As the world¡¦s high degree of urbanization, greenhouse gas emission by vehicles, home appliances and industrial production is increasing year by year and according to the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) report urban carbon-dioxide emissions accounted for 80% of total global emissions. In order to encourage the alternative energy development, Taiwan government actively promotes the subsidy for alternative energy implementation, thus making the solar energy industry booming in recent years. Based on the government procurement competition mechanism, the procurement competition needs to be transparent and fair. Faced with competition in the industry, companies must reduce costs and improve quality while also required to enhance the customer satisfaction. Therefore, a good engineering project control becomes the most important factor to enhance a company's competitive ability. Particularly, when professional management is getting more and more important nowadays, solar energy system¡¦s building construction is not only limited to technology and equipment level, but also the enterprise configuration of internal human resources and outsourcing. Moreover, how to minimize cost and how to use efficient way to make the project work on schedule are the important issues for policy makers. This study is based on a domestic solar systems engineering project, and focuses on the distribution and configuration of the limited internal and external resources of multiple projects in progress. It uses the Critical Chain Project Management in the Theory of Constraints to break through limitations. VBA programming is used to find the minimum cost of human resource conflict in the project scheduling, furthermore Arena simulation system is utilized to establish the best configuration of human resources deployment to provide decision-making mechanism. The simulation result is verified that it can really help to provide a decision-making reference to project managers to obtain the ideal scheduling and resource allocation.

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The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a holistic management philosophy put forward by Eliyahu Goldratt in 1984. The thinking process and improvement tools discussed in this theory are mainly geared to manufacturing environments, however their applicability to service environments has also been shown for private professional service organizations. This study demonstrates that the steps and principles of the TOC can also be applied to non-profit services, such as the elective course registration process described in this thesis. In the case of non-profit organizations, the challenge is to define the performance measures of the TOC, which are Throughput, Inventory, and Operating Expense. This study offers a novel definition for these measurements, and using the principles of the TOC, it identifies the bottleneck and constraints of the elective course registration process. Using this analysis, the study then redesigns the system in order to improve the performance measures of the system.

The simulation as a stand alone optimization tool of a complex system such as a vertical integrated mining operation, significantly over simplifies the actual picture of the system processes involved resulting in an unaccountable effort and resources being spent on optimizing Non Value Added (NA) processes. This study purposed to develop a discrete stochastic simulation-optimization model to accurately capture the dynamics of the system and to provide a structured way to optimize the Value Added (VA) processes. The mine operation model to be simulated for this study is designed as a hybrid level throughput model to identify the VA processes in a mining operation. This study also allows a better understanding of the impact of variation on the likelihood of achieving any given overall result. The proposed discrete stochastic simulation- optimization model provides the ability for a process manager to gain realistic understanding of what a process can do if some factors constraining the process were to be optimized i.e. to conduct what-if analysis. Another benefit of this approached technique is to be able to estimate dependable and reasonable returns on a large optimization related expenditure. The inputs into the model are the capability of the processes which are entered using various variables depending on how much information is available; simple inputs for least amount of information to detailed inputs for well known process to combinational inputs for somewhere in between. The process bottlenecks are identified and measured using the outputs of the model which include production output, severity of constraints, capacity constraints and cumulative bottleneck plots. Once a base case has been identified and documented then the inputs can be modified to represent the business initiatives and the outputs can be compared to the base case to evaluate the true value of the initiative.