Experts In Companies Research Articles

Nature conservation management in voluntary set-aside forests in Sweden: practices, incentives and barriers

ABSTRACTIn Sweden, there is a lack of knowledge about nature conservation management (NCM) practices in voluntary set-aside forests. Estimates indicate that, for unknown reasons, only a small proportion of the NCM needed is carried out. The aims of this study are to (1) describe current practices for NCM of voluntary set-aside areas in Sweden and (2) identify factors affecting whether NCM of these areas is carried out. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews were held with professional forestry practitioners and the responses analysed applying thematic analysis. NCM in Sweden generally has two main aims: (1) creation of dead wood and (2) promotion of domestic broadleaf tree species. Simplified, these aims are attained through removal of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.). The decision to implement NCM is influenced by few incentives and many barriers. Incentives include certification scheme obligations and commitment from dedicated individuals, while barriers include weak internal company incentives, the experienced or anticipated risk of high costs, and experienced or anticipated criticism from internal company experts or public actors. Based on the results, a set of managerial implications was drawn up, aimed at increasing the extent of NCM.

Building a Better Approach for the Benefit of Patients: 10 Pillars to Strengthen Regulatory Review Systems Globally

In the current pharmaceutical regulatory environment, patients continue to benefit from great advances in medical care. Sophisticated regulatory review systems have also evolved to ensure that safe and effective medicines are approved. However, these systems are not optimized in all countries. Gaps in individual regulatory agency capabilities together with duplication in non–value added national regulatory requirements, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), can slow down regulatory approvals and therefore impede patient access to new medicines. These gaps exist despite the achievements in both regulatory convergence and harmonization of technical requirements by bodies such as the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). There is a pressing need to strengthen regulatory review systems in emerging market economies as highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO). These diverse challenges may seem overwhelming to individual national regulators, in part because of the sheer number of initiatives by multiple stakeholders, combined with a lack of information on concise practical actionable measures that can have a positive impact on review efficiency. This commentary presents 10 pillars that we believe represent the key hallmarks of strong regulatory review systems. Leveraging our internal company expertise at the global, regional, and country level across our entire product portfolio (both innovative and generic), we selected features proven to work in leading regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which are also relevant for other regulatory authorities, especially in LMICs.

Corporate foresight for strategic innovation management: the case of a Russian service company

Purpose This paper aims to provide a detailed case study of a corporate foresight for innovation (CFI) project done by the Higher School of Economics’ (HSE) (Moscow, Russia) corporate foresight (CF) unit for a large state-owned Russian service company. It demonstrates how CFI methods lead to recommendations and how these recommendations result in decisions. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from being part of the project team, review of the project documents and interviews, the case describes a multi-phased CFI project which incorporated several CF methods. Techniques used for the project itself included grand challenges and trend analysis, analysis of best practices through use of benchmarking and horizon scanning, interviews, expert panels, wild card and weak signals analysis, cross impact analysis, SWOT and backcasting. The project used a broad-base of secondary information, expert panels consisting of company experts and HSE CF team personnel, interviews with senior management and an extensive literature review using HSE’s propriety iFORA system. Findings In all 17 CFI recommendation and over 100 implementation recommendations were made; 94 per cent of the CFI recommendations were accepted with most implemented at the time this case was written. The case also identifies five enabling factors that collectively both helped the CFI project and led to a high rate of recommendation acceptance and one factor that hindered CFI project success. Practical implications The case study provides detailed information and insight that can help others in conducting CF for innovation projects and establishes a link between CF methods and innovation-based recommendations and subsequent decisions. Originality/value In-depth case studies that show academe and practitioners how CFI leads to recommendations and is linked to subsequent decisions have been identified as a gap in the literature. This paper therefore seeks to address this need by presenting a detailed CF case for a corporate innovation project.

Insights from Company Experts in Valuing Complex Estimates: The Other Side of the Story!

Insights from Company Experts in Valuing Complex Estimates: The Other Side of the Story!

