Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: An experimentally accessible paradigm for quantum computing

We present experimental results which demonstrate that nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is capable of efficiently emulating many of the capabilities of quantum computers, including unitary evolution and coherent superpositions, but without attendant wave-function collapse. Specifically, we have: (1) Implemented the quantum XOR gate in two different ways, one using Pound-Overhauser double resonance, and the other using a spin-coherence double resonance pulse sequence; (2) Demonstrated that the square root of the Pound-Overhauser XOR corresponds to a conditional rotation, thus obtaining a universal set of gates; (3) Devised a spin-coherence implementation of the Toffoli gate, and confirmed that it transforms the equilibrium state of a four-spin system as expected; (4) Used standard gradient-pulse techniques in NMR to equalize all but one of the populations in a two-spin system, so obtaining the pseudo-pure state that corresponds to |00>; (5) Validated that one can identify which basic pseudo-pure state is present by transforming it into one-spin superpositions, whose associated spectra jointly characterize the state; (6) Applied the spin-coherence XOR gate to a one-spin superposition to create an entangled state, and confirmed its existence by detecting the associated double-quantum coherence via gradient-echo methods.Comment: LaTeX + epsfig + amsmath packages, 27 pages, 12 figures, to appear in Physica D; revision updates list of authors and reference

Customer and Supplier Integration Across the Supply Chain

Lean Aircraft Initiative Implementation Workshop repor

CASE STUDY: Textron Systems

For over five decades, Textron Systems has been an important contributor to the U.S. defense aerospace business. Its breakthroughs in thermal protection materials enabled NASA Apollo command modules and Air Force intercontinental missiles to successfully re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. High strength, lightweight boron composites from Textron Systems help carry the primary structural load in the Space Shuttle orbiter and today’s aircraft carriers rely on Textron’s automated landing systems. Textron highlights smart systems, including smart air and ground munitions, as its unique value add in the 21st Century global marketplace -- products that can rapidly acquire, analyze and act on real-time data inputs. The constant adaptation of its product line and business strategy is a defining feature of Textron Systems as a business. This is a significant accomplishment for the business, but a constant challenge when it comes to work organization and skill development. Textron Systems is based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, with additional facilities in three other locations. This case study is focused on the Wilmington operations

Fostering Continuous Improvement in a Changing Business Context

Case studyFor over five decades, Textron Systems has been an important contributor to the U.S. defense aerospace business. Its breakthroughs in thermal protection materials enabled NASA Apollo command modules and Air Force intercontinental missiles to successfully re-enter the earth's atmosphere. High strength, lightweight boron composites from Textron Systems help carry the primary structural load in the Space Shuttle orbiter and today's aircraft carriers rely on Textron's automated landing systems. Textron highlights smart systems, including smart air and ground munitions, as its unique value add in the 21st Century global marketplace -- products that can rapidly acquire, analyze and act on real-time data inputs. For most of its products, such as the smart munitions, Textron Systems is a prime contractor with the U.S. government, while it also serves as a first-tier supplier for other technologies, such as boron composite components. The uncertainties associated with each role -- contractor and supplier -- are different and both are part of the Textron story. The constant adaptation of its product line and business strategy is a defining feature of Textron Systems as a business. This is a significant accomplishment for the business, but a constant challenge when it comes to work organization and skill development. Beginning with quality principles in the 1980s and extending into lean principles in the 1990s, workplace change initiatives have been seen by Textron Systems as key to business success. The current initiative, which is entitled "10X" targets not just incremental gains, but performance gains of an order of magnitude or gains that are ten times current performance. Concurrently, Textron has long invested in employee training and development, another significant part of this case. Textron Systems is part of the larger Textron Corporation, which includes the Textron Automotive Corporation, Cessna, Bell Helicopters and other businesses -- all of which have a high degree of autonomy. Textron Systems is based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, with additional facilities in three other locations. This case study is focused on the Wilmington operations, which are non-union. As a 1,400-person facility, the spirit of the operation is reflected in an internal presentation slide that features a picture of a huge gorilla and the statement, "We're competing with meg

Facilitating Conflict Resolution in Union-Management Relations: A Guide for Neutrals

Over fifty years ago George Taylor, one of the most highly respected labor-management neutrals of his time, called for third parties to take on what he termed a mantle of responsibility for labor-management relations. Today, wide ranges of practitioners are assuming this responsibility. They are playing a variety of internal and external roles, as labor arbitrators, mediators, consultants, facilitators, dispute system designers, leaders serving on joint committees, and countless others. These individuals strive to rise above the partisan pressures that are found in any union-management relationship by helping to resolve disputes, foster problem solving, and build new institutional relations. In doing so, they are helping the institution of collective bargaining adapt in ways necessary for it to continue to be a key societal element into the next century. As dispute resolution professionals, we need to understand the range of practices now found in different relationships, the types of roles neutrals might play, and the principles that should guide neutrals as they carry out these roles. The purpose of this report, therefore, is to outline principles for SPIDR members, other neutrals, and the parties who utilize the services of third party neutrals in contemporary labor-management relations. Specifically, we have three target audiences in mind: labor relations neutrals, steeped in the institutional nuances of industrial relations (primarily arbitrators and mediators), who are being challenged to help parties adapt to new circumstances; third-party neutrals experienced in settings outside of labor relations who are or will be working with parties in unionized settings; internal facilitator sand change agents (from labor or management) who are helping to solve problems and resolve disputes in the workplace. Some points in this report may be completely obvious to one part of the target audience but an essential caution to another. Some of the recommendations will be controversial since they reflect an activist view of third-party roles. Importantly, this is not an overall guide to best practice for labor-management relations; instead, it is a guide to the role of dispute resolution professionals in the labor-management context. We hope that it stimulates further constructive dialogue in the profession

CASE STUDY: Boeing Commercial Airplane Group Wichita Division (Boeing Co.)

Activity Based Costing and Management (ABCM) is one of many new financial and accounting tools aimed at providing more complete, better-aligned data on economic performance. It is important to explore early experiences with this concept since it represents a new set of “rules” that can have implications for all stakeholders in an aerospace enterprise. ABCM is of particular interest with respect to lean practices and principles since it links the cost of production or services to the relevant support activities, which is helpful in targeting continuous improvement efforts. Companies who are focusing resources on organizational learning initiatives will also find that ABCM processes add value to these efforts. This case study hopes to deepen understanding of ABCM principles by looking beyond the survey data and tracing early experience in an aerospace setting. Note that these are just pilot demonstration initiatives and do not represent full-scale implementation. In presenting this study, we are not advocating for or against this particular approach to financial accounting – just seeking to better understand its implications

The Impact of Instability on Complex Social and Technical Systems

Instability is a pervasive phenomenon that has deep implications for virtually all complex social and technical systems. In engineering, the identification and mitigation of various types of technical instabilities is a well developed practice. This is a key focus, for example, of engineers concerned about the prevention of potentially destabilizing vibration in the frame of an aircraft or the mitigation of sources of technical instability in the operation of a nuclear reactor. However, the nature of instability in complex social and technical systems is relatively unstudied and not well understood. This is unfortunate because instability can have profound effects on the performance of those systems as well as their ability to improve their performance over time. In this paper, we present a conceptual framework for understanding instability in sociotechnical systems. To illustrate what we mean by instability in the context of complex engineering systems, we will draw on data from the aerospace industry. In particular, we use two data sets, to trace the impacts of various sources of instability. One data set centers on instability and its impact on aerospace programs, while the other centers on instability and its impact on aerospace production and design facilities