Apple Academic Press Inc. – förlag

Offering a planned approach for determining cause and effect, DOE Simplified: Practical Tools for Effective Experimentation, Third Edition integrates the authors’ decades of combined experience in providing training, consulting, and computational tools to industrial experimenters. Supplying readers with the statistical means to analyze how numerous variables interact, it is ideal for those seeking breakthroughs in product quality and process efficiency via systematic experimentation.Following in the footsteps of its bestselling predecessors, this edition incorporates a lively approach to learning the fundamentals of the design of experiments (DOE). It lightens up the inherently dry complexities with interesting sidebars and amusing anecdotes.The book explains simple methods for collecting and displaying data and presents comparative experiments for testing hypotheses. Discussing how to block the sources of variation from your analysis, it looks at two-level factorial designs and covers analysis of variance. It also details a four-step planning process for designing and executing experiments that takes statistical power into consideration.This edition includes a major revision of the software that accompanies the book (via download) and sets the stage for introducing experiment designs where the randomization of one or more hard-to-change factors can be restricted. Along these lines, it includes a new chapter on split plots and adds coverage of a number of recent developments in the design and analysis of experiments.Readers have access to case studies, problems, practice experiments, a glossary of terms, and a glossary of statistical symbols, as well as a series of dynamic online lectures that cover the first several chapters of the book.

Is the art for your video game taking too long to create? Learning to create Pixel Art may be the answer to your development troubles. Uncover the secrets to creating stunning graphics with Pixel Art for Game Developers. The premier how-to book on Pixel Art and Pixel Art software, it focuses on the universal principles of the craft.The book provides an introduction to Pixel Art, its utility, foundational elements, and concepts such as light and shadow. It offers tutorials on creating animations and serves as a functional guide for the most common methodology in 2D game development.Gamers love the retro feel of Pixel Art, and lucky for you it is easy to create. You'll love the tiny file sizes that will reduce compile times and help your game run faster. Providing you with the skills to create the characters and environments needed for 2D games, this book will help you:Create tilesets to build game environmentsUnderstand light and shadowWork efficiently with pixelsUse atmospheric and linear perspectiveCreate professional-quality Pixel ArtThis book has chapters dedicated to theory as well as step-by-step tutorials, both of which describe the process explicitly. Whether you are an artist, programmer, indie developer, or certified public accountant, after reading this book, you'll understand the steps necessary to create production-quality Pixel Art graphics.Praise for the Book:Pixel Art and Pixel Art games are very popular and the technique is a great way for independent creators to create very good-looking games with limited resources. It’s frankly shocking that there hasn’t been a resource like this before ... a very timely book.—Chris Totten, George Mason University, Washington, DC, USA

