April 2000

Mason Named U.S. Partner in European Union Project The European Commission has named George Mason's Policy Analysis Center, of The Institute of Public Policy, as the only U.S. partner in the Automated Performance Measures (APM) project, a research consortium that will develop an automated system for evaluating and improving performance management in the technology-enabled organization. The project's main objective, building on existing enterprise resource planning software systems, is to develop information technology solutions that will enable small and medium-size enterprises to become stronger players in an increasingly global marketplace. The project is funded by the European Commission as one of its new Fifth Framework projects. The Fifth Framework program focuses on European Community activities in the field of research, technological development, and demonstration from 1998 to 2002. "George Mason University is honored to be a partner on the APM team, which will bring together expertise from around the world in the areas of enterprise resource planning, benchmarking services, and process management," says Thomas Gulledge, director of the Policy Analysis Center and professor of public policy. "We are especially pleased to be selected as a partner under the Fifth Framework program, since U.S. partners are rarely chosen. This highlights George Mason's role as a leader in research in extended enterprise integration." The consortium includes the following industrial and educational partners: SINTEF Industrial Management, Norway; BIBA Production, Logistics and Telematics, University of Bremen, Germany; BSM, Ireland; Computer Integrated Manufacturing Research Unit, Manufacturing Research Center, National University of Ireland; Fordesi, Portugal; Gruppo Formula S.P.A., Italy; IPL-TNO, Netherlands; VSS, GmbH, Germany; Policy Analysis Center, George Mason University, United States. The focus of Automated Performance Measures is to deliver an enhanced enterprise resource planning offering that allows for the customization of standard performance measures within enterprises and extended or virtual enterprises. APM facilitates the automated collection of performance data using Internet/XML technology. For more information, contact Tamer Cavusoglu, project research director, at tcavusog@gmu.edu.