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July 30, 2020

New Machine: The UMC-1600-H - 50-taper Universal Machining Center - Haas CNC






The UMC-1600-H is a 50-taper Universal Machining Center based on our highly popular EC-1600ZT HMC. We’ve mounted a massive 630 mm rotary table to the machine’s integrated 4th-axis platter to provide 3+2 positioning and full 5-axis motion for machining large parts.

The machine’s 50-taper cutting ability, heavy-duty rotary axes, and large work envelope make it the perfect 5-axis solution for the large parts found in the oil & gas, alternative energy, and other heavy industries.

±120° of B-axis swing and 360° of C-axis rotation
50-taper spindle with a 2-speed gearbox
Standard side-mount tool changer, 30 + 1 tools
Includes DWO/TCPC and Wireless Intuitive Probing System
78" max part swing on integrated 4th axis
Made in the USA

https://www.haascnc.com/machines/horizontal-mills/ec-series/models/umc-1600-h.html
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Case Study Questions


Indicate what types of jobs can be done on it?

What are the additional benefits of this machine compared to earlier machines that are in use now?

July 29, 2020

Quantitative Analysis for Management - Barry Render, Ralph M. Stair Jr - Book Information



Quantitative Analysis for Management, 12e

Barry Render, Ralph M. Stair Jr.
Pearson Education India, 2016 - Management science - 640 pages

Quantitative Analysis for Management, 12e, is a textbook aimed at helping undergraduate and graduate students develop an in-depth understanding of business analytics, quantitative methods, and management science. To enable students connect how the techniques presented in this book apply in the real world, computer-based applications and examples are a major focus of this edition. Mathematical models, with all the necessary assumptions, are presented in a clear and jargon-free language. The solution procedures are then applied to example problems alongside step-by-step how-to" instructions."
https://books.google.co.in/books?id=M9mXDQAAQBAJ

July 22, 2020

The Lean Revolution in Wiremold - 1991 - 1995

Case 68 of  Industrial Engineering ONLINE Course

The waste elimination and productivity improvement that made Toyota the most productive automobile plant in the world (with production being twice that of US plants per worker and at lower cost and at a higher quality) was made possible by further creative application of industrial engineering and scientific management. Both persons who improved Toyota Motors to world class production level have clearly stated this fact in their books (Taiichi Ohno & Shigeo Shingo).  

While Japanese called their system, JIT, MIT researchers gave the name "lean" signifying smaller batch quantities and small work-in-process inventories. All engineers and managers have to recognize the productivity, cost reduction and continuous improvement orientation and practice of industrial engineering.

Articles explaining the relation between industrial engineering and lean manufacturing.




But from a production system design perspective lean now became an alternative system. The earlier basic alternatives were job shop, batch production shop, mass production flow shop, group technology cell or cellular manufacturing cell. The two additional production systems are fixed layout production and continuous flow production. Lean production system having mixed model assembly, supplied through a component supermarket in which replenishment of parts occur based on the consumption during the previous period (may be hour, or day or multiples of day) has emerged as an alternative production system that can be installed right at the starting of the production of new product.  This is the natural progression of industrial engineering improvement. Improvements done by industrial engineers are communicated to designers and product designers and process designers capture these improvements in the subsequent designs.

The improvements done using industrial engineering in Toyota Motors are now captured by production system designers and production managers as lean production system or lean manufacturing system.


1991 - The Story Begins


Art Byrne joined Wiremold as CEO in September 1991. He found a classic batch and queue system in production, sales order taking and scheduling process and product development. The cycle time of products was four to six weeks. Order taking process was a week. Product development took two and half to three years from concept to launch.

In this company Art Byrne announced an early retirement package to the aging workforce. Almost all of the eligible hourly workers took the retirement offer, but only small fraction of office staff took the offer.  So, he has given to some of the office staff also a forced severance. (Is is right? This is the typical American way, which is in practice even today).

But when the planned manpower reduction has occurred, Byrne called a meeting of the entire workforce and announced to them that there will an improvement exercise in the company but nobody will lose job because of process and productivity improvements. The union did not believe it and went through the promise very carefully. But in the end they concluded that Byrne would honor his word and he has the plan and capability to do it.

But managers were sceptical. Byrne explained to them, while he expects good things to happen, if some expected fall in sales takes place there are tools to manage the downturn. Overtime can be reduced, surplus workforce can be employed in improvement projects, some outsourced components can be manufactured inside, work week can be reduced and new product line can be developed. We are going to make the operators more skilled and management will not be interested to lose highly skilled operators.

Art Byrne led the first training session in the company himself. Byrne implemented lean in his earlier companies. Based on a manual that he developed, he conducted a two day program for 150 people and followed it with a three day improvement exercise to provide opportunity to them to practice what they learnt.  He took them around the plant himself and showed them muda (excess resources being used every where). Then he told them that they are going to convert all activities into continuous flow activities that are activated through pull. He promised them the support of top Japanese consultants and trainers.

Soon hundreds of weeklong kaizen activities were started and improvements were made visible. The company was reorganised into six product families. Each team was given its own punch presses, rolling mills and assembly equipment.

A score board was setup which showed productivity of the team expressed as sales per employee, customer service as on time delivery, inventory turns and quality as rework inside and returns from outside.

The expectation per each time is 50 per cent reduction in defects, 20 per cent increase in productivity, 100 per cent ontime delivery, and inventory turns of 20 per year.

To help the teams to improve continuously, the JIT Promotion Office (JPO) was started. The product team leader and the JPO jointly evaluate the value stream(Order, production and delivery process) to determine kaikaku (reengineering a major portion of the process) and kaizen (local operation improvements) activities to be performed. JPO is given the major responsibility to get the projects implemented. The JPO also conducts training sessions and teaches every employee the principles of lean thinking (identifying value to be delivered to the customer, charting the value stream, flow and pull principles and continuous improvement for perfection.). The principles are to be reinforced in the organization periodically to stop people from reverting to the old habits.

The product development process was reengineered next.  Order taking process was made lean. Employees were given a share in profits.

Supplier improvement was done converting them into lean suppliers.

Lot of cash was released from the system due to reduction of inventory and was used buy some companies, which were converted into lean companies.

The benefits realized include doubling of sales per employee in five years, throughput time of one or two days, and  increase in operating profit of 600%.


Source: Lean Thinking
James Womack and Dan Jones
Simon & Schuster, 2003


2007 - Discussion between Mark Graban and Bob Emiliani regarding replacement of Lean by Mass Production System at Wiremold by the acquiring firm Legrand.
https://www.leanblog.org/2018/02/lean-can-fragile-especially-executive-changes/



Updated 22 July 2020
23 Feb 2014

The Lean Transformation and Journey in Pratt and Whitney

Case 65 of  Industrial Engineering ONLINE Course.  Productivity Accelerator. Profit enhancer. Read Lessons and Case Studies of the Course.


The waste elimination and productivity improvement that made Toyota the most productive automobile plant in the world (with production being twice that of US plants per worker and at lower cost and at a higher quality) was made possible by further creative application of industrial engineering and scientific management. Both persons who improved Toyota Motors to world class production level have clearly stated this fact in their books (Taiichi Ohno & Shigeo Shingo).  

