Operational excellence

Purpose-With the changing landscape of the globalised business world, business-to-business supply chains face a turbulent ocean of disruptions. Such is the effect that supply chains are disrupted to the point of failure, supply is halted and its adverse effect is seen on the consumer. While previous literature has extensively studied risk and resilience through mathematical modelling, this study aims to envision a novel supply chain model that integrates blockchain to support visibility and recovery resilience strategies. Design/methodology/approach-The stochastic bi-objective (cost and shortage utility) optimisation-based mixed-integer linear programming model integrates blockchain through a binary variable, which activates at a particular threshold risk-averse level of the decision-maker. Findings-Firstly, visibility is improved, as identified by the average reduction of penalties by 36% over the different scenarios. Secondly, the average sum of shortages over different scenarios is consequently reduced by 36% as the recovery of primary suppliers improves. Thirdly, the feeling of shortage unfairness between distributors is significantly reduced by applying blockchain. Fourthly, unreliable direct suppliers resume their supply due to the availability of timely information through blockchain. Lastly, reliance on backup suppliers is reduced as direct suppliers recover conveniently. Research limitations/implications-The findings indicate that blockchain can enhance visibility and recovery even under high-impact disruption conditions. Furthermore, the study introduces a unique metric for measuring visibility, i.e. penalty costs (lower penalty costs indicate higher visibility and vice versa). The study also improves upon shortages and recoveries reported in prior literature by 6%. Finally, blockchain application caters to the literature on shortage unfairness by significantly reducing the feeling of shortage unfairness among distributors. Practical implications-This study establishes blockchain as a pro-resilience technology. It advocates that organisations focus on investing in blockchain to enhance their visibility and recovery, as it effectively reduces absolute shortages and feelings of shortage unfairness while improving recovery and visibility. Originality/value-To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is a unique supply chain model study that integrates a technology such as blockchain directly as a binary variable in the model constraint equations while also focusing on resilience strategies, costs, risk aversion and shortage unfairness.

As service organizations become increasingly aware that knowledge is among their most valuable strategic assets, they will try to develop and maintain the knowledge transfer through the organization and to make the employees understand the importance of knowledge and communication. The paper highlights that advanced information and communication technologies, a dedicated knowledge sharing culture and a strong leadership based on continuous improvement and excellence models such is Lean Six Sigma are essential factors in facilitating knowledge transfer. The Lean Six Sigma approach is necessary because service organizations and their employees need a methodology and a leadership approach for improving and resolving problems, which arise from organizational culture and knowledge transfer.

Companies are suffering from major industrial disasters, financial crisis and continued global instability caused by civil unrest and economic pressure.With the attendant issues associated with the increased economic and market globalization comes the criticality of standards and its role in, increasing productivity and efficiency, decreasing non-value-added information and promoting process through structured asset management techniques. The International Standard for Organization (ISO 55000) was developed specifically for Asset Management (AM), which consists of a series of three components, ISO 55000, ISO 55001 and ISO 55002. ISO 55000 takes a holistic approach to asset management; it is not just about maintenance but also about value creation. ISO 55000 requires changes in policy, processes and people thereby challenge the status quo and it leads to a new regime of asset care. Asset care requires organizations to comply with standards and various regulations. Adopting ISO 55000 ...

Organizations, managers, and individuals repeatedly encounter breakdowns that look different on the surface but share common structural roots. Conventional models address these challenges in isolation-improving a process here, a team there-yet rarely delivers lasting, system-wide improvement. The Synergetic Theory-2025-2025 offers a unifying, cross-domain approach built on three logics: the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle for continuous improvement, Why-Why (YY) analysis for systematic root-cause discovery, and localized error clearing for rapid, point-of-origin correction. By detecting recurring patterns and applying these methods simultaneously across organizational systems, managerial practices, and self-motivation/public-goal frameworks, the Synergetic Theory-2025 creates a self-reinforcing ecosystem for early diagnosis, targeted action, and sustained progress.

Kaizen, a Japanese philosophy meaning "continuous improvement," has become a foundational management approach worldwide, underpinning sustainable business success. This article explores the significance of Kaizen principles in diverse organizational settings by analyzing its historical origins, core tenets, and measurable impacts on productivity, waste reduction, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction. Utilizing a comprehensive literature review methodology, this study synthesizes empirical data and case studies across manufacturing, healthcare, and service industries. Findings confirm that organizations embedding Kaizen into their culture achieve superior operational efficiency, innovation capacity, and competitive advantage. The discussion addresses challenges, cultural considerations, and implementation strategies, concluding with evidence-based recommendations to maximize Kaizen's organizational value. This detailed study contributes a vital resource for future research and practical application of continuous improvement methodologies.

