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Technological advancements are giving rise to the fourth industrial revolution - Industry 4.0 -characterized by the mass employment of smart objects in highly reconfigurable and thoroughly connected industrialproduct-service systems. The purpose of this paper is to propose a theory-based knowledgedynamics model in the smart grid scenario that would provide a holistic view on the knowledge-based interactions among smart objects, humans, and other actors as an underlyingmechanism of value co-creation in Industry 4.0. A multi-loop and three-layer - physical, virtual, and interface - model of knowledge dynamics is developedby building on the concept of ba - an enabling space for interactions and theemergence of knowledge. The model depicts how big data analytics are just one component inunlocking the value of big data, whereas the tacit engagement of humans-in-the-loop - theirsense-making and decision-making - is needed for insights to be evoked fromanalytics reports and customer needs to be met.
Faced with the increasing needs of companies, optimal dimensioning of IT hardware is becoming challenging for decision makers. In terms of analytical infrastructures, a highly evolutionary environment causes volatile, time dependent workloads in its components, and intelligent, flexible task distribution between local systems and cloud services is attractive. With the aim of developing a flexible and efficient design for analytical infrastructures, this paper proposes a flexible architecture model, which allocates tasks following a machine-specific decision heuristic. A simulation benchmarks this system with existing strategies and identifies the new decision maxim as superior in a first scenario-based simulation.
In nowadays production, fluctuations in demand, shortening product life-cycles, and highly configurable products require an adaptive and robust control approach to maintain competitiveness. This approach must not only optimise desired production objectives but also cope with unforeseen machine failures, rush orders, and changes in short-term demand. Previous control approaches were often implemented using a single operations layer and a standalone deep learning approach, which may not adequately address the complex organisational demands of modern manufacturing systems. To address this challenge, we propose a hyper-heuristics control model within a semi-heterarchical production system, in which multiple manufacturing and distribution agents are spread across pre-defined modules. The agents employ a deep reinforcement learning algorithm to learn a policy for selecting low-level heuristics in a situation-specific manner, thereby leveraging system performance and adaptability. We tested our approach in simulation and transferred it to a hybrid production environment. By that, we were able to demonstrate its multi-objective optimisation capabilities compared to conventional approaches in terms of mean throughput time, tardiness, and processing of prioritised orders in a multi-layered production system. The modular design is promising in reducing the overall system complexity and facilitates a quick and seamless integration into other scenarios.
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) have shaped the discussion about Industry 4.0 (I4.0) for some time. To ensure the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises the vision for the future figures out cyber-physical production systems (CPPS) as a core component of a modern factory. Adaptability and coping with complexity are (among others) potentials of this new generation of production management. The successful transformation of this theoretical construct into practical implementation can only take place with regard to the conditions characterizing the context of a factory. The subject of this contribution is a concept that takes up the brownfield character and describes a solution for extending existing (legacy) systems with CPS capabilities.
The digital transformation sets new requirements to all classes of enterprise systems in companies. ERP systems in particular, which represent the dominant class of enterprise systems, are struggling to meet the new requirements at all levels of the architecture. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reconsider the overall architecture of the systems and address the root of the related issues. Given that many restrictions ERP pose on their adaptability are related to the standardization of data, the database layer of ERP systems is addressed. Since database serve as the foundation for data storage and retrieval, they limit the flexibility of enterprise systems and the chance to adapt to new requirements accordingly. So far, relational databases are widely used. Using a systematic literature approach, recent requirements for ERP systems were identified. Prominent database approaches were assessed against the 23 requirements identified. The results reveal the strengths and weaknesses of recent database approaches. To this end, the results highlight the demand to combine multiple database approaches to fulfill recent business requirements. From a conceptual point of view, this paper supports the idea of federated databases which are interoperable to fulfill future requirements and support business operation. This research forms the basis for renewal of the current generation of ERP systems and proposes to ERP vendors to use different database concepts in the future.
Wandlungsfähigkeit von Informationssystemen ist zu einem wesentlichen Wettbewerbsfaktor geworden. Die derzeit unzureichende methodische Unterstützung zur Umsetzung von Wandlungsfähigkeit führt in Unternehmen häufig zu ungenutzten Potentialen einer leistungsfähigen Struktur durch die eingesetzte Informationstechnologie. Ziel des Forschungsprojektes CHANGE ist es, Methoden und Vorgehensmodelle zu entwickeln, die eine dauerhafte Wandlungsfähigkeit von Informationssystemen unterstützen. Dazu wird im Rahmen dieses Beitrages ein Verfahren vorgestellt, welches der Forderung zur Ermittlung der notwendigen Wandlungsfähigkeit unter Einbeziehung des Unternehmensumfeldes nachkommt. Als wesentliches Ergebnis wird ein Kennzahlensystem entwickelt, das zum einen die Umweltsituation als Indikator für den Wandlungsdruck eines Unternehmens beschreibt. Im nächsten Schritt werden Kriterien zur Ermittlung des Wandlungspotentials der eingesetzten IT herangezogen. Abschließend werden beide Dimensionen zusammengeführt und in ihrer Bedeutung für die IT Strategie eines Unternehmens interpretiert.