While Japanese called their system, JIT, MIT researchers gave the name "lean" signifying smaller batch quantities and small work-in-process inventories. All engineers and managers have to recognize the productivity, cost reduction and continuous improvement orientation and practice of industrial engineering.

Articles explaining the relation between industrial engineering and lean manufacturing.




But from a production system design perspective lean now became an alternative system. The earlier basic alternatives were job shop, batch production shop, mass production flow shop, group technology cell or cellular manufacturing cell. The two additional production systems are fixed layout production and continuous flow production. Lean production system having mixed model assembly, supplied through a component supermarket in which replenishment of parts occur based on the consumption during the previous period (may be hour, or day or multiples of day) has emerged as an alternative production system that can be installed right at the starting of the production of new product.  This is the natural progression of industrial engineering improvement. Improvements done by industrial engineers are communicated to designers and product designers and process designers capture these improvements in the subsequent designs.

The improvements done using industrial engineering in Toyota Motors are now captured by production system designers and production managers as lean production system or lean manufacturing system.


Pratt & Whitney - 52% Cost Reduction from 2009

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Production Cost Reduction Strategy
Pratt and Whitney's Bromberg on Reducing F135 Engine Costs for F-35, GatorWorks, Digital Depot
20 Jul 2018

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2019

Pratt & Whitney - Ten Years of Lean and Cost Management/Productivity Improvement of F135 Engine


Pratt & Whitney practices Product Industrial Engineering and Process Industrial Engineering. Various methods and techniques of industrial engineering are used by the organization to improve productivity, eliminate waste, reduce cost and provide the customer enhanced quality at reduced prices. Quality improvement and cost reduction are two separate activities and planned and engineered cost reduction always preserves quality of a product or process. Both F.W. Taylor and L.D. Miles were emphatic on this principles.  Quality and reliability are to preserved and post industrial engineering, there has to be demonstration that quality and reliability are preserved and only waste activities or material consumption is located and eliminated.

Ten years back,  Pratt & Whitney, the propulsion unit of United Technologies, delivered its first production version of the F135 engine for the F-35 fighter program.

Over the period, Pratt has managed to reduce the cost of producing the engine by over half in the last ten years. It plans to continue cutting manufacturing costs in the years ahead through tight management of production processes and suppliers. Long-term agreements with suppliers emphasize continuous performance improvements - quality and productivity. It has also  focused on cutting the cost of maintaining the engines once they are in service. Pratt believes that it can cut sustainment costs in half the same way it has cut production cost. It incorporates an unprecedented array of sensors and instrumentation in the engine for monitoring performance. The engine’s ability to diagnose problems before they impact performance minimizes downtime and maximizes the life of key components. As a result, F135 is consistently delivering a mission-capable rate of 95% or better, which is unusual for a new engine.


Nearly 500 engines were delivered so far to both domestic and foreign customers. In 2019  it expects to deliver around 150.  Managing large number of  suppliers is a challenge—but the company has applied digital tracking and lean techniques to every facet of the supply-chain process.

Production inputs are outsourced to suppliers who themselves have unique competency or lower cost structures for specific types of parts and components. Production of Pratt’s geared turbofan is revolutionizing propulsion for commercial jetliners.  Over time it will scale up the geared turbofan for larger commercial transports.  Pratt is eyeing a diverse array of practices aimed at cutting the cost of ownership for F135. Some of these practices are enabled by the engine’s design, which requires only six simple hand tools to make most repairs. Pratt wants to examine innovative repair practices, further application of digital technology to every facet of life-cycle support, and ways of extending the life of key parts in the engines.

2011 - 2018

2018
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2018/07/12/pratt-whitney-geared-turbofan-united-technologies/


2017

The Year of Living Digitally


Kimberley Hagerty became lean transformation manager at Pratt & Whitney’s Hot Section Module Center.

Hagerty uses over 1000 machines in four different states to build one customer order for turbine blades and vanes. From a virtual factory standpoint, it is a very significant challenge to get enterprise visibility of working of 1000 machines in real time. Data collection analysis and presentation, all are challenges.

March 9, 2017
https://advancedmanufacturing.org/pw-manager-shares-her-digital-transformation-journey-one-year-on/

Connected Assets Accelerate the Journey to Lean Manufacturing
By Joe BarkaiAugust 15, 2017
http://joebarkai.com/connected-lean/

2016
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2016/01/21/gamechanger-how-pratt-whitney-transformed-itself-to-lead-a-revolution-in-jet-propulsion/

2015
Inspired By Detroit, Pratt To Christen Moving Assembly Line
http://www.courant.com/business/hc-pratt-whitney-assembly-line-middletown-20150223-story.html

Excellence is one of six Pratt & Whitney’s (P&W) core values. The objective to ensure excellence is represented in all and every product and service its customers receive, P&W applies lean product development principles. It uses continuous improvement techniques in design and manufacturing.
Set-based concurrent engineering is an integral part of P&W’s product development process.
http://lean-analytics.org/pratt-whitneys-lean-product-development-journey/

http://lean-analytics.org/lean-pd-best-practices-pratt-whitney/


2013

The experiences of Pratt & Whitney was covered in this book.

Worker Leadership: America's Secret Weapon in the Battle for Industrial Competitiveness

Fred Stahl
MIT Press, 20-Sep-2013 - Business & Economics - 245 pages


How to increase both job satisfaction and enterprise productivity—and make American manufacturing competitive again.

How can American manufacturing recapture its former dominance in the globalized industrial economy? In Worker Leadership, Fred Stahl proposes a strategy to boost enterprise productivity and restore America's industrial power. Stahl outlines a revolutionary transformation of industrial culture that offers workers real control of production operations and manufacturing processes (as well as a monetary share of the savings from productivity gains). Stahl develops this new Theory of Worker Productivity into a strategy of Worker Leadership, with concrete, real-world examples.

Combining some of the methods of lean manufacturing made famous by Toyota with genuine worker empowerment unlike anything at Toyota, Worker Leadership creates highly productive jobs loaded with responsibility and authority. Workers, Stahl writes, love these jobs precisely because of the opportunities to be creative and productive. Worker Leadership also offers important benefits for organized labor. It promotes the vitality and growth of labor unions through a shared responsibility with management for growth and profitability.

Stahl's approach was inspired by changes implemented at John Deere factories by a general manager named Dick Kleine. Stahl uses the story of Kleine's transformation of the Deere factories to construct a checklist of essential conditions for Worker Leadership. He also discusses competition with China and South Korea and tells the story of production that GE recently “reshored” from China to the United States. Stahl considers the potential for applying Worker Leadership beyond manufacturing, provides a brief history of manufacturing, and even reveals the dark side of Toyota's system that opens another competitive opportunity for America.

Worker Leadership offers a blueprint for global competitive advantage that should be read by anyone concerned about America's current productivity paralysis.


https://books.google.co.in/books?id=nTH6AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q&f=false




How to Root Out Waste and Pursue Perfection
James P. WomackDaniel T. Jones
FROM HBR SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 1996 ISSUE
https://hbr.org/1996/09/how-to-root-out-waste-and-pursue-perfection

The Lean Transformation in Pratt and Whitney - 1991 - 1995


Mark Coran, UTC Controller got a new assignment on 1 June 1991, to manage the costs of Pratt and Whitney, UTC's largest subsidiary and builder of aircraft engines.

