Andrew Thomas

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor at Swansea University

This article explores the relationship between local authorities (mainly municipal organisations) and a central purchasing body (CPB). It critiques, from an agency theory perspective, the difficulties in aligning socio-economic goals of multiple municipal organisations with the pursuit of procurement goals by the CPB. The aim of this study is to ex...

Transdisciplinary engineering is the exchange of knowledge about product, process, organization, or social environment in the context of innovation. The ATDE book series aims to explore the evolution of engineering, and promote transdisciplinary practices, in which the exchange of different types of knowledge from a diverse range of disciplines is...

With each phase of industrial revolution, the interaction between humans and technology have evolved and context of work has changed, calling for new approaches to leadership. The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) calls for responsive and digital leaders who can navigate through complex adaptive systems where direction, decision and innov...

Companies are operating in an era where Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) is commonplace in manufacturing companies. To manage effectively in this environment, manufacturing supply chains need to adopt resilient strategies. Organisations continue to adopt various technologies in order to manage the VUC environment and Marine...

Research into formal and informal technology transfer between universities and industry in economical developed counties is well-documented. However, such studies are limited in developing economies. In the context of developing economies, this study analyses technology transfer offices' role in university technology transfer to Ghanaian firms. Inf...

Research into formal and informal technology transfer between universities and industry in economical developed counties is well-documented. However, such studies are limited in number in developing economies. In the context of developing economies, this study analyses technology transfer offices’ role in university technology transfer to Ghanaian...

China’s cotton textile industry is undergoing a critical period of digital transformation and upgrading to cope with pressure and challenges such as rising labour costs and large fluctuations in raw material prices. Developing a cost-based competitive advantage while ensuring a high-quality product is a critical problem in intelligent manufacturing...

As a result of the emerging energy crisis and the requirement for countries to utilize more energy derived from renewable sources, demand for renewable energy technologies is likely to rise. Therefore, it is critical that production of such technologies is ramped up in order to meet this demand. However, evidence suggests that engineering and manuf...

Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and Smart Systems (SSs) have become an important focus for industry, especially in the manufacturing and retail sectors. The aim of this paper is to analyse the importance of SSs and their related technologies in improving business performance. Through an initial systematic review...

Local food emphasises destination distinctiveness as food production is a locally embedded activity. Proponents of food tourism contend that it increases local food consumption as tourists and tourism and hospitality businesses are attracted to local food supply chains, where they can buy direct from the producer, thus reducing overheads, contribut...

The adoption of Smart Manufacturing Systems in manufacturing companies is often seen as a strategy towards achieving improvements in productivity. However, there is little evidence to indicate that UK manufacturing SMEs are prepared for the implementation of such systems. Through the employment of a triangulation research approach involving the det...

The UK food industry faces significant challenges to remain sustainable. With major challenges, such as Brexit, on the horizon, companies can no longer rely on a low labour cost workforce to maintain low production costs and achieve economic sustainability. Smart Systems (SS) is being seen as an approach towards achieving significant improvements i...

The UK food industry faces significant challenges to remain sustainable. With major challenges such as Brexit on the horizon, companies can no longer rely on a low labour cost workforce to maintain low production costs and achieve economic sustainability. Smart Systems (SS) is being seen as an approach towards achieving significant improvements in...

The UK food industry faces significant challenges to remain sustainable. With major challenges such as Brexit on the horizon, companies can no longer rely on a low labour cost workforce to maintain low production costs and achieve economic sustainability. Smart Systems (SS) is being seen as an approach towards achieving significant improvements in...

This paper investigates the exploring of situated knowledge within manufacturing organisations, with employees from a four-tier supply chain utilising a form of Group Consensus Theory (GCT). The implementation of GCT through focus groups as well as individual interviews with participants and observation of group dynamics allowed the authors to char...

