General description and operation of the agro-environmental system: Crop management modeling

Input for a data management system to provide farmers with information to improve crop management practices in Virginia requires monitoring of control crops at field stations, crop surveys derived from remotely sensed aircraft data, meteorological data from synchronous satellites, and details of local agricultural conditions. Presently models are under development for determining pest problems, water balance in the soil, stages of plant maturity, and optimum planting date. The status of the Cerospora leafspot model for peanut crop management is considered. Other models under development planned relate to Cylindtocladium Blackrot and Sclerotinia blight of peanuts, cyst nematode (Globerdena solanacearum) of tobacco, and red crown rot of soybeans. A software for program for estimating precipitation and solar radiation on a statewise basis is also being developed

Maturity Models as a Tool for Benefits-Driven Change: A Qualitative Investigation of ten Organisations

If Information Technology (IT) is to deliver change with clear benefits a complex mix of organizational resources (i.e. the IT capability), need to be mobilized. Improving IT capability is essential but often challenging for organizations. Maturity models are used to assist change management for IT capability improvement, but there has been limited research on how they are used and their efficacy in different organizational contexts. This paper addresses this gap through exploring the experiences of ten organizations who used the IT Capability Maturity Framework (IT-CMF), to help them address the challenge of gaining benefits from IT. Key topics are: motivations for using a maturity model; change management actions and improvements; success factors; barriers to success. The data was collected through qualitative interviews and interpreted through a benefits-driven change management approach. This analysis provides key insights into the context and challenges of using maturity models for IT capability improvements, and suggests that capability improvement will to some extent address the ‘knowing-doing gap’ highlighted with respect to maturity model implementation

A process mining maturity model: Enabling organizations to assess and improve their process mining activities

Organizations employ process mining to discover, check, or enhance process models based on data from information systems to improve business processes. Even though process mining is increasingly relevant in academia and organizations, achieving process mining excellence and generating business value through its application is elusive. Maturity models can help to manage interdisciplinary teams in their efforts to plan, implement, and manage process mining in organizations. However, while numerous maturity models on business process management (BPM) are available, recent calls for process mining maturity models indicate a gap in the current knowledge base. We systematically design and develop a comprehensive process mining maturity model that consists of five factors comprising 23 elements, which organizations need to develop to apply process mining sustainably and successfully. We contribute to the knowledge base by the exaptation of existing BPM maturity models, and validate our model through its application to a real-world scenario

Characterizing Distributions of Class III Milk Prices: Implications for Risk Management

Descriptive statistics and time-series econometric models are used to characterize the behavior of monthly fluid milk prices. Prices in April, May and June appear to be more variable than those in subsequent months, and the spring-time prices are perhaps skewed. Econometric models can capture the historical behavior of spot prices, but forecasts converge to the marginal distribution of the sample prices in about six months. Futures prices for Class III milk have the expected time-to-maturity effect and converge to the respective monthly distributions of the cash prices at contract maturity (as they must, since the contracts are cash settled). Thus, econometric models and futures quotes provide similar information about price behavior at contract maturity. Routine hedges in futures, especially those made four or more months prior to maturity, reduce the variance of returns, but over a period of years, lock-in an "average" return. While econometric models and futures quotes provide imprecise forecasts, they can be used in conjunction with historical data to determine whether expected prices are high relative to past experience. This may assist with making decisions about selective hedging. Likewise, historical evidence may be useful in evaluating expected returns from the use of put options. Results from simple hedging strategies using either futures or puts are illustrated, but more work is needed to evaluate "optimal" portfolios for dairy farmers.hedging, marketing strategies, milk futures, milk prices, risk management, Risk and Uncertainty,

Evolution of a Lean Smart Maintenance Maturity Model towards the new Age of Industry 4.0

