Assessment Of Technological Capabilities Research Articles

Specificity of the process of planning business structures in the field of hospitality in war conditions

Introduction. In modern conditions, planning the activities of business structures in the field of hospitality acquires special importance, as it ensures the efficiency of their functioning, adaptation to market conditions and satisfaction of customer needs. The planning process in this industry is distinguished by specific elements, such as taking into account seasonality, changes in consumer preferences, high standards of service and personnel management. In war conditions in Ukraine, this topic becomes even more relevant, because business structures and the planning of their stages must be ready for rapid changes and ensure continuity of activity in difficult circumstances. The purpose of the paper is to determine the most optimal stages of planning the activity of business structures in the field of hospitality in war conditions. Results. Taking into account internal, external and technological factors, in the conditions of war, the most optimal stages of planning the activity of business structures in the field of hospitality include: analysis of the current situation to assess risks and threats, strategic planning taking into account the flexibility and adaptability of the business model, resource assessment and budgeting with priority on critical areas, personnel management to ensure safety and support of employees, adaptation of logistics chains for uninterrupted supply, transparent communication and marketing to maintain connection with customers, regular monitoring and evaluation of results to adjust strategy, and recovery and development planning for rapid post-conflict recovery. Conclusion. Specificity of the process of planning business structures in the field of hospitality in war conditions require a comprehensive approach that includes an assessment of internal, external and technological capabilities, covering a wide range of factors that affect the company's ability to successfully plan and implement its stages. Specificity of planning of the business structures` activities in the field of hospitality in war conditions include six key stages that should be implemented. Each of these stages is critical to ensuring business resilience and adaptability. Under martial law, special attention is paid to security, flexibility of strategies and effective management of resources. Thanks to a comprehensive and dynamic approach to planning, business structures can successfully adapt to rapidly changing conditions and ensure the continuity of their activities while maintaining competitiveness in the market.

Empirical analysis of factors affecting industrial maintenance services selection

The process of selecting industrial maintenance services needs careful consideration of various factors to ensure that the chosen provider can effectively meet the specific needs of the organization/facility. This research paper examines the key factors that play a significant role in the decision-making process for selecting industrial maintenance services. These factors encompass the nature of services required, the expertise and experience of the service provider, cost and budget constraints, availability and responsiveness, establishment of service level agreements, evaluation of reputation and references, compliance with safety regulations, assessment of technological capabilities, flexibility and scalability of services, and sustainability practices. Through a thorough examination of these factors, industrial facilities can make well-informed decisions that align with their unique requirements and priorities.

A Technological Capability Assessment of Company in the Crude Palm Oil Industry in Indonesia

A Technological Capability Assessment of Company in the Crude Palm Oil Industry in Indonesia

Assessment of technological capabilities to counter fraudulent practices in the banking sector

In connection with the strengthening of Western sanctions on the Russian banking sector, the number of malefactors, who enjoy the confidence of panicking depositors and the unstable situation in the banking market, has increased dramatically. The article discusses the key issues of the application of big data analysis as a technological basis for countering fraud in the practical activities of banks. The objectives of such a struggle are to determine the operations of intruders in the flow of large volumes of statistical information with the greatest accuracy and to take preventive measures to minimize damage. The purpose of the article is to assess the possibility of using machine learning technology by banks and develop an algorithm for detecting fraudulent transactions based on programming. Particular attention is paid to the current economic environment, its impact on the financial system as a whole, and in particular, on the reorientation of the banking sector to combat fraud in the context of increased fraud activity.

Assessment of Technological Capabilities of the Informal Foodservice Operators in Oyo State

Aim and Objective: Evaluate the technological capability of the informal foodservice operators in the study area with the view of ensuring wholesome food are served using the right technological capabilities.
 The informal foodservice operators (IFOs) carry a larger part of food service providers that have contact with people on daily basis. The model of Garvin, 1981 was adapted for the study and mixed study approach. A structured questionnaire that includes both close and open-ended questions was used to elicit information from the participants of the study. The data collected was analysed and it showed that the technological capacity of the informal foodservice operators in studied areas in Oyo State was fairly high. The informal foodservice operators have low investment capacity, production capacity and high marketing capacity. The ability to use technological capacity to their advantage was lacking due to lack of funds and training. Their high marketing and innovation capacity showed that if there are funds and training, they will improve their investment and production capacity. Government should formulate policy that will encourage growth of the informal foodservice operators to ensure that wholesome food is served within the system.

