Temporal entrainment in overlapping speech

Wlodarczak M. Temporal entrainment in overlapping speech. Bielefeld: Bielefeld University; 2014

Agents for educational games and simulations

This book consists mainly of revised papers that were presented at the Agents for Educational Games and Simulation (AEGS) workshop held on May 2, 2011, as part of the Autonomous Agents and MultiAgent Systems (AAMAS) conference in Taipei, Taiwan. The 12 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from various submissions. The papers are organized topical sections on middleware applications, dialogues and learning, adaption and convergence, and agent applications

Scientific Advice to Public Policy-Making

A feature of policy-making today is its dependence on scientific advice to deliver public policies that are robust, credible, and effective. This paper discusses how policy-making profits from scientific advice in areas where science and technology are significant. Particular attention is given to issues holding a high level of uncertainty, either because of inherent variability, because science is incomplete or controversial, or because data are inadequate to support a definitive answer. First, we analyse the social context that characterises the relationship between science and policy-making, with a focus on the decrease of public confidence in politicians and scientists. Second, we compare three different sets of guidelines on the collection and use of expertise in policy-making (issued by the UK, Canada and the European Commission, respectively) and identify two different approaches to scientific advice in policy-making. Third, based on a set of cross-national and multi-disciplinary case studies, we look at how the relationship between science and policy-making works in practice and propose a set of recommendations towards the establishment of a more robust and effective policy-making process.Scientific advice, Policy-making, Expertise

Market Structure and Energy Efficiency: The Case of New Commercial Buildings

This is a report on why commercial office buildings aren’t more energy efficient. Several decades of energy efficiency programs have resulted in some gains, but overall increases in the energy efficiency of buildings have fallen far short of the 30 to 50 percent improvement that many efficiency advocates believe is possible. The purpose of this study is to consider the “why” question by empirically examining the dynamics of new commercial building markets. To do so, the authors used multiple research techniques, including qualitative field observation and interview methods that allow for a more in-depth understanding of complicated market processes. Their research focused primarily on new office buildings and centered in four regional markets: Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland. The authors identify key dynamics of commercial office building markets, describe how change and innovation occurs in commercial development, discuss the implications for energy efficiency, and suggest next steps

Public sector (PS) procurement : improving the outcomes of procurement

The UK public sector spends approximately 12.5% of GDP buying goods and services. Failures in procurement activity are not uncommon. The economic shock of 2008 and now the consequences of Covid-19 mean that preventing failure with better value for money matters more than ever. Failures usually lead to Government inquiries and studies by appointed ex-civil servants or businessmen and women. However, the ‘lessons learned’, recommendations and methods used to reach them are seldom subjected to academic scrutiny. The lessons are consistent and while some recommendations have been implemented, many have not. There appears to be an assumption that the lessons re-shape strategy and that revised policy mandated from ‘the centre’ will then result in beneficial change. One of the key theories in this study is that strategy must be generated simultaneously from top and bottom if it is to be effective, and the input from the bottom has been missing. Most academic studies into public sector procurement have focussed on a single subject in a reductionist manner. Whilst that may be helpful, only an analysis at the macro- level, throughout the structures of procurement is likely to highlight obstacles preventing beneficial change. Critical realism offers an ontology and emerging methodological approach that can tackle such a broad subject at the macro level. This study adds to academic knowledge because by taking a ‘bottom up’ approach using a critical realist methodology, it illuminated obstacles to beneficial change. It finds that the vital role of ‘commissioner of procurement’ is neither defined nor properly being undertaken. This missing role prevents a vital feedback loop and so prevents beneficial change. It also highlights that the increasingly devolved nature of procurement further diminishes the power of the ‘top-down approach’ and that there is a strong case for the professionalisation of the commissioning and procurement function