Increase Product Value Research Articles

Exploring how and why consumers create unintended uses of products

The use of products for unintended purposes is prevalent among consumers, and can generate ideas for product improvement and new product development for the firm. However, little is known about how and why people create novel uses outside the regular context. Based on consumer experiences, this study aims to discover patterns of creative reuse of existing products and to understand consumer motives and outcomes. The qualitative data revealed that creative reuse is based on knowledge about product attributes, categories and users, and on individual preference. Respondents are motivated by economic benefits and need for cognition and pleasure. The findings reveal that creative reuse helps increase product value and consumer engagement with a product.

Exploring how and why consumers create unintended uses of products

The use of products for unintended purposes is prevalent among consumers, and can generate ideas for product improvement and new product development for the firm. However, little is known about how and why people create novel uses outside the regular context. Based on consumer experiences, this study aims to discover patterns of creative reuse of existing products and to understand consumer motives and outcomes. The qualitative data revealed that creative reuse is based on knowledge about product attributes, categories and users, and on individual preference. Respondents are motivated by economic benefits and need for cognition and pleasure. The findings reveal that creative reuse helps increase product value and consumer engagement with a product.

An integrated product service system modelling methodology with a case study of clothing industry

Product-service system (PSS) is a business model designed to help enterprises achieve servitisation. PSS not only considers service-oriented logic to increase product value but also supports enterprises with waste reduction. An increasing number of studies have emphasised PSS development. However, much of the literature remains focused on separate development phases, such as idea generation or a specific product or industry application. An integrative system modelling methodology designed to help companies formulate a complete scenario is absent. This study provides a methodology for developing a systematic and complete PSS strategy. It combines failure modes and effects and importance-performance analysis to identify potential customer needs. A service-product development matrix and a product-service life cycle analysis are developed. Following the service concepts generation, grey relational analysis and scenario analysis are utilised to evaluate the alternatives. A case study involving the clothing industry was conducted to test the proposed approach. Results indicate the methodology can help service providers identify existing problems and develop service alternatives systematically. These alternatives can then be evaluated and the scenario which achieves the highest profitability, is the most environmental friendly, and is the most social friendly can be identified.

ANALYSIS OF GROWTH OF LALAWAK Barbonymus balleroides (VALENCIENNES, 1842) IN THREE CULTURE METHODS

In fish culture, optimal growth could be influenced by various culture methods. Aim of the study was to evaluate the productivity of Barbonymus balleroides, lalawak in floating net cages, concrete ponds, and earthen ponds. Cultivation was designed with the circulation water system. Experiment was conducted using completely randomized design with three treatments and three replications for each treatment. The experimental fish, sized of 4.20 ± 0.64 cm SL and weight of 2.14 ± 0.99 g, were obtained from induced breeding. The stocking density used was 20 individuals/m3. Fish were fed 3% of total weight two times every day using commercial pellet with 35% protein content for 90 day. The result showed that lalawak reared in earthen pond was no significant difference on length, weight, and biomass compared with that one in concrete pond (P>0.05), but significantly different (P<0.05) with floating net cages. There were no different (P>0.05) among the three different culture systems for survival rate and FCR. Lalawak reared on earthen pond system supported with optimal water quality could increase productivity value.

An Empirical Tool to Measure the Effectiveness of Kaizen Events: A Case Study in the Wood Products Industries

Abstract Kaizen events are used in business organizations to lower manufacturing costs and increase product value. However, little research has focused on measuring the effectiveness of Kaizen events as a continuous improvement tool. The goal of this article is to introduce an empirical tool to measure the effectiveness of Kaizen events on the basis of employees' perceptions of their knowledge of, barriers to, motivators for, drivers for, and effectiveness of Kaizen. The design of the tool included a questionnaire for the upper management and a questionnaire for production and nonproduction employees, and it was implemented in a wood products company located in the United States where Kaizen events had been conducted for several years. The interview with the Kaizen manager revealed critical aspects related to strategic issues, structure and support, and implementation of Kaizen events. The analysis of the questionnaire implemented with production and nonproduction employees indicated that perceptions regarding motivators and barriers did not differ among the type of employee. In addition, statistical analysis revealed that only the driver “teamwork efforts” was a predictor of Kaizen effectiveness. The design of a Kaizen effectiveness tool and its implementation in a case study firm is an important contribution in the area of continuous improvement to help practitioners and researchers measure the effectiveness and impacts of Kaizen events.

