Mathematical Models for Engineering Science Combining mathematical forecasting with intuitive techniques for better decision making R. Siriram Abstract - Mathematical models are used to forecast new product sales. Forecasting using mathematical methods have been criticized by many researchers, as the forecasts are often not sufficiently accurate to be applied to business decisions. Forecasting new product sales may be improved by using intuitive techniques. In this paper intuitive techniques are applied to mathematical forecasting models. A growth curve predication model is developed; in addition a reference data set is used to validate the outputs, providing important lessons for managers. Keywords - Mathematical techniques, decision making. 1. forecasting, intuitive INTRODUCTION There are many factors affecting new product growth. [15] refers to these factors as complementary assets. Some of these factors include services like marketing, competitive manufacturing, after sales support, etc. These factors affect the perception of users and hence affect product diffusion and growth. For a product to diffuse the necessary complementary assets supporting the diffusion needs to be in place. For example [7] argues cellular phones were a great invention, but its commercial success depended on the development of switching software and equipment, service providers, and forecasts of microwave towers. Only when these complementary assets were in place could the product diffuse. The growth of a particular product is affected by at least two factors a) the perceived characteristics of the product or innovation (PCI), [12] and b) the user’s propensity profile i.e. (AC). adopter categories (innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards) [8]. In this paper a growth curve predication model is developed taking PCI and AC as inputs. The results are then compared to a reference data set of historical growth curves, interesting comparisons are drawn, assisting managers in improving forecasts for better decision making. [17] argues the growth progress follows a regular pattern, characteristically an S-Curve pattern. He argues the S-Curve is similar to the product-life cycle i.e. we observe a slow initial growth, followed by a rapid rise, which slows down as it approaches asymptotically, an upper limit set by the technology. Since progress occurs with human investment, the actual path is one of a family of such curves (see Fig. 1). Here growth rates can be slow, medium and fast. [14] say the force driving a generation of curves is the diffusion of information. Since information is formed through networks, as firms collaborate with themselves and other firms, both inside and outside the firm information gives rise to both tacit and explicit knowledge. This tacit and explicit knowledge about a particular product may influence user perceptions of a particular product and hence affect product growth. Researchers like [4] find the degree of product innovativeness plays an important role in understanding the benefits of intra-organisational collaboration during new product development (NPD). Such collaboration should occur both in and outside the firm [2]. From these views, it seems that networks and collaboration are likely to influence growth curves. Fig.1 possible paths of progress, adapted from [17] II. LITERATURE SURVEY The varied number of complementary assets that are available and different tendencies in terms of the PCI and AC makes the growth process in terms of forecasting complex. Manuscript received September 28, 2010. R. Siriram is with Dimension Data Middle East Africa, Bryanston, Johannesburg, South Africa (Phone: +2711 575 6702; fax; +2711 576 6702; e-mail; raj.siriram@mea.dimensiondata.com ISBN: 978-960-474-252-3 Given this backdrop firms introducing new products are faced with different paths of progress and these paths may pose different challenges in terms of predicating growth. The question is which path do we follow in new product sales? The growth process is complex, subject to many supply and demand influences. [16] question the goal of forecasting. Is it to find the rate of technological or market change (a number), to check the availability and 113 Mathematical Models for Engineering Science accuracy of information (an investigation) or to explore the range of future possibilities (scenario development)? Other researchers argue forecasting should be enhanced through exploratory means like brainstorming, expert opinion, Delphi, scenario planning and relevance trees, although radically different scenarios may encourage a wait and see or a big bang approach. Such techniques may influence growth curves, assisting managers in improving forecasting capabilities. Understanding could lead to manipulating growth curves by factors that affect growth. So a basic growth curve must be explored to provide a basis for analysis. Much research has gone into a better understanding of forecasting, [3], [6], [5] and [10]. While findings vary, the message is for