Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Management control systems'

Sustainability is humanity not over-consuming the resources available to them and thereby irreversibly depleting the levels of natural capital while at the same time ensuring an equitable and fair distribution, both within the current generation as well as across all future generations, of the resources available. Contemporary indicators suggest that we are currently far from achieving this state. Organisations that operate within our economies are responsible for the extraction of resources from the ecosphere at ever increasing levels as they pursue larger profits through growth. These organisations utilise their management control systems (MCS) to organise their operations and thereby moving humanity further away from achieving this state. Extant research at the intersection of sustainability and current MCS primarily focuses on this incompatibility. As a result to date there is sparse literature that specifically examines this intersection. Thus the aim of this research is to examine the potential for research at this intersection. In order to examine the potential for research at this intersection I conduct a longitudinal case study that investigates two processes through the use of actor-network theory as a theoretical lens. The first process seeks to examine MCS in the context of sustainability. Specifically I examine the process through which the case organisation develops a core value focusing on sustainability. I find that this process involves two parts. The first establishes a descriptive definition for the core value. The descriptive definition opens a space that enables the second part to occur. In the second part, actors within the case organisation experiment in order to try and understand what must be done to achieve this core value. Providing this understanding of how a core value develops contributes to the extant literature through highlighting how core values prompt search and discovery activities within an organisation. The second process seeks to examine whether a focus on MCS can extend our extant understandings of issues around sustainability. Thus, I examine the process, with a specific focus on the role of management controls, through which the case organisation attains and maintains legitimacy. I find that the role of the sustainability report within this process is to reaffirm the commitments of the relevant publics but it does so through avoiding any issue that is controversial in nature. Therefore the role of management controls differs in relation to whether they relate to issues that are more or less controversial. If they relate to a less controversial issue then their role, as is the case with the sustainability report, is to reaffirm the commitments of the relevant publics. If, however, they relate to a more controversial issue then their role is to identify emergent concerned groups and thereby expand or reduce organisation activity as appropriate. Further, I find that a number of different management controls are used to deploy a full range of potential legitimising strategies. These findings of the differing roles of management controls and the legitimising strategies that they are used to deploy contributes to the extant literature through providing a more nuanced understanding of the process organisations employ to attain or maintain legitimacy. By showing how core values prompt search and discovery activities within an organisation I find support for sustainability providing a good context within which to examine and further our understandings of MCS. By showing a more nuanced understanding of the process organisations employ to attain or maintain legitimacy I find support for a focus on MCS extending our extant understandings of issues around sustainability. Thus, while there is an incompatibility between current MCS and the state of sustainability, this thesis provides support for future research at this intersection. Specifically I advocate that this future research should utilise a broad range of approaches and investigate a wide range of issues. In this way I believe much needed knowledge may be developed as to how to enact the required change to move humanity towards a state of sustainability.

Les systèmes de refroidissement des véhicules continuent à se développer et devenir de plus en plus complexes. Ceci introduit des nouveaux problèmes dus aux interactions des composants et les perturbations du système. Avec la montée des prix des carburants; les développeurs et les compagnies cherchent à améliorer la consommation en respectant les normes d’émission. Une partie de l’énergie produite par le moteur est utilisé par les composants du circuit de refroidissement. L’utilisation d’auxiliaires électriques est une manière de réduire ces pertes parasites, mais ce n’est pas la seule solution. Des études récents proposent que un control plus adaptes des composants peux réduire la consommation de carburant. Actuellement, le groupe Volvo en essayant d’améliorer la performance du système de refroidissement des camions a installe des nouveaux composants pour la gestion thermique du moteur. Néanmoins, des problèmes ont été identifie lors d’essais véhicule. Une meilleure compréhension du système et de l’implémentation de composants est nécessaire pour limiter les effets non voulus. Le système de refroidissement d’un poids lourd a été étudié grâce à l’outil Bond Graph. Puis des nouvelles stratégies de control sont introduites : commande prédictive, commande par platitude, commande sans model et commande avec model réduit. Ces méthodes ont été implémentées dans une plateforme de simulation sur Matlab/Simulink. Les gains de consommation obtenue à partir de simulations sont entre 0.5 et 0.9%. Une analyse structurelle de l’architecture actuelle est présentée. D’après les conclusions de cette analyse, des propositions pour la modification de l’architecture du circuit sont évalués
The increasing complexity of engine cooling systems results in added interactions and disturbances to the performance. Besides, non-propulsion loads (fan, water pump…) draw a significant percentage of the engine’s power thus lowering the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Recent studies have shown that by controlling components the efficiency can be improved by adjusting fan speed according to cooling needs, coolant flow, and oil flow. Currently, the Volvo group in order to optimize the performance of their truck’s cooling systems had installed new thermal management components. However, problems were found while testing control strategies and a better understanding of the interaction between components is required to prevent this from happening again. In this work, the bond graph approach has been applied for the study of the cooling system of a Heavy duty vehicle and has enabled subsystem interactions to be identified. Based on a simplified model issued from the bond graph, several control strategies have been built. These controllers are based on different control approaches: model predictive control, flatness control, model free control and model free control with reduced order model. These controllers were implemented in a simulation platform in the Matlab/Simulink environment. Results of the implementation of the new advanced control strategies are given. Fuel economy gains ranged between 0.5 and 0.9 %. A structural analysis of the current architecture is also proposed aiming at the optimization of the system. Given the insights from the analysis, an assessment of new concepts for the cooling system architecture is proposed

As the complexity of vehicle control-systems increases, the amount of information that these systems are intended to handle also increases. This thesis provides concepts relating to real-time database management systems to be used in such control-systems. By integrating a real-time database management system into a vehicle control-system, data management on a higher level of abstraction can be achieved. Current database management concepts are not sufficient for use in vehicles, and new concepts are necessary. A case-study at Volvo Construction Equipment Components AB in Eskilstuna, Sweden presented in this thesis, together with a survey of existing database platforms confirms this. The thesis specifically addresses data access issues by introducing; (i) a data access method, denoted database pointers, which enables data in a real-time database management system to be accessed efficiently. Database pointers, which resemble regular pointers variables, permit individual data elements in the database to be directly pointed out, without risking a violation of the database integrity. (ii) two concurrency-control algorithms, denoted 2V-DBP and 2V-DBP-SNAP which enable critical (hard real-time) and non-critical (soft real-time) data accesses to co-exist, without blocking of the hard real-time data accesses or risking unnecessary abortions of soft real-time data accesses. The thesis shows that 2V-DBP significantly outperforms a standard real-time concurrency control algorithm both with respect to lower response-times and minimized abortions. (iii) two concepts, denoted substitution and subscription queries that enable service- and diagnostics-tools to stimulate and monitor a control-system during run-time. The concepts presented in this thesis form a basis on which a data management concept suitable for embedded real-time systems, such as vehicle control-systems, can be built.

Ett modernt fordon är idag i princip helt styrt av inbyggda datorer. I takt med att funktionaliteten i fordonen ökar, blir programvaran i dessa datorer mer och mer komplex. Komplex programvara är svår och kostsam att konstruera. För att hantera denna komplexitet och underlätta konstruktion, satsar nu industrin på att finna metoder för att konstruera dessa system på en högre abstraktionsnivå. Dessa metoder syftar till att strukturera programvaran idess olika funktionella beståndsdelar, till exempel genom att använda så kallad komponentbaserad programvaruutveckling. Men, dessa metoder är inte effektiva vad gäller att hantera den ökande mängden information som följer med den ökande funktionaliteten i systemen. Exempel på information som skall hanteras är data från sensorer utspridda i bilen (temperaturer, tryck, varvtal osv.), styrdata från föraren (t.ex. rattutslag och gaspådrag), parameterdata, och loggdata som används för servicediagnostik. Denna information kan klassas som säkerhetskritisk eftersom den används för att styra beteendet av fordonet. På senare tid har dock mängden icke säkerhetskritisk information ökat, exempelvis i bekvämlighetssystem som multimedia-, navigations- och passagerarergonomisystem.

Denna avhandling syftar till att visa hur ett datahanteringssystem för inbyggda system, till exempel fordonssystem, kan konstrueras. Genom att använda ett realtidsdatabashanteringssystem för att lyfta upp datahanteringen på en högre abstraktionsnivå kan fordonssystem tillåtas att hantera stora mängder information på ett mycket enklare sätt än i nuvarande system. Ett sådant datahanteringssystem ger systemarkitekterna möjlighet att strukturera och modellera informationen på ett logiskt och överblickbart sätt. Informationen kan sedan läsas och uppdateras genom standardiserade gränssnitt anpassade förolika typer av funktionalitet. Avhandlingen behandlar specifikt problemet hur information i databasen, med hjälp av en concurrency-control algoritm, skall kunna delas av både säkerhetskritiska och icke säkerhetskritiska systemfunktioner i fordonet. Vidare avhandlas hur information kan distribueras både mellan olika datorsystem i fordonet, men också till diagnostik- och serviceverktyg som kan kopplas in i fordonet.

