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Management Systems (management + system)
Kinds of Management Systems Selected AbstractsDIPKIP: A CONNECTIONIST KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY KNOWLEDGE DEFICITS IN PRACTICAL CASESCOMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, Issue 1 2010Álvaro Herrero This study presents a novel, multidisciplinary research project entitled DIPKIP (data acquisition, intelligent processing, knowledge identification and proposal), which is a Knowledge Management (KM) system that profiles the KM status of a company. Qualitative data is fed into the system that allows it not only to assess the KM situation in the company in a straightforward and intuitive manner, but also to propose corrective actions to improve that situation. DIPKIP is based on four separate steps. An initial "Data Acquisition" step, in which key data is captured, is followed by an "Intelligent Processing" step, using neural projection architectures. Subsequently, the "Knowledge Identification" step catalogues the company into three categories, which define a set of possible theoretical strategic knowledge situations: knowledge deficit, partial knowledge deficit, and no knowledge deficit. Finally, a "Proposal" step is performed, in which the "knowledge processes",creation/acquisition, transference/distribution, and putting into practice/updating,are appraised to arrive at a coherent recommendation. The knowledge updating process (increasing the knowledge held and removing obsolete knowledge) is in itself a novel contribution. DIPKIP may be applied as a decision support system, which, under the supervision of a KM expert, can provide useful and practical proposals to senior management for the improvement of KM, leading to flexibility, cost savings, and greater competitiveness. The research also analyses the future for powerful neural projection models in the emerging field of KM by reviewing a variety of robust unsupervised projection architectures, all of which are used to visualize the intrinsic structure of high-dimensional data sets. The main projection architecture in this research, known as Cooperative Maximum-Likelihood Hebbian Learning (CMLHL), manages to capture a degree of KM topological ordering based on the application of cooperative lateral connections. The results of two real-life case studies in very different industrial sectors corroborated the relevance and viability of the DIPKIP system and the concepts upon which it is founded. [source] THE FAO PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH AFTER ALMOST 10 YEARS: HAVE WE PROGRESSED TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING SIMULATION-TESTED FEEDBACK-CONTROL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT?NATURAL RESOURCE MODELING, Issue 4 2006ANDRÉ E. PUNT ABSTRACT. It is almost ten years since the FAO Technical Consultation on the Precautionary Approach to Capture Fisheries took place in Lysekil, Sweden. One outcome from this Technical Consultation was a set of guidelines on the precautionary approach to capture fisheries and species introductions. These guidelines include the need to incorporate harvest control rules in management plans. Harvest control rules should specify what action is to be taken when specified deviations from the operational targets and constraints are observed. The specification should include minimum data requirements for the types of assessment methods to be used for decision-making. Combinations of harvest control rules, assessment methods and data collection schemes are referred to as management procedures. It is now well-recognized that using management procedures is likely to lead to improved conservation of fishery resources, and that they should be evaluated to assess whether they are likely to achieve the goals for fishery management given the types of uncertainties that are likely to frustrate this venture. In general, evaluation of management procedures has been based on simulation modeling. This paper reviews the progress that has been made in various fisheries jurisdictions in terms of implementing management procedures, and why and where it has proved difficult or even impossible to implement management procedures. [source] ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS: INTRODUCTION TO PART 2 (INTEGRATING OPERATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS)PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2001CHARLES J. CORBETT No abstract is available for this article. [source] Purpose-Based Expert Finding in a Portfolio Management SystemCOMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, Issue 4 2004Xiaolin Niu Most of the research in the area of expert finding focuses on creating and maintaining centralized directories of experts' profiles, which users can search on demand. However, in a distributed multiagent-based software environment, the autonomous agents are free to develop expert models or model fragments for their own purposes and from their viewpoints. Therefore, the focus of expert finding is shifting from the collection at one place as much data about a expert as possible to accessing on demand from various agents whatever user information is available at the moment and interpreting it for a particular purpose. This paper outlines purpose-based expert modeling as an approach for finding an expert in a multiagent portfolio management system in which autonomous agents develop expert