Changing Customer Requirements Research Articles

Barriers in Running Construction SME – Case Study on Introduction of Agile Methodology to Electrical Subcontractor

The article presents agile management approach to manage the construction process, which is based on management of IT projects and ideas to improve quality. Initially focused on the application during the implementation of IT project, works were aimed to adjust to changing customer requirements. The main idea of agile in the presented approach to adapt to the changes instead of strict implementation of the plan. The idea of introducing agile management in the construction industry, exemplified with SME company electrical subcontractor, for which the most important problems and barriers of doing business were discussed, is presented in the paper. On the basis of the research, authors proposed solutions and methods in accordance with the agile idea.

A Framework for Modelling Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems Using Hybridized Discrete-Event and Agent-based Simulation

Important objectives and challenges in todayʼns manufacturing environment include the introduction of new products variants and the designing and developing of reconfigurable manufacturing systems. Due to changing customer requirements, products development time is shorter and manufacturing systemsʼn ability to physically reconfigure is important. The objective of this research is to investigate and support the reconfigurability of a manufacturing system by applying hybridized Agent-based and Discrete-Event simulation modelling technique. Emergent behaviour of the simulation model, when various modifications take place in the system, is examined. The benefits of this framework are decentralized control and collaborative decision making using the UML object-oriented modelling technique, flexible reaction to system changes in terms of product variety and possible system disturbances, and system performance improvement. AnyLogic multi-method simulation modelling platform is utilized to design and create different types of agents. The proposed simulation model results are demonstrated and verified in a case study using the configurable assembly Learning Factory (iFactory) in the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) Center at the University of Windsor. The benefits and limitations of the proposed framework are discussed.

A Knowledge-based Assistant for Real-time Planning and Execution of PSS Engineering Change Processes

The emerging offerings referred to as Product-Service-Systems (PSS) require high adaptability of products to permanently changing customer requirements and operation conditions to ensure the contractually guaranteed performance.Thus the product lifecycle is characterized by several engineering changes (EC) made throughout, especially within the operation phase. Those changes have different triggers so that each change process is unique. EC process managers who are responsible for planning and execution of EC must take into account the particularities of each EC related to its permanently changing boundary conditions. Especially the heterogeneity and dynamic of PSS requires a prompt reaction to unforeseeable events and consequently adaptation of the EC process in real-time. Traditional Engineering Change processing approaches provide pre-defined engineering change processes, which a priori define the required workflows and cannot by adapted in real-time. The required adaptability of EC processes requires a distinction between what must be achieved representing the process goals of an EC. And the way how those goals should be achieved depending on the boundary condition of the EC process which represents the process activities. Hence, the paper in hand presents a knowledge-based assistant that supports EC process managers by planning, and execution of such goal-oriented adaptive EC processes. The assistant provides a graphical tool that supports the one hand the modeling and knowledge-based planning of goal-oriented EC process and their real-time execution. On the other hand, it provides an intuitive and knowledge-based information environment based on the analysis of a developed EC ontology that contains the different elements involved within the EC process and their complex and dynamic relationships.

A Shift in Fundamentals:

AbstractThe Great Recession of the late 2000s created a turbulent business environment that is forcing managers to reevaluate how to manage their resources effectively and efficiently. In the logistics and transportation domain the primary forces of change include, but are not limited to: rapidly changing customer requirements, increasing energy (fuel) prices, the rising cost to serve, mounting inventory costs, and growing total landed costs. These forces of change have shifted the strategic direction of the firm toward a mixed approach where firms attempt to be “all things to all people,” thereby competing on both cost and service. In contrast, the study results indicate that during and after the recession the primary goal or objective of the firm was cost reduction. Customer service as a primary goal or objective has steadily declined, and has not yet returned to 2008 levels. This can be attributed to rising transportation, inventory, and distribution costs during a time of increasing customer service requirements. Two recommendations for managers are offered: to more fully understand the relationship between logistics costs and differentiated service; and to develop data and analytical capabilities that will enable them to deliver differentiated service of the right product for the right customer, in the right quantity and the right condition, at the right place, at the right time, at the right cost.

