Operational research Books

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis''By far the best book I''ve ever read on the how and why of scaling. If you care about changing the world, or just want to make better decisions in your own life, The Voltage Effect is for you.'' Angela Duckworth, CEO of Character Lab and New York Times bestselling author of Grit ________________ Why do some ideas make it big while others fail to take off? According to award-winning behavioural economist John List, the answer comes down to a single question: Can the idea scale? Countless enterprises fall apart the moment they scale; their positive results fizzle, they lose valuable time and money, and the great electric charge of potential that drove them early on disappears. In short, they suffer a voltage drop. Yet success and failure are not about luck - in fact, there is a rhyme and reason as to why some ideas fail and why some make it big. Certain ideas are predictably scalable, while others are predictably dTrade ReviewBrilliant, practical, and grounded in the very latest research, this is by far the best book I've ever read on the how and why of scaling. If you care about changing the world, or just want to make better decisions in your own life, The Voltage Effect is for you. * Angela Duckworth, Founder and CEO of Character Lab and New York Times bestselling author of Grit *How many books are funny and wise, practical and profound? John List is a scientist, but he's also a magician, and he's changing the world. The Voltage Effect shows how. This is one of the best economics books I have ever read - and an instant classic in behavioral economics. * Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University, and New York Times bestselling coauthor of Nudge *The Voltage Effect is the toolkit for the ambitious. Packed with proven principles and pro tips made real through inside stories ranging from Silicon Valley to African NGOs to university fund-raising, List fills the gap between startup books and management books to show how any idea can achieve its full potential. * Scott Cook, co-founder of Intuit *Ideas from the ivory tower or Davos fail often and fail badly because they do not recognize the deeply political and historical nature of the problems they are trying to deal with and the social realities in which these problems are embedded. This thought-provoking and engaging book proposes an original framework for thinking about how good policy proposals can be applied at a scale large enough to do social good, and for avoiding predictable mistakes that prevent such scaling. A must-read. * Daron Acemoglu, Institute Professor at MIT and co-author of Why Nations Fail and The Narrow Corridor *

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part 1 Artificial Intelligence Trailblazers 1 Alibaba: Using Artificial Intelligence To Power The Retail And Business-To-Business Services Of The Future 13 2 Alphabet and Google: Maximizing The Potential Of Artificial Intelligence 21 3 Amazon: Using Deep Learning To Drive Business Performance 29 4 Apple: Integrating AI Into Products And Protecting User Privacy 37 5 Baidu: Machine Learning For Search Engines And Autonomous Cars 43 6 Facebook: Using Artificial Intelligence To Improve Social Media Services 49 7 IBM: Cognitive Computing Helps Machines Debate With Humans 55 8 JD.com: Automating Retail With Artificial Intelligence 61 9 Microsoft: Making Artificial Intelligence Part Of The Fabric Of Everyday Life 69 10 Tencent: Using Artificial Intelligence To Power We Chat And Healthcare 75 Part 2 Retail, Consumer Goods and Food and Beverage Companies 11 Burberry: Using Artificial Intelligence To Sell Luxury 83 12 Coca-Cola: Using Artificial Intelligence To Stay At The Top Of The Soft Drinks Market 87 13 Domino’s: Using Artificial Intelligence To Serve Up Hundreds Of Thousands Of Pizzas Every Day 93 14 Kimberly-Clark: Using AI To Make Sense Of Customer Data 99 15 McDonald’s: Using Robots And Artificial Intelligence To Automate Processes 105 16 Samsung: Automating The Home And Workplace With Artificial Intelligence 111 17 Starbucks: Using Artificial Intelligence To Sell Millions Of Coffees Every Day 117 18 Stitch Fix: Combining The Power Of Artificial Intelligence And Humans To Disrupt Fashion Retail 123 19 Unilever: Using Artificial Intelligence To Streamline Recruiting And Onboarding 129 20 Walmart: Using Artificial Intelligence To Keep Shelves Stacked And Customers Happy 135 Part 3 Media, Entertainment and Telecom Companies 21 The Walt Disney Company: Using Artificial Intelligence To Make Magical Memories 143 22 Instagram: Using Artificial Intelligence To Tackle Online Bullying 149 23 LinkedIn: Using Artificial Intelligence To Solve The Skills Crisis 155 24 Netflix: Using Artificial Intelligence To Give Us A Better TV Experience 161 25 Press Association: Using Artificial Intelligence To Cover Local News Stories 167 26 Spotify: Using Artificial Intelligence To Find New Music You Will Love 173 27 Telefonica: Using Artificial Intelligence To Connect The Unconnected 179 28 Twitter: Using Artificial Intelligence To Fight Fake News And Spambots 185 29 Verizon: Using Machine Learning To Assess Service Quality 191 30 Viacom: Using Artificial Intelligence To Stream Videos Faster And Improve Customer Experience 197 Part 4 Services, Financial and Healthcare Companies 31 American Express: Using Artificial Intelligence To Detect Fraud And Improve Customer Experience 205 32 Elsevier: Using Artificial Intelligence To Improve Medical Decisions And Scientific Research 211 33 Entrupy: Using Artificial Intelligence To Combat The $450 Billion Counterfeit Industry 217 34 Experian: Using Artificial Intelligence To Make Mortgages Simpler 221 35 Harley-Davidson: Using Artificial Intelligence To Increase Sales 227 36 Hopper: Using Artificial Intelligence To Travel For Less 233 37 Infervision: Using Artificial Intelligence To Detect Cancer And Strokes 239 38 Mastercard: Using Artificial Intelligence To Cut Down The “False Declines” That Cost Businesses Billions Each Year 245 39 Salesforce: How Artificial Intelligence Helps Businesses Understand Their Customers 249 40 Uber: Using Artificial Intelligence To Do Everything 255 Part 5 Manufacturing, Automotive, Aerospace and Industry 4.0 Companies 41 BMW: Using Artificial Intelligence To Build And Drive The Cars Of Tomorrow 263 42 GE: Using Artificial Intelligence To Build The Internet Of Energy 269 43 John Deere: Using Artificial Intelligence To Reduce Pesticide Pollution In Agriculture 275 44 KONE: Using Artificial Intelligence To Move Millions Of People Every Day 281 45 Daimler AG: From Luxury Personal Cars To Passenger Drones 287 46 NASA: Using Artificial Intelligence To Explore Space And Distant Worlds 293 47 Shell: Using Artificial Intelligence To Tackle The Energy Transition 299 48 Siemens: Using Artificial Intelligence And Analytics To Build The Internet Of Trains 305 49 Tesla: Using Artificial Intelligence To Build Intelligent Cars 311 50 Volvo: Using Machine Learning To Build The World’s Safest Cars 317 Part 6 Final Words and Artificial Intelligence Challenges 51 Final Words And Artificial Intelligence Challenges 323 About the Author 329 Acknowledgments 331 Index 333

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended for those in the library community with an understanding of library processes and a desire to actually make use of scientific management techniques. The emphasis is on presenting insights into which tool may be appropriate for particular problems, not on the isolated understanding of theoretical issues.Table of ContentsWhy Operations Research? The Systems Approach: Rational, Systematic, Objective Approaches to Problem Solving. Overview of Library Operations Research. Problem-Solving Techniques: Decision Theory. Resource Allocation. Graph Theory and Library Networks. Queueing Theory. Stochastic Processes and Library Models. W.G. Rudd and B.R. Boyce, Modeling and Simulation. Library Implementation: Library Management Information Systems. Bibliography. Appendix. Index.

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Nonlinear Equations 2. Simultaneous Linear Algebraic Equations 3. Finite Difference Methods and Interpolation 4. Differentiation and Integration 5. Ordinary Differential Equations: Initial Value Problems 6. Ordinary Differential Equations: Boundary Value Problems 7. Partial Differential Equations 8. Linear and Nonlinear Regression Analysis

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsBrief Contents Management Science Linear Programming: Model Formulation and Graphical Solution Linear Programming: Computer Solution and Sensitivity Analysis Linear Programming: Modeling Examples Integer Programming Transportation, Transshipment, and Assignment Problems Network Flow Models Project Management Multicriteria Decision Making Nonlinear Programming Probability and Statistics Decision Analysis Queuing Analysis Simulation Forecasting Inventory Management Appendix A: Normal and Chi-Square Tables Appendix B: Setting Up and Editing a Spreadsheet Appendix C: The Poisson and Exponential Distributions Solutions to Selected Odd-Numbered Problems The following items can be found on the companion website that accompanies this text: Module A: The Simplex Solution Method Module B: Transportation and Assignment Solution Methods Module C: Integer Programming: The Branch and Bound Method Module D: Nonlinear Programming Solution Techniques Module E: Game Theory Module F: Markov Analysis

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Book SynopsisFrom the authors of the internationally-bestselling business classic The Challenger Sale''A handbook of practices that will help you get into your customers'' heads, deliver good value, and win the sale'' Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell is Human and Drive---------------------------------------------------------------In The Challenger Sale, Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson overturned decades of conventional wisdom with a bold new approach to sales. Now they reveal something even more surprising: the highest-performing sales teams don''t focus on friendly, attentive customers. Instead, they target challenger customers.Challenger customers are sceptical, less interested in meeting and ultimately indifferent as to who wins the deal. But they also have the credibility, persuasive skill and will to challenge the status quo that will get a deal to the finish line far more often than customers who are easier tTrade ReviewA handbook of practices that will help you get into your customers' heads, deliver good value and win the sale * Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell is Human and Drive *I love it. This book will set the tone for years of work to come. The CEB team has just added the HOW to the WHAT that we have all been searching for since we launched into the Challenger journey * Mitch Little, vice president, worldwide sales and applications, Microchip Technology Inc. *An essential new way to think about the sale * Seth Godin, author, Linchpin *Lays out a blueprint for how sales and marketing departments must rethink their approach to winning more business. What worked in the past is clearly having diminishing returns today and will likely lead to failure in the future * John Graff, vice president, corporate marketing, National Instruments *'Provides evidence-based insights and practical guidance for solving one of today's most pressing commercial challenges: complex decision making within customer organizations. It clearly shows what distinguishes the best sellers and marketing organizations from the rest * Pinder Sahota, general manager, Smith & Nephew *

