7,143 research outputs found

    The Globalization of Artificial Intelligence: African Imaginaries of Technoscientific Futures

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    Imaginaries of artificial intelligence (AI) have transcended geographies of the Global North and become increasingly entangled with narratives of economic growth, progress, and modernity in Africa. This raises several issues such as the entanglement of AI with global technoscientific capitalism and its impact on the dissemination of AI in Africa. The lack of African perspectives on the development of AI exacerbates concerns of raciality and inclusion in the scientific research, circulation, and adoption of AI. My argument in this dissertation is that innovation in AI, in both its sociotechnical imaginaries and political economies, excludes marginalized countries, nations and communities in ways that not only bar their participation in the reception of AI, but also as being part and parcel of its creation. Underpinned by decolonial thinking, and perspectives from science and technology studies and African studies, this dissertation looks at how AI is reconfiguring the debate about development and modernization in Africa and the implications for local sociotechnical practices of AI innovation and governance. I examined AI in international development and industry across Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, by tracing Canada’s AI4D Africa program and following AI start-ups at AfriLabs. I used multi-sited case studies and discourse analysis to examine the data collected from interviews, participant observations, and documents. In the empirical chapters, I first examine how local actors understand the notion of decolonizing AI and show that it has become a sociotechnical imaginary. I then investigate the political economy of AI in Africa and argue that despite Western efforts to integrate the African AI ecosystem globally, the AI epistemic communities in the continent continue to be excluded from dominant AI innovation spaces. Finally, I examine the emergence of a Pan-African AI imaginary and argue that AI governance can be understood as a state-building experiment in post-colonial Africa. The main issue at stake is that the lack of African perspectives in AI leads to negative impacts on innovation and limits the fair distribution of the benefits of AI across nations, countries, and communities, while at the same time excludes globally marginalized epistemic communities from the imagination and creation of AI

    An empirical investigation of the relationship between integration, dynamic capabilities and performance in supply chains

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    This research aimed to develop an empirical understanding of the relationships between integration, dynamic capabilities and performance in the supply chain domain, based on which, two conceptual frameworks were constructed to advance the field. The core motivation for the research was that, at the stage of writing the thesis, the combined relationship between the three concepts had not yet been examined, although their interrelationships have been studied individually. To achieve this aim, deductive and inductive reasoning logics were utilised to guide the qualitative study, which was undertaken via multiple case studies to investigate lines of enquiry that would address the research questions formulated. This is consistent with the author’s philosophical adoption of the ontology of relativism and the epistemology of constructionism, which was considered appropriate to address the research questions. Empirical data and evidence were collected, and various triangulation techniques were employed to ensure their credibility. Some key features of grounded theory coding techniques were drawn upon for data coding and analysis, generating two levels of findings. These revealed that whilst integration and dynamic capabilities were crucial in improving performance, the performance also informed the former. This reflects a cyclical and iterative approach rather than one purely based on linearity. Adopting a holistic approach towards the relationship was key in producing complementary strategies that can deliver sustainable supply chain performance. The research makes theoretical, methodological and practical contributions to the field of supply chain management. The theoretical contribution includes the development of two emerging conceptual frameworks at the micro and macro levels. The former provides greater specificity, as it allows meta-analytic evaluation of the three concepts and their dimensions, providing a detailed insight into their correlations. The latter gives a holistic view of their relationships and how they are connected, reflecting a middle-range theory that bridges theory and practice. The methodological contribution lies in presenting models that address gaps associated with the inconsistent use of terminologies in philosophical assumptions, and lack of rigor in deploying case study research methods. In terms of its practical contribution, this research offers insights that practitioners could adopt to enhance their performance. They can do so without necessarily having to forgo certain desired outcomes using targeted integrative strategies and drawing on their dynamic capabilities