agent models independently and do not adhere to a common representation scheme. This approach aims to develop taxonomy of purposes that define a variety of context-dependent user modeling processes, which are used by the users' personal agents to find appropriate expert agents to advise users on investing strategies. [source] Condition Assessment by Visual Inspection for a Bridge Management SystemCOMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2005Vincenzo Gattulli This article deals with a procedure for bridge condition assessment by visual inspection developed during the planning and preliminary design of the BMS for the public railway networks in Italy. The main modules adopted in the procedure are: bridge inventory, computer-aided visual inspection, automated defect catalog, and priority-ranking procedure. The probabilistic models used to calibrate the condition evaluation algorithm are discussed. Different levels of deficiency have been individuated for each class of bridge structure belonging to the managed stock. The procedure allows comparison and relative ranking of deficiency conditions across different types of bridge structures. The results of a visual inspection campaign conducted for a set of bridges with different structural characteristics are reported and evaluated within the framework of the developed BMS. [source] Information Population of an Integrated Construction Management SystemCOMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2002Jeff H. Rankin This paper discusses the future requirements of integrated construction management systems and the need to support the management of large volumes of information on several levels. The solution proposes a combination of an efficient user interface and methods to partially automate the creation of the required information through access to stored information from past projects. The research follows the path being established for integrated construction management systems that rely on a standard representation of the industry's information requirements. By exploring the comprehensive aspects of construction planning for an integrated construction management system, the research demonstrates the usefulness of applying sound information representation structures. Through the application of case-based reasoning, the research advances the concepts of planning tools as they apply to integrated systems. The resulting prototype construction management system has the primary characteristic of assisting the user in the manipulation of information in order to generate the initial information requirements of an integrated construction management system. [source] A large-scale monitoring and measurement campaign for web services-based applicationsCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 10 2010Riadh Ben Halima Abstract Web Services (WS) can be considered as the most influent enabling technology for the next generation of web applications. WS-based application providers will face challenging features related to nonfunctional properties in general and to performance and QoS in particular. Moreover, WS-based developers have to provide solutions to extend such applications with self-healing (SH) mechanisms as required for autonomic computing to face the complexity of interactions and to improve availability. Such solutions should be applicable when the components implementing SH mechanisms are deployed on both or only one platform on the WS providers and requesters sides depending on the deployment constraints. Associating application-specific performance requirements and monitoring-specific constraints will lead to complex configurations where fine tuning is needed to provide SH solutions. To contribute to enhancing the design and the assessment of such solutions for WS technology, we designed and implemented a monitoring and measurement framework, which is part of a larger Self-Healing Architectures (SHA) developed during the European WS-DIAMOND project. We implemented the Conference Management System (CMS), a real WS-based complex application. We achieved a large-scale experimentation campaign by deploying CMS on top of SHA on the French grid Grid5000. We experienced the problem as if we were a service provider who has to tune reconfiguration strategies. Our results are available on the web in a structured database for external use by the WS community. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] CPA assessment , the regional assessors' experienceCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2007E. Welsh Many individuals within Laboratory Medicine will be unaware that CPA conducts assessments to two different sets of CPA Standards. There are the Standards for the Medical Laboratory and the Standards for EQA Schemes in Laboratory Medicine. The style and format of both sets of standards is very similar with each being presented in eight sections A , H. The EQA standards are almost identical to the laboratory standards with the exception of the E.F and G standards which are specific to EQA schemes. There are approximately 40 EQA Schemes registered with CPA compared with almost 2 500 laboratories. These EQA schemes vary from very large national/international schemes with numerous analytes to small interpretive schemes run by one individual with a personal interest in that specific subject. The large schemes usually come under the UKNEQAS consortia banner and due to their size and configuration do not present