More Like this

1. Global Value Chains’ Disaggregation through Supply Chain Collaboration, Market Turbulence, and Performance Outcomes

   Arora, A.; Arora, A. S.; Anyu, J.; McIntyre, J. (May 2021, Sustainability)

   null (Ed.)

   his research examines supply chain collaboration effects on organizational performance in global value chain (GVC) infrastructure by focusing on GVC disaggregation, market turbulence, inequality, market globalization, product diversity, exploitation, and technological breakthroughs. The research strives to develop a better understanding of global value chains through relational view, behavioral, and contingency theories along with institutional and stakeholder theories of supply chains. Based on conflicting insights from these theories, this research investigates how relationships and operational outcomes of collaboration fare when market turbulence is present. Data is obtained and analyzed from focal firms that are engaged in doing business in emerging markets (e.g., India), and headquartered in the United States. We investigate relational outcomes (e.g., trust, credibility, mutual respect, and relationship commitment) among supply chain partners, and found that these relational outcomes result in better operational outcomes (e.g., profitability, market share increase, revenue generation, etc.). From managerial standpoint, supply chain managers should focus on relational outcomes that can strengthen operational outcomes in GVCs resulting in stronger organizational performance. The research offers valuable insights for theory and practice of global value chains by focusing on the GVC disaggregation through the measurement of market turbulence, playing a key role in the success of collaborative buyer–supplier relationships (with a focus on US companies doing business in India) leading to an overall improved firm performance. 

   more » « less
2. Communicating the Intention: A Communication Channel Designed for Exchanging Information About Intentions in Collaborative Systems

   Avsar, Alkim Z; Grogan, Paul T (November 2024, American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM))

   Natarajan, Ganapathy; Zhang, Hao; Ng, Ean H (Ed.)

   In collaborative systems, both technical and social factors influence decisions. While collaborative options may yield desired outcomes, a lack of understanding between parties can hinder collaboration. Effective communication facilitates information exchange and comprehension of partners' intentions, guiding designers toward collaborative decisions. This study examines the impact of a communication channel designed to share actors' collaboration intentions on the accuracy of information exchange and strategic decisions in a collaborative design process. The research uses secondary data from a human experiment involving a collaborative system design problem to assess the intervention's effects. The experimental procedure involves actors completing 30 paired tasks, earning or losing points based on joint decisions with their partners. Participants represent decision-makers from different car manufacturing companies. The experimental data includes 28 junior-year plus STEM undergraduate and graduate students completing paired decision-making collaborative tasks allowed to exchange verbal information and have an additional communication channel to share intentions. The usage of the communication channel is investigated using multiple statistical tests. Results indicate that actors share their intentions accurately and honestly via the communication channel. Even in inaccurate cases, actors’ decisions shift significantly due to their partner's reported strategic intentions. This research underscores the importance of communication for better management of collaborative systems. 

   more » « less
3. Effects of differential risk attitudes in collaborative systems design

   https://doi.org/10.1002/sys.21687  

   Avşar, Alkım_Z; Grogan, Paul_T (April 2023, Systems Engineering)

   Abstract Collaboration enables multiple actors with different objectives to work together and achieve a goal beyond individual capabilities. However, strategic uncertainty from partners' actions introduces a potential for losses under failed collaboration relative to pursuing an independent system. The fundamental tradeoff between high‐value but uncertain outcomes from collaborative systems and lower‐value but more certain outcomes for independent systems induces a bistability strategic dynamic. Actors exhibit different risk attitudes that impact decisions under uncertainty which complicate shared understanding of collaborative dynamics. This paper investigates how risk attitudes affect design and strategy decisions in collaborative systems through the lens of game theory. First, an analytical model studies the effect of differential risk attitudes in a two‐actor problem with stag‐hunting strategic dynamics formulated as single‐ and bi‐level games. Next, a simulation model pairs actors with different risk attitudes in a 29‐game tournament based on a prior behavioral experiment. Results show that outcomes collaborative design problems change based on the risk attitudes of both actors. Results also emphasize that considering conservative lower‐level design options facilitates collaboration by providing risk‐averse actors with a safer solution. By accepting that decision‐making actors are not all risk‐neutral, future work seeks to develop new design methods to strengthen the adoption of efficient collaborative solutions. 

   more » « less
4. 3D Privacy Framework: The Citizen Value Driven Privacy Framework

   https://doi.org/10.1109/ISC253183.2021.9562841  

   Mimo, Edgard Musafiri; McDaniel, Troy (September 2021, 2021 IEEE International Smart Cities Conference (ISC2))

   The promises of smart cities continue to overwhelm many people eager to live in them. Simultaneously, many people are still concerned about the increasing privacy risks associated with the core of the promises. The core of smart cities’ promises lies in generating and using data to enable urban technologies that provide, to some degree, value-added services and opportunities for both cities and their citizens. The promises of smart cities highlight three interdependent dimensions, namely the information type, purpose, and value that provide the basis of studying and addressing privacy concerns to enable successful smart cities. This paper presents a 3D privacy framework based on three interdependent dimensions that build on existing citizens’ privacy models [1] and framework [2] to hypothesize when citizens are likely to accept smart city technologies with privacy concerns, when citizens are more likely to accept trading their privacy for the provided valued services under defined regulations, and when citizens are likely to protest and disregard smart cities technologies altogether. The 3D privacy framework highlights new ways of evaluating how technologies impact citizens’ privacy and encourages adopting new ways to lessen citizens’ privacy concerns by implementing technology-specific agile regulation based on the metrics of security. Some specific examples of smart city technologies are discussed to illustrate the practicality and usefulness of the proposed 3D privacy framework in the smart cities’ space. 

   more » « less
5. WIP: Developing Accessible University-Industry Pathways for Civil Engineering Students with Disabilities

   Gillen, Andrew; McCall, Cassandra; Bury, Gisele; Perry, Logan (June 2025, ASEE PEER Document Repository)

   In this paper, we provide an overview of the work conducted in the first two phases of a one-year planning project, funded by the National Science Foundation, to increase the representation of civil engineers with disabilities in the workforce. The purpose of this project is to build capacity for engaging industry partners in a long-term collaboration under a shared goal of increasing workforce accessibility for students with disabilities pursuing careers in civil engineering. Specific objectives for this project include: (1) synthesizing relevant literature; (2) identifying and engaging industry stakeholders; (3) exploring collaborative tensions and synergies among industry stakeholders; and (4) developing a robust research agenda for the next phases of the project. 

   more » « less