Over the last few years, the complexity of asset and maintenance management of industrial plants and machinery in the producing industry has risen due to higher competition and volatile environments. Smart factories, Internet of Things (IoT) and the underlying digitisation of a significant number of processes are changing the way we have to think and work in terms of asset management. Existing Lean Smart Maintenance (LSM) philosophy, which focuses on the cost-efficient (lean) and the learning organisation (smart) perspectives enables a value-oriented, dynamic, and smart maintenance/asset management. The associated LSM maturity model is the evaluation tool that contains the normative, strategic, and operational aspects of industrial asset management, based on which numerous reorganisation projects have already been carried out in industrial companies. However, due to the ever-increasing development of Industry 4.0 (I4.0), it is necessary to extend the model by selected aspects of digitisation and digitalisation. Based on a structured literature review (SLR) of state of the art I4.0 maturity models, we were able to investigate the essential maturity items for I4.0. To restructure and expand the existing LSM maturity model, the principle of design science research (DSR) was used. The architecture of the LSM maturity model was based on the structure of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). Further development of a Lean Smart Maintenance maturity model thus covers the future requirements of I4.0 and data science. It was possible to enhance existing categories with new artefacts from the I4.0 range to represent the influence of cyber-physical systems (CPS), (big) data and information management, condition monitoring (CM) and more. Furthermore, the originally defined LSM-Model was restructured for a more simplified application in industrial use cases

Analysing ICT Investment by Micro-enterprises in the Western Cape

Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM)Micro-enterprises solve many socio-economic issues facing developing nations because of their large contribution to economic development and progress. Micro-enterprises have been influenced by the continued globalisation, digitisation and modernisation of business practices. As a result, micro-enterprises’ are investing in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to enhance enterprise and economic growth, performance, productivity and a competitive advantage. However, the benefits of these investments are not always realised, often because of the ad hoc nature in which micro-enterprises function and a lack of formalised methods and strategy. When these are not realised, micro-enterprise suffer in terms of competitiveness, performance and returns. Maturity models, are tools that help solve issues relating to an enterprise’s current status in terms of its capabilities and resources, and how these issues can be improved. Maturity models may present the ideal solution for micro-enterprise to invest in ICT. Larger enterprises have been able to use maturity models for strategic ICT investments realising benefits. The benefits of using maturity models as a guide to ICT investment include: saving on long-term operational and tactical costs, self-evaluation and linking business and ICT strategy among others. This research sought to determine how micro-enterprises in the Western Cape can use a maturity model in planning strategy for investments in ICT. Data was gathered from micro-enterprises and their stakeholders to find the best maturity model fit. These model fitness considered the entire internal and external environmental factors influencing micro-enterprise ICT investment decision-making. The research investigated micro-enterprises, their current practices, focus and strategic, tactical and operational behaviour in terms of business and ICT. Of the 34 micro-enterprises that took part, most them knew of the concept of growth and maturity of the enterprise, they used none discernable metric to measure their internal and external activities regarding ICT investment. It highlighted the alignment of business and ICT as a major issue that needed to be addressed in order for micro-enterprises to be competitive, improve performance and returns. The recommended model from the research provides a formalised process that covers both the micro-enterprises internal and external matrices when deciding on the ICT investment to be made

Growth and Reproduction of Atlantic Chub Mackerel (\u3ci\u3eScomber colias\u3c/i\u3e) in the Northwest Atlantic

Recent efforts to manage Atlantic Chub Mackerel (Scomber colias) in the northwest Atlantic have necessitated the description of the stocks life-history characteristics. The purpose of this study was to address the absence of regional information on growth and reproduction. Growth models were fit in a Bayesian framework. The length-at-age relationship was described using four non-linear candidate growth models, which were fit to total length (TL, cm) and age estimates (y). Age estimates were derived from whole otoliths for adults (n = 422) and ages of one month were assigned to larval fish (n = 60). The three-parameter VBGF was selected as the best candidate model using Deviance Information Criterion = 33.56 cm TL, k = 1.75 y-1, t0 = 1,136) to describe the weight-at-length relationship (a = 0.0258, b = 2.72). Sex and maturity were evaluated using histological techniques. A two-parameter logistic function was fit to length measurements (cm) and maturity estimates (n =151) to describe length-specific maturity for females (r = 0.38 cm-1, L50 = 27.39 cm TL). Age-at-50% maturity was estimated as 2.16 (y) by back calculation. Spawning season was estimated to occur during the months of January to April, using histological indicators and evidence of spawning from analysis of historical data on larval fish collections and commercial catch. These results can be used to inform the effective management of the Atlantic Chub Mackerel stock in the northwest Atlantic