Software defined unified monitoring and management of clouds

Software defined environments for managing infrastructure services in cloud computing, comprising compute, storage, and network functionality, are an area of active research. This paper demonstrates the need to extend this research to managed services that are offered by IT (information technology) service providers who manage customers' servers and applications to meet functional (e.g., monitoring, patching, and backup) and nonfunctional (e.g., availability, resilience, and portability) requirements. To enable software defined control, managed services must be modularized, and their functionality must be exposed through application programming interfaces (APIs) for lifecycle management, composition, and configuration. This paper provides a vision for service modularization based on real-world customer requirements and describes the pros and cons of providing different classes of APIs from the perspectives of both customers and cloud providers. An example of a complex managed service using monitoring, event management, and incident management components, based on the authors' experiences with a real-world cloud implementation, is used to illustrate the key challenges involved in building software defined managed services. This is an emerging area of research that will enable continuous enhancement of IBM's cloud offerings to satisfy changing customer requirements.

Integrating virtual and physical testing to accelerate the engineering product development process

Testing is essential in developing a successful complex engineering product. System level integration and testing can use between 35% and 50% of development resources. External factors such as legislation and customer requirements drive essential testing whilst internal factors such company experience, affordability and organisational practice profoundly affect the overall testing plan. The main objective of this paper is to understand how testing is integrated into the product development process and how different types of testing are scheduled across the stages of product development. The paper reports a case study in a diesel engine company where the balance of virtual and physical testing is a key concern in reducing design time and cost. Integrating physical and virtual testing is more than process optimisation of time and cost. It contributes to recasting the design process in response to changes in customer requirements as well as to design changes which arise during testing. The importance of dependencies across components, subsystems and tests is highlighted using a model using design structure matrices and the advantages of integrating physical and virtual testing are analysed particularly in facilitating task overlap to reduce product development duration.

Designing a Conceptual Framework of Knowledge Management Process in Banks

In an era characterized by changing customer requirements, decreasing product life cycles and complex systems and processes, knowledge centric activities are becoming the primary source of sustainable competitive advantage in manufacturing and service organizations. In this regard knowledge is considered as the most important organizational resource. (Penrose 1959) (1) .It is this knowledge which has the capability to generate new knowledge, which can be disseminated to the relevant points of actions and embodied into the systems, processes, products and services. One of the important reasons that organizations have focused on Knowledge Management is because it employs a holistic approach through the acquisition, creation, organizing, sharing and applying of knowledge. The implementation of knowledge management in an organization according to (Shankar and Gupta, 2005) (2) involves the integration of knowledge from the domains of strategy, structure, processes, and technology, thus, making it difficult for the organizations to do so. The literature review suggests that knowledge is essential for organization's profit(Yang &Chen,2007) (3) as it reduces the operating cost, increases the returns to scale and adds value to the organization (Ofek and Sarvary, 2001) (4) but Nonaka (2007) (5) feels that organizations of the 21 st century are far from creating adequate knowledge-based competence necessary for gaining competitive advantage. The difficulty for many organizations stems from the fact that there is a lack of a coherent framework to guide the implementation of Knowledge Management process in organizations' especially as we move away from simple tasks to organization-wide complex problems. In order to understand the circulation of knowledge a simple list of elements and processes is inadequate. There is a need for a holistic framework where all are integrated into a dynamic coherent whole. Thus this paper focuses on identifying a relevant framework for the process of capturing the knowledge flow in Banks and identifying whether different categories of banks score the same or different in terms of the process components of the knowledge management identifying the reasons and thereby suggesting the remedial measures.