During the last years, companies in high-technology marketplaces were confronted with technology innovations, dynamic markets, changing customer requirements and uncertainty. Manufacturing companies can't escape these trends. To cope with these trends, companies try to develop new product variants, which lead to increased complexity. Product development is characterized by different factors such as product, product portfolio and the development process. Complexity management in product development is a strategic issue for companies to be competitive. A systematic literature review was performed to identify and analyze the existing approaches for complexity management in all fields. Based on this, a new approach for managing complexity in variant-rich product development was developed. It encourages the reader to manage product development's complexity. In this approach, complexity is systematically analyzed and evaluated to create conditions for a target oriented managing and controlling of complexity in product development.

During the last years, companies in high-technology marketplaces were confronted with technology innovations, dynamic markets, changing customer requirements and uncertainty. Manufacturing companies can't escape these trends. To cope with these trends, companies try to develop new product variants, which lead to increased complexity. Product development is characterized by different factors such as product, product portfolio and the development process. Complexity management in product development is a strategic issue for companies to be competitive. A systematic literature review was performed to identify and analyze the existing approaches for complexity management in all fields. Based on this, a new approach for managing complexity in variant-rich product development was developed. It encourages the reader to manage product development's complexity. In this approach, complexity is systematically analyzed and evaluated to create conditions for a target oriented managing and controlling of complexity in product development.

This study explores the connection between e-commerce literacy and Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory management practices among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Guyana, a developing country with varying levels of digital adoption. As SMEs face increasing pressure to meet higher customer expectations and manage more complex supply chains, JIT inventory management can be an effective way to implement lean practices without maintaining excess stock. Successfully using JIT requires SMEs to enhance real-time inventory visibility and coordinate purchasing, logistics, and supplier deliveries. These improvements can be particularly challenging for small, resource-limited SMEs. This qualitative study employs a mixed-methods approach, collecting quantitative data through structured surveys from 248 SMEs and qualitative data via semi-structured interviews with 11 stakeholders across industries such as retail, agriculture, manufacturing, and services. The analysis of the quantitative data supports the hypothesis, showing that SMEs utilizing digital tools, such as procurement apps, cloudbased inventory systems, or e-commerce platforms, experience operational benefits, including shorter lead times, improved stock availability, faster inventory turnover, and more efficient order fulfillment. Furthermore, there is a strong negative correlation between firms using digital procurement tools and procurement and inventory inefficiencies, indicating that e-commerce facilitates successful JIT. However, structural barriers still hinder many firms from fully adopting JIT, especially in remote areas. These barriers include digital literacy gaps, limited access to affordable technology, and inadequate digital infrastructure with reliable connectivity. The findings suggest that while e-commerce has significant potential to aid JIT adoption, SME success depends on initial and ongoing investments in digital infrastructure, staff training, and supply chain coordination. This research contributes to the growing literature on digital transformations guided by lean principles in the Southern Hemisphere, providing both theoretical insights and practical recommendations for policymakers and SME managers. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the importance of adopting universal digital strategies that can help SMEs in emerging economies, like Guyana, improve inventory management, organizational resilience, and business growth.

This study investigates the potential impact of electronic services in achieving operational excellence, using the Rafah municipality as a case study. The ARIMA model was employed in the study to forecast changes in the municipal cost trend. Additionally, a questionnaire was designed, to collect data from the study population of 329 employees in the Rafah municipality, a descriptive-analytical technique using the least squares method was utilized to estimate the regression equation of the operational excellence components (time and cost). The results demonstrate that the anticipated costs will reduce, with a relative decline rate of 1% for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025. Furthermore, the statistical findings showed that a change in the level of software package measurement of one unit would result in a 0.50-degree improvement in the transaction time index and a 0.29degree decrease in cost. According to the results cited, electronic services had a statistically significant impact on the municipality of Rafah's achievement of operational excellence. Therefore, this study recommends implementing digitization to achieve operational excellence and establishing a technology unit that would be entrusted with supervising all facets of managing and improving municipal systems.

Digital transformation is the main driver for the modernization of pension services from integrated intelligent automation technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), cloud computing. Inspired by their previous solutions across other industries, they chose to build the plugin to enhance performance of traditional pension service workflows, which are primarily manual and semi-automated and often suffer from major inefficiencies, high operational costs, compliance risk as well as poor scalability. In this paper they explore how intelligent automation is turning pension service purchases into a new kind of fast, real-time, personalized and predictive service. Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) is RPA that combines AI capability to allow devices to simulate people's decision making and streamline complex processes. Apart from these, the cloud computing platforms offer scalable, secure, interoperable infrastructure for real-time processing, secure data and flexible service delivery. Integration of automation coupled with cloud technologies provides pension organizations with operational excellence, improved governance, better customer satisfaction, and future-proofing systems against the changing market and regulatory demands. Additionally, the report highlights the economic, political, and cultural elements that support long-term digital change in pension systems.

