Latif Al-Hakim

An analogue genetic algorithm for solving job shop scheduling problems

This paper develops a genetic algorithm for solving job shop scheduling problems. It discusses the difficulties arising from the traditional encoding of the problem and suggests a new encoding scheme. The paper also develops an analogue electrical system to represent the problem and uses the measure of that system to develop a new measure for the fitness function of the genetic algorithm. The algorithm considers the conventional genetic operations but with some modification. The computational results, developed for the makespan criterion, show that, for this criterion, the algorithm is reliable and performs relatively well.

Information systems research methods, epistemology, and applications

[Abstract]: Information Systems Research Methods, Epistemology and Applications deals with the concepts and applications of information systems research. The book comprises 19 chapters organised into two main parts. The first part considers the theoretical concepts of information systems research and the second part deals with applications.

Information quality factors affecting innovation process

This research aims to identify the information quality (IQ) dimensions and measures affecting the innovation management process. The research employs case study methodology and uses an information quality technique knows as Information Function Deployment (IFD). The selected case is an organisation dealing with the design and manufacture of electronic equipment and tools used for medical testing. This research identifies four IQ dimensions and six IQ measures affecting the innovation management process. The identified IQ dimensions are timeliness, interpretability, coherency and completeness while the IQ measures are information sensing, information collecting, information processing, information organising, information integrity and information sharing.

On the day of surgery: how long does preventable disruption prolong the patient journey?

PURPOSE Disruption considerably prolongs session times for surgery, affects the quality of patient care, and prolongs waiting lists. In addition, there is a strong relationship between disruption and surgical error. This research aims to provide a platform for healthcare services to identify the sources of preventable disruption affecting operative time within the perioperative process and to effectively reduce it. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Events inside and outside operating rooms that disturb the operative time were recorded for 31 elective surgeries over the period of five months. Disruption events were classified according to the hospitals requirements and the findings were reviewed by the surgical teams. Lean thinking approaches were used to achieve the purpose of this study. FINDINGS Preventable disruption caused an increase in surgical time of approximately 25 per cent. Preventable disruption consisted of poor information flow, failure to follow concepts of methods study, lack of communication and lack of coordination. Coordination failures were the main reason for disruption followed by the lack of following the principles of motion economy. ORIGINALITY/VALUE Surgical disruption has substantial financial implications for hospitals. This research indicates that it is possible to reduce operative time considerably by eliminating preventable disruption. Such additional time could be utilised to deal with the pressure of emergency cases, reduce the waiting lists for elective surgery, increase operating room utilisation, and reduce medical errors.

Analysing trust as a means of improving the effectiveness of the virtual supply chain

This article focuses on trust within interorganisational virtual organisations, which are regarded as legally separate but operationally interdependent companies focused on responding to a market opportunity and facilitated by ICT as a medium for communication and coordination. The context of the research described in this paper is the Australian meat and horticulture supply chains. Within the context of these two supply chains the perceived importance and perceived levels of 12 trust factors are investigated. The research identifies three trust factors demonstrating critical gaps between the expected performance level and the perceptions of actual performance common to the meat and horticulture supply chains. These factors were information sharing, reliability and work standard. Two other critical factors were identified in the meat supply chain, i.e., timeliness and customisation, while three other critical factors were identified as specifically relating to the horticulture supply chain, i.e., shared values, POS information and honesty and integrity.

