The coordinated development of manufacturing industry and logistics industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt: Empirical study by stages based on Haken Model.

It has great significance for improving the logistics service ability of the Yangtze River economic belt, optimizing the industrial structure of manufacturing industry, and realizing the integrated development of the Yangtze River economic belt to explore the collaborative evolution of logistics industry and manufacturing industry in the Yangtze River economic belt, and identify the leading position of the collaborative development of the two industries, so as to. Based on the Haken Model, this paper summarizes the coevolution law of logistics industry and manufacturing industry in the Yangtze River economic belt through two-stage empirical analysis, and identifies the order parameters of the co-development of logistics industry and manufacturing industry. The results show that the overall degree of coordination between the logistics industry and the manufacturing industry in the Yangtze River economic belt is high. And the order parameter has been changed from manufacturing industry in 2003-2009 to logistics industry in 2010-2017. The gap between regions has been reduced, and the western region has the advantage of post development.

Innovation Model of China's High-End Equipment Industry: Do Social Capital and Dynamic Capabilities Matter for the COVID-19 Crisis?

This paper explores the different model combinations of enterprise innovation in China based on the roles of social capital and dynamic capabilities. We implement Qualitative Comparative Analysis to understand the non-linear asymmetric relationships better. We use the data of 44 Listed Companies in China's high-end equipment manufacturing industry and find that three innovation models (the market-oriented independent innovation, government-supported technological innovation and industry-supported learning innovation models) are valid. Social capital, dynamic capabilities, and intra-industry networks are the main determinants of these innovation models. We also discuss the implications of these innovation dynamics on Chinese enterprises as a way to sustain the economy's high-quality development, including during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Relationships among Healthcare Digitalization, Social Capital, and Supply Chain Performance in the Healthcare Manufacturing Industry.

Due to the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have attracted renewed interest in multiple industrial fields. Global manufacturing bases were affected strongly by workforce shortages associated with the spread of COVID-19, and are working to increase productivity by embracing digital manufacturing technologies that take advantage of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) that offer the promise of improved connectivity among supply chains. This trend can increase and smooth the flow of social capital, which is a potential resource in supply chains and can affect supply chain performance in healthcare industry. However, such an issue has not been properly recognized as the best practice in healthcare industry. Thus, this study investigates empirically the relationship between digitalization and supply chain performance in healthcare manufacturing companies based on previous research that proposed a role for social capital. We surveyed the staff of domestic small and medium-sized healthcare manufacturing companies in South Korea currently operating or planning to deploy digital manufacturing technologies. Online and email surveys were utilized to collect the data. Invalid responses were excluded and the remaining 130 responses were analyzed using a structural equation model in SPSS with the AMOS module. We found that digitalization has a positive effect on the formation of social capital, which in turn has a positive effect on supply chain performance. The direct effect of digitalization on supply chain performance is small, and relatively large portions are mediated and influenced by social capital. The establishment of strategic relationships in the healthcare manufacturing industry is significant, as supply chain networks and production processes can influence the intended use of factory output. Companies should, therefore, secure timely and accurate information to manage the flow of products and services. The formation of social capital in the supply chain can help visualize entire supply chains and has a positive effect on real-time information-sharing among key elements of those chains.

Litter to Leaf: The Unexplored Potential of Silk Byproducts.

Silk has remained the most preferred protein fiber since its discovery in 3000 BC. However, the cost, availability, and resources required to rear the silkworms and process silk are imposing considerable constraints on the future of silk. It is often unrealized that apart from the fibers, production and processing of silk are a source for a diverse range of sustainable, biodegradable, and biocompatible polymers. Hence, delineating itself from being the primary source of protein fibers for millenniums, the silk industry worldwide is transitioning into a biobased industry and as a source for pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, cosmetics, food, and energy. Toward this, byproducts (BPs) and co-products (CPs) that are inevitably generated are now being considered to be of immense economic value and could be up to 10 times more valuable than the silk fibers. Here, we elucidate the properties and potential applications of silk BPs and CPs to present the true potential of silkworms and to promote the establishment of silkworm-based bioeconomy and biorefineries.

