Reconfiguration Efforts Research Articles

Exploring variations in the implementation of a health system level policy intervention to improve maternal and child health outcomes in resource limited settings: A qualitative multiple case study from Uganda.

Despite growing literature, few studies have explored the implementation of policy interventions to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Even fewer studies explicitly articulate the theoretical approaches used to understand contextual influences on policy implementation. This under-use of theory may account for the limited understanding of the variations in implementation processes and outcomes. We share findings from a study exploring how a health system-level policy intervention was implemented to improve maternal and child health outcomes in a resource limited LMIC. Our qualitative multiple case study was informed by the Normalization Process Theory (NPT). It was conducted across eight districts and among ten health facilities in Uganda, with 48 purposively selected participants. These included health care workers located at each of the cases, policy makers from the Ministry of Health, and from agencies and professional associations. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews to understand uptake and use of Uganda's maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) policy and were inductively and deductively analyzed using NPT constructs and subconstructs. We identified six broad themes that may explain the observed variations in the implementation of the MPDSR policy. These include: 1) perception of the implementation of the policy, 2) leadership of the implementation process, 3) structural arrangements and coordination, 4) extent of management support and adequacy of resources, 5) variations in appraisal and reconfiguration efforts and 6) variations in barriers to implementation of the policy. The variations in sense making and relational efforts, especially perceptions of the implementation process and leadership capacity, had ripple effects across operational and appraisal efforts. Adopting theoretically informed approaches to assessing the implementation of policy interventions is crucial, especially within resource limited settings.

Power distribution network configuration applying the corridor method

In this paper, an optimization scheme based on the Corridor Method (CM) matheuristic is proposed for power distribution network configuration with the objective of client balancing between feeders. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer optimization problem (MIP) referring to a variant of the constrained spanning forest problem on a network. The problem is classified as NP-complete in its decision version, and the proposed matheuristic optimization approach is aimed to find high quality solutions in a short computational time on large real instances. According to the characteristics of the power distribution networks, suitable modeling solutions are adopted to retain a radial structure, satisfy power flow and voltage constraints, and reduce the reconfiguration efforts requiring a limited number of maneuvers on the electrical network. Computational experiments on different instances related to a real network have been conducted. The results demonstrated the soundness and the effectiveness of the proposed solution with respect to a baseline represented by a MIP formulation solved by a state-of-the-art commercial solver: the scalability towards large-size cases has been also considered. These results show that the proposed configuration method can effectively and efficiently solve the considered problem giving adequate support to the decision-makers.

Optimization Workflows for Linking Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO)

Developing modern products involves numerous domains (controlling, production, engineering, etc.) and disciplines (mechanics, electronics, software, etc.). The products have become increasingly complex while their time to market has decreased. These challenges can be overcome by Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), where all development data (requirements, architecture, etc.) is stored and linked in a system model. In an MBSE system model, product requirements at the system level can lead to numerous technical variants with conflicting objectives at the parameter level. To determine the best technical variants or tradeoffs, Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) is already being used today. Linking MBSE and MDAO allows for mutually beneficial synergies to be expected that have not yet been fully exploited. In this paper, a new approach to link MBSE and MDAO is proposed. The novelty compared to existing approaches is the reuse of existing MBSE system model data. Models developed during upstream design and test activities already linked to the MBSE system model were integrated into an MDAO problem. Benefits are reduced initial and reconfiguration efforts and the resolution of the MDAO black-box behavior. For the first time, the MDAO problem was modeled as a workflow using activity diagrams in the MBSE system model. For a given system architecture, this workflow finds the design variable values that allow for the best tradeoff of objectives. The structure and behavior of the workflow were formally described in the MBSE system model with SysML. The presented approach for linking MBSE and MDAO is demonstrated using an example of an electric coolant pump.

KONTRIBUSI MUI DALAM REKONFIGURASI SYARIAH DI INDONESIA

This research describes the contribution of MUI in the reconfiguration of sharia in Indonesia, from being an unwritten law to a binding law.
 MUI's efforts in reconfiguring sharia are carried out through the bureaucratization of sharia, namely the process of incorporation of sharia into national law which at an empirical level has been lived and carried out by the Muslim community in Indonesia. In contrast to the process of shariatisation or law Islamization which presupposes the replacement of national law with religious law, sharia bureaucratization is the work of labeling sharia law in legislation as an effort to guarantee legal certainty, administrative order, and achieve justice in legal disputes.
 The significance of the MUI's contribution in the effort to reconfigure Islamic law is evidenced by the issuance of statutory regulations sourced from fatwa products. Reconfiguration efforts are carried out in three ways, namely; First, to provide support for the birth of certain laws and regulations; Second, provide critical support and correction to a statutory regulation; Third, give a sharia fatwa.

