Abstract: As current business environment is demanding a
constant adaptation of companies, the planning and strategic
management should be an ongoing and natural process in all kind of
organizations. The use of management and monitoring strategic
performance tools such as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) have been
popular; even to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. This paper
aims to investigate whether the BSC is being used in monitoring the
performance of small businesses, particularly in small fuel retailers
companies, which are competing in co-branding; and if not, it aims to
identify its strategic orientation in order to recommend a possible
strategy map for those managers that are willing to adopt this model
as an alternative to traditional ones for organizational performance
evaluation, which often focus only on evaluation of the
organizational financial performance.
Abstract: Adhesively bonded joints are preferred over the
conventional methods of joining such as riveting, welding, bolting
and soldering. Some of the main advantages of adhesive joints
compared to conventional joints are the ability to join dissimilar
materials and damage-sensitive materials, better stress distribution,
weight reduction, fabrication of complicated shapes, excellent
thermal and insulation properties, vibration response and enhanced
damping control, smoother aerodynamic surfaces and an
improvement in corrosion and fatigue resistance. This paper presents
the behavior of adhesively bonded joints subjected to combined
thermal loadings, using the numerical methods. The joint
configuration considers aluminum as central adherend with six
different outer adherends including aluminum, steel, titanium, boronepoxy,
unidirectional graphite-epoxy and cross-ply graphite-epoxy
and epoxy-based adhesives. Free expansion of the joint in x
direction was permitted and stresses in adhesive layer and interfaces
calculated for different adherends.
Abstract: The challenge for software development house in
Bangladesh is to find a path of using minimum process rather than CMMI or ISO type gigantic practice and process area. The small and medium size organization in Bangladesh wants to ensure minimum
basic Software Process Improvement (SPI) in day to day operational
activities. Perhaps, the basic practices will ensure to realize their company's improvement goals. This paper focuses on the key issues in basic software practices for small and medium size software
organizations, who are unable to effort the CMMI, ISO, ITIL etc. compliance certifications. This research also suggests a basic software process practices model for Bangladesh and it will show the mapping of our suggestions with international best practice. In this IT
competitive world for software process improvement, Small and medium size software companies that require collaboration and
strengthening to transform their current perspective into inseparable global IT scenario. This research performed some investigations and analysis on some projects- life cycle, current good practice, effective approach, reality and pain area of practitioners, etc. We did some
reasoning, root cause analysis, comparative analysis of various
approach, method, practice and justifications of CMMI and real life. We did avoid reinventing the wheel, where our focus is for minimal
practice, which will ensure a dignified satisfaction between
organizations and software customer.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to provide an empirical
evidence about the effects that the management of continuous
training have on employability (or employment stability) in the
Spanish labour market. With this purpose a binary logit model with
interaction effect is been used. The dependent variable includes two
situations of the active workers: continuous and discontinuous
employability. To distinguish between them an Employability Index
Stability (ESI) was calculated taking into account two factors: time
worked and job security. Various aspects of the continuous training
and personal workers data are used as independent variables. The
data obtained from a survey of a sample of 918 employed have
revealed a relationship between the likelihood of continuous
employability and continuous training received. The empirical results
support the positive and significant relationship between various
aspects of the training provided by firms and employability
likelihood of the workers, postulate alike from a theoretical point of
view.
Abstract: Green Lean Total Quality Management (TQM)
System is a system comprises of Environmental Management System
(EMS) practices which is integrated to TQM with Lean
Manufacturing (LM) principles. The ultimate goal of this system is to
focus on achieving total customer satisfaction and environmental care by removing eight wastes available in any process in an
organization. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to 30 highly active automotive vendors in Malaysia and analyzed by
SPSS v.17. It was found out that some vendors have been practicing TQM and LM while some have started to implement EMS. This
study is only focusing on highly active companies that have been involved in MAJAICO Program and Proton Vendor Development
Program. This is the first study conducted to know the current status of TQM, LM and EMS practices in highly active automotive companies in Malaysia. It was found out that EMS has been
practiced by 16 companies out of 30. Within these 16 companies the
approach is more holistic and green. This is a preliminary study that combined 4 awards practices, ISO/TS16949, Toyota Production
System SAEJ4000, MAJAICO Lean Production System and EMS.
