558 research outputs found

    Strategic Niche Management (SNM) beyond sustainability. An exploration of key findings of SNM through the lens of ICT and privacy

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    Recently the governance of socio-technical transitions to sustainability is gaining attention in the field of innovation studies. One particular approach is that of Strategic Niche Management (SNM), which advocates the creation of protected space to experiment with radically new sustainable socio-technical practices. This paper contributes by asking whether this approach is also useful for analysis and governance of other types of socially desirable change. This question is addressed through a review of six key-findings of Strategic Niche Management and an original case study in the field of Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies for mobile payment. The social value at stake in this case is not sustainability but privacy. We draw three main conclusions. First, we find that the key-findings and concepts in SNM for sustainability are helpful to understand and interpret much of the data collected for the NFC case and privacy. However, there are notable differences in each of the key-findings, i.e findings related to a) the local-global distinction in SNM, b) expectations, c) social networks, d) learning, e) protection, and f) niche-regime interactions. Second, in relation to governance, the role of sustainability values (being a promising value to pursue) and privacy values (being a bottom-line value to defend) are notably different. Third, these differences result in different roles of public bodies in niche development. The paper ends with discussing the consequences for SNM for sustainability research and future research topics.Strategic Niche Management, sustainability, NFC, mobile payment, privacy

    Paradoxical Permaculture?

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    Permaculture purportedly offers a range of solutions to the negative externalities that arise from the dominant processes of monoculture crop cultivation and industrialised food production. This thesis identifies the discursive practices used by Swedish permaculturists to communicate and promote the advantages of permaculture over the incumbent industrial food production regime. The study also assesses the identified discursive practices in Swedish permaculturists’ online presence in their bid to mainstream permaculture as a social movement and as an alternative form of food production. This assessment is achieved through a multi-modal discourse analysis. The analysis finds a lack of strategic planning and management of the permaculture movement within the niche-regime interaction with one notable exception. This thesis study looks to raise further questions concerning the socio-technological landscapes that the dominant food production regime currently resides in. This study has identified a pattern materialising where permaculture practitioners are (knowingly or unknowingly) bypassing the incumbent food production regime and directly interacting with the socio-technical landscape. This approach is haphazard and piecemeal in contrast to the specific techniques mentioned in the literature on Transition Management and Strategic Niche Management

    La Spirale, Le Zodiaque, and Mana : the convergences between Georges Migot and André Jolivet (1932-1937) = La Spirale, Le Zodiaque, et Mana : les convergences entre Georges Migot et André Jolivet (1932-1937)