After discussions, it was decided to implement lean principles in physical production first.

Coran announced that every product would be made in continuous flow to the maximum extent possible with a cost reduction target of 35% in constant dollar terms in four years and lead time reduction target of four months.  He brought in a lean thinker from UTC Headquarters, Bob D'Amore.  Despite initial attempts things did not move as expected.  In the mean time George David moved up to become President of Untied Technologies and was introduced to lean thinking by Ary Byrne. He visited Wiremold and saw Shingijutsu consultants working on the shop floor and coming up with improvement suggestions. When Mark Coran reported his status of the project to David, he immediately suggested to him to employ Shingijutsu consultants. But they came to know that GE's Aircraft Engine Group is planning to engage them. But David made an emergency appointment with them and got into a multiyear agreement.

Chihiro Nakao, a Shingijutsu consultant visited the factory in May 1992.  In the space of a week, he demonstrated many improvements in the Pratt's Middletown, Connecticut plant. Also, Karl Krapek, an industrial engineering degree holder from Purdue and who also completed General Motors' IE program was deputed as President of Pratt and Whitney.

Krapek tried to implement JIT in General Motors, but got into problems and them moved to Otis Elevator. From there, he moved to Carrier where he was implementing lean with the help of Shingijutsu. He came to Pratt, and grouped the two thousand parts of in a jet engine into seven product categories - rotors and shafts, turbine airfoils, combustors and cases, nacelles, forged compressor airfoils, compressor stator assemblies and general machines parts. Each product category was housed in a plant with the eighth plant being final assembly.

The fall in demand of Pratt at this point in time demanded head count reduction. Lean transformation required the concepts of multiskilling and mutli machine operations, job rotation, and continuous shuffling work groups to accommodate varying volumes of different varieties of engines. After protracted negotiations between the International Association of Machinist, George David and Karl Krapek, and the State of Connecticut, an agreement was reached in the spring of 1993 to reduce manpower to 29,000 from 53,000 in 1991.

The two basic activities of P&W are fabrication of parts from castings or forgings and assembling them into engines.

Turbine Blade Manufacturing Division

In 1991, 1,350 employees used 600 machines to manufacture #1 billion worth of turbine blades and guide vanes.   Ed Northern organized the plant in 1993 into flow lines and also made it possible to reconfigure them as needed. With the modification in the next two years, overdue parts fell to zero, inventory was cut in half, manufacturing cost was reduced by 50% in many cases, and labor productivity doubled.

Redesign of a Monument in Turbine Blade Manufacturing Division

Womack and Jones say a monument in lean thinking is any machine which is too big to be moved and whose scale requires operation in a batch mode. In the case of this North Haven turbine blade unit it is a massive $80 million complex of Hauni-Blohm blade grinding centers.

The redesing involved $1.7 million per cell and it reduced throughput time to 175 minutes from the earlier 10 days. The grinding cost per blade was also brought down to 50%.

The Final Assembly Plant

Bob Weiner was the  head of final assembly. Yuzuro Ito  was asked to help in the quality area as a consultant.  The engine was placed on a moving track.

It is interesting to note that Ito developed "Achieving Competitive Excellence" methodology and Pratt & Whityney and other subsidiaries of UTC even today practice it and write about it as their operating philosophy
(Regarding Ito and ACE: https://www.jmrodgers.com/ace-program-achieving-competitive-excellence/

P&W’s improvement process is enabled though the use of an Achieving Competitive Excellence system (ACE) common to all UTC subsidiaries, which was introduced in 2005 and is followed ever since. The three elements of ACE – tools, competency, and culture – provide the basis for delivering value to UTC customers and stakeholders.  http://lean-analytics.org/lean-pd-best-practices-pratt-whitney/)

Pratt's lean transformation did turn around the plant from problems.

Operating results improved from losses in 1992 and 93 to profits in 94 and 95.


Source

Lean Thinking
Jim Womack and Dan Jones
Simon and Schuster, 2003

https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2GtaCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA130#v=onepage&q&f=false

https://books.google.co.in/books?id=IPTay8ztpAcC&pg=PA105#v=onepage&q&f=false


Updated on 22 July 2020,  14 May 2019, 2 May 2019,  12 November 2018,  14 August 2018
First published on 24 February 2014


July 20, 2020

Industrial Management - Post-Covid - What are the Changes?



What are the Changes in Industrial Management due to Covid Pandemic?
Post-Covid Changes in Objectives, Goals, Policies, Rules in Strategy and Other Functional Areas of Management?



17 July 2020

Increased resilience in the supply chain, while potentially more costly, could be worth paying for, for added protection and peace of mind.

“We are moving from an era marked by an emphasis on procurement for cost, to an era marked by an emphasis on procurement for resilience,” - Richard Wilding, professor of Supply Chain Strategy at Cranfield University.
https://theloadstar.com/bullwhip-effect-may-feature-in-the-post-coronavirus-logistics-new-normal/

July 14, 2020

The Gerald Loeb Award for Business and Finance Journalism




Gerald Martin Loeb was born in 1899 in San Francisco, California. He began his career in 1921, in the bond department of a securities firm. He moved to New York City in 1924 to help establish E.F. Hutton and eventually ascended to vice-chairman of the board. During Gerald Loeb’s career, he was a favorite of business and financial journalists for his willingness to be interviewed and was described as “probably the most quoted man on Wall Street” (Forbes Magazine 1955). He was also an author of two investment strategy books, a guest columnist for Forbes Magazine and widely considered a Wall Street icon. In 1957, he established the G. and R. Loeb Foundation (under stewardship of the University of Connecticut) to present The Gerald Loeb Awards for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism. In 1973, Mr. Loeb transferred the stewardship of the awards to UCLA Anderson School of Management under the deanship of Harold Williams.

July 5, 2020

Software: Systems and application software - Summary of Stair and Reynolds Book Chapter

Chapter 4 - Software: Systems and application software

Software


Principle:

Systems and application software are critical in helping individuals and organizations achieve their
goals.

Principle:

Organizations should not develop proprietary application software unless doing so will meet a compelling business need that can provide a competitive advantage.

Principle:

Organizations should choose a programming language whose functional characteristics are
appropriate for the task at hand, considering the skills and experience of the programming staff.

Principle:

The software industry continues to undergo constant change; users need to be aware of recent trends and issues to be effective in their business and personal life.



An Overview of software

Systems software

= Software that coordinates the activities & functions of the hardware & various programs.
Computer system platform = hardware configuration combined with a software package.


Application software

= Programs that help users solve particular computing problems.
Supporting individual, group, and organisational goals
Sphere of influence = the scope of problems & opportunities addressed by an organisation.
1. Personal sphere of influence (Information serves the needs of an individual user).
Personal productivity software helps users improve their personal effectiveness. (MS Word…)
2. Workgroup sphere of influence (IS helps a workgroup attain a common goal).
3. Enterprise sphere of influence (IS helps firms in interaction with the environment).
Surrounding environment = customers, suppliers, shareholders, competitors…

Systems software

Operating systems

= A set of programs that controls the hardware and acts as an interface with applications.
Kernel = heart of the OS, which controls critical processes and ties OS components together.
Activities of an OS:

Performing common hardware functions
Application programs perform tasks like retrieving & displaying information.
These functions must be converted into detailed instructions required by the hardware.
The OS is the intermediary between the application program and the hardware.
Providing a user interface
Many mainframe computers use a command-based user interface.
Providing a degree of hardware independence
Programs can be isolated from hardware and remain insulated from hardware changes.
Application Program Interface (API) = A link between application software & the OS.
= An interface that allows applications to make use of the OS.
APIs are used to create application software without understanding the workings of the OS.
If APIs didn’t exist, developers would have to rewrite programs for new hardware.

