Understanding Process Performance Measurement Systems

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current state of Process Performance Measurement Systems (PPMS) by means of a systematic review of literature. The PPMS literature is reviewed using a systematic approach. Based on an extensive literature review only twelve articles that contain the term PPMS in the title were found. The literature analysis showed that PPMS is a relatively new topic in the area of performance measurement. In order to understand PPMS, it was crucial to explain the concepts of business process management, business performance measurement and Performance Measurement System (PMS) which are well known and used in the literature and practice. PPMS is a special type of PMS that should be used in process-oriented organizations. Limitations of this research lie in the fact that all the conclusions were derived only from the literature, not empirical research. The results presented in the paper continue towards providing an updated overview of the current state of performance measurement, especially PPMS in order to identify the existing research gaps on which ongoing and future research efforts regarding this topic can be focused.business process management; process orientation; performance indicators; business performance measurement; Performance Measurement System; Process Performance Measurement System

The evaluation of risky investment projects

Predmet ovog istraživanja su rizični investicioni projekti, za koje nije dovoljno primeniti samo neki od metoda ocene projekata (NPV, AE, IRR itd), jer je rizik donošenja pogrešne odluke znatan. Zbog toga se u ovakvim slučajevima moraju primeniti neki drugi metodi koji uzimaju u obzir rizik projekta. U praksi se najčešće za ocenu projekata koriste metode NPV i IRR. Međutim, za ocenu rizičnih projekata ove metode ne mogu da daju pouzdanu ocenu o isplativosti projekta. Zbog toga se u ovom radu predlaže jedna druga kombinacija metoda, koja bi dala pouzdaniju sliku o projektu. Na konkretnom primeru urađena je NPV analiza, senzitivna analiza i Monte Karlo simulacija. Na taj način se došlo do određenih rezultata koji omogućuju pouzdanije ocenjivanje inženjerskog investicionog projekta, što predstavlja doprinos ovog rada.The subject of this investigation are risky investment projects that some project evaluation methods (NPV, AE, IRR etc) are insufficient to be applied to, because the risk of wrong decision-making is considerable. That is the reason why in such cases some other methods taking into account project risk must be implemented. In practice, the NPV and IRR methods are most often used for project evaluation. However, these methods cannot provide reliable evaluation of project cost-effectiveness for the case of risky projects. Therefore, in this paper another combination of methods is proposed that would give a more reliable picture of the project. Using a concrete example, NPV analysis, sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation were done. In this way, certain results were arrived at providing a more reliable evaluation of an engineering investment project, which represents the contribution of this paper

Development of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L) on the foliage of Quercus cerris L., Q. Petraea (matt) Liebl. and Q. Robur L. in the controlled conditions

The development of Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L) was monitored in laboratory conditions, on the foliage of the species Quercus cerris L. Quercus petraea (Matt) Liebl. and Quercus robur L. The experiment was established in the controlled environmental conditions, at the temperature of 25°C, photoperiod 14:10 (day: night) and relative humidity 70%. The objective of the research was to determine the suitability of the study host plant species for gypsy moth development. The study results show that Gypsy moth caterpillars cultivated on Q. petraea foliage had a lower survival, higher number of moultings, longer preadult development and lower fecundity, which makes this species less suitable compared to the other two. Gypsy moth caterpillars cultivated on Q. cerris foliage had the highest survival degree the lowest number of moultings, the shortest preadult development and the highest fecundity, which makes this species the most favourable for gypsy moth development. Q. robur was between the former two species in this respect

Optimalni tehnički kapacitete u industriji mlijeka

U toku stvaranja i razvoja mljekarstva kao industrijske grane došlo je do izvjesnih pojava koje nisu u suglasnosti s principima privrednog razvitka. Vjerojatno pod utjecajem jednostrano tumačenog nastojanja da se podigne životni standard i posebno uslijed dobivanja pomoći Međunarodnog dječjeg fonda (UNICEF), dominirala je tendencija izgradnje gradskih mljekara

Host plant effect on the susceptibility of gypsy moth caterpillars to insecticides

Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L) is the most significant pest of broadleaf forests. The dynamics of gypsy moth population depends on several biotic and abiotic factors, but it is also highly dependent on the quality of consumed food. The gypsy moth control increasingly relies on the biological preparations based on Bacillus thuringiensis subspec. kurstaki (Btk) and Lymantria dispar Nuclear Poliedrosis virus (NPV). Chemical preparations are still applied although more rarely, the pyrethroids which include also lambda-cyhalothrin This paper presents the study results of the effect of host plant on gypsy moth caterpillar (Lymantria dispar L) susceptibility to lambda cihalotrine insecticide, by which the study oak leaves were contaminated. The study results show the lowest mortality of the caterpillars fed on contaminated leaves of Turkey oak (17.5%), then pedunculate oak (86.1%), and the highest mortality of caterpillars fed on sessile oak leaves (92%). The rate of the gypsy moth caterpillar development depends on the host plant Susceptibility of the gypsy moth caterpillars to the above preparation depends on the host plant The knowledge of the effect of host plant on insecticide efficiency in gypsy moth suppression would render insecticide utilisation optimal

Star Trek as the final frontier: overcoming the neoliberal paradigm

Despite the vast research on the American science-fiction series Star Trek, the economic aspect of the series is still under-analyzed. The purpose of this study is to offer a perspective on our limited present as a way to imagine a limitless future by relating the narrative and episodes of Star Trek and its premise of economic abundance to our present. The problems researched are unsustainable socio-economic inequality, environmental issues and the demise of politics symptomatic of the current global economic sphere, which are a result of neoliberal policies for free movement of capital, goods and services across countries. A perspective on issues is given by putting neoliberal capitalism in the historical context of technological and scientific innovation and growth under capitalism and considering that the current trends in these fields point out to the fact that the world may be at the beginning stage of a post-scarcity economy. Star Trek’s vision of society presents the possibilities which economic abundance offers for the development of the society and political innovation. Being technologically, scientifically and politically grounded in our present and a reflection of the political thought of the United States as a product of abundant resources, Star Trek presents a positive model to build our globalized society upon. Considering the research, advances and innovation in the field of clean and unlimited energy, economic abundance seems to be a plausible near future. On the other hand, global issues are asking for political innovation on a global scale, such as the World Government. These trends point out to the probability of Star Trek’s model of global society based on democracy, egalitarianism, justice, solidary and individualism, which reflects the politics of the United States and presents them as the leader of this speculative new world order of the future

The prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity in six regions of Croatia: results from the Croatian Adult Health Survey [Prevalencija prekomjerne tjelesne težine, debljine i avdominalne debljine u šest regija Hrvatske]

Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of overweight, obesity and increased waist circumference in the adult population of Croatia and investigate regional differences in six regions of Croatia. Using the data from the 2003 Croatian Adult Health Survey we estimated the overall prevalence of overweight, obesity and increased waist circumference for the entire population of Croatia at 38.11%, 20.34% and 43.52%, respectively. For men, this was 43.2%, 20.1% and 34.98% and for women 33.6%, 20.6% and 51.13%, respectively for the three indicators of increased body weight. We found conflicting evidence as to whether the Mediterranean part of the country, compared with the continental part, bears a lesser degree of cardiovascular risk. Planners should pay particular attention to the Northern region, where the burden of increased body weight was the highest

Solving the Generalized Vertex Cover Problem by Genetic Algorithm

In this paper an evolutionary approach to solving the generalized vertex cover problem (GVCP) is presented. Binary representation and standard genetic operators are used along with the appropriate objective function. The experiments were carried out on randomly generated instances with up to 500 vertices and 100000 edges. Performance of the genetic algorithm (GA) is compared with CPLEX solver and 2-approximation algorithm based on LP relaxation. The genetic algorithm outperformed both CPLEX solver and 2-approximation heuristic

Potrebe i mogućnosti valorizacije sekundarnih proizvoda prerade mlijeka

U procesu proizvodnje (dobivanja), prerade i prometa mlijeka postoje izvjesne specifičnosti koje se ne susreću u drugim granama prehrambene industrije. Osim toga industrija prerade mlijeka je još uvijek u početnom stadiju svog razvoja uslijed čega dolazi do pojave novih problema. Jedan od tih je nužnost valorizacije sekundarnih mliječnih proizvoda

