Assessing Business Excellence presents a strategic framework for business excellence and total quality management and shows how you can be actively involved in continuous improvement by systematically reviewing your business activities and results against holistic business excellence frameworks. For all practitioners who seek to use total quality management to improve their organization's effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness, this title is the essential route map to business excellence. From two leading expert authors comes a book where the most recognized quality award criteria are used to explore the concepts of business excellence and self-assessment. This book: * Introduces the major business excellence and total quality frameworks including The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the European Quality Award and ISO9000:2000 * Compares the frameworks and identifies their strengths and limitations * Introduces the self-assessment process * Explores the main approaches to self-assessment * Illustrates the practical benefits of self-assessment through case examples

This book provides an introduction to incorporating preference information in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with a special emphasis in Value Efficiency Analysis. In addition to theoretical considerations, numerous illustrative examples are included. Hence, the book can be used as a teaching text as well. Only a modest mathematical background is needed to understand the main principles. The only prerequisites are a) familiarity with linear algebra, especially matrix calculus; b) knowledge of the simplex method; and c) familiarity with the use of computer software. The book is organized as follows. Chapter 1 provides motivation and introduces the basic concepts. Chapter 2 provides the basic ideas and models of Data Envelopment Analysis. The efficient frontier and production possibility set concepts play an important role in all considerations. That's why these concepts are considered more closely in Chapter 3. Since the approaches introduced in this study are inspired by Multiple Objective Linear Programming, the basic concepts of this field are reviewed in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 also compares and contrasts Data Envelopment Analysis and Multiple Objective Linear Programming, providing some cornerstones for approaches presented later in the book. Chapter 6 discusses the traditional approaches to take into account preference information in DEA. In Chapter 7, Value Efficiency is introduced, and Chapter 8 discusses practical aspects. Some extensions are presented in Chapter 9, and in Chapter 10 Value Efficiency is extended to cover the case when a production possibility set is not convex. Three implemented applications are reviewed in Chapter 11.

This book deals with stochastic combinatorial optimization problems in supply chain disruption management, with a particular focus on management of disrupted flows in customer-driven supply chains. The problems are modeled using a scenario based stochastic mixed integer programming to address riskneutral, risk-averse and mean-risk decision-making in the presence of supply chain disruption risks. The book focuses on integrated disruption mitigation and recovery decision-making and innovative, computationally efficient multi-portfolio approach to supply chain disruption management, e.g., selection of primary and recovery supply portfolios, demand portfolios, capacity portfolios, etc. Numerous computational examples throughout the book, modeled in part on realworld supply chain disruption management problems, illustrate the material presented and provide managerial insights. Many propositions formulated in the book lead to a deep understanding of the properties of developed stochastic mixed integer programs and optimal solutions. In the computational examples, the proposed mathematical programming models are solved using an advanced algebraic modeling language such as AMPL and CPLEX, GUROBI and XPRESS solvers. The knowledge and tools provided in the book allow the reader to model and solve supply chain disruption management problems using commercially available software for mixed integer programming. Using the end-of chapter problems and exercises, the monograph can also be used as a textbook for an advanced course in supply chain risk management. After an introductory chapter, the book is then divided into six main parts. Part I addresses selection of a supply portfolio; Part II considers integrated selection of supply portfolio and scheduling; Part III looks at integrated, equitably efficient selection of supply portfolio and scheduling; Part IV examines integrated selection of primary and recovery supply and demand portfolios and production and inventory scheduling, Part V deals with selection of resilient supply portfolio in multitier supply chain networks; and Part VI addresses selection of cybersecurity safequards portfolio for disruption management of information flows in supply chains.

Meta-heuristics have developed dramatically since their inception in the early 1980s. They have had widespread success in attacking a variety of practical and difficult combinatorial optimization problems. These families of approaches include, but are not limited to greedy random adaptive search procedures, genetic algorithms, problem-space search, neural networks, simulated annealing, tabu search, threshold algorithms, and their hybrids. They incorporate concepts based on biological evolution, intelligent problem solving, mathematical and physical sciences, nervous systems, and statistical mechanics. Since the 1980s, a great deal of effort has been invested in the field of combinatorial optimization theory in which heuristic algorithms have become an important area of research and applications. This volume is drawn from the first conference on Meta-Heuristics and contains 41 papers on the state-of-the-art in heuristic theory and applications. The book treats the following meta-heuristics and applications: Genetic Algorithms, Simulated Annealing, Tabu Search, Networks & Graphs, Scheduling and Control, TSP, and Vehicle Routing Problems. It represents research from the fields of Operations Research, Management Science, Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science.