Purpose- This study aims to explore how management control systems are used to manage their corporate social responsibility strategies in organizations. This paper dives into how sustainability managers use existing controls in planning, executing, measuring, and reporting on their CSR. The challenges they face in implementing their CSR strategies with these control systems are also covered.  Methodology- The research was conducted using a qualitative research approach and a multiple case study strategy. The multiple case study involved three companies within a CSR network in Sweden. Secondary data from sustainability reports, internal financial control (IFC) reports were used together with seven semi-structured interviews.  Findings- Control systems monitor influence and steer the employee's behavior and actions towards achieving organizational goals. The thesis provides practical insights into how sustainability managers from the studied companies use management control systems. The findings indicate that companies use similar clusters of management controls in planning, executing, measuring and reporting on their corporate social responsibility. However, there are differences in how the same management controls are used. The author identified a different type of control which is mostly not included in discussing when discussing MCS.

Powerful access control is becoming one of the major needs in scientific project management systems these days. Because the requirements are becoming more and more sophisticated and highly discipline specific, no existing access control tool is available that developers could adopt directly. This thesis proposes a general and flexible security administration module that can be easily integrated into scientific project management systems, especially if they are based on a 3-tier architecture. The module is based on role-based access control (RBAC) technology to provide flexibility and extensibility. In order to control access on the level of individual table tuples, a new concept, named condition, is introduced. Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) technology is adopted to integrate the access control component into the 3-tier framework. A concrete implementation is performed on the prototype project management system Exp-DB using AspectJ.

This thesis explores the congruent relationship between a firm's value logic and its management control systems. The value logic typology was introduced in the Strategic Management Journal by Stabell and Fjeldstad (1988). The typology builds on the work of J.D. Thompson (1967) and Michael Porter (1980,1985) and proposes that organizations align to three value configurations: Value Chains, Value Shops and Value Networks. Value Chains are industrial organizations characterized by the generic Value Chain model developed by Michael Porter (e.g. standardized manufactures, mining). Value Shops are configured as problem solvers (e.g. physicians, lawyers, consultants) and Value Networks are designed to facilitate exchanges on a network (e.g. Banks, Teicos, Internet Auctions). Stabell and Fjeldstad (1998) and other strategy researchers (Sheehan, Vaidyanathan and Kalagnanam 2005, Fjeldstad and Haanaes 2001) argue that the "new economy" is more aligned to the growth of Value Shops (e.g. McKinsey, Accenture) and Value Networks (e.g. Nokia, ebay) and justifies why the value logic typology is more relevant in today's world. The research in this thesis focuses on asking the basic question of whether management control systems differ in Value Chains, Value Shops and Value Networks. The research concludes that the value logic typology is useful and has potential to increase our knowledge in the strategy and management control systems contingent literature. The research in this thesis is exploratory in nature and uses both field interviews and a questionnaire survey as research methods. A breadth of management controls systems exist across all value logics. However, there appears to be differences in their use which are highlighted in the thesis. The thesis contributes by exploring the strategy and management control systems contingent research from a perspective (the value logics), previously not studied.

Mestrado em Engenharia Mecânica
The fast increase in the energy’s price has brought a growing concern about the highly expensive task of transporting water. By creating an hydraulic model of the Water Supply System’s (WSS) network and predicting its behaviour, it is possible to take advantage of the energy’s tariffs, reducing the total cost on pumping activities. This thesis was developed, in association with a technology transfer project called the E-Pumping. It focuses on finding a flexible supervision and control strategy, adaptable to any existent Water Supply System (WSS), as well as forecasting the water demand on a time period chosen by the end user, so that the pumping actions could be planned to an optimum schedule, that minimizes the total operational cost. The OPC protocol, associated to a MySQL database were used to develop a flexible tool of supervision and control, due to their adaptability to function with equipments from various manufacturers, being another integrated modular part of the E-Pumping project. Furthermore, in this thesis, through the study and performance tests of several statistical models based on time series, specifically applied to this problem, a forecasting tool adaptable to any station, and whose model parameters are automatically refreshed at runtime, was developed and added to the project as another module. Both the aforementioned modules were later integrated with an Graphical User Interface (GUI) and installed in a pilot application at the ADDP’s network. The implementation of this software on WSSs across the country will reduce the water supply companies’ running costs, improving their market competition and, ultimately, lowering the water price to the end costumer.
O rápido aumento dos preços da electricidade tem provocado um aumento na preocupação com a tarefa extremamente dispendiosa de transporte de água. Através da criação de modelos hidráulicos de redes de Sistemas de Fornecimento de Água, e da previsão do seu comportamento, é possível tirar vantagem das diferentes tarifas horárias de consumo de energia, reduzindo desta forma os custos totais do bombeamento de água. Esta tese foi desenvolvida em associação com o projecto de transferência de tecnologia denominado E-Pumping. Foca-se na procura de uma estratégia de supervisão e controlo flexível e adaptável a qualquer Sistema de Fornecimento de Água existente, bem como na previsão do consumo de água durante um período escolhido pelo utilizador final, o objectivo final é permitir o planeamento de um horário óptimo que minimize o custo do consumo de energia eléctrica. O Protocolo OPC, associado a uma Base de Dados MySQL, foi usado para o desenvolvimento da ferramenta de supervisão e controlo flexível, constituindo no seu conjunto um módulo do Projecto E-Pumping. A escolha baseou-se em ambas as tecnologias serem adaptáveis a equipamentos de diferentes fabricantes. Esta tese produziu ainda uma ferramenta de previsão do consumo de água, adaptável a qualquer estação, constituindo um segundo módulo do projecto. Esta ferramenta foi obtida através do estudo e testes de performance a variados modelos baseados em séries temporais, especificamente aplicadas a este problema. Os parâmetros do modelo de base desta ferramenta são automaticamente actualizados a cada execução do programa. Ambos os módulos referidos foram integrados com uma Interface Gráfica (GUI) e implementados numa aplicação piloto instalada na rede de abastecimento de água da empresa Águas do Douro e Paiva (ADDP). A implementação deste software em Sistemas de Abastecimento de Água por todo o país reduziria os seus custos de funcionamento, melhorando a sua capacidade de competição no mercado e, em última instância, diminuindo os preços da água para o consumidor final.

We propose a novel feedback admission control (FAC) algorithm based on control theory as a unified framework to improve the real-time scheduling (RTS) performance in industrial workflow management systems (WMSs). Our FAC algorithm is based on four main principles. First, it does not require the knowledge of RTS parameters of jobs prior to their arrival to the system for scheduling and processing. Second, it does not require a change of the scheduling architecture/policy in the industrial WMS which is a requirement in some industries including the one under consideration in this thesis. Third, we derive dynamic models for computing systems for the purpose of performance control. Finally, we apply established control laws to manage the trade-offs in meeting deadlines and increasing platform utilisation (classical RTS objectives). The generality and efficiency of our proposed FAC algorithm are demonstrated by its application in three typical scheduling scenarios in industry. First, we tested our algorithm with simple tasks that are periodic and independent. For this application, we developed two FAC versions based on basic and advanced control laws to compare their performance with respect to the RTS objectives. Second, we added task dependencies as a scheduling constraint because they are witnessed in some industrial workloads. We evaluated our FAC algorithm against other baseline algorithms like the completion-ratio admission controller with respect to the RTS objectives. Third, we extended our FAC algorithm to support enterprise resource planning decisions in acquiring additional computing processors in real-time to further achieve the RTS objectives while constrained by industrial projects’ financial budgets.

The inspirations for this study were a call for research into the evolution of management accounting in the context of knowledge management (Bhimani and Roberts, 2004) and the increasing interest of Thai public and private organisations in implementing knowledge management initiatives, which were encouraged by the Thai government in order to move Thailand towards becoming a knowledge economy. The aim of this research is to extend the current knowledge and understanding of the adoption and evolution of management control systems (MCS) in the context of knowledge management. The study provides insights into whether and to what extent an MCS can be used to promote knowledge management. This includes an investigation of the mechanisms ofMCS that can be used to encourage knowledge management in organisations. It also involves defining what is meant by the terms knowledge and knowledge management, as these terms are broadly and differently defined in the literature of the various relevant disciplines. Two case studies of Thai organisations were used to explore the implications of MCS for knowledge management The cases provided contextual insights into the practicalities of knowledge management and MCS in the context of knowledge management The cases are in different businesses (one financially-oriented and the other non-financially-oriented) and different organisational contexts (one a bureaucratic organisation and the other a professionally dominated organisation). The differences in business purposes and organisational settings provide detailed data on how MCS can be devdoped to support knowledge management in different contexts. The findings suggest that the two organisations used the behaviouml mechanisms of MCS to promote their knowledge management initiatives in order to accomplish two aims: developing human capital and structural capital Several people-based knowledge management methods (e.g. education and training, communities of practice- (CoPs), etc.) were developed to achieve these aims. Three behvioural mechanisms of MCS (ie. individual performance measures, incentive systems and organisational rules) were used to encourage employees to participate in knowledge management work. MCS for knowledge management in the bank (a bureaucmtic and financially-oriented organisation) is more problematic than in the university partly because the bank's MCS is financially-oriented and more hierarchical than the university's, which is knowledge-oriented and more horizontal. The study also illustrates the use of personnel and cultural controls for promoting knowledge management in the two organisations. Finally, a conceptual framework, for explaining the synergy of MCS and knowledge management, is proposed for further development The framework suggests that the role of MCS in the context of knowledge has two dimensions: promoting horizontal co-ordination (by connecting economic activities horizontally) and encouraging HRM practices.

