Industrial Capabilities Research Articles

Research on the Path of Digital Economy Empowering the Green Transformation and Upgrading of Jiangsu’s Manufacturing Industry

In the era of digital economy, digital technology has become an important force in promoting industrial upgrading. As a pillar industry in Jiangsu, manufacturing plays an important role in promoting Jiangsu's economic development. With the proposal of the "dual carbon" goal, how to enable the digital economy to empower the green transformation and upgrading of Jiangsu's manufacturing industry has become a common concern in the industry. In view of a series of problems currently existing in Jiangsu's manufacturing industry, including the imbalance of regional digital economic development, low integration of digital economy and manufacturing, and "stuck" key core technologies, it is proposed to increase financial investment support, enhance digital innovation, and Strengthening the research and development of key core technologies will be the path to comprehensively enhance the green manufacturing capabilities of Jiangsu's manufacturing industry and deepen digital technology empowerment.

Analysis of the Impact of Import and Export Trade on the Innovation Ability of Chinese Industrial Enterprises

In recent years, the process of economic globalization and industrial globalization has been accelerating. In order to consolidate their competitiveness in the international market, countries have deployed and implemented innovative development strategies. At present, although China has become a major industrial and manufacturing country in the world, and the only country in the world with all industrial categories, compared with the advanced level in the world, it still needs to strengthen independent innovation, improve the scientific and technological content and informatization level, improve the level of industrial structure, and promote high-quality economic development. With China's accession to the World Trade Organization, it continues to "go out and introduce", pushing Chinese manufacturing to the world, and also continuously bringing high-quality foreign resources and advanced technology into China. At present, a large number of scholars have also studied the innovation capabilities of enterprises and high-tech industries, but the selection criteria are not the same. This article is based on the innovation capability evaluation system proposed by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, combined with the entropy weight method, and weights 10 secondary indicators selected from the evaluation system to calculate the comprehensive score of high-tech industry innovation capability for each province from 2010 to 2019. Select import and export trade as the core explanatory variable to study the impact of import and export trade on China's high-tech industry innovation capacity, and propose policy recommendations for this.

Automated scenario generation from Operational Design Domain model for testing AI-based systems in aviation

AbstractApplications based on artificial intelligence (AI) promise benefits, ranging from improved performance to increased capabilities in many industries. In the aviation domain, one example is the new Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS X). The current investigation aims at combining ACAS X and AI to maintain its performance while decreasing the memory footprint. However, the anticipation of AI being increasingly used confronts regulators with challenges in terms of safety assurance and certification. Consequently, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a concept paper for machine learning applications in aviation. Both, the Concept of Operation (ConOps) in combination with an Operational Design Domain (ODD), are listed as objectives to be met for the safety analysis. From a developer’s perspective, this raises questions on how to effectively derive the ODD from ConOps and test the given system based on the ODD description. Based on an exemplary use case of a Near Mid-Air Collision avoidance between two aircraft through the advisories of ACAS X, a highly automated framework for generating and testing synthetic data is proposed. Using this framework, 1800 Near Mid-Air Collision scenario files are created and automatically executed in the simulation environment FlightGear. Scenario-based testing is used for the logging of ACAS X advisory data and evaluating it against predefined requirements. By this approach, an efficient way of verifying system requirements and conducting automated testing based on the ODD definition is demonstrated. Throughout this process, Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is used to reduce and manage complexity. The framework in this paper enables a systematic and highly automated approach for scenario generation based on the ODD.

Framework and case study for the assembly accuracy prediction of prefabricated buildings using BIM and TLS

ABSTRACT Tolerance management in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector faces challenges due to a lack of systematic scientific methods and tools. Quality issues in construction, coupled with inefficiencies, rework, and waste arising from deviation problems, hinder the sustainable development of the AEC sector. Current deviation control methods in the AEC field rely on compliance inspections and on-site rework, which are reactive and costly. In contrast, the manufacturing industry, closely linked to AEC, has developed highly automated methods for tolerance management. Although prefabricated buildings are manufactured off-site with high precision, the on-site assembly precision remains low, failing to fully leverage manufacturing industry capabilities. This research proposes a framework for predicting assembly accuracy of prefabricated buildings during the design and early construction stages. The framework, based on tolerance analysis methods from the manufacturing industry, integrates Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Terrestrial 3D Laser Scanning (TLS) technologies. This innovative approach offers a computer-aided method for conducting tolerance analysis in prefabricated buildings. A completed prefabricated building project serves as a case study, utilizing the framework to predict variations in critical dimensions, and the predictions align with measured results, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed framework.