undue problems in the assessment process. Smaller interpretive EQA schemes present a challenge both for the scheme and CPA in gaining accreditation. These schemes are usually within the discipline of Histopathology and are regarded as educational rather than proficiency testing schemes. Very frequently, the scheme is organized by a single individual with a collection of microscope slides, storage facilities for the slides and a computer. This presents the Scheme Organizer with great difficulty in complying with the Quality Management System requirements of the CPA Standards. There are a number of models which can be applied in order to satisfy the requirement of the Quality Management System, but ultimately it must be recognized that in some circumstances it is not possible to accredit these small schemes. The NHSCSP Gynae Cytology EQA Scheme is probably the largest EQA scheme within the UK, in respect of the number of participants and the number of staff supporting the scheme. Scheme Management decided that all nine regions of England would apply for accreditation under one CPA Reference Number. This process meant that the scheme would be assessed as a Managed Pathology Network. This is unique in terms of EQA schemes and presented a number of problems not previously encountered in EQA scheme accreditation. This decision meant that all nine regions must comply with a single Quality Management System and other CPA standards whilst allowing flexibility within the system for each region to facilitate the assessment process specific to their user's requirements. The process worked in a satisfactory manner and the overall outcome was not dissimilar to that of other large EQA schemes. The assessment to the current EQA Standards only commenced in April 2006 whilst the Standards for Medical Laboratories commenced in 2003, and it is perhaps not surprising to find that the principal non-conformities are related to the Quality Management System. This parallels the findings encountered in laboratory accreditation. There is an ongoing educational process for Scheme Management and the Facilitators in each region in how to comply fully with the standards and a commitment to quality improvement which ultimately is beneficial to the participant's of the scheme and to patient safety. [source] Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Grading Through the Use of Computer-Assisted Grading RubricsDECISION SCIENCES JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE EDUCATION, Issue 1 2008Linda Anglin ABSTRACT This study tests the use of computer-assisted grading rubrics compared to other grading methods with respect to the efficiency and effectiveness of different grading processes for subjective assignments. The test was performed on a large Introduction to Business course. The students in this course were randomly assigned to four treatment groups based on the grading method. Efficiency was measured by the professor's time to grade the assignments; effectiveness was measured by a student satisfaction survey. Results suggest that the computer-assisted grading rubrics were almost 200% faster than traditional hand grading without rubrics, more than 300% faster than hand grading with rubrics, and nearly 350% faster than typing the feedback into a Learning Content Management System. Results also seemed to indicate that the use of a computer-assisted grading rubric did not negatively affect student attitudes concerning the helpfulness of their feedback, their satisfaction with the speed with which they received their feedback, or their satisfaction with the method by which they received feedback. [source] Application of ISO22000 and comparison to HACCP for processing of ready to eat vegetables: Part IINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2008Theodoros H. Varzakas Summary Preliminary Hazard Analysis was used to analyse and predict the occurring failure modes in a food chain system (ready to eat vegetables processing plant), in conjunction with ISO22000, the new Food Safety Management System, based on the functions, characteristics and/or interactions of the ingredients or the processes, upon which the system depends. Critical control points (CCPs) have been identified and implemented in the Hazard Analysis Critical Point Control plan. The decision table for CCP determination during processing of ready to eat vegetables is shown and compared with the ISO22000 Analysis Worksheet for determination of the prerequisite programmes. The prerequisite programmes are the main difference between the two systems. The incorporation of PrPs in the ISO22000 made the system more flexible as a smaller number of CCPs was introduced. [source] Development of SNMP-XML translator and gateway for XML-based integrated network managementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NETWORK MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2003Jeong-Hyuk Yoon The research objective of our work is to develop a SNMP MIB to XML translation algorithm and to implement an SNMP-XML gateway using this algorithm. The gateway is used to transfer management information between an XML-based manager and SNMP-based agents. SNMP is widely used for Internet management, but SNMP is insufficient to manage continuously expanding networks because of constraints in scalability and efficiency. XML,based network management architectures are newly proposed as alternatives to SNMP-based network management, but the XML-based Network