The concept of adaptability has been widely recognised as research field in recent years. Business information systems play a key part in terms of business performance. Adaptability of information systems therefore is a primary goal of vendors and end-users. However, so far concepts that help to determine the adaptability of Information Systems are missing. Based on research results of the project CHANGE1 this contribution presents an integrated process model addressing the problem and a possible solution.
This paper presents an exploratory study investigating the influence of the factors (1) intermediary participation, (2) decision-making authority, (3) position in the enterprise, and (4) experience in open innovation on the perception and assessment of the benefits and risks expected from participating in open innovation projects. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The result of this paper is an empirical evidence showing whether and how these factors affect the perception of potential benefits and risks expected within the context of open innovation project participation. Furthermore, the identified effects are discussed against the theory. Existing theory regarding the benefits and risks of open innovation is expanded by (1) finding that they are perceived mostly independently of the factors, (2) confirming the practical relevance of benefits and risks, and (3) enabling a finer distinction between their degrees of relevance according to respective contextual specifics.
This contribution presents an approach for requirement oriented team building in industrial processes like product development. This will be based on the knowledge modelling and description language (KMDL(R)) that enables the modelling and analysis of knowledge intensive business processes. First the basic elements of the modelling technique are described, presenting the concept and the description language. Furthermore it is shown how the KMDL(R) process models can be used as a basis for the team building component. Therefore, an algorithm was developed that is able to propose a team composition for a specific task by analyzing the knowledge and skills of the employees, which will be contrasted to the process requirements. This can be used as guidance for team building decisions.
Im Beitrag wird dargestellt, wie der Einsatz von Wissensmanagementwerkzeugen einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Gestaltung eines erfolgreichen ERP-Betriebes leisten kann. Da diese Aufgabe einen hohen Anteil an wissensintensiven Prozessen aufweist, wird dazu eine Methode benötigt, welches die Prozesse strukturiert erfasst, durch die Modellierung analysiert und geeignete Maßnahmen des Wissensmanagements vorschlägt. Die Methode KMDL® ermöglicht durch die Einführung einer Wissensebene die Spezifikation, wann Wissen welchen Inhalts und in welcher Form im Prozess benötigt oder erzeugt wird. Dabei wird auch darauf eingegangen, wie durch die Anwendung der KMDL® der optimale Schulungsbedarf für ERP-Anwender ermittelt werden kann.
Die teilweise sehr kurzfristig notwendige Reaktion auf Veränderungen erfordert von Unternehmen ein hohes Maß an Flexibilität und Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit. Anwendungssystemarchitekturen, die im Wesentlichen aus alten und selbst entwickelten Systemen bestehen, erfüllen häufig diese Anforderungen nicht. Investitionsmittel für neue Software sind jedoch begrenzt, daher müssen Prioritäten in der Ablösung von Altsystemen gesetzt werden. Eine effiziente Analysemethode zur Planung der Erneuerung der Anwendungssystemlandschaft stellt die Wandlungsfähigkeitsanalyse dar. Dieser Beitrag beschreibt Vorgehen und Ergebnisse am Beispiel eines international tätigen Automobilzulieferers.
Bon appétit!
(2007)
Collaborative Engineering is a promising concept to increase the competitiveness of companies. Target of this paper is to describe the industrial application of this approach, considering shipbuilding as an example. Besides the engineering partners needs to collaborate during the product development phase, there are many other stakeholders who are interested in the product ship along its whole life cycle. Therefore the Concept of Collaborative Engineering is extended by introducing the idea of Communities. Requirements on Communities in Engineering are deduced. Based on this an architectural framework for Collaborative Engineering Communities is described. Concluding research topics which have to be discussed for practical realization are outlined.
Competence development must change at all didactic levels to meet the new requirements triggered by digitization. Unlike classic learning theories and the resulting popular approaches (e.g., sender-receiver model), future-oriented vocational training must include new learning theory impulses in the discussion about competence acquisition. On the one hand, these impulses are often very well elaborated on the theoretical side, but the transfer into innovative learning environments - such as learning factories - is often still missing. On the other hand, actual learning factory (design) approaches often concentrate primarily on the technical side. Subject-oriented learning theory enables the design of competence development-oriented vocational training projectsin learning factories in which persons can obtain relevant competencies for digitization. At the same time, such learning theory approaches assume a potentially infinite number of learning interests and reasons. Following this, competence development is always located in an institutional or organizational context. The paper conceptionally answers how this theoryimmanent challenge is synthesizable with the reality of organizationally competence development requirements.