Insight into the regional distribution and geographic setting of the Vinča and Bubanj-Sălcuţa-Krivodol settlements in the Central Balkans and its implications

U radu su predstavljeni rezultati istraživanja regionalne distribucije i geografskog položaja naselja iz 5. milenijuma pre n. e. na centralnom Balkanu. U obzir je uzeto 144 lokaliteta, tj. 142 naselja koja pripadaju vinčanskoj kulturi i Bubanj-Salkuca-Krivodol (BSK) kulturnom kompleksu na prostoru od Podunavlja do gornjeg toka Južne Morave. Njihovo mapiranje pomoću Geografskog informacionog sistema (GIS) pokazalo je da se manje ili veće koncentracije naselja mogu uočiti u šest regija današnje Srbije. Posmatrana je teritorija poluprečnika 5 km od lokaliteta i ispitivani su: regionalna distribucija naselja, nadmorske visine, topografske odlike i zemljišni tipovi u neposrednoj blizini i u širem arealu oko naselja. Analiza regionalne distribucije naselja u dva sukcesivna perioda pokazala je da je čitava strategija naseljavanja u drugoj polovini 5. milenijuma pre n. e. bila usmerena ka bakrom bogatoj regiji istočne Srbije, koja je u kasnom neolitu bila retko naseljena, što je veoma slično trendu konstatovanom u južnim oblastima Balkanskog poluostrva. Može se zaključiti da su BSK naselja manje brojna, raštrkana i arheološki slabije vidljiva, te je populacioni pad, kao što je ranije sugerisano, u ranom eneolitu vrlo moguć. Ranoeneolitska naselja su ravnomernije raspoređena prema nadmorskim visinama i topografiji, odlikuje ih naglašena dihotomija u topografiji (naselje na ravnom / naselje na platou dominantnog uzvišenja), a evidentirana je usmerenost ka širem dijapazonu lokalnih resursa, što je sugerisalo veću međusobnu povezanost između naselja u ranom eneolitu. Nove strategije se uvode u zemljoradnju, što se ogleda u naseljavanju kontakt zone između aluvijalnog i brdovitog predela, a odlikuju ih dva ili više plodnih zemljišnih tipova. Naseljavaju se ranije periferne oblasti pogodne za razvoj pastoralne ekonomije. Porast broja naselja usmerenih ka zemljištima nepogodnim za kultivaciju potvrđuje ranije pretpostavke o uvećanom značaju stočarstva i postojanju ekonomski specijalizovanih i kooperativnih naselja u ranom eneolitu. Ovo istraživanje je ukazalo na to da se naselja BSK kulturnog kompleksa (a ne ona iz kasnih faza vinčanske kulture) u tim marginalnim oblastima, udaljenim od glavnih vodotokova, odlikuju raznovrsnijim izborom za položaj naselja i okolnim resursima. Prema tome, naseljavanje perifernih oblasti tokom ranog eneolita javlja se usled procesa društveno-ekonomske transformacije neolitskih društava, što podrazumeva intenzifikaciju proizvodnje i korišćenja resursa, kao i inovacije u metalurgiji, zemljoradnji i stočarstvu. Štaviše, uočen je visok nivo kontrole nad komunikacijama i lokalnim resursima - integracija, specijalizacija, komplementarne i kooperativne funkcije u ekonomiji susednih naselja u određenim mikroregijama i grupa naselja u susednim mikroregijama.The paper presents the results of research on the regional distribution and geographic setting of the 5th millennium BCE settlements in the Central Balkans. The research encompasses two successive archaeological cultures in the area between the Danube Valley and the upper course of the Južna Morava River and compares the regional distribution of the settlements and their topographic and pedological aspects. It has been concluded that the relocation occured on a regional level, meaning the abandonment or a reduced population of the regions which were densely populated during the Vinča culture. The emphasised dichotomy in the topographic type of the settlements with more or less equally distributed settlements compared to the altitude and an increased focus on soils unsuitable for cultivation suggest the utilisation of a wider range of local resources and a greater degree of mutual connections between the BSK settlements. The observed trends are interpreted in correlation with the previous knowledge on economic strategies of the population of the Central Balkans