Abstract: Web intelligence, if made personal, can fuel the process of building communications around the interests and preferences of each individual customer or prospect, by providing specific behavioral insights about each individual. To become fully efficient, Web intelligence must reach a stage of a high-level maturity, passing throughout a process that involves five steps: (1) Web site analysis; (2) Web site and advertising optimization; (3) Segment targeting; (4) Interactive marketing (online only); and (5) Interactive marketing (online and offline). Discussing these steps in detail, the paper uncovers the real gold mine that is personal-level Web intelligence.
Abstract: Today-s manufacturing companies are facing multiple and dynamic customer-supplier-relationships embedded in nonhierarchical production networks. This complex environment leads to problems with delivery reliability and wasteful turbulences throughout the entire network. This paper describes an operational model based on a theoretical framework which improves delivery reliability of each individual customer-supplier-relationship within non-hierarchical production networks of the European machinery and equipment industry. By developing a non-centralized coordination mechanism based on determining the value of delivery reliability and derivation of an incentive system for suppliers the number of in time deliveries can be increased and thus the turbulences in the production network smoothened. Comparable to an electronic stock exchange the coordination mechanism will transform the manual and nontransparent process of determining penalties for delivery delays into an automated and transparent market mechanism creating delivery reliability.
Abstract: When consistently innovative business-models can
give companies a competitive advantage, longitudinal empirical
research, which can reflect dynamic business-model changes, has yet
to prove a definitive connection. This study consequently employs a
dynamic perspective in conjunction with innovation theory to examine
the relationship between the types of business-model innovation and
firm value. This study tries to examine various types of
business-model innovation in high-end and low-end technology
industries such as HTC and the 7-Eleven chain stores with research
periods of 14 years and 32 years, respectively. The empirical results
suggest that adopting radical business-model innovation in addition to
expanding new target markets can successfully lead to a competitive
advantage. Sustained advanced technological competences and
service/product innovation are the key successful factors in high-end
and low-end technology industry business-models respectively. In
sum up, the business-model innovation can yield a higher market value
and financial value in high-end technology industries than low-end
ones.
Abstract: It is well recognized that the green house gases such
as Chlorofluoro Carbon (CFC), CH4, CO2 etc. are responsible
directly or indirectly for the increase in the average global temperature
of the Earth. The presence of CFC is responsible for
the depletion of ozone concentration in the atmosphere due to
which the heat accompanied with the sun rays are less absorbed
causing increase in the atmospheric temperature of the Earth. The
gases like CH4 and CO2 are also responsible for the increase in
the atmospheric temperature. The increase in the temperature level
directly or indirectly affects the dynamics of interacting species
systems. Therefore, in this paper a mathematical model is proposed
and analysed using stability theory to asses the effects of increasing
temperature due to greenhouse gases on the survival or extinction of
populations in a prey-predator system. A threshold value in terms
of a stress parameter is obtained which determines the extinction or
existence of populations in the underlying system.
Abstract: Numerous concrete structures projects are currently running in Libya as part of a US$50 billion government funding. The
quality of concrete used in 20 different construction projects were assessed based mainly on the concrete compressive strength achieved. The projects are scattered all over the country and are at
various levels of completeness. For most of these projects, the
concrete compressive strength was obtained from test results of a
150mm standard cube mold. Statistical analysis of collected concrete
compressive strengths reveals that the data in general followed a
normal distribution pattern. The study covers comparison and assessment of concrete quality aspects such as: quality control, strength range, data standard deviation, data scatter, and ratio of minimum strength to design strength. Site quality control for these projects ranged from very good to poor according to ACI214 criteria [1]. The ranges (Rg) of the strength (max. strength – min. strength) divided by average strength are from (34% to 160%). Data scatter is
measured as the range (Rg) divided by standard deviation () and is
found to be (1.82 to 11.04), indicating that the range is ±3σ.
International construction companies working in Libya follow
different assessment criteria for concrete compressive strength in lieu
of national unified procedure. The study reveals that assessments of
concrete quality conducted by these construction companies usually
meet their adopted (internal) standards, but sometimes fail to meet
internationally known standard requirements. The assessment of
concrete presented in this paper is based on ACI, British standards
and proposed Libyan concrete strength assessment criteria.
