Research Articles (Industrial Engineering)
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Browsing Research Articles (Industrial Engineering) by Author "Bam, Wouter"
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- ItemCircular supply chains and renewable chemical feedstocks : a network configuration analysis framework(Taylor and Francis, 2018) Srai, Jagjit Singh; Tsolakis, Naoum; Kumar, Mukesh; Bam, WouterENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this research is to provide a comprehensive decision-making process and a framework for exploring the commercial viability of supply chains (SCs) arising from renewable chemical feedstocks (RCFs), towards delivering value-added intermediates or end-products. To that end, we first introduce an inclusive hierarchical decision-making process that applies to all stakeholders involved in the design and management of circular SCs defined by RCF platform technologies. Thereafter, the identified decisions are encapsulated in a framework highlighting that the potential SC configuration alternatives are grounded on four essential theme areas, namely: (i) RCF, (ii) technology, (iii) market and (iv) value and viability. Our analysis highlights the significance of RCFs due to their emerging potential of replacing petrochemicals; however, existing research is evidently limited due to scope and data-related challenges, and the inherent complexity at the market side of the respective supply networks.
- ItemComparing the sustainable development potential of industries : a role for sustainability disclosures?(MDPI, 2018-03) Du Plessis, Johan; Bam, Wouter; Industrial EngineeringGovernments often seek to facilitate sustainable growth through the targeted support of specific industries that are deemed to have considerable sustainable development potential. However, the selection of appropriate sectors generally relies on resource-intensive assessment processes. With the recent flood of sustainability information into the public domain, there appears to exist an opportunity to use this information to improve the efficiency of the initial stages of evaluating target industries. This work investigated the development of a framework that makes use of public sustainability disclosures to rapidly compare industries in terms of their sustainable development potential. The goal was to evaluate whether such a framework could usefully provide a way to prioritize the execution of more in-depth feasibility studies on industries showing superior sustainable development potential. The developed framework was based on the Global Reporting Initiative’s G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines and makes use of 18 indicators to compare industries in terms of various triple bottom line considerations. The framework was applied to a case study of the platinum industry in South Africa to establish its usefulness, potential and limitations. The framework facilitated a reasonably holistic, transparent and easily interpretable comparison of industries. However, its consideration of industry fit in the local economy, expected development trends and quantification of indirect economic impacts were found to be areas that could be improved. Some of these concerns might be overcome by the improved availability of public information in the future.
- ItemThe development of a healthcare innovation adoption readiness assessment tool (HIARAT)(Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2019) Leonard, Elizabeth; De Kock, Imke H.; Bam, WouterENGLISH ABSTRACT: A disconnect exists between innovations and the adoption of such innovations, specifically within healthcare facilities. This disconnect results in various healthcare challenges — ones that could be addressed by successfully adopting and integrating an innovation into organisational processes — not being addressed. To address the challenge of innovation adoption within healthcare, it is proposed that a tool be developed to identify areas that should be addressed to improve the chances of the successful adoption and integration of innovations into existing systems in a publichealthcare facility. By assessing a facility’s readiness for innovationadoption, it is possible to identify the barriers to the successful adoption of innovations. Knowing what such challenges or barriers to innovation adoption are will allow role players to address these challenges or barriers. The purpose of this paper is to develop the healthcare innovation adoption readiness assessment tool (HIARAT), which measures the maturity of a healthcare facility’s innovationadoption process. The HIARAT was validated through a face validation workshop, and through a case study at a South African public healthcare facility.
