192,869 research outputs found

    Quantitative Foundations for Resource Theories

    Get PDF
    Considering resource usage is a powerful insight in the analysis of many phenomena in the sciences. Much of the current research on these resource theories focuses on the analysis of specific resources such quantum entanglement, purity, randomness or asymmetry. However, the mathematical foundations of resource theories are at a much earlier stage, and there has been no satisfactory account of quantitative aspects such as costs, rates or probabilities. We present a categorical foundation for quantitative resource theories, derived from enriched category theory. Our approach is compositional, with rich algebraic structure facilitating calculations. The resulting theory is parameterized, both in the quantities under consideration, for example costs or probabilities, and in the structural features of the resources such as whether they can be freely copied or deleted. We also achieve a clear separation of concerns between the resource conversions that are freely available, and the costly resources that are typically the object of study. By using an abstract categorical approach, our framework is naturally open to extension. We provide many examples throughout, emphasising the resource theoretic intuitions for each of the mathematical objects under consideration

    Essential Micro-foundations for Contemporary Business Operations: Top Management Tangible Competencies, Relationship-based Business Networks and Environmental Sustainability

    Get PDF
    Although various studies have emphasized linkages between firm competencies, networks and sustainability at organizational level, the links between top management tangible competencies (e.g., contemporary relevant quantitative-focused education such as big data analytics and data-driven applications linked with the internet of things, relevant experience and analytical business applications), relationship-based business networks (RBNs) and environmental sustainability have not been well established at micro-level, and there is a literature gap in terms of investigating these relationships. This study examines these links based on the unique data collected from 175 top management representatives (chief executive officers and managing directors) working in food import and export firms headquartered in the UK and New Zealand. Our results from structural equation modelling indicate that top management tangible competencies (TMTCs) are the key determinants for building RBNs, mediating the correlation between TMTCs and environmental sustainability. Directly, the competencies also play a vital role towards environmental practices. The findings further depict that relationship-oriented firms perform better compared to those which focus less on such networks. Consequently, our findings provide a deeper understanding of the micro-foundations of environmental sustainability based on TMTCs rooted in the resource-based view and RBNs entrenched in the social network theory. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings, and we provide suggestions for future research

    Supply chain management as the key to a firm’s strategy in the global marketplace

    Get PDF
    Purpose: This research aims to analyze the intersection of two literature streams: that of strategy and supply chain management (SCM). This review should create a better understanding of “strategic SCM” by focusing on relevant theories in the strategic management field and their intersection with SCM to develop a joint research agenda. Design/Methodology/Approach: We conducted a correspondence analysis on the content of 3,402 articles from the top SCM journals. This analysis provides a map of the intellectual structure of content in this field to date. The key trends and changes were identified in strategic SCM research from 1990-2014 as well as the intersection with the key schools of strategic management. Findings: The results suggest that SCM is key to a successful deployment of strategy for competing in the global marketplace. The main theoretical foundations for research in this field were identified and discussed. Gaps were detected and combinations of theoretical foundations of strategic management and SCM suggest four poles for future research: agents and focal firm; distributions and logistics strategic models; SCM competitive requirements; SCM relational governance. Research limitations/implications: Scholars in both the strategy and the SCM fields continue to search for competitive advantages. Much recent research indicates that strategic SCM can be a critical source for that advantage. One of the limitations of our research is that the analysis does not include every journal that published an article mentioning SCM. However, the 34 journals selected are reputed to be the most influential on SCM and focused primarily on SCM. Practical implications: The map of the intellectual structure of research to strategic SCM highlights the need to combine different theoretical approaches to the complex phenomenon of SCM. Practitioners should consider the supply chain as an informal organization and should devote time and resources to build a shared advantage across the supply chain. They should also consider the inherent benefits and risks that sharing Originality/value: The paper demonstrates that strategic SCM needs a balanced and rigorous combination of theoretical approaches to deliver more theory-driven evidences. Our research combines both a qualitative analysis and a quantitative methodology that summarizes gaps and then outlines future research from a large sample of articles. This methodology is an original contribution to this field and offers some assistance for enlarging the sample of future literature reviews

