Institutionalizing Sustainability at the Level of State Departments of Transportation

2012 ◽  
Vol 2271 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore J. Mansfield ◽  
Ann M. Hartell
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measures ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Sustainable Transportation ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Policy Entrepreneur ◽  
External Funding ◽  
Analysis Methodology ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Departments Of Transportation

The quality of the sustainability plans of 11 state departments of transportation (DOTs) is systematically assessed with a content analysis methodology. Analysis reveals that state DOTs that have created a sustainability plan are also likely to have developed a policy framework aligned with the principles of sustainable transportation within their plan. The quality of a sustainability plan is driven by the strength of its policy framework, including plan visions, goals, policies, strategies, and performance measures. External drivers of plan quality include the presence of a prescriptive state sustainability mandate, external funding for plan development, and the involvement of a policy entrepreneur in plan development. Prescriptive mandates and external funding bolster the quality of the plan development process and the degree to which the plan is integrated with existing policies and practices of the DOT and other agencies. A policy entrepreneur's involvement in plan development strengthens the policy framework and helps unify plan content toward a consistent vision. In addition to conclusions relating to the development of transportation sustainability plans, this study illustrates the value of systematic and objective content analyses in assessing the quality of transportation planning documents.

Relationship between Self-Report and Performance Measures of Function: A Systematic Review

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliana Coman ◽  
Julie Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Similar Assessment

ABSTRACTThe authors conducted a systematic review of studies examining correlations between assessments of function obtained using self-report and those obtained using performance-based measures for community-dwelling older adults.METHODSArticles for this review were identified using electronic searching in MEDLINE, CINHAL, and AGELINE and hand-searching techniques. Two reviewers selected the studies that met the inclusion criteria, extracted the data, and assessed the methodological quality of the data.RESULTSSeventeen studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Correlations between self-report and performance ranged from −0.72 to 0.60. Sixty per cent of the studies compared self-report instruments measuring disability with performance measures addressing functional limitations. In studies that assessed the same functional tasks and functional limitations using the two methods, the correlation varied between 0.60 and 0.86.CONCLUSIONWhen the construct measured by the two methods was the same, the correlations were moderate to large and, therefore, measurement of functional limitations by self-report or performance probably reflected a similar assessment of function.

Math-Based Control Logic Development for Automotive Industrial Applications: Issues, Challenges and Solution

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengyin Yuan ◽  
Stephan Biller ◽  
Fangming Gu ◽  
Jing Liu
Keyword(s):  
Development Process ◽  
Formal Method ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Control Logic ◽  
Design Quality ◽  
Automotive Manufacturing ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Engineering Cost

Intensive global competition forces automotive manufacturers to develop and produce vehicles at lower cost with shorter life cycles and better quality. Faster Vehicle Development Process (VDP) improve profitability by reducing the time and cost related to designing, engineering and launching a new vehicle model. More importantly, it enables automotive makers to react quickly to trend shift in market, e.g., recent shift from SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) to small fuel efficient vehicle. However, the current manufacturing system design (especially control logic design), key part of VDP, is labor intensive and time consuming, and design quality and performance are highly dependent on the designer’s knowledge and experience. This paper discusses the issues and challenges identified in the current logic development process. A new method to automatically generate control logic using formal method is proposed. In this approach, the required information is collected and modeled as Automata. Possible control logic sequences are then calculated and the optimal one is identified from a set of alternative solutions. This paper also discusses how to implement and integrate the proposed method into the automotive manufacturing engineering process. The method is applied to automotive industry examples, and results are presented. Based on these case studies, this math-based approach can improve the quality of controls logic codes, and reduce ramp-up time and engineering cost significantly.

