Engineering Commons^™

Technology Adoption In Small And Medium-Sized Logistics Providers, Pietro Evangelista, Alan Mckinnon, Edward Sweeney

Articles

Purpose - The main aim of the research is to shed light on the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in the logistics innovation process of small and medium- sized third party logistics providers (3PLs).

Design/methodology/approach – A triangulated research strategy was designed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The former involved the use of a questionnaire survey of small and medium-sized Italian 3PLs with 153 usable responses received. The latter comprised a series of focus groups and the use of seven case studies.

Findings – There is a relatively low level of ICT expenditure with few …

A Decision Support System For The Intelligence Satellite Analyst, Gi Yeon Park

Dissertations

The study developed a decision support system known as Visual Analytic Cognitive Model (VACOM) to support the Intelligence Analyst (IA) in satellite information processing task within a Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) domain. As a visual analytics, VACOM contains the image processing algorithms, a cognitive network of the IA mental model, and a Bayesian belief model for satellite information processing. A cognitive analysis tool helps to identify eight knowledge levels in a satellite information processing. These are, spatial, prototypical, contextual, temporal, semantic, pragmatic, intentional, and inferential knowledge levels, respectively. A cognitive network was developed for each knowledge level with data input from …

Efficient Space Dedication To Bus Rapid Transit Or Light Rail Systems, Jacob Tsao, A Pratama

Faculty Publications

Dedicating two lanes and passenger platforms to transit typically requires taking the same space away from general use. This may affect public support. This paper proposes efficient geometric configurations for a two-dedicated-lane BRT or light rail system that requires a minimum amount of right-of-way along a busy commute arterial. In many current busy commute corridors, a significant part of the street median is underused or unused for traffic purposes. The efficiency is achieved ainly by using the street median between a left-turn lane and its counterpart located at the intersection on the other end of the same street section and …

Has Supply Chain Management Lost Its Relevance?, Natalie Descheres

Books/Book chapters

The context of business has changed dramatically over the last 15 years. The definition of need satisfaction, the shift from “dot to web” competition and the embedding of the organisation into a wider political and societal environment has transformed SCM contributions and the meaning of work for employees. Interdependence must evolve from the do-it-alone approach and yet the ashes are not proving fertile ground. In many ways, traditional models of management have not kept up with the changes and are taken aback by the complexity that surrounds us. Complexity is however not a feature of our world, but one of …

Exact And Representative Algorithms For Multi Objective Optimization, Ozgu Turgut

Wayne State University Dissertations

In most real-life problems, the decision alternatives are evaluated with multiple conflicting criteria. The entire set of non-dominated solutions for practical problems is impossible to obtain with reasonable computational effort. Decision maker generally needs only a representative set of solutions from the actual Pareto front. First algorithm we present is for efficiently generating a well dispersed non-dominated solution set representative of the Pareto front which can be used for general multi objective optimization problem. The algorithm first partitions the criteria space into grids to generate reference points and then searches for non-dominated solutions in each grid. This grid-based search utilizes …

Engineering Problem Solving And Sustained Learning: A Mixed Methods Study To Explore The Dynamics Of Engineering Knowledge Creation, Rachel Itabashi-Campbell

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation research explores processes by which engineering problem solving (EPS) results in sustained organizational learning. Approaching from a constructionist perspective, the study empirically examines the knowledge creation dynamics instigated by product-related problems using a mixed methods research approach. The research has identified the Japanese concept of ba, defined in this study as "shared experiential space," as a key construct that explains the phenomena of interest. A new framework that the study has developed, which interprets EPS as an epistemic journey to attain system-wide improvements, is highly complementary to the traditional structured routine based approaches to engineering operations and …

Optimization Of Strategic Planning Processes For Configurable Products: Considerations For Global Supply, Demand, And Sustainability Issues, Edward Lawrence Umpfenbach

Wayne State University Dissertations

The assortment planning problem is to decide on the set of products that a retailer or manufacturer will offer to its customers to maximize profitability. While assortment planning research has been expanding in recent years, the current models are inadequate for the needs of a configurable product manufacturer. In particular, we address assortment planning for an automobile manufacturer. We develop models to integrate assortment planning and supply chain management, designed for use by a large automaker in its strategic planning phase. Our model utilizes a multinomial logit model transformed into a mixed integer linear program through the Charnes-Cooper transformation. It …

