Designing Dynamic Service Networks Effectively through Information Management: Case Studies on Construction Project Management and Crisis Management

摘要：通过信息管理有效地设计动态服务网络：以建筑项目管理和危机管理为例。目前，服务业以超过67%的劳动力和58%的产出在美国经济中占据主导地位。以制造业为榜样，服务业日益分散其业务，将其活动外包，甚至包括其“后台业务”。这就形成了一个服务网络，为了使顾客满意，需要有效的设计、管理和控制。当前服务网络设计的方法侧重于在单个服务单元层面上最大化生产力、可靠性和质量；他们忽视了与这些单位相连的网络相关的问题。信息依赖是服务单元之间的重要纽带，往往构成服务网络的骨干。因此，识别和管理网络中不同服务单元之间的信息依赖关系就等于设计和管理一个有效的服务网络。本研究将通过对服务单元之间的信息依赖关系进行建模和管理，为设计有效的服务网络提供形式化的方法。开发工作将以建设项目管理和危机管理服务为目标，因为在这些由服务提供者的动态网络组成的短期（不连续）服务类型中，往往强调对有效服务设计的需求。此外，这些服务的独特特征将为探索和形式化服务管理领域中较少研究的领域提供机会。在建设和危机管理的背景下，研究将探索和确定设计服务网络框架所需的重要设计参数、性能指标和项目要求。根据这些因素对网络的信息流和管理要求进行表征。将研究信息和通信技术，作为满足这些要求的方法。将评价现有的信息和通信技术工具/平台是否有助于协调和提高具体项目服务的绩效。现有的操作/工程建模工具，设计稳健和动态的项目特定的服务网络将进行分析和评估。最后，我们将进行案例研究和服务网络设计模拟游戏，以教育商业和工程专业的学生以及行业和学术领袖，让他们了解设计服务网络组织的挑战和信息技术的作用。本研究将在短期动态服务网络的常见网络设计参数列表、评估当前信息和通信技术在服务网络中的作用、设计服务网络的初始形式化以及服务网络设计的模拟游戏方面做出重大贡献。这种形式主义将有助于确定我们知识中的差距，并为完善服务网络设计、施工管理和危机管理框架制定研究议程。

Abstract - Designing Dynamic Service Networks Effectively through Information Management: Case Studies on Construction Project Management and Crisis ManagementThe service industry now dominates the US economy with over 67% of the labor force and 58% of the output. Taking manufacturing as the model, the service industry increasingly decentralized its operations and outsourced its activities, even their "back office operations." This has resulted in a network of services that, in order to provide customer satisfaction, require effective designed, management, and control. Current approaches for service network design focus on maximizing the productivity, reliability, and quality at the individual service unit level; they neglect issues associated with the network that ties these units. Information dependencies are an important link betwee service units, often forming the backbone of the service network. Identification and management of information dependencies between different service units within a network is thus tantamount to designing and managing an effective service network.This research will develop formalisms for the design of effective service networks by modeling and management of information dependencies between service units. The development effort will target construction project management and crisis management services since the need for effective service design tends to be emphasized in these types of short-lived (discontinuous) services that are composed of dynamic networks of service providers. Additionally, the unique characteristics of these service will provide an opportunity to explore and formalize less-studied areas of the service management field.Within the context of construction and crisis management, the research will explore and identify important design parameters, performance metrics, and project requirements needed to design a framework for service networks. Information flows and management requirements of the networks based on these factors will be characterized. Information and communications technology will be investigated as ways to meet those requirements. Existing information and communications technology tools/platforms will be evaluated as enablers of coordination and enhancers of performance for project-specific services. Existing operations/engineering modeling tools for designing robust and dynamic project-specific service networks will be analyzed and evaluated. Finally, case studies and a service network design simulation game will be developed to educate business and engineering students as well as industry and academic leaders about the challenges of designing service network organizations and the role of information technology.This research will significantly contribute in terms of a list of common network design parameters of short-lived dynamic service networks, assessment of the role of current information and communications technologies within service networks, an initial formalism designing service networks, and a simulation game on service network design. This formalism will help define the gaps in our knowledge and frame a research agenda for refining a framework for service network design, construction management and crisis management.