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Towards a sustainable future, looking beyond the system boundaries of a single manufacturing company is necessary to promote meaningful collaborations in terms of circular economy principles. In this context digital data processing technologies to connect the potential collaborators are seen as enablers to make use of proven collaborative circular business models (CCBMs). Since most of such data processing technologies rely on features to describe the entities involved, it is essential to provide guidance for identifying and selecting the relevant and most appropriate ones. Defining critical success factors (CSFs) is considered a suitable instrument to describe the decisive factors. A systematic literature review (SLR), followed by a qualitative synthesis is investigating two scientific fields of work, namely (1) the general relevant features of CCBMs and, (2) methodologies for determining CSFs. This results in the development of a conceptual framework which provides guidance for digital applications that perform further digital processing based on the relevant CSFs relating to the specific CCBM.
Condition monitoring supported with artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and industrial internet of things (IIoT) technologies increases the feasibility of predictive maintenance. However, the cost of traditional sensors, data acquisition systems, and the required information technology expert-knowledge challenge the industry. This paper presents a hybrid condition monitoring system (CMS) architecture consisting of a distributed, low-cost IIoT-sensor solution. The CMS uses micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphones for data acquisition, edge computing for signal preprocessing, and cloud computing, including artificial neural networks (ANN) for higher-level information processing. The system's feasibility is validated using a testbed for reciprocating linear-motion axes.
The members of the European TRIZ Campus (ETC) have been learning from and working together with many honorable members of MATRIZ Official for many years and feel very connected to the official International TRIZ Association.
To further spread the TRIZ methodology and TRIZ teaching in the European area in the past 12 months the ETC has put a lot of thought in how making TRIZ accessible to a broader audi-ence and getting more professionals in touch with the methodology was one of the focal points.
To this end, we have developed new formats such as the "Trainer Day" to support trainers on their way into practice. We have drawn up detailed quality guidelines for the teaching of the TRIZ methodology, which are intended to provide orientation for the design of training classes and docu-mentation. We strive for exchange with representatives of "neighbouring" methods such as Six sigma, Lean, DFMA and Design Thinking to indicate synergies and added value among methods and approaches of different kinds. We are testing formats for community building, in order to connect users of all places more strongly with the TRIZ methodology through communication and information of-fers. If TRIZ users feel alone in their organizations, the exchange outside their organi-zation helps them to keep up with the TRIZ methodology. Moreover, the ETC strives to increase the ability to communicate the benefits of TRIZ-usage inside organizations. We discuss, how to reach teachers and students of all age, to make them the unique way of inventive thinking accessible.
In our paper we want to give other MATRIZ Official members insights and share our experi-ences and best practices with our fellow MO members.
Parallel grippers offer multiple applications thanks to their flexibility. Their application field ranges from aerospace and automotive to medicine and communication technologies. However, the application of grippers has the problem of exhibition wear and errors during the execution of their operation. This affects the performance of the gripper. In this context, the remaining useful life (RUL) defines the remaining lifespan until failure for an asset at a particular time of operation occurs. The exact lifespan of an asset is uncertain, thus the RUL model and estimation must be derived from available sources of information. This paper presents a method for the estimation of the RUL for a two-jaw parallel gripper. After the introduction to the topic, an overview of existing literature and RUL methods are presented. Subsequently, the method for estimating the RUL of grippers is explained. Finally, the results are summarized and discussed before the outlook and further challenges are presented.
Using predictive maintenance, more efficient processes can be implemented, leading to fewer maintenance costs and increased availability. The development of a predictive maintenance solution currently requires high efforts in time and capacity as well as often interdisciplinary cooperation. This paper presents a standardized model to describe a predictive maintenance use case. The description model is used to collect, present, and document the required information for the implementation of predictive maintenance use cases by and for different stakeholders. Based on this model, predictive maintenance solutions can be introduced more efficiently. The method is validated across departments in the automotive sector.
Global trade is plagued by slow and inefficient manual processes associated with physical documents. Firms are constantly looking for new ways to improve transparency and increase the resilience of their supply chains. This can be solved by the digitalisation of supply chains and the automation of document- and information-sharing processes. Blockchain is touted as a solution to these issues due to its unique combination of features, such as immutability, decentralisation and transparency. A lack of business cases that quantify the costs and benefits causes uncertainty regarding the truth of these claims. This paper explores how the costs and benefits of a blockchain-based solution for digitalising and automating documentation flows in cross-border supply chains compare to a conventional centralised relational database solution. The research described in this paper uses primary data collected through semi-structured interviews with industry experts, as well as secondary data from literature. Two models based on existing services were developed and the costs and benefits compared and then analysed using the Architecture Trade-off Analysis Method (ATAM) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP). Findings from the analysis show that a consortium blockchain solution like TradeLens is the favourable solution for digitalising and automating information flows in cross-border supply chains.
