Continuous Improvement Through Knowledge-Guided Analysis in Experience Feedback

Continuous improvement in industrial processes is increasingly a key element of competitiveness for industrial systems. The management of experience feedback in this framework is designed to build, analyze and facilitate the knowledge sharing among problem solving practitioners of an organization in order to improve processes and products achievement. During Problem Solving Processes, the intellectual investment of experts is often considerable and the opportunities for expert knowledge exploitation are numerous: decision making, problem solving under uncertainty, and expert configuration. In this paper, our contribution relates to the structuring of a cognitive experience feedback framework, which allows a flexible exploitation of expert knowledge during Problem Solving Processes and a reuse such collected experience. To that purpose, the proposed approach uses the general principles of root cause analysis for identifying the root causes of problems or events, the conceptual graphs formalism for the semantic conceptualization of the domain vocabulary and the Transferable Belief Model for the fusion of information from different sources. The underlying formal reasoning mechanisms (logic-based semantics) in conceptual graphs enable intelligent information retrieval for the effective exploitation of lessons learned from past projects. An example will illustrate the application of the proposed approach of experience feedback processes formalization in the transport industry sector

Representing archaeological uncertainty in cultural informatics

This thesis sets out to explore, describe, quantify, and visualise uncertainty in a cultural informatics context, with a focus on archaeological reconstructions. For quite some time, archaeologists and heritage experts have been criticising the often toorealistic appearance of three-dimensional reconstructions. They have been highlighting one of the unique features of archaeology: the information we have on our heritage will always be incomplete. This incompleteness should be reflected in digitised reconstructions of the past. This criticism is the driving force behind this thesis. The research examines archaeological theory and inferential process and provides insight into computer visualisation. It describes how these two areas, of archaeology and computer graphics, have formed a useful, but often tumultuous, relationship through the years. By examining the uncertainty background of disciplines such as GIS, medicine, and law, the thesis postulates that archaeological visualisation, in order to mature, must move towards archaeological knowledge visualisation. Three sequential areas are proposed through this thesis for the initial exploration of archaeological uncertainty: identification, quantification and modelling. The main contributions of the thesis lie in those three areas. Firstly, through the innovative design, distribution, and analysis of a questionnaire, the thesis identifies the importance of uncertainty in archaeological interpretation and discovers potential preferences among different evidence types. Secondly, the thesis uniquely analyses and evaluates, in relation to archaeological uncertainty, three different belief quantification models. The varying ways that these mathematical models work, are also evaluated through simulated experiments. Comparison of results indicates significant convergence between the models. Thirdly, a novel approach to archaeological uncertainty and evidence conflict visualisation is presented, influenced by information visualisation schemes. Lastly, suggestions for future semantic extensions to this research are presented through the design and development of new plugins to a search engine

The development of the Religious Health Interventions in Behavioural Science (RHIBS) Taxonomy: a scientific classification of religious practices in health

The development and delivery of religiously integrated health interventions is increasing, however lack of nomenclature to specify the religious components presents barriers to replication, implementation, and evidence synthesis. We describe the development of the “Religious Health Interventions in Behavioural Sciences (RHIBS)” Taxonomy, the first scientific classification of religious intervention components to be used globally by chaplains, healthcare providers, and researchers interested in the scientific study of religion, spirituality, and health. We developed a taxonomy of empirically used religious intervention components in health, sought international cross-disciplinary consensus for definitions and tested its usability. Study 1: systematic review of intervention studies to identify religious components tested within healthcare; development of taxonomy nomenclature, definitions, and categories. Study 2: Delphi exercise with 19 international, cross-disciplinary experts from a variety of religions. Study 3: “think aloud” study and usability testing with 10 end-users. Study 1: 12,337 papers identified from search, 167 intervention studies included, plus an additional 74 from hand-searching 14 systematic reviews. A taxonomy of 191 religious components, grouped into 27 categories resulted. Study 2: two Delphi rounds resulted in international and cross-disciplinary consensus of a revised taxonomy of 81 religious components grouped into 23 categories. Study 3: usability testing by participants (range of disciplines, geography, and religions) led to a final taxonomy comprising 82 religious components grouped into 22 categories and supported by online training. The “RHIBS Taxonomy,” is the first multidisciplinary, global shared language within religion, spirituality, and health, ushering in a new era for religious interventions to be precisely defined, developed, and tested; shaping the evidence-base for future healthcare research/practice

From Chinese Local State-Owned Enterprise to Global MNE: a Mixed Methods Investigation into pre- and post- Strategic Asset Seeking OFDI in sub-national CMNEs

