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Lean production, the most extensive production paradigm now used in industry, has become one of the most popular themes in business and manufacturing literature during the past few decades. Value stream, continuous flow, pull systems, continuous improvement are the five principles that define Lean production as the significance of eliminating waste. In parallel with the Lean thinking, the Green strategy is also gaining importance in competition between companies. Many businesses are working to create goods or services that have less of an impact on the environment over a period of their lifecycle. The goal is to decrease the use of resources, remove risky materials, promote recycling, improve efficiency, and lower CO2 emissions. Waste reduction is an essential component of both the Lean and Green production paradigms, and combining these two approaches to management can produce beneficial outcomes.

With an emphasis on the pay gap and underrepresentation in leadership roles, this paper provides a thorough analysis of the ongoing gender disparities in organizations. There are still significant obstacles to overcome despite recent progress in promoting equal opportunities, which emphasizes the necessity of initiatives like diversity programs, mentorship, and corporate policies centred on gender equity. Governments, businesses, and civil society must thus work together to drive structural change, especially considering the World Economic Forum's concerning prediction that it will take 135.6 years to close the global wage gap. The report's in-depth analysis, which refutes the idea that women are growing less ambitious, shows that they still have high ambitions and are motivated by flexibility in the workplace. The largest barrier, in contrast to the myth of the "glass ceiling," is the so-called "broken step"—the difference in advancement from the beginning of a career. Despite their derogatory moniker, microaggressions also significantly hinder women's career advancement and have a detrimental effect on their mental and physical well-being. Flexibility in the workplace is valued by both men and women as one of the primary corporate benefits, dispelling the myth that women's needs are the only ones who require it. Along with applauding current efforts and outlining future steps, it also emphasizes the critical need to address persistent inequalities. Maintaining a dedication to diversity and equality benefits society in general by making institutions stronger and fostering fairness and progress. To effectively eradicate gender inequality in the workplace, the Hershey Co. is cited as a role model due to its aggressive goals for increasing the representation of women in the workforce.

Objectives The aim of the study were to (1) investigate what physical and physiological parameters are most important for Frame Running capacity, a parasport for individuals with ambulatory difficulties, and (2) determine whether Frame Running capacity can be predicted in athletes with cerebral palsy. Design Athletes with cerebral palsy (N = 62, Gross Motor Classification System I–V; 2/26/11/21/2) completed a 6-min Frame Running test. Before the 6-min Frame Running test, muscle thickness, passive range of motion (hip, knee, ankle), selective motor control, and spasticity (hip, knee, ankle) were measured in both legs. In total, 54 variables per individual were included. Data were analyzed using correlations, principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least square regression, and variable importance in projection analysis. Results The mean 6-min Frame Running test distance was 789 ± 335 m and decreased with motor function severity. The orthogonal partial least square analysis revealed a modest degree of covariance in the variables analyzed and that the variance in the 6-min Frame Running test distance could be predicted with 75% accuracy based on all the variables measured. Variable importance in projection analysis indicated hip and knee extensor spasticity (negative effect), and muscle thickness (positive effect) arose as the most important factors contributing to Frame Running capacity. Conclusions These results are an important resource to enable optimization of training regimes to improve Frame Running capacity and contribute to evidence-based and fair classification for this parasport., OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study were to (1) investigate what physical and physiological parameters are most important for Frame Running capacity, a parasport for individuals with ambulatory difficulties, and (2) determine whether Frame Running capacity can be predicted in athletes with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: Athletes with cerebral palsy ( N = 62, Gross Motor Classification System I-V; 2/26/11/21/2) completed a 6-min Frame Running test. Before the 6-min Frame Running test, muscle thickness, passive range of motion (hip, knee, ankle), selective motor control, and spasticity (hip, knee, ankle) were measured in both legs. In total, 54 variables per individual were included. Data were analyzed using correlations, principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least square regression, and variable importance in projection analysis. RESULTS: The mean 6-min Frame Running test distance was 789 ± 335 m and decreased with motor function severity. The orthogonal partial least square analysis revealed a modest degree of covariance in the variables analyzed and that the variance in the 6-min Frame Running test distance could be predicted with 75% accuracy based on all the variables measured. Variable importance in projection analysis indicated hip and knee extensor spasticity (negative effect), and muscle thickness (positive effect) arose as the most important factors contributing to Frame Running capacity. CONCLUSIONS: These results are an important resource to enable optimization of training regimes to improve Frame Running capacity and contribute to evidence-based and fair classification for this parasport.