More than third years have passed since someone coined the term "supply chain management" to describe the innovative management concept. Through several decades of evolution, it has become one of the most popular business disciplines thanks to the rapid rise of high profile multinational firms such as Wal-Mart and Dell which successfully leveraged their supply chain excellence as the competitive differentiator. Despite its popularity, its novelty and complexity often created confusion among potential adopters and consequently misguided them to the wrong direction. To avoid any further confusion and misapplication, it would be worth revisiting this important concept and tracing back what has been learned from this concept, while finding ways to better exploit this concept. In so doing, this paper traces the evolution of supply chain practices, synthesizes the key developments of supply chain concepts, and prognosticates what lies ahead for future supply chain fields.

In today's dynamic and competitive business landscape, organizations strive to optimize their operations and enhance efficiency continually. This article delves into various models and methodologies used for improving and redesigning business processes. Drawing from academic literature and practical applications, it explores how these approaches facilitate operational excellence and sustainable growth.

PurposeThe paper seeks to develop a business model that shows the impact of operational knowledge assets on intellectual capital (IC) components and business performance and use the model to show how knowledge assets can be prioritized in driving resource allocation decisions.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative data were collected from 84 high‐tech federal contractors in the Washington DC metro area. Respondents in the target population were middle‐level and operations managers of business sectors holding positions as presidents, vice‐presidents, directors, engineering managers, operations managers, and analysts. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis was performed to develop a structural model between operational knowledge assets and IC components that maximizes explained variance for business performance. Operational assets were specified as formative constructs and IC and business performance were specified as reflective constructs.FindingsA parsimonious conceptually sound mode...

COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war demonstrate the inevitability of supply chain disruptions. A lack of effective supply chain resilience (SCR) causes mismatches between demand and supply, and the destabilization of normal operational policies in production, distribution, and inventory control. Existing research mainly provides different definitions and measurements of supply chain resilience for different product supply chains. In this paper, we look at how Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies enhance supply chain resilience. An I4.0 enabled architecture is designed for a factory with multiple suppliers and extended inventory for improving SCR. Different simulation scenarios for a LED factory are designed for demonstrating I4.0 technologies supporting SCR in different phases.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of logistics salience on logistics capabilities and performance. The two selected capabilities in the study are service differentiation and innovation. much of the literature has focused on the development of logistics through being customer focused, managing supply chain, integration of processes, measurement and exchanging information therefore, attention shall also be provided on some other and less talked about logistical capabilities which includes innovation and differentiation. The study used survey method for data collection and analysis. The sample size of the study is 150 regression and correlation techniques were applied on the data using SPSS. It was obtained from the results that logistics salience has a positive impact on logistic capabilities and performance. Furthermore, the study also found that logistics innovativeness and service differentiation goes hand in hand and are highly correlated.

Organizations use several standards and frameworks to sustain their supply chain performance improvement to be able to compete and cope with the fast changing market, where data-science and information became decisive to success, and continuity is crucial. Based on Business-IT alignment and Service Oriented Architecture "SOA". The research suggests a model that converges The Open Group Architecture Forum TOGAF framework with Lean Six Sigma "LSS" for performance and tasks improvement in industries and services Extended Supply Chain Operations. A TOGAF's Architecture Development Method "ADM" phases, iterations, features and information architecture mapped to LSS's DMAIC stages for a systematic processes wastes removal, knowledge creation and data-mining to develop a unified model that sustains supply chain efficiency and performance, pushes them to a new level of edge technology infrastructure, of service-bus, Data-Centers and Data-Hubs advantages of resiliency, business continuity and savings. Supply Chain measures identified as possible activities, based on knowledge accumulated and active ADM-phases. A literature review was followed to collect the common features, characteristics, principles and tools listings in the new model to achieve a full converged model of a continuous optimization nature.

The present paper is constituted around the idea of EU sustainable convergence in higher education in the context of Bologna process. Considering the Systems Theory and by using causal loops diagrams, it is brought forth an excellence model whose implementation facilitates the sustainable convergence achievement. The model represents the result of mapping and modelling a possible dynamics of the higher education system. Used in corroboration with a differentiation strategy, it can yield an efficient tool for solving the funding problem, of achieving excellence (within higher education institutions) and also of obtaining sustainable convergence (at the EU level). The implementation of the model provides each higher education institution the possibility of customizing strategic measures conjointly with the freedom of focusing on the core of its competitive advantage. The strength of the differentiation strategy – model dyad consists in fostering the cultural-economic diversity and the...

Regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food processing may be subject to bottlenecks which reduce throughput, cost and slow down operations critical in compliance. Although conventional  Lean  instruments  can  be  used  in  finding  areas  of inefficiencies, by being dynamic and complex, these systems are beyond the helpfulness of the conventional Lean tools. The present paper proposes an Integrated Lean-Simulation Framework, which integrates the Lean methodologies and simulation modeling in order to optimize the systemperformance. The strategy allows teams to see prior necessary adjustments on how to eliminate bottlenecks, simulate a what-if situation, and perform the changes with a minimal risk. The example of case studies in various regulated industries shows gains in throughput, lead time, and utilization of resources owing to an increase in compliance without decreasing compliance. The  framework  provides  a  scalable  data  driven  continuous improvement offering in high compliance environments, the bridge between operational excellence and digital transformation.

The one-piece flow (OPF) system represents a fundamental shift from batch production to continuous single-item movement through manufacturing processes, promising benefits such as reduced waste, improved quality, and shorter lead times. Despite its advantages, many production companies struggle to implement OPF successfully due to technical, logistical, and cultural challenges. This paper investigates these challenges by analyzing inefficiencies within OPF systems, supply chain coordination difficulties, and organizational resistance. Through case studies, literature review, and practical examples, the study identifies bottlenecks, equipment reliability issues, and quality control weaknesses as primary sources of inefficiency. Additionally, it highlights the crucial role of supplier alignment and employee engagement in facilitating successful OPF adoption. Practical solutions such as takt time analysis, predictive maintenance, digital supply chain tools, and comprehensive employee training are proposed to overcome these barriers. The findings aim to support manufacturing firms in strategically planning and executing OPF implementations to realize its full potential.

The new industrial era is characterised by an incredible speed of development, in addition to fierce competition, which prompts companies to quickly adopt Industry 4.0 to maintain their position in the future industrial market. This paper aims to identify the main drivers that facilitate the implementation of Industry 4.0 in manufacturing companies in Algeria. The Interpretative Structural Modelling (ISM) method and the Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to a Ranking (MICMAC) method were used. The ISM-MICMAC method aims to determine interrelationships and levels of influence between different factors. This allows the identification of the key drivers for the success of Industry 4.0 implementation in manufacturing companies. The results showed that awareness of the concept of Industry 4.0, research and development, support and vision of senior management, and society acceptance of the technology, in addition to cooperation and openness, are the most important drivers that contribute to the success of the implementation of Industry 4.0. Moreover, improving production, maintenance efficiency, and improving mass customisation also play a crucial role in the adoption of Industry 4.0 in manufacturing companies.

Demand planning has become a key issue for the performance of supply chains. However, the right quantity is dependent on many factors. Besides market influences, like changing demands, there are also inner-company variables such as the availability of resources. Decision makers often lack a clear picture of what influences their decisions and perceive a state of complexity. There are several theoretical models for managing complexity, but they are not designed to identify the complexity in demand planning. The aim of this paper is to establish a methodology for visualizing and reducing the complexity in the demand planning process. The first result is a model for visualizing the complexity in the planning process. The model shows the factors which influence planned quantities in a chronological order, and, makes cause-effect relations regarding time, responsibility and system support visible. The second result is a structured compilation of methods and tools to actively influence the complexity in the demand planning process. The identified approaches are either assigned to complexity design -reducing complexity by simplifying the supply chain -or complexity control -reducing complexity by decreasing the uncertainty in planning.

Demand planning has become a key issue for the performance of supply chains. However, the right quantity is dependent on many factors. Besides market influences, like changing demands, there are also inner-company variables such as the availability of resources. Decision makers often lack a clear picture of what influences their decisions and perceive a state of complexity. There are several theoretical models for managing complexity, but they are not designed to identify the complexity in demand planning. The aim of this paper is to establish a methodology for visualizing and reducing the complexity in the demand planning process. The first result is a model for visualizing the complexity in the planning process. The model shows the factors which influence planned quantities in a chronological order, and, makes cause-effect relations regarding time, responsibility and system support visible. The second result is a structured compilation of methods and tools to actively influence the complexity in the demand planning process. The identified approaches are either assigned to complexity design -reducing complexity by simplifying the supply chain -or complexity control -reducing complexity by decreasing the uncertainty in planning.

The convergence of artificial intelligence and cloud computing has fundamentally transformed enterprise digital operations, delivering unprecedented improvements in efficiency, security, and cost management. Our analysis reveals that organizations implementing AI-powered cloud automation have achieved remarkable results: up to 85% reduction in manual operations, 42% decrease in operational costs, and 56% improvement in service quality. Through extensive case studies across manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services sectors, we demonstrate how AI-driven solutions are revolutionizing critical operations including predictive maintenance, resource optimization, and security threat detection. The research indicates that organizations leveraging these technologies have experienced a 67% improvement in system failure prediction and 73% reduction in downtime, while achieving 95% accuracy in pattern recognition and anomaly detection. This paper examines the architectural frameworks, implementation strategies, and best practices that enable these transformative outcomes, providing a comprehensive roadmap for organizations seeking to harness the synergy between AI and cloud computing for operational excellence.

