International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=65&year=2011&vol=6&issue=3 Inderscience Publishers Ltd en-uk International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics 1741-539X 1741-5403 © 2011 Inderscience Publishers Ltd editor@inderscience.com https://www.inderscience.com/images/files/coverImgs/ijsoi_scoverijsoi.jpg http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=65&year=2011&vol=6&issue=3 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=41417 Generally, there is a 'hard' problem of Clinical Pathway (CP) workflow modelling with uncertainty variances. Therefore, a CP workflow modelling method based on Modular Temporised Coloured Petri Net with changeable structure is proposed, in which the trigger mechanism of activity is introduced, and the dynamics of the treatment process along with 'time' for patients can be modelled by the transition firing and connections amongst them. With the predefined arc expressions, the automatic routes of the CP can be realised. Moreover, by using the two structural change algorithms, the CP workflow model can be dynamically updated. A case study on osteosarcoma CP workflow modelling is constructed and analysed by applying the proposed modelling method. The result shows that the built entire osteosarcoma CP model is more manageable and maintainable. Moreover, after a little modification, the model can also be applicable to other CPs workflow modelling (such as caesarean section CP). Workflow modelling of clinical pathway based on modular temporised coloured petri net with changeable structure
Gang Du, Zhibin Jiang, Xiaodi Diao, Yang Yao
International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 183 - 210
Generally, there is a 'hard' problem of Clinical Pathway (CP) workflow modelling with uncertainty variances. Therefore, a CP workflow modelling method based on Modular Temporised Coloured Petri Net with changeable structure is proposed, in which the trigger mechanism of activity is introduced, and the dynamics of the treatment process along with 'time' for patients can be modelled by the transition firing and connections amongst them. With the predefined arc expressions, the automatic routes of the CP can be realised. Moreover, by using the two structural change algorithms, the CP workflow model can be dynamically updated. A case study on osteosarcoma CP workflow modelling is constructed and analysed by applying the proposed modelling method. The result shows that the built entire osteosarcoma CP model is more manageable and maintainable. Moreover, after a little modification, the model can also be applicable to other CPs workflow modelling (such as caesarean section CP).

]]> 10.1504/IJSOI.2011.041417 International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 183 - 210 Gang Du Zhibin Jiang Xiaodi Diao Yang Yao Department of Industrial Engineering & Logistics Management, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, 200 240 Shanghai, China. ' Department of Industrial Engineering & Logistics Management, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, 200 240 Shanghai, China. ' Shanghai Putuo District Central Hospital, 100 Lanxi Road, Shanghai 200 062, China. ' Shanghai No. 6 People's Hospital, 600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200 233, China clinical pathways coloured petri net workflow modelling uncertainty variances osteosarcoma changeable structures temporised petri net modular petri net trigger mechanisms treatment processes patients transition firing predefined expressions arc expressions automatic routes structural change algorithms caesarean section healthcare health services surgery doctors China hospitals bone cancer medical activity services operations informatics. 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 6 3 183 210 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=41418 This paper studies a retrial system with batch arrival and general retrial time, where the server may take an additional vacation after the essential vacation. In this system, primary customers arrive according to Poisson processes and receive corresponding service immediately if the server is available upon arrival. When the server is busy or on vacation, arriving customers enter a retrial orbit. If the orbit is empty, the server immediately leaves for the essential vacation. At the end of essential vacation, he may take one additional vacation. It is assumed that the retrial time and service time are all arbitrary distributed. This retrial system has potential applications in the packet-switched networks and the proxy of WWW server. By applying the supplementary variable technique, some important performance measures are derived, which may be useful for network system designers and software system engineers. A general retrial system with additional vacation
Jau-Chuan Ke, Fu-Min Chang, Ming-Yang Ko
International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 211 - 229
This paper studies a retrial system with batch arrival and general retrial time, where the server may take an additional vacation after the essential vacation. In this system, primary customers arrive according to Poisson processes and receive corresponding service immediately if the server is available upon arrival. When the server is busy or on vacation, arriving customers enter a retrial orbit. If the orbit is empty, the server immediately leaves for the essential vacation. At the end of essential vacation, he may take one additional vacation. It is assumed that the retrial time and service time are all arbitrary distributed. This retrial system has potential applications in the packet-switched networks and the proxy of WWW server. By applying the supplementary variable technique, some important performance measures are derived, which may be useful for network system designers and software system engineers.

]]> 10.1504/IJSOI.2011.041418 International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 211 - 229 Jau-Chuan Ke Fu-Min Chang Ming-Yang Ko Department of Applied Statistics, National Taichung Institute of Technology, Taichung 404, Taiwan. ' Department of Finance, Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung County 413, Taiwan. ' Department of Accounting Information, National Taichung Institute of Technology, Taichung 404, Taiwan Andrey Markov decision processes optional vacations retrial queues stochastic decomposition supplementary variables retrial systems batch arrivals retrial times arrival times additional vacations essential vacations Poisson distribution primary customers corresponding service server availability retrial orbits service times arbitrary distribution packet-switched networks proxy servers internet world wide web performance measures system designers software systems network designers systems engineers services operations informatics. 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 6 3 211 229 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=41419 Vineyard operations for quality wines production are currently based upon costly and time-consuming manual sampling operations required to assess the maturity phases of grapevines. The ripening process however is significantly influenced by the environmental parameters which nowadays can be effectively monitored by means of ubiquitous computing technologies. Besides the possibility of gathering data, hence, suitable tools are required to support the vineyard management process. The present research concerns the development of an expert system to effectively manage the vineyard operations. The methodology is based on the analysis of the time series of indices related to the maturation phases by means of referenced growth models, and on the prediction of the achievement of maturation thresholds. The paper also reports the results of an experimental study on a Sicilian vineyard. An expert system for vineyard management based upon ubiquitous network technologies
Giuseppe Aiello, Luigi Cannizzaro, Giada La Scalia, Cinzia Muriana
International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 230 - 247
Vineyard operations for quality wines production are currently based upon costly and time-consuming manual sampling operations required to assess the maturity phases of grapevines. The ripening process however is significantly influenced by the environmental parameters which nowadays can be effectively monitored by means of ubiquitous computing technologies. Besides the possibility of gathering data, hence, suitable tools are required to support the vineyard management process. The present research concerns the development of an expert system to effectively manage the vineyard operations. The methodology is based on the analysis of the time series of indices related to the maturation phases by means of referenced growth models, and on the prediction of the achievement of maturation thresholds. The paper also reports the results of an experimental study on a Sicilian vineyard.