    People make Places

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    For centuries Glasgow, as a bucolic fishing village and ecclesiastical centre on the banks of the River Clyde, held little of strategic significance. When success and later threats came to the city, it was as a consequence of explosive growth during the industrial era that left a significant civic presence accompanied by social and environmental challenges. Wartime damage to the fabric of the city and the subsequent implementation of modernist planning left Glasgow with a series of existential threats to the lives and the health of its people that have taken time to understand and come to terms with. In a few remarkable decades of late 20th century regeneration, Glasgow began to be put back together. The trauma of the second half of the 20th century is fading but not yet a distant memory. Existential threats from the climate emergency can provoke the reaction “what, again?” However, the resilience built over the last 50 years has instilled a belief that a constructive, pro-active and creative approach to face this challenge along with the recognition that such action can be transformational for safeguarding and improving people’s lives and the quality of their places. A process described as a just transition that has become central to Glasgow’s approach. Of Scotland’s four big cities, three are surrounded by landscape and sea only Glasgow is surrounded by itself. Even with a small territory, Glasgow is still the largest of Scotland’s big cities and by some margin. When the wider metropolitan area is considered, Glasgow is – like Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool – no mean city. People make Places begins with a review of the concept and complexities of place, discusses why these matter and reviews the growing body of evidence that place quality can deliver economic, social and environmental value. The following chapters focus on the history and evolution of modern Glasgow in four eras of 19th and early 20th century industrialisation, de- industrialisation and modernism in mid 20th century, late 20th century regeneration and a 21st century recovery towards transition and renaissance, and document the process, synthesis and the results of a major engagement programme and to explore systematic approaches to place and consensus building around the principal issues. The second half of the work reflects on a stocktaking of place in contemporary Glasgow, looking at the city through the lenses of an international, metropolitan and everyday city, concluding with a review of the places of Glasgow and what may be learned from them revealing some valuable insights presented in a series of Place Stories included. The concluding chapter sets out the findings of the investigation and analysis reviewing place goals, challenges and opportunities for Glasgow over the decades to 2030 and 2040 and ends with some recommendations about what Glasgow might do better to combine place thinking and climate awareness and setting out practical steps to mobilise Glasgow’s ‘place ecosystem’

    Design and validation of a destination management model for the reconstruction of tourism in Manabí (Ecuador) after the 2016 earthquake

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    La presente investigación aborda la implementación de un plan de gestión post-crisis de destino turístico para la provincia de Manabí tras el terremoto del 16 de abril del 2016. Partiendo del estado de la cuestión y las aportaciones tanto teóricas como prácticas sobre tendencias en la gestión postcrisis de destinos turísticos, así como de la revisión de los estudios de caso sobre destinos turísticos que han sufrido las consecuencias de alguna catástrofe socio-natural, se ha realizado una evaluación de las políticas públicas con incidencia en la zona en la etapa post-crisis y del papel y opiniones de los agentes públicos y privados implicados, todo ello para aportar finalmente un diseño metodológico de selección de planes y herramientas que contribuyan a la reconstrucción y revalorización de los atractivos turísticos de la provincia, así como la para la rentabilización de los recursos materiales y humanos disponibles para superar la crisis. Se discuten finalmente las diferentes estrategias aplicadas en destinos similares, derivándose de ello una serie de reflexiones y conclusiones sobre el modelo y diseño de plan que puede beneficiar la reconstrucción del destino y mejorar sus niveles de calidad y posicionamiento a nivel nacional e internacional

