bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The development of Managed Funds Association's 2005 Sound Practices for Hedge Fund Managers
Authors: Miranda Pries Stephanie 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo summarize Managed Funds Association's (MFA's) 2005 Sound Practices for Hedge Fund Managers™, which is designed to enhance the ability of hedge fund managers to manage operations, comply with applicable regulations, address unexpected market events, and help hedge funds satisfy responsibilities to investors.Design/methodology/approachHighlights the development of, and some of the recommendations set forth in, MFA's 2005 Sound Practices under the following categories: management and internal trading controls, responsibilities to investors, valuation policies and procedures, risk monitoring, regulatory controls, transactional practices, and business continuity and disaster recovery.FindingsMFA's 2005 Sound Practices builds on recommendations first published in 2000, and subsequently revised by MFA in 2003, offering sound guidance on business and operational practices. In the 2005 update, MFA has expanded on topics of importance, including internal trading controls, responsibilities to investors, valuation, and risk controls, and has addressed new issues such as compliance programs, codes of ethics, and certain transactional practices. The 2005 Sound Practices is written from a “peer to peer” perspective and focuses on practices that are relevant primarily to the single‐manager hedge fund operation.Originality/valueArticle summarizes an essential hands‐on manual for hedge fund managers.
Stochastic modeling of a two‐echelon multiple sourcing supply chain system with genetic algorithm
Authors: Han Chingping , Damrongwongsiri Montri 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo establish a strategic resource allocation model to capture and encapsulate the complexity of the modern global supply chain management problem.Design/methodology/approachA mathematical model was constructed to describe the stochastic multiple‐period two‐echelon inventory with the many‐to‐many demand‐supplier network problem. Genetic algorithm (GA) was applied to derive optimal solutions through a two‐stage optimization process. A practical example and its solution were included to illustrate the GA‐based solution procedure.FindingsThe model simultaneously constitutes the inventory control and transportation parameters as well as price uncertainty factors.Originality/valueThe model can be utilized as a collaborative supply chain strategic planning tool to determine efficiently the appropriate inventory allocation and effectively manage the distribution/re‐distribution process according to real‐time demand.
A typology to unleash the potential of modularity
Authors: Arnheiter Edward D. , Harren Hendrik 
Published: January 2007

PurposeBenefits of modularity are being limited by the lack of agreement over terminology. Neither researchers nor managers use the same typology, complicating comparisons of modular strategies.Design/methodology/approachPresents existing problem, then develops comprehensive and necessary typology. Examples illustrate practical use of the typology, and help reader understand implications on product design and future research.FindingsDevelopment of modularity typologies, including their characteristics and implications for product design and production systems, has been minimal. A well‐defined typology for soft modules exists, but literature on categorization of hard modules is limited. Most existing definitions of modularity are related to a common type called manufacturing modularity.Practical implicationsEach type of modularity is characterized by a different set of design attributes. For example, appearance, durability, and ergonomics are important for product‐use modularity, while accessibility, recycling and cost are key considerations for limited life modularity. Designers must understand these different characteristics in order to design products that address relevant customer needs such as cost, customization, serviceability and upgradeability that can give product a competitive edge in the marketplace. When developing individual modules, focus on core characteristics of that module type. When developing a multiple module type product, balance characteristics of the interdependent module types in order to ensure that the product meets customer needs.Originality/valueFour types of modularity are defined: manufacturing, product‐use, limited life and data access. New products often incorporate all four types in order to address both the needs of the customers as well as the manufacturer.
Leanness: experiences from the journey to date
Authors: Papadopoulou T.C. , Özbayrak M. 
Published: January 2007