Demand Modeling And Capacity Planning For Innovative Short Life-Cycle Products, Saman Alaniazar

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on demand modeling and capacity planning for innovative short life-cycle products. We first developed a new model in the class of stochastic Bass formulations that addresses the shortcomings of models from the extant literature. The proposed model considers the common fact that the market potential of a product is not fixed and might change during a life-cycle due to exogenous (e.g., economic- or competitors-related) or endogenous (e.g., quality-related) factors. Allowing this parameter (market potential in the Bass model) to follow a geometric random walk, we have showed that the future demand of a product in each period …

Developing A Holistic Modeling Approach For Search-Based System Architecting, Renzhong Wang, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper proposes a holistic modeling approach that combines the capabilities of Object Process Methodology (OPM), Colored Petri Net (CPN), and feature model. The resultant holistic model not only can capture the structural, behavioral, and dynamic aspects of a system, allowing simulation and strong analysis methods to be applied, it can also specify the architectural design space. This modeling approach is developed to facilitate the implementation of search-based system architecting where search algorithms are used to explore design trade space for good architecture alternatives. Such architecting approach integrates certain model construction, alternative generation, simulation, and assessment processes into a coherent …

Using Architecture Models To Design Adaptive Socio-Technical Systems, Holly A. H. Handley

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

An architecture framework is used to capture the overall design and structure of a complex system. The Human Viewpoint was developed to augment existing architectural frameworks with additional information relevant to the human component in the system. The Human View models collect and organize social parameters in order to understand the way that humans interact with other elements of the system; the Human View models define the socio-technological boundaries of the system. Analyses performed with the architectural data provide information regarding the congruence, or fit of the human and the system. For example, different key thread analyses identify problematic paths …

Accounting For Errors When Using Systems Approaches, Kevin Macg. Adams, Peggy Hester

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Complex systems problems require the use of a formal philosophical construct and dictate the use of a rigorous systems approach. A systems approach may utilize one of a variety of proven methods, but in each case it involves the imposition of order that ranges from the philosophical to the procedural. Independent of the construct or rigor used to address the complex systems problem is the opportunity to commit a number of errors as part of a systems approach. This paper will discuss six classifications for problem solving errors that may be experienced during the application of a systems approach as …

Orchestrating Systems Engineering Processes And System Architectures Within Dod: A Discussion Of The Potentials Of Dodaf, Taylor Hughes, Andreas Tolk

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

!e Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for the development, procurement, introduction, integration, maintenance, upgrading, and retirement of all defense and related support systems. To facilitate this task, enterprise-level system architectures are used to describe capability, operational capability requirements and lower level system architectures are used to describe the functionality of system solutions which are necessary to satisfy those operational capability requirements. To ensure the attainment of the required capability solution on time and under budget, systemengineering processes are mandated to ensure consistency and rigor across all participating organizations. However, even though architecting is necessary to insure that all understand …

Part I: Adaptive Systems Preface, David Enke

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

A Real Option Dynamic Decision (Rodd) Framework For Operational Innovations, Wilawan Onkham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Changing the business operations and adopting new operational innovations, have become key features for a business solution approach. However, there are challenges for developing innovative operations due to a lack of the proper decision analysis tools, lack of understanding the impacts transition will have on operational models, and the time limits of the innovation life cycle. The cases of business failure in operational innovation (i.e. Eastman Kodak Company and Borders Group Inc.,) support the need for an investment decision framework. This research aims to develop a Real Option Dynamic Decision (RODD) framework for decision making, to support decision makers for …

Systems Geometry: A Methodology For Analyzing Emergent System Of Systems Behaviors, Christina Bouwens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent advancements in technology have led to the increased use of integrated ‘systems of systems’ (SoS) which link together independently developed and usable capabilities into an integrated system that exhibits new, emergent capabilities. However, the resulting SoS is often not well understood, where secondary and tertiary effects of tying systems together are often unpredictable and present severe consequences. The complexities of the composed system stem not only from system integration, but from a broad range of areas such as the competing objectives of different constituent system stakeholders, mismatched requirements from multiple process models, and architectures and interface approaches that are …

Optimized Estimates Based On Multiple Sensor Configuration Knowledge, Roochi Mishra

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

There has been an increase in the usage of sensor technology as they are adaptable for use in different environments, many of which are hostile to direct human observation, such as regions affected by land mines or forest fires. The sensors used to monitor developing situations are small inexpensive computing devices with limited processing capabilities, limited power supply and may be destroyed in the event that they are monitoring, without suffering a great financial cost. Also, since these devices are inexpensive, multiple sensors can be deployed for the same application where the sensors are placed or attached to a mobile …

