A Framework For Workforce Management An Agent Based Simulation Approach

In today\u27s advanced technology world, enterprises are in a constant state of competition. As the intensity of competition increases the need to continuously improve organizational performance has never been greater. Managers at all levels must be on a constant quest for finding ways to maximize their enterprises\u27 strategic resources. Enterprises can develop sustained competitiveness only if their activities create value in unique ways. There should be an emphasis to transfer this competitiveness to the resources it has on hand and the resources it can develop to be used in this environment. The significance of human capital is even greater now, as the intangible value and the tacit knowledge of enterprises\u27 resources should be strategically managed to achieve a greater level of continuous organizational success. This research effort seeks to provide managers with means for accurate decision making for their workforce management. A framework for modeling and managing human capital to achieve effective workforce planning strategies is built to assist enterprise in their long term strategic organizational goals

Horizontal and Vertical Multiple Implementations in a Model of Industrial Districts

In this paper we discuss strategies concerning the implementation of an agent-based simulation of complex phenomena. The model we consider accounts for population decomposition and interaction in industrial districts. The approach we follow is twofold: on one hand, we implement progressively more complex models using different approaches (vertical multiple implementations); on the other hand, we replicate the agent-based simulation with different implementations using jESOF, JAS and plain C++ (horizontal multiple implementations). By using both different implementation approaches and a multiple implementation strategy, we highlight the benefits that arise when the same model is implemented on radically different simulation environments, comparing the advantages of multiple modeling implementations. Our findings provide some important suggestions in terms of model validation, showing how models of complex systems tend to be extremely sensitive to implementation details. Finally we point out how statistical techniques may be necessary when comparing different platform implementations of a single model.Replication of Models; Model Validation; Agent-Based Simulation

Task-Based Approach to Define Occupant Behaviour in Agent-Based Modelling

This paper presents a development approach and design of a task-centered agent-based model (ABM) to represent the interactions of occupants with a commercial office building. The model is built with the understanding that occupant behaviour is driven by tasks the occupant performs. A contextual task analysis questionnaire explored occupant perspectives on the interactions between their tasks, their individual behaviour and comfort, and the physical characteristics of their workspace. This task-based information defines five ABM elements that represent occupants, task and workspace environment, task list, occupant actions, and the impact of the occupant-workspace interaction on tasks. An example of an occupant, performing a task, and conducting an action in response to an environmental mismatch demonstrates the ABM design. The example discusses the generation of possible actions as well as the result from those actions in terms of task performance and occupant satisfaction. As the ABM design evolves, it will aid in the understanding of occupant behaviour in buildings, and ultimately standardize the approach to occupant behaviours affecting building energy demand

Motivating Organizational Search

This paper investigates the value of high-powered incentives for motivating search for novelty in business organizations. While organizational search critically depends on the individual efforts of employees, motivating search effort is challenged by problems of unobservable behavior and the misalignment of individual and organizational interests. Prior work on organizational design thus suggests that stronger incentives can overcome these problems and make organizations more innovative. To address this conjecture, we develop a computational model of organizational search that rests on two opposing effects of high-powered incentives: On the one hand, they promote higher effort by increasing the potential rewards from search; on the other hand, they increase the competition among ideas, as the ability of an organization to implement and remunerate good ideas is limited by its resource base. Our results indicate that low-powered incentives are effective in generating a sufficient stream of incremental innovations, but that they also result in a shortage of more radical innovations. Stronger incentives, in contrast, do not systematically foster radical innovations either, but instead create a costly oversupply of good ideas. Nonetheless, higher-powered incentives can still be effective in small firms and if strong persistence is required to develop a new idea. Based on the analysis of our model, we develop a set of propositions that appear to be consistent with extant evidence and point to new avenues for empirical research.Organizational search, incentives, innovation, agent-based simulation

Complex Organizations: A Cultural Analysis of a Christian College

The purpose of this study was to understand the emergent dynamics that shape the organizational culture of a faith-based college incorporating a comprehensive network approach. The study adapted Martin\u27s (2002) Three Perspective Theory of Culture utilizing the Dynamic Network Analysis methodology. To understand the cultural manifestations of the organization, several networks of beliefs and agent interactions were examined. The results demonstrated that religious values are deeply embedded in the institution and there is a rich diversity of beliefs within the institution and its subcultures. The role of resources was examined, and financial resources emerged as a crucial element that stresses the operational culture. These findings combined to identify the emergent dichotomies related to ideological and operational cultural manifestations and how they interact together. Additionally, there were two findings that supported Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT). The first finding was that while organizational learning did occur within homogenous subcultures, greater organizational learning was demonstrated when the subcultures were brought together. This finding supported the premise of CLT, which suggests that a diversity of perspectives foster enhanced organizational learning. The second finding supported CLT through identification of clusters of employees utilizing common resources, tasks, and knowledge sets. The implication is for the organization to create bottom-up approaches that interact with existing top-down structures which would enable organizational learning, knowledge development, and problem-solving

Authority and Discretion Tensions, Credible Delegation and Implications for New Organizational Forms

We analyze a key problem in organization theory and design, namely the potential tension between authority (i.e., the power to make decisions which guide the decisions of another person) and the discretion of employees (i.e., the ability of an agent to control resources including his own human capital). The problem is rooted in the fact that in organizations, decisions rights are always loaned rather than owned; a hierarchical superior can always in principle overrule a hierarchical inferior. We provide an integrative treatment of the tensions that are involved in the interaction between authority and discretion, and the motivational problems that may result from this tension. We discuss how these problems may be checked by credible managerial commitments and other mechanisms. The framework is then applied to an analysis of new organizational forms, specifically internal hybrids. Thus, the framework adds to the understanding of the costs and benefits of alternative organizational forms.Managerial intervention, credible delegation, new organizational forms, organizational economics

The Prisoner's Dilemma in the Workplace: How Cooperative Behavior of Managers Influence Organizational Performance and Stress

The aim of the paper is to analyze the impact of cooperativeness of managers who occupy central positions in interaction networks on the performance and stress levels of a whole organization. To explore this relationship, a multi-parameter agent-based model is proposed which implements the Prisoner's Dilemma Game approach on a scale-free network in the NetLogo environment. A description of the socio-economic aspects and the key concepts implemented in the model are provided. Stability and correctness have been tested through a series of validation experiments, including sensitivity analysis. The source code is available for further exploration and testing. The simulations revealed that improving the stress resistance of all employees moderately increases organizational performance. Analyzing managers' roles showed that increasing only the stress resistance of managers does not account for significantly higher overall performance. However, a substantial increase in organizational performance and a decrease in stress levels are achieved when managers are unconditionally cooperative. This effect is stronger for the lowered stress resistance of employees. Therefore, the willingness of managers to cooperate under all circumstances can be a key factor in achieving better performance and building a more pleasant, stress-free working environment. This paper presents a model for analyzing cooperation, specifically in the organizational context, extending the Prisoner's Dilemma with novel concepts and mechanisms. While the results confirm the existing theories about the importance of central nodes in complex networks, they also provide further details on how the cooperative behavior of central nodes (i.e., the managers) might benefit the organization