PurposeAlthough leanness is certainly not a new concept it is doubtless still relevant. Interestingly, newly developed manufacturing paradigms and systems are always examined in relation to leanness. In other words, leanness serves in most cases as the landmark paradigm with which comparisons are being drawn between the latter and recently pioneered approaches. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the evolutional orbit that leanness has followed over the years and serve as a herald of the current state of this evolution, which will be discussed further, in a separate paper.Design/methodology/approachA great part of this paper is devoted to highlighting the misconceptions surrounding issues such as what leanness really constitutes and what are the key concepts and practices that leanness encompasses. Two successful lean transition stories are presented showing how these lean tools and techniques were implemented in the cases of two UK‐based manufacturing companies.FindingsBecause of its inherently dynamic nature, leanness has undergone and still is undergoing a process of continuous and never‐ending evolution, the current state of which is expressed in the form of the lean enterprise model. Nevertheless, despite the undiminished attention and interest for leanness, the literature has failed to keep track of this evolution. For this reason a significant proportion of the literature relies on a rather antiquated vision of leanness.Originality/valueThe paper reviews two major waves of literature criticising leanness with the first focusing on its social aspects and the second questioning its universality mainly with respect to its limited applicability in high variety‐low volume production systems.
Data model design for manufacturing execution system
Authors: Zhou Bing‐hai , Wang Shi‐jin , Xi Li‐feng 
Published: January 2007

PurposeSince the data model plays an important role in designing manufacturing execution system (MES) database, this paper seeks to provide a generic and adaptable data model for MES, which can facilitate and improve the MES development.Design/methodology/approachExtended entity‐relationship (EER) model technique is adopted to build the data model of MES.FindingsBased on MES functions and database requirement analysis, four subject's structures of MES database is abstracted from a system integration point of view. These four structures are independent relatively but also have close interrelation. Each structure is modeled with EER model.Research limitations/implicationsThe presented data model mainly focuses on discrete manufacturing MES, which perhaps limits its usefulness elsewhere, and the data model still need further testing in manufacturing enterprises with different scales.Practical implicationsA prototype MES system is developed and implemented, the results show that the proposed EER modeling approach can establish and make clear complex relationships among entities existed in a manufacturing system, which lays the foundation for adaptable and modular MES software development and implementation.Originality/valueThis paper fulfils a fundamental need of designing data model for MES and provides a main framework for developing MES data model, which provides reference for researches both in academia and industry to build specific relational data models for specific needs.
Operations management and advanced manufacturing technologies in SMEs
Authors: Raymond Louis 
Published: January 2007

PurposeIncreased requirements for competitiveness, innovation, quality, flexibility and information processing capability has led a number of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to implement advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT). Seeks to explore this.Design/methodology/approachUsing a contingency theory perspective, a survey study of 118 Canadian manufacturers was made to determine the performance outcomes of the “fit” or alignment between the critical success factors (CSFs) of operations management in SMEs and their level of proficiency in the use of AMT.FindingsIt was found that while increased CSF and AMT assimilation levels directly impact operational performance in terms of increased productivity, cost reductions, flexibility, quality, and integration, a mismatch between the two significantly reduces performance. From an information processing view of the firm, it was also found that increased uncertainty in the SMEs' environment leads to increased CSF levels but not to increased assimilation of AMT.Research limitations/implicationsCommon to survey studies, the nature of the sample and perceptual nature of certain measures impose care in generalizing the results of the study.Originality/valueProvides information showing that enterprises must increase their ability to manage both manufacturing and information technologies.
Quick value‐setting algorithms for the longest path problem of job‐shop scheduling
Authors: Hong Choi Shiu , Yu Yang Feng 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe disjunctive graph is a network representation of the job‐shop scheduling problem, while the longest path problem (LPP) is one of the most important subjects in this research field. This paper aims to study the special topological structure of the disjunctive graph, and proposes a suite of quick value‐setting algorithms for solving the LPPs commonly encountered in job‐shop scheduling.Design/methodology/approachThe topological structure of the disjunctive graph is analyzed, and some properties and propositions regarding LPPs are presented. Subsequently, algorithms are proposed for solving LPPs encountered in job‐shop scheduling.FindingsThe proposed algorithms significantly improve the efficiency of the shifting‐bottleneck procedure, making it practicable to realise real‐time scheduling and hence effective operations of modern manufacturing systems.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates that it is possible to develop very efficient algorithms by imposing a special topological structure on the network.
Barriers to e‐government integration
Authors: Lam Wing 
Published: January 2007