a deeper understanding of forecasting models and their associated parameters. At least the following researchers have attempted to develop more accurate forecasts by using mathematical models viz. [10], [18], [20] and [13]. Other researchers like [12] and [8] have attempted to use more intuitive techniques to predict the growth of new products. However, research incorporating both models is lacking. [9] used the Bass model to forecast the adoption of EBooks. A list of coefficients of innovation and imitation for various products was tabled so that they could be used by analogy in the pursuit of estimating coefficients for the adoption of E-Books. The main problem with this method of estimating coefficients by analogy is the method does not incorporate the PCI of the product/innovation or the AC of the product/innovation. To this end [12] five factors may allow one to consider a) PC1 and b) [8] allow the incorporation of AC. Little work has been done to incorporate mathematical models like Bass and PCI and AC. In this paper, the PCI and AC are used in conjunction with the Bass model. The key benefit of this approach is that determining the growth curve of an innovation, two important factors are taken into consideration. The first one is to consider the attributes of the innovation, the perceived characteristics of an innovation (PCI) and the second factor is a consideration of the users of that innovation, called the adopter categories (AC). The profile of the users is important in terms of the adoption of an innovation because it is the user perception which will determine the growth rate of an innovation. When forecasting new product growth it is important that the PCI and the ACs are incorporated into the model. There are several benefits of using such a model, these benefits are next discussed. Firstly, the PCI together with the ACs of the users of the innovation are considered. Managers can have a better understanding of the key drivers of the attributes of the innovation by using PCI and ACs. The growth curve of ISBN: 978-960-474-252-3 an innovation is determined by considering the PCI and AC as inputs which give rise to growth curve predication model. Secondly the model can be used before actual demand data for the innovation is available, which means that a rough estimate of the growth curve for an innovation can be determined (prelaunch). This model thus provides prospective information about the growth rate of a particular innovation. Thirdly, when growth data is available (post-launch) the model can be validated and future projections made; or refuted if the recommended growth curve does not link with the actual data, in which case, corrective action can be taken to amend the model. The PCI and AC are next discussed. A. Perceived Characteristics of an Innovation (PCI) [12] developed a model showing stages of the innovation-decision process. This process incorporates: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation. This paper focuses on the persuasion stage. In this stage, [12] says “the individual becomes more psychologically involved with the innovation; he/she actively seeks information about the new idea, what messages he/she receives, and how he/she interprets the information that is received”. “It is at this stage that a general perception of the innovation is developed”. This stage includes attributes like relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observebility. These attributes is what sets users perceptions and these perceptions drive product diffusion. From research evidence, the perceived characteristics of an innovation (PCI) have a major role in how a user adopts an innovation. The five elements of the PCI have been quantified by developing a scoring model, to measure the PCI. A product can be classified as having a certain PCI score. This is accomplished by surveying user’s opinion (on a specified scale) for each of the five PCI attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observebility). These results are a measure for PCI, which may be used as an indication of the user’s perception for a particular product/innovation. The adopter categories (AC) are next discussed. B. Adopter Categories (AC) People adopt products and these people have adoption propensities. These propensities are called the adopter categories (AC). [12] and [8] describe five adopter categories, namely, innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards. The characteristics of the adopter categories (AC) determine the propensity profile (tendency or preference to adopt a product) of 114 Mathematical Models for Engineering Science users who are adopting a product or innovation. Similar to the PCI a scoring model is developed for the AC. Similarly, we can have an AC score associated with a particular user category. This is equivalent to the personality profile of the users of a product or innovation. In our research we develop a 2 x 2 matrix of PCI and AC’s, the matrix will give an indication of the relationship between