This paper presents the results of empirical research conducted during March to September 2009. The study focused on the influence of virtual research and development (R&D) teams within Malaysian manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The specific objective of the study is...

This paper presents the results of empirical research conducted during March to September 2009. The study focused on the influence of virtual research and development (R&D) teams within Malaysian manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The specific objective of the study is...

Use of common parts for different products (commonality) is important methods for managing product variety and preserving competitiveness in the age of mass customization and supply chain competition. In literature, the advantages of inclusion of common components in a product family are well...

Purpose – The main purposes of this paper are to enhance the understanding of commonality models in manufacturing resource planning by documenting the current state of affairs and to stimulate fruitful future research by identifying gaps between the relevant issues and the available academic...

The main objectives of this paper are to (i) study the commonality indices in manufacturing resource planning reported in literatures since 1980 and (ii) some useful insights including advantages and disadvantages of using commonality in manufacturing/production environment. It is observed that...

The important part of managing uncertainty is identifying as many sources and factors of uncertainty as possible. The main purposes of this paper are to enhance the understanding of uncertainty – its sources, factors and effects on the system by documenting the current state of affairs. This...

The main objective of this study is to compare the productivity measures typically used in manufacturing plants with the currently available theories of productivity measures. The study focuses upon the shortcomings of current measures and scope of improvement. It aims to determine the...

A reliable, affordable and secure supply of energy is important for economic development. This has been true for the past and present and will remain valid for the future. However, over time, changes have taken and will take place with regard to energy use, both with regard to the amount as well...

The main purposes of this paper are to enhance the understanding of manufacturing resources planning models under uncertain conditions by documenting the current state of affairs, and to stimulate a fruitful future research direction by identifying gaps between the relevant issues and the...