André Serra Santos

Abstract
In today's rapidly evolving and competitive business environment, organizations must continuously innovate, leading to the development of new optimization techniques, methods, and tools to support decision-making. In project scheduling management, efficiency and effectiveness are crucial for organizational success, and the tools developed are designed to improve these two critical factors. This paper focuses on applying optimization techniques to project scheduling, with a particular emphasis on metaheuristics, specifically Simulated Annealing. A mathematical model was developed, incorporating the specific requirements of resource constrained project scheduling. A prototype was then implemented based on this model and tested using academic data to assess its effectiveness. The results demonstrated that the prototype could generate effective schedules and exhibited remarkable flexibility, adapting to different types of projects and multi-project environments. This article concludes that using metaheuristics, such as Simulated Annealing, provides a powerful and effective approach to solving complex project scheduling problems, offering significant advantages for organizations operating in dynamic and highly constrained environments.

Abstract
This paper proposes a novel and comprehensive framework for the integration of manufacturing management processes, spanning strategic and operational levels, within and across organizational boundaries. The framework combines a robust set of technologies-such as cyber-physical systems, digital twins, AI, and blockchain-designed to support real-time decision-making, interoperability, and collaboration in Industry 4.0 and 5.0 contexts. Implemented and validated in a Portuguese manufacturing group comprising three interoperating factories, the framework demonstrated its ability to improve agility, coordination, and stakeholder integration through a multi-layered architecture and modular software platform. Quantitative and qualitative feedback from 32 participants confirmed enhanced decision support, operational responsiveness, and external collaboration. While tailored to a specific industrial setting, the results highlight the framework's scalability and adaptability, positioning it as a meaningful contribution toward sustainable, human-centric digital transformation in manufacturing environments.