Management

The self-learning search engine improves the search for relevant information in enterprises by using a profile of the searcher and a context, that has to be chosen for each search request. Case-based reasoning is used to figure out which information sources contain relevant information for the given combination of profile and context. These information sources are further preferred in enterprise search.

Confronted with intensive product price competition in China, industrial firms are forced to invest in extending the service business. Extending the service business is far from easy. Chinese competitors offer faked spare parts. Local service skills are very poor and service requirements force industrial firms to invest in logistic infrastructure. This article offers a guideline for managers seeking to professionalize the human resource management in the service organization, to adapt service offerings to the local customer needs, and to set-up a logistic infrastructure.

The ability of reacting to expected changes in markets in a robust manner and the design of flexible supply chains as reaction to ongoing changes and challenges helps gaining advantages for companies with these capabilities. To achieve this, the early involvement of internal and external expertise is as important as the principal underlying correct method. In this contribution the design of a robust distribution system and a flexible supply chain was as much crucial as the choice of the optimal locations in the USA and Europe.

Experts predict a lack of skilled employees for research and development in Western Europe within the next decades. Companies, which belong to the high tech sector, look for alternative sites to establish their research and development activities. The most important criteria for this selection are the level of education and the skills of their employees. The article develops a systematic process to support the decision making.

Change Management and transformability of factories are usually not planned in an integrated way today. While Change Management focuses solely on the change process itself, this process is mostly ignored in the planning process of a transformable factory. The synthesis of these two approaches allows a holistic support of change processes, in order to promote innovations for example, upgrade employee competencies and use the planned technological, spatial and organisational transformability thoroughly.

The structuring of office work is of central importance in a modern knowledge society. The expectations on a knowledge worker are increasing constantly. Beside high productivity and best quality one expects flexibility, mobility and readiness for change. For mastering these challenges best work infrastructure is necessary - work places which optimally support the work itself and which offer positive ambience to the employees. Flexible office structures are fulfilling these requirements best. Their introduction requires in turn a goal-oriented change management.

Production in networks and clusters is gaining more and more importance in theory and practice. Micro enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises possess a high potential of networking. Innovative concepts, like concepts of Competence-cell-based Networks and Clusters, can exploit this potential. For this a three-layer procedural model of the production network formation, an upward compatible cluster concept including technical-organisational and spatial-infrastructural aspects as well as factors for success for networks and clusters are presented. Future strategies for a rethinking about these points in enterprises of production and service are pointed out as thesis.

Cooperations are an important strategic alternative to further the competitiveness of enterprises. This paper explores on alliance capabilities and readiness when entering into cooperations with other enterprises. These variables are represented in a descriptive and explanatory model. This model is the basis for the recommendations suggesting possible ways to enhance the willingness of enterprises to enter cooperations and how to develop the necessary alliance capabilities to ensure their success.

Permanently changing environment conditions, the constant market advancement and the accelerated technological progress will force enterprises to precisely plan and optimise their production in ever shorter cycles. Planning tasks in the field of the production will therefore become increasingly complex. The tools of the digital factory and aspects of the technology management will make Advanced Industrial Engineering a powerful support for planners and designers. This enables them to plan and execute change processes faster and more precise. The article gives an overview of future solutions advanced Industrial Engineering will provide for the planning and optimisation of factories for the year 2020.

Complexity will be characteristic for future economic and technological development. Highly integrated and customer-specific products, that are manufactured in short times and call for life-long services, pose demanding challenges for companies of all sizes. Life cycle orientation and product variety thus mean a new dimension of complexity for production management, knowledge engineering and general management. Consequently, in future it will not necessarily be the fastest, cheapest or technologically most advanced company, that will be most successful, but possibly the one that is able to cope with this growing complexity in the best way.