Winner of a Shingo Research and Professional Publication AwardThe new edition of this Shingo Prize-winning bestseller provides critical insights and approaches to make any Lean transformation an ongoing success. It shows you how to implement a sustainable, successful transformation by developing a culture that has your stakeholders throughout the organizational chart involved and invested in the outcome. It teaches you how to successfully navigate the politics in cross-functional process improvement projects, and to engage executives in ways that are personally meaningful to them. If you are a leader at any level in an organization undergoing or considering a Lean transformation, this is where you should start and finish … and start again.Read the Reviews:"This book became an instant classic in the literature of professional operations. In this third edition, David Mann updates and expands his teaching with five additional years of valuable experience and expertise derived from his very active, multi-industry consultancy. I have benefitted greatly from his writing and wholeheartedly recommend this book to be top-of-the desk of any serious Lean practitioner or performance transformation leader."— Raymond C. Floyd, two-time Shingo Prize Winner, President and CEO, Plasco Energy Group"David Mann builds substantially on his seminal work on the Lean management system. The book is full of new insight and polishes the most important ideas about Lean management. The new chapter on engaging executive leadership alone is worth the price of the book."— Peter Ward, Richard M. Ross Professor and Chair, Department of Management Science, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University"This book has long been my ‘go-to’ guide on Lean management practices that help create a culture of continuous improvement and excellence. I have recommended the book to countless healthcare leaders who rave about how helpful it is in translating Lean principles into daily management behaviors. The healthcare examples make it even more relevant as a must read for any hospital leader who aims to move beyond Lean tools.."—Mark Graban, author of Lean Hospitals, co-author of Healthcare Kaizen and The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen"As more companies outside the manufacturing sector pursue Lean transformations, Creating a Lean Culture is as critical a resource as ever. Breaking down silos and navigating tricky internecine politics remain a momentous challenge, and Mann’s case-based insights are an invaluable tool."— Peg Pennington, Executive Director, Center for Operational Excellence, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University"David has once again taken the topics that trip us up and put structure and guidance around them. His new work on executive involvement is worth the price of the book all by itself. Many of us have struggled with this topic and David provides a path to success."— Elizabeth M. King, Vice President Organizational Effectiveness, ESCO CorporationNew in the Third Edition: Contains new chapter on engaging executives in Lean initiativesIncludes 21 new case studiesPresents new examples from the healthcare and process industriesIncludes additional gemba worksheets for learning and teaching LeanProvides expanded coverage of Lean applications in complex cross functional value stream process improvement projectsWatch David Mann discuss how the latest edition of Creating a Lean Culture can help you and your organization succeed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX7jrtV3cBA&feature=youtu.be

This third volume of the 4-volume set focuses on the diseases prevalent in ornamental plants and spice crops. The management of any disease successfully involves its detailed study regarding symptoms, causal agent, disease cycle, and epidemiology.To address this, the authors in this volume, all nationally known scientists in their respective fields who are engaged in teaching, research, and extension services, have contributed their experience and knowledge on recent developments in the field of plant diseases. Focusing on ornamental plants (such as carnations, chrysanthemums [or crown daisies], dahlias, gladioli, marigolds, roses, zinnias), and spice crops (such as black pepper, coriander, ginger, turmeric, and others), the authors offer detailed accounts of the main diseases affecting these plants. Included are introductions to the plants, disease symptoms, causal organisms, disease cycles, epidemiology, and management of the diseases of these economically important crops.The volumes provide an abundance of information for understanding and managing plant diseases, with emphasis on diagnostic techniques. The collection includes:Volume 1: Fruit CropsVolume 2: Vegetable CropsVolume 3: Ornamental Plants and Spice CropsVolume 4: Important Plantation Crops, Medicinal Crops, and Mushrooms

Variability in vegetable pathogens is a critical issue, particularly in changing environments, as it presents challenges to accurate diagnoses and proper management. This book focuses on the diverse ecology of phytopathogens, covering the varying disease categories (acute, chronic, and emerging), the mechanisms involved in disease development, pathogen variability, and disease management. The book also discusses the preharvest and postharvest challenges that arise due to these phytopathogens.Key Features:• Provides an overview of phytopathogens that affect vegetables in various environmental conditions• Discusses how to manage vegetables affected by specific pathogens• Offers eco-friendly approaches to prevent postharvest diseases• Presents a comprehensive guide to identifying and addressing numerous diseases for individuals in the fields of horticulture

Plant diseases cause serious threats to the successful cultivation of horticultural crops, resulting in huge losses in their yields. These plant diseases are known to affect horticultural crops at various growth stages and reduce the yield as well as quality of fruits and vegetables. Diseases also cause subsequent postharvest transit and storage losses. This 4-volume set provides the latest diagnostic information along with effective management solutions to the problems of diseases of field crop plants caused by phytopathogens.In volume 1, each chapter includes an introduction, disease symptoms, causal organisms, disease cycles, epidemiology, and management of economically important plants. With contributions from national scientists who are engaged in teaching, research, and extension services who share their experiences here, the chapters explore apples, amla (or Indian gooseberry), avocado, Indian bael, banana, Indian jujube, citrus, grapes, guava, hazelnut, and more.The volumes provide an abundance of information for understanding and managing plant diseases, with emphasis on diagnostic techniques. The collection includes:Volume 1: Fruit CropsVolume 2: Vegetable CropsVolume 3: Ornamental Plants and Spice CropsVolume 4: Important Plantation Crops, Medicinal Crops, and Mushrooms

