Conference papers

Multi-Citeria Framework for an Emergency Department in an Irish Hospital

Waleed Abo-Hamad et al. — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:46:32 PST

Health research is one of these priorities in every economy and through this research an emphasis will be put on translational research in the context of more sustainable and efficient healthcare system (translation of operations management practices to clinical applications). Healthcare systems in general and Emergency Departments in particular around the world are facing enormous challenges in meeting the increasingly conflicting objectives of providing wide accessibility and efficiency while delivering high quality and prompt services. The proposed framework integrates simulation modeling, balanced scorecard, and multi-criteria decision analysis aiming to provide a decision support system to emergency department managers. Simulation outputs are aggregated using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to provide marginal performance regarding the achievement of the defined strategic as well as tactical and operational objectives. Communicating the significance of investigated strategies has encouraged managers to implement the framework recommendations in the emergency department within the hospital partner.

Capacity Planning for Elderly Care in Ireland Using Simluation Modeling

Mohamed Ragab et al. — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:46:29 PST

Global population aging is creating an immense pressure on healthcare facilities making them unable to cope with the growing demand for elderly healthcare services. Current demand-supply gaps result in prolonged waiting times for patients and substantial cost burdens for healthcare systems due to delayed discharges. This paper describes a project aimed at presenting modeling and simulation to address elderly care pathways within the Irish healthcare sector. The management of frail patients admitted to acute hospitals and the introduction of the new intermediate care beds are alternative interventions that healthcare executives are interested in simulating to examine their impact on the performance of the elderly care system. The developed simulation model, along with the statistical analysis, have enabled the management to assess the current system under the critical financial and performance issues. It also highlights the decision variables that significantly improve the flow of elderly patients.

A Simulation-Based Decision Support System to Model Complex Demand Driven Heathcare Facilities

Amr Arisha et al. — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:46:20 PST

Simulating healthcare processes is a sophisticated endeavor. Treatment processes and patient arrival patterns differ significantly in their statistical attributes and implicate a high degree of variability. In addition, there are several types of interconnected processes of medical staff involved that accompany a patient’s journey through the healthcare facility. Replicating this behavior with process flow models in a discrete event simulation model is highly complex and therefore difficult to create while maintaining a high degree of precision. A framework is thus introduced which delivers an algorithm that allows to implement Multiple Participant Pathway Modeling (MPPM) under the consideration of Flexible Resource Allocation (FRA). This framework is applied on an Irish Emergency Department (ED), the outcome of which is presented here. Results show that scenarios can be investigated which impact several different process flows with a high precision. This provides a solid base for both the interpretation of results and decision making.

Implementation Challenges: Triggers for Interactions in Marketing Strategy Making

Sarah Browne et al. — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:45:58 PDT

The old and familiar tools of marketing strategy-making (MSM), which breed sameness and repetition, no longer apply in today’s dynamic market environment. Despite the need for new insights, we understand little of how MSM actually occurs in practice. Departing from the common focus- on the prescriptive tools and techniques of strategy– we apply a marketing-as-practice (M-as-P) lens to our exploration of how organisations engage in strategy making. We utilise an in-depth case study to explore problemistic search behaviour and individuals interactions in developing strategic marketing campaigns and uncover specific consultative and collaborative interactional practices.

The Sales Organisation: Influencer or Mere Implementer of Business Strategy? Investigating the Evolving Role of Sales Strategy And Processes in Attaining Overall Business Objectives And Goals In International Markets

Sarah Browne et al. — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:41:01 PDT

This research will attempt to empirically examine the evolving nature of the sales organisation from a mere tactical support function of marketing, to a strategic capability in its own right and one that perhaps has a salient role to play in attaining overall objectives and goals pertaining to the business level strategy for international markets. The foundations of this research stem from multiple strands of literature including, strategic marketing, strategic management, selling and sales management and business internationalisation. This proposal attempts to locate this early stage research within these important and growing strands of literature and address the under researched area of strategy in sales. It is proposed to take an ethnographic approach to this research. It is anticipated that the researcher will spend time as a participant observer on an executive sales programme aimed at growing international sales, keeping a reflective research diary recording observations and experiences in the field. In-depth interviews will also be conducted with sales practitioners and combined with initial field notes, will provide deep and rich data for analysis. Ultimately, this research aims to identify the necessary sales processes and activities that must be implemented for improved strategic performance in international markets which will assist in developing a best practice roadmap for exporting companies.

