Production Management Programs Research Articles

Differential Physiological Responses to Different Drought Durations among a Diverse Set of Sugarcane Genotypes

Drought severely limits sugarcane productivity in many regions of the world. This study characterized physiological responses to different drought durations in a diverse set of sugarcane genotypes in two crop cycles (plant and ratoon cane). A split-plot design was used where three drought treatments, namely, no drought (SD0), short-term drought (SD1), and long-term drought (SD2), were assigned to main plots and six diverse sugarcane genotypes to subplots. Drought reduced photosynthesis, leaf area index, and biomass yield. However, the study found significant differences in physiological responses to drought among genotypes in both crops. F03-362 (F1), KK09-0358 (BC1), and KK3 (cultivar) demonstrated greater tolerance to drought by maintaining comparatively higher photosynthetic activity, while KK09-0939 (BC2) and TPJ04-768 (BC1) were more sensitive. KK3 and UT12 (cultivar) consistently maintained comparatively higher levels of photosynthesis under drought in the ratoon crop, although stomatal conductance values were comparable to those of other genotypes. Drought significantly reduced dry matter in all genotypes, but more so in the two cultivars. The study demonstrated variable levels of sensitivity to drought among diverse genotypes with different physiological responses being induced by different drought treatments. This information is useful for sugarcane production management and breeding programs.

Management of sustainable industrial development: innovative search for an adaptive approach in Kyrgyzstan

From 1990 until today, diversification and in some cases a sharp decline of industrial production in Kyrgyzstan have not been properly accompanied by proactive planning and/or management strategies. The adopted 2019-2023 Strategy for Sustainable Industry Development of the Kyrgyz Republic [Decree of the Government of the KR, 2019], including its processing segment, mainly aims to foster the advancement of selected manufacturing sectors and exports, as well as to enhance the competitiveness of Kyrgyz-made industrial goods. Kyrgyzstan’s industry represents one of the key elements of the national economy contributing approx. 20.0% to its GDP [NSC, 2021]. As a rule, adaptive management approaches are effectively applied to the operations of existing large industrial enterprises. Thus, it appears imperative to examine to what extent such approaches can be applied while assessing and managing the sustainable development of small- and medium-size industrial operations, and what corresponding restrictions exist. So far, the relevant terms are reflected neither in Kyrgyzstan’s production management policies nor programs. A full-fledged application of adaptive management approaches will require significant effort. Therefore, the initial step towards their more systemic exercising could manifest itself in utilizing integrated adaptive management models to ensure achievement of specific goals as to the sustainable industrial and economic development of both Kyrgyzstan and the entire Central Asian Region.

ПРОДУКТИВНІСТЬ ПРАЦІ: АНАЛІЗ ПОКАЗНИКІВ ТА РЕЗЕРВИ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ

Labor productivity is an important indicator of the efficiency of labor resources in the enterprise, the result of assessing the contribution of each employee to increase profitability and ensure the competitiveness of the enterprise. Ensuring increased productivity is one of the key levers of economic growth and sustainable development of the enterprise. According to the results of the research, the approach to determining the economic meaning of the concept of "labor productivity" is scientifically substantiated, its author's interpretation is proposed. Peculiarities of measuring labor productivity using the cost, in-kind, labor method with the use of direct and inverse calculations have been studied. Economic analysis of labor productivity is the information basis for making management decisions in terms of finding ways to optimize the use of labor resources to ensure full implementation of the production program of the enterprise. The methodical bases of the economic analysis of labor productivity are investigated in the article, the list of stages of carrying out the analysis of labor productivity at the enterprise is resulted. Issues related to the measurement and analysis of labor productivity are considered. The procedure for finding unused reserves of labor productivity in order to increase the efficiency of labor resources at the enterprise is substantiated. Based on the results of elaboration of existing approaches to the classification of reserves to increase labor productivity, their grouping by the following types is proposed: technical; organizational; socio-economic; natural and climatic. The use of the proposed types of reserves to increase productivity, development and practical use of labor productivity management programs are important factors in stimulating and improving the efficiency of labor resources of the enterprise.

