Management development and retention programs in U.S. third-party logistics firms

To provide quality logistics services, it is essential for third-party logistics (3PL) firms to develop an effective human resource program that ensures successful development and retention of qualified managers. By reporting the results of a survey of current U.S. 3PL firm development and retention practices and experiences regarding junior managers, this article provides a benchmark for 3PL firm managers who seek to improve management development and retention programs. Efforts to improve human resource programs should focus on improving orientation programs, mentoring, job enrichment, formal career planning, job relocation assignments, educational support, training and compensation

Logistics and supply chain job placement: the 2007 perspective

The development of an effective recruitment strategy that attracts and secures entry-level logistics talent is essential to maintain corporate performance. A critical aspect of job placement involves understanding the preferences of students and employers. This research presents results of parallel surveys of U.S. undergraduate logistics, transportation and supply chain student and employer preferences and perceptions regarding employment. Results provided include a demographic respondent profile, their organization /functional area preferences and their perspectives on selected entry-level employment issues. These research results are intended to provide employers, educators and students with information that can be used to improve job placement success

Vertical probe-induced asymmetric dust oscillation in complex plasma

Spherical, micrometer-sized particles within a Coulomb crystal levitated in the sheath above the powered lower electrode in a GEC reference cell are perturbed using a Zyvex S100 Nanomanipulator. Using the S100, a vertical probe is positioned within the cell at various locations with respect to the crystal formed within the sheath. As the probe is lowered toward the horizontal plane of the dust layer, a circular cavity opens in the center of the crystal and expands. To explore the minimally perturbative state, the probe is lifted to the position that closes this cavity, the probe potential is oscillated, and the motion of the particle directly beneath the probe is analyzed. Using a simple electric field model for the plasma sheath, the change predicted in the levitation height is compared with experiment.Comment: 9 pages, 2 tables, 13 figures, submitted to Physical Review E on January 15, 2013 and assigned manuscript number EA1098

Making it stick: The secret to developing a data-driven culture

Big data and analytics has been recognized as fundamental to an organization’s success has consistently identified as one of top 10 Workforce Trends in recent years. One of the final steps in an analytics or applied research project is deployment where a solution is integrated into business practices. Without cultural acceptance, however, organizations risk missing out on the full impact that data and evidence-based practices can deliver. Even with data and analytics solutions deployed in business procedures, employees may still make decisions based on hunches and instinct. In order to harness the full potential of data analytics, organizations need to develop a culture that moves from “What do we think?” to “What do we know?”. Cultural change can be one of the most difficult things to effect in an organization, and transitioning to a data-driven culture has numerous challenges. Presenters will discuss strategies for gaining organizational commitment to data-driven decision-making, by increasing employee understanding of the value of evidence-based practices, and how data and analytics can be applied to decision-making

Estabilidade do desempenho e eficácia do ensino: Implicações para as políticas de avaliação de professores

The last five to ten years has seen a renewed interest in the stability of teacher behavior and effectiveness. Data on teacher performance and teacher effectiveness are being used increasingly as the basis for decisions about continued employment, tenure and promotion, and financial bonuses. The purpose of this study is to explore the stability of both teacher performance and effectiveness by determining the extent to which performances and effectiveness of individual teachers fluctuate over time. The sample consisted of 132 teachers for whom both observational and state standardized test data were available for five consecutive years. Neither teacher performance nor effectiveness were highly stable over multiple years of the study. The observed relationship between teacher performance and teacher effectiveness was reasonably stable over time, but the magnitude of the relationship was quite small. Teacher performance was also likely to be inflated in low performing schools. We also discuss when different observed patterns may be acceptable based on the purpose for which the data are used.En los últimos cinco a diez años ha visto un renovado interés en la estabilidad de la conducta y la efectividad de los maestros. Los datos sobre el desempeño de los docentes y la eficacia docente se están utilizando cada vez más como la base para las decisiones sobre el mantenimiento del empleo, la tenencia y la promoción, y los bonos financieros. El propósito de este estudio es explorar la estabilidad de rendimiento y eficacia de los docentes analizando en que medida las actuaciones y la eficacia de los profesores individuales fluctúan con el tiempo. La muestra estuvo constituida estaban disponibles datos tanto observacionales y de pruebas estandarizadas durante cinco años consecutivos. Ni el desempeño docente ni la eficacia era muy estable a lo largo de varios años de estudio. La relación observada entre el desempeño de los docentes y la efectividad del maestro era razonablemente estable en el tiempo, pero la magnitud de la relación era bastante pequeña. Es probable que el desempeño de los docentes también se halla incrementado en escuelas de bajo rendimiento. También discutimos en que medida los diferentes patrones observados pueden ser aceptables como una base confiable para los fines propuestos por esas políticas. Nos últimos cinco a dez anos tem visto um renovado interesse na estabilidade do comportamento e da eficácia dos professores. Os dados sobre o desempenho e eficácia dos professores são cada vez mais usados como base para a toma de decisões sobre emprego retenção, posse e promoção, e incentivos. O objetivo deste estudo é explorar a estabilidade do desempenho e eficácia de professores analisando em que medida as ações e efetividade dos professores muda ao longo do tempo. A amostra foi composta por dados de 132 professores de exames e observações obtidos por cinco anos consecutivos. Nem o desempenho e a eficácia dos professores foram muito estáveis ao longo dos vários anos de estudo. A relação observada entre o desempenho do professor e eficácia do professor era razoavelmente estável ao longo do tempo, mas a magnitude da relação foi muito pequena. Desempenho dos professores também parece aumentar em escolas de baixo desempenho. Discutimos, também, em que medida os diferentes padrões observados podem ser aceitáveis para os objetivos das politicas.

The effect of thermophoresis on the discharge parameters in complex plasma experiments

Thermophoresis is a tool often applied in complex plasma experiments. One of the usual stated benefits over other experimental tools is that changes induced by thermophoresis neither directly depend on, nor directly influence, the plasma parameters. From electronic data, plasma emission profiles in the sheath, and Langmuir probe data in the plasma bulk, we conclude that this assumption does not hold. An important effect on the levitation of dust particles in argon plasma is observed as well. The reason behind the changes in plasma parameters seems to be the change in neutral atom density accompanying the increased gas temperature while running at constant pressure.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figure