An assessment of technological capabilities and deposit-mobilisation technologies in selected micro-finance banks in Southwestern Nigeria

Despite the limitations peculiar to Nigerian micro-finance banks in deposit-mobilization initiatives, some banks have managed to deploy technologies to mitigate these constraints. This paper identifies the capabilities responsible for enabling the acquisition and deployment of technologies for deposit mobilization activities with a view to inform policy and management practice. Using data collected from questionnaire administration on the managers of 100 selected micro-finance banks, we identify the technologies deployed; measure investment, operational, marketing and linkage capabilities in the sector using a five-item scale (1 = none and 5 = very high) and examine the technological capabilities that influence the deployment of the technologies. We found out that 28.2% of the banks used Point-of-sale (POS) machines, 10.3% deployed mobile banking technologies, while 33.3% and 20.5% used mobile money and card system technologies respectively for deposit mobilisation activities. The study revealed that technological capabilities in the sector ranged from moderate to high. Our regression model showed that capabilities to penetrate markets, procure and install equipment, negotiate and recruit skilled personnel were 21, 15.24, 5.75 and 0.03 times respectively more likely to influence the deployment of the POS. In addition, ability to link external agents to troubleshoot, test and train staff was 0.08 times more likely to influence the deployment of the POS machine. Capability to assess, procure and install technologies was 0.13 times more likely to influence the deployment of mobile money technologies. The study recommended training through professional bodies and regulatory and knowledge institutions to upgrade technological capabilities in the sector

Assessment of Technological Capabilities for Forming Al-C-B System Coatings on Steel Surfaces by Electrospark Alloying Method.

In this paper, the possibility of applying the electrospark alloying (ESA) method to obtain boron-containing coatings characterised by increased hardness and wear resistance is considered. A new method for producing such coatings is proposed. The method consists in applying grease containing aluminium powder and amorphous boron to the surface to be treated and subsequently processing the obtained surface using the ESA method by a graphite electrode. The microstructural analysis of the Al-C-B coatings on steel C40 showed that the surface layer consists of several zones, the number and parameters of which are determined by the energy conditions of the ESA process. Durametric studies showed that with an increase in the discharge energy influence, the microhardness values of both the upper strengthened layer and the diffusion zone increased to Wp = 0.13 J, Hµ = 6487 MPa, and Wp = 4.9 J, Hµ = 12350 MPa, respectively. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis indicate that at the discharge energies of 0.13 and 0.55 J, the phase composition of the coating is represented by solid solutions of body-centred cubic lattice (BCC) and face-centred cubic lattice (FCC). The coatings obtained at Wp = 4.9 J were characterised by the presence of intermetallics Fe4Al13 and borocementite Fe3 (CB) in addition to the solid solutions. The X-ray spectral analysis of the obtained coatings indicated that during the electrospark alloying process, the surface layers were saturated with aluminium, boron, and carbon. With increasing discharge energy, the diffusion zone increases; during the ESA process with the use of the discharge energy of 0.13 J for steel C40, the diffusion zone is 10–15 μm. When replacing a substrate made of steel C40 with the same one material but of steel C22, an increase in the thickness of the surface layer accompanied by a slight decrease in microhardness is observed as a result of processing with the use of the ESA method. There were simulated phase portraits of the Al-C-B coatings. It is shown that near the stationary points in the phase portraits, one can see either a slowing down of the evolution or a spiral twisting of the diffusion-process particle.

Review of manufacturers'recommendations on technological capabilities of ejectable excavator vibroplates assessment during soil compaction

Introduction. Add-on compactors for excavators (ACE hereinafter) are replaceable working equipment for excavators. They are used for soil compaction after the backfill of trenches, wells, foundation cavities and other “narrow spaces” of construction, as well as soil compaction at slopes of embankments and excavations.In practical use of ACE, builders face two challenges:to justify the choice of an ACE for soil compaction under given conditions determined by the soil type and moisture, layer thickness, and the required compaction factor; to determine the time required to compact soil with an ACE at a single point positional compaction to ensure the required compaction factor of a given type of soil in a layer of required thickness.The problems above require the information regarding technological capabilities of ACEs in different technological situations of soil compaction. The assessment of such technological capabilities of ACEs, at the same time, should take into account the ongoing transition to a new regulatory framework in Russia in the field of assessment indicators for the results of soil compaction in construction.Materials and methods. ACE technological capabilities review was conducted based on the information provided on the official websites of the largest Russian and foreign ACE manufacturers and suppliers.Conclusion. The analysis of information provided by ACE manufacturers and suppliers showed that most of that information is technical specifications of ACEs and excavators. There is almost no information on technological capabilities of ACEs. At the same time, ACE manufacturers and suppliers use ambiguous terminology (for example, “compaction volume”) in the assessment of technological capabilities.Practical value. Lack of information on technological capabilities of ACEs in various technological situations of soil compaction leads to errors in selection of an ACE model and its operation time during single point positional soil compaction, which increases the risk of under compaction and reduced service life of constructed objects. To solve this problem, the Construction and Road-Building Machinery Department of Yaroslavl State Technical University is developing a methodology for calculating the results of soil compaction with an ACE in different technological situations.

