International Journal of Agile Systems and Management http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=117&year=2011&vol=4&issue=4 Inderscience Publishers Ltd en-uk International Journal of Agile Systems and Management 1741-9174 1741-9182 © 2011 Inderscience Publishers Ltd editor@inderscience.com https://www.inderscience.com/images/files/coverImgs/ijasm_scoverijasm.jpg http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=117&year=2011&vol=4&issue=4 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43129 Delivering the required information to customers in a timely and location independent fashion increases sales, profit and customer satisfaction, and requires seamless integration among the legacy applications. The best way to achieve this is through service-oriented applications with the added essence of business intelligence. In this paper, service orientation from a business intelligence perspective is explained. The paper provides the architecture for service orientation and argues the need for service-oriented architecture in enterprises. To support the argument, several business domain scenarios are presented where service-oriented architecture (SOA) enabled business intelligence is required. The paper also presents various business process case scenarios where SOA enabled BI is required. Different business domains various business requirements are chosen and shown how each business domain can achieve business value through SOA is presented. A total six business process domains are identified and explained in detail the basic purpose and requirements. Service-oriented architecture for business intelligence: a research agenda
Jayanthi Ranjan
International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 301 - 318
Delivering the required information to customers in a timely and location independent fashion increases sales, profit and customer satisfaction, and requires seamless integration among the legacy applications. The best way to achieve this is through service-oriented applications with the added essence of business intelligence. In this paper, service orientation from a business intelligence perspective is explained. The paper provides the architecture for service orientation and argues the need for service-oriented architecture in enterprises. To support the argument, several business domain scenarios are presented where service-oriented architecture (SOA) enabled business intelligence is required. The paper also presents various business process case scenarios where SOA enabled BI is required. Different business domains various business requirements are chosen and shown how each business domain can achieve business value through SOA is presented. A total six business process domains are identified and explained in detail the basic purpose and requirements.

]]> 10.1504/IJASM.2011.043129 International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 301 - 318 Jayanthi Ranjan Institute of Management Technology, Raj Nagar Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India SOA software engineering service-oriented architecture service orientation business intelligence required information customers location independence sales profits customer satisfaction seamless integration legacy applications business domains business processes business requirements business value India Sri Lanka agile systems agile management. 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 4 4 301 318 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43130 To deal with dynamic and uncertain business environments, agile manufacturing is of interest to academics and practitioners. However, in order to achieve agile manufacturing, one of its dimensions is of major importance manufacturing flexibility. Most firms acknowledge how flexibility can be improved but few can successfully implement it to its full potential. This paper investigates important issues associated with the degree of manufacturing flexibility performance and develops a comprehensive framework based on resource-based view (RBV) for successfully implementing flexibility. A case study methodology is used. It can extract more information about the experiences of companies in the planning, implementation and operations of manufacturing flexibility. The manufacturing flexibility issues in five automotive companies in Thailand were investigated and qualitatively analysed. The resources and capabilities contributing to successful manufacturing flexibility are derived. They consist of the extents of resource redundancy, the abilities of production planning and control, degree of buyer-supplier coordination, and effectiveness of technology and organisation support. Manufacturing flexibility improvement and resource-based view: cases of automotive firms
Wuttigrai Ngamsirijit
International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 319 - 341
To deal with dynamic and uncertain business environments, agile manufacturing is of interest to academics and practitioners. However, in order to achieve agile manufacturing, one of its dimensions is of major importance manufacturing flexibility. Most firms acknowledge how flexibility can be improved but few can successfully implement it to its full potential. This paper investigates important issues associated with the degree of manufacturing flexibility performance and develops a comprehensive framework based on resource-based view (RBV) for successfully implementing flexibility. A case study methodology is used. It can extract more information about the experiences of companies in the planning, implementation and operations of manufacturing flexibility. The manufacturing flexibility issues in five automotive companies in Thailand were investigated and qualitatively analysed. The resources and capabilities contributing to successful manufacturing flexibility are derived. They consist of the extents of resource redundancy, the abilities of production planning and control, degree of buyer-supplier coordination, and effectiveness of technology and organisation support.

]]> 10.1504/IJASM.2011.043130 International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 319 - 341 Wuttigrai Ngamsirijit National Institute of Development Administration, 118 Sereethai Road, Bangkapi, Bangkok, 10240, Thailand manufacturing flexibility RBV resource-based view flexibility improvement automotive products automobile industry dynamic environments uncertain environments business environments agile manufacturing flexibility performance Thailand resources capabilities resource redundancy production planning production control buyer-supplier coordination technological support organisational support agile systems agile management. 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 4 4 319 341 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43131 Flow line layout has the characteristics of meeting high volume with low product variety production. However, the market trend nowadays focuses on customisation where product orders come in small batches but with high product variety. Therefore, cellular layout becomes a preferable type of layout due to its ability to cope with low volume and high product variety. The conversion of flow line to cellular layout is focused in this study and assembly line conversion approach is suggested as a guideline on designing the basic structure of cellular layout. The conversion will adopt lean concept on the manufacturing line. The converted layout will be further tested for its performance by using simulation modelling. Then, the behaviours of cellular layout are described and performance measures that show significant effect on the layout are reviewed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Assembly line conversion approach: a simulation evaluation
Shahrul Kamaruddin; Kok-Wui Boon; Zahid Akhtar Khan; Arshad Noor Siddiquee
International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 342 - 363
Flow line layout has the characteristics of meeting high volume with low product variety production. However, the market trend nowadays focuses on customisation where product orders come in small batches but with high product variety. Therefore, cellular layout becomes a preferable type of layout due to its ability to cope with low volume and high product variety. The conversion of flow line to cellular layout is focused in this study and assembly line conversion approach is suggested as a guideline on designing the basic structure of cellular layout. The conversion will adopt lean concept on the manufacturing line. The converted layout will be further tested for its performance by using simulation modelling. Then, the behaviours of cellular layout are described and performance measures that show significant effect on the layout are reviewed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

