Search results for "021103 operations research"
showing 10 items of 289 documents
The curvilinear effect of manufacturing outsourcing and captive-offshoring on firms' innovation: The role of temporal endurance
2019
Abstract This paper aims to contribute to the open debate in the literature on the effect of global sourcing strategies on firm performance by studying the consequences of manufacturing outsourcing and captive-offshoring for the innovation capability of the firm. We grounded our hypotheses based on the outsourcing and offshoring literature and by narrowing our focus to the effects of persisting in their adoption over time. We tested our hypotheses using data from a sample of 368 manufacturing companies listed on NASDAQ stock market. The paper provides theoretical explanations and empirical findings for the inverted U-shaped influence of keeping doing captive-offshoring on new product develo…
Cooperation among competitors: A comparison of cost-sharing mechanisms
2016
Abstract In this paper, we investigate the consequences of using outcome-based versus ex ante-based cost-sharing mechanisms in terms of competing firms' profitability and total welfare. We consider two firms making a joint expenditure, which can positively affect firms' demand and/or unit operating costs, while competing in the final market by setting either price or quantity. We compare two outcome-based cost-sharing mechanisms, i.e., Quantity Proportional (QP) and Total Margin proportional (TM), with the more competitive Fixed Share (FS) mechanism where cost-sharing is set up on an ex ante basis. We show that outcome-based mechanisms, and even a fully collusive behavior induced by the opt…
Performance assessment of water companies: A metafrontier approach accounting for quality of service and group heterogeneities
2021
Abstract The assessment of water companies’ efficiency, productivity and quality of service is part of the process to set water tariffs and therefore, is relevant for regulators and customers. However, the water industry involves several heterogeneous water companies. Following a pioneering approach, this study estimates productivity change and its drivers considering the non-homogeneous nature of the water companies and incorporating quality of service variables as undesirable outputs. In doing so, the metafrontier Malmquist Luenberger productivity index was estimated for a sample of English and Welsh water and sewerage companies (WaSCs) and water only companies (WoCs) over the years 2001–…
Exploring the relationship between Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and academic performance: A multilevel analysis for Spain
2021
Abstract With the world becoming increasingly digitalized, determining the relationship between the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and educational outcomes takes on special relevance for guiding educational policy decisions in a reasoned way. The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between different types of ICT use at school and at home, students' attitudes towards ICT, and academic performance, as well as to see if these associations differ according to the level of performance of the students. For this purpose, we apply multilevel regression models and quantile regression models with data from the Programme for International Student assessme…
Measuring consumers’ level of satisfaction for online food shopping during COVID-19 in Italy using POSETs
2021
Abstract The pandemic COVID 19 has upset the economic, social, financial, and general behavioral systems. Global crisis has a large impact overall and related fallouts significantly affect existent structural paradigms in every country and region across the world. In particular, the spread of COVID-19 pandemic has led to having to rethink the way we produce and consume food. Within this global change, a rise in the number of consumers who purchase food products online in order to comply with the rules aimed at limiting the circulation of the virus should be emphasized. Consequently, probably causing a long-term positive effect on m-commerce. The purpose is to elaborate on the index of the s…
Measuring well-being in Colombian departments. The role of geography and demography
2021
This paper provides a composite indicator of well-being for the 33 Colombian departments in the year 2016. The indicator is built by adapting the well-known OECD Better Life Index to the regional level, and includes the dimensions of income, health, education, safety, housing, environment, labour market, and civic engagement and governance. As to the methodology, Data Envelopment Analysis and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making techniques are employed, an approach which enables a comparison of well-being across departments and the construction of rankings. The results yield several take-away messages. First, there are substantial disparities in well-being across Colombian departments. Second, de…
Strategic sharing of a costly network
2012
We study minimum cost spanning tree problems for a set of users connected to a source. Prim’s algorithm provides a way of finding the minimum cost tree mm. This has led to several definitions in the literature, regarding how to distribute the cost. These rules propose different cost allocations, which can be understood as compensations and/or payments between players, with respect to the status quo point: each user pays for the connection she uses to be linked to the source. In this paper we analyze the rationale behind a distribution of the minimum cost by defining an a priori transfer structure. Our first result states the existence of a transfer structure such that no user is willing to …
Sharing economy and incumbents' pricing strategy: The impact of Airbnb on the hospitality industry
2019
Abstract In this paper, we examine how the emergence of sharing economy platforms influences incumbents' price responses. Grounding on the literature on price reactions to new entrants and on the unique characteristics of the sharing economy, we argue that the effect of the penetration of the sharing economy on incumbents' prices is not straightforward, and actually depends on the type of incumbents as well as certain product/service offer characteristics. Indeed, relying on a large sample of hotel price offerings from the Italian market, we find that the effect of the growing relevance of the sharing economy (exemplified by Airbnb) on incumbents' prices depends on the type of incumbents (l…
La filiera siciliana della pasta: un'applicazione della netchain analysis
2016
The system of Sicilian durum wheat is facing, as indeed is happening to the entire food system, the evolution of consumption patterns toward higher quality requirements: health-wise, primarily, but also including some intangible requirements. Recent acquisitions in the field of healthy food, have called attention to some specific characteristics of Sicilian durum wheat. The durum wheat sector represents a major landmark for regional agriculture, being by far the most widespread arable crop in Sicily; a crop that, over the past 30 years, has evolved considerably, due to the impact of EU regulations. Currently, the whole Sicilian cereal-pasta chain shows shortcomings in organization and size,…
Autoencoders and Recurrent Neural Networks Based Algorithm for Prognosis of Bearing Life
2018
Bearings are one of the most critical components in electric motors, gearboxes and wind turbines. Therefore, bearing fault detection and prognosis of remaining useful life are important to prevent productivity losses. In this study, a novel method is proposed for prognosis of bearing life using an autoencoder and recurrent neural networks-based prediction algorithm. Promising results have been obtained from the experimental data. A monotonic upward trend of the produced health indicator is obtained for all test cases, being one of critical indicators of a proper prognosis. The remaining useful life estimation is moderately accurate under a limited data.