Securing Enterprises Competitive Advantage through the Management of Components of Distribution System

Due to increasing competition on the national and global markets, decreasing international trade barriers, development of information technologies and changing customer requirements, enterprises found themselves in a need to seek for more efficient business management models. The tendency is observed, that competition on the market is taking place between enterprises distribution systems rather than between enterprises themselves. Therefore efficient management of distribution system becomes a powerful tool for many companies allowing for obtaining competitive advantage. Though the majority of discussions related to distribution systems and advantages they propose started back few decades ago, everyday practice proves that so far many problems related to organization of such systems and integration of all necessary components (elements) into the one common entirety still are unsolved. Bearing in mind mentioned above topics, authors of the given article set out a goal to perform a theoretical analysis of the integrate elements of distribution system as means allowing to obtain certain competitive advantage for an enterprise and present results from the research showing attitude of Lithuanian industry companies towards the understanding of distribution systems and their particular elements as a tools to gain competitive advantage.

Business Reasoning for Rapid Productization in Small Enterprises

In order to succeed, companies must offer quality products and services, ones that are in demand. Rapid productization (RP) is a concept originating from practical challenges expanding customer preferences. RP is a process of quickly supplementing a company’s product or service offering to meet unexpected customer preferences. The objective of this study is to describe how an RP exists in small enterprises and how the use of RP is reasonable. This case study opens the RP concept by clarification of business case objectives set to start RP, analysis of RP challenges and description of business reasoning used for RP in the case companies. Products offered to customers may be a result of cooperation among many companies, while the products are modular, consisting of interlinking elements. When these types of products are well managed, it can be easy to respond to changing customer requirements. This type of RP can be the livelihood of especially small-and medium-sized enterprises (SME). However, the capability of productizing rapidly provides a significant competitive edge also for larger players.

Alignment of manufacturing strategies to customer requirements using analytical hierarchy process

The purpose of this paper is to provide new insights in the field of operations management decision-finding. It aims to combine manufacturing strategies with the service dominant logic in order to connect customer satisfaction. An analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is developed and applied within two case companies. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the manufacturing strategy selection changes when customer requirements vary. The sensitivity of manufacturing strategy alteration towards changing customer requirements is dependent on distinct product characteristics. The presented AHP offers an opportunity to define those customer requirements predominantly affecting manufacturing strategy selection. The paper provides a helpful generic framework that could serve as starting point to develop appropriate supply chain differentiation approaches.

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT TRENDS IN THE CONTEXT OF CHANGE

Market globalization and its uncertainties, change of customer requirements, technological progress and other factors contributed to the development of new attitudes to row materials, products and services supply, production as well as logistics operations management and control. A supply chain management concept and its practical solutions are developed aiming for a growth of efficiency of physical, informational and financial flows, including all the processes from a row material production and procurement till the consumer goods delivery. As research showed, supply chain management solutions depend on the factors, which are a subject for change. The paper reveals and analyses the perspectives for supply chain management in response to market change, risk awareness and competitive priorities established. Based on these perspectives a Supply chain management framework is proposed. The research allowed to recognize an importance of supply chain management through the stages of supply chain design, integration and coordination, and to state that if not appropriately managed from the very beginning supply chain has to cope with a smaller efficiency, deeper control, and greater risk of failure problems latter. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.18.3.3799

Workforce issues and their impact on projects: study on the Indian IT and ITeS industry

Today’s information technology (IT) industry is facing challenges from different corners because of globalization, technological changes, market and economic fluctuations and dynamic changes in customer requirements. A new stream of jobs has been emerging from time to time in the IT and IT enabled services (ITeS) industry. People management is gaining more concern when compared to technology management. Issues of recruiting right people with right and special skills, motivating them to improve their productivity continuously and retaining potential and productive people are becoming additional challenges to the success of IT projects by enabling the IT industry achieve steady growth and continue the ongoing projects without any interruptions or constraints. The study focuses on the dynamics of human work force of IT projects and analyses the important issues of managing the manpower and their impact on time, cost and quality of the projects. From the analysis of data collected through surveys in some big IT and ITeS companies in India, it was found that the issue of availability of human resources stood as the most significant issue in addition to showing highest impact on quality, cost and time of the IT projects. In contrast, the issue of employees-oriented programs attributed lowest significance and showing least impact on the three success factors of IT projects when compared with remaining ones.

