Integral Management: Adaptationsmöglichkeiten und Modifikationserfordnerisse des Balanced-Scorecard-Konzeptes bei der Anwendung in Non-Profit-Organisationen

Non-Profit-Organizations of the Third Sector have lately gained an increasing importance both in scientific research and as far as their economical weight is concerned. Adapting the concept of the Balanced Scorecard for those organizations, their particularities need to be determined and based on the findings, the need of changes within and additions to the concept need to be questioned and discussed.Non-Profit-Organisationen, Balanced Scorecard, Controlling, Performance, Measurement

Particle number conservation and block structures in matrix product states

The eigenvectors of the particle number operator in second quantization are characterized by the block sparsity of their matrix product state representations. This is shown to generalize to other classes of operators. Imposing block sparsity yields a scheme for conserving the particle number that is commonly used in applications in physics. Operations on such block structures, their rank truncation, and implications for numerical algorithms are discussed. Explicit and rank-reduced matrix product operator representations of one- and two-particle operators are constructed that operate only on the non-zero blocks of matrix product states

Simulationsgestützte Untersuchung von logistischen Optimierungsstrategien bei Halbleiterfertigungsprozessen

Semiconductor manufacturing is a rather complex value-added process, which is facing an extreme cost pressure due to fast changing markets combined with very high capital investments. Currently a manufacturing cost reduction of 15 % per year has to be achieved by an increased equipment and fab productivity in order to compete on the global market. Within this work fundamental investigations on modeling and simulation as well as optimization of semiconductor manufacturing processes at equipment and process sequence level have been performed for the first time. In order to increase equipment and fab productivity and to reduce manufacturing costs thereby, known and established logistical strategies were transferred to the equipment level and new and innovative optimization strategies were elaborated and investigated by the application of the discrete event simulation. This work focuses on batching strategies for flexible manufacturing, on cluster tools and on an innovative predictive sampling strategy. For flexible manufacturing, batching strategies became problematic. Due to a lack of compatible lots for the completion of full batches, long waiting times occur and customer delivery dates were exceeded from time to time. A concept using smaller batch sizes and filler wafers to speed up the batching process was developed. With this concept shorter cycle times (80 – 96 %) could be realized without a negative effect on the throughput of the system. Nevertheless, semiconductor manufactures tend to prefer single wafer processes. As a consequence of this, cluster tools became essential for semiconductor manufacturing nowadays. Within this work investigations on the integration of metrology, on optimal hardware configurations and on general optimization possibilities of cluster tools were performed. The established concept of identical process times for subsequent process steps in a linear process flow was adapted to be applicable for cluster tools for the first time. Thereby, a throughput increase of 15 – 23 % could be achieved. On process sequence level investigations regarding sampling strategies were performed. The developed predictive sampling strategy offered a great potential to reduce manufacturing costs by reducing the amount of required metrology operations for