Conceptual Reference Framework Research Articles

Value Creation with Digital Twins: Application-Oriented Conceptual Framework and Case Study

The internet of things, digital twins of smart connected products, and thereby enabled smart services are topics of great interest and have been gaining traction for many years. However, many questions concerning the application-oriented usage of digital twins still need to be scrutinized. Therefore, this paper examines the question of an application-oriented framework for value creation with digital twins using design science research approaches. A conceptual reference framework is presented based on earlier research and iteratively developed within workshops with three companies. The framework incorporates primary dimensions of external and internal value creation and data resources. Further, it discusses the product life cycle, the real-world counterpart, value creation in the ecosystem, and the generational aspect of the digital twins. Furthermore, applying the framework to a use case with an industrial research partner helps to show the contributions to the industrial sector. The framework provides utility to practitioners as a means of creating a common sense in interdisciplinary teams, communicating digital twin projects to internal and external stakeholders, and as a toolbox for specific challenges concerning digital twins. In addition, the framework distinguishes itself from existing approaches by including the service ecosystem and its actors while considering the principles of product life cycle management. Therefore, using the framework in other use cases will test the approach on different industries and products. Furthermore, there is a need to develop approaches for implementing and developing an existing case.

Model-based intelligent user interface adaptation: challenges and future directions

Adapting the user interface of a software system to the requirements of the context of use continues to be a major challenge, particularly when users become more demanding in terms of adaptation quality. A considerable number of methods have, over the past three decades, provided some form of modelling with which to support user interface adaptation. There is, however, a crucial issue as regards in analysing the concepts, the underlying knowledge, and the user experience afforded by these methods as regards comparing their benefits and shortcomings. These methods are so numerous that positioning a new method in the state of the art is challenging. This paper, therefore, defines a conceptual reference framework for intelligent user interface adaptation containing a set of conceptual adaptation properties that are useful for model-based user interface adaptation. The objective of this set of properties is to understand any method, to compare various methods and to generate new ideas for adaptation. We also analyse the opportunities that machine learning techniques could provide for data processing and analysis in this context, and identify some open challenges in order to guarantee an appropriate user experience for end-users. The relevant literature and our experience in research and industrial collaboration have been used as the basis on which to propose future directions in which these challenges can be addressed.

Compreendendo o jornalismo construtivo

Neste trabalho são observadas as características preliminares do jornalismo construtivo, as quais parecem sugerir a configuração de um novo ethos orientador ao exercício da profissão. De início são postas em relevo suas singularidades e variações evocativas explícitas para afinal compor um quadro de referência conceitual que sirva de norte às teorizações pretendidas. São então analisadas vinte e uma matérias publicadas entre janeiro e dezembro de 2019 pelo portal Muda Tudo, com o propósito de trazer à luz (para então classificar) os sentidos tecidos nas regularidades de suas evocações. Espera-se, com isso, que sejam evidenciados os traços de uma tendência epistemológica em processo.

Opportunities in intelligent modeling assistance

Modeling is requiring increasingly larger efforts while becoming indispensable given the complexity of the problems we are solving. Modelers face high cognitive load to understand a multitude of complex abstractions and their relationships. There is an urgent need to better support tool builders to ultimately provide modelers with intelligent modeling assistance that learns from previous modeling experiences, automatically derives modeling knowledge, and provides context-aware assistance. However, current Intelligent Modeling Assistants (IMAs) lack adaptability and flexibility for tool builders, and do not facilitate understanding the differences and commonalities of IMAs for modelers. Such a patchwork of limited IMAs is a lost opportunity to provide modelers with better support for the creative and rigorous aspects of software engineering. In this expert voice, we present a conceptual reference framework (RF-IMA) and its properties to identify the foundations for intelligent modeling assistance. For tool builders, RF-IMA aims to help build IMAs more systematically. For modelers, RF-IMA aims to facilitate comprehension, comparison, and integration of IMAs, and ultimately to provide more intelligent support. We envision a momentum in the modeling community that leads to the implementation of RF-IMA and consequently future IMAs. We identify open chal

