Visual Performance Management: Does it work in Public Service Organisations?

Visual Performance Management (VPM) has been prominent within Lean manufacturing environments for a number of decades, but its use has only recently started to emerge in service organisations. We consider the transition of VPM approaches to service environments and, utilising a case study method with two public service organisations, we explore four aspects of visual performance implementation. We start by exploring the strategic drivers for VPM adoption, the transparency of VPM, the performance management approach used, and changes in organisational effectiveness resulting from the introduction of VPM. Findings indicate that VPM approaches do work within public service environments, and have a tangible impact on management, but strategic alignment and data integrity are common concerns, and should be considered essential prerequisites

A New Equation of State for CCS Pipeline Transport: Calibration of Mixing Rules for Binary Mixtures of CO2 with N2, O2 and H2

One of the aspects currently holding back commercial scale deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an accurate understanding of the thermodynamic behaviour of carbon dioxide and relevant impurities during the pipeline transport stage. In this article we develop a general framework for deriving pressure-explicit EoS for impure CO2. This flexible framework facilitates ongoing development of custom EoS in response to new data and computational applications. We use our method to generalise a recent EoS for pure CO2 [Demetriades et al. Proc IMechE Part E, 227 (2013) pp. 117] to binary mixtures with N2, O2 and H2, obtaining model parameters by fitting to experiments made under conditions relevant to CCS-pipeline transport. Our model pertains to pressures up to 16MPa and temperatures between 273K and the critical temperature of pure CO2. In this region, we achieve close agreement with experimental data. When compared to the GERG EoS, our EoS has a comparable level of agreement with CO2 -N2 VLE experiments and demonstrably superior agreement with the O2 and H2 VLE data. Finally, we discuss future options to improve the calibration of EoS and to deal with the sparsity of data for some impurities

Change management - practising what we teach: successfully engaging international students in the teaching, learning & assessment process

In this article we review processes of change in a module whose subject matter is change management. The module attracts mainly international students, and has suffered from uneven student engagement and performance. We will recount how a Teaching Enhancement and Student Success (TESS) project was used to inform our attempts to improve engagement and performance. Bearing in mind the origins of action research as part of Kurt Lewin‟s approach to planned change, we will use the four different elements of Lewin‟s work to reflect on the challenges we have been grappling with. The article will highlight different approaches to action research, which are linked to different aspirations as to the scope of change

The value of native biodiversity enhancement in New Zealand: A case study of the greater Wellington area

New Zealand’s biodiversity consists of over 80,000 native plants, animals and fungi, many of which are indigenous and located on private property. To enhance native biodiversity and discourage activities that may deplete it, policies can be introduced that can encourage individual self-interest to coincide with social interest. Economic values for biodiversity can help to determine the best policy tools to use. In this project, we surveyed Greater Wellington Region households to determine their biodiversity enhancement values using the contingent valuation approach. Greater Wellington respondents placed a significant value on both private land biodiversity as well as public land biodiversity

The HSS/SNiC : a conceptual framework for collapsing security down to the physical layer

This work details the concept of a novel network security model called the Super NIC (SNIC) and a Hybrid Super Switch (HSS). The design will ultimately incorporate deep packet inspection (DPI), intrusion detection and prevention (IDS/IPS) functions, as well as network access control technologies therefore making all end-point network devices inherently secure. The SNIC and HSS functions are modelled using a transparent GNU/Linux Bridge with the Netfilter framework

The kinetics of the deposition of colloidal particles

Imperial Users onl

Guiding adults impartially : a Scottish study

In Scotland, the development of guidance for adults has been significant in the last few years. A 1992 Inspectorate report concluded that: 'Considerable progress has been made in developing effective arrangements for student guidance' (SOED, 1992: 36). However, the same document also called for improved pre-entry guidance and better course induction, the development of policy statements on guidance, and the commitment of resources to improving facilities, staff training and advocating. Since 1993, the Scottish Office-backed Adult Guidance Initiative-Scotland (AEGIS) has been responsible for raising awareness about good practice in guidance, and has produced policy documents and staff development materials on quality assurance and networking and held a number of national conferences. Researchers at the Scottish Council for Research in Education published four major studies in 1993-4, describing the experiences of adult returners, patterns of progression in post-school education and adult guidance practice. In 1996, the Scottish Office published strategy proposals for adult guidance, to include a telephone helpline (SOEID, 1996). TI1is was followed by an action plan on lifelong learning and guidance, including support for local guidance networks and increased marketing of learning opportunities (SOEID, 1997a and 1997b). Further research reports on the provision of guidance as part of access to higher education in Scotland were also published in 1996 (Blencowe et al, 1996; Blair and Tett, 1996). This article is based on research carried out to investigate the extent to which the principle of impartiality is perceived to be relevant and applicable by guidance practitioners in their work with adults. Guidance professionals have drawn attention to the importance of impartiality as a basic principle governing their practice. Also, the imperative of giving adults information and advice which is impartial and not influenced, for example, by recruitment targets for courses, is stressed in statements of good practice and practitioners' charters. The person-centred counselling approach underpinning these statements and charters tends to be strongly 'non-directive'. Guidance services have developed considerably in the last few years, but there is increasing competition between course providers and this has raised concerns about jeopardising impartiality