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsSection I: Data-centric and intelligent systems in air quality monitoring, assessment and mitigation 1. Application of deep learning and machine learning in air quality modelling 2. Case study of air quality prediction by deep learning and machine learning 3. Considerations of particle dispersion modelling with data-centric and intelligent systems 4. Data-centric modelling of air filters, HVAC and other industrial air quality control systems 5. A review of recent developments and applications of data-centric systems in air quality monitoring, assessment and mitigation Section 2: Data-centric and intelligent systems in water quality monitoring, assessment and mitigation 6. Application of deep learning and machine learning methods in water quality modelling and prediction 7. Case studies of surface water, groundwater and rainwater quality prediction by data-centric and intelligent systems 8. Application of deep learning and machine learning methods in contaminant hydrology 9. Deep learning and machine learning methods in emerging contaminants and micro-pollutants research 10. A review of recent developments and applications of data-centric systems in water quality monitoring, assessment and mitigation Section 3: Data-centric and intelligent systems inland pollution research 11. Application of deep learning and machine learning methods in flow modelling of landfill leachate 12. Case studies of evaluations and analysis of solid waste management techniques by deep learning and machine learning methods 13. Application of deep learning and machine learning methods in soil quality assessment and remediation 14. Establishing a nexus between non-biodegradable waste and data-centric systems 15. A review of recent developments and applications of data-centric systems inland pollution research Section 4: Data-centric and intelligent systems in noise pollution research 16. Methods development for data-centric systems in noise pollution research 17. Case studies of data-centric systems in noise pollution research 18. A review of recent developments and applications of data-centric systems in noise pollution research

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Book SynopsisWe are now entering a new phase in the establishment of historical organization studies as a distinctive methodological paradigm within the broad field of organization studies. This book serves both as a landmark in the development of the field and as a key reference tool for researchers and students.For two decades, organization theorists have emphasized the need for more and better research recognizing the importance of the past in shaping the present and future. By historicizing organizational research, the contexts and forces bearing upon organizations will be more fully recognized, and analyses of organizational dynamics improved. But how, precisely, might a traditionally empirically oriented disciplinesuch ashistory be incorporated into a theoretically oriented disciplinesuch asorganization studies? This book evaluates the current state of play, advances it and identifies the possibilities the new emergent field offersfor the future. In addition to providing an importanTrade Review"Today, understanding our past is more urgent than ever to inform our future. This book makes a fantastic job of discussing fundamental issues to make sense of history in organization studies. The book is a must-read for all academics who are interested in producing solid organizational studies historical accounts as well as to understand how history has been discussed in organization studies." Professor Rafael Alcadipani, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, FGV-EAESP, São Paulo"The authors in this volume venture audaciously into the interdisciplinary worlds of management studies and history. The outcome is a book which marks a serious advance in showing how business and management can incorporate history more dynamically in research, and benefit greatly as a result."Professor Geoffrey Jones, Isidor Straus Professor of Business History, Harvard Business School"This volume takes an important next step in the further development of the ‘historical turn’ in organization studies by bringing together theoretical, methodological and empirical insights. Through compelling narratives from all parts of society, it demonstrates how the interplay between history and organization studies advances our reflexivity and ability to engage in the future."Professor Majken Schultz, Centre for Organizational Time, Copenhagen Business School"There is a need for historical organization studies. This book not only explains why this is the case but also what it means. The rich collection of empirical examples helps us understand the various approaches that can be taken and how they can contribute to organization studies. Highly recommended reading!"Professor Eero Vaara, Hanken School of Economics and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford"This collection demonstrates the extent to which the promise of Historical Organization Studies – the interplay between creative historical research and innovative organizational theory – is becoming a reality. Along with an introduction by four leading scholars that maps out the intellectual terrain of the field, the chapters demonstrate the variety of different ways in which scholars are integrating history and theory to generate new insights about organizations and organizing. I would especially recommend the volume for early career researchers interested in learning about a dynamic and emerging field of organizational scholarship."Professor Dan Wadhwani, University of Southern California and Copenhagen Business SchoolTable of ContentsPart I: Introduction 1. Historical Organization Studies: Advancing New Directions for Organizational Research Part II: Conceptual Advances 2. Writing the Practices of History 3. Towards a Theory of Historical Reflexivity 4. The Organization-as-Iceberg as a Counter Metaphor 5. Working Towards Critical Historical Studies: An Emancipatory Ontology 6. Don’t Talk about History: Indigenous Views about the Past and their Implication for Organization Studies Part III: Theoretical Applications 7. The Canadian Alouette Women: Reclaiming their Space 8. The Enduring Presence of the Founder: A Historical and Interdisciplinary Perspective on the Organizational Identity of Collection Museums 9. Institutional Entrepreneurship and the Field of Power: The Emergence of the Global Hotel Industry 10. ‘Remember Mackintosh!’ Historical Homology and Historical Affinity in the Design of the Scottish Parliament Building 11. Institutional Change as Historical Confluence: The Development of the Nursing Profession in Japan 12. Studying the Processes of Managerial Legitimacy and Control of Former State-owned Enterprises in Post-communist Societies: A Longitudinal Study Part IV: Conclusion 13. At the Intersection of Theory and History: A Research Agenda for Historical Organization Studies

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Book SynopsisThis book identifies the responsibilities of management in the regulatory territories of the FAA (USA), the EASA (European Union) and the GCAA (UAE), identifying the daily challenges of leadership in ensuring their company is meeting the regulatory obligations of compliance, safety and security that will satisfy the regulator while also meeting the fiducial responsibilities of running an economically viable and efficient lean company that will satisfy the shareholders.Detailing each responsibility of the Accountable Manager, the author breaks them down to understandable and achievable elements where methods, systems and techniques can be applied to ensure the role holder is knowledgeable of accountabilities and is confident that they are not only compliant with the civil aviation regulations but also running an efficient and effective operation. This includes the defining of an Accountable Manager tool kit as well as possible software dashboards that focus the Accountable ManTrade Review"The book is well written, with a stimulating and logical approach that will be of interest to many aviation companies from airlines to private operators. Its primary purpose is in preparing the newly appointed Accountable Manager to fulfil their regulatory, judiciary and fiduciary role within their organisation, which it achieves extraordinarily well."Dr Laurie Earl MRAeS, Royal Aeronautical Society, UKTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1 An introduction to civil aviation, the regulations and air law; 2 An introduction to the Accountable Manager; 3 Leadership of the Post Holders; 4 Organisational structures in a civil aviation company; 5 Ethical leadership and the Accountable Manager; 6 A tool kit and SOPs for the Accountable Manager; 7 How to select an effective Accountable Manager; 8 Female Accountable Managers and the added challenges; 9 A lawyer’s review of the Accountable Managers responsibilities; 10 Case studies of Accountable Manager challenges