ANALISIS TATA KELOLA RISIKO TEKNOLOGI INFORMASI DENGAN FRAMEWORK RISK IT (Studi Kasus : Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Daerah Provinsi Riau)

Agency for development planning Riau Province (BAPPEDA) is a regional technical agencies responsible for development planning, in this case BAPPEDA using information technology for support performance that is SIPD (Information System for Regional Development). Implementation of information technology (IT) in addition to provide benefits may also have risks that can harm and affect business processes or work. One of the risks that have occurred are: the absence of backup database, hardware and software damage, loss of inputted data, virus infection or human error. To determine the risk management and take measures against the risk, governance risk analysis using Risk IT Framework. Risk IT Framework is a framework that is assessed in accordance with the model to be applied in this study using a domain RG (Risk Governance). Results of this research is mapping the risk, maturity risk models in a state average of Defined Process, and management of IT governance recommendation

Development of sexual organs and fecundity in Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 from the Sardinian waters (Mediterranean Sea)

In this paper we report information about the sexual maturity process of 245 Octopus vulgaris specimens (75 females and 170 males) from the Mediterranean Sea. For both sexes, six stages of sexual maturity (immature, developing, maturing, mature, spawning, and spent) are identified on the basis of macroscopic and microscopic observations of the reproductive system and linked with some reproductive indices. A good correspondence between gonad appearance and its histological structure is observed, highlighting, in females, how oviducal gland morphology plays a crucial role in the macroscopic evaluation of maturity. The Gonadosomatic and Hayashi indices, in the two genders, and the Oviducal Gland index in females alone do not allow distinguishing all the stages in an irrefutable way. Data on the potential fecundity, oocyte and spermatophore size are reported and compared with literature. In addition, spermatophore components are also computed. The results reported in this paper lead to easy identification of the different phases of sexual maturation of O. vulgaris and could constitute an important tool for defining assessment models in view of sound management of this species

AUDIT INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN DIGILIB UNIVERSITY OF UIN SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA USING COBIT FRAMEWORK 4.1

Abstract - Audit it is formed in monitoring and controlling the infrastructure of information technology as a whole. And it can also be carried out simultaneously in financial audits and internal audits, as well as in monitoring and evaluating other similar activities. Which aims to help organizations follow best practices so that their information stays safe. In this journal, we have the objective of planning a library of information systems security audit at UIN Sunan Ampel from the sheets at the time of the interview and documents derived from the results obtained when collecting data. The library is a unit to carry out the existing technical at UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. With the implementation of the existing information system, audit planning, audit implementation, and known levels of security must be made as well as making recommendations based on audit security results. In this study the research method used is Cobit 4.1 using the DS domain (Delivery and Support) and using the DS3 process (managing performance and capacity) and DS5 (ensuring system security). The process of collecting data is based on observation, interviews, making and distributing questionnaires. In making and distributing questionnaires which are divided into: questionnaire I on existing to present the condition of UINSA Digilib UIN Surabaya, questionnaire II management awareness to present who care about library management to the UINSA Digilib, and questionnaire III maturity level is useful to present the maturity level of UINSA Digilib today and hope for the future. At these stages using the audit process is the stage of analyzing the existing conditions, the stage of determining the level of risk, the stage that determines the level of maturity, compiling recommendations, testing the recommendations, and making a model on governance . At UINSA Digilib there are still many shortcomings produced. then these deficiencies become the basis for making recommendations that contain reports that are produced by audits, improvements that are based on the level of maturity and new governance models. Keywords / Keywords: UINSA, Cobit 4.1, Digital Library, Audi