Dealing With Ambiguous and Fluctuating Requirements of Embedded System Development: A Case-Study

This paper presents the findings of a case study that investigates how developers and managers deal with ambiguous and fluctuating requirements during an embedded system development in a structured process management environment. In particular, this paper focuses on improvisation and bricolage actions as a coping strategy by software developers and managers. This research adopts an interpretive approach that involves the collection and analysis of qualitative data. In this study, we observed a turbulent environment with situated improvisational and bricolage responses from developers and managers. The organizational structured process management framework was not sophisticated enough to deal with the existing challenges. Moreover, some improvisational and bricolage activities became institutionalized and, hence, became organizational routines of developers and managers. This paper indicates the value of reflexive practices as vital issues for strategic conduct in the event that improvisational and bricolage activities were deployed as a coping strategy

Information system development in a process management environment: the dynamics of improvisation and bricolage during embedded software design

The main objective of this thesis is to make a contribution to knowledge regarding the nature of improvisation and bricolage activities in the practice of embedded software design and how the tensional relationship between process management and improvisation and bricolage can be balanced. There is a lack of understanding embedded systems development in practice, and how the difficulties correspond to prescribed and emergent processes in this context. In order to address this knowledge gap I conducted an in‐depth case study of an embedded system development project in the German automobile context between December 2004 and November 2008. The research adopted an interpretive approach, which involved the collection and analysis of qualitative data. Empirical data that was derived through interviews and observation revealed new insights as to how embedded systems are developed in practice. I adopt the position that emergent processes occur not randomly, but as purposeful agents that navigate through a turbulent environment of ongoing need to improvise with the items at hand. The finding indicates that the success to achieve the aims is bound to the capabilities to be continuously reflexive and induce corrective actions as appropriate. A theoretical conceptualisation disclosed measures that may enhance the capacity to be reflexive. The findings implied that process management frameworks help as scaffolding in order to practice improvisation and bricolage as a coping strategy. Moreover, improving the capabilities to cope with challenges means enhancing reflexive capabilities. The original contribution of this research is founded on rich descriptions and interpretations as to how embedded systems are developed in practice, and the theoretical conceptualisation that can aid to balance the tension between process management and improvisation and bricolage

A Case Study of a Financial Services Provider: Progressing Towards Applying Advanced Enterprise Engineering

This paper reports the findings of an empirical investigation of an organization that is progressing towards applying advanced enterprise engineering. Advanced enterprise engineering focuses on important aspects for strategic planning of an enterprise. The investigation adopts an interpretive case study approach and explores qualitative data on aspects of enterprise engineering in practice. The paper identifies various practices, which are prevalent in progressing organizations. This study suggests characteristics that describe the readiness of an organization to apply advanced enterprise engineering approaches. The originality of this study is its description of the organizational and sub-cultural context, communication issues, change approaches and identified challenges of an organization progressing towards applying advanced enterprise engineering. This case study analysis focuses on social aspects in a progressing organization

A Paradox of Progressive Saturation: The Changing Nature of Improvisation over Time in a Systems Development Project

In this paper, we investigate improvisation in a systems development project in the context of safety-critical, rigid quality-management standards. This study took place in a technology company in the automotive industry over a 31-month period and focused on the development of an innovative information system for automobiles. Our analysis traced different forms of improvised practice over the course of a systems development project at the company along with various triggers of improvisation. We found that, as the project progressed, the latitude to improvise became saturated by the increasing structural influences on improvisation. Yet, paradoxically, these structural influences provoked developers to improvise in ways that were progressively more innovative by drawing on accumulated knowledge; we call this phenomenon a “paradox of progressive saturation”. We identify ten forms of improvisation that unfold across different stages of a systems development project. We offer a conceptualization of the paradox of progressive saturation to represent the changing nature of improvisation over time, which contributes to the literature on improvisation in information systems development

Synthesis and electrical characterization of intrinsic and in situ doped Si nanowires using a novel precursor

