Semantic networks

AbstractA semantic network is a graph of the structure of meaning. This article introduces semantic network systems and their importance in Artificial Intelligence, followed by I. the early background; II. a summary of the basic ideas and issues including link types, frame systems, case relations, link valence, abstraction, inheritance hierarchies and logic extensions; and III. a survey of ‘world-structuring’ systems including ontologies, causal link models, continuous models, relevance, formal dictionaries, semantic primitives and intersecting inference hierarchies. Speed and practical implementation are briefly discussed. The conclusion argues for a synthesis of relational graph theory, graph-grammar theory and order theory based on semantic primitives and multiple intersecting inference hierarchies

ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks: a literature review

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation is a complex and vibrant process, one that involves a combination of technological and organizational interactions. Often an ERP implementation project is the single largest IT project that an organization has ever launched and requires a mutual fit of system and organization. Also the concept of an ERP implementation supporting business processes across many different departments is not a generic, rigid and uniform concept and depends on variety of factors. As a result, the issues addressing the ERP implementation process have been one of the major concerns in industry. Therefore ERP implementation receives attention from practitioners and scholars and both, business as well as academic literature is abundant and not always very conclusive or coherent. However, research on ERP systems so far has been mainly focused on diffusion, use and impact issues. Less attention has been given to the methods used during the configuration and the implementation of ERP systems, even though they are commonly used in practice, they still remain largely unexplored and undocumented in Information Systems research. So, the academic relevance of this research is the contribution to the existing body of scientific knowledge. An annotated brief literature review is done in order to evaluate the current state of the existing academic literature. The purpose is to present a systematic overview of relevant ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks as a desire for achieving a better taxonomy of ERP implementation methodologies. This paper is useful to researchers who are interested in ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks. Results will serve as an input for a classification of the existing ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks. Also, this paper aims also at the professional ERP community involved in the process of ERP implementation by promoting a better understanding of ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks, its variety and history

Radical Realism for Climate Justice

RADICAL REALISM FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE Radical Realism for Climate Justice (CC BY-NC-ND) ( -

Beyond Usability: A Rubric to Evaluate the Emotional Impact of E-commerce Homepages

Given the popularity of usability testing, why do people still feel uncomfortable interacting with websites? Could it be because usability testing does not address the user experience but rather tends to deal with efficiency and navigation but seldom with experience? The current implementation of usability research heavily relies on quantitative analysis when the nature of the issue is qualitative. Few studies have adequate scope to include both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Activity theory describes several elements involved in human activity. By incorporating Activity Theory with quantitative and qualitative measures of user experience, the designer will be better able to assess the affective impact of a website design. The purpose of this study is to create a suitable instrument to measure and predict affective and experiential aspects of web interaction. The resulting instrument will provide affective data relevant to the overall emotional and experiential response to a website

Primary School Teachers’ Constructions of Mathematics Attainment Differences: A Critical and Bioecological Exploration

There is a persistent gap between the mathematical attainment of children from vulnerable groups and their peers. This has a significant effect upon the access of children from disadvantaged backgrounds to educational and social opportunities both in childhood and into their adult lives. It also impacts upon their perceptions of their mathematics abilities. It is therefore important that educational psychologists seek to equalise opportunities for mathematical success, regardless of a child’s circumstances. Teachers’ perspectives surrounding the mathematics attainment gap not only impact upon how they interact with students; they can also directly affect students’ mathematics performance. Despite this, little research has been undertaken to explore what factors influence teachers’ constructions of attainment differences. While some studies have considered teachers’ mathematics attainment views as part of intervention evaluations or quantitative studies, there is little in-depth research considering the breadth and origin of their views. This is of importance to educational psychologists as teachers’ perspectives will affect their responsiveness to psychological approaches and interventions designed to reduce the mathematics attainment gap. In this research I present four case studies that explore the ways in which primary teachers conceptualise mathematics attainment differences and how this is influenced by their personal characteristics, contexts and experiences (bioecology). Completing four semi-structured interviews with each participant, I analysed these interviews to identify each teacher’s bioecological influences. I then critically examined their views around mathematics attainment differences to identify themes in their perspectives. Finally, these analyses were combined to consider how each teacher’s bioecology influenced their conceptualisations of mathematics attainment differences. Each of the teachers in this study presented different views surrounding the origins of mathematics attainment differences and how these differences should be approached. Exploration of their bioecology in relation to these views suggested there were multiple interconnected influences upon their perspectives. Teachers’ own experiences of learning mathematics at school and the impact of universal attainment expectations were consistently related to teachers’ views, although the type of influence they conferred was highly variable. As teachers’ views and influences were so varied, different psychological approaches and knowledge would be required when working with each teacher to reduce the mathematics attainment gap within their classes most effectively: one approach would be unlikely to fit all. The findings of this research suggest that deeper exploration of teacher perspectives can be supportive to understanding their views around mathematics attainment differences. Greater knowledge of teachers’ perspectives and influences may support educational psychologists to tailor their training and casework to address mathematical attainment differences more effectively. In addition, exploration of views and influences upon them allows both teachers and educational psychologists the time and space to critically reflect upon their own assumptions and practice. Future research with different teacher groups and demographics is suggested to broaden our understanding of how teachers form their mathematics attainment views. Further exploration of the importance of the wider educational context and teachers’ school experiences on their views and practices is also suggested