This project, undertaken as part of the Research Assignment for Exchange Students at the Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB), represents a culmination of a semester-long academic mobility experience. Collaborating with a supervising professor, the aim of this research endeavor was to identify and delve into a pertinent topic within the realm of industrial engineering technologies. The chosen focus centers on the paradigm shift associated with teleworking, a subject of growing significance in the contemporary global workforce. The global work environment has witnessed a profound transformation, primarily driven by the widespread adoption of teleworking. This shift, propelled by technological advancements, has been further accelerated by unprecedented events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The resulting impact has transcended traditional work structures, ushering in a dynamic and flexible paradigm that demands a comprehensive understanding. This research work is dedicated to unraveling the intricate facets of the teleworking phenomenon, with a specific focus on its relationship with organizational culture, leadership, and social sustainability. Through systematic research, the report aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities posed by remote work, ultimately contributing to the optimization of the teleworking experience. The report is structured to guide the reader through the various stages of the research process, from the identification of the research topic to the key findings. The thematic progression encompasses the overall concept of teleworking, with the subsequent sections delve into the interplay between teleworking and organizational culture, the role of leadership, and the broader implications for social sustainability. In summary, this report serves as a comprehensive record of the research conducted, offering valuable insights into this contemporary and highly relevant subject. The findings presented herein

In most countries, a government agency or collaborating organization gathers information on occupational accidents. Comparisons based on a single factor such as autonomous community, activity sector or others, often leads to contradictory conclusions. The use of this information for comparison is not immediate because the different characteristics considered give place to different possible comparisons. The elaboration of a single baseline for each set of characteristics is addressed. The method proposed comes from the data available in Spain but could be applied to other cases. The method consists of: (1) selecting factors–those selected are age, sex, autonomous community and activity; (2) the generation of a synthetic population based on data from a survey and general proportions by applying the Optimal Representative Sample Weighting (rsw); and (3) the prediction of the accidents ratio for each set of characteristic by using a XGBoost decision trees ensemble. The results confirm the appropriateness of the method., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

The unprecedented growth of universities in recent years has meant that there are more students with learning disabilities attending courses. Consequently, universities have had to adapt, improve and create new resources to ensure greater inclusivity. These resources, their design, and development are managed by inclusion support services, aiming to the full inclusion of students with disabilities and the promotion of community awareness. This article aims to shed light on the current role of inclusion services in supporting students with learning disabilities, and the link these services have with the different university stakeholders, using a thematic analysis from the experiences of this services staff in eight Spanish universities. The results show that: i) there is no uniformity in the support services; and ii) more resources and work are needed to ensure increased inclusion and awareness. The discussion and conclusions drawn highlight the trends, challenges, and opportunities for universities improving their inclusion., Postprint (author's final draft)

The blockchain is an emerging technology which has recently been generalized to many areas with huge potential. Its operating mode fits perfectly in the supply chains, regardless their sector. Normally, they comprise all the procedures and activities from the picking of the raw material to the final delivery of the product. Some of the worries are the traceability of products, inventory management, quality control and deadline fulfillment. The solution to many of the problems in these areas can be found in the use of the blockchain technology, as it permits not only improving the velocity of the products delivery to the client, but also assure the traceability, to ensure an excellent quality control, a good data transference and information security. This research assignment focuses in the study and knowledge of the functions and potentialities of the blockchain technology and shows which business procedures can enjoy the potential underlying the technology. To answer the questions suggested in this paper, it was analysed study cases by sectors, business procedures and the potential of the application of the blockchain technology in the management of the supply chain. In the evaluation of this potential, it was used the SCOR model to understand the existing procedures and, later, it was made an individual study to the categories and their procedures to analyse the difficulties and necessities. After that, the difficulties and necessities of each processes category were studied. Thus, it was possible to qualify the importance and carry out a matching between the difficulties and/ or necessities of each process and the potential of using the blockchain technology. In the end, it was concluded that the blockchain technology can act on different sectors, companies and business procedures. After a reflection on the analysis made and the conclusion that each company presents procedures with different importance, it was made a simulator, so that any company which is organi

