Teaching rule‐based algorithmic composition: the PWGL library cluster rules

This paper presents software suitable for undergraduate students to implement computer programs that compose music. The software offers a low floor (students easily get started) but also a high ceiling (complex compositional theories can be modelled). Our students are particularly interested in tonal music: such aesthetic preferences are supported, without stylistically restricting users of the software. We use a rule‐based approach (constraint programming) to allow for great flexibility. Our software Cluster Rules implements a collection of compositional rules on rhythm, harmony, melody, and counterpoint for the new music constraint system Cluster Engine by Örjan Sandred. The software offers a low floor by observing several guidelines. The programming environment uses visual programming (Cluster Rules and Cluster Engine extend the algorithmic composition system PWGL). Further, music theory definitions follow a template, so students can learn from examples how to create their own definitions. Finally, students are offered a collection of predefined rules, which they can freely combine in their own definitions. Music Technology students, including students without any prior computer programming experience, have successfully used the software. Students used the musical results of their computer programs to create original compositions. The software is also interesting for postgraduate students, composers and researchers. Complex polyphonic constraint problems are supported (high ceiling). Users can freely define their own rules and combine them with predefined rules. Also, Cluster Engine’s efficient search algorithm makes advanced problems solvable in practice

Fundamental of collective bargaining in industrial relation

Bargaining plays a vital role in the economic process and it has received large attention in the economic literature. Industrial relation is a field that studies about the employment relationship which it’s an interrelation between the employer and employee or the organization and the trade union. Collective bargaining is defined as the dispute between the employer and employee where this dispute can be settled through discussion and negotiation where both parties can come to a mutual agreement and also as one decision (Edmund Heery, Nicholas Bacon, Paul Blyton & Jack Fiorito, 2010). Usually the trade union represent the employee’s interests towards the employer which the employee belongs to the trade union as well. The collective bargaining is usually about the wages scales, working hours, healthcare and safety and also training. Collective bargaining is adapt more easily when the employees demand meets the employers flexibility and easier when the firms boundary is changed accordingly. In collective bargaining wages is a topic that’s regularly being discussed or negotiated between the employer and employee (Arun, 2000; Sinha, 2000)

EU-China collaboration in design: research in Web-enabled collaborative design supported by the Asia-Link and Asia IT&C projects

The research of Web-enabled collaboration in total design supported by the European Union's Asia Link project [1] and Asia IT&C project is reported in this paper. The two projects both aim at enhancing research collaboration between the EU and China. The Virtual Research Institute (VRI) is described first, which is the platform for the collaboration for the Asia Link project and is established by utilizing the advanced Web techniques; and then, the framework for the collaboration and the Web techniques involved in the research are presented which represent the major research of the Asia IT&C project. The effective collaboration between the project partners and the impacts of the project outcome on the partnership are also discussed