    Child exploitation in Cape Town : an exploratory-criminological investigation

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    Abstract in English, Afrikaans and XhosaHuman trafficking, which incorporates child exploitation, as interrogated and presented in this thesis, accentuates the significant contribution of criminology to comprehending the illegal manipulation, exploitation, and trafficking of persons, and specifically children. It expands and enhances the theoretical constructs and recommends justice through decisive, dedicated, and holistic intervention programmes and relevant strategies to defend the inherent rights of all citizens. This study serves as an instrument to profile human traffickers and their victims as well as their target selection and recruitment approaches. The research concerns South African child exploitation in the context of human trafficking and employs specific criminological theories to promote effectiveness and discovery. These theories are uncovered, scrutinised, and examined in this research to ascertain the correlation and alignment (or lack thereof) with the human trafficking phenomenon. This study contributes to the field of human trafficking in post-modern criminology. The data obtained from the participants during the interviewing phase, together with information from the literature review, confirms evidence of human trafficking incidents occurring in Cape Town with a strong undercurrent of child exploitation practices. The overall conclusion is that certain forms of child exploitation are visible, namely forced labour practices that include domestic servitude, and children engaged in street hawking and sexual exploitation. Furthermore, Cape Town is perceived as a sex tourism hotspot and the involvement of local gangs and taxi operators in the sex industry is obvious. The sexual exploitation of minors by parents on the Cape Flats, in particular, is an issue fuelled by poverty, unemployment, and alcohol and substance abuse that affect numerous households in impoverished areas. Since Cape Town is a major seaport city with a constant movement of foreign vessels, there is evidence of foreign fishing boats that employ forced labour practices. Abandoned seamen in need of care are often discovered on foreign vessels in Cape Town harbour, which is a transgression that requires more attention. This study shows that the basic principles of human trafficking, namely the recruitment, movement, and control of victims, apply and are manifest in numerous incidents in South Africa. The general view of all participants is that the South African government has made significant progress with the establishment of the Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Persons (PACOTIP) Act (2013) and there is an expectation amongst participants that the act will serve as a benchmark to assess trafficking going forward. Considering the hidden nature of trafficking and the scarcity of South African research on the subject, the overall findings of this study are significant. This probe into trafficking contributes to the discipline of Criminology as indicated in this study.Mensehandel, wat die uitbuiting van kinders insluit, soos ondersoek en aangebied word in hierdie proefskrif, beklemtoon die beduidende bydrae van kriminologie tot die begrip van die onwettige manipulasie, uitbuiting en handel in persone en spesifiek kinders. Dit brei die teoretiese konstruksies uit en versterk dit en beveel geregtigheid aan deur besliste, toegewyde en holistiese intervensieprogramme en relevante strategieë om die inherente regte van alle burgers te verdedig. Hierdie studie dien ook as 'n instrument om mensehandelaars en hul slagoffers te profileer, wat ook hul teikenkeuse en werwingsbenaderings uitlig. Die navorsing handel oor Suid-Afrikaanse kinderuitbuiting binne die konteks van mensehandel en wend spesifieke kriminologiese teorieë aan om doeltreffendheid en ontdekking van die misdaad te bewerkstellig. Hierdie teorieë word in hierdie navorsing ontbloot en ondersoek om die korrelasie en aansluiting (of gebrek daaraan) aan die mensehandelverskynsel vas te stel. Die verwagting is dat hierdie studie 'n beduidende bydrae sal lewer tot die veld van mensehandel in die post-moderne kriminologie. Die gegewens wat tydens die onderhoudfase van die deelnemers verkry is, sowel as inligting wat voortspruit uit die literatuur, bevestig dat daar getuienis is van mensehandel-voorvalle wat in Kaapstad plaasvind met 'n sterk onderstroom van kinderuitbuitingspraktyke. Die algehele gevolgtrekking is dat verskillende vorme van uitbuiting van kinders sigbaar is, wat dwangarbeid en huishoudelike dienste insluit, kinders wat besig is met straatsmousery asook die seksuele uitbuiting van kinders. Verder word Kaapstad as 'n brandpunt vir sekstoerisme beskou en die betrokkenheid van plaaslike bendes en taxi-operateurs in die seksbedryf is voor die hand liggend. Veral die seksuele uitbuiting van minderjariges deur ouers op die Kaapse Vlakte is 'n kwessie wat aangevuur word deur armoede, werkloosheid en drank- en dwelmmisbruik wat talle huishoudings in arm gebiede raak. Aangesien Kaapstad 'n belangrike hawestad is met 'n voortdurende beweging van buitelandse seevaartuie, is daar bevestiging van buitelandse vissersbote wat van dwangarbeid gebruik maak. Verlate seevaarders wat sorg benodig word gereeld op buitelandse bote in die Kaapstadse hawe ontdek en is 'n oortreding wat meer aandag verg. Hierdie studie toon dat die basiese beginsels van mensehandel, naamlik die werwing, beweging en beheer van slagoffers, van toepassing is en manifesteer in talle voorvalle in Suid-Afrika. Die algemene siening van alle deelnemers in hierdie ondersoek is dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering beduidende vordering gemaak het met die instelling van die Wet op die Voorkoming en Bestryding van Mensehandel (2013) en dat daar onder die deelnemers 'n verwagting is dat die wet 'n maatstaf sal wees om mensehandel te beoordeel in die toekoms. Met inagneming van die verborge aard van handel en die gebrek aan Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp, is die algehele bevindings van hierdie studie betekenisvol. Hierdie ondersoek na mensehandel dra by tot die dissipline van kriminologie soos in die studie aangedui word.Ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni, okubandakanya ukuxhaphaza abantwana, njengoko kugocagocwayo kwaye kwenziwa kule thisisi, kugxininisa igalelo elibalulekileyo lolwaphulo-mthetho ekuqondeni ukuxhaphaza ngokungekho mthethweni, ukuxhaphaza, ukurhweba ngabantu, ngakumbi abantwana. Iyakwandisa kwaye iphucule ukwakhiwa kweethiyori kwaye icebisa ubulungisa ngokusebenzisa iinkqubo zokungenelela ezigqibeleleyo, ezinikeleyo, nezibandakanya konke kunye nezicwangciso ezifanelekileyo zokukhusela amalungelo abo bonke abemi. Olu phononongo lukwasebenza njengesixhobo sokubonisa ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kunye namaxhoba abo kunye neendlela zabo zokukhetha kunye neendlela zokugaya abantu. Olu phando luchaphazela izenzo zokuxhaphaza abantwana zoMzantsi Afrika kwimeko yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kwaye lisebenzisa iithiyori ezithile zolwaphulo-mthetho ukukhuthaza ukusebenza ngokukuko kunye nokufumanisa. Ezi ithiyori ziyavezwa, ziphicothwe, kwaye zavavanywa kolu phando ukuqinisekisa ulungelelwaniso kunye nokulungelelaniswa (okanye ukusilela kwako) kunye nomcimbi wokurhweba ngabantu. Kulindelwe ukuba olu phononongo luza kuba negalelo kwicandelo lokurhweba ngabantu ngolwaphulo-mthetho lwasemva kwexesha langoku. Idatha efunyenwe kubathathi-nxaxheba ngexesha lesigaba sodliwanondlebe, kunye nolwazi oluvela kuncwadi, iyangqina ukuba bukhona ubungqina bezehlo zokurhweba ngabantu ezenzeka eKapa ezinesimo esomeleleyo sokuxhaphaza abantwana. Isiphetho esipheleleyo kukuba iindlela ezithile zokuxhaphaza abantwana ziyabonakala, nezinyanzelisa imisebenzi yabasebenzi ebandakanya ukukhonzwa emakhayeni, kunye nabantwana ababandakanyeka ekuthengiseni ezitalatweni nasekuxhaphazeni ngokwesondo. Ngapha koko, iKapa lithathwa njengeyona ndawo yokhenketho lokwabelana ngesondo kwaye ukubandakanyeka kwamaqela emigulukudu nabaqhubi beeteksi kuyacaca. Ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesondo ngabazali kwiCape Flats, ngakumbi, ngumba ophenjelelwa yindlala, ukungabikho kwemisebenzi, kunye nokusetyenziswa gwenxa kotywala neziyobisi ezichaphazela amakhaya amaninzi kwiindawo ezihlwempuzekileyo. Kuba iKapa sisixeko esisesona zibuko likhulu sihamba rhoqo kwiinqanawa zakwamanye amazwe, kukho ubungqina bokuba amaphenyane okuloba aphesheya aqeshe abantu ukuba basebenze ngenkani. Oomatiloshe abalahliweyo abafuna ukhathalelo bahlala befunyanwa kwiinqanawa zamanye amazwe kwizibuko laseKapa, ulwaphulo mthetho olufuna ingqalelo engakumbi. Olu phononongo lubonisa ukuba imigaqo-siseko yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni, eyile yokugaya, ukuhamba, nokulawula amaxhoba, iyasebenza kwaye iyabonakala kwiziganeko ezininzi eMzantsi Afrika. Uluvo ngokubanzi lwabo bonke abathathi-nxaxheba kukuba urhulumente woMzantsi Afrika wenze inkqubela phambili ebonakalayo ngokusekwa koMthetho woThintelo nokuLwa ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni (2013) kwaye kukho ulindelo phakathi kwabathathi-nxaxheba lokuba lo mthetho uzakusebenza njengomlinganiso wokuvavanya ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni. ukuya phambili. Ukuthathela ingqalelo imeko efihliweyo yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kunye nokunqaba kophando lwase Mzantsi Afrika ngalo mbandela, iziphumo zophando zizonke zibalulekile. Le projekthi yokurhweba ngabantu ngokurhabaxa inegalelo kuqeqesho lweCriminology njengoko kubonisiwe kolu phando.Criminology and Security ScienceD. Lit. et Phil. (Criminology

