Technical Advices Research Articles

How Psychological Resistance of Headquarter Engineers Interferes Product Development Task Transfer to Overseas Units

Abstract: There are very few existing studies that focus on internal headquarter organization in relation to knowledge transfer or innovation in overseas units. It is almost as if there is an implicit assumption that headquarter members ought to be proactive in transferring knowledge or information to overseas units. Thus, this study investigates bottlenecks of process in transfer of product development tasks to overseas units, with particular focus on psychological resistance of headquarter engineers. A detailed case study of a automobile supplier revealed following problems that were faced by headquarter engineers: lack of motivation to business in emerging markets, perception gaps about original developers, and a high turnover rate of local engineers. Next, how psychological resistance of headquarter engineers, which originate from these problems either directly or indirectly interferes with transfer of development tasks, was explained by two paths, that is, decline in motivation toward information sharing and technical advices, and lack of communication channels. To promote overseas expansion of development tasks, which is necessary for emerging market strategies, it will be critical to manage causes and effects of psychological resistance of headquarter engineers.Keywords: global product development, task transfer, psychological resistance of headquarter engineers, emerging marketsIntroductionCases of firms trying to expand their product development tasks abroad have been increasing since late 2000s. A number of major firms, including Toshiba, Fuji Film, Clarion, Hitachi, Toyota, Honda, and TDK, have sought ways for speedy response to emerging market needs by establishing product development units onsite and increasing employment of local engineers. 1 Furthermore, according to Survey of Overseas Business Activities, conducted by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry in July 2013, expenditure ratio on overseas research and development for 2012 was a record level of 4.4%, which was highest ever. From these facts, Prahalad and Doz (1987) and Bartlett and Ghoshal's (1989) observations that Japanese business are characterized by products standardized by headquarters that are expanded overseas in a globally integrated manner are becoming less and less applicable to current businesses. This is because need for dealing with diversified overseas markets and number of overseas development units to meet that needs have been increasing for products deployed overseas.In most cases, development functions intended for overseas expansion are limited to minimal tasks necessary to promptly respond to local customers' various and heterogeneous needs.2 This is because process of transmitting each of local customers' demands to requesting applied development works, and waiting for responses are inadequate for emerging market businesses that are highly competitive and require more speed than usual. In other words, there has been a shift of dividing development tasks, which used to be concentrated on between advanced technology development and standard product development at headquarter side, and tasks necessary for locally adapted design of existing products at local units.3However, although a number of firms are challenging overseas expansion of product development tasks, it seems difficult. The author conducted field researches of multiple firms on this topic from 2008 to 2014, and found out that both in local units and headquarters have complaints and dissatisfaction toward each other. For instance, in local units often express dissatisfactions such as the only concerns of expatriates are decisions and evaluations made by headquarters, engineers in headquarters do not share information timely, and they would not understand, no matter how hard we explain issues of local markets to them. …

A life cycle assessment case study of ground rubber production from scrap tires

Purpose The number of scrap tires generated in China has grown dramatically every year. Generation of ground rubber from scrap tires is the dominant management option in China. It is necessary to assess the environmental impacts of ground rubber production from scrap tires to provide technical advices on a cleaner production.

A review on structure model and energy system design of lithium-ion battery in renewable energy vehicle

Abstract Structure properties of lithium-ion battery determine the specific energy and specific power of renewable energy vehicle and have attracted extensive concerns. Fundamental innovations in battery system depend on the structure properties, of which graphene and concentration gradient structures become increasingly prospective. As the performance of structure closely relates to the battery performance and the advancement of battery technologies, the paper, based on the research work at our laboratory, discusses about the structure model and energy system design and analyzes the evolution of lithium batteries to provide scientific insights and technical advices for the development of renewable energy vehicle. The review shows that nano and graphene models, with their corresponding energy systems, significantly improve the performance of lithium batteries, thus supporting longer mileage and service life, while providing new ideas for the design of renewable energy vehicles. Compared with other power batteries, lithium-ion batteries are advantageous in addressing the requirements raised by battery electric vehicles, such as, long mileage, high-current charging, and safety. Therefore, lithium batteries are reliable and feasible for the deployment in battery electric vehicles.

Research on Dynamic Characteristic of Charging Valve of the Full Hydraulic Braking System

This paper introduce the working principle of accumulator charging valve. According to the static analysis of principle and structure of the valve, the model of accumulator charging valve was established by AMESim. which simulated the charging pressure and other charging characteristics. According to the result of the simulation, some technical advices for improving the performance of the full hydraulic system are provided. Thecomparison between simulation and experiment proved that the model of the valve was accurate and reliable. The performance of the charging valve meets the request of the full hydraulic braking system exactly.