A sequential pattern mining approach to identifying potential areas for business diversification

ABSTRACTAlthough many quantitative models have been presented to identify potential areas for business diversification, most have focused on the assessment of technological capabilities and/or similarities using patent information. New data sources and scientific methods have thus seldom been addressed. We propose a sequential pattern mining approach to identifying potential areas for business diversification using the historical business segment data. Our approach includes (1) sequential pattern mining to identify potential areas for business diversification by extracting the significant changing patterns of firms’ business segments; and (2) index analysis to assess the market and financial characteristics of the areas identified. Taken together, three diversification strategy maps are developed to provide comprehensive views of analysis results. An empirical analysis of 25,126 unique firms with 1320 business segments confirms that the proposed approach enables a wide-ranging search for potential areas for business diversification and the quick assessment of their characteristics.

ASSESSMENT OF TECHNOLOGY COMPETITIVENESS ABILITIES IN INDONESIAN WAR SHIP IN ASIA

The assessment of technological competitiveness can be carried out at the level of a stage of transformation on a warship. With the dynamics of defence and security threats to the Indonesian state, both symmetrical and asymmetrical, warship technology must continue to improve combat capability and professionalism of human resources in accordance with technological developments towards the industrial revolution 4.0, in order to have a high level of competitiveness. The purpose of this study is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of warship performance through the assessment of technological capabilities. The research result, at the level of technological capability and the existing gap of fourth components, where the current level of capability on warships W has a gap of the technological development that is farthest away with countries Y and Z is the development of the level of technological capability on technical devices and followed by developments the level of technological capability in human resources (soldiers). The benefits of the research are expected to be used as material for consideration by planners and decision makers in integrating technological considerations into the planning of warship development in the modern era.Keywords: Technology Capability Assessment, Warship Technology, Techometrics

New fuzzy logic approach for the capability assessment of renewable energy technologies: Case of Iran

Firms need to identify their technology capability and change their productions through new reconfigurations and combinations of the existing potential capabilities with newly developed productions. Technology capability is a sophisticated, elusive, and vague concept that can be difficulty assessed. To accurately assess the technology capability, both the tangible and intangible parameters should be taken into account. The merit of employing the fuzzy set theory is to face with the vagueness and complexity imposed by the formulation process. As a result, this mathematical tool is broadly applied in wide-ranging fields. In this paper, a fuzzy-based model is developed for the renewable energy technology capability assessment to achieve clean energy generation. The logical outcomes demonstrated that the proposed model is a powerful technique for technology capability assessment in order to identify the coming opportunities, especially where there is a less or lack of information because of the complexity imposed by the ever-changing energy business world. The results show that the proposed model has a high potential for assessing the renewable energy technology capability of a firm in order to efficiently recognize the challenges related to investment in clean energy technologies.

The Assessment of Technological Capabilities of Wagon and Locomotive Manufacturing Industries of Urban Trains (Case Study: Tehran Wagon Manufacturing Company)

Abstract. One of the significant factors in failures of applying technology in attaining competitive advantage of developing countries firms is the lack of knowledge of the level of technological capabilities of the firm and the lack of using competencies to achieve relative advantages. The evaluation of technologic requirements is an instrument which is utilized in order to determine the needed requirements for the implementation of technological proprieties. The assessment of technological requirements not only identifies the weak and problematic fields of the firm but also highlights and determines its relative advantages. By utilizing the model of assessing technological requirements, in the present paper, we attempt to cast light upon the level of technological competencies of Yasan Steel Structure Company. This model evaluates the capability level of the firm from nine dimensions and in each status, it determines the condition of the firms. Besides, it provides some suggestions to reduce the existing gap.

