Service Level Research Articles

Method to Estimate the Level of Service in Elongated Roundabouts Located on Two-Lane Rural Highways

Method to Estimate the Level of Service in Elongated Roundabouts Located on Two-Lane Rural Highways

Optimal Price Discrimination for Randomized Mechanisms

We study the power of price discrimination via an intermediary in bilateral trade, when there is a revenue-maximizing seller selling an item to a buyer with a private value drawn from a prior. Between the seller and the buyer, there is an intermediary that can segment the market by releasing information about the true values to the seller. This is termed signaling, and enables the seller to price discriminate. In this setting, Bergemann et al. [ 7 ] showed the existence of a signaling scheme that simultaneously raises the optimal consumer surplus, guarantees the item always sells, and ensures the seller’s revenue does not increase. Our work extends the positive result of Bergemann et al. to settings where the type space is larger, and where the optimal auction is randomized, possibly over a menu that can be exponentially large. In particular, we consider two settings motivated by budgets: The first is when there is a publicly known budget constraint on the price the seller can charge [ 12 ] and the second is the FedEx problem [ 19 ] where the buyer has a private deadline or service level (equivalently, a private budget that is guaranteed to never bind). For both settings, we present a novel signaling scheme and its analysis via a continuous construction process that recreates the optimal consumer surplus guarantee of Bergemann et al. and further subsumes their signaling scheme as a special case. In effect, our results show settings where even though the optimal auction is randomized over a possibly large menu, there is a market segmentation such that for each segment, the optimal auction is a simple posted price scheme where the item is always sold. The settings we consider are special cases of the more general problem where the buyer has a private budget constraint in addition to a private value. We finally show that our positive results do not extend to this more general setting, particularly when the budget can bind in the optimal auction, and when the seller’s mechanism allows for all-pay auctions. Here, we show that any efficient signaling scheme necessarily transfers almost all the surplus to the seller instead of the buyer.

Geometric features and traffic dynamic analysis on 4-leg intersections

AbstractWith the escalating density of vehicles converging at road intersections, the surge in road accidents, traffic conflicts, and traffic congestion has emerged as a pressing concern. This research paper addresses these challenges by employing MC (manual control) techniques to mitigate encroachment issues at three selected intersections. These intersections were identified through a comprehensive analysis of the Ranking-based Instance Selection (RIS), enabling the design of suitable measures to facilitate smooth traffic flow and minimize the occurrence of crashes. In order to gather pertinent data, the study incorporates various parameters such as traffic volume, peak flow rate (PFR), traffic conflicts, accidents, and intersection inventory. Through the implementation of our proposed approaches, which involve both MC techniques and signalized operation, a supreme level of service (LOS) is attainable. Notably, our findings demonstrate a remarkable reduction in the volume-to-capacity ratio (v/c ratio) of up to 0.62. This paper thus serves as a significant contribution to the field of traffic management, offering practical insights for optimizing intersection design and effectively addressing the challenges posed by increased traffic density.

Disability level and use of long-term care services in Norway: a nation-wide registry study.

In Norway, disability level is an important criterion when deciding the type and level of long-term care services. Each care recipient can be scored on 20 different disability level measures. Our aims were to investigate completeness in disability level information in the Norwegian Registry of Primary Health Care (NRPHC), to group disability level measures into meaningful groups, and to study the relationship between grouped disability scores and the type of services received. We retrieved information on type of care and disability level from the NRPHC on individuals who received long-term care services in 2022. Type of care was divided into hierarchical and mutually exclusive groups, with long-term institutional care as the most complex service group. We used principal components analysis to summarise and visualise the information in the 20 different disability level measures, and to create grouped scores. A total of 386,697 persons aged 0-104 years were registered as recipients of long-term care services in Norway on 31 December 2022. Information on disability measures were of high completeness (72.4 % of the population were registered with all 20 measures) but was lower for younger age groups in which the number of recipients was lower. Principal components analyses identified two groups of measures, which we termed physical and cognitive functioning. Physical and cognitive functioning were poorest for individuals receiving the most complex and extensive services. NRPHC disability data are reasonably complete, the 20 measures readily fall into two distinct categories, and seem to reflect real life differences in disability.