Abstract: The present paper reports results of an experimental
program conducted to study performance of fly ash based
geopolymer pastes at elevated temperature. Three series of
geopolymer pastes differing in Na2O content (8.5%, 10% and 11.5%)
were manufactured by activating low calcium fly ash with a mixture
of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solution. The paste
specimens were subjected to temperatures as high as 900oC and the
behaviour at elevated temperatures were investigated on the basis of
physical appearance, weight losses, residual strength, shrinkage
measurements and sorptivity tests at different temperatures. Scanning
electron microscopy along with EDX and XRD tests were also
conducted to examine microstructure and mineralogical changes
during the thermal exposure. Specimens which were initially grey
turned reddish accompanied by appearance of small cracks as the
temperature increased to 900oC. Loss of weight was more in
specimens manufactured with highest Na2O content. Geopolymer
paste specimen containing minimum Na2O performed better than
those with higher Na2O content in terms of residual compressive
strength.
Abstract: This study was carried out to evaluate concentration
of micro minerals (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and Se) of forages and their
distribution in fiber fraction (neutral detergent fiber/NDF and acid
detergent fiber/ADF) in South Sumatra during dry and rainy seasons.
Seven species of commonly forages namely Axonopus compressus,
Panicum maximum, Pennisetum purpuphoides, Leucaena
leucocephala, Centrocema pubescens, Calopogonium mucunoides
and Acacia mangium were collected at native pasture during rainy
and dry seasons. The results showed that micro minerals
concentration of forages and their distribution in fiber fraction varied
among species and season. In general, concentration of micro
minerals was slightly higher in rainy season compared to dry season
either in grass or legumes forages. In grass, concentration of Fe and
Mn were above the critical level, while 33.3 %, 100 % and 16.7 % of
evaluated grass were deficient in Zn, Cu and Se. Data on legume
forages show that 75 % of legumes were deficient in Zn and Mn, 62.5
% deficient in Cu and 50 % deficient in Se. There was no species of
legume deficient in Fe. Distribution of micro minerals in NDF and
ADF were also significantly affected by species and season and
depends on the kinds of element measured. Generally, micro minerals
were associated in fiber fractions much higher during dry season
compared to rainy season. Iron (Fe) and selenium (Se) in forages
were the highest elements associated in NDF and ADF, while the
lowest was found in Copper (Cu).
Abstract: Designing modern machine tools is a complex task. A
simulation tool to aid the design work, a virtual machine, has
therefore been developed in earlier work. The virtual machine
considers the interaction between the mechanics of the machine
(including structural flexibility) and the control system. This paper
exemplifies the usefulness of the virtual machine as a tool for product
development. An optimisation study is conducted aiming at
improving the existing design of a machine tool regarding weight and
manufacturing accuracy at maintained manufacturing speed. The
problem can be categorised as constrained multidisciplinary multiobjective
multivariable optimisation. Parameters of the control and
geometric quantities of the machine are used as design variables. This
results in a mix of continuous and discrete variables and an
optimisation approach using a genetic algorithm is therefore
deployed. The accuracy objective is evaluated according to
international standards. The complete systems model shows nondeterministic
behaviour. A strategy to handle this based on statistical
analysis is suggested. The weight of the main moving parts is reduced
by more than 30 per cent and the manufacturing accuracy is
improvement by more than 60 per cent compared to the original
design, with no reduction in manufacturing speed. It is also shown
that interaction effects exist between the mechanics and the control,
i.e. this improvement would most likely not been possible with a
conventional sequential design approach within the same time, cost
and general resource frame. This indicates the potential of the virtual
machine concept for contributing to improved efficiency of both
complex products and the development process for such products.
Companies incorporating such advanced simulation tools in their
product development could thus improve its own competitiveness as
well as contribute to improved resource efficiency of society at large.
Abstract: It is not a secret that, IT management has become
more and more and integrated part of almost all organizations. IT
managers posses an enormous amount of knowledge within both
organizational knowledge and general IT knowledge. This article
investigates how IT managers keep themselves updated on IT
knowledge in general and looks into how much time IT managers
spend on weekly basis searching the net for new or problem solving
IT knowledge. The theory used in this paper is used to investigate the
current role of IT managers and what issues they are facing.
Furthermore a research is conducted where 7 IT managers in medium
sized and large Danish companies are interviewed to add further
focus on the role of the IT manager and to focus on how they keep
themselves updated. Beside finding substantial need for more
research, IT managers – generalists or specialists – only have limited
knowledge resources at hand in updating their own knowledge –
leaving much initiative to vendors.
