Knowledge Transfer through Computer-based Systems in Manufacturing Networks: A Study on Albanian Plants

This study shows a general view about knowledge transfer between manufacturing plants in developing countries like Albania, which are part of multinational companies’ network (MCN). Part of this goal is the study of computer-based systems from conference calls and intranets to more advanced ones like data warehouses, management information systems (MIS) and executive information systems (EIS), as enablers of knowledge flow and absorptive capacity. The paper examines four case studies based on semi-structured interviews, where the data collected highlight a good coverage of computer-based systems in function of knowledge sharing. In half of the cases, this is done internally in the plant and not over the network of plants. We propose to upgrade where possible the systems used in a distributed way to have data and information connections across the network. In some cases, emerge barriers such as lack of time, lack of tolerance for errors, or the need for assistance. Conclusions show that staff training related to computer-based systems in the optics of knowledge enablers is important for the companies, while the incentives are not considered as a key factor for knowledge transfer. Received: 15 July 2021 / Accepted: 23 September 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

Manufacturing versus Corruption: Who Wins?

The objective of Manufacturing versus Corruption: Who Wins? is to use scientific methodologies and recommendations to motivate young people to participate in rendering the manufacturing ecosystem successful, by creating a socio-political stability amongst communities, counties, states, and nations in an unprecedented way. This book presents the reader with a practical approach and understanding of key scientific, industrial & managerial concepts that constitute a common policy narrative to be embraced, implemented, and executed across all governmental sectors. As a tool for policy makers, the authors demonstrate the need for a digital manufacturing economy grounded in complete transparency. With over 50 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing, Ramy Harik and Joseph Khoury are on a mission to bring together science, economics, technology, and policy making so all work in tandem for the greater good. Topics include digital manufacturing economies, manufacturing ring, importance of infrastructure and power for successful manufacturing, networks and internet, manufacturing policies, economic policies, education systems, water, importance of data in the manufacturing process, good manufacturing practices, and free-market manufacturing.

Beyond “Industry 4.0”

The “Industry 4.0” paradigm is present in the strategy of governments, employers' associations and trade union federations. Revisiting Piore and Sabel's classic study on flexible specialisation, we criticise the one-sidedness and narrowness inherent in the discourse of Industry 4.0, to which we counter empirical analyses on decentralised factory networks. Contrary to the prevailing stylised account, flexibility is facilitated by “B2B” platforms that link manufacturers and customers – a model that relies more on the versatility of decentralised manufacturing networks than on sophisticated production technology. The effects on labour are ambivalent, as they involve both potential for a small-scale, skilled-labour-intensive manufacturing paradigm, and dangers arising from competitive pressure for cost reduction. In sum, our aim is to offer theoretical and empirical evidence for understanding changes in digitised manufacturing and to highlight the approach of “B2B” networks and platforms in the debate on the transformation of manufacturing and industrial work.

Blockchain-Enabled Supply Chain Traceability in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chain: A Case Study of the Fiber Producer, Lenzing

Supply chain traceability is a dominant concern for many industries, regulators, and policymakers. In the textile and apparel industries, social, environmental, and sustainability issues are frequent causes for concern, highlighting the need for effective traceability solutions. Blockchain technology has characteristics that make it attractive for supply chain traceability applications. However, the literature lacks discussion of empirical cases. We discuss current blockchain applications in the textile and apparel industries and analyze an exemplar of a prominent blockchain traceability solution adopted by a world-leading fiber producer, the Lenzing group. In this study, we identify two related objectives for traceability-product authentication and supply chain sustainability. The case study analysis has stimulated a rich discussion about the different levels of traceability achievable across the supply chain, the digital identification of products, and the extension of blockchain solutions across the whole supply network. Significant technical and business challenges exist in extending traceability to the upstream raw material supply chain and to the dispersed garment manufacturing networks downstream. More broadly, the study highlights the need to (1) clarify the objectives of a traceability initiative, and (2) scope a traceability solution appropriately, both horizontally across the supply chain and vertically with respect to the granularity of the items traced.

Local and distributed manufacturing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Is crisis a window of opportunity for sustainable development in the Global South?

Shortages of critical items during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a widespread mobilisation of open, local and distributed manufacturing. In this paper, we examine the potential systemic impacts of these activities in the Global South, using the Multi-Level Perspective from literature on sustainability transitions. We conduct a longitudinal case study of a non-governmental organization that has been pioneering distributed manufacturing solutions in the Global South for almost a decade. We illustrate that the pandemic is a major landscape event that is having profound impacts on the existing socio-technical regime and niche levels. We show how niches mature over time, and that the pandemic has created an opportunity for niche replication and alignment. We present an initial analysis of factors that support and resist the path dependency of the existing regime. Thus, we speculate about the possibility to transition away from a development model predicated on the transfer of technology from the North to the South, to an endogenous model of sustainable development that is underpinned by local design and production in the South. Here we show that crisis creates a key window of opportunity for sustainable development in the Global South through the development of distributed manufacturing networks.