The study explores the role of management control systems in a strategy formulation process, this by viewing management control systems as a package and addressing its role in the Value Based Health Care (VBHC) strategy formulation process at Uppsala University Hospital. Previous studies exploring the relationship between management control systems and strategy have found the relationship to be interrelated and that management control systems can take either an interactive or diagnostic role. However, these studies are limited in their approach as they do not address management control systems as a package, thus failing to capture the importance of informal control systems and the impact separate controls have on each other. Applying a case study design using semi-structured interviews, the study partly supports the findings of earlier studies emphasizing how management control systems can be classified and used for both interactive as well as diagnostic purposes. The study however, expands the view of earlier research by emphasizing how diagnostic controls should be further classified as either enforcing or reinforcing control systems, as well as emphasizing the importance of timing for understanding the different roles of management control systems in a strategy formulation process.

Recent years have shown a growing concern over increasing traffic volume worldwide. The insufficient road capacity and the resulting congestions have become major problems in many urban areas. Congestions negatively impact the economy, the environment and the health of the population as well as the drivers satisfaction. Current solutions to this topical and timely problem rely on the exploitation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies. ITS urban traffic management involves the collection and processing of a large amount of geographically distributed information to control distributed infrastructure and individual vehicles. The distributed nature of the problem prompted the development of a novel, scalable ITS-Cloud platform. The ITS-Cloud organises the processing and manages distributed data sources to provide traffic management methods with more accurate information about the state of the traffic. A new approach to service allocation, derived from the existing cloud and grid computing approaches, was created to address the unique needs of ITS traffic management. The ITS-Cloud hosts the collection of software services that form the Cloud based Traffic Management System (CTMS). CTMS combines intersection control algorithms with intersection approach advices to the vehicles and dynamic routing. The CTMS contains a novel Two-Step traffic management method that relies on the ITS-Cloud to deliver a detailed traffic simulation image and integrates an adaptive intersection control algorithm with a microscopic prediction mechanism. It is the first method able to perform simultaneous adaptive intersection control and intersection approach optimization. The Two-Step method builds on a novel pressure based adaptive intersection control algorithm as well as two new traffic prediction schemes. The developed traffic management system was evaluated using a new microscopic traffic simulation tool tightly integrated with the ITS-Cloud. The novel traffic management approaches were shown to outperform benchmark methods for a realistic range of traffic conditions and road network configurations. Unique to the work was the investigation of interactions between ITS components.

This thesis presents novel battery pack designs and control methods to be used with battery packs enhanced with power electronics. There are two areas of focus: 1) intelligent battery packs that are constructed out of many hot swappable modules and 2) smart cells that form the foundation of a completely decentralised battery management system (BMS). In both areas, the concept of active loading/charging is introduced. Active loading/charging balances the cells in a battery pack by loading each cell in proportion to its capacity. In this way, the state of charge of all cells in a series string remain synchronized at all times and all of the energy storage potential from every cell is utilized, despite any differences in capacity there may be. Experimental results from the intelligent battery show how the capacity of a pack of variably degraded cells can be increased by 46% from 97 Wh to 142 Wh using active loading/charging. Engineering design challenges of building a practical intelligent battery pack are addressed. Start up and shut down procedures, and their respective circuits, were carefully designed to ensure zero current draw from the battery cells in the off state, yet also provide a simple mechanism for turning on. Intra-pack communication was designed to provide adequate information flow and precise control. Thus, two intra-pack networks were designed: a real time communication network, and a data communication network. The decentralised control algorithms of the smart cell use a small filtering inductor as a multi-purpose sensor. By analysing the voltage across this filtering inductor, the switching actions of a string of smart cells can be optimised. Experimental results show that the optimised switching actions reduce the output voltage ripple by 83% and they synchronize the terminal voltages of the smart cells, and by extension, their states of charge. This forms the basis of a decentralised BMS that does not require any communication between cells or with a centralised controller, but can still achieve cell balancing through active loading/charging.

This dissertation explores regulation’s influence on risk management and management control systems (MCS) in banks. The dissertation comprises of an introductory chapter, two published book chapters, one of which is an extensive literature review, and two working papers, presented at several European conferences. The overall objective of this dissertation is to explore how banks are responding to banking regulation in light of the 2007-08 financial crisis and what the implications of those responses are, particularly in relation to risk management and MCS, and their interactions. The overall research question is therefore: what influence does regulation have on risk management and management control systems in banks over time? The intended ambition is to contribute to existing knowledge on the relationship between bank regulation, risk management, and MCS by providing several practical and theoretical contributions. The dissertation employs an adapted theoretical framework and uses institutional theory and contingency theory to expose tensions between, the demands for uniformity residing in banking regulation, and the demands for uniqueness residing inside banks themselves as they seek to maintain control over the design and use of their organizational controls. The empirical material used in the longitudinal case study is gathered from a large European bank. The main findings of the dissertation are as follows. In Paper I, the findings show that banking regulation’s influence on risk management and management control is mixed, which in turn can influence risk management’s integration with MCS. The paper also finds that very little knowledge exists about regulation’s influence on risk management and MCS. In Paper II, the findings show that while regulatory influence in IT control has increased over time, banks continue to exercise significant influence over regulatory demands. In Paper III, the findings show how regulation’s influence varies considerably over time and that increased regulatory pressure can lead to a higher degree of integration between risk management and MCS across the three dimensions of integration. In Paper IV, the findings show how regulation’s influence is shaping the mental processes of management and employees, and can vary significantly based on several identified factors.

The controlling unit in building management system automation is a PLC. Every device in an installation is connected to the PLC. When a user wants to interact with a system an operator terminal, which is attached to a cabinet where the PLC is installed, is used. With this solution the user needs to be in front of the cabinet to interact with the system. Alarms do not get the user’s attention until the user checks the operator terminal. Using a solution where the communication with the PLC is done with a wireless interface would mean that the user interact with a system from a wider area. The solution should have the same functionality as today with the extension that the PLC should be able to contact the user if something is wrong in the installation. A PDA is used as a replacement for the operator terminal. This PDA uses two different techniques to communicate with the PLC. Bluetooth is used when the user is in the building and interacts with the system in a similar way to the operator terminals. GSM is used when the PLC needs to get the users attention by sending out alarms. With this solution the PDA can be used for several installations and thereby decrease cost. The project has turned out to be a success. The application that has been developed has improved a user’s interaction with a PLC.

The diploma thesis is about management control system. The first part contains the analysis of the subject, the factors, components and tools of management control. In the second part is about the difference of management control in profit and non-profit organizations.

Today's embedded distributed real-time systems, are exposed to large variations in resource usage due to complex software applications, sophisticated hardware platforms, and the impact of their run-time environment. As eciency becomes more important, the applications running on these systems are extended with on-line resource managers whose job is to adapt the system in the face of such variations. Distributed systems are often heterogeneous, meaning that the hardware platform consists of computing nodes with dierent performance, operating systems, and scheduling policies, linked through one or more networks using dierent protocols. In this thesis we explore whether resource managers used in such distributed embedded systems are stable, meaning that the system's resource usage is controlled under all possible run-time scenarios. Stability implies a bounded worst-case behavior of the system and can be linked with classic real-time systems' properties such as bounded response times for the software applications. In the case of distributed systems, the stability problem is particularly hard because software applications distributed over the dierent resources generate complex, cyclic dependencies between the resources, that need to be taken into account. In this thesis we develop a detailed mathematical model of an adaptive, distributed real-time system and we derive conditions that, if satised, guarantee its stability.

