The motivation for this work is to quantify the complexity of complex systems and to understand its sources. To study complexity, we develop a theoretical framework where the complex system of interest is embedded in a broader system: a complex large-scale system. In order to understand and show...

This thesis has explored a new idea: viewing standards as interdependent artifacts and studying them with network analysis tools. Using the set of Internet standards as an example, the research of this thesis includes the citation network, the author affiliation network, and the co-author...

Cost evaluations do not always include the costs associated with risks when organizations make strategic sourcing decisions. This research was conducted to establish and quantify the impact of risks and risk-related costs on sourcing decisions for the automotive industry. The focus is on...

Motivation -- Industrial firms survive, sustain and co-evolve by participating in the sector of innovation and production through industrial transactions with each other. However, it is difficult for specialized firms to be aware of and manage accordingly the kind of systemic constraints and...

Perishability presents a challenging problem in inventory management for the fresh produce industry since it can lead to higher inventory costs and lower service levels. If a supply chain has multiple echelons, that further complicates the issue since companies have an added risk of not having...

A large business requires efficient and effective internal communication among employees to achieve its goals. Dodds, Watts, and Sable (DWS) introduced a communication network model assessing information flow within a business by examining the relative influences of organizational structure,...