342 research outputs found
Recommended from our members
Reactivity to sustainability metrics: A configurational study of motivation and capacity
Previous research on reactivity – defined as changing organisational behaviour to better conform to the criteria of measurement in response to being measured – has found significant variation in company responses towards sustainability metrics. We propose that reactivity is driven by dialogue, motivation and capacity in a configurational way. Empirically, we use fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to analyse company responses to the sustainability index FTSE4Good. We find evidence of complimentary and substitute effects between motivation and capacity. Based on these effects we develop a typology of reactivity to sustainability metrics, which also theorises the use of metrics as tools for performance feedback and the building of calculative capacity. We show that when reactivity is studied configurationally, we can identify previously underacknowledged types of responses. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications for studying and using sustainability metrics as governance tools for responsible behaviour
The efficiency and effectiveness of utilizing diagrams in interviews: an assessment of participatory diagramming and graphic elicitation
Abstract
Background
This paper focuses on measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of two diagramming methods employed in key informant interviews with clinicians and health care administrators. The two methods are 'participatory diagramming', where the respondent creates a diagram that assists in their communication of answers, and 'graphic elicitation', where a researcher-prepared diagram is used to stimulate data collection.
Methods
These two diagramming methods were applied in key informant interviews and their value in efficiently and effectively gathering data was assessed based on quantitative measures and qualitative observations.
Results
Assessment of the two diagramming methods suggests that participatory diagramming is an efficient method for collecting data in graphic form, but may not generate the depth of verbal response that many qualitative researchers seek. In contrast, graphic elicitation was more intuitive, better understood and preferred by most respondents, and often provided more contemplative verbal responses, however this was achieved at the expense of more interview time.
Conclusion
Diagramming methods are important for eliciting interview data that are often difficult to obtain through traditional verbal exchanges. Subject to the methodological limitations of the study, our findings suggest that while participatory diagramming and graphic elicitation have specific strengths and weaknesses, their combined use can provide complementary information that would not likely occur with the application of only one diagramming method. The methodological insights gained by examining the efficiency and effectiveness of these diagramming methods in our study should be helpful to other researchers considering their incorporation into qualitative research designs
Measurements of dense fuel hydrodynamics in the NIF burning plasma experiments using backscattered neutron spectroscopy
The hydrodynamics of the dense confining fuel shell is of great importance in
defining the behaviour of the burning plasma and burn propagation regimes of
inertial confinement fusion experiments. However, it is difficult to probe due
to its low emissivity in comparison to the central fusion core. In this work,
we utilise the backscattered neutron spectroscopy technique to directly measure
the hydrodynamic conditions of the dense fuel during fusion burn. Experimental
data is fit to obtain dense fuel velocities and apparent ion temperatures.
Trends of these inferred parameters with yield and velocity of the burning
plasma are used to investigate their dependence on alpha heating and low mode
drive asymmetry. It is shown that the dense fuel layer has an increased outward
radial velocity as yield increases showing burn has continued into
re-expansion, a key signature of hotspot ignition. Comparison with analytic and
simulation models show that the observed dense fuel parameters are displaying
signatures of burn propagation into the dense fuel layer, including a rapid
increase in dense fuel apparent ion temperature with neutron yield
The falling chain of Hopkins, Tait, Steele and Cayley
A uniform, flexible and frictionless chain falling link by link from a heap
by the edge of a table falls with an acceleration if the motion is
nonconservative, but if the motion is conservative, being the
acceleration due to gravity. Unable to construct such a falling chain, we use
instead higher-dimensional versions of it. A home camcorder is used to measure
the fall of a three-dimensional version called an -slider. After
frictional effects are corrected for, its vertical falling acceleration is
found to be . This result agrees with the theoretical
value of for an ideal energy-conserving -slider.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure
Functional modelling of complex multi‑disciplinary systems using the enhanced sequence diagram
YesThis paper introduces an Enhanced Sequence Diagram (ESD) as the basis for a structured framework for the functional analysis of complex multidisciplinary systems. The ESD extends the conventional sequence diagrams (SD) by introducing a rigorous functional flow-based modelling schemata to provide an enhanced basis for model-based functional requirements and architecture analysis in the early systems design stages. The proposed ESD heuristics include the representation of transactional and transformative functions required to deliver the use case sequence, and fork and join nodes to facilitate analysis of combining and bifurcating operations on flows. A case study of a personal mobility device is used to illustrate the deployment of the ESD methodology in relation to three common product development scenarios: (i) reverse engineering, (ii) the introduction of a specific technology to an existent system; and (iii) the introduction of a new feature as user-centric innovation for an existing system, at a logical design level, without reference to any solution. The case study analysis provides further insights into the effectiveness of the ESD to support function modelling and functional requirements capture, and architecture development. The significance of this paper is that it establishes a rigorous ESD-based functional analysis methodology to guide the practitioner with its deployment, facilitating its impact to both the engineering design and systems engineering communities, as well as the design practice in the industry
Functional modelling of complex multi‑disciplinary systems using the enhanced sequence diagram
YesThis paper introduces an Enhanced Sequence Diagram (ESD) as the basis for a structured framework for the functional analysis of complex multidisciplinary systems. The ESD extends the conventional sequence diagrams (SD) by introducing a rigorous functional flow-based modelling schemata to provide an enhanced basis for model-based functional requirements and architecture analysis in the early systems design stages. The proposed ESD heuristics include the representation of transactional and transformative functions required to deliver the use case sequence, and fork and join nodes to facilitate analysis of combining and bifurcating operations on flows. A case study of a personal mobility device is used to illustrate the deployment of the ESD methodology in relation to three common product development scenarios: (i) reverse engineering, (ii) the introduction of a specific technology to an existent system; and (iii) the introduction of a new feature as user-centric innovation for an existing system, at a logical design level, without reference to any solution. The case study analysis provides further insights into the effectiveness of the ESD to support function modelling and functional requirements capture, and architecture development. The significance of this paper is that it establishes a rigorous ESD-based functional analysis methodology to guide the practitioner with its deployment, facilitating its impact to both the engineering design and systems engineering communities, as well as the design practice in the industry
Radiative cooling effects on reverse shocks formed by magnetised supersonic plasma flows
We study the structure of reverse shocks formed by the collision of
supersonic, magnetised plasma flows driven by an inverse (or exploding) wire
array with a planar conducting obstacle. We observe that the structure of these
reverse shocks varies dramatically with wire material, despite the similar
upstream flow velocities and mass densities. For aluminium wire arrays, the
shock is sharp and well defined, consistent with magneto-hydrodynamic theory.
In contrast, we do not observe a well-defined shock using tungsten wires,
instead, we see a broad region dominated by density fluctuations on a wide
range of spatial scales. We diagnose these two very different interactions
using interferometry, Thomson scattering, shadowgraphy, and a newly developed
imaging refractometer which is sensitive to small deflections of the probing
laser corresponding to small-scale density perturbations. We conclude that the
differences in shock structure are most likely due to radiative cooling
instabilities which create small-scale density perturbations elongated along
magnetic field lines in the tungsten plasma. These instabilities grow more
slowly and are smoothed by thermal conduction in the aluminium plasma
- …