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has rapidly established itself as the key business process improvement strategy of choice for many companies. The LSS approach provides significant benefits to companies through its dual focus on reducing waste and increasing value whilst resolving Critical to Quality (CTQ) issues that affect consistency and repeatability in a...

Value has assumed a new importance in Higher Education (HE) in recent times particularly given the current notion that students are customers. In order to provide value for our customers, it is necessary to understand the differences in stakeholders’ conceptions of value in HE. Stakeholder analysis identifies five main groups of stakeholders: strat...

Evidence that a company’s innovation performance, Knowledge Management capability, and its corporate and operational performance are inextricably linked has been the focus of numerous academic studies over recent years. Whilst a significant body of research exists focusing on learning at company level, little research exists on how supply chains le...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose the development and adoption of a Lean Six Sigma Framework (LSSF) that attempts to create a more balanced and integrated approach between Lean and Six Sigma and one that is capable of achieving improved efficacy of curriculum and programme development in a higher education environment. The implementat...

By far the biggest proportion of supply chain theory is bound up within North American and European business settings; hence, its generalizability to culturally diverse global supply chains are investigated. This exploratory research utilizes the anthropological approach of observing supply chain manager behaviour in five distinct natural settings...

This paper discusses individuals' conceptions of the nature of value. Value is an important facet in contemporary management paradigms and an integral part of business and education. Yet research over many years has failed to discover an essence or necessary condition of value. Consequently, the nature of value remains unclear. Recent research sugg...

The academic advising is a crucial process for a student's career path. The manual process is challenging since the student are advised to register specific courses that might affect his career path taking into consideration regulations imposed by school and knowledge and expertise of advisor. Therefore, there are several limitations in the manual...

The academic advising is a crucial process for a student's career path. The manual process is challenging since the student are advised to register specific courses that might affect his career path taking into consideration regulations imposed by school and knowledge and expertise of advisor. Therefore, there are several limitations in the manual...

Purpose This research investigates employee and guest satisfaction, guests’ perceptions of value and their intention to return. Considered are hotel workers’ job satisfaction, how job satisfaction impacts guests’ satisfaction with the service experience and with the physical attributes of the hotel and how these variables affect perceived value and...

Purpose - The purpose of this article is to consider value as individual and experiential, based on the relationships between conceptions of value, rather than attempting to identify a common factor. We use the term ‘family’ to represent the relationships between conceptions of value, and provide a philosophical basis that underpins this. We also p...

This paper discusses actors' conceptions of the nature of value. Value is an important facet in contemporary management paradigms and an integral part of business and education. Yet research over many years has failed to discover an essence or necessary condition of value. Consequently, the nature of value remains unclear. Recent research suggests...

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has established itself as one of the key business process improvement strategies available to companies today. With roots based in the single strategies of Lean and Six Sigma, LSS offers a dual strategy towards systematically reducing waste and increasing value whilst resolving Critical to Quality (CTQ) issues that affect consi...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate and understand the differences that exist between educational institutions in the methods and practices employed in the development and implementation of Lean projects. Whilst many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are now starting their journey towards effectively implementing Lean, Further...

This empirical paper details a 12-month applied research project at a UK low-volume manufacturer of large vehicles. The industry problem from which this study originates was a concern over the subjective nature with which the firms existing lean intervention projects were being targeted (prioritised and selected). A structured literature review on...

Entrepreneurship is a relatively new research field and as a consequence, there is little or no research on designated research methods for this field. Within this context, Women Entrepreneurship as a new branch of Entrepreneurship is in greater need of a comprehensive review of strategies, methods and techniques used in this sub-field. In parallel...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the application of a Six Sigma (SS) methodology as a means of reducing supply chain risk in aerospace maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) functions. In this contribution the LSS method is used to estimate the economic impact on the selection of the most appropriate maintenance strategy pertaining...

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify the tools, methods and models that UK manufacturing companies adopt and apply in order to achieve resiliency and economic sustainability. The results of this work can assist in developing the foundations for defining a new joint resiliency/ sustainability paradigm to assist industry. Design/methodo...

