scholarly journals A methodological framework to allocate storage space for outbound containers

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
María D. Gracia

The staking of containers on ideal locations within the yard is a tactical decision that affects the productivity of container terminals. The goal is to improve posterior loading and retrieval operations, to get better use of terminal resources. In this paper, we study how to allocate storage space for outbound containers in container terminals. A two-phase methodological framework is proposed. The first phase groups outbound containers into clusters of similar operational loading conditions. Then in a second phase, a bi-objective storage space assignment model is solved to determine the set of block-bays where groups of similar containers will be stored during the planning horizon. This study presents a double contribution. On one hand, it proposes a new methodological framework that combines operations research and data mining techniques to solve a storage space assignment problem for outbound containers. On the other hand, it analyzes the impact of three factors on four performance metrics used to evaluate the quality and quantity of alternative solutions to the problem of allocation of storage space for outbound containers. The experimental framework is composed of an experimental design study to assess the impact of three factors on four performance metrics used to assess the quality of the storage space assignment solutions, and a case study to validate the proposed approach. The experimental results reveal that the storage yard's capacity and the number of clusters used to group the containers destined to a vessel are the main factors that affect the number and quality of alternative solutions.

Author(s):  
Anna Ferrante ◽  
James Boyd ◽  
Sean Randall ◽  
Adrian Brown ◽  
James Semmens

ABSTRACT ObjectivesRecord linkage is a powerful technique which transforms discrete episode data into longitudinal person-based records. These records enable the construction and analysis of complex pathways of health and disease progression, and service use. Achieving high linkage quality is essential for ensuring the quality and integrity of research based on linked data. The methods used to assess linkage quality will depend on the volume and characteristics of the datasets involved, the processes used for linkage and the additional information available for quality assessment. This paper proposes and evaluates two methods to routinely assess linkage quality. ApproachLinkage units currently use a range of methods to measure, monitor and improve linkage quality; however, no common approach or standards exist. There is an urgent need to develop “best practices” in evaluating, reporting and benchmarking linkage quality. In assessing linkage quality, of primary interest is in knowing the number of true matches and non-matches identified as links and non-links. Any misclassification of matches within these groups introduces linkage errors. We present efforts to develop sharable methods to measure linkage quality in Australia. This includes a sampling-based method to estimate both precision (accuracy) and recall (sensitivity) following record linkage and a benchmarking method - a transparent and transportable methodology to benchmark the quality of linkages across different operational environments. ResultsThe sampling-based method achieved estimates of linkage quality that were very close to actual linkage quality metrics. This method presents as a feasible means of accurately estimating matching quality and refining linkages in population level linkage studies. The benchmarking method provides a systematic approach to estimating linkage quality with a set of open and shareable datasets and a set of well-defined, established performance metrics. The method provides an opportunity to benchmark the linkage quality of different record linkage operations. Both methods have the potential to assess the inter-rater reliability of clerical reviews. ConclusionsBoth methods produce reliable estimates of linkage quality enabling the exchange of information within and between linkage communities. It is important that researchers can assess risk in studies using record linkage techniques. Understanding the impact of linkage quality on research outputs highlights a need for standard methods to routinely measure linkage quality. These two methods provide a good start to the quality process, but it is important to identify standards and good practices in all parts of the linkage process (pre-processing, standardising activities, linkage, grouping and extracting).


2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 527-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragan Tešanovic ◽  
Milovan Krasavcic ◽  
Bojana Miro Kalenjuk ◽  
Milijanko Portic ◽  
Snježana Gagic

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to determine the sensory quality of food in restaurants by professional food evaluators and to research the impact of education, age and number of employees on the quality of food. Design/methodology/approach – In the first phase five trained food tasters evaluated the sensory quality of food. In the second phase, the analysis of the structure of employees was done by establishing their level of education, age and number of employees. In the third phase the regression and correlation analysis was done with the aim to establish the impact of the level of education, age and number of employees on the sensory quality of food. Findings – The sensory evaluation has shown that the evaluated food is of moderate quality. Correlation matrix has shown that the education level of employees has a high impact on the sensory quality of food. There is a correlation between the number of employees, their age and their education. Practical implications – Obtained results are the indicators of the quality of food in restaurants in the region and they can serve for the improvement of quality. They have shown that education and staff training can contribute to a better quality of food. Established methodology can also contribute to the practical evaluation of quality. Originality/value – This paper is reflected on the specific application of methodology of the sensory analysis of food in restaurants. The paper pointed to the impact of employees on the sensory quality of food by statistical methods. Statistical results which point to the great impact of the level of education of employees on the sensory quality of food in restaurants are particularly valuable.


