The principles of integration in urban transport strategies

Integration as a principle in urban transport policy is frequently advocated but rarely defined. We suggest a range of types of integration, and highlight the problems in developing an effective integrated strategy, given the number of variables involved. We argue that integration should be designed to serve agreed objectives of transport policy, rather than being an objective in its own right. We then consider the principles for designing an effective integrated strategy. We define the concept of synergy, which is often advocated as a benefit of integration, and discuss whether it, and other aggregation benefits short of true synergy, are achievable. We then consider the alternative approach of using integration to overcome barriers, an approach which is likely to be in conflict with pursuit of synergy, but more likely to lead to readily implemented strategies. We then review a number of examples where these principles have been applied, and investigate them to assess whether synergy has been demonstrated. Generally we find little evidence of synergy in outcome indicators. We conclude with some more general guidance on approaches to integration

Regional Integration and Transnational Labor Strategies under NAFTA

[Excerpt] This paper argues that while the internationalization of the economy has tended to weaken national labor movements, the internationalization of domestic politics may expand the traditional arenas for strategic action for labor unions. In particular, the North American Free Trade Agreement has been portrayed by some of its many critics as representing the consolidation of a neoconservative or neoliberal project that will not only shape the future economic development of the region, but also constrain its social policies and limit its political options (Grinspun and Cameron 1993: Chapter 1). However, these same critics have also noted that the debate surrounding NAFTA in Mexico, Canada, and the United States has led to a broad range of contacts and cooperative efforts among labor, environmental, women\u27s, religious, and educators\u27 groups in the three countries. This process is not only itself an expression of the search for new strategies in the context of regional integration, it has also altered the traditional ways in which U.S.-Mexican relations have been carried out and shaped the political process within Mexico. While the constraints to transnational labor collaboration remain strong, these new dimensions of the international and political environments nonetheless potentially offer new opportunities to weakened labor movements in all three countries. This paper will begin with a discussion of the contours of this new international political environment—in particular, the internationalization of domestic politics—and how this environment differs from traditional, nationally bounded notions of domestic politics and state action. I then discuss how both the transnationalization of politics and regional economic integration change the arena for strategic action by labor groups, how this new environment affects the labor movement in Mexico, and the kinds of strategies Mexican and U.S. labor unions have begun to pursue in this context. Finally, I consider whether the side agreement on labor standards that was developed as a complement to the NAFTA represents an example of institutionalization of this political internationalization, thus potentially facilitating further transnational collaboration among unions, or whether, alternatively, the side accord buttresses national institutions and state autonomy in ways that could constrain labor\u27s strategic use of the international arena

An athletic approach to studying perception-action integration: Does sport-specific training, and the impact of injury, influence how individuals visually guide navigation?

The objective of this thesis was to investigate perception-action integration capabilities of individuals during a choice navigation task. This task assessed navigation strategies in open space while individuals avoided colliding with two vertical obstacles that created a body-scaled, horizontal gap, at three varying obstacle distances from the starting location (3m, 5m, 7m). The two studies completed in this thesis employed the same paradigm to assess the hypothesized group differences. Gaze behaviours and kinematics of navigation strategies were compared between: 1) athletes specifically trained in navigating in open space versus non-athletes; and 2) athletes with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) versus non-concussed, specifically trained athletes. Specifically trained athletes have been identified as demonstrating more successful perception-action integration in discrete motor tasks related to their sport (Mann et al., 2007; Vickers, 2007). However, whether these abilities translate to the continuous motor task of obstacle avoidance in open space was unknown. The purpose of Study 1 was to identify the influence of sport-specific training on navigating in open space (i.e. navigational strategies of large field sport athletes) compared to age-matched, non-athletes. It was hypothesized that specifically-trained athletes would demonstrate fewer, longer fixations, suggesting a more successful perception-action integration strategy (as defined by Mann et al., 2007), and would employ more sport-specific navigation strategies than non-athletes by maintaining their straight trajectory toward the goal (Fajen & Warren, 2003). Athletes were found to make fewer, longer fixations than non-athletes. However, no differences were observed between navigation strategies of the two groups, nor were any kinematic measures found to differ between groups. It can be concluded that athletes and non-athletes differentially obtain visual information to perform the same actions, suggesting that athletes and non-athletes differentially perform perception-action integration when navigating in open space. Future studies are required to identify sport-specific nuances of navigation (moving obstacles, running) to better identify athletic-related navigation strategies. Although athletic training can enhance perception-action integration strategies, sport-related injuries can hinder this process. Following a concussion, individuals experience deficits of perception-action integration that persist well beyond 30 days of recovery, post-concussion (Baker and Cinelli, 2014; Slobounov et al., 2006). These perception-action integration deficits may also exist in individual with postconcussion syndrome (PCS). The purpose of the Study 2 was to identify whether perception-action integration deficits persist with the persistent physical symptoms of concussion characteristic of PCS. The current study revealed that athletes with PCS did not differ from non-concussed athletes on any measure of visual fixation strategy, nor were they found to differ on any kinematic measure assessed. These findings suggest that in the context of the current paradigm, athletes with PCS have no perception-action integration deficit. In that, athletes with PCS may have adapted perception-action integration strategies to navigate with equal efficiency as a specifically-trained group of athletes or that the paradigm was not sensitive enough to identify these differences. Such findings suggest that more research is required to assess what, if any, perception-action integration deficits persist with persisting physical symptoms of PCS to better benefit rehabilitative procedures and outcomes for these individuals. Together, these studies add to what was previously known about perception-action integration, as it relates to navigation. Both studies assessed perception-action integration in unique populations that add to understanding of behavioural dynamics in the sport setting. Study 1 builds on a line of research assessing affordance theory and behavioural dynamics in sport (Fajen, Riley, & Turvey, 2008). The findings of this study suggest that although navigation strategies did not differ between specifically trained athletes and non-athletes, visual search strategies employed in task did. Such findings add to the understanding that sport-specific training influences perception-action integration, through our understanding of how athletes obtain visual information to perform actions. This thesis did not identify perception-action integration deficits in athletes with PCS. These findings suggest that the individuals in the present study likely adapted to their injury as they demonstrated equal ability in gaze and navigation strategies to specifically-trained athletes. As such, further research is required to assess the cognitive, motor, and sensory-motor deficits that may persist with the persisting physical symptoms of PCS. As individuals with PCS do not demonstrate similar visuomotor integration deficits as individuals with acute concussions (Baker & Cinelli, 2014), such individuals must be assessed and researched as a separate population

