ANALYSIS OF TECHNOLOGICAL POSSIBILITIES OF TWO-CHAMBER IMPULSE DEVICES FOR SHEET STAMPING

Проведен анализ технологических возможностей двухкамерных устройств для листовой штамповки с одной и двумя камерами сгорания. В устройствах с одной камерой сгорания штамповка детали происходит в холодном состоянии заготовки под действием на нее гибкой среды за счет кинетической энергии поршня, ускоряемого продуктами сгорания газообразной топливной смеси. В устройствах с двумя камерами сгорания процесс штамповки совершается с нагревом заготовки воздействием на нее горячего газа, образованного при сгорании в верхней камере предварительно сжатой топливной смеси. При этом сжатие смеси осуществляется за счет энергии продуктов сгорания, образованных в нижней камере сгорания. Доказано, что устройства с одной камерой сгорания целесообразно использовать для штамповки из пластичных сортов сталей деталей разнообразной формы толщиной до 4 мм и из пластичных цветных сплавов толщиной до 8 мм. Устройства с двумя камерами сгорания целесообразно использовать для штамповки деталей из малопластичных сортов алюминиевых, титановых сплавов и других труднодеформируемых сплавов. Двухкамерные устройства для листовой штамповки обладают широкими технологическими возможностями и могут быть эффективно использованы в мелкосерийных производствах для штамповки деталей различной формы We carried out the analysis of technological capabilities of two-chamber devices for sheet stamping with one and two combustion chambers. In devices with one combustion chamber, the stamping process is carried out in the cold state of the workpiece by the action of an elastic medium on it, using the kinetic energy of the piston accelerated by the combustion products of the gaseous fuel mixture. In devices with two combustion chambers, the stamping process is carried out with the heating of the workpiece by the action of the hot gas formed during combustion in the upper chamber of the pre-compressed fuel mixture. In this case, the mixture is compressed due to the energy of the combustion products formed in the lower chamber. We established that devices with one combustion chamber are expedient to be used for stamping parts of various shapes with a thickness of up to 4 mm and from plastic non-ferrous alloys with a thickness of up to 8 mm from ductile steels. Devices with two combustion chambers are advisable to be used for stamping parts from low-plastic grades of aluminum, titanium alloys and other hard-to-deform alloys. Two-chamber devices for sheet stamping have wide technological capabilities and can be effectively used in small-scale production for stamping parts of various shapes

What Drives Eco-Design Innovations in European SMEs?

Building on the natural-resource-based view, and using a sample of 7,165 European SMEs, this chapter investigates the drivers of eco-design innovations among SMEs under three categories: (1) sustainability-oriented firm capabilities, (2) technological capabilities, and (3) access to finance. The findings reveal that sustainability-oriented capabilities achieved through investments into circular economy are the strongest driver of SMEs' eco-design innovations. Firms' technological capabilities are also found to boost their ability to adopt eco-design innovations. While equity finance increases the possibilities for SMEs to devote resources to eco-design, grant finance is interestingly observed to decrease such possibilities. The more traditionally used form of debt finance remains detached from eco-design implementations. The study contributes to a better understanding of how eco-design practices can be broadened within SMEs and highlights policy recommendations in this regard.

Organizational E-Readiness for the Digital Transformation of Primary Healthcare Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many countries to implement a variety of restrictive measures to prevent it from spreading more widely, including the introduction of medical teleconsultations and the use of various tools in the field of inpatient telemedicine care. Digital technologies provide a wide range of treatment options for patients, and at the same time pose a number of organizational challenges for medical entities. Therefore, the question arises of whether organizations are ready to use modern telemedicine tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this article is to examine two factors that impact the level of organizational e-readiness for digital transformation in Polish primary healthcare providers (PHC). The first factor comprises operational capabilities, which are the sum of valuable, scarce, unique, and irreplaceable resources and the ability to use them. The second factor comprises technological capabilities, which determine the adoption and usage of innovative technologies. Contrary to the commonly analyzed impacts of technology on operational capabilities, we state the reverse hypothesis. The verification confirms the significant influence of operational capabilities on technological capabilities. The research is conducted using a questionnaire covering organizational e-readiness for digital transformation prepared by the authors. Out of the 32 items examined, four are related to the operational capabilities and four to the technological capabilities. The result of our evaluation shows that: (i) a basic set of four variables can effectively measure the dimensions of OC, namely the degree of agility, level of process integration, quality of resources, and quality of cooperation; (ii) a basic set of three variables can effectively measure the dimensions of TC, namely adoption and usage of technologies, customer interaction, and process automation; (iii) the empirical results show that OC is on a higher level than TC in Polish PHCs; (iv) the assessment of the relationship between OC and TC reveals a significant influence of operational capabilities on technological capabilities with a structural coefficient of 0.697. We recommend increasing the level of technological capability in PHC providers in order to improve the contact between patients and general practitioners (GPs) via telemedicine in lockdown conditions.