Today’s mobile devices are part of powerful business ecosystems, which usually involve digital platforms. To better understand the complex phenomenon of coring and related dynamics, this paper presents a case study comparing iMessage as part of Apple’s iOS and WhatsApp. Specifically, it investigates activities regarding platform coring, as the integration of several functionalities provided by third-party applications in the platform core. The paper makes three contributions. First, a systematization of coring activities is developed. Coring modes are differentiated by the amount of coring and application maintenance. Second, the case study revealed that the phenomenon of platform coring is present on digital platforms for mobile devices. Third, the fundamentals of coring are discussed as a first step towards theoretical development. Even though coring constitutes a potential threat for third-party developers regarding their functional differentiation, an idea of what a beneficial partnership incorporating coring activities could look like is developed here.
The efficient use of human capital is one of the most important factors in todays' business competition. Competition is strongly influenced by qualified staff. In order to aid the human resources department to keep up with strategic decisions various competency management systems have been created that make the development of human resources easier and more precise. Competency management systems are only as good as the information that they are based on. The mostly used basic information is the skill catalogue. But there are nearly no applicable methods yet to create such a catalogue thoroughly. This paper introduces a reasonable approach to create such a catalogue with the description language for knowledge-intensive processes KMDL.
This meta-analysis synthesizes 332 effect sizes of various methods to enhance creativity. We clustered all studies into 12 methods to identify the most effective creativity enhancement methods. We found that, on average, creativity can be enhanced, Hedges’ g = 0.53, 95% CI [0.44, 0.61], with 70.09% of the participants in the enhancement conditions being more creative than the average person in the control conditions. Complex training courses, meditation, and cultural exposure were the most effective (gs = 0.66) while the use of cognitive manipulation drugs was the least and also noneffective, g = 0.10. The type of training material was also important. For instance, figural methods were more effective in enhancing creativity, and enhancing converging thinking was more effective than enhancing divergent thinking. Study effect sizes varied considerably across all studies and for many subgroup analyses, suggesting that researchers can plausibly expect to find reversed effects occasionally. We found no evidence of publication bias. We discuss theoretical implications and suggest future directions for best practices in enhancing creativity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
Die Innovationstätigkeit im industriellen Umfeld verlagert sich durch die Digitalisierung hin zu Produkt-Service-Systemen. Kleine und mittlere Unternehmen haben sich in ihrer Entwicklungstätigkeit bisher stark auf die Produktentwicklung bezogen. Der Umstieg auf „smarte“ Produkte und die Kopplung an Dienstleistungen erfordert häufig personelle und finanzielle Ressourcen, welche KMU nicht aufbringen können. Crowdsourcing stellt eine Möglichkeit dar, den Innovationsprozess für externe Akteure zu öffnen und Kosten- sowie Geschwindigkeitsvorteile zu realisieren. Bei der Integration von Crowdsourcing-Elementen ist jedoch einigen Herausforderungen zu begegnen. Dieser Beitrag zeigt sowohl die Potenziale als auch die Barrieren einer Crowdsourcing-Nutzung im industriellen Umfeld auf.
Business processes can be modelled and analysed extensively with well known and established methods. The simple signs of static knowledge do not fulfil the requirements of a comprehensive and integrated approach of process-oriented knowledge management. The Knowledge Modelling Description Language KMDL is able to represent the creation, use and necessity of knowledge along common business processes. Therefore KMDL can be used to formalise knowledge-intensive processes with a focus on certain knowledge-specific characteristics and to identify weak points in these processes. The tool K-Modeller is introduced for a computer-aided modelling and analysing.
Die Fabrikplanung sieht sich infolge veränderter Marktbedingung neuen Herausforderungen gegenüber gestellt. Die Anforderung an die Wandlungsfähigkeit eines Unternehmens ist zu einem Schlüsselfaktor geworden, der bereits in der Planungsphase einer Fabrik adressiert werden muss. Welche Einflüsse und Faktoren sind bei der Realisierung neuer Fabriken zu berücksichtigen? Zu dieser Thematik wurden Unternehmen im Bereich Fabrikplanung befragt.
As the complexity of learning task requirements, computer infrastruc- tures and knowledge acquisition for artificial neuronal networks (ANN) is in- creasing, it is challenging to talk about ANN without creating misunderstandings. An efficient, transparent and failure-free design of learning tasks by models is not supported by any tool at all. For this purpose, particular the consideration of data, information and knowledge on the base of an integration with knowledge- intensive business process models and a process-oriented knowledge manage- ment are attractive. With the aim of making the design of learning tasks express- ible by models, this paper proposes a graphical modeling language called Neu- ronal Training Modeling Language (NTML), which allows the repetitive use of learning designs. An example ANN project of AI-based dynamic GUI adaptation exemplifies its use as a first demonstration.