Purpose: The automobile industry is one of the most important sectors, creating plenty of job opportunities and playing a significant role in contributing to GDP. India is expected to be the world's third-largest automotive market in terms of volume by 2026. As growth towards the automobile industry is expected, it is mandatory to make an effort towards the growth of SMEs in the automobile industry. Thus, the study's objective is to analyze the concepts related to service quality towards suppliers' commitment concerning SMEs in automobile industry and collect the past reviews related to the dimensions and concept. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study is about analyzing the service quality towards suppliers' commitment concerning SMEs in the automobile industry. With the present study, 84 small and medium scale companies were taken as samples for the study. Findings/Result: The concepts and dimensions related to the quality of service towards suppliers' commitment concerning SMEs have been discussed, and a model has been framed based on the previous images. The conclusion was that a gap was prevailing with the industry to merge all the above ideas discussed with the paper, and the same has been taken as a gap towards the study. Originality/Value: The study discussed the research gap and ideal gap and solutions about the concept and discussed ABCD analysis.

Educational leaders are questioning the "traditional' curriculum, does not provide students with the appropriate employment skills for the modern industrial and knowledge economy. The context of this article is the choice of metaphor to best communicate our Master of Business Administration program. Our design is grounded on systems thinking and two important concepts are stressed, organization structure and operational excellence. The article does not justify this design but concerns how best such a design could be communicated to the reaching staff, students and other institutions.

Lean and Six Sigma are two well-known methodologies used for continuous improvement in many industries. Broadly described, Lean focuses on reducing and eliminating waste in business processes, whereas Six Sigma concentrates on minimizing variation within processes. The combined efforts of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies potentially improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations. Deploying Lean and Six Sigma methods in the healthcare environment has provided impactful outcomes. Despite this, the application of these methods can present numerous challenges. Many researchers have highlighted both the successes and failures of deploying Lean Six Sigma. However, there has been minimal research highlighting the phenomenon of deployment that leaders experience. This research addresses the gap in the literature surrounding the phenomenon of Lean Six Sigma deployment as defined by leaders' experiences and perceptions. What did the leaders experience, and how did the leaders feel? The foundational theories discussed in the literature review are leadership structure and design, organizational learning, and organizational culture. The research is a qualitative phenomenological study that samples ten leaders in the healthcare industry who have experience deploying Lean and Six Sigma methods throughout the United States. The general research questions address the leaders’ experiences and perceptions regarding the deployment of Lean and Six Sigma. The data from the interviews provides thick, rich descriptions in the form of scenario-based, in-depth quotations of the leaders’ experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of the phenomenon. Numerous key themes emerged from the study. One emergent theme, evolving from the revealed vulnerabilities, is that senior leadership change is a significant disruptor to successful deployment. Another emerging theme revealed that centralized management systems counterbalance the various aspects of variation, providing stability and continuity across deployments. A further emergent theme uncovered deployment vulnerabilities and highlighted the importance of experiences concerning leadership development in supporting transitions. Additional themes emerged based on the successes and challenges of resources, engagement, and collaboration. The themes provide areas of focus that leaders and practitioners can increase awareness of and address. Additionally, the research could yield improved leader-centric frameworks for the successful deployment of Lean Six Sigma programs.

The changing environment in an organization is forcing the organization to find a plan of integrated management framework and adequate performance measurement. Failure to plan basically means planning failure for the business. Finding the critical factors of quality management practices (QMP), themediating roles of the contextual factors of world-class performance in operations (i.e., world-class company practices or WCC, operational excellence practices or OE, company nonfinancial performance or CNFP), and the company financial performance would enable the company to facilitate the sustainability of TQM implementation model.This empirical study aims to assess how TQM—a holistic management philosophy initially developed by W. Edward Deming, which integrates improvement strategy, management practices, and organizational performance—is specifically implemented in the oil and gas companies operating in Indonesia. Relevant literature on the TQM, the world-class performance in operations...

Organizations are under more and more pressure to balance environmental sustainability and operational efficiency in the fast-paced industrial world of today. This paper addresses this imperative by exploring the integration of green tools within lean manufacturing practices. Recognizing the limitations of traditional lean approaches in addressing environmental concerns, this research synthesizes insights from various studies to highlight the synergistic relationship between lean principles focused on waste reduction and green objectives aimed at minimizing ecological impact. The paper outlines a framework incorporating five key green tools-Environmentally-friendly Practices, Growth-oriented Mindset, Genuine Communication, Guardianship-focused Stewardship, and Gracious Workplace Cultureand discusses their practical application within lean environments. By examining existing research and proposing actionable strategies, this paper aims to empower organizations to move beyond conventional lean methodologies and embrace a holistic approach that enhances both operational performance and environmental responsibility, ultimately fostering long-term resilience and stakeholder value.

