Search results for "Cybernetics"

On the importance of perspective and flexibility for efficiency measurement: effects on the ranking of decision-making units

2017

[EN] The efficiency of a firm can be assessed from several perspectives and using a variety of methodologies. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is one of the most commonly used methodologies. Conventional DEA analyses or models allow one to classify decision-making units (DMUs) into efficient and inefficient ones based on their efficiency scores, which could also be used for ranking DMUs; however, such rankings generally show many ties. Super-efficiency DEA analyses have been proposed to address the tie issue. On the other hand, conventional DEA analyses only take account of a single perspective in estimating efficiency scores. Cross-efficiency DEA analyses provide an alternative that takes a…

Sustainable Innovation as Competitive Advantage in the Era of Sustainability

2018

The challenges that sustainability raises in front of companies are nowadays bigger than ever, as their actions and performances are increasingly scrutinized and evaluated (by a plethora of different stakeholders) against a variety of sustainability-related expectations and standards. The paper aims to explore the universe of the most sustainable corporations—based on an analysis that corroborates these companies’ engagements towards sustainability (as declared on their websites) with their sustainability-related performances (as reflected in their scores—based on relevant KPIs—according to Corporate Knights’ Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations)—in order to find relevant insights on th…

Multicriteria Decision Analysis for Choosing the Remediation Method for a Landfill Based on Mixed Ordinal and Cardinal Information

2009

We describe a real-life application of a multicriteria method in the context of remediating a landfill in Finland. The landfill was used for dumping industrial waste during the years 1950 to 1965. During that time many harmful chemicals were stored in landfills among other waste. Therefore, this—and possibly several other—landfills have to be remediated. In this application, seven different remediation options were evaluated based on 13 criteria. For some criteria, cardinal measures with associated uncertainties were obtained. For other criteria, only ordinal (ranking) information was available. The problem was analyzed using the Stochastic Multicriteria Acceptability Analysis with Ordinal …

2021

This study analyzes the emotional and aesthetic labor of Finnish military officers. It examines the kinds of valuations officers attach to the notion of an ideal soldier. The meanings that officers give to these ideals are explored within the wider framework of post-Fordist new work. The ideal soldier is traditionally considered to be physically capable and strong, rational, and in control—features culturally coded as masculine. An analysis of 108 military officers’ writings and 12 interviews showed that while the traditional masculine ideal still exists, a vast variety of valuations are related to new work. The notion of the new ideal worker includes attributes, such as empathy, emotional …

Investigating the impacts of team type and design on virtual team processes

2017

While much is known about virtual team processes and outcomes, the literature relies on a variety of team configurations and types (including student versus organizational samples, short-term versus long-term teams, functional versus project-based teams, and teams with various task types) yet has not systematically examined how these differences impact team processes. This is important because much of the virtual teams research has been based on student samples, which are easier to access and control, with the implicit assumption that the findings from student samples will generalize to organizational virtual teams. This manuscript reviews the last 15 years of research on virtual teams and …

Differentiation in knowledge‐creating organizations

2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on the analysis of the influence of organizational design variables on the creation of knowledge within the organization. The impact that enablers have on knowledge creation has been widely demonstrated and established in the relevant literature. Using this assumption as a starting‐point, the main aim of this study is to consider and explore the role of differentiation – horizontal and vertical – in knowledge creation using enablers as mediator variables.Design/methodology/approachThe paper has created a model of relations of the design variables that correspond to differentiation – horizontal job specialization, vertical job specialization and n…

The role of task-related antecedents for the development of turnover intentions in temporary project teams

2016

AbstractHigh turnover can cause serious problems in organizations. Yet, previous research confirmed that HRM practices are useful to influence the development of turnover intentions. Existing studies have revealed a variety of factors that drive individuals to leave permanent organizations (POs) but almost no research has considered turnover in temporary organizations (TOs). Yet, TOs, such as project teams, have become increasingly prevalent and exhibit several characteristics that are distinct from POs. Hence, the antecedents of turnover intentions in TOs may also differ from those in POs. However, empirical evidence for this proposition is still lacking. In order to address this research …

Organizational Systems: Managing Complexity with the Viable System Model (Book review)

2013

On Line Tool Life Prediction for Tool Replacement Strategy in FMS Workstation

1993

In FMS environment a large variety of tools are shared resources being employed to process different part type varying the cutting parameters during their useful life. The paper suggests a new methodology to predict the tool life on line using the information deriving from the control station of the production system to gain information about the tool wear.

New directions for the biopharma industry in Canada: modelling and empirical findings

2008

PurposeThe main purpose of this study is to identify features and trends shaping the business models currently prevailing in the Canadian biopharma industry, by disaggregating the business model analysis into four key areas: value creation, investment strategy, business strategy, success factorsDesign/methodology/approachResults arise from an empirical fieldwork of qualitative nature, undertaken by the end of 2004, involving deep interviews to a broad variety of key stakeholders of the biopharma industry in the Quebec region, including biopharma firms, large pharma firms, venture capital funds, research centers and recognized experts from consultancy firms and Universities.FindingsBiopharma…