Gender Differences in SMS Code-Switching by Lebanese Undergraduates

Aquest estudi investiga les diferències de gènere en l'alternança lingüística (code-switching) entre l'àrab i l'anglès en els missatges SMS d'estudiants libanesos de diferents universitats, diferents classes socials i diferents religions. Un corpus de 1680 missatges SMS es va recollir de 58 estudiants: 34 dones i 24 homes, amb 1013 missatges de dones i 667 d'homes. Es van dur a terme anàlisis qualitatives i quantitatives, i també es van administrar qüestionaris i entrevistes. Els resultats indiquen que l'alternança lingüística s'utilitza àmpliament en aquests missatges SMS i que les diferències de gènere s'entrellacen amb un conjunt de variables sociolingüístiques. Es detecten diferències significatives de gènere en relació amb la classe social i la religió del emissor, l'edat del receptor, i la naturalesa intra- o inter-gènere de la comunicació. A més, les diferències de gènere interactuen amb la freqüència de l'alternança, el percentatge de diferents idiomes en els missatges amb alternança, i el percentatge d'idiomes utilitzats en els missatges que no tenen alternança. En tots aquests aspectes, les dones són més actives que els homes. Les dones no només utilitzen l'alternança lingüística significativament més en diferents entorns, sinó també el percentatge d'alternances tendeix a ser més gran quan es tracta de les dones, ja sigui com a emissors o com a receptors. L'estudi també mostra que les dones són innovadores en el sentit que són les usuàries més freqüents de noves variables lingüístiques i són més creatives en la forma en que fan servir el llenguatge per produir certs efectes lingüístics.Esta investigación estudia las diferencias de género que se manifiestan en la alternancia lingüística (code-switching) entre el árabe y el inglés en los mensajes SMS de estudiantes libaneses de diferentes universidades, diferentes clases sociales y diferentes religiones. Se recolectó un corpus de 1680 mensajes SMS de 58 estudiantes universitarios: 34 mujeres y 24 hombres. Del total, 1013 mensajes fueron enviados por mujeres y 667 por hombres. Se realizaron análisis cualitativos y cuantitativos, y también se administraron cuestionarios y entrevistas. Los resultados indican que la alternancia lingüística se utiliza ampliamente en estos mensajes SMS y que las diferencias de género se entrelazan con un conjunto de variables sociolingüísticas. Se detectan significativas distinciones de género con respecto a la clase social y la religión del emisor, la edad del receptor y la naturaleza intra- o inter-género de la comunicación. Además, las diferencias de género interactúan con la frecuencia de las alternaciones, el porcentaje de idiomas diferentes en los mensajes con alternancia y con el porcentaje de idiomas utilizados en los mensajes que no tienen alternancia. En todos estos aspectos, las mujeres son más activas que los hombres. No sólo las mujeres cambian de idioma significativamente más en diferentes entornos, sino que también el porcentaje de alternancias tiende a ser mayor cuando las mujeres participan, ya sea como emisores o como receptores. El estudio también demuestra que las mujeres son innovadoras en el sentido de que son usuarias más frecuentes de nuevas variantes lingüísticas y son más creativas en la forma en que usan el lenguaje para producir ciertos efectos lingüísticos.This study investigates gender differences in code-switching between Arabic and English in the SMS messages of Lebanese undergraduates from different universities, social classes and religions. A corpus of 1680 SMS messages was collected from 58 undergraduates: 34 women and 24 men; there were 1013 messages from women and 667 from men. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted; a questionnaire and an interview were administered. The results indicate that code-switching is used extensively in these SMS messages and that gender differences are interwoven with a set of sociolinguistic variables. There are significant gender distinctions with regard to the social class and religion of the sender, the age of the recipient, and the intra- or inter-gender nature of the communication. In addition, gender differences interact with the frequency of switches, the percentage of different languages in the messages with code-switching, and the percentage of languages used in the messages that have no code-switching. In all of these respects, women are more active than men. Not only do women code-switch significantly more in different settings, but also the percentage of code-switching tends to be higher whenever women are involved, either as senders or as receivers. The study also shows that women are innovators in the sense that they are more frequent users of new linguistic variables and are more creative in the way they use language to produce certain linguistic effects