The use of forest information in timber sales planning – a case study in a Swedish forest-owning company

ABSTRACTInteractions between value-creating activities are vital to increasing product value. Information sharing is a cornerstone of such interactions. For a forest-owning company with the primary objective to be leading in selling roundwood to forest industries, it appears therefore crucial that the sales people within a forest company have up-to-date knowledge about the forest in planning their sales, and that the forest knowledge is presented in a format that is suitable for them. To investigate if this is the case, a study was conducted at Sveaskog, a large Swedish forest-owning company. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with respondents from different levels in the organization. The results show that most sales managers did not directly use the knowledge about the forests when planning their sales; instead, they relied on historical data and had low trust in the knowledge presented in the tactical forest plan. The study pinpoints the organizational obstacles for using forest information in sales planning. These obstacles need to be addressed if more sophisticated information made available through new technology is to be utilized.

Innovation on the Open Sea: Examining Competence Transfer and Open Innovation in the Design of Offshore Vessels

In this article, we discuss the role of open innovation in collaborative design processes in mature industries such as the shipping industry. We examine the design of high-tech offshore service vessels in environments characterized by high volatility and complexity. We elaborate on the role that accumulating and sharing core competences plays in speeding up the innovation process and increasing product value. We present a longitudinal case study of a shipping company implementing an open innovation approach that integrates its own core competences in offshore operations with the competences of ship designers and ship builders to develop a new design for challenging environments. In this article, we draw on an open innovation approach and a competence-based view to demonstrate how the firm can reach out to gain novel competences related to innovation, which may transform the competitive environment to the firm’s advantage. The article would be useful to innovation scholars and practitioners who work with innovative product development.

Kidh Fabric: Product Development for Community Business Reinforcement

This research, Kidh fabric: product development for community business reinforcement was conducted with three main aims: 1) to study Kidh fabric history in northeastern Thailand; 2) to study problems and solutions related to processed fabric products; and 3) to study fabric product pattern design development for community business reinforcement. This qualitative study used a purposive random sampling technique, with samples including people involved with Tai Dam fabric products. Data were collected through structured interview, observation, focus group discussion and work shop.In addition, data reliability and validation tests were conducted with a triangulation method. The results show that Kidh Fabric production processes from three community business groups had the same points in keeping their unique designs and purposes to improve their own business and marketing. There needs to be coordination between community members in the production and design processes, as well as to increase product value by using new knowledge and technology. In conclusion, to develop Kidh fabric products for community reinforcement, all three communities need more support and cooperation from government units, private organization and community leaders. Moreover, these communities businesses need more knowledge and technological support to improve their production process, marketing, personalities in order to transform their community production units into strong and stable business groups.

Effects of deposition and annealing conditions on the defects in the Al/glass composites of TFT specimens

Al/glass specimens are prepared following the orthogonal table of five-level six-factorial (L25(56)) design. The governing factors for the preparation of the specimens are deposition conditions, annealing temperature and annealing time. Defects, including hillocks and nanovoids, are found to be created during the annealing process. The threshold value of the annealing stress (σan) required for the incipience of hillocks is thus determined. The stress change parameter, σf–σan (σf :internal stress after annealing), is a positive value that increases linearly with σan. The density of hillocks increases linearly with (σf–σan) when the value of the stress change parameter is beyond the critical value (130 MPa). Nanovoids are produced even in specimens without hillocks. The wedge angle that forms in a specimen after wet etching linearly decreases with decreasing (σf–σan). A high wedge angle lowers the hillock density at the wedge slope. The electrical resistance of the gate layer linearly increases with increasing product value (R*) of the mean size (area) and the density of nanovoids. R* increases nonlinearly with increasing (σf–σan).

Quantifying ecosystem services trade-offs from agricultural practices

The concept of ecosystem services (ESS) is widely used to highlight the interdependencies between agricultural and environmental systems. However, few studies have attempted to quantify the potential of agriculture to produce multiple ESS, and to estimate the possibilities for joint production of marketed and non-marketed ESS. A quantification of the trade-offs between non-marketed ESS and production of farm commodities (marketed ESS) may help to better target agricultural policies.We use a well-established biophysical farm-systems model (APSIM) to estimate how alternative farm management practices affect the joint production of ESS on mixed crop-livestock farms in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. Our analysis quantifies the trade-offs between the supply of agricultural commodities (crop yields and livestock weight gain) and non-marketed ESS (groundcover, soil carbon, nitrogen supply, and water regulation). Win–win trade-offs between marketed and non-marketed ESS become apparent when the value of agricultural commodity production is monetised. This study shows that, in our study regions, increasing crop residue retention can jointly increase production value and improve ESS provision of groundcover, soil carbon and nitrogen supply. Conversely, increasing the use of perennial pastures in the farming mix results in negative trade-offs between production values and non-marketed ESS.