Project control systems often fail to support management in achieving their global project goals. This thesis proposes a Multidimensional Project Control System (MPCS) as an approach for quantifying deviations from the planning phase to the execution phase with respect to the global project control specification (GPCS). The projects' current state must be translated into yield terms, which are expressed as a gap vector that represents the multidimensional deviation from the global project control specification. The MPCS methodology allows the project manager to determine: integrated project status; where problems exist in the project; when and where to take corrective action; and how to measure improvement. However, implementing the MPCS methodology does not require extra data collation. MPCS deals with the control of a single project and defines the project performances in comparison with the plan. The progression of several projects in parallel is a common situation in organizations, therefore a comparison of the various project performances is required. It is proposed that a comparison process be performed using the data envelope analysis (DEA) approach. The reference points for examining the performances of different projects and the directions of improvement for the projects are not necessarily found on the efficiency frontier. An algorithm is developed for applying multi-project system control having a relatively large number of inputs and outputs while maintaining the validity of the DEA methodology. The DEA output allows the diagnosis of those found on the efficiency frontier and those that need improvement.

Sustainability is becoming increasingly more important for companies as the public demands that companies are more transparent and act in a responsible manner. This thesis researches what role management control systems play when implementing and working with sustainability. This was done by interviewing CSO’s and controllers as well as examining annual financial and sustainability reports at three large Swedish firms, all praised for their sustainability work. The data was compared between the case companies and analysed by using the management control systems framework by Malmi and Brown (2008). The findings show that the cultural controls coupled with the administrative controls have the most important role to play when implementing sustainability, as they provide the basis for the other control systems. These other control systems have currently a much smaller role to play as there are still challenges connected to sustainability that hinder the use of these control systems to their full potential. The findings further show that the key to implementing sustainability lies in the company’s ability to find and create business cases concerning sustainability as this help aligning the sustainability goals with the business goals and overall strategy.

Thesis (M.S. in Information Systems)--Naval Postgraduate School, September 1990.
Thesis Advisor(s): Haga, William J. Second Reader: Zviran, Moshe. "September 1990." Description based on title screen as viewed on December 21, 2009. DTIC Identifier(s): Management Information Systems, Naval Operations, Data Bases, Instructional Materials, Decision Aids, Aviation Accidents, Antisubmarine Warfare, Naval Training, Local Area Networks, Theses. Author(s) subject terms: Case Studies, Database Management Systems, Local Area Networks, Decision Support. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Consumer electronics, wearable and personal health devices, power networks, microgrids, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are some of the many applications where Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are employed. From a manufacturer point of view, the optimal design and management of such electrochemical accumulators are important aspects for ensuring safe and profitable operations. The adoption of mathematical models can support the achievement of the best performance, while saving time and money. In the literature, all the models used to describe the behavior of a Li-ion battery belong to one of the two following families: (i) Equivalent Circuit Models (ECMs), and (ii) Electrochemical Models (EMs). While the former family represents the battery dynamics by means of electrical circuits, the latter resorts to first principles laws of modeling. As a first contribution, this Thesis provides a thorough investigation of the pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) Li-ion battery EM. In particular, the objectives are to provide: (i) a detailed description of the model formulation, (ii) the Li-ION SIMulation BAttery (LIONSIMBA) toolbox as a finite volume Matlab implementation of the P2D model, for design, simulation, and control of Li-ion cells or battery packs, (iii) a validation of the proposed tool with respect to the COMSOL MultiPhysics commercial software and the Newman's DUALFOIL code, and (iv) some demonstrative simulations involving thermal dynamics, a hybrid charge-discharge cycle emulating the throttle of an HEV, and a battery pack of series connected cells. The second contribution is related to the development of several charging strategies for Advanced Battery Management Systems (ABMSs), where predictive approaches are employed to attain optimal control. Model Predictive Control (MPC) refers to a particular family of control algorithms that, according to a mathematical model, predicts the future behavior of a plant, while considering inputs and outputs constraints. According to this paradigm, in this Thesis different ABMSs strategies have been developed, and their effectiveness shown through simulations. Due to the complexity of the P2D model, its inclusion within an MPC context could prevent the online application of the control algorithm. For this reason, different approximations of the P2D dynamics are proposed and their MPC formulations carefully explained. In particular, finite step response, autoregressive exogenous, piecewise affine, and linear time varying approximations are presented. For all the aforementioned reformulations, the closed-loop performance are evaluated considering the P2D implementation of LIONSIMBA as the real plant. The closed-loop simulations highlight the suitability of the MPC paradigm to be employed for the development of the future ABMSs. In fact, its ability to predict the future behavior of the cell while considering operating constraints can help in preventing possible safety issues and improving the charging performance. Finally, the reliability and efficiency of the proposed Matlab toolbox in simulating the P2D dynamics, support the idea that LIONSIMBA can significantly contribute in the advance of the battery field.
Consumer electronics, wearable and personal health devices, power networks, microgrids, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are some of the many applications where Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are employed. From a manufacturer point of view, the optimal design and management of such electrochemical accumulators are important aspects for ensuring safe and profitable operations. The adoption of mathematical models can support the achievement of the best performance, while saving time and money. In the literature, all the models used to describe the behavior of a Li-ion battery belong to one of the two following families: (i) Equivalent Circuit Models (ECMs), and (ii) Electrochemical Models (EMs). While the former family represents the battery dynamics by means of electrical circuits, the latter resorts to first principles laws of modeling. As a first contribution, this Thesis provides a thorough investigation of the pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) Li-ion battery EM. In particular, the objectives are to provide: (i) a detailed description of the model formulation, (ii) the Li-ION SIMulation BAttery (LIONSIMBA) toolbox as a finite volume Matlab implementation of the P2D model, for design, simulation, and control of Li-ion cells or battery packs, (iii) a validation of the proposed tool with respect to the COMSOL MultiPhysics commercial software and the Newman's DUALFOIL code, and (iv) some demonstrative simulations involving thermal dynamics, a hybrid charge-discharge cycle emulating the throttle of an HEV, and a battery pack of series connected cells. The second contribution is related to the development of several charging strategies for Advanced Battery Management Systems (ABMSs), where predictive approaches are employed to attain optimal control. Model Predictive Control (MPC) refers to a particular family of control algorithms that, according to a mathematical model, predicts the future behavior of a plant, while considering inputs and outputs constraints. According to this paradigm, in this Thesis different ABMSs strategies have been developed, and their effectiveness shown through simulations. Due to the complexity of the P2D model, its inclusion within an MPC context could prevent the online application of the control algorithm. For this reason, different approximations of the P2D dynamics are proposed and their MPC formulations carefully explained. In particular, finite step response, autoregressive exogenous, piecewise affine, and linear time varying approximations are presented. For all the aforementioned reformulations, the closed-loop performance are evaluated considering the P2D implementation of LIONSIMBA as the real plant. The closed-loop simulations highlight the suitability of the MPC paradigm to be employed for the development of the future ABMSs. In fact, its ability to predict the future behavior of the cell while considering operating constraints can help in preventing possible safety issues and improving the charging performance. Finally, the reliability and efficiency of the proposed Matlab toolbox in simulating the P2D dynamics, support the idea that LIONSIMBA can significantly contribute in the advance of the battery field.