Memory management

Purpose: To control how memory is accessed and to maximise available memory & storage.
Memory can be divided into different segments / areas.
Virtual memory = memory that allocates space on the hard disk to supplement RAM.
Virtual memory works by swapping programs between memory and disk devices (=Paging).
This reduces CPU idle time and increases the number of jobs that can run.

Managing processing tasks

Multitasking = having a user run more than one application at the same time.
Time-sharing = having more than one person use a computer at once.
Time-sharing works by dividing time into small CPU processing time slices.
During a time slice, tasks for the first user are done, then the computer goes to the next user.
The process continues through each user and cycles back to the first user.
Because the CPU processing time slices are small, it appears that all jobs are done at once.

Scalability = the ability of the computer to handle an increasing number of concurrent users.
Providing networking capability
The OS can provide features that aid users in connecting to a computer network.
Controlling access to system resources
The OS provides security against unauthorised access with log-on procedures & passwords.
The OS can record who uses the system and for how long and report attempted breaches.

File management

The OS ensures that files are available when needed and protected from unauthorised users.
The OS must resolve what to do if many users simultaneously request access to the same file
The OS keeps track of the location, size, date of files and who created them.

Personal computer operating systems

MS-DOS
The original Microsoft Windows was an application that ran under DOS.
No multitasking.

DOS with Windows
Graphical operating environment and features like multitasking.
Windows 95/98 - Now Windows 10

Windows NT workstation
Multitasking & networking capabilities.
Using emulation software, NT can run programs written for other operating systems.
NT supports symmetric multiprocessing (=using multiple processors simultaneously).
It also has a centralised security system to monitor various system resources.
It also functions as a Web server and Web content authoring platform.

Windows 2000
A desktop OS aimed at businesses of all sizes.

Unix
Originally developed for minicomputers.
High degree of portability: it is compatible with different types of hardware.

Linux
It looks like Unix, but does not come from the same source code base.
It’s developed under the GNU GPL and its source code is freely available.
Includes: multitasking, virtual memory, shared libraries, memory management, networking…
It is highly reliable and easy to administer.
The biggest shortfall for Linux is the scarcity of application programs written for the OS.

Solaris
This is the Sun Microsystems variation of Unix.
It is the server OS of choice for large Web sites.

Apple computer operating systems

Apple computers typically use Motorola microprocessors and an Apple OS.
Apple computers are popular in the fields of publishing, education and graphic arts.
Mac OS 9
Features: Multiple users; Key chain passwords (enter it 1x); Sherlock 2 (a search detective).
Mac OS X (ten)
The Mac OS X server is the first modern server OS from Apple.


Workgroup operating systems

Windows 2000 server
Many new tasks can be done that are vital for Web sites and corporate Web applications.

Netware
This network OS supports Windows, Macintosh and Unix clients.
It provides software to keep track of computers, programs and people on a network.

Enterprise operating systems

Software operates in an environment of network servers to meet enterprise computing needs.
Mainframes are the platform of choice for mission-critical business applications for many firms
OS/390
= A mainframe OS with a network-ready, integrated server environment.
Within it is a full implementation of Unix, so developers can use Unix applications.

MPE/iX (Multiprogramming Executive)
The Internet-enabled OS for the Hewlett-Packard family of computers using RISC processing.
MPE/iX can handle a variety of business tasks (Transaction processing, Web applications…)

Consumer appliance operating systems

Microsoft pocket PC
These are pre-installed on TV set-top devices, PCs in cars, handheld PCs…
Includes: Internet connections & GUIs.

Mobil Linux
An OS that runs on tablet-sized Internet-browsing devices called Web pads.
Utility programs
They are used to merge & sort sets of data, keep track of jobs being run, scan for viruses…
Disk compression allows more data & programs to be stored on the same hard disk.
When these programs are needed, decompression routines make them available.
Other utility programs: software to write CDs, screen savers.

Application software

Types and functions of application software

Proprietary application software
= A one-of-a-kind program for a specific application, used to solve a specific problem.
Contract software = a specific software program developed for a particular company.
In-house developed software = developed using the company’s resources.
Advantages:
* You can get exactly what you need
* Being involved in development offers more control over the results
* There is more flexibility in making modifications to counteract a new initiative by competitors
Disadvantages:
* It can take a long time and significant resources
* In-house staff will want to get on to other new projects
* There is more risk concerning the features and performance


Off-the-shelf application software
= Software that can be purchased, leased, or rented from a software company.
Advantages:
* Initial cost is lower
* Lower risk that the software will fail to meet basic business needs
* The package is likely to be of high quality
Disadvantages:
* You might have to pay for features that are not required and never used
* The software may lack important features
* Software may not match current work processes and data standards

Customised package
= A blend of external and internal software development.
Software packages are modified / customised by in-house or external personnel.
Some software companies encourage their customers to make changes, others supply
necessary changes for a fee, and others won’t allow their software to be modified.


Application service provider (ASP)
= A company that provides end user support and the computers on which to run the software.
They can also take a complex corporate software package and simplify it for users.
They provide customisation, implementation… so companies have time for more NB tasks.
Through ASPs, software can be made available quickly.
Users can update info from their applications via Web browsers.
ASPs employ standard software packages, which are easy to support, driving costs lower.
Risks: Sensitive info can be compromised by hackers, and if the network is down.
Advantage: It frees in-house resources from staffing and managing complex projects.

Personal application software

Word processing
Spreadsheet analysis
Database applications
Graphics programs
On-line information services
Like AOL. (Get news, send email, search for jobs…)


Software suites
= A collection of single-application software packages in a bundle. (MS Office, WordPerfect)
Advantages:
* The programs are designed to work similarly
* The programs are cheaper together
Disadvantages:
* One or more applications may not be as desirable as the others
* Requires a large amount of main memory to run the various applications effectively

Object linking and embedding (OLE)
= A feature that allows you to copy objects (= text/graphics…) from one document to another.
Server application = the application that supplies objects you place into others.
Client application = the application that accepts objects from others.

Copying
This method is used when you don’t want to change data shared between applications.
To change data, you must update the client application and then repeat the copy procedure.

Linking
Changes made to the server object will automatically appear in all linked client documents.
Double-clicking the object in a client document opens the server application that supplied the
object, so that you can then edit that object.

Embedding
You embed an object when you want it to become part of the client document.
You don’t have to save an object in the server application before embedding it.
Further changes you make appear only in the client document. (Server is no longer required).

Workgroup application software (Groupware)
= Collaborative computing software (helps teams work together towards a common goal).
The 3 Cs rule for successful implementation of groupware:
* Convenient (It should be easy to use)
* Content (It must provide relevant and personalised content)
* Coverage (It should cover everything you need)

Lotus notes
Companies use one software package & user interface to integrate business processes.
E.g. A team can work together from a shared set of documents; Meetings can be scheduled…
Group scheduling (another form of groupware)
Personal information managers (PIM) focus on personal schedules and lists, as opposed to
coordinating the schedules of a team.
Enterprise application software
= Software that benefits the entire organisation - can be developed / purchased.

