A catalogue of digital solution areas for prioritising the needs of manufacturing SMEs

The impact of investor sentiment on firms' green total factor productivity-facilitator or inhibitor?

Investor sentiment does not only have negative impacts. It may also improve green total factor productivity by invigorating funds. This research constructs a new indicator at the firm level to measure the green total factor productivity of firms. We research the effect of investor sentiment on firms' green total factor productivity using a sample of Chinese heavy polluters listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares between 2015 and 2019. Through a series of tests, the mediating role of agency costs and financial situations is confirmed. It is discovered that the digitization of businesses facilitates the effect of investor sentiment on the green total factor productivity of businesses. And when managerial competence reaches a certain threshold, the impact of investor sentiment on green total factor productivity is amplified. Tests for heterogeneity reveal that high investor sentiment has a larger impact on green total factor productivity in firms with superior supervision.

Improving Delivery Performance in High-Mix Low-Volume Manufacturing by Model-Based and Data-Driven Methods

In a high-mix and low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing environment where demand fluctuation is the rule rather than the exception, daily production management in face of conflicting key performance indicators such as high delivery precision, short lead time, and maximal resource utilization is a most challenging task. This situation may even be hampered by unreliable supplier performance. This paper presents a generic decision support workflow, which first identifies the most critical external and internal factors which have a serious impact on delivery performance. Next, it suggests a method which combines traditional manufacturing system simulation with advanced machine learning techniques to support the improved daily routine lot-sizing and production scheduling activities in a HMLV company. Argumentation is motivated and illustrated by a detailed industrial case study.

Collaboration in Value Constellations for Sustainable Production: The Perspective of Small Technology Solution Providers

The rapid ongoing digital transformation creates new opportunities to generate value but also challenges companies in the manufacturing industry to adapt to the recent changes. Moreover, committing to sustainability is essential to maintain competitive advantages, build a more resilient company, and manage increasing societal demands and regulations. Referred to as a “twin transition”, the digital transformation can positively impact firms’ commitments to environmental sustainability. This paper explores challenges that small technology solution providers face on their path toward developing sustainable production solutions for their manufacturing customers. An empirical study was conducted in an industrial cluster of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) providing innovative, tailor-made production technology solutions to manufacturing companies. As a result, a collaborative process model was suggested for such SMEs to overcome internal and external barriers to obtaining sustainability, thus better supporting the manufacturing companies, i.e., their customers, to strive towards more sustainable production.

The Application of Industry 4.0 Technological Constituents for Sustainable Manufacturing: A Content-Centric Review

Industry 4.0 has been associated with the rise of disruptive intelligence and information technologies. These cutting-edge technologies have the potential to increase productivity while simultaneously having a significant impact on social and environmental sustainability. As a result, manufacturers must evaluate the role of these innovative technologies in sustainable development, as these technologies have the potential to address prevalent sustainability issues. A content-centric study of the implementation of these Industry 4.0 cutting-edge technologies in sustainable manufacturing is currently absent. A systematic literature study was conducted to explain the potential contribution of these novel technologies to the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of manufacturing industries. This study describes how these cutting-edge technologies are used in sustainable manufacturing. The findings of this study are particularly beneficial to practitioners who seek to apply one or more digital technologies to sustainable development.