Tibor Kremic

Outsourcing decision support: a survey of benefits, risks, and decision factors

Purpose – The purpose of this study is twofold. The first is to provide a structured review of the vast amount of outsourcing literature that has accumulated in the past two decades using a decision support framework. The second purpose is to statistically analyze the contents of the studies to identify commonalities as well as gaps, in order to suggest directions for future research.Design/methodology/approach – The contents of more than 200 publications are analyzed using a variety of approaches. A decision support framework is used to first classify whether the studies address outsourcing benefits, risks, motivations or factors. Next, each classification is further described by the type of benefits, risks, etc. Additional relevant contents such as type of organization, and the location of the outsourcing practice are also considered. Multivariate analyses consisting of cross tabulations, chi‐square testing and cluster analysis are used for categorizing the studies with the aim of identifying relationsh...

Technology Transfer: A Contextual Approach

A corporation views effective technology transfer as a necessary element for successful operations. Politicians and Government agencies view technology transfer as critical to a competitive domestic economy. This paper compares and contrasts the technology transfer motives and methods of a corporation and a Government research and technology agency to analyze differences. The analysis reveals that the context, or environment, and the motives of the particular organizational level both reflect the method of technology transfer employed. Motives are not necessarily homogenous across organization levels. Therefore, the successful implementation of technology transfer depends upon creating an environment that will capitalize on the motives that exist at each level, and taking an approach that reflects those motives. The Government approach is to broadcast available technology, whereas that of the corporation is to control its release by targeting recipients. For more effective technology transfer, the Government approach should be augmented by a second stage that considers the individual employees motivation. Therefore, on the basis of the findings, a two-stage approach to successful Government technology transfer is recommended.

CHASER: An Innovative Satellite Mission Concept to Measure the Effects of Aerosols on Clouds and Climate

The formation of cloud droplets on aerosol particles, technically known as the activation of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), is the fundamental process driving the interactions of aerosols with clouds and precipitation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Decadal Survey indicate that the uncertainty in how clouds adjust to aerosol perturbations dominates the uncertainty in the overall quantification of the radiative forcing attributable to human activities. Measurements by current satellites allow the determination of crude profiles of cloud particle size, but not of the activated CCN that seed them. The Clouds, Hazards, and Aerosols Survey for Earth Researchers (CHASER) mission concept responds to the IPCC and Decadal Survey concerns, utilizing a new technique and high-heritage instruments to measure all the quantities necessary to produce the first global survey maps of activated CCN and the properties of the clouds associated with them. CHASER also determines the activated CCN...

Knowledge transfer among projects using a learn‐forget model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of learning in a project‐driven organization and demonstrate analytically how the learning, which takes place during the execution of successive projects, and the forgetting that takes place during the dormant time between the project executions, can impact performance and productivity in the future.Design/methodology/approach – A learn‐forget model was developed using the learning curve concept prevalent in many manufacturing processes. The model assumes that learning occurs while project tasks are being performed and forgetting takes place during dormant times between the successive implementations. The log‐linear model was adapted, with both learning and forgetting rates being a function of the doubling or tripling of output. Forgetting is inhibited through the use of knowledge transfer tools such as use of close‐out documents or content management platforms. The model is applied to a simulated project environment where a number of projects a...

Assessing the potential of stratospheric balloons for planetary science

Recent developments in high altitude balloon platform capabilities, specifically long duration flights in excess of 50 days at over 100,000 ft and precision pointing with performance at the arc sec level or better have raised the question whether this platform can be utilized for high-value planetary science observations. In January of 2012 a workshop was held at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio to explore what planetary science can be achieved utilizing such a platform. Over 40 science concepts were identified by the scientists and engineers attending the workshop. Those ideas were captured and then posted to a public website for all interested planetary scientists to review and give their comments. The results of the workshop, and subsequent community review, have demonstrated that this platform appears to have potential for high-value science at very competitive costs. Given these positive results, the assessment process was extended to include 1) examining, in more detail, the requirements for the gondola platform and the mission scenarios 2) identifying technical challenges and 3) developing one or more platform concepts in enough fidelity to enable accurate estimating of development and mission costs. This paper provides a review of the assessment, a summary of the achievable science and the challenges to make that science a reality with this platform.