Management System (XML-based NMS) cannot directly manage legacy SNMP agents. We also implemented an automatic specification translator (SNMP MIB to XML Translator) and an SNMP-XML gateway.,Copyright © 2003 John Wiley &Sons, Ltd. [source] Three-Dimensional Catheter Positioning During Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients: First Application of a Real-Time Position Management SystemJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 11 2000NATASJA M.S. DE GROOT M.D. Three-Dimensional Reai-Time Position Management. Introduction: Precise localization of target sites for radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of arrhythmias is hampered by the relative inaccuracy of X-ray localization procedures. This study evaluated the efficacy of a three-dimensional (3D) real-time position management system in guiding RFCA procedures in patients. Methods and Results: Patients (n = 30, age 59 ± 20 years) referred for ablation of either atrial flutter (n = 10), ventricular tachycardia (n = 15), or accessory pathways (n = 5) were studied. The real-time position management system uses ultrasound ranging techniques to track the position of an ablation catheter relative to two multitransducer reference catheters, positioned in the right atrium or coronary sinus and the right ventricle. Each catheter contains three or four ultrasound transducers. The distance between the transducer(s) is determined hy calculating the time necessary for an ultrasound pulse to reach other transducers, assuming the speed of sound in blood is 1,550 m/sec. The proximal His bundle was marked at the beginning and the end of the procedure as an electrical landmark to verify reproducibility. After identification of target sites, the position of each lesion created with the ablation catheter was marked. Successful ahlation was achieved in 94% of the patients. The distance between the location of the proximal His hundle as marked at the beginning and at the end of the procedure was 2.0 ± 1.2 mm (range 1.5 to 3.5). Conclusion: The new 3D real-time position management system facilitated RFCA procedures as it allowed accurate and reproducible 3D tracking of the mapping and ablation catheter. [source] Designing for inquiry-based learning with the Learning Activity Management SystemJOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING, Issue 3 2009P. Levy Abstract This paper explores the relationship between practitioners' pedagogical purposes, values and practices in designing for inquiry-based learning in higher education, and the affordances of the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) as a tool for creating learning designs in this context. Using a qualitative research methodology, variation was identified in participants' conceptions of inquiry-based learning pedagogy and in their approaches to inquiry-based learning design. LAMS was found to offer design affordances that are compatible with more strongly teacher-led conceptions of, and approaches to, inquiry-based learning pedagogy. The paper draws some implications for the further development and use of design tools for inquiry-based learning. The authors suggest that, in addition to tools created for teachers, there may be a valuable role for tools that explicitly support students as designers of their own inquiry processes and activities. [source] EFD: A Hybrid Knowledge/Statistical-Based System for the Detection of FraudJOURNAL OF RISK AND INSURANCE, Issue 3 2002John A. Major Electronic Fraud Detection (EFD) assists Investigative Consultants in the Managed Care & Employee Benefits Security Unit of The Travelers Insurance Companies in the detection and preinvestigative analysis of health care provider fraud. The task EFD performs, scanning a large population of health insurance claims in search of likely fraud, has never been done manually. Furthermore, the available database has few positive examples. Thus, neither existing knowledge engineering techniques nor statistical methods are sufficient for designing the identification process. To overcome these problems, EFD uses knowledge discovery techniques on two levels. First, EFD integrates expert knowledge with statistical information assessment to identify cases of unusual provider behavior. The heart of EFD is 27 behavioral heuristics, knowledge-based ways of viewing and measuring provider behavior. Rules operate on them to identify providers whose behavior merits a closer look by the investigative consultants. Second, machine learning is used to develop new rules and improve the identification process. Pilot operations involved analysis of nearly 22,000 providers in six metropolitan areas. The pilot is implemented in SAS Institute's SAS System, AICorp's Knowledge Base Management System, and Borland International's Turbo Prolog. [source] Latin,American public financial reporting: recent and future developmentPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2007Carmen Caba Pérez Abstract In recent years, numerous Latin,American countries have carried out reforms in their public accounting systems, with technical cooperation provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Taking into account the lack of international accounting standards for the public sector, USAID has designed a model termed Integrated Financial Management System for Latin America and the Caribbean (IFMS or SIMAFAL). This model is intended to provide better financial information for governmental