NEXX Helmets : keeping up with international demand

This master thesis is divided into three main parts: case-study, literature review and teaching notes. With the aim of provide a real business case to be used for class discussion in a strategic/internationalization based courses, where students can apply strategic frameworks and their knowledge. NEXX was founded in 2001; the period until 2014 was of constant growth, with increasing sales, employees and factory space. In order to leverage some strength diversification and differentiation strategies were applied. The growth has been constrained by different factors: physical limit of production or lack of funding and bank support. The use of contract manufacturing, and factory expansion were adopted to handle production. The main guidelines for the brand have been: differentiation and searching for other markets. By the end of 2014 NEXX was present in more than fifty countries. The initial intent was to fulfill a gap in the international market with a clear vision of quality, well designed, and well-priced helmets. When this goal was achieved, more than just being among the best, the company wanted to be among the five industry leaders before the year 2020. How growth should be managed and strategy should be suited to achieve the desired position are some of the most significant challenges. The second part of this master thesis – literature review – contains the most relevant theory to interpret and analyze the case-study, answering the assigned question present on the last section. This last content – teaching notes – aims to provide guidance but also possible solutions for the questions

Proof-of-concept of a single-point Time-of-Flight LiDAR system and guidelines towards integrated high-accuracy timing, advanced polarization sensing and scanning with a MEMS micromirror

