Structured Review of the Evidence for Effects of Code Duplication on Software Quality

This report presents the detailed steps and results of a structured review of code clone literature. The aim of the review is to investigate the evidence for the claim that code duplication has a negative effect on code changeability. This report contains only the details of the review for which there is not enough place to include them in the companion paper published at a conference (Hordijk, Ponisio et al. 2009 - Harmfulness of Code Duplication - A Structured Review of the Evidence)

Software Measurement Activities in Small and Medium Enterprises: an Empirical Assessment

An empirical study for evaluating the proper implementation of measurement/metric programs in software companies in one area of Turkey is presented. The research questions are discussed and validated with the help of senior software managers (more than 15 years’ experience) and then used for interviewing a variety of medium and small scale software companies in Ankara. Observations show that there is a common reluctance/lack of interest in utilizing measurements/metrics despite the fact that they are well known in the industry. A side product of this research is that internationally recognized standards such as ISO and CMMI are pursued if they are a part of project/job requirements; without these requirements, introducing those standards to the companies remains as a long-term target to increase quality

Measuring the alignment of Maintenance and Manufacturing Strategies – The development of a new model and diagnostic tool

Purpose - To outline the development of a new conceptual model and diagnostic tool which assesses the strategic processes and links involved between maintenance and manufacturing strategies and the effect on manufacturing performance. Methodology - The new model was developed in two stages. Firstly a conceptual framework was produced and then a holistic diagram. From this theoretical model a diagnostic tool was generated. This tool was then verified and tested during an empirical research phase which produced four extensive and detailed case studies. A brief overview of one of the case studies is provided in this article. Findings - It was found that the conceptual model provided an accurate representation of the strategic processes and links which should exist in a manufacturing plant. Moreover the diagnostic tool proved to be a valid and reliable test instrument to measure and display this information. Practical implications - The diagnostic tool provides a snapshot of the status of manufacturing and maintenance strategies which then can be used to benchmark improvements over time. If required the individual questions from the questionnaire can be “reverse engineered” to provide detailed information for senior managers to carry out corrective action. Originality/value – This theoretical and empirical research closes a gap in the literature relating to the linkage between maintenance and manufacturing strategies. It does so by providing a unique and holistic model showing the strategic processes and links which should exist within a manufacturing plant. Moreover the diagnostic tool produced from the model is a convenient audit facility which enables companies to move toward functional coherence

Application of activity - based costing in companies in Poland

Findings of the research have both practical and theoretical implications. First, from the practical point of view, future implementers of ABC systems should be aware of factors actually influencing ABC implementation as well as problems which can be encountered during the implementation process. Managers considering activity-based costing implementation may see level of detail and methods of construction of an ABC information model. They may also benefit from the knowledge of how information generated by an ABC systems is actually used by companies. All this may help to make better decision about ABC implementation and if the decision is to implement ABC, it may help to implement it successfully. From the theoretical point of view the research carried out makes it possible to establish a general tendency: modifications in costing systems applied in Polish enterprises and development of management accounting practice such as ABC follows the same general direction as management accounting practice in the world.Wnioski z przeprowadzonych badań mają znaczenie zarówno teoretyczne jak i praktyczne. Z praktycznego punktu widzenia, przedsiębiorstwa rozważające implementację ABC w przyszłości powinny mieć świadomość czynników wpływających na implementację ABC jak również problemów, które mogą się w procesie implementacji pojawić. Menedżerowie rozważający implementację ABC muszą zdawać sobie sprawę z poziomu szczegółowości i sposobów budowy systemu informacyjnego rachunku kosztów działań. Mogą oni również skorzystać z wiedzy o sposobach wykorzystania informacji z systemów rachunku kosztów działań. Wiedza ta może sprzyjać podejmowaniu lepszych decyzji odnośnie implementacji systemów ABC, a jeżeli decyzja o implementacji zostanie podjęta, może się przyczynić do zwiększenia prawdopodobieństwa zakończenia procesu wdrożenia sukcesem. Z teoretycznego punktu widzenia, przeprowadzone badania mogą się przyczynić do określenia ogólnej tendencji: modyfikacje systemów rachunku kosztów w przedsiębiorstwach w Polsce oraz wdrażanie nowoczesnych metod rachunkowości zarządczej takich jak ABC, zmierza w podobnym kierunku jak praktyka rachunkowości zarządczej na świecie

The sweet spot in sustainability: a framework for corporate assessment in sugar manufacturing

The assessment of corporate sustainability has become an increasingly important topic, both within academia and in industry. For manufacturing companies to conform to their commitments to sustainable development, a standard and reliable measurement framework is required. There is, however, a lack of sector-specific and empirical research in many areas, including the sugar industry. This paper presents an empirically developed framework for the assessment of corporate sustainability within the Thai sugar industry. Multiple case studies were conducted, and a survey using questionnaires was also employed to enhance the power of generalisation. The developed framework is an accurate and reliable measurement instrument of corporate sustainability, and guidelines to assess qualitative criteria are put forward. The proposed framework can be used for a company’s self-assessment and for guiding practitioners in performance improvement and policy decision-maki

Creating and Sustaining a Maintenance Strategy: A Practical Guide

Manufacturing companies should create maintenance strategy and link it to the manufacturing and business goals but recent research in the North East of England suggested that few companies do this. It is unclear why this inertia existed but it could have been due to the complexity and variety of the advice on offer in relation to the formulation and implementation of strategy. The purpose of this paper was to provide a simple generic guide or roadmap for practitioners to follow. It began by highlighting the importance and benefits of a maintenance strategy and then considered literature appropriate to the topic. A key point arising from this review was that the three elements; process, content, context, need to be considered over the lifecycle of a strategy. Moreover, most strategic models converged to simple sequential models affording a generic functional process to be developed. This involved the integration of the “corporate hard systems” model and the “Plan, do, check, act, cycle“, forming a suitable maintenance strategy process. Accordingly, further guidance on policy assured the right “content”. The paper concluded with a short questionnaire used to audit the effect of “contextual factors” on maintenance strategy. The result was a comprehensive guide on how to formulate and implement maintenance strategy

Qualitative Case Studies in Operations Management: Trends, Research Outcomes, And Future Research Implications

Our study examines the state of qualitative case studies in operations management. Five main operations management journals are included for their impact on the field. They are in alphabetical order: Decision Sciences, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Journal of Operations Management, Management Science, and Production and Operations Management. The qualitative case studies chosen were published between 1992 and 2007. With an increasing trend toward using more qualitative case studies, there have been meaningful and significant contributions to the field of operations management, especially in the area of theory building. However, in many of the qualitative case studies we reviewed, sufficient details in research design, data collection, and data analysis were missing. For instance, there are studies that do not offer sampling logic or a description of the analysis through which research out-comes are drawn. Further, research protocols for doing inductive case studies are much better developed compared to the research protocols for doing deductive case studies. Consequently, there is a lack of consistency in the way the case method has been applied. As qualitative researchers, we offer suggestions on how we can improve on what we have done and elevate the level of rigor and consistency