Researching Lean: Methodological implications of loose definitions

Recently, Lean Production (Lean) has become a prevailing management concept in Sweden. However, previous research seems to show that the Lean concept and the impact of Lean vary considerably between organizations. This paper illustrates some key methodological issues that need to be considered when researching loosely defined management concepts such as Lean. The paper is based on a review of the literature and five comparative Swedish cases studies. Our study indicates that Lean has changed over time and that operationalization and interpretations of the concept vary considerably. This study concludes that future Lean studies should include a thorough assessment of the Lean interventions, study settings, and in particular non-Lean factors mediating the outcomes of Lean-inspired change programs

An integrated strategy for prediction uncertainty analysis

Motivation: To further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying biochemical pathways mathematical modelling is used. Since many parameter values are unknown they need to be estimated using experimental observations. The complexity of models necessary to describe biological pathways in combination with the limited amount of quantitative data results in large parameter uncertainty which propagates into model predictions. Therefore prediction uncertainty analysis is an important topic that needs to be addressed in Systems Biology modelling

A Bayesian approach to targeted experiment design

Motivation: Systems biology employs mathematical modelling to further our understanding of biochemical pathways. Since the amount of experimental data on which the models are parameterized is often limited, these models exhibit large uncertainty in both parameters and predictions. Statistical methods can be used to select experiments that will reduce such uncertainty in an optimal manner. However, existing methods for optimal experiment design (OED) rely on assumptions that are inappropriate when data are scarce considering model complexity

Intergenerational Justice Today

UID/FIL/00183/2013A theory of intergenerational justice consists in the study of the moral and political status of the relations between present and past or future people, more specifically, of the obligations and entitlements they can potentially generate. The challenges that justify talking about responsibilities between generations are myriad (e.g., the amount of public debt that is fair to incur; the funding of future pensions; reparations for past wrongs; climate change). And the disputes they prompt can focus on the past just as much as on the present, even though the fact that the human species has reached a state of technological progress that enables it to have an irredeemable impact on the planet and perhaps even endanger future human existence tends to make concerns about the future more pressing. Debates on intergenerational justice are twofold. The first revolves around the issue of whether claims of justice across generations whose members' lifetimes do not necessarily overlap could be justified. And the second revolves around the specific conception of justice in play, that is, around the nature of the standard that must be applied as well as around the identification of the contents of the duties that present generations supposedly have vis‐à‐vis past or future generations. This survey article depicts the conceptual and argumentative framework in which these debates are set. It aims to outline certain of the main features shared by the most influential contemporary theories of intergenerational justice, and the problems inherent in them. It concludes by suggesting that, even though the idea of succeeding generations is merely an abstraction, there are specific empirical states of affairs that require different theoretical responses to intergenerational justice.authorsversionpublishe

Primary problems associated with the health and welfare of employees observed when implementing lean manufacturing projects.

Lean philosophy is used by companies to increase productivity and reduce costs. Although uncontested benefits are created, it is necessary to highlight the problems related to employees' health and welfare caused by implementing lean manufacturing projects.The primary objective of this paper is to review the literature and identify the most relevant problems created by lean philosophy for employees.Research about the theme was performed on many international databases over three months, and an initial sample of 77 papers was found. Twenty-seven sources were utilized.We identified 22 categories of problems related to health and welfare of employees.The most cited problem was work intensification, mentioned by thirteen papers. Increased stress and increased responsibilities, demands and, consequently, pressure on the workers are among the primary problems observed in the research

PENGARUH METODE ECOLA (EXTENDING CONCEPTH TRHOUGH LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES) DALAM PEMBELAJARAN MEMBACA KRITIS TAJUK RENCANA

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh gambaran secara objektif tentang ada tidaknya perbedaan yang signifikan antara kemampuan siswa dalam membaca kritis tajuk rencana atau teks editorial kelas eksperimen dengan menggunakan metode ECOLAdan kelas kontrol dengan metode ceramah. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh siswa kelas VIII SMP Negeri 16 Bandung ajaran tahun 2015/2016. Sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah dua kelas yang dipilih secara purposive sampling, yakni pertimbangan dalam mengambil sampel tersebut, disebabkan kelas VIII G dan VIII H memiliki rata-rata nilai yang hampir sama dalam pembelajaran bahasa Indonesia dilihat dari Ujian Tengah Semester. Kelas yang digunakan adalah kelas VIII H sebagai kelas eksperimen dan kelas VIII G sebagai kelas kontrol. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen kuasi dengan desain penelitian Nonequivalent Control Group Design. Pada desain ini dilakukan tes awal dan tes akhir di kelas eksperimen dan kelas kontrol. Pengolahan data dilakukan uji realibilitas antar penimbang, uji normalitas, homogenitas, dan hipotesis. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, didapatkan bahwa nilai rata-rata kelas eksperimen lebih tinggi daripada nilai rata-rata kelas kontrol. Rata-rata nilai tes awal kelas eksperimen yaitu 63 dan nilai rata-rata tes akhir 82. Sedangkan rata-rata nilai tes awal kontrol yaitu 54 dan rata-rata nilai tes akhir 66. Berdasarkan perolehan nilai tersebut didapatkan perbedaan nilai rata-rata kelas eksperimen 19 dan perbedaan nilai rata-rata kelas kontrol yaitu 13. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian hipotesis diperoleh nilaithitung= 5,01>ttabel = 1,99866, maka Ho ditolak dan Ha diterima. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa metode ECOLA berpengaruh dan dapat digunakan dalam pembelajaran membaca kritis tajuk rencana. ;--- This research aims toget the objective informationwhether there is a significance differences or not between students’ abilityin editorial critical reading text in an experimental class using ECOLA methodwith a control class using lecture method. The population of the research are all students of VIII grade class of16 Junior High School of Bandung in 2015/2016 school year.The sample are two classes of students which are selected through purposive sampling, consideringG and H class have a same average scoresin Indonesia Language subject,taken from Mid-Semester Test score. The H class was the experimental classand the G class control. The research utilizes a quasi-experimental methodwithNonequivalent Control Group Designwith a pre and a post-test. Reliability test was employed between counselor, normalcy test, homogenates, andhypothesis. The result shows that the average score of experimental classis higher than the control class. The experimental class’ average pre-test score was 63 the post-test was 82 whilethe control class’ average pre-test score was 54 andpost-test score was 66. The difference between pre and post-test of experimental class was 19 and control class was 13. Hypothesis test result shows thatthitung = 5,01>ttabel= 1,99866, then Hois rejectedand Hais accepted. It concludes thatECOLAis influential and implementable in editorial critical reading