Military organizations have special features like following different organizational laws in times of peace and war and their specific embeddedness in society and politics. Especially the latter aspect has made the military an important object of study since the beginnings of modern sociology. In the wake of establishing specific sociological accounts, military sociology has been developed, dedicated to the different facets of the military. This research is based on different theoretical perspectives, but has hardly embraced the frameworks from economics and sociology of conventions (EC/SC) so far. The aim of the chapter is to explore and demonstrate the potentials of this approach. In a first step, the state of the art of military sociology research is outlined, and potential avenues for analyzing military forces based on EC/SC are identified. It is argued that especially the connection to organizational theory (military as organization) and civil-military relations, including leadership and professionalism, offer starting points. After introducing existing studies addressing military-related topics with reference to EC/SC, relevant concepts and approaches of convention theory that prove to be particularly enriching for military research are discussed. An outlook on possible further fields and topics of research is given to concretize how an inclusion of the perspective of EC/SC could look like.
Student-faculty interactions that promote learning are essential contributors to student retention, academic success and satisfaction. But the factors that causally initiate and frame these interactions are not well understood. Only if students evaluate these interactions as positive will they seek them. We conducted a survey experiment with students (n = 375) from a tuition-fee-free German business school, using conditional process analysis to assess which factors frame effective interactions. We focus on out-of-classroom standard and non-standard requests that students make to faculty, then investigate how faculty and student gender and students’ academic entitlement influence the interaction. Our study examines how students evaluate the interaction with faculty: when they seek interaction, their expectations of getting their requests approved, and their disappointment when their requests are declined. We find a significant influence of the request type along with moderating effects of faculty gender, student gender and student entitlement, particularly for non-standard work requests. We conclude with policy implications for university management: developing target-group-specific measures that facilitate the desired and positively evaluated student-faculty interactions might benefit all university stakeholders.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in der Markenführung: Künstliche Neuronale Netze zur Markenimagemessung
(2023)
Da Künstliche Neuronale Netze die Modellierung nichtlinearer und vielschichtiger Beziehungen ermöglichen, befasst sich dieser Beitrag mit deren Einsatzmöglichkeiten für die methodisch anspruchsvolle Analyse und Messung des Markenimages. Zur Veranschaulichung des konzeptionellen Ansatzes wird am empirischen Beispiel des Sportartikelherstellers adidas ein mehrschichtiges Künstliches Neuronales Netz zwischen den Bewertungen spezifischer Markenattribute und der Gesamtbewertung der Marke erzeugt. Auf der Grundlage einer Analyse der Verbindungsgewichte des Künstliches Neuronales Netzes wird die Bedeutung verschiedener Markenattribute für die Markenbewertung gemessen, wodurch sich konkrete Implikationen für die Praxis der Markenführung ableiten lassen.
Purpose – This paper explores, which employer attractiveness attributes Generation Z (Gen Z) talents prioritize. Comparing the findings for female and male participants, this study examines whether gender-specific work value orientations prevail among Gen Z talents and impact their expectations toward employers.
Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted among 308 students of business, economics and management in Germany. Data were collected using the employer attractiveness scale of Berthon and colleagues (2005) complemented by an additional dimension focusing on work–life balance.
Findings – Findings indicate that Gen Z talents primarily expect a fun work environment, a positive team atmosphere and supportive relations with colleagues and superiors. Application aspects and work–life balance enabling services are expected the least. Expectations of four of the six attributes measured differ significantly among women and men, indicating that traditional gender assumptions continue to be reflected in the work value orientations of Gen Z talents.
Research limitations/implications – The sample was limited to business, economics and management students in Germany. Additional research should include a wider variety of respondents of different disciplines and countries.
Practical implications – Practical implications refer to emphasizing the social value of employment in the employee value proposition and customizing employer branding activities by gender.
Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature by empirically determining which employer attractiveness attributes Gen Z talents expect and whether and how these expectations vary by gender.
Business Process Management (BPM) ist aufgrund seiner Bedeutung für prozessorientierte Unternehmen und den daraus resultierenden Anforderungen hinsichtlich interner Betriebsorganisation und Audits, ein zentraler Bestandteil. Die Einführung und Aufrechterhaltung von BPM stellt jedoch einen erheblichen Aufwand dar, da Prozesse aufgenommen, modelliert und aktuell gehalten werden müssen. Empirische Belege zeigen, dass erfolgreiche Prozessmodellierung dabei eine besondere Herausforderung darstellt, welche häufig nicht zufriedenstellend nachhaltig gelingt. Ein wesentlicher Erfolgsfaktor für die nachhaltige Prozessorientierung in Unternehmen ist somit die konsistente und aktuelle Prozessmodellierung, sowie deren Adaption an externe und interne Veränderungen. Mittels einer Literaturrecherche werden die relevanten Dimensionen zur nachhaltigen Prozessorientierung auf Grundlage der Prozessmodellierung ermittelt. Auf deren Basis wird ein adaptives handlungsorientiertes Framework für die praktische Anwendung in Unternehmen abgeleitet.