Association of organizational factors with knowledge of effectiveness indicators and participation in corporate health and productivity management programs.

ObjectivesThe working‐age population is rapidly declining in Japan, so the government has adopted “health and productivity management” (HPM). This policy initiative aims to encourage corporations to view health promotion activities as an investment in their employees’ health. The objective of this study was to examine the association between organizational factors and knowledge of the organization's effectiveness and program participation levels, and to understand the factors that affect effectiveness of corporations’ activities.MethodsWe used data from all corporations that completed the HPM Survey Sheets in 2018 (n = 1800). The explanatory variables were organizational factors: written company‐wide policy, agenda item at management‐level meetings, regular education for managers, and full‐time occupational health staff. The outcome variables were knowledge of the corporation's status on the effectiveness indicators (employees’ exercise habits, risk for high blood pressure, visiting hospital after a health examination, and long‐term sickness absences) and rates of participation in four areas (health education, exercise program, dietary program, and influenza vaccination). The associations between organizational factors and knowledge on effectiveness indicators and rates of program participation were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsAll the organizational factors were related to knowledge of effectiveness indicators, but only some were associated with the program participation indicators in the model, including all explanatory variables.ConclusionEnhancing organizational factors may lead to improvement of HPM programs and higher program participation among employees in corporations.

Plant responses to ozone: Effects of different ozone exposure durations on plant growth and biochemical quality of Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis

Determining plant reactions to atmospheric pollutants is important in predicting and planning for new horticultural production management programs and challenges in the future. A high level of ozone in the troposphere is considered the most phototoxic air pollutant, and has strong oxidative potential. This study aimed to provide understanding on the role of ozone stress on early vegetative growth stage Pak-Choi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis). An experiment was conducted within airtight bio-chambers under 150 ppb ozone concentration with different exposure durations: control, 1 h/day and 4 h/day. The leaf area was not affected by ozone treatment, but the dry matter correlated negatively with increasing ozone exposure durations. In photopigments, the lutein, lycopene and chlorophylls were increased at 1 h/day exposure, however, total carotenoids and β-carotene were not affected. However, for the 4 h/day exposure condition, all photopigment contents were significantly decreased in comparison to the 1 h/day exposure. The total aliphatic and total glucosinolate (GLS) were significantly increased at 1 h/day exposure, and then significantly decreased at 4 h/day exposure. However, the total indole and aromatic GLS were significantly increased after 4 h/day exposure. Therefore, these results provide evidence about the impact of ozone stress on the specific secondary plant metabolites of Pak-Choi and this needs to be taken in account when selecting urban production sites for vegetables.

Pesticidal natural products-status and future potential.

There is a long history of using natural products as the basis for creating new pesticides but there is still a relatively low percentage of naturally derived pesticides relative to the number of pharmaceuticals derived from natural sources. Biopesticides as defined and regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been around for 70 years, starting with Bacillus thuringiensis, but they are experiencing rapid growth as the products have got better and more science-based, and there are more restrictions on synthetic chemical pesticides. As such, biopesticides are still a small percentage (approximately US$3-4billion) of the US$61.3billion pesticide market. The growth of biopesticides is projected to outpace that of chemical pesticides, with compounded annual growth rates of between 10% and 20%. When integrated into crop production and pest management programs, biopesticides offer the potential for higher crop yields and quality than chemical-only programs. Added benefits include reduction or elimination of chemical residues, therefore easing export, enabling delay in the development of resistance by pests and pathogens to chemicals and shorter field re-entry, biodegradability and production using agricultural raw materials versus fossil fuels, and low risk to non-target organisms, including pollinators. Challenges to the adoption of biopesticides include lack of awareness and education in how to deploy their unique modes of action in integrated programs, testing products alone versus in integrated programs, and lingering perceptions of cost and efficacy. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Сучасні аспекти управління продуктивністю праці.

