Abstract At present, most of the enterprises make use of a set of software system of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in order to improve the internal management, and regards it as the nuclear information system. Their goal is to promote the enterprise's operational benefits (Hong and Kim, 2002) by the synthetic effects. Some enterprises induct do brings certain benefits after using the EPR. However, faces the current violent and competitive environment, the majority of ERP are not able to arrange the uses of resources effectively, which causes the enterprises unable to make the delivery dates of the customers¡¦ orders punctually or causes the enterprises¡¦ original profits reduced due to storing up too much stock for satisfy the delivery dates of the customers¡¦ orders. This research take a T Corporation, one of small and medium manufactures of Taiwan, as an example, this company uses the domestic well-known brand system of ERP as the main information system of the enterprise. After using the producing and managing module of ERP to plan its purchase policy of raw materials for a long time, the material inventory stay at a high level even after several years¡¦ adjustment. In addition, due to the price of copper fluctuated heavily frequently in recent years, not only the inventory cost can¡¦t be controlled well but also the orders are missed usually involving being unable to reflect the cost of raw materials on the customers¡¦ quotes immediately. Therefore, this research takes the System Dynamics which is good at solving the problems of dynamic complexity as a simulated research to practice the models¡¦ constructions and simulations and add the prosperity of system thinking into the business strategy to provides the quantifiable analogue result in order to strengthen the insufficient aspects of products and materials of EPR and to assist the enterprises¡¦ boss to solve those problems of dynamic complexity which are easily been neglect when makes operational strategies.

Vorstellung der R/3-Architektur und Einsatz des Linux-Frontends am Arbeitsplatz.