The study's objective was to develop a comprehensive definition for operational excellence (OE) while identifying its attributes, most suitable theoretical lens and dimensions. Attributes of OE were collected by evaluating 32 existing definitions of OE and interviewing 30 OE experts. A focus group interview with 15 OE experts was employed to consensus on the critical attributes and tentative dimensions of OE. Content analysis was employed for data analysis. Continuous improvement of sustainable operational performance, deriving sustainable competitive advantages and implementing the operation strategy consistently and reliably were determined as the critical attributes. Based on the identified critical attributes of OE, the Resource-Based Theory (RBT) was recognized as the most applicable theory for explaining OE. Based on the identified theoretical lens and identified critical attributes, the new definition of OE involves, ‘utilization of valuable, rare, costly to imitate and n...

This article synthesizes findings from five case studies conducted in firms known to be leaders in the management of people. We drew three broad conclusions: 1. The foundation of a value-added HR function is a business strategy that relies on people as a source of competitive advantage and a management culture that embraces that belief; 2. A value-added HR function will be characterized by operational excellence, a focus on client service for individual employees and managers, and delivery of these services at the lowest possible cost; and 3. A value-added HR function requires HR managers that understand the human capital implications of business problems and can access or modify the HR system to solve those problems.

Lucent's HR structure is organized around a client service model that focuses on the leaders in the major business units and the movement of as much of the HR infrastructure as possible to these business units . Key emphases include (1) HR operational excellence, (2) compensation and performance management that encourages employees to build a successful future with the firm, as well as to share in that success, and (3) building an operating style and culture that supports Lucent's mission and strategy. Key challenges for the future include (1) organizational renewal in a period of growth, (2) identifying and developing new HR competencies, (3) developing a unique HR structure to support the needs of HR at Bell Labs, and (4) effective labor relations in a rapidly changing industry .

Cloud service providers are adopting AI-based systems to efficiently offer data services. A data platform combines data management systems, serving storage, and compute infrastructure. A data service is the result of the careful orchestration of these services, with a set of users on the right-hand side and their data and knowledge requests on the left. The data service is typically composed of microservices with data as an object. Each microservice then offers APIs and SDKs for users to submit tasks and queries to the data platforms. The cloud-scale data platforms and the data service architecting and planning should be automated so that users can focus on describing their workloads without worrying about the underlying architectures. Data service design is extremely challenging. The workloads are broad and horizontally scaling. All the architectural components are stateful, dynamic, and performance-sensitive. The architectural complexity is huge due to the vast design space and requirement sets. The trade-offs on diverse metrics and concerns are crucial. The aforementioned challenges are further magnified in cloud-scale systems. A simulation-based framework is built to facilitate performance-and power-accuracy exploration across heterogeneous hardware implementations. The framework is employed to explore the design space of big data analytics written in a high-level domain-specific language for reconfigurable systems. An architecture transformation framework is presented to transform plain applications into efficient hardware blocks. The framework performs automatically instruction-level optimization on a petascale simulation kernel, achieving speedup over state-of-the-art toolchains and domain-specific compilers.

In recent years, the emergence of agentic AI frameworks has revolutionized the landscape of customer lifecycle management within Business Support Systems. These frameworks leverage intelligent agents to automate and optimize the myriad interactions and processes that occur throughout the customer lifecycle, from acquisition to retention. This paper explores the deployment of agentic AI within BSS systems, hypothesizing that these advanced technologies can generate significant efficiencies and improved customer experiences. The complexity of customer lifecycle management necessitates sophisticated solutions capable of interpreting and acting upon diverse data points. Agentic AI frameworks meet this challenge by offering a confluence of autonomy, adaptability, and machine learning capabilities, allowing them to dynamically respond to evolving customer demands and operational conditions. The application of such frameworks extends beyond mere automation, enabling genuine intelligence-driven decisionmaking in customer engagement processes. Agentic AI models create a seamless integration between predictive analytics, current customer interactions, and future strategic planning. This proactive approach not only facilitates personalized customer journeys but can also identify potential churn, upsell opportunities, and optimal engagement channels. The adaptability of these systems ensures they remain relevant and effective in the face of changing market trends and customer preferences. Moreover, by leveraging AI's ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data, businesses can gain deep insights into customer behavior and preferences, informing both strategic and operational decisions. Consequently, the implementation of agentic AI in customer lifecycle management holds the potential to transform traditional BSS systems, offering enhanced service delivery, increased customer satisfaction, and ultimately, a competitive advantage in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Compared to other industries, the construction industry has not achieved the same improvements in terms of productivity, customer benefits, and quality. Low innovation activity and supplier cooperation in construction might be one reason for the low level of large-scale improvements. However, the search for improvements in the construction industry has led to interest for new innovations. One way for the construction industry to improve the building process is through use of innovative managerial concepts, as lean and agile construction. The aim of this work is to categorize Swedish component suppliers of different construction materials that act with a clear supplier coordinator commitment, on the basis of lean and innovative business strategic concepts. A secondary purpose is to find success factors for the component suppliers within the derived lean and innovative concepts. Results from the exploratory comparative study of steel-, concrete-, and timber component suppliers indicate differences between different construction material suppliers. This study also suggests a possible strategy where products accompanied with technical support and software knowledge offered to the customer, customer integration in product development, and use of product development networks to generate new knowledge and components seems to be distinct success factors.

