Evaluating the Semantic and Representational Consistency of Interconnected Structured and Unstructured Data

In this paper we present research in progress that has the aim of developing a set of data quality metrics for two aspects of the dimension of consistency, the semantic and representational aspects. In the literature metrics for these two aspects are relatively unexplored, especially in comparison with the data integrity aspect. Our goal is to apply these data quality metrics to interconnected structured and unstructured data. Because of the prevalence of unstructured data in organizations today, many strive for “content convergence” by interconnecting structured and unstructured data. The literature offers few data quality metrics for this type of data, despite the growing recognition of its potential value. We are developing our metrics in the context of data mining, and evaluating their utility using data mining outcomes in an economic context. If our metric development is successful, a well-defined economic utility function for data quality metrics can be of direct use to managers making decisions

The contributions to long-term health-relevant particulate matter at the UK EMEP supersites between 2010 and 2013: Quantifying the mitigation challenge

Human health burdens associated with long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) are substantial. The metrics currently recommended by the World Health Organization for quantification of long-term health-relevant PM are the annual average PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentrations, with no low concentration threshold. However, within an annual average, there is substantial variation in the composition of PM associated with different sources. To inform effective mitigation strategies, therefore, it is necessary to quantify the conditions that contribute to annual average PM10 and PM2.5 (rather than just short-term episodic concentrations). PM10, PM2.5, and speciated water-soluble inorganic, carbonaceous, heavy metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components are concurrently measured at the two UK European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) ‘supersites’ at Harwell (SE England) and Auchencorth Moss (SE Scotland). In this work, statistical analyses of these measurements are integrated with air-mass back trajectory data to characterise the ‘chemical climate’ associated with the long-term health-relevant PM metrics at these sites. Specifically, the contributions from different PM concentrations, months, components and geographic regions are detailed. The analyses at these sites provide policy-relevant conclusions on mitigation of (i) long-term health-relevant PM in the spatial domain for which these sites are representative, and (ii) the contribution of regional background PM to long-term health-relevant PM. At Harwell the mean (±1 sd) 2010–2013 annual average concentrations were PM10 = 16.4 ± 1.4 μg m−3 and PM2.5 = 11.9 ± 1.1 μg m−3 and at Auchencorth PM10 = 7.4 ± 0.4 μg m−3 and PM2.5 = 4.1 ± 0.2 μg m−3. The chemical climate state at each site showed that frequent, moderate hourly PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations (defined as approximately 5–15 μg m−3 for PM10 and PM2.5 at Harwell and 5–10 μg m−3 for PM10 at Auchencorth) determined the magnitude of annual average PM10 and PM2.5 to a greater extent than the relatively infrequent high, episodic PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations. These moderate PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were derived across the range of chemical components, seasons and air-mass pathways, in contrast to the highest PM concentrations which tended to associate with specific conditions. For example, the largest contribution to moderate PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations – the secondary inorganic aerosol components, specifically NO3− – were accumulated during the arrival of trajectories traversing the spectrum of marine, UK, and continental Europe areas. Mitigation of the long-term health-relevant PM impact in the regions characterised by these two sites requires multilateral action, across species (and hence source sectors), both nationally and internationally; there is no dominant determinant of the long-term PM metrics to target

Strategies for Monitoring and Improving Seminars: An Application in a Course on Managing Computer Integrated Manufacturing

The Course Course Monitoring and Feedback Techniques Using the Feedback Discussion References Appendi

The Realities of Becoming a Long-Term Supplier to a Large TQM Customer

In late 1993, the range appliance division of Whirlpool Corporation adopted total-quality-management principles. It announced that companies would have to meet specific objectives and support quality if they wanted to be considered as future suppliers of Whirlpool\u27s components. Many of Whirlpool\u27s established suppliers were suddenly forced to realize that long standing relationships were no longer important. One of Whirlpool\u27s long-time suppliers, Stanley Engineered Components (SEC), a small supplier of oven-door latches, spent three and one-half years attempting to accommodate and keep its largest customer. How did SEC accommodate and satisfy Whirlpool? Top management committed itself to a complete change in corporate philosophy, strategy, and practice. To bring about the change, top management hired talent from outside and developed in-house talent. Top management used TQM-style principles as a method of competitive advantage to obtain new business contracts. SEC understood and complied with the needs of its customers

Evaluating the Semantic and Representational Consistency of Interconnected Structured and Unstructured Data