Bedingt durch oftmals schnelle und fortschreitende Änderungen im wirtschaftlichen Umfeld stehen Unternehmen vor zahlreichen externen sowie internen Anforderungen und Herausforderungen, was wiederum eine effektive Steuerung und Koordination der innerbetrieblichen aber auch der überbetrieblichen Geschäftsprozesse und -abläufe erfordert. Um diesen Herausforderungen zu begegnen, ist der Einsatz von adäquaten Anwendungssystemen zwingend. Speziell die Nutzung von Enterprise Resource Planning-(ERP-)Systemen, die als standardisierte Systeme die gesamten unternehmerischen Aktivitäten und Geschäftsprozesse unterstützen können, ist zu einem wichtigen Bestandteil der Unternehmen geworden. Ein richtig ausgewähltes und implementiertes ERP-System bietet zahlreiche Vorteile sowohl für Großunternehmen aber auch für klein- und mittelständische Unternehmen (KMU). Die Implementierung eines ERP-Systems stellt jedoch ein komplexes und zeitintensives Projekt dar, welches den Unternehmen große Möglichkeiten eröffnet, diese aber gleichzeitig mit enormen Risiken konfrontiert. Dabei realisieren immer mehr KMU die möglichen Vorteile dieser Systeme, woraus eine konstante Nachfrage nach ERP-Systemen für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen resultiert. Um jedoch von den Vorteilen zu profitieren anstatt von den Risiken „verschlungen“ zu werden, ist es zwingend erforderlich, sich genau auf die Faktoren zu fokussieren, die zur einer erfolgreichen Einführung eines ERP-Systems beitragen. An diesem Punkt knüpft die vorliegende Dissertation mit einem ersten Forschungsschwerpunkt an. Dieser Schwerpunkt befasst sich mit kritischen Erfolgsfaktoren im Zusammenhang mit der ERP-System-Einführung und der ERP-System-Nutzung in klein- und mittelständischen Unternehmen. Ziel dieses ersten Schwerpunktes ist es, einen Einblick in die Erfolgsfaktoren bei ERP-System-Implementierung in KMU zu geben und die Unterschiede zu den Faktoren bei ERP-Projekten in Großunternehmen aufzuzeigen. Als konkretes Ergebnis dieses Forschungsstrangs wird dabei ein Vorgehensmodell für ERP-Einführungen in KMU entwickelt, welches auf Basis der Erfolgsfaktoren von ERP-Projekten aus bestehenden Modellen abgeleitet und an die Bedürfnisse und Anforderungen der KMU angepasst wird. Hierbei werden die Erfolgsfaktoren direkt in das Modell mit einbezogen. Des Weiteren resultiert ein zweiter Schwerpunkt dieser Dissertation erneut aus der hohen und konstanten Nachfrage nach ERP-Systemen, welche zu einem sehr stark fragmentierten ERP-Markt vor allem im Bereich der KMU geführt hat mit einer Vielzahl von Herstellern und Systemen. Hier erschwert es diese hohe Marktfragmentierung den Anwenderunternehmen nicht nur, die „richtige“ Software zu finden, sondern auch für das von ihnen ausgewählte System entsprechende Fachkräfte an sich zu binden. Daraus ergibt sich unter anderem auch die Notwendigkeit für Hochschulen, ihren Studierenden und späteren Absolventen dieses geforderte und benötigte Fachwissen, insbesondere in informationssystembezogenen Studiengängen zu vermitteln. Jedoch gibt es dafür keinen standardisierten Ansatz. Die Systemwahl und die Anzahl der Systeme sowie der Aufbau und die Anzahl der ERP-Kurse divergieren von Hochschule zu Hochschule, wobei in diesem Punkt eine Dominanz großer ERP-System Hersteller zu verzeichnen ist. Allerdings ist eine diversifiziertere Einbindung von ERP-Systemen vor allem aus dem Bereich der KMU sinnvoll. An diesem Punkt stehen die Hochschulen und die Lehrenden vor der Herausforderung, wie viele Systeme in die Curricula integriert werden sollten und auf welche Art und Weise und in welchem Umfang diese Systeme vermittelt werden sollten. Daher werden im Rahmen dieses zweiten Schwerpunktes Möglichkeiten und Kursmodelle beschrieben, durch die eine praktische Vermittlung einzelner oder auch mehrerer ERP-Systeme ermöglicht und unterstützt wird. Ziel dabei ist es, einen Beispielcurriculum zu entwickeln, in dem über verschiedene Kurse hinweg, Kenntnisse zu ERP-Systemen vermittelt werden. Die Kurse dieses Curriculums werden dabei auf Basis der Literatur und der Anforderungen von Unternehmen an spätere Absolventen (vor allem resultierend aus den Erfolgsfaktoren des ersten Forschungsstrangs) entwickelt. Des Weiteren werden diese Kurse und die darin eingesetzten Systeme mit den Ergebnissen einer Umfrage an Universitäten und Fachhochschulen zum ERP-System-Einsatz in der Lehre verglichen und auf Basis dieser Ergebnisse angepasst und modifiziert. Als konkrete Resultate dieses Forschungsstrangs werden mit dem zu entwickelnden Beispielcurriculum Handlungsempfehlungen gegeben, mit denen Hochschulen sowohl Kenntnisse zu ERP-Systemen für Großunternehmen als auch zu Systemen für KMU vermitteln können. Dabei steht auch die praktische Kenntnisvermittlung von kleineren Systemen im Fokus, um den Studierenden einen weiteren Blick auf die Verschiedenartigkeit von ERP-Systemen zu bieten.