Variability in vegetable pathogens is a critical issue, particularly in changing environments, as it presents challenges to accurate diagnoses and proper management. This book focuses on the diverse ecology of phytopathogens, covering the varying disease categories (acute, chronic, and emerging), the mechanisms involved in disease development, pathogen variability, and disease management. The book also discusses the preharvest and postharvest challenges that arise due to these phytopathogens.Key Features:• Provides an overview of phytopathogens that affect vegetables in various environmental conditions• Discusses how to manage vegetables affected by specific pathogens• Offers eco-friendly approaches to prevent postharvest diseases• Presents a comprehensive guide to identifying and addressing numerous diseases for individuals in the fields of horticulture

Protected cultivation - the safeguarding of crops from the harmful effects of climate change, environmentally toxic agricultural chemicals, and crop pests and diseases - is necessary for improving crop growth conditions. This new volume addresses this need by presenting valuable research on the components of protected cultivation, including climate control, modeling, automation, and economics.The volume offers comprehensive coverage of the many aspects of protected crop cultivation, including:selecting site-specific appropriate protected structuresdesign, construction, and suitability of structuresimproved crop cultivation techniques (shifting from conventional to modern soil-less cultivation approaches)cropping sequence of vegetable cropsirrigation and fertigation automationclimate monitoring and managementinsect pests and diseases and their management greenhouse micro-climate/environments economic analysis of protected cultivationand more.The important information presented in this volume will be valuable for farming professionals, faculty and students in agricultural science, agricultural researchers and engineers, as well as for those involved in horticulture and floriculture.

This book provides administrators in public and non-profit organizations with direction and a framework from which to lead their organizations effectively. Taking a global approach to the issues administrators need to examine when managing a group of employees at any level (including budgeting and expenditures, forecasting, policy creation and execution, communication and reporting), this book explores the driving forces in organizational decision making. Author Nick Valcik takes a holistic view on organizational management, beginning with the core aspects of public organizations and the leadership competencies necessary to manage an organization successfully. Designed to be used on undergraduate and graduate courses in public administration and in public affairs programs, the book discusses the basics of organizational structure, delves into risk management issues, and offers a set of tools that can be used by administrators to make informed decisions based on actual data or documented processes. Throughout the book, real world case studies provide students and practitioners with a clear understanding of how exactly the right decision tool may be applied when facing a particular decision in any organization.

In order to perform effective analysis of today’s information security systems, numerous components must be taken into consideration. This book presents a well-organized, consistent solution created by the author, which allows for precise multilevel analysis of information security systems and accounts for all of the significant details. Enabling the multilevel modeling of secure systems, the quality of protection modeling language (QoP-ML) approach provides for the abstraction of security systems while maintaining an emphasis on quality protection. This book introduces the basis of the QoP modeling language along with all the advanced analysis modules, syntax, and semantics. It delineates the steps used in cryptographic protocols and introduces a multilevel protocol analysis that expands current understanding. Introduces quality of protection evaluation of IT SystemsCovers the financial, economic, and CO2 emission analysis phaseSupplies a multilevel analysis of Cloud-based data centersDetails the structures for advanced communication modeling and energy analysisConsiders security and energy efficiency trade-offs for the protocols of wireless sensor network architecturesIncludes case studies that illustrate the QoP analysis process using the QoP-MLExamines the robust security metrics of cryptographic primitivesCompares and contrasts QoP-ML with the PL/SQL, SecureUML, and UMLsec approaches by means of the SEQUAL frameworkThe book explains the formal logic for representing the relationships between security mechanisms in a manner that offers the possibility to evaluate security attributes. It presents the architecture and API of tools that ensure automatic analysis, including the automatic quality of protection analysis tool (AQoPA), crypto metrics tool (CMTool), and security mechanisms evaluation tool (SMETool). The book includes a number of examples and case studies that illustrate the QoP analysis process by the QoP-ML. Every operation defined by QoP-ML is described within parameters of security metrics to help you better evaluate the impact of each operation on your system's security.