Auf dem Weg zu einer neuen Normalität in Schule und Bildung?! : Empfehlungen der Beitragenden
(2023)
Die im vorliegenden Band präsentierten Studien und Erkenntnisse zeigen die tiefen Einschnitte, die die Pandemie in Schule und Bildung hinterlassen hat. Zahlreiche Forschende, Expertinnen und Experten, aber auch engagierte Eltern, Kinder und Jugendliche wünschen sich in Anbetracht der Erfahrungen eine „neue“ Normalität für Schule und Bildung – eine Normalität, in der Bildungsungerechtigkeit wirksamer begegnet wird, die digitaler ist, … Wie könnte der Weg dahin aussehen?
Purpose
Job advertisements are important means of communicating role expectations for management accountants to the labor market. They provide information about which roles are sought and expected. However, which roles are communicated in job advertisements is unknown so far.
Design/methodology/approach
With a text-mining approach on a large sample of 889 job ads, the authors extract information on roles, type of firm and hierarchical position of the management accountant sought.
Findings
The results indicate an apparent mix of different role types with a strong focus on a classic watchdog role. However, the business partner role is more often sought for leadership positions or in family businesses and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME).
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation is the lack of an agreed-upon measurement instrument for roles in job offers. The study results imply that corporate practice is not as theory-driven as is postulated and communicated in the management accounting community. This indicates the existence of a research-practice gap and tensions between different actors in the management accounting field.
Practical implications
The results challenge the current role discussion of professional organizations for management accountants as business partners.
Originality/value
The authors contribute the first study, which explicitly analyzes the communication of roles in job offers for management accountants. It indicates a discrepancy between scholarly discussion on roles and management accountants' work from an employer's perspective.
Die Coronapandemie hat Deutschland seit dem Frühjahr 2020 fest im Griff. Eine zentrale Maßnahme zur Verlangsamung der Ausbreitung des Coronavirus war von Beginn an die Schließung von Schulen. In einer ersten Studie wurden die Lernzeitverluste durch die Corona-bedingten Schulschließungen im Frühjahr 2020 quantifiziert (Wößmann, Freundl, Lergetporer, Grewenig, Werner & Zierow, 2020). Es zeigte sich, dass sich die Lernzeit der Schülerinnen und Schüler durch die Schulschließungen halbiert hatte und die Verluste bei leistungsschwächeren Schülerinnen und Schülern besonders groß waren. Im Frühjahr 2020 wurde die Verringerung der Lernzeit von den Schulen nicht kompensiert: Nur ein kleiner Teil der Schülerinnen und Schüler hatte in dieser Phase regelmäßigen Distanzunterricht und täglichen Kontakt mit Lehrkräften. Während der Sommer- und Herbstmonate seit der Phase der ersten Schulschließungen hatten Schulverwaltung, Schulen und Lehrkräfte Zeit, sich auf Distanzunterricht und digitale Lehrmethoden umzustellen, um Lernausfällen während etwaiger erneuter Schulschließungen entgegenzuwirken. Inwiefern dies dazu geführt hat, dass die Schülerinnen und Schüler während der Schulschließungen Anfang 2021 tatsächlich mehr Zeit mit Lernen verbracht haben als im Frühjahr 2020, ist jedoch bislang weitgehend unbekannt.
Um zu erfahren, mit welchen Aktivitäten die Schulkinder die Zeit der Schulschließungen Anfang 2021 verbracht haben, wurde erneut eine deutschlandweite Umfrage durchgeführt, diesmal unter mehr als 2.000 Eltern von Schulkindern. Die Ergebnisse liefern umfassende Einblicke in den Alltag von Schulkindern, Eltern und Schulen während der Schulschließungen Anfang 2021. Sie zeigen, wie viele Stunden die Schulkinder in dieser Phase mit Lernen und anderen kreativen und passiven Tätigkeiten verbracht haben, welche konkreten Maßnahmen die Schulen ergriffen haben, um den Schulbetrieb aufrechtzuerhalten, wie effektiv das Lernen zu Hause war, und wie die Eltern das häusliche Lernumfeld einschätzen. Dabei vergleichen wir die Aktivitäten während der Schulschließungen Anfang 2021 mit den Aktivitäten während der ersten Corona-bedingten Schulschließungen im Frühjahr 2020 sowie mit den Aktivitäten vor Corona (vgl. Wößmann et al., 2020). Wir berichten zudem Ergebnisse zum sozio-emotionalen Wohlbefinden der Kinder nach einem Jahr Coronapandemie und zu den Einschätzungen der Eltern, welche breiteren Auswirkungen die Schulschließungen auf verschiedene Lebensbereiche ihrer Kinder haben. Die Befragung liefert somit neue empirische Erkenntnisse über mögliche Folgen der Corona-Krise für den Bildungserfolg von Kindern in Deutschland. Dabei untersuchen wir auch, inwiefern sich die Auswirkungen der Schulschließungen zwischen leistungsstärkeren und -schwächeren Schülerinnen und Schülern sowie zwischen Akademikerkindern und Nicht-Akademikerkindern unterscheiden.
