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This paper aims to present a graphical comparison method for construction schedules, which illustrates the differences for each individual activity. The method overlays the observed differences on a bar chart creating a representation of whether each activity is ahead, on or behind schedule at a given date.

The method is implemented using a Microsoft Project add-in (plug-in). The paper demonstrates the method and its potential uses with three illustration cases: a time impact analysis, an alternative analysis for the selection of subcontractors and a multi-baseline analysis of an as-built schedule.

The cases included in the paper show that the proposed method uses a simplified and familiar attribute comparison for each activity in a schedule. The method affords flexibility in presenting differences between schedules such as the start/finish dates or duration. As the method does not rely on a specific software application or analysis method, it can be implement to different software applications as well as performance or delay analysis techniques. The method also makes it possible to present multiple and selective baseline comparisons overlaid on an updated or as-built schedule.

The method graphically presents a comparison of start dates, durations and finish dates for each activity that can be integrated with any schedule. The method can be used for forensic analysis as well as project control measures during construction. As the method does not rely on any specific performance or delay calculation method, it can be applied to any forensic analysis technique and delay analysis.

This paper sets out to define and describe paired comparison analysis as a method for prioritizing the factors that have the most impact in a digital library project.

Using theory and example, the paper relates the use of paired comparison analysis to the successful prioritization of competing demands in digital library projects.

Paired comparison analysis is useful to project managers and project teams alike as a means for prioritizing the issues, factors, and courses of action within a single project or among multiple projects, especially when these items are difficult to evaluate using an objective scheme.

The paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by providing an overview of a useful tool to prioritize the issues, factors, and courses of action within a project or among several projects, particularly when these items cannot be compared based on similar measures.

Extant methods of product weakness detection usually depend on time-consuming questionnaire with high artificial involvement, so the efficiency and accuracy are not satisfied. The purpose of this paper is to propose an opinion-aware analytical framework – PRODWeakFinder – to expect to detect product weaknesses through sentiment analysis in an effective way.

PRODWeakFinder detects product weakness by considering both comparative and non-comparative evaluations in online reviews. For comparative evaluation, an aspect-oriented comparison network is built, and the authority is assessed for each node by network analysis. For non-comparative evaluation, sentiment score is calculated through sentiment analysis. The composite score of aspects is calculated by combing the two types of evaluations.

The experiments show that the comparative authority score and the non-comparative sentiment score are not highly correlated. It also shows that PRODWeakFinder outperforms the baseline methods in terms of accuracy.

Semantic-based method such as ontology are expected to be applied to identify the implicit features. Furthermore, besides PageRank, other sophisticated network algorithms such as HITS will be further employed to improve the framework.

The link-based network is more suitable for weakness detection than the weight-based network. PRODWeakFinder shows the potential on reducing overall costs of detecting product weaknesses for companies.

A quicker and more effective way would be possible for weakness detection, enabling to reduce product defects and improve product quality, and thus raising the overall social welfare.

An opinion-aware analytical framework is proposed to sentiment mining of online product reviews, which offer important implications regarding how to detect product weaknesses.

Describes multiple comparison procedures applied to three or more sample groups after ANOVA. Illustrates ANOVA applied to experiments with completely randomised design and randomised block design.

In this two‐part paper, aeroelastic analysis of turbomachinery blade rows and phase‐lagged boundary conditions used for analysis are described. Part I of the paper describes a study of phase‐lagged boundary condition methods used for non‐zero interblade phase angle analysis. The merits of time‐shifted (direct‐store), Fourier decomposition and multiple passage methods are compared. These methods are implemented in a time marching Euler/Navier‐Stokes solver and are applied to a fan for subsonic and supersonic inflow and to a turbine geometry with supersonic exit flow. Results showed good comparisons with published results and measured data. The time‐shifted and Fourier decomposition methods compared favorably in computational costs with respect to multiple passage analysis despite a slower rate of convergence. The Fourier‐decomposition method was found to be better suited for workstation environment as it required significantly less storage, although at the expense of slightly higher computational cost. The time‐shifted method was found to be better suited for computers where fast input‐output devices are available.