The State of the Art in Intrusion Prevention and Detection analyzes the latest trends and issues surrounding intrusion detection systems in computer networks, especially in communications networks. Its broad scope of coverage includes wired, wireless, and mobile networks; next-generation converged networks; and intrusion in social networks.Presenting cutting-edge research, the book presents novel schemes for intrusion detection and prevention. It discusses tracing back mobile attackers, secure routing with intrusion prevention, anomaly detection, and AI-based techniques. It also includes information on physical intrusion in wired and wireless networks and agent-based intrusion surveillance, detection, and prevention. The book contains 19 chapters written by experts from 12 different countries that provide a truly global perspective.The text begins by examining traffic analysis and management for intrusion detection systems. It explores honeypots, honeynets, network traffic analysis, and the basics of outlier detection. It talks about different kinds of IDSs for different infrastructures and considers new and emerging technologies such as smart grids, cyber physical systems, cloud computing, and hardware techniques for high performance intrusion detection.The book covers artificial intelligence-related intrusion detection techniques and explores intrusion tackling mechanisms for various wireless systems and networks, including wireless sensor networks, WiFi, and wireless automation systems. Containing some chapters written in a tutorial style, this book is an ideal reference for graduate students, professionals, and researchers working in the field of computer and network security.

During the next 10 years, an estimated 40-50 percent of the partners in public accounting firms will retire. This exodus will place an enormous intellectual and financial strain on firms as they scramble to train and promote new partners, retire the existing ones in an orderly manner, and find the profitability to do so in extraordinarily lean economic times. Beyond the Days of the Giants: Solving the Crisis of Growth and Succession in Today’s CPA Firms is a practical, readable implementation guide for your firm to use during this next critical decade. It gives step-by-step guidance on how to: Create a growth culture founded in practitioner-led value creation, Build a no-new-cost practice system to operate within it , andRenew practitioner accountability, not to disappearing Giant-centered value creation systems, but to evidence-based value management practice—led by our New Giants.

It’s no secret that some of the most successful companies, such as 3M, Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, and Mercedes-Benz, are also known for their new product development strategies. Creating and Marketing New Products and Services teaches the key business and marketing principles needed to successfully design and launch new products and services in today’s global market. It begins by providing the foundation required to understand the role of new product development in the innovating organization.The book emphasizes marketing research techniques that can help firms identify the voice of the customer and incorporate these findings into their new product development process. It addresses the role of sustainability in innovation, open innovation strategies, and international co-development efforts of new products and services. Explaining how to manage the development and marketing of new products and services, this book will teach you how to:Select a new product strategy that matches the needs of your organizationSet up a disciplined process for new product development Define target market opportunities and search out high potential ideas Understand customer needs, structure them, and prioritize the needs to clearly define the benefits and values that your product will deliver Integrate marketing, engineering, R&D, and production resources to design a high-quality product that satisfies customer needs and delivers value Forecast sales before market launch based on testing of the product and the marketing plan The concepts discussed in the book can help to boost innovation and improve the performance of any type of organization. Some of the concepts presented are generic and others must be modified for each application. Together, they can lead to greater profitability and reduced risk in the new product development activities within your organization.