Disparity in Higher Education Provision Caused by Technological Capabilities of Nations during Covid-19

During Covid-19, higher education institutions were forced to resort to emergency remote learning. The nations and higher education institutions with strong technological infrastructure and resources facilitated the provision of education and caused minimal interruption in teaching and learning. While the nations with poor technological infrastructure and non-availability of resources had to struggle to continue providing the education. This study, utilizing the job-demand resources model, provided insights into the influence of technological capabilities in providing higher education during the Covid-19 period and how a disparity is caused between different nations. The findings will benefit education policy developers and leaders of higher education institutions.

The effect of the initial size on the height of the crank press die

The expansion of the technical and technological capabilities of forging and stamping machines and equipment can be carried out through the introduction of new designs of actuators with wide functionality. These developments require solving the problems of kinematic synthesis and analysis of mechanisms. In this work a comparative analysis of the endurance indicators of a crank press with the mechanism for transforming the motion of Stephenson II depending on the elastic compliance of the connecting rods and the deformation of the forging was shown. In this regard, the features of the kinematics of a crank press driven by an asynchronous motor taking into account the flexibility of the connecting rods and the workpiece was investigated.

Technological Capabilities of Medium-Sized Contractors in Indonesia

The construction industry plays a significant role in national development and economic growth of Indonesia. Contractors are key actors in the construction industry and manage large amounts of construction resources and activities. While the demand for improving the nation's infrastructure is on the rise, the question remains whether the industry, especially contractors, will be able to fulfil this demand. This study investigates whether contractors include technological capabilities as an important part of their company strategies for addressing the dynamics of the construction industry. In particular, it aims to understand how contractors develop and improve their technological capabilities through a technological learning process (exploration, acquisition and internalisation). The investigation focuses on medium-sized contractors, who often play an important role as part of the supply chain for larger contractors. A model is developed to represent the dynamic interactions between key factors that influence the way contractors select and use technology to enhance their performance. Data were collected through a survey and were then used to map the contractors' development of technological capabilities. The study reveals that medium-sized contractors have yet to consider the development of technological capabilities as strategic. The results are expected to benefit the regulator and construction companies in Indonesia in their efforts to improve the performance of the country's construction industry.

Technological capabilities, technology management and economic performance: the complementary roles of corporate governance and institutional environment

Purpose Nowadays, faced with increasingly dynamic and fierce competition, knowledge is considered to be the core to survive and maintain competitive advantages in both managerial practices and academia. Against this background, this study analyzed the influence of technological capabilities (TC) and technology management (TM) on corporate economic performance in the contexts of corporate internal governance mechanisms and external institutional environment from the institutional perspective. Design/methodology/approach This study collected data on Chinese publicly listed manufacturing firms in Shenzhen and Shanghai stock markets from 2008 to 2017 and the final data included 3,679 firm-year observations. Ordinary least square regression was used in both regression analysis and robustness tests. Findings The empirical results showed that the interaction between TC and TM was positively related to corporate economic performance and both corporate incentives and monitoring mechanisms strengthened this positive relationship; the positive moderating effects of corporate governance were stronger under a more developed corporate external institutional environment. Originality/value This research provides a better understanding of the economic effect of TC and TM from the perspective of knowledge integration by indicating that the interaction between TC and TM can enhance corporate economic performance and delimiting the boundaries of this relationship from the institutional perspective.

Huawei’s Leapfrogging to Overtake Ericsson

Chapter 8 explores how Huawei was able to emerge as the leader in the telecommunications system sector, overtaking the incumbent Swedish giant Ericsson. It answers this question by focusing on whether a latecomer firm trying to catch up uses technologies similar to or different from those of the forerunners. The study investigated patents by Huawei and Ericsson and found that Huawei relied on Ericsson as a knowledge source in its early days but subsequently reduced this reliance and increased its self-citation ratio to become more independent. The results of mutual citations, common citations, and self-citations provided strong evidence that Huawei caught up with or overtook Ericsson by taking a different technological trajectory. Huawei developed its technologies by relying on more recent and scientific knowledge; in terms of citations to scientific articles and citation lags, Huawei extensively explored basic research and up-to-date technologies to accomplish its technological catch-up. This study suggests that leapfrogging by exploring a new technological path is a possible and viable catch-up strategy for a latecomer. Moreover, Huawei’s case re-confirms the hypothesis that catch-up in technological capabilities tends to precede that in market share. Huawei overtook Ericsson in terms of quantity and quality of patents before annual sales. In summary, the results suggest that Huawei’s catch-up with Ericsson in the telecommunications equipment market is owing not only to its cost advantage, the large domestic market, or the Chinese government’s support but also more importantly to its technological leapfrogging based on its technological strength and independence.