PurposeIntegration is a critical success factor for achieving a mature level of e‐government. This research seeks to identify barriers to e‐government integration (EGI).Design/methodology/approachSemi‐structured interviews were conducted with 14 consultants with significant experience of e‐government projects. The interview transcripts were analysed by the researcher to identify barriers in EGI.FindingsThe findings resulted in a set of 17 barriers which were organised into one of four categories: strategy, technology, policy and organization. Strategy barriers include common e‐government goals and objectives, delivery timeframes, and ownership and governance. Technology barriers include architecture interoperability, data standards and legacy systems. Policy barriers include citizen privacy, data ownership and policy implications. Organization barriers include pace of government reform, legacy government processes and management and technical skills.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations of the research is that it involved in‐depth interviews with a relatively small number of individuals. In addition, improvements in research procedure, such as the use of multiple interviewers, will go some way towards increasing the reliability of the research findings.Practical implicationsEGI is not simply a technical matter of getting IT systems to talk to each other. Stakeholders should engage in strategic planning and change management.Originality/valueThe paper has identified a set of barriers in e‐government. Certain barriers, specifically in the area of policy, are particular to e‐government projects. A model of EGI, based on a synthesis of government relationships, is also proposed.
Exploring stakeholders' expectations of the benefits and barriers of e‐government knowledge sharing
Authors: Zhang Jing , Dawes Sharon S. , Sarkis Joseph 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe issue of varying stakeholder expectations has significant implications for successful enterprise information system implementation. This issue becomes more prevalent in e‐government situations where a variety of stakeholders are influenced by inter‐organizational knowledge sharing. This paper presents an exploratory investigation of the diverging and converging expectations of various stakeholders at the initiation of e‐government projects with regard to the benefits of and barriers to interorganizational knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from seven cases within the New York State (NYS) government setting. We identified two sets of stakeholder groupings in this paper; core/key project participants and general participants (similar to developer/user stakeholder groupings); and; various organizational participants (state government, local government, non‐profit organization, and private organization stakeholders).FindingsResearch results indicated that key participants' expectations were similar to those of general participants/users. Their perceptions converge on the relative likelihood of achieving benefits and relative severity of barriers; although significant differences do exist in discernment of the opportunity for achieving wider professional networks and the magnitude of control‐oriented management. Finally, we found significant differences among stakeholders groups based on the types of organizational membership. Local government stakeholders are considerably less optimistic in achieving goals, and more concerned about a variety of organizational, technological, and financial barriers.Originality/valueThe results provide guidance for e‐government design and implementation strategies that amplify common interests, contend with shared difficulties, and mitigate differences.
E‐voting: from apathy to adoption
Authors: Christian Schaupp L. , Carter Lemuria 
Published: January 2007

PurposeTo identify the factors that influence adoption of e‐voting services by citizens between the ages of 18‐24.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses Carter and Belanger's (2005) model of e‐government adoption to assess young voters' intention to use an online voting system. The study integrates constructs from technology acceptance, diffusion of innovation, and web trust models. A survey is administered to 208 young voters. The data is analyzed using multiple regression analysis.FindingsResults indicate that user perceptions of compatibility, usefulness, and trust significantly impact their intention to use an electronic‐voting system. The model explains 76 percent of the variance in young voters' intention to use an e‐voting system.Research limitations/implicationsThe study only explores the perceptions of one age group. Future studies could use the model to access adoption perceptions of a more diverse pool of citizens.Practical implicationsGovernment agencies should emphasize the benefits of this electronic service to young voters. If marketed properly, the convenience and compatibility of e‐voting may be influential enough to motivate this normally apathetic demographic to participate in the election process.Originality/valueThis study explores adoption of internet voting by young citizens. An understanding of the factors that influence this demographics' intention to use e‐voting systems can be used to increase voter participation. The findings of this study also lay the foundation for future studies on e‐voting adoption.
Strategic alignment: a practitioner's perspective
Authors: Campbell Bruce , Kay Robert , Avison David 
Published: January 2007