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Book SynopsisThis era of science and engineering has attracted researchers tasked with evaluating performance and optimization of problems in the field of operations research. The book covers mathematical analysis, methods and applications involving processes such as system performance, optimization, inventory theory, reliability theory, and queueing theory. Operations Research: Methods, Techniques, and Advancements explores recent and innovative methods and advancements associated with the mathematical theory of operations research. It offers a detailed overview of mathematical modelling for general industrial systems and emphasizes the latest ideas for the benefit of society and the research community. Intended for a broad range of readers, this book is useful to academicians, industrialists, researchers, students, academia and specialists from various disciplines and those working in the industry.Table of Contents1. Different Stochastic/Markov Model in Queueing Theory. 2. Review of Game Theoretic Approach in Management. 3. Inventory Control and Forecasting Model through Mathematical Modelling. 4. Performance Analysis through A Reliability Approach. 5. Multi-State System Analysis through Optimization Techniques. 6. Inventory and Pricing Control in Different Hybrid Models. 7. Game Theory Applications in Transportation Analysis. 8. Mathematical Modelling of Industrial System. 9. Optimization of Associated Parameters of a System. 10. Different Approaches in Transportation Problems. 11. Sensitivity and Estimated Cost Analysis.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a comprehensive guide to the economics of airports for all managers, regulators and educators within the aviation industry. Written by three renowned experts but made accessible and relevant for all those working within the industry, or aspiring to do so, it is the perfect entry point for learning about the underlying economics of airports as a crucial component of the air transport system. It explains the cost structures of airports and then relates these to how airports determine their charges.It explains how charges at different airports vary, whether this is due to different types of traffic, different input prices, ways of producing outputs or different levels of efficiency. Most airports are publicly owned or regulated, and there has been a trend towards privatisation. The book explains how airports have been regulated and assesses how well the regulatory structures have performed; it discusses the trend towards light-handed regulation and the Trade Review"One of the key strengths of the book is in discussing how recognised economic theory relates to airports but at the same time balancing debates about major issues that are particularly relevant to the airport industry today. These include long-term traffic forecasting accuracy, slot allocation, incentives for investment, interactions between aeronautical and non-aeronautical areas and the choice of till, performance measurement challenges, decarbonisation strategies, economic impact measurement and the effect of COVID-19. A novel approach is the identification of a major controversy in each chapter which is examined through discussions of the relevant issues. The book also has case studies and numerous examples which illustrate and support many of the arguments that are developed in the book by linking theory and practice.The book will be of interest to practitioners working in the airport industry but also to other air transport sectors, especially airlines. Its insights will be invaluable for informing regulation and government policy. Moreover, it will be ideal for academics, researchers and students by providing in-depth coverage of key airport economic issues in one accessible text."Anne Graham, Westminster University, UK"Airport Economics is a must read for the beginner and for the expert. The former will find a scholarly, yet highly readable presentation not only of 'traditional' topics, such as airport demand, costs and pricing, but also of more 'contemporary' ones, such as airport ownership, efficiency, regulation and environmental and social impacts. And the expert will appreciate the comprehensive and thoughtful critical reviews of the numerous related issues and solution approaches provided by Professors Forsyth, Guiomard and Niemeier. Features that this reader particularly enjoyed include: a plethora of insightful real-world examples; the book’s decidedly international perspective; the brief case studies that are interspersed throughout the text; and, best of all, the 'controversies' that are introduced at the end of each chapter – e.g., 'are private, lightly regulated airports ripping off airlines and passengers?' – that motivate the reader to re-consider and synthesize the points that the chapter discussed."Amedeo Odoni, T. Wilson Chair Professor Emeritus, MIT"Air transport is distinguished, not just by providing rapid connections between cities, but also by the sheer scale of distortions in many of its markets. The pricing of airport services developed largely on cost recovery and cross-subsidy, with landing fees often determined by how much shopping takes place at the airport, exacerbating demand for scarce landing slots. Environmental externalities are not remotely paid for. Capacity expansion is no better than pricing. It is 55 years since the Roskill Commission issued their thoughtful and pioneering report on London’s airport capacity needs. They were ignored. Poor government decision making on airports has so often resulted from adversarial politics, the tyranny of the minority, concern for newspaper headlines and, most importantly, bogus quantification that provides endless numbers but no insight. This much needed book on the economics of airports is full of insights. It should be essential reading for all those in government, regulators and the industry concerned to make rational decisions about the future development of an industry that plays such an important role in connecting cities at home and around the world."Brian Pearce, Former Chief Economist, IATATable of Contents1 An Introduction to Airport Economics, Part 1 Demand, Costs and Pricing, 2 Location, Demand and Forecasting, 3 Costs and Market Structure, 4 Pricing and Capacity Allocation, Part 2: Ownership, Regulation and Efficiency, 5 Ownership, Finance and Investment, 6 Airport Regulation and Competition, 7 Airport Performance: Efficiency and Quality, Part 3 Environment and Impacts, 8 Airports and the Environment, 9 Economic Impacts, Policy and COVID, 10 Summary and Conclusions

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a comprehensive guide to the economics of airports for all managers, regulators and educators within the aviation industry. Written by three renowned experts but made accessible and relevant for all those working within the industry, or aspiring to do so, it is the perfect entry point for learning about the underlying economics of airports as a crucial component of the air transport system. It explains the cost structures of airports and then relates these to how airports determine their charges.It explains how charges at different airports vary, whether this is due to different types of traffic, different input prices, ways of producing outputs or different levels of efficiency. Most airports are publicly owned or regulated, and there has been a trend towards privatisation. The book explains how airports have been regulated and assesses how well the regulatory structures have performed; it discusses the trend towards light-handed regulation and the Trade Review"One of the key strengths of the book is in discussing how recognised economic theory relates to airports but at the same time balancing debates about major issues that are particularly relevant to the airport industry today. These include long-term traffic forecasting accuracy, slot allocation, incentives for investment, interactions between aeronautical and non-aeronautical areas and the choice of till, performance measurement challenges, decarbonisation strategies, economic impact measurement and the effect of COVID-19. A novel approach is the identification of a major controversy in each chapter which is examined through discussions of the relevant issues. The book also has case studies and numerous examples which illustrate and support many of the arguments that are developed in the book by linking theory and practice.The book will be of interest to practitioners working in the airport industry but also to other air transport sectors, especially airlines. Its insights will be invaluable for informing regulation and government policy. Moreover, it will be ideal for academics, researchers and students by providing in-depth coverage of key airport economic issues in one accessible text."Anne Graham, Westminster University, UK"Airport Economics is a must read for the beginner and for the expert. The former will find a scholarly, yet highly readable presentation not only of 'traditional' topics, such as airport demand, costs and pricing, but also of more 'contemporary' ones, such as airport ownership, efficiency, regulation and environmental and social impacts. And the expert will appreciate the comprehensive and thoughtful critical reviews of the numerous related issues and solution approaches provided by Professors Forsyth, Guiomard and Niemeier. Features that this reader particularly enjoyed include: a plethora of insightful real-world examples; the book’s decidedly international perspective; the brief case studies that are interspersed throughout the text; and, best of all, the 'controversies' that are introduced at the end of each chapter – e.g., 'are private, lightly regulated airports ripping off airlines and passengers?' – that motivate the reader to re-consider and synthesize the points that the chapter discussed."Amedeo Odoni, T. Wilson Chair Professor Emeritus, MIT"Air transport is distinguished, not just by providing rapid connections between cities, but also by the sheer scale of distortions in many of its markets. The pricing of airport services developed largely on cost recovery and cross-subsidy, with landing fees often determined by how much shopping takes place at the airport, exacerbating demand for scarce landing slots. Environmental externalities are not remotely paid for. Capacity expansion is no better than pricing. It is 55 years since the Roskill Commission issued their thoughtful and pioneering report on London’s airport capacity needs. They were ignored. Poor government decision making on airports has so often resulted from adversarial politics, the tyranny of the minority, concern for newspaper headlines and, most importantly, bogus quantification that provides endless numbers but no insight. This much needed book on the economics of airports is full of insights. It should be essential reading for all those in government, regulators and the industry concerned to make rational decisions about the future development of an industry that plays such an important role in connecting cities at home and around the world."Brian Pearce, Former Chief Economist, IATATable of Contents1 An Introduction to Airport Economics, Part 1 Demand, Costs and Pricing, 2 Location, Demand and Forecasting, 3 Costs and Market Structure, 4 Pricing and Capacity Allocation, Part 2: Ownership, Regulation and Efficiency, 5 Ownership, Finance and Investment, 6 Airport Regulation and Competition, 7 Airport Performance: Efficiency and Quality, Part 3 Environment and Impacts, 8 Airports and the Environment, 9 Economic Impacts, Policy and COVID, 10 Summary and Conclusions

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Book SynopsisThe well-ordered, fully aligned view of organization and management practice, with its unfailingly positive results, bears little relationship to the world that managers and others experience every day. This straight-line, âdo this and youâll get thatâ idealization is far removed from the wiggly reality. Despite this, the former continues to dominate the ways in which management is spoken about and judged in formal organizational arenas and wider society. This creates unrealistic expectations of what managers (from CEO to the front line) can sensibly achieve independently of the actions of others. Crucially, too, it distorts the ways in which they and others account formally for their actions. And so, the fantasy continues. Against this background, the book offers a radically different way of thinking about, and engaging with, the irreducible complexity of organization and management practice. Using straightforward language throughout, it sets out to help managers and others to become consciously aware of what they already know deep down about how organization works and what they â and everyone else â are actually doing in practice. It then offers a practical approach to everyday practice that takes complexity seriously. Armed with these new insights, readers will be better placed to apply their innate understanding and practical judgement to the demands that they and others face day to day. Whether these arise from their roles as managers, other practitioners, policy makers, regulatory authorities, or participants more generally. Trade Review"Chris Rodgers’s timely book on the enduring complexity of organisational life is a much-needed antidote to the still-dominant prescriptions for how to lead and manage. It mobilises his substantial experience as an organisational consultant and his assiduous reading and systematic thinking, to present difficult ideas in a highly accessible way. I recommend this book to anyone interested in engaging more thoughtfully in every day organisational reality." - Chris Mowles, Professor of Complexity and Management, Hertfordshire Business School"This is a genuinely refreshing and exciting book. It offers a clear and persuasive challenge to the prevailing taken-for-granted assumptions and conventional wisdom about how organizations work. It presents thought-provoking insights and practical advice on how to purposely and skilfully ‘muddle through’. This is a ‘must-read’ book for anyone who wants to truly understand organizing processes and meaningfully act within organizations." - Professor Cliff Oswick Chair in Organization Theory, The Business School (formerly Cass)"This offers a wide-ranging yet easy-to-read guide to the complex social dynamics of organisation and what these mean for day-to-day practice of managers and other practitioners. Despite challenging management orthodoxy head-on, Chris seems to have the knack of talking about complexity without talking about complexity!" - Dr Sharon Varney, Director, space for learning ltd."Chris Rodgers’s timely book on the enduring complexity of organisational life is a much-needed antidote to the still-dominant prescriptions for how to lead and manage. It mobilises his substantial experience as an organisational consultant and his assiduous reading and systematic thinking, to present difficult ideas in a highly accessible way. I recommend this book to anyone interested in engaging more thoughtfully in every day organisational reality."Chris Mowles, Professor of Complexity and Management, Hertfordshire Business School"This is a genuinely refreshing and exciting book. It offers a clear and persuasive challenge to the prevailing taken-for-granted assumptions and conventional wisdom about how organizations work. It presents thought-provoking insights and practical advice on how to purposely and skilfully ‘muddle through’. This is a ‘must-read’ book for anyone who wants to truly understand organizing processes and meaningfully act within organizations."Professor Cliff Oswick, Chair in Organization Theory, The Business School (formerly Cass)"This offers a wide-ranging yet easy-to-read guide to the complex social dynamics of organisation and what these mean for day-to-day practice of managers and other practitioners. Despite challenging management orthodoxy head-on, Chris seems to have a knack of talking about complexity without talking about complexity!"Dr Sharon Varney, Director, space for learning ltd.Table of ContentsForeword By Dominic Mahony, Preface: Waking People Up 1. The Wiggly World Of Organization: Taking Experience Seriously 2. Understanding The Wiggliness: The Complex Social Dynamics Of Organization 3. Management In Five Acts: Scientific Research And The Complex Social Reality Of Organization 4. Mastery, Mystery And Muddling Through: Getting To Grips With The Real-World Wiggliness 5. The Suffocating Grip Of Management Orthodoxy: Exposing The Generally Accepted ‘Truths’ That Inhibit Progress 6. Leading And Managing In A Wiggly World: Muddling Through With Purpose, Courage And Skill 7. Implications For Organizational Consulting: Influencing People’s Perspectives, Practices And Performance 8. Shifting The Patterns: A Manifesto For Muddling Through 9. Postscript: Perpetually Creating The Future Together

