Chandan Bhar

Performance measurement system for healthcare processes

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to provide an overview and evaluation of performance measurement systems and also present a framework for the selection of an appropriate performance measurement system for healthcare processes.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a brief review of the existing performance measurement frameworks. On the basis of review, performance measurement system criteria are identified and accordingly a framework has been proposed for measuring performance in healthcare processes.Findings – The measurement of performance of a healthcare organization is still an unresolved issue. A performance measurement system should be sensitive to changes in the external and internal environment of an organization. The proposed framework measures performance from a multi and interrelated perspective, namely efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility.Practical implications – The study will help the healthcare organization to know how they are performing; it will also help in bench...

Optimization of mycophenolic acid production in solid state fermentation using response surface methodology

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) can be produced in solid state fermentation. An isolate of Penicillium brevi-compactum ATCC 16024 grown on moist wheat bran produced a titre of 425 mg per kg of wheat bran. Central composite rotatable design and response surface methodology were employed to derive a statistical model for media optimization towards production of mycophenolic acid. Five levels with a five factorial design were adopted. The correlation coefficient was 0.82, ensuring a satisfactory adjustment of the model to the experimental values. This statistical design was very effective in improving the titre of mycophenolic acid up to 3286 mg per kg of wheat bran.

Indian Textile Industry and Its Impact on the Environment and Health: A Review

Continuous development and automation has improved the production of Indian textile industry. As a result, more and more raw materials demands have adversely affect the environment. In this study the effects of Indian textile industry on environment and human health are reviewed and concluded that textile mechanical process mainly affects the environment of the workplace by the way of producing heavy noise and cotton dust. While fiber formation and chemical processing has vast negative impact on outside world that pollutes land, water, air and emits hazardous byproduct which indirectly promotes acid rain and global warming.

Optimization of multiple objectives and topological design of data networks using genetic algorithm

This paper proposes a modeling of data networks with delay, packet loss ratio and network cost and an optimization of them using genetic algorithm. The network delay is expressed in terms of three delays such as propagation delay, transmission delay and queuing delay of links. The packet loss ratio is defined as the ratio of successful packet transmission to total transmission over a link and the network cost includes the link cost, nodal cost, amplifier cost and other associated costs of the network. For this, we develop three objective functions and three constraints and use multi-objective genetic algorithm for optimized solution as the design of computer networks with multi-choice and multi-constraint are known to be NP-complete. In addition to the multiple objective optimization, the optimized topological design and the source-terminal pair route has been found by assigning a weight factor on each link, where either one or zero weight has been used in the later case. The proposed methodology is run using MATLAB on a set of data networks and satisfactory results have been obtained. For clarity, the detail simulation output of one network is given in this paper.

Modeling and analysis of reliability and optimal release policy of software with testing domain coverage efficiency

In order to verify whether the functions have been rightly implemented into the software, the developer is involved with the task of developing a set of test cases thereby influencing the set of functions and modules present in the software so that the developer can judge upon the defects laid into the implemented functions. The set of functions which these test cases influence comprises what in common terms is known as testing domain and that the rate of increase of the testing domain is vulnerable to the progress in testing process. The growth rate of the testing domain goes hand in hand with the fault content of the software, that is to say, as the testing domain spreads more number of existing faults are detected and subjected to removal, thereby causing the software fault content to decrease. Further the software developer is endowed with the task of determining the appropriate releasing time of the software into the market such that the cost is minimized and the reliability is maximized in the bargain. In order to counter effect the growing software fault content, this paper includes a testing domain dependent software reliability growth model (SRGM) incorporating the ideas of testing domain coverage efficiency as also the fault removal efficiency. The model so framed is based on Non-Homogenous Poisson Process (NHPP) and its validity has been verified by testing on fault data observed in earlier actual software development process. Along with illustration to the optimal time of software release the model has been subjected to goodness of fit comparison justifying that the developed model outperforms some of the existing ones in its capability of measuring the reliability.

Impact of Watersheds in Bringing Change in the Farming System in Bastpur of Morena District of Madhya Pradesh.

The study was carried out in Bastpur micro watershed in Morena block of the Morena district of Madhya Pradesh during 2010-11.To assess the impact of watershed development programme in farming system. It could be found that the overall watershed development practices in the study area have positive and effective changes in agricultural area of bajra, and arhar , cropping productivity of gram and arhar, land use, use of land resources, water resources, and livestock due to increase in availability of water and use to improved agricultural inputs like improved seeds, recommended doges of fertilizers, required irrigation, plant protection measures,etc in the study area. It was also found positive change in agricultural land, irrigated area, area under horticultural and vegetables crops. Similarly cattle population was also increased due to sufficient availability of water and fodder in watershed area.

Data flow diagram for developing DSS on fund management of Indian microfinance institutions

Computerisation of operations using Management Information System (MIS) has already managed to change the face of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in India. The constant growth of Indian microfinance industry prompts the researchers to suggest new IT applications which will play an important role in its success. The paper identifies situations which will require the help of IT to overcome human limitations in decision making. In the process it attempts to empower the managers of the companies by using Decision Support System (DSS) on fund management. The way blood management is to the human body, similarly fund management is to the microfinance organisation. The paper uses literature review and analytical tool like the data flow diagram to help the reader grasp the situation.

Assessment of Environmental Risk from the Project Team’s Perspective in Electrical Transmission Line Installation Projects

This article represents a methodology in which the overall environmental risks can be assessed without much need of secondary data. The method exemplifies on collection of risk data on the basis of pre-decided risk factors in which the project team members are asked to give opinion about various risk factors. Since the main risk management team has already given various pre-defined risk sectors the collective opinion derived gives true value of risk, and the involvement of local workers give an edge over others since they have vast knowledge of geographical factors and this is how their knowledge can be scientifically used to determine environmental risk which is a very true estimation of real risk value. This article has successfully identified factors and scaled them up with the help of a questionnaire-based study. Moreover, different levels of management also pose different environment risk priorities which is also analysed in this article.

System dynamics to turnaround an Indian microfinance institution

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a policy comparison tool for Indian Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) so that they can choose the best policy for implementation. It provides for turnaround of a troubled MFI by analyzing the performance of different policies. Design/methodology/approach – The paper has done a web survey to identify the need of a strategic tool for MFI. It has built a Decision Support System (DSS) using system dynamics. A corporate model of MFI has been constructed using iThink 10.0.2 software. A quantitative validity test has been done to find the robustness of the model. Finally four policies are tested and the performance indicators have been used to suggest the best policy. Apart from this DSS is used to test the implementation range of a policy. Findings – “Integration of Microfinance with country’s mainstream financial system along with provisioning 1 percent of outstanding loans” is recommended for the MFI as this will increase the financial performance. Research lim...

A Project Risk Management Methodology Based on Probabilistic and Non-probabilistic Approach: A Study on Transmission Line Installation Projects

The article deals with the project risk analysis for electrical transmission line installation projects, where both probabilistic decision tree (DT) and non-probabilistic analytical hierarchy process (AHP) methods are used simultaneously on the same risks. The study gives the complete analysis for each risk type and finally they are analyzed by both AHP and DT; both of these techniques are selected for project’s risk minimization while designing the risk mitigation plan. A model is generated for minimizing the project risk and the risks selected after being analyzed through AHP and DT are then treated with this model for risk mitigation. Overall the study minimizes project risk by a three-step procedure, that is, AHP, DT, and finally through the risk minimization model for electrical transmission line installation projects.