Using templates and linguistic patterns to define process performance indicators

Process performance management (PPM) aims at measuring, monitoring and analysing the performance of business processes (BPs), in order to check the achievement of strategic and operational goals and to support decision-making for their optimisation. PPM is based on process performance indicators (PPIs), so having an appropriate definition of them is crucial. One of the main problems of PPIs definition is to express them in an unambiguous, complete, understandable, traceable and verifiable manner. In practice, PPIs are defined informally – usually in ad hoc, natural language, with its well-known problems – or they are defined from an implementation perspective, hardly understandable to non-technical people. In order to solve this problem, in this article we propose a novel approach to improve the definition of PPIs using templates and linguistic patterns. This approach promotes reuse, reduces both ambiguities and missing information, is understandable to all stakeholders and maintains traceability with the process model. Furthermore, it enables the automated processing of PPI definitions by its straightforward translation into the PPINOT metamodel, allowing the gathering of the required information for their computation as well as the analysis of the relationships between them and with BP elements.     

金融机构集聚过程的动态博弈分析

在理性行为人收益最大化原则条件下得出了行为人空间博弈的结果——在均衡状态,限制性条件(如运输技术等)能够产生一个收敛的空间区位调整过程,最终实现空间集聚。在这个博弈集聚的过程中,外部因素存在发生作用的空间,从而说明了政策制定者可以通过制定相关的政策来影响金融机构的集聚过程,进而促进金融市场的深化发展和金融中心的形成。这一空间集聚过程也可用于分析城镇化的形成和发展过程。     

How group efficacy mediates the relationship between group affect and identification

This study examines the mediating role of group efficacy on the relationship between group affect and group identification by integrating the collective cognition process. Using a sample of forty-seven work groups in Study 1, the results show that group efficacy fully mediates the relationship between positive and negative group affect and group identification. Study 2 applies a two-wave panel design to verify the impact of group efficacy on group identification. The results of Study 2 indicate that group efficacy relates positively to the development of group identification. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

基于工作过程的课程开发与实践--以高职《数据库技术与应用》课程为例

基于工作过程导向的课程开发是当前高等职业教育改革的方向，文章结合实际教学经验总结了基于工作过程导向的高职《数据库技术与应用》课程开发与实践的方案。     

Creating Shopper Value: Co-Creation Roles,In-Store Self-Service Technology Use,and Value Differentiation

This study examines how retailers can use self-service technologies (SST) to increase shopper satisfaction. Using a survey of 188 consumers of a new self-service kiosk launch within a convenience-store (c-store) setting, we examine how such retailers might influence shopper's perceptions of value by better involving customers in the service delivery experience. Our proposed model links classic service operations and marketing design insights to the service-dominant logic perspective of service value co-creation. We find that shoppers perceive enhanced value creation from the new SST when they feel comfortable in their roles and the surrounding service design supports those roles.     

A Tutorial on Palm Distributions for Spatial Point Processes

This tutorial provides an introduction to Palm distributions for spatial point processes. Initially, in the context of finite point processes, we give an explicit definition of Palm distributions in terms of their density functions. Then we review Palm distributions in the general case. Finally, we discuss some examples of Palm distributions for specific models and some applications.     

Regulators’ and stakeholders’ perspectives in a framework for bioenergy development

In this study, ten bioenergy crop rotations (corn, corn-stover, sorghum, soybean, corn-soybean, corn-soybean-canola, corn-stover-soybean, miscanthus, switchgrass, and sorghum-soybean) were selected based on local stakeholder (economically motivated) and regulator (environmentally motivated) preferences. These crops were implemented on diverse landscapes (agricultural, marginal, and agricultural plus marginal lands) one at time for 17 years using a SWAT model of the Saginaw River Watershed in Michigan. The bioenergy crops were evaluated based on 100 percent, 50 percent, and zero percent weight assigned to both stakeholders’ and regulators’ preferences using analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an optimization and decision-making technique that aims to satisfy multiple conflicting objectives. The corn-soybean-canola rotation was selected in all landscapes based on economic benefits (stakeholders’ preferences). Meanwhile, perennial grasses (miscanthus and switchgrass) were selected based on environmental benefits (regulators’ preferences), because they maintain permanent cover, require fewer inputs than traditional row crops, and are less management intensive. When implementing bioenergy crops on marginal lands, pollution generation greatly increased at the field level, indicating that these lands are likely not viable for bioenergy crop production to meet potential future renewable energy demand.     

Management of Foreign Market Entry： A Study of Czech Companies

Internationalization of company activities is the necessity of the development for majority of entrepreneurial subjects in the Czech Republic. Internationalization of entrepreneurial activities becomes a tool of business competitiveness. Selecting the right foreign entry mode is an important decision, which demands a lot of resources and thorough planning. The factors influencing company＇s choice of entry mode are divided into two main groups subsuming--external and internal factors. External factors consist of determinants regarding the company＇s environment while the intemal ones are determined by the company＇s specific factors. The opening of new markets such as in the Czech Republic has created the potential for small and medium-size enterprise （SME） expansion and investment. The objective of this paper is to present an application of the entry modes of the selected Czech entrepreneurial subjects. The companies included in the study are those that have undertaken internationalization activities and are incorporated in the Czech Republic. There were a total of 297 enterprises that participated in the research. The research method was an oral questioning and the main instrument was a questionnaire. A relatively low degree of Czech companies that have undergone intemationalization has resulted in the dominance of the least advanced forms of internationalization expansion, mainly exports with a small share of more advanced forms of foreign direct investments and a very low level of forms of international cooperation. Czech companies are in decision about the choosing the foreign entry mode influenced by the many factors. The greatest influence on the choice of foreign entry mode has entry mode variables. Entry mode variables constitute variables assessment characteristics of particular entry mode.     

模糊层次分析法优化BP神经网络的交通冲突预测模型

本文通过全面剖析影响交通冲突的原因,以交通流量、道路几何设计和道路环境三方面的因素建立指标层次结构体系。提出基于模糊层次分析(FAHP)法优化BP神经网络(BPNN)的预测模型,应用于交通冲突预测。     

The relationship between business diversification and productivity: considering the impact of process innovation at different corporate life cycles

This paper investigates the link between a firm's process innovation (PI) and its segment productivity at different life cycles. The results show that business diversification is negatively associated with a firm's productivity, and further reveal that a firm's PI moderates the above relationship. In addition, the corporate life cycle literature builds blocks for this study to explain that the involvement of administrative costs varies across life cycles when diversified firms get mature and bigger. Our empirical evidence indicates that the potential costs of a complex organisational structure contingent on business diversification at a firm's mature life cycle could be alleviated by the conduct of process innovation. As process innovation at different life cycles may alter managerial incentive that leads to different firm performance, the managerial implication is that diversified firms should appropriately engage in process innovation to prevent unfavourable liability from the development of their businesses.