Determinants of business sustainability: An ergonomics perspective

There is a need to integrate both macro- and micro-ergonomic approaches for the effective implementation of interventions designed to improve the root causes of problems such as work safety, quality and productivity in the enterprise system. The objective of this study was to explore from an ergonomics perspective the concept of business sustainability through optimising the worker–work environment interface. The specific aims were: (a) to assess the working conditions of a production department work process with the goal to jointly optimise work safety, quality and quantity; (b) to evaluate the enterprise-wide work process at the system level as a social entity in an attempt to trace the root causes of ergonomic issues impacting employees throughout the work process. The Work Compatibility Model was deployed to examine the experiences of workers (that is, effort, perceived risk/benefit, performance and satisfaction/dissatisfaction or psychological impact) and their associations with the complex domains of the work environment (task content, physical and non-physical work environment and conditions for learning/growth/development). This was followed by assessment of the enterprise system through detailed interviews with department managers and lead workers. A system diagnostic instrument was also constructed from information derived from the published literature to evaluate the enterprise system performance. The investigation of the production department indicated that the stress and musculoskeletal pain experienced by workers (particularly on the day shift) were derived from sources elsewhere in the work process. The enterprise system evaluation and detailed interviews allowed the research team to chart the feed-forward and feedback stress propagation loops in the work system. System improvement strategies were extracted on the basis of tacit/explicit knowledge obtained from department managers and lead workers. In certain situations concerning workplace human performance issues, a combined macro–micro ergonomic methodology is essential to solve the productivity, quality and safety issues impacting employees along the trajectory or path of the enterprise-wide work process. In this study, the symptoms associated with human performance issues in one production department work process had root causes originating in the customer service department work process. In fact, the issues found in the customer service department caused performance problems elsewhere in the enterprise-wide work process such as the traffic department. Sustainable enterprise solutions for workplace human performance require the integration of macro- and micro-ergonomic approaches.     

The Work Compatibility Improvement Framework: an integrated perspective of the human-at-work system

The industrial revolution demonstrated the limitations of a pure mechanistic approach towards work design. Human work is now seen as a complex entity that involves different scientific branches and blurs the line between mental and physical activities. Job design has been a traditional concern of applied psychology, which has provided insight into the interaction between the individual and the work environment. The goal of this paper is to introduce the human-at-work system as a holistic approach to organizational design. It postulates that the well-being of workers and work outcomes are issues that need to be addressed jointly, moving beyond traditional concepts of job satisfaction and work stress. The work compatibility model (WCM) is introduced as an engineering approach that seeks to integrate previous constructs of job and organizational design. The WCM seeks a balance between energy expenditure and replenishment. The implementation of the WCM in industrial settings is described within the context of the Work Compatibility Improvement Framework. A sample review of six models (motivation-hygiene theory; job characteristics theory; person-environment fit; demand-control model; and balance theory) provides the foundation for the interaction between the individual and the work environment. A review of three workload assessment methods (position analysis questionnaire, job task analysis and NASA task load index) gives an example of the foundation for the taxonomy of work environment domains. Previous models have sought to identify a balance state for the human-at-work system. They differentiated between the objective and subjective effects of the environment and the worker. An imbalance between the person and the environment has been proven to increase health risks. The WCM works with a taxonomy of 12 work domains classified in terms of the direct (acting) or indirect (experienced) effect on the worker. In terms of measurement, two quantitative methods are proposed to measure the state of the system. The first method introduced by Abdallah et al. (2004) identifies operating zones. The second method introduced by Salem et al. (2006) identifies the distribution of the work elements on the x/y coordinate plane. While previous efforts have identified some relevant elements of the systems, they failed to provide a holistic, quantitative approach combining organizational and human factors into a common framework. It is postulated that improving the well-being of workers will simultaneously improve organizational outcomes. The WCM moves beyond previous models by providing a hierarchical structure of work domains and a combination of methods to diagnose any organizational setting. The WCM is an attempt to achieve organizational excellence in human resource management, moving beyond job design to an integrated improvement strategy. A joint approach to organizational and job design will not only result in decreased prevalence of health risks, but in enhanced organizational effectiveness as well. The implementation of the WCM, that is, the Work Compatibility Improvement Framework, provides the basis for integrating different elements of the work environment into a single reliable construct. An improvement framework is essential to ensure that the measures of the WCM result in a system that is adaptive and self-regulated.     