Agent-based hierarchical production planning and scheduling in make-to-order manufacturing system

Nowadays, manufacturing organisations face increasing pressures from the frequent change in product type, continuous demand fluctuation and unexpected change in customer requirements. In order to survive in the turbulent environment, manufacturing organisations must become flexible and responsive to these dynamic changes in the business environment. This paper presents a hierarchical agent bidding mechanism that is particularly designed for Make-to-Order manufacturing system and attempts to enhance the operational flexibility of manufacturing system in dealing with dynamic changes in the business environment. The novelty of this mechanism is that it enables manufacturing resources to be self-organised cost-efficiently within structural constraints of manufacturing system for fulfilling customer orders. However, when orders cannot be fulfilled within the structural constraints of manufacturing systems, the mechanism can enable manufacturing resources to be regrouped flexibly across system boundaries but with minimum disturbances to existing system structure. Based on an example application to a manufacturing company, this paper demonstrates that the operational flexibility provided by this mechanism is able to help manufacturing system to respond demand fluctuation through balancing the capacity across the entire system. Meanwhile, this mechanism potentially enables manufacturing systems to deal with unexpected changes in product type. As long as the manufacturing system has the technicality required by a new product, this mechanism enables resources across the manufacturing system to be cost-efficiently and flexibly self-organised to fulfil the new product.

A Comparative Analysis of Gender based Management Styles of Software Project Managers

Management has been studied and has been part of the literature since early twentieth century. With the invention of compute;, related sciences and commercialization of software become part of industry. Softwares were started seeing as projects, and with this software project management evolved. Different job positions such as software project managers are being advertised. This jobs are equally applied by both males and females members of the society. Some software projects are labeled as highly successful, some successful and others are total loss. There are many possible reasons of failure of a software project ranging from time shortages, costs, changing customer requirements, management techniques, and management styles to many others. In this research paper the authors have explored the management styles of male and female software project managers. In order to explore the management styles of male and female software project managers(SPM) a questionnaire was developed and was distributed among 120 employees who had served under both male SPMs and female SPMs, in Pakistan. Out of 120 respondents the data was analyzed for 100 respondents (forty males and sixty females). Twenty questionnaires were discarded due to partial completion of the questionnaire, bias towards filing the questionnaires and other such reasons. The data analysis shows that both male and female employees recommend male SPMs. On the basis of the data analysis it is recommended by the authors that male SPMs may be preferred but females SPMs must be given chance having required skills and suitable training and development.

Flexible Implementation of IPS2 through a Service-based Automation Approach

Industrial Product-Service Systems (IPS2) are characterized through the customer individual configuration of product and service shares to fulfill customer needs. Thus, the ability to react on changing customer requirements is mandatory. There are common approaches which focus on the early stage of the IPS2 development, thereby the implementation phase appears untended. In this article an approach for the flexible implementation of IPS2 is presented, which considers the research of service-oriented architecture (SOA). Furthermore the prototypical realization in the area of micro production is described. The results described in this paper allow IPS2 providers to react on changing requirements by flexible arranging of functionality in terms of services and IPS2 network partners.

A model to assess the lean capabilities of automotive industries

Changing customer and technological requirements force manufactures to develop lean capabilities. Many organisations have adopted lean thinking paradigm in their drive to optimise performance and improve competitive position. In this paper, the application of lean production systems is described in an automotive context. The results reported are based on the data collected from a survey covering around 15 manufacturing companies in India using a standard questionnaire. The study was driven by a conceptual model which relates lean practices to competitive objectives. The method of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to analyse and identify which among the various lean production tools and enablers are likely to have greater impact on realising a lean production system.

