Optimizing Service Attributes: The Seller's Utility Problem*

Service designers predict market share and sales for their new designs by estimating consumer utilities. The service's technical features (for example, overnight parcel delivery), its price, and the nature of consumer interactions with the service delivery system influence those utilities. Price and the service's technical features are usually quite objective and readily ascertained by the consumer. However, consumer perceptions about their interactions with the service delivery system are usually far more subjective. Furthermore, service designers can only hope to influence those perceptions indirectly through their decisions about nonlinear processes such as employee recruiting, training, and scheduling policies. Like the service's technical features, these process choices affect quality perceptions, market share, revenues, costs, and profits. We propose a heuristic for the NP‐hard service design problem that integrates realistic service delivery cost models with conjoint analysis. The resulting seller's utility function links expected profits to the intensity of a service's influential attributes and also reveals an ideal setting or level for each service attribute. In tests with simulated service design problems, our proposed configurations compare quite favorably with the designs suggested by other normative service design heuristics.     

设计的符号美学

人为取得某种效果而改变对象，此种改变付诸实践前制定的计划即为设计。有了设计，实践中注入了明确的人的意向性。人类把自然物改造成人造物，或“再设计”改变成进一步人造之物，以取得更多效果。被设计改造过的自然，成为“人为物”,甚至人本身也成为“被设计的人”。不同文化的设计，尺度可能差异极大。而当一件设计物，或一件设计物的一部分，其意义超出物功用，也超出实用的符号意义，该物就越出庸常，获得了艺术品格。研究其中的机制，是符号美学的重大任务。在民族文化的形成过程中，会出现该文化独特的设计标准、意义解读、美学风格，此种关系全局的设计方案即为“元设计”,其基础是该民族文化特有的神话哲理与民族性格。     

Cellular Versus Functional Layouts Under a Variety of Shop Operating Conditions*

This paper addresses the suitability of cellular manufacturing under a variety of operating conditions. Queueing theoretic and simulation models of cellular and functional layouts are developed for various shop operating environments to investigate several factors believed to influence the benefits associated with a cellular manufacturing layout. The queueing models show how operations overlapping, which is more practical with a cellular layout, becomes more beneficial as the lot size increases. The simulation models are developed to study the performance of cellular and functional layouts in a wide variety of operating environments by varying the levels of four factors: (1) the degree to which natural part families occur, (2) the number of operations required to process the parts, (3) the processing times of the parts at each machine, and (4) the lot size. Two response variables are used to measure shop performance: the average time spent by a batch in the system, and the average work-in-process level. Statistically significant reductions in the average time in the system and average work-in-process measures were detected for the cellular layouts in all the operating environments studied.     

Logistic模型配合家禽生长资料参数估计方法比较的Monte Carlo研究

本文用Logistic模型配合Monte Cario方法模拟的30个家禽生长资料,以比较Logis-tic模型参数估计的最小一乘法、最小二乘法和minx~2法,以及线性化方法。结果表明:最小二乘法(LS)和最小一乘法结果相当,均优于ininx~2方法;参数估计的线性化方法结果较差,以改良三点法效果较好。     

Conceptualizing Effects of Office Information Systems: A Methodology and Application for the Study of Alpha,Beta, and Gamma Changes*

This article applies the concepts of alpha, beta, and gamma changes to test whether the implementation of a new office information system with networking capabilities changes the way organizational members conceptualize office work. The traditional approach (t-test) was used to measure alpha change and indicated little change in how effectively the respondents felt they performed eight generic office activities before implementation (T1) and nine months after implementation (T2). However, considerable change was detected between effectiveness reported at T1 and a retrospective assessment of T1 effectiveness reported at T2 (called “then” assessments). Strong change was also detected between “then” assessments and T2 effectiveness reported at T2, indicating beta change. Multiple hierarchical tests showed that most of the change was actually gamma change; the T2 and the “then” factor structures and covariances differed significantly. This study supports propositions that using computers to accomplish organizational work may be associated with different conceptualizations of work, which may create ambiguity and uncertainty if training and management policies do not respond appropriately. Finally, this study provides an expanded version of a prior solution to detecting alpha, beta, and gamma changes.     

