Fenntartható fejlődés = Sustainability issues in purchasing and supply management

A fenntarthatóság kérdését a vállalati működésben számos kutatás elemzi. A vizsgálatokat azonban érdemes kiterjeszteni a vállalatokat beszállítóikkal összekötő kapcsolatrendszerre és az annak menedzseléséért felelős beszerzésre is, hiszen a nagy vállalatok beszerzési döntései jelentős értékükön keresztül fontos motiváló erőt jelentenek a beszállító vállalatok egy sokkal szélesebb hálózata számára. Tanulmányunk célja áttekinteni a fenntarthatóság három pillérjének beszerzési értelmezésének lehetőségeit, ehhez kapcsolódva bemutatni azokat a motivációs tényezőket, amelyek biztosíthatják azt, hogy a beszerzés a gyakorlatban is kezelni tudja a fenntarthatóság szempontjait. A bemutatott eredmények az irodalom feltérképezésén alapszanak, és egy olyan kutatás részét képezik, melynek során vállalati beszerzési szakembereket kérdezünk a fenntartható beszerzéssel kapcsolatos vállalati gyakorlatról és tapasztalataikról. A kutatás a Budapesti Corvinus Egyetemen folyó „Versenyben a világgal” kutatási program keretében készült. = Sustainability issues in literature are getting more and more attention. In this study the focus is extended to purchasing and supplier relationships as companies influence their supply base by the priorities of their sourcing decision. This paper addresses sustainability in purchasing in a comprehensive way including green, social responsibility and corporate growth issues. The results of a research project which aims to reveal and structure the meaning of sustainable purchasing and the motivating forces leading companies to make efforts in purchasing for sustainability and means applied to attain achievements at some fields of sustainability. After presenting the results of literature review, some theory development was done to create a framework in which it is possible to describe the sustainability means applied and the motivating force behind. This framework serves as a basis of an empirical investigation among Hungarian companies. The empirical results validated the theoretical framework: the number and the characteristics of sustainability activities were determined by the type of motivation (to avoid negative effects, compliance to expectations, to attain positive effects). Our research project was part of the research project “In Global Competition”.

Leadership jellemvonások és lean menedzsment – elmélet és gyakorlat = Leadership attributes and lean management in theory and practice

A műhelytanulmány két kutatási kérdést vizsgál. Egyrészt kiemelt szakirodalom alapján megvizsgálja, hogy az elméleti ajánlások milyen vezetési stílust és vezetői stílusjegyeket fogalmaznak meg követendőnek egy lean vállalat számára. Másrészt megvizsgálja, hogy a lean menedzsment gyakorlatának alkalmazásában fejlettebb vállalatok vezetői valóban az irodalom által javasolt, kívánatosnak tekintett vezetői stílusjegyeket tekintik-e pozitívnak. Vizsgálatunkat a Versenyképesség Kutató Központ 2009-es kérdőívének adatbázisán végeztük el, melyben mintegy 300 vállalat négy vezetőjének válaszai állnak rendelkezésre. A rendelkezésre álló mintából mi az 50 fő feletti foglalkoztatottal rendelkező, feldolgozóipari vállalatokra fókuszáltunk, esetükben elemeztük a vezérigazgató és a termelésvezető által követendőnek, jónak tartott vezetői stílusjegyek alkalmazását. ----- Abstract: The working paper focuses on two connected research quesions: Ono ne hand based on selected literature it systematically looks at the ideal leadership style and connected leader attributes that help in transforming a company into a real lean organization. On the other hand the paper analyzes whether leaders of companies with more developed lean practice do or do not follow these leadership related suggestions formulated in the literature. The study uses the fourth round of the Hungarian Competitiveness Research Survey from 2009. The survey has 300 valid observations. Four different respondents in each company filled in questionnaires, all of them were top managers (CEO, marketing /sales, finance, production). Plants were quite different alongside the most important organizational dimensions (volume, number of employee, industry, ownership). Previous researches pointed out that lean management is more likely applied by larger manufacturer. Hence, this study is limited to the analysis of questionnaires filled in by producers that have more than 50 employees. We analyze the leadership styles of two managers, namely the CEO and production manager.

