QFD & scorecard analysis in pavement management

Pavement management is a set of tools used to evaluate and maintain pavements so it can be used safely over a certain period of time. Many traditional methods were and are still being used by entities related to pavement management in order to increase efficiency of management in decision-making and in coordinating the different activities that have direct impact on pavement system. There were no exact method focusing on analyzing the different pavement perspectives in order to prioritize objectives based on pavement financial goals. Lately, most of pavement management entities are driven by optimization models that allows optimization of single objective. The aim of this thesis is to provide the pavement management sector with a new methodology in order to prioritize the various pavement perspectives goals based on the prioritization of the financial perspective goals, which will lead to optimization of multiple goals based on their priorities. The scorecard and the quality function deployment: were adopted and modified in order to fit the subject and main goal of the thesis. Implementation of pavement goals based on their priority related to financial goals will help in achieving the ultimate goal of understanding the requirements and allocate the required funds for the top priority objectives

The multiplicity of performance management systems:Heterogeneity in multinational corporations and management sense-making

This field study examines the workings of multiple performance measurement systems (PMSs) used within and between a division and Headquarters (HQ) of a large European corporation. We explore how multiple PMSs arose within the multinational corporation. We first provide a first‐order analysis which explains how managers make sense of the multiplicity and show how an organization's PMSs may be subject to competing processes for control that result in varied systems, all seemingly functioning, but with different rationales and effects. We then provide a second‐order analysis based on a sense‐making perspective that highlights the importance of retrospective understandings of the organization's history and the importance of various legitimacy expectations to different parts of the multinational. Finally, we emphasize the role of social skill in sense‐making that enables the persistence of multiple systems and the absence of overt tensions and conflict within organizations

An Optimisation-based Framework for Complex Business Process: Healthcare Application

The Irish healthcare system is currently facing major pressures due to rising demand, caused by population growth, ageing and high expectations of service quality. This pressure on the Irish healthcare system creates a need for support from research institutions in dealing with decision areas such as resource allocation and performance measurement. While approaches such as modelling, simulation, multi-criteria decision analysis, performance management, and optimisation can – when applied skilfully – improve healthcare performance, they represent just one part of the solution. Accordingly, to achieve significant and sustainable performance, this research aims to develop a practical, yet effective, optimisation-based framework for managing complex processes in the healthcare domain. Through an extensive review of the literature on the aforementioned solution techniques, limitations of using each technique on its own are identified in order to define a practical integrated approach toward developing the proposed framework. During the framework validation phase, real-time strategies have to be optimised to solve Emergency Department performance issues in a major hospital. Results show a potential of significant reduction in patients average length of stay (i.e. 48% of average patient throughput time) whilst reducing the over-reliance on overstretched nursing resources, that resulted in an increase of staff utilisation between 7% and 10%. Given the high uncertainty in healthcare service demand, using the integrated framework allows decision makers to find optimal staff schedules that improve emergency department performance. The proposed optimum staff schedule reduces the average waiting time of patients by 57% and also contributes to reduce number of patients left without treatment to 8% instead of 17%. The developed framework has been implemented by the hospital partner with a high level of success

An Empirical Investigation of Big Data Analytics: The Financial Performance of Users versus Vendors

In the age of digitisation and globalisation, businesses have shifted online and are investing in big data analytics (BDA) to respond to changing market conditions and sustain their performance. Our study shifts the focus from the adoption of BDA to the impact of BDA on financial performance. We explore the financial performance of both BDA-vendors (business-to-business) and BDA-clients (business-to-customer). We distinguish between the five BDA-technologies (big-data-as-a-service (BDaaS), descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics) and discuss them individually. Further, we use four perspectives (internal business process, learning and growth, customer, and finance) and discuss the significance of how each of the five BDA-technologies affect the performance measures of these four perspectives. We also present the analysis of employee engagement, average turnover, average net income, and average net assets for BDA-clients and BDA-vendors. Our study also explores the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on business continuity for both BDA-vendors and BDA-clients

Ticket Sales Outsourcing Performance Measures Using Balanced Scorecard and Analytic Hierarchy Process Combined Model

Outsourcing ticket sales operations to the service provider is becoming popular in intercollegiate sport in the US. While much has been reported about ticket sales outsourcing, there is a major lack of understanding in the literature as to how the service provider’s performance is measured by the athletic department. To fill important gaps in the sport marketing literature, this study employed the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) combined model using one NCAA Division I athletic department to understand performance measure metrics. The result of the AHP showed that Financial (WF = 0.487) is the most important performance measure within the domain level, followed by Customer (WC = 0.343), Business Process (WB = 0.091), and Learning & Growth (WL = 0.078). Global weights indicated that Cost-Saving (WFC = 0.223) is the most important factor, which implies that cost-driven outsourcing is a primary motivation for ticket sales outsourcing. Theoretical and practical implications of the analyses are also provided