U.S.–India defense cooperation: progress, motivation and constraints

AbstractDefense cooperation is an important pillar of the strategic partnership between the United States and India. Since the Modi government came to power in 2014, the defense cooperation between the United States and India has entered the fast lane. The two countries have made breakthroughs on multiple fronts, such as the signing of foundational agreements, the transfer of sensitive technologies, the joint research and development of advanced military equipment, and interoperability exercises. The deepening of defense cooperation reflects the two countries’ strategic convergence based on their respective national interests. Nevertheless, the structural gaps concerning their ideology, strategic goals, and industrial capability will pose limits on their cooperation. Therefore, it is unlikely that the United States and India will become a military alliance in the full sense, but rather the two sides will more likely adopt a quasi-alliance. Defense cooperation between the United States and India has become increasingly focused on targeting China, creating real challenges for China's national security.

Research on the Impact of Digital Transformation on the Sustainable Development Capability of the Information Service Industry

Digital transformation is a trend in the information service industry that is gaining traction. Enterprises can benefit from the development of innovative business models as well as improved service quality and efficiency, thereby promoting sustainable development of the information services industry. A rapid advancement in technology has led to the introduction of new digital technologies such as cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, etc. Several fields of the information service industry are slowly becoming impacted by these technologies, creating new opportunities and challenges for its sustainable growth. Information services can be optimized through digital transformation and work efficiency can be improved. Digital technologies facilitate the transmission of information and facilitate the processing of information, which helps enterprises respond to market changes quickly and enhance their competitiveness. Furthermore, businesses can use digital technology to better understand and meet the needs of their customers. Using big data, companies can gain a deeper understanding of customer behavior and preferences, enabling them to adjust their service strategies accordingly. Despite the benefits of the digital transformation, it has brought some problems and challenges, such as privacy and security concerns, as well as an increased demand for employees with specialized skills. As a result, enterprises should pay attention to solutions to these issues during the digital transformation process, such as strengthening data security measures, providing employee training and skill upgrades.

Role of Investing in Human Resources in Enhancing the Organizational Renewal Capabilities of the Pharmaceutical Industry

This study aims to explore the role of the dimensions investing in human resources in enhancing the organizational renewal capabilities of companies operating in the pharmaceutical industry. An online survey was conducted among a sample of (350) individuals who worked in pharmaceutical companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that the dimensions of investing in human resources as assessed by employees of pharmaceutical companies positively enhance all four studied dimensions of organizational renewal capabilities (strategic competence, learning orientation connectivity, leadership practices, exploiting time) for a wide range of pharmaceutical companies. The results confirm that enhancing the investing in human resources is a promising path toward improving the regulatory renewal capabilities of pharmaceutical companies. Despite the interest in investing in human resources, the lack of consensus on the specific elements of investing in human capital limits the understanding of their implications. Building on recent developments in visualizing and measuring investing in human resources, this study addresses this gap by exploring how the investing in human resources relates to the regulatory renewal capabilities of pharmaceutical companies. Received: 25 August 2024 / Accepted: 30 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024

Is the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Scheme Effective at Improving Vehicle Fuel Efficiency in a Small-Scale Market? Evidence from Taiwan

This article discusses how the introduction of corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards in Taiwan, whose market and industry size are much smaller than those of Europe, the United States, Japan, and China, can effectively improve vehicle energy efficiency. It examines the changes in passenger car energy efficiency under Taiwan’s CAFE framework and evaluates CAFE compliance performance to summarize its impacts and challenges. Observations indicate that the strategically flexible CAFE scheme is indeed more effective than mandatory minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) in encouraging manufacturers to comply through various methods. This approach has ultimately increased the overall average fuel efficiency of Taiwan’s passenger cars by 23.5% since 2012, while maintaining the diversity of vehicle models in the market. However, there are challenges to implementing CAFE in a small market, such as difficulties in introducing and promoting high-efficiency models, limited activity in the CAFE credit market, and the current overly favorable policy design. The design of the CAFE mechanism is crucial not only for benchmarking with larger economies but also for taking into account local market conditions and industrial capabilities. Taiwan’s next phase of CAFE must incorporate multi-dimensional adjustments to achieve higher, potentially net-zero vehicle efficiency targets.

