Key Areas Of Activity Research Articles

Rethinking heterogeneity: the role of attitudes, decision rules and information processing strategies

The study of heterogeneity across individual decision makers is one of the key areas of activity in the field of behavioural research. However, a disproportionately large share of the research effort focusses on heterogeneity in sensitivities to individual attributes, and in particular how such heterogeneity can be accommodated in a random coefficients framework. While differences in marginal sensitivities clearly play a role in driving behaviour, this paper makes the case that <i>retrieved differences</i> in such sensitivities may in fact be caused by a number of different factors. In particular, we look at the possible role of underlying attitudes, differences in decision rules across respondents and the role of information processing strategies. We show evidence from a number of studies that suggest that accounting for such richer behavioural patterns leads to important gains in understanding of behaviour, and may also reduce the level of residual <i>random</i> heterogeneity. Conversely, this suggests that not adequately accounting for such additional factors may overstate the degree of unexplained heterogeneity in marginal sensitivities.

Operational Service Management System of Forest Roads

The joint-stock company Latvian State Forests is the largest Latvian forest management company; it manages approximately 1.6 million ha of state-owned forests. Key areas of activity are forest management and development. The company maintains a network of forest roads to provide for the removal of timber from the forests to supply cooperative partners. At the beginning of 2010, the company owned a network of roads with a total length of 10,158 km. In 2009, 5 million m3 of timber were transported through this network of forest roads. Options for forest road operation in Latvia depend largely on weather conditions. After extended or intense rain or during spring thaws, the forest road surfacings are too wet, resulting in a significant reduction in their bearing capacity. When the bearing capacity of the pavement layers is low, there is heavy damage to or even destruction of the pavement in the course of timber transportation. Every year hundreds of kilometers of forest roads have to be repaired or even rebuilt because they are operated under inappropriate circumstances. To develop a management system, a research project was organized, which was expected to be fully completed in 5 years. During the first 2 years the principal part of the research took place—development of a basic model of the forest road network management system. The next 3 years of the study are provided for the introduction of this model. The study is to be carried out in seven stages, the first two of which have been completed. This paper describes the progress and conclusions made during the first two stages of the research. Completion of the remaining five stages is expected during the next 3 years.

Critical success factors in the context of humanitarian aid supply chains

PurposeCritical success factors (CSFs) have been widely used in the context of commercial supply chains. However, in the context of humanitarian aid (HA) this is a poorly addressed area and this paper therefore aims to set out the key areas for research.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a conceptual discussion of CSFs as applied to the HA sector. A detailed literature review is undertaken to identify CSFs in a commercial context and to consider their applicability to the HA sector.FindingsCSFs have not previously been identified for the HA sector, an issue addressed in this paper.Research limitations/implicationsThe main constraint on this paper is that CSFs have not been previously considered in the literature as applied to HA. The relevance of CSFs will therefore need to be tested in the HA environment and qualitative research is needed to inform further work.Practical implicationsThis paper informs the HA community of key areas of activity which have not been fully addressed and offers.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the understanding of supply chain management in an HA context.

Institutional Repositories in the UK: The JISC Approach

As the uptake of repositories increases, JISC continues to support UK universities in developing their services. This article describes some of the key areas of activity at the institutional and national levels, illustrates the way in which effective networked repositories can support academics, and showcases the contribution of JISC-funded projects to the global growth of repository services.

SOMA: A method for developing service-oriented solutions

Service-oriented modeling and architecture (SOMA) has been used to conduct projects of varying scope in multiple industries worldwide for the past five years. We report on the usage and structure of the method used to effectively analyze, design, implement, and deploy service-oriented architecture (SOA) projects as part of a fractal model of software development. We also assert that the construct of a service and service modeling, although introduced by SOA, is a software engineering best practice for which an SOA method aids both SOA usage and adoption. In this paper we present the latest updates to this method and share some of the lessons learned. The SOMA method incorporates the key aspects of overall SOA solution design and delivery and is integrated with existing software development methods through a set of placeholders for key activity areas, forming what we call solution templates. We also present a fractal model of software development that can enable the SOMA method to evolve in an approach that goes beyond the iterative and incremental and instead leverages method components and patterns in a recursive, self-similar manner opportunistically at points of variability in the life cycle.

LIBER – Past, Present and Future

LIBER, the Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche/Association of European Research Libraries, is the major organization representing research libraries in Europe, with a membership of over 300 libraries in 38 countries. The article describes the evolution of LIBER from its foundation in 1971, when it was little more than an informal annual meeting of a small group of library directors, through the 1990s, when a permanent secretariat and an enhanced professional programme were introduced to complement the organization's successful Annual General Conference. In 2003 LIBER adopted a new strategic vision that would see an expansion of its activities and the development of a range of new services in support of its members. By 2006 four key areas of activity had been identified, and these form the core of LIBER's current work: scholarly communication, library services in a rapidly changing environment, library management, and services and facilities for members. Through these activities LIBER seeks to consolidate its role as leader, advocate and coordinator at the European and international level.