ERP = a set of integrated programs that manage a company’s vital business operations.
E.g. manufacturing, finance, human resources, sales, distribution…
Benefits:
* Inefficient systems are eliminated
* Adoption of improved work processes is eased
* Access to data for operational decision-making is improved
* Technology vendors and equipment are standardised
* Implementation of supply chain management is enabled

Programming languages

Standards and characteristics
ANSI (American National Standards Institute) developed standards for popular programming
languages so that programs written in different forms of the same language work together.

The evolution of programming languages

First-generation languages (Low-level)
Machine language uses binary 0 and 1.

Second-generation languages (Low-level)
Assembly language replaces binary digits with symbols that can be understood easily.

Third-generation languages

Consist of high-level languages that use English-like statements and commands.
They are easier to program, but not as efficient in terms of operational speed and memory.
They are relatively independent of computer hardware. (C++, BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN)

Fourth-generation languages (4GL)

These are less procedural and even more English-like than 3rd generation languages.
Examples: Visual C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, SQL.

OO programming languages

Advantages: reusable code, lower costs, reduced testing, faster implementation times.
Disadvantages: Slower execution times and higher memory requirements.

Examples: Smalltalk, Java (which has cross-platform capabilities).

Visual programming languages

Use mouse, icons, symbols, menus… to develop programs (E.g. Visual C++)
These languages have never been considered appropriate for developing critical applications.

Fifth-generation languages

= Knowledge-based programming (You tell the computer what to do, not how)

Java Studio

Selecting a programming language
Machine and assembly languages provide the most direct control over computer hardware.
Newer languages appear simpler and take less time to develop programs.

Language translators
= Systems software that converts code into its equivalent in machine language.
Source code = the high-level program code, written by the programmer.
Object code = the machine language code.
2 types of language translators:
* Interpreter
Translates one program statement at a time into machine code (which slows down execution)
* Compiler
Converts a complete program into a machine language.

Software issues and trends

Software bugs
Most bugs arise because software is released as early as possible.

Open source software
It can be more reliable than commercial software because users can fix problems they find.

Open-sourcing
= Involving other people in a common development effort.
This spreads development costs and there are more people with highly specialised expertise.
There are more developers and users who can identify and eliminate bugs.
Software licensing
= Software protected by copyright law - The copyright holder has all rights, not the users.
Vendors try to protect their software from being copied and distributed by individuals.

Software upgrades
Upgrades cost much less than the original purchase price.
Global software support
Global support can be outsourced to a third-party distributor, who acts as a middleman
between vendor and user, providing distribution, support, and invoicing.


Updated on 5 July 2020, 6 March 2016

About Hardware Used in Information System - Summary of Stair and Reynolds Book Chapter

Chapter 3 - Hardware: Input, processing, and output devices


Chapter Hardware and Software


Information system professionals need to have a detailed understanding of capabilities of various hardware devices used in information system to make the right choice in designing information systems.

Computer hardware must be carefully selected to meet the evolving needs of the organization and its
supporting information systems.

The computer hardware industry and users are implementing green computing designs and products.

Principle:

Assembling an effective, efficient computer system requires an understanding of its relationship to the information system and the organization. The computer system objectives are subordinate to, but supportive of the information system and the organization.

Principle:

When selecting computer devices, you also must consider the current and future needs of the information system and the organization. Your choice of a particular computer system device should always allow for later improvements.



CBIS (computer-based information system) = hardware, software, databases, telecommunications, people and procedures, organised to input, process, and output data and information.



Computer systems

Hardware components

Elements of the CPU:

1. ALU (arithmetic/logic unit): Performs calculations and makes logical comparisons.
2. Control unit: Sequentially accesses program instructions, decodes them, and coordinates the flow of data in and out of the ALU, registers, primary storage, and output devices.
3. Register: = Storage areas used to temporarily hold small units of instructions and data immediately
before, during, and after execution by the CPU.

Primary storage (main memory / memory) = part of the computer that holds program
instructions and data just before / after the registers. (Secondary storage is more permanent).

Hardware components in action

Machine cycle:
Phase 1: Instruction (I-time = the time it takes to perform phase 1)
Step 1: Fetch instruction (The control unit fetches the instruction from memory)
Step 2: Decode instruction (The instruction is interpreted)
Phase 2: Execution (E-time = the time it takes to complete execution)
Step 3: Execute the instruction (The ALU does what it is instructed to do)
Step 4: Store results (The results are stored in registers or memory)
Pipelining = executing multiple phases in a single machine cycle.


Processing and memory devices



Processing characteristics and functions

Processing speed - measured by the time it takes to complete a machine cycle & clock speed

Machine cycle time: Machine cycle times are measured in microseconds, nanoseconds and picoseconds. They can also be measured in MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second)

Clock speed: A series of electronic pulses, created by the CPU, that affect machine cycle time.

The control unit of the CPU controls the various stages of the machine cycle by following
internal instructions, called microcode.

Microcode is  predefined, elementary circuits and logical operations that the processor
performs when it executes an instruction.
The control unit executes the microcode in accordance with the clock pulses.
The shorter the interval between pulses, the faster the execution of microcode instructions.
Clock speed is measured in MegaHertz (MHz) - Millions of cycles per second
A hertz is one cycle / pulse per second.

There is no direct relationship between clock speed (MHz) and processing speed (MIPS)

Wordlength and Bus Line Width

A factor affecting speed is wordlength of the CPU.
Wordlength is the number of bits the CPU can process at any one time.
Data is transferred from the CPU to other system components via bus lines.
Bus line is the physical wiring that connects the components.
Bus line width is the number of bits a bus line can transfer at any one time.
Bus line width should match CPU wordlength for optimal system performance.
The megahertz rating is not necessarily a good measure of the processor performance.
Intel have developed a benchmark for speed: iCOMP (Intel Comparative Microprocessor
Performance) index.

Physical characteristics of the CPU

CPU speed is also limited by physical constraints.
CPUs are collections of digital circuits imprinted on silicon chips.
The speed at which current travels between points can be increased by either reducing the
distance between the points / reducing the resistance of the medium to the current.

Moore’s law: “The transistor densities on a chip will double every 18 months”.

Another substitute material for silicon chips is superconductive metal.
Superconductivity: In certain metals, current flows with minimal electrical resistance.
(Traditional silicon chips create some resistance that slows processing).

Optical processors = chips that use light waves, instead of current, to represent bits.
They can be 500 times faster than traditional electronic circuits.

Complex and Reduced Instruction Set Computing (CISC) & (RISC)

CISC = a chip design that places as many microcode instructions into the CPU as possible.
But most operations of a CPU involve only 20% of the available microcode instructions.

RISC involves reducing the number of microcode instructions to a set of common ones.
RISC chips are faster than CISC for processing activities that mainly use core instructions.
Most RISC chips use pipelining and they’re fast & cheap.
VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word) = a chip that reduces the number of instructions by
lengthening each one.
These are potentially even faster than RISC-based chips.