Biostatistics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Huang

Abstract Two-phase sampling design, where biomarkers are subsampled from a phase-one cohort sample representative of the target population, has become the gold standard in biomarker evaluation. Many two-phase case–control studies involve biased sampling of cases and/or controls in the second phase. For example, controls are often frequency-matched to cases with respect to other covariates. Ignoring biased sampling of cases and/or controls can lead to biased inference regarding biomarkers' classification accuracy. Considering the problems of estimating and comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) for a binary disease outcome, the impact of biased sampling of cases and/or controls on inference and the strategy to efficiently account for the sampling scheme have not been well studied. In this project, we investigate the inverse-probability-weighted method to adjust for biased sampling in estimating and comparing AUC. Asymptotic properties of the estimator and its inference procedure are developed for both Bernoulli sampling and finite-population stratified sampling. In simulation studies, the weighted estimators provide valid inference for estimation and hypothesis testing, while the standard empirical estimators can generate invalid inference. We demonstrate the use of the analytical variance formula for optimizing sampling schemes in biomarker study design and the application of the proposed AUC estimators to examples in HIV vaccine research and prostate cancer research.


1996 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 660-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadie Robertson ◽  
Gordon Parker ◽  
Simon Byrne ◽  
Murray Wright

Objective: To describe a two-phase study of the structure of Australasian psychiatrist peer review groups. Method (Phase one): Initially, information was sought from chairskoordinators of psychiatrist peer review groups regarding the nature and organisation of their group. Results (Phase one): One hundred and three questionnaires were returned describing a number of models of peer review. Three principal models were identified: a teaching hospital model, a private practice model, and a private institution model. Method (Phase two): The second-phase questionnaire sought information on the quality of the review, using six proposed standards developed by the Quality Assurance Committee of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Results (Phase two): Many groups indicated that four of the proposed standards (those relating to documentation, having clear goals, reviewing actual clinical cases, and rigorous protection of confidentiality) were either already being followed or would be relatively easy to implement. The remaining two proposed standards (including structure, process and outcome dimensions of health care in the case discussion, and the use of explicit criteria) presented more difficulty. Conclusion: The application of such standards to peer review group meetings should assist groups to provide a forum for presentation and evaluation of clinical work where participants know they will be challenged in an environment which is both supportive and educational.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-35
Author(s):  
Daphne Rixon

The purpose of this case study is to first examine the implications of accountability legislation on the financial and performance reporting of a public sector agency in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador and secondly, to compare the level of accountability with Stewart’s (1984) ladder of accountability. This paper is based on the first phase of a two-phase study. The first phase focuses on the initial impacts of accountability legislation on agencies and the challenges created by the legislation’s ‘one size fits all’ approach. The second phase of this study will examine the impact of the legislation on stakeholders after it has been in operation for five years. The second phase will include interviews with stakeholders to ascertain the level of satisfaction with the new legislation. The first phase of the study is significant since it highlights how governments could consider stakeholder needs when drafting such legislation. This research contributes to the body of literature on stakeholder accountability since there is a paucity of research focused specifically on the impact of accountability legislation on public sector agencies. An important contribution of this paper is the introduction of a framework for legislated accountability reporting. The main theoretical frameworks used to analyse the findings are Stewart’s (1984) ladder of accountability in conjunction with Friedman and Miles (2006) ladder of stakeholder management and engagement.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Riskha Ayuk Rihadini ◽  
S. Mukodiningsih ◽  
S. Sumarsih

The objective of this research is to test the physical quality of organoleptic including of the color, smell, texture and pH of fermented bean sprouts using Trichoderma harzianum in different level. This research consists of two phase. The first phase is the process of fermentation of green bean sprouts waste that divided into 4 treatments that is the addition of Trichoderma harzianum at 0%, 2%, 4% and 6% level of 4 replications. The second phase of research is to conduct organoleptic test in covering of the color, smell, texture and pH of fermented bean sprouts waste using Trichoderma harzianum in different level. The material used waste bean sprouts, Trichoderma harzianum, aquades. The data obtained at if statistically using RAL. The result data of the research is tested by F test, if there is effect of treatment then proceed with Duncan test at 5% level. The results showed 2% Trichoderma harzianum giving the best pH 5,18. Trichoderma harzianum 6% gives the best color of  green brown, texture rather crumbs and acid smells. Keywords:Fermented, Bean Sprouts, Organoleptic, Trichoderma harzianum


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basel Alhaji ◽  
Michael Prilla ◽  
Andreas Rausch

Trust is the foundation of successful human collaboration. This has also been found to be true for human-robot collaboration, where trust has also influence on over- and under-reliance issues. Correspondingly, the study of trust in robots is usually concerned with the detection of the current level of the human collaborator trust, aiming at keeping it within certain limits to avoid undesired consequences, which is known as trust calibration. However, while there is intensive research on human-robot trust, there is a lack of knowledge about the factors that affect it in synchronous and co-located teamwork. Particularly, there is hardly any knowledge about how these factors impact the dynamics of trust during the collaboration. These factors along with trust evolvement characteristics are prerequisites for a computational model that allows robots to adapt their behavior dynamically based on the current human trust level, which in turn is needed to enable a dynamic and spontaneous cooperation. To address this, we conducted a two-phase lab experiment in a mixed-reality environment, in which thirty-two participants collaborated with a virtual CoBot on disassembling traction batteries in a recycling context. In the first phase, we explored the (dynamics of) relevant trust factors during physical human-robot collaboration. In the second phase, we investigated the impact of robot’s reliability and feedback on human trust in robots. Results manifest stronger trust dynamics while dissipating than while accumulating and highlight different relevant factors as more interactions occur. Besides, the factors that show relevance as trust accumulates differ from those appear as trust dissipates. We detected four factors while trust accumulates (perceived reliability, perceived dependability, perceived predictability, and faith) which do not appear while it dissipates. This points to an interesting conclusion that depending on the stage of the collaboration and the direction of trust evolvement, different factors might shape trust. Further, the robot’s feedback accuracy has a conditional effect on trust depending on the robot’s reliability level. It preserves human trust when a failure is expected but does not affect it when the robot works reliably. This provides a hint to designers on when assurances are necessary and when they are redundant.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lin Yang