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    Ce mĂ©moire porte sur la convergence des compositeurs français Georges Migot (1891-1976) et AndrĂ© Jolivet (1905-1974) au cours des annĂ©es 1930 sur le plan de leurs idĂ©es en esthĂ©tique musicale, de leur dĂ©marche compositionnelle, et de leur implication administrative sur la scĂšne musicale parisienne. Ceci a pour but de mieux comprendre l’amitiĂ© spĂ©ciale entre Migot et Jolivet, mesurer son influence sur leurs personnalitĂ©s musicales, observer son impact sur leur engagement commun au sein de la sociĂ©tĂ© de concert La Spirale, et, plus globalement, Ă©valuer sa portĂ©e sur l’ensemble de la scĂšne musicale française. Actuellement, Stravinsky, Ravel et le Groupe des Six prennent une grande place dans les histoires de la vie musicale française de l’entre-deux-guerres. Ultimement, cette Ă©tude cherche Ă  favoriser une meilleure comprĂ©hension de la variĂ©tĂ© des manifestations musicales dans le Paris des annĂ©es 1930. Le premier chapitre de ce mĂ©moire examine les idĂ©es esthĂ©tiques respectives de Migot et Jolivet et discute leurs similitudes. Le deuxiĂšme chapitre se penche sur l’engagement des deux compositeurs au sein de la sociĂ©tĂ© de concert La Spirale (1935-1937). Relativement peu Ă©tudiĂ©, cet organisme est nĂ©anmoins connu pour avoir servi d’incubateur au groupe La Jeune France (1936-1942), une association rĂ©unissant Olivier Messiaen, Daniel-Lesur, AndrĂ© Jolivet et Yves Beaudrier. À travers l’examen des activitĂ©s de La Spirale, ce mĂ©moire propose non seulement une liste revue et corrigĂ©e de toutes les Ɠuvres prĂ©sentĂ©es dans ses concerts, mais rend Ă©galement compte de la nature de l’engagement de Jolivet et Migot en son sein. Finalement, le troisiĂšme chapitre propose une analyse comparative d’une sĂ©lection de mouvements tirĂ©s de deux recueils pour piano solo de Migot et Jolivet, respectivement Le Zodiaque (1931-1932) et Mana (1935). Les analyses se concentrent sur les structures de hauteurs et l’organisation motivique (pratiques modales ou sĂ©rielles, constructions accordiques inspirĂ©es par la sĂ©rie des harmoniques, procĂ©dĂ©s motiviques) et sur les proportions temporelles. Dans certains mouvements, les Ă©vĂ©nements structurels semblent ĂȘtre gouvernĂ©s par des notions mathĂ©matiques telles que le Nombre d’or ou les nombres de la suite de Fibonacci.This Master’s thesis explores the convergences between the French composers Georges Migot (1891-1976) and AndrĂ© Jolivet (1905-1974) during the 1930s, in terms of their respective musical aesthetics, compositional techniques, and involvement in the Parisian music scene. The aim is to provide a clearer picture of the relationship between Migot and Jolivet, to evaluate its influence upon their musical ideas and shared interest in the development of the concert society La Spirale, and to assess its significance in the wider sphere of French music. Currently, music history of this period is saturated with writings on Stravinsky, Ravel, and the Groupe des six. This study seeks to provide a better understanding of the other various musical manifestations in 1930s Paris. The first chapter of this thesis consists of an examination of Migot and Jolivet’s respective aesthetics ideas and a discussion of their similarities. The second chapter explores a shared project of the two composers: the concert society La Spirale (1935-1937). While largely un-studied, this organization is known for having given rise to the group La Jeune France (1936-1942), an association formed by Olivier Messiaen, Daniel-Lesur, AndrĂ© Jolivet, and Yves Beaudrier, as the first three also took part in the executive of the former society. Through an exploration of La Spirale’s activities, this thesis not only provides a complete and revisited list of all works performed at its concerts, but also qualifies the involvement of Jolivet and Migot. Finally, this research will conclude with a comparative analysis of select movements from solo piano collections by Migot and Jolivet, Le Zodiaque (1931-1932) and Mana (1935), respectively. While Migot uses a more modal language to convey his lyrism, Jolivet employs an emancipated post-tonal idiom. This analysis will take into consideration pitch and motivic structure (modal and serial practices) and temporal sequences. Moreover, it will provide an examination of the use of the Golden Mean and the Fibonacci series in some pieces

    Social Movements and Institutional Entrepreneurship as Facilitators of Technology Transition: The Case of Free/Open-Source Software

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    We integrate insights from the literature on social movements and institutional entrepreneurship into the strategic niche management (SNM) and multilevel perspective (MLP) frameworks to understand the emergence of Linux, a free/open-source operating system, in a regime dominated by proprietary operating systems such as Unix and Windows NT. Employing a “microhistories” methodology, we document how actors in the free/open-source movement took steps that enabled an alternate technological niche to form, gain momentum and eventually infiltrate the extant regime. Our account delineates the key role that actors play in shaping the identity of a niche, amplifying its presence, and finally mainstreaming it. We observe a heterogenous response by incumbents to the emergent niche and highlight the sustained coexistence of a niche and regime as a distinct form of technological transition. Finally, we demonstrate the significant impact that a niche can have, spanning beyond the targeted regime, and becoming part of the landscape. Our insights highlight how tracing the processes involved in the emergence and development of a niche can provide a prospective and generative understanding of technological transition, thereby contributing to and complementing the extant SNM and MLP literatures

    Environmental Noise Mapping as a Smart Urban Tool Development

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    Since the European Directive 2002/49, large transportation infrastructure along with large urban areas should have completed strategic noise maps (SNM) and the relative noise action plans (NAP). The majority of European Member States (MS) has enforced this directive and completed fully or, in some cases, partially, with European smart cities to use and share the same criteria and methodologies and along with transport operators to communicate to the public the relevant results and respective action plans by ensuring the citizen’s awareness about the environmental noise, the quality acoustic environment, and their effect to their professional and everyday lifestyle. Today, 18 years after its first edition, the European Directive 2002/49/EC is needed to be reformulated to take into account all defects that have been identified and to adapt as well as possible to contemporary constraints. New methodology tools have been developed especially regarding soundscaping and environmental acoustic rehabilitation of urban areas, and the respective chapter will describe the progress being made on these smart developments of cities and infrastructures. This chapter will also evoke criticisms of these smart tools and will present results from several—state of the art—case studies especially regarding the practical and theoretical limits they face

    Unpacking the formation of favourable environments for urban experimentation: the case of the Bristol energy scene