Does the Clusters of High-speed Railway Network Match the Urban Agglomerations? A Case Study in China

High-speed railways play a crucial role in intercity transportation, shaping the spatial interactions within urban agglomerations. However, a mismatch between transportation clusters and the spatial structure of urban agglomerations hampers regional economic integration. To address this issue, this paper proposes a community classification model, employing the Louvain algorithm, to analyze the aggregation of high-speed railway networks (HSRN). It compares central cities in city clusters with HSRN communities in relevant areas, examining the influence of central cities on urban agglomerations. The model is applied to a case study of China's high-speed railway network. The community classifications of HSRN are then compared with planned or future urban agglomerations at the national, provincial, and civic levels. The findings reveal that HSRN in China exhibits distinct clusters that align with the distribution of urban agglomerations. The existing central cities within these agglomerations provide good service levels in the HSRN network. However, HSRN communities within each urban agglomeration are overly scattered and should be integrated to reduce accessibility inequalities. This study offers suggestions for the development planning of HSRN and contributes to the economic integration of urban agglomerations.

Information Collection and Personalized Service Strategy of Monopoly under Consumer Misrepresentation

To decrease privacy risks, consumers may choose to misrepresent themselves when they are asked to offer personal information. Using a game theoretic model, this study examines the impact of consumer misrepresentation on both a monopolistic firm and consumers. The results show that consumer misrepresentation may benefit the firm, but hurt consumers under certain conditions. In addition, we find that when the unit cost of personalized service is low, consumer misrepresentation may encourage the firm to provide a higher personalized service level. Moreover, when consumers misrepresent themselves and the firm only covers part of the market, a greater unit value of consumer private information will reduce the firm’s profit, while a greater unit cost of personalized service will increase the firm’s profit. The analysis reported here provides important insights regarding the application of consumer information in online personalized marketing and consumer privacy protection.

A decision support framework to improve flow management in a supply chain subject to risks

ABSTRACT This research aims at developing an approach to assess the probability of meeting customer service level, while considering various risk factors present in a supply chain (supply disruptions, uncertainties in lead times, labour shortages, transport disruptions etc.). The work is conducted in tight collaboration with a leading actor of an aeronautical industry. Our model enables a better management of supply chain flows by improving two KPIs of interest for the company that operates in a MTO environment: on-time delivery (OTD) and depth of delay (DOD), by varying the repartition of flows between possible production and transportation modes. Change in transportation mode is indeed considered as a risk mitigation lever leading to sustainable operations. We first collect input data, which includes data related to the characteristics of the system under study (flow diagram, data pertaining to parameters such as lead time, cost, capacity…) and supply chain risks mapping. Then, we develop a discrete event simulation (DES) model considering supply chain risks to determine the best flow repartition enabling to satisfy KPIs considered. A performance evaluation module enables to calculate the probability distribution of the chosen KPIs. Finally, a multi-scenario analysis is conducted by varying different parameters that have an impact on OTD, DOD and the total cost.

Development of Trustworthiness for Cloud Service Providers Using DBN-Based Trust Model in Cloud Computing Environment

In order to facilitate diverse computing resources and services, cloud computing has evolve into a promising paradigm on-demand over the internet. To access services, cloud users have to rely on third-party service providers. Choosing a suitable Cloud Service Provider (CSP) with a raise in available cloud services in order to deliver the service safely is considered a serious concern for users. Regrettably, there are various problems that minimize the growth of cloud computing, like privacy, security loss, and control. The security issue is regarded as the most important element that could avoid the evolution of cloud computing. In the cloud environment, to handle the user’s requests, trust measures play a significant role when choosing appropriate service providers. Therefore, trustworthiness evaluation of CSP prior to choosing it to facilitate the service has become a significant obligation in cloud environment. In this work, a trust model, Deep Behavioral Feedback Quality of Service and Statistics based trust (Deep BFQS-trust), is developed to calculate trustworthiness of CSP based on its feedback and behavior, QoS and statistics-based given by the users. Also, to calculate behavioral trust values, various QoS attributes are considered. In order to maintain and calculate feedback trust value for service provider, diverse parameters from service level agreement are utilized. By computing the collective trust, trustworthiness of cloud service provider is judged that is computed by these trust factors. Moreover, the weights of the collective trust are determined by employing Deep belief network (DBN) model. Finally, the proposed Deep BFQS-trust technique is compared with the existing approaches, and exhibits that the proposed model attained utmost trustworthiness and successful interaction with the values of 0.860 and 0.888, respectively.