    Specialized, Localized, Privatized: An Institutional and Historical Analysis of the Emergence of New Graduate Schools of Education

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    Thesis advisor: Marilyn Cochran-SmithThis dissertation presents an institutional and historical analysis of the emergence of new graduate schools of education, or nGSEs. A controversial reform in the field of teacher preparation, nGSEs offer teacher preparation, state certification, and master’s degrees in a variety of new non-university contexts. With bipartisan support and philanthropic backing, the nGSE phenomenon has gained traction quickly. Today, 11 nGSEs, some with several branches, are operating in 16 different states. The dissertation examines the emergence of nGSEs using concepts from sociological neoinstitutionalism through primary document analysis and institutional analysis to answer the following questions: (1) What is the nature of nGSEs as organizations, including their historical features, funding models, and organizational environments? What changes have occurred in these features since the inception of nGSEs? (2) What institutional logic animates nGSEs as organizations? (3) What happens to teacher preparation in market-organized environments? Analysis revealed that nGSEs have diverse organizational origins and that they have largely reconfigured time and place for teacher preparation. As organizations that have moved the bulk of teacher preparation to K-12 schools and/or the internet while evolving rapidly in different environments, nGSEs naturally have different cultural-cognitive schemata. However, market logic is evident in some form, though to varying degrees, at each new organization. nGSEs tend to be private sector solutions to problems in the public education system, and they enjoy the support of education philanthropists who fund alternatives to the public education bureaucracy. I show how nGSEs are fundamentally responses to specialized, and oftentimes regionalized, circumstances that create demand for new kinds of teacher preparation programs. nGSEs are tailored for particular contexts and conditions—some nGSEs serve certain geographical communities while others serve certain kinds of school communities or pedagogical movements. I argue that this has led to the creation of highly specialized niches in the 21st century market for teacher preparation. Though they all constitute one reform, namely the relocation of teacher preparation from universities to new and different kinds of organizations, nGSEs are remarkably different from one another and from the wider field of teacher preparation.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction

