Applying Performance Measures Research Articles

Evaluation of a multi-staged bias correction approach on CHIRP and CHIRPS rainfall product: a case study of the Lake Hawassa watershed

Abstract A promising future development area to improve the accuracy of satellite rainfall estimates (SREs) is accessing merits from different sources of data through combining algorithms. The main objective of this study is to assess the accuracy and importance of the fused multistage approach of bias correction. Accordingly, two versions of resampled and spatially bias-corrected Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation (CHIRP) estimates were merged with ground measurements using a conditional merging procedure. Results of applied performance measures (i.e. seven) on corrected and merged CHIRP SREs show that the Percent of Detection (POD) and Percent Volume Error (PVE) have improved. Depending on the combination of coupled stations for validation, up to 70 and 50% PVE improvement was achieved at some stations for wet and dry periods, respectively. Moreover, the bias-corrected and conditionally merged CHIRP SREs have outperformed the estimates by resampling CHIRP with station dataset (CHIRPS) over the sparsely populated western part of the watershed. However, the devised method was limited in considering dry-day events during bias correction, which in turn has affected the performance of the bias correction of the CHIRPS product. Finally, future research should concentrate on such methods of fusing to understand the benefits of various approaches and produce more precise rainfall records.

What Role Do Design Factors Play in Applying Performance Measurement Systems in Nonprofit Organizations?

Recent research on management control and performance measurement and management (PMM) points towards a concern to provide suitable systems in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). However, few attempts have been made to understand these organizations and how their peculiarities influence this process. This research empirically discusses NPOs’ features through the lens of performance measurement and how these features influence performance measurement system’ design, the first step for an iterative PMM. A case study with two NPOs in the United States of America and Brazil provides valuable insights into the design factors. Results indicate that various factors related to purpose, stakeholders, and management influence the design of the performance-measurement system. Their unique organizational characteristics impact the usability and viability of the application of performance-measurement systems.

Applying Performance Measures and Process Improvements in the Classroom: The Loch Dots Company Simulation

ABSTRACTThe article describes a multi‐phase, in‐class simulation that employs problem‐based learning to teach operations and process‐improvement concepts as part of an undergraduate or graduate business course. The simulation is derived from a corporate Lean Six Sigma training activity and has been modified to introduce, demonstrate, and apply a wide range of business concepts relevant to operations and supply chain management, including the use of operational and financial performance measures in decision making. The activity is scalable for small‐ to medium‐size classes with multiple student groups and may be deployed as a stand‐alone, in‐class exercise spread over several class meetings or incorporated into a larger, semester‐long process‐improvement project for multiple student groups. The simulation emphasizes problem‐solving, teamwork, and intra‐firm cooperation in addition to 20–30 other business concepts, tools, and measures that may be incorporated.

Quality in perinatal care: applying performance measurement using joint commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations indicators in Italy

BackgroundMaternal and child health are internationally considered to be among the best measures for assessing health-care quality. The study was carried out with the following aims: 1) to assess the quality of perinatal care (PC) by measuring the frequencies of the five PC indicators developed by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and comparing results with international standards; 2) to examine whether maternal, pregnancy care and neonatal characteristics could be factors associated with the quality of perinatal care hospital performance, measured through these indicators.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed medical charts of women over the age of 18 who experienced delivery in Gynecology/obstetrics wards between January–December 2016, and those of their newborns hospitalized in the Neonatology or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a public non-teaching hospital in Catanzaro (Italy). Indicators were calculated according to the methodology specified in the manual for JCAHO measures. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to test the independent association of maternal, pregnancy care and neonatal characteristics on the adherence to JCAHO PC indicators.ResultsThe records of 1943 women and 1974 newborns were identified and reviewed in order to be included in at least one of the PC indicators. Elective/early-term delivery, was performed in 27.6% of eligible women, far from the recommended goal (0%); cesarean section in nulliparous women with a term, singleton baby in a vertex position exceeded the suggested target of < 24% and the adherence to antenatal steroids administration was suboptimal (87%). Results of the exclusive breastfeeding indicator achieved a better performance (81%) and compliance with the PC-04 indicator was satisfactory with only 0.4% healthcare-associated bloodstream infection developed in eligible newborns.ConclusionsThis is the first study performed in Italy that has evaluated the quality of PC by using all the five JCAHO indicators. The application of this feasible set of indicators allowed us to measure several aspects of PC for which there is no standardized monitoring system in Italy. Our findings revealed significant deficiencies in the adherence to recommended processes of PC and suggest that there is still substantial work required to improve care.