Equilibrium in the Computing Continuum through Active Inference

Computing Continuum (CC) systems are challenged to ensure the intricate requirements of each computational tier. Given the system’s scale, the Service Level Objectives (SLOs), which are expressed as these requirements, must be disaggregated into smaller parts that can be decentralized. We present our framework for collaborative edge intelligence, enabling individual edge devices to (1) develop a causal understanding of how to enforce their SLOs and (2) transfer knowledge to speed up the onboarding of heterogeneous devices. Through collaboration, they (3) increase the scope of SLO fulfillment. We implemented the framework and evaluated a use case in which a CC system is responsible for ensuring Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) during video streaming. Our results showed that edge devices required only ten training rounds to ensure four SLOs; furthermore, the underlying causal structures were also rationally explainable. The addition of new types of devices can be done a posteriori; the framework allowed them to reuse existing models, even though the device type had been unknown. Finally, rebalancing the load within a device cluster allowed individual edge devices to recover their SLO compliance after a network failure from 22% to 89%.

Situation analysis on the integration of refractive error services provided by optometrists into the national health services in Kenya

IntroductionEven though the burden of uncorrected refractive error could potentially be addressed through innovative and cost-effective approaches, integration of the services into the National Health Services (NHS) is desirable. However, minimal information exists on the current situation warranting the need for evidence about the integration of refractive error service provided by optometrists into the national health services in Kenya.MethodsA situation analysis of the Kenyan refractive error services provided by optometrists within the NHS was undertaken based on access to service delivery, service coverage, and human resource. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis was undertaken based on the existent evidence to identify the core factors that could potentially facilitate or hinder the integration of refractive error services provided by optometrists within the National Health Services. The proportion of optometrists to be integrated in the NHS was estimated based on the minimum ratios recommended by the World Health Organization.ResultsA section of tertiary and secondary healthcare facilities in Kenya have specific services to address refractive errors within the NHS with most facilities lacking such services. Treatment of refractive error occurs at the level of eye care general services. There are 11,547 health facilities offering primary care services in Kenya. However, none of them offers refractive error services and only a section of facilities offering county health referral services provides eye care services which is limited to refraction without provision of spectacles. The existing workforce comprises of ophthalmologists, optometrists and ophthalmic clinical officers, together with nurses and other general paramedical assistants. Optometrists, ophthalmologists and ophthalmic clinical officers are allowed to undertake refraction. However, optometrists majorly practices in the private sector. Centralization of eye care services in urban areas, weak referral systems, and a shortage in the workforce per population was observed.ConclusionsThe Kenyan NHS should advocate for primary care and reorient the current hospital-based delivery approach for refractive error services. This is attributed to the fact that provision of refractive error services at primary care remains effective and efficient and could translate to early detection of other ocular conditions. The existing human resources in the eye health ecosystem in Kenya should maximize their efforts towards addressing uncorrected refractive error and optometrists should be integrated into the NHS.

Implementing Lean Manufacturing to Optimize Service Level: An Industrial Lubricating Oils Processing and Marketing Company Case Study

This research aims to implement a lean manufacturing management model using tools such as value stream mapping (VSM), single-minute exchange of die (SMED) and autonomous maintenance (AM) to improve the service level within petroleum refining companies. Moreover, its objective is to mitigate the technical gap that leads to monetary losses for the company in question. In terms of methodology, the research used a case study design focused on pre-test and post-test analyses to identify the key improvements. The results revealed a 35 % reduction in company losses and an increase of 19 % in the service level.

A study on the spatial differences between the tourism network attention and tourism flow in Shanghai, China

The tourism network attention as a reflection of tourism demand is closely related to the tourism flow, the differences between the two has become an important criterion for judging the efficiency of destination tourism demand conversion, as well as a manifestation of the balance and coordination of destination tourism industry. Against the background of insufficient release of tourism demand in China, research on the development differences between tourism network attention and tourism flow can provide a basis for demand-side management and high-quality development. Based on the theory of spatial mismatch, this research analyzes the spatial development difference between the tourism network attention and the tourism flow in Shanghai from 2012 to 2021 using methods such as center of gravity model, spatial mismatch index, and two-dimensional combination matrix. The results show: (1) According to the analysis of the center of gravity model, there was a shift of the center of gravity of tourism network attention with the direction of "south-north", while the tourism flow shifted "west-east"; the center of gravity between tourism network attention and tourism flow began to diverge from 2012 to 2016, gradually converged from 2016 to 2019, and then gradually deviated again after 2020. (2) According to the spatial mismatch index, the spatial mismatch types between tourism network attention and tourism flow in various Districts of Shanghai are mainly negative and low mismatch, with high mismatch areas mainly distributed in the eastern and southwestern parts of Shanghai. (3) Combining the two-dimensional combination matrix, it can be observed that the spatial development difference between tourism network attention and tourism flow in Shanghai show a characteristic of "enlarging-shrinking-enlarging". From 2012 to 2016, the spatial development difference between tourism network attention and tourism flow in Shanghai continuously expanded; from 2017 to 2019, the spatial development difference continuously shrank; and from 2020 to 2021, the spatial differences expanded again. (4) The analysis results of the panel data model show that the development of tourism resources and the level of tourism services have a positive promoting effect on the evolution of spatial mismatch, while the social basic development environment has a negative effect. The research results not only meet the needs of evaluating the high-quality development of the tourism industry in the current economic restructuring, providing direction for the high-quality development of the regional tourism industry, but also enrich the research content of network attention as a tourism element participating in the evaluation of tourism industry development quality, and deepen the relationship research between network attention and tourism flow.

