Pseudo-contractions as Gentle Repairs

Updating a knowledge base to remove an unwanted consequence is a challenging task. Some of the original sentences must be either deleted or weakened in such a way that the sentence to be removed is no longer entailed by the resulting set. On the other hand, it is desirable that the existing knowledge be preserved as much as possible, minimising the loss of information. Several approaches to this problem can be found in the literature. In particular, when the knowledge is represented by an ontology, two different families of frameworks have been developed in the literature in the past decades with numerous ideas in common but with little interaction between the communities: applications of AGM-like Belief Change and justification-based Ontology Repair. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between pseudo-contraction operations and gentle repairs. Both aim to avoid the complete deletion of sentences when replacing them with weaker versions is enough to prevent the entailment of the unwanted formula. We show the correspondence between concepts on both sides and investigate under which conditions they are equivalent. Furthermore, we propose a unified notation for the two approaches, which might contribute to the integration of the two areas

The Prevention System and Insurance Coverage in the Context of the IV Industrial Revolution

La presente pubblicazione è stata realizzata nell’ambito del progetto di ricerca “Il Testo Unico di salute e sicurezza sul lavoro e la tutela assicurativa alla prova della IV rivoluzione industriale” (BRIC 2018 – ID 08 – CUP E96C18002110003), cofinanziato dall’Inail nell’ambito della linea di finanziamento BRIC e commissionato al Centro studi internazionali e comparati DEAL dell’Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia con partner Fondazione ADAPT. Il progetto si è svolto tra aprile 2019 e aprile 2021

Performance management in the United States and France:four case studies in the retail and airline industries

The profusion of performance measurement models suggested by Management Accounting literature in the 1990’s is one illustration of the substantial changes in Management Accounting teaching materials since the publication of “Relevance Lost” in 1987. At the same time, in the general context of increasing competition and globalisation it is widely thought that national cultural differences are tending to disappear, meaning that management techniques used in large companies, including performance measurement and management instruments (PMS), tend to be the same, irrespective of the company nationality or location. North American management practice is traditionally described as a contractually based model, mainly focused on financial performance information and measures (FPMs), more shareholder-focused than French companies. Within France, literature historically defined performance as being broadly multidimensional, driven by the idea that there are no universal rules of management and that efficient management takes into account local culture and traditions. As opposed to their North American brethren, French companies are pressured more by the financial institutions that fund them rather than by capital markets. Therefore, they pay greater attention to the long-term because they are not subject to quarterly capital market objectives. Hence, management in France should rely more on long-term qualitative information, less financial, and more multidimensional data to assess performance than their North American counterparts. The objective of this research is to investigate whether large French and US companies’ practices have changed in the way the textbooks have changed with regards to performance measurement and management, or whether cultural differences are still driving differences in performance measurement and management between them. The research findings support the idea that large US and French companies share the same PMS features, influenced by ‘universal’ PM models

Hydrocarbons, Rent and the Algerian Growth Strategy: A Critical Appraisal of the Process of Building an Independent and National Economy

After its independence in 1962, Algeria experienced a growth process which was supposed to bring about qualitative and quantitative changes in both the structural features of the domestic economy and its position within the international division of labour. To that extent, introversion and integration of the economy emerged as basic themes upon which Algerian policymakers sought to justify the adopted growth process. This was based on the development of heavy industries as a matter of priority. Export of hydrocarbons and appropriation of the oil rent by the state were presented as the means by which financial constraints would be overcome and a productive base erected. The oil rent could, however, yield an opposite discourse whereby the rentier ideology would become dominant and relegate the implantation of an efficient productive apparatus to a secondary position. The emphasis, in the official discourse, on the development of the forces of production, and the absence of an unambiguous social project did, in fact, present the appropriate setting for the development of a rentier ideology. By the end of the 1970s, Algeria exhibited the essential features of a rentier economy to the extent that neither the agricultural nor the industrial sector could perform without support from the oil rent. Thus, rather than favouring the realisation of an integrated economy, the appropriation of the oil rent by a state which had no social project, inhibited the search for radical solutions to objective problems. The reduction of the magnitude of the oil rent during the 1980s would, then, call into question the inefficient functioning of the domestic productive base. The same reduction would require a repositioning of the dominant social groups and the development of a new ideological discourse to advance an appropriate social project