The chapter of our book emphasizes that IoT-enabled location tracking systems provide significant advantages in terms of time, cost and security thanks to their flexible, scalable and cross-platform architectures. By combining GPS data with a cloud-based infrastructure, they empower real-time analytics and decision support processes, thereby promoting operational excellence across various industries.

Our Book Title: Modern Mühendislik Yöntemleri ve Uygulamaları
ISBN: 978-625-7636-72-8

Link: https://iksadyayinevi.com/home/modern-muhendislik-yontemleri-ve-uygulamalari/


Kitabımızın bölümde, IoT özellikli konum izleme sistemlerinin esnek, ölçeklenebilir ve platformlar arası mimarileri sayesinde zaman, maliyet ve güvenlik açısından önemli avantajlar sağladığı vurgulanmaktadır. GPS verilerini bulut tabanlı bir altyapıyla birleştirerek gerçek zamanlı analitik ve karar destek süreçlerini güçlendirir ve böylece çeşitli sektörlerde operasyonel mükemmelliği teşvik eder.

This study examines the impact of sustainable supply chain management on achieving supply chain excellence in the five-star hotel industry in Greater Cairo, Egypt. The study integrates the principles of sustainability into supply chain operations to enhance efficiency, customer satisfaction, and competitiveness. Drawing on the resource-based view theory, the study develops a theoretical framework linking sustainability and supply chain excellence. A quantitative methodology was employed, with structural equation modeling conducted through WarpPLS software. Data was collected via a survey administered to a sample of 403 hotel managers and employees involved in supply chain operations. The analysis revealed that sustainable supply chain practices significantly improve operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and risk management. The structural model demonstrated strong explanatory power (R²= 0.91), with statistically significant path coefficients supporting the proposed relationships. This study provides specific strategic recommendations, such as investing in smart supply chain technologies, strengthening local supplier networks, and incorporating sustainability metrics into hotel performance evaluations. Furthermore, future research directions include examining the moderating role of cultural factors, assessing the impact of sustainability certifications, and exploring the financial returns (e.g., return on investment) associated with sustainable supply chain management practices in emerging economies.

This project, "Bridging the Technological Gap in Indian Manufacturing for Industry 4.0 Adoption," focuses on identifying the key challenges holding back technology adoption and finding solutions to help manufacturers upgrade. Using secondary data sources such as government reports, industry studies, and research papers, this study examines the lack of automation, weak digital infrastructure, shortage of skilled workers, and financial limitations that prevent manufacturers from modernizing. High costs, low R&D investment, and insufficient government support further slow down the transition. The research also looks at successful case studies from countries like Germany, China, and Japan to understand how India can learn from their strategies. It explores the role of government policies, industry partnerships, and skill development programs in helping manufacturers embrace new technologies. The findings will offer useful recommendations for business leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to speed up India's shift towards smart manufacturing. By closing the technology gap, Indian manufacturers can improve their global competitiveness, attract more investments, and strengthen their position in the international market. This research is essential for ensuring that India's manufacturing sector remains modern, efficient, and competitive in today's rapidly changing technological landscape.

This project, "Bridging the Technological Gap in Indian Manufacturing for Industry 4.0 Adoption," focuses on identifying the key challenges holding back technology adoption and finding solutions to help manufacturers upgrade. Using secondary data sources such as government reports, industry studies, and research papers, this study examines the lack of automation, weak digital infrastructure, shortage of skilled workers, and financial limitations that prevent manufacturers from modernizing. High costs, low R&D investment, and insufficient government support further slow down the transition. The research also looks at successful case studies from countries like Germany, China, and Japan to understand how India can learn from their strategies. It explores the role of government policies, industry partnerships, and skill development programs in helping manufacturers embrace new technologies. The findings will offer useful recommendations for business leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to speed up India's shift towards smart manufacturing. By closing the technology gap, Indian manufacturers can improve their global competitiveness, attract more investments, and strengthen their position in the international market. This research is essential for ensuring that India's manufacturing sector remains modern, efficient, and competitive in today's rapidly changing technological landscape.

Engineered Hours Per Vehicle (EHPV) is an important metric used in the manufacturing industry to measure the time it takes to produce a vehicle, considering all engineering-related work processes. These processes encompass design, assembly, logistics, quality control, and testing. EHPV plays a crucial role in evaluating the efficiency of manufacturing operations and helps in cost control, productivity benchmarking, and overall optimization of the production process. This white paper discusses the significance of EHPV, how to calculate it, its role in improving manufacturability, and strategies to optimize it for better manufacturing outcomes.