Current status of electronic health literacy among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and their perceptions of online health information: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundWomen diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus often rely on internet-based health information for managing their condition. This study aims to investigate the present state of electronic health literacy among women with gestational diabetes mellitus, analyze the influencing factors, and explore their experiences regarding accessing, comprehending, evaluating, and applying online health information pertinent to gestational diabetes mellitus.MethodsA sequential explanatory mixed methods research design was adopted in this study. Initially, 235 women with gestational diabetes mellitus participated in a cross-sectional survey. The research tools included general information and the Chinese version of the electronic Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS). Descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the characteristics of the sample, and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the factors influencing electronic health literacy among women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Secondly, 11 women with gestational diabetes mellitus joined semi-structured in-depth interviews to obtain their perceptions about online health information. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis to develop themes.ResultsThe median score of eHEALS in the Chinese version among 235 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus was 29 (interquartile range [IQR], 26 to 32). Factors influencing electronic health literacy among these women included accessing health information from medical professionals (β = 0.137, p = 0.029) and utilizing health information from applications (β = 0.159, p = 0.013). From the qualitative phase of the study, four thematic categories emerged: reasons and basis for accessing health information from the Internet; address barriers to accessing and applying online health information; desires for a higher level of online health information services; outcomes of accessing and applying online health information.ConclusionThe electronic health literacy of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus remains suboptimal and warrants improvement. The sources of access to health information affect electronic health literacy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Moreover, women facing gestational diabetes encounter numerous impediments when attempting to access health-related information online, underscoring the necessity for enhanced online health information services to meet their needs.

Impact of contract farming on green technological efficiency of farmers: a comparative study of two contract organizational models

IntroductionEngaging in contract farming represents a crucial avenue for developing countries to integrate small farmers into modern agricultural practices. Existing research believes that contract farming offers a promising opportunity for fostering sustainable agricultural development. However, insufficient attention has been directed toward investigating the varying impacts of different organizational models within contract farming on farmers' transition to green production practices.MethodsThis study investigates the impact of contract farming on green technological efficiency of farmers using survey data from 719 wheat growers in Shandong Province, China. The propensity score matching method and multiple mediation effects models are employed for empirical analysis.ResultsThe organizational model plays a pivotal role in determining whether participation in contract farming can improve the green technological efficiency of farmers. Participation in an integrated model demonstrates a significant effect on improving green technological efficiency, whereas participation in a quasi-integrated model does not show a significant improvement. Integrated contract farming can improve green technological efficiency through expanding the degree of land consolidation and enhancing the level of productive service, whereas quasi-integrated contract farming improves green technological efficiency only by enhancing production intensification. As an economic incentive measure, the effect of contract purchase price on strengthening the enhancement of green technological efficiency in the quasi-integrated model is moderate only when the contract purchase price exceeds the local average selling price of wheat by more than 19.3%. Conversely, the moderate effect of farmers' dividend income in the integrated model remains consistent, with higher dividend incomes correlating with a stronger moderating effect.DiscussionThe impact of contract farming on green technology efficiency correlates significantly with the organizational model. Compared with the quasi-integrated contract farming model, the integrated model distinctly excels in advancing farmers' green technology efficiency, evidenced by its ability to consolidate fragmented land, provide productive services, and offer economic incentives. Therefore, to unlock the latent potential of contract farming in driving agricultural green transformation, a shift toward organizational models with higher levels of integration is essential.