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 269-285). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 269-285). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Small, medium and micro enterprises are important contributors to the economic and socioeconomic development of South Africa. However, most enterprises struggle to become established. The high rate of failure is due to a lack of access to finance, poor managerial and technical skills, and also the competitive business environment. The focus of this research report is on the development of a continuous and sustainable internal process improvement roadmap that provides skill constrained small business managers with strategic and technical support, in order to make their organisations more competitive in the current business environment, without expensive consultation. The first step toward the development of the roadmap is discussed as a ten step basic process improvement cycle, based on an interpretation of the PDCA cycle. These ten steps provide most of the methods that are needed for practical implementation of improvement activities. However, this approach needs strategic support in order to ensure that improvement activities focus on the critical improvement opportunities. The second step regards the identification of strategic support, and additional improvement methods, to align improvement activities toward the critical improvement opportunities, which represent a common goal. Three methodologies are discussed as individual roadmaps to determine the crucial aspects that can be integrated into a holistic management roadmap, which accommodates practical improvement. These methodologies are lean thinking, theory of constraints, and the six sigma philosophy. The final roadmap is then developed, based on the principle that perspectives can be used to develop the perception of people toward improvement. Different perspectives are identified from the studied improvement methodologies, and the execution of improvement activities is then supported with the basic process improvement cycle. The perspectives are categorised into three main perspectives. First, the organisational perspective provides an overview of the philosophy, people, and process. Second, the primary process perspective provides an overview of the critical process aspects; value, throughput, and quality. Third, the secondary process perspective connects these critical process aspects in terms of effectiveness, agility, and efficiency. The roadmap is then completed when management can transcend above perspective. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Klein, medium en mikro ondernemings is belangrike bydraers tot die ekonomiese en sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling van Suid-Afrika. Meeste ondernemings sukkel egter om gevestig te raak. Die hoë koers van mislukking is weens ‘n gebrek aan finansiële toegang, swak bestuurs en tegniese vaardighede, en die mededingende sake-omgewing. Die fokus van hierdie navorsingsverslag is op die onwikkeling van ‘n deurlopende en volhoubare interne proses verbeterings padkaart wat klein besigheid bestuurders verskaf met strategiese en tegniese ondersteuning, sonder duur konsultasie, ten einde hul organisasies meer mededingend the maak in die huidige sake-omgewing. Die eerste stap vir die onwikkeling van die padkaart word bespreek as ‘n tien stap basiese verbetering siklus, gebaseer op ‘n intrepretasie van die PDCA siklus. Hierdie stappe voorsien meeste van die metodes wat nodig is vir praktiese implementering van verbetering aktiwiteite. Die benadering moet egter strategies ondersteun word om te verseker dat verbetering aktiwiteite op die kritieke verbeterings geleenthede fokus. Die tweede stap word bespreek vir die identifisering van strategiese ondersteuning, asook addisionele verbetering metodes, om verbetering aktiwiteite in lyn te bring met kritiese verbeterings geleenthede, wat ‘n gemeenskaplike doel verteenwoordig. Drie metodieke word bespreek as individuele padkaarte om die deurslaggewende aspekte te bepaal wat geïntegreer kan word in ‘n bestuurs padkaart, wat praktiese verbetering akkomodeer. Die metodieke is “lean thinking”, “theory of constraints”, en “six sigma”. Die finale padkaart word dan ontwikkel, gebasseer op die beginsel dat perspektiewe gebruik kan word om mense se persepsie van verbetering te ontwikkel. Verskillende perspektiewe is geïndentifiseer vanuit die verbetering metodieke, en die uitvoering van verbeterings aktiwiteite word dan ondersteun met die basiese verbeterings siklus. Die perspektiewe is ingedeel in drie hoof perspektiewe. Eerste, die organisatoriese perspektief verskaf ‘n hoë vlak oorsig van die filosofie, mense, en proses. Tweede, die primêre proses perspektief verskaf ‘n oorsig van die kritiese proses aspekte; waarde, deurset, en kwaliteit. Derde, die sekondêre proses perspektief verbind die proses aspekte in terme van effektiwiteit, aanpasbaarheid, en doeltreffendheid. Die padkaart word dan eindelik voltooi wanneer die bestuur perspektief te bowe kan kom.

