Disneys Virtual Queues: A Strategic Opportunity To Co-Brand Services?

Almost all service experiences require customers to wait in a queue at some point during the service encounter. Although waiting is a natural part of many services, for most customers, waiting is an annoyance. One of the most recent and innovative ways of making the wait invisible is through the application of virtual queues. Disney is a leader in this queuing advancement which allows customers to participate in other activities while they wait for an appointed time at their desired activity. In the past, queuing systems were modeled and studied as a means to minimize the negative aspects of service waits. However, in today’s service environment, technology has provided businesses with the ability to create captured audiences through virtual queues. In fact, a powerful opportunity now exists for service firms to strategically co-brand products. In our work, we first explore queuing in the services industry. We then investigate Disney’s queuing advancement – FASTPASSTM. Strategies for co-branding services are discussed as opportunities to increase sales volumes and profit margins.

Effective Project Management: A Knowledge Management And Organizational Citizenship Behavior Approach

In the current complex business environment, projects are viewed as critical building blocks for organizational success. In fact, there seems to be a powerful interaction between the flow of project work and the flow of knowledge in an organization. Such interaction leads to the exploration of the concept of effective Knowledge Management strategies for Project Management based on the guiding principles of Organizational Citizenship Behavior. In the past, Knowledge Management has been thought of as the collection of technological assets and managerial policies that compensate for information failures. Recent studies have uncovered the popularity of Knowledge Management research since most project environments have the potential, but do not promote personal information sharing

A Look At The Merchant Marine Act Of 1920: Is It Time For The U.S. To Change Course?

Due to recent changes in global shipping, we investigate the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 – also known as the Jones Act. When constructed, our governing body decided that the Act was necessary for the country’s naval defenses and for proper growth of foreign and domestic commerce. The plan was for the fleet to be owned and operated privately by citizens of the United States. However, in today’s economic conditions some are wondering if the Jones Act is a liability to foreign commerce. In our work, we explore the advantages of naval defense and shipbuilding as well as the disadvantages on commerce and U.S. transportation infrastructure. To conclude, we offer opinions for policy changes to create a more level playing field for the U.S. to compete in global logistics

Flexible Resource Allocation: A Comparison Of Linear Diophantine Analysis And Integer Programming

To help production managers cope with an ever changing and complex business environment, we investigate a flexible methodology for solving integer resource allocation problems. Solutions obtained to an example problem using the Linear Diophantine Equation (LDE) methodology presented are compared to solutions produced using Integer Programming. Tradeoffs are examined and discussed, and suggestions are made for managers facing resource decisions similar to the example studied

Leases for Other Minerals: Recent Developments

14 pages. Contains references

Innovative Knowledge Management At Disney: Human Capital And Queuing Solutions For Services

It is well known that most activities in which a service is provided require customers to wait in a queue during the experience. One thing that is inherent in waiting lines is the universal dislike for the process. In fact, the feelings and opinions developed in waiting lines influence the customers perception of the awaited experience. In this paper, Disney is used as a case study for queuing solutions. In particular, we examine their implementation of Knowledge Management (KM) solutions to improve the waiting line process. The use of Disney cast members as human capital combined with the knowledge of customer preferences has made the FASTPASS an innovative solution to enhance queuing in the Disney theme parks. In the past, KM has been thought of as the collection of technological assets and managerial policies that compensate for information failures. In fact, the individuals need for human interaction provides the richest opportunity for knowledge acquisition. Disneys ability to capture customers in virtual queues while giving them a pleasurable waiting experience has made them a leader in KM initiatives in the service industry

An analytical and experimental assessment of flexible road ironwork support structures

This paper describes work undertaken to investigate the mechanical performance of road ironwork installations in highways, concentrating on the chamber construction. The principal aim was to provide the background research which would allow improved designs to be developed to reduce the incidence of failures through improvements to the structural continuity between the installation and the surrounding pavement. In doing this, recycled polymeric construction materials (Jig Brix) were studied with a view to including them in future designs and specifications. This paper concentrates on the Finite Element (FE) analysis of traditional (masonry) and flexible road ironwork structures incorporating Jig Brix. The global and local buckling capacity of the Jig Brix elements was investigated and results compared well with laboratory measurements. FE models have also been developed for full-scale traditional (masonry) and flexible installations in a surrounding flexible (asphalt) pavement structure. Predictions of response to wheel loading were compared with full-scale laboratory measurements. Good agreement was achieved with the traditional (masonry) construction but poorer agreement for the flexible construction. Predictions from the FE model indicated that the use of flexible elements significantly reduces the tensile horizontal strain on the surface of the surrounding asphaltic material which is likely to reduce the incidence of surface cracking

The yin and yang of chromatin spatial organization

Chromatin interactions, both in cis and trans and between transcriptionally active and silent regions, mean that the spatial organization of the genome is non-random