Many event-related potential (ERP) studies have tried to find out which brain processes are responsible for the subjective experience of seeing. The contribution of these studies has been crucial in order to identify the temporal and spatial dynamics of visual awareness. The negative difference wave named visual awareness negativity (VAN), observed around 200 ms after the stimulus onset, has been claimed by many as a plausible candidate for reflecting the processes correlating with conscious visual perception. Other studies argue instead that only the P3 wave, a positive wave observed around 300-400 ms, correlates with visual awareness. The aim of the present study was to shed light on the issue of the presence of VAN even when using an experimental procedure that allows to dissociate the ERP correlate of subjective awareness from those of unconscious perception, allowing a separate analysis. Data from 24 participants was collected in the present study. The experimental framework included a forced-choice localization task of a low-contrast stimulus, followed by the subjective rating of awareness. The results of the study support the idea that the VAN is the earliest electrophysiological correlate of subjective visual awareness and that the phenomenon of visual awareness emerges early in the visual area.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems claim to provide organisations with an integrated Information Technology (IT) solution that can be used as an effective business tool with real-time information of all business transactions at the managers' fingertips. ERP software attempts to integrate all departments and functions across a company onto a single computer system that runs off one database and can serve the needs of all the different departments in the company. The investment in an IT solution that will provide strategic information to aid in strategy formulation and decision-making should be part of strategic planning. In short, the ERP system should add to a company's strategic advantage. The challenge to an organisation is to use ERP to leverage opportunities in the competitive environment in order to create value. If a resource view is taken of ERP systems, strategy theory describes the way that an organisation should go about achieving strategic advantage. The IT resource in itself cannot be the basis for competitive advantage in a manufacturing industry. The resource is available to all competitors. The nature of ERP systems however supports the creation of distinctive competences in the organisation through organisational learning. The enhanced capabilities of the organisation, combined with its superior resources form the basis of distinctive competencies that in turn lead to value creation through the advantages created. The test for strategic advantage is to evaluate the strategic options or choices against consistency, consonance, advantage and feasibility. The model for evaluating strategy can also be applied to the planned ERP implementation or to enterprise systems already implemented. This model is based on strategic evaluation and support the process of continuous evaluation and change to respond to triggers in the competitive environment the organisation operates in. In order for ERP systems to add value in the organisation, their implementation must satisfy the strategic evaluation criteria, and continuous business process improvement will follow subsequent evaluation in order to adjust to the changing environment. / Thesis (MBA) University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

This study examined the ability of reaction time (RT) and Event-Related Potentials (ERP) to detect malingered neurocognitive deficit (MNCD)in two new tasks compared to the TOMM (N = 47). Honest (HON), malingering (MAL), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) groups were compared on accuracy, RT and ERP measures. Overall, the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) accuracy was the most effective at classifying groups (hit rate = 100%). Several non-TOMM accuracy variables and RT variables reached hit rates in the range of 71%-88%. The TOMM RT variable had an unlimited time for participants to respond and was the most successful RT variable compared to the Old/New and Repetition Priming tasks that had a short time limit for participants to respond (approximately 1.5 seconds). The classic old/new effect RT pattern was evident for both the HON and TBI groups with significantly faster RTs for old items compared to new items. A logistic regression was employed to see if a RT and/or ERP variable added any unique prediction power in detecting malingering. The frontal-posterior ERP difference score had unique prediction power to detect malingering when classifying MAL vs. TBI (hit rate = 86%). In the Old/New task, ERP responses of HON produced greater activity in the frontal region compared to the posterior region. The opposite trend was found in TBI (posterior activity andgt; frontal) and MAL showed no significant difference.

Dette er den første behandlingsstudien som undersøker langtidseffekten (seks måneder) av intensiv inneliggende ERP-behandling gitt til et stort utvalg pasienter med tvangslidelse (obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD) (N=108). Sekstitre prosent av pasientene hadde komorbiditet. OCD-alvorlighet (Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Y-BOCS; Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised, OCI-R) og depresjonsalvorlighet (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) ble kartlagt ved oppstart, avslutning og oppfølging. Etter behandling viste 69.4% klinisk signifikant endring (CSC) på Y-BOCS, og 74% viste CSC på OCI-R. Nedgangen på BDI var også signifikant. Effektstørrelsene for Y-BOCS, OCI-R og BDI var store, både ved avslutning og ved oppfølging. Ved oppfølging viste pasientene en oppsving i symptomer, men endringen var ikke signifikant. Trettiåtte prosent var fortsatt syke eller hadde fått tilbakefall, mens det gikk bra for resten av utvalget. Alvorlighetsgrad av OCD-symptomer og klinikervurdert depresjon var relatert til tilbakefall, men tilbakefall var ikke signifikant relatert til depresjonsgrad, generalisert angstlidelse (GAD), sosial fobi, sivilstatus eller arbeidsstatus. Studien replikerer tidligere funn som har vist at ERP har god effekt på OCD-symptomer og foreslår videre at også intensiv inneliggende ERP kan være effektiv. En viktig implikasjon av studien er at depresjon og alvorlighetsgrad av OCD representerer større risiko for tilbakefall, og at intervensjoner for å adressere disse må utforskes.