Supplier ranking in the Public Company for Underground Coal Exploitation Resavica in an aspect of delivery

The aim of this paper is to show the application of multi-criteria analysis (PROMETHEE method) in the selection of suppliers that operate in the mining systems, specifically in the Public Company for the Underground Exploitation of Coal Resavica (PCUEC Resavica)-Serbia. The company ranking was done in terms of delivery according to five criteria. The criteria cover the most prominent aspects of the delivery management of suppliers. Accordingly, 5 suppliers were taken into consideration. In the ranking process the expert knowledge of specialists from the PCUEC Resavica was used. Firstly, the determination of importance and impact of certain criteria to the process of supplier selection was done, and after that the assessment of suppliers according to each criterion is performed by the company experts. The PROMETHEE method is used for the final ranking of suppliers. The obtained results show that the applied combined method gives the excellent results and it can be used for solving a large scale of complex problems in mining systems.

Novo olhar ao board interlocking: evidências a partir das redes sociais corporativas

Resumo Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar as estruturas de interligações pelos membros do conselho de administração (CA) com expertise política e financeira de empresas listadas na B3. A amostra foi composta por 2.474 observações no período de 2010 a 2015. Por meio da Teoria da Agência, sugere-se que o board interlocking (BI) pela expertise financeira pode auxiliar o monitoramento corporativo e servir como mitigador dos conflitos da agência. Por outro lado, o BI pela expertise política pode maximizar o comportamento oportunista. Na visão da Teoria da Dependência de Recursos, o BI pela expertise financeira pode auxiliar as empresas na captação de recursos financeiros, enquanto o BI pela expertise política pode maximizar os resultados mediante contratos mais lucrativos e vantagens oferecidas pelos políticos. Conclui-se que a sistematização do BI pelos diferentes tipos de expertise pode ser utilizada em futuras pesquisas para explicar as estratégias, as decisões e os fenômenos corporativos, bem como para avaliar as causas e os efeitos de tais estruturas na gestão das organizações.

Knowledge-Based Risk Management Model: Application in Energy Infrastructure Projects

Goal: This paper adapted the Knowledge Risk Management model to a Brazilian project-based organization (Alpha Company), which projects and produces hydropower stations.
 Design / Methodology / Approach: The Alpha Company study is supported by an exploratory fieldwork, which link theoretical and empirical perspectives based on qualitative data analysis from Alpha company expert interviews about risk and knowledge. Alpha Company is a Brazilian manufacturer of equipment for hydropower stations. The experts interviewed represent a broad spectrum of experience in complex projects that assess 24 projects. 
 Results: The application of Knowledge-based Risk Management model and may support project-oriented organizations to mitigate issues related to project management. 
 Limitations of the investigation: The paper is limited to the judgment of specialists involved in the project of hydroelectric plants and indicates as future studies new applications to other sectors and products.
 Practical implications: Alpha Company study provides a practical guidelines to support possible strategic change to issue previously planned through the project tasks, and support managers to plan how to mitigate risks related to project issues.
 Originality / Value: This paper proposes an assessment guidelines based on technical knowledge issues to mitigate risks to achieve project. The paper answers to research opportunities raised on Knowledge and risk management literature, such as a) evaluate project risk analysis in different production contexts; b) apply knowledge-based techniques to support risk evaluation; c) model risk identification, d) update the Massingham’ KMR model to project-based organizations.

Evaluation of factors affecting the decision to adopt blockchain technology: A logistics company case study using Fuzzy DEMATEL

Blockchain practices have been attracting attention in industries other than financial services, since blockchain is not only an information technology, but also an institutional technology owing to its new currency economics and distributed structures. Today, supply chains, power, and food/agriculture have emerged as promising areas in terms of their potential to incorporate blockchain technology for improving processes and reducing costs. Logistics corporations, especially, have been concentrating on developing efficiency in integrated data, fleet management, and communication issues, to achieve cost advantages. Experts from a well-known logistics company in Turkey contributed to our study by helping to assess critical factors for successful blockchain technology implementation. Our research topic included determining whether blockchain technology is suitable for this company. Fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) was used to determine and evaluate the critical factors to encourage blockchain technology adoption, based on the company’s requirements. For the company experts, the factors affecting the decision to adopt blockchain technology were, in order of priority: cryptocurrency, instant money transfer, privacy, real time processing, smart contract, security, authentication, transparency, immutability, traceability, distributed ledger, reduced delays, and peer-to-peer networks.