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Book SynopsisManagement: The Basics provides an easy, jargon-free introduction to the fundamental principles and practices of modern management.Using examples ranging from people management at Cadbury and the Enron crisis to the marketing of fried chicken in China, the book explains key aspects of management, including: business strategy and how to use it to meet goals; how successful marketing works; how organizations are structured and function; fundamentals of corporate finance; human resource management's role in the management and development of people; the importance of knowledge and culture to management. This second edition has been updated to take account of general advances in management thinking, including developments in governance, responsible management and environmental pressures, and a new emphasis on health and well-bTable of Contents1. Introduction: what is management? 2. Strategy 3. Managing people 4. Managing organizations 5. Production 6. Marketing 7. Finance 8. Knowledge and technology 9. Globalization and culture 10. The manager

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Book SynopsisThis third edition of the classic textbook in Optimization has been fully revised and updated. The book connects the purely analytical character of an optimization problem, and the behavior of algorithms used to solve it. Now, the third edition has been completely updated with recent Optimization Methods.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the third edition:“The aim of this book is to present the central concepts of optimization techniques. … the material in this new edition is organized into three separate parts. … this very well-written book is a classic textbook in Optimization. It should be present in the bookcase of each student, researcher, and specialist from the host of disciplines from which practical optimization applications are drawn.” (Jean-Jacques Strodiot, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1207, 2011)Table of ContentsLinear Programming.- Basic Properties of Linear Programs.- The Simplex Method.- Duality.- Interior-Point Methods.- Transportation and Network Flow Problems.- Unconstrained Problems.- Basic Properties of Solutions and Algorithms.- Basic Descent Methods.- Conjugate Direction Methods.- Quasi-Newton Methods.- Constrained Minimization.- Constrained Minimization Conditions.- Primal Methods.- Penalty and Barrier Methods.- Dual and Cutting Plane Methods.- Primal-Dual Methods.

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Book SynopsisAs a text for an undergraduate mathematics course for nonmajors, Mathematics and Politics requires no prerequisites in either area while the underlying philosophy involves minimizing algebraic computations and focusing instead on some conceptual aspects of mathematics in the context of important real-world questions in political science.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the second edition:“Mathematics and Politics is the fruit of undergraduate mathematics courses taught by the authors. The primary audience is political and social science majors. … The writing style is appropriate for the intended audience with the understanding that the students/readers have some familiarity with political science economics or sociology. … Overall the book serves as a useful quantitative introduction to several of the covered topics. … Faculty in the social sciences should strongly consider Mathematics and Politics as a resource/reference.” (J. Douglas Barrett, Technometrics, Vol. 53 (1), February, 2011)“It is intended to serve as a text for social science and humanities students that will highlight the power and utility of mathematics. … if you are considering a course as described above, this textbook deserves to be the one that will entice you into taking the plunge. And if you simply want to educate yourself in areas of social science mathematics that have only recently started to get the attention they deserve, Mathematics and Politics deserves your strong consideration.” (Edward W. Packel, SIAM Review, Vol. 52 (4), 2010)Table of ContentsSocial Choice.- Yes–No Voting.- Political Power.- Conflict.- Fairness.- Escalation.- More Social Choice.- More Yes–No Voting.- More Political Power.- More Conflict.- More Fairness.- More Escalation.

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Book Synopsis A self-contained introduction to probability, exchangeability and Bayes’ rule provides a theoretical understanding of the applied material. The development of Monte Carlo and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods in the context of data analysis examples provides motivation for these computational methods. Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:This is an excellent book for its intended audience: statisticians who wish to learn Bayesian methods. Although designed for a statistics audience, it would also be a good book for econometricians who have been trained in frequentist methods, but wish to learn Bayes. In relatively few pages, it takes the reader through a vast amount of material, beginning with deep issues in statistical methodology such as de Finetti’s theorem, through the nitty-gritty of Bayesian computation to sophisticated models such as generalized linear mixed effects models and copulas. And it does so in a simple manner, always drawing parallels and contrasts between Bayesian and frequentist methods, so as to allow the reader to see the similarities and differences with clarity. (Econometrics Journal) “Generally, I think this is an excellent choice for a text for a one-semester Bayesian Course. It provides a good overview of the basic tenets of Bayesian thinking for the common one and two parameter distributions and gives introductions to Bayesian regression, multivariate-response modeling, hierarchical modeling, and mixed effects models. The book includes an ample collection of exercises for all the chapters. A strength of the book is its good discussion of Gibbs sampling and Metropolis-Hastings algorithms. The author goes beyond a description of the MCMC algorithms, but also provides insight into why the algorithms work. …I believe this text would be an excellent choice for my Bayesian class since it seems to cover a good number of introductory topics and giv the student a good introduction to the modern computational tools for Bayesian inference with illustrations using R. (Journal of the American Statistical Association, June 2010, Vol. 105, No. 490)“Statisticians and applied scientists. The book is accessible to readers having a basic familiarity with probability theory and grounding statistical methods. The author has succeeded in writing an acceptable introduction to the theory and application of Bayesian statistical methods which is modern and covers both the theory and practice. … this book can be useful as a quick introduction to Bayesian methods for self study. In addition, I highly recommend this book as a text for a course for Bayesian statistics.” (Lasse Koskinen, International Statistical Review, Vol. 78 (1), 2010)“The book under review covers a balanced choice of topics … presented with a focus on the interplay between Bayesian thinking and the underlying mathematical concepts. … the book by Peter D. Hoff appears to be an excellent choice for a main reading in an introductory course. After studying this text the student can go in a direction of his liking at the graduate level.” (Krzysztof Łatuszyński, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2011 m)“The book is a good introductory treatment of methods of Bayes analysis. It should especially appeal to the reader who has had some statistical courses in estimation and modeling, and wants to understand the Bayesian interpretation of those methods. Also, readers who are primarily interested in modeling data and who are working in areas outside of statistics should find this to be a good reference book. … should appeal to the reader who wants to keep with modern approaches to data analysis.” (Richard P. Heydorn, Technometrics, Vol. 54 (1), February, 2012)Table of Contentsand examples.- Belief, probability and exchangeability.- One-parameter models.- Monte Carlo approximation.- The normal model.- Posterior approximation with the Gibbs sampler.- The multivariate normal model.- Group comparisons and hierarchical modeling.- Linear regression.- Nonconjugate priors and Metropolis-Hastings algorithms.- Linear and generalized linear mixed effects models.- Latent variable methods for ordinal data.

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Book SynopsisStrategic ManagementTable of ContentsManagement of Strategic Issues. Strategic Issues Management: An Integrated Systems View (J.C. Cassidy); Multiple Advocacy for Metropolitan Issues: Management in Silicon Valley (D.B. Rothblatt); Managing the Technopolis: New Institutional Alliances for Strategic Economic Development (R.W. Smilor, D.V. Gibson). Strategy and Strategy Makers. Business Ethics in Management Strategy (G.C. Benson); The Board of Directors and the Strategy Process (J. Rosenstein); Performance and Multiple Strategies in a Firm: Evidence from the Apparel Industry (P. Wright, D. Hotard, P. Chan, M. Kroll, J. Tanner); A Comparison of Strategic Planning Processes in U.S. Industrial Corporations (M.J. Liberatore, G.J. Titus). Technology Management. A Strategic View of Engineering (G. Geistauts, T. Eschenbach). Integration of R&D into Long Range Corporate Planning at Goodyear Aerospace Corporation (M.J. Liberatore, G. Titus, B.V. Dean); New Product Development Strategies for R&D Organizations: Teamwork and Other Factors Correlated with Success (F. Hull). Operations Management. Fundamentals for Developing Manufacturing Strategy (G. Groff, C. St. John). Strategic Management in the 21st Century: The Role of Computer Integrated Manufacturing (J. Goldhar, M. Jelinek). The Strategic Role of Location in the Logging Industry (J.A. Fitzsimmons, S.E. Kimes). Operations Management in a Venture Capital Fund (B.V. Dean, S.K. Baksi). Information Systems and Strategy. Information Systems and Business Strategy: Issues in Planning, Organization, and Management (W.H. Davidson); Managing the Emerging Information System Technologies (P. Gray); Four Critical Success Factors in Information Resource Management (J. Lehane, D.R. Lee, A. Mingione). Entrepreneurship. The Importance of Marketing Strategy in New Technical Firms (J.J. Giglierano). The Influence of Strategic Choices on the Success of New Firms Financed with Venture Capital (J.B. Roure, R. Keeley). The Future Context of Strategy. The Meaning of the 21st Century (K. Boulding).