the PCI and the ACs. There will be a high and a low score for the PCI as well as high and low score for the AC. Each quadrant will represent a different growth curve related to the relationship between the PCI and the AC. The shapes of the different growth curves are shown in Fig. 2. Each of the quadrants is next discussed. been substituted by another product that had a higher score in terms of the five factors. i.e. another product was able to meet consumer need. Quadrant IV: In this case, the early adopters viewed the product, had initial interest, thereafter interest diminished before the late adopters could have a chance to adopt the product. This is a classic case of a product which failed to gain interest from early adopters. This product scored low on five factors. Here again, the product may have been substituted by another product providing the same need i.e. having a higher five factors score. In this case, the product was substituted before it could reach the late adopters. III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Using the PCI and AC scores obtained through survey analysis a “Growth Curve Prediction Model” is developed. Fig. 3 gives a graphical representation of how the model works. The growth curve predication is obtained from the 2x2 matrix shown in Fig. 2. Once the inputs to the model are used to select the growth curve, the growth curve is linked to a reference data set, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Using Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 the coefficients for innovation and imitation may be selected from a historical data set. There are two inputs to the model the PCI and AC scores, and the outputs from the model, are the shape of the growth curve and the associated coefficients for imitation and adoption. Fig.2 shapes of growth curves Quadrant I: Products in this quadrant satisfy most of the five factors, they have a high AC score. They are also have a high PCI score and are accepted by a high number of early adopters, who help to push the adoption rate to be steep. By the time the late adopters catch up, the product has diffused into the society. However, the late adopters help to prolong the lifetime of the product. The PCI and AC scores are generated by having a group of target user’s fill-out survey questionnaires the questions address users’ PCI and ACs. The aggregation of the data gives the relevant PCI and AC scores. The selection of the user group is extremely important, in appendix D, an example is given on how two different user groups yield two different growth curves. Therefore is important that careful attention is given to the selection of the user groups. Quadrant II: Products in this quadrant also satisfy most of the five factors, they have a high PCI score. However, even though they are, by definition, rapidly accepted by the early adopters, these adopters are fewer, therefore a low AC score. It is the late adopters who help to push up the adoption rate. Quadrant III: In this quadrant, because of the low AC score for the five factors, this product takes a while to be adopted by the early adopters, as well as by the late adopters. After takeoff, the product stability in the market is quickly reduced. The fact that the five factors score is also low, may indicate the product may have ISBN: 978-960-474-252-3 Fig. 3 growth curve predication model Furthermore adequate statistical analysis needs to be performed in order to ensure the user groups are a 115 Mathematical Models for Engineering Science Coeff. of Innovation (p) I The reference data set is made up of two data sets for consumable products and the electronics, electrical and IT industries. In the appendixes only the results for consumer products are given. Appendix A, B, C and D show, the survey results, how the boundaries for the AC may be determined, how the boundaries for the PCI may be determined and how the shape of the growth curves may be determined respectively. The parameters (coefficients of innovation and imitation) for the Bass growth model have been generated from historically available data, a) [19] for consumable products and b) [13] for electronics, electrical and IT products. The data set by [19] and [13] are treated separately as they belong to two separate industry categories. The data sets are grouped into four groups, as per the four quadrants in Fig. 2. It is namely the high and low values for the coefficient of innovation and high and low values for the coefficient of imitation. The output is a 2 x 2 matrix, with one axis being the coefficient of innovation and the other axis being the coefficient of imitation, this results are shown in Fig. 4, consumable products and Fig. 5, electronics and electrical and IT products respectively. The reference model could be made up of data for different growth curves e.g. Logistic, Gompertz or any other curve of interest. In this paper the Bass curve is used. The output of the model is a growth curve and its corresponding parameters. (Comment: the market