Determination of key resource variables for a model of technological capability management in the alternative electricity generation industry of Colombia and Mexico, through a decision tree

The study focuses on identifying key variables to develop a model for managing technological capabilities in the alternative energy generation industry in Colombia and Mexico. The objective is to identify critical factors that influence strategic decisions in this sector. Researchers MsC Neider Duan Barbosa Castro, PhD PD Fabiola Sáenz Blanco, Dr. Francisco Zorrilla Briones, and MsC Evy Fernanda Tapias Forero contribute their expertise in technological capability management and university-industry collaboration.Advanced data mining techniques were used, integrating simulations and algorithms such as decision trees, to extract pertinent information and determine the most influential variables. Detailed Likert scale surveys were conducted in various power generation organizations in Colombia and Mexico, providing a comprehensive data set for analysis.The paper discusses the need for effective management of technological capabilities. It emphasizes strategic collaboration between internal and external stakeholders. The importance of adopting innovative strategies and using a multi-level analytical approach to managing technology in the power generation industry is highlighted. This iterative and cyclical approach enables dynamic adaptability to technological and market changes. It continuously identifies areas for improvement and new opportunities.The study's conclusions highlight the critical importance of innovation and market adaptation, as well as university-industry collaboration in the management of technological capabilities. The need for strategic and dynamic management to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage in the energy sector is evident. The integration of emerging technologies and operational flexibility are emphasized. In addition, the utility of data mining techniques in identifying and prioritizing key variables is highlighted. This provides a solid foundation for informed decision making in managing technological capabilities.

Case Study on the Inherent Mechanisms Driving Industrial Innovation through Data Empowerment

In the context of the profound integration of big data, artificial intelligence technologies, and industries, both data resources and digital technologies became crucial pillars supporting the development of industrial innovation. They played key roles in enhancing the innovation capabilities of industries. In this regard, the present study employed the specific case of the intelligent brain of the Taizhou Machine Tool Industry. Utilizing grounded theory, the research integrated relevant data through coding analysis and category extraction to construct a comprehensive theoretical model of the intrinsic mechanisms driving industrial innovation through data empowerment. The study revealed that the realization of data-empowered industrial innovation followed a logical path of 'data resource services data capability spillover industrial innovation achievement.' Specifically, data empowerment operated across three dimensions: industrial resources, production, and ecology, effectively propelling the realization of industrial innovation. From a systematic perspective, this research analyzed the intrinsic mechanisms of data-empowered industrial innovation, deepening the theoretical understanding of industrial innovation. In the context of past industrial digitization transformation, these findings provided valuable insights for guiding industrial innovation development.

Collaborative Robots with Cognitive Capabilities for Industry 4.0 and Beyond

Collaborative Robots with Cognitive Capabilities for Industry 4.0 and Beyond

The Role and Dynamics of Actor Relations in Implementing Defense Industry-Based Policies: A Comparative Study of Indonesia and Brazil

This study explores the role and dynamics of actor relations in implementing defense industry-based policies through a comparative analysis of Indonesia and Brazil. The aim is to understand how key actors—government bodies, military institutions, state-owned enterprises, private companies, and international partners—affect policy execution and defense industry outcomes in both countries. Employing qualitative research methods with secondary data sources, the study examines the contributions and interactions of these actors as detailed in the provided table. The findings reveal that Indonesia relies heavily on state control and international partnerships for technology transfer, while Brazil integrates private sector innovation and diverse international collaborations. Key differences include Indonesia’s centralized approach versus Brazil’s market-oriented model, with implications for policy alignment and capability development. The conclusions emphasize the importance of effective communication and stakeholder alignment to address challenges such as misalignment between military needs and industrial capabilities. Recommendations for both countries include enhancing collaboration and technology transfer, managing internal conflicts, and optimizing resource allocation.