EDACs and test integration strategies for NAND flash memories

Mission-critical applications usually presents several critical issues: the required level of dependability of the whole mission always implies to address different and contrasting dimensions and to evaluate the tradeoffs among them. A mass-memory device is always needed in all mission-critical applications: NAND flash-memories could be used for this goal. Error Detection And Correction (EDAC) techniques are needed to improve dependability of flash-memory devices. However also testing strategies need to be explored in order to provide highly dependable systems. Integrating these two main aspects results in providing a fault-tolerant mass-memory device, but no systematic approach has so far been proposed to consider them as a whole. As a consequence a novel strategy integrating a particular code-based design environment with newly selected testing strategies is presented in this pape

Optimal Integration Strategies for the Multinational Firm

We examine integration strategies of multinational firms that face a rich array of choices of international organization. Each firm in an industry must provide headquarter services from its home country, produce intermediate inputs, and assemble the intermediate goods into final products. Both production of intermediate goods and assembly can be performed at home, in another “Northern” country, in the low-wage “South,” or in several of these locations. We study the equilibrium choices of firms that differ in productivity (and thus size), focusing on the role of industry characteristics such as the fixed costs of foreign subsidiaries, the cost of transporting intermediate and final goods,and the share of the consumer market that resides in the South in determining optimal integration strategies.

Conducting of the linkage between information systems strategy (ISS) and Operation Strategy in the case of 'X' Airlines in Arabic gulf country

The integration of IS/IT strategy with other business units' strategies has become an important issue. The layer of integration through business strategies requires an explanation of interrelationships so that business objectives appropriate to the available resources and market conditions can be established. This study is a comprehensive examination of the relationship between IS and operational strategy at 'X' Airlines. Operation is considered one of the core activities at 'X'. In this study, the researcher employs a qualitative method, presenting the literature on IS integration and utilising a case study approach to understand the how and why of using IS at 'X'. This study discusses the existing frameworks, both theoretical and practical, for IS strategic integration. The results show that there are strong relationships but as a traditional kind of back office support of IS for operational strategy within 'X'

Complementary Patents and Market Structure

Many high technology goods are based on standards that require several essential patents owned by different IP holders. This gives rise to a complements and a double mark-up problem. We compare the welfare effects of two different business strategies dealing with these problems. Vertical integration of an IP holder and a downstream producer solves the double mark-up problem between these firms. Nevertheless, it may raise royalty rates and reduce output as compared to non-integration. Horizontal integration of IP holders solves the complements problem but not the double mark-up problem. Vertical integration discourages entry and reduces innovation incentives, while horizontal integration always benefits from entry and innovatio

STRATEGIES ON SOFTWARE INTEGRATION

The strategy represents in a general way “a well-defined and structured set of fundamental long-term objectives, together with allocated resources and the ways these can be used effectively in accordance with established goals, in order to obtain better competitive results." Software integration is not a new concept as it has been addressed from the moment the companies had no more than two systems and a network connection. The problem of integrating applications at company level has become very important, with direct effects on the work of any economic society. As such, the specialists in the field developed true strategies for addressing and solving the integration of information systems.Integration software, Vertical integration, Horizontal integration, Integration mixed, Business Process Oriented.