Emerging African Economies:Digital Structures, Disruptive Responses and Demographic Implications

Indeed, the world economy is a complex system that has undergone many different phases in the past century. Particularly, the African economy is undergoing a series of transformations (transitions) that subject the future to considerable uncertainty, complexity and unpredictability. In fact, some transformations are cyclical while others are longer-term and more structural in nature. Yet, these transitions or emergence interact in shaping the future; making extrapolation from the past an increasingly unreliable source for future predictions. Thus unlike the previous revolutions, the fourth industrial revolution is characterized by the emergence of various technologies such as virtual (augmented) realities, nanotechnologies, 3D printing, machine learning, big data, cloud computing, drones, autonomous vehicles, robotics, artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies. Again, in this digitization era, work is constantly reshaped by technological progress, while firms adopt new ways of production and markets expand. In other worlds, digital technology brings opportunity, pave the way to create new jobs and increase productivity. Unfortunately, this paper argued that while the digital revolution has forged ahead, its analog complements (regulated entry and competition, new economy skills access and accountable institutions) have not kept pace in Africa. Consequently, African governments should formulate digital development strategies that are much broader than current ICTs strategies. That is, they should create a policy and institutional environment for technology that fosters the greatest benefits to African people of twenty-first century and beyond

Modeling, Simulation and Data Processing for Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) or, more commonly, 3D printing is one of the fundamental elements of Industry 4.0. and the fourth industrial revolution. It has shown its potential example in the medical, automotive, aerospace, and spare part sectors. Personal manufacturing, complex and optimized parts, short series manufacturing and local on-demand manufacturing are some of the current benefits. Businesses based on AM have experienced double-digit growth in recent years. Accordingly, we have witnessed considerable efforts in developing processes and materials in terms of speed, costs, and availability. These open up new applications and business case possibilities all the time, which were not previously in existence. Most research has focused on material and AM process development or effort to utilize existing materials and processes for industrial applications. However, improving the understanding and simulation of materials and AM process and understanding the effect of different steps in the AM workflow can increase the performance even more. The best way of benefit of AM is to understand all the steps related to that—from the design and simulation to additive manufacturing and post-processing ending the actual application.The objective of this Special Issue was to provide a forum for researchers and practitioners to exchange their latest achievements and identify critical issues and challenges for future investigations on “Modeling, Simulation and Data Processing for Additive Manufacturing”. The Special Issue consists of 10 original full-length articles on the topic

Mathematical surfaces models between art and reality

In this paper, I want to document the history of the mathematical surfaces models used for the didactics of pure and applied “High Mathematics” and as art pieces. These models were built between the second half of nineteenth century and the 1930s. I want here also to underline several important links that put in correspondence conception and construction of models with scholars, cultural institutes, specific views of research and didactical studies in mathematical sciences and with the world of the figurative arts furthermore. At the same time the singular beauty of form and colour which the models possessed, aroused the admiration of those entirely ignorant of their mathematical attraction

Systems Engineering

The book "Systems Engineering: Practice and Theory" is a collection of articles written by developers and researches from all around the globe. Mostly they present methodologies for separate Systems Engineering processes; others consider issues of adjacent knowledge areas and sub-areas that significantly contribute to systems development, operation, and maintenance. Case studies include aircraft, spacecrafts, and space systems development, post-analysis of data collected during operation of large systems etc. Important issues related to "bottlenecks" of Systems Engineering, such as complexity, reliability, and safety of different kinds of systems, creation, operation and maintenance of services, system-human communication, and management tasks done during system projects are addressed in the collection. This book is for people who are interested in the modern state of the Systems Engineering knowledge area and for systems engineers involved in different activities of the area. Some articles may be a valuable source for university lecturers and students; most of case studies can be directly used in Systems Engineering courses as illustrative materials

