Using the Values-Practice Framework to adopt lifetime optimising behaviours: the case of maintenance

The influence that consumers have on the lifespan of products has attracted increased attention in recent years. Studies have provided an overall understanding of the factors that influence consumer attitudes and behaviours towards product longevity, categorised around the physical properties of a product, and individual and societal characteristics. However, such studies do not yet adequately explain how people could adopt product lifetime optimising behaviours. To fill this gap, the paper analyses a range of studies on what influences product lifetimes, focusing on maintenance activities. It proposes the use of the Values-Practice framework derived from two theoretical positions, social psychology and social practice theory, to consider how to facilitate the adoption of lifetime optimising behaviours. To build this framework, it analyses studies that classify factors influencing attitudes and behaviours towards product lifetimes and then links these to the ‘meaning’, ‘competence’ and ‘material’ elements of practice. The framework could be used as a tool to aid designers under stand the different elements and factors that engage people in maintenance activities. The paper concludes by considering the research requirements for the future application of the framework

An overview of decision table literature.

The present report contains an overview of the literature on decision tables since its origin. The goal is to analyze the dissemination of decision tables in different areas of knowledge, countries and languages, especially showing these that present the most interest on decision table use. In the first part a description of the scope of the overview is given. Next, the classification results by topic are explained. An abstract and some keywords are included for each reference, normally provided by the authors. In some cases own comments are added. The purpose of these comments is to show where, how and why decision tables are used. Other examined topics are the theoretical or practical feature of each document, as well as its origin country and language. Finally, the main body of the paper consists of the ordered list of publications with abstract, classification and comments.

Pemex y Petrobras: historias de gestión petrolera con rumbos diferentes

Se presenta un análisis de las condiciones financieras y productivas que han marcado, en los años recientes, las estrategias de gestión en las empresas Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) y Petróleo Brasileiro (Petrobras). Esto es relevante en la medida en que, para justificar una nueva ronda de reformas al marco regulatorio de la industria energética nacional, se ha citado reiteradamente la importancia de considerar, entre otros referentes, el modelo petrolero brasileño. Sin embargo, los datos apuntan a que una reforma para modernizar Pemex tendría que iniciarse resolviendo los problemas de endeudamiento y de atraso tecnológico que administraciones poco eficientes le han provocado.In this paper is presented an analysis related with the financial and productive conditions that have marked, in recent years, the management strategies in Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) y Petróleo Brasileiro (Petrobras). This is relevant in so far as to justify a new round of reforms to the regulatory framework of the domestic energy industry, has been cited repeatedly the importance of considering, among other references, the Brazilian oil model. However, the data suggest that a reform to modernize Pemex would have to start solving the debt problems and technological backwardness that have been caused by inefficient administrations

Moving beyond the circular economy

The production model, which currently underpins our material prosperity, remains highly resource-intensive, and the volume of minerals, ores and fossil fuels consumed annually is set to triple by 2050 unless economic growth is decoupled from resource consumption [1]. One response that has been attracting significant attention is the idea of a circular economy (or close loop economy), in which waste is transformed into value rather than disposed of to landfill [2]. While acknowledging potential benefits to businesses of a circular economy, this paper critically reviews the model and proposes an approach that addresses concerns that even recycling processes have energy impacts through transportation, reprocessing and subsequent manufacturing, and that in practice it is impossible to have a complete circular system in which there is no use of virgin materials and no final waste. It presents an overarching framework that responds to such concerns, built by studying different circular models in a macro-level perspective and then tailoring tactics for different sectors in a micro - level perspective [3 ,4,5,6 ]. The paper explains how the framework was built and how it is applied to the large household appliance (LHA) sector, through developing two emerging models based on product-service systems (PSS). The paper presents findings from a workshop in which the two models were presented to industry representatives, revealing their responses regarding the opportunities and challenges to implement the proposed models to go beyond the circular economy

Experiència artistica i producció cultural, àmbits per a la intervenció socioeducativa

La intervenció socioeducativa troba en les activitats artístiques interessants possibilitats per a treballar amb una gran varietat de col·lectius socials. La col·laboració interdisciplinaria entre diferents arees i entre diferents professionals, educadors, treballadors socials, art-terapeutes, pedagogs i artistes dóna lloc a tot el món línies d'investigació i de projectes d'intervenció socioeducativa amb l'art i altres produccions culturals com a protagonistes. Els professionals de la intervenció socioeducativa tenen eines valuoses per al seu treball

Sign learning kink-based (SiLK) quantum Monte Carlo for molecular systems

The Sign Learning Kink (SiLK) based Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method is used to calculate the ab initio ground state energies for multiple geometries of the H$_{2}$O, N$_2$, and F$_2$ molecules. The method is based on Feynman's path integral formulation of quantum mechanics and has two stages. The first stage is called the learning stage and reduces the well-known QMC minus sign problem by optimizing the linear combinations of Slater determinants which are used in the second stage, a conventional QMC simulation. The method is tested using different vector spaces and compared to the results of other quantum chemical methods and to exact diagonalization. Our findings demonstrate that the SiLK method is accurate and reduces or eliminates the minus sign problem.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, to appear in the Journal of Chemical Physic

¿Depurar el agua en Almería? ¿Para qué? El uso de las controversias socioquímicas en la prensa

Les difícils relacions entre científics i periodistes per entendre's mútuament serveixen de punt de partida per construir una «divulgació química» que es transformi en una «comunicació científica com a procés educatiu», problematitzada i que posi en conflicte els mites, creences o concepcions alternatives de la societat, escolar o no. Les notícies sobre depuració d'aigua ens permeten transformar el consens en controvèrsia i reflexionar sobre les implicacions per a periodistes i docents.The mutual misunderstandings between scientists and journalists serve as a starting point to build a «chemical divulgation» which was transformed into a «science communication as an educational process», problematized conflicts myths, beliefs or alternative conceptions of society, be they scholarly or not. News about water purification allows us to transform the consensus into controversy and reflect on the implications for journalists and teachers.Las difíciles relaciones entre científicos y periodistas para entenderse mutuamente sirven de punto de partida para construir una «divulgación química» que se transforme en una «comunicación científica como proceso educativo», problematizada y que ponga en conflicto los mitos, creencias o concepciones alternativas de la sociedad, escolar o no. Las noticias sobre depuración de agua nos permiten transformar el consenso en controversia y reflexionar sobre las implicaciones para periodistas y docentes

Consideraciones sobre la nueva gestión pública en México durante el sexenio foxista

Una parte central de las reformas estructurales está vinculada, por una parte, a la redefinición del papel del Estado en la economía al reducir la actividad empresarial pública y modificar su papel en la esfera distributiva y, por otra, a la aplicación de formas de gestión que buscan hacer racional, en términos de eficiencia en el uso de los recursos, los procesos administrativos desarrollados por las organizaciones públicas. Evidentemente, esas transformaciones tienen dos ejes: uno teórico, con raíces en la economía neoclásica y la economía de las organizaciones, que ponen énfasis en la introducción de la competencia y la disciplina del mercado en áreas controladas por el Estado y, otro empírico, que tiene que ver con la implementación en el aparato gubernamental mexicano de las técnicas y prácticas inherentes a lo que se conoce como la “nueva gestión pública” (a través de lineamientos estratégicos, como los establecidos en la Agenda de buen gobierno, por ejemplo). Es justamente al análisis de estos dos ejes que se encamina este trabajo.A central part of the structural reforms is linked, in one hand, to State role redefinition in economy, reducing Public business activities and its role in distribution sphere, and in the other hand, the application of negotiating forms that they seek to be rational, in terms of resources efficiency use and the administrative process developed by public organizations. These transformations have evidently two axes: (1) One is theoretical, based in neo-classic economy and organizational economy, so that they put attention in State control in competition introduction and market discipline, and (2) The second one is empirical, it is related to the Mexican government implementation of techniques and forms of the New Public Negotiation (through strategic procedures and rules, i. e. Good Government Agenda). This document analyses these two axes

La construcció de l'islam com a objecte de polítiques públiques a Catalunya

Volum coordinat per Josep M. Masjua

Piezochromic properties of pyridil divinyl anthracene derivatives: a joint Raman and DFT study

Piezochromic materials, which show color changes resulting from external pressure or mechanical grinding, are of great interest from a scientific viewpoint owing to their potential applications as pressure-sensing and optical-recording systems.[1] It has been recently discovered solid-state fluorescence properties and piezochromic luminescence in a family of 9,10-Bis((E)-n-(pyrid-2-yl)vinyl)anthracene, BPnVA (n=2 orto-,3 metha- and 4 para-) compounds, see Figure 1.[2] The crystal structures indicate that the three compounds with varying position of the nitrogen on the external pyridyl exhibit different molecular packing modes. In this work, we aim at providing further insight into the interplay played by the molecular and supramolecular structural changes and the luminescence changes observed under pressure by using a combined experimental-theoretical approach that links Raman spectroscopy with DFT calculations.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec