A well-balanced and accessible introduction to the elementary quantitative methods and Microsoft(R) Office Excel(R) applications used to guide business decision making Featuring quantitative techniques essential for modeling modern business situations, Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Business: With Applications Using Microsoft(R) Office Excel(R) provides guidance to assessing real-world data sets using Excel. The book presents a balanced approach to the mathematical tools and techniques with applications used in the areas of business, finance, economics, marketing, and operations. The authors begin by establishing a solid foundation of basic mathematics and statistics before moving on to more advanced concepts. The first part of the book starts by developing basic quantitative techniques such as arithmetic operations, functions and graphs, and elementary differentiations (rates of change), and integration. After a review of these techniques, the second part details both linear and nonlinear models of business activity. Extensively classroom-tested, Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Business: With Applications Using Microsoft(R) Office Excel(R) also includes: * Numerous examples and practice problems that emphasize real-world business quantitative techniques and applications * Excel-based computer software routines that explore calculations for an assortment of tasks, including graphing, formula usage, solving equations, and data analysis * End-of-chapter sections detailing the Excel applications and techniques used to address data and solutions using large data sets * A companion website that includes chapter summaries, Excel data sets, sample exams and quizzes, lecture slides, and an Instructors Solutions Manual Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Business: With Applications Using Microsoft(R) Office Excel(R) is an excellent textbook for undergraduate-level courses on quantitative methods in business, economics, finance, marketing, operations, and statistics. The book is also an ideal reference for readers with little or no quantitative background who require a better understanding of basic mathematical and statistical concepts used in economics and business. Bharat Kolluri, Ph.D., is Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics, Finance, and Insurance at the University of Hartford. A member of the American Economics Association, his research interests include econometrics, business statistics, quantitative decision making, applied macroeconomics, applied microeconomics, and corporate finance. Michael J. Panik, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Economics, Finance, and Insurance at the University of Hartford. He has served as a consultant to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles as well as to a variety of health care organizations. In addition, Dr. Panik is the author of numerous books, including Growth Curve Modeling: Theory and Applications and Statistical Inference: A Short Course, both published by Wiley. Rao N. Singamsetti, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Finance, and Insurance at the University of Hartford. A member of the American Economics Association, his research interests include the status of war on poverty in the United States since the 1960s and forecasting foreign exchange rates using econometric methods.

Synthetic Worlds, Virtual Worlds, and Alternate Realities are all terms used to describe the phenomenon of computer-based, simulated environments in which users inhabit and interact via avatars. The best-known commercial applications are in the form of electronic gaming, and particularly in massively-multiplayer online role-playing games like World of Warcraft or Second Life. Less known, but possibly more important, is the rapid adoption of platforms in education and business, where Serious Games are being used for training purposes, and even Second Life is being used in many situations that formerly required travel. The editors of this book captures the state of research in the field intended to reflect the rapidly growing yet relatively young market in education and business. The general focus is set on the scientific community but integrates the practical applications for businesses, with papers on information systems, business models, and economics. In six parts, international authors - all experts in their field - discuss the current state-of-the-art of virtual worlds/alternate realities and how the field will develop over the next years. Chapters discuss the influences and impacts in and around virtual worlds. Part four is about education, with a focus on learning environments and experiences, pedagogical models, and the effects on the different roles in the educational sector. The book looks at business models and how companies can participate in virtual worlds while receiving a return on investment, and includes cases and scenarios of integration, from design, implementation to application.

Information systems (IS)/Information technology(IT) has become an essential part and a major resource of the organization. IS/IT is a major resource that can radically affect the structure of an organisation, the way it serves customers, and the way it helps people in organisations to communicate both internally and externally, and the way an organisation runs its business. Managing information and information systems effectively and efficiently have become an essential part of the life of 21st century managers. This book is about Managing information and information systems and focuses on relationships between information, information systems/information technology, people and business. The impacts, roles, risks, challenges as well as emerging trends of information systems will be an important element of the book. At the same time, many strategic and contemporary uses of information systems such as implementing enterprise planning systems for improving internal operation, adopting customer relationship management systems and supply chain management systems to enhance relations with customers and suppliers/partners respectively, and establishing knowledge management systems for better managing organizational knowledge resources as well as using different information systems for supporting managers' decision making in all levels will be an integral part of the book. In addition, essential and critical information systems management skills including using information systems for competitive advantages, planning and evaluating information systems, system development & implementing information systems, and managing information systems operations will be a critical part of the book.

