INFORMATION SYSTEMS OUTSOURCING: A MIXED INTEGER PROGRAMMING ANALYSIS

In the recent past, the trend toward outsourcing has become a major information systems phenomenon. Outsourcing is the subcontracting of various information systems subfunctions such as managing of data centers, operations, hardware support software maintenance, and even application software by user-firms to either incumbent vendors or outside vendors. Outsourcing is therefore emerging as a key approach for managing infonnation systems functions. In this research, we investigate the outsourcing bidding process pertinent to the selection of one subcontractor by a userfirm. We analyze bidding situations where the bidders have different levels of expertise and cost structures. The theoretical foundations for this research lie iii the theory of mechanism design (Myerson 1983), as well as the theory of imperfect information (Philips 1988) and incentive design (Ledyard 1989; McAfee 1986). We build a mixed integer programming model to represent what happens in an outsourcing bidding context involving a user-firm, an incumbent firm, and a challenger firm and explore the implications. The analysis is conducted over two different time horizons called the ex ante and the ex post periods. Two mixed-integer programming models are presented for two time horizons (in developing the model, we follow Kreps 1990). To reflect the different levels of expertise and cost structures of bidders, a discrete probability distribution is assigned to each bidder to approximate a bidder\u27 s true cost. A bidder\u27s true cost is private information, but its probability distribution is assumed to be common knowledge. An incumbent firm is assumed to have cost advantages over other bidders as a result of being familiar with the information needs of the user-firm. Therefore, the incumbent firm is assigned a cost probability distribution that is skewed toward low cost. The competing bidder\u27s cost structure is skewed toward high cost. The objective function of each model is formulated so as to minimize the expected cost subject to participation, and truthtelling constraints. Participation constraints indicate that each bidder participates only if a positive profit is given by the user-firm. Truth-telling constmints denote that each bidder prefers telling the truth to misrepresentation. The preliminary results of the models suggest that a policy of awarding incentives and levying penalties needs to be followed by the user firm. The results show that in order to induce the bidders to behave truthfully, some penalties would have to be levied and incentives would have to be provided. For example, if both the incumbent bidder and the challenger bid the same. the challenger is awarded the bid. If the incumbent firm is found to be inflating quotes, a penalty would have to be levied against the incumbent in the sense that the contract would be awarded to the challenger. Finally, in order to reward the bidder who quotes the true costs, subsides would have to be awarded. Thus, the models provide theoretical justification and guidelines for bidding behavior practices in the real world. Interestingly, both the ex-ante and ex-post models based on Krep\u27s assumptions show identical results. Implications of this finding need to be further explored in future research

Robust Ferroelectric State in Multiferroic Mn1−x_{1-x}Znx_xWO4_4

We report the remarkably robust ferroelectric state in the multiferroic compound Mn$_{1-x}$Zn$_x$WO$_4$. The substitution of the magnetic Mn$^{2+}$ with nonmagnetic Zn$^{2+}$ reduces the magnetic exchange and provides control of the various magnetic and multiferroic states of MnWO$_4$. Only 5 % of Zn substitution results in a complete suppression of the frustrated collinear (paraelectric) low temperature phase. The helical magnetic and ferroelectric phase develops as the ground state. The multiferroic state is stable up to a high level of substitution of more than 50 %. The magnetic, thermodynamic, and dielectric properties as well as the ferroelectric polarization of single crystals of Mn$_{1-x}$Zn$_x$WO$_4$ are studied for different substitutions up to x=0.5. The magnetic phases have been identified in single crystal neutron scattering experiments. The ferroelectric polarization scales with the neutron intensity of the incommensurate peak of the helical phase.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figure

Quantum Control of the Hyperfine Spin of a Cs Atom Ensemble

We demonstrate quantum control of a large spin-angular momentum associated with the F=3 hyperfine ground state of 133Cs. A combination of time dependent magnetic fields and a static tensor light shift is used to implement near-optimal controls and map a fiducial state to a broad range of target states, with yields in the range 0.8-0.9. Squeezed states are produced also by an adiabatic scheme that is more robust against errors. Universal control facilitates the encoding and manipulation of qubits and qudits in atomic ground states, and may lead to improvement of some precision measurements.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures (color

A Workflow Approach To Information Systems Development

How businesses evolve and the technology available to them has changed in response to changing competitive environments. Organizations compete in global markets and must maintain international communication and operations. In the 1990\u27s, continued globalization and increasingly competitive markets will call for rapid responses and innovative thinking. In this turbulent environment, information technology will leverage time and human resources. (The Landmark MIT Study: Management in the 1990\u27s). While technology is available to link organizations around the world, the traditional development models and techniques for such systems are outmoded. Current systems analysis and design techniques needto be improved. According to a survey of senior information systems executives, improving the systems-development process is ranked sixth in the top issues facing North America and Europe. Improving information-services personnel is ranked ninth in North America and eighth in Europe (Sager, 1994). The purpose of this paper is to present a workflow approach of information systems development (WFSAD: Workflow Systems Analysis and Design) that incorporates an emphasis on analyzing business processes to improve processing time and focuses on developing integrated systems throughout and beyond organizational boundaries. A framework for analyzing the impact of the WFSAD approach on the management of information systems personnel is also presented

Magnetic Field resulting from non-linear electrical transport in single crystals of charge-ordered Pr0.63_{0.63} Ca0.37_{0.37} MnO3_{3}}

In this letter we report that the current induced destabilization of the charge ordered (CO) state in a rare-earth manganite gives rise to regions with ferromagnetic correlation. We did this experiment by measurement of the I-V curves in single crystal of the CO system Pr$_{0.63}$Ca$_{0.37}$MnO$_{3}$ and simultanously measuring the magnetization of the current carrying conductor using a high T$_c$ SQUID working at T = 77K. We have found that the current induced destabilization of the CO state leads to a regime of negative differential resistance which leads to a small enhancement of the magnetization of the sample, indicating ferromagnetically aligned moments.Comment: 4 pages LateX, 4 eps figure

Tautomeric mutation: A quantum spin modelling

A quantum spin model representing tautomeric mutation is proposed for any DNA molecule. Based on this model, the quantum mechanical calculations for mutational rate and complementarity restoring repair rate in the replication processes are carried out. A possible application to a real biological system is discussed.Comment: 7 pages (no figures