Springer Technology Integration to Business: Focusing on RFID, Interoperability, and Sustainability for Manufacturing, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management

This book describes a business-driven holistic approach to technology integration, from examinaton of current state to assessment of emerging business technologies, to preparatory tasks and project initiation, through planning, execution, control, to close. Review From the reviews: “This book examines the concepts, practices, and issues related to technology integration in business. … The book is both highly technical and highly practical. It is also problem and solution focused, and offers useful knowledge that engineers and program and project managers can use to create more value for their organizations.” (Ernest Hughes, ACM Computing Reviews, January, 2013) “Yee (US Department of Homeland Security) and Oh (General Motors Research) have produced a well-written book on integrating technology into business and industrial operations. … What is particularly helpful about this work is that derivations are worked through step by step and numerous examples are presented to help readers understand new concepts. … This volume will be very useful for MBA and upper-division undergraduate students as well as practitioners working in technology-related areas. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections.” (K. J. Constas, Choice, Vol. 50 (9), May, 2013) From the Back Cover Today’s global business environments drive companies to be more dependent on technology, and to remain competitive, firms will face situations in which they will need to introduce or adopt a new technology to their business. In order to achieve a successful integration with maximum return on investment, companies need a systematic approach that accommodates acomprehensive course of action of technology integration. Technology Integration to Business suggests a business-driven holistic approach of technology integration that consists of several steps. First, companies should examine the current state, issues, benefits, and obstacles of technology integration in conjunction with their competitive business strategy and operational capability. Second, firms should investigate new, emerging business technologies as to how those technologies can contribute to improve the business. Third, with the technology integration needs identified, companies should complete preparatory tasks before actual implementation, such as business process analysis, technology assessment, technology provider investigation, business case development, and cost-benefit analysis. Fourth, because the nature of a technology integration project involves many stakeholders in global locations, firms should use effective project management knowledge from project initiation, through planning, execution, and control, to close. Students will learn real-world technology integration processes in industry settings and become more prepared for future industrial careers. Practitioners will find thorough procedures and methods that are useful in practice to improve business performance. Realistic examples for manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management application domains give the reader practical implications for the methods presented. About the Author John T. Yee, Ph.D., PMP, is an Operations Research Analyst at the U.S. Department Of Homeland Security, where he is responsible for leading and developing advanced quantitative decision-making methods and solutions for high performance operational readiness.  He is also an Adjunct Professor, Management of Technology Department, at SungKyunKwan University. He served as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Business of the University of Michigan-Dearborn.  Seog-Chan Oh, Ph.D., is a researcher at General Motors Research and Development, where he brings in noble methods for improving the performance of the automotive operations.