This book offers hands-on statistical tools for business professionals by focusing on the practical application of a single-equation regression. The authors discuss commonly applied econometric procedures, which are useful in building regression models for economic forecasting and supporting business decisions. A significant part of the book is devoted to traps and pitfalls in implementing regression analysis in real-world scenarios. The book consists of nine chapters, the final two of which are fully devoted to case studies. Today's business environment is characterised by a huge amount of economic data. Making successful business decisions under such data-abundant conditions requires objective analytical tools, which can help to identify and quantify multiple relationships between dozens of economic variables. Single-equation regression analysis, which is discussed in this book, is one such tool. The book offers a valuable guide and is relevant in various areas of economic and business analysis, including marketing, financial and operational management.

This book accomplishes an analysis of critical aspects of managerial implications on the business with information. The business dealing with information is spreading in the service market; and, an efficient management of informational processes, in order to perform successful business with them, is now crucial. Besides, economical/business, technological or any other kind of information, organized in a variety of forms, can be considered as an 'informational product'. Thus, creating a business value out of information is challenging but vital, especially in the modern digital age. Accordingly, the book covers the methods and technologies to capture, integrate, analyze, mine, interpret and visualize information out of distributed data, which in turn can help to manage information competently. This volume explores the challenges being faced and opportunities to look out for in this research area, while discussing different aspects of this subject. The book will be of interest to those working in or are interested in joining interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work in the areas of information management, service management, and service business. It will also be of use to young generation researchers by giving them an overview on different aspects of doing business with information. While introducing them to both technical and non-technical details, as well as economic aspects, the book will also be extremely informative for professionals who want to understand and realize the potential of using the cutting-edge managerial technologies for doing successful business with information/ services.

This book focuses on crisis management in software development which includes forecasting, responding and adaptive engineering models, methods, patterns and practices. It helps the stakeholders in understanding and identifying the key technology, business and human factors that may result in a software production crisis. These factors are particularly important for the enterprise-scale applications, typically considered very complex in managerial and technological aspects and therefore, specifically addressed by the discipline of software engineering. Therefore, this book throws light on the crisis responsive, resilient methodologies and practices; therewith, it also focuses on their evolutionary changes and the resulting benefits.

In the mid 1990s, Tim Berners-Lee had the idea of developing the World Wide Web into a "Semantic Web", a web of information that could be interpreted by machines in order to allow the automatic exploitation of data, which until then had to be done by humans manually. One of the first people to research topics related to the Semantic Web was Professor Rudi Studer. From the beginning, Rudi drove projects like ONTOBROKER and On-to-Knowledge, which later resulted in W3C standards such as RDF and OWL. By the late 1990s, Rudi had established a research group at the University of Karlsruhe, which later became the nucleus and breeding ground for Semantic Web research, and many of today's well-known research groups were either founded by his disciples or benefited from close cooperation with this think tank. In this book, published in celebration of Rudi's 60th birthday, many of his colleagues look back on the main research results achieved during the last 20 years. Under the editorship of Dieter Fensel, once one of Rudi's early PhD students, an impressive list of contributors and contributions has been collected, covering areas like Knowledge Management, Ontology Engineering, Service Management, and Semantic Search. Overall, this book provides an excellent overview of the state of the art in Semantic Web research, by combining historical roots with the latest results, which may finally make the dream of a "Web of knowledge, software and services" come true.

This book provides several inventory models for making the right decision in inventory management under different environments. Basically, the optimal ordering policies are determined for situations with and without shortages in production-inventory systems. The chapters in the book include various features of inventory modeling i.e., inflation, deterioration, supply chain, learning, credit financing, carbon emission policy, stock-dependent demand, among others. The book is a useful resource for academicians, researchers, students, practitioners, and managers who can be benefited with the policies provided in the chapters of the book.

Today s global business environments drive companies to be more technology dependent, and to remain competitive, firms need to introduce or adopt a new technology to business. In order to achieve a successful integration with maximum return on investment, companies need a systematic approach that accommodates a comprehensive course of action of technology integration.

