Legal Challenges and Market Rewards to the Use and Acceptance of Remote Sensing and Digital Information as Evidence

Bakgrund I den nutida forskningen är det essentiellt att företag tar hänsyn till medarbetarnas motivation så att de gynnas av det arbetssätt som tillämpas. En arbetsmetod som blivit allt vanligare är konceptet Lean som ursprungligen kommer från den japanska bilindustrin. Lean har idag utvecklats till ett allmängiltigt koncept som tillämpas i flertalet branscher världen över. Trots att konceptet innebär flertalet positiva aspekter har det fått utstå stark kritik när det kommer till de mänskliga aspekterna och forskare har ställt sig frågan om Lean är "Mean". Kritiken härleds främst till medarbetares arbetsmiljö i form av stress och brist på variation, självbestämmande, hälsa och välmående. Få empiriska studier har däremot genomförts som undersöker konsekvenserna som Lean får på medarbetares upplevda motivation. Syfte Vårt syfte är att undersöka och öka förståelsen för medarbetares upplevelser av motivationen i företag som tillämpar Lean. Vidare har studien för avsikt att utreda om det föreligger en paradox mellan Lean och vad som motiverar medarbetare på en arbetsplats. Metod Studien har utgått från en kvalitativ metod via intervjuer. För att göra en djupare undersökning och analysera hur vårt fenomen, motivation, upplevs i en kontext med Lean tillämpade vi Små-N-studier. Vi har även haft en iterativ forskningsansats som förenat den deduktiva och induktiva ansatsen där studien pendlat mellan teorier och empiriska observationer fram tills det slutgiltiga resultatet. Slutsatser Utefter medarbetarnas upplevelser har vi identifierat att det inte föreligger någon paradox mellan Lean och motivation eftersom övervägande antal medarbetare upplevde att de är motiverade även om företaget tillämpar Lean. Dock har studien kunnat urskilja både stödjande och motverkande faktorer när det kommer till medarbetarnas upplevda arbetsförhållanden som i sin tur inverkar på motivationen. De motverkande faktorerna menar vi främst beror på att arbetsförhållandena i somliga fall innehåller höga prestationskrav, målstyrning samt standardiseringar. Vidare upplevs motivationen överlag som mer positiv när företagen använder en mjukare form av Lean där samtliga medlemmars intressen beaktas.Background In modern research, it is essential that companies consider employees’ motivation so that they benefit from the applied practices. A working method that has become increasingly common is the concept Lean, which has its origin in the Japanese automotive industry. Today, Lean has evolved into a universal concept that is applied in many industries worldwide. Although the concept involves numerous positive aspects it has endured strong criticism when it comes to the human aspects and researchers have raised the question if Lean is "Mean". Criticism is derived primarily to employees’ working conditions in terms of stress and lack, variation, autonomy, health and wellbeing. However, few empirical studies have been carried out that examines the impact that Lean has on employees’ experienced motivation. Aim The aim is to increase the understanding of employees’ experienced motivation in companies that practice Lean. Further on the study has the intention to investigate if there is a paradox between Lean and what motivates employees on work. Methodology The study has been conducted through a qualitative method by interviews and to be able to do a deeper examination and analyze how our phenomenon, motivation, is experienced in a Lean context we applied small-N-studies. Our strategy has been iterative, combining both a deductive and inductive approach, where the study has varied between theories and empirical observations until the final result. Conclusions We have identified that there is no paradox between Lean and motivation since the majority of employees’ experienced that they are motivated even though the company practice Lean. Nevertheless the study shows that there are both supportive and counteractive factors when it comes to the employees’ experienced working conditions. The counteractive factors consists foremost of high performance standards, goal steering and standardizations, and have in some cases a negative influence on the working conditions. Furthermore the experienced motivation is more positive overall when the companies use a softer form of Lean where all the members’ interests are taken into account

GIS Data Interoperability in Uganda

In this paper, we present and discuss data interoperability issues that limit the utilization of GIS Technology in Uganda and other similar developing countries. Using the European interoperability framework principles, organizational, semantic and technical interoperability issues pertaining to Uganda are discussed based on data collected from six major producers of spatial data. Organizational interoperability issues identified include lack of clear and harmonized policies on the exchange of spatial data across institutions and limited collaboration during data and systems development. The major semantic interoperability issues are associated to variations in feature semantics for duplicate datasets where different naming, coding and classification standards are used. Other semantic interoperability issues arise from using ‘equivalent’ spatial data in models that were designed for other environments such as those used for wetland assessment. Technical interoperability issues identified include variations in spatial reference systems and application of different constants to the UTM projection parameters. Documentation of data, development of policies on data sharing, implementation of awareness and capacity building programmes and legislation on SDI are recommended as key steps towards achievement of spatial data interoperability in Uganda

