Performance evaluation of after-sales service partners in the power tools industry

After-sales service (ASS) is a product support activity provided to customers; after-sales service that focuses on quality can create a sustainable competitive advantage. This study aims to the ASS performance, analyze the causes of performance constraints that occur in ASS and recommendations for improving the performance of ASS conceptually. Service partner performance achievement can be assessed from four categories, i.e. very good, good, bad, and poor, based on the actual level of performance compared to performance targets. The sample of this research is 12 ASS partners in the electrical equipment industry in West Java and Jakarta. Factors causing failure were analyzed descriptively using the fault tree analysis (FTA) method, which involved experts in focus group discussions (FGD). Based on the evaluation, 25% of partners were rated good, 50% poor, and 25% very poor. Partner performance achievement is carried out on 22 performance indicators, of which 20 performance indicators have not achieved a good rating. These indicators relate to brand issues, warranty, training, parts control and stock management, pricing, and service systems, including service centers and service facilities. The proposed concept that becomes a recommendation for improving the performance of power tools ASS is improving the operating system and the selection of partners in the service center and service dealer categories with industrial customer segmentation.

Video conferencing as a face-to-face online meeting app: user preference based on usability testing

The global pandemic of Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) that hit Indonesia since March 2020 has changed the face-to-face system from offline to online. Video Conference (VC) becomes an alternative choice for delivering material, both learning and working. VC is a technology that allows users to hold face-to-face meetings at their respective places simultaneously. Various VC apps are becoming increasingly popular these days, such as Google Meet, Zoom, Youtube, Webex, Skype, GoTo Meeting, and Big Blue Button (BBB). This study is intended to provide a usability test of VC applications (such as Zoom, Google Meet, and BBB) and provide recommendations for VC as an online conference media based on user preferences. The usability measurement technique used is the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the USE questionnaire. The results of this study show that Zoom has the highest usability value compared to Google Meet and BBB, Google Meet is ranked second and BBB is ranked third.

An integrated AHP-TOPSIS framework for determination of leading industrial sectors

This study aims to determine the leading industry in Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatera, Indonesia, based on data from the Central Statistics Agency and expert opinion on the Regency Industrial Development Plan. This research combines qualitative and quantitative techniques. This study uses four experts' opinions consisting of three governments and one academician. The criteria and sub-criteria are determined based on the locally adapted National Industrial Development Master Plan. The method used in this study is a combination of the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method, which integrates the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to calculate the weights and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to determine the order of priority. The top five leading processing industries were selected: the food industry, the leather/footwear industry, the chemical industry, the apparel industry, and other processing industries.

A mobile application for assessing the product success on crowdfunding campaign: the development and usability testing

Crowdfunding is one of the alternative sources of finance for product-based startups. Products are funded if the campaign is considered to be successful in reaching the target. The assessment of the success rate of product campaigns develops into three successive levels, namely overfunding, successful and unsuccessful. Due to the complication of setting up a product campaign on an online crowdfunding platform, a mobile application to aid campaigners needs to be developed. Moreover, it is essential to evaluate its ease to use. This study aims to (1) develop an android-based application, (2) evaluate the usability of the application based on user perceptions. The application ('POSCA') was developed by emphasizing user experience (UX), while the Use Questionnaire evaluated its usability. Ten participants were invited to evaluate the system usability and interface. The results suggest that 'POSCA' has good scores of usability: ‘efficiency’ = 49.11% in the fifth trial, ‘very-easy-to-learn’ (95%), ‘useful’ (85%), ‘easy-to-use’ (87%), and ‘satisfy-the-users’ (88%).

Application of lean manufacturing technology in a milk manufacturing company

This work presents the application of lean management principle in the area of waste elimination in a powder milk plant of a production company. The existing manufacturing procedure for the company’s plant was evaluated, and a lean manufacturing technique was developed for the plant. To achieve this, a time series analysis was carried out on the econometric data obtained, and a future forecast predicting losses and usage was predicted based on the practised manufacturing procedures. The econo­metric linear transfer function technique applied to the actual usage and actual loss data obtained filtered the waste in the production process and generated forecast values for actual loss and usage. This revealed that there had been poor manufacturing practices in the factory. The findings from this research can be used as a guide to managers on wastage control in a production system.

