Assessing digital preservation frameworks: the approach of the SHAMAN project

How can we deliver infrastructure capable of supporting the preservation of digital objects, as well as the services that can be applied to those digital objects, in ways that future unknown systems will understand? A critical problem in developing systems is the process of validating whether the delivered solution effectively reflects the validated requirements. This is a challenge also for the EU-funded SHAMAN project, which aims to develop an integrated preservation framework using grid-technologies for distributed networks of digital preservation systems, for managing the storage, access, presentation, and manipulation of digital objects over time. Recognising this, the project team ensured that alongside the user requirements an assessment framework was developed. This paper presents the assessment of the SHAMAN demonstrators for the memory institution, industrial design and engineering and eScience domains, from the point of view of user’s needs and fitness for purpose. An innovative synergistic use of TRAC criteria, DRAMBORA risk registry and mitigation strategies, iRODS rules and information system models requirements has been designed, with the underlying goal to define associated policies, rules and state information, and make them wherever possible machine-encodable and enforceable. The described assessment framework can be valuable not only for the implementers of this project preservation framework, but for the wider digital preservation community, because it provides a holistic approach to assessing and validating the preservation of digital libraries, digital repositories and data centres

A framework to review performance measurement systems.

This paper describes a structured review framework for managing business performance. The framework entails the review of both business performance, including thestrategic relevance of the measures, as well as the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance measurement system itself. A range of approaches and tools are employed in the framework which features a review card providing a high level view of the review process, showing the different types of review perspectives and their interactions

Performance measurement : challenges for tomorrow

This paper demonstrates that the context within which performance measurement is used is changing. The key questions posed are: Is performance measurement ready for the emerging context? What are the gaps in our knowledge? and Which lines of enquiry do we need to pursue? A literature synthesis conducted by a team of multidisciplinary researchers charts the evolution of the performance-measurement literature and identifies that the literature largely follows the emerging business and global trends. The ensuing discussion introduces the currently emerging and predicted future trends and explores how current knowledge on performance measurement may deal with the emerging context. This results in identification of specific challenges for performance measurement within a holistic systems-based framework. The principle limitation of the paper is that it covers a broad literature base without in-depth analysis of a particular aspect of performance measurement. However, this weakness is also the strength of the paper. What is perhaps most significant is that there is a need for rethinking how we research the field of performance measurement by taking a holistic systems-based approach, recognizing the integrated and concurrent nature of challenges that the practitioners, and consequently the field, face

VR-PMS: a new approach for performance measurement and management of industrial systems

A new performance measurement and management framework based on value and risk is proposed. The proposed framework is applied to the modelling and evaluation of the a priori performance evaluation of manufacturing processes and to deciding on their alternatives. For this reason, it consistently integrates concepts relevant to objectives, activity, and risk in a single framework comprising a conceptual value/risk model, and it conceptualises the idea of value- and risk based performance management in a process context. In addition, a methodological framework is developed to provide guidelines for the decision-makers or performance evaluators of the processes. To facilitate the performance measurement and management process, this latter framework is organized in four phases: context establishment, performance modelling, performance assessment, and decision-making. Each phase of the framework is then instrumented with state of-the-art quantitative analysis tools and methods. For process design and evaluation, the deliverable of the value- and risk-based performance measurement and management system (VR-PMS) is a set of ranked solutions (i.e. alternative business processes) evaluated against the developed value and risk indicators. The proposed VR-PMS is illustrated with a case study from discrete parts manufacturing but is indeed applicable to a wide range of processes or systems

Mapping Varieties of Industrial Relations: Eurofound\u27s Analytical Framework Applied

Eurofound’s 2016 report Mapping key dimensions of industrial relations identified four key dimensions of industrial relations: industrial democracy, industrial competitiveness, social justice, and quality of work and employment. This report builds upon that earlier study, developing a dashboard of 45 indicators to assess how and to what extent the conceptual framework of these key dimensions can be applied at national level. The indicators were tested across the Member States by Eurofound’s Network of European Correspondents and show reasonable accuracy when used to map the predominant features and trends of the national industrial relations systems. The study confirms that a dashboard of indicators that can accurately measure and summarise the complex reality of industrial relations across the EU is a valuable tool for comparative research and a useful instrument for supporting policymakers, social partners and stakeholders. The report sets out a range of options for further developing this conceptual approach

Core Indicators for Determinants and Performance of Electricity Sector in Developing Countries

Since the early 1990s, substantial resources and effort have been spent on implementing market-oriented electricity reform in developing countries. Important sectoral, economic, and social dimensions are involved in electricity reform, but empirical analysis and evaluation have been of limited use for testing the economic rationale of reform and policy advice. This may partly be attributed to a lack of generally accepted and measured indicators for monitoring progress, impact and performance, unlike areas such as health, education, environment, sustainable development. In this paper we propose a set of indicators as a first step towards filling this gap and developing a coherent framework for studying electricity reform in developing countries covering resource and institutional endowments, key reform steps, market structure, performance, and various impacts.The World Bank Electricity Research Programme and the CMI Electricity Project (IR-45

Structured approach to measure performance in construction research and development: performance measurement system development

Purpose of this paper: This study explore Performance Measurement applications within construction research and development (R\&D) to develop a structured approach to measure the performance of collaborative construction R\&D projects during its lifecycle from initiation, conceptualising, development and launch stages and at the project management. Design/methodology/approach: During the exploratory phase of the study, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey were carried out to develop the performance measurement system (PMS). During the explanatory phase, the developed PMS was refined with a series of semi-structured interviews. The data was gathered from principal investigators, researchers and industrial partners involved in collaborative construction R\&D work. Findings: Main finding is the developed PMS to measure the performance of construction R\&D that consists of critical success factors, performance indicators and performance measures during the lifecycle of a R\&D project. Practical implications: The PMS developed through the study provides critical success factors, performance indicators and measures that need to be considered during the construction R\&D projects to measure the performance. Thus, through the implementation of the PMS, this study contributes to practice by assisting the performance improvement within construction R\&D projects. What is original / value of paper?: The developed PMS to measure the performance of construction R\&D project will provide value for those who are engaged in R\&D work (Principle investigators, researcher and industrial partners) to ensure the success of their projects

Turning marketing promises into business value: The experience of an industrial SME

The article studies the value that businesses should have for their customers and shareholders. It explains how to develop such value to meet or exceed customer's expectations through the application of the promise framework. The promise model includes promises made to customers, promises kept, and promises that involve a synchronized effort from the whole firm to create and deliver value to customers