We investigate the current conception of ‘value’ within the production-oriented disciplines of purchasing and supply, logistics and operations management. The research design entails a four-step content analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles drawn from these disciplines. Based upon the application of this method, we found that the conception of...

Over recent years, UK manufacturing industry has experienced turbulence in its business performance. Lower cost products, and responsive and flexible processes, are now essential in order for a company to capture new markets and to become economically resilient. Business resiliency is a term used frequently to describe a company’s ability to adapt...

This is the Final Report of a study conducted on open innovation in companies in Wales. The programme of research included a review of global literature, interviews with 15 companies, a survey and a focus group. The study discusses Government support measures for open innovation. Those most favoured by companies are:  Financial support for collab...

This is the Final Report of a study conducted on open innovation in companies in Wales. The programme of research included a review of global literature, interviews with 15 companies, a survey and a focus group. The study discusses Government support measures for open innovation. Those most favoured by companies are: Financial support for collabora...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the migratory nature of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation and adoption in manufacturing-based SMEs in the UK. The companies were surveyed at two points over a five-year period. These periods were before and after the 2008 recession point. This being done in order to identify the level of LSS a...

Purpose – Using the numerical situation analysis (NSA) technique in the development of corporate strategy provides senior managers with a suitable methodology for the creation of alternative strategic options. Subsequently, it may be used to evaluate those options for possible selection and implementation by the company concerned. In addition, the...

Purpose: This paper investigates the selection, design and implementation of a Drum-Buffer-Rope (DBR) type of production pull-system in a panel fabrication plant characterised by extensive shared, batch resource resources within a low volume UK manufacturer of large vehicles. This was the second of a series of two related research projects conducte...

The movement of raw material, work-parts and bought-out components is an essential aspect of modern-day global manufacturing systems. It is also an expensive, non-value adding and pollution-generating activity with many undesirable consequences. These manifest themselves not only in terms of the immediate cost of transportation between suppliers, m...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to re‐examine the solution methodology to the facility grouping problem in group technology originally outlined by Mukhopadhyay et al. The aim of this re‐examination is to attempt to resolve some of the problems associated with the original solution methodology and to provide the system designer with an improved...

This paper provides details of a survey conducted into 260 manufacturing SMEs operating in a range of industrial sectors. The survey is a follow-up to a survey performed 3-years earlier on the same companies and it is targeted in this case on investigating the migratory characteristics of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) implementation in ma...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the qualitative characteristics that can make manufacturing small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) more robust and hence become economically sustainable in this globally competitive environment. The characteristics identified will form the foundations for defining a new manufacturing management per...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to recognise the key manufacturing challenges currently facing UK manufacturing industry and to further identify the Key Developmental Areas (KDAs) (which includes technologies, systems and paradigms) which need to be developed and employed in order to ensure manufacturing firms in the UK become economically sus...

Purpose – With the current global downturn, companies must develop new and innovative approaches to ensure that economic sustainability is achieved. The purpose of this paper is to propose a Fit Manufacturing Framework (FMF), the adoption of which can help manufacturing companies to become economically sustainable and operate effectively in a globa...

Purpose Using the weighted similarity coefficient (WSC) technique in the design of manufacturing facilities provides the system designer with a suitable method for the creation of efficient manufacturing cells. The formation of such well designed machine cells will then hopefully ensure that the achievable cost reduction benefits, in terms of lower...

In today's business environment where the selling price of a product is often dictated by the competitive forces which exist in the marketplace, a well structured 'cost/waste minimisation programme' should enable a company to maintain its long term competitive advantage. In this paper, a 'Last order Costing' methodology has been developed which add...