The Arousal-Performance Relationship: Task Characteristics and Performance Measures in Track and Field Athletics

1988 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Ebbeck ◽  
Maureen R. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measures ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Track And Field ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
Maximal Performance ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Performance Results ◽  
The Relationship

Two issues regarding the arousal-performance relationship in sport were addressed in this study: the relationship between task complexity, optimal arousal, and maximal performance, and the appropriateness of using various measures of performance. Data were collected from high school athletes (n=51) across four track and field meets. State anxiety was obtained prior to each performance and three performance measures were obtained (event results, and quality of performance evaluated by the athlete and by the coach). Results indicated that the three performance measures were not equally related to A-state, suggesting that the relationship between arousal and performance results in a different description depending upon the performance measure that is used. Furthermore, degree of task complexity could not be distinguished across various track and field events. When individual events were used to examine the arousal-performance/task complexity relationship, results revealed that level of A-state needed for maximal performance could not be differentiated for specific events, nor could it be determined for above average, average, or below average performances on any one event.

scholarly journals Building a Metaframework for Sustainable Transport Indicators

2015 ◽  
Vol 2531 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannick Cornet ◽  
Henrik Gudmundsson
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measures ◽  
Logical Structure ◽  
Sustainable Transportation ◽  
Sustainable Transport ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Transportation Research ◽  
Brundtland Report ◽  
Indicator Frameworks ◽  
Selection Of

Several recent papers presented at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere have reported on efforts to make sustainability manageable. To this end, the papers suggested the use of indicators and performance measures to help conceptualize and operationalize sustainability for transportation-related planning and decision making. Often these studies presented frameworks that would allow sustainability indicators and measures to be included in, for example, agency strategies and practices. Moreover, some papers suggested criteria for the selection of individual indicators and performance measures. The studies, however, did not always agree on the definition of a framework or how to use one to make sustainability-based decisions, and they tended to differ on underscored aspects and concerns. The current study addressed the issue of frameworks more generically and explored what was termed a “metaframework” with a set of associated criteria to guide the framing of indicators for sustainable transportation. On the basis of an explicit framework theory, the three functions of conceptualization, operationalization, and utilization were found to provide a logical structure of complementary features with which to build indicator frameworks. Characteristics of robust indicator frameworks were evaluated in terms of their significance for the three key functions, and they were collected in a list of criteria. A review of the Brundtland Report provided an example of how a more finely grained understanding of sustainability can inform the conceptualization criterion ranking of sustainability impacts. The metaframework was intended primarily as a basis for empirical analysis and for meta-evaluation of existing practice frameworks with respect to the strength of the level of sustainability that they are likely to provide.

The Effect of Image Quality on Search for Static and Dynamic Targets: MTFA-Performance Correlations

1979 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 339-343
Author(s):  
James C. Gutmann ◽  
Harry L. Snyder ◽  
Willard W. Farley ◽  
John E. Evans
Keyword(s):  
White Noise ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Search Task ◽  
Search Time ◽  
Video Signal ◽  
Modulation Transfer ◽  
Low Pass ◽  
And Performance ◽  
High Pass

This report contains the results of two experiments which investigated the effects of the quality of a televised image on eye movements and search-related measures. The first experimental search task involved having subjects perform an air-to-ground search during a simulated flight. The quality of the image presented was varied by either passing, low-pass filtering, or attenuating the video signal and by adding electrical white noise to the video signal. Low to moderate correlations between modulation transfer function area (MTFA) and performance measures generally indicated that as MTFA increases performance improves and fixation durations decrease. The search task of the second experiment consisted of having the subjects search for a designated letter or numeral across a televised picture of randomly positioned letters and numerals. The quality of the picture was varied by either passing, low-pass filtering, high-pass filtering, or attenuating the video signal and by adding electrical white noise to the video signal. Correlations between MTFA and performance measures indicated that increases in MTFA lead to decreases in search time and decreases in fixation duration.

scholarly journals Guideline-based quality assurance: a conceptual framework for the definition of key elements

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Parmelli ◽  
Miranda Langendam ◽  
Thomas Piggott ◽  
Jan Adolfsson ◽  
Elie A. Akl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Guideline Development ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Way