defectivity control chains. Furthermore, the risk of uncontrolled manufacturing equipment could be also decreased. For the investigated applications the amount of required metrology operations could be reduced by 6 – 50 % compared to the sampling strategies, which are currently used in semiconductor manufacturing. At the same time the risk of uncontrolled process operations could be reduced by up to 85 %. In general, it could be demonstrated, that the discrete event simulation is an excellent option to analyze the performance of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and processes and to investigate optimization possibilities. All kind of optimization strategies could be evaluated.Die Halbleiterfertigung ist ein äußerst komplexer Wertschöpfungsprozess, der aufgrund eines schnell wechselnden Marktes und der immensen Investitionskosten unter extremen Kostendruck steht. Um konkurrenzfähig zu bleiben, müssen aktuell jährlich ca. 15 % der Fertigungskosten durch eine erhöhte Anlagen- und Fabrikproduktivität eingespart wer-den. Im Rahmen der Arbeit wurden zum ersten Mal grundlegende Untersuchungen zur Modellierung und Simulation sowie der Optimierung von Halbleiterfertigungsprozessen auf Geräte- bzw. Prozesssequenzebene durchgeführt. Um die Anlagen- und Fabrikproduktivität zu erhöhen und damit implizit Fertigungskosten zu reduzieren, wurden bestehende und bereits eingesetzte logistische Strategien auf die Anlagenebene transferiert, neuartige und innovative Optimierungsstrategien auf Geräte- oder Prozesssequenzebene entwickelt und mit Hilfe der diskreten Simulation untersucht. Schwerpunkte waren die Batchbildung bei flexiblen Fertigungen, Mehrkammerprozessanlagen und eine innovative vorausschauende Stichprobenplanung. In flexiblen Fertigungen kommt es häufig zu logistischen Problemen bei Batchprozessen, da es aufgrund von fehlenden, geeigneten Losen teilweise zu großen Wartezeiten und somit eventuell zu Überschreitungen der Kundenliefertermine kommt. Es wurde im Rahmen der Arbeit ein Konzept entwickelt, welches kleinere Batchgrößen und Füllerscheiben nutzt. Hiermit konnten kürzere Durchlaufzeiten durch das Gesamtsystem (80 – 96 %) realisiert werden, ohne dabei den Durchsatz negativ zu beeinflussen. Der Trend in der Halbleiterfertigung geht aber weiter in Richtung Einzelscheibenprozesse. Als Folge dessen sind Mehrkammerprozessanlagen zu unverzichtbaren Werkzeugen bei der Herstellung von Halbleiterbauelementen geworden. Bei den Untersuchungen an Mehrkammerprozessanlagen wurde die Integration von Messtechnik, die optimalen Dimensionierung und generell Möglichkeiten zur Steigerung der Produktivität untersucht. Das bei linearen Fertigungslinien bekannte und breit eingesetzte Konzept der Taktzeitanpassung wurde erstmals zur Anwendung bei Mehrkammerprozessanlagen adaptiert, dabei konnten beim Durchsatz Steigerungen von 15 - 23 % erreicht werden. Auf Prozesssequenzebene wurden Untersuchungen zur Stichprobenplanung durchgeführt. Die entwickelte vorausschauende Stichprobenplanung zeigte ein sehr großes Potenzial zur Kostenreduktion durch Einsparungen von Messungen bei Defektdichtemessketten und zur Senkung des Risikos von nicht kotrollierten Anlagen. Bei den untersuchten Anwendungsfällen konnte die Anzahl der benötigten Messungen um 6 – 50 % gegenüber der bisher eingesetzten Stichprobenstrategie reduziert werden, gleichzeitig wurde dabei das Risiko von längeren Fertigungszeiträumen ohne Kontrollmessungen um bis zu 85 % verringert. Generell konnte gezeigt werden, dass die diskrete Ablaufsimulation ein hervorragend geeignetes Werkzeug zur Untersuchung von Halbleiterfertigungsanlagen, –prozessen und deren Optimierung darstellt. Es können logistische Optimierungsstrategien jeglicher Art damit analysiert und bewertet werden

