Industry-oriented enterprise resource planning

General purpose enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have problems such as complex configuration processes, low adaptation to specific industries, and an extensive implementation time period. In order to alleviate these issues, this paper proposes the concept of industry-oriented ERP (IERP) and a component-based approach to IERP development. This paper also presents the framework of developing IERP in which business process modelling and software reuse are employed as primary methods to improve the operability of component-based IERP. The framework consists of five layers including server layer, team work supporting layer, IERP construction and customisation layer, reusable assets and toolset layer, and the IERP system instance layer. These layers as well as their relationship with each other are also discussed.     

Business process re-engineering in the logistics industry: a study of implementation,success factors,and performance

As business process re-engineering (BPR) is an important foundation to ensure the success of enterprise systems, this study would like to investigate the relationships among BPR implementation, BPR success factors, and business performance for logistics companies. Our empirical findings show that BPR companies outperformed non-BPR companies, not only on information processing, technology applications, organisational structure, and co-ordination, but also on all of the major logistics operations. Comparing the different perceptions of the success factors for BPR, non-BPR companies place greater emphasis on the importance of employee involvement while BPR companies are more concerned about the influence of risk management. Our findings also suggest that management attitude towards BPR success factors could affect performance with regard to technology applications and logistics operations. Logistics companies which have not yet implemented the BPR approach could refer to our findings to evaluate the advantages of such an undertaking and to take care of those BPR success factors affecting performance before conducting BPR projects.     

A service governance mechanism based on process mining for cloud-based applications

ABSTRACT

With the widely use of cloud computing in enterprise information systems, service governance becomes critical for an enterprise to adapt to a changing business environment. In order to provide a dynamic strategy for continuous service governance, in this paper a comprehensive service analysis solution is proposed to address both design time and run-time requirements for cloud applications. First, a process-centric Semantic Scene Model is composed to combines static business requirements with dynamic execution information. Then service analysis is conducted referring both to the business process mining results from event logs and the Semantic Scene Model given by business model designers. Service governance strategies are generated from the service analysis results and are performed to qualitatively classify the Quality of Service (QoS) of the services. Finally the approach is verified with a transportation logistics service application in a cloud platform. The result shows that our method can get continuous service governance through combining business processes with run-time service analysis.     

Research article: Look after they leap: illustrating the value of retrospective reports in employee turnover

The prevailing methodology for studying employee turnover is limited because it emphasizes prediction rather than understanding. This paper critiques this methodology and draws out the implications of an alternative: retrospective self-reporting, by actual leavers. Retrospective self-reporting has three main advantages. First, it allows direct assessment of actual incidents of turnover, so interventions can be informed by accounts of real events, instead of being based on inference. Second, it offers insight into the dynamic character of decisions to quit, which are often unpredictable or precipitated by sudden events. Third, it allows for assessment of the role of non-work factors. This makes a methodological contribution, allowing greater insight into the decision to quit, which is ontologically, socially and dynamically complex. It has implications for how we construe and manage turnover. The argument is illustrated by a recent study of 352 UK National Health Service nurse leavers but has wider implications for turnover in the public sector.     

A decision model for outsourcing training functions: distinguishing between generic and firm-job-specific training content

Employee training plays a crucial role in the success of most organizations. Due to its developmental aspect, training is closely linked to core competencies and strategic focus. However, it is also one of the most widely outsourced HR functions in most Western economies.

This article attempts to illustrate and propose a decision model for the factors that shape the expected benefits and subsequently the extent of outsourcing training functions. A distinction is made among generic training (for the development of competencies) and job- or company- specific training (for example, induction training, job specialization, etc.).

Two decision models are extracted with structural equation modelling. Asset specificity, market availability, in-house development of training and firm size are discussed. The factors shaping the decision to outsource, as well as the perceived benefits from outsourcing employee training, are different for each of the two types of training (generic and specific). The reasons underlying those differences are discussed. For both types of training service it is proposed that the expected quality benefits, not cost ones, induce companies to outsource training.

Thus, this study attempts to offer a useful insight into the factors shaping the extent and the expected benefits from outsourcing training services. The outcomes can further assist HRM professionals (managers and providers of HRM services), as well as academics to gain a better understanding of the nature of HRM outsourcing decisions in general, and a ‘basic’ HRM outsourcing practice – training – in particular.     

Integrating decomposition approaches for the analysis of temporal changes in economic structure: an application to Chicago's economy from 1980 to 2000

This paper presents an attempt to integrate two flow decomposition methods to analyse temporal changes in a region's economic structure. The two methods of structural analysis are push–pull decomposition analysis and structural Q-analysis. Push–pull analysis presents a quasi-optimization decomposition of a set of matrices with actual intersectoral economic flows into a weighted set of matrices, while structural Q-analysis provides a form in which the structure of these decomposed flows can be considered. The paper provides an expository application to Chicago's economic structure over the period of 1980 to 2000, to reveal a complementary perspective of hollowing-out the production process in the Chicago economy that was identified in previous studies.     

城市化进程对基础设施投资的需求量分析

在分析基础设施投资需求构成的基础上,建立了相应的矩阵模型.并在对近十余年全国城镇人口和基础设施投资的数据进行统计分析和选取的基础上,按照一定的计算流程,通过拟合相关关系式、对原有基础设施投资(I0)进行估计、代入矩阵模型估算出未来的基础设施投资需求,从中得出了一些有价值的推论以供制定投资计划的决策者参考.     

城市地下空间开发利用容量评估指标体系的研究

地下空间是城市开发的重要自然资源,城市地下空间开发利用容量评估的目的旨在把握城市所具有的地下空间可开发利用的总量和潜力,建立科学的评估指标体系是地下空间开发利用容量评估的基础.本文分析了城市地下空间开发利用容量的主要影响因素,提出了城市地下空间开发利用容量评估指标体系构建的原则.基于层次分析法建立了城市地下空间开发利用容量评估的层次结构模型,依据该层次结构模型构造了各层次判断矩阵,并进行了层次单排序、层次总排序及其一致性检验.经研究分析得到:地面空间类型、受已开发地下空间的影响程度、地震烈度、滑坡及崩塌、对工程有影响的地下水层数、受影响的地下水赋存类型及活断层等是城市地下空间开发利用容量评估的主要指标.     

企业BPR实施过程中的风险分析

企业实施业务流程重组(BPR)是一个南风险高收益的项目。针对目前国内企业BPR风险性高,成功率低的情况,我 们有必要对实施BPR过程中的各种风险因素进行分析研究,并找出解决方案,以期对我国企业顺利进行企业流程再造有所帮 助。     

电力投资决策的期权博弈模型及其发展评述

电力投资决策对于电力企业甚至电力行业的发展有着举足轻重的作用,电力企业的投资选择是在外部环境竞争复杂性和不确定性的约束下进行的,需要研究复杂竞争环境和不确定因素条件下的投资决策方法。本文以电力投资决策模型分析入手,总结了电力投资决策模型的发展过程,探讨了电力投资的期权博弈模型发展过程、研究重点、缺陷、及发展方向,展示了电力投资决策期权博弈理论的发展脉络和思考重点。实践证明,该方法不仅能够对电力投资项目进行更加科学的而评估,还能够为电力行业的发展做出更加科学合理的决策。