Browsing by Author "Baines, Tim S."

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11
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    Examining green production and its role within the competitive strategy of manufacturers
    (2012-12-31T00:00:00Z) Baines, Tim S.; Brown, Steve; Benedettini, Ornella; Ball, Peter D.
    Purpose: This paper reviews current literature and contributes a set of findings that capture the current state-of-the-art of the topic of green production. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review to capture, classify and summarize the main body of knowledge on green production and, translate this into a form that is readily accessible to researchers and practitioners in the more mainstream operations management community. Findings: The existing knowledge base is somewhat fragmented. This is a relatively unexplored topic within mainstream operations management research and one which could provide rich opportunities for further exploration. Originality/value: This paper sets out to review current literature, from a more conventional production operations perspective, and contributes a set of findings that capture the current state-of-the-art of this topic.
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    An exploration of policies and practices used to showcase production facilities
    (Professional Engineering Publishing, 2008-09-01T00:00:00Z) Baines, Tim S.; Ball, Peter D.; Cooper, S.; Dawson, P.; Wilkinson, S.; Woods, M.; Kay, John M.
    Manufacturers who seek innovative ways in which to differentiate their products and services should not overlook the value of showcasing their production facilities. By careful design, visitors can be exposed to a series of experiences that can help to emphasize the value built into products. This topic has, however, received almost no attention by manufacturing researchers. Therefore, this paper describes a study of six manufacturers and, from this, proposes a set of guidelines for showcasing production facilities. Although exploratory, this work provides both a guide to manufacturers and a platform for more in-depth research. The guidelines and the case studies on which they are based are all described within the paper.
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    Integrated strategic supply chain positioning for SMEs: an empirical study
    (Emerald, 2006) Lim, Roland Y. G.; Baines, Tim S.; Tjahjono, Benny; Chandraprakaikul, Watcharavee
    Purpose - This paper reports on an investigation into the selection and evaluation of a suitable strategic positioning methodology for SMEs in Singapore. Findings - This paper illustrates a leading integrated strategic positioning decision making process, which has been found to be potentially suitable for SMEs in Singapore, and the process is then applied and evaluated in 2 industrial case studies. Results in the form of strengths, weaknesses and opportunities are evaluated and discussed in detail, and further research to improve the process has been identified.
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    An Investigation of Production Workers’ Performance Variations and the Potential Impact of Attitudes
    (Springer Verlag, 2008-02) Fletcher, Sarah R.; Baines, Tim S.; Harrison, D. K.
    In most manufacturing systems the contribution of human labour remains a vital element that affects overall performance and output. Workers’ individual performance is known to be a product of personal attitudes towards work. However, in current system design processes, worker performance variability is assumed to be largely insignificant and the potential impact of worker attitudes is ignored. This paper describes a field study that investigated the extent to which workers’ production task cycle times vary and the degree to which such variations are associated with attitude differences. Results show that worker performance varies significantly, much more than is assumed by contemporary manufacturing system designers and that this appears to be due to production task characteristics. The findings of this research and their implications are discussed.
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    Modelling in the evaluation of a manufacturing strategy
    (Cranfield University, 1994-12) Baines, Tim S.; Kay, John M.; Hamblin, D. J.
    This thesis describes research that has developed the principles of a modelling tool for the analytical evaluation of a manufacturing strategy. The appropriate process of manufacturing strategy formulation is based on mental synthesis with formal planning processes supporting this role. Inherent to such processes is a stage where the effects of alternative strategies on the performance of a manufacturing system must be evaluated so that a choice of preferred strategy can be made. Invariably this evaluation is carried out by practitioners applying mechanisms of judgement, bargaining and analysis. Ibis thesis makes a significant and original contribution to the provision of analytical support for practitioners in this role. The research programme commences by defining the requirements of analytical strategy evaluation from the perspective of practitioners. A broad taxonomy of models has been used to identify a set of potentially suitable techniques for the strategy evaluation task. Then, where possible, unsuitable modelling techniques have been identified on the basis of evidence in the literature and discarded from this set. The remaining modelling techniques have been critically appraised by testing representative contemporary modelling tools in an industrially based experimentation programme. The results show that individual modelling techniques exhibit various limitations in the strategy evaluation role, though some combinations do appear to provide the necessary functionality. On the basis of this comprehensive and in-depth knowledge a modelling tool ' has been specifically designed for this task. Further experimental testing has then been conducted to verify the principles of this modelling tool. Ibis research has bridged the fields of manufacturing strategy formulation and manufacturing systems modelling and makes two contributions to knowledge. Firstly, a comprehensive and in-depth platform of knowledge has been established about modelling techniques in manufacturing strategy evaluation. Secondly, the principles of a tool that supports this role have been formed and verified.
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    The Practical Challenges of Servitized Manufacture
    (Cranfield University Press, 2009-04-01) Baines, Tim S.; Lightfoot, Howard; Rajkumar Roy; Essam Shehab
    Servitization is now widely recognised as the process of creating value by adding services to products. Since this term was first coined in the late 1980s it has been studied by a range of authors who have specifically sought to understand the methods and mechanisms of service-led competitive strategies for manufacturers. This paper reports on the experiences of a large company as they have moved towards servitized manufacture. This has been based on an extensive series of interviews with key personnel. The results of the study and implications for research are all reported.
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    A review of multi-factor capacity expansion models for manufacturing plants: Searching for a holistic decision aid.