decision-taking as regards the allocation of resources; a further goal is to achieve greater transparency and for a higher degree of responsibility to be accepted for the commitments made and the results of activities undertaken. Important changes are currently taking place on the international public accounting scene and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is pressing for the adoption of a set of international public accounting standards by Latin,American countries. In this article, we compare the level of information included in the year-end governmental public report in Latin,American countries which have carried out their reforms outside SIMAFAL with that of others which have followed this model. Second, we examine the extent to which the public financial reporting practices recommended by IFAC coincide with those adopted by the above countries. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Support of Daily ECG Procedures in a Cardiology Department via the Integration of an Existing Clinical Database and a Commercial ECG Management SystemANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Franco Chiarugi Dott. Background: In the context of HYGEIAnet, the regional health telematics network of Crete, a clinical cardiology database (CARDIS) has been installed in several hospitals. The large number of resting ECGs recorded daily made it a priority to have computerized support for the entire ECG procedure. Methods: Starting in late 2000, ICS-FORTH and Mortara Instrument, Inc., collaborated to integrate the Mortara E-Scribe/NT ECG management system with CAROIS in order to support daily ECG procedures. CARDIS was extended to allow automatic ordering of daily ECGs via E-Scribe/NT. The ECG order list is downloaded to the electrocardiographs and executed, the recorded ECGs are transmitted to E-Scribe/NT, where confirmed ECG records are linked back to CARDIS. A thorough testing period was used to identify and correct problems. An ECG viewer/printer was extended to read ECG files in E-Scribe/NT format. Results: The integration of E-Scribe/NT and CARDIS, enabling automatic scheduling of ECG orders and immediate availability of confirmed ECGs records for viewing and printing in the clinical database, took approximately 4 man months. The performance of the system is highly satisfactory and it is now ready for deployment in the hospital. Conclusions: Integration of a commercially available ECG management system with an existing clinical database can provide a rapid, practical solution that requires no major modifications to either software component. The success of this project makes us optimistic about extending CARDIS to support additional examination-procedures such as digital coronary angiography and ultrasound examinations. A.N.E. 2002;7(3):263,270 [source] Effects of a Psychologically Based Management System on Work Motivation and ProductivityAPPLIED PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Uwe Kleinbeck Introducing group work as a principle of work organisation to increase productivity in organisations operating in a globalising economy requires new methods of measuring performance in groups. This study describes the introduction of a measurement instrument as part of a participative productivity management (PPM) system in a medium sized factory producing rubber compounds. Using a simple quasi-experimental design, the PPM intervention was found to produce an increase in productivity and was also related to goal clarity, but not to higher group cohesion. It is concluded that PPM helps to increase productivity mainly by increasing task and goal clarity, and that increases in productivity can only be reached reliably when no competing system of performance appraisal exists besides PPM. L'introduction du travail en groupe comme principe de structuration du travail pour ame´liorer la productivite´ d'organisations e´voluant dans une e´conomie globalise´e impose de nouvelles me´thodes pour mesurer la performance dans les groupes. Cet article de´crit l'application d'un instrument de mesure comme e´tant un e´le´ment du syste`me de gestion participative de la productivite´ (PPM) dans une usine de taille moyenne produisant des composants en caoutchouc. En faisant appel a` un plan quasi expe´rimental, l'intervention PPM a ame´liore´ la productivite´ tout en e´tant relie´e a` la clarte´ des objectifs, mais pas a` une meilleure cohe´sion des groupes. On en conclut que la PPM accroit la productivite´ surtout grâce a` une meilleure transparence des objectifs et des tâches, mais que ces gains de productivite´ ne peuvent être obtenus avec certitude si un syste`me concurrent d'e´valuation de la performance fonctionne en paralle`le avec la PPM. [source] The Caries Management System: an evidence-based preventive strategy for dental practitioners.AUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009Application for children, adolescents Abstract The application of the Caries Management System (CMS) for children and adolescents follows the rationale underlying the application of the CMS for adults. Briefly, the CMS is a 10-step, risk-based, non-invasive strategy to arrest and remineralize early lesions and to enhance caries primary prevention. The method for assessing each patient's diet, plaque distribution, and signs of caries as shown in bitewing radiograph images, follows the protocols for adults. Protocols presented here relating to caries risk assessment, lesion diagnosis and