Reconceptualising Resources: A Critique of Service-Dominant Logic

Norah Campbell et al. — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:25:52 PDT

This paper examines the interactive relationship between intangible, human capabilities (operant resources) and tangible, physical assets (operand resources) in an era of global interconnectedness. It does so within the context of service-dominant logic and the challenge of sustainability in a world of resource scarcity. It challenges conventional ideas about the superiority of certain kinds of resources and it confronts a pervasive culture of demateriality both in marketing and contemporary post-industrial theory – the idea that ‘stuff’ does not count. Building on calls for a revised theory of economics and society, this paper offers a parsimonious model of a more holistic conceptualization of resources. It demonstrates the complex entanglement of operant and operand resources, finding that this entanglement is a precondition to marketing-related issues of natural resource selection, globalization, sustainability, and distributive justice.

Seaport Management Aspects and Perspectives: an Overview

Amr Arisha et al. — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:42:55 PDT

Ireland occupies the northern part of the western European coast which has a 70,000 Kilometres coasting along two oceans and four seas. These coasts are Europe’s lifeblood and represent the trade routes, climate regulator and source of food, energy and resources. Seaports and shipping are key maritime activities which allow European coast countries to benefit from the rapid growth of international trade. Therefore, port management became the centre of governments’ interest and the focal point of research to improve the efficiency. This research aims to summaries past publications of seaport systems to highlight challenges and reveal relevant research gaps. Having the objective to classify the literature, a comprehensive review of journal articles and the best practices in the field was conducted. A wide variety of management issues and opportunities to improve service delivery of port systems was discussed in a three main categories based on port authority objectives; strategic, economic and operational.

The Analysis of Rush Orders Risk in Supply Chain: a Simulation Approach

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:51:19 PDT

Satisfying customers by delivering demands at agreed time, with competitive prices, and in satisfactory quality level are crucial requirements for supply chain survival. Incident of risks in supply chain often causes sudden disruptions in the processes and consequently leads to customers losing their trust in a company’s competence. Rush orders are considered to be one of the main types of supply chain risks due to their negative impact on the overall performance. Using integrated definition modeling approaches (i.e. IDEF0 & IDEF3) and simulation modeling technique , a comprehensive integrated model has been developed to assess rush order risks and examine two risk mitigation strategies. Detailed functions sequence and objects flow were conceptually modeled to reflect on macro and micro levels of the studied supply chain. Discrete event simulation models were then developed to assess and investigate the mitigation strategies of rush order risks, the objective of this is to minimize order cycle time and cost.

Job Shop Scheduling Problem: an Overview

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:51:17 PDT

The Job-shop scheduling is one of the most important industrial activities, especially in manufacturing planning. The problem complexity has increased along with the increase in the complexity of operations and product-mix. To solve this problem, numerous approaches have been developed incorporating discrete event simulation methodology. The scope and the purpose of this paper is to present a survey which covers most of the solving techniques of Job Shop Scheduling (JSS) problem. A classification of these techniques has been proposed: Traditional Techniques and Advanced Techniques. The traditional techniques to solve JSS could not fully satisfy the global competition and rapidly changing in customer requirements. Simulation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have proven to be excellent strategic tool for scheduling problems in general and JSS in particular. The paper defined some AI techniques used by manufacturing systems. Finally, the future trends are proposed briefly.

Flow Shop Scheduling Problem: a Computational Study

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:51:15 PDT

A computational study has been developed to obtain optimal / near optimal solution for the flow shop scheduling problem with make-span minimization as the primary criterion and the minimization of either the mean completion time, total waiting time or total idle time as the secondary criterion. The objective is to determine a sequence of operations in which to process ‘n’ jobs on ‘m’ machines in same order (flow shop environment) where skipping is allowed. The Simulation approach for deterministic and stochastic flow shop scheduling has been developed. It reads and manipulates data for 500 jobs on 500 machines. Different factorial experiments present a comparative study on the performance of different dispatching rules, such as FCFS, SPT, LPT, SRPT and LRPT with respect to the objectives of minimizing makespan, mean flow time, waiting time of jobs, and idle time of machines.

The proposed model is evaluated and found to be relatively more effective in finding optimal/ near optimal solutions in many cases. The influence of the problem size in computational time for this model is discussed and recommendations for further research are presented.

On the Selection of Simulation Software for Manufacturing Application

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:51:13 PDT

The growing complexity of manufacturing along with the need for higher efficiency, greater flexibility, better product quality and lower cost urged the use of simulation in manufacturing systems. The number and variety of simulation software packages on the market increased as well. Consequently, the varieties of these packages led to some bewilderment on the part of potential users when faced the selection process. The present article addresses an overview of material addressed in journals, conferences, and textbooks on the selection of appropriate simulation software. It also suggests a classification of main criteria to be considered in evaluating simulation software packages. Moreover, a checklist of simulation software features with five levels of indication will be included. A proposed methodology has been employed in interpreting the checklist. Finally, future trends towards the provision of more effective selection tools will be discussed.