Successful organisations depend on leadership, process optimisation, and utilisation of resources. Optimisation is achievable through well-defined systems and supporting processes that guide organisations towards excellence. Organisations need to understand operational and individual business processes as well as the strategic impact on the supply network. Effective optimisation impacts strategically on quality cost, revenue, investment, and capabilities. Business Process Capability measurements forces organisational leaders, managers and employees to critically analyse existing business processes, and determine gaps identifying existing performances and sub-optimal states. Many organizations in South Africa misunderstand business process capability and measure success on revenue and profits generated hiding inefficiencies that could be concealed by the profits. One of the contributing factors might be that some companies in South Africa lack international competitiveness, do not optimize their business processes nor align business processes and available resources to adhere to organizational goals and calls for radical redesign of business processes resulting from end-to-end fulfilling internal and external customer needs. The paper will show why organisations should base their competitiveness on a value chain and end -toend business processes optimisation rather than only profit.

This paper outlines the use of Collaborative Networks foundations at the intra-organizational level, applying them in the support of systems of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), and of collaborative softbots in more particular. Five use case scenarios have been implemented upon a didactic shopfloor as a proof of concept. In spite of the complexity related to the knowledge modeling of softbots, the achieved results demonstrated the potentials of better human-automation symbiosis when groups of CPSs, information systems and humans have to cooperate and collaborate using collaborative softbots to improve operational excellence and human satisfaction in smart, social factories.

Educational leaders are questioning the "traditional' curriculum, does not provide students with the appropriate employment skills for the modern industrial and knowledge economy. The context of this article is the choice of metaphor to best communicate our Master of Business Administration program. Our design is grounded on systems thinking and two important concepts are stressed, organization structure and operational excellence. The article does not justify this design but concerns how best such a design could be communicated to the reaching staff, students and other institutions.

As health tourism emerges as a distinct market niche, airlines have the opportunity to strategically align their services to meet its unique demands. This paper presents a nuanced approach to enhancing the airline health tourism experience through the implementation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). We examine how a targeted KPI framework can refine patient journeys and bolster operational performance, drawing from a synthesis of industry best practices and cross-disciplinary research.
The methodology employs a qualitative review of existing literature coupled with a comparative analysis of successful airline service models. Key findings indicate that airlines can significantly improve service delivery and customer satisfaction by adopting a KPI-centric strategy. The research identifies critical metrics that correlate with patient care excellence and operational efficiency, advocating for a model where KPIs drive continuous improvement.
Discussions within the article explore the implications of strategic KPI deployment in crafting memorable patient experiences and achieving competitive differentiation. The conclusion posits that the integration of thoughtful KPIs is imperative for airlines to thrive within the health tourism sector, suggesting a redefined role for service providers in the health tourism ecosystem.
This study lays the groundwork for airlines to transition towards a more data-driven, patient-centric service model, ultimately contributing to the sector's sustainable growth and profitability.

This study examined the extent to which Malaysian private SMEs differentiate in the way they utilize their HR. As a first step towards detecting the underlying standards of a quality-driven HR performance evaluation system, this study investigated the key issues currently existed in Malaysian SMEs in relation to HR performance evaluation systems. In this study, adapted questionnaires were utilized for data collection. The target respondents were the employees and the administrators involved in Malaysia private SMEs. The sample size for this study was 327 which were gathered through random sampling technique. This study delivers a deeper understanding on the influence of HRM components in implementing TQM practices in Malaysian Private SMEs. Therefore, both government and private SMEs can consider this as a useful companion to design appropriate policies that aim to improve organizational performance.

The article is aimed at presenting the principles of Business Process Maturity Models (BPMM). They can be identified as a set of recommendations and good practices in achieving operational efficiency of performed processes. When process approach is a paradigm and according to available research organizations are becoming process -centric, the BPMM's are beginning to be seen as the sources of sustainable competitive advantage and also a tool for obtaining operational excellence. As there is a very large number of documented maturity models the article also presents the results of literature study aiming at identify the most common existing models as well as present their main features and benefits.

After the difficult period during the year 2020, the metal-mechanic sector has been characterized by its high participation in the Peruvian GDP. However, by not having established working methods, productivity in the production process is affected and in comparison, at national level, companies in other sectors have an efficiency greater than 80% in their processes, which generates an increase in competition. This article intends to incorporate to the literature through the combination of Lean Manufacturing tools: The SMED tool will be used for the reduction of Set Up times; Poka Yoke, to avoid human errors through a mold that will prevent defects in the bending machine and through the standardization of work, to establish best practices in the various manufacturing processes of metal racks. The main result of this proposal is the reduction of man-hours lost in nonvalue generating activities to increase efficiency in the analyzed processes of the organization.