Coordination in Business Process Offshoring

We investigate coordination strategies in the remote delivery of business services (i.e. Business Process Offshoring). We analyze 126 surveys of offshored processes to understand both the sources of difficulty in the remote delivery of services as well as how organizations overcome these difficulties. We find that interdependence between offshored and onshore processes can lower offshore process performance. Investment in coordination mechanisms such as modularity, ongoing communication and generating common ground across locations ameliorate the performance impact of interdependence. In particular, we are able to show that building common ground – knowledge that is shared and known to be shared- across locations is a coordination mechanism that is distinct from building communication channels or modularising processes. Our results also suggest the firms may be investing less in common ground than they should.Coordination; offshoring; modularity; common ground; interdependence

Difference between Mitochondrial RNase P and Nuclear RNase P [Letters to the Editor]

[Discussion of: Puranam, R. S., and G. Attardi. 2001. The RNase P associated with HeLa cell mitochondria contains an essential RNA component identical in sequence to that of the nuclear RNase P. Mol. Cell. Biol. 21:548-561.

Constructing Stochastic Models for Dipole Fluctuations from Paleomagnetic Observations

Records of relative paleointensity are subject to several sources of error. Temporal averaging due to gradual acquisition of magnetization removes high-frequency fluctuations, whereas random errors introduce fluctuations at high frequency. Both sources of error limit our ability to construct stochastic models from paleomagnetic observations. We partially circumvent these difficulties by recognizing that the largest affects occur at high frequency. To illustrate we construct a stochastic model from two recent inversions of paleomagnetic observations for the axial dipole moment. An estimate of the noise term in the stochastic model is recovered from a high-resolution inversion (CALS10k.2), while the drift term is estimated from the low-frequency part of the power spectrum for a long, but lower-resolution inversion (PADM2M). Realizations of the resulting stochastic model yield a composite, broadband power spectrum that agrees well with the spectra from both PADM2M and CALS10k.2. A simple generalization of the stochastic model permits predictions for the mean rate of magnetic reversals. We show that the reversal rate depends on the time-averaged dipole moment, the variance of the dipole moment and a slow timescale that characterizes the adjustment of the dipole toward the time-averaged value. Predictions of the stochastic model give a mean rate of 4.2 Myr^(−1), which is in good agreement with observations from marine magnetic anomalies

Towards Full-Body Gesture Analysis and Recognition

With computers being embedded in every walk of our life, there is an increasing demand forintuitive devices for human-computer interaction. As human beings use gestures as importantmeans of communication, devices based on gesture recognition systems will be effective for humaninteraction with computers. However, it is very important to keep such a system as non-intrusive aspossible, to reduce the limitations of interactions. Designing such non-intrusive, intuitive, camerabasedreal-time gesture recognition system has been an active area of research research in the fieldof computer vision.Gesture recognition invariably involves tracking body parts. We find many research works intracking body parts like eyes, lips, face etc. However, there is relatively little work being done onfull body tracking. Full-body tracking is difficult because it is expensive to model the full-body aseither 2D or 3D model and to track its movements.In this work, we propose a monocular gesture recognition system that focuses on recognizing a setof arm movements commonly used to direct traffic, guiding aircraft landing and for communicationover long distances. This is an attempt towards implementing gesture recognition systems thatrequire full body tracking, for e.g. an automated recognition semaphore flag signaling system.We have implemented a robust full-body tracking system, which forms the backbone of ourgesture analyzer. The tracker makes use of two dimensional link-joint (LJ) model, which representsthe human body, for tracking. Currently, we track the movements of the arms in a video sequence,however we have future plans to make the system real-time. We use distance transform techniquesto track the movements by fitting the parameters of LJ model in every frames of the video captured.The tracker\u27s output is fed a to state-machine which identifies the gestures made. We haveimplemented this system using four sub-systems. Namely1. Background subtraction sub-system, using Gaussian models and median filters.2. Full-body Tracker, using L-J Model APIs3. Quantizer, that converts tracker\u27s output into defined alphabets4. Gesture analyzer, that reads the alphabets into action performed.Currently, our gesture vocabulary contains gestures involving arms moving up and down which canbe used for detecting semaphore, flag signaling system. Also we can detect gestures like clappingand waving of arms

Strength and Serviceability of Concrete Elements Reinforced with High-Strength Steel