Loyalty in Business to Business Context: A Study in Puchong, Malaysia

Customer loyalty has been a focus of marketing as it is believed that higher level of customer loyalty may result in higher levels of repurchase. Numerous researches are carried out on the antecedents of customer loyalty in consumer market, but not many been discussed within business market and supply chain environment. This study aims to examine how product value, profitability, marketing support and perceived switching costs can influence customer behavioural loyalty in the business-to-business (B2B) context. By targeting small retailers as case market, tailored questionnaires were distributed to 150 business customers. The findings of this study suggests that customer behavioural loyalty towards supplier can be improved by focusing on increasing product value, enhancing profitability and building switching of costs.

Integrating syngas fermentation with the carboxylate platform and yeast fermentation to reduce medium cost and improve biofuel productivity

To ensure economic implementation of syngas fermentation as a fuel-producing platform, engineers and scientists must both lower operating costs and increase product value. A considerable part of the operating costs is spent to procure chemicals for fermentation medium that can sustain sufficient growth of carboxydotrophic bacteria to convert synthesis gas (syngas: carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide) into products such as ethanol. Recently, we have observed that wild-type carboxydotrophic bacteria (including Clostridium ljungdahlii) can produce alcohols with a longer carbon chain than ethanol via syngas fermentation when supplied with the corresponding carboxylic acid precursors, resulting in possibilities of increasing product value. Here, we evaluated a proof-of-concept system to couple syngas fermentation with the carboxylate platform to both lower medium costs and increase product value. Our carboxylate platform concept consists of an open culture, anaerobic fermentor that is fed with corn beer from conventional yeast fermentation in the corn kernel-to-ethanol industry. The mixed-culture anaerobic fermentor produces a mixture of carboxylic acids at dilute concentrations within the carboxylate platform effluent (CPE). Besides providing carboxylic acid precursors, this effluent may represent an inexpensive growth medium. An elemental analysis demonstrated that the CPE lacked certain essential trace metals, but contained ammonium, phosphate, sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sulphate at required concentrations. CPE medium with the addition of a trace metal solution supported growth and alcohol production of C. ljungdahlii at similar or better levels compared with an optimized synthetic medium (modified ATCC 1754 medium). Other expensive supplements, such as yeast extract or macro minerals (ammonium, phosphate), were not required. Finally, n-butyric acid and n-caproic acid within the CPE were converted into their corresponding medium-chain alcohols n-butanol and n-hexanol.

BIO-ECONOMIC COSTS AND BENEFITS OF USING TRIPLOID RAINBOW TROUT IN AQUACULTURE: REDUCED MORTALITY

Analysis of data collected from rainbow trout farms in the United Kingdom found that mortality levels in triploid rainbow trout were lower than those in diploids. The consequences of rearing triploids, as opposed to diploids, as an intervention to reduce mortality in the U.K. trout farming industry were quantified using a bio-economic model. The model showed that growing triploids could be more profitable than growing diploids, and this was achieved through improvements in productivity (in terms of better survival) and potential for increased product value, and despite the extra costs attributed to purchasing triploid fingerlings.

Application of Value Engineering in Industrial Product Design

High-value products is the goal what to go after for consumer and the designer of industrial product must have a sense of value first. Value engineering is a creative activity which increase product value by optimizing the relationship between the function of product and its’ cost. It is a very effective way that the idea and methods of the value engineering are engaged in the product design, that is a effective measures for improving product value and its innovation design. The core of industrial product design is to carry out the functional and cost analysis of the product design in engineering activities.

Sophistication and Performance of Italian Agri-food Exports

Nonprice competition is increasingly important in world food markets. Recently, the expression ‘export sophistication’ has been introduced in the economic literature to refer to a wide set of attributes that increase product value. An index has been proposed to measure sophistication in an indirect way through the per capita GDP of exporting countries (Lall et al., 2006; Haussmann et al., 2007). The paper applies the sophistication measure to the Italian food export sector, moving from an analysis of trends and performance of Italian food exports. An original way to disentangle different components in the temporal variation of the sophistication index is also proposed. Results show that the sophistication index offers original insights on recent trends in world food exports and with respect to Italian core food exports.

Functionality and performance of customized sole inlays for various sports applications

To increase product value and consumer satisfaction customization has become a major aspect in product development. From the consumers’ perspective this trend towards individual fitting is certainly positive as long as it does not negatively influence other sports specific functionality parameters. The current study is dealing with this interaction heading towards customizing effects in footwear. A long term field test was conducted to determine which design parameters of a customized insole embodies the highest benefit for the athlete perceived performance. A test assembly of 20 athletes evaluated a traditional and a customized insole under three different sport conditions 1) indoor sports, 2) outdoor sports, and 3) running). A questionnaire was designed that asked for nine functions at six decisive foot segments (heel, metatarsal, forefoot; lateral, medial); 1) optimal roll off, 2) cushioning, 3) force transmission, 4) feet support, 5) bedding, 6) secure step, 7) avoid slipping 8) avoid pressure and 9) avoid pain. These items were subjectively evaluated by our test persons and finally correlated with initially collected objective measures. Static and dynamic plantar pressure measurements provided data for individual foot sole profiles. Results showed four important outcomes. Firstly, different sports applications require different functional insoles to ensure optimal athlete perception and performance. Secondly the grade of customization increases their perceived performance. Thirdly objective and subjective data are both required to ensure optimal insole supply. And fourthly subjects are rather limited in their ability to distinguish effects of insole design modifications. Especially the last finding raises the question how far customization should be expanded and where it unnecessarily goes beyond practical relevance.