An Extension of the Earned Value Management to Improve the Accuracy of Schedule Analysis Results

A project is any endeavor involving planned action, for example, developing a new product or constructing a dam. [CE1] Major factors for a project to be successful are applying performance measurement and feedback tool. One such well-known performance measurement tool to control the project execution is earned value management (EVM). EVM uses the fundamental principle that trends in the past can be good predictors of the future. It was originally developed to follow time and cost of a project, but it has some weak points in analyzing the time performance of a project. In this article, we first explain these weak points in detail. Then, to improve them, we develop two methods: the first one is a simple and approximation method to minimize errors in EVM analysis with a high probability and the second method is an exact approach that uses earned value and floating time concepts. At the end, the performance of the proposed methods is evaluated and analyzed on a set of instances containing a variety of project sizes. The results of this experimentation show that the efficiency of the methods is relatively good.

Applying performance measures to support decision-making in supply chain operations: a case of beverage industry

Performance measurement systems (PMS) have commonly been applied to evaluate and reward performances at managerial levels, especially in the context of supply chain management. However, evidence suggests that the effective use of PMS can also positively influence the behaviour and improve performance at an operational level. The motivation is to accomplish organisational goals, namely to increase supply chain flexibility by responding to evermore-varying customer demands in a timely manner. The purpose of the study described in this paper was to develop a conceptual framework that adopts performance measures for ex-ante decision-making at an operational level within the supply chain. To guide the research, five questions were asked and subsequently key gaps have been identified. In an attempt to fill the gaps, a case study at a major global brand beverage company has been carried out, and as a result, a conceptual framework of the PMS has been developed. Overall, the research offers a foundation of the applicability and impact of PMS in the supply chain and provides a framework that attends to some of the potential uses of PMS that so far have not been practically applied. The outcomes from the testing indicate that the initial gaps identified in the literature have been addressed and that the framework is judicious with scope for practical applicability. The framework is deemed worthy of further testing in different operational contexts of the supply chain.

It is more than payment accountability: it is about improvement, too.

Using a large data set, Lucas et al 1 studied the importance of appropriate risk adjustment when applying performance measures in payment and accountability programs. Despite limited variation in readmissions for colorectal cancer, a readmission rate of 12.3% should encourage all of us to strive to get below 10%. It is about improvement and accountability in payment and public reporting. The hierarchical logistic regression model used found variations in age, race, procedure, and comorbidities. Risk-adjusted readmission odds ratios revealed risks shared by all hospitals in these specific groups of variables. They also point to areas in need of focused improvements. The authors shed light on the concerns of raw data for readmissions, an approach that lends itself to misclassification of delivery systems and misguiding patients with the information if the analytics do not properly use risk adjustment and CIs. Lucas et al 1 emphasize the importance of hierarchical regression in thoughtful design of analytics to ensure “apples to apples” comparisons. The authors note that results from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hierarchical model have inconsistencies in applying the results to payment programs when compared with the CMS public reporting programs. It seems that payment programs act without regard to CIs, whereas the CMS public reporting programs are respectful of their statistical effect. I take exception to the authors when they suggest a surgeon- and specialty-specific risk-adjusted readmission rate as a solution. Surgical practice profiles vary greatly even within general surgery, such as in the subspecialties of breast, bariatrics, trauma, hepatopancreaticobiliary, transplantation, pediatrics, and so forth. Patients need condition-, disease-, and procedure-specific information tailored to their informed decision needs. Focusing on the specific procedure with “fit for purpose” performance measures will drive health care closer to sensible accountability and will best propel improvement efforts.

A conceptual framework to measure systems' performance during emergency preparedness exercises.

