170,418 research outputs found
Building and Refining Abstract Planning Cases by Change of Representation Language
ion is one of the most promising approaches to improve the performance of
problem solvers. In several domains abstraction by dropping sentences of a
domain description -- as used in most hierarchical planners -- has proven
useful. In this paper we present examples which illustrate significant
drawbacks of abstraction by dropping sentences. To overcome these drawbacks, we
propose a more general view of abstraction involving the change of
representation language. We have developed a new abstraction methodology and a
related sound and complete learning algorithm that allows the complete change
of representation language of planning cases from concrete to abstract.
However, to achieve a powerful change of the representation language, the
abstract language itself as well as rules which describe admissible ways of
abstracting states must be provided in the domain model. This new abstraction
approach is the core of Paris (Plan Abstraction and Refinement in an Integrated
System), a system in which abstract planning cases are automatically learned
from given concrete cases. An empirical study in the domain of process planning
in mechanical engineering shows significant advantages of the proposed
reasoning from abstract cases over classical hierarchical planning.Comment: See http://www.jair.org/ for an online appendix and other files
accompanying this articl
A hierarchical systems formulation of the rural development process in developing countries
A very urgent and significant set of problems facing developing
countries arises in the area of rural development. The reasons for this
are that the majority of the populations of these countries lives in the
rural areas and the fact that the level of production in the rural areas
has a major effect on the overall economy of the developing countries.
In this paper hierarchical systems theory is applied to rural
development. The latter is complex in the sense that it is multidimensional,
highly interacting and stochastic in nature, whilst reliable
causal explanations of its socio-economic aspects in particular are
commonly not availables Here a multilevel/hierarchical formulation of
the rural development system is presented and analysed to provide an
improved conceptual framework for the design, phasing and inter-connection
of component management procedures which together comprise an effective
rural development planning and control system.
This analysis has been applied to design an initial set of
procedures which have been introduced and tested in six rural areas of
Kenya. These provide at the first level a short cycle of one month for
plan implementation and at the second level a medium cycle of one year
for plan reformulation. These and further procedural components are
being considered for replication in all rural areas of Kenya as an
integral part of the introduction of district level development plans
in the context of the third five year plan (1974-79).
Although the main benefits arising from the application of
systems analysis to date have been at the level of procedural and
institutional innovation,the multilevel/hierarchical formulation
described in this paper now lays a foundation for a more quantitative
approach based on systematic assembly of data describing the operation
of the rural development system. ventually, simulation studies using
sophisticated planning models will enable a more efficient selection
between alternative rural development strategies, projects and
programmes
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