Transforming U.S. Energy Innovation

The United States and the world need a revolution in energy technology—a revolution that would improve the performance of our energy systems to face the challenges ahead. A dramatic increase in the pace of energy innovation is crucial to meet the challenges of: • Energy and national security, to address the dangers of undue reliance on dwindling supplies of oil increasingly concentrated in some of the most volatile regions of the world, and to limit the connection between nuclear energy and the spread of nuclear weapons; • Environmental sustainability, to reduce the wide range of environmental damages due to energy production and use, from fine particulate emissions at coal plants, to oil spills, to global climate disruption; and • Economic competitiveness, to seize a significant share of the multi-trillion-dollar clean energy technology market and improve the balance of payments by increasing exports, while reducing the hundreds of billions of dollars spent every year on importing oil. In an intensely competitive and interdependent global landscape, and in the face of large climate risks from ongoing U.S. reliance on a fossil-fuel based energy system, it is important to maintain and expand long-term investments in the energy future of the U.S. even at a time of budget stringency. It is equally necessary to think about how to improve the efficiency of those investments, through strengthening U.S. energy innovation institutions, providing expanded incentives for private-sector innovation, and seizing opportunities where international cooperation can accelerate innovation. The private sector role is key: in the United States the vast majority of the energy system is owned by private enterprises, whose innovation and technology deployment decisions drive much of the country’s overall energy systems. Efficiently utilizing government investments in energy innovation requires understanding the market incentives that drive private firms to invest in advanced energy technologies, including policy stability and predictability. The U.S. government has already launched new efforts to accelerate energy innovation. In particular, the U.S. Department of Energy is undertaking a Quadrennial Technology Review to identify the most promising opportunities and provide increased coherence and stability. Our report offers analysis and recommendations designed to accelerate the pace at which better energy technologies are discovered, developed, and deployed, and is focused in four key areas: • Designing an expanded portfolio of federal investments in energy research, development, demonstration (ERD&D), and complementary policies to catalyze the deployment of novel energy technologies; • Increasing incentives for private-sector innovation and strengthening federal-private energy innovation partnerships; • Improving the management of energy innovation institutions to maximize the results of federal investments; and • Expanding and coordinating international energy innovation cooperation to bring ideas and resources together across the globe to address these global challenges

Management: A bibliography for NASA managers

This bibliography lists 731 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System in 1990. Items are selected and grouped according to their usefulness to the manager as manager. Citations are grouped into ten subject categories: human factors and personnel issues; management theory and techniques; industrial management and manufacturing; robotics and expert systems; computers and information management; research and development; economics, costs and markets; logistics and operations management; reliability and quality control; and legality, legislation, and policy

Advanced Concept Studies for Supersonic Commercial Transports Entering Service in the 2018-2020 Period Phase 2

