TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED EVALUATION OF HUMANCENTERED SERVICE SYSTEMS AND CORRESPONDING BUSINESS MODELS: A SYSTEMS THEORY PERSPECTIVE

The design of services and their corresponding business models (BMs) aims at a value creation for customers and service providers. Thus, the outcome is interrelated. However, both – the design service systems and BMs – are evaluated separately because they do not have a common theoretical foundation. Therefore, this design science research aims at the development of an evaluation scheme for the design of services and BMs. Building on a general systems theory, we conceptualize human-centered service systems (HCSSs) and their corresponding BMs as a coherent system. This conceptualization gives the possibility to provide concrete analytical levels that allow an integrated evaluation of this system. We apply this evaluation scheme in a care service context and show that the integrated evaluation allows a more concrete assessment of the combined design of HCSS and the corresponding BMs. With this evaluation scheme, we offer an operationalization of a summative evaluation for the design of HCSSs and BMs as an artifact. Also, this provides a new perspective on theory-rooted knowledge for designing and evaluating service systems. For practitioners, the evaluation results allow the coordination of the value proposition in the service systems and BMs

Encoding CSP into CCS

We study encodings from CSP into asynchronous CCS with name passing and matching, so in fact, the asynchronous pi-calculus. By doing so, we discuss two different ways to map the multi-way synchronisation mechanism of CSP into the two-way synchronisation mechanism of CCS. Both encodings satisfy the criteria of Gorla except for compositionality, as both use an additional top-level context. Following the work of Parrow and Sj\"odin, the first encoding uses a centralised coordinator and establishes a variant of weak bisimilarity between source terms and their translations. The second encoding is decentralised, and thus more efficient, but ensures only a form of coupled similarity between source terms and their translations.Comment: In Proceedings EXPRESS/SOS 2015, arXiv:1508.0634

Grain-size effects in nanoscaled electrolyte and cathode thin films for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC)

Due to their high energy conversion efficiencies and low emissions, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) show promise as a replacement for combustion-based electrical generators at all sizes. Further increase of SOFC efficiency can be achieved by microstructural optimization of the oxygen-ion conducting electrolyte and the mixed ionic-electronic conducting cathode. By application of nanoscaled thin films, the exceptionally high efficiency allows the realization of mobile SOFCs

On the Complexity of Reconstructing Chemical Reaction Networks

The analysis of the structure of chemical reaction networks is crucial for a better understanding of chemical processes. Such networks are well described as hypergraphs. However, due to the available methods, analyses regarding network properties are typically made on standard graphs derived from the full hypergraph description, e.g.\ on the so-called species and reaction graphs. However, a reconstruction of the underlying hypergraph from these graphs is not necessarily unique. In this paper, we address the problem of reconstructing a hypergraph from its species and reaction graph and show NP-completeness of the problem in its Boolean formulation. Furthermore we study the problem empirically on random and real world instances in order to investigate its computational limits in practice

Linking stage-resolved population models with field observations: an integrated approach on population dynamics of Pseudocalanus elongatus in the German Bight.

The population dynamics of Pseudocalanus elongatus have been investigated within the framework of the GLOBEC-Germany project to gain a better understanding of its life cycle and population dynamics and to estimate secondary production in the North Sea. During an intensive field study in the German Bight between February and October 2004, experiments on reproduction were performed and data on length of copepodids and abundance were collected to characterize the population in the southern North Sea. This data set was used to update the literature- based parameterization of a population model for P. elongatus to investigate the population dynamics, life history and production in the German Bight. The ability of data to improve population models is also discussed. Pseudocalanus elongatus was found to be a major contributor to carbon uptake contributing about onethird of copepod production. Though the spatial variability in field observations was not reflected by the model, the simulation matched data within one order of magnitude at most stations. The high-resolution field observations and experiments mainly improved the parameterization of the reproductive parameters. Mortality is found to be a critical parameter due to its influence on population size. Using constant rates, though based on observation-derived estimates, seems not to capture realistic variability. Our study confirms the need for experimental and field data to build a robust parameterization for concentration-based population models

Conquering the Challenge of Continuous Business Model Improvement - Design of a Repeatable Process

In an atmosphere of rapidly changing business environments and intense competition, adequate and timely business models are crucial for companies. Current research mainly focuses on business model development that often neglects the legacy of established companies. The paper at hand addresses this research gap by a process design which allows established companies to rethink, improve, and continually innovate their business models. Following a design science research approach, require- ments for improving business models are identified by the analysis of existing literature and by expert interviews. Collaboration Engineering and a multilevel evaluation are applied to create a continuous and implementable process design for business model improvement – including specific activities, instructions, and tools. The process design represents a nascent design theory in form of an ‘‘invention’’ type of knowledge contribution. Moreover, going beyond existing literature, the importance of col- laboration between participants in a business model improvement project is highlighted. From a practical per- spective, the developed process design enables companies for continuous and recurring business model improvement without the ongoing support of professional moderators or consultants

Individualizing Patient Pathways through Modularization: Design and Evaluation of Healthcare-Specific Modularization Parameters

Some classes of person-oriented services such as healthcare services require individualization to be effective. Individualizing services and corresponding patient pathways are costly. To provide such services in an individualized, but also efficient manner, service modularization is known as a solution. Until now, modularization parameters that take healthcare specificities into account are missing. This paper closes this gap. Following a design science research approach, we iteratively build and evaluate a set of healthcare-specific modularization parameters. For requirements elicitation, refinement of the modularization parameters and their evaluation, we conduct interviews with domain experts from patient pathways in oncology care as well as with service design and business development experts. As main theoretical contribution, this paper provides design knowledge for the modularization of healthcare services. For practice, the set of parameters assists healthcare providers in the efficient provision of individualized, patient-centric solutions and patient pathways

Fostering Business Model Extensions for ICT-Enabled Human-Centered Service Systems

When improving human-centered service systems (HCSSs) with information and communications technology (ICT), financial aspects are important but challenging for companies with established business models (BMs). The use of ICT and changes in value creation reflect business needs, but commercial success requires modifications and extensions of the BMs. However, prevailing approaches do not take account of these requirements. In this paper, we present a BM design process that fosters the extension of BMs for ICT-enabled HCSSs to support service innovations. Using an action research project in the field of volunteering, we iterated and revised the BM design process in a project collaboration with three end-user companies having similar objectives. The process guides those responsible for service innovation in structuring, analyzing, and the decision-making of alternative BM extensions. Thus, the presented approach contributes to ICT-related service innovation projects by describing systematic and repeatable activities that are the first step for commercial success