Most books on environment law focus on the law first, and then look at how environmental problems are dealt with in relation to the law. Taking a fresh approach, Environmental Law from the Policy Perspective: Understanding How Legal Frameworks Influence Environmental Problem Solving examines environmental problems first, followed by an examination of legal frameworks and how they impact environmental issues. This approach provides a clearer understanding of the relationship between the law and environment by examining environmental issues from an applied perspective.By first focusing on environmental problems without constraining the analysis to a particular legal framework, this book fosters a more holistic discussion of environmental issues that include scientific, social, economic, and political contexts. It examines how laws affect the adaptation of policy, how policy is legitimized into statutory law, and how the law is impacted in practice. The text then underscores how interpretation of the law affects its application to different factual settings.Written by an environmental law expert who teaches environmental law to those not trained in legal theory, the book provides insights into the way environmental issues are "ingested" into a legal process. The author demystifies environmental law as a concept by applying it through the lens of environmental problem solving. Once you have a clear picture of the role legal frameworks have in managing environmental issues, you will be able to take a deeper policy-oriented approach to environmental problems.

Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC) was one of the first health care organizations to implement Lean and its methodologies. Other organizations have followed VMMC’s lead, but this world class organization still leads in the utilization of innovative Lean tools.Accelerating Health Care Transformation with Lean and Innovation: The Virginia Mason Experience describes how VMMC has systematically integrated innovative structures, methods, and cultural practices into its implementation of Lean. Describing how your organization can create a strategy and build a culture of innovation and learning, it supplies concrete examples that show—not just conceptually, but through VMMC's actual experiences—how Lean and innovation can work hand-in-hand to incrementally improve and radically transform your value streams.Explaining how to use the voices and experiences of patients and their families to drive improvement and innovation in new directions, the book supplies a clear understanding of how Lean can help you achieve your goals in today’s increasingly demanding marketplace.

Understand Video Games as Works of Science Fiction and Interactive Stories Science Fiction Video Games focuses on games that are part of the science fiction genre, rather than set in magical milieux or exaggerated versions of our own world. Unlike many existing books and websites that cover some of the same material, this book emphasizes critical analysis, especially the analysis of narrative. The author analyzes narrative via an original categorization of story forms in games. He also discusses video games as works of science fiction, including their characteristic themes and the links between them and other forms of science fiction.Delve into a Collection of Science Fiction GamesThe beginning chapters explore game design and the history of science-fictional video games. The majority of the text deals with individual science-fictional games and the histories and natures of their various forms, such as the puzzle-based adventure and the more exploratory and immediate computer role-playing game (RPG).

Explaining how to use Lean principles to drive innovation and strategic portfolio planning, The Innovative Lean Enterprise: Using the Principles of Lean to Create and Deliver Innovation to Customers outlines simple, yet powerful, visual Lean tools that can enhance idea generation and product development. It starts with a discussion of Lean principles and then identifies the applicable portions of Lean that can drive customer value.The book discusses customer value in the form of the benefits your customers desire. It walks you through the processes of using Lean techniques to effectively evaluate the quality of any prospective marketing opportunity and includes examples from a variety of industries, including healthcare.The text discusses value creation, reduction of waste, entrepreneurial system designer, set-based concurrent engineering, and Lean project management. It also includes numerous examples of visual management tools as they apply to innovation to help you develop the understanding required to achieve a competitive advantage for your brand, division, or company through Lean.

For some organizations, Lessons Learned (LL) is an informal process of discussing and recording project experiences during the closure phase. For others, LL is a formal process that occurs at the end of each phase of a project. Regardless of when they are performed, if you are a project team member, chances are you will soon be required to present an evaluation of your project using Lessons Learned.Presenting new information that updates the award-winning first edition, The Basics of Project Evaluation and Lessons Learned, Second Edition supplies practical guidance on conducting project Lessons Learned. The first edition won the Project Management Institute's (PMI®) David I. Cleland Project Management Literature Award. Following in the footsteps of its popular predecessor, this second edition provides an easy-to-follow, systematic approach to conducting Lessons Learned on a project.Updated to align with the PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition Includes three new chapters—PRINCE2®, Agile Retrospectives, and Knowledge Transfer— in response to information requests from readers of the first edition from around the worldEnhanced with valuable new resources in the Project Evaluation Resource Kit (PERK) found on the downloadable resources, including a fully functional MS Access Lessons Learned DatabaseThe research in this book is based on four years of doctoral dissertation research and is supported by renowned experts in the field of evaluation. The concepts covered are applicable to all types of organizations that implement projects and need to conduct Lessons Learned.Providing tools and techniques for active engagement, the text is founded on the principles of conducting project evaluations as recommended by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading not-for-profit membership association for the project management profession, and PRINCE2® (Project in Controlled Environments version 2), a major governing body of project management.Simplifying and formalizing the methodology of conducting LL in projects, the contents of this book will help organizations, large and small, more effectively implement processes and systems to support effective LL. The text is supported by a Project Evaluation Resource Kit (PERK), which is found in the downloadable resources.