Delegation of the intensity-modulated treatment planning to dosimetrists: experience of the INSTITUT DE CANCÉROLOGIE DE LORRAINE ALEXIS VAUTRIN

Purpose To present the evolution of the support of complex techniques of treatment planning with the example of delegation of intensity-modulated treatment (IMRT) planning (including dynamic volumetric arctherapy, VMAT) form the medical physicists to the dosimetrists in radiation oncology department of the Institut de Cancerologie de Lorraine. Methodology Planning of standard and conformal treatment is entrusted for many years to the dosimetrists of radiotherapy department (3 full-time equivalent, shared between 6 to 8 radiation therapists). Since the start of IMRT in 2000, treatment planning was performed by the medical physicists. The same situation occurs for VMAT plans since 2009. In order to increase the number of patients treated with these techniques, a delegation of these planning tasks to the dosimetrist pool was inevitable. In Sept. 2010, partial delegation was established for ‘‘simple” IMRT treatments, such as treatments of prostate or intracranial treatments. In January 2012, decision was taken to go to a total delegation of IMRT/VMAT treatment planning. A formalized training of the 6 experimented dosimetrists was carried out by the physicists, over a 6 weeks period for each person. The initial training period was achieved by an evaluation, discussed with referent physicist during an individual meeting then validated by hierarchic responsables of the medical physics service and of the radiation therapist staff. Now, trained dosimetrists are in charge of most of the treatment planning in IMRT/VMAT. A physicist is assigned for technical support, advices, validation and realization of complex cases. Conclusion delegation to the dosimetrists of the planning of IMRT and VMAT treatment at the Institut de Cancerologie de Lorraine has been formalized and evaluated. This delegation is effective and allowed a substantial increase in the number of patient treated with these techniques.

Recent advances in Flow MRI

The past five years have seen exciting new developments in Flow MRI. Two-dimensional images are now routinely acquired in 100–200ms and, in some cases, acquisition times of 5–10ms are possible. This has been achieved not only by advances in the implementation of existing pulse sequences but also in data acquisition strategies, such as Compressed Sensing and Bayesian approaches, and technical advices in parallel imaging and signal enhancement methods. In particular, the short imaging timescales that are now achieved offer significant opportunities in the study of transient flow phenomena.

A demand-responsive decision support system for coal transportation

In this paper, a demand-responsive decision support system is proposed by integrating the operations of coal shipment, coal stockpiles and coal railing within a whole system. A generic and flexible scheduling optimisation methodology is developed to identify, represent, model, solve and analyse the coal transport problem in a standard and convenient way. As a result, the integrated train-stockpile-ship timetable is created and optimised for improving overall efficiency of coal transport system. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis based on extensive computational experiments is conducted to validate the proposed methodology. The mathematical proposition and proof are concluded as technical and insightful advices for industry practice. The proposed methodology provides better decision making on how to assign rail rolling-stocks and upgrade infrastructure in order to significantly improve capacity utilisation with the best resource-effectiveness ratio. The proposed decision support system with train-stockpile-ship scheduling optimisation techniques is promising to be applied in railway or mining industry, especially as a useful quantitative decision making tool on how to use more current rolling-stocks or whether to buy additional rolling-stocks for mining transportation.

Factors influencing the effectiveness of rice supervisors technical advice: The case of Mazandaran Province, Iran

The current research involves the factors influencing the effectiveness of rice supervisor’s technical advice (RSTA) in Mazandaran province from the farmers' point of view. The method used in this research is descriptive-correlation and comparative, which has been done by survey. A quantitative approach is applied to identify the most important factors. In this regard, the research population included rice producers (N = 2856). Using the Krejcie and Morgan's sampling Table and random cluster sampling technique, 340 farmers were surveyed. A questionnaire was developed and distributed among the subject and the collected data analyzed through SPSS software. The finding showed that, there was a positive and significant relationship between independent variables of the distance from supervisor’s office to farmers' farm, the average performance of low yielding crop (Tarom) and high yielding crop (Neda), reducing costs, the on time offering of services and inputs, and supervisor’s on time presence on farms with effectiveness of RSTA. The result obtained through the application of t-test formula confirms that there was a significant difference between the presence and absence of rice supervisors on farm in the amount of technical advices used by farmers. The results of multiple linear regression showed the independent variables of supervisor’s on time presence on farm, on-time offering of services and inputs, and the distance between rice supervisor’s office and farmers' farm have 72% of the ability in determining the effectiveness of RSTA. The empirical result of this research revealed that rice supervisors’ project has a positive effect on increasing agricultural knowledge and product of rice producers. These result calls for more investment in agricultural advisory services. Key words: Effectiveness, agricultural advisory services, rice supervisor's service, Mazandaran.

