The politics of technology management: influence and tactics in project selection

It is observed that technical information presented in aformalized way is used as 'rational' evidence to suport one particular point of view during the process of project selection. This 'political' action increases the chances of a favoures course of action being carried through provided that its output lends support to the actor's prior viewpoint. It is argued that the framework provided that its output lends support to the actor's prior viewpoint. It is argued that the framework provided by the rational actor model gives a biased and unrealistic view of the selection process because this political dimension is ignored. In the evidence presented here, and attempt is made to identify the discriminating factors associated with the supportive use of technical information at the level of the individual, the organization and the project. The data indicate that technical information is most likely to be used in a political manner by mature managers working in relatively small, low-tech companies. It is concluded that the supportive role played by technical information is political and symbolic in nature.     

Profits and politics: Coordinating technology adoption in agriculture

This paper examines the political economy of government-led coordination of economic activity in a simple two-sector model in which individuals' choice of agricultural technology affects industrialization. We demonstrate the existence of multiple equilibria; the economy is either characterized by the use of a traditional agricultural technology and a low level of industrialization or the use of a mechanized technology and a high level of industrialization. Relative to the traditional technology, use of the mechanized technology increases output but leaves some population groups worse off. We show that the distributional implications of choosing the mechanized technology restrict the possibility of Pareto-improving coordination by an elected policy-maker, even when we allow for income redistribution.     

Profits and politics: Coordinating technology adoption in agriculture

This paper examines the political economy of government-led coordination of economic activity in a simple two-sector model in which individuals' choice of agricultural technology affects industrialization. We demonstrate the existence of multiple equilibria; the economy is either characterized by the use of a traditional agricultural technology and a low level of industrialization or the use of a mechanized technology and a high level of industrialization. Relative to the traditional technology, use of the mechanized technology increases output but leaves some population groups worse off. We show that the distributional implications of choosing the mechanized technology restrict the possibility of Pareto-improving coordination by an elected policy-maker, even when we allow for income redistribution.     

Optimal project adjustment and selection

These days companies are competing in a fast changing environment. To keep its competitiveness, the company needs not only to seek and select new investment opportunities but also to adjust its existing projects. This paper discusses an optimal project selection and adjusting problem under capital and land resource limitations. Due to the complex and dynamic nature of the economic environment, the project parameters such as initial outlays, upgrade expenditures and net cash flows are treated as random variables. Net present value method is employed to calculate the investment return, and a mean–variance optimal adjustment and selection model is developed. To solve the proposed optimization problem with big number decision variables, a cellular binary particle swarm optimization which hybridizes cellular automation and particle swarm optimization is proposed. As an illustration of the proposed algorithm, a numerical example is also presented.     

Maximizing benefits in project selection: a hybrid approach

Charitable foundations and government programmes should endeavour to allocate their limited resources to best serve their constituents. Yet, mathematical programming techniques are rarely used despite overwhelming evidence of their superiority in selecting projects that yield higher levels of total benefits. We present a novel ‘hybrid selection model’ that combines binary linear programming and heuristic rank-based models applied to two case studies. The first case focuses on providing services to women and shows a hybrid model would have selected the top three ‘signature’ projects and maintained an above-average overall project benefit while securing a 180% improvement in the number of projects funded, a 66% improvement in the number of women served and a 132% improvement in the total benefit achieved. In the second case, we apply the hybrid approach to data from the US government’s largest forest preservation programme and demonstrate that the hybrid approach could allow the programme to select up to 11 top-scoring projects while still achieving a 97% gain in the total overall benefit compared to their traditional method. These case studies show that the hybrid approach has the potential to be applied in a variety of settings and improve how foundations and programmes achieve their goals.     

对建造-租赁项目管理模式的探讨

本文主要分析了国内新出现的工程项目管理模式--B-R项目管理模式,并对项目参与方职能的重新定位和产生的背景进行了介绍,同时,还将其与D-B项目管理模式和EPC项目管理模式进行了对比分析.作为一种新型的工程项目管理模式,B-R模式具有自身的优势,能够满足特定项目中业主的特殊需求,具有较强的适用性.最后,本文分析了目前在国内使用B-R项目管理模式可能存在的问题及其应用前景.     

The organizational politics of information technology: Studies from the UK financial servies industry

The article critically appraises two recent contributions to studies of organizational change: processual analysis and the firm-in-sector perspective. These studies argue that managerial practice is intensely political. They also attempt to firmly locate that practice in its organizational and environmental or sectoral context. Drawing upon these studies the article examines the management of information technology (IT) in the UK life insurance sector. This examination uses a case study and sectoral research-in-progress. The article argues that organizational IT use and development is a politicla and social process characterized by tension and conflict between managers. This conclusion suggests that organizational studies of IT use need to develop more sophisticated theories of management and managerial practice. By so doing they may then be able to shed a more penetrating light on the relationships between managers, technologies and organizational change.     

