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EPAStat is the first PerformanceStat system to be used at the agency level in the federal government. A short history of agency-level performance management systems compares EPAStat to its precursors at the Environmental Protection Agency. This study examines the development of EPAStat, particularly the measures used in its quarterly reporting system. The process behind measures selection is described and analyzed from the perspective of the principals, as are lessons learned. While there are common challenges and lessons learned among participants, there are clear differences between the headquarters offices and the regional offices in terms of how measures were selected, the types of metrics chosen, and the perceived worth of EPAStat as an agency-wide performance management system. KEYWORDS: Environmental Protection Agency, EPAStat, performance measurement, PerformanceStat DOI 10.2753/PMR1530-9576330203

This article provides a case study of the development and implementation of an online performance monitoring system to support accountability and management of programs funded by a $60 million tobacco control strategy. System implementation was accompanied by ongoing formative evaluation to improve system performance. Results offer insights into the complexity of developing performance measurement systems. Development, implementation, and evaluation of the system is described and formative evaluation findings presented. Benefits and limitations of a system to support program management and accountability requirements are discussed and lessons learned are shared. Further emphasis must be place on transferring knowledge from the system to decision makers and on program management in order to fully maximize the system. KEYWORDS: accountability, evaluation, monitoring, performance, performance measurement systems DOI 10.2753/PMR1530-9576330204

This study utilizes case study research to document and explain how three U.S. county governments use performance measures on debt obligations in their comprehensive annual financial reports and in their annual budget documents. Municipal debt is a critical source of revenue for local governments and is used for construction of roads, schools, and other capital costs. All three counties use data on debt service as a performance measure in their budget; however, the range of clarity of data on measurement of debt service levels to support debt over time varies widely and is worth noting. In addition, it is unclear whether external stakeholders (other than state government) do not pay closer attention to performance measures on debt because the measures and standards are set by the state. Further empirical work is needed to establish evidence in that regard. KEYWORDS: county government, debt obligation performance, financial performance measures, local government debt DOI 10.2753/PMR1530-9576330205

Performance measurement has been lauded as a tool that would increase managerial discretion while ensuring accountability to stakeholders. The challenges of developing such a system that can accomplish both ends have been more difficult than originally conceived. Typically, performance measurement systems lack sophisticated measures, limiting their use for purposes of improved productivity. Managers are expected to increase performance by utilizing insufficient measures. This paper discusses some of the challenges that remain in developing a performance measurement system that may serve both purposes--improved performance and accountability KEYWORDS: accountability, managerial discretion, performance measurement, political influence, productivity DOI 10.2753/PMR1530-9576330202

Multihop TDD-CDMA cellular system becomes a promising candidate for fourth generation (4G) cellular systems because it provides wider coverage and higher throughput. In this paper, we analyze the uplink system capacity of a multihop TDD-CDMA cellular system. We first analyze a one-hop TDD-CDMA cellular system with different base station's (BS's) direct coverage area. We find that the system capacity can be improved if a BS only covers a center small area of the cell. Besides, the high downlink transmission power of the surrounding BSs can degrade the capacity severely. Thus, we propose a multihop TDD-CDMA cellular system to overcome the high downlink inter-cell interference. In our system, a cell area is divided into two regions: inner-region and outer-region. The mobile users in the inner- and outer- region of the cell communicate with BS and relay station (RS), respectively. Based on this model, the uplink system capacity in both regions with the assumption that the inter-cell and intra-cell interference follow the Gaussian distribution is obtained. A comparison equation to provide a fair comparison with conventional one-hop TDD-CDMA cellular system is presented. From the results, we conclude that multihop TDD-CDMA cellular system can improve capacity significantly. Index Terms--Multihop cellular, crossed-time-slot, TDD-CDMA system, performance analysis.

A novel tree-shaped peer-to-peer (P2P) network infrastructure is presented. Results suggest the achievement of low communication delay and low systemwide overhead.

