Do business process reengineering projects payoff? Evidence from the United States

This paper examines whether implementation of business process reengineering (BPR) projects improve firm performance by analyzing a comprehensive data set on large firms in the United States. The performance measures utilized in the paper are labor productivity, return on assets, and return on equity. We show that firm performance increases after the BPR projects are finalized, while it remains unaffected during execution. We also find that functionally focused BPR projects on average contribute more to performance than those with a broader cross-functional scope. This may be an indication that potential failure risk of BPR projects may increase beyond a certain level of scope.     

Exceedance Degree-Hours: A new method for assessing long-term thermal conditions

Several “discomfort indices” have been proposed and codified into building standards, with several needs usually reported for such indices. They should: express the severity of discomfort in time steps while incorporating all environmental and personal factors; be usable with any comfort model (and thus, a variety of interests, for example, traditional thermal comfort, sleep comfort), among other requirements. The existing indices, however, fall short of meeting all these goals, limiting their usefulness in many situations, such as assessing conditions in mixed-mode buildings, especially when used for building performance simulation and design optimization purposes. Here, a new discomfort index called “Exceedance Degree-Hours” is developed, which accounts for all six main environmental and personal factors. By using an equivalent temperature index, “Exceedance Degree-Hours” can capture variations in discomfort severity between different thermal conditions that other indices cannot. In contrast with other indices, “Exceedance Degree-Hours” can be paired with various comfort definitions from literature, and, importantly, it can be used to assess thermal comfort in mixed-mode buildings, providing a single value as a result. Here, the results of the proposed method are compared to those of existing discomfort indices suggested in standards, and the advantages and limitations of the proposed approach are discussed.     

Scorecards for sustainable local governments

The current paper addresses the issue of performance measurement and benchmarking in local government. It briefly reviews some relevant international experiences and categorizes the existing assessment tools according to their general features. The authors argue that more than the benchmarking results themselves it is the evaluation process that matters. Furthermore, it is suggested that focusing only on effectiveness (e.g. ensuring the availability of certain public services) or efficiency (e.g. achieving good economic performance), is no longer consistent with the challenges that local decision-makers are now facing. Based on this, a conceptual model for benchmarking the “sustainability” of local governments is proposed. The illustrative municipal scorecard is presented for the city of Lisbon. The results show that using a comprehensive approach and a set of simple and carefully selected quantitative and qualitative indicators may empower citizens to act as “armchair auditors” and encourage local governments to realign their objectives.     

大学流程再造（UPR）及其实施问题研究

借鉴BPR（企业流程再造）理论,探索UPR（大学流程再造）这一全新的教育管理观念和模式,丰富大学教育管理理论。重点对UPR的实施原则和配套措施做了讨论。     

燃气企业管理信息系统的业务流程再造

管理信息系统建设中实施必要的业务流程再造是燃气企业信息化的基础性工作之一。论述了燃气企业在实施业务流程再造中的共性问题,提出了普遍意义上的解决方案。结合实例,对其中一个关键业务流程再造方案进行了图解和分析。     

Development of building thermal environment emulator to evaluate the performance of the HVAC system operation

A “performance gap” arises when the actual value of building energy consumption during the operational phase deviates from the value predicted using simulation during the design phase. One cause of this performance gap is that operation is not ideal, as assumed in the simulation, and the control of the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is not optimized. These problems occur because the operator has not been trained sufficiently and/or the building automation system is not working as intended by the developer. Both problems are fundamentally caused by the fact that the quality of building operation cannot be quantitatively evaluated by comparison with other buildings because a building is a heterogenous, single-item product. To address the performance gap problem, we developed a method for quantitatively evaluating building operation using a precise simulation based on a thermal environment emulator. The emulator software was developed using the BACnet protocol as an interface to the real world and includes an occupant behavior model to enable the assessment of operation in terms of thermal comfort as well as energy performance. In this paper, we report on the program and network structure of the proposed emulator. In addition, we show the concrete results of changing the operational control, and we assess changes in energy performance and comfort from the perspective of Pareto efficiency.     

多视角建筑节能综合评价应用

基参照相关规范、指标类型和筛选原则描述了一个集合设计、施工和后期运营使用全过程的建筑节能评价指标体系。在此基础上,利用主成分分析方法,建立了一个从节能技术先进性、经济效益性及经济技术综合评价等多个视角同时比选节能方案的评价模型,可以满足不管是创新性非盈利国家投资项目、盈利性国家投资项目还是微观盈利主体的项目等多个角色的不同需求。取不同围护结构形式的钢框架-剪力墙建筑的2个节能方案的比选作典型案例研究,验证了该评价模型的可行性。     

改进的层次分析法在绿色建筑设计方案优选中的应用

根据《绿色建筑评价标准》及《绿色建筑技术导则》,遴选与设计方案有关的评价内容,构建对绿色建筑设计方案进行优选的评价指标体系,在此基础上引入改进的层次分析法（三标度法）确定综合评价各指标的权重,在邀请评标专家对各评价指标进行打分的基础上,计算出该备选方案的综合得分,从中选出最优方案.最后,以实例证明了该评价体系的有效性和实用性.     