A conceptual framework for a nonstructural approach to reduce flood impact in urban catchments.

Owing to historical processes that can be traced back over two millennia, flooding in urban catchments is managed using the wider UK flood risk management (FRM) cost-benefit approach focussing on structural defences. While in principle, structural defences are effective for managing flooding in urban catchments, difficulties in appraising the consequences of this type of flooding in terms of derived economic benefit, means providing structural protection for urban catchments is often economically inappropriate. Since the benefits of structurally protecting urban catchments rarely outweigh the costs, incidences of flooding in urban catchments are inevitable. The conceptual basis for a non-structural approach to reduce flood risk is developed in this PhD thesis. The findings indicate that over the long-term, a non-structural approach can reduce flood risk, be less expensive than the structural counterpart and serve as an additional dimension to the current FRM system. Tangible and intangible Flood Impact (the core components of flood risk) is reduced through a process of influencing behaviour through stakeholder group-specific Capacity Building using appropriate and effective engagement of stakeholders and novel use of existing technology systems such as GIS. Tangible Flood Impact such as flood damage can be reduced by providing tactical stakeholders (TSHs) with quality catchment data that over time will enable creation of greater accuracy drainage models. Intangible Flood Impact such as trauma can be reduced by providing inexpensive but comprehensive and appropriate support to receptor stakeholders (RSHs) and dwellers. The framework has been derived from involvement in three case studies: ERA NET CRUE case study, Glasgow, Scotland, Non-Structural Responses (NSR), Defra case study FD 2603 (part ofINTERREG ivb1 ), Managing Adaptive REsponses to changing flood risk in the North Sea Region (MARE), and; Defra case study, West Garforth, England, Integrated Urban Drainage pilot (IUD). The basis for the framework was identified in the Glasgow NSR case study and was derived from engagements with professionals and dwellers in Glasgow. This basis was developed into a conceptual framework during the remaining two case studies which involved engagement with professionals and dwellers in England. The framework is now available for application

Distributed integrated product teams

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2000.Includes bibliographical references (p. 134-135).Two major organizational tools, Integrated Process and Product Development (IPPD) and co-location, have been key initiatives in many corporate knowledge management and information flow strategies. The benefits of IPPD and co-location are well documented, and central to the success of these tools is the increased information flow and knowledge transfer across organizational boundaries. The fundamental knowledge management philosophy of IPPD is person-to-person tacit knowledge sharing and capture through the establishment of multi-disciplined Integrated Product Teams (IPT). Co-location of the integrated product team members has facilitated frequent informal face-to-face information flow outside of the structured meetings typical of IPPD processes. In today's global environment, the development and manufacture of large complex systems can involve hundreds, if not thousands, of geographically dispersed engineers often from different companies working on IPTs. In such an environment, the implementation of IPPD is challenging, and co-location is not feasible across the entire enterprise. The development of a comprehensive knowledge capture and information flow strategy aligned to the organizational architecture and processes involved with proper utilization of available information technologies is critical in facilitating information flow and knowledge transfer between dispersed IPTs. In this thesis we provide a case study of the knowledge capture and information flow issues that have arisen with the recent transition to the Module Center organization at Pratt & Whitney. We identify several critical enablers for efficient information flow and knowledge capture in a dispersed IPT environment by analyzing qualitative and quantitative survey data obtained at Pratt & Whitney, existing research in this area, and our own observations as participants in this environment. From this analysis, we identify key information flow and knowledge capture issues and provide recommendations for potential improvement. The Design Structures Matrix (DSM) methodology is used to understand the complex, tightly coupled information flow between the IPTs that exist at Pratt & Whitney. We build upon the previous Pratt & Whitney DSM work. The proposed DSM is not only a valuable tool identifying the information flow paths that exist between part level and system level attributes, but also can be utilized as an information technology tool to capture the content or knowledge contained in the information flow paths identified.by Stephen V. Glynn [and] Thomas G. Pelland.S.M