Academic research into service industries has explored the characteristics of interpersonal interactions between employees and customers, but there are few studies addressing the issues of consumer interaction with te...Academic research into service industries has explored the characteristics of interpersonal interactions between employees and customers, but there are few studies addressing the issues of consumer interaction with technology and its influence on the objectives and results of the operations subsystem. This study examines the elements of the service encounter, and the changes automation originates in them and their relationships. The paper also examines changes in the elements and results of the operations subsystem, as a result of automation. We propose that the customer＇s relationship with employees and/or technology and automated systems for the service impact the objectives and results of the operations subsystem, all of which could have an effect on the company＇s competitive position. The empirical study is focused on four industries, namely, toll motorways, car parks, carwash and video/DVD rental companies, in an attempt to identify objectives that lead companies to implement automated processes affecting the customer＇s relationship with the company. The hypotheses generated are contrasted with a structural equation modelling. The results confirm that the customer＇s relationship with employees and automated systems for the service impacts the objectives and results of the operations subsystem. Also, the results show how automation can enable firms simultaneously to achieve acceptable levels of flexibility and productivity, two dimensions that have traditionally been considered opposites.展开更多
Interoperability is broad and complex subject being the most critical issue facing businesses that need to access information from multiple systems. The concept of unwanted interoperability can result in fault decisio...Interoperability is broad and complex subject being the most critical issue facing businesses that need to access information from multiple systems. The concept of unwanted interoperability can result in fault decision making based on counterfeit data produced by hostile interoperable system. Research in this paper is based on highway toll collection system analysis as representative of hierarchical heterogeneous systems where integration becomes more important than development due to the short time in disposal between the contract signature and implementation. Unwanted interoperability detect mechanism is presented using information collected from different information system levels.展开更多
The Maputo Development Corridor along the N4 toll road between the north-eastern provinces of South Africa and Maputo （the capital and main port of Mozambique） was initiated in 1996. A Development Corridor can be se...The Maputo Development Corridor along the N4 toll road between the north-eastern provinces of South Africa and Maputo （the capital and main port of Mozambique） was initiated in 1996. A Development Corridor can be seen as a concept to elevate an area to a certain level of development. One of the objectives of this project was investment in transport infrastructure in order to create an enabling environment for economic growth and development. The project is also in line with the 1995 Spatial Development Initiatives of the South African Government that attempt to improve investment in those areas were the greatest potential for growth exists. This paper addresses economic wealth creation within the broader region that the N4 toll road and the corridor currently serve. The research revealed that the areas closer to the N4 corridor had higher growth in terms of economic output as measured by Gross Valued Added than those further removed. There were a stronger correlation between growth in employment and proximity to the road corridor for the manufacturing, construction, trade and transport sectors. Analysis done also shows that income per capita has grown at a faster rate in areas closer to the corridor that areas further removed.展开更多
Concession contracts in highways often include some kind of clauses （for example, a minimum traffic guarantee） that allow for better management of the business risks. The value of these clauses may be important and ...Concession contracts in highways often include some kind of clauses （for example, a minimum traffic guarantee） that allow for better management of the business risks. The value of these clauses may be important and should be added to the total value of the concession. However, in these cases, traditional valuation techniques, like the NPV （net present value） of the project, are insufficient. An alternative methodology for the valuation of highway concession is one based on the real options approach. This methodology is generally built on the assumption of the evolution of traffic volume as a GBM （geometric Brownian motion）, which is the hypothesis analyzed in this paper. First, a description of the methodology used for the analysis of the existence of unit roots （i.e., the hypothesis of non-stationarity） is provided. The Dickey-Fuller approach has been used, which is the most common test for this kind of analysis. Then this methodology is applied to perform a statistical analysis of traffic series in Spanish toll highways. For this purpose, data on the AADT （annual average daily traffic） on a set of highways have been used. The period of analysis is around thirty years in most cases. The main outcome of the research is that the hypothesis that traffic volume follows a GBM process in Spanish toll highways cannot be rejected. This result is robust, and therefore it can be used as a starting point for the application of the real options theory to assess toll highway concessions.展开更多
Pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction methods with CIR （cold in-place recycling） are alternatives that can effectively reduce the high stresses and waste produced by conventional pavement strategies. An attempt...Pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction methods with CIR （cold in-place recycling） are alternatives that can effectively reduce the high stresses and waste produced by conventional pavement strategies. An attempt was made to predict the performance, particularly low-temperature cracking resistance characteristics of CIR mixtures. These were prepared with the mix design procedure developed at the URI （University of Rhode Island） for the FHWA （Federal Highway Administration） to reduce wide variations in the application of CIR mixtures production. This standard was applied to RAP （reclaimed asphalt pavement） to produce CIR mixtures with CSS-Ih asphalt emulsion as the additive. By adjusting the number of gyrations of the SGC （Superpave gyratory compactor） for compaction, the field density of 130 pcf was represented accurately. To secure a base line, HMA （hot mix asphalt） samples were produced according to the Superpave volumetric mix design procedure. The specimens were tested using the IDT （indirect tensile） tester according to the procedure of AASHTO T 322 procedure at temperatures of-20, -10 and 0 ℃ （-4, 14, and 32°F, respectively）. The obtained results for the creep compliance and tensile strength were used as input data for the MEPDG （mechanistic empirical pavement design guide）. The analysis results indicated that no thermal or low-temperature cracking is expected over the entire analysis period of 20 years for both HMA and CIR mixtures. Thus, it appears that CIR is a sustainable rehabilitation technique which is also suitable for colder climates, and it is recommended to conduct further investigation of load-related distresses such as rutting and fatigue cracking.展开更多
At present, it is usually used the method that elevating the height of embankment to design passages of freeway to avoid transverse traffic disturbance in plain areas of China. But when design low embankment, it is di...At present, it is usually used the method that elevating the height of embankment to design passages of freeway to avoid transverse traffic disturbance in plain areas of China. But when design low embankment, it is difficulty for drainage or setting passages and culverts. Hengshui to Darning freeway in Hebei provence （Heng-Da freeway） is one section of Dalian to Guangzhnu freeway. This paper analyzes the characteristic of climate, geology, hydrology and low water table, good permeability stratum soil and its little and mass rain fall and deep drinking water well in the plain areas of North China when design low embankment of Heng-Da freeway, puts forward the drainage methods of water collecting filtration system to solve the drainage problem of passages and culverts, aiming at the type and the measures of the pollution on the surface, the channel collection purification infiltration system of highway uses the single composite technology of aerobic and oxygen to digest - precipitation-absorption of artificial materials percolation of soil to deal with the pollution of the rain on the road （the composite technology use the vermiculite as the material of infiltration）, which be controlled in the drinking range of the water standard. It not only efficiently solved the problem of water collected in the channel, but also supplied the groundwater. It has reached the environment-friendly road construction purpose of the sustainable development of highway construction, ＂environment friendly＂ and ＂resource conservation＂.展开更多
Logistics industry has become the driving force of economic growth. However, the logistics industry develops very slowly because the institutional factors have critically hindered the whole development of logistics in...Logistics industry has become the driving force of economic growth. However, the logistics industry develops very slowly because the institutional factors have critically hindered the whole development of logistics industry in China. Institutional factors are regarded as the important factor for logistics cost under the market segmentation of peasant mentality. By comparison of the institutional costs in United States, Japan, India and the Europe, deep reason of high cost behind cost driving force is analyzed. Countermeasure is put forward, such as reducing the prices of domestic toll road, using fuel tax as implemented for highway construction funds, and decreasing the restricted policy for carrying freight cars etc..展开更多
A creative solution to financial gap in Indonesian infrastructure development is the Public Private Partnership （PPP） scheme. One of the constraints in PPP implementation in toll road infrastructure is the lack of i...A creative solution to financial gap in Indonesian infrastructure development is the Public Private Partnership （PPP） scheme. One of the constraints in PPP implementation in toll road infrastructure is the lack of interest from the private sector, which are caused by the uncertainties defined as risks surrounding the project. This urges the importance of risk analysis on project investment to describe the measurement of risk allocated to the private sector. This paper aims at measuring the risks impacts on the project viability using Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan （Cisumdawu） Toll Road section as the case and finding some creative way out. By employing Monte Carlo risk analysis technique we are able to measure the risk impact perceived by the private sector through probability distribution of the project NPV and IRR. Based on the result of Monte Carlo analysis on the Cisumdawu toll road, the overall risk impact perceived by the private sector is too much to bear. The risks considered as high-impact are risks on land acquisition, risks on construction, risks on toll revenue, risks on interest rates and disaster risks on post construction phase. The result shows the importance of decreasing the risk level on the mentioned risk that can be done through the increased participation of local government in managing the toll road projects. A creative solution again is needed to strike balance between the interest of private sector and that of public sector to deal with risks.展开更多
