The law of conservation of energy towards defining maritime cluster dynamics

Industrial clusters have for many decades been considered as the stepping stone for regional and national competitiveness, due to the fact that within these systems of economies, many propitious qualities seem to flourish. Competition and cooperation are witnessed to complement one another, firms can thrive through the marvels of knowledge creation and innovation, and positive externalities are seen to blossom into an interconnected system of collective prosperity. This system bears semblance to many occurrences in nature, and thus can guide the reflection of natural dynamics that may pave an industrial cluster’s threads. Maritime clusters in particular, are distinct vanguards of mutualism and shared opulence for the locality wherein they spawned. For these reasons, they have attracted multi-faceted attention from researchers, practitioners and policy-makers, in a dual attempt; to better understand the phenomenon and subsequently recreate it, if at all possible. Through this process, a plethora of studies have been conducted, each relinquishing its part to formulate the modern understanding of maritime clusters and to contribute towards the subsequent theory. The latter has encapsulated analysis from many disciplines that is sometimes riddled with paradox. Seldom does a cluster manifest itself without some kind of paradoxical component, and enigmatic discrepancies accompany maritime clusters inherently. Through this paper, an introductory explanation of the latter is attempted, by the scarcity principle’s applicability within maritime clusters, as a version of the law of conservation of energy. This pursuit accompanies an extraction of a structured critical literature review and the subsequent formulation of a governing model

Initial Feasibility Study for an Alternative Prison Model

156 σ.Παρατίθεται η περιγραφή ενός εναλλακτικού μοντέλου σωφρονιστικού καταστήματος που θα βασίζεται στη διεπιστημονική διαμόρφωση της λειτουργίας του καταστήματος, στην εκπαίδευση κι εργασία των κρατουμένων. Το μοντέλο θα επανδρώνεται από κρατουμένους οι οποίοι έχουν επιλεγεί μέσω μιας συγκεκριμένης (και γενόμενης για τις ανάγκες του συστήματος) διαδικασίας αξιολόγησης. Το μοντέλο αυτό με εντολή της διοίκησης θ’ ακολουθεί την αποστολή του μέσω τεκμηριωμένων διαδικασιών, οι οποίες θα μελετώνται, αναλύονται και βελτιστοποιούνται συνεχώς. Κρίνεται απαραίτητο πως ένα τέτοιο εγχείρημα πρέπει από το σχεδιασμό του έως και την καθημερινή του λειτουργία ν’ ακολουθεί σύστημα διαχείρισης ποιότητας. Η επιτυχία του θα θεμελιωθεί μέσω της αναγωγής του σωφρονιστικού καταστήματος σε μια μικρο-κοινωνία που θα επιβραβεύει την προσφορά και την κοινωνικά υγιή συμπεριφορά, θα προσφέρει δυνατότητες εκπαίδευσης κι εργασίας στους κρατουμένους της και λανθάνοντα κίνητρα για την έννομη μελλοντική σταδιοδρομία τους. Δίνονται λεπτομέρειες της διάρθρωσής του και σχέδια χωροθέτησης των εγκαταστάσεων που θα το συνθέτουν. Προς διευκόλυνση της μελέτης του καταστήματος, γίνεται διαίρεση αυτού σε λειτουργικούς τομείς βάσει των κυρίων διεργασιών που επιτελούν. Προτείνονται μεθοδολογίες σχεδίασης και λειτουργίας του καταστήματος που θα δράσουν επικουρικά προς διευκόλυνση κατάκτησης των στόχων του συστήματος. Περιγράφονται λεπτομερώς διαδικασίες όπως η εισαγωγή κι η έξοδος των κρατουμένων, οι γενικοί κανόνες που θα πρέπει ν’ ακολουθηθούν από την ομάδα σχεδίασης και τη διοίκηση ως προς τη στέγαση, σίτιση, εκπαίδευση κι εργασία των κρατουμένων, τις αθλητικές και ψυχαγωγικές δραστηριότητες, τα επισκεπτήρια κλπ. Επίσης έχουν σχεδιασθεί μονάδες παραγωγής που θα μπορούσαν να ενταχθούν στο κατάστημα κράτησης κι έχουν γίνει υπολογισμοί διανομής της εργασίας εντός τους. Καθώς ιδιαίτερη μέριμνα πρέπει να δοθεί στην ασφάλεια ενός καταστήματος κράτησης, δίνονται λεπτομερή στοιχεία που είναι απαραίτητο να περιέχονται μέσα στο σχέδιο ασφάλειας του καταστήματος. Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τους χώρους του καταστήματος, τον εξοπλισμό που θα περιλαμβάνουν και τις ικανότητες παραγωγής των μονάδων, γίνεται αναλυτική εκτίμηση του κόστους και παρουσιάζεται ο εκτιμώμενος λογαριασμός αποτελεσμάτων χρήσης, η ανάλυση νεκρού σημείου κι η αξιολόγηση της επένδυσης, καθώς και οικονομικοί δείκτες αυτής. Στο επίμετρο του παρόντος περιέχονται στοιχεία που μπορούν να βοηθήσουν στην εφαρμογή ενός προσαρμοσμένου συστήματος διαχείρισης ποιότητας στο ΣΣ, μια εργασία ενός γραμμικού προγνωστικού μοντέλου του πληθυσμού των κρατουμένων του ελληνικού σωφρονιστικού συστήματος και μια εργασία με τη μεθοδολογία υπολογισμού του βέλτιστου δρομολογίου περιπολιών ασφάλειας που θα μπορέσει να ενταχθεί στο σχέδιο ασφάλειας του καταστήματος κράτησης.We present the description of an alternative prison model which will be based on the interdisciplinary configuration of its operation and on the education and employment of prisoners. The prisoners will be assessed and selected through an intake evaluation process which will address the specific needs of this particular system. The model will follow directives laid out by its management and will accomplish its goals through documented procedures, which will be continuously studied, analyzed and optimized. It is essential that such a project from the design process up to its day to day operation will follow a quality policy. Its success will be sustained through the reinvention of prison and its transformation in a healthy micro-society that will acknowledge socially healthy behaviour and will provide opportunities for education and work among prisoners along with incentives which will lay the foundation of their rehabilitation. We provide detailed site and floor plans of the facilities that will comprise the establishment. To facilitate the study of the physical plant of this correctional institution, it is divided into functional areas based on the main processes that occur within the divisions of the installation. Proposed methodologies of design and operation are given in order to facilitate the physical system to conquer the objectives of the conceptual model. Detailed procedures are presented on issues such as the intake and release of prisoners and the general guidelines that should be followed by the design team and management on matters such as housing, food program, training and employment of prisoners, sports and recreational activities, visiting etc. In addition shop floor plans of the industrial units that will be included in the correctional institution are presented, with detailed calculations on staffing. Since it is imperative that any correctional institution follows a well documented and impervious security plan, we present discrete elements that should be included in the security plan of said institution. We provide financial calculations and projections on this investment and present the projected profit and loss statement, the break-even analysis (cost-volume-profit) and a projected cash flow statement which acts as an evaluation over time of the investment. Net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) calculations of the investment are also included. In the appendix we present elements that can help implement a quality policy for the Hellenic prison system, a paper with a linear forecasting model of the population of prisoners in the Hellenic prison system and a paper on the methodology for calculating the optimum route of a security patrol that should be included in the security plan of the correctional institution.Πέτρος Ι. Σταυρουλάκη