The rate of integration of the renewable energy sources in modern grids have significantly increased in the last decade. These intermittent, non-dispatchable renewable sources, though environment friendly tend to be grid unfriendly. This is precisely due to the issues pertaining to grid congestion, voltage regulation and stability of grids being reported as a result of the incorporation of renewable sources. In this scenario, the use of energy storage systems (ESS ) in electric grids is being widely proposed to overcome these issues. However, integrating energy storage systems alone will not compensate for the issue created by renewable generation. The control and management of the ESS should be done optimally so that their full capabilities are exploited to overcome the issues in the power grids and to ensure their lower cost of investment by prolonging ESS lifetime through minimising degradation. Motivated by this aspect this Ph.D work focusses on developing an efficient, optimal control and management strategy for ESS in a microgrid, especially hybrid ESS. The Ph.D work addresses this issue by proposing a hierarchical control scheme comprising of a lower power management and higher energy management stage with contributions in each stage. In the power management stage this work focusses on improving aspects of real time control of power converters interfacing ESS to grid and the microgrid system as whole. The work proposes control systems with improved dynamic behaviour for power converters based on the reset control framework. In the microgrid control the work presents a primary+secondary control scheme with improved voltage regulation performance under disturbances, using an observer. The real time power splitting strategies among hybrid ESS accounting for the ESS operating efficiencies and degradation mechanisms will also be addressed in the primary+secondary control of power management stage. The design criteria, stability and robustness analysis will be carried out, along with simulation or experimental verifications. In the higher level energy management stage, the contribution of this work involves application of an economic MPC framework for the management of ESS in microgrids. The work specifically addresses the problems of mitigating grid congestion from renewable power feed-in, minimising ESS degradation and maximising self consumption of generated renewable energy using the MPC based energy management system. A survey of the forecasting methods that can be used for MPC will be carried out and a neural network based forecasting unit for time series prediction will be developed. The practical issue of accounting for forecasting error in the decision making of MPC will be addressed and impact of the resulting conservative decision making on the system performance will be analysed. The improvement in performance with the proposed energy management scheme will be demonstrated and quantified.
La integración de las fuentes de energía renovables en las redes modernas ha aumentado significativamente en la última década. Estas fuentes renovables, aunque muy convenientes para el medio ambiente son de naturaleza intermitente, y son no panificables, cosa que genera problemas en la red de distribución. Esto se debe precisamente a los problemas relacionados con la congestión de la red y la regulación del voltaje. En este escenario, el uso de sistemas de almacenamiento de energía (ESS) en redes eléctricas está siendo ampliamente propuesto para superar estos problemas. Sin embargo, la integración de sistemas de almacenamiento de energía por sí solos no compensará el problema creado por la generación renovable. El control y la gestión del ESS deben realizarse de manera óptima, de modo que se aprovechen al máximo sus capacidades para superar los problemas en las redes eléctricas, garantizar un coste de inversión razonable y prolongar la vida útil del ESS minimizando su degradación. Motivado por esta problemática, esta tesis doctoral se centra en desarrollar una estrategia de control y gestión eficiente para los ESS integrados en una microrred, especialmente cuando se trata de ESS de naturaleza. El trabajo de doctorado propone un esquema de control jerárquico compuesto por un control de bajo nivel y una parte de gestión de energía operando a más alto nivel. El trabajo realiza aportaciones en los dos campos. En el control de bajo nivel, este trabajo se centra en mejorar aspectos del control en tiempo real de los convertidores que interconectan el ESS con la red y el sistema de micro red en su conjunto. El trabajo propone sistemas de control con comportamiento dinámico mejorado para convertidores de potencia desarrollados en el marco del control de tipo reset. En el control de microrred, el trabajo presenta un esquema de control primario y uno secundario con un rendimiento de regulación de voltaje mejorado bajo perturbaciones, utilizando un observador. Además, el trabajo plantea estrategias de reparto del flujo de potencia entre los diferentes ESS. Durante el diseño de estos algoritmos de control se tienen en cuenta los mecanismos de degradación de los diferentes ESS. Los algoritmos diseñados se validarán mediante simulaciones y trabajos experimentales. En el apartado de gestión de energía, la contribución de este trabajo se centra en la aplicación del un control predictivo económico basado en modelo (EMPC) para la gestión de ESS en microrredes. El trabajo aborda específicamente los problemas de mitigar la congestión de la red a partir de la alimentación de energía renovable, minimizando la degradación de ESS y maximizando el autoconsumo de energía renovable generada. Se ha realizado una revisión de los métodos de predicción del consumo/generación que pueden usarse en el marco del EMPC y se ha desarrollado un mecanismo de predicción basado en el uso de las redes neuronales. Se ha abordado el análisis del efecto del error de predicción sobre el EMPC y el impacto que la toma de decisiones conservadoras produce en el rendimiento del sistema. La mejora en el rendimiento del esquema de gestión energética propuesto se ha cuantificado.
La integració de les fonts d'energia renovables a les xarxes modernes ha augmentat significativament en l’última dècada. Aquestes fonts renovables, encara que molt convenients per al medi ambient són de naturalesa intermitent, i són no panificables, cosa que genera problemes a la xarxa de distribució. Això es deu precisament als problemes relacionats amb la congestió de la xarxa i la regulació de la tensió. En aquest escenari, l’ús de sistemes d'emmagatzematge d'energia (ESS) en xarxes elèctriques està sent àmpliament proposat per superar aquests problemes. No obstant això, la integració de sistemes d'emmagatzematge d'energia per si sols no compensarà el problema creat per la generació renovable. El control i la gestió de l'ESS s'han de fer de manera _optima, de manera que s'aprofitin al màxim les seves capacitats per superar els problemes en les xarxes elèctriques, garantir un cost d’inversió raonable i allargar la vida útil de l'ESS minimitzant la seva degradació. Motivat per aquesta problemàtica, aquesta tesi doctoral es centra a desenvolupar una estratègia de control i gestió eficient per als ESS integrats en una microxarxa, especialment quan es tracta d'ESS de natura híbrida. El treball de doctorat proposa un esquema de control jeràrquic compost per un control de baix nivell i una part de gestió d'energia operant a més alt nivell. El treball realitza aportacions en els dos camps. En el control de baix nivell, aquest treball es centra a millorar aspectes del control en temps real dels convertidors que interconnecten el ESS amb la xarxa i el sistema de microxarxa en el seu conjunt. El treball proposa sistemes de control amb comportament dinàmic millorat per a convertidors de potència desenvolupats en el marc del control de tipus reset. En el control de micro-xarxa, el treball presenta un esquema de control primari i un de secundari de regulació de voltatge millorat sota pertorbacions, utilitzant un observador. A més, el treball planteja estratègies de repartiment de el flux de potència entre els diferents ESS. Durant el disseny d'aquests algoritmes de control es tenen en compte els mecanismes de degradació dels diferents ESS. Els algoritmes dissenyats es validaran mitjanant simulacions i treballs experimentals. En l'apartat de gestió d'energia, la contribució d'aquest treball se centra en l’aplicació de l'un control predictiu econòmic basat en model (EMPC) per a la gestió d'ESS en microxarxes. El treball aborda específicament els problemes de mitigar la congestió de la xarxa a partir de l’alimentació d'energia renovable, minimitzant la degradació d'ESS i maximitzant l'autoconsum d'energia renovable generada. S'ha realitzat una revisió dels mètodes de predicció del consum/generació que poden usar-se en el marc de l'EMPC i s'ha desenvolupat un mecanisme de predicció basat en l’ús de les xarxes neuronals. S'ha abordat l’anàlisi de l'efecte de l'error de predicció sobre el EMPC i l'impacte que la presa de decisions conservadores produeix en el rendiment de el sistema. La millora en el rendiment de l'esquema de gestió energètica proposat s'ha quantificat.

This paper gives an overview of workflow management systems (WfMSs) and their security requirements with focus on access mechanisms. It is a descriptive paper in which we examine the state of the art of workflow systems, describe what security risks affect WfMSs in particular, and how these can be diminiuished.

WfMSs manage, illustrate and support business processes. They contribute to the performance, automation and optimization of processes, which is important in the global economy today. The security of process flows is important, since the sensitive business data need to be protected to inhibit illegal activities, such as blackmailing, imitation and fraud and to provide for good customer service.

This paper focuses on access mechanisms, because they are basic security mechanisms used by WfMSs assuring that only authorized users are provided access to data and resources. Also because of the unsecurity of the Internet, which is commonly used as infrastructure of Workflow systems, additional security mechanisms, such as PKIs, digital signatures and SSL have to be used to provide secure workflows.

Depending on the particular requirements in workflow systems, different extensional access control (AC) mechanisms have been developed to maintain security. But when it comes to commercially used WfMSs, the availability of the system is of utmost importance. It is the prerequisite for the system to be employed by companies. The problem is that there is always a trade-off between availability of the system and security. Because this trade off is generally solved in favor of availability, a major part of the developed AC mechanisms are not used in commercially used WfMS.

After the first part of this paper which is rather theoretical, we examine a commercial WfMS, namely IBM's MQ Workflow , and its security mechanisms. We show vulnerabilities of the system that could be abused by attackers. Afterwards, we show which security mechanisms, in particular, AC mechanisms are provided to secure against threats. We conclude with a summary, which highlights the difference between security concepts developed in the research area and those really implemented by the commercially used WfMS.

This thesis deals with management control systems in entrepreneurial organisations. It particularly pays attention to medium-sized growing companies, since they are argued to be in an interesting situation of overall tensional requirements. At the same time as there is a need for continued entrepreneurship, a more formalised and impersonal management is asked for. It is further suggested that the use of formal management control systems – such as budgeting and reporting systems, performance measurement systems, and project costing systems – involves an exceptional delicate issue for this group of companies and their managers. The empirical study is based on two ‘good examples’, Soft Tel and Family Tech. Both these companies are described as medium-sized and growing. They are further defined as entrepreneurial, in the sense of being able and willing to pursue opportunities and to introduce them on the market. Several interviews were made with managers in these two companies, asking for their use of management control systems and motives for using – and not using – them. The empirical material is analysed and interpreted in accordance with a balancing framework, developed in the reference chapter. This framework is based on management conceptions found in corporate entrepreneurship literature, and consists of a number of management control tensions. An overall conclusion from the study is that it is possible and fruitful to approach the use of management control systems as a balancing between opposing elements, e.g. between formality and informality. It helps us understand how and why management control systems are used. Regarding the companies in question, the study shows that they differ in their managers’ way of using and reasoning about management control systems in relation to planning, decision-making and organisational control. The managers also balance between somewhat different opposing elements. It is suggested that these observations can be understood if considering that the companies are different in respect of (a) their growth situation and (b) how entrepreneurship is approached and organised. The study further shows that tensions are dealt with in various ways; a variety which is reflected in the notions of a dilemma, tradeoff, duality, and a paradox. Lastly, it is suggested that there is little evidence of a special ‘entrepreneurial’ use of management control systems in the two companies.

