2025-12-12
L. Smith, M. de Vries
Low-code development platforms (LCDPs) recently emerged as a solution to the shortage of highly skilled professional software developers. Several inhibitors exist for adopting LCDPs at an enterprise, one of which indicates that LCDP adoption is inhibited because of a lack of use cases for LCDPs. A limited number of real-world implementations of workflow automations exist in which performance improvement has been demonstrated. The main contribution of this article is to present another use case of performance improvement, digitising mundane tasks, using Power Automate as an LCDP, in developing a concession management system at a home-schooling company.
2025-12-12
D.R.C. Pratama, A.D. Setiawan
Indonesia’s abundant renewable energy resources present a strategic opportunity to develop green hydrogen as a cornerstone of its energy transition. However, progress has been hindered by high costs, infrastructure limitations, and the absence of a clear implementation roadmap. This article presents a conceptual system dynamics model that is designed to capture the structural complexity and interdependencies involved in realising green hydrogen development in Indonesia. Using a systems thinking approach, the model incorporates actor analysis, a system diagram, and causal loop diagrams to identify key feedback loops – both reinforcing and balancing – that influence infrastructure growth, policy effectiveness, and technological adoption. The model also maps stakeholder dynamics in government agencies, among industry actors, and in research institutions. By revealing leverage points and system bottlenecks, this conceptual framework provides a strategic lens to support roadmap development, policy design, and future scenario analysis for Indonesia’s green hydrogen economy.
2025-12-12
T. Ramashitja, K.R. Ramdass, P.M. Gouws
This study explores how virtual reality (VR) is being introduced into industrial engineering education, with an emphasis on its ability to enhance hands-on learning, student engagement, and the connection between theory and practice. Using a systematic literature review guided by PRISMA standards, the research identifies recurring challenges, including the lack of consistent assessment methods and difficulties in aligning VR with real industrial contexts. To address these issues, the study proposes key design criteria for a framework that promotes experiential learning through realistic simulations, gamified elements, and spatial reasoning. This offers practical guidance for educators and developers.
2025-12-12
M.R. Molokoane, O. Makinde, K.R. Ramdass, I. Daniyan, H.S. Phuluwa
Excessive inventory is harmful to any organisation, and typically adds to high inventory carrying costs, reducing employee efficiency, increasing equipment expenses, and causing a loss of opportunity. This study considers inventory management techniques for reducing and controlling excess inventory for manufacturing industries. It uses a case study approach to investigate the underlying causes of excess inventory, which were identified as design specification changes, wrong items being procured, bulk purchases, order changes by clients, intuitive buying, and spares not being traceable. This study's findings showed that purchases without a confirmed demand, a parked/staged fleet, changes in specification, spares take-on, and demand changes by clients account for 80% of the total excess stock, and so must be carefully reviewed. The results also show that organisations could salvage money from the excess stock if the right inventory technique were applied. The research recommends that management set up a clear demand policy that would require top management approval to procure inventory. The policy would incorporate 12-month time fences and zones to allow just-in-time delivery of inventory for immediate consumption; develop a lateral transhipment policy; and adopt a management toolkit to dispose of excess inventory. The outcome of this study could help organisations to gain an in-depth understanding of inventory stock keeping units (SKU) in order to reduce inventory holding costs.
2025-12-12
H. Chennoufi, B. Djamel
The purpose of this article was to optimise the cost of the energy consumption of an industrial complex that was using three energy sources: industrial electricity, natural gas, and solar energy. Before undertaking any optimisation action, we carried out an in-depth examination of the company’s energy system. This action was positioned as an essential pivot for collecting energy data according to: Source (gas, electricity); Equipment or production tools; Usage (heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation, etc.). The in-depth examination of the company’s energy system made it possible to identify the energy consumption of the equipment and the costs associated with it for a year of operation. With an objective of energy and economic performance, the simplex algorithm was implemented to resolve the energy mix model and machine hours, according to the two-phase technique applied first to the energy problem and second to resolving the time problem.
2025-12-12
T.K. Ramasu, M.G. Kanakana-Katumba
This study explored the implementation of a lean manufacturing approach to enhance productivity in small and medium-sized enterprises, focusing on a cloth manufacturing company as a case study. The objectives of this approach were to improve production efficiency and to minimise waste while ensuring a clean and safe working environment for employees. The methods used include 5S principles to help eliminate waste production in the form of rejects and reworks and assembly line balancing, with a particular emphasis on improving operational efficiency. The largest candidate rule method yielded significant improvements, reducing the number of workstations from 12 to 4, achieving an efficiency of 87.5%, and lowering the smoothing index to 22.05 compared with the existing system’s 29.17% efficiency and 147.78 smoothing index. These findings underscore the potential of lean strategies to optimise production processes and reduce inefficiencies. The study recommends that the company consistently capture, analyse, and monitor key performance indicators to track progress, ensure transparency between management and employees, and sustain growth driven by lean practices. This case study highlights the transformative impact of lean manufacturing on SME productivity and operational excellence.
2025-12-12
E.L. Afif, R. Ardi
This study aimed to develop a nationwide strategic framework to reduce the volume of food loss and waste in the context of developing countries. The research used expert opinions to validate the strategy derived from the literature review, and the interpretive structural modelling method (ISM) to construct a strategy in a structural hierarchy. The “matrice d’impacts croises multiplication appliquee aun classement” (MICMAC) analysis then categorised strategy elements based on driving forces and dependencies. Twenty recommendations for reducing food loss and waste (FLW) were organised in a structural strategy hierarchy. The hierarchy has seven levels, and most of the strategies are categorised as links in the MICMAC quadrant. Studies rarely find a structural hierarchy for a strategy using ISM, especially for food loss and waste reduction strategies.
2025-12-12
T.T. Mahove, S. Matope
Articles on manufacturing outsourcing focus largely on providing guidance to brand owners on how to select the manufacturing partner, on the benefits of outsourcing manufacturing, and how to manage the contract manufacturing relationship. However, there is a lack of frameworks that offer guidance to contract manufacturing companies to help them to set up and run manufacturing organisations that achieve sustainable success as strategic supply chain partners to the brand owners. In this study, informed by the design science research methodology, an artefact, a critical success factors conceptual framework and management guide for contract manufacturing companies to achieve sustainable success is introduced.