The effective use of computer based tools to support decision making in manufacturing industry is critical to business success. One of the most critical areas is during product design and especially in design for manufacture. This research will help in understanding of how manufacturing knowledge can be effectively maintained for an existing knowledge base. The work will use modern product lifecycle management tools in combination with a knowledge based environment in order to explore the effectiveness of the methods produced. This work is a part of the SAMULET (Strategic Affordable Manufacturing in the UK through Leading Environmental Technologies) research program and was done in association with an aerospace manufacturing company. The main focus of this research is to define a novel method for maintaining the machining knowledge associated with manufacturing of Xtra Wide Body (XWB) High Pressure (HP) turbine blade. The four main elements explained in this thesis are, a) the literature review done on knowledge management and knowledge maintenance, b) industrial investigation done on a manufacturing facility, c) detailed explanation of a novel manufacturing knowledge maintenance method d) four iterative case studies used for the evaluation and iterative improvement of the method. The research concludes that the aspect of knowledge maintenance is important. It is imperative to set out a formalised and mandated knowledge maintenance process in an organisation to keep the knowledge up-to-date and relevant. It has been shown that a novel task based knowledge maintenance method comprising a Knowledge Maintenance Process (KMP) and a Knowledge Maintenance Template (KMT) provides an effective route to knowledge maintenance. Three maintenance tasks, check relevancy, knowledge filtering, and integrity checking have been considered in detail for successful knowledge maintenance. Four iterative case studies have been conducted for the experimental evaluation of the maintenance method. As the result of these evaluations a novel method for maintaining the machining knowledge of XWB HP turbine blade was defined.

This project presents an investigation into the viability of alternative knowl- edge acquisition strategies in knowledge management systems. The goal of this project is to illustrate that alternative means of knowledge acquisition can have a significant effect on the quality of the knowledge base. To accomplish this a modification of a wiki system, dubbed Prometheus, is proposed that uses a threshold based user vote acquisition mechanism. A simulation approach is used to compare a model of the Prometheus system against a model of a standard wiki system. A simulation framework is described that facilitates comparison between models of knowledge systems. The simu- lation framework is used to compare the knowledge systems in three different scenarios in an attempt to determine the conditions in which the Prometheus system may produce a higher quality knowledge base. The results of these ex- periments are presented along with some discussion and areas for future work.

Yes / Designing and implementing Performance Measurement System (PMS) is an integral part of management control systems. This paper presents an original and novel approach to designing and benchmarking of PMSs for a manufacturing environment through a hybrid framework which overcomes the shortcomings of earlier models. A detailed review was taken of previous models and their limitations were identified. The present hybrid PMS model seeks to improve the earlier research models by the following novel approach: implementation of a Knowledge Based (KB) expert system, Gauging Absences of Pre-requisite (GAP) analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology in an integrated KBPMS. The paper has shown that the present hybrid (KB-AHP-GAP) approach to developing a KBPMS model is a realistic methodology. The combination of the KB-AHP-GAP approach allows detailed benchmarking of the PMS existing within a manufacturing organisation. Furthermore, this approach can assist in identifying and prioritising the key decisions that need to be actioned to overcome the existing PMS shortcomings.

L’objet de cette thèse est de traiter l’innovation technologique duale en proposant une approche systémique du concept de dualité et en développant une méthodologie d’évaluation du potentiel dual des technologies. Le travail empirique repose sur l’analyse systématique de la production de connaissances au sein des grandes entreprises ayant une activité de défense. La première partie traite des transferts technologiques entre la sphère civile et la sphère de défense. Le concept de dualité y est abordé au travers du Système Dual d’Innovation (SDI) qui embrasse dans un cadre cohérent l’ensemble des composantes de la dualité (technologique, mais aussi organisationnelle et marchande, etc.). L’étude de la diffusion de la connaissance au sein du SDI permet de mesurer le potentiel dual des technologies. Dans la seconde partie, ce cadre d’analyse est appliqué aux plus grandes entreprises innovantes du domaine de la défense. L’analyse des portefeuilles de brevets de ces firmes révèle des interdépendances qui défissent des ensembles de connaissances synergétiques nommés Systèmes de Connaissances Technologiques (SCT). C’est le potentiel dual des 26 SCT ainsi définis qui est évalué par la suite à l’aide des outils de la cohérence technologique d’une part et ceux de la dominance économique d’autre part. / The purpose of this thesis is the treatment of technological innovation with a systemic approach of the concept of duality and a methodology for evaluating the dual-use potential of technologies. The empirical work is based on the systematic analysis of the knowledge production within large companies with a defense activity. The first part deals with technological transfers between the civil area and the defense area. The concept of duality is looked through the Dual Innovation System (DIS), which embraces in a coherent framework all the components of duality (technological, but also organizational and market, etc.). The study of knowledge diffusion within the SDI allows the assessment of dual-use potential of technologies. In the second part, this framework of analysis is applied to the largest innovative companies in the field of defense. The analysis of the patent portfolios of these firms reveals the interdependencies that define the synergistic knowledge sets known as Technological Knowledge Systems (TKS). It is the dual-use potential of the 26 SCT as defined, which is subsequently evaluated using technological coherence tools and those of economic dominance.