Evaluating the Investment Projects of Spinal Medical Device Firms Using the Real Option and DANP-mV Based MCDM Methods.

In an era of global aging, spinal and other joint degeneration issues have become a major problem for many elders. Bone-related operations have become the largest percentage of surgeries, accounting for 40% of the top 10 operations in the United States. Further, these spine-related operations are now ranked second among all bone-related operations. Due to this enormous and daily increasing market demand, more and more firms have started to pay closer attention to related medical devices and products. The global venture capitalists (VCs) have also started to follow the mega trend and will continue to invest heavily in this industry. Although most VCs recognize that investing in firms that produce innovative spinal products or devices is a must, very few practical managers or research scholars have defined the appropriate evaluation methods for these firms to use. The traditional net present value (NPV) method, which does not consider operation flexibility and changes in strategy, is far from the reality. The real option method can reveal the vagueness and flexibilities of the values being embedded in the investment projects at spinal medical device firms. However, the real option method is strictly quantitative. Usually, the evaluation aspects contain qualitative factors or local criteria which are hard to quantify in monetary terms. Thus, the adoption of multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) methods that can manipulate both quantitative and qualitative factors will be very helpful in evaluating and selecting investment cases like the spinal medical device firms, where both quantitative and qualitative factors should be considered. An analytical framework that consists of hybrid MCDM methods and the real option method will thus be very useful to evaluate the newly established firms producing spinal medical devices. Therefore, the authors propose a real option valuation as well as the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) based analytic network process (DANP) and the modified VIsekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje (VIKOR) method (DANP-mV) based MCDM framework for evaluating the investment projects offered by these firms of spinal medical devices. An empirical study based on three newly established spinal medical device companies specializing in vertebral compression fracture (VCF) surgical devices was used to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed analytical framework. Sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the influence of modeling parameters on ranking results of alternatives. This analytical framework can thus serve as a tool for VCs to use to determine the value of a potential candidate for investment. The proposed method can also serve as an effective and efficient tool for investment projects in other fields.

Analysing the evolution of aerospace ecosystem development.

Aerospace manufacturing industry is predicted to continue growing. Rising demand is triggering the current global aerospace ecosystem to evolve and adapt to challenges never faced before. New players into the aerospace manufacturing industry and the development of new ecosystems are evidencing its evolution. Understanding how the aerospace ecosystem has evolved is thus essential to prepare optimal conditions to nurture its growth. Recent studies have successfully combined economics and network science methods to map, analyse and predict the evolution of industrial ecosystems. In comparison to previous studies which apply network science-based methodologies to macro-economic research, this paper uses these methods to analyse the evolution of a particular industrial ecosystem, namely the aerospace sector. In particular, we develop bipartite country-product networks based on trade data over 25 years, to identify patterns and similarities in the evolution of developed aerospace manufacturing countries ecosystems. The analysis is elaborated at a macroscopic (network) and microscopic (nodes) levels. Motivated by studies in ecological networks, we use nestedness analysis to find patterns depicting the distribution and evolution of exported products across ecosystems. Our analysis reveals that developed ecosystems tend to become more analogous, as countries lean towards having a revealed comparative advantage (RCA) in the same group of products. Countries also tend to become more nested in their aerospace product space as they start developing a higher RCA. It is revealed that although countries develop an advantage on unique products, they also tend to increase competition with each other. Further analysis shows that manufactured products have a stronger correlation to an aerospace ecosystem than primary products; and in particular, the automotive sector shows the highest correlation with positive aerospace sector evolution. Competition between countries with well-developed aerospace ecosystems tends to centre on automotive parts, general industrial machinery, power generating machinery and equipment, and chemical materials and products.

[Medical devices industry: the problem of clinical evaluation reports]. / L'industrie des dispositifs médicaux : la problématique des rapports d'évaluation clinique.

