Building and reinforcing organizational resilience through international mobility: A multi-level framework

2noGlobalization forces multinational companies (MNCs) to be overexposed to social and economic shifts and jolts ingrained in the environments they deal with. As a consequence they are asked to develop a capacity for resilience (Mallak, 1997, 1998; Vogus and Sutcliffe, 2007) as they need to be able to anticipate, respond, adapt to, and/or rapidly recover from negative events or crisis that may occur. This paper tries to respond to the general call for a higher level of investigation in the field of careers’ studies (e.g. Arthur, 2008; Jones & Dunn, 2007) by proposing an interdisciplinary attempt (e.g. Khapova & Arthur, 2011; Lawrence, 2011) to read the international mobility policies of MNCs as a mean for developing organizational resilience. In fact, the HR system of a MNC (International Human Resource Management – IHRM) is a suitable context (e.g. Mayrhofer, Meyer & Steyer, 2007) for multi-level analysis, since it is designed at the macro-headquarter level (HR philosophy, strategy, guidelines), executed at a meso-subsidiary level (HR local policy and practice), and enacted at a micro-individual level. Within this framework we posit that HR expatriates play a crucial role in translating the general HR policy for resilience at local level by enacting the local responsiveness (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1992). Considering the multi-level nature of both careers and resilience, and the suitability of the MNCs’ HR system for multi-level analysis, this paper tries to fill the gap of a joint theoretical language allowing communication between various discourses and perspectives (De Cieri, Cox, Fenwick, 2007; Gunz & Mayrhofer, 2011). Accordingly, it proposes a new conceptual framework for organizational resilience that passes through the role of IHRM and the design of career paths.openopenCantoni, Franca; Giustiniano, LucaCantoni, Franca; Giustiniano, Luc

Performance analysis of the interference adaptation dynamic channel allocation technique in wireless communication networks

Dynamic channel allocation (DCA) problem is one of the major research topics in the wireless networking area. The purpose of this technique is to relieve the contradiction between the increasing traffic load in wireless networks and the limited bandwidth resource across the air interface. The challenge of this problem comes from the following facts: a) even the basic DCA problem is shown to be NP-complete (none polynomial complete); b) the size of the state space of the problem is very large; and c) any practical DCA algorithm should run in real-time. Many heuristic DCA schemes have been proposed in the literature. It has been shown through simulation results that the interference adaptive dynamic channel allocation (IA-DCA) scheme is a promising strategy in Time Devision [sic] Multiple Accesss/Frequency Devision [sic] Multiple Accesss [sic] (TDMA/FDMA) based wireless communication systems. However, the analytical work on the IA-DCA strategy in the literature is nearly blank. The performance of a, DCA algorithm in TDMA/FDMA wireless systems is influenced by three factors: representation of the interference, traffic fluctuation, and the processing power of the algorithm. The major obstacle in analyzing IA-DCA is the computation of co-channel interference without the constraint of conventional channel reuse factors. To overcome this difficulty, one needs a representation pattern which can approximate the real interference distribution as accurately as desired, and is also computationally viable. For this purpose, a concept called channel reuse zone (CRZ) is introduced and the methodology of computing the area of a CRZ with an arbitrary, non-trivial channel reuse factor is defined. Based on this new concept, the computation of both downlink and uplink CO-channel interference is investigated with two different propagation models, namely a simplified deterministic model and a shadowing model. For the factor of the processing power, we proposed an idealized Interference Adaptation Maximum Packing (IAMP) scheme, which gives the upper bound of all IA-DCA schemes in terms of the system capacity. The effect of traffic dynamics is delt [sic] with in two steps. First, an asymptotic performance bound for the IA-DCA strategy is derived with the assumption of an arbitrarily large number of channels in the system. Then the performance bound for real wireless systems with the IA-DCA strategy is derived by alleviating this assumption. Our analytical result is compared with the performance bound drawn by Zander and Eriksson for reuse-partitioning DCA1 and some simulation results for IA-DCA in the literature. It turns out that the performance bound obtained in this work is much tighter than Zander and Eriksson\u27s bound and is in agreement with simulation results. 1only available for deterministic propagation model and downlink connection

