Informatica Economica Vol. 16 No. 3/2012Issue Topic: Stock Exchange Information SystemsIssue Editor: Claudiu VINTE, PhDCONTENTSThe Effect of Modeling Qualities, Tones and Gages in Ceramic Supply Chains' Master PlanningIsabel MUNDI, Ma Mar Eva ALEMANY, Andres BOZA, Raul POLER 5 Ceramic production processes are characterized by providing quantities of the same finished goods that differ in qualities, tones and gages. This aspect becomes a problem for ceramic supply chains (SCs) that should promise and serve customer orders with homogeneous quan-tities of the same finished good. In this paper a mathematical programming model for the cen-tralized master planning of ceramic SC is proposed. Inputs to the master plan include demand forecasts in terms of customer order classes based on their order size and splitting percentages of a lot into homogeneous sub-lots. Then, the master plan defines the size and loading of lots to production lines and their distribution with the aim of maximizing the number of customer orders fulfilled with homogeneous quantities in the most efficient manner for the SC. Finally, the effect of modeling qualities, tones and gages in master planning is assessed. Keywords: Ceramic Supply Chains, Mathematical Programming Model, Qualities, Tones, Gages, Lack of Homogeneity in the Product Exact Fill Rates for the (R, S) Inventory Control with Discrete Distributed Demands for the Backordering Case Eugenia BABILONI, Ester GUIJARRO, Manuel CARDÓS, Sofía ESTELLÉS 19 The fill rate is usually computed by using the traditional approach, which calculates it as the complement of the quotient between the expected unfulfilled demand and the expected demand per replenishment cycle, instead of directly the expected fraction of fulfilled demand. Fur-thermore the available methods to estimate the fill rate apply only under specific demand conditions. This paper shows the research gap regarding the estimation procedures to compute the fill rate and suggests: (i) a new exact procedure to compute the traditional approximation for any discrete demand distribution; and (ii) a new method to compute the fill rate directly as the fraction of fulfilled demand for any discrete demand distribution. Simulation results show that the latter methods outperform the traditional approach, which underestimates the simulated fill rate, over different demand patterns. This paper focuses on the traditional periodic review, base stock system when backlogged demands are allowed. Keywords: Inventory, Fill Rate, Periodic Review, Backordering, Discrete Demand Web-Based Corporate Environmental Reporting in Nigeria: A Study of Listed Companies Uwalomwa UWUIGBE 27 This paper basically examined the utilization of the Internet for communicating corporate environmental information by listed financial and non-financial companies in Nigeria. The sample for the study consists of 30 firms listed on the Nigerian stock exchange. While the content analysis technique was used as a basis for eliciting data from the corporate websites of the selected firms, the student t-test statistics was used to find out whether there is a significant difference in the level of web-based corporate environmental disclosure between financial and non-financial firms in Nigeria. In addition, the linear regression method of data analysis was employed to investigate whether there is a relationship between the financial performance of firms and the level of corporate environmental disclosures of the selected listed firms in Nigeria. The paper as part of its findings observed that there is no significant difference in the level of web-based corporate environmental disclosure between listed financial and non-financial firms in the Nigeria stock exchange Keywords: Environmental Disclosures, Corporate Websites, Content Analysis, Listed Companies, Internet, Nigeria A Collaborative Platform to Support the Enterprise 2.0 in Active Interactions with Customers Domenico CONSOLI 37 In recent years a new model of Enterprise 2.0, which interacts actively with customers using web 2.0 tools (chat, forum, blog, wiki), is developing. The enterprises, listening opinions and suggestions of customers, can improve the product/service. For a company, customer’s opinions are very important both for the improvement of products and also for the reinforcement of the customer loyalty. The customer will be motivated to be loyal if the enterprise shows a strong attention to his/her needs. This paper presents a model of a collaborative and interactive platform that supports the Enterprise 2.0 in the management of communications and relationships with all stakeholder of the supply chain and in particular with customers. A good e-reputation of the company improves business performances. Keywords: Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, Collaborative Tools, Opinion Mining, SOA, Legacy Systems A Virtual Community of Practice Proposal for Business Intelligence Researchers Diana TÂRNĂVEANU 50 In an economical post-crisis context, the general tendency is to migrate to stronger alliances that offer support. One solution is a virtual community of practice (VCoPs) that offers an im-portant knowledge management tool, as it is based on common goals and shared interests on a large period of time, it is capable to develop the social capital, create new knowledge, exploit the existing tacit knowledge, stimulate innovation and disseminate the results. An organization can remain an important competitor in a changing market only optimizing performance, constantly taking advantage of the raisin opportunities, risking and being flexible at new multiple demands. Keywords: Virtual Communities, Communities of Practice, Business Intelligence, Competency, Collaboration Integrated Methodology for Software Reliability Analysis Marian Pompiliu CRISTESCU, Laurenţiu CIOVICĂ, Liviu CIOVICĂ 59 The most used techniques to ensure safety and reliability of the systems are applied together as a whole, and in most cases, the software components are usually overlooked or to little an-alyzed. The present paper describes the applicability of fault trees analysis software system, analysis defined as Software Fault Tree Analysis (SFTA), fault trees are evaluated using binary decision diagrams, all of these being integrated and used with help from Java library reliability. Keywords: Software Reliability, Binary Decision Diagram, Fault Trees, Combinatorial Mod-els, Analytical Techniques Optimization Solutions for Improving the Performance of the Parallel Reduction Algorithm Using Graphics Processing Units Ion LUNGU, Dana-Mihaela PETROSANU, Alexandru PIRJAN 72 In this paper, we research, analyze