Desain Komunikasi Visual untuk Menunjang Penjualan Berbasis Bisnis Online bagi Pemula

Living in Jakarta, as one biggest business centre and largest target market, increases people awareness for doing entrepreneurship. However, for many business people with minimal capital, the choice is to run online business. Since internet as one familiar thing among society, the chance of online business isincreasing. Research method used is questionnaire randomly for 20 respondents, internet and literature study. One online shop will be easier and structured in designing concept. This research is about the importance of visual communication design in the appearance of online business. Visual communication design will produce something with quality and increase product value and sales from online shop. Through the application of simple design element, a good and quality online shop will be created so it could help and give benefit for large audience.

THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF PLANT BIOREGULATORS IN TREE FRUIT PRODUCTION

The discovery of plant hormones and their ability to regulate all aspects of plant growth and development were defining moments in horticulture. Plant bioregulators (PBRs) were soon identified that could improve yield, quality and postharvest life. No where has their impact been more vividly chronicled than in tree fruit production. Tree fruit are considered high value crops and even small modifications in production efficiency, product quality or enhanced cosmetic appeal have the potential to significantly increase product value. Following the discovery of auxins, NAA was found to both to useful in counteract two of the most serious problems of apple production, biennial bearing and preharvest drop. NAA continues to be an important PBR. The discovery of gibberellins and cytokinins led to commercial uses of products in these hormone categories that include improved shape of fruit, enhanced market value by reducing blemishes, improved tree architecture that may be accomplished the by overcoming apical dominance. PBRs were later discovered that could either advance ripening or extend postharvest life, thus greatly expanding the effective period when high quality fruit could be harvested and marketed. Other areas of fruit production where PBRs are especially useful include prevention of preharvest fruit drop, control of vegetative growth, enhanced flower bud formation and control of fruit ripening. Future uses of PBR will emerge. Prohaxadione calcium, an inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis, not only retarded shoot growth but it can also alter plant metabolism to impart resistance to insects and diseases. The naturally occurring hormone abscisic acid is showing potential for overcoming plant stress and also enhancing early fruit drop. Recently 1-MCP, a competitive inhibitor of ethylene, has revolutionized storage of pome fruit by extending the postharvest life and improving storage quality of fruit. Recently, great progress in PBR use has come in areas of fruit thinning and retardation of preharvest drop. In these areas greater understanding of fundamental processes, the use of molecular biology techniques and continued empirical research has lead to more effective control of these important process in tree fruit production.

Value analysis as a decision support tool in cruise ship design

In the cruise ship industry product development and production activities are really complex and must follow strict rules imposed by naval registries. Designers are frequently required to choose among several alternative solutions (e.g., materials, components, layouts, etc.). Because of time constraints, as a matter of fact, design decisions are made fast and in a reactive way, according to the particular case, without considering decisions made in the past and without using specific decision support tools. The final choice is often left to a single designer's experience, whose selection criteria are unknown and not formalised. As a consequence there is no shared knowledge justifying the reason why a design solution has been chosen and whether it is the best one. We developed and implemented in Fincantieri S.p.A. – a leading company in the cruise ship industry – an original decision support tool, based on value analysis, designers can use to document and formalise their choices. Value analysis is a well known structured method to increase product value and/or cut costs, thus supporting the selection of the most valuable solution by means of objective parameters. We demonstrate that the proposed tool can also facilitate reuse of the available knowledge base on decisional criteria, increase interactions between people (design staff, buyers, shipyard personnel, etc.) involved in different stages of different value analysis projects, and reduce decision time.

Managing core competences to create value for customers

This article investigates the role of company's core competences in increasing product value for customers. The conceptual model included the steps of managing a company's core competences confirms that developing core competences makes company's products more valuable for its customers and thus provides its competitiveness in the global market. Nowadays Russian poultry farming enterprises are facing with the growing competition from the direction of foreign companies. The quality of Russian poultry products in terms of its benefits for customers would be better if national companies give more attention to developing their core competences. However the survey indicated that very often companies don't give enough attention to their core competencies in this regard. The implication is that core competences should be used for making company's products more valuable for its customers. A better understanding of company's core competencies allow to satisfy customers' needs better in order to become more competitive in the global market.