Open source container orchestration for Industry 4.0 – requirements and systematic feature analysis

Container-based virtualization is a popular technique, e.g., to realize microservice architectures. Recently, containers became popular in Industry 4.0 / IIoT systems, which typically consist of hundreds of (edge) devices and machines. In such setups, efficient management of containers is essential as offered by container orchestrators like Kubernetes. However, currently no specific overviews discussing orchestrator capabilities for Industry 4.0 are available. In this paper, we analyze nine open source container orchestrators for their application in Industry 4.0 or IIoT settings as a basis for future research and development. We contribute a systematic literature review to identify 23 basic orchestration requirements. We complement this by insights from an intensive requirements collection in a research project on intelligent industrial production, as well as selected features from a published generic orchestrator analysis. From these 66 requirements, we derive a requirements/feature taxonomy, which we use to analyze the nine open source orchestrators including Kubernetes. We show that there is, e.g., still a lack of support regarding edge devices, IIoT protocols, security mechanisms, and specialized resources for artificial intelligence.

Firms and Labor in Times of Violence: Evidence from the Mexican Drug War

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of violence resulting from drug trafficking on manufacturing firms in an emerging economy. By utilizing comprehensive longitudinal data spanning all of Mexico from 2005 to 2010, and employing an instrumental variable strategy that leverages plausibly exogenous spatiotemporal variations in the homicide rate during the outbreak of drug violence, the analysis reveals a significant negative effect of violence on plant output, employment, product scope, and capacity utilization. The negative effect on employment is entirely driven by blue-collar employment and concentrated among low-wage, female-intensive firms. Further, consistent with a violent-environment-induced blue-collar labor-supply shock, the results show positive effects on blue-collar wages and negative effects on white-collar wages at the firm level. Output resilience to violence is also shown to be lower among labor-intensive, domestically selling and sourcing, less diversified firms. These findings show the rise of drug violence has a significant negative effect on development of domestic industrial capability in Mexico and shed light on the characteristics of the most affected firms and the channels through which they are affected.

Harvesting Water Energy through the Liquid-Solid Triboelectrification.

The escalating energy and environmental challenges have catalyzed a global shift toward seeking more sustainable, economical, and eco-friendly energy solutions. Water, capturing 35% of the Earth's solar energy, represents a vast reservoir of clean energy. However, current industrial capabilities harness only a fraction of the energy within the hydrological cycle. The past decade has seen rapid advancements in nanoscience and nanomaterials leading to a comprehensive exploration of liquid-solid triboelectrification as a low-carbon, efficient method for water energy harvesting. This review explores two fundamental principle models involved in liquid-solid triboelectrification. On the basis of these models, two distinct types of water energy harvesting devices, including droplet-based nanogenerators and water evaporation-induced nanogenerators, are summarized from their working principles, recent developments, materials, structures, and performance optimization techniques. Additionally, the applications of these nanogenerators in energy harvesting, self-powered sensing, and healthcare are also discussed. Ultimately, the challenges and future prospects of liquid-solid triboelectrification are further explored.

Optimizing National Security: The Importance of Private Sector Involvement in The Indonesia Defense Industry

This journal discusses about the current condition of Defense Industry in Indonesia, the strategic role of the private sector in enhancing Indonesia's national security through its participation in the defense industry. The main focus of the research using this literature study is to analyze the positive impact of private sector involvement in optimizing resources, technology and innovation to strengthen national defense resilience. Private defense companies can also be a source of raising funds both from abroad and domestically to build production infrastructure, finance research and development, which is able to develop domestic defense industry capabilities and have a positive impact on national resilience. The development of private companies in the defense sector can have other positive effects, namely giving rise to competition in procurement contracts which are usually dominated by state-owned companies and large international defense companies, so that the contract process can run with more options but still be produced. domestically. Based on defensenews data, the majority of the top one hundred defense companies are private companies, this is one of the considerations in building Indonesian national resilience, especially in developing defense technology that has global competitiveness. By highlighting the benefits of collaboration between government and the private sector, this journal contributes to designing policies that support effective integration between the two. The results of this research can serve as a basis for strengthening strategic partnerships and achieving more resilient national security goals.

