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This paper is an introduction to social judgment theory for productivity researchers and managers. It offers a useful theoretical and methodological basis for formulating and analyzing policies for value engineering/value analysis. Assignment of value to a product, process, or service is matter of an individual exercising his or her own judgment, which may vary from person to person. Subjectivity plays an important role in the assessment of value. Social judgment theory offers a theoretical framework that will prove useful to researchers in the study of the value engineering/value analysis process. The paper describes a computerized procedure for identification, measurement, and reporting of judgmental sources of value assessment. This information proves invaluable in the development and implementation of management policies for new product, process, or service development and for productivity improvements. A case study is provided as an example of how the procedure described here can be used for both research and practical application purposes. The results of the case study demonstrate that analyses of judgments and interactive computer graphics offer useful tools that serve as policy aids for the managers assessing value.

This paper addresses the top management problem of facility planning. Often the top management of a firm makes decisions affecting facility plans, prior to the commencement of engineering design activity on the plans. The decisions made by top management are judgmental in nature. It is, therefore, important to recognize the limitations of the process of human judgment. In this paper, a procedure is described to aid the facility planning function, taking into account the process of human judgment. A case study is provided to illustrate how the procedure can be used both for research and clinical purposes. The results of the case study suggest that the theory of human judgment and interactive computer graphics offers tools to aid top managers' understanding of their own and their colleagues' judgment process, enabling them to improve their own judgmental consistency and to move toward mutual consensus in a group decision-making situation. These tools also facilitate the decision makers' understanding and acceptance of models designed to serve as decision aids.

The author calls for an entrepreneurial approach to the management and governance of academic programs in Australia. She observes that business schools in the country are facing stiff competition because of the high number of schools in the system. She suggests that most universities do more or less know how to be more entrepreneurial but many lack the key leadership to drive it. She offers suggestions for the development of an entrepreneurial style of business school governance.

The article offers information on the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) Annual Meeting to be held in Boston, Massachusetts on November 19-22, 2011.

The article discusses various topics published within the issue including one by Jean Wilcox on the 10-10-10 Project, one by Robert Jack on the divide between goods and services and another by Kenneth Kendall on the Apple's iTunes App Store and Mac App Store.

A letter from the president of the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) is presented. He mentions the strategic planning process of the Institute, noting that a study of the key forces shaping its evolution was undertaken by Development Committee's Thomas Jones. He cites the analysis made by Wickham Skinner of Harvard Business School on the state of the decision sciences discipline. He also notes the transformation of the DSI into the premiere organization for the decision sciences discipline.

The article offers information on a program about the professional development of faculty members that is held during the annual meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute held last November 14 to17, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. One of the sessions discussed the responsibilities of advisers to student organizations. A lecture is provided by Bruce C. Raymond of Montana State University about best practices in professional development. A panel discussion with college deans offered insights on the value of teaching and research.

The article presents the vision statement of Krishna S. Dhir from Berry College a candidate for the position of president of the Decision Science Institute (DSI). It mentions the initiatives of past presidents such as Tom Callarman, Mark Davis and Norma Harrison to make DSI an international organization that focuses on a global multi-disciplinary and cross-functional teaching. There is a suggestion that DSI refine its role on research to boost scholarship, learning and professional practice.

Several articles published in the issue are presented including one from Douglas Hales and Shaw Chen of the University of Rhode Island on the challenges of partnership experienced by their College of Business Administration and one from Mikko Ketikivi from Helsinki University on the dilemma of integrating the human element into operations management research.

The article presents an obituary for the author Claude McMillan Jr.

The article discusses the topics published within the issue including the information systems education in Taiwan, supply chain management, and management of business schools.

The article presents the Board of Directors of the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) as the chief policy-making and legislative body of DSI. The Board meets at least three times a year the first meeting of which is held in April, the second meeting held in November and the third held in January. The president can call an additional special meeting like the meeting called by the president to be held in August, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by Suresh P. Sethi on incomplete information inventory models, "Online Gradebooks: Facilitating Student Self-Monitoring Tendencies and Academic Performance," by Deanna Geddes, and "Introduction to the Center for Education on Social Responsibility," by Donna Sockell and Francy Milner.

The article profiles artist Alfred J. Hagan who belongs to the Western Decision Sciences Institute. A member of the Pacific Art Group, Hagan's paintings were presented at a one-man show at the Norris Theatre Upstairs Gallery in Rancho Palos Verdes from March 16-April 14, 2009. Hagan received his Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Texas, his Masters in Business Administration degree from Indiana University and his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine and is now Emeritus Professor of Economics at Pepperdine University.