Managing complex engineering projects: What can we learn from the evolving digital footprint?

The challenges of managing large complex engineering projects, such as those involving the design of infrastructure, aerospace and industrial systems; are widely acknowledged. While there exists a mature set of project management tools and methods, many of today's projects overrun in terms of both time and cost. Existing literature attributes these overruns to factors such as: unforeseen dependencies, a lack of understanding, late changes, poor communication, limited resource availability (inc. personnel), incomplete data and aspects of culture and planning. Fundamental to overcoming these factors belies the challenge of how management information relating to them can be provided, and done so in a cost eff ;ective manner. Motivated by this challenge, recent research has demonstrated how management information can be automatically generated from the evolving digital footprint of an engineering project, which encompasses a broad range of data types and sources. In contrast to existing work that reports the generation, verification and application of methods for generating management information, this paper reviews all the reported methods to appraise the scope of management information that can be automatically generated from the digital footprint. In so doing, the paper presents a reference model for the generation of managerial information from the digital footprint, an appraisal of 27 methods, and a critical reflection of the scope and generalisability of data-driven project management methods. Key findings from the appraisal include the role of email in providing insights into potential issues, the role of computer models in automatically eliciting process and product dependencies, and the role of project documentation in assessing project norms. The critical reflection also raises issues such as privacy, highlights the enabling technologies, and presents opportunities for new Business Intelligence tools that are based on real-time monitoring and analysis of digital footprints.     

Boundary conditions for traceability in food supply chains using blockchain technology

Traceability of ingredients in food supply chains has become paramount in a world in which markets become global, heterogeneous, and complex and in which consumers expect a high level of quality. The food supply chain consists of many organizations having different interests and are often reluctant to share traceability information with each other. Blockchain has been advocated for improving traceability by providing trust. Yet, practice proved to be more stubborn. The goal of this paper is to identify boundary conditions for sharing assurance information to improve traceability. Four cases in the food supply chain have been investigated using a template analysis of 16 interviews. Eighteen boundary conditions categorized in business, regulation, quality and traceability categories have been identified. Some boundary conditions were found in all supply chains, whereas others were found to be supply chain specific. Standardization of traceability processes and interfaces, having a joint platform and independent governance were found to be key boundary conditions before blockchain can be used. Our findings imply that supply chain systems have first to be modified and organizational measures need to be taken to fulfill the boundary conditions, before blockchain can be used successfully.     

The effect of international accreditations on students’ revealed preferences: Evidence from French Business schools

This paper evaluates how three different international accreditations for business schools (AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA) affect student preferences, expressed via enrollment decisions. Focusing on the French context, we build a relative preference indicator to compare schools using data collected by the central clearinghouse that allocates students to schools. We observe that all three accreditations positively and significantly influence students, but that the impact of the AACSB accreditation is larger than the other two accreditations. Having an AACSB accreditation is equivalent to moving up four places in rankings by L’étudiant magazine, whereas the impact of having EQUIS or AMBA is similar to moving up two places. We also find a sizeable “triple crown” effect, meaning that the three accreditations tend to complement each other. Our results are robust to different ways of assessing potential self-selection into accreditation.     

Human resources for Big Data professions: A systematic classification of job roles and required skill sets

The rapid expansion of Big Data Analytics is forcing companies to rethink their Human Resource (HR) needs. However, at the same time, it is unclear which types of job roles and skills constitute this area. To this end, this study pursues to drive clarity across the heterogeneous nature of skills required in Big Data professions, by analyzing a large amount of real-world job posts published online. More precisely we: 1) identify four Big Data ‘job families’; 2) recognize nine homogeneous groups of Big Data skills (skill sets) that are being demanded by companies; 3) characterize each job family with the appropriate level of competence required within each Big Data skill set. We propose a novel, semi-automated, fully replicable, analytical methodology based on a combination of machine learning algorithms and expert judgement. Our analysis leverages a significant amount of online job posts, obtained through web scraping, to generate an intelligible classification of job roles and skill sets. The results can support business leaders and HR managers in establishing clear strategies for the acquisition and the development of the right skills needed to leverage Big Data at best. Moreover, the structured classification of job families and skill sets will help establish a common dictionary to be used by HR recruiters and education providers, so that supply and demand can more effectively meet in the job marketplace.     