Based on the Swedish market. A quantitative study with a case study and a survey. In collaboration with the Womengineer foundation. The aim of the study is to determine what factors and values that are important for female newly graduated students when choosing their first employer. This forms a target group of female engineering students in their last year or their first year after graduation from Swedish universities., The aim of this study is to uncover the current recruitment situation in the Swedish engineering ngineering field for young female engineering students in their early work life and identify barriers to their recruitments. This will be done by determining important factors and values for young female engineering students when choosing their first employer by taking the recruiting companies' perspectives into account and to distinguish if there could exist a gap between them

Collaborative robots play an increasingly important role in the automation process, allowing humans to share their workspace and payload. With the application of co-bots, humans can operate together in tasks that require direct interaction and coordination, as well as helping them in monotonous and repetitive tasks, which are too often dangerous and unhealthy for humans to perform. Co-bots are flexible machines that help improve efficiency and quality, having a high level of accuracy and being able to be easily programmed by any operator. One of the main concerns with the utilization of collaborative robots in the present is the safety of the human collaborator, although co-bots are equipped with safety features meant to avoid collisions and other accidents. This research assignment focuses on understanding the impact of co-bots in different industries, and what should be expected from them in the near future. The methods used are the analysis of expert’s opinions on what technologies will soon be available, as well as the examination of projects being developed to support their expectations. The research shows that co-bots will become more popular in the future, especially in the manufacturing and healthcare industries. Experts agree that robots will become more human-like, acquiring skills and competences like machine vision, human-like learning processes and memorization of the operators’ preferences, while still being mindful of the human’s safety

El treball que es presenta a continuació consisteix en la definició d’una oficina de govern de la dada al Departament de Drets Socials de la Generalitat de Catalunya. En primer lloc, es descriu la situació actual en la que es situa el problema. El projecte es centra en el Departament de Drets Socials, més concretament en l’Àrea TIC del Departament, encarregada de proporcionar les solucions tecnològiques al Departament. Un dels principals reptes d’aquesta àrea consisteix en promoure la Transformació Digital a tot el Departament. Aquest impuls es va iniciar al 2017, focalitzant-se en la gestió de les prestacions socials, i fins a dia d’avui s’ha anat expandint per la resta de funcions del Departament. Es detecta, aleshores, la necessitat d’elaborar un Pla de Transformació Digital al Departament, amb l’objectiu de identificar les necessitats i barreres de transformació digital de totes les unitats del Departament i proposar un pla d’acció per a donar-hi resposta. Amb la realització d’aquest pla, en el que s’ha portat a terme l’acompanyament a totes unitats en la detecció de les seves necessitats, s’extreu un llistat d’iniciatives i barreres identificades. Analitzant aquestes iniciatives, i amb la finalitat de mitigar les barreres detectades, es conclou que la barrera més detectada correspon a manca de governança en les dades utilitzades en el Departament. Com a conseqüència, i tenint en compte l’efecte positiu que la seva resolució pugui donar a la resta de barreres, es proposa la definició d’una Oficina de governança de les dades. En aquest sentit, es proposa una Oficina de governança de les dades basada en un model compost per 5 dimensions: principis i polítiques, organització, processos, tecnologia i compliment de la governança. Es defineix cada una d’aquestes dimensions, d’acord a les necessitats del Departament detectades i al nivell de maduresa de governança desitjat. Un cop definida la solució, es planteja un full de ruta per a la seva implementació, tenint pres

In today's global world, the supply chain of our various products and services has come to play a crucial role in the efficiency of organizations, extending across multiple countries in every part of the world. The integration of production processes in the supply chain by companies has brought considerable competitive advantage and economic growth. Thus, an efficient supply chain management is essential for continuously increasing productivity and value. However, this quick globalization of processes and the continuous pressure to maximize productivity through increasingly sophisticated methods at reduced costs has led to serious social, economic and environmental impacts on the community. The occurrence of several incidents and scandals over the past decades have led to a growing concern and awareness by various business entities and the community about the unsustainable effects of globalized production processes and consumption. The integration of an efficient approach to reduce environmental waste through principles that simultaneously aim to reduce waste and maximize productivity, through the application of lean thinking principles, has had a great weight in companies' decisions, however, it is still insufficient. With the objective of performing a critical and exploratory analysis, the present work focuses on the integration of green and socio-ethical methodologies throughout the operations and strategies of supply chain management as a way to increase the sustainability of the entire production. Based on previous knowledge in the area of production management allied with logistics, is performed an exploratory analysis of the different lean tools and methods that contribute to the integration of a strategy aimed at social, environmental and economic responsibility throughout the supply chain. The research in question revealed several approaches that provide an appropriate framework of tools and methodologies to be adopted by companies in order to effectively i, Incoming