- ItemExploring the link between ppm implementation and company success in achieving strategic goals : an empirical framework(Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2016) Oosthuizen, Chiara; Grobbelaar, Sara S.; Bam, WouterENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisations are constantly under pressure to innovate and grow by successfully executing their business strategies. The ever-increasing rate of change in technology has implications for product lifecycles, cost pressures, expectations of higher quality, and a larger variety of products and services. These trends result in mounting pressures and a huge increase in complexity, as the drivers of technology must be managed to achieve a competitive advantage. Project portfolio management (PPM) is a solution for unravelling the complexities of multi-projects. In theory, PPM assists an organisation to achieve this competitive advantage through implementing its business strategy, balancing its portfolios, maximising value, and ensuring resource adequacy. There is, however, a lack of empirical evidence on the use and success of PPM approaches in South Africa. This article presents a framework that lays the foundation of an empirical study that will aim to explore the link between PPM implementation and company success in achieving strategic objectives. We base our framework on the factors of good practice in PPM, which include 1) single-project-level characteristics and activities; 2) multi-project- level characteristics and activities; 3) the link between projects and strategy process; and 4) availability and quality of project information.
- ItemRenewable chemical feedstock supply network design : the case of terpenes(Elsevier, 2019) Tsolakis, Naoum; Bam, Wouter; Srai, Jagjit Singh; Kumar, MukeshENGLISH ABSTRACT: Designing supply networks enabled by renewable chemical feedstocks presents complexities in terms ofundefined markets, multiple intermediate chemical compound options and uncertain chemical con-version pathways. This research addresses this gap by developing a structured approach for designingcompound class defined supply chains (SCs) through involving the analysis of: (i) renewable chemicalfeedstock sources; (ii) alternative technology and processing options; (iii) intermediate or end-usermarkets; and (iv) commercial value and viability. In particular, we apply this approach on the prom-ising case of terpenoid feedstocks. Further, in the specific case of terpenes we analyse renewable feed-stock SC options for the production of‘green’pharmaceuticals demonstrated by a case study onparacetamol. To that end, evidence is obtained through collating the dispersed literature on renewablechemical feedstocks, by semi-structured interviews and through expert panel engagements involvingindustry and academic informants. The studyfindings inform about the systemic mapping and modellingof compound class defined material-processing-supply networks, further providing a basis to identifyfeasible intermediate andfinal product options. The research contributes to the operations managementacademic and practice literature by proposing a structured approach for mapping and designingrenewable chemical feedstock SCs from a source material perspective, in this case renewable terpenoidfeedstocks, in contrast to the traditional end-market applications. From a circular economy perspective,the use of renewable feedstocks in extended SCs demonstrates the utility of the approach by integratingsupply side considerations (i.e. feedstock) with uncertainties of intermediate processing options andcommercialisation routes.
- ItemThe status and challenges of industrial engineering in South Africa(SAIIE, 2016-05) Schutte, Cornelius S. L.; Kennon, Denzil; Bam, WouterThe industrial engineering discipline in South Africa is examined by introducing the context of the discipline and by revisiting its history. The drivers influencing the context and future of industrial engineering in South Africa are also considered, and the discipline is analysed in terms of the following aspects: university qualifications, employment in industry sectors, race and gender profiles, use and competence in industry, and income profiles. The analysis is based on a recent survey sent to practising industrial engineers, on membership data from the Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering (SAIIE), and on two internal SAIIE investigations. The study concludes that the success of transformation, particularly in terms of race, has been limited. The results also indicate that there are an almost equal number of black and white industrial engineers, yet the majority of black industrial engineers have technical qualifications, while the majority of white industrial engineers have academic qualifications. The results indicate that this limits the use of black industrial engineers in industry and, consequently, the success of their careers. This in turn means that there are fewer black role models to attract young black students to the discipline. Some preliminary opportunities to unlock the increased transformation of the profession are identified.
- ItemTowards a framework to guide the evaluation of inclusive innovation systems(Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2016) Botha, Louisa; Grobbelaar, Sara; Bam, WouterENGLISH ABSTRACT: Innovation for inclusive development aims not only to produce products and services for ‘base of the pyramid’ (BoP) markets, but also to improve innovative capacity and empower those that form part of the BoP. Although a wide range of actors aim to support innovation for inclusive development, they lack proper methods to assess the impact that these projects have. This paper sets out to identify an appropriate method or approach for evaluating systems change brought about by innovation for inclusive development projects. Based on a systematic literature review, a process-level approach is proposed. This approach is focused on the components within a system and the changes that occur in the system functions.