]]> 10.1504/IJASM.2011.043131 International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 342 - 363 Shahrul Kamaruddin; Kok-Wui Boon; Zahid Akhtar Khan; Arshad Noor Siddiquee School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia Engineering Campus, Nibong Tebal, 14300, Penang, Malaysia. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia Engineering Campus, Nibong Tebal, 14300, Penang, Malaysia. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Jamia Millia Islamia, Central University, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Jamia Millia Islamia, Central University, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India cellular layouts lean concepts analysis of variance ANOVA assembly lines conversion approaches simulation evaluations flow lines product variety high volumes low variety market trends customisation product orders small batches high variety low volumes manufacturing lines converted layouts simulation modelling performance measures agile systems agile management. 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 4 4 342 363 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43132 The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for a critical production ramp-up process by a two-stage decision approach, which incorporates human expertise with a computerised multi-objective optimisation problem. We develop a compound approach that aims to resolve ramp-up production challenges. We employ analytic network process and analytic hierarchical process to integrate soft issues in optimised decision making for production ramp-up. The outcome provides clear guidance for the critical production ramp-up process. Practitioners may benefit from the outcomes of this paper in that the complicated and time-pressed ramp-up processing can be handled swiftly. Since a human expert often possesses the ability or the talent of resolving unforeseen problems, our approach is able to allow the intervention of human experts and fosters the automatic decision, which is optimal and can avoid future problems. This paper offers a unique feature in proving an opportunity for human intervention in a computerised optimisation process. Two-stage decision support for production ramp-up
Y.M.J. Chen; Tzong-Ru Lee; Jau-Wen Wang
International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 364 - 378
The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for a critical production ramp-up process by a two-stage decision approach, which incorporates human expertise with a computerised multi-objective optimisation problem. We develop a compound approach that aims to resolve ramp-up production challenges. We employ analytic network process and analytic hierarchical process to integrate soft issues in optimised decision making for production ramp-up. The outcome provides clear guidance for the critical production ramp-up process. Practitioners may benefit from the outcomes of this paper in that the complicated and time-pressed ramp-up processing can be handled swiftly. Since a human expert often possesses the ability or the talent of resolving unforeseen problems, our approach is able to allow the intervention of human experts and fosters the automatic decision, which is optimal and can avoid future problems. This paper offers a unique feature in proving an opportunity for human intervention in a computerised optimisation process.

]]> 10.1504/IJASM.2011.043132 International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 364 - 378 Y.M.J. Chen; Tzong-Ru Lee; Jau-Wen Wang Department of Logistics Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Road, Yuanchau, Kaohsiung County 824, Taiwan. ' Marketing Department, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Rd., Taichung 402, Taiwan. ' Department of Information Management, Fortune Institute of Technology, No. 1-10, Nwongchang Rd., Lyouciyou Village, Daliao, Kaohsiung County 831, Taiwan system dynamics analytical network process ANP production ramp-ups multiple criteria optimisation Pareto frontier two-stage decisions decision support human expertise computerised optimisation multi-objective optimisation compound approaches production challenges analytical hierarchy process AHP soft issues decision making critical processes complicated processing time-pressed processing experts unforeseen problems human intervention automatic decisions future problems agile systems agile management. 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 4 4 364 378 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43128 The industries in the Northern European countries (Nordic) are promoting the so-called agile networks as a comprehensive response to the challenges posed by the business environment of unanticipated change. As the complexities grow in the global markets, the organisations have come under pressure to re-assess their business models and value systems within the dynamics of collaborative infrastructure. This paper examines the rationale of agile networks and attempts to build a specific Nordic model incorporating the issues of collaboration in such networks. The qualitative approach enabled particular insights, thereby utilising the practitioners' perspectives and synthesis of previous literature-based studies. The paper proposes the need for greater understanding of the strategic elements of collaboration in agile networks ahead of embracing a collaborative mindset. Collaboration in agile networks: developing a Nordic model
Amol Gore; Pekka Kess
International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 379 - 393
The industries in the Northern European countries (Nordic) are promoting the so-called agile networks as a comprehensive response to the challenges posed by the business environment of unanticipated change. As the complexities grow in the global markets, the organisations have come under pressure to re-assess their business models and value systems within the dynamics of collaborative infrastructure. This paper examines the rationale of agile networks and attempts to build a specific Nordic model incorporating the issues of collaboration in such networks. The qualitative approach enabled particular insights, thereby utilising the practitioners' perspectives and synthesis of previous literature-based studies. The paper proposes the need for greater understanding of the strategic elements of collaboration in agile networks ahead of embracing a collaborative mindset.

]]> 10.1504/IJASM.2011.043128 International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2011) pp. 379 - 393 Amol Gore; Pekka Kess European Commission Scholarship/EU, c/d France, Università Degli Studi Di Padova, DIMEG, Via Venezia 1, 35131 Padova, Italy. ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4610, FIN-90014, Finland Nordic countries Northern Europe Denmark Finland Iceland Norway Sweden agile networks collaboration business environments unanticipated change complexities global markets business models value systems collaborative infrastructures qualitative approaches practitioner perspectives strategic elements collaborative mindsets responsiveness agile systems agile management. 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00 4 4 379 393 2011-10-17T23:20:50-05:00