Assessment and Analysis of the Cost of Debt Changes after Domestic Russian Mergers and Acquisitions

The study analyzes the impact of domestic Russian mergers and acquisitions on the cost of debt for companies involved in deals. The author systematized the existing findings in this area in developed and emerging markets. The methodology developed by the author for analyzing the impact of mergers and acquisitions on the cost of debt considers the specifics of the Russian market and can be used in conditions of limited information about nonpublic companies. The estimation of the cost of debt is based on synthetic credit ratings of the companies involved in the deal and the corresponding yield spreads between corporate and government bonds. The methodology was tested on a sample of 73 domestic deals completed in 2014–2016. Random effects model with robust standard errors was used to test the significance of factors affecting the cost of debt. This research makes several practical contributions. First, in the studied sample, deals lead to an increase of the cost of debt by 3,1% within a year after the deal. Second, significant factors affecting the change in the cost of debt after domestic Russian mergers and acquisitions were identified. The cost of debt is reduced by the purchase of large companies during the period of economic growth. There is a significant impact of the deal value on the increase of the cost of debt. Company management, academic researchers and experts can use research results to assess potential deals of mergers and acquisitions on emerging markets. The developed methodology can be applied to mergers and acquisitions in other countries to analyze the features of these markets.

Technology Research and Application on Catalyst Entire Life-cycle Management of Coal Fired Power Plant

Along with the comprehensive promotion of flue gas ultra-low emission reconstruction in coal-fired power plants, the stability, reliability and economic efficiency of SCR denitrification facility have emerged. SCR catalyst entire life-cycle management is the key to solving the problem. Given the present situation of the catalyst market, operation and maintenance, third-party service, a SCR catalyst entire life-cycle management technology have been proposed, including catalyst supply, quality control, operation and maintenance, effect optimization, life management and scrap disposal in the entire life-cycle of catalyst. By clarifying the accountability units at different stages, implementing corresponding quality control, operation and maintenance and evaluation and optimization technology, demonstration application suggest that the management technology could give full play to the professional expertise of participant companies, make the denitrification facility stable, reliable and economical, and bring obvious environmental and economic benefit.

A Methodology for Implementing a Product-Centred Bid Model for Suppliers

AbstractEarly phases of product development are critical for next phases and impact the product definition. During bid process, suppliers generate offers for a customer that must both meet customer's requirements and be realizable in terms of technical aspects, costs and due date. Our aim is to propose a methodology for implementing a generic bid model, composed of context parameters, customer's requirements, the product i.e. technical solution, its delivery process, and associated risks. Key Performance Indicators allow to evaluate different solutions. The bid model is exploited with two different approaches. First, we use Constraint Satisfaction Problems to formalize expert knowledge and identify variables/constraints and relations. Second, we use case database to reuse past experiences. This model and the methodology are applied with a company developing harbour cranes. An initialisation phase allows to define existing bid process. Then, the generic model is adapted through a specialisation phase, using specific knowledge from company's experts. Finally, the specific model is implemented and tested in an implementation phase. Future work will be focused on a software tool development.

Expertise-based decision support for managing food quality in agri-food companies

In many agri-food companies, food quality is often managed using expertise gained through experience. Overall quality enhancement may come from sharing collective expertise. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a complete methodology allowing an expert knowledge base to be created and used to recommend the technical action to take to maintain food quality. We present its functional specifications, defined in cooperation with several industrial partners and technical centres over the course of several projects carried out in recent years. We propose a systematic methodology for collecting the knowledge on a given food process, from the design of a questionnaire to the synthesis of the information from completed questionnaires using a mind map approach. We then propose an original core ontology for structuring knowledge as possible causal relationships between situations of interest. We describe how mind map files generated by mind map tools are automatically imported into a conceptual graph knowledge base, before being validated and finally automatically processed in a graph-based visual tool. A specific end-user interface has been designed to ensure that end-user experts in agri-food companies can use the tool in a convenient way. Finally, our approach is compared with current research.