结构方案设计模糊多属性决策的模糊贴近度方法

结构方案设计具有典型的“软科学”决策特点,需要运用“软设计”理论和“软计算”方法进行此类问题的求解。结构方案设计的问题求解过程包括方案生成、方案评价和方案决策三个子过程。其中,结构方案的决策属于典型的多属性决策问题,决策过程中需要运用决策者的偏好信息和方案属性的不确定性信息,因此,采用传统的多准则决策理论不能对此问题进行有效的求解。为此,本文建立了结构方案设计的模糊多属性决策模型,给出了属性模糊满意度矩阵的确定方法,以有效地处理模糊信息。为了克服直接采用欧式距离确定偏好最优方案的缺点,提出了一个基于模糊贴近度的模糊多属性决策方法,并给出了具体的求解程序。以某大跨空间结构方案设计为例,说明了结构设计方案优选的决策过程。实例应用的结果表明,本文提出的方法可以有效地处理不确定性环境下结构方案的优选决策问题。     

Automated performance measurement for 3D building modeling decisions

Building information modeling (BIM) is instrumental in documenting design, enhancing customer experience, and improving product functionality in capital projects. However, high-quality building models do not happen by accident, but rather because of a managed process that involves several participants from different disciplines and backgrounds. Throughout this process, the different priorities of design modelers often result in conflicts that can negatively impact project outcomes. To prevent such unwanted outcomes from occurring, the modeling process needs to be effectively managed. This effective management requires an ability to closely monitor the modeling process and correctly measure the modelers' performance. Nevertheless, existing methods of performance monitoring in building design practices lack an objective measurement system to quantify modeling progress. The widespread utilization of BIM tools presents a unique opportunity to retrieve granular design process data and conduct accurate performance measurements. This research improves upon previous efforts by presenting a novel application programming interface (API)-enabled approach to (a) automatically collect detailed model development data directly from BIM software packages in real-time, and (b) efficiently calculate several modeling performance measures during schematic and design development phases of building projects. These indicators can be used to properly arrange modeling teams in the quest for high-quality building models. The specific objectives of this study to examine the feasibility of a proposed automated design performance measurement framework, and to identify optimal modeling team configurations using empirical performance information. A passive data recording approach allows for the real-time capture of comprehensive user interface (UI) interaction and model element modification events. The proposed framework is implemented as an Autodesk Revit plugin. Next, an experiment is conducted to capture data using the developed Revit plugin. Experiment participants' individual production rates are estimated to establish the validity of the proposed approach to identify the optimal design team configuration. The presented approach uses the earliest due date (EDD) sequencing rule in combination with the critical path method (CPM) to calculate the maximum lateness for different design team arrangements.     

基于客户价值的工程机械售后服务管理

1客户价值决定客户满意度随着产品同质化现象越来越严重,服务成为企业留住客户、赢得竞争的一张重要王牌。比如海尔凭借五星级服务建立起白色家电王国,海底捞依靠"肉麻式"服务在红海竞争中博得一席之地。服务不仅成为企业成功的基石,而且将构建起新的行业壁垒,彻底改变现有的行业竞争格局。客户满意与否是评价服务优劣的     

基于熵值法的建筑施工企业用户满意度测评

在我国,建筑施工企业用户满意度模型的研究已经有了一定的发展,建筑施工企业客户满意度所涉及的影响因素及关联客户比较广泛。传统的客户满意度指标权重确定方法均存在很强的主观性,针对这一局限性,采用熵值法对测评指标进行处理,通过各评价指标熵权的大小,判断该指标对系统提供有用信息的贡献程度,进而决定其重要性,改进了传统的客户满意度指标权重的确定方法,直接利用原始调查数据进行数学分析,在一定程度上避免了对指标权重的主观评定,为企业在提高用户满意度战略上提供客观、科学的理论依据。     

A guide to using the WWW to survey BPR research, practitioners andtools

The World Wide Web is an information rich resource, now increasingly accessible in businesses as well as academe. Business process reengineering (BPR), often with an information technology focus, is particularly well served by WWW reports, case studies and information. This article gives an overview of how to use the WWW to gather information, and reviews WWW BPR information, including: researchers, practitioners and providers of enabling technologies     

An integrated modeling mechanism for optimizing the simulation model of the construction operation

A planner may use the discrete-event simulation to analyze and design the construction operation process that optimizes the overall performance of a construction system. Normally, the basic elements used in construction operation process simulation system, such as CYCLONE (CYCLic Operation NEtworks), are “activity” and “queue.” Activity is used to model the task which consumes resources and takes time to perform. Queue acts as a storage location for resources entering an idle state. In the simulation system, queues have to be created according to the ways of assigning resources to activities. Conventionally, planner defines queues according to his/her judgment by determining which and what amount of resources should be allocated to which activity. Consequently, various modeling schemes have to be examined to obtain the best simulation model. However, such a process of creating queues and activities is time consuming and requires iterations. This paper introduces a Genetic Algorithms (GA)-based modeling mechanism to automate the process of selecting the optimal modeling scheme. Case study shows that this new modeling mechanism along with the implemented computer program not only can ease the process of developing the optimal resource combination but also improve the system performance of the simulation model.     