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company (LM), working in conjunction with General Electric Global Research (GE GR) and Stanford University, executed a 19 month program responsive to the NASA sponsored "N+2 Supersonic Validation: Advanced Concept Studies for Supersonic Commercial Transports Entering Service in the 2018-2020 Period" contract. The key technical objective of this effort was to validate integrated airframe and propulsion technologies and design methodologies necessary to realize a supersonic vehicle capable of meeting the N+2 environmental and performance goals. The N+2 program is aligned with NASA's Supersonic Project and is focused on providing system level solutions capable of overcoming the efficiency, environmental, and performance barriers to practical supersonic flight. The N+2 environmental and performance goals are outlined in the technical paper, AIAA-2014-2138 (Ref. 1) along with the validated N+2 Phase 2 results. Our Phase 2 efforts built upon our Phase 1 studies (Ref. 2) and successfully demonstrated the ability to design and test realistic configurations capable of shaped sonic booms over the width of the sonic boom carpet. Developing a shaped boom configuration capable of meeting the N+2 shaped boom targets is a key goal for the N+2 program. During the LM Phase 1 effort, LM successfully designed and tested a shaped boom trijet configuration (1021) capable of achieving 85 PLdB under track (forward and aft shock) and up to 28 deg off-track at Mach 1.6. In Phase 2 we developed a refined configuration (1044-2) that extended the under 85 PLdB sonic boom level over the entire carpet of 52 deg off-track at a cruise Mach number of 1.7. Further, the loudness level of the configuration throughout operational conditions calculates to an average of 79 PLdB. These calculations rely on propagation employing Burger's (sBOOM) rounding methodology, and there are indications that the configuration average loudness would actually be 75 PLdB. We also added significant fidelity to the design of the configuration in this phase by performing a low speed wind tunnel test at our LTWT facility in Palmdale, by more complete modelling of propulsion effects in our sonic boom analysis, and by refining our configuration packaging and performance assessments. Working with General Electric, LM performed an assessment of the impact of inlet and nozzle effects on the sonic boom signature of the LM N+2 configurations. Our results indicate that inlet/exhaust streamtube boundary conditions are adequate for conceptual design studies, but realistic propulsion modeling at similar stream-tube conditions does have a small but measurable impact on the sonic boom signature. Previous supersonic transport studies have identified aeroelastic effects as one of the major challenges associated with the long, slender vehicles particularly common with shaped boom aircraft (Ref. 3). Under the Phase 2 effort, we have developed a detailed structural analysis model to evaluate the impact of flexibility and structural considerations on the feasibility of future quiet supersonic transports. We looked in particular at dynamic structural modes and flutter as a failure that must be avoided. We found that for our N+2 design in particular, adequate flutter margin existed. Our flutter margin is large enough to cover uncertainties like large increases in engine weight and the margin is relatively easy to increase with additional stiffening mass. The lack of major aeroelastic problems probably derives somewhat from an early design bias. While shaped boom aircraft require long length, they are not required to be thin. We intentionally developed our structural depths to avoid major flexibility problems. So at the end of Phase 2, we have validated that aeroelastic problems are not necessarily endemic to shaped boom designs. Experimental validation of sonic boom design and analysis techniques was the primary objective of the N+2 Supersonic Validations contract; and in this Phase, LM participated in four high speed wind tunnel tests. The first so-called Parametric Test in the Ames 9x7 tunnel did an exhaustive look at variation effects of the parameters: humidity, total pressure, sample time, spatial averaging distance and number of measurement locations, and more. From the results we learned to obtain data faster and more accurately, and made test condition tolerances easy to meet (eliminating earlier 60 percent wasted time when condition tolerances could not be held). The next two tests used different tunnels. The Ames 11 ft tunnel was used to test lower Mach numbers of 1.2 and 1.4. There were several difficulties using this tunnel for the first time for sonic boom including having to shift the measurement Mach numbers to 1.15 and 1.3 to avoid flow problems. It is believed that the 11 ft could be used successfully to measure sonic boom but there are likely to be a number of test condition restrictions. The Glenn 8x6 ft tunnel was used next and the tunnel has a number of desirable features for sonic boom measurement. While the Ames 9x7 can only test Mach 1.55 to 2.55 and the 11 ft can only test Mach 1.3 and lower, the Glenn 8x6 can test continuously from Mach 0.3 to 2.0. Unfortunately test measurement accuracy was compromised by a reference pressure drift. Post-test analysis revealed that the drift occurred when Mach number drifted slightly. Test measurements indicated that if Mach number drift is eliminated, results from the 8x6 would be more accurate, especially at longer distances, than results from the 9x7. The fourth test in the 9x7, called LM4, used everything we learned to comprehensively and accurately measure our new 1044-02 configuration with a full-carpet shaped signature design. Productivity was 8 times greater than our Phase 1 LM3 test. Measurement accuracy and repeatability was excellent out to 42 in. However, measurements at greater distances require the rail in the aft position and become substantially less accurate. Further signature processing or measurement improvements are needed for beyond near-field signature validation

Understanding Risks and Uncertainties in Energy and Climate Policy

This open access book analyzes and seeks to consolidate the use of robust quantitative tools and qualitative methods for the design and assessment of energy and climate policies. In particular, it examines energy and climate policy performance and associated risks, as well as public acceptance and portfolio analysis in climate policy, and presents methods for evaluating the costs and benefits of flexible policy implementation as well as new framings for business and market actors. In turn, it discusses the development of alternative policy pathways and the identification of optimal switching points, drawing on concrete examples to do so. Lastly, it discusses climate change mitigation policies’ implications for the agricultural, food, building, transportation, service and manufacturing sectors. ; Open Access Presents a comprehensive tool set of methods for devising energy and climate policies Focuses on methods that are robust and adaptive enough to mitigate risks Investigates implications of climate change mitigation policies to various sector

