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