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- Liu, Yuanhua, 1971, et al.
(author)
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Considering the importance of user profiles in interface design
- 2009
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In: User Interfaces. ; , s. 23-
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- User profile is a popular term widely employed during product design processes by industrial companies. Such a profile is normally intended to represent real users of a product. The ultimate purpose of a user profile is actually to help designers to recognize or learn about the real user by presenting them with a description of a real user’s attributes, for instance; the user’s gender, age, educational level, attitude, technical needs and skill level. The aim of this chapter is to provide information on the current knowledge and research about user profile issues, as well as to emphasize the importance of considering these issues in interface design. In this chapter, we mainly focus on how users’ difference in expertise affects their performance or activity in various interaction contexts. Considering the complex interaction situations in practice, novice and expert users’ interactions with medical user interfaces of different technical complexity will be analyzed as examples: one focuses on novice and expert users’ difference when interacting with simple medical interfaces, and the other focuses on differences when interacting with complex medical interfaces. Four issues will be analyzed and discussed: (1) how novice and expert users differ in terms of performance during the interaction; (2) how novice and expert users differ in the perspective of cognitive mental models during the interaction; (3) how novice and expert users should be defined in practice; and (4) what are the main differences between novice and expert users’ implications for interface design. Besides describing the effect of users’ expertise difference during the interface design process, we will also pinpoint some potential problems for the research on interface design, as well as some future challenges that academic researchers and industrial engineers should face in practice.
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| 2. |
- Hilletofth, Per
(author)
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Demand-Supply Chain Management
- 2010
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Purpose: This research aims to enhance the current understanding and knowledge of the demand-supply chain management (DSCM) concept by determining its elements, benefits, and requirements, as well as by analyzing key elements of the concept. Methodology: This research has utilized the case study strategy and the survey strategy, however, the case study strategy dominates. The case study research has involved five companies originating from Sweden and the collection of empirical data mainly from in-depth interviews with key persons representing senior and middle management. The survey research targeted the largest firms in Sweden and Finland and empirical data was collected through an online questionnaire. Findings: This research has established that the main elements of DSCM include market orientation, coordination of the demand and supply processes, viewing the demand and supply processes as being equally important, as well as value creation, differentiation, innovativeness, responsiveness, and cost-efficiency in the demand and supply processes. It has also been revealed that the main benefits of DSCM include enhanced competiveness, enhanced demand chain performance, as well as enhanced supply chain performance, while the main requirements of DSCM include organizational competences, company established principles, demand-supply chain collaboration, and information technology support. A key element of DSCM further investigated is differentiation focused supply chain design. It has been shown that these efforts can be organized into a process of five stages. In addition, it is important that this process is addressed in parallel with the new product development (NPD) process, that information is exchanged between them, and that they are directed on the basis of the same segmentation model. Another key element of DSCM further investigated is coordination between NPD and SCM. This research has identified several significant linkages between these management directions, which motivate the use of an integrative NPD process where the NPD functions are aligned with the main supply functions in the company and other sales-related functions supporting the commercialization. A final key element of DSCM further investigated is the significance of regarding the demand processes and the supply processes as being equally important. This research has revealed that logistics outsourcing can be risky, if it results in the supply processes being considered less important. Nevertheless, if senior management regards the outsourced processes as equally important as the in-house processes, the effect of logistics outsourcing on company strategies and direction in SCM could be reduced and logistics outsourcing could instead provide an opportunity to improve the design and differentiation of the supply chain. Research limitations/implications: This research has proposed, described, and further analyzed a demand-supply oriented management approach. Such a management approach stresses that the demand processes and the supply processes have to be coordinated and directed at an overlying level, in order to gain and sustain a competitive advantage in competitive and fragmented markets. This research is mainly explorative in nature, and more empirical data, from similar and other research settings, is needed to further validate the findings. Another limitation of the research is that it is essentially limited to Swedish companies (even if some Finnish companies are involved in the survey), however, many of the case companies have a large international presence and are among the top three in their industries, facts which provide some grounds for generalization. Practical implications: This research provides researchers and practitioners with insights into how to develop a demand-supply oriented business. It shows that companies should organize themselves around understanding how customer value is created and delivered, as well as how these processes and management directions can be coordinated. In order for this to occur, the demand and supply processes must be considered as being equally important and the firm needs to be managed jointly and in a coordinated manner by the demand- and supply-side of the company. It is also important that value creation is considered in both the demand and supply processes. Originality/value: Despite strong arguments from both researchers and practitioners for a demand-supply oriented management approach only a minority of companies appear to have effectively coordinated the demand and supply processes. This might be influenced by the lack of research examining how the demand and supply processes can be coordinated, what benefits can be gained by coordinating them, and what requirements are necessary to succeed. This research contributes by investigating these types of aspects further.