Memory characteristics and functions

Storage capacity
Storage capacity is measured in bytes, with one byte equal to one character.
Kilobyte = one thousand
Megabyte = one million
Gigabyte = one billion
Terabyte = one trillion (each level is 1000 times larger!)

Types of memory

RAM (= main memory) (= volatile memory) chips lose their contents if the current is turned off.
EDO RAM (Extended data out) is faster than older types of RAM. (= MAINSTREAM RAM!!!!)
DRAM (Dynamic)
SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic) - faster transfer speed between CPU and memory.
ROM (non-volatile memory) - contents are not lost if the power is removed.
PROM (Programmable) - first program data into the chip; thereafter it behaves like ROM.
PROM chips are used for storing instructions to popular video games.
Instructions can be programmed onto a PROM chip only once.
EPROM (Erasable Programmable) chips are used when instructions change, infrequently.
Cache memory = high-speed memory that processors can access quicker than main memory.
Frequently used data is stored in easily accessible cache memory.
Level 1 (L1) cache is in the processor.
Level 2 (L2) cache memory is optional and found on the motherboard.
Cacheable memory = the main memory that can move its information into cache memory.

Multiprocessing = Simultaneous execution of 2 / more instructions at the same time.
Coprocessing executes instructions while the CPU works on another processing activity.
Coprocessors can be internal / external to the CPU and can have different clock speeds.
Each type of coprocessor performs a specific function.
Parallel processing
Several processors are linked to operate at the same time.

A problem is divided into parts, and each part is solved by a separate processor.
Secondary storage = Permanent storage.
Secondary storage is slower than memory

Access methods

Sequential access - data must be accessed in the order in which it is stored.
SADS = sequential access storage device
Direct access - data can be retrieved directly. (= faster)
DASD = direct access storage devices.
While disk drives can be operated as sequential storage devices, they most commonly use
direct access storage.

Devices
Magnetic tapes
Portions of tape are magnetised to represent bits.
Slower access (sequential) but cheaper than disk storage.
Often used for backup.
Amount of data that can be stored is determined by the number of tracks, density, and the
block factor on the tape.
Block factor = the number of logical records per physical record (block).
Data is written to / read from blocks on magnetic tape.
At the end of each block there is an empty space, the IBG - InterBlock Gap.
Transfer rate = the number of characters per second that can be transferred.

Magnetic disks
Thin steel platters, with bits represented by magnetised areas. (E.g. Hard disks / diskettes)
Disk devices can be operated in a sequential mode, but most use direct access.
Hard disks have greater storage capacity and quicker access time than diskettes.
Data is stored as magnetised dots on the disk surface in concentric circles called tracks.
Sector = a subdivision of a track that holds a specific number of characters.
Cylinder = all tracks on a disk pack that are stacked vertically and have the same track no.
Speed of magnetic disks is expressed by: seek / head switching / rotation / data transfer time.

RAID
Redundant array of independent / inexpensive disks.
Extra bits of data are generated, creating a ‘reconstruction map’ so lost data can be rebuilt.
Striping evenly splits data across multiple disks.
Disk mirroring produces a backup disk for each disk. (= the simplest form of RAID)
Disk mirroring is expensive because you need to double the amount of storage capacity.
Other RAID methods are less expensive because they only partly duplicate the data.
RAID is needed if storage devices must be fault tolerant (= the ability to continue with no loss
of performance if a component fails)
RAID improves system performance and reliability.

SAN
Storage Area Network = technology that uses computer servers, distributed storage devices,
and networks to tie the storage system together.

Optical disks
= Rigid disks of plastic onto which data is recorded by lasers that burn pits in the disks.
An optical device uses a laser that measures reflected light caused by pits, to access data.
Each pit represents binary 1; each unpitted area (land) represents binary 0.
Advantage: Greater storage capacities than diskettes.
Disadvantage: Slower access times than diskettes.

CD-ROM - Read only (data can’t be modified)
CD-W - Writeable (data can be written once to a disk)
CD-RW -Rewritable (CDs can be written on and edited over)

Magneto-optical disk
= A hybrid between a magnetic & optical disk.
Like magnetic disks, MO disks can be read & written to.
Like diskettes, they are removable.
They are faster than diskettes, but not as fast as hard drives.
Their storage capacity can be more than 200MB (much greater than magnetic diskettes)
A laser beam changes the molecular configuration of a magnetic substrate on the disk,
creating visual spots, which are measured by another laser beam.

The presence or absence of a spot indicates a bit.
The disk can be erased by demagnetising the substrate, which removes the spots.

DVD
Can provide capacity of up to 17 GB. (135 minutes of digital video).
DVD players can read CD-ROMs, but not the other way round.
DVDs are thinner than CDs and their access speeds are faster.
Memory cards
= Credit card size devices that can be installed in an adapter / slot in many PCs / laptops.
They are less failure prone than hard disks, are portable, and easy to use.

Flash memory
= A silicon computer chip that, unlike RAM, is non-volatile (i.e. keeps its memory).
Flash memory chips are small and can be easily modified and reprogrammed.
Used in cell phones, handheld computers, digital cameras…
Advantages: Quick access, consumes less power, smaller in size.
Disadvantage: Expensive.
Expandable storage
Expandable storage devices use removable disk cartridges.
They can be internal / external and are ideal for backups.
More expensive than fixed hard disks, but combine hard disk storage capacity with portability.

They have become popular because they provide:
* More direct access methods
* Higher capacity
* Increased portability

Input and output devices


Characteristics and functionality
The nature of data
Human-readable data = data that can be understood by humans (instructions on paper…)
Machine-readable data = data that can be understood by computers (bar codes…)
Data can be both human & machine-readable (e.g. magnetic ink on bank cheques)
Data entry and input
Data entry = converting human-readable data into a machine-readable form.
Data input = transferring the machine-readable data into the system.
Source data automation
= Capturing & editing data at its source in a form that can be directly input to a computer.
Errors can be detected and corrected immediately.

Input devices
Personal computer input devices
Keyboard & mouse.

Voice-recognition devices
Microphones & software record and convert human speech into digital signals.
Advantage: saves time.

Digital computer cameras
Pixel = a dot of colour on a photo image / a point of light on a display screen.

Terminals
A terminal is connected to a complete computer system with a processor, memory…
Scanning devices

Optical data readers
OMR (optical mark recognition) - for test scoring.
OCR (optical character recognition) - handwritten documents are converted into digital data.

MICR devices
Data printed with magnetic ink is readable by both people and computers.
Point-of-sale devices (POS)
= Terminals used in retail to enter sales info into the computer.

ATM devices
Pen input devices
By touching the screen with a pen input device, you can activate commands.
Pen input requires special hardware & software.
Handwriting recognition software can convert handwriting on the screen into text.
Light pens
A light pen uses a light cell in its tip, which determines the pen’s location on the screen.