Mathematical Programming Approaches For Land Use Planning That Limits Urban Sprawl, Piyush Kumar

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Sprawl has a detrimental effect on quality of life and the environment. For example, it increases our dependence on vehicles for daily tasks. This leads to increased vehicular pollution. It also increases traffic, which results in people spending more time on the road. With dwindling resources and increasing population, it becomes necessary that we manage sprawl. Ewing et al. defined factors to measure sprawl in the present urban structure. The measures are divided into four broad categories, which are density factors, mixed use factors, streets factor, and centers factors. These measures address various aspects that contribute to sprawl. For example, …

Variants Of Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (Mars): Convex Vs. Non-Convex, Piecewise-Linear Vs. Smooth And Sequential Algorithms., Diana Luisa Martinez Cepeda

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) is a statistical modeling method used to represent high-dimensional data with interactions. It uses different algorithms to select the terms to be included in the approximation model that best represent the data. In addition, it performs a variable selection, therefore the most significant predictors are shown in the final model. Design and analysis of computer experiments (DACE) is a statistical technique for creating approximations (called metamodels) of computer models. For optimization problems in which there is an unknown function that must be approximated, DACE approach could be applied. In stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) for example, …

A Model Characterization Of The Texas Healthcare Facilities, Shernette R. Kydd

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The Patient Protect and Affordable Care Act of 2010 became a law on March 23, 2010. This healthcare act, according to the authors, is designed to improve health services by targeting various facets of the industry: hospitals, private physicians, insurance companies and the drug industry - to name a few. It impacts many people, both directly and indirectly. The effects of this new law will most likely not immediately be recognized, although is it possible for "pockets: of success stories.The administration of Medicare is an area of interest primarily because of the finances involved. Today, there are many waste streams …

Integrating Multiobjective Optimization With The Six Sigma Methodology For Online Process Control, Emad Abualsauod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past two decades, the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) framework of the Six Sigma methodology and a host of statistical tools have been brought to bear on process improvement efforts in today’s businesses. However, a major challenge of implementing the Six Sigma methodology is maintaining the process improvements and providing real-time performance feedback and control after solutions are implemented, especially in the presence of multiple process performance objectives. The consideration of a multiplicity of objectives in business and process improvement is commonplace and, quite frankly, necessary. However, balancing the collection of objectives is challenging as the objectives are inextricably linked, and, …

A Posteriori And Interactive Approaches For Decision-Making With Multiple Stochastic Objectives, Ahmed Bakhsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computer simulation is a popular method that is often used as a decision support tool in industry to estimate the performance of systems too complex for analytical solutions. It is a tool that assists decision-makers to improve organizational performance and achieve performance objectives in which simulated conditions can be randomly varied so that critical situations can be investigated without real-world risk. Due to the stochastic nature of many of the input process variables in simulation models, the output from the simulation model experiments are random. Thus, experimental runs of computer simulations yield only estimates of the values of performance objectives, …

Eutectic Diffusion Brazing Process For Joining Aluminum Laminae With Macro- And Micro- Scale Features, Paul Wilson

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Eutectic brazing occurs when two metals, such as aluminum and copper, react and diffuse together at a temperature lower than either material would melt separately. Commonly used in electronics manufacturing, this brazing method provides the basis for a new process of joining a laminated device with micro fluidic features. The proposed process overcomes the challenges of aluminum oxidation resulting from traditional diffusion bonding of aluminum laminae and does not require flux or caustic material pre-treatments. The process also protects surface geometries and avoids warpage, which is common with other higher-temperature joining processes such as welding. This research provides a foundation …

Outcome And State Transition Modeling For Adaptive Interdisciplinary Pain Management, Aera Kim Leboulluec

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Pain management is a major global health problem. The World Health Organization estimates that, globally, 1 in 5 adults suffer from chronic pain and in the United States alone, chronic pain affects nearly 100 million adults resulting in an estimated annual cost of $560 to $635 billion. The University of Texas at Arlington and the Eugene McDermott Center for Pain Management at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (The Center) are collaborating to seek adaptive treatment strategies for interdisciplinary pain management in a two-stage program. Interdisciplinary pain management combines multiple disciplines of professionals to understand the biological …