International Conference on Science and Innovated Engineering (I-COSINE)

PrefaceInternational Conference on Science and Innovated Engineering (i-COSINE) is an inaugural conference organized by the Lhokseumawe State Polytechnique. It was held on 21 and 22 October 2018 at Mata Ie Resort, Sabang, Aceh, Indonesia. The main goal of i-COSINE is to bring together researchers, scientists and experts in universities, companies, institutions, communities, agencies, associations and societies to provide them a unique platform for sharing worldwide ideas as well as the recent developments on science, innovation and engineering technology. This conference has received nearly 200 participants from various field of technology, engineering, and sciences. It attracts researcher and academician from ASEAN region to gather in Sabang for this conference. A compilation of articles that represent the significant results of the conference has been selected to publish in this volume.Three core research topics have been compiled as listed:Science• Chemistry• Mathematic• PhysicsEngineering• Chemical• Civil• Electrical• Environmental• MechanicalInnovative Technology• Food technology• Computer science• Green and social innovationEditorsUSMANNELLY SAFITRISULAIMAN WADI HARUNANAS ABDUL LATIFFList of Conference Photographs, list of committee available in this PDF.

A Fuzzy Multilayer Assessment Method for EFQM

Although the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) is one of the best-known business excellence frameworks, its inherent self-assessment approaches have several limitations. A critical review of self-assessment models reveals that most models are ambiguous and limited to precise data. In addition, the impact of expert knowledge on scoring is overly subjective, and most methodologies assume the relationships between variables are linear. This paper presents a new fuzzy multilayer assessment method that relies on fuzzy inference systems to accommodate imprecise data and varying assessor experiences to overcome uncertainty and complexity in the EFQM model. The method was implemented, tested, and verified under real conditions at a regional electricity company. The case was assessed by internal company experts and external assessors from an EFQM business excellence organization and the model was implemented using MATLAB software. When comparing the classical model with the new model, assessors and experts favored outputs from the new model.

Representation of wine and beer: influence of expertise

Expertise in the beverage industries has a long tradition (e.g. where a company expert graded teas) but was relatively neglected by science until after World War II. By drawing on methodologies and theory for studying expertise in domains such as chess playing, researchers in the fields of wine and beer have begun to elucidate the cognitive processes implicated in the acquisition and implementation of expertise relevant to analytical sensory evaluation in the domains of wine and beer. The present article reviews research that makes evident how our perceptual, conceptual, memory, imaging, knowledge representation, judgment, and language abilities can be affected by domain-specific experience and knowledge accumulation. This review also makes explicit the complex nature of many of the underlying cognitive processes implicated in development of expertise. Despite lack of consensus in results in some areas of research, outcomes of reviewed studies overall demonstrate that experience in a sensory field influences both perceptual and thought processes in ways that provide experts with advantages over less-experienced individuals in terms of competency, speed and in reduction of cognitive load.

Challenges and opportunities for the online gaming industry in Vietnam: a qualitative study on the thoughts of involved parties

This article examines the performance of the online gaming industry in Vietnam since its beginning. The findings were retrieved by analyzing the interview results with leaders and experts of notable game companies in Vietnam who know deeply and broadly about the industry, as well as officers of various administrative bodies that are directly in charge of governing online games. The main themes include the profile of those who established the industry, the game-related legal structure in Vietnam, and the endeavor of locally producing online games in Vietnam. The comments of interviewees on the future of online gaming in Vietnam are also analyzed in depth. The results retrieved from the interviews provide readers with the information regarding the development of the online gaming industry in Vietnam, which also entails a number of legal and economic challenges- those that arise in the specific post-war historical and political context.

Current technological trends In the development of machine-tool Construction in Russia

As machine-tool construction is considered to be an indicator of mechanical engineering development and progress of this industry can show the development of the country industrial potential, the topic of the article could be of great academic interest. The goal of the article is to study current technological trends of developing machine-tool construction in Russia. The authors provide information about industrial output on the market of machine-tool construction; characterize today’s level of technological, social and economic development in machine-tool construction of the country, identify system problems and specific features of Russian machine-tool construction, such as institutional conditions, home demand, access to technologies, etc. Apart from that the article shows reasons for the low level of innovation activity among manufacturers of machines and equipment, provides information about the latest projects of Russian enterprises of the industry, compares machine-tool construction in different countries, such as China, Japan, Germany, the US and Russia. Priorities of state policy in the field of machine-tool construction in Russia were identified: toguarantee leading positions for Russian companies on home market, ensure technological security. The authors showed priority lines in technological development of machine-tool construction in the Russian Federation for the future, for instance, introduction of product and technological innovation, development of competences in manufacturing competitive spare parts and tools on the territory of the Russian Federation, promotion of organizational innovation in respect of upgrading production automation (roboto-technique and the internet of things). Materials of the article can have practical importance for executives and experts of companies for the developjment of strategies and making reviews and reports and for state bodies to work out recommendations dealing with industrial policy of the Russian Federation.