对转压气机三维掠动叶优化设计

为探索三维掠动叶降低对转压气机二次流损失的潜力,进一步提高对转压气机气动性能,基于近似函数与遗传算法,针对某对转压气机双排转子在整机环境下进行三维掠动叶优化设计,并对优化前后流场进行对比分析。优化成功的得到了双排“S”形掠动叶,结果表明:三维掠动叶有效改善了双排动叶吸力面径向二次流,减小了吸力面低速区,提高了对转压气机性能,优化工况点整机效率提高0.6%,全工况范围内效率均有所提高;三维掠动叶提高对转压气机效率的根本原因是其对径向负荷分配的重新调整,将叶展下方流动较差区域负荷移至叶展上方,改善流场的同时保证对转压气机负荷不变。      

高超声速风洞进气道流量系数测量精度影响因素研究

进气道是飞行器动力装置的重要组成部分,准确测量进气道流量系数是进气道风洞试验的重要内容。对来流马赫数Ma=4.5,5.0和6.0状态下皮托管进气道开展流量系数测量研究,通过对比理论值和实测值,获取各状态流量系数修正系数。试验结果表明,随着来流马赫数增加,进气道流量系数与理论值偏差较明显,并逐渐增大。超声速风洞试验通常认为测量截面总温与来流总温相等,通过对测量截面总温与来流总温偏差以及测量截面流场畸变情况的分析,判断测量偏差主要是由测量截面总温等于来流总温的假设导致的。在高超声速风洞试验中,由于模型壁面热交换的存在,测量截面总温低于来流总温,进气道流量系数测量时需要进行总温修正,以提高流量测量精度。      

联络口译课堂中应用任务型教学法的实践

现代商业社会越来越需要英语联络口译员。怎样培养能自主钻研、有效应对千变万化商务场合的合格联络口译人才成为英语口译教学中重要课题。结合商务联络口译特点,通过任务型教学法和传统教学模式对比,发现:在联络口译课堂中应用任务型教学法,更能让学生在模拟实践中提高综合运用语言能力。     

A Preliminary Study of Grade Forecasting by Students

This experiment enabled undergraduate business students to better assess their progress in a course by quantitatively forecasting their own end‐of‐course grades. This innovation provided them with predictive feedback in addition to the outcome feedback they were already receiving. A total of 144 students forecast their grades using an instructor‐prepared spreadsheet, and then responded to a brief survey. Of these participants, 29% said the forecast grades were lower than expected, while 6% said they were higher. Subsequent to the forecast, 47% of the respondents said they were studying more than planned, while 3% said they were studying less. The relative difference between the students’ forecast grades and their prior expectations showed no direct influence on subsequent motivation or studying effort. Instead, increased studying was reported by students who had experienced increased anxiety, increased motivation, or positive impressions subsequent to the forecasting experience, as well as by students who had received low absolute grade forecasts.     

瑞丽传媒集团发展特色探析

随着传媒集团化进程的不断发展,瑞丽传媒集团已成为国内具有影响力的传媒集团,它的发展深刻地影响着当今都市的潮流风尚.本文从瑞丽传媒集团旗下产品与资源、发展策略与经营理念、营销模式、受众影响力与管理理念等方面探析集团的发展情况,全面透析瑞丽传媒集团时尚实用化的发展特色.     

虚拟社区知识共享理论派系研究

知识共享需求驱动是促成虚拟社区形成的重要原因之一,同时也是虚拟社区的核心价值之一。本文对国内外学者对虚拟社区知识共享的研究进行分析整理,认为根据不同的理论起源和研究方法,可以将其划分为知识管理派、模型理论派、社会学派和商业派四种,并分别予以说明,以期能对虚拟社区知识共享的理论体系的划分有所参考价值。