Delayed reconfigurable manufacturing system

Reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS) is a new manufacturing paradigm aiming at providing exactly functionality and capacity needed and exactly when needed. Reconfiguration is the main method to achieve this goal. But, the reconfiguration is an interruption to production activities causing production loss and system ramp-up problem and the ‘exact functionality’ may increase the reconfiguration efforts and aggravate the production loss and the ramp-up time. Therefore, a special RMS – delayed reconfigurable manufacturing system (D-RMS) is proposed to promote the practicality of RMS. Starting from the RMS built around part family with the characteristic of delayed differentiation, whose reconfiguration activities mainly occur in the latter stages of manufacturing system and the former stages have the potential to maintain partial production activities to reduce production loss during reconfiguration. Inspired from this, the basic structure of RMS is divided into two subsystems, subsystem 1 is capable of maintain partial production with a certain more functionality than needed, subsystem 2 reconfigure to provide exactly functionality and capacity of a specific part exactly when needed. And then, the benefits of D-RMS are analysed from inventory and ramp-up time aspects. Finally, a case study is presented to show the implementation process of D-RMS and validates the practicability of D-RMS.

Wrangling, schizophrenia and momentum:vertical competitive dynamics in value chain (re)configuration

We adopt a competitive dynamics perspective to conceptualize value chain configurations as the results of value chain partners’ juggling for their optimal vertical scope. Such vertical competitive dynamics provide a yet neglected driver and hence, explanatory factor, of value chain change and preservation processes. We analyze 1,145 competitive actions by airlines and downstream distribution partners in North America and Europe between 2010 and 2017 to shed light on the types and consequences of such vertical dynamics and resulting value chain reconfiguration. Comparing firms’ distribution of reconfiguration and preservation actions over time and action repertoires in periods of intensified value chain reconfiguration efforts, we observe competitive wrangling, firm schizophrenia and value chain momentum in vertical competitive interaction, suggesting different value chain reconfiguration tracks. Our results highlight how a competitive interaction perspective can deepen our understanding of value chain change over time.

Similarity Coefficient of RMS Part Family Grouping Considering Reconfiguration Efforts

A reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) built around a part family is a paradigm to meet dynamic demands and can provide the exact functionality and capacity of the associated part family. The reconfiguration of an RMS is a complex process, given the practical situation of the RMS structure. Furthermore, the reconfiguration complexity of an RMS determines the success of RMS implementation. The reconfiguration complexity can be evaluated using reconfiguration efforts. Eliminating parts involves more reconfiguration efforts compared to complete reconfiguration from a part family and will decrease the reconfiguration complexity of RMS implementation based on the corresponding part family. Therefore, a similarity coefficient that considers the reconfiguration efforts of RMS part family grouping is proposed in this paper. First, the definition of reconfiguration efforts is given based on the system configurations of each part, including actions such as function add, function delete, function swap, and function replace. Second, the common operation sequence (COS) and the longest common subsequence (LCS) between parts are analyzed. Third, the similarity between parts is calculated based on the reconfiguration efforts, the COS, and the LCS. The average linkage clustering algorithm is adopted for grouping the parts into families based on similarity. Finally, a case study is presented to implement the proposed part family grouping method and validate its effectiveness.

Resillence and Dynamic Capabilities: The Role of Governance

Theories of dynamic capabilities emphasise the ability of organisations to sense opportunities, seize them, and reconfigure resources to transform the organisation around them. However, attempts to sense, seize and reconfigure increase the risk of major organisational failure. Organisations are more likely to fail, in major or minor ways, when they attempt to do new things. Consequently, a dynamically-capable organisation also needs resilience – the ability to mitigate threats created by its sensing, seizing and reconfiguration efforts. This article examines how Infosys, an NYSE-listed IT services company, created resilience, and finds that it did so through its corporate governance system. In particular, it finds that the Board, through its actions, the systems it put in place, and its delegates (principally the risk, finance, quality, and internal audit organisations) provided resilience by constructing knowledge. That knowledge allowed the organisation to mitigate known problems and find new ones. These knowledge construction processes formed two logical systems. One simplified and decentralised the governance of known problems. The other identified and solved novel problems.