Change of composition and diversity of species and grassland management between different grazing intensity in Pannonian dry and wet grasslands

Investigations were carried out in wet and dry pasture. Coenological recordings were taken in three zones. The first zone (“A”) located 0-50 m near the stable, second zone (“B”) located 50-150 m from the stable, while the third zone (“C”) located farther than 150 m. We have carried out analyses of ecological and environmental factors and life form types. Based on our results for both dry and wet grasslands, quadrates of “A” zone were well isolated from the rest of the zones. Overgrazing, which involves considerable trampling, vanishes differences among vegetations, thereby promotes weed and disturbance tolerant rich vegetation. The lowest species number and diversity could be found here. Due to the nitrogen enrichment due to the constant presence of livestock, drier and less heat demanding habitat developed in the “A” zones, according to the environmental indicators. Because of the change in management, conservation and diversity values of “C” zone increased, however, according to nature protection values it underperformed compared to “B” zone. According to the sample area, wet grasslands from the sandy areas of Kiskunság, preserve nature protection values and grass composition better moving away from stables, due to less grazing pressure. Drier backgrounds tolerate stronger grazing pressure.

Speciális kockázatok és kockázatkezelés a kockázatitőke-finanszírozásban (The special risks and risk management of venture capital)

A tanulmányban a szerzők arra a kérdésre keresik a választ, hogy az aszimmetrikus információk hatására a vállalkozók és a befektetők között kialakuló megbízó-ügynök viszonynak melyek a speciális vetületei a kockázatitőke-finanszírozás vonatkozásában. A szerzők arra a következtetésre jutottak, hogy a hiányos információk, a megbízó-ügynök viszony, illetve az ügyletek speciális jellege miatt fokozottan jelentkező ügynökprobléma kezelésére a kockázatitőke-finanszírozás szereplői speciális kockázatkezelési technikákat alkalmaznak. Ilyenek a magas elvárt hozamok, a szigorú kiválasztási kritériumok, a speciális befektetési vagy szindikátusi szerződések, a befektetést követő monitoring tevékenység, a több lépcsőben történő finanszírozás és a portfólióvállalatok hálózatba szervezése. A speciális kockázati megközelítés következtében a befektetéseket opciós szemlélet is áthatja. _____ This paper focuses on the special aspects of imperfect information in case of venture capital financing including principal-agent relationship between entrepreneurs and investors as well as adverse selection that evolves as a result of information asymmetries. The authors’ finding is that venture capital is able to manage the problems caused by imperfect information via applying divers risk management techniques such as high profit expectations, scrutiny of portfolio-companies, the use of special contracting stipulations and syndicate agreements, the monitoring of investments, multi-staged financing of companies and the integration of portfolio-companies into networks. In addition to the risk management techniques the authors also give the interpretation of the unique attitude of venture capital toward uncertainty and its special real option-like risk valuation approach that makes venture capitalists capable of handling high uncertainty under imperfect information.

The risk of adverse selection and its management in the process of venture capital investment (The experience of Hungarian investors)

Venture capitalists can be regarded as financers of young, high-risk enterprises, seeking investments with a high growth potential and offering professional support above and beyond their capital investment. The aim of this study is to analyse the occurrence of information asymmetry between venture capital investors and entrepreneurs, with special regard to the problem of adverse selection. In the course of my empirical research, I conducted in-depth interviews with 10 venture capital investors. The aim of the research was to elicit their opinions about the situation regarding information asymmetry, how they deal with problems arising from adverse selection, and what measures they take to manage these within the investment process. In the interviews we also touched upon how investors evaluate state intervention, and how much they believe company managers are influenced by state support.

Stratégiai paradigmaváltás szervezeti verseny(képesség) és az Operations management központi szerepe (Central role of strategic paradigm change, corporate competitiveness and operations management)

Az elmúlt két évtized folyamán a menedzserek megtanultak a megújult szabályok szerint játszani. Tudatosították, hogy a vállalatuk eredményes navigálásához folyamatosan figyelniük és adaptálniuk kell a legújabb módszereket, elméleteket. Jelen tanulmányával a szerző ezt a folyamatot kívánja segíteni, valamint arra az alapvető kérdésre keresi a választ, hogy érdemes-e a rendkívül gyorsan változó világban hosszabb távú célok meghatározásával foglalkozni, és ha igen, akkor mire összpontosítsák a vállalatok erőfeszítéseiket. Milyen részletezettséggel, milyen módon határozzák meg az elképzeléseiket úgy, hogy közben megőrizzék a vállalat flexibilitását, a változások idején nélkülözhetetlen agilitást. A szerző arra vállalkozik, hogy feltárja a stratégiai paradigmaváltás fejlődését, a termelési stratégia, az operations management központi meghatározó szereppé válását, valamint áttekintse a termelési és szolgáltatási rendszervezetés (OM) elveinek, eszközeinek, módszereinek fejlődését, kölcsönhatását, összefüggéseit. _______ Change of paradigm has taken place in strategic planning. Fight for position turned into a fight of movement. Companies strive to achieve individual, not copyable organizational performance, as well as to realize their business strategies by means of value generating, proactive approach. Operative management now placed in the focus of production strategy is becoming the compass, the driving force of leadership. The management of production and service systems has grown into independent scientific disciplines. It yielded such principles, tools and methods which are present as world-renowned blueprints (scientific tools) in the field of maintaining and developing corporate performance. In the present study the author specifies and discusses the tools of operative management as criteria of value generation aiming at quality and cost efficiency. He analyses the backto- back character, interrelationship of quality, TQM (Total Quality Management), TPS (Toyota Production System) and JIT (Just in Time). He examines the effects thereof on corporate performance where significant and strong relationship can be demonstrated in case there is an ability to plan and develop new products. The current new OM (Operations Management) techniques increasingly rely upon the quality of human resources, the permanent improvement of procedures as well as focusing on tight cooperation with suppliers/customers. Supply chain management, core competence management, service management now represent a “new generation” of the OM methods, processes, serving at the same time as basis and starting point for expectable future techniques as well.