The Evolutionary Dynamics of Discursive Knowledge

This open access book addresses three themes which have been central to Leydesdorff's research: (1) the dynamics of science, technology, and innovation; (2) the scientometric operationalization of these concept; and (3) the elaboration in terms of a Triple Helix of university-industry-government relations. In this study, I discuss the relations among these themes. Using Luhmann's social-systems theory for modelling meaning processing and Shannon's theory for information processing, I show that synergy can add new options to an innovation system as redundancy. The capacity to develop new options is more important for innovation than past performance. Entertaining a model of possible future states makes a knowledge-based system increasingly anticipatory. The trade-off between the incursion of future states on the historical developments can be measured using the Triple-Helix synergy indicator. This is shown, for example, for the Italian national and regional systems of innovation

Exploring key antecedents through a technology acceptance perspective

The main aim of this Ph.D. thesis in Management is to provide better understanding of the role of Information Systems (ISs) in the decision-making process and successful performance of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), exploring the antecedents of technology acceptance. To achieve the objectives defined, four articles were elaborated: a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and three articles of an empirical nature. Therefore, the first article aimed to identify, explore and systematize the main topics regarding the role of web portals as tools to support information management in HEIs. Based on 126 articles published up to 5 November 2016 on the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases, four major topics were identified, namely, the software used in web portals, internal and external benefits of using web portals, technology acceptance and information storage and management. The main contribution of this research lies in identifying the main topics and trends in scientific production for each topic identified, and in identifying gaps and future lines of research in this field of study. The second article aimed to study the influence of web portals in supporting HEI management and performance, considering personality traits, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, through an empirical study. To achieve the aim proposed, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used together with a structured questionnaire administered to teaching and non-teaching staff in Portuguese HEIs. The results obtained, through 338 valid responses, indicate a positive influence of personality traits on the use of web portals and that their use also has a positive influence on HEIs’ performance. The third chapter sought to identify the factors influencing the use of e-learning platforms in the Portuguese academic context through an empirical study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information. Based on 631 valid responses, SEM was applied, leading to the conclusion that, in accordance with Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), the characteristics of e-learning platforms and Personal Innovativeness in Information Technology (PIIT) have a positive influence on the use of this tool. The fourth and final article aimed to identify and explain the factors of successful operation, implementation and use of e-libraries in the academic context of Portuguese higher education. To achieve this goal, a qualitative approach was adopted, through a case study of the e-library at the University of Beira Interior (UBI). Primary data were obtained from interviews with staff of the library, computer services and administration of this teaching institution holding leadership positions and directly involved in the implementation, maintenance or use of the e-library. The empirical evidence highlights the importance of minimizing costs, particularly by forming cooperation protocols, the use of open-source software and training of UBI library staff. Acceptance and use of the e-library depends on the platform’s characteristics, the ease of access to information, actions to publicise and make the whole academic community aware of the e-library and its functions, and implementation of appealing, intuitive User Interfaces (UIs). In addition, the training of students and library staff was revealed as a relevant factor for acceptance of this tool. For the future, the creation of a functional search aggregator is suggested, to allow a simultaneous search in all the databases and creating the least noise possible. This function could be implemented based on multi-disciplinary teams with skills acquired through specific training. This study was based on Resource-Based View (RBV) and Social Learning Theory (SLT). In this thesis, considering the