Software Estimation Framework for Mobile Application Projects

As mobile devices are becoming the primary access channels for information, the authors need to have accurate effort estimation model for mobile application projects. In this paper the authors discuss “Mobile application estimation framework” that was designed based on 14 mobile application projects and was validated against 5 mobile application projects. In this paper the authors discuss the estimation framework for both native/hybrid mobile application projects and mobile web application projects. The proposed “Mobile application estimation framework” provides comprehensive coverage for various factors involved in mobile estimation such as layer-wise components, horizontal components and others. The estimation framework also considers the cost drivers and is used as effort adjustment factor. The proposed mobile application estimation framework achieved the MMRE of 0.207 with pred (0.3) of 80%.

Normalized Sprint Estimation

Accurate estimation of software projects is quintessential for overall success of the project. Estimation of agile projects adopted in most of the modern software projects is challenging due to lack of historical data and due to dynamic characteristics of the agile projects. In this paper we introduce “Normalized Sprint Estimation” method which factors in dynamic characteristics of the agile projects such as non-functional requirements, sprint success factors and such. The author applied the normalized sprint estimation method to 14 sprints from three digital projects and the predicted estimation values had Pred (0.3), more than 80%. Though the normalized sprint estimation model is tested for digital projects, the same methodology can be applied for software projects from other domains as well.

Influence of Business Competitiveness on SMEs Performance

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a pivotal role in fostering socioeconomic development especially in developing countries. They create employment opportunities, empower communities, and make positive contributions towards GDP. The objective of this study is to understand the influence of business competitiveness on SMEs performance through a case study of auto body repairs SME enterprise in Namibia referred to as ABR for confidentiality. The methodology is mixed methods with in depth literature review, and detailed multiple case studies on eleven medium sized auto-body repair enterprises. The analysis is through strategy tools supported by secondary and published data and reports. The findings reflect that although ABR has a sound credit rating with local financial institutions and there are opportunities for growth, ABR also needs to invest in equipment to become more competitive and strengthen its market.

Entropy, the Information Processing Cycle, and the Forecasting of Bull and Bear Market Peaks and Troughs

Many econophysics applications have modeled financial systems as if they were pure physical systems devoid of human limitations and errors. On the other hand, traditional financial theory has ignored limits that physics would impose on human interactions, communications, and computational abilities. The entropic yield curve blends the physical and human financial worlds in a new, powerful, and surprisingly simple way. This article uses this information theoretic perspective to provide a new explanation of the dynamics and timing of financial cycles. Additionally, the entropic yield curve offers a new method of forecasting market peaks and troughs.

Introduction to Econophysics

The future contains terms (V) that are valid at all times, and terms (U) that are presently unknown. In economics, (V) and (U) correspond to ex ante and ex post, in physics to conservative and not conservative, in calculus, to exact and not exact differential forms or to Riemann and Stokes integrals, and to linear or non-linear equations, in statistics to real and probable terms. Apparently, the authors may represent the (V) and (U) structure in economics and physics by calculus, probability theory, by non-linearity, and chaos theory. The present paper applies Stokes integrals to double entry accounting. The resulting laws replace neoclassical theory and correspond to the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Economics and physics have the same structure, leading to the name econophysics. Production is a two level cycle with cheap production, expensive sales, corresponding to the Carnot cycle of a motor with cold air and hot exhaust. In a running motor, efficiency, the difference between hot and cold, becomes always higher. In an economy the gap between rich and poor always rises.