In an increasingly competitive market, businesses must bet on the improvement of their manufacturing processes. Today's challenges for all businesses are to produce more with fewer resources, faster and more efficiently. The adoption of the Lean Thinking mindset is one of the tactics that various firms have implemented in their persistent quest of efficiency and work process improvement. Lean Thinking is a concept that seeks to produce value while eliminating waste. It is not a goal or objective, but rather a method of achieving efficiency and effectiveness. The Lean concept was formed on the basis of the Toyota Production System. These systems generate a set of default rules with effective practises, allowing the firm to stand out during the 1973 Japanese economic crisis. The primary goals of this philosophy are to simplify procedures in order to boost production while decreasing expenses and rework. The purpose of this work is to investigate the implementation of this philosophy, its roots, tools and a critical analysis of its implementation. The research work will begin with a brief historical approach that will serve as a connection from classical organizational ideas to today, an exploration of the concepts and techniques that underpin a lean methodology, the critical factors adjacent to its implementation, and culminates with a detailed description of the requirements and steps for a company to become a “Lean Enterprise”.

Human skeletal muscle characteristics such as fiber type composition, fiber size and myonuclear content are widely studied in clinical and sports related contexts. Being aware of the methodological and biological variability of the characteristics is a critical aspect in study design and outcome interpretation, but comprehensive data on the variability of morphological features in human skeletal muscle is currently limited. Accordingly, in the present study, m. vastus lateralis biopsies (10 per subject) from young and healthy individuals, collected in a systematic manner, were analyzed for various characteristics using immunohistochemistry (n=7) and SDS-PAGE (n=25). None of the analyzed parameters; fiber type % (FT%), type I and II CSA (fCSA), percentage fiber type area (fCSA%), myosin heavy chain composition (MyHC%), type IIX content, myonuclear content or myonuclear domain varied in a systematic manner longitudinally along the muscle or between the two legs. The average within subject coefficient of variation for FT%, fCSA, fCSA%, and MyHC% ranged between 13-18%, but was only 5% for fiber specific myonuclear content, which reduced the variability for myonuclear domain size to 11-12%. Pure type IIX fibers and type IIX MyHC were randomly distributed and present in <24% of the analyzed samples, with the average content being 0.1 and 1.1%, respectively. In conclusion, leg or longitudinal orientation does not seem to be an important aspect to consider when investigating human vastus lateralis characteristics. However, single muscle biopsies should preferably not be used when studying fiber type and fiber size related aspects given the notable sample to sample variability.

In recent years, reductions in the price of photovoltaic panels and batteries have made them profitable. However, the achievement of grid parity, i.e. whether these systems are cheaper than the national grid for residential users, is still being debated. This paper quantifies the proportion of demand that could be covered assuming that solar-battery adoption is decided based on the maximum profit, the maximum autarky with no extra cost or the maximum autarky with limited extra-cost. A simulation model is developed which performs a half-hourly analysis for one year, considering the solar radiation, the consumption pattern and characteristics of equipment. London is examined using a database gathering consumption from 5567 households. In particular, the techno-economic performance of the systems is studied according to different reward schemes (from a non-subsidized to a high compensation one). Results are discussed according to the optimisation strategy: maximising profit, for users seeking economic performance; and maximum autarky, for users willing independence from the grid. Complementarily, the correlation between characteristics of consumption profiles and autarky is analysed. Results show that installations are profitable for a reward of 0.03 £/kWh, under profit maximisation, and can attain 90% autarky. The injection reward is still essential to make batteries profitable., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

