Search results

In this article a practical framework is proposed, that can be used to organise the activities related to the selection‐process of technology development projects. The framework is based upon recent literature and application at DAF Trucks Company. A technology development project has a long way to go, before it contributes to the productivity of the company. This long lead‐time causes uncertainties and risks. Changes in market‐preferences and upcoming alternative technologies can prematurely make the developing technology become obsolete. In order to reduce the uncertainties and risks, the main technology opportunities and threats need to be identified as early as possible and submitted to a validation process. The technology opportunities and threats then have to be moulded into well‐defined project‐propositions. Out of the project‐propositions those projects should be selected that will best meet the long‐term objectives of the company. This paper is intended to be used as a reference for companies whowant to improve their technology development selection process.

In the last 15 years, the high-growth economic rates of the Russian Federation (RF) have been caused by expansion of the country's participation in the world's raw and energy markets. Now the economic growth opportunities at the expense of these factors are generally exhausted, Russia is faced by problems of high-quality updating of all aspects of socioeconomic and sociopolitical life. These tasks are dictated as external “major challenges” of global character, and internal processes. To confront the challenges and to minimize risks, Russia needs to change the raw model of economic growth which poses the threats for stability of social and economic development.

First, the scientific, technological, and innovative policy which is carried out by industrially developed countries and some new industrial countries is to create the answer to a challenge of maintaining competitiveness and achievement of high productivity rates now. Its purpose is to stimulate development and deployment of advanced technologies, whose productivity significantly exceeds characteristics of traditional technologies.

The happening changes are so considerable that the world enters, perhaps, in the largest technological transition for all history when the richness of natural resources and low cost of work stop being major factors of growth. In total, these changes are estimated as “new industrial revolution” or, in narrower sense, as “technological revolution” which are based on the transition from mass production of the standardized production to the flexible high-performance production which is turning out the individualized products.

In this regard, the productive inclusion in new technological revolution, the implementation of the structural maneuver in economy and social system, can become one of the main objectives for Russia until 2035. The RF should pass a new development model which is based on high-tech industries. It is about the start of the big national project (program) “National Technological Initiative” (NTI).

The implementation of project-planning office functions of NTI is the priority direction of management and modern tool for business which is provided due to the development of NTI planning office, its full-scale expansion, and removal on operational power for support of development and implementation of the plans of measures (“road maps”) of NTI and projects for implementation of “road maps.”

Inherent in MIS applications undergoing development are elements of risk and a potential for failure. A strategy for choosing a development approach based on project risk is presented. Project risk is examined in the light of project size, a development group's experience with a technology and project structure. Three development approaches are considered: SDLC, prototyping and end‐user development. The simple and joint outcomes of project risk vis‐à‐vis development approach are described along with the proposed strategy.

This research paper takes a narrow approach to examining the apparent link between poverty and the resource extraction industries. However, it acknowledges that much more is to be explored about this relationship. Many complexities influence the occurrence and degree of poverty in a particular country, region, or community.

The literature review identified proposed and operational poverty reduction actions and processes categorized under the broad concept of community development projects. The surveyed cases describe how various corporate strategies, work processes, labor requirements and efficient management and governance solutions are purported to improve poverty-reduction efforts potentially.

No causal linkages between poverty and hypothetically valuable and successful community development projects were found. No poverty monitoring evaluations and learning data (MEL) for these projects were proposed and published in most of the literature. However, associations were observed between some business practices implemented in these resource extraction community development projects and observations of indicators of lower poverty levels.

The research improves our understanding of the requirements and opportunities for successful community development projects by highlighting processes, company strategy, human resource programs and enlightened governance that can contribute to reducing poverty.

The paper identifies the characteristics of community development projects that appear to span natural resource extraction industries and countries. Effective management strategies and representative and formally designated organisational governance boards are essential for these projects.

This study proposes targeted modernization of the Department of Defense (DoD's) Joint Forces Ammunition Logistics information system by implementing the optimized innovative information technology open architecture design and integrating Radio Frequency Identification Device data technologies and real-time optimization and control mechanisms as the critical technology components of the solution. The innovative information technology, which pursues the focused logistics, will be deployed in 36 months at the estimated cost of $568 million in constant dollars. We estimate that the Systems, Applications, Products (SAP)-based enterprise integration solution that the Army currently pursues will cost another $1.5 billion through the year 2014; however, it is unlikely to deliver the intended technical capabilities.

At any point in time, most companies have a myriad of internal development initiatives in progress, dealing with a broad spectrum of different activities with respect to time horizon, functional areas involved, and actors with different roles and interests.

This chapter sets forth to analyse how to manage this myriad of projects. Two ways of bringing several projects into a meaningful context will be presented. In the first way, a plurality of simultaneous development initiatives is organized in portfolios based on their mutual interdependencies. Four approaches to prioritizing projects in a portfolio will be discussed.

In the second way, a development program is formulated in which a strategic effort should be implemented by means of a number of different projects.

The last section will focus on company development under unpredictable and complex conditions, and we will present a framework for Agile company development.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the most progressive commodity among current information system applications. In-house development and sales of beneficial products are difficult for many software development and service companies (SDSCs). SDSCs have some implicit concerns about implementing AI software development due to the complexity of AI technology; they require an evaluation framework to avoid development failure. To fill the void, this study identified the factors influencing SDSCs when developing AI software development.

Based on complex adaptive systems theory, three aspects were developed as the main factors of hierarchy, namely, employees' capabilities, environmental resources and team capabilities. Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) was used to assess the SDSCs' attitude. Based on SDSCs, attitudes toward implementing AI software projects were collected to calculate the hierarchy of factors.

The outcome of FAHP is used as understanding the key factors of SDSCs for selecting an AI software project, toward the improvement of overall project planning. Employees' stress resistance was considered as a priority for the project, although professional AI skills and resources were also important.

This study suggested three variables developed using complex adaptive systems. This study contributes to a better understanding of the critical aspects of developing AI software projects in SDSCs. The study's findings have practical and academic implications for SDSCs and subsequent academic development, broadening the scope of AI software development research.

Infrastructure development through public-private partnership (PPP) route in India has exhibited concerns about not promoting progress toward sustainable development goals, particularly social and environmental perspectives. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to identify the shortcomings in the Indian PPP procurement process using the key principles of sustainability.

Qualitative research inquiry through grounded theory approach by using the literature and interview source was used to identify the challenges encountered in sustainable infrastructure development of PPP projects. These challenges were, first, reviewed from the perspectives of key sustainability principles and then discussed with the key stakeholders through focused interviews. Furthermore, micro-interlocutor analysis was carried to get an insight on the extent of consensus amongst the experts regarding these identified shortfalls.

The key shortfalls identified from the study that adversely affect progress toward sustainable development include incomprehensive environmental impact assessment and social impact assessment studies; lack of stakeholder and local participation; high bidding and transaction cost; high user charges; improper risk allocation; lack of transparency and accountability; goal conflicts between public and private sector; and lack of skill and knowledge about sustainability.

The study findings will help in devising appropriate strategies for enhancing the mechanisms, policies, and governance structure of PPP process in order to overcome these shortfalls and help in accomplishing the goals of sustainability while developing infrastructure even through PPP route.

The paper presents different insights into PPP from sustainability perspective which has not been the focus of the current studies on PPPs. Sustainability assessment of PPP procurement is an area of research which is in a nascent stage.