Perchlorinated polysilanes were synthesized by polymerization of tetrachlorosilane under cold plasma conditions with hydrogen as a reducing agent. Subsequent selective cleavage of the resulting polymer yielded oligochlorosilanes SinCl2n+2 (n = 2, 3) from which the octachlorotrisilane (n = 3, Cl8Si3, OCTS) was used as a novel precursor for the synthesis of single-crystalline Si nanowires (NW) by the well-established vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. By adding doping agents, specifically BBr3 and PCl3, we achieved highly p- and n-type doped Si-NWs by means of atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). These as grown NWs were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as electrical measurements of the NWs integrated in four-terminal and back-gated MOSFET modules. The intrinsic NWs appeared to be highly crystalline, with a preferred growth direction of [111] and a specific resistivity of ρ = 6 kΩ·cm. The doped NWs appeared to be [112] oriented with a specific resistivity of ρ = 198 mΩ·cm for p-type Si-NWs and ρ = 2.7 mΩ·cm for n-doped Si-NWs, revealing excellent dopant activation

Information system development in a process management environment : the dynamics of improvisation and bricolage during embedded software design

The main objective of this thesis is to make a contribution to knowledge regarding the nature of improvisation and bricolage activities in the practice of embedded software design and how the tensional relationship between process management and improvisation and bricolage can be balanced. There is a lack of understanding embedded systems development in practice, and how the difficulties correspond to prescribed and emergent processes in this context. In order to address this knowledge gap I conducted an in‐depth case study of an embedded system development project in the German automobile context between December 2004 and November 2008. The research adopted an interpretive approach, which involved the collection and analysis of qualitative data. Empirical data that was derived through interviews and observation revealed new insights as to how embedded systems are developed in practice. I adopt the position that emergent processes occur not randomly, but as purposeful agents that navigate through a turbulent environment of ongoing need to improvise with the items at hand. The finding indicates that the success to achieve the aims is bound to the capabilities to be continuously reflexive and induce corrective actions as appropriate. A theoretical conceptualisation disclosed measures that may enhance the capacity to be reflexive. The findings implied that process management frameworks help as scaffolding in order to practice improvisation and bricolage as a coping strategy. Moreover, improving the capabilities to cope with challenges means enhancing reflexive capabilities. The original contribution of this research is founded on rich descriptions and interpretations as to how embedded systems are developed in practice, and the theoretical conceptualisation that can aid to balance the tension between process management and improvisation and bricolage.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceWarwick Business School (WBS)University of Warwick (UoW)University of Bath (UoB)American Study and Student Exchange Committee (ASSEC)GBUnited Kingdo

Blood cells as a source of transcriptional biomarkers of childhood obesity and its related metabolic alterations: results of the IDEFICS Study

Background: IDEFICS (Identification and Prevention of Dietary-and Lifestyle-Induced Health Effects in Children and Infants Project) is a European multicenter study on childhood obesity. One of its goals is to define early biomarkers of risk associated with obesity and its comorbid conditions. Objective: We considered blood cells as a new potential source of transcriptional biomarkers for these metabolic disorders and examined whether blood cell mRNA levels of some selected genes (LEPR, INSR, CPT1A, SLC27A2, UCP2, FASN, and PPAR alpha) were altered in overweight children and whether their expression levels could be defined as markers of the insulin-resistant or dyslipidemic state associated with overweight. Design: Blood samples were obtained from 306 normal-weight and overweight children, aged 2-9 yr, from eight different European countries. Whole-blood mRNA levels were assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. Results: LEPR, INSR, and CPT1A mRNA levels were higher in overweight compared with normal-weight children (the two latter only in males), whereas SLC27A2 mRNA levels were lower in overweight children. Significant associations were also found between expression levels of LEPR, INSR, CPT1A, SLC27A2, FASN, PPAR alpha, and different parameters, including body mass index, homeostasis model assessment index, and plasma triglycerides and cholesterol levels. These associations showed that high expression levels of CPT1A, SLC27A2, INSR, FASN, or PPAR alpha may be indicative of a lower risk for the insulin-resistant or dyslipidemic state associated with obesity, whereas low LEPR mRNA levels appear as a marker of high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, independently of body mass index. Conclusions: These findings point toward the possibility of using the expression levels of these genes in blood cells as markers of metabolic status and can potentially provide an early warning of a future disorder