This book explains classic routing and transportation problems and solutions, before offering insights based on successful real-world solutions. The chapters in Part I introduce and explain the traveling salesperson problem (TSP), vehicle routing problems (VRPs), and multi-objective problems, with an emphasis on heuristic approaches and software engineering aspects. In turn, Part II demonstrates how to exploit geospatial data, routing algorithms, and visualization. In Part III, the above techniques and insights are combined in real-world success stories from domains such as food delivery in rural areas, postal delivery, workforce routing, and urban logistics. The book offers a valuable supporting text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses and projects in Computer Science, Engineering, Operations Research, and Mathematics. It is accompanied by a repository of source code, allowing readers to try out the algorithms and techniques discussed.

This book examines practically useful management and people skills, and looks at competencies from the micro, meso, and macro- lens. At the micro- level, the book examines a range of competencies needed for managing oneself and others in a project environment, such as personality style, cognitive skills, communication skills, and emotional intelligence. The book will also includes discussion on strategies for managing emotions of self and others effectively. At the meso- level, the book discusses basic structure, characteristics, and importance of different types of teams such as virtual teams, project teams, domain specific teams, and heavy-weight teams in organizations to enhance productivity and delegate accountability. It also explores team processes, including structure, culture, supporting systems, performance and incentive systems, and their impact on team productivity. In addition, the book includes a discourse on skills to manage a multi-generational workforce (a combination of baby boomers, X and Y generation), a challenge faced by project managers in current scenario. Finally, at the macro- level, the book captures the role of culture in a project context; emerging leadership styles in projects, maintaining relationship with internal and external stakeholders; role of power, politics and influence in relationship building (social networks and social capital); and managing conflicts and negotiations. The book presents ethical considerations in managing projects; relationship between projects and sustainability; societal responsibilities of projects; advantages and disadvantages of forms of control in projects (behaviour and outcome control). It is positioned primarily for practitioners although it is a relevant and useful resource and reference for academics and students of project management and management studies courses.

Big Data and Information Theory are a binding force between various areas of knowledge that allow for societal advancement. Rapid development of data analytic and information theory allows companies to store vast amounts of information about production, inventory, service, and consumer activities. More powerful CPUs and cloud computing make it possible to do complex optimization instead of using heuristic algorithms, as well as instant rather than offline decision-making. The era of "big data" challenges includes analysis, capture, curation, search, sharing, storage, transfer, visualization, and privacy violations. Big data calls for better integration of optimization, statistics, and data mining. In response to these challenges this book brings together leading researchers and engineers to exchange and share their experiences and research results about big data and information theory applications in various areas. This book covers a broad range of topics including statistics, data mining, data warehouse implementation, engineering management in large-scale infrastructure systems, data-driven sustainable supply chain network, information technology service offshoring project issues, online rumors governance, preliminary cost estimation, and information system project selection. The chapters in this book were originally published in the journal, International Journal of Management Science and Engineering Management.

Heavy industrialization in the past few decades has caused several global environmental issues including poor air quality, climate change, and outdoor air pollution-related diseases. As such, consumer pressure coupled with strict governmental policies have influenced firms to adopt and implement green practices in their supply chain and business operations in order to improve socio-environmental sustainability. Global Perspectives on Green Business Administration and Sustainable Supply Chain Management is an essential reference book that discusses innovative green practices including recycling, remanufacturing, reduction in waste and adoption of renewable energy in manufacturing. It also examines environmentally friendly policies that have been adopted by many European and Western countries. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as energy analysis, environmental protections, and logistics development, this book is ideally designed for managers, operations managers, executives, manufacturers, environmentalists, researchers, industry practitioners, academicians, and students.

The Handbook of Mathematical Economics aims to provide a definitive source, reference, and teaching supplement for the field of mathematical economics. It surveys, as of the late 1970's the state of the art of mathematical economics. This is a constantly developing field and all authors were invited to review and to appraise the current status and recent developments in their presentations. In addition to its use as a reference, it is intended that this Handbook will assist researchers and students working in one branch of mathematical economics to become acquainted with other branches of this field. Volume I deals with Mathematical Methods in Economics, including reviews of the concepts and techniques that have been most useful for the mathematical development of economic theory. Volume II elaborates on Mathematical Approaches to Microeconomic Theory, including consumer, producer, oligopoly, and duality theory, as well as Mathematical Approaches to Competitive Equilibrium including such aspects of competitive equilibrium as existence, stability, uncertainty, the computation of equilibrium prices, and the core of an economy.

