Paulo Ávila

Abstract
Risk assessment is a theme of large spectrum applied in different fields. In the context of Virtual / Collaborative Enterprises there are several risks whose assessment should be aware to avoid undesirable consequences either for entire networked or for a partner in particular. The objective of this work is centered on the creation of a framework / guidelines to serve as a basis for the creation of a better risk assessment model for Virtual / Collaborative Enterprises. This work analyzed the few models available in the literature and identified some gaps that were used to purpose complementary guidelines for the design and / or improve the future risk assessment models. The pointed guidelines covered three important topics: risk factors; assessment methods; and the impact in different life cycle phases of a Virtual / Collaborative Enterprise. Considering the results of the work it is our conviction that there is space to improve the research in this field and a more robust and flexible risk assessment model should be developed. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Abstract
Purpose: The study purpose was to analyse the excellence and operational efficiency of Portuguese industrial companies through the measurement of lean practices implementation. Additionally, it intended to propose a new model to assess the lean production system. Design/methodology/approach: The research presents an in-depth lean literature review that served as a basis for the creation of a questionnaire. The survey was addressed to Portuguese industrial companies to obtain data about their lean implementation success. Collected data were analysed, resorting descriptive and exploratory statistics. A principal component analysis was applied to reduce the amount of data and define a new model that characterizes the lean practices adoption level. Some Chi-square tests were used to assess the independence of some variables. Findings: The results indicate that a significant percentage of organizations use lean practices within their activity. Concerning the lean implementation maturity, a plus side revealed by the study concerns the adoption of the teamwork, internal information shared principles, increase of process capability to produce conforming products, and reduction in set up times. On the other hand, responsibilities decentralization, more employees acting as team leaders, implementation of employees' suggestions, and interconnection with suppliers, are some of the principles that need to be given greater attention by the Portuguese industrial organizations. The key contribution consists of a new model for lean determinants based on three dimensions: work method, productive process elements, and work efficiency. Originality/value: The present research provides a new Lean determinants model that allows understanding the importance of the operational efficiency provided by a mature lean production system, being the key to the competitiveness in the global business market.

Abstract
Time, cost, and quality are the three indispensable factors for the realization and success of a project. In this context, we propose a framework composed of a multi-objective approach and multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM) to solve time-cost-quality trade-off optimization problems. A multi-objective Simulated Annealing (MOSA) algorithm is used to compute an approximation to the Pareto optimal set. The concept of the exploratory grid is introduced in the MOSA to improve its performance. MCDM are used to assist the decision-making process. The Shannon entropy and AHP methods assign weights to criteria. The first methodology is for the inexperienced decision-makers, and the second concedes a personal and flexible weighting of the criteria weights, based on the project manager's assessment. The TOPSIS and VIKOR methods are considered to rank the solutions. Although they have the same purpose, the rankings achieved are different. A tool is implemented to solve a time-cost-quality trade-off problem on a project activities network. The computational experiments are analyzed and the results with the exploratory grid in Simulated Annealing (SA) are promising. Despite the framework aims to solve multi-objective trade-off optimization problems, supporting the decisions of the project manager, the methodologies used can also be applied in other areas.

Abstract
To remain competitive, companies must continuously improve the processes at hand, be they administrative, production, or logistics. The objective of the study described in this paper was to develop a decision-making tool based on a simulation model to support the production of knits and damask fabrics. The tool was used to test different control strategies for material flow, from the raw material warehouse to the finished product warehouse, and thus can also be used to evaluate the impacts of these strategies on the productivity. The data upon which the decision support tool was built were collected from five sectors of the plant: the raw material warehouse, knit production, damask production, finishing work, and the finished product warehouse. The decision support tool met the objectives of the project, with all five strategies developed showing positive results. Knit and damask production rates increased by up to 8% and 44%, respectively, and a reduction of 75% was observed in the waiting time on the point of entry to the finishing work area, compared to the company's existing system.