The study aims to present a logic map linking the Professional Development School (PDS) Nine Essentials as a PDS theory of action and offer an analysis of dissertations that compare outcomes of learning in PDS and non-PDS contexts.

For this current study, the authors identified 25 of the 210 dissertations from a larger study that used a comparison methodology to provide a window into how learning in PDS and non-PDS settings may differ. In reviewing these comparison studies, the authors identified a set of clustered themes, as well as a variety of comparison constructs and measurements researchers used to determine the impact of PDS.

Five themes emerged including (1) the experience of learning to teach in a PDS setting vs. a non-PDS; (2) the experience of teaching in a PDS vs. non-PDS; (3) teacher candidate quality in a PDS vs. non-PDS; (4) teacher quality in a PDS vs. non-PDS; (5) school leader quality in a PDS vs. non-PDS; and (6) K-12 student learning in PDS vs. non-PDS.

Limitations of this study include the complications related to comparison, logic-related fallacies and the complexity of capturing simultaneous renewal.

In the 30th year of PDS work, the study utilizes a theory of action comprised of linking the PDS Nine Essentials to situate the comparison dissertation analysis of outcomes in PDS and non-PDS contexts suggesting challenges and possibilities and perhaps a direction for new research questions.

Traditional procedures alone are not appropriate for justifying advanced manufacturing systems. It is necessary to consider the benefits of new technology in manufacturing systems since financial return is dependent on many factors outside manufacturing. An in‐depth examination is the foundation of the comprehensive comparative analysis presented here. The mechanism used to combine and synthesise tangible and intangible benefits of advanced technology is the analytic hierarchy process. A cost/ benefit analysis incorporates cashflows and benefits to determine the best manufacturing system choice. A detailed example is given to illustrate the procedure, and to compare the results with that of the traditional return on investment method.

This chapter introduces benchmarking as a multifaceted concept based on action-oriented approach that goes beyond the simple study of a process or the search for a performance measure; through the measurement, analysis, and comparison with the best internal or external references benchmarking encourages the organization to identify areas for improvement and activate the corresponding actions. The experiences of the last 30 years brought out different types of benchmarking, defined and used in relation to the different dimensions of analysis and objectives of a benchmarking project. The analysis provides guidelines for the understanding and implementation of a benchmarking project, and emphasizes that there are no formal rules to identify the most suitable configuration of all, but different business objectives simply pave the way for methods and structures more consistent with the expected results.

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to compare the performance of Islamic banks against conventional banks in Turkey. This comparison is much more distinctive and significant in Turkey when compared to other countries, as Turkey stands as a model for the world in interest-free banking system.

The comparative performance analysis was conducted by means of logistic regression method during the period of 2001-2009. The CAMELS approach is utilized to assess the managerial and financial performance of banks.

The results signify that Islamic banks operating in Turkey perform better in profitability and asset management ratios compared to conventional banks but lag in sensitivity to market risk criterion. These findings might mainly be ascribed to the fact that these banks allow lower provisional losses compared to conventional banks and have some tax advantages.

Utilizing a more recent and consistent data set, the analyses could be replicated to determine if the results are subject to any sample bias.

These finding reveal significant implications for potential entrants into Turkish banking sector particularly for foreign investors.

The findings from this study may reinforce the awareness and confidence in participating banks in Turkey.

Turkey is particularly interesting to conduct this analysis because Turkey is a Muslim but secular country and both Islamic and conventional banks are subject to same set of banking regulations which are based on Western traditional banking system. Furthermore, to the knowledge, there is not a comprehensive study that compares the performance of conventional and Islamic banks in a Western banking system.

In this paper, a computational analysis is presented for the comparison of wafer level chip scale package‐on‐build‐up PCB assemblies with various solders and microvia configurations. The printed circuit board of the assembly has one build‐up layer on one side. For comparison, the board with two build‐up layers on the same side is studied as well. Furthermore, two solder joint materials, namely, 62Sn–2Ag–36Pb and 96.5Sn–3.5Ag are studied for comparison. The assembly is simulated by a finite element model and the model is analyzed under thermal cyclic loading. A comprehensive stress analysis is performed and comparisons are made for assembly deformation, stress/strain ranges, and creep responses.