Evaluation of air–soil temperature relationships simulated by land surface models during winter across the permafrost region

abstract: A realistic simulation of snow cover and its thermal properties are important for accurate modelling of permafrost. We analyse simulated relationships between air and near-surface (20  cm) soil temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region during winter, with a particular focus on snow insulation effects in nine land surface models, and compare them with observations from 268 Russian stations. There are large cross-model differences in the simulated differences between near-surface soil and air temperatures (ΔT; 3 to 14 °C), in the sensitivity of soil-to-air temperature (0.13 to 0.96 °C °[superscript C−1]), and in the relationship between ΔT and snow depth. The observed relationship between ΔT and snow depth can be used as a metric to evaluate the effects of each model's representation of snow insulation, hence guide improvements to the model's conceptual structure and process parameterisations. Models with better performance apply multilayer snow schemes and consider complex snow processes. Some models show poor performance in representing snow insulation due to underestimation of snow depth and/or overestimation of snow conductivity. Generally, models identified as most acceptable with respect to snow insulation simulate reasonable areas of near-surface permafrost (13.19 to 15.77 million  km[superscript 2]). However, there is not a simple relationship between the sophistication of the snow insulation in the acceptable models and the simulated area of Northern Hemisphere near-surface permafrost, because several other factors, such as soil depth used in the models, the treatment of soil organic matter content, hydrology and vegetation cover, also affect the simulated permafrost distribution.This article and any associated published material is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. View the article as published at: http://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/1721/2016

Ubiquitous robust communications for emergency response using multi-operator heterogeneous networks

A number of disasters in various places of the planet have caused an extensive loss of lives, severe damages to properties and the environment, as well as a tremendous shock to the survivors. For relief and mitigation operations, emergency responders are immediately dispatched to the disaster areas. Ubiquitous and robust communications during the emergency response operations are of paramount importance. Nevertheless, various reports have highlighted that after many devastating events, the current technologies used, failed to support the mission critical communications, resulting in further loss of lives. Inefficiencies of the current communications used for emergency response include lack of technology inter-operability between different jurisdictions, and high vulnerability due to their centralized infrastructure. In this article, we propose a flexible network architecture that provides a common networking platform for heterogeneous multi-operator networks, for interoperation in case of emergencies. A wireless mesh network is the main part of the proposed architecture and this provides a back-up network in case of emergencies. We first describe the shortcomings and limitations of the current technologies, and then we address issues related to the applications and functionalities a future emergency response network should support. Furthermore, we describe the necessary requirements for a flexible, secure, robust, and QoS-aware emergency response multi-operator architecture, and then we suggest several schemes that can be adopted by our proposed architecture to meet those requirements. In addition, we suggest several methods for the re-tasking of communication means owned by independent individuals to provide support during emergencies. In order to investigate the feasibility of multimedia transmission over a wireless mesh network, we measured the performance of a video streaming application in a real wireless metropolitan multi-radio mesh network, showing that the mesh network can meet the requirements for high quality video transmissions

A case study: the cordless access service marketing strategy for Hutchison Telecommunications.

