13,603 research outputs found
On relating functional modeling approaches: abstracting functional models from behavioral models
This paper presents a survey of functional modeling approaches and describes a strategy to establish functional knowledge exchange between them. This survey is focused on a comparison of function meanings and representations. It is argued that functions represented as input-output flow transformations correspond to behaviors in the approaches that characterize functions as intended behaviors. Based on this result a strategy is presented to relate the different meanings of function between the approaches, establishing functional knowledge exchange between them. It is shown that this strategy is able to preserve more functional information than the functional knowledge exchange methodology of Kitamura, Mizoguchi, and co-workers. The strategy proposed here consists of two steps. In step one, operation-on-flow functions are translated into behaviors. In step two, intended behavior functions are derived from behaviors. The two-step strategy and its benefits are demonstrated by relating functional models of a power screwdriver between methodologies
Incommensurability and rationality in engineering design: the case of functional decomposition
In engineering design research different models of functional decomposition are advanced side-by-side. In this paper I explain and validate this co-existence of models in terms of the Kuhnian thesis of methodological incommensurability. I advance this analysis in terms of the thesisâ construal of (non-algorithmic) theory choice in terms of values, expanding this notion to the engineering domain. I further argue that the (by some) implicated threat of the thesis to rational theory choice has no force in the functional decomposition case: co-existence of different models of functional decomposition is rational from an instrumental point of view. My explanation covers cases in which different models are advanced as means for the same objective. Such cases cannot be explicated with the explanatory construct of variety in objectives, as advanced in other analyses of co-existing conceptualizations in engineering
Using oxygen isotope analysis and a multi-isotopic approach in determining the region of origin of human remains
Multi-isotopic approaches have been used effectively to help provide estimated geographic origins for unidentified skeletal remains in cold case homicides and archaeological contexts, when DNA testing was not practical. Stable oxygen and strontium isotopes were used in the present study in order to determine their effectiveness of proveniencing human remains from Colombia and New England. Enamel hydroxyapatite was extracted from individual teeth (n=151) from individuals with known birthplaces for different regions of Colombia as well as the region of New England in the United States. All oxygen data is presented as a ratio of ÎŽ18O /ÎŽ16O (â°PDB). The results show significant geographical differences (p †0.001), between the Colombian and New England populations. The mean ÎŽ18O value for Colombia is -11.06 ± 1.28. The mean 87Sr/86Sr value for Colombia is 0.707391 ± 0.0016. The mean ÎŽ18O value of the samples from the United States is -7.42 ± 1.39. The mean 87Sr/86Sr value for the samples from the United States is 0.7099747 ± 0.0011. The oxygen and strontium ratios of the sample set have no significant differences within each geographic region. Additionally, a small subset of the immigrant community in Boston, MA is represented within the sample. There is a significant difference (p †0.002) in the populationâs mean ÎŽ18O values. The establishment of this oxygen and strontium isoscape has the potential to provenience unidentified human remains recovered as a result of Colombiaâs long-term internal conflict
A non-Archimedean approach to prolongation theory
Some evolution equations possess infinite-dimensional prolongation Lie algebras which can be made finite-dimensional by using a bigger (non-Archimedean) field. The advantage of this is that convergence problems hardly exist in such a field. Besides that, the accompanying Lie groups can be easily constructed
Decomposing a decade's growth of Central and Eastern Europe's trade
After the breakdown of the central planning system, Central and East European countries (CEECs) took considerable effort in liberalising their economies leading to lasting changes in CEEC trade. As a result, between 1996 and 2004 almost all of these countries displayed very high growth rates of both exports and imports, exceeding OECD and Russian performance. These trade developments are described and interpreted in this note on a descriptive rather than an analytical basis. First, trade volumes by goods categories are examined to account for what kind of goods are the major trade growth drivers. In general, growth in exports and imports is mainly driven by goods used in production rather than consumer goods. Specifically for the Central and East European EU members (EU-8), export and import growth is mainly driven by capital goods and two-way trade in a special subgroup of intermediate goods, i.e., parts and accessories of capital goods. This result can be associated with increasing offshoring activities between the old EU member states and the new EU-8 countries. A closer look at EU-8 exports to and imports from Germany confirms this finding: EU-8 states tend to import parts and accessories of capital goods from Germany to produce and export parts and accessories of capital goods or final capital goods to Germany. Second, the effects of liberalisation on the variety versus the intensity of trade are described. Here as well, CEEC growth in trade at the extensive margin is driven by intermediate rather than consumer goods. Considering the import side this finding has important implications: While more consumer goods âonlyâ have static welfare effects, a higher input variety might signal a change of the economyâs state of technology. The author is a graduate student at the Department of Economics, University of Regensburg and a research assistant at the OEI. I am grateful to Richard Frensch for many helpful discussions and guidance on this note.
Public sector managers of human services : their challenges and strategies : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
Middle managers of human services in the public sector have a unique role that
allows them to be part of the lives of clients and their families by implementing
the strategic vision of political leaders. The expectations of middle managers
can be complex and contradictory and therefore challenging. This research
identifies the challenges middle managers of human services in the public
sector encounter and the strategies that they have developed to deal with
these. The support that senior managers in public sector organisations can offer
to their middle managers in this process is also discussed.
The study is qualitative and placed in a post-modernist position and social
constructive perspective. Data is collected through the use of semi-structured
interviews and examined using an interpretative thematic approach.
The analysis identified a range of challenges for middle managers in the public
sector and strategies these managers use to deal with them. Interestingly a
number of identified challenges are also identified as a strategy depending on
the support middle managers receive from the senior managers in their
organisation.
The findings identify that a strong strategic vision needs to be in place in public
sector organisations to develop clear roles and responsibilities for middle
managers with allocated resources. Middle managers need access to training,
supervision and networking to deal with additional challenges such as changes
in funding and information management.
Recommendations are made to public sector organisations to support the
development of effective strategies to deal with the challenges identified by their
middle managers. Recommendations are made to middle managers in the
public sector to prioritise and advocate for their own needs and requirements as
they do for their clients and their staff.
This research will support both senior and middle managers in public sector
organisations in finding strategies to support middle managers to fulfil their role
effectively
The Power of Low Frequencies: Faraday Tomography in the sub-GHz regime
Faraday tomography, the study of the distribution of extended polarized
emission by strength of Faraday rotation, is a powerful tool for studying
magnetic fields in the interstellar medium of our Galaxy and nearby galaxies.
The strong frequency dependence of Faraday rotation results in very different
observational strengths and limitations for different frequency regimes. I
discuss the role these effects take in Faraday tomography below 1 GHz,
emphasizing the 100-200 MHz band observed by the Low Frequency Array and the
Murchison Widefield Array. With that theoretical context, I review recent
Faraday tomography results in this frequency regime, and discuss expectations
for future observations.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Galaxies as part of
the special issue "The Power of Faraday Tomography
IT Project Management from a Systems Thinking Perspective: A Position Paper
We proposes a Systems Thinking approach to the study of IT project management and show how this approach helps project managers in controlling their projects. To illustrate our proposal, we present an example model of the dynamics of IT out-sourcing projects. The example model explains these dynamics in terms of feedback loops consisting of causal relations re-ported in the literature. The model provides insight in how coordination, trust, information exchange and possibilities for op-portunistic behaviour influence each other and together influence delivery quality, which in turn influences trust. The integra-tion of these insights provided by applying the Systems Thinking perspective helps project managers to reason about how their choices influence project outcome. The Systems Thinking perspective can serve as an additional tool in the academic study of IT project management. Applying the Systems Thinking perspective also calls for additional research in which this perspective is itself the object of study
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