A Framework to Evaluate Software Developer’s Productivity The VALORTIA Project

Currently, there is a lack in companies developing software in relation to assessing their staff’s productivity before executing software projects, with the aim of improving effectiveness and efficiency. QuEF (Quality Evaluation Framework) is a framework that allows defining quality management tasks based on a model. The main purpose of this framework is twofold: improve an entity’s continuous quality, and given a context, decide between a set of entity’s instances on the most appropriate one. Thus, the aim of this paper is to make this framework available to evaluate productivity of professionals along software development and select the most appropriate experts to implement the suggested project. For this goal, Valortia platform, capable of carrying out this task by following the QuEF framework guidelines, is designed. Valortia is a platform to certify users' knowledge on a specific area and centralize all certification management in its model by means of providing protocols and methods for a suitable management, improving efficiency and effectiveness, reducing cost and ensuring continuous quality.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TIN2013-46928-C3-3-

The Interorganizational Dynamics of Brand Alliances.

The objective of the research is to put in evidence the interorganizational dynamics of brand alliances. More specifically the aim of the paper is to identify the business-to-business interactions within brand alliances through the governance adaptations that occur during a period of time. We show that these governance adaptations result from external (competitive pressure, value perception by consumers and customers) as well as internal forces (objectives and expectations of the partners, network positions, resources of the partners). Consequently the level of stability in the long run of brand alliances can be linked to organizational factors. To do our demonstration we propose an analytical framework that combines IMP concepts with theoretical works on dynamics of strategic alliances. The methodology follows the case study approach, with an empirical application to two examples of brand alliances: a certification brand with a banana brand on the Fair Trade market, and an association brand with a processed pork brand on the health food market.Relations interorganisationnelles; Gouvernance d'entreprise; Marque; Value; Brand Alliances;

Quality and it's Role in Growth of Bosnian and Herzegovinian Economy

Nowadays in an extremely competitive environment one of the most important issues is efficient management of total business processes which as a result should lead to achieving better financial and development goals and fulfilling customer’s wishes. Efficient management turns to be quality management which includes different methods and techniques. Achieving expected quality of the products and services, as well as total business processes in all aspects, is the only way of surviving in this competitive environment. Framework for the quality implementation in the company is postulates of the different quality concept, such as TQM, Kaizen or Six Sigma. ISO and other certificates are assurance of the product quality. On the other hand, it can be very effective means for entering foreign markets. Due to importance of mentioned concepts and importance of obtaining certificates, this paper is focused on the methodology of the quality management as well as on experiences from real sector and research results. Main aim of research is to determine practical assumptions for efficient quality management and its role in a growth of economy.total business processes, TQM, Kaizen, Six Sigma, ISO, growth of economy

TRACEABILITY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE MEAT SUPPLY CHAIN: IMPLICATIONS FOR FIRM ORGANIZATION AND MARKET STRUCTURE

The traditional food supply chain is arranged as a complex array of producers, handlers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. As the food supply chain grew in complexity over time, little emphasis was placed on preserving information regarding the origin of raw materials and their transformation, often by multiple handlers, into consumer-ready products. This paper provides case illustrations of the implementation of information systems for support of traceability in Europe. Observations on these firms coupled with the literature on information asymmetry and transactions costs is used to provide insights into how traceability implementation might affect U.S. meat-industry structure.Agribusiness, Industrial Organization,

Generic object models and business process (re)design.

This paper explores the capacities of generic object-relationship models in the context of business process modeling and business process re-engineering. The presentation is based on a framework for strategic business function typology. It is shown how generic models can be developed for each kind of business function within the typology. Business process re-engineering can be represented by transformations of business models, corresponding to shifts within the typology framework. Although the results of the paper are presented by means of one particular dialect of the object-relationship approach, the results remain valid for all object oriented approaches that make use of objects and relationships. This paper contributes to the further formalisation of business process modeling.Models; Model; Processes;

The Quality of Audits - A Comparative Study of Auditing and Certification Schemes in the Food Sector

In spite of the increasing number of certification schemes in the food sector, there is only few research about the economics of certification. Given the rapid growth and the lack of experience the actors have to cope with different forms of opportunistic behaviour. The following paper describes the basic structure and information economics reasons why certification schemes are created. Subsequently, an institutionalistic model is presented which includes several starting points to increase quality of certification systems mainly based on analogies in financial auditing.Audit quality, New Institutional Economics, Certification schemes, Organic Certification, Industrial Organization,