"Technology Integration to Business Practical Methods and Case Studies" suggests a business-driven holistic approach of technology integration that consists of several steps. First, companies should examine the current state, issues, benefits, and obstacles of technology integration in conjunction with their competitive business strategy and operational capability. Second, firms should investigate new, emerging business technologies as to how those technologies can contribute to improve the business. Third, with the technology integration needs identified, companies should complete preparatory tasks before actual implementation, such as, business process analysis, technology assessment, technology provider investigation, business case development, and cost-benefit analysis. Fourth, because the nature of technology integration project involves many stakeholders in global locations, firms should use effective project management knowledge from project initiation, through planning, execution, control, to close.

Students will learn real-world technology integration processes in industry settings and become more prepared for industrial careers. Practitioners will find thorough procedures and methods that are useful in practice to improve business performance. Realistic examples for manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management application domains give the reader practical implications for the methods presented. "

This book discusses the latest developments in the field of open data. The opening of data by public organizations has the potential to improve the public sector, inspire business innovation, and establish transparency. With this potential comes unique challenges; these developments impact the operation of governments as well as their relationship with private sector enterprises and society. Changes at the technical, organizational, managerial, and political level are taking place, which, in turn, impact policy-making and traditional institutional structures. This book contributes to the systematic analysis and publication of cutting-edge methods, tools, and approaches for more efficient data sharing policies, practices, and further research. Topics discussed include an introduction to open data, the open data landscape, the open data life cycle, open data policies, organizational issues, interoperability, infrastructure, business models, open data portal evaluation, and research directions, best practices, and guidelines. Written to address different perspectives, this book will be of equal interest to students and researchers, ICT industry staff, practitioners, policy makers and public servants.

Risk and reward are always foremost in the determination of investment decisions and business transactions. Advances in the area of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) have enabled the development of new business paradigms. Such paradigms involve transactions taking place between loosely connected parties, often totally or partially unknown to one another. One important concept required to ensure such transactions are successful is transactional risk. The importance of doing this has been demonstrated in recent financial crisis. This book is unique in simultaneously taking into account the likelihood of an event occurring and its financial impact and provides an integrated discussion of the process of transactional risk identification, assessment, evaluation, management and recording in these emerging domains. It provides a detailed and clear exposition of the importance of transactional risk before detailing for its assessment and evaluation. The scope of the book is theoretical and practical and as such it will have a broad market both within academia and industry. Specifically this book should be of primary interest to researchers, graduate students and practitioners in the area of developing business intelligence techniques and their application in various real world applications.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 4th IFIP WG 8.1 Working Conference on Method Engineering, ME 2011, held in Paris, France, in April 2011. The 13 revised full papers and 6 short papers presented together with the abstracts of two keynote talks were carefully reviewed and selected from 30 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on situated method engineering, method engineering foundations, customized methods, tools for method engineering, new trends to build methods, and method engineering services.

This book presents cutting edge research on the development of analytics in travel and tourism. It introduces new conceptual frameworks and measurement tools, as well as applications and case studies for destination marketing and management. It is divided into five parts: Part one on travel demand analytics focuses on conceptualizing and implementing travel demand modeling using big data. It illustrates new ways to identify, generate and utilize large quantities of data in tourism demand forecasting and modeling. Part two focuses on analytics in travel and everyday life, presenting recent developments in wearable computers and physiological measurement devices, and the implications for our understanding of on-the-go travelers and tourism design. Part three embraces tourism geoanalytics, correlating social media and geo-based data with tourism statistics. Part four discusses web-based and social media analytics and presents the latest developments in utilizing user-generated content on the Internet to understand a number of managerial problems. The final part is a collection of case studies using web-based and social media analytics, with examples from the Sochi Olympics on Twitter, leveraging online reviews in the hotel industry, and evaluating destination communications and market intelligence with online hotel reviews. The chapters in this section collectively describe a range of different approaches to understanding market dynamics in tourism and hospitality.

After a brief introduction to the topic of business process modeling, the book offers a quick-start into model-based business process engineering. After that, the foundations of the modeling languages used are conveyed. Meaningful examples are in the foreground - each of the underlying formalisms is treated only as far as needed. Next the Horus Method is described in detail. The book defines a sequence of activities which finally leads to the creation of a complete business process model. The Horus Method, incidentally, is not bound to the use of the Horus software tools. It can be used with other tools or, if necessary, be used even without tool support. Important application fields of business process engineering are described, where the spectrum ranges from business process reengineering to the development and implementation of information systems. The book concludes with an outlook on the future of business process engineering and highlights current research activities in the area.