建设项目风险管理问题研究：美国经验及其启示

尽管风险管理在中国已逐渐被认可,但总体来说,我国工程项目风险管理理论研究水平还不是很高,在实际应用中成效并不显著。美国建筑工程市场经过几十年的发展已经建立了一套完整的风险管理体系,有很多经验值得借鉴。针对我国国内工程项目风险管理研究现状,借鉴美国风险管理的优势,结合我国的国情,把项目风险管理提到更高水平。     

The influence of Internet on politics: the impact of Facebook and the Internet penetration on elections in Taiwan

Previous research on elections indicates that the rise of social media has had a positive impact on political participation and political interest, resulting in more voters going to the polls. However, there has been no research on the impact that social media have on bringing about a change in government. This research investigates the impact that the Internet and the Chinese version of Facebook have had on election results in Taiwan from 2001 to 2016. The findings indicate that after the Chinese version of Facebook appeared in 2008, the higher the penetration rate of the Internet in the Taiwan region, the more likely that political power will change hands and the ruling party will lose an election.     

工程费用的使用及管理--巴基斯坦电站项目案例分析

承包商在签订工程合同之后便进入工程施工阶段，此时与最终的工程利润直接相关的是对工程成本的控制，控制工程成本最根本的策略就是工程费用的合理运用和严格管理，通俗地说，就是对现场施工的各项支出严格管理，建立相对完善的制度，杜绝那些不必要的支出浪费。对必须支出的费用要合理运用，使每一笔支出费用的机会成本最小，也就是讲究“花钱的技巧”。能否在工程项目管理中很好地做到这两点，对一项工程能否盈利以及最终利润的大小起着至关重要的作用。当今的国际工程承包市场竞争激烈，许多承包商不得不采取“无利润投标”方式夺取合同…     

项目管理模式优化与实务探索

在科技日新月异迅猛发展的今夭,在日益激烈的竞争环境下,越来越多的科研院所依托成功的项目管理来实现长远发展战略.为了能够指引高层管理者做出正确的判断和决策,一个科学合理有效的项目管理成功标准就显得至关重要.笔者通过对大量理论文献,案例剖析发现,以项目管理规划为指导,以流程管理为核心的管理模式更适合作为成功项目管理的新标准.     

Environmental technology foresight: New horizons for technology management

Decision-making in corporate technology management and government technology policy is increasingly influenced by the environmental impact of technologies. Technology foresight (TF) and environmental impact assessment (EIA) are analyzed with regard to the roles they can play in developing long-term strategies and policies for reducing the environmental impact of technologies. The methods for TF and EIA are quite well developed, but remain within a tradition of rational decision-making. However, recent studies of tecnology management and innovation have shown that technology development can be explained only to a certain degree by rational decision-making. EIA is usually presented as an objective and scientific method, based on normative underpinnings that usually remain hidden. Thus, systematic information-providing instruments such as TF and EIA can play only a limited role. We propose a procedure for environmental technology foresight. The case is made that environmental technology management will be most helped by a 'constructive' approach in order to stimulate incorporation of long-term environmental objectives.     

The selection of technology for late-starters: A case study of the energy-smart photovoltaic industry

Technology selection, which influences the competitive advantages of an enterprise or a country, is a multi-criteria decision issue. In addition, it is increasingly difficult to identify the right technologies because technologies are increasing in number and complexity. This study proposes a technology selection process integrating the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Delphi method. The former effectively conducts the fuzziness existing in experts' responses and identifies the strength of technology selection criteria and the relationship between the two. The latter provides the main technology alternatives for Taiwan's future photovoltaic industry. Finally, through the two-way linkage between technology selection criteria and main industrial technologies, the technology fields of the photovoltaic industry can be identified. The empirical results indicate that the benefit of a technology is the most important factor among technological selection criteria, and that Taiwan should adopt and develop microcrystalline silicon film multi-junction and amorphous-silicon solar cells as its main industrial technologies. The results may serve to guide industrial technology acquisition and the work of resource allocations on the behalf of government and enterprises.     

医院项目管理的实践与体会

"以保证质量为前提、以获得效益为中心、以满足项目要求为责任",是项目管理的宗旨和根本任务。随着医院工程项目管理体系的日趋完善,作为项目管理体系中的采购管理必须积极地面对和适应新形势的发展,自觉吸收现代项目采购管理理念,主动学习和运用科学的管理手段,使项目采购管理向着规范、有序、创新、高效的方向发展。     

The politics of pollution: party regimes and air quality in Canada

Abstract. Environmental concerns often figure prominently in opinion polls. But do election outcomes actually affect the environment? I test the influence of the party in power on urban air pollution in 13 Canadian cities. The government's political stripe is not reliably associated with positive or negative effects on air pollution. Provincial parties on both the right and the left are associated with elevated levels of some air contaminants. Federal effects also go in contrasting directions. Overall it appears a change in government is unlikely to be a reliable predictor of changes in air pollution. JEL classification: Q51, Q58, D78     

高科技中小企业知识员工的管理

在知识经济时代，知识员工的管理成为企业管理实践的焦点。高科技中小企业要获得成功，必须意识到知识员工是企业财富创造的源泉，并根据知识员工的工作特点，通过不断的企业制度创新和管理创新，留住、吸引、激励知识员工，确保企业可持续性快速发展。