The impact of preventable disruption on the operative time for minimally invasive surgery

BackgroundCurrent ergonomic studies show that disruption exposes surgical teams to stress and musculoskeletal disorders. This study considers minimally invasive surgery as a sociotechnical process subjected to a variety of disruption events other than those recognized by ergonomic science. The research takes into consideration the impact of preventable disruption on operating time rather than on the physical and emotional status of the surgical team.MethodsEvents inside operating rooms that disturbed operative time were recorded for 17 minimally invasive surgeries. The disruption events were classified into four main areas: prerequisite requirements, work design, communication during surgery, and other. Each area was further classified according to sources of disruption. Altogether, 11 sources of disruption were identified: patient record, protocol and policy, surgical requirements and surgeon preferences, operating table and patient positioning, arrangement of instruments, lighting, monitor, clothing, surgical teamwork, coordination, and other.ResultsDisruption prolonged operative time by more than 32%. Teamwork forms the main source of disruption followed by operating table and patient positioning and arrangement of instruments. These three sources represented approximately 20% of operative time. Failure to follow principles of work design had a significant negative impact, lengthening operative time by approximately 15%. Although lighting and monitors had a relatively small impact on operative time, these factors could create inconvenience and stress within the surgical teams. In addition, the effect of failure to follow surgical protocols and policies or having incomplete patient records may have a limited effect on operative time but could have serious consequences.ConclusionThis report demonstrates that preventable disruption caused an increase in operative time and forced surgeons and patients to endure unnecessary delay of more than 32%. Such additional time could be used to deal with the pressure of emergency cases and to reduce waiting lists for elective surgery.

An Empirical Evaluation of Information Sharing Between Australia-Singapore Beef Organisations in Light of Trust and ICT Diffusion

This study investigates cross-border collaboration between beef organisations in Australia and Singapore. It aims to identify factors impacting trust and technology diffusion by gauging gaps between expected importance and perceived performance rating of the factors. The research presents results of a survey comprising 69 beef organisations from Australia and Singapore. The research identifies critical gaps using two methods of analysis; validity analysis and performance gap analysis. Each method comprises two types of tests. The WarpPLS software is used to perform the validity analysis. Results indicate gaps in level of responsiveness. The research concludes that the success of cross-border collaboration between organisations in both Australia and Singapore can be better achieved through the establishment of information exchange relationships, rather than through the use of technology alone, and by ensuring compatibility between business partners.

The Effect of Inter-Organization Trust and Dependency on E-Procurement Adoption: A Case of Malaysian Manufacturers

Firms often have to integrate their daily business activities with supply chain partners, to remain competitive in todays ever changing business environments. Information technology IT such as e-procurement has enabled firms to take advantage of the many benefits of integrating these business activities electronically. A review of the literature indicates that there is an apparent lack of research into the effects of trust and dependency on e-procurement adoption decisions, which is the key focus of this study. Through the use of survey questionnaire distributed to 834 manufacturers across different industries in Malaysia, this research seeks to investigate the impact of inter-organization trust and dependency on e-procurement adoption decisions. Findings revealed that dependency, interaction between trust and dependency, and size of company have a strong impact on the adoption decisions while trust has only a modest effect.

Web-based hospital information system for managing operating theatre waiting list

Waiting lists are of great concern to healthcare executives because of their societal and political priority. This paper presents a web-based system for managing operating theatre waiting lists in hospitals. It challenges traditional hospital strategies for managing waiting lists and sets out to achieve three objectives. Firstly, to manage patients waiting for surgery interventions within only one waiting list, secondly, to improve customer satisfaction in an environment that often imposes unexpected and unexplained deviation from planned activities and thirdly, to create a system effectively supporting decisions for waiting list management. The paper uses IDEF0 to map the waiting list management process and fuzzy logics to deal with the dynamic nature of the process.

The Importance of Trust in Procurement Practices and Its Impact on Business Performance: An Empirical Investigation From the Perspective of the Buyer–Supplier Dyad

This article investigates the importance of trust in procurement practices and its impact on business performance from the perspective of the buyer–supplier dyad within Zimbabwes banking industry. This study was exploratory in nature and adopted the use of a case study methodology. The study involved 22 cases in the banking industry, with a total of 44 interviews being conducted. Findings revealed that 29 dimensions across 7 trust attributes in buyer–supplier procurement practices had an impact on business performance for firms in Zimbabwes banking industry.