Assessment of Technological Capabilities of OIC Countries

For reviewing science and technology policies of a country, an advisable beginning point is a pragmatic evaluation of its current state in technology progress. An appropriate tool used to measure the technology progress is the composite index of technology achievement which enlightens the level of technological progress and the readiness of a country to participate in knowledge-based economy. Technology achievement index (TAI) assists a country to check status of its technological progress relative to others. In the current study, TAI 2014 of OIC member states (TAI-14-OIC) is developed to analyse the situation of technological progress of OIC countries. Countries have been ranked on the basis of TAI which stands on four pillars, namely, technology creation, diffusion of old innovations, diffusion of recent innovations and development of human skills. Ranking of countries in these dimensions on the basis of their indices is also presented. Comparative analysis of some S&T indicators of OIC countries with OECD countries is presented which should be very helpful for S&T policy makers in the OIC countries. Some concluding thoughts for development of technological capabilities in OIC countries are presented at end of the article.

Assessment of Technological Capabilities of a Production System from a Position of Flexible Risk Management

Forecasting of technological development of economy in general and its separate branches is one of the most important and most complex problems of long-term forecasting. From a position of technological development of research show that throughout all horizon of forecasting the economy of the Russian Federation is in the mode which is catching up (catch-up). Overcoming of backward technological level of the production device of the Russian economy demands further building not only investment activity, but also labor productivity according to the international standards. The purpose of this work is the analysis of opportunities of flexible development of the adaptable mechanism of a production system in the conditions of unstable environment.

DEVELOPING A MODEL FOR TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT — CASE OF AUTOMOTIVE PARTS MANUFACTURERS IN IRAN

Technology assessment provides the requirements for decision-making with regard to development of technological capabilities. This paper presents a model for assessment of technological capability level of firms. This model was tested on 10 manufacturers of automotive parts in Iran. We choose some technology capability assessment models as the basis of our assessment model. Then, using field study by questionnaire and site visit, these firms' capability level was assessed. Results indicate that in most cases there are lack of appropriate soft aspects of technological capability like managerial, human and knowledge aspects, smooth and balanced technological capability, and appropriate tacit knowledge.

Conception, development and implementation of an e-Government maturity model in public agencies

Governments worldwide are encouraging public agencies to join e-Government initiatives in order to provide better services to their citizens and businesses; hence, methods of evaluating the readiness of individual public agencies to execute specific e-Government programs and directives are a key ingredient in the successful expansion of e-Government. To satisfy this need, a model called the eGovernment Maturity Model (eGov-MM) was developed, integrating the assessment of technological, organizational, operational, and human capital capabilities, under a multi-dimensional, holistic, and evolutionary approach. The model is strongly supported by international best practices, and provides tuning mechanisms to enable its alignment with nation-wide directives on e-Government. This article describes how the model was conceived, designed, developed, field tested by expert public officials from several government agencies, and finally applied to a selection of 30 public agencies in Chile, generating the first formal measurements, assessments, and rankings of their readiness for e-Government. The implementation of the model also provided several recommendations to policymakers at the national and agency levels.

Getting Innovation from Suppliers

Successful firms have understood the superiority of customer orientation over a firm's internal orientation ever since the promotion of the modern marketing concept by marketing gurus such as Jerome McCarthy, Theodore Levitt and Philip Kotler in the 1960s and 1970s. Customer-oriented firms are more likely to innovate and develop new products and services that are valued by their customers. However, fostering customer orientation in order to guide the firm's activities is not enough at a time when account for the largest portion of the value delivered to the customer, when the fragmentation of the supply chain has gone beyond the outsourcing of manufacturing and logistics tasks, and when have to bear more design and development responsibility than before. Companies like Siemens Automation Systems take heed of this by distinguishing productivity suppliers from innovation suppliers and managing them differently. From the former they expect cost reductions, and for the latter they orchestrate the industrial production of the resulting component to make the innovative solution usable in Siemens' products. From our supplier research conducted over the past 10 years we can derive the following unambiguous recommendations for getting out of suppliers. 1. Identify and Attract Innovation Suppliers There are numerous ways in which companies may promote, solicit, implement, and reward with their suppliers. Encouraging ideas from can commence with standardized channels such as BMW's Virtual Innovation Agency, a Web portal to support active supplier scouting. In supplier forums such as GM's three-day TechWorld conferences, supplier and buying firms can discuss trends and dig deeper into technological developments. However, such broad approaches and rather impersonal links can be only an initial step toward getting leading-edge out of suppliers. Once a breakthrough has been identified, co-location of engineers to explore the details and support to industrialize the resulting system or component are necessary. For example, ever since Porsche's initial commitment to the automotive supplier SGL in the late 1990s, Porsche has been highly involved with SGL in the development of the carbon-ceramic automotive brake. As a consequence, Porsche was able to use this revolutionary technology in its 911 model, four years earlier than other luxury-car makers. 2. Assess Suppliers' Downstream Customer Orientation Despite the criticality of selecting for activities, firms traditionally limit their assessment of the suppliers' technological and commercial capabilities. Our research shows that the orientation of further upstream in the supply chain toward the downstream customers plays a crucial role in the success or failure of the customer firm's new product. A supplier should understand, for example, the positioning of the customer in the market, or the societal trends that shape the end customer's buying behavior. Suppliers' downstream customer orientation has a significant impact on innovativeness as well as on the cost and speed of new product development projects. Both translate into competitive advantage and financial benefits. What does that mean for buying organizations? They must augment their supplier selection process and assess the supplier's understanding of customers along the supply chain. Only a few companies do this. 3. Maintain Truly Collaborative Supplier Relationships The automotive supplier survey conducted annually by the research firm, Planning Perspectives Inc. …

