Sharing out control in distributed processes

AbstractIn this paper, we discuss the problem of distributed control of discrete processes. Given n sites from which only partial information is available about a process, we describe how to share out controllable events in order that the process meets a given global specification. As with many problems involving partial observation, the solution relies on inefficient algorithms. The second part of the paper treats the question of identifying problems that can be solved efficiently

Coordination and control in project-based work: digital objects and infrastructures for delivery

A major infrastructure project is used to investigate the role of digital objects in the coordination of engineering design work. From a practice-based perspective, research emphasizes objects as important in enabling cooperative knowledge work and knowledge sharing. The term ‘boundary object’ has become used in the analysis of mutual and reciprocal knowledge sharing around physical and digital objects. The aim is to extend this work by analysing the introduction of an extranet into the public–private partnership project used to construct a new motorway. Multiple categories of digital objects are mobilized in coordination across heterogeneous, cross-organizational groups. The main findings are that digital objects provide mechanisms for accountability and control, as well as for mutual and reciprocal knowledge sharing; and that different types of objects are nested, forming a digital infrastructure for project delivery. Reconceptualizing boundary objects as a digital infrastructure for delivery has practical implications for management practices on large projects and for the use of digital tools, such as building information models, in construction. It provides a starting point for future research into the changing nature of digitally enabled coordination in project-based work

A distributed knowledge-based approach to flexible automation : the contract-net framework

Includes bibliographical references (p. 26-29)

Interoperability, Trust Based Information Sharing Protocol and Security: Digital Government Key Issues

Improved interoperability between public and private organizations is of key significance to make digital government newest triumphant. Digital Government interoperability, information sharing protocol and security are measured the key issue for achieving a refined stage of digital government. Flawless interoperability is essential to share the information between diverse and merely dispersed organisations in several network environments by using computer based tools. Digital government must ensure security for its information systems, including computers and networks for providing better service to the citizens. Governments around the world are increasingly revolving to information sharing and integration for solving problems in programs and policy areas. Evils of global worry such as syndrome discovery and manage, terror campaign, immigration and border control, prohibited drug trafficking, and more demand information sharing, harmonization and cooperation amid government agencies within a country and across national borders. A number of daunting challenges survive to the progress of an efficient information sharing protocol. A secure and trusted information-sharing protocol is required to enable users to interact and share information easily and perfectly across many diverse networks and databases globally.Comment: 20 page

Enabling Distributed Knowledge Management: Managerial and Technological Implications

In this paper we show that the typical architecture of current KM systems re.ects an objectivistic epistemology and a traditional managerial control paradigm. We argue that such an objectivistic epistemology is inconsistent with many theories on the nature of knowledge, in which subjectivity and sociality are taken as essential features of knowledge creation and sharing. We show that adopting such a new epistemological view has dramatic consequences at an architectural, managerial and technological level

Technic and Collaboration Breakdown Structures: Drivers of collaborative problem solving approaches in a supply chain context

Problem Solving Methodologies have been par excellence a cornerstone element of the firms’ strategy on achieving effective continuous improvement. But the enterprise evolution towards an extended environment characterized by network-based organization has radically changed the problem solving paradigms. This paper aims to propose a generic and collaborative methodology addressing more complex and distributed problems, dealing with Supply Chain issues and having a key role as a driver for building global competitive advantages and create superior performances at a Supply Chain level

Making the Distribution Subsystem Secure

This report presents how the Distribution Subsystem is made secure. A set of different security threats to a shared data programming system are identifed. The report presents the extensions nessesary to the DSS in order to cope with the identified security threats by maintaining reference security. A reference to a shared data structure cannot be forged or guessed; only by proper delegation can a thread acquire access to data originating at remote processes. Referential security is a requirement for secure distributed applications. By programmatically restricting access to distributed data to trusted nodes, a distributed application can be made secure. However, for this to be true, referential security must be supported on the level of the implementation

Energy Sharing for Multiple Sensor Nodes with Finite Buffers

We consider the problem of finding optimal energy sharing policies that maximize the network performance of a system comprising of multiple sensor nodes and a single energy harvesting (EH) source. Sensor nodes periodically sense the random field and generate data, which is stored in the corresponding data queues. The EH source harnesses energy from ambient energy sources and the generated energy is stored in an energy buffer. Sensor nodes receive energy for data transmission from the EH source. The EH source has to efficiently share the stored energy among the nodes in order to minimize the long-run average delay in data transmission. We formulate the problem of energy sharing between the nodes in the framework of average cost infinite-horizon Markov decision processes (MDPs). We develop efficient energy sharing algorithms, namely Q-learning algorithm with exploration mechanisms based on the $\epsilon$-greedy method as well as upper confidence bound (UCB). We extend these algorithms by incorporating state and action space aggregation to tackle state-action space explosion in the MDP. We also develop a cross entropy based method that incorporates policy parameterization in order to find near optimal energy sharing policies. Through simulations, we show that our algorithms yield energy sharing policies that outperform the heuristic greedy method.Comment: 38 pages, 10 figure