Re-theorizing the configuration of organizational fields: the IIRC and the pursuit of ‘Enlightened’ corporate reporting

This paper studies the emergence of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and its attempts to institutionalize integrated reporting as a practice that is critical to the relevance and value of corporate reporting. Informed by Suddaby and Viale’s [(2011). Professionals and field-level change: institutional work and the professional project. Current Sociology, 59, 423–442] theorization of how professionals reconfigure organizational fields, the paper delineates the strategies and mechanisms through which the IIRC has sought to enroll the support of a wide range of stakeholder groups for the idea of integrated reporting in order to deliver a fundamental reconfiguration of the corporate reporting field. The paper’s analysis reinforces the significance to any such field reconfiguration of the reciprocal and mutual arrangements between influential professionals and other powerful actors but does so in a way that (a) refines Suddaby and Viale’s theorization of processes of field-level change and (b) pinpoints the fundamental policy challenges facing the IIRC. Gieryn’s [(1983). Boundary work and the demarcation of science from non-science: strains and interests in professional ideologies of scientists. American Sociological Review, 48 (6), 781–795] notion of boundary work is operationalized to capture some of the complexity and dynamism of the change process that is not sufficiently represented by Suddaby and Viale’s more sequentialist theorization. From a policy perspective, the paper demonstrates just how much the IIRC’s prospects for success in reconfiguring the corporate reporting field depend on its ability to reconfigure the mainstream investment field. Ultimately, this serves to question whether the IIRC’s conceptualization of ‘enlightened’ corporate reporting is sufficiently powerful and persuasive to stimulate ‘enlightened’ investment behavior focused on the medium and long term – and, more generally stresses the theoretical significance of considering connections across related organizational fields in institutional analyses of field reconfiguration efforts.

Dissertation Summary: 'Reconfiguration Strategies, Entrepreneurial Entry and Incubation of Nascent Industries: Three Essays'

This dissertation examines firms’ entrepreneurial investments in anticipation of entry into a nascent industry. In the first essay, I study the intertwined processes of firm-level economic value capture and industry-level ecosystem formation that underpin incubation of nascent industries. The second essay focuses on the capability antecedents of a firm entry into a nascent industry and makes a distinction between a firm’s pre-entry and pre-investment capabilities. In the third essay, I discuss the nature of the capability reconfiguration efforts that are undertaken by firms in anticipation of entry into nascent industries and their differential nature given firms’ historical antecedents.

A novel methodology to measure the responsiveness of RMTs in reconfigurable manufacturing system

Reconfigurable manufacturing systems are designed to deliver exact functionality and capacity that is needed, when it is needed. The reconfigurable machine tool (RMT) plays a pivotal role in the accomplishment of this objective through their built in modular structure consisting of basic and auxiliary modules along with the open architecture software.The RMTs can perform variety of operations in their existing configurations and their functionality can further be changed by just changing their modules. In such an environment each operation can be performed by many feasible machine configurations offering different responsiveness values. Optimally assigning machines in the RMS based on only cost, may lead to higher reconfiguration efforts required in the later stages and reduced responsiveness of the system. Therefore the inherent ability of an RMT to handle the market fluctuations should be given due consideration along with the cost. Though in literature the system convertibility has been discussed for the variety of machine layouts but the literature lacks in the suitable performance metrics for assessing the responsiveness of RMTs on machine level.In the present research work a novel methodology is developed to assess the responsiveness of an RMT through developing the operational capability and machine reconfigurability metrics. The developed approach has been numerically illustrated and it has been observed that with a marginal increase in the cost, the RMTs offering higher responsiveness are available for the required operations.

Runtime reconfigurable interfaces: the RTR-IFB approach

Next to the implementation of complex applications the inter-module communication constitutes a critical aspect in reconfigurable architectures. Especially, dependencies between reconfigured interacting computation modules in real-time environments lead to massive reconfiguration efforts. We present Runtime Reconfigurable Interface Blocks (RTR-IFB), which tackle the reconfiguration of modules during runtime, the synchronisation and inter-module communication. As one effect reconfigured modules can share the same execution resources without a communication gap. Our RTR-IFB methodology extends actual concepts for inter-module communication and is integrated into the partial reconfiguration design flow. An example from the control domain demonstrates the feasibility of our approach.