Knowledge-Salvage Practices for Dormant R&D Projects

Most successful firms have an abundance of new and old knowledge in their research and development laboratories, and only a fraction is being put into use in new product development. This knowledge is left over from projects that have been killed at different development stages and may actually carry considerable value. In this article, we propose a knowledge bank as a possible solution to preserve and possibly grow this knowledge. It is a self-sustaining institute with minimal or no ongoing effort from the donor company, yet manages the knowledge in a way that protects proprietary interests and actively fosters communication and interchange among sponsoring companies wherever possible. The framework of this structure, as well as how it works, is described here. Specifically, a system dynamics modeling of the knowledge bank is developed, and a simulation study is conducted using VENSIM®. The results confirm the viability of creating such a system in a consortium of organizations.

NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technology Project Overview and Mission Applicability

The In-Space Propulsion Technology Project, funded by NASAs Science Mission Directorate (SMD), is continuing to invest in propulsion technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. This paper provides development status, near-term mission benefits, applicability, and availability of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of aerocapture, electric propulsion, and advanced chemical thrusters. Aerocapture investments have 1) improved models for: guidance, navigation, and control of blunt body rigid aeroshells, 2) atmospheric models for Earth, Titan, Mars and Venus, and 3) models for aerothermal effects. Investments in electric propulsion technologies have focused on completing the NEXT ion propulsion system, a 0.6-7kW throttle-able gridded ion system. The primary chemical propulsion investment is on a high-temperature storable bi-propellant rocket engine providing higher performance for lower cost. Development status of mid-term technology, the low-cost HiVHAC Hall thruster is also presented. In-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for flagship destinations currently under evaluation, as well as having broad applicability to future Discovery and New Frontiers mission solicitations.

Science measurements and instruments for a planetary science stratospheric balloon platform

Balloon platforms operating in Earths upper stratosphere offer a unique platform to conduct new, high value planetary science observations of our solar system and exoplanets. There are compelling science drivers for conducting observations from such a balloon platform, with several potential high value science measurements that can be accomplished with one of several instrument concepts. Observations from 100,000 to 120,000 feet, which can last from hours to months, night and day, offer significant advantages over observations from ground and aircraft platforms. The stability of the airmass at float altitude is indistinguishable from space so that diffraction-limited performance can be obtained without adaptive optics, resulting in performance at visible wavelengths better than many ground based assets with larger apertures. With >99% of the atmosphere, and almost all the telluric water and CO2, beneath the platform, previously obscured spectral windows are also now open (e.g. water, CO2, and the organic fingerprint region of 5-8 μm), others are now fully free from telluric contributions, and observations in the mid through thermal infrared (IR), as well as shortward into the near ultraviolet (NUV), experience more than an order of magnitude less downwelling radiance than do ground based measurements enabling longer integration times and higher contrast observations. Instrument types that would support high value science include broadband and multispectral high spatial resolution NUV-NIR imagers, multispectral and hyper spectral imagers in the 2.5-5 μm range, as well as in the 5-8 μm range.

Assisting public organisations in their outsourcing endeavours: a decision support model

There has been a tremendous growth in outsourcing practices in recent years. The public organisations in the USA have outsourced some functions and are now being compelled to outsource additional ones. While there are numerous studies that document and analyse outsourcing practices, there is limited research to guide public or governmental organisations, in determining what functions to outsource. This study fills this gap by developing a decision support model for a typical public organisation in determining what to outsource and how. A set of outsourcing decision factors is identified that can be used as parameters in the three Integer Programming (IP) formulations developed. These formulations are used as solution engines in the model. The first formulation identifies which functions are the best candidates for outsourcing given the organisations priorities. The other formulations place the functions into recommended contracts and reassign displaced employees. Data from NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio are used to test and analyse the model. Analysis indicates that cost- and skills-related factors are the most sensitive parameters for the data tested. The model and the formulations are a relatively comprehensive package and may help guide outsourcing Decision Makers (DM) and policy makers in public organisations.

Stratospheric balloons for planetary science and the Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS) mission summary

NASA and the planetary science community have been exploring the potential contributions of stratospheric balloons to decadal class planetary science. Previous studies of the ~200 questions raised in the Decadal Survey have identified about 45 topics that are potentially suitable for addressing by stratospheric balloon platforms. A stratospheric balloon mission was flown in the fall of 2014 called BOPPS, Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science. This mission observed a number of planetary targets including two Oort cloud comets. The optical system and instrumentation payload was able to provide unique measurements of the intended targets and increase our understanding of these primitive bodies and their implications for us here on Earth. This paper will discuss the mission, instrumentation and initial results and how these may contribute to the broader planetary science objectives of NASA and the scientific community. This paper will also identify how the instrument platform on BOPPS may be able to contribute to future balloon-based science. Finally the paper will address potential future enhancements and the expected science impacts should those enhancements be implemented.