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Física (área de especialização em Dispositivos, Microssistemas e Nanotecnologias)The core focus of the work reported herein is the fulfillment of a functional Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor to validate the direct Time-of-Flight (ToF) ranging concept and the acquisition of critical knowledge regarding pivotal aspects jeopardizing the sensor’s performance, for forthcoming improvements aiming a realistic sensor targeted towards automotive applications. Hereupon, the ToF LiDAR system is implemented through an architecture encompassing both optical and electronical functions and is subsequently characterized under a sequence of test procedures usually applied in benchmarking of LiDAR sensors. The design employs a hybrid edge-emitting laser diode (pulsed at 6kHz, 46ns temporal FWHM, 7ns rise-time; 919nm wavelength with 5nm FWHM), a PIN photodiode to detect the back-reflected radiation, a transamplification stage and two Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs), with leading-edge discrimination electronics to mark the transit time between emission and detection events. Furthermore, a flexible modular design is adopted using two separate Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), comprising the transmitter (TX) and the receiver (RX), i.e. detection and signal processing. The overall output beam divergence is 0.4º×1º and an optical peak power of 60W (87% overall throughput) is realized. The sensor is tested indoors from 0.56 to 4.42 meters, and the distance is directly estimated from the pulses transit time. The precision within these working distances ranges from 4cm to 7cm, reflected in a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) between 12dB and 18dB. The design requires a calibration procedure to correct systematic errors in the range measurements, induced by two sources: the timing offset due to architecture-inherent differences in the optoelectronic paths and a supplementary bias resulting from the design, which renders an intensity dependence and is denoted time-walk. The calibrated system achieves a mean accuracy of 1cm. Two distinct target materials are used for characterization and performance evaluation: a metallic automotive paint and a diffuse material. This selection is representative of two extremes of actual LiDAR applications. The optical and electronic characterization is thoroughly detailed, including the recognition of a good agreement between empirical observations and simulations in ZEMAX, for optical design, and in a SPICE software, for the electrical subsystem. The foremost meaningful limitation of the implemented design is identified as an outcome of the leading-edge discrimination. A proposal for a Constant Fraction Discriminator addressing sub-millimetric accuracy is provided to replace the previous signal processing element. This modification is mandatory to virtually eliminate the aforementioned systematic bias in range sensing due to the intensity dependency. A further crucial addition is a scanning mechanism to supply the required Field-of-View (FOV) for automotive usage. The opto-electromechanical guidelines to interface a MEMS micromirror scanner, achieving a 46º×17º FOV, with the LiDAR sensor are furnished. Ultimately, a proof-of-principle to the use of polarization in material classification for advanced processing is carried out, aiming to complement the ToF measurements. The original design is modified to include a variable wave retarder, allowing the simultaneous detection of orthogonal linear polarization states using a single detector. The material classification with polarization sensing is tested with the previously referred materials culminating in an 87% and 11% degree of linear polarization retention from the metallic paint and the diffuse material, respectively, computed by Stokes parameters calculus. The procedure was independently validated under the same conditions with a micro-polarizer camera (92% and 13% polarization retention).O intuito primordial do trabalho reportado no presente documento é o desenvolvimento de um sensor LiDAR funcional, que permita validar o conceito de medição direta do tempo de voo de pulsos óticos para a estimativa de distância, e a aquisição de conhecimento crítico respeitante a aspetos fundamentais que prejudicam a performance do sensor, ambicionando melhorias futuras para um sensor endereçado para aplicações automóveis. Destarte, o sistema LiDAR é implementado através de uma arquitetura que engloba tanto funções óticas como eletrónicas, sendo posteriormente caracterizado através de uma sequência de testes experimentais comumente aplicáveis em benchmarking de sensores LiDAR. O design tira partido de um díodo de laser híbrido (pulsado a 6kHz, largura temporal de 46ns; comprimento de onda de pico de 919nm e largura espetral de 5nm), um fotodíodo PIN para detetar a radiação refletida, um andar de transamplificação e dois conversores tempo-digital, com discriminação temporal com threshold constante para marcar o tempo de trânsito entre emissão e receção. Ademais, um design modular flexível é adotado através de duas PCBs independentes, compondo o transmissor e o recetor (deteção e processamento de sinal). A divergência global do feixe emitido para o ambiente circundante é 0.4º×1º, apresentando uma potência ótica de pico de 60W (eficiência de 87% na transmissão). O sensor é testado em ambiente fechado, entre 0.56 e 4.42 metros. A precisão dentro das distâncias de trabalho varia entre 4cm e 7cm, o que se reflete numa razão sinal-ruído entre 12dB e 18dB. O design requer calibração para corrigir erros sistemáticos nas distâncias adquiridas devido a duas fontes: o desvio no ToF devido a diferenças nos percursos optoeletrónicos, inerentes à arquitetura, e uma dependência adicional da intensidade do sinal refletido, induzida pela técnica de discriminação implementada e denotada time-walk. A exatidão do sistema pós-calibração perfaz um valor médio de 1cm. Dois alvos distintos são utilizados durante a fase de caraterização e avaliação performativa: uma tinta metálica aplicada em revestimentos de automóveis e um material difusor. Esta seleção é representativa de dois cenários extremos em aplicações reais do LiDAR. A caraterização dos subsistemas ótico e eletrónico é minuciosamente detalhada, incluindo a constatação de uma boa concordância entre observações empíricas e simulações óticas em ZEMAX e elétricas num software SPICE. O principal elemento limitante do design implementado é identificado como sendo a técnica de discriminação adotada. Por conseguinte, é proposta a substituição do anterior bloco por uma técnica de discriminação a uma fração constante do pulso de retorno, com exatidões da ordem sub-milimétrica. Esta modificação é imperativa para eliminar o offset sistemático nas medidas de distância, decorrente da dependência da intensidade do sinal. Uma outra inclusão de extrema relevância é um mecanismo de varrimento que assegura o cumprimento dos requisitos de campo de visão para aplicações automóveis. As diretrizes para a integração de um micro-espelho no sensor concebido são providenciadas, permitindo atingir um campo de visão de 46º×17º. Conclusivamente, é feita uma prova de princípio para a utilização da polarização como complemento das medições do tempo de voo, de modo a suportar a classificação de materiais em processamento avançado. A arquitetura original é modificada para incluir uma lâmina de atraso variável, permitindo a deteção de estados de polarização ortogonais com um único fotodetetor. A classificação de materiais através da aferição do estado de polarização da luz refletida é testada para os materiais supramencionados, culminando numa retenção de polarização de 87% (tinta metálica) e 11% (difusor), calculados através dos parâmetros de Stokes. O procedimento é independentemente validado com uma câmara polarimétrica nas mesmas condições (retenção de 92% e 13%)