    Information and communication in polygon theories

    Full text link
    Generalized probabilistic theories (GPT) provide a framework in which one can formulate physical theories that includes classical and quantum theories, but also many other alternative theories. In order to compare different GPTs, we advocate an approach in which one views a state in a GPT as a resource, and quantifies the cost of interconverting between different such resources. We illustrate this approach on polygon theories (Janotta et al. New J. Phys 13, 063024, 2011) that interpolate (as the number n of edges of the polygon increases) between a classical trit (when n=3) and a real quantum bit (when n=infinity). Our main results are that simulating the transmission of a single n-gon state requires more than one qubit, or more than log(log(n)) bits, and that n-gon states with n odd cannot be simulated by n'-gon states with n' even (for all n,n'). These results are obtained by showing that the classical capacity of a single n-gon state with n even is 1 bit, whereas it is larger than 1 bit when n is odd; by showing that transmitting a single n-gon state with n even violates information causality; and by showing studying the communication complexity cost of the nondeterministic not equal function using n-gon states.Comment: 18 page

    In the field:Coase an exemplar in the tradition of Smith, Marshall and Ostrom

    Get PDF
    This paper argues that Coase provides the primary 20th century exemplar of the grounding of analytical developments in economics in direct fieldwork observation. In particular, his focus on the business enterprise, its internal functions (including decision-making), and its external relations (including contracting) has provided a stimulus for radical developments in microeconomics and in managerial and decision economics in particular. The argument is developed by a stylization of the development of economics, referring to Adam Smith in the 18th century, Alfred Marshall in the 19th century, Ronald Coase in the 20th century, and Elinor Ostrom in the 21st century

    Relational Graph Models at Work

    Full text link
    We study the relational graph models that constitute a natural subclass of relational models of lambda-calculus. We prove that among the lambda-theories induced by such models there exists a minimal one, and that the corresponding relational graph model is very natural and easy to construct. We then study relational graph models that are fully abstract, in the sense that they capture some observational equivalence between lambda-terms. We focus on the two main observational equivalences in the lambda-calculus, the theory H+ generated by taking as observables the beta-normal forms, and H* generated by considering as observables the head normal forms. On the one hand we introduce a notion of lambda-K\"onig model and prove that a relational graph model is fully abstract for H+ if and only if it is extensional and lambda-K\"onig. On the other hand we show that the dual notion of hyperimmune model, together with extensionality, captures the full abstraction for H*

    Conceptual aspects of global human resource management

    Get PDF
    The author's analysis of conceptual aspects of global human resource management shows the lack of unified mechanisms anf forms. Thus, we state that at the beginning of the XXI century at all management level, the contours of the management influence methodology on human resources are formed. This gives the possibility of determining only the main backbone constituent elements. Due to the complexity of the process of people management as a resource, management mechanisms are formalized only in the framework of different social and economic systems. Their formalization appears extremely difficult due to uncertainty about quantitative and qualitative changes in the global environment of human activity and financial turbulence. Therefore, the priority becomes the problem of providing targeted safe dynamics of mankind development which can be achieved through a civilized and humane management of effects on certain thoroughly scientific basis

    Evaluating Ecosystem Investments

    Get PDF
    This report focuses on what was learned about best practices for evaluating the effects of ecosystem investments along with examples of how others are using these practicesin their work.MethodologyThree research questions guided this engagement:What are the new / best practices in evaluating the effects of ecosystem invest­ments?Which organizations are evaluating these investments well? What can they teach us?What relevant outcomes and indicators could Omidyar Network use to evaluate its ecosystem investments?To answer these questions, FSG conducted the following activities, in addition to drawing on our experience supporting strategic learning and evaluation in complex environments. Appendix A includes a complete list of grants reviewed and interviewees.Grants analysis: FSG analyzed Omidyar Network's Initiative Results Architecture frameworks and 23 grants within its ecosystem investment portfolio. These docu­ments helped ground our research in an understanding of the different types of ecosystem investments Omidyar Network is making, as well as how the organiza­tion currently evaluates the impact of its ecosystem investments.Literature review: FSG reviewed more than 60 publications to identify best practices in evaluating ecosystem investments—these publications included both peer-reviewed journal articles and "grey literature" (conference presentations, blog posts) by organizations employing advocacy-type strategies.Interviews: FSG conducted interviews with nine external experts (listed in Appen­dix A) to more deeply understand effective practices in evaluating the effects of eco­system investments and to identify leading organizations in this area. Interviewees were identified to glean best practices from both within and outside the traditional social sector
    corecore