A. El Mhamedi

Multi-ant colonies algorithms for the VRPSPDTW

The vehicle routing problem with simultaneous pickups and deliveries and time windows (VRP-SPDTW) is the problem of optimally integrating forward (good distribution) and reverse logistics (returning materials) for cost saving and environmental protection. We constructed a general mixed integer programming model of VRP-SPDTW. We present an Improved Ant Colony System (ACS) for the VRPSPDTW (Vehicle Routing Problem with Simultaneous Pick-up and Delivery with Time Windows). We submit adaptations and additions to the different solutions for VRPSPDTW. The real treated problem is to minimize the number of bus fleet that have to serve several schools (stations) for pick-up and delivery of different groups of students at different time windows. In detail, this problem is particularly complex. The significant improvement is to take into account the individual time windows, the time of service in each station and the preference function related to operation type at each served station.

Working team composition in ERP implementation project

Information systems like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) allow companies to manage and process their data in a simpler and faster way. They help to improve their operational performance and enhance their competitiveness. However the implementation of ERP is complex, risky and needs to realize the hierarchical and functional reorganization of the existing enterprise structure. To achieve implementation, we emphasize the necessity of proposing a quality management approach in implementing ERP. This paper focuses on the composition of competent working teams in order to achieve the functional reorganization effectively. An optimization model is presented and illustrated through an industrial case study concerning company operating in the power sector. The proposed solutions helped the company to change its processes and structure to be adaptable with the ERP model.

Decision aid in software maintenance

Abstract Recently, software maintenance was transformed into a major preoccupation on improving the software performances. Software maintenance depends on customer or user requirements. A requirement is translating into a minor change, but it is more costly to implement than to anticipate. Under such circumstances a study of the software performances could provide useful information, especially when the system is complex and sophisticated. This paper focuses on how to ensure the quality of software during its exploitation so as to improve software maintenance procedures.

Raissy Changing Project: A case study of implementing ERP

Information systems like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) allow companies to manage and process their data in a simpler and faster way. They help to improve their operational performance and enhance their competitiveness. However the implementation of ERP is complex, risky and needs to realize the hierarchical and functional reorganization of the existing enterprise structure. To achieve implementation, we emphasize the necessity of proposing a quality management approach in implementing ERP. In order to support ERP-driven projects, the application of the proposed approach is demonstrated in RCP (Raissy Changing Project), a case study concerning a Saudi Arabian Company operating in the Power sector. The proposed solutions helped the company to change its processes and structure to be adaptable with the ERP model.

Dynamic Bayesian Network Approach to Improve the Preventive Maintenance of Multi-State Systems

Abstract This work includes a part of the results of I.W.Soro on performance evaluation of Multi-State Systems (MSS) about the preventive maintenance policy. It was to assess the availability and the rate of production of a multi-state system based on a rate of transitions in the level of β degradation. The formalism of calculation based on Markov chains used and Chapman-Kolmogorov equations induce as many calculations as possible cases of β transition rates to deduce the one that brings the best drift of the availability curves and production rates. Moreover, the representation of multi-state system by a Markov graph quickly becomes dense and difficult to use. In this paper, it will first be presented formalization of the transition process of multi-state system (MSS) by Bayesian Networks (especially compact) and the rules governing promotion from the Markov graph. In a second step, it will be exhibited, the cost function of preventive maintenance and the best method for identifying the β transition rates and thus the best preventive maintenance policy to adopt. The optimization has done by reinforcement learning.

Performance Management of Industrial Supplies by Bayesian Networks: Proposed Approach and Industrial Application

Abstract In this paper, we present an approach to carry out an analysis of the performance of given industrial supplies or of a group of machines. This approach defines a target group for machines whose unavailability can indeed seriously hinder the objectives of production, and generates high maintenance costs. We will refer to the data of maintenance to identify the major failures and to classify relevant causes. The Bayesian networks have been used to better grasp the causes of failures and to quantify unavailability related to with these failures.

Decision Analysis in Management of Industrial Incidents

Abstract Distributed systems are characterized by heterogeneity and also by multiple applications often interdependent whose programming is done by separate teams with no communications between them. Dysfunctions and problems that occur in these systems have multiple and important consequences. Difficulties encountered during discovering origins and causes of these problems are proportional with user information quality demand. In this paper a method to manage incidents in information systems using decision analysis is proposed.

Organizational Change Measurement via Change Metrics

Business Process Reengineering (BPR) has been popularized in recent years as the most important technique for restructuring business operations to achieve dramatic improvements in profitability and sustainable competitive advantage [3]. The Re-engineering activity is a transformational change, moving the business outside its current «rules and games» [5]. Change management is then necessary to manage people trough the emotional ups and downs lead to the massive change and then prevent resistance. Several process evaluation approaches exist to analyze the impact of business processes structural complexity on their performance. To achieve this objective structural and operational metrics are defined upon processes. These metrics are mostly adaptations of software Process or product Metrics. However, these approaches do not target performance problems lead to organizational and business change, that inevitably occur in projects like BPR. This paper defines change metrics that measure the change operated on business process models. Our metrics are also inspired by change metrics defined in Software engineering [6]- [7]-[8]. This work is a first step towards a quantitative and predictive change management methodology to prevent risk related to organizational change in Reengineering projects.

QUANTITATIVE RISK ANALYSIS IN ERP PROJECTS BASED ON THE CHANGE MEASUREMENT

Abstract The introduction of ERP systems is a very complex, very long and very expensive project for the enterprise. The risk management in this kind of project is not very structured and misses specific methods. In this article, we propose a structured methodology for risk management particularly in the BPR sub-project. We try to adapt OSR (Optimal Set Reduction), a risk management method used in software development, for the management of risk in ERP implementation. We address specially the risk related to the changes in enterprise processes in the ERP project.