This book will explore a new approach to airport planning that better captures the complexities and velocity of change in our contemporary world. As a result, it will lead to higher performing airports for users, business partners, investors and other stakeholders. This is especially pertinent since airports will need to come back better from the Covid-19 pandemic. The book explains the importance of articulating a clear strategy, based on a rigorous analysis of the competitive landscape while avoiding the pitfalls of ambiguity and 'virtue signalling'. Having done so, demand forecasts can be developed that resemble S-curves, not simple straight lines, that reflect strategic opportunities and threats from which a master plan can be developed to allocate land and capital in a way that maximizes return on assets and social licence. The second distinctive feature of this book is the premise that planning an airport as an island, a fortress even, does not work anymore given how interconnected airports are with other components of the transportation system, the economies and communities they serve and the rapid pace of social and technological change. In summary, the book argues that airport planning needs to move beyond its traditional boundaries. The book is replete with real examples from airports of all sizes around the world and includes practical advice and tools for executives and managers. It is recommended reading for individuals working in the airport business or the broader air transport industry, members of airports' board of directors, who may be new to the business, elected officials, policy makers and urban planners in jurisdictions hosting or adjacent to airports, regulators, economic development professionals and, finally, students.

Offers fundamental theories and practical and more sophisticated applications of Evolutionary Computation in varied industries Provides insight into various platforms, paradigms, techniques, and tools used in Evolutionary Computation for diverse fields Presents an understanding related to optimization, performance tuning, virtualization, deployment models, and their applications Covers a variety of applications for social and essential models and is based on real life examples Useful for decision making based on optimized data through Evolutionary Computation in multi-dimensions

In Time Series Analysis and Adjustment the authors explain how the last four decades have brought dramatic changes in the way researchers analyze economic and financial data on behalf of economic and financial institutions and provide statistics to whomsoever requires them. Such analysis has long involved what is known as econometrics, but time series analysis is a different approach driven more by data than economic theory and focused on modelling. An understanding of time series and the application and understanding of related time series adjustment procedures is essential in areas such as risk management, business cycle analysis, and forecasting. Dealing with economic data involves grappling with things like varying numbers of working and trading days in different months and movable national holidays. Special attention has to be given to such things. However, the main problem in time series analysis is randomness. In real-life, data patterns are usually unclear, and the challenge is to uncover hidden patterns in the data and then to generate accurate forecasts. The case studies in this book demonstrate that time series adjustment methods can be efficaciously applied and utilized, for both analysis and forecasting, but they must be used in the context of reasoned statistical and economic judgment. The authors believe this is the first published study to really deal with this issue of context.

The Handbook of Mathematical Economics aims to provide a definitive source, reference, and teaching supplement for the field of mathematical economics. It surveys, as of the late 1970's the state of the art of mathematical economics. This is a constantly developing field and all authors were invited to review and to appraise the current status and recent developments in their presentations. In addition to its use as a reference, it is intended that this Handbook will assist researchers and students working in one branch of mathematical economics to become acquainted with other branches of this field. Volume 1 deals with "Mathematical Methods in Economics," including reviews of the concepts and techniques that have been most useful for the mathematical development of economic theory.

For more information on the Handbooks in Economics series, please see our home page on http: //www.elsevier.nl/locate/hes

This book presents a general conceptual framework to translate principles of system science and engineering to service design. Services are co-created immaterial, heterogeneous, and perishable state changes. A service system includes the intended benefit to the customer and the structure and processes that accomplish this benefit. The primary focus is on the part of the service system that can reproduce such processes, called here a Service Machine, and methodological guidelines on how to analyze and design them. While the benefit and the process are designed based on the domain knowledge of each respective field, service production systems have common properties. The Service Machine is a metaphor that elicits the fundamental characteristics of service systems that do something efficiently, quickly, or repeatedly for a defined end. A machine is an artifact designed for a purpose, has several parts, such as inputs, energy flows, processors, connectors, and motors assembled as per design specifications. In case of service machine, the components are various contracts assembled on contractual frames. The book discusses Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Emergency Departments (ED) as cases. They illustrate that service machines need to be structured to adapt to the constraints of the served market acknowledging the fact that services are co-created through the integration of producers' and customers' resources. This book is highly recommended for those who are interested in understanding the fundamental concepts of designing service machines.