In order to achieve regulatory compliance and acquire authorisation for sale in Europe, each medical device must be supported by a clinical evaluation report (CER) which documents the clinical evaluation process in its entirety. This is not a new requirement but highly publicised scandals caused by defective medical devices increased scrutiny of notified bodies (the organisations designated by the European Union to evaluate medical device compliance) meaning they are more liable and must strengthen their inspections of medical device manufacturers. Manufacturers are already under increased pressure due to the new EU Medical device regulation published in 2017. The scope of the new regulation requires many manufacturers to evaluate the documentation for their whole product portfolio. CERs are an important part of regulatory compliance and are also one of the biggest challenges for manufacturers who do not have sufficient resources and do not dedicate enough time to this task. This article examines the background of this requirement while offering medical device manufacturers advice for successful clinical evaluation reports.

Data science tools and applications on the way to Pharma 4.0.

Multiple obstacles are driving the digital transformation of the biopharmaceutical industry. Novel digital techniques, often marketed as 'Pharma 4.0', are thought to solve some long-existing obstacles in the biopharma life cycle. Pharma 4.0 concepts, such as cyberphysical systems and dark factories, require data science tools as technological core components. Here, we review current data science applications at various stages of the bioprocess life cycle, including their scopes and data sources. We are convinced that the scope and usefulness of these tools are currently limited by technical and nontechnical problems experienced during their development and deployment. We suggest that the establishment of DevOps mind- and toolsets could improve this situation and would be essential cornerstones in the further development of Pharma 4.0 systems.

Launching the dialogue: Safety and innovation as partners for success in advanced manufacturing.

Emerging and novel technologies, materials, and information integrated into increasingly automated and networked manufacturing processes or into traditional manufacturing settings are enhancing the efficiency and productivity of manufacturing. Globally, there is a move toward a new era in manufacturing that is characterized by: (1) the ability to create and deliver more complex designs of products; (2) the creation and use of materials with new properties that meet a design need; (3) the employment of new technologies, such as additive and digital techniques that improve on conventional manufacturing processes; and (4) a compression of the time from initial design concept to the creation of a final product. Globally, this movement has many names, but "advanced manufacturing" has become the shorthand for this complex integration of material and technology elements that enable new ways to manufacture existing products, as well as new products emerging from new technologies and new design methods. As the breadth of activities associated with advanced manufacturing suggests, there is no single advanced manufacturing industry. Instead, aspects of advanced manufacturing can be identified across a diverse set of business sectors that use manufacturing technologies, ranging from the semiconductors and electronics to the automotive and pharmaceutical industries. The breadth and diversity of advanced manufacturing may change the occupational and environmental risk profile, challenge the basic elements of comprehensive health and safety (material, process, worker, environment, product, and general public health and safety), and provide an opportunity for development and dissemination of occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) guidance and best practices. It is unknown how much the risk profile of different elements of OEHS will change, thus requiring an evolution of health and safety practices. These changes may be accomplished most effectively through multi-disciplinary, multi-sector, public-private dialogue that identifies issues and offers solutions.

How Does the Concentration of Determinants Affect Industrial Innovation Performance? - An Empirical Analysis of 23 Chinese Industrial Sectors.

The agglomeration of innovation determinants has a significant influence on the innovation performance of industries and enterprises. Such an effect has received less attention in empirical research studies. This study involves a survey of the agglomeration effect of two important innovation determinants, R&D investment and R&D personnel, and its influence on innovation performance from the perspective of the industrial level. We analysed the agglomeration features based on the panel data of 23 Chinese industrial sectors from 2001~2013. An interpretation model is proposed to examine the agglomeration effect on innovation performance for 4 industrial groups: state-owned enterprises, individual enterprises, foreign-owned enterprises and enterprises as a whole. We found two main results. First, the agglomeration of determinants has a clear positive effect on the innovation performance of all 4 groups but affects individual enterprises more significantly, followed by state-owned and foreign-owned enterprises. Second, the state-owned enterprises show a much higher concentration of R&D investment and R&D personnel than other groups. However, the induced innovation efficiency in the state-owned enterprises is worse than in the individual enterprises. The advantage of resources and capital does not translate into corresponding innovation output. The privately owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) show a high capability of technological innovation and mercerization but have limited innovation resources.

Global drivers, sustainable manufacturing and systems ergonomics.