Evaluation of Scheduling Strategies on the Performance of a Flexible Manufacturing Cell:a Simulation Study

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:51:11 PDT

The current trend in semiconductor manufacturing is characterized by expanding product variety, decreasing lead times from order to delivery, exacting standards of quality, and competitive prices. One possible means of achieving this is in the form of increased flexibility. Providing flexibility is typically an expensive proposition so, industrial engineers aim to provide more economic approaches to enable flexible manufacturing cells and related equipment to operate appropriately in an efficient manner. It is essential to characterize these tools in detail before the production plans are finalized. Using state-of-the-art computer simulation, a generic model of photolithography tools has been developed. The model examines the impact of changing product volumes, buffer size, product sequence and product-mix on performance criteria, e.g. throughput time. The high investment cost of flexible manufacturing cells justifies the use of computer simulation support to maintain high system performance and reduce risk by predicting the system behavior under any feasible production schedule. Simulation results presented in a Taguchi experimental design framework offer a robust methodology to gain quick insights into the behavior of selected parameters within flexible manufacturing system environments. The developed model has been evaluated and found to be relatively more effective than simplified deterministic approaches when measured against actual production.

Thin-Film Simulation Model for Comparing Production Schedules in a Semiconductor Fabrication Facility

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:51:09 PDT

Analysis of advanced manufacturing systems in any manufacturing industry requires certain level of knowledge about the system. Flexible manufacturing cells, in particular, are commonly used in most wafer fabrication to provide the ability to change product without requiring the construction of new manufacturing plant. This level of flexibility comes at a significant capital cost and, in order to achieve the maximum potential of each cell, it is essential to characterize and establish the performance of these cells in detail before a new production plan is implemented. Using state-of-the-art computer simulation and a structured modelling methodology a generic model of flexible manufacturing cells has been developed and used to examine the impact of changing product volumes (ramps), product priority, and maintenance schedules on the toolset performance. The model has been developed and validated using actual production data and found to effectively duplicate the behaviour of the manufacturing installation. Various criteria, e.g. tool utilization & product cycle time, are used to evaluate the response of the cell to the demands made on it by different manufacturing plans. In this way, a plan that maximizes system performance and reduces risk may be achieved.

A Simulation Model to Characterize Photolithography Process of a Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:19:00 PDT

The pressures on semiconductor manufacturers due to cost considerations, rapid growth of process technology, quality constraints, feature size reduction, and increasingly complex devices are increasing requiring ever higher efficiency from the manufacturing facilities. The complexity of manufacturing high capacity semiconductor devices means that it is impossible to analyze the process control parameters and the production configurations using traditional analytical models. There is, therefore, an increasing need for effective models of each manufacturing process, characterising and analyzing the process in detail, allowing the effect of changes in the production environment on the process to be predicted. The photolithography process is one of the most complex processes in a semiconductor manufacturing environment. Using state-of-the-art computer simulation and a structured modelling methodology a generic model of photolithography flexible manufacturing cells has been developed and used to mimic actual performance of the tools. Comparison of the output from the model with data from the plant showed the quality of the model. This paper discusses the technique used to develop the simulation model to characterize the photolithography process tools. Details on the structured modelling approach taken to develop reusable simulation models have also been presented. Conclusions and recommendations to maximize the process performance and reduce risk have been included.

Applications of Simulation in Semiconductor Manufacturing Facilities

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:18:59 PDT

Semiconductor fabrication facilities face many challenges through the many phases of their life cycle including design, build, various production ramps, and many levels of production. Confronted with global competition and rapidly changing technology and customer requirements, there is an increasing demand for rapid solution techniques to improve efficiency in manufacturing. The complexities and forces of both market and the process combine to make the use of simulation crucial at many different planning and control levels. While not a panacea for sustainable performance, simulation provides an effective vehicle for defining the path from competitive concepts to real world solutions and gives an opportunity to experiment with, and assess the impact of, production plans, aiding the management and production teams’ decisions. Integrating simulation with common approaches; Operations Research (OR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve manufacturing problems is a new trend towards higher quality solutions. This paper presents an overview of how simulation can be employed to improve manufacturing performance and reduce costs

Simulation in Semiconductor Manufacturing Facilities

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:18:58 PDT

Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most complex industries in terms of technology and manufacturing procedure. The life cycle of a semiconductor facility (FAB) has many phases, in their life cycle including capacity planning, new products introduction, variation of products/technologies, and decline phase. The complexity of the manufacturing and the external forces from markets and technology growth make predicting the effects of changes in the manufacturing system problematic. Simulation, if used correctly, is a powerful hands-on tool which may be used to give a better insight of the effect of engineering/management decisions on the performance of the manufacturing system. While not a panacea for sustainable performance, simulation provides an effective vehicle for defining the path from competitive concepts to real world solutions and gives an opportunity to experiment with, and assess the impact of, production plans, aiding the management and production teams’ decisions.

