ABSTRACT
The rapid adoption of technology and digitization of work, which has affected every facet of life including pedagogy, has created an opportunity to develop novel ways to teach technical and management skills to students to make them industry ready. However, several studies have highlighted that students studying engineering related disciplines within higher educational institutions are often disconnected from the management units within their programme curriculum, irrespective of the level of complexity. Additionally, there are concerns that the recent shifts towards predominantly hybrid or online & blended learning (OBL) approach advocated by most institutions due to restrictions imposed by COVID-19 pandemic has further eroded the already exiguous interest levels. This study therefore attempts to understand how engineering students at a department within the University of Manchester perceive management units and the possible root causes of previously observed attitudes. The unit examined was Operations Management (MACE30461), which is mandatory for all final year undergraduates studying for graduate degrees in aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering. The fundamental rationales behind selecting this unit are its coverage of several disciplines and cohort size, with an average of approximately 350 registered engineering students per year over the last five years. To achieve the overarching aim of this study, data was innovatively obtained from five separate cohorts, through a popular continuous improvement technique - the Fishbone diagram (FBD). The benefits of this data collection approach is multi-faceted. Firstly, it reinforces learning and familiarity of the students with the applied tools, which is crucial to the achievement of the intended learning outcomes (ILOs). Secondly, it enhances direct extraction of root causes (RCs) of the identified limiters as well as their possible causal relationships. Out of approximately 1758 students that have been registered on this unit over five years, 962 returned their solutions to the exercise. As it would be very unrealistic to present all of the individual FBDs constructed by each student, a harmonised FBD was reconstructed based on all the identified RCs. The results of the study generally depict two overwhelming findings. Firstly, there is a general misconception of the meaning of engineering, as most students believe that engineering programmes should only encompass core technical elements such as thermodynamics, design, fluid mechanics, vibrations, etc. Secondly, majority of students find the contents of most management units offered to engineering students uninteresting, particularly because of a lack of well-established link between such contents and what they perceive as real engineering. The authors therefore argue for innovative teaching methods that embed tools that are coherent with core technical units through hybrid or OBL, which is both cost effective and practical given the prevailing pandemic environment. Copyright © 2022 by ASME.
ABSTRACT
Additive manufacturing (AM) technology is a new way of manufacturing components by depositing materials layer by layer according to a digital model. Since its birth in the 1980s, AM has offered new opportunities to manufacturers, and has given rise to new applications. Several three-dimensional (3D) processes exist, each having specific properties and different types of technology. While AM offers significant benefits, it also presents some challenges to designers that must be understood and addressed. This article reviews the advances in this field, the main processes studied or used, and their characteristics, including the main parameters influencing product quality. We summarize all the factors in fishbone diagrams for each AM family. Finally, some AF industrial applications were discussed with its use and contribution to the fight against COVID-19 during the pandemic. © 2022 Rajae Jemghili et al.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In times of COVID-19, we are challenged to experiment with alternative platforms or software to connect people. In particular, the struggle that arose in health research was how to interact with patients and care professionals. The latter is additionally faced with an extreme workload to fight the pandemic crisis. Creative strategies have been developed to continue research among patients and care professionals to improve quality of care. This paper addresses the issue of synchronous, online, nominal group sessions, a common consensus method used for group brainstorming. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to share our experiences with performing online, nominal group sessions using the video conference software Microsoft Teams. In addition, we aimed to create a practical guide with recommendations for researchers. METHODS: We critically analyzed the procedures for the online nominal group technique, according to the Fishbone methodology. RESULTS: Performing synchronous, online, nominal group sessions is challenging but offers opportunities. Although interaction with and among the attendees complicates the process, the major advantage of online sessions is their accessibility and comfort because of reduced barriers to participation (eg, lower time investment). The role of the moderators is of major importance, and good preparation beforehand is required. Recommendations for future online, nominal research were formulated. CONCLUSIONS: Online, nominal group sessions seem to be a promising alternative for the real-life commonly used technique. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits must be highlighted. More expertise is needed to further refine the practical guide for using digital software in research and to achieve optimal performance.
ABSTRACT
This practitioner paper presents the case of a small paper business named JNA Pulp, initiated with the vision to provide high-quality imported paper to the market. The paper discusses several hurdles faced by the company which eventually pushed the owner to contemplate shutting down the business in the first quarter of 2020. With the rise of COVID-19, it was clear that considering the stance of the business in local market, survival would be impossible. Using the Fishbone analysis, the paper analyses the problems that lead to the closure of this business in April 2020 and further evaluates the strategies that could possibly contribute towards the survival of small businesses in the domestic market. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
A fishbone diagram was used in this study to identify the perspectives of domestic tourists who visited Puducherry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main problems encountered by the tourists who visited Puducherry were personal problems and issues related to food and accommodations, transportation, lockdown after effects, government regulations and territorial restrictions. Tourism authorities and local governments should consider and solve the problems identified by the tourists to boost the local economy to attract domestic tourists during the ongoing pandemic. ©2022 The Author(s).
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ingestion of fish bones leading to gastric perforation and inducing abscess formation in the caudate lobe of the liver is very rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 2-day history of subxiphoid pain. There were no specific symptoms other than pain. Laboratory tests showed only an increase in the number and percentage of neutrophils. Contrast-enhanced Computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed two linear dense opacities in the gastric cardia, one of which penetrated the stomach and was adjacent to the caudate lobe of the liver, with inflammatory changes in the caudate lobe. We finally diagnosed his condition as a caudate lobe abscess secondary to intestinal perforation caused by a fishbone based on the history and imaging findings. The patient underwent 3D laparoscopic partial caudate lobectomy, incision and drainage of the liver abscess, and fishbone removal. The procedure was successful and we removed the fishbone from the liver. The patient was discharged on the 9th postoperative day without other complications. CONCLUSIONS: Liver abscess caused by foreign bodies requires multidisciplinary treatment. Especially when located in the caudate lobe, we must detect and remove the cause of the abscess as early as possible. Foreign bodies that perforate the gastrointestinal tract can penetrate to the liver and cause abscess formation, as in this case. When exploring the etiology of liver abscesses, we should investigate the general condition, including the whole gastrointestinal tract.