文摘Academic research into service industries has explored the characteristics of interpersonal interactions between employees and customers, but there are few studies addressing the issues of consumer interaction with technology and its influence on the objectives and results of the operations subsystem. This study examines the elements of the service encounter, and the changes automation originates in them and their relationships. The paper also examines changes in the elements and results of the operations subsystem, as a result of automation. We propose that the customer＇s relationship with employees and/or technology and automated systems for the service impact the objectives and results of the operations subsystem, all of which could have an effect on the company＇s competitive position. The empirical study is focused on four industries, namely, toll motorways, car parks, carwash and video/DVD rental companies, in an attempt to identify objectives that lead companies to implement automated processes affecting the customer＇s relationship with the company. The hypotheses generated are contrasted with a structural equation modelling. The results confirm that the customer＇s relationship with employees and automated systems for the service impacts the objectives and results of the operations subsystem. Also, the results show how automation can enable firms simultaneously to achieve acceptable levels of flexibility and productivity, two dimensions that have traditionally been considered opposites.
文摘Interoperability is broad and complex subject being the most critical issue facing businesses that need to access information from multiple systems. The concept of unwanted interoperability can result in fault decision making based on counterfeit data produced by hostile interoperable system. Research in this paper is based on highway toll collection system analysis as representative of hierarchical heterogeneous systems where integration becomes more important than development due to the short time in disposal between the contract signature and implementation. Unwanted interoperability detect mechanism is presented using information collected from different information system levels.
文摘The Maputo Development Corridor along the N4 toll road between the north-eastern provinces of South Africa and Maputo （the capital and main port of Mozambique） was initiated in 1996. A Development Corridor can be seen as a concept to elevate an area to a certain level of development. One of the objectives of this project was investment in transport infrastructure in order to create an enabling environment for economic growth and development. The project is also in line with the 1995 Spatial Development Initiatives of the South African Government that attempt to improve investment in those areas were the greatest potential for growth exists. This paper addresses economic wealth creation within the broader region that the N4 toll road and the corridor currently serve. The research revealed that the areas closer to the N4 corridor had higher growth in terms of economic output as measured by Gross Valued Added than those further removed. There were a stronger correlation between growth in employment and proximity to the road corridor for the manufacturing, construction, trade and transport sectors. Analysis done also shows that income per capita has grown at a faster rate in areas closer to the corridor that areas further removed.
文摘Concession contracts in highways often include some kind of clauses （for example, a minimum traffic guarantee） that allow for better management of the business risks. The value of these clauses may be important and should be added to the total value of the concession. However, in these cases, traditional valuation techniques, like the NPV （net present value） of the project, are insufficient. An alternative methodology for the valuation of highway concession is one based on the real options approach. This methodology is generally built on the assumption of the evolution of traffic volume as a GBM （geometric Brownian motion）, which is the hypothesis analyzed in this paper. First, a description of the methodology used for the analysis of the existence of unit roots （i.e., the hypothesis of non-stationarity） is provided. The Dickey-Fuller approach has been used, which is the most common test for this kind of analysis. Then this methodology is applied to perform a statistical analysis of traffic series in Spanish toll highways. For this purpose, data on the AADT （annual average daily traffic） on a set of highways have been used. The period of analysis is around thirty years in most cases. The main outcome of the research is that the hypothesis that traffic volume follows a GBM process in Spanish toll highways cannot be rejected. This result is robust, and therefore it can be used as a starting point for the application of the real options theory to assess toll highway concessions.