Touch-sensitive screens
Bar code scanners

Output devices


Display monitors (CRT)
Cathode Ray Tubes generate electron beams, which strike a phosphorescent compound on
the inside of the screen, which lights up pixels.
Dot pitch = the distance between one pixel and the next.
Greater pixel densities and smaller dot pitches yield sharper images of higher resolution.
A monitor’s ability to display colour is a function of:
the quality of the monitor
the amount of RAM in the computer
the monitor’s graphics adapter card
CGA (colour graphics adapter) was one of the first technologies to display colour on screens.
SVGA (super video graphics array) displays are standard, providing vivid colours.
LCD displays
Liquid crystals placed between two polarisers form characters on a backlit screen.
Printers and plotters
Speed is measured in ppm (pages per minute)
The quality depends on the number of dots per inch (dpi).
Plotters are used for general design work, like blueprints, drawings of buildings…
Computer output microfilm (COM) devices
Newspapers & journals typically place past publications on microfilm.


Music devices
MP3 = (Motion Picture Experts Group Audio Layer 3) = a popular music format for the Internet
The MP3 standard allows for the music to be compressed, so it takes less time to download.
Special-purpose input and output devices
Multifunction device = one that can combine a printer, fax machine, scanner, copy machine…
They are cheaper than buying the devices separately and take up less room.
Types, standards, selecting, and upgrading

Network PC workstation midrange mainframe supercomputer

Computer system types

Personal computers = Microcomputers
Desktop, laptop, notebook, palmtop, embedded computers,
network computers (= cheaper version of the PC with less storage & power),
workstations (= between high-end PCs and low-end midrange computers in terms of cost &
processing power. They are used to support engineering & technical users with CAD etc…),
Web appliances (= devices that connect to the Internet, like a cell phone)

Midrange computers = Minicomputers
= Larger computers that can accommodate several users at the same time.
They have excellent processing & decision-support capabilities.

Mainframe computers

= Large, powerful computers shared by hundreds of concurrent users connected via terminals
They need a room with special Heating, Venting, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) equipment.
They require specially trained individuals (system engineers) to care for them.
Computer downsizing = migration of information processing onto smaller computers.
Mainframes nowadays run jobs & store files too large for other computers.

Data warehouses = these large stores of data (like backups of databases…)
CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) = a technology that uses special
semiconductor material to achieve low-power dissipation.
CMOS = a memory chip used to store configuration info about the computer.
Mainframes have become smaller, faster, cheaper systems as a result of CMOS processors.
Supercomputers
They were originally used by the government, but are now used for commercial purposes.
Used for scientific and military research, and by universities / companies involved in research.

Multimedia computers
Equipped with microphones, speakers, cameras… and produce video, audio, text…
CD-ROM = a popular delivery medium for multimedia because of its large storage capacity.
Audio
Sound is converted to a digital recording for storage, and back to sound when played.
Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chips improve the analogue-to-digital-to-analogue conversion.

Video
Video is the most difficult element to display because of the large amount of storage required.
Video compression reduces the number of bits required by using mathematical formulas.
You can add a video board to your PC for higher-quality video.
Standards
E.g. MIDI, Plug ‘n Play…
Advantages:
* Diminish the cost of integration
* Help developers determine which devices will be compatible with the rest of the system
* Provide increased options / flexibility
* Make upgrading a system less complex
Selecting and upgrading computer systems
Computer system architecture = the structure / configuration of the hardware components.
Computers may need to be upgraded to support new activities and a changing environment.


Updated on 5 July 2020, 6 March 2016

July 4, 2020

IAS - Civil Services Examination - Management Subject - June Study Materials



Refer:  Online MBA Management Theory Handbook




_______






First Week  1 to 5 June 2015





Industrial Engineering


Industrial Engineering assists managers in achieving the second important performance dimension of management - Efficiency. Effectiveness is the first dimension. Industrial engineering has its primary focus engineering activities, processes and organizations. The principles and practices developed in this subject have application in non-engineering areas. Managers have to be aware of basics of industrial engineering and recent developments. Even service sector organizations have engineering activities like construction and maintenance of buildings, operation and maintenance of transport facilities, information technology operations etc.

Detailed Presentation on Industrial Engineering PrinciplesPresented by Narayana Rao at IISE 2017 Annual Conference at Pittsburgh on 23 May 2017.

____________________

_____________________

Industrial Engineering Introduction
Industrial engineering Principles, Methods Tools and Techniques


Functions and Focus Areas of Industrial Engineering
Pioneering Efforts of Taylor, Gilbreth and Emerson

Motion Study - Human Effort Engineering
Ergonomics - Introduction


Industrial Engineering Data and Measurements
Work Measurement


Methods Efficiency Engineering
Product Design Efficiency Engineering

2 week - 8 to 12 June

Plant Layout - Efficiency
Value Engineering - Introduction

Statistical Quality Control – Industrial Engineering
Inspection Methods Efficiency Engineering


Operations Research - An Efficiency Improvement Tool for Industrial Engineers
Engineering Economics is an Efficiency Improvement Tool for Industrial Engineers

Industrial Engineering and Scientific Management in Japan
Shigeo Shingo - The Japanese Industrial Engineer


System Engineering Process and Its Management
Systems Improvement Process


3rd Week  15 to 19 June

Systems Installation - Installing Proposed Methods
Productivity, Safety, Comfort, and Operator Health Management



Organizing for Industrial Engineering: Historical Evolution of Thinking
Current Research in IE



Managing Change in Improvement Projects - Comfort Zone to Comfort Zone
Supply Chain Cost Reduction


Total Improvement Management
Total Industrial Engineering - H. Yamashina

Opportunities or Areas for Innovation
Market Development for New Products, Processes and System


4 Week - 22 to 26 June 


Organizing for Innovation
Research and Development Management
http://www.wzl.rwth-aachen.de/en/080d8d8c949a1ac0c1256f190035d886/pm_i_eng_v2.pdf


Economics - Revision

Introduction to Economics - Basic Economic Concepts and Theories
Elements of Supply and Demand - Review Notes

Theory of Aggregate Supply and Demand
Business Cycles

Macroeconomic Objectives
Money and Monetary Policy

Fiscal and Debt Policies of the Government
Theory Demand, Supply and Equilibrium in Market







June Month Birthdays - Management Scholars and Professors

To July - Management Knowledge Revision



Industrial Engineers support Engineers and Managers in Efficiency Improvement of Products, Processes and Systems


One Year MBA Knowledge Revision Plan







January  - February  - March  - April  - May   -   June

July  - August     - September  - October  - November  - December

Updated 28 May 2019, 4 June 2017, 26 May 2016


IAS - Civil Services Examination - Management Subject - May Study Materials


Refer:  Online MBA Management Theory Handbook





First Week  1 May to 5 May


Cost Information for Pricing Decisions
Cost Behavior Analysis and Relevant Costs

Costing for Strategic Profitability Analysis
Cost Information for Customer Profitability Analysis

Costing for Spoilage, Rework and Scrap
Costing for Quality, Time and the Theory of Constraints

Costing for Inventory Management, JIT and Backflush
Cost Information and Analysis for Capital Budgeting

Cost Information for Management Control and Performance Control
Cost Information for Transfer Pricing

Second Week 8 May to 12 May


Managerial Accounting or Management Accounting - Review Notes
Relevant Information and Decision Making - Marketing Decisions

Relevant Information and Decision Making - Production
Relevant Information and Decision Making - HR

The Master Budget - Accounting Information
Flexible Budgets and Variance Analysis - Review Notes

Responsibility Accounting for Management Control
Accounting Information for Management Control in Divisionalized Companies

