Modular Feature Specification

CRESS (CHISEL Representation Employing Systematic Specification) is a notation and set of tools for graphical specification and analysis of features. It is applicable wherever a system consists of base functionality to which are added optionally selected features. The CRESS notation is introduced for basic diagrams, feature diagrams, and rules governing their behaviour. Although telephony is used to illustrate the approach, CRESS is not limited to this domain. The structure and use of the portable CRESS toolset is explained. CRESS can generate code for a variety of target languages. The strategy for translation to LOTOS is presented, along with some techniques for analysing the generated specifications

An Architectural Foundation for Relating Features

Consideration of services in the Intelligent Network and telecommunications leads to the definition of ANISE (Architectural Notions In Service Engineering). This is a rigorous language for defining services systematically using a hierarchy of constituent features. The basic telephone call is used as an illustrative example, supplemented by a number of variations that show how ANISE can easily cope with changes to the basic call. An indication is given of how this might be used to detect problem areas that may lead to feature interaction

Knowledge Transfer and the Services Sector in the Context of the New Economy

This paper examines the processes of knowledge transfer in the services sector in the economic reality, increasingly affected by the use of information and communication technologies. An important focus is to explore whether the knowledge transfer channels, traditionally used in manufacturing, can also be made use of in services. To this end, the authors examine the specificity of services with respect to the nature of their output, degree of customer participation in the production process, degree of simultaneity of production and consumption, and study its effect on knowledge transfer. It turns out that in services the following transfer channels are highly important: foreign direct investment, training and producer-consumer two-way knowledge transfer, whereas for manufacturing links with academy and patents are very significant. It is underlined that the characteristics of knowledge holders and knowledge recipients are very important for the process of knowledge transfer. The paper also contains recommendations for policy-making in relation to the knowledge transfer in the Dutch services sector in the context of new economy.economics of technology ;

Validating Architectural Feature Descriptions using LOTOS

The phases of the ANISE project (Architectural Notions In Service Engineering) are briefly explained with reference to the work reported here. An outline strategy is given for translating ANISE descriptions to LOTOS (Language of Temporal Ordering Specification), thus providing a formal basis. It is shown how modular ANISE descriptions of features can be defined and then merged. Potential feature interactions can be identified statically through structural overlaps. A scenario language is introduced to express validation tests for features in a modular fashion, and a number of examples are given. Scenarios are automatically translated to LOTOS and analysed through LOTOS simulation. This allows features to be validated in isolation, and dynamically in combination with other features. The design of the translation and validation tools is discussed, showing typical results when investigating feature descriptions. The paper concludes with a guide to extending the approach for new features

Environmentally Extended Input–Output Analysis of the UK Economy: Key Sector Analysis

The paper assesses the sustainability of investment in various economic sectors, with the aim of minimizing resource use and generation of emissions. The broad development focus of the paper and the potential for the proposed methodology to be applied in many different countries make it a useful methodological contribution to the global sustainability debate. The UK case is taken for illustration purposes, and (given the availability of the necessary data) this methodology could be applied in countries with various economic structures and specialisations. An environmentally extended static 123-sector UK input–output model is used, linking a range of physical flows (domestic extraction, use of water, and emissions of CO2, CH4, NOx) with the economic structure of the UK. A range of environmentally adjusted forward and backward linkage coefficients has been developed, adjusted according to final demand, domestic extraction, publicly supplied and directly abstracted water, amd emissions of CO2 and NOx,. The data on the final demandadjusted and environmentally adjusted forward and backward linkage coefficients were used in a multi-criteria decision-aid assessment, employing a NAIADE method in three different sustainability settings. The assessment was constructed in such a way that each sector of the UK economy was assessed by means of a panel of sustainability criteria, maximizing economic effects and minimizing environmental effects. This type of multi-criteria analysis, applied here for the first time, could prove to be a valuable basis for similar studies, especially in the developing world, where trade-offs between economic development and environmental protection have been the subject of considerable debate.input–output analysis; environmentally extended; MCDA; key sectors; sustainability; ecological economics; UK

The interplay between market factors and regulation in next-generation broadband: evidence from Europe

