ABSTRACT1. While conservationists, resource managers, scientists and coastal planners have recognized the broad applicability of marine protected areas (MPAs), they are often implemented without a firm understanding of the conservation science } both ecological and socio-economic } underlying marine protection. The rush to implement MPAs has set the stage for paradoxical differences of opinions in the marine conservation community.2. The enthusiastic prescription of simplistic solutions to marine conservation problems risks polarization of interests and ultimately threatens bona fide progress in marine conservation. The blanket assignment and advocacy of empirically unsubstantiated rules of thumb in marine protection creates potentially dangerous targets for conservation science.3. Clarity of definition, systematic testing of assumptions, and adaptive application of diverse MPA management approaches are needed so that the appropriate mix of various management tools can be utilized, depending upon specific goals and conditions. Scientists have a professional and *Correspondence to: Dr T. Agardy, Sound Seas, Bethesda, MD 20816, USA. E-mail: tundiagardy@earthlink.net 1 The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of their affiliated institutions. 2 Order of authorship is alphabetical by family name and does not indicate relative level of effort to the development of this paper. ethical duty to map out those paths that are most likely to lead to improved resource management and understanding of the natural world, including the human element, whether or not they are convenient, politically correct or publicly magnetic.4. The use of MPAs as a vehicle for promoting long-term conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity is in need of focus, and both philosophical and applied tune ups. A new paradigm arising out of integrated, multi-disciplinary science, management and education/outreach efforts must be adopted to help promote flexible, diverse and effective MPA management strategies. Given scientific uncertainties, MPAs should be designed so one can learn from their application and adjust their management strategies as needed, in the true spirit of adaptive management.5. It is critical for the conservation community to examine why honest differences of opinion regarding MPAs have emerged, and recognize that inflexible attitudes and positions are potentially dangerous. We therefore discuss several questions } heretofore taken as implicit assumptions: (a) what are MPAs, (b) what purpose do MPAs serve, (c) are no-take MPAs the only legitimate MPAs, (d) should a single closed area target be set for all MPAs, and (e) how should policymakers and conservation communities deal with scientific uncertainty?
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the migratory nature of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation and adoption in manufacturing-based SMEs in the UK. The companies were surveyed at two points over a five-year period. These periods were before and after the 2008 recession point. This being done in order to identify the level of LSS adoption as a result of the tougher economic climate that has prevailed since 2008. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis is carried out on a sample of 96 manufacturing SMEs from a range of manufacturing sectors in the UK. Data were gathered from company CEOs via a triangulated method of questionnaire, direct observation and interviews. Findings – The paper provides research information into the characterisation, compatibility and innovativeness of SMEs towards LSS implementation and goes on to provide an implementation classification system and characterises the dynamical nature of LSS development in manufacturing SMEs. Research limitations/implications – The findings analyse the dynamic nature of LSS implementation in SMEs. Further work will include extending the LSS categorisation system to provide a wider category set that further defines the dynamical nature of LSS implementation. Also, more focused studies in to specific manufacturing sectors will yield greater understanding of the effects of LSS on those sectors. Practical implications – The paper provides practical research information into the characterisation, compatibility and innovativeness of SMEs towards LSS implementation. It will be of use to practitioners seeking to implement or develop LSS further in their organisations. Originality/value – This study compares at depth the LSS implementation issues within SMEs. It not only analyses the survey data but characterises their attitudes towards implementing LSS and as such this work makes a contribution to this under researched area.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the qualitative characteristics that can make manufacturing small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) more robust and hence become economically sustainable in this globally competitive environment. The characteristics identified will form the foundations for defining a new manufacturing management perspective to both academics and industrialists.Design/methodology/approachThrough a comprehensive case study approach the authors initially analyse the developmental cycle of the subject company and then identify the key characteristics which enabled the company to become economically sustainable and survive in the changing environment in which it operates. The paper opens with a brief academic analysis of sustainability literature available, before developing the case study.FindingsTraditional business improvement strategies, such as Lean and Agility, which many companies initially follow in an attempt to become more robust and economically stable, allow companies to deliver bottom‐line savings in production terms although their effectiveness depends upon the volume and demand profile of their products. Through the case study outlined in this paper however, a combined approach towards the application of Lean is outlined as a primary means of reducing operating costs alongside the simultaneous implementation of product innovation strategies which allows the company to break into new markets as a means to achieving long‐term economic sustainability and making it more robust to market changes. The development of a business within a business is described as an effective mechanism towards achieving business sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper proposes a novel approach to achieving economic sustainability within a business and can be of benefit to the wider industrial and academic community. The development of work around a single company has its obvious limitations and it is crucial that further work, with a range of companies in the area of business sustainability, is key to developing a comprehensive set of sustainability characteristics.Practical implicationsThe paper proposes a set of qualitative characteristics for the development of an economically sustainable manufacturing company. The development of a comprehensive case study with a subject company also directs and enables other companies of similar size and style to apply a similar approach and to achieve economic sustainability in an efficient and effective manner, through reducing production costs, minimising company failure and increasing business efficiency and effectiveness.Originality/valueThe development of a set of sustainability characteristics aimed at tackling directly the issues of economic sustainability is proposed and is considered by the authors as one of a kind. The case study approach also provides for a framework towards the implementation of sustainable manufacturing operations within SMEs.
This note examines and compares a methodology, devised by Mukhopadhyay et al (2000), and offers possible solution approaches to a potential problem identified by the authors.
If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to outline the application of a Six Sigma (SS) methodology as a means of reducing supply chain risk in aerospace maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) functions. In this contribution the LSS method is used to estimate the economic impact on the selection of the most appropriate maintenance strategy pertaining to aircraft display units (DUs) as well as providing a reduction in turn round time (TRT) variation of the DUs. Design/methodology/approach -The paper develops a SS approach which includes the development of the Monte Carlo technique as a mechanism to identify the most cost effective MRO strategy whilst simultaneously reducing variability in TRT servicing of the DUs. This application enabled the authors to obtain further proof of concept and also to apply a number of focused quality improvement techniques to systematically reduce TRT variation. Findings -An effective development of the SS approach is proposed and the effectiveness of the method is subsequently evaluated highlighting the benefits to the host organisation. The SS methodology demonstrates that it is possible to identify the most cost effective MRO strategy and thus suggests a suitable DU replacement policy which in turn allows engineers to develop the appropriate maintenance schedules for the company. Practical implications -The design, development and implementation of this SS methodology offers an approach to achieving a more cost effective MRO strategy whilst reducing TRT variability which can lead to greater predictability of operations which in turn enables the company to effectively synchronise supply with demand. The paper offers practicing maintenance managers and engineers a practical example for increasing productive efficiency and output. Originality/value -This SS strategy contributes to the existing knowledge base on maintenance systems and subsequently disseminates this information in order to provide impetus, guidance and support towards increasing the development companies in an attempt to move the UK manufacturing sector towards world class manufacturing performance.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.