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Determining best practice production in an aluminium smelter involving sub-processes based substantially on tacit knowledge: an application of Communities of Practice

Author

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  • M G Nicholls

    (RMIT University)

  • B J Cargill

    (Swinburne University of Technology)

Abstract

This paper considers the difficulties associated with a production process that contains a sub-process that is not fully understood and for which data for many parameters are only able to be approximately obtained. The aluminium smelting industry epitomizes such a situation. Here, the critical sub-process that exemplifies these difficulties is the actual heart of the smelter, the electrolytic processing of alumina. This sub-process of aluminium production is at best ‘fuzzy’ and relies on the smelter operators to use their experience and tacit knowledge on a day-to-day basis, that is, the sub-process involves ‘alchemy’. In this paper, this is referred to as the tacit knowledge problem. The impact of such sub-processes on production is significant and the development of a methodology that will lead to a reduced reliance on uncertain alchemy associated with them, highly beneficial. The role of Communities of Practice in finding a solution to the tacit knowledge problem is discussed together with its integration into a mixed-mode model for the determination of best practice production for the smelter.

Suggested Citation

  • M G Nicholls & B J Cargill, 2008. "Determining best practice production in an aluminium smelter involving sub-processes based substantially on tacit knowledge: an application of Communities of Practice," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 59(1), pages 13-24, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:59:y:2008:i:1:d:10.1057_palgrave.jors.2602320
    DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602320
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mark Ackerman & Volkmar Pipek & Volker Wulf, 2003. "Sharing Expertise: Beyond Knowledge Management," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262011956, April.
    2. Miles G. Nicholls, 1995. "Aluminum Production Modeling—A Nonlinear Bilevel Programming Approach," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 43(2), pages 208-218, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Goutam Dutta & Payal Apujani & Narain Gupta, 2016. "An Introduction to the Aluminium Industry and Survey of OR Applications in an Integrated Aluminium Plant," Working Papers id:11097, eSocialSciences.
    2. Apujani, Payal & Dutta, Goutam & Gupta, Narain, 2016. "An Introduction to the Aluminum Industry and Survey of OR Applications in an Integrated Aluminum Plant," IIMA Working Papers WP2016-03-50, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.

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