Goran D. Putnik

BM_Virtual Enterprise Architecture Reference Model

This chapter proposes a virtual enterprise (VE) reference model, named BM_Virtual Enterprise Architecture Reference Model (BM_VEARM). The BM_VEARM is a hierarchical multilevel model of the enterprise or a manufacturing system control that satisfies the requirements for integrability, distributivity, agility, and virtuality. It is conceived to cover all processes in an enterprise, from the macro to the micro level, and for any type of production. The chapter presents a formalization of the BM_VEARM and demonstrates the process of laboratory installation for the VE enterprise, BM_VEARM based demonstration and validation. By the BM_Virtual Enterprise Architecture Reference Model (BM_VEARM) the VE is seen as a general enterprise model from which all other enterprise models are special cases. For example, the agile, distributed, integrated and other enterprise models are special cases and can be derived from the BM_VEARM. It is a proprietary model, as it is not developed within some standardization organization.

Identification of the domain of opportunities for a market of resources for virtual enterprise integration

In the aggressive and competitive business environment of today, enterprises are expected to achieve competitive advantages in synergy, under the format of reconfigurable global networked structures, such as the virtual enterprise (VE) organizational model, integrating the optimal resources (products, operations, services) for each of the functions that the enterprise undertakes, in order to produce a product that meets the market requirements. The literature shows that several Internet-based tools can be used to enable some activities of VE integration. However, as we demonstrate, these do not support the reconfiguration dynamics required by this organizational model. Alternatively, the authors propose the market of resources (MR) as an environment to fully support VE integration, coping with its intrinsic requirement of high reconfigurability. Based on a demonstrator developed for the MR and on cost models traducing VE integration, one for the (traditional) Internet-based tools and the other for the MR, to support an analytical simulation, the paper validates the thesis that the traditional tools cannot support agility and dynamics, presenting the MR as a VE enabler, and identifying the domain of situations where the utilization of the MR reveals increased efficiency in terms of search and selection time and cost—designated as opportunities domain.

A semiotic framework for manufacturing systems integration -Part I: Generative integration model

This paper presents the findings of exploratory research on the potential of semiotics for manufacturing systems integration (MSI). The findings strongly suggest that semiotics might be the basis for a new paradigm for MSI. In the first part of the paper a number of needs for the new semiotic-based integration paradigm are presented. The second part of the paper introduces the basic notions of semiotics and provides a discussion on the use of semiotics in MSI. The third part presents a framework for the semiotics-based MSI, together with a model of the semiotics-based MSI, entitled ‘generative integration’ (GI). In the final part, some experimental set-ups, i.e. prototype demonstrators of the manufacturing systems, elements and systems, are presented as a platform for future research and development of the semiotics-based MSI.

Chaordic systems thinking for learning organizations : reflections and some suggestions for use

In this concluding paper the guest editors reflect on the contents of this special issue, and give some suggestions for future use of the CST framework. An interesting disclosure is that in chaos‐and‐complexity research the unit of measurement is not the individual human being, but the collective (i.e. dyad, team, or group), seen as a holon. Another important observation is that human interactions – ranging from the individual to the collective levels – are the “carriers of learning” in CST. In order to guide future research with CST, ten levels of abstraction are delineated which were borrowed from research on general design theory.

Lean vs agile in the context of complexity management in organizations

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the relationship of the issue “lean vs agile” in order to inform managers towards more coherent decisions especially in a dynamic, unpredictable, uncertain, non‐linear environment.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is an exploratory study based on secondary data analysis.Findings – “Lean” and “agile” are two exclusive concepts “in the limit” and “agile” has a higher potential for serving as an instrument for starting “a journey” towards a new sustainable organizational paradigm.Research limitations/implications – Further research in the context of the arguments presented is necessary, especially in the “field” and on primary data.Practical implications – There are clearly indicated contexts of primary applications of “lean” and “agile”, and especially along with the techniques, methodologies and system‐thinking informed by chaordic system thinking (CST), which should be of help for managers.Originality/value – The novel c...

