Journal of Applied Research in Technology & Engineering

Operational strategy, capabilities, and successfully accomplishing business strategy

2023-12-13T15:15:16+01:00

This study investigates the vital role of corporations’ operational capabilities, which involve resources, competencies, and processes, in attaining the business’s strategic goals for profitability and sustainability. The methodology employs a selective literature review to analyze case studies, books, and articles that give an overview of operational management and its importance in achieving corporate goals. The results exhibit the challenges posed by rapid market changes, revealing the deficiencies of traditional operational systems focused solely on efficiency and cost. To attain sustained success, manufacturers must focus on a client-valued approach, align objectives with capabilities, and support inter-functional links. Companies with distinctive managerial processes outperform in profitability, emphasizing the significance of investing in management capabilities. Operational excellence necessitates a focus on efficiency, innovation, and customer experience, prompting a shift towards a learning style that encourages innovation. Aligning innovation efforts with business strategy is essential for sustainable competitive advantage. Technological innovation, particularly AI adoption, plays a transformative role in operational innovation, highlighting the importance of dynamic capabilities in managing technological change. Yet, effective inventory and supply chain management are important for meeting customer demand and maximizing efficiency through collaboration and adaptable control.

Process variables in mixture experimental design applied to wood plastic composites

2024-09-03T06:02:35+02:00

The inclusion of process variables in mixture experimental design is crucial for optimizing final products with precision. Unlike standard response surface designs, which are limited by the requirement that proportions must sum to 100%, mixture-process experiments enable a thorough evaluation of how operational factors, such as particle size and mixing time, interact with mixture components. This approach enhances the understanding of how processing conditions affect product properties and leads to more accurate predictive models, thereby improving production consistency and reliability. Regression analysis reveals that interactions between PET and both particle size and mixing time significantly impact the response variable. The model demonstrates strong predictive accuracy, with R-squared and adjusted R-squared values of 92% and 86%, respectively, and a low root mean square error (S) of 0.2818. The PRESS value of 3.38 confirms the model’s ability to accurately predict new data. The absence of high multicollinearity, as indicated by variance inflation factor (VIF) values below 5, further supports the model's stability and interpretability. Contour plots illustrate the effect of varying mixture proportions on the response, such as tensile strength, showing a positive impact of both particle size and mixing time. The highest tensile strength is achieved at maximum levels of these variables, indicating a synergistic effect. Response variable optimization identifies the optimal mixture composition as 90% PET, 10% wood, and no coupling agent. To maximize tensile strength, the largest particle size and longest mixing time should be used, though extrapolating beyond the studied parameters should be done with caution.

EZATECH: Design and development of Artificial Intelligence technologies for knowledge management throughout the life cycle of workers in organizations

2024-08-27T07:54:34+02:00

This research presents the results of a project called “EZATECH: Design and development of Artificial Intelligence technologies for knowledge management through the life cycle of workers in organizations”, funded by the Basque Government (BG) (Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment Department). The project started in April 2021 and was completed in December 2023. The aim of the study was to develop an architecture to organize and structure knowledge from educational and industrial companies based on the professional profiles that composed the company and the key competencies necessary for the achievement of their organizational objectives. This objective responds to the challenges derived from the existence of a multitude of approaches that have “significantly hindered” the practical development of Knowledge Management in the business environment: The majority of practical application cases published to date refer to large companies or service companies. Machine Learning, Learning Analytics and People Analytics are the techniques used for the development of the EZATECH architecture, which is a software system to unable Knowledge Management in Educational and Industrial sectors.

Design and finite element analysis of an extractor machine for castor oil biodiesel production

2024-10-27T06:51:32+01:00

This research presents the design of a castor oil extractor for producing castor oil biodiesel. The machine was designed using appropriate design equations in the design analysis of the machine, and finite element analysis was conducted to determine the structural integrity, functionality and manufacturability of the system. With a total load distribution of 729 kN resulting from the screw shaft and the weight of other accessories, the behaviour of the frame material under different loading conditions was stated. Solidworks/Ansys analysis of the screw shaft showed a maximum stress distribution of 0.52599 MPa, which is below the yield strength of 460 MPa for the material used. The maximum deformation under loading conditions is 0.00042373 mm, which is negligible and does not pose a risk of failure of the machine. The fabrication was done using locally available materials. The performance of the developed machine was evaluated using castor seed and obtained output capacity of 120.2 kg/h and extraction efficiency of 58% respectively at a speed of 30 rpm. The machine can function independently for extracting castor oil and can also be used to extract oil from other seeds of similar sizes as castor seed, thereby minimizing challenges associated with conventional extracting machines.

Information systems’ effectiveness and organisational performance: a study among small and medium-sized enterprises in North Kivu Province, DR-Congo

2024-11-17T16:50:33+01:00

This study aims to empirically investigate the concept of information systems’ (IS) effectiveness and its relationship with organisational performance in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Based on a literature review, the study identifies three dimensions of IS effectiveness: technological context (system quality and information quality), organisational context (users’ IS knowledge, users’ IS involvement, and top management’s IS support), and environmental context (external expertise). Data were collected from 496 SMEs and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4.The results indicate that system quality, top management support, and external expertise significantly influence organisational performance. Specifically, management involvement (β=0.098, p<0.05), system quality (β=0.316, p<0.05), and external expertise (β=0.391, p<0.05) are positively associated with performance, explaining approximately 60% of its variance (R2=0.594). These findings underscore the importance of enhancing IS quality and leveraging external expertise for Congolese Small and Medium Enterprises to improve their performance through effective information system utilisation.

TQM implementation for enhancement of product and service quality: a review on developments and latest trends

2024-09-22T18:08:07+02:00

Total quality management (TQM) is one of the primary techniques of industrial engineering being applied worldwide. This paper presents a review of important case studies conducted mainly in the last five years on the implementation of TQM for various purposes related to the management of quality in different industrial and service scenarios. It first introduces TQM and discusses its vital aspects, followed by an analysis of selected past work. It ends with a conclusion and future research directions. Essential points of TQM implementation in multiple facilities of industrial and service sectors are highlighted, and the latest trends, such as TQM integration with sustainability and Industry 4.0, are covered. The article not only aims to fill the gap where there is a scarcity of a recent review article analyzing and highlighting the developments and latest trends in TQM implementation for product and service quality enhancement but also to encourage the researchers, scholars, and engineers to conduct research and development in this domain to establish the field further.