Introduction: The future of austerity

Editor's introduction to special issue of the journal

Analysis of manufacturing operations using knowledge- Enriched aggregate process planning

Knowledge-Enriched Aggregate Process Planning is concerned with the problem of supporting agile design and manufacture by making process planning feedback integral to the design function. A novel Digital Enterprise Technology framework (Maropoulos 2003) provides the technical context and is the basis for the integration of the methods with existing technologies for enterprise-wide product development. The work is based upon the assertion that, to assure success when developing new products, the technical and qualitative evaluation of process plans must be carried out as early as possible. An intelligent exploration methodology is presented for the technical evaluation of the many alternative manufacturing options which are feasible during the conceptual and embodiment design phases. 'Data resistant' aggregate product, process and resource models are the foundation of these planning methods. From the low-level attributes of these models, aggregate methods to generate suitable alternative process plans and estimate Quality, Cost and Delivery (QCD) have been created. The reliance on QCD metrics in process planning neglects the importance of tacit knowledge that people use to make everyday decisions and express their professional judgement in design. Hence, the research also advances the core aggregate planning theories by developing knowledge-enrichment methods for measuring and analysing qualitative factors as an additional indicator of manufacturing performance, which can be used to compute the potential of a process plan. The application of these methods allows the designer to make a comparative estimation of manufacturability for design alternatives. Ultimately, this research should translate into significant reductions in both design costs and product development time and create synergy between the product design and the manufacturing system that will be used to make it. The efficacy of the methodology was proved through the development of an experimental computer system (called CAPABLE Space) which used real industrial data, from a leading UK satellite manufacturer to validate the industrial benefits and promote the commercial exploitation of the research

What is austerity?

This is the edited transcript of a conversation between Rebecca Bramall, editor of this special issue, Jeremy Gilbert, editor of New Formations, and James Meadway, who at the time was chief economist of the New Economics Foundation and is currently advising shadow chancellor of the exchequer John McDonnell in a consultancy capacity. The discussion touches on the different meanings of ‘austerity’ in contemporary political discourse, the history of neoliberal austerity programmes and their political and social effects, the uneven implementation of austerity in the UK, and various other issues in understanding the cultural, social and economic politics of ‘austerity’ in contemporary Britain, today and in the future

A Late Maoist Industrial Revolution? Economic Growth in Jiangsu Province, 1966-1978

According to the conventional wisdom, the promise of the Chinese revolution of 1949 went unfulfilled in the Maoist era. Instead of taking-off, the economy grew slowly and widespread rural poverty persisted. The economic turning point was instead the famous political climacteric of 1976-78. But this metric of aggregates is the wrong criterion by which to judge China’s economic record because industrial revolutions have regional beginnings. They invariably take place against a backcloth of slow aggregate growth and stagnant material living standards. Accordingly, we should dwell neither on China’s slow overall growth nor its widespread poverty before 1978, but look instead for evidence of an emerging regional growth pole. This article argues that Jiangsu was such a growth pole in the late Maoist era, and that its record bears comparison with that of Lancashire and Yorkshire during the early years of Britain's industrial revolution. This holds out the intriguing possibility that a Chinese economic take-off, diffusing out of the Yangzi delta, would have occurred even without post-1978 policy changes

Hermeneutic understanding and the liberal aims of education.

This thesis attempts to adapt Hans-Georg Gadamer's conception of hermeneutic\ud understanding such that it may be of service in the conceptualisation and promotion of\ud liberal educational aims.\ud The thesis takes as its starting point an account of the liberal aims of education\ud which can be summarised as an attempt to transpose the political liberalism of John\ud Stuart Mill into practical educational aims. The argument is made that, in the context of\ud late modernity, these aims are in need of renewal and reinterpretation.\ud In particular, traditional conceptions of the liberal educational aim of personal\ud autonomy based on a model of informed desire satisfaction are argued to be inadequate.\ud Whilst the model of informed desire satisfaction in general is endorsed, criticism is\ud brought to bear on the attendant account of the cognitive requirements for living a\ud liberally conceived flourishing life. Specifically it is argued that the information needed\ud for living a flourishing life cannot be adequately understood as objective knowledge.\ud Rather, knowledge of oneself, of others, and of the institutions and practices of one's\ud society, is argued to be better described as a form of social scientific understanding.\ud Furthermore, this understanding is argued to be hermeneutical in character.\ud Following from the tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology pioneered by\ud Heidegger and developed by Gadamer, an attempt is made to formulate a version of\ud hermeneutic understanding that is philosophically acceptable and of potential practical\ud value in the articulation and promotion of liberal aims of education. In response to the\ud structures and processes associated with the practical and critical conception of\ud hermeneutic understanding generated, some key liberal educational aims are rethought.\ud Consideration is given to the means of promoting hermeneutic understanding in learners\ud as a contribution to the fulfilment of these aims

Topology Optimization of a Single-Point Diamond-Turning Fixture for a Deployable Primary Mirror Telescope

CubeSats, known for their compact size and cost effectiveness, have gained significant popularity. However, their limited size imposes restrictions on the optical aperture and, consequently, the Ground Resolution Distance in Earth Observation missions. To overcome this limitation, the concept of deployable optical payloads with segmented primary mirrors which can unfold like petals has emerged, enabling larger synthetic apertures and enhanced spatial resolution. This study explores the potential benefits of leveraging Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Topology Optimization (TO) in the realm of ultra-precision machining, specifically single-point diamond machining. The goal is to reduce fixture weight while improving stiffness to minimize deformations caused by rotational and cutting forces which compromise optical performance. Through Finite Element Analysis, this research compares conventionally machined fixtures with those produced using AM and TO techniques. The results reveal that concept designs created via TO can achieve a remarkable 68% reduction in weight. This reduction makes the assembly, including the machining fixture and 12 U deployable segments, manageable by a single operator without the need for specialized lifting equipment. Moreover, these innovative designs lead to substantial reductions of up to 86% and 51% in deformation induced by rotational and cutting forces, respectively

Working Paper 1: Researching redistributive imaginaries: emerging methodological reflections

This is the first in a series of working papers produced by members of the consortium as part of the Redistributive Imaginaries (ReDigIm) project. This paper focuses on the concept of ‘imaginaries’ and its role in the project’s methodology as well as its epistemological underpinnings. The first part of the paper explains why we have chosen to adopt the concept of imaginaries and how it serves our inquiry into redistributive practices and social meaning-making. It sets out our conceptualisation of imaginaries and the theoretical frameworks that we think are most relevant to our investigation. The second part of the paper considers various methodological challenges associated with research on imaginaries and identifies the specific methods we have selected to implement the ReDigIm project