Abstract: This paper presents an exploration into the structure of the corporate governance network and interlocking directorates in the Czech Republic. First a literature overview and a basic terminology of the network theory is presented. Further in the text, statistics and other calculations relevant to corporate governance networks are presented. For this purpose an empirical data set consisting of 2 906 joint stock companies in the Czech Republic was examined. Industries with the highest average number of interlocks per company were healthcare, and energy and utilities. There is no observable link between the financial performance of the company and the number of its interlocks. Also interlocks with financial companies are very rare.
Abstract:
Innovation is becoming more and more important in
modern society. There are a lot of researches on different kinds of
innovation but marketing innovation is one kind of innovation that
has not been studied frequently before. Marketing innovation is
defined as a new way in which companies can market themselves to
potential or existing customers.
The study shows some key elements for marketing innovation that
are worth paying attention to when implementing marketing
innovation projects. Examples of such key elements are: paying
attention to the neglected market, suitable market segmentatio
reliable market information, public relationship, increased customer
value, combination of market factors, explore different marketing
channels and the use of technology in combination with what? Beside
the key elements for marketing innovation, we also present some
risks that may occur, such as cost, market uncertainty, information
leakage, imitation and overdependence on experience.
By proposing a set of indicators to measure marketing innovation,
the article offers solutions for marketing innovation implementation
so that any organization can achieve optimal results.
Abstract: In this study the mixed mode fracture mechanics
parameters were investigated for high tensile steel butt welded joint
based on modified Arcan test and finite element analysis was used to
evaluate the effect of crack length on fracture criterion. The nondimensional
stress intensity factors, strain energy release rates and Jintegral
energy on crack tip were obtained for various in-plane
loading combinations on Arcan specimen starting from pure mode-I
to pure mode-II loading conditions. The specimen and apparatus were
modeled by finite element method and analyzed under various
loading angles (between 0 to 90 degrees with 15 degree interval) to
simulate the pure mode-I, II and mixed mode fracture. Since the
analytical results are independent from elasticity modules for
isotropic materials, therefore the results in elastic fields can be used
for Arcan specimens. The main objective of this study was to
evaluate the geometric calibration factors for modified Arcan test
specimen in order to obtain fracture toughness under mixed mode
loading conditions.
Abstract: Almost all Libyan industries (both private and public) have struggled with many difficulties during the past three decades due to many problems. These problems have created a strongly negative impact on the productivity and utilization of many companies within Libya. This paper studies the current awareness and implementation levels of Just-In-Time (JIT) within the Libyan Textile private industry. A survey has been applied in this study using an intensive detailed questionnaire. Based on the analysis of the survey responses, the results show that the management body within the surveyed companies has a modest strategy towards most of the areas that are considered as being very crucial in any successful implementation of JIT. The results also show a variation within the implementation levels of the JIT elements as these varies between Low and Acceptable levels. The paper has also identified limitations within the investigated areas within this industry, and has pointed to areas where senior managers within the Libyan textile industry should take immediate actions in order to achieve effective implementation of JIT within their companies.
Abstract: In present article the model of Blended Learning, its advantage at foreign language teaching, and also some problems that can arise during its use are considered. The Blended Learning is a special organization of learning, which allows to combine classroom work and modern technologies in electronic distance teaching environment. Nowadays a lot of European educational institutions and companies use such technology. Through this method: student gets the opportunity to learn in a group (classroom) with a teacher and additionally at home at a convenient time; student himself sets the optimal speed and intensity of the learning process; this method helps student to discipline himself and learn to work independently.
Abstract: The social force model which belongs to the
microscopic pedestrian studies has been considered as the supremacy
by many researchers and due to the main feature of reproducing the
self-organized phenomena resulted from pedestrian dynamic. The
Preferred Force which is a measurement of pedestrian-s motivation to
adapt his actual velocity to his desired velocity is an essential term on
which the model was set up. This Force has gone through stages of
development: first of all, Helbing and Molnar (1995) have modeled
the original force for the normal situation. Second, Helbing and his
co-workers (2000) have incorporated the panic situation into this
force by incorporating the panic parameter to account for the panic
situations. Third, Lakoba and Kaup (2005) have provided the
pedestrians some kind of intelligence by incorporating aspects of the
decision-making capability. In this paper, the authors analyze the
most important incorporations into the model regarding the preferred
force. They make comparisons between the different factors of these
incorporations. Furthermore, to enhance the decision-making ability
of the pedestrians, they introduce additional features such as the
familiarity factor to the preferred force to let it appear more
representative of what actually happens in reality.