern production systems remains high even with todays computing power, particularly when what-if analyses need to be performed to investigate the impact of controllable system input variables on an output performance measure. Compared to mean and variance which are frequently used in practice, quantiles provide a more complete picture of the performance of the underlying system. Nevertheless, quantiles are more difficult to estimate efficiently through stochastic simulation. Stochastic kriging (SK) and quantile regression (QR) are two promising metamodeling tools for addressing this challenge. Both approximate the functional relationship between the quantile parameter of a random output (e.g., cycle time) and multiple input variables (e.g., start rate, unloading times). In this paper, we compare performances of SK and QR on steady-state quantile parameter estimation. Results are presented from simulations of an M/M/1 queue and a more realistic model of a semiconductor manufacturing system.

This paper presents a data-driven simulation of a network using manufacturing blocking to control work-in-process, and this simulation is c2aled BNS for Blocking Network Simulation. The model is object oriented and is constructed in C++ using an object-oriented simulation environment called HOSE. The structure of the data- driven network simulator is illustrated with examples of the underlying code. An important feature of the model is a sequential procedure for determining run length to achieve statistical precision in an output performance measure. An illustrative example compares the performance of BNS with a queueing network approximation. The principal conclusion is that the data-driven network simulation can be applied by users with minimal simulation knowledge as a rapid modeling tool.

Introduction Robust scheduling is one of the approaches adopted to deal with uncertainties in stochastic scheduling. Since these uncertainties, arising as they do from variability in the scheduling parameters, significantly affect the performance of a system, a viable approach has been to determine a robust schedule that is least susceptible to disturbances or variations in the input parameters and that has minimum variability in its output performance measure. For instance, when processing times are uncertain, a robust schedule would have the least variance of the output performance measure, although it might not necessarily have the least expected value. As also mentioned in Chapter 1, of the various parameters involved in scheduling, we intend to focus on the uncertainty factor associated with job processing times. The following sections detail different robust scheduling methodologies that are available to model certain scheduling environments and the underlying principles behind those various approaches. Our primary focus is to elicit and delve in detail on the modeling approaches and not to expostulate the solution methodologies. However, we do briefly discuss the various solution approaches that are used to solve these robust scheduling problems and also state relevant results (as propositions) that are used in developing these solution methodologies. We intend to capture the core techniques that have been used in modeling robustness in scheduling and would advise interested readers to refer to the appropriate literature for a detailed and complete exposition.

Size optimization of a PV/wind hybrid energy conversion system with battery storage using response surface methodology

A certain degree of machining must be done on hybrid composites (glass and carbon fibres), created by basic manufacturing procedures, so as to achieve close fits and tolerances. End milling is a common method for finishing machined flat plate hybrid composite products, having aerospace, automobile, wind turbine blade and prosthetic applications. This study was performed using, PVD TiAlN coated carbide tools, under dry conditions. Three input parameters, namely nose radius, having two levels, cutting speed and feed rate, having three levels each were considered. Surface roughness parameter Ra was considered as the output performance measure. Taguchi L18 orthogonal array (OA) was applied for the design of experiments. Response surface methodology was adopted to optimize the input performance parameters. A response surface was generated to investigate the effect of input variables and their interactions on the response. From the analysis of the mean effect plot, it was observed that the most significant input parameter on surface roughness was the feed rate. Optimization results revealed that the best surface roughness was observed at a combination of A1B2C1, i.e. nose radius of 1 mm, cutting speed of 94.69 m/min and feed rate of 300 mm/min.KeywordsCarbon fibreHybrid compositeCFRPResponse surface methodologySurface roughness

Exercise Testing and Training Strategies for Healthy and Frail Elderly

This chapter introduces simulation tool TRANSSIM (Transportation model Simulation) to simulate transportation models. TRANSSIM is a tool which simulates and compares the results of different transportation models. A combination of programming languages is used to design this tool and is based on analytical approach to guide optimization strategy. In TRANSSIM, inputs are provided in terms of resources available, requirement and cost associated. Output performance measurements are calculated in terms of product allocation and associated total cost.