K-means算法在入侵检测系统上的应用与优化

入侵检测技术作为一种积极主动的安全防护手段,在保护计算机网络和信息安全中起到了越来越大的作用.数据挖掘通过从大型数据集抽取知识能够保证入侵检测技术异常检测有更高的准确率,并能够让误用检测中的已知行为模式的规则定义更加合理.本文选取了K-means算法作为例子,重点探讨了其算法本身的优缺点,对算法进行了改善,并对如何运用在入侵检测技术上做出了一定的说明,对入侵检测系统的改进提出了自己的见解.     

Educational and intervention strategies for improving a shift system: an experience in a disabled persons' facility

The improvement of an irregular three-shift system with anti-clockwise rotation of workers of a disabled persons' facility covering 42 h a week was a subject for management-labour debate. Workers were complaining of physical fatigue, high prevalence of low back pain, sleep shortages associated with short inter-shift intervals, and irregular holidays. With the co-operation of trade union members, an educational and intervention programme was designed to analyse, plan, and implement improved shift rotation schemes. The programme consisted of (a) a group study on the existing system and effects on health and working life; (b) joint planning of potential schemes; (c) communication and feedback (d) testing and evaluation; and (e) agreement on an improved system. The group study was undertaken by means of time study, questionnaire and physiological methods, and the results were jointly discussed. This led to the planning of alternative shift schemes incorporating more regular, clockwise rotation. It was agreed to stage a trial period with a view to shorter working hours. This experience indicated the importance of a stepwise intervention strategy with frequent dialogues and a participatory process focusing on the broad range of working life and health issues.     

影响Oracle数据库应用系统性能的因素分析与改进

在多年从事Oracle应用系统开发及运行维护经验的基础上,分析总结出Oracle数据库应用系统在设计、编码及部署阶段影响性能瓶颈的诸多因素,提出改进性能品质的解决办法及思路,以实现对应用软件产品性能品质的提升,并且事实证明数据库应用系统的性能能够得到良好的控制和改善。     

Safety leadership and systems thinking: application and evaluation of a Risk Management Framework in the mining industry

Abstract

Safety leadership is an important factor in supporting safety in high-risk industries. This article contends that applying systems-thinking methods to examine safety leadership can support improved learning from incidents. A case study analysis was undertaken of a large-scale mining landslide incident in which no injuries or fatalities were incurred. A multi-method approach was adopted, in which the Critical Decision Method, Rasmussen’s Risk Management Framework and Accimap method were applied to examine the safety leadership decisions and actions which enabled the safe outcome. The approach enabled Rasmussen’s predictions regarding safety and performance to be examined in the safety leadership context, with findings demonstrating the distribution of safety leadership across leader and system levels, and the presence of vertical integration as key to supporting the successful safety outcome. In doing so, the findings also demonstrate the usefulness of applying systems-thinking methods to examine and learn from incidents in terms of what ‘went right’. The implications, including future research directions, are discussed.

Practitioner Summary: This paper presents a case study analysis, in which systems-thinking methods are applied to the examination of safety leadership decisions and actions during a large-scale mining landslide incident. The findings establish safety leadership as a systems phenomenon, and furthermore, demonstrate the usefulness of applying systems-thinking methods to learn from incidents in terms of what ‘went right’. Implications, including future research directions, are discussed.     

The Compatibility of Binary Characters on Phylogenetic Networks: Complexity and Parameterized Algorithms

In a recent article, Nakhleh, Ringe and Warnow introduced perfect phylogenetic networks—a model of language evolution where languages do not evolve via clean speciation—and formulated a set of problems for their accurate reconstruction. Their new methodology assumes networks, rather than trees, as the correct model to capture the evolutionary history of natural languages. They proved the NP-hardness of the problem of testing whether a network is a perfect phylogenetic one for characters exhibiting at least three states, leaving open the case of binary characters, and gave a straightforward brute-force parameterized algorithm for the problem of running time O(3 ^k n), where k is the number of bidirectional edges in the network and n is its size. In this paper, we first establish the NP-hardness of the binary case of the problem. Then we provide a more efficient parameterized algorithm for this case running in time O(2 ^k n ²). The presented algorithm is very simple, and utilizes some structural results and elegant operations developed in this paper that can be useful on their own in the design of heuristic algorithms for the problem. The analysis phase of the algorithm is very elegant using amortized techniques to show that the upper bound on the running time of the algorithm is much tighter than the upper bound obtained under a conservative worst-case scenario assumption. Our results bear significant impact on reconstructing evolutionary histories of languages—particularly from phonological and morphological character data, most of which exhibit at most two states (i.e., are binary), as well as on the design and analysis of parameterized algorithms. Research of I.A. Kanj was supported in part by DePaul University Competitive Research Grant.     

