An Investigation of the Role of System Effectiveness in the Acquisition and Sustainment of US Defense Systems:1958 to 2021

This paper highlights the System Effectiveness methodology and its role in acquiring and sustaining U.S. military weapons systems from 1958 to 2021. Given the long period covered by this study and the many changes to the acquisition process, it would be reasonable to expect that the methodology would change and adapt, and the study supports this assumption. The study used three qualitative methods: a structured review of the literature related to System Effectiveness, a grounded theory analysis of the structured literature review, and a historiography of the initial grounded theory results. The research identified three epochs, the first two lasting approximately 22 years each. The conclusions are fourfold. First, the role of System Effectiveness today is vastly diminished from its original purpose because original material was not widely accessible to the community of interest during the formative years. Second, analysis of source documents provides insight into how to correct the misconceptions of the past and incorporate System Effectiveness into modern system engineering. Third, the models developed in epoch one may have relevance for today’s problems. The last conclusion is that an integrated research methodology is a valuable tool for making sense of a mass of conflicting information spread out over time. This the most comprehensive research on systems effectiveness ever published. Based on over 500 documents, it is rigorous and innovative and provides the basis for a structured and integrated approach for utilizing System Effectiveness in emerging U.S. defense system acquisition and sustainment challenges. <br>

An Investigation of the Role of System Effectiveness in the Acquisition and Sustainment of US Defense Systems:1958 to 2021

This paper highlights the System Effectiveness methodology and its role in acquiring and sustaining U.S. military weapons systems from 1958 to 2021. Given the long period covered by this study and the many changes to the acquisition process, it would be reasonable to expect that the methodology would change and adapt, and the study supports this assumption. The study used three qualitative methods: a structured review of the literature related to System Effectiveness, a grounded theory analysis of the structured literature review, and a historiography of the initial grounded theory results. The research identified three epochs, the first two lasting approximately 22 years each. The conclusions are fourfold. First, the role of System Effectiveness today is vastly diminished from its original purpose because original material was not widely accessible to the community of interest during the formative years. Second, analysis of source documents provides insight into how to correct the misconceptions of the past and incorporate System Effectiveness into modern system engineering. Third, the models developed in epoch one may have relevance for today’s problems. The last conclusion is that an integrated research methodology is a valuable tool for making sense of a mass of conflicting information spread out over time. This the most comprehensive research on systems effectiveness ever published. Based on over 500 documents, it is rigorous and innovative and provides the basis for a structured and integrated approach for utilizing System Effectiveness in emerging U.S. defense system acquisition and sustainment challenges. <br>

Evaluation of Traffic Signal Systems Effectiveness in Connected Vehicle Environments Using Trajectory Analytics

One of the ways to design more effective signal control strategies is to leverage and synthesize connected vehicle generated (CVG) information to identify traffic states for the controller to operate in a predictive, yet vehicle-actuated manner. The contribution of this paper is twofold: (1) it presents a framework for an advanced, online, signal control logic in a connected environment that utilizes information from connected vehicles (CVs) to augment high-resolution controller and/or sensor data, and (2) it applies the trajectory analytics to compare the performance of the new controller schemes with CVG data and functionalities relative to conventional, vehicle-actuated, control. The framework puts forward a predictive control logic that schedules phases in an acyclic manner over a variable planning horizon. Phase duration is continually evaluated in response to updated requests for service distributed among equipped vehicles and associated performance indicators. Within the same connected control setup, two measures of effectiveness of a decision were compared to determine the upper bound on the potential effectiveness of a more responsive control strategy. Finally, trajectory analytics was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the CV technology-based control scheme against the conventional one. The findings indicate that both control system performance assessment and optimization objectives should change with access to CVG data. Unlike current state of the practice controllers, the developed method is able to handle high and low demand states equally well. The designed connected controller is shown to be robust in handling varying traffic conditions and demand levels.