<p>Word-of-mouth (WOM) is perceived by consumers as a highly credible source of information, and online channels for WOM have become increasingly popular among consumers. Although the impact of online word-of-mouth (OWOM) on consumers‘ purchase decisions has been researched, it remains unclear why information about products, brands or organisations is generated online and what influences its initiation from the sender‘s perspective. This research explores the antecedents of customer OWOM and examines the relationships between key antecedent variables and customer OWOM engagement in a Chinese context.  A conceptual model was developed based on the literature and information obtained through one-to-one in-depth interviews. Customer perceived value, satisfaction, loyalty and affective commitment were incorporated as key antecedent constructs of customer OWOM.  The research used a two-phase research design. The first phase was a qualitative exploration of the customer‘s OWOM experience. These findings were used to gain an understanding of customers‘ OWOM initiation, provide confirmation of the model, and refine the measurement thereof. The second phase used a quantitative online survey to validate the measurement instruments and test the model. The data for the study were collected from OWOM initiators in China over a period of one and a half months. A sample of 574 respondents was obtained. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling and multiple regression analysis.  Findings from the research suggest that an emphasis on creating an affective bond with the brand and organisation is the key to customers‘ engagement of WOM on the Internet. The study also indicates that customer perceived QEP (quality, emotional and price) value is a less immediate but critical antecedent. In addition, the customer perceived social value of a product or service is found to significantly impact OWOM. In China, where the collectivist view predominates, customers conform to social standards and withhold negative comments in their OWOM activities in order to maintain social acceptance and inclusion, and to make favourable impressions. They also engage in OWOM to gain and enhance face, which is a social need in China‘s status driven society.  This research contributes to a growing body of research on customers‘ OWOM behaviour by developing and empirically testing the customer OWOM model. It provides a more holistic view of post-purchase OWOM by simultaneously investigating a set of key antecedents for OWOM in a single framework. The research also widens the geographic and culture scope of OWOM research by undertaking the study in China. By using a mixed method, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the research offers a balance among objectivity, detailed description and the predictability of the study. Furthermore, the research provides marketing practitioners with a better understanding of the behaviour of Chinese OWOM initiators, and offers directions to improve their marketing communication strategies.</p>


Author(s):  
Chandra Sekhar Patro

Quality management is an approach to management which requires establishing quality policies, procedures and practices on regular basis. Engineering education is a process of developing techno human resources, which are to be used later as input to industry which in turn produces goods and services for the societal use. Having considered the current situation of the engineering educational system and the quality of all its individual components it can be noticed that the awareness of the importance of education as a foundation for the growth and development of the country, such as India, is not strong enough. Engineering graduates passing out from educational institutions have to fulfill modern and high standard requirements that are needed by industry. Therefore, there is a greater need to instill quality in engineering education to produce technically skilled and creative man-power in India. The continuous assessment of quality is of paramount importance for educational institution. Education efficiency and success does not depend just on quantity but as well on quality. This paper has discussed key points for the improvement in the quality of engineering education with a case study undertaken at various engineering colleges in India. The study was conducted in two phase; first phase is the critical investigation of the literature and the second phase is a study on the quality of engineering education provided by the educational institutions in Visakhapatnam city. A simple random sampling technique was adopted for the study. A research study described in this paper identifies and analyses the quality of engineering education at the educational institutions which adopt the total quality management system to increase the quality and meet the industrial requirements and then suggests some ingredients to improve the quality.


Complexity ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Chapman ◽  
Lu Lu ◽  
Christine M. Anderson-Cook

An important aspect of good management of inventory for many single-use populations or stockpiles is to develop an informed consumption strategy to use a collection of single-use units, with varied reliability as a function of age, during scheduled operations. We present a two-phase approach to balance multiple objectives for a consumption strategy to ensure good performance on the average reliability, consistency of unit reliability over time, and least uncertainty of the reliability estimates. In the first phase, a representative subset of units is selected to explore the impact of using units at different time points on reliability performance and to identify beneficial consumption patterns using a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm based on multiple objectives. In the second phase, the results from the first phase are projected back to the full stockpile as a starting point for determining best consumption strategies that emphasize the priorities of the manager. The method can be generalized to other criteria of interest and management optimization strategies. The method is illustrated with an example that shares characteristics with some munition stockpiles and demonstrates the substantial advantages of the two-phase approach on the quality of solutions and efficiency of finding them.


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