The 22nd Annual Meeting of the International Police Executive Symposium was held in August 2012 at the United Nations Plaza in New York. Chaired by Dr. Garth den Heyer, the symposium focused on the links between economic development, armed violence, and public safety. Drawn from these proceedings, Economic Development, Crime, and Policing: Global Perspectives presents the insight of police leaders and researchers from a number of countries. They provide worldwide perspectives and case studies about the complex interrelations and influence of these issues on police practice in developed, developing, and transitioning countries.Topics include: Youth violence in societyEconomic downturn and global crime trendsRestorative justice and recidivismCommunity-based policingInvestigation techniques applied to financial crimesPolicing gang violenceImplementation of the rule of law in postconflict countriesPolicing transportation infrastructuresThe book organizes these topics according to regional perspectives (global, modern democracies, emerging democracies, and newly industrialized countries). It highlights ongoing response efforts related to challenges facing the police in emerging or newly democratized states. The book concludes with a comprehensive review of the fundamental elements of police reform and explores how such changes might affect society. It discusses the role of society in reforming police systems and suggests new directions for this broad research agenda.This book is a co-publication with the International Police Executive Symposium.

See Why Blender Is Right for Your Studio’s PipelineBlender for Animation and Film-Based Production explores why Blender is ideal for animation films. It demonstrates Blender’s capability to do the job in each production department. Whether you are a beginner or more advanced user, you’ll see why Blender should be taken into consideration in animation and film production.This Blender reference will help you: Manage your projects from start to finishUnderstand the different stages in any animation productionSee how studios work and develop their animation projects Describing the versatility and power of Blender, the book shows you why studios should incorporate Blender in their pipeline. It avoids tedious tutorials and incomprehensible examples. Instead, the book guides you toward finding efficient solutions for issues with your production files or pipeline. It familiarizes you with the animation industry and explores the risks involved in choosing Blender as a primary tool in animation studios.

Updated yearly to match changing requirements, this guide is designed to help you understand the criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Baldrige criteria are being used by thousands of organizations around the world to evaluate their progress toward becoming the best in their fields. This 17th edition of The Pocket Guide to the Baldrige Criteria begins with commonly asked questions about the Award criteria. It then breaks down the 19 items under the seven category headings of the Baldrige criteria with concise explanation and quick tips of what excellent companies do in each area.

Part of the Toyota Production System, Kamishibai boards are simple and flexible visual controls for performing audits within a manufacturing process. When used properly, they are powerful tools for performing, managing, and auditing tasks of specific duties.Kamishibai Boards: A Lean Visual Management System That Supports Layered Audits explains how to use this visual management system to identify normal conditions versus abnormal conditions in your organization. Filled with easy-to-follow instructions that require minimal training, it outlines a layered audit system for sustaining continuous improvement that can be applied to any organization in any industry.The book includes downloadable resources with master forms you can use to create your own daily, weekly, or monthly Kamishibai cards for any subject. The downloadable resources also include electronic copies of all examples in the book.Helping you focus on resolving abnormal situations, the book supplies the understanding required to make problems, abnormalities, and variations from the standard visible so corrective actions can be made right away—so you can spend more of your valuable time on achieving sustainable improvement.