Differences between the European and Eurasian Good Pharmacovigilance Practices

Good pharmacovigilance practices (GVP) of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) were prepared based on the GVP of the European Medicines Agency that have been in force in the European Union (EU) since 2012. The EAEU GVP have been in force in the Russian Federation and the other EAEU member states since 2016. It is important to identify potential differences between the current regulations in order to harmonise requirements for the pharmacovigilance systems in the EU and EAEU. The aim of the study was to analyse and compare GVP requirements in the EU and EAEU. The analysis helped to identify differences in the structure and contents of GVP sections, the definitions of terms (EU GVP definitions are more detailed and supported by examples, subsections, and references to other documents). Moreover, supplements and annexes to the EU GVP contain figures, templates, examples, algorithms, and tables, which are missing in the EAEU GVP. Expert analysis of these differences as applied to assessment of the pharmacovigilance systems’ effectiveness, and practical activities of marketing authorisation holders, medicine developers, and regulatory authorities, demonstrated that the two GVPs are sufficiently harmonised and have very few differences. However, the number of differences between the documents increases, as changes are made to the EU GVP. A more comprehensive harmonisation of the EAEU GVP with the current version of the EU GVP will make it possible to develop and use uniform pharmacovigilance documents in the EU and EAEU, and will facilitate the introduction of EAEU medicines into the global pharmaceutical market.

Management accounting systems effectiveness, perceived environmental uncertainty and enterprise risk management: evidence from Jordan

Purpose This study aims to investigate the direct relationship between management accounting systems effectiveness (MASE) and enterprise risk management (ERM). In addition, it aims to investigate the interaction (moderating) effect of each of the four informational characteristics of MASE and each of the three components of perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU) on ERM, using empirical evidence from the developing country's Jordanian market. Design/methodology/approach The study population includes all Jordanian companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange at the end of 2019, and the study sample consists of all these companies (complete surveying – census population). This study chooses a quantitative method through a survey design approach using questionnaire as the best method for data collection. Findings The summation of the relationship and interaction effects (moderation) examined by this study are as follows: three of the four informational characteristics of MASE, namely, a broadness of scope, an aggregation and an integration, have a positive direct relationship with ERM. The characteristic ‘timeliness’ has non-significant negative relationship with ERM. Additionally, the interaction (moderating) effect of higher levels of two informational characteristics of MASE, namely, a timeliness and an aggregation and higher level of perceived competitor uncertainty, will result in a higher ERM implementation. Research limitations/implications The results of this study have significant ramifications for numerous companies, administrators and interested parties, as they may allow them to build and sustain effective accounting processes for management. These results support adopting sophisticated management accounting systems (MASs) instead of traditional systems in the companies to help them in improving the information quality and control levels, as well as reducing the risks by implementation of ERM. In addition, to ensure that companies are confronted with the environmental factors they face. The results of the present study will enable administrators to develop a deeper understanding of such management accounting systems. Originality/value To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study of Jordan to investigate the relationship between MASE and ERM, moderated by PEU. As such, the study raises significant findings, drawing attention to MASs and their role in Jordan.

Forensic approaches to the evaluation of video observation systems effectiveness

The article considers the topical issues of facial recognition in video images. The author studies the modern methods of using facial recognition technologies. The research covers the current methods and software systems able to use list-based facial recognition technologies. The article contains the requirements to information technologies and means, and to the reference facial images. Special attention is given to the problems of legal regulation of the requirements to technical means used for image acquisition. The author analyzes the factors impacting on the objectivity and comprehensiveness of imaging a person&rsquo;s appearance. The author analyzes one of the groups of factors connected with the conditions of recording. The author arrives at the conclusion that in order to raise the effectiveness of the work of video observation systems, it is necessary to follow the requirements to information technologies and information references. The author notes that, based on the tasks of law-enforcement agencies and the analysis of factors impacting on the effectiveness of video observation systems, there is a necessity to develop a video observation systems evaluation system.&nbsp; &nbsp;