Although many factors affect next-generation access (NGA) deployment, regulatory frameworks have the power to guide future investments, further development and, consequently, the competitiveness of a next-generation broadband market. Understanding the link between markets and regulatory requirements, therefore, is essential. Using data collected from broadband stakeholders in three markets, this paper provides an empirical analysis of this relationship. The market conditions in The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) and their roles in influencing the regulatory decisions made by the respective national regulatory authorities (NRAs) are examined. Such analysis first shows that market conditions present different priorities for regulators and policymakers. While markets with weaker incentives for investment, such as the UK, are in need of regulatory and public policy intervention, The Netherlands and Sweden require less stringent measures. Despite this, evidence shows that some level of NGA regulation is presently required in all three markets, albeit to varying degrees and with different foci. The paper then highlights the interaction of the market factors, explaining that this interrelationship is more important for policymakers than the effects of a single factor. The findings of the paper are useful for regulators in addressing the challenges of next-generation broadband deployment. --Next-generation access,Regulation,The Netherlands,Sweden,United Kingdom,Comparison

Formalising the Chisel Feature Notation

The CHISEL notation was developed by Bellcore as an informal graphical notation for describing telecomms services and features. CRESS (CHISEL Representation Employing Systematic Specification) is an enhanced version of CHISEL with tightly defined rules for the syntax and static semantics of diagrams. More importantly, CRESS has formal denotations given by SDL (Specification and Description Language) and LOTOS (Language Of Temporal Ordering Specification). This permits rigorous checking, analysis and prototyping of descriptions. The accompanying toolset has been written in an open and extensible manner

Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis of the UK Economy: Key Sector Analysis

The paper assesses the sustainability of investment in various economic sectors, with the aim of minimizing resource use and generation of emissions. The broad development focus of the paper and the potential for the proposed methodology to be applied in many different countries make it a useful methodological contribution to the global sustainability debate. The UK case is taken for illustration purposes, and (given the availability of the necessary data) this methodology could be applied in countries with various economic structures and specialisations. An environmentally extended static 123-sector UK input-output model is used, linking a range of physical flows (domestic extraction, use of water, and emissions of CO2, CH4, NOx) with the economic structure of the UK. A range of environmentally adjusted forward and backward linkage coefficients has been developed, adjusted according to final demand, domestic extraction, publicly supplied and directly abstracted water, amd emissions of CO2 and NOx,. The data on the final demand-adjusted and environmentally adjusted forward and backward linkage coefficients were used in a multi-criteria decision-aid assessment, employing a NAIADE method in three different sustainability settings. The assessment was constructed in such a way that each sector of the UK economy was assessed by means of a panel of sustainability criteria, maximizing economic effects and minimizing environmental effects. This type of multi-criteria analysis, applied here for the first time, could prove to be a valuable basis for similar studies, especially in the developing world, where trade-offs between economic development and environmental protection have been the subject of considerable debate.

Local strategic networks and policies in European ICT clusters - the cases of Amsterdam, Bari, Dublin and Oulu

Regional interfirm networks are believed to be a vehicle for innovation and regional economic growth. From this perspective, local and regional governments are increasingly trying to promote these types of networks. This article discusses the relation between strategic networks and local development. It focuses on the role of local institutions that support strategic networking in ICT clusters in a number of European cities. It also discusses and analyses the way local and national governments try to influence local strategic networks in this sector. Our case studies are Amsterdam, Bari, Dublin, and Oulu.strategic networks policies ICT cluster casestudy Amsterdam Bari Dublin Oulu

Breaking Down the Daily Use of Places - A Space-Time Typology of Temporary Populations in the Netherlands

In a network society, spurred on by technological, social, and economic factors, the process of land use deconcentration has resulted in various new urban forms such as edge cities and edgeless cities. While the consequences of this process for the distribution of the residential population and travel patterns have been extensively described and analyzed, there has as yet been little investigation of its effect on visitors’ use of places. The aim of this study is to develop a typology of urban, suburban, and rural municipalities located in monocentric and polycentric urban systems on the basis of dimensions of diurnal weekday variations in visitor populations. The dimensions used in this study have been derived from the 1998 Netherlands National Travel Survey. A two-step cluster analysis resulted in five types of municipality: ‘central place’, ‘contemporary node’, ‘self-contained’, ‘mobile children’, and ‘local children’. The results reveal that, compared with monocentric urban systems, settlements in polycentric urban systems are more networked; that is, suburbs in these systems are capable of attracting a substantial share of working visitors who have their residence in the core city (‘contemporary node’) and school children from other suburban and central city communities (‘mobile children’). Outside the urban systems the ‘self-contained’ type, which contains people at work, learning, and in recreation locally and lacks the inflow of visitors from outside, is over represented.