This book examines the managerial dimensions of business intelligence (BI) systems. It develops a set of guidelines for value creation by implementing business intelligence systems and technologies. In particular the book looks at BI as a process - driven by a mix of human and technological capabilities - to serve complex information needs in building insights and providing aid in decision making. After an introduction to the key concepts of BI and neighboring areas of information processing, the book looks at the complexity and multidimensionality of BI. It tackles both data integration and information integration issues. Bodies of knowledge and other widely accepted collections of experience are presented and turned into lessons learned. Following a straightforward introduction to the processes and technologies of BI the book embarks on BI maturity and agility, the components, drivers and inhibitors of BI culture and soft BI factors like attention, sense and trust. Eventually the book attempts to provide a holistic view on business intelligence, possible structures and tradeoffs and embarks to provide an outlook on possible developments in BI and analytics.

This book provides extensive insight into the possibilities and challenges of XML in building new information management solutions in networked organizations. After a brief introduction to Web communication features and XML fundamentals, the book examines the benefits of adopting XML and illustrates various types of XML use: XML in document management; XML for data-centric and multimedia components; XML as a format for metadata, including metadata for the Semantic Web; and XML in support of data interchange between software applications and among organizations. The challenges of adopting XML in large-scale information management are also discussed. In addition, applications across a broad spectrum are examined and numerous case studies pertaining to the adoption of XML are presented. The book is particularly suitable for courses offered in Information Studies, Information Systems, or Information Technology. It also serves as an excellent practical guide for professionals in information management and provides important support material for courses in Computer Science and in Business.

Worldwide, postal and delivery economics is the subject of considerable interest. The postal industry's business model is in drastic need of change. Notably, the European Commission and member states are still wrestling with the problems of implementing liberalization of entry into postal markets, addressing digital competition, and maintaining the universal service obligation. In the United States, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 has, perhaps, exacerbated some of the problems faced by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Currently, the USPS has serious financial problems because of difficulties it faces in making changes and the failure of the Act to address problems that have been long-standing. Electronic competition is severe and affects post offices (POs) worldwide, which have been slow to address the threat. This book addresses this new reality and includes discussion of how POs may attempt to reinvent themselves. Parcels and packets will play a major role in developing new business models for postal operators. This book is of use not only to students and researchers interested in the field, but also to postal operators, consulting firms, utilities, regulatory commissions, Federal Government Departments and agencies of the European Union and other countries.

As digitization continues to bring rapid changes to businesses, companies must remain agile in order to comply with changing regulations and maintain governance and compliance while achieving its business objectives. To achieve this agility, IT staff within these companies must be able to respond quickly to changing business needs while maintaining existing and efficient infrastructure. Strategic IT Governance and Performance Frameworks in Large Organizations is an essential reference source that provides emerging frameworks and models that implement an efficient strategic IT governance in organizations and discusses the effects these policies have on the business as a whole. Featuring six international case studies from large organizations, this title covers topics such as IT management, security policy, and organizational governance, and is ideally designed for IT specialists, academicians, researchers, policymakers, and managers.

This book is dedicated to population health management and how it can be used to improve the health care and outcomes for patients with poly chronic conditions. The book uses an integrated approach guided by a transdisciplinary orientation that incorporates both a macro and a micro-theoretical framework for promoting population health management. Thus, policy decision makers can prioritize how limited resources can be used to optimize health service needs of the chronically ill and disabled in the nation as well as in the globe. The book also identifies appropriate applications of health information technology that can facilitate interoperability, data sharing and effective communication to ensure that applicable knowledge is derived from the available information. Multiple implications of population health management for poly chronic conditions suggest that concerted efforts in promoting preventive strategies can yield numerous benefits. Continuous improvement efforts through impact evaluation and a commitment to the adoption of the health information technology resources needed are also critical aspects of this process. Patients with poly chronic conditions have complex needs and are often high-utilizers of health services. Great potential exists to improve the health and health care of these individuals through improved coordination integrating multiple domains of the population health management approach. Population Health Management is needed now more than ever due to the current challenges facing the health care system that were not present in previous decades. This book points out strategic directions suggested by empirical evidence and experts' opinions on innovative care management solutions observed in many advanced countries.

