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This paper aims to propose a service-oriented framework for performing content annotation and search, adapted to the task context. Media production workflows are becoming increasingly distributed and heterogeneous.The tasks of professionals in media production can be supported by automatic content analysis and search and retrieval services.

The processes of the framework are derived top-down, starting from business goals and scenarios in audiovisual media production. Formal models of tasks in the production workflow are defined, and business processes are derived from the task models. A software framework enabling the orchestrated execution of these models is developed.

This paper presents a framework that implements the proposed approach called Metadata Production Management Framework (MPMF). The authors show how a media production workflow for a real-world scenario is implemented using the MPMF.

The authors have demonstrated the feasibility of a model-based approach for media processing. In the reification step, there is still information that needs to be provided in addition to the task models to obtain executable processes. Future research should target the further automation of this process.

By means of this approach, the implementation of the business process defines the workflow, whereas the services that are actually used are defined by the configuration. Thus, the processes are stable and, at the same time, the services can be managed very flexibly. If necessary, service implementations can also be completely replaced by others without changing the business process implementation.

The authors introduce a model-based approach to media processing and define a reification process from business-driven task models to executable workflows. This enables a more task-oriented design of media processing workflows and adaptive use of automatic information extraction tools.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

Investigates whether the investment opportunities available to US multinationals affect their profitability relationships. Samples 100 firms from 1987 to 1992, and classifies them by high or low multinationality and high or low growth. Correlates three measures of multinationality, and of the opportunity set for each quartile, and compares the rate of return on assets by multinationality and by growth. Presents the interaction effects of means, finding that high multinationality firms have higher rates of return on assets, and so do high growth firms. Links profitability, multinationality and the investment opportunity set.

This monograph progresses from a consideration of definitional issues to the development of a conceptual model for marketing‐logistics interaction and finally to a discussion of the issues of implementation of the model within the context of marketing strategy. Thus, following an introduction, Part II begins with definition of the field and examines the position of physical distribution in relation to marketing. Part III discusses the relationship of physical distribution and macro‐marketing, and is thus concerned about the social, aggregative goals of logistics systems, including the costs of distribution. Part IV continues this argument, examining specifically the influence of physical distribution on channel structure. Part V then focuses on the assumptions underlying the customer service function, asking how physical distribution can influence final demand in the market place. Part VI presents a conceptual model of marketing‐logistics demand stimulation. The operational issues concerned with its implementation are shown in Part VII; and a summary of the relevant points is presented in Part VIII. The concern has been not with presenting either new computational models nor empirical data but with presenting a new perspective on the marketing‐logistics interface. There is a need to reduce the barriers between these fields and to present more useful ways for co‐operation.

The advent of the European single currency and the UK’s decision not to participate in the Euro start‐up has placed the UK interest rate policy in a pivotal position. However, the competing fundamental positions are unclear with irreconcilable targets, a regime change or new paradigm, and supported by a poor forecasting record. In this paper an alternative approach is considered, dispensing with fundamental ideology. Forward looking interest rates are based on pattern recognition and congestion. This approach assumes that the data series can be interpreted as a memory pattern using past performance. Attention is focused on the votes of constituent members of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. The point and figure chart is able to identify structural breaks in the data, thus only relevant time periods need be considered. Finally, the results become a leading indicator for competing fundamental models.

“When James Boswell returned from a tour of Corsica in 1765 he wrote: ‘It is indeed amazing that an island so considerable, and in which such noble things have been doing, should be so imperfectly known.’ The same might be said today of Puerto Rico.” Thus began Millard Hansen and Henry Wells in the foreword to their 1953 look at Puerto Rico's democratic development. Four decades later, the same could again be said about the island.

From 2006 onwards very large Belgian nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are legally required to appoint an external auditor. In this context we investigate whether auditor choice in favor of a sector expert, being a higher quality auditor, is associated with NPOs’ expectations regarding several auditor attributes. We find that NPOs are more likely to choose a sector expert if they attach higher importance to an auditor’s client focus and relationship with management. NPOs are less likely to choose a sector expert if they care more about the practical execution of the audit. We provide recommendations for increasing the appeal of sector expertise as valuable auditor attribute. The resulting quality increase of NPOs’ financial statements and audit reports could benefit various stakeholders.

The enormous danger of enemy influence in regard to the control and management of the food supply of the country and the great evils attributable to this cause justify us in reproducing the following able article by MR. RONALD MCNEILL, M.P., from the Evening Standard of October 26th:—

Health care organisations implement lean six sigma (LSS) methodology to achieve improved performance in terms of cost, quality and productivity. However, the way it gets implemented differs between organisations. Hence, this paper deal with a review of case studies describing the implementation of LSS in health care organisations to understand the nuances of implementation and identify future research directions.

The journal articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus database were filtered out. In total, 154 articles were evaluated using specific structural dimensions to categorise the literature into various groups, and content analysis was performed to synthesise the same.

This review revealed that the number of articles publishing the application of LSS in health care has been increasing in the last five years. Academic hospitals play a pivotal role to bridge the gap between LSS theory and practice. Despite this fact, certain themes remain unexplored. Not many studies are available that document the application of LSS in non-clinical areas such as pharmacy, internal logistics, maintenance and medical records. Only 20% of articles mentioned the post-intervention data up to three years, thus questioning the sustainability aspect of the achieved improvements.

Various research gaps were identified, which can be used by the researchers to build the body of knowledge in the domain of LSS in health care.

This review provides a diversified view regarding the utility of LSS in the health care scenario. The findings will provide valuable insights for the health care practitioners regarding tools, techniques, drivers and performance measures.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to review only the case studies that describe the implementation of LSS in the health care sector.