by Ho Siu Ping Nerissa, Kwan Lai Yee.Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 139).ABSTRACT --- p.iiTABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ivLIST OF TABLES --- p.viiChapterChapter I. --- BACKGROUND --- p.1Personal Communication --- p.1CAS and Other Mobile / Wireless Service --- p.2Hutchison Telecommunications Ltd: A Bidder forCAS License --- p.6Objectives of This Study --- p.9Chapter II. --- MACROENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS --- p.10Demographic --- p.10Working Population by Age --- p.10Students and Housewives --- p.12Household Size and Household Income --- p.13Economic --- p.14Increasing GDP Per Capita --- p.14The Growth of the Service Industry --- p.14Socio-cultural --- p.16Information Age --- p.16Increasing Social Activity of People --- p.17"Mobile Phone No Longer Serving as a Status Symbol, but a Basic Product" --- p.18Industry --- p.19Industry at a glance --- p.19The Local Situation --- p.20Local Market Analysis --- p.22Competition --- p.28Regulation --- p.30Technology --- p.35Technology Highlights --- p.35Mobile Phone Technologies --- p.40Future Technology Development --- p.44Chapter III. --- PRODUCT ANALYSIS --- p.47Product Definition --- p.47Product Comparisons --- p.48Product Strengths --- p.49Two-way Accessibility --- p.49Supports Some Mobility --- p.49Provide Higher Service Availability --- p.50Clear Voice Quality --- p.50Allows for a Handy Phone Handset --- p.51Low Power Consumption for Handset --- p.51Relatively Low Infrastructure Investment --- p.51Ease of Installation --- p.51Integration with Paging Service / Messaging Service --- p.52Better Security --- p.52Product Weaknesses --- p.53High Running Cost --- p.53Only Low Mobility --- p.54Confidence Problem Towards New Technology --- p.54Product Opportunities --- p.55Compete with Mobile Phones and CT-2 --- p.55"Compete as Secondary Fixed-wire Phones, with Enhanced Mobility" --- p.55Product Threats --- p.56Price War in the Cellular Market --- p.56High Rental Costs for Installation of Base Stations --- p.56Availability of Network Infrastructure --- p.57Chapter IV. --- COMPANY ANALYSIS --- p.59Strengths --- p.59Marketing and Technical Expertise in Wireless Telecommunications Services --- p.59Strong Financial Background --- p.61Ride on Existing Corporate Infrastructure --- p.62Comprehensive Product Range --- p.65Weaknesses --- p.67Little Product Innovation --- p.67Integration of Different Business Units --- p.67Lack of Fixed Network Infrastructure --- p.68Opportunities --- p.69Economies of Scale --- p.69Preserve its Positions in the Market --- p.69Threats --- p.72Price Competition From Mobile Phone MarketCompetition from PCN --- p.72A Number of Competitors in the Market --- p.72Chapter V. --- MARKET SURVEY --- p.74Market Survey Objective --- p.74Methodology --- p.75The Target Population --- p.75Data Collection --- p.75Questionnaire Design --- p.76Data Analysis --- p.77Results and Findings --- p.79Existing Service Usage --- p.80Reasons not Using Mobile Phones Now --- p.81Functions Perceived for Mobile Phone Usage --- p.81Second Home Telephone Line --- p.82Having Mobile Home Telephone --- p.83Consideration for Subscribing to the Mobile Phone Service --- p.83Rating of Phone Services --- p.84Rating of Handset Characteristics --- p.85Usage Pattern --- p.86Pricing Scheme --- p.88Maximum Charge for Phone Service and Handset --- p.89Company Selection --- p.91Information Source --- p.92Distribution Channel --- p.92Chapter VI. --- MARKETING STRATEGY --- p.93Product Strategy --- p.94Product Concepts --- p.94The Phone Services --- p.96Handset Characteristics --- p.98After-Sales Services --- p.99Supplier's Concern --- p.99Pricing Strategy --- p.101Pricing Objective and Strategy --- p.101Price Setting --- p.103Price of Close Substitute --- p.104Promotional Strategy --- p.108Target Audience --- p.108Message Appeal --- p.108Promotional Program --- p.109Distribution Strategy --- p.112Utilize Extensive Retail Outlet --- p.112Use of Direct Sales Team for Approaching the Employees of Large Corporation --- p.112Road Shows --- p.113Chapter VII. --- LIMITATIONS AND FURTHER STUDIES --- p.114APPENDICES --- p.118BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.13