The main purpose of this book is to introduce the essential theories and tools for production (manufacturing operations) management for students in engineering, junior professionals in supply chain and production managers who are starting their career in a manufacturing firm.With a focus on selected key techniques and a practical application of these skills, the book uses a real-world inspired case studies while providing readers with in-depth exploration. Designed as a coaching handbook for instructors or motivated self-learners, it is an ideal resource for project-based learning.It is suitable for graduates in technology management and engineering, and professionals in the field of manufacturing who want to revise their practical knowledge while enhancing theoretical background.

Accessible and easy to read guide in the best-selling Basics series The ideal guide for beginners or non-specialists who need to grasp the fundamentals of management User-friendly approach, including features such as key terms for each chapter, chapter summaries and annotated suggestions for further reading Draws on many examples from around the world including North America (such as Enron, Coca Cola and General Motors) Interdisciplinary appeal - will also sell to the Leisure & Tourism market, Arts Management and Media Management markets New edition includes the topics of globalisation, CSR, entrepreneurship, sustainability, risk, resilience and disaster management

The Handbook of Mathematical Economics aims to provide a definitive source, reference, and teaching supplement for the field of mathematical economics. It surveys, as of the late 1970's the state of the art of mathematical economics. This is a constantly developing field and all authors were invited to review and to appraise the current status and recent developments in their presentations. In addition to its use as a reference, it is intended that this Handbook will assist researchers and students working in one branch of mathematical economics to become acquainted with other branches of this field. Volume 2 elaborates on "Mathematical Approaches to Microeconomic Theory," including consumer, producer, oligopoly, and duality theory, as well as "Mathematical Approaches to Competitive Equilibrium" including such aspects of competitive equilibrium as existence, stability, uncertainty, the computation of equilibrium prices, and the core of an economy.

For more information on the Handbooks in Economics series, please see our home page on http: //www.elsevier.nl/locate/hes

Leadership is demanding and challenging. How do leaders cope? How do they remain fit and strong, and thrive? The authors of Leadership Resilience, a business school academic and a police officer, suggest that many challenges faced by leaders are similar to the challenges experienced by police officers. The isolation; the pressure not to show personal emotions; the expectation that they will deal effectively with confused, frustrated and angry people; and that they can deal with delivering bad news; all contribute to the pressures bearing on leaders and police officers everywhere. The authors argue that these challenges are more pronounced in policing and so more readily identifiable than in other leadership situations. They explore challenges experienced by police officers, look at how they cope with them, and draw lessons for those undertaking leadership roles more generally. Leadership Resilience provides accounts from police officers, in their own words, of difficult experiences they encounter. They describe their feelings about what was important and how they coped with it. Each account is followed by an analysis highlighting what is discussed, and not discussed, in the accounts and identifying lessons that can be drawn by leaders in other situations. All is presented so that it is relevant to different cultures demanding different styles of leadership. Analysis of the engaging experiences featured will help leaders struggling with the gap between leadership education and capability and the demands made of them to survive and thrive, while maintaining their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

We are now entering a new phase in the establishment of historical organization studies as a distinctive methodological paradigm within the broad field of organization studies. This book serves both as a landmark in the development of the field and as a key reference tool for researchers and students. For two decades, organization theorists have emphasized the need for more and better research recognizing the importance of the past in shaping the present and future. By historicizing organizational research, the contexts and forces bearing upon organizations will be more fully recognized, and analyses of organizational dynamics improved. But how, precisely, might a traditionally empirically oriented discipline such as history be incorporated into a theoretically oriented discipline such as organization studies? This book evaluates the current state of play, advances it and identifies the possibilities the new emergent field offers for the future. In addition to providing an important work of reference on the subject for researchers, the book can be used to introduce management and organizational history to a student audience at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The book is a valuable source for wider reading, providing rich reference material in tutorials across organizational studies, or as recommended or required reading on courses with a connection to business or management history.

