A robust method for measuring the Hubble parameter

We obtain a robust, non-parametric, estimate of the Hubble constant from galaxy linear diameters calibrated using HST Cepheid distances. Our method is independent of the parametric form of the diameter function and the spatial distribution of galaxies and is insensitive to Malmquist bias. We include information on the galaxy rotation velocities; unlike Tully-Fisher, however, we retain a fully non-parametric treatment. We find $H_0=66\pm6$ km/s/Mpc, somewhat larger than previous results using galaxy diameters.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, Cosmic Flows Workshop, Victoria B.C. Canada, July 1999, ed. S. Courteau, M. Strauss & J. Willick, ASP conf. serie

Towards a holistic framework of design competence

This article focuses on the development of a holistic competence framework that highlights the relationship between knowledge, attitude, skill and capability within the field of design management and design led innovation. Whilst individual expertise in the aforementioned attributes are important to individual performance, it is argued that becoming an expert in design ultimately originates from a combination of these attributes and the ability to apply them in any given context. The article derives a framework through a systematic review of the design competence literature, before applying this framework to a case study based on a postgraduate design project. The case study provides an insight into the competence held and developed by individuals at a postgraduate level multidisciplinary design-led innovation practice course, providing a foundation for future study in the area. The framework is capable of mapping the transition of competence from the novice designer to an expert who has mastered the ability to apply competence to any given context and as such offers a unique insight into design competence, given that current models primarily focus on education alone with little discussion of transition into design management, design-led innovation and its practice

Intervention in health care teams and working relationships

Introduction: Communication is an intrinsic part of collaborative working but can be problematic when the complexities of professional and personal identities inhibit quality care provision. This paper investigates these complexities and recommends interventions to facilitate collaborative working.Methods: A qualitative comparative approach examined data collected from participants using purposive non-probability sampling. Perspectives were obtained from four professional groups (nurses, social workers, care managers, and police), from different organizations with different theoretical and practice frameworks, and from a fifth group (informal carers).Results: Curriculum change and leadership initiatives are required to address the complexities inhibiting collaborative working relationships. Integrating complexity theory, personality typology, and problem-based learning into the curriculum to understand behavioral actions will enable interventions to effect change and promote the centrality of those being cared for

Empirical constraints on vacuum decay in the stringy landscape

It is generally considered as self evident that the lifetime of our vacuum in the landscape of string theory cannot be much shorter than the current age of the universe. Here I show why this lower limit is invalid. A certain type of ``parallel universes'' is a necessary consequence of the string-landscape dynamics and might well allow us to ``survive'' vacuum decay. As a consequence our stringy vacuum's lifetime is empirically unconstrained and could be very short. Based on this counter-intuitive insight I propose a novel type of laboratory experiment that searches for an apparent violation of the quantum-mechanical Born rule by gravitational effects on vacuum decay. If the lifetime of our vacuum should turn out to be shorter than 6 x 10^{-13} seconds such an experiment is sufficiently sensitive to determine its value with state-of-the-art equipment.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, proposes a laboratory experimen

The Effect of Product Demand Decline on Investments in Innovations: Evidence from the U.S. Defense Industry

The end of the Cold War led to a substantial decline in defense product demand. This study investigates the effects of product demand decline on defense firms’ investments in R&D for innovations. Our evidence indicates significant lower levels of R&D intensity for the low demand period (1993 to 1998) than for the high demand period (1984 to 1989). We also find significant declines in the defense firms\u27 return on assets over the period, which is mainly attributable to a significant decrease in the firms\u27 efficiency of using assets to produce sales. The defense firms, despite decline in defense product sales, generally maintained their total sales by partially shifting their capacity to commercial markets, which might be at the sacrifice of profitability, operating efficiency, and R&D investments for innovations

Double-loop reflective practice as an approach to understanding knowledge and experience.

The main aim of this paper is to consider the way in which reflective practice can assist practitioners in better understanding their individual knowledge and experience. Transitioning from a design novice to a design expert is described as a vague process, in which reflective practice can offer a level of understanding that provides an important insight into professional development within design. Through a comparison of two methods of reflection and analysis of reflective practice data, it is argued that repertory grid interviews have the potential to be a catalyst for double loop learning within individuals; providing people with a platform to reflect on their beliefs and values in addition to their approach towards problem solving. This argument is based on the ability of repertory grids to uncover some of the implicit knowledge developed by designers, which is a distinct advantage to alternative methods of reflection and which is necessary to improve professional practice understanding and learning

POWERLIB: SAS/IML Software for Computing Power in Multivariate Linear Models

The POWERLIB SAS/IML software provides convenient power calculations for a wide range of multivariate linear models with Gaussian errors. The software includes the Box, Geisser-Greenhouse, Huynh-Feldt, and uncorrected tests in the "univariate" approach to repeated measures (UNIREP), the Hotelling Lawley Trace, Pillai-Bartlett Trace, and Wilks Lambda tests in "multivariate" approach (MULTIREP), as well as a limited but useful range of mixed models. The familiar univariate linear model with Gaussian errors is an important special case. For estimated covariance, the software provides confidence limits for the resulting estimated power. All power and confidence limits values can be output to a SAS dataset, which can be used to easily produce plots and tables for manuscripts.