José Flávio Guerra Machado Coelho and David Moy
Sustainability of organizations is directly linked to the continual improvement of business performance. Many organizations have found a way to improve performance through the…
Abstract
Sustainability of organizations is directly linked to the continual improvement of business performance. Many organizations have found a way to improve performance through the establishment of management systems. To maximise benefits of the system, it is necessary also to develop and implement a well‐structured performance evaluation process to assist both the business and its interested parties achieve agreed objectives, in a sustainable way. This paper considers a new methodology for performance evaluation of management systems based on the concepts of the AS/NZS ISO 14031:2000, CSA PLUS 1144 and GEMI – measuring environmental performance. The methodology is being developed at a time when there is increasing interest in social issues, as one of the three constituent parts of sustainability (social, economic and environment). The material presented is derived in part from PhD studies of José Flávio Coelho.
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Ivo Pontes Domingues and José Cunha Machado
The purpose of this paper is to examine the recursive perspective that emphasizes bureaucracy as a source of officers’ stress, explain officers’ stress as a loosely coupled…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the recursive perspective that emphasizes bureaucracy as a source of officers’ stress, explain officers’ stress as a loosely coupled effect, examine the positive effects of loose coupling and legitimize the necessity of improving context management as a stress-reduction factor.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology uses a quantitative perspective; the members of two police forces constituted the universe; the sampling technique was not random and accidental; and an exploratory factor analysis and an invariance measure were performed.
Findings
The stress phenomenon is common and similar in both police forces, which means that it is indifferent to their organizational differences and has common causes. Loose coupling is present in both police work settings and entails significant stress; and the search for an explanation of the stress caused by loosely coupled elements should focus on both the value chain and the processes.
Practical implications
Addressing this phenomenon should entail a twofold improvement strategy: the correction of loosely coupled organizational factors by revising the management processes that cause stress and the prevention of loosely coupled effects by using professional training to enhance adaptive behavior within specific contexts.
Originality/value
Police organizations are addressed as loosely coupled (anarchic organized) systems instead of tightly coupled (bureaucratic) systems. The loosely coupled factors that emerge inside bureaucratic organizations cause significant stress among officers and complementary research is necessary to analyze the fallacious nature of the recursive attribution of police stress to bureaucratic characteristics.
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Anabela Costa Silva, José Machado and Paulo Sampaio
In the context of the journey toward digital transformation and the realization of a fully connected factory, concepts such as data science, artificial intelligence (AI), machine…
Abstract
Purpose
In the context of the journey toward digital transformation and the realization of a fully connected factory, concepts such as data science, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and even predictive models emerge as indispensable pillars. Given the relevance of these topics, the present study focused on the analysis of customer complaint data, employing ML techniques to anticipate complaint accountability. The primary objective was to enhance data accessibility, harnessing the potential of ML models to optimize the complaint handling process and thereby positively contribute to data-driven decision-making. This approach aimed not only to reduce the number of units to be analyzed and customer response time but also to underscore the pressing need for a paradigm shift in quality management. The application of AI techniques sought to enhance not only the efficiency of the complaint handling process and data accessibility but also to demonstrate how the integration of these innovative approaches could profoundly transform the way quality is conceived and managed within organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct this study, real customer complaint data from an automotive company was utilized. Our main objective was to highlight the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in the context of quality. To achieve this, we adopted a methodology consisting of 10 distinct phases: business analysis and understanding; project plan definition; sample definition; data exploration; data processing and pre-processing; feature selection; acquisition of predictive models; evaluation of the models; presentation of the results; and implementation. This methodology was adapted from data mining methodologies referenced in the literature, taking into account the specific reality of the company under study. This ensured that the obtained results were applicable and replicable across different fields, thereby strengthening the relevance and generalizability of our research findings.
Findings
The achieved results not only demonstrated the ability of ML models to predict complaint accountability with an accuracy of 64%, but also underscored the significance of the adopted approach within the context of Quality 4.0 (Q4.0). This study served as a proof of concept in complaint analysis, enabling process automation and the development of a guide applicable across various areas of the company. The successful integration of AI techniques and Q4.0 principles highlighted the pressing need to apply concepts of digitization and artificial intelligence in quality management. Furthermore, it emphasized the critical importance of data, its organization, analysis and availability in driving digital transformation and enhancing operational efficiency across all company domains. In summary, this work not only showcased the advancements achieved through ML application but also emphasized the pivotal role of data and digitization in the ongoing evolution of Quality 4.0.
Originality/value
This study presents a significant contribution by exploring complaint data within the organization, an area lacking investigation in real-world contexts, particularly focusing on practical applications. The development of standardized processes for data handling and the application of predictions for classification models not only demonstrated the viability of this approach but also provided a valuable proof of concept for the company. Most importantly, this work was designed to be replicable in other areas of the factory, serving as a fundamental basis for the company’s data scientists. Until then, limited data access and lack of automation in its treatment and analysis represented significant challenges. In the context of Quality 4.0, this study highlights not only the immediate advantages for decision-making and predicting complaint outcomes but also the long-term benefits, including clearer and standardized processes, data-driven decision-making and improved analysis time. Thus, this study not only underscores the importance of data and the application of AI techniques in the era of quality but also fills a knowledge gap by providing an innovative and replicable approach to complaint analysis within the organization. In terms of originality, this article stands out for addressing an underexplored area and providing a tangible and applicable solution for the company, highlighting the intrinsic value of aligning quality with AI and digitization.
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Gleber Nelson Marques, José Márcio Machado, Sérgio Luis Lopes Verardi, Stephan Stephany and Airam Jonatas Preto
This paper proposes an interpolating approach of the element‐free Galerkin method (EFGM) coupled with a modified truncation scheme for solving Poisson's boundary value problems in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper proposes an interpolating approach of the element‐free Galerkin method (EFGM) coupled with a modified truncation scheme for solving Poisson's boundary value problems in domains involving material non‐homogeneities. The suitability and efficiency of the proposed implementation are evaluated for a given set of test cases of electrostatic field in domains involving different material interfaces.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors combined an interpolating approximation with a modified domain truncation scheme, which avoids additional techniques for enforcing the Dirichlet boundary conditions and for dealing with material interfaces usually employed in meshfree formulations.
Findings
The local electric potential and field distributions were correctly described as well as the global quantities like the total potency and resistance. Since, the treatment of the material interfaces becomes practically the same for both the finite element method (FEM) and the proposed EFGM, FEM‐oriented programs can, thus, be easily extended to provide EFGM approximations.
Research limitations/implications
The robustness of the proposed formulation became evident from the error analyses of the local and global variables, including in the case of high‐material discontinuity.
Practical implications
The proposed approach has shown to be as robust as linear FEM. Thus, it becomes an attractive alternative, also because it avoids the use of additional techniques to deal with boundary/interface conditions commonly employed in meshfree formulations.
Originality/value
This paper reintroduces the domain truncation in the EFGM context, but by using a set of interpolating shape functions the authors avoided the use of Lagrange multipliers as well as of a penalty strategy. The resulting formulation provided accurate results including in the case of high‐material discontinuity.
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While the government of President Raul Castro has welcomed the historic move, it has concerns regarding the domestic impact of the event. To avoid any impression of ceding to…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB210061
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
The 57-year-old heir apparent -- Vice-President Miguel Diaz-Canel -- was born after the 1959 revolution and represents a symbolic generational shift. However, Castro’s continued…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB232089
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
CUBA: Old-guard will strive for post-Castro continuity