]]> 10.1504/IJSOI.2011.041419 International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 230 - 247 Giuseppe Aiello Luigi Cannizzaro Giada La Scalia Cinzia Muriana Dipartimento di Tecnologia Meccanica, Produzione e Ingegneria Gestionale, Universita degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 90128, Palermo, Italia. ' Dipartimento di Tecnologia Meccanica, Produzione e Ingegneria Gestionale, Universita degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 90128, Palermo, Italia. ' Dipartimento di Tecnologia Meccanica, Produzione e Ingegneria Gestionale, Universita degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 90128, Palermo, Italia. ' Dipartimento di Tecnologia Meccanica, Produzione e Ingegneria Gestionale, Universita degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 90128, Palermo, Italia expert systems WSN wireless sensor networks RFID radio-frequency identification vineyard management time-series forecasting ubiquitous technologies ubiquitous networks winemaking vineyards wine production manual sampling maturity phases grapevines ripening processes environmental parameters ubiquitous computing data gathering maturation thresholds referenced growth models Sicily Italy Monreale services operations informatics. 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 6 3 230 247 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=41420 In this paper, we apply matching theory to supply chain coordination. We present mathematical optimisation models similar to the newsvendor problem to provide appropriate conditions for retailer-supplier matching. In particular, our matching algorithm, compared to the general matching theory, has uniquely been affected by contract sizes and ordering sequences. We also study that our matching application guarantees stable and optimal outcomes. Numerical examples with various parameter settings are provided to test the feasibility of the matching algorithms. We find that we can avoid the worst matching case when we use the proposed matching algorithms. Retailer-supplier matching: an application of the deferred acceptance algorithm
Taewoo Jung, Changhyun Kwon
International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 248 - 258
In this paper, we apply matching theory to supply chain coordination. We present mathematical optimisation models similar to the newsvendor problem to provide appropriate conditions for retailer-supplier matching. In particular, our matching algorithm, compared to the general matching theory, has uniquely been affected by contract sizes and ordering sequences. We also study that our matching application guarantees stable and optimal outcomes. Numerical examples with various parameter settings are provided to test the feasibility of the matching algorithms. We find that we can avoid the worst matching case when we use the proposed matching algorithms.

]]> 10.1504/IJSOI.2011.041420 International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 248 - 258 Taewoo Jung Changhyun Kwon Department of Economics, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA deferred acceptance algorithms SCM supply chain management retailers retail trade suppliers supply chain coordination mathematical optimisation optimisation models newsvendor problem matching algorithms contract sizes ordering sequences matching applications stable outcomes optimal outcomes services operations informatics. 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 6 3 248 258 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=41421 This paper studies joint dynamic pricing and inventory planning with demand learning. Demand is assumed to be a function of price with an uncertain price-sensitivity parameter. We introduce a nonparametric functional-coefficient autoregressive (FAR) state-space model without assumptions on the parametric structure and apply a Bayesian method using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms to estimate model parameters. We develop an optimal control model and obtain optimal pricing and inventory plan based on the estimated parameters. We use numerical computations with single and dynamic replenishment policies to evaluate the proposed demand learning algorithm and optimal control based methods and demonstrate the importance of dynamic pricing, inventory control, and demand learning. Dynamic pricing and inventory control with nonparametric demand learning
Byung Do Chung, Jiahan Li, Tao Yao
International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 259 - 271
This paper studies joint dynamic pricing and inventory planning with demand learning. Demand is assumed to be a function of price with an uncertain price-sensitivity parameter. We introduce a nonparametric functional-coefficient autoregressive (FAR) state-space model without assumptions on the parametric structure and apply a Bayesian method using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms to estimate model parameters. We develop an optimal control model and obtain optimal pricing and inventory plan based on the estimated parameters. We use numerical computations with single and dynamic replenishment policies to evaluate the proposed demand learning algorithm and optimal control based methods and demonstrate the importance of dynamic pricing, inventory control, and demand learning.

]]> 10.1504/IJSOI.2011.041421 International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics, Vol. 6, No. 3 (2011) pp. 259 - 271 Byung Do Chung Jiahan Li Tao Yao The Harold & Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. ' Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA. ' The Harold & Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA demand learning dynamic pricing inventory replenishment inventories Markov chain Monte Carlo nonparametric learning price-sensitivity parameters uncertain parameters autoregressive models functional-coefficient models state-space models nonparametric models Thomas Bayes Bayesian methods optimal control models optimal pricing inventory plans single replenishment policies dynamic replenishment policies inventory control uncertainty services operations informatics. 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00 6 3 259 271 2011-07-22T23:20:50-05:00