Business Commons^™

An Empirical Estimation Of Statistical Inferences For System Dynamics Model Parameters, Mohammed Mesabbah, Wael Rashwan, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

For system dynamics simulation (SD) models, an estimation of statistical distributions for uncertain parameters is crucial. These distributions could be used for testing models sensitivity, quality of policies, and/or estimating confidence intervals for these parameters. Assumptions related to normality, independence and constant variation are often misapplied in dynamic simulation. Bootstrapping holds a considerable theoretical advantage when used with non-Gaussian data for estimating empirical distributions for unknown parameters. Although it is a widely acceptable approach, it has had only limited use in system dynamics applications. This paper introduces an application of Direct Residual Bootstrapping (DRBS) for statistical inference in system dynamic …

National Hospitality Conference 2014: A Report, James Peter Murphy

Reports

The 2014 National Hospitality Conference took place on November 3^rd and was held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin. The main theme of this year’s conference was ‘Preparing for growth’ , DIT Bar Studies students from the School of Culinary Arts & Food Technology joined delegates in debating and discussing the significant issues surrounding the conference theme.

Optimization Of Resources To Improve Patient Experience In The New Emergency Department Of Mater Hospital Dublin, Heba Habib, Waleed Abo-Hamad, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

Healthcare systems globally are facing capacity issues due to the increased demand of health services, the high cost of resources and the level of quality anticipated of service providers. Emergency Departments (ED) are the most pressurized unit in healthcare systems due to uncertainty in demand and limited resources allocated. Mater Hospital (one of leading hospitals) in Dublin has built a new (state-of-the-art) unit for ED yet faced an issue in resourcing the unit to optimize performance. This paper presents an integrated solution to optimize the capacity of the new ED before opening to public and examine improvement interventions in the …

Integrating Simulation Modelling And Value Stream Mapping For Leaner Capacity Planning Of An Emergency Department, Esmat Swallmeh, Ayman Tobail, Waleed Abo-Hamad, James Gray, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

Recently, the application of lean thinking in healthcare has grown significantly in response to rising demand, caused by population growth, ageing and high expectations of service quality. However, insufficient justifications and lack of quantifiable evidence are the main obstacles to convince healthcare executives to adopt lean philosophies. This paper presents a real application of the successful implementation of a methodology that integrates Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and simulation modelling to improve an emergency department (ED) of a University hospital in Dublin. Appling lean approach in operations will minimize the patient waiting time and improve service time. VSM points out to …

Institutionalizing Industrial Development: The Cases Of Ireland And Taiwan, Paul Donnelly

Conference papers

Both Ireland and Taiwan are considered to have experienced “economic miracles” that, ex ante, could not have been predicted when the two countries started along the road of industrial development in the late 1940s / early 1950s through to the end of the 1960s. Taking the view that industrial development does not appear as a ready formed institution, as an essence that always-already existed, what is of interest in this paper is the work of institutionalizing or institutionalization as an on-going process. Accordingly, and through the lens of actor-network theory (ANT), the paper follows how both countries structured/organized themselves to …

A Typology Of Middle Manager Strategic Activity: An Exploration In An International Business Context, Dónal O’Brien

Doctoral

There is a growing body of literature which recognises the strategic importance of middle managers (Westney, 1990, Kanter, 1982, Balogun, 2003, Balogun et al., 2011, Tippmann et al., 2013). Through enactment of strategic activities, middle managers influence how strategy develops in organisations (Aherne et al., 2014). Floyd and Wooldridge (1992) developed a model of upward and downward strategic activity which has been the basis for much of the research on middle managers. However, recent developments have highlighted the limitations in only researching upward and downward strategic activities (Rouleau and Balogun, 2011). Middle managers are engaged with interfaces above and below …

Reducing Conflict And Violence In Hospitality Establishments., James Peter Murphy

Conference papers

Bar owners and staff members must be more concerned about safety and security issues. This is the result of a variety of factors, most notably recent legislative changes at national and international level and the subsequent high costs of assaults (including costs relating to litigation and compensation). Poor health, safety and security standards place staff members and customers at risk of serious injury if not death; employers suffer in terms of lost productivity and potentially higher premiums and the morale of the staff, as well as the industrial relations climate in the bar, can be adversely affected. At a minimum, …

Waste Management And Energy Recovery: A Significant Business Issue, James Peter Murphy

Conference papers

Waste Management and energy recovery has become a significant business issue for hospitality establishments in recent years. Hospitality establishments have to be more concerned about waste in their businesses and be able to adopt systems to reduce, reuse and recover waste. This challenge is the result of a variety of factors, most notably the charges involved in waste removal and cost of every businesses energy needs. Costs have grown dramatically, landfill capacity has become increasingly scarce and expensive. Stringent legislation has been introduced around the world to ensure optimum waste management and energy recovery practices in hospitality businesses. Opportunities have …

Developing Craft Beer Sales Opportunities: The Beer Tasting Experience, James Peter Murphy

Conference papers

The aim of this special presentation was to offer advice to delegates and members of the hospitality and retail licensed trade industries, amateur beer appreciation clubs and tasting groups, in relation to what preparations are necessary and what pitfalls to avoid when you are organising beer tasting events for their businesses.