Health services are often fragmented along organizational lines with limited communication among the public health–related programs or organizations, such as mental health, social services, and public health services. This can result in disjointed decision making without necessary data and knowledge, organizational fragmentation, and disparate knowledge development across the full array of public health needs. When new questions or challenges arise that require collaboration, individual public health practitioners (e.g., surveillance specialists and epidemiologists) often do not have the time and energy to spend on them.Smart Use of State Public Health Data for Health Disparity Assessment promotes data integration to aid crosscutting program collaboration. It explains how to maximize the use of various datasets from state health departments for assessing health disparity and for disease prevention. The authors offer practical advice on state public health data use, their strengths and weaknesses, data management insight, and lessons learned. They propose a bottom-up approach for building an integrated public health data warehouse that includes localized public health data.The book is divided into three sections: Section I has seven chapters devoted to knowledge and skill preparations for recognizing disparity issues and integrating and analyzing local public health data. Section II provides a systematic surveillance effort by linking census tract poverty to other health disparity dimensions. Section III provides in-depth studies related to Sections I and II. All data used in the book have been geocoded to the census tract level, making it possible to go more local, even down to the neighborhood level.

Delivering excellent service to all customers is the key imperative for many sustainable businesses. So why do so many supply chains struggle to fulfill customer requirements at competitive costs? The answer is simple: traditional supply chain planning, which was tailored to a predominantly stable and predictable business environment, cannot handle the new challenges in the world of variability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity—the VUCA world.Companies can either accept the drawbacks that often result in high inventories, poor asset utilization, and unsatisfactory customer service or, they can change their view of the fundamental approach to supply chain management. LEAN Supply Chain Planning: The New Supply Chain Management Paradigm for Process Industries to Master Today’s VUCA World introduces a new paradigm and a new approach to managing variability, uncertainty, and complexity in today’s planning processes and systems.Introducing a cutting-edge supply chain management concept that addresses current problems in the process industry's supply chains, the book presents powerful methods developed by leading research institutes, process industry champions, and supply chain experts. It explains how readers can change their approach to the fundamental planning paradigms in a manner that will help their organizations achieve higher levels of responsiveness, improved levels of customer service, and substantial increases in cost-efficiencies.This holistic practitioner’s guide describes how to establish the right accountabilities for performance management and also provides a set of meaningful metrics to help measure your progress. Supplying detailed guidelines for transforming your supply chain, it includes first-hand reports of leading organizations that have already adopted some of the facets of this paradigm and used the relevant instruments to achieve unprecedented improvements to customer service, supply chain agility, and overall equipment effectiveness.

Since databases are the primary repositories of information for today’s organizations and governments, database security has become critically important. Introducing the concept of multilevel security in relational databases, this book provides a comparative study of the various models that support multilevel security policies in the relational database—illustrating the strengths and weaknesses of each model.Multilevel Security for Relational Databases covers multilevel database security concepts along with many other multilevel database security models and techniques. It presents a prototype that readers can implement as a tool for conducting performance evaluations to compare multilevel secure database models.The book supplies a complete view of an encryption-based multilevel security database model that integrates multilevel security for the relational database with a system that encrypts each record with an encryption key according to its security class level. This model will help you utilize an encryption system as a second security layer over the multilevel security layer for the database, reduce the multilevel database size, and improve the response time of data retrieval from the multilevel database. Considering instance-based multilevel database security, the book covers relational database access controls and examines concurrency control in multilevel database security systems. It includes database encryption algorithms, simulation programs, and Visual studio and Microsoft SQL Server code.

Project planning is generally accepted as an important contributor to project success. However, is there research that affirms the positive impact of project planning and gives guidance on how much effort should be spent on planning? To answer these questions, this book looks at current literature and new research of this under-studied area of project management. The author presents his findings from an extensive review of project planning literature that covers more than 270 sources. He also discusses new research that analyzes data from more than 1,300 global projects. The book confirms that the time spent on planning activities reduces risk and significantly increases the chances of project success. It also concludes that there can be too much planning and shows that the optimum ratio of planning to effort is 25%.The book examines the impact of project planning on different industries. It discusses research in the construction and information technology (IT) industries, and presents a case study of how to plan and track a software development project. The book also looks at the impact of geography on project planning and success.Intended as a basic tool in the library of any project manager or general manager, this book brings to light project planning techniques and information that have never been published previously. It is an important resource on how to plan projects properly and propel your career forward.

