191,923 research outputs found
The value of theoretical multiplicity for steering transitions towards sustainability
Transition management, as a theory of directing structural societal changes towards sustainable system innovations, has become a major topic in scientific research over the last years. In this paper we focus on the question how transitions towards sustainability can be steered, governed or managed, in particular by governmental actors. We suggest an approach of theoretical multiplicity, arguing that multiple theories will be needed simultaneously for dealing with the complex societal sustainability issues. Therefore, we address the steering question by theoretically comparing transition management theory to a number of related theories on societal change and intervention, such as multi-actor collaboration, network governance, configuration management, policy agenda setting, and adaptive management. We conclude that these related theories put the managerial assumptions of transition management into perspective, by adding other steering roles and leadership mechanisms to the picture. Finally we argue that new modes of steering inevitable have consequences for the actual governance institutions. New ways of governing change ask for change within governance systems itself and vice versa. Our argument for theoretical multiplicity implicates the development of multiple, potentially conflicting, governance capacitie
Analysis of Feature Models Using Alloy: A Survey
Feature Models (FMs) are a mechanism to model variability among a family of
closely related software products, i.e. a software product line (SPL). Analysis
of FMs using formal methods can reveal defects in the specification such as
inconsistencies that cause the product line to have no valid products. A
popular framework used in research for FM analysis is Alloy, a light-weight
formal modeling notation equipped with an efficient model finder. Several works
in the literature have proposed different strategies to encode and analyze FMs
using Alloy. However, there is little discussion on the relative merits of each
proposal, making it difficult to select the most suitable encoding for a
specific analysis need. In this paper, we describe and compare those strategies
according to various criteria such as the expressivity of the FM notation or
the efficiency of the analysis. This survey is the first comparative study of
research targeted towards using Alloy for FM analysis. This review aims to
identify all the best practices on the use of Alloy, as a part of a framework
for the automated extraction and analysis of rich FMs from natural language
requirement specifications.Comment: In Proceedings FMSPLE 2016, arXiv:1603.0857
Technic and Collaboration Breakdown Structures: Drivers of collaborative problem solving approaches in a supply chain context
Problem Solving Methodologies have been par excellence a cornerstone element of the firms’ strategy on achieving effective continuous improvement. But the enterprise evolution towards an extended environment characterized by network-based organization has radically changed the problem solving paradigms. This paper aims to propose a generic and collaborative methodology addressing more complex and distributed problems, dealing with Supply Chain issues and having a key role as a driver for building global competitive advantages and create superior performances at a Supply Chain level
Variability and Evolution in Systems of Systems
In this position paper (1) we discuss two particular aspects of Systems of
Systems, i.e., variability and evolution. (2) We argue that concepts from
Product Line Engineering and Software Evolution are relevant to Systems of
Systems Engineering. (3) Conversely, concepts from Systems of Systems
Engineering can be helpful in Product Line Engineering and Software Evolution.
Hence, we argue that an exchange of concepts between the disciplines would be
beneficial.Comment: In Proceedings AiSoS 2013, arXiv:1311.319
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Evaluating the resilience and security of boundaryless, evolving socio-technical Systems of Systems
MORPH: A Reference Architecture for Configuration and Behaviour Self-Adaptation
An architectural approach to self-adaptive systems involves runtime change of
system configuration (i.e., the system's components, their bindings and
operational parameters) and behaviour update (i.e., component orchestration).
Thus, dynamic reconfiguration and discrete event control theory are at the
heart of architectural adaptation. Although controlling configuration and
behaviour at runtime has been discussed and applied to architectural
adaptation, architectures for self-adaptive systems often compound these two
aspects reducing the potential for adaptability. In this paper we propose a
reference architecture that allows for coordinated yet transparent and
independent adaptation of system configuration and behaviour
Usage of Network Simulators in Machine-Learning-Assisted 5G/6G Networks
Without any doubt, Machine Learning (ML) will be an important driver of
future communications due to its foreseen performance when applied to complex
problems. However, the application of ML to networking systems raises concerns
among network operators and other stakeholders, especially regarding
trustworthiness and reliability. In this paper, we devise the role of network
simulators for bridging the gap between ML and communications systems. In
particular, we present an architectural integration of simulators in ML-aware
networks for training, testing, and validating ML models before being applied
to the operative network. Moreover, we provide insights on the main challenges
resulting from this integration, and then give hints discussing how they can be
overcome. Finally, we illustrate the integration of network simulators into
ML-assisted communications through a proof-of-concept testbed implementation of
a residential Wi-Fi network
Architectural mismatch tolerance
The integrity of complex software systems built from existing components is becoming more dependent on the integrity of the mechanisms used to interconnect these components and, in particular, on the ability of these mechanisms to cope with architectural mismatches that might exist between components. There is a need to detect and handle (i.e. to tolerate) architectural mismatches during runtime because in the majority of practical situations it is impossible to localize and correct all such mismatches during development time. When developing complex software systems, the problem is not only to identify the appropriate components, but also to make sure that these components are interconnected in a way that allows mismatches to be tolerated. The resulting architectural solution should be a system based on the existing components, which are independent in their nature, but are able to interact in well-understood ways. To find such a solution we apply general principles of fault tolerance to dealing with arch itectural mismatche
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