PurposeOrganizations are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of aligning information systems with organizational processes, goals and strategies. One way of representing and analysing strategic alignment is through the creation of a causal‐loop diagram, a subject which this paper seeks to examine.Design/methodology/approachThe exploratory research presented here involved six senior IS/IT managers during three two‐hour focus group sessions, which led to the development of such a diagram. The focus group sessions were recorded, transcribed and analysed using content analysis.FindingsThe diagram presents a systemic view of IS/business alignment within organizations, as seen through the lens of these practitioners. The research suggests that, although practitioners understand that a high level of connection between IS and business planning processes may be dependent on the level of integration between the IS group and other sections of the organization, they are still unable to develop the necessary relationships. It appears that the culture of many organizations is impeding the development of this integration.Originality/valueThe research method and technique allowed a systemic view of IS/business alignment within a typical organization. It highlights the inter‐relationship between the social and intellectual dimensions of alignment and shows that these should not be studied in isolation. In particular, the research highlights the inter‐relationship between the social and intellectual dimensions of alignment.
Malaysian women entrepreneurs: understanding the ICT usage behaviors and drivers
Authors: Oly Ndubisi Nelson , Kahraman Cengiz 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThis research aims to investigate the extent and pattern of information and communication technology (ICT) usage by women entrepreneurs in Malaysia, as well as the impact of personal traits on usage.Design/methodology/approachAll the members of the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs in Malaysia (NAWEM) were surveyed, out of which a 62 percent usable response rate was achieved.FindingsThe results of the analysis show that slightly above 50 percent of the respondents are using seven out of the eight varieties of systems presented. Seven out of the ten job tasks listed were done using computer technology by more than 60 percent of the respondents. A total of 78 percent of the respondents use basic systems and 48 percent use advanced systems. A total of 92 percent of respondents use systems for administrative purposes, 42 percent for planning, and 52 percent for control purposes. Mean usage differs among racial groups, educational levels, industry type, computer experience, and size of organization (measured by number of employees). Personal traits such as innovativeness and risk‐taking propensity are significantly correlated with usage.Originality/valueThe paper discusses the marketing and other implications of the findings as well as suggesting some marketing approaches.
Modelling the integration of BP and IT using business process simulation
Authors: Serrano Alan , den Hengst Mariëlle 
Published: January 2007

PurposeBusiness process (BP) and information systems (IS) communities support the idea that BP and IS design should be integrated. Although there are a large number of modelling techniques to aid BP and IS design, there is little indication of which techniques can be suitable to model their integration. This research suggests a simulation model that can be used to depict BP/IS integration.Design/methodology/approachThe simulation framework proposed in this paper is based on a simulation framework used previously. For both frameworks, a single case study approach is employed for theory building and testing. The results provided by the application of the ASSESS‐IT framework (theory testing) are used to propose the new ISBPS framework (theory building), which is tested again in the case study.FindingsThe models derived from the ISBPS framework provide quantifiable metrics of the integration of BP and IS. These data can help analysts to foresee the benefits that the insertion of a given IS design may bring to the organisational processes.Research limitations/implicationsThe development of the ISBPS models proved to be complex. Further research should focus on testing the ISBPS framework with more complex IS and to provide mechanisms to facilitate their design.Practical implicationsIS practitioners may consider simulation to evaluate IS design strategies.Originality/valueThe ISBPS simulation model provides quantifiable metrics of the integration of a given IS design within a given BP scenario. Practitioners can use these models to test alternative BP/IS scenarios before implementation.
Performance measurement uncertainty on the Grand Canal
Authors: Johnston Judy 
Published: January 2007

PurposeThe article aims to present an overview of how the conflicts related to economic and social agency within particular public sector performance measurement arrangements can work for and against the application of balanced scorecard style systems. It highlights some of the dilemmas that are caused when performance measurement and productivity enhancement are required within broad areas of public service, especially where market behaviour is relevant.Design/methodology/approachUsing a case study approach based on literature review and field research, this article focuses on the gondoliers (gondolieri) of Venice, Italy. The analytical basis is historical record, Aristotelian ideas of ethical responsibility and contemporary literature on performance measurement and productivity.FindingsThe research, so far, has found that performance is not necessarily determined by formal standards and technical measurements. It can be, but performance is also situational and opportunistic and mediated by more subjective and basic concerns. The findings confirm that performance management systems are largely socially rather than technically constructed and operated. As such they will continue to pose dilemmas for public sector managers that will be difficult to resolve.Originality/valueThis is an unusual case study as thegondolierido not fit neatly into the usual paradigm of public service. Yet they have existed in a similar form for nearly 1,000 years and have operated within performance measurement systems during that time. Thus, it is possible to track the kinds of individual and organisational conflicts, which arise and impact on performance measurement systems, and have done for many centuries up until the present day.