Existing factories face multiple problems due to their hierarchical structure of decision making and control. Cyber-physical systems principally allow to increase the degree of autonomy to new heights. But which degree of autonomy is really useful and beneficiary? This paper differentiates diverse definitions of autonomy and approaches to determine them. Some experimental findings in a lab environment help to answer the question raised in this paper.
Wodurch zeichnen sich die besten ERP-Systeme aus? Diese Frage wird dem Autor dieses Beitrags immer wieder gestellt. Mit der Vorstellung der Balanced ERP Scorecard (BESC) besteht nun eine Möglichkeit, ein System aus verschiedenen Perspektiven zu bewerten und so individuell zu einer Einschätzung des für eine konkrete Unternehmenssituation besten Systems zu gelangen. Daher beschreibt dieser Beitrag zunächst die Perspektiven der BESC und dann mögliche Kriterien für eine Ausgestaltung dieser Scorecard.
Für Unternehmen stellt sich immer wieder die Frage nach der Stabilität der Geschäftsprozesse. Wie flexibel bzw. wandlungsfähig müssen Unternehmensarchitekturen ausgelegt werden, damit Veränderungen in der Aufbau- oder Ablauforganisation ITseitig auch in Zukunft gefolgt werden kann? Dazu wird im folgenden Beitrag das Paradigma Wandlungsfähigkeit als Gestaltungsziel von Unternehmensarchitekturen charakterisiert und der Zusammenhang zwischen Veränderungen des Umfeldes eines Unternehmens und erforderlicher Anpassungsfähigkeit der Informationssysteme erläutert.
Enhancing economic efficiency in modular production systems through deep reinforcement learning
(2024)
In times of increasingly complex production processes and volatile customer demands, the production adaptability is crucial for a company's profitability and competitiveness. The ability to cope with rapidly changing customer requirements and unexpected internal and external events guarantees robust and efficient production processes, requiring a dedicated control concept at the shop floor level. Yet in today's practice, conventional control approaches remain in use, which may not keep up with the dynamic behaviour due to their scenario-specific and rigid properties. To address this challenge, deep learning methods were increasingly deployed due to their optimization and scalability properties. However, these approaches were often tested in specific operational applications and focused on technical performance indicators such as order tardiness or total throughput. In this paper, we propose a deep reinforcement learning based production control to optimize combined techno-financial performance measures. Based on pre-defined manufacturing modules that are supplied and operated by multiple agents, positive effects were observed in terms of increased revenue and reduced penalties due to lower throughput times and fewer delayed products. The combined modular and multi-staged approach as well as the distributed decision-making further leverage scalability and transferability to other scenarios.
Obwohl Handelsplattformen zunehmend an Bedeutung gewinnen, besteht im deutschsprachigen Raum ein Mangel an umfassenden Marktübersichten. Dadurch fehlt es Verkäufern, potenziellen Plattformbetreibern und Kunden an einer soliden Grundlage für fundierte Entscheidungen. Das ändern wir mit folgendem Beitrag. Erfahren Sie hier das Wichtigste über den rasant wachsenden Markt der Handelsplattformen.
Erhöhung der Wandlungsfähigkeit von ECM-Lösungen unter Verwendung kartographischer Gestaltungsmittel
(2008)
Bei Entscheidungen über abzulösende oder neue Anwendungssysteme kann mit Hilfe funktionaler Anforderungen immer nur der gegenwärtige oder vorhersehbare Bedarf ermittelt werden. In einem turbulenten Umfeld sind die Anwendungssysteme jedoch häufig langere Zeit im Einsatz als die Anforderungen gültig sind, mit Hilfe derer sie ausgewählt wurden. An der Universität Potsdam wird im Rahmen des BMBF-Projektes CHANGE eine Vorgehensweise zur Ermittlung der Zukunftsfähigkeit unternehmensweiter Anwendungssysteme entwickelt, deren wesentliche Merkmale in diesem Beitrag beschrieben werden.
ERP und MES : Teil 3
(2008)
Die Branche der Dienstleistungsunternehmen (Professional Services) hat einige Anforderungen, die sie von den „klassischen“ ERP-Branchen Industrie und Handel unterscheidet. Dieser Beitrag beschreibt einige der aktuellen Herausforderungen dieses immer wichtiger werdenden Wirtschaftszweigs und geht dann am Beispiel eines mittelständischen Ingenieurdienstleisters auf typische Anforderungen dieser Branche, infrage kommende Systeme und das Vorgehen zur Auswahl ein.