size is not an output by the model. The researcher will have to obtain an estimate of that information by other means.) In the case where the reference model is made up of other growth curve models, for example, the Logistic or Gompertz models, the output will include the corresponding parameter for each model. For example, for the Logistic model, the parameters are b and k, and for the Gompertz model, the parameters will be a, k. The upper limit (L) of each curve must be estimated somewhere elsewhere. The goal of the research was to incorporate more intuitive thinking into mathematical forecasting techniques. ISBN: 978-960-474-252-3 III II IV 0.160 0.140 0.120 0.100 0.080 0.060 0.040 0.020 0.000 0.900 0.800 0.700 0.600 0.500 0.400 0.300 0.200 0.100 0.000 Ca l cu Ho lato m rs Ca e P b C CD le T Pl V Bl Te ay a ck le ph & Fre er o W ez Vi ne hi e r te de An TV o Ca swe ss r in Ra d et g D io te R ev Re e co ice Ai fr id r de r C ge r r Cl ond ato o t iti r he on s er Ce Dr ll y e Di Ph r sh on wa e s Tr he a r M C Ro ic o cto om r o lou rs w Ai av r T rC e V o n Ov di e n t O io n ff e Ul ice r Sa tra PC te so llit un e Ra d di o Having selected a growth curve from the growth curve predication model, the next step is to select the coefficient of innovation and imitation from reference data set of coefficients. The reference data sets are discussed next. Reference Chart (Bass Model) Products p q Fig. 4 reference data set consumable products Fig. 5 reference matrix electronics, electrical & IT IV. RESEARCH RESULTS Firstly a growth curve was generated using a growth curve predication model; this was obtained by selecting the quadrant into which the respective product fell into. Viz,: Quadrant I – high coefficient of innovation and high coefficient of imitation. Quadrant II – low coefficient of innovation and high coefficient of imitation. Quadrant III – low coefficient of innovation and low coefficient of imitation. Quadrant IV – high coefficient of innovation and low coefficient of imitation Secondly the curve was validated against a set of reference data, which was compiled from historical data for consumable products as well as the electronics & electrical and IT products. Using the data sets coefficients innovation and imitation could be obtained. 116 Coeff. of Imitation (q) correct representation of the users and the necessary tests for bias, validity and reliability are conducted. Based on these inputs, a growth curve is selected from a 2 x 2 matrix. The growth curve can be used to predict the growth of a particular product, Fig. 3. Mathematical Models for Engineering Science In order to ensure adequate sample representation three user categories were used Group I, Group II and Group III. The data was aggregated to ensure normalization. The aggregate data refers to the aggregated data calculated from the three groups. A comparison of the growth curve predication model and the Bass model is shown in Table 1. TABLE 1 COMPARISON OF THE GROWTH CURVE PREDICATION MODEL AND THE BASS MODEL model as a reference) other factors could have contributed to the differences. Factors that may have contributed to the variance may include: a) other mathematical models may provide better results, b) inadequate user group representation and c) marketing factors. In terms of a) more research needs to be done on using other forecasting models as a basis, in terms of b) more rigor needs to be emphasized in user group selection and more robust statistical techniques need to be incorporated into the model, in terms of c) marketing factors need to be further investigated. A more detail explanation of the marketing factors are next discussed. i. Price Price plays a major role in the decisions that users make regarding purchasing a product. New technologies usually start out being expensive and most users cannot afford these products. Consequently, the rate of adoption is slow. When the price drops products become more affordable. ii. Performance Usually the performance of new products is inferior to existing products. Combined with high prices, there is little justification for purchasing such products; hence the adoption rate is low. As the performance improves, users are more attracted to the new product and should the product meet user’s needs, users may be willing to pay a higher price. However, the combination of higher price and lower performance propels products to much higher adoption requirements. Usually the performance of new innovations is inferior. In most cases, only the early adopters embrace the innovation, because late adopters cannot deal with the accompanying problems related to new products. As the performance of the product improves and it becomes more stable and reliable, the late adopters start embracing the so called newer products. The extension of the Bass model to include price and advertising is next discussed. iii. From the above results, the growth curve prediction model could predict a quadrant that an innovation belongs to in eight out of 14 times. In