If you examine the characteristics of successful organizations, you will find that speed is a common denominator. Once there is a focus on speed, industry-leading improvements follow, momentum is created, and employees become further engaged to continue executing the strategy.The Four Components of a Fast-Paced Organization: Going Beyond Lean Sigma Tools examines the components that must be in place for manufacturing and service organizations to achieve world-class business results at a rapid pace: leadership and mentoring, process design and visual value streams, organization structure for sustainment, and fast knowledge sharing.The book illustrates the author’s experience working on a special Lean Sigma transformation at an organization going through a market alteration and having to consider outsourcing production to low-cost countries. It describes how the four key components helped the company achieve a doubling of productivity, a 75% improvement to its yield, and on-time delivery above 90%.Outlining a simple, yet effective, implementation plan, the book supplies valuable guidance for Lean practitioners and organizational leaders on what needs to be done after Lean Sigma. It presents only the necessary information to allow you to dive right in to proven methods without having to waste time sorting through unnecessary details.We all want a culture of continuous improvement, learning, and customer orientation; and this is what the four components can help you achieve. Follow the implementation steps outlined in the text and you will be on your way to developing and refining these characteristics.

The first edition of this book won a Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing Research, and now, following in the tradition of its bestselling predecessor, The Complete Lean Enterprise: Value Stream Mapping for Office and Services, Second Edition details a robust step-by-step approach for implementing Lean initiatives in the service industry and office environments.A must-read for those looking to maximize the value they provide their customers, this new edition describes how to better align value stream improvements to strategic needs. In addition, it engages the entire organization in experimentation and connects a new management system with tiered visuals in support of leader standard work. This updated edition of a Shingo Prize Winner: Features new critical steps in planning and preparing for VSM eventsIncludes new content and examples from the service industry, including healthcareProvides a new examination of future state mappingDetails methods for engaging an entire organization in continuous improvement by focusing on socializationDiscusses the use of experiments to "learn your way" to a future stateProvides examples of tiered visual management and demonstrates the principles of a lean management systemProviding improved ways to involve your organization in transformation and to sustain your efforts, the book expands beyond the "tools focus" to challenge your organization to think and act differently in order to change the culture of your organization as you become more effective and efficient.This book details proven methods for aligning the organization for transformation, creating future state visions of improved effectiveness and efficiency, and engaging all levels of the organization in the transformation. After reading it, you will be better prepared to transform your organization to one that not only sustains improvement gains but is more adaptable to shifts in market and customer needs.

A critical appraisal of why environmental policies fail and succeed, Environmental Policymaking and Stakeholder Collaboration provides policy makers with the keys to navigating complicated environmental issues and stakeholder negotiations. It covers theories in environmental policy making and stakeholder management, compares and contrasts failed and successful process and policy, and includes practical guidelines and tools for the practitioner. More than just a theoretical examination, the book presents an extensive tool kit of more than 70 practical and applied ideas to guide the implementation of inclusive stakeholder collaboration. These ideas can be used by governments and organizations to improve decision making and ensure that stakeholders and the general public have a say in public policy. The book covers theories of stakeholder collaboration, building an understanding of why stakeholder collaboration is simultaneously critical for effective policy making and why it is so challenging. While the focus of this book is on environmental policymaking, the theories and tools can be applied to any issue. Government cannot be expected to solve our public problems in isolation: we must ensure that diverse interests are heard and represented in the policymaking process. This book is more than just a theoretical treatise about stakeholder collaboration; it is also a collection of applied and practical tools to ensure that collaboration is put into practice in ways that are effective and meaningful. It helps people with a passion for the environment understand how to get their voices heard and helps governments understand how to listen.