American Productivity and Quality Center

Abstract We report the development of a novel coreflood testing quantitative evaluation which correlates data science and image processing of slice-by-slice microcore volume consumption with the differential pressure profile achieved during coreflood tests, facilitating the design of optimal treatments for acid stimulation. The outcome of microcore volume consumption studies obtained via high resolution CT scans are broadly applicable, enabling the design of customized acidizing stimulation treatments with minimal propensity for formation damage. The effects of physical testing conditions and fluid composition on microscopic wormhole profile development and core consumption volume using this original method are studied. We report detailed procedures of the coreflood tests, including carbonate core characterization, mineralogy, acid treatment specifications, and resultant wormhole profiles. Particularly, we accurately pinpoint differential pressure variations during the coreflood process in a stepwise manner via in-depth data and imaging analysis of high-resolution CT scans and correlate the changes to the corresponding fractional microcore volumes being consumed by the acid etching reaction at each incremental step. We present the differential pressure changes resulting from the high temperature acid etching reaction during the course of core flooding with corresponding microcore volume consumption along the core-axis in a slice-by-slice mode (with a precision of 0.02"/slice per CT scan). The acidizing fluids used in these tests were diligently formulated for effective modulation of the acid reaction rate with carbonate matrices at elevated temperatures. The resultant wormhole profiles are characterized and optimized under a given set of test parameters (temperature, differential pressure, acid fluid injection rate and treatment fluid composition) using the slice-by-slice technique. The effect of several acid packages on treatment efficiency based on microcore volume consumption is evaluated. In addition to 3D wormhole profiles, the kinetic insights of the acid etching reaction process from head-to-toe of the core are elucidated with microscopic precision, offering previously unavailable details, including the fractional contribution of each slice to the overall microcore volume consumed. By employing in-depth data and imaging analysis, a strong correlation between microcore volume consumption and the incremental differential pressure change is established. This important relationship provides critical light to the strategies leading to the most effective pore volume breakthrough performances for any given core that should be of critical importance when optimizing acid stimulation job designs. For the first time, stepwise changes in differential pressure profiles can be precisely correlated with corresponding microcore volumes consumed as an acid-coreflood etching process proceeds. This vigorous relationship, developed using an unprecedented methodology based on data science and imaging processing, offers potentially game-changing insights that can empower traditionally recommended acid coreflood testing practices, and assist in optimizing the design of reservoir acid stimulation treatments that minimize undesirable consequences of formation damage.

Abstract Constitutional law faces unprecedented challenges from populist movements that threaten the longstanding relationship between legitimacy of law and democracy. This paper examines populism through a contextual perspective, focusing specifically on Latin America’s distinctive features and its over two hundred years of constitutional experiences. Rather than coining a universal concept, we argue that populism is manifold and context-dependent, requiring careful attention to historical and geographical particularities. Latin America, with its 155 regime changes between 1900 and 2000, represents an indispensable source for understanding populism globally. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Müller, Laclau, Landau, Scheppele, and Mouffe, we explore how Latin American populisms diverge from patterns elsewhere, particularly through their emphasis on centralization of power rather than nationalism, and their fluid movement across the political spectrum. We examine institutional mechanisms commonly proposed to counterbalance authoritarianism, demonstrating that blind faith in institutions proves insufficient in contexts of weak institutionalization. The paper concludes that constitutional theory must adopt a comprehensive approach, one that values both institutional and non-institutional dimensions, while remaining highly open to inputs from the socio-cultural world, ultimately questioning which constitutionalism and which institutions should be defended.

This paper makes the case for open innovation as an approach that can drive significant value for supply chain organisations. In contrast to traditional innovation, which tends to unfold behind closed doors, open innovation leads to new products, services and operating models as the result of collaboration and co-creation between an organisation and its partners. Drawing from survey research of 1,100 C-suite executives carried out by the American Productivity & Quality Center and the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), the paper explores leading practices for how organisations can: 1) drive strategic alignment and collaborative culture; 2) measure open innovation process maturity, outcomes and return on investment (ROI); 3) invest in roles, skills and tools for open innovation; and 4) align processes with open innovation. Building a thriving open innovation ecosystem requires thoughtful investments from both organisations and ecosystem partners, but the payoff can be substantial. Organisations with mature open innovation practices see significantly better business outcomes than their peers, including higher ROI from their innovation efforts, faster time to market and higher revenue growth.