Structuring Conflict in Individual,Face-to-Face,and Computer-Mediated Group Decision Making: Carping Versus Objective Devil's Advocacy*

Researchers and practitioners have long been interested in the effects of cognitive conflict techniques on individual and group decision making. One widely used and studied technique, devil's advocacy (DA), has been found to enhance decision-making performance for both individuals and groups. Devil's advocacy begins with a recommended decision, followed by a critique of the decision that questions its assumptions. Researchers have not yet examined the effects of the objectivity of the devil's advocacy comments in computer-mediated environments. This paper reports the results of a laboratory experiment that focused on this question by comparing the effects of an objective, nonemotional DA to an emotional, “carping” DA within individuals and groups using either computer-mediated or face-to-face communication. In a manner consistent with prior research, both DA treatments were operationalized through the use of paper-based consulting reports. The results suggest that individuals and computer-mediated groups develop and consider more solution alternatives than face-to-face groups, and that subjects given the objective DA treatment produce higher quality decisions than those given the carping DA treatment. Face-to-face groups in the carping DA treatment considered the fewest alternative solutions in their decision-making process, reached the lowest solution quality, yet reached decision consensus in the fewest voting rounds. The practical implications of the results suggest that questioning statements made by a devil's advocate should be objective, regardless of group communication condition. Carping devil's advocacy appears to stifle group decision outcomes when groups are using face-to-face communication.     

Performance of Selected Part-Machine Grouping Techniques for Data Sets of Wide Ranging Sizes and Imperfection

This study addresses the part-machine grouping problem in group technology, and evaluates die performance of several cell formation methods for a wide range of data set sizes. Algorithms belonging to four classes are evaluated: (1) array-based methods: bond energy algorithm (BEA), direct clustering analysis (DCA) and improved rank order clustering algorithm (ROC2); (2) non-hierarchical clustering method: ZODIAC; (3) augmented machine matrix methods: augmented p-median method (APM) and augmented linear clustering algorithm (ALC); and (4) neural network algorithms: ART1 and variants: ART1/KS, ART1/KSC, and Fuzzy ART. The experimental design is based on a mixture-model approach, utilizing replicated clustering. The performance measures include Rand Index and bond energy recovery ratio, as well as computational requirements for various algorithms. Experimental factors include problem size, degree of data imperfection, and algorithm tested. The results show that, among the algorithms applicable for large, industry-size data sets, ALC and neural networks are superior to ZODIAC, which in turn is generally superior to array-based methods of ROC2 and DCA.     

An Approximate Solution to Deterministic Kanban Systems

This paper presents a simple heuristic for computing the number of kanbans in a kanban system. The production systems under consideration have a multistage, uncapacitated, assembly tree structure, with every stage producing only one item at a time. The experimental results show that this method generates very good solutions. In more realistic problems where the master production schedule incorporates a smoothed demand, the solution found under the proposed method is identical to that of the linear programming approximation. This simple heuristic can be used in the real world to quickly determine the number of kanbans for daily just-in-time operations.     

Bringing the design perspective to coworking-spaces: Constitutive entanglement of actors and artifacts

Different forms of coworking spaces have spread worldwide that use various artifacts (e.g., office settings, décor, furniture, equipment) to strengthen autonomy, flexibility, spontaneous interactions, and intrinsic motivation. However, the various manifestations of coworking spaces limit clearly defined boundary conditions for their successful implementation and demand a profound understanding of the interactions that take place among actors and artifacts. Using a flexible pattern matching approach, our study explains that artifacts can contour and create the possibilities for actors and define the borders, e.g., when, where, and with whom to communicate and work in coworking spaces. Our findings indicate that actors and artifacts are constitutively entangled in coworking spaces and play a key role in the community development process by fostering a shared understanding and identity, mutual interdependency, and common practices.