Orientador: Fernando Augusto Silva Marins / Banca: Fernando Bernardi de Souza / Banca: Renato da Silva Lima / Resumo: Este trabalho apresenta uma aplicação real da teoria das restrições (theory of constraints - TOC) no gerenciamento de uma cadeia de suprimentos, demonstrando como esta metodologia pode trazer importantes melhorias no desempenho global do sistema de abastecimento. Tais melhorias são obtidas por intermédio da redução dos níveis gerais de estoques e, ao mesmo tempo, pela minimização das oportunidades de vendas perdidas, ocasionadas devido à indisponibilidade de produtos nos pontos de consumo (clientes finais). Os principais conceitos da TOC, tais como, os processos de raciocínio, a programação tambor-pulmão-corda (TPC) e o TPC-simplificado, foram adaptados do ambiente de manufatura para a utilização prática numa cadeia de suprimentos, permitindo a emersão dos principais dilemas que afetam o desempenho do processo de distribuição. A compreensão deste contexto propicia um melhor balanceamento entre os ganhos globais da cadeia e os ganhos pontuais de cada parceiro. Salienta-se, ainda, que o processo de estoque gerenciado pelo fornecedor (vendor-managed inventory - VMI) e os recursos do business-to-business (B2B) são fortalecidos quando utilizados junto aos preceitos da TOC, robustecendo o desempenho do sistema e diminuindo, ainda mais, os níveis de estoques, através da minimização do efeito chicote (bullwhip effect). Uma aplicação prática é apresentada para evidenciar a viabilidade e os benefícios da proposta, em que o ERP CIS (Customer Integrated System) utiliza, em seu módulo logístico, o VMI integrado à TOC e a um B2B na internet. O modelo opera como um sistema de planejamento e programação avançados (advanced planning and scheduling - APS), realizando todo o compartilhamento de informações entre os ERPs, desde os fornecedores até os clientes. / Abstract: This research presents a real application of the theory of constraints (TOC) to the management of a supply chain, in order to demonstrate how this methodology can introduce important improvements in the entire supply system performance. These improvements are gained by decreasing the general inventory levels and, at the same time, reducing losses of sales opportunities due to the lack of goods at sales points (end-customers). The main concepts of TOC, as the thinking process, the drum-bufferrope schedule (DBR) and the simplified-DBR, were adapted from the manufacturing environment to a practical use in a supply chain, providing a better perception of the abstruse dilemmas that constrains the performance of the distribution system. The comprehension of this context enables a better balance between the global gains of the supply chain and each local earnings of each partner. Moreover, the vendor-managed inventory (VMI) and the business-to-business (B2B) are strengthened when related with the TOC conception, making a robust system performance and decreasing, even more, the inventory levels, by minimizing the bullwhip effect. A practical application is presented to evidence the feasibility and the benefits of this proposal, where the CIS ERP (Customer Integrated System) relates its logistic module the integrated VMI to TOC and B2B to the internet. This model operates as an advanced planning and scheduling system (APS), accomplishing all data sharing between the ERPs from the suppliers to the customers. / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-06-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T21:00:25Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 moellmann_ah_me_guara.pdf: 1334718 bytes, checksum: 80aef36b01ff86d6f7bb3dd213198d53 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Este trabalho apresenta uma aplicação real da teoria das restrições (theory of constraints - TOC) no gerenciamento de uma cadeia de suprimentos, demonstrando como esta metodologia pode trazer importantes melhorias no desempenho global do sistema de abastecimento. Tais melhorias são obtidas por intermédio da redução dos níveis gerais de estoques e, ao mesmo tempo, pela minimização das oportunidades de vendas perdidas, ocasionadas devido à indisponibilidade de produtos nos pontos de consumo (clientes finais). Os principais conceitos da TOC, tais como, os processos de raciocínio, a programação tambor-pulmão-corda (TPC) e o TPC-simplificado, foram adaptados do ambiente de manufatura para a utilização prática numa cadeia de suprimentos, permitindo a emersão dos principais dilemas que afetam o desempenho do processo de distribuição. A compreensão deste contexto propicia um melhor balanceamento entre os ganhos globais da cadeia e os ganhos pontuais de cada parceiro. Salienta-se, ainda, que o processo de estoque gerenciado pelo fornecedor (vendor-managed inventory - VMI) e os recursos do business-to-business (B2B) são fortalecidos quando utilizados junto aos preceitos da TOC, robustecendo o desempenho do sistema e diminuindo, ainda mais, os níveis de estoques, através da minimização do efeito chicote (bullwhip effect). Uma aplicação prática é apresentada para evidenciar a viabilidade e os benefícios da proposta, em que o ERP CIS (Customer Integrated System) utiliza, em seu módulo logístico, o VMI integrado à TOC e a um B2B na internet. O modelo opera como um sistema de planejamento e programação avançados (advanced planning and scheduling – APS), realizando todo o compartilhamento de informações entre os ERPs, desde os fornecedores até os clientes. / This research presents a real application of the theory of constraints (TOC) to the management of a supply chain, in order to demonstrate how this methodology can introduce important improvements in the entire supply system performance. These improvements are gained by decreasing the general inventory levels and, at the same time, reducing losses of sales opportunities due to the lack of goods at sales points (end-customers). The main concepts of TOC, as the thinking process, the drum-bufferrope schedule (DBR) and the simplified-DBR, were adapted from the manufacturing environment to a practical use in a supply chain, providing a better perception of the abstruse dilemmas that constrains the performance of the distribution system. The comprehension of this context enables a better balance between the global gains of the supply chain and each local earnings of each partner. Moreover, the vendor-managed inventory (VMI) and the business-to-business (B2B) are strengthened when related with the TOC conception, making a robust system performance and decreasing, even more, the inventory levels, by minimizing the bullwhip effect. A practical application is presented to evidence the feasibility and the benefits of this proposal, where the CIS ERP (Customer Integrated System) relates its logistic module the integrated VMI to TOC and B2B to the internet. This model operates as an advanced planning and scheduling system (APS), accomplishing all data sharing between the ERPs from the suppliers to the customers.