Utilizing GIS technology for brownfields redevelopment

Typically, when developers, banks and other organizations have an interest in a piece of property they perform an extensive information search to determine if the site is worth purchasing. This search could consist of tax and title information, the location of utilities and major roadways in the area, information on population demographics and environmental contaminant data. An information search of this type could take days, weeks or even months to compile. With a geographic information system (GIS), this search could take a matter of minutes and is displayed in an easy to understand graphic or map form along with a report. GIS technology is consequently changing the way economic development organizations, states and municipalities communicate with potential purchasers of properties. With GIS technology these organizations can select brownfields or other properties based on ownership, demographics and/or predetermined zoning criteria and market the properties based on the needs of the developer. This thesis will propose development blueprints for Brownfield Pilots to consider when implementing a GIS. These blueprints or recommended strategies will be based on accepted GIS development phases, case studies that involved developing GISs for economic development and environmental applications and on responses to a questionnaire sent to Brownfield Pilots to determine their GIS development techniques and implementation status

GIS-based detection of terraced landscape heritage: comparative tests using regional DEMs and UAV data

The analysis of terraced heritage has implications in many different fields of study, as it is shaped itself by natural, socioeconomic, and cultural dynamics. Given that their abandonment impoverishes territories and communities and raises natural, especially hydrogeological hazards, and that their deactivation leads to a loss of cultural identity, this paper aims to study rapid mapping systems for their detection. Since a deep relation between high land division and the use of terraces for the exploitation of territories has been recognized, a first detection method is based on cadastral maps. The joint use of regional-scale digital elevation models (DEMs) and cadastral dataset polygons, based on a model that typically uses GIS analyses, identifies areas with a high probability of terracing. A second method is based on the use of new technologies for very high-scale data collection. The DEM models derived from UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) photogrammetry, given their ability to determine the micro-topographical characterization of the terrain as well as the most expensive on-site techniques, can be considered an excellent low-cost means by which to locate terraced heritage. The proposed work includes comparative testing between methods implying GIS-based analysis of slope models. It aims to highlight the effectiveness of using both methods: regional-scale DEMs and cadastral maps to detect a high probability of terrace localization, and DEMs derived from the use of low-altitude aerial data and structure from motion (SfM) algorithms, which have greatly and effectively increased the use of aerial drone photogrammetry

Bio-historical diversity, sustainability and collaboration in the Xingu

Os estudos de sustentabilidade no século XXI reconhecem amplamente que os vínculos teóricos e práticos entre ciências naturais e sociais são necessários para se entender a dinâmica de sistemas humano-naturais, especialmente na escala de séculos e milênios. A arqueologia e estudos congêneres sobre a história local indígena têm um papel crucial para entendermos a dinâmica de longo prazo de sistemas humano-naturais e a formação de paisagens culturais na Amazônia, inclusive a influência antropogênica do passado e o uso atual da terra por descendentes de populações indígenas locais. Esses estudos têm por objetivo levantar questões chave em pesquisas tropicais contemporâneas, principalmente, sobre como seres humanos precipitaram, direcionaram ou foram influenciados por mudanças ambientais ao longo do tempo em termos de respostas e resiliência frente a mudanças ecológicas, gestão sustentável de recursos naturais, além da herança indígena e direitos culturais. Além disso, esse entendimento fornece soluções alternativas “caseiras” ligadas a sistemas semi-intensivos indígenas de uso da terra, incluindo a substancial engenharia de paisagem e como funcioram e mudaram. Portanto, as estratégias indígenas de gerenciamento de recursos, enquanto modelos de uso alternativo da terra, contêm indícios vitais para o desenvolvimento sustentável e mitigação de mudanças climáticas, além de adaptação a longo prazo. Este trabalho elabora essas ideias do ponto de vista específico do Alto Xingu no sul da Amazônia brasileira, enfatizando que a questão crítica a ser posta pelos arqueólogos, depois que já estejam bem adiantadas as tarefas de escavar, mapear, rearranjar e falar sobre coisas do “passado”, é a seguinte: quais são as questões sociais e éticas dessa pesquisa, especialmente em termos dos próprios povos indígenas

Using Geographic Information Systems to Organize and Coordinate Holistic Watershed Resource Management

Thesis research explores the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), such as ESRI’s ArcGIS and Google Earth, to organize and coordinate statewide, regional, and locally led watershed initiatives in West Virginia. Holistic Watershed Resource Management (HWRM) is an innovative collaborative approach to environmental protection designed to synchronize regional and local environmental assessment and restoration efforts. HWRM success is often attributed to an inclusive decision-making process, which seeks to build and coordinate cooperative partnerships among government agencies, private businesses, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. A case study of the Morris Creek Watershed Association and detailed surveys of over 100 West Virginia watershed associations were conducted to give additional insight into HWRM on the local and regional scale