Capital Budgeting - Accounting and Cost Information


Revision of Organizational Behavior

________________



















________________




Introduction to Organizational Behavior

Third Week   15 May to 19 May

Environmental context: Information Technology and Globalization
Environmental context: Diversity and Ethics

Organizational Context: Design and Culture
Organizational Context:: Reward Systems

Perception and Attribution
Personality and Attitudes

Motivational Needs and Processes
Positive Psychology Approach to OB


Communication
Decision Making

Fourth Week  22 May to 26 May


Stress and Conflict
Power and Politics

Groups and Teams
Managing Performance through Job Design and Goal Setting


Principles of Industrial Engineering Presented by Professor K.V.S.S. Narayana Rao (Author of this blog) on 23 May 2017 at the Annual Conference of Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers in Pittsburgh, USA.  Industrial Engineering is a management subject or discipline with Engineering as the foundation. Its primary application area is engineering systems. It augmented application area is any system.  INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING IS SYSTEM EFFICIENCY ENGINEERING AND HUMAN EFFORT ENGINEERING (Definition by Narayana Rao - Published in Udyog Pragati, Jounral of NITIE in 2006)
_______________

_______________

Behavioral Performance Management
Effective Leadership Process


Great Leaders: Styles, Activities, and Skills
Principles of Innovation

Innovation - Strategic Issues and Methodology
Idea Generation in Organizations


29 May
Financial - Cost and Management Accounting - Subject Update Articles



To June - Management Knowledge Revision


Industrial Engineers support Engineers and Managers in Efficiency Improvement of Products, Processes and Systems


May Month - Birthdays of Management Scholars and Business and Industry Magnates and Accomplished Professionals - Biographies


1
2
3 - Sidney S. Alexander (1916)
4
5 - Jerry A. Hausman (1946)
6 - Sigmund Freud (1856), Kenneth Blanchard (1939)
7
8 - Benjamin Graham (1894)  [Graham - Rao Method]
9
10 - Daniel Bell (1919), William James Reddin (1930),  Ikujiro Nonaka (1935)
11 - Morris Llewellyn Cooke (1872)
12 - Thomas H. Carroll II (1914)
13
14 - William R. Spriegel (1893), Mark Zuckerberg (1984) [Zuckerberg - Narayana Rao Reading Challenge 2015]
15 - Paul Samuelson (1915)
16 - Edward T. Hall (1914), Merton Miller (1923), Robert Butler Wilson Jr. (1937),  Catherine Tucker (1977)
17
18
19 - Harold Koontz (1908) Biography: http://mtrrp.blogspot.com/2014/05/prof-dr-harold-koontz-biography-and.html
20 - Henry Gantt (1861), Edwin C. Nevis (1926)
21
22
23 - Michael Porter (1947)
24 - Lilian Gilbreth (1878),
25 - Paul Cootner (1930)
26
27 - Philip Kotler (1931)
28
29
30
31




One Year MBA Knowledge Revision Plan

January  - February  - March  - April  - May   -   June

July  - August     - September  - October  - November  - December

_____________________________________________________

Updated  29 May 2019,  26 May 2017



IAS - Civil Services Examination - Management Subject - April Study Materials


Refer:  Online MBA Management Theory Handbook
______________




















______________


1 April to 5 April 2016


Material Requirements Planning - Review Notes
Operations Scheduling - Review Notes


Financial Analysis - Review Notes
Operations Technology - Review Notes

Supply Chain Management

 3rd April 2016


Understanding the Supply Chain
Supply Chain Performance: Achieving Strategic Fit

Supply Chain Drivers and Obstacles - Review Notes
Designing the Distribution Network in a Supply Chain


Facility Decisions: Network Design in the Supply Chain
Network Design in an Uncertain Environment

2nd Week

8 April to 12 April 2016


Demand Forecasting in a Supply Chain
Aggregate Planning in the Supply Chain - Review Notes

Planning Supply and Demand in the Supply Chain
Managing Economies of Scale in the Supply Chain

Managing Uncertainty in the Supply Chain: Safety Inventory
Determining Optimal Level of Product Availability

Sourcing Decisions in a Supply Chain
Transportation in the Supply Chain - Chopra and Meindl

Pricing and Revenue Management in the Supply Chain
Coordination in the Supply Chain - Review Notes

3rd Week

15 April to 19 April 


Information Technology and the Supply Chain
e-business and the Supply Chain


Financial Accounting


Accounting: The Language of Business
Recording Transactions - Review Notes

Accrual Accounting  - Revision
Measuring Income to Assess Performance and Balance Sheet - Review Notes

Detailed Accounting Procedures

Accounting for Sales - Review Notes
Inventories and Cost of Goods Sold - Review Notes

Long-Lived Assets and Depreciation - Review Notes
Liabilities and Interest - Review Notes

4th Week

22 April to 26 April 2016



Statement of Cash Flows - Review Notes
Financial Statement Analysis - Review Notes

Cost Accounting

23 April 2016
Role of Costing and Cost Accounting in the Organizations
Introduction to Cost Terms - Review Notes

Traditional Cost Objectives and Their Utility
Job Costing - Review Notes


Activity-Based Costing and Activity-Based Budgeting
Process Costing - Review Notes



29 April


Supply Chain Management - Subject Update

Operations Management - Subject Update 2016
Supply Chain Management - Subject Update 2016




To May - Management Knowledge Revision


Industrial Engineers support Engineers and Managers in Efficiency Improvement of Products, Processes and Systems


One Year MBA Knowledge Revision Plan


January  - February  - March  - April  - May   -   June

July  - August     - September  - October  - November  - December



Included in the A to Z Blogging Challenge Posts

Birthdays of Management Scholars and Executives in April


1 - Prof Maike Andresen (1971) - Chair for HRM
      https://www.uni-bamberg.de/en/bwl-pm/chair/prof-dr-maike-andresen/
2 - Jan Jantsch (1960)
3 - Mark Albion (1951)
4 - Charles Buxton Going (1863)  - Principles of Industrial Engineering - Book in 1911
5
6 - Armand V. Feigenbaum (1920) - Total Quality Control
      Clayton Christensen (1952) - Disruptive innovations
7
8
9
10 - Joseph Pulitzer (1847), Perry Sink Marshall (1969)
11 - Charles Eugene Bedaux (1886) - Check?  26 October 1886 (according to Wikipedia)
12 - Elwood S. Buffa (1923)  - Modern Production Management, Operations Management
13 - W. Charles Redding (1914), -
        Michael Hammer (1948) - Business Process Reengineering
14-  Eric Brynjolfsson (1962)
15 - Glen L. Urban (1940)
16
17 - J.P. Morgan (1837)
18 - Frederick Herzberg (1923),   Hygiene factors - Motivation factors model
       Bengt R. Holmstrom (1949),
       Niall Ferguson (1964),
       Robert Allen Phillips (1968)

19- James J. Heckman (Economics Nobel Prize Winner, 1944), James B. Orlin (1953),
      Peter Bowman Scott-Morgan (1958)
20
21- Max Weber (1864)  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/638565/Max-Weber
      Alan Cerf
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29 - Dan Ariely (1967)
30

January  - February  - March  - April  - May   -   June

July  - August     - September  - October  - November  - December



Included in the A to Z Blogging Challenge Posts