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Book SynopsisContains a wealth of information previously scattered in research journals, conference proceedings and technical reports. Identifies more than 200 unsolved problems. Every problem is stated in a self-contained, extremely accessible format, followed by comments on its history, related results and literature.Table of ContentsPlanar Graphs. Graphs on Higher Surfaces. Degrees. Critical Graphs. The Conjectures of Hadwiger and Hajos. Sparse Graphs. Perfect Graphs. Geometric and Combinatorial Graphs. Algorithms. Constructions. Edge Colorings. Orientations and Flows. Chromatic Polynomials. Hypergraphs. Infinite Chromatic Graphs. Miscellaneous Problems. Indexes.

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Book SynopsisIn a rapidly developing field like Operations Research, its easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of topics and analytic techniques. Paul Jensen and Jonathan Bard help you master the expensive field by focusing on the fundamental models and methodologies underlying the practice of Operations Research. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, the author presents the quantitative tools and models most important to understanding modern operations research. You''ll come to appreciate the power of OR techniques in solving real-world problems and applications in your own field. You''ll learn how to translate complex situations into mathematical models, solve models and turn models into solutions. This text is designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice by presenting the quantitative tools and models most suited for modern operations research. The principal goal is to give analysts, engineers, and decision makers a larger appreciation of their roles by defining a common tTable of ContentsProblem Solving With Operations Research. Linear Programming Models. Linear Programming Methods. Sensitivity Analysis, Duality, and Interior Point Methods. Network Flow Programming Models. Network Flow Programming Methods. Integer Programming Models. Integer Programming Methods. Nonlinear Programming Models. Nonlinear Programming Methods. Models for Stochastic Processes. Discrete-Time Markov Chains. Mathematics of Discrete-Time Markov Chains. Continuous-Time Markov Chains. Mathematics of Continuous-Time Markov Chains. Queuing Models. Queuing Networks and Decision Models. Simulation. Index.

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Book SynopsisPlanning and management is increasingly problematic in the real-world environment of spiralling change and uncertainty. Knowledge is incomplete, values are in dispute and the decisions of others are often unpredictable. Problem structuring methods (PSMs) are now widely accepted within Operational Research and the systems movement, and have generated an impressive record of high-profile applications. This new edition provides easier access to PSMs. Each of five methods is presented from both a theoretical and a practical perspective. The justification for each approach is explained, and an illustration of applying each method is given in a practical case study. New topics in line with the many advances in the field of problem structuring methods are explored and multimethodology is introduced for the first time. This book does not peddle methods for optimum solutions, but instead shows you how to facilitate an enriched and fluid decision-making process. Participatory methods Trade Review"…I have no hesitation in recommending the text to anyone interested in the current state of theory and practice…" (Systems Research & Behavioural Science, July/August 2002)Table of ContentsContributors vii Preface xiii Acknowledgements xvii 1 A New Paradigm of Analysis 1Jonathan Rosenhead and John Mingers 2 SODA – The Principles 21Colin Eden and Fran Ackermann 3 SODA – Journey Making and Mapping in Practice 43Fran Ackermann and Colin Eden 4 Soft Systems Methodology 61Peter Checkland 5 Soft Systems Methodology in Action: Participative Creation of an Information Strategy for an Acute Hospital 91Peter Checkland 6 The Strategic Choice Approach 115John Friend 7 Gambling with Frozen Fire? 151Allen Hickling 8 Robustness Analysis: Keeping Your Options Open 181Jonathan Rosenhead 9 Robustness to the First Degree 209Jonathan Rosenhead 10 Drama Theory and Confrontation Analysis 225Peter Bennett, Jim Bryant and Nigel Howard 11 The M&A Play: Using Drama Theory for Mergers and Acquisitions 249Nigel Howard 12 An Overview of Related Methods: VSM, System Dynamics, and Decision Analysis 267John Mingers and Jonathan Rosenhead 13 Multimethodology – Mixing and Matching Methods 289John Mingers 14 Mixing Methods in Practice 311Richard Ormerod 15 Diverse Unity: Looking Inward and Outward 337John Mingers and Jonathan Rosenhead Index 357

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Book SynopsisUnique in its focus on design and analysis methodologies for all areas of material flow management and system resource usage. Features research techniques that demonstrate the difference between opinions and findings, leading-edge approach to facility layout and a comprehensive queueing network. Progressive examples illustrate that there is more than one model for a system and case studies show integration of multiple techniques for realistic model building and problem solving.Table of ContentsMANUFACTURING SYSTEMS AND MODELS. Manufacturing Models. MATERIAL FLOW SYSTEMS. Assembly Lines: Reliable Serial Systems. Transfer Lines and General Serial Systems. Shop Scheduling with Many Products. Flexible Manufacturing Systems. Group Technology. Facility Layout. SUPPORTING COMPONENTS. Machine Setup and Operation Sequencing. Material Handling Systems. Warehousing: Storage and Retrieval Systems. GENERIC MODELING APPROACHES. General Manufacturing Systems: Analytic Queueing Models. General Manufacturing Systems: Empirical Simulation Models. Case Studies. Appendix. Index.

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Book SynopsisFocuses on the use of simulation techniques to model and evaluate repetitive construction operations.Table of ContentsConstruction Processes. Line-of-Balance Models. Queueing Systems. Method Productivity Delay Method. Process Modeling Concepts. Building Process Models. System Definition. Extended Modeling Concepts. Modeling Work Task Durations. Simulation. Typical Repetitive Processes. Building Construction Models. Heavy Construction Models. Sensitivity Analysis. Noncyclic Networks. Appendices. Problems. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisA practical guide to selection, screening, and multiplecomparisons This book addresses experimenters who have knowledge of classicalexperimental design methodology and expands their repertoire beyondhypothesis testing by providing statistical methods appropriate forselection, screening, and multiple comparisons. It concentrates onthree types of procedures: selection procedures that use theindifference-zone approach, screening procedures using thesubset approach, and multiple comparison procedures involvingnormal means. This is the first book, specifically designed forpractitioners, to bring into focus many developments in the fieldpreviously covered only in university courses. It also presents newresults on the comparison of procedures that have been obtainedspecifically for this volume. This self-contained volume describes methods for designingexperiments when the scientific objective is selection of besttreatments, screening a set of treatments, and multiple compariTable of ContentsThe Rationale of Selection, Screening and MultipleComparisons. Selecting the Best Treatment in a Single-Factor Normal ResponseExperiment Using the Indifference-Zone Approach. Selecting a Subset Containing the Best Treatment in a NormalResponse Experiment. Multiple Comparison Approaches for Normal ResponseExperiments. Problems Involving a Standard or Control Treatment in NormalResponse Experiments. Selection Problems in Two-Factor Normal Response Experiments. Selecting Best Treatments in Single-Factor Bernoulli ResponseExperiments. Selection Problems for Categorical Response Experiments. Appendices. References. Indexes.

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Book SynopsisCovering deterministic scheduling, stochastic scheduling, and the probabilistic analysis of algorithms, this unusually broad view of the subject brings together tutorials, surveys and articles with original results from foremost international experts. The contributions reflect the great diversity in scheduling theory in terms of academic disciplines, applications areas, fundamental approaches and mathematical skills. This book will help researchers to be aware of the progress in the various areas of specialization and the possible influences that this progress may have on their own specialities. Few disciplines are driven so much by continually changing and expanding technology, a fact that gives scheduling a permanence while adding to the excitement of designing and analyzing new systems. The book will be a vital resource for researchers and graduate students of computer science, applied mathematics and operational research who wish to remain up-to-date on the scheduling models and prTable of ContentsPartial table of contents: Computing Near-Optimal Schedules (J. Lenstra & D.Shmoys). A Tutorial in Stochastic Scheduling (G. Weiss). Scheduling with Communication Delays: A Survey (P. Chretienne &C. Picouleau). Profile Scheduling by List Algorithms (Z. Liu & E.Sanlaville). Real-Time Scheduling of Periodic Tasks (C. Chaouiya, et al.). Some Graph Coloring Models for Cyclic Scheduling (D. de Werra &P. Solot). Transforming Cyclic Scheduling Problems into Acyclic Ones (F.Gasperoni & U. Schwiegelshohn). Application of Majorization to Control Problems in Queueing Systems(D. Towsley). Dynamic Routing and Sequencing in Open Queueing Networks (C.Laws). Indexes.