Title: Long term cost efficiency through green management control systems.Authors: Nancy Vukania &Xiaochen QinSupervisor: Åsa Karin-EngstrandBackground: The worldwide financial crisis of 2008 has reconfigured the economic turf leading to a more uncertain and turbulent playing field – a greater challenge for business strategy and the quest for optimization- The oil price hike of 2008 (Furlong 2010)1 caused its rippling effect to affect various cost categories including energy, labor and logistics thus causing a roller coaster business decision making process regarding outsourcing, off shoring and internal control and cutting short the decision making term to make room for adjustments. Amidst this high volatility and turbulence of factor markets coupled with fierce competitor activity, organizations are being drawn towards alternative sources of cost advantage which can enable them pursue long-term profitability.Aim: With this research, we intend to introduce an idea of cost efficiency which in the long term has the potential to develop into cost leadership for mature public organizations who are facing uncontrollable instabilities from the external business eco-system as well as international legislation regarding environmental sustainability (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)2. We aim to do this through studying an Energy performance contracting (EPC) project currently being undertaken by Landstinget I Östergotland (LIO), the county council of the province of Östergotland in Sweden.Results: We aim to prove- based on the results of the studied EPC project and the literature on green technology and management control systems- that the interplay of green technological systems and management control techniques can in the long term achieve substantial cost saving and profit making differentials that are sustainable, eco-friendly and subject to further development.Key Phrases/Words: Cost strategy, Management control, Green technology, Long-term SustainabilityPaper Type: Research Paper

Research into software defined radio technologies reaches a level [MITO 00], where developments in hardware technology [AJLU 01] and the existing multiband-multimode terminals are moving closer to the ideal 'Software Radio' [MITO 00]. Even the long neglected aspect of the reconfiguration of the higher layers of the protocol stack found entry into the current research efforts, see [SIEB 00] and [MOES Ola]. In addition, the reconfiguration techniques used in the higher layers are also used for the implementation of the lower (physical, etc) layers [HENK 03]. The reconfiguration of the software radio is a rather complex task, numerous parameters may influence the reconfiguration procedures and the low level programmability opens the possibility for any, even un-wanted configurations. Ensuring a standard compliance and a correct functioning of the reconfigurable systems will be the biggest challenge in the commercial Software Radio deployment. The work investigates reconfigurability issues of reconfigurable nodes (terminals, base stations, access points, etc.), the interactions within the future reconfigurable communication systems (terminals and networks) and provides an approach (so called reconfiguration plane) that can be used to ensure the functionality and integrity of radio systems before, during and after reconfiguration. It provides a complete design and implementation of the reconfiguration plane or common reconfiguration middleware, the distinctive interfaces and the communication between the different blocks of the plane. These encapsulate the configurable hardware platform, the reconfiguration management, control and data to the radio configuration interfaces i.e. 'radio-application software', the messages' exchange between network and mobile nodes, and presents a mechanism for secure download of reconfiguration software. The work identifies some of the regulatory limitations, but moreover it captures and describes the complexity that has to be considered when radio equipment can be flexibly configured and reconfigured through alterations to the hardware/software combinations. It facilitates the use of third party configuration software by providing mechanisms, which ensure the conformance to regulated radio standards satisfying the user, operator, software, and network providers' requirements. This also includes 'standard test suites' to certify that the instantiation of the configuration implements both the waveform and higher layers correctly [GUDA 00]. It addresses the issues of the verification and the validation of reconfigurable systems and configurations using the Specification and Description Language (SDL) implementation of the reconfiguration plane. As a part of the thesis is the evaluation of the 'cost of reconfiguration' which provides bases of estimation of the minimum design and implementation of software radio management architectures. This developed method is used to evaluate reconfiguration plane and to provide results for the cost of the reconfiguration scenarios applied at design time. This work concludes with a brief summary and conclusions, and an overview of the research that could be undertaken as future work.

Although previous literature has developed and refined Simons' levers of control framework by emphasising the interrelatedness of different control systems (e.g. Henri 2006, Tuomela 2005, Widener 2007), little evidence has been provided on how these control systems are used consistently without creating any disorders or complexities. Therefore, inspired by recent turn in management accounting (Ahrens & Chapman 2005, 2007, Chua 2007, Hansen & Mouritsen 2005) and strategy research (Jarzabkowski 2005, Johnson et al. 2003, Whittington 1996, 2006) to practice based theorising, this study aimed to contribute to 'theoretical refinement' (Keating 1995) of Simons' framework by exploring how Simons' four levers of control work in different capacities in crafting and implementing strategy. This longitudinal field study of a large Japanese supermarket chain was conducted to explore interface between MCS and strategy in the process of < strategising. More specifically, the thesis attempted to uncover the black box of the relationship between strategy and MCS.

This thesis is concerned with improving the integrity and applicability of building energy management systems(BEMS) simulation tools. The present work attempts to overcome certain inadequacies of contemporary simulation applications with respect to environmental control systems, by developing novel building control systems modelling schemes. These schemes are then integrated within a state-of-the-art simulation environment so that they can be employed in practice. After reviewing the existing techniques and various approaches to control systems design and appraisal,a taxonomy of building control system entities grouped in terms of logical, temporal and spatial element, is presented. This taxonomy is subsequently used to identify the models, algorithms, and features comprising a comprehensive modelling environment. Schemes for improving system integrity and applicability are presented based upon a simulation approach which treats the building fabric and associated plant sy stems as an integrated dynamic system. These schemes facilitate the modelling of advanced BEMS control structure and strategies, including: - hierarchical (systems level and zone-level) control systems; - single input, single output (SISO) and multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) systems; - advanced BEMS controller algorithms; - simulated-assisted control strategies based on advanced simulation time-step control techniques. The installation of the developed schemes within a whole building simulation environment, ESP-r, is also presented. Issues related to verification of the developed schemes are subsequently discussed. Users of control system simulation programs are identified and categorised. Typical applications of the new control modelling features are demonstrated in terms of these user groups. The applications are based on both research and consultancy projects. Finally, the future work required to increase the applicability and accuracy of building control simulation tools is elaborated in terms of the required integration with other technical subsystems and related computer-aided design tools.

Combined sewer networks control, like many other real world problems, is usually identified with competing and conflicting objectives. Decision makers have a great need of selecting the best possible control strategy in minimizing the combined sewer overflows (CSOs) when controlling the sewer networks. However, this control strategy should be cost effective to produce a feasible control approach in real world. Cost effectiveness has become significantly important in present economic recession. Over the past decades, people have witnessed the control strategies based on minimization of CSOs. However, it is now, not only to minimize CSOs, but also to minimize the impact to the natural water from these CSOs. Therefore, this research explores the development of a holistic framework that is used for the multi-objective optimization of urban wastewater systems, considering flows and water quality in combined sewers and the cost of wastewater treatment. Pollution levels of several water quality parameters in dry weather flows and stormwater runoff are considered. Pollutographs for several water quality parameters are generated for the stormwater runoff. Temporal and spatial variations of the stormwater runoff are incorporated using these pollutographs for different land-uses. Furthermore, pollutographs are developed for different storm conditions, including single, two consecutive and migrating storms. Evolutionary algorithms are extensively used in solving the developed multiobjective optimization approach. Formulations for two different optimization approaches, one for the snapshot optimization and the other one for the dynamic optimization are developed. Simulation results from a full hydraulic model, including water quality routing are used in the optimization. The performance of the multi-objective optimization models are tested on a simple interceptor sewer system for several storm conditions. The proposed optimization approach for snapshot optimization gives the optimal CSO control settings where a single set of static control settings is used throughout the considered time period. However, the proposed optimization approach for dynamic optimization is capable of producing control strategies over the full duration of storm period. Furthermore, results for a number of alternative formulations in constraint handling for the developed multi-objective optimization approach are compared. They produce interesting findings. Overall, the constraint handling formulations developed outside the genetic (NSGA II) algorithm provides better control in combined sewer networks. In addition, the results of the multi-objective optimization demonstrate the benefits of the usage of optimization approach and its potential to establish the key properties of a range of control strategies through an analysis of the various tradeoffs involved. Solutions from the dynamic optimization approach highlight the usage of the real-time control in combined sewer systems. Given that the technology is there to measure water quality and flow rates, collect data and send feedbacks to the sewer system through central processing unit and the usage of high performance computers, the developed optimization model is capable of handing the present society's concerns in combined sewer systems. The model is capable of controlling the existing sewer networks according to the receiving water regulations and the fund availability of the wastewater treatment plants. However, further research is required to apply the developed multi-objective optimization approach in real-time control of urban sewer systems.