A tudományterületi sajátosságok következményei a kutatásban, az oktatásban és a felsőoktatási intézmények vezetésében (The consequences of disciplinary difference on teaching, research and institutional management of higher education)

A szerző tanulmányában vizsgálja a tudományterületek különbségeinek következményeit az oktatásban, a kutatásban és a felsőoktatási intézmények irányításában. A tanulmány első felében a tudományterületek episztemológiai és közösségi különbségeit tárgyalja Becher és Trowler (2001) népszerű kategorizálása alapján. A tanulmány második felében a tudományszerveződésre, a publikációs gyakorlatra, a doktori képzésre, az oktatás céljára és formáira, a diákok tudásképére, valamint a menedzsmentfelfogásra gyakorolt hatást mutatja be. A konklúzióban egyrészt a minőség- és teljesítményértékelési rendszerek differenciált megközelítésének szükségességére hívja fel a figyelmet, másrészt arra, hogy a Bologna-rendszer és az élethosszig tartó tanulás erősödésének következményeként egy-egy mesterszakon nemcsak a hallgatóság háttere, előismerete lesz sokszínű, hanem a tudásról alkotott képe is. Ez újfajta oktatói szerepeket és oktatási megközelítéseket tesz szükségessé. ________ In the article the consequences of disciplinary difference on teaching, research and institutional management is examined. In the first part of the paper the epistemological and sociological differences of scientific disciplines are summarized based on the popular typology of Becher and Trowler (2001). In the second part the influence of differences on organisation of sciences, publication practices, PhD studies, the goal and form of teaching, students’ conception of knowledge as well as on the understanding on management and leadership are discussed. In the conclusions, attention is drawn on the necessity of differentiation in quality and performance management processes. Another conclusion is that new roles for teachers and approaches for teaching is required if students’ conception of knowledge become more heterogeneous which is the result of result of life long learning and Bologna-reform.

Olcsó és okos – a frugal innováció és a tudásmenedzsment szimbiózisa (Cheap and clever – symbiosis of frugal innovation and knowledge management)

A tudásmenedzsment-rendszerek működtetése lassan elfogadottá, és a nagyobb vállalatok életében a mindennapok részévé vált az elmúlt években. A rendszer hordozta előnyök, lehetőségek teljes körű kiaknázása azonban közel sem mutat ilyen reményteli képet. Különösen igaz ez, ha a vállalati működés kulcsfolyamataival való kapcsolatát, egymásba épülését vizsgáljuk. E folyamatok közé tartozik az innováció is. Bár minden szakmabeli és laikus gondolkodás egyértelműen látja, hogy az innovációhoz tudás kell, és a tudásmenedzsment-rendszernek is a tudás az alapja, mégsem valósul meg e két terület szoros kapcsolata, együtt mozgása a siker érdekében. Különösen igaz ez a hiányosság a legújabb innovációs megoldásokban. A tanulmány a tudásmenedzsment-rendszer és a frugal innováció kapcsolatát, elvi és gyakorlati lehetőségeit mutatja be. ____ To operate a knowledge management system has become an accepted method and a part of everyday life in the biggest companies. The full circle exploitation of advantages and possibilities of this system does not show a hopeful picture. It is especially true when we examine relationships and constructions with other key processes in the operation of a company. Innovation belongs to above mentioned processes. Though every outsider and professional way of thinking sees clearly that knowledge is needed to innovate and knowledge is a basis of knowledge management, but the close connection of the two important processes has not been realized on behalf of success. Defectiveness is especially true in cases of the newest innovation methods. The paper shows the connection of frugal innovation and knowledge management, its theoretical and practical possibilities