Development Of Optimal Decision Model For Multi-System Process Capability Improvements Through A Personnel Environment And Integration (Pei) Framework Utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (Rfid) Technology, Maurice Dwayne Cavitt

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This research describes a framework that minimizes uncertainty and risk in lead time and excessive costs associated with multi-automating systems in very complex and dynamic environments. Further, by seeking to reduce risk by increasing the reliability component of the system, crucial inventories levels are maintained and leveraged in complex an environment that provides additional organization cost savings and enhanced flexibility by enhancing their ability to optimize inventories. Inventory control is crucial for any supply chain as it drives the costs which influence business decision models. The reliability of the systems that maintain the important inventories in complex operations is crucial …

Optimizing The Use Of Systems Engineering On Proposals, Clement Douglas Smartt

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Organizations whose primary business is executing contracts must be able to capture contracts to survive. When the contracts involve engineering complex systems, systems engineering often plays a significant role in the proposal process, sometimes leading the technical effort. This research seeks to find an optimal use of systems engineering in proposal management to maximize the probability that a supplier organization will be awarded contracts. A number of systems engineering related factors that can potentially be used to predict contract awards are identified that pertain to the organization, the skill levels of employees, the competitive environment, the proposal project, the contract, …

Rfid And Rtls Enhancement For Retained Surgical Instrument In The Body, Ida Lumintu

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Retained surgical items (e.g., sponges, needles, and instruments) are classified as preventable medical errors that cost the United States about $17 to $29 billion each year and the most frequently reported sentinel events in 2011 as reported by the Joint Commission. This research proposes a new approach to decrease such preventable medical errors by developing a Radio Frequency Identification-based Real Time Locating System (RTLS) for surgical operations (RfSurg). Patient safety concern, e.g. the excessive exposure of x-ray to the patient after the surgery, is a major motivation behind the need of RTLS in this research. The use of RTLS techniques …

Simulation Modeling And Analysis Of Complex Port Operations With Multimodal Transportation, Mariam Kotachi, Ghaith Rabadi, Mohammad F. Obeid

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

World trade has been increasing dramatically in the past two decades, and as a result containers exchange has grown significantly. Accordingly, container terminals are expanding to meet this increase and new container ports have opened. Ports with one or more container terminals are considered complex systems in which many resources, entities and transporters interact to achieve the objective of safely moving containers delivered by ships inland as well as loading containers delivered by trucks and rail onto ships. Ports with multimodal transportation systems are in particular complex as they typically operate with ships arriving to one or more terminals, multiple …

A Theory Of Emergence And Entropy In Systems Of Systems, John J. Johnson Iv, Andreas Tolk, Andres Sousa-Poza

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Systems of Systems (SOS) meet vital needs in our society by providing capabilities that are not possible by their discrete components or subsystems. Some SOS are engineered to produce predictable results, yet they can still display emergent behavior. These behaviors are often considered negative because they are not a function of the design. However, emergent behavior can also be serendipitous and produce unexpected positive results. The authors formalize a theory of emergence based on entropy. The theory has explanatory value for emergence as an ontological and phenomenological concept in systems of systems. © 2013 The Authors.

Determining Stakeholder Influence Using Input-Output Modeling, Patrick T. Hester, Kevin Macg. Adams

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Stakeholders are a vital element in all complex systems problems. They are customers, users, clients, suppliers, employees, and team members. They fund the system, design it, build it, operate it, use it, maintain it, and dispose of it. While many approaches exist for classifying and determining their attitudes, these approaches stop short of evaluating stakeholders in a holistic manner. This paper closes this research gap by developing the metric of stakeholder situation influence, a measure which allows for quantitative evaluation of stakeholder influence on a given problem. This measure is derived from Leontief Input-Output analysis. The developed approach extends previous …

Thinking Systemically About Complex Systems, Patrick T. Hester, Kevin Macg. Adams

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

As machine age problems have given way to systems age messes, the underlying complexity associated with understanding these situations has increased exponentially. Accordingly, the methods we use to address these situations must evolve as well. Unfortunately, many antiquated methods for dealing with situations remain prominent. Systems engineering, traditionally, is the practical application of procedural problem solving, typically geared toward the acquisition of large-scale systems. The underlying paradigm for solving these problems can be characterized as systematic thinking. While quite appropriate for machine age problems, this approach lacks the theoretical rigor to deal with systems age messes. Thus, a new paradigm …