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Book SynopsisDo you solve problems in the style of a coyote, competitor or eagle? Recognising the way you approach and deal with problems at work will enable you to identify the most suitable technique to use on a daily basis. Victor Newmanâs practical book strikes at the heart of fundamental challenges faced by all managers. It looks beyond the conventional techniques of problem-solving to the underlying process, identifies eight stages and explains how to recognise which technique is appropriate to which stage. On this basis managers can generate solutions at both the personal and the organisational level. A unique feature of the book is a Problem Solving Styles Profile that enables each reader to apply the material in the text to improve their own problem-solving capability.Trade Review'If you only ever buy one book on problem solving then this should be it ... very readable ... lively and practical.' Training Officer 'Written in a lively and practical style and drawing on examples from a wide range of real-life problems, the book will be of interest to managers, team leaders and other professionals.' British Journal of Administration Management 'Every reader should be able to improve their problem solving capability after reading the book.' Aslib Book List 'This is a book for professionals who appreciate a practical approach by discussions on a wide range of real-life problems, and is beautifully presented.' Administrator ' ... readable and commendably free of jargon ... stimulating ideas in the reader - . in which common sense is by-and large identified as such ... a very valuable addition to a staff-development library.' Library Management ' ... excellent ... covers most of the methods in common use ... and illustrates them in practical bites. I thoroughly recommend this book to all involved in project management.' ProjectTable of ContentsContents: Part I How to Use This Book: Your problem-solving styles profile; The problem-solving process wheel; Problem-solving styles. Part II An Introduction to Problem-Solving: Thinking about problem-solving; A question of creativity. Part III The Problem-Solving Process: Stage 1 Identify the problem; Stage 2 Gather data; Stage 3 Analyse data; Stage 4 Generate solutions; Stage 5 Select the solution; Stage 6 Plan the implementation; Stage 7 Test/rehearse; Stage 8 Action. Part IV Some Conclusions: Conclusions; Recommended reading; Index.

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Book SynopsisAlan Braithwaite is Visiting Professor at Cranfield University and specializes in supply chain strategy and operational excellence in the retail, manufacturing and service sectors. He is the founder of LCP Consulting, which collaborates with over 400 companies internationally.Martin Christopher has been at the forefront of the development of new thinking in logistics and supply chain management for over 30 years. He is Emeritus Professor of Marketing and Logistics at Cranfield University, where he helped build the Centre for Logistics and Supply Chain Management into a leading centre of excellence. His published work is widely cited by other scholars and he has been invited to participate in academic and industry events around the world.Trade Review"Business leaders crave greater simplicity but sometimes end up confusing themselves with an overload of data or 'analysis paralysis'. Braithwaite and Christopher draw on years of experience to cut through the confusion with lucidity and compelling evidence. Their business operations models are based on admirably clear principles. Their approach could help you reinvent your business and set you on a path to greater success." * Stefan Stern, Financial Times columnist and Visiting Professor, Cass Business School *"The business operations model framework builds on the extensive theoretical knowledge and deep practical experience residing within these two authors, making it a must-read for those engaged in modern business. From wide-ranging commercial know-how the authors have selected case studies that provide clear insight and learning into what makes today's and tomorrow's super-competitors." * Chris Jephson, former Director of Learning at Maersk Line and Director, Client Relations, Maersk Logistics *"Alan and Martin have influenced the evolution of Retail Supply Chains over the past 30 years through the advice given to leading companies by LCP and through their work at Cranfield. Today the pace of change is more disruptive than ever and it is timely to reflect on the principles which shape efficiency and effectiveness in this area, which is so critical to sustained business success." * David Wild, CEO, Domino’s Pizza, formerly CEO of Halfords and Walmart and director at Tesco *"Business Operations Models is a book about winning, about succeeding in business with a particular slant towards supply chain and logistics management encapsulating more than 30 years' experience by prominent supply chain and business operations strategists and practitioners from Cranfield University: Alan Braithwaite and Martin Christopher. Whilst detailed, it never hides behind jargon and sets out a clear methodology for success. Each chapter illustrates the points by case studies of well-known successes such as Apple and Amazon and has useful task-driving checklists." * Logistics & Transport Focus *"Needing to reconfigure your operating model for competitive advantage might be an easy concept to accept, but the execution is likely to be difficult. Valuable assistance is provided in the many case studies and visuals in this book. There are two groups who should read this book: executive leaders that want to transform their operation in a way that will alter their role in a market and managers that have high aspirations and a vision for the true contribution they could make if they were positioned differently." * Kelly Barner, Buyers Meeting Point *"What a terrific book. Alan Braithwaite and Martin Christopher have done an excellent job in showing the importance of operations, giving us new perspectives on the subject, cleverly contextualizing logistics / SCM within a broader business framework, and packing the book with fascinating company cases, data and quotes. I can see why the book has been so well received. I have certainly learned a lot and will be strongly recommending it to my students and colleagues." * Alan McKinnon, Professor at Kühne Logistics University *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: What we mean by business operations models – and why are they important?; Chapter - 02: The characteristics of super-performing businesses; Chapter - 03: The customer lens – understanding compelling value; Chapter - 04: The strategy operations gap; Chapter - 05: Unpacking the business operations model framework; Chapter - 06: The technology dimension to being a disruptor; Chapter - 07: Market-changing models – driving transformation; Chapter - 08: Competing through the basics; Chapter - 09: Optimization of the business operations model; Chapter - 10: Making it happen – becoming a disruptor; Chapter - 11: Guiding principles to building a competitive edge through business operations models

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Book SynopsisNigel Slack is Emeritus Professor of Operations Management and Strategy at Warwick Business School, Coventry, UK and the former head of its Operations Management Group. He acts as a consultant in many sectors, including Financial Services, Utilities, Retail, Professional Services, General Services, Aerospace, FMCG, and Engineering Manufacturing.Trade Review"Fascinating case examples and highly relevant operations strategy concepts. Particularly relevant for senior leaders in strategic functions or business units who wish to operationalize strategies into even more effective execution." * Dr. Hans-Ulrich Mayer, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Icecream Strategic Business Unit, Nestle Corporate Headquarters, Vevey, Switzerland *"This book fully lives up to its strap-line. It gives immensely practical insights and advice across the complex world of operations. Its power is in the clarity and strength of linkage made between strategy and operational action presented in highly practical and pragmatic language - the Holy Grail for senior operations managers." * Peter Norris, Head of Service Optimization, Royal Bank of Scotland *"Highly recommended for all operations leaders and practitioners. A practical and very applicable guide on the added value and competitive advantage operations can (and should) provide in driving growth." * Mike Carabok, VP Global Supply, Mars Chocolate *"The Operations Advantage is essential reading, not just for established companies, but also for high-growth start-ups. Filled with practical, applicable advice, this book shows that operations thinking can be a road map for creating sustainable high-growth service companies seeking predictable revenue." * Dr. Ben Betts, CEO, HT2Labs *"I've been a fan of Nigel Slack's work for over 30 years. He never fails to produce insightful, structured insights that help you understand the world of operations. If you read only one book on operations this year, make it The Operations Advantage." * Professor Andy Neely, Head of the Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Exploit the Power of Operations; Chapter - 02: Establish an Operations Capability Culture; Chapter - 03: Make Operations a Strategic Asset; Chapter - 04: Set Your Performance Framework; Chapter - 05: Resource Your Operation Appropriately; Chapter - 06: Establish Internal Processes Networks; Chapter - 07: Shape Your External Supply Networks; Chapter - 08: Learn from Day-to-day Control; Chapter - 09: Setting Improvement Priorities; Chapter - 10: Position Your Improvement Process; Chapter - 11: Master the Mechanics of Improvement;

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Book SynopsisAlan Braithwaite is Visiting Professor at Cranfield University and specializes in supply chain strategy and operational excellence in the retail, manufacturing and service sectors. He is the founder of LCP Consulting, which collaborates with over 400 companies internationally.Martin Christopher has been at the forefront of the development of new thinking in logistics and supply chain management for over 30 years. He is Emeritus Professor of Marketing and Logistics at Cranfield University, where he helped build the Centre for Logistics and Supply Chain Management into a leading centre of excellence. His published work is widely cited by other scholars and he has been invited to participate in academic and industry events around the world.Trade Review"Business leaders crave greater simplicity but sometimes end up confusing themselves with an overload of data or 'analysis paralysis'. Braithwaite and Christopher draw on years of experience to cut through the confusion with lucidity and compelling evidence. Their business operations models are based on admirably clear principles. Their approach could help you reinvent your business and set you on a path to greater success." * Stefan Stern, Financial Times columnist and Visiting Professor, Cass Business School *"The business operations model framework builds on the extensive theoretical knowledge and deep practical experience residing within these two authors, making it a must-read for those engaged in modern business. From wide-ranging commercial know-how the authors have selected case studies that provide clear insight and learning into what makes today's and tomorrow's super-competitors." * Chris Jephson, former Director of Learning at Maersk Line and Director, Client Relations, Maersk Logistics *"Alan and Martin have influenced the evolution of Retail Supply Chains over the past 30 years through the advice given to leading companies by LCP and through their work at Cranfield. Today the pace of change is more disruptive than ever and it is timely to reflect on the principles which shape efficiency and effectiveness in this area, which is so critical to sustained business success." * David Wild, CEO, Domino’s Pizza, formerly CEO of Halfords and Walmart and director at Tesco *"Business Operations Models is a book about winning, about succeeding in business with a particular slant towards supply chain and logistics management encapsulating more than 30 years' experience by prominent supply chain and business operations strategists and practitioners from Cranfield University: Alan Braithwaite and Martin Christopher. Whilst detailed, it never hides behind jargon and sets out a clear methodology for success. Each chapter illustrates the points by case studies of well-known successes such as Apple and Amazon and has useful task-driving checklists." * Logistics & Transport Focus *"Needing to reconfigure your operating model for competitive advantage might be an easy concept to accept, but the execution is likely to be difficult. Valuable assistance is provided in the many case studies and visuals in this book. There are two groups who should read this book: executive leaders that want to transform their operation in a way that will alter their role in a market and managers that have high aspirations and a vision for the true contribution they could make if they were positioned differently." * Kelly Barner, Buyers Meeting Point *"What a terrific book. Alan Braithwaite and Martin Christopher have done an excellent job in showing the importance of operations, giving us new perspectives on the subject, cleverly contextualizing logistics / SCM within a broader business framework, and packing the book with fascinating company cases, data and quotes. I can see why the book has been so well received. I have certainly learned a lot and will be strongly recommending it to my students and colleagues." * Alan McKinnon, Professor at Kühne Logistics University *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: What we mean by business operations models – and why are they important?; Chapter - 02: The characteristics of super-performing businesses; Chapter - 03: The customer lens – understanding compelling value; Chapter - 04: The strategy operations gap; Chapter - 05: Unpacking the business operations model framework; Chapter - 06: The technology dimension to being a disruptor; Chapter - 07: Market-changing models – driving transformation; Chapter - 08: Competing through the basics; Chapter - 09: Optimization of the business operations model; Chapter - 10: Making it happen – becoming a disruptor; Chapter - 11: Guiding principles to building a competitive edge through business operations models