A Conceptual Reference Framework for Enterprise Resilience Enhancement

Enterprise resilience is a key capacity to guarantee enterprises’ long-term continuity. This paper proposes the enterprise resilience Conceptual Reference Framework to characterize enterprise resilience capacity. The framework is composed of 71 disruptive events that enterprises consider as endangerments to their continuity. The framework also comprises constituent capabilities of enterprise resilience in terms of preparedness and recovery capabilities and elements that support the transition from the AS IS situation to the TO BE one, which are preventive actions (for preparedness capability) and knowledge registration actions (for recovery capability). From the preparedness perspective, 403 preventive actions are currently defined. Each preventive action is specific for every disruptive event. However, it is worth noting that a preventive action can also be applied to different disruptive events. From the recovery perspective, the proposed framework indicates knowledge registration related to (i) the occurrence of disruptive events; (ii) the recovery actions performed to re-establish the normal enterprise operation level. Further research lines are addressed to develop quantitative methods and tools to assess the extent of enterprises’ resilience following the foundations of the proposed conceptual framework.

On the move towards customer-centric business models in the automotive industry - a conceptual reference framework of shared automotive service systems

Digitalization drives automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to change their value propositions and open-up towards greater collaboration and customer integration. The shift towards services implies a transformational change from product- towards customer-centricity. This study proposes a conceptual reference framework (CRF) out of a business model perspective to systematize automotive service systems. The CRF presents relevant dimensions and dependencies between the involved stakeholders and the necessary infrastructures in order to facilitate digital service conceptualization in the early phases of the service design. The artifact is developed based on a literature review and conceptual modeling, then iteratively evaluated by means of guideline-supported interviews from three different perspectives and applied to a real problem statement within a case workshop. The results suggest value creation for automotive services occurs in shared mobility networks among interdependent stakeholders in which customers play an integral role during the service life-cycle. Additionally, the results deepen the understanding of service business model development under consideration of industry-specific aspects and suggest the framework to be a beneficial structuring tool that can save resources and specify solution finding.

Case studies on collaboration, technology and performance factors in business networks

This paper presents part of the findings of a research project aiming at characterising high-performance collaborative business networks and at defining the conditions required for their creation and management. The project adopted a multiple case study research strategy and three different business networks are presented in this paper. Empirical studies have been performed in Northern Portugal. The results of the study include operational definitions based on a comprehensive literature review, a conceptual reference framework for the analysis of high-performance collaborative networks and recommendations for the creation and management of such networks.

L'affect télévisuel

The Belgian people were deeply moved by the death of Baudouin the First, their quiet but highly popular King. Following the mood of the people, the covered the with increasing emotion, to the point where, gradually, the unforeseen magnitude of the people's emotion became a significant in its own right. This paper analyses the journalistic handling of mass emotion, using the media event as a conceptual reference framework. Comparing the coverage of the various media, attention is focused particularly on the manner in which the was covered by TV. The TV reports on the funeral ceremonies and national mourning aimed at highlighting the emotions of the masses, by extensive use of sound bites from passers-by and with images of the emotional crowds used as a background to the TV commentaries. This simultaneously mirrored, extended and intensified the mourning.

Paying for the Kasongo hospital in Zaire: a conceptual framework

Experiences and discussions relative to community financing of health services tend to focus on the health facility of first access, that is, the health centre. The referral level, the hospital, a crucial element in the district health system, is hardly mentioned in the debate. In this paper a conceptual reference framework for user fees is presented. It is argued that a financing policy at district level should be comprehensive and, therefore, not a priori exclude the referral level. Criteria for raising fees, as well as the rationale for fees-apart from raising funds-are discussed. Special emphasis is put on fees charged at the district hospital, which may be an important source of financing (complementary to external-national or international - funding). The case of the Kasongo hospital is presented in detail.