The Goal Setting Theory is by many researchers considered one of the major motivational theories. The theory is based on the assumption that setting challenging goals, hard to reach (goal difficulty), yet well described (goal specificity), contributes to a general improvement in working performances.
Forrester(1958) analyzed Supply Chain and the different levels existing) in it, as well as the participant companies and the role played by each of them inside the chain as a global group, and observed that small variations in end item demand caused oscillations that are amplified throughout the chain. This phenomenon, called the Bullwhip effect (Lee et al, 1997a), has detrimental consequences on inventory levels and on all kind of inventory costs that may affect the added value of the activities throughout the logistics chain and ultimately affect the Net Present Value of all the activities in the chain. There is a set of collaborative supply chain structures (Disney et al. (2004)) which reduce these harmful consequences within the supply chain. The study presented in this paper quantifies how collaborative supply chain structures reduce the Bullwhip effect in terms of demand variability and inventory cost.
Critical infrastructures are increasingly automated and interdependent, subject to possibly cascading vulnerabilities due to equipment failures, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. The government seeks to ensure that disruptions are infrequent, brief, manageable, and cause the least harm possible. The system dynamics (SD) approach is particularly promising in understanding these complex systems, interactions, and issues. Problems in critical infrastructure protection are being investigated with a collection of SD models developed expressly for these concerns, including agriculture models. This paper discusses the technical and social modeling context that makes this SD modeling effort seem uncommon. It involves a modular approach, a model reassembling technology, a formal process for testing and evaluation, and a social process to manage the development and use of "living" models.
Facing global climate change and the oncoming shortage of fossil resources, it is necessary to reduce overall primary energy consumption. There is a strong need for action concerning car traffic as a main originator of greenhouse gas emissions by use of fossil energy. For a strong mitigation effect, the technological improvement of today`s petrol and diesel engines has to be accompanied by the promotion of alternative vehicles, still being sparsely
After a short introduction to Agent Based Modeling we will show how to build a simple model using that approach in AnyLogic model development environment. We will then add a model component built with the System Dynamics approach and combine it with the agent based part. CDs with AnyLogic trial version will be given to everyone. Participants can bring their laptops and build models with us, or just watch. Everybody is welcome to join the discussion on where AB modeling should be applied and how the two methodologies can successfully work together.
This paper presents a qualitative causal model of the factors explaining the delay in Womens Careers at a Dutch university. By focusing on the role of image shaping about womens ambitions and performance, it fills in theoretical gaps identified in earlier research about gender processes in organizations. The causal model is based on analysis of 45 interviews, five focus groups and policy documents collected at five faculties of a Dutch university. The research team involved in this analysis used model building to integrate their knowledge and reach a shared definition of relevant variables. Model building proves to support the qualitative analysis of gender processes by supporting the identification of main processes and showing the feedback processes at work. Womens careers are stimulated by the presence of female academics at higher positions, while masculine norms and the lack of visibility of female academics slow down womens careers.
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and to understand how it can be effectively introduced in a non-profit organisation. This analysis aims to disclose the feedback loop relationships underlying the design of a CSR strategy through a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and to explore the benefits of such an approach on the sustainability of an non-profit organisation performance.
Product returns from market to the manufacturer can happen because of the motivation to capture the value content of the product after use or the obligation from legislation and the environmental concerns. A manufacturing system capable of integrating both the manufacturing and remanufacturing activities can help the recovery of value content in the products after the end of products use life. Ordering policy designed for a production system with unidirectional flow of materials i.e., up stream to down stream only), when applied to such an integrated system involving manufacturing remanufacturing can create dynamics in the system. Our investigation into this problem has revealed that these dynamics can be avoided if a well defined production-ordering rule that explicitly account for the returned products, is adopted. We do the analysis by modifying the well known automatic pipeline inventory order based production control system (APIOBPCS) to achieve this goal.