The factors influencing the success of on-going agile software development projects

We propose a model consisting of five people-factors that influence the success of on-going agile software development projects, success being measured in terms of cost, time, and customer satisfaction. After surveying 216 agile practitioners, the results obtained using SEM-PLS suggest that “team capability” and “customer involvement” are the main factors contributing to the success of on-going agile software development projects. These results were triangulated with the mixed-methods approach of a focus group, which supported the findings. By knowing which factors are truly important to achieve success, managers and teams will be able to establish priorities, thereby improving project outcomes. We address this matter, along with research limitations and future work.     

Assessing contractor quality performance

This paper proposes a radical change in industry practice that will improve the quality of the construction process and the levels of customer satisfaction derived from it by evaluating the quality performance of the contractor. An alternative theory is developed of what constitutes quality, client satisfaction, performance, and their interrelationships in the context of the construction industry. It should be noted here that the term construction client includes both the owner (i.e. the agency or organization funding the project) and the end-user of the construction (i.e. the general public). A comprehensive view of construction quality is proposed that deals with both the service (as received by the owner) and product (as received by the end-user) aspects of the construction project as well as the corporate quality culture. Such a dissection of construction activity facilitates developing strategies to define, operationalize, measure and improve construction quality. A frame4 work for the assessment of a contractor's quality performance is established. This involves gathering a list of contractor quality performance (CQP) indicators that are derived from various quality-related practices of the contractor at the corporate and project level. Finally, a contractor quality performance (CQP) evaluation model is introduced that can be used in a contractor prequalification and/or selection system. The CQP indicators are operationalized within the theoretical framework of the CQP evaluation model.     

The conditions for successful automated collaboration in construction

A building assignment is a complex task that demands collaborative working if added value is to be achieved for users and society.The problem today is that the building object is a combination of design results, because the collaborative working is not well organized or well managed as a result of a lack of insight into relevant process variables.This study used desk research and case study research to identify variables that have an active relationship with collaborative working in design meetings.The variables that describe a design meeting were established by analyzing 37 meetings during the product and production design phases of a prototype of an industrial, flexible, and demountable building system.The result of this study is that the variables “Aim of meeting,” “Control of meeting,” “Participants,” “Tools,” and “Outcomes” are a suitable set to describe successful collaborative working in design meetings.     

Benchmarking-based process reengineering for construction management

In order to determine the most suited best practice processes to be implemented, a benchmarked company must conduct an accurate analysis of the gaps between best-practice processes and its own processes in order to redesign business processes successfully. This study applies benchmarking to BPR and meanwhile integrates semantic similarities and trend model concepts to develop a benchmarking-oriented process reengineering (BOPR) approach that will enable a project team to determine the best-practice company process most suited to benchmarked company needs. In BOPR approach, the concepts of semantic similarities analysis was applied to find the semantic-related objects between best-practice processes and benchmarking process; and the trend model methodology was applied to evaluate the degree of communication ease for best-practice processes once such are implemented in the benchmarked company. Finally, a procurement process case study from best-practice companies was analyzed to validate the feasibility of the developed BOPR method. In the case study, the BOPR method was implemented for the benchmarked company to assist the project team to determine the best choice paradigm for their benchmarking project.     

基于模糊概率方法的软土隧道结构性态风险评估

利用模糊数学中的模糊概率理论,建立了软土隧道结构性态的模糊概率综合评估模型。模型应用模糊权重的概念,充分考虑了权重的模糊性以避免权重取值的不确定性。结合影响软土隧道结构性态的主要因素,选取渗漏水范围、横向水平位移、隧道断面收敛位移和钢筋泄露电流密度为主要评估影响因子,同时将隧道结构性态风险等级划分为优秀、良好、一般和较差4个等级,进而使评估结果更为精细。算例分析表明了文中方法对软土隧道结构性态风险评估的合理性和有效性。     

Proactive problem-solver for construction

Construction is an experience-based discipline. Knowledge or experience accumulated from previous projects plays a very important role in successful performance of new works. More and more construction organizations have adopted commercial Knowledge Management Systems (KMSs) to develop their own Knowledge Management (KM) functionalities. Most of the existing KMSs adopt Communities of Practice (CoPs) for knowledge sharing and exchange. Such an approach is found on the reactive problem-solver (RPS); that is, the problem raised by the questioner in the CoP has to “wait” for the “solution knower” to respond (or reply). Previous research indicated that the RPS approach may suffer in poor time and cost effectiveness. This paper proposes a Proactive Problem-Solver (PPS) approach for the problems encountered in construction engineering and management. Unlike RPS, the PPS proactively solves the problem based on lessons learned from previous projects. Should the solution be not available; the PPS dispatches the problem to the most appropriate domain experts so that the problem can be tackled timely and efficiently. A case A/E consulting firm is selected for implementation of the proposed PPS to demonstrate its applicability. It is shown that the proposed PPS improves more than 89.5% of efficiency both for timeliness and cost-saving of problem-solving. The proposed PPS demonstrates great potentials for improvement of emergent problem solving and enhancement of market competitiveness of a construction organization.