Implementation guidelines for mass customization: current characteristics and suggestions for improvement

Interest in mass customization (MC) is increasing in both industry and academia. Academic research on MC implementation guidelines (IGs) has, however, lagged behind other research streams in the MC literature. The present article reviews the existing literature on MC-IGs and inductively derives a classification scheme for prior research findings to identify potential areas for further research. While the issue of what enables MC has been intensively researched, investigation of several questions is still required, such as which enablers should be implemented and in what sequence, depending on the specific context in which MC is pursued. Other areas for future study of MC-IGs include applicability context specifications, as-is analysis tools, hindrance factors and required resources. This article complements previous MC literature reviews by providing an overview of MC-IGs available in the literature, identifying the building blocks of MC-IGs and proposing a definition of MC-IGs that can be used as a basis for future research in MC implementation.     

Semantics of patient choice: how the UK national guideline for depression silences patients

Several stakeholders, including the National Survivor User Network and the British Psychological Society, have called for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to include an up-to-date review of patient experience research in the new depression guideline. In response, the Guideline Committee (GC) postponed publication, the guideline now due in February 2020. Yet the GC also stated it will not review patient experience research. Instead, it will incorporate a new element of ‘patient choice’, without elaborating what this entails. Here, we attempt to untangle a number of similar sounding terms including ‘patient choice’, ‘patient preference’, ‘patient experience research’ and ‘service user involvement’ in terms of how they relate to the NICE depression guideline. We argue that by conflating these concepts and implying that one will serve the purpose of another equally well, NICE risks leaving patients without a real voice, their perspectives buried in semantically void rhetorical jargon.     

Ethical guidelines and codes in operations research

We review past endeavors by ORSs to establish ethical guidelines or codes to which their members must subscribe to. We contrast such activities with those of the international community of related professional societies. It is clear that ORSs world-wide do not exhibit the important basic characteristic of a profession, that is, the adoption of and adherence to ethical guidelines and codes. Such adoptions by OR professional organizations are rare.     

Breaking from Big Brother

Summary

Small non-profit organizations have difficulty computerizing their operations. This article describes such a process of computerization and software development carried out over the past several years to computerize the community-based organizations which receive funds from the New York State Weatherization Assistance Program. The process was based in and run by the local agencies and was attuned to the needs of these local organizations. Guidelines arc suggested for keeping such a process decentralized, democratic and interactive.     

新时代繁荣发展社会主义文艺的指南——论十九大报告中的文艺思想

十九大报告提出繁荣发展社会主义文艺的思想具有深刻而丰富的内涵。它要求坚持以人民为中心的创作导向,以时代文艺精品为创作目标,用发扬民主推动文艺创新,用中华美学精神涵养文艺价值观,用德艺双馨的标准加强文艺队伍建设。它不仅为新时代文艺的发展指明了方向,对文艺创作中现存问题进行了匡正与纠偏,而且还有助于增强中华民族的文化自信。它是马克思主义文艺观中国化、民族化、时代化的最新发展。     

A Comparison of the Effects of a Linear and an Exponential Performance Pay Function on Work Productivity

This study examined how work productivity was affected by the way in which individual monetary incentives were related to performance. Two types of relationships, or performance pay functions, were compared: a linear function in which a specific per piece incentive was provided for each piece completed in excess of a performance standard and an exponential function in which the amount of the per piece incentive accelerated as productivity increased. Forty college subjects were randomly assigned to one of the two pay conditions. Each subject participated in 15 forty-five minute sessions. Subjects performed a computerized work task that simulated the job of a proof operator at a bank, entering the cash values of simulated bank checks using a computer keyboard. The dependent variable was the number of correctly complcted checks. Productivity was comparable for subjects exposed to the linear and exponential performance pay functions, even though subjects exposed to the exponential function earned significantly more money than the subjects exposed to the linear function. The results suggest that, within certain parameters that have yet to be determined, differences in the way in which monetary incentives are related to performance may not differentially affect performance.     

邓小平对人民政协理论的重大贡献

文化大革命结束后,邓小平对人民政协工作发表了一系列重要讲话和批示,极大地丰富和发展了人民政协理论。首先,他作出统一战线进入了一个新的历史发展阶段的重要论断。其次,对人民政协的性质作出了高度概括,指出人民政协是巩固和扩大我国革命的爱国的统一战线的重要组织。再次,明确了人民政协的政治基础是坚持四项基本原则。最后,强调了政协工作的基本方针是“长期共存、互相监督、肝胆相照、荣辱与共”。     

国家空间立法构建模块的理论与实践

国际空间法条约赋予了缔约国和平探索和利用外层空间的权利,为缔约国设置了监管本国空间活动的国际义务。缔约国在执行义务方面采用的标准和做法不同,导致国家空间立法成为一个重要问题。国际法协会开展了一系列研究国家空间立法实践的工作,国家空间立法5个"构建模块"理论即空间活动批准与许可证模块、空间活动监督模块、空间物体登记模块、赔偿规定模块以及其他规定模块正是在这些研究工作基础上形成。该理论在推动欧洲国家空间立法的协调一致中发挥了重要指导作用,在《国家空间立法示范法索非亚模本》的起草实践中得到了充分应用并得到外空委的赞同。该理论与联大关于国家空间立法8项必备构成要素建议存在演进关系。国家空间立法5个"构建模块"理论和联大国家空间立法8项必备构成要素建议对中国航天立法实践具有借鉴意义,特别是在监管商业航天活动立法方面,5个"构建模块"应是立法不可或缺的基本内容和立法是否完备的衡量标准。     

民主党派组织发展的“三个为主”问题探析

民主党派的组织发展历来坚持＂三个为主＂的基本方针。新时期,为坚持和完善中国多党合作制度,应根据形势的发展变化,以改革创新的精神对待民主党派组织发展的＂三个为主＂,使之与时俱进。