Data partitioning and replication management in distributed geographic information system (GIS) database

This research presents several components encompassing the scope of the objective of Data Partitioning and Replication Management in Distributed GIS Database. Modern Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases are often large and complicated. Therefore data partitioning and replication management problems need to be addresses in development of an efficient and scalable solution. ^ Part of the research is to study the patterns of geographical raster data processing and to propose the algorithms to improve availability of such data. These algorithms and approaches are targeting granularity of geographic data objects as well as data partitioning in geographic databases to achieve high data availability and Quality of Service(QoS) considering distributed data delivery and processing. To achieve this goal a dynamic, real-time approach for mosaicking digital images of different temporal and spatial characteristics into tiles is proposed. This dynamic approach reuses digital images upon demand and generates mosaicked tiles only for the required region according to user's requirements such as resolution, temporal range, and target bands to reduce redundancy in storage and to utilize available computing and storage resources more efficiently. ^ Another part of the research pursued methods for efficient acquiring of GIS data from external heterogeneous databases and Web services as well as end-user GIS data delivery enhancements, automation and 3D virtual reality presentation. ^ There are vast numbers of computing, network, and storage resources idling or not fully utilized available on the Internet. Proposed "Crawling Distributed Operating System "(CDOS) approach employs such resources and creates benefits for the hosts that lend their CPU, network, and storage resources to be used in GIS database context. ^ The results of this dissertation demonstrate effective ways to develop a highly scalable GIS database. The approach developed in this dissertation has resulted in creation of TerraFly GIS database that is used by US government, researchers, and general public to facilitate Web access to remotely-sensed imagery and GIS vector information. ^

System design and resource management in the next-generation integrated WLAN and 3G cellular networks

Next-generation integrated wireless local area network (WLAN) and 3G cellular networks aim to take advantage of the roaming ability in a cellular network and the high data rate services of a WLAN. To ensure successful implementation of an integrated network, many issues must be carefully addressed, including network architecture design, resource management, quality-of-service (QoS), call admission control (CAC) and mobility management. ^ This dissertation focuses on QoS provisioning, CAC, and the network architecture design in the integration of WLANs and cellular networks. First, a new scheduling algorithm and a call admission control mechanism in IEEE 802.11 WLAN are presented to support multimedia services with QoS provisioning. The proposed scheduling algorithms make use of the idle system time to reduce the average packet loss of realtime (RT) services. The admission control mechanism provides long-term transmission quality for both RT and NRT services by ensuring the packet loss ratio for RT services and the throughput for non-real-time (NRT) services. ^ A joint CAC scheme is proposed to efficiently balance traffic load in the integrated environment. A channel searching and replacement algorithm (CSR) is developed to relieve traffic congestion in the cellular network by using idle channels in the WLAN. The CSR is optimized to minimize the system cost in terms of the blocking probability in the interworking environment. Specifically, it is proved that there exists an optimal admission probability for passive handoffs that minimizes the total system cost. Also, a method of searching the probability is designed based on linear-programming techniques. ^ Finally, a new integration architecture, Hybrid Coupling with Radio Access System (HCRAS), is proposed for lowering the average cost of intersystem communication (IC) and the vertical handoff latency. An analytical model is presented to evaluate the system performance of the HCRAS in terms of the intersystem communication cost function and the handoff cost function. Based on this model, an algorithm is designed to determine the optimal route for each intersystem communication. Additionally, a fast handoff algorithm is developed to reduce the vertical handoff latency.^

The impact of institutional complexity and top management characteristics on executive compensation and firm performance

While most studies take a dyadic view when examining the environmental difference between the home country of a multinational enterprise (MNE) and a particular foreign country, they ignore that an MNE is managing a network of subsidiaries embedded in diverse environments. Additionally, neither the impacts of global environments on top executives nor the effects of top executives’ capabilities to handle institutional complexity are fully explored. Thus, using a three-essay format, this dissertation tried to fill these gaps by addressing the effects of institutional complexity and top management characteristics on top executive compensation and firm performance. ^ Essay 1 investigated the impact of an MNE’s institutional complexity, or the diversity of national institutions facing an MNE’s network of subsidiaries, on the top management team (TMT) compensation. This essay proposed that greater political and cultural complexity leads to not only greater TMT total compensation but also to a greater portion of TMT compensation linked with long-term performance. The arguments are supported in this essay by using an unbalanced panel dataset including 296 U.S. firms with 1,340 observations. ^ Essay 2 explored TMT social capital and its moderating role on value creation and appropriation by the chief executive officer (CEO). Using a sample with 548 U.S. firms and 2,010 observations, it found that greater TMT social capital does facilitate the effects of CEO intellectual capital and social capital on firm growth. Finally, essay 3 examined the performance implications for the fit between managerial information-processing capabilities and institutional complexity. It proposed that institutional complexity is associated with the needs of information-processing. On the other hand, smaller TMT turnover and larger TMT size reflect larger managerial information-processing capabilities. Consequently, superior performance is achieved by the match among institutional complexity, TMT turnover, and TMT size. All hypotheses in essay 3 are supported in a sample of 301 U.S. firms and 1,404 observations. ^ To conclude, this dissertation advances and extends our knowledge on the roles of institutional environments and top executives on firm performance and top executive compensation.^