Development of an IS change reason - IS change type combination matrix

Firms change their information systems (IS) for various reasons, ranging from compliance with government regulations to the development of new capabilities. When making these changes a firm can choose between four different IS change types: IS introduction, IS extension, IS replacement, and IS merger. This paper proposes that change reasons and change types are interrelated, and that certain reason-type combinations are more likely than others to result in a successful IS change. To identify these combinations, an IS change reason–IS change type matrix is developed. While the matrix is created from prior IS research, we conducted a focus group study of IS professionals to further explore and refine the matrix. The findings from the focus group study reveal that some IS change reason–IS change type combinations are more appropriate than others to carry out the IS change project successfully. We also present three examples of IS change projects to illustrate the use and value of the matrix in practice

Virtual Ergonomics - Ergotyping in Virtual Environments

Ergonomic assessment of manual work processes is important to prevent workplace injuries. Virtual reality simulations can be used to carry out an evaluation of work equipment and workplaces very early on. In combination with motion tracking analyses, data on posture during task performance and product use can then be collected. However, not all work situations can be equally represented in a virtual simulation. In particular, the virtual analysis of load handling poses a challenge in simulation, as body posture changes under the influence of external load weights. The aim is to increase immersion to bring the body movements in the virtual simulation closer to those in the real simulation with weights. For building up VR simulations with different aspects of visual, auditory and haptic immersion a scheme called immersion cube is presented. In order to be able to simulate load handling in VR, the immersion cube is used to investigate how much haptic immersion is needed to obtain sufficiently good data for the body movements measured in a VR setting. The first study showed that the deviation between real and virtual executions depends heavily on the task (lifting from the ground, move while standing, lifting over the shoulder). In some tasks, virtual and real simulation are very close to one another for certain body movements and could therefore in principle be used for ergonomic assessment. On the other hand there are still movements that vary between these two forms of execution and therefore show a need for increasing the immersion

The impact of language barriers on trust formation in multinational teams

This study systematically investigates how language barriers influence trust formation in multinational teams (MNTs). Based on 90 interviews with team members, team leaders, and senior managers in 15 MNTs in three German automotive corporations, we show how MNT members’ cognitive and emotional reactions to language barriers influence their perceived trustworthiness and intention to trust, which in turn affect trust formation. We contribute to diversity research by distinguishing the exclusively negative language effects from the more ambivalent effects of other diversity dimensions. Our findings also illustrate how surface-level language diversity may create perceptions of deep-level diversity. Furthermore, our study advances MNT research by revealing the specific influences of language barriers on team trust, an important mediator between team inputs and performance outcomes. It thereby encourages the examination of other team processes through a language lens. Finally, our study suggests that multilingual settings necessitate a reexamination and modification of the seminal trust theories by Mayer, Davis and Schoorman (1995) and McAllister (1995). In terms of practical implications, we outline how MNT leaders can manage their subordinates’ problematic reactions to language barriers and how MNT members can enhance their perceived trustworthiness in multilingual settings

Sampling from social networks with attributes

Sampling from large networks represents a fundamental challenge for social network research. In this paper, we explore the sensitivity of different sampling techniques (node sampling, edge sampling, random walk sampling, and snowball sampling) on social networks with attributes. We consider the special case of networks (i) where we have one attribute with two values (e.g., male and female in the case of gender), (ii) where the size of the two groups is unequal (e.g., a male majority and a female minority), and (iii) where nodes with the same or different attribute value attract or repel each other (i.e., homophilic or heterophilic behavior). We evaluate the different sampling techniques with respect to conserving the position of nodes and the visibility of groups in such networks. Experiments are conducted both on synthetic and empirical social networks. Our results provide evidence that different network sampling techniques are highly sensitive with regard to capturing the expected centrality of nodes, and that their accuracy depends on relative group size differences and on the level of homophily that can be observed in the network. We conclude that uninformed sampling from social networks with attributes thus can significantly impair the ability of researchers to draw valid conclusions about the centrality of nodes and the visibility or invisibility of groups in social networks.Comment: Published at WWW'1

Donepezil, Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Drug, Prevents Cardiac Rupture during Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction in Mice

Background: We have previously demonstrated that the chronic intervention in the cholinergic system by donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, plays a beneficial role in suppressing long-term cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). In comparison with such a chronic effect, however, the acute effect of donepezil during an acute phase of MI remains unclear. Noticing recent findings of a cholinergic mechanism for anti-inflammatory actions, we tested the hypothesis that donepezil attenuates an acute inflammatory tissue injury following MI. Methods and Results: In isolated and activated macrophages, donepezil significantly reduced intra- and extracellular matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). In mice with MI, despite the comparable values of heart rate and blood pressure, the donepezil-treated group showed a significantly lower incidence of cardiac rupture than the untreated group during the acute phase of MI. Immunohistochemistry revealed that MMP-9 was localized at the infarct area where a large number of inflammatory cells including macrophages infiltrated, and the expression and the enzymatic activity of MMP-9 at the left ventricular infarct area was significantly reduced in the donepezil-treated group. Conclusion: The present study suggests that donepezil inhibits the MMP-9-related acute inflammatory tissue injury in the infarcted myocardium, thereby reduces the risk of left ventricular free wall rupture during the acute phase of MI