The study solves the problem of knowledge acquisition and retention of learning with serious games. It describes the methodology that is based on the formulation of dynamic hypotheses using the tools of system dynamics. The main goals is to ensure teamwork, improve analytical skills, system thinking, expression of hidden knowledge and strategic positions. The demo demonstrates the practical use of knowledge management tools and the creation of mental models.

Financial exchange markets are institutions that have a unique place in the system of market economy and are rightly considered to be the main pillars of the financial markets. Especially thanks to its functional and social status. The recent development of information and communication technologies has been significantly changing the exchange market systems. This thesis deals with the exchange market's system. In the theoretical part of the paper is the main attention paid to the decomposition of the whole complex into subsystems and characteristics of its individual components, in particular trading and information subsystem within the structure of the exchange market. The practical part is devoted to research the presence of tacit knowledge and its impact on trading.

Numerous prediction models of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were proposed in the past. Unknown parameters of these models are often estimated based on observational data. However, lag in case-reporting, changing testing policy or incompleteness of data lead to biased estimates. Moreover, parametrization is time-dependent due to changing age-structures, emerging virus variants, non-pharmaceutical interventions, and vaccination programs. To cover these aspects, we propose a principled approach to parametrize a SIR-type epidemiologic model by embedding it as a hidden layer into an input-output non-linear dynamical system (IO-NLDS). Observable data are coupled to hidden states of the model by appropriate data models considering possible biases of the data. This includes data issues such as known delays or biases in reporting. We estimate model parameters including their time-dependence by a Bayesian knowledge synthesis process considering parameter ranges derived from external studies as prior information. We applied this approach on a specific SIR-type model and data of Germany and Saxony demonstrating good prediction performances. Our approach can estimate and compare the relative effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions and provide scenarios of the future course of the epidemic under specified conditions. It can be translated to other data sets, i.e., other countries and other SIR-type models.

At the present time, characterised by increasing complexity of not just socio-economics systems, decision-making in positions of executive management is becoming increasingly difficult. Although more and more attention is dedicated to use of information and communication technologies in corporate sector and organizations collect unprecedented amount of very detailed data from all areas, their real nature is often not considered. Data, information and knowledge, through which we can achieve real understanding of causes of the observed systems behaviour, are necessary basis for ability for prediction of tomorrow's effects of today's decisions. This thesis aims to highlight the essence of data, information and knowledge in organization and the necessity of systemic perception for creating efficient and effective decisions. The second part of this thesis presents design of system-dynamic model (including user interface), which explains the mechanisms of health care volume accounting in medical facilities with more departments. The model should facilitate understanding of functioning of hospitals by the public, and respect of general nature of medical facilities functioning to create a base for robust model-oriented decision support system for the management.

Gegenstand der Arbeit ist die konzeptionelle Ausarbeitung einer virtuellen Anwendung, die es den Anwendern in der Flugzeugstrukturkonstruktion im Kontext der additiven Fertigung ermöglicht, interaktiv und intuitiv wichtige Entscheidungen für den Bauteilentstehungsprozess zu treffen. Dabei soll sich die Anwendung adaptiv je nach Anwendungsfall in der Informationsbereitstellung an die jeweils benötigten Anforderungen und Bedürfnisse des Anwenders anpassen können.

This MSc Project deals with the system of Knowledge Discovery in Databases. It is a client application which uses the Oracle Data Mining Server's 10.g Release 2 (10.2) services. The application is implemented in Java, the graphical user interface is built on the NetBeans Rich Client Platform. The theoretical part introduces the Knowledge Discovery in Databases, while the practical part describes functionality of the original system, it's deficiencies, documents sollutions of theese deficiencies and there are proposed improvements for further development. The goal of this project is to modify the system to increase the application usability.