    Unlocking the potential for thermal energy storage in the UK

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    Rapid and deep energy system decarbonisation is essential to a safe future. Thermal energy storage may hold the key to significant carbon reduction of the heating, cooling and electricity sectors, but the UK remains largely locked in to a fossil-fuel based heating regime. Global urbanisation trends mean cities are crucial to the net-zero transition. This thesis provides a sociotechnical analysis of current and future thermal storage deployment, recognising that fundamental change is complex and involves individuals and companies, supply chains, infrastructures, markets, policy and regulation, norms and traditions. I explore this through the overarching research question: How can cities unlock the potential for thermal energy storage to support the UK’s net-zero transition? The work is presented through three empirical chapters. A pilot study used a survey, thematic analysis, and pre-existing sociotechnical frameworks to explore the current state of UK thermal storage deployment and how sociotechnical characteristics are shaping current and future deployment prospects. A case study of a particular storage approach known as geoexchange analyses the results of interviews with geoexchange practitioners using sociotechnical frameworks, and proposes a new critical success factors framework. Finally, a comparative case study of two UK cities explores the specific role of local authorities to use powers at their disposal within a common planning framework to support the deployment of urban shared ground heat exchange in residential and mixed-use developments. Based on this study, a framework for local policy, support and enforcement activities is proposed. Applied contributions are provided through new knowledge on sociotechnical factors shaping the prospects for TES to support the net-zero transition, the first sociotechnical analysis of UK geoexchange deployment, and policy and practice proposals to support city-based shared ground heat exchange. Theory is advanced through application, testing and development of several existing frameworks for understanding sociotechnical change. Based on empirical evidence, two novel frameworks are proposed to support deployment of geoexchange and shared ground heat exchange

    Technologies and Applications for Big Data Value

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    This open access book explores cutting-edge solutions and best practices for big data and data-driven AI applications for the data-driven economy. It provides the reader with a basis for understanding how technical issues can be overcome to offer real-world solutions to major industrial areas. The book starts with an introductory chapter that provides an overview of the book by positioning the following chapters in terms of their contributions to technology frameworks which are key elements of the Big Data Value Public-Private Partnership and the upcoming Partnership on AI, Data and Robotics. The remainder of the book is then arranged in two parts. The first part “Technologies and Methods” contains horizontal contributions of technologies and methods that enable data value chains to be applied in any sector. The second part “Processes and Applications” details experience reports and lessons from using big data and data-driven approaches in processes and applications. Its chapters are co-authored with industry experts and cover domains including health, law, finance, retail, manufacturing, mobility, and smart cities. Contributions emanate from the Big Data Value Public-Private Partnership and the Big Data Value Association, which have acted as the European data community's nucleus to bring together businesses with leading researchers to harness the value of data to benefit society, business, science, and industry. The book is of interest to two primary audiences, first, undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers in various fields, including big data, data science, data engineering, and machine learning and AI. Second, practitioners and industry experts engaged in data-driven systems, software design and deployment projects who are interested in employing these advanced methods to address real-world problems

    Sustainability Analysis and Environmental Decision-Making Using Simulation, Optimization, and Computational Analytics

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    Effective environmental decision-making is often challenging and complex, where final solutions frequently possess inherently subjective political and socio-economic components. Consequently, complex sustainability applications in the “real world” frequently employ computational decision-making approaches to construct solutions to problems containing numerous quantitative dimensions and considerable sources of uncertainty. This volume includes a number of such applied computational analytics papers that either create new decision-making methods or provide innovative implementations of existing methods for addressing a wide spectrum of sustainability applications, broadly defined. The disparate contributions all emphasize novel approaches of computational analytics as applied to environmental decision-making and sustainability analysis – be this on the side of optimization, simulation, modelling, computational solution procedures, visual analytics, and/or information technologies
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