Over the last several decades, Chinese local state owned enterprises (LSOEs) have become significant forces in Chinese outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). I first show, using a quantitative regression model, how LSOEs have a comparatively stronger strategic asset seeking (SAS) orientation. Operating within a diversified external political economy, and possessing unique status and features following decentralization, LSOEs face particular challenges, to which SAS oriented OFDI has arguably been one response. I then investigate the case of China’s Northern Heavy Industries (NHI) Group from Liaoning Province. The group operates in the Tunnel Boring Machinery (TBM) industry and has become one of the world’s most successful TBM players. It has done so through several large foreign strategic asset related acquisitions (one in France and one in the US). I draw from interviews and hand-collected primary information from the parent firm in China, and the acquired subsidiaries in France, the United States and Germany. I explore in particular pre and post SAS related FDI decision making and integration strategies and behaviours. I identify: (1) Local state ownership as an important factor determining pre-OFDI strategic decision making and post-OFDI integration; (2) The Chinese institutional environment as a potential comparative advantage for LSOEs in negotiating with foreign investment targets or partners; (3) the challenges and responses to post FDI SAS integration for local state-owned Chinese businesses. To date we know relatively little in detail about the ways in which local Chinese MNEs have managed to catch-up with developed market counterparts. This research therefore contributes to our understanding of theories like Mathews’ (2006) ‘LLL’ model, the ‘springboard’ perspective of Luo and Tung (2007), and Chinese OFDI determination theory by Buckley et al. (2007). It also sheds important new light on the institutional perspective, particularly the role of local government in spurring Chinese MNEs (CMNE) OFDI related catch-up

Local use of rock materials – production and utilization State-of-the-art

During excavation of tunnels, large amounts of rock material are produced. This excavated rock material is utilized to a varying extent for road-, railway- and concrete purposes, but significant amounts are used as deposits on land, in fjords or lakes. For both economic and environmental reasons there is a great potential in increasing the utilization of excavated rock material locally in the same project or in neighboring projects. Initially, this report presents a brief introduction to the geology in Norway and some comparable European countries. This may give an indication which main rock type to expect in different areas during tunnelling. Further, the development within the main directions of tunnelling is discussed. Also, an overview of equipment and crushing technology is given. The boundaries of this report are excavated material used in asphalt, concrete, road construction and railway construction. For each area of utilization, a presentation of the currenttechnical requirements for various uses of the material in Norway is given. Examples of projects where excavated material is utilized are presented. Finally, possibilities and obstacles when it comes to utilizing excavated rock material are discussed, and further work is proposed.publishedVersio

Transit Equity Planning in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

This portfolio consists of four sections written as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters in Environmental Studies (MES) degree. Section 1 consists of my research and written contributions towards a report co-written with Sean Hertel and Roger Keil entitled Switching Tracks: Towards Transit Equity in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (Hertel et al, 2015). My contribution comprises Parts 3-7, where a definition of transit equity is advanced, how inequity impacts different publics is highlighted, and some solutions used to address transit inequities are explored. The contents of Section 1 sets the stage for each subsequent section. Section 2 is a long abstract and presentation prepared for an academic conference, co-written and presented with Sean Hertel, intended to situate and connect the work conducted in Section 1 within an academic milieu. The presentation in Section 2 closes with questions posed for further research on how to identify symptoms of transit equity and how to situate transit equity objectives within the planning profession. A proposed methodology towards future research was proposed as a launching point for the research project contribution in Section 3. Finally, Section 2 is intended to help continue the dialogue on transit equity sparked by the Greater Toronto Suburban Working Group (GTSWG), co-chaired by Roger Keil and Sean Hertel, presented by The City Institute of York University (CITY) and hosted by Metrolinx, bringing together academics, planners, community activists, representatives from the development industry and non-profit service sector. Section 3 consists of a research project conducted as a contribution towards a report co-written with Sean Hertel and Roger Keil entitled Next Stop: Equity: Routes to Fairer Transit Access in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (Hertel et al, 2016). I used a case study approach anchored by the literature review conducted in Section 1 to explore five specific neighbourhoods in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) to illustrate how transit inequity manifests in various ways at the neighbourhood scale. Section 4 of the portfolio is an article co-written with Sean Hertel to engage with the planning profession, published in the Ontario Planning Journal. Section 4 presents a synopsis of the work on transit equity in Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3. The article establishes the imperative for planners to be active participants in achieving transit equity. The article advances a working definition of transit equity as it applies to transit planning, why equity in transit planning is important for achieving provincial planning objectives, and how transit equity objectives are situated within the planning regime in Ontario