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Book SynopsisWith an overview by the editors, this 21st volume begins by describing personality research in the organizational sciences followed by chapters that discuss issues as diverse as IT and human resource management and cross-cultural differences in responses to feedback.Table of ContentsOverview, G.R. Ferris, J.J. Martocchio; Personality research in the organizational sciences, P.L. Perrewe, P. Spector; Social influence processes in organizations and human resources systems, G.R. Ferris et al.; Mentoring - what we know and where we might go, R.A. Noe; Hierarchical team decision making, S.E. Humphrey et al.; Information technology and human resources management - harnessing the power and potential of Netcentricity, K.M. Bartol, Wei Liu; Knowledge management in global organizations - implications for international human resource management, R.S. Bhagat et al.; Cross-cultural differences in responses to feedback - implications for individual, group and organizational effectiveness, E.F. Stone-Romero, D.L. Stone; Strategies for detecting moderator variables - a review of conceptual and empirical issues, E.F. Stone-Romero, D. Liakhovitski.

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Book SynopsisPrologue.- Introduction: Some Illustrative Examples.- 1. Science for Policy: Uncertainty and Quality.- 1.1 Information for Policy-Related Research.- 1.2 How to Cope with Uncertainty?.- 1.3 Dilemmas for Science.- 1.4 Quality Assurance and Policy.- 1.5 Uncertainty and Policy.- 2. Uncertainty and Its Management.- 2.1 Uncertainty in Probability.- 2.2 Statistics, Computers and Uncertainty.- 2.3 Types of Uncertainty.- 2.4 Uncertainty-Avoidance in Bureaucracies.- 2.5 Criticism: Technical, Methodological and Philosophical.- 2.6 The NUSAP Scheme, Uncertainty and Quality.- 2.7 NUSAP: Philosophy and Practice.- 3. The Mathematical Language.- 3.1 Historical Perspective.- 3.2 Mathematical Language and Uncertainty.- 3.3 Formalization and Infinite Regress.- 3.4 Rules: When to Over-Ride?.- 3.5 Ambiguity and Vagueness.- 3.6 Arithmetical Rules: The Fossils Joke.- 3.7 Zero: Counter or Filler?.- 3.8 Rounding-off: The ?-Dilemma.- 3.9 Craft Skills and Monsters.- 4. Craft Skills with Numbers.- 4.1 Skills in STable of ContentsPrologue. Introduction: Some Illustrative Examples. 1. Science for Policy: Uncertainty and Quality. 2. Uncertainty and its Management. 3. The Mathematical Language. 4. Craft Skills with Numbers. 5. Measurement. 6. Maps. 7. Mathematical Notations: Functions and Design. 8. The NUSAP Notational Scheme: Introduction. 9. The NUSAP Categories: Numeral, Unit and Spread. 10. The NUSAP Categories: Assessment and Pedigree. 11. The Pedigree for Statistical Information. 12. Mapping the Uncertainties of Radiological Hazards. 13. Further Applications of NUSAP. Epilogue. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisPreface * 1. Preliminaries: Discrete Index Sets and/or Discrete State Spaces * 2. Markov Chains * 3. Renewal Theory * 4. Point Processes * 5. Continuous Time Markov Chains * 6. Brownian Motion * 7. The General Random Walk * References * IndexTrade Review"Definitely the best textbook for a second course in probability now available. Written with excruciating lucidity, and with an excellent choice of exercises." —Gian-Carlo Rota, The Bulletin of Mathematics Books "In summary, Resnick has succeeded [in writing] a very fine textbook which will become popular among students as well as among professors preparing an introductory course on stochastic processes." —Internationale Mathematische Nachrichten "A splendid book to bring home the value and importance of stochastic processes. Highly recommended." —Choice "There are so many good introductory texts on [stochastic processes] that one can hardly hope to write a better or more attractive one. This book, however, convinced the reviewer that it very likely that the Adventures will beocme a widely used, popular first year graduate text on stochastic processes. The book is flexible, the motivations of deep theories are clear, the examples and exercises are interesting." ---Zentralblatt MATHTable of ContentsPreface * 1. Preliminaries: Discrete Index Sets and/or Discrete State Spaces * 2. Markov Chains * 3. Renewal Theory * 4. Point Processes * 5. Continuous Time Markov Chains * 6. Brownian Motion * 7. The General Random Walk * References * Index

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Book SynopsisWith an emphasis on timeless essential mathematical background for optimization, this textbook provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to convex optimization for students in applied mathematics, computer science, and engineering. Authored by two influential researchers, the book covers both convex analysis basics and modern topics such as conic programming, conic representations of convex sets, and cone-constrained convex problems, providing readers with a solid, up-to-date understanding of the field. By excluding modeling and algorithms, the authors are able to discuss the theoretical aspects in greater depth. Over 170 in-depth exercises provide hands-on experience with the theory, while the 36 ?Facts? and their accompanying proofs enhance approachability. Instructors will appreciate the appendices that cover all necessary background and the instructors-only solutions manual provided online. By the end of the book, readers will be well equipped to engage with state-of-the-art developments in optimization and its applications in decision-making and engineering.

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Book SynopsisThis research monograph presents an inter-disciplinary study of the impact, and current status, of applications of complexity-related concepts in the early stages of development of Agile Project Management (APM). The results serve as an introduction for exploring more profound relations between complexity-related ideas and APM in the future.The increasing complexity of software projects and their environment in the 1990s constituted the main determinants of the development of the family of methodological frameworks called Agile Project Management. Development of APM has been shaped by a broadly defined area of research called complexity science or complexity theory based on complex adaptive systems (CAS) and on their characteristics: Complexity, chaos, the edge of chaos, emerging properties, non-linearity, self-organization, etc. In the 21st century, due to the expansion of Agile beyond software development, the challenges deriving from the complexity of projects and the enviTable of Contents1 Conceptual framework1.1 Assumptions of the study 1.2 Complexity and management, project management, and Agile Project Management1.3 Terminology1.4 Agile and project management: Method, practice, methodology, or approach1.5 Agile Project Management: Origins and status quo. Beginnings of the Agile approach in software development2 Theoretical background and methods of research2.1 Complexity-related models, analogies, and metaphors in Agile Project Management2.2 Methods and sources 3 Typology of interpretations of complexity-related concepts in Agile Project Management3.1 Complex and complicated: Introductory interpretations3.2 Assumptions of typology3.3 Agile Project Management and intuitive interpretations of complexity3.4 Cybernetics, General System Theory, and sociocybernetics3.5 System dynamics, systems analysis, and system engineering3.6 Soft systems methodology, critical systems thinking, and System of Systems Methodologies4 Agile project management and complexity science4.1 What is complexity science?4.2 Chaos theory4.3 Synergetics of Hermann Haken4.4 The concepts of Ralph Stacey and the Cynefin Framework by Dave Snowden5 Project management and indigenous complexity-related concepts5.1 Wicked problems5.2 Synergetics of R. Buckminster Fuller5.3 Hierarchies, holons, and fractals in project management5.4 Complexity of social systems: The concepts of Niklas Luhmann6 Scrum and complexity-related ideas6.1 Introduction6.2 Scrum and complexity6.3 Scrum, adaptation, emergence, self-organization7 Adaptive Software Development and complexity-related ideas7.1 The origins of ASD and complexity: Sources of inspiration7.2 ASD and complex adaptive systems: The economic environment of projects and environmental turbulence8 Complexity in the Agile Manifesto and in the Declaration of Interdependence8.1 Complexity and Agile in modern project management: A conceptual framework

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Book SynopsisThis new edition textbook continues down the path that the first edition, winner of the 2013 IISE/Joint Publishers Book-of-the-Year Award, successfully carved out. The textbook targets engineering students and emphasizes the use of operations research models and solution methods important in the design, control, operation, and management of global supply chains.Completely updated, Supply Chain Engineering: Models and Applications, Second Edition stresses quantitative models and methods, highlights global supplier selection and vendor risk management techniques, and discusses the use of multiple criteria decision-making models in supply chain management. The new edition includes chapters on health and humanitarian supply chains, including disaster management and logistics modeling, and on warehousing and distribution. Disruptions to global supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed throughout the book. Industry and government strategies to make the global Table of Contents1. Introduction to Supply Chain Engineering. 2. Planning Production in Supply Chains. 3. Inventory Management Methods and Models. 4. Transportation Decisions in Supply Chain Management. 5. Location and Distribution Decisions in Supply Chains. 6. Supplier Selection Models and Methods. 7. Warehousing and Distribution. 8. Managing Risks in Supply Chain. 9. Global Supply Chain Management. 10. Health and Humanitarian Supply Chains. Appendix A. Multiple Criteria Decision Making: An Overview.