Crop diversity, extension services and marketing outlets of vegetables in Botswana

The strategy of encouraging agricultural production through incentives in Botswana has contributed to an increase in vegetable production and improved farmers’ livelihood. However, studies on agricultural extension service issues and marketing problems that farmers experienced over the last years are either rare or absent. This article presents results of surveys conducted in different parts of Botswana to assess the diversity of vegetables produced, evaluate the impact of agricultural extension services provided and the marketing outlets of vegetables in the country. For this purpose a structured questionnaire was used to interview 48 farmers in different parts of the country. Results of the surveys indicated the presence of a high level of crop diversity (17 vegetable crop species) which is planted by rotation in time and space on small fields as mono-crops. Mixed cropping was very rare. Leafy vegetables were the dominant crops in all the surveyed areas. Results indicate that agricultural extension service in vegetable farming system is exclusively provided by governmental organizations and are limited to providing technical advices in vegetable production. Advisory services in marketing and financial management are absent. Vegetable farmers in Gantsi, Southern, Kgalagdi and Northern districts received better advisory service than those in Kweneng and Kgatleng districts. Most of the interviewed farmers travel long distances to get production inputs (85%) and others even import from South Africa (30%). The need of policies encouraging the use of inorganic fertilizers, high-yielding varieties, reduction of reliance on pesticides, provision of inputs and improving extension services and market outlets for vegetables are discussed.

Profibus와 인버터를 이용한 공기량 제어시스템 구현

Fieldbus technology is having a massive impact on the development of faster, smarter and less expensive industrial networking systems. However, there have been a few of practically applied cases and channels for obtaining technical advices. Moreover, the users in the industry don't trust the Fieldbus technology like they didn't trust PLC control system in 1970s. Therefore, in this paper, Air flow control system is constructed by Fieldbus technologies, Profibus and Inverter that controls the motor speed. With the features of the motor control, the amount of electric power consumption by the speed control of motor is measured by the constructed control system. From this measured result, the effectiveness of the airflow control system and Feasibility to the practical industry field is demonstrated To improve the confidence of Fieldbus technology, practically embodied cases and technical methods are presented.

Biogas development in Zimbabwe

Two main biogas prorammes have been developed in Zimbabwe, one for the development of biogas at the individual household level (40 digesters) and the other for institutional users like schools and rural community centres (10 digesters). The funding of these digesters is provided by the users themselves and the Government provides the technical advice. In the future four projects are considered: (1) a biogas promoter will work in rural areas from village to village to inform leaders and teach the people; (2) rural resettlement schemes based on dairy farming are planned to integrate biogas production; (3) commercial farmers will get technical advices to build digesters for their workers; finally (4) two industries have been identified as candidates for biomethanation projects: a food-processing industry and a brewery.

The effective placement of Miller-Abbott-tubes under endoscopic guidance. Technical improvements.

In an earlier publication, the intestinal placement of Miller-Abbott-tubes using routine gastroscopic equipment was proposed for the conservative treatment of intestinal obstruction. In addition to the technical advices presented at this early stage of personal experience, we now recommend to 1. insert the tube primarily through the nostrils, 2. extract the tip through the mouth, 3. grasp the leading ligature of the tube tip extracorporally by means of the biopsy instrument and 4. guide the tube tip to the target area by orogastric approach. This technical improvement excludes difficulties in respect to patient cooperation or other special disadvantages and made 26 intestinal intubations in an uninterrupted series an easy and worthwhile procedure.

Technical advices to the farmers based on the analysis of on-the-farm sow records

Technical advices to the farmers based on the analysis of on-the-farm sow records

Molds on Bread

Summary Important morphological and physiological properties of the following bread molds are given: Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus f lavus, A. f umigatus, A. glaucus-group, A. nidulans, A. niger , A. ochraceus, Cladosporium herbarum, Endomycopsis burtonii, Geotrichum candidum, Mucor mucedo , M. pusillus, M. spinosus, Neurospora sitophila, Penicillium crustosum, P. expansum , Rhizopus nigricans and Thamnidium elegans . A key for the determination of the fungi as well as technical advices for the study of bread molds and details of mycotoxin production are presented.

物理的な手段,消毒薬および麻酔薬の影響下における白魚の中枢神経の変化-I

1) Whitening or opalescence changes of the central nervous system were observed in the death of Salangichthys microdon BLEEKER, whatever kind of the physical cause may be used. This change appeared first of all at the boundary of cerebrum and optic lobes, and the whitening of the latter appeared and proceeds completely independently from the former. 2) When the spinal cord was cut off, the whitening appeared instantly at the site of the cut of the nerve and the boundary of cerebrum and optic lobes became white stimutaneously, but the appearance of the whitening at the site of cut of the muscles is delayed. 3) The whitening of the digestive tract followed that in brain and the spinal cord. The authors are ?? grateful to Prof. Katsuo AKAGI of Nihon Medical College for his technical advices.

On some technical advices in the study of the chromosomes

On some technical advices in the study of the chromosomes