This paper presents some examples of simulation applied to semiconductor manufacturing for performance improvement and costs reduction. Integrating Simulation with Operations Research (OR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), promises to significantly improve the ability to address complex problems for highly complex manufacturing facilities.

Evaluating the Impact of Production Scheduling on Tool Performance

Amr Arisha et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:18:56 PDT

Scheduling of a semiconductor manufacturing facility is one of the most complex tasks encountered. Confronted with a high technology product market, semiconductor manufacturing is increasingly more dynamic and competitive in the introduction of new products in shorter time intervals. Simulation provides an effective decision support tool in scheduling of semiconductor manufacturing. Simulation model was developed as a risk assessment tool for one of the implant process area. The model examines the impact of production schedule on tool performance by testing different production scenarios. Production ramping, local buffer capacity, product sequence and product mix seem to be influential factors of the toolset performances.

Enabling RFID Technology in Irish Hospitals

Khaled Ismail et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:18:55 PDT

Hospitals represent a significant part of healthcare systems and account for no less than 60% of the entire healthcare service in most of developed countries. Therefore, improving service in hospitals is an important element to the process of healthcare reform. Better use of resources, more consistent quality, and a higher service level are the keys to rationalise the huge expenditure in healthcare systems due to higher growth in demand. Even though massive spending has been directed towards hospital improvement in Ireland, services provided in Irish hospitals are ranked relatively low comparing to the other European countries. Growth of population, aging, European Union regulations, and demanding patients place more pressure on healthcare researchers to provide innovation solutions for Irish hospitals. In the last two decades, the use of technology had a significant impact on hospital performance in terms of responsiveness, quality, and management practices. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been successfully implemented in a number of hospital systems in many developed countries. It is an emerging technology for applications such as managing and tracking patients, equipment, and drugs. Integrating RFID technology into hospital systems allows a dramatic enhancement in hospital efficiency and effectiveness measures to happen. This paper gives a comprehensive review on the up-to-date applications of RFID technology in hospital systems. It includes a classification of RFID applications at different areas of hospitals. Inclusive analysis of the impact of RFID implementation on the overall performance of the hospitals is presented. As new technology, this paper looks into the challenges and problems facing the management in employing the technology. Recommendations on potential impact of using RFID in Irish hospitals are discussed.

Risk Assessment Model for Emergency Departments in Dublin Hospitals

Michael Thorwarth et al. — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:18:54 PDT

The internal dynamics of emergency departments (ED) in Irish hospitals represent complex non-linear stochastic systems with an environment of uncertainty, variability and limited resources. Planning and managing such systems pose overwhelming demands. To improve operations, patient service, resource planning, and real-time reaction to unexpected events, sophisticated tools to efficiently achieve these goals must be applied.

Advanced solution techniques (e.g. simulation and optimisation) have been successfully applied in manufacturing operations to improve the delivery, cost-effectiveness and service quality. Yet, random arrival of patients, limited resources and multitasking are challenges in EDs that add more complexity to this critical area. This study delivers a contribution to both theory and practice. By the elaboration of patient risks types, simulation is investigated for its compliance with risk management approaches that hence delivered modifications to the simulation modelling approach. This investigation and the modifications allows the conclusion that simulation is suited for risk management and that simulation models are applicable as risk assessment models for healthcare once the modifications are considered by the modeller.

Supply Chain Simulation: Experimentation without Pain

Amr Arisha et al. — Thu, 10 May 2012 08:00:26 PDT

Bridging the gap between theory and practice has always been a key issue for students and graduates. The magnitude and scope of subject areas that students at third level institutions have to learn in theory means that visualising them without any practical experience can be very difficult. Understanding the complexity of supply chain networks and how to manage them create a considerable level of difficulty for students and professionals. Theories and applications included in supply chain management subjects are the key to empathise the real challenges. Nevertheless, teaching these theories needs substantial efforts and new innovative approaches to deliver the concepts and assure successful transfer of the learning outcomes.

To complicate things more, the levels of uncertainty and risk within an entire supply chain are still not fully recognised or understood even by industry professionals. Research studies showed the need for more transparency and collaborative approaches to take place among supply chain partners in order to achieve more sustainable operations. Making sure students comprehend the scale of activities and stochastic nature of a supply chain before they carry on their industrial careers is therefore crucial.

Using computer simulation integrated with structured modelling techniques, a detailed, animated and generic supply chain simulation-based learning framework can be developed to incorporate many areas of learning undertaken by students in relation to the supply chain management. Experimenting on the simulation models allow the students to examine quantitatively the impact of changing critical factors (e.g. inventory level, demand, suppliers’ lead time) on the performance of supply chain. This paper demonstrates the impact of using interactive simulation technologies in teaching third level education with special reference to supply chain management and discusses the benefits of learning through such a level of immersion.