The main indicators of industrial development in Ukraine are described. The conclusion is made on the need to introduce new approaches to understanding the processes of economic development, the introduction of systematic developments in the field of productivity in the practice of economic activity. It is emphasized on the relevance of the study of labor productivity, its place in the theory of productivity. It is proposed to consider labor productivity as a partial factor of productivity. It is noted that aspects of using the labor productivity indicator in economic calculations are paid attention by the state authorities. The dynamics of labor productivity in Ukraine are analyzed with the conclusion that there is a stable tendency to increase the indicator of labor productivity. The necessity of introducing labor productivity management programs with motivational orientation in enterprises is substantiated. The methodological principles of forming an effective system of employee motivation for achievement of the planned level of labor productivity in the economic system are presented.

Análise do Perfil dos Acadêmicos e de suas Publicações Científicas em Administração

Resumo A produção da ciência tem sido foco de diversas discussões, particularmente no que se refere à produtividade científica. Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar o perfil de pesquisadores doutores que atuam na área de Administração no Brasil e as suas respectivas publicações científicas, de modo a identificar fatores que expliquem esse aspecto da produtividade científica. Utilizando estatística descritiva e modelos estatísticos, com base em dados provenientes de 1976 docentes registrados na Plataforma Lattes, a pesquisa identificou fatores ligados à formação e experiência que influem na produtividade científica dos acadêmicos em Administração. Os resultados da pesquisa também indicam que houve importantes modificações nos padrões de formação acadêmica e de produtividade no país. Considerando a centralidade do tema da produtividade científica, o trabalho sugere novas pesquisas para que se ampliem as discussões sobre os rumos da produção intelectual e da pós-graduação em Administração no Brasil.

A participatory approach to design monitoring indicators of production diseases in organic dairy farms

Production diseases have an important negative effect on the health and welfare of dairy cows. Although organic animal production systems aim for high animal health levels, compliance with European organic farming regulations does not guarantee that this is achieved. Herd health and production management (HHPM) programs aim at optimizing herd health by preventing disease and production problems, but as yet they have not been consistently implemented by farmers. We hypothesize that one reason is the mismatch between what scientists propose as indicators for herd health monitoring and what farmers would like to use. Herd health monitoring is a key element in HHPM programs as it permits a regular assessment of the functioning of the different components of the production process. Planned observations or measurements of these components are indispensable for this monitoring. In this study, a participatory approach was used to create an environment in which farmers could adapt the indicators proposed by scientists for monitoring the five main production diseases on dairy cattle farms. The adaptations of the indicators were characterized and the farmers’ explanations for the changes made were described. The study was conducted in France and Sweden, which differ in terms of their national organic regulations and existing advisory services. In both countries, twenty certified organic dairy farmers and their animal health management advisors participated in the study. All of the farmers adapted the initial monitoring plan proposed by scientists to specific production and animal health situation on their farm. This resulted in forty unique and farm-specific combinations of indicators for herd health monitoring. All but three farmers intended to monitor five health topics simultaneously using the constructed indicators. The qualitative analysis of the explanations given by farmers for their choices enabled an understanding of farmers’ reasons for selecting and adapting indicators. This is valuable information for scientists involved in the design of HHPM programs. Advisors in the field also can benefit from this participatory approach because it transforms monitoring tools provided by scientists into farm-specific tools.

Use of herd management programmes to improve the reproductive performance of dairy cattle