Abstract Background In 2017, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) started developing a methodological framework for a guideline-based quality assurance (QA) scheme to improve cancer quality of care. During the first phase of the work, inconsistency emerged about the use of terminology for the definition, the conceptual underpinnings and the way QA relates to health questions that are answered in guidelines. The objective of this final of three articles is to propose a conceptual framework for an integrated approach to guideline and QA development and clarify terms and definitions for key elements. This work will inform the upcoming European Commission Initiative on Colorectal Cancer (ECICC). Methods A multidisciplinary group of 23 experts from key organizations in the fields of guideline development, performance measurement and quality assurance participated in a mixed method approach including face-to-face dialogue and several rounds of virtual meetings. Informed by results of a systematic literature review that indicated absence of an existing framework and practical examples, we first identified the relations of key elements in guideline-based QA and then developed appropriate concepts and terminology to provide guidance. Results Our framework connects the three key concepts of quality indicators, performance measures and performance indicators integrated with guideline development. Quality indicators are constructs used as a guide to monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality of the structure, process and outcomes of healthcare services; performance measures are tools that quantify or describe measurable elements of practice performance; and performance indicators are quantifiable and measurable units or scores of practice, which should be guided by guideline recommendations. Conclusions The inconsistency in the way key terms of QA are used and defined has confused the field. Our conceptual framework defines the role, meaning and interactions of the key elements for improving quality in healthcare. It directly builds on the questions asked in guidelines and answered through recommendations. These findings will be applied in the forthcoming ECICC and for the future updates of ECIBC. These are large-scale integrated projects aimed at improving healthcare quality across Europe through the development of guideline-based QA schemes; this will help in implementing and improving our approach.

Comments on the Proposed SEC's 2010–2015 Draft Strategic Plan

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bloomfield ◽  
Theodore E. Christensen ◽  
Jonathan Glover ◽  
Sue Haka ◽  
Karim Jamal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measures ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Strategic Plan ◽  
Accounting Standard ◽  
Securities Law ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Strategic Goal

SYNOPSIS: The SEC has proposed a strategic plan that sets out its mission, vision, and values, four strategic goals, a set of desired outcomes associated with each strategic goal, and a list of performance measures for assessing the SEC’s effectiveness in attaining its goals. We affirm the need for vigorous enforcement of securities law and offer some research-based insights and performance indicators. We also acknowledge the importance of disclosure, but propose that the SEC needs to develop a disclosure framework and develop better operational indicators of quality of disclosure. It is important to appreciate the benefits of disclosure as well as its limits and potential dysfunctional consequences. We also discuss the need for an independent accounting standard setter and recommend that the SEC take a greater role in enhancing the independence of the FASB.

scholarly journals A critical perspective on the measurement of performance in the empirical multinationality and performance literature

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Franziska Richter ◽  
Robert Schmidt ◽  
Tina Jessica Ladwig ◽  
Fabian Wulhorst
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measures ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Financial Performance Measures ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to the core research in international business (IB), namely, the relationship between multinationality and performance and is concerned with the quality of past empirical research designs. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of 49 studies, given in a literature review, the match between performance measures used in empirical studies and the underlying theoretical streams that explain the effects on benefits and costs of multinationality is critically evaluated. Findings Findings indicate that authors still largely rely on overall financial performance measures. Theoretical arguments, in contrast, refer to specific benefit and cost positions that might be better reflected in operational performance indicators. The idiosyncratic choice of the performance measures used might contribute to the varying results in past studies. Originality/value Suggestions for improving future research designs are offered.

Quality of Experience for Video Services

2010 ◽  
pp. 258-273
Author(s):  
Marcio Nieblas Zapater ◽  
Graça Bressan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Network Performance ◽  
Quality Of Experience ◽  
Ip Networks ◽  
End User ◽  
Services Delivery ◽  
Video Services ◽  
And Performance

This chapter discusses the quality assurance of multimedia services over IP networks from the end user standpoint and introduces the concept of quality of experience (QoE). The discussion of quality assurance includes aspects that range from the network and application layers to the end user perspective. The focus of the discussion presented in this chapter is oriented to the video services delivery that can be considered a significant evolution of services providers’ portfolio. This chapter presents quality requirements for video and TV services and performance measures that focuses on the quality perceived by the end user. This approach is broader than that oriented to quality of service (QoS), which focuses on the performance measures from the network perspective. QoE takes into account how well a service meet customers goals and expectations rather than focusing only on the network performance.

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