Large-scale public health emergencies require a sophisticated, coordinated response involving multiple entities to protect health and minimize suffering. However, the rarity of such emergencies presents a barrier to gathering observational data about the effectiveness of the public health response before such events occur. For this reason, public health practitioners increasingly have relied on simulated emergencies, known as “exercises” as proxies to test their emergency capabilities. However, the formal evaluation of performance in these exercises, historically has been inconsistent, and there is little research to describe how data acquired from simulated emergencies actually support conclusions about the quality of the public health emergency response system. Over the past six years, we have designed and evaluated more than seventy public health emergency exercises, collaborating with public health agencies, hospitals and others to test a wide variety of systems and their capabilities. Using the data and experience that we gathered, we have developed a conceptual framework that describes the essential elements necessary to consider when applying performance measurement science to public health emergency exercises. We suggest that this framework may assist practitioners and researchers who wish to better measure performance in exercises and to improve public health emergency preparedness.

Population health measurement: applying performance measurement concepts in population health settings.

Introduction:Whether the focus of population-health improvement efforts, the measurement of health outcomes, risk factors, and interventions to improve them are central to achieving collective impact in the population health perspective. And because of the importance of a shared measurement system, appropriate measures can help to ensure the accountability of and ultimately integrate the efforts of public health, the health care delivery sector, and other public and private entities in the community to improve population health. Yet despite its importance, population health measurement efforts in the United States are poorly developed and uncoordinated.Collaborative Measurement Development:To achieve the potential of the population health perspective, public health officials, health system leaders, and others must work together to develop sets of population health measures that are suitable for different purposes yet are harmonized so that together they can help to improve a community’s health. This begins with clearly defining the purpose of a set of measures, distinguishing between outcomes for which all share responsibility and actions to improve health for which the health care sector, public health agencies, and others should be held accountable.Framework for Population Health Measurement:Depending on the purpose of the analysis, then, measurement systems should clearly specify what to measure—in particular the population served (the denominator), what the critical health dimensions are in a measurement framework, and how the measures can be used to ensure accountability. Building on a clear understanding of the purpose and dimensions of population health that must be measured, developers can then choose specific measures using existing data or developing new data sources if necessary, with established validity, reliability, and other scientific characteristics. Rather than indiscriminately choosing among the proliferating data streams, this systematic approach to measure development can yield measurement systems that are more appropriate and useful for improving population health.

Applying performance measurement in service operations: analysis of contextual differences

This paper analyses the contextual differences of service operations with the aim to widen understanding about performance measurement in services. Recent research considers service management from many viewpoints like marketing and operations management, and also the importance of performance management in service context has been recognised. The literature illustrates the variety of service environments and operations with classifications that differentiate management concerns in different types of services. However, the practical implication of service contingencies on performance measurement practice is less studied. To address this gap in the literature, this paper studies empirically three different contexts of knowledge-intensive services, public services and industrial services. Qualitative multiple-case approach is applied. As a result, the paper shows how service contingences affect performance measurement in service operations.

Assessment of Traffic Safety Performance of School Buses in UAE

This paper discusses the adopted methodology to assess the traffic safety performance measures of the school buses in the UAE. It describes the process of designing two types of surveys, sampling, and analysis of the results using descriptive statistical analysis. The first users' survey is designed to determine the degree of implementation of the applied performance measures in school buses from the users' viewpoint. The target groups of the second survey are the school administrators. In this survey, the records of the traffic accident that school buses had been involved in, in the last five years, were collected. The study covers many regions in the country. Both surveys were distributed between public and private schools that cover different educational levels (Kindergarten, Primary schools, Preparatory schools, and High schools). The traffic safety performance was particularly assessed using three distinctive performance measures; the rate per bus, the rate per bus user, and the rate per student. The performance measures were compared with the counter measures in USA and Canada. The paper provides a summary of the findings and outcomes. In addition, a list of recommendations is suggested to improve the traffic safety performance of the school buses in the UAE.