There has been a long history of herd health and production management programmes in many dairy industries around the world, but evidence for the efficacy of such programmes is limited. In response to a perceived decline in fertility of dairy cows, a herd reproductive management programme (InCalf) was introduced in New Zealand in 2007. This programme uses a management cycle approach that includes an assessment of the current herd status, identification of areas for improvement, development of a plan, implementation of this plan and finally a review process. The programme uses facilitators who work with farmers either in a one-to-one manner or in a formalised group setting that involves a series of meetings over a 12-month period (the farmer action group). The hypothesis that involvement in a reproductive management programme would improve herd reproductive performance was tested using a herd-level controlled randomised study (the National Herd Fertility Study) involving herds in four geographic regions of New Zealand over 2 years. Within each region, herds were ranked on the basis of the 6-week in-calf rate (i.e. the proportion of the herd pregnant in the first 6 weeks of the seasonal breeding programme) in the year preceding commencement of the study and then randomly assigned to be involved in a farmer action group or left as untreated controls. The key outcome variable of the study was the 6-week in-calf rate. Pregnancy diagnosis was undertaken at 12 weeks after the start of the seasonal breeding programme, which allowed determination of conception dates and hence calculation of the 6-week in-calf rate. Additional measurements including heifer live weight and body condition score (pre-calving and pre-mating) were undertaken to test whether treatment resulted in measurable changes in some of the key determinants of herd reproductive performance. Involvement in the farmer action group of InCalf resulted in a 2 percentage point increase in the 6-week in-calf rate (P=0.05). The following additional observations were made in herds involved in the farmer action group relative to control herds: heifers had live weight closer to target; the pre-mating body condition score of cows was higher; and oestrous detection rates were higher. It was concluded that involvement in this herd reproductive management programme improved reproductive outcomes in this New Zealand study. However, to achieve substantial improvements in herd reproductive performance at the regional or national level a greater response to the programme and a high uptake of such programmes is required, as well as use of other industry-level tools such as genetic management programmes.

Medical Cost Savings for Participants and Nonparticipants in Health Risk Assessments, Lifestyle Management, Disease Management, Depression Management, and Nurseline in a Large Financial Services Corporation

To compare changes in medical costs between participants and nonparticipants in five different health and productivity management (HPM) programs. Quasi-experimental pre/post intervention study. A large financial services corporation. A cohort population of employees enrolled in medical plans (n = 49,723) [corrected]. A comprehensive HPM program, which addressed health risks, acute and chronic conditions, and psychosocial disorders from 2005 to 2007. Incentives were used to encourage health risk assessment participation in years 2 and 3. Program participation and medical claims data were collected for members at the end of each program year to assess the change in total costs from the baseline period. Analysis . Multivariate analyses for participation categories were conducted comparing baseline versus program year cost differences, controlling for demographics. All participation categories yielded a lower cost increase compared to nonparticipation and a positive return on investment (ROI) for years 2 and 3, resulting in a 2.45∶1 ROI for the combined program years. Medical cost savings exceeded program costs in a wide variety of health and productivity management programs by the second year.

Creating Standardized Metrics and Benchmarking for Health, Absence and Productivity Management Programs: The EMPAQ Initiative

Prudent feedback from employer surveys has indicated that standardized metrics and integrated decision-support tools are essential for identifying opportunities to improve programs and reinforce a culture of health and productivity. This article reports on an innovative, nationally standardized metric and benchmarking initiative that provides employers with practical workplace tools and solutions to evaluate the effectiveness of their company’s health, absence and productivity management programs, including workers’ compensation, family and medical leave, disability, incidental absence, employee assistance programs and group health. The initiative, titled EMPAQ (Employer Measures of Productivity, Absence and Quality), was created in 2001 by the National Business Group on Health’s Council on Employee Health and Productivity (CEHP). EMPAQ was successfully launched and implemented by many major companies nationwide in 2003. EMPAQ data collection, analysis and reporting are performed through a partnership with the University of Michigan Health Management Research Center (UM-HMRC). To date, more than 1,600 employers from 21 U.S. industry sectors have submitted more than 30,000 standardized data sets, including industry-level detail and demographic data, for benefit program benchmarking and analysis. The development of EMPAQ standardized metrics has helped employers bring data to life and served as an industry-wide tool for change in how benefit programs are designed, delivered and measured.