Critical success factors in a TRIDEM exchange

Computer-mediated-communication (CMC) tools allowing learners to be in contact with native speakers of their target language in other locations are becoming increasingly flexible, often combining different modes of communication in a single web- and internet-based environment. The literature on telecollaborative exchanges reveals, however, that online intercultural communication between language learners 'often fails to achieve the intended pedagogical goals' (O–Dowd and Ritter 2006:624) and has warned that 'exposure and awareness of difference seem to reinforce, rather than bridge, feelings of difference' (Kern 2000:256). Yet, research into the reasons for lack of success in CMC-based partnership-learning has, so far, only been carried out on a relatively small scale (see, for example, Thorne 2005, Ware 2005, O–Dowd and Ritter 2006). In autumn 2005, students of French at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), USA and adult learners of French at the Open University (OU), UK were joined by native French speakers studying for an MA in distance education at the Université de Franche Comté (UFC), France in a pilot Tridem project in which all participants worked on the completion of a series of collaborative tasks. The Tridem partners met over several weeks in an internet-mediated, audio-graphic conferencing environment. The project output, a shared reflection in French and English on cultural similarities and differences, took the form of several collaborative blogs. The paper draws on data from pre- and post-questionnaires, from the work published by the learners in the blogs and from post-treatment, semi-structured interviews with volunteer participants. Beyond considering some of the known factors influencing success and failure in CMC-based collaborations such as discrepancies in target language competence among learners, this article also explores affective issues and difficulties arising from varying levels of multimodal communicative competence. The insights gained are mapped against O–Dowd and Ritter's (2006) 'inventory of pitfalls' in telecollaboration. The result is a tentative framework which allows those involved in setting up and running telecollaborative exchanges to gauge both degree and nature of some of risks they are likely to encounter

The drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility in the supply chain. A case study.

Purpose: The paper studies the way in which a SME integrates CSR into its corporate strategy, the practices it puts in place and how its CSR strategies reflect on its suppliers and customers relations. Methodology/Research limitations: A qualitative case study methodology is used. The use of a single case study limits the generalizing capacity of these findings. Findings: The entrepreneur’s ethical beliefs and value system play a fundamental role in shaping sustainable corporate strategy. Furthermore, the type of competitive strategy selected based on innovation, quality and responsibility clearly emerges both in terms of well defined management procedures and supply chain relations as a whole aimed at involving partners in the process of sustainable innovation. Originality/value: The paper presents a SME that has devised an original innovative business model. The study pivots on the issues of innovation and eco-sustainability in a context of drivers for CRS and business ethics. These values are considered fundamental at International level; the United Nations has declared 2011 the “International Year of Forestry”

Enhancing the efficiency of electricity utilization through home energy management systems within the smart grid framework

The concept behind smart grids is the aggregation of “intelligence” into the grid, whether through communication systems technologies that allow broadcast/data reception in real-time, or through monitoring and systems control in an autonomous way. With respect to the technological advancements, in recent years there has been a significant increment in devices and new strategies for the implementation of smart buildings/homes, due to the growing awareness of society in relation to environmental concerns and higher energy costs, so that energy efficiency improvements can provide real gains within modern society. In this perspective, the end-users are seen as active players with the ability to manage their energy resources, for example, microproduction units, domestic loads, electric vehicles and their participation in demand response events. This thesis is focused on identifying application areas where such technologies could bring benefits for their applicability, such as the case of wireless networks, considering the positive and negative points of each protocol available in the market. Moreover, this thesis provides an evaluation of dynamic prices of electricity and peak power, using as an example a system with electric vehicles and energy storage, supported by mixed-integer linear programming, within residential energy management. This thesis will also develop a power measuring prototype designed to process and determine the main electrical measurements and quantify the electrical load connected to a low voltage alternating current system. Finally, two cases studies are proposed regarding the application of model predictive control and thermal regulation for domestic applications with cooling requirements, allowing to minimize energy consumption, considering the restrictions of demand, load and acclimatization in the system

Benefitting from the Grey Literature in Software Engineering Research

Researchers generally place the most trust in peer-reviewed, published information, such as journals and conference papers. By contrast, software engineering (SE) practitioners typically do not have the time, access or expertise to review and benefit from such publications. As a result, practitioners are more likely to turn to other sources of information that they trust, e.g., trade magazines, online blog-posts, survey results or technical reports, collectively referred to as Grey Literature (GL). Furthermore, practitioners also share their ideas and experiences as GL, which can serve as a valuable data source for research. While GL itself is not a new topic in SE, using, benefitting and synthesizing knowledge from the GL in SE is a contemporary topic in empirical SE research and we are seeing that researchers are increasingly benefitting from the knowledge available within GL. The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview to GL in SE, together with insights on how SE researchers can effectively use and benefit from the knowledge and evidence available in the vast amount of GL