In recent years, solar price drops and regulations have helped residential users to invest in grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) facilities. In Spain, a novel law promotes self-consumption by discounting electricity fed into the grid from the utility bill. However, the performance of PV-based facilities depends on diverse factors. The contribution of this paper is to evaluate the techno-economic performance of such installations for different considerations linked to the Spanish law. A simulation model is used to examine different representative cities, load profiles and alternative objectives: maximising profitability and self-sufficiency. For profit maximisation, results show that load profile variations entail PV size changes up to 5 kWp for the same location, together with huge economic and self-sufficiency differences. In contrast, the solar radiation and compensation rate have a more limited influence. For self-sufficiency maximisation, the economic performance drops close to EUR 0, as benefits are used to double the PV size, buy batteries and reach close to 70% self-sufficiency. Finally, a sensitivity analysis shows a limited impact of the utility tariff and the technology cost on the PV size, but a relevant influence on the benefits. These results can help investors and families to quantify the risks and benefits of domestic self-consumption facilities, Peer Reviewed, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::7 - Energia Assequible i No Contaminant::7.2 - Per a 2030, augmentar substancialment el percentatge d’energia renovable en el con­junt de fonts d’energia, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::7 - Energia Assequible i No Contaminant, Postprint (published version)

El proyecto presente tiene como objetivo principal la realización de un análisis técnico-económico de la aplicación de la tecnología fotovoltaica para utilizarla como autoconsumo conectado a la red en diferentes tipologías de establecimientos comerciales. El emplazamiento de dichos establecimientos se encuentran en distintas localizaciones de la península que ofrezcan datos meteorológicos de contraste: Sevilla, Oviedo y Barcelona. Se realizará una comparativa energética y económicamente entre los distintos establecimientos comerciales, caracterizados por tener consumos muy diferentes y en muchos casos altas demandas energéticas cuando hay luz solar. En términos de energía, los establecimientos más rentables son aquellos que generan energía excedentaria: centro comercial, retail e instituto de secundaria. Además, el sistema fotovoltaico de los dos primeros establecimientos generan un porcentaje de ahorro muy alto en comparación con el resto de establecimientos superando el 40% si las instalaciones se sitúan en Sevilla. En los casos dónde existe energía excedentaria se analizará la posibilidad de incluir baterías. Este análisis muestra que el aumento del ahorro energético frente al coste inicial no compensa actualmente. Respecto a la situación de los establecimientos, las instalaciones en Oviedo muestran unas rentabilidades energéticas mucho menores que en Sevilla o Barcelona y económicas negativas, haciendo que sea inviable su implicación en esa ciudad. Las instalaciones que recuperan antes su inversión inicial se sitúan en Sevilla, remarcando los establecimientos de grandes consumos energéticos como el hospital, gran hotel o gran oficina con unos plazos de recuperación de seis años y medio. Resulta indispensable calcular la posible reducción de emisiones de gases a la atmósfera. Como se genera menos energía por la instalación en Oviedo, la reducción de las emisiones será menor. En el resto de ciudades estudiadas, la instalación que más energía genera es el instituto

El objetivo de este proyecto es describir una metodología de previsión de ventas que permita establecer un modelo de previsión adecuado dada una casuística concreta. Por ello, se realizan diversos análisis con el fin de conocer el impacto de las previsiones de ventas y qué técnicas de previsión son las más adecuadas para cada caso particular. La metodología descrita y los resultados de los análisis son aplicados a un caso práctico en el que se desea predecir las ventas de un establecimiento minorista de la compañía Walmart. La metodología de previsión de ventas presentada considera diversos métodos de previsión. Con el fin de conocer qué métodos son los más adecuados para cada casuística, es importante conocer y entender el impacto de las previsiones de venta en la gestión de la cadena de suministro. Por ello, se analiza, considerando diferentes tipologías de producto, el impacto que las previsiones generan en los niveles de existencias y en la gestión de las actividades de todos los actores que forman la cadena de abastecimiento. Con el fin de mejorar la eficiencia de la cadena de suministro, se concluye que es importante predecir con una precisión elevada y en todas las etapas de la cadena, las ventas de productos que generan un gran número de ventas y/o ingresos, que tienen un elevado coste de stock, un alto riesgo a generar stock obsoleto o un tiempo de abastecimiento alto. Con el fin de conocer que métodos de previsión deben ser considerados al aplicar la metodología descrita en un caso particular, se realiza un análisis de los diversos métodos y técnicas de previsión de ventas existentes. De este análisis se destaca que las ventas pueden ser previstas mediante métodos cualitativos o mediante métodos cuantitativos. Los segundos son en general más precisos y deben ser considerados cuando se dispone de un histórico de datos. Los métodos cuantitativos se dividen en métodos estadísticos basados en el análisis de series de tiempo y en métodos causales. Tradicionalme