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Book SynopsisResearch Methods for Operations and Supply Chain Management, third edition, is a toolkit of research approaches primarily for advanced students and beginner researchers, but also a reference book for any researcher in operations and supply chain management (OSCM).Many students begin their careers in research limited by the one or few approaches taken by their department. The concise, accessible overviews found here equip them with an understanding of a variety of methods and how to use them, enabling students to tailor their research project to their own strengths and goals. The more seasoned researcher will find comprehensive descriptions and analyses on a wide variety of research approaches.This updated and enhanced edition responds to the latest developments in OSCM, including the growing prominence of services and production of intangible products, the complete supply chain, and the increasing use of secondary data and of mixed approaches. Alternative reseTable of Contents1. Introduction to the book Christer Karlsson2. Research in operations and supply chain management Christer Karlsson3. The research process Pär Åhlström4. SurveysCipriano Forza and Enrico Sandrin5. Case researchChris Voss, Mark Johnson, and Jan Godsell6. Longitudinal field studiesPär Åhlström and Christer Karlsson7. Action researchPaul Coughlan and David Coghlan8. Clinical management research – Interventionist and collaborative approachesChrister Karlsson9. Model-based research J. Will M. Bertrand, Jan C. Fransoo, and Maximiliano Udenio

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Book SynopsisEli Goldratt is known by millions of readers worldwide as a scientist, educator and business guru. His Theory of Constraints (TOC) is taught at business schools and MBA programs around the globe. Government agencies and businesses, large and small, have adopted his methodologies. TOC has been successfully applied in almost every area of human endeavor, from industry to healthcare to education. And while Eli Goldratt is indeed a scientist, an educator and a business leader, he is first and foremost a philosopher; some say a genius. He is a thinker who provokes others to do the same.In The Choice, Goldratt once again presents his thought-provoking approach, this time through a conversation with his daughter, Efrat, as they discuss his fundamental system of beliefs. Through examples and discussions, Eli Goldratt helps us understand, holistically, how the interrelation of emotions, intuition and logic influences our ability to think clearly and problem solve when making peTable of Contents1. What Choice Do We Have? 2. Uncommon Sense 3. Why is Common Sense Not Common Practice? 4. Inherent Simplicity 5. Contradictions and Conflicts 6. Putting the Belief to Work 7. Harmony 8. Never Say "I Know" 9. Win-Win 10. Never Say "I Know" (CONTINUED) 11. How Many Opportunities Are There? 12. Short Shelf Life Products 13. The Sky is Not the Limit 14. Thinking Clearly and Tautologies 15. Comfort Zones 16. People Are Good 17. Comfort Zones (CONTINUED) 18. Emotion, Intuition and Logic

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Book SynopsisThis book does for retailing what Goldratt's international bestseller The Goal did for manufacturing.A breakthrough solution is exposed when some unexpected events force Caroline and Paul, a married couple working for their family's retail business, to make a few small changes in the way things are done. A solution that propels the family's regional chain of stores into a very profitable, rapidly growing, international enterprise. If there is a hint of Jonah, from The Goal, reappearing in this novel, it is Henry, the soon-to-retire president and majority owner of the company who logically states that, if you do not deal directly with the core problem, don't expect significant improvement. Eli Goldratt's Theory of Constraints is woven throughout this book but answers are not handed to you. The reader and the characters in the book work through the process together to discover solutions.Dr Goldratt deals with core problems inherent in the retail indu

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Book SynopsisBeginning in the mid-2010s, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has seen remarkable changes in information technology that have blurred the boundaries between the physical, digital and biological worlds. Industry 4.0 has enabled so-called smart factories in which computer systems equipped with machine learning algorithms can learn and control robotics with minimal need for human input. While smart technology has enabled many manufacturing businesses to increase efficiency and cut costs, many others are still struggling with implementing it.This book aims to help students, practitioners and industry leaders to become change agents and take their first steps on the path of transformation. Smart Business and Digital Transformation addresses the challenge of becoming smart from three different perspectives: smart factory, smart industry and smart environment. Covering technologies including the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), mobility, 5GTable of ContentsForeword Introduction Part I Smart factory 1 Definitions and principles of Industry 4.0 2 The concept of continuous and smart improvement 3 The layers of I4.0 systems 4 Connectivity and data sharing with stakeholders inside and outside the organisation 5 Data mining, analysis and evaluation 6 Lean 4.0 7 Artificial/enhanced intelligence 8 AI’s impact on the labour market Part II Smart business transformation 9 The business model of I4.0 10 Marketing planning in a smart industrial environment 11 Smart supply chain 12 Fintech and smart banking Part III Smart environments 13 Smart cities 14 Construction 4.0 15 Smart agriculture 16 Society 5.0

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Book SynopsisMarket and Technical Knowledge Integration in R&D Intensive Companies explores the integration of market and technical knowledge within R&D intensive companies. Starting with industry classifications and a discussion on the significance of R&D activities, the book looks at the role of these companies in today's economy, as well as knowledge definitions and typologies. It focuses on such measures of effectiveness as innovativeness and business performance and discusses organisational innovativeness and business performance metrics.The crux of the book's theoretical premise is the importance of integrating market and technical knowledge within organisations. Drawing from the resource-based view and the knowledge-based view of organisations, this premise stresses the need for knowledge integration. After an analysis of the literature on R&D, the book presents qualitative evidence from interviews of R&D professionals who elucidate knowledge integration

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Book SynopsisTimely and invigorating, this book explores how blockchain technology is disrupting economies and transforming societies. It offers detailed insights into the synergistic and complementary effects of blockchain and other new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, satellite imagery and digital twins.Trade Review‘This book is both a fantastic introduction to the fundamental concepts of blockchains and a unique discussion of the business models impacted by the blockchain. Kshetri provides an excellent sketch of the debate over using distributed ledgers to demonstrate business trustworthiness. The business cases Kshetri provides perfectly demonstrate the value offered by technology that uses strong cryptographic tools. One of the book’s best and most unique contributions is in its chapter on the synergies between artificial intelligence and the blockchain. The case studies from health care and other data-intensive industries offer invaluable details on data ownership management, privacy, data lineage management, and shared governance for users of blockchain and AI technologies. Kshetri also discusses emerging disruptive technologies, like the Metaverse, Web 3.0, and the Internet of Things. This is one of the best books on the subject and an excellent guide for readers of all levels.’ -- J. Brzezinski, Choice Magazine‘Kshetri’s The Rise of Blockchains is a timely, to-the-point, and detailed book on a relatively new and still obscure topic of blockchain technology. The book focuses on this all-new phenomenon deeply impacting, sometimes disrupting, and transforming our societies, policy-making, and the global economy today. And as a matter of fact, it also does a good job focusing on this new technology that has both introduced cryptocurrencies and transformed the supply chain, payments, privacy, and security systems.’ -- Bilal Bağış, Insight Turkey Journal‘Professor Nir Kshetri’s exciting new text The Rise of Blockchains: Disrupting Economies and Transforming Societies is a must read for those interested in how distributed ledgers are impacting the political, economic, and social landscapes of societies, both developed and underdeveloped. Economists, politicians, and anyone else involved in finance should add this text to their reading list.’ -- Jeffrey Voas, EIC Computer Magazine, US‘This book covers several key topics in blockchain, ranging from payment and settlement to cybersecurity and the supply chain. The book is well written and flows logically. It would be a great textbook for a blockchain course and a nice reference for researchers working in this field.’ -- Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Swansea University, UK and Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, India‘Professor Kshetri has delivered a very timely, well-written, and well-documented treatment of a topic that many people find difficult and sometimes opaque. I believe the content is accessible for both advanced undergrads and graduate students. I plan to adopt this book for my own blockchain course.’ -- Stephen C. Wingreen, University of Canterbury, New Zealand‘In 2018, Ginni Rometty, the retired CEO of IBM, caused a stir when she said presciently: “Blockchain will do for transactions what the Internet did for information.” This compendium by Professor Nir Kshetri attempts to explain why and how such a transformation is taking place. The comprehensive book is framed by business organisations and market opportunities. It addresses the essentials of how Blockchains work, and their synergies with decentralized, autonomous organisations as well as complementary technologies such as AI. It also provides up-to-date coverage of hot-button issues such as use-cases in supply chain management with traceability-as-a-service. It shows how such ubiquitous use-cases will allow Blockchain to cross the chasm. Two enabling technologies – security as an integral aspect of mainstream platforms and Blockchain-enabled payments which may counter the centralizing features of proposed CBDC initiatives – will bring confidence in such a trust-free environment. The book closes with a realistic assessment of emerging opportunities, barriers, trends and policy implications. It is commendable that Professor Kshetri, acknowledged as one of the most impactful researchers on Blockchain, has taken it upon himself to make translational his deep insights and understanding on the topic. I recommend this book highly to any business executive or specialist student interested in exploiting the value of Blockchains.’ -- Ravi S. Sharma, Zayed University, United Arab EmiratesTable of ContentsContents: PART I BLOCKCHAIN AND ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION 1. Blockchain basic: Definitions, key concepts and characteristics 2. Impacts on organizational forms, business models and strategies 3. Combining with other technologies to amplify blockchain’s value creation 4. Supply chain management 5. Security, privacy and compliance 6. Payment and settlement systems PART II OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, IMPLICATIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD 7. Opportunities, barriers, and enablers of blockchain adoption in organizations 8. Discussion, conclusion, and recommendations Index

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