ABSTRACT Main path analysis (MPA) is a critical tool for exploring the development and evolution of technological innovation, effectively characterizing the linkage patterns of technology development and offering significant insights for enterprises seeking efficient innovation. However, existing research predominantly focuses on identifying main paths, often neglecting the inclusion of the latest technologies due to time lags in patent publication and citation. This results in main paths that are rooted in past or present technologies, failing to highlight potential innovation opportunities. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel integrated framework that extends main paths by overcoming the limitations of single-path approaches and time lags in current patent citation network-based MPA. The framework uniquely integrates methods such as subject-action-object (SAO) semantic analysis and technology-function matrix, utilizing a function-oriented search (FOS) to extend multi-dimensional main paths. The improved method captures various types of potential technological innovation opportunities and provides advanced guidance for technological activities. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated through an evidence analysis in the all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIBs) technology domain. The resulting extended main path offers a more coherent view of technology development and flow, serving as a valuable reference for enterprises to identify potential innovation opportunities.

ABSTRACT There is a growing global awareness of the need for more efficient and sustainable transportation systems. A vital part of urban transportation systems are buses. This study presents a hybrid approach for the selection of the right fuel type for buses in public transportation. It considers economical, technological, environmental, social, and risk criteria simultaneously. In this approach, we first evaluate criteria weights by Chang’s Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and then determine the best alternative-fuel bus by Fuzzy Axiomatic Design (FAD) for the municipality of Izmir, the third largest city of Türkiye. Several sensitivity analyses were conducted with different criteria weights, design ranges, weighting and ranking methods. The results show that there is no significant difference between Chang’s and Buckley’s criteria weights and the ranking of Fuzzy TOPSIS is slightly different than FAD. Five fuel types were evaluated. Results from FAD indicate that electric buses are the most sustainable option. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of this ranking under various weighting schemes. In the scenarios emphasizing economical, environmental, and technical criteria, electric buses remained the top choice for FAD, while social and risk weighting favored CNG and Biodiesel options, respectively. The findings offer practical implications for municipal decision-makers.

Charging the increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs) in use requires the deployment of EV charging station networks (EVCSN). However, there are various challenges to deploying EVCSN in a sustainable manner. Türkiye, a developing country, should also build a robust EVCSN to encourage future adoption of EVs as the country’s market for EVs has been rapidly growing. The literature review concludes that no previous study has systematically explored challenges to the sustainable deployment of EVCSN. The goal of this study is, therefore, twofold: first, it identifies those challenges through the lenses of commonly used theories. Second, it explores them using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework that incorporates a rough-derived interval-valued neutrosophic set (R-IVN)-based ISM into MICMAC. By deriving interval neutrosophic information from single-valued expert inputs using rough number operators, the proposed approach more accurately captures epistemic uncertainty and variability in expert judgments compared to conventional interval-based models. The method is further validated through a novel Dice–Sørensen similarity index-based simulation approach. The findings of this study suggest that developing government policies and regulations and addressing the existence of vertically integrated companies are the critical challenges with higher driving powers. These findings provide key responsibilities for stakeholders, including urban municipalities, in developing guidelines for EVCSN deployment.

In this paper, we are concerned with the problem of how to analyze an underspecified system. In such systems, some system goals, requirements, functions, or tasks remain underspecified. The underspecification of a system mainly occurs in the early phases of projects. The underspecified nature of such systems poses significant analysis challenges. For example, a number of critical tasks that entail interactions between individuals and technical artifacts might not be identified. An approach for underspecified systems analysis remains underreported in the literature. In this paper, such an approach is described. Using a case study, we illustrate aspects of the approach.

Traditional project control is inadequate for complex projects like oil and gas (O&G) infrastructure projects, as evidenced by their persistent underperformance. The objective of this study is to explore the dimensions of project monitoring and control (M&C) from a holistic viewpoint on project control and performance. An empirical study was conducted using a multi-method approach for data collection and qualitative analysis within the context of O&G projects in India. The findings reveal a comprehensive framework of nineteen core processes (i.e. dimensions) of project M&C, which extend beyond the conventional control. The results also indicate that all the M&C dimensions, as a control package, impact the project’s overall performance. The findings emphasize the M&C processes such as monitoring project-closure, resource & procurement, compliance and team (performance), and communication & coordination (control), change control and project risk M&C. Thus, the study presents a holistic perspective on project control, based on the ‘management control system,’ transcending the traditional methods to identify various managerial elements of project M&C aimed at enhancing performance. Its practical implications lie in the framework’s integrated approach, focusing on key processes of project M&C during execution, for improved performance management in infrastructure projects, particularly in the Indian O&G projects.