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    Urban experimentation with sustainability has been gaining prominence in policy and academic discourses about urban transformations, spurring the creation of urban living laboratories and transition arenas. However, the academic literature has only begun examining why experimentation flourishes in particular cities, and why it conforms to place-specific styles. Meanwhile, the strategic niche management (SNM) tradition has extensively explored how protective spaces for experimentation emerge but has dealt only tangentially with why this happens in particular places. In this paper, we develop an approach for unpacking the formation of favourable environments for experimentation in specific places. We adopt an abductive research design to create a dialogue between distinct theoretical positions and one in-depth case study. Our case examines the formation of the Bristol energy scene, which hosts a variety of experimental initiatives concerning civic energy alternatives. Based on our findings, we refine the understanding of the processes shaping this experimental setting. There is value in characterising the ‘genealogy’ of experimental spaces and acknowledging their antecedents, path-dependencies and place-specificities. Efforts to foster urban transformation demand nuanced accounts of how places become experimental because they are not static backgrounds for experimentation

    A Study of Permanent Residency Intentions and Behaviors by Highly Skilled Temporary Chinese Migrants in the United States

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    In 2017, according to data from United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security, Chinese immigrants ranked as the third largest foreign-born group in the country. On average, Chinese immigrants are significantly better educated than the overall foreign- and native-born populations. Furthermore, they have had positive effects on social and economic outcomes; however, not much research has focused on the factors related to highly skilled temporary Chinese migrants’ decision-making about becoming permanent residents. In the present study, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), I focused on the following research question: “Why and how do highly skilled temporary Chinese migrants become permanent residents in the United States?” This study offered several possible contributions. First, it was the first to apply the TPB to understand such migrants’ decision-making on emigrating from a developing country (China) to a developed one (the U.S.). Furthermore, the present study adds to research on the TPB and contributes to the literature by focusing on Chinese migrants. Second, under rapidly evolving international relations and immigration landscapes, empirically assessing perceptions and beliefs of highly-educated Chinese immigrants related to immigration is critical, including central concepts within the TPB such as their beliefs about whether they have control over migration decisions, what their families and friends in the U.S. and China think about whether they should migrate, and their beliefs about the outcomes of a decision to apply for permanent status. Therefore, I applied and elaborated the TPB through exploring the dimensions of individual attitudes and normative beliefs to determine which dimension and which social groups have the most influence on the intention to migrate. Third, this study contributed to understanding the factors associated with transitioning from temporary to permanent migration among highly skilled Chinese migrants. Fourth, new measures and tools were developed to be applied within this context. The study outcomes and developed measurement tools assist prospective immigrants in becoming better informed of the various potential influences on their decision-making. This will help them consider and make such decisions themselves. Furthermore, the outcomes and tools will enhance the understanding of researchers, policy-makers, and educators regarding highly skilled Chinese immigrants. Finally, it can provide a basis for applying these new measures and tools to cross-cultural immigrants

    Profile, Spring 2010

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    Interactive Arts and Media Department Newsletter. 32 pages. Includes student, alumni, faculty profiles, internship experience, art, book, game and web reviews, feature article, faculty/staff updates, and Manifest photos.https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/profile/1006/thumbnail.jp

    Pénélope in the Press, 1913: The Early Critical Reception of Gabriel Fauré's Only Opera

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    Gabriel Fauré's single full-scale opera, Pénélope, has been virtually forgotten since it premiered in 1913. This thesis provides the first detailed account of Pénélope's critical reception during the year of its premiere. Given that the opera was received enthusiastically by the press, many Fauré scholars have blamed the opera's demise on poor timing. Close examination of the 1913 reviews reveals, however, a deep-seeded bias on the part of the press. By the time Pénélope premiered, Fauré was an influential and beloved member of the French musical community. Thus, we find that the reviews are as much a tribute to his personal character as they are an assessment of his opera. By properly contextualizing the reviews, we gain a clearer understanding of Pénélope's true merits and weaknesses, which may help guide a future for the work in the twenty-first century

    DYNAMIC TEXT BLOCKING IN SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR USER EXPERIENCE

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    Online social systems have become an important part of everyday life. While initial examples were used to share personal content with friends more and more online social systems are also used to do business unfortunately, privacy concerns raised in the recommendation process impede the expansion of OSN users’ friend circle. Some OSN users refuse to disclose their identities and their friends’ information to the public domain. Indeed, today OSNs provide very little support to prevent unwanted messages on user walls. In order to avoid this problem in the proposed system implemented the dynamic blocking algorithm, it’s automatically block the unwanted text post message and in the classification methods using the supervised methods are implement the decision tree, Using the decision tree, its creates the more number of category, under this category its stored more data
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