The objective assessment of international collaboration between pathology laboratories

Collaboration between clinical laboratories in different countries is widespread but rarely subject to critical analysis. We developed a management tool for assessing the quality of an international pathology laboratory collaboration. Key areas of activity were identified and relevant performance indicators were established. There was no evidence of improved staff morale arising from the project but research, education, equipment, protocols and ethics activities all had demonstrable outputs. Identification of suboptimal performance in areas of the project allowed effective improvement planning. International collaboration may consume significant resources. Objective assessment should be used to measure performance and to enhance quality.

Pension Fund Trustees:: Role and Contribution

Although Boards of Trustees have statutory authority over pension fund investment, how these boards exercise their responsibility is considered to vary unduly. Recently, pension fund trustees have been under pressure from government, sponsors and beneficiaries. The question being asked is, ‘What is the trustee’s role and contribution?’. In response, a UK-based study conducted at Cranfield School of Management explores, from the trustees’ perspective, the nature of their role and contribution. The results of the study highlight that in addition to pension fund trustees being mindful of their fiduciary duties, under trust law, by acting at all times in their beneficiaries’ best financial interests, they also make a valuable contribution to seven key areas of activity considered as critical to pension fund management. It is concluded that trustees are well capable of positionally responding to the challenges they face within the financial markets environment and utilize external resources, such as financial services consultants, effectively.

Patient-centered decision making: empowering women to make informed choices—: Experience in the United States

Promoting patient-centered decision making has the potential to dramatically improve quality of care and satisfaction with the care delivery process. A number of important efforts are advancing this process. The goal of my presentation is to substantiate the claim that patient involvement can improve quality and to introduce the key areas of activity in the U.S. health care delivery system. I will use two common women’s health treatment decisions as illustrations: the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) decision for menopausal women and the surgical treatment decision for women with early-stage breast cancer. My comments will touch on four topics. First, I will describe variation in the treatment of menopausal women and women with early-stage breast cancer and develop the case for promoting patient-centered decision making as a way to improve the quality of decision making. I will then summarize the literature on the value of decision-support-tools and provide some examples of current tools for promoting patient-centered decision making. From there, I will review the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) new measurement initiative that has been designed to encourage health plans to develop counseling programs for menopausal women. Finally, I will describe some of the health plan initiatives that have been developed in response to the NCQA’s new measurement efforts.

Health promotion, environmental health and Agenda 21.

In 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit, many governments, including our own, committed themselves to developing local strategies for sustainable development in the form of Local Agenda 21. Sustainable development is discussed, as is the philosophy and practice of health promotion and environmental health. Common approaches are identified and the links in relation to key areas of activities, strategies, values and principles are outlined. Finally, recommendations are made and conclusions drawn in relation to the overlap between environmental health action, Agenda 21 strategies and health promotion practice.

Latest results from JT-60U divertor research

The JT-60U divertor research program is designed to address key issues for the boundary plasma of future tokamaks. The work is organized into five key areas of activity. These research areas include: (1) heat and particle exhaust in the divertor and particle confinement in the main plasma, (2) formation of a radiative divertor and impurity production processes, (3) disruption and its effects, (4) development of theoretical and computer models to predict the operational parameters of future machines, and (5) the conceptual design study of a new radiative pump divertor. The divertor and scrape-off layer (SOL) play a crucial role in establishing the overall performance capabilities of the tokamak. In particular, the formation of stable radiative divertor is one of the most critical issues to develop the concept as a method to reduce and control heat flux to the divertor target. This paper highlights the recent major results from the divertor and boundary physics research in JT-60U.

Establishing goals

A previous article in this journal suggested that an open system theory of organizations requires goals to be set in precise terms. It is suggested here that precise goals cannot always be set. It is more important that subordinates be aware of all key areas of activity than the use of deceptively precise goals.

Breeding Season Movements and Habitat Selection of Male Sage Grouse

Movements and habitat requirements of sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) cocks were studied in central Montana during the breeding seasons of 1968 and 1972. Fifteen sage grouse cocks were captured and radio-equipped. Movements of up to 0.8 mile (1.3 km) from the strutting grounds were common, with 82 percent of the locations falling beyond 0.2 mile (0.3 km). Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) with a canopy coverage of 20-50 percent occurred at 80 percent of the 110 locations measured. Average sagebrush canopy coverage at these sites was 32 percent. Strutting grounds are key activity areas within wintering-nesting complexes which can be readily identified and delimited, and should be given complete protection from sagebrush removal projects. Results of this and previous studies in this area indicate that this protection should extend to a radius of no less than 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from strutting grounds. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 38(4):634-637 Increasing pressures to control or eliminate sagebrush on public range-lands to increase livestock forage, prompted the Western Association of Game and Fish Commissioners to adopt a resolution for preserving sage grouse habitat (June 1968). Included in the resolution were guidelines for habitat modification, one of which reads in part: Vegetal control within the breeding complex should not be undertaken within 0.25 mile [0.4 km] of strutting grounds, or on nesting or other special use