Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 2009

Today, ERP is now considered to be the price of entry for running a business and for being connected to other enterprises in a network economy. Due to the complexity of the ERP and the needs for the business process reengineering, most of the ERP implementation projects were judged to be unsuccessful. A common problem when adopting ERP software has been the issue of misfits, that is, the gaps between the functionality offered by the package and that required by the adopting organization. These misfits include data formatting, data relating, access, controlling, operating, output formatting and data contents, and so forth. This study presents a methodology to analyze the above misfit issues and proposes strategies to solve the problems. The results will contribute to the ERP implementation.

Hierarchical crop growth models can contribute signi®cantly to land quality research because the yield gap between the estimated optimum and the actual crop production has been identi®ed as a major land quality indicator. This study describes a three-level, hierarchical crop production model, simulating radiation-thermal, water-limited and natural production potentials of annual crops. Input requirements have been kept low to ensure its applicability to developing regions, which often have access only to limited data. The simplicity of this model also has disadvantages: inconsistencies have been reported when applying this model in semiarid regions, which are characterized by very irregular rainfall patterns. Revision of the water balance, which simulates the availability of water, was required. The modi®ed model was validated using the experimental yields of maize and sun¯ower in Guquka, a semiarid region of South Africa. Yields were estimated very well, possible improvements to crop production were identi®ed and implications for land-use planning highlighted. Yield gap analysis revealed that radiation, sunshine and temperature are favourable for crop production, but the heavy dependence on rainfall makes the region very vulnerable to drought, with devastating impact on yields. The generally low chemical soil fertility further reduces crop performance.

No / The intention of this paper is to promote the model of knowledge-based collaborative supply chain management (KBCSCM) system as an alternative strategy for organisations to resolve the problems in their current supply chain management (SCM) in the era of collaborative commerce (c-commerce).

No / This paper presents issues associated with the needs of collaborative supply chain management (CSCM) and proposes a planning stage of a CSCM framework. The proposed planning stage of a CSCM framework incorporates issues of organisation profile, internal functional strategy and supplier-customer strategy. The gauging absence of prerequisites (GAP) analysis technique which embedded in the knowledge-based system is proposed in the planning stage to analyse the gap between the current and the desirable position (benchmark) for an effective implementation in organisation. The planning stage framework provides information specifically for designing a CSCM by focusing on the organisation capability and business processes and discussed the important issues in planning a CSCM for business organisations, specifically for a manufacturing environment. Further research could be carried out to capitalise the framework for improving the CSCM. Practical implications ¿ The proposed planning stage of a CSCM framework enables the chain members to identify key factors or issues for CSCM development.

<p>The assurance of customer satisfaction is an increasing challenge for airline companies.</p><p>Bridging the gap between passenger expectations and the perceived image of service quality</p><p>is a permanent problem that is in the need to be optimized. Therefore, it is indispensable for</p><p>the company to identify these gaps and develop strategies to increase customer satisfaction.</p><p>Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify gaps between perceived and required service</p><p>quality, and strategies to increase customer satisfaction. Consequently, the customer as well as</p><p>the company perspective shall be considered carefully. The theoretical foundation for this</p><p>dissertation can be referred to the service quality model of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry</p><p>(1985). To illustrate the coherencies and provide actual data from the reality, the cases of the</p><p>airline companies Air Berlin, TUIfly and Lufthansa are chosen. By conducting a survey,</p><p>quantitative data was collected from the customer. In order to collect data about the company</p><p>perspective, qualitative methods like an interview and secondary information from the</p><p>companies’ homepages are used.</p><p>Based on the cases of the three airlines, specific gaps are identified. From this, concrete needs</p><p>for action and strategies on the part of the companies can be derived. The findings of this</p><p>study show that core and secondary service quality attributes can be identified. Consequently,</p><p>the improvement of certain attributes can be more important than the improvement of other</p><p>attributes to increase customer satisfaction. These priorities depend also on the size of a</p><p>service quality gap and on the access to company resources.</p>