Challenges and strategies in applying performance measurement to federal public health programs

Performance measurement is widely accepted in public health as an important management tool supporting program improvement and accountability. However, several challenges impede developing and implementing performance measurement systems at the federal level, including the complexity of public health problems that reflect multiple determinants and involve outcomes that may take years to achieve, the decentralized and networked nature of public health program implementation, and the lack of reliable and consistent data sources and other issues related to measurement. All three of these challenges hinder the ability to attribute program results to specific public health program efforts. The purpose of this paper is to explore these issues in detail and offer potential solutions that support the development of robust and practical performance measures to meet the needs for program improvement and accountability. Adapting performance measurement to public health programs is both an evolving science and art. Through the strategies presented here, appropriate systems can be developed and monitored to support the production of meaningful data that will inform effective decision making at multiple levels.

Democracy in management – the new coming of MBO via organisational dialogue

PurposeThe main purpose of the paper is to analyse how a performance measurement system constitutes a dialogue to enable manageability in knowledge work organisations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on an action research project aimed to study the use of performance measurement in a knowledge work context. The case study is applied. The results are derived in participative action research interventions that aimed to build an applicable performance measurement system in three individual organisations. The approach is constructive and normative.FindingsThe paper provides information about applications of performance measurement in knowledge work context. As a result there is discussion on applying performance measurement in the managerial system of knowledge worker organisations and description of using performance measurement in knowledge work context. The contribution consists of managerial norms for applying performance measurement in knowledge work context.Research limitations/implicationsThe research, thus the results too, is delineated to small and medium size organisations.Practical implicationsIn the paper there are several transferable results. As the aim was to have normative results, the degree of practicality is relatively high. Taking the restrictions of conceptuality of performance measurement into account, the paper provides useful information to practitioners.Originality/valueThe paper answers the research question set. Originality of the paper lies in the field applying performance measurement. It continues the discussion on the traditions of management and leadership.

The Non-profit Sector Meets the Performance-management Movement

The increasing role of the non-profit sector in publicly funded programmes over the last two decades is not only a new way for governments to finance social policy and cut expenditure; there are idealistic reasons as well. Above all, non-profit organizations are believed to possess a string of democratic values. The problem though is that the extended role subjects non-profit organizations to accountability requirements such as the use of performance measures. Severe doubts have been expressed about the theory and practice of such measures, especially in contexts where the applied system of measures and the programme to be measured diverge in terms of inherent value systems. Although the critique has been reiterated many times in the evaluation literature, no one has yet come up with empirical evidence that demonstrates the consequences of applying performance measures in particular contexts. By testing some of the most common pitfalls with the help of a programme-theory approach, this article contributes to the filling of that gap.

Applying performance measurement to a nursing service.

Applying performance measurement to a nursing service.

Applying Performance Measures to Long Term Care

Nine nursing facilities in Mississippi participated in the American Health Care Association's Quality Indicator Index and Education (QUIIX-Ed) project to apply quantitative performance measurements to continuous quality improvement in long-term care. Begun in May 1994, with the first collection of performance measurement data in March 1995, the project used 15 measures of clinical care based on standardized assessments of resident conditions. QUIIX-Ed assessed the impact of quality indicator information in nursing facilities based on Minimum Data Set resident assessments. Comparison reports allow each facility to profile its performance against that of other providers in the project. The project does not standardize the quality improvement process: the focus is on the incorporation of information into existing nursing care and quality improvement practices. Each month the facilities updated their quality indicator scores and exported those scores to a central database that aggregated scores to generate benchmarking statistics for each facility, including project medians, percentiles, and facility performance rankings. Two case studies on bedfast residents and restraint use illustrate the process of examining care issues identified by quality indicators, developing appropriate interventions, and evaluating the efficacy of the intervention. The limited intervention of introducing quantitative care measurements had a significant impact on resident outcomes and the nursing process. These measurements are readily incorporated into existing nursing practices and facility improvement efforts, regardless of the extent to which the quality improvement process has been developed.

Public Libraries and Performance Indicators: Origins, Developments and Issues

The political background in the United Kingdom leading to the development of performance indicators for public libraries is discussed. Corporate planning and value for money models are examined. A survey is reported of Scottish public library authorities and their use of performance indicators in relation to planning, budgeting and evaluation, and the development of public library objectives in Scotland is outlined. The major problems in applying performance measures to public libraries are considered.