This paper proposes a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) approach to measure the system performances of multiple-channel queueing models with imprecise data. The main idea is to transform a multiple-channel queue with imprecise data to a family of conventional crisp multiple-channel queues by applying the [alpha]-cut approach in fuzzy theory. On the basis of [alpha]-cut representation and the extension principle, two pairs of parametric MINLP are formulated to describe the family of crisp multiple-channel queues, via which the membership functions of the performance measures are derived. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed procedure, a real-world case of multiple-channel fuzzy queue is investigated successfully. Since the performance measures are expressed by membership functions rather than by crisp values, the fuzziness of input information is completed conserved. Thus, the results obtained from the proposed approach can represent the system more accurately, and more information is provided for system design in practice. Keywords: fuzzy theory; queueing theory; mixed integer nonlinear programming; performance measures

A systematic analysis model consisting of a theoretical ideal execution time and a detailed hierarchy of overheads is presented for performance analysis and steering of scientific workflow applications in heterogeneous and distributed Grid environments.

This article draws on the concept of 'performance' to argue for greater recognition of preexisting practices in the configuration of users. Through an Australian case study of a computer-based dairy decision-support system introduced via a two-day workshop to participating farmers, the article examines the assembling of imputed farmer users in the design of the software. It then explores how the designer and trainers attempt, through the decision-support system, to mobilize their network and align the imputed user with farmers' preexisting performances. The case study highlights that attempts to make workable on-farm the 'new' performances of users inscribed in the software are highly contingent on farmers' preexisting knowledge practices. These 'old' performances problematize the designer's and trainers' version of imputed users and contribute to partial translation of the decision-support system. A focus on performance is argued to provide a useful starting point in mapping the effects of preexisting knowledge practices on attempts to enroll users in technosocial programs. Keywords: actor network; decision-support systems; performance; users; farm management

A massively parallel framework termed a parallel-pipeline model of execution that can be employed on a homogenous computational cluster is proposed. A performance model that predicts the resource utilization for applications executing under the parallel-pipeline model on a homogenous computation cluster.

The fundamental trade-offs in aggregate packet scheduling for support of guaranteed delay service is investigated. The results illustrate the fundamental trade-offs in aggregate packet scheduling algorithms and shed light on their provisioning power in support of guaranteed delay service.

The role of program theory in developing, operating and evaluating programs is gaining increased emphasis in recent years. A clear grasp of a program's theory can contribute to the successful performance of many important developmental and evaluative tasks along its life span. Although there is growing recognition of the importance of program theory in the development and evaluation of programs, it should be noted that this is not a simple task. Programs are often complex, comprising many different types of interlinking components. What is needed is a relatively simple instrument that can help the practitioner explicate and present program theory, by guiding and structuring the process. The logic model is such a tool, whose purpose is to describe and articulate program theory. Drawing upon examples from the authors' work with both nonprofit and governmental organizations, this paper presents potential uses of the logic model tool in explicating program theory for a variety of purposes throughout the life span of programs: for assessing the feasibility of proposed programs and their readiness for evaluation, for program development, for developing performance monitoring systems, and for building knowledge. KEYWORDS. Logic model, program theory, program evaluation, performance monitoring systems

In the article, a discrete-time GI-Geo-1 queue is analyzed with a preemptive resume priority scheduling discipline and two priority classes. The joint generating function of the system contents of both classes and the generating functions of the packet delay of both classes have been derived.

A performance measurement-modeling framework is developed to examine the pollution prevention activities and environmentally safe interactions of a printed circuit board manufacturing facility. Several future research issues that need to be addressed before the approach can be applied to the measurement of environmental performances are discussed.

The way, in which a nuclear resonance scanner can be managed more efficiently, simultaneously improving patient comfort in terms of total time spent in the system and increasing availability in case of emergency calls are analyzed. The objective function consists of the weighted average patient lead-time, which is a multi-dimensional convex function of the different patient group sizes.

Comparative Conditional Performance Review (CCPR), a multidimensional framework for comparative performance evaluation, corrects the influence of risks, which are beyond the control of the decision maker. This approach helps to know whether the changes in the firm characteristics made by management are appropriate or not.

The Software Technology Center (STC) in Bell Labs Advanced Technologies has defined performance-engineering best practices that help a project meet the performance and capacity requirements for its product. A detailed description of the role of the performance engineer, which is essential to the best practices, is provided.