The assurance of customer satisfaction is an increasing challenge for airline companies. Bridging the gap between passenger expectations and the perceived image of service quality is a permanent problem that is in the need to be optimized. Therefore, it is indispensable for the company to identify these gaps and develop strategies to increase customer satisfaction. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify gaps between perceived and required service quality, and strategies to increase customer satisfaction. Consequently, the customer as well as the company perspective shall be considered carefully. The theoretical foundation for this dissertation can be referred to the service quality model of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985). To illustrate the coherencies and provide actual data from the reality, the cases of the airline companies Air Berlin, TUIfly and Lufthansa are chosen. By conducting a survey, quantitative data was collected from the customer. In order to collect data about the company perspective, qualitative methods like an interview and secondary information from the companies’ homepages are used. Based on the cases of the three airlines, specific gaps are identified. From this, concrete needs for action and strategies on the part of the companies can be derived. The findings of this study show that core and secondary service quality attributes can be identified. Consequently, the improvement of certain attributes can be more important than the improvement of other attributes to increase customer satisfaction. These priorities depend also on the size of a service quality gap and on the access to company resources.

<p>Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system which first emerged in the early 90’s, have become</p><p>so popular today that almost every large business corporation uses one. Recent years</p><p>have seen increased spending on this software application package, but sadly not all organizations</p><p>which invest in ERP systems have gotten back their money’s worth. There have</p><p>been many instances of unsuccessful ERP implementation attempts and in some cases total</p><p>failure. Researchers and scholars have long since studied these systems in a bid to provide</p><p>explanations for the complexity and failure of implementation attempts. This has led to the</p><p>establishment of critical success factors (CSF), which slightly vary with different authors</p><p>but have some strong common points. Prominent among these CSF’s is alignment between</p><p>business processes and ERP built-in processes.</p><p>This project therefore focuses on alignment issues that arise between the software package</p><p>and the organization’s business processes during ERP implementation efforts. The main</p><p>purpose of the work is to establish a set of ‘best practices’ that must be considered or executed</p><p>in order to secure a good alignment between the system and software package.</p><p>In order to achieve the main goal of this work, a case study approach has been used. The</p><p>case in question is a small manufacturing firm in Vetlanda called T-Emballage, which uses</p><p>an ERP system Jeeves. Mainly using scientific research techniques which comprise a deductive</p><p>approach and a mixed mode data collection method, some valuable conclusions are</p><p>drawn from the analysed data. The critical points that are worth considering during ERP</p><p>implementation, when trying to achieve alignment, arrived at in this study include: carrying</p><p>out a proper gap analysis, top management leading and following up, choosing software according</p><p>to needs, simplicity, flexibility, communication and liability of data.</p><p>This project further investigates the advantages and disadvantages of adapting or altering</p><p>the software package to fit the organization’s business processes and vice versa. Finally, the</p><p>work also tries to assess the alignment maturity level that has been attained in the organization</p><p>by applying the Luftman’s alignment maturity model.</p>

Thesis (M.S.) in Forestry--University of Maine, 2003. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-138).

Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy in Lahti, a company that manufactures buses of product family Scania Interlink LD, Scania Interlink MD, Scania Interlink HD and Scania Citywide LE Suburban. As Scania receives larger customer orders, these orders are divided into both Scania Production Słupsk S.A. and Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, which bring a desire to harmonize these factories. To achieve this harmonization an investigation is required of Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy analysis process and comparison with Scania Production Słupsk S.A. To keep up the permanent development outcome, Strategic Plan Scania Production Lahti requires a survey of the painting process in Lahti, Finland. Based on this, an internal cost performance benchmark has been implemented between the factories. Through a currant status analysis of both facility’s, based on Strategic Plan Scania Production Lahti methods and strategies, as well as complementing this with external methods and theory, the gap between the factories has been conducted from a cost perspective. Based on the more in-depth analysis made in Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, an improvement work has been carried out. / Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy i Lahti, tillverkar idag bussfamiljerna Scania Interlink LD, Scania Interlink MD, Scania Interlink HD och Scania Citywide LE Suburban. För att kunna leverera vid större kundordrar delas dessa upp mellan två Scaniaägda fabriker, Scania Production Słupsk S.A. och Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, detta medför att en harmonisering krävs mellan fabrikerna så att slutprodukten blir identisk. För att uppnå denna harmonisering utfördes denna studie mellan dessa fabriker. Att jobba med ständiga förbättringar är djupt inprintat i Scanias visioner och mål. I arbetet med ständiga förbättringar för processer skulle målerprocessen förbättras i denna studie. Genom en nulägesanalys i båda fabrikerna baserad på Strategic Plan Scania Production Lahti metoder och strategier såväl som kompliment från externa metoder och teorier har prestanda gapet identifierats. Baserat på en såväl djupare nulägesanalys i Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, har ett förbättringsarbete utförts.