Purpose This paper seeks to propose the use of and analyses the effectiveness of a supply chain auditing methodology called Quick Scan (QS) as a precursor to the implementation of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) projects in small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to identify how effective the use of such an approach wil...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a bearing replacement strategy which employs the Monte Carlo simulation method. In this contribution the method is used to estimate the economic impact on the selection of a particular bearing change strategy. The simulation demonstrates that it is possible to identify the most cost‐effective approach...

This paper proposes the application of the Monte Carlo simulation method towards developing an effective Asset Management system within an Aerospace Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility. In this contribution the method is used to estimate the economic impact on the selection of a particular Asset Management strategy which involves the MRO funct...

The near collapse of the global economy in 2008/2009 and the resultant losses in manufacturing jobs and capacities have unleashed a new wave of challenges and opportunities and created the need to re-think manufacturing strategies. In these turbulent times, manufacturing companies must look beyond improving manufacturing processes as a panacea to r...

This article presents the essence of the Innovative Production Machines and Systems (I*PROMS) Network of Excellence. It gives the rationale for networks of excellence, outlines the scope and structure of I*PROMS, and summarizes its program of activities.

Freezing is a very well established food preservation process that produces high-quality nutritious foods that offer the advantage of a long storage life. However, freezing is not suitable for all foods, and freezing does cause physical and chemical changes in many foods that are perceived as reducing the quality of the thawed material. Many innova...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the appropriateness of using the 12 previously published material flow simplicity rules (SRs) to shape the successful design and implementation of improvements in a casting company product delivery process (PDP). Design/methodology/approach The business process improvement (BPI) project described in t...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss research gaps and the potential applications of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in an internal benchmarking process used to identify improvement areas when firms attempt to adopt green initiatives with a supply chain perspective. Design/methodology/approach – By means of a detailed literature revie...

With the current global downturn, companies must develop innovative approaches to ensure that economic sustainability is achieved. This paper proposes a Fit Manufacturing Model (FMM) to help manufacturing companies to become economically sustainable and to operate effectively in a global competitive market. The FMM combines the principles of existi...

In the face of increasing competition from low-cost economies, European manufacturing companies are focusing on optimisation of operational activities to remain competitive. Previous work has identified how companies can optimise implementation of specialist technology to improve production capability; however increasing demands in service requirem...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the rationale for establishing a quality management system (QMS) by obtaining ISO 9001:2000 certification in a not for profit small to medium enterprise (SME) in the UK. The rationale for choosing this approach over others to achieve operational stability and ongoing improvement is explored and an e...

This note examines and compares a methodology devised by Mukhopadhyay et al. 2000 (Mukhopadhyay, S.K., Ramesh Babu, K. and Vijai Sai, K.V., Modified Hamiltonian chain: a graph theoretic approach to group technology. Int. J. Prod. Res., 2000, 38, 2459–2470) and offers possible solution approaches to a potential problem identified by the authors.

Purpose – The aim of the study is to contribute to a better understanding of activity-based costing (ABC) implementation systems in the context of a developing country such as Jordan. The main objectives of the study were to determine the extent of ABC implementation within the Jordanian industrial sector and identify the factors that facilitate an...

Purpose – Both lean and six sigma are key business process strategies which are employed by companies to enhance their manufacturing performance. However, whilst there is significant research information available on implementing these systems in a sequential manner, there is little information available relating to the integration of these approac...

Purpose Both total productive maintenance (TPM) and Six Sigma are key business process strategies, which are employed by companies to enhance their manufacturing performance. The purpose of this paper, therefore, will be to develop and implement an integrated Six Sigma maintenance (SSM) model for manufacturing industry Design/methodology/approach...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a “Fit” manufacturing paradigm for industry so that manufacturing companies can become economically sustainable and can operate effectively in a global competitive market. The proposed Fit paradigm is aimed at providing a new manufacturing management perspective to both academics and industrialists....