ACSM's worksite health handbook: a guide to building healthy and productive companies

Chapter 1. Population Health Management at the Worksite Chapter 2. Employee Health Promotion: A Historical Perspective Chapter 3. Workplace-Based Health and Wellness Services Chapter 6. Employee Health Promotion: A Legal Perspective Chapter 7. Healthcare Policy and Health Promotion Chapter 9. An Introduction to Evidence on Worksite Health Promotion Chapter 12. Benchmarking and Best Practices in Worksite Health Promotion Chapter 17. Organizational Assessment for Health Chapter 18. Assessment Tools for Employee Productivity Chapter 19. Calculating the Economic Return of Health and Productivity Management Programs Chapter 20. Using Claims Analysis to Support Intervention Planning, Design, and Measurement Chapter 32. The Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Medical Self-Care Programs Chapter 33. Disease Management for Employed Populations Chapter 34. From the Basics to Comprehensive Programming.

HACCP-based quality risk management approach to udder health problems on dairy farms

Against the background of prevailing udder health problems on dairy farms, this paper discusses a new approach to mastitis control. Current udder health control programmes, such as the 'five-point plan', are highlighted and their drawbacks indicated. The concept and principles of hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) are introduced. The eight core elements of this concept are dealt with by using the example of a dairy herd with a mastitis problem due to Staphylococcus aureus. The various steps to be taken in the development of a HACCP-based quality risk management programme are illustrated through the application of core elements. Finally, it is shown that the HACCP key words, structure, organisation, planning, communication and formalisation; which do not frequently appear in conventional herd health and production management programmes can contribute to better udder health. The role of the veterinarian can be paramount and of added value, if he/she is willing to invest in new knowledge and skills, such as the HACCP concept, farm economics, animal nutrition, and particularly the role of coach to the dairy farmer in the implementation of preventative measures in relation to udder health.

Animal Hygiene and Animal Health in Dairy Cattle Operations

This paper addresses the economic and strategic position of animal health in the dairy operations and the way that animal health care should be properly designed. Examples of biosecurity plans and quality risk management are fur- ther elaborated. Disease risk identification and disease risk management as primary preventive issues are pivotal in mod- ern animal health care on both the small and larger dairy farms. Biosecurity and quality risk management can both be in- tegrated into current operational veterinary herd health and production management programs.

Testing the DMAA's Recommendations for Disease Management Program Evaluation

The objective of this study was to compare and contrast findings regarding the financial savings projections of the disease management (DM) programs of 2 large employers based on different evaluation methods. In particular, this research tests the impact of differences in assumptions on the underlying growth rate of group health costs, exclusions of high-cost conditions and claims, and the length of the baseline period for determined health care costs. A pre-post study design was used. The data for this research came from 2 large employers in the consumer goods industry with comprehensive Health and Productivity Management programs. It contained medical and prescription drug claims and health plan enrollment data as well as program activity data from 2001 to 2005, covering an average yearly sample size of 201,037 members with 12 consecutive months of enrollment. Analyses were done on group-level averages using nominal cost data and were run to reflect the impact of a DM-only intervention. While the trend estimate and length of baseline had the largest effects on estimated program impact, the use of exclusions had an important effect as well. These findings demonstrate the importance of developing and instituting a standardized evaluation methodology. Without increasing consistency in the way evaluators develop their methodologies, it will remain difficult to be able to compare one evaluation to another, or to have faith in the results at hand.

The marketing of herd health and production management services on Dutch dairy farms: perceptions of dairy farmers and their veterinary surgeons

A questionnaire-based survey on veterinary herd health and production management services was conducted on 194 specialist dairy veterinarians and 466 dairy farmers. The farmers were randomly selected from greater than 6,000 farmer clients of the surveyed veterinarians. This paper reports these survey findings and the findings of an earlier survey conducted among the veterinarians. The survey included questions on the attributes of the service itself, the practitioners delivering the service, reasons for participation and the expected future of herd health and production management services. Reasons farmers participated in herd health and production management programmes included; access to routine screening of their herd; increasing profits; and receiving regular veterinary advice or solutions to remedy existing problems. Advantages of participation named included: good management support; higher profits; structural solutions to problems; and being better informed. Differences between farming styles were observed, pointing to the different needs and goals of farming styles. Farmers cited high costs and the time investment required as major disadvantages. The proportion of farmers citing these reasons was lower than expected by the veterinarians. In the future, preventive healthcare will be the main reason of farmers to participate. Farmers who are not using the service can potentially be encouraged to engage the services after gaining increased insight into the herd health and management service structure, the planning of activities, the cost-benefit of the service, veterinary surgeons being more co-operative with other farm advisors and veterinarians being more willing to pay attention to quality issues on the dairy farm.