This book presents a collection of studies that have applied analytical methods to improve preparedness, planning, and a faster response to A&E and public health emergencies like epidemic and disease outbreak. It explores the application of quantitative Operational Research techniques such as Mathematical Modelling and Optimization, Maximum Likelihood Estimation, Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis, Discrete-event Simulation, Data Mining, and Bayesian Decision Models. These techniques have been used for better management of emergency care, including first responders, ambulance services, A&E departments, and mass immunisation centres. This volume focuses on planning at the operational level whereas volume 2 focuses mainly on planning at the strategic level. The OR Essentials series presents a unique cross-section of high quality research work fundamental to understanding contemporary issues and research across a range of Operational Research (OR) topics. It brings together some of the best research papers from the highly respected journals of the Operational Research Society, also published by Palgrave Macmillan.

The essence of decision-aiding software is that it consists of various forms of microcomputer programming designed to enable users to process a set of (1) goals to be achieved, (2) alternatives available for achieving them, and (3) relations between goals and alternatives in order to choose the best alternative, combination, allocation, or predictive decision-rule. Benefits from using decision-aiding software include (1) being more explicit about goals to be achieved, alternatives available for achieving them, and relations between goals and alternatives; (2) being stimulated to think of more goals, alternatives, and relations than one would otherwise be likely to do; (3) being prepared to handle multiple goals, alternatives, and relations without getting confused and without feeling the need to resort to a single composite goal or a single go/no-go alternative; (4) being encouraged to experiment with changes in the inputs into one's thinking to see how one's conclusions are affected; and (5) being better able to achieve or exceed one's goals when choosing among alternatives or allocating scarce resources.

There are five parts to the book covering: (1) a broad overview of decision-aiding packages, including criteria for evaluating them; (2) approaches that are based on management science and operations research, including linear programming and decision trees; (3) spreadsheet-based software, generally with goals on the columns, alternatives on the rows, relations in the cells, overall totals for each alternative at the far right, and a capability for indicating how the totals would be altered as a result of changes in the inputs; (4) expert systems software including rule-based and knowledge-based expert systems; and (5) general applications of decision-aiding software and a discussion of the increasing utilization of such software.

Improved interoperability between public organizations as well as between public and private organizations is of critical importance to make electronic government more successful. ""E-Government Interoperability and Information Resource Integration: Frameworks for Aligned Development"" focuses on the integration of new technologies into digital government, generating new insights into e-government interoperability. This book will benefit systems designers, developers, and programmers in public and private software organizations who need a larger perspective of interoperability when solving technical problems.

Social media has received considerable attention, and many potential benefits, as well as concerns, are now being discussed. This book explores how social media can successfully support business processes in marketing, sales and service in the context of customer relationship management (CRM). It presents the fundamentals of Social CRM and shows how small and large companies alike have implemented it. In turn, the book presents analytic and operational software tools that offer features for enhancing and streamlining interactions with customers. The book concludes with an overview of essential design areas that businesses need to bear in mind when introducing social media into their CRM strategies. In this regard, it also points out key success factors, limitations, and data protection aspects.

This book presents a collection of the latest research in the area of immersive technologies, presented at the International Augmented and Virtual Reality Conference 2018 in Manchester, UK, and showcases how augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are transforming the business landscape. Innovations in this field are seen as providing opportunities for businesses to offer their customers unique services and experiences. The papers gathered here advance the state of the art in AR/VR technologies and their applications in various industries such as healthcare, tourism, hospitality, events, fashion, entertainment, retail, education and gaming. The volume collects contributions by prominent computer and social sciences experts from around the globe. Addressing the most significant topics in the field of augmented and virtual reality and sharing the latest findings, it will be of interest to academics and practitioners alike.

This book is intended to spark a discourse on, and contribute to finding a clear consensus in, the debate between conceptualizing a knowledge strategy and planning a knowledge strategy. It explores the complex relationship between the notions of knowledge and strategy in the business context, one that is of practical importance to companies. After reviewing the extant literature, the book shows how the concept of knowledge strategies can be seen as a new perspective for exploring business strategies. It proposes a new approach that clarifies how planned and emergent knowledge strategies allow companies to make projections into the uncertain and unpredictable future that dominates today's economy.