Redefining coherence : interaction and experience in new music, 1985-1995

This thesis presents an analytical exploration of a number of works from 1985 to 1995, many of which have not previously received detailed attention. Although they stem from quite varied stylistic and aesthetic backgrounds, all these pieces are situated in a particular position within the tradition of Western art music: they show an approach which is neither ‘avant-garde’ in its commitment to continual formal and technical novelty, nor clearly associated with any other existing compositional school. Instead, they engage with a diverse range of models, both musical and external; intra-musical connections range from the legacy of the broader Classical and Romantic common-practice tradition to the varied timbral and formal developments of the twentieth-century avant-garde, whilst extra-musical connections seem almost endless, encompassing fields from art to astronomy, literature to horticulture. Alongside this stylistic and referential plurality, they display an often seemingly intuitive approach towards structure and system, with their most striking musical effects often arising out of layered, non-hierarchical interactions between different materials and processes. As such, they present clear challenges to traditional conceptions of analysis, which are often based around the systematic generation of clear (albeit often very complex) organisational structures. It is argued that this music, in spite of these challenges, displays a striking level of expressive and aural coherence; conventional ways of understanding this term – whether they be based around unity of material or form or process – need to be redefined to take this into account. Chosen works are approached by way of a ‘patchwork’ of different perspectives and techniques: the core of the thesis is a series of four case studies which connect narratives of listener experience with analytical and contextual detail, making particular use of the clarifying potential of metaphor. These close readings are interleaved with chapters which consider the wider challenges and implications for the study of this repertoire, drawing upon a number of strands in contemporary musicological and philosophical thought.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Rethinking Change

UIDB/00417/2020 UIDP/00417/2020No seguimento da Conferência Internacional sobre Arte, Museus e Culturas Digitais (Abril 2021), este e-book pretende aprofundar a discussão sobre o conceito de mudança, geralmente associado à relação entre cultura e tecnologia. Através dos contributos de 32 autores, de 12 países, questiona-se não só a forma como o digital tem motivado novas práticas artísticas e curatoriais, mas também o inverso, observando como propostas críticas e criativas no campo da arte e dos museus têm aberto vias alternativas para o desenvolvimento tecnológico. Assumindo a diversidade de perspectivas sobre o tema, de leituras retrospectivas à análise de questões e projectos recentes, o livro estrutura-se em torno de sete capítulos e um ensaio visual, evidenciando os territórios de colaboração e cruzamento entre diferentes áreas de conhecimento científico. Disponível em acesso aberto, esta publicação resulta de um projecto colaborativo promovido pelo Instituto de História da Arte, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa e pelo maat – Museu de Arte, Arquitectura e Tecnologia. Instituição parceira: Instituto Superior Técnico. Mecenas: Fundação Millennium bcp. Media partner: revista Umbigo. Following the International Conference on Art, Museums and Digital Cultures (April 2021), this e-book seeks to extend the discussion on the concept of change that is usually associated with the relationship between culture and technology. Through the contributions of 32 authors from 12 countries, the book not only questions how digital media have inspired new artistic and curatorial practices, but also how, conversely, critical and creative proposals in the fields of art and museums have opened up alternative paths to technological development. Acknowledging the different approaches to the topic, ranging from retrospective readings to the analysis of recent issues and projects, the book is divided into seven sections and a visual essay, highlighting collaborative territories and the crossovers between different areas of scientific knowledge. Available in open access, this publication is the result of a collaborative project promoted by the Institute of Art History of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, NOVA University of Lisbon and maat – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. Partner institution: Instituto Superior Técnico. Sponsor: Millennium bcp Foundation. Media partner: Umbigo magazine.publishersversionpublishe

Error in the learning and teaching of english as a second language at higher education level

Linguistic error has proven to be a recurrent area of interest for researchers. There exist several types of approaches to error; some studies have focused on specific errors, such as grammatical errors, others on more general or exogenous issues, such as the perception of error of the group object of study, etc. From the point of view of methodology, some have been dedicated to the definition and description of error, while others have studied the identification of erroneous uses of language. Several proposals for error categorisation have also been propounded. In the case of error production in languages foreign to the speaker, the learning factor must also be included. Some authors have focused on the underlying reasons, questioning if the cause for errors rests upon an inadequate teaching method, or the actual teacher, or even if the cause is intrinsic to any learnt language, as opposed to the Mother Tongue. From the principle that it is possible to improve the language proficiency level of students by looking at the errors produced, this doctoral dissertation studies pragmatic error in the production of written English. In addition, it includes pedagogic perspectives that introduce a Second Language to potential speakers and the European Framework of Reference. The thesis is structured as follows: the first part is dedicated to a theoretical justification of the research, with an introduction to Pragmatics, Error Analysis, Contrastive Analysis, Second Language Acquisition -in particular the Communicative Approach- and the European Framework for Languages. The third chapter is dedicated to the objectives. Chapter 4 explains the methodology used for data processing and analysis. The results are explained in chapter 5 and chapter 6 presents the conclusions derived from these. To begin with, a proposal for error analysis and identification is presented. This takes into account error distribution and classification and language levels proposed in the Common Europea Framework of Reference for Languages as an open tool for the analysis of errors investigated.Mestre I Mestre, EM. (2011). Error in the learning and teaching of english as a second language at higher education level [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/11277Palanci