and develop optimization solutions for the parallel reduction function using graphics processing units (GPUs) that implement the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA), a modern and novel approach for improving the software performance of data processing applications and algorithms. Many of these applications and algorithms make use of the reduction function in their computational steps. After having designed the function and its algorithmic steps in CUDA, we have progressively developed and implemented optimization solutions for the reduction function. In order to confirm, test and evaluate the solutions’ efficiency, we have developed a custom tailored benchmark suite. We have analyzed the obtained experimental results regarding: the comparison of the execution time and bandwidth when using graphic processing units covering the main CUDA architectures (Tesla GT200, Fermi GF100, Kepler GK104) and a central processing unit; the data type influence; the binary operator’s influence. Keywords: GPU, Cuda, Kepler Architecture, Parallel Reduction, Thread Blocks Implementing Recommendation Algorithms for Decision Making Processes Paula-Ligia STANCIU, Răzvan PETRUŞEL 87 This paper’s contribution is placed into decision-making process research area. In our previous papers we showed how decision maker’s behavior can be captured in logs and how an aggregated decision data model (DDM) can be mined. We now introduce two recommendation algorithms that rely on a DDM. Each algorithm aims to steer the decision maker’s actions towards a fully informed decision by suggesting the next action to be performed. The first algorithm is a Greedy approach that recommends the most frequent activities performed by other decision makers. The second algorithm is inspired from A* path finding algorithm. It finds a decision sub-objective and tries to guide the decision maker on the path to it. We eval-uate these algorithms by comparing them with each other and to the classical association rules approach. It is not our intention to recommend the better decision alternative. We want to make sure the decision makers made an informed decision by correctly and completely evaluating all alternatives. This is an extended version of the paper published at IE 2012 Conference. Keywords: Decision Data Model, Recommendation Algorithm, Decision Process, Decision Path, Decision Maker Activity Inter-Dealer OTC E-markets Iosif ZIMAN 105 The global OTC markets have been very active in the past decade as many institutions have chosen to rely on growth in the OTC issuance to facilitate deal-making outside of the exchange regulated avenues. Products included in this category are bonds, converts, volatility and variance swaps, CDS contracts. This paper introduces the financial instruments used in connection with the OTC markets, presents and offers suggestions for setting up generic sell and buys side RFQ and market making systems and introduces the main concepts and compo-nents that need to be taken into account when developing such systems when targeting the growing E-Business focus of the market. Keywords: E-Business, OTC, Bond, Convertible Bond, CDS, Inter-Dealer Market, RFQ M-Payments Issues and Concepts Cristian TOMA 117 The paper has four sections. First section has an intro for the mobile payments requirements for a reliable service. Second section shows types and models of mobile payment service but not taking into account the service patterns and the electronic money systems. In section three as a case study is shown an author solution may be improved taking into account the security and ergonomic issues presented in the first two sections. The last section presents a summary of technologies available for improvement of the mobile payment services. Keywords: 2D Barcode, DOV – Data over Voice, NFC – Near Field Communication, Mobile Micropayments, Ticketing System Concepts Map Approach in e-Classroom Gabriel ZAMFIR 124 This article is designed as an educational research study focused on e-Classroom as a medium of instruction based on assisted didactics design and teacher assisted learning in order to develop interactive applications, integrating concepts map approach. In this context, the paper proposes a specific conceptual framework applied in a theoretical model, as a base of an analytical framework used in a case study. Such a paradigm defines the classwork as the basic activity of the student which connects the fieldwork and the deskwork, and finally, it develops the basic and specific competencies of the individual according with the educational objectives. Keywords: Assisted Didactics Design, Classwork, Threshold Concepts, Troublesome Knowledge, Teacher Assisted Learning An Agent-Based Knowledge Management System for University Research Activity Monitoring Mihaela OPREA 136 Academic research activity monitoring and evaluation are major tasks of a university knowledge management system in the context of the university activity assessments for various national and international classifications. The paper proposes the architecture of a multi-agent system developed for university research activity monitoring as a knowledge management tool. Preliminary results of a prototype system run are briefly discussed. Keywords: University Knowledge Management, Academic Research Activity Monitoring, Ar-tificial Intelligence, Multi-Agent Systems Study on Risk Approaches in Software Development Projects Claudiu BRANDAS, Otniel DIDRAGA, Nicolae BIBU 148 Risk approaches in project development led to the integration in the IT project management methodologies and software development of activities and processes of risk management. The diversity and the advanced level of the used technologies in IT projects with increasing com-plexity leads to an exponential diversification of risk factors.The purpose of this research is to identify the level of the risk approach in IT projects both at the IT project management and software development methodologies level and the level of the perception of IT project man-agers, IT managers and IT analysts in Romanian IT companies. Thus, we want to determine the correlation between the use of a project management or software development methodology and the overall level of risk perceived by the project managers using these methodologies. Keywords: Risk, Software Development, IT Projects, Project Management, Methodologies
Distributed
Application Extensions and Obsolescence as Risk Generating Factors
The 12th
International Conference on Informatics in Economy, IE 2013
The
6th International Conference on Security for Information Technology and
Communications, SECITC’13 |