Knowledge sharing is one of the important factors in knowledge-based industries due to the fact that knowledge sharing can result in knowledge creation (Noanaka, Umemoto, & Seonoo, 1996) and innovation (Kamsak & Bulutlar, 2010; Wang & Wang, 2012). Thus, by considering that innovation can impact different dimensions of performance (financial and non-financial), (Cohen, 2010), increasing knowledge sharing is one of the necessities in any type of company. Knowledge sharing can be relevant to individual tendency for donating and collecting knowledge (Van Den Hoof & De Ridder, 2004) Different researches have been conducted about influential factors on knowledge sharing. Such researches have emphasized on environmental factors, motivational factors, individual factors, etc. (Wang & Noe, 2010; Li & Poon, 2011) that among such factors, many different theories such as social capital, resource-based review (RBV) and social exchange can be observed. Through narrowing these factors according to available concepts in human resource management (HRM) and organizational behavior, HRM practices have key role on increasing knowledge sharing. HRM practices have strategic contribution (Lengnick-Hall, Lengnick-Hall, Andrade, & Drake, 2009) as well as previous researches (Huselid, 1995; Wright, Gardner, & Moynihan, 2003; Chen & Huang, 2009) regarding RBV theory have the capability to impact employee behavior in case of sharing knowledge. Fong, Ooi, Tan, and Lee (2011), studied impact of HRM practices (training, staffing, performance appraisal, team work and reward) on knowledge sharing as gap of previous researches. Results demonstrated that HRM practices have a key role on improving knowledge sharing. If we consider talent as one of the knowledge resources or as a scope for dependent researches to impact of talent on sharing knowledge, so according to conducted research by Gelen et al. (2013) role of justice will be highlighted in case of relationship between HRM practices and knowledge sharing. It will result to the fact that existed interaction between equity theory (Pritchard, 1969) and underlying theories of researches will become important. There was little focus about this subject in previous researches. However, Khanmohammdi (2014) also emphasized on moderating role of justice in case of relationship between IT, management support, training and reward and knowledge sharing. Universities of Malaysia currently attempt to improve their position in global ranking. One of the helpful aspects for improving scientific level of universities is utilizing of high potential of lecturers. In this regard, improving knowledge sharing level among lecturers results in science creation (Khanomohammadi, 2014). Through considering lecturers as talents and also importance of knowledge sharing among them, it is necessary to clarify role of HRM practices and justice. Hence, this research aims to examine what is the relationship between HRM practices, perceived justice, and knowledge sharing in the Malaysian universities.

Problems resulting from the delegation of competencies from one actor to another are at the heart of any governance discussion. While the conventional agency view strongly emphasizes that such problems can be solved ex post by monitoring and control strategies, the contract view proposes to tackle said problems ex ante through alignment of the agent’s incentives to those of the principal by, for instance, incentive contracts. In this paper, we introduce a behavioral perspective to this discussion. We will spotlight that the ex post strategies are behaviorally dysfunctional. The effect of self-serving and hindsight tendencies can hardly be overcome. Ex ante strategies, in contrast, suffer from problems of incentive design. However, proper incentive design can account for behavioral decision patterns. On this ground we argue that incentive contracting appears to be superior to monitoring approaches to solve the principal–agent conflict. To address behavioral problems in governance systems, we propose a counterintuitive shift of rule-making competencies: from public to private ordering for monitoring strategies and from private to public ordering for incentive contracting.

Science, Specific Knowledge and Total Quality Management

Alternative Theories of the Firm

Previous research has reported that ethical values of business students are lower than those of their peers in other majors. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a self-selection bias with respect to ethical values exists among students enrolled as business majors when compared with students planning to enter the engineering profession. Engineering students are exposed to a similar technical orientation in academic curricula and also supply the market for managers. A survey instrument was administered to 195 students enrolled in undergraduate business and engineering programs and a graduate business program. The research instrument measured how business and engineering students perceive their own ethical beliefs and actions and how they perceived the ethical beliefs and actions of their peers. The results indicate a perceptual trap, or the self-versus-others disparity exists for the entire sample. However, there was a divergence between the two groups on the issue of “whistle blowing.” Engineers may be more sensitive to this issue. It was concluded that if a self-selection process exists, it is present for both business and engineering professional tracks with implications for educators in both disciplines. It is not enough to teach a man a specialty. Through it he may become a kind of useful machine, but not a harmoniously developed personality. It is essential that the student acquire an understanding of and a lively feeling for values. He must acquire a vivid sense of the beautiful and of the morally good. Otherwise he — with his specialized knowledge — more closely resembles a trained dog than a harmoniously developed person. He must learn to understand the motives of human beings, heir illusions, and their sufferings in order to acquire a proper relationship to individual fellow men and to the community. — Albert Einstein