Do firms require an efficient innovation system to develop innovative technological capabilities? Empirical evidence from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand

Technological change in firms in late-industrialising countries is very much a process of acquiring and improving technological capabilities. The paper reviews some literatures on technological capabilities, technological learning and systems of innovation to prepare the ground for the investigation of the following questions: Do firms with high technological capabilities, in terms of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to Own Brand Manufacturing (OBM) framework, also have high innovation and linkage capabilities? And does the quality of the national and regional innovation system positively influence these capabilities? In order to answer these questions, the paper compares groups of firms with different capabilities in Bangkok (Thailand), Penang (Malaysia) and Singapore. Finding evidence in favour of both questions, we argue that the quality of the innovation system is highly important for learning and innovation, even though figures for Penang suggest that firms can do better than the quality of their respective National Innovation System (NIS) would predict. Nevertheless, the influence of the innovation system is clearly stronger than the level of technological capabilities – at least in the classification used in our study. Hence, we additionally assert that more subtle classification methods for the assessment of technological capabilities should be used in future research.

Technological capability assessment as an input for strategic planning: Case studies at Electricité de France and Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand

In the present era of rapid technological change, technological aspects need to be explicitly considered in strategic planning. One such aspect is the evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses with respect to a firm's technological capability. Existing methodologies for technological capability assessment tend to be very general and do not focus on critical elements that constitute the technological capability of a firm. This paper suggests a comprehensive methodology and illustrates it through case studies of two firms in the electricity utility sector, namely the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and Electricité de France (EDF). The two case studies, based on the proposed methodology, show how the technological capability profile of both these firms can be developed and draw attention not only to areas of strength but also to those that are weak and need improvement. On the basis of such findings several strategic implications have been highlighted in the case of EDF and EGAT. Existing strategic planning literature does not elaborate adequately upon the use of technological capability assessments in the planning framework. This paper attempts to make a contribution in this regard as well. The two case studies also draw attention to the fact that there are important endogenous and exogenous factors which contribute to technological capability development. These include: technology used by the company; company culture; organization size; company strategy; the level of learning; intelligence gathering activities; size of the economy and growth rate; financial and fiscal policies of government; and factor market conditions. In conclusion, it is pointed out that the proposed approach can also be used, with suitable adaptations, for studying other firms in the manufacturing sector.

Technological capability assessment of a firm in the electricity sector

The importance of technological capability enhancement in today's highly competitive and demanding business environment is well accepted. This paper proposes a methodology to assess the elements of strategic, tactical and supplementary capabilities, all of which together constitute the technological capability of a firm. In addition, the methodology includes the assessment of the steering capability of the firm in its analytical framework. The proposed methodology comprises five steps: identification of value addition stages performed by a firm; determination of technological capabilities needed at these stages; development of indicators for assessing the identified technological capabilities; benchmarking the capabilities assessed with a state-of-the-art firm; and analysis of the reasons for the technological capability gap between the firm being studied and the state-of-the-art firm. The development of the indicators is illustrated using a firm from the electricity sector. Some suggestions are then made as to how the assessment exercise can be used for technological capability enhancement planning. Special attention is paid to specific external and internal factors that can influence technological capability enhancement. Policy makers are often interested in examining the benefits and disbenefits of assessment exercises such as the one proposed in this paper. This aspect is also addressed briefly and some suggestions are made as to how problems, that could arise out of the findings of the assessment exercises, may be managed.