Multi-Criteria Approach Using Simulation-Based Balanced Scorecard For Supporting Decisions In Health-Care Facilities: An Emergency Department Case Study, Waleed Abo-Hamad, Amr Arisha

Articles

Health research is a priority in every economy, and this research – set in the context of building a more sustainable and efficient health-care system – examines how operations management practices can be translated to clinical applications. Health-care systems in general (and emergency departments (EDs) in particular) around the world are facing enormous challenges in meeting the increasingly conflicting objectives of providing wide accessibility and delivering high-quality services efficiently and promptly. The framework proposed in this study integrates simulation modelling, the Balanced Scorecard, and multicriteria decision analysis with the aim of providing a decision support system for health-care managers. Using …

Performing Collaborative Creativity: Learning From Diverse Experts Interacting In Ireland’S Science Gallery, Diane Tangney, Olivia Freeman, Brendan O'Rourke

Conference papers

This paper presents preliminary findings deriving from a larger project investigating the performance of collaborative creativity and is primarily concerned with describing the communication patterns of such performance. Interactions between different domain experts in Ireland’s Science Gallery, Trinity College Dublin, were observed and recorded over the course of four months in 2011. The interactions have been loosely transcribed using the basic principles of CA. Preliminary findings include three observations. Firstly, creative performances involve a type of content we call ‘idea talk’. Secondly, performances of creative collaboration involve variance, not equality, in participation by individual experts. Variance in participation in group …

An Empirical Estimation Of Statistical Inferences For System Dynamics Model Parameters, Mohammed Mesabbah, Wael Rashwan, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

For system dynamics simulation (SD) models, an estimation of statistical distributions for uncertain parameters is crucial. These distributions could be used for testing models sensitivity, quality of policies, and/or estimating confidence intervals for these parameters. Assumptions related to normality, independence and constant variation are often misapplied in dynamic simulation. Bootstrapping holds a considerable theoretical advantage when used with non-Gaussian data for estimating empirical distributions for unknown parameters. Although it is a widely acceptable approach, it has had only limited use in system dynamics applications. This paper introduces an application of Direct Residual Bootstrapping (DRBS) for statistical inference in system dynamic …

Internationalising Family Run Business: Overcoming Conflict, Embracing Cohesion And The Role Of Entrepreneurship, Marty Reilly, Pamela Sharkey Scott

Conference papers

Family run businesses, despite their importance to both local economies and at a broader national level have traditionally received significantly less attention in business research than either Small to Medium Enterprises (SMES) or new venture business start-ups.

The study proposes to examine the internationalisation of family run businesses with a focus on cohesion, leadership and the role of entrepreneurship, both during and directly thereafter the critical interim of expanding operations across international borders.

Proposing a multiple case study methodology, we intend to explore the practicalities of how family run enterprises expand beyond their national borders and embrace wider, international markets. …

Facilitating Interagency Collaboration – Creating A Space For Learning In A ‘Wicked’ World., Denise O'Leary, Clare Rigg

Conference papers

Childrens Services Committees (CSC) in Ireland are structures to bring together all agencies involved in childrens services in a region. Their aim is to achieve better co-ordination in service delivery. This paper describes an ongoing programme developed by the authors to facilitate individuals within six working groups within one CSC to examine the effectiveness of their interagency collaboration. The programme entails engagement of participants in two workshops as well as the creation of a space for action learning within monthly working group meetings. Within this space, group members reflect on their collaborative processes and decide on actions to address identified …

Modelling The Reporting Culture Within A Modern Organisation, Ewan Douglas, Samuel Cromie, Maria Chiara Leva, Nora Balfe

Articles

Research shows that there are many factors that can influence the operation of a “Reporting Culture” within organisations, ranging from the attitudes to the workers, to the methodology implemented, to the managerial attitudes within the organisation (Reason, 1998). Understanding and modelling these factors may help develop an optimum reporting system. Historically, research has focused on the concept of “Near Miss Reporting” which is based on the idea of identifying the “bottom” of the safety triangle concept put forward in Heinrich (1941) which suggests that for each accident there are dozens of near misses, and identifying these near misses will hopefully …

Craving Alcohol, James Peter Murphy

Conference papers

Individuals involved in the treatment of alcoholism for decades have argued that men and women crave alcohol essentially because they enjoy the effect it offers. This effect is so mysterious that, while adults will confess that these cravings are potentially dangerous to their health and wellbeing, during consumption their reasoning and belief of these facts will alternate between the true and the false. In essence these individuals' alcohol cravings life actually seems to them the only normal life. Some will demonstrate conditions of discontentment, irritability and restlessness, until they can regain the experience and ease obtained by consuming a couple …

Employment Opportunities And Skills Requirements For Construction And Property Surveying 2014 - 2018, Roisin Murphy, Stephen Walsh

Reports

In Autumn 2012, a number of Society members expressed their increasing struggle to find qualified graduate surveyors to fill vacancies in their practices. At the same time, members working in academic institutions reported a severe reduction in the number of students enrolling on surveying courses at third level.

(Re)Constructing Career Strategies After Experiencing Involuntary Job Loss, Sue Mulhall

Articles

This research article focuses on experiences of involuntary job loss following organisational change as occasions for career (re)construction. Using narrative inquiry, it explores the career stories of four former professionals on an Irish active labour market programme assisting the long-term unemployed to transition to employment. The article portrays how, and in what ways, the participants respond when confronted with transformation. Offering an empirically grounded understanding of the character and conduct of those encountering transition with greater nuance than that currently found in the literature, the article comprehends the approach that the former professionals use to (re)construct their career strategies. By …