This paper briefly explores the expected impact of the 'Global Drivers' (such as population demographics, food security; energy security; community security and safety), and the role of sustainability engineering in mitigating the potential effects of these Global Drivers. The message of the paper is that sustainability requires a significant input from Ergonomics/Human Factors, but the profession needs some expansion in its thinking in order to make this contribution. Creating a future sustainable world in which people experience an acceptable way of life will not happen without a large input from manufacturing industry into all the Global Drivers, both in delivering products that meet sustainability criteria (such as durability, reliability, minimised material requirement and low energy consumption), and in developing sustainable processes to deliver products for sustainability (such as minimum waste, minimum emissions and low energy consumption). Appropriate changes are already being implemented in manufacturing industry, including new business models, new jobs and new skills. Considerable high-level planning around the world is in progress and is bringing about these changes; for example, there is the US 'Advanced Manufacturing National Program' (AMNP)', the German 'Industrie 4.0' plan, the French plan 'la nouvelle France industrielle' and the UK Foresight publications on the 'Future of Manufacturing'. All of these activities recognise the central part that humans will continue to play in the new manufacturing paradigms; however, they do not discuss many of the issues that systems ergonomics professionals acknowledge. This paper discusses a number of these issues, highlighting the need for some new thinking and knowledge capture by systems ergonomics professionals. Among these are ethical issues, job content and skills issues. Towards the end, there is a summary of knowledge extensions considered necessary in order that systems ergonomists can be fully effective in this new environment, together with suggestions for the means to acquire and disseminate the knowledge extensions.

Recent Progress on Man-Made Inorganic Nanomachines.

The successful development of nanoscale machinery, which can operate with high controllability, high precision, long lifetimes, and tunable driving powers, is pivotal for the realization of future intelligent nanorobots, nanofactories, and advanced biomedical devices. However, the development of nanomachines remains one of the most difficult research areas, largely due to the grand challenges in fabrication of devices with complex components and actuation with desired efficiency, precision, lifetime, and/or environmental friendliness. In this work, the cutting-edge efforts toward fabricating and actuating various types of nanomachines and their applications are reviewed, with a special focus on nanomotors made from inorganic nanoscale building blocks, which are introduced according to the employed actuation mechanism. The unique characteristics and obstacles for each type of nanomachine are discussed, and perspectives and challenges of this exciting field are presented.

Manufacturing of tattoo ink products today and in future: Europe.

The article describes the European market situation and the legal framework in Europe. It shows the state-of-the-art production under ISO 9001:2008 quality management and describes the future of tattoo ink production based on good manufacturing practice guidelines for tattoo inks.

Developing neonatal minimally invasive surgery: Innovation, techniques, and helping an industry to change.

The field of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in neonates and infants is a relatively new field, evolving over the last 20years. This has required the development of not only new techniques but new instruments. The process has resulted in a unique partnership between pediatric minimally invasive surgeons and industry, as both groups have struggled to find the right mix of need, technical viability, and economic sustainability. The results have spawned a new generation of MIS instrumentation that not only enables the neonatal MIS surgeon but also leads the way in the field of mini-laparoscopy in children and adults.

Advantage management strategy in competition via technological race perspective: empirical evidence from the Taiwanese manufacturing industry.

This study investigated the advantage management strategies of a firm regarding the technological race in the manufacturing sector. This is to reveal whether firms adopt a catch-up or leapfrogging strategy in the competition for innovation. The results show that competition is fierce in the Taiwanese manufacturing industry. Taiwanese manufacturing firms (mostly SMEs) tend to adopt the "catch-up" strategy to keep up with their competitors in order to remain in the technological race. The result indicates that, under financial constraints, Taiwanese manufacturing firms attempt to invest in R&D to catch up with their rivals or to avoid being eliminated from the race.

Method for determining the weight of functional objectives on manufacturing system.

We propose a three-dimensional integrated weight determination to solve manufacturing system functional objectives, where consumers are weighted by triangular fuzzy numbers to determine the enterprises. The weights, subjective parts are determined by the expert scoring method, the objective parts are determined by the entropy method with the competitive advantage of determining. Based on the integration of three methods and comprehensive weight, we provide some suggestions for the manufacturing system. This paper provides the numerical example analysis to illustrate the feasibility of this method.