Companies of all kinds have fallen into some of the most fundamental of traps when it comes to consumer marketing; in assuming that the motivation that drives their customers is entirely rational. Enrico Trevisan's The Irrational Consumer builds on the ground breaking works on behavioural economics of authors such as Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler in order to explain the fundamental drivers of customer decisions and how to incorporate these into your business strategy. Learn how consumers respond to different offer architectures and discounts; why they sometimes struggle to see the wood for the trees in a world of ever-increasing options; what are the rules of thumb they develop for making sense of value. Behavioural economics offers organizations perspectives for engaging with customers, whose views on what to buy are strongly driven by contextual factors, such as the framework and the dynamics of choices. Enrico Trevisan's The Irrational Consumer is your 'must-have' primer to this world.

This book focuses on the application of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to Major League Baseball (MLB). DEA is a nonparametric linear programming model that is used across academic disciplines. In sports economics, authors have applied the technique primarily to assess team and/or managerial efficiency. The basis for performance analysis is economic production theory, where it is assumed that baseball can be viewed as a production process whereby inputs (player quality measures) are transformed into outputs (wins, attendance). The primary advantage that DEA has over more traditional regression based approaches is the ability to handle multiple inputs and multiple outputs. Further, the approach is nonparametric and hence, does not require a priori specification of the production function. The book develops the theory of DEA in the context of a production environment. A focal point is the assessment of technical and cost efficiency of MLB teams. It is shown that previous frontier applications that measure efficiency provide biased results given that the outcome of a game is zero-sum. If a team loses a game due to inefficiency, another team wins a lost game. A corrected frontier is presented to overcome this problem. Free agent salary arbitration is analyzed using a dual DEA model. Each free agent's contract zone is identified. The upper and lower bounds, representing the player's and team's perspective of value, respectively, are estimated. Player performance is estimated using a modified DEA model to rank order players based on multiple attributes. This model will be used to evaluate current Hall of Fame players. We provide arguments for other players who are deserving of membership. We also use our measure of performance and evaluate age-performance profilers for many ball players. Regression analysis is used to identify the age of peak performance. The method is used to evaluate some of the all-time greats. We also use the method to analyze admitted and implicated steroid users. The results clearly show that performance was enhanced. This book will provide appropriate theoretical models with methodological considerations and interesting empirical analyses and is intended to serve academics and practitioners interested in applying DEA to baseball as well as other sports or production processes. >

Defines the correct cost optimization process Provides detailed explanation of cost estimating techniques Presents cost estimating techniques for various manufacturing processes Offers cost based negotiation training Explains how to build a cost engineering organization

Business Process Modeling, Simulation and Design, Third Edition provides students with a comprehensive coverage of a range of analytical tools used to model, analyze, understand, and ultimately design business processes. The new edition of this very successful textbook includes a wide range of approaches such as graphical flowcharting tools, cycle time and capacity analyses, queuing models, discrete-event simulation, simulation-optimization, and data mining for process analytics. While most textbooks on business process management either focus on the intricacies of computer simulation or managerial aspects of business processes, this textbook does both. It presents the tools to design business processes and management techniques on operating them efficiently. The book focuses on the use of discrete event simulation as the main tool for analyzing, modeling, and designing effective business processes. The integration of graphic user-friendly simulation software enables a systematic approach to create optimal designs.

This is the first book to present marketing strategy of high-tech products and services in a legal, economic, and global context. From software to hardware, from pharmaceuticals to digital movies and TV, the authors argue that the understanding of intellectual property rights (IPRs) is essential to devising effective marketing strategies.

This handbook begins with the history of Supply Chain (SC) Engineering, it goes on to explain how the SC is connected today, and rounds out with future trends. The overall merit of the book is that it introduces a framework similar to sundial that allows an organization to determine where their company may fall on the SC Technology Scale. The book will describe those who are using more historic technologies, companies that are using current collaboration tools for connecting their SC to other global SCs, and the SCs that are moving more towards cutting edge technologies. This book will be a handbook for practitioners, a teaching resource for academics, and a guide for military contractors. Some figures in the eBook will be in color. Presents a decision model for choosing the best Supply Chain Engineering (SCE) strategies for Service and Manufacturing Operations with respect to Industrial Engineering and Operations Research techniques Offers an economic comparison model for evaluating SCE strategies for manufacturing outsourcing as opposed to keeping operations in-house Demonstrates how to integrate automation techniques such as RFID into planning and distribution operations Provides case studies of SC inventory reductions using automation from AIT and RFID research Covers planning and scheduling, as well as transportation and SC theory and problems