Application of lean six sigma methodology to improve the weight inconsistency problem of coffee powder packaging

This paper presents a continuous improvement (CI) project based on the application of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology. This project was carried out at coffee manufacturing industry located in northern area of Malaysia. The focus of this presented CI project is to improve the weight inconsistency problem of coffee powder packaging. The presented CI project was mainly guided with Six Sigma methodology of Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC) steps, and related Lean tools applications. The step of Define summaries the overall view of CI project. In the step of Measure, current level of sigma based on defect per million of opportunities (DPMO) calculation was determined. Initially, 6% of rejected products were recorded, which it presents the sigma level at 3.1. In the step of Analyze, a series of team-based activities towards root cause identification was carried out. It included the applications of cause effect (CE) analysis and possible causes prioritization and close observations on packaging process. In the step of Improve, the related Lean tool was proposed to improve the problem under study. In the final step of Control, related supportive actions were suggested to sustain the effectiveness of the proposed solution. There are fourteen possible causes are initially identified in CE analysis and based on team’s evaluation process of possible causes prioritization four causes are collectively to be the most possible of root cause(s). Three close observation sessions were carried out to finalize the most possible root cause of the problem. Result strongly suggested that the high variation of coffee powder’s size and inconsistency is the root cause. An improvement strategy based on Lean Manufacturing approach called ‘poka yoke’ is proposed. The proposed improvement strategy was then validated based on real packaging process scenario. Result shows that the proposed improvement strategy is significantly effective to solve the problem with 0% of reject product was recorded so far, where it is not only produced the product within the acceptable weight of 215 and 208 grams, but also presents the reduction of weight fluctuation that close to ideal weight of 208 grams.

Implementation of lean tools and techniques in an ethical papers production industry

Lean manufacturing (LM) is established as a best practice to improve the performance of manufacturing industries. Not all the manufacturing industries realize the benefits of LM practices specifically continuous process industries. The present research work is intended to study the advantages of implementing LM practices in an ethical paper industry which is a continuous production industry. Presently, the industry suffers with the problems such as lack of productivity, raw material wastes, underutilized resources, and lack of standard practices in the production. Gemba technique is adapted to record the information related to the present manufacturing environment. Based on the current state analysis, the feasible lean tools are selected and implemented such as 5S, Kaizen, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). The improvements have been noted as reduced tool change over time, reduced material wastes, effective utilization of resources and provide safety guidelines to workers and operations. The implications of these improvements increased the productivity also.

Readiness factor identification Bandung city MSMEs use blockchain technology

MSMEs in Indonesia are expected to be able to face competition in the era of industrial revolution 4.0. However, there are many problems and obstacles in competitiveness, especially facing global competition, including access to capital, access to information and technology, access to organization and management, and access to business networks and partnerships. Besides, it is often difficult for them to get additional capital through banks or other lenders to increase their business scale. Moreover, a lack of financial and digital literacy causes the low validity of MSMEs' data to lenders. The adoption of blockchain technology is one of the considerations to minimize these MSMEs problems. Meanwhile, this technology is still relatively new to be applied to MSMEs but positively impacts the future. This study aims to measure and analyze MSMEs' readiness in using blockchain technology on a business scale with the TRAM model. This model integrates the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) models. This study aims to test several variables, including TRI, perceive ease of use, perceive ease of usefulness, attitude toward, and intense use of blockchain technology. Data processing uses the partial least square path modelling (PLS-PM) method. The results showed that TRI was significant on perceived ease of usefulness and perceived ease of usefulness. Then, perceive ease of use is significant towards perceive ease of usefulness and intention to use. Besides, perceive ease of usefulness is significant for attitude. The attitude toward variable is significant for the intention to use in the acceptance of blockchain technology.

Performance measurement system using performance prism approach in batik company: a case study

XYZ company is one of the small-medium enterprises (SME) engaged in the batik industry with the main focus on making muslim clothes made from printed batik and batik. The company cannot evaluate the cause of the turnover decrease because no performance measurement has been applied. Therefore, a company performance measurement is carried out using the performance prism approach because a company performance appraisal is needed stakeholder contributions using the performance prism approach. Stakeholders of this company are consumers, employees, community, capital owners, and suppliers. Supporting the performance prism frame­work, the AHP method was used to determine the weighting and hierarchical structure and then carried out a scoring system with the help of OMAX to determine the company's actual score. This design shows that corporate stakeholders, including owners, consumers, employees, suppliers, and the surrounding community, obtained as many as 34 KPIs. From the implementation of the performance measurement system with OMAX scoring obtained the value of company performance based on satisfaction aspects (6.489), contri­bution aspect (6.582), and capability aspect (5.646). Recommen­dations are also given to improve it.

Calculation of mental load from e-learning student with NASA TLX and SOFI method

The learning process between students and lecturers usually occurs face-to-face in class. Technological developments and a continuous pandemic change the learning process to be a face-to-face e-learning process. The mental load during face-to-face learning is very different from learning in e-learning. This study was built using ergonomic thinking that is integrated with the use of e-learning. Cognitive ergonomics see from the point of view of students' comfort in cognitive thinking processes when doing e-learning. Data processing and testing will use a questionnaire derived from the NASA-TLX method. The results obtained from this study are the mental load calculations of each NASA TLX calculation. NASA TLX calculations show that efforts with a value of 267.29 dominate students. It could indicate that in e-learning lectures, students need more effort in conducting lectures. In addition, students experience fatigue while participating in online learning. It can be seen from the average SOFI measurement, which is only 1.26.