Transportation, the pathogen vector to rule them all: Evidence from the recent coronavirus pandemic

Introduction: It is common knowledge that mobility refers to a distinct vector for pathogens, but the importance of prevention and the infusion of public health practices within transportation systems is not manifest. Replication studies of this effect are important because transportation remains veiled in modern societies, since its demand is not direct, but derived. Methods: Variables mirroring transportation and logistics' systems intensity (trade data, the logistics performance index, and investment in transportation) are cross-tabulated with epidemiological data from the recent coronavirus pandemic. As the samples of the data pertain to a dependent commonality, the statistical hypothesis test applicable is McNemar's test. In addition, the statistical power of the test(s) is calculated as a marker of methodological validity and reliability. To further strengthen the analytical methodology, a plethora of descriptive statistics have been calculated and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) has been conducted. Results: This work confirms that the domain of transportation bears a strong association with not only mortality of a disease, but its recovery rates as well. All crosstabs provide statistically significant results and the statistical power calculated is very high, signifying the appropriateness of the methodology and the very low probability of Type II error. The MCA results are significant, as well. Conclusions: The impact, or even the presence of transportation is veiled, as transportation comprises of derived demand dynamics. As such, its activities and even the prerequisites for its efficient operations many times go unnoticed. This work replicates a known effect, that mobility exacerbates the presence of a pathogen. The significance of this research lies on the fact that distinct indicators that reflect transportation and logistics are (though a robust calculatory methodology) statistically associated with epidemiological data

Strategic correlations for maritime clusters

Maritime clusters formulate appealing objects of study, for many viewpoints. At the same time, the theory is not homogenous nor compartmentalized, although some main themes do seem to be prevalent. The latter include innovation, competitiveness, strategy, and policy. Through an inclusive analysis of the literature, data mining is attempted within this body of knowledge. A dominant instance within the literature is the existence of a strategic case, along with the fact that this is rooted within a recurring constellation of topics vested within strategic management. These occurrences are categorized per generic premise, according to a coding protocol. The data is then adjusted into dichotomous variables, to investigate dependent samples' correlation. The aim of this methodology is to examine association between the categorical variables of academic impact and the presence of a strategic case. The results of the analysis are statistically significant. This research can provoke novel directions with respect to strategic and tactical decision making, for academia and practice. In addition, this work provides a rudimentary inventory of the literature of maritime clusters, that can aid the formulation and investigation of further statistical hypotheses

Strategy, policy, and the formulation of maritime cluster typologies

In recent years, clusters of industry have attracted multilateral attention, from academia and practice, alike. Clusters of industry relate to harbouring regional competitiveness; as such, they have come to be considered as important constructs for strategy and policy, that can be deemed as complementary domains. At the same time, maritime clusters are regarded as dynamic cases from a multitude of viewpoints. The concepts of strategic policy, particularly as they pertain to maritime clusters, require deeper understanding and more thorough analysis. In this context, cluster typologies surface as a useful instrument that can offer valuable insight. While this field instils the eventuality of facilitating policy and strategy within clusters, it remains relatively barren. This instance may present the opportunity to better elaborate on the formulation of models and frameworks that address the intricacies within maritime clusters. The research conducted introduces a three-tier framework for the generation of maritime duster typologies, that bears the potential to enrich strategic management and its eventual policy implications, towards a more streamlined and informed manifestation