four studies developed, it was possible to support the influence of IS acceptance on HEIs’ performance and determine the role of ISs in supporting these institutions’ management, in the Portuguese academic context. This research also presents contributions to theory and implications for practice, as well as future lines of study on the topic.O principal objetivo desta tese de doutoramento em Gestão consistiu em proporcionar uma melhor compreensão acerca do papel dos Sistemas de Informação (SIs) no processo de tomada de decisão e no sucesso da performance das Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), explorando os antecedentes da aceitação das tecnologias. Para conseguir alcançar os propósitos definidos, foram elaborados quatro artigos: uma Systematic Literature Review (SLR) e três artigos de natureza empírica. Neste sentido, o primeiro artigo teve por objetivo a identificação, exploração e sistematização dos principais temas sobre o papel dos portais web como ferramentas para apoiar a gestão da informação nas HEI. Tendo por base 126 artigos publicados até ao dia 5 de novembro de 2016, nas bases de dados Web of Science e SCOPUS foi possível identificar quatro grandes temáticas, nomeadamente, software utilizado em Portais Web, benefícios internos e externos da utilização de Portais Web, aceitação das tecnologias e o armazenamento e gestão da informação. O principal contributo desta investigação prende-se com a identificação das principais temáticas e tendências da produção científica em cada temática identificada, bem como, a identificação de lacunas e futuras linhas de investigação dentro deste campo de investigação. O segundo artigo teve por objetivo estudar a influência dos portais web no apoio à gestão e no desempenho das HEIs, tendo em consideração os traços de personalidade, a perceção acerca da utilidade e da facilidade de utilização, através de um estudo empírico. Para conseguir alcançar o objetivo proposto, recorreu-se ao Strucutral Equation Modeling (SEM) e a um questionário estruturado, dirigido a pessoal docente e não docente de HEIs portuguesas. Os resultados obtidos, através de 338 respostas válidas, indicam que existe uma influência positiva entre os traços de personalidade e a utilização dos portais web e que a sua utilização também influencia positivamente o desempenho das HEIs. No terceiro artigo procurou-se identificar os fatores que influenciam a utilização de plataformas de e-learning no contexto académico português, através de um estudo empírico. Recorreu-se a um questionário estruturado como objeto de recolha de informação. Tendo por base 631 respostas válidas, aplicou-se o SEM e podemos concluir que, em concordância com a Teoria da Difusão da inovação (TDI), as caraterísticas das plataformas de e-learning e o Personal Innovativeness in Information Technology (PIIT) influenciam de forma positiva a utilização desta ferramenta. O quarto e último artigo teve por objetivo a identificação e explicação de fatores para o bom funcionamento, implementação e utilização de e-librarys no contexto académico do ensino superior português. Para alcançar o objetivo proposto adotou-se uma abordagem qualitativa, através de um estudo de caso da e-library da Universidade da Beira Interior (UBI). Os dados primários obtiveram-se com recurso a entrevistas ao Staff da Biblioteca, dos Serviços de informática e da Administração desta instituição de ensino, com posições de chefia e envolvidos de forma direta na implementação, manutenção ou utilização da e-library. As evidências empíricas ressaltam a importância para a minimização de custos, nomeadamente, a celebração de protocolos de cooperação, a utilização de software open source e a formação do staff da biblioteca da UBI. A aceitação e utilização da e-library, depende das caraterísticas da plataforma, da facilidade do acesso à informação, de ações de divulgação que deem a conhecer a toda a academia a e-library e as suas funcionalidades e da implementação de User Interfaces (UIs) apelativas e intuitivas. Adicionalmente, a formação de alunos e do staff da biblioteca revelou ser um fator relevante para a aceitação desta ferramenta. De futuro sugere-se a criação de um agregador de pesquisa funcional, que pesquise em simultâneo em todas as bases de dados e crie o menor ruido possível. Esta funcionalidade será possível ser implementada com base em equipas multidisciplinares com as skills adquiridas através de formação especifica. Este estudo teve por base a Resource-Based View (RBV) e a Social Learning Theory (SLT). Neste trabalho de tese, tendo em consideração os quatro estudos desenvolvidos, foi possível sustentar a influência da aceitação de SIs no desempenho das HEIs e averiguar o papel dos SIs no apoio dado à gestão destas instituições, no contexto académico português. Esta investigação apresenta também contributos para a teoria e implicações para a prática, bem como, futuras linhas de investigação acerca da temática em estudo