Imbedding HACCP principles in dairy herd health and production management: case report on calf rearing

Driven by consumer demands, European legislation has suggested the use of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) as the quality risk management programme for the whole dairy chain. Until now, an exception has been made for primary producers, but as regulations evolve, on-farm HACCP-like programmes should be ready to assure food safety as well as animal health and animal welfare. In our field experiment, the HACCP-concept was used to combine both optimal farm management and formalisation of quality assurance in an on-farm situation in the Netherlands. The process of young stock rearing was chosen, since its importance for the future of the farm is often underestimated. Hazards and their associated risk factors can be controlled within the farm-specific standards and tolerances, as targets can be controlled by corrective measures and by implementation of farm-specific worksheets. The veterinarian is pivotal for the facility-based HACCP team, since he/she has knowledge about on-farm risk assessment and relations between clinical pathology, feed and farm management. The HACCP concept in combination with veterinary herd health and production management programmes offers a promising approach to optimise on-farm production processes (i.e., young stock rearing) in addition to a structural approach for quality risk management on dairy farms.

Promising Practices in Employer Health and Productivity Management Efforts: Findings From a Benchmarking Study

To identify key success factors related to employer-based health and productivity management (HPM) programs. Data regarding promising practices in HPM were gathered via literature review, discussions with subject matter experts, online inventory, and site visits. Promising practices in HPM include 1) integrating HPM programs into the organization's operations; 2) simultaneously addressing individual, environmental, policy, and cultural factors affecting health and productivity; 3) targeting several health issues; 4) tailoring programs to address specific needs; 5) attaining high participation; 6) rigorously evaluating programs; and 7) communicating successful outcomes to key stakeholders. Increased efforts should be directed at disseminating the experiences of promising practices. However, more research is needed in this area, so that additional public and private funding is made available for applied research in "real-life" business settings. Finally, employers should be provided effective tools and resources to support their HPM efforts.

Guidelines for Analysis of Economic Return from Health Management Programs

Double-digit health care inflation and an increasing focus on improving workforce productivity are substantive challenges for virtually all employers. Conventional health care cost management strategies (e.g., cost shifting, network discounting) have not been enough to stem the tide, and employers have increasingly turned to alternative strategies, such as health and productivity management, to target the root causes of these problems and achieve sustained improvements. Mercer’s 2005 National Survey of Employer Sponsored Health Plans indicates that more than 62% of large employers (500 or more employees) and 81% of jumbo employers (20,000 or more employees) view health management as a ‘‘significant’’ or ‘‘very significant’’ strategy to address increasing health care costs. The marketplace is aggressively trying to address these concerns and capitalize on the opportunity—leading to a fluid, complicated, and changing marketplace because of increased investments by employers in health and productivity management programs. As companies invest more in health management programs, a need has emerged for comprehensive evaluation of their impact on changing behaviors, improving health, and managing health costs—as well as determining their economic return and overall return on investment (ROI). Additionally, most employers and providers lack the capabilities to determine the full impact of these investments in a way that demonstrates cause-and-effect relationships, for plausible impact analyses and ROI can be hampered by real-world limitations. As health management programs become commonplace, health-and-benefits professionals, actuaries, and payers need to understand both how these programs affect medical trend and how to make the appropriate adjustments required for both shortand long-term business decisions, thus the guiding purpose for this edition of The Art of Health Promotion. For the purposes of this article, the use of the term employer connotes both employer-sponsored and health-plan–sponsored programming efforts. In this edition of The Art of Health Promotion, we will cover the following issues: