Metáforas e Sua Representatividade na Gestão Acadêmica

As organizações sociais são essencialmente orientadas por símbolos, a partir dos quais os agentes organizacionais estão constantemente pensando, refletindo e agindo, tendo como base imagens, discursos, decisões e ações. Dentre os diferentes tipos de símbolos presentes na literatura está a metáfora, que faz parte da natureza e da essência das práticas gerenciais das organizações em geral e, ainda mais, de organizações acadêmicas, um dos tipos de organizações mais complexas da sociedade. Considerando que comportamentos, construções de sentido (sensemaking) e símbolos são construídos e compartilhados por gestores acadêmicos e, portanto, são influenciadores de práticas gerenciais adotadas, este estudo investigou a presença e a influência de características de três principais metáforas nas práticas desenvolvidas: a Metáfora da Máquina, a Metáfora da Arena Política e a Metáfora da Anarquia Organizada. Para tanto, examinou-se como as metáforas influenciam as práticas da gestão acadêmica de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior (IES) nos seus diferentes níveis de atuação (formação Técnica, Graduação e Mestrado). O estudo respalda-se em conceitos de metáforas, sensemaking, gestão acadêmica e complexidade organizacional. Trata-se de um estudo de caso de natureza qualitativa, descritiva e exploratória. Dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas e documentos, os quais foram analisados por meio da técnica de análise de narrativas e de análise documental. Resultados evidenciaram a presença e coexistência de características das três Metáforas investigadas nas práticas gerenciais adotadas na gestão acadêmica, todavia, com preponderância da Anarquia Organizada e da Arena Política. Tal coexistência da manifestação das metáforas nas práticas ressalta as implicações da complexidade organizacional e da pluralidade de públicos e de interesses envolvidos na gestão acadêmica. Ainda que ressaltada a importância da adoção de soluções de cunho mecanicista na gestão acadêmica, as práticas de cunho político foram destacadas como sendo essenciais para se avançar na implementação de mudanças. Destaca-se, portanto, a importância da habilidade do gestor acadêmico para desempenhar esta função, a qual demanda a conciliação de uma dimensão objetiva e, principalmente, subjetiva envolvendo insights, criatividade, improvisação, feeling e, preponderantemente, experiência

A literature survey on sideslip angle estimation using vehicle dynamics based methods

The vehicle sideslip angle or lateral velocity is a measure both for driving stability and for occupant’s subjective perception of safety. With the introduction of vehicle dynamics control systems and automated driving functions, knowledge of this vehicle motion state is required for many control strategies. This article gives an overview on the state of the art on sideslip angle estimation. In contrast to other literature studies on this topic, it focuses on vehicle dynamics based algorithms. The following types of observers are discussed: Kalman Filter-type, recursive least squares (RLS), sliding mode observers (SMO) or nonlinear observers (NLO). Eventually, cascaded observers are used that first estimate some states, which then act as input to the sideslip angle estimator. Since the choice of an observer strategy always depends on the application, this article provides a brief insight into the work of selected research groups that have studied the topic. These examples will help to clarify the presence of many different approaches in the literature. A detailed discussion on vehicle and tire models is not included but referenced to other sources. Finally, this article provides recommendations for two main target groups: First, researchers and engineers that plan to design an algorithm for sideslip angle estimation using deterministic vehicle dynamics based approaches. Second, researchers and engineers planning to include an existing algorithm in an automated driving function that want to learn about advantages and limitations of these types of algorithms. Author

Measurements and optimization of the light yield of a TeO2_2 crystal

Bolometers have proven to be good instruments to search for rare processes because of their excellent energy resolution and their extremely low intrinsic background. In this kind of detectors, the capability of discriminating alpha particles from electrons represents an important aspect for the background reduction. One possibility for obtaining such a discrimination is provided by the detection of the Cherenkov light which, at the low energies of the natural radioactivity, is only emitted by electrons. This paper describes the method developed to evaluate the amount of light produced by a crystal of TeO$_2$ when hit by a 511 keV photon. The experimental measurements and the results of a detailed simulation of the crystal and the readout system are shown and compared. A light yield of about 52 Cherenkov photons per deposited MeV was measured. The effect of wrapping the crystal with a PTFE layer, with the aim of maximizing the light collection, is also presented

New application of superconductors: high sensitivity cryogenic light detectors

In this paper we describe the current status of the CALDER project, which is developing ultra-sensitive light detectors based on superconductors for cryogenic applications. When we apply an AC current to a superconductor, the Cooper pairs oscillate and acquire kinetic inductance, that can be measured by inserting the superconductor in a LC circuit with high merit factor. Interactions in the superconductor can break the Cooper pairs, causing sizable variations in the kinetic inductance and, thus, in the response of the LC circuit. The continuous monitoring of the amplitude and frequency modulation allows to reconstruct the incident energy with excellent sensitivity. This concept is at the basis of Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs), that are characterized by natural aptitude to multiplexed read-out (several sensors can be tuned to different resonant frequencies and coupled to the same line), resolution of few eV, stable behavior over a wide temperature range, and ease in fabrication. We present the results obtained by the CALDER collaboration with 2x2 cm2 substrates sampled by 1 or 4 Aluminum KIDs. We show that the performances of the first prototypes are already competitive with those of other commonly used light detectors, and we discuss the strategies for a further improvement

Characterization of the KID-Based Light Detectors of CALDER

The aim of the Cryogenic wide-Area Light Detectors with Excellent Resolution (CALDER) project is the development of light detectors with active area of $5\times5$ cm$^2$ and noise energy resolution smaller than 20 eV RMS, implementing phonon-mediated kinetic inductance detectors. The detectors are developed to improve the background suppression in large-mass bolometric experiments such as CUORE, via the double read-out of the light and the heat released by particles interacting in the bolometers. In this work, we present the characterization of the first light detectors developed by CALDER. We describe the analysis tools to evaluate the resonator parameters (resonant frequency and quality factors) taking into account simultaneously all the resonance distortions introduced by the read-out chain (as the feed-line impedance and its mismatch) and by the power stored in the resonator itself. We detail the method for the selection of the optimal point for the detector operation (maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio). Finally, we present the response of the detector to optical pulses in the energy range of 0-30 keV

An enshrouded AGN in the merging starburst system Arp~299 revealed by BeppoSAX

Using a long (=150 ksec), broad-band (0.1--40 keV) BeppoSAX observation of the merging starburst system Arp 299 (=IC 694 + NGC 3690) we found the first unambiguous evidence of the presence of a deeply buried (N_H = 2.5E24 cm-2) AGN having an intrinsic luminosity of L(0.5-100 keV) = 1.9E43 cgs. The X-ray spectral properties of this AGN are discussed in detail as well as the thermal component detected at soft X-ray energies which, most likely, is associated with the starburst.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Latex manuscript, Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal - Letters Editio