Pest activity prognosis in rice fields using fuzzy expert system approach

Logik kabur merupakan satu bentuk perwakilan pengetahuan bagi konsep yang tak dapat ditakrifkan secara tepat tetapi bergantung kepada konteks penggunaannya. Sistem Pakar adalah program komputer yang menggunakan pengetahuan manusia untuk menyelesaikan masalah khusus yang memerlukan kepintaran manusia. Oleh kerana pengetahuan yang terlibat dalam pengurusan serangga adalah tidak lengkap dan kabur, maka logik kabur diintegrasikan ke dalam sistem pakar untuk mengendalikan penaksiran anggaran. Sistem Pakar dan Logik Kabur mempunyai kelebihannya tersendiri dan gabungan kedua-dua teknologi yang membentuk sistem pakar-kabur dapat meningkatkan keupayaan sistem (Herrmann, 1996). Berdasarkan keupayaan logik kabur dan sistem pakar, peramalan aktiviti serangga di sawah padi menggunakan pendekatan pakar-kabur telah dibangunkan untuk menyediakan maklumat kepada petani dan penyelidik melalui Internet. Oleh kerana beras merupakan makanan ruji rakyat Malaysia dan Kedah merupakan kawasan utama penanaman padi di Malaysia, kajian ini memfokuskan kepada aktiviti serangga di sawah padi. Dalam MyPEST, jenis serangga yang mengakibatkan kerosakan pada tanaman padi ditentukan oleh sistem pakar, manakala Logik Kabur digunakan untuk meramalkan tahap aktiviti serangga. Ixii penting supaya rawatan awal dapat dilakukan sebelum kerosakan bertambah buruk. Sistem MyPEST membantu pengguna dengan mengendalikan rundingan pakar yang dikawalselia oleh sistem pakar dan logik kabur untuk peramalan dan menguruskan ketidakpastian data menggunakan pembolehubah lingistik. Sistem berasaskan web ini juga membantu petani dan institusi pertanian untuk menguruskan ladang dengan cekap dan dapat meningkatkan kualiti serta kuantiti beras yang dihasilkan. Dalam kajian ini, proses peramalan menggunakan lebih daripada satu attribut telah dikaji. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan sekiranya lebih daripada satu atribut terlibat, graf keputusan 3-dimensi yang kurang tegar dihasilkan. Penentuan jenis serangga adalah dalam fasa pertama MyPEST dan diikuti oleh peramalan aktiviti serangga yang dikenalpasti. Sistem ini telah disemak oleh pakar serangga di MARDi dan disahkan membawa manfaat kepada penyelidik di MARDI, MADA dan DOA khususnya dan petani secara keseluruhan

Work Organisation and Innovation

[Excerpt] Innovations in work organisation have the potential to optimise production processes in companies and improve employees’ overall experience of work. This report explores the links between innovations in work organisation – under the broader label of high performance work practices (HPWPs) – and the potential benefits for both employees and organisations. It draws on empirical evidence from case studies carried out in 13 Member States of the European Union where workplace innovations have resulted in positive outcomes

TQM implementation: An empirical examination and proposed generic model

Total quality management (TQM) is considered by many as an important quality and business performance improvement tool. The popularity of the concept has led to an explosion of TQM related literature. A careful review of the literature suggests that most publications recount the experiences or perceptions of the authors or deal with single case organisations. Furthermore, there is a dearth of empirical research and literature dealing with TQM's implementation process. This paper reports the findings of a research project that empirically examined the process of TQM implementation in a sample of organisations widely regarded as leading exponents of TQM. The paper presents a non-prescriptive model of the TQM implementation process derived from the findings and proposes an "outcome driven" approach as an alternative to the more commonplace TQM implementation strategies

The accessibility of administrative processes: Assessing the impacts on students in higher education

Administrative processes that need to be completed to maintain a basic standard of living, to study, or to attain employment, are perceived to create burdens for disabled people. The navigation of information, forms, communications, and assessments to achieve a particular goal raises diverse accessibility issues. In this paper we explore the different types of impacts these processes have on disabled university students. We begin by surveying literature that highlights the systemic characteristics of administrative burdens and barriers for disabled people. We then describe how a participatory research exercise with students led to the development of a survey on these issues. This was completed by 104 respondents with a diverse range of declared disabilities. This provides evidence for a range of impacts, and understanding of the perceived level of challenge of commonly experienced processes. The most common negative impact reported was on stress levels. Other commonly reported impacts include exacerbation of existing conditions, time lost from study, and instances where support was not available in a timely fashion. Processes to apply for disability-related support were more commonly challenging than other types of processes. We use this research to suggest directions for improving accessibility and empowerment in this space