Preferences For Performance Measures: A Study Of A Federal Agency

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the preferences of clients of programs administered by selected federal agencies and the preferences of the federal managers who administer the programs in assessing performance measurement systems. Using the general progression of previous budgetary models used in the public sector, the researcher developed the Modified Balance Scorecard (MBSC), a performance measurement model designed specifically for use within the public sector. Surveys based on the MBSC were administered to public managers and to clients of those managers in order to determine their preferences. The results showed that managers preferred public good measures and clients preferred financial measures. Both groups\u27 second preferred index of measures was internal management process measures. This research is important in policy formulation and provides many implications regarding the effective presentation of policies. These results can be used to help craft policies for maximum effectiveness, based on the preferences of the respective groups

Management accounting practices in hotels in Nigeria

This study investigates the state of management accounting (MA) in hotels in Nigeria. It analyses the level of adoption and benefits derived from a broad set of traditional and contemporary MA techniques and seeks to ascertain their relevance to the decision making process. The use of the Uniform System of Account for the Lodging Industry (USALI), is also investigated. Finally, the study tries to find if there are any significant differences between MA techniques adopters and non-adopters. This study is motivated by a lack of research on MA in hotels located in Nigeria. Data was collected through a questionnaire comprising mainly closed-ended questions. The findings of the study reveal that USALI adoption rate is quite satisfactory and that the decision to adopt the USALI was made mainly by the financial executive/controller. The main reason reported by non-adopters for rejecting the USALI is the satisfaction with the current accounting system. Traditional MA techniques, such as budgeting for controlling cost, budgeting for coordinating activities of the various parts of the organization and product profitability analysis, were found to be more widely adopted than recently developed MA tools. The results also indicate that the use of MA techniques at hotels is positively associated with hotel size, intensity of competition and cost structure. This study contributes significantly to the literature on the usage of MA techniques by filling a gap in the literature. It also provides invaluable insights on the usage of these tools, which might benefit hotel management, researchers, and others.Este estudo investiga a adoção de técnicas de contabilidade de gestão nos hotéis da Nigéria. Analisa o nível de adoção e os benefícios derivados de um amplo conjunto de técnicas de Contabilidade de Gestão (CG) tradicionais e contemporâneas e procura verificar qual a sua relevância para o processo de tomada de decisão. O estudo procura igualmente averiguar a utilização do Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), a norma contabilística desenvolvida especificamente para a indústria hoteleira nos Estados Unidos da América há mais de 90 anos. Finalmente, o estudo procura identificar diferenças entre os hotéis que adotam as técnicas de MA e os que não as adotam. O estudo é motivado pela escassez de investigação em CG nos hotéis localizados na Nigéria. Ao contrário de estudos anteriores realizados neste país (Mohammed, 2013, avaliou o papel que a definição de metas orçamentais desempenha para a medição de um desempenho eficaz na indústria hoteleira nigeriana) que examinam o uso de técnicas de contabilidade de gestão isoladamente, o presente estudo examina o uso de várias técnicas tradicionais e contemporâneas em simultâneo. Os dados foram recolhidos através de um questionário composto essencialmente por perguntas fechadas. De um universo superior a 10.000 hotéis, selecionou-se uma amostra de 200 hotéis utilizando o Técnica de Amostragem representativa tendo sido inquiridos hotéis de diversas categorias e dimensão localizados nas seis áreas geopolíticas da Nigéria (Centro-Norte, Nordeste, Noroeste, Sudeste, Sul-Sul e Sudoeste). Dos 200 questionários entregues “em mão” obtiveram-se 103 questionários preenchidos. Os dados obtidos foram analisados no SPSS e as ferramentas estatísticas utilizadas foram frequências, gráficos, média aritmética, análise estatística bivariada e multivariada. Os resultados revelam que, no tocante à intensidade da competição, a maioria dos inquiridos considera a competição por preço extremamente intensa seguida da competição por mão-de-obra qualificada. Constatou-se que os hotéis não utilizam softwares de Contabilidade de Gestão sofisticados, para além do software de contabilidade normal. Quase três quartos possuem o mesmo suporte informático para a contabilidade financeira e para a contabilidade de gestão. No que diz respeito à organização da contabilidade interna, este estudo revela que mais de um terço dos sistemas foram organizados por uma empresa de consultoria de gestão (31%); 27% resultam de decisões tomadas por outros recursos internos do hotel / grupo. No que diz respeito à adoção de ferramentas de contabilidade de custos, os resultados revelam que o custeio padrão é a técnica mais adotada, por 35% dos hotéis, seguido do custeio variável (33%). O custo baseado em atividades (ABC) ainda assim é adotado por 32% dos hotéis da Nigéria. Quanto à taxa de adoção do USALI, é satisfatória, rondando os 28%. Cerca de 1% nunca ouviu falar do mesmo. A decisão de adotar o USALI foi tomada principalmente pelo executivo / controller financeiro. No que toca à categoria, nenhum dos hotéis de duas e três estrelas adota o USALI. Quase todos os hotéis de cinco estrelas adotam o sistema uniforme, enquanto a proporção de hotéis de quatro estrelas que o adotam é muito menor. O principal motivo apontado pelos hotéis que não adotam o USALI é a satisfação com o atual sistema contabilístico. Técnicas tradicionais de CG como o orçamento para controle de custos, orçamento para coordenar as várias partes da organização e a análise de rendibilidade do produto, são mais amplamente utilizadas do que as ferramentas de CG recentemente desenvolvidas. No entanto, técnicas de CG contemporâneas, como a análise de rendibilidade de clientes (CPA), o benchmarking e o Balanced Scorecard (BSC) também são utilizadas, concluindo-se que os hotéis da Nigéria utilizam mais as técnicas tradicionais, como reportado noutros estudos sobre o setor hoteleiro. Os inquiridos entendem que as práticas de MA permitem à gestão a obtenção de informações relevantes sobretudo para a tomada de decisão e para suportar o processo orçamental. Relativamente aos benefícios derivados das diversas técnicas, a análise de rendibilidade do cliente surge em primeiro lugar, o orçamento para o planeamento das operações anuais em segundo lugar, a análise de rendibilidade de produto, em terceiro lugar, e o orçamento para planeamento a longo prazo e para controle de custos em quarto e quinto lugar, respetivamente. Benefícios relativamente moderados foram relatados em relação ao balanced scorecard e à análise dos pontos fortes e fracos dos concorrentes. Quanto às técnicas orçamento baseado nas atividades (ABB) e resultado residual, apresentam benefícios reduzidos para os inquiridos. Estes resultados sugerem que as técnicas tradicionais de MA parecem proporcionar benefícios mais elevados, comparativamente às ferramentas contemporâneas de Contabilidade de Gestão. A teoria da contingência, que estabelece que não existe um sistema de contabilidade ideal que se aplique igualmente a todas as organizações, foi usada para examinar a relação entre diversas variáveis contextuais e a adoção de técnicas de contabilidade de gestão; os resultados indicam que o uso de técnicas de MA nos hotéis está positivamente associado à dimensão do hotel, à intensidade da concorrência e à estrutura de custos. Além disso, este estudo revelou existirem diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os hotéis que adotam e os que não adotam o ABC e o ABB, quanto ao volume de vendas. No entanto, não se observaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os adotantes e não adotantes do balanced scorecard, os adotantes e não adotantes do benchmarking, os adotantes e não adotantes da análise de rendibilidade de clientes e os adotantes e não adotantes da análise custo-volume-resultado. Este estudo contribui de forma significativa para a literatura de Contabilidade de Gestão. É o primeiro estudo a investigar o estado da contabilidade de gestão nos hotéis da Nigéria. Portanto, preenche uma lacuna ao nível do conhecimento, investigando de forma exaustiva algumas técnicas de contabilidade de gestão essenciais para a sobrevivência e êxito dos hotéis. Além disso, fornece uma visão única sobre o uso de ferramentas de contabilidade gestão no contexto da Nigéria, evidenciado a finalidade para a qual são usadas, a eficácia percebida das ferramentas e os benefícios derivados do uso dessas ferramentas. Atendendo a que estudos anteriores, maioritariamente realizados noutros países, evidenciaram os benefícios da utilização destas ferramentas pelos hotéis, este estudo fornece uma evidência empírica única no contexto de um país diferente, nomeadamente a Nigéria, sobre o estado da arte da sua utilização. Por conseguinte, também fornece informações preciosas sobre o uso destas ferramentas no setor hoteleiro, podendo ser útil para a gestão dos hotéis, investidores, formuladores de políticas, investigadores e outros

