Interpretive structural modelling of risk sources in a virtual organisation

International audienceSpeedier network decision making together with shorter time to bring items to market together with lower network operating costs all result from enhanced knowledge sharing. In addition re-use of enterprise and network knowledge resulting from improved capture means that any risk of repeating earlier project work is limited, repetition of past mistakes is reduced. Decisions are made with greater awareness of any risks involved and therefore there is likely to be a reduction in costs arising from faulty decisions and failed collaborations. While there are many advantages attaching to the use of virtual organizations (VOs) there are also challenges, including risks that have become apparent through undertaking a review of the literature. In total 13 sources of risk were found stemming from the network related risks in a VO, where the emphasis of the study was placed,. This paper contains a thorough study that will identify these threats as well as gaining a sound understanding of them by examining them one by one as they have been identified by the literature and previous studies. Subsequently, their relative importance will be analysed through the use of Structural Modeling (ISM) using information gathered in a questionnaire

Learning histories in simulation-based teaching: The effects on self-learning and transfer

Simulations are recognized as an efficient and effective way of teaching and learning complex, dynamic systems. A new concept of simulation-based teaching with a built-in learning history is introduced in several simulation-based teaching tools. The user of these systems obtains access to past states and decisions and to the consequences of these decisions. To date, there has been very little research on the effectiveness and efficiency of the learning history in simulation-based teaching. In this paper we report the results of a controlled experiment to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a learning process that takes place in a dynamic simulation. This was done with and without recording and accessing the history of the learning process, along with the ability to restart the simulation from any point. The experiment was based on the simulation teaching tool called the Operations Trainer (OT) that simulates the order fulfillment process in a manufacturing organization, implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The findings show that with the learning history recording and inquiry available to the users of the OT simulator, a better performance was obtained during the learning process itself. Moreover, when the use of the history mechanism was removed after 2weeks , the better performance still remained. In addition, performance was similarly better in a different context, than the one used in the original learning with access to the learning history. The findings are discussed with respect to the self-learning process in simulation-based teaching environments and the practical implications of using simulators in the growing field of Electronic Learning (E-Learning)

Effects of the information presentation format on project control

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between the information presentation format and project control. Furthermore, the effects of some system conditions, namely the number of projects to be controlled and the level of time pressure, on the quality of the project control decisions are analyzed. Information provided by Earned Value Analysis is used to monitor and control projects, and simulation is applied to replicate and model the uncertain project environments. Software is developed to generate random cost figures, to present the data in different visual forms and to collect users’ responses. Having performed the experiments, the statistical significance of the results is tested.

The impact of functional fidelity in simulator-based learning of project management

Following previous research on the effectiveness of simulators in teaching project management, and research on the impact of history recording mechanisms on learning and forgetting, at individual level and at team level, this study focuses on the functional fidelity of the simulator. The simulator with high functional fidelity used in this study had two advanced project management functions: the ability to hire/fire employees and the ability to split activities. A group of 199 industrial engineering students were divided into two main groups with only one group having access to the advanced functions. Within each group the students were subdivided into sub-groups that used three different history-keeping modes: automatic (simulator-controlled), manual (student-controlled), and a third mode with no history keeping. All the groups used the same scenarios for training. The performance of participants who were running the simulation with higher functional fidelity (i.e., with advanced functions) was significantly better than that of participants running the simulation without these capabilities. Furthermore, the students' decisions on when to record the history during the training process had a particularly strong enhancing effect on the learning process

Simulation-based learning: The learning-forgetting-relearning process and impact of learning history

The results of empirical experiments evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the learning-forgetting-relearning process in a dynamic project management simulation environment are reported. Sixty-six graduate engineering students performed repetitive simulation-runs with a break period of several weeks between the runs. The students used a teaching tool called the project management trainer (PMT) that simulates a generic dynamic, stochastic project management environment. In this research, we focused on the effect of history recording mechanism on the learning forgetting process. Manual or automatic history recording mechanisms were used by the experimental group, while the control group did not use any history recording mechanism. The findings indicate that for the initial learning phase, the manual mechanism is better than the automatic mechanism. However, for the relearning phase, the break period length influenced the performance after the break. When the break period is short, the manual history keeping mechanism is better, but for a long period break, there is no significant difference. A comparison between the experimental group and the control group revealed that using any history recording mechanism reduced forgetting. Based on the findings, some practical implications of using simulators to improve the learning-forgetting process are discussed

Simulator-based team training to share resources in a matrix structure organization

Project management in a matrix organization is complex because project managers share the organization resources (budget and human), and cooperation between managers is critical for effective resource sharing. Therefore, training project managers in the matrix structure to work as a team is required. A simulator-based method to train managers to work as a team is presented. A project team builder (PTB) simulating a dynamic, stochastic multiproject environment was designed and implemented in a project management course for graduate students in systems engineering. Recording the learning history and having a debriefing mechanism were implemented as mechanisms to facilitate team learning. A total of 132 participants composed of graduate students, representing experienced managers, and undergraduate students as inexperienced managers, assigned into teams of three participants each, used the simulator in a multiuser multi-project mode. The findings indicate that for the initial learning phase and transfer to a different scenario, the three factors, history, debriefing, and experience, affected the performances. Furthermore, the interactions between the debriefing and history factors, between the experience and debriefing factors, and between the history and experience factors were all significant. Based on these findings, a new paradigm for a simulation-based team learning is presented

Evaluating the Layout of Graphical User Interface Screens: Validation of a Numerical Computerized Model

We developed a numerical model for evaluation of graphical user interface (GUI) screens. The model consists of design guidelines concerning screen factors - element size, local density, alignment, and grouping - and produces a complexity score for a given screen. The complexity predictions of the model were examined in a fully factorial experimental design in which GUI screens with all combinations of factors were shown to human users. We measured participants' search times for given elements on all screens, and participants rated their pair-wise preferences of those screens. Overall, very well designed screens resulted in shorter search times and high subjective preference. The combination of poor alignment and poor local density had the strongest adverse effect on search time. Alignment and grouping were found to have more influence on subjective preference. Weights derived from the subjective judgments were introduced into the model, and a significant correlation was found between model predictions and search times. We discuss the findings in terms of screen-design implications and in terms of the development and use of numerical models in GUI design and evaluation