This book provides a detailed introduction to the theoretical and methodological foundations of production efficiency analysis using benchmarking. Two of the more popular methods of efficiency evaluation are Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), both of which are based on the concept of a production possibility set and its frontier. Depending on the assumed obj…
Limited potential of financial, organizational, human and technology resources doesn't provide SMEs sufficient opportunities to access information and knowledge necessary in competition. Observing the methods and tools used by large companies, this book studies the conditions under which it would be possible to provide support to SMEs at a lower cost and with greater methodological and organiz…
The psychological dimension of managing risk is of crucial importance, and its study has led to the identification of specific do's and don'ts. Those with an understanding of the psychology underlying risk and the skills to recognize its manifestation in practice, have the opportunity to develop frameworks that embody the do's and don'ts, thereby producing sound judgments and good decisions. Th…
Beginning SQL Server for Developers is the perfect book for developers new to SQL Server and planning to create and deploy applications against Microsoft’s market-leading database system for the Windows platform. Now in its fourth edition, the book is enhanced to cover the very latest developments in SQL Server, including the in-memory features that are introduced in SQL Server 2014. Withi…
In Global Risk Agility and Decision Making, Daniel Wagner and Dante Disparte, two leading authorities in global risk management, make a compelling case for the need to bring traditional approaches to risk management and decision making into the twenty-first century. Based on their own deep and multi-faceted experience in risk management across numerous firms in dozens of countries, the authors …
Beginning Oracle PL/SQL gets you started in using the built-in language that every Oracle developer and database administrator must know. Oracle Database is chock-full of built-in application features that are free for the using, and PL/SQL is your ticket to learning about and using those features from your own code. With it, you can centralize business logic in the database, you can offload ap…
Beginning Oracle Database 12c Administration is your entry point into a successful and satisfying career as an Oracle Database Administrator. The chapters of this book are logically organized into four parts closely tracking the way your database administration career will naturally evolve. Part 1 "Database Concepts" gives necessary background in relational database theory and Oracle Databas…
Whether you’re new to Oracle or an old hand who has yet to test the waters of APEX, Beginning Oracle Application Express 5 introduces the processes and best practices you’ll need to become proficient with APEX. The book shows off the programming environment, the utilities and tools available, and then continues by walking through the process of building a working system from the ground up. …
This book reveals the secrets of Yamato Transport’s success in maintaining and extending its leadership in Japan’s domestic parcel delivery market. It presents six cases that illustrate how Yamato's flagship service, TA-Q-BIN, has evolved since the 1970s to the benefit of consumers, particularly urban dwellers, and how TA-Q-BIN has become an integral part of Japanese daily life. Each of the…
This book constitutes the proceedings of the First International Workshop on Multimodal Retrieval in the Medical Domain, MRMD 2015, held in Vienna, Austria, on March 29, 2015. The workshop was held in connection with ECIR 2015. The 14 full papers presented, including one invited paper, a workshop overview and five papers on the VISCERAL Retrieval Benchmark, were carefully reviewed and sele…