Relating precipitation and water management to nutrient concentrations in the oligotrophic ‘‘upside-down’’ estuaries of the Florida Everglades

We present 8 yr of long-term water quality, climatological, and water management data for 17 locations in Everglades National Park, Florida. Total phosphorus (P) concentration data from freshwater sites (typically ,0.25 mmol L21, or 8 mg L21) indicate the oligotrophic, P-limited nature of this large freshwater–estuarine landscape. Total P concentrations at estuarine sites near the Gulf of Mexico (average ø0.5 m mol L21) demonstrate the marine source for this limiting nutrient. This ‘‘upside down’’ phenomenon, with the limiting nutrient supplied by the ocean and not the land, is a defining characteristic of the Everglade landscape. We present a conceptual model of how the seasonality of precipitation and the management of canal water inputs control the marine P supply, and we hypothesize that seasonal variability in water residence time controls water quality through internal biogeochemical processing. Low freshwater inflows during the dry season increase estuarine residence times, enabling local processes to control nutrient availability and water quality. El Nin˜o–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events tend to mute the seasonality of rainfall without altering total annual precipitation inputs. The Nin˜o3 ENSO index (which indicates an ENSO event when positive and a La Nin˜a event when negative) was positively correlated with both annual rainfall and the ratio of dry season to wet season precipitation. This ENSO-driven disruption in seasonal rainfall patterns affected salinity patterns and tended to reduce marine inputs of P to Everglades estuaries. ENSO events also decreased dry season residence times, reducing the importance of estuarine nutrient processing. The combination of variable water management activities and interannual differences in precipitation patterns has a strong influence on nutrient and salinity patterns in Everglades estuaries.

Vegetation:environment relationships and water management in Shark Slough, Everglades National Park

The hydrologic regime of Shark Slough, the most extensive long hydroperiod marsh in Everglades National Park, is largely controlled by the location, volume, and timing of water delivered to it through several control structures from Water Conservation Areas north of the Park. Where natural or anthropogenic barriers to water flow are present, water management practices in this highly regulated system may result in an uneven distribution of water in the marsh, which may impact regional vegetation patterns. In this paper, we use data from 569 sampling locations along five cross-Slough transects to examine regional vegetation distribution, and to test and describe the association of marsh vegetation with several hydrologic and edaphic parameters. Analysis of vegetation:environment relationships yielded estimates of both mean and variance in soil depth, as well as annual hydroperiod, mean water depth, and 30-day maximum water depth within each cover type during the 1990’s. We found that rank abundances of the three major marsh cover types (Tall Sawgrass, Sparse Sawgrass, and Spikerush Marsh) were identical in all portions of Shark Slough, but regional trends in the relative abundance of individual communities were present. Analysis also indicated clear and consistent differences in the hydrologic regime of three marsh cover types, with hydroperiod and water depths increasing in the order Tall Sawgrass , Sparse Sawgrass , Spikerush Marsh. In contrast, soil depth decreased in the same order. Locally, these differences were quite subtle; within a management unit of Shark Slough, mean annual values for the two water depth parameters varied less than 15 cm among types, and hydroperiods varied by 65 days or less. More significantly, regional variation in hydrology equaled or exceeded the variation attributable to cover type within a small area. For instance, estimated hydroperiods for Tall Sawgrass in Northern Shark Slough were longer than for Spikerush Marsh in any of the other regions. Although some of this regional variation may reflect a natural gradient within the Slough, a large proportion is the result of compartmentalization due to current water management practices within the marsh.We conclude that hydroperiod or water depth are the most important influences on vegetation within management units, and attribute larger scale differences in vegetation pattern to the interactions among soil development, hydrology and fire regime in this pivotal portion of Everglades.

Automating Hospitality Information: Network Technology and Systems Management

The local area network (LAN) interconnecting computer systems and soft- ware can make a significant contribution to the hospitality industry. The author discusses the advantages and disadvantages of such systems.