Quality risk in outsourcing: Noncontractible product quality and private quality cost information

This article addresses the concept of quality risk in outsourcing. Recent trends in outsourcing extend a contract manufacturer's (CM's) responsibility to several functional areas, such as research and development and design in addition to manufacturing. This trend enables an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to focus on sales and pricing of its product. However, increasing CM responsibilities also suggest that the OEM's product quality is mainly determined by its CM. We identify two factors that cause quality risk in this outsourcing relationship. First, the CM and the OEM may not be able to contract on quality; second, the OEM may not know the cost of quality to the CM. We characterize the effects of these two quality risk factors on the firms' profits and on the resulting product quality. We determine how the OEM's pricing strategy affects quality risk. We show, for example, that the effect of noncontractible quality is higher than the effect of private quality cost information when the OEM sets the sales price after observing the product's quality. We also show that committing to a sales price mitigates the adverse effect of quality risk. To obtain these results, we develop and analyze a three‐stage decision model. This model is also used to understand the impact of recent information technologies on profits and product quality. For example, we provide a decision tree that an OEM can use in deciding whether to invest in an enterprise‐wide quality management system that enables accounting of quality‐related activities across the supply chain. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 2009     

Locational tying of complementary retail items

We study a selling practice that we refer to as locational tying (LT), which seems to be gaining wide popularity among retailers. Under this strategy, a retailer “locationally ties” two complementary items that we denote by “primary” and “secondary.” The retailer sells the primary item in an appropriate “department” of his or her store. To stimulate demand, the secondary item is offered in the primary item's department, where it is displayed in very close proximity to the primary item. We consider two variations of LT: In the multilocation tying strategy (LT‐M), the secondary item is offered in its appropriate department in addition to the primary item's department, whereas in the single‐location tying strategy (LT‐S), it is offered only in the primary item's location. We compare these LT strategies to the traditional independent components (IC) strategy, in which the two items are sold independently (each in its own department), but the pricing/inventory decisions can be centralized (IC‐C) or decentralized (IC‐D). Assuming ample inventory, we compare and provide a ranking of the optimal prices of the four strategies. The main insight from this comparison is that relative to IC‐D, LT decreases the price of the primary item and adjusts the price of the secondary item up or down depending on its popularity in the primary item's department. We also perform a comparative statics analysis on the effect of demand and cost parameters on the optimal prices of various strategies, and identify the conditions that favor one strategy over others in terms of profitability. Then we study inventory decisions in LT under exogenous pricing by developing a model that accounts for the effect of the primary item's stock‐outs on the secondary item's demand. We find that, relative to IC‐D, LT increases the inventory level of the primary item. We also link the profitability of different strategies to the trade‐off between the increase in demand volume of the secondary item as a result of LT and the potential increase in inventory costs due to decentralizing the inventory of the secondary item. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 2009     

用于电压岛式功耗管理的无运放结构高精度电流采样电路

电压岛式的功耗管理在大规模SoC芯片中的应用越来越广泛,由于负载电流是反映功耗最直接的物理量,因此对负载电流的实时、精确采样是对功耗进行精确管理和控制的基础,而低压大电流又是当前大规模芯片的基本特征.在分析了几种常用的电流采样技术的基础之上,提出了一种基于电流镜采样的高精度的电流采样方案,适合于低电源电压供电,并且不需要使用运算放大器,结构简单.基于0.18μm CMOS工艺实现了该电流采样电路,各种条件下的版图模拟结果表明,对于60～1300mA的负载,该电路的采样精度最高可达99.1%,并且自身功耗不超过4mW.利用该电流采样电路,可以对负载电流进行实时有效的高精度侦测,用以作为功耗管理的依据.     

信息融合系统中算法管理理论研究

信息融合系统中,数据源千差万别,多种多样;而众多的信息融合算法也具有不同的适应性.通过对实验数据的分析说明了数据源以及融合算法的选择显著影响了最终的融合结果.针对数据源、融合算法和融合结果之间的关系,以优化融合结果为目的,提出了信息融合系统中算法管理(Algorithm Management)的理论,阐述了算法管理的目标、算法管理可能的方法和算法管理的实现结构.最后讨论了信息融合领域中与算法管理理论相关的其他问题.     

基于平面式Ad hoc网的移动管理

由于移动Ad Hoc网络具有的新特点,使得在管理平面式Ad Hoc网时需要解决移动性管理、服务管理、节点定位、无线网络所具有的特殊信息的采集及地址配置等特殊问题,提出了一种基于GPS分群算法的移动网络管理.实现了基于GPS分群算法的移动网络管理的仿真程序的设计,并介绍了整个程序实现的关键技术,分为四大模块:获取网络中在线主机信息模块、 GPS定位信息的采集模块、节点移动的图形显示模块和位置信息管理模块.     

对社会单位实施消防监督分类管理的探索与实践

在分析对社会单位实施消防监督分类管理必要性的基础上,结合工作实践,就如何对社会单位实施消防监督分类管理进行探讨,以期提高消防监督效能,推进消防工作社会化。     

ISO质量管理体系引入边防检查执法工作的思考

ISO9001是企业有效的质量控制管理体系,在其他行政管理部门中也有应用。在公安边防执法规范化建设工作中,如何对边防检查执法质量进行全程监控,是困扰边防部队执法规范化建设的瓶颈。将ISO9001质量控制管理体系引入边防检查行政执法实践中,有利于实现边防检查行政执法质量的新突破。     

部队资产管理与预算管理相结合长效机制建设的思考

按照武警总部资产管理与预算管理相结合的办法要求,公安现役部队实行了资产管理与预算管理相结合改革,取得明显成效,促进了保障效益的提高。如何确保资产管理与预算管理相结合走上规范化、经常化的轨道？如何确保这些工作有章可循、顺畅运转,具有长久的生命力？笔者通过分析目前部队资产使用和管理现状,提出了加强资产管理与预算管理相结合长效机制建设。     

谈如何加强消防经费预算管理

预算管理是后勤财务管理的核心,对加强经费收支管理、提高经费使用效益具有重大意义。但当前在部队经费预算管理中存在着一些问题,针对这些问题,提出了加强人才培养、增强预算意识、加强预算编制工作等几点对策。     

装修材料消防监督管理工作问题研究

从具有防火性能的装修材料在生产、销售、使用环节和消防监管过程两个方面,分析了消防监管工作存在的各部门难以形成合力、执法难度大、销售者和使用者不懂法等问题,提出了公安机关消防机构带头,各社会单位、协会相协调形成齐抓共管局面的工作建议。