O processo de planejamento de empreendimentos residenciais verticais no Brasil tem apresentado deficiências principalmente quanto do confronto das programações que balizam a decisão de investir, da tomada de risco do empreendimento, versus os resultados obtidos a partir do controle de sua implantação. As discrepâncias observadas entre o desempenho esperado na programação e aquelas obtidas nos processos de controle, principalmente quanto a indicadores de prazo e de alocação de recursos mostram a necessidade de se buscar sucessivos aprimoramentos dos processos da programação orientada a prazos. Aspectos como maior consistência no mapeamento de escopo na elaboração do planejamento operacional suportados por redes lógicas, além de uma adequada correlação entre as durações das atividades com as respectivas alocações e nivelamento de recursos merecem ser aprimorados. Uma abordagem para o desenvolvimento de programações operacionais, contemplando recursos para fazer frente aos aspectos acima citado se torna necessária. A ênfase se dá no estreitamento da correlação entre a estimativa das durações das atividades com as respectivas alocações de recursos. O objetivo deste trabalho é propor um método de nivelamento de recursos desenvolvido com o emprego de princípios da Theory of Constraints (TOC). O método de nivelamento consiste de regras heurísticas para programação operacional, complementado por procedimentos para o mapeamento de escopo e de uma biblioteca de redes lógicas elementares para edifícios residenciais verticais. Estes complementos têm por objetivo assegurar um nível mínimo de consistência e adequação do emprego do método de nivelamento ora proposto. Foram desenvolvidos 16 estudos de caso para suportar estes processos complementares, além de 171 testes em 21 redes lógicas para avaliar: os princípios da TOC, calibrar o método, analisar o seu desempenho e demonstrar sua aplicabilidade. Finalmente, concluiu-se que as regras heurísticas que compõem o método proposto nesta Tese são de fácil aplicação, e apresentaram desempenho igual ou superior as melhores regras existentes. / The planning process of construction of vertical housings used in Brazil have shown lacks, mainly when confronting the scheduling guiding the decision-making to invest, concerning the risk of the enterprise, versus the results obtained during the execution control. The discrepancies observed between the expected results regarding scheduling and those observed in the execution control processes, especially those about timeframe and resource allocation indicators, show the necessity to adjust and improve constantly the scheduling processes. Aspects such as greater consistency in defining scope and in the design of operational planning supported by logical networks, along with an appropriate correlation between the duration of activities and the corresponding resource allocation, deserve to be optimized. This study focus on the development of operational scheduling techniques, contemplating resource allocation to deal with those aspects above mentioned. Emphasis is given to the reinforcement of correlation between estimated timeframes for activities and the corresponding resource allocation. The objective of this research work is to propose one method of resource levelling developed using the principles of the Theory of Constraints (TOC). This method consists of a heuristic scheduling process oriented towards operational schedule, complemented by procedures for mapping of scope for the construction of vertical residential buildings and a library of elementary logical networks also oriented towards this type of buildings. The objective of these complements is to guarantee a minimum level of consistency for the simulated implementation model, as well as to insure the adequate use of the levelling resource process proposed here. Sixteen cases studies were developed to support these complementary processes, beyond 171 tests in twenty one logical networks to evaluate the principles of the TOC, to calibrate the method, to analyze its performance and to demonstrate its applicability. Finally, it was concluded that the heuristics rules proposal that compose the method in this Thesis is of easily application, and presented a performance equally or higher than the best existent rules.