    (Elsevier, 2007-04) Julka, Nirupam; Baines, Tim S.; Tjahjono, Benny; Lendermann, Peter; Vitanov, Val
    Investment in capacity expansion remains one of the most critical decisions for a manufacturing organisation with global production facilities. Multiple factors need to be considered making the decision process very complex. The purpose of this paper is to establish the state-of-the-art in multi-factor models for capacity expansion of manufacturing plants within a corporation. The research programme consisting of an extensive literature review and a structured assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the current research is presented. The study found that there is a wealth of mathematical multi-factor models for evaluating capacity expansion decisions however no single contribution captures all the different facets of the problem.
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    A review of research in manufacturing prognostics
    (2006-01-01T00:00:00Z) Goh, K. M.; Tjahjono, Benny; Baines, Tim S.; Subramaniam, S.
    With the fast changing global business landscape, manufacturing companies are facing increasing challenge to reduce cost of production, increase equipment utilization and provide innovative products in order to compete with countries with low labour cost and production cost. On of the methods is zero down time. Unfortunately, the current research and industrial solution does not provide user friendly development environment to create “Adaptive microprocessor size with supercomputer performance” solution to reduce downtime. Most of the solutions are PC based computer with off the shelf research software tools which is inadequate for the space constraint manufacturing environment in developed countries. On the other hand, to develop solution for various manufacturing domain will take too much time, there is lacking tools available for rapid or adaptive way of create the solution. Therefore, this research is to understand the needs, trends, gaps of manufacturing prognostics and defines the research potential related to rapid embedded system framework for prognost
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    The servitization of manufacturing: a systematic literature review of interdependent trends
    (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2013-12-01T00:00:00Z) Lightfoot, Howard; Baines, Tim S.; Smart, Palie
    Purpose: The servitization of manufacturing is a diverse and complex field of research interest. The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative and organising lens for viewing the various contributions to knowledge production from those research communities addressing servitization. To achieve this, we set out to address two principal questions, namely: (i) where are the knowledge stocks and flows amongst the research communities? and (ii) what generic research concerns are being addressed by these communities. Design/Methodology/Approach: Using an evidenced based approach, we have performed a systematic review of the research literature associated with the servitization of manufacturing. This investigation incorporates a descriptive and thematic analysis of 148 academic and scholarly papers from 103 different lead authors in 68 international peer-reviewed journals. Findings: Our work proposes support for the existence of distinct researcher communities namely; services marketing, service management, operations management, product-service systems and service science management and engineering, which are contributing to knowledge production of the servitization of manufacturing. The generic research concerns being addressed within these communities are associated with the concepts of product-service differentiation, competitive strategy, customer value, customer relationships and product-service configuration. Research limitations/implications: Our review is limited by the issues addressed in the literature by specific researcher communities and there is likely to be a wealth of literature addressing other relevant research (e.g. vertical integration, outsourcing). Therefore, immediate opportunities for future work are rooted in the limitations of our own work and in broadening our perspective of the servitization field. Originality/value: This research has further developed and articulated the identities of distinct researcher communities actively contributing to knowledge production in the servitization of manufacturing, and to what extent they are pursuing common research agendas. This study provides an improved descriptive and thematic awareness of this existing body of knowledge, allowing the field to progress in a more informed and multidisciplinary fashion.
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    State-of-the-art of 'Lean' in the aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul industry
    (Professional Engineering Publishing, 2011-11-30T00:00:00Z) Ayeni, P.; Baines, Tim S.; Lightfoot, Howard; Ball, Peter D.
    The increasing need for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) organizations to meet customers’ demands in quality and reduced lead times is key to its survival within the aviation industry. Furthermore, with the unpredictability in the global market and difficulties with forecasting characteristic of the MRO industry there is an increased need for the reevaluation of the operation models of organizations within this sector. However, severe economic turmoil and ever-increasing global competition introduce the opportunity for the adoption of a resilient, tried, and tested business operation model such as ‘Lean’. In order to understand this concept, its long-term viability, and its application within the aerospace MRO sector fully, this paper presents the state-of-the-art in terms of the adoption of Lean within the MRO industry by carrying out a systematic review of the literature. This paper establishes the common perception of Lean by the MRO industry and the measurable progress that has been made on the subject. Some issues and challenges are also highlighted including the misconceptions that arise from the direct transference of the perception of Lean from other industrial sectors into the aerospace MRO industry. The ‘enablers and inhibitors’ of Lean within the aviation industry are also discussed. This paper exposes the scarcity of the literature and the general lagging behind of the industry to the adoption of the Lean paradigm and thus highlights areas where further research is required.
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    Towards a theoretical framework for human performance modelling within manufacturing systems design
    (Elsevier, 2005-09) Baines, Tim S.; Asch, R.; Hadfield, Linda; Mason, J. P.; Fletcher, Sarah R.; Kay, John M.
    The performance of direct workers has a significant impact on the competitiveness of many manufacturing systems. Unfortunately, system designers are ill equipped to assess this impact during the design process. An opportunity exists to assist designers by expanding the capabilities of popular simulation modelling tools, and using them as a vehicle to better consider human factors during the process of system design manufacture. To support this requirement, this paper reports on an extensive review of literature that develops a theoretical framework, which summarizes the principal factors and relationships that such a modelling tool should incorporate.