Stoichiometry and intracellular fate of TRIM-containing TCR complexes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studying the stoichiometry and intracellular trafficking of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) is pivotal in understanding its mechanisms of activation. The αβTCR includes the antigen-binding TCRαβ heterodimer as well as the signal transducing CD3εγ, CD3εδ and ζ₂subunits. Although the TCR-interacting molecule (TRIM) is also part of the αβTCR complex, it has not been included in most reports so far.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We used the native antibody-based mobility shift (NAMOS) assay in a first dimension (1D) blue native (BN)-PAGE and a 2D BN-/BN-PAGE to demonstrate that the stoichiometry of the digitonin-solublized TRIM-containing αβTCR is TCRαβCD3ε₂γδζ₂TRIM₂. Smaller αβTCR complexes possess a TCRαβ CD3ε₂γδζ₂stoichiometry. Complexes of these sizes were detected in T cell lines as well as in primary human and mouse T cells. Stimulating the αβTCR with anti-CD3 antibodies, we demonstrate by confocal laser scanning microscopy that CD3ε colocalizes with ζ and both are degraded upon prolonged stimulation, possibly within the lysosomal compartment. In contrast, a substantial fraction of TRIM does not colocalize with ζ. Furthermore, TRIM neither moves to lysosomes nor is degraded. Immunoprecipitation studies and BN-PAGE indicate that TRIM also associates with the γδTCR.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Small αβTCR complexes have a TCRαβ CD3ε₂γδζ₂stoichiometry; whereas those associated with one TRIM dimer are TCRαβ CD3ε₂γδζ₂TRIM₂. TRIM is differentially processed compared to CD3 and ζ subunits after T cell activation and is not degraded. The γδTCR also associates with TRIM.</p

Topography of inland deltas: Observations, modeling, and experiments

The topography of inland deltas is influenced by the water-sediment balance in distributary channels and local evaporation and seepage rates. In this letter a reduced complexity model is applied to simulate inland delta formation, and results are compared with the Okavango Delta, Botswana and with a laboratory experiment. We show that water loss in inland deltas produces fundamentally different dynamics of water and sediment transport than coastal deltas, especially deposition associated with expansion-contraction dynamics at the channel head. These dynamics lead to a systematic decrease in the mean topographic slope of the inland delta with distance from the apex following a power law with exponent alpha = -0.69 +/- 0.02 where the data for both simulation and experiment can be collapsed onto a single curve. In coastal deltas, on the contrary, the slope increases toward the end of the deposition zone.This work was funded by the Swiss National Foundation grant NF20021-116050/1. The author D. A. was affiliated to the Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry of ETH Zurich when performing the project. J. S. A. J would like to thank the Brazilian agencies CNPq, CAPES and FUNCAP for financial support.Publisher's Versio

Early life course risk factors for childhood obesity : the IDEFICS case-control study

Background: The early life course is assumed to be a critical phase for childhood obesity; however the significance of single factors and their interplay is not well studied in childhood populations. Objectives: The investigation of pre-, peri- and postpartum risk factors on the risk of obesity at age 2 to 9. Methods: A case-control study with 1,024 1: 1-matched case-control pairs was nested in the baseline survey (09/2007-05/2008) of the IDEFICS study, a population-based intervention study on childhood obesity carried out in 8 European countries in pre- and primary school settings. Conditional logistic regression was used for identification of risk factors. Results: For many of the investigated risk factors, we found a raw effect in our study. In multivariate models, we could establish an effect for gestational weight gain (adjusted OR = 1.02; 95% CI 1.00-1.04), smoking during pregnancy (adjusted OR = 1.48; 95% CI 1.08-2.01), Caesarian section (adjusted OR = 1.38; 95% CI 1.10-1.74), and breastfeeding 4 to 11 months (adjusted OR = 0.77; 95% CI 0.62-0.96). Birth weight was related to lean mass rather than to fat mass, the effect of smoking was found only in boys, but not in girls. After additional adjustment for parental BMI and parental educational status, only gestational weight gain remained statistically significant. Both, maternal as well as paternal BMI were the strongest risk factors in our study, and they confounded several of the investigated associations. Conclusions: Key risk factors of childhood obesity in our study are parental BMI and gestational weight gain; consequently prevention approaches should target not only children but also adults. The monitoring of gestational weight seems to be of particular importance for early prevention of childhood obesity