Javier Villalba-Diez

Professor Javier Villalba-Diez serves at the Faculty of Business of Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences, Germany, where he integrates artificial intelligence with lean management principles in industrial and business contexts. His international collaborations include a cooperative doctoral program with Technical University of Madrid and Erasmus exchanges with Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

Dr. Villalba-Diez earned dual engineering degrees: Mechanical Engineering from Technische Universität München and Industrial Engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (2003). His PhD in Engineering, Economics and Organizational Innovation (2016) from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid received the institution's best doctoral thesis award.

His research spans Artificial Intelligence (particularly Deep Learning applications), Hoshin Kanri strategic planning, Business Intelligence, and Lean Manufacturing. He pioneers sensor-based methodologies for organizational design, using EEG and industrial IoT to analyze problem-solving patterns and network resilience. His work bridges theoretical models with practical implementations across German, American, Japanese, and Spanish manufacturing facilities.

Recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward Industry 4.0 integration, with 60% of his 2019-2020 work focusing on deep learning applications in quality control, sensor networks, and cyber-physical systems. The journal Sensors (MDPI) serves as his primary publication venue, reflecting his emphasis on data-driven industrial analytics.

His recognition includes:

• Prize for best doctoral thesis by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (2016)

As Guest Editor for Sensors and reviewer for journals like Sustainability and Journal of Manufacturing Systems, he shapes discourse in industrial AI. His doctoral supervision with Madrid focuses on AI-driven strategic organizational design, while industry collaborations with manufacturing facilities worldwide translate research into operational frameworks. He maintains active roles in curriculum development for Industry 4.0 education through the PROFH4 digital initiative.

Dr. Villalba-Diez operates within international research networks, leveraging his multilingual capabilities (German, English, Spanish) to facilitate transnational projects. His work with Neo4j for Hoshin Kanri visualization exemplifies his approach to making complex organizational networks actionable for industry leaders.