Employment relations in Chile : evidence of HRM practices

This paper presents empirical evidence about HRM practices in Chilean organisations with the aims of providing an overview of employment relations and adding to limited existing literature. Research was conducted in a sample of 2000 Chilean workers in the Metropolitan Region. The paper argues that HRM practices in Chilean organisations illustrate the normative perspective of modern HRM discourse, where managers understand the nature of employment relationships to be the control of workers. While HRM processes are articulated under a discourse of worker emancipation, in reality, discursive practices perpetuate patterns of subordination that have historically shaped employment relations in Chile

Recursive mass matrix factorization and inversion: An operator approach to open- and closed-chain multibody dynamics

This report advances a linear operator approach for analyzing the dynamics of systems of joint-connected rigid bodies.It is established that the mass matrix M for such a system can be factored as M=(I+H phi L)D(I+H phi L) sup T. This yields an immediate inversion M sup -1=(I-H psi L) sup T D sup -1 (I-H psi L), where H and phi are given by known link geometric parameters, and L, psi and D are obtained recursively by a spatial discrete-step Kalman filter and by the corresponding Riccati equation associated with this filter. The factors (I+H phi L) and (I-H psi L) are lower triangular matrices which are inverses of each other, and D is a diagonal matrix. This factorization and inversion of the mass matrix leads to recursive algortihms for forward dynamics based on spatially recursive filtering and smoothing. The primary motivation for advancing the operator approach is to provide a better means to formulate, analyze and understand spatial recursions in multibody dynamics. This is achieved because the linear operator notation allows manipulation of the equations of motion using a very high-level analytical framework (a spatial operator algebra) that is easy to understand and use. Detailed lower-level recursive algorithms can readily be obtained for inspection from the expressions involving spatial operators. The report consists of two main sections. In Part 1, the problem of serial chain manipulators is analyzed and solved. Extensions to a closed-chain system formed by multiple manipulators moving a common task object are contained in Part 2. To retain ease of exposition in the report, only these two types of multibody systems are considered. However, the same methods can be easily applied to arbitrary multibody systems formed by a collection of joint-connected regid bodies

Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Oscillations Damping.

This article deals with the modelling and control of oscillations that appear on floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT). First, these offshore wind energy systems, located in deep waters, are described and the modeling approach is presented. Secondly, the traditional structural control strategies based on tuned mass-damper (TMD) systems for oscillations reduction are complemented with a passive mechanism called inerter in order to improve the performance of the structural controller. This work is based on a previous work by the authors in which the inerter was located in parallel to an existing TMD in the nacelle of the FOWT. In this work, the inerter is located between the tower and the barge and results are compared to those obtained previously showing better performance. The results here presented are promising in terms of oscillations damping, both in amplitude and frequency, and constitute preliminary results of the ongoing current research of the authors

Shape evolution and the role of intruder configurations in Hg isotopes within the interacting boson model based on a Gogny energy density functional

The interacting boson model with configuration mixing, with parameters derived from the self-consistent mean-field calculation employing the microscopic Gogny energy density functional, is applied to the systematic analysis of the low-lying structure in Hg isotopes. Excitation energies, electromagnetic transition rates, deformation properties, and ground-state properties of the $^{172-204}$Hg nuclei are obtained by mapping the microscopic deformation energy surface onto the equivalent IBM Hamiltonian in the boson condensate. These results point to the overall systematic trend of the transition from the near spherical vibrational state in lower-mass Hg nuclei close to $^{172}$Hg, onset of intruder prolate configuration as well as the manifest prolate-oblate shape coexistence around the mid-shell nucleus $^{184}$Hg, weakly oblate deformed structure beyond $^{190}$Hg up to the spherical vibrational structure toward the near semi-magic nucleus $^{204}$Hg, as observed experimentally. The quality of the present method in the description of the complex shape dynamics in Hg isotopes is examined.Comment: 19 pages, 14 figures, revised version including new results and discussions, title changed, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

HRM in Chile : the impact of organisational culture

Purpose: This paper provides insight on the influence of organisational culture on HRM practices in Chile by exploring shared meanings (basic assumptions and beliefs) and organisational models that can be identified from activities, dynamics, social relationships and behaviours. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on research conducted in Chile where a combination of self-completion questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation was carried out in a non-probabilistic sample of 46 organisations. Findings: Findings suggest that there is a shared definition of work characterised by five elements; namely, the existence of great work pressure exerted by managers; a sustained focus of upper levels on organisational efficiency as an isolated element that does not include HRM; the inexistence of worker autonomy and empowerment; the use of administrative jargon and understandings of loyalty, dedication, compliance and professionalism as desired qualities in workers. The paper argues that there are three distinct categories of cultural discourse in Chilean organisations: pessimistic/fatalistic, optimistic/maniac and pragmatic/bureaucratic. Research limitations/implications: Due to the type of sampling used, findings cannot be taken to represent the whole of Chilean organisations.Practical implications: Data presented in this paper helps to understand many of the behaviours observed in Chilean organisations, which provides HR policy-makers and practitioners with sounder foundations for designing organisational programs, policies and action plans. Originality/value: The paper presents new evidence to increase empirical body of work addressing the relationship between organisational culture and HRM in developing countries, particularly in Latin America

Climate change impacts on water for irrigated horticulture in the Vale of Evesham. Final Report

This project has undertaken a scoping review and assessment of the impacts of climate change on irrigated horticulture in the Vale of Evesham, an area of intense irrigated production located within the Environment Agency’s Warwickshire Avon CAMS Catchment. The research was based on a combination of methodologies including desk-based review of published and grey literature, computer agroclimatic and water balance modelling, GIS mapping, meetings with key informants and a stakeholder workshop. Future climate datasets were derived from the latest UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKICIP02) climatology, using selected emission scenarios for the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s. These scenarios were then used to model and map the future agroclimatic conditions under which agriculture might operate and the consequent impacts on irrigation need (depths of water applied) and volumetric demand. This was complimented by a postal survey to abstractors and a stakeholder workshop, to identify, review and assess farmer adaptation options and responses. The key findings arising from the research, implications for water resource management and recommendations for further work are summarised below. Using a geographical information system (GIS), a series of agroclimate maps have been produced, for the baseline and selected UKCIP02 scenario. The maps show major changes in agroclimate within the catchment over the next 50 years. The driest agroclimate zones are currently located around Worcester, Evesham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester, corresponding to areas where horticultural production and irrigation demand are most concentrated. By the 2020s, all agroclimate zones are predicted to increase in aridity. By the 2050s the entire catchment is predicted to have a drier agroclimate than is currently experienced anywhere in the driest parts of the catchment. This will have major impacts on the pattern of land use and irrigation water demand. Cont/d