This study aims to critically evaluate research on the efficiency of Project Management Offices (PMOs) within the domain of Project Management. This research employs the literature-grounded theory (LGT) methodology, which focuses on generating knowledge - theories or hypotheses - through selecting, analyzing, and synthesizing existing scientific and technological literature. This approach provides a set of scientific data derived from a specific method of knowledge acquisition, fostering thematic growth for researchers in this field and highlighting key trends. This research aims to examine how PMO efficiency assessment is addressed in the literature and to understand the concept of efficiency in PMOs. The study progresses through three main stages: first presenting articles on PMO topics; second deepening the understanding of specific methods and techniques; finally a content analysis, which examines how researchers have assessed PMO efficiency and the approaches they have employed. The findings reveal a lack of conceptual rigor in the definitions of efficiency used in PMO evaluations. Numerous empirical evaluation instruments from the surveyed literature fail to address these concepts adequately. This study makes two primary contributions: first, it identifies the most significant relationship between PMO evaluations and organizational performance, wherein project efficiency is a benchmark for assessing PMO efficiency. Second, it explores key correlations by cross tabulating the identified efficiencies.

Traditionally, engineering and business education programs are conducted separately in different academic units. In the workplace, however, these two disciplines cannot be separated. Moreover, in academia, the two disciplines rarely see how their decisions impact each other whereas in industry there is a direct link between engineering decisions and business decisions. In recent years, there have been several initiatives to address the gaps in academia. These include but are not limited to capstone projects, internships, case studies integrated into undergraduate engineering and business curricula, and interdisciplinary business and engineering programs. However, there is a lack of studies that investigated the effectiveness of these initiatives. Further, only a few studies have explored the development of learning modules and hands-on simulations for teaching design and manufacturing and the incorporation of these modules and simulations into both engineering and business curricula. In this research, we introduce a simulation-based approach for integrating engineering and business learning in undergraduate courses. The proposed approach is cost-effective and it relies on cross-curriculum case studies and simulation activities that are based on a common product. This approach also incorporates both in-depth and broad learning modules that integrate manufacturing education by illustrating how knowledge is transferred and captured throughout the entire product development life cycle. The proposed approach was tested in undergraduate engineering and business courses and showed improvements in student understanding of complex concepts and practical application of theoretical knowledge.

The world has recently witnessed the 21st century’s massive catastrophic situation termed as “COVID-19 pandemic,” which lasted for more than two consecutive years. The impact of this crisis has affected banking, finance, tourism, hospitality, service, automobiles, infrastructure, and other diverse sectors. To uphold financial sustainability, the government, and private sectors in some countries stepped toward introducing technological transformation and as an outcome, digital financial transformation was accelerated. The occurrence of the pandemic spurred the digitization of payments as digital transformation and digital payments were found to be efficient instruments to bridge the gap between vulnerable and formalized economies of the countries. A significant surge in digital payments transformation over conventional financial transactions for improving the downturned economies from the pandemic has been growing globally. This surge was noticed in Albania, one of the Balkan countries of Europe, where some strategic electronic services were introduced as a part of digital transformation. Consequently, the research question remains whether this digital payment transformation was well accepted by consumers in Albania during the pandemic and whether consumers are willing to take continual shifts to admit digital payments for future digital transactions. To determine the digital payment transformation state in Albania from consumers’ viewpoint during the pandemic crisis, the present study proposes a framework that is based on TAM and UTAUT theories. The survey-based quantitative research methodology is adopted to validate the proposed framework. This study aims to perform an in-depth examination of digital payment transformation complexities experienced by customers while utilizing digital payments in Albania and how the authorities and institutions could overcome such in the future to continue sustainable digital transformation.

Implementing a smart manufacturing factory is a strategic, complex, and costly undertaking. This paper develops a cost estimation framework for the smart factory management information system (SFMIS) using activity-based costing (ABC). The proposed ABC model adopts a seven-step procedure of resource and activity drivers to calculate costs by tracing the cost objects. This study also incorporates life cycle assessment (LCA) to identify life-phase activities. Respondent data are modeled by the fuzzy Delphi method. The present study successfully develops an ABC model for evaluating SFMIS projects under uncertainty. Through a case study, the eight activities built based on the LCA and the 10 SFMIS modules exhibit different allocation proportions. This study provides insights that address limitations in conventional accounting approaches to smart manufacturing project evaluation, incorporating a broader range of cost information relevant to SFMIS practices. These findings inform practitioners’ SFMIS investment decisions. Our proposed cost evaluation framework can reduce unnecessary expenditures and promote successful smart manufacturing implementation. By adopting an ABC approach, this study expands existing research on smart manufacturing project investment evaluation, enhancing investor understanding. This contributes a cost decision model integrating fuzzy sets, ABC, and LCA, enabling industry to accurately and efficiently identify, allocate, and estimate resource costs, ultimately facilitating smart factory implementation by policymakers.

The implementation of digital Value Stream Mapping (VSM) can enhance the efficiency of business processes (BPs) in engineering knowledge work by identifying and eliminating waste, with a positive impact on sustainability. The study utilizes a combination of action research and case study methodology. It begins with an extensive literature review, followed by a case study conducted within an engineering-to-order (ETO) electrical company, where insights are gathered through interviews. The techniques used include a literature review on VSM applications across different industries, a case study implementation of VSM in an ETO company, and interviews with 10 employees to identify process inefficiencies and improvement opportunities. The study reveals that digital VSM effectively identifies waste and non-value-adding (NVA) activities in engineering knowledge work, offering actionable insights for improving process efficiency and sustainability. This contributes to both academic understanding and practical applications in industrial settings.