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| 5. |
- De Goey, Heleen, et al.
(author)
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Design-driven innovation : Making meaning for whom
- 2017
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In: The Design Journal. - : European Academy of Design. - 1460-6925 .- 1756-3062. ; 20:S1, s. S479-S491
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Design-driven innovation focuses on the innovation of product meanings. This innovation is enabled by integrating knowledge on needs, product language and technological development. So far, it has mostly been studied in contexts where the buyer is the assumed end user. There has been little research about design-driven innovation in other contexts, such as business-to-business and public contexts. Here, companies need to create value for multiple stakeholders. In this study, these are defined as users, buyers and influencers. The aim of this study is to explore how companies consider the different stakeholders in the innovation of product meanings. Two companies participated in a case study. The results demonstrate that both companies mainly focus on addressing needs. However, while one case company prioritizes the perspective from the user, the other focuses more on the buyer. The results illustrate the increased complexity that companies need to manage in design-driven innovation in these contexts.
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| 6. |
- Okda, Sherif, et al.
(author)
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Testing of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of an Inflatable Airfoil Section
- 2020
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In: Journal of Aerospace Engineering. - 1943-5525 .- 0893-1321. ; 33:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inflatable structures are characterized by being light and easy to manufacture and deploy. Hence, they find many applications in aerospace and aeronautical engineering. In this paper, an inflatable segment with a The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) 0021 airfoil cross-section is designed, fabricated, and tested. The geometrical accuracy of the manufactured inflatable segment is measured using laser scanning. Measurements show that the average normalized error of the chord length and thickness are 2.97% and 0.554%, respectively. The aerodynamic behavior of the inflatable segment is then tested in a wind tunnel at different wind speeds and angles of attack. Lift forces are measured using a six-component balance, while the drag forces are calculated from the wake measurements. The lift and drag coefficients of the inflatable section are compared to those of a standard NACA 0021 airfoil. Finally, flow visualization is examined at different angles of attack using two methods: smoke and tufts. Both methods show that flow separation starts at 15° and full stall occurs at 25°. Results indicate that inflatables can find more applications in the design and construction of aerodynamic structures, such as wings.
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| 7. |
- Bolmsjö, Gunnar, et al.
(author)
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Safety System for Industrial Robots to Support Collaboration
- 2016
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In: Advances in Ergonomics of Manufacturing. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 9783319416960 - 9783319416977 ; , s. 253-265
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The ongoing trend towards manufacturing of customized products generates an increased demand on highly efficient work methods to manage product variants through flexible automation. Adopting robots for automation is not always feasible in low batch production. However, the combination of humans together with robots performing tasks in collaboration provides a complementary mix of skill and creativity of humans, and precision and strength of robots which support flexible production in small series down to one-off production. Through this, collaboration can be used with implications on reconfiguration and production. In this paper, the focus and study is on designing safety for efficient collaboration operator—robot in selected work task scenarios. The recently published ISO/TS 15066:2016 describing collaboration between operator and robot is in this context an important document for development and implementation of robotic systems designed for collaboration between operator and robot.
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| 8. |
- Forsberg, Lena, et al.
(author)
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Gender and entrepreneurship in the horse-related industry
- 2013
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In: Journal of Business Diversity. - 2158-3889. ; 12:2, s. 75-93
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper, we examine the horse-related industry in terms of entrepreneurship and gender. Based on reports of the industry, a mapping of the entire sector (N= 7504) and a questionnaire (N=520) we find that the industry is portrayed as female gendered, but dominated by men. However, we also find evidence that the industry is changing gender, as women dominate among younger entrepreneurs. The strongest motives for the horse-related entrepreneurs (regardless of gender) are realizing a dream and being able to combine interest with work. We also found that entrepreneurs in this industry mainly network inside the industry.
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| 9. |
- Eriksson, Sören, 1953-
(author)
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China's aircraft industry: collaboration and technology transfer - the case of Airbus
- 2010
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In: International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation (IJTTC). - : Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. - 1470-6075 .- 1741-5284. ; 9:4, s. 306-325
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- China has moved a long way in economic and industrial development during the last decades and has developed into a global player in many industries. With increased knowledge in high-technology industries, China has ambitions to move into sectors that necessitate a high level of research and development, such as the aerospace industry. China is now in the process of establishing a modern aircraft industry based on domestic efforts as well as agreements with foreign partners in the manufacturing of complete aircraft. This paper analyzes what measures have been taken by Airbus in the form of technology transfer and other supportive measures to strengthen its position in the Chinese market. The findings conclude that Airbus’ transfer should be looked upon as a broad spectrum of technology and knowledge transfer, which include aircraft manufacturing technology, as well as cabin crew training centre, establishment of a warehouse and suppliers ”village”, an engineering centre, maintenance and various service functions.
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