management, and patient recall are specific for children and adolescents. Fundamentally, non-cavitated lesions in primary and especially permanent teeth are managed: (1) professionally by preservative non-invasive means, including fluoride varnish and sealants; and (2) daily home toothbrushing using fluoride toothpaste where the aim is to arrest lesion progression so that restorations will not be necessary. Monitoring of lesions through the review of clinical signs and bitewing images is the means for assessing caries activity. For those who fail to respond to advice to reduce cariogenic exposures and continue to develop new lesions at a steady or increased rate, a more intensified programme is required; their higher risk status is confirmed and treatment follows the corresponding protocol. [source] Bauwerks-Management-System (BMS) , Werkzeug zur Substanzerhaltung für VerkehrsbauwerkeBAUTECHNIK, Issue 10 2004Peter Haardt Dr.-Ing. Das Bundesfernstraßennetz beinhaltet eine große Anzahl von Brücken und anderen Ingenieurbauwerken, wie Tunnel, Lärmschutzeinrichtungen und Stützwände. Die für diese Bauwerke aufzustellenden Erhaltungsprogramme erfordern nicht nur erhebliche Geldmittel, sondern beeinflussen auch Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft insgesamt. Neben den ständig wachsenden Verkehrsbeanspruchungen zwingen die ungünstiger werdende Altersstruktur und der wirtschaftliche Einsatz der zur Verfügung stehenden Haushaltsmittel alle Beteiligten dazu, die Erhaltung der Bundesfernstraßen zu systematisieren, um auch zukünftig den Verkehrsteilnehmern eine ausreichende Qualität der Verkehrswege zu sichern. Diese Aufgabe wird durch die Anwendung eines umfassenden Management Systems (Bauwerks-Management-System, BMS) unterstützt und erleichtert. Das BMVBW realisiert ein umfassendes Bauwerks-Management-System mit Teil modulen für Bundes- und Länderverwaltungen, welches als Hilfsmittel für die Erstellung von Erhaltungsplanungen dient und als Controlling-Instrument die Realisierung von Zielen und Strategien ermöglicht. Angestrebt werden damit eine bundesweite Vereinheitlichung von Planungsverfahren sowie die Verbesserung der Wirtschaftlichkeit im Rahmen der Erhaltung der Bauwerke des Bundesfernstraßennetzes. Der Beitrag beschreibt neben den bereits existierenden Regelungen und Verfahren die aktuellen Entwicklungen von Verfahren zur Unterstützung der Erhaltungsplanungen, die derzeit für Computeranwendungen bereitgestellt werden. Wesentliche Einzelthemen sind Informationsbereitstellung, Entwicklung von Erhaltungsstrategien und Bewertungsverfahren auf Objekt- und Netzebene. Bridge Management System (BMS) , a tool for maintenance of highway structures. The federal road network of Germany contains a large number of highway structures like bridges, tunnels, retaining walls and others. The maintenance programs to be prepared for this purpose not only require a high budget, but also influence the economy and society as a whole. Due to growing volumes of traffic and higher weights of trucks, bridges are subjected to increasing loads which implies that maintenance costs will be rising in the future. Considering the fact that financial resources become continuously tighter, the maintenance costs have to be spent in a way to obtain the greatest possible benefits. This task will in the future be supported by the application of individual computer programs in the frame of a comprehensive Management System (Bridge Management System, BMS). Firstly, the BMS is to provide the Federal Ministry with an overview of the current situation at the overall network level, and allow it to come to financial requirements as well as strategies for realising long-term objectives. Secondly, the states and authorities are to be supplied with recommendations for performing improvements at the object level and the state network level in compliance with given strategies and budgetary restrictions. The paper describes the existing regulations as well as procedures for the support of maintenance planning which are currently being developed for computer application. Important topics are information technology, development of maintenance strategies and assessment procedures on object and network level. [source] Environmental management codes and continuous environmental improvements: insights from the chemical industryBUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 4 2001Barry D. Solomon The chemical industry has the highest quantity of toxic releases and hazardous waste generation in the US. We present survey results that examined compliance with seven major environmental statutes at small and medium-sized chemical facilities. This survey was designed to complement the findings of the US Environmental Protection Agency/Chemical Manufacturers Association ,Root Cause' survey, which attempted to determine reasons for environmental noncompliance at large chemical facilities. Results of our study indicated that 30% of the respondents did not have an Environmental Management System in place, including Responsible Care, even though Responsible Care is required for active membership in their trade association. Also, survey respondents looked beyond their own facility for meeting their compliance assistance needs. Statistical analysis of the results showed that for six of seven environmental laws examined, company size had a statistically significant correlation with awareness of compliance requirements. Only in the case of one major environmental statute was the hypothesized relationship not statistically significant. The results point to the need for trade associations, state and federal government and management to devote additional resources to improving environmental compliance for smaller chemical companies. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [source] The role of accounting and the accountant in the environmental management systemBUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 3 2001Trevor D. Wilmshurst This paper explores the role of accounting and the accountant in the Environmental Management System (EMS). This study was founded on a postal survey of chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) from the top 500 listed Australian companies. From responses to the surveys, this paper firstly documents the adoption of environmental accounting processes by respondent companies and secondly management attitudes as to the role of environmental accounting in these companies. The senior executives responding to the survey suggest that they believe the environment is an important issue, and recognize the need for a business response. However, there appeared to be limited participation of the accountant in the EMS, which suggests there is a gap between the aggregate observations of this sample and literature support with respect to the role of environmental accounting. It is suggested that this might reflect a lack of understanding of the potential role accounting and the accountant could (and arguably should) play as a member of the EMS team. It is the intention of this paper to provide some input to enhance an understanding of the potential and important role accounting and the accountant could play in the EMS. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [source] A performance study of job management systemsCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 13 2004Tarek El-Ghazawi Abstract Job Management Systems (JMSs) efficiently schedule and monitor jobs in parallel and distributed computing environments. Therefore, they are critical for improving the utilization of expensive resources in high-performance computing systems and centers, and an important component of Grid software infrastructure. With many JMSs available commercially and in the public domain, it is difficult to choose an optimum JMS for a given computing environment. In this paper, we present the results of the first empirical study of JMSs reported in the literature. Four commonly used systems, LSF, PBS Pro, Sun Grid Engine/CODINE, and Condor were considered. The study has revealed important strengths and weaknesses of these JMSs under different operational conditions. For example, LSF was shown to exhibit excellent throughput for a wide range of job types and submission rates. Alternatively, CODINE appeared to outperform other systems in terms of the average turn-around time for small jobs, and PBS appeared to excel in terms of turn-around time for relatively larger jobs. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Networks as a means of supporting the adoption of organizational innovations in SMEs: the case of Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) based on ISO 14001CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Fawzi Halila Abstract In spite of their large numbers, most SMEs have little knowledge of or interest in environmental questions and generally have difficulties when it comes to integrating environmental aspects into their activities. One way for SMEs to shift from a reactive to a proactive environmental behavior is to adopt environmental innovations. Environmental innovations consist of new or modified processes, techniques, practices, systems and products to avoid or reduce environmental harms. In this study, I focus on a particular type of innovation: organizational environmental innovations, such as an EMS in accordance with ISO 14001. ,,One objective of this study was to understand and describe how SMEs can use a network as a basis for initiating environmental work. Another objective was to develop a model that can be used as a guideline for the adoption of an ISO 14001 EMS by SMEs collaborating in a network. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] CPA assessment , the regional assessors' experienceCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2007G. Guthrie With the introduction in January 2006 of the new posts of Regional Assessors, the process and focus of CPA assessment changed to reflect the inclusion in the current standards of Quality Management systems and processes. Regional Assessors, trained in Quality Management Systems and their assessment against international standards, now form a vital part of the CPA assessment teams, looking specifically at this aspect of laboratory service provision. Their role in the new assessment process will be explained. The presentation will cover differences and similarities in the nature and number of non-compliances experienced since April 2006 when the new format of assessment was introduced. It will also look at a new format of timetable for assessment visits and explain the benefits of good two-way communication between all parties involved in the process - the laboratory, the assessors, particularly the Regional Assessor assigned to that site, and CPA Office staff. Understanding what is required by the standards, particularly in terms of evidential material, their interpretation and their classification