Challenges and Opportunities for the Advancement of GIS Education in TANZANIA

Rapid developments in science and technology have driven utilization of Geographical Information Science (GIS) in various fields of Planning, Management, and exploitation of environmental resources and provision of social services. As information technology gains momentum, GIS uses information science infrastructure to address the problems of geography, cartography, geosciences locations and related branches of science and engineering; that is shortly referred to as Geo-informatics. Increased application of GIS calls for more demand of advanced Geo-informatics education worldwide. This study has established major challenges for the advancement of Geo-informatics education in Tanzania and any possible opportunities which can be utilized for the improvement of the same. Prominent challenges identified could be associated with lack of reliable power, internet connection, computer system and accessories and appropriate software. Other challenges were related to the nature of the school curriculum and insufficient knowledge and skills of the human resources. Opportunities identified involve available government plans for increasing power supply, increasing mobile phones networks, Tanzania ICT and education and training policy with a major aim of improving ICT education and the competency based school curriculum under implementation. But the government should further support directly or indirectly all efforts by various groups that participate in advancing Geo-informatics education in the country. Keywords: Education, Geo-informatics, Tanzania, GIS, Transfer of Technology IC

Scentsor[ring]

Abstract Digital technologies have already impacted on the world of jewellery at a surprising and rapidly increasing rate. Since the first, tentative experiments with computer-aided design in the 1970s, through developments in computer numerically controlled manufacture in the 1980s and, critically, since the mid 1990s in rapid prototyping processes, the take up of all these technologies by the jewellery design and manufacturing community has accelerated to a degree that in view of the traditional values of the discipline is perhaps unexpected. It is fair to say that digital technologies now play some part, often the major part, in virtually every sector of jewellery design, manufacture and promotion, from that of the experimental artist-craftsman to that of the finest jewellery houses. The so-called ‘contemporary jewellery’ movement as a whole, however, has stood back from this development. Contextualised by the field of contemporary jewellery but recognising a world of shifting values and changing resources, the seminars aims were broad and cross-disciplinary: to stimulate debate and to open up channels of communication on a range of methods, issues and opportunities - consequent in the main on developments in digital technology - that now confront the creators of contemporary jewellery, jewellery users and others in fields allied to that of jewellery. This seminar brought together an invited group of speakers and delegates including practitioners and theorists from jewellery and the applied arts, fashion and textile designers, historians, critics, policy-makers and environmentalists, to consider new research directives for the integration of digital technologies within the field of jewellery, and for the development of new research methodologies and innovative products. The seminar’s objectives included: a review of the impact of digital technologies on jewellery design and production to date; the identifications of key issues for the future development of jewellery in relation to digital technologies, and the exploration of new working processes and methodologies. This paper explores the roles of Scentsor[ring]: digital jewellery embedded with wireless sensor networks and microfluidic devices for therapeutic, diagnostic and wellbeing applications. The development of this collection is inspired by the chemical language and interaction of organisms to dispense fragrance, triggered by sensors that react to an individual's body state (e.g. heart rate, temperature) and the environment (e.g. sound). Further sensors such as the ‘electronic nose’ will be introduced and unorthodox and innovative designs in jewellery will be examined. There is increasing interest in the effect of the environment on wellbeing and symptoms of mental illness, but until now the focus of recent intervention in this area has been in the more distant or the interpersonal environment. This paper investigates intervention in the immediate personal air-space around the individual. Combined with other forms of support for improved mental health, many patients could welcome the prospect of jewellery that offers enhanced control of their emotional state, whether by conscious control or biofeedback. Several psychiatric disorders and symptoms will be investigated for an application of such Scentsor[ring] technologies i.e. the use of scents to enhance mood and improve psychological wellbeing. This scooping will be undertaken in collaboration with experts in the area of mental health and wellbeing. The paper will conclude by proposing jewellery that mimics the sense of smell via electronic nose sensors in order to detect spoiled food, monitor pollutant chemicals in the air, or set the basis for revolutionary work in the diagnostic area such as pinpointing ovulation and diseases. By emulating a dog’s sense of smell the jewellery could sniff out explosives and narcotics, or detect the early stages of cancer. Further examples include jewellery that is pre-programmed to detect a potential partner’s pheromone profile and then send a sample of the users pheromones, or a mosquito repelling device, or an olfactive watch, or jewellery that offers wider-waves of feeling in (re)active environments

Ready to Roll?: Overview of Challenges and Opportunities

Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) use combinations of vehicle fuels and technologies to reduce the use of petroleum in on-road vehicles. These include low-carbon fuels (sometimes blended with petroleum), electricity, and hybrid technologies combining internal combustion engines with electric motors. DVRPC's Ready to Roll? Report provides an overview for policymakers and citizens in the Greater Philadelphia region about the challenges and opportunities for expanded use of alternative fuel vehicles. The AFVs covered in this report include those most widely available today or likely to become available in the next 10 to 20 years

The role of high-performance people management practices in Industry 4.0: The case of medium-sized Spanish firms

Purpose: This paper wants to build the case for the key role of high-performance people management practices in the development of I4.0 in SMEs. The research upon which this paper is based wants to prove that the consolidation of those practices should be a priority for any company willing to embark in this journey. The paper deals specifically with medium-sized Spanish firms which, on top, are already having significant issues with digitization. Design/methodology: The paper starts by digging into the literature to see how past technologies have impacted productivity, followed by a review of the material available on digitization and Industry 4.0. It moves on to explore the relationship between people management practices, productivity and innovation. Finally, the focus is placed on Spanish medium-sized companies, understanding their current levels of consolidation of high-performance people management practices as well as digitization. With all this information, several propositions are posited for validation using the Delphi methodology. Findings: I4.0 is, at its core, about productivity improvements through business process and business model innovation. People management practices are found to be strongly correlated with both productivity and innovation. It has also been found that Spanish medium-sized firms already have a significant initial gap compared to those of other OECD countries not only in productivity, but also people management practices and digitization. The experts seem to agree on the key role of people management practices and that they should be a high priority for any firm seriously thinking about industry 4.0. This is not to say that strategy or leadership will not play a paramount role in any digital transformation, but to emphasize the fact that the normally-forgotten people management practices will be important enablers in this process. Originality/value: It is believed that this is a topic that has been mostly neglected in the I4.0 literature. In that sense, the findings of this paper could be relevant for small and medium-sized businesses embarking on the industry 4.0 journey. This will entail a significant investment of time and money and, if the key role of people management practices is not on the radar screen, it may have significant implications for the success of those ventures.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Late Innovation Strategies in Asian Electronics Industries: A Conceptual Framework and Illustrative Evidence

This paper was published in Oxford Development Studies special issue in honor of the late Professor Linsu Kim. The paper reviews evidence on the evolution of electronics design in Asia's leading electronics exporting countries, to establish what capabilities have been developed, and to shed light on the forces that are driving "late innovation" strategies. It also reviews intellectual sources that can be used to theoretically ground these hypotheses. Using a well-known taxonomy of innovation that distinguishes incremental, modular, architectural and radical innovations, and the concept of "disruptive technologies", I argue that Asian firms may have realistic chances to engage in incremental innovations as well as in architectural innovations. However, to sustain "late innovation" strategies over a longer period, "complex system integration" capabilities are necessary to provide the missing link.