other words in eight out of 14 times an accurate growth curve with associated coefficients for innovation and imitation could be predicted. In the cases where the prediction model could not predict the correct quadrant (when compared to the Bass ISBN: 978-960-474-252-3 Extension Of The Bass Model To Include Price And Advertising Further research has been done in order to address the marketing factors. In the article “Why the Bass Model Fits without Decision Variables”, [1] extended the Bass Model to incorporate price and advertising. The model is referred to as the Generalized Bass Model (GBM), which reduces the Bass Model as a special case. They claim that “with price, advertising and other marketing variables the curve is shifted with different policies (price, advertising policies), but the shape remains the same”. The generalized Bass model could be utilized to 117 Mathematical Models for Engineering Science VI. investigate different coefficients for innovation and imitation. A. V. CONCLUSION Using the growth curve predication model we were able to predict the growth curves in eight out of 14 cases using the Bass model. Further research is required to consider at least the following: AC - Hi AC - Lo PCI -Hi PCI - Lo Average PCI Aggregate AC - Hi13.46 AC - Lo 3.17 PCI -Hi19.10 PCI - Lo11.39 Average PCI 16.67 APPENDIX TABLE 2 SURVEY RESULTS Group Aggregate 1 Group 2GroupGroup 1 3GroupAggregate 2 Group 3 Group 1 8.29 13.46 AC 8.93 - Hi 8.29 9.30 8.93 13.46 9.30 8.29 2.713.17 AC 2.07 - Lo 2.71 1.70 2.07 3.17 1.70 2.71 18.00 19.10 PCI 19.57 -Hi 18.0019.45 19.57 19.10 19.45 18.00 13.14 11.39 PCI 13.07 - Lo 13.1412.35 13.07 11.39 12.35 13.14 15.88 16.67 Average 16.66PCI 15.8816.95 16.66 16.67 16.95 15.88 Grou 8.93 2.07 19.5 13.0 16.6 i. Other mathematical models like logistics, GBM or any other mathematical technique. ii. More rigor and research into the selection of the target user groups required for selecting the target user groups. Air Conditioner 17.80 Air 17.71 Conditioner 17.80 17.00 17.71 18.40 17.00 17.80 18.40 17.71 17.0 iii. Investigating the linkage to marketing factors Cable TV other than those in the GBM. Calculators Cable TV 17.46 Cable 15.71 17.46 TV 15.86 15.71 19.20 15.86 17.46 19.20 15.71 15.8 Calculators 19.10 Calculators 17.29 19.10 19.57 17.29 19.40 19.57 19.10 19.40 17.29 19.5 iv. CD be Player More post implementation analysis needs to conducted to verify test results Cell Phone CD Player 18.34 CD 15.86 Player 18.34 19.50 15.86 18.40 19.50 18.34 18.40 15.86 19.5 Cell Phone 18.68 Cell 16.57 18.68 Phone 18.64 16.57 19.45 18.64 18.68 19.45 16.57 18.6 Dishwasher 15.14 16.37 16.93 15.14 16.40 16.93 16.37 16.40 15.14 16.9 Home 18.00 17.98 PC 16.71 18.00 18.85 16.71 17.98 18.85 18.00 16.7 Microwave 16.29 16.71 Oven 16.00 16.29 17.35 16.00 16.71 17.35 16.29 16.0 Radio 17.43 17.24 17.50 17.43 17.00 17.50 17.24 17.00 17.43 17.5 Satellite 14.43 15.39Radio 14.64 14.43 16.25 14.64 15.39 16.25 14.43 14.6 Telephone 16.00 17.05 Answering 17.71 16.00 Device16.95 17.71 17.05 16.95 16.00 17.7 Video 13.29 14.85 Cassette15.36 Recorder 13.29 15.05 15.36 14.85 15.05 13.29 15.3 7 41 41 Product Air Conditioner Aggregate Product PCI Score Dishwasher 16.37 In addition a larger repository of data needs toDishwasher be Home Home PC 17.98 created in order to develop a data base, which could bePC more representative and in so doing be used to improve Microwave Oven Microwave Oven 16.71 forecasting techniques. Much research has been done Radioin Radio 17.24 forecasting however this paper makes a contribution to Satellite Radio Satellite Radio 15.39 knowledge in terms of combining mathematical and Telephone AnsweringTelephone Device Answering17.05 Device intuitive techniques and opens up interesting avenues for Video Cassette Recorder Video Cassette Recorder 14.85 further research. Clothes Dryer Clothes Dryer Aggregate Ave PCI PCI Score 14 7 20 14 20 41 Aggregate Ave Product PCIAve PCI Ave PCIAve PCI Ave PCI Ave PCI PCI Score 14 Ave P 11.39 Clothes 13.00 11.39Dryer 11.71 13.00 10.60 11.71 11.39 10.60 13.00 11.7 Black & White TV Black & White TV 18.93 Black 18.00 18.93 & White 18.21 TV 18.00 19.75 18.21 18.93 19.75 18.00 18.2 Colour TV Colour TV 17.10 Colour 16.43 17.10 TV 16.64 16.43 17.65 16.64 17.10 17.65 16.43 16.6 Freezer Freezer 17.05 Freezer 16.14 17.05 17.64 16.14 16.95 17.64 17.05 16.95 16.14 17.6 Office PC Office PC 18.41 Office 17.71 18.41 PC 18.29 17.71 18.75 18.29 18.41 18.75 17.71 18.2 Refridgerator Refridgerator 17.66 Refridgerator 16.14 17.66 18.07 16.14 17.90 18.07 17.66 17.90 16.14 18.0 Room Air ConditionerRoom Air Conditioner15.85 Room 14.86 15.85 Air Conditioner 15.64 14.86 16.35 15.64 15.85 16.35 14.86 15.6 Tractors Tractors 13.90 Tractors 14.29 13.90 15.21 14.29 12.85 15.21 13.90 12.85 14.29 15.2 Ultrasound Ultrasound 12.73 Ultrasound 13.14 12.73 13.07 13.14 12.35 13.07 12.73 12.35 13.14 13.0 B. Determine the boundaries for the Adopter Category (AC) That is, the AC High and Low boundaries Using the aggregated respondents from survey data The Range