Competition in the aerospace industry remains fierce, particularly when it comes to maintenance, repair and overhaul services (MRO). As a result, MRO activities are continually trying to find new and innovative ways to improve turnaround limes and reduce costs. One MRO specialist company, British Airways Avionic Engineering (BAAE), is taking on the...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide details of a survey conducted into 300 manufacturing SMEs from a range of different industrial sectors. The survey investigates, over a three‐year period, the attitudes towards and benefits obtained by SMEs through the adoption of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT). Its purpose is to analyse an...

Both Lean and Six Sigma are key business process strategies which are employed by companies to enhance their manufacturing performance. However, whilst there is significant information available on implementing Lean Six Sigma in companies, these business improvement strategies are still implemented primarily in a sequential manner and the results o...

Purpose – The development of a local area supply chain network (LASCaN) is only as good as the skills and technological capabilities of the companies within that network. Recent studies have pointed to the lack of capability amongst local suppliers and hence many OEMs have now moved towards global supplier networks to meet demand. The purpose of th...

In order for UK manufacturing companies to meet the current pressures of a modern manufacturing environment they need to develop leaner, flexible, and more responsive manufacturing systems. At the heart of these requirements is the need to introduce advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) into companies in order to improve their efficiency and re...

The effective implementation of Six Sigma within UK manufacturing industries, in particular SMEs, may be considered poor. This paper develops and applies a combined TPM and Six Sigma strategy in a sample SME in order to eradicate a major CTQ issue. It highlights the approach employed, the tools and techniques used and shows the savings that were ma...

In the face of increasing competition, manufacturing companies have to consider new methods of increasing the value of their products. Improved production efficiency to reduce costs, and higher product specification to raise levels of quality are needed to maintain existing business. It is often perceived among the inexperienced SMEs around the UK...

Manufacturing has changed radically over the course of the last 20 years and rapid changes are certain to continue. The emergence of new manufacturing technologies, spurred by intense competition, will lead to dramatically new products and processes. New management and labour practices, organizational structures, and decision-making methods emerge...

This chapter describes describes how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were able to improve key processes by using the six sigma approach during a training program organized by Industrial Statistics Research Unit (ISRU) and partly funded by the European Social Fund. Six sigma training can be of great benefit as it gives opportunities for any comp...

This article introduces the rationale for Networks of Excellence (NoEs) funded by the European Commission under its Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), outlines the scope and structure of the FP6 NoE on Innovative Production Machines and Systems (I*PROMS) and summarises I*PROMS's programme of activities. The article also briefly describes the I*PROMS...

Purpose The effective implementation of the six sigma strategy within UK manufacturing industries, in particular SMEs, can be considered to be poor. SMEs cite high costs and complexity of implementation as being the major limiting factors as to its widespread use. This paper aims to describe the application of six sigma in an SME and to show how th...

Purpose – To highlight the application and to compare the effectiveness of the Taguchi and Shainin experimental design processes as applied to aerospace structural components. Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies both the Taguchi and Shainin experimental design techniques to optimizing the design of honeycomb composite joints. The techn...

The efforts that must be taken by factories to make general application of lean and agility to adequate in the current phase of mass customization and turbulent market environment are discussed. The manufacturing firms must work to achieve a fitness level, which are individual to each company and depend on the market sectors. Manufacturing fitness...

The network of excellence (NoE) for innovative production machines and systems (I*PROMS) is designed to integrate the activities of leading European Union (El)) research institutions in the field of production research. I*PROMS seeks to facilitate the development of common concepts, tools and techniques enabling the creation and operation of flexib...

Lean and Six Sigma are two widely acknowledge business process improvement strategies available to organizations today. Lean production is a strategy for achieving continuous improvement in business process performance through the elimination of waste. Six Sigma, on the other hand, is a powerful business strategy used for driving out variability fr...

Shainin's variables search methodology (SVSM) is a powerful tool for spotting the key or critical process parameters or variables (such as Red X, Pink X and Pale Pink X) from a large list of process parameters. It has been argued that the variables search methodology developed by Dorian Shainin provides a powerful, yet simple approach that lends it...