文摘Pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction methods with CIR （cold in-place recycling） are alternatives that can effectively reduce the high stresses and waste produced by conventional pavement strategies. An attempt was made to predict the performance, particularly low-temperature cracking resistance characteristics of CIR mixtures. These were prepared with the mix design procedure developed at the URI （University of Rhode Island） for the FHWA （Federal Highway Administration） to reduce wide variations in the application of CIR mixtures production. This standard was applied to RAP （reclaimed asphalt pavement） to produce CIR mixtures with CSS-Ih asphalt emulsion as the additive. By adjusting the number of gyrations of the SGC （Superpave gyratory compactor） for compaction, the field density of 130 pcf was represented accurately. To secure a base line, HMA （hot mix asphalt） samples were produced according to the Superpave volumetric mix design procedure. The specimens were tested using the IDT （indirect tensile） tester according to the procedure of AASHTO T 322 procedure at temperatures of-20, -10 and 0 ℃ （-4, 14, and 32°F, respectively）. The obtained results for the creep compliance and tensile strength were used as input data for the MEPDG （mechanistic empirical pavement design guide）. The analysis results indicated that no thermal or low-temperature cracking is expected over the entire analysis period of 20 years for both HMA and CIR mixtures. Thus, it appears that CIR is a sustainable rehabilitation technique which is also suitable for colder climates, and it is recommended to conduct further investigation of load-related distresses such as rutting and fatigue cracking.
文摘At present, it is usually used the method that elevating the height of embankment to design passages of freeway to avoid transverse traffic disturbance in plain areas of China. But when design low embankment, it is difficulty for drainage or setting passages and culverts. Hengshui to Darning freeway in Hebei provence （Heng-Da freeway） is one section of Dalian to Guangzhnu freeway. This paper analyzes the characteristic of climate, geology, hydrology and low water table, good permeability stratum soil and its little and mass rain fall and deep drinking water well in the plain areas of North China when design low embankment of Heng-Da freeway, puts forward the drainage methods of water collecting filtration system to solve the drainage problem of passages and culverts, aiming at the type and the measures of the pollution on the surface, the channel collection purification infiltration system of highway uses the single composite technology of aerobic and oxygen to digest - precipitation-absorption of artificial materials percolation of soil to deal with the pollution of the rain on the road （the composite technology use the vermiculite as the material of infiltration）, which be controlled in the drinking range of the water standard. It not only efficiently solved the problem of water collected in the channel, but also supplied the groundwater. It has reached the environment-friendly road construction purpose of the sustainable development of highway construction, ＂environment friendly＂ and ＂resource conservation＂.
基金This paper was Supported by Chinese Humanities and Social Science Foundation for Youths by Ministry of Education, Mechanism and Institutional arrangements on China＇s low-cost model to achieve economic growth cycle （No. 09YJC630228）, and Basic Research Funds of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law ＂Research on Integrated Controlling of Cost Soot among Organization： Based on Synerzistic Effects of Precession＂.
文摘Logistics industry has become the driving force of economic growth. However, the logistics industry develops very slowly because the institutional factors have critically hindered the whole development of logistics industry in China. Institutional factors are regarded as the important factor for logistics cost under the market segmentation of peasant mentality. By comparison of the institutional costs in United States, Japan, India and the Europe, deep reason of high cost behind cost driving force is analyzed. Countermeasure is put forward, such as reducing the prices of domestic toll road, using fuel tax as implemented for highway construction funds, and decreasing the restricted policy for carrying freight cars etc..
文摘A creative solution to financial gap in Indonesian infrastructure development is the Public Private Partnership （PPP） scheme. One of the constraints in PPP implementation in toll road infrastructure is the lack of interest from the private sector, which are caused by the uncertainties defined as risks surrounding the project. This urges the importance of risk analysis on project investment to describe the measurement of risk allocated to the private sector. This paper aims at measuring the risks impacts on the project viability using Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan （Cisumdawu） Toll Road section as the case and finding some creative way out. By employing Monte Carlo risk analysis technique we are able to measure the risk impact perceived by the private sector through probability distribution of the project NPV and IRR. Based on the result of Monte Carlo analysis on the Cisumdawu toll road, the overall risk impact perceived by the private sector is too much to bear. The risks considered as high-impact are risks on land acquisition, risks on construction, risks on toll revenue, risks on interest rates and disaster risks on post construction phase. The result shows the importance of decreasing the risk level on the mentioned risk that can be done through the increased participation of local government in managing the toll road projects. A creative solution again is needed to strike balance between the interest of private sector and that of public sector to deal with risks.