Chaos in Oligopoly Models

In this article, the authors investigate the dynamics of two oligopoly games. In the first game, they consider a nonlinear Cournot-type duopoly game with homogeneous goods and same rational expectations. The authors investigate the case, where managers have a variety of attitudes toward relative performance that are indexed by their type. In the second game they consider a Cournot-Bertrand duopoly game with linear demand, quadratic cost function and differentiated goods. In the two games they suppose a linear demand and a quadratic cost function. The games are modeled with a system of two difference equations. Existence and stability of equilibria of the systems are studied. The authors show that the models gives more complex, chaotic and unpredictable trajectories, as a consequence of change in the parameter k of speed of the player's adjustment (in the first game) and in the parameter d of the horizontal product differentiation (in the second game). The authors prove that the variation of the parameter k (resp. d) destabilizes the Nash equilibrium via a period doubling bifurcation (resp. through a Neimark-Sacker bifurcation). The chaotic features are justified numerically via computing Lyapunov numbers and sensitive dependence on initial conditions. In the second game they show that in the case of a quadratic cost there are stable trajectories and a higher or lower degree of product differentiation does not tend to destabilize the economy. They verify these results through numerical simulations. Finally, the authors control the chaotic behavior of the games introducing a new parameter. For some values of this parameter, the Nash equilibrium is stable for every value of the main parameter k or d.

“Reverse Engineering” in Econophysics

The work presented here is a paradigm of EconoPhysics, i.e. of research in the area of finance and economics by applying physical models, in this case chaos theory. A specific analysis of a macroeconomic model proposed by Vosvrda is presented. The Vosvrda model is an idealized macroeconomic model, combining the savings of households, Gross Domestic Product and the foreign capital inflow. It is simulated by three autonomous differential equations. According to this model, there are six parameters, having their values regulating the system behavior (parameters of Vosvdra). Using artificial noisy data for simulating real data and using an inverse modelling procedure, the authors have fitted and tuned the parameters of Vosvdra differential equations to achieve more accurate solutions. The relevant resultant evaluation showed that the system is a chaotic one, even though for the same values proposed by Vosvrda. Finally, this chaotic behavior has provided the capability to expand the time horizon of the solution, thus achieving reliable forecasting for the system.

Double Power Law in the Japanese Financial Market

The authors study the persistence phenomenon in the Japanese stock market by using a novel mapping of the time evolution of the values of shares quoted on the Nikkei Index onto Ising spins. The method is applied to historical end of day data from the Japanese financial market. By studying the time dependence of the spins, they find clear evidence for a double-power law decay of the proportion of shares that remain either above or below ‘starting' values chosen at random. The results are consistent with a recent analysis of the data from the London FTSE100 market. The slopes of the power-laws are also in agreement. The authors estimate a long time persistence exponent for the underlying Japanese financial market to be 0.5. Furthermore, they argue that the presence of a double power law in the decay of the persistence probability could be the signature of the presence of both speculative (short-term) and long-term traders in the market.

How Project Management Overlaps with Lean Six Sigma

This article seeks to discuss how project management can help the Lean Six Sigma methodology impact project outcomes. It is found that projects managers play a vital role in the successful implementation of the LSS tools and on meeting customer requirements. This article analyzes and identifies the factors and constraints that projects face with the implementation of Lean Six Sigma methodology within the project management perspective. Further, this study provides a comparative analysis of different studies based on LSS tools and analyzes their applicability in different industries. This study found that there is a strong need for project management concepts and tools in the LSS methodology and vice versa. The article also identifies specific concepts and tools of project management that can help to improve the likelihood of success of LSS projects and initiatives. This article discusses how these project specific concepts and tools can be effectively used in LSS environments.

Productivity Betterment

This article describes how instant research explicates the features, analogy, and principles, of manufacturing productivity management in contemporary industrial arenas. It is exceedingly necessary to increase manufacturing production to improve productivity of the company. Current research provides a substitute way-out to optimize the material and workforce resources available in the plant. The authors proposed the implementation of clustering concept with improved tooling for manufacturing. The intended approach stimulated productivity growth by using improved production facilities, which resulted in reduced monthly rejections arising out of manufacturing's critical component. Component production cost was reduced through the use of curbing cycle time. The implementation study magnificently contributed towards productivity enhancement by producing more with less resource input. The experimentation recorded an increase of over16% in monthly production by dint of curtailed cycle time. An average gain of 5.27% in total productivity was achieved.