Open Order Rescheduling in Job Shops with Demand Uncertainty: A Simulation Study

This paper addresses the problem of open order rescheduling in a job shop. Results are reported of experiments conducted in a simulation model of an 8-machine job shop. Four different order updating policies are examined. The due-date process is modeled to include several realistic features about the pattern of due-date variability. These features are parameterized and tested at several levels. Tardiness results indicate that open order rescheduling is beneficial only when allowances are loosely set. The results indicate that inventory performance is improved by order rescheduling, particularly in cases when due dates are revised to earlier times than originally forecast.     

Evaluation of the impact of intervention programmes on education organisations: Application to a Quality Management System

This paper analyses the importance of evaluating the various components of the programmes or actions carried out by education organisations. It highlights the need to assess the impact of the intervention on the organisation and consider how changes are consolidated over time in interaction with the context. We propose an impact evaluation model and as an example have chosen the implementation of Quality Management Systems in schools. The paper analyses the results obtained in 40 schools in three regions (Spanish Autonomous Communities) with varying levels of implementation. The results show overall impact on these education centres as the teachers and management teams of the centres perceive it. This impact is more evident in some of the dimensions considered in the study than in others. The results also confirm the differences between regional contexts.     

Fetal movements: What are we telling women?

Problem

Information that women receive about the importance of monitoring fetal movements and what to do if there are changes is inconsistent and may not be evidence based.

Integrating Behavioral Science with Human Factors to Address Process Safety

ABSTRACT

Applying the science of human factors to eliminate error across all aspects of process design, management, operation, and maintenance has been a focus in the process safety area for many years. Human error has been attributed as a major cause of many high profile catastrophic accidents around the world. These accidents have resulted in national and international attention, which has led to a focus on improving organizational capabilities, systems, and in many cases, governmental regulations around human factors. This article provides a review of the field of human factors highlighting various topics in the literature, and introduces governmental regulatory bodies currently engaging organizations in a scientific approach to human factors. Finally, the need for integrating behavioral science methodologies with human factors is addressed. This is done with specific focus on how Organizational Behavior Management methodologies can work in concert with human factors to optimize process safety.     

The efficiency of mutual fund companies: Evidence from an innovative network SBM approach

This paper is the first DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) evaluation of the efficiency of a sample of mutual fund companies in a large Euro fund industry, i.e. Spain. Our novel network model links the efficiency of the core activities (portfolio management and marketing/distribution) of a mutual fund company to the efficiency of its operational management function. Our results highlight the important networking effects at the marketing stage and question the prime role of portfolio management skills in the overall efficiency of a mutual fund company. The evaluation of robust efficiency clusters indicates that the efficiency rankings obtained with our network model persist significantly along our sample period. Finally, the application of the SBM (Slacks-Based Measure) Variation III to our network model allows us to identify a large number of globally inefficient but locally efficient companies with reference to competitors with similar management resources.     

河北省高职酒店管理专业人才培养模式研究

高职酒店管理专业是社会专业酒店人才培养的重要阵地,每年为社会提供大量有知识有能力的高素质酒店人才,推动着酒店管理业的发展。但是,高职酒店管理专业的人才培养模式也存在着这样或者那样的问题,给高职人才的就业造成了一定的阻碍。这就需要我们对高职酒店管理专业人才培养的现状进行探究,从而提出新的人才培养模式,以促进高职酒店管理专业的快速发展。     

社会管理创新的几个问题

社会管理创新已经作为一项重大的时代主题提出来了,社会管理涉及的一系列基本问题需要进行理论上的廓清。不能将社会管理等同于行政管理,社会管理创新不是实施全面控制,社会管理与危机管理是有区别的,也不能将社会管理理解为社会服务,还应正确处理好社会管理的"管"和"建"的关系。     

利益集团与社会管理:挑战与出路

利益集团显性化是当前我国经济社会发展过程中的一个突出现象。与阶级阶层分化相比,集团利益分化有着不同的特点。它的产生客观上要求一种新的社会管理方法来协调和化解不同集团间的利益分歧、矛盾和冲突。当前,我国尚处于"有利益集团现象,但无利益集团政治"的阶段。既有的利益集团管理仍沿袭社团管理的理念和方法,本质上是政治控制型管理和精英吸纳型管理在利益集团问题上的应用,不能适应我国集团利益分化的现状和特点。为此,要改革现有的社团管理体制,并构建与社团管理体制相衔接的利益集团管理。     

金代宗室管理制度考论

金朝十分重视对宗室的管理,设专门管理机构大宗正府,职掌修撰玉牒、监察训导宗室、宗庙祭祀等宗室事务;宗正官基本上由宗室属亲者担任,但也适当参用世戚勋旧。另有御史台、太常寺以及其他相关机构也兼理宗室事务。这些兼管机构与大宗正府相互配合,各司其职,从不同方面实施对宗室的有效管理。鉴于宗室也是威胁皇权的重要因素,金朝统治者对宗室还采取了诸多政令上的防范措施。