The Influence of Enterprise Systems on Business and Information Technology

Business strategy is important to all organizations. Nearly all Fortune 500 firms are implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to improve the execution of their business strategy and to improve integration with its information technology (IT) strategy. Successful implementation of these multi-million dollar software systems are requiring new emphasis on change management and on Business and IT strategic alignment. This paper examines business and IT strategic alignment and seeks to explore whether an ERP implementation can drive business process reengineering and business and IT strategic alignment. An overview of business strategy and strategic alignment are followed by an analysis of ERP. The “As-Is/To-Be” process model is then presented and explained as a simple, but vital tool for improving business strategy, strategic alignment, and ERP implementation success

Thermoelastic Properties of Ringwoodite [Fe_x,Mg_(1-x)]_2SiO_4: Its Relationship to the 520 km Seismic Discontinuity

We combine density functional theory (DFT) within the local density approximation (LDA), the quasiharmonic approximation (QHA), and a model vibrational density of states (VDoS) to calculate elastic moduli and sound velocities of gamma-[Fe_x,Mg_(1-x)]_2SiO_4 (ringwoodite), the most abundant mineral of the lower Earth's transition zone (TZ). Comparison with experimental values at room-temperature and high pressure or ambient-pressure and high temperature shows good agreement with our first-principles findings. Then, we investigate the contrasts associated with the beta-to-gamma-[Fe_x,Mg_(1-x)]_2SiO_4 transformation at pressures and temperatures relevant to the TZ. This information offers clearly defined reference values to advance the understanding of the nature of the 520 km seismic discontinuity.Comment: 29 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Under Revie

Distinct crustal structure of the North American Midcontinent Rift from P wave receiver functions

Eighty-two broadband seismic stations of the Superior Province Rifting Earthscope Experiment (SPREE) collected 2.5 years of continuous seismic data in the area of the high gravity anomaly associated with the Midcontinent Rift (MCR). Over 100 high-quality teleseismic earthquakes were used for crustal P wave receiver function analysis. Our analysis reveals that the base of the sedimentary layer is shallow outside the MCR, thickens near the flanks where gravity anomalies are low, and shallows again in the MCR's center where the gravity anomalies peak. This pattern is similar to that found from local geophysical studies and is consistent with reverse faulting having accompanied the cessation of rifting at 1.1 Ga. Intermittent intracrustal boundaries imaged by our analysis might represent the bottom of the MCR's mostly buried dense volcanic layers. Outside the MCR, the Moho is strong, sharp, and relatively flat, both beneath the Archean Superior Province and the Proterozoic terranes to its south. Inside the MCR, two weaker candidate Mohos are found at depths up to 25 km apart in the rift's center. The intermediate layer between these discontinuities tapers toward the edges of the MCR. The presence of this transitional layer is remarkably consistent along the strike of the MCR, including beneath its jog in southern Minnesota, near the Belle Plaine Fault. We interpret these results as evidence for extensive underplating as a defining characteristic of the rift, which remains continuous along the Minnesota jog, where due to its orientation, it is minimally affected by the reverse faulting that characterizes the NNE striking parts of the rift

Hydrous upwelling across the mantle transition zone beneath the Afar Triple Junction

The mechanisms that drive the upwelling of chemical heterogeneity from the lower to upper mantle (e.g., thermal versus compositional buoyancy) are key to our understanding of whole mantle con- vective processes. We address these issues through a receiver function study on new seismic data from recent deployments located on the Afar Triple Junction, a location associated with deep mantle upwelling. The detailed images of upper mantle and mantle transition zone structure illuminate features that give insights into the nature of upwelling from the deep Earth. A seismic low-velocity layer directly above the mantle transition zone, interpreted as a stable melt layer, along with a prominent 520 km discontinuity sug- gest the presence of a hydrous upwelling. A relatively uniform transition zone thickness across the region suggests a weak thermal anomaly (<100 K) may be present and that upwelling must be at least partly driven by compositional buoyancy. The results suggest that the lower mantle is a source of volatile rich, chemically distinct upwellings that influence the structure of the upper mantle, and potentially the chemis- try of surface lavas

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Measurements, in vivo, of parameters of the dopamine system

This paper discusses methods of measuring important parameters of the dopamine system in the living animal by use of PET techniques. One primary concern is the density and binding affinity of post-synaptic neuroreceptors. A second concern is the activity of neurons. In vivo, this is generally related to the turnover of neurotransmitter and can also be related to the uptake of precursor compounds by the neurons. If the transmitter and neuroleptic compound compete for the same binding sites (on the receptor molecule) these two effects are interwoven and are not easily isolated. It appears that the movement of neuroleptic drugs from the brain is slow enough to allow equilibrium to be maintained between ligand and receptor, especially after some time for the initial washout and translocation in the brain. To test the consequences of equilibrium binding and the possible use of the model for measurement of receptor densities by emission tomography we have modified Clark's equilibrium model of ligand binding. In this note we will describe the solutions of the equations and some comparisons of the predictions of the model with data, as well as its application to tomographic measurements