This research examines the management control system (MCS) of a non-Big4 local Egyptian member firm (EMF) with the objectives of understanding and explaining how EMF's MCS is shaped by its idiosyncratic features as an accounting firm, as well as, its membership of a global network (NonA). The research situates accounting firms within the broader context of professional service firms, whose unique features, coupled with accounting firms' cost/quality conflict dilemma, require a control package approach. MCS is construed as a package of bureaucratic and clan controls. The research is theoretically informed by Ouchi's (1979, 1980) control typology, Malmi and Brown's (2008) notion of a package. A case study approach is used relying on interviews, documentation and observations in an interpretative qualitative research design.

This master’s thesis aims to point out if national culture has an influence on the use of management control systems. The focus in on studying possible differences found in cultural attributes between Finland and USA. Identified differences are then compared against differences found in management control systems and practices used in these two countries. Geert Hofstede’s original typology of four cultural dimensions is utilized as a basis for identifying and interpreting cultural differences between Finland and USA. Cultural dimensions which are used to identify cultural differences include power distance, individualism, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance. Management control alternatives are examined by dividing them into four groups: results controls, action controls, personnel controls, and cultural controls, based on the work of Merchant and Van der Stede. The study presents assumptions between possible relations of cultural attributes and the control alternatives. The empirical part of the study was conducted in spring 2014. In order to give the thesis a Finnish view of American culture, four Finnish individuals, who all have worked in the United States for two years or more, were interviewed. The interviews focused on perceptions made at work in US organizations. The interviewees were inquired of their experiences considering differences in national culture, and differences identified between management practices between Finland and USA. Findings from the interviews are then compared against Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, in order to see if a correlation to Hofstede’s results can be identified. Management control alternatives are discussed in the light of the findings, in order to point out whether differences in management control practices are visible. Based on the results it can be stated, that the influence of national culture is visible when comparing management control systems used in Finland and USA.

This thesis is devoted to the study of the optimisation-based control techniques for the design of control strategies that contribute to improve the energy efficiency of smart manufacturing systems. Currently, manufacturing industry is suffering a transformation towards smart, flexible, and energy-efficient manufacturing systems. This transformation requires modularised and reconfigurable manufacturing systems to respond to changes in productions programs and to the time-varying pieces demand while keeping an energy-efficient operation. Thus, suitable control systems should be designed to satisfy the requirements of this transformation while minimising the energy consumption and maximising the plant profit. In this regard, optimisation-based controllers are suitable for the design of control systems that minimise the total energy consumption of such systems while remaining their productivity taking into account the operational conditions and the factors that affect them. First, this dissertation presents how optimisation-based control techniques can contribute to face the challenges of the smart manufacturing systems. Based on this review, manufacturing industry is classified by levels, i.e., machine, process line, and plant levels, for the design of optimisation-based controllers. Besides, to design control strategies that do not affect plant productivity, manufacturing systems are also classified according to the operations performed. Based on these classifications, control strategies are proposed to minimise either the total energy consumption of manufacturing systems or the energy costs related to the operation of such systems. At both machine and process line levels, control strategies are designed based on model predictive control approach to minimise their energy consumption. The underlying idea behind the proposed control strategies consists of managing independently those devices (or systems) that are not directly involved in the machining operations. Thus, energy consumption models are required to predict the total energy consumption profile of manufacturing systems and, based on this, to select the activation/deactivation instants of the manipulated devices that minimise their energy consumption and guarantee their proper operation. Next, due to at the process line level the size and complexity of manufacturing systems increases, a control strategy based on two control modes is proposed to reduce the computational burden of such controllers by switching from a control mode based on online optimisation to an autonomous control mode without solving an optimisation problem. Since the need for flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing systems, non-centralised control strategies are proposed at higher industrial levels to minimise their energy consumption. Thus, both cooperative and non-cooperative local controllers are designed considering a fixed system partitioning and using alternative direction methods of multipliers to solve the optimisations problems in a distributed fashion. Besides, due to the nature of the proposed control objectives, a way to define the consensus stage among the local controllers with coupled dynamics is proposed. Finally, the control strategies designed at plant level are based on the economic model predictive control approach to maximise the plant profit and minimise the operational costs related to the plant operation. At this level, control objectives are focused on determining the economic-optimal production programming of the plant that the control strategies at lower levels should follow. In this regard, the production programming of the plant is determined taking into account the pieces demand, the energy consumption of manufacturing systems, and the current energy market and their fluctuations. All control strategies proposed in this thesis are tested in simulation considering different scenarios designed based on the real operation of an automotive part manufacturing plant.
Esta tesis se basa en el estudio de las técnicas de control basadas en optimización para el diseño de estrategias de control que mejoren la eficiencia energética de los sistemas de manufactura inteligentes. La industria de manufactura se está transformando hacia sistemas de manufactura inteligentes, flexibles y eficientes energéticamente, que requiere de estructuras modulares y reconfigurables para poder responder a los cambios en la programación de la producción y la demanda de piezas. Así, se deben diseñar sistemas de control que cumplan los requerimientos de dicha transformación mientras minimizan el consumo de energía y maximizan la rentabilidad de la planta. En este sentido, los controladores basados en optimización son adecuados para el diseño de sistemas de control que minimicen el consumo de energía de dichos sistemas mientras mantienen su productividad teniendo en cuenta los factores que los afectan. Primero, se presentan como las técnicas de control basadas en optimización pueden contribuir a hacer frente a los desafíos impuestos por la industria de manufactura. Con base en esta revisión, la industria manufacturera se clasifica por niveles, nivel de máquina, línea de proceso, y planta, para el diseño de controladores basados en optimización. Además, para diseñar estrategias de control que no afecten la productividad de la planta, se propone una clasificación para estos sistemas en función de las operaciones realizadas. Con base en estas clasificaciones, se diseñan estrategias de control que minimicen el consumo de energía de los sistemas de manufactura o los costos asociados a dicho consumo. A los niveles de maquina y línea, se diseñaron estrategias de control para minimizar el consumo de energía de los sistemas de manufactura con base en el enfoque de control predictivo basado en modelo. Las estrategias propuestas se basan en la gestión independiente de aquellos dispositivos que no están directamente relacionados con las operaciones de mecanizado. Por lo tanto, modelos de consumo de energía fueron necesarios para predecir el perfil del consumo de energía de estos sistemas y, a partir de esto, seleccionar los instantes de activación/desactivación de los dispositivos manipulados que minimicen el consumo de energía y garanticen el correcto funcionamiento de dichos sistemas. Dado que al nivel de línea el tamaño y la complejidad de estos sistemas aumenta, se propone a una estrategia de control basada en dos modos de control para reducir la carga computacional mediante la conmutación de un modo de control basado en optimización a un modo autónomo que no requiere optimización. Dada la necesidad de sistemas de manufactura flexibles y reconfigurables, estrategias de control no centralizadas se proponen para minimizar el consumo de dichos sistemas a los niveles más altos. Para este fin, los sistemas de manufactura se dividieron en subsistemas, y se diseñaron controladores locales de tipo cooperativo y no cooperativo usando métodos alternativos de dirección de multiplicadores para resolver los problemas de optimización. Además, debido a la naturaleza de los objetivos de control propuesto, se propuso una forma de establecer el consenso entre los controladores locales con dinámicas acopladas. Finalmente, a nivel de planta, se diseñan estrategias de control con base en el enfoque control predictivo basado en modelo económico para maximizar la rentabilidad de la planta. A este nivel, los objetivos de control se centran en determinar la programación de la producción óptima que deberán seguir las estrategias de control diseñadas a niveles más bajos. Así, la programación de la producción de la planta se determina teniendo en cuenta la demanda de piezas, el consumo de energía total, y el mercado energético con sus fluctuaciones. Las estrategias de control propuestas en esta tesis se probaron en simulación considerando diferentes escenarios diseñados con base en la operación real de una planta de fabricación de piezas automotrices.
Aquesta tesi es centra principalment en l’estudi de les tècniques de control basades en optimització per al disseny d’estratègies que contribueixin a millorar l’eficiència energètica dels sistemes de manufactura intel·ligents. Actualment, la indústria manufacturera està experimentant una transformació cap a sistemes de manufactura intel·ligents, flexibles i eficients energèticament, impulsada pels avenços en dispositius de mesura, gestió de dades i eines de comunicació i connectivitat. Aquesta transformació requereix que els sistemes de manufactura siguin modulars i reconfigurables per poder respondre als canvis en la programació de la producció i de la demanda i disseny de les peces mentre continuen operant de manera eficient i sostenible. Per tant, per tal d’assolir una indústria de manufactura m’és intel·ligent, s’han de dissenyar sistemes de control adequats que permetin complir els requeriments d’aquesta transformació, així com també minimitzar el consum d’energia i maximitzar la rendibilitat de la planta. En aquest sentit, els controladors basats en optimització i les arquitectures de control no centralitzat podrien ser adequats per al disseny de sistemes de control que contribueixin a minimitzar el consum d’energia total d’aquests sistemes mentre mantenen la seva productivitat i tenen en compte les restriccions operatives i els factors externs que afecten aquests sistemes. Per tant, mitjançant l’ús d’estratègies de control avançat, els sistemes de control poden ser degudament actualitzats per incloure la informació sobre els canvis en l’operació dels sistemes de manufactura, així com també la variació del mercat energètic per minimitzar els costos d’energia durant l’operació de la planta. Primer, en aquesta tesi, es presenten i discuteixen les estratègies actualment implementades en la indústria manufacturera per millorar la seva eficiència energètica. En base a aquesta revisió, s’identifiquen les principals bretxes de recerca en aquest camp i es discuteix com les tècniques de control basades en optimització poden contribuir a fer front als desafiaments imposats per la nova era de la indústria manufacturera (Industry 4.0). Recolzant-se en la revisió de la literatura, es proposa classificar la indústria manufacturera per nivells, considerant el nivell de màquina, línia de procés i planta, per al disseny de controladors basats en optimització. A més, per tal de dissenyar estratègies de control que no afectin la productivitat de la planta, és a dir, el nombre de peces processades per unitat de temps, els elements constitutius dels sistemes de manufactura també es classifiquen en dispositius de mecanitzat i perifèrics en funció de les operacions realitzades. Els elements de la primera classe corresponen a aquells que estan directament involucrats en les operacions de mecanitzat, mentre que els de la segona classe són aquells que s’encarreguen de proveir els recursos requerits pels dispositius de mecanitzat. Després, en base a aquesta classificació, es proposen estratègies de control en cada nivell per minimitzar el seu consum d’energia o els costos associats a aquest consum. Per als nivells de màquina i línia de procés, es dissenyen estratègies de control per minimitzar el consum d’energia dels sistemes de manufactura en base a l’enfocament de control predictiu basat en model. Les estratègies proposades es basen en la idea de gestionar de manera independent els dispositius (o sistemes) perifèrics per tal de no afectar el temps de processament de les màquines tot mantenint l’operació dels dispositius de mecanitzat. Per tant, calen models de consum d’energia per a predir el perfil de consum d’energia dels sistemes de manufactura i, en base a aquesta predicció, seleccionar els instants d’activació / desactivació per als dispositius manipulats a partir dels quals es minimitzi el consum d’energia total i es pugui garantir el correcte funcionament d’aquests sistemes. D’altra banda, atès que al nivell de línia de procés la mida i la complexitat dels sistemes de manufactura augmenta, es proposa una estratègia de control basada en dos modes de control per tal de reduir la càrrega computacional i dissenyar controladors que puguin ser implementats en temps real. En aquest sentit, tenint en compte que els sistemes de manufactura presenten un comportament diari, es proposa un algoritme per detectar la periodicitat d’aquests sistemes i, després, commutar a un mode de control autònom que no requereixi resoldre un problema d’optimització en línia. D’altra banda, donada la necessitat de sistemes de manufactura flexibles i reconfigurables, es proposen estratègies de control no centralitzades per minimitzar el consum d’energia dels sistemes de fabricació als nivells més alts. Amb aquesta finalitat, els sistemes de manufactura es divideixen en subsistemes, i es dissenyen controladors locals de tipus cooperatiu i no cooperatiu utilitzant mètodes alternatius de direcció de multiplicadors per resoldre els problemes d’optimització de manera distribuïda. A més, a causa de la naturalesa de l’objectiu de control proposat, el qual està enfocat en minimitzar el consum d’energia dels sistemes de manufactura, es proposa una forma d’establir el consens entre els controladors locals amb dinàmiques acoblades. Després, les estratègies de control proposades són extrapolades al nivell de planta usant objectius de tipus econòmic, i es comparen les arquitectures de control centralitzat i no centralitzat pel que fa al seu acompliment en llac¸ tancat i la càrrega computacional requerida per trobar una solució. Finalment, a nivell de planta, es dissenyen estratègies de control en base a l’enfocament de control predictiu basat en model econòmic per tal de maximitzar la rendibilitat de la planta i minimitzar els costos associats a la seva operació. Per tant, a aquest nivell, els objectius de control se centren a determinar la programació de la producció òptima de la planta que hauran de seguir les estratègies de control dissenyades als nivells més baixos. En aquest sentit, la programació de la producció de la planta és determinada tenint en compte la demanda actual de peces, el consum d’energia dels sistemes de manufactura i el mercat energètic amb les seves fluctuacions. Totes les estratègies de control proposades en aquesta tesi es proven en simulació considerant diferents escenaris basats en l’operació real d’una planta de fabricació de peces automotrius.