One-Product-Integrated-Manufacturing

A new organisational frame for manufacturing system integrated over one-product manufacturing is proposed. Integration of a one-product enterprise is realised over a set of independent cells domain. They are connected by the wide-area-network using multimedia telematic technology to provide negotiation in real time. This characteristic provides the possibility to constitute an one-product factory from elements that are localised globally especially for the manufacturing operations which are information based. In this way a concept of a global manufacturing is applied. The life time of a one-product factory/enterprise corresponds at most to a product life time. This organisation form is called One-ProductIntegrated-Manufacturing (OPIM) System. The system is characterised by the factory models flowing through the product. OPIM System is a physical implementation of a virtual factory.

Experimental Platform for Collaborative Inter and Intra Cellular Fuzzy Scheduling in an Ubiquitous Manufacturing System

The aim of manufacturing scheduling is the efficient allocation of machines and other resources to jobs, or operations within jobs, and the subsequent time phasing of these jobs on individual machines. Therefore, the scheduling of production processes of a distributed cellular manufacturing enterprise is one of the significant tasks to be performed to achieve competitive production, which means, e.g., to deliver products on time or to use resources efficiently and reduce production times. In this paper we propose a Web Platform for solving those kind of problems occurring either in intra or inter cellular manufacturing scenarios. Scheduling methods are local or remotely available through web services and can be easily and continuously incorporated in a distributed repository, which integrates XML-based components, belonging to a range of business partners, integrating a Virtual Enterprise, in the context of an Ubiquitous Manufacturing System. The scheduling data modeling and the data transferring processes are based on XML and related web technologies and decision-making is carried out through an interactive approach relying on fuzzy sets and user friendly interfaces for supporting cellular manufacturing scheduling.

Brokerage Function in Agile/Virtual Enterprise Integration - A Literature Review

The paper present a review of the brokerage function as it is defined within different Agile and/or Virtual Enterprise (A/V E) models throughout the literature, including the broker’s function within the Broker function taxonomy, BM_Virtual Enterprise Architecture Reference Model, as well as their comparison. Many authors see a broker, and the corresponded brokerage function, as one of the principal agents, or a mechanism, for agility as well as for reconfigurability of the A/V E organization structure (by some authors the reconfigurability is the basic function of agility). However, the function of the broker, and its position in the A/V E organizational structure, has been defined in different models ranging from entrepreneurship function, resource selection function, through scheduling function etc. The analysis shows that there is a great heterogeneity of the broker functions, or definitions.

Towards focused markets of resources for agile virtual enterprise integration

Due to the complexity of the search process, the dynamics inherent to the integration of resources in Agile/Virtual Enterprises (A/V E) is not compatible with the optimal search of resources in the universal or global domain of potential resources, designated as Market of Resources. So, we defend that the future paradigm of A/V E integration will gain efficiency if the search for the optimal takes place in a restricted domain, subset from the universal domain, called Focused Market of Resources. This approach implies two distinct processes: 1) a process of identification and filtering of the focused market, i.e. a focused domain, from the universal, global domain, and 2) the search process for resources over the focused domain. These two processes are separated “in time and space” meaning that the first process is an “off-line” preparatory process, before the demand for resources appears. The identified focused market is then submitted to the second process, an ”on-line“ effective selection process, at the time the demand for resources appears, based on a search algorithm to find the optimal resources match to integrate the A/V E. In this paper we propose the existence of Market of Resources, as an global environment and domain for the A/VE integration, and the Focused Markets of Resources as the privileged environment to the efficient integration of Agile/Virtual Enterprises.

Technologies Integration for Distributed Manufacturing Scheduling in a Virtual Enterprise

Distributed scheduling problems are challenging tasks to researchers and practitioners that have been gaining increasing popularity over the years. This is partly attributed to the fact that multi-site production and networked manufacturing environments are increasing as a consequence of globalisation. In this paper a system for technologies integration for supporting distributed scheduling in a Virtual Enterprise, by combining a simulation-based approach, with the Hungarian algorithm, for solving job-shop scheduling problems is presented, in order to show how we can benefit from this combination of procedures for distributed manufacturing scheduling.