is: ([Highest “Yes” scores] - [Lowest “Yes” scores]) divided by 2 = (9.30 – 8.29)/2 = 0.51 The Midpoint is: Lowest “Yes” scores + Range = 8.29 + 0.51 = 8.80 ISBN: 978-960-474-252-3 7 118 Mathematical Models for Engineering Science Therefore: AC Low is defined as [Lowest “Yes” scores] to Midpoint = 8.29 to 8.80 AC High is defined as Midpoint to [Highest “Yes” scores] = 8.80 to 9.30 C. Determine the boundaries for the Perceived Characteristics of an Innovation (PCI) High and Low boundaries Using the aggregated respondents from survey data The Range is: ([Highest PCI Score] - [Lowest PCI Score]) divided by 2 = (19.10 – 11.39)/2 = 3.86 The Midpoint is: Lowest PCI Score + Range = 11.39 + 3.86 = 15.25 Therefore: PCI Low is defined as the Lowest PCI Score to the Midpoint = 11.39 to 15.25 Therefore according to this user group, the cell phone product could be predicted to grow according the shape shown in quadrant II, Fig. 6. The next step is to look at the reference matrix, which will give us the coefficients of the Bass curve so that we can use these to predict the future growth of the cell phone product. Considering a different user group for the same cell phone product, the results might be different. Taking the third user groups, the average AC score is 9.30. The average PCI score for the cell phone product as scored by this group is 19.45 Mapping this information (AC = 9.30, PCI = 19.45) on the selection matrix will give us a different growth curve, Fig. 6. For this user group, the growth of the cell phone would be expected to be steep (Quadrant I). The growth curve prediction model could predict a quadrant that an innovation belongs to (most of the time). The quadrant specifies the shape of the growth curve to be used for that innovation. PCI High is defined as Midpoint to the Highest PCI Score = 15.25 to 19.10 D. Determine the Shape of the Growth Curve for a Target Product Let us say we want to determine the shape of the growth curve for the cell phone product. We will choose one user group, say group one. The average AC score for this group is 8.29. The average PCI score for the cell phone product as scored by this group is 16.57 Fig. 7 growth rate for cell phone user’s group 3 It is therefore important that the user selection process be correctly structured with adequate statistically rigor and the data adequately normalized. REFERENCES [1] Bass, F.M. 2004. A new product growth for model consumer durables, Management science, vol 50(2), pp. 18251832. [2] Cormican, K., O’Sullivan, D. 2004. Auditing best practice for effective product innovation management, Technovation, vol 24, pp. 819-829. Fig. 6 growth rate for cell phone user’s group 1 From the above information, the Cell Phone product would lie in the second quadrant as indicated in the chart below: ISBN: 978-960-474-252-3 [3] Chalmers, J.C., Mullick, S.K., Smith, D.D. 1971, How to choose the right forecasting technique, Harvard business review, July-August, pp. 35-69. [4] Gomes, J.F.S., De Weerd-Nederhof, P.C., Pearson, A.W., Cunha, M.P. 2003. Is more always better? 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Saturation models: A brief survey and critique, Journal of forecasting, vol. 7, pp. 215223. [12] Rogers, 1965, Diffusion of Innovations, The free press, fourth edition. pp. 1675 - 1685 [13] Siriram, R., Snaddon, D.R. 2010. Forecasting new product sales, South African Journal of industrial engineering, vol 21(1), pp. 123-135. [14] Takayama, M., Watanabe, C., Griffy, B., 2002, Remaining innovative without sacrificing stability: An analysis of strategies in the Japanese pharmaceutical industry that enable firms to overcome inertia resulting from successful market penetration of new product development, Technovation, vol 22, pp. 747-759. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [1] Malinable, M. D for preliminary work on obtaining the PCI and AC scores for the consumable products [2] Young, P. for supplying data sets for consumable products. R Siriram became a member (M) of IIE in 1995 and a senior member (SM) in 2001. He has a PHD in Industrial Engineering, University of Witwatersrand, School of Mechanical Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering Johannesburg, South Africa, 2004. The main field of study was in the management of technology. He is also a sessional lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand in the School of Mechanical Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering He held previous positions as MD at Siemens Ltd SA. He is currently Chief Information Officer at Dimension Data MEA. He has published previously in Technovation as well as the South African Journal of Industrial Engineering. He has also presented at the IIE, SAIIE and IEEM conferences both locally and internationally. He is also a member of the technical program committee of IEEM Singapore Chapter and has also appeared in Who’s Who in the World 2009. Dr. Siriram is a member of ECSA, ASQ, IPET, IOD and SAIIE. 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