Thesis (M.S. in Management)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2002.
Thesis advisor(s): Kenneth J. Euske, Jeffrey R. Cuskey. Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-62). Also available online.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2009.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 112-115).
Process automation vendors must consider agility as a basis to gain a competitive edge in innovation. Process Automation systems can impact the operating cost of manufacturing equipment, the safe control of large quantities of energy and the safety of dangerous substances used during manufacturing. The manufacturing segment expects greater automation of larger processes, increased capability of process automation systems, and higher quality of those systems. At the same time, business requirements for process automation vendors demand shorter time to market, and greater market return for each dollar invested in product development. Therefore, process automation vendors must determine how to preserve discipline in development processes while adopting process agility necessary to meet dynamic business conditions. Interviews with 9 leaders from 6 companies (2 manufacturers, 2 process automation vendors and 2 automation consulting firms), survey feedback from development personnel and research of literature on state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice, yielded over 90 findings and observations on process automation business needs, development of automation offerings, and on suitability of agile practices to process automation product development. Agile methods may require changes to manufacturer work processes, but would enable an automation vendor to unlock more of the manufacturer's production value.
(cont.) Disciplined adoption of agile methods is crucial for agility to take hold throughout an automation vendor's organization, and to meet the concerns of process automation stakeholders. Rather than dismiss the suitability of agile development to process automation, a prescriptive guidance is provided that integrates an opportunistic risk-based assessment of how much agility is appropriate. The four values and twelve principles of the Agile Manifesto are a good basis for 8 additional agile practices for process automation: transitioning to agile, investing in agile capability, managing critical system parameters, engineering system-robustness, balancing project risk, continuous system validation, assuring domain expertise and clarifying ecosystem role.
by Augustine Tibazarwa.
S.M.

Two field studies examining direct ecological weed control practices were conducted in Lexington, Kentucky. The first evaluated weed control efficacy and influence on yields of several mulches in two organically-managed bell pepper (Capsicum annum) production systems for two years. Peppers were planted in double rows in flat, bare ground or on black polyethylene-covered raised beds with drip irrigation, and four mulches (straw, compost, wood chips, and undersown white dutch clover (Trifolium repens L.) living mulch) were applied to the two production systems. In both years, polyethylene-covered raised beds produced higher yields than the flat, bare ground system. In the second year, the polyethylene-covered bed system coupled with mulching in-between beds with compost or wood chips after cultivation provided excellent weed control and yields. The second field study evaluated the efficacy of soil solarization and shallow cultivation on the invasive and noxious weed johnsongrass over two years (Sorghum halapense). A soil solarization treatment, using clear plastic stretched over soil for eight weeks, and a cultivated bare fallow treatment, utilizing a tractor pulled cultivator implement equipped with sweep blades, were randomly applied during the summers of 2003 and 2004 to a field infested with johnsongrass. Solarized and cultivated plots in both years were lightly tilled 8 months after completion of the initial treatment period. At the conclusion of the experiment the johnsongrass population was significantly reduced in all treatments and in the control plots compared to the original infestation. These two experiments testing direct weed control practices (mulching, cultivation, solarization) were undertaken in the context of an ecological weed management plan that includes long term strategies to reduce weed infestations such as crop rotation, cover cropping, and fertility management that are essential for organic farmers.

Background: The idea of MCSs operating together in a package is not a new concept. However, not many empirical studies have been made where MCSs have been studied as a package despite studies showing the importance in doing so. The assessment of the performance implications of MCSPs has traditionally been limited to financial measures. Theory suggests that the performance of a MCSP ought to be assessed on a broader scale than conventional output measures. Organizational ambidexterity has been positively associated with a broad variety of performance measures and thus it is used as an assessment tool in this study in response to the need for performance measurement on a broader scale than financial output. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the MCSP in two different phases in the case organization and assess how the MCSP in these two phases promotes the organization’s ability to achieve organizational ambidexterity. Methodology: This study uses a qualitative research strategy and is limited to a single case study in a R&D organization within a Swedish medical technology company. Semistructured qualitative interviews have been used to collect empirical data. Conclusion: The MCSP in the two phases is composed of different MCSs that were found to be used differently. Within the MCSP in both phases, several linkages were revealed between control elements and that some MCSs function to achieve the purposes of other MCSs. This study further concludes that the MCSP of the current phase was found to promote organizational ambidexterity better than the MCSP in the previous phase due to it promoting a better balance between exploitation and exploration.