Optimal bus service frequency setting and limited-stop operation with varying vehicle capacity limit

With the advancement of Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) technology, it becomes feasible to perceive the diverse needs of various passengers with sensory equipment, offering potential for further enhancing the quality of bus services. Vehicle capacity limit is a pivotal factor for both bus operators and passengers, wherein higher capacities are associated with increased profitability but potentially compromise passenger comfort. The significance of establishing optimal vehicle capacity limits cannot be overstated. Nevertheless, existing researches usually use a fixed vehicle capacity, neglecting the varied needs of passengers at different stations. Notably, the strong demand of elderly and long-distance travelling passengers for seating are frequently ignored. This study introduces a novel framework for determining flexible vehicle capacity limits, which considers the percentage of elderly and long-distance passengers, as informed by station-specific sensor data and historical origin-destination data. Furthermore, it optimizes bus service frequencies to minimize operational costs while enhancing the level of service offered by buses. The quality of public transportation services is improved, addressing the diverse demands of passengers.

Disparities in Palliative Care Use for Patients With Blood Cancer Who Died in the Hospital.

Background: Palliative care can enhance quality of life during a terminal hospitalization. Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment tools, blood cancers lag behind solid malignancies in palliative use. It is not clear what factors affect palliative care use in blood cancer. Methods: We used the 2016 to 2019 National Inpatient Sample to identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with receiving palliative care among patients over age 18 with any malignant hematological diagnosis during a terminal hospitalization lasting at least 3days, excluding those receiving a stem cell transplant. Results: Palliative care use was documented 54% of the time among 49,720 weighted cases (9944 distinct individual hospitalizations), approximately evenly distributed across the years 2016-2019. Palliative care use was lowest in 2016 (51%) and highest in 2018 (58%), and increased with age, reaching 58% for those 80years and older. Men and women were similarly likely to receive care. Patients of Hispanic ethnicity and African Americans received less palliative care (47% and 49%, respectively), as did those insured by Medicaid (48%), and those admitted to small or rural hospitals (52% and 47%, respectively). Charges for hospitalizations with palliative care were 19% lower than for those without it. Conclusions: This study highlights disparities in palliative care use among blood-cancer patients who died in the hospital. It seems likely that many of the 46% who did not receive palliative care could have benefitted from it. Interventions are likely needed to achieve equitable access to ideal levels of palliative care services in late-stage blood cancer.

The impact of peer effect of industrial robot application on enterprise carbon emission reduction.

The application of intelligent technology, such as industrial robots, is related to the environmental governance effectiveness of enterprises and the realization of the goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality". Due to their similar external environments, driven by economic rationality, peer enterprises will mimic the robotics applications of other enterprises, which in turn will affect the enterprises' carbon emissions. However, little literature has explored the impact of industrial robot application on enterprise carbon emissions from the perspective of peer effect. Based on the data of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share manufacturing listed enterprises in China from 2011 to 2021, this paper explores the impact of industrial robot application on carbon emission reduction of manufacturing enterprises from the perspective of peer effect. It is found that the industry peer effect and regional peer effect brought by the application of industrial robots are conducive to promoting the carbon emission reduction of enterprises. Among them, the industry peer effect of industrial robot applications promotes carbon emission reduction by enhancing the green innovation ability of enterprises, while the regional peer effect promotes carbon emission reduction by improving the service level of enterprises. It is further found that the degree of industry competition and the level of environmental regulation have inverted U-shaped moderating effects on the industrial robot application industry peer effect, regional peer effect, and enterprises' carbon emission reduction, respectively. The results enrich the research on the impact of industrial robot application on carbon emission reduction of manufacturing enterprises and provide policy implications for improving the environmental performance of enterprises.

The Health Arab Tourists’ Satisfaction Level of Services Provided: A Cross-sectional Study in Bangalore-Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: An indication of the quality of medical treatment is how satisfied patients are with the services received. Patient satisfaction is determined by how well they feel their care met their expectations. This survey was conducted in 2023 to assess how satisfied health tourists were with the services received from Bangalore Multispecialty hospitals. Method: It is a cross-sectional study was conducted from 21-3–2023 to 26-1-2023 at Multispecialty Hospital in Bangalore. : In this a cross-sectional study, 400 253 (63.2%) men and 147 (36.8%) women, the data collection instrument is a semi-structured questionnaire in this study. The respondents of this study are Arab tourists who received inpatient and outpatient services at least one day at hospitals. The hospitals were selected purposively but the potential respondents were chosen conveniently. These procedures ensure the researchers access a sufficient number of potential respondents from the hospitals for this study. Researchers of this study approached the respondents and requested they participate in this survey. The researchers informed participants that the information would be utilized only for research purposes and their support was anonymous and voluntary. The questionnaire has 56 general and specific items. Each of the specific items is scaled on five points; Very Good, Good, Moderate, Poor and very poor. In order to analyze the data both descriptive and inferential statistics were used Patient satisfaction and surgical outcomes were the main outcome measures. Results: 400 participants were included in the study (63.2% male and 36.85% Female). 79 of the surgeries were Neurosurgeries cases (19.8%) compared to 75 Oncology cases (18.8%). Regarding patient satisfaction, 96.8% of the patients regarding the quality of care. 66 % were satisfied with the hospital privacy and confidentiality measures. Conclusion: All of the Analyzed domains had excellent patient satisfaction rates, little problems, and successful surgical results in general. There is few things make patients unsatisfied like the waiting time for consultation so long, the method of payment in some hospital that there is limitation for cash payment ,and the language barrier the important factor play the major role.