In this paper we present research in progress that has the aim of developing a set of data quality metrics for two aspects of the dimension of consistency, the semantic and representational aspects. In the literature metrics for these two aspects are relatively unexplored, especially in comparison with the data integrity aspect. Our goal is to apply these data quality metrics to interconnected structured and unstructured data. Because of the prevalence of unstructured data in organizations today, many strive for “content convergence” by interconnecting structured and unstructured data. The literature offers few data quality metrics for this type of data, despite the growing recognition of its potential value. We are developing our metrics in the context of data mining, and evaluating their utility using data mining outcomes in an economic context. If our metric development is successful, a well-defined economic utility function for data quality metrics can be of direct use to managers making decisions

Components of manufacturing strategy within levels of U. S. manufacturing supply chains

This study built on past research that has identified manufacturing strategies from which a com- pany derives its competitive advantages and related it to a multi-level analysis of manufacturing supply chains in the United States. Through a combination of literature review, structured inter- views, and a questionnaire to a large national sample, 28 components of manufacturing strategy upon which a company uses to compete were identified. Factor analysis was used to group com- ponents into four factors that clustered logically into coherent manufacturing strategies (Internet Based Technology, Effectiveness of Design, Employee Experience/delivery, and Facility Location) across the five defined levels of supply chain. Significant differences in the importance of ma- nufacturing strategy among the five levels of supply chain were found. For Strategy 1 (Internet Based Technology), end-product producers rate this strategy significantly more important than do sub-component suppliers. For Strategy 2 (Effectiveness of Design), major component suppliers and end product producers rate this strategy significantly more important than do sub-component suppliers. In addition, end product producers rate this strategy significantly more important than do component suppliers. With regard to Strategy 3 (Employee Experience/Delivery), sub-compo- nent suppliers rate this strategy significantly more important than component, major component, and end product producers. H owever, major component suppliers rate this strategy as significantly more important as end product producers do. Lastly, with regard to Strategy 4 (Facility Location), end product producers rate this strategy as significantly less important as do the other levels in the supply chain. An interesting result of our research was that we identified many components of manufacturing strategy that might now be considered prerequisites for doing business, but which might not lead to competitive advantage. This research provides a snapshot of the status of how present manufacturing companies view their competitive strengths and will help them understand and define strategies for their futures

Quality in supply chain: an exploratory case study

This paper examines an eight tier (including a tier for end users) supply chain whose end product is an oven range. Categories of quality attributes were determined and seven entities (representing seven different levels in this supply chain) were interviewed on topics that included definitions of quality for each organization in the chain along with the inter-organizational effects of quality within the supply chain. Ross (1998) stated that end customer satisfaction could only occur when the entire supply channel is focused on the same quality and value added activities. Our study found a successful supply chain whose entities were not focused on the same quality goals. Our findings indicated that quality goals were not standardized in this supply chain. Quality goals varied for each organization and most did not focus on end customer satisfaction. Suppliers were not effectively managed in this supply chain, most likely due to their lack of definition and communication of standardized quality goals. Standardized quality goals did not contribute to the success of this supply chain. This supply chain is very successful without standardized quality goals as well as no common focus on the end user. To conclude that this chain is dysfunctional and/or incapable would be incorrect. Market share is increasing for Whirlpool, as are supplier sales. Quality of the ranges is increasing while cost of the ranges continues to decrease. Perhaps the chain has the minimum level of inter-organizational exchange of quality attributes that it needs to be successful for a mature, stable product line. It is evident that this type of quality information and management would not have the same level of success if there were a market shake up due to a new, innovative competitor with a dramatically different range

Estimating Demand for Container Freight Service at the Port of Davisville

The Port of Davisville, located at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, is a former US Navy facility that was turned over to Rhode Island for commercial development when the naval base closed in 1974. Since then, a number of proposals have been put forth to expand the port’s operations to include the handling of containerized cargo. The Port of Davisville’s managing organization, the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC), partnered with this academic research team to objectively analyze the viability of three proposals: (1) a major expansion of the port to make it an international container megaport, (2) a lesser investment to make it a regional international port of entry for containers, and (3) a minor expansion to make it a short-sea shipping container port. We estimated the potential demand for each expansion option using transportation cost optimization models. QDC used our study’s demand estimation in its request for grant funds from the US Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program. As a result, QDC received $22.3 million to support the development of short-sea container freight shipping services at the Port of Davisville

Quality in a supply chain: An exploratory case study

This paper examines an eight tier (including a tier for end users) supply chain whose end product is an oven range. Categories of quality attributes were determined and seven entities were interviewed on topics that included definitions of quality for each organization in the chain along with the inter-organizational effects of quality within the supply chain. Although proven financially successful, the chain was found to have no integrated management of quality goals as well as no common focus on the end user