The potential use of high-strength steel reinforcement (HSSR) with yield stress () larger than 80 ksi requires reconsideration of design criteria and limits used to avoid sudden failure because they were conceived for elements with Gr. 60 and 80 (=60 and 80 ksi) reinforcement. The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using HSSR for applications not related to seismic demands, with a focus on three topics: (i) minimum flexural reinforcement in slabs and walls, (ii) maximum flexural reinforcement in beams, and (iii) crack widths and deflections. Nine slabs with gross longitudinal reinforcement ratio () between 0.07% and 0.18%, four walls with between 0.07% and 0.24%, and six continuous beams with longitudinal reinforcement ratio between 0.8% and 2.5% and a net tensile strain of approximately 0.005 were tested to study the strength, toughness, and serviceability of elements with HSSR. The test data indicated that it is feasible to use HSSR (with up to 120 ksi). The following conclusions are made in relation to the three specific topics investigated: 1) Minimum longitudinal reinforcement ratio for slabs can be reduced in inverse proportion to increase in yield stress. Test slabs with HSSR and as small as 0.09% had rotational capacities larger than 4%. Nevertheless prudence is due because brittle failure may occur at small displacements in lightly reinforced elements in which cracking moment approaches or exceeds yield moment and because low shear strength has been observed to be associated with low ratios of longitudinal reinforcement. 2) Current minimum longitudinal reinforcement limits in walls with uniformly distributed reinforcement, even for Gr.60 reinforcement, should be reconsidered. Specimens with Gr. 60 and Gr.120 bars, and ranging between 0.07% and 0.24% failed at drift capacities smaller than 1%. In walls with products of gross reinforcement ratio and measured yield stress smaller than approximately 200 psi, failure took place just after first cracking and at loads smaller than those at first cracking suggesting that elements in this range should be avoided in all structures no matter how low the probability of cracking is estimated to be. This is especially critical for ordinary structural walls without confined boundary elements in seismic regions. 3) In the tests conducted, sections with HSSR designed to have net tensile strain () of 0.005 had sufficient rotational capacity for moment redistribution. In design, detailing to accommodate increases in shear and bond demands caused by load redistribution is needed and may be as critical as controlling maximum reinforcement ratio through to avoid brittle failure. 4) Test data suggest that extrapolation of minimum thickness for one-way slabs with HSSR as the thickness required for an element with working stress of 40 ksi multiplied by a factor related to working stress in the reinforcing bars (), 0.4+ 3()200 , would lead to acceptable immediate and long-term deflections. 5) According to the measurements made, reduction in bar spacing (s) with increase in working stress in the reinforcing bars (), determined as =15(40,000())−2.5∗, would be sufficient to avoid intolerable crack widths even in elements with working stresses up to 80 ksi

Chaotic Excitation and Tidal Damping in the GJ 876 System

The M-dwarf GJ 876 is the closest known star to harbor a multi-planetary system. With three outer planets locked in a chaotic Laplace-type resonance and an appreciably eccentric short-period super-Earth, this system represents a unique exposition of extrasolar planetary dynamics. A key question that concerns the long-term evolution of this system, and the fate of close-in planets in general, is how the significant eccentricity of the inner-most planet is maintained against tidal circularization on timescales comparable to the age of the universe. Here, we employ stochastic secular perturbation theory and N-body simulations to show that the orbit of the inner-most planet is shaped by a delicate balance between extrinsic chaotic forcing and tidal dissipation. As such, the planet's orbital eccentricity represents an indirect measure of its tidal quality factor. Based on the system's present-day architecture, we estimate that the extrasolar super-Earth GJ 876 d has a tidal Q ~ 10^4–10^5, a value characteristic of solar system gas giants

Integrating Acquired Capabilities: When Structural Integration Is (Un)necessary

Acquirers who buy small technology-based firms for their technological capabilities often discover that postmerger integration can destroy the very innovative capabilities that made the acquired organization attractive in the first place. Viewing structural integration as a mechanism to achieve coordination between acquirer and target organizations helps explain why structural integration may be necessary in technology acquisitions despite the costs of disruption this imposes, as well as the conditions under which it becomes less (or un-) necessary. We show that interdependence motivates structural integration but that preexisting common ground offers acquirers an alternate path to achieving coordination, which may be less disruptive than structural integration

Learning what they think vs. learning what they do: The micro-foundations of vicarious learning

Vicarious learning is a vital component of organizational learning. We theorize and model two fundamental processes underlying vicarious learning: observation of actions (learning what they do) vs. belief sharing (learning what they think). The analysis of our model points to three key insights. First, vicarious learning through either process is beneficial even when no agent in a system of vicarious learners begins with a knowledge advantage. Second, vicarious learning through belief sharing is not universally better than mutual observation of actions and outcomes. Specifically, enabling mutual observability of actions and outcomes is superior to sharing of beliefs when the task environment features few alternatives with large differences in their value and there are no time pressures. Third, symmetry in vicarious learning in fact adversely affects belief sharing but improves observational learning. All three results are shown to be the consequence of how vicarious learning affects self-confirming biased beliefs

How Much to Make and How Much to Buy? Explaining Plural Sourcing Strategies

While many theories of the firm seek to explain when firms make rather than buy, in practice, firms often make and buy the same input—they engage in plural sourcing. We argue that explaining the mix of external procurement and internal sourcing for the same input requires a consideration of complementarities across and constraints within modes of procurement. We create analytical foundations for making empirical predictions about when plural sourcing is likely to be optimal and why the optimal mix of internal and external sourcing may vary across situations. Our framework also proves useful for assessing the possible estimation biases in transaction level make-or-buy studies arising from ignoring complementarities and constraints

Spectroscopic studies on the interaction of bilirubin with symmetrical alkyl diamines

The interactions of symmetrical alkyldiamines with bilirubin-IX α have been examined in dichloromethane and dioxane solutions, by visible region difference spectroscopy and florescence methods. In dioxane solutions a clear difference is observed between the complexes of the shorter chain diamines (number of spacer methylene groups (n ≤ 4) ) and the longer chain diamines (n ≥ 6) . The variations in spectral features with diamine chain length are less pronounced in dichloromethane. The spectroscopic results are consistent with the occurrence of distinct bilirubin conformations depending upon the solvent and the geometry of the interacting receptor. Based on molecular modelling two conformations are proposed. A 'ridge-tile' model similar to that observed in crystals is favoured for binding to the longer diamines, while a 'quasi-cyclic' structure is preferred for interaction with the short chain diamines