There is still a personnel crisis in all sectors of the economy. Lack of companies and enterprises, but also the agricultural, financial sector. Which is better: to invite a ready-made specialist or to grow in your team? How quickly can a beginner become a professional? Each enterprise in its own way solves the problem of the shortage of qualified personnel. Mentoring programs are gaining momentum in the country, unions and associations are being created, consulting projects under the priority program are being implemented, and competitions are being held. Their goal is to introduce and promote the best in-service training practices.

Soy has high plasticity, which expands its capacity to adapt to different environmental and management conditions, through morphological changes in production components. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the effects of different densities of soybean cultivar BRS 8381 on agronomic characteristics. The experiment was implemented and conducted in a Cerrado area, in the Agua Boa of Embrapa Roraima experimental field. A randomized block design was used in a 2*4 factorial scheme, with four replications. The treatments consisted of two years of soybean cultivation (2015 and 2016), sown in four plant densities (10, 14, 18 and 22 plants per linear meter). Agronomic characteristics were evaluated: plant height; height of insertion of the first pod; stem diameter; number of nodes on the stem; number of pods per plant; number of branches per plant; dry mass of the plant; harvest index and grain yield. The highest average productivity of 'BRS 8381' soybeans in the Cerrado area of Roraima is obtained with a population of 387.448 plants per hectare. 'BRS 8381' plants at density 22 plants m-1 linear are not suitable for the Cerrado conditions of Roraima. The cv. BRS 8381 is influenced by rainfall and temperature factors in the Cerrado conditions of Roraima.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present enterprise social networking and gamification as two potential tools to help organizations engage Millennial employees in collaboration and learning. Design/methodology/approach – The research provides general descriptions of enterprise social networking and gamification approaches, shares data on adoption of these approaches from APQC’s “2015 Knowledge Management Priorities Data Report” (based on a January 2015 survey of 524 knowledge management professionals) and includes four company examples adapted from APQC’s Connecting People to Content and Transferring and Applying Critical Knowledge best practices studies. The methodology for APQC’s best practices studies involves screening 50 or more organizations with potential best practices in a given research scope area and identifying five or six with proven best practices. APQC then conducts detailed site visits with the selected organizations and publishes case studies based on those site visits. Findings – Enterprise social networking platforms are in place at 50 per cent of organizations, with another 25 per cent planning to implement them by the end of 2015. By providing near-immediate access to information and answers, enterprise social networking helps Millennials learn the ropes at their new workplaces, gives them direct access to more knowledgeable colleagues who can assist and mentor them, and helps them improve their business outcomes by reusing knowledge and lessons learned across projects. Younger workers can also harness the power of social networking to create a sense of belonging and build their reputations in large, dispersed firms, where it is particularly difficult for them to gain visibility. A recent APQC survey indicates that 54 per cent of organizations either currently employ gamification to encourage collaboration or expect to implement it within the next three years. The rush to gamify the enterprise is, at least in part, a reflection of employers’ desire to satisfy Millennials and make them feel connected to a community of co-workers. Although games appeal to a wide range of age groups, Millennials grew up with digital interaction and tend to prefer environments that emphasize teamwork, social learning and frequent feedback – all of which can be delivered through gamification. Originality/value – The value of this paper is to introduce the value of and relationship between enterprise social networking and gamification platforms to human resource (HR) professionals looking to increase engagement and retention rates for Millennial employees.

Considering that many organizations today are extremely dependent on information technology, computer and information security (CIS) has become a critical concern from a business viewpoint. CIS is concerned with protecting the confidentiality, integrity, accessible information, when using computer systems. Much research has been conducted on CIS in the past years. However, the attention has been primarily focused on technical problems and solutions. Only recently, the role of human factors in CIS has been recognized. End-user behavior can increase the vulnerability of computer and information systems. In this study, using a large questionnaire survey among endusers, we examine password behavior of end-users.

Women are largely underrepresented in the Information Technology (IT) workforce. Our study examines the factors related to the work environment that may contribute to the high turnover of women in the IT workforce. The literature links Quality of Working Life (QWL) to turnover intention, and turnover intention to turnover. In this study, we conducted secondary data analysis of questionnaire data collected from a sample of 1,110 employees of a single organization. We examined the impact of gender and job type (i.e. IT job versus non-IT job) on various indicators of QWL, as well as on the relationship between job factors and QWL. The results show that, specifically for women in IT jobs, task identity is highly associated with QWL.