Decision processes in action at sea, a methodological challenge for real world research

International audienceRelationships between decision process and action in real world conditions emerge as a key issue in elite sport as well as in organization studies. When pressure is high and environment is evolving rapidly, acting despite a limited situation awareness is common. In such stressed situations, the observation of phenomenon raises methodological difficulties such as the access to information and its validation with regard both to the decision-making process of the decision-maker and concurrently to the course of action. Studying in real time decision processes of a professional skipper at work during an ocean yacht race from the viewpoint of the router embedded in the skipper's team provides an opportunity to go forward in understanding relationships between decision processes and action in real world when phase shifts occur. The methodological choices are discussed and research directions for further real world researches are proposed

The continuing story of the future as a liminal ethical space for the present.​

Ethical concern has a futures orientation AND anticipation is inherently ethical ​ The establishment of Futures Studies addressed an imperative of responsibility – to save humanity from itself​ Ethics and responsibility in FS are dominated by western worldviews (e.g. agency, freedom, exceptionalism, “techne”…)​ Norms and values change over time and are contested​ In anticipatory processes ethics and responsibility have presence, but likely to be implicit in actions​ The concept of “Future generations” gives substance to future obligations​ Does reframing Anticipation as ‘life itself’ (Rosen) offer a transitionary critical life change for epistemology.

Future scenarios to inspire innovation

In recent years and accelerated by the economic and financial crisis, complex global issues have moved to the forefront of policy making. These grand challenges require policy makers to address a variety of interrelated issues, which are built upon yet uncoordinated and dispersed bodies of knowledge. Due to the social dynamics of innovation, new socio-technical subsystems are emerging, however there is lack of exploitation of innovative solutions. In this paper we argue that issues of how knowledge is represented can have a part in this lack of exploitation. For example, when drivers of change are not only multiple but also mutable, it is not sensible to extrapolate the future from data and relationships of the past. This paper investigates ways in which futures thinking can be used as a tool for inspiring actions and structures that address the grand challenges. By analysing several scenario cases, elements of good practice and principles on how to strengthen innovation systems through future scenarios are identified. This is needed because innovation itself needs to be oriented along more sustainable pathways enabling transformations of socio-technical systems

Selecting utilities placement techniques in urban underground engineering

Placement of utilities has not been generally accomplished in any sustainable technique resulting in a veritable maze in high density urban areas. As underground space scarcity grows in our cities due to the increasing demands for utility services, subsurface facilities such as utility tunnels are becoming more efficient in providing the required infrastructure. There is a growing public awareness of aesthetic considerations and impatience with street cuts and their associated costs, traffic interferences, noise and accidental utility cuts. Unfortunately the lack of data and the difficulty in quantifying the intangibles has made it impossible to arrive at a reasonably accurate figure of overall negative impact on the urban environment of street cuts. Due to this, current practices of traditional trenching depending only on cost indicators remain as first option in urban planning instead of more sustainable techniques, like utility tunnels. However, it is well known that intangible costs to the public and the utilities might make the utility tunnel concept to be economically feasible in the long run. This paper presents a methodology based on AHP and Delphi processes for the selection of utilities placement techniques in which the intangibles are also assessed to avoid short-sighted urban underground planning.Curiel Esparza, J.; Cantó Perelló, J. (2013). Selecting utilities placement techniques in urban underground engineering. Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering. 13(2):276-285. doi:10.1016/j.acme.2013.02.001S27628513

Introducing elements of due diligence in sustainable urban freight transport planning

This paper presents the findings from a Delphi study that has investigated the feasibility of local authorities adopting an updated transport planning process that incorporates the concept of due diligence. The Delphi panel consisted of twenty experts representing local authorities, academia and other relevant freight stakeholders from Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, France and The Netherlands that were engaged via email survey. This resulted in the development of a refined theoretical framework that enables freight to be fully considered in local authority transport planning

Criticality and threat analysis on utility tunnels for planning security policies of utilities in urban underground space

A utility tunnel is defined as an underground structure containing one or more utilities, permitting the installation, maintenance and removal of the systems without the necessity of making street cuts or excavations. These underground facilities contain all essential utilities serving large urban areas collected together in a tunnel; therefore they are an inviting target for sabotage or vandalism. This paper proposes an expert system combining color-coded scales, Delphi and AHP methods to analyze criticality and threats on utility tunnels to support planning of security policies for utilities in urban subsurface.Cantó Perelló, J.; Curiel Esparza, J.; Calvo Peña, V. (2013). Criticality and threat analysis on utility tunnels for planning security policies of utilities in urban underground space. Expert Systems with Applications. 40(11):4707-4714. doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2013.02.031S47074714401

Scenario-driven roadmapping for technology foresight

This paper presents a novel method for using scenarios for technology foresight. Technology foresight is a well-established discipline, practised with popular foresight methods such as roadmapping and scenario planning. Applying each foresight method reveals limitations in practice, some of which can be addressed by combining methods. Following calls for combining foresight methods, and past attempts to integrate scenario planning and technology roadmapping, we propose a novel method for their combination. The resulting method — ‘scenario-driven roadmapping’ differs in: i) using scenario planning first to identify plausible images of the general environment and then using the scenarios for technology roadmapping; and ii) taking advantage of ‘flex points’ – critical developments which would signal transitions along particular pathways – to create a ‘radar’ to support effective monitoring of the environment over time. This new combined method takes advantage of the strengths of both methods, while addressing their limitations. A case study vignette centred on the work of a special interest group for Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) technology adoption in the English National Health Service is presented to illustrate and reflect upon the use in practice of the ‘scenario-driven roadmapping’ method. Participants were able to develop a detailed technology roadmap with clear ‘flex points’ helping to connect present circumstances with pathways towards future scenarios. We report on how participants engaged with the scenario-driven method and outcomes achieved were recorded

Hybrid method for selection of the optimal process of leachate treatment in waste treatment and valorization plants or landfills

“The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10098-014-0834-4”Leachate from waste landfill or treatment plants is a very complex and highly contaminated liquid effluent. In its composition, it is found dissolved organic matter, inorganic salts, heavy metals, and other xenobiotic organic compounds, so it can be toxic, carcinogenic, and capable of inducing a potential risk to biota and humans. European law does not allow such leachate to leave the premises without being depolluted. There are many procedures that enable debugging, always combining different techniques. Choosing the best method to use in each case is a complex decision, as it depends on many tangible and intangible factors that must be weighed to achieve a balance between technical, cost, and environmental sustainability. 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