Data Accuracy and Completeness of Monthly Midwifery Returns Indicators of Ejisu Juaben Health Directorate of Ghana

The broad range of activities contained in the provision of Primary Health Care (PHC) places a burden on providers to make optimal use of limited resources to achieve maximal health benefit to the population served. All too often, ad hoc decisions and personal preferences guide PHC resource allocations, making accountability for results impossible. Problems constraining Routine Health Information System (RHIS) performance in low-income countries include: poor data quality; limited use of available information; weaknesses in how data are analyzed and poor RHIS management practices. This study sought to investigate these constraints. A non-experimental before and after study involving bassline assessment of data accuracy and completeness, application of innovative strategies such as mentoring and coaching of Health Information Officers in data quality improvement process. Coincidentally, the intervention improved both data accuracy and completeness performance significantly among the participating facilities. The outstanding performance may be attributed to management's new orientation and growing interest towards quality data. Engaging frontline staff in data quality improvement work and provision of regular feedback leads to improvement in data accuracy and completeness. This has implications for decision-making and resource allocation, especially in low-income countries, where the routine health information management system relies heavily on paper work

Evaluation of a global MBA programme

E-learning continues to develop rapidly supported by increasing sophistication of information technology and by better understanding of how to make content and delivery more effective. Moreover, new forms of e-learning support system are being introduced to higher education institutions in an effort to meet the student-centred learning paradigms recommended by UNESCO (UNESCO, 1998). The creation and implementation of effective quality assurance for such learning processes has been identified as one of the most challenging tasks. Jara & Mellar (2010) and Martínez-Argüelles et al. (2010) point out that the collection of student feedback should be a central part of strategies to monitor the quality and standards of teaching and learning in higher education institutions for both conventional learning and e-learning. Jara & Mellar (2010) note also that while research into e-learning abounds, studies that focus on the effectiveness of the provision of e-learning are limited, and that this is a gap to be filled. This article reports on the evaluation of, and the consequent changes to, the global e-learning MBA programme from the University of Bedfordshire. The research was conducted by three members of the MBA team - two Senior Lecturers and the E-learning Development Manager. The aim was to investigate the learning experiences and perceptions of the students and to evaluate the effectiveness of the e-learning support system

Thai secondary school science classrooms: Constructivist learning environments

This paper describes the first study conducted in Thailand (2002-2003) that resulted in changes in science teachers’ classroom environments. In the first phase of the study, the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), an instrument for assessing students’ perceptions of the actual and preferred classroom environment through the constructivist perspective, was validated for use in Thailand. Second, typical Thai secondary school science classroom environments were described using quantitative and qualitative methods. Finally, the effectiveness of constructivist teaching in promoting improvement in classroom environments was evaluated through an action research process, involving the use of feedback on actual and preferred classroom environments. The sample consisted of seven secondary science teachers and their 17 classes of 606 students in Nakornsawan Province, Thailand. Student Actual and Preferred Forms of the CLES, assessing Personal Relevance, Uncertainty, Critical Voice, Shared Control and Student Negotiation, were administered. Factor analysis and internal consistency measures supported a five-factor structure for both actual and preferred forms. Students’ attitudes to science were also measured. The actual and preferred environments of different classes were described based on profiles of classroom environment scores. A number of teachers then participated in an attempt to improve their classroom environments, through the use of a constructivist teaching approach. Changes in classrooms did occur, thus supporting the effectiveness of constructivist teaching in improving learning environments and students’ attitudes towards science in Thailand

The impact of lean practices on inventory turnover

Lean manufacturing (LM) is currently enjoying its second heyday. Companies in several industries are implementing leanpractices to keep pace with the competition and achieve better results. In this article, we will concentrate on how companies can improve their inventoryturnover performance through the use ofleanpractices. According to our main proposition, firms that widely apply leanpractices have higher inventoryturnover than those that do not rely on LM. However, there may be significant differences in inventoryturnover even among lean manufacturers depending on their contingencies. Therefore, we also investigate how various contingency factors (production systems, order types, product types) influence theinventoryturnoveroflean manufacturers. We use cluster and correlation analysis to separate manufacturers based onthe extent of their leanness and to examine the effect of contingencies. We acquired the data from the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS) in ISIC sectors 28–35