Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically soliciting business reviews includes a process for automatically soliciting business reviews whereby searches made, and/or reviews submitted, by individuals using a community based business listing and review system are monitored and user specific usage data is collected including: the user's identification; the business listing category in which a search was conducted and/or the business listing category in which a review was submitted by the user; and the community in which the user resides, and/or the community in which the search was made, and/or the community in which the business reviewed resides. Once user specific usage data about the user, and the searches the user conducts and/or the reviews the user has submitted, is gathered, the user specific usage data is then used to create user specific review solicitations of various types.

Abstract: A status and workflow management system is provided, including a tax return preparation intake mechanism and computer systems for use by responsible persons responsible for respective parts of processing of a given individual tax return preparation project. A computer screen providing mechanism generates for each responsible person a work flow and status screen, so that a given responsible person is provided a work flow and status screen comprising information pertaining to the given responsible person and according to the given responsible person's personnel type. A task display generator displays to the given responsible person on his or her screen tasks to which he or she has been assigned.

Abstract: A method and system of assessing the quality of a work through a quality review engine. The quality review system efficiently builds a ranked list of works. Competing and collaborating creators review each other's works through a variable, relative-measurement technique. Subject matter creators rate the quality of individual pieces of material, while concurrently being reviewed themselves to assess the level of expertise of each reviewer, and thus, the degree of weight that should be given to the commentary of each reviewer. Each review may itself be reviewed to assess a usefulness of the review to determine the weight the review should be given in the ranking process. Assigned reviews, monitored control works, and other fraud detection devices assure accurate rankings at a low cost.

Abstract: A method (400) and system (100) for providing a promotion plan (128) for merchandising products (600) receives base data (142) for the products (600) that includes allowable offers (204) and price rules (206) that affect the offers (204). A margin budget (146) is established for the promotion plan (128) that defines an amount of margin an enterprise is willing to forgo for a promotion event implementing the promotion plan (128). A scenario (406) is generated in response to the base data (142). The scenario (406) is optimized to obtain decisions (154) for the promotion plan (128) that are constrained by the margin budget (146). The promotion plan (128), indicating the obtained decisions (154), is presented for implementation by the enterprise during the promotion event. The obtained decisions (154) include a list of the products (600), each of which is associated with one offer (204) and one price rule (206).

Abstract: A system and method for allocating crew is disclosed. A plurality of legs are identified, wherein at least two legs of the plurality of legs are broken. A first crew and a first sequence associated with the first leg of the at least two broken legs are identified. A second crew and a second sequence associated with the second leg of the at least two broken legs is identified. A plurality of new sequences for the first crew and the second crew using deadheads is generated. A solution for each crew is generated using a mixed integer program.

Abstract: The successful monitoring of procurement processes requires that dates in the supply chain be calculated exactly and tracked accordingly. The central calculation of dates ensures that different applications arrive at the same results, optimizing their accuracy. Monitoring the dates will allow a user to quickly gain an overview of the current procurement situation and react on time to potential delays. Dates from a purchase order are transferred to the event management system and used to calculate base dates. A schedule bar is provided in the event management system, and includes dates received or calculated by the event management system. An activity is triggered based upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event by a purchaser order date or a calculated date.

Abstract: A system, method, and business model by which literary works are posted for review on publicly accessible networks such as the internet where reader input is used to identify the works likely to succeed in the marketplace, Authors/writers submit works for electronic review. Reader demographics (where possible) and reader evaluations of works are recorded and used to rank submitted works. Top ranked works receive additional reviews until a “market significant” level is reached. All authors are provided feedback and ranking statistics on their works. Top ranked authors are allowed to market their works using the branding of the business or publicly accessible network (e.g., internet site branding). Publishers, agents, and other media representatives are provided access to top ranked authors/writers, their works, work-specific statistics and overall market statistics.

Abstract: Determining product marketability may be accomplished by electronically performing various calculations on related data. The marketability may be determined by a processing device receiving business characteristic terms, industry sub-segment terms and validation terms for each business characteristic term of each industry sub-segment. The processing device calculates one or more criteria terms based on the validation terms and thereupon prioritizes the business characteristic terms based on the criteria data to define at least a first cluster of business characteristic terms. The processing device thereupon calculates a coverage percentage term for each of the industry sub-segment terms based on a comparison of the validation terms for each of the business characteristic terms and the validation terms for each business characteristic term in the first cluster. The coverage percentage term usable for determining product marketability.

Abstract: In a method of managing workflow, a selected node is modified. The modifications to the selected node are saved in a save event. At least one related node is determined for the selected node in response to a save event. The modifications are propagated to the at least one related node.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned in particular with the scheduling of maintenance actions such as washing events for a compressor of a gas turbine. An objective function including fuel/power price forecasts is evaluated/optimised in order to determine the advisability of a washing event. The cost function depends on a state vector comprising both Integer/Boolean and continuous state variables which are interconnected via a set of rules or constraints. Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) is a used for implementing the inventive procedure.