Communication channels in safety analysis: An industrial exploratory case study

Context: Safety analysis is a predominant activity in developing safety-critical systems. It is a highly cooperative task among multiple functional departments due to increasingly sophisticated safety-critical systems and close-knit development processes. Communication occurs pervasively.Motivation: Effective communication channels among multiple functional departments influence safety analysis quality as well as a safe product delivery. However, the use of communication channels during safety analysis is sometimes arbitrary and poses challenges.Objective: In this article, we aim to investigate the existing communication channels, their usage frequencies, their purposes and challenges during safety analysis in industry.Method: We conducted a multiple case study by surveying 39 experts and interviewing 21 experts in safety-critical companies including software developers, quality engineers and functional safety managers. Direct observations and documentation review were also conducted.Results: Popular communication channels during safety analysis include formal meetings, project coordination tools, documentation and telephone. Email, personal discussion, training, internal communication software and boards are also in use. Training involving safety analysis happens 1-4 times per year, while other aforementioned communication channels happen ranging from 1-4 times per day to 1-4 times per month. We summarise 28 purposes of using these aforementioned communication channels. Communication happens mostly for the purpose of clarifying safety requirements, fixing temporary problems, conflicts and obstacles and sharing safety knowledge. The top 10 challenges are: (1) sensitiveness and confidentiality of safety analysis information; (2) fragmented safety analysis information; (3) inconsistent safety analysis information; (4) asynchronous channels; (5) a lack of tool support; (6) misunderstanding between developers and safety analysts; (7) language, geographic and culture limitations; (8) unwillingness to communicate (groupthink); (9) storage, authority, regulation and monitoring of safety analysis information; (10) a lack of documentation concerning safety analysis to support communication.Conclusion: During safety analysis, to use communication channels effectively and avoid challenges, a clear purpose of communication during safety analysis should be established at the beginning. We have limitations primarily on the research context namely the scope of domains, participants and countries. To derive countermeasures of fixing the top 10 challenges are potential next steps.

Measuring Severity of Attributes That Create Vulnerabilities in Websites and Software Applications Using Two Way Assessment Technique

Inadequacies and faults that are the reason of vulnerabilities are hazardous for the websites. The authors' chief intention is to trim down those assailon websites by restraining the attributes accountable for these assails. This article categorizes those cases/ attributes into 10 categories and arranges them inpriority according to their severity. These attributes influence which contributes to losses in terms of monetary as well as humanity. By prioritizing these attributes, web designers as well as users will check twice on these aspects before entering confidential information into the website. The opinion of different web designers and experts of different companies was captured to prioritize these attributes using an analytical hierarchical process and two way assessment methods so that the loss should be minimized. Research confirms that total severity measure aids the severities of these attribute's contribution towards vulnerabilities. The findings of the two way assessment technique show that there is only one such attribute which happens to be extremely severe in comparison to other attributes and needs imperative consideration while designing websites and also by users before entering their confidential credentials on a website to curtail the losses caused by black hat guys.

Building a Better Approach for the Benefit of Patients: 10 Pillars to Strengthen Regulatory Review Systems Globally

In the current pharmaceutical regulatory environment, patients continue to benefit from great advances in medical care. Sophisticated regulatory review systems have also evolved to ensure that safe and effective medicines are approved. However, these systems are not optimized in all countries. Gaps in individual regulatory agency capabilities together with duplication in non-value added national regulatory requirements, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), can slow down regulatory approvals and therefore impede patient access to new medicines. These gaps exist despite the achievements in both regulatory convergence and harmonization of technical requirements by bodies such as the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). There is a pressing need to strengthen regulatory review systems in emerging market economies as highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO). These diverse challenges may seem overwhelming to individual national regulators, in part because of the sheer number of initiatives by multiple stakeholders, combined with a lack of information on concise practical actionable measures that can have a positive impact on review efficiency. This commentary presents 10 pillars that we believe represent the key hallmarks of strong regulatory review systems. Leveraging our internal company expertise at the global, regional, and country level across our entire product portfolio (both innovative and generic), we selected features proven to work in leading regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which are also relevant for other regulatory authorities, especially in LMICs.