Listening to music is rated as one of the most pleasurable activities in human life and,in fact, listeners report the emotional impact of music to be one of the main motivatorsas to why they listen to music. This thesis focuses on the positive affective statesexperienced when listening to music and their underlying neural substrates. Despite thefact that research on the neural correlates of music-induced positive affect is arelatively recent undertaking our understanding has significantly improved during thelast decades. The aim of the current thesis is to give an overview of the neuralcorrelates of music-induced positive affect in healthy individuals. As such,psychophysiological, neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies are reviewed.Across studies the consistent involvement of brain regions, such as the orbitofrontalcortex, the striatum and the amygdala and left hemisphere frontal regions in response tomusic-induced positive affect has been found. These structures constitute an importantpart of the mesolimbocortical reward circuitry found to be involved in the processing ofa wide range of pleasures. The thesis also discusses conceptual and methodologicallimitations inherent in the studies reviewed. Understanding the nature and underlyingneural basis of music-induced positive affect is important because of the implications itmay have for psychological and physical wellbeing.

Small to Mid-size Enterprises (SMEs) typically are slow/late to adopt new technologies due to a conservative bias, cost factors and possible lack of knowledge. Implementation of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is a major, costly undertaking for a company of any size, especially SMEs, but there is the potential for huge paybacks touted by advantages afforded by the cloud. Cloud based ERP technology for SMEs is relatively new and poses a potential large risk-reward payoff. Given that these SMEs are currently functioning with their existing systems, why would they want to risk switching to "Bleeding Edge" Cloud ERP technology? Prior ERP research has focused primarily on an ERP’s implementation success and the relevant critical success factors (CSFs) important throughout the various stages of an ERP’s lifecycle. The focus of these studies has been on post-selection variables and the success or failure of the ERP’s adoption or implementation. Inherent in these studies are firms who already selected ERP technology which provides no insight into any potential barriers that prevent selection. ERP research in the area of SME cloud/SaaS ERP systems is nascent. This paper adds methodological, empirical and theoretical contributions to this existing stream of research about the motives and barriers in the selection of cloud ERP systems for SME’s. In particular, this research paper proposes to help bridge these gaps by operationalizing and testing Saeed, Juell-Skielse, and Uppström (2012)’s Unified Framework (UF) of the motives and barriers to the selection of cloud ERP systems. This current study uses Value Added Resellers (VARs) as subjects. They are arguably the most knowledgeable and in the best position to assess both the motives and more importantly barriers since there are in direct contact with the cloud ERP prospective purchasers.

Modeling of brain activity is often seen as requiring great computing power. However in the special case of modeling scalp EEG it is possible to adopt a continuum approximation for the cortex, and then to use the techniques of wave physics to describe its consequent large-scale dynamics. The model incorporates the following critical components: two classes of neurons (excitatory and inhibitory), the typical number and strength of connections between these two classes, the corresponding connections within the thalamus and between the thalamus and cortex, the time constants and basic physiology of neurons, and the propagation of activity between neurons. Representing the immense intricacy of brain anatomy and physiology with suitable summary equations and average parameter values has meant that the model is able to capture the essential characteristics of EEG and ERPs, and to do so in a computationally manageable way.