Supply chains have evolved into dynamic, interconnected supply networks, which increases the complexity of achieving end-to-end traceability of object flows and their experienced events. With its capability of ensuring a secure, transparent, and immutable environment without relying on a trusted third party, the emerging blockchain technology shows strong potential to enable end-to-end traceability in such complex multitiered supply networks. This paper aims to overcome the limitations of existing blockchain-based traceability architectures regarding their object-related event mapping ability, which involves mapping the creation and deletion of objects, their aggregation and disaggregation, transformation, and transaction, in one holistic architecture. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel ‘blueprint-based’ token concept, which allows clients to group tokens into different types, where tokens of the same type are non-fungible. Furthermore, blueprints can include minting conditions, which, for example, are necessary when mapping assembly processes. In addition, the token concept contains logic for reflecting all conducted object-related events in an integrated token history. Finally, for validation purposes, this article implements the architecture’s components in code and proves its applicability based on the Ethereum blockchain. As a result, the proposed blockchain-based traceability architecture covers all object-related supply chain events and proves its general-purpose end-to-end traceability capabilities of object flows.
In the past, plant layouts were regarded as highly static structures. With increasing internal and external factors causing turbulence in operations, it has become more necessary for companies to adapt to new conditions in order to maintain optimal performance. One possible way for such an adaptation is the adjustment of the plant layout by rearranging the individual facilities within the plant. Since the information about the plant layout is considered as master data and changes have a considerable impact on interconnected processes in production, it is essential that this data remains accurate and up-to-date. This paper presents a novel approach to create a digital shadow of the plant layout, which allows the actual state of the physical layout to be continuously represented in virtual space. To capture the spatial positions and orientations of the individual facilities, a pan-tilt-zoom camera in combination with fiducial markers is used. With the help of a prototypically implemented system, the real plant layout was captured and converted into different data formats for further use in exemplary external software systems. This enabled the automatic updating of the plant layout for simulation, analysis and routing tasks in a case study and showed the benefits of using the proposed system for layout capturing in terms of accuracy and effort reduction.
Artificial intelligence is considered to be a significant technology for driving the future evolution of smart manufacturing environments. At the same time, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) play an essential role in manufacturing systems due to their potential to improve internal logistics by increasing production flexibility. Thereby, the productivity of the entire system relies on the quality of the schedule, which can achieve production cost savings by minimizing delays and the total makespan. However, traditional scheduling algorithms often have difficulties in adapting to changing environment conditions, and the performance of a selected algorithm depends on the individual scheduling problem. Therefore, this paper aimed to analyze the scheduling problem classes of AGVs by applying design science research to develop an algorithm selection approach. The designed artifact addressed a catalogue of characteristics that used several machine learning algorithms to find the optimal solution strategy for the intended scheduling problem. The contribution of this paper is the creation of an algorithm selection method that automatically selects a scheduling algorithm, depending on the problem class and the algorithm space. In this way, production efficiency can be increased by dynamically adapting the AGV schedules. A computational study with benchmark literature instances unveiled the successful implementation of constraint programming solvers for solving JSSP and FJSSP scheduling problems and machine learning algorithms for predicting the most promising solver. The performance of the solvers strongly depended on the given problem class and the problem instance. Consequently, the overall production performance increased by selecting the algorithms per instance. A field experiment in the learning factory at Reutlingen University enabled the validation of the approach within a running production scenario.
Project managers still face management problems in interorganizational Research and Development (R&D) projects due to their limited authority. Addressing a project culture which is conducive to cooperation and innovation in interorganizational R&D project management demands commitment of individual project members and thus balances this limited authority. However, the relational collaboration level at which project culture manifests itself is not addressed by current project management approaches, or it is addressed only at a late stage. Consequently, project culture develops within a predefined framework of project organization and organized contents and thus is not actively targeted. Therefore, a focus shift towards project culture becomes necessary. This can be done by a project-culture-aware management. The method CLIPS actively supports interorganizational project members in this kind of management. It should be integrable in the common project management approaches, that with its application all collaboration levels are addressed in interorganizational R&D project management. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the integrability of the method CLIPS and show how it can be integrated in common project management approaches. This enriches interorganizational R&D project management by a project culture focus.