Agile software development methodology for medium and large projects

Extreme programming (XP) is one of the most widely used agile methodologies for software development. It intends to improve software quality and responsiveness to changing customer requirements. Despite the facts that the use of XP offers a number of benefits and it has been a widely used agile methodology, XP does not offer the same benefits when it comes to medium and large software projects. Some of the reasons for this are weak documentation, lack of strong architecture and ignorance to risk awareness during the software development. Owing to the ever-increasing demand of agile approaches, this study addresses the problem of XP's ability to handle medium and large projects. Most of the companies that employ XP as a development methodology for medium and large projects face this problem, which echoes the importance of this problem. To address this problem, in this study XP model is extended in such a way that it equally offers its benefits for medium- and large-scale projects. As an evaluation of the extended XP, three independent industrial case studies are conducted. The case studies are described and results are presented in the study. The results provide evidence that the extended XP can be beneficial for medium and large software development projects.

Flexible optimization decision for product design agility with embedded real options

One of the evolving trends in today’s marketplace is that consumers are demanding ever more innovative goods that are tailored to their specific needs. This requires that companies need to create products that either can be rapidly evolved or can be customized to meet specified personal requirements. On the other hand, the scale of economy brought by mass production is also desired. An approach called mass customization (MC) has been proposed to solve these two conflicting criteria. An important way to achieve MC is through modular product design and shared product platform development. In this paper, a flexible modular product design optimization decision model is proposed. To address the different attributes of customers’ demands, the optimization model is decomposed into profit, cost, value, and demand sub-models. In order to be adaptive to the changes in customer requirements two levels of flexibility are endowed within the model. The first level of flexibility consists in embedded options. Small adjustments to a product can be made using these options. When the customer demands a radical change to a product or there are several concurrent small changes that need to be made then the product design model needs an optimization decision route to guide the reconfiguration. This is the second level of flexibility that indicates an evolution within the scope of the overall structure of the product design. The flexible decision-making procedures are iterative in order to make the product design to evolve from one generation to another. A notebook computer example is used to illustrate the proposed concepts. Numerical experiments on mobile phone designs are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

Role of European Automotive Supplier Integration in New Product Development

Over the past two decades, the automotive industry has experienced major changes as a result of globalisation, changing customer requirements and environmental legislation. The supplier integration in the new product development process is a significant step in facilitating reduction in the time to market of innovations and reducing costs. The aim of this work is to assess the extent of supplier integration in automotive organisations and to identify what barriers still exist. An exploratory Europe-wide survey was conducted, and 31 usable returns from automotive organisations spread across the EU. The survey confirmed the increasing importance of supplier integration in the automotive industry; however, the practice varies from organisation to organisation. They also indicate that most automobile manufacturers are engaged in functional rather than strategic supplier integration, indicating that the supplier integration is not yet fully developed, but progress in the first tier of suppliers is becoming common.

Reconfiguration as a responsive tool for the agile-centric global manufacturing complexity domain

The lack of in-depth understanding and measurement of manufacturing complexity continues to be problematic for multinational manufacturing organisations. The dynamics of constantly changing customer requirements, a causative agent of manufacturing complexity, challenge existing manufacturing systems to adapt and respond to the changing functional requirements time-cost-effectively. In this paper, we present a theoretical model as an entropic measure of complexity applicable to manufacturing operations and an investigation of the feasibility of adapting a hydraulic cam to a conventional system for optimal machining of high strength steel in the category of automotive grades. In order to establish a conclusive economic index for reconfiguration of conventional systems as a competitive advantage for the agile-centric global manufacturing environment, the surface topography of sheared edges of machined parts and piercing force were analysed using Zygo New View 200 scanning white light interferometer and MATLAB respectively.