The Design, Performance, and Use of DiPerF: An automated DIstributed PERformance evaluation Framework

We present DiPerF, a DIstributed PERformance evaluation Framework, aimed at simplifying and automating performance evaluation of networked services. DiPerF coordinates a pool of machines that access a target service and collect performance measurements, aggregates these measurements, and generates performance statistics. The aggregate data collected provide information on service throughput, service response time, service ‘fairness’ when serving multiple clients concurrently, and on the impact of network connectivity on service performance. We have used DiPerF in various environments (PlanetLab, Grid3, TeraGrid, and a cluster) and with a large number of services. This paper provides data that demonstrates that DiPerF is accurate: The aggregate client view matches the tested service view within a few percents, and scalable: DiPerF can handle more than 10,000 clients and 100,000 transactions per second. Moreover, rapid adoption and extensive use demonstrate that the ability to automate performance characteristics extraction makes DiPerF a valuable tool.     

The e-capacity of primary schools: Development of a conceptual model and scale construction from a school improvement perspective

In the search for factors affecting the use of ICT in educational settings, several authors have presented holistic conceptual frameworks. In this study, we argue that while these models are valuable sources for conducting qualitative research, they are less useful for quantitative research since few measurement scales have been created. We present an empirically tested conceptual framework to further examine the complex process of integrating ICT for instructional purposes. This model has been developed from a school improvement perspective and considers the e-capacity of a school as an overarching concept. E-capacity refers to the schools' ability to create and optimise sustainable school level and teacher level conditions to bring about effective ICT change. The conditions identified are based on a literature review in the change and school improvement literature and the ICT integration literature. All conditions have been translated into reliable measurement scales. Questionnaire data were collected from a representative teacher sample (N = 471) in 62 primary school in Belgium (Flanders). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted indicating good goodness of fit estimates and good internal consistency.     

Quality through Managed Improvement and Measurement (QMIM): Towards a Phased Development and Implementation of a Quality Management System for a Software Company

The paper describes results of a longitudinal study of developments in the area of software product and process quality improvement within a Hungarian software company, IQSOFT Ltd. This company has been active in this area since 1993, trying to build, introduce and maintain an efficiently working quality management system which, e.g., fulfils the ISO 9001 requirements, allows steady software process improvement and, at the same time, conforms to company's own needs. Over the last eight years five phases could be distinguished. Each phase is described shortly, following the same structure, namely: basic starting points, key problem areas, literature consulted, activities and design executed, reflections on what happened and why. The lessons resulting from the analysis of this case have been formulated in terms of guidelines. We feel that these are applicable to any low maturity software development organisation embarking on a product or process quality improvement endeavour. These guidelines are developed around a framework containing the basic issues of software production (project management, technical processes and products). The guidelines advocate a careful step-by-step development of definitions, quality characteristics, and metrics related to these objects while at the same time developing and introducing the associated process.     

Investigating the effects of experience on human performance in an object-tracking task: a case study of manual rendezvous and docking

Human involvement with the manual control of object-tracking tasks, such as manual rendezvous and docking, can enhance the flexibility of the task. The operator is required to make decisions as precisely as possible when a chase vehicle is approaching the target vehicle. As the level of mental workload is intensively increased, the operator's perception and decision-making with tracking error-correcting purposes should be properly identified in multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs). The two experimental studies in this paper were conducted for object-based selective attention in six DOFs and object-pointing manipulation under the zero resistance circumstance, which were correlated with human performance when a chaser approached a target spacecraft; the effects of experience level on the two important factors are presented herein. The experimental results demonstrated that some performance details between the novice and experienced groups were different in terms of the attentional priority of multiple DOFs and lateral/vertical movement for deviation error correction, which could provide a certain reference for a cognitive–behavioural model and assist the operator in obtaining proper or even optimal decision-making or operating instructions to improve their adaptation to selective attention and object-pointing manipulation, for preventing accidental manipulation and performance degradation.     

有线电视网络综合管理系统的构建与应用

本文详细阐述了有线电视网络计算机综合管理系统的构建与应用 ,该系统涵盖有线电视网络管理的各个方面 ,包括地理信息系统、收费系统、故障申告系统及人事、收支管理系统 ,可实现有线电视网络管理自动化 ,使用情况表明该系统稳定、安全、可靠     

IT-enabled knowledge ambidexterity and innovation performance in small U.S. firms: The moderator role of social media capability

This study examines the impact of information technology (IT)-enabled knowledge ambidexterity on innovation performance, and the potential moderator role of social media capability on a sample composed of 100 small U.S. firms. The empirical analysis suggests that IT infrastructure enables the firm to explore new knowledge and exploit existing/new knowledge to innovate more and better. We also find that social media capability has a positive moderator role in this equation: IT infrastructure and social media capabilities work together to enable knowledge ambidexterity.