Relevance of Balanced Scorecard for Performance Evaluation of Selected Indian Corporate Units

One of the hall-mark of leading edge organization- be they public or private has been the successful application for performance evaluation to gain insight into, and make judgments about the organization and the effectiveness-efficiency of its programmes, processes and people. In other words, they use performance measurement for managing their organizations. It is a common practice to evaluate a company’s performance in terms of financial measures like profitability, ROI, EVA. However, survival of company does not depend on financial matter alone. The financial measures alone in performance measurement and control system are inadequate for strategic decision making. There has been growing criticism for financial measures in performance as they are historic in nature and lack futuristic outlook. Their relevance in the information age, when the companies are building internal assets and capabilities, is questioned. The situation might be worse when the firm is compelled to pursue short term goals at the cost of the long term objectives. Manager in practice have learnt the hard way that an unequalled focus on the financial health of the organization results in several irreparable adverse consequences. Managers of successful companies do recognize that the financial measures are after-the-events or lagging indicators of performance which depend on numerous events that would have occurred months or years before and over which they do not have control at present. Thus, Non financial measures are equally important while measuring the performance of business units. Harvard’s Robert Kaplan and David Norton developed an innovative and multidimensional corporate performance evaluation tool known as Balanced Scorecard. The BSC is a useful approach for organizational measurement and improvement. The BSC is performance measurement system using a multi-dimensional scorecard to translate strategy into a balance of financial & non-financial performance measures. So many corporate firms are using the tool successfully throughout world. While in India, the Balanced Scorecard is also getting popularity

Strategic enterprise management systems : tools for the 21st century

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