of status , Critical, Non-Critical or Observation - is an aspect of assessment which is often not well understood. The presentation will seek to clarify these issues. The successful and timely clearance by laboratories of any non-compliances raised during the visits is vital to the achievement of accredited status and the presentation will give guidance as to how this is best achieved. The current standards, based on the international ISO 15189 standards, are considerably more challenging than the old ones. There is now a significant emphasis on Quality Management and its understanding, ethos and implementation within the laboratory, a key element which underpins all aspects of a laboratory's service. The achievement of accredited status assures our users of,the type of client and patient focused service expected of a modern laboratory. [source] The Cult of ModernityFINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2001Barbara Townley This article examines Strategic Performance Management Systems oftenintroduced as a key component of New Public Management. In doing so, it identifies some of the common and long-standing difficulties identified with the introduction and use of performance measures. The article then questions why such management systems are consistently advocated given some of the apparently serious dysfunctions that their introduction and use can engender. It concludes that these systems reflect a deeper attachment to what has been characterised as Enlightenment thinking, and that an archaeology of this style of thought is a necessary pre-requisite for understanding models of management that are promulgated. [source] Traditional Management Systems, Poverty and Change in the Arid Zone Fisheries of Northern NigeriaJOURNAL OF AGRARIAN CHANGE, Issue 1 2005ARTHUR E. NEILAND This paper, based on fieldwork results, explores traditional management systems (TMS) in the arid zone fisheries of north-eastern Nigeria with particular reference to their impact on rural poverty. The first section provides a historical background by tracing the evolution of the TMS since the nineteenth century, with reference to government policy on fisheries management and poverty alleviation. The second gives an overview of TMS, including definitions, distribution, principal objectives, regulatory mechanisms and the impact of TMS on the performance of the fisheries and on the livelihoods of rural people. The third considers the perceptions and attitudes of the fishing communities with regards to the fisheries and TMS. The paper concludes, paradoxically, that while TMS provide a basis for the sustainable livelihoods of many fishing people, they also reflect and enforce the social positions of the rich and powerful members of society who oversee them, at the expense of the poor. In the future, poverty alleviation in fisheries will need to incorporate both sectoral and non-sectoral strategies , dealing with the existing ,paradox of TMS' by encouraging appropriate institutional changes and community development, and recognizing the importance of employment creation in other sectors of the economy as a source of alternative income. [source] Environmental Management Systems A Partner for Industrial Ecology?JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001John R. Ehrenfeld [source] Contrasting Institutional and Performance Accounts of Environmental Management Systems: Three Case Studies in the UK Water & Sewerage Industry*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 4 2007Anja Schaefer abstract This paper presents results from a longitudinal, qualitative study into the adoption of environmental management systems (EMS) in three companies in the UK water & sewerage industry. Based on institutional theory and the literature on EMS, four factors related to the adoption of EMS are identified: external and internal institutional forces, environmental performance issues, and economic performance issues. While previous literature has often assumed a balance of performance and institutional factors or a preponderance of performance factors, the results of this study indicate that institutional forces are the predominant drivers. The results further indicate that environmental performance issues become less important over time, whereas institutional drivers and economic performance rationales increase in importance over time. While conforming to institutional pressures can result in improved economic performance of a company, adoption of environmental management systems mostly on the basis of institutional and economic factors has wider repercussions for the state of corporate environmental management and progress towards greater ecological sustainability of business. [source] Teleworkflow: supporting remote control with Workflow Management SystemsNEW TECHNOLOGY, WORK AND EMPLOYMENT, Issue 2 2007Diana Limburg This paper explores the links between the management of remote workers and dispersed teams and the use of Workflow Management Systems. Using case studies, it demonstrates how such systems can support diverse control approaches independent of the location of employees and managers and thus enhance the success of distant working. [source] Robotic Implantation of Resynchronization and Defibrillator Rhythm Management SystemsPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 8 2006G. FRANK O. TYERS No abstract is available for this article. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||