The Influence of Strategic Procurement on the Performance of the European Naval Defense Industry

ABSTRACT The naval defense industry plays a crucial role in national security, particularly in the context of global rearmament and shared threats. However, the industry’s performance in Europe has been hindered by factors such as decreased fleets, shrinking industry capabilities, and increasing production costs. This study of 102 large surface vessels (frigates and destroyers) from eight European countries found that production time is positively correlated with technical variables such as weight and speed. A small but significant learning effect also existed, with a 1.5-month decrease for each marginal increase of one unit in the batch. Regarding strategic sourcing, the study found no effect of the share of US subsystems on production time. However, European cooperation led to an increase in production time, likely due to higher coordination costs. Conversely, importing subsystems from a European ally tended to reduce production time. The study’s findings highlight the challenges facing the naval defense industry in Europe and suggest that strategies such as increasing batch size and cooperation with European allies can help to improve performance.

Developing a strategic roadmap towards integration in Industry 4.0: A dynamic capabilities theory perspective

In recent years, the topic of the fourth industrial revolution has been discussed by industries and organizations. Currently, this topic has evolved beyond conceptualization, focusing more on challenges, capabilities, and benefits. This research aims to identify dynamic capabilities within the context of Industry 4.0. Employing literature review and content analysis, we utilized grounded theory to identify capabilities. Validation was achieved through feedback from 11 scholars using questionnaires and the Delphi method. The analysis confirmed the presence of 26 dynamic capabilities essential for Industry 4.0. Subsequently, the Dynamic Capabilities theory was applied to categorize these capabilities into ‘sensing,’ ‘seizing,’ and ‘reconfiguration.’ As a result, this study establishes a roadmap model that prioritizes capabilities for Industry 4.0 integration across these categories. It organizes capabilities based on priority for implementation and within each category, highlighting the most crucial ones determined by scholars' scores. This model provides a comprehensive understanding of the path towards integration in Industry 4.0.

Effects of Automation on Mexican Automotive Employment: 2013–2022

AbstractThis article analyses the empirical relationship between the introduction of automation technology—industrial robots—and the employment and wages of workers in the Mexican automotive industry from 2013 to 2022. Drawing on contemporary debates surrounding automation and technological unemployment, we describe the Mexican labour market’s conditions in the context of trade openness, the technological capabilities of the Mexican automotive industry, and the implementation of industrial robots. We examine this relationship using a random effects panel data model across 14 Mexican states, constructed with values from the Monthly Survey of the Manufacturing Industry (EMIM), the Mexican Ministry of Economy (SE), and the International Federation of Robotics. Our results suggest that adopting industrial robots correlates positively with the employment and salaries of automobile sector workers in the study period. We discuss the implications of changes in jobs and wages in the Mexican automotive industry, highlighting the consequences of technological change.

Predicting construction schedule overruns during COVID-19 using ordinal logistic regression

PurposeThe effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the construction industry were formidable and far-reaching, as the construction sector is a major contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP), which balances various sectors of the global economy, and to infrastructure growth, which is a primary gauge of a nation’s advancement. The outbreak led to workforce disruptions, worker deficits, dwindling efficiency, elongated project durations, and scarce opportunities for training and mentorship, and despite endeavors to mitigate these challenges, construction timelines experienced significant interruptions. Various researchers have pinpointed contributing elements, but few have constructed a predictive model to gauge the degree of impact.Design/methodology/approachTherefore, this research intends to fill by introducing an ordinal logistic regression method to forecast the impacts of a pandemic or other similar type of crisis. To achieve this, an online survey was developed and distributed to collect the perceptions of the construction engineers and managers about the diverse contributors to the exceeding project timelines during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.FindingsFindings from this study indicate that financial liquidity, modifications to original plans, delays in securing governmental clearances, and a shortage of competent labor have medium-to-high levels of impact on project schedules.Originality/valueThis study will furnish decision-makers with crucial knowledge that will give them the tools to refine their strategies and judiciously allocate resources to overcome the unique hurdles encountered by various construction segments and will enhance the industry's capability to respond more effectively to challenges inherent in this type of crisis.