Motivation and Job Satisfaction of Part-Time Instructors at ISPSC

This study was conducted to assess the perceived level of job satisfaction of Part time Instructors in Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College concerning their motivation level. The research identified the profile of the respondents concerning their age, sex, civil status, salary, educational attainment, length of service and number of trainings and seminars attended. This study aimed to evaluate motivation in terms of physiological needs, safety and security needs, social needs, self-esteem needs, self-actualization needs, work itself, advancement and job satisfaction in terms of salary and benefits, job opportunities, work recognition, working condition and supervision and among part- instructors in Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College. The study used descriptive and correlation research design. It involved the one hundred fifty-four (154) Part-time Instructors of the six campuses of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College This study used survey-questionnaire composed of three parts to gather the data needed. The first part of the questionnaire includes the profile of the Part-time Instructors of ISPSC which served as the respondents. The second part of the questionnaire consists of the level of motivation and the third part is about the Job satisfaction of the respondents. The questionnaire was collected for tabulation. Mean, standard deviation, pearson correlation coefficient, chi-square test for independence, one way annova were used to analyze the data. Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: Demographic factors such as age, sex, civil status, length of service, salary and education level varies, thus, do not significantly influence their motivation and job satisfaction. Secondly, while Part-time Instructors exhibit high motivation in areas like social connections and career advancement opportunities, their motivation in physiological and safety needs is moderate. Thirdly, they express satisfaction with job opportunities and recognition but show lesser satisfaction with salary and benefits, suggesting room for improvement in compensation packages. Moreover, the study emphasizes the strong link between motivation and job satisfaction, highlighting how motivated part-time faculty tend to be more engaged and resilient. Overall, the consistently high levels of motivation and job satisfaction across ISPSC campuses reflect a positive organizational climate and effective management practices, with potential for further enhancement through fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment. The recommendations presented to the college cover a range of aspects to enhance Part-Time Instructors' experience at ISPSC. First, it is suggested that salary increases or modifications be made, maybe based on merit, in order to address particular issues raised by employees. Transparency and clear communication about such modifications should be prioritized. Second, it's critical to emphasize open and honest communication on the causes of any delays in salary, benefits, and perks. Clarity regarding compensation guidelines and career progression prospects should also be provided. Thirdly, it's important to keep work schedules flexible to meet the needs of part-time instructors in terms of both their personal and professional obligations. In order to improve teaching abilities and career advancement, it is also stressed how crucial it is for part-time faculty members to participate in organized professional development programs that include workshops and advice from seasoned faculty members. Finally, the need to continuously address motivation and job satisfaction among part-time faculty is emphasized, suggesting a focus on both addressing concerns and highlighting positive aspects of the work environment to cultivate a supportive and satisfying workplace culture.

Hydraulic Connectiveness Metric for the Analysis of Criticality in Water Distribution Networks

Capturing the criticality of a water distribution network (WDN) is difficult because of its many constituent factors. In terms of operation, the arrangement of demand nodes and how they connect have a significant influence. This study aims to integrate hydraulic and topologic aspects into a single criticality measure by adapting the structural hole influence matrix concept. This method applies the nodal demand to the corresponding pipes to construct a weighted network. The matrix stores each node’s local and global connection information, and the criticality value is then assigned based on the adjacency information. The criticality value can reveal the locations in terms of nodes or pipes that are vital for maintaining a network’s level of service. By analyzing pipe-failure scenarios, the criticality value can be related to the loss of performance. Assessing the nodal criticality change behavior under an increased stress scenario can help uncover the impacted areas. The metric for district metered area (DMA) creation demonstrates its potential as a weighting to be considered. This unified criticality metric enables the evaluation of nodes and pipes in a WDN, thereby enabling resilient and sustainable development planning.