Building internal business scenarios based on real data from a performance measurement system

This paper presents a new methodology to build internal business scenarios from the data gathered by some key performance indicators (KPIs) defined within a performance measurement system. The application of the principal components analysis technique leads to the identification of latent relationships between KPIs that underlies some important business aspects. Further, this methodology allows to represent not only the temporal evolution of the organisation as a function of these business aspects but also the definition and determination of internal business scenarios, being therefore the source of meaningful managerial information. At the end of the paper, results of a practical application are presented and discussed, as well as their importance for the organisation from a decision making point of view.     

Content analysis research method with Nvivo-6 software in a PhD thesis: an approach to the long-term psychological effects on Chilean ex-prisoners survivors of experiences of torture and imprisonment

The aim of this paper is to review the usefulness of the software CAQDAS QSR—Nvivo-6 in a PhD. Thesis, which consisted of finding the long-term psychological effects of experiences of imprisonment and torture for political reasons in their Chilean survivors. For this research, it was created and administered an in-depth interview to 60 survivors, from which outcome was 9900 paragraphs, coded into 784 categories. The software QSR Nvivo-6 threw a report of frequencies, which were compared quantitatively using Pearson’s χ ² square test and cluster analysis. We conclude that the software facilitates the development of qualitative thematic content analysis, simplifying the coding, analysis and display of data. In Addition, it is very useful when working with large quantities of information, promoting the reliability and validity of studies. However, other aspects are also required to ensure the rigor of a qualitative study.     

Predictive Power of Personal Factors in Studying Students' Perception of Sales Profession in Poland

Since Poland has become a member of the European Union, free market activities have increased dramatically. The purpose of this study is to explore university students' perceptions of personal selling as a career in Poland. Using logistic regression and Z-test methodologies, we analyzed the perceptions of 114 students. The results confirm the findings of previous studies that personal factors play a significant role in predicting students' perception of sales profession as a career. The findings presented in this study show that Polish students have a biased perception about sales as a career; however, interestingly, few dimensions show a significant effect. Understanding students' perceptions of the sales profession will help corporate recruiters achieve their goals by selecting those students most likely to excel in sales careers.     

Are Socially Responsible Firms Associated with Socially Responsible Citizens? A Study of Social Distancing During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Journal of Business Ethics - The literature on the interplay between geographic communities and organizations has largely ignored the role of individual residents. In adopting a meso-perspective,...     

“双循环”新发展格局下经济增长动力研究——基于TFP分解的视角

利用全球投入产出表数据,基于投入产出的优化模型计算全要素生产率(TFP)增长率,并将其分解为三种效应:技术进步效应、国内需求效应与贸易条件效应,以此考察新世纪以来的中国经济增长动力,为"双循环"新发展格局下的经济增长途径选择提供参考。研究发现:技术进步是中国TFP增长的主要动力,技术进步速率的下降是我国经济增长放缓的重要原因;2008年以后,技术进步效应对TFP增长的贡献在快速下降,而国内需求效应和贸易条件效应的支撑作用未能有效维持TFP增长率保持此前高位;对技术效应的产业结构分解可知,我国的比较优势在于制造业和仓储物流等行业,比较劣势在于产业链上游的原材料、基础材料制造等行业。反事实分析表明,保持人口增长是提振国内需求效应,促进TFP增长的重要动力。当前我国"双循环"新发展格局的实现瓶颈主要在于内外需求不足和技术进步速率下降,通过产业政策加强协同创新、短板创新,合理调整生育政策,可以切实推动"双循环"新发展格局下我国经济的高质量发展。     

Perception evaluation kit: a case study with materials and learning styles

International Journal of Technology and Design Education - Materials are elements that configure our built environment and are key components in design and engineering education. This research aims...     

基于One-Class SVM的青鳉鱼异常行为识别方法

为了更准确地解析青鳉鱼在突发污染环境中的行为变化趋势,提出了一种基于One-Class SVM模型的青鳉鱼异常行为识别方法。以青鳉鱼的生理及行为特征作为观测指标,将采集到的暴露在不同类型和浓度特征污染物下的青鳉鱼行为强度信号作为经验数据,利用直方图统计和主成分分析（PCA）对行为强度数据进行降维,实现行为特征提取,基于One-Class SVM构建模型,并以五水合硫酸铜和三氯酚作为特征污染物进行暴露实验对算法进行验证。结果表明,One-Class SVM模型可以准确地识别正常行为和污染物暴露时发生的异常行为;对于有机污染物最快可在10 min内完成预警,重金属污染物可在1 h内完成预警,并且污染物浓度越高,模型的识别效果越好。识别方法可对水源突发性水质污染进行更有效的监测和预警,也可为水污染应急决策提供技术支撑。     

Opening the black box: Finding the source of cost inefficiency

Parametric and nonparametric procedures are used to identify the apparent source of cost inefficiency in banking. Inefficiencies of 20–25% from earlier studies are reduced to 1–5% when, in addition to commonly specified cost function influences, variables reflecting banks’ external business environment and industry indicators of “productivity” are